Raising Good Kids

National Day of Kindness

Monday, November 2. The day before the election. Like Americans on all points along the political spectrum, I cannot wait for tomorrow. I just want to know what is going to happen. I just want it over. Last week I took Ben and the twins to vote at the local elementary school. The election has […]


DO.

My city burned last night. A peaceful protest highlighting the systemic injustices that led to the vicious murder of George Floyd descended into complete anarchy. As we sat watching the news late into the early morning hours, I was struck by fear. Fear of the unknown and fear of having no control. How can any […]


Camp Favors

Evie and Mack spent a week at sleepaway camp this summer. The YMCA camp they attended oozed classic Americana: archery, canoeing, camp fires with silly songs, mosquitos, s’mores. It is the same camp I went to as a kid, so it was a nostalgic trip to bring my kids back! When I went to camp […]


If You Are Gay

This summer the whole family has really gotten into Netflix’s Queer Eye series, where five gay men transform the lives of people who need a boost. Chris started watching it first, and he said it was a truly great show, so the kids and I piled onto his bandwagon and it has been our family […]


Pesky Poppy Problem…Solved!

When the Elinor and Juliet were born almost three years ago (ohmygosh has it really been that long?!) I entered what I now refer to as Survival Mode. Twins are hard enough, but when four older kids are also a very vital part of the overall picture life becomes…desperate?…chaotic?…challenging, shall we say? With Survival Mode […]


Fun Thing Canceled Day

Easter was 80 degrees and sunshine. The week following encouraged long walks under fair blue skies. Then, this past weekend happened. Snow. SNOW on the last Saturday in April. Like, a lot of snow. And rain. So much muck that all the fun stuff we planned for the weekend was canceled. Perhaps the saddest cancellation […]


The Last Push

While Ben was at swim lessons the other day, I brought the other kids to play at the adjacent playground. The twins were so happy to roll down the slide and Vivian was content to chase after them. A fine spring day indeed! Evie and her friend Anna Maria hung out on their own, caught […]


My Boys

Mack had spring break last week. He goes to a different school than his siblings, so selfishly I really enjoyed having him home without the normal distractions. One morning after picking Ben up from preschool I took the boys for hair cuts. They complained the entire walk to the salon (“I don’t want the little […]


Do Something When Anything Will Help

Last month, The Little Village Solidarity Network, a local organization here in Chicago, collected basic items needed by the Central American refugees traveling north in the migrant caravan. Several sites in the city opened their doors to compassionate Chicagoans who wanted to do something to show support for our desperate fellow humans marching towards our border. […]


Forced From Home

This morning, after dropping the big kids off at school, the twins and I walked downtown. Clear blue skies. Birds still chirping. Passerbys sipping pumpkin spice lattes. That kind of gorgeous fall day when I recognize and feel grateful for living when and where I do. The feeling continued once we arrived at our destination: […]


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