Happy 50th Birthday Earth Day!

On This Day in Sports History

A happy Falcons fan.

Twenty years ago today, the Atlanta Falcons selected Michael Vick as the first overall pick of the 2001 NFL draft.

Vick became a fan favorite in Atlanta and his No. 7 jersey was seen all over the city, including at our house. 

Christmas gifts that year included a helmet and jersey.

An exciting player to watch, Michael Vick became Tate’s first football hero. Two years later, Tate even asked his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Podojil, if she would call him “Vick.” As only a seasoned teacher would know to  do, she told him it that would require that she let everyone in the class use a second name which would be too difficult, however she’d be glad to call him him Vick for one full day.  She even let him write his name, Vick, on his papers. He was elated and, no doubt, why he's still a Falcons fan today. 

Tate, fourth from the left, in a kindergarten group shot. 

###

Today’s Tax Day, Only…It’s Not.

A World War II era IRS poster.

Did you know that for the last 64 years (since 1955) the United States’ Tax Day has been April 15? When April 15 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, tax returns are due the following Tuesday.

America’s tax history is, in fact, pretty interesting. For someone who’s paid taxes for decades, I must admit this information was new to me.

• Congress passed the 16th Amendment creating the income tax on February 3, 1913. It taxed income above $4,000 and designated the first tax deadline as March 1, 1913.

• The Revenue Act of 1918 moved the deadline to March 15 while also imposing a 77% tax on the highest income to help fund World War I.

• The Depression lowered incomes so significantly that people stopped paying taxes. Congress raised rates and eliminated exemptions to fund World War II, and it became a patriotic duty to pay taxes. The Treasury Department began withholding tax payments from workers' paychecks, and the W-2 was born. 

There’s a lot of information about the IRS, taxes, and the Treasury, on the internet. And now there’s a new bit of tax history:

This year following President Trump’s emergency declaration of the Stafford Act (a federal law pertaining to natural disasters), taxpayers don’t have to pay their federal income taxes until July 15, 2020.

Author Margaret Mitchell said, “Death, taxes and childbirth! There's never any convenient time for any of them.” 

Easter Monday

For at least a dozen and a half years, I've decorated an Egg Tree in our front yard during the Lenten season. I wrote a couple of blog posts about it. You can read a little bit about it here (including some easy how-to instructions). 

When Easter falls midway through the April calendar, like it did this year, I rush to get my plastic eggs up early enough that the tree leaves and blossoms don't arrive simultaneously to my decorating. Because of the Lunar calendar, Easter is always on the first Sunday after the first full moon of Spring. The earliest possible date for Easter is March 22nd (plenty of time for decorating and seeing the tree) and the latest possible date is April 25th.

Virginia 2018

Virginia 2019

This year I decided to move our Egg Tree to a new location in our yard, sharing a little Easter cheer from a new vantage point.  

Virginia 2020

By Easter, the dogwood tree is flowering and the eggs are harder to see. 

My goal is to bring a little joy and a reminder to passersby. Every year as I unbox my eggs (and create a few more), the meaning and message are the same. 

###

It's Good to Be Back

Floor sticker at the local Harris Teeter.

As the world slows during this quarantine, offering us all an opportunity to thoughtfully consider  what matters and what we love, my heart felt a tug to revisit my blog. 

I stopped posting almost exactly 7 years ago. I had my blog posts printed into book format afterwards and glancing through it brings me a lot of joy. My husband has the blog bookmarked on his browser and says he loves looking at old posts. The world of social media has exploded in the last few years and lots has happened in our family since, graduations, moves, job changes, trips, etc. and, with each  experience, memories made. I am delving back into my blog because a once-in-a-hundred-year pandemic seems like the perfect time to personally reflect on where we've been, where we are (I will probably revisit some old posts and provide updates), and where we're going, and also to record in real time how our family is doing during this historic moment. 

It's good to be back.

# # # 

La Fin

For quite some time I have contemplated bringing this blog to its conclusion.  I have less to write about these days as my children grow older and quite frankly, I've realized that my writing abilities and creativity pale in comparison to so much that is out there.  The perfectionist in me has tried to shrug it off, but the skills of other bloggers, as well as Pinterest and Etsy, have finally stripped away my denial.

What started as a blog to discuss my love of holidays morphed into more of a family scrapbook, the upside being that it assuaged much of my guilt about long-forgotten baby books, details of recollected celebrations and bins full of mementos whose histories, that except for this blog, would have been lost. I arrived at this blogging thing a little late and so envy those who have this medium to record their families as they grow and change. 

Thanks to those few of you who have checked in regularly to see if I posted (Jill and Robbie, this means you).  Sorry it has been so sporadic the last two years.  I lost my "mojo" (if I ever had any) when relocating to Texas and never seemed to quite find my groove again.  I have enjoyed, and many days even loved, sharing family traditions, celebrations, recipes and photos via this blog.  Thank you for indulging me.

Finally, to my children (and perhaps their children, one day) who will hopefully sit down to read these words and enjoy the photos, thank you for allowing me to share a part of your lives on this blog.  I hope you will cherish so many of the special moments that are contained within these pages.  I know I do.

It's St. Patrick's Day, baby!

Twenty years ago today, on the heels of the Snowpocalypse of '93 (and more than 24 hours without power), this happened.

Thirteen days before her due date and after 21 hours of labor, as the anesthesiologist said, we had our little "leprechaun."  She's been delighting us with her magical charm ever since.
Happy Birthday, McKenzie!  We love you.