Happy Memorial Day! I don’t get a lot of opportunities to write, or even talk about my father, but today of all days would be an appropriate day to do so. Dad died of a sudden-death heart attack when I was eleven years old. My sister, mother and I were all home when it happened. It was the worst day of my life. I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye, but my final words to him were, “I love you, daddy.”

So part of being in the parenting club is knowing that there are movies that your kids will become completely obsessed with for an undetermined period of time.  This list of compulsive entertainment is constantly evolving and you never know what the next run will be.  You end up either becoming nauseated because you realize you have now watched "Barbie and the Diamond Castle" for the 1 millionth time or sometimes, even though you don't admit it to your single friends, you actually enjoy a select few.

If the title didn't give it away, I'm sitting inside a Starbuck's cafe right now with my 7 year old daughter and just chillin' the day away. While I sip my Caffe' Mocha with a yummy shot of Espresso and Peppermint while attempting to write my thoughts here, she on the other hand is busy with the iPad and sipping her favorite drink. What's pretty about this picture? Ah, you should ask. Silence. Peace. Priceless!

by Kanesha

One of the many benefits of multigenerational living is staying in touch with family history. When my mother-in-law and I have time alone together, I ask her questions about her childhood, her wild 20s, when she was a new mom, and about her parents. I was fortunate to know my mother-in-law’s father when I was a newlywed, so it’s a pleasure to connect some of the conversations I had with him with my mother-in-law’s memories and stories.

For those of you one in a hundred Americans who have participated in a Relay for Life, thank you. I shared a few weeks ago how I was getting silent auction items, raising money from sponsors, making and selling jewelry and getting ready to spend a day and night supporting the fight against cancer.

by Kanesha

Happy hump day!

I have to be honest, I am having a hard time focusing on anything not related to my kids, life coaching, fitness, and summer. I’m in a great zone, but there is other stuff to do – like folding five baskets of laundry last night – while watching the Chicago Bulls lose another game. (UGH!)

Mom's needs are not mutually exclusive to family needs. As primary caregivers we get so involved meeting the needs of others that we often have a hard time expressing our own.

May is National Water Safety month and as kids head to the pools there are some rules that they should keep in mind.  Swimming is great exercise and a great way to get kids out in the water and getting physical activity during the hot Texas summers.