Graceful Parenting in Austin

Written by Blue Eyes
I have a vivid memory of the day Noel started her first day of kindergarten. She was five years old at the time and beginning her first year at Gullett Elementary. That morning Carol and I took her to a special breakfast at Kerbey Lane and tried making a big deal out [...]

Remember the Family Circus cartoon during the holidays, when the kids would write the cartoons from their perspective (well, sort of)? During the holidays, Blue Eyes and Noel are going to take over this blog for a while (not just sort of, but really). I’ve asked that they keep it graceful, more or less, but [...]

Blue Eyes and I have been teasing Noel lately, “Stop with all that reading! Will you please go watch some TV?” She is fascinated by the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, she has read all four books, each several times and she can pick up any of the books, find a favorite part and get [...]

I found it. My time. Where it went. The time I spend blogging or hanging around the house, the unplanned, unproductive time that renews me and makes me stronger. It has been at work. Working to hard, too many hours, early in the morning, on weekends. So many variables, short on people, long on challenges, [...]

Another weird thing about being pregnant is sometimes I get exhausted, which is different than tired, because I’m not sleepy, but my body needs to lay down and it feels really good to lay down. Some times I don’t sleep, I just rest, other times I think I don’t sleep, but then I have a [...]

In a few days time, we put a low offer on a new house, they didn’t take it, Blue Eyes lost his job, we started construction on our current house, the new house guys reconsidered the low offer, too late. We love our house and our block but not the construction as much. Funny after [...]

One funny thing about being pregnant is that the jeans fit lower on the waist and the underwear are larger, so when I lean over or my shirt lifts up in back, I flash a little of my white cotton big girl underwear. A little funny, but not too sexy.

I met Helen a year ago, on Halloween night, when I was trick-or-treating with Noel and Baby Girl. Helen invited us into her house, which was strange. We went inside and Helen offered us apple turnovers from HEB, an odd Halloween food and pretty messy inside a candy bag. I remember how lonely she was [...]

I call Baby Girl’s day care. She hasn’t been feeling well, she a cough and hasn’t slept as well as she usually does. They say she doesn’t have any of the day care symptoms for needing to go home, no fever or signs of something contagious. But, she has been coughing a lot and her [...]

It’s Sunday morning, Baby Girl and I just finished breakfast and Blue Eyes is outside mowing the lawn. Some times, just after I finish eating, by stomach changes its mind. This time I don’t get much warning, I rush to the bathroom, lift the toilet lid and let go of my english muffins and apple [...]