It’s 5:23am. Little feet enter the room, blanket in tow. She climbs up next to me and snuggles in. I’m physically exhausted but mentally unsettled, and I know she is too. Keith is already at his desk, editing photographs from the day before. It’s somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 kids….
Homeschooling – First Year Recap
This post is long overdue. Because we get questions about it ALL.THE.TIME. Homeschooling. How’d the first year go? What curriculum did we use? Was it hard? Are we going to continue homeschooling? So let me break down our first year experience. Starting with the near breakdown I had on approximately…
Nothing But Love for Nothing But Nets
Bring me a solution. If Mayhem had a nickel for every time she’s heard that from us … she’d have a LOT of nickels. Because we want her to not just tell us about her problems (or expect us to resolve them), but rather, have her tell us a way…
Lemon Scones and Ultrasounds (It’s NOT What You Think!)
The conversations around here are rarely dull. And sometimes, they’re downright gut-busters. Such was the conversation a few days ago, while Mayhem and I were making lemon scones: Mayhem: Mom, did you know I was going to be a girl before I was born? Me: Yep. Mayhem: How did you…
Mayhem’s Guide to Retirement
Mayhem. Retirement planning specialist. Last night our dinner conversation went a little like this: Mayhem:When I have kids, I am NOT doing all this work you guys do. Me: You mean like fix your dinner, do your laundry, play with you … that kind of stuff? Her: Exactly! Keith: Well who’s…
The Perfect Sprinkler
Spoiler alert: it’s this one – Somewhere, over time, we decided that all new-fangled things are better. If they’re bigger, shinier, more complicated, and have a heftier price tag on ’em, they’re bound to be better, right? Certainly, the same kind of lawn sprinkler that I ran through thirty-three years…