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wednesday.
Today I am sleepy. Walking about two steps behind myself. A bit buried under the demands of homeschooling four children, maintaining clean laundry for eight people, preparing meals for those same eight people. I like my job/life. In fact, I love it. I just wish I slept more last night. (And the many nights preceding last night.) Which means today,…
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My Life Is A Cartoon
A lot of my days feel so Family Circus. Yesterday was the first day of our homeschool co-op for London, Mosely, Bergen and Piper. You remember when the Family Circus cartoon would show Billy’s day with little foot steps representing his travels throughout the day, with loads of back tracking and detours? That’s what Monday felt like. We all arose…
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matters of the heart
Well. We are in a new phase of parenting. Smack in the middle. Our oldest daughter is – gasp – dating a boy. Now, aside from the feeling of impossibility of that much time being allowed to pass, there’s some other issues this rite of passage is stirring up in Kevin and I. And I can just go ahead and…
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is it the thought that counts?
I think it was last week. Or maybe it was two weeks ago. But when is not the point. We were hanging out in our kitchen, some friends and I. And I admitted to not following through on some act of kindness I had meant to do. Ryan consoled me with the cliche, “It’s the thought that counts though –…
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Piper Speak.
I love when my life just writes blog posts for me. It’s so easy. Piper Finn came wandering into the kitchen – apparently the room of our home where I spend the majority of my days. She had discovered a piece of ripped paper and a tiny notebook. Treasures to her four-year-old self. “May I have these?” she requested. The…
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Dear 18 me.
My husband is a genius. He just invented a time machine. It has its faults, of course. It can only go backward, not forward. And there’s only one age where this machine stops. 18. Oh, and it isn’t actually a time machine. It’s just a website. But on this website you can write a letter to yourself at the ripe…
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bad word
The kids have recently been introduced to Kevin’s old collection of Garfield comic books. They love them. Odie has become a common name in our house and we often hear tales of what Garfield thinks about lasagna, Pooky and Jon. Last night, sitting at the kitchen counter, Bergen made a mysterious request. “Mommy, can I say a bad word just…
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dining in.
Vacations usually involve more eating out than our regular weeks normally contain. Much more. I love the convenience. Love it. I love not cooking. I love not cleaning. I love choices. And refills. And spills soaked up by Not Me. However. I always walk away at week’s end being reminded that homemade really is . . . well, better. Not…
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Mozart – The Wonder Child: A Book Review
The School of Keigley is back in session. (And we still need a better name I think. It just hasn’t been a priority.) I know I’ve mentioned that we use Ambleside Online as our primary curriculum guide. Each year we study three composers. (One per twelve-week term.) Last year one of our three guys was Beethoven. (Remember London’s terrific artwork?)…
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the week’s middle
Was yesterday only Wednesday? First regular week of school at house. Monday night, while chatting outside together, we all notice that Mosely had just conquered riding her bike sans training wheels. She was rocket fast and slightly reckless with some hardcore swerving happening. Then Tuesday. All morning Mosely asks, “Can we go outside? Can we ride bikes?” Not yet, I…
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Add it up.
Numbers aren’t actually my “thing”. (Isn’t that a super silly phrase? My “thing”? I hereby promise to never use that phrase again. Until the next time when I forget and use it anyway.) But numbers reveal a lot in our house. I bet they do in yours too. So. Let’s play a game. I’ll show you mine if you show…
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on our own path.
Last night our friends Mandy and Jody brought some of their friends over to our house for dinner. Our six plus their one plus their five equalled twelve kids. Fortunately they didn’t decide to overthrow us – despite their larger numbers. This family and their lovely little blonde offspring are on a 50 State Challenge. They are traveling across the…
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the cute face.
Believe it or not, this is the face he makes when he says, “Awwww. So cute.”

































