Family
Summer Bucket List
Do you guys make a summer bucket list? I’ve never made one in a formal sense, but I do keep a running list in my head. I also keep my grocery list in my head and that doesn’t always work out so well. Take it from me, there is a benefit to writing things down. One thing on our summer bucket list was making s’mores. Simple, but necessary for summer. I was certain my kids had roasted marshmallows before, but my 6-year-old didn’t remember. Apparently we’ve installed a healthy fear of fire into the kids, so the idea of letting the marshmallow catch on fire took a little getting used to.…
The Happiest Place on Earth
Generally speaking, I think my home is the happiest place on earth as evidenced by the fact that I never want to leave. Not even kidding. Yet, here I find myself taking the kids to Disneyland this week! I should really check my temperature. All this to say, I’ll be back next week. After I’ve recovered. That will be long enough to recover, right? My kids are over-the-moon excited to finally be able to experience Disneyland. I’ve been calling it the other happiest place on earth. Share this:
Nine and Six
For the love. For all the love. My kids fill me with so much love, joy and sometimes exasperation that I want to burst. If you’re new to these parts, then here’s a bit of trivia for you. My kids were born three years and one day apart. I am either a brilliant planner or an abysmal planner. I’d like to think my kids share a special bond because of their close birthdays. I hope they will always have fun together, fight and makeup, cheer each other on, watch each other’s back and take care of me when I’m old. Like I said, a special bond. They have been counting down since, well, they…
Why a Good Book is a Secret Door
We have books in almost every room in our home. It wasn’t a conscious decision…just a reflection on the importance we place on learning and imagination. And, in all fairness, when it comes to my husband’s ugly computer books…I like to decorate by hiding them in plain sight too. My grandma was a first grade teacher and she retired before I would have been in her class, but she didn’t stop teaching in retirement. No. She taught me how to read before I started school. To say she gave me the greatest gift is an understatement. Reading unlocks all the world’s possibilities for a child. That’s why this TED Talk given by…
That One Time I Went On a Trail Run
I’ve mentioned at least once that Handy Husband is a runner. He loves all the parts of running. The competition, the stats, the runner’s high, the gear, that part where your chest burns and your muscles want to die. Yeah, all of it. I run too. At least 3 times a week for the past 5 years. However, I’ve never reached the “love” stage of running. I’m still in the, “how far do I have to go so my pants still fit” stage. Handy Husband and I used to go running together. Then he decided to be a show-off and run 6-minute miles. I’d have to purposefully not tie my shoelaces very…
Upcycled Tic Tac Toe
My son’s kindergarten homework for the week of Earth Day was to: 1) play outside 2) do a project that involves reusing or recycling I was ALL on board with #1. In the interest of full disclosure, I had every intention of ignoring #2. It’s kindergarten. It’s not even required in our state. I know, I know. Mother of the year. Don’t worry. I have not sent my son down the path of underachievement…yet. We pulled the project off – even if it began accidentally. Here’s how it went down… While the kids were outside playing, I decided that would be a good time to apply a coat of stain…
Celebrating Him
Today is my husband’s birthday. *the crowd goes wild* I sat down several times to write an eloquent ode to the man who holds my heart. That was a bust. Everything I wrote sounded so trite. My delete key was working overtime. Since we’re talking about me now, I’d like you to know I’m as even keel as they come. There’s not a whole lot, good or bad, that raises my blood pressure or sets me on an emotional rollercoaster. Not even the joys of trying to get one, single decent family picture. Yet here I was thinking about Handy Husband and how overwhelmingly glad I am that he was born when my eyes…
Kids Write the Funniest Things
Kids write the funniest things, don’t they? Case in point: My after-school routine contains the following: 1) Kids ask to play with their friends while they are waiting for the bus driver to tell them it is safe to cross the road. I yell at them to pay attention to the bus driver, you know, so they don’t get run over. 2) On the days when they can’t play with their friends, the kids immediately announce they are STARVING because they: a) haven’t eaten anything in two hours b) didn’t want to eat the apples and/or sandwich in their lunch c) all of the above. 3) They hand me their…
Oh Happy Day
I feel extraordinarily blessed to have a few really close friends. They live in different places and entered my life at completely different times. I say with all sincerity (and minus my usual sarcasm) that I cherish the unique role they each play in my life. Oh, and in case they haven’t figured this out yet, no matter where I go or what I do, they are stuck with me! One of those friends has a birthday today. HURRAY!!! She is smart and capable. Funny and kind. She is beautiful on the inside and out. She gives her love freely. She’s an amazing mom. She’s always prepared – her purse is like a…
Time is the Coin
**We interrupt our regularly light-hearted and slightly sarcastic programming for some Monday morning introspection. Don’t get used to this.** I’ve learned the hard way to be fairly guarded with my time. 12 hour days climbing the corporate ladder to more 12 hour days will do that to you. The older I get, the more cognizant I am of just how precious and fleeting time is. Maybe it’s being a parent. Maybe it’s seeing my parents age. Maybe I’ve actually learned a few things in my 30-something years on this planet. With this in mind, I try to keep my priorities straight because I don’t like the feeling of being over-committed and stretched too thin.…
