The Hinsdalean - Community journalism the way it was meant to be

Readers of Scary Mommy and the Today Show parenting blogs know Christie Cuthbert as a contributor. Texans know her as a writer for San Antonio Woman Magazine and Alamo City Moms. Hinsdaleans remember...

Every January for the past few years, Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich has chosen an annual "guiding word" and encouraged readers to do the same. I heard about this for the first time over the...

I love Christmas, but I'm not sure I could survive 12 months of shopping, wrapping, baking, mailing cards and hosting gatherings at a holiday pace. And while I'm ready to embark on a new year, I'm...

I love traditions — especially at this time of year — and one of my favorites has been penning my annual birthday letter to Ainsley. I wrote my first in December 2011, just before she turned 3,...

I should have taken more nutcrackers. My mother-in-law wanted me to take more. She wanted us to take lots of things as she and my father-in-law were clearing out the Western Springs house they had...

Hallmark movies are big business. Just take a quick peek at the merchandise available and the list of stars appearing on the channel this month. They're also a source of entertainment - especially at...

I’ve always been a rule follower. You’d think this would have delighted my mother when I was a child. Unfortunately, as I had no siblings, she had no comparative yardstick with which to measure...

Remember the “Hinsdale School News” some folks in town received right before the April 2 election? The eight-page publication — printed on newsprint to look like a local newspaper — was...

I’ve always loved crafts. As a kid, I would ask for different kits as Christmas gifts and then spend the days of winter break burning wood (and often my finger) or modeling clay. Even as an adult,...

What do you believe? I just finished reading the responses of 80 people to that question in “This I Believe,” a book released in 2007 (and discovered recently on my bookshelf). It’s based on an...

When Ralphie wakes up to see the snow glistening on the ground, the ice-covered trees sparkling in the sunlight, he’s filled with wonder. Of course, in “A Christmas Story,” this scene happens...

If you were worried a friend or family member was suffering from domestic abuse, would you know the signs to look for? Would you know where she could turn for help? If you know Hinsdale’s Bana...

I have long been a fan of fall. While others are lamenting the end of sunny, 85-degree days, I long for the arrival of the autumn (but not so much that I acknowledge "meteorological fall" on Sept. 1...

This spring a litter of kittens sought shelter in a window well on the south side of our house. Once our dog Lizzy discovered them, they decided to seek other accommodations. The kittens that took up...

I was listening to the radio in the car the other day and all of the sudden realized I was singing along. “Believe it or not, I’m walking on air. I never thought I could feel so free.” How did...

A young man rang our doorbell Tuesday night last week, interrupting one of my less successful parenting moments. As soon as I opened the door and saw his clipboard, I knew what he wanted. He was...

I was going through my inbox the other day, trying to clear out some old emails. This is some of what I found. • Recipes from Epicurious for 63 work lunches that don’t need refrigeration. • A...

We had a special guest take up residence outside our back door for several weeks this summer. We didn’t notice her at first. We simply woke one July morning to find a large, intricate spider web...

Every September I have the bittersweet task of bidding a group of contributing columnists farewell and welcoming a new group of writers to our paper. This year three writers have finished their terms...

Just a few days into fifth grade and the daily petitions have begun. Ainsley NEEDS a cellphone, she tells me. EVERYONE else in her grade has one. Ainsley clearly wants a cellphone, and I know for a...

And in the blink of an eye, it’s over. Summer 2019 is in the books. I know, I know. Summer will continue until the autumnal equinox marks its official end Sept. 23. But summer — for the purposes...

Has anyone seen my white go-go boots? Yes, I actually own white go-go boots. I acquired them a few years back when I had to dress up like a University of Illinois cheerleader for a scene in the Commun...

When I heard the news, I was drawn to the bookshelf in the basement. There it sat, in pristine condition. My autographed copy of “Beloved.” The book was a gift years ago from a friend who managed...

I baked my first cheesecake under duress. Dan and I were newly married, living in an apartment in Wrigleyville, and we had invited his parents over for a Saturday night dinner. Being young and foolish...

I wonder, if I started interviewing celebrities, whether my writing style would change. After all, it seems every article I read about someone famous opens with a ridiculous account of the...