The Boy has three sisters who have a lot of trophies.Since we joined the soccer rec league eight years ago, they've been handing out participation trophies to every kid each season--spring and fall--clear up until last year, the year that The Boy could finally play.That fall, they decided to hand out medallions.After staring at the dozens of shiny trophies gracing the … [Read more...]
Let It Snow; Let Us Slow
[IMPORTANT UPDATE: For step-by-step instructions with photos on how to fix overnight crockpot oatmeal using the double-boiler/bain-marie method, please click to the how-to post I created exclusively about that (if you read this post, and you're welcome to, you will first read a long story--a pleasant one that you might enjoy--before arriving at the crockpot … [Read more...]
Family LoveFest
In grade school, Valentine's Day was pretty neat: mailboxes made out of milk cartons and cereal boxes decorated with tissue paper and heart-shaped doilies, overflowing with ready-made and homemade Valentines; boxes of candy hearts; school parties with cupcakes and juice. Everybody shared in the fun. No one was left out. We had to make a Valentine for everybody in … [Read more...]
Creative Ways to Refresh Your Mind
Students, writers, entrepreneurs, home educators—anyone whose work requires sustained mental attention—will benefit from a mind that's undistracted, rested, fresh and alert. Whether you're called on to be creative, think on your feet, or to take good notes and recall them later for work or for a test, you'll perform better if you refresh your mind. But how? This post … [Read more...]
The Joy of Lifelong Learning…For Free!
My friend S. (she's a little shy, so I'll just use her first initial) and I talk a lot about our love of learning. We dream of taking classes, working toward a master's degree or something (see Autodidact Ann, where someone struggles with these desires). "How would I ever choose just one thing?" S. has moaned several times. "I'm interested in so many things!" Me, … [Read more...]
55 Million Messages in Bottles (formerly "Message in a Bottle")
For reasons I don't comprehend, a post at my old Blogger blog entitled "Message in a Bottle" has gotten a lot of hits. Lots of Police fans out there, perhaps...or maybe Sting cruises the 'Net now-and-then searching for references to old song titles. Wow. Gives me goose bumps just imagining him landing on my blog. (Dreamy sigh.) Sorry. Where was I? Oh, yes, regarding … [Read more...]
It's a Wonderful Life x 2
Twice in one weekend I felt like I was at a filming of the final scenes of "It's a Wonderful Life."Saturday and Sunday I attended surprise birthday parties for two friends with milestone birthdays. Both ended up being powerful tributes to the guests of honor; the kind that left me yearning to live a more loving, prayerful, generous life.The first struck me at a personal … [Read more...]
Autodidact Ann
Until I stumbled across Mental Multivitamin's blog ("Read. Think. Learn." Oh, how I love that tagline), I never really used the word "autodidact." Given how many books I've read over the years, I must have seen the word several times. It felt familiar. I'd sounded it out at some point in my literary life. But I'd never used the word or even thought about what it means. I'd … [Read more...]
My Kind of Game
I'm no good at baby shower games. I don't really mind, though, as I'm usually more concerned about whether or not remnants of spinach dip are stuck between my teeth from the hors d'oeuvres than if I can accurately guess whether the green goo inside the de-labeled jar is pureed peas or green beans.But just when I'm settling down in my chair and handed a pad of paper and … [Read more...]
Writing and Motherhood–what are we up to, part 4?
This "series" reminded me of yet another excerpt on the topic. This time, from Barbara Kingsolver's High Tide in Tucson (affiliate link). I also long for more time of my own, and silence. My jaw drops when I hear of the rituals some authors use to put themselves in the so-called mood to write: William Gass confesses to spending a couple of hours every morning … [Read more...]
MP3 Accompanist
I've got other ideas that work for me. A whole bunch. Really. Contrary to what my only two Works-For-Me-Wednesday posts may suggest, my life is not all about my MP3 recorder.However, I found yet another application for my much loved recording device.We went to my brother's house this weekend so that my girls could practice their Solo & Ensemble pieces with him. One … [Read more...]
Let Them Eat Cake (slathered with Nutella)
As you know, I poke around the Mamasphere from time to time. Over at Boomama's I clicked to "Toddled Dredge" for a first-time visit.What to my wondering eyes did appear, but a Nutella post!If you thought Nutella was just for spreading on bread and bread-like products, well, there's more. My mom already pointed out in the comments of my own Nutella post that it's luscious … [Read more...]
Writing in the Midst of Motherhood, Pt. 3
I skipped posting the third part of this series on Sunday because with it being the Sabbath and all, I didn't want to link you to this totally secular article at Salon.com, of all places. The author of the article, Dayna Macy, is a writer who is exploring whether or not she should have a child. "I have postponed motherhood in order to get my writing life moving," she … [Read more...]
Be Still and Know
A short serenade for your Sabbath.(turn up the sound, and be patient as it loads)Be Still and Know … [Read more...]
Writing in the Midst of Motherhood, Pt. 2 (I didn't know I started a series)
While writing yesterday's post, I remembered this quote from A Circle of Quiet, by the thoughtful and sometimes controversial Madeleine L'Engle. The various pressures of twentieth-century living have made it almost impossible for the young mother with pre-school children to have any solitude. During the long drag of years before our youngest child went to school, my love … [Read more...]
