Life is like a collage. Its individual pieces are arranged to create harmony. Appreciate the artwork of your life.
Amy Leigh Mercree, Author

I got a new pin to attach to my bag the other day. It says, “Museum Nerd”. My family will tell you this is me to a “T”. I have always loved to view art and history and share my enthusiasm with others. We have been blessed to visit many museums of all types across the United States over the years. A few of my favorites - the Barnes Foundation Collection in Philadelphia, the Combat Air Museum in Topeka, and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In honor of Black History Month, The Kansas City

The paper calendar is on all the “declutter your home” lists nowadays. Apparently, using your computer, phone or other digital device is more efficient. I can see their point, but I still use good’ole paper. I remember making a trip to the bank to pick up a free one, hoping for tractors or puppies. Or getting one in the mail from an organization we had donated to, usually scenic landscapes. The after Christmas sale was always a good spot to pick up a funny one for the kitche

The holidays are full of ‘cheer’. We wrap the presents, sing the carol, bake the cookies. The seasonal movies make us laugh and the gatherings bring us the needed blessing of time together. I love it.  But sometimes all the holly-jolly is a bit too much. I am not bathed in green and putting antlers on my dog, while planning to steal your Christmas tree. Admittedly though, I am tired and sometimes gloomy. You see the Pinterest perfect pictures on social media and cannot help b

In this season of thankfulness, I’d like to share a perspective on emergency responders – police, fire and ambulance. First, we should be thankful for their sacrifice every day. They work the holidays, rush into our scary situations and are always there protecting us when we don’t even know it. Whether you meet them on a good day or a bad one, they deserve your kindness.   On separate occasions (and in counties other than Clinton), my husband Trevor and I both had an uncle ex

Pop culture is funny. To quote Disney’s favorite mermaid, the “whosits and whatsits galore”, leave me scratching my head sometimes. For instance, the 6-7 phenomenon. If you know a young student, you may have heard the giggles and seen their hands gesture like they are juggling without objects every time the clock is between six and seven. Or maybe, the total of your cart when you were checking out is $16.67. Any combination of the two numerals makes a middle schooler snicker

When you have written as much as I have you start to wonder if you have repeated yourself. And if you have, did anyone notice? I admit I am a word nerd. There is nothing like connecting words to draw out emotion and thought from an unsuspecting soul. There are countless untold stories just waiting for a listening ear. Someone to lean-in and consume their joy, their angst, their loss; to sit with them in their memories, if just for a moment. My words are no different than any

I am a memory keeper. I like to reminisce and tell the stories. Christmas-time stirs up a lot of emotions and memories. Some good, some...

Dear friends, One of my favorite summer activities is the Summer Reading program. Our kids are grown now, but we always enjoyed earning...

Dear friends, I hope my letter finds you enjoying the sunshine of summer! Our schedules have been busy with work, camp, gardening, car...

Greetings friends, It has been a long while since I wrote to you. I have been hiking through the mountains and valleys of life. Boy,...

When last we talked, I had fallen and injured my ankle. Thank you to everyone who reached out and checked on me. It has been an...

Happy Thanksgiving friends and family! I come to you today from a recliner, with my left ankle propped up and cough drops on my right....

The three weekends prior to our trip to Hawaii were jam packed. Lists were made, plans were adjusted, chaos ensued. Some people question...

Easing back into home life after being away can be rough. Whether it is a vacation or working on the road, there is always a period of...

Hey blog followers, hope you’re still with us… It is time for the long trip home. We are sad to leave these beautiful islands but ever-so...

Dear family and friends, Our last night on Kauai we went to a big luau. We expected food, dancing and flowers – we got that and an...

Hey! We’re still here… The island of Kauai hosted our final road trip of this epic adventure. On Monday we rented a car for the day using...

E Komo Mai, That means ‘welcome’ in Hawaiian. We continue to learn more sayings and culture as we go from island to island. Trevor uses...

Greetings, hello, Hi…. yes, it’s true, but we’ll get to that! We used the rainy day on Friday to get everything packed up for our journey...

Hello everyone, We hope this letter finds you a little warmer there in Missouri. The temps here pretty much stay the same 85/75 with an...