A Prismatic Life

Life List

2012-01-25T12:49:00.009-05:00

For my birthday, I decided to make a Life List.
I looked at a lot of other peoples lists, which is almost as fun as going to Real Estate showings ("really, they chose that?!! I would never choose that!" or "OOH, I LOVE what they did with that!"). I recommend it.

Some of the things I have already done. Some require lots of repetition. Some I may never do. I am fairly certain this list will not stay at 100 items. My life is like that!

1. Skinny dip at under a full moon. (Note to self—Labor Day in Idaho is TOO DANG COLD.)
2. Get a spinning wheel, learn to spin wool into yarn. (Got the wheel, still working on the spinning).
3. Learn to knit.
4. Knit a “naked girl length” (just to the tips of my fingers, like when a short girl wears her husbands shirt) pure wool Aran sweater-—for myself.
5. Go to an outdoor Bazaar in Turkey. (Note to self, while there, go to Pamukkale the “Cotton Castle”)
7. Eat food from street vendors Ongoing!
8. Get a stamp in my passport. 04/2004 (Note to self: This was awesome—do it MORE!)
9. Touch something 1000 years old. 04/2004
10. Drive across the US by myself. 09/2008 (well, I was the only driver, I had lots of small children with me).
11. Learn how to change a tire. (I can do it, but prefer not to.)
12. Learn how to change the oil. (ditto.)
13. Make a Kentucky Derby hat. I wouldn't mind going to the race, either, but mostly I just want to make the hat--so let me know if you are planning to go, and need headwear, ok?
14. Sew a Wedding Dress. (I have sewn at least 3 at this point)
15. Fluently speak another language. 1993--Spanish
16. Visit Manhattan, Eat pizza in NYC, ride the subway. 01/2012
17. Watch the Manti Pageant 1998
18. Watch the Nauvoo Pageant.
19. Watch the Hill Cumorah Pageant.
20. Visit 50 Temples. (19 as of 2012)
21. Write a novel. Get it published. (In progress. Darn typing!)
22. Notice the beauty in every day.
23. Write my will.
24. Donate my body to science. 2011 (Case Western Reserve Medical School).
25. Cross the Canadian Border. (Done, but I can't remember the year!)
26. Face my deepest fears. (Went Rappeling--both down a cliff and free fall, went caving. Don’t ask me about crickets.)
27. Have a mug of the best hot chocolate in the world at Angelina’s in Paris.
28. See the Pieta, and the Bernini sculpture of Daphne and Apollo in Rome.
29. Have an exceptional time in Greece.
30. Lay on the beach at sunset.
31. Wade in the Atlantic and the Pacific. Done, but enjoyed it so much, I would be more than happy to continue!
32. Get married in the Temple. 09/1995
33. Sleep out under the stars. (In the most beautiful place, with the least light pollution, and the most, close stars--aah).
34. Learn how to make French Onion Soup. MY 2010

35. Hand Letter a wedding Invitation. 1999
36. Go to the Public Baths in Budapest.
37. Throw really good parties.
38. Visit every US state – 35/50. Driving through counts. Only seeing the airport doesn’t.
39. Participate in a reenactment.
40. Give a speech.
41. Teach a class. 2010, and it was great, hope to do more!
42. Become a Grief Therapist.
43. Get my Bachelors Degree. (note to self, figure out what you want to be when you grow up).
44. Spend a whole day cruising the shops in the Garment District in New York.
45. See the Statue of Liberty, Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson Monuments. 2003
46. See the Grand Canyon. 1994
47. Go to Mesa Verde. 1992
48. Decorate my children’s weddings—awesomely!
49. Go to the Jane Austen costume Museum in Bath.04/2004
50. Choose and cut our own Christmas Tree. Yay--this has become a yearly tradition since 2001
51. Stand inside the Taj Mahal.
52. Host a wedding in my yard.
53. Give each of the people I love a perfect gift. (Ongoing--so far, my sister Alison is the easiest!).
54. Have beautiful art in my home.
55. Make my home a peaceful reflection of myself and my family.
56. Get married in my mother’s wedding dress. 09/1995
57. Learn how to use power tools. Ongoing--I love it, and want to improve!
58. Own 50 Library Cards. (21 as of 2012)
59. Be in better shape at 50 than I was at 30.
60. Read 100 Classic books...Hmmm it is interesting to try and find a list. There are several. Some of the "classics" I really hate, so do I include those or not? Also, some are just included because they are in the public domain, and are cheap to get access to. I am working on my own list.
61. Make a list of 50 favorite foods.
62. Start an annual event. 2001, established a quarterly blood drive in my Mother's honor--it is ongoing.
63. Visit the Holy Land.
64. Get a real year’s supply.
65. Start a Gratitude Journal.
66. Do a life changing project for people in another part of the world.
67. Take the sleeper train through Europe
68. Make a baked brie and roasted garlic.
69. Be completely debt free.
70. Attend a Broadway Show.
71. Attend a Seder.
72. Get my home beautifully decorated enough to be in the Christmas parade of homes.
73. Have a ladies-only tea party in the garden where we all wear dresses and eat edible flowers on our food. (It was great! Sometime around 1990, but I would love to do it again!)
74. Attend an opera. Cossi Fan Tutti, 1992
75. Go to Prince Edward Island.
76. Go to a Renaissance Faire. 2011
77. See at least one Shakespeare play at a Shakespeare festival (ideally, in Stratford Ontario). Visit the costume department, if possible.
78. Go to Muskoka, and see the islands (and if you haven't read The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery, get off the computer, and go do it right now!).
79. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon.
80. Take a Yoga class.
81. Ride on an Elephants back.
82. Become a Servas Host family.
83. Cook a meal entirely made of food I raised.
84. Visit the US Capitol and/or the White House.
85. Paint in Italy.
86. Send a message in a bottle.
87. Eat fish & Chips from a takeaway in London. 2004--YUMMY!
88. Write a poem. Ongoing.
89. Set someone else’s poem to music. (done--"Indwelling, by George Herbert)
90. Read in a French café.
91. Learn to play boogie-woogie and ragtime on the piano.
92. Have a beautiful guest room.
93. Be someone’s mentor.

Busy, busy, busy...

2012-01-13T15:01:00.002-05:00

There is a reason I have been so silent. Actually, there have been lots of reasons.

Sewing some awesome Christmas gifts--including an original design for a fleece lined wrap around apron for my dear sister (the other person who suffers from an icy butt all winter long!), a matching set of capes for my 4 year old nephew and his bear, and cute jammies for some nieces. An actual knitted project for my dad (well- I cheated and used the knitting loom, but it was still a lot of work, and it did turn out quite beautifully, if I do say so myself!)

Then we had the fun of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Then, the day of playing games the next day. Then we had New Years Eve. Then--we went to New York City.

No, I have never been before.

Yes, our trip was awesome.

No, I can't get any of the pictures off the dang camera (yes, again, I KNOW!!)

Sorry.

I will keep trying.

Here is my Guest Post

2011-12-28T14:58:00.006-05:00

Here is the post that I wrote for Heidi Poppins:

I have stopped listening to "The Christmas Station" on the radio. I used to love to turn it on in the background to help me get into a Christmas-sy mood--but now it just enrages me, so I leave it off.

There is a simple explanation (and no, it is not my hormones making me madder than David Banner on a bad day!). It is that some of the greatest music ever written is about the birth of the Christ Child--and very, very little of that great music is played on the radio. Instead, we are subjected to the worst twaddle of the twentieth century (and yes, I am referring to Wham's nausea inducing "classic" "Last Christmas" or the electronic saccharine of "Do They Know It's Christmas").

Apparently 1984 was the bottom of the barrel, song-wise--except that was the year that Mark Lowry wrote the words to "Mary Did You Know" (although it took another six years for someone to set it to music).

In this song, the author, Mark Lowry cites a laundry list of disabilities and sorrows that the Savior miraculously healed. Most of us know or have interacted with people who were blind, deaf, crippled or lamed in one way or another. When I was young I wondered if being "dumb" or mute still existed, because I had never met or even heard of someone who was mute. Very few people have.

Now I am the mother of one.

Partially the reason we don't hear about it is that the name has changed. Now it is called being "non-verbal"--which is actually more accurate. My daughter can not speak, but she is FAR from being the silent creature that the word "mute" implies, and, while she has neurological and developmental issues, no one who has ever met her would consider her "dumb". Also, it is statistically quite rare.

However, that doesn't change the fact that she doesn't speak. I have never heard her say "mama" or tell someone her name or how old she is. She can’t tell me where it hurts, or what she is thinking about. I would give anything to understand what is going on in her head, what she wants and how she feels.

Which is why listening to "Mary Did You Know" invariably reduces me to tears, especially when it is sung (perfectly) by Kathy Mattea.

This song is not only beautiful, reverent and thought provoking, but when she sings (at 2:07) that "the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb" I am reminded that the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Him who heals all sorrows, including my non-verbal child. I know that someday, my funny, loving, adorable daughter will look into her Savior’s face and "sing his praises".

So, instead of listening to the radio, I made myself a playlist on YouTube, so I can listen to the truly great music of the ages .

May you have a wonderful, joy filled Christmas--and may you be aware of the miracles that you take for granted every day.

I got to write a guest post!

2011-12-19T17:14:00.002-05:00

I am really excited! I was asked to write a guest post for my friend Heidi over at Heidi Poppins. She is doing a Christmas post each day in December--and just like real life, some are memories(the beautiful kind as well as the funny ones!) some are traditions and some are new things to discover. Check them out each day!

True Learning

2011-12-19T08:56:00.002-05:00

Our society has an extremely narrow view of what "learning" is, and where and how "learning" takes place. How much of the lessons you learned sitting in a classroom are a vital part of you, of the things you use everyday? How many of the things you learned in a non-classroom setting are a part of you?

I know quite a few people who learned to read before they started formal schooling, and then got in trouble with their teachers because they A) "weren't supposed to know how to do that yet" or B) were bored with the little sissy books they had to read, and read books that were "higher than their grade level".

I love the freedom to let my children learn to love learning. Wonderful books do not need to be classified by "grade level", "reading level" or other systems. I do feel that some books are too advanced or difficult for younger children ( from my own personal experience as an extremely precocious reader). That is one of the great benefits of reading 9and discussing together)the books your children read. The other blessing is being introduced to the amazing children's and young adult authors that are working right now.

In my opinion, there is FAR more creativity, cleverness and good writing happening in the "young adult" market than in the "adult" section. Check it out!

2011-12-16T05:47:00.002-05:00

BigGirl is getting better. She mostly slept all day yesterday, but she was able to keep liquids down and eventually ate (and kept down) some saltines. While I am happy that she isn't contagious, and we won't have some horrible virus running through the house for Christmas, I REALLY wish we could find out what is going on that makes her body do this. It is not right for someone who is 5' 8" and 150 (skinny) pounds to lose 15 pounds in 3 days. It is really not right that it keeps reoccurring.

I found an old post

2011-12-15T17:36:00.006-05:00

For the end of the year, I am doing a little "housecleaning" and posting some blogs I wrote but never got posted.

Here is one from when I was cleaning out files on my computer and found this Easter post (I am not sure what year, but I think it was 2009 (and I honestly don't remember these events, which just goes to show the importance of journaling!):

Easter Highlights: SmallDaughter begged and begged for me to open a package of marshmallow Peeps. When I gave her one, she refused to eat it--she just wanted to pet the little yellow chick!

LargeBoy ate the ears and top of the head off of his hollow chocolate bunny, then gave it a cool whip "brain" and did some disgusting zombie things.

Everybody enjoyed the traditional egg hunt, where Grandma P hides the eggs--which I will be finding in the yard for the rest of the year!

Ralph, Chuck & Earl...

2011-12-15T17:19:00.003-05:00

I haven't been blogging lately. I have been baking cookies like I am making up for the last 5 Christmases that were...lame-ish (at least in the baked goods department). I did my Christmas shopping, and can officially state that I have avoided the mall this holiday season--YAY!

I have been taking care of my poor BigGirl, who puked every hour for 20 straight hours, and sporadically after that. The doctors do not seem concerned. I am. She had this back in April and was throwing up on and off for 10 days. I think it is part of a bigger problem.

I am really excited that I was asked to be a guest blogger! I will give you the link after it is published.

Life is (as usual, but even more during the holidays) an interesting mix of deep sorrow and great joy for people I love. I am praying for the people who are experiencing both.

Homesick for a land I've never been to

2011-12-05T12:20:00.003-05:00

I have been pondering lots of spiffy blog posts in my head, but I have been too darn busy to write them down--and then I forget most of them.

I recently read the sequel to one of my all time favorite books "Anything Can Happen" by George and Helen Papashvily. It is a charming little book* (literally--because it was published during WWII while there was paper rationing, the hardbound book is only a little larger than the size of a paperback) which I found at a library book sale in my early teens. George was a natural storyteller, and this delightful autobiography of his adventures of coming to the US from Georgia (near Russia, not the state of the US) influenced my life for ever after. I just found that he wrote (in his book "Home and Home Again") about his return to visit his home village in Georgia after 40 years in the US.

Reading his books makes me homesick for a place I have never been to--and, because of the political instability in Georgia (which, for those who are not totally up to date on their former Soviet countries, is located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe--bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan) I probably never will.

Which is a shame, because I would LOVE to visit a country with over 9000 years of history! It is one of the oldest countries in the world, which has retained its own culture, language and traditions in spite of being smack in the middle of the territory everybody else wanted--which brought about hundreds of invasions.

Ahh, well--I am a great armchair traveler, and Google Maps has made it even more fun!

*and because it was a bestseller and book of the month selection, it isn't very hard to find a copy--the reissued 1984 paperback lists on amazon for .40!

This pretty well sums up our Family Portrait Session

2011-11-26T15:32:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T06:47:00.003-05:00

We had a lovely Thanksgiving. We got to go to both family dinners. We left LargeBoy at his Grandma & Grandpa W's house to play with the boy cousins, and have a sleepover. Then, we left BigGirl to have a sleepover with BigCousin on the other side. We saw cousins that we don't get to see very often, and it was wonderful!

We have so much to be thankful for. I personally LOVE to have light, heat and hot water so easily--any time, as much as I want! A miracle. I am surrounded by the love and support of wonderful family and friends.

I am so truly blessed.

WOOT!

2011-11-14T08:20:00.004-05:00

I am so SUPER PROUD of my "little" sisters! They both decided what they wanted to do with their lives--what would give them deep soul joy, every day, and they went back to school and worked very hard (while taking care of many little children, hubby, church responsibilities, social lives, etc.) and last week THEY GRADUATED! WITH HONORS!

This is the first official graduation either of them have had, since they both chose to be entirely schooled at home. I have known the painful lesson of the oldest child for many years--everything I did right, my younger siblings took, and improved upon. (It is like having the gold medal from the 1920 Olympics--yeah, that record has been obliterated since then!) They are much better than I am, and I love to see how wonderfully they have turned out.

WooHoo!--Now with pictures!

2011-10-31T08:40:00.013-04:00

I haven't been able to post for two reasons: 1) I have been attempting to dig out of the more chaotic than usual chaos that the kitchen rebuild created, to get ready for a Halloween party here, which leads to 2) I didn't want to leak the surprise that we had in the works--a surprise for my dad who faithfully reads this blog!

For a couple of months we sisters have been planning for SisterM & HubbyO to come from the Bronx with their cutie boys, and for SisterA & HubbyA (and SisterR!) to come from Indianapolis with their cutie girls, and have a great Halloween party at my house. And the sneaky bit--we didn't tell Grandpa they were coming, we just set it up so that he would be in charge of handing out the candy, and every one of the Trick-or-Treaters who showed up would be his grandkids (or kids).

Everything was going great. The plans were in place, Grandma had been enlisted to get him here on time--and to give us a heads up when they left, so we could get everybody stashed at the other location (so they would be able to surprise him).
The boys who couldn't be here (BrotherN & WifeS in California, BrotherB & WifeM in Pennsylvania, BrotherE in Utah and BrotherR in Virginia) were scheduled to Skype or call during the party. We were very excited to have more than half of the family together--5 out of nine siblings!

M&O were scheduled to arrive around midnight on Fri, so BigGirl and I were staying up to finish the cleaning. I was so tired that I was just about to take a little nap on the couch, when headlights pulled in, so we ran out to see the cutie babies--except there were no babies--just awesome BrotherR, and his good friend S, who had made the 9 hour drive from Virginia! Much happy shrieking happened at that point!

Shortly thereafter, there were more headlights and sure enough, it WAS the cutie babies, with their cute mommy & daddy AND BrotherE! They had picked him up from the airport as the ultimate surprise! WOOT!!!

In total, we ended up with 7 out of the 9 siblings! And it was (as always!) hilarious! Didn't get to bed until 2:00am. Worth it.

On Friday, we got ready for the party, and had actual (technically unrelated, but well loved) party guests here, when finally it was time for the surprise part. We sent everybody "unexpected" down the block to the library, where they got into their costumes, and waited for the signal. We decided that they would arrive in "order of unexpectedness".

IT WAS AWESOME!

"Do my eyes deceive me? Can it really be?"

Yes--it really is!

My favorite part (besides the look on Grandpa's face!), was the fact that he didn't seem to catch the pattern--that every single one of the Trick-or-Treaters who showed up were his progeny! It was classic!

After the surprising part, we had a massive pumpkin carving festival, played some awesome games, and talked and laughed until 2:00am. Worth it.

(this kind of nonsense is what happens when you let the uncles loose with the pumpkins!)

Grandpa prepares to show the young'uns "how it's done!"

In Church yesterday, our family took up the first 3 rows in the Chapel. The Bishop announced that all the Anderson's were officially welcome to move back--it was great! After Church, we had a Soup and Bread (and Chili & Baked Potato) supper together before people had to leave.

I am so grateful for a family that I don't just love--I like--thoroughly enjoy them! We have so much fun together--and we always have. The blessings of the gospel radiate through our lives, making everything so much better, and I am (possibly) the most blessed person on earth.

The light at the end of the tunnel--possibly!

2011-10-17T08:26:00.002-04:00

The chaos is slowly beginning to ebb. I came up with a brilliant plan for putting all the stuff away in the new kitchen cupboards. First I mapped out the old cupboards, and listed everything they had in them. Then I made a map of the new cupboards, and a list of all the items, and, using old fashioned cut and paste, I made a new map of where everything will go, and posted it on the fridge. Then (here's the brilliant part!) I labelled every cupboard, so everyone knows what is supposed to go into it--and my big children have been putting stuff away--even when I am not here!

2011-10-10T20:09:00.004-04:00

I am SO busy, and I have such a huge to do list crying out for every second of my time, but my friend ~~Miss K~~ (Oh wait, I already have a Miss K--what do I do when I have 2 friends with the same initial? Alright, we will just call her Miss Kitty, and the original Miss K gets to keep initial rights!) Miss Kitty dragged me out to have fun in the incredibly beautiful fall weather--and boy did we ever!

Specifically, at the Renaissance Festival! They have a permanent "village" set up which really adds to the atmosphere.

Of course we dressed up! When she asked if I would want to go with her to the festival, I asked if she would be interested in dressing up, and she responded "why do you think I asked you out of all the people I know in Ohio?" So we did--but just as peasants, because we only had 2 days to plan and I couldn't really sew very much, so most of it just came out of the costume box(es!).

LargeBoy got an ocarina as his "so sorry you had to stay home and help the Boy Scouts with the Popcorn Fundraiser instead of going to the Ren Fair" gift. He has already developed some serious ocarina skills! It came with two little books of music--one of lullaby's and simple songs, and the other with "geek favorites" like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Zelda music. Guess which one he prefers! (HINT: Harry Potter sounds really great on the ocarina!)

BigGirl also got something awesome--but you must hold onto your curiosity until the big reveal at the end of the month--since hers is now an integral part of her Halloween costume!

SmallDaughter just got to ride a bunch of rides. She enjoyed trying on the princess hats, but wouldn't hold still for a picture and told me no when I asked if she wanted one. So--just rides!

So much fun that I am still recovering! I will post pix when I get them from Miss Kitty's camera!

So Bright!

2011-09-29T20:35:00.002-04:00

Today, BigGirl and I (with a little help from BG's friend Miss B) finished the applying the primer to all the gross green stuff in the kitchen. I just walked in there, and I can't believe how bright it is! How non-oppressive! Wow!

I can't wait until we get the actual paint applied tomorrow! Woohoo!

I got the pictures off the camera!

2011-09-28T14:53:00.014-04:00

Stand by, we are currently experiencing technical difficulties!

The "Before" pictures keep loading as pix of my parents yard and my brother, which are nice, but not helpful.

So, skipping directly into the project:
Here is a super fast journey of where we started and where we are now.

We will focus on the back wall, step by step:

Removing the cabinets and cupboards, and revealing the cracked, nasty plaster below.

Removing the plaster! To quote my dad: "Don't force it--just get a bigger hammer!"

After we took off the plaster, then we had to take off the lathe (one at a time, and pull every !@#$%^&* nail), then we had to remove all of the nasty shredded paper insulation (the gray stuff that is visible between some of the studs--also the fluff that is on the camera lens in some shots!)

Putting up the Tyvek moisture barrier, and the wiring (which is not exciting to look at, but wonderful for me!

INSULATION!

DRYWALL! Ironically, the "greenboard" (which is moisture and mold resistant) is almost exactly the same weird shade as the trim (and the dining room).

Cupboards!

The rest of the pix seem to have disappeared into the ether, so...stay tuned!

Just LOVE this!

2011-09-26T06:12:00.003-04:00

Check out this AWESOME site! I love the idea behind it, and I love the content she has found!

Wednesday's update

2011-09-21T21:52:00.002-04:00

Today we:

got the long counter, the sink, the disposal and the microwave/vent hood installed. I have a stove, a fridge and a sink that all work (although the water pressure has gone all wonky)! All of this on top of a beyond belief gorgeous floor. All of the cupboards and counters on the west (back) wall are in.

The arrangement is the same, with sink and stove where they used to be--but now the sink is awesome, and there is a dishwasher between them!

I am still trying to figure out how to get the pictures off the camera onto the computer. I used to know how to do this--what happened to my brain?

Construction Update

2011-09-20T06:41:00.005-04:00

This just in:

3 walls
1 floor

Yes, indeed! After letting LargeBoy, LargeBoy's bestie and BigGirl go to town on the old plaster walls with sledgehammers, we got the old stuff including: 1) plaster mess, 2) Lathe mess & 3) Shredded Paper Insulation mess--all cleaned up, and smooth new drywall installed! YAY! Not only do the new walls have Tyvek wrap and fiberglass insulation (on their insides) they also have MANY new electrical outlets and entirely new breakers! Woohoo! (No wind blowing my hair back THIS winter!) WOOHOO!

And the new floor?

I could just sing! It is SO BEAUTIFUL! It is the hardest bamboo flooring I could find (so hard the pneumatic nail gun couldn't get the nails all the way through, and I had to set them all by hand. Not fun--but worth it!) It is golden and glowing, and Light Years better than the horrible old floor.

Today we hope to get the cupboards and sink installed and the disposal hooked up--then I get to paint everything!

I am so happy (in the midst of SUCH CHAOS!)

More chaos than usual

2011-09-12T20:10:00.007-04:00

Those who know me well would be surprised to know that it was even possible to have more chaos than usual. But, let me assure you--it is.

Anyone who has ever cooked (or even been in!) my kitchen has said something along the lines of "If I ever win the lottery, I am redoing your kitchen!"

The kitchen does have some flaws.

There are the functionality flaws:

*It is very small--think "Galley Kitchen"
*No dishwasher.
*A 1950's era single sink.
*Cracks in the lathe and plaster on the back wall (the wall that faces the prevailing winter winds) means that during all the long winter months, every time you open a drawer or cupboard, you get a breeze stiff enough to blow your hair around--no joke.

Then there are the design/aesthetic flaws:

*Rusty metal 1950's era metal cupboards and counters (I like the functionality of them--I am just not a fan of the rust--and honestly the long cupboard that spent decades in the basement does look like it has a fairly advanced case of leprosy.)
*The Vent Hood From Hades (seriously--so ugly, it doesn't work, it collects greasy dirt the way Lady Gaga collects crazy, it sticks WAY out and it is at the perfect height to bash all of our heads against it).
*Horrible gray asphalt tile floor with big (dirt holding) spaces between the tiles.
*Horrible floor was redecorated by SmallDaughter.
*Decorating by the crazy woman who lived here before us--did I mention the algae colored paint that clashes with the '80's green and cream plaid wallpaper?

Well--the good news is--you don't have to win the lottery for me to get a new kitchen!!

We are working on it RIGHT NOW!

My awesome hubby surprised me with it, and my dad is doing the supervising (and the lions share of the work). We went shopping last week and have TONS of supplies ALL OVER EVERYWHERE. Everything that was in all of the kitchen cupboards had to be emptied into boxes so those cupboards can be removed. And the cupboards that have quietly resided in the dining room and office (quietly filling UP), had to be emptied into boxes so they can be installed. And then... all of those boxes had to be put somewhere. Well, truly--they got put everywhere.

This project happened WAY SOONER than I thought it would, and I was not the calm and organized creature that I ~~aspire to~~ ~~dream of~~ despair of becoming.

NOTE: We are currently experiencing technical difficulties getting the @#$%^&! pictures off of the !@#$%^&*!!! camera. Pictures coming soon.

We hope.

Fabbity Fab Fab Fab!

2011-09-04T20:49:00.001-04:00

I had an awesome weekend! My sweet hubby surprised me with a "weekend away" for our anniversary. It was especially exciting since A)our anniversary is not until next week and B)because of the crazy busyness of our schedules, it is "traditionally" (ie, happening most years)celebrated in November--sometimes even December!

We had a great time together, and it was unbelievably lovely just to have a long stretch of hours just to reconnect. Bliss.

Also, after a really excellent Fast and Testimony meeting at church, and a rather weird seminary get together, he surprised us (after SmallDaughter was asleep in bed, due to the "absolutely no dairy" restrictions) with an awesome ice cream bar--which, as you may expect, went over really well!

LUXURY

2011-08-31T09:01:00.002-04:00

Last night, LargeBoy had a sleepover with his Bestie CuteBoy--at CuteBoy's house (they eagerly did their jobs AT BOTH HOUSES to earn the privilege! WIN!). SmallDaughter is safely off to school. BigGirl stayed conscious all through seminary*, did her morning jobs and then went back to bed. I have done several jobs already, and I think I will follow my daughters stunning example and go take a nap! Ciao!

*Seminary this year is Old Testament, which is my favorite, and it is awesome!! I have such a great class! They are coherent and interested at 5:30am, and want to learn how to be better people. They absolutely ROCK!

2011-08-30T08:05:00.001-04:00

Well, we are officially in our "school groove". SmallDaughter started school a week ago. It is so different getting her ready for school. She has no understanding of time, so she doesn't get excited for things in advance. So instead of a week (or several) of anticipating the good and bad of school--it just happens. One day you get up, and after you get your clothes on and breakfast eaten--the van picks you up for school.

BigGirl and LargeBoy also started school. Boy was that mellow! I really love my own homeschool. Last year we did an online public school (their choice, not mine). It was, as I feared, the worst of both worlds--Mom doing all the nagging to meet someone else's schedule of busywork. This year, we are plucking the fruits that come from living in such an awesome technologically blessed time, and really enjoying ourselves.

I can't rave enough about
Khan Academy, which covers all of the math gaps that I worried so much about--and is self motivating! LargeBoy asked if he could have a thumb-drive of his very own, and I told him that I would buy him one after he earned an "Earth Badge" in math. I figured that was a goal that would take him about a week, which seemed reasonable to me. 40 minutes later, he triumphantly showed me his Earth Badge!

BibGirl spent her free time yesterday learning
how to say Hello in many different languages (and feeling pretty good about the fact that she already knew more Japanese and Korean than they posted on the site!), and playing a
strangely addictive geometry game.

We had our first morning of Seminary. It is Old Testament, which is my favorite. I love being able to see both "the big picture" of large groups of people and big expanses of time, and how God works in the lives of individuals--and how one person's choice can affect the entire world. Plus, it has the best heroes. I am a big fan of Joseph (Joseph in Egypt) and how he maintained his faith through EVERYTHING. Also Gideon. Also some of the less well known heroes--like Jonathan, who never let his pride get in the way of his love, and Jael, who knew the best way to drive her point home (ba-dum!)!

Life is good.

The Big Brag

2011-08-29T06:48:00.000-04:00

Time is zooming by so fast, and I have (as always) so much going n, that it is hard to remember what I need to post about. So, here is a short review of how awesome my peeps (both animal and human!) really are:

At the fair:

Each of the 3 children did 2 projects. Each of them got Grade A Blue Ribbons on all projects. One of the children also went to the State Fair for their project AND their Demonstration. We also ended up with 3 silver platters, which are what they give instead of trophies for "Best in Class Overall".

The projects were:
LargeCousin & BigGirl both took the same projects--"Savvy Shopping", where they learned about clothing selection and care (including Laundry Care) and assembled a complete outfit from Thrift Stores, and then they modeled their outfit, and "Designing Interiors" where they learned principles of design and then used them in a room*.

LargeBoy did "Exploring Electricity" and can now tell you all about circuits and such (with a HUGE shout out to Mr. Ken, our dear friend--and electrician/teacher extraordinaire, who made the process painless!) He also did Meat Chickens, which are a whole category unto themselves. They are Cornish/Rock cross breeds (also known as "White Broilers". They are bred to grow to full size in 12 weeks. Normal chickens start laying at 20 weeks. They grow more than twice as fast as the layers. If you don't butcher them at 11 or 12 weeks, they start dying of heart attacks, because they grow so big!

The WonderDog has gone back to 4 Paws for a "tuneup"--just to brush up on his training.

The chicks we got this spring just started laying their super cute, tiny little pullet eggs. The eggs are smaller than ping-pong balls, and the yolks are the size of marbles, but they are perfectly formed, and very beautiful!

I got to spend the weekend with my sisters (two of them!) and it was great--but not enough time!

SmallDaughter has started back to school, and I am not sure how I like the new setup--they switched schools and teachers again, but this teacher is out on maternity leave, so we have a long term substitute...anyway, I am hoping for the best.

Early morning Seminary starts tomorrow. LargeCousin is in the Main Class, and I am teaching the "far hinterlands" class again--which includes my own BigGirl this year! I am super excited--it is Old Testament, which is my favorite!

*BigGirl did a much needed bedroom makeover. LargeCousin was planning on re-doing the room she was supposed to inherit from her brother, but circumstances...circumstanced, and she ended up redoing the tiny 1/4 bathroom off of her old bedroom. They both did a really good job--on rooms that REALLY needed redoing, and I am very pleased with the results--and with the girls, too!

Broken Hearts

2011-08-21T15:35:00.000-04:00

I was going to post about the fair. About the triumphs shared by BigGirl, LargeBoy and LargeCousin. About my exhaustion. About BigGirl and LargeCousin's projects which involved repainting and redecorating a bedroom and a bathroom. About how proud I am of LargeBoy passing his Board of Review to become a Life Scout (the rank just below Eagle Scout), and being selected for the Order of the Arrow (kind of like the Boy Scout version of Honor Society). But all of those things were trumped by the news of the death of LargeBoy's scout leader.

Sometimes death comes as a sweet release at the end of pain and suffering, or the chance to be with all of the friends and loved ones who have gone on before. Of course we miss those people, but our pain is tempered and evened by peace. When needless tragedy strikes, it is much harder to assimilate--let alone to bear.

Aaron was 26, preparing to leave for his third tour of duty (twice to Iraq, this time to Afghanistan) next week. He left behind his sweet young wife and their son who turned one a week ago, and the baby girl who is due at Christmas. He also left a gaping hole in the hearts of the Boy Scouts who hero worshiped him.

What young man would not be in awe of a guy who could mountain climb AND skydive, who was an EMT as well as an Eagle Scout with 3 palms, who also played Saxophone, Volleyball and Basketball AND dated tons of girls (before he met and married a fabulous lady). He truly was an awesome roll model, because not only did he have "mad skills"--he was also a kind, good man. I hope my son can be a man like Aaron.

Wise words from a wise woman

2011-08-15T21:51:00.000-04:00

I am reposting this from "Casa Camisas", because she said it all so well. I like her comments, and I too loved Sister Chieko (however, I was in college when she became the RS General President).

One of my favorite people, Chieko Okazaki, passed away last week. I think I was 11 or 12 when she was in the general RS presidency, and used to get so excited when it was her turn to speak in LDS General Conferences -- her talks were always interesting, always engaging. I usually don't like trite online tributes to people who didn't really know me, but I came across a quotation from one of her talks (it's from a BYU devotional, years ago) and it touched me so much that I wanted to share. Sis. Okazaki was a person with a very strong personal relationship with Christ, and in this passage, she expounds on how women in particular can grow closer to Him:
"Well, my dear sisters, the gospel is the good news that can free us from guilt. We know that Jesus experienced the totality of mortal existence in Gethsemane. It’s our faith that he experienced everything- absolutely everything. Sometimes we don’t think through the implications of that belief. We talk in great generalities about the sins of all humankind, about the suffering of the entire human family. But we don’t experience pain in generalities. We experience it individually. That means he knows what it felt like when your mother died of cancer- how it was for your mother, how it still is for you. He knows what it felt like to lose the student body election. He knows that moment when the brakes locked and the car started to skid. He experienced the slave ship sailing from Ghana toward Virginia. He experienced the gas chambers at Dachau. He experienced Napalm in Vietnam. He knows about drug addiction and alcoholism.
Let me go further. There is nothing you have experienced as a woman that he does not also know and recognize. On a profound level, he understands the hunger to hold your baby that sustains you through pregnancy. He understands both the physical pain of giving birth and the immense joy. He knows about PMS and cramps and menopause. He understands about rape and infertility and abortion. His last recorded words to his disciples were, “And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) He understands your mother-pain when your five-year-old leaves for kindergarten, when a bully picks on your fifth-grader, when your daughter calls to say that the new baby has Down syndrome. He knows your mother-rage when a trusted babysitter sexually abuses your two-year-old, when someone gives your thirteen-year-old drugs, when someone seduces your seventeen-year-old. He knows the pain you live with when you come home to a quiet apartment where the only children are visitors, when you hear that your former husband and his new wife were sealed in the temple last week, when your fiftieth wedding anniversary rolls around and your husband has been dead for two years. He knows all that. He’s been there. He’s been lower than all that. He’s not waiting for us to be perfect. Perfect people don’t need a Savior. He came to save his people in their imperfections. He is the Lord of the living, and the living make mistakes. He’s not embarrassed by us, angry at us, or shocked. He wants us in our brokenness, in our unhappiness, in our guilt and our grief."

This pretty much describes our weather this week

2011-07-23T09:35:00.000-04:00

98 Degrees + 90% Humidity = 115 Degree Heat Index (Like wind chill, but the other direction!)

Blessings--Living the good life!

2011-07-19T12:39:00.000-04:00

So much good news is happening in my life, and the lives of those I love!

BigGirl and LargeBoy have been having a great time at Youth Conference, Girls Camp (BigGirl) and Scout Conference (LargeBoy). LargeCousin and BigGirl are both redecorating rooms for 4-H projects, and so the nasty "orphanage pink" paint is covered with bright white primer, and ready to be cute! We have been Freecycling like mad--I got rid of 12 old chairs, 3 TV sets, 2 computer monitors, the metal bunk bed frame, and the bags for the vacuum I no longer own. AND I received a half sized violin so SmallDaughter can start Suzuki violin lessons*.

But--my good news is small potatoes compared with the other good news!
Dear Aunt Shanny, finally found the right new car, after months of agonizing car shopping. Dear Sister Ali, AND Dear Sister Rach, who both finished school with honors (Ali in Culinary School and Rach in Massage/Spa School) have both landed their dream jobs--and because they are so awesome, they are wowing their new bosses!

And best of all, Aunt Andi finally got her miracle house. It is truly amazing and perfect. It is located in a great neighborhood (unlike the one they currently live in!), it has bedroom, bath, and living areas on the main floor, so they don't have to keep going up and down the stairs (which is important as Uncle R's health is declining). There are many other miracles in it as well.

SmallDaughter is loving therapy (Summer Session of Riding Therapy, as well as Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapies).

We are SO Blessed!

*Violin lessons are for 4 reasons:
First-and most important--While learning any musical instrument helps your brain form new neural pathways, apparently Violin forms more than any other.
Second, In Suzuki lessons, they often start with children as young as 2 years old, so they are used to non-readers with very short attention spans!
Third, SmallDaughter has always been fascinated by, and attracted to violins.
Fourth, apparently I am a masochist. Personally, I hate the violin--it is (with the possible exception of piccolo) my least favorite instrument. I am not even fond of solo violin when it is played by a master, and being wielded by a very poor novice? SHUDDER. She is worth it, though.

Stuff to Ponder

2011-07-13T08:33:00.000-04:00

I have had a lot of things running through my mind lately.

Here are a few of them:

How grateful I am for our Nation. For the people who have sacrificed their entire lives so that my children can live without fear on a daily basis.

Fireworks on television are just not as good as the real thing. We are very fortunate that our front yard is the perfect spot to watch our town's display--and for a small town, it is a really good show!

If you are a SmallDaughter who is bored, you can easily entertain yourself by pouring a bottle of hair conditioner on the floor and sliding around in it. Even more entertainment can be found by pouring a bottle of maple syrup on top of it. It provides a lot of "entertainment" for mom, too!

We seem to have become the home of last resort for all the gray cats in town. I am not sure why they are all gray, but we have some really pretty variety. They don't know about the surprise spaying/neutering that is in their futures!

Chickens are a lot more entertaining than I ever would have guessed. However, filling the waterers (especially when it is really hot or really cold and they are drinking a lot) is really a drag.

My sweet husband did a bunch of "honey-do" stuff around the house, and it is really great having a new kitchen faucet, etc.!

I worry about my friends far away. I have been really blessed to have amazing people in my life. I keep them in my prayers, but I wish we could be a lot closer.

My big kids are really awesome. They are busy doing camps, and hikes and sleepovers and--LargeBoy just got offered employment (baling hay!).

Medical Condition (or not) N.I.I.

2011-07-09T11:25:00.000-04:00

It has been a long time since I have approached 4:00 am from nighttime end ("wow, I really should be sleeping, I have to get up so soon..."). I am up at 4:00 am fairly frequently on the "crap it's still dark and I have to get up" end of things.

However, this week I did see 4:00 am--because of a severe case of NII (Novel Induced Insomnia). Yep, could not put the darn thing down. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb if you were wondering.

Aunt-ticipation

2011-06-19T19:59:00.000-04:00

I came to this Aunt-hood gig late. Both my hubby and I are the oldest children in our families. Our children are the oldest grandkids on both sides. And, even after my sibs (eventually) got around to having nieces and nephews for me to spoil, they lived very far away (across the ocean, and South Dakota. Inconvenient!)

I knew what I was missing. I have awesome aunts--on both sides of my family. I have great memories with them--stretching back my entire life.

But now, things are picking up! People have moved closer (mere hours of travel time!! YAY) Plus--more kids to spoil!

Last week, I answered the phone to a teary little voice, informing me that a tragic accident "with a dangerous thing" had "hurt his cute, cute face". Mom was not sympathetic. She was not sympathetic, because the three year old in question was injured when he put the ladder for the bunkbed (the "dangerous thing"in question) up to the counter--against her express wishes and advice--and it slid down (of course!). Fortunately--aunts can be more sympathetic.

I spent today sewing a baptism dress for a lovely niece. It turned out even better than I pictured it in my imagination. I upcycled a vintage linen damask tablecloth (and 1 linen napkin) which gives it a lovely white on white pattern that glows in the light--and it is SOFT--not at all scratchy or itchy. It has a great twirly skirt (a full circle and a quarter!) and very pretty poof sleeves. I will attempt to get photos. Darn this lack of camera!

YUM!

2011-06-19T19:49:00.000-04:00

Last night, when I went out to round up the chickens, it was so humid that there was a layer of fog on the low-lying areas of my backyard (which does have a definite slope to the south-west). It was very green, and gray and still. Beautiful and peaceful.

Of course, that same humidity that gives us all the amazing shades of green, also made the two batches of caramel corn sitting on the counter into moist little sponges. Urgh.

The caramel corn (which fortunately was a recipe that was put into a 250 degree oven and toasted for 45 minutes--and which revived nicely with another half-hour this morning!) was for church.

We (the Primary Presidency) had discussed various gifts for the dads in the ward. We settled on a treat buffet. WIN! We had 5 sisters make 1 or 2 of their specialties--we had a great variety (chocolate with peanut butter, snickerdoodles, fruit kabobs, brownies, and more!)--plus baggies of the aforementioned popcorn.

We thought the dad's would come get a plate and then head to class, but everybody stood around chatting. We have already had requests for this to become an annual tradition.

It was a very happy Father's Day!

Wildlife Report

2011-06-08T23:31:00.000-04:00

A rundown on my local wildlife:

Unwanted:
Lots of fat brown rabbits
Lots of fat brown groundhogs

Wanted:
Today was my first sighting of the year for fireflies. How I love them!

We bought a bunch of new chicks today. Yep--this is our third batch this spring. I did finally get some pix, which I hope to post soon.

3 hilarious little kittens that my dear hubby brought home last weekend "so we can find homes for them"--I suspect that they have found it. Pictures of them coming soon, too.

The WonderDog--who has finally made peace with the kittens, and is UBER-EXCITED about the chicks (what is not to love about little balls that squeak, run around erratically, and smell like chicken!?) He knocked the box off the shelf this afternoon, and we had a hilarious scene of kittens chasing chicks, Wonderdog watching the whole scene in excitement, and small girls giggling and trying to get everybody rounded back up. Thankfully, no fatalities, no injuries, everything is hunky-dory!

LOTS of kids--seriously, a dozen. 6 newly adolescentish boys (in the 10-14 range), and 2 teen-ish girls (BigGirl's BFF who tragically moved out of state is in town for a visit--hooray!!) tending 4 little-ish girls. The girls had lots of glamour and crafts. The boys had lots of running, yelling, archery(ish) stuff and most exciting--I let them build a fire and cook out on it, then sleep out in the new tent (yard sale!--it's nice, too!) Everybody played lots of water games because it was almost 100 degrees, according to the sign on the Bank uptown.

Whew! I am ready for bed!

Spring is here (!?)

2011-06-07T08:22:00.000-04:00

I have my garden planted!

Now, I know it is a little late in the year, but 2 BIG obstacles stood in my way:

1: We have had so much rain this year that it has been too wet for ANYONE to plant ANYTHING. The farmers are just now getting their corn crop in (6 weeks late).

2: I had to move my entire garden. I have completely given up on attempting to use the "soil" of our yard to grow much of anything in. Pure clay. It is such pure clay that my younger sister once made pots out of it, dried them in the sun (no fancy kiln or anything of that nature!) and they stayed good all summer long. Even when they were rained on. That kind of clay.

So I have opted for raised bed,square foot gardening. I LOVE IT! However--the site of my former garden is now the hugely enlarged chicken yard, so I had to move everything. All the raised beds, all the soil. That process was slowed by my complete aversion to having the rays of the sun touch my lily white (read "fish belly pale") skin. I do my yard work before the sun is up, and after it goes down.

And now it is planted and fenced, and growing for all it is worth (I hope!)

Next step: build the onion & carrot planters and plant all the herbs. We also have "Camp Funnawanna" this week with some of our favorite children, doing all kinds of awesome summertime activities--and letting their sweet mom study for her finals in peace!

Happy Birthday

2011-06-01T22:32:00.000-04:00

Today would be my Mom's 61st birthday. Except that she died 10 1/2 years ago. I can't believe how fast that decade has gone by. I am regularly surprised to realize what my mom was doing when she was my age--since I am the oldest, I remember the most history, and I remember clearly. When my mom was the age that I am now, I was already friends with Karen and Angela. She had already changed many people's lives--for the better. She was always a catalyst. She had a gift for bringing out other people's skills and abilities. Even skills they weren't aware of.

I would like to share a letter I received today from my Aunt Debbie--my mom's younger sister.

June 1, 2011 – Wednesday

Today would have been Brenda’s 61st birthday. Last week, during the chaos of my life, I was reading “A Tale of Two Cities.” At first it was slow going and I had no inkling of any memory of reading the book or seeing the movie. All I knew was that it was a book I’ve wanted to read for along time.

And then I began to feel a creeping awareness that these characters were familiar. As the Dickens story unfolded, and I became more engrossed, I could see Brenda’s bright, animated face telling me about vengeful Madame DeFarge, knitting as she condemned people to the guillotine, love-struck Sidney Carton, beautiful Lucy, and unfortunate Dr. Manette. I’m sure I didn’t understand much of it—I can remember feeling confused about why good people were in danger of being executed—but that didn’t dampen our excitement.

How blessed I was, to grow up with such a guide! I don’t know if Brenda had seen the movie—there was a 1958 release that would have had to have been re-shown sometime in the 1960s at the local theater or drive-in—or if she read the book. Either way, she made it come to life for the rest of us. That’s one of my favorite memories—all of us sitting around hearing a story while we quilted, snapped beans or just vegetated. And Brenda was the best storyteller of all.

She also passed on her insatiable desire for learning. It isn’t enough to know about “A Tale of Two Cities”—now I have to learn more about the French Revolution.

Happy Birthday, dear Brenda—your memory lives on!

I clearly remember her telling me the story of "Macbeth" on a long drive home one night. I LOVED it--she made it vibrant. I was seven.

Remember

2011-05-30T10:50:00.000-04:00

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

During the Second Battle of Ypres (before the Americans had even joined the war, but hundreds of thousands of French, English and Canadian soldiers had died) a Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2 May, 1915 by an exploding shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae.

John was asked to conduct the burial service owing to the chaplain being called away on duty elsewhere. It is believed that later that evening John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields'. This poem made poppies a symbol of remembrance.

Memorial Day is much more than just a three day weekend, a chance to grill or the start of summer. Pause to remember how much you have to be grateful for--because of men and women who gave up their future to ensure you would have a bright one.

Free at Last!

2011-05-27T00:14:00.000-04:00

BigGirl and LargeBoy got their final assignments submitted before the 11:59 deadline.
Yep, 11:58 (and probably 45 seconds!)
--nothing like cutting it close!

I am so happy to be done with public schooling (even the online version) and its twisted version of "learning"--it must be quantifiable, track-able, painful and convoluted--preferably with LOTS of busywork. OH so much busywork.

BigGirl and I spent hours going through her science textbook, working on Newton's laws, simple machines, etc. The dry explanations went in one ear and out the other--even with me reading them aloud so she could concentrate on comprehension instead of decoding. When I mentioned that she could gain a thorough understanding of the concepts by sitting down for an
enjoyable read with some wooly mammoths, she was delighted (and relieved!).

As humans, we don't learn alone. We discuss and compare ideas and concepts and build on the breakthroughs we share. Our culture's learning paradigm is broken.

Whew! Glad we are finally free!

Poem for Springtime

2011-05-24T18:06:00.000-04:00

Why, oh why
must all the junebugs
come to die
in my bathtub?

What a weekend!

2011-05-23T08:41:00.000-04:00

I just love weddings! Truly--since I have attended well over 75, and have been an active participant (doing anything from hand lettering the invitations to sewing the wedding dress to all of the decorations) in over 30, I have a LOT of experience in this area!

This weekend was my cousin Brandon's wedding. It was very lovely. It was small and intimate, and fun (pretty much a perfect combination!). The bride was lovely, and the more I spend time with her, the more I like her (I had only met her in passing, so I didn't have any real opinion about her, but I think they will be great together!) They had the ceremony outside, but all the guests were in a gazebo, so we were in the shade. And the weather was nice--for the first time in WEEKS!

However, as excellent as the wedding was, the really great part was getting to spend time with my cousins and dear friends. YAY! People I love came from (literally) all over the country to be together. Portland Oregon, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, it was so great to have everybody together.

Now I need to go catch up on my sleep!

Whew!

2011-05-08T19:18:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the "radio silence" but a whole lot has been happening. Including, but not limited too:
BigGirl spending 12 straight days unable to keep anything down.
Visit to Doctor.
Visit to Emergency Room.
IV Liquids.
No real idea of why.
My doctor visit (which I promised long ago to update upon).
I suspect I am having thyroid issues. Thyroid is notoriously hard for doctors to diagnose, because it mimics many other things but mainly because the range of "normal" is so @!#$%^&* huge (really, a range of 0.5 to 5.5) so what is perfectly "normal" can be seriously out of whack for your body, and they just can't tell!
(By the way--my test results came back *cough* "Normal").

Also--
New Chicks (around 35 or 40--hard to keep track) of various types (more variety than ever before--really fun!).
A visit from 2 really cute baby goats (they stayed at our house for 2 weeks).
Visits from lots of family we love.
Easter, Traditional (very fun) Easter Egg hunt and family dinner (at our house).
Birthday Party (quite a long time after the fact, due to scheduling issues) for LargeBoy. The party was awesome--almost zero work for me (which worked out nicely, since that was the day I was in the ER with BigGirl).
AND my debut party for my new business.

For those of you who have been waiting breathlessly for details:

I am now an official Consultant for Essential Bodywear.
(crickets chirping)
"I am officially a Bra Lady!" Yep. I can measure and do fittings, and I sell great bras (and other "foundation garments"). We had our first "Bra Party" and it was great!

In keeping with my tradition of "having a Mother's Day"--boy have I had one. I dared to try to take a nap, and SmallDaughter got into the shower and poured 3 bottles of shampoo (the Suave [for the family hair], the Bath & Bodyworks [my own personal expensive splurge--big sigh], and the Head & Shoulders [for certain adolescent type people]--[which is also not fun to clean up--trust me]) AND a container of purple cookie frosting (not from the shower--from the deeply forbidden, high up cupboard of doom--er expensive, yummy ingredients) onto the floor. There were also a dozen potatoes and a bottle of windex involved. Yep, "A Mother's Day" indeed.

REAL school

2011-04-15T11:02:00.000-04:00

I find it humorous that when I told my dad I was giving up on the (!@#$%^) online school, and he asked "are you going back to real schooling"?--He meant real homeschooling! It is pretty cool to me that in his mind, REAL school is a family, reading a lot of books and sharing information together.

The basic problem with online schools (and this is the third one that I have personal experience with) is that they still expect you to do the stupid, unnecessary busywork, on their schedule, but mom is the bad guy. While this might be the best solution for some people, it is not the best solution for my children.

We are excited for our next phase (it won't really be a "school year" since it will start whenever we want it too). We are using several exciting tools.

Khan Academy--Whee! This is what the internet is perfect for! Unlimited, enjoyable learning at your own pace--for free!

Clickschooling--The best of the internet! Each day they send a link on that day’s subject: Monday: Math, Tuesday: Science, Wednesday: Language Arts, Thursday: Social Sciences, Friday: Virtual Fieldtrip, Saturday: Music, Art and Foreign Languages. PLUS—they have 12+ years of ARCHIVES!

And, for those who have smaller children, they also have Preschool Help!

You could give your child (or yourself for that matter) a dang good--and interesting--education using only this resource!--and it's free!

Instructables--How to do almost anything! (with instructions and step by step pictures). (I'm serious!--a small sampling of headings, just from the LIVING section includes "Art, Beauty, Cake Decorating, Cleaning, Fashion, Furnishing...") and... it's free!

YouTube--besides the cute kitty videos and the funny memes, there are also TONS of instructions on everything from making your own spa products to making pizza. Don't discount the music lessons (and knitting, and spinning, and chemistry, and...) Also free!

Do we see a theme here?

Right at our very fingertips, we have all the learning in the world...for free. Anything you are interested in, or simply want to know more about, it's ALL there (and I LOVE good quality FREE stuff)!

AND NOW, for your edification and enjoyment, I am going to share two of my favorite videos!

First, a humorous look at an all too familiar scene in the life of the parent of a Special Needs Child

This is not true of every school, (for example, I had a great IEP meeting with SmallDaughter's team yesterday), but I have seen it too often, for too many children.

And, one of the most brilliant and mind opening talks I have ever been privileged to hear!

If you haven't had the opportunity to become acquainted with "TED.com", you should!

Well, I'm Back!

2011-04-12T09:10:00.000-04:00

I have been gallivanting all over the country! Two weekends ago, I got to attend the Sewing and Quilting Expo with 3 of my favorite aunties! It was AWESOME! I was able to take a bunch of classes and learn so much exciting stuff! I learned how to alter patterns without causing distortions anywhere else. Now, I am sure to most of my readers that does not sound particularly exciting. But, trust me, for me, it is revolutionary and mind blowing! I am SO excited! I also got new tools! (OOH! Shiny!)

And, I figured out a couple of things: 1) I am pretty sure why I am so tired (I will report more on this after the official Dr. visit in a couple of weeks to follow up on my hunch) and 2) What job I can do (with my crazy schedule and family needs). That will be my next post--and trust me, it is NOT what I was expecting!

I also got to spend this last week helping my awesome sister and brother-in-law prepare for and attend a conference, that will (hopefully) get his extraordinary business off the ground. They spent a lot of time in a very small car, while I stayed at their house playing with the adorable nieces. I think I have mentioned before that I have the cutest nieces and nephews in the world (this extends to my cousins children, also, because when you have a family as large and loving as mine, the exact relationships have a tendency to get a bit fuzzy and so easy titles like "cousin" win!)

People might think I am biased, bragging or showing a teensy amount of favoritism, but I have second (and third!) opinions from non-related people, and it is true! They are just DARN CUTE!

Now I have to recover from all the fun I have been having!

S'No Way!

2011-03-31T08:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I actually listened to a weather report (which is quite a rare occurrence for me), in which they earnestly reported that we had a chance of rain in the afternoon.
That news bummed me out, because the reason I checked the weather was to continue my long procrastinated (yeah, like 7 YEARS long!) project of transplanting a bunch of bulbs and other perennial flowers from the random places they have ended up (due to the sewer projects, the driveway project, the chicken yard project, etc.) and placing them in actual flower beds. Quite, quite radical.

So, just after I checked that depressing news, it began to snow. Yep. And now we have about 3 inches. SIGH.

I know that it will melt today. I know that we probably have one more snow storm this season. But logic doesn't have a whole lot to do with the bummed-outness of someone who had some actual gardening plans going.

More Shameless Commerce!

2011-03-21T11:53:00.000-04:00

Remember how I complained about fundraisers here ? And I said the only one I actually liked was our 4-H club's annual Cheese Sale? Well, it's that time of year again. One week only. Excellent cheese (it will arrive around the 2nd week of April). Let me know if you want more info.

It is just a good thing I love these kids so much! And that they really do get a LOT out of their 4-H experience. Almost enough to make sorting out 500 bazillionty pounds of cheese worth it.

ReThink

2011-03-19T09:49:00.000-04:00

Last week I went to a "Shadow Day" for school the program (Fashion) at the University I want to attend--and OH HOW I LOVED IT! It was so exhilarating--the classes were exciting and I could do them--well!

However, the design program, which is what I really want to do, is a "lockstep" program. You have to take the fall classes (which are only offered in the fall) before you can take the spring classes (which are only offered in the spring). Which really limits someone who has to drive 100 miles each way and has a family to take care of, who was really hoping to be able to go half-time!

And, it is a VERY intense course--the students in the class I attended said "They say if you are in Fashion Design you have to choose between eating, sleeping and hygiene--but really you just give up on all three! You can tell who the design students are--they are the ones in sweats and ratty ponytails, with dark rings under their eyes!"

Looking honestly at my life, I don't see how I can possibly do it right now. SmallDaughter requires so much attention, so much work--it would be really difficult to do a half time program, let alone a "time and a half" program.

So, I am rethinking my options.

I still want to go to school. Still don't want to go for nursing or elementary education. Still can't decide what else I want to be. Hmmm--this seems very familiar, like I have been here before! Oh, yes--I have been!

If you have any awesome ideas for what I could be when I grow up, PLEASE let me know.

Midnight Essay

2011-03-05T19:41:00.000-05:00

As I prepare to return to college, I am trying to get as many scholarships as possible. One night, I woke up with an entire essay in my head, which had to be written down before I could go to sleep again. I don't know what scholarship will need this particular essay (so far, the essays I have come across have themes like "How would you spread the word about Credit Unions", or "Why is America the Land of Opportunity, and how does Brand X Butter help it stay that way?"). However, I know that someday, my midnight essay will be exactly what I need.

I will share it with you.

Most college students worry about meeting that certain someone, deciding what they want to do with their lives or finding out who they are and how they fit in. I worry about going to school and still being a good wife to my husband and a good mother to my children—but mostly I worry about SmallDaughter.

I worry about how to help her understand and be understood, I agonize about helping her meet her potential, I ponder about ways to help her learn to write her name. I worry about helping her learn her shapes and letters, to brush her teeth by herself and to say her prayers. But most of all I worry about keeping her safe.

Every toddler on earth has a knack for getting into trouble—but most of them outgrow it as they learn about the world around them. SmallDaughter is 10 years old, but because of several neurological conditions, she remains “the world’s tallest and fastest two year old”—functioning at about the same level as an average 2 ½ year old child.

She is a charming, bright, sparkling redhead, with big blue eyes and an infectious smile. Her ready laugh and responsive personality charm everyone who meets her. Yet, with all these gifts she is almost totally non-verbal.

I have never heard her say “mommy”, let alone “I love you”. Yet—she does communicate—surprisingly well. Using ASL signs, word approximations and body language, SmallDaughter expresses opinions, teases and jokes and gives us flashes into her mind.

People wonder how I can cope with the difficulty of living with a permanent two year old. It is certainly a challenge, but it is also a blessing. My older children BigGirl and LargeBoy were not only typical, they were above average. They learned skills so quickly and easily that it was easy to miss how much work was really involved.

SmallDaughter slows that process down. She is like watching childhood in slow motion. Every milestone comes at tremendous cost and effort. She just mastered the skills needed to “jump”—the motion of “bend the knees, then spring upward”. Her therapists (and her family) worked on that skill with her—for six years.

I would not have chosen my life. I would not have signed up to have a ten year old who still wears diapers and has tantrums, who pours milk on the carpet and has no sense of safety. But I would not trade my life for anything. I would never give up the lessons my family has learned— how valuable each moment and each milestone is, or how patient BigGirl and LargeBoy are with not only SmallDaughter, but anyone who is “different”.

Choosing to go back to college as a 39 year old wife, mother of two teenagers and a perpetual toddler (and her Service Dog) is scary. But, SmallDaughter has taught me:
I can do hard things. Giving up is not an option. Laughing makes things better. No one knows what the future holds, but today can be a great adventure. Most of all, I have learned that things (and people) do not have to be perfect or fit some ideal to be wonderful. Life is a sweet gift, and filling it with joy every day is the most important thing we can do.

Farewell-for a little while

2011-03-03T23:07:00.000-05:00

We just got back from the farewell party for my cousin Matt. He is leaving on his mission...in a matter of hours. For two years he will voluntarily leave his family, his friends and his home to share the answers to life's biggest questions with people he doesn't even know yet--who will become some of the people he loves the very most. More than any other missionary I have known, this has been a long and difficult journey. I really admire him for choosing to serve wisely, humbly and obediently.

I was there when he was born. I can't even express what a cutie he was when he was little--outstandingly cute, even in a family that is famous for its cute kids! I was there two days ago when he made sacred covenants in the house of God , as a strong, handsome man. He is a HUGE* example and role model to my siblings and my children. He is one of SmallDaughter's "guys". We will miss him dreadfully.

I also know that he will be an amazing missionary. He is so loving and funny, but he also has wisdom, depth and compassion that many younger missionaries lack.

Go forth with faith, Elder--return with honor (and with some really good food for your loving {and possibly slightly bossy) cousin!

*his example and role modelness are about 6 times larger than his large self. We just had a discussion on the perfect height for a guy, and he said if you are taller than about 6'2" or 6'3" (which is the neighborhood he is in), than that is all people notice and remember. In this (as in so MANY other ways) Matt is just perfect!

Sparkle

2011-03-02T09:38:00.001-05:00

I survived the wedding--which wouldn't have been bad, except we got a TON of snow on Friday night--which meant school was canceled and I had to change all plans to include SmallDaughter, and lost about 3 hours of prep time on Friday, and another 3 or 4 on Saturday due to shoveling out activities.

I ended up ditching a lot of really cute and fun ideas and going with something simpler (when you lose 6-10 hours out of a 2 day span, that REALLY affects you!). Fortunately, as my sister reminded me once again--Nobody else can see what is in my mind, so nobody else was disappointed when it looked different!

I did the backdrop and the bouquet and boutonniere. They did the cuteness and the smiling! I really do LOVE this couple!

Ironically, SmallGirl's school was also canceled on Monday--not because of the howling winds and blizzard conditions we had Friday, but because we got a sudden thaw and lots of rain and had serious flooding!

Now, I am moving on to other exciting activities!

Pictures

2011-02-23T10:32:00.001-05:00

I found the camera, AND the charger! SO, you get to see evidence of a little of what has been keeping me busy! Here are two views of the Mother's Corsages for the wedding, with the "gilded" roses that I glittered.

Here is one of the boutonnieres. The bride already has her bouquet, so I can't show you how that turned out!

I will be busy doing wedding stuff for the rest of the week, and then I will be catching up with everything that got scheduled for "after the wedding"!

Patience!

2011-02-19T14:40:00.000-05:00

I am not sure I have reported very much on our "kittens". They are coming up on a year old now, so they are in late adolescence, big and rangy. We have two out of the original four left at our house. They are very pretty cats--gray and white longhairs, very silky. Thor (the girl) is all gray. Storm (the male) has a white bib and boots. They are very good natured, and quite, quite stupid. This is a good thing, in a house with SmallDaughter. They love attention, and are willing to put up with ANYTHING she dishes out. She carries them about (sometimes by the neck), she "pets" them--sometimes with a shoe or a teacup in her hand at the same time--they don't mind, they are just glad she loves them!

I bring this up, because I just watched her pick up Thor, who was sleeping in the sunlight on a soft quilt on the couch, and stuff her bodily into a 3 gallon chicken waterer (fortunately empty!) and carry her around in it. This is the bottom half of a 2 part waterer. It looks quite a bit like a bucket with a lip around the bottom (that is where the water pools for the chickens to drink out of). However, there is also a 2 inch wide handle across the middle, which makes the stuffing of cats into it much trickier--but she succeeded!

Gilding the Lillies (and daisies, and roses...)

2011-02-14T20:19:00.000-05:00

I am working of getting ready for a friend's wedding. Since the rule of life is "you can spend money or you can spend time"--I am spending time. This friend, Miss A, is beautiful, creative and fun, and she is marrying a great guy. I am excited to create a wedding that is as beautiful and fun as they are!

Last week I made her bouquet. It turned out adequate. Lots of daisies and white roses and lilies (her flower choices). Beautiful, but...lacking. So pulling inspiration from and old copy of you-know-who (Martha Stewart, darn it all!)--who in keeping with her usual ratio of one good idea every 40 pages (truly, in her books and her magazines, that is the usual!), I carefully applied glue to the edges of a few of the flowers and dusted them with superfine ("diamond dust")glitter. They look awesome! And they perked the bouquet up, and made it sparkly and bright (along with some well placed gems in the centers of a few flowers) just like Miss A!

I have also glittered the cut out letters for the hanging banner with their names on it, paper tussy-mussys for the bridesmaids bouquets, more flowers for the corsages and boutonnieres. Lots of glitter!

The down side is:

To quote my brother in law: "Glitter is the herpes of the craft world. Once you have it, you can never get rid of it!". And I have glitter everywhere.

Winter Wonderland

2011-02-04T09:35:00.000-05:00

Today, I dropped off the car at the mechanics for an oil change (which reminded me of my favorite sign at a quick lube place: "How long has it REALLY been?") and I walked home. It is so beautiful today--the sky is a bright clear blue, all the sunlight is gold and it reflects and sparkles on the snow diamonds and all the shadows are blue/purple/gray. The time and temp sign at the bank says it's 21 degrees, which explains why it is so sparkly--it has to be fairly warm (relatively speaking!) to snow, but when it gets really cold it crystallizes all the surface snow so it is bright reflective prisms. It is very beautiful--although the wind was a bit brisk.

That last storm (the one where I could hear the flakes) was an ice storm that dropped ice pellets for hours and made a thick crust over everything. Walking across it is an adventure! SmallDaughter LOVES it--but she can easily walk on the crust--not so for me--every few steps I break through up to my shins!

Also, it froze the barn door shut, so I have to wait for the sun to warm things up a little before I can go feed the chickens!

Winter Wonders

2011-02-01T16:56:00.000-05:00

It appears to be snowing again. That in itself is not surprising--we are supposed to have a pretty major winter storm (although we only got about 4" last night, which is not even close to the horrors they were predicting--of course!) The surprising part is the direction the flakes are coming from, and the noise they are making as they hit the house. Hmmm.

Inside the cozy house, we are enjoying our quiet snow day. BigGirl has been inspired. Over the weekend we had some of our favorite people stay over, and Miss V and I went through our fabric stashes and combined our fabric to make tops for Humanitarian Quilts. BigGirl helped me cut pieces on Saturday night, and on Sunday, she asked if she could work on a quilt by herself. In keeping with my "what the heck, why not tell your children "YES" and see what they can do" parenting, I gave permission--and by Sunday evening she had ironed, cut and layed out all the pieces for a twin size quilt! On Monday, she got it sewed into strips. I will post pix when she gets it done--it is very cute, and I am very impressed with her (I am still working on the quilt I started when I was expecting LargeBoy--so like, 13 years ago!).

SmallDaughter got to put on her snowsuit and boots and go out walking around and kicking snow for about 40 minutes. I had to force her to come back inside. She does not care how horrible the weather is, she just wants to be out in it.

LargeBoy has completed 2 Merit Badges. He was the awesomely cool big cousin/entertainment unit over the weekend. He is researching lots of exciting things that interest him.

I spent several hours on the phone, and paid the bills in bed--I find bill paying is a whole lot less stressful when I am in the softness of my cozy bed with the wonderful electric mattress pad on high!

I also read a really excellent book last week--"Coop" by Michael Perry. I just love the way he writes (I also loved "Truck--A Love Story"). I have a lot in common with him, but his humor--it just sneaks up on me, and I find myself suddenly laughing till I fall off my chair (the part about his dad joining the choir--priceless!)

I am whiling away the winter evenings by designing my dream retirement home. Not what people would expect, I'm telling you. More on that later.

Redecorating the Living Room

2011-01-26T14:55:00.000-05:00

Know what is delicious? Pop-overs. Yorkshire Pudding. Cream puffs, Eclairs, German Pancakes, Crepes. I love all of those things. And, they all have variations of the same recipe: milk, eggs, flour, blend.

I do NOT love having those ingredients combined together on my living room carpet. If someone (not to name any names, but she is the youngest!) broke half a dozen eggs across the carpet, poured out the rest of the milk and then poured a 5 gallon bucket of flour over them, then played in it...well, you can imagine.

It does make me think about the argument of evolution versus intelligent design. Even if you have the right ingredients, without the knowledge of how to combine them correctly--all you end up with is a mess.

Growth

2011-01-26T13:33:00.000-05:00

We are so busy. Yes, I know that we are ALWAYS so busy, but as the kids get bigger, the schedule gets--busier. I did calendaring for the year, and every week is already full. We have the usual stuff--Scouts and Young Women, our beloved Fiber Arts Friends group, Church stuff. And we have the other stuff like Youth Conference, Scout Camp, 4-H Camp, Girls Camp, 2 major hikes with Dad...the list goes on and on. It is exciting to see them grow.

SmallDaughter had her neurologist checkup on her birthday--which meant she had to have a blood draw, poor thing. She was very brave, even though (for the first time ever at our wonderful children's hospital) they had to poke her twice and use both arms. The good thing is she doesn't really comprehend abstract ideas like "today is your birthday", so (even though this is the second year in a row with a Dr. visit/blood draw on the day) she didn't mind. She was very excited a few days later to have a combined birthday party with Grandpa, with LOTS of candles on the cake for her to blow out (with a little Grandpa help!).

This week she got to go see the eye doctor (the specialist at the childrens hosp., who is set up for non-verbal children). Thankfully, her eyes are healthy and we don't need glasses or anything else. I can not imagine the horrors of trying to keep SmallDaughter in glasses!

LargeBoy is making wonderful smells emanate from the kitchen. As much as I miss how freakin' cute they were when they were little--they sure are a big help to have around now!

For instance, a couple of weeks ago, I threw my back out quite badly--which wouldn't have been much of a problem, except my awesome Chiropractor had a heart attack and triple bypass surgery in December. So, painfully waiting for him to come back, life still had to go on. We went grocery shopping while SmallDaughter was at school, and not only did LargeBoy and BigGirl do all of the bagging/loading at the store, once we got home they did the unloading/putting away and sent me to bed with an ice pack! They are truly becoming awesome people, as well as sweet children!

I am happy to report that Dr. S is back in business, and my back is, too!

PANIC!! or not.

2011-01-13T09:16:00.000-05:00

I am getting pretty frustrated with news reporters--especially television news. "Now is the perfect time to PANIC!"*

Every time clouds move in they predict "THE STORM OF THE CENTURY--from 30 to 96 inches of snow! Highly dangerous conditions!!!! More snow than you can imagine!!!!!"

And then we get a little bit of winter. Yep, it can be dangerous to travel in snowy weather. Ditto hot weather, rainy weather, you name it. What is needed is more thinking and less panic mongering.

Just Sayin'.

We got about 3 inches of lovely white snow. SmallDaughter's school was canceled and she was out playing in it every time I turned around. She just likes to kick it and make tracks. I cleaned the sidewalk off with a broom, which indicates to me that it was not a blizzard--just winter!

*Monsters, Inc. quote

Big News!

2011-01-11T21:27:00.000-05:00

I am officially jumping in and doing all the prep work to (Trumpet Voluntary, please)...go back to school. Specifically to get my Bachelor's Degree (side note--anybody else think it is a little odd for the married mother of 3 to want to be a Bachelor?). Anyway, I am currently up to my nostrils in scholarship info, etc.

Apparently I just hate boredom, and will do anything to keep my life from being calm. OK--there are actually lots of other factors going into this decision, but I think that is the main one I am admitting to!

While this is huge and scary at this point in my life, it is also right and feels so...right!

Christmas Musings

2010-12-31T23:09:00.000-05:00

Sometimes Christmas can be pretty disappointing for moms. You work to make sure everybody has the perfect present, and boxes and packages of wonderful, charming magical things, and you get...a vacuum.

This can be difficult for those of us whose "love language" is gift giving.

One year, my sweet littles asked what I wanted for Christmas. All I really wanted was a card of small, sparkly earrings, that I could wear everyday. They were very sneaky, and went shopping with dear Miss K, who helped them wrap the gift. They sneakily told me that they put my gift in a big box, so I would never guess what it was! And I didn't! Because when I unwrapped it, it was a frying pan.

However, as they have gotten older the gifts have improved, and this year was pretty excellent. My Favorite Gentleman, who knows me well got me really good lotion (in a food scent--Mango Melon--not a flowery scent--urg!)and two pairs of the best socks in the world (which I LOVE and can NOT buy for myself because A) I really hate shopping, B) I really, REALLY hate shopping for socks, and C)I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hate shopping for myself--and I always have cold feet, so they truly are the gift that keeps on giving, and that make me feel loved and cared for all year long.) SmallDaughter went on a shopping field trip with her class that netted me a candle and a box of thin mints. I got other lovely stuff, and got to watch a movie with MFG (Sergeant York, which I really recommend, even though it is hard to find!).

In the "do I laugh or do I cry" category: While we were upstairs watching the movie, SmallDaughter poured the whole bottle of lotion onto the carpet, and opened up the thin mints, and fed them to the WonderDog, who (luckily) barfed them up on the carpet, too.

I spent the last half of the afternoon with my carpet shampooer. Boy am I grateful for the carpet cleaner! It has gotten a workout this week! Chocolate syrup (again--she just LOVES it!) and eggs, milk and flour at different times.

Quiet Men

2010-12-21T11:02:00.000-05:00

Standing at the front of the front of the congregation, singing in the choir on Sunday, I saw something so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. In the back of the chapel, I saw a Sister sitting with a Handsome Young Man, who had his arm around her as they listened to Christmas Carols.

Now, this sister, to paraphrase the Bible "hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see (her), there is no beauty that we should desire (her)". Certainly Abercrombie & Fitch and The Gap aren't pounding down her door with modeling contracts. Physically she is small, and has obviously had a hard life--physically and emotionally. She has been a widow for 25 years, and struggled as a single mother to raise her two children. She succeeded--amazingly well. They are now strong, intelligent, caring adults who benefit their communities and the world. But, she is home alone.

She is never at the front, in the spotlight or looking for attention. While others perform at the Ward Talent Show--she is in the kitchen, making sure the desserts are sliced, that every casserole has a serving spoon and that all the dishes get washed up and put away afterwards. She is easy to miss, if you aren't looking for her.

So, when I saw her in the loving embrace of a good man, 30 years younger than she is--my heart melted. Because he is the fiance of her daughter, who was singing in the choir. And he loves her. Because he recognizes that most of the wonderful traits in the fabulous woman that he will marry in two months, were given, taught and trained by this quiet, humble lady, and he loves her for those gifts.

Our society, which adores the loud and self promoting, overlooks men who are quiet. My dad is a quiet man. He hates confrontation, he hates raised voices. A lot of people who saw my parents together assumed that my mom "wore the pants" in the family, because she was much louder and outgoing than my dad. They were wrong. In a quiet, loving way, he led us by example.

I hear women talk about how "all men are jerks" or "all the good men have been taken". Well, girls there are several reasons for that: The good men are busy doing good things--quietly. They aren't tooting their own horns and talking about how great they are. They just roll up their sleeves and get the job done. AND if you are looking for a good man--don't look at the singles bar--because the guys who are there are not the ones you want. Also, men live up to what we tell them. Once, my wise mother told me that small children obey everything you tell them--so if you tell them they are brats, or little terrors, or "Just like your lazy father"...they will be. Men, too live up to the messages they hear from us.

There are LOTS of good men out there. I am privileged to know some of them. And I want to tell them thanks. Thanks for quietly being "real men"--who take care of their responsibilities, their families, their friends, and our world. Who stand up for what is good and important in our culture, and--if it was required, would lay down their lives for it.

I have no words to express how grateful I am.

Busy Times

2010-12-13T06:31:00.000-05:00

I have triumphantly finished last week! That in itself is a major cause for celebration, since every day had multiple back-to-back (or, sometimes, OVERLAPPING) activities. Also, My Favorite Gentleman is laid off, and is home--all the time. The readjustment continues.

The Ward Christmas Party (that I was in charge of, in my position as Activities Chairman) came off mostly smoothly, and was pretty much a success. We got our Christmas Tree before the storm hit--when we went to the tree farm on Saturday, it was so warm all the snow had melted off--and we were all seriously overdressed! The snow rolled in overnight. The Bishop canceled the last hour of church and sent us home early.

MFG has delivered one of his favorite rants (and I totally agree with him) about how the news coverage of winter weather creates and stirs up panic. What was built up as "THE STORM OF THE CENTURY!!" gave us about 1 1/2 inches of snow. Really? I thought that was just what happened if you live in the North and it is Winter. North+Winter=Snow. Not panic every time a snowflake falls. Just Winter--it happens every year, people!

Men aren't the only Wise Ones!

2010-12-01T11:48:00.000-05:00

Seven or eight years ago, I was talking to a friend about Christmas traditions. We weren't close friends yet--she had only moved in a few months before, but we were on our way. She said something that shocked me. She told me that in their family, each person only got 3 gifts, since the original tradition of gift giving came from the three gifts that the wise men brought.

At first, the idea seemed terrible to me. I couldn't believe they would deprive their children like that. I love gift giving, and finding the perfect gift for each person. I love the piles of gifts under the tree, growing day by day throughout the Christmas Season.

However, I pondered on the idea for several years, and I came to see many advantages. We implemented it as a family about 3 years ago, and I am a firm convert now!

I realized that since SmallDaughter believes that all wrapped gifts are for her, nothing gets put out until Christmas Eve, anyway. Also, with 5 people and the WonderDog (yes, he gets gifts too--he's getting a brand new collar this year--shhh! Don't tell!) we have 18+ gifts under the tree. And there are always other gifts from other people, so it is still a nice sized pile.

Far from of depriving our children, it has forced us to focus on the things that are really important to each of them, and it has actually enriched them. Instead of getting more "stuff", just to have more, we have focused on quality instead of quantity.

It has reduced greed, materialism and the "gimme-gimme's" (not just in the children, either!). It is much easier to plan now, too! Before, there was always the panicked realization that one child was getting WAY more (or WAY less!) than the others. Not an issue anymore.

Since we have had a tradition that one gift (for every gift giving occasion, not just Christmas) is a book, and since I love for another to be something that encourages their creativity, shopping is a breeze! It makes budgeting and staying in the budget much simpler--if we can afford a big gift--great! And if we can't--I can spend my time and energy getting something that costs less and means more.

To make my life easier, in November we start Wish Lists. We have three categories, and each person can put down 4 items in each category. The first is "If Money Were No Object"--this tends to be electronics, but isn't always. (I believe this the first year that a chocolate lab puppy hasn't made it onto BigGirl's list!) The second category is "Under $20", and the third is "Books I Want". That gives a nice range of ideas for parents, siblings and anyone else who needs to know!

We don't even really have Santa at our house anymore, since BigGirl and LargeBoy are too big, and SmallDaughter doesn't understand/care.

On Christmas morning, we unwrap the gifts one at a time, so everyone can appreciate each present and it is wonderful! I am very grateful for a stray comment from a friend that has given us a a tradition that has deepened the meaning of Christmas and reduced stress at the same time.

Triumph

2010-11-09T21:35:00.000-05:00

I just got back from teaching another felting class at the library. It was SO fun! Imagine--they actually pay me* to talk about felting and fibers, and to show other people how fun it is to create something for themselves.

My class was filled with fun, creative, talented, positive people. I really do think fiber arts attract that kind of person. No grouches allowed. I really love to teach, also--I would just hate to be what our culture has defined "a teacher" as (in an elementary school, particularly. I love children, but I hate to see them stifled by a system that is broken. I don't think it has much to do with the individual teachers (or at least the vast majority of them!). I think it is just a crazy, broken, dysfunctional system.

PLUS--Felting gives you super clean hands (there is nothing quite like playing with wet, soapy wool for 2 hours to get them deep down clean!).

Now, on this lovely high note--I am off to bed!

*OK, they don't pay a lot--which is actually fine by me, since I think library budgets should got mainly toward books, but the educational things they offer do astound me. Libraries are one of the few governmental institutions that should have their budgets increased drastically (unlike say, congressional retirements).

Fundraising VS Guilt

2010-11-08T15:34:00.000-05:00

When BigGirl and LargeBoy were in public school, it seemed like every other week they had some kind of fundraiser going on. I am not a fan of most of the stuff that they carried home in their bulging backpacks--more overpriced stuff to dust, more guilt for me--and everybody they showed the catalogs to--and then, when all of the stuff came in, I had to sort and distribute it. URGH.

That is definitely one of the perks of homeschooling. If they decide to sell candy bars to make money, they go to Sam's Club and buy a carton, and sell them. No guilt (except when I am the one who buys and eats the candy--but that is another post!).
I thought that we had it down to only one fundraiser a year--our 4-H club has a cheese fundraiser in the spring, but I don't object to that on nearly as many levels (cheese is something most people buy anyway, our price is very competitive and it is actually a useful product--not just more crap to sit around needing dusted---But I still have to sort and distribute it--sigh.)

So, this year SmallDaughter changed to a different class at school, and she just brought home her fundraiser info. At least she is selling chocolate. And it is good chocolate (Malley's, from Cleveland, for those who care about such things). And it is a pretty good deal for a fundraiser. And it is not going for anything abstract like "the booster club" (like I know or care what that is--they never "boosted" anything I was involved in!) The money they earn will go to help their class go on field trips--which is something their teacher, Mrs. K is really good about.

So, I suppose I will go along with the herd and be a "good mom" and press gang everyone I know into looking at the catalog.

But I still feel guilty.

A little smackerel of something

2010-11-01T16:35:00.000-04:00

So, I just went downstairs and as I came to the living room I could hear some very happy lip-smacking and sipping sounds from the direction of SmallDaughter--who was kneeling on the floor, obscuring whatever it was she was eating (it is usually a raw egg or something of that ilk). However, when I went around to investigate, it turned out she had poured herself a nice full glass of Hershey's Syrup. Full and overflowing--and was happily drinking it up.

Seriously, it has it's moments of completely surreal Winnie-the-Poohness. (I know he never mentions the Hershey's Syrup, but it is only because he is deprived--we all know he would LOVE THAT STUFF!)

The Kingdom of Heaven

2010-10-24T19:14:00.000-04:00

Each fall in church we have the Primary Sacrament Meeting Program. The primary children sing the songs they have worked on throughout the year, and give little mini-talks about what they have learned.

AND each year, for the few weeks of practice beforehand, their teachers and leaders get gray hairs and freak out that nobody can hear the singing, that they mumble all the words to every song, they are so close to the microphone that their tonsils may be in danger and nobody does their part right. And, every year, it comes together so beautifully that there must be angels involved--and it proves that miracles do really happen in real life.

Today was our Ward's program. I was heavily involved in the planning and preparation stages. Serious Doubts occurred.

It was so beautiful I cried. And, as always, I remembered my friend Scott Ellsworth's poem:

xxv. Of Such
Carly spills the salt of the earth all over the pulpit.
Little Josh tells us we ought to have “face.”
The microphone hits Mary on the head,
After she mutters the main theme
Into the unhearing wood of the podium.
The eleven-year-old boys stand tight-lipped
And glowering, their hands in their pockets,
Desperate to hide behind one another,
While the four- and five-year-olds
Push their way forward to wave
Frantically at their moms and dads.
Little Hunter Boyd sniffles loudly as he speaks,
Informing us solemnly that we believe in being
Chased by an elephant and in
Hauling the ammunition of Paul.
When the chuckling fades,
Little Sister Jennifer shouts her solo,
The chorister having asked her
To sing a little louder.
The children’s hands, tall grass for pioneer prairies,
“Waving gently,” whips instead like a hurricane
Blowing six different directions at once.
Emily, whose mother emphasizes enunciation,
Opens her mouth too wide and bites the microphone.
The fidgeting children rise at the chorister’s prompting,
But all at different times,
To follow with clear but untrained voices
Their leader’s guiding hands:
Every other gesture, though, a heartfelt plea
For quiet from the smaller,
For volume from the taller.
Natalie shrilly begins her talk for the third time,
Followed by Taylor, who tearfully mumbles
A tale of which only the word “prayer”
Can be distinguished by his proud parents’ straining ears
Sister Ochoa’s class somehow gets mixed up with Brother Mitchell’s,
So we learn about baptism before we hear about faith.
The nine-year-olds laugh their way through
Their one-line explanations of the steps of repentance.
And little Max Beamish throws his sign—“Forgiveness”—
At little Sister Smith, who loudly demands that he be spanked.
Three of the Ten Commandments are apparently
“Thou shalt not kill,”
And the four-year-olds—still and small,
And all but silent—merely whisper, all unheard,
Into a microphone too high to catch a word.

And the Spirit rolls forth like a flame of fire
From the podium to the farthest row,
Filling the chapel with the mighty rushing
Wind that is the Voice of God.

Scott Ellsworth —1997

This is my version of William Blake’s “Holy Thursday” from Songs of Innocence and Experience. It’s gone through about six revisions since its first incarnation long ago.

Food for thought

2010-10-15T20:02:00.000-04:00

My cousin Dedra posted this picture with the title "Have you been to the temple lately?"

Response

2010-10-15T19:03:00.000-04:00

My dear cousin Vanessa tagged me, so I am responding!

1. What is your coolest scar and how did you get it?
I don't know if it is cool or not, but I have one about 2 inches long on my forehead (in my bangs) from an incident with a sharp edged cupboard when I was two. So, for my whole life, every time somebody did my hair, they tried to use it as my natural part line, which makes my part come out somewhere near my right ear.

2.What do you want to do before you die?
TRAVEL. A lot.*
Also knit a cream colored woolAran sweater --which means I have to learn to knit. Again.
There are a lot of other things, but I forget them quite often (like right at this moment I can't recall any of them--but it is always exciting and amusing when I do get a brainstorm and think "Oh, yes, that is definitely on my list!).

3. What is the best book you have ever read?
Is this a trick question?
Which kind of best book?
Best ever?
The scriptures. The Old Testament has the greatest hero stories ever. The New Testament helps me know the Savior in a personal way. The Book of Mormon contains all the answers to life's big questions. The Doctrine and Covenants helps me know and recognize the voice of God the way I can read the words of a dear friend and hear their voice.

I can't even pick which one out of those is my favorite. My children and my seminary students always mock me, because I frequently declare "this is my very favorite!" and they chorus "you always say that, about every one!" It is true, I do.

The list of non-scriptural books is MUCH too long--even for categories (favorite board book, favorite books in a series with more than 5 books, books with over 1000 pages, books with no words...see the list gets LONG in a hurry!)

4. What is your all time favorite dessert?
See, this picking just one thing is not good for me. I am very fond of good cheesecake, creme brulee, chocolate truffles, brownies...I really like food!

5. The food you wish would be blown from the face of the earth?
I am not a fan of watermelon. Or any other melon, for that matter.

6. Coolest person you have ever met?
Also, a very long list! I know lots of people who have enriched my life in MANY different ways.

7. Person you miss most?
My mom. She is definitely in the running for #6. She was wise, and loving, and a great mother. Also, crazy, spontaneous, creative and a catalyst for change.
And I have never known anyone else who was so good at "enjoying the journey"--both literally and figuratively.

8. Favorite childhood game?
Most people probably answer something normal about "Clue" or "Candyland" or "Monopoly"--but my sibs and I NEVER played normal games. My favorites almost always involved me being in charge and bossing everybody else around.

*There are very few places on the earth that I wouldn't go if given a chance.

Trick AND Treat

2010-10-13T21:51:00.001-04:00

I sewed SmallDaughter's halloween costume today--and, may I humbly state that I am a costume genius! It really turned out super cute! It's Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc. which is her favorite movie (Mike is her second favorite character, but I can't figure out how to sew Roz!).

In early September, I was called in for a meeting at her school, because, basically the fact that she is taped into all of her clothes was freaking them out. Now, I have been trying to deal with "CSP" (Compulsive Skin Picking) for years now. When I say I have tried everything, I am very serious--everything. Trust me when I say gloves and tape are the most livable solution. Anyway. I told them that they could untape her during school--sometimes she doesn't pick when she is busy and having fun. However, when she is bored or frustrated--oh my!

Last Friday, I got a note home from her teacher. She has informed the nurse that the tape is truly important to SmallGirl's health and safety. They have tried velcro. They have tried sweat bands. They have tried other stuff. They give up.

Huh. Told you so!

Calendar

2010-10-11T09:43:00.000-04:00

I now have something exciting to check every single day of the week!

Monday--a new episode of Girl Genius
Tuesday--we get BOTH a new episode of "The Guild"
and "Castle" comes out on Hulu (I can't stay up late enough to watch it on ABC--it doesn't start until 10:00 here--way past my bedtime!).
Wednesday--new episode of Girl Genius
Thursday--the new edition of the Greensboro NC Rhino Times comes out with "Uncle Orson Reviews Everything"--by Orson Scott Card (It's my favorite form of gambling--sometimes it is just local stuff, that I live too far away to enjoy, BUT SOMETIMES it has great information on books, movies, music, etc. that I almost always enjoy--some of my very favorites have come on his recommendation.)
Friday--new episode of Girl Genius
Sometimes, I catch up with
Darths and Droids

And I also check Cake Wrecks
and Epbot most days.

Yes, pitiful, I KNOW. (I think I just figured out why my house looks the way it does! I mean, other than the stuff SmallDaughter just dumped/poured/scribbled/chopped up!).

Two Things

2010-10-11T09:03:00.000-04:00

First Thing: I posted a couple of pix of the Blueness, if you check out the older post.

Second Thing: My dear friend brought me a cool old book of Romance and Beauty, which has a poem that I LOVED in high school, but forgot in the intervening years. I really love poetry, especially older poetry, written by people who knew what they were doing* (first clue--it actually rhymes--and makes sense, and isn't stupid. OK--three clues!)

ANYWAY

I wanted to share this (in my humble opinion) sock meltingly romantic poem with you.

The Look

Strephon kissed me in the spring,
Robin in the fall,
But Colin only looked at me
And never kissed at all.

Strephon's kiss was lost in jest,
Robin's lost in play,
But the kiss in Colin's eyes
Haunts me night and day.

Sarah Teasdale

Ahhh, sigh.

I am simply an unabashed romantic. I can't help it.

I really like Sarah Teasdale's poetry, even the stuff that is not romantic--but she is VERY good at romance (especially the rather wistful, melancholic stuff).

* "Modern" poetry, and "Modern Art" are both subjects that make me FROTH at the mouth. It is NOT bold or clever to try to find new ways to offend people--trust me, 4 year old children have been doing it ever since potty words were invented. AND you aren't modern if you are copying the same things people have been doing for 120 years.

There are some FABULOUS new artists--but the !@#$%^&* "modernists" have gotten people so fed up with the whole idea, that nobody is paying attention anymore.

Feeling BLUE

2010-10-06T09:55:00.000-04:00

For those of you who had a hard day, and are feeling down in the dumps, and wondering "how could this day even get any worse?" I have two words for you:

Methylene Blue

Now, for those of you who aren't current on their dyes and stains, Methylene Blue is "a heterocyclic aromatic chemical compound with the molecular formula C16H18N3SCl. It has many uses in a range of different fields, such as biology and chemistry." (Thanks, Wikipedia!")

Two of it's common uses are in microbiology as a culture stain (it is similar in its multiple levels of usefulness and and it's potency to Gentian Violet), and for aquarium owners to cure certain fish diseases (much like Gentian Violet kills yeast infections).

Both Methylene Blue and Gentian Violet are beautiful shades of their respective colors, and both of them stain like the dickens!

Enter SmallDaughter.

We had (for undisclosed reasons) a large (6 oz.) bottle of Methylene Blue stored high up in a kitchen cupboard (the cupboard that used to be over a refrigerator in a former kitchen arrangement) to keep it safe.

We don't anymore.

HOWEVER--on the bright side, my ugly kitchen linoleum tiles (and some cupboards) are infinitely more exciting, and my bathtub has an exciting "denim and indigo tie-dye with toeprints" motif. It also produces the most beautiful Caribbean blue bathwater imaginable.

PS--for those who are wondering, Methylene Blue IS NOT the same thing as Methyl Blue, and is not effective for certain dramatic scientific experiments. So, save your money. Darn, darn, darn.Just sayin'.

CONTEST!!!

2010-09-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

So, I woke up this morning firmly decided to have a contest! All you have to do to enter is leave a comment, although if you happened to write about your favorite post(s) that would be great! I will randomly pick one to win a prize of such awesome fabulosity that you will be stunned! And no, I didn't come up with it on my own, my best friend taught me how to make them. Anyway, SUPER AWESOME! The contest closes one week from today (25 Sep 2010) and I will send more details to the winner--Good Luck!

In other news, my computer is still in the shop, Cat-Cat got fixed and is walking VERY slowly, the kittens are as hilarious as always and the chooks are doing fine, as are the children. Life is very good.

So Sorry

2010-09-07T09:06:00.000-04:00

I have lots of blog entries composed in my head, but my computer is in the shop AGAIN. Our computer guy is checking out all of the hardware this time, as well as looking for viruses. It seems to crash every week--with exactly the same symptoms, so I think it is something beyond just getting viruses.

We are very busy, but it is in a nice, "getting back into a rythm" way. SmallDaughter has started school in a different school, with a different teacher. I was not happy about the way the administration handled the change, but the new situation seems to be working well.

I have started teaching early morning Seminary again--after a slow start. Last Monday, I set my alarm for 5 pm, so I completely slept through class! Ah, well!

BigGirl and LargeBoy are both doing an online school this year--their choice. Best Friend K is far, far away, helping out her mom (lucky thing to have a mom to help!). So things are pretty quiet. I have LOTS of computer things I want to be doing--working on my new blog and radio show, working on the business plan for the business I am thinking about starting, finishing my novel(s). However, in a house with oodles of computers around, I can't really use any of them, so all of those projects, as well as the lovely entries I have planned for this blog, will just have to wait.

HOWEVER--just so you have something to wish for:

I absolutely ADORE Georgette Heyer's wonderful novels. What could be better? Well, reading them while eating good chocolate! What could be better than that? Listening to the delicious Richard Armitage read them in Audiobook form, while eating good chocolate!!! You doubt me? Give it a try!

Fair Time!

2010-08-20T17:23:00.000-04:00

I really love county fairs. I LOVE the smell of frying foods and hot sugar (even though fried foods try to kill me and sugar doesn't do me any favors, either!). I enjoy the booths and the displays of farm equipment. But mostly I love the people.

I love people watching. I always have. I love watching the old couple who arrived on their bike, wearing their well worn Harley-Davidson outfits holding hands as they wander down the midway, discussing and debating all of the offerings of good things to eat. I love watching the boy and girl combos where the relationship isn't quite at boyfriend/girlfriend stage (unlike that couple who appear to be stuck together with velcro!), but whose flirtacious body language is hovering very near the edge! I love watching testosterone charged guys showing off at the game booths and observing everybody debating over what ride to go on next. I love the little kids, riding around and around, and loving every second of their grand adventure!

I love watching the 4-H and FFA kids with the animals that they have poured so much time and attention into--leading them around before and after their judging, washing, trimming, grooming and talking to them. I love looking at the animals, too.

And it is a good thing I love it, because I am EXHAUSTED and the week isn't over yet. I have checked out of (or am giving desperately short shrift) to every other aspect of life and demand on my time. I apologize now, sincerely.

But, it is time for me to leave and go back to the fair.

Back Home

2010-08-13T08:41:00.000-04:00

I had such a great summer adventure, I didn't have time to post anything! I am home now, and attempting to settle into real life--but have found myself with several new projects on top of what I already had going on!

This week I set the humane trap for the !@#$%^& raccoons. They look cute, but they are horrible pests--they have eaten (or just killed for fun) a third of my chickens--I had 50 when I left, now I have around 33.

Anyway--the first night I baited the trap with fresh corn on the cob. They spurned it, and left a mangled chicken corpse next to the trap. So, I used all the bones and leftovers from our dinner porkchops. HOWEVER, I had to move it outside the chicken yard, cause the dumb chickens kept trying to steal the meat!

In the morning (before the glasses were on!), I looked out of the window, and could see movement in the trap, so I called handy neighbor guy and asked if he could take care of it for me--he nicely agreed. THEN I went out to feed the chooks, and found--it was one of the kittens, mewing piteously! I could take care of that by myself, and had to call neighbor guy and cancel the marines!

I am in the West!

2010-07-04T20:01:00.000-04:00

After many days of travel--boring, boring travel (Welcome to Nebraska, the Never Ending State!) we have arrived in the West. I was discussing with my aunt--we both love where we live now, and don't particularly want to move back--but even so, getting out of the van to refuel at sunset, we both noticed how RIGHT it felt. The lighting was right, the temperature was right, the big, spacious sky was right---but mostly the lack of humidity was totally right!

I had a great time with cousins that I haven't seen for a long time--including one who fixed my problem bangs (the ones that look like someone has stapled a hedgehog to my forehead) so that they actually look cute!

I have limited computer access, so I probably won't be posting a lot, but at least you know I am still alive!

Fair Warning

2010-06-23T18:17:00.000-04:00

My computer has crashed with a nasty virus (again), and Yes--I do have Anti virus software. It needs a complete wipe and reinstall. Big Sigh.

Also, I am preparing (i.e. excavating) my house to have a huge, awesome party on Saturday. Also, we have normal busy week stuff going on everyday.

And the Boringmobile died the death on Sunday morning as we got ready to leave for church. I was deeply grateful that it didn't happen until My Favorite Gentleman got home from a VERY long week working out of town, and it didn't strand me on the side of the road with a car full of hot, whiny children (as it very well could have.) So, we are getting a new (to us) car this week, too.

AND I am trying to get everything ready to leave my home, chickens, kittens and older children in the extremely capable hands of some of my favorite people for weeks and weeks, and drive across the country having (hopefully VERY tame!) adventures.

All this to explain that I may not be posting much for a while.

Woohoo!

2010-06-17T20:10:00.000-04:00

The Public Library just called me and asked me to teach TWO more felting classes for them! I really had fun teaching a class in March (which I was too busy to blog about!), and apparently is was as good for them as it was for me! Yay, Yay! Happy Dance! And, I suppose I can say I am now "A Professional" since I have been paid for my work! Yet another weird item on the "Resume` of Strangeness".

We finished the last Mistborn book over the weekend. I have found some fabulous fonts to download that just give me warm fuzzies all over! The kittens are getting bigger and have started to play with each other. I have two twelve year old boys and three 12 and 13 year old girls having a "sleepover"--not a lot of actual sleep will happen tonight! They are so good, it is actually fun for me, too! The passel of babies is proceeding nicely--I am so happy that such pretty girls have joined the world (Anna, Zuzu and Bella)! The world is green and my hollyhocks and delphiniums and lillies are blooming.

Life is very good.

The Big Project!

2010-06-15T11:20:00.000-04:00

Two weeks ago, our Bishopric asked me if the Activities Committee could put together a Summer Book of Mormon Reading Challenge for the ward. The answer, of course, was yes, but there were a few little snags.

Currently, the Activities Committee consists of, well, me. Also, the Activities Budget is at approximately nada. And, I am going to be gone all summer. Which means that the Summer Reading Program needed to be put together quickly, cheaply, in a manner that could function without me, and it should be fun, too.

Returning to my mom's old saying "you can spend time or you can spend money, but you have to spend something!", I decided to spend time. So, this project has used up most of my time for the last two weeks. HOWEVER--We had our official kick-off brunch on Sunday, and I, for one, am really excited!

We are doing a 60 day program, which is about 4 chapters a day. Each week, if you read your whole scripture block, you get a cool "Book of Mormon Hero" Collectible Bookmark, with a color picture of, and a quote from the hero, PLUS a quote from a modern prophet about the blessings of the Book of Mormon in our lives.
You also get an adorable Hershey Miniature Chocolate in a custom wrapper that says "Good Job! Mansfield Ward Summer Reading Challenge 2010 I follow the prophet “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Ps. 119: 103, when you finish reading 2 Nephi.

At the end of the summer, we will have a "Winding-Up Potluck", where awards will be given, which will include:

o Organization with the highest percentage of members to finish
o First person to finish
o Youngest person to finish
o Most copies of the Book of Mormon Shared
o Most Pass-Along Cards Shared
o Most Chapters in the Shortest Time
o First Family to Finish
o Best Comeback (for getting behind, but not staying behind!)

In addition, each person who completes the Challenge will receive:
o A Certificate of Completion,
o A picture of the Savior
and
o A Keychain that says:
“I completed THE BOOK OF MORMON: ANOTHER TESTAMENT OF JESUS CHRIST Mansfield Ward Summer Reading Challenge 2010”

Each Person who read will get a certificate of Participation, even if they didn’t complete the entire Book of Mormon.

Pretty Cool, huh?

Anyway, it has kept me plenty busy!

If you would like to participate, I would be happy to send you rewards, too! Just drop me an email.

I am not dead

2010-06-09T09:57:00.000-04:00

But I am very swamped with a MEGA HUGE project. I decorated a wedding last weekend, and got the kiddos off to 4-H camp. I have also moved out of my comfy, sedentary groove and started a REAL exercise program (real means not counting mosying the 9 houses down to the library as a workout!). I will post details soon--I promise.

New Arrivals

2010-05-29T15:28:00.000-04:00

Last night, Cat-cat FINALLY had her kittens. She looked like she might explode! She has 4 sweet little gray and white babies. So far, everything is great, except she took a swipe at the WonderDog's nose when he got to close!

Graduation Time

2010-05-27T08:20:00.000-04:00

I am SUPER PROUD of the graduates in my life! They have survived (and done well) in a hostile atmosphere that does not help or support the true love of learning--e.g. The Public School System. So, as my gift to them, I am rerunning most of my graduation blog from last year!

We are sneaking up on graduation season again. Since I was raised in an unschooling family, I was spared a whole bunch of really boring graduation ceremonies. I have still attended more than my fair share for the MANY aunts, uncles, cousins and friends that populate my life. Out of the many, only one was really exciting and different--that was the graduation for GED students, many of whom were MUCH older and more experienced than the average callow High School Graduate, and most of whom had worked REALLY hard to get to that point. They really appreciated what they had worked for--and it showed!

But mostly graduations are the same old, same old. However, just like in almost every other area in my life, I just don't do graduations the way most people do. The very best reason, is a specific set of song lyrics.

They are a parody, set to the tune of Elgar's "Pomp & Circumstance"--what is commonly referred to as "The Graduation March". I learned LOTS of parodies as a child--many to popular classical tunes. Most of them came thanks to a certain uncle and aunt of mine (and they know who they are!)

So, as a very young child, I learned words(!) to Pomp & Circumstance--

My reindeer flies sideways, he is better than yours.
My reindeer can cha-cha, he can open doors.

My reindeer’s a girl scout; he can dig a latrine,
Your reindeer likes purple, my reindeer likes green.

Your reindeer is far away, my reindeer is near.

I would love to give credit for these brilliant lyrics, but alas, I have no idea who their author is. If you start humming the Da,da,da,da,daah, da, of the graduation march, you will see how perfectly they fit.

It was a favorite song, and spent a lot of time on my, and my siblings "personal hit parade", being belted out in enthusiastic and off key tones.

One of the more humorous outcomes of this is that at different times, in different years, not one, but two of my unschooled siblings attended a friends graduation ceremony, and came home to announce in tones of shock and horror that the Graduation March they used was "My Reindeer Flies Sideways"!!!!

Now, my own brilliant children (on a long car drive) made up additional verses! So, for all of you who have a graduation or two looming on your horizon--Quick! Memorize these! You will be stunned by the difference it makes (or doesn't make) in the interminable ceremonies!

My reindeer cuts firewood; he can dance in ballet,
My reindeer is awesome, he can cook a soufflé.

My reindeer is perfect; he will look at the stars
Your reindeer is trouble; he will steal your cigars.

My reindeer flies backwards, he can knit and crochet.

My reindeer drives semi’s, he has wrestled a shark,
Your reindeer eats donuts, mine can parallel park.

My reindeer paints portraits, he can play the trombone,
My reindeer likes softball, he can dial the phone.

Your reindeer is stupid, my reindeer is smart.

Enjoy.

With SPECIAL KUDOS TO ROBBIE, JENNY, ELYSCE AND ALISSA!

Breakthrough!

2010-05-23T14:27:00.000-04:00

SmallDaughter just dressed herself! I put on her underlayer, but she put on her long sleeved shirt (first on her legs, just to be silly!), then when I had to step into the kitchen to reset the timer for dinner, she put on her coveralls-ALL BY HERSELF! Including fastening them! And she just put on her snowboot (She has the concept! WOWEE Wow Wow!!) I am rejoicing!

Saturday

2010-05-22T20:17:00.000-04:00

Today involved a tow-truck, and pouring rain, and lots of jobs that needed to be done RIGHT THIS INSTANT, and a very whiny SmallDaughter. Sometimes, I really like getting to go to bed knowing that I won't ever have to do this particular day again.

There were some really nice blessings mixed in with it, but I am still tired and ready to go to bed.

Here are some movie recommendations (that I received from others, and enjoyed, so I am passing them along), for some fun quirky movie watching.

Lone Star State of Mind
Raising Arizona
My Life in Ruins

I think they are all PG-13, so you have been warned!

Miracles

2010-05-17T08:19:00.000-04:00

I have been filling out the questionnaire for my 20th high school class reunion. The question that actually made me think the most was "where have you lived since graduation?", and the answer was: Idaho, Utah (for college), California (for an 18 month Spanish Speaking Mission for my Church), Ohio (My family moved there while I was serving my mission) , Utah (again), Idaho(again), Ohio (again!).

Even with all of my notes, it is hard to compress all of the memories invoked by those words. Utah (again) was moving for my brand-new husband's new job. Idaho (again) was finding a job for him to enable us to live with my Grandma, so she could stay in her house and maintain her independence for a few more years. Ohio (again), was moving to be near our families, especially for the last few precious months at the end of my Mom's life.

There were a lot of friends and experiences compressed into those words. The births of three children, and the loss of another. The deaths of many people I loved dearly. The miracle of watching my children grow and learn.

The next question was "What is the most interesting place that you have traveled to?" The answer is "England and Wales", but that doesn't explain that my beloved brother and his awesome wife provided me with the resolution of a lifelong dream. How will I ever be able to adequately thank them for an experience that simultaneously checked off a biggie on my "bucket list" (which has only ever had 5 items on it!) AND simultaneously changed my life in a fundamental way?

LOTS of pondering.

And it also got me thinking about how beautiful all of the places I have lived are. But--they are very different types of beauty. If I had expected the green, leafy beauty that surrounds me in Ohio (where I can't plant my garden because it keeps raining on the days I am home!) while I lived in Idaho, I would have been disappointed every day.

And, if I had expected the huge 5000 acre fields of waving wheat that surrounded me in Idaho while I lived in Utah, I would still be waiting.

Now, in Ohio, I occasionally get wistful for huge bright blue skies, and mountains, but I have to remember how important it is to be able to recognize the beauty that you have around you for what it is--without expecting it to be anything else.

In other miracles, my funny, adorable nephew is completely fascinated by octopus. Which, is a tiny bit difficult since he lives thousands of miles from the ocean. But, thanks to the miracle of YouTube, he has showed us some pretty amazing miracles! We live in exciting times where we can see such awesome stuff, so easily!

Miracles indeed.

Update

2010-05-15T12:19:00.000-04:00

The IEP went well. And, it was really good that we were there. The school officials could see how truly awesome the WonderDog is in action, and we answered a lot of their questions. WHEW! They are not as scared to face a new situation, and I think that lessening their fear will make the transition smoother for everyone. YAY! So, the fightin' boots are back in the closet--until the next time!

Not the entry I planned

2010-05-14T09:30:00.000-04:00

I was planning to write about beauty--specifically about the beautiful places I have lived and the different types of beauty this world holds.

HOWEVER, in an abrupt change of plans, I am putting on my fightin' boots, and getting ready to go help a friend at an IEP (Individual Education Plan) meeting for her severely disabled son--the school doesn't want to provide the services he needs, because he is expensive. I understand that we need to take care of all of the students, and that special needs are expensive--and I am going to smile sweetly, and (in much politer terms than this) tell them to "Pull up their big-girl panties and deal with it".

One of the things about being the mother of a disabled child is how it brings out the latent Valkyrie tendencies in women.

This picture is not fierce enough--but it is really hard to show the level of protectiveness we are talking about!

The songs are better if you listen to them in order--especially if you need prepare yourself to kick some tushes and take some names!

Old Friends

2010-05-12T21:09:00.000-04:00

Technology makes life interesting--I think we have less meaningful interactions per day than we used to, but we make a lot more noise doing it (think Twitter). HOWEVER, it also makes it possible to reconnect with the people who were a significant part of our lives in the past, who (for those of us who moved a lot, and were never really good at staying in touch)--got lost.

This week I have had a lot of that. I became aware of happenings in the lives of five people who were important to me in college--three roommates, and the two most significant guys of my college career. The roomies have big life changes happening: Children arriving (Welcome Selena!), Parents hospitalized (my prayers for Sherry), Children Growing up (Me, too, Leslie!).

The guys were: A)The guy who was almost my first boyfriend, and B) the dude who was my first kiss. NO--they are not the same guy. My first kiss was a silly, unemotional fling, mostly just to get it over. The guy was a doofus in college, and guess what--all these years later--he is still a doofus. The other one, (who chickened out on getting more serious!) was a really good friend, who I was able to laugh and talk with, who broadened my horizons and who is still my friend, and still makes me laugh.

I rejoice for him that he married a good woman, and that they are living a good life together--one which oddly parallels my own (three children, born at home, home schooling...weird really!) It is very sweet to me that I can re-discover and touch base with the ones who have shaped my life.

It's raining, it's pouring

2010-05-11T11:41:00.000-04:00

It's darn cold, my hubby is working out of state, my children are all playing at friend's houses, and I am going back to bed with the electric mattress pad cranked up to "nuclear". YAY!!

Thoughts on Mothers Day

2010-05-10T07:27:00.000-04:00

My little sister V passed me a note during Sacrament Meeting at Church yesterday. Her brain was obviously going faster than her pen, because the note said "Have a Mothers Day". Which was startlingly accurate!

I surely DID have "A Mother's Day"! It was pretty much like all of my other days--only more so. I was more tired, more sick and stiff (had a pretty bad fall in the driveway on Friday--bruised my knees, finger and dignity!). More stuff to do for people, more whining, crying and spitting on the floor (mostly from SmallDaughter, some from me!) Just, you know--MORE.

In the middle of all of this I pondered on MOTHERS DAY. A day that is simply fraught with emotional booby traps. Directly below the frothy pink surface of sticky kisses, Hallmark cards and brunch buffets is a seething mass of difficult emotions. While most of us have pretty good (or even outstandingly fabulous!) moms, there is still a lot of pain there:

The Hearts that hurt because this is their first (or thirtieth) Mothers Day without their Mom.

The Hearts that are lonely in quiet houses or nursing homes, where children "can't be bothered" to visit those who raised them.

The Hearts that carry the burden of having parents who are not (or were not) "kind and dear"--sometimes passively, sometimes aggressively abusive or downright evil.

The Hearts that ache because they long to be mothers, but because of many circumstances (unmarried, infertility, illness, whatever) they are not able to fill their lonely arms.

The Hearts that are mourning miscarriages, stillbirths, abortions, babies placed for adoption, children that died, children who have rejected their parents teachings and are busy making heartrendingly bad choices...

The Hearts whose beautiful children are given tremendous loads to carry in this mortal life--who not only won't watch their child graduate, but will never hear that child say "I love you, Mom".

And in all of this pain that mortal life offers, the sweetest answer is that God does care, and the amazing power of the Savior's atonement can heal every broken heart, and wipe away every tear. He suffered ALL of our pains, so he could succor us perfectly. Amazingly (to me, with my limited understanding), He cares about everything that matters to me.

The best part of my Mothers Day? Watching my Handsome Husband place his hands lovingly on the head of our Handsome LargeBoy, and, using the power of God, given to men on earth (with a group of good, strong men that we love) ordain him to the office of a Deacon, and give him the Priesthood.

It is a good thing that I was in too much of a hurry to put on makeup (and I think I lost my makeup bag, too) because I cried so much I would have washed it all off, anyway!

I just reread the post on last year's mothers day --wow, most of it applies perfectly! I did have another yard sale (please kill me if I EVER say I am going to have a Yard Sale again, for ANY Reason!) The weather (which has been so nice) was gross--@#$%^&*! cold and rainy, with big wind gusts.

My garden is sitting all lonely and unplanted back there. Don't know how much I am going to do, since I am going to be traveling all summer.

Also, I have been fighting off a chest cold, but I seem to be losing. Sleep has been eluding me, because my bedroom sounds like a tuberculosis sanatorium. Who can sleep when they are coughing like this?

On a more cheerful note--The Art & Dessert Show came together beautifully. It was a great success--which comes as a great relief since my last offering as the Ward Activities Chairperson was not.

This week I will recover from the last two weeks and try to dig out from under all the projects that got put on the back burner from the big stuff going on!

Food For Thought

2010-05-05T08:54:00.000-04:00

This morning was hard.

Sometimes being SmallDaughter's Mommy feels like more work than any one person can do.

Yesterday was very long. We drove about and hour and a half to see her doctor (which went very well.) She was very good for her blood draw--although she did start signing "owie" when we walked into the lab.

She has a very good memory. She always makes her many doctors laugh--she knows exactly what to do with a stethoscope, a reflex hammer and an otoscope. She has to have a checkup and a blood test every 3 months to make sure her meds are not damaging her liver.

After that, we had a delightful time getting lost (I am not being sarcastic--the weather was lovely, we were in a beautiful part of town, we were playing fun games and when we found a place to turn around--it happened to be a McDonald's so I got SmallDaughter some apple dippers and the rest of us parfaits to keep us happy. Good thing, too--it took us another hour to find where we were supposed to be, and to locate someplace we could get some "real lunch". Fortunately we had plenty of time before our next appointment, which was:

Getting the WonderDog's eyes checked.

Seriously. I didn't even know Veterinary Ophthalmologists existed! However, the national group of Veterinary Ophthalmologists offer free eye exams for Service Dogs once a year! Very Cool! WonderDog's eyes look healthy and wise (as always) and the folks there were very nice.

However, we had a very bad night.
I had so much I had to do--(I am preparing for our Ward's "Art & Dessert Open House" this Friday--which I am in charge of, and have a TON to get done) so I was up past my bedtime--until 11:00 to be exact. Yes, I know that doesn't seem horribly late, but my alarm goes off at 4:40 am, and we all know how I am about needing my sleep, so trust me--that is late.

But as I stepped out of the bathroom from brushing my teeth, LargeBoy informed me that SmallDaughter was not only awake, but that she got out of her room and was downstairs. This is not good.

Once she is up, she is UP. There is no gently tucking her back in and having her drift back to dreamland. So, I changed her diaper (which was probably what woke her up), gave her another melatonin, and snuggled on the couch for a little while. We walked outside to look at the stars, and then we went up to my room for a snuggle.

It was now 12:30. Having her in the bed with me is like trying to snuggle a ball of eels (that smell faintly like pee). She eventually climbed out of bed, and being thwarted by my having locked the bolt on the door (too high for her to reach) and unscrewed the light bulb in the lamp (so she couldn't turn it back on), she lay down on the WonderDog, and was quite noisily angry for a long time. Sometime around 2:00am she fell asleep.

This morning, of course, she was tired and grumpy. And so was I. She was picking her skin worse than usual--it is definitely worse when she is angry, frustrated or bored. I was attempting to get bandaids taped into place before she could peel them off and lick the gaping wound ("how are they supposed to heal if you keep doing that?!!!") and she got the left hand bandaid off 4 times before I could get the tape on over it!

All this while she was screaming, wiggling, spitting and pinching me.

My frustration runneth over.

Finally I got her loaded on the school van (I could hear her shrieking until they were past my neighbors house!). Sigh. Often she has a much better day once she gets to school. I hope so. Big Sigh.

However, I came in to the computer to check my email, and found this article in Meridian Magazine that totally resonated with me.

Then I checked the blogs I follow, and found this video, which reduced me to tears, mostly in gratitude for the blessings that I have been given so abundantly.

Once, when I had been describing some of the details of living with SmallDaughter, someone asked "but what makes it worth doing, if it is that hard?"--and here is my answer:

Once again, I am reminded of how much Heavenly Father loves "even the least of these".

What do you call someone who contributes nothing material, who consumes without replacing, who cannot express their thoughts, or hopes, or fears, or what hurts them in the night?

A blessing.

Becoming the wife I really want to be

2010-04-29T09:22:00.000-04:00

I have spent a lot of time lately pondering on several related themes. Happiness and unhappiness (in life, and specifically in marriage), selfishness/selflessness, dominance and submission (not in any kinky or sexual meaning*).

And how many of the commandments our loving Heavenly Father gives us feel wrong and backwards to us (in our mortal state).

“I don’t feel loving”
—Do it anyway.

“He isn’t serving me—in fact, he is completely unworthy of my love”
—Love him and honor him anyway.

“Nobody will know what websites I look at”
—Be pure anyway.

“They started it!”
—Pray for them anyway.

We as wives have to realize that while we may be “right”—the battle is not actually worth the price we will pay to “win”. It is NOT better to be right and alone than to set aside the issue and show your love to someone else. The opposite of “being right” is NOT always “being wrong”.

A prime analogy could be my friends’ fence. My good friends “Tim” and “Jane” live in a house with a shared driveway. The people they share it with (whom we will call “Bubba Joe” and “Loretta Sue” haven’t made many wise decisions in their lives. They frequently make choices that drive Tim and Jane CRAZY. (Actually I am waiting for them to show up on Jerry Springer—that is the level of wrong choices I am talking about!) These aren’t the next door neighbors you want.

A few years ago Bubba Joe and Loretta Sue decided they wanted to put up a fence and--without discussing it with Tim and Jane--sunk the fence posts. Unfortunately, they put them up on Tim & Jane’s property.

My first thought was to “accidentally” back the big 4 wheel drive pickup into the front fencepost, then make sure a loop of fence wire was firmly “caught” around the pickups hitch, and pull forward quickly, (incidentally yanking out the whole fence). Problem Solved!

Until Bubba Joe, (in his now fully justified wrath) retaliated. Then, in a matter of weeks we could go straight to the Hatfields and the McCoys.

Fortunately for everyone, cooler heads than mine prevailed, and Tim and Jane decided it was “just a fence” and not worth the battle. It isn’t a very good fence, and I am guessing (now that a few years have gone by)—that it won’t last for much longer.

Wives especially are bad about “scorekeeping”:—“well, HE didn’t take out the trash, so I am not going to do the dishes”. What a great way to make sure everybody LOSES. She is hostile and grouchy, and he is unloved and put upon. It is a choice that we make every day—do we focus on the good or the bad?

My sweet husband leaves for work at 4:00am on Monday morning. He is usually very good about hauling the dumpster out to the road for it’s Monday morning pickup, but he isn’t around to haul the (now empty) dumpster back in. I can choose to:

A) leave it out by the curb until “he does his job”—which will be Thursday evening at the very earliest—meaning I have been without it all week.

B) Put on my best martyr attitude and haul it in, muttering the whole time about how “I have to do EVERYTHING around here” (completely ignoring the fact that he just left for work—to support ME, at 4 freakin’ o’clock in the morning—and that he will continue to work his cute little butt off FOR ME.)

C) Cheerfully bring the dumpster back in, feeling grateful that I only have to bring it in when it is empty and light, and that I HAVE a nice, rolling trash dumpster (which I actually LOVE!), and feeling his love for me that he expressed by taking it out in the first place.

In the last little while I have watched several seemingly strong marriages (of good people) dissolve into seething messes of throbbing pain, recriminations and vitriolic spite. The one thing that all of them had in common was that one (or both) of them got caught up in the “selfishness vortex”. They cannot see how each selfish choice feeds the selfishness beast, and that instead of pacifying it, they make it stronger. Each choice of “me first”,"my wants", “my needs”, “but what about ME?” blinds them to the love they have been freely given, and the pain they cause to those around them.

I have been reading “Created to Be His Help Meet: Discover How God Can Make Your Marriage Glorious” by Debi Pearl. She is a fundamentalist Christian, and, while I don't agree with all of her theology, and I really disagree with the way she phrases some of her points, I think the principles she teaches are sound, and I know for myself that they work.

This is not an easy book. It is easy to feel attacked and defensive while you read it. I think that means it is hitting home, and we need to carefully focus on doing the things we are most defensive about.

When I look around at our society, I see LOTS of unhappy people, in less than ideal relationships. Broken, dysfunctional families. Women who are hostile and nasty to their husbands, and who feel lonely and taken for granted. Men who feel disrespected and unloved. Children who don’t know the comfort of knowing that their parents love them and each other.

One of the best things my wise mother taught me about making decisions is to look at the end result. Ask yourself “ What would happen if everyone made this choice?” “ What would happen to them, to their relationships, to society as a whole?”

Maybe the things society teaches are wrong. Maybe, doing exactly the opposite of that we are told really is the way to happiness.

When my sweet LargeBoy was still a small boy, he went through a phase of not wanting to go to bed, and of waking up in the night, and not being able to go back to sleep. (He has always been a very light sleeper and easily awakened). Unfortunately, I was horrifically sleep deprived and exhausted, and having him come get me to put him back to bed did not go down well. The nightly battles escalated to included shrieking and kicking walls (him), threats and spankings (me) and crying and screaming (both of us).

When my pride finally allowed me to pray and ask for help, the simple answer was "a soft answer turneth away wrath". The more I nagged, bossed and bullied, the more stubbornly he dug in. When I finally gave up on "winning" and instead focused on talking to him about how I loved him, what he had done that day, and interesting things he had seen, sleep came quickly and he learned how to put himself back to sleep.

A true example of "surrendering to win".

Maybe, just maybe, the promises the Lord made is true and “So the last shall be first, and the first last," and that the real way to win and find true happiness is in loving surrender and putting other people’s happiness before your own.

He hasn’t lied yet.

*You DO NOT want to get me started on my rant about words that have been hijacked—besides “dominance” and “submission”, I really miss the old meaning of the word “gay”—“happy” and “cheerful” ARE NOT the same.

A Precious Gift

2010-04-23T12:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I was given a special gift. A prayer shawl, made of gorgeous silk sari-yarn, which blesses the lives of the women who make it. Spun by women in Nepal from the waste silk left over from weaving the material for Saris, it is made by women's cooperatives and gives them a fair wage and a chance to change their lives and the world around them. When you look at it under indoor light it seems to be quite conservative, even drab--mostly autumn reds and browns. However, if you have a chance to see it in sunlight, it explodes into vibrant reds, greens and purples. Rather like a casual glance at the lives of the quiet women around the world, who, when you get to know them and their stories, explode into brilliance.

Quote of the Day:

2010-04-19T10:28:00.001-04:00

Every night Satan checks under his bed to make sure Elder Holland isn't hiding underneath it!

Milepost!

2010-04-16T07:32:00.000-04:00

I am really terrible at anniversaries. My hundredth posting--nothing. My one year anniversary, also Nada. However, I just noticed that sometime during my nighttime, this little blog crossed over, and has now had over a thousand visitors. Whoa! Now, I know that probably a lot of those have stumbled across it, and went on their way unchanged, but some of you stayed.

Thank You!

Whoa!

2010-04-15T21:16:00.000-04:00

Have just been attacked by a crazy chicken. Note to self: Never let the cat follow me into the barn again.

The best way to recover self possession: Spend some time reading some really awful prose over at the Bulwer-Lytton Contest. Truly.

Here is a little sample, just to whet your funny bone (to truly mix some metaphors!)

The notes blatted skyward as the sun rose over the Canada geese, feathered rumps mooning the day, webbed appendages frantically peddling unseen bicycles in their search for sustenance, driven by Nature's maxim, "Ya wanna eat, ya gotta work," and at last I knew Pittsburgh.

--Sheila B. Richter, Minneapolis, Minnesota (1987 Winner)

The lovely woman-child Kaa was mercilessly chained to the cruel post of the warrior-chief Beast, with his barbarous tribe now stacking wood at her nubile feet, when the strong, clear voice of the poetic and heroic Handsomas roared, "Flick your Bic, crisp that chick, and you'll feel my steel through your last meal."

--Steven Garman, Pensacola, Florida (1984 Winner)

2009 Dishonorable Mention (In Romance)

As she slowly drove up the long, winding driveway, Lady Alicia peeked out the window of her shiny blue Mercedes and spied Rodrigo the new gardener standing on a grassy mound with his long black hair flowing in the wind, his brown eyes piercing into her very soul, and his white shirt open to the waist, revealing his beautifully rippling muscular chest, and she thought to herself, "I must tell that lazy idiot to trim the hedges by the gate."

Kathryn Minicozzi
Bronx, NY

Enjoy Yourself!

Spring Awesomeness!

2010-04-15T08:28:00.000-04:00

I forgot to blog about another bit of exciting news: BigGirl got her ears pierced! They look very cute, and she is quite stunningly stylish.

Last night my big children went to the annual banquet that the Kiwanis put on to honor all of the 4-H'ers who got "A" Grades on their projects. I am really proud of them.

In what seems to be a continuing theme--that of how cool my siblings are, and how they help my musical tastes be "fresh" instead of "incredibly uncool and fuddy-duddy", here is a link to my new FAV! (Don't be put off by the Dutch DJ at the beginning, watch the whole song.) Check out all of her other songs on YouTube as well. Caro Emerald is going places.

Lady Gaga either is or has a great arranger and has extremely catchy songs (and I prefer non-whiney alto voices for female singers), BUT Caro Emerald has a better voice, better clothes, more style, an EXTREMELY talented band AND Brass Instruments! WIN!

Recovering

2010-04-13T10:20:00.000-04:00

LOTS of fun has been going on at my house. For weeks now. And we have loved it ALL!

However, that also means I am even more sleep deprived than usual (which, for those who know my semi-permanent, walking zombie-ness are quite surprised to find is even possible!) and my house is even more piled up than usual.

This week I am slowly digging out of both. Baby Steps. Little bits at a time.

I am not sure what to do about the multiple places where SmallDaughter poured entire bottles of food coloring on the carpet--and a Large bottle of Methylene Blue, also. Sigh.

I promised pictures of chicks--here they are!

This year, we have Rhode Island Red chicks.

Two cute chicks!

Here are the Turkey Chicks

The chicks are growing well--the chicks have doubled in size, and the turkeys have quadrupled.

In other EXCITING NEWS!: My youngest brother R--the one who makes me feel both very old (every time he hits a !@#$%^ milestone in his life) and very young (when I hang out with him, and enjoy his random hilariosity!) just won an $8000.00 Presidential Scholarship to the local House of Higher Learning! Way to go, dude! And, I am happy to continue proof reading your essays (I particularly like the random Captain America and Aquabats references!).

Easter Update

2010-04-04T19:46:00.000-04:00

SmallDaughter begged and begged for me to open a package of marshmallow Peeps. When I gave her one, she refused to eat it—she just wanted to pet the little yellow chick!

LargeBoy ate the ears and top of the head off of his hollow chocolate bunny, then gave it a Cool Whip “brain” and did some disgusting zombie things. He is creative. Also, definitely a boy.

Everybody enjoyed the traditional egg hunt, where Grandma P hides the eggs—which I will be finding in the yard for the rest of the year.

I will post pictures of the chicks soon—I promise!