The DHX: The Doughtie Houses Exchange

“In a way, we like self-flagellation because it is self-centered: it makes us the center of things. A guilt trip is a very self-centered activity.”
– Charlotte Joko Beck, Nothing Special: Living Zen

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I made Christmas stockings for our house a few years ago, and every year I try to add a few more details to them.

G’s robot got a bead face this year. I’m also working on a read out for the display screen and on control buttons.

I’m going to sew a few fresh-water pearls onto my [...]

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Not So Nuclear: I Wish… - A hilarious Christmas family portrait that didn’t make it onto the Christmas cards this year.
Oprah: Amy Grant and Vince Gill’s blended family - “Over the years, little by little, meal by meal, birthday by birthday, phone call by phone call, Christmas by Christmas, card game by card game, [...]

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At first it’s like two straight men waking up one morning to find their hands superglued to each other’s balls.
You’re intimately connected in places that feel downright wrong to be connected. She’s connected to your guy and you’re connected to her children in ways that feel fantastically uncomfortable at a gut level.
And you’re surprised. You [...]

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“Santa, bring peace to my heart. Help me be an instrument of peace in all I do. That is my Christmas wish.” — Posie Gets Cozy

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“No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow.” — Alice Walker

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That’s Not What I Meant! How Conversational Style Makes or Breaks Relationships by Deborah Tannen
“The more contact people have with each other, the more opportunities both have to do things in their own way and be misunderstood. The only way they know of to solve problems is to talk things out, but if different ways [...]

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Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota StarTribune: High-road holidays - An article about friendly mom-stepmom relationships and the holidays, featuring Lori and Samara.
Mormon Mommy Wars: From the archives - Teacher’s presents - An ongoing discussion about what to give teachers for the holidays. Also check out last year’s post: Teachers, what do you want for Christmas?

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“Who knows how you should be? We simply do our best, over and over and over. In time, we lose all interest in our past.”
– Charlotte Joko Beck, Nothing Special: Living Zen

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The Scientist - Coldplay “Come up to meet you, tell you I’m sorry / You don’t know how lovely you are . . . / Nobody said it was easy / No one ever said it would be this hard . . . I’m going back to the start.” This song really touched me when [...]

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