Ordinary Life

Dear Ms. Ann M. Martin  &  Ms. Laura Godwin, Please imagine for a moment that you are four years old and your mom has recently finished reading " The Meanest Doll In The World " to you. One fateful day, you walk into a thrift store with her. There, in the midst of clothes, shoes and well-loved toys is a dollhouse as tall as you are. (Remember, you're 4... )   But it isn't just any dollhouse, no. It is THE dollhouse. You know this because 'KATE' is spelled across the roof in bright red vinyl. (You can't actually read yet, but you're working on it. Your mom tells you what the letters spell but of course, you already KNEW this was Kate's house the moment you spotted it.) Your mom believes it must be destiny because... I mean, what are the odds? So she texts your dad, because it cost TWENTY-FIVE dollars! (Twenty five dollars that will prove to be only a small down payment in the grand scheme of things... have you ever looked in a minitures c...

Are you ready to rock?

Independence Day was a beautiful day for a picnic on the beach:  Beach  Baby (there, on the sand)  Boogie Boardin' Dude: And Dudette:  Pigskin Passers: Team Boogie:  Castle Building (& kicking) & God Bless Freedom of Press:

One of Riley's favorite questions is "Will you________ with me?" Whatever it is she is doing, she likes to have a friend join in- usually-and most almost all of the time, that friend is me.  For this I am grateful.  It is nice to needed in such a way.  I plan to enjoy it while it lasts.  On this particular day -a while back now, but it could have been any day, given her chosen activity- Riley wanted me to paint with her. Riley asks to paint every single day.  Rye determining which shade to tint her mostly murky colored painting.  Of course I joined her. (I LOVE painting too!) I came up with a few clouds. Perhaps that is the ocean underneath...I'll never know how it turned out, this was as far as I got before she claimed it and began to add her own touches.  We were low on paper for painting, so I pulled out a stack of paper sacks.  Some of my brown bag masterpieces: When I painted this rainbow, I thought Riley would love it- and she did. However s...

Sometimes we like to hang out in Saint Marys . While we're there, we like to eat chocolate chip pancakes the size of our head.  (Oh, and have some of the pita...it's fresh) Chocolate Chip Pancake pairs well with a chocolate milk, served chilled.  We walk across to the park to watch boats and use up some of that pancake fuel.  Shaky bridges aren't fun... ever.  Would you DRIVE over a bridge built like this?  Asserted Independence  Take a good look at this smile because when we try to leave in 15 minutes, there will be no traces whatsoever.