This is my daughter doing her best Abe Lincoln impersonation (photo by Ed Caswell). I just can’t help but laugh when I look at it–you’d laugh, too, if you knew that she got on the school bus wearing this outfit. Why did she do this? She’s nine. I have no other explanation.

I was watching “Under the Tuscan Sun” again the other day, and Katherine says, “Never lose your childish innocence. It’s the most important thing.” I can’t think of a better resolution for this year or any other. I may not start wearing a beard to the grocery store, but I’ll try to remember all those things that children just seem to know. They can find happiness in little things, whole worlds in cardboard boxes, and they let the cares of the world roll off like rain. Here’s to snow angels and soggy mittens, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and not worrying so much about what other people think!