life & therapy

Recounting my first Trivia Night experience which included being heckled by the host, coming in last, and realizing the real win was being a safe space for my daughter after …

The other day, as I was watching my 4-year-old play at the park, clothed in pants heavily stained at the knees and a shirt that did not match, I wondered …

Kristina shares a rare and unexpected moment of deep connection with her youngest daughter, Marina. Typically an independent and no-nonsense toddler, Marina surprises her mother with an unprompted, lingering hug. …

Exploring the unexpected challenges of embracing school choice after moving from Pittsburgh to Florida. I was prepared for differences in education quality and facilities, but wasn’t expecting the loss of …

I’ve haven’t written much lately. Been distracted I guess by other things. Minor to-do’s. Finding ways to save a little moola (cut out some subscriptions I really didn’t need and …

It used to be a Christmas Eve tradition in my husband’s massive Irish Catholic family. Before eating dinner on the night before Christmas, we would pray, and then these thin, …

I’m excited to introduce “The Gobble Guide,” my Thanksgiving meal planning binder that started as a simple way to manage the chaos in the kitchen but quickly turned into something …

For the past two months or so, I have been getting up before dawn to record audio files of all my old blog posts. This has taken me hours. I …

October’s ‘Quote Quiz’ results are in, and let’s just say…no one aced it. I mean, we had Scarlett launching her 2025 campaign on the quiz paper, Gianna assuming I was …

A storm can wreak havoc, but most of the time it’s what happens after the skies turn back to blue that hits hardest. This is my reflection on navigating the …

Prepping for Hurricane Milton started to get stressful. So I diffused the situation with a bit of humor.

After all these years with Vince, I’ve come to accept most of his quirks—except his daily ritual of starving himself to the point of hangriness. Seriously, the man acts like …

About a year ago, I started buying Kerrygold butter. I tried it out on a whim, based on a recipe that recommended it. More expensive doesn’t always mean better, but …

We had a repair tech at the house today to check out our garage fridge. It’s a piece of shit LG so of course the compressor is bad already. While …

If you are new to my blog or my social media pages, you might not know this yet, but I am completely unfiltered about my life. I like to share …

When I was younger, I used to look down when I walked. Adults thought my low self-esteem was the reason I kept my head down. That I was afraid to …

Pixar makes amazing movies that totally impact my life, especially Inside Out (1&2). On the surface, they are kids’ movies, but with so much depth. It’s truly impressive how they …

Bert Kreischer and me may seem to have very little in common. After all, he’s a partier, rich, and has a penis. But, we actually are similar in a few …

Family came to visit this past weekend to celebrate Evie turning 4. Vince’s mom, aunt, and sister all flew down from Pittsburgh to stay with us. We didn’t really do …

I’m not a materialistic person. Things don’t matter that much to me. Recall my blog post from 2019 about Vince being a hoarder and me not caring about things. Classic …

I haven’t written a blog post in some time. I’ve been distracted with other life things. Which is ok, I guess. But I do feel like my mind has been …

After living in Florida for almost 8 years, I finally invited our nearby family over to our house this past weekend. There’s no real reason why I’ve never had them …

Ok, first, let me preface this entire post with the fact that I am not basing anything that I write with pure facts. This is all based on my life, …

On October 19th, my husband Vince had a vasectomy. Despite this being a personal event, I of course shared this with flourish on my Facebook page. For a few reasons: …

I am wrapping up a blog post right now that talks about the status of mine and Vince‘s sex life, post-vasectomy. You know, typical things people share online to family …

I don’t see why there was such a big backlash against the song “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” How stations banned the song from the radio because a few people complained …

raising the curtins 151. take me to church Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 10 seconds 00:00 / 00:05:54 Subscribe Share Apple Podcasts Google …

My dad died last week. He had been sick for some time and didn’t take care of himself. To me, he died about 35 years ago so this day where …

raising the curtins 149. three inches is big Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 10 seconds 00:00 / 00:01:46 Subscribe Share Apple Podcasts Google …

raising the curtins 145. book amnesia Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 10 seconds 00:00 / 00:02:47 Subscribe Share Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify …

I have a hard time sitting down. Both physically right now because baby girl 4 is seriously taking up a lot of real estate in my body, and mentally – …

They both admired her wall and complimented her work. Gianna’s eyes, however, lingered for a moment on the two sets of rosaries that were draped over the push pins on the …

This trip, while a learning experience, was also supposed to double as a mini vacation for my family. Going alone was an option, but that felt like leaving too much …

raising the curtins 138. always been dumped Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 10 seconds 00:00 / 00:07:35 Subscribe Share Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts …

I got home that day and was telling Vince about my visit. He didn’t realize the point of the consultation was to prep for a future microblading session. He thought …

There are many things that I think about in my mind that I would never do. I think all minds are like that, right? If not, I suppose I have …

raising the curtins 130. stroganoff for dinner Play Episode Pause Episode Mute/Unmute Episode Rewind 10 Seconds 1x Fast Forward 10 seconds 00:00 / 00:03:39 Subscribe Share Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts …

We went strawberry picking this past weekend. It’s something I’ve been wanting to take the kids to do for a while, but never seemed to have the time. This weekend …

My dad was an alcoholic. He still could be as well. I’m not sure. I haven’t spoken to him in lifetimes. But, in the small span of years that I …

Days go by. They are here and then gone before you know it. Like a hot breath on a cold window. We move through them, doing the motions on repeat. …

Gianna had about 18 or so of her friends come over for a gift exchange a few days before Christmas. Last time she had her large group of friends over, …

Yesterday I was walking through the produce section at Sam’s Club. I had decided to not change out of my pajama pants when I woke up that day. So, it …

I am selfish. I am prideful. I am a bad partner. I realized these things the other day. Felt them in my core. Vince and I had a fight. A …

The girls still had school, so we were on a typical schedule. I take Scar to her school with Evie in tow. Afterwards, me and the little shadow go through …

For some reason, on October 1st, I just didn’t feel like posting anything. Sure, there were funny moments in our lives from Oct 1-5 that I could have made memes …

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the fact that I never really went to therapy and in some ways, I probably should. But that also takes time… I’m likely …

I’m not proud of a lot of the things I did as a teenager. I know I’m not alone in this. I always say that you shouldn’t judge the teen …

Sometimes I hear this voice in my head that warns me not to do something. And usually I ignore it because I have other voices in my head telling me …

Picking up the lid, I see my neighbor’s can wide open next to me. In that moment, I decide to do something I NEVER do. I toss the soft drink …

Selfie taken without being detected by the crowd, I pull up Facebook to post. I click on upload photo and pause as I see my face in the image I …

I don’t talk to my immediate family. My mother died years ago so there’s just my brother and dad left. Still, it’s been decades since I’ve said two words to …

These past few weeks have been chaotic and crazy. Closing a chapter on your life is always bittersweet and our move out of our old home is no exception. We’ve …

Lice. This was not good. This was not good at all. This was not good because I immediately recall that my daughter, Scarlett, had been complaining for the past two …

On the top right-hand corner of my glowing screen, it reads: “3:06am” WTF? That can’t be right. My phone needs to resync or something. Then I look at my laptop …

I’m sitting in the 1960’s style cushioned seats of my high school auditorium as I watch the curtains part. I’m a freshman, attending my school’s spring musical, “Pippin.” I don’t …

I was sitting at my desk, staring at the Southwest website, realizing that a trip to Pittsburgh for Christmas just wasn’t going to happen. The cost of airline tickets was …

We don’t do date nights. Not because we’re too cool for them, but because, well, life. But after 20 years and 3 kids, we tried it out: dinner, axe throwing, …

Ever wondered why women have to do all the primping to look good? Kristina sure has! In this quick and funny post, she explores the idea of flipping beauty standards …

Is cheerleading a sport? Kristina’s take might ruffle some pom-poms! With a blend of humor and reflection, she dives into her high school days, when she cheered on the sidelines …

What happens when you mix a competitive soccer tournament, a road trip, and an unpredictable toddler? A “perfect recipe for disaster”—or maybe not. This lighthearted look at managing family chaos …

Ever wonder how COVID hit a house full of girls (and one man with a “man flu” immune system)? Our family’s journey through mild symptoms, testing woes, and a side …

Ever feel like your biggest critic stares back at you from the mirror? In this raw and relatable post, I take a hard look at self-awareness, diving into the struggles …

A simple day turns into a profound journey of connection, memory, and love. Join me as I share the serendipitous series of events that brought me face-to-face with my guardian …

In “The Message in Luca,” Kristina Curtin reflects on the 2021 Disney movie Luca, highlighting a key message that resonated with her about silencing fear and self-doubt. In the film, …

In “Bite,” Kristina Curtin recounts a frustrating legal and financial ordeal that began in February 2020 when her elderly dog, Coco, was accused of biting a woman while they were …

In this hilarious and relatable post, Kristina shares her frustrations with various clothing items. She touches on functional issues that drive her nuts and through humor and exaggeration, she makes …

In this candid and humorous post, Kristina shares her recent trip to Delray Beach, where she and her family visited relatives. However, the focus of the post quickly shifts to …

This past weekend, we took a day trip to Sarasota. It’s about an hour and 20 minutes from our house, but we decided to go on Memorial Day weekend, so …

The housing market is downright bonkers right now. I don’t know if it’s like this everywhere…but inventory is low and demand is high in our area. I think a lot …

Epicurious has not been publishing beef recipes for the past year or so because of the negative effects the beef industry has on climate change. They haven’t posted recipes for …

Living in a community has its pros and cons. However, lately, I feel like the cons are winning and I would seriously consider hauling ass someplace else if our girls …

I was standing in line the other day, waiting to go inside to watch Scarlett’s cheer showcase. We were outside and I had just eaten dinner about 30 minutes prior. …

Getting unsolicited criticism about something you hate doing is probably one of the top 5 most irritating things in my book. Thrown in there are people leaving their dirty clothes …

I recently started recording Facebook Live videos to promote my blog posts. Video, is not my jam. The ensuing 3 minutes were torture, for me and likely anyone viewing. But …

After a recent trip while required to wear a mouth covering, I feel compelled to say something. Firstly, I fucking hate masks. They are uncomfortable and hot. I get anxiety …

I don’t know if it’s a common thing or not but when I was little, I used to lay in bed at night and think about dying. The idea of …

My Facebook feed is flooded with fights right now. The virus, racial inequalities, politics. It’s a never ending spiral of dissenting opinions and arguments. 2020 has been the year for …

Being grateful actually makes you MORE HAPPY than getting more money or buying a sweet ass car or dream home. Our brains tell us this isn’t true, but the science …

I talk about positivity and how I am focused on living my life with that type of mindset. However, I am human. I am a pregnant human with hormones and …

It’s insane how quickly the world can change. At first, I downplayed it all. I mean, we’ve had Zika, the swine flu, Ebola, and other scares that seemed so similar …

Since the holiday of love is near, I decided it’s a good time to share my love story. I see a lot of blogs that have a section dedicated to …

Like many children, I loved playing with empty boxes. They were a blank canvas for my imagination. I didn’t have much growing up. My family was poor. So, I used …

I’ve always been a spiritual person in that I’ve always believed in God. I didn’t always like him, mind you. I was angry for awhile. Regardless of my emotions, I …

Family traditions are fun to establish. We recently played Christmas Lights Bingo and it was a hit! Read our experience and download 6 free printable cards.

Sometimes I take a critical look at myself and wonder…was I meant to be a woman? Not that I identify as a male or want a penis. Penises are ugly, …

I wanted to be a writer. As a child, books became somewhat of an outlet for me. I didn’t have the best home life – with parents that really weren’t …

Stuff. It’s everywhere. We buy or receive things constantly and then, before you know it, the house is filled and you need to buy extra space to store all the …

Having two kids, along with one in the oven, I get reminded here and there of what I lacked growing up. I’m not talking about vacations or material things. I’m …

Why is it that when someone might be gay, we can’t help but throw it into the convo, even when we’re not talking about sex at all? Look, I don’t …

Obligatory girl power moments in movies piss me off. Stop trying to unnaturally make those moments happen. Women are bad ass. You don’t have to force it.

I’m not a lady in the streets and, unfortunately for my husband, I’m not a freak in the sheets either. But my mind is as dirty as a toilet. Learn …

Passionate relationships all have the same qualities. You fall in love and all you want to do is be around that person, talk about that person, know everything about them. …

If forced to rank the domestic tasks from 1-10, with 10 being the least hated and 1 being sheer hell, doing the laundry would be a soft 8. What’s 10? …

The infamous they. Who are they? How did they become so all-knowing? Why am I listening to them and giving them all the credit for things said? I picture a …

This was the first time we ever actually went to get professional family photos – unless you count our wedding…because the kids were there. If any of you reading this …