MomMe TV Blog :: "Tara Says"

I begin my Gratitude List with our family, friends, health, safe community, good schools, etc. My material goods are further down. A housefire can take them & I'd rebuild (well, except for losing the pictures, for some reason that'd just kill me). But If we lost our health or there was terrible strife in our family, it'd be truly devastating. As parents, we're to teach our kids our values through lessons, discussion, & actions. Kids who think it's essential to get a BMW for their 16th or can't live without their cell or Gameboy are missing the mark. We've got to make sure our children value what matters most. Strong morals & values do not just happen, even in good families. Learning to live with gratefulness & purpose are disciplines we work on most of our lives. It's never too early to start.

The critical element of gratefulness is being genuinely present to notice the details. Our lives are filled with the thrum of our activities & commitments, but are we truly aware of the good while it's happening? Are we missing the simple joys, mundane acts of goodness, the love being daily offered to us? It's easy to stop paying attention to what truly matters. Living with purpose is focusing on what we value most & not just mindlessly going along. It requires a bit of effort, thought & determination. Yet a life lived thoughtfully renders us personally fulfilled & enabled to share the best of who we are. Andy Wickstrand, environmental advocate, said it this way, "I believe when we live without intention something integral is vacant from our souls and indeed all of humanity misses out." It's so true! We've got to get beyond letting others or even the rush of life tell us what to do. We can take back our destinies at any moment & our children need to know that.

Continue reading "Must Be Present to Win" »

Posted by Sassypants at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thanksgiving is comin' soon. Oh, the food! The fall-themed decorations! Families gathering! We Moms have so much to do! Has stopping a moment to think of all we have to be grateful for made the List? Have we told our loved ones we're thankful for them? Have we challenged them to consider what they're grateful for in their own lives? It's easy to give lip service to the idea we should be thankful. I mean, we all think that's a great idea. But kids learn little from our intentions & so much from our actions.

I'm culling a list of ideas for helping kids consider & express their gratitude. It feels great for me to think of all the things I'm thankful for in this chapter of my life. Freshens my perspective & energizes me. I want that for my children as well. Being grateful gives us a worldview that nourishes & propels us through the days. That's why I try to create or leverage every teachable moment I can. Please feel free to share/post any ideas you have also!

Taking the time to write or draw the things we're thankful for is a great exercise for kids. The process of compiling the list challenges us to realize things we take for granted. My girls enjoy making cards for family & friends just to say "I love you!". Some kids would rather call or write a note or even play piano on the phone for widowed Aunt Sally in Okoboji. There are lots of creative ways to think of people we love & do for them. Some years we go around the dinner table & list what we're grateful for. This is neat, but I advise the girls ahead of time to think of things or we get comments that copy the person before us. It's critical each child think about her own life. One thing we're doing this year is to talk about how having enough to eat is a big reason to be grateful. We're having discussions about how families live in the 3rd world & about local food banks. We've donated dinners & the girls carry the food in after we gather it. On one hand, I'm grateful my girls never worry about where the next meal is coming from, yet on the other I'm concerned they don't reallize how great it is that Daddy & Mommy work so hard to make this life they enjoy.

Continue reading "Happy Thanksigivin', Pilgrim" »

Posted by Sassypants at 06:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

They say the best gift you can give your kids is to love their mother/father. When you're married, there are days when this is the hardest thing of all to do, sister. Since I want my daughters to see a loving, healthy marriage firsthand, I work hard to protect our relationship. The vast majority of the time I adore, respect & love my husband. He's the most amazing man I ever knew. That said, there are days when it becomes crystal clear to me how important it is to own my stuff in life. I've noticed the moment I begin blaming him, overtly or unconsciously, things get tough (and vice versa). When I own my own choices & balance that with respecting he does not have to meet my every expectation, we do great. And vice versa!

Continue reading "The Best Gift is Ownership" »

Posted by Sassypants at 01:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

It's the opposites in life that make it interesting, sure. Like how I love the black, orange & purple fun of Halloween yet cringe at the onslaught of crummy candy I never let my kids eat (unless they've begged particularly well & I'm very worn out by the register, but that's another blog...). I still love Halloween & it's goofy fun, but as the years wear on I wonder if I'm becoming a real fuddy-duddy. My kids are given candy by the school, the local malls, the pumpkin festival, yadda, yadda. Then there's trick or treating. Does it never end???!!! Here we are a nation of folks struggling with weight & since candy is cheap, everyone is slingin' it at our kiddos. I would mount a full-scale retaliatory attack, but for a shameful little secret in my closet.

They say the first step is to admit the problem, so I'm going to take a risk here & go for it. I have a Halloween addiction. I've tried to kick it for years with no success. It holds me in it's sticky-sweet sway every fall. Once I see the hallowed (in an evil way) bags filled with the yellow, orange & white triangles, I start to sweat. The monkey on my back starts going nuts. And I tell myself this year will be different....

Continue reading "Halloween Crack" »

Posted by Sassypants at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Let's get this straight. Nothing is lower than victimizing children. Nothing.

It's unspeakably tragic that the kids involved with the CO, WI or PA school shootings were hurt, saw horrific things, had to make wrenching choices, or were forced to flee the face of blatant evil. No child should ever have to endure such horror. It grieves me to think of the years of fear & sorrow now unleashed in the minds of every kid in those schools. I try not to shield my girls from understanding the world can be a painful place. No, I don't want them to learn particularly gruesome or graphic details, but I do fear they'll be prey to any manipulator if they grow up thinking the world is fairy tale nice. It's not. As parents, we want to empower kids to deal with dangerous situations yet not steal too much of their innocence. Here are some of the great ideas I learned from my girlfriends. Feel free to post your own below. We'll learn a lot from circulating helpful info. Maybe we can protect another child from permanent harm.

Tracie shared that she's taught her girls if they ever need rescue & she's not there, always go to a Mommy & ask for help. I loved that explanation because it makes sense to little minds. A Mommy is a pretty safe bet if you're in a precarious position. I made sure my eldest could recite her phone number as soon as possible so if anyone ever took her, she'd know how to call or tell someone else (like a Mommy or a policeman). Never assume kids know who IS safe, be clear about it.

Continue reading "Mean People Stink" »

Posted by Sassypants at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

This week I went for a dental cleaning. I love those...almost as much as trying on swimsuits & watching Nascar. I had a big ole xray with the camera encircling my head. I got the update on Mary's boys during the cleaning. The dentist came in & things continued well. That beepy thing never flipped out inspecting my teeth..hallelujah! I thought I was scot free until he said, "I'm going to have you visit the oral surgeon with your xray" Cold fear & confusion. WHY? Well, the roots of 2 bottom teeth touch & look weird in the xray. Probably nothing. Just want to check. Check what? Well, if he needs to biopsy. BIOPSY my gums?! WAHHH!!

I left feeling I was twirling undersea. A spectacular day of autumnal glory became muted. A biopsy just sounded painful. Then the idea that some horrible thing is growing in my jaw really wigged me out. I called my sister who did her best to comfort me as only a sister can, saying (ala Ah-nold), "You have a toom-ah, so vat?" We laughed like loons & shared gallows humor as I reeled inside. I felt I'd fallen through Alice's rabbit hole, & I just wanted my old life back!

Continue reading "Root of the Problem" »

Posted by Sassypants at 05:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The dizzying plethora of volunteer options grows exponientially, I swear! This year I 'm creating the school directory with a new database. It was an experience just getting the data all entered & proofed. Then came creating the book itself, the formatting, the ads were solicited & next the sacred document will be printed. Upon it's completion I'll camp at school with whomever I can draft to sort, label & dispense the finished products. Our directories are free, so one goes home with the youngest child in each family. That requires noting multiple kid families of the 600+ students & dividing the books by classes for distribution. Some moms bought extras, so we add that to their delivery. Then we'll hear from everyone who didn't like something or whose information was inadvertently erroneous. In January, we'll publish corrections & new student additions. The project will easily exceed 60 hours of manual labor.

I believe in the value of volunteer work. We have benefits that come simply because of kind souls willing to give up chunks of their private lives or dip into their own resources to bless the kids. From the Fall Festival to helping in Math class so a teacher can work with small groups to lending a pickup truck, I feel fortunate to live in a community that values the quality of school years.

Continue reading "Blood, Sweat & Volunteers" »

Posted by Sassypants at 07:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

It's wonderful how some people touch many during their time here on earth. This week it's been remarkable how many of my friends have expressed shock & sadness at the death of Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter. He was a beloved figure in the western world. Kids & adults were drawn to the spunky Aussie who loved wild animals & thrilled to teach us about them whether they were sweet or cuddly or not. Ya just had to love the guy, no matter what nutso thing he was doing! His passion was utterly compelling. Utterly.

He leaves behind 2 darling little children, a wife who adored him & a father who stated he's "lost his best mate". That part has been bringing tears to my eyes each time I think of it. What a lovely, lovely thing for a child & a parent to forge an adult friendship. It's one of my greatest goals in the midst of the rigors of this child rearing gig. Steve Irwin was, by all accounts, a man who loved well and was well loved. You cannot say that about many folks. But this recent turn of events has reminded me I want that said of me one day & of my children, as well. I want to make choices that foster a life well lived & educate/inspire my daughters to do the same. Steve Irwin seemed to have admirably accomplished that in his 44 yrs here, in addition to all the wonderful educating work he contributed. The guy had the full vegemite sandwich (Aussie for whole enchilada). It's beautifully encouraging to the rest of us.

Continue reading "Real Crocodile Tears" »

Posted by Sassypants at 04:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Dear Anastasia,
The memory is crystal clear. It's the fall 1997 & I'm with my precious niece & nephew at the airport to greet their new sister from Russia. There you come now, a little blondie with bows in her hair. You shyly watched us all as we oh'ed & ah'ed over you with our welcome balloons & hugs. The next day we took you to your 1st American grocery store & you giggled at the veggie sprayers. And that was it for me...I was a goner. In that moment I fell in love with you & took you into my heart as another niece whom I adored. Adoption, schmdoption....you're family in my heart & you always will be! Because of adoption, we know the deepest secret of families: that it's not blood that joins us, but great love. (That's why husbands & wives can be true family.)

It's been amazing to see you grow over the past 9 yrs. You amaze me with your model-fab blonde hair, those magnificent Audrey Hepburn shoulders & your elegant composure. You're almost 13 now & becoming such a lovely young woman. But 13 is 13, kiddo. It's a tough age. It's hard to go thru the junior high years for most of us. We never felt we fit in, we weren't sure who we were yet & the dork in the mirror never looked as pretty as the other girls. The good news is as you keep doing your best in school & try to be a good person, you'll begin to figure out who you are & what your special mission in life is. I picture you, Anastasia, in about 10 yrs living in a beautifully restored bungalow with lovely woodwork & a bright garden. You wear pearls & perfectly tailored trousers with complete grace. You & your fiancee have season theater tickets & you volunteer with your local art museum occasionally. Your future is bright because you are smart, kind & witty. Under your shyness is an amazing woman, Anastasia. You are meant for bigger things one day. You're a swan in waiting. It's okay to feel weird because you were born abroad or you love to read. You live in a small midwestern town now & that's great. You'll have a good, solid childhood there & when you go to college, you can choose a place that has lots of others who share your interests. The world is a great, good place with room for all of us!

Continue reading "Our Russian Swan" »

Posted by Sassypants at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

My girls started school this week. It was a hectic, wonderful, bitttersweet adventure ride. It's always a bit exciting to meet the new teachers & see what the new year promises. I see clearly how fast time is passing, far too fast for my taste. Yet it's so cool to watch as my girls adjust to the next level of maturity expected in their new grade. I'm ever aware my job is to raise healthy, courageous women who'll one day soar as high as their wings will take them. That's my head talkin'. My heart handles the other part of the equation which is trying to give them a strong sense of self, family & home. Deep, stabilizing roots are as critical for children as confident, determined wings.

I love how warm & snuggly childhood years are. As they grow, we'll hit new stages, but man, this part is usually pretty great! The girls need me alot yet, & I know that gives me a certain value in my own estimation. I remind myself this too must evolve with time & maturation. I'm going to have to accept a new normal in the next couple years as my oldest nears junior high. She deserves to feel respected & capable. Sometimes it's hard to let our babies venture forth into the world. It's exacting to endure the slights & stings they occasionally experience out there in the melee. I'm trying to learn from my girlfriends who have children older than mine so I can understand the path ahead. Half the battle with me is minimizing the amount of things that hit me unexpectedly. I stink at fast responses. So I monoitor my need to be validated by what I do for my kiddos.

Continue reading "Broken Hallelujah" »

Posted by Sassypants at 09:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Lately I've been hearing from friends struggling with various ferility issues. It pretty much nails any Mom straight in the heart to hear another woman's sorrow. We know how precious our children are & how they've made our lives. There are so many babies born unwanted, & to hear of any couple struggling is pure frustration. I was thinking about infertility & about all the struggles in life where we smash a wall emotionally. Certain struggles make or break us as humans because we squarely face our deepest expectations. We face what life is if they're never made real. Gutwrenching & heartbreaking....the combo platter no one wants. I was thinking how many women must read these blogs while struggling with issues like this. I found myself wanting to find a few words that might possibly help the long night pass without stealing her joy. It's a powerful to traverse the valley of the shadow of sorrow. I don't want to speak glibly. It's too important. Here are a few thoughts tenderly offered respecting that each couple must deal with these things in ways that honor their own truth.

I'm the mother of two daughters & a stepmother to a college student. We have steps, half-sibs, adopted & bio kids in our mix. From this place, I can tell you that there are many paths to build a great family. No one path is best. If test tubes, surrogates, airplanes to foreign lands or marrying into parenthood are offered, hey, it may not be such a bad thing. Our expectations really shape much of our life experience. I once told a friend I wanted to adopt. She was shocked & asked "Why?" Then I was shocked. I asked why she thought adoption was weird. She said she carried her children in her body & that was a huge bond. She reasoned she could not love an adopted child as much. I tried to gently point out that while carrying a child is an emotional bond for the mother, the child has no real idea who you are yet. Love grows with time. (Geez, not all children make their mothers proud. How many executions is there a mother who says there's no way her baby could do what they claim? Parenting, like life, is a dice roll.) So I told my friend I believed I could love any baby if I was allowed to be their mother. Almost a year to the day later my friend went to Russia to bring home her first of what would turn out to be 4 adopted children! She had 2 bio, making her the Mom of 6 now. She says there are ways it's different because you can see Uncle X's eyes or Grandma's feisty temper, but the love you have for them is the same. Exactly the same. She never expected the familly she has. But she couldn't imagine her life without any of them. Of course, I should note only one is a teenager so far & things could go change...ha. All paths to family are precious & sacred. There is no right way to become a parent.

Continue reading "Every River Runs to the Sea" »

Posted by Sassypants at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

A couple years ago I did a lot of research & decided Cavalier King Charles Spaniels would fit our family. It's a fabulous breed & they weren't too big or yappy. Wouldn't pets teach the girls neat things? So we got a couple. And they were darlings. I knew puppies were tough, but hey, my baby was already two... It was entirely grueling to potty-train 3 at once. We loved the little guys but when a dear friend who'd lost her beloved cocker offered to take them, we conceded. We missed them but they got the home of every dog's dreams. So when the girls started saying they wanted a kitten, I got nervous. I feared we were pet failures. But every kid deserves a loving pet, so I began fresh research being cautious about my older daughter's allergies. I discovered a breed that was warm, sweet & had lovely fur that didn't shed everywhere. We fell in love with the funky little faces & loving demeanors of Scottish Fold cats. http://breedlist.com/scottish-fold-breeders.html

An amazing thing happened after we got our baby, we found he fit so nicely into our family. We travel frequently & it was easy to work out either taking him or arranging care. Much easier than the puppies who required expensive boarding or being let out. To our delight, we discovered we are a kitty family! Who knew?! Clara Grace, my oldest, sleeps with him snuggled by her feet. Both girls (& their visiting friends) adore the little guy. It's so cool to see them learn about the special kind of unconditional love a pet offers. Often he'll come into the room we're in & lie on his little back with his paws in the air & sleep peacefully like a little Buddah. He's never been snitty or skittish. He's never scratched in frustration. Not even the 4 yr old who hugs & croons to him everytime she sees him. We decided she needed her own snuggler, so we began our search for the right baby.

Continue reading "Hello Kitty" »

Posted by Sassypants at 04:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's been reported that at Nicole Kidman's wedding to Keith Urban, he sang "Making Memories of Us". On a whim, I got the cd to see what Nicole sees in this guy. And oh my...what a man! Listen to the chorus & picture her hearing her groom sing, "And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you, And I'll earn your trust making memories of us" He goes on to declare, "I wanna stand out in a crowd for you; A man among men. I wanna make your world better than it's ever been" I confess I sobbed. Because I'm married to a man among men, it hit me how very much I want that for my daughters. I want them to find a guy who's the whole package. My own path to Mr. Right was crooked. I want better for them. I want them to choose someone who's the whole package & also for them to be a whole package themselves. It's my great hope my girls never settle.

We have a good marriage & seeing a healthy example is key. But there are things I want to teach my girls. I've begun to explain some kids act nice because they want you to like them & when you do, they act mean. If that happens, just leave. There are plenty of truly nice kids out there. Never do I want them to know the humiliation or grief that comes from sacrificing your dignity for someone who doesn't deserve it. Never do I want them to think that they have to settle for someone who isn't healthy, tender or devoted. Never do I want them to find themselves broken & ashamed of what their life has become. That's partly why we discuss the importance of manners & respect now that they're young. I believe if I instill a strong understanding of self-respect & fortify it with a clear expectation of such from others, then they can avoid traps I did not. I've even begun to work on communicating the idea that we try to help people, but in the end, people have to want to be helped. Sometimes you have to move on to others who appreciate your help & give you some back. I'm not sure if they get it overall, but hey, in case co-dependency is hereditary....

Continue reading "Makin' Memories of Us" »

Posted by Sassypants at 07:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The number of control freaks who stay home to parent is remarkable, dontcha think? It recently dawned on me I'm one. I had no idea. I thought I was a bohemian type since I'm no neatnik. Then I heard a friend offering to keep another friend's kiddos while her hubby was ill. The sick guy's wife could barely let her do it. She was so guilty for not watching her own kids. It was all my friend could do to say "I'm coming to get them. Don't argue. I'll be there in 10 minutes. Come get them whenever, honey, I truly am FINE with it!" By & large, we really are a group who prefer to do every detail ourselves. We take great pride in our work & therefore our families. Stay-home mothering is a labor of love in every sense. But I've learned it helps to have friends.

When I moved shortly after the birth of my 4 yr old, I was pretty isolated. I'm a city girl who rarely knew my neighbors & that was fine. My family is spread across the country. We moved often when I was a girl so I was fairly traumatized about making new friends, anyway. But one day I had a memory of a friend's mom being kind to me. I never forgot it. I knew right then I wanted that for my children. Yet if I didn't make friends, how would they have those experiences? So I girded my loins & strategized. Yes, I did the only logical thing: I started a Bunco group at my house. I invited the funnest & coolest women I'd met thru my girls' school & activities. Lo, a miracle! I began to have a social life. I began to build friendships which lead to other friendships. I began to have opportunities to let my girls get to know other cool Moms. I began to have women I can barely go a day without seeing how they are. We go to the Zoo, on mini-vacations, have bbq's, hang out at school events together, etc. My girls have a community of friends & mothers whom they trust now. I can't believe what a chapter of blessing came from screwing up my courage to find new friends.

Continue reading "Gettin' High w/ a Little Help from my Friends" »

Posted by Sassypants at 07:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

As a former Girl Scout, I'm occasionally scandalized by disrespect for our flag. There are specific ways we're to treat & respond to the flag to indicate patriotic respect. Yes, the flag is just an item....but it's also a potent symbol with rituals to express patriotic honor for all it stands for. Symbols & rituals are as ancient as humanity. It's nice to know the rules so we can teach them to our kiddos. It's kinda cool to explain the flag is considered a living thing with special customs. Below is info I found helpful. Have a safe & happy 4th of July!

(If you want to read the specifics, see U.S. Code, Section 176, Title 36, Patriotic Societies and Observances, Chapter 10, Patriotic Customs. You can read this and other U.S. Codes at the outstanding Web site posted by the Cornell University School of Law (www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/).)

Here's a brief summary of the U.S. Flag Code.

The flag should be hoisted briskly at dawn and lowered ceremoniously at dusk. The flag should be displayed at night only if it is lighted dramatically, as from below. To fly the flag at half-staff, raise it briskly to the top of the pole, keep it there for a moment and then lower it to half-staff. Before taking the flag down for the day, return it briefly to the top of the pole.

The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when an all-weather flag is used.
When the flag is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle, the union (the blue rectangle on which stars are embroidered or fastened) should be at the staff's peak, unless the flag is being flown at half-staff.
When displayed horizontally against a wall the union should be to the left of the observer, looking from the street or in the audience. The same holds when a flag is displayed horizontally in a window. When the flag is displayed vertically against a wall, the union is also to the observer's left. Likewise, when a flag is hung vertically in a window.

Continue reading "Honoring Old Glory" »

Posted by Sassypants at 02:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I was recalling the days before I had children. Days when I was very sure what children today needed. Days when naughty children were automatically the fault of some wimp parent. Days when I thought children adoring me because I was such a fun auntie meant my own kids would, of course, follow suit. Oh, how simple & tidy the world was before I had to live in it. Now I know raising kids is deceivingly complex, well it is if you want to do an excellent job. Because life is not simple, teaching it to wee ones is no walk in the park. It's likely deceiving because so many people do parent. The assumption is then, how hard could it be? Well, add up the number of stellar folks you know vs. the number of dorks. Exactly, girlfriend. Just because many do something does not signify it's easy or is done well by all. Pete's sake, take makeup for instance. Why are some people called makeup artists? But I digress...

One certainty I had before kids was my daughters would NEVER play with Barbie. Oh, I loved my Barbies, but they now violated my feminist sensibilities. A clear sign of patriarchal oppression. My daughters would be allowed to play with all sorts of toys whatever the gender preference. Barbie would only teach my daughter negative body image & to focus on externals. I doubted my daughter would ever even want a Barbie. Hysterical, isn't it? Of course, now I have daughters. Daughters who begged for Barbies & play with them occasionally but not obsessively. Daughters who rarely dress them anyway & play like they're doctors & animal trainers. Even their male friends under 5 enjoy them. I realized one day that trying to control my daughter's toys as if being feminine was "bad" was uncool. Isn't the best way to celebrate equality letting our daughters play with everything they enjoy while teaching strong values? Restricting them from Barbie now strikes me as anti-feminist. It's good to be a girl, dangit! I've come to see Barbies are really not Satan in a swell dress.

Continue reading "Bang Bang Barbie" »

Posted by Sassypants at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the bests parts of being a mom is stuff they tell ya. My girls make me laugh all the time. Okay, sometimes they make me scream. But overall, we laugh most. When Clara Grace was 4 she announced she knew how Elvis died. I was shocked she'd contemplated this. She once asked about him & I'd mentioned he died of a heart attack. I believe I might've phrased it that he fell & died. So she smiles proudly & explains her theory thus, "Well, I think Elvis was wearing slippy shoes & he fell down. So he died. One time I had slippy shoes, Mommy & I fell down. I didn't die. But Elvis did. It was his slippy shoes, I think." So the mystery is cleared up. Alert the media. And put some tape on the soles of your shoes, folks, it's apparently quite dangerous out there. If it could happen to Elvis, it could happen to any of us.

Once at Disneyland she was very excited at a character breakfast & noted 2 huge squirrels ambling towards us. "Look!" she joyously squealed, "It's Chip & Dip!!" As you can imagine, we'll never let her live that down. I'll probably mention it at the wedding one day. Her other famous line came when she wanted to make an announcement. She was a newly minted 4 at the time. She raised her fairy wand & proclaimed, "Mommy! SCIENCE!" I was perplexed until it hit me. "Um Clara Grace, I think you mean SILENCE." Giggles erupted & a sweet little voice admitted, "Oh yeah, that's right, Mommy. I get mixed up." Likely this is the case when we visted a Jewish cemetary in Vienna & she asked if she could wear a harmonica, too. We call them yarmulkes, dear. More giggles.

Continue reading "Laughing All the Way" »

Posted by Sassypants at 08:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

I have to confess I went out of state to attend a dear friend's shower, so I missed most of Father's Day. It kinda killed me even tho I was glad I went. We always try to make holidays & birthdays special in our home. We want the girls to have memories of family traditions of celebration & love to carry into their homes one day. Holidays & special days are just one way we show the people we daily take for granted how much we value them. So missing part of Father's Day was a tough call for me.

I prepared the girls to give Daddy lots of hugs & tell him how much he means to them. I explained how this is a very special holiday & they needed to take over for me this year. We chose & wrapped presents earlier in the week. One great gift was a tie from Snapfish.com. We had the girls' picture put on it. He got a kick out of that. My oldest bought him cards at school with money she'd earned from chores. They both signed to the degree they're capable. The 4 yr old is just now able to sign her name. We had to work on it a couple different nights because we also did cards for Grandpa & 4 yr old attention spans are tough. I think it's important they learn early the value of a written note of celebration or thanks. It's never too young to start helping them understand that manners are really just a way to honor & respect others.

Continue reading "3 Cheers for Good Daddies!" »

Posted by Sassypants at 12:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)