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Carols In The Closet
She looked up from her phone and spoke with authority. “We need to take cover. Now.” Her children followed like obedient ducks. But we, the west coast visitors who had never received any such emergency text, questioned her urgency. Right now? In the middle of dinner? Two families and a live-in mum around a table, eating simple pizza and crudités before the impending Christmas feast, ditched our plates, grabbed a few carrots and vacated. I felt a blog post coming on, so I snapped this pic and followed the fam. Our friend Erik (well aware of how long this might last) grabbed his guitar and yelled to our oldest, “Micah—grab…
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If You Give a Woman a Kiss: Chocolate and Laura Numeroff to the Rescue
Inspired by Laura Numeroff, @lauranumeroff and If You Give a Dog a Donut If you give a woman a kiss, She’ll ask for some milk to go with it. (But not just any kiss. A dark chocolate version.) (And not just any milk. A creamy coconut version.) When you give her the milk, she’ll drink it all up. Then she’ll ask for more. There won’t be any left, so she’ll want to make her own. She’ll go outside, shimmy a palm and pick coconuts. When she’s up in the tree, she’ll toss you one. Throwing the coconut will make her think of dryer balls. You’ll have to get a basket. And some clothes.…
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New Baja Blogger on The Block: How the Writer in Me Wants to Connect with You
What do pink hearts, a spotless house, and baby bunnies have in common? They’re all things you won’t find here. What you might find: confessions, reviews, recommendations, how-to’s. What you’ll definitely find: an optimistic wife and mom who misses friends, consumes avocados in bulk, deals with guilt, yields to power naps, loves to write, and doesn’t fit in with the locals. Today’s chores are being ignored, my desk is somewhat organized, and this computer keeps providing ink. Being qualified is subjective and I’m crazy about community, so I step out and begin to post. So what’s on the horizon? Shenanigans south of the border. No, I won’t be reporting from Papas…
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Not Your Typical Pediatrician (Weight While You Wait)
“Be content with your surroundings, but not with yourself till you have made the most of them.” ~Anonymous It used to be a house. But narrow hallways of tile now lead to random doors of desired wellness. Medical buildings typically have some sort of theme: women’s issues, children’s health, mental well-being. Not this one. While I’m checking in my son Brock for a strange rash on his legs, a woman two rooms down is giving birth. Strangers behind us could be waiting for the psychologist, nutritionist, or surgeon. The posted flyer announces Ear Washing in a star word bubble, as well as Economical Packages for Cesarean Deliveries, while five tall…
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No Language, No Voice: Going to School in Another Country All Alone
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6 I led my firstborn to the concrete classroom with the green metal door and faked a bit of confidence. Micah did not want to go in just as much as I did not want to leave, so we stood there squeezing hands and scanning the crowd. Dozens of brown eyes stared like they’d never seen white people. It was March—not the best time to enter a new school. Especially in another country. We had only lived in town…
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Start Peeling Away: How to Not Helicopter Parent & What to do Instead ~ Part 2
Welcome to part two! Last week I shared the top five things I stopped doing that helped me step down and saved me minutes. Today I’m sharing the top five things I started doing that helped our kids step up, and taught me big lessons. Of course this is not an exhaustive list, and if you have done other things that have helped your kiddos step up, please share! *Disclaimer: Yes—just like last week, I still struggle with every one of these. Slow progress is better than no progress, right? 1. I started letting them go out without a coat. “Don’t forget your coat!” This innocent parental advice is all…
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Stop Hulling Their Strawberries: 5 Things I Did to Not be a Helicopter Parent ~ Part 1
Stepping aside as a parent might sound downright delightful to some. But if the idea of moving over makes you dig your heels into the tile, read on. When my eyes first read the term “Helicopter Mom,” I felt pretty good about the fact I wasn’t one. At least not in general. But the more I examined my mother heart (sprinkled with a bit-o-pride), the more I realized I had tendencies. Working on the following list has been eye-opening. I want to gradually loosen the reigns now so I don’t accidentally pack my kids’ bags for them when they leave for college. I hope it helps you stop any possible swirling blades, too.…
