Tag: tweens

Making a list

by Karen, posted in family, tweens

I've been working on my Christmas gift list recently, and I've warned the children that Christmas will be, um, leaner this year than in the past, so they should be prepared. I guess I kind of went a little overboard last year, and am trying not to repeat that this year, especially since the big … Continue reading Making a list

Fun with tweens on the weekend

by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, books, family, friends, local fun, shopping, tweens

My tween daughter invited a friend to spend the day, and as the 7 hours loomed ominously unfilled ahead of us, I wondered:  What the heck should we do?   First, I decided to do something for me: I had a 20% coupon to Kennebooks in Kennebunk so that was our first stop. A quick check of the local … Continue reading Fun with tweens on the weekend

Garden update: November

by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, fitness, gardening, raising chickens, tweens

Remember the (multiple) posts I've written about how much chickens love pumpkins? Well my husband did a wild and crazy thing: he bartered with the local Walmart and struck a world-class deal to help rid them of all of their end of season pumpkins. (After all, as soon as Halloween is over they have to make … Continue reading Garden update: November

Buon Natale

by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, family, italian, local fun, tweens

I took my daughter to Buon Natale, the Italian Christmas bazaar at St. Peter's Church on Federal St. in Portland. This was something my Italian grandmother always took me to when I was growing  up, and it remains a happy childhood memory for me to this day. I wanted to share this with my daughter. … Continue reading Buon Natale

Secretariat

by Karen, posted in family, local fun, movies, tweens

I took my daughter to see this movie with a bit of trepidation. First of all, it is 2 hours and 3 minutes long, a very long time for a tween to sit still and remain engaged, especially in the uncomfy old theater seats. Second, although it is a Disney movie, it isn't a kids' movie per … Continue reading Secretariat

Midlife crisis, part one: losing my mind

by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, family, Midlife Crisis, tweens

I was standing in the kitchen talking to my husband last week, and he told me he was irritated because of something I'd told him earlier in the week that turned out not to be true.  What was it? I sure don't know. I didn't know then, and I don't know now. He remembered the … Continue reading Midlife crisis, part one: losing my mind

What Moms want

by Karen, posted in family

The headline this week in The Portland Phoenix is "What Women Want"...which of course echoes the famous Freudian question. This got me thinking...isn't the real question, which heretofore has failed to be asked, this: What do Moms want? Anyone? Anyone? Well, I'm here with the answer to this never-before-asked question. Mom's want (what my friend … Continue reading What Moms want

The rule of tree…I mean three

by Karen, posted in education, friends, Someone's gotta say it, tweens

So, although I'd been complaining in an earlier post about the homework my daughter's teachers had been assigning to the parents...I mean, the kids... I have to revisit my resentment some in light of the unexpected gifts that one of these assignments has had for us. The (dreaded) Tree Project is the assignment to which … Continue reading The rule of tree…I mean three

Homework

by Karen, posted in education, family, Someone's gotta say it, tweens

Well, after only the first month of school we've already had 4 homework assignments...for the parents. The first day of school brings the myriad of (redundant) forms that we have to fill out for each child every year, regardless of whether the information has changed even one iota from last year, regardless of whether it is … Continue reading Homework

Girls’ Night

by Karen, posted in (it's all about the) food, books, family, friends, local fun, restaurants, tweens

On the (rare) days when the male members of the family are off at work, but the females have the day off, we have a Girls' Night. Today, Girls' Nights started early, at 7:24AM. The men were out for the day so the females were left to  our own pursuits. This is what my daughter … Continue reading Girls’ Night