In under an hour I cross the finish line with my buddy the two of us hamming it up, shaking fists in the air and big smiles. I was told that she had a hard time finishing the practice but the day of the race she was amazing. This 5K “race” is actually a program that lasts over several weeks teaching girls to identify and reach goals. The group goal is for everyone to cross the finish line of the 5K by walking, skipping, and/or running.
I told the coach several months ago that I was willing to be a running buddy if a girl needed one but was kind of …
This past weekend, Chan and about 120 classmates from middle school took a whirlwind tour of England, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Germany. This trip was completed within 22 hours, only involved a few hundred miles of travel, and didn’t require any passports.
Of course this trip was really to Europe but rather a short visit to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia. Owned now by the folks at Sea World Parks and Entertainment, Busch Gardens has operated for 36 years and currently features 53 rides, 5 roller coasters, 4 water rides, and a relatively new kids area called the Sesame Street Forrest of Fun. While you’d think that the Sesame Street area …
I grew up on these beaches that we’re so blessed to leave near. My children will be able to make that claim as well. There are some things that we’ve taken for granted that other people know. From the time they were in diapers, I’ve taught my children to respect the sandy havens we call home as well as teach others to do the same. They wouldn’t surf where people are swimming, wouldn’t boogey-board near little ones, and they’d never dream of throwing sand where it could hit other people.
Imagine my surprise when my forthright pre-teen took it upon herself to school a few adults about appropriate beach behavior. They’d …
Scrunched into the corner of the front seat, Anna smiles at me through clenched teeth, “Mom…” She says with pause. My momdar goes off and she has earned my full attention, “Yes…” I reply. “Mom… I have something to tell you….” Still with clenched teeth and very softly, “a boy asked me out…” I grin! So happy she is talking to me, “and what did you say?” I inquire. “I said yes” she muttered. “So when did this happen? What is his name? How are his grades?” I discover that this happened a week ago and she felt so bad for not telling me, he is an AIG student …
With the oldest and youngest daughters over a decade apart, the interests in my household vary widely particularly with TV viewing. From Meet the Press (Dad) to Dancing with the Stars (Mom), the parents already have a wide viewing gap. The girls have an even harder time finding something they all want to watch.
I suppose that is why we spend most evenings with the TVs off. If we can’t agree and can’t figure out how to take turns, we shut down the TV (or the “machine” as my grandfather would have said). But there are some examples of crossover interests and occasionally surprising sources of knowledge and wisdom.
As our teen …
Today at work a woman came up to me and started rambling about her thirteen year old. Normally I just let someone talk and it will go in one ear and out the other. This time though, she talked of how this thirteen year old smoked pot two to three times a week. Wait. Stop. Hold up. Seriously? Thirteen year old kids are smoking weed like that? First of all, let’s not even walk down the road of legalities. Where in the world does a thirteen year old get enough money to have a three times a week habit? I just simply can’t wrap my head around a child, very …
Giving a whole new meaning to Playing in the Woods
In part as a result of the teepee the boys built a while back and partly due to the beautiful spring weather, the boys have been playing in a narrow stripe of green space behind our townhouse that they refer to as “the woods.” Going out to “play in the woods” has become a common pastime, but last weekend, that phrase took on a whole new meaning.
From inside the house, I first heard the sound, distant and vaguely musical, but I didn’t think much of it. We live in a multi-street collection of townhouses, so there are often …
The challenge each year is how to show appreciation for who mom is and what she has done. Certainly we all know that without moms, we wouldn’t be here. Chan and her sisters took on the challenge and began making plans to make this Mother’s Day very special. It is always a bit of struggle because there are really no adequate ways to give thanks to someone who has sacrificed so much for others.
One year the girls created memory plates with handprints. Another year, the girls made a series of redeemable coupons for special services. This year, from fresh cut flowers, breakfast in bed, five hand-made butterfly magnets, and …
Sigh, I had so been looking forward to getting away with my oldest daughter. Marin is quickly outgrowing us all and I miss when there were more opportunities to do things with her. The band director planned an overnight trip for the eighth graders. I am a school employee so going as a chaperone was ideal.
At dinner I looked over at Marin and asked her if I was going to sit with her or by her on the bus, she said no so fast I was a little surprised. I knew she wouldn’t but I expected a softer “no” than the one I received. I was a little scared …
The creative mind can be a beautiful thing. Watching my child spread her wings and progress into a writer couldn’t possibly make me more proud. She is diligently working on her blog, but has fallen into a pattern of writing and erasing. As an author myself, I can completely relate to this obsession of everything needing to be perfect the first time. I am pretty sure in writing my first book, I deleted more words that ever made it into the final manuscript. She’s seen me rip up paper, delete entire chapters, and threaten to throw my laptop out the window. Needless to say, I’m not the best influence to …
In under an hour I cross the finish line with my buddy the two of us hamming it up, shaking fists in the air and big smiles. I was told that she had a hard time finishing the practice but the day of the race she was amazing. This 5K “race” is actually a program that lasts over several weeks teaching girls to identify and reach goals. The group goal is for everyone to cross the finish line of the 5K by walking, skipping, and/or running.
