Teenagers

I grew up in Missouri, and I remember my dad giving me the driver's manual for my 15th birthday. Thank goodness, too, because the day I turned 15.5 years, he took me up to take my written test. Those...

What a year! When I was journaling over winter break at the end of 2019, I wrote down some goals and dreams for myself and my family. I had plans and ideas. Three months into the year and all...

I love my daughter. I really do. She is the sun in my sky and light of my life and rose in my garden and all those metaphors we use to describe how much we love someone.  Do you...

It's August now, back to school time. I was going to write something like "Tips for Dropping Off Your College Freshman." Turns out, I’m not qualified to give you any advice on how to drop your kid off at...

It's almost time for high school students to register for their next year of classes, and you may be wondering about some of the options available to them in the Iowa City school district. The Iowa City Community School District...

Halloween can be more than trick-or-treating and costumes, but it can be challenging to find activities that are inclusive to the whole family. Here are a few ideas for families with teens and tweens to please. Family Fun  Colony Pumpkin Patch Where:...

Are you like me - do you love the holidays? I am a total sucker for Hallmark Christmas Movies, festive music on the radio, holiday lights and decorations, and basically all things red & green! We are lucky to...

Smart phones. Nearly every woman, man, teenager, child, and dog has one. Okay, maybe not the dog, but you get my point. Smartphones are everywhere and used everyday. Mine recently took a “vacation” to my brother’s house two hours...

Recently, I listened to a remastered Casey Kasem Top 40 countdown from 1986. The music that Casey played reconnected me to my youth, and put a smile on my face. You might not recognize the bands: Mike + the...

 "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they...