Writing groups have become an integral part of my life these days. I’m currently in three separate groups. That’s not quite as time-consuming as it sounds –  basically one meeting a week, occasionally two. The kids, of course, have noticed my absence. I have been very straightforward with them, explaining that I go to meet with other […]

From the “if only they knew what they were saying” category… We ended up having lunch at Moe’s this past Saturday afternoon. They had the TV on – tuned to a bull-riding show on ESPN. The kids were fascinated. “Why was that man trying to ride that buffalo?”“Why does he keep falling off?”“Did that hurt? […]

My wife teaches at the Sunday school at our church. This sounds like a good thing, but from my own selfish perspective, it simply means that I’m stuck going to church by myself. They go to Sunday school instead. I end up going to church by myself – or not, as the case may be. […]

Do you remember Fuddruckers? It’s a chain of hamburger restaurants that was really big for a while. Their claim to fame was their focus on making good burgers with fresh toppings. They did a great job and really boomed for a while. Then their quality control diminished and the chain all but disappeared. A month or […]

I remember one Saturday evening back a few years ago, when we were living in a different house and only had one little guy. I had spent the day doing yard work, and the three of us were sitting together at dinner. Foremost on my mind that evening was evidence of moles that I had […]

Both of my kids have nightmares. I don’t know why. I suppose everyone has them. The three-year old’s aren’t quite as bad as his older brother’s, but they’re still quite traumatic for him. The other night, he comes running in to our bedroom, shouting “I had a mean dream! I had a mean dream!” I catch […]

A few months back we went through an extended period of illness. It wasn’t anything extremely serious – just the boys and I trading sicknesses back and forth. It seemed like every morning at least one of us was hacking and snorting. One such morning, N (my three-year-old)  was rubbing vigorously at his nose. We were sitting at […]

Today’s Tale is in the Chronicle. Click Here to Read it! What’s not in the Chronicle article is that Rae would have found this whole situation absolutely hilarious. Terms for searchers: Rae, graveyard, acorns, cold, chilly

Have you seen those razor scooters? They’re shiny metal with tiny plastic wheels that move incredibly smoothly. A few years back, they were ridiculously expensive. These days, you can find them for about $20 (here’s the manufacturer’s website). Each of our kids has one, and they absolutely love them. We even let them ride in […]

The argument regarding who is the best cooker has pretty much quieted down. Every once in a while, however, it rears its ugly head. Last Friday, while J was putting the final touches on dinner, I orchestrated the setting of the table. This is not quite as easy as it sounds. The two guys alternate between […]