Packing for Camp

Three and a half weeks. In three and a half weeks we will drop Julianna off at overnight camp.  As an avid reader of this blog, you might remember a post I wrote 2 years ago about her first day at day camp.  That day went well. The day camp experience is very different than

That Flu By

Today Julianna turned 8. Yesterday she got the flu for the first time in her life so this isn’t the most exciting birthday she’s ever had.  I suppose your actual birthday is just a checkpoint on the road so, whatever, its just a day; a day that marks the end of a great year and

A. Brand Name

My Grandfather died today.  He was 97 years old and I can’t imagine what life would have been like without his influence; without his presence. We all have starting lines.  We have places where the family tree begins.  Certainly I’m aware that before my grandfather there were his parents and other people but I never

Kidsplaining #2

Well that didn’t take long.  A day after Julianna wrote her post, Chloe told me that she wanted to try her hand at writing for the blog. She got the same rules as Julianna:  A keyboard, a topic, and the freedom to write whatever she wanted. Her topic: How to take care of dogs. How

Kidsplaining

So I got to thinking: last night while out for dinner with the family, I explained to Julianna and Chloe, really for the first time, about this blog.  I asked them if they would like to help me write for the blog now and then.  They both said they’d like to.  Julianna helped me once

Barney Daffodil

On November 11, 2014, one year ago today, the world lost someone it barely had time to know:  Eddie.  He was just 18 months old. I started writing this post in February.  I normally spend about 15 or 20 minutes writing these but this one has been an exception. I’ve been friends with Eddie’s parents

Reading; Their Minds

I don’t remember how old I was when people stopped reading to me at my bedtime. These days I get read to most nights.  At some point, the girls’ bedtime went from us reading to them to them reading to us.  I find the whole thing fascinating.  Both girls have always enjoyed books.  We went

Independence Day

Today Chloe turns 6. Hard to believe another year has passed.  Last year I wrote about how Chloe had essentially started to come out of her shell.  I think its safe to say that she obliterated that shell this year. “Mommy, what do I need to do, right now, to make sure I don’t have a

Pride

Today Julianna turned 7. Less than 48 hours ago, I was living vicariously through my friend Corey as he was literally hours away from going to the hospital with his wife to meet their 1st child.  I found myself easily reliving the emotions associated with the anticipation of the “about to meet my kid” situation.