Confessions of A Frog / Princess / Prince

Melissa Inglis has some great thoughts on life, transitions, and metamorphoses.

•  Ever feel like you're caught in the awkward, gangly, nothing-seems-'normal' stage of life?
  Maybe you just got a grip on how to be a toddler, and suddenly you have to navigate the school yard.  Maybe you just figured out how to be a care free child, and then puberty hit.
  Lets all just admit that puberty/teen years/highschool are probably the biggest gauntlet of awkwardness for all of us to navigate.

Brilliant, beautiful. Read more.

How to Wield Your Power Well

Elizabeth Klein at Crosswalk.com has a strong reminder for parents. You have power.

• I made a stark realization this month that left me very humbled. It came to my attention through a combination of a dear friend and the Holy Spirit that what I write may affect my children at some point, if not now.

  I hate to say it, but that was brand new information to me. My justification all this time has been simple: my kids don’t read what I write. 

  But someday, they may. And though I do not aim to hurt the people in my life who have hurt me, I had to admit that in my quest to reach out to hurting women and in my aim to be as authentic as I can be, I sometimes write things that – though true – could wound.

This is a solid reminder. You're being watched, and by more important eyes than the NSA. Read more.

The "Me Time" Myth

Melissa Edginton at YourMomHasABlog talks about the myth of Me Time.

• We moms are always talking about “Me Time.”  We seem to spend a lot of brain power thinking about it and how to get it.  I even recently saw a red carpet reporter whose sole assignment was to ask celebrity moms how they get the all-important Me Time.  And, each celebrity had different answers.  Pedicures and coffee were favorites.  Lunches and going to the gym were mentioned.  Basically any activity that doesn’t involve the children can qualify, although if doesn’t involve the children OR the husband, then it is really considered a treat.

It's a really good challenge. Read more.

Photos of a Storm Trooper

Zahir Batan is a photographer. He takes pictures of a Storm Trooper action figure in nature. They're awesome. Go take a look. Bring your kids with you. Read more.

 

Around the Warren:

What Winter Trees Know About Singing

Guest Poster Kelli Woodford recounts a winter conversation with her son.

• The snow crunches under our feet as we traipse out to the van. I tell him it’s slickery and he should watch his step. He laughs his response, “Mom, that’s not even a word!” Then his nimble fingers slip lightly into my own. Just in case.

  I snap carseat buckles and crank the heat up high. They settle in for the ride, hands full of matchbox cars and still sticky from peanut butter sandwiches. I can barely feel mine on the steering wheel. Numb.

  It’s a few miles down the road before I notice suspicious quiet from the backseat. I glance around and they’re watching out the window. One looks back at me, quick to smile and ready to respond. The other is very far away. I can see it in his eyes.

  “Whatcha looking at, buddy?” I ask.

  He might be struggling to pull himself back to this reality, I can’t tell, but he hesitates a moment before he answers.

  “Mom,” his voice finally comes, “do you see the trees?”

Recapture the wonder. Read more.

Imagination Will Take You Everywhere

Paul Boekell delivers a great Einstein quote.

• 

Excellent.
 

Books Bloom at Inkwell

Julie Silander tells us about a great feature of Inkwell: Story Warren's family conference.

• Almost a decade ago, I attended a conference and book fair with a friend. We stumbled upon a booth that held thousands of beautiful old books. Many were vintage and out of print. All were for sale. Hearts beat faster as we feverishly plundered the shelves in search of hidden treasures waiting to be claimed.

We're excited to continue the introduction!

The White Stag Who Lived Forever

Bryana Johnson writes, Zach Franzen illustrates:

• It was a matter of great importance, and the morning wind that carries the mist and the butterflies carried the news in a kind of dance, like the laugh of the first baby, when it broke into a thousand pieces and was the beginning of faeries. But what had been born was only a little stag, with wide, glassy eyes, uncertain on its knobbly legs. There were stags born in the forest every day, and doe-fawns too, with brushy eyelashes.

A beautiful tale. Read it.

Something to Do with Your Kids:

Help your kids learn about money. Mint.com has a collection of good resources. Read more.

 

And Something Fun to Watch

Ever think, what would our family movies be like if I was a DreamWorks special effects artist?

Thank you for reading. We're on your side.