Sunday afternoon. Late April. Like millions of mothers throughout the land, I did my workouts the previous week. I ate well. I said my prayers. I commiserated with friends, meditated and deep-breathed as I prepared to join my comrades standing at attention outside the dressing-room doors of the local Prom Dresses Department. “Ew, Mom,” came [...]

The small group of men and women wait outside cement barriers leading to Iraq’s Central Criminal Court. They stand by the cheap wood falafel stand, or the shade of the few green bushes. All of the men smoke. Lawyers dressed in suits and ties drive up and are ushered through a checkpoint by soldiers. Inside, [...]

On Mother’s Day, May 9, flowers are sweet and breakfast in bed is yummy. But if you really want to thrill M-O-M, take these 5 steps: 1. Wash your hands without being asked at all those important hand-washing moments (after the bathroom, before eating, etc.). 2. Make your bed, but don’t stop there. Make HER [...]

For a uniqueMother’s Day gift (and a fun father-daughter activity), try this photo-matching idea. First, find a photo of Mom when she was about the age you are now. Then, set up a shot that matches the photo as closely as possible, paying attention to hair, clothes, props, and setting. Feel free to improvise: in [...]

Whether it’s a first or fifth child on the way, the days and months before the baby arrives can be hectic. To greet the new family member with renewed vigor, take time beforehand for a relaxing and romantic getaway. Here are five options. 1. Pamper her. Expectant parents who book the Baby Me package at [...]

Your child can’t control how he feels, and neither can you. 1. We often confuse making our children happy or having fun with them as meeting their emotional needs. When you try to make your children have fun or be happy by trying to convince them that they have so many friends, have everything they [...]

Does your recycling bin overfloweth? Don’t kick it to the curb just yet! Read on to discover six whimsical projects that turn a cache of trash into some very clever treasures. Jug heads To liven up the laundry room, mount a menagerie of plastic-jug trophy heads. Our hunting grounds yielded the makings of a pig, [...]