I think I've mentioned before that my family loves jam. Loves it to the extent that we go through two pints...a week ( Read more... )

Watch out kids!  I'm getting on my soap box...

A blog entry written by Melissa of Pigtail Pals recently made the rounds on my friends' Facebook pages. I clicked and I read and I said, "Right on!"

This is a woman who put to words my frustrations with finding toys and clothes for Elizabeth and my horror at the hypersexualization of little girls.

For ( Read more... )

"Hurry up! We need to get ready so we can go to the threshing bee."

"Mommy...can we just do something normal?"

"We ARE doing something normal!"

"No," he shook his head slowly. "We're not."

When Michelle posted on Facebook that Jack Creek Farms was hosting a threshing bee using their antique thresher and selling wheatberries 30 pounds for $10, I did ( Read more... )

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When we talk to our single-child friends, Chad and I always say, "The transition from one child to two was way easier than going from no children to one."  Then we add the caveat, "But the work with two children doesn't double, it's exponential."

Fortunately, when we first brought Elizabeth home, she slept.  A lot. This allowed us an opportunity ( Read more... )

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First of all, let me preface by clarifying that Chad's a very smart man.  No.  Really.  He is.  The man can rattle off sports stats at an astonishing rate.  He can figure averages and percentages in his head faster than I can grab a calculator.  He remembers enough bits of trivia to make him a mean competitor in Trivial Pursuit.  His vocabulary ( Read more... )

Joseph is 4, going on 14.  Let me clarify...he's 4 going on 14-year-old teenage girl.  Case in point...

"Joseph, baby," I say mildly while getting ready for work, "please finish your breakfast."

"You don't like me!"

"What?"

"You don't like me, Mommy!"  Joseph jumps down from his chair and stands in front of me, his hands on his hips, chin poked out ( Read more... )

Pertussis - also known as whooping cough - is making a comeback.  California, in particular, has been hit hard.  Our county has the second highest number of cases in the state.  Which means, of course, that my children got it.

I don't know what it is about The Gingers.  They practice a Field of Dreams philosophy:  If it's out there, they will get it ( Read more... )

Joseph is staying the night at his grandparents' and called to say goodnight.  At the end of the conversation, I made kissing noises in the phone.

"Wait, Mommy!  I'm going to go outside and blow you kisses and then they'll fly to you.  Go outside!"

I walked to the door.  "I'm outside."

"Okay.  I'll blow the kisses now."  He blew a million kisses.  "Do ( Read more... )