Tonight Aidan showed us a picture he was drawing, and we, of course, assured him that it was so good that he would probably become a famous artist someday. He replied, "I'm just the coloringest man ( Read more... )

Projects.....treats for Kate's preschool Easter party; decorating Claire's birthday cake; writing a birthday letter to Claire ( Read more... )

As an antidote to the two feet of snow outside (I am NOT making this up) and yet another Claire ear infection, I am planning a weekend getaway for Zeke and I. I'm going to meet him in Boston after he's finished with his D.Min residency in May. We're going to spend a couple of quiet days on Cape Cod, Kennebunkport, or Camden area. Does anyone ( Read more... )

Me: Aidan, please go pick up your toys.
Aidan: I'm a cow. Cows don't clean.
Me: Nice cows do.
Aidan: I'm not nice. I'm mean.
Me: Oh, that's too bad. We don't allow mean cows in our house.
Aidan: Oh. I'll go pick up my toys.

I know I have a 29 year advantage, but I do enjoy winning an argument.

Starts out on Monday with Kate coming down the stairs crying and complaining that her stomach hurts, and then proceeding to throw up all over the kitchen floor. Good call on replacing carpet with tile. I spend the evening I'd set aside to prepare for a talk I have to give at church nursing a girl throwing up every half hour for five hours ( Read more... )

So Kate and I were playing Candyland the other day, and I won. There was really no way I couldn't win without blatantly bending the rules, and anyway, I thought, "She's four, she needs to face reality at some point." Well, I just wasn't prepared for the ferocity with which she responded. Frowning, hands on her hips, she spun to face me and ( Read more... )

1. Giggly babies (mine in particular)
2. Nanci Griffith
3. Antibiotics (the kids have had scarlet fever this past week - often fatal
in the 19th century...no big deal in the 21st)
4. My sunny kitchen
5. A chance to see the AMAZING stars tonight, and hear Kate exclaim, "There's
the Jesus Christ star! I know it is! It's so bright!"

As may be surmised, I'm back online after a ridiculously long hiatus. My dearly beloved recently had TWO articles accepted for publication and he chose to commit his proceeds from the first toward the purchase of a new computer for me. It's a DELL with an adorable 17 inch flat screen monitor, and I'm more set up than I've been in years. It's ( Read more... )

You go to the movie theater, and are met with a sign announcing, "We reserve the right to forego a showing if there are fewer than four people in attendance."

Also, if you've lived in said town for only five months and already recognize at least half of the people in the movie audience (which, incidentally, was more than four.)

So, on our anniversary date the other night, Zeke slides a card across the table, beaming, and says "Open it." I do, and almost fall out of my seat. Inside are tickets to the U2 concert in Omaha in December ( Read more... )