Sweet Life With Mary

And Girl Drives Away With Boy
I watched my daughter drive away with a boy this morning.

Ok, they drove away in the school bus… but it was still an emotional moment— I entrusted MY precious little girl to the care of a BOY!
When Mary started Kindergarten this Fall, I was still working full-time so I [...]

The on-going Advent Treasure Hunt that I had devised for Mary to enjoy this holiday season is yielding one very rewarding find FOR ME— Mary’s ever-improving reading skill.
Mary is not one of those very early readers (y’know, like that Hooked on Phonics commercial where a little boy who “just turned 4″ is reading out loud from a [...]

What parent has not second-guessed themselves on some parenting issue? 
With me, it is with food and when to feed or not feed Mary.
Last night, three hours after dinner time, three hours after Mary had had a full meal of steamed rice and saucy chicken teriyaki and when the yawns were coming one after the other, she announced, [...]

Advent Calendar - a Christmas tradition that we never had in the Philippines, one that I was unaware of until Jack mentioned getting one for Mary last year (which we did not do since we did not find one that we liked— not that we looked all that hard.)
This year, we saw one at Costco [...]

I was privileged to discover another inherent quality that Mary possesses— a gentle touch with, and loving care of animals.
We stayed at my sister-in-law’s house while visiting Jack’s side of the family for Thanksgiving.  At her backyard is a pond filled with colorful koi of various sizes.  Beautiful pond, beautiful koi.

When Mary was told that [...]

“A friend in need is a friend indeed.” 
This was has always stumped me— so, if you have a friend who needs you, then he/she is your true friend?
From the Phrase Finder

Meaning
It is sometimes suggested that this phrase means ’someone who needs your help becomes friendly in order to obtain it’. That isn’t supported by the [...]

It is that time of the year for those areas that observe Daylight Saving Time to revert back to Standard Time.  Happened at 2 am this morning and it is generally suggested that you move your clocks back the night before. 
I don’t.  I love waking up (I have not used an alarm clock for over 10 years [...]

This photo was taken in the midst of a tantrum on our way to school.  Mary was insisting that she looked ridiculous. What made her say that? She thinks that the jacket is making her look fat.I do not know where she got this “ridiculous” idea. The jacket is not new, she is not fat, [...]

Mary had me sign her up for a Mini Pom Clinic.  She pestered me to make sure I sent the check in (for $35- it is a 4-hour dance routine/cheerleading instruction, T-shirt, pom-poms and the chance to perform at a high school football game at half-time.)  The Clinic was Saturday, October 13 and the game [...]

That was Mary’s lament last night after I told her that she can no longer soak her feet on the bathroom sink and use this same small sink like a bathtub.
And then she says, “I hate my life!”  So very dramatic. 
It turns out she was also remembering our latest trips to some stores yesterday.  I had arranged [...]