Grasshopper New Media Presents...

Berry season is upon us here in Michigan, so I thought I’d write a series of posts on preserving fruits and vegetables. Let’s face it: food prices are rising quickly and there is savings in picking and processing the food yourself. Added bonus: you’re in control of the ingredients and the quality of […]

Okay, so I wrote here a while back about a new salad that I was totally loving. Most of the boys looked at it and said “ewww”, but eventually the Captain gave it a try and loved it. Not to be outdone, The Mercenary and TechnoBoy joined in. My one holdout is […]

When September arrives, I will breathe a sigh of relief. For the first time, Jack will be purchasing lunch at the school cafeteria, as Ben has done for some years now. What’s that you say? You wonder why this sea change is such a big deal to me? Let me explain. […]

There’s been a lot of uproar from a lot of parents concerning the release of the video game Grand Theft Auto. And for the folks who are reading this column who object to sexism and violence prima facie, I’m ok with that. I respect taking a blanket stand on anything that displays sexism or racism […]

My daughter is 12, fast becoming a woman. I couldn’t be happier or prouder. She’s maturing, learning about the world, developing tastes, and maintaining quite a few solid friendships.
The other day, as it was her Spring Break, she had a sleepover for a few of her friends. Much laughter and Doritos and even a make-over […]

Do your kids eat salad?
Mine tend to avoid it, although I have noticed recently that they’re willing to try it a bit more. If I could go back in time and do it over, I would have introduced salad to them much much earlier. I did focus quite a bit on vegetables, in […]

Here are twenty-six utterances I’ve banned from the dining room table. If either one of my children should happen to speak, or even mutter, any of these words or sentences, he will end up in his room without having taken another bite of his meal. None of these words accords respect to the […]

As a mother, hearing the latest news report brings on thoughts like “Oh, great something else I have to worry about.” Many people have heard the latest buzz in the news over chemicals leaching from plastic containers, most notably in baby bottles and sport bottles. The chemical offender this time is Bisphenol-A […]

Ugh. I had such an awful headache today.
I noticed it when I woke up, then it got worse as the day went on. During the history lesson the older boys and I wound up in a massive discussion about attitudes and how they affect us. I was exhausted when we finished, it […]

For the half of the planet that’s in the depths of winter, this is the time of year when the cold, dreary days can really get to you. Add to that the after-Christmas letdown, and it’s easy to have some pretty grumpy days. Here are some of the tricks we’ve been using lately […]