Every year I come up with some good resolutions (with measurable action items) but somehow can't keep up with them once everyday chaos gets in the way. This year I want to simplify my resolutions to focus on what would make me happy in both body and spirit. I came up with a one word resolution solution -- ECHO to represent my 4 main goals ( Read more... )

Two-and-a-half is an amazing age. I remember the Christmas Wee One was two and she understood who Santa is (instead of crying at the sight of a huge fur-covered man with lots of facial hair), got the whole reindeer thing, left the cookies on Christmas Eve and had the most jaw-dropping look on her face when she came downstairs Christmas morning to ( Read more... )

Five things I'm thankful for this week ( Read more... )

A few weeks into the school year Wee One came home excited about a flyer in her backpack. "Can I join the school run club Mom? Please!" I looked at the flyer and realized she would be running with 99 other kids at her school ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade. They would be outdoors once a week after school for 4 weeks in the cold of ( Read more... )

The unpacking continues. The pirate girls are finally getting comfortable in the new home and are sleeping through the night. Now I just need to find time to center myself and recharge. Unfortunately the only time I can find for "me time" is 5am -- before little pirate girls wake up ( Read more... )

I received a surprise package in the mail a few days ago. It was a Lladro figurine of an angel watching over a sleeping baby. Enclosed was a note from my mother's best friend saying her sister had passed away and while she was cleaning out the apartment thought I would like to have the figurine as it had been in their family for many years ( Read more... )

The next 20 days are filled with packing. The kids are helping me which means I only get a few boxes done each day, but we're having fun. Yesterday I was packing up most of the kids' books (so many from my children's publishing days) and I discovered so many books on a top shelf that were at one time too old for Wee One, but now she's almost 5 and ( Read more... )

Last week as we watched the episode of "Arthur" in which one of D.W.'s preschool friends gets freaked out by the story, "There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." Of course Wee Two then grabbed our book and insisted that I sing it to her several times. Wee One joined in singing the story then informed me that at her school they read the book ( Read more... )

My house has been on the market for two months now and every week I feel like I'm preparing for a visit from Goldilocks. I just don't know when he/she will show up. All the family photos and most of the kids' artwork have been carefully stored so Goldilocks can picture him/herself living in our house. Banished items include souvenir refrigerator ( Read more... )

Perfection is overrated I'll take messy love any day. This week I received the best pedicure ever. It was messy but done with love by Wee One who insisted that I celebrate my 36th birthday with pretty purple toes. Wee Two meanwhile, has been practicing the "Happy Birthday" song for days. Each time she ends it by exclaiming, "My birthday two months ( Read more... )