June 30 Slice of Life Story Challenge: Taking the Cast Off

We sat on stools at the island in our kitchen. I lay down a towel -- I don't know why. I guess I thought it would be messy (and also smelly... ew). Lily rested her elbow on the counter and started picking at an edge of bandaging. "I can do it!" she insisted. I don't …

June 23 Slice of Life Story Challenge: How I Broke the Reading Curse Using the Magic of the Reading Toolkit

For months, Lily has known how to read. I remember the day, clearly. There was still snow on the ground outside our living room window. The sky was grey outside. Lily flipped through a basket of books sitting next to the couch, and held up Monkey Flies A Kite, a sweet little leveled book that …

June 15 Slice of Life Story Challenge: Camping

* * * * * * * * * Lily runs, splashing into the water with her hands in the air, smiling, squealing with happiness. It is sunny and warm, a perfect beach day. "Mom! This is so AWESOME!" she calls to me. "I know!" * * * * * * * * * Oh oh …

June 2 Slice of Life Story Challenge: Planting the Garden

May and June in northern Vermont are still pretty cold. The temperatures were in the mid-fifties today, and while we've had a few stretches of days in the high 70's and even a day or two in the 80's, it's not exactly summer yet. It's my third summer living here, but I still think of …