Happiness comes in odd packages. Tonight I feel surprised by happiness. I feel happy about choosing my own Christmas. Maybe I could like it after all…? I feel happy about the room I decorated—just one room, at the suggestion of my friend Amy. I feel happy about real evergreen and hemlock, real pine cones and […]
She started life as Ms. Hyundai Elantra, teal in color, a very decent economy car. By the time she joined the Zooks, she had seen a few things in her day, had the nicks and squeaks to prove it. The odd untimely mishap has of course occurred since then. There was the time Ryan I mean
Confession: My five-year-old son is a whole lot more eloquent than I am these days. At breakfast, he is solving the problems of the world: “When I become the President, there are two things I’m gonna say, that are gonna be the rules. No slavery. And no shots.” In this I read a sincere concern
Presidential candidate #3 Read More »
I learned a trick from a book I never read, just skimmed: Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, by John Gray. I would probably have fits at some of the things Mr. Gray teaches. But I remember only one point, and it made sense to me. He said when your husband is in his
And Won’t Come Out Read More »
—see previous post here— Without making too many blanket statements, let’s try this one on for size: Every man has a hobby or two that his wife finds at best, excessive—at worst, little short of completely ridiculous. (Hurray for marriage! I truly love this journey.) I call these hobbies Man Caves. I don’t mean in
What To Do When He’s In His Cave Read More »
Confession: I’ve got a lady-in-training around my house, and I’m terrified. Boys are difficult in their own way—bullheaded and rash—but they’re soft-hearted beneath, easy to get to. This girl thing of angel one day, minx the next is harder to get a hold of. And without big sisters, her only day-to-day pattern is her mother.
Sugar and spice, and snark Read More »
Here is a sewing trick I learned from local pattern-maker Brenda Wenger. If you sew your own dresses (particularly cape dresses) and are not 100% happy with how they are turning out, cut yourself a practice bodice from an old sheet or piece of scrap fabric. (Yes. Unfortunately my patterns truly are cut from old
Confession: I dream prolifically. I go through dreams like some people go through Kleenex. I once suggested to Ryan that if I recorded and published my dreams, maybe I’d be famous. He replied, not unkindly, “Yeah, or locked up.” But I couldn’t help it. Just for fun, I kept notes of things I did in
Confession: I am convinced that trash cans are nothing more or less than places of concealment. The success of every great mother hinges on her surreptitious disposal of certain—er, unnecessary goods. Likewise the success of every great wife! Now I wonder what The Boss would say about that… I like calling him The Boss, though
Relax. There will not be anything expensive or trendy in this mix. No LeapPads or four-C-battery-operated blinking noisemakers, because Confession: When it comes to kids’ toys, I am hopelessly behind the times. When things run out of batteries in this house, I let them die. I threaten to give nothing but packs of batteries to
My favorite educational toys for children Read More »