Urbandictionary.com defines "mommy brain" as "the phenomenon known to mothers where their brains become a useless pile of goo after being around their children too long." An article on WebMD in October of 2010 posits that motherhood may actually trigger brain growth. The article quotes Pilyoung Kim, PhD, a developmental psychologist and post-doctoral researcher at … Continue reading Mommy Brain, Extended Version
Author: gretchenmulroy
The Cars that Drive Us
My family always had interesting cars. Cars with good stories to them. Most of them fell into the "gently used" or "new to us" category. Except for my mom's 1965 red Ford Falcon, she bought that one new. It wasn't really bright red, it was kind of a dull tomato soup color. She said that … Continue reading The Cars that Drive Us
The Day I Walked Out
I'm not sure if I just quit or got fired. That was my Facebook status six years ago, January 28, 2011. The day had started out like any other. I arrived early at the preschool, set up the center activities for the day, and checked my plan book for upcoming events. I … Continue reading The Day I Walked Out
The House on Fairfax Avenue
There's a white house with black trim that sits at the end of Fairfax Avenue, a dead end street within walking distance of my old middle school. There's a small one-bedroom apartment attached to it, and the garage sits under that, visible only from the side of the house. This is my Aunt Lu and … Continue reading The House on Fairfax Avenue
TMI
"If it's on the internet, then it must be true." First lesson of the internet in our house, delivered on a weekly basis, dripping with sarcasm. My kids must be catching on, because their usual response is an eye-roll. So I put on my Granny glasses, curl my lip back, and tell them a story... … Continue reading TMI
Food Quirks
There are people who don't like different foods to touch on their plate. There are people who eat all of one food before moving on to the next. And there are some people who must eat all of their food evenly. Some of us can't stand crumbs in the margarine, or peanut butter in the … Continue reading Food Quirks
Sharing Stories- Christmas 2016
"The universe is made of stories, not of atoms." --Muriel Rukeyser "Mom," my thirteen year old says, "tell the story of how when you were camping as a kid, a big raccoon walked into your campsite while you were sitting around the campfire and your brother's friend jumped up on the chair and screamed … Continue reading Sharing Stories- Christmas 2016
Christmas Traditions
Every family has its own holiday traditions. Some of them you can pinpoint when and how they started, some just... happened. In honor of Christmas being just one week away, here's a list of our family traditions. Do you have any similar ones? What are your family's favorites? The Advent Calendar: I bought a … Continue reading Christmas Traditions
The (True) Story of a Move
Moving is stressful. That's about the understatement of a lifetime. Moving with young children can test the patience of a saint. I do not have the patience of a saint, so I'll just leave it to you, dear reader, to imagine my emotional state during this move, now eleven years ago. I do, however, have … Continue reading The (True) Story of a Move
Sew What?
There's a brown free-standing cabinet by the window in the room over the garage. At first it looks like an ordinary, yet old, dresser. But if you open the cabinet doors- it's a sewing machine in disguise. On the inside of one door are pegs to hold about 100 spools of thread, … Continue reading Sew What?
Gretchen L. Mulroy 