May 2014

I’ve been a vegetarian in some shape or form for twenty-five years now. My food journey began when I traveled to France as an exchange student at sixteen and I lived with a family who couldn’t afford meat. Prior to this, my meals revolved around animal products. While I didn’t…

On this mountain playground, like little ones trying to choose which play structure they’ll visit next at a favorite neighborhood park, families delight in deciding how to enjoy precious time together in one of the most beautiful regions east of the Mississippi. Less than six hours from Richmond, in the…

Each spring brings a rite of passage for a new crop of mothers as they register their little ones for kindergarten. I can still remember what it felt like to sign up my baby girl for school, and what that meant for me as a stay-at-home mother. I started to…

With spring in full swing and summer breathing down our collective necks, many of us are likely trying to get those last minute projects finished up around the house before the kids are all ours – for the whole summer. We’ve sure been busy around Casa Thompson, as we have…

We rode our bikes to the library that spring morning and a dad with his son took notice. “Wow! How long have you been riding, little lady?” he asked. The question was directed to my first-grader and I bit my lip waiting for her response. I had seen this father’s…

Whether you have a tiny warrior or a little princess, potty training can be a challenge to a new mom. My experience was chaotic, to say the least. When we first started to potty train our son, Jace, I had no clue how to teach a boy how to pee…

We’ll fly above the clouds and across the starry sky once we’re snug inside our pint-sized pirate ship. But before we get to take our ride on Peter Pan’s Flight, we’re going to have to wait in line. Not to worry, though, I tell my daughter. We’re at the end…

When you have children, it’s like God flips a switch. You may go from living in the moment to wanting to make future plans – including financial plans for your children. Where do you start? With a college fund, or with an unspecified fund that might offer more flexibility or…

Just as you and your partner are adjusting to the big changes coming your way with parenthood, your dog will also need to adjust. How you handle this new phase of your life will affect how your dog handles it. Remember that our dogs are very in tune with us…

  Risotto with Zucchini and Spring Peas Heat 2 cans of chicken broth and 2½ cups water over stove and keep warm. Place large saucepan over medium heat and melt 2 Tbsp butter in saucepan. Add 1 lb of cubed zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about…

Start with Mom’s favorite colors or her favorite magazine.She’ll love that you took the time to up-cycle paper into an original jewelry design to celebrate Mother’s Day. What you need: • Cardboard (template) • Old magazines, direct-mail pieces, or any colorful paper • Several wooden skewers • Ruler, pencil, glue…

As soon as Todd Hale, a professional artist and ART 180 program assistant, started chatting with a shy seventh-grader named Stephon in the cafeteria of Binford Middle School in Richmond, he knew he’d met a fellow artist. “I was immediately impressed with his mature perspective on the power of expression…

Q. My son, age 5, asked a ton of questions about the missing plane in the news for the last month. I think he is feeling anxious and I am not sure how to help him. Any thoughts? A. There is a short and a long answer to your question.…

For most of us, there’s no shortage of wonder as to how far (and how quickly) technology has advanced since our own childhoods. Today, there isn’t an element of a child or teen’s life that isn’t impacted by a computer. At school and at play, technology and media dominate. Over…

At a coffee shop, I overheard a mom talking on her cell phone. She was lamenting her single-mom status and all the responsibilities she faced on a daily basis, which did sound more than a bit overwhelming. At one point, she exclaimed, “There’s NO way the courts would let me…