I stumbled across a wondrous thing yesterday: how to get through the grocery store in record time. I’m sure it’s going to be universally useful to every person who reads from the fount of world-changing information known as Kate’s Blog. How To Get Through Aldi In Eighteen Minutes Step 1: Invite over two extra elementary school-aged…
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How We Taught Our Kids To Be Good Eaters
My kids are really good eaters. I’m kind of surprised at this, frankly, because I am and always have been a pretty picky eater. And the thing is, we approach food all “wrong,” according to all the parenting advice I ever read. We’ve almost always forced our children to finish what they’re given—unless it’s starch,…
Read MoreIn Which I Win “THE VOICE”: Van edition (and other Friday Funnies)
Michael, holding a paper back mouse with whiskers on one side: “I’m naming my mouse ABCMouse.com!” Me: “I’m definitely raising 21st century children.” Julianna, holding a baby doll: “Mom, my baby name, is, Dzustin…Bieber!” Me: speechless. Nicholas, at prayer time following an ice storm: “I pray for good roads and a lot of snow.” Me:…
Read MoreThe Grace to Let Enough be Enough
“What come next?” There was a period of several months recently when Julianna was constantly asking this question: when a song ended on a CD, at the end of a scene in a movie, whenever we got back in the van after running an errand or going to a lesson. Lately, it feels like the…
Read MoreAnatomy of a Pseudo-Foodie Family
Item: one of Alex’s first words was “creme brulee.” Item: when our kids go over to other people’s houses and get asked what they want for dinner, they have been known to ask for “crab quiche.” Item: we’ve started doing cheese tastings with the kids. We love food in our house. And over the years,…
Read More“Kids in Church,” Part 1
We’re going to do something a bit different today: it’s your turn to talk! A few weeks ago, I asked my Facebook community to share their best “kids in church” stories: the good, the bad, the ugly. I got twice as much as I could use for a single post; hence the “part 1” in…
Read MoreFamily Business, Round 2: Julianna, Nicholas, Michael
More family tidbits today, to hold my place until we get back from the Adirondacks. Up today: Julianna, Nicholas, and Michael. Julianna Oh, Julianna. She has been showing interest in Barbie dolls and imaginative play at last. But it’s causing me a little trouble, because I can’t figure out how much she understands about reality…
Read MoreBoys Are Just Different
The moment we arrived for our play date with Julianna’s bestie and her siblings, my boys made a beeline for the box by the living room wall. It had badminton rackets in it. “Uh,” I said to Bestie’s mother, as the rackets were passed around, “is that okay for inside?” “Oh, I”m sure it’s fine,”…
Read MoreThe “What Other People Think” Problem
I have four kids, close together, and the reality is that if they’re not hurting anything or anyone, I’m inclined to let them do what they’re doing. Only I worry: what will people think of ME?
Read MoreTime To Breathe
I don’t take enough time off. Which is more than a bit ironic, given how much I twit my husband about checking email and working from home. The great thing about writing from home is that I can do it anywhere, any time, in the cracks of regular life. That’s also the worst thing about…
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Kathleen M. Basi 