Category - blog

Remember “Not Me” from the Family Circus cartoons?  We all know how alive and well this little ghost is in any home with kids: “Who spilled milk and didn’t clean it up?!” “Not me!” “Not me!” “Well, it wasn’t ME”! No matter the offense, this trio of responses in my house rarely changes.  (The only caveat is that they blame the dog, even though she is lactose-intolerant, doesn’t have opposable thumbs, etc.). And my rebuttal doesn’t change, either: I’m not going to be angry if you tell me the truth.  It’s dishonesty that upsets me. When no one owns up…

When my family moved to Colorado a year ago, we were frequently asked:  “Do you ski?”  Being new in town I could hardly state my feelings on the subject so instead gave the hard, cold facts:  “My kids and I are taking lessons.”  My husband learned as a teenager and has several of the premiere ski resorts in Colorado under his belt so he already fit into the fold of our ski-adoring community.  But the kids and I didn’t even know what “binders” were.  Needless to say, we had a long way to go.

In my October 23, 2013, post “Errant Body Fluids and Other (Viral) Situations” I made mention that one of my boys threw up in our refrigerator.  (Don’t worry. This is the only body fluid references in this post).  Well, a few weeks after I pressed the “publish” button on that post…a friend texts my husband that the home containing the ill-fated kitchen appliance went up for sale. Could it be, although it would be a snowball’s chance in Southwest Colorado, that the proud owners of our old home READ that post????  It would be a remarkable coincidence.  And no, I…

Over the holidays, we flew the friendly skies back to Iowa to visit family.  Packing for a family of five is a real trip (pun intended!) and in the middle of this project, my husband and I had a conversation that went something like this: Hubby:  How large a bottle of liquid can we take in our carry-on? Me:  Um, I think 3 ounces.  Why? Hubby:  Well, these mini bar liquors say 50 ml.  How many ounces is that? Me (doing some quick head-math):  Let’s see…about 1.6 ounces.  And you can have only one one-quart plastic bag for yourself.  (thoughtful…

I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions, for two reasons.   In the past I have set unrealistic goals (I will never, ever say “@#%&*!” again!) or because I simply forget I made a resolution  to begin with (Mommy Brain).  This year, however, I came up with a goal, not a random idea as in years past but a pursuit born of something I have wished to accomplish for some time:  read more books.  My nightstand is perpetually piled with reading material and my reading list expands every time I peruse the book reviews in a magazine or walk…

Everyone agrees that cell phone use for chatting, texting or playlist-searching while operating a motor vehicle is a bad idea.  We don’t always take “the high road” in this respect but we all know it is dangerous to not give undivided attention to keeping our cars, vans and SUVs safely on the road.  But what about that other distraction?  I don’t mean lunch or the annoying rattle coming from the glove box (although tending to either is a bad idea as well).  I mean children.  Wow.  I am amazed I haven’t gone off the road with the distraction of my…

I’m certainly not Martha Stewart.  It’s been said that even Martha Stewart is not really Martha Stewart.  Anyway, as the holidays roll around I think often about an episode of the now-archived “Oprah” I recall watching several years ago.  Martha Stewart was a guest, as was a girl about the age of six and if I remember correctly, this youngster was Oprah’s godchild.  There was a segment of the show devoted to her making a craft, cookie or other “child-friendly” project with Ms. Martha. Who this child was, and what the craft/cookie event taking place entailed doesn’t really matter.  What…

I could start this post out with a canned statement such as “The Holidays are about….”  But that just doesn’t feel right.  I am having trouble getting this one going and think that ‘s a sign I just need to get to the point.  So, here it goes. People face illness, loss and other personal tragedies and struggles all year around.  Our family knows some of these people personally and lately, it seems that number is growing. Women are labelled with having the “biological clock” but really, everyone does.  Men, children and postmenopausal women included.  Our bodies don’t check the…

…this might be it: Be the type of parent you hope your child will someday be.