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The Both and Everything
It’s been a quiet, rather turned in, not so easy spring and the cool days, which put the winter jacket right back on me, feel as fitting as they do too freezing. That’s because one, I feel the need to be bundled up and two, the preservation of this...Start Small
(This is just two of the three small boys with my small girl) Sometimes, the smallest things make a day—or night—much better. I felt as if my quality of life rose when I bought a white noise machine. The idea came from my frantic-for-every-second-of-sleep...I Hopped on a (Blog) Train
Last Monday, Karen Rile, editor of Cleaver Magazine, posted about a blog train, which she—and Cleaver editors—hopped on. She invited me to hitch a ride. The rules of the blog train are simple: on Monday, last week’s riders introduce three new...Books About Us (Writ Small, Writ Big)
If you wanted a one-sentence description of Brian Leaf’s book Misadventures of a Parenting Yogi you might go with something along the lines of: “Once Brian Leaf thought he had to find inner peace through yoga and silence, but then he had kids and...When a Community Grieves
The very stunning and sad news that Chris Cavallari passed away quite suddenly last week left our community reeling. She was a third generation owner of Serio’s Market, which she ran with her husband, Gary Golec. People just showed up Monday and probably all...Summer Wish List (Fifth Annual)
The summer days—and the light—seem to have hit us all, collectively, in New England by surprise. Winter was hard, and spring wily. I do believe that during this week before the solstice, though, we have pretty much arrived (those final snow day makeup days...Summer Begins, Wishes Come True
My blog will not be an update week-by-week about the Summer Wish List, promise. However, this week I got to squeeze the nephews (road trip with daughter to Jamaica Plain). I watched The Kids Are All Right (predictably, I loved it). We’ve hung out at Tuesday...Big Oh-One
There are oh so many things in the world (and just my little life) to preoccupy and worry me. You read the news. You know. You have your little life. You know. But today, Only in Northampton, the Facebook page I began on a whim—maybe even a dare—turns one....Moving Furniture
I wrote about some of the seemingly most mundane things that can happily occupy a summer (or other time of year) for Brain Child’s blog. And then, there was a shelf that needed to be moved to our friends’ house just across the way. I handed the task to my...To Greet August
This week, as I walked down the promenade (Elm Street), I saw a woman trip and fall. She was running. A friend had found me walking so the two of us rushed to this woman, calmed her down, called the paramedics, called a friend of hers, and generally felt helpless...Big and Small
I’ve learned the acronym that essentially spells privacy at doctors’ offices is HIPAA. A new ruling extends it to the walls of baby photos on the walls at the OB or midwives’ office (or pediatrician, or orthodontist). We’re gonna miss the...Poised
A friend posed one of those perennial parent queries the other day: Do I let my boy be a princess for Halloween? The question of how you feel about your child’s self-expression and explorations and passions is seemingly a lifelong one. Remember how mesmerized...Facebook Mea Culpa
Admittedly, I’m a gratitude junkie. I “get it” that for me, the more gratitude I find the more there seems to be available to be found. Sure, to declare gratitude (current Facebook meme) is an exercise. Gratitude declarations—to yourself or...Sentences Adults Utter
I cleaned the linen closet. That’s a sentence I hadn’t envisioned myself uttering. It’s so… adult. It’s so not the adult sentence I’d exactly aspired to, but of course, if you have a house with many beds and people, you wind up...Sweeten the World
This is the true order of how things happened: I’d been meaning and wanting to make a batch, even a small one, of peach jam. It was a missing link in my jamming season. But then… you know, I just couldn’t quite put together peaches, lemon or lime,...From Near to Far
October didn’t rush by. I haven’t been here on this blog, either. It’s been less writer-focused, more a time to attend to the rush of things that call for me to show up. Like the carpool—I have shown up for carpool. People who know me in the...In Threes
I had for a long while a habit of three things to tell you about along with a statement of three good things, because gratitude is a skill and when cultivated, I believe works to our advantage. Plus, there’s really so much that’s good, even sometimes when...Little Boxes Made of ticky tacky
It’s that most irritating time of the year. The indentured boarders are big on Christmas, quelle suprise. The youngest has even launched a campaign to celebrate Hanukah concurrently. Thus far he’s only asked for Latkes and a menorah, but I’m pretty...
The 2014 Nightcrawler Notable Awards
In no particular order and assembled for reasons no loftier than your enjoyment plus the Crawler’s pressing need to hurry over to the holiday party before the open bar closes… here are your 2014 Nightcrawler Notable Awards: The You Never Sausage A...Beerhunter: Iron Duke Brewing’s Signature “Baby-Maker” is Born
The new Iron Duke Brewing facility in Ludlow might be a bit of a trek for some Valley beer chasers, but the visit pays off in small pleasures. One of those is sitting at the bar in their busy taproom listening to college kids and grandparents alike shout, “I’ll have a...Cutting up Books in Libraries and other FAIR Adventures
On a recent Saturday, a group of adults and preteens gathered at the J.V. Fletcher Library in Westford, MA and began cutting up books. I mean, really tearing into them, leaving big holes in the pages. Right there in plain view of the librarian. And no one stopped...Thankful For…
Tree branches’ twists Warmth earned ascending hills on foot Feet Fierce sunsets Family silky and sticky as spider webs Bedrock friends First grader with nose in books Sixth grader’s photographs Yoyo tricks Teenager’s “Meh”...Number One Super-Awesome Brand New Advocate Blog Post
Check it out!! I’m blogging for the Advocate! I’m very happy to be here and want to send a shout-out to Mark Roessler for asking, and Tom Vannah for saying it was OK. I’m here to ruminate on parenting, child care, the crazy life of a working mother,...“No” is a Complete Sentence
That’s something my dear old husband Dave said to me the other day when I got roped into something. So I have to admit I don’t say no a lot to begin with. But it also got me thinking about why we don’t like to say it to our children. There’s...Vegans vs. Carnivores
You gotta love Facebook (or maybe not, since it’s just one more giant vampire squid sucking the face of humanity). But if you decide to be a part of it, at least it’s amusing. In my news feed the other day I had an article from my yoga instructor,...Expert Dad Advice
A few weekends ago we were at a soccer fundraising drive at a friend’s house. There were about ten adults stuffing envelopes while the kids played outside. There were also twelve kids, ages 8-12. Lemme run that by you one more time: twelve kids, unsupervised,...You Know It's Gonna be a Good Day…
… when you’re walking back from bringing Son A to the bus stop and you see Son B waiting in the middle of your street armed with his tae kwon do belt and two Nerf swords. As you approach he tosses you one, assumes a defensive position, and you have a...Getting Sappy
If you’re a sentimental old fool like me, then go on over to sittingonthebaby.com and read my latest post. It’s about how quickly our kids grow up. Jerks.It's Funny 'Cause It's True
OK, please just ignore the fact that this is a verizon commercial and take a look at the father and son. It’s funny because it’s true – and also sad because it’s true. After my last post about how fast our kids grow up, I had an interesting...Being the Eye of the Storm
There’s a new post over on my home blog about how the adults in charge of the children remain calm when the children are, well, being children. Here’s the teaser: A couple of weeks ago I went on my son’s elementary school field trip. They took the...I Need to Explain the Picture
In my excitement about my fancy new Advocate blog, I of course told all my friends and family to check it out. They were kind and supportive as always, but my sister had the best comment: “Why are you yelling at little kids? That’s so not what you’re...97 degrees + 6 kids
= playing in the pool, running in the sprinkler, stomping in the mud puddle, and a lot of wet undies when we’re done.Melting Down on a Hot Day
Why is it that my kids’ biggest (and most gut-wrenching) emotions hit at the most unexpected times? Birthday parties, last days of school – when they should be filled with sunshine, lollipops, rainbows, lemon drops – suddenly there are tears. [read...A Good Day is Any Day That You're Alive
On Saturday we went to a family reunion. The clan has lost some members since our last get-together, so we spent the usual amount of time avoiding that subject, then coming around to it when the moment seemed right. It started with the usual sentiments – how...Attack of the Mommy Spiders
I’ve had a little bit of an entomological study going on here for the past year. Well I guess technically it’s arachnology, since I’m obsessed with spiders. But not just any spiders: Mommy spiders. And definitely not the really horrifiyingly scary...The Music of Summer…80s Style
There are songs that take you back to a certain point in time so clearly that you can practically feel the Dippity Do crunching in your hair. Some take you back in a good way: And some, not so much: Why is one so much better than the other? Well let’s see. Phil...No, You Can't Have My Fingerprint
There’s a little blinking pad on my laptop that flashes its brains out at me whenever I log in to my computer. It wants me to scan my fingerprint in for easy one-touch login! And also as a security measure so no one else can use my computer. Well for one thing,...What a Nice Day for a Bike Ride
I’ve just come home from a vacation on Cape Cod (sob) and spent a lot of time riding their super-awesome bike trails. Check out my review here. Well, it’s less a review of the trails than of the humanity upon the trails. I even did the P’town loop,...Wow. Disney is Really Awful.
I’ve never thought that Disney movies were all that great (I resisted their brainwashing! Pat on the back please). But I’m also not going to ban watching something – if the kids are into it, go for it. We were dealing with Power Rangers from the time...Keep Calm
I suddenly have this collection of cool mugs, which came about totally randomly and unplanned, and is probably the best way for a collection of this type to begin. For some reason the people in my life keep buying me really cool mugs, and I love it. I guess it’s...When You're Such a Sap that Kid Movies Make You Cry
My husband loves when I do that. But this scene just gets me every time – all I have to do is hear the music and I’m done for. That’s how good it is. (And how hopeless I am.) It’s from “How to Train Your Dragon,” a movie that I...When Your Kids Get Depressed
For the past several months I’ve spent a lot of time grappling with heavy emotions. So of course I’ve coincidentally come across a ton of articles about it, like How to Land Your Kid in Therapy by Lori Gottlieb, and Spoiled Rotten by Elizabeth Kolbert....Book Review: Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
Yeah yeah, I know, it came out like three years ago. But having two children, running a small business, caring for eight kids every day, and keeping up a family’s busy schedule, I’m a few years behind on my reading wish list. So you may have...Waiting on a Friend
Wow. This video actually makes me miss the 80s.Summer Camp: Fail
Part of the reason I run a day care in my home is that I never have to find care for my kids. This means really awesome summers for them. Sure they may be bored some of the time, but mostly they get to hang out, play on the computer, get wet when they’re hot,...I'm Mean on Vacation
That’s where I’ve been all week, in case you were wondering why I let the blog sit here unattended for so long. Over a week in Acadia National Park: heaven. I highly recommend it to everyone. Even if you don’t like camping or hiking there’s...Water Pollution
Wow. Erin Brockovich is no joke. I would not mess with her. Just caught her on Tavis Smiley talking about our impending water crisis and her documentary “Last Call at the Oasis.” [Sadly, I can only provide you with a link here, apparently PBS doesn’t...Field Trips are Awesome!
I don’t get to go on them as often as I used to because I have too many kids now to fit in the van. Plus, taking six littles somewhere as opposed to four – not so fun for me. And especially not so fun for all the people who see us coming. Their eyes get as...Crushed
Under the bus. The school bus. That’s what I feel like. What a week. Is it over yet? I’ve had the biggest turnover of my career this week. Three kids leaving, three new kids moving in. It’s been a gradual transition throughout the summer but this was...Child Care is So Expensive!
A Facebook friend of mine posted this recent parenting.com article called “Child Care: More Expensive than Rent?” What, oh what is Amy going to say in response to this article? Well my first thought, of course, was that I’m not making nearly as much...I Still Own Friday Nights
My Netflix movie came in the mail yesterday and I yelled to the boys, “Our Friday night movie is here!” Their friend was over and asked, “That’s cool. Is it Friday the 13th?” and they all started talking about all the horror movies...Sandwich
I’m a terrible cook. I hate cooking. Cooking and math – two things I do only under extreme duress. But now I have these kids, and as my friend Jennifer says, “You have to FEED them too?!” So when I prepare a meal it’s kind of an event....Babies and Nature
I have two babies in care now, one is nine months and the other eight. I’ve never done this to myself before. But they were both worth it. It’s not terrible, it’s just hard when they’re both crying at the same time. And they’re SO edible,...The Internet Doesn't Exist
How many people can say they started their day trying to speak clearly to an automated help desk while brushing their teeth and combing their son’s unruly hair all at the same time? I’m sorry, but anyone who can put “Mother” on their resume...Super Mario 3 in the House
Do you ever order something on Craigslist and then worry that the person you’re buying it from might be a serial killer? But I’m getting ahead of myself. As I recently wrote about, my Older Son is obsessed with the Nintendo Entertainment System (circa...Overheard
Me, asking my son this question: “So has Sokka figured out that he’s a member now, since the master gave him the tile with the white lotus?” What is this foreign language I’m speaking? Why do I know so much about all things boy in the 2000s?...Catching Up
I’ve been in a deep funk due to the storm and idiocy over climate change. Can’t write anything funny, witty, or snarky to entertain readers. I will try to be back next week with something slightly more uplifting. But I did write something depressing, so...Weird Stuff I Find in My Day Care
Today’s installment: baby potato heads, makin out. I love that they’re kind of giggling about it. The cat is watching, and she’s pleased. And there’s a parasol. This is starting to sound like ee cummings. Sometimes I wonder what I should think...Boys, Video Games, Guns
Some of my parent friends were concerned with pictures of guys like this waiting for the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops II. I guess they don’t concern me as much as the fact that it’s all my son wants for Christmas. I can’t even tell you –...E-Edition
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