Year 5, Day 285

We only recently made our annual trip to Hallmark to pick out some new Christmas ornaments (an activity that typically happens a little earlier in the year), and we all definitely found decorations that spoke to us... But which ones spoke to WHOM? See if you can figure out the parties responsible for each selection … Continue reading Year 5, Day 285 →

Year 5, Day 284

Every day, Miles brings a book from school home with him so we can read it before bed. Obviously, most of these books teach valuable lessons about behavior, social interaction, and life in general. We were reading The Itsy Bitsy Spider (an extended version with progressively escalating perils and misfortunes), and I wanted to make … Continue reading Year 5, Day 284 →

Year 5, Day 283

While we were getting ready for bed tonight (or, as I like to call it, "avoiding brushing his teeth"), Miles decided to quiz me on some music. "Who sings this?" He started, "Happiness is magic..." "Hmm," I said. I knew the song, but couldn't quite place it. "I'm not sure." "You know!" Miles said, as … Continue reading Year 5, Day 283 →

Year 5, Day 282

"Daddy?" Miles asked as soon as I came downstairs this morning. "Can I have some glue?" I didn't know what this was all about, but I was certain it was too early for it. "Why do you need glue?" I asked. He directed my attention to an art project he was working on. Yes, his … Continue reading Year 5, Day 282 →

Year 5, Day 281

This evening, we headed over to downtown Huntersville (we are locals now, and should probably act more like it) for the town Christmas festival. Featuring outdoor vendors, carnival rides (that, of course, Miles liked the idea of more than the actual riding of), and, thankfully, beer vendors, it was a nice way for us to … Continue reading Year 5, Day 281 →

Year 5, Day 280: Baby’s First School Project!

This week, Miles received his first major school assignment. He was, with us (the directions made no secret of the need for parental "assistance"), to create a building of any sort to wrap up his class's current unit. Receiving these directions on Tuesday wasn't particularly helpful as far as I was concerned, since my evenings … Continue reading Year 5, Day 280: Baby’s First School Project! →

Year 5, Day 279: Baby’s First Parent-Teacher Conference!

This afternoon, Jaclyn and I stepped into Miles's school at 3:30 for a parenting rite of passage -- our first parent-teacher conference (as parents, anyway). "All right," I groaned, making a slow, deliberate descent into a chair far too small for me. "Give it to me straight." I was only half-joking, as some of the … Continue reading Year 5, Day 279: Baby’s First Parent-Teacher Conference! →

Year 5, Day 278

Speaking of traditions, here's an annual December event that millions of people enjoy. Not me, for reasons that will become obvious, but I'm sure everyone else absolutely loves taking the yearly stroll down auditory memory lane that is "Spotify Wrapped." There are probably a ton of insights to be found in these retrospectives -- confirmation … Continue reading Year 5, Day 278 →

Year 5, Day 277

There aren't many uniquely Martin family Christmas traditions, but there is one long-standing holiday standard which, I discovered only a couple years ago, has muddied origins but is still something we all, in our own homes, carry on to this day. I tried to explain this to Miles. Did he understand the assignment? ELNO! Let … Continue reading Year 5, Day 277 →

Year 5, Day 276

One of our newly-instated house rules concerns not entering a room with a closed door without first knocking and being told you can enter. The bathroom is really the primary space we're talking about, of course, and while I appreciate Miles not barging into the actual toilet while I was in there this evening, I … Continue reading Year 5, Day 276 →