Origins of “Ole!”
August 23, 2014
What does the word “Ole!” make you think of? Rejoicing, dancing, bullfights, Spain? But before it was Spanish, it was a religious chant from another country altogether.
Category: Writing
Maternity Leave
April 14, 2014
This baby is officially due Wednesday—if I haven’t had it already. You see, you’re reading this today, but I’m writing it a week early… just in case. I wanted to let you to know that I’m going away for a little while, at least digitally. You’ll still see the occasional updates from me on Facebook, … More Maternity Leave
Today vs Someday
April 3, 2014
Who doesn’t occasionally get bogged down by today vs someday, practical vs ideal, reality vs dream? It’s easy to let your left brain win out in those stacked matches. But Effie Waller Smith splashed cold water on my face with the following poetic revelation. May it inspire you to make a choice today—tiny or grand—on … More Today vs Someday
Multicultural Children’s Books
March 17, 2014
One of the most magical things about books is their ability to transport us into other places, lives, and experiences. This is especially important for kids, giving them a larger context of the world beyond their backyards—thus paving the way for creativity and acceptance. Here are some our family’s favorite multicultural children’s books. I would love … More Multicultural Children’s Books
What Are Your Three?
March 6, 2014
Did you happen to catch Matthew McConaughey’s Oscar speech? Sure, it had your typical Hollywood elements of narcissism, divine shout-outs, and a complete disregard for larger matters that his own character brought to light. None of that impressed me. What did impress me, however, were the questions he posed regarding the three things a person should … More What Are Your Three?
Interesting Person Fund
February 27, 2014
I recently came across an idea-packed article on creativity rituals, which included everything from naps to bar brainstorming to frequent vacations (yes yes and yes!). They also mentioned something called an “interesting people fund,” the idea of which was taken from an interview with entrepreneur and author Ben Casnocha: By pre-committing time and money to meeting interesting … More Interesting Person Fund
The Goldfinch
February 24, 2014
It’s not often that I recommend a book so unilaterally. Frankly, I don’t recommend most books I enjoy because they’re usually too far in the realm of classic on the one end or fantasy on the other. Not true with The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Whether you’re man or woman, adventure lover or philosopher, page … More The Goldfinch
Directions
February 10, 2014
Sometimes in life, you just need to stop and ask the universe for directions. That’s what I did, going into my recent trip to Hawaii with my husband and daughter. After years devoted to (and struggling with) two kids’ books near and dear to my heart, I left it up to vacation to provide some meditation … More Directions
90-Minute Productivity
January 30, 2014
Ever have one of those a-ha moments, when you encounter something that seems so brilliantly obvious? The Internet gifted me one such moment a few weeks ago with the “Write It Down” concept. It happened again when I came across this video. If you’re stressed, overworked, a parent, or any combo of the above, perhaps this 90-minute … More 90-Minute Productivity
More Kids’ Books!
January 27, 2014
Remember those 87 kids’ books I recommended back in the spring? Well I have 48 more kids’ books for you! I also keep track of mom- and 3-year-old-approved books over on my Pinterest board: Shelf-Worthy Kids’ Books. Feel free to follow it if you’d like to come along on our bookshelf adventures. Happy Reading!
My Castle Heart Publications 