Tuesday, August 14, 2012
As Red Sox Nation mourns the loss of Johnny Pesky, Christine MacKenzie says the team has lost a true hero.
For as long as I can remember, I have been a baseball fan. My dad was a baseball fan, my uncles were baseball fans and, yes, they inspired me to become a baseball fan. Some of my best memories of growing up involve heading to Fenway Park with my father and his brother, Joe. My son has inherited the same love for baseball. Despite the fact that my father died many years before my son was born, I like to think that, somehow, baseball and my father are still one in the same. I like to feel that, even though they never met, my son and my father share a very special bond in the game of baseball. Yesterday, Boston lost a Red Sox Legend when Johnny Pesky passed away at 92 years old. Pesky, who wore jersey number six, was the first player in Red …
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
An inspirational friend reveals her secret to mom columnist Christine MacKenzie.
This weekend I spent my Saturday evening saying farewell and good luck to a dear friend who is moving out of state. A dear friend who is, without a doubt, one of the strongest, bravest and most amazing moms I have ever met. As I discussed in October, my friend Daisy is currently battling stage four breast cancer. That, however, hasn’t stopped this mother of three from raising her family and, at the same time, sharing her wisdom and her advice. Let’s face it, motherhood isn’t easy under the best of circumstances but, then again, I suppose it’s the challenges that really prove just how dedicated a mom is. So, as this mom prepares to embark on a new journey, miles away from her current home what does she think holds her family together? What…
Thursday, July 19, 2012
A pair of sports quotes serve as a reminder for one local mom.
As parents we try to help our children become successful. We teach them to set goals, work hard and achieve the best. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, reality is, just like every other aspect of parenting teaching our kids to find success isn’t always an easy task. Let’s face it there’s a fine line between encouraging success and simply pushing kids too hard. How, exactly, do you encourage kids to have goals but, at the same time, remind them that they may not reach each and every one of them? As the mom of a 12-year-old boy I find that many of the lessons I try to teach come in the form of sports references. Ironically, this weekend, I came across two quotes that were simply worth sharing. The first was on Tewksbury Congregational …
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Children go through stages but what do you do when that stage means they don't need mom as much?
As moms we know all to well that children go through stages. Not every child goes through every stage but, reality is, they all have ups and downs. There are babies who can’t bear to give up binkies and bottles, toddlers who want nothing to do with anyone but their mom, kids that cry every day as they leave for kindergarten and an endless variety of daily crisis that only a mom can fix. No two kids are the same, no two stages are the same and no two moms handle things the same way. Somehow we all survive and, as if by miracle, seem no worse for wear in the long run. Yes, it’s a dark little secret and no one likes so say it out loud but sometimes, even the best moms, feel a bit smothered by our kids. We love our kids and we would do …
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The performance in the Spelling Bee by a six-year-old contestant was impressive, and also brought up the questions of competitiveness among youngsters.
The mom world was buzzing again this week as we watched six-year-old Lori Anne Madison, the youngest child ever to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, lose her chance at a title. We cried as we watched the endless video replays of little blond haired Lori Anne use an extra “e” instead of an “i” as she tried to spell her word, “ingluvies.” We worried about her emotional well being and wondered if it was even fair to allow such a young child to compete as such a high level. Honestly, I’m not exactly how I feel about National Spelling Bee competitions for a child as young a six but I do know that we, as moms, seemed a whole lot more concerned about the whole situation than little Lori Anne did. As a matter of fact, Lori Anne seemed…
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Is consuming large amounts of treats over the holiday weekend a bad example for the kids?
Let’s face the facts. Easter does not come without its share of nutritional hazards. More than any other holiday, it seems that Easter gives each and every one of us one heck of an excuse to eat everything and anything sweet all in the name of celebrating. For many of us Easter heralds the arrival of spring and, religious connotations aside, it brings thoughts of rebirth and awakening after a long winter season. Pastel colors, chicks, bunnies and eggs abound and, for whatever reason, all seem to taste good when they are filled with and dipped in chocolate. The more sugar, it seems, the better when it comes to Easter treats. I’ll admit it. I had a rather frightening combination of coffee, malted milk balls, peanut butter eggs and, yes, even…
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Certain situations in public venues can be awkward for parents and their children.
This weekend I was lucky enough to have a mother and son St. Patrick’s Day and, once again, take my son to see The Dropkick Murphy’s. Yes, for those of you who follow “Life in the Mom Lane,” this was our second trip to see The Dropkick Murphy’s this year. Everything was perfect and we had a great day but I was reminded of something that, at this stage of motherhood, I had almost completely forgotten about. As moms and dads of small children know all too well, there are certain obstacles when you are one parent out with an opposite sex child. For us, security at the concert posed a bit of a dilemma. As we approached the entrance there were two lines. One line, all the way to the left, for women only and another, all the way to the right, …
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Jimmy Buffet's works speak true about the language moms speak.
“Delaney talks to statues as she dances 'round the pool. She chases cats through Roman ruins and stomps on big toadstools. She speaks a language all her own just a little like her mother,” Jimmy Buffett, May 12, 1994. When Jimmy Buffett released this song, written about his youngest daughter, he probably had no idea that he truly did hit the nail on the head. Moms do, indeed, speak their own language and, sometimes, it really is one that only another mom can understand. From the first moments that you are expecting the “pregnant brain” jokes begin. Hormones often leave you overwhelmed and even a bit confused. I’ll never forget leaving my house to go to the local hardware store when I was pregnant and ending up so far off track that I …
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
When to have a baby is a personal decision for families.
All the talk lately about the young royal couple and speculation about a possible pregnancy and an heir to the throne brings up an interesting question. When is the right time to become a mom? Let’s face it, Princess Kate may have the eyes of the world on her but she’s certainly not the only new bride to feel pressured into starting a family. From the moment most couples say their “I do’s,” the age old, “when are you having a baby?” questions seem to begin. Everyone, of course, seems to have an opinion as to what time is the right time to begin raising a family. Theories, opinions and ideas on the subject are countless but, reality is, there is no perfect answer. Motherhood is not for the faint of heart and launching into it can often be …
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Exercise, a cup of coffee and a night out can bring a fresh perspective.
With the holiday season behind us we here in New England are looking at what amounts to approximately three long months of winter. Granted, it doesn’t look much like winter outside these days but, without a doubt, that will change in the very near future. For local moms, especially those with small children, January, February and March can be among the longest months of the year. Staying at home with a baby for the first time can be a challenge any time of year but, during the winter, it can be even more difficult to adjust. Babies aren’t particularly portable in winter weather and some days even the snow suit can be a challenge. Having had a late fall baby, I remember the first winter of bundling him up in heavy clothes, risking life and…
Mumzie
11:34 pm on Friday, August 31, 2012
That was Beautiful :) It brought tears to my eyes .... how true it is :) more ›