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# Two Loons and a Book

Featuring Cookies for Dinner!

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://twoloonsandabook.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [The Two Loons Blog](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-two-loons-blog/)
- [Buckle Up](https://twoloonsandabook.com/buckle-up/) - Getting my little Tan Man (Tanner, my 3-year-old grandson) home to his Momma involves a couple of left turns, a merge onto the interstate and a fairly decent drop down a rounding curve. Now as you may well know, driving an hour with a 3-year-old could go south very quickly if the mood turns dark.
- [Stop Where You Are](https://twoloonsandabook.com/stop-where-you-are/) - I miss my Annika Baby more than I can even say. Finally, after the chaos of tax season and the massive clean up that was necessary in its aftermath, I finally had time to have a long telephone conversation with Christi. She had me laughing so hard with the antics of my little Annika Baby.
- [The Worm Tour](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-worm-tour/) - A chubby little hand wrapped around the blue handle of a gardening trowel plunges into the soft moist dirt. A giggle escapes my sweet little three-year-old boy as he plops a towel full of dirt on Grandma’s arm. Beautiful flowers are somewhat abused as Tanner grabs them up by their stems and tosses them unceremoniously
- [Merry Christmas](https://twoloonsandabook.com/merry-christmas/) - Houses today will be filled with Grandmothers, Mothers, Daughters, Mothers-in-laws, Daughter-in-laws and if we are lucky enough a few Great Grandmother’s to boot, Grandfathers, Fathers, Sons, Father-in-laws, Sons-in-laws and again if we are lucky enough a few Great Grandfather’s to boot. We will sprinkle in some Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, Nieces and Nephews and some
- [Baby Luke is Here!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/baby-luke-is-here/) - Baby Luke made his debut on Thursday, December 14th at 6:10pm weighing in at a whopping 8 pounds 4 ounces and measuring 21 inches long. He has dark hair and chubby little cheeks and looks amazingly like his Mommy, Kathleen, in the face. He sports long arms, legs, fingers and toes that clearly indicate
- [Baby Maybe!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/baby-maybe/) - I should have known something was afoot when Matt and his wife Kathleen surprised us with an impromptu trip to the beach house in May. They walked in the door and gave me a “mother’s day” card with Mother scratch out and Grandma written in. This was how they told us they are expecting their
- [Boom!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/boom/) - One of my super skills is being able to do the same thing over and over again without losing my enthusiasm. This super skill comes in especially handy when dealing with little kids and frankly, as we found out, people with Alzheimer’s. With my little Tan Man it has become a thing for us to
- [Happy Mother's Day!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/happy-mothers-day/) - For all the Moms that are still deep in the trenches of diapers, bottles and wee hour of the morning feedings—don’t worry, it will get easier. For all the Moms who are scooping screaming toddlers off the grocery store floor, learning the new language of “baby-ease”, trying to explain how stopping to making water in
- [Beep Beep](https://twoloonsandabook.com/beep-beep/) - I popped Tanner into one of the grocery carts with the steering wheels and buckled him in. When we got to the automatic door I told Tanner, “beep beep and the door will open.” To my surprise, Tanner slapped his tiny little hand against the center of the steering wheel and clear as a bell
- [The Race is On](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-race-is-on/) - The first time I ever thought about what my grandchildren would call me was when Jess became pregnant with Tanner. There are so many really cute grandma nicknames out there like Bubbie, Bunny, Honey, Kiki, Lovie, Nana, Gammy, Gma, Mammie, Mama and the list goes on and on. I would love to have a cute
- [Epic Fail or Epic Win?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/epic-fail-or-epic-win/) - It’s impossible for me to believe as I watch Christi set up the lights, put down the pink backdrop and pull out the pink polka dotted #1 that my precious little Annika Baby has been here for a whole year. This little one who scared the poop out of all of us by making her
- [The Train, The Train!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-train-the-train/) - The creepy feeling that someone is staring at me wakes me from a deep sleep. In my sleep disoriented state I open my eyes expecting to see one of my little kids from 20 years ago, their little faces pressed inches from mine waiting to tell me that they’ve had a nightmare and want me
- [Precious Moments](https://twoloonsandabook.com/precious-moments/) - It’s 3 o’clock in the morning. Hours have passed since everyone else in the house has sensibly run to their beds for a good night sleep. I, on the other hand, have been sitting on the porch talking to Christi, listening intently to all her words, marveling at what a wonderful full grown person she
- [Shake, Shake, Shake](https://twoloonsandabook.com/shake-shake-shake/) - From the time Tanner was old enough to hold on my hip, when I mix the formula with water for his bottle, I bounce him up and down on my hip singing, “Shake, shake, shake…shake, shake shake…shake Tanner’s bottle, shake Tanner’s bottle.” This has ended up being a great way keep a grumpy, hungry child
- [Standing at the Ready](https://twoloonsandabook.com/standing-at-the-ready/) - In 2015 I was the lucky recipient of two happy healthy little grandbabies, Tanner and Annika. When they were first born I would very contentedly get up in the middle of the night for their feedings. Nothing could compare to sitting in the dark cuddling those little babies, breathing in their heady “new” human smell.
- [Riding in Style](https://twoloonsandabook.com/riding-in-style/) - Pick out a car seat for Tanner. Such a simple mission in the year 2016. Click the little picture on your computer that links you to the internet. Type in the name of the store you have a 15% coupon code for. Put your parameters in the search bar, make your selection, pay with your
- [Private Time](https://twoloonsandabook.com/private-time/) - When my kids were small babies there were two things I quickly learned would no longer be a part of my everyday life: a good night’s sleep and private bathroom time. I said goodbye to bubble baths, taking time to style my hair, makeup requiring much more than a slash of lipstick across of my
- [Mr. Worry Wart](https://twoloonsandabook.com/mr-worry-wart/) - The birth of our grandchildren, Tanner and Annika, has set my poor husband, David, on a journey of worry. Tanner was born via C-section and Jess developed post-eclampsia shortly after he was born. When Jess went home from the hospital, she was back to her “I’m not a baby, I can do this myself” self.
- [Follow the Red Dot](https://twoloonsandabook.com/follow-the-red-dot/) - There is one and only one little reason why I am sitting here able to write this blog today and not still walking up and down the parking lot at the mall in an effort to distinguish my car from the thousands of other ordinary-looking cars parked there. No, it’s not any kind of car-finding
- [Boggie Wipes?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/boggie-wipes/) - Back in our day as parents there was one kind of diaper and one kind of diaper wipe. Life was simple in the diaper aisle at the grocery store. All you had to know was how much your baby weighed and Voilà there was your bag of diapers. But as David and I are learning
- [Empty Nesters Again?!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/empty-nesters-again/) - David and I have spent the last five years of our life chasing my father- in-law down the rabbit hole of Alzheimer’s. We knew going in that we were just helping Mom keep Dad safe and happy for the last days of his life. We knew that this was a war that could never be
- [On Strike](https://twoloonsandabook.com/on-strike/) - Ok people, just in case you haven’t figured it out just yet, I am a card carrying OCD Wanna Be. In this little loon’s blonde’s world everything would be in perfect order. Everything would have a place to live and a tag so that when it gets lost it knows exactly where to return to.
- [Anchovies](https://twoloonsandabook.com/anchovies/) - The morning after Dave and I flew home from Christi’s baby shower I got a phone call. Christi had been sent to the hospital directly from her Doctor’s office. No going home for clothes, no running to Dunkin Donut for one more delicious breakfast, just go directly to the ER. Not really sure what was
- [Learning to Juggle](https://twoloonsandabook.com/learning-to-juggle/) - When I had Matthew, some little demon threw a metaphorical ball into the air and shouted in my ear—DON’T DROP IT! With each additional child another ball was cast to the sky and that same little demon giggled with delight at my pending failure while repeating the warning—DON’T DROP THEM! This is how the Kae
- [Is it Christi Jr. or Kenny Jr?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/is-it-christi-jr-or-kenny-jr/) - Patience is a virtue and one that is generally a toss-up for me. I can stand in line at the store fully comfortable with the concept that it is not my turn but I can’t keep my tongue when David pulls the car half sideways into a parking space as far away from the building
- [Never Say NEVER!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/never-say-never/) - When Christi (my beautiful blue eyed and at the time blonde haired daughter that resides in the birth order sandwiched firmly between Matthew and Jessica) was in Junior High School she came home one day, slammed her backpack to the ground in front of my desk and unequivocally declared “I AM NEVER HAVING CHILDREN”. Needless
- [Purple Socks?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/purple-socks/) - On Friday February 27th, 2015 at 11:59 a.m., I lost my heart to my first grandson, Tanner. He was born via C-section weighing in at a whopping 9 pounds 7 ounces. We all watched through the nursery glass as the nurse weighed him, measured him, scored him and bathed him with what I believe will
- [Three Little Words](https://twoloonsandabook.com/three-little-words/) - There was a time in my life when I was a super hero, at least where my kids were concerned. I was the brave and fearless Mommy that was always at the ready to banish the monsters that go bump in the night with a fist full of foo foo dust, heal a boo boo
- [The List](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-list/) - December 22. It’s drizzling and cold as I head down the driveway. I get to the corner and double check for the thousandth time to make sure I still have custody of “THE LIST”. I have rushed around all morning trying to get ready. I pulled the 3000 cookies I made three weeks ago out of
- [Mommy Community Service](https://twoloonsandabook.com/mommy-community-service/) - When the kids began driving, I made it perfectly clear. I DO NOT pay for speeding tickets. Jess, our youngest, was the first to come home with a speeding violation. Being raised with a Mom that would terrorize you with some awful punishment and a Daddy that would give you a cookie during your time
- [Drum Roll Please......](https://twoloonsandabook.com/drum-roll-please/) - So far I have been a very good grandma-to-be. I was successful in not blabbing to everyone I knew that Jess and Chambliss were expecting their first baby until we were given the green light. Then, of course, it was Katie bar the door. When I came home from Florida in August to start my
- [What’s Fred up to This Summer?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/whats-fred-up-to-this-summer/) - Fred (our spoiled rotten female golden doodle) has had an action packed summer. She spends her mornings strutting her stuff on the beach, meeting and greeting everyone along the way. She is the self-appointed bird eradicator, diligently chasing off any bird within a 10 yard radius. She has perfected playing ball in the surf rinsing
- [The Snake Crusader](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-snake-crusader/) - Just a small amount of preamble. I live in the downtown historic district in my real life. I have a nice little house on a nice little lot. I have a flower garden and some grass for the dogs to run and play. The wildlife at my real life house has consisted of a couple
- [“Don’t Tell Anyone.” ](https://twoloonsandabook.com/dont-tell-anyone/) - Frankly these three little harmless words will strike terror into any true southern woman’s heart. “Not Even Your Best Friends.” Okay—now we are talking full tilt emotional meltdown. In an effort to keep up my end of the bargain, I simply just stopped talking to anyone. Much easier—nothing could possible slip out if I just
- [Happily Ever After](https://twoloonsandabook.com/happily-ever-after/) - Calm, eerily calm. That is the only way to explain how I felt on our drive to Charleston for Matthew and Kathleen’s wedding. Maybe it’s the fact that I had made the list, checked it twice, torn up the list, remade the list and checked it again. Yep, all the ducks appear to be in
- [The Flower Monkey Strikes Again!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-flower-monkey-strikes-again/) - Over the past few months the back bedroom of my house, which was originally Matt’s bedroom, then an office, then a guest room has morphed itself once again into an all- out flower shop. My mother-in-law, Jackie, has spent countless hours in that room over the last few months. Jackie was a florist in her
- [29 Years](https://twoloonsandabook.com/29-years-3/) - June 1st, 1985. David and I had bought a beautiful, run down, in desperate need of TLC Queen Anne Victorian house two months before our wedding. The only thing that had not been re-muddled in this house was its staircase. The natural wood was so beautiful that David and I decided to use it as
- [Say Yes to the Dress!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/say-yes-to-the-dress/) - When Christi got engaged, I flew out to Phoenix for a few days and hit what felt like every dress shop in the area. Our days were filled with yards of white fluffy fabrics, shock from the stickers attached to them, lots of laughter and yes, just a few tears from Mom. When Jess got
- [Spacing is Everything](https://twoloonsandabook.com/spacing-is-everything/) - 30 years ago as David and I embarked on the journey of parenthood we felt it was imperative to space our children correctly. We wanted to make sure they were spaced far enough apart that they could each be independent but close enough together that they would be good playmates when they were little and
- [How Times Have Changed!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/how-times-have-changed/) - I have official survived another tax season! For those of you unaware, I am an accountant by trade. I have spent the last 25years running the annual gauntlet that is TAX SEASON. Unfortunately for us accountants, it’s not like getting ready for a marathon where you can run a few more feet each day for
- [Where'd You Leave Your Teeth?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/whered-you-leave-your-teeth/) - My mother has been in a nursing home for the last month while she recovers from injuries due to a fall. My mornings consist of dropping the kids off at school and then heading over to the nursing home to care for Mom until mid-day. It’s a small nursing home with a very warm family
- [My Foot Is Down](https://twoloonsandabook.com/my-foot-is-down/) - My sweet, wonderful, adorable husband, David, has always been notorious for adamantly slamming his foot into the ground on a subject only to become a malleable ball of mush when push comes to shove. Who was it that made the big announcement that his children were NOT going to ingest sugar? Who was it that
- [My son, the nun ](https://twoloonsandabook.com/my-son-the-nun/) - My son is portraying Joshua in a living time-line of the Bible at his school. The requirements included creating a self-standing background and reciting a two-minute speech. The other requirement is that the kids must all be dressed in costumes that reflect their characters. This is not my first living time-line rodeo. I’ve been through
- [The Dreaded Frownie Face](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-dreaded-frownie-face/) - Kindergarten teachers should be made aware of the power that they wield. To the ever diligent parent, if Kindergarten goes off well, then the next 12 years of their child’s education will be a breeze. On the flip side, if you are already struggling in Kindergarten, there’s a good chance that the next 12 years
- [Daddy, Where Is My Castle?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/daddy-where-is-my-castle/) - Nothing thrilled David more than when the kids came home from school with a “project” for a class. He would spend hours combing every aisle at the hobby store seeking inspiration. David’s first foray into the child school project arena was with Matt at the age of 5 and the annual science fair entry. Matt’s
- [The School Days Series](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-school-days-series/) - I was reading an article this morning about a new educational curriculum and the difficulties that some of the parents and children were having with it. I spent close to 20 years of my life chasing three kids through the gauntlet of their educations. I thought I would share some of our adventures with
- [I Do](https://twoloonsandabook.com/i-do/) - I snugged down into my seat, sandwiched between Dave and the window, visions of an ice cold Heineken dancing in my head. As the plane took off, I sighed a giant sigh of relief. For the past several months every spare minute of my time had been immediately consumed by thoughts of Christi and all
- [Flower Power](https://twoloonsandabook.com/flower-power/) - Yep, its official, the flower monkey has definitely vomited in Christi’s kitchen. Christi and Kenny have gone off to work and now Fuji, my granddog, and I are standing in the kitchen, me with a cup of coffee, Fuji with the crumbs of a just eaten treat on her lips, surveying the mass chaos of
- [The Karma Meter](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-karma-meter/) - Walking through the airport to collect my bag at baggage claim I came along a young man of about 18 sitting on the floor with the contents of his backpack spewed around him scratching wildly at the debris of his young life. He was on the phone with someone and as I approached I realized
- [Happy New Year!!!!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/happy-new-year/) - Sitting on the upper deck of the beach house sipping pink champagne, watching as brave souls down the beach shot off fireworks at the stroke of midnight, Dave and I began to discuss what a wonderful year of new adventures 2013 has been. We have said goodbye to our old faithful suburban that we bumbled
- [Playing Hooky](https://twoloonsandabook.com/playing-hooky/) - Walking through the doors of a Hobby Lobby without a plan of attack is generally a really bad idea for me. All I had for inspiration when I walked in was “something with sunset colors”. When I am unsure the direction a project should go, I tend to just wander around a store looking at
- [Proud to be a Monkey](https://twoloonsandabook.com/proud-to-be-a-monkey/) - Yikes, it has been a long time since I added a blog. The last month has been hectic and stressful for our family. My husband’s mother passed away suddenly and with her death came a confusing time for both of my children. For my son and daughter, this was the first time they were old
- [Cue the Dolphin](https://twoloonsandabook.com/cue-the-dolphin/) - For years David and I have toyed with the idea of having a summer home in Florida where the kids can come visit and our future grandchildren can frolic away their summer days swimming in the pool and building sandcastles on the beach. This summer we stumbled across the most amazing place. Who would have
- [Achoo at the Zoo](https://twoloonsandabook.com/achoo-at-the-zoo/) - I learned two lessons on Thursday. That was the day I was one of the parent chaperones for my son’s third grade field trip to the zoo. It was a beautiful day spent totally outdoors, capped off with a picnic lunch. I got to spend time with my dear friend who was also one of
- [Celebrating in Miami](https://twoloonsandabook.com/celebrating-in-miami/) - Sitting on the rooftop of our hotel in Miami, David and I clinked champagne flutes filled with our favorite beer together at precisely midnight, in celebration of the end of our 28th year of marriage. We had spent the last two weeks in Peru on a trip through the sacred valley. We flew into Miami,
- [The Clown Car](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-clown-car/) - Before I say anything else, let me begin by making sure you understand that I love Scott. He is my soulmate, my best friend and an amazing father to our two children. He is so many wonderful things that are too numerous to list. That said, he is also a sucker. He has such a
- [Education in Cusco](https://twoloonsandabook.com/education-in-cusco/) - Knowing that I love to cook, David signed us up for a private cooking class with a local chef in Cusco. It was a marvelous afternoon. Chef Richard took us to the local market which was a huge warehouse filled to the brim with fruit, meat, bread, cheese and any other various food items you
- [Almost a cartwheel](https://twoloonsandabook.com/almost-a-cartwheel/) - I realize that at my age and in my physical condition, my gymnastics days are waaaaaay behind me but when Gracie challenged me to do a cartwheel in the backyard I had no doubt that I could pull off something so basic. As a teenager I was able to do cartwheels, handstands, headstands and backflips
- [Mrs. Doolittle](https://twoloonsandabook.com/mrs-doolittle/) - Yes, I am allergic to animals. Yes, I am especially allergic to wool, whether still on the beast or presented as a brightly colored alpaca scarf. I did my best at the Pisac market to have Dave handle all the alpaca scarves and sweaters we purchased for our family but men really don’t have the
- [Everyone needs a well-dressed mouse](https://twoloonsandabook.com/everyone-needs-a-well-dressed-mouse/) - Gracie is keenly aware of all things feminine. At 11-years-old, she has made it her mission to make sure the world around her is adequately adorned in pink, purple, zebra stripes, glitter and perfume. Frequently, she goes into my jewelry box to “jazz” up my boring uniform of jeans and a t-shirt. For Gracie, more
- [Mary Had a Little Lamb](https://twoloonsandabook.com/mary-had-a-little-lamb/) - Pisac is a wonderful rural town in the Sacred Valley of Peru. The big draw for Pisac is the Pisac Market. At the crack of dawn every morning local people come into the town square and put up their vendor stalls packed with all things Peruvian. Every evening when the sun goes down those same
- [I live with a zebra](https://twoloonsandabook.com/i-live-with-a-zebra/) - If you happen to pass an 11-year-old girl who looks as if she’s starting her Halloween early, it will probably be my daughter. She’s the one wearing zebra. She is all about zebra print this year. For her birthday she requested a zebra print comforter for her bed. She has a zebra print swim suit,
- [On Top of the World](https://twoloonsandabook.com/on-top-of-the-world/) - One spectacular 2-hour train ride through the Andean mountains beside the rushing water of the Urubamba River, one harrowing 25-minute bus ride up the switch back dirt and cobble stone road and finally we arrived at Machu Picchu. Turning the corner from the entrance I was instantly in love with this wondrous place nestled between
- [That woman](https://twoloonsandabook.com/that-woman/) - Being sick when you’re a mother is an impossible task. Those of us who are moms know that no matter how rumbly the tummy, how sore the throat or how high the fever, we carry on. We bathe the kids, help with homework, make the dinner, drive the kids to school, do the laundry and
- [Superman's Kryptonite](https://twoloonsandabook.com/supermans-kryptonite/) - There are several hikes you can take from the ruins at Machu Picchu. David, my ever vigilant trip researcher, looked at all of these hikes and decided that most of them were way over our heads as travel warriors. So we picked the easiest option, hike to the Sun Gate. This is actually the last
- [Mexican Food and Mutant Cupcakes](https://twoloonsandabook.com/mexican-food-and-mutant-cupcakes/) - We recently celebrated my daughter’s birthday…, well, “celebrate” probably isn’t the most accurate word. Oh, we tried to make it a celebration but this year, things just didn’t go as planned. Initially, it seemed as though it was going to be a wonderful celebration. Gracie had invited four of her friends to a sleepover. Weather
- [Parades, Trumpets and Pee-ers, oh my!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/parades-trumpets-and-pee-ers-oh-my/) - We left our hotel in Urubamba narrowly escaping a giant parade. It seems what we thought was a large parade at the square the day before, was only one small part of the real parade. Our guide for the day, Juan Carlos, explained to us that the parade was made up of many villages that
- [The Magic Purse](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-magic-purse/) - When my children were very little, I was saddled with both a diaper bag and a purse. As with all the other moms on the planet, travel, even if it was merely to the corner grocery store, was never a quick and easy trip. Lots of planning and packing were required to increase the odds
- [Is that a Gorilla?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/is-that-a-gorilla/) - Dave and I do tend to wander around like the “village idiots” but sometimes this technique in travelling leads to spectacular adventures. In Urubamba we headed down what would be the width of an alley in the US but was considered a road here. The buildings were colorfully decorated and in various states of disrepair.
- [Saxophone Lessons](https://twoloonsandabook.com/saxophone-lessons/) - Without any warning, my daughter came up to me about a month ago and asked if she could take saxophone lessons. Gracie, the most girly-girl child on the planet, wants to play the sax. This completely took me by surprise because I would’ve assumed she would go for the flute or maybe even stretch the
- [Come to my kitchen](https://twoloonsandabook.com/come-to-my-kitchen/) - Dave and I left the sanctuary of our resort to wander down the main road in Urubamba in search of a well-reviewed restaurant called 3 Keros. David’s internet research indicated that it was “just across the street” from our hotel. Walking out the front gate we looked across the street only to find a refueling
- [Mommy the Chicken](https://twoloonsandabook.com/mommy-the-chicken/) - Our backyard pool is open and the kids have been in it almost every day for the last month. Mommy, however, has only braved the frigid water once and that was as a response to a challenge from my children to prove that I wasn’t a coward. I fulfilled the basics of the promise by
- [Are You Serious?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/are-you-serious/) - David and I stood and watched with dismay as the last of the passengers on our flight snatched the last bag off the conveyor belt at the airport in Lima. One more empty turn around the carousel and it was official our little red bag had taken a vacation of its own. Earlier in the
- [Backyard Battle](https://twoloonsandabook.com/backyard-battle/) - Why has my backyard become so popular lately? Oh, I’m not talking about friends and neighbors, but rather, unwanted wildlife. Every morning, before letting the dog out, I have to go on patrol around the backyard and chase away the rabbits so Griffin doesn’t wind up with an unexpected breakfast treat. We have a fence
- [The Cat's out of the Bag!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-cats-out-of-the-bag/) - For the last 15 years very few people have known exactly how old I am. Oh, I know what you’re thinking; you think I’m one of those vain women who quit counting their birthdays at 29 or 35 or whatever age makes them feel like they’re still young, hip and happening. Well, not exactly. I
- [The Two Loons Hit the Virtual Road](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-two-loons-hit-the-virtual-road/) - Hey loon watchers! We've been on a blog tour and we love it. For once, we don't have worry about what to pack or getting to the airport on time. If you'd like to see where we've been and what we've been up to, check out some of our stops. "Will the Real June Cleaver
- [Our special visitor](https://twoloonsandabook.com/our-special-visitor/) - It was early evening and I was standing in my bedroom talking to a friend on the phone while watching my dog run around in the back yard. At the very moment when I detected an all-too-familiar and yet very unwelcomed odor, my kids came bolting in the room in a panic. “There’s a skunk
- [Houston, we have a weeper](https://twoloonsandabook.com/houston-we-have-a-weeper/) - On April 21st, I watched quietly while small tears leaked from my eyes, as my husband gave our youngest daughter Jess away to Chambliss, not with a kiss on the cheek but with an exploding tater hand bump complete with sound effects by Jess. I stood by the dance floor and watched as David and
- [Dining With Elephants](https://twoloonsandabook.com/dining-with-elephants-2/) - Jack is turning 9 in a few days and when asked where he wants to go for his special birthday dinner, he enthusiastically replied “Rainforest Café.” For my son, this is a major event in his young life because he’s using this as a way of showing us and himself that he is a big
- [Whirlwind Jackie](https://twoloonsandabook.com/whirlwind-jackie/) - It’s hard to believe but less than a year has passed since we sold David’s parents’ house in Illinois. In just 4 days’ time we attempted to get my in-laws' three story house of 40 years picked through, sorted into what goes to their condo in Florida, what goes to their bedroom in Tennessee, what
- [The Two Loons are partying... Ultimate Blog Party](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-two-loons-are-partying-ultimate-blog-party/) - We're breaking out the champagne (actually, it's sparkling white grape juice), getting dressed in our finest party dresses (actually, just our best pajamas) and slipping into those dangerously sexy stiletto heels (ok, ok, fuzzy slippers) and attending our very first blog party! First we had to figure out just what the heck a blog party
- [Easter Egg Wars](https://twoloonsandabook.com/easter-egg-wars/) - In an effort to keep our three dogs from slurping up all the bright foil wrapped Easter chocolates and strewing green, pink and yellow plastic Easter grass all up and down our hallway, we put the kids Easter baskets on the fireplace hearth in our bedroom. We would then hide the brightly colored plastic Easter
- [Better than dandelions](https://twoloonsandabook.com/better-than-dandelions/) - Children collect things and often the things they collect, depending on their age, can range from cute to creepy. My son, at the age of seven, became fascinated with creating a rubber bug collection. The orange and bright blue bugs didn’t bother me at all when I found them in his bed but the brown
- [Jess is getting married](https://twoloonsandabook.com/jess-is-getting-married/) - It just hit me like a ton of bricks—Jess is getting married!!! I know that I have known this for the past 7 months. I know that I stood in the bridal shop while she tried on dresses, finally finding the perfect dress for her. I know we went with Christi back to the same
- [Hidden Talents](https://twoloonsandabook.com/hidden-talents/) - I love my husband. He is an honest, hard-working, faithful, loving man. I can count on him for anything. He makes me feel protected, unconditionally loved and respected. He is my best friend. He’s also the messiest, most disorganized person I’ve ever met. Considering I am a germophobe who thrives on neatness and order, this
- [Duckie Tenders](https://twoloonsandabook.com/duckie-tenders/) - For the last few years my mornings have started with copious amounts of delicate doggie kisses from Fred, my female goldendoodle and a steaming hot cup of coffee from Dave, my sweet husband. When Matt, my son who works for me, got his first dog, Windsor, my mornings started out with a double helping of
- [Duct Tape](https://twoloonsandabook.com/duct-tape/) - My concept of duct tape was that of the silvery gray tape that solves almost all problems one may encounter in life. Even though I can’t even hammer a nail into the wall to hang a picture without doing significant damage, I am a whiz at fixing life’s mishaps with a strip of duct tape.
- [On pins and needles](https://twoloonsandabook.com/on-pins-and-needles/) - Being a child basically raised on the beach I grew up barefoot and absolutely hate wearing shoes. When I was a little girl I had callouses so thick on the bottoms of my feet that walking on hot Florida asphalt was like walking across a cool tile floor for me. When school started, I was
- [Sorry, wrong number](https://twoloonsandabook.com/sorry-wrong-number/) - I had an in-home behavior consultation scheduled yesterday with a client who lives way, way, way off the grid. I followed the winding, treacherous road deeper and deeper into the woods. Even my GPS threw its virtual hands up and surrendered. I was on my own. It was late in the day and there was
- [Pam and Kae are hitting the virtual road](https://twoloonsandabook.com/pam-and-kae-are-hitting-the-virtual-road/) - Pam and Kae will be on tour in May with Cookies For Dinner. If you're a book blogger and would like to participate, we're looking for bloggers to post reviews, guest posts, interviews, and excerpts for this tour. PDF copies will be available worldwide, or print copies will be available for US residents. Please click
- [herding cats](https://twoloonsandabook.com/herding-cats/) - Sometimes getting more than two people moving in the same direction at the same time can be like herding cats. Just about the time you think you have everything under control, one of the little buggers will break rank, sending everyone in different directions. I spent over 25 years as the official “Cat Herder” of
- [A fish with an attitude](https://twoloonsandabook.com/a-fish-with-an-attitude/) - My son has a goldfish and if you’ve read previous blogs here you know that I went from totally disliking this little fish to actually doing some training with her. She is trained to push a little fish-sized basketball into a hoop. Ok, I know what you’re thinking…. Actually you could be thinking a couple
- [Can we get a shot with that?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/can-we-get-a-shot-with-that/) - Ok, so June Cleaver, I’m not. As a mom, I am generally pretty no-nonsense so my kids grew up hearing things like “If there’s no blood, I don’t want to hear any crying” and “If you throw up when we’re getting in the car, then you can stay home from school.” One of my most
- [The Bra ](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-bra/) - Gracie was so excited when she moved up to the 4th grade. At the beginning of the school year I heard nothing but proclamations about how she was entering into the “pre-teen” years (she’s 10) and was no longer a child. I was instructed to acknowledge and appreciate her new maturity. With that maturity came
- [Don't fight in your underwear](https://twoloonsandabook.com/dont-fight-in-your-underwear/) - Yesterday morning I spent a couple of hours doing some clothes shopping because filming is set to begin on the Discovery Channel series again in a little over a week. The majority of the wardrobe is already supplied for me but there were just a few extra pieces I wanted. For me, shopping is such
- [The Most Wonderful Time of the Year ](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/) - This was supposed to be a stress-free (or as close as possible) Christmas for me. Normally, I’m the one who hosts Christmas at my house for the herd of relatives who swoop in for a day of feeding frenzy and gift-opening chaos. My husband’s family is large, loud and wonderful but since I was filming
- [the call](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-call/) - If you are the parent of two girls in their 20’s who are deeply entrenched in romantic relationships, who have been out of college for a couple of years, who are gainfully employed, who are owners of their own homes, who are, in other words, full grown adults out in the world wearing hats, when
- [calling Dick Tracy...](https://twoloonsandabook.com/calling-dick-tracy/) - My mother is 91 and has Alzheimer’s. She lives in a little apartment that we built within our home. Her condition over the last several years has deteriorated at a slow and steady rate until the last couple of months. Her decline is now accelerated at a more rapid pace. Last week I had a
- [strolling at sunset](https://twoloonsandabook.com/strolling-at-sunset/) - David, Jess and I drove down to Blue Mountain Beach to meet with the florist, cake decorator and wedding coordinator at the resort Jess and Chambliss have picked for the wedding. On the ride down I think we were all a little nervous. Chambliss’ mom, Vickie, had invited us to stay with her at her
- [Gracie faces her fear](https://twoloonsandabook.com/gracie-faces-her-fear/) - On New Year’s Eve, I had to do something I had been dreading for months. My daughter needed to go to the hospital for a series of blood tests to address a potential medical issue. Gracie, being a perfectly normal child, hates needles and needs to be coaxed, bribed, threatened and tricked into getting her
- [What did mom put in the meatballs?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/what-did-mom-put-in-the-meatballs/) - Since last August our family has made major changes in our diets. I had, for the last six months been trying to slowly transition my family toward organic foods and healthier eating. In August, it was time to totally cut the processed food cord and dive off the cliff. This change has been met with
- [2012 what a whirlwind](https://twoloonsandabook.com/2012-what-a-whirlwind/) - It’s always fun at the end of a year to look back and see what the last year was like and then look forward to see what our hopes and dreams are for the next year. 2012 was a whirlwind of a year for the Allen family. January found David and I on Easter Island
- [Be careful what you wish for](https://twoloonsandabook.com/be-careful-what-you-wish-for/) - Before I married David, I had no idea who or what Notre Dame was other than an awesome cathedral in Paris. Now, almost 30 years later, Notre Dame (the university) has become the bane of my existence from the beginning of football season to the day of the National Championship Game. This year, as in
- [How not to begin a vacation](https://twoloonsandabook.com/how-not-to-begin-a-vacation/) - Our kids, ages 10 and 8, hadn’t yet been to a beach so my husband and I decided to take four days off for a little family vacation at Gulf Shores. Everyone was excited. I prepped the kids well in-advance about the fact that it would be a seven hour drive. I didn’t want to
- [Tropical Depression](https://twoloonsandabook.com/tropical-depression/) - Suitcase, check. Last look under the bed, check. I stood by the airport aquarium and pretended to carry on a conversation with a beautiful blue dory fish until our little Stephie turned the corner at the security gate. With one last wave she rounded the corner and was off on her first solo flight to
- [American Girl](https://twoloonsandabook.com/american-girl/) - This past weekend I had to be in Atlanta as a special guest at an annual animal welfare fundraiser. I decided to bring Gracie along so we could have a special “girls” weekend. I made plans to take her to the American Girl store there so we could have lunch at their bistro and buy
- [Bird Attack](https://twoloonsandabook.com/bird-attack/) - Our favorite thing to do when we are in Florida is to eat at restaurants that have outside seating looking out over the water. One hazard of eating alfresco is that you run the risk that at any second your dining experience can be interrupted by the dreaded sea gull. Sea gulls are a tourist’s
- [County Fair](https://twoloonsandabook.com/county-fair/) - Scott decided to take our son, Jack, to the county fair for a day of father/son bonding. The day involved the typical things that men and boys like to do – eat food with no nutritional value whatsoever, drink lots of sugary drinks, sweat a lot, waste money on games in order to hopefully win
- [Don't Embarrass Me](https://twoloonsandabook.com/dont-embarrass-me/) - When my kids were little, there was a constant mantra in our house—Don’t Embarrass Me. Mind your manners when you go to school, your friend’s house, out in public, because you don’t know who you will run into who will know that you are my child, and I don’t want your behavior to embarrass me.
- [The Talk](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-talk/) - When my daughter turned 10 I knew it was time to stop stalling and face my biggest fear – having THE talk. Being the OCD mom that I am, I immediately researched on the internet for books and advice and was quickly overwhelmed with contradicting opinions about what one should or shouldn’t say to a
- [Get us to the Church on Time](https://twoloonsandabook.com/get-us-to-the-church-on-time/) - After picking my daughter, Christi up from the airport we were sitting in Bar Louis having a late lunch when I got a text from Nate—“don’t forget rehearsal at the church at 5pm.” I knew my son, Matt was in the wedding party but why would he be texting me that unless it was just a
- [Grumpy, the Cheerleader](https://twoloonsandabook.com/grumpy-the-cheerleader/) - At the beginning of the school year my daughter wanted nothing more than to be a cheerleader for the elementary football team. When she was in kindergarten she was a cheerleader but since she didn’t understand the first thing about football, she quickly grew bored and could hardly wait until the end of the season.
- [Slick as Slate](https://twoloonsandabook.com/slick-as-slate/) - For my nephew’s Nate’s wedding I decided to buy the first pair of high heels I have bought since Jessica was 3 years old and I had my first bought with back trouble (that would be 20 years ago if anyone wants to parse out the mathematics). I purchased a pair of cute black wedges
- [Pain in the neck](https://twoloonsandabook.com/pain-in-the-neck/) - Lately we have been making frequent visits to the chiropractor to ease my daughter’s chronic neck pain. She had developed a new sleeping pattern of rolling over onto her stomach and turning her face to the side. This caused her to wake up with an extremely stiff neck every morning. To solve the problem, I
- [Nate started it](https://twoloonsandabook.com/nate-started-it/) - Being the mother of three children, I spent a lot of my time pretending to be a detective. After a child-on-child altercation took place, the requisite “So-in-So started it” would be hurled into the air. Then it would be my job to determine if this was true or if “so-in-so” was getting hung out to
- [Goldfish kisses](https://twoloonsandabook.com/goldfish-kisses/) - I have been under more than my fair share of stress lately. I know everyone else is as well so I don’t mean to sound whiny but I balance my own full-time cat behavior consulting practice and am also in the middle of filming my first television series for the Discovery Channel. Add to that,
- [The Cake Pop Disaster](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-cake-pop-disaster/) - For the last few years I have been the Secretary of two bowling leagues. The Secretary’s duties are fairly simple—collect the money, deal with the lanes, and generally just make sure everyone is having a good time. In an effort to make things a little more fun, I decided that I would make something for
- [The Good Wife](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-good-wife/) - Being the OCD mother that I am, I’m well-prepared for cold and flu season. I am stocked with tissues, cough medicine, vitamin C, lots of fresh batteries for the temporal thermometer and vaporizer and all the TLC my kids will require. We’ve had our flu shots and I’ve trained my children in the fine art
- [Cake Pop Redemption!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/cake-pop-redemption/) - Never one to accept defeat, I decided to attempt my Halloween cake pop idea again for my Tuesday bowling league. This league is my ladies league and only has 35 bowlers. Some are diabetic so I have been trying to think of an option for dipping my sugar free cake pop for the last couple
- [The Zombies Made me do it](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-zombies-made-me-do-it/) - Once a year, on October 31st, our quaint Victorian house on East Main Street is transformed into a great Halloween trick-or-treat play land. Chilled fog roils around the mourning lady’s dress, creeping between the headstones in the graveyard inching steadily toward the zombie lying in wait by the sidewalk. Giant eyeballs blink in the front
- [Santa's Money](https://twoloonsandabook.com/santas-money/) - For Gracie, this has been the year of American Girl. She received an American Girl doll for Christmas last year and we also took a trip to the American Girl store in Atlanta this past summer. Big mistake! Gracie loves reading the American Girl books and even knows when the AG catalog is due to
- [Secret Code Word](https://twoloonsandabook.com/secret-code-word/) - In less than one month Jess has bought a house and has gotten engaged to be married. There are a lot of things going on here. First of all, the house has great bones but it needs a complete overhaul on the inside. This is so right up my alley. I love the big picture,
- [Thermostat War](https://twoloonsandabook.com/thermostat-war/) - November marks the beginning of the thermostat war in the Bennett household. We have three different control zones in our home and Scott and I have come to an understanding with regard to two of those zones but when it comes to the master bedroom it is all-out war. I like the temp at a
- [What a weeper](https://twoloonsandabook.com/what-a-weeper/) - Ask any one of my kids and they will tell you one of my favorite mantras is “if I had feelings they would be hurt, but since I don’t, it's all good.” How was I to know all those years ago that by the mere act of procreation I would be setting myself up to
- [The price of a baby tooth](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-price-of-a-baby-tooth/) - Last night during dinner, tragedy struck. Gracie swallowed her loose tooth. She was inconsolable all through dinner because she had heard at school that the Tooth Fairy won’t visit if you don’t have a tooth to put under the pillow. I assured her that the Tooth Fairy would certainly come and that she was well
- [Beat the Clock](https://twoloonsandabook.com/beat-the-clock/) - “If you can get it done before Thanksgiving you can start, if not, we will have to wait until after tax season next year.” This is how my conversation was going with Scott regarding the renovation of our dining room. Scott assured me in his normally loud voice accompanied by his booming laugh that he could
- [Elf power](https://twoloonsandabook.com/elf-power/) - It’s that time of year again. That time when I must channel my inner misbehaving elf, and find new and different things for our elf on the shelf to do every day. As I read all of my friends’ posts on Facebook, I see how many creative things their elves get into and I really
- [The Final Hours](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-final-hours/) - Before we agreed to begin remodeling our dining room, Scott (aka “Scott the Worker Man to the Allen children) assured me that the job would be finished by Thanksgiving. Wednesday was a wild day filled with the chaos of Scott Bennett’s workers flying around my dining room attempting to get the job finished before the
- [Sleeping Triple in a Single Bed](https://twoloonsandabook.com/sleeping-triple-in-a-single-bed/) - Before I met David I made a wish upon a falling star. Please let me find a man that would adore me. Sometimes I think I should have put a few qualifiers on that wish. We are spending a few weeks in Florida at my in-laws condo. The first week, our niece Stephie, who just
- [To pierce or not to pierce](https://twoloonsandabook.com/to-pierce-or-not-to-pierce/) - For the last few days Gracie has been in complete turmoil. Ever since she had a slumber party for her birthday and saw that the five girls who came over all had pierced ears, my daughter has been on a mission to psych herself up for what she imagines to be the most painful road
- [Baby Fat Rebellion](https://twoloonsandabook.com/baby-fat-rebellion/) - As my baby fat careens towards its 29th birthday it has decided to stage a rebellion against the waistband of my pants. Being a product of the Olivia Newton John “Grease” Era of painted on pants that came decades before we were to learn that camels had toes that were to be watched for in
- [Fashion Consultants](https://twoloonsandabook.com/fashion-consultants/) - In the process of getting ready to my trip to Canada to film a television series, I have had to spend weeks making arrangements so ensure that my family, my house, my business, my dog and my cat will all survive my absence. The last month has been a whirlwind of activities involving interviewing for
- [Cellulite My Rear End](https://twoloonsandabook.com/cellulite-my-rear-end/) - Standing in the dressing room at Marshall’s the other day I tried on the cutest little top. Looking into the dressing room mirror I was horrified to see that the stark florescent lights illuminated a small patch of dimpled skin on both of my biceps. Years ago, I decided to accept gracefully the cellulite that
- [Big Sister Wisdom](https://twoloonsandabook.com/big-sister-wisdom/) - In one week I’ll be leaving to begin a media project out of the country that’s related to my professional job as a cat behaviorist. I will be gone for a few weeks and I’ve been trying to prepare Gracie and Jack for my absence. I have hired a nanny, arranged for all kinds of
- [My Little Gaugey-Face](https://twoloonsandabook.com/my-little-gaugey-face/) - Back in the 1980’s when I diligently hauled my on-again, off-again pregnant self to accounting classes it never occurred to me that I was setting myself up to be abandoned by my family in the future. Who would have thought that by the very choice of these seemingly innocent classes in the course catalog I
- [Ice Cream Envy](https://twoloonsandabook.com/ice-cream-envy/) - Kae’s brain is best if not left unoccupied. On our recent 9 hour trip to Chicago, I was relegated to the back seat so that my father-in-law could act as co-pilot. This effectively thwarted any of David's and my usual philosophical debates of life, liberty and the pursuits of happiness we always partake in on
- [Meeting the Girls](https://twoloonsandabook.com/meeting-the-girls-2/) - Kae and I spent a wonderful weekend signing books at a baby shower expo. In addition to meeting soon-to-be moms, new moms, grandmothers, dads and lots of kids, we had the opportunity to do lots of people-watching. The first thing I noticed was that several moms-to-be these days really celebrate and enjoy how much their
- [Grill Tongs to the Rescue](https://twoloonsandabook.com/grill-tongs-to-the-rescue/) - I have had enough of the wildlife around our house lately. Apparently I had been living in my own little bubble as I had thoroughly enjoyed watching the birds, the deer and bunnies munch away in my backyard. For the most part, it has been a Disney-like experience as I would sit on my back
- [Can Kae Learn Spanish?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/can-kae-learn-spanish/) - In May on 2013 David and I are going on the second of our “bucket list” trips to Machu Picchu. I have made it my mission not to go to another Spanish-speaking country armed with the only two phrases of Spanish I know—which are how to order a beer and how to ask where the
- [Barehanded Bravery](https://twoloonsandabook.com/barehanded-bravery/) - Yesterday Gracie and I decided to compete in a serious one-on-one game of Bananagrams. You would think that being an accomplished writer and an adult, that I could easily wipe the floor with my nine-year-old daughter’s limited vocabulary. Well, you would be wrong. I have learned over the last few months of being Bananagrammed by
- [Houston, We Have a Bouncer](https://twoloonsandabook.com/houston-we-have-a-bouncer/) - Nine days in the peace and quiet of Easter Island had me completely spoiled. David and I got up at 5am and caught our 5 hour flight back to Santiago, Chili. We had a 7 hour layover before we boarded our flight for Miami. A 7 hour layover may seem horrible to some people but
- [The zookeeper and the pig](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-zookeeper-and-the-pig/) - We’re at the end of the school year and the first-third grades will be performing an annual Spring Revue musical. It’s always something for parents to look forward to, what with the mad scurry to create, purchase or borrow costumes, learn songs and watch with over-the-top pride as our children sing off-key, mumble their lines,
- [Unlikely Hero](https://twoloonsandabook.com/unlikely-hero/) - Since we were going to be on Easter Island for 9 days we decided to rent a car so we could explore on our own. The rental car agent met us at our bungalow with a cute little manual transmission GMC Jimmy, the standard rental on the island. At home, we drive a Suburban so
- [Bunny Duty](https://twoloonsandabook.com/bunny-duty/) - The traditional arrival of the Easter Bunny was supposed to occur as usual this year. With my daughter being almost 10 years old, I suspected it might be my last opportunity to sneak around at 11pm at night to place eggs in their hiding places, but when both my kids happily went to bed at
- [David Chasing the Sunset](https://twoloonsandabook.com/david-chasing-the-sunset/) - You would think by now I would realize that the utterance of the most innocent phrase by my husband, David, could create some of the biggest adventures. But no, even after 27 years of marriage, it appears that even I can still be caught off guard by David’s dog-with-a-bone mentality when he get his mind
- [Gracie and the bee](https://twoloonsandabook.com/gracie-and-the-bee/) - Between last year and this year, there has been a change in my daughter when it comes to bugs. The girl who happily covered herself in cicadas last summer can’t stand the sight, sound or feel of any insect. Spiders, ants, beetles and mosquitoes cause her to run in the house. Bees and wasps cause
- [It's not a girdle](https://twoloonsandabook.com/its-not-a-girdle/) - I don’t know what it is but for some reason I am a TSA alert magnet. As an average, middle-aged woman who travels around the country to lecture on cat behavior and cat psychology, I don’t view myself as particularly threatening but I am always stopped when going through airport security for one reason or
- [Breakdown in Marital Communication](https://twoloonsandabook.com/breakdown-in-marital-communication/) - Our second night on Easter Island, David and I walked 20 minutes down to the ocean and followed the coast to Restaurant Manuia across the street from the ocean and the island’s only cemetery. We ate a wonderful dinner and chatted with another American couple that had been on the island for several days who
- [What's a moai?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/whats-a-moai/) - The reason that David and I travelled through four airports spending 30 hours of our lives flying and eating airport food was to get to Easter Island, the number one item on David’s bucket list. I know, you’re thinking we are awfully young to think about a bucket list, and we would agree if not
- [The Big Red Truck](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-big-red-truck/) - My car had been leaking all kinds of various fluids for the last few weeks so a family friend who is also an outstanding mechanic, had time to take it yesterday in order to fix whatever was ailing the poor thing. Since the kids didn’t have school yesterday, I told him he could keep the
- [Ringo, head of bungalow security](https://twoloonsandabook.com/ringo-head-of-bungalow-security/) - Being a dog person, one of the hardest parts of going on vacation is not having Fred, our female goldendoodle, to love on. When we arrived at our bungalow, Peter, the owner of HareSwiss where we are staying, introduced us to Ringo. Ringo is a large well-muscled golden retriever mix. Although he sports a variety
- [One Smart Bird](https://twoloonsandabook.com/one-smart-bird/) - As I was walking out of my house one morning to take my kids to school, I was hit with a strong wind. I also noticed several pieces of trash blowing wildly through our yard. I figured somebody’s trash can must’ve gotten knocked over. Before I even had a chance to grab some of the
- [Wild Horses Couldn't Keep Me Away](https://twoloonsandabook.com/wild-horses-couldnt-keep-me-away/) - Our first night on Easter Island found me sitting on the porch enjoying the warm island breeze. There was no moon and just a few stray clouds floating through the night sky. David bought a new camera and tripod for the trip. He was buzzing on and off the porch setting up his tripod in
- [When mommy's sick she's on her own](https://twoloonsandabook.com/when-mommys-sick-shes-on-her-own/) - “Mommy, I need juice.” “Mommy, I need more tissues.” “Mommy, can you read to me?” “Mommy, I’m gonna throw up.” “Mommy, I threw up in bed.” Ahhh, yes, the ongoing sweet sounds of having two children who are home sick at the same time. You just get one settled down and the other starts up.
- [David's New Toy](https://twoloonsandabook.com/davids-new-toy/) - It’s exactly one week before David and I board a plane headed south to Easter Island. We have said for years that when we get all our children out of the house and out of college we want to travel. We each have a list of our top ten places we want to see before
- [Secret Transplant Surgery](https://twoloonsandabook.com/secret-transplant-surgery/) - Jack loves his stuffed animals. They all have names and he can recall when and where he received each and every one. He pampers them, worries about them, talks to them, tucks them in at night and splits them up into teams for stuffed animal football matches. Recently, Jack added a new member to his
- [Nothing Better Than New Baby Smell](https://twoloonsandabook.com/nothing-better-than-new-baby-smell/) - Matt’s friend from high school, who is now a grown up going by the name of Jonathan but who will always be known by his high school nickname Spike to me, came by the house on Friday. He brought with him his wife, Mary Beth and their kids, Brooke, Dillon and Stella. Brooke has grown
- [Where's Mom?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/wheres-mom/) - My mother is 90-years-old, almost deaf, 4’7” tall, walks with a cane and lives with us. Taking my mother shopping involves patience, good weather (she hates rain) and no sales. If there’s a sale happening in the clothing store that day we have to leave because she can’t handle the crowds. So we have resigned
- [Something's Missing](https://twoloonsandabook.com/somethings-missing/) - It's two days after New Year’s and I am putting away my Christmas decorations for another year. It’s kind of sad, no more nutcrackers holding up the antique cookbooks on the book shelf, no more golden glitter reindeer on the ledge above the TV set, no more LED lights twinkling along the garden fence. I
- [Jack's glasses](https://twoloonsandabook.com/jacks-glasses/) - My son got his first pair of eyeglasses yesterday. On the way to pick them up, Jack grilled me on all things glasses. Having worn glasses since I was child I am considered the family expert when it comes to poor vision. So Jack asked me whether he will be considered a nerd and whether
- [2011 Was Totally Amazing!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/2011-was-totally-amazing/) - I’m amazed how fast 2011 is drawing to a close. We started out the year in Chicago watching helplessly as my sister-in-law, Sandi, struggled to overcome a brain aneurism. This was a frightening way to start the New Year and we all hoped it was not a preview of the year to come. Amazingly, as we
- [Saying goodbye to Bob](https://twoloonsandabook.com/saying-goodbye-to-bob/) - This was our first year with the Elf on the Shelf. I had heard that so many of my children’s friends had their own elves so I arranged for us to adopt our own this year. He arrived on December 19th. We read the book and then my children began the process of naming their
- [First annual sugar cookie day](https://twoloonsandabook.com/first-annual-sugar-cookie-day/) - What a wonderful day! Today I got to spend time with Matthew’s girlfriend’s, sister’s husband’s children (wow that’s a mouthful), Madison and Jordan. Madison is 10 and Jordan is 12. They are out of school for the Holiday break. Matthew called me Sunday evening to ask if the girls could come to the house and
- [Sandwich, anyone?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/sandwich-anyone/) - I am a card-carrying member of what is referred to as the “sandwich generation.” For those of you who are blissfully unaware of what that means, it refers to people who have children living at home (so far this is all normal, right?) and also their aging parents (normal goes right out the window at
- [I really hate shopping](https://twoloonsandabook.com/i-really-hate-shopping/) - If you have gotten to know me, you know that I am a self-proclaimed OCD wanna be. My brain would be delighted if all things in life could be organized into tidy little packages all wrapped with a beautiful bow but unfortunately I just don’t have the emotional or physical stamina to actually pull it
- [Food Network Fallout](https://twoloonsandabook.com/food-network-fallout/) - I’m a huge fan of the Food Network channel. Late at night I can be found sitting up in bed with eyes glued to the television. My fascination with Food Network doesn’t translate into my being an exceptional cook, however. Sad, but true. I keep trying though and my family is always supportive of my
- [Cookie-baking Weekend](https://twoloonsandabook.com/cookie-baking-weekend/) - The first weekend in December finds me trading in my computer and calculator for my stand mixer and double ovens. 20 years ago I got the bright idea that it would be fun to bake homemade cookies for all of my clients. Since I only had about five clients and a ton of extra time
- [The last shirt](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-last-shirt/) - Today was a big day for my son Jack. He had a key role in the chapel program being presented by his class. In addition to parents and grandparents attending, many of the other elementary classes watched this important event. Last night I was informed by my son, the actor, that he wanted to wear
- [Invited to the party](https://twoloonsandabook.com/invited-to-the-party/) - Upon our return to Aswan from Abu Simbel we stayed at a hotel which was on an Island in the middle of the Nile. That evening we rode the water taxi across the Nile and met Mustafa (our tour guide) for our evening light and sound show at the Philae Temple Complex. We climbed aboard
- [Leaving Las Vegas](https://twoloonsandabook.com/leaving-las-vegas/) - I recently had to make a trip to Las Vegas to teach at a conference. While at the conference I was also going to be doing a book signing for my cat behavior books. The conference went well and my book sales were great. At the end of the conference I packed my suitcase and
- [Pam and Kae are out in public again!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/pam-and-kae-are-out-in-public-again/) - It's hard to believe but people keep asking us to appear in public for book signing events. So we're loading up the minivan again and heading to the 18th annual Studio Tour in Murfreesboro, TN. The Studio Tour includes 6 studios/25 artists. Tour dates: November 18-20. We've been asked to sign books at Popcorn Studio. The address is
- [Sideswiped by a donkey](https://twoloonsandabook.com/sideswiped-by-a-donkey/) - When we arrived in Edfu our boat docked right at the intersection of two main roads in town. David and I spent the evening on the upper deck, drinking Egyptian beer and watching the circus that is the traffic pattern in Egypt. We watched as motorcycles with three or more riders ran down the road
- [Your mommy does what?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/your-mommy-does-what/) - When your day job is related to the veterinary field, but isn’t as clear-cut as being a veterinarian, people get very creative with your job description. For those of you who don’t know, I am a certified cat behavior consultant. I work on a veterinarian-referral basis and am in contact with veterinarians on a daily
- [Nightmare on Main Street](https://twoloonsandabook.com/nightmare-of-main-street/) - It starts with the creaking of the attic door. Slowly the occupants of our attic make their way into the upstairs guest room. Behind the closed door I begin to hear the clinking of metal on metal and dull muffled thumps of unknown things dropped on the floor. Soon the subtle hiss of air travelling
- [Come meet the Two Loons](https://twoloonsandabook.com/come-meet-the-two-loons/) - Hey Loon Watchers, we're going to be signing copies of Cookies for Dinner at Barnes & Noble in Murfreesboro, TN this Saturday, November 5th. We'll be there at 2pm so if you're in the area, please come by and say hello. If you've read our book and are wondering whether we're really that strange, come
- [Bewitched](https://twoloonsandabook.com/bewitched/) - Every Halloween is a great fun for the kids as they pick out and create their latest and greatest costumes. At some point in the last few years though we have apparently started a tradition where the kids pick out our customs. This was not an adequately thought-out plan on our part. When it comes
- [Where is OSHA?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/where-is-osha/) - On day three of our Lake Nasser cruise, we stepped off our riverboat onto a small motor boat that took us to shore. One of the crew of this little boat jumped onto shore and held the boat steady with a rope tied to the bow. Two other men grabbed up a 2-foot wide plank
- [Bye Bye Barbie](https://twoloonsandabook.com/bye-bye-barbie/) - If you’ve followed my blog posts you’re probably well aware of Griffin, our dog, and his obsession with my daughter’s Barbie dolls. Well, we thought we had the situation under control and Gracie was being more careful about keeping her assortment of Barbies safety stashed out of the dog’s reach. Well, apparently that’s not the
- [Kids, cats and confusion](https://twoloonsandabook.com/kids-cats-and-confusion/) - For the last 25 years I’ve had a successful career in the field of cat behavior consulting. I am very fortunate, after all these years, to be considered a well-respected expert. I’ve worked hard in this profession and am very well-known in the field. So it’s very common for someone to come up to me
- [Where's your momma?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/wheres-your-momma/) - Egyptian culture is very different from US culture in so many ways but none more obvious than how they treat their children. On our way over from the US to Jordan there was a woman traveling with a two-year-old and a little tiny baby no more than 3 or 4 months old. The two-year-old was
- [Meet the Two Loons!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/meet-the-two-loons/) - Pam and Kae will be at the 23rd annual Southern Festival of Books in Nashville on October 14-16. The fesitval is located at Legislative Plaza and the Tennessee Capitol building in downtown Nashville. We'll be smiling and waving from booth #30 so come and say hello. Festival hours are: Friday noon-6pm Saturday 9am-6pm Sunday noon-5pm
- [Who likes salami?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/who-likes-salami/) - Months before we left on our adventure to Egypt, I purchased a CD for$29.95 guaranteed to teach me the necessary phrases for a tourist in Egypt. I figured hello and goodbye would serve me well in the pleasantry department. Then I thought that since I am travelling with my mother-in-law, who is notorious for her
- [The yard sale](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-yard-sale/) - I have a love/hate relationship with hosting yard sales. They require a tremendous amount of work, your plans can be ruined by weather and you never really understand the whole pricing/haggling thing… at least I don’t. Although I’ve never gone to a yard sale myself I know there’s a sport to finding that treasure amidst
- [Kae and Pam are guest-blogging again!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/kae-and-pam-are-guest-blogging-again/) - You just can't keep us contained on our own blog. We've been asked to guest blog on a wonderful site called Insignificant at best. Read about how we each view the end of summer.
- [Kae meets King Tut](https://twoloonsandabook.com/kae-meets-king-tut/) - The exhibit of King Tut’s tomb was fascinating. All the items the King would need in the afterlife had been buried with him. Clay vessels filled with fruit, vegetables, milk, honey and beer had been left for him to nourish himself on his journey to the “paradise”. I was impressed to see that beer was
- [My Mommy Mii](https://twoloonsandabook.com/my-mommy-mii/) - The other day my children showed me a “Mii” they had created for me on their Wii. For those of you who are as clueless as I am, a Mii is a personalized character that you can create when playing the Wii games. My children had created their own and they looked adorable. The Mommy
- [Drive like an Egyptian](https://twoloonsandabook.com/drive-like-an-egyptian/) - We started our day with a visit to the Cairo Museum of Antiquities. Our faithful driver, Abod, was at the hotel exactly at 10am as we had requested. The ride to the museum was entertainment in and of itself. We all watched in fascination as the traffic on a super highway started, stopped and shifted
- [The power of words](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-power-of-words/) - One night as I passed Gracie’s closed bedroom door I heard both of my children talking in there. They were discussing weather. The discussion then changed to tomatoes. I listened at the door because I was incredibly curious as to why my kids would be having a tomato discussion. It was that night I learned that
- [Best laid plans](https://twoloonsandabook.com/best-laid-plans/) - The day I left for Cairo, Egypt is the day I realized what the most horrifying words in the English Language are: Ladies and Gentlemen it appears…… We got to Nashville with time to spare. I was worried about taking Paul (David’s father) through security since he fell last year, shattered his shoulder and had
- [The problem with purple](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-problem-with-purple/) - There’s a rule in my house that nobody but me seems to follow: all permanent markers are to be kept in the drawer and are only for adult use. Having stepped on more than my share of crayons, colored pencils and other writing instruments, I laid down the law that anything capable of leaving a
- [David vs. the Details](https://twoloonsandabook.com/david-vs-the-details/) - There are so many things I absolutely adore about David. He brings me coffee every morning in bed when he wakes me up. I can’t announce that I will be doing a project around the house the next day because David will get up early to make sure he gets the project done before he
- [Counting the days](https://twoloonsandabook.com/counting-the-days/) - September 20th will find David and me packing our suitcases and my in-laws into the car to head for Cairo! And I don’t mean Cairo, Illinois either, I mean Cairo, Egypt! David (who is a closet travel agent) has spent the last 9 months painstakingly researching hotels, cruise ships, tourist sites and private guides for
- [What changed me](https://twoloonsandabook.com/what-changed-me/) - This past weekend, as everyone knows, marked the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. On Sunday, I spent time talking with my daughter and answering her questions about the images she had seen on TV and the things she had been hearing the last few days leading up to the weekend. As we
- [I stink at birthdays](https://twoloonsandabook.com/i-stink-at-birthdays/) - Every person has a super skill. David’s is being able to walk directly to any item in any Wal-Mart in the country. Usually he is making a Geiger counter noise and therefore people think it is his “special” skill. Remembering birthdays is not one of my super skills. My grandmother used to say that the
- [The Two Loons do a guest blog!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-two-loons-do-a-guest-blog/) - We were asked to do a guest blog. So there's no escaping the Two Loons. We're starting to spread. Check out our guest blog called The Privacy Act. We have very different takes on how much privacy a mom needs in the bathroom. Thank you to Tracy at Book Room Reviews for being brave enough
- [Nothing good happens when Daddy brings home a doughnut](https://twoloonsandabook.com/nothing-good-happens-when-daddy-brings-home-a-doughnut/) - The day started out with Daddy announcing that he had a leftover doughnut from a meeting he attended the day before. Since my kids don’t see many doughnuts in our house, this news was met with squeals, jumping up and down and hugs for Daddy. The kids wanted the doughnut immediately but since it was
- [The Joy of Life](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-joy-of-life/) - One day Christi came into my office after school, slammed her backpack to the ground and declared “I am never having children!” Christi was in 7th grade and had just been shown the “Joy of Life” video in her health class. Being the ever sensitive mom, I laughed until my sides hurt and tears
- [Look before you eat](https://twoloonsandabook.com/look-before-you-eat/) - I had a craving for something sweet. Normally the only sweet things in my kitchen pantry are desserts that no one over 12 would want to eat. This week, because I had actually remembered to bring my coupons when I went grocery shopping, we had a box of cookies thanks to a seventy-five cents-off coupon.
- [Slippery when wet](https://twoloonsandabook.com/slippery-when-wet/) - Golf is my summertime passion. Once the weather gets warmer and the chaos of tax season is over, I’m ready to turn in my bowling ball for a golf club. This summer, 4:30 most afternoons will find me at the driving range of the Longboat Key Golf Club smacking balls as far as my little
- [Shopping with "the girls"](https://twoloonsandabook.com/shopping-with-the-girls/) - Bra shopping. As a young woman, venturing out to buy bras was fun. The hardest part was deciding between the lacy, dainty ones and the silky ones that made you feel as if you were keeping a very mysterious and sexy secret underneath your t-shirt. Well, those days are long gone now. At my age,
- [Leg warmers are back!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/leg-warmers-are-back/) - Our last wave of visitors to the condo this summer included my daughter, Jess and her boyfriend Justin from Tennessee and my sister-in-law, Sandi and my niece, Stephie from Illinois. When the Allen family gets together we do two things: first we eat, then the women shop. Allen women are tried and true bargain shoppers.
- [Career Day](https://twoloonsandabook.com/career-day/) - “Just what do you do, Mom?” This is the question I used to get asked by my children on a regular basis. I understood and accepted their confusion. My job isn’t like anyone else’s and my kids alternated between being really proud of me and being really confused. I am a certified cat behavior
- [Out of the box](https://twoloonsandabook.com/out-of-the-box/) - A few days after we got to my in-laws' condo in Florida, Dad opened a little box on the hall table and pulled out the tiny mailbox key. He took the key and headed out the door, down the sidewalk to the laundry room at the end of the building. Inside the laundry room he
- [Shoe shopping](https://twoloonsandabook.com/243/) - I spent yesterday shopping for school shoes with my two kids. It was also one of the hottest days of the summer. Why did I torture myself that way when I could've been lounging in the pool with the kids and being viewed as the good mom instead of the mean mom? Because I had
- [Unintended consequences](https://twoloonsandabook.com/unintended-consequences/) - David and I are always talking about “unintended” consequences. As you go through your day, you never know what seemingly meaningless act on your part will have a life altering effect on someone else. 26 years ago we bought an antebellum house in a yet-to-be up and coming area in downtown Murfreesboro. In the 1920’s,
- [Now you see it, now you don't](https://twoloonsandabook.com/now-you-see-it-now-you-dont/) - Pink, the color, not the rock star, invaded my house on Saturday. It was Gracie’s 9th birthday and we did a “spa” party where the kids received pedicures and manicures. Five of Gracie’s friends were invited to share in getting their tootsies massaged, pampered and painted, followed by a fun manicure complete with zebra striped
- [Two hands on the wheel](https://twoloonsandabook.com/two-hands-on-the-wheel/) - When the kids started driving, I was always worried they would wreck my car either by crashing into another innocent driver or by creating carnage on the interior as they rode about town slurping Slurpies and eating double decker tacos. Today, the roles were reversed. Since my back and hip have been being a pain
- [Memories hidden in a minivan](https://twoloonsandabook.com/memories-hidden-in-a-minivan/) - Ok, by now just about everyone knows that I have OCD. I try to clean everything, everywhere, every day. There is one area that does manage to escape my watchful eye though and that’s inside my minivan. I’m always driving my kids somewhere, whether it’s to school, baseball practice, baseball games, dance lessons, play dates,
- [Here fishy, fishy, fishy](https://twoloonsandabook.com/here-fishy-fishy-fishy/) - In the Allen family, I am the fisher woman. Every summer I would head out to the fishing dock with my three kids, four fishing poles, a tackle box, four hand towels, a sharp knife and a box of frozen squid. It is a true test of your momma skills to put your three kids
- [The Flip-Flop Tragedies](https://twoloonsandabook.com/the-flip-flop-tragedies/) - In the Bennett household, flip-flops are a summer necessity. My kids squeal with delight the first time the thermometer climbs even one degree above 60 because they know we’re getting close to flip-flop season. Gracie and Jack love it when their toes have been set free! For me, flip-flops mean more nagging at the kids
- [Where are we going?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/where-are-we-going/) - Our family has been summering in Florida for the past 20 years. Every June we packed our computers, printers, boxes of files, office supplies, suitcases for five, toys, blankets, pillows and three children into our Suburban and headed south with five bicycles hanging on the bike rack bringing up the rear. The trip to the
- [CSI: The Barbie Files](https://twoloonsandabook.com/csi-the-barbie-files/) - My daughter used to have quite a Barbie collection but that was before Griffin. He is our one-year-old dog. Griffin has a thing for Barbie. Well, to be more accurate, Griffin has a thing for Barbie’s limbs. Chef Barbie and Beauty Shop Barbie met their untimely demise when Gracie innocently left them dangling from the
- [Two minutes](https://twoloonsandabook.com/two-minutes/) - Two minutes. For all of you out there still in the throes of “time out,” you know exactly how long two minutes is. On a daily basis you tend to a child in the middle of a nuclear meltdown by sitting them firmly on the “naughty” mat and setting the timer on the microwave for
- [A way with words](https://twoloonsandabook.com/a-way-with-words/) - Pam here. One night as I passed Gracie’s closed bedroom door I heard both of my children talking in there. They were discussing tomatoes. I listened at the door because I was incredibly curious as to my kids would be having a tomato discussion in the first place. It was that night I learned that
- [Cell phones, ipods and laptops, oh my!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/cell-phones-ipods-and-laptops-oh-my/) - Gracie will be turning 9 in July. It’s already a stressful event to plan her birthday because the days of pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs are long gone. As a parent I have chauffeured my kids to lots of birthday parties in recent years and let me tell you… birthday parties
- [Thank Goodness for Hairdressers!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/thank-goodness-for-hairdressers/) - Woke up this morning in a great mood. I had an appointment to get my hair cut and colored. I’m not sure about you, but when I have a fresh cut and color, I feel like I’m ten years younger. The euphoria may last one day or may last several weeks depending on how stressful
- [Where's the spellcheck?](https://twoloonsandabook.com/wheres-the-spellcheck/) - Holy Cannolis Batman. Kae here. Just about the time I start feeling like I’m all hip and happening something comes along to remind me that I am techno-challenged. I was really impressed with myself. I was using a debit card on a regular basis, paying my bills online, e-mailing and adding computers to my network

## Pages

- [Home](https://twoloonsandabook.com/)
- [Purchase](http://www.amazon.com/Kae-Allen/e/B0056UWGG0/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_2#new_tab)
- [About](https://twoloonsandabook.com/about-2/) - Pam Johnson-Bennett The one thing you can’t say about Pam Johnson-Bennett is that she’s a chicken. She certainly loves a challenge! After paving a career in the then-unheard-of field of cat behavior consulting and becoming a leader in the profession, she has decided to throw caution to the wind and defy the advice of family
- [Media](https://twoloonsandabook.com/mediaroom/) - RAVE REVIEWS! "I seriously almost peed myself reading" -- AboutaMom.com "I never wanted to put this book down" -- BzzingMom.com "I think I literally wet my own pants a few times" -- SimplyStacie.net "Cookies for Dinner is a moving read that any new mother should fully embrace" -- Midwest book Review "It's a welcoming breath
- [See the Two Loons in-Person!](https://twoloonsandabook.com/about/) - SEE THE TWO LOONS IN-PERSON! Come meet the Two Loons live and in-person at the Atlanta Baby Shower Expo June 9-10. There's so much to see and do there! We'll be signing books and would love to meet you. Hey, we'll also be giving away free cookies!! Location: Gwinnett Convention Center Dates: June 9th (10am-6pm)
- [Book Excerpt](https://twoloonsandabook.com/book-excerpt/)
- [Contact](https://twoloonsandabook.com/contact/) - Contact Pam & Kae by completing this form!

## Categories

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- [kae's house](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/kaes-house/)
- [New Year](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/new-year/)
- [Peru](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/peru/)
- [flowers](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/flowers/)
- [castles](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/castles/)
- [Sugar cubes](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/sugar-cubes/)
- [Taxes](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/taxes/)
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- [baby clothes](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/baby-clothes/)
- [Grandma](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/grandma/)
- [Worrying](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/worrying/)
- [Car seats](https://twoloonsandabook.com/category/car-seats/)

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