I cleaned my house today. It was my birthday, and I cleaned my house.Now, some people may think this sounds like the absolute worst possible birthday they can imagine. I say "some" because I already know that there are plenty of other people (mostly friends of mine with kids, big houses, and busy lives) who [...]

For the past week or so, Newt's been acting, how should I put this. . . like an asshole. He blows up for no apparent reason, has lousy manners, and talks to me in "teenager" tone. But here's the rub -- when I call him on his behavior (which I almost always do without fail), [...]

Dear Mom,I had a dream this morning that I was talking to you on the phone. Not about anything important. I think we were discussing something you'd seen at Costco. It's only the second time I've dreamed about you since you died, so we're not talking mass visitation here. I've always told the kids that [...]

So as I mentioned earlier, I'm sending out New Year's cards instead of Christmas cards this year (due to my usual lack of organization and punctuality in this department). Many of you, I assume, are reading this as a result of receiving said card and not receiving my annual holiday letter. Instead, you got a [...]

Yes. Christmas. If you've lost a loved one, you have to "make it" through two big things: the funeral and the holidays. The former is like a party you've worked really hard to plan at a church you don't attend with all of your best friends who are crying their eyes out. This is all [...]

I have the equivalent of Toy Purgatory in my laundry room. It's where I stash stuff that I want to get rid of and am pretty sure the kids won't miss but am too afraid to actually toss or give away for fear of having one of them ask for it one day. This may [...]

Dear Mom,Newt finally learned to ride his two-wheeler this weekend! On the last official day of summer vacation, days before stepping into his first grade classroom, he pulled it off. That's such classic Newt. Remember how he took his first steps a week before his first birthday? With him it's all about due time and [...]

A friend sent me a list of funny stuff that ended with, "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?" This is one of those annoying, esoteric questions that make me think too hard while driving on the freeway. Am I supposed to consider my surroundings like the mortgage and [...]

It's been two weeks since my mom died and one week since her memorial. Last Sunday, I was almost inconsolable when my brother and his family left town. After all the memorial planning, obituary writing, and photo sorting, everything came to a screeching halt. And I suddenly missed my mom. This explains why I've been [...]