HomeLife
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. - Annie Dillard
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confessions . . .
1. When the kids run out of soap in the bathroom, I might wait for weeks to refill their dispenser. I know they are just going to spill it anyway. 2. I’m not really concerned with whether my children wear matching socks or not. 3. If I have to pick between enforcing tooth brushing at either morning or night, I always choose night. 4. Some dinners I don’t include vegetables on the menu. Yes. Sometimes giant bowls of macaroni & cheese only are what’s for dinner. 5. I don’t always remember to purchase cat food. Even though we own two cats. 6. Showering daily is not a personal priority…
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Motherhood – The Club.
When you become a mother you’re an instant member of this club. And you think it will be all inclusive. I mean – the only requirement is to have a child, right? It’s kind of like that. But then, um, not really. It’s a unique kind of club. A mixed bag of sorts. A mess, really. A club for certain. One that can make you feel accepted and understood and, at the same time, a club that can feel so exclusive and unfriendly that you’d consider revoking your card. As mothers we sometimes think our decisions are on display – seen through a transparent window,…
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snow days. 2017.
Even though there is a strictly enforced Wildwood Snow Policy, this weekend’s snow tried to sneak in on a weekend so that we still had a full week of school. That’s fine Snow, we don’t mind spending our weekends with you too. It was just beautiful. The first snow always is. I hope that’s a feeling I keep forever – the mystery and awe I feel at the first blanketing of snow of the season. (Sometime the only snow – when you live in the south.) And I know – it is precisely because we receive so few that we love snow days so deeply down here ya’ll. I…
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I’ll just leave this here ….
I keep half ways writing posts but not quite completing them. I’ve got a lot of spinning plates this week. I mean, ALL weeks. But particularly this week. It’s far too late to be wide awake in my dining room so I’m going to toss in the towel and not add “complete a new blog post” to my Reasons For Not Getting Enough Sleep list. But don’t worry friends. I won’t leave you empty-handed. I’ll just post this little video here. (Sent to me at just the right time of night to appeal to my sense of inane comedy.) It’s just enough nonsense to be funny at the time…
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words for the parents.
Good grief. As soon as you write words, you have to prove them. The second they drop from your pen, an opportunity to see if you mean them is forced upon you. Or is that just me? Surely it’s not just me. And will I be a broken record for the rest of my life? The preaching to me all the live long day? I think that’s a real possibility. It feels true. And if your words aren’t mocking you from the page, they’re doing it from the mouths of the people you live with. “Mom, remember? You said if she did that again, the next time…
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this in-between week
How about a rambling little post today to follow the onslaught of a long weekend spent mostly at home and the chaos that follows Christmas with a large family? I hope you all are cool with that, because it’s about all I’ve got in me. Christmas was lovely and sweet. We read The Hobbit before bed tonight and this quote felt true of our Christmas actually. Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a…
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Five Finds Friday (surprise! & the warmest socks & the silliest picture)
We all know why this week sped right past all of us. Yes – it’s already Friday you guys. Here we go …… FUNNY Humor plays a vital role in my life. If it’s not outright sustaining, it absolutely is what makes certain days feel endurable. (Is endurable a word?) Our friend Abby has endeared herself to my children through several methods. One – she sends stellar care packages that have rather specific instructions on the outside. Instructions such as “For Kids Eyes Only” and “Whatever You Do – Don’t Let Your Mom Open This Box”. Two – she shows up in surprise ways and says yes…
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a saturday night story
Sometimes I don’t even have to think about what I should write. The stuff of life just hands it to me. This weekend was kind of like that. And when it all went down, my friend hannaH laughed. “This is perfect. If this is going to happen in anyone’s life in this particular way, it’s going to happen to you.” That wasn’t exactly encouraging. But it wasn’t really insulting either. More like a commentary. A commentary on what feels to be an accurate description of the way things go for Team Keigley. It all started out so well. Which also might serve as some commentary on how things progress…
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a weekend in review: or in fast forward
If life had a fast forward button, then this weekend was probably tuned to that setting. So. Much. Happened. It was a weekend threaded with tradition and new. Maddox spent the weekend with us. He was such a sweet little companion – toted back and forth and here and there – with a startlingly great attitude for a toddler completely thrown off his routine. He likes us all pretty much. But he’s downright obsessed with Aunt London. Maddox stayed with us because his family was gaining a new member. Greyson Porter arrived safe and healthy this weekend too. A full cheeked little fella with dark eyes and…
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what I learned at the parade
The people watching at a well attended event is pretty much as interesting as the event itself. I mean, sometimes. Somehow, despite living in this area for nine years now I think, we have never made it to the “big city” Christmas parade. (We are faithful attendees of our small town version.) This year the timing was right, we had hot cocoa and marshmallows to put into a thermos, we had no plans; so parade watching it was. I was reminded, however, that I am not a gigantic fan of gigantic crowds. We arrived early, enjoyed our refreshments on the sidewalk and waited for the parade. People arrived later,…
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Five Finds Friday (picking out a Christmas tree and eating Chinese food)
It sort of didn’t feel like Friday last week because I didn’t do one of these routine little posts. Funny how small habits keep you on schedule. But I’m all on track this week and there’s no holiday pushing at our backs so here we go ….. FUNNY I mean, I think my kids are funny. They think they are hilarious. It’s a daily something or other. From London adding to her school list: Be Awesome. (Oh wait. I’ve already conquered that.) To Bergen entering a room and telling us to forget we ever saw him taking whatever item he just took and then waving his…
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not according to plan, but maybe exactly according to plan
This week has not gone as planned. Pretty much not one part of it. The meals were planned ahead of time – written on the board and everything. But we haven’t followed too many of them just yet. I know it’s only mid-week, on the front side of that, even. But it’s still been a messy week. I’m taking a bit of advice from my friends tonight and I’m going to turn in early. (I mean, early for me, you know.) My list will be sitting tidily waiting for me in the morning. Despite an unpredictable start all around to this week, it’s not been entirely awful. …
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Beautiful, Wearable Art : The People Who Make It & A Code For You To Buy It On Sale
I first noticed her because of her arm warmers. It’s true. I was signing my Piper into the three-year-old nursery at our church and I didn’t know many people there yet and I loved those arm warmers. Also, Piper Finn liked Melanie too. That was a big deal. Piper dreaded Sundays because the transition from hanging out with me to crossing the threshold to stay at nursery had been a battle her whole tiny life. Melanie was all regular smiles and beautiful tattoos. And she treated not only Piper as if she was important, but Eagle too. Yep. Life weary old Eagle, Piper’s faithful sidekick and bosom companion,…
