From the category archives:

Family

Water-Powered Boat

January 17, 2010

As you can see, the Maker has been at it again. This time he put together a water-powered boat made from paper plates, a cup, a straw, some blue painter’s tape, and a wad of gum (which he borrowed from one of his brothers). When I saw the working demonstration, this craft had already been [...]

Family 3 comments Read the full post →

Boy Bling

January 14, 2010

I had a vague idea that the Maker was collecting can tabs, but I had never seen this monstrously marvelous super-G chain of eco-money until he came downstairs with it on. As you can see from the sheer number of tabs — would you guess 500? he doesn’t know how many there are — he’s [...]

Family 0 comments Read the full post →

The Amount of Fun You Can Fit In A Sock

January 7, 2010

Beanies fit nicely into a sock. Stockings are the best part of Christmas for this very reason. We’ve always been light on the gift-giving: each child receives two to four gifts under the tree, plus a stocking. The husband and I don’t exchange gifts at all (why on earth would we need to?). For some [...]

Family 1 comment Read the full post →

The Plugged-In Prayer, with Food

December 21, 2009

During the Christmas holidays during the year the First was four, our electricity had been out for a good part of the week due to a freak NC snowstorm. Because of the timing, it made a pretty big impact on the First. Shortly after the drama had subsided, we once again made his favorite comfort [...]

Family 1 comment Read the full post →

The First as Gum

December 17, 2009

Tis the season, I suppose. Our new girlfriend (er, the First’s girlfriend, technically) gave him this lovely and stylish hoodie for Christmas and I like it a lot. However, he was told at school today that he made people want a stick of gum. I kinda like that, as part of his personal brand. So [...]

Family 7 comments Read the full post →

Jack Gordon Scharff, Sr.

December 9, 2009

This photo is an absolute treasure to me; my sister brought it to me this fall after a visit with our grandfather, Jack Scharff, who still lives in Memphis TN, where this photo was taken. I had no idea that my grandfather had ever had an interest in boxing. He told my sister that he [...]

Boxing 1 comment Read the full post →

Sneaky Boy Money Making Tactics

November 27, 2009

Gram and Papa Clyde took all of us to IHOP this morning before they headed back to Memphis. We dined sumptuously on pancakes, french toast, bacon, eggs, hash browns, biscuits and gravy, and the Maker and the Ice competed to see who could drink more of the little creamers in the baskets on our three [...]

Family 6 comments Read the full post →

The Smell of the Very Last Baby

November 20, 2009

When the last of my baby boys grew out of his infant clothes I passed all of the marvelous tiny baby things I’d accumulated to another friend who needed them. Almost all. One of the Maker’s tee shirts (also worn by his older brothers when they were newborns) I folded carefully — unwashed — into [...]

Family 6 comments Read the full post →

I Forgot to Figure This Out in Advance

November 19, 2009

I wasn’t sure what to expect, even though I used to be a teenage girlfriend. I think I just had my brain so laser-focused on raising three little boys that I didn’t consider what it would be like to raise three towering-over-me boys and their magically expanding universe of friends. I may have sort of [...]

Family 12 comments Read the full post →

Umbrella Poem

November 12, 2009

The Maker is on a roll. Clearly the train theme from earlier in the week is still running, but today he’s responding to the three-day deluge with humor and creativity. Umbrellas keep you dry from the rain Just like if your riding a trian, Umbrellas keep you from the sun, When your having so much [...]

Family 2 comments Read the full post →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →