Year 5, Day 354: Valentine’s Da–er, “Friendship Party Day”

"That chocolate looks like Daddy. Is that Daddy?" My own son, body shaming me. Today was Valentine's Day, but don't even try telling that to Miles, because he will immediately, and emphatically, correct you. In an attempt to, I assume, avoid creating an overtly romantic situation among a bunch of four year olds, the holidays … Continue reading Year 5, Day 354: Valentine’s Da–er, “Friendship Party Day” →

Year 5, Day 353

Nothing quite like ALMOST getting a kid to bed before realizing you need to prep Valentine's Day cards for his classmates tonight. WRITE FASTER, KID! Miles did a great job with it, all things considered, although he did start getting a little punchy as the process dragged on. If the crazed eyes don't sell it, … Continue reading Year 5, Day 353 →

Year 5, Day 350

I was brushing my teeth this morning when I heard something slide under the bathroom door. I glanced over and saw a piece of folded paper, but before I could step over to it, Miles just came in anyway (violating one of our house rules, but anyway...). "Daddy!" he said. "I made you this!" This … Continue reading Year 5, Day 350 →

Year 5, Day 317

I finally felt well enough today to set about dismantling Christmas, a task I dislike enough to regularly question how badly I want to set everything up to begin with. It took a couple hours, but once the tree was undecorated and out of the living room, I could finally relax again. Everything was once … Continue reading Year 5, Day 317 →

Year 5, Day 304: Christmas ’22 in Review!

Christmas morning at my parents' house has long been a sluggish affair. Sure, there were the days of yore when I would wake up early (like, 3 AM) out of excitement for what was under the tree, but as my brothers and I got older (not to mention my parents), Christmas gradually became a late-morning … Continue reading Year 5, Day 304: Christmas ’22 in Review! →

Year 5, Day 303

Here's hoping all of your little ones were well-behaved enough to not end up on the naughty list this year!

Year 5, Day 302

As usual, Christmas brings with it a return to my boyhood home in Myrtle Beach. Even with a drive that took far longer than it should have (with the inclusion this year of a dog), Miles was all smiles as he walked up to the door of my parents' house last night. I was sort … Continue reading Year 5, Day 302 →

Year 5, Day 300

For all the talk of mail delays and supply chain issues, one thing remains true -- Santa Claus is still number one in the game. Today, just a couple days after mailing his letter, Miles received a reply from the Big Guy himself. Personally, I would've liked to see a bit more admonishment for Miles's … Continue reading Year 5, Day 300 →

Year 5, Day 297

My relationship with Christmas lights is a lot like my relationship with bears -- I like them a lot, but they are best viewed from a distance and I do not particularly want to deal with them at MY house. I always like taking an evening during the holiday season to simply drive around and … Continue reading Year 5, Day 297 →

Year 5, Day 296

Today, Miles composed (and/or dictated) his letter to Santa Claus. Never mind the fact that Miles has had at least two encounters with Santa already this holiday season; after all, you never know when last-minute inspiration will hit. Fortunately, there's a drop off box for North Pole mail right here in our neighborhood!