In February of my junior year in high school I went to France on an exchange trip. For some reason I saved the program acceptance letter. I don’t know whose phone numbers are written across the top, and I have no idea who Harry is, but that’s definitely my brother’s handwriting. Fourteen students from my high […] The post The Trip of a Lifetime (Gretchen’s Paris Vacation) appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more

The school district we live in does something pretty cool every year for the seniors. On one of the last days of school, they participate in the Grad Walk. All the seniors wear their caps and gowns and load onto busses at the high school. From there they go to the elementary school and the […] The post Grad Walk appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more

Marit’s 12th birthday celebration was a two-day affair. On Friday (the day after her actual birthday) we played Birthday Hooky. Part II was the next day, on Saturday. That afternoon Kristofer had a swim meet at Fairfield University which is a little less than an hour from our house, and 30 minutes from my parents’ […] The post Marit’s 12th Birthday (Part Deux) – The MPB appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more

Marit’s 12th birthday was a little over a week ago. She and Ingrid have fall birthdays that are usually on a school day, so I always give them the option to take the day off of school and do something fun. Her birthday was on a Thursday, and she wanted to go to school that […] The post Marit’s 12th Birthday (Part I) – Birthday Hooky appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more

This past summer a country club pool director position opened up at a club about 35 minutes from my house, and I decided to give it a go. The club had cleaned out its entire pool staff, and not only was I was able to hand pick my lifeguard staff, but Kristofer and Ingrid were […] The post 54 Things I Learned in my 54th Year: #50 – I’m Ready to Live Like A Grandma appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more

Last Tuesday I woke up around 1 am with excruciating abdominal pain. Within ten minutes I was completely drenched with sweat from head to toe, writhing around in agony on my bathroom floor. I have never in my life experienced pain like that. It was horrible. The pain subsided somewhat, but definitely didn’t disappear. I […] The post Thank God It’s Not The Big C appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more

(this post is full of Gilmore Girls spoilers, so consider yourself warned) The first time I watched Gilmore Girls was five or six years ago with Ingrid. She was super into it for a while, but after Rory graduated from college she kind of lost interest, and she abandonded me for Grey’s Anatomy, so I […] The post 54 Things I Learned in my 54th Year: #51 A Year In The Life is Spot On appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more

I’ve spent my life chasing results, impatiently anticipating that one, final, magical achievement that would give me the admiration and confidence and validation and respect I believed would follow. Until this year, I had no idea how results-driven I was or how exhausting and impossible this way of thinking and living is. This constant pursuit […] The post 54 Things I Learned In My 54th Year: #52 The Climb appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more

I remember when I was younger – like in my late teens – and my mom and I had just pulled into the parking lot of Caldor. My mom found a parking spot and as she was getting out of the car she caught a glimpse of her reflection and said “I haven’t even looked […] The post 54 Things I Learned in my 54th Year: #53 The Mirror appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more

I turned 54 two days ago. My 54th year was not easy. In fact, in all of my years, this past one might have been the most challenging. If year 54 isn’t at the very top of the Hardest Years Of My Life List, it’s in the Top 3. I wouldn’t say I’m sailing in […] The post 54 Things I Learned In My 54th Year: #54 Perspective appeared first on Not Your Average Mom ..read more