Showing the film Joyeux Noel to my four sophomore classes this week made me really frustrated at humanity. We are capable of such beautiful and wonderful things, yet we are still so nasty. Why is that? If you haven't seen this film, rent it for Christmas Eve. It's a bit nostalgic, but the story about the Christmas truce of 1914 is pretty incredible.

Were you assigned to read All Quiet on the Western Front in high school? Did you read it? Lots of my students Spark Noted it; one even ci... read more

I went to a parade yesterday with a friend and her neighbor. The kids pigged out on candy, and the parade was actually good for a small town like Kent. When the funeral people drove by in their horse drawn hearse, the neighbor's kid said, "Wow! I've never seen a horse before in person!"

I was shocked. We don't live in New York City for cryin out loud. Farms are all over the place. Two huge county fairs take up most of August. What the hell is wrong with that child's parents? I almost punc... read more

Jenna's first day of preschool was today. She rode the bus. At four she is riding the bus. She was pretty worried about the experience because she is "allergic to bumps" and didn't know any of the other kids who would be riding, but she got on, trusting my, "You'll have such a great time." I was pretty choked up, but determined not to get emotional in front of the bus driver or my kid.

Coming off the bus, Jenna was all smiles. She had cheetos, rainbow goldfish, and juice as a snack. She ... read more

After waiting almost a year for our Newfoundland puppy, we finally got to meet the puppies. They are six weeks old, and we'll get to bring Lilly Rose home at the end of September after she gets her heart check in Michigan.

Jenna named the dog. She's obsessed with flowers.