Big Kids

I know she is growing up, but as I witnessed her pulling out the summer peppers and preparing for their forthcoming carving, I was both impressed and saddened that she didn't need my help. Still young, but the oldest...

It's almost back-to-school, an exciting time because kids are growing, seasons are changing, and I’m about to have three kids in school all day for the first time. Huzzah! Each fall, the dramatic return to daily schedules feels like a...

I know, I know... You don’t want to think about the cranky kids who don’t want to get out of bed, the last minute dispersing of school supplies, the mad dash to get some kind of lunch pulled together....

It's here. 'Back to school' season. Screeching into my neighborhood Fred Meyer, not to mention the foothold it's had on Target for the last two weeks. Last summer I could. not. wait. for school to start again. My girls...

Confession: Having the kids home during the summer forces me to face the fact that I have shared not only my strengths but my weaknesses with them. I see the ridiculous contagious nature of the trivial tantrum being thrown by...

I always feel torn this time of year. Part of me loves summer: the warm days, picnics, and the creating of childhood memories are all at my fingertips as the last school bell reverberates through the air. All of...

My Sweet, Practically-A-First-Grader, On your first day of kindergarten, I was awash in conflicting emotions. I was excited for you to move into the next phase of your life and worried that you would be hurt or sad when I...

Who doesn’t like a free gift? ME, that’s who. Okay, I admit that sometimes freebies can be pretty awesome, but my kids get way too much of some stuff. There are certain things that always seem to pile up,...

School boundaries are a big deal right now if you’re in the Portland Public School (PPS) or Beaverton School (BSD) districts.  I am not talking the “please stay out of my space” boundaries. I mean the school boundaries that devastate parents...

While Common Core math has helped my eight-year-old in school, it has exceeded my 40-year-old addition skills. I was in the car with the kids one day, attempting to add double-digit numbers. I vocalized the problem out loud, simultaneously picturing it...