Giving New Meaning to Parenting

On Wednesday, my girls and I went shopping for people we don’t know. My husband’s company has a toy drive for an organization called UMOM, an organization that offers assistance to the homeless. We purchased some lotion and shower gel for the adults and puzzles and other toys for the children.
Before we arrived at the [...]

Wondering what to give adventurous young scientists for the Holidays? We have it down to a fine art here at Casa Darwin.
My kids are into natural science in a big way, especially my eldest. Or maybe it’s ONLY my eldest, and he makes us go along with his mad biology professor ways through the [...]

It starts around Columbus Day. You can’t really see the pitch of the hill. But I’m convinced that that is the starting spot. Next is Halloween. Decorations and candy and costumes come out in full force. The contrast of the cool air outside and the warmth of coming in for hot chocolate give false comfort. [...]

We haven’t made a big deal of Valentine’s Day. It may be that Nancy and I had our first Valentine’s Day together after we had been married for 11 months. Somehow, when we were broke, it seemed to make sense to wait for our anniversary.
Our celebrations with our kids have been small as well. A [...]

I am overwhelmed. It happens this time every year. Stress and anxiety roll down the snowy mountainside gaining in size and momentum. It sets in the same week every year. This week. It means I am always tired but never able to sleep. It means I put off the [...]

Dearest Child of Mine:
I know how upset you were earlier today, when I refused to buy you that video game.  I know you really didn’t believe me when I told you that it was because I love you, that sometimes I refuse you the very THINGS that you so strongly WANT.
As a Mom Person, I [...]

Now that we’ve covered getting the house ready, preparing food, and buying gifts, let’s talk about holiday traditions.
I remember our Christmas celebrations growing up.  We always opened gifts from youngest to oldest, and we’d take lots of time doing it.  There was plenty of time to see everyone open and appreciate what they’d been given.  [...]

Oooookay. Last week we talked about getting the house ready for the holidays. Hopefully you’ve gotten a start on that. I started thinking about it. That counts.
This week, let’s think about gifts. Yup, I just mentioned Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa gifts in early October. Hey, I saw a mummy [...]

So. You all ready for the winter holidays? Hanukkah? Christmas? Kwanzaa?
If yes, then feel free to smile happily to your very organized self. If not, then read on.
There are several facets of holiday preparation, including (but not limited to)

Housecleaning/decoration
Gifts
Food
Traditions

If you’re hosting family and friends, having a clean and decorated place [...]

Today we replenished our dwindling stock of rubber balls and as I always do, I inscribed each one using a permanent marker with the name of our 2 1/2-year old daughter, Fern. As I carefully printed block letters on a miniature football, it struck me that I was being completely unfair to Fern’s sister to [...]