We have a new person “living” in our house. He goes by the name of Mario. Mario joins another roommate called Pokemon. Well, at least Mario is generally only one person, except when his friends Yoshi and the Princess visit. Pokemon on the other hand, is actually a whole tribe of friends, or actually several tribes, since, as I am learning, you have to have the right Pokemon series. Pokemon Silver is not the same as Pokemon Ruby. The thing that I like about Mario, is he is kind enough to confine himself to one spot, generally the living room, … Continue reading →

If you are a mom and doubt whether what you do makes a difference in your family life, just decide to catch a cold or a stomach flu or something like that. You don’t have to go very far to get your choice of germs. Your local playground will do. Or, you can do as I did. Have your child lick the end of the cart at Target and then when she comes down with something, have her cough in your face several times just to make sure that the germs get a chance to take hold in your body. … Continue reading →

Somewhere between the middle of September and the end of October, the morning and evening routines started to get out of whack. The kids bedtime tended to drift further and further into the evening, and the chaos in the morning started to increase. From tired melt downs to kids who forgot their homework folders or lunch, it was time to get things back into a routine and do it right away. Our family tends to be more on the creative side and less on the structured side. A house full of free spirits with no sense of time will ruin … Continue reading →

My daughter has been wanting an American Girl Doll for at least the last three years. She pours over the catalogue (that is sent a couple of times a year and addressed to the previous occupants) like the contestants from the Biggest Loser would do to the Godiva catalogue. She knows all of the names of the girls, plus the names of their friends. She has read all of the books. I don’t mind the idea of the American Girl Dolls. My daughter has developed a passion for reading chapter books from them, has learned a lot about history, and … Continue reading →