family

Everything Changes: Halloween Edition

Another Halloween is in the record books. Last night we went out trick or treating with some friends, though it was a much smaller group than it’s been in the past. MC had a great time. She’s all about the candy, naturally, and this year she made her costume herself. She wanted to be a vampire, so she made some wings out of cardboard and attached Lego dragon wings to a headband. Add a red top and black pants, and she was good to go. We’ve never done a ton of houses trick or treating. We don’t really live in

Household Chores Strike Back

Maybe there will come a day at some point in the halcyon future where chores around my house are a thing of the past. Where everything magically cleans itself, and no one makes messes anymore. Where the floors are spotless, the dust is in hiding, and windows are all clear as crystal. (Clean crystal, mind you.) That day is not today. But until that day arrives, I will valiantly continue trying to come up with new ways to keep everyone involved in the cleaning of the house. We’ve had chore charts, chore assignments, and chore strategies. Most of them work

A Tropical Stormy Getaway

Denisa and I generally go away with the family for the long Indigenous Peoples Day weekend. We rent a house somewhere a couple of hours away and just try to reset for a few days. The start of the semester can often be really stressful, so it’s nice to take those three days and catch our collective breath. This weekend was no different, or at least that was the plan. To mix things up a bit, we decided to get a place on the ocean over near Acadia. (Not the popular side of Acadia, as we didn’t want all the

Farmington Fair on an Off Day

We had planned to go to the fair on Monday, as we usually do. Mondays they have ride bracelets, so the kids can ride as many rides as they want for one price. However, the rain had different plans. Monday wasn’t an option, so we had to reevaluate. We’ve gone Wednesday before (the other ride bracelet day), but it’s been such a bad experience: so, so, so many people. Huge lines. Just chaos. So instead, we decided to go yesterday on my birthday. It was the first time we’ve tried going on a night that didn’t have ride bracelets. On

2023 Vacation Report: At the Rodeo

When Daniela realized we were heading to Utah once again, one item she had high on her list of things she wanted to do was “go to a rodeo.” Now, I’ve taken her to a rodeo before, but she was much younger and didn’t remember it. When I was growing up, I went to the Oakley Rodeo each summer when I went out to Utah. Was it something I loved with a passion? Not really. It was fun to be there with my cousins, and it was very different from things I did on the east coast, but it wasn’t