Adventures in garage saling

November 25, 2015November 27, 20153 Comments

Score one for the savvy garage saler!

It’s amazing what brings people out on the town. There’s an apartment complex next door to our house and one of the tenants came over to see what we had for sale. “Whoa, it’s like a little store!” she exclaimed upon entering, holding a glass of questionable contents. “Oh, I love your lamp! I want this lamp. I’ll be back for it. You guys have exactly what I need, I swear. You really do. You have everything I need. I’ll be back. Oh, I love this lamp! I want your lamp.”

After several painful minutes of rambling, she left, only to return about a half hour later with her dog in tow. She wasn’t quite as high when she came back, thankfully, but still, when she went digging through the box of miscellaneous knives, my mother-in-law and I got a little nervous. Seymour’s mom looked at me and said, “No offense, but if she goes nuts and starts attacking, you’re on your own.”

I couldn’t help laughing at that.

Finally, the neighbor lady picked up one…

A letter to my son

November 11, 2015November 12, 201514 Comments

Today’s Writing 101 challenge was to reinvent the letter. The last letter I wrote was to my husband when he was away for work, so today I decided to write a letter to my son in the future. He may not be a man yet, but he will be one day, and I hope that, on that day, he’ll read this and smile.

leiabows Dearest Bubbles,

My goodness, how quickly you’ve grown! It can’t be possible that you’re a man now, instead of the tiny little baby I brought home from the hospital. Surely that was only yesterday?

Oh, who am I kidding? It was last month. I knew I should have tied that brick to your head sooner. 🙂

When I look at you, I still see the happy little boy you used to be. I suppose I probably always will, no matter how much taller than me you are. I hope that someday, you’ll have a house full of happy little boys (and girls?) of your own, but first, some advice:

Cricket’s a fan

November 8, 2015November 8, 2015Leave a comment

Yesterday we had a little Panther (or “Pamfer,” as Cricket says). Today? Today we have a little Packer:

Cricket was so excited to watch the football game with Daddy in his new jersey. There’s just one problem – he’s not watching the game. He’s upstairs in his room, playing with Thumper. Maybe all the football yesterday was enough for him.

Or maybe he just wanted the new jersey. Either way, he’s awfully darn cute. 🙂

My happy place

November 7, 2015November 8, 2015Leave a comment

I sure am glad this guy came home last night.

He made a rough day infinitely better with a well-timed hug. 🙂

Making a difference

November 6, 2015November 9, 20153 Comments

Just because you can’t see how far your reach spreads doesn’t mean you make no difference. –J.C. Rutledge

But wouldn’t it be great if we really could see how far our reach spreads? Because I’m an overly morbid worrywart type, I often wonder about the kind of legacy I’ll leave one day. I think I think about it so much because my mom died so young, and I’ve always assumed (don’t ask me why) that the same fate waits for me.

Happily, fate seems to have other plans in store for me, because I’m still here, creating worlds and refereeing my kids. I’m so very grateful I have the chance to watch them grow up, and I can’t wait to see what kind of people they’ll become.

I feel lucky

October 22, 2015October 22, 20156 Comments

dandy All kids drive their parents crazy, some more than others. Take Thumper, for instance. He’s my baby, the youngest of my four children, and the reason I can’t have nice things. He’s the reason I started sprouting gray hair before I hit thirty, the reason I’m sick of my own name, and the probable cause for any alcoholism his daycare teachers may suffer from.

But you know what? He’s perfect. He may be stubborn to a fault and have more energy than any one person should ever have, but he’s also the happiest four-year-old I’ve ever met. He has such a good heart, even when he’s feeling ornery, and he’s so stinkin’ adorable that I can never stay mad at him for long. I am lucky to be his mother.

For the record, I am lucky to be mother (and stepmother) to three other pretty fantastic kids, too. But I feel especially lucky to be Thumper’s mother, because I almost wasn’t, a fact I was reminded of last night.

We’ve been having…

Photo 365 #359

August 1, 20152 Comments

After a week away, Miss Opal has returned. We thought she’d been eaten by a coyote, so last night, Seymour set out a live trap.

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Imagine his surprise when he checked it this morning and found Opal inside.

I haven’t seen her this lovey in…well, ever, actually. But it’s good to have her home. 🙂

Photo 365 #351

July 24, 20156 Comments

Seymour had our sandbox filled yesterday as a surprise for the boys.

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I haven’t seen them this excited since Christmas. 🙂

What kind of surprises make your kids happy?

Photo 365 #348

July 21, 2015July 19, 2015Leave a comment

I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed the comfort of a shady hammock Sunday morning:

The boys, however, wanted it to go faster.

*sigh* 🙂

Photo 365 #347

July 20, 2015July 19, 20152 Comments

Seymour took me out for supper last night, and it was grand. The food could have been better (and definitely cheaper!), but it didn’t really matter because it was just the two of us.

Alone.

Without the kids.

It was glorious. When you don’t have four kids constantly clamoring for your attention, it’s easy to take silence for granted, which is why I love date nights so freaking much.

But I digress.

Partway through supper, my new job came up in the conversation, and I confessed to being nervous about it. Seymour pulled out a package and handed it to me, saying, “Well, I thought you might like this for your new desk.”