It is impossible to put into words the sorrow I feel about the heinous act committed in Newtown, Conn. If there's one place we want to feel our children are safe, it is in school. Couple that with the fact that this was an elementary school and it is next to impossible to wrap my mind around it. 26 people lost their lives and nobody will ever be able to make sense of it.
How do you explain the unexplainable to children? Today, parents across the country, including myself, were faced with this -- fumbling over words while explaining the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown - located only 20 miles away from my own daughter's elementary school.
December 6, 2012
December 6, 2012 We are less than 20 days away from Christmas, and the retail industry is still abuzz over much improved sales over 2011. This week I visited several stores to get my Christmas shopping started. All of the store employees I talked to all said business was staying brisk this year. It got me to thinking; when you go holiday shopping, what city do you like to go shopping in?
Every year, we are bombarded with Christmas music. It is everywhere and takes many forms. Music in elevators, in stores, on television and yes, on the radio.
My wife and I are just moved to Sedalia this last summer, and we'll be spending our first Christmas in Sedalia this year. We're having family visiting for the holiday, and we're looking forward to spending time with them, but I was hoping we could take them out on Christmas Day and actually do something, rather than just bum around the house all day.
November 27, 2012 Everyone is aware of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, but Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for you to donate to a charity or volunteer for one.
November 19, 2012
November 14, 2012 Kids, the past couple of years or so I've been in charge of cooking Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners for the family.
I live on my own, so I don't really do too much cooking on a day to day basis. I put milk in cereal and that's about the extent of it. So when it comes to the family meal, I like to think I make an effort and pull out some stops to make it special. One year I made a Champagne Ham, and it was a very sweet, flavorful dinner. Last year, I tried something new for Thanksgiving. I decided to put my small turkey - in the Crock Pot.
November 14, 2012 Since the re-election of President Barack Obama, there have been several Presidential Cabinet members that announced they would step down, or it is speculated some may step down from their second term. It is speculated that Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta may step down. It is said that John Kerry, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and former defense policy undersecretary Michele Flournoy could fill Panetta's shoes whenever he decides to step down or if he does.
I would like to hear another consideration should the time come, Missouri's very own and former Congressman Ike Skelton. Skelton served as U.S. Representative for Missouri from 1977-2011, was a member of the House Armed Services Committee and even chaired it from 2006-2011.