Cynthia Anderson's Blog, page 3

"Forgotten Mourners"

When people hear that 2 of my 3 siblings died in 2019, I am usually met with the question, “And how are your parents holding up?”

I have been reminded that “there is nothing as painful of losing a child” more times than I can count. I have been urged continually to be a comfort to my parents; to be the daughter they need.

It has been extremely rare to be met with a response that validates or recognizes the significance of the loss of a sibling.

A few months after losing my brother to su...

Living the "Sue Life"

“There is a winner and a loser, and occasionally we lose. (hold for a signature Sue dramatic pause) But then we rise again.” On the National Geographic Channel Sue Aikens from the Alaskan Wilderness Reality TV show ‘Life Below Zero’, gives us her words of wisdom about life. I watch partly because I feel as an introvert myself, Sue and others on the show are ‘living the dream.’ At the same time, I am left wondering if a life with such isolation can be rewarding, fulfilling, or in any way producti...

Five Lessons My Mother Taught Me About Death

I’ve always been afraid of everything—the dark, scary movies, spiders, my big brother chasing me around the house in a creepy mask. But the thing I’ve always feared most of all was death. Every time I’d say goodbye to a family member I’d have to say, “I love you” just in case it was the last time. I’ve always tried to live life to the fullest in case I might not live that long. So I guess, in a strange way, death’s motivations have blessed my life.

In my youth, I’d only ever experienced th...

Quarantined Mother on Twitter 2020

If mothers had time to tweet in 2020, it might look something like this...

Anna Anderson is a wife and mother of three children. She lives in a small town in Wyoming. No, like, really small. With no Target within 100 miles, she spends her time writing, reading, and ordering things like shampoo off of Amazon. With a degree in English Education Anna continues to find ways to use her talents. She has written an article for the Lovell Chronicle and writes wonderful, witty, fun...

Best Friends Day

Friends. Since the time we are old enough to be aware of others we are searching for friends. When we are a little older, friends can seem like they are more important than family. Sometimes, we are driven to find the 'right' friends, even if they are not always 'right' for us. We go through transitions. As life continues to evolve, so do our friendships. Friends we thought would be friends forever, sometimes are forgotten and names are hard to recall, while with others, the bond is so deep that...

Exercise With Your Kids Week

National Exercise With Your Kids Week runs from August 4-10th. The program "encourages parents and guardians alike to empower their children to become physically active. Staying active together can help children build confidence while teaching them the importance of physical activity to lead a healthy life."

It is recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of exercise each day. However, any activity is better than no activity! Below are two workouts to do with your kids this week. Feel ...

Best Friends Day

Friends. Since the time we are old enough to be aware of others, we are searching for friends. When we are a little older, friends can seem like they are more important than family. Sometimes, we are driven to find the 'right' friends, even if they are not always 'right' for us. We go through transitions. As life continues to evolve, so do our friendships. Friends we thought would be friends forever, sometimes get forgotten and names are hard to recall, while with others, the bond is so deep nei...

Exercise With Your Kids Week

National Exercise With Your Kids Week runs from August 4-10th. The program "encourages parents and guardians alike to empower their children to become physically active. Staying active together can help children build confidence while teaching them the importance of physical activity to lead a healthy life."

It is recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of exercise each day. However, any activity is better than no activity! Below are two workouts to do with your kids this week. Feel ...

"Mom Hugs", Science, and the Top Five Benefits of Hugs!

My son Michael from time to time will ask for a "mom hug." What is the difference between a hug and and a "mom hug"? Well, sometimes the "mom hug" was asked for when I was most frustrated with him. For example: Being told he has a huge project due the next day when he had been assigned said project two weeks ago. Michael also asked for a "mom hug" when he would have a bad day, and now that he is married and lives away from me, he asks for one every time he comes home. I love giving "mom hugs"- I...

The Power of Chores- Podcast Extra

If you were to look up the word “chore,” you’d find many forms of the same definition: “Chores are tasks that are viewed as boring or unpleasant.” According to my children,
chores have a different definition: A way to torture your kids and make them do all of the work. In my family, assigning chores actually became a chore for me! Every time I asked my children to complete a task, it became an argument and the actual completion of the task was delayed as long as possible. My children, much li...