Before we had kids, we had a dog. Before we had kids, I bought the dog clothes. I justified this by reasoning that we lived in Idaho at the time, and it was cold, and so obviously the dog was cold and “needed” to wear a sweater, or a yellow rain slicker, or once, in a moment that probably emasculated him more than being neutered, pink sparkly high-top tennis shoes. I also bought him Halloween costumes. One year he was (...Read More)

Of my three children, Tanner is most like me. It’s not that he looks like me (although he does), or that he inherited my bad teeth (as they all did), or that he (like me) sings the same small portions of songs that get stuck in his head. No, it’s aspects of Tanner’s nature that I recognize as reflections of me. Tanner, like me, is a hard worker. If I want something done—the dishes washed, the bathroom cleaned—Tanner’s my man. (...Read More)

Dear oldest child, You are seven-and-a-half now. You have just started second grade. You’re developing empathy and a good sense of humor and I’m humbled to be a part of that. However. We have issues that need addressing. 1. Homework. I don’t like it any more than you do. In fact, trying to motivate you to sit down and complete 10 minutes worth of math gives me heartburn for six hours before the tussle even begins. You need to just (...Read More)