Could there be a more boring term? Estate planning is somehow put-offish, in every sense of the word. And yet it's got to be done and it needs to be revisited from time to time. You may not be here when your last wishes are read aloud, but you can rest easy knowing you've taken…

"What a sacrifice!" Those were the first words out of my friend Eva's mouth when I brought up the subject of Mrs Robinson–mother of Michelle Obama and mother-in-law of the president-elect. Mrs. Robinson is the one who,famously, made the whole presidential campaign possible by stepping in and overseeing the care and nurturing of her grandchildren…

The first Thanksgiving dinner I made is a vivid memory. My two children were toddlers; we didn't look forward to the four-hour long drive to my mother's house and even less to the traffic-delayed return trip–six to eight hours stuck on the New Jersey Turnpike. Suggestions were made. And taken. My mother and brother and…

Summer vacations are over but Thanksgiving is upon us. So I thought I'd share these notes I made when friends talked about their summer vacation with both their sons [neither of whom lives near them or each other] and all their grandchildren–six adults, five small children together in one large vacation house near the beach…

This is a little too problem-free for my experience, but here's a blog, from Momsbestwisdom that talks about how a family with seven adult children handles the financing and management of a beach vacation together. The gist of what this mom has to say is this: –Vacations are an important part of our yearly tradition.…

Jen’s mother-in-law is visiting. She’s come from her home in Michigan to help with the Washington, D.C. baby–five months old and gurgling. Jen’s just come back to work–she has the office next to mine–and she needed the help: Her husband is away at a conference and she has some obligations this week that would make…