On swings, rainbows, and indigo endings

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On swings, rainbows, and indigo endings

On the upper level of my home, we have a three-season porch. It's fashioned after the porches popular in Colorado Springs in the late 1800s, peaceful spots where tuberculosis patients rested on beds while soaking up the fresh, restorative mountain air.

Ours is a three-season porch, with no insulation protecting the space from cold. Meaning, we don't access the room in the winter. Come spring, though, the porch door is opened—and our indoor swing firmly attached in the doorway.

indoor swing on three-season porch

My grandsons and other young-at-heart visitors...

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Saturday movie review: Life's A Breeze

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LIFE'S A BREEZE is a cautionary tale from Lance Daly, director of THE COMMITMENTS (a favorite of mine). What might viewers be cautioned against? Throwing out your elderly mother's household goods without checking with her first.

Life's A Breeze dvd

The 2013 Irish comedy stars Fionnula Flanagan as Nan, the elderly matriarch of...

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Balloon pong: Cheap, easy, and hours of fun!

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Balloon pong: Cheap, easy, and hours of fun!

In many parts of the country (and world), winter time is when kiddos need plenty of things to do indoors as it's too chilly outside. Where my grandsons live, though, indoor fun is a must in the summer as triple digit heat often prevents outdoor play.

Whatever time of year children are stuck inside with little to do—whether it's because the weather is hot, cold or rainy—balloon pong is an easy and inexpensive way to provide hours of play.

balloon games for kids 

WHAT YOU NEED

  • Paper plates (one per child)
  • Craft sticks, the thick ones that look...
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Saturday movie review: Like Sunday, Like Rain

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I've been intrigued with the idea of nannies since long-ago watching Julie Andrews make a magical, musical difference with her charges in MARY POPPINS and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. While parents seemingly blew off their children, a nanny could make a child's world far more enriched and delightful than parents would likely ever manage.

Like Sunday, Like Rain

I longed for such adventures as a child. I still can't help but fall in love with books and movies featuring nannies who—often unexpectedly—become far more beloved, important, and relevant to the children they care for than the kiddos' parents could hope to be.

LIKE SUNDAY, LIKE RAIN is one such movie. And though...

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