"The State Fair." That's what my college-bound daughter answered when I asked, "Is there anywhere else you'd like to go before you leave next week?" She said she wanted to ride the rides, and when she said "rides," her eyes lit up like they did when she was four and wanted to ride "Sandy," the mechanical horse in Meijer that gently galloped while she held onto the … [Read more...]
RV Trip West: Grand Canyon
Though we’ve been back for a while, I’ll write about most of our trip in present tense. It’s more lively that way. Pretend I was sending back postcards and letters that got lost in the mail and arrive long after we’ve returned home. We arrive late afternoon at the Grand Canyon, just in time for lovely lighting. The overlook with protective railings … [Read more...]
From Office Administrator to Family Manager
I remember rolling a cart through the office superstore and piling it full of pens, file folders, printer cartridges, staples, a box of coffee creamers, reams of copy paper and a stack of pink message pads. My work as Administrative Coordinator for a start-up church—my first job out of college—included restocking the supply cabinet at the end of the hall. I’d swipe the … [Read more...]
Curiosity Journal: June 6, 2012
Each Wednesday (or thereabouts) I’ve been recording a Curiosity Journal to recap the previous week using these tag words: reading, playing, learning, reacting and writing.Care to join me? … [Read more...]
What Lies Behind the Family Bible’s Names and Dates
I pulled out my camera to snap some pictures of the four-inch-thick family Bible my dad recently acquired from a distant cousin—second cousin once or twice removed, or something like that. This particular family Bible belonged to Dad's grandparents, but had been passed down another branch of the family tree. Until now. It recently leaped to our branch due to the generosity … [Read more...]
Having Someplace to Go is Home
In the flurry of cleaning up for guests last week, I picked up a resin plaque that has been propped up on the piano for quite some time. … [Read more...]
Food on Fridays: A Buttery Birthday
(smaller button below)Here at the Food on Fridays carnival, any post remotely related to food is welcome—though we love to try new dishes, your post doesn’t have to be a recipe.If you want, you could simply tell us what you request for your birthday dessert or take a picture of your favorite skillet. Basically we’re pretty relaxed over here. Posts that tell stories … [Read more...]
USA: Apparently We're Awesome
The past two weeks have been full.First there's been the wonderful blessing of chaos brought on by the privilege of having some much-needed work done to our home. It was completed last week, and my main job now is to sort through clutter we unearthed in the process. I left it sitting in the family room, to force me to deal with it. For the record, I am so grateful! I … [Read more...]
How to Invite Chaos into Your Life in Four Easy Steps
It's easy to introduce mass chaos into your home, if you know how.Step One: Ignore various design flaws in your home for at least eight years. Thanks to the Law of Entropy, ignoring these issues is sure to complicate things immensely down the road.Step Two: Imagine you might be able to do the repairs yourself. Actually attempt a few of them yourself, but leave them … [Read more...]
Decorating for Celebrating (you can never have too much white material)
Among the many jobs necessary to prepare for the 50th Wedding Anniversary fete, we had to borrow tables from a generous church willing to loan them for the event.I was surprised by the oversized church signage:I think it says, "Be reconciled with God!" above and "Do you believe in the Son of God?" below.The Belgian Wonder and his brother loaded the tables onto a trailer … [Read more...]
WFMW Containerize Kids Laundry
Shannon is suggesting a "Greatest Hits" edition of Works For Me Wednesday. While last week's overnight crockpot steel-cut oatmeal instructions were wildly popular, this post was a big hit in its day. It first appeared in February 2007.I’ve never liked doing the laundry–especially for six people–but what aggravated me the most were two particular steps in the process: … [Read more...]
Monday FunDay (week 10)–Get Up and Play
Welcome!You've arrived at home base for Monday FunDay, a carnival dedicated to swapping simple, amusing–maybe even silly–everyday ways you enjoy good, clean fun.Monday FunDayTo participate in Monday FunDay, just post a story, idea, or explanation at your blog of how you and/or your family has livened up Mondays (or any day).Then link up via Mr. Linky below (if you don’t … [Read more...]
The Simplicity of Reading
I recently came across a passage in a book called Graceful Simplicity. In a chapter entitled "The Politics of Simplicity," in a section subtitled "Education for Simple Living," the author claimed that "In educating for simple living, three building blocks stand out: fostering a love of books, developing a stronger aesthetic sensibility, and enhancing our … [Read more...]
Recycling Never Looked So *Adorable* (bonus: Save the Wolves)
My friend Anita, designer/creator of those buttery-soft, recycled leather handbags I told you about, launched a line of children's backpacks called "Woof Packs." They come in different colors for both boys and girls—Anita said she'll soon be making some in pink—and I think my animal-crazy kindergartener will go bonkers over them! [Updated 2022: You may need to consult … [Read more...]
The Best Way to See Art: With Kids
We went to the art museum to see an exhibit of Roman art that was in our fair city on loan from the Louvre. En route, I had the kids take turns reading short chapters about ancient Rome from a kids' history book. I wanted them to have some historical context for the sculptures, busts, and reliefs they were about to view, so they took turns reading about … [Read more...]
