Crazy Is My Life

Under Harry Potter's Spell

The new movie, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" has just come out, and surprisingly, my kids are not clamoring to see it.Â Of course, if I volunteer the $35 for tickets and the equally obscene $20 for snacks, they would be happy to go. But my kids have discovered the truth about the Harry Potter movies: the books are better.

Posted 4 mon. ago.

Queen of No

Today, Iâm going to be the Queen of No. Quite often, I try to accommodate. âMommy, can we stop by Krispy Kreme before school if I pay with my own money?â Maybe. Just this once. âMom, I have an activity after school.Â Can you pick me up 45 minutes later than usual?âÂ Well, OK.Â Iâll rearrange the after school pickup schedule to get back to your school then. â…

Posted 4 mon. ago.

The Write Stuff

Can I just say how much fun it is to have a chance to talk to other moms (and dads) through this blog? Each time I read the blogs and comments, Iâm always impressed by how much we have in common.Â Sure, there are different perspectives, but so many times I read a blog or a comment and I find myself thinkingâthatâs EXACTLY how I feel.Â And I know Iâm not alone in whatever …

Posted 4 mon. ago.

Push or Pull Back?

Itâs not my fault. I wasnât raised playing sports. In fact, as a child, my most athletic endeavor was to take a nap while my father watched Redskins football on TV. As I got older, I did occasionally go outside to play a challenging game of kickball or hopscotch. I would even walk my dog around the block, but not so much for the exercise as much in hopes that that cute Dale Ivey wou…

Posted 4 mon. ago.

Michael Jackson-- The Man in the Mirror

Michael Jackson.Â I was going to marry that man.Â From the time that Aunt Lil gave me my first Jackson Five album, Michael was the man for me. Whether it was begging my parents to take me to a concert, where I was so sure Michael would single me out in the crowd, to finding out the latest Michael trivia by reading a Right On! magazine (Middle name:Â Joe.Â Birth date:Â August 29th). …

Posted 4 mon. ago.

A Trashy Story

My husband thought it was natural, but I thought it was too big. I thought it wouldn't fit, but he said it would be fine and I'd like it. I resisted; he persisted.Â Eventually I told him to go ahead and do what he wanted; and he did. He bought the big honking trashcan. As a family of six, we generate a lot of trash, especially in the kitchen where we also eat a lot of food, so we were lookin…

Posted 5 mon. ago.

Horribly Blessed

It started out like a normal June dayâhot and sunny.Â Who would have thought it would be any different?Â I had just finished playing tennis, thrilled to get a little time to myself before the kids finished school. Then, as I backed out of the tennis parking lot, I got the call. The good news for me: it was from my husband, and he was OK.Â The awful news for us all: There was a catast…

Posted 5 mon. ago.

The Line in the Long, Hot Summer Sand

I had such good intentions. When I started today's blog, I was filled with the possibilities of summer. The kids will soon be on summer vacation and we can spend more time together.Â The rules can be relaxed a little and I can nag a little less. That plan seemed workable as I began writing this blog while waiting for my daughter's softball practice to end.

Posted 5 mon. ago.

In Praise of the Deadbeat Dad

To all the deadbeat, no good dads and husbands/boyfriends out there who have abandoned their pregnant significant others, wives and children, offering no financial or emotional support â I commend you. It is indeed a sad time that demonstrating a lack of responsibility or involvement is worthy of praise, but when I look at articles in the news, it is clear that those of you who have chosen to…

Posted 5 mon. ago.

Uh Oh! It's Tournament Time!

It's the beginning of tournament time for many young baseball and softball players. Whether it's for middle school, travel or recreational league, tournament time represents the do or die moment that the team has been preparing for all season. In many leagues, if you lose once, you go home; season finished. The pressure to win in a tournament is much greater than in any regular season game.