by Beth Woolsey -

Hair, Vampires and Vitamin D: Letting Kids Make Choices

I want to write today but the sun is shining and it’s April and I live in Oregon. Bear with me. I’ll do what I can.

An Oregon Sun Day is sort of like a Snow Day; some people love it, some people hate it. My kids think school should be canceled. And not so they can play outside. No; my kids think school should be canceled so they can hunker down inside because “THE SUN. IT’S BURNING OUR EYES. TOO BRIGHT. TOO HOT.” Sun Day? Kid panic. And just FYI, it’s 60 degrees (15 degrees Celcius) right now. I’m raising a brood of modern-day vampires is what I’m saying. They sparkle in the sun, and it’s distracting. ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

Day 1 of 3 Giveaways for the Heart and Soul

No one started crying ’til after 8:30 on Christmas morning. Since crying usually starts around 7:10, we called that a Christmas win, baby!

By 9:00, an inferno of neon blue Lik-a-Stix Fun Dip raged under the kitchen table. Fortunately, one quick-thinking kiddo knocked over his can of breakfast soda which dripped through the slats of the table and effectively tamped down the cloud of sugar dust, gluing it in place for clean-up. ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

Paris: Bike About Tours

Ah, Paris.

We loved the Eiffel Tower at dusk.

And the boat tour on the Seine.

And the crépes and cafés and croissants.

And the art. Of course the art.

And, even though it physically pains me to admit it in public like this, we had a fabulous day at Disneyland Paris.

But when people ask me for my #1 favourite part of our trip, I keep saying the bike tour. Which is funny because I was somewhat hesitant to book it. ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

“You can call me Tank”: A ComedySportz 4 Kidz Review

ComedySportz 4 Kidz
1963 NW Kearney St
Portland, OR 97209
503-236-8888

When Margie Boule of ComedySportz 4 Kidz contacted me to ask whether my family might like tickets to see their family friendly improv show in Portland, Oregon, I jumped at the chance. This is right up our alley, I thought. Perfect for quality family time, I reasoned. And a fantastic chance to publicly embarrass my children, I determined. I was right on two counts, which, as you know if you’re a mother, isn’t bad, baby! ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

Here’s Hoping

There comes a point in every mother’s life when she wonders, “Am I raising a serial killer?”

Or maybe that doesn’t happen to every mother, and I just want to feel less lonely.  Go with me on this, guys.  I might be ever-so-slightly overreacting to the myriad – the veritable plethora of – timeouts I administered this weekend. ...  read more

by Beth Woolsey -

Review: Got Dinner?

My blogging buddy, Susan at The Confident Mom, asked me last week if I’d review her new quick and easy recipe compilation.

Hmmm.  Let’s see.

Someone who solicits my opinion.  Requiring me to be opinionated.  Opinionacious.  Opinionable.

I thought about it for four seconds.  That’s how long it took me to find the reply button on my smart phone.  (Notice that the sellers of smart phones don’t make any promises that the user will be smart.  That’s been a disappointment.) ...  read more