Last night’s opening ceremonies in Sochi brought back memories of a favorite birthday theme: the Olympic party. When Sam turned six he was passionate about both sports and geography. He especially loved to draw flags, so an Olympic-themed party was a perfect fit. The invitation was simple and bold: The cake was a cinch to decorate: five Olympic rings, served with patriotic plates and napkins: … Continue reading An Olympic Birthday Party
Dear United Airlines, It has taken a few weeks, but I have finally composed a letter I can in good conscience send to you. I almost mailed my first draft, but it was twelve pages long and splattered with tear drops and profanity. In this draft I have done my best to recount our saga in a more concise, civilized manner. Honestly, who would actually … Continue reading Dear United Airlines
We returned from Maui three weeks ago (eventually I will get around to posting some pictures from that amazing vacation!!) and since then it’s been all about Christmas. First on the to-do list was the family tree. This annual excursion is usually more National Lampoons than Norman Rockwell, but this year I must admit it was pretty darn easy. The snow was only ankle deep … Continue reading Ready or Not, Christmas is Tomorrow!
This summer my parents introduced us to Chopped, a competitive cooking television show on the Food Network, and it has become an obsession in our family. On family movie nights, we pop a giant bowl of popcorn and huddle under the blanket for a Chopped marathon in lieu of anything Disney. And I hate to reveal this secret, but thanks to Chopped I actually enjoy … Continue reading Unchoppable
This year our Boo Crew went trick-or-treating without boots, snow bibs, or winter coats. Heck, they didn’t need a coat period. Here are the photos to prove it! Continue reading Boo Crew 2013
This world is full of both good witches and bad witches. I would like to introduce you to one of the good ones: This witch has one mission: to create magical memories for children. She’s pretty good at it too. Every year she plans a Halloween party that most families would pay to attend, but by some stroke of luck she invites our children for … Continue reading A Witch’s Dream
Pinterest. Do I love it? Do I hate it? I just can’t decide. Before Pinterest, I stuffed my kids’ backpacks with classroom donations like Kleenex boxes and Clorox wipes every August. I know how much teachers appreciate little gestures like this, and it always made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Then I joined Pinterest… I truly had no idea that some families assemble “Back-to-School-Cakes” … Continue reading Love, Hate, & Pinterest
I’ve decided that my monthly book club meetings (and corresponding dinners) are so incredible that it’s time to start blogging them up. My Get Lit book club has been gathering for nearly a decade, and our monthly meetings always fill my tank. Last year we were too careless with our title selections. Our rambunctious, festive meetings became so much fun that selecting the next title … Continue reading Get Lit: And the Mountains Echoed
My junior high years bordered on miserable. Every day I launched off the school bus, bolted up the driveway, and shed my back brace onto the living room floor. At that age I was allowed to remove my scoliosis contraption for 4 hours each day, and I always spent my first hour of freedom with Laura Ingalls Wilder. She was my daily dose of sanity. … Continue reading Little House, Big Memories
I have a new job at an old school. When I say old, I mean really old. Here’s a photo of my not-so-new library: Yup, that would be a roof leak, which is apparently a regular occurrence. There are other signs of age as well: my desk is so old that the drawers sit cockeyed in their tracks, but with 2600 students to serve I … Continue reading Back to School: Mom
Profoundly Ordinary 