Please stop whatever you are doing and say a prayer, light a candle and think healing thoughts for Kristyk’s family.

The celebrity resident of my grandmother’s nursing home is a 101 year-old woman. The home had a Christmas party this past weekend. There was food, singing and finally, the nativity story. As the storyteller began, the tiny senior resident spoke up and loudly proclaimed, “Oh, that story again? I’ve heard that story so many times, […]

The strangest thing on our tree last year was the okra pod (painted gold). It is still on the tree, but I think the CD hanging on this year's tree is even more unusual. Anything odd on your tree?

Elle trouve mille moyens de lui montrer la haine vers moi mais il ne peut pas la voir, ainsi je ressemble à la moyenne. Il les amusera au lieu de ses enfants. On ne permettra pas le désordre. Jeu de la guerre psychologique au lieu du jeu avec mes enfants le jour de Noël. Il […]

If I survive until the 26th without a total meltdown it will be a freakin' miracle. It looks like I will be disappointing my children, my spouse and the entire extended family this Christmas. I miss last Christmas.

Yesterday when the house was quiet, I heard our resident squirrel chewing on the wood in the attic. I went to get a picture of our uninvited guest and he kindly poked his head out for the camera. A moment later, a second squirrel popped out. There are TWO squirrels living in the attic. How […]

“I don’t want to be good. Santa needs to visit bad girls too.” Doug and Noah are camping and the girls are with my parents, so I’m home with my oldest and youngest boys. The Christmas music is playing, the tree has lights and I’m blogging and uploading pictures to Flickr instead of doing laundry. […]

Aunt Jeni and that boy

Amy didn’t like having her eyes dilated. She got crankier by the minute even when I let her call Doug on the phone. “Daddy, I want to go home and eat a peanut butter sandwich and Mommy won’t let me.” She has bad vision but we can wait until just before kindergarten to get her […]

Since Amy failed her Lion's Club eye exam, I am taking her to the pediatric opthalmologist tomorrow. The only one in Knoxville. The one whose waiting room is always full because he is who Children's Hospital calls for every eye emergency. Blech.