Did everyone have a good Christmas? We had a full house! I decorated like mad, and it was so festive around here. My brother, his fiancé, and their two dogs came into town, and my sister and her boyfriend were here as well. Despite all the people and dogs under one roof, we had plenty of room, and no one felt on top of each other. Before everyone arrived, I had my oven running all day and night. I baked cookies, cakes, and even dog treats. I was so excited for the holidays. I baked chocolate cakes, spice cake, zucchini…

It’s been a while since I’ve posted—this summer was a whirlwind. Chaotic, busy, and a bit of a blur. I won’t get into all the details, but let’s just say it included ER visits, hospital stays, surgeries, and more doctor appointments than I can count. The good news is, everyone’s doing well now. And yes, one of those ER visits was mine. I had a 3mm kidney stone—and while I’ve never given birth, I’m fairly certain passing that thing was as close as I’ve ever come. Brutal. It was 3 a.m. on a Friday when I woke up with what…

One day you’re feeling fine, and the next, you test positive for the flu. Things start to get a bit blurry after that. Getting sick is always frustrating, but when it’s something more serious than a mild cold, you can’t just push through it. I was out for a few days, mostly just resting. I definitely didn’t drink enough water—lesson learned—but I did manage to get a lot of sleep. The good thing is, my parents didn’t catch the flu. I had them test repeatedly after I came back positive—just to be safe. Grateful for small favors. The worst part…

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! I hope everyone had a wonderful day. It was a quiet celebration at my house this year. My father hasn’t been feeling his best lately, so we kept things low key. I’m the oldest of three children, and my parents live with me—though whether I live with them or they live with me is up for debate. Either way, I don’t mind. As they get older, I feel a growing sense of responsibility to make sure they’re taken care of. It’s not something they’ve asked of me—I’m sure they’d be fine…

It’s been a while—I didn’t intend to be away this long, but life kind of took over. Lately, I’ve been under the weather. I don’t usually catch colds in the winter, but for some reason, they tend to hit me during the summer heat. Right now, I’ve got this annoying tickle in my throat that just won’t go away. Even just breathing can set it off and send me into a coughing fit, so I’ve had to be really careful and breathe as gently as possible. It’s honestly the worst. I went out to dinner with some former coworkers I’ve…

My sister just returned from a two-week trip to Japan, where she visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, and Hiroshima. It was a packed itinerary, and she was constantly on the go. I had the chance to join her, but I ended up passing on it. I would’ve loved to go, but it just wasn’t financially doable at the time. The weather in Japan was beautiful, she said—cool and in the 70s, perfect for exploring. While in Tokyo she visited the Imperial Palace, experienced the hustle and bustle of Shibuya Crossing, and took in the views from Tokyo Skytree. She got…