A few months ago, Paul van Heden, marketing coordinator for Asheville’s transportation department, asked if I’d ride the bus for a day—an entire day—with my kids, to prove that a typical mom can accomplish her daily errands on Asheville’s public transit system. I enthusiastically accepted Paul’s challenge. Then I failed.
Why would a nice Christian lady from the South write a book about having sex with her husband for 365 nights in a row? 365 Nights author Charla Muller answers for herself and her spouse: “One of the reasons we chose to share our experience is because it’s such a common experience to so many. […]
By the time this column hits print, my 9-year-old girl will be a few days into her first time at overnight camp. Mama will be a few days into low-level, sleep-free anxiety mode.
I’m so frickin’ sweaty and uncomfortable. All the time. Are you?
The Edgy kids love Bele Chere — for about two hours and $75. Yes, Bele Chere can be expensive with kids, but the festival also can be loads of fun. Just keep a few things in mind.
The challenge: Eat only foods grown or processed in North and South Carolina for one week. The results (at least for Edgy Mama): hunger, a broken budget, but unassailable “locavore” cred.
The baby was having a bad night, and the three of us spent New Year’s Eve passing her around, hoping that one of our shoulders would prove to be the magical soporific.
While it’s great to have a nice home, the shell isn’t nearly as important as the lives that are lived within.
Now that we’re deep into summer vacation—and the joy of no school has faded into a whiny chorus of “Mom, what are we going to do today?”—I’m searching for entertainment. Preferably of the low-cost, expend-lots-of-kid-energy, kill-the-whinys variety.
The black eyeliner around Hope Larson’s doe-like eyes curls up at the outside edges. It’s a tiny flourish, one that might go unnoticed, unless you know that Larson’s work and art consists of drawing lines similar to those she paints across her eyelids. Home is where the art is: Asheville native Hope Larson is one […]
Why do parents take kids on vacation? Because we’re nuts. Vacationing with kids isn’t a vacation; it’s an obli-cation.
The world’s children spend an estimated five billion hours per year playing with you. Until recently, my two kids probably accounted for 5,000 of those annual hours. For which I thank you.
Hundreds of women (and a few men) from all corners of the country will gather in Asheville June 20-22 to explore their roles as leaders in the 21st century. Jane Fonda to give keynote address by Anne Fitten Glenn No plain Jane: Actress, author and activist Jane Fonda gives a talk titled “Our Leadership is […]
Edie Burke loved music, her family and the big purple dinosaur. She was loved deeply in return by her family, friends and neighbors — by her community. Edie died on May 2. She was three months shy of her 10th birthday.
For me, summer vacation provokes equal measures of elation and despair. Elation because it’s summer — which means sunshine, homegrown tomatoes, long days at the beach and freedom from the rigors of a school schedule. Despair because it’s summer — which means sunburn, weeds galore, long days at home with the kids and freedom from the rigors of a school schedule.
Whether you’re a professional athlete, a weekend warrior, or just someone who likes watching other people sweat, the Mountain Sports Festival can fulfill your needs. This year’s celebration of mountain sports and recreation will be the biggest and the best so far, organizers say.
Begun by Stuart Cowles and a group of outdoor-sports enthusiasts eight years ago, the festival has grown to include participants of all ages and skill levels.
“We try to offer something for everybody—from our challenging trail run in Black Mountain to fun rides for kids,” says Chad Morgan, who chairs the MSF board of directors.
Last year, more than 1,000 participants registered for scheduled sports events, and about 8,000 people visited the Festival Village or attended one of the weekend’s events, organizers estimate.
This year’s festival will take place the weekend of May 30 to June 1, rather than the first weekend in May. “We moved it because of inconsistent weather, and because we were going up against the French Broad River Festival. It seemed silly to compete with them,” Morgan explains.
A sprawling village of tents and exhibits at Carrier Park (off Amboy Road in West Asheville) will anchor the festival. It will feature live bands and foods from local restaurants as well as clinics, events and demonstrations.
Among the most highly touted events at this year’s Mountain Sports Festival is the new Wheel Ride for Food. The metric century (64.5 miles) and half-century charity rides offer beginner, intermediate and advanced cyclists a scenic tour of Weaverville, Marshall and Asheville.
“My kids are expressing their curiosity about the reproductive world this spring, now that our yard’s rife with flowers, pollen, bees and multiplying cicadas.”
My family uses the word “granola” as an adjective. As in: “Anne Fitten’s my granola cousin who lives in Asheville and nursed her kids until they’d memorized their multiplication tables.” (Kidding!) A version of the “how crunchy are you?” quiz below has made the rounds of many of the mommy blogs and the Asheville Mamas Web forums. I’ve re-written it to make to more scientific.
“This week, my third-grader will take end-of-grade tests for the first time. She’s nervous and I’m irritated.”
“I’m horrified by what’s happening to the children of the religious sect in Texas — and on so many levels.”
