Several years ago, my mom took on an enormous Christmas gift project. She compiled a set of spiral-bound books containing all the music we used to perform as a family… for each of her SEVEN children. We each now have books for violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello and piano, with pieces ranging from bridal marches to religious stuff… Continue reading Ode to My Mom
I think every mom knows at least one (or 25) other mom/s that she admires and would like to be like. I certainly have my fair share of mothers I look up to, but a surprising amount of them are fictional. Here are the women (and some animals) I’d like to be like when I grow… Continue reading Great Moms in Children’s Literature
The best potty-training experience I ever had* was when I followed the guidelines in this book by Dr. Glenn Latham. A few of the main points are: Use 100% positive reinforcement – you don’t say anything negative about it ever. Take all the emotion out of it – when there’s an accident you just clean it up.… Continue reading Poop and Pilates (or How I Learned to Stop Making Excuses and Start Working Out)
I don’t understand how you can take your kids all those fun places. I feel like I’m barely making it in survival mode. Well yeah, you still have babies! I only have one car seat to buckle and everyone can walk. All I ever do is get drinks and wipe bums. How do you have time… Continue reading The Difference A Year Makes
There were two houses for rent on the same street: the run-of-the-mill rambler with clean white walls and new carpet, and the 100-year-old farm house with a big yard, a charming porch, and a laundry room hidden behind a secret bookshelf door. I’d been a mother for all of four months and knew next to nothing about babies,… Continue reading The Enormous Exersaucer
So, you may have noticed that we do a letter of the week around here. I try to do some kind of activity with the littles every morning, and we incorporate the letter of the week into that and sometimes into meals or family night or whatever. I love it, because when there are no… Continue reading P is for Plain Old Playing
I had a total meltdown this morning. I won’t go into the details leading up to it, but just picture me locked in my room, crying and blaming myself for everything that’s less than ideal in my family right now. “I’m just not good enough. I need to be better – more patient, more disciplined,… Continue reading M is for Meltdowns & Mom
I have a hard time letting my kids do messy fun stuff. But I am determined to get better at it. It’s so good for them, and for me too! So much learning and discovery take place while splattering paint or forming dough, and their creativity can really shine when they aren’t as restricted. Plus, when you allow… Continue reading M is for Messy
“Mom, can you help me? There’s gum stuck in my hair.” He kind of mumbled it. He knew it was his own fault. After reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Ben had been walking around with gum behind his ear like Violet Beauregarde. I had warned him multiple times about getting it in his hair, but apparently… Continue reading Gum in Hair
A Color of Her Own 