I’M SCARED TO TAKE A SHOWER

Our peanut allergy research journey. November 19th Tonight has been a marathon of sprints. He finished football practice at 5:30.He was starving but he needed a shower. He also needed to take his dose of peanut powder. He can't dose until one hour after he showers.  He can't sleep for two hours after he doses.  …

PUNCTURED PACKAGES

Last night, I heard the words that I knew would eventually come, "I'm getting tired of this." I figured he would. Eating chocolate pudding mixed with pasty powder for 127 days in a row would make me gag. But the words didn't come out of his mouth, they came out of mine. It wasn't really …

DECK THE HOUSE…

"Oh it's a perfect day for coffee on the deck!"  Growing up as a Navy Brat, I moved every two years. It seems like our homes always had small cement porches with enough room for a welcome mat. Sometimes the porch stretched into a patio, but I can't remember ever having a deck. It wasn't …

A PLACE FOR MY PYREX

Well I'm nothing if not a Saturday squirrel chaser…  Today I rose out of bed to tackle a few tasks before heading off to a Scout function. The tasks weren't vague. I didn't get blindsided by any urgent appliance malfunctions, clogged toilets, or doggie disasters. Just simply start some laundry, get Coleman's Scout uniform ready, …

SIGNS OF VICTORY

Towns across America, large and small, have a certain electricity in the air during football season. I work at a small school district in a small town. Friday Night Lights begins when the first bell rings on Friday morning. Our players walk the halls in their jerseys. The Cheerleaders gather in the library to make …

THE MISSING INGREDIENT

Do you have a favorite dish that just can't be switched up? Like don't change a thing? Not even the brand of one of the ingredients? For us, it's hot chicken salad. I was introduced to hot chicken salad when I was a struggling single mom and my dear friend would frequently have me over …

THE WISH BOOK

I started my day out in denial. Instead of tackling a looming chore list, I stayed in bed with a cup of coffee and a Christmas catalog. It's the only catalog I get all year. I'm not much of a shopper. I either impulse-buy power cords and discount shower curtains at the Dollar General or …

MY PARKA

I'm just a little giddy to finally be an official Friday Night Lights mom. It was the last game in the regular season. Ninth grade players joined the big guys… stood out there with that senior high team in a showdown with our fiercest rivals. And we took the win! Warriors are headed to the …

FORGOTTEN

Today’s list of the forgotten: glasses, school clothes, football mouthguard, and epi-pens. I’d like to say it’s unusual for my son to forget that many things in one day. I’d like to say that’s where today’s list will end, but I also like to say, “day ain’t over yet”. If he forgets only one thing …

BOXED SET

Raise your hand if you’ve ever punished your kid by taking away his book. Nothing feels weirder… “Alright, that’s it! You aren’t using your time wisely. Hand over the book.” And yet, those are the words I have spoken to our one and only Colemanator. He loves a story. He especially loves a series of …