Family Feathers

While shopping for linens and boring my children to tears, they managed to find creative things to occupy their time.   Who knew of the fun that was to be had at the 90% off clearance table. I was happy going about my business of comparing thread counts and searching for alternative down filling when I received this photo on my phone.  Now positive that the children were still safe in the store and cavity free, I continued with my shopping while they magnified each other's body parts and suited up for mock battle with barbecue utensils and colanders in aisle three.   I have to admit that I had forgotten how much fun a big magnifying glass can be.   I remember as a child that we would sit on the sidewalk with bits of paper and a magnifying glass trying to make fire from the sun.  We were never actually successful in this endeavor, but I think we may have blinded a few neighborhood children participating in this activity.  I should point out that trying to look at the sun is never a

A recent opportunity surfaced that allowed me to use the Rosetta Stone language series for free. Dozens of languages were only a click away from my attempts at mastery and perhaps I could use them if I ever traveled the world.  While I had already taken two years of French in High School and could proficiently conjugate verbs and announce to foreign strangers that I wanted to go to the beach in a blue car, I was curious about other languages. The blue car phrase was about as far as my French skills would take me. Of course... do you really need to go any further than the beaches of the French Riviera? I say no.  A few years ago, I did, in fact, take my kids to Paris and was actually able to maneuver throughout the city without speaking any useful French.  The kids had no need for language skills when one could simply point at all the things they needed.... ice cream, a ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower, crepes with Nutella and a hotel outside of the 18th ward.   I did almost board

Recipe for Disaster... or maybe not.... Ingredients....  Southern boys, too much time on their hands, a dark summer night, and a bag of fireworks. Mix well and get the following video.  Watch closely in the dark for the faint glow of two lighters, the sounds of the summer night and what comes next...... Thank you Corey and Baily.

It's unusually cold in the South and terribly dreary out. I haven't seen  the sun in days and it's feeling a bit medieval out there.  I find  myself wrapping in cloaks and scarves and layers of clothes to fight off  the cold.  While inside our home is toasty warm, my daughter has taken up a new practice of sleeping with her  Northface jacket on.  She isn't fighting off the cold, but rather has found comfort in the feel of the fleece.   Often I wake in the middle of the night to find  what I think is a small bear sleeping next to me.  She has made a habit of sneaking in my bedroom dragging a  heating pad and a stuffed platypus with her.  She quietly crawls in my bed, fires up the heating pad and leaves me to roast under the  covers.  I thought I was approaching menopause with   night sweats , but  realized it was just a long   extension cord   and a small furry child  curled up next to me.  My children have always stirred during the middle  of the night and have master