I have a son, who - evidence:  this small space (in the play-slash-laundry room) claimed for his figures and penchant for military history - sometimes thinks living in a houseful of females can be a real drag! Often times this summer, the girls (there's three of them, btw) will go off and play "story" or have "a dance party" and, more often than not, they do NOT include...a brother. Don't get me wrong - there are times when at least one of the girls find having a brother can come in handy - even though I believe (and... Read more →

 Sixteen years ago - I know...I'm old...shuddup! - I was sitting in a white limo, surrounded by taffeta and covered in tulle, cruising down the Garden State Parkway as my soon-to-be-sister-in-law mooned traffic and made me laugh so hard...I sprayed champagne out of my nostrils and nearly peed myself. Ah, yes...I was truly a vision of lovliness that day...I tell you! "Aren't you the least bit nervous?" Nope. Afterall, I was too busy buying nail polish, picking up extra pantyhose and running about a bazillion other errands FOR MY BRIDESMAIDS, as they (and my mother) sat in my favorite... Read more →

My son has a terrible fear of bees -- having been the only child to have been stung, ever, and FIVE TIMES in the last summer -- to the point where...if he sees one...no matter how far away...he SCREAMS like a girl...and then pukes his guts up...usually on whatever part of my body he happens to be clinging to for dear life...at that moment. This is Little Man. This is Little Man, on steroids. Any questions? Not caring for the little stinging suckers, my ownself -- especially yellow jackets -- and spending a lot of time in our big backyard,... Read more →

Welcome back - Vinnie Barbarino, Horshack, Juan Epstein, the rest of the Sweathogs and Mr. Kotter would perhaps agree - are perhaps the two most universally appreciated words in the English language. Especially when used in a form of a warm greeting, which would lead one to believe that someone (or something) was lacking in their absence. Add the words, "I missed you," and...well...perhaps you'd be hard-pressed to ignore the feeling...you know...like, something warm and fuzzy happening inside your head and a slight tingle around your mid-section. Pretty much like the effects of being greeted by a giant patches of... Read more →

I have a favorite chair -- it's an overstuffed comfy piece large enough for me to sit sideways and wide arms that house a napping chocolate lab, comfortably -- it's centered underneath the picture window in the livingroom and overlooks the front porch. Early in the morning, the light filters through the purple plum trees, creeps around the black-eyed susans, stretches a narrow beam over the burning bush and casts a soft glow to the surrounding moss. The finches -- having begun their day much earlier -- sweep back and forth as the cardinals settle in the holly tree and... Read more →

Nearing the conclusion to the dog days of summer -- hottest most humid time of the year beginning in July and ending on August 11 - here on the east coast, it'll be a relief to finally get outside and not feel as if my face...were...literally...sliding...off...my skull. Don't EVEN get me started on boob sweat! Yesterday, I needed to get out of the house and took the kids to do a little shopping (because it was still Africa-hot!) for a business trip my husband and I are taking next weekend. Okay, so - I won't be attending any of his... Read more →

 My husband sent me this picture - he snapped the other morning with his cell phone - of me, Thing Two and Mini-Me sleeping in triple-spooning fashion. And I think it illustrates how tight our family's sleeping arrangements can be, perfectly. No one goes to sleep (or gets up) in the same bed, twice. My husband falls asleep on the couch and wakes up (either) in a funk (or) with the dog's snout placed somewhere it ought not to be, naturally. My three girls share a room and go to sleep in their respective beds, but almost always are... Read more →