"Well done, Sister Suffragette!"

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My newest newspaper column is up at The Greenville News!

I'm particularly proud of this one, which celebrates Women's History Month, Mary Poppins, and the suffragettes.

I hope you enjoy it. And if you do, I hope you'll share!

Have a wonderful weekend, all.

What I'm Giving Up for Lent

lentseasonimages.com

For Lent this year, I've decided to give up three things. They are as follows:

1. Cheddar cheese

This is a true test of my discipline. I am a cheese-aholic. Just ask my husband. But I am weak, and didn't think I could give up cheese entirely for 40 days. So it's the cheddar that's getting the ax.

2. Zulily

Have you checked out this discount site for moms, babies and kids? I hesitate to even mention it, it's so addicting. It's got clothes for you and the little (and not so little) ones, shoes (my major fashion weakness), home goods, playground equipment, kitchenware, and so much more. Too many Zulily packages have been arriving at my door lately. And so it's no shopping--window or otherwise--for me until after Easter.

3. Facebook

I'm actually not on Facebook that much. However, a good friend gave me the idea of giving it up for Lent. So, I'm setting it aside for the duration. One caveat: I will post every Thursday, and only on Thursday, when my newest newspaper column comes out. Girl's got to put food on the table.

But today is Fat Tuesday, so I hope you all eat, drink, and are very merry! Catch you on the flip side.

valentineimages.org

Thursday Newspaper Column - Feb. 27, 2014

Hi, all!

Here's the link to my newest column at The Greenville News. Hope you enjoy!

Also: The Greenville News is asking folks to tag them on Twitter (@GreenvilleNews) and Facebook and Instagram with your own memories and photos of The Big Snow of 1988.

Newest Newspaper Column

Hi, all. Here’s the link to the online version of my newest column at The Greenville News:

“Olympic TV ads hit home with moms and dads”

It’s got Winter Olympics, parenting, commercials and dogs. Hope you enjoy!

I've Been Whupped

Folks, I’ve been whupped: by two wonderful but needy children, by a week of no preschool due to snow–during which my 4 year-old and I both had the flu–by a job I love but is a lot of work (yes, husband: I hear you. I know I shouldn’t assign so many papers, ’cause then I wouldn’t have to grade them).

Whupped by my final semester of graduate school (where I want and hope and try to stay engaged and productive), by this wonderful new weekly writing deadline (i.e. my new newspaper column), by a house in which the mess multiples like Hydra’s heads, by writing the next novel in any spare (ha!) moment I have, and by always–always–wanting to be in every single place at once, so my family won’t miss anything.

But I am missing things. So I’m not signing off here, but just stepping back a little until the summer. My posting will be sporadic, but I’ll be sure to link to my weekly newspaper columns when and if they’re available online, and I’ll keep y’all posted with any other writing updates. As always, I’ll drop in if I see something too great not to share. I will also try to update my author Facebook page with news and maybe share a little on my Pinterest boards (I’ve recently posted new stuff there).  

I hope you’ll forgive me and stick with me! And please don’t be a stranger: I want to know what you’re reading and doing outside in the great big world!

First Newspaper Column is Out!

Headshot for The Greenville News
by Paula Player Photography

Hi, all!

I'm thrilled to announce that my new parenting/outdoor/general life column is now up and running in The Greenville News! Makes me very happy to have a byline in my hometown newspaper again.

To check it out, go here.

And be prepared to read about Shakespeare and refrigerator magnets.

Winter Storm Pax & How I Got the Blues

Winter Storm Pax has officially settled in over our mountains here in Western North Carolina. Snowfall totals, NOAA tells us, could reach up to 14 inches.

Normally, this kind of news would have me pausing only to leap for joy before suiting up and heading outside with my entire family and a sled. But I've got the blues.

Earlier this week, my 4 year-old caught the flu. While she is now bouncing on the leather couch in between showings of Mary Poppins (a family favorite) and "Peg Plus Cat" (thank you, God bless you, heaven will repay you with cities of gold, PBSKids), I am now quarantined to the bedroom.

Here's my bed. Note the laptop, tea, and trash bag. That's for the plethora of gunky tissues. Out of the camera view is my Kindle, some magazines, my cell phone, the thawing ice pack I had to keep on my head when I woke up with a migraine (joy!), and Albuterol inhaler I normally only have to use for emergencies. Nice, right?


 
Here's me. This is no way for a snow girl like myself to spend the biggest snow event the South has seen in over a decade.


 
Sigh.
 
If you are in the path of Winter Storm Pax, I hope you stay safe and warm. And play in it for me, will you?!