Super Rachel Zana's Spot

Santa brought breakfast:  cereal and bananas.  KaKa is actually eating someone else’s cereal for a late afternoon snack in these pictures, but everyone enjoyed their tiny box of cereal in the morning too:  Fruit Loops, Trix, Lucky Charms, Cocoa Crispies,  all the things no one gets to eat except for…

  After the kidlets opened presents on Christmas morning and played for a bit while we cleaned up the crazy wrapping paper commotion, I started doing a little cooking, and we kicked all the kidlets outside.  We didn’t try to do any offsite sledding this year because it would have…

An astounding number of casualties in the United States armed services during World War II were the result of simple accidents:  in training, in combat, from equipment failure or lack of careful planning.   I learned to beware of the plow grade at the end of my driveway.  It’s large.  And evil.…

  There are two Christmas Eve services at our church, and after much discussion about which one would work better for most of the kids in residence, Auntie Dot and I decided we would aim for the first service at 3:30.  We fed all the little people an early lunch,…

Grandma Robbie accidentally left this hat behind when she visited in December last year, and it has become quite the well-used piece of apparel around here.  Mr. Trouble on Feet calls it his “band hat” and wears it when he plays Christmas marching band.  The hat has a lot of…

Maybe you recall from reading in  years past how even though I sometimes feel inundated by seasonal music, each year there seems to be a certain piece of Christmas music that sticks out for me as I prepare to celebrate.  Sometimes it’s a rare carol that I haven’t come across…

Here are some things that have brought me joy this Christmas season: Most of the kidlets were out of the house when we decorated Christmas trees this year.  Although everyone likes helping decorate the tree, it was just a hectic few days, and I ended up needing to really just get it done while…

Lately when he wants me to stop what I’m doing and pay attention to him he says, “Wait!  Wait!  Me talking at you!”  I stop and stand still and look carefully at him, and then he pauses and goes on with whatever he’s saying.  Doesn’t everyone want to feel like…

Meet Verleen.  Verleen and her brother run the grocery store where I grew up in North Dakota.  The grocery store is small.  It is cozy, and I love visiting it because it’s like a part of home for me.  For example, I remember my Grandma Jan letting me hop in…

My weekend has been filled with rehearsals and Arrowhead Chorale concerts.  I really enjoyed singing all weekend.  We were accompanied by a small string ensemble, a harp, and a hammered dulcimer at various times during the concert, and as with most experiences with the Arrowhead Chorale, I learned a lot.…