The holidays are a season of sharing – sharing memories, sharing recipes and sharing the holiday spirit by making and giving homemade cookies. This year, the baking pros at McCormick are collaborating with cookie-sharing expert Kim Ima, owner of New York City’s The Treats Truck and author of the new...

Colder temperatures mean more indoor time, making it a challenge to find activities that will keep kids happy and engaged. The good news for parents is that even common household items can create hours of fun time. These child-friendly arts and crafts projects will allow you to spend quality, memorable time...

Traditions help keep people connected over years and generations, and we love the experience of the holidays. But what happens when those traditions no longer work? Circumstances, budgets or tastes change, and sometimes you need a little help finding a new way to celebrate. The good news is, you don’t...

Whether you’re a first time host or seasoned pro, there are certain secrets to help ensure a holiday meal that is both elegant and effortless. Keeping a few key ingredients on-hand, like Swanson chicken stock and broth, helps make preparing for the main meal a little less stressful and also allows for more...

by: Kim Green-Spangler Life with a tween/teenager around can be completely unbalancing. Though they are often unwilling to admit it, tweens/teenagers are simply bigger children with raging hormones, larger appetites and the seemingly ever-present know-it-all attitude. The attitude is one parents have seen...

Children today seem to have the weight of the world on their shoulders, or at least they seem to think they do. It’s not uncommon to walk down the street and see them dressed in black clothing from head to toe, hear them voicing their frustrations loudly to whomever will listen, or simply see them scowl at...

In response to the “Raising Girls” Article in Oregon Family Newspaper, as a counselor, professor, woman, wife, and mother of a young girl, I just wanted to add some thoughts on the topic of Raising Girls in Today’s Society.  Our hope is that we raise our girls to have confidence and positive self...

They’re called “digital natives” – the teens, tweens (and younger) who were born into a world rich with technology. Their formative years have included surfing the web, playing video games with friends halfway around the world, navigating smart phones and tablets and being able to connect...

Grilling is a great way to get a whole lot of flavor that goes way beyond plain burgers and basic barbecue. Lean meats, juicy marinades and zesty toppings add up to terrific flame-kissed dishes that will make guests want to kiss the cook. Here are some easy ways to take big flavor from the grate to the...

By Kim Green-Spangler In today’s society children face a great deal of challenges before they reach adulthood. The challenges facing boys and girls may seem similar, but the truth is that boys and girls are different, and their problems while similar, are also diverse. As the society has changed, so...