Last year, I shared with you that Lindell did not make the Little League team. While that experience shook me as a mother (we are only as happy as our saddest child), it seemed to only inspire Lindell to try harder. In fact, I don’t think Lindell realized how much he cared about baseball until […]

If I were to be consigned to life on a remote island, what one flower would I bring along with me? That’s a bit like asking you which child is your favorite, or which piece of music you could listen to for all eternity. There are so many wonderful flowers, but some years ago I […]

Sometimes I just crave a big serving of green beans. You too, right? Hear me out. Green beans make one of my favorite veggie based meals. They are loaded with vitamins, particularly C, A and harder-to-get K, and have only 30 calories a serving. But here is the real reason why I love green beans: […]

The kitchen backsplash — that surface behind the stovetop or sink that protects the wall from damage during cooking and dishwashing — has long been used to add color and beauty to an otherwise utilitarian space. But dramatic, ornately patterned backsplashes, once popular, are being replaced by sleeker, simpler designs, says interior designer Jenny Kirschner. […]

A good fish taco is in a class by itself. My kids tried their first in a beachside restaurant in Florida, and suddenly the world of tacos had a new category. And as any mother will tell you, when fish comes in a form your kids can embrace, that’s a beautiful thing. Sometimes the fish […]

I imagine the Kathy Griffin controversy that exploded recently and continued to smolder presented many challenging conversations around American dinner tables. The imagery is grotesque and the boundaries are murky. After months of attacking the Trump family for everything from their living situation to their clothes, some Americans probably felt strange to suddenly defend the […]

If weeds are the bane of the gardener, mulch is the gardener’s friend. Not only that, mulch can hold in moisture in dry times, and give a nice, tidy look to the garden. Let’s start in the vegetable garden. Properly mulched, weeding can be minimal — say an hour a week for a big garden […]

Summer for many of us means reconnecting with water — lakeside hikes, paddles in the sea, luxuriant floats in some relaxing pool. And that connection isn’t confined just to the outdoors, either. Watery hues and motifs are all over home decor. “Water imagery adds a beautiful dimension to a room,” says designer Ohara Gaetano-Davies of […]

It would be a bit of an exaggeration to say that I have always wanted to attend the Chelsea Flower Show in London. But not much. For years I’ve dreamed of going — and finally, this year, I went. Air ticket prices are down dramatically, the dollar is strong, and I decided there was no […]

On a recent Saturday, Washington Nationals rightfielder Bryce Harper told a group of Little Leaguers in Washington, D.C., that participation trophies are not OK. “No participation trophies,” he said. “First place only.” For 48 hours, Harper was a champion to parents everywhere who are trying to raise their children without the new let’s-make-everything fair playbook. […]