The Grateful Mama

“All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

Pablo Picasso

Your child approaches you with a piece of artwork in hand, and you feel compelled to say something like, “Oh it’s beautiful!  I love it!” or, “Great job!”   These sound like reasonable responses, don’t [...]

Hello friends!  Summer goodness has prevented me from getting an entry posted this week!  The next month promises to be just as busy, so I’m going to take an August Writing Break.

I’ll be back the first Monday in September with a nice juicy post for you!  I hope you all enjoy the rest [...]

“When you love someone, all your saved up wishes start coming out.”

Elizabeth Bowen

I was changing Fig’s diaper after she’d had a fairly emotional morning.  There was no apparent reason for her angst, she just seemed to be having one of those teary days when nothing satisfied her.  As I finished dressing [...]

Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty.

Sicilian Proverb

You know you’ve hit the jackpot when you enjoy your work and your colleagues become some of your dearest friends.  Before I moved back to Vancouver Island six years ago, I was teaching at a school in West [...]

“Did you ever stop to taste a carrot?  Not just eat it, but taste it?  You can’t taste the beauty and energy of the earth in a Twinkie.”

Astrid Alauda

We borrowed a fascinating ‘lift-the-flap’ book about sea creatures from the public library.  One page illustrated how some predatory fish use light to attract [...]

“Won’t you come into the garden?  I would like my roses to see you.”

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Pip and Fig were colouring at the dining room table while I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth.  Even with the electric toothbrush going, I could hear a faint, unidentifiable clicking noise.  I turned [...]

“Have a vision.  Be demanding.”

Colin Powell

Pip had chosen to do some ‘rip art’ in the living room the other day.  Her process was to take different colours of construction paper, rip it up and lay it on the carpet in interesting ways.  Fair enough.  It looked like a lot of fun, [...]

“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but, scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.”

Joseph Addison

I pulled into the parking lot of a fairly large and busy local drugstore.  I sat in my car for a minute to hear [...]

“A life lived in love will never be dull.”

Leo Buscaglia

When I picked Pip up from pre-school the other day, she had a bat in her hands and was swinging at pitches thrown by one of the moms, who is also a good friend.  ”It’s all in the wrist!”  my [...]