All of the days-long squabbling about who could use the rip-stick, when, where and for how long, were totally worth it for this image.  I pretty much love everything about it.

Right now the kidlets and I are in North Dakota visiting family for part of our spring break from school.  Today we went to have lunch in the cafe in Pettibone with Grandpa Ron.  There is a brand new, sparkly cafe in town, just built, and we were excited to…

This ninth year, the year of third grade, I have really noticed this girl embrace her unique personality that has gotten a little quirky, and very humorous.  She has a sweet, kind heart that loves people of all kinds.  She’s also very skilled at burping with a vengeance, so loud…

I learned to play my cello with more flexibility, and I’m starting to be able to use just the teensiest bit of vibrato.  I learned to play two movements of a (really easy) Vivaldi concerto, and a couple of string crossing exercises. Because I’m struggling with a lot of tension…

I was about to sent a couple of boxes off to the recycling bin, when Mr. SP came up to me.  “Mom, I was wondering if we could keep those two boxes.  I have an idea of something I would like to make with them.” “Sure.  OK.  Just clean up…

My kidlets have latched on to a few Easter Sunday traditions that they love on the years we are here at home for Easter Sunday.  They were highly anticipating the string web that greets them in the morning.  Before I go to bed at night I hide the Easter baskets,…

You might remember our family tradition of a late summer egg drop from a few years ago.  Each kidlet made their own contraption to hold a raw egg that was dropped from a significant height onto the ground.  The first year we dropped them from the upstairs balcony, but that…

I asked The Banana and her friend who was staying at our house for a few hours if they would be interested in cooking frozen pizza for supper.  The Banana is all about cooking lately, and the two girls jumped up and down when I asked.  They put up a…

For the past year and a half or so, I’ve been training this boy of mine to rub my back and shoulders.  He’s actually gotten very good at it, so good that I’m willing to pay him for a good back rub.  His rates have even increased, and I’m still…