Cooking dinner in my house is about as stressful as putting together two pieces of flat-pack Ikea furniture with my husband, hungover, on a deadline, with the kids milling about. And the sad part is… I used to love to cook. We have four people and four different diets going at my house. I am …
Rock On, My Sweet 7th Grade Girl!
“Wear a helmet on the ropes course and don’t join in if kids are doing something stupid.” These were my husband’s parting words of advice as he hugged my 12 year-old daughter goodbye. She was boarding the bus for a three-day 7th grade wilderness trip. His worries were all about safety. My thoughts were all …
Tuesday Afternoon. One Week Before School Starts
I catch myself in the three-way mirror outside The Gap dressing room where my 12 year-old daughter is trying on back-to-school clothes. ‘Who is this woman?’ I wonder as I roll my shoulders back and suck in my stomach. ‘When did I become the grown-up? I look tired,’ I think to myself, ‘School starts in …
Time To Clean House!
I’m an odd choice to write about housework because I hate doing it and I will really procrastinate. But I also like a clean house and when our place falls to pieces I start to feel a little crazy… and I know it’s time to clean house. I grew up in a very spic ‘n …
Fever Misting Spray
For comfort during a fever. Ingredients: 1/4 cup distilled or filtered water 1/4 cup witch hazel 3 drops peppermint essential oil 3 drops lavender essential oil Directions: Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake to mix. Store in refrigerator to keep cool.
Saturday Night Fever
Summer may feel like a funny time to be talking about fevers but during the recent heat wave, my kids had colds with fevers. In the past I would have reached for the Tylenol hoping to bring that fever right down. When my daughter was little she would ask for “the purple medicine” when she …
Sunscreen and the Fear of Sunlight
Anyone else wondering about sunscreen and the fear of sunlight? I’m a fan of letting my kids get a little sun in the summer, an eyebrow-raising approach in this day and age. I realized the importance of sunshine on my children’s skin when testing revealed that my son’s Vitamin D levels plummeted after his regression …
Summer Reading List for the Grown Ups
It’s the beginning of the summer, which fills me with a “fresh start” kind of feeling. In June, I crave being less productive, taking naps in our hammock, walking barefoot in the grass, sitting outside under the stars. I love to read and I have such wonderful summer memories of reading late into the night …