Articles written by: Betsy Archer

Penticton Betsy Fife Archer is a writer, artist, mother and soon-to-be personal trainer living in Asheville, NC.  She spends much of her days wiping her son's butt or face and letting go of the idea that her house will ever really be clean again.  In her spare time (of which there is little), she makes things, takes pictures and studies big words like gastrocnemius and sternocleidomastoid.  She is particularly proud that her son does not pick his nose in public and that he says please and thank you.  She enjoys being in the woods with her boy looking for fungus and an occasional beer to encourage the all-elusive sleep.  Betsy blogs at Turkey Baster and a Bottle of Wine.

When Neighbors Aren’t Neighborly
Family / Kids / Parenting

When Neighbors Aren’t Neighborly

What do you do when your neighbors stop talking to you?

Giving It Away: Saying Goodbye to the Last Vial of Sperm
Family / Family-building

Giving It Away: Saying Goodbye to the Last Vial of Sperm

Back to that one last vial of sperm…we made the decision to keep our last vial of sperm in January. Then, the other day, we decided to give it away. After a long day of barely breathing because the exhaustion was so heavy on our chests, we looked at each […]

Disconnecting to Connect: Balancing Technology and Family
Family / Parenting

Disconnecting to Connect: Balancing Technology and Family

After a while, I realized that all of this attention to electronics was making me miss my children.

My girls sleeping
Family / Kids / Parenting

Twins

Just like you start to look like your dog, after nearly 20 years we are starting to look like each other.

Parenting Three Kids and Surviving
Family / Kids / Parenting

Parenting Three Kids and Surviving

Sometimes I want to give the kids back. To whom, I am not sure.

What Do We Do with the Last Vial of Sperm?
Family / Family-building

What Do We Do with the Last Vial of Sperm?

The sperm bank called to ask what we want to do with our remaining vial of sperm. Do we want another child? Some days, yes. Most days, no.

The Night Before
Family / Family-building

Telling Your Child About Their Anonymous Sperm Donor

I rehearsed many different ways to tell him he was created using a sperm donor we don’t know.

The elusive sleeping babies
Parenting

Adjusting to Life with Newborn Twins (or Love in the Time of Unwashed Hair)

When they were first born and home from the NICU, I commented to my spouse about how I didn’t think having twins was all that hard. “Just like have a second child,” I remarked. Now, I am calling my own bullshit.

PHOTO CREDIT: BETSY ARCHER
Family

Marriage Equality Comes to North Carolina

We went to a BBQ, saw some old friends, watched a HUGE bonfire and became legally married in our home state 10 years, 4 months and 19 days after we were married in Massachusetts.

PHOTO CREDIT: BETSY ARCHER
Community / News from the community

Living in Marriage Equality Limbo

I feel sad that while this is happening in some states, there are people all across the country who have no idea when their rights will be validated.