Real Life is Better Than Fiction

Lice is something that moms of school age kids hate to even think about. You would think that since I homeschool my kids, I wouldn’t have to worry about such things. Wrong! I got an email the other day that the sports team my daughter plays on had an outbreak of lice. This brought not-so-sweet memories for me. There was on time my mom got that dreaded phone call. The girl I sat next to in class and her whole family had bugs crawling around on them. Because of this, the entire school was subjected to a thorough head search. One by one we were escorted to the coatroom that had been turned into a sort of hospital. When it was my turn in the hot seat, I had this nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. The guy sitting in the chair across from me didn’t’ look particularly happy, either. He had a horrible case of dandruff and I couldn’t figure out how the teacher who was searching his head could tell the difference between eggs and dandruff. His teacher made the comment, “These guys ar...

Camping was something my family often did while I was growing up. Camping is a great way for families to spend time together. It’s also a great way for people to get out and enjoy nature. We had a pop-up camper, where my sisters and I slept along with our parents. My older brother preferred sleeping alone in the van. I normally liked sleeping in the camper, but one particular night, I would have much preferred the van and my brother. I was sleeping soundly when all of a sudden something woke me. The lights of the camper were on and the camper was rocking back and forth. I could hear my mom talking to my dad, “It’s over there!” Then there would be stomping and shaking again. Sitting up in my bed, I opened the privacy curtain and saw that my father was out of bed, but without my glasses on, I couldn’t see what was wrong. So what did I do? I put on my glasses and took another sneak peak, which is an act I regret to this day. I saw my dad holding a badminton racket. “It’s over th...

While at the pool with my son and his best friend the other day, I just sat and listened as they played and goofed off. It brought back a lot of memories for me of my best friends as a child. Friends are so important in our lives no matter how old we are. While our best friend may change throughout the years due to a variety of circumstances, that very first best friend will always hold a special place in our hearts. I distinctly remember my first best friend and the day we met. Her name was Eileen. It was my first day of 1st grade. I was attending a different school than I had for Kindergarten. It was snack time and I didn't have one. Eileen noticed and pulled her chair up to mine and shared her snack with me. I remember it clearly to this day, even though 1st grade was a “couple” of years ago now. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Eileen and I continued to be friends even though we eventually both changed schools and she moved away because of her dad's job....

This one is for all my fellow homeschooling parents out there. One day I was trying to teach my son the importance of using punctuation. That particular day was all about commas. I had seen something on Facebook that I thought was humorous. I also thought it would help my son understand better, especially with his sense of humor. Please note – I can take no credit for the following - “”Let's eat Grandma. Let's eat, Grandma. Punctuation saves lives.” I wrote out the two grandma sentences and showed them to my son. I explained that the correct sentence invited Grandma to eat along with us and the incorrect sentence said that Grandma was the main course. My son started laughing and could not stop. When he finally got to where he could breathe a little bit, he said, “I'm sorry! I can just picture Grandma laying out on the table with an apple in her mouth.” This brought forth another round of hysterical laughter. When he could finally talk again he added, “And she's ...

In honor of Mother's Day tomorrow I thought I would post something about my own Mom. She was the best. I think Solomon had her in mind when he wrote Proverbs 31 because every verse describes her. Ahh...so many stories...where should I begin. I'll start with the sweet. I remember one hot summer night I was preparing to take my bath. I brought down a towel and my pj's, which were not really appropriate for sticky evenings. (Keep in mind, people, this was back before everyone couldn't live without air conditioning! We actually lived without it and lived to tell about it, too!) “Is that all you have?” Mom asked. “Yes.” I answered. I think that may be the one time I experienced a growth spurt. I went about my business and got my bath. When I came out, Mom was at her sewing machine. “You're too fast.” She said. While I was in the tub, she saw a lack that I had and immediately went to work sewing me a cool, comfortable nighty. I still remember that green gingham ni...

This time of year it's all about the love. When my kids were small I would tell them, “I love you to pieces.” My girls never said much in response, but my son came up with a response that was all his own. “I love you five pieces!” Every time I would tell him that I loved him to pieces he would repeat the phrase incorrectly. “I love you one hundred million pieces!” He would just giggle and I couldn't help by laugh along with him. One day I finally asked him, “What in the world are you talking about?” “You only love me TWO pieces, but I love you a lot more than that.” He told me. I think it's hilarious how children often take what we say so literally. It just goes to show how one word can change the entire meaning of a sentence. This Valentine's Day let there be no doubt how you feel about the ones you love. Leave a note on the mirror, put a card in their lunchboxes, shout it loud and clear, “I love you 600 trillion pieces!” You can say it when it's not...

And the continuation of “Christmas at Martha's House” Three Sundays before Christmas: Practice was canceled due to the stomach bug. My sister Jennifer calls and guess what she has to say! “I just can’t have Grandma this year. My kids all work and I have to plan around them. Not to mention the rest of the family. But I do hope to see all of you sometime during the holidays.” I hope Grandma spares us her nostalgia about how they had to improvise during the Depression. There may not be a Depression going on in my house, but improvisation is still very much in style. I must remember to warn Tom not to call Grandma the Ghost of Christmas Past. At least not in front of Cindy. She repeats too much! I can hear it now, “Grandma, do you know what Tom calls you?” Monday: I find the roll of tape under Karen’s bed and wrap my gold boxes. What IS all that junk she has stashed under there? I hope none of it is food. Cindy’s teacher calls. “Candy canes for Kindergarten? Sure. I still have ...