[Written by Debi's husband, Travis Townsend.]

One of my very least favorite things to do is assemble an artificial Christmas tree. The tightly wound steel wire ends shoot out like unassuming razor barbs waiting for me to run the palms of my bare hands down to release the “branches” into full, pine bloom. With each branch, more and more fake needles fall to the floor like winter’s first forest-green snowfall adding the extra duty of pulling out the vacuum when I’m done. Someday, all that will be left of the tree will be a pitiful, Charlie Brown, wire skeleton in the shape of a 7-foot-tall triangle.

Once it resembles an actual tree, I have to jam fists full of lights into it every two feet spiraling upward to the top. In the end, my hands and arms look as if I’ve helped Chino State Prison replace 100 miles of barbed wire fencing with no gloves on. [Read more]

I love, love, LOVE watching the food network! The chefs are always so friendly and make me believe I can do anything! I love Paula, the Neelys, Giada, and Ina! These chefs toss around words like; “you simply”, “you just” “so easy..y’all!” and I just know by their confident style and neighborly encouragement, I too can whip up Pecan Chicken with grapes or a perfectly puffed up Pear Fritter! I can stuff a butternut squash while uncorking the perfect bottle of Cabernet so my husband and I can enjoy an autumn meal. Well, let’s step in to reality, shall we? Usually, I am watching the food network on my DVR because I simply don’t have all the time these chefs do to prepare a “quick and easy” meal! In fact, I have done my share of cooking demos on my own talk show and it took 2 guys chopping, peeling and measuring for a few hours the day before we shot the segment! Then of course, they would put the measured out ingredients into matching little bowls. [Read more]

Every year we make the pilgrimage out to my mother’s home to celebrate Thanksgiving. Every year the table is set with all the traditional foods, mashed potatoes, yams, green bean casserole, crescent rolls, pumpkin pie, lime jello, pineapple salad and, of course, a 20 pound turkey stuffed with a sausage and almond stuffing made from my grandmother’s recipe… which, by the way, has never been written down! I always bring the home made cranberry sauce and a “vegetarian” dish for my older children.

This year, my husband was in the kitchen when I was in my cooking frenzy. He watched as I poured two bowls of cranberry sauce and held one into the air. “This one,” I announced, “is for us”. He shrugged his shoulders and said “OK”. He was completely underwhelmed. He stole some shredded cheese from my bowl and said very casually, “I don’t like cranberry sauce”. [Read more]

Debi Gutierrez wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

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I was standing there just doing dishes and then “it” started; the need for a good cry. Instead of fighting back tears, I let it go and cried and cried. My husband came downstairs from our home office and asked, “Is there anything I can do?” I shook my head and tried to think of how to compile, file and export a reason as to why I was crying so hard. He came and held me and that made me cry even more. He let me finish and I was able to tell him that I was just tired from the week.

We women bolt around our homes and offices with lightening speed. We rarely stroll through a mall and often even grocery shopping is done a few days at a time; either due to budget or poor planning. Generally we have eaten breakfast. lunch or dinner, in our car, walking to or from the car, or while we sit at a computer, as we multi-tasked to tend to home, kids, husband or work. Even at my beloved prayer group, when women get together in the morning to pray for their families, we watch the clock. Our day ends and we still feel as if we haven’t given our families, friends, work, let alone ourselves enough time and attention and we vow to do better tomorrow. [Read more]

“The Holidays are coming! The Holidays are coming!” Every wife and mother hears the town crier roaring through her town before the Halloween decorations have come down! He rides through our neighborhood with his sales papers featuring great deals for under $1000, newest recipes from five star restaurant chefs, and the newest thing in pet gifts and stocking stuffers! It seems as if his cries get louder as every day passes November 1st!

I turn to the latest magazines, blogs and talk show feature spots to see how I, too, can be more organized and prepared for the Holidays. Hey, I’ve even written a few myself! But today’s blog is all about how to take care of the inner woman in you! And you can forget about a bubble bath or scented candles…every mom knows that by the time you scrub the tub so you can get in and enjoy the bath, you are too exhausted and maybe a little resentful! [Read more]

An honorable father in pop culture seems as hard to find as a mythical creature. Now, I know an honorable father is not the Lockness Monster or Big Foot and he’s not mythical. I do have to search to find one, but it is well worth the effort! Right now, pop culture, specifically Hollywood, is shining the spot light on fathers who are nothing more than a mockery of the role of father. A father is a man who supports, guides and protects his family, not pimp them out or do nothing while his family spirals out of control. [Read more]

I read this morning that the Duggars, from 18 And Counting and then 19 And Counting, are considering having yet another child; their 2oth! The Duggars are a Christian couple who lead a Christian life and take every baby they feel God blesses them with. Who am I to question God’s plan for someone’s life, but I do have an opinion about their choice.

I do believe children are a gift from God. I also believe God blesses moms with the ability to love all her children. But if God meant for us to have 20 children, He would also have given mothers an extra pair of eyes, preferably some that could rotate completely around our head, and some extra arms! Our knees would bend with ease in the either direction. We would have super sonic hearing and a voice that would never grow weary of explaining things over and over and over again! Mother’s would look like some freaky monster from a sci-fi movie! [Read more]

So, it’s that time of year again! Sun, fun, swimming and barbecuing take up our long summer days! And then I look at the calender….NO! NO! SAY IT ISN’T SO! But the calender, like that bathroom scale, doesn’t lie! It is time to get ready for Back To School! The time of year that sends mothers shrieking and children crying and tween girls…well, they are in a league all by themselves!

This year would be different in our household. My youngest, Pilar will be going into 7th grade and for the first time ever…no uniforms! It has always been so easy to try one style of shirt and pants on her and then buy 5 uniforms in her sizes. We finish off with white socks, regulated shoes and the school hoodie! Done! Of course, like every mother of a private school kid, I went away licking my wounds at the cost of the uniforms, which incidentally, could only be at purchased at one store which never seemed to have items on sale! [Read more]

My daughter, Anna Maria, is a lover of the earth and has encouraged me to take better care of my corner of the planet. A few years ago she was talking about hanging a clothes line and drying her clothes outside.  I decided to surprise her and order one from the internet and send it to her. While I was pricing the different styles, I saw one that was perfect! The best way to describe it’s structure to someone is to tell them to picture an umbrella turned inside out from a severe wind storm. It was big enough to hold a few loads and best of all, it was portable.

Now, I grew up with a gas dryer.  I remember a neighbor having a clothes line and when it rained, my mom let her use our dryer. The closest I ever came to line drying clothes was in a hotel room. (And does a pair of panty hose and underwear count?) [Read more]