If you ask my daughter, Becca, where her favorite place to be is, I can guarantee that she would say “on the stage.” Specifically, on the stage as part of a musical theater production. And more specifically, on the stage as part of a Spotlight Kids Company (SKC) musical theater production. I am so thankful that she has been able to be a part of so many amazing SKC productions (16 and counting!) over the past 5 years. As with everything over this past year, the Spotlight Kids Company has had to think outside the box to keep kids safe while still allowing them to do what they love. I spoke with ..read more

Last week, the prospect of yet another holiday spent in quarantine really had me down. I remembered talking to my mom about Thanksgiving last fall, deciding that we’d have to do it apart, like everything else (I haven’t seen my parents or my brother and sister and their families since at least February 2020, and longer for some of them.) My mom said that her doctor told her “Forget Thanksgiving. Christmas too. Think about celebrating together maybe on Easter.” Well, here it was easter, and even though my parents have both been fully vaccinated, we still made the tough decision to spend the hol ..read more

When I first entered the school system here in MadisonI was quickly recruited to get involved with what was then known as Madison Music Association thanks to my background in theatre design. It was a small but mighty group of volunteers who worked tirelessly to support, advocate, fundraise and lend a hand wherever was needed to support our arts programs. Fast forward now 10 years and that small group has grown and grown as the organization broadened its scope to cover not only music, but ALL arts in Madison school, grades K-12, thus changing their name to reflect the change to Madison Music &a ..read more

In the summer of 2017, when my daughter and her friends were between 3rd and 4th grade, some like-minded moms and I decided to team up and give our girls some good-old-fashioned fun at “Mom Camp.” What is Mom Camp, you might be asking? Well, about this time in 2018, I wrote this blog about it. It’s basically a week’s worth of a bit more structured playdates with a handful of friends. Each family hosts the girls for a half-day and plans some fun camp-like activities — cooking, crafts, games, etc. Details are below, so I won’t repeat them. Recently, when my daughter (now approaching the end of 7 ..read more

I love the movie Ponyo. My favorite movie, or maybe a tie for favorite, is Spirited Away, which is, like Ponyo, an animated movie from the Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. (I’m also big fan of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Sound of Music. Oh and The Wizard of Oz. I’m not good at favorites I guess!) But back to Ponyo. It came out in America in 2009 and it was one of the first movies I took all four of my little kids to see. (The first was Charlie and the Chocolate factory, which I remember so wanting to see in the theater that I brought my kids even though my twins were still in the clip-in ..read more

The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are upon us, Mamas! Some days are jam packed with activities and some days we’re trying to kill more time than we even thought was in a day! Here are some summer sweets recipes to make with the kids when you’re trying to while away those hours! Strawberry Ice Cream When my kids were younger, we made our annual pilgrimage to a local farm and picked our own strawberries. After we got home with our bounty, we would make the BEST strawberry ice cream in the world. Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Ice Cream is so good and hits every right note of summertime. Here’s ..read more

Thrifting is back IN, folks. Everywhere you look, you will see vintage this and used that—everything from clothing to accessories to furniture and, I am happy to say that my daughter and I are ALL about this. Around our little town, there are a handful of great shops! There’s Once & Again Consignment at 52 Main Street where my daughter and I recently purchased a beautiful refinished vanity. They have furniture, accessories, clothing and so much more. Be sure to visit their sister location in Montville with a sprawling 4500 square foot shop with even MORE! Be sure yo visit the Independent T ..read more

Just up the street from us, along Ridgedale Avenue, there is a driveway that travels up a steep hill, with a sign labeled “Summerhill Park.” Since it is the closest hiking trail through woods to our house, we’ve traversed it many times, but I recently realized that this park is not known to many in Madison. There are multiple entrances to the park. The one we usually take is from Ridgedale Ave, a bit closer to town from Fairview Ave. It is labeled with a sign near the driveway. You can go up the driveway and park in one of two lots by the woods—one near the picnic tables and one around the co ..read more

It’s hard to believe that we just have one more week of this unique school year. But, even though this year has been like no other, many of us with tweens and teens are still saying two of the same things parents have said year after year as summer approaches: “What is my kid going to do this summer?” and “How can they keep learning over the summer?” Here is one solution to both these questions: The Drew Writing Project/Digital Literacy Collaborative. These three virtual workshops are taught by National Writing Project Teacher Consultants. College Essay Writing Grades 10 – 12 July 14, 21, 28 ..read more

We always wind up hosting more often in the summer. I guess it’s the opportunity to sit outside, have a few cocktails and hang out with friends! There is also the added plus of not getting the kitchen quite as out of sorts when you cook on your grill! Happy grilling!! Grilled Carrots with Avocado & Mint We discovered this recipe from Bon Appetit two summers ago and it became an immediate hit in our household! Andouille & Beef Burgers with Spicy Mayo Believe me, if you love burgers, this recipe from Bon Appetit will quickly become one of your go to burger recipes, especialy when comp ..read more