Crying In Baseball And What The Game Teaches You About Life And Parenting

Photo taken by Ken Blaze, USA Today Sports; usatoday.com
Photo taken by Ken Blaze, USA Today Sports; usatoday.com

With all due respect to Tom Hanks’ character in A League of Their Own, the fictionalized movie about the All-American Girls Professional League, and the infamous line ‘There’s no crying in baseball’, I’m here to tell you: there IS crying in baseball – and that’s okay.

I’m talking about the kind of crying on players’ faces as they realize what it means to become World Series Champs. The kind of crying by loyal fans because ‘fairweather fan’ doesn’t apply when 1908 is the last time your team won. And, the kind of crying that overcomes you at home as you watch the players’ own emotions become your own.

Very early this morning, the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series, defeating the Cleveland Indians at Cleveland’s Progressive Field. After rain delays, numerous pitching changes, extra innings, and questionable moves and strategies by their manager Joe Maddon, the Chicago Cubs became the 6th team to ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to become World Champs.

Let me stop right here with the baseball jargon, because I’m in no way qualified to talk baseball with any authority. Rather, I’m a fan who appreciates what baseball teaches me about life and how I weave these lessons into my parenting.

I fell in love with baseball in elementary school, when I had a crush on a boy in my class. It’s that simple. Thankfully, my two brothers played baseball, providing the perfect cover for showing up at games. Over time, I cheered on the teams, kept the score on the old-fashioned wooden scoreboards, and even sat in the announcer’s booths in my small hometown. I learned the rules and saw up-close the upsets and triumphs of the players, the teams, and the parents who so badly wanted their sons to excel at baseball.

Today, my love for baseball means cheering my girls on in softball games and taking them to watch the Toronto Blue Jays. I love what the game teaches my kids about life. And, the World Series last night did not disappoint. Here’s what I’ve observed. Continue reading

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5 Tips For A Successful Kids’ Halloween Party

fullsizerenderIt’s Halloween in a few days which means it’s one of my favorite times of the year!  I’ve got childhood memories of wearing my costume and marching in a parade at school for parents and kids to admire.  I’ve got adult memories of carving pumpkins in my college dorm.  I’ve got lots of memories of going trick-or-treating with my kids over the years.  And, handing out candy dressed in a witch hat is an evening I look forward to all year.  So, in my opinion, Halloween is a great excuse to have a party!

I’ve thrown a few Halloween parties for the kids over the years, sometimes themed in with one of my daughter’s birthdays.  It’s just too easy to have a Halloween party, especially when the dollar stores, drug stores, and corner stores are all so well-stocked with fun crafts and ideas.  Did you know that, in the US, Halloween is about a $7 billion a year industry?  Canadians spend about $1 billion, which is more per capita than Americans do on Halloween costumes, decor and candy, according to an October 2014 article in The Financial Post.

img_3046Here are my 5 tips for hosting a party, followed by photos of what I’ve done.

Let the kids be involved in setting the agenda.
Do kids come wearing their costume or not?  What do they want the main activity to be? What do you want to serve? How many people is comfortable for you and your child to entertain? What time do you want to have the party?  I think Halloween is more fun in the dark, so if you can do a late afternoon party, go for it. Continue reading

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Mad Men in Napa: The Wedding

IMG_1800
The Elegant Chuppa; Flowers by Fleurs de France

This past Labor Day Weekend, my husband and I were invited to the most exquisite wedding celebration we have ever attended.  My friend Paul married his partner Eliav, at the Calistoga Ranch in California’s Napa Valley, in a ‘Mad Men In Napa’, 1960s- themed wedding.

Friends and family participated in three days of wedding festivities which included lots of wine and food, love and laughter, and renewed friendships.

This is, by far, the most elegant, generous, and thoughtful wedding I have ever attended!

I will give you all of the fun and fancy details in a bit, but let’s begin with love and friendship which is what Mad Men in Napa was really all about.

img_1789Let’s Talk About The Love…

Paul and Eliav have been together for over 22 years, after Paul answered an ad in The Chicago Reader newspaper.  Eliav knew before Paul that they were meant to be together, but it didn’t take Paul that much longer to figure this out!  Both partners love traveling, fine dining, collecting wine, and taking in cultural events.  They also love spending time with family and friends and, from the speeches given, these treasured relationships have only grown deeper over time.

Paul and Eliav’s wedding was even more special not only because we know how long-lasting and solid their love is after more than 20 years together, but because it was a celebration of life yesterday, today, and tomorrow, coincident with the landmark Obergefell vs Hodges case legalizing same-sex marriage in every state.  As such, the grooms’ marriage is symbolic of the natural progression of rights over time as well as a blending of the grooms’ families, cultures, and religions.

IMG_1821…Let’s Talk About The Friendships…

I met Paul in London a long, long time ago.  We were on a Junior Year Abroad program at the London School of Economics where we lived in a flat at 37 Nottingham Place, with about 25 other students from various American colleges.  We had a group of friends that traveled together to places like Scotland, Wales, Spain, and the then Soviet Union.  We explored London neighborhoods and attended the theater on Tuesdays when it was student discount day.  And, of course, we spent many many nights at the local pub, talking about Ronald Reagan and politics!  Although we were only in London for about 3 months, the friendships and bonds we made would last for a long time and attending Paul and Eliav’s wedding confirmed this.

Paul has been the one who has kept us all connected over the years.  He has been the hub of our friendship network, spending time with me when he would come to Toronto on business.  On a couple of these trips, Eliav joined Paul, and our families met.  When Paul and I saw each other in Toronto, we would visit an art exhibit or a local antique store. Paul would always send me an email in advance with lists and links to the best new restaurants in my own city!  Yes, if you know Paul and Eliav, you know what I’m talking about.

Paul would also fill me in on our ‘LSE friends’ that he would see over the years. Sometimes I would just get a quick email saying that he had been in Chicago or New York over the weekend and that he had seen one of our friends.  So, bringing us together after all of these years seemed like the most natural of things.  Meeting each other’s spouses and significant others was a real treat.  And, by extension, meeting and getting to know invited friends and family of the grooms was easy because of the close connections with the couple that we all share.

img_2055…And Now, Let’s Talk About All Of The Fun!

As you’ve read, this is no ordinary love…and the celebrations were no ordinary celebrations!

The planning for Mad Men In Napa was a year in the making, the wedding lasted for three days, and the memories are forever.  Here’s the journey we experienced as guests.

In January, we received a ‘Save the Date’ in the form of a boarding pass, with the wedding dates and a pin indicating Napa Valley as the destination.  In other words, consider your Labor Day Weekend 2016 plans made.  We also received a website address to keep us informed of up-to-date wedding details.  Did I mention that a Mad Men in Napa logo had been developed with the silhouette of two men holding wine looking out at vineyards?  The grooms are fanatics of the 1960s and Mad Men (the TV show depicting the lives of advertising executives on Madison Avenue in the 60s) and even own pieces of furniture from the set like Don Draper’s office couch and Roger Sterling’s cocktail table. You already know they love wine, hence…a Mad Men in Napa wedding it would be!

In June, guests received another box full of wine corks (the Save the Date also came in a box with wine corks and a corkscrew), a Mad Men in Napa Game, and more wedding details.  My daughter commented “They must like wine” to which I answered “How did you guess?”  (By the way, Ceci New York designed each part of the amazing custom invitations that you see below).  I planned my 1960s outfits and asked Paul to approve my Day One outfit.  He asked me if I had the Jackie O glasses to match.  I told him I would try to find some…

img_2063In July, we received a tube with some parchment paper: in lieu of gifts, all 180 guests were asked to fill a scrapbook page with a message, a memory, advice, something meaningful, for the grooms.  We had homework, but I knew what I would send in right away.  I had made a scrapbook from our London days and so I copied and submitted the page with all of the theater stubs.  My husband submitted his favorite poem.

And so, on September 2nd, we arrived in Calistoga to begin Day One of Mad Men in Napa. The first activity was a wine-blending competition held at the Franciscan Estate in St. Helena.  Guests were put into Mad Men character teams like Team Roger, Don, and Megan. Each team had a variety of red wines, pipettes, funnels, and colored pencils.  We had to come up with a blend, bottle it, and label it with a name.  Our team came up with Lucky Strike ‘The Perfect Blend’ and we won the smoothest wine category.  As each team pitched their ‘wine and reason’ to the grooms, guests enjoyed a cheese board and wine.

The second activity was an appetizer cooking class and a cocktail making class at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.  This time we were Team Fleishmann’s, as in the mayonnaise. Chefs taught us how to make 1960s appetizers like onion dip, deviled eggs, ambrosia salad, and pigs-in-a-blanket.  We all wore aprons and Mad Men chef’s hats.  Then guests had a cocktail making class where we learned how to make Manhattans and Old Fashioneds.  An elegant dinner and family speeches followed in the wine cellar of the Culinary Institute with Baked Alaska (what else) for dessert.

The wedding ceremony took place on Day Two, at the Calistoga Ranch as the sun was setting.  The chuppa was elegantly decorated (by Fleurs de France) with white flowers and stood against the vineyard. Naturally, the grooms walked in down the aisle between the vineyard rows!  A reading about Obergefell vs Hodges and the history of rights in America set the stage for family and friends to read poems and share memories before the vows were made.  Paul’s niece beautifully sang Etta James’ very fitting ‘At Last’. The ceremony ended with the breaking of a glass and the grooms blending Israeli and Greek wine to symbolically represent their union, in a cup presented to them by Eliav’s family. And, they took their first selfie together under the chuppa, as a married couple!

After the ceremony, guests posed for photos and enjoyed champagne at the reception. The grooms drove a 1965 Pontiac LeMans Convertible to the elegant wedding dinner site on the lawn next to Lommel Lake.  We all ogled over the wedding cake, which was layers of cheese wheels with a 3D printed cake topper of the grooms, created at doob‘s digital studios in New York City.  The likeness was uncanny.

We found our seats at one of two long tables set for 90 guests each.  The tables were exquisitely decorated with purple, green, and white floral arrangements and succulents. Each guest had a menu indicating the salad, starters, main entrees, and dessert, with accompanying wines for each course.  As the sun set, we enjoyed the most delicious food, wine, impeccable service, and company, with candles lighting up the night and the milky way visible above us.

When dinner was over, we walked the short distance to the Wine Cave where dessert, coffee, a Whisky Bar, and dancing awaited.  After the grooms’ first dance to ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You’, we danced to ‘Thriller’, ‘I’ve Got a Feeling’, ‘It’s Raining Men’, and ended with ‘Last Dance’.  What a magical night!

Screen Shot 2016-09-06 at 1.56.11 PM

Day Three, we had to return home, but the remaining guests were treated to a champagne tour and brunch at Domain Chandon which included a doughnut machine, a crepe table, fresh prosciutto, seafood and sushi tables,  and frozen whipped nutmeg puffs in liquid nitrogen as coffee toppings.

You should also know that the grooms, along with their wedding planners Cole Drake Events, thought of everything: buses took guests from their hotels to all of the wedding venues and brought them back.  Every part of each meal had an accompanying wine. Open bars served whatever you ordered.  Multiple photographers and videographers recorded each event.  A drone took a group photo at the Culinary Institute.  All programs, menus, napkins and bottled water had the Mad Men in Napa logo on them.  The caterers perfectly attended to allergies and food preferences.  Golf carts shuttled guests as required. Pashmina shawls, heel protectors, and flip-flops were provided for the outdoor dinner and for after dancing. Every need and want was met and it all seemed effortless.  Guests were treated like royalty.

We felt very very special to be invited to this celebration of long-lasting love, this blending of cultures and friends.  And, we wish the grooms a continued lifetime of love, laughter, and adventures together…Mazel Tov!

(Photo of the LSE friends, grooms in the car and the brunch buffet were taken by other wedding guests and used with permission)

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Insta-Lately And That Summer Feeling

IMG_9720Are you in full summer mode?  What gives you that ‘summer feeling’?  And, what do I mean by that?

In this post, I’ll take you through some of the pleasures of summer, as seen lately on my Instagram feed.  I hope you’ll be inspired to take advantage of the remaining summer weeks and do some things you’ve had on your list.

It’s hard to believe it’s almost mid-August, which means that summer is two-thirds over, technically speaking.  In Toronto, it’s starting to get a tad bit cooler in the evenings and the sun has shifted lower in the sky as it moves from east to west. Daylight hours are dwindling slightly.  But, let’s forget about that for now and concentrate on the summer feeling I know we are all loving!

IMG_8532Summer is my favorite season – not even a question.  There’s something about being warm that I crave all year, living in Canada.  But even before I moved here, summertime was my favourite, anywhere I lived.

Continue reading

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Cirque du Soleil and Content Creation

Cirque du Soleil's Luzia at the Toronto Port Lands
Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia at the Toronto Port Lands

Let’s face it: we all crave new content constantly, be it on TV, at the movies, eating out, shopping, or traveling.  Our attention span is low and we want to be doing or experiencing ‘the latest’ – a result of the (social media) world we live in.

Furthermore, with limited time, we are pickier about where and how we spend our dollars and our free time.

Having said that, this week when my daughter and I went to watch one of Cirque du Soleil’s newest shows, Luzia, in Toronto, I knew that the company had to have made some serious changes for me to be impressed.  Cirque du Soleil did not disappoint!

It’s been ten years since we saw a Cirque du Soleil show and a lot has changed.

When we saw Corteo in 2006, it was a show of talent with beautiful costumes. The acts were more classically circus-like with juggling, hand-balancing, vaulting, and tightroping.  This time around, Luzia has progressed to a Cirque du Soleil show with more insightful interpretations and deeper meaning to the acts.

Screen Shot 2016-08-04 at 9.44.49 PMLuzia is ‘a waking dream of Mexico’, focusing on the migration of the monarch butterfly from Canada to Mexico and on Mexico’s architecture, mythology, and climate.  The show has a Broadway-like feel in terms of the costumes and stage sets.  This isn’t your old-fashioned circus, not that Cirque ever was that; it is more about visually understanding the creative nuances via the costumes and acts.  It is also more dance-oriented in some segments with a ballet-like feeling. Continue reading

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Vancouver and Maui…Work, Then Play!

Ka'anapali Beach (Maui) with the island of Lanai in the background
Ka’anapali Beach (Maui) with the island of Lanai in the background

It seems that summer vacation has taken over my blog because I haven’t posted in about six weeks!  So, it’s no surprise that this post is about our recent trip to Vancouver and Maui.

Because I plan any family trips we take, I get to ultimately decide (with some input from my husband and kids, of course) what we do.  This puts quite a bit of pressure on me, but it’s always worth it and my family tells me that they see more than most people do in any given city!  Admittedly, I tend to cram a lot into each day.

One of the things that works for us is to sightsee first and then end up on a beach somewhere where we can just relax.  I’m sure many people do this.  It just makes sense to get the walking and touring out of the way, knowing that the reward is some serious downtime.

In mid-June this year, we went to Vancouver and Maui.  It wasn’t the original plan, but an itinerary change beyond our control allowed us to sneak in a few days in Vancouver before hitting the beach.  Here’s what we did.

Vancouver from Grouse Mountain
Vancouver from Grouse Mountain

Vancouver
To get to Maui from Toronto, there are no direct flights, so you have to stop somewhere along the way.  My husband and I had been to Vancouver many years ago and the stop in Vancouver was the perfect opportunity to visit again and take the kids to see the west coast of Canada. Continue reading

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How to Squeeze More Month Out of May

IMG_7076It’s May!  Yay!  Although I’m thrilled that spring has finally sprung, I’m feeling tired and frazzled – are you feeling the same way?

If you have kids, then the month of May is one of the busiest months of the school year as teachers add homework in order to finish teaching the curriculum in time for exams.  It’s also when plays, recitals, playoffs, championships, year-end parties, and many assessments take place.

Even without kids, you’re likely feeling the time crunch because it’s the last month before summer holidays.  Projects are basically at a standstill in the summer given staggered vacations and long weekends.  Socially, people like to catch-up before everyone goes in different summer directions.  Let’s face it: in North America, we live for the summer when we tend to ‘take it easy’ or travel.  Maybe that’s why May is so busy as we gear up for the long break!

IMG_7047So, how can you keep calm while squeezing more month out of May?

Here’s what I’ve been doing: Continue reading

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A Confirmation Brunch For My Daughter

FullSizeRender-13When I was 13, I had my Confirmation at our church.  My 8th Grade Catholic friends and I had attended weekly catechism classes during the year, culminating with a retreat and ceremony.  That weekend, I also received a letter (that I still have) from my parents that reduced me to tears because it talked about how I was growing up.  My sponsor and role model was a family friend and someone I see and speak to all the time about life, friendship, and advice.  Getting confirmed was a big deal and something I remember very clearly as part of my Catholic upbringing.

So, with my daughter’s Confirmation coming up this Wednesday night, I wanted her to celebrate the religious journey she has been on for the past 13 years.  Because everyone loves brunch foods, we agreed on a Saturday morning Confirmation Brunch.

But, first, what is Confirmation?  In the Catholic Church, Confirmation is one of the 7 Sacraments (Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Confession, Anointing of the Sick, Matrimony, and Holy Orders).  According to American Catholic.org, sacraments ‘are ceremonies that highlight what is sacred, significant, and important to Christians‘.  In particular, Confirmation is about being sealed with the Holy Spirit.   During the ceremony, each confirmant will be anointed with oil and the phrase ‘be sealed with the Holy Spirit’ will be stated.  The Protestant Church also celebrates Confirmation.

IMG_6622 Continue reading

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Insta-Lebanon: My Trip in Pictures

View of Sannine Mountain from Beit Meri in Mount Lebanon
View of Sannine Mountain from Beit Meri in Mount Lebanon

[This post also appeared in www.aramcoexpats.com on April 14, 2016]

Two weeks ago I was in Lebanon celebrating my dad’s birthday and spending time with my family.  It had been almost 4 years since my last visit.  A lot has changed but the most interesting difference for me was the ability to document my trip on Instagram!

First, a few personal comments on #MyLebanon:

Lebanon has never been my home for longer than a few weeks on vacation, but it is where my parents and family are from.  It is my home and native country.  A country of about 4 million people in an area of 10,452 sq kms, Lebanon’s history has included Romans, Phoenicians, Ottomans, and a Civil War.  The most important features of Lebanon for me are the 3 languages most Lebanese speak (almost every spoken sentence includes Arabic, English, and French words), Beirut’s once-nickname as the Paris of the Middle East, the many religious sects, and the undeniable joie de vivre of the Lebanese.

Lebanese people like to live, period.

For me, Lebanon is a beautiful country where mountains jut up from the Mediterranean Sea much like some of the California coast.  The sea and mountain views are stunning.  Most mornings, people can be seen sitting in their pajamas on their balconies, sipping coffee and enjoying the views.  It’s what they live for.

My Lebanon is a Christian village called Broummana in Mount Lebanon, about 20 mins east of Beirut.  Village living is peaceful, traditional, family-oriented.  Aunts, uncles, cousins and neighbors drop by.  Falling asleep to frogs croaking and foxes howling and waking up to roosters crowing is inevitable.  Cicadas sing all summer long and can be annoyingly loud. Churches, tolling bells, and religious ‘nooks’ (blog post soon on this) set up with Virgin Mary statues as well as other local saints can be found outside many homes.

Memories of summers spent in Lebanon swirl in my head almost all year long.  I absolutely love visiting my home country.  I leave with my batteries recharged from all the family love. And, my suitcases are full of roasted nuts, baklava, pistachio nougat, and many other Lebanese sweets. Oh, and did I mention shoes?  Lebanese-made shoes are still my favorite, made with love, style, and genuine leather.

I hope you enjoy this blog post which highlights my Instagram photos.  I’d love to hear your views on what you thought of Lebanon before and after these posts!

Enjoy!

On my first day in Broummana, I went for a walk with my dad.  It was the clearest day of my trip.  This is an infinity pool looking south and west onto a range of mountains.  You can see the mountain villages sprinkled across the valley:

Ghabe, Mount Lebanon
Ghabe, Mount Lebanon

This house is a modern home that is built to look like it’s an old house.  Note the arches and the yellow stones used as well as the wooden shutters.  It has a red tiled roof that you’ll have to take my word on:

Roumieh, Mount Lebanon
Roumieh, Mount Lebanon

One day my aunt and uncle took us to the Shouf mountains and the home of two palaces dating to the early 19th Century.  The first is Beiteddine, the home of Emir Bechir and the second is the Mir Amin Palace, now a hotel.  I love the tiled carpet at the bottom of the pool. The Shouf region is the prettiest, most peaceful place I have visited outside of Broummana:

Beiteddine Palace
Beiteddine Palace
Mir Amin Palace Hotel
Mir Amin Palace Hotel
Traditional Lebanese desserts at the Mir Amin Palace Hotels
Traditional Lebanese desserts at the Mir Amin Palace Hotel

Zaytouna Bay is a ‘waterfront promenade’ in Beirut near the Beirut Souks shopping area.  The Beirut Marina is there as are restaurants such as Paul and Pinkberry.  We went for a ride out on the Mediterranean from Zaytouna to Jounieh Bay.  The weather was unseasonably warm for this time of year.  No complaints here!

Beirut Marina at Zaytouny Bay
Beirut Marina at Zaytouna Bay
Jounieh Bay boat ride
Jounieh Bay boat ride

One day we went on a short trip to Our Lady of Lebanon, a visitation site and cathedral dedicated to Lebanon’s patron saint, the Virgin Mary.  The views of Jounieh Bay are breathtaking from here where the Virgin Mary majestically overlooks the sea:

Our Lady of Harissa
Our Lady of Lebanon
Jounieh Bay
Jounieh Bay

On the day I went to Beirut Souks, there was a demonstration going on so I couldn’t see what I wanted to see.  The pink flowering trees against the yellow stoned buildings were so beautiful.  As I had never seen spring in Lebanon, I was quite happy with this compromise!

Pink flowered trees in Beirut Souks
Pink flowered trees in Beirut Souks

There are Roman and Byzantine ruins in several parts of Lebanon.  One site is in Beit Meri, the village next to Broummana.  We went at dusk.  Here I am with my brother on a mosaic tiled carpet.

At the Roman ruins in Beit Meri, Mount Lebanon
At the Roman ruins in Beit Meri, Mount Lebanon

Mount Lebanon has blankets of pine tree forests.  Cicadas hide here as do goat herds, frogs, and foxes.  When you look closely, you can see that these pine trees look a bit like broccoli!

Pine forests of Lebanon
Pine forests of Lebanon
The pine trees of Lebanon
The pine trees of Lebanon

Driving around Broummana, you can see both mountain and sea views.  I must say that I’m partial to the sea views because I like the peaceful mountain living while being able to see the excitement of city living a few kilometers away in Beirut:

View of Beirut from Broummana, Mount Lebanon
View of Beirut from Broummana, Mount Lebanon

My last photo was taken on the flight out of Beirut.  You can see how big Beirut is and get a feel for what the summers are like in the beach clubs like the Movenpick Hotel Beirut in this photo:

View of Beirut with Movenpick Hotel Beirut in the bottom left
View of Beirut with Movenpick Hotel Beirut in the bottom left

So, that’s my trip in photos as seen on my Instagram feed.

Let me know what you think!

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Here’s Why I’m Okay With Valentine’s Day!

IMG_3682It’s Valentine’s Day this weekend!  Lots of people have lots of different views about Valentine’s Day.  Some people think it’s a huge commercial grab and don’t want to get caught up in it. Others don’t like that they’re told to show their love on a specific date.  Still, others don’t like the pressure that comes with this day like the expectation of chocolates, flowers, dinners, etc. And then there are those who love everything about the holiday and how ‘sweet’ it is.

Just so you know where I stand, let me tell you that I don’t expect a lot for Valentine’s Day in terms of gifts or dinner or anything like that.  In that sense, I’m pretty easy to be around on Valentine’s Day, and we celebrate in a rather low-key way.

Maybe that’s why I can come up with three reasons why I’m okay with Valentine’s Day:

FullSizeRender-10Reason Number 1:
The reminder of love!
It’s okay for us to have a special day in the year to tell our loved ones that we care.  It’s that simple.  If we celebrate our birthdays, anniversaries, mother’s day and father’s day once a year, then what’s wrong with having one day where we mindfully tell one another that we care about each other?  You don’t have to succumb to all of the commercial pressures of flowers, perfume, and dinners.  Buy or make a card,  spend an hour having coffee with your partner, or play a game with your child.  That’s it.  This is not a public holiday.  Think of Valentine’s Day as a love ‘reminder’ day. Continue reading

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