I have tried acupuncture, over the counter orthotics to support my arch, and heel wedges from CVS to create lift in my sneaker. I have tried to increase blood flow to my heel to ease the constant ache -- massaging my foot shamelessly on airplanes and in restaurants.

Not only did Jazz become the centerpiece of our life, but she is now the centerpiece on our kitchen table. I discovered an amazing ceramicist who paints dog portraits on all kinds bowls and plates.

What card actually captures the relationship I have with my mom? After all these years, I still haven't found the right one.

After my second son was born, had there been a parenting course about how to raise boys, I would have signed on. I was out of my comfort zone.

Last week's news is this week's reality. I can't bring myself to write about anything except what happened this past week in Boston -- the explosions and their devastation on Boylston Street at the finish line of our cherished Boston Marathon on April 15, and the helicopter hovering over our condo, whirring all day long just last Friday, April 19 -- until Suspect #2 was captured.

I'm convinced the reason my husband tolerates my requests to change rooms when we arrive at some of the hotels we go to is because he knows it'll be worth it. He's right.

Two years ago, same time of year, I was making behavior-shifting pacts with myself. I know it was this time of  year because it was a few weeks before I was to run the Boston Marathon and I was not ready despite my training. Frankly I would never be ready.

Imagine a World Without an Empty Nest? There's a big change brewing that could really wreak havoc on our empty nesting cycle. We're talking about a move toward online learning -- imagine: your kid does not GO to college -- He does college from the comfort of your home!

I loved watching Nana put on her face. Not one item was wasted. Lipsticks worn down to the metal were fair game as she dipped her lip-brush into the cylinder and extracted a full application working first the outline of the lips then filling in the rest.

When we're not talking about getting in shape, sex, our kids, our homes, our skin/hair or our finances and health -- we're probably talking about sleep. One thing we can all agree on is, there's no one solution to ensuring a good night's sleep that works for everyone.

So there I was this morning, with my girls on our eight-miler talking expiration dates on lipsticks, mascaras and ourselves. It was clear -- the cosmetics are an easy fix, throw them out and replenish. But for us, that's a tougher topic.

I was so in love with my college roommate that when my boyfriend called to see if I would go out on Friday night, I would cover the receiver and whisper to her, 'Did you want to see that movie at the Biograph with me?' If she said yes, I'd tell him I was busy. She was my #1.

For many of us at midlife -- when our kids start to leave our nest -- we begin our own personal journeys. Our world, those of us born in the mid-1950s to early 1960s, is full of stories of women who had careers out of college. Careers that would take them into the early child-rearing years until they faced the choice of 50-hour work weeks, or staying at home to raise their kids.

Let's talk about how we are going to live in the future. I don't want to be relocated to a place where I have no friends and where I don't know anyone. Maybe we should start putting a plan together now.

So Hillary, this week, as we celebrate those we love, my wish is that you uncork the bubbly, have some chocolate, hug that fabulous husband of yours and feel the love you have earned from your fans.

Valentine's Day comes with a boatload of expectations, but no built-in rituals. And as we all know, expectations can lead to disappointment, and no one wants to be disappointed on Valentine's Day. So, to make this Valentine's Day the best possible, I designed a strategy to embrace it.

Wild weather has a way of clearing out the old and upon reflection, it seems right that our wedding night was marked with this torrential storm. We felt fearless despite the warnings that we should take down the tent or the winds might. We were sure we would be safe.

Who thought planning your own funeral could put a smile on your face? When I started asking friends about music they'd like to be remembered by I got an earful, so I thought I'd pass along some of their requests.

By making resolutions, we attempt to make ourselves feel we are in control, that we can decide how we will live our lives. But this week, I am not feeling like I'm in the driver's seat, as a flurry of sickness and death has overshadowed the holidays.

The inside of my brain is bursting. I want to scream, but I know this is childish and pointless. I'm over 50 years old -- and I know better. But, I'm a mom and when I watch the aftermath of 20 children killed at Sandy Hook, the fibers on my neck burn and I feel the maternal desire to protect.

I figured if Congress isn't so worried about this terminal Fiscal Cliff and is planning their vacations, I'm going to take mine, too.

When people ask me, "where do you live?" they get a bigger story than they bargained for. This is the fallout of "blending" two adult lives that have been independently established. In our case, two homes compete to be the primary place of residence.

I love my phone but to be honest, I reached my limit on this technology at a restaurant the other night when six friends took their phones out and placed them face-up next to their plates. 

Paris is where my parents showed up one at a time after their separation from one another. They came to be alone with me, and it was the first time I saw them as separate, vulnerable adults, not just as my parents. It's strange to think they were younger then than I am now.

When the Olympic swimmers are racing, I like to imagine myself swimming in the next lane, racing back and forth, flip turning, heart pounding, speeding against the clock.