Skip to main content

Family Files

Latest Posts

two people walking on a paved path in a park

Is an ‘awe walk’ the best medicine?

Is an ‘awe walk’ the best medicine? Take a moment to think about what makes you go, ‘awe’. It may be the wind in the trees or a really good song. For me recently, I was walking out of a restaurant picking up lunch for myself and a colleague. My hands were very full and I was...
Finish this story
Couple laughing together

Healthy couple relationships

Within the United States, one-third of married couples are distressed, and almost half of the first marriages and more than half of unmarried cohabiting relationships end in divorce or separation. Additionally, relationship distress has been linked to partners’ and their children’s mental and...
Finish this story

Keeping calm during a political conversation

It is July of 2024, and we are in the trenches of political debate for President of the United States. People are passionate about their political perspectives, which is good; however, ideally, it is important to communicate respectfully, whether at home or out and about with others. No one...
Finish this story
Handwritten message - Happy birthday Sara 1985 Love Grandma and Grandpa

The power of the pen

My office calendar this year has a special feature – a holiday to celebrate every day. That is 365 (or 366 in a Leap Year) days of celebration. Some holidays are familiar, such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. Others are more obscure. Did you know that June 10 is National Ballpoint...
Finish this story
people eating at a table

Dining away from home with young children

I do not enjoy cooking. I CAN cook – I just don’t like to. So, my husband and I have been fortunate to be able to eat out at restaurants quite often – when he also chose not to cook. When we had our son, I tried to cook more at home, but we slipped back into that same routine of going out to eat...
Finish this story
people in a group holding up their arms and laughing

Celebrating Older American's Month: Powered by Connection

Established in 1963, Older Americans Month (OAM) is celebrated every May. Led by a federal agency, the Administration for Community Living (ACL), OAM is a time to recognize older Americans' contributions, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm commitments to serving the older adults in our...
Finish this story
iPad device showing the words "Mental Health Matters"

May is Mental Health Month

We live in a rapidly changing world that can be complex to navigate. About half of Americans can remember a time when we were not constantly connected and it was easier to tune out the noise of the world, while the younger half of the population can’t imagine life without the internet. Modern life...
Finish this story
a paper that says "try something new"

Time to try something new?

Reruns were part of my childhood. From Gilligan’s Island and I Love Lucy to Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley, I kept up with them all. In the 1970’s and 80’s, many people in American culture grew up with sitcom theme songs running through the soundtrack of...
Finish this story