A Few Things...

Let's catch up on what I've read lately...

How to Raise a Boy. As always, and now more than ever, I'm conscious of the way we are raising our boys. This is a great article, and this passage particularly resonated:  "... the lessening power of men (straight and white particularly) is an unquestioned societal good. ... The only thing is: There are two future white men who live in my house, and I love them very much." 

Wait Until 8th—A Pledge to Delay Smartphone Usage in Kids. I hate the never-ending battle over technology. I think we're doing okay so far. We go through phases, but in general, our kids are still the "play outside until the sun goes down" types. Aaron has a gizmo gadget, which enables us to keep in touch when necessary. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done, and it's helping us fill the gap for now.

The most reasonable article about nutrition I've ever read. 

It's Hard to Delete Facebook Without an Alternative. After the news about Cambridge Analytica, I watched the whole #deletefacebook movement happen, but I still haven't deleted my account. Because it fills a need - it helps me keep in touch with my far-away family and friends.

Americans Love Seeing Swedish Dads Out With Their Kids. And This is a Problem. I loved this article. What's "normal" here is not normal everywhere. It'd be nice if we could learn from and be influenced by other countries and cultures.

Belly is Back! Fun to hear new music from one of my all-time favorites. Also fun to read about how they decided to get back together.

‘Exile In Guyville’ Decodes Feminism’s Generational Divide. Cool article about Liz Phair and feminism.

The Professor on a Mission to Make Math Lovable. This article is about my nephew-in-law, a ridiculously smart and sweet guy. "...there is so much poetry and philosophy in math, it is really more of a humanities discipline anyway."

NBC News asked men and women in different professions across the U.S. how the #MeToo movement has changed the way they interact with people at work - if at all. This is a sampling of their responses. Many of them are not surprising, but some sure did make me sad. I'm grateful I've worked in open and accepting environments and with really good guys throughout my career, although the culture has definitely changed over the years (and that's a good thing).

In the #MeToo Era, Raising Boys to Be Good Guys. Yep, I read this stuff every day. I am hyper aware of the influences in their lives, from seeing cheerleaders on the sidelines of football and basketball games (I'm grateful that they prefer baseball and soccer), to the types of books they read and movies they watch. It is getting harder, though. But I will make them do their chores (yes lawn mowing, but also dishes and scrubbing toilets and dusting), and I will keep talking to them.

Curiosity and What Equality Really Means, by Atul Gawande. I love reading anything by him, and this commencement speech to the UCLA medical school is no exception.

Talking to Boys the Way We Talk to Girls. As always, I'm intrigued by the differences in how we raise boys vs. girls. As a mother of boys, I want to be conscious of the biases and stereotypes that exist, so I can ensure we aren't demonstrating them at home. And when we do fall into those stereotypical traps, I want to recognize it and talk about it.

To end on a light note, here are a few recipes I want to bookmark. The Best Lemon Bars. I'd also like to try some new veggie burger recipes this summer. I'm going to start with either this, or this, or this. And I made this Watermelon, Feta, and Arugula Salad last week, and it's great. So light and refreshing - perfect for a cookout. Aaron enjoyed it and requested that I make it again.

A Few Things...

This picture reflects my mood today. Pensive. I just want to lie upside down in a wingback chair and feel my feelings. I really want the black cat to watch me from above, too.

Here are just a few of the articles I've bookmarked (somewhat) recently...

How I Stopped Checking My Phone And Started Using It With Intention. I do some of these already, but I could do more. It's a continuous process, to check in on how I'm doing. I downloaded the "In the Moment" app, but I honestly think that just gave me one more thing to check on my phone! I know others who have found it helpful, though. For me, the "rubber band on the phone" reminder helps, along with no notifications, and keeping the phone charging after I get home and go to bed. (Here's another good one on the same topic.)

Family Dinner, Redefined.  Lots of tips about how to handle the family dinner. This week in particular, I've been having the feeling of dread when I realize that I need to decide what to have for dinner again. (Must we eat dinner every day?!?) I definitely need to get back in the habit of planning for the week, but I like some of these other tips and reminders too.

Talking to Boys the Way We Talk to Girls. As a mom of boys, I am endlessly interested in this topic of how we parent boys and girls differently, whether it's conscious or not.

The Problem with Seeking the Best for Your Kids. I think about this all. the. time. We ended up in a community with good schools, but not because that's what we were seeking. We mostly moved to the suburbs, because I need space! I wanted my boys to be able to run outside and play. We got that, and we also got good public schools. But I think often about what I could do to support Boston public schools without actually moving there, and what my boys are missing by not being exposed to a more diverse education.

Women Aren't Nags—We're Just Fed Up.  A harsh title, perhaps, but valid. I've posted something similar before, but I still relate and think it's good to talk about and ensure understanding.

The Final Interview with Sturgill Simpson, According to Sturgill Simpson. This one's just for fun. I find Sturgill Simpson to be highly entertaining.

The Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto. Since reading this, I think about how I greet my kids every time I see them. I think I naturally lit up anyway, but I'm very conscious of it now.

Adam Rippon's One Technique For Staying Calm Under Pressure. I am loving Adam Rippon. He and Leslie Jones can do commentary every time as far as I'm concerned. These are great tips for staying calm. Perspective and gratitude go a long way.

The Boys Are Not All Right. The Parkland school shooting is taking up a lot of mental space these days. I listened to the news with sadness as I heard about the victims and the heroes. I watch with awe and admiration the students who are fighting to be heard. I become angry and frustrated listening to everybody fight about it, as though this is all hypothetical and there aren't real children dying. I've read a lot about it, but this article provides a different focus, instead looking at the possible reasons why boys are almost always the ones doing the shooting.

Going For a Bike Ride...

When we went to Amsterdam a couple years ago, I had so much fun riding bikes around the city, and I vowed to come home and buy myself a bike. I haven't owned a bike since college. Well, it took a while, but I finally did it!  Kevin and I both bought ourselves bikes, and we went for our first family ride this past weekend. My legs feel great, and I'm excited to discover more local bike trails as we explore as a family. 

I LOVE my bike!  She has a big comfy seat, a handy basket, and she's bright orange!  

A Few Things...

Love Bill Nye.

A few interesting reads for this week...

This fake movie trailer is hilariously perfect.

I very much enjoyed this interview with Lucy Kalanithi in the NY Times. "When Breath Becomes Air" is next up on my to-read stack.

UN Urges Global Move to Meat and Dairy-Free Diet. Interesting to think of the global view. I already eat very little meat, but it would be extremely difficult for me to do without cheese.

Speaking of vegetables, I want to make this stew.

America Dumbs Down. This article makes me sad.

White Privilege is Not Something to Feel Guilty About. Here's What It Does Mean. Important information to know and understand.

How Rich Parents Can Exacerbate School Inequality. Our town falls somewhere in the middle of the extremes discussed here, but it's something that has been on my mind for a long time. I wish there was an easier way for us to support schools in lower-income areas.

An interesting perspective. Makes you think about the things you really want and what you're willing to do to get them.

Newport has started their lineup announcements!  Every week or so between now and July, I get to receive a little jolt of excitement from the good people of the Newport Folk Festival. Lucky me!

Halloween 2015

The boys are in their prime Halloween ages right now. Add to that the fact that my company has a family Halloween party, and the fact that the boys decided they should both be Star Wars characters (Luke and Anakin Skywalker)....those facts led to our decision to go big this year. 

Kevin and I rarely dress up. (This was a huge exception.)  There aren't too many female characters in Star Wars, so Leia was an easy choice. Kevin didn't hesitate in deciding to be a stormtrooper, spending hours researching costume options (and more $$ than I care to know about). We were all impressed with his commitment, especially seeing how uncomfortable that suit must be! I think it was worth it, though. I know I'll never forget it.  (Especially since he'll probably wear it every year from now on!)

Fun Photos and My First Giveaway!

I'm not one who has a ton of family pictures on the walls. I have a gallery wall up our staircase, and we have a handful of special family photos framed here and there. I see my kids and my husband every day, so I don't feel the need to display pictures everywhere.

That said, I always appreciate walking through people's houses and looking at all their pictures. Not just the big occasions, like weddings, but also the everyday moments and milestones. I also love flipping through the images on my phone from time to time, and very often I'd think - what am I going to do with all these? I still make and print out an annual family photo album, and I am not afraid to incorporate instagram pictures as well as those from our nice camera, but I started to love the idea of finding a way of capturing those everyday moments in some tangible way.

Enter CanvasPop! I used their site to create a collage of my favorite Instagram pictures over the past year, and I love it. It was so easy to make, and now I have this fun collection of memories to keep on display. I'm still deciding where to put it, but I'm already thinking I may have to do this again next year. It's such a fun way of seeing those fun everyday-but-still-so-special moments and keeping them fresh in my memory. 

Would you love one too? CanvasPop has graciously offered one of my readers a 16X20 print with a .75 inch frame and free shipping! (And since there aren't a ton of you out there, your chances are really good!) To enter, simply leave a comment on this post - easy peasy! I'll pick a winner by June 10th, 2015. Shipping is limited to US and Canada.

If you don't win, or you want to do your own thing, they're giving all my fabulous readers a very generous 35% off one order with the code MARYLOVES35 from now through July 30th, 2015*.

Isn't that cool? It's a really good reason to look through all those photos stuck on your phone and decide to do something with them already!

*valid for orders shipping within the US and Canada; cannot be combined with other discounts or promo codes.

Eight!

My sweet boy is eight. I want to take the hands of the clock and hold them still, but I sigh and celebrate the passing of time instead. Having a blog is fun for many reasons, but one reason is being able to look back at posts like this and this and this. Some people have scrapbooks and baby albums. I have a blog. As the years have passed, I've shared a little less of my boys, and I suspect that trend will continue as they get older. But I'm happy I've been able to capture some of the highlights here. I do create family photo albums, but here is where I capture some of the details. Such as...

This year Aaron requested a lego-themed party, and he loved helping me come up with the activities. We had "guess how many legos in the jar", a bean bag toss, pin the head on the lego guy, a memory game, a scavenger hunt, and finally...an Emmet piñata of course. In-between activities the kids enjoyed ice cream sundaes, which has become his tradition as well. He invited three girls and three boys - a perfect-sized group of great kids getting together to celebrate one fabulous boy.  

Outdoor Living...

Family gathering around the bonfire...photo by my cousin Lynne.

We had a beautiful week in New York, on Lake Ontario.

Glorious sunsets every night.  It's so hard not to try to take a picture of every one, but I did manage to sit still and just watch for a while.

Bedtimes have been pushed (way) back, mornings have been lazy.  

Dirty feet from being barefoot all day.

We picked cherries, which I realized I had never done before.  Trees bursting with ruby-colored fruit, we could pick them by the handful.  So sweet.  We ate and ate and ate.

Sticky popsicle faces.

We enjoyed a day at the amusement park.  The boys had their first ride on a roller coaster, which was big enough to make me squeal with laughter too.  We spent time in the water park, riding in pairs down the big water slide.  I felt like a kid.

Suitcases exploded in the tent, and yet I loved the outdoor living.  Sleeping outside in the fresh air, reading by the light of the lantern, early morning yoga while the boys slept in.

Dinner for 50.  It was an impressive gathering of family.  I loved catching up, and it was fun to see my boys play with cousins (actually mostly second cousins) they just met.

We had one morning of fun with the boat.  The boys and I rode the Gladiator, and Aaron got to go out riding and swimming with the big kids.

Singing around the bonfire.  Aaron sang a couple songs with me as I played on my guitar, and it made my heart swell.

Burnt marshmallows.  The best kind.

Awe-inspiring starry night skies.   I looked up until I saw a shooting star.  And then I looked some more.

I came home feeling refreshed, full of fresh air and love.  It's no wonder this is one of my favorite places in the world.

A Few Things...

photo by Abby Hyslop

I've gone a bit quiet lately.  For several reasons, I suppose.  First is the desire to put the phone down, really live in the moments, and not feel the need to write a post about every single one.  It's good to take a step back at times.  Second is the fact that I'm tired and not feeling so great right now.  I haven't been sleeping well, waking up in the middle of the night with stomach pains.  Bleh.  And last is the simple reality of Spring.  I have a tendency to become more introspective around this time.  It's the weather, I suppose.  The changing of seasons which necessitates a change of pace and routine.  I washed and put away the snow pants and boots this week.  I am reviewing the boys' clothes to see what they need for the coming warmer weather.  It is coming!  And of course the desire to get the house and yard into shape.

There is a lot on my mind, and I will write more here soon.  In the meantime, here are some fun and interesting links from around the web...

Kevin Bacon explains the 80s to Millennials.  Funny, and speaking of Kevin Bacon, did you see his entrance on Fallon a couple weeks ago?  Made me smile.  Oh and speaking of The Tonight Show, did you see Jude Law?  Cracked. me. up.

Jack is back!  Who else loved 24?  Man those first couple seasons had me hooked.  It wasn't great after that and yet I kept coming back for more Jack.  I will definitely watch this, if only for old time's sake.

The Terrifyingly Nasty, Backstabbing, and Altogether Miserable World of the Suburban Mom.  This article is so sad.  I am thankful that I live in a fairly diverse town with great people.  I'm only a couple years in as a school mom, but so far I've met wonderful people and made great friends.  I'm confident that will only continue in the future.

Once again...I love Louis C.K.

Let Your Kids Fail.  Another reminder to take a step back, allow your children the opportunities to take risks, to try new things, to fail, and then to pick themselves back up again.  I'm happy at the seemingly increasing number of articles along these lines.  Perhaps the tide is turning.

The Locavore Myth.  This is an interesting article.  I suppose people make decisions about the food they buy for a large variety of reasons.  For some people, the impact to the environment is a huge factor.  For me, the biggest things are choosing food that is tasty, healthy, and palatable to my kids.  I do like supporting local farms, particularly my own neighborhood farm, but my motivation still goes back to those three factors.  Vegetables that are picked close to home are picked when they're ripe and not refrigerated for a long time in transit.  To me, the result is that they taste better and they have retained more of their vitamins.  My motivation to eat less meat again goes back to wanting to keep me and my family healthy more than the environmental impact, although that's a bonus for sure.  What are the biggest factors behind the food you buy?

Another blog post by my cousin Krista.  If you know anyone going through a divorce, please share.  She has been through it all, both as a child and as a parent, and she has wise words to share.

Another wonderful blog post by my cousin Tiffany.  (I know...I have very interesting and talented cousins!)

Hot Stove Cool Music

photo by Kelly Davidson

Overall, the weekend was quiet, a little too quiet at times.  It's tough containing the massive energy of two little boys within the walls of our little house.  With no snow to lure them outside, it's common to see them literally bouncing off the walls.  But we managed.  Lots of games and watching winter sports championships in preparation for the upcoming olympics.

The highlight of the weekend was our outing Saturday night.  Kevin and I attended a benefit concert hosted by Theo Epstein (former GM of the Boston Red Sox), Peter Gammons (baseball commentator), and Mike O'Malley (actor/writer).  They rounded up some of their musician friends for the 14th year in a row to raise money for The Foundation to be Named Later, which benefits many wonderful charities in Boston.  Not only is it for a great cause, but they also just happen to include some of my favorite musicians.

Kay Hanley (Letters to Cleo) and Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses, Belly) are two of my all-time favorites, and they are the main reasons I wanted to attend.  They did not disappoint.  We also got to see Kingsley Flood again, and if you haven't checked them out yet, you should.  Especially if you get a chance to see them live.

Live music is so good for my soul.  It fills me up.  Standing in a crowd, feeling the bass in my chest, singing along (or listening), dancing (or standing still).  One of my absolute favorite things in life.

Kingsley Flood

Tanya Donelly and Bill Janovitz

Water Time...

patiently waiting their turn

We had gorgeous weather at the lake.  Cool evenings, but warm and sunny days.  The boys were able to enjoy the water quite a bit, and we had one especially calm day when we spent the entire day playing with the boat.  It enabled me to get my annual waterski fix, and it even allowed the boys to get their first taste of skiing.  My uncle has an inflatable "easy-ski", and both boys hopped on and thoroughly enjoyed themselves, even remembering to wave to everyone watching from the dock.

skipping rocks is good too

man this felt good

like mother like son

the audience

Weekend Recap - Newport!

Another wonderful, invigorating, soul-replenishing, inspiring, and beautiful day at the Newport Folk Festival.  So far our family tradition is going well.  We had another day of picture-perfect weather.  Despite a slow start in the morning, we got there just after the gates opened and found a nice spot in front of the main stage.  We watched and listened to Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, Langhorne Slim & The Law, The Lone Bellow, Frank Turner, Jim James, Jason Isbell, Trombone Shorty, and The Avett Brothers.  The Lone Bellow was the highlight of the day.  They were awesome, and they were clearly having a blast - their enthusiasm rubbed off on the crowd, and we were all swept away.  At the end of the day, the sun set just as The Avett Brothers finished their set, playing "I and Love and You", creating a magical moment that I will not soon forget.  

The following morning, we spent a few hours at the beach before heading home.  That topped off another beautiful summer weekend!  Really, I am a very lucky girl.  

This camera hasn't worked for years, but it doesn't stop Nathan from taking pictures. 

The Lone Bellow

Jason Isbell - You should go listen to his album, Southeastern, right now.  

Aaron had the most fun listening to the music when he could see the entire band.  

My shoulders are sore, but it was worth it.

The Avett Brothers at sunset

The sign says "Danger Keep Off Rocks".  This picture says a lot about my Nathan.

The Best Day Ever...

After a fun morning at camp, we headed to a nearby farm for more berry-picking and some surprise ice cream.  Aaron declared, "Mom, this is the best day ever.  Of the whole summer.  Well except yesterday, and going to the Cape, and the pool, and going to the lake will be awesome too.  But this is a really really good day."  

In other words, the boys are having such an amazing summer so far that he doesn't even know how to compare how fun every day is.  Lucky kids.

A Few Things...

Trying to do more of this...

source unknown

I very often hate the list of links that bloggers put together in posts.  They are either links to very popular blogs that I've already seen, or they put the links in vague little blurbs such as "this made me smile" just to get you to click the link.  A little description would be nice!

Anyway, I realize I've been doing more and more of these posts with links, but that's because I've been doing more reading than writing lately.  I've also stumbled across some fun and cool and interesting stuff along the way.  I like to share.  And I do try to provide at least a little description so you know whether or not it's something you might be interested in checking out yourself.  I hope that helps.

Neil Patrick Harris opens the Tony Awards Ceremony.  Seriously awesome, and it reminds me that I haven't been to New York in forever.  I'm thinking that perhaps it's the place I should go for my 40th - only 9 months to go!

This map showing pronunciation differences in the US is interesting and cool.  It goes way beyond y'all and soda pop.  Check it out.  (*Note:  Yes, Design Mom shared this too, so I should just shut up about my complaints about others' links lists, right?)

Grandma's Experiences Leave Epigenetic Mark On Your Genes - Really interesting article about the impact your ancestors can have on your own life.  You can get more than just hair color and a predisposition for cancer - your genes can actually be altered by their experiences.  In this way, things like neglect, depression, optimism, and resilience can be passed down from one generation to the next.

Rainn Wilson interviews Mindy Kaling in his van.  Rainn has a little show he shares on his YouTube channel, called Metaphysical Milkshake.  He interviews other celebrities, but they're not like other interviews.  I really liked this little chat.

This mix of songs from Boston bands is very cool.  The proceeds are also going to the Richard family, whose son Martin was killed in the Marathon bombing.  Great music for a great cause, and it's only $5!

Best Explanation of Religion I've Ever Heard and I'm Practically an Atheist.  I think the title pretty well sums this one up.

Happy cows - I love including totally random stuff sometimes too.  Tell me these happy dancing cows don't make you smile.

Summer Fun List - Update

Well, we did it.  We got our Summer Fun List documented and hung up for us to keep track.  The boys are super excited, and we already have a couple items checked off!  We bought popcorn on a cob from the farmer's market last weekend, which was awesome and super fun to try.  And we made a new flavor of popsicle - Fudgesicles!  The recipe was found here, and oh. my. goodness! are they good.  Seriously.  Crazy good.  Good enough for adults.  Serve them at your next party.  Yum!

Now this is my kind of to-do list...

via Weed 'Em and Reap

Summer Fun List - 2013

I'm sure it will end up looking similar to last year's list, but it's always such a fun exercise.  I am feeling the need to document it and display it somewhere in the house, but we'll see if I can make that happen.  Checking items off lists is so satisfying, especially when it's a list like this!

• Have a picnic
• Swim in Walden Pond
• Meet new friends at camp
• Pick-an-animal day (learn all we can about it, paint pictures)
• Go berry picking
• Try a new flavor of homemade popsicles (thinking fudgesicles)
• Go on a scavenger hunt
• Start a new chapter book that both boys will enjoy
• Create big canvas paintings
• Write letters/postcards to send to family
• Backyard campout
• Hug cousins
• Throw rocks into the river
• Have an awesome birthday party for Nathan
• Go to Lake Ontario
• See a movie in the theater (Monsters University)
• Play on the beach (Maine)
• Watch a sunset
• Hunt for frogs and turtles at the wildlife sanctuary
• Pick veggies from the garden
• Dance at the Newport Folk Festival
• Look for shooting stars and fireflies
• Try something new from the farmer's market
• Make s'mores around a bonfire
• Learn some spanish words from cousin Zach
• Make watermelon-lemonade

Weekend Recap

Kevin can do a pretty good cannonball.

I had a lot of fun participating in last month's 'Every Day in May' Challenge.  I came nowhere close to writing all the posts, but I did what I could do.  It inspired me to write about different topics, and although it wasn't every day, I did end up posting a lot more often than usual.  Now that it's over, I want to figure out how to keep that momentum going.  I'll give that some thought.

Last week was brutally hot here.  We went from cold rain the weekend before to hot hot hot this weekend.  I'd prefer somewhere in-between, which it looks like we're going to get this week.  Yay!  But the heat did make it feel like a real kickoff to Summer.  I blew up the new kid pool, and the boys got in their bathing suits every afternoon.  The popsicles went quickly.  Kevin and I continued to work in the yard, spreading mulch and weeding and planting new flowers.  And the garden!  Lots of rain and a few hot days, and all of a sudden I have dozens of big zucchini flowers and tiny little new tomatoes and much bigger kale plants. Fun!

Some friends invited us over to swim in their pool on Saturday, and after a morning of work, it was the perfect reward.  The kids had a blast playing and practicing their swimming skills, and the adults had a blast getting cool in the water and catching up with friends.  The perfect summer afternoon.

I am reminded that we need to put together our Summer Fun List.  I have a feeling it will look very similar to last year's, but I need to ask the boys and make sure I get their input.  I know it's going to fly by.  My little guy is already done with school, and Aaron will be done with kindergarten in a few weeks.  I need to make sure I'm prepared to maximize the fun!

Kids vs. Dad

Weekend Recap

Another awesome weekend.  Actually, I'm going to back up to Thursday night, because that's when the fun really started.  In our school auction several weeks ago, I won a night out at a yoga studio.  I was able to invite a bunch of my friends to join me for a yoga class, followed by wine and refreshments.  Doesn't that sound awesome?  Well, it was!  I was a little nervous about it, because I honestly wasn't sure how many friends I could round up on a weeknight, but there ended up being nine of us, and it was perfect.  We had such a great time, talking and laughing without having to manage the kids at the same time.  Actually, we were having such a good time that I neglected to check my phone.  If I had, I might've noticed that my husband was calling and texting me, wondering why I was so late!  I guess we were having too much fun.  Kevin pointed out later that perhaps it's an indication that I don't go out enough, and I think he's right.  I can't remember the last time I went out with girlfriends.  I need to do that more.  

Saturday involved mostly yard work, prepping the garden beds for planting.  It was fun to get dirty and see progress in the yard.  (Oh!  And have I mentioned we're getting a patio?  The workers are here as I type, laying brick and getting us ready for a summer of being able to eat outside.  Yay!)  We interrupted our yard work to take the boys for ice cream and play frisbee.  That night, we watched the movie The Impossible.  Have you seen it?  It's the true story of a family that survived the tsunami in Thailand.  It will definitely keep your heart pumping, and you will cry.  Even Kevin cried.  Big happy tears.  That is a movie that will stick with me for a while.  

Sunday was a social day.  We started with having friends over to our house for our usual Sunday morning pancake breakfast.  They have three little girls, and the five of our kids had a blast playing together.  We had fun too - winners all around!  We fit in a little more yard work, and then we went over to another friend's house.  Lots of playing and talking and laughing.  An awesome end to a beautiful weekend.  

A Few Things...

The view from my kitchen window.

A few links that caught my eye over the past few days...

I loved this.  When a 7-year-old boy lost one of his lego minifigures, he wrote to the company.  He got an awesome response.

The Atlantic had an interesting article about how we learn to listen and appreciate music.  Hearing music as beautiful is a learned trait.

This teen Jeopardy! contestant is awesome.  Make sure you take a look at his final answer.

This Wall Street Journal article is an interesting read.  It's about the lessons and approaches we can take from the business world and apply to our family life.  I do love the idea of having a weekly family meeting, especially for families that aren't able to sit down at the dinner table together every night.  (via Portland - soon to be Amsterdam - Sunshine)

Another classic post from The Wild and Wily Ways of a Brunette Bombshell.  Entitled How I Take Care of Myself.  Think I may need to write one of my own.

Weekend Fun...

Our annual tradition of attending the Boston Pops holiday concert at Symphony Hall continued this past weekend.  It was Nathan's first time.  He wasn't sure at first, but when the big screen came down and he got to listen to The Snowman story, he was entranced.  Followed by a nice lunch in the city, it was a great Saturday afternoon.

The boys had their first bowling experience over the weekend.  Nathan won the last game against his parents, legitimately.  Awesome.