tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6216173175726321912011-04-21T11:04:59.500-07:00Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.comBlogger2921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-58275702792411717902008-10-27T06:41:00.001-07:002008-10-29T11:02:22.854-07:00

Her Grace the blog is officially shut down as of today. Let's all have a group hug.Blogging's been good to me. It gave me a place to express myself when I felt like my brain was turning to mush from being around toddlers all day long. It helped me connect with new friends, and even brought me closer Bean, for which I will always be grateful. It also gave me a place to share all the little

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-22751365352251685032008-10-25T09:47:00.000-07:002008-10-25T09:48:26.542-07:00

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-87049789934205612552008-10-24T05:37:00.000-07:002008-10-24T05:45:12.815-07:00

I've lost a significant amount of weight exactly three other times in my life:1) before my wedding2) when I had gallstones3) on a successful, but not well planned diet.Three times, I gained it back:1) on my honeymoon2) immediately after my gall bladder was removed3) when I decided I could cheat "just this one time."During those three times, I lost:1) 17 pounds2) 20 pounds3) 22 poundsToday, the

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-40431329022216701412008-10-09T17:50:00.000-07:002008-10-09T18:21:26.726-07:00

Party Girl has gotten a bad rap lately. She's been cranky, clingly, anxious. Some days, the only person she'll even talk to is me. She refuses to eat anything put in front of her, but begs day and night for treats. But the worst part of this stage for me is the sleep. Because I'm not getting any of it.I put PG to bed at 7:30 where she immediately conks out. Then by 1 AM, after I've been a

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-51847826876923812582008-10-07T10:43:00.000-07:002008-10-07T10:45:04.635-07:00

McCain and Palin get dirty.This kind of campaign is an insult to their supporters, people who care about actual issues. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-16698875993685064792008-10-01T10:05:00.000-07:002008-10-01T10:29:41.699-07:00

It's been so long since I blogged, Blogger pretended not to know me.I've been quiet, I realize. I've popped in a couple times to write about the girls, what's new, the fact that I dropped a pant size(!), or that I just can't get over the fact that half of America is serious about the McCain/Palin ticket, but then I didn't.It's a combination of a couple of things. Work has really taken off, and

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-14684125774555997462008-09-13T18:45:00.000-07:002008-09-13T18:47:22.312-07:00

"I notice that a lot of your school friends go to Sunday School. Is that something you'd like to try?""I don't know.""Ok. You can think about it. I'd take you if you wanted to go.""I don't want to go.""Why not?""Because then I'd only have Saturdays off."

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-21470428730955104292008-09-05T17:31:00.000-07:002008-09-05T17:40:49.380-07:00

Sass and I were chatting today, on our way to pick up a fellow kindergartner whose mom needed some babysitting help. Sass and this particular kiddo seem to be a good match, and I can tell said kiddo really wants to be Sass's friend. But they are both, as referenced in my last post, shy."Bella sat next to me at lunch today and talked to me the whole time," she said.And then I did exactly the

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-18518687168179530892008-09-03T10:26:00.001-07:002008-09-03T10:37:06.427-07:00

"Mom? Today we played a game called ABC tag in the gym." Sass sounded excited."Cool! How do you play?""Well, if you get tagged, you have to say the ABCs before you can unfreeze.""Wow. Sounds like fun.""Only, no one tagged me.""That's because you're fast, sister.""No. I mean yeah, I'm fast. But they didn't even try to chase me. Isn't that weird?""Why do you think they didn't chase you?"I

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-14637617288462887942008-09-03T08:30:00.001-07:002008-09-03T08:31:28.034-07:00

He he he. I love you John St*ewart. Even if you dissed me.Clip here.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-41237844770347231442008-09-02T14:33:00.001-07:002008-09-02T14:43:57.229-07:00

"Tomorrow while you're at school," I told Sass, "Party Girl and I are going to clean and organize the playroom."She got a big grin on her face."Why are you smiling?" I asked, knowing."I don't know.""Is it because you'll be at school and miss all the work?"Giggling. "Yeah!"We are not an organized household. But once a year or so, I get the bug and today was it. I tore apart the playroom and the

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-50448641973188795042008-08-27T18:52:00.000-07:002008-08-27T19:10:35.811-07:00

We have tomatoes coming out of our ears. Which is really poor planning on my part, since no one around here eats tomatoes but me. Today, I gathered up every tomato I could find, from fridge, garden, and windowsill and made tomato soup. DELISH. Next year, I'll probably plant too many tomatoes again. They're just so rewarding when they start to take off, I can't resist. This week, similar to

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-54887220617946436352008-08-25T17:56:00.000-07:002008-08-25T18:27:11.199-07:00

It's really very strange to me, this putting my child in the care of nearly perfect strangers, even if they are certified educators. Last year was easier, maybe because her teacher was clearly very organized, tender and dear. Maybe it's because preschool was so self-contained. But today, I found myself in a quandary over milk. Do I:a) Let her get school milk and juice at lunch?orb) Put a

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-77121597446295497582008-08-23T19:24:00.001-07:002008-08-23T20:23:28.617-07:00

She came fast and furious, with little regard for the fact that birth canals can only stretch so far, so fast. She refused every bottle I gave her, even the one that was shaped like a breast, and resolutely nursed until she was 18 months old. After that, she would only drink chocolate milk. Determination doesn't even begin to describe it.The last five years alternately feel like a blur and

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-3454173266744244112008-08-16T15:16:00.000-07:002008-08-16T19:40:50.879-07:00

Vacation, Day 1: Climb to the top of an enormous dune. Last year, I only got halfway and quit. This year, I made it to the top. Just as I sat down to pass out catch my breath, they all started to run back down. No rest for the overweight and sedentary. See that tiny little speck at the very top? That's HG. Sass is up there somewhere too. I didn't take this picture from the bottom of the

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-57032550969166615292008-08-10T12:59:00.000-07:002008-08-10T13:06:06.270-07:00

I'm unplugging for a week, hitting a not-so-distant shore to soak up the last few bits of summer with His Grace and the girls.And because you know that I love you all, I'm sending you an early souvenir. Don't say that I never did anything nice for you:I desperately want one of those men to be my next President. I'll let you figure out which one.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-36477760125597394682008-08-08T05:58:00.000-07:002008-08-08T06:05:12.520-07:00

When I dropped off her share to another woman in our driving group, she smiled through gritted teeth: "More vegetables. Thaaaaaaanks. I'm eating vegetables for breakfast at this point!" Given, she's a single woman getting a full share, but I can see her point. This food is lovely and there is plenty of it and we should all have such problem, eh? I introduced her to my friend THE DEEP FREEZE.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-28327787936415971632008-08-07T07:53:00.000-07:002008-08-07T07:55:15.263-07:00

Yesterday, hands full of groceries, I handed Sass the keys to the house and asked her to unlock the front door. She did. Curious, I said, "While I unload, why don't you make PG and yourself sandwiches for lunch?" And she did.Right now, she's vacuuming the living room floor.I might be getting a little weepy about kindergarten, but I could get used to having a big girl (or two) around!

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-3093974683708897432008-08-05T18:59:00.000-07:002008-08-05T19:09:39.907-07:00

At one point in my life, I had my own CD collection. I am certain of it. I know I had 50, 75, maybe even 100 CDs.Then I married His Grace, who had -- at that time -- maybe 1000 CDs. Slowly, my collection disappeared. "Where's my CDs?" I'd ask. "Right there," he'd say, pointing at the veritable wall of CDs. I got intimidated just looking at it. How could I remember what CDs I had once owned

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-21547435478467222282008-08-04T11:02:00.000-07:002008-08-04T11:18:03.870-07:00

I think that, at this point, if I was a John McCain supporter, I'd be pretty offended.John McCain doesn't think that you think about the issues. He doesn't think that you think about the war, the economy, the environment. He doesn't think that you're a thinking, breathing, feeling, complex person. Instead, he thinks that you can be tricked or scared into voting for him.Take his two latest

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-21520226897529323782008-07-31T17:05:00.000-07:002008-07-31T17:22:06.945-07:00

Between a huge dust-up we had at work last week, the kids being sick, and losing our poor, sweet Pesh, our local (and, let's face it, our healthy) eating habits have suffered. Party Girl has been subsisting mainly on ice cream and chocolate shakes, since those are literally the only food I can get in her right now, with her cough, headache, and sore throat. (I, on the other hand, have been

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-56362806878562049052008-07-30T08:17:00.000-07:002008-07-30T08:46:55.061-07:00

Yesterday was both peaceful and terrible, just like I thought it would be. I have this remarkable ability to stuff all of my feelings about a situation away, perfect denial, so when the moment comes, it almost feels surreal...like, "Is this really happening?" That's how I felt yesterday when the vet rang my doorbell, even though I'd spent the whole day spoiling my cat in preparation for that

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-31621808145537889852008-07-28T18:39:00.000-07:002008-07-28T19:10:32.259-07:00

(When I put up that last post for Bean, I had no idea I'd be saying goodbye to my own cat this week...)She came into my life like an impulsive decision. Then 20-year-old me thought, "I want a cat," and so I went and got one. It didn't seem to matter that I lived in an apartment that didn't allow pets, or that I hadn't conferred with my five other roommates. Still, she was sweet little calico

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-8518206401242533172008-07-24T19:11:00.000-07:002008-07-24T19:14:33.614-07:00

This is for Bean, who lost her beloved cat last week. Everyone send big hugs her way.http://view.break.com/293055 - Watch more free videos

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-6892895575249858182008-07-22T19:45:00.000-07:002008-07-22T20:31:40.276-07:00

You know what? I'm really going to miss this CSA when the season's over. This week:potatoes!garlic (which I have a funny story about, see below)radishes... man, oh man, am I tired of radisheslotsa green beans! The only veggie PG eats without coercion!one lovely cucumberkohlrabisummer squashthree big bags of greens:arugulasalad greensendive (which took me 30 minutes of googling to identify)In

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-52476199891153420112008-07-22T16:06:00.000-07:002008-07-21T19:06:41.861-07:00

Everything you need to know about His Grace's and my marriage, you can learn by watching us cook grilled cheese sandwiches together:"You've got the burner on too high.""Burn baby burn, disco inferno...."He ignores me, turns burner down."It's high heat or none at all. I don't do medium.""I know."He walks away. I turn burner back up."You're going to burn it."Humming: "Burn that mama down...."I

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-75157311623883693562008-07-21T07:38:00.000-07:002008-07-21T08:24:02.361-07:00

This weekend, we used some of our stimulus check to buy a laptop. On the way home, I said jokingly, "Thanks, George.""Yeah, thanks for nothing, George, is more like it.""Maybe we can use our new computer to write nasty things about George all over the internet.""Yeah, but I'm pretty sure that's already been done."But you know what? There just can't be enough "George SUCKS" commentary in the

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-49357211639765063332008-07-19T17:27:00.000-07:002008-07-19T17:34:23.006-07:00

After weeks of putting her face in the water while swimming, Sass finally decided to try going all the way underwater. Not too long after that, she started jumping in the pool. Soon, she mixed the two together and jumped in the water while going underwater. This all happened in a matter of a week or so.This morning, she woke up at 6:30 A.M. at my mom's house, and she and her cousins were in

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-9671899976711403522008-07-17T20:21:00.001-07:002008-07-17T20:35:58.630-07:00

Summer's here! Our share doubled this week, it seems:one bag of arugulaone bag of cooking greensbroccoli6-7 cloves of fresh garliccountless radishes snap beanstwo giant heads of Chinese cabbageone bag of basilplus, there were a TON of garlic scapes in the community crate, so I grabbed a huge bunch of those. Now I wish I had grabbed more, as they'll probably be done after this week.This CSA

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-48929907383631556522008-07-16T03:22:00.000-07:002008-07-16T04:18:55.899-07:00

This morning, at 6:15, my doorbell rang. Surprised (and still in bed), I peeked out the front bedroom window to see a police car below.Now THAT will wake you up in the morning.I rushed downstairs, heart pounding, and answered the door.He explained that last week, two young men had tried to set fire to some utility signs on the nearby corner. When he chased them, they hopped the fence into our

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-89089656998086412722008-07-14T21:03:00.000-07:002008-07-14T21:24:48.849-07:00

As I was working in the kitchen today, I glanced out at my garden and realized I hadn't been out there in a few days. I grabbed a bowl and a small knife and headed out.I stood at my shoddy, barely rabbit-proof fence. I see the big rabbits stand outside it, longingly looking in. The little ones dig under the fence, then, in their bliss, forget how to get out. One head of yellowed, sunburnt

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-17819240324508112392008-07-12T18:03:00.000-07:002008-07-12T18:52:46.589-07:00

"Mommy? My belly hurts.""Oh," I murmured, feeling Party Girl's forehead. Cool. Clearly a ploy to avoid bedtime."Maybe if you lay down and rest, it will feel better.""It really hurts.""Show me where." She points to the middle of her belly. Maybe some gas, I think."Up to bed!" I say cheerfully."I was playing and I wasn't supposed to," she admits. "That's maybe why it hurts.""It was probably

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-20515393007400059792008-07-11T19:34:00.001-07:002008-07-11T20:24:41.804-07:00

When I pulled out the bikes this spring, Party Girl knew how to pedal, but she lacked the leg strength to really go anywhere. Frustrated by her sister racing ahead of her on her own bike, and possibly being just a little too much like her mom (who likes to do things, but who doesn't always appreciate the act of learning how), she refused to even try. Because she's the baby, she gets babied a lot

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-31031140008594330392008-07-08T19:00:00.000-07:002008-07-08T19:22:28.000-07:00

Yeah, baby.... what a haul!humongo bag of kalebroccolichinese cabbagemore garlic scapes... yum!!dillcilantroAnd from our own garden:pea podsbeanschivesOne of the women who shares the CSA pickup with us (who is also the PA who sees my kids at their pediatrician's office, which is kind of nice) was out of town, so the other family and I split her share. After washing and chopping the kale, I have

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-53802697171420417392008-07-07T20:46:00.000-07:002008-07-07T21:09:25.945-07:00

As far as past loves go, he may not have seemed like much -- an on again off again affair that lasted less than a year.But our time together left my heart so bruised, I thought I'd never recover."I'll never do that again," I told one of my best friends when it was finally over. "I was so afraid you would stay with him forever," she told me, "That I would have to leave you here." We were, one by

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-64642923343543935572008-07-06T19:58:00.000-07:002008-07-06T20:03:27.861-07:00

Things I will no longer do to lose weight:Starve.Get hooked on the fast moving scale and lower my calories even further.Eat anything labeled fat-free or sugar-free.Survive on boring foods, liked baked chicken breast and broccoli EVERY DAY.Punish myself.Feel guilty.Feel out of control.Things I will do to lose weight:Eat mindfully.Stay in control.Eat well.Stop when I am full.Watch my portions.Enjoy

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-60150453109031773152008-07-04T18:04:00.000-07:002008-07-04T18:05:40.521-07:00

His Grace: "Is this pull-up crooked, or is it just me?"Party Girl: "It's just you."

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-19863897349204895272008-07-03T17:23:00.000-07:002008-07-03T17:27:44.027-07:00

Yesterday at breakfast, Sass said, "All I have to do is get through today, then get through tomorrow, then it will be time to go to the fair."Last night at bedtime: "Tomorrow when I wake up, I can say that 'Today is the fair!'"Today in the car, on the way to the fair: "I was 100 excited to go camping, but I'm 200 excited to go to the fair!"While we drove, I reminded her that her grandma and

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-71818827748841621752008-07-01T19:28:00.000-07:002008-07-02T07:25:17.005-07:00

Do you like salad? Let me invite you to dinner. This week:one giant bag of salad greensone GIANT bag of some really great smelling greens (kind of spicy? Italianish?) that I have no idea how to identifyfour -- FOUR! -- heads of romaineone bag of sugar peasa few small heads of broccolia TON of garlic scapesLisa V emailed me a recipe I can use for the greens and Magpie left me a link as well, so

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-85411579094077264532008-07-01T18:28:00.000-07:002008-07-01T18:35:46.799-07:00

Tuesday night is a work night for me, and the kids know this. It means that His Grace sits with them while they eat (I usually have dinner ready), plays with them, then puts them to bed. But they really, really, REALLY like it when I lay with them for a few minutes at bedtime, and so therefore they don't like work nights.Party Girl is giving it her all tonight, determined that I will lay with

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-1562454373739000312008-06-30T17:20:00.000-07:002008-06-30T19:42:02.234-07:00

This week got a little more interesting:3 heads romaine2 kohlrabibunch garlic scapessnap peascarrotsradishesSince we had a camping trip planned, I haven't done much with the food. We gave the romaine to my mom, aet the kohlrabi, carrots, radishes, and peas raw (are still eating them, in fact) and I froze the scapes. We're supposed to get more of those this week, so I'll probably make a pesto

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-47933822365728128962008-06-28T16:24:00.000-07:002008-06-28T16:48:31.228-07:00

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-92191340401211965142008-06-20T15:37:00.000-07:002008-06-20T15:49:09.861-07:00

This week in our box we received:one enormous bag of salad greensa bag of sugar peasa few bunches of carrotsThis is the week when my enthusiasm waned. I love salad, but even if we ate salad for lunch and dinner for the whole week (which we wouldn't), we wouldn't have gotten through that bag of greens. The sugar peas were delicious, but the carrots were soft and not that great looking.But, I

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-67992210279577974292008-06-14T17:14:00.000-07:002008-06-14T17:26:01.042-07:00

This might get boring for those of you who don't care, but I want to keep track of what we're getting in our weekly CSA and how we're using it. So here goes week one:In the box:baby carrotsgreen onionsa handful of radishesarugulasalad mixspinachThis was definitely a challenge for me, but it ended up being really easy. I made Cheesy Chard Bake (recipe below) with the spinach and half the green

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-84773708725629471612008-06-14T06:05:00.000-07:002008-06-14T06:18:33.629-07:00

1) For the moment, I am not going password protected. More on that later, when I have time to post.2) I took the posts about last week's excitement down, because somehow Google picked them up (despite my creative spellings) and I don't want John to know me as the girl who completely lost her mind because he happened to glance in my direction :). Still, Dave Matthews and John in one week. My

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-69043892670920142682008-06-11T12:28:00.000-07:002008-06-28T16:51:13.396-07:00

Hi Her Grace,I'm an Associate Producer for The D*aily Show with J*on St*ewart working on a story about the [subject]. I saw your posting on [subject] and I'm hoping you'll be interested in doing an interview. Please call me at the number below and I can tell you more about the segment.Thanks,xxxAssociate ProducerThe D*aily S*how with J*on S*tewartXXX West 52nd StreetNew York, NY 10019And

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-13524346383195453302008-06-09T07:58:00.000-07:002008-06-09T06:10:53.521-07:00

The day I graduated from college, my brother was as proud as my parents. The way my mom told it, he stood there with a tear in his eye saying, "That's my little sister up there."On the way home, he told everyone to go ahead and he'd drive me the hour back home. He stopped to buy me a bottle of Boone's Farm (hey...we were broke graduates!). We rolled down the windows of my Zephyr, soaking up

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-90307626077344070112008-06-05T19:24:00.000-07:002008-06-05T19:37:21.491-07:00

I'm doing it, "passwording" my blog. (In Blogger, you don't technically password, you go to invite only).Here's the thing - I'm hardly "blogging" anymore because all of my writing muscle is going to work. But I'm not ready to give the site up, and I like having it as a journal to note the silly things the girls do, etc. So this is my compromise with myself. I'm going to put Her Grace on the

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-24403991705225089882008-06-02T13:06:00.000-07:002008-06-02T13:27:39.938-07:00

Raising butterflies this year did not go smoothly. Our first batch of caterpillars all went belly up shortly after we received them. This has never happened before, and Insec*t Lore assures me it was probably my fault because I put them on a windowsill (even though I did no such thing).We were a little worried about our second batch as well, but they suddenly took off and doubled in size

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-50272252207186702922008-06-01T07:11:00.001-07:002008-06-01T07:25:27.748-07:00

This election is making me sad. I really don't know whether the decision to seat the Michigan and Florida delegates was fair or not. As a Michigan voter who DIDN'T vote, because my candidate's name wasn't on the ballot, is it fair to give Hillary my (non) vote? Not really. Yet, many Michigan voters chose "undecided" to express their preference for Edwards and Obama. Is it fair that Obama

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-49676685792282588762008-05-29T06:04:00.000-07:002008-05-29T08:21:53.703-07:00

Here's a little sunshine to start your Thursday. Maggie sent me a link to this video a week or so ago. It'll make you smile, promise.I thought that she was utterly adorable, so I clicked through to her YouTube page. Her name is Julia Nunes and you know what? She's really got a lot of talent. Check out some of her covers, my favorite being this Weezer song. But don't skip over her originals -

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-53160047176152756272008-05-25T18:30:00.000-07:002008-05-25T13:45:07.663-07:00

In the center of our backyard stands an island rock garden that is nearly 50 years old. To hear the neighbors tell it, it was quite the showpiece in its day. It had a chimney, a waterfall, and a pond. (The water was piped directly in then, no pumps to circulate it through). It was filled with fruit trees and lush perennials. It really was something else.Today, the boulders are still there,

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-87663291783666867502008-05-24T18:37:00.000-07:002008-05-24T06:18:43.748-07:00

When I was a kid, I borrowed 50 cents from my grandpa. I wrote him an IOU, promising to pay it back. He told me he'd collect "when pigs fly."When I was a little older, I went to a kite fair. There was a pig-shaped kite there, flying high, so I sent my grandpa 50 cents, with a note that I'd finally found a flying pig.He sent my back $5, saying it couldn't possibly be true.When I found this

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-28683432365397772022008-05-19T18:51:00.000-07:002008-05-22T10:39:26.243-07:00

The kitchen project that you all have forgotten about because it's been so dang long is finally done. It's been mostly done for weeks, but we (ack!) had to get a new floor. So here are the before before (when we moved in) pics and the before pics (after we had "remodeled") again, as well as a few shots of after.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-41698420202970195652008-05-19T18:20:00.000-07:002008-05-21T07:02:54.120-07:00

This is Wiley. He used to be known by several other names, none of them suitable for a family blog. He was terrible to live with, too terrible to even consider giving away. He was surly and impatient and had the bad habit of trapping house guests in bedrooms when we weren't home.Then, two summers ago, we let him outside.I'm all for keeping house cats in the house to keep them safe and healthy,

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-83244764450789017772008-05-19T18:07:00.001-07:002008-05-19T18:20:19.905-07:00

Sass got her hair cut today. She's been wanting bangs for months, but I just couldn't do it. I don't know why; I'm not sure if I was afraid it would make her look older or what. Today, we stopped to drop His Grace off for a haircut and I just got out of the car and took her in to. She's quietly thrilled, as is her way.I took these outside, shortly after she beat me at croquet. Actually, I

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-16043011234111710442008-05-12T19:44:00.000-07:002008-05-12T20:06:01.831-07:00

This is my mom's Mother's Day present. I decided to go homemade this year, and to include the kids in the process. What we came up with was a flip album made from envelopes, decorated to the hilt with tiny flowers and heart stickers. Each pocket holds a photo of my mom with the girls. She cried, which wasn't exactly my goal, but I'm pretty sure it meant she liked it.A lot of women I know have

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-37271132367572463182008-05-12T19:41:00.000-07:002008-05-12T19:44:13.697-07:00

All of my writing muscle is currently going toward my work blogs. Even when I'm inspired to write something here, by the time I get here, my eyes are bleary and I can't remember how to spell. So I've decided, for the summer at least, that Her Grace is going photo. I figure there are two advantages to this. You'll get a little peek into the daily at chez Their Grace and I'll be posting more

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-12449362635125381122008-05-09T12:51:00.000-07:002008-05-09T18:01:19.128-07:00

I told His Grace that all I wanted for Mother's Day was a place to grow some vegetables. He saw an opportunity to avoid the mall and using the debit card, so he agreed to dig me a garden. He's out there digging this afternoon, and I can't be sure, but I think the mall is looking pretty good to him right now.Actual conversation:"Why are you taking my picture?""For posterity.""It's for your blog,

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-89179033073241454552008-05-08T10:59:00.000-07:002008-05-08T11:01:42.832-07:00

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I'm not really writing much right now anyway, so I think I'll mull over the underground issue. It's not a huge deal, just thought it might free me up to post more pictures, etc. If I decide to add a password, I'll definitely give ample warning so that you can request it before hand.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-27674898579827475512008-05-06T14:21:00.000-07:002008-05-06T14:29:14.658-07:00

I'm thinking of going password protected. I know that at least half of you come to me through Bloglines though, and I realize that password protecting could make me lose half my readership. That means that the only people reading this blog would be, well, me.So I'm taking a poll. If I go private, would you still visit? Stop by and say hi? Feed my cat while I go on vacation? Or would putting

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-51210087816694983112008-05-01T05:39:00.000-07:002008-05-01T05:41:31.491-07:00

Anne Lamott on the Colbert Show"That's not a cuddle party, is it?"

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-1693383246898476582008-04-30T10:55:00.000-07:002008-04-30T11:06:34.110-07:00

This morning, I had a mole on my neck removed. As the dermatologist started working on me, he and his nurse started discussing oil prices.At first, I thought the discussion was going in a favorable direction. He was going on and on about alternative energy sources and wind farms and what not. I relaxed a little and let him shoot me up with his local anesthetic. "Of course, it all depends on

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-87159558992081698862008-04-26T05:23:00.001-07:002008-04-26T05:42:51.057-07:00

Drop over to Maggie's and send her some love -- Slugger's adoption has been finalized!

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-57700288369693118932008-04-25T16:57:00.001-07:002008-04-25T17:01:08.251-07:00

At the movie store this afternoon, Party Girl picked out Mulan, which the girls have never seen.During the first scene, Sass recognized it was China by the Great Wall. I mentioned that the movie took place in China, not in the United States, where we live."We've never been to China," she replied. "I've never been anywhere else but where I live."She mulled this over for a minute."Oh wait! I

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-53423400491179803562008-04-24T21:21:00.000-07:002008-04-24T21:23:53.510-07:00

I'm on Facebook and have far too few friends. If you're on, drop me a line and I'll look you up.Does this make me an official cyber-nerd?

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-15547361076487140122008-04-16T07:26:00.000-07:002008-04-16T07:37:25.735-07:00

Party Girl's outlook on the world changed the day she turned three. It made her feel like a super hero. Suddenly, the words "I'm a big girl" are part of the daily routine around here and she wears the label with pride.Last night, my mom sent me an email sharing some things that Party Girl had said while over there today for her "date" with Grandma:"Remember, Grandma, I'm three years old now. I

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-33528347468082805222008-04-15T06:26:00.000-07:002008-04-15T06:42:00.716-07:00

I see the morning sun from behind my eyelids. It was friendly and cheery, singing Good morning! Good morning!I squeezed my eyes tighter and rolled over with a groan.It was too late. My brain had already noticed the springtime sun before I did and it was busy sending WAKE UP! chemicals throughout my body. It wanted to get up, go outside, and play.It must have forgotten the 3 AM trip to the ER

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-52084764669549119312008-04-08T16:09:00.000-07:002008-04-08T18:52:22.696-07:00

Today, I made another mom feel good about herself.Today, somewhere, a mom is blogging what she witnessed at Target -- or maybe just sharing it over dinner -- and she is judging me harshly, as women are sometimes apt to do.My behavior made her feel like a good mom, because what I was doing was not in the realm of good parenting. I had sunk low, which meant she could look down on me.I tried to

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-54692982787560587242008-04-06T05:41:00.000-07:002008-04-06T06:27:09.227-07:00

She is rosy cheeks and rosebud lips.She is beautiful dresses and mud pies.She is fancy skirts and ripped tights.She is fierce.She is an open heart, no fences around.She is stay-in-your-jammies-all-day snuggly.She is the best hugs.She is "Will you hold my hand while I fall asleep, Mama?"She is fast when you want her to be slow.She is a dawdles when you want her to hurry up.She is

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-62281196823166944662008-04-03T06:27:00.000-07:002008-04-03T06:34:49.127-07:00

Sass is drawing a calender. At the top are the following letters:M T W F F S SI ask her what the second F is for. The answer?Fursday.Of course.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-87404326308706097532008-04-01T08:53:00.000-07:002008-04-01T09:04:33.426-07:00

My mom, brother, and I have such a wicked history of April Fool's pranking that we don't even try anymore. I think the very last one involved my brother's best friend imitating a police officer and phoning my mom, asking where he was the night before because he was a suspect in a bar fight. She laughed when the joke was revealed, but her hands were still shaking I think.My kids, however, are

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-88184239502035602712008-03-26T18:38:00.001-07:002008-03-26T18:39:26.602-07:00

Little eyes are watching me as I get out dried off after a shower."Mama. Your butt is big enough."Yes my dear, I think it was big enough several pounds ago. But thanks.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-43939105078045611622008-03-24T18:28:00.000-07:002008-03-24T18:30:19.616-07:00

Oh how I laughed and laughed.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-17422139463835158292008-03-23T05:38:00.000-07:002008-03-23T05:43:43.016-07:00

This morning, the Easter Bunny blearily stumbled out of bed and hurried downstairs to hide two dozen beautifully colored Easter eggs. Then she blearily stumbled upstairs to stop the screaming match that was taking place in her daughters' room. Then she blearily stumbled back downstairs with family in tow to hunt for the missing eggs.With a little prodding and a lot of hints, 23 eggs were found.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-35625216933338872752008-03-21T17:10:00.001-07:002008-03-21T17:37:23.250-07:00

Today, I crossed the border and edged closer to 40 than 30. Though I always feel gratitude on my birthday, this year I woke up feeling a little....well...used up. That's the only was I can think of to describe it. My energy levels were in the toilet, and I wasn't feeling very good about myself. I'd run into three former high school classmates this week and they looked older, but they also

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-67702341833820767212008-03-16T13:57:00.000-07:002008-03-16T14:02:35.208-07:00

"Party Girl? Did you pee in your snow pants?""Yes. I wanted to.""You wanted to?""My legs were cold and I wanted to make them warm. But then they got cold again."

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-73614108014813828082008-03-12T10:22:00.000-07:002008-03-12T10:38:51.322-07:00

Yesterday, a large white delivery truck bought these:After the burly delivery guys had finished loading them into my dining room and drove off in their truck, both of the dangerously short of breath, I stood looking at this room full of boxes. I decided it felt a little like Christmas Eve, the anticipation of it all, only if Christmas Eve was really about two weeks long and involved no running

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-68625706402578409182008-03-08T13:19:00.000-08:002008-03-08T13:34:45.904-08:00

I've Freecycled about two dozen items since this project began. I may not have anything left to put in my new cupboards.By coincidence, about half of those items went to people in my general neighborhood. My cooking magazines went to a woman three doors down.Another woman, who is not my neighbor, was the recipient of the other half of the items. I imagine a kitchen somewhere in this city that

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-31910438794452169372008-03-04T15:43:00.000-08:002008-03-11T09:38:13.416-07:00

I was snapping some pictures of the kitchen-in-progress, trying to capture the new paint color, which I adore. Party Girl was being goofy, so I got her in the shot. Then she discovered her nose was running and, well, if you're queasy, don't watch all the way to the end. Today, I walked into the kitchen to discover every banana in the bowl had been peeled and laid neatly on the table. I

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-47366465200476702622008-02-24T12:55:00.000-08:002008-02-24T13:00:23.672-08:00

Reason #1: Two new blogging gigs! Email me if you'd like the links.Reason #2:This is what our kitchen looked like when we bought our house.This is what it looks like today.If all goes well, this is what it will look like in a month or so.I can't wait to see it come to life, but until then, I'm up to my neck in projects. I'll try to check in soon!

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-70340092812559636602008-02-23T19:29:00.000-08:002008-02-23T19:30:59.443-08:00

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-71143165069899282562008-02-17T18:51:00.000-08:002008-02-17T19:03:52.979-08:00

I'm at my computer, working away, when I hear His Grace announce to the girls that bed time is imminent. At the same time, their voices raise in protest.Moments later, Party Girl tip-toes into the room. She knows she's not allowed in the office when I'm working, but she doesn't let a little thing like rules stop her. She comes to me, moaning that two-year-old moan, and says in a mock sad/

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-53085041228679836362008-02-15T13:13:00.000-08:002008-02-15T13:57:46.697-08:00

As I type this, Expat Chef's Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken is roasting in my oven, filling my house with yummy, tangy smells and making my mouth water. She's not only a great cook whose recipes I adore (though I can only manage to recreate her simpler ones), she also has excellent perspective on food issues and activism. If even half the people in charge of our food supply thought like her, we'd

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-46496650022608736882008-02-14T15:05:00.000-08:002008-02-14T15:08:45.472-08:00

"I hit a snowbank today.""Yeah?""Yeah. But I didn't get hurt.""Oh. You must have really hit a snowbank.""Well, yeah. I flew over the handlebars.""Wait. You fell off your bike?""No.""But you just said...""I said I flew over the handlebars. It's not the same as falling.""But you landed with your body in the snow. You were separated from your bike.""Yes.""Wow. You really should take the van.

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-73017463523682601412008-02-13T16:35:00.000-08:002008-02-13T17:18:39.554-08:00

This is pretty interesting. If you're not the political sort and are wondering where the candidates stand on issues, it's pretty clear cut. It's also a nice side-by-side comparison of Clinton and Obama, though it doesn't go into much depth.On a side note, do you know what I realized today? The same two families have had control of the White House since I've been a legal voter. That may be a

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-77949436763231187152008-02-12T19:12:00.000-08:002008-02-12T19:14:55.450-08:00

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-66019170583498050852008-02-06T11:49:00.001-08:002008-02-06T12:07:20.824-08:00

We were surprised when we woke up this morning that school was still on. A winter storm had started in the night and promised nearly a foot of snow before the day was through. I suppose school administrators were thinking of the two snow days last week and one the week before when they decided to go for it, but by noon local districts were shutting down and sending kids home early.Since then,

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-20563547470350929112008-02-04T18:18:00.000-08:002008-02-04T18:28:24.449-08:00

It's the eve of the beginning of one of the most exciting presidential campaign's in our country's history. Certainly the most exciting I've seen in my lifetime so far.My 5-year-old asked me who "that woman" was in a magazine I was reading yesterday. I explained to her that Hillary Clinton wants to be president and that that was pretty exciting, because if she made it, she'd be the first woman

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-6319049644217896922008-02-01T19:31:00.000-08:002008-02-01T19:55:10.317-08:00

So, Sass is about 8 months away from kindergarten, but yet is showing a very strong interest in reading. She knows her letters and sounds, and I spend much of my day answering questions like:"What does t-a-c spell?" Or worse, "What does c-o-k spell?"and listening to made up songs that go:"Mary mad ma mittle man, mittle man, mittle man!"She can read simple words from familiar word families like

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-50127156836203575592008-02-01T07:37:00.000-08:002008-02-01T07:40:31.106-08:00

New 30-day challenge starts today! Actually, it'll be a 29-day challenge, thanks to leap year. For anyone who hasn't been following along, all you need to do to join the challenge is have a goal in mind. Share your goals with us, set your own reward for reaching it, and then blog your ups and downs. There's a lot of great support happening over there.So, if you'd like to join this round, drop

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-50948882516148280482008-01-31T15:40:00.000-08:002008-01-31T15:47:42.692-08:00

I can't count the number of times I've heard Lost referred to lately as an old flame, come home for a weekend visit. It's kind of an appropriate analogy -- after eight long months away, my Wednesday night date (now Thursday) is back again and I'm both giddy and nervous to find out what our relationship will be like this year.The thing about Lost is that you never, ever get enough. Lost is a

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-73363251442472584562008-01-30T09:22:00.001-08:002008-01-30T09:24:48.210-08:00

Dear Hillary and Obama,My vote is officially up for grabs. Now quit your petty bickering and show me your stuff. Your real stuff.Desperately in Need of a New President,Her Grace

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-15198166723388211092008-01-29T20:06:00.001-08:002008-01-29T20:25:00.553-08:00

After a frightfully high fever last night (104.5 with medication), Party Girl finally seems to be on the mend tonight. She's cool, though peaked looking. Played catch with her dad. Threw the ball intentionally at her sister's head. Definitely getting there.It's been a really hard few weeks. I think I lost it there for a little while over the weekend. I know I did, actually. Now that I'm

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-29369654947568156142008-01-28T17:34:00.000-08:002008-01-28T17:45:39.469-08:00

Just when we thought that we had January beat, Party Girl came down with a fever. For two days, she's been sicker than sick. I've never seen her this bad. She's lethargic, she's coughing, she's feverish even with regular doses of Motrin. She won't eat a thing unless it's a Frosty or a fudgsicle. I'm honestly a little nervous tonight, nervous enough to pull her into bed with me so that I can

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-30693993239765471182008-01-27T16:35:00.000-08:002008-01-27T18:05:16.838-08:00

His Grace was helping Party Girl off with her coat the other day, when she turned to him and said:"You a idiot.""What did you say?""You. IDIOT."We kind of chuckled in a concerned sort of way, but thought What in the world? Obviously, we don't use the word on each other, though it may slip out occasionally when we talk about other people. Like, ohhhhh, those who live in the White House. But

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-75550533355277023782008-01-23T08:50:00.000-08:002008-01-24T08:22:36.015-08:00

When the doctor shined her light in my mouth yesterday to look at my sore throat, she actually jumped back a little and let out a startled, "Oh." And then, "Yuck."That makes one sinus infection, one stomach flu, and one case of bronchitis for me so far this year. And that's just me, not my kids or His Grace.Seriously.Last night, I contemplated exactly how far south we'd have to travel to get

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-17058861304815397662008-01-21T16:40:00.000-08:002008-01-20T15:51:39.833-08:00

Tap dancing class for a two-year-old?* Totally excessive.Even more ridiculous to buy her four-year-old sister (who isn't taking tap) a pair of her own tap shoes, right?I know. It really is the height of silliness.But still, I can't be made to feel bad about it. Because had I never came upon those tap shoes and had I never delighted them by actually buying them, I would have never known they

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-77617275076950881712008-01-18T07:40:00.000-08:002008-01-20T15:52:24.972-08:00

I am the mother of a five year old.I can't for the life of me figure out how this happened.It seems like just last year, I was a fumbling new mother trying to figure out how to take care of this:Sometimes, when I look at her these days, I'm stunned to see a big girl looking back to me. Her warm, dark eyes twinkle when she's getting ready to tease me about something, yelling "You'll have to catch

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-621617317572632191.post-63085324140100603692008-01-16T07:59:00.000-08:002008-01-16T09:59:37.294-08:00

During my senior year of college, a good friend and I visited a psychic fair on a lark. My palm reader, a college student himself, asked me what my plans were for the future. I told him I was nearing graduation, with an degree in special education."Hmm," he said, pointing to my palm. "Right here? This is the teacher's apple. Yours is there, but it's very, very faint. I think that you'll be

Her Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891923995709831206noreply@blogger.com8