Looking at this photo, I can’t help but smile and feel a little pain in my gut. I heard from my youngest daughter today that there is a character in the My Little Pony series named “Bittersweet.” She told me that she will be super nice, then mean a second later. She was wondering if that […]
Adorable Chaos Cleans Up {Flashback Friday}
{Note: This post was originally published 7 years ago. } Giving kids clothes and food is one thing but it’s much more important to teach them that other people besides themselves are important, and that the best thing they can do with their lives is to use them in the service of other people. -Dolores Huerta The […]
Telling Kids the Truth About Cookie Dough and Important Things
This post is a flashback from the archives. It was originally published 6 years ago, when my kids were 4, 7, and 11. Our daily lives have changed significantly since those days, but I still maintain that establishing an honest, trusting relationship with your kids when they’re young will lead to a more peaceful experience of the teen years. Also, skip the Santa […]
My UncommonGoods Christmas Gift List
Did I leave Christmas shopping to the last minute? Of course. I’ve been browsing and I’m almost ready to hit the Buy Now button. I discovered today that I could probably do my Christmas shopping exclusively at UncommonGoods and find something to make everyone smile. They have a unique selection of gifts for the women […]
If I Could Save Time In A Bento…
Let me start by saying that I hate being busy. I like to wake up slow and take my sweet time figuring out what to do with my day. I like to take a wait and see approach. I love cancelled plans and snow days, simply for that moment of revelation when I’m suddenly free […]
A Safe, Kid Friendly Email {KidsEmail.org Review}
My youngest daughter has been testing out a kid safe, kid friendly email system from KidsEmail.org. With our Annual Subscription, she can access her email on any device, free from ads and spam. This is a great way for young kids to learn to use and enjoy email (and practice their writing, spelling and typing […]
Sweet Little Faces {Throwback Thursday}
Long relaxing summer days aren’t really a “thing” here this year. Finding time to write is a challenge in every season, but right now, it’s nearly impossible. But I don’t want to lose touch. I have plenty to say, just not enough time to say it all. Instead, I’m going to direct you back to […]
5 Must Follow Blogs for Homeschooling A Child with Sensory Processing Disorder
Homeschooling a child with Sensory Processing Disorder brings up unique challenges. One of the most difficult things I’ve dealt with is a general lack of understanding from other moms and their advice – while given with good intentions – simply doesn’t apply. Finding support and encouragement within your local homeschool group may not always be […]
Forbrain – Sound For Life Ltd {Review}
I was delighted to have an opportunity to review Forbrain – Sound For Life LTD and try out their bone conduction headset with my youngest daughter. I had read about the many benefits of this product, particularly for children with with sensory and auditory processing issues, so I was curious to see if it would be an effective learning aid for […]
Captive DVD {a movie review}
My teen and I were recently given the opportunity to review a film from FishFlix.com. We chose Captive from their diverse collection of DVD’s, which includes hundreds of titles for family entertainment. Captive is a thriller / drama that explores the complexity of determining right from wrong, finding the courage to make good choices and […]
Never Give Up Naptime
I was lazing around online the other day, drinking coffee and keeping up with all that is exciting in the world by watching the trending topics on a search engine. Watching what other people search for obsessively can be both amusing and disturbing. On this day, I was shocked to find napping on the popular list. Yes, […]
Let Me Count the Ways {Flashback Friday}
The following post was originally published on BrookfieldPatch, in April 2011. Way back then, my little women were really little and still in public school. We had recently rescued a sweet, gentle dog, who still makes me smile everyday. She’s next to me as I type. I’ve been taking a lot of heat from my […]
A Hot Chocolate Break {Gratitude Friday}
Capturing a smile from my littlest woman isn’t easy. When she sees my phone lifted, she immediately changes her expression, rebelling against my photo taking craziness in her own special way. I caught her today. And we laughed together because I won, and because she’s “not smiling that much, mom, so don’t get excited.” It […]
The Week in Chaos – Valentine’s Day Edition
It is unreasonably cold here in Connecticut. I’m trying to hibernate, but things – events, classes, and Hallmark holidays – keep requiring me to leave the house. At this moment though, I’m settled in front of the fire with a cat on my lap and a large cup of black coffee anticipating tomorrow, which promises […]
Snow Day Reading with Dante {What Level of Hell is for Trump?}
I never talk politics here on the blog, but this election season is so ripe with material that I can’t hold myself back any longer. This beautiful, unexpected snow day has opened up a little free time for me to sneak in some light reading, and that reading has forced me to think about Heaven, […]
Thou Shall Not Judge Another Mother {Flashback Friday}
Are you familiar with the Mom Rules? You know, the ones I made up? In this flashback post I’m advising that we all take a nice long break from comparing ourselves to other moms, real or imagined. You know this stuff. I know this stuff. Reminders are still needed around here. I wanted to smack […]
The One About Making Apple Pie with my Tween
Confession: I’ve never made a real homemade pie. As a kid, I made a chocolate cream pie with my grandmother, using a store bought crumb crust and a filling mix. Admirable as this form of pie making sounds to most (or is it just me?), my daughter wanted more. She wanted to make a real […]
16 {In Defense of the Teen Years}
She’s sixteen now, this beautiful daughter of mine. She’s grown and changed so much, so fast, but some things have stayed the same. Our friendship is one of those things. When my three little women were tiny, people would look at me and shake their heads. They would gaze at me with sympathy and say […]
What I’m Reading… January
I go through phases with books. I always love them, buy them, and fail to find enough space on my shelves to store them. I go through phases in my reading. I binge read, then I graze. I find an author I love and I read everything they’ve ever written until I can’t tell one […]
Baking in Code
The Butterfly (now 12) has two passions at the moment: baking and learning to code. She’s learning to code so she can create her own epic Minecraft mod. And the baking? Well, she’s been inspired by You-Tube celebrity Rosanna Pancino. She begged me to get her best-selling book The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook: Sweet Treats for […]
