I bought my children new shoes for the first day of school and when they returned after winter break. Twice a year. Every year. In the budget or beyond the budget, they had new gleaming white tennis shoes as they marched into class for a new and improved quarter, semester, year. There were years Michael…
We leave for Amsterdam in the morning. My seventeen year old thinks she’s going to get stoned with her parents. Isn’t she cute? How do you say, “Not in this lifetime,” in Dutch? We will be gone for a week in our attempt to see as many of Van Gogh’s paintings as possible. I’ve…
Less is seldom more. My son will move out of our house and into his college dorm next week. He drives me nuts. He’s been what they call a “challenge.” Loud, self-absorbed, and crazy moody. He still eats in his room, still tries to sidestep chores or responsibility, still runs at full speed and scares the crap out of me. He’s arrogant and selfish…
Our Christmas tree fell off the roof of our car. Things are rarely as I envision them, but this, this was a first. It rumbled, tugged, and then fell right off. Tree flying in the rear view mirror, Griswold, but not funny, not a movie. This has never happened and I of course wonder if it is some kind…
We had our Christmas picture professionally taken for the first time. Actually, it was the first time we have had professional photos as a family. Let’s say that we are more of a candid shot kind of crowd. We have taken our own Christmas picture in front of our tree, timer set, someone running, every year, but…
A boy at my children’s high school was voted homecoming king this past week. The entire student body had a chance to nominate. Finalists were chosen. Those students where then put on a ballot and the king was selected. I remember high school. I remember the kids that were always chosen for these types of things. They were…
There was a young woman at Whole Foods tonight in a wheelchair. She looked like she may have been recently released from the hospital. I instinctively recognized the telltale bandages, tape, and that weak, but happy to be out, look. She was smelling the natural soap slices with her brother, maybe her boyfriend. She was smiling and I stood…
Warning: This post is a rant. If you are not in the mood, or you’re super sensitive, or maybe even if you bring your dog into Starbucks. You should close out and come back later. Take Our Daughters…and Sons to Work Day. Stop. This has really got to stop. The day was originally Take Our Daughters to…
Cotter was born two and a half weeks early. My blood pressure went up, seems about right, and he wanted out. He was well over seven pounds and sick of floating around waiting for his life to start. Cotter began taking formula and cereal early too, he ate like a truck driver. He hated being…