The other night, we all sat down and watched Grease. As far as my husband, Tenzin, is concerned, it’d be embarrassing to become a full-grown U.S. American without being able to sing along to "Summer Lovin'" and "You're the One That I Want" (and no, it's his brother who's gay...) Anyway, it became pretty clear [...]
Were You Prepared for the Drudgery of Life?
November 22, 2013 – Posted in: Cleaning, Growing Up, ParentingToday, while unloading the dishwashing for the 3,000th(?) time, the following thoughts crossed my mind: That business about needing to do something 10,000 times to be good at it is really crap because I could do this in my sleep. I wonder -- can you prepare a person for drudgery? I was feeling like Conan [...]
One Less
November 8, 2013 – Posted in: Family, Getting Older, Grief, Growing Up, Sappy Tammy, Tammy ThinksMy aunt died. My great aunt. She was 97-years-old, suffering from Alzheimer's, and I hadn't seen her in four years. And yet, I'm crying my eyes out. I don't understand myself sometimes. It's like I'm a giant lake, held in by a structurally questionable dam that breaks at the exact times when the engineers predicted [...]
The Tree Doesn’t Fall Far from the Apple
September 25, 2013 – Posted in: Bullying, Conservatives are Funny, Elfie, Family, Growing Up, Kid Friends, Mean People, Mouths of Babes, Newt, Parenting, Women's IssuesSo I'm happy to report that the kids not only survived camp but had a fabulous time. Apparently the first night was a little touch-and-go: Newt wanted to come home very badly, and Elfie got stung by a bee. But they sucked it up, and the memorable stories have been trickling out of them since [...]
The Mystery of Letting Go
September 18, 2013 – Posted in: Bright Side of Life, Elfie, Family, Growing Up, Kid Friends, Life is a Mystery, Mouths of Babes, Newt, Parenting, School"I just really don't want to go. I'm going to miss you guys too much." My 10-year-old son is lying in his bed. I'm snuggled next to him, stroking his head. He finds a hole between my body and the mattress so he can get both arms around me. It's like he's holding on for [...]
The Bachelorette — Helping Me Teach My Daughter the REAL Facts of Life
August 7, 2013 – Posted in: Elfie, Growing Up, Mawage, Media, Mouths of Babes, Parenting, Personal Insanity, TV, Unsolicited Advice, Worst Mom Randomness"What are you watching?" My 9-year-old daughter has just caught me watching The Bachelorette. Normally this is an activity I'd reserve for after the kids have gone to bed, but it's summer, and "after they've gone to bed" is practically when I go to bed. "It's called The Bachelorette. It's a horrible, horrible show where [...]
Why I Leaned Out and Skipped BlogHer
August 4, 2013 – Posted in: Blogging, Bright Side of Life, Elfie, Family, Growing Up, Me Time, Parenting, Personal Insanity, Sappy Tammy, Women's Issues, WritingI've never been to BlogHer. I didn't go this year for numerous reasons. For one, I've lived through two Illinois summers and suffered through multiple visits that always seemed to coincide with a heatwave, and lately I'm against torturing myself if I can help it. For two (I know that's wrong, but does anyone know [...]
If They Could Just Stay Little — How to Make a Memory
July 27, 2013 – Posted in: Elfie, Getting Older, Growing Up, Mouths of Babes, Parenting, Personal Insanity, Sappy Tammy, Worst Mom Moments"I'm having that feeling again." My 9-year-old daughter has her arms wrapped around my waist. One cheek is pressed against my stomach. I've just spent the last hour reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to her and her brother, and now I'm trying to extricate myself from the area. She's gotten out of bed [...]
Gandhi-Mom Doesn’t Live Here Every Day
July 1, 2013 – Posted in: Bright Side of Life, Food, Growing Up, Newt, Parenting, Personal Insanity, Things To Do with Kids, Worst Mom RandomnessSome days, I'm a good mom. I'm excellent, actually. Even though I feel like I'm walking through mud and the last thing I want to do is have a "teachable moment" with the children, I somehow rally and become this Gandhi-esque creature who I barely recognize. It's freaky, really. Like standing outside yourself and expecting [...]
Worst Mom Moment: How to Ruin Your Kid’s Life
June 19, 2013 – Posted in: Cleaning, Complaining, Growing Up, Guest Blog, Mouths of Babes, Parenting, Punishments, The Kids are Killing Me, Worst Mom MomentsSo I've been saving this for a rainy day, and boy oh boy is it a good one. I'm stuck in our tent trailer, in Oregon, in the pouring rain. Do not even get me started... Anyway, the great and powerful Kelly DeBie of DeBie Hive sent this, oh, in winter. But you guys know [...]
Subscribe by email and be the first to hear all the horrors.