While we’re usually looking forward to hot summer days and running through the sprinkler, days like today that set record high temps leave us tromping around the air conditioned house trying to keep from boredom. Especially when the sun is shining and it appears so deceptively beautiful outside!
Here are some of the things we’ve been keeping busy with inside:
Building forts in the living room with pillows and blankets and couches
Sock Puppets
Sculpey and Play Doh (Isn’t that a fun peapod that my friend made out of Sculpey? She came over and got into the clay with the kids!)

Lots of …read more

Today is my dad’s birthday. Every year, on the anniversaries of his birth and death, I think about what my kids should know about him. What are the things that defined and characterized him?
One of the things that he loved to do was go bowling. He and mom actually met through bowling, though I’ll spare you that story here. (Ha! Spare? That pun wasn’t even intentional, which shows you how truly corny I am!) Anyway, as kids, my brother and I played in bowling leagues. I think soccer was not yet that …read more

Are you your child’s favorite toy? I was thinking today about how every moment of my day seems to be spent giving piggy back rides, dragging my leg around with a 40 pound weight attached, being a flipping machine for the littler kids, or turning my leg into a horsey ride. And, oh my goodness, don’t let me think that I’m allowed to sit down without my lap being immediately occupied by three kids eager to hear a story. Because, surely, I wouldn’t be sitting down to take a moment to maintain my own sanity.
I’ve …read more

While at Barnes and Noble recently, I picked up a copy of Life’s Journeys According to Mr. Rogers: Things to Remember Along the Way that was on the clearance shelf. I love a good bargain.
I have to ask because I honestly don’t know, is Mr. Rogers an international icon, or mostly known as a US personality? I remember watching him and enjoying him as a kid on Mister Roger’s Neighborhood (won’t you be my neighbor?), and was thrilled when my daughter was younger and our local PBS station was still airing his show. It was a sad …read more

Michelle must’ve known that I needed some inspiration to accomplish #3 of my playtime new year’s resolutions, because she had just shared an idea for allowing the messy, but making for a quick and easy clean up!
Am I the only one who tries at all cost to cut down on the messy during playtime (even though the rest of the house is still a mess, anyway!)? I really am working on that. They’re only little once, and I don’t want to miss out on fun moments just for the sake of convenience. Maybe I’ll just try to …read more