Between December 21st and January 3rd we hosted up to 31 members of our extended family, including 6 young children between the ages of 3 and 7. This was our third year in a row to host this much extended family over the holidays. Some live close by, some stayed in a nearby Airbnb, and some stayed under our roof and shared our 2.5 bathrooms. We cooked, washed dishes, had long talks, looked at pictures, played games, watched movies, played with Legos and toys, went on walks, a

After work today, our oldest son, Joey, along with seven other adventurers (at last count), are driving more than 20 hours from Indiana to Leadville, Colorado. When they arrive on Saturday they will check out the trailhead, have dinner, and sleep for a few hours. On Sunday, they will rise before dawn to climb Mt. La Plata, which is one of the more than 50 peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation in the state, thus earning the name “14er.” Upon descent, they will begin the 20-hour

Do you dread traveling… or dream about it? Travel can be more rewarding and less stressful if you are intentional about just a few things. I offer you 4 ways to excel at traveling: Embrace the unexpected Don’t simply “expect the unexpected” – embrace it. Travel delay? Use your “found time” to engage someone in meaningful conversation, or catch up on a task that can be worked on, or even finished, while waiting. Be flexible – sometimes “Plan B” or “Plan C” turns out to be bett

The morning of February 5th we pulled out of our driveway in Indiana and headed south. It was 3° and snow had covered the ground overnight. Our van was packed – 2 bicycles, beach chairs, a cooler, clothes, a few of our favorite spices and knives, some cleaning supplies, a table to use as a desk, my computer and printer, notes for the book I am working on for the Academy. We felt a bit like the Beverly Hillbillies. The following evening we arrived at Cape San Blas on the gulf

Buy less stuff - Make more memories. Are you making a list and checking it twice? I am too… but this year it is a list of memory-making activities and not a list of gifts to purchase, wrap, and pay for in January. This is the second Christmas season that our family has gone “stuff-less.” The first time was back in 2010 – before grandchildren – when we took all our kids and their spouses to a cabin in the Smoky Mountains. Each day was a different couple’s responsibility to pla

“… one is silver and the other’s gold” – are lines from a song I learned long ago as a Girl Scout. Good advice, especially when attending a professional conference. I’ve attended about 20 of the past 30 conferences (called FNCE) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Each one provides valuable experiences, lessons, and memories. I will remember this year's conference for making connections with dozens of old and new friends. The group photo above is a traditional gatherin

I venture that outside of formal school I have learned more around a table sharing meals with others than in any other single place. I’ve learned language, manners, customs, cuisine, jokes, stories, trivia, and truths. I’ve learned that toddlers throw food on the floor and young children have trouble sitting still. I’ve learned that fixing the meal often takes longer than eating it, but the time spent eating it together is time well spent. Meet my family. Every Monday we gath

Did you know? Our country is in the midst of a “loneliness epidemic.” Consider these statistics: More than one-fourth of all American households consist of people living alone. (US Census, 2010) More than one-fourth of Americans regularly experience loneliness. Don’t assume these are the same people who live alone – same percentages, but different statistics. (Cacioppo, 2009) Loneliness and living alone increase the risk of premature death by 26% and 32% respectively. (Hol

On Monday, August 21st, our nation collectively looked skyward to witness the moon eclipsing the sun. We watched the event unfold through solar glasses as the sun appeared to be eaten by the moon, looking much like a vanilla wafer with larger and larger bites taken out. As the sun grew “smaller” I expected darkness to come more quickly. However, it wasn’t until the moment of totality that it was as if a light switch turned off the sun and the world was submerged in darkness.