I sometimes am jealous of the hermit lifestyle – the solitude, the peace, the lack of technology. Just you and your mountaintop. There are certain days when I have way too much going on at once, days when that sounds like just about the most wonderful existence on Earth.

I know I’m not alone when I say that parent-teacher conferences are a good time. Am I right? Sure, they’re fabulous opportunities for parents and teachers to "bond" and to teach each other about how we can all help the kids to make the most of their time in school, but they can also be daunting – especially for those newbie kindergarten parents. 

Anyone care for a little coffee? Kentucky coffee tree, that is?

After years of resisting, I recently gave in and bought a daily planner.

Wednesday night before heading to bed, Noah came downstairs wearing a T-shirt commemorating the night Obama was elected President.

Make no mistake, I’m a big fan of our local natural areas.

Ever wonder how important you are in the Grand Scheme of Things?

Sick of dispensing antibacterial wipes, I decided to have my kids vaccinated against the H1N1 virus on Monday and I wasn’t about to let anything stand in my way. 

Twelve-year-old Tanner Robertsen dashed toward the end zone in his muddy green football uniform on Saturday, flanked by his Elburn Lions teammates, adding the final touch to what was to be a victory that propelled the Lions to a first-place finish in the Aurora Superstars Youth Tackle Football League.

We had a Little Miss Muffet moment the other day here at the Pottawatomie Community Center. No, it didn’t involve a tuffet (which I understand is some sort of footstool), nor were there any curds or whey. But there was a spider. Man, was there a spider.

I celebrated Halloween sporadically as a kid.

We've all heard of day-old pizza – a wonderful treat, especially cold – but year-old cake?

My daughter’s third-grade teacher at H.C. Storm Elementary School in Batavia had each of his students complete a 15-question survey about their likes and dislikes. The parents were to be quizzed on curriculum night, all in good fun, and my little girl, Holly, couldn’t wait for me to take it.

So this week I was going to write about the amazing wildlife I saw while on vacation last week in Wisconsin’s Northwoods – tales of places where grouse hunters roam and deer and otters play. There was even a bear in a grocery store’s beer cooler. But those stories will have to wait because here on the home front we have a much more immediate concern: The bugs are back in town.