Ah, the school band. Back in my day, its members were often portrayed as socially awkward outcasts in movies and TV. And, I mean, maybe there was an element of truth to it. When I was entering 5th grade, mouth full of braces, thick lenses for my prematurely myopic eyes, and a…
Mandeville Target. Boy, did it open to some harsh criticism. I’m usually not one to write about controversial topics, but I’m going to tackle this one in hopes of raising awareness and maybe offer a little perspective. Why? Because I absolutely adore our new white and red beacon of retail…
Full disclosure, I’m one of those wacky theme park enthusiasts. I enjoy vacation planning in general and theme parks are a next-level planning experience that I welcome and embrace. However, I realize I’m probably in the minority with this strange love affair. I recognize theme park vacations can be incredibly…
We are a baseball-loving family. I grew up playing softball, my husband baseball, and two of our three boys are totally obsessed with the sport. My 6-year-old is a Yankees fanatic who has crafted a 10-minute verbal dissertation in response to the question, “why do you like the Yankees?” (You’ve…
My family moved to Mandeville in 1989, so with the exception of leaving for college and grad school, I’ve lived here my entire life. My husband and I met in high school and decided we wanted to raise our family in Mandeville so that our kids would have a similarly…
No really I’m asking. Bullying. It defined my life as a middle schooler and now, having 3 kids spanning the ages 5-11, it’s again rearing its ugly head. While my children have only had minor run-ins with aggressive children, some of the stories I’ve been hearing lately are scary, tragic…
My family moved from the west bank of New Orleans to Mandeville in 1989 in pursuit of better educational options for my brother, Daniel, who had special needs. I had just turned 6 when we made the move, so I don’t even remember what life was like before Mandeville. This…
Northshore friends, I would like to tell you a story. I’ve told this story in the past, but never to a public audience, so it’s almost like a coming-clean after ten years of holding in my dirty little secret. Picture it: McDonalds, Mandeville, 2012 My oldest son, Lucas, is 2…