Spiderman and Other Tall Tales

One nice thing about long summer days is the ability to sneak in some good reading time while one of your kids is dressed up as Spiderman climbing the lamp post right outside the window and while the other two boys are busy watching…


If you find yourself in this unique position, you must whip out your favorite book. Then record what you’re reading on Good Reads. Oh, and don’t forget to friend me. I’d love to see what books you love.

Currently reading: The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow

Favorite book I’ve read in the last three months: Still Alice by Lisa Genova

What are you reading?

Father's Day Gift Idea - Wrapped With Love

"Riesens" Why I Love You

1. Purchase a bag of chocolate Riesens (chewy chocolate caramels).

2. Get some manly scrapbook paper – maybe with a Boston Terrier print or something (rub it in the dirt if you think it will look even manlier).

3. On the plain white side of the scrapbook paper, write reasons why you love your husband/dad and why you appreciate him. Get the kids involved. They might even tell you he let them watch a PG-13 movie or let them eat ice cream cones on the couch or other secrets that you may not know about.

4. Cut in strips. Unwrap all Riesens. Wrap strip of paper around the Riesen. Wrap back up in original wrapper. Set aside. Eat one (not the one you just wrapped!). Then another. Repeat.

5. Place the newly wrapped Riesens in a clear cellophane bag and tie with a little note that says “Riesens Why We Love You.” Be specific - and clever! Make him laugh. (Caution: don't bring up the corner in the kitchen where he always places his spare change, credit cards, and hankie. Just don't.)

I gave this to my husband for our anniversary, and it is the gift that keeps giving (Agh - cliche alert!). He would come home from work everyday talking about which "Riesen" he had eaten that day. In my case, I'd have irritable bowel syndrome of the mouth as I wouldn't be eating just one.

Summer = Life Eternal

Playing on iTunes – Abracadabra by Steve Miller Band (that must be why I'm imagining salsa dancers wearing hats with hot pink feathers fluttering with every hip movement)

It doesn’t take the fresh smell of grass clippings to shoot me into summer nostalgia. It does take a week of the boys being home from school wondering how it could only be noon even though they’ve already emptied the garbage, practiced the piano/guitar, read for 30 minutes, attended swim lessons, eaten three otter pops each, built a fort in the field behind our house, and played me in a heated game of speed. Doesn’t this break some natural law? Can the summer solstice exist everyday for three months out of the year? There should be scientific studies on the connection in which the average summer day is lengthened by three hours without us actually knowing it. I think most moms of school age children would agree.

What to do to tackle these days of Tuck Everlasting? Here’s my rough draft list…

• Go ice blocking (come on, you’re not that old)
• Make boats from empty water bottles and duct tape. Then float down the ditch.
• Make a target and have bb-gun shooting contests (don’t worry we’ve never shot our eyes out. Knock on wood.)
• Ride city transit to the donut shop
• Ice skating
• Planetarium
• Picnic in the park (bring a Frisbee and a dog if you have one)
• Take scooters to the roller skating rink
• Make a fort – outside or inside
• Go to your closest independent bookseller and attend an author reading/signing.
• Write a children’s book together (www.mightyauthors.com)
• Blow up water balloons. If you have a trampoline put them on the tramp and see how many you and your kids can pop.
• Repeat

I'd love to hear your idea. LOVE to.