My way of making the kids’ birthdays special is to take something they love and turn it into a full-blown party. We toned it waaaaay back this year, with only a handful of guests. (See… I actually learned something from Maggie’s giant Bird Party back in April!) For Sam’s celebration, we simply took a few kids bowling, and then came back to our house for … Continue reading Bowling Themed Birthday Party
If I recall correctly, I typed my last post with dirty fingernails and weary muscles. Well, tonight I type with nearly severed tendons. I think that is worse? It all started this morning when I decided to make the kids blueberry muffins (just from a box, so don’t go all Supermom on me). I reached into the fridge for the eggs, and somehow flipped a … Continue reading One Fine Day
Week 1 of summer is down, so it’s time to check in on some of those lofty goals I set. Let’s recap: Goal #1. Relish my children, and dedicate special time to them every day. Success! I took the kids bowling, biking, hiking, and swimming. One day Sam was off playing with an old preschool pal, so I surprised Maggie with a visit to that … Continue reading Big Wild Week
I still vividly remember sitting in a classroom at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln back in 1992ish. It was a small course at the Teacher’s College, and the professor asked the 30 or so of us why we wanted to become educators. One curmudgeonly old dude (he was probably 30) raised his hand and said, “Three reasons: June, July, and August.” Half the class laughed, but … Continue reading Hail Summer!
I tell our children that reading is a gift. A gift that cannot be stolen, and one they will have for life. I firmly believe it, too. History has a tragic track record of denying people the right to read in an attempt to prevent them from revolting against oppression. Ironically, there are many amazing books that best illustrate this point. Take Nightjohn by Gary … Continue reading All Buggy Eyed
Lately I’ve been dabbling my toes outside my comfort zone a bit, and on all accounts I’m coming up short. It’s got me in a funk, because these shortcomings are making me feel like a lame mother. It started a few weeks ago when we took the kids skiing at Alyeska. I don’t ski, so I deemed myself the photodocumentarian. It was adorable to watch … Continue reading Old Mom, New Tricks
It’s fun to watch our children develop interests that are completely and uniquely their own. So it goes with our bird-loving daughter, who since the age of two has enjoyed the caw of ravens and the scavenging of magpies. Now that she’s older we drive past a marsh each day, which is alive with seagulls, swans, terns, and geese. At Christmas we gave her a … Continue reading For the Birds: Part I
Last week Clark and I celebrated the big 1-0. Really? Ten years of marriage… that’s it?! What a ripoff! When you date and live with someone for eight years before heading down the aisle, the wedding anniversaries just don’t paint a true picture of your history together. Our history. Hmmmm. Let’s reflect. I’d love to spout out a line or two about pre-kid days, but … Continue reading A Photographic History of Us
“Bloom where you’re planted.” I have no idea who originally came up with this brilliant gem of advice, but I was the parent of a four-year-old the first time I heard it uttered by Teacher Tom at the Anchorage Cooperative Preschool. It’s one of those phrases that has stuck with me ever since. My family and I have just returned from the World Ice Art … Continue reading Blooming Where We’re Transplanted
I’m a little bitter that our annual transition to daylight savings time coincides with spring break this year. If I’m going to have an hour stolen from my life, why can’t it be during a staff meeting at work rather than a precious week when my parents are visiting? Our time with them is so rare that I couldn’t help but feel resentful as I … Continue reading Never Enough Time
Profoundly Ordinary 