The older my kids get, the more I find I really appreciate annual events. These annual markers — holidays, special events — are always the moments when I really see time passing. Otherwise it’s easy for the days to just run together, into a mush of homework, sandwich crusts, and the odd pajama day here
This fall David joined his middle school’s cross country team. The second he joined the team, before he even brought home his school-issued singlet, I fell head-first into the murky waters of living vicariously through my kid’s sport. Until now I’ve been completely immune to this. As a person who can barely throw — and
This morning, in between bites of her first-day-of-school waffle, Mary looked up and said, “If I were you I’d be really sad this morning.” No one knows me like Mary. This school year marks so many milestones for our family, and the lump in my throat has been ready to rise to the surface for
Anna’s preschool ended in May, just a few weeks before the big kids got out of school. In that in-between time, Anna and I spent a lot of quality time together. We are used to spending a lot of time together, but a few hours of preschool three days a week gave us the exact break we
Just as school is winding down, swim season is ramping up. The swim team is exhausting and all-consuming, but I honestly love it. Three years ago I submitted to the rigorous swim team schedule, and after one season we were a bonafide swim family. I love the social aspect for the kids AND for me,
A week or so ago the humidity broke in Richmond. The change is massive. And I’m not just talking about how the air feels, but everyone is acting differently. We’re all just happier. It’s still hot, but the sharp edge of summer has retreated. It’s like the music is still loud but someone finally turned the subwoofer
MOD Pizza, Starbucks, Richmond Lager, Surge Adventure Park. Know what they all have in common? They all have Anna’s letter — the letter A. I know this because Anna shouts enthusiastically whenever she sees her letter. “MOM! GUESS WHAT I SEE!” she shouts from the back seat, straining against her straps to make her point.
For a few weeks Mary has been getting Anna amped for the annual Father-Daughter Dance. I could see a sort of glazed-over look in Anna’s eyes whenever Mary talked about it. Fancy dresses? Cupcakes? And dad will be there? Dancing? What? The problem was that, in her excitement, Mary would start her explanation in the
Are there things your family routinely does that sometimes make you wonder, “How did we get here?” Maybe it’s a sleeping situation, a treat when you go through the drive-thru, going through the drive-thru — things that, once upon a time, you couldn’t even fathom doing. But now they are part of your daily life. There was
Last night Mary and I had a mommy-daughter dinner date. I often hear about the value of one-on-one time with kids, especially for kids in large families, but our family almost never does that sort of thing. Honestly? Between me and you? WHO HAS TIME? (Especially in large families!) But, as expected, dinner was really