keep passing the open windows

Making breakfast Sunday morning with the kitchen TV mindlessly on. Kids waiting for fresh pancakes when one of those natural male enhancement commercials comes on, all about “Bob” and how he has a great job, wonderful family, and all the ladies love him.  Reagan’s friend looks up at me and says “Wow, that Bob has a great life.” 

Just when I was about to ship them off to live with Howard K. Stern, my kids surprised me and got along… for almost a whole weekend.  They played volleyball together, cleaned the dining room together, ate a family meal together.  It was delightful. 
On the other hand, I had a terrible night of sleep.  Taylor […]

My kids are having friends over this weekend.  This always poses a bit of a food quandry for me. My kids’ friends seem only to like food that comes from a box: chicken nuggets, fish sticks, frozen pizza, oreos.  I might decide to make chicken with noodles (homemade) and I hear a chorus of “ugh… what’s […]

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No luck with my NCAA bracket picks, darn, because the kids’ braces are expensive!

At work, the phone rings.
Reagan:  “Mom!  Taylor just changed the TV channel and he called me stupid”
Me:  “Reagan, put your brother on the phone”
Taylor comes to the phone.
Me: “Tay.  Watch TV in another room… wait, are you chores done?  Is your homework done?  Apologize to your sister,”  etc…..
Taylor:  “She changed the channel first and she […]

Hi. We are thinking of going to Memphis, TN for a couple of days during Easter break.  Any advice on hotels, travelling, and worthwhile or overrated tourist attractions? Thanks, Jennifer 

She has brown eyes, scraggly hair.  She’s ten going on thirty and wants, desperately, to be liked. She knocks on our door and asks “Is Reagan home?”  If Rea is not, she steps into the kitchen and offers to wash the dishes, help me with dinner.  We chat.  One time she tells me “I know what ’scarred for […]

For several years I ran (very, very slowly) the steamboat classic.  A few years ago I signed up the kids to run with me.  We trained for it on the nearby rock island trail and they were both doing fine.  However, the day of the race my daughter decided she “didn’t want to do it.”  […]

 In February my life fell into ”List living mode,” in which life becomes about completing one thing so I can move onto the next, very important task. 
 Thaw out meat.  Peel potatoes.  Put laundry in the washer.  Fold laundry in the dryer.  Quiz daughter, prepositions (that list becomes a meaningless tongue twister quite rapidly… “concerning, down, during,) Cut up fruit for […]

  I have been thinking a lot lately about the nature of work and the roles within our family. 
 My husband works a lot.  His job is stressful, time consuming and emotionally unrewarding.  He rarely takes time off and has few workplace benefits, other than making a decent wage (commisioned based). 
  My job is full-time, extremely low stress and has […]