Rita Buettner

This has been the bumpiest school start that I can remember. I keep saying we will find our rhythm—and we will. But we are going to miss the bus a few more times before we do.

When I was growing up, my family had steamed crabs very rarely—usually when out-of-town relatives were visiting. My husband spent more time near the water, so he had them more often.

Does macaroni and cheese taste different based on the shape of the noodles? My son pointed out that I hardly ever make macaroni-shaped macaroni and cheese—and right away everyone else at the dinner table chimed in.

The Maryland State Fair calls to me like a siren song. I know that it will be crowded and expensive and hot. But I can’t help myself. It’s almost as if I have to go.

There’s already a Queen of Christmas. She’s your mother and mine—and Jesus’. She’s the queen of heaven and earth.

Some days as it’s all spinning around me, I pause and realize that the worries have nothing to do with finding a navy blazer or getting someone to orientation on time. It has everything to do with hoping your children have the knowledge and tools they need to navigate a new school year.

My son spotted the claw machine from a distance away, and I had a feeling he would want to give it a try. It was a hot summer afternoon, and we were hanging out with some of my nieces and nephews. The cousins have been playing “Among Us,” a video game you play in groups. […]

~1~ My neighbor Kathy invited me to take a birthday walk through the neighborhood the other day, and she greeted me with a sangria popsicle. She had filled a bag of gifts and cards for me to open as we walked. We stopped every few minutes for me to open either a card or a […]