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Dirt & Noise

A blog by a left leaning mom of 2 boys

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Get Off My Lawn!

Ilinap · November 26, 2011 ·

I've been having some "Get off my lawn!" moments lately. It all started in the Target toy aisle, as so many of my rants do. Deal was oogling Star Wars action figures while Bird was channeling his inner rock star with a Paper Jamz guitar. When I hear "paper jam" I immediately … [Read more...] about Get Off My Lawn!

Tags: children, creativity, fun, play, toys

About Time

Ilinap · November 21, 2011 ·

  I'm not sure how I regarded Time before I had children (not the band, though they do have a song called "The Bird."). I suppose I never considered milestones and firsts. Well, there are the obvious bridges we cross that entail Pomp and Circumstance or Pachelbel's Canon. … [Read more...] about About Time

Tags: Bird, children, Deal, family, kids, love, motherhood, parenting

Offering Another Perspective on The Broad Side

Ilinap · November 17, 2011 ·

  I'm talking over at The Broad Side today. I have another perspective on the Penn State abuse case. It's a perspective that has yet to be touched by the media. Do we foster a culture of abuse? Do we stand by and let the abused suffer while the abuser gets off (literally … [Read more...] about Offering Another Perspective on The Broad Side

Tags: America, children, community, equality, kids, politics, values

Talking to My Sons About Penn State

Ilinap · November 15, 2011 ·

  I'm sorry if it seems I'm prattling on about Penn State (and now the Citadel). I literally cannot stop thinking about it. I look at my innocent Bird and Deal and want to scoop them up to protect them forever. I cannot begin to imagine the lives of those abused boys. … [Read more...] about Talking to My Sons About Penn State

Tags: children, community, family, love, motherhood, parenting, responsibility

Don’t Stop Believing

Ilinap · November 14, 2011 ·

I'm worried that this might be the last year my sons believe in Santa. Based on all the trash talking Bird has learned in third grade, I am just waiting for some little shit kid to burst the Santa bubble. He will pounce out of the school hallway and shriek to me that SANTA ISN'T … [Read more...] about Don’t Stop Believing

Tags: Bird, children, holidays

Going Home

Ilinap · November 13, 2011 ·

Make your own slideshow design I spent the weekend in my hometown. We took a little jaunt to Charlottesville, Virginia, the place I consider home and the home of my alma mater. We tailgated with some old friends, watched Virginia beat Duke, ate at some Charlottesville … [Read more...] about Going Home

Tags: children, community, family, home, travel

Penn State – No Words

Ilinap · November 10, 2011 ·

See those sweet faces? Those are my sons. And may God help the person who ever harms them. I am so sick about the events that have unfolded at Penn State. I find myself sitting down to write about it, yet I cannot bring the words from my heart to the page. I tear up and feel … [Read more...] about Penn State – No Words

Tags: children, community, motherhood, parenting, Penn State, values

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Progressive, mom, writer, reader, traveler. Believe in good manners, home cooking, spending $ on experiences, not things, Oxford comma. ENFJ.

There are certain shades of limelight that can wreck a girl's complexion. - Holly Golightly
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