Florida is a tropical, magical, terrifying place filled with alligators that get whipped into a frenzy whenever there’s a hurricane. (And there are lots of hurricanes—and alligators. So, the chances of this happening are like astronomically high.)  That’s what I learned from the movie Crawl, which Nate, Alex, and I saw yesterday.  The movie itself… Continue reading If Alligators Attack, Eat This: Crunchy Tropical Chicken Bowl

A violently shaking alarm clock that rattles the entire bed frame, is something I’d secretly hoped would be invented for teens in order to get them off to school on time. It would also make loud, howling noises that sound like a freight train coming straight for the house.  However, after experiencing my first real… Continue reading Earthquake! The Fixin’ Leaks and Leeks Team Learns What to Do

Sounding a craft alert on the Fourth of July in my neighborhood adds very little noise or sense of “alarm,” amid the loud, violent screams of fireworks exploding in the air, starting at 4 p.m. July 3rd.  However, I thought I’d try to sound the alarm anyway, because by noon, my nerves were sufficiently rattled.… Continue reading Craft Alert: “Baby, You’re a Firework” Wreath

For skort-shredding, grit-in-the-teeth, foot-blistering fun, tour Vancouver, Canada like your child is away visiting relatives and you and your spouse might not get a vacation alone again in a very long time.  That’s just what Nate and I did this past weekend.  We toured. We toured hard.  We lit up the streets with the friction… Continue reading A Weekend Romp through Vancouver, Canada—Fixin’ Leaks and Leeks Style

Restaurant dining with my son Alex is a non-stop, wallet-busting culinary tour of at least 5,000 items on a menu.  It’s a lot of fun, until the bill comes to the table.  Once, his Uncle Dave took him to Red Lobster, where Alex talked him into “fancy drinks” (mocktails for Alex), appetizers, crab legs, and… Continue reading Cheap Meals for Hungry Teens: Greek-Inspired Chicken and Rice Bowls

Thanks to science, that lime-mint mojito feeling doesn’t have to go away when you leave the bar.  You can smear it on your mouth, wearing it as a lip balm everywhere you go, because it’s always 5 ‘o clock somewhere.   I’m not sure if that’s what my son Alex was thinking when he chose the… Continue reading Mojito Flavored Lip Balm

The garage isn’t the most scenic place to complete a 5K, but that’s where my treadmill is—and where, three times a week, I am grateful to run on that treadmill and stare at the lawn chairs, which are folded on the shelf in front of me.  Through the power of imagination, I unlock a world… Continue reading Virtual Race and Sunshine Blogger Award!

After sweltering in the hot sun at a swim meet for nearly two hours, I gave up and sounded the craft alert, hoping the commotion would get me escorted off the premises and into the nearest air-conditioned pub.  No such luck, though.  Despite the fact that more than a few markers rolled recklessly onto the… Continue reading Craft Alert: Abstract Fish Art Created at a Swim Meet

SeaTac the family cat has superpowers that could be profitable someday: 1) He is able to meow to the tune of Journey’s “Wheel in the Sky,” which could make him a winner on the America’s Got Talent show, and 2) He can sit on just about any computer keyboard in the house and make the… Continue reading Cat Facials: A Side Hustle for the Cat

Every baptism weekend itinerary for out-of-town-guests should include a romp through a casino. In fact, it should be a mandatory perk if you are serving as the godmother. I’ve come to this conclusion after I agreed to fly 4 ½ hours to Detroit for my nephew’s baptism on Saturday. When I arrived, with the dried… Continue reading Gambling and Other Outside-of-the-Box Itineraries for Out-of-Town-Guests at a Baptism