The Purge is a horror movie series that is one of my all time favorites. Super scary, bloody and terrifying. The project I am about to undertake at my house feels like those movies. I have lived in some version of my home since 1996. The husband moved in after finishing med school in 2001. … Continue reading The Purge. Empty nest style →

I am officially quitting Storyworth. It was a great concept, but some of the prompts were super triggering, so maybe better suited for more normal people with normal childhoods? This week I was on the phone with someone who has quickly become a very good friend. She is older than me, so like my friend … Continue reading My fur babies →

This week's Storyworth prompt was very timely. My favorite hobby since 2014 has been listening to true crime podcasts. It all started with the podcast Serial. Unless you lived under a rock in 2014, you heard about Serial. It was the story of Adnan Syed who was accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. … Continue reading What is your favorite hobby? →

Recently I witnessed an amazing sense of community which was truly inspirational. A few weeks ago, a Good Samaritan reached out to Beautiful Together Animal Sanctuary (BTAS) about a homeless family living in their car outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. Sadly, homelessness is not a unique issue where we live, but this family was because … Continue reading The power of community →

It has been a few weeks since I have had time for my weekly Storyworth prompt. I took the first baby to college, and I have been super busy writing curriculum for the new youth programming initiative with Beautiful Together. But the Storyworth prompt about camping memories brought back SO many memories, I had to … Continue reading Camping memories →

My social media feed blew up yesterday with pictures of my beloved childhood hangout on fire. The owners are committed to rebuilding, so future generations of K-Ville folks will still be able to have the amazing memories I had from my times at Skate World. Here are some of the best ones: Friday night couples … Continue reading Skate World Memories →

Big hair bleached blonde with Sun In - check. Acid washed shorts - check. Swatch watch - check. Coppertone tan - check. This photo is the epitome of growing up in the 1980s. My latest audiobook is Acne: A Memoir by Laura Chinn. Sadly, I can relate to her life in many ways. Don't get … Continue reading Growing up anxious in the 1980s →

Reader note: my sister from my second mom called me last night to say our Paw Paw was in Hospice Care. I knew this call was coming and had been prepared for it for many years, as Paw Paw is 96 years old. He was more of a grandfather figure than my actual grandparents for … Continue reading Dear Paw Paw →

This is a sad Storyworth prompt, but such an important part of my guy's story. I can still remember meeting with Aidan's advisor at the end of his freshman year. He had a rocky start to high school, and we were brainstorming ways to keep him motivated in those non-preferred courses. She suggested we find … Continue reading The loss of a mentor →

This was a fun Storyworth prompt that made me realize what a secret nerd I was in high school. My favorite subjects were Latin and Biology. Let's start with Latin. My class was the first to take Latin all 4 years of high school (vs just the required 2 years for college applications). One of … Continue reading Favorite subjects in high school →