Life + Family

The importance of family as a daughter, sister, wife, and mother is central to my existence. The French is a nod to my integral years in French-speaking Montreal. I have been married for many years to Kevin, a man everyone adores. We have two children taking their tentative steps out of the nest, Aislyn and Jason, plus a bonus fur child, Louis. We currently live in the Portland, Oregon area.

49, at our most vulnerable

Vulnerability during prayer. It should be a code we all honor. I keep thinking about how far away New Zealand is. It feels...

Mar 311 min read

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Music education transforms you: A letter to my son's teachers

Today I am sharting the note I wrote and wished that I sent to my son's music teachers. Somehow you hope that those instructors know that...

Jun 3, 20233 min read

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The Value of Integrating a Pet

If you have one of these small animals living with you, such as a dog, cat, etc. You know that they have their signals, they read yours,...

Dec 29, 20211 min read

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Birthdays

If years were counted in more than days what would we say? We would talk more about the tears, the smiles, and the fears. We would hug...

Aug 16, 20201 min read

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Teen versus Marvel: The Saga Continues

Last night was supposed to be a Marvel movie night, a reward for our son's hard work on the piano. But things didn't go as planned. Let...

Mar 22, 20192 min read

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Do you want a Mom?

I want a Mom. Our son asked for his phone to go out with his Dad. He was going to sit in the lobby at work while Dad had a meeting, or in...

Jan 10, 20191 min read

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Magical Ending - Teen Style

I had to remember, in the moment that my teen and I were talking, “THIS IS MAGIC.” Not the scolding. Or my forthcoming punishment to...

Dec 22, 20182 min read

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Round Two: Talk Smack and Love the Fight

Well, my mother would have been 79 today had she lived. What a funny sentence. Had she lived. She did live. And we loved her. We...

Dec 18, 20182 min read

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Phone Repo

We took away our son's phone on Dec 2. It was pending after many heated, prolonged, entitled exchanges. I know my husband thought it...

Dec 15, 20182 min read

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Primping and Parties - Embracing our role in our Family Structure

I remember my parents going out. When we were little, we were all involved in the primping. As we got older, in my memory of childhood,...

Sep 3, 20182 min read

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Rock Stars and Roadies: The Parenting Dilemma

The 7th graders are going to perform their original songs at Mississippi Studios this week. My husband and I were so excited to see the...

Jun 13, 20181 min read

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Post Mother’s Day Feels: Embrace Your Brand of Mothering

Every Mother’s Day since this whole social media thing, I completely enjoy all of the outpouring to mothers here and mothers gone, from...

May 14, 20181 min read

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Will we time out of gymnastics journey?

Our son came 20th in the region (5 states) for his age group. He jumped off the pommel. It was the last event and the choice to jump off ...

Apr 9, 20182 min read

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Home Alone: A week of parenting without my spouse

Do you have kids in different school systems with different breaks? We made it through the first year of separate spring breaks. My son...

Mar 30, 20182 min read

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A year ago yesterday

The coach in me assigned myself a year of reflection that I chose to do on the 21st each month. The assignment happened organically. I...

Mar 21, 20183 min read

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Regret Is Normal, even for parents

I know one thing. If you regret having children, your kids don’t want or need to hear about it. That’s the tough part. Parents need to...

Mar 15, 20182 min read

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Feeling Loved

This moment just hit me. My Dad and I went to visit my Aunt and Uncle at their nursing home yesterday. My Uncle shrieked with delight....

Feb 13, 20181 min read

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Feeling Not Acting

I like to write about the mother-daughter relationship. In this piece, I explore the moments when you are both a mother and daughter. I...

Feb 6, 20182 min read

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The Middle of the Night

I am up at 3:30 am. Half muttering in my thoughts about why the Internet is so slow. And I imagine my mother saying, “it’s the middle of...

Jan 20, 20184 min read

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Arpeggios #Tweenlife - Why We Practice with Our Kids

I was sight singing with our son before he did his piano playing. First, we rhythm read, sing the notes, then play. When I asked, "Did...

Jan 12, 20181 min read

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Like Air - A Living Tribute

Our parents are precious. The time with them is limited. And, life is always short. When I look back on this month, I'll be glad I took...

Dec 3, 20172 min read

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The Fly Away

We made our 2nd annual pilgrimage up to Seattle for the U.S. Men’s Gymnastics Washington Open meet. Our son placed 7th in his age group....

Jan 4, 20161 min read

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