So excited to share a guest art post today from writer/illustrator Darlene Campbell, who blogs at darlene-freeniebelle.blogspot.com. How’d we connect? We’re both in an online writer’s group that logs in at 7:30 am every Thursday morning from Australia, Texas, Arkansas, Maryland and Ohio. (Now you see why so early–we’re balancing central time, eastern time, and Australia time! The support is […]
In the midst of all our busyness–and by that I mean vacation planning, and packing, and unpacking, and driving the children here, there, and everywhere, and signing up for all the fall stuff, and nagging people to sign up for all the fall stuff–in the midst of all of it, don’t forget. Don’t forget to […]
Bad day on the highway? Want to keep it loose? Go all out Seuss. Yep, it’s time to take on the traffic beast in rhyme. We all love our summer vacations–the beach, the mountains, amusement parks. If only we didn’t have to take the highway of hell, also known as Interstate 95, to reach them. Sadly, […]
Snakes. Plumbing. Two not-so-fun words that go worse together. Using a drain snake to unclog the shower drain? Yuck. Rumors of snakes in the sewer? Double yuck. Finding an actual, real snake in your toilet? Dreadfully Yucky. Veronica Rodriguez and I have similar horror stories. Ok, her snake story involved a 12 foot python; that does qualify […]
“Dreadfully busy” is usually a pejorative phrase; a reminder to myself to settle down about my endless To Do lists. But I do love my art bold and busy. Art and design that makes you feel alive. Makes you laugh. Makes you jump for joy. So the next time the house is a disaster, when the laundry taunts you–and […]
True confessions time. In a frantic desire to keep the kids occupied, I committed the cardinal sin of summer. I over-scheduled. Here’s what Summer Vacation Week One looked like: six hours of daily sports camp, followed by tennis in the late afternoon (because once you pay for three weeks it’s the same price as five […]
This is a story about what happened the year my father turned eleven. It’s a story about a tailor and a professor and an icon in the nonviolence movement. Most of all, it’s a love story. Eleven should be a good year in the life of a child. It is a mostly carefree age, the […]
Let’s acknowledge up front: this is an exhausting time for parents everywhere. There are many reasons to skip the [baseball/band/chess/insert your kid’s thing] end-of-the-year party. Here’s five: You’re dreadfully busy. It’s the season of teachers’ gifts and final exams, swim team starting while spring sports are still going. The grey hairs are multiplying. It’s all […]