3 for girls

Rill Riting

2010-02-18T23:57:00.006-05:00

When I was a little girl, my grandmother showed me a letter that my cousin had written to our uncle. In it she asked him to please not write in "rill riting," or real writing, as she was just learning to read and apparently couldn't read what he had written to her.

Sallie is learning how to write in the first grade now, and I'm thinking about petitioning the schools to stop teaching kids how to spell correctly because I think that kids' phonetic writing is the cutest thing ever.

Letter to a Prince on his 7th Birthday (which is not until March):

(click images to enlarge)

Letter to a Weary and Sometimes Under-Appreciated Mom:

Equally endearing, Eliza is working on her own version of rill riting. After she wrote this for her grandparents, she very proudly told me that she "just sounded it out." I can very proudly see that she did just that (it says, "Thank you, Mama Sudie and GDaddy"). Text Message Shorthand?

As cute as that is, it's not very representative of how well Eliza is actually writing these days. She does a great job, although she has this cute little grammar rule that tells her that she can hyphenate (or not) a word wherever she wants to. Like this cute little birthday card she made for her friend Alen
a:

Not to be outdone, Reagan just made this birthday card for her friend Caedan. I wrote "Happy Birthday, Caedan. Love, Reagan" on a piece of paper for her, and she very diligently wrote every single letter. Although it took me a while to decipher some of it. Word search birthday card, anyone?

Special thanks to Trent for the visual!

The Most Endearing Christmas Gift

2009-12-24T14:07:00.001-05:00

We live in the original farmhouse in our neighborhood. It was built in 1912, and then the rest of the neighborhood was built up around our house during the 1950's. Our next-door neighbors, the "K's" built their house in the 50's and have been living there ever since. They're always really sweet to our three girls, and Mrs. K loves to give them what she calls "gummies," or gumdrops. The girls know that all they have to do is ring the doorbell (which they especially love to do right before dinner), and Mrs. K will send them running home with a handful of gummies.

This Christmas, one of the girls' gifts from the K's was a bag of gummies, with a really sweet card attached (it read, "Love to Our Sweet Girls"). Thanks for always being so kind to our three girls, Mr. and Mrs. K! We hope that you have the sweetest Christmas ever.

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing..

2009-12-22T21:16:00.000-05:00

Sallie's last minute gift requests...obviously hurried because she's a better speller than this! I am pretty sure that she meant to include 'Peace on Earth' on her list!

ELIZA LOVE

2009-11-24T12:35:00.002-05:00

Lately Eliza has taken to making cards and art for people that say "ELIZA LOVE (insert name)." It's so cute and endearing that I hope she never learns how to write "Eliza Loves" or "Love, Eliza."

Happy Birthday, Birthday Girl!

2009-11-19T22:41:00.001-05:00

Happy 5th Birthday, Eliza!!

Be prepared.

2009-09-25T18:09:00.000-04:00

Be prepared. from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

Of Noble Employment

2009-09-22T00:26:00.001-04:00

Sallie made this card for her teacher today after school. How could I not sneak it out of its envelope to share?

What nobler employment, or more valuable to the state,

than that of the [wo]man who instructs the rising generation.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Guerrilla Goodness!

2009-09-20T15:08:00.000-04:00

When we took Sallie to school for her first day of kindergarten last year, someone had written encouraging sentiments on the sidewalk with chalk. I thought it was wonderful, and so I remembered it immediately when a friend sent me this blog a few weeks ago. We decided to get involved. It rained the day before the first day of school, so we went the following Sunday, the day before Eliza's first day at her new school. It gave her something to look forward to on her first day!

I love Patience's idea that "random kindness can change the world." In fact, I've always loved the idea of random acts of kindness, but to actually get out there and get involved was a wonderful feeling. I hope to involve the girls in more acts of guerrilla goodness!

(Interestingly enough, it turns out that Patience has a son who is in Sallie's class this year!)

Eliza & Reagan's First Day of School!

2009-09-14T13:44:00.002-04:00

...and a new school for our middlest biggest big girl!!

Existential First Grader

2009-09-10T10:58:00.000-04:00

1st Grade, Day 2 from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

Rainy First Day of First Grade!

2009-09-08T16:55:00.001-04:00

Sing it right!

2009-09-04T09:36:00.010-04:00

Happy Birthday, Mommy! from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday, Mommy! (2009) from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

aaaaahhhhhh, SUMMER!

2009-07-31T23:44:00.005-04:00

ah, Summer!

2009-07-30T14:23:00.006-04:00

Pedal me a milestone!

2009-06-07T19:22:00.007-04:00

Oh, to be loved and liked!

2009-05-18T23:10:00.004-04:00

Last night I had the strangest dream..

2009-05-16T11:08:00.002-04:00

2009-04-05 Last night I had the strangest dream.. from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

2009-04-05 Last night..Take 2 from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

2009-04-05 Last night..Take 4 from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

Fun with Grandmommy Sallie

2009-04-29T23:01:00.001-04:00

Trent and I had a wonderful visit with my grandmother in El Paso, TX recently. One of the highlights was taking her out in her wheelchair (so as not to exhaust her too much!) and walking around the corner to Fuddruckers for lunch. She couldn't get past the name (she kept saying it, and Trent kept saying "I know it sounds dirty, but there's nothing dirty in the name") but she enjoyed her bowl of clam chowder just the same.

We didn't realize that she didn't have her dark glasses until we were already outside, so Trent lent her his. We thought it was the perfect look for her!

We saw these beautiful flowering cacti all over the place, and grandmother commented on every single one of them. This one was lingering outside of Avila's, one of our favorite Mexican restaurants where we ate lunch on the last day of our visit.

It's important to color coordinate your outfits when visiting your grandmother! These photos were taken at my aunt and uncle's house, who were kind enough to let us stay in their guesthouse while we were in town. Thanks, Reed & Cathy!

We love you, Grandmommy Sallie!

Thank goodness for washable markers.

2009-04-28T22:31:00.003-04:00

A Compelling Argument

2009-04-21T16:43:00.006-04:00

I gave the girls a popsicle after school on Tuesday, and then Sallie came back inside and asked me if she could have a marshmallow Peep.

Me: "No, honey--you just had a popsicle."

Sallie: "The peeps are going bad, Mom. We need to eat them." (Peeps, as you may know, tend to get stale pretty quickly once you open the package).

Me: "Sorry, sweetie, but you could have chosen it instead of a popsicle."

Sallie: "But tomorrow is Earth Day."

Me: "What does that have to do with anything, Sal?"

Sallie: "It means that we're wasting food, and that's bad for the environment."

Me: "That's a pretty compelling argument, Sal. You can have one."

Sallie: "Because tomorrow's Earth Day?"

Me: "No, because I think you had a compelling argument."

Spring in all its glory!

2009-04-09T22:06:00.005-04:00

Who says that Spring can't be beautiful in black & white?! I dressed the girls up last weekend so that I could try out my new lens, as well as the black & white feature on my camera. I love these photos! Sallie lost her 3rd tooth the day before, and looks like such a big girl now!

I stopped on the side of the road on my way to the park and got these photos...exactly one week after I took these shots, the trees had dropped all of their white flowers and green leaves covered the branches!

Welcome, Spring!!

Autobiography in 5 Short Chapters

2009-03-25T09:28:00.011-04:00

Photo by Myra Spano

I.

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
It isn't my fault.
It takes me forever to get out.

II.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in this same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in...it's a habit.
But, my eyes are open. I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V.

I walk down another street.

-Portia Nelson

4 Days for 3 Years!

2009-03-18T23:58:00.007-04:00

This past Monday was Reagan's 3rd Birthday! We celebrated with dinner with Granddad and Katherine on Friday night, an Elmo party on Saturday, a birthday dinner on Monday ('tizza--her favorite!), and her Montessori "A Walk Around the Sun" celebration today.

Tonight we bid an emotional farewell to our littlest big girl's toddlerhood, chubby stubbies and all.

Happy...

Happy 3rd Birthday, Reagan!!!
We Love You!

What the World Needs

2009-03-14T23:44:00.000-04:00

Less recession depression and

more birthday wishes.

*Inspired by Courtney "C Jane Enjoy It" Kendrick

The Peace of Wild Things

2009-03-10T22:44:00.000-04:00

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day--blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

— Wendell Berry

Happy 6th Birthday, Sallie C!

2009-03-02T13:55:00.017-05:00

It's hard to believe that our 'biggest big girl' is 6 years old! We celebrated her real birthday this past Friday with cupcakes at school (complete with cars for the boys and bracelets for the girls, per her own personal demanding specifications!), a new birthday outfit and her favorite dinner--pot roast-- with special guests, Granddad and Katherine.

On Saturday we celebrated with a Magical Unicorn party, complete with a 4-layer cake (special thanks to Whitney for her help with the cake!)

The "finish touch" as Sallie used to say: a sleepover with her cousins!

Happy 6th Birthday,
Sallie Clements!!

Chubby Stubbies

2009-02-24T21:37:00.000-05:00

Summer of 2007

I have to admit that I haven't been one of those mothers who looks at each passing birthday with bittersweet regret because my girls are getting older. Until recently.

I suppose it's because we had three children in four years (with no twins), which means that Trent and I have had a baby or toddler in the house since 2003. Now I find myself confronting Reagan's third birthday next month, and with it, the realization that she is officially exiting the cute toddler phase of life. This is perhaps best evidenced by the disappearance of what I like to call her "chubby stubbies." Or, for those of you who don't speak Alabamian (I may not have grown up there, but I was born there, and raised by a mother who grew up there, so it is my birthright to make up words and names as I see fit), her cute little legs which have been short and endowed with baby fat since the day she was born.

Yesterday, Reagan climbed up on the kitchen counter as she was trying on her new swimsuit, and I was struck with the sudden and painful realization that her chubby stubbies have all but vanished (before her third birthday, even)--replaced by longer, leaner, more (dare I say it? Please don't make me) grown-up versions of her two lower limbs. No longer stubs; no longer endowed with baby fat.

I was suddenly and unexpectedly overcome with an overwhelming sense of sadness and nostalgia. It was all I could do to muster the strength to whisper the words, "don't you go growing up on me!"

February, 2009

By Order of the Management.

2009-02-23T23:12:00.004-05:00

Sometimes the girls' copious drawings come in handy. I used this cute little drawing of Eliza's to create a much-needed sign:

Secret Keeper

2009-02-22T23:25:00.002-05:00

Sallie: "Mom, what do you call that thing that big girls keep their secrets in?"

Mom: "You mean a diary?"

Sallie: "Yep, I'm making one. How do you spell 'Dear Diary, Today I went to the circus?'"

Mom: "Aww, but you didn't go to the circus today."

Sallie: "I know. I'm just making it up."

Mom: "Oh, a diary with made-up secrets. That's cute, Sal."

A Grateful Heart

2009-02-17T21:31:00.006-05:00

I went to Kroger on Valentine's Day morning, mainly to buy groceries, but also to get the girls a last-minute gift for Valentine's Day (which snuck up on me this year!) Trent had already given them each a beautiful pink rose and a chocolate marshmallow heart, and we had discussed the pros and cons and my buying them *more* when they had acted a tad unappreciative of his thoughtful gifts.

I don't know if it's a universal dilemma for parents of small children, but I find myself with a seemingly irreconcilable cognitive dissonance of wanting to give my children everything they could possibly ever want or need, and wanting them to be grateful for what they have (and, ultimately, satisfied with less). This thought was on my mind on Saturday morning when I went to pick up a small gift for the girls. (I had actually already told them I was going to bring a surprise home before Trent and I talked, so I could hardly come home completely empty-handed).

As I was walking into the store, I decided that I would forgo the customary Valentine's balloons that we have given the girls for the past few years, and "just" buy them the small, 6-piece heart-shaped box of chocolates.

However, as soon as I walked into the store, I was overcome by the sheer amount of red heart-shaped balloons they had prepared for the occasion. "Maybe I'll just ask how much they cost," I thought to myself, as I approached the woman in charge of the flower department.

"They're free today," she said cheerfully. My heart soared just a little bit, until the recognition set in that I would need not just one, but three free balloons, which was surely too much to ask. I decided to just be up-front about it, and told her that I had three girls at home.

She responded with a smile and said, "Go for it!" Then she led me over to the table where another woman was anchoring each free balloon with foil tissue wrap filled with several pieces of chocolate. She told the woman that I needed three balloons, smiled at me and returned to her station.

It's funny, the things that can surprise us. Lately it seems like every time I turn around, I'm hearing more bad news about the economy. A couple of friends have lost their jobs. The director of the girls' Montessori school was talking about the ripple effects--families have lost jobs or income (eg rental income from tenants whose sales have declined), and they, in turn, are having to withdraw their children from her school, opting instead for public schooling. It's difficult not to have panicky feelings over the state of the economy, or to try not to worry about how scary things may become before the economy starts to improve. For these reasons and more, the kind gesture of the free Valentine's Day balloons brought tears to my eyes. I stood there watching Kroger's "Valentine's Day customer service representative" tie the little anchors of chocolate to each balloon, and it was all I could do to hold back the tears. Tears of gratitude; tears of hope.

I paid for my groceries and then went back to find the woman in the flower department. I waited until she finished up with a customer, and then told her how much it meant to me that they were giving away free balloons on Valentine's Day, and how happy my girls would be when I got home. I thanked her, again fighting back the tears, and she gave me a hug, and thanked me in return for taking the time to speak to her before I left.

Part of me felt sort of silly for making such a big deal out of such a relatively small gesture. But most of me felt compelled to let the flower lady know that this small deed didn't go unnoticed, or unappreciated. And all of me felt that it's exactly these kinds of gestures--small gifts of kindness (or "random acts of kindness," as they are known) that give us all hope for a brighter future.

I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes by Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." That morning in Kroger, I believed it.

I walked outside to my car, and drove home with three free Valentine's Day balloons, and one very grateful heart.

Three giddy girls greeted me at the front door with open arms.

A Noble Profession

2009-02-12T22:32:00.004-05:00

Last night Trent asked the girls what they want to be when they grow up, and a lively conversation ensued. Without hesitation, Reagan announced that she wants to be a "sheffer." (She's currently making great strides in speech therapy). Trent thought she meant a chauffeur, and I thought she meant a shepherd. As it turns out, she meant that she wants to be a chef (you know, a cheffer). Although all three girls love to help out in the kitchen, she's the one who will come in and help me with dinner (even if it's just to help warm up their milk) every night. And so, yes, it makes perfect sense: she's our little cheffer. (Yes, they still like their milk warm...who am I to complain as long as they drink it?)

Eliza's first response was that she wants to be an artist. We have told her on numerous occasions that she's going to be a great artist one day, since she's the one who loves to sit and color for hours at a time. She has an interesting "coloring inside the lines within the lines" technique, illustrated here:

After some considerable thought, conversation, and advice, Eliza revised her future profession from artist to art teacher. Perhaps one day she'll be both!

Sallie was the last to respond, but answered immediately and unequivocally: "I'm going to be a stay-at-home mom." Throughout the conversation, she maintained her position. She wasn't looking for suggestions or taking anyone else's ideas that may have sounded better.

I have to admit that this struck me quite profoundly. Despite all of the thoughts I've had about what my children may grow up to be (see the sidebar, for example), I never once considered that they might want to be just. like. me.

How very heartwarming.

(Incidentally, I'm a stay-at-home mom, but I'm also an art teacher--I start teaching my first class with Young Rembrandts next Tuesday at Sallie's school!)

Stay-at-home mommy in training, October 2006

(That, as my dad would say, is a job you can take a degree of pride in!)

Welcome to the World, Baby Ava!!

2009-02-06T15:17:00.003-05:00

Fancy Nancy Goes to Time-Out

2009-02-01T21:09:00.006-05:00

It's really difficult to keep her in time-out when she makes me laugh!

Quality time facilitated by miscommunication...

2009-01-26T22:04:00.005-05:00

While I was on the ladder painting the living room a couple of days ago, Eliza came in to see me.

Eliza: "It looks good."

Me: "Thanks! How do you like the color?"

Eliza: "Okay! Let me go and get my coloring book and crayons!"

Me: (cute!)

Baby Steps

2009-01-25T21:46:00.005-05:00

A day in the life of Reagan (as photographed by Reagan)

From the bottom of our hearts...

2009-01-24T10:18:00.010-05:00

Dear Granddad & Katherine,
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for our beautiful new leotards and our dance lessons!

With Love,
Reagan, Eliza & Sallie

Shirley Temple, Eat Your Heart Out!

2009-01-22T07:52:00.001-05:00

2009-01-21 Sallie & Eliza's Tap Dance from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

Love Letter to a Friend

2009-01-14T22:45:00.002-05:00

New Year's Resolution #3: Be the Change.

2009-01-13T22:01:00.019-05:00

Photo courtesy of Kelly Brooks

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

-Gandhi

I used to spend a fair amount of time volunteering, and I always enjoyed it, but rarely did I have to go out and seek volunteer opportunities on my own. I was always part of a group-- whether it was my high school club, my college sorority, or my job-- where opportunities to volunteer were always presented to me.

Now that I have three in school, I enjoy volunteering at both of their schools. But, except for one brief stint working with children at a local hospital before my children were born, I've never sought out volunteer jobs on my own.

A few months ago, a friend of mine told me about a great organization called the HandsOn Network. And, back in October, I volunteered for my local HandsOn Day, and spent about five hours cleaning and painting the bathrooms in a nearby Elementary School.

Giving back to our communities is a great way to do something positive for our world, especially during these difficult and uncertain times we're facing. I found that the time I spent volunteering was entirely positive--I didn't spend a single solitary second thinking about my own problems (real or imagined). And I found joy in the smallest things, from cleaning spit balls off of the wall to meeting like-minded citizens of our community.

You can find volunteer opportunities in your own area here or here. This year, let's all resolve to be the change!

So Happy to Share the Good News!

2009-01-12T22:01:00.002-05:00

Nie will be back on January 16th!

New Year's Resolution #2: Do the Thing You Think You Cannot Do

2009-01-11T23:25:00.007-05:00

Yesterday, I signed up to run in a 10k, even though I haven't really exercised in 15 years. I also signed up for the YMCA's 10-week training program. Amazingly, I feel proud of myself already.

photo by Sports Backers

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

~Eleanor Roosevelt

Weekend Agenda: Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday, Birthday, Birthday

2009-01-10T22:22:00.001-05:00

Happy 4th Birthday, S.!

Happy 2nd Birthday, C.!

Happy 6th Birthday, G.!

The Ingenuity of a Five-Year-Old Princess

2009-01-09T21:50:00.001-05:00

Don't worry about that toilet paper holder, dad...Sallie fixed it.

New Year's Resolution #1: Finish What You Start

2009-01-08T22:54:00.005-05:00

Is there anything more difficult than having to go back and complete a paint job that you began with great enthusiasm and worked diligently on before running out of paint?

Especially in this instance, when the area we were painting went up the stairs to the second story. From the front door, you couldn't tell that we hadn't finished painting upstairs. And so I have to admit that I was tempted to start painting the living room instead of finishing the upstairs hallway.

But instead, I transcended both my desire to begin painting a new color as well as my fear of heights, and climbed onto an extremely tall ladder and (almost but not quite) finished the job.

Photos by Reagan

Today's Refrigerator Art

2009-01-06T23:18:00.003-05:00

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."

— Albert Einstein

"Eliza, Jessica and Sarah"
by Eliza

Happy 91st Birthday, Grandmommy Sallie!

2009-01-06T06:02:00.000-05:00

Happy, Happy Christmas -- The Big Day

2009-01-02T16:08:00.002-05:00

"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!"

~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836

(Santa's bedtime)

A (possibly record-breaking) 8:20am wake-up call.

Mommy's favorite gift, a page from a coloring book that Sallie colored and wrapped with extra bows.

Photo by Sallie:

A mid-morning visit from Laura..

A new outfit (thanks, Mama Sudie & GDaddy!); new Elmo slippers from Santa.

Most sentimental gift--a Christmas ornament from the Gay Dolphin. (Thanks, Beth!)

Happy, Happy Christmas - Part III

2008-12-28T22:47:00.001-05:00

Christmas Eve Day at Long Grass...

The Most Beautifully Delicious Cake in the Whole World (Carrot cake by Ashley's mom)

Guess whose dessert plate (I bet you'll be wrong!!)

(hint: it might have been one of these two)

Happy, Happy Christmas - Part II

2008-12-28T20:48:00.010-05:00

Then we skedaddled over to BBee's for Christmas dinner, with a visit from Santa, Valerie and Baby Sasha.

Happy, Happy Christmas - Part I

2008-12-26T23:11:00.000-05:00

First order of business...the kids were reunited with their cousins on December 22nd for the first time since this summer.
Unfortunately, Sallie wasn't feeling well, but they were still very happy to be together!

We wish you a

2008-12-25T07:03:00.001-05:00

Milk and cookies...check!

2008-12-24T20:54:00.004-05:00

Christmases Past, Part II

2008-12-23T00:08:00.000-05:00

Christmas 1972
(Eliza's spitting image)

Christmas 1973

Christmas 1974

Christmas 1975

Christmas 1976?

Christmas 1977
(Trent pointed it out to me, but I wouldn't dare comment on the gift of Uncle Remus!)

Christmas 1978
(so sweet!)

Christmas 1979

Christmas 1982?

Christmas 1985?
(When Eliza saw this, she asked her daddy why he was wearing 'leggings'!)

Christmases Past

2008-12-22T00:06:00.001-05:00

Christmas 1973

Christmas 1975

Christmas 1976

Christmas 1978?

Like the corners of my mind...

2008-12-21T07:22:00.002-05:00

Christmas 2003

Christmas 2004

Christmas 2005

Christmas 2006

Christmas 2007

Girl bites father in pretend fight; loses 2nd tooth

2008-12-20T16:27:00.001-05:00

Milestones

2008-12-17T22:26:00.008-05:00

Sallie lost her first tooth last Thursday night. Just in time for show and tell on Friday. She had been working on it for quite a while, but, since the permanent tooth was growing in behind her baby tooth, it didn't seem to be loosening enough to actually fall out on its own. Trent worked on it Thursday night, and then told me that I'd have to call the dentist. It just wasn't going to get any looser on its own. "Ugh," I thought, "another doctor's appointment." But, as I was reading a book to the girls at bedtime (The Night Before Christmas, to be exact), Sallie said suddenly, "Mom--my tooth." And there it was in her hand.

I have to admit that, while I'm fine with cuts and blood and gore, loose teeth make me queasy. I was so relieved that it came out so peacefully on its own. It didn't even bleed.

I can't remember what prompted me to first say it, but a few years ago, when Sallie did or said something that made me realize that her babyhood was slipping away (like maybe outgrowing her clothing size, as she's so tall (like her namesake!) that she's currently wearing a 7-8 even though she's only almost-6), I said to her quite spontaneously, "Don't you go growing up on me!" She laughed, and so I obliged her by saying it more often. By the time she was three-and-a-half, whenever I said it to her, she responded, "aww, but, Mom, I have to--so that I can be a Mommy to my own kids!" Which made me laugh.

I know that all stages of childhood have their own blessings and their own challenges, but, for some reason, I really love that nostalgic sense of not wanting to lose a single endearing moment.

Let's see..three girls..20 baby teeth each, one baby tooth down...59 nostalgic moments to go.

Before my spirit falls again...

2008-12-15T22:33:00.001-05:00

Due to our impromptu painting project, our Christmas tree was a week-long project this year. We went to our old Christmas tree lot last Saturday night, and, as Clark Griswold would say, "embraced the frosty majesty of the winter landscape [to] select that most important of Christmas symbols." It happened to be snowing (it doesn't get much better than that, does it?)

It took me a couple of days to put the lights on, and then we let the girls put a couple of ornaments on each night (which actually worked out quite well--maybe it'll become a tradition) until this weekend, when we finished decking the halls.

I was happily surprised by how great our tree looked after allowing the girls to hang most of the ornaments (despite my only moving those that were about to fall off of the end of a branch).

Haul out the holly...Rosalind Russell would be proud.

There Are More Important Things than Stopping for Gas

2008-12-12T21:40:00.000-05:00

When I was a senior in high school, my brother came home from college for the weekend and asked me to write an English paper for him. As I recall, it was about Tennessee Williams, who I knew nothing about. Nonetheless, I obliged.

When I was finished writing the paper, I went downstairs to my brother's room and handed it to him. In return, he handed me a "mixed tape" (remember those?) that he made for me while I was writing his paper. On the edge of the tape case he had neatly typed, "There Are More Important Things than English Papers."

Yesterday, There Were More Important Things than Stopping for Gas.

Running out of gas is such an old-fashioned thing to do, don't you think? I mean, no one runs out of gas anymore, do they? I remember the last time it happened to me--or rather, to someone I was riding with. I must have been 6 or 8 years old. My grandmother was driving. She drove through a green light, not too far from home, and, quite suddenly, the car cut off. She didn't know what was wrong at first, but she pulled over to the side of the road. Hmm. Out of gas.

I knew what was wrong at first.

I'm guilty of always driving with the gas light on. And my husband is guilty of always giving me a hard time about driving with the gas light on. "You have at least 50 miles once the light comes on," I always insist. Besides, the way they make cars these days, it's impossible to run out of gas. Isn't it? The light comes on waaaaayyyyy too early for anyone to actually run out of gas. Doesn't it?

Hmm. Out of gas.

I have to admit that, once I pulled over onto the side of the highway, I had a brief moment of panic. And then I laughed. And then I did what anyone with a new camera would do: I took some really fantastic photos.

Special thanks to the friendly "roadside assistance" man who stopped to help (it's interesting, isn't it, that they don't carry gasoline? Probably because no one runs out of gas these days. But thanks for those flares--they lasted a good five minutes in the rain); Celia, who came to my rescue (eventually--sorry about those bad directions); and Lisa, who still met us for lunch exactly one hour later than previously scheduled.

(yep, she holds 20...)

Celia and I joked about the fact that, when the hectic holiday season is over, I'll probably have fond memories of that one peaceful hour I spent on the side of the highway--no cleaning, no cooking, no shopping, no wrapping, no fighting...it's funny, isn't it, how such a stupidly embarrassing event could turn out to be so heavenly?

(Still, I'll admit that I'm fairly certain that I'm cured of the need to drive with the gas light on).

Happy Birthdays, Katherine & Dad!

2008-12-12T00:01:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthdays, Katherine (December 9th) and Dad (December 12th)!!

In keeping with tradition, your gifts will arrive
fashionably late.

Much love,
All 5 of us

An Apology to Santa

2008-12-10T23:03:00.000-05:00

Dear Santa,
I wanted to apologize to you on behalf of my father, who usurped your power to give me the most special gift of Christmas. You see, he knows that I love photography (I know that you do, too--you know everything), but he beat you to the punch when he gave me this wonderfully exciting early Christmas gift: a new Canon EOS Rebel XSi Digital SLR camera.

It arrived last night, and it was love at first sight. And so I wanted to apologize, because Christmas morning came early for me this year. (But please don't be too upset--I still have three little girls who can't wait to see what you bring them!)

Sincerely,
Me

ps In case you're wondering, like I was, what the heck 'EOS' means, my good friends at this website offer this explanation:

What does “EOS” mean?
Canon’s line of autofocus-capable SLR cameras is sold under the name EOS. This stands for “electro-optical system” but is also meant to be a reference to Eos, a Greek goddess of the dawn. Some people pronounce it like the goddess (ee-oss) and others as separate letters (ee-oh-ess).

Dear Dad & Katherine,
Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!!!!

Love,
Me

Here are a few first photos. Expect great things from my new *Greek goddess of the dawn* camera!!

This photo says, "Wow, I love your new camera! You are the best photographer ever!"

This photo says, "Wow, you're able to get unusually close with your new wonderfully exciting camera."

Look, ma--I adjusted the aperture and blurred the background
(thanks, high school photography teacher!)
ps time to cut those toe nails!

This photos says, "I still love your new camera and I still think that you're the best photographer ever, but please get that thing away from me."

"Mommy, I love your new camera! I will let you take a million photos of me as long as you let me hide in your laundry closet!"

"Mom, I love you new camera, too, but your flash is awfully BRIGHT."

"Hi, Mommy. I love your new camera and I don't mind your bright flash. I will be your most patient subject! By the way, you are not only the best photographer ever, but also the best mommy ever!"

"Merry Christmas!!!"

Please vote for "My Dog's Christmas Cabin"!

2008-12-09T15:29:00.004-05:00

Sallie's class participated in FETCH a Cure's program called 'Toys for Furry Tots'. This involved area schools and community centers 'decorating' cardboard doghouses and learning about senior dogs and ones with cancer. Also, their mission is to fill the house with new or used non-perishable pet items. For example, dog/cat toys, blankets, brushes, collars etc., to be distributed to local shelters for these pets to have a happy holiday too.

The second part of this is for people to go online and vote for your favorite doghouse! The class with the most votes will win a pizza party, popcorn party or ice cream social. Registration only takes a second, so please cast your vote and help support Sallie's class!

Yes, as a matter of fact,we did...

2008-12-07T20:46:00.019-05:00

...decide to paint our foyer last night..beginning around 10:30pm...and finishing (or finishing two gallons of paint, on 10' ceilings and two stories) around 6pm tonight...on 5 hours of sleep...while taking care of (and/or allowing them to take of themselves) our 3 girls...

shhh...don't tell Trent, but I'm the better painter. He wouldn't believe you even if you told him, because he can paint an entire room without getting a single drop of paint on himself (not even his hands) or the floor. And he's the better roller. But I'm the best at cutting in a room...and everyone knows that the one who cuts in the room is the quarterback of the painting game. Right? But seriously, we made a good team, and, although he's currently not speaking to me (perhaps my weekend plan of "decorating the house for the holidays" was a touch ambitious), I think that he'll be very pleased to see his beautiful new foyer when he wakes up tomorrow. (And, he'll likely be just as happy the night I ask him at 10pm to begin my next project, hanging our new wall of family photos on our freshly painted stairwell. I'll keep you posted!)

ps We're usually Benjamin Moore fans, but this (probably difficult to see in the photos) delicious gold color is Sherwin Williams' "Blonde."

Out with the old... (ok, yes, we're supposed to be decorating the Christmas tree that's in a bucket on the front porch)

Gingerbread Train "craft" turns into half hour candy frenzy

Entertaining herself with her underwear on her head...

(It never gets old, and Reagan is the queen!)

Self-portrait with kitty

(ok, yes..the Christmas tree is still on the porch in a bucket. Tomorrow!)

Early Morning Impromptu & Self-Directed Craft

2008-12-04T21:51:00.008-05:00

Sallie was the first awake yesterday morning, and was instantly full of energy-- a veritable flurry of creativity. Paper. Pens. Scissors. Tape. Questions. Questions. Questions.

"Mom, how do you write the number that comes after 9?"

"A '1' and a '0,' Sal."

"And how do you write the number that comes after 10?"

All the way up to 31.

When she was finished, she had her very own handmade Advent Calendar, complete with a candy "box" to put the candy in. Never mind that most Advent Calendars come with little doors to monitor the actual intake of candy--a superfluous detail in the mind of a five-a-half-year old who has, for the past two mornings, talked her father into at least three pieces of candy for breakfast. (The photo hardly does it justice, but please note that the candy box has a "lid," and that Christmas Day is marked with a stocking!) So cute.

And that's a "G" for January, with the first 8 days of the New Year. (We're going to need more candy!)

Oh, to have that much energy and creativity at 7 o'clock in the morning!

The White Envelope Project

2008-12-02T21:06:00.006-05:00

I read this story a few years ago, but had forgotten it. Now that I've read it again, I can honestly say that All I Want for Christmas is a White Envelope. It's a beautiful story and, I think, a tremendous idea for all of us:

"This story was originally published in the December 14, 1982 issue of Woman’s Day magazine. It was the first place winner out of thousands of entries in the magazine’s “My Most Moving Holiday Tradition” contest in which readers were asked to share their favorite holiday tradition and the story behind it. Woman’s Day continues to support this tradition and The White Envelope Project today.

“For the Man Who Hated Christmas”
by Nancy W. Gavin

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas--oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it--overspending... the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma---the gifts given in desperation because you couldn’t think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler’s ears.

It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn’t acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.” Mike loved kids - all kids - and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition--one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn’t end there.
You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing to take down the envelope.

Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit will always be with us."

Birthday Wishes...Answered!

2008-11-20T20:03:00.015-05:00

1. Whole family attends Montessori "A Walk Around the Sun" celebration (check).

2. Afternoon cat nap (check).

3. Birthday balloon (check).

4. Dinner at Mexico (check).

5. Cupcakes with sprinkles (check).

6. A Happy 4th Birthday (check!)

We love you, Sweet Eliza!!

Happy 4th Birthday, Sweet Eliza!

2008-11-19T20:03:00.001-05:00

Birth Day!

1st Birthday!

2nd Birthday!

3rd Birthday!

Today--4th Birthday!!

I didn't get the fashion gene.

2008-11-18T17:53:00.003-05:00

Please pray for my daughters.

Eliza put on this little number after school today. She later showed an even more heightened sense of style by adding bright yellow socks with her brown leather shoes. And then, yes, I actually allowed her to go out in public without changing a single thing.

Oh, to be almost-4 again, and able to pull this outfit off.

Offerings for a Wounded Tree

2008-11-17T21:58:00.000-05:00

Sallie has been climbing the dogwood tree in our side yard. And, I have to admit that I have been torn between wanting her to have a climbing tree (I had a great one when I was her age) and worrying that the dogwood was too small for her (or rather, that she had become too big for the dogwood tree). Recently, she climbed up, swung down on the branch, and broke it.

What Trent and I witnessed in the following couple of hours was an amazing display of what can only be described as Offerings for a Wounded Tree. It's always interesting to see children's reactions to things, isn't it?

Who Needs Pockets?

2008-11-16T17:32:00.002-05:00

My dad sent this to me and I love it. Enjoy!

The Power of a Simple Gift

2008-11-13T21:21:00.007-05:00

The girls and I made Christmas shoe boxes for a fundraiser called Operation Christmas Child that a couple of women have organized at Trent's work. It's through an organization called Samaritan's Purse-- you can read more about it here.

I thought that it would be a great opportunity for the girls to learn more about helping those in need. What better way to do that than to have them put together three shoe boxes full of All Things Princess, every bit of which they would love to keep for themselves, and then ask them to give it all away? They did manage to swipe a couple of lip glosses and some lollipops, but, in the end, they seemed to understand the significance of our gifts, and they seemed genuinely excited to deliver them. It's heartwarming to think of the three little girls in a faraway country who will be uplifted by their very own Princess shoe box. It's not a life-altering gift, but it's the kind of gift that can reach a lot of children. Samaritan's Purse has delivered over 63 million shoe boxes since 1993.

There are so many worthy causes, especially during the holidays, but I have to admit that this was one of my favorite outreach projects yet. Even if you can't make your own shoe box, you can still support this wonderful organization online by following this link.

The Power of a Simple Gift, indeed.

Hooray for Daddy!

2008-11-08T22:42:00.000-05:00

A Conversation with Reagan

2008-11-07T13:28:00.005-05:00

Doris Day in Teacher's Pet

Reagan: “Mommy, my a cheat-air.”

Mommy: “What, Sweetie?”

Reagan: “My a Cheat-Air.”

Mommy: “A what, Sweetie?”

Reagan: “My a CHEAT-AIR.”

Mommy: “Eliza, do you know what she’s saying?”

Eliza: “She says she’s a teacher.”

Reagan: (Smiles, happy to be understood). “My a cheat-air.”

Morning Note in a Shoe

2008-11-02T20:45:00.010-05:00

Sallie was our early riser this morning, although she slept until 6:45am (7:45 Daylight Saving time, so not too bad). Luckily, she decided to forgo her usual routine of waking both of her sisters up, and instead headed downstairs to watch a little TV and color. She came back upstairs a half an hour later, woke me up again, and followed me into my office. I was trying to find my glasses as she was whispering, "Look, Mom. Look!" When I looked down where she was pointing, I was greeted by this, my Morning Note in a Shoe:

It was a lovely drawing of the two of us, "wearing matching dresses," and it said, "Go, Mom!" (written as only a sweet little kindergartner could have written it). I have to admit that one of my favorite things about having small children is the sheer multitude of cute drawings I find around my house each day. This one was the perfect way to start my Sunday morning!

Halloween Aftermath

2008-11-01T16:23:00.005-04:00

A Halloween Interview with Reagan - October 31, 2008 from 3 for girls on Vimeo.
Editor's note: Listening to it today, it's clear that she actually said "chocolate," not "bucket."

A Halloween Interview with Eliza - October 31, 2008 from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

A Halloween Interview with Sallie from 3 for girls on Vimeo.

A Sister is Held Even Closer

2008-10-27T10:59:00.005-04:00

For those who haven't already read it, The Arizona Republic published this front page article on Stephanie and Christian Nielson. It's one of the most touching (albeit heart wrenching) stories I've ever read.

The Five O'Clock Rule

2008-10-21T22:36:00.004-04:00

Eliza's clock (presumably at 5:00)

A few weeks ago, Trent mentioned the Five-Second Rule to Eliza after she dropped some food on the floor. She has turned it into the Five O'Clock Rule. Her confusion is compounded in a very cute way by the fact that she can't tell time.

Night before last, Reagan dropped a piece of candy on the floor. Eliza stood watching the clock, waiting for one of the three hands to pass the 5, and then told Reagan that it was ok to pick it up and eat it.

Yesterday in the grocery store, Reagan (who apparently drops everything) dropped a piece of chicken. She wanted me to pick it up for her, which I did, but I threw it in the trash can and offered her another piece. Not mindful of the Five-Second Rule, I explained that we don't eat food off of the grocery store floor. To which Eliza quickly added, "Yeah, you don't eat it off the floor after 5:00, and we don't even have a clock here. Remember our rule, Mom?"

I hope that she stays almost-four-years-old forever.

Pumpkin Patchin'

2008-10-19T21:09:00.011-04:00

We went pumpkin patchin' (as Eliza calls it) yesterday...did you? The church around the corner gets their pumpkins from Native American Indians in New Mexico. We think that's pretty cool, and they are always really beautiful.

Cinderella x3 cleaned my floor today.

2008-10-16T21:19:00.008-04:00

Today, Sallie decided to be Cinderella, and used my Swiffer wet jet (with the cleaning pad on the wrong side) to "clean" my kitchen floor. Eliza, noticing how much fun she was having, decided that she wanted to be Cinderella.

To which Sallie replied, "Mommy, I'm being annoyed by Eliza because she doesn't want to be the Evil Stepsister. She can be as rude as she wants."

Luckily, Reagan came along and became, without her knowledge or consent, the Evil Stepsister, which enabled Eliza to have a go at Cinderella (this time with the cleaning pad right-side-out).

Someone should probably tell Reagan that the Evil Stepsister doesn't mop floors.

Family Reading Night

2008-10-14T20:55:00.014-04:00

Tonight was Family Reading Night at Sallie's school. The kids got to dress up as their favorite literary character (which was, of course, the best part) and partake in several activities geared toward encouraging kids to read.

And, great news...the dress that Sallie chose off of the 60% off rack at Kohl's over three years ago really came in handy. (Not that she hasn't already gotten her money's worth-- wearing it on the first day of school, in school photos, etc!)

It was a fun but exhausting evening with Fancy Nancy, Fancy Nancy's little sister, and Dora.

This photo says "after one-and-a-half hours of putting this outfit together, I've left half of it in the car." Poor Dora's shirt has seen better days (it was Sal's when she was 2, then Eliza's, then..well, you get the idea).

ah, yes, now that looks like Fancy Nancy!

Dads can be fancy, too!

Surrender Leads to Action

2008-10-08T23:30:00.000-04:00

Recently, a friend of mine had a project that she needed to accomplish for work that she just couldn't seem to begin. There were many reasons why: she didn't know where to start; she wasn't sure how much information she should include; and (I can especially relate to this one) she was afraid of failing. It reminded me of a mantra I used when I was playing soccer in high school.

I played the position of stopper, whose job is to stop opposing players, particularly the strikers, from scoring. I would often find myself full of fear and anxiety at the beginning of a game, knowing that if I allowed even one goal, it could mean the end of the game. However, once the other team scored a goal (whether it was my fault or not), I found that I became instantly fearless, and suddenly capable of playing my heart out. Consequently, we often won, even (or especially) when we didn't score the first goal.

Noting this phenomenon, I began imagining at the start of each game that the other team had already scored a goal. If I could imagine that we were already losing, then I had nothing to fear-- nothing left to lose as they say-- and so I could concentrate on the task at hand. This turned into a simple mantra, "Surrender leads to action." If I surrendered the win in my mind before we even began playing, then my anxiety lessened and I was able to play with more confidence, and have more fun in the meantime.

When I went on to college, I experienced this same anxiety whenever I had a big project looming over my head. I had a difficult time even beginning to write a paper, and I would often sit, staring at a blank piece of paper, not knowing where to start, or what to include. Fearful that I would get a bad grade on a paper that I hadn't yet begun. One day, I took out a piece of scrap paper, wrote down my little soccer mantra, and taped it to my Brother word processor. And then I began to write. As a result, I discovered, again, that once I accepted defeat (whether it was the thought of an imperfect paper or a bad grade), I was instantly freed from the fear and anxiety that was paralyzing me, and suddenly capable of writing the (usually quite satisfactory) assignment.

I realize that this is all in stark contrast to the power of positive thinking that I mentioned previously, but, for whatever reason, this technique worked for me years ago, and it helped my friend begin her own project this past week.

There is so much pressure in our society to be perfect. But if we could all surrender ourselves to imperfection just a little bit, we might be surprised at just how much we could actually accomplish (and at how perfectly it could all turn out after all).

A Boatful of Happiness

2008-10-06T22:49:00.006-04:00

"If you observe a really happy man you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his garden. He will not be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that has rolled under the radiator."

--W. Beran Wolfe

Thanks, Granddad and Katherine!!

Mosaic me happy.

2008-09-28T21:37:00.007-04:00

This is the mosaic craft that I found for my daughters at a Ben Franklin craft store several months ago. It was quite a deal for the $2 or $3 I paid for it, so I was thrilled to find it. The girls really enjoyed it-- for the first 10 minutes or so. And, as you can see, I thoroughly enjoyed it, too. I was "helping them," which, in all honesty, I rarely do, as I'm a big fan of letting children's art be just that--children's art. And that is how I knew, after I spent a good 40 or 50 minutes lost in this project--adrenaline rushing, creativity and wonder washing over me--that I just had to sign up for a mosaic class.

I had my first class this past week, and I found myself wishing that the teacher would pull out a bag of foam squares. Instead, she decided to make it a tad more challenging by having us cut our own mosaic glass out of stained glass scraps. All I have to say is, it's a lot more difficult than it looks! And, one tiny little caveat-- be careful not to dig through a container of stained glass remnants barehanded, or you will spend the rest of the class wiping blood off of everything you touch.

Without further ado, here's my first attempt at my first project (it's a mirror). I realize that it's not nearly as impressive as my mosaic craft from Ben Franklin, but I should mention that the teacher talked for most of the two hour class, and so we only had a half an hour or so to dig through broken glass, wipe up blood, and try to arrange and glue down some pieces.

I heart Louise.

2008-09-26T23:54:00.009-04:00

On the subject of happiness, I have to mention how much I love Louise L. Hay. For those who don't know her, she has written many books on the power of positive thinking. She believes that "every thought [we] think and every word [we] say creates [our] future."

There are several things I like about this idea, the first being that we actually do have control over our own thoughts, including how much someone else's words or actions can hurt us. Being a bit prone to a brooding state of mind, I've spent countless moments (hours, days, months) in my life absorbed in cyclical thoughts about negative experiences. I used to quite frequently replay the tapes in my mind of previous conversations, especially with people whose words and/or actions had hurt me. And--as Greg Allman would say, I'm no angel--I also spent a lot of time experiencing an excessive amount of guilt over things that I had done or said that had (often inadvertently) hurt others. Once I had children (especially since I had three children in four years), this tendency became somewhat diminished, simply because of the decreased amount of time I had available to spend on wasted thoughts. A couple of years ago, I discovered Louise, and I slowly began learning how to regain control over my negative thoughts. And that, as they say, has made all the difference.

Some people believe that the power of positive thinking is just a naive and Pollyannaish belief system, while other articles I've read indicate that it is, indeed, scientifically verifiable (especially as it relates to the placebo effect, for example). I know from my experience that it makes me feel better whenever I find myself lost in negative thoughts, and am suddenly able to flip the switch to something positive. And so, whether it's scientifically verifiable, or just dismissible New Age dogma, it's as real to me as the notion that exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, which has been scientifically proven to help depression.

A couple of thoughts on positive affirmations. I think that when most people hear about doing positive affirmations, they imagine someone sitting in the lotus position in meditation, diligently reciting daily affirmations. But, as Louise will tell you, everything we say or think is an affirmation. She believes that "all of our self-talk is a stream of affirmations," and that we are "affirming and creating [our] life experience with every word and every thought." While many people hear the term "positive affirmations" and run the other way, or conjure up images of the hilarity of Al Franken's Stuart Smalley character on Saturday Night Live, I'd like to stand up and say that positive affirmations have come a long way, baby. The idea of practicing positive affirmations is simply a mandate to be more mindful of your negative thoughts, and to work on retraining your mind to think more positively instead. Who can argue with that? It's a call to be 100% accountable for your own life, both the good and bad experiences. To eliminate blame; to find forgiveness; to choose love and peace whenever possible.

My favorite Louise Hay book is I Can Do It: How to Use Affirmations to Change Your Life (a small book that comes with a CD in the back (read by Louise) so that you can listen or read).

After two years of listening to her, I can say that I have less of a tendency to brood, and, while I still have my moments of doom and gloom, I am far more capable of cycling through it and getting myself back on track before I hit rock bottom than I ever was before. Each time, I make a conscious decision not to ride the downward spiral like I used to.

Here's one of my favorite quotes from her. She recommends that whenever you have a problem, you repeat over and over:

"All is well.
Everything is working out for my highest good.
Out of this situation, only good will come.
I am safe."

My sister listened to I Can Do It recently, and, when I asked her how she liked it, she responded, "It was great. She made me feel like I could do anything." I know from experience that this feeling can be illusive and fleeting, but I believe that she can do anything--so can we all. And for that newfound sense of knowing that I Can Do It, I offer up a giant serving of gratitude for Louise.

(Image from Louise Hay's book, You Can Heal Your Life).

3 for girls

2008-09-23T23:11:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite blogs that I've found since I suddenly and unexpectedly became a blogger is Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. After all, I originally began writing because I was inspired to try to create more joy in my own life, so how could I not love Gretchen's blog that she created in order to "recount some of [her] adventures and insights as [she] grapple[s] with the challenge of being happier?" If you haven't yet watched her One Minute Movie, The Years Are Short, then you really must see it. Chances are, it will make you want to create more happiness in your own life.

Speaking of joy, a few of my devoted readers have asked about the title of my blog, 3 for girls. Some of you probably knew immediately that it came from a Counting Crows song, A Murder of One. The lyrics of the song include the lines "You don't wanna waste your life" and "Change, change, change." This song was running through my head the night that I stayed up until 2:30am reading Stephanie Nielson's blog (as I read about the joy she found in motherhood, and the tragedy that befell her on August 16th when she and her husband were in a small airplane crash). And so, contemplating the creation of a blog with the idea of trying to create more joy in my own life, I thought of this song, my three daughters, and these lyrics:

"Well, I dreamt I saw you walkin'
Up a hillside in the sun
Casting shadows on the winter sky
As you stood there counting crows
One for sorrow, two for joy
three for girls, and four for boys
five for silver, six for gold
seven for the secret never to be told."

Wikipedia states that these lines are actually from a divination rhyme that Adam Duritz (the lead singer and founding member of the Counting Crows) heard in the film Signs of Life, and adds, "In the poem, the act of counting crows is particularly useless. Duritz reveals that a name is just a name, and, with that, is useless and can be anything."

I'm glad that he feels that a name "can be anything," because, in my mind, on the night that I signed onto Blogger for the first time, 3 for girls became more about counting joy than counting crows. My search for joy is as much, if not more, for my daughters than for me.

Today I happened upon the quote, "Man only likes to count his troubles, but he does not count his joys," by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and the story of my "useless" blog name came full circle.

Let us all remember to count our joys. If not today, then when?

[3 Crows in Flight by Paul Roberts Bryan.]

There's Nothing Quite Like Family

2008-09-22T23:27:00.015-04:00

My older cousin, Kim was in town tonight. She lives in Alabama, and was in town on business. It was the first time that she had ever been to our house. She's 10 or so years older than me, and there's just nothing quite like having family around. She has a daughter, Morgan, who is a beautiful 16--or is she 17 now?--year-old girl who happily entertained my daughters this past January when we went to her hometown to celebrate our grandmother's 90th birthday. Morgan is named after our grandmother and so is Sallie--she is Sallie Morgan.

We had dinner and then Kim helped me put the girls in their pj's, and then she started reading to the girls, one book that each girl picked out. Eliza snuck into the next room and found me, still dressing Reagan, and whispered into my ear: "I like it when she visits. Can she visit again tomorrow?" I wish she could, too, Eliza...I wish she could, too.

We talked about family...about our grandparents...she told me stories about our grandfather (who died three days before Sallie was born) that I had never heard before. It took me right back to their old house, to their kitchen, where we sat at the bar watching our grandmother cook dinner...our grandfather eating "lunch on a board" at the counter. I miss those days..and I miss my grandfather. And I miss my grandmother, too, even though she's only in Birmingham.

Kim gave me some advice on raising children, some advice on fall fashion trends..the kind of sisterly/cousinly advice that you just downright crave every now and then. If I were more like my father, I'd have taken photos to share..photos of Kim reading the girls' books, of the wine we drank on the patio in the moonlight (ok, streetlight)...photos of her saying goodbye a half an hour ago.

When Eliza asked if she could come back tomorrow, Kim promised her that she'd visit again before she turns five. (She'll be four on November 19th). The rest of us share her sentiments, so we're going to hold you to that promise, Cousin Kim.

There's nothing quite like family.

Kim in Orange Beach, Alabama -- January 2008

Morgan, entertaining the girls and Tulley Anne in Orange Beach, January 2008

21 Speeds of Ecstasy

2008-09-15T23:58:00.004-04:00

Oh, to ride a bike! There's just something about the feeling of freedom it gives you-- along with that delightful feeling that you're cheating at exercise--that I really love! The last bike I had was a mountain bike that was too big for me when I bought it. I sold it when I moved back home to attend graduate school in 1995. As I sit down to write this, I can't believe that I haven't had a bicycle in 13 years. (I have certainly put in my time pushing young children on their own bicycles in the meantime!)

I didn't realize how much I had missed riding a bike until my next door neighbor, Laura offered to loan me hers. It's a beach cruiser, and a lovely ride, except that it was made for men. I borrowed it anyway, and was thrilled to find one of those $300+ bike trailers on Craigslist for $80. The girls love it! I love it! But, I was having a difficult time whenever I had to stop, because the bar on the bike was too high for me. Yesterday, Trent suggested that he ride the beach cruiser, and that I spend my birthday money on a new one. My first thought was to search online and on Craigslist, but Trent suggested that we go the instant gratification route, and look at bikes at Target. How could I refuse? I honestly didn't think that I'd be satisfied with a bike from Target, but it's perfect for me and I love it!

Many thanks to Laura, who loaned me her bike and reminded me how much I love to ride, and thanks to my family members whose birthday gifts made my new bike and bike trailer possible! (I am also grateful for the slightly pulled muscle in my leg, which reminds me not to go overboard when I feel like I could ride all day long!)

Here are a few photos of the fun we've been having. Look ma, no hands!

My kind of happiness.

2008-09-13T22:24:00.006-04:00

No comment.

2008-09-12T23:59:00.001-04:00

Please don't think that just because I have only had 3 comments on my blog (thanks, SarahMom and MelancholySmile!) that no one's loving it. It's just that my loyal and extensive support base isn't of the blogger community, and so they email their comments instead. Here are just a few examples of the many thoughtful and supportive comments I've received:

"I am really enjoying your blog -- have learned to check it every day. The blog is now my favorite thing with my cup of morning coffee." --Katherine

"You're an accomplished blogger now with a defined style and established readership..." --Trent (ok, so he's my husband, but still..)

"Thanks for sharing - what cute girls! Not that I'm surprised, of course. And by the way, Sallie and May sound quite similar!" --Hillary

"You are such a talented writer. " --Julia

"You sure are energized! Pics, and accompanying text, great.. and what a surprise to find that I'm quoted." --Steve

"My stories cost, so when are you coming to pay up and paint that BEAUTIFUL color combination in my dining room. I love it." --A friend (and daughter-in-law of the owner of the '96 vintage green beans).

"SpongeBob SquarePants could never take the place of your tiaria. You're our Queen Mother!" --Mama Sudie

"khewl!" --Bill

"This is so wonderful..." --Betty

Thanks for all of your support...I appreciate it!!

Morning Bird's Nest

2008-09-11T21:20:00.005-04:00

This is the way that the back of Eliza's head looks in the morning. Every morning. Bath or no bath, wet or dry when she falls asleep: it looks the same when she wakes up.

We go through a lot of tangle spray.

Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

2008-09-10T21:13:00.006-04:00

We had a birth in the family recently, a new baby girl cousin for our girls!

I didn't post photos of her at the time, because my sister had emailed me with her concerns over some of the personal information I had shared online (such as my real name, our city and state, and the names of our daughters' schools). It was something that I should have thought about, but didn't...so many bloggers post this information on their blogs. But, there are also those who don't, like Melancholy Smile, who shares photos and videos, but not even the first names of her children. My sister directed me to this blog for a discussion on whether or not to post photos of your children online. (I'll add more info on this issue at the bottom of this post, for those who may be interested in reading more on the subject). After giving it considerable thought, I decided to remove information such as my real name, our city and state, and the names of our childrens' schools, but to continue to post photos of them on this, my increasingly popular blog. Thanks to my sister for sharing her concerns with me!

All of this to say, someone from my extensive reading audience asked me why I hadn't posted photos of the new baby girl in our family. It was for this reason, for her privacy and safety (and that of her parents, of course), that I didn't. So, without using her name, I'll post a couple of photos of my happy daughters on the night that they met their new cousin.

Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

**Now, back to boring Mommy stuff**

Here is some more information that my sister shared with me. It comes from the website NetSmartz411:

"Thank you for your comment - blogs by parents are becoming more and more popular. For the most part, our advice is for parents and guardians to help children to be safer while online. But you are right - the advice we give children should be followed by adults as well.

"Posting a child's picture on any site could put them at risk for victimization. I urge you to let your friends, family, and community know about NetSmartz411 as a resource for Internet safety. The advice particularly in the social networking and photo/video sharing sections could be very helpful to them. I also urge you to recommend using privacy settings of the blogging site to only allow access to close, trusted family and friends. I am also including some further information below.

"Using privacy settings to limit access to your children's pictures can help to protect them. However, you need to be sure that only people you know and trust in real life are able to see the pictures.

"There are many safety issues that arise when posting pictures of children online. These pictures can be viewed, copied, and saved by people all over the world. Once you put a picture out there, it can never be taken back. Any information, such as the name and location of their home, given on the web site would be available to everyone, regardless of their intentions. These children’s faces will be on the Internet forever and may be used in ways you may not realize. People looking to harm children could see the pictures and take advantage of the opportunity to make contact with children. This is especially dangerous if the pictures are posted on a site where personal information available could make it very easy for someone to find these children. The child’s name is not as risky as a last name, parents’ full names, or location being listed with the picture.

"We ask that you consider your audience well before choosing how and where you post pictures of children. We recommend ensuring that no identifiable information is provided where the picture is posted, such as home address, telephone number, school name, or any other significant identifying information that could be used to locate a child. Group pictures are preferable to individual pictures."

We invented the blog.

2008-09-09T20:50:00.000-04:00

The other day, my husband reminded me that we actually invented the blog. I was glad he reminded me, because I had forgotten, but he's right: we did invent the blog.

We had our own website, featuring our last name, back in the day when most people thought it was crazy to have your own website (well, except for my brother and father, who also had their own websites, but I digress). On this web log, which is to say, blog, we used to give informative and entertaining updates of our daily life. Like the time we decided to spend three months and countless time, energy and money replacing our own roof. We tore the old roof off in October, and got the new roof finished right after the first snow in January. It was a lot of fun, and I'm sure that our family members can attest to the degree of excitement and anticipation they felt over our sometimes daily updates.

Without further ado, here is a brief sampling: one page from the roof "blog," and another from August 2001, when dear 'ole Dust passed away. The quality of the images isn't great, since I'm scanning pages that were printed years ago (you know, back when the blog was invented), but, I think that you can still appreciate the historical nature of these, the very first blogs known to man. (It's true, just ask Al Gore.)

Eliza & Reagan's First Days of School

2008-09-09T00:02:00.003-04:00

Because of the way that the Montessori school works, where the new kids go to school the first week without the older ones, today was Eliza's first day of school! She was so cute--last week she heard us telling everyone that Sallie came home from Kindergarten the first day saying it was "AWESOME!" So, when I asked Eliza how her first day went, she said (but, of course), "AWESOME!!" Then she added, "I was shy around my new teachers at first, but then they helped me with arts and crafts."

Reagan's first day of school was last Wednesday. I didn't post photos because, at the time, I was trying to decide how much personal info I wanted to share with the rest of the world (more on that later). She's doing great, though (some might even say AWESOME!), and, perhaps most importantly, she was still in the same outfit when I picked her up all four days, which means that she is officially potty trained!! Here's a nostalgic look at her first day of school last Wednesday..

little girl lost

2008-09-07T18:50:00.014-04:00

Tonight we went to Sallie's school for a back-to-school concert, complete with hot dogs, snow cones, really loud music and a million kids running around the lawn and two playgrounds. Trent was helping a friend rebuild his front porch, so it was just the girls and me. It started off just fine..the girls waited in line with me to buy dinner, and then we met some new friends and found some old friends on the lawn. After dinner, things became more hectic. Reagan was the first one to wander off. She has always been pretty good about staying with me, but not tonight. The school has two playgrounds, an older one with tall, handmade wooden equipment with lots of places for kids to hide, and a smaller, newer one that has better visibility. The first time she disappeared was just a tease...I found her fairly quickly. Then she decided to one-up herself, and disappeared on the older, scarier playground. After looking everywhere on both playgrounds, I found her wandering around on the lawn. Not crying. And apparently unaware that she had lost me. Kind of scary!

Then, just as I decided to pack the girls up and head home because it was too stressful for me to keep up with all three of them amongst the 500 or so kids that were also enjoying the playgrounds, I lost Eliza. Not wanting to lose the other two, I picked Reagan up, and held Sallie's hand, and calmly (then frantically) searched both playgrounds, calling her name the whole time. Just as a real sense of panic began to set in, I ran into a friend's husband, who said that they had just announced her name over the loud speaker. (Which you couldn't hear from the playgrounds). So, Sallie, Reagan and I ran over to retrieve her from the woman who had found her, asked her for her name, then carried her over to the microphone so that they could make an announcement for me, and then held her (she was crying) until I got there. Then I had one of those delayed reactions where you realize just how panicked you really were, where your voice starts to crack and tears well up in your eyes as you're trying to tell the principal of the school that yes, this is your little girl lost.

I've always said that I don't panic when my kids wander off for a minute. Tonight served as a good reminder that sometimes, a little more caution, a touch of panic, can be a good thing, especially in today's world. I realized that our smaller, family-run Montessori school and our extremely friendly neighborhood have caused me to become a little too complacent. And so, a reminder to be more protective of my three little girls was actually a good thing.

It also reminded me that it's always a good idea to communicate a plan to your children in case they should become separated from you. Even if you don't think they're old enough to remember it. I had left our picnic blanket on the lawn, and if I had just thought to tell them to meet me there if they were lost, it may have saved us all from the untold anxiety that we (especially Eliza...ok, both of us) suffered. Another idea worth sharing is that a friend of mine always reminds her young children to find a mommy with kids to ask for help. The idea being, of course, that a mother with kids would be a safe person to approach. Luckily for me, a mother found Eliza tonight, and I was extremely grateful for her help.

The Back-to-School Concert (in happier times!)

One Man's Trash...

2008-09-06T14:43:00.010-04:00

Today we took a trip to a local architectural salvage place to find a couple of window sashes to go in the hole in the wall in our dining room that used to be a window. It's the kind of trip that Trent usually makes on his own, but, on this rainy day, the girls and I decided to tag along. As you can imagine, your local "oldest supplier of architectural salvage" isn't the most child-friendly place in town, but the girls and I decided to search out something salvageable for a craft. Just when I thought we would be going home empty-handed, we happened upon the tile section, and found a white bucket full of small, colorful tiles from old bathroom floors. The girls loved digging through the bucket to find their own tiles to take home, and we left with $6 worth of tiles. We cleaned them when we got home, and Trent cut and primed a board to glue them to, and it turned out to be a fabulous rainy day craft. As Sallie said when she finished hers and held it up for me to admire, "This says, 'Ta da! Ta da! Ta daaaaah!'"

“To be able to find joy in another’s joy: that is the secret of happiness.”

—Georges Bernanos

Color Me Joyful

2008-09-05T13:13:00.017-04:00

Yesterday, a friend of mine shared a story of a recent visit to see her mother-in-law. They were preparing dinner, and her mother-in-law went to the pantry to get a can of green beans. She found a can, examined it, and then said solemnly, "This can of green beans expired in 1996. As soon as I retire, I'm going to clean out this pantry." Then she placed the can back on the shelf!

I share this story, not to judge her, but because I can relate to the feeling of waiting for the perfect moment to arrive before tackling an overwhelming project. The problem with this attitude is that we end up Waiting for Godot, and that perfect moment may not ever arrive. Never mind that the longer we wait, the more daunting the task becomes.

Our Godot has been an addition on our house that we thought we'd begin as soon as we moved in over two years ago. Because we thought we would immediately find ourselves under construction when we moved in, we painted our house almost entirely one color. We thought we would do the actual decorating once the addition was complete. So now, over two years later, our house still looks like we're waiting for an addition that may never arrive.

Since I've been Inspired by NieNie, I've decided to stop waiting for the addition, and to start painting and redecorating our home, one room at a time.

I've been pleasantly surprised by how much joy a little bit of red paint can add to a home!

Anticipating the addition, May 2006

September 2008

Happy Birthday, Liz!

2008-09-04T14:19:00.002-04:00

Which means...since Liz and I were born at the same time (save those seven teeny weeny minutes between us), Happy Birthday to me, too! Have a wonderful day, Liz! Your present is *almost* in the mail!

School, Glorious School!

2008-09-02T09:43:00.037-04:00

Because I know you'll ask...no, it didn't make me sad to take my "biggest big girl," Sallie to her first day of kindergarten today! It did, however, make me sad to take her two younger sisters, Eliza and Reagan to the school that they all three attended last year without her. It's an interesting phenomenon, the sadness of being the one(s) left behind when someone takes off on an exciting new adventure. Luckily, it was a fleeting feeling of sadness for me, which hit me when I parked the car and ended as soon as I started to cross the street with my younger two girls on either side of me, each holding a hand. This is an exciting adventure for them, too, after all!

Smile, girls!

A little more enthusiasm!

A little more enthusiasm, Reagan!

Sallie's First Day at Elementary School

Big Girl Alert!

As my dad said to me recently, "It's hard to believe that it's the start of another school year...it's always my favorite time of the year: a fresh start with renewed energy and optimism." I wholeheartedly agree...here's to fresh starts and renewed energy and optimism, for both the students and their parents!

Trading SpongeBob for Tiaras

2008-09-01T07:51:00.005-04:00

I'll admit it, I'm one of those moms who lets their young children watch SpongeBob SquarePants. Occasionally. It used be more than occasionally, until my five-year-old daughter, Sallie announced loudly to whoever was listening, "Everything I know, I learned from Mommy and Daddy and SpongeBob." After that, we didn't see SpongeBob for a while.

In my defense, when you have a child like Sallie, who started crawling at five months, stood up in her crib at five-and-a-half months, and has hardly been able to sit still since, there comes a time when you will put on whatever TV show will actually keep her attention for the full 30 minutes. It took me a good deal of trial and error before I discovered that that show was SpongeBob.

I'm happy to report that today, in the name of creating more joy in our household, we traded SpongeBob for craft time, and the girls made their own tiaras (or tiarias, as Sallie calls them). I have, historically, done a lot of crafts with the girls, but, with all of the time they've been spending outdoors, it seems that more and more time indoors has been spent in front of the TV. (Especially during these, the dog days of summer). And so today we turned off the TV, and I watched in amazement and pure joy (oh, right, it's supposed to be about their joy!) as they entertained themselves for a full hour making tiarias.

One of my favorite quotes is attributed to Jill Churchill, who said, "The most important thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one." Indeed.

Inspired by Nie Nie

2008-08-31T15:25:00.005-04:00

My name is Mary Margaret, and I’m a blogger. I say that in much the same way that Bill Murray said “I’m a sailor! I sail!” while he was tied to the mast of a sailboat in the movie What About Bob. Yes, I realize that I’m quoting a movie from 1991, which isn’t very “current,” but, hey, what can I say? It’s the way I feel. I find myself sitting here at my desk, tied to the mast of the blogosphere, blogging. I’m a blogger!

The truth is, I didn’t plan on starting a blog, but then my sister’s friend—who is a professional writer (being new at this, I don’t know if it’s ok to mention her name here or not) recommended that I read her friend Susan Wagner’s blog, Friday Playdate. In her wonderfully entertaining and uplifting blog, Susan mentioned the auctions that her friend Gabrielle has been hosting in honor of Stephanie and Christian Nielsen (of the Nie Nie Dialogues). And so it was Stephanie’s blog that I ended up reading until 2:30am last night. I was truly inspired by her story, and by the energy, creativity and love that is so evident in her everyday life.

When I finally went to sleep, I was feeling extremely sad for this mother of four, now lying in a hospital bed, struggling to heal burns on 80% of her body as family members care for her four young children. The post that I kept going back to was one where she and her husband had created a Back to School Feast for their two daughters. It was so simple, yet so elegant, and such a loving gesture from Stephanie and Christian to their two young daughters.

My husband, Trent and I have three young daughters, but, because of many reasons, including my own “tendency toward melancholy,” as Elizabeth Gilbert would say, I seem to just barely make it through to the end of each day. I’m lucky if dinner is hot and homemade (and not of the prepared frozen variety). To see the life that Stephanie was leading before her accident, and to think of her now lying in a hospital bed made me angry at myself for the joy I have missed out on during the past five and half years since I’ve been at home with my daughters. Don’t get me wrong, I have had a lot of really fun times with my children, and I do work really hard to create happy memories for them, but that’s just it: it doesn't come naturally to me, so it really is work. It seems like it was effortless for Stephanie. To see the life she has lived makes me feel ashamed that I’m not making more of an effort to create more joy in our home. And so, today, in her honor, I have decided to choose joy. I realize that it's a bit of a cliche, but this woman who I’ve never met, and who I've only recently discovered online has inspired me to want to be a better person. I want to be a better mother to my children; I want to bring more joy into our everyday life.

Thank you, Stephanie. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Christian, your children, and your friends and family.

3 for girls

Rill Riting

The Most Endearing Christmas Gift

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing..

ELIZA LOVE

Happy Birthday, Birthday Girl!

Be prepared.

Of Noble Employment

Guerrilla Goodness!

Eliza & Reagan's First Day of School!

Existential First Grader

Rainy First Day of First Grade!

Sing it right!

aaaaahhhhhh, SUMMER!

ah, Summer!

Pedal me a milestone!

Oh, to be loved and liked!

Last night I had the strangest dream..

Fun with Grandmommy Sallie

Thank goodness for washable markers.

A Compelling Argument

Spring in all its glory!

Autobiography in 5 Short Chapters

4 Days for 3 Years!

What the World Needs

The Peace of Wild Things

Happy 6th Birthday, Sallie C!

Chubby Stubbies

By Order of the Management.

Secret Keeper

A Grateful Heart

A Noble Profession

Welcome to the World, Baby Ava!!

Fancy Nancy Goes to Time-Out

Quality time facilitated by miscommunication...

Baby Steps

From the bottom of our hearts...

Shirley Temple, Eat Your Heart Out!

Love Letter to a Friend

New Year's Resolution #3: Be the Change.

So Happy to Share the Good News!

New Year's Resolution #2: Do the Thing You Think You Cannot Do

Weekend Agenda: Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday, Birthday, Birthday

The Ingenuity of a Five-Year-Old Princess

New Year's Resolution #1: Finish What You Start

Today's Refrigerator Art

Happy 91st Birthday, Grandmommy Sallie!

Happy, Happy Christmas -- The Big Day

Happy, Happy Christmas - Part III

Happy, Happy Christmas - Part II

Happy, Happy Christmas - Part I

We wish you a

Milk and cookies...check!

Christmases Past, Part II

Christmases Past

Like the corners of my mind...

Girl bites father in pretend fight; loses 2nd tooth

Milestones

Before my spirit falls again...

There Are More Important Things than Stopping for Gas

Happy Birthdays, Katherine & Dad!

An Apology to Santa

Please vote for "My Dog's Christmas Cabin"!

Yes, as a matter of fact,we did...

Early Morning Impromptu & Self-Directed Craft

The White Envelope Project

“For the Man Who Hated Christmas” by Nancy W. Gavin

Birthday Wishes...Answered!

Happy 4th Birthday, Sweet Eliza!

I didn't get the fashion gene.

Offerings for a Wounded Tree

Who Needs Pockets?

The Power of a Simple Gift

Hooray for Daddy!

A Conversation with Reagan

Morning Note in a Shoe

Halloween Aftermath

A Sister is Held Even Closer

The Five O'Clock Rule

Pumpkin Patchin'

“For the Man Who Hated Christmas”
by Nancy W. Gavin