It’s over. No more castle painting, skirt sewing, bead buying, crown hunting, jello jiggler making, no cakes no RSVPs no flower petals no more princess obsession! We had 14 little princesses arrive on a rather glorious spring day. The overnight storms blew away and left everything green. The girls stuffed their tutus with flowers and [...]

Today, despite it being only hours before the big princess party (don’t even ASK how that happened), we ran the Family Mile, one of the races taking place in conjunction with the Health and Fitness Expo, a state-wide effort to get people to exercise. The mile circled the Capitol Building. As we waited (we being [...]

So, my eldest daughter is a tomboy, and wears her hair pulled back and cries if she can’t stay in jeans and tennis shoes. She wanted mini-golf for a birthday and tends to hang with boys. She likes video games and math and to build things, especially elaborate structures from anything she can get her [...]

This is what Elizabeth brought from preschool today. Her new best friend. Her prize possession. She carried it home, tight in her little grip, upset if we made her walk too fast. “I might drop it!” she cried. Now it’s home. What the heck do I do with it?

Usually I can count on an outdoor April birthday party for my eldest daughter to be risky. Rain. Tornadoes. Today, unexpected heat. No one expected to swelter at Peter Pan Mini Golf with 16 kids and 14 grownups. But the day was glorious, we had lots of bottled water, and the party went well. One [...]

My nephew Eric plays with a resident at the nursing home where my grandparents live. Elizabeth takes another riding lesson from Aunt Traci. Emily doesn’t panic, pulling back on the reins to stop Who Dat when he unexpectedly takes off into a gallop across the arena. Aunt Traci is proud. Mama and Emily cry like [...]

I have had an amazing spring break so far. Here’s proof! Melon margaritas at Iguana Grill on Lake Travis. A hike reveals an unexpected grotto. Thank goodness for spring! Citizen dips strawberries for game night. Elizabeth walks through what meager bluebonnets have bloomed so far. Petah! The girls and a friend play a few rounds [...]

Ready for her prince…   Think there are any on Craig’s List? I guess we can send her to Windsor… This is her getup … Mama had no hand in it!

Emily has 22 kids in her class. Eliza has 19. This means that Valentine’s Day lasts for a week or more with leftover candy and sweet sentiment (and wrappers and sugar highs.) Today in the car, Eliza, who is three, opened a little packet of candy hearts–the chalky kind with the little sentiments like “Hug [...]

Yes, Mama is new-camera shutter-happy. If you get annoyed with parents endlessly showing pictures of their darlings, skip this blog!!! First, we visited Emily at school for lunch–mmmm, pancakes! Then we were off to Fry’s for–of course–spare battery and card for the new toy! Eliza got her pick of the little candy and toy quarter [...]