The month, and again the week, before he began 6th grade and a new school (Aug 2015), I asked Tween when we could get his hair cut. The first time, he shrugged, very pre-teen of him. The second time he responded, "I'm not. I already put it out on Instagram that I'm growing my hair … Continue reading An Uncommon Commitment
Category: Parenting
“Ain’t Ever Getting Older”
Except, he is. We went to Tahoe to celebrate his eighteenth birthday and brought five of his friends, including a girl, so they could attend a three-day music festival. This was Teen’s one and only request for his Big Deal B-day, and since December birthdays have clear drawbacks, we decided to make it happen. Originally, … Continue reading “Ain’t Ever Getting Older”
Learning to Let Him Go
Today Teen drove away with friends to cheer on their high school football team in the state championship (Go, Campo Cougars!). Four hours away, in a city they’ve never visited. They’ll stay together in a hotel, arranged by another parent. They’ll return home tomorrow. It makes me a little nervous, honestly. There will be plenty … Continue reading Learning to Let Him Go
Meatless Monday – Birthday Mac & Cheese
The one who made me a mama was turning 18. Because his birthday gift is a 3-day trip to an out-of-town concert venue with family + seven teenage friends over New Year's (yes, we might be nuts, but we also have a lot of experience chaperoning teens...), we decided to have a celebration dinner at … Continue reading Meatless Monday – Birthday Mac & Cheese
chronic…peace?
My sister has battled a chronic illness for 12.5 years, one that almost killed her at first and kept her in a medically-induced coma for most of the next five months. She has been in and out of countless doctors' offices and in the hospital too regularly. It's quite possible that, in any given year, she sees … Continue reading chronic…peace?
Find His Motivation
Some may call it bribery. I call it motivation. Initially, the goal (mine, at least) was to get Teen's college application essays written before the school year started. Despite the 2-session college essay workshop he attended, that didn't happen. The college counselor came to our home to talk through the process, yet Teen has felt so … Continue reading Find His Motivation
Meatless Monday – Apple Pie Oatmeal
Wish we could turn back time, to the good old days When our momma sang us to sleep but now we're stressed out Stressed Out, 21 Pilots I’m no singer but, like many mamas, I sang my babies to sleep. I even made up my own lullaby for Baby Teen which became Baby Tween’s lullaby as well. … Continue reading Meatless Monday – Apple Pie Oatmeal
Exercise Caution
In March I took up running. A life-long walker/hiker who thought she hated running, I had a surprisingly good time pushing myself to more frequent runs which became faster and longer runs (still not far or fast, but my only competition is myself.) It was fun until it wasn't. Gulping in deep outdoor fresh-air allergy-heavy breaths, I … Continue reading Exercise Caution
Lessons Tween Learned on Vacation
Shortcuts aren’t necessarily shorter. Our 500-mile drive from San Francisco to San Diego comes in two parts: the long, fast leg between home and the Grapevine; and the shorter-by-distance long-by-traffic leg through Los Angeles. With no traffic on Leg 1, Tween and I stopped for a quick bite almost an hour ahead of schedule. So … Continue reading Lessons Tween Learned on Vacation
Thankful Thursday – Kickin’ the Door Shut & a Happy Dance!
By 12:20pm tomorrow, both our boys will be done with this school year. Hallelujah! This has been a particularly rough year for a variety of reasons. Junior year for Teen, filled to the brim with cultural stress even when our immediate little family wasn't topped to our own stress limit. Unfortunately for all of us, his school … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Kickin’ the Door Shut & a Happy Dance!