Author Archives: Ann Kirsten

There is nothing better than an obscure holiday! There are no expectations, no gifts, just pure, crazy fun. And, summer is the perfect time for a little kookiness. Check out these July "holidays": Jul...

PARENT: "How was school?" CHILD: "Fine." PARENT: "What did you do today?" CHILD: "Nothing." Does this sound familiar? There are times when talking to your child feels like pulling teeth. Part of the p...

My sister and I went out to lunch with my daughter and granddaughter the other day. As the meal progressed, we realized that our roles had flipped, and suddenly my sister and I were the children, and ...

Summer is approaching and it's the perfect time for refreshing drinks. I used to love to hear my mom talk about the weird concoctions she used to drink when she was young. She always had a smile on he...

Summer is here! Why not celebrate with our June Cookie-of-the-Month: WATERMELON SLICES! These cute cookies are a slice-and-bake recipe, meaning you can keep the dough logs in the freezer or fridge unt...

I have multiple tubs of decorations for each holiday, but my 4th of July dcor was sadly lacking. So, when I saw some rustic flags for sale, I decided to make my own. Here's how I did it: RUSTIC FLAGS ...

She gave my kids everything they wanted. It didn't matter how strict I was trying to be, she went behind my back and caved into their demands. A second helping of dessert, some candy before dinner, or...

Most of my neighbors have lovely, well-kept yards. Their lawns are green and they have symmetrical plantings in their garden beds. Mine? Well, it's a bit different. I just can't wrap my head around li...

My dad came over from Norway after World War II. As a kid, I thought it was completely normal to have a father who spoke with an accent and repaired watches and clocks from a tiny shop. He barely spok...

I am a lazy gardener. I'm fortunate to live in an area with plentiful rainfall because otherwise my garden would be a wilted mess, like my houseplants. My husband has actually told me to quit buying h...