It’s time for the Petit Elefant Quote of the Week! I love this part of the week, don’t you? I think a good quote, some really brilliant writing, has the ability to turn things around when life is tricky. So this week I’m sharing some words from the extremely talented contemporary writer, Nick Hornby. Petit Elefant Quote of the Week Hard is trying to rebuild yourself, piece by piece, with no instruction book, and no clue as to where…
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Life is hard sometimes, you know? Sometimes it’s messy and downright ugly, which is why the beautiful stuff is so great when it shows up. But sometimes the beautiful stuff takes an awful long time to get to your door, and when that happens, you have to make your own beauty. Which I think is the very best kind. I’ve been pretty sick lately. In fact, as I write this, I’m in my pajamas, wearing a foxy orthopedic wrist brace. …
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It’s Quote Of The Week time! This week’s quote comes from one of my favorite authors, John Green, a young adult author most prominently known for his book turned movie, The Fault in Our Stars. First of all, if you’re not reading YA you’re missing out on some of the best authors in print, and John Green is no exception. His work is ethereal and wise, and the writing in The Fault in Our Stars is so beautiful I weep…
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Halloween is coming! Are you ready to get your DIY on? It’s time to bust out those pumpkins, costumes, treats and all things spooky and sweet. We’ve put some of our favorite Halloween DIY projects in one place, so read on for some great projects and crafts to do with your family this month–all of them simple and totally fun! 1. 3 Crazy Easy DIY Halloween Costumes Looking for some super easy costume ideas for your kiddos? You’ll LOVE these three! They…
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// This post is sponsored by Chegg Tutors. All the grumpy opinions about homework, and uncharitable comments about math in particular, belong to me. So do the frustrated children. Thank you as always, for being kind to the sponsors that help maintain Petit Elefant. // Homework is universally loathed, isn’t it? The word itself is rough enough, but when you add the actual implications of a load of very real school work to do at home, homework can be just…
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It’s quote of the week time! If you’re just joining us, once a week I’m doing a quote of the week to inspire me and whomever else needs it. Something that speaks to me in particular for that week, something I think maybe everyone else needs to hear. This week’s Quote of the Week is from one of my favorite smart funny girls, Amy Poehler. I just finished reading her book, ‘Yes, Please’ and there were so many good quotable…
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I read this great article last week about parenting teenagers and part of what’s so hard about it, and it totally resonated with me. You should go read it right now, whether you’re the parent of a teenager or are even remotely close to the edge of this particular minefield of parenting. It’s a great piece. And it’s part of a greater whole of the conversation I seem to be having with everyone I know, and plenty of people I…
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I sort of disappeared from Petit Elefant around the beginning of June. Not intentionally. I thought I’d roll into another summer the way I have since 2007, when I started this blog. I’d have a lot of kids underfoot, out for summer vacation, all sand and noise and sweat and activities, but I thought I’d still pull out the laptop when I had a chance to make sure I stayed on top of the blog. Except not so much. A…
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My little guy turned 11 today. He’s not so little anymore. It’s hard to know how to feel about this, but I can tell you that the two prevailing emotions are pride and a bittersweet nostalgia. photo by Ashley Thalman Photography This son of mine was so hard to come by and is such an impossibly perfect outcome of a terrible medical situation; sometimes the closeness of it all just takes my breath away. During my a nightmare…
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