Sweet Summer Impressions by Andrea Santo Felcone


We have a favorite beach town we like to visit when on our family vacation. Maybe that makes us predictable or boring, but I don't mind, because each time we approach the place in a new way. The comfortable atmosphere shortens the amount of time it takes for the beach ...

The Sublime Gift of Idleness by Sharon O’Donnell


Last week, my 88-year-old mother, one of my sisters, and I went to the North Carolina coast for a couple of nights and days of relaxation and seafood. And the agenda was just that: I wanted to sit on the beach in a low-down beach chair with 50 SPF ...

Sea World and the Moral of the Story by Melissa Swedoski


Have you ever taken a trip and almost instantly regretted it? Have you ever taken a vacation with family and learned some valuable lessons? Have you ever returned from one of those adventures with  a huge bruise across the right side of your face? Well, then, my friends, you should ...

Tips on Swimsuits for a 40-Something Mom by Melissa Swedoski


Ah, yes, summer is finally here. Technically, it's been here for those of us in the south/southwest for a couple of months, but now that all of us are on the same page, let me focus on a topic that is HOT every time summer comes around: What the heck ...

The Perfect Vacation and Naptime to Boot by Melissa Swedoski


Summer has descended in all its verdant glory. Yeah, not so much. It's already 90 degrees and looks like it's going to stay that way for the foreseeable future. I don't mind winter. I recognize that winter in Texas doesn't mean the same thing to my comrades in the northern states, ...

Easy Rider by Peggy Bogaard-Lapp


My husband and I are riding our Harley down to Taos, New Mexico this weekend. It’s the first time we have taken a long trip on the bike, and away from our 9 year old daughter. It fells a bit naughty, just the two of us, doing the “easy rider” ...

A Magical Week by Margaret Hart


My family and I just returned from our spring break vacation in Orlando. It was a high-octane trip built around Disney theme parks, as well as visits to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Discovery Cove. It was a whirlwind of activity, and now that we are back home, I ...