It Only Takes a Spark
I was having a hard time finding things to be thankful for in the midst of my crazy-busy, running-ragged-from-one-thing-to-the-next-with-kids-in-tow day in May, 2012. And it didn't help that I had gotten a speeding ticket. My then 3-year old added insult ...
Surprise!
I hide in the hallway, my heart beating fervently with eager anticipation. One woman announces, “She’s here!” A few dozen people scurry to their hiding places in the living room. We hear the door open, shut. And then my best buddy from college walks i ...
Snake Smoothies
Recently, my 3-year old told his preschool teacher I make him smoothies for breakfast. She asked, "What kind of smoothies?" He replied, "Snake and banana." Her eyes widened, thinking she couldn't possibly have heard what she thought she just heard. "D ...
Divine Adventures
My mom and I loved adventures. Whether it was a spontaneous invitation to tea by a spunky senior, a wrong turn that led to a tree-lined street of cherry blossoms, or a quirky storyteller met on a hike, we ate up every adventure together like giddy, spark ...
Yoga and Heart Ventricles
You know you need to exercise. Age and wombing multiple babies has taken its toll. So you inquire about a local yoga class. Sounds nice. Peaceful, quiet. Words which rarely describe your life as a mother of young children. You ask the yoga instructo ...
Blink. Don’t Blink.
I’m tackling the impossible: grocery shopping with three boys. One has on a spiderman costume and attempts to fly down the bread aisle, another squishes grapes in the produce bag one-by-one, and the third is crying and rubbing his eyes because he had cur ...
Tulips
My husband handed me a large, beautifully wrapped package. Four pairs of little-boy eyes watched in anticipation. One boy said excitedly, “You’re gonna cry, Mommy!” I carefully peeled back the paper and revealed the gift: an oil painting of tulips. ...
Another Happy Birthday
I awake at 6:45am on my birthday to an itty bitty person crawling into my bed and snuggling next to me. I wrap my arm around him and smile. He looks up at me quizzically. “Mommy, you have lots of eyelashes next to your eyes. What are those?” I reach up t ...
The Challenges of a Working Mother
Imagine being 3 years old. Your mom has to record a voiceover for a commercial, because that's her job. So it's your job to be quiet for a reeeally long time: 10 seconds. And when you're 3, 10 seconds is an eternity. Now imagine being the mom who ha ...
The Sober Reality of my Cooking
Sometimes we don't quite know where we stand as a cook. Other times, it's crystal clear. Tonight, I set out plates of whitefish, quinoa, and broccoli and smile to myself. "What a truly wonderful mother I am, serving yet another healthy, delicious dinner ...