She is 18 today, which not only means she is officially an adult, but also that I am the mother of two adults and no children. It means that there will be no more self-pep talks in the bathroom about how they are only little once, and I need...

Once upon a time, there was a boy whose dreams were as big as the sky. He believed he could be anything, including (just to give you the short list):  author, magician, inventor, taekwondo master, rapper, violin maestro, wrestling star, and, at three years of age, a pterodactyl.  All...

The last week of school, for a teacher, is almost surreal. For one thing, it always seems like yesterday that this little motley crew arrived on your classroom doorstep. And yet, a full ten months has passed and you feel like you’ve found your rhythm, except now it’s over. ...

Do you call Puerto Vallarta home? Does it stay near and dear to your heart even when you aren’t there? Do you brag about your Januarys on the sandy beach, sipping mai tais and nibbling marzipan? That’s really wonderful, but might I propose the following: Vallarta will fully become...

When I was in my twenties in Puerto Vallarta, my birthdays were big, BIG news. They were all about going out with friends and eating dinner late, then heading out to the club to dance until I lost my shoes (although that really didn’t stop the dancing). Sort of...

I wanted to reward myself this past Saturday because I was so good at my dentist appointment.  I mean, I’m always good at the dentist because I don’t outwardly demonstrate my intense fear and don’t bite his finger when he revs up the high-powered scaler.  You see, I don’t enjoy the dentist, thanks...

Wednesday, May 15, was Teacher's Day, which is of special interest to me as a teacher. It is interesting for a number of reasons, two of the most interesting being: 1) I never experienced so much teacher appreciation as I have since I moved to Mexico. 2) I had the day off, which is always very...

A letter to myself, on my first Mother’s Day nineteen years ago: Oh honey, the bags under your eyes - I want to tell you that’s temporary, because I love it when you smile. Unfortunately, those bags will never quite leave you. You’ll get a little extra sleep from time to time, like...

When people find out that I live in Puerto Vallarta, they often exclaim over the fun and excitement I must experience every day. I’m almost afraid to tell them that our versions of “excitement in Puerto Vallarta” probably vary a little. Or a lot.  The name “Puerto Vallarta” invariably...

Moms and dads, do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and spend the next forty-five minutes to five hours making a list in your head of all the ways your parenting is sub-par? I have made that list so many times it writes itself: I don't...