When We Said “I Do”
When Richard and I said “I Do” we both said “I will” to a lot.  Every remarried couple knows what I’m talking about.  From combining two households to ex-spouses, ex-lives, in-laws, out-laws, excess baggage, kids, finances, and yes, even pets.  Prior to our walk down the aisle (or my walk…he waited for me at the altar!) we talked about everything…and I mean everything (except, maybe, brain surgery and accounting…topics neither one of us are particulary fond of.) The one thing that I had to understand and accept was that he considered his ex-wife’s family his family.  And I had to be ok with family get toge

Happy Thanksgiving!
Note:  This will be the only post this week due to Thanksgiving.  I will be back next week with my regular 3 postings In writing this, I realize that many of my stepmom sisters are dreading the holidays.  I wish I could wave a magic wand and make your dread disappear.  Only you can make your dread disappear.  Most of it is between your own ears anyway.  Instead of resisting what’s been thrown your way, have you thought of just going with the flow and being a bit more like water?  Water doesn’t appreciate or like the rock that’s in the middle of its path, but it doesn’t try to go through it…it goes around it…and still arrives at i

The Stepmom Inoculation
Integrity.  Commitment to Excellence.  Stubbornly Optimistic! People pleasers! Please raise your hands.  Ok…I see…one, two, ten, seventeen, fifty, the whole room?  Sounds about right.  Sister stepmoms, my name is Peggy and I’m a recovering people pleaser. What exactly is a people pleaser?  What do they look like?  How do they behave?  Raise your hand if you’ve ever tried to morph yourself into someone your husband, boss, parents, si

Water Philosophy for Stepmoms
Integrity. Commitment to Excellence. Stubbornly Optimistic! “Water” by Peggy Nolan© “Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.” ~ Lao Tzu

Ditch the Control Factor
Tess Marshall has an amazing article today that I believe you must read.  Today.  Right now. Go on.  I’ll wait. Why?  Because one of the reasons stepmoms find themselves in such a pickle is their need to control.  (Been there!)  Once I let go of my need to control