Yeah, but Houdini didn't have these hips.

• How It All Ends

  Global climate destabilization or bah humbug? Politics aside, a risk management view assessment of the situation.
  
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 13, 2009, 8:42pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Ho Ho Ho!

  My mom made the girls a new advent calendar. Isn't it the coolest?!
  
  
  
  And we've been busy celebrating all month. The girls are both really into the whole Christmas season this year - all of it.
  
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 11, 2009, 11:37pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Mario Brothers Are Back

  
  Sure, I've said that I don't sleep. I've said I'm busy. But I've also suggested that all work and no play makes Sarahlynn a sad, dull girl. So I play, too!
  
  When dinner's in the oven and the girls spontaneously go downstairs to play for' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 10, 2009, 11:46pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Is it the weekend?

  No, I'm not complaining about a long Monday. Quite the opposite. I feel like it must be the weekend soon. I have that fabulous Thursday night feeling.
  
  Thursday nights are great because there's only one work day between you and the promise of unstructured, fabulous weekend. (By Friday' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 07, 2009, 10:46pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Letting Go

  I'm not good at letting go. I'm not good at giving up anything . . . except, possibly, sleep and other good habits.
  
  I know my sense of depletion is due to being one week out from NaNoWriMo. I know it, intellectually. After all, this happens to me [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 07, 2009, 1:00am EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Personalities

  Last Tuesday, Paul called home from work at noon. "I forgot to bring anything for lunch and I'm really dragging today so I'm going to run over to Qdoba to grab something to eat."
  
  "Mmmmm, I'm jealous," I said, sliding a frozen meal into the microwave. We were planning' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 04, 2009, 12:38am EST
  by Sarahlynn

• The Surrendered Wife by Laura Doyle

  
  This month for Barrie Summy's Book Review Club, I'm discussing The Surrendered Wife by Laura Doyle.  When I decided to tackle this project, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
  
  It happened so simply.  I was clicking around on the' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: December 02, 2009, 1:20am EST
  by Sarahlynn

• The NaNoWriMo Song

  
  
  Woo hoo!
  
  Special congrats to my husband and youngest sister, both of whom also won NaNoWriMo . . . and beat me to the finish line!
  
  (For my Facebook friends, I know the embedded video doesn't come through so here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhs-yodZJcw )[...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 30, 2009, 10:28am EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Happy Thanksgiving!

  And special thanks to our Maryland family for hosting us so delightfully.
  
  
  
  (Gratuitous piece of information: the girls LOVED the plane trip.)
  
  As for me, I'm finishing up NaNoWriMo (note sidebar).  Back soon!' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 29, 2009, 9:40pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• It's Not Time

  
  
  Earlier today a good friend sent me an email with the subject: It's Time.
  
  She linked to a lifestyle.msn.com article called "How to Look (at least) Ten Years Younger" and said:
  
  Look at photo 2 before and after...this is what you should do with your hair!!!  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 24, 2009, 10:03pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Because We Can

  
  I'm adamant that we not start celebrating Christmas before Thanksgiving. Ellie's choir is working on their Christmas show, but other than that we don't sing Christmas music or watch Christmas videos. And our house is still decorated with pumpkins and turkeys and leaves, browns and oranges [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 22, 2009, 8:58pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• They Call this Soccer

  And it's fabulous.
  
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 20, 2009, 11:06pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Take, Eat

  A kindergarten teacher gave her class a “show and tell” assignment. Each student was instructed to bring in an object to share with the class that represented their religion. The first student got up in front of the class and said, “My name is Benjamin and I am Jewish and [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 18, 2009, 9:58pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Do You Deserve Healthcare? Does She?

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 18, 2009, 11:08pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• The Talker Teacher

  Ellie's classmates like Hannah Montana and super heroes. Ellie is less interested than she used to be in Pixar movies and early morning cartoons (Dora the Explorer is apparently so preschool). But I won't let her watch Hannah Montana or super hero movies.
  
  Lately, the girls have been into' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 17, 2009, 11:37pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Seriously?

  First: Low Income Women Can't Get Abortions, But RNC Staffers Can
  The Republican National Committee's health insurance plan covers elective abortion - a procedure the party's own platform calls "a fundamental assault on innocent human life."
  
  Federal Election Commission Records show the RNC purchases its insurance from Cigna.' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 16, 2009, 11:37pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Autumn Leaves

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 12, 2009, 9:14pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• What's Sexy?

  What's sexy?  Sharing NaNoWriMo with a writing spouse.  Taking a break to watch our favorite TV show.  Writing some more.
  
  What's not sexy?  Snotty noses.  Toenails long and sharp enough to draw blood. 
  
  But I still love you, honey.  From a slight distance, but I still love you.[...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 10, 2009, 12:17am EST
  by Sarahlynn

• How Women Look

  Unhealthy body images abound. There are women in magazines vs. women in real life. On one hand, the women in magazines are often extremely thin or unnaturally proportioned (more on that in a moment). On the other hand, women in real life are often overweight.
  
  I'm sure that many' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 08, 2009, 8:00pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Ellie's Peter Pan Birthday Party

  
  
  Photo Legends: Paul's map of Neverland in the foyer, Indian Camp in the family room, part of Pirate's Cove/Mermaid Lagoon in [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 05, 2009, 7:34pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Contest Winner and Sneak Preview

  First, thanks to everyone who participated in The Stiletto Gang's Hallopalooza scavenger hunt!
  
  
  Since there were 22 entrants for the drawing at Yeah, but Houdini Didn't Have these Hips, I did a an actual write names on paper, cut, and have disinterested third party [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 04, 2009, 10:25pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• An Apple Pie for Dinner

  This month, for Barrie Summy's Book Review Club, I'm writing about An Apple Pie for Dinner retold by Susan Vanhecke and illustrated by Carol Baicker-McKee.
  
  This is my first "sponsored" review, by which I mean that the publisher sent me a copy [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 04, 2009, 12:40am EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Balls in the Air

  I'm a deadline person. As a due date approaches it draws my full attention like a beacon and I focus until I've met my goal. This process has worked well for me for 35 years, but I'm currently finding myself with quite a lot of beacons causing light pollution in' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: November 01, 2009, 9:02pm EST
  by Sarahlynn

• Hallopalooza Is Here!

  Yeah, But Houdini Didn't Have These Hips – post #8
  
  
  According to legend, it only took Harry Houdini 2 minutes and 27 seconds to escape a straightjacket while being suspended from a crane being used to build the New York City' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 30, 2009, 5:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• It's Hallopalooza!

  Welcome to Hallopalooza, the fabulous Halloween scavenger hunt from The Stiletto Gang!
  
  The clues will be posted early Friday morning, so pop over to The Stiletto Gang for the first clue and find your way back here as soon as possible!
  
  Join [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 30, 2009, 12:51am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• To Make a Living

  In order to finish my freelance project on budget, I need to complete about 2 chapters an hour. No biggie, right? I'm mostly just updating page numbers from one edition to the next. Except - HOLY CRAP - some of the chapters are long. With tons of new information to' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 28, 2009, 11:50pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Peter Pan Party

  "Sarahlynn has really outdone herself this year. What is she going to do to top this next year?" my sister asked my mother after Ellie's 6th birthday party this weekend.
  
  I don't plan to try to top myself next year. After all, I didn't plan to do much this' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 25, 2009, 10:57pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• I was just grateful the ...

  I was just grateful the girls were playing quietly together. (Hint: this is not the normal decor for our dining room table.)
  
  
  
  Halloween practice (neither is her costume):
  
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 23, 2009, 11:48pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Sorry, Charter

  The first team from Charter who responded to our distress call was . . . largely useless. Very polite, though!
  
  As a follow-up, a crew-of-one came out the next week. It was the end of the workday and unscheduled; he just dropped by. And he was professional and thorough [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 23, 2009, 11:43pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Pastors

  I'm a PK (preacher's kid).
  
  "Pastors are easy to love, but they're hard to get home. From the minds that brought you Before He Speaks comes a new offering of musical satire."
  
  
  
  Thanks to Rob for the link!' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 21, 2009, 4:35pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Limited Access

  We're not extravagant people. We like to eat and we like to travel, but we don't own high-end electronics and we drive Hondas.
  
  We do watch our money carefully, and we're trying to pay off ALL of our debt and increase our savings. (Unless it rains - and of' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 18, 2009, 9:51pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Walk in the Park

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 15, 2009, 10:16pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• SinC Into Great Writing

  I'm off! Early in the morning I'm heading for Indianapolis for a writing workshop:
  
  SinC into Great Writing!
  This event is FULL
  Sisters in Crime is pleased to present "SinC Into Great Writing!" on Wednesday, October 14, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, featuring New York literary agent [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 13, 2009, 7:23pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Risky Behavior

  Is it dangerous to post pictures of children on the Internet?
  
  I was in an online conversation with someone who suggested that it is "stupid" to post pictures of children online. So how do I justify the fact that I share pictures of my children?
  
  First: is [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 13, 2009, 12:07am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Six

  "It's MY birthday today!" At 5:45 this morning, Ellie burst from her room, delighted to be alive. "Happy Birthday to MEEEE!"
  
  Soon, all of us were awake and bundled into the dark, cold car for a special birthday doughnut run. (Doughnuts might be the very best' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 11, 2009, 8:17pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Loomy

  Operation Homemade Gifts is off to a mixed start.
  
  I began simply, with knit hats for a newborn and a one-year-old, both boys. There's some concern that one of the hats isn't "butch" enough for its recipient. (Not my judgment. I picked the yarn thinking it was fine.) Thoughts?
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 09, 2009, 12:18am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Got Wood?

  As we near our first ever homemade-gifts-only holiday season, I have a question.
  
  Do you have any idea where I might procure several large tree stumps?
  
  My only idea is to call local tree service companies and ask if I can follow them [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 08, 2009, 1:49am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Medieval Helpdesk

  In lieu of a review for Barrie Summy's Book Review Club this month, I have instead a video that made me laugh:
  
  ' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 06, 2009, 8:41pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Hanged

  My new neighbor is into Halloween. He built a fence-like structure in their front yard, stacked hay bales in front of it, installed fake gravestones, and hung various spooky things from their trees.
  
  I too am a fan of Halloween and like that my neighborhood [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 06, 2009, 12:03pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Chill in the Air

  I wasn't ready to turn on the heat. So I decided to make a big pot of soup Friday night and ask Paul to lay a fire in the grate.
  
  The soup came out a little cheesy, but Ellie loved it nonetheless. (Ada doesn't [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 04, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Sisters

  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: October 01, 2009, 7:16pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Did I Always Worry So Much?

  Ellie came home from school today feeling "yucky" with cough and fever.
  
  Here's hoping it's a QUICK cold. Because staying from from life for a couple of weeks with the H1N1 dealie is just awkward in October. We have 5 big things she really won't want to miss in' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 30, 2009, 10:55pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Hardball

  After quite a while of talking about everything else but: a writing update.
  
  Current project status. I have a few short stories I want to polish, refine, edit, and get out on submission. But I feel like I can't stop work on the novel. I'm still editing and the [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 29, 2009, 10:05pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Kicking It Up a Notch

  Given: a nice, level, paved surface neatly marked off in tenths of a mile, perfect for exercise and interval training (jog a tenth, walk a tenth, repeat).
  
  Question: What's the difference between a hard, fast walk and a gentle jog?
  
  Answers: The [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 28, 2009, 9:00pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Apple Picking Good

  "This weekend," I told the girls, "we're going to go pick apples."
  
  We talked about how apples grow on trees and how even if you don't care for apples (Ellie) you might still like apple cider or apple pie. Yippee! But as we [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 26, 2009, 10:08pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• The Birds and the Balls

  I'm so crafty. Look out for homemade Christmas presents from meeeeee.
  
  
  
  Also, soccer, yo!
  
  ' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 25, 2009, 12:36am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• The Word

  Our church has a LOGOS program. On the surface, it looks like an all-around good deal. After school, children in kindergarten through 8th grade head to church. Now parents have a choice: return for your child(ren) in a few hours or stay around and participate. (Free childcare is provided [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 23, 2009, 10:40pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Protect Insurance Companies PSA

  Did I say that I was done with health care reform posts? Surely not.
  
  Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell
  
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 22, 2009, 9:34pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Night Sky

  Ada and I spent the morning at the St. Louis Science Center. This is one of her favorite activities, and she requests it nearly daily. When we leave, she usually tells me all about how we're coming back later in the day with Daddy and' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 22, 2009, 1:06am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• "Frightening" Indeed

  A friend sent me this "frightening demographic video clip" with the note that she kept waiting for the punchline that never came:
  
  
  
  My initial reactions:
  
  The uncited "research" doesn't even relate to the wild leaps of "logic" in the voiceover. ("There's no economic model to support...")' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 20, 2009, 9:08pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Oopsy Daisy

  Retaining wall: 1
  Sarahlynn: 0
  
  I was walking along the retaining wall, Ada on the grass beside me, when all of a sudden the end of the wall . . . crumbled.
  
  
  I . . . followed gravity.
  
  
  "I" [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 17, 2009, 9:28pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• It's Good to Miss Them a Little Bit

  Last month Paul and I decided to finally bite the bullet and really take control of our finances. We made a budget and are committed to sticking to it, saving up and paying cash for purchases, keeping an emergency fund for necessary but unexpected expenses, not using credit, paying off [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 15, 2009, 11:14pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Change Is Scary - Part 4

  I think Health Care Reform deserves a serious discussion, not soundbites, scare tactics, lies, and ignorance. This is the fourth - and last - of my August Recess posts about health care reform. Wahoo!
  
  What Does "Reform" Really Mean?
  
  For the last few months, whenever I hear someone [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 11, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• The President's Plan for Health Care Reform

  Reposted without comment:
  
  The President's Plan for Health Reform
  
  “It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance. It will provide insurance to those who don’t. And it will lower the cost of health care for our families, our businesses, and our [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 10, 2009, 1:50am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• She Works Differently

  Ellie's really fond of one of her classmates. I have been emailing back-and-forth with the little girl's mother - the lead room parent - and after making plans for the Halloween party planning meeting (is this really my life?) I said:
  
  "Ellie thinks [your daughter's] really great, and so'" [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 09, 2009, 1:27am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• The United States of America

  
  "There is no red state America, there is no blue state America; but there is a United States of America."
  
  "Americans...sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue" [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 07, 2009, 8:09pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Beautiful Slab

  
  
  I love our new front porch! But the pretty white railing and comfy patio furniture are going to have to wait.
  
  Early in my college career, I briefly considered being a math [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 03, 2009, 8:43pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Go Ask Alice (Anonymous)

  
  This month, for Barrie Summy's Book Review Club, I'm writing about Go Ask Alice by "Anonymous."
  
  September 26−October 3, 2009 is the American Library Association's Banned Books Week. I'm not a big fan of public book banning, so I decided to choose [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 02, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Knock Knock Knock. Did I catch you at a bad time?

  Long long ago and far far away, I was a Girl Scout. Wearing the uniform to school quickly became uncool, but it never bothered me too much. What I really hated was selling those cookies door to door. It's not the selling that bothered me as much as the door [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: September 01, 2009, 1:11am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Change Is Scary - Part 3

  I think Health Care Reform deserves a serious discussion, not soundbites, scare tactics, lies, and ignorance. This is the third of my August Recess posts about health care reform.
  
  Part 3 - But We're the Best! Why Fix What Isn't Broken?
  
  Whose health care system is better? We [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 31, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• My Sailors

  The girls wanted to be sea captains after watching an episode of Caillou. This proved to be no problem as my mom gave them a chest of dress-up clothes for Christmas including appropriate headgear.
  
  But telescopes were required equipment and we only have one kaleidoscope. Ellie got that [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 28, 2009, 12:32am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• A Childhood Space

  Ada and I have been looking at Halloween costume catalogs lately. And I'm a little concerned. Kids' clothes are sized roughly by age, and size 8/10 seems to be a breaking point. "Kids" costumes come sized up to size 8/10, but from size 8/10 on up, every costume is skintight [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 27, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Easily Distracted

  Have you ever had one of those nights when you intend to get things done - like perhaps jotting down a short essay explaining your child-rearing philosophy - but instead you spend an hour researching the various options for solid and liquid rocket fuel? Fascinating stuff. Drew me right in. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 26, 2009, 12:31am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Love Anagrams?

  Me either. But this is still fun!
  
  Internet Anagram Server. Or, I, Rearrangement Servant.
  
  An anagram for Paul's full name: Aroma Bull Pee
  
  See? I told you this was fun. Here's me:
  
  Enthralls Yearns
  
  Who are you? [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 24, 2009, 10:38pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Change Is Scary - Part 2

  I think Health Care Reform deserves a serious discussion, not soundbites, scare tactics, lies, and ignorance. This is the second of my August Recess posts about health care reform.
  
  Working for the insurance company is profitable.
  
  After college I got a job in publishing. It was a good [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 24, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• First Week of Kindergarten

  See Monday's post for this week's photos; I added pictures of Ellie's first day of school throughout the day.
  
  In other news, here are a few of the awesome things my girls are saying this month.
  
  Ada still has a few of her toddler-isms, which I love:[...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 21, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Blogging 101

  I've read a few comments on blogs insisting that the blogger needs to "be fair." Here on this blog, a reader once told me that I couldn't "flesh out" one candidate's resume while "summarizing" another's. More recently, a commenter suggested that I should include an "equal number of articles slanted'" [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 20, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Grapes Don't Drink Wine

  To say that I don't have a green thumb is to say that the egg carton elevator at the St. Louis Arch is not for the claustrophobic.
  
  I currently have two dead-or-dying houseplants. This is frankly a bit of a relief. Killing them feels like' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 19, 2009, 11:05pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Change Is Scary

  I know change is hard. I'm not talking summer-into-fall, here, I'm talking health care reform. Even when the "system" we've got is terribly broken, there's a tremendous amount of fear that anything different might be worse. Especially if - gasp - The Government is involved.
  
  I think this issue [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 18, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• First Day

  Today's post delayed by the FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN.
  
  Off to a rough start because Mommy and Daddy were up until 2:00 re-reading all the (numerous!) handouts and handbooks provided by the school. And filling out scores of first-week-of-school forms - didn't we already tell them everything about us [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 17, 2009, 2:12am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Seasons Change

  We don't have many good pictures of the girls at the pool this summer, because when they are in the water, I am too. And my husband has requested that I NOT take the new camera in with me.
  
  Occasionally, they play at the side of the pool -' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 14, 2009, 1:11am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Mystery Fest

  Midwest MysteryFest 2009: Anatomy of a Mystery
  
  Enjoy an intense and satisfying conference filled with practical advice on mystery writing for all levels. Pitch your novel in a one-on-one session with an agent (sign up during Registration Saturday morning for a specific time slot), [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 12, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• It's Getting Hot in Here

  I'm a big fan of English comedian Matt Kirshen.
  
  He recently blogged about the futility of arguing with wingnuts.
  
  "So no more. No more rational argument, facts or reasons. My new tactic is to fight conspiracy theories with even crazier counter-conspiracy'" [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 11, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Special Friends

  I wouldn't have a child with Down syndrome, a woman recently told me. I mean, I have other children to consider.
  
  Every family must decide for itself what it can and cannot handle. And it's true that any additional child diverts "resources" from existing children. In' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 10, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Fishing for Fish

  My girls have taken up fishing this summer. It's one of their favorite hobbies, though they've added their own twist. They sit on Ellie's bed and "fish" the carpet for who-knows-what using . . . beads. Broken chains of shiny necklace beads.
  
  I suggested to Ada that her Grandpa' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 07, 2009, 12:44am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

  This month, for Barrie Summy's Book Review Club, I'm writing about The Shack: where tragedy confronts eternity by William Paul Young.
  
  Why do we read the books we read?
  
  For me, the answer is "it depends." I'm in two book clubs and a [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 05, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• One-on-One Time

  Last weekend, Paul and Ada drove 300 miles to his family reunion.
  
  
  Ellie had a family picnic with her Kindergarten class, so we stayed home.
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: August 02, 2009, 10:06pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Web You.Oh

  I'm writing a report on various online social networking/web 2.0 options for an organization to which I belong. This will basically be a summary with recommendations. What's out here, why/how it works, whether or not it would be of any value to our organization, what it would cost in terms' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 30, 2009, 12:29am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• The Truth about Writers

  The Truth about Writers
  
  Snips from this excellent article:
  
  We don't spend much time writing. There. It's out. Writers, by and large, do not do a great deal of writing. We may devote a large number of hours per day to writing,' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 29, 2009, 11:47pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Short, Not Sweet

  Oooh, a mommy drive-by, in comments right here on my very own blog! [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 28, 2009, 11:31pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Child Safety

  It's amazing how many people will open a door for a child. At church, we have easily accessible power-assist doors that my children could operate by themselves from the time they learned to walk.
  
  But in stores and elsewhere out in public, the existence of unfamiliar heavy [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 27, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Summer: cramming it all in

  We are having lots of fun with our out of town company, and I'm actually getting a bit of work done this week. So . . . less time for blogging. Something's gotta give and all that.
  
  My girls like to tickle. And their aunt Anny is a wonderful' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 23, 2009, 10:56pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Perfect Weather

  I would be weird for me not to mention the weather, so I guess I'll get that out of the way right now.
  
  This has been the best summer in St. Louis . . . ever. My first full summer here was 1997 and my car didn't have [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 21, 2009, 10:33pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Two Days

  Ada is potty trained. When I say that she is potty trained, I mean that she's been out of diapers for nearly two months. She wears a pull-up to sleep, but other than that she's in self chosen (and named) "candy pants" full time. I [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 20, 2009, 10:00pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Basic Anatomy

  "Whatcha got der?"
  
  Paul was changing out of his running clothes this afternoon, closely attended by Ada.
  
  "It's my penis. Boys have penises."
  
  "I don't have a penis. I have a hole."
  
  Out of the mouths of babes.
  
  More on potty training soon - betcha' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 20, 2009, 1:13am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• A Normal Week Here

  Ada "fixing" Ellie's hair, Ellie pretending to fuss about it
  
  
  Ada sick, eating toast
  
  
  Ellie hiding artistically in a cave (at The Magic House)
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 16, 2009, 9:09pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Title?

  Long ago, I had an idea for a funny mystery, sort of Susan Isaacs-like but with a younger, married protagonist. Before I had anything like a plot, I had a title: Yeah, But Houdini Didn't Have These Hips.
  
  That idea never went anywhere. (Clearly,' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 16, 2009, 11:59pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Mii Not Fit

  So I'm trying to push our family into being more active, having a healthier lifestyle.
  
  This is challenging when, like me, you prefer the taste of edible foodlike products to actual food.* And when you're married to a man who describes himself as sedentary. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 14, 2009, 11:20pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Angels, Demons, Fevers, and Glass

  This weekend didn't feel like a normal weekend and I can't quite wrap my head around this being Sunday night.
  
  For one thing, Paul and I went on a date tonight (dinner followed by Angels & Demons, both of which were fine - though the movie had some impressive [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 12, 2009, 10:54pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• The City Museum

  We got home from South Haven before I was ready to end our vacation.
  
  So the next morning we went downtown to The City Museum. This place is unbelievable and indescribable. Think: art installation plus playground plus historic shoe factory plus surrealism plus [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 10, 2009, 11:12pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• A Different Work in Progress

  This is an improvement.
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 09, 2009, 11:10pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

  
  
  I really wanted to hate this book. First of all, I wasn't interested in reading a thinly veiled fictionalized version of a famous person's life, especially not a currently living famous person. Second, I was not interested in a sympathetic portrayal of George W.' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 08, 2009, 11:10pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Food Porn

  Today's happy post pre-empted by three critiques I'm still drafting for my writers' group tomorrow (later today).
  
  Instead, I offer you the insultingly named This Is Why You're Fat: where dreams become heart attacks.
  
  Tomorrow: a book review.
  Wednesday: happiness in a' [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 07, 2009, 1:01am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Monday Irritations

  The next post I want to write is celebratory, so I'll just get some whining out of the way now, like a front blowing through before the sunshine.PottyMy feetPotty.
  
  Ellie was ready to potty train at 18 months. She had both awareness and control at an early age. She'd [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 06, 2009, 11:40pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Family Vacation - South Haven

  Ellie loves holding babies almost as much as she loves pizza, beads, swinging, and - best of all - being in the water. (Strange angle on first shot because my niece had a tight grip on my hair.)
  
  [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 03, 2009, 11:42pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

  This month, for Barrie Summy's Book Review Club, I'm writing about Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.
  
  My first thought was: I have no idea what to say about this book. And then hundreds of words suddenly poured forth from my [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: July 01, 2009, 12:00am EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Disrupted

  There's this part of Finding Nemo when Marlin and Dory are way down in the dark near the ocean's floor. They're following a pretty light and feeling oddly relaxed and happy. Suddenly they see that the light is attached to a scary angler fish. "[...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 29, 2009, 10:15pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Rejuvenated

  We're back from vacation! We're relaxed! We had a great time!
  
  My parents rented a house for a week in South Haven, Michigan. They were there for a couple days, then my youngest sister and her husband arrived, I showed up with my girls, [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 28, 2009, 10:45pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Relaxing

  This lack of daily post brought to you by summer. Ahhhh. [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 24, 2009, 7:29pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn

• Foot in Mouth Disease

  People who know me well will be surprised to hear that I've actually gotten a little better at filtering what comes out of my mouth. If this is better, you might ask, how bad was it before?
  
  I've erupted with some real doozies. I rarely apologize for these, hoping [...]
  Share | Rate | Archive

  Posted: June 23, 2009, 7:28pm EDT
  by Sarahlynn