Hey Maggie: You Don't Have to Be Barbie!

Good morning, folks.  Grab some coffee – it’s rant time again.

The last time we had a “book review” sort of post, we looked at the book Go the [Bleep] to Sleep by Adam Mansbach. The post put forth two competing views on the fairly controversial book (I saved my own for the comments), and the lively discussion that ensued was quite interesting.

This time, however, I’m not going to let the discussion begin without telling you exactly where I stand:  I am appalled by the concept of this book.

Trying to Matter

While I was distracted by storm preparation this weekend, a milestone passed and I didn’t even realize it until this morning, now that the fog is clearing.

Our blog has published over 100 posts!

This is something I feel proud of because I have often asked myself over the last few years whether the things I am doing matter. Do you ever ask yourself that question?

Be Prepared, Not Scared

I'm writing late on Sunday night, when weather conditions here are mercifully a lot calmer than I thought they'd be.  We were lucky not to feel much of Hurricane Irene's wrath, but many of my friends and relatives in other states weren't so lucky, with power outages and property damage and many other inconveniences.

Gearing up for this storm, I felt prepared on most basic levels, but found it difficult to prepare Anna for what potentially could be a scary experience.  Granted, the toddler level of understanding is evolving, but limited, so there was only so much I could say to help her know what to expect without freaking out.

Stay Safe!

I just wanted to wish all my East Coast loved ones a SAFE weekend as Hurricane Irene hits today and tomorrow. I hope you all escape the storm with no problems! 

Outer Banks, NC (Photo credit: Jim Lo Scalzo/ EPA)

Anna was a great little assistant last night, helping me with putting away all of our patio furniture and other yard stuff that needed to be secured. I think she's a little scared about the storm, as I'm sure some of your kids are, but hopefully it won't be too bad. We'll use it as an excuse for some extra snuggle time and try to stay cozy. Be back soon!

Friday Fun: Adventures with Wildlife

Like many kids, Anna loves animals – or shall I say, “aminals.” (We're still working on that one.) Not only do we look up various creatures on the iPad every chance we get, but we’re also constantly on the lookout for them when we’re out and about.  Here are some of the ones we’ve encountered recently!