will travel with kids

May 2, 2013

Calamities and apparel – where clothes go to die

We’ve been hearing a lot lately about death and the apparel industry. Last week over 400 factory workers in Bangladesh were crushed and killed when the factory they worked in collapsed on them. This calamity was manmade and could have been prevented. Those mothers and fathers and children were making clothes headed to the global…
April 25, 2013

The luxury of safety

We piled into the minivan (or “mini”, as we affectionately call it, dreaming it’s actually a mini Cooper). I couldn’t tell my Burmese friend no. No, I can’t take you to the hospital because your daughter is too large for that infant carseat and I can’t install it properly. When I showed up at their…
April 18, 2013

The fruit of too much lemon – Moroccan preserved lemons

The dwarf lemon tree in my backyard bears too much fruit for its size. Doesn’t it have a season of not bearing fruit? It bears so much I can’t even give them all away. A few months ago I decided I couldn’t just let the fruit rot. I juiced some and froze the liquid…
April 11, 2013

Looking beyond the “best” cup of coffee

I have more coffee paraphernalia than I need. Six stove top espresso makers (thank you estate sales and thrift stores), French presses, two different types of grinders, a roaster, canisters with various blends and grinds, frothers. . . We like our coffee and we like it good. I guess you can say we’re coffee snobs.…
April 4, 2013

Moving to a country in civil war – a letter to my small children

Today I have the very distinct honor of posting a journal entry my mom wrote in 1988 before our family of six moved to Mozambique, a country in the midst of a brutal civil war. Over the course of this last month my mom has shared some personal details from her journals about the challenges…
March 28, 2013

San Diego goat makes a tasty meal (yes, even you could make this at home)

{Warning: Graphic photos of raw goat meat contained in this article} We don’t try to recreate Grandma’s perfect holiday feast for our family festivities. We’re certainly not opposed to eating a traditional American feast, but we often just go with something we really like for a meal because we like it, not because it’s tradition. My youngest brother,…
March 26, 2013

A Philosophy of Shopping – fleeing oppression

As a frequent listener to public radio, the oft heard phrase “and consumer spending is down” is repeated as a dismal sign that the U.S. economy is not picking up. A “normal” American spends money at the mall on clothes and consumables, doing their part to bolster and fuel the economy. I consume and spend,…
March 21, 2013

Parenting by Fear OR Spargelzeit and baby’s first food – Trier, Germany

Trier, Germany is notable for its well-preserved Roman ruins. Indeed, some of the buildings I would not even call ruins and are still very intact. I remember the impressive architecture, but I also remember Trier as the place my daughter got her first taste of “real” food. No, watery rice cereal doesn’t count as “real”…
March 14, 2013

“Hips to Hawndles!” – Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire, England

Founded in 1132, Fountains Abbey is the largest monastic ruin in Great Britain. This, and its role in history, has earned it a place on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites. So, of course, I had to see it when I was in the area. Nevermind I went with my 8-month-old and a friend who…
March 7, 2013

Traveling unwired and unfettered – Ohrid, Macedonia

Sitting at a café in San Diego, slowly, carefully touching my lips to the rich espresso macchiatto every few minutes, I had no book, magazine or screen to demand my attention. I just sat, sipped, watched and thought ‘this is okay’. Dare I say good? A few hours later as I ate a grilled chicken gruyère panini…