There’s a zoo at The Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
But it’s not lunchtime in the atrium or the parking lot on a free day. 60 creepy, slithery, and totally fascinating creatures have been collected into one fun-filled new exhibit called Lizards and Snakes. Recently, our family spent an evening getting to know the critters [...]

If your laundry experience has been noticeably better in the past few years, you may have me to thank.
It was a little strange when the three women with clipboards and a video camera watched me do a load of laundry. Usually, people scatter when I announce I’m doing a chore. On that day, however, I [...]

On Cyber Monday
Shopping while in pajamas
encouraged by all.
Nobody will know
I fill my baskets with things
Probably won’t buy.
“Free Shipping!” stores claim.
But I must spend hundred bucks?
No thank you. Really.
Nothing makes me scream

Can you wipe?
No job is more humbling than motherhood. It’s the role where you find yourself wiping people and things on an hourly basis. When I think about how many cloths I’ve palmed then poised over faces, bottoms, countertops, carpets, hands, feet, toilet seats, windows, sinks, crockpot inserts, lampshades, tummies, armpits, chins and chins and [...]

A few years ago, a woman at our church told our oldest son, Ryley, that it was bad to celebrate Halloween because it is the devil’s birthday.
Quickly:
1. It is not the devil’s birthday.
2. It is not the devil’s birthday.
3. It is not the devil’s birthday.
We strongly assured him our family wouldn’t celebrate such a thing, [...]

For most of my childhood, I avoided red balloons. I had a theory: Red balloons pop more than any other color. I see how silly this is now, but for years I was convinced if I blew up a red balloon or received one at a party, my heart would soon break. POP.
Why did I [...]

One of the many upsides of having a large family is we have enough people for our own in-house fantasy football league. There are 10 of us, so we fill out our brackets nicely and split into 2 neat divisions.
One of the downsides of having a family fantasy football league is when the 13-month-old’s team [...]

There was a brief moment when I thought my tombstone would read Devoured By a T-Rex. News accounts would include an interview with the massive Cretaceous carnivore, who would quip, “She tasted like a gamey triceratops. I only had enough ranch dressing for her nose.”
Our family came face-to-face with the ferocious fangs of RoboSUE at [...]

It doesn’t matter if your kindergartner goes to school half-days or full days. It doesn’t matter if they went to preschool for 2 years or it’s their first school experience. The transition can be difficult, baffling, but fun. Our sixth child, Beatrix, just started kindergarten two weeks ago. Thankfully, I know some of the issues [...]

The best thing about riding around in a 27-foot-long hot dog is watching people burst into full smiles and wild waves as it rolls by. Our family was granted this rare and wonderful experience last week when the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile arrived in Denver.
All week, I kept the visit a secret. Thursday night was the [...]