"A Wink and a Smile"

Baked Cinnamon French Toast with berries h/t Pioneer Woman

The kind that purchases books like these every summer. The kind that turns off the tv/computer/video games and has her child do something requiring THINKING. The kind that has been known to do just a bit of "bribing" to make it all happen. We had a late start this summer. School ended, camps began , grandparents came for a visit, and now we are in the midst of Vacation Bible School. It's usually about this time ... about 3-4 weeks after school lets out that I feel my girls have had enough of a break. Now I'm not all that mean . The amount of "work" is really not all that much and could probably be tackled in less than 30 minutes. It's usually some math review, reading comprehension, and a bit of writing. It's certainly been proven (or at least pounded in our heads) that when students get back to school in the FALL, they really do experience significant losses . I'd like to say that my children are not part of that group, but even with some p...

When I was a little kid, I started to show signs of freckles about the age of 7-8. It was cute back then. The freckles were stationed on the nose and cheeks. It was endearing. As the years passed, the freckles migrated to the shoulders, the arms, the knee caps, the hands, and eventually most everywhere. IT sort of lost it's cuteness. I like freckles. It took me a while to learn to appreciate them. Over the years, however, I have started to rethink my thoughts about freckles. IT could be that they had overcome my face, my hands, my whole body! This summer (and it is still only June) has shown it's abuse. To be honest, it is bordering EXTREME. My freckles are so connected, that it seems like I could just add a few more and smooth out the whole look. I wear sunblock AND I re-aply it often. My skin is fair (not the burning kind of fair), but I really do tan with tons of freckles. Surely the freckles have multiplied due to ... a lot of yard work, running outdoors, and tak...

... to that wonderful man who fathered all those girls in my house. He is totally W I N N I N G at the "daddy thing".

It's been 2 (now 3) years since your passing, but I still think of you quite often. I remember ... You were quiet You liked to people watch You always called me your thinker and asked what was on my mind You took me and my siblings to the beach when mom couldn't You bought me sneakers one time that mom NEVER would have allowed You let me eat cherry ices at the beach ... even though mom would probably curse you for the stains You never yelled at me ... that wasn't your style You took the blame for always getting lost when it was really mom who wandered (I know this now) You were so nervous walking me down the aisle You trusted my decisions You called me super ... you thought I was smart You suffered a lot, but put on a brave face You liked a lot of the same things that I do ... photography, beaches, creative stuff You passed on a lot of your traits to me and for all that ... I THANK YOU DAD and I still miss you! 2/26/38-5/21/07