Another perspective. There’s so much good going around. I learned today that my mom’s hairdresser—with no fanfare, no Facebook post, and before any quarantine dictate—told my mother that her weekly hair appointment would now be at my mom’s own house until further notice. 😭 She’s going to LEAVE her shop to go fix my mom’s hair. Thank you, Darcy, for your beautiful heart. You are SUCH a model of God’s incredible love. I’m seeing families on hikes, people out playing Frisbee golf. People are exercising outdoors, riding bikes. Earlier today, …read more

This is an ode to when I wasn’t a grandma. When I wasn’t a grandma, I had all the time I needed for work. I worked at a job that took 18 hours a day, at times, and I didn’t think twice about it. I enjoyed working. I’d come home from work, and I’d work MORE on my computer, writing, marketing, social media ads. When I wasn’t a grandma, my house looked just like two empty nesters lived here. When I wasn’t a grandma, I’d been to Disneyland only four …read more

Dear Families: I want you to know that I cry over your loved one. From the time I leave our interview, even if I’m able to hold it together for the 90 minutes spent talking to you, I break down the second I get alone in my car. Your extraordinary grief transfers to me. I cry hard sometimes. I release everything I held in while you were tearfully telling me about your mom, son, husband, wife—biting the inside of my cheek to keep from making a bad situation worse. And …read more

I spent my last post decrying NYE and wishing away the the entire month of January. To that, January replied: “Hold my beer.” By the time most people read this, the staggering headlines will have lost most of their sting about basketball’s most tragic death and the demise of the other folks who were aboard Kobe Byrant’s helicopter when it went down. And it took something like Kobe Bryant’s death to eclipse the other news story that made national headlines six days before that, when the man from Fresno, Calif., …read more

Anyone who knows me well knows I can’t stand NYE, or, to be honest, the entire month of January. The whole “starting over” thing is a bit overrated for me; I’d rather hit the ground running without yammering on about regrets, changes or new diets. I love the holidays, but I don’t count New Year’s (eve, day) as part of that. This Christmas was beautiful, though, and full of good humor, plenty of wine, and laughter with friends and family. I cooked a LOT, threw several parties, and played Christmas …read more

One of my FAVORITE Christmas songs is by Michael Bublé, his version of “It’s Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas.” Several years ago, I worked at a Christmas event, and that song kicked us off every night. Something about the way it begins… it’s magical. SO many of my happiest memories happened during Christmas (even though part of my heart will always belong to Halloween): The white chocolate peppermint mochas from Starbucks, warm beanies, furry mittens, cold noses, and, of course, decorating, baking, and listening to Christmas music non-stop. …read more

I took this photo in my office when I learned that my second Christmas book will be available on Amazon before Thanksgiving! This is my celebratory toast to my illustrators, who are solely responsible for making me look good in the books my company has been producing since this summer. Juan (who enjoys a good Malbec) lives in Argentina and Isabel lives in Spain, and their talent gives life to my words. As an aside, just when I stop omitting the reminder that I’m not doing resumes for a while… …read more

Twas the night before October, and all through the house, All the creatures were stirring, except for my spouse. He was golfing! Big shock! He was gone all the time, But his absence, you’ll see, is clearly no crime! When he leaves for long hours, the elves have a scheme: Sneak up to the rafters and collect Halloween! The scarecrows, the witches, jack-o-lanterns and bats; The vampires and clowns, Frankenstein and black cats! Grab all the things scary and take them inside, Decorate the WHOLE house, keep it up ’till …read more

Facebook has this feature to remind you of what you were doing “on this day” in the past. In the same way the news media scours for dirt, Facebook will mine your social history to show you your past, exposing some posts you wish would disappear, like my dorky posts from when I discovered Facebook in 2008, when we used to post as ourselves in 3rd person (Dana is…. “eating ice cream.”). Happily, though, it also shows more recent posts, like when my grandchild was born one year ago. Most …read more

My interviews are finished, and I cannot BELIEVE how many highly qualified, beautiful, educated, faithful, amazing women applied for a job with me! They each said they’d heard wonderful things about SHE and wanted to be a part of it. THAT IS GOD! I am so grateful to Him for this amazing new journey He established for me, mending my broken heart and showing that He has a reason for every closed door, without which I would not have this new business or the children’s books I’m writing. The Tucson …read more