Life with a Smile

As we headed into the quasi-quarantine that is social distancing, a lot of people were nervous. They were worried about getting sick. They were worried about their financial stability. They were very worried – apparently – that they would run out of toilet paper. All of those are reasonable and valid concerns, but they weren’t… Continue reading In Which We Homeschool. Sort Of.

Optimistic good cheer is my default setting. I instinctively look for the good (or at least the humorous) in every situation, whether it’s vacation plans gone awry or a psychotic dog who escaped – again – and spent twenty minutes last Thursday enthusiastically ramming the neighbor’s chicken coop with his burly shoulders before I managed… Continue reading Smiling through a Global Pandemic

Well, I finally did it. I fully embraced my 1950s mom-self and, rather than trying to text around the neighborhood to locate my children, instead stepped outside and simply shouted at the top of my lungs – “Kids! Dinnnnner!!!!” – drawing out that last word for at least five seconds. Within a few moments, I… Continue reading The Benefits of Mixed-Age Playmates

I knew it wasn’t spring. Not yet. Not quite. But when it hit 60 degrees on March 1st and the sun decided to make its first appearance in days – or was it months? – it was impossible not to feel your spirit lift. There is something about the first blissful days of almost-spring. It… Continue reading Almost Spring. At Last.

My dog can climb trees. I know what you’re picturing right now. You’re smiling indulgently while envisioning that thing dogs do where they put their paws up against the trunk of a tree when they have chased a squirrel up there. It’s so cute, the way they “climb” the tree, isn’t it? That is not… Continue reading Tales of the Canine Companion

Here’s a fun fact you might not know about me. I like to fight. Not physical fights, mind you. Let’s be clear about that. I’ve never thrown a punch in my life and you absolutely do not want me on your team when the zombie apocalypse comes because I will definitely be among the first… Continue reading Itching for a Fight

Four years ago, I wrote a column titled “No You Can’t Wear Shorts in the Winter.” Today I am here to say, with equal parts humility and exasperation, “I Surrender.” I battled with my son for years on the topic of proper clothing choices for chilly weather. I bribed, cajoled, bartered, and growled. And then,… Continue reading Why Aren’t You Freezing?

I didn’t watch the Superbowl. It wasn’t just that my feelings about football can best be summarized as “mild disinterest” or that my desire to argue about which ads were superior and whether the halftime show was appropriate was nil. That’s all true, but the bigger issue was that I had unplugged for the weekend.… Continue reading Unplugging for the Weekend

Lately I’ve been reveling in the experience of parenting elementary-age kids. My kids are genuinely fun to hang out with – as tiny humans and not just as children under my care. They lead these exuberant, complicated lives that they are still cheerfully willing to share with me. I get play-by-play accounts of games on… Continue reading The Joy of the Elementary Years

With one notable exception, the public response to my new hairstyle has been overwhelmingly positive. The exception was my eleven-year-old daughter. She doesn’t like change. At all. Not even in the form of her mother’s funky new haircut. She cried when I showed her my inspiration picture. When I arrived home from the salon, she… Continue reading Some Thoughts on Looking Younger