Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Searching for a muse . . .

I feel like I've had a months-long case of writer's block. I have great aspirations of penning the next great American Novel, have lists of ideas (both on paper and in my head), and even titles for the books picked out. But when I sit down to actually put my thoughts in writing, nothing comes out. It's like I draw a giant blank, and all that comes to mind are thoughts of what I should make for dinner, or that I need to start the laundry, or the permission slip I forgot to sign for one of the kids. Not very productive "writing" time, to say the least!

My mom is coming to town tomorrow for two weeks of intense writing on the book project we started last year. Stay tuned on that one. While this project isn't necessarily destined for Oprah's Book Club, I have great hopes that through this process, I will be able to unleash the more creative side of my brain for the other projects that creep into my unconscious, begging to be set free.

Until that time comes, maybe I should look for a pair of shoes . . .

Monday, March 19, 2012

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish

Kindergarten has been an interesting experience this time around . . . Grant is so different from Jack and Olivia that it's like going through it for the first time all over again!

I think we take for granted many of the basics on which so much of our life relies. English is not an easy language to learn. There are so many exceptions to the rules of the language–and there's no rhyme or reason to most of it!

Grant is nearing the end of his kindergarten year, and is finally catching on to the language. I went through a few months of extreme concern, worried that he wasn't going to meet the kindergarten standards. But almost overnight, he's realized that letter sounds come together to make words.

We've got a long way to go before he's reading classic literature, but it is thrilling to see the words of Dr. Seuss take shape in his little mind. I'll take it!