My dad called me earlier this summer and sent me on a mission. He was out of town and afraid Costco would sell out of a large raft he’d seen and he thought we needed it for our upcoming lake vacation. Operation vacation floatation accepted. And then I stood frozen in the aisle at Costco. I stared atContinue reading “Island Issues.”
Category Archives: Let’s Just Be Real Here.
Snail Spa
I’ve heard it said that no lake vacation is complete without a man-made snail habitat. Er, something like that. But I can’t argue with the saying, because it certainly rang true for us. While spending a week with our extended family, my daughters and their cousin not only discovered the snails in the shallow water ofContinue reading “Snail Spa”
Give It A Rest.
It’s really just a piece of junk that our dentist gave my son as a prize after a routine teeth cleaning. The pink and blue toy top with the smiley face lays on the floor as another hazard for bare feet, along with the Barbie shoes and plastics beads. With a quick snap of my thumb andContinue reading “Give It A Rest.”
Nothing to Lose.
I’ll never forget what she said. She stood behind the simple podium telling a room full of young moms the heartbreaking story of her infant daughter’s death. My throat felt tight and many eyes twinkled with tears as she told our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group the details of her unimaginable loss. But it was oneContinue reading “Nothing to Lose.”
Easy Does It.
I appreciated the fact that my eleven-year-old son wanted to help me put the groceries into our van from the shopping cart. What I didn’t like quite as much was when he placed a case of water bottles on top of the loaf of bread. The Sunbeam lady on the bread packaging looked a little shocked asContinue reading “Easy Does It.”
Shareholder.
My finger gently tapped on my phone’s screen and scrolled through the content of my Facebook feed. Photos of adorable babies and funny status updates kept me entertained, but I quickly moved my finger and eyes past the other content, “The Shares.” Article link after link appeared in my feed and it mostly had been put there by users who hadContinue reading “Shareholder.”
Old News.
I call it the “preemptive strike.” I don’t actually say that term aloud, but I use it in my own head in order to feel like I am in some form of command as a mother. It sounds so official and impressive. The preemptive strike will look something like this. At bedtime, I will inform my son aboutContinue reading “Old News.”
15 Things I Learned from the Christmas Season of 2015.
It has become a personal tradition. My own “end of the season” clearance. Much like my smartphone alerts me when its storage is almost full and I must delete some files to ease use, my own brain feels the need to move some information out of my head and onto the page. So I makeContinue reading “15 Things I Learned from the Christmas Season of 2015.”
My Summer (Guilt) Trip
The lobby of the dorm where we’d been staying as a family during the summer camp my husband was directing was loud and crowded. Teenagers laughed and chatted in little groups as they played cards, took selfies, and ate the ice cream sandwiches provided as the official late night snack before the mandatory “lights out”Continue reading “My Summer (Guilt) Trip”
Poolside Catch and Release
My torso. That’s the indicator for me. When I’m deep enough in cold pool water for it to hit my torso, that’s when it really takes my breath away. At this particular moment, I actually was that deep in the community pool as my daughters splashed and giggled around me. They were seemingly unaware of theContinue reading “Poolside Catch and Release”
Christy Cabe 