It is the 100th post today. I've been meaning to do this for several days, but my hands are never free when I sit down at the computer. I've always got Peanut in my arms. So, my idea for this post was to have 100 tid bits about me. You probably don't want to know 10 things about me, much less 100.
Well, I couldn't come up with 100 things - you are going to get 50!
50 Things about me you may not know
Childhood
1. Born and raised in Texas, I will always be a Texan at heart
2. One summer I watched the Parent Trap everyday (Hayley Mills, of course)
3. Was know among fellow Girl Scouts as The Moss Boss
4. I wrote lots of stories
5. Spent lots of time in my room listening to music and singing and writing
Education
6. Decided when I was very young that I would attend BYU
7. Have an Associates Degree and a Bachelor Degree in Recreation
8. Want a Masters Degree in Library Science
9. Would love to study history of English and Geology
10. When I was young I wanted to be a meteorologist.
Hobbies
11. I love to cross stitch – it is my favorite hobby.
12. I love to write.
13. I love to play Sims 2
14. I love to study names – onomastics.
15. I also love learning about the history of English
Favorite movies
16. Willow
17. Singing in the Rain
18. Lord of the Rings
19. Pride and Prejudice (A&E version)
20. Any Doris Day movie
Favorite books
21. Any name books
22. The Secret Garden
23. Peter Pan
24. The Magician’s Nephew – Chronicles of Narnia
25. Prisoner of Azkaban – Harry Potter
Interests
26. NAMES!
27. language
28. My children
Secret Desires
29. Publish a book
30. Head a research team to study Indo-European names
31. Meet any or all of the following actors: Liam Neeson, Peter Tork and/or Colin Firth
32. Get a full time job at Philmont
33. Have a successful home business
Places I’ve been
34. Scotland
35. Italy
36. France
37. Hawaii
38. London – Kensington Gardens to see the Peter Pan statue.
Misc.
39. Formally played the bassoon – 8 ½ years
40. Use to have a great singing voice
41. Love to bake
42. Had tubes in my ears for 20 years
43. Love the fall season
44. Lived in a tent for 3 weeks on a campout in Idaho
45. Lived in a tent for 10 weeks as a Philmont staff member
46. Hate veggies!
47. Never learned to drive a stick shift vehicle
48. Monkees fan
49. Can do a convincing English accent
50. Love to Disco!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
I'm not superwoman
Yesterday I took my kids to a birthday party. One of the moms there had her newborn son in her arms. He was born the day after Peanut. That little baby is currently weighing in at 8 pounds. My Peanut is a whopping 10. She looked so enormous next to this little boy. It was so funny!
Anyway, the mom with the little boy said, I heard you had your baby at home. I told her I did. The question I get asked every time someone finds out that I did that was would I do it again. My answer is yes! I would do it again. I wish I had done it sooner than baby #5. She then asks if I was worried if something would go wrong. No, I never worried. I had faith in my midwives. That was something I never had with the doctors. We talk about home birth a bit longer, then the conversation ends with, wow, you are just amazing to do that.
No I'm not. I just did what was natural and with what I felt was best.
Our present to this little friend who's party it was was an outfit I sewed for her and some cloth diapers I had sewn for Peanut and made them way to small for my 9 pound baby. These little cloth diapers are the perfect size for a baby doll. My daughter plays with them and changes her baby's diapers over and over. The conversation turns back to me. You made this? Wow, how do you do it? How do you find time with a newborn? Well, right now it is easy. Peanut is a newborn and spends most of her time asleep. When she is awake, she has four siblings who fight to hold her. I can easily have one of my three older children hold Peanut while I work on something.
Then they ask, you were going to use cloth diapers? Yes, and I'm still planning on doing it. The reason she is not in cloth diapers right now is because she was given 3 large boxes of size 1 diapers. I'm going to make good use of those diapers before she outgrows them.
My friend mentioned that I painted my kitchen cabinets when Peanut was 5 days old. I had my mom and Mom did more work on it than I did. It wasn't anything spectacular.
Anyway, these ladies are just saying you are so super, you are Superwoman. I smile and thank them, but inside I'm ready to cry. No I'm not. I'm not Superwoman. Come to my house - you will see dishes in the sink, a carpet way over due for a vacuuming, toys all over the floor, a pile of laundry waiting to be washed and a lot of clutter. Spend some time with my children - you will hear a lot of arguing, teasing, and my toddler doing a lot of screaming. Listen to me at the end of the day. I'm short tempered with my children, and I "raise my voice" often at them. I wouldn't have to raise my voice if they would just behave or do what I ask when I ask them to take their part in helping to care for the house. If I were Superwoman, my house would be clean and my children would not find pleasure in annoying and teasing each other. If I were Superwoman, I wouldn't be overweight and I wouldn't raise my voice at my children.
I'm not super. I just live day to day. I am a stay-at-home mom. That is all.
Anyway, the mom with the little boy said, I heard you had your baby at home. I told her I did. The question I get asked every time someone finds out that I did that was would I do it again. My answer is yes! I would do it again. I wish I had done it sooner than baby #5. She then asks if I was worried if something would go wrong. No, I never worried. I had faith in my midwives. That was something I never had with the doctors. We talk about home birth a bit longer, then the conversation ends with, wow, you are just amazing to do that.
No I'm not. I just did what was natural and with what I felt was best.
Our present to this little friend who's party it was was an outfit I sewed for her and some cloth diapers I had sewn for Peanut and made them way to small for my 9 pound baby. These little cloth diapers are the perfect size for a baby doll. My daughter plays with them and changes her baby's diapers over and over. The conversation turns back to me. You made this? Wow, how do you do it? How do you find time with a newborn? Well, right now it is easy. Peanut is a newborn and spends most of her time asleep. When she is awake, she has four siblings who fight to hold her. I can easily have one of my three older children hold Peanut while I work on something.
Then they ask, you were going to use cloth diapers? Yes, and I'm still planning on doing it. The reason she is not in cloth diapers right now is because she was given 3 large boxes of size 1 diapers. I'm going to make good use of those diapers before she outgrows them.
My friend mentioned that I painted my kitchen cabinets when Peanut was 5 days old. I had my mom and Mom did more work on it than I did. It wasn't anything spectacular.
Anyway, these ladies are just saying you are so super, you are Superwoman. I smile and thank them, but inside I'm ready to cry. No I'm not. I'm not Superwoman. Come to my house - you will see dishes in the sink, a carpet way over due for a vacuuming, toys all over the floor, a pile of laundry waiting to be washed and a lot of clutter. Spend some time with my children - you will hear a lot of arguing, teasing, and my toddler doing a lot of screaming. Listen to me at the end of the day. I'm short tempered with my children, and I "raise my voice" often at them. I wouldn't have to raise my voice if they would just behave or do what I ask when I ask them to take their part in helping to care for the house. If I were Superwoman, my house would be clean and my children would not find pleasure in annoying and teasing each other. If I were Superwoman, I wouldn't be overweight and I wouldn't raise my voice at my children.
I'm not super. I just live day to day. I am a stay-at-home mom. That is all.
Princesses and trucks
Yesterday, some friends gave my kids some good old fashion metal toy trucks that their children had long out grown. My thought is they will be perfect for the sand box. Toddler took one and started playing with it. Princess took the other two outside to the sand box and began her play. Later I hear Toddler crying his frustrated cry. I went to see what was wrong and I find a little Polly Pocket Princess stuck inside the cab of the truck. It was Ariel, to be exact. Toddler had decided that the truck needed a driver and those little dolls were the perfect size. The problem was that Ariel was not dressed appropriately for truck driving - she had on a Cinderella dress. Ariel was taken out. Toddler continued to play with the truck and several other of his cars. They drove about the living room and crashed into each other a lot.
Princess on the other hand, was outside with the two other trucks. She dug in the sand and moved the trucks along the mounds of sand. She decided that her trucks also needed drivers. She came in and picked up the discarded Airel that Toddler had taken out of his truck. She places Ariel in the cab of one of her trucks and continues to play.
It is funny to see a bright red headed princess sitting in the cabs of these large yellow trucks. It is funny how Toddler quickly decided it was better that his truck had no driver, rather than have a princess in full ballroom gown dress sitting in the cab and how my Princess decided Airiel in full ballroom gown dress was perfect for her truck. Ah boys and girls. They are so different.
Princess on the other hand, was outside with the two other trucks. She dug in the sand and moved the trucks along the mounds of sand. She decided that her trucks also needed drivers. She came in and picked up the discarded Airel that Toddler had taken out of his truck. She places Ariel in the cab of one of her trucks and continues to play.
It is funny to see a bright red headed princess sitting in the cabs of these large yellow trucks. It is funny how Toddler quickly decided it was better that his truck had no driver, rather than have a princess in full ballroom gown dress sitting in the cab and how my Princess decided Airiel in full ballroom gown dress was perfect for her truck. Ah boys and girls. They are so different.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Lovely day
It is a lovely day here. Peanut is 3 weeks old today. It has gone by so fast. It feels like she has always been a part of us now. She still has her cold and so she snorts a lot when she breaths. Hubby was really worried about her, so I took her into the doc yesterday. Doc looked her over and said, yep, it's a cold. She weighs 10 pounds now! What a big girl.
It is a sunny day and I'm drying my clothes on the line. I do love that. I could have done it yesterday, but I was feeling lazy. Today I have energy (I don't know where it comes from, I've had very little sleep thanks to the snorting baby) and so I've taken my clothes outside to dry.
Hubby left this morning for a short business trip. We miss him, of course, but I really have fun when he is gone on these little trips. I have the van all to myself! I don't have to cook nice meals. Not that I always cook nice meals anyway, but at least the pressure to cook nice meals is off. After taking hubby to the airport this morning, we went to a large plant nursery and got some pretty plants. Hubby likes purples, blues and silvers. I found several purple flowers, some blue ground cover and I got lambs ear. A nursery is a place I really have to stay away from. I could spend so much money there. So many beautiful plants.
Our garden we planted is growing. We planted carrots, cucumbers, beans, and pumpkins. We have a very small area for planting and that is all we could fit into it. I've also got some dill, parsley and mint growing. It is neat to see the little plants poking out of the ground and their green leaves getting bigger.
In a week and a half, a friend of mine is going to our nearest cannery. It is strange how is works here, she had to give her order a month in advance to make sure they have what she wants in stock. Our cannery/storehouse is 2 1/2 hours away and I never make it out to that area. She was good enough to call me up and ask if I wanted anything. I placed a nice order with her. I wanted to get enough that it is worth the time and energy it will take her to go there, but not so big that she couldn't accommodate my stuff as well as hers. I'm excited to get my stuff. Mostly it is oats. I can do so much with oats - breakfasts, cookies, grind it for flour and make breads. Oats are so versatile and we use them a lot.
Well, it is time to go rotate laundry and bring in the dry stuff.
It is a sunny day and I'm drying my clothes on the line. I do love that. I could have done it yesterday, but I was feeling lazy. Today I have energy (I don't know where it comes from, I've had very little sleep thanks to the snorting baby) and so I've taken my clothes outside to dry.
Hubby left this morning for a short business trip. We miss him, of course, but I really have fun when he is gone on these little trips. I have the van all to myself! I don't have to cook nice meals. Not that I always cook nice meals anyway, but at least the pressure to cook nice meals is off. After taking hubby to the airport this morning, we went to a large plant nursery and got some pretty plants. Hubby likes purples, blues and silvers. I found several purple flowers, some blue ground cover and I got lambs ear. A nursery is a place I really have to stay away from. I could spend so much money there. So many beautiful plants.
Our garden we planted is growing. We planted carrots, cucumbers, beans, and pumpkins. We have a very small area for planting and that is all we could fit into it. I've also got some dill, parsley and mint growing. It is neat to see the little plants poking out of the ground and their green leaves getting bigger.
In a week and a half, a friend of mine is going to our nearest cannery. It is strange how is works here, she had to give her order a month in advance to make sure they have what she wants in stock. Our cannery/storehouse is 2 1/2 hours away and I never make it out to that area. She was good enough to call me up and ask if I wanted anything. I placed a nice order with her. I wanted to get enough that it is worth the time and energy it will take her to go there, but not so big that she couldn't accommodate my stuff as well as hers. I'm excited to get my stuff. Mostly it is oats. I can do so much with oats - breakfasts, cookies, grind it for flour and make breads. Oats are so versatile and we use them a lot.
Well, it is time to go rotate laundry and bring in the dry stuff.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Family size and soap
In this society of 2.5 kids, having 5 children must seem really bizarre to a lot of people. We haven't got out much as a family since Peanut was born, but when we have gone out, the seven of us, we've gotten some comments on our large size. Even in our ward at church, we are now tied with 2 other families for largest number of children. Hubby and I each grew up in families with 4 children. We've passed our parents. It has been strange.
What has really been strange to adjust is that even after sending hubby to work in the morning and the oldest son to school, I still have 4 kids in the house. With Peanut's cold, I stayed home from church today to care for her, but Hubby still left the house with 4 children. This will take some adjusting. I realize that 5 isn't as large as some families I know, but the adjustment has been bigger for me than I anticipated.
OK, a random happening in our house. I finished a bottle of dish soap and so I dug deep into the cabinet under the sink to find more. I found a bottle of blue dish soap labeled Deseret Dish Washing Soap. Yep, soap from the storehouse. I was using it and I kept getting these strange nostalgic flashbacks to when I was very small and in my parent's kitchen. I smelled the dish soap. The smell was oddly familiar. I mentioned it to my hubby and he said the same thing had happened to him when he used it. This dish soap must smell the way all the dish soaps use to before they all started to have "scents", like cucumber-melon and spring breeze. I wonder if after this soap is gone I can get more of it. I like the way it smells and reminds me of my childhood.
What has really been strange to adjust is that even after sending hubby to work in the morning and the oldest son to school, I still have 4 kids in the house. With Peanut's cold, I stayed home from church today to care for her, but Hubby still left the house with 4 children. This will take some adjusting. I realize that 5 isn't as large as some families I know, but the adjustment has been bigger for me than I anticipated.
OK, a random happening in our house. I finished a bottle of dish soap and so I dug deep into the cabinet under the sink to find more. I found a bottle of blue dish soap labeled Deseret Dish Washing Soap. Yep, soap from the storehouse. I was using it and I kept getting these strange nostalgic flashbacks to when I was very small and in my parent's kitchen. I smelled the dish soap. The smell was oddly familiar. I mentioned it to my hubby and he said the same thing had happened to him when he used it. This dish soap must smell the way all the dish soaps use to before they all started to have "scents", like cucumber-melon and spring breeze. I wonder if after this soap is gone I can get more of it. I like the way it smells and reminds me of my childhood.
Peanut
I've decided to give my baby a blog name. From now on, (or until I change my mind) she will be called Peanut. I call her this because when I hold her, she curls up into a ball and it just reminds me of a peanut.
So, Peanut is 2 weeks old. She has a very different disposition from the other kids, so far. She spends a good deal of her awake time looking around at the world through her big eyes. Her eyes are brown! I'm so happy. I have brown eyes, my husband has green eyes and I've got four green/blue eyed children. Peanut's eyes may not stay brown, but for now, they are and I'm very pleased.
Two nights ago, Peanut caught a cold. I'm not surprised since the other kids have all had colds and I can't keep them from putting their hands all over Peanut's face. Princess (the 4 year old) insists on kissing her on the cheeks all the time. Poor Peanut. She has had the hardest time breathing. Her nose is stopped up and she insists on trying to breath through it. Early this morning, she started to panic because she just couldn't get air through her nose. It made her upset and she started to cry. I let her cry. At least she breaths through her mouth when she cries. Poor baby. It is hard to have a cold.
Princess has been a huge help lately. A few days ago, she was helping me wash dishes but it had been a while since she went potty and she had an accident. I put her in the tub. Toddler got into the tub too. I got them cleaned and then I went to check on Peanut. Peanut needed me, so I was holding her and caring for her when Princess and Toddler got out of the tub. I couldn't put a diaper on Toddler right away, so I let him run naked. Later, he came up to me and was wearing a diaper and a t-shirt. I hadn't dressed him and I know my seven year old hadn't done it. Princess had. I didn't know she knew how to put on a diaper, but she did! Then, yesterday, Peanut wanted a bottle. I was busy and hubby was going to get it, but suddenly, Princess appeared with a bottle. She had made it herself and did it just right! She really watches me. I'm so glad to have my sweet Princess.
So, Peanut is 2 weeks old. She has a very different disposition from the other kids, so far. She spends a good deal of her awake time looking around at the world through her big eyes. Her eyes are brown! I'm so happy. I have brown eyes, my husband has green eyes and I've got four green/blue eyed children. Peanut's eyes may not stay brown, but for now, they are and I'm very pleased.
Two nights ago, Peanut caught a cold. I'm not surprised since the other kids have all had colds and I can't keep them from putting their hands all over Peanut's face. Princess (the 4 year old) insists on kissing her on the cheeks all the time. Poor Peanut. She has had the hardest time breathing. Her nose is stopped up and she insists on trying to breath through it. Early this morning, she started to panic because she just couldn't get air through her nose. It made her upset and she started to cry. I let her cry. At least she breaths through her mouth when she cries. Poor baby. It is hard to have a cold.
Princess has been a huge help lately. A few days ago, she was helping me wash dishes but it had been a while since she went potty and she had an accident. I put her in the tub. Toddler got into the tub too. I got them cleaned and then I went to check on Peanut. Peanut needed me, so I was holding her and caring for her when Princess and Toddler got out of the tub. I couldn't put a diaper on Toddler right away, so I let him run naked. Later, he came up to me and was wearing a diaper and a t-shirt. I hadn't dressed him and I know my seven year old hadn't done it. Princess had. I didn't know she knew how to put on a diaper, but she did! Then, yesterday, Peanut wanted a bottle. I was busy and hubby was going to get it, but suddenly, Princess appeared with a bottle. She had made it herself and did it just right! She really watches me. I'm so glad to have my sweet Princess.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
growing up
Last night was baby's 2 week check up with the mid-wives. They declared her perfect. Of course, I already knew that. She has grown. She is 21 3/4 inches long now and is back to birth weight - 9 lbs 5 oz. She screamed through the entire check up - making quite sure they knew her lungs are good and strong. She loves to be warm. She loves to be held. This is good and bad. I love to hold her, but sometimes, I just need to put her down and take care of life. It makes her upset. She is very alert and watches me when I walk past her. I'm absolutely sure she has smiled at me and I'm not talking gas smiles. Perhaps they have all been gas smiles, but it seems she has smiled at me just because. Let me think that anyway, it makes me happy.
We are trying to get back into the swing of things. My seven year old is doing his homeschool work. My two and four year olds are playing. The toddler seems to be having a rough time. He screeches when anything happens that he doesn't like. He drops a toy and screams. He can't carry something and he screams. His older siblings annoy him and he screams. It is an awful screech. I'm hoping he will get over this phase soon.
I have to admit, I've not had much time for thoughts beyond baby, kids and household duties. Right now motherhood and homemaking are consuming all my thoughts and energies. Can you believe it?
We are trying to get back into the swing of things. My seven year old is doing his homeschool work. My two and four year olds are playing. The toddler seems to be having a rough time. He screeches when anything happens that he doesn't like. He drops a toy and screams. He can't carry something and he screams. His older siblings annoy him and he screams. It is an awful screech. I'm hoping he will get over this phase soon.
I have to admit, I've not had much time for thoughts beyond baby, kids and household duties. Right now motherhood and homemaking are consuming all my thoughts and energies. Can you believe it?
Monday, April 14, 2008
A week and a half later....
Well, it has been 11 days since the baby was born. She is beautiful and sweet. She is still in that newborn state where she sleeps a lot during the day and even quite a bit a night. I have gotten better and more sleep in the last week and a half than I did the three months leading up to her birth.
My mom came two days after baby was born. She left today. It was so wonderful. My mom is the best. She left the house spotless! She did three loads of laundry a day (at least). She did all the dishes. There was never a dirty dish sitting in the sink while Mom was here.
Mom and I got a little crazy too. We painted the kitchen cabinets! They are now a glossy white. The kitchen is so bright and looks so much cleaner now. We also cleaned out several closets, sewed my 4 year old a new pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and made a several shopping trips. We had plans for fixing the inside workings of the downstairs toilet, but we ran out of time. Of course, there was lots of laughing, and we read several Women's World magazines. We went out one evening together with the plan of just getting some lemonade and chatting at a restaurant. We went to three restaurants before we found one open (this town shuts down at 9 p.m.) and the restaurant that was open had Karaoke going that night. We had our lemonades, listen to some really bad singing and laughed the whole way home.
Tomorrow I brave the world of 5 kids on my own for the first time, after hubby goes to work. I might be a total wreck. I appreciate all that my mom did for me, but what is the hardest about her going is the fun companionship that I enjoy with her around. We have a good time laughing, talking and working. I hope one day, years from now, I can have the same relationship with my daughters. I hope we can always be good friends and laugh together. It is hard to say good bye, but my white kitchen will remind me of good times.
My mom came two days after baby was born. She left today. It was so wonderful. My mom is the best. She left the house spotless! She did three loads of laundry a day (at least). She did all the dishes. There was never a dirty dish sitting in the sink while Mom was here.
Mom and I got a little crazy too. We painted the kitchen cabinets! They are now a glossy white. The kitchen is so bright and looks so much cleaner now. We also cleaned out several closets, sewed my 4 year old a new pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and made a several shopping trips. We had plans for fixing the inside workings of the downstairs toilet, but we ran out of time. Of course, there was lots of laughing, and we read several Women's World magazines. We went out one evening together with the plan of just getting some lemonade and chatting at a restaurant. We went to three restaurants before we found one open (this town shuts down at 9 p.m.) and the restaurant that was open had Karaoke going that night. We had our lemonades, listen to some really bad singing and laughed the whole way home.
Tomorrow I brave the world of 5 kids on my own for the first time, after hubby goes to work. I might be a total wreck. I appreciate all that my mom did for me, but what is the hardest about her going is the fun companionship that I enjoy with her around. We have a good time laughing, talking and working. I hope one day, years from now, I can have the same relationship with my daughters. I hope we can always be good friends and laugh together. It is hard to say good bye, but my white kitchen will remind me of good times.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Baby's Here!
Our sweet baby girl was born on April 3rd at 2:40 in the morning. She is a big 9 lbs 5 oz and is 21 inches long. She is a sweetie who is loved so much by everyone here. Her siblings keep wanting to hold her. I won't tell the name here, but here is a picture of my newest pink bundle of joy.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Doris Day Show
This is my 90th post. I'll have to think of something special for the 100th.
Today I was watching one of my Netflix - The Doris Day show. Can I tell you what a fun show this is? It is so, so, Clean! When the biggest concern is getting her children milk to drink at school or helping some dogs that were left in a car during the heat of the day, you know that you are watching something special. This kind of entertainment and way of thinking no longer exist in today's world.
There are a few things in the show that would be considered shocking, however. During season 2, Doris gets a job in the city near her farm home. She is a secretary for a magazine. What else was there for a women to do in the late 1960's? There is a lot, and I mean a lot of what would be called today, sexual harassment. The men in her office love to ask her out to dinner. The clients her company meet love to work with Doris and have dinner with her. They send her on special assignments for the company because she is beautiful. The CEO looks at her with adoring eyes. Of course, Doris is sweet and just takes it all in with a smile. She isn't a push over, mind you, but she just lets the comments and googoo eyes roll off her back. It is a sweet TV show and in the end, Doris always comes out with a smile and all is well.
So, today, I was watching it and she and her boss were on their way to Florida to do an interview for the magazine. Their plane is hijacked by a nervous white American man and re-routed to Cuba. While she is there, the Major of the army at the airport, falls in love with Doris and takes her to dinner. When the passengers are released and allowed to re-board the plane to take them home, she agrees to help the major who detained them. There is no International help or incident. It is shocking!! If this were to happen today, can you even imagine what it would be like? We would have to start a war with the other country.
What was simple then is not so simple now. This was Doris Day, after all, and it all turned out well with no harm done to anyone. I think I would rather live in Doris's world than ours. I would rather watch the silly Cuban hijacker than the drama of our own country brought to us courtesy of CSI and other such shows. Thank you Doris Day! Thank you for being such a sweet woman who cares for her children, works as a secretary and makes everything so happy.
Today I was watching one of my Netflix - The Doris Day show. Can I tell you what a fun show this is? It is so, so, Clean! When the biggest concern is getting her children milk to drink at school or helping some dogs that were left in a car during the heat of the day, you know that you are watching something special. This kind of entertainment and way of thinking no longer exist in today's world.
There are a few things in the show that would be considered shocking, however. During season 2, Doris gets a job in the city near her farm home. She is a secretary for a magazine. What else was there for a women to do in the late 1960's? There is a lot, and I mean a lot of what would be called today, sexual harassment. The men in her office love to ask her out to dinner. The clients her company meet love to work with Doris and have dinner with her. They send her on special assignments for the company because she is beautiful. The CEO looks at her with adoring eyes. Of course, Doris is sweet and just takes it all in with a smile. She isn't a push over, mind you, but she just lets the comments and googoo eyes roll off her back. It is a sweet TV show and in the end, Doris always comes out with a smile and all is well.
So, today, I was watching it and she and her boss were on their way to Florida to do an interview for the magazine. Their plane is hijacked by a nervous white American man and re-routed to Cuba. While she is there, the Major of the army at the airport, falls in love with Doris and takes her to dinner. When the passengers are released and allowed to re-board the plane to take them home, she agrees to help the major who detained them. There is no International help or incident. It is shocking!! If this were to happen today, can you even imagine what it would be like? We would have to start a war with the other country.
What was simple then is not so simple now. This was Doris Day, after all, and it all turned out well with no harm done to anyone. I think I would rather live in Doris's world than ours. I would rather watch the silly Cuban hijacker than the drama of our own country brought to us courtesy of CSI and other such shows. Thank you Doris Day! Thank you for being such a sweet woman who cares for her children, works as a secretary and makes everything so happy.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Hooked on shrink wrap
I recently got the Hooked on Phonics program for helping my homeschooled 7 year old and 4 year old to learn to read better. I have high hopes for what it can do for my preschooler.
Anyway, it arrived yesterday afternoon and I didn't get a chance to really look at it until this morning. It boasts at least 30 original books for helping the children learn to read. There was a section of 10 books in a shrink wrapped package. I opened it. Each individual book was then in its own shrink wrapped packaging! It took a long time to get into it. My two year old really wanted me to read to him, but by the time I got into the books, he had lost interest and gone off to another activity.
The program has a 30 day money back guarantee. I think it should be 31 days. You need one day just to get into the program and get the wrapping off 9 sets of flash cards and 30+ books.
Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. I do enjoy it there. It is lovely and the children's area is very nice with lots of things to do, play on, look at, and a nice hill to climb up and roll down. We spent three hours there just letting the kids run and play. We all received our first sunburn of the year. Everyone came home with pink cheeks and noses. Luckily for the kids, the pinkness seems to be mostly gone today. For some reason, I'm the one that burns the worst. My children are all fair haired and fair skinned, but me, with my dark hair and slightly less than fair skin ends up with the worst burns. My nose is still quite red and I could feel the burn on my head while I was brushing my hair this morning. It is defiantly time to pull out the sunblock.
Anyway, it arrived yesterday afternoon and I didn't get a chance to really look at it until this morning. It boasts at least 30 original books for helping the children learn to read. There was a section of 10 books in a shrink wrapped package. I opened it. Each individual book was then in its own shrink wrapped packaging! It took a long time to get into it. My two year old really wanted me to read to him, but by the time I got into the books, he had lost interest and gone off to another activity.
The program has a 30 day money back guarantee. I think it should be 31 days. You need one day just to get into the program and get the wrapping off 9 sets of flash cards and 30+ books.
Yesterday we went to the Botanical Gardens. I do enjoy it there. It is lovely and the children's area is very nice with lots of things to do, play on, look at, and a nice hill to climb up and roll down. We spent three hours there just letting the kids run and play. We all received our first sunburn of the year. Everyone came home with pink cheeks and noses. Luckily for the kids, the pinkness seems to be mostly gone today. For some reason, I'm the one that burns the worst. My children are all fair haired and fair skinned, but me, with my dark hair and slightly less than fair skin ends up with the worst burns. My nose is still quite red and I could feel the burn on my head while I was brushing my hair this morning. It is defiantly time to pull out the sunblock.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sales, thoughts, and general randomness
Well, yesterday I reached the 39th week of pregnancy, but who's counting? Early this morning I realized that I had given birth to all my sons by this point. It is my daughters, it seems who are in no hurry to join us. Well, I'm taking my kids, who are on spring break, to the Botanical Gardens today. I'm hoping that some walking and good exercise can get things going.
So, my lack of posts haven't been because of baby or lack of random thoughts, just lack of patience to sit down and type.
Let the Random Thoughts begin:
Have you ever noticed that the local furniture store is having it's biggest sale of the year every weekend? Our local Haynes has it's biggest sale of the year every week. They closed early yesterday so they could spend all night reducing prices for this week's biggest sale. They probably wanted the night off for some big game that was on TV or so they could watch Dancing With the Stars. Do they think the public is so stupid that we don't see what they are doing? Do they really think that we believe that this week has the biggest sale and that we will forget that they have used the same tactic last week? It is amusing. I keep hoping that if I wait long enough for their absolutly BIGGEST sale that everything will cost a dollar, like the dollar store. Only then will I be there for their sale.
My daughter had a funny idea recently. She told my hubby and I that we don't think because we don't have clouds over our heads. Well, that idea totally went over my head, but hubby got it. He laughed and said only cartoon characters get clouds over their heads when they think. Then I understood - thought bubbles! She got the idea that because we don't have thought bubbles hovering over our heads when we think or speak that we must not think! Isn't that the most clever, funniest thing? My daughter defiantly thinks outside the box, even without thought bubbles and clouds.
My daughter also informed me that she is cute and people think she is charming. She is telling the truth. I can't tell you the number of times we have gotten super treatment at stores and resturants because daughter was with us.
I had another really random thought, until now. Now I can't remember....
Oh yes! With baby coming, I told hubby that I really wanted to get a new digital camera. Our old camera died during Christmas. It didn't like the airplane trip apparently. I've been using my cell phone to take pictures, and that has worked very nicely, but the quality of the photos aren't great. I wanted a nice camera that wouldn't take grainy pictures. Hubby consented and we went to Best Buy. We found a nice camera and got it. Cameras are expensive and we chose one of the cheaper ones, but we still spent over $150 for it. Now, Hubby thinks that he can justify getting a new computer. He let me get a camera and I should let him get a computer. Hmmm, let's see, $150 vs. $1000. I just don't see how they balance out... He told me about a co-worker who a while back bought a TV stand that was big enough to hold a 60 inch screen TV. Their 36" TV looked quite silly on such a huge stand, so he was able to convince his wife into getting a 54" HDTV to "fit" the space.
What men don't realize is they aren't convincing us. We women aren't stupid and we see the set ups, even though most of the time, we don't call them on it. We keep the men happy by letting them think they have the upper hand and letting them get their toy that we get to enjoy too. A 60" screen TV isn't necessary, but I would love to watch Singing In the Rain in hi-def! And with a good sound system too!
So, my lack of posts haven't been because of baby or lack of random thoughts, just lack of patience to sit down and type.
Let the Random Thoughts begin:
Have you ever noticed that the local furniture store is having it's biggest sale of the year every weekend? Our local Haynes has it's biggest sale of the year every week. They closed early yesterday so they could spend all night reducing prices for this week's biggest sale. They probably wanted the night off for some big game that was on TV or so they could watch Dancing With the Stars. Do they think the public is so stupid that we don't see what they are doing? Do they really think that we believe that this week has the biggest sale and that we will forget that they have used the same tactic last week? It is amusing. I keep hoping that if I wait long enough for their absolutly BIGGEST sale that everything will cost a dollar, like the dollar store. Only then will I be there for their sale.
My daughter had a funny idea recently. She told my hubby and I that we don't think because we don't have clouds over our heads. Well, that idea totally went over my head, but hubby got it. He laughed and said only cartoon characters get clouds over their heads when they think. Then I understood - thought bubbles! She got the idea that because we don't have thought bubbles hovering over our heads when we think or speak that we must not think! Isn't that the most clever, funniest thing? My daughter defiantly thinks outside the box, even without thought bubbles and clouds.
My daughter also informed me that she is cute and people think she is charming. She is telling the truth. I can't tell you the number of times we have gotten super treatment at stores and resturants because daughter was with us.
I had another really random thought, until now. Now I can't remember....
Oh yes! With baby coming, I told hubby that I really wanted to get a new digital camera. Our old camera died during Christmas. It didn't like the airplane trip apparently. I've been using my cell phone to take pictures, and that has worked very nicely, but the quality of the photos aren't great. I wanted a nice camera that wouldn't take grainy pictures. Hubby consented and we went to Best Buy. We found a nice camera and got it. Cameras are expensive and we chose one of the cheaper ones, but we still spent over $150 for it. Now, Hubby thinks that he can justify getting a new computer. He let me get a camera and I should let him get a computer. Hmmm, let's see, $150 vs. $1000. I just don't see how they balance out... He told me about a co-worker who a while back bought a TV stand that was big enough to hold a 60 inch screen TV. Their 36" TV looked quite silly on such a huge stand, so he was able to convince his wife into getting a 54" HDTV to "fit" the space.
What men don't realize is they aren't convincing us. We women aren't stupid and we see the set ups, even though most of the time, we don't call them on it. We keep the men happy by letting them think they have the upper hand and letting them get their toy that we get to enjoy too. A 60" screen TV isn't necessary, but I would love to watch Singing In the Rain in hi-def! And with a good sound system too!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
I'm bored!
Can you believe I'm saying that? Of course there is a bunch of stuff to do (general cleaning, laundry, etc.), but really, how many times can you vacuum the living room in one day?
I like having a project and I can't think of anything right now. I'm out of the color thread I need to continue my cross stitch. It is a silly thing, but I can't do anymore with out this one dumb color. Hubby has the van all the time, day and evening, and I never make it out of the house.
With baby coming anytime in the next few weeks, I don't want to start anything too big that I might not be able to finish.
In the house I can't think of much to do. I've made all the cloth diapers I'm going to for the moment. I figured I'd better wait until baby gets here to make sure these diapers I've sewn are any good before I go and make more. I've painted the ugly room.... I could start the garden, but being a city girl who has never planted a garden before, I don't know how to get started and I'm afraid of messing it up and ruining our garden. I've been contemplating repainting the downstairs bathroom. It is a funny blue color right now. It isn't bad and it really doesn't need to be painted, but I would like to eventually. Do I do it now or later?
No books sound good to read right now... Yep, I guess I'm just being bored and ornery.
On the funny kid side of things, my older son and I were doing some math work together and my toddler toddled off to the kitchen. A few moments later I hear him scream in a very unusual way. He came running back to me looking quite scared. I couldn't understand what he was saying so I asked him to show me. He led me into the kitchen and pointed to his sandwich. On it was a fly. He was scared of the bug! I showed him how to wave his hand and say "Shoo fly!" Then I used a fly swater and killed the fly. My toddler thought that was pretty funny, but he stared at the wall where I killed the fly for a long time. He was quite worried that it would come back. With summer coming with all it's flies, mosquitos and spiders, it could be a real scary summer for my toddler.
Oh, another funny thing. Today is a really windy day! It is also trash day. A lot of trash cans have been blown over by the wind. Luckily for us, we have so much trash that our cans are very heavy and can't blow over.
I like having a project and I can't think of anything right now. I'm out of the color thread I need to continue my cross stitch. It is a silly thing, but I can't do anymore with out this one dumb color. Hubby has the van all the time, day and evening, and I never make it out of the house.
With baby coming anytime in the next few weeks, I don't want to start anything too big that I might not be able to finish.
In the house I can't think of much to do. I've made all the cloth diapers I'm going to for the moment. I figured I'd better wait until baby gets here to make sure these diapers I've sewn are any good before I go and make more. I've painted the ugly room.... I could start the garden, but being a city girl who has never planted a garden before, I don't know how to get started and I'm afraid of messing it up and ruining our garden. I've been contemplating repainting the downstairs bathroom. It is a funny blue color right now. It isn't bad and it really doesn't need to be painted, but I would like to eventually. Do I do it now or later?
No books sound good to read right now... Yep, I guess I'm just being bored and ornery.
On the funny kid side of things, my older son and I were doing some math work together and my toddler toddled off to the kitchen. A few moments later I hear him scream in a very unusual way. He came running back to me looking quite scared. I couldn't understand what he was saying so I asked him to show me. He led me into the kitchen and pointed to his sandwich. On it was a fly. He was scared of the bug! I showed him how to wave his hand and say "Shoo fly!" Then I used a fly swater and killed the fly. My toddler thought that was pretty funny, but he stared at the wall where I killed the fly for a long time. He was quite worried that it would come back. With summer coming with all it's flies, mosquitos and spiders, it could be a real scary summer for my toddler.
Oh, another funny thing. Today is a really windy day! It is also trash day. A lot of trash cans have been blown over by the wind. Luckily for us, we have so much trash that our cans are very heavy and can't blow over.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Mrs. Grumpy
I've been grumpy a bit lately. Can you blame me? It is 7:20 in the morning and the two youngest have already thrown tantrums. They have only been awake for 7 minutes! It has been like this for over a week. My hubby was out of town all last week so I never had a break from the kids. I can't even go into my bedroom or the bathroom without one of them following me to the door. If I go into the bedroom and lock the door, the two youngest pound on it and yell at me. If I go into the bathroom, they stand on the other side of the door talking to me. My two older ones do this a lot too. They don't have anything to say to me while I'm in the same room as them, but the moment I enter the bathroom and shut the door, they suddenly need to ask questions or tell me stories.
I'm also now 38 weeks pregnant. Having this baby is about the only thought my mind is capable of thinking of. I just want to know when it is going to happen. Then I could relax and plan, but knowing it could happen anywhere from tomorrow to three weeks down the road is making me crazy.
My kids seem to talk back to me more. My homeschool son gets annoyed when I ask him to do his work. He wants to do only one page in his book and be done for the day. Yesterday I decided to read out loud from Peter Pan to him. When he saw what I was about to do, he exclaimed loudly, "Oh no."
Perhaps it is always this way and it probably is, but my pregnancy induced grumpiness is making things all the worse.
On the positive side, my two year old is super cute (when he isn't throwing a tantrum) and his vocabulary has improved by leaps and bounds lately. He can say just about anything he wants. He can tell me more specifically what he wants to eat, not just num nums. He can tell me his tummy (leg, tongue, etc.) hurts. He can tell me what it is that his sister did to him to make him upset. His phrases are usually only 2-3 words long, but he is really amazing what thoughts and emotions he can convey with those 2-3 words.
I'm also now 38 weeks pregnant. Having this baby is about the only thought my mind is capable of thinking of. I just want to know when it is going to happen. Then I could relax and plan, but knowing it could happen anywhere from tomorrow to three weeks down the road is making me crazy.
My kids seem to talk back to me more. My homeschool son gets annoyed when I ask him to do his work. He wants to do only one page in his book and be done for the day. Yesterday I decided to read out loud from Peter Pan to him. When he saw what I was about to do, he exclaimed loudly, "Oh no."
Perhaps it is always this way and it probably is, but my pregnancy induced grumpiness is making things all the worse.
On the positive side, my two year old is super cute (when he isn't throwing a tantrum) and his vocabulary has improved by leaps and bounds lately. He can say just about anything he wants. He can tell me more specifically what he wants to eat, not just num nums. He can tell me his tummy (leg, tongue, etc.) hurts. He can tell me what it is that his sister did to him to make him upset. His phrases are usually only 2-3 words long, but he is really amazing what thoughts and emotions he can convey with those 2-3 words.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Long rambling thought on Language and Music
Over the last 5 years, I have made English language history a favorite subject. I found the evolution of the language fascinating. English’s earliest roots are the Indo-European language. As people moved and centuries past, the language changed and took on many new forms with new names. What we now call Germanic is where English really separated from the other main branches of languages. The Germanic language changed and became many more languages and we finally reach the period of Old English. Although mostly unrecognizable to our modern eyes, it is not hard to see that this strange language is the basis of what we speak now. Only about 20% of Old English remains in our current vocabulary. English was almost squashed as a language during the Norman Invasion. It was the language of the common and poor people. Yet, it endured. It was able to survive thanks to it’s flexibility and it took on new words while keeping the old. To this day, English is a very flexible language, creating new words constantly to fit with the changing times. It is versatile and expressive.
I wish I knew more of the language and could use great vocabulary in my daily expressions, but I must confess, I do not and it really doesn’t matter because the average English speaker wouldn’t understand the vocabulary anyway. For instance, if I were to mention in general conversation about the size of a vomitory, most people would think me being quite gross, but I’m not. A vomitory is a large doorway.
To switch subjects for a moment, I want to talk a bit about music. Music is a universal language. A group of people who can’t speak to each other because of spoken language barriers can sit together and listen to music. Music is fantastic. My parents introduced me to classical music at a very young age. Later when I entered middle school, I needed to fill some class time and I wanted to fill that time with music. I choose to play in the band. I picked an instrument I knew nothing about – the bassoon. I loved being a part of a large body of music. I loved the small, yet important addition that the bassoon provided to each song. I learned to appreciate the little changes and little additions found in a score.
This love of the small changes in music has continued in my life. Some of my favorite music to listen to are movie soundtracks. They are the “classical” music of this modern age. John Williams, John Barry, Harry Gregson-Williams and so many more and the modern form of Amadeus or Beethoven. Instead of writing for operas that people go to for entertainment, these modern men write for movies. My two youngest children love to listen to the Danny Elfman version of Willy Wonka. I must admit, I love it too. There is one song that I love and it is a silly song, but it has one moment that last for 2 measures or eight counts that I find lovely to listen too. The song is building into it’s main chorus and a flute joins in and plays probably 5 notes, but I absolutely love those 5 notes! It is silly and yet, I love that part. I’ve noticed this with other music. There will be a song and a trombone will come in playing a counter line in it’s lower register and it gives me the goose bumps.
Now, I want to tie in this English language thought and music thought. English has over 600,000 words, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. That is a lot of words. Music is the universal language and that makes the vocabulary able to describe music in the millions and billions! Yet, with all these words that are available to me, I can’t put into words what it is that music does to me. I can’t describe the way it makes me feel. I can’t tell about those 5 notes of the flute without using silly words like goose bumps.
I hope that when my life ends here and I enter into the world of heavenly beings, I will find the way to express the feelings I have for music. Perhaps something so heavenly as music can not be described in any other way than with heavenly words. Until then, when I listen to music and I say, “Oh, this part I love, listen to the flute. Isn’t that beautiful?”, just listen to what I point out and try to make a polite, yet meaningful comment like, “That was beautiful, it gave me the goose bumps.”
I wish I knew more of the language and could use great vocabulary in my daily expressions, but I must confess, I do not and it really doesn’t matter because the average English speaker wouldn’t understand the vocabulary anyway. For instance, if I were to mention in general conversation about the size of a vomitory, most people would think me being quite gross, but I’m not. A vomitory is a large doorway.
To switch subjects for a moment, I want to talk a bit about music. Music is a universal language. A group of people who can’t speak to each other because of spoken language barriers can sit together and listen to music. Music is fantastic. My parents introduced me to classical music at a very young age. Later when I entered middle school, I needed to fill some class time and I wanted to fill that time with music. I choose to play in the band. I picked an instrument I knew nothing about – the bassoon. I loved being a part of a large body of music. I loved the small, yet important addition that the bassoon provided to each song. I learned to appreciate the little changes and little additions found in a score.
This love of the small changes in music has continued in my life. Some of my favorite music to listen to are movie soundtracks. They are the “classical” music of this modern age. John Williams, John Barry, Harry Gregson-Williams and so many more and the modern form of Amadeus or Beethoven. Instead of writing for operas that people go to for entertainment, these modern men write for movies. My two youngest children love to listen to the Danny Elfman version of Willy Wonka. I must admit, I love it too. There is one song that I love and it is a silly song, but it has one moment that last for 2 measures or eight counts that I find lovely to listen too. The song is building into it’s main chorus and a flute joins in and plays probably 5 notes, but I absolutely love those 5 notes! It is silly and yet, I love that part. I’ve noticed this with other music. There will be a song and a trombone will come in playing a counter line in it’s lower register and it gives me the goose bumps.
Now, I want to tie in this English language thought and music thought. English has over 600,000 words, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. That is a lot of words. Music is the universal language and that makes the vocabulary able to describe music in the millions and billions! Yet, with all these words that are available to me, I can’t put into words what it is that music does to me. I can’t describe the way it makes me feel. I can’t tell about those 5 notes of the flute without using silly words like goose bumps.
I hope that when my life ends here and I enter into the world of heavenly beings, I will find the way to express the feelings I have for music. Perhaps something so heavenly as music can not be described in any other way than with heavenly words. Until then, when I listen to music and I say, “Oh, this part I love, listen to the flute. Isn’t that beautiful?”, just listen to what I point out and try to make a polite, yet meaningful comment like, “That was beautiful, it gave me the goose bumps.”
Thursday, March 13, 2008
projects
My hubby has been gone all week and instead of sitting in my rocking chair, cross stitiching and watching all the bonnet movies I can, I've been working like mad. On Monday we had a bunch of dirt (compost) delivered to our house. I spent two days moving a lot of it, but my back gave up and I haven't moved any since Tuesday. So, yesterday I decided it was time to paint the ugly "school room". It is the extra room in the house that should be a dining room but never became one. Instead it became the sewing room/school room/toy room/whatever room. It has awful 70's wallpaper on it. See:
So, I decided I had had enough of it and I pulled off the moulding and yesterday I primed all but one part of it. My kids have all helped. Some have helped a little too much, if you know what I mean and have gotten paint on the carpet and their clothes.
Now the walls are white and I've started painting them their new color, which is basically, the same color as the primer - white! I really don't like white walls, but I don't feel like I'm in the frame of mind to make color decisions. I don't like painting and I'm not very good at it so I went with what is easiest.
(This breaking news is being told to me as I type - my daughter doesn't know any more JennyJenna's. They have died! JennyJenna is her imaginary friend, as you might remember. Well, not the queen JennyJenna died, just the kung fu JennyJenna. Yeah, I don't get it either....)
OK. So, a few nights ago, I was laying down to sleep on the couch and was blinded by the street lights flooding though the living room. Since I was getting the whatever room ready to paint, I had taken the curtains down to puddy holes in the wall. Without the curtains, I couldn't sleep. During the middle of the night I started to wonder if I could shoot the street lights from my window with a BB gun. I decided as much as I would like to do that, it wouldn't be a good idea. First, I don't have a BB gun, second, it is probably illegal. I wondered if I could shoot the street lights with my bow and arrows. Then I decided I shouldn't try this either. My arrows have blunts on them and I can't aim that well. Also I only have three arrows and I really wouldn't want to loose them. So, I slept poorly. Last night, I rigged up a blanket to hang in the room and block the window. It was so classy you know, and my toddler kept pointing at it and saying "ghost!"
I have to get this room painted by tomorrow. Hubby comes home Saturday and I would like at least one day to sit on the couch, cross stitching and watching a bonnet movie! I'm hoping all this is a sign of nesting and this baby will come soon! I just wish the nesting would extend to the rest of the house and I would want to clean it more. While I'm painting, the rest of the house is getting ignored and starting to look pretty messy.
So, I decided I had had enough of it and I pulled off the moulding and yesterday I primed all but one part of it. My kids have all helped. Some have helped a little too much, if you know what I mean and have gotten paint on the carpet and their clothes.
Now the walls are white and I've started painting them their new color, which is basically, the same color as the primer - white! I really don't like white walls, but I don't feel like I'm in the frame of mind to make color decisions. I don't like painting and I'm not very good at it so I went with what is easiest.
(This breaking news is being told to me as I type - my daughter doesn't know any more JennyJenna's. They have died! JennyJenna is her imaginary friend, as you might remember. Well, not the queen JennyJenna died, just the kung fu JennyJenna. Yeah, I don't get it either....)
OK. So, a few nights ago, I was laying down to sleep on the couch and was blinded by the street lights flooding though the living room. Since I was getting the whatever room ready to paint, I had taken the curtains down to puddy holes in the wall. Without the curtains, I couldn't sleep. During the middle of the night I started to wonder if I could shoot the street lights from my window with a BB gun. I decided as much as I would like to do that, it wouldn't be a good idea. First, I don't have a BB gun, second, it is probably illegal. I wondered if I could shoot the street lights with my bow and arrows. Then I decided I shouldn't try this either. My arrows have blunts on them and I can't aim that well. Also I only have three arrows and I really wouldn't want to loose them. So, I slept poorly. Last night, I rigged up a blanket to hang in the room and block the window. It was so classy you know, and my toddler kept pointing at it and saying "ghost!"
I have to get this room painted by tomorrow. Hubby comes home Saturday and I would like at least one day to sit on the couch, cross stitching and watching a bonnet movie! I'm hoping all this is a sign of nesting and this baby will come soon! I just wish the nesting would extend to the rest of the house and I would want to clean it more. While I'm painting, the rest of the house is getting ignored and starting to look pretty messy.
Monday, March 10, 2008
ice cut update
This evening while my children and I are having dinner, one of my sons remarked how the drinking water was ice cold. (It wasn't ice cold, just refrigerator cold) My daughter immediately began talking of how ice can cut you. My older son rolled his eyes and said, "Don't talk about it!" My daughter replies with, "But ice can cut you, I've had one."
The Paranoia of a 4 year old
My 4 year old daughter has an amazing memory and mind. She can remember things that happened long ago in her short life. I’m astounded when she brings up a specific incident that happened a year ago. We must be careful with her because of this great memory she has.
She also has a habit of getting “fixed” on an idea or incident and she will talk about it for a long, long time. Several examples:
-About two weeks ago, she got a small cut from a piece of ice she was sucking on. I wasn’t there for the incident so I don’t know the particulars, but she got a cut on one of her fingers from this bit of ice. For days and days she talked constantly of “ice cuts”. When I told her I didn’t want to hear anymore about ice cuts she told me she wasn’t done talking about them. Luckily, he wound has healed and she has not thought of it in a week.
-Black Holes! I don’t know where she heard about black holes. I’m guessing it was a know-it-all older brother who told her about black holes and their ability to suck up all things. Several weeks ago daughter was quite concerned about these black holes. She asked if they really could suck us up. I answered truthfully, yes, they could. She wanted to know where one was and if it was anywhere near our house. I answered her they are far, far away in outer space. She talked about these black holes for several days and then I heard nothing about it again, until this morning. She brought them up again.
-Crocodiles. This morning through what seemed like random chatter coming from my four year old which started while she was watching me trim my hair, she came across the idea of crocodiles. She then asked if crocodiles can eat people. I said yes, they could. She then asked, would they eat us in pieces? Probably, I answered. She went on talking about how she doesn’t like crocodiles, alligators and T-Rex’s. The T-Rex gave me a clue as to where this idea came from. Her brothers made her watch “Walking with Dinosaurs” yesterday while they were in the van. Those brothers!
-The biting chair. This will sound strange. I love Doris Day movies and one of my favorites to watch is “Pillow Talk”. In the end, Doris’s character redecorates Rock Hudson’s apartment in the most hideous way. Good friend Tony Randall, in a state of shock, sits down in a chair in the newly decorated living room. He immediately jumps and yells, “That chair! It bit me!” My daughter was amazed. A chair that would actually bite someone. She couldn’t stop talking about the biting chair. She talked about it all day long. I’m afraid I might have traumatized her.
The most incredible thing about my daughter is, we will be doing something and she will bring up these things from out of nowhere. You can be sure this isn’t the last time I hear about biting chairs or black holes.
She also has a habit of getting “fixed” on an idea or incident and she will talk about it for a long, long time. Several examples:
-About two weeks ago, she got a small cut from a piece of ice she was sucking on. I wasn’t there for the incident so I don’t know the particulars, but she got a cut on one of her fingers from this bit of ice. For days and days she talked constantly of “ice cuts”. When I told her I didn’t want to hear anymore about ice cuts she told me she wasn’t done talking about them. Luckily, he wound has healed and she has not thought of it in a week.
-Black Holes! I don’t know where she heard about black holes. I’m guessing it was a know-it-all older brother who told her about black holes and their ability to suck up all things. Several weeks ago daughter was quite concerned about these black holes. She asked if they really could suck us up. I answered truthfully, yes, they could. She wanted to know where one was and if it was anywhere near our house. I answered her they are far, far away in outer space. She talked about these black holes for several days and then I heard nothing about it again, until this morning. She brought them up again.
-Crocodiles. This morning through what seemed like random chatter coming from my four year old which started while she was watching me trim my hair, she came across the idea of crocodiles. She then asked if crocodiles can eat people. I said yes, they could. She then asked, would they eat us in pieces? Probably, I answered. She went on talking about how she doesn’t like crocodiles, alligators and T-Rex’s. The T-Rex gave me a clue as to where this idea came from. Her brothers made her watch “Walking with Dinosaurs” yesterday while they were in the van. Those brothers!
-The biting chair. This will sound strange. I love Doris Day movies and one of my favorites to watch is “Pillow Talk”. In the end, Doris’s character redecorates Rock Hudson’s apartment in the most hideous way. Good friend Tony Randall, in a state of shock, sits down in a chair in the newly decorated living room. He immediately jumps and yells, “That chair! It bit me!” My daughter was amazed. A chair that would actually bite someone. She couldn’t stop talking about the biting chair. She talked about it all day long. I’m afraid I might have traumatized her.
The most incredible thing about my daughter is, we will be doing something and she will bring up these things from out of nowhere. You can be sure this isn’t the last time I hear about biting chairs or black holes.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Spring is in the air
The lovely season of spring is beginning here in southern Virginia. The daffodils are blooming. They are so bright and yellow. They make you happy just to see them. The last two days have had temperatures in the low 70’s. Today will be cooler, but still in the 60’s. At least for this week, it is spring here. Of course, this being Virginia, next week could be in the 20’s and 30’s again. You never know from week to week what it will be like outside.
But let’s forget for today that winter is still the official season and that it could snow in April. Today is a bright, slightly cool, spring day. For two days now I’ve been using my clothes line again. I will use it again today. Two days ago, my son and I made can stilts. He has enjoyed wandering the backyard in them. I wish we had sidewalks here that he could go up and down the street. The kids have spent hours outside jumping on the trampoline and digging in the sand box. We planted an herb garden this week. I hope in another week or two we will see the first little shoots of our plants. My tulips that I planted last year are starting to poke small green leaves up from the ground. It is a good day.
Last night we had a thunderstorm. I love those. I opened the curtains up so I would watch the sky light up. The storm sang me to sleep.
It’s one of those days that makes you happy to be alive. I just wish I could imagine the busy street and the sounds of zooming cars and school buses away.
But let’s forget for today that winter is still the official season and that it could snow in April. Today is a bright, slightly cool, spring day. For two days now I’ve been using my clothes line again. I will use it again today. Two days ago, my son and I made can stilts. He has enjoyed wandering the backyard in them. I wish we had sidewalks here that he could go up and down the street. The kids have spent hours outside jumping on the trampoline and digging in the sand box. We planted an herb garden this week. I hope in another week or two we will see the first little shoots of our plants. My tulips that I planted last year are starting to poke small green leaves up from the ground. It is a good day.
Last night we had a thunderstorm. I love those. I opened the curtains up so I would watch the sky light up. The storm sang me to sleep.
It’s one of those days that makes you happy to be alive. I just wish I could imagine the busy street and the sounds of zooming cars and school buses away.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
All about Moi!
Dahling, I know your deepest desire is to know all about Moi!
1. What is your occupation? An actress, of course!
2. What color are your socks right now? Socks? How horrid. No, I’m wearing black silk stockings.
3. What are you listening to right now? My surround sound of Moi’s beautiful voice singing the greatest show tunes of the 40’s.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? The most delicious crème broulie.
5. Can you drive a stick? A what? I don’t drive, I have a chauffeur.
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Dahling, don’t you know there is already a crayon named after me?
7. Who is your favorite singer? Moi
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Not really.
9. How old are you today? (giggle) Oh, Dahling, I’m a lady and lets just say I’m over 21.
10. Favorite drink? I know it is so common, but I love Root Beer. It just tickles my nose in the funniest way.
11. What is your favorite sport to watch? I loath sports. So common, so vulgar, so primal.
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? Of course not! My hair is naturally this blond, always has been, always will be. That reminds me I need to set up an appointment with my hairdresser, Pierre.
13. What is your favorite place to vacation? Europe, dahling. I adore Paris.
14. Favorite food? Caviar
15. Last movie you watched? My movie. Is there anything else worth watching?
16. Favorite Day of the Year? My birthday – an entire day devoted to Moi!
17. What do you do to vent anger? I shoe shop. Yesterday, I was mad at my gardener for planting ugly seeds and I was so mad that I went and found the most adorable red, strappy, 5 inch heels that have the biggest red jewel on the big toe.
18. What was your favorite toy as a child? A mirror.
19. What is your favorite, fall or spring? Spring. There are so many more cuter outfits for the spring.
20. Hugs or kisses? I’m not going there, dahling…
21. Cherry or Blueberry? Chocolate covered strawberries, thank you.
22. Do you want your friends to email you back? No, I’m not interested in their pathetic lives.
25. Living arrangements? I have the most gorgeous mansion on a hill over looking the ocean. My private swimming pool has a movie screen on one end and I love to sit in my luxurious floating chair and watch my movies.
26. When was the last time you cried? Last night while I was watching my death scene in my movie. It was so tragic.
27. What is on the floor of your closet? Plush carpeting.
28. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? I’ll send it back to myself. I’m the only one who matters.
29. Who is the friend you have had the shortest that you are sending this to? Ditto
30. Favorite smells? Chanel No. 5, is there any other fragrance?
31. What inspires you? Moi
32. What are you afraid of? Wrinkles
33. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Hamburgers are so common. I dine on only the best filet mingon.
34. Favorite car? Stretched limos.
35. Number of keys on your key ring? I don’t carry keys! I wouldn’t want anything making that horrid jangling noise in my fashion handbag.
36. How many years at your current job? I was born to act and be rich.
37. Favorite day of the week? I love Saturdays, it is my day to soak in my hot tub and my personal masseuse works on me for hours.
38. How many states have you lived in? Just one.
39. How many countries have you been to? I’ve been to more than I can count. My favorite countries to visit are France, Africa and Hawaii.
There you go. Now you know my deepest secrets. I hope, Dahling, that this has been enlightening.
1. What is your occupation? An actress, of course!
2. What color are your socks right now? Socks? How horrid. No, I’m wearing black silk stockings.
3. What are you listening to right now? My surround sound of Moi’s beautiful voice singing the greatest show tunes of the 40’s.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? The most delicious crème broulie.
5. Can you drive a stick? A what? I don’t drive, I have a chauffeur.
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Dahling, don’t you know there is already a crayon named after me?
7. Who is your favorite singer? Moi
8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Not really.
9. How old are you today? (giggle) Oh, Dahling, I’m a lady and lets just say I’m over 21.
10. Favorite drink? I know it is so common, but I love Root Beer. It just tickles my nose in the funniest way.
11. What is your favorite sport to watch? I loath sports. So common, so vulgar, so primal.
12. Have you ever dyed your hair? Of course not! My hair is naturally this blond, always has been, always will be. That reminds me I need to set up an appointment with my hairdresser, Pierre.
13. What is your favorite place to vacation? Europe, dahling. I adore Paris.
14. Favorite food? Caviar
15. Last movie you watched? My movie. Is there anything else worth watching?
16. Favorite Day of the Year? My birthday – an entire day devoted to Moi!
17. What do you do to vent anger? I shoe shop. Yesterday, I was mad at my gardener for planting ugly seeds and I was so mad that I went and found the most adorable red, strappy, 5 inch heels that have the biggest red jewel on the big toe.
18. What was your favorite toy as a child? A mirror.
19. What is your favorite, fall or spring? Spring. There are so many more cuter outfits for the spring.
20. Hugs or kisses? I’m not going there, dahling…
21. Cherry or Blueberry? Chocolate covered strawberries, thank you.
22. Do you want your friends to email you back? No, I’m not interested in their pathetic lives.
25. Living arrangements? I have the most gorgeous mansion on a hill over looking the ocean. My private swimming pool has a movie screen on one end and I love to sit in my luxurious floating chair and watch my movies.
26. When was the last time you cried? Last night while I was watching my death scene in my movie. It was so tragic.
27. What is on the floor of your closet? Plush carpeting.
28. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? I’ll send it back to myself. I’m the only one who matters.
29. Who is the friend you have had the shortest that you are sending this to? Ditto
30. Favorite smells? Chanel No. 5, is there any other fragrance?
31. What inspires you? Moi
32. What are you afraid of? Wrinkles
33. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? Hamburgers are so common. I dine on only the best filet mingon.
34. Favorite car? Stretched limos.
35. Number of keys on your key ring? I don’t carry keys! I wouldn’t want anything making that horrid jangling noise in my fashion handbag.
36. How many years at your current job? I was born to act and be rich.
37. Favorite day of the week? I love Saturdays, it is my day to soak in my hot tub and my personal masseuse works on me for hours.
38. How many states have you lived in? Just one.
39. How many countries have you been to? I’ve been to more than I can count. My favorite countries to visit are France, Africa and Hawaii.
There you go. Now you know my deepest secrets. I hope, Dahling, that this has been enlightening.
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