On July 15, 2000, my husband and I were married in rural Manitoba. That was fifteen years ago today. This is how our anniversary played out this morning. * I adjust my duvet cover and look at Chris, who’s half a kilometre away in our king-size bed. “Hey, Happy Anniversary,” I say. Chris adjusts his […]
Funny Family Moments
Funny and Easy Gifts for Mother's Day
It’s nearly Mother’s Day. Usually I celebrate Mother’s Day by calling my mom and apologizing for not sending her a card. Being awesome, my mom says she doesn’t want a card. Look how amazing she was (and still is…even though this picture was taken a few years ago). But this Mother’s Day, I’m giving my mom the […]
What Easter Looks Like With Tweens
Easter looks different—perhaps even better—when your kids are older, not passing out in parental-induced sugar comas. This past weekend, I found myself remembering Easters of years past. There was the time (last year) when the Easter Bunny hid chocolate eggs in the dishwasher … and I discovered this after the 140-Fahrenheit water ran through it. This year, […]
When Your Husband Helps You Blog
When I haven’t done something for a while, I temporarily lose my confidence. Take going to the gym. I haven’t done that since George Bush (guess the middle initial) was POTUS. Take sleeping. As someone who has experienced insomnia, one bad sleep can make me freak out more than Gwyneth Paltrow does around cooked vegetables. And take […]
Earth Hour and Other Failures, Like Spring
Saturday was Earth Hour. It took me by surprise because I sometimes confuse it with Earth Day, which I know happens in real spring, not fake spring, the season we’re in now. We failed Earth Hour. We turned off our lights from 8-9 PM, when it was supposed to be 8:30-9:30 PM. We rocked Earth […]
From Spring Break to Spring Break-down
Spring Break is one of my favorite holidays of the year, mostly because I’m a teacher. To me, Spring Break is a turning point of the school year, the time when I realize I just might make it to July. Every year, though, my dreams of Spring Break break down. I’ve now come up with […]
Husbands, Dogs, and a Humor Book Announcement
Yesterday, my husband came home from the flea market and said, “Kids, I bought you half a dog.” Here he is: And by “he,” I mean the dog, not my husband. He (this time I mean my husband) and our nine-year-old twins bandied about names for the mutt. Suggestions included: Hine-y Abdomen, or Abby for […]
Valentine's Day, Husbands, and Socks
I don’t expect much from Valentine’s Day. It’s not a big deal between my husband and me. If you want to hear my issues first hand, check out how I complained about Valentine’s Day on CBC-Radio (Canada’s NPR) last week. On Friday, when I stumbled home from work looking forward to a barbecued steak dinner, […]
When Jaws Invades an Innocent Classroom
William is our awesome introvert. If you’re able to earn his trust, he’ll reveal two things to you in no time: (1) his encyclopedic knowledge of sea creatures, especially sharks, and (2) his clever, understated sense of humor. A while ago, it was bring-your-favorite-stuffed-animal-to-school day. Sometime around noon, I received an email from William’s teacher. […]