This post contains links to our Spirited Learning store on Teachers Pay Teachers. Friends, I do not even know where to begin. The last Side Notes & Shenanigans I wrote was almost a year ago. I fully intended to write a fall-into-winter-into-New-Years post, and then the pandemic happened and everything went haywire. Admittedly, there are days or perhaps daily moments when things still feel haywire. Navigating a pandemic is hard. Navigating a pandemic during an election year is even ... continue reading...

Oooh, it’s cider + sweaters + puffy jackets + blanket scarves + colorful socks season! I cannot tell a lie. October was a blur. So all that cider? I barely drank any. Sweaters? Do sweater cardigans count? Blanket scarves? Bought one. Haven’t worn it yet. Sometimes you’re just needed elsewhere, and the cute socks have to wait. Family members were ill throughout the month, and our foursome prioritized that over pretty much everything else. Ooh, and because nothing says “good decision” like ... continue reading...

I would love to tell you we had a super-sexy September. But, alas, our September was cool, calm, and totally, well, September. That isn’t to say, though, that we didn’t have memorable moments. Namely, Twinkle, our youngest, started kindergarten. And if that’s not a milestone, then I don’t know what is. If you’re in the mood for chitter chatter, then grab a beverage or snack, plop yourself on our virtual couch, and sit a spell.  WHAT WE DID: Our family made it through back-to-school ... continue reading...

Have you ever visited a place that while you’re still there and while you’re still enjoying ALL THE THINGS, you think to yourself, I am so coming back here and will be doing this all over again? Because that’s basically what happened to four out of four of us when we visited Northwest Arkansas. We were smack dab in the middle of our trip, leaving one hotel to get ready for the next leg of the journey, when both girls looked at me and said, “Mom, can we just do this whole trip over again next ... continue reading...

Last year, K-Hubs and the girls talked me into doing a staycation. And I say “talked me into” because last year, I didn’t really want to do one. The thing is, as a WAHM, every day feels a little like a staycation. Where are we going today? Do we have enough snacks? Did everyone actually go to the bathroom before getting into the car? All fair questions that are part of the daily routine, no matter what day of the week it is. So I had no interest in doing more of the same old, same old for a ... continue reading...