Category: Uncategorized

How are those New Year’s Resolutions coming?

 

Every year, I resolve not to make a resolution. I find the New Year is a good time to sit back and give myself credit for the things I’m doing right instead of trying to fix all of my “problem areas.”

It’s kind of like a little gift I give to myself, “Hey Nicole, you’re ... Read More


I have a friend who is a giver. She gives her time, talent, money and all her other resources to anyone and everyone who is lucky enough to cross her path.

But she is terrible at receiving. She readily admits it makes her very uncomfortable when people try to give her gifts, both in the physical form and in the form ... Read More


How many pictures do you think you’ll take of your kids or grandkids this Christmas? Ten? Twenty? A hundred? I’m not much for photography, but these days, with my phone and camera all rolled into one, it’s easy to snap a few photos when the kids are being just too darn cute.

I assumed all kids were used to their parents pleading ... Read More


For the first time in a long time, I was able to spend Thanksgiving with my family in Wisconsin. The North Dakota State University men’s basketball team was playing in Green Bay that weekend, so an assistant coach’s wife and I loaded up all five of our kids in the minivan and headed to meet up with our husbands.

After a ... Read More


I think my husband is awfully handsome. He’s got a great smile, gorgeous eyes and the most unbelievable feet you’ve ever seen on a man.

Yep, I said it – feet.

I’ll be honest. I hadn’t really taken much notice of my husband’s feet until recently when I saw a poster advertising them.

That poster was enough to make me fall in love ... Read More


Have you ever had a really good idea? I’m talking about one of those ideas that you know could change the way people do business, reform the political process or create world peace?

Or maybe it was just a simple idea that could right a wrong.

Deanna Micheli had one of those ideas.

Back in 1996, Deanna was working as an operating-room nurse ... Read More


Let the madness begin. Stuffed bellies, ringing bells, gifts to buy, cards to address, long lines, short tempers: Welcome to Thanksgiving Weekend.

Even though many of us will spend this weekend with the people we love the most, it’s often as much a time of stress as it is a time of celebration. We know this weekend marks the starting line ... Read More


I’ve been thinking it’s about time to retire this kindness column. I’ve been feeling busy lately. Really busy.

Diva Connection is taking off (thank you, God), and that means more meetings, more trouble shooting, and more time making sure women in our community who need something connect with the women who can help them.

I started thinking that something in my life ... Read More


For the past two months, I’ve been walking around like one of those “See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil” monkeys. I’ve been closing my eyes, covering my ears and zipping my mouth. Why? Politics.

Every time I turned on the TV, switched on the radio or logged into my Facebook account, I was bombarded by other people’s opinions.

I ... Read More


There is a woman I run into on a regular basis who drives me crazy. She is always happy. I mean always.

She teaches a Zumba exercise class, so for a while I thought maybe she was happy all the time because of all of the endorphins she has streaming through her body.

Then she let me in on her secret. She ... Read More