Deep Thoughts by the Jackster: Hair

Mom, I like your hair. Can I have it?
(No. I'm kind of attached to it, Jack.)

Oh.... Well, how can we get it off?
(I'd have to cut it off.)

I think we should shave it off.
(Ah... no thanks.)

You know, mom...

I have short hair....

And you have long hair...

Everyone has different hair....

And THAT's what life is all about!

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Thanks Jack! I always knew that life was about appreciating our differences... and hair, of course.

We all have good hair days and bad hair days. We each wear our hair a little differently, but in the end we are the same. We all have hair. I think what Jack wants us to do is to challenge our preconceived notions about hair and to embrace people's hair choices.

Remember, there are few things that bring as much joy to a person as being told, "Wow, your hair looks great today!"

Vive la différence! Vive les cheveux!

Retrieved May 27, 2011 from http://www.godriddance.com/category/beauty-and-cosmetics/

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Writing Prompt: Not My Mother's Daughter

This post is based on the following writing prompt from Mama Kat’s Pretty Much World Famous Writers Workshop:

Writing Prompt: Not your mother's daughter...how do you parent differently than your mother did? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

She was tired by the time I arrived. Exhausted. Resigned.

She was everything to me, but she was distracted most of the time. Distracted by her pain. There was never an I love you whispered in my ear. I was in the way.

I understand. Not happily married. Not able to pursue a career. Or should I say that this is the life she chose? A victim. A martyr.

She loved me, but she was unable to care. In the end, I was her caregiver. Too young, and unprepared to deal with the disease that would claim her. But I did the best I could. I did what I knew how to do. Not enough, perhaps.

I learned. I grew. Without her.

She is a part of me, an awareness. And I remember the love. I remember her brilliance for though there was always pain, some days she shone bright as the sun. I remember that she did the best she could.

I can do better. I can accept that I am in control of my failures and my successes. I am not a victim. My life is a life I have chosen. Perhaps the life I choose tomorrow will be different, but here I have arrived. Here I am.

I am a different mother than my mother was to me.

I am my son’s tour guide. It is my job to point out the paths and then to let him choose. It is my job to help him assume responsibility for that choice. I look for ways to help him express his individuality, to learn what it is that he enjoys, to make mistakes, to try again and to succeed.

I am sometimes distracted as she was, but mostly I am aware. Thanks to my memory of her. I don’t blame others for my trials. I accept them and so focus on solutions rather than self-pity. I can ask my son for help, remind him to tell me what he needs. We can learn to listen to each other.

Listen. There is so much to hear.

My son will always know that I love him unconditionally. I tell him so every day. He will never go a day without at least one hug and a kiss on the cheek, so long as he wants them.

I am not my mother, but my mother is in me. I am aware. I am better. I am very fortunate and I am grateful. I am who I am because it is who I choose to be. And I am who I am because of who she was.

Thanks mom. I love you.

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This was my first ever writing prompt exercise. Being the relentless gammar freak that I am, it was a challenge for me to write in this style, with some short, incomplete sentences, but I went with it. I followed my heart where it wanted to go, and this was the result.

My Own Words: Guest Blogging at The White Words

I'm guest blogging today!

My post, I Choose Community, not Competition is featured today at The White Words. Please stop by and share your thoughts.

While you're there, check out the rest of Anne's blog. She's really pretty awesome! Be sure to tell her Cookie's Mom sent you.

Children's Author Spotlight: Barbara Reid

We discovered Barbara Reid, award-winning author and illustrator, through the book The Subway Mouse, a gift from Cookie's Aunt and Cookie's cousin's favourite book as a child. Barbara's plasticine art is awe-inspiring. In The Subway Mouse she creates a stunning underground world, and tells the story of a single courageous mouse who dares to believe and follows his feet to Tunnel's End.

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The Subway Mouse
Written & illustrated by Barbara Reid

Nib lives deep beneath the city, in a subway station the mice call Sweetfall. By day the trains thunder past. At night, the old mice tell stories of the mythical land known as Tunnel's End, where the air is sweet and the nests soft, but where scary, mouse-eating monsters roam.

 

To read the rest of my review of Barbara Reid's books, please visit Cookie's Book Club.

I Took The Mom Pledge

I didn't need much of a nudge to take this pledge. Thanks to Cristi of Motherhood Unadorned for the prompt.

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This pledge is not just for bloggers. It's also important for readers and commenters to read the words and take the pledge. It's about supporting each other, empowering each other and not bullying each other. So please consider taking The Mom Pledge by clicking here.

The Mom Pledge

I am a proud to be a mom. I will conduct myself with integrity in all my online activities. I can lead by example.

I pledge to treat my fellow moms with respect. I will acknowledge that there is no one, “right” way to be a good Mom. Each woman makes the choices best for her family.

I believe a healthy dialogue on important issues is a good thing. I will welcome differing opinions when offered in a respectful, non-judgmental manner. And will treat those who do so in kind.

I stand up against cyber bullying. My online space reflects who I am and what I believe in. I will not tolerate comments that are rude, condescending or disrespectful.

I refuse to give those who attack a platform. I will remove their remarks with no mention or response. I can take control.

I want to see moms work together to build one another up, not tear each other down. Words can be used as weapons. I will not engage in that behavior.

I affirm that we are a community. As a member, I will strive to foster goodwill among moms. Together, we can make a difference.

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Join the community here and take the pledge!

A night out at the Theatre: Mom's the Word

Picture a mother telling her friend a story. She and her son were having the worst day and she finally broke down in tears. The most amazing thing happened after that. Her son gave her a hug and was an angel the rest of the day. (This reminded me of something I experienced on a bad day with Jack - see The Job of Parenting). Her friend agreed, Oh ya, I use that trick all the time, but you know what works better than tears? Pretend your dead!

I'm paraphrasing from a skit I witnessed last night at Theatre Calgary's Mom's the Word: For Crying Out Loud. If this production comes to your town, you need to go see it. I laughed so hard I cried. Hysterically funny!

The audience roared with laughter, as scene after scene from our own lives were acted out in the funniest ways. One mom described  starting out each day as Mary Poppins and ending up Cruella De Vil. Who has not felt that way some days?

There was a brief skit about the challenge of preparing three meals a day - three different meals a day - three nutritious and different meals a day - every day. I could really relate (see Lunch Should be a Four Letter Word).

Writing humour is not easy and I was surprised at how hilarious this play was. Of course, motherhood is full of funny moments, sometimes tragically so. It was a long play - about 2 hours - but still I wanted more.

There were touching moments too, dealing with such topics as changing relationships with our kids and husbands, and dealing with a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Superbly written, and so well performed. Thanks for the laughs, ladies!

Here's a clip from rehearsals. If you are unable to see the video below, click here to view it on blip.tv.

The Stylish Blogger Awards

The lovely Robin of Farewell, Stranger, recently honoured me with the Stylish Blogger Award! I can't tell you how it has inspired me. It's been a rough year (we've had many nasty colds), and I lost a bit of steam this past week... or has it been two weeks? Let's just say that May has not been a stellar posting month. But now, armed with some killer antibiotics and encouragement from Robin, I'm ready to put my best face forward again. Thanks for the award, Robin, and thank-you for your honesty and bravery in sharing your travels through motherhood! You are an inspiration!

According to tradition, having received the Stylish Blogger Award, I must share 7 things about myself with all of you and then award 10 fabulous new (to me) bloggers the Stylish Blogger Award.

Okay, all set? Got yourself a mug of tea or a cup of joe? Feet up, nice and relaxed? Here are 7 things you may not know about me:

1. I have freakishly accurate Name That Tune skills. Seriously. I can hear as little as one bar of an obscure song and tell you its name and artist. Music so pervades my brain matter that I remember lyrics and guitar riffs more easily than anything, including what I just ate for lunch. If I want to remember something, I just need to set it to music.

2. I dislike housecleaning intensely. In fact, I'm not a fan of domestic life in general. Occasionally I get the urge to cook something, but if I take a few deep, cleansing breaths it passes soon enough. I exaggerate slightly. I am told that I make an amazing assortment-of-stuff-we-had-in-the-fridge snack tray, and I'm pretty good with a blender. I really don't like to cook, but I do like to eat. I'm always on the lookout for easy and delicious meal ideas, so if you've got one, I want it! I'll share some of my favourites here too. I don't want to see anyone waste any more time than is necessary in the kitchen (unless they're having a party).

3. I would like to try martial arts, but I'm so uncoordinated I'm afraid I'd kick my own butt.

4. If I won the lottery, I'd be a professional student. I'd be totally lazy about it and skip lots of classes, but I'd still learn a bunch. I love to learn new things. Also, if I won the lottery, I'd travel the world! I'd learn a lot on the road. Right. Scratch the professional student career. Who needs an education when you have money? On second thought, scratch the world travelling thing too. If I won the lottery, I would eat out every day - all day. Of course, I could do that while I travel. Un-scratch the travelling thing. Boy, being a millionaire is a more complicated than I thought!

5. I like hiking, camping, a big roaring fire, and any other way that I can zen out (that doesn't involve meditating - every time I try to meditate I end up planning how I will redecorate the living room - it gets expensive). I love the outdoors, but as I get older I become more of a fairweather outdoor enthusiast. In the summer, I try to get out as much as I can. In the winter, I'd much rather watch this video of a crackling fire and eat marshmallows out of a bag than go outside.

6. I would like to learn how to play golf, without all the whining and swearing. I hear it can be done.

7. I'm a passionate person. I have a hard time NOT standing up for the little guy. It gets me into trouble sometimes. I'm trying to learn to pick my battles and to focus my energy on creating positive change in the world. Though I've always had an ability to see both sides of an argument, I'm still working on appreciating all of the ways of looking at a thing. I'm trying to find a balance between voicing an opinion and standing up when it is right to do so, and being open to seeing things in a new way.

And now to pass on the Stylish Blogger Award to 10 fabulous bloggers who I have recently come to know and love.

First a word about the award. If I was being videotaped (with my knowledge) while blogging, I would probably endeavour to be stylish in the nice shoes, love the hair sense of the word. But since no one can actually see me, I'm happily typing away in my 'comfy pants'.

So if it's not about our clothing or hairstyles, what does it mean to be a stylish blogger?

These very deserving bloggers - some of them writers or aspiring writers, some of them moms, some of them both writers and moms - have plenty of style. Being a stylish blogger, in my view, is about being bold and brave, and sometimes venturing where no blogger has gone before with beautiful results.

With this award I honour the way these ladies present themselves, their honesty, their creativity, their sense of humour and their sharing nature. Thanks to all of you for the laughs, the tears, the encouragement and the support!

1. The lovely and talented, Ashley Graham - She's caring and supportive of fellow writers and bloggers and a great Twitter friend!  Check out her top tweets of the week. Yes, she's already received numerous awards from her peers, but she's worthy of a few more.

2. Tonya of Letter for Lucas - Like me, Tonya uses her blog about life as the stay-at-home mother of a young boy as a means of therapy. I wonder how many times the words SAHM and therapy appear together in a sentence. Tonya, I hear you girl!

3. Rachel of Cool Bean Mommas - She's very funny and original, and her food posts make me salivate... almost enough to cook. Even though I have one child and not three like Rachel, I still relate to her Mommy Evolution post. I started this gig full of energy, armed with a camera, scrapbook and plenty of crafty ideas to stimulate my child's creativity, and now consider it a good day if my child has been fed and has matching socks.

4. Carri of Adventures in Mommyhood - She understands that being a good mom and a love of vodka can co-exist. Her blog is super stylin'. She's getting lots of follower love already, but there's a good reason for that. She's blunt and hilarious! Bottoms up, Carri!

5. Kim of Let Me Start by Saying... - She wrote one of the most tragically beautiful posts I've read in a long time (Exhale). I'm grateful for her honesty and her courage, and for giving me a benchmark to measure my own writing against.

6. Leighann of Multitasking Mumma - Her recent Vlog still has me chuckling. She's won this award before too, with good reason. She's another brutally honest blogger (I'm sensing a trend here), and the results are highly entertaining. Thanks for the laughs, Leighann.

7. "J" and "S" at Venti With the Girls - Their posts are thoughtful and funny. On Mondays they host a Monday Vent. Let it all out! Then come back at the end of the week for Bright Side Friday to express your gratitude for the good stuff.

8. Louise Wise of Wise Words - Louise supports her fellow authors by showcasing their works on her blog. She also supports other bloggers by featuring writing or book-related articles that have resonated with her. She's a friend to the self-published author and all lovers of books!

9. Elizabeth Ann West of EA West Writing - She provides a wealth of information to would be writers on her own journey to becoming a self-published author.

10. Nicole of My Idealife - Nicole is a new blogger like me, a mom like me, and I find her musings on motherhood highly amusing. Show her some comment love!

My Family Rocks: Post-Mother's Day Reflections

Okay, I'm taking another crack at a post I wrote last week that was subsequently lost by Blogger. Nice! Let's see how much I can remember....

On Mother's Day I was sick with a cold. Sucks to be me, you say. Mmm... it wasn't all bad. Not that I wanted to be sick... again.... but it was just a cold (there are worse things in life), and in the end it turned out to be just what the doctor ordered.

 Retrieved May 16, 2011 from http://twinpossible.com/when-mom-gets-sick-oh-no

A couple of weeks ago my husband asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day. I was just amazed to be asked that question more than 24 hours ahead of time. After I got over my shock, I jokingly said I'd like to sleep all day. I have been burning both ends of the candle, fighting off colds, and was exhausted. There were all sorts of reasons why that wasn't going to happen. We had other plans such as attending a Mother's Day/Birthday dinner for the matriarch of the family. But it was a nice dream.

Well, I came down with another nasty cold and guess what happened? I pretty much spent the day in bed. That's right. I got my wish. I couldn't go to dinner and risk making our 94-year-old aunt sick. Life essentially came to a halt. Well, except for the laundry that needed doing - sheets needed to be changed. Moms know this - no matter how sick you are, your to do list does not do itself. 

Thanks to that cold, I had time to slow down! My boys were great caretakers. They brought me food and made sure I had hot tea to drink. It was a wonderful Mother's Day! What I needed more than anything (besides sleep, which is just a standing order around here), was a chance to lay back and do nothing much of anything. Ahhh. 

Thanks boys. You two are the best. Thanks for caring about what I wanted and thanks for looking after me when I needed it!

By the way, if you find yourself sick, here are some tips on how to handle being a mom at the same time.

Is there an ideal person for you?

I was part of a conversation about the ideal woman - okay I was lurking around a conversation about the ideal woman - and who or what that might be. It wasn't a serious conversation, but I started to really think about it. I can't help myself. I'm a thinker.

Retrieved May 16, 2011 from http://tarotcardpsychology.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/10-weeks-to-attracting-your-ideal-partner-week-1/

It occurred to me that since the only constant is change, what is ideal today is something entirely different tomorrow. People grow and change in small ways as part of a plan or in reaction to what's happening around them. Since people change, no matter who you choose or end up with there will be some adjustments to be made along the way. Focusing on some ideal and expecting it to last is not only pointless, it's like wearing blinders all of the time. Life is made up of ideal moments that will pass us by if we are always looking for something else.

What do you think? Is there an ideal partner? Have you met yours?

Edited to fix an embarassing typo. New question: Is there such a thing as life without typos?

Children's Author Spotlight: Oliver Jeffers

One of Jack's favourite authors is Oliver Jeffers. According to the lovely woman who works in the children's book section of my local Indigo store, when she reads Jeffer's Once There Was a Boy books, the boys sit very still and listen very intently. Imagine! Boys sitting still! These books are categorized as preschool to grade 2, though we have enjoyed them since Jack was a toddler.

Our favourite is still Lost and Found, the first one we purchased. This first story in the series is about a boy who finds a penguin at his front door. He then sets out on a mission to find out where the penguin belongs. It's an endearing story of friendship.

To read the rest of my post on Oliver Jeffers' books, please visit Cookie's Book Club.

Blogger is Back Up

Well, maybe no one even noticed... after all my blog is still just a baby. But if you were wondering what happened to my latest post, here is your answer. Blogger had some technical difficulties and was shut down for about a day, and many posts were temporarily removed. Hopefully, my post will be back soon.

Still under the weather here, so I have nothing to report today anyway. Just hangin' with the Jackster lamenting the multitudes of things I am not accomplishing. Oh well. Life is about moments not milestones. There's nothing on my to-do list that hasn't waited so long it can't wait a little longer! At least I'm with an adorable and charming little boy who makes me laugh.

I hope you and yours are well!

TGIF! Have a fantastic weekend!

Happy Mother's Day!

It's Mother's Day, and today I'd like to pay tribute to my own mom and to all mothers. Until we become mothers we can't truly appreciate the jobs our own moms did in raising us. The worries they carried so that we wouldn't have to, the dreams they had for our lives and the efforts they went to for our happiness: All of these things are a greater burden than anyone can imagine... until the burden is ours to bear.

This video sums up the job of motherhood as well as anyone ever could. All I can say after watching it is, "Phew!"


It's all worth it, of course, for those sparkling moments when our child does something nice for someone else or looks up at us and says "I love you, mom." It's the best job there is. Once you become a mother, truly every day is Mother's Day. Our children are always with us. We carry their hopes and fears in our hearts.

It is also the hardest job there is, and it's nice to be honoured on our special day. Most of us are so dog-tired that when asked the question, "What would you like for Mother's Day?" we respond, "Oh, maybe just a nice brunch out with all of you." Truthfully, we'd rather not wait in a line with all of the other exhausted moms and their families for a table in a crowded restaurant and a meal that, while lovely, will take far too long to arrive. But we love our families and we're accustomed to putting their needs above our own. Often we don't think about what we want, and when we do we're reluctant to voice it.

This year, when asked the question, I thought long and hard and then answered as honestly as I could, "Sleep. I just want to sleep the entire day away. I'm not sure I'll even need to eat, but if someone would occasionally bring me some food that would also be nice."

Happy Mother's Day! May you be treated like a queen, or at least not have to clean dirty diapers and walk the dog today.

Dads, kids, assuming you've left it this long to find that perfect gift for mom, fret not. Believe it or not, there's still hope for you. Check out this list of What Mothers REALLY Want on Mother's Day from Cool Bean Mommas. You can also check out this list of popular e-books for mom.

And dads, we know you carry a heavy load too, but today is not your day. Your day is in June, when I shall pay homage to you. Until then, trust that you are appreciated for your part in raising happy and healthy humans. Now be a dear and fetch mama a cocktail.

Great deals to celebrate mom!

This Sunday May 8th is Mother's Day. Celebrate mom by giving her something wonderful to read. Heck, at these prices, you can load up her Kindle for the year! (Don't forget to give her the precious gift of time too, so that she'll be able to enjoy her favourite book.)

Pride and Prejudice

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." -- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Amazon.com Product Description:
When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited; he is indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows, Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.

Also free from Jane Austen through Amazon (for US Customers only) are Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility and Emma. Canadian customers, check Project Gutenberg for free public domain titles.

Click here for more deals on popular books!

May 8, 2011 - Edited to add:  
Even more deals! These prices were too good for me to resist.

Easy & quick knitting project: Slippers for the whole family

I've been doing a lot of knitting lately - trying to spread the cozy woolen love. I cleaned out my craft closet and found several incomplete knitting projects - it's just embarrassing to admit how many, so I won't. I spent a bunch of time organizing and undoing old knitting projects that I knew I'd never finish, like that over-sized mohair cardigan I started in the 80s.

My son has been asking me, almost daily for a few months, when I will knit something for him. I knit him a quick bag for his toys... which went over like a lead balloon. There's not a lot of spare time for large knitting projects these days, so I had to find something else that isn't as big of a commitment as a sweater, and isn't winter-wear since it's now spring.

I found this great knit slipper based on an old 1940s pattern, adapted by Bev Qualheim. It knits up fast and true to the pattern. It's not difficult to adjust the size of these slippers as you go. To make them longer just keep knitting until you reach the desired length less 2" for the toe. To make them wider, just cast on a few more stitches, or increase (I increased in the middle, just inside the purled stitches) as you get to the wider part of the foot.

Here are some pictures of Jack's slippers. Of course, I had to complicate things by adding a second colour. I used a strand of green and a strand of multi-coloured wool for the foot and green and blue for the toe. I think they're pretty cute.



I knit some slippers for myself with reclaimed pink and burgundy wool. You may recall that I am not a fan of pink, yet the wool needed to be used and what else was I going to do with it? Combining the two colours made it less 'pinky'. I made mine both longer and wider than the instructions indicate for my size 9-wide feet.



And then I knit two more pair - matching slippers for Jack and his dad - from some funky 80s style chunky wool. I revised the heel on these two. The original pattern leaves a bump on the bottom. I started with fewer stitches in the centre section (1 stitch on Jack's, and 3 stitches on dad's) and then increased by two stitches every second (WS) row to the number of stitches in the original instructions. This allowed the heel to lie flat.

This is my new favourite slipper pattern! What do you think?

Do you have a slipper pattern to share? I'm always looking for ways to do things a little differently.

The Most Beautiful Moment of My Husband's Life

I want to share a moment with you filled with deep emotion, a personal moment that my husband will remember for as long as he lives.

Have you ever had such an intense feeling of joy that you couldn't contain it? There's that screech that comes out when we hear that our girlfriend is pregnant. Sometimes we're so happy - when we or someone we love gets married, when a child is born and so on - that tears escape down our cheeks.

Well last week I saw my husband happier than I have ever seen him before. Now, consider that we are married - so there was a marriage - and that we have had a child together. Neither of these events have made him as happy as he was last week when his favourite hockey team, the Vancouver Canucks, won the 7th game in the series against the Blackhawks in overtime.

I've always known about my husband's love of hockey, but it never occurred to me that I might be his second love. He was so overcome with emotion when they won that he picked me up and started jumping up and down in celebration. He was almost in tears when he pronounced that he hasn't been this happy since the Canucks beat the Flames on their way to the Stanley Cup final in 1994.

I'm very happy for my husband, don't get me wrong. But just for a second, I was feeling a little less than worthy. Now, after some reflection, I understand that there are different levels of love and that the love for a child, the love for a spouse and the love for a sports team can coexist.

And now, since it is my vow and my pleasure to support my husband's interests....

Go Canucks go!

 Retrieved May 2, 2011 from http://www.globalmaritimes.com/sports/Photos+Canucks+fans+show+their+Game+love/4679210/story.html

Looking Back at the Month of April

What the heck happened? It feels like I went to bed in March and woke up in May! Let's review...


At the beginning of April, I took a trip with Jack to visit my sister. I left the keys with a group of authors who had a bit of fun over at Cookie's Book Club. ~ Cookie's Mom proudly presents...

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The trip was lovely, and I had some interesting air travel related stories to tell on my return. ~ What an adventure!

Spending time with my sister always causes me to reflect on our relationship and how much it means to me. I am so grateful for her support. ~ For my sister

Jack and I returned to our daily schedule, and tried to catch up on some much needed rest.
~ Quiet Time: A Welcome Daily Ritual

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On our trip I picked up a beautiful dream catcher for Jack and we hung it in his window. Who knew it would open up a dialogue about his dreams. Ever since then we've had the most interesting conversations in the morning! ~ Dream Catchers

Jack was back at preschool, and naturally that meant getting sick with yet another cold. 2011, I officially dub thee The Year of the Cold. ~ Snow Days and Sick Days

I wrote my first controversial opinion piece on the topic of romance and chick-lit genres and the sweeping generalizations we sometimes make about them. ~ Women's fiction versus other genres of literature

Then I wrote two more controversial pieces. I've been reading some interesting blog posts lately, and can't help but respond to some of them. ~ How long should you nurse your child? ~ The Skeptical Reader: Do First-Born Boys Really Demand More Mommy Time?

I experienced some beautiful music last month. I attended a string quartet concert and watched a moving video about a virtual choir of two thousand voices. Stunning! ~ Sunday Choir ~ An Evening of Music: Brentano String Quartet

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I reviewed another book. ~ Northlight: Book Review and Interview with Deborah Ross

I offered some parenting tips on setting boundaries and dealing with a gifted child. ~ Parents: Do you sent boundaries? ~ Is your child gifted?

I waxed philosophic about deep subjects like embracing community over competition and parking. ~ I Choose Community, not Competition ~ Parking Karma

People keep expecting cookies when they visit my site, so I felt it was my duty to satisfy the craving in some way. ~ Sunday Treat: Peanut Butter and Pretzel Truffles

There was a brief vent about the never-ending winter. ~ I am tired of snow!

And yesterday, I answered April's poll question. ~ Is competition good for our kids?

I also did a bunch of knitting in April. Knitting is good therapy when you're at home sick with a preschooler. I'll share those patterns and pictures of my creations with you soon.

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It is now May and the sun is shining. I feel confident that it is now finally spring, and I'm looking forward to hikes and bikes, gardening and other outdoor pursuits.

Retrieved May 1, 2011 from http://www.manataka.org/page1243.html

I hope you and yours are well. I look forward to sharing with you whatever May has in store for us! I always enjoy reading comments from my readers. Please continue to share you thoughts and experiences with me. I learn so much from them!