dirt don't hurt

Many moons ago when my daughter started kindergarten, she asked me if I was a buyer or a packer. In all honesty, I had to tell her that my mother packed my lunch every day. For my entire school career. Yes, even in high school. “I think I’m going to be a packer, too,” was her response, and I immediately felt tired for the years of getting up early to pack tiny sandwiches that I knew were in store. Sure enough, I found myself setting my alarm clock earlier and earlier to wake up and concoct a smorgasbord of edible delights, somehow packed with as much love as I would give her at home, if not more. There were days when I thought I would need a bigger lunchbox because I missed her so much. As if packing it full of her favorite things would somehow make me miss her less as she because her educational career and I sat home and dreamed up creative ways to make peanut butter and jelly. “I like peanut butter and jelly” she told me after just a week or two of school, but I, in my ate-out-o...

20 free sewing/knitting/printing/crafting patterns!! I'm locking myself in this weekend. I suggest some of you do the same. Click HERE .

And they'll last longer than that rotting pumpkin on your front porch. (Directions here .)

So this idea, as awesome as it is, I cannot claim. There is something along these lines in a book called The Creative Family which both made me long for more time to do these things and want to barf because any person who has this sort of time is barf-worthy. In any case, I half stole the idea and it brings me great joy. We started this summer, when an old basket became our official "Summer basket." In it we collected items from nature-- both from camps and random days outside. It contained rocks, feathers, nuts, shells. And on the first day of Fall, we dumped it. (not the yarn, close-photo-viwers) ...and brought the basket it, ready to be filled with fall collectibles. It will be overflowing with leaves from the maple out our side door, I'm sure. Along with acorn caps and beech nuts from the forest at the top of the hill. Rocks, sticks. And all other wonderful fallish things that make this one of my top four favorite seasons.

This whole idea of season changing celebrations started a couple of years ago for me. Although we are not of a religion that officially worships the change of seasons, there's something deep down inside me that needs to mark the point at which our Earth travels around the Sun. Tomorrow is the first day of Fall, and believe it or not, there are way too many people who slept through second grade science class and don't know that the Autumnal Equinox is the exact mid-point between the time when our Earth is tilted towards the sun (Summer Solstice) and away from the sun (Winter Solstice.) Mathematically, it just gives me the willies that we can even figure this out. How massive the planets, the sun, the solar system. How obscure are rotations and revolutions. And yet, even on the cheapest calendar from the cheapest store, tomorrow is marked as the first day of Fall. And so, we celebrate. Just as we do the first day of each season. In the past, the first day of Winter we toast hot c...

There are few things as unnerving as when the phone rings and the caller ID comes up as the elementary school where your child attends. What’s worse is when the phone conversation starts with “I don’t want you to worry, but…” It’s enough to send a parent into a whirlwind of well, worry. Such was the situation that I recently went through, but I’m happy and relieved to say that it wasn’t much of anything. “I don’t want you to worry, but your daughter fell at recess and is a little scraped up. Just wanted to explain the four hundred bandages before she got home.” She went on to tell me that once the teary eyes dried up, my kid, the academic trooper that she is, asked to go back to class. She later told me that walking up the flight of stairs was one of the hardest things she ever did. “I had to limp, mom. Like this,” she said, and hobbled around the kitchen after the administration of magic creams by Nurse Mommy and experiencing the healing power of a chocolate chip cookie. I told th...

First week of school, my second grader comes home and says, "I have a very important job. I get to lead the class on fire drills all year long. They line up behind me and I lead everyone down the hall, down the steps, and outside." "Wow!" I replied, "that's a very important job! So proud of you!" and I gushed all over her because, well, it is an important job. Fast forward to the following week, when my kindergartner started school. We were on the way home and he says, "I have a very important job. I get to lead the class on fire drills all year long." "Reeeaaaallllly?" I asked, knowing full well that if someone was going to try to pull one over on me, it'd be him. "Yep. I stand at the door and everyone lines up behind me." "Reeaealllllly?" I asked again. "I don't believe it," said the second grader sister. "Tell me exactly what you do," I said, trying to catch him in a lie. But ...