I see you there, browsing Pinterest, Instagram, and the rest of the Parenting Dark Net of perfectly detangled children frolicking in leaf-piled lawns in agonizingly “so simple!” homemade costumes.  If you’re anything like me, you’re probably tallying all the steps that coordinated Back to the Future family costume set would require. On one hand, the payoff looks great: the approval,

My husband and I recently welcomed a foster child into our home.  The kiddo has since moved on (all good stuff!) but I came out of the experience realizing I think I’d forgotten what the infant stage is like.  I say stage.  Maybe I really mean fog.  That hazy, what-time-is-it what-day-is-it period of life when you aren’t sure what’s up

It’s fall!  The most magical time of the year…a time for squash and cinnamon and s’mores…and sickness. Dangiiiiiiit. So, in honor of this ~most magical time~ I’m offering you this list of TEN activities you can enjoy when you’re sick and at home parenting a little one at the same (gloriously fun!) time: Tea Party — this is like a

Recently, I was in the store with my 3-year-old daughter who was happily chatting away in the cart, when an older woman came up to us and exclaimed over my daughter’s apparent precociousness. I’m sure you know the drill, or something like it. “She’s so chatty and bright, it must be because you’re not–” she cut herself off and mimicked

The internet is an overflowing cornucopia of Halloween costume ideas for little kids. Most of them involve what seems to be one thousand accessories. Who has time for that? Not me. So I’m here to share some ideas that are sure to be fairly easy to construct with no more than 5 parts (because I see you, I see your

Target: This is the obvious one, the low-hanging fruit on the consumerism-as-desperate-bid-for-focused-house-escape list. Pro: They will definitely have cute cardigans to browse while I look for the things I came in for (ostensibly not cardigans, but who’s really keeping track here). Con: Cashiers are going to think, “That lady really should keep a list or something, why is she here

When I last left you regarding this blog post theme (In Which I Do Something Selfish, Part 1) I was preparing to do the unthinkable: I was getting ready to take a solo vacation, whilst leaving the kids in the care of my capable husband. Here’s a quick recap: I was on a book draft deadline, and when my husband

My family recently underwent the work to become a licensed foster care family. Since this is a big change, I wanted to introduce my three-year-old daughter to the concept of a new little person living with us. However, most books aimed at expanding families for young children are solidly in the “mommy is pregnant!/you’re getting a baby sister/brother” category, with

If they have legs, they will not want to use them. If they have arms, they will not want to have them sunblocked. If they have hands, they will not want to hold yours. If they have a hat, they will not want to wear it. If the whole small mammal house smells like the skunk enclosure exploded, they will

Lately my little family has been going through a rough patch. My husband got laid off from his job, and our schedules have been reworked like Play Dough as a result. Our family vacation was booked for later this month, but with the layoff, there went the availability of paid time off, or the ability to be gone from a