Annabelle squeezed out a few tears at bedtime last night. I couldn’t blame her — I wanted to cry, too. Snow Queen was over. This was her third year appearing on a big stage in downtown Phoenix, in the city’s alternative to the Nutcracker. Her second (and almost certainly last) year as a rosebud, which she […]
I was out for a walk early this morning when an old man in an I Heart Jesus baseball cap tried to hand me some propaganda. From the Things-I’m-Not-Particularly-Proud-Of category, I’ll admit that I wasn’t very nice. “I am SO NOT INTERESTED,” I huffed (and puffed), rushing past him. “Stop bothering people!” I was in […]
Work anywhere for almost 18 years and — for better or worse — your co-workers start to feel like family. (And I’m not just talking about my husband, though I am lucky enough to work with him, too.) Our particularly motley crew gussied up and traipsed out to the far west corner of metropolitan Phoenix […]
I love the new Sesame Street song! In case you haven’t caught it, I’ve posted it here. It gave me a reason to crank up the way-back machine and dig up a piece I wrote when Sophie and Annabelle were much younger. Today, their hair isn’t all that different. (Isn’t that interesting?! Actually not so […]
A thought occurred to me yesterday — somewhere between Portland and Phoenix — and I haven’t been able to shake it. Sophie’s more demanding, but Annabelle’s got higher expectations. That may not be the most P.C. of statements, and it may not be true forever, but for now I think I’m going to have to stand […]
“Sophie Day” peaked — then plummeted — when we arrived at the mall late this afternoon. We entered through Anthropologie, which happens to be a personal favorite of mine, and which is conveniently located near Lush, our ultimate bath bomb-destination. Sophie found the one item actually not for sale in the home furnishings/clothing/accessories mecca: an […]
“When I’m on Project Runway, I’ll be able to tell them that my first fashion show was when I was 9,” Annabelle announced the other day. Ah, youth. Although I’m not sure I was that confident at any age. For Annabelle it’s not “if,” it’s “when.” And I hope it always stays that way. If […]
The other night, we hit the mall for Toy Story 3 and some food court action. The movie was great, the food terrible, nothing unexpected. And I wasn’t surprised when Sophie begged to ride the carousel. Typically, I’m the Carousel Girl — happy to take Sophie on it again and and again while Ray and […]
My old friend Tim is popping up everywhere these days. He was the staff photographer at Phoenix New Times when I arrived in 1993 (a position that sadly hasn’t existed in years) and we pal-ed around for a few years, working on stories together and wasting time the way people waste time before they have […]
My kingdom (why doesn’t anyone ever say queendom?) for five minutes alone in the bathroom. Not to be. Sophie barged in this morning and started asking questions. My favorite: “What are those dots on your face?” Not interested in explaining the fundamentals of foundation (which I later managed to squirt all over the bathroom, really […]
