Category Archives: Mom World

Almost Three

March 19, 2012 · 82 comments

Mac is so much fun right now, and just a month shy of turning three.  He’s full of stories, talks nonstop, and loves making us laugh. Mac’s favorite words are (and in no particular order):  skeletons, zombies, pirates, cats, chocolate, adventure, ghosts, fighting, swords, brothers, gross, disgusting, and weird. And with those as your vocabulary, you can imagine all the stories he tells. I’m working hard on stories of my own, with Kit’s book due in less than two weeks.  It’s an intriguing book and I lay awake at night thinking about Kit and the complexities of her world.  On the surface she’s a simple woman–an English teacher at a Catholic high school in Oakland, California–but there are layers to … Continue reading Almost Three →

February Love

February 11, 2012 · 98 comments

Those of you who’ve read my blogs for awhile now know I love February, everything about February as its my birth month and Valentine’s Day and President’s Day and everything pink and red and sweet and sentimental.  I love Valentine decorations and how wonderfully short the month is compared to January and March.  I love that you get days that hint at March and Spring.  I love Valentine’s Day itself, smack dab in the middle of the month, and a day I make about the family and heart candies and fun, loving cards. I haven’t put up my usual Valentine decorations this year as everything is boxed and streamlined so that the Bellevue house will show properly.   As of … Continue reading February Love →

Snow Play

January 20, 2012 · 78 comments

What a week!  We’ve had days and days of snow and the kids have absolutely loved being out of school.  I haven’t been playing though as my deadline is less than a month away and I’m deep into this new book.  I really love this one, its complicated and intense, but also really fun as every day I can’t wait to see what will happen next. I’m lucky I have great help with little Mac as he’s made the most of his snow days, too.  While Jake and Ty have been hanging out with friends, Mac has gone sledding and tramping through snow and throwing snowballs with anyone that will play with him. Late yesterday afternoon I’d just wrapped up … Continue reading Snow Play →

This is the Real Thing

January 5, 2012 · 143 comments

I don’t relax easily.  Find it difficult to sit still unless I’m reading something, and even then I’m wiggling a foot up and down, a constant jiggle perfected by my fellow Porters…my dad, my brothers, even my sister to a certain extent.  I’ve a quick temper, too, far too impatient, and easily irritated when I have to repeat myself to the kids…or probably anyone. But something happens in Hawai.  I unplug.  I write less blogs, visit Facebook more infrequently, and I read lots lots more. Better yet, if I’m not on deadline, I have less childcare, or none whatsoever.  Which means I get to nap with Mac.  Every day.  It’s my favorite part of the day.  He can sleep for … Continue reading This is the Real Thing →

Munich

December 7, 2011 · 113 comments

Thank you to everyone for your wonderful sister tag suggestions.  Loved them.  Love you.  You are the best of the best.  Feel so fortunate to have readers and friends like you.  Speaking of reading, I just finished a fantastic Georgette Heyer, Faro’s Daughter, and it was truly wonderful.  Faro’s Daughter and Arabella have to be my two favorites so far…and that’s saying something as I really love Heyer’s writing. Later today I will be heading to Munich with my son Ty to celebrate his 13th birthday.  We come home Sunday so its a very short trip, but Ty didn’t want to miss school and I wasn’t thinking, so we’re traveling all that way to spend two full days in Germany, … Continue reading Munich →

Random Happiness

November 30, 2011 · 98 comments

I haven’t been blogging a lot lately.  I’m sure you’ve noticed.  But things here at home have consumed me.  Being a mom has meant I’ve had to focus my energy on the kids and the writing has been pushed to the side for the time being.   It’s okay.  That’s how it goes.  I don’t know any writer, or woman, who doesn’t have to juggle hats, and sometimes juggle incredibly fast. This morning I was checking email early and I had an email from Amazon.co.uk saying if I was looking for a great romance they were now shipping Not Fit for a King by Jane Porter and it made me smile.  I read it and thought, That’s me! Sometimes I forget … Continue reading Random Happiness →

Attitude of Gratitude

November 18, 2011 · 103 comments

It’s been a tough couple weeks and this week was maybe the hardest yet.  Stuff with kids, especially one boy, has really worn me down and I’m just tired.  But honestly, things aren’t bad.  Things are just a little more effort.  A little more work.  A little more patience.  A little more strength. So I’m going to check my fatigue and tears and mini melt-down and express gratitude. I am thankful for the beautiful fall colors on the trees outside. I am thankful for nice soft fuzzy sweaters now that its cold. I am thankful for pumpkin and spice scented candles. I am thankful for Jamette who makes my life so much easier. I am thankful for my littlest guy … Continue reading Attitude of Gratitude →

Smart Puppy

November 7, 2011 · 89 comments

It’s November 7th and I’m still trying to get settled back into a productive routine and it hasn’t happened yet but I’m not giving up.  I vowed last Friday that starting Monday morning, every morning M-F I will get into my garage and do twenty minutes cardio.  Every morning, 20 mins minimum.  If I want to go longer, great.  If I only want to do 20, wonderful.  But I have a bike out there and a treadmill and workout DVDs and I have to do 20 mins of true cardio exercise.  And I did it today.  It didn’t happen at 8 or 8:30 but by 8:45 I’d climbed on the bike and put in my 22 minutes.  It wasn’t an … Continue reading Smart Puppy →

Home for Halloween!

October 30, 2011 · 73 comments

Returned home yesterday evening and have just slept for 10 hours and am feeling human again.  Its great to be back.  We had a fantastic trip but started missing the kids terribly about five days ago.  Ten days is a long time to be away from them, especially the two younger ones. Ten days just made Mac grow up even more and he’s talking nonstop about everything, but his favorite topic right now is Halloween.  He’s so excited about Halloween and attended a Halloween party while we were gone, and has been wearing his costume every chance he can.  I’ll share photos of him in his costume on Halloween but love this one below of my two toddler ‘babies’ at … Continue reading Home for Halloween! →

Daddy, Mommy, Baby

October 17, 2011 · 38 comments

Love the way 2 1/2 year olds look at the world.  Mac had visited a pumpkin patch earlier in the day with Jamette, his ‘other mother’, and an amazing part of our family, and at dinner when he was in his high chair he spotted the three pumpkins sitting on the kitchen counter and cried, “Oh, Daddy, Mommy, Baaaabbbby!  A family!” and I loved it.  Love how he thinks and associates and all the funny things he says. Tomorrow Ty and I fly out to London and then overnight in Windsor, grab a fly Thursday morning to Venice, and then on Sunday grab another flight to Dublin, and then one more flight to London for a few days before coming … Continue reading Daddy, Mommy, Baby →