A few years ago, my girls were visiting an aunt during Spring Break and I had a few glorious days at home – all alone. I decided to use the time to organize closets and cabinets and create an uber organized sewing center.I was working hard to finish up one night when I realized that our dog, Jessie, had been roaming in the woods for some time. When I went out to call her and yelled "treat," she came running out of the woods and up the hill. She hesitated when she got to the door. Keep Reading...
Tiny Shiny Thing
Do you have one of these in your home? I certainly hope not. Why? Because it is a sin-inducer! A grumble maker. An irritant. This little thing causes me to sin! What is it, you ask? How can that tiny, shiny thing cause me such grief? Well, apparently that tiny, shiny thing makes it nearly impossible for others in my home to replace the paper towels when they run out! If I had a dime for every time I walked into my kitchen and found the paper towel holder covered only by an empty cardboard Keep Reading...
Helping Others Shave Their Legs
I spent a lot of summers with my grandparents when I was growing up. I remember my grandmother telling me that she no longer had to shave her legs or armpits! As a thirteen year old who had hair that seemed to grow night and day, I was amazed. What do you mean? She explained that when you get old (now I know she was referring to menopause), your hair doesn’t grow like it does when you are going through puberty. Awesome! I couldn’t wait for that day. I thought God was pretty smart to Keep Reading...
The Tepid Tub
I have a dear friend who is the mother of four children. One of her teenagers is a son - the only son - and he has a fondness for long, steaming hot showers. Even before he gets in the shower, he likes the bathroom to resemble a sauna. In order to turn his plain bathroom into a sauna to rival that of any fine, luxury spa, he turns the hot water on full blast. Once the steam is seeping out from under the door, he commences his near scalding shower. And this is not an abbreviated shower. Keep Reading...
Roots
There used to be a house on one of the busiest streets in my town. It was a modest, one story house. A house where two people raised three children. When the children were grown and the street became too busy, the couple sold the house and the lot it was on and moved to a quieter neighborhood. I didn’t meet the couple until they had moved into the new house but when my husband and I passed the old house, he pointed it out and said, “That’s where Hugo and Alice used to live.” A few days Keep Reading...
Mr. Magoo
Pio came into my family’s life when he befriended my brother while they were in medical school. He grew up in the Philippines but came to America to go to medical school and since his family was so far away, our family took him in as one of our own – including him in our family celebrations and holidays. Before I tell you a story about Pio, I need to let you know that everyone was okay. So feel free to chuckle as you envision the scene… Pio was driving his car down a highway and saw a car Keep Reading...
Freedom – from the sock basket
Yesterday was “Pile Day” at my house. The day dedicated to going through all of the piles that have piled up due to schedules piled upon schedules. One of the piles I slayed was the sock pile. It really wasn’t a pile of socks. It was more like a big basket where socks got piled. And piled and piled! When you have three girls (especially if two of them are dancers), then you probably have sock issues. We have sock issues! The sock issues started when the two oldest girls were little. One Keep Reading...
It Smells Like…
My oldest daughter did what every college student wants to do as soon as they move out of their parent’s home. She went to the mall and bought a genetically inferior puppy she could not afford nor had the time to care for. Then she did what all of those parents that have gone before us warned us she would do – she brought the dog home to us because she could not afford it nor had the time to care for it. In our daughter’s case, it was only going to be for a month while she traveled the world. Keep Reading...
A Derailed Day
Today’s post is for my friend whose day was derailed by one quick phone call. I think we have all heard the joke or read the e-mail about the man who comes home and the house is a mess, the kids are still in their pajamas running all over the house, dinner is not even a thought and as he opens his bedroom door he finds his wife still in bed from the morning. When he asks her what she is doing, she calmly puts the Bon Bons down and replies, “You know all those times when you’ve asked me what I Keep Reading...
Meat Skewers and Leg Casts
It seems like most parents have categories for each of their children. You often hear them refer to their kids as the clumsy child, the athletic child, the child with allergies, or the smart one. When my girls were little and a group of mothers would get together, you would often hear someone refer to a child as “a climber,” “a good sleeper,” “a good eater” or “a picky eater.” I have been guilty of referring to one of my daughters as “the one who throws up a lot.” And I usually have a mom in the Keep Reading...