Biggy-Ziggy

Project time!

2011-11-14T13:45:00.001-08:00

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Dude.

2011-02-23T03:35:00.000-08:00

Where did the love of bacon come from? Ok, with a dad like yours, I suppose I know the answer to that. Still, to think that just three years and three hours ago you were brought forth into being, tiny and unaware...yet, now you know what's up.

You. With your gross-goo covered little newborn hand reaching up to grab my face all those nights ago, and now grabbing my hand with your hand (still covered in some sort of goo, but of a totally different and self-imposed variety), you captured my heart, Dude.

Dad and I are so proud of you. We can't wait to see what you'll love next, what new hobby you latch onto (Dad's got his fingers crossed it's domino rally), what new phrases you'll lawyer back at us, what sort of man you'll become.

We love you, Monkey.

MLK for Kindergarten

2011-01-12T00:09:00.000-08:00

I'm all for teaching Martin Luther King's message, teaching about his life, his death, his techniques, in essence, the history.

But how for a kindergartner?

Goose and I have talked of Dr. King and I've tried with little success to read "Letters from Birmingham Jail", but to be fair, I saw twenty somethings cribbing it in college too. You're in good company, Goose. Last year we did some lesson plans from this teacher site to go with some coloring sheets.

So faced with the difficulty of engaging kids with history and few active visual projects, what did Goose's class do?

Crowns.

Crowns!

Crowns? A play on his last name being "King" is my only answer. And while I love a good pun, it just doesn't fit. Maybe it's something like, "if you were ruler for a day, what injustice would you change?" But does that work in our democracy? That same democracy whose foundations King cites in his most famous of speeches, "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal'".

And I gotta say, even when I tried to show Goose, the tv addict, a youtube video of his "I Have a Dream" speech, she wasn't interested. But the first thing that she talked about when she got home from school?

Crowns.

The Importance of Good Pizza and a Good Dog

2010-12-30T11:55:00.001-08:00

Words of advice: if you visit a pizza place and the establishment sells Pakoras and Pizzas and is run by mostly Indian chefs, get the pakoras. No pizza for you.

Somebody's had some epic food poisoning...

Not wanting to hurl or feel ill as I had for the past few hours at three this morning I decided to go for a walk. (Hey, it worked for me post-Tower of Terror ride at Disneyland, it should work now, right?)

And while we don't live in a crime laden neighborhood, bringing along the dog for protection seemed like a good idea. So parka on and dog out, we set off. The cold air felt great and once we got over by the lake it became clear that it was the perfect choice when sick.

Until a shadow appeared on the path ahead. Ludo raised his hackles ad began to growl. My big protector stuck himself between me and the shadow. No way anything was going to mess with my 130 lb pup.

That's when the shadow advanced. Ludo ran forward growling, ready to defend and the shadow began to retreat. That's when the moonlight glinted off it's back revealing a nice white stripe.

"Ludo! Ludo! Leave it! Here, Puppy!" I yelled.

The dog came trotting back, whimpering from stench. I stopped and hugged my sweet, brave dog anyway, and we headed home.

If I left it at that, you might think him the best dog in the world--chasing off a rabid skunk for me--but of course, I must present all the facts. On the way back we cut through the construction site for a new home. A hand washing station and portable toilet stood in our path.

Ludo, unable to smell anything, panicked. He barked quick truncated barks, unsure how to proceed. After scanning the area and seeing nothing I went forward. My big protector ran the other way, then leaned around the corner to make sure that I got through unscathed before following me.

And while I've always known he has cowardly tendencies, given his performance with the skunk, part of me felt as though a mountain lion might be perched atop the toilet, ready to pounce and feed on me.

In hindsight it might have preferable to my current state.

Pardon me, I have to spew.

Christmas Magic

2010-12-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

Even in rain Disneyland is magic. May the Mickey magic be with you for the holidays!

The Last Time I Buy Discount Chanukah Candles

2010-12-09T06:29:00.000-08:00

So...I've Updated. Are You Happy, Mother?

2010-12-06T21:33:00.000-08:00

What a weird preview this is. Let's just ignore the pint size Ziggy that is doing un-Office Max type things to my back...

I've Been Remiss

2010-11-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

So I've been busy...there's a new (to us) game we discovered called Plants vs. Zombies that Ziggy and I have been playing, and between that and all the Halloween goings on, I completely spaced on posting these Halloween pics.

First up, thank you so much to Brett at This Mama Loves Her Bargains for my Halloween blog or treat bag--the yankee candle might be the best scent I've smelled by them and the kids LOVED the silly bands and play doh. Thanks, Shannon, for putting all of it together!

Then of course, there's the costumes. Right now Ziggy's got the ipod which contains his pic, but let's just say I succeeded in making him both adorably ridiculous, and have to cross his legs to hold it in all day while he wore that costume....

Goose and Monkey were happy with their costumes. The former didn't want to take it off while the latter only wanted to look at his (and sleep with it in his bed!)

One Down, Three to Go

2010-10-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

Let there be Totoro! This is Monkey's favorite movie right now. He even happened upon a graphic novel with the Studio Ghibli logo at the library yesterday and forced me to check it out. He's pretty psyched to see Toy Story 3 as his sister has informed him that not only is there a big baby, Totoro makes a cameo.

Except that they need to be finished by tomorrow night.

Goose changed her mind from Puck in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream to Cleopatra. I'm not telling her that Shakespeare wrote a play about Antony and Cleopatra, my mother thinks I'm turning her into enough of a social pariah as it is. I won Katdid and Kid's contest for Star costumes so we got some pretty fantastic accessories for her costume (side note: I highly recommend them, it's reasonable prices and really fast shipping).

Ziggy is going to be Lotso Huggin Bear from Toy Story 3, and while the body for this costume that has to fit my 6'5" husband is 75% complete, I'm at a loss as to what to do for a head. And no, it's nowhere near as good as the amazing costume Disney did for the movie promo...

Any suggestions?

Genetics

2010-09-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

One of the fun things about birthdays is themes. Our neighbors had an outlaw themed birthday. To say they go over the top in the decoration and activity department is an understatement.

This photo booth pic from the party shocked me. I finally can see the genetic link between myself and my mustachioed Uncle--let's just say I'm glad for the advent of the razor--otherwise my future would be downright hairy.

Ok, No Excuses

2010-09-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

We're all busy, so there's really no reason or excuse I have for not posting.

Moving on, yesterday was my birthday and here's what my adoring husband had to offer up:

I hear around the town
That you are the birthday girl;
I should have got you a clown,
I should have got you a pearl.

But what I did get you is good--
No on second thought it's sublime.
My present is this poem
And, man, can your husband rhyme.

So on this great occasion
Please know the following, my mate:
You are wonderful and fabulous,
And overall just great.

I know that some will look at us
And think that it is bad
That an older woman like you
Is cavorting with such a young dad.

But I don't mind them staring.
I expect that most of the time.
I wonder if the age difference
Will ever be just fine

But I digress, I got off topic
I sorry for this, my dear,
The real story of today
Is the reason we're all here.

Your birthday is a wonderful time
To celebrate a perfect day.
The day that you were born
Is the day that I was made.

I love you more and more
With every single tick.
I hope you have a wonderful day
I will try my hardest to not be a ____

With lots of love

Weekly Worth A Listen: Truffle Shuffle

2010-07-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

This is just stuff on random in iTunes, though I did have to edit because Ziggy's music is god awful.
How Peculiar - Robbie Williams

Not an Addict - K's Choice

I Have Friends in Holy Spaces - Panic at the Disco

Dreaming of You - The Coral

Good Morning, Good Morning - The Beatles

We Might As Well Be Strangers - Keane

On the Sly - The Bamboos

Rambling Through the Avenues of Time - Flight of the Conchords

Sabotage - Beastie Boys

Get Busy - The Roots

Weekly Worth A Listen: Soundtrack Lovelies

2010-07-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late for Chelsea's meme this week but camping has left us a bit drained. SO without further adieu here we go:

1. Sugar High - Empire Records
Not on the actual soundtrack but a great song

2. Walk this Land - Remixed for Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

3. Spanish Sahara - Foals (Entourage)

4. Well Respected Man - The Kinks (clip from Supernatural)
That Jensen Ackles is a stone cold fox. Embedding was disabled so here's a link. Best line: "Cause he's better than the rest/and his arm sweat smells the best."

5. Hearing Damage - Thom Yorke (from New Moon)
"Your mind is restless/You say you're getting better, but you don't feel any better"

6. Tire Swing - Kimya Dawson (from Juno)

7. Uprising - Muse (from V trailer)
Monkey's favorite song. I love hearing words like "interchanging" and "victorious" from a two year old.

8. Waterslide - The Bonedaddys (from I Love You, Man)
Since Monkey's song is on here, Goose's has to be on here too. She like to make up her own topical lyrics to this tune as a sort of social commentary.

9. On the Cliff By the Sea - Ponyo
If you don't speak Japanese, don't bother. The kids love this song and Ziggy can make up words that make me laugh so hard I'm seconds from peeing my pants.

10. Oh, Sookie - Snoop Dogg (inspired by True Blood
This might be the most hilarious fan song I've ever heard. Sam Trammell said Snoop calling him a "bitch" was one of the highlights of his career.

Wordless Wednesday: Tahoe

2010-07-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Goose, Queen of the Fake Smile

Weekly Worth a Listen - Cover Up!

2010-07-13T01:42:00.000-07:00

Chelsea's topic this week are our favorite covers, so here are some of my favorites.

1. September (Earth, Wind and Fire Cover) - Pomplamoose

2. Time to Pretend (MGMT Cover) - Paolo Nutini
I still love the original, but Nutini has a pretty cool voice and makes it a bit more kid-friendly...

3. Gin and Juice (Snoop Dogg cover) - Phish
This is pretty hilarious I must say. I'm not really a Phish follower (unless Ben and Jerry's counts) but this song is so perfect.

4. We Go Together (from Grease) - Less than Jake
I love Less than Jake, and this cover reminds me of playing Patty in Grease...good times.

5. Paparazzi (Lady Gaga cover) - Greyson Chance
Pretty amazing for an 11 year old, and even if you don't like it, watching the girls' faces is hilarious.

6. Use Somebody (Kings of Leon cover) - Paramore

7. Crazy in Love (Beyonce cover) - Switchfoot
There are some great Beyonce covers. Pomplamoose has a good one too.

8. Romeo and Juliet (Dire Straits cover) - The Killers
I don't know that this is as good as the original but I have a soft spot for Dire Straits and the Killers alike so it's fun to hear one take.

9. I've Just Seen a Face (Beatles cover) - Across the Universe (that George Boleyn guy mainly)
This scene was so cool and who doesn't love this song?

10. Dreaming of You (The Coral cover) - Adele

Adventures in Gambling

2010-07-07T15:06:00.000-07:00

It makes me sick. I don't like losing money. I don't like the prospect of losing money. And yet I'm apparently a pretty good gambler. Ziggy made me sit at a table with him and He went up ten and I went up forty.

Let's just hope that he keeps on that track...

Vacation is great otherwise. I'll post pics later!

Karaoke Saturdays

2010-07-03T02:34:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when a tone deaf mom tries to karaoke...

How to Survive the Public Pool

2010-07-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

Goose and Monkey just finished swim lessons through our local community pool.

If your child is still in that "mommy and me" phase, then suit up and be ready for high school locker room flashbacks!

If not, count yourself lucky and try not to make too much fun of those of us on the sidelines trying to look like we've been to the gym in the last five years...

Here's a list of tips for surviving the pool:

1. Hold on to your kids at all times; this ensures not only that they won't be jumping into the pool unsupervised, but also that you can put the kibosh on your daughter's smack talk as she talks about how much better she is at swimming than another's 18 month old.

2. Get to know the teacher. Make sure that this high-schooler understands your child's enthusiasm and is fully prepared for the jump that will end in crown-to-nose contact.

3. Aerosol sunscreen may make sense if your child is all over the place, but as families walk through your coconut reeking fog, know that they are cursing you, especially for those of us with asthma prone children. Rather put it on when they're strapped to their carseats and have no escape...

4. Don't let your kids drink the water. It's gross.

5. Lastly, try to have fun. You're going to be in a thousand pictures because everybody who's anybody takes pictures of their kids in the pool and the last thing you want is to look like you hate what you're doing.

Eclipse and Crazy People

2010-06-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

I am definitely a Twilight Saga fan. I don't consider myself a sick, crazed mom, stealing cardboard cutouts from Nordstroms, but maybe it's not far off since I did go to the premiere last night at midnight.

I haven't loved any of the movies completely, the facial expressions were rather awful for me in the first movie, though it's awkward shaking camera direction intrigued me way more than the stupid New Moon. God, that was a long, drawn out movie made even more painful by the pauses carried out minutes longer than necessary. So given the movie's track record, I could wait, but I didn't.

Because it's all about the experience. Where else are you going to see 50 year old moms in overdone makeup, boobies hanging out of their "Team Edward" shirts and ten year olds in toe? Or feel so old since the average age of kids there is 14?

It's hard to watch anything but the people around you. The 40ish woman simulating orgasms everytime Bella and Edward kissed who sat near me in the theater actually slapped her eight year old who was sitting next to me rather hard in the face for asking a question about who someone was. I would have said something but the kid sort of had it coming for picking his teeth and flicking the scum on me throughout the movie. (Don't worry, I've been sterilized!) Going to a Twilight movie on opening night is a better show than all the Star Wars nerds who lined up for Episode One (and I would know, since I was there, light saber and all, even if I'd never actually seen Star Wars).

All that being said, while I do love the indie feel of the first, Eclipse eclipses all the rest. It's well written, well acted, and the trailers don't do the action scenes justice, they're pretty visually awesome. Plus Edward is somehow better looking in this movie and makes a bit more sense to me. Goose is also really into Metric right now, and the above song underscores the film via piano and guitar riffs, but hits it home during the credits. It's a great song. And Eclipse is a great movie.

Wordless Wednesday: A Disney's Princess and the Frog Party

2010-06-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

For Goose on Her Birthday: A Post that Should've Been Here a Week Ago

2010-06-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

You're big, Goose--not just in the tower-over-your-classmates sense, you're magnanimous.

You love completely and faithfully. You're enthusiastic and kind (mostly). Friends are lucky to have you, even if you have issues with forcing them to do your bidding. You'd make a good leader of a gang that way. Or maybe I should have said leader of the free world or something, but I doubt you have the underhandedness required for that.

I love you, Baby Girl. You're my forever friend.

Spring Reading Thing - Wrap Up

2010-06-24T07:50:00.000-07:00

I'm ashamed to admit I didn't read everything on my list. I've yet to dive into Wuthering Heights, arguably the one my mind told me I should most definitely read first, but what was exciting won out. I also didn't read Nurture Shock yet, so the kids will just have to continue on with my being a horrible mom and praising them too much (umm...do I have a bias going into this one?)

The Women - Never have I wanted a Kindle more than for this book. I probably worked off a whole frappaccino getting up to grab the dictionary for this book. But now words like "rubicund", "excoriating", "loggia", and "tourbillion" are in my aresenal so watch out. The novel itself read a bit like The Great Gatsby in that it used the main character's eye to view the flamboyant one. In this case, that's enigmatic Frank Lloyd Wright. Nick was replaced by the Japanese-American, Tadashi Sato, who was perhaps the most likeable of all, and a perfect way for Boyle to keep with his usual themes of racial/social inequality to have a person of Japanese decent's voice during WW2 and the period of internment camps here in the states.

I did find myself relating to Wright's mistress (the one who was gruesomely offed by the help) “She did the best she could, but she began to feel as if she were out of breath all the time, as if dusk followed dawn without an interval, without surcease, and the first thing to suffer was her writing. She simply didn’t have time for it. Or for reading either. Or reflection. Or even walks over the hills or a swim in the lake or anything else, her every waking moment focused on keeping the household from collapse while Frank ran to Chicago and back again.” (399). Talk about how it is to be a mom! Needless to say, this novel was an enjoyable insight into Wright's life, but didn't make me change my opinions about much.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - Wow was this book well written. It was so much like Austen's style of writing that you'd think Kitana blades and burning a freshly killed
"mankey dreadful" was in the original. Mr. Darcy is forever attractive and Elizabeth even more the strong warrior as she battles her emotions and brain-feasting zombies. I highly recommend! Beware though, there's a litany of novels following in Pride's footsteps and I have no idea if any could live up to this one, maybe start with those?

The Wordy Shipmates - I'm about halfway through this novel and I can say that author Sarah Vowell is the rock star of Early American Lit Analysis. She's not only hilarious, insightful, and relative, she has taught me in a small stack of pages, everything that four months of ENG 257A (Early American Lit) taught me, but she's infinitely better. I understand political discourse and Puritanical sermons aren't for everyone, but every American should be somewhat familiar with it since it's the foundations of our country and the spin that every politician likes to break out for his own end. This a great intro into that world.

I added The Help by Kathryn Stockett. All of the stories are extremely provoking, and while a good read, I don't know that it was so original that I would call it a must read. Maybe it's a bit more personable for moms and caregivers, and it'll certainly make you laugh and cry at points, but reminded me of too many other books and movies about Civil Rights.

I also added the Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephanie Meyer. What can I say? Meyer isn't a great writer, she doesn't blow my mind with ideas, but she can turn out a story that leaves me craving more and Tanner didn't disappoint. Plus, it lays the ground rules for how vampires can repair themselves in times of amputation (it's the venom spit, but of course!)

Kid-wise

100 Cupboards wan't great at first. Baseball? Midwest? Groan! But it got good and fast. I think Goose might not be ready for some of the later ones and I can't imagine jumping into the second or third books without having read the first. The idea is delicious, though, and makes for imaginations to run wild (though for magic doors to other worlds my favorite is still C.S. Lewis' The Magician's Nephew.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey- Geez! These just keep getting better! They're such engaging, exciting stories. I really hope that this series continues. The plot reminds kids that there is nothing that they can't do and the adults aren't completely absentee or helpless either, even if they are MIA fairly often.

We added two Dahl books. They're rereads and intrinsically linked to being a kid for me.

We also added the Eddie Dickens series by Phillip Ardaugh. Not only are these funny, they're extremely informative. Ardaugh's style of silly plot and slipping in facts is a bit like the Lemony Snickett Series but Britain set and wonderful. Stoats, Love Pumpkins, Queen Victoria, and McPheeeeeee! are constant conversation points for Goose now. This should be read by all kids!

Oh and that pile of magazines? It's bigger. Dwell and Lego magazine have been added to my subscriptions, and while Lego magazine isn't something I actually read, it does get thrown atop the pile to make my stack of mags so intimidating that I'm contemplating getting another Guinea Pig just so that the pages aren't wasted and can be used as cage lining for it's lifespan.

In summation, the one book I read that I think everyone should read, knowing it's not for everyone is the Wordy Shipmates. The Kid's genre is a toss up between Mysterious Benedict Society Perious Journey and any of the five Eddie Dickens books we've read thusfar.

Weekly Worth a Listen: EXcess Baggage

2010-06-08T07:08:00.000-07:00

This week's Weekly Worth A Listen is all about Exes. If you want to check out some other great songs go visit our host, Chelsea.

Dyer Maker - Led Zepplin
Still this song bugs the heck out of me. The lyrics are ridiculously stupid--Goose could write way better rhymes. But Zepplin is intrinsically linked to an ex and I can still picture his face as he over exaggerated the "oh, oh, oh, oh, oh"s to annoy me.

Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zepplin
The only one that doesn't make me gag.

We Can Work it Out - The Beatles
Same Guy, different song. He hated the Beatles, or at least thought Zepplin and the Stones were better, but where's their Rock Bands hmmm? I would think of this song whenever we'd have arguments "Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friends"

King Nothing - Metallica
This guy isn't an official "ex", but he was a great friend and I was terrible to him. He taught me quite a bit about metal and Metallica paved the way for the heavier Gwar, Tool, Anthrax, Korn and all that jazz.

One Week - Barenaked Ladies
The first guy I was head over heels for wanted to learn every lyric to this song. I will always remember when we figured out "Birchmont Stadium, Home of the Robins"

Going Away to College - Blink 182
I used to listen to this over and over when thinking about him. I still love this song, but it doesn't really make me think of him anymore. "Don't depend on me to ever follow through on anything but I'd go through hell for you" might have been written for me.

Think of Me - Phantom of the Opera
My first official "boyfriend" though we were eleven, so it doesn't really count, took me to San Fran to see Phantom. Eleven Year olds shouldn't be left to see a show by themselves. At intermission we went outside and then got lost and missed half of the second act but it was still beautiful.

Goose and the Frog

2010-06-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

Goose wanted a Princess and the Frog themed birthday party so here's what we came up with for invites.

They're so cute! And she got to put the eyes on and paint the lips so she could say that she made them too which is very important to her.

Now for the goody bags...

There's One Kid I hope Got a Job at Hallmark

2010-06-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

So over the weekend I was going through Ziggy's stuff from when he was a kid because his mom doesn't want it in the attic anymore and he is fine if it all goes in the trash. Being a packrat and wanting the kids to see something from that time in his life when they're old enough to appreciate it, I stepped in.

There were a bunch of get well soon letters, since Ziggy had his tonsils and appendix out at various times in his practically one room schoolhouse education.

That's where I found this gem:

Your eyes do not deceive you! That is a mowhawked dinosaur and man smoking huge cigarettes next to a building shaped like those cardboard McDonald's fries. There's also a delicate guitar overlay. If it didn't cheer Ziggy up at the time it certainly gave me a laugh.

I wonder where that kid is now?

Wordless Wednesday (If I had Posted Last Wednesday)

2010-06-01T05:57:00.000-07:00

Goose and the News

2010-04-21T12:52:00.001-07:00

Often Goose asks me what I'm reading or watching especially when it comes to the news. I will read almost everything happening as she patiently listens, though she may not have any idea what "women's reproductive rights" means.

Sometimes she asks, sometimes I suspect her to be mentally singing a Black Eyed Peas song as her eyes glaze over and she snuggles close.

That's why it was so funny this morning when she told her brother that she was "imposing a trade embargo" with him on marbles.

And though I had to step in, ineffectively might I add, much like the UN and attempt to broker peace, I was chuckling and humming "Hail to the Chief" as I told the future Ms. President to play nice.

Who knew? She's learning and paying attention to everything?

To Monkey

2010-04-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

Dearest Monkey,

You mystify me. I would love to end it there, but I need to document these incidents for future study.

Why? You ask to color with markers like your sister, but when it comes time to put marker to paper, you'd prefer a Crayola tattoo? And in quite possibly the strangest place a marker has ever been put!

Then, as I attempt to wrangle you back into a diaper, what happens to my sock, Little Man?

I need to know what you were thinking. Is it the start of some weird fetish? Will I see you carting the Hanes catalog's sock section into the bathroom in ten years? Or do all little boys grab their mothers' sock and press their penises to the cotton and laugh hysterically. Not once, but three times!

Three times! I'm sorry, but you sir, are a freak.

Oh, and Wall-E does not want to talk to your little Monkey, no matter how many times you put it on your play phone and say "not ringing".

I love you. But know that staplers and safety pins may be called into play for your future outfits.

Love,
Mom

To the Lady at Whole Foods

2010-04-16T06:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Lady in the Whole Foods Supplement Aisle,

Hi! How have you been? Have you been judging anyone lately?

You know, you're shopping at Whole Foods, the hippie store, and while the people ringing us up are named "Sarah" and "Marty" still others are "Ciara", "Rain" and "Les". Clearly it's not so much a problem then, but you'd prefer to make note of it to my kids.

And sure, you never heard their real names, if you had heard Monkey's name, and started commenting on Witch Trials or Cigarette Brands, I might have been ready to fire back at you.

Instead, you're downgraded to a blog post, since you started in when you thought I called Goose "Purple" when asking her to pick up some juice. Sure, "Purple" might be a bit unusual, but is it worth rolling your eyes and gesturing that I was crazy?

Nope.

And the more I write here, the more I think the next animal we have will be named "purple" in your honor. Because what I name my kids is my business, and they don't need to be told their weird or will be laughed at for the rest of their days by a woman whose name, irony of ironies, is Violet. I don't know the etymology of Violet, but I'm sure it involved some eye rolling as well.

Violet, it's been a pleasure.

Sincerely,
Purple, the blogger formerly known as Lori

Long Overdue

2010-04-12T04:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the past few weeks...

For UM Going Away

2010-03-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

Know that we will miss you.

Know that it's highly likely that I will hear "Where Unk Mark?" every day for the next three months, despite the same answer every time.

Know that you can do great things.

Know that you can do disgusting things so try to keep your spaghetti-nose trick to yourself. People don't trust people who eat food from their noses.

Know that you're cooler and braver than me--both for doing what you're doing now, and for being the first one to try Buttered Popcorn Jelly Bellies.

Know that we support you no matter what, and if it's some weird sign of solidarity to bedeck ourselves in yellow ribbon, we will.

Know that no matter how fast you run during basic, I will kick your butt running on the Wii (though bowling is strictly yours).

Know we will write you often.

Know that I will always be around to talk/write/facebook or whatever about the past like we did during Christmas when Grandma and Grandpa would take over my room and I'd see you in "dreamland" or about whatever else you want to talk about.

Know that the record high for Arizona heat was 128 degrees, June 29, 1994, but that it's not as bad as some place in Arkansas...so it could be worse than a summer in the desert.

More than anything else,

Know that we love you.

What to Ask Prospective Teachers?

2010-03-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to my first school open house since my brother was little enough to do open houses.

It's been a while.

I forgot how wonderfully classrooms get decorated--the bright colors of projects and activities posted on every wall to the point where the fire marshal has to be called. Frankly, it was overwhelming.

Goose will be in kindergarten next year and I want to make sure the school she's going to will be a good fit for her. Although the troll that works in the office there at the school told me that I'd just have to wait until a week before school started to check out the climate of the classroom, I figured out another way.

Ok, so I may have looked weird being the only one with a notepad in hand and no kids in tow, but it helped me out a lot!

Here are some things to ask prospective teachers:

What is the class size? (21 for the five teachers I spoke with)

What are the hours and how is that structured? (3.5 hours. CA has some serious content standards and at the kindergarten level are working on basic knowledge of presidents, states, math skills, and reading/writing, so the teachers said with such a short day that they have 30 minutes in total--15 for early recess and 15 for free time at the end of class--but the rest is spent at desks or with whiteboards at circle time.)

What skillset are the entering students expected to have? (It varies. Some have never held a pencil before, and probably should have had an extra year of preschool but with many parents being unable to afford it, they often are put straight into class. So some children are reading and writing, counting, some are bilingual, trilingual, can count infinitely, etc. These students are often paired with those who are weaker so that they can teach one another. If a student is still behind the teacher will call for an intervention and students from higher grades will help teach. It's sort of clever how they've worked around not having aides here in CA, no?)

Do you use worksheets? (I was hoping, chanting "please, god, no" in the back of my brain, but the teachers said that they do one every other day, as it's included in the curriculum required. I hate worksheets! I think they're rote and awful and have been shown they're ineffective in teaching, but the teachers assured me that they do quite a bit of work together as a a class on them. We'll see how that plays out...)

How do you deal with problem students? ("Goose is an angel. She'll never be a problem," I wanted to say, but figured that I wouldn't taunt them with my amazingly gifted daughter. Instead they told me about the levels of good--pretty standard fare, my classes used it too. Five levels each color coded and they start out second from the top. If they do bad they get a warning and go on to the color below, do good, move up to the top.)

Is there homework? (Projects worked on together with family to be presented in class, but no take home worksheets.)

How do you keep in contact with parents? (Notes home. A big strike for me, since I think electronic communication is more responsible earth-wise, but it's neater and I lose everything!)

That's about all I could think of other than volunteer stuff. I had heard that some schools didn't even allow volunteers due to CTA (California Teachers Association) issues. Was there anything I should have added?

Easter Crafts

2010-03-24T08:21:00.000-07:00

We've been Easter crafting around here. Bunny paint hands, Easter Lilies from hand cutouts, like last year. Egg trees.

But yesterday we went to a friend's house and here's what the kids made.

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The kids got to cut out the pieces--Goose solo, Monkey just wanted to fringe stuff so in stepped Mom. Goose painted hers with a cotton ball, then we glued the pieces together and added feathers and a tail respectively.
Quite the keepsakes!

Spring Reading Thing 2010

2010-03-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

Ok, so last time I participated, I didn't do so hot posting my reviews, but this time, I've got a few kids books on here and I'm sure that Goose will spur me on to write out what we thought. I also reserve the right to add or change anything here. So without further adieu, here's my Spring Reading Thing list:

The Women - T.C. Boyle. I admit, I've been reading this for the past couple of weeks, but I really want to discuss it with someone!

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte. Last year it was Mansfield Park, this year Wuthering Heights. I'll just need to do a few hundred more reading things to fill the romantic period gap in my education.

Pride and Prejusdice and Zombies - Jane Austen and Seth Graham Smith. More to fill the void? I've been intrigued by this book for a full year. I can't wait to get into it!

The Wordy Shipmates - Sarah Vowell. This is a book that was so appealing when I saw her on the Daily Show, I knew that I had to give it a shot. Vowell was witty and interesting and I hope her book matches up to her personality.

Nurture Shock - Bronson and Merryman. I've had this for a while and need to read it. I like to tackle a few parenting books a year so here we go.

Various Months of Backlogged magazines (New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Martha Stewart, People, Parents, Parenting, Family Fun, Country Living, and Better Homes and Gardens are my magazines, but I also like to peruse Ziggy's Wired magazine as well as read the kids their Babybug, Click and National Geographic Little Kids) We get a lot of magazines!

Then there's the kids books

100 Cupboards - N.D. Wilson. This looked/sounded intriguing off of our host of this event, Katrina's list. It'll be an interesting one for Goose I think.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey - Trenton Lee Stewart. It takes Goose and I a while to read these because frankly Monkey doesn't have the attention span yet for reading for an hour or two at night. If we get through this and I can get ahold of the third one we'll read that one too!
Coraline -Neil Gaiman. Does anyone else love Neil Gaiman? The Graveyard Book was so wonderful, scary, but imaginative, sentimental and sweet. Wolves in the Walls and Dangerous Alphabet have been big hits around here, too so I figured it was time to give Coraline a shot.

Letting Go

2010-03-21T13:41:00.000-07:00

I believe that Goose will do great things.

And while I know it will be a struggle to get there, I can't let go enough to let her feel pain. It's my motherly duty to protect her always right?

Yet the training wheels are off. Ziggy helped her on, let her go and off she went, happy as a clam.

While I pictured bruises, dentist trips, scrapes, cuts, bandaids and the fight over hydrogen peroxide, and steadied the camera in my face so that I wouldn't throw up.

Do you ever stop worrying about them?

Just Jen Contest

2010-03-20T01:20:00.000-07:00

"No Grapes". That's what I'd want my supercool Just Jen sweatshirt to say. It's strange and doesn't make any sense but neither does my inspiration. It'd be classy though. So classy that Just Jen's designs have been seen on ABC's The Bachelor for their bridal hoodies. You can see them in action here.

I'm pretty excited about A Blog of Goodies'giveaway she has going on right now. Not only is there a chance for a $100 gift card, there's also a Just Jen hoodie of your very own up for grabs. Fun stuff! Good luck to you and the Red Socks!

Bouncy Fun

2010-03-20T00:46:00.000-07:00

Right now there are two great giveaways going on at Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House in conjunction with PlayHouse Bouncers for a super cool bounce house like the one at J. Leigh Designz also by BounceHousesNow.com. Monkey would flip out for one of these!

Good Luck!

2010-03-20T00:05:00.000-07:00

Karen at 3 Garnets and 2 Sapphires has a great giveaway going on for $50 to Novica.com. I've been obsessing over the various rug styles from India and would love to put this toward one for our house. Shopping is so fun!

Monkey's Party, or Why My Family is More Talented than I

2010-02-25T01:55:00.000-08:00

That post title might need to be "me" but I'm lazy and not looking it up right now...

Anyhoo, I just wanted to show my favorite decorations from Monkey's party. Little Man digs anything that has a motor so we dig a "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" type theme. I wanted something to match this framed fabric I got from Urban Thimble about a year ago.

After running around for a full day trying to find rudimentary type vehicle die cuts (No Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater!) and having a very sad conversation with one of my Michaels brethren about what a die cut was, I came up empty handed.

Frustrated and crazed I fell asleep Friday night while watching Public Enemies with Ziggy. I woke up to find this.

He made them while I was asleep! I strung them together with some simple black yarn and they were a perfect garland for the stairs. I swear that man makes me want to punch him sometimes with how good he is--artistically and otherwise.

Goose wanted her brother's guests to walk in on a road like they were cars. So she picked out some inexpensive black gift wrap at the party supply store and taped it down. When she took some of the black color off by accident by dropping the tape, we made it into lanes. Then I helped her make a straight line of yellow paint for the road divider. She's got some good ideas, that one. Some may have asked what the heck it was, but I thought it was perfect!

Thanks, guys for such a good party.

Healthy Olympic Pancakes

2010-02-24T07:54:00.000-08:00

One of the kids' favorite breakfasts is pancakes and in conjunction with the olympics and all the skating Goose has been making us watch we came up with these:

It's about a cup of Trader Joe's Multigrain Baking Mix
1 tbsp. butter
1 egg (though we use Ener-G vegan egg substitute)
half a cup of nonfat milk
As many blueberries and dried cranberries as you can stand!

Break out the skillet and voila! Red, White and Blue pancakes.

2010-02-22T23:28:00.000-08:00

Dearest Monkey,

It's a thousand times harder now.

It's hard not to yell during the day as you try to pull every. last. hair. out. of. your. sister's. head. Then, it's so much better when you two make each other laugh.

It's a thousand times harder to be mad, or trust you for that matter, when I hear a crash and ask you what happened and you reply, "Nuh-zing".

It's harder to get the carpet clean, with it's ground in playdoh and bananas. It's hard to keep the dog from getting fat as you pass him his fifth or sixth treat of the day. It's hard to stay up until 11:46 like you made me do two years ago when you decided to grace us with your presence.

And yet, while it's hard, I can't imagine it without you.

I love you, little man. Thanks for making life hard so that I can appreciate how much better you make it, too.

Sensational Haiku Wednesday: Renovation

2010-02-17T05:19:00.000-08:00

Learn to Live With It

Go on. Tear it down.
Spackle/paint it over. Still--
It is what it is.

VDay Gifts

2010-02-17T05:13:00.000-08:00

I was pretty pleased with my find for Ziggy for Valentine's Day. Our funds were a bit low and to be honest, I figured I'd write him a poem and call it a day. But while at TJMaxx killing time with the kids, what did I see on the $1 clearance rack?

We have a wall of weird pictures in our bathroom so it should fit in perfectly. Plus, he loved it.

Eventually I'd like it to look like the inside of Haunted Mansion at Disneyland for Ziggy, who would live in a dilapidated shack just to feel scared at night. (Freak!)

And Ziggy, poor man, had no idea what to get, so he got some trite chocolates and a gift card. Let's just say it's Wednesday and they're both gone...

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

Here's my favorite love poem in honor of Ziggy. We had this at our wedding. It's by Anne Bradstreet, one of the first American poets--you go girl!

To My Dear and Loving Husband

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee.
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye women, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole Mines of gold
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee give recompetence.
Thy love is such I can no way repay.
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let's so persever
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

Are We Seriously Doing This?

2010-02-11T13:15:00.001-08:00

This morning I was combing out Goose's hair. She was really excited about getting to play with her best friend and wanted to put in a headband on her own.

What ensued was perhaps the most ridiculous temper tantrum I've ever heard.

Goose: There, Mom. Done.
Me: You look very nice, Honey. Like David Bowie.
Goose: I don't look like Ron Bowie.
Me: David Bowie. You're hair is sticking up like his.
Goose: beginning to freak out I don't look like Ron Bowie!
Me: Nope, you look like a beautiful little girl with David Bowie's hair.
Goose: Unleashing the tears No I don't.
Me: Goose, do you even know who David Bowie is?
Goose: He's a goblin (The Labyrinth) and I'm not a boy. Shrieking and Crying I don't look like RON BOWIE!

It was then that I left her sitting on the floor screaming with her incredible set of pipes that even Ron Bowie would envy. Angry with me she stormed into her room and put a hat on her head.

I can't wait until the teen years...

Wordless Wednesday: The Only Costume That Fits

2010-02-11T05:46:00.000-08:00

Sensational Haiku Wednesday: Comfort Zone

2010-02-11T05:42:00.000-08:00

Of the Never-ending Projects...

Perched on a ladder
Painting ten feet off the ground
Yet comfortable.

And also the reason I'm late!

Why no Post Yesterday?

2010-02-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

Beatles Rockband!
I'm proud to say that I'll be staying far away from any guitars or drums because I am so terrible that the game doesn't even know what to do with me. Goose is surprisingly good at the drums.

And I'm more jealous of Ziggy's coordination than ever. He can seriously pick anything up and be decent, if not great at it. Though I'm proud to say that I beat him handily at the vocals.

If anyone is looking for a bandmate that can do nothing but sing and erratically dance with spastic movements that are likely to break instruments or injur fellow bandmates, I'm free.

Goose Nest

2010-02-05T14:21:00.000-08:00

I'd love to get Goose a new mattress so she can finally have her own big girl bed--no more of this toddler bed stuff. It's not something we can easily swing right now since we just got ourselves a mattress (we were sleeping on a hand me down mattress that was 30 years old.) So I'm hoping we can win one from Bizzie Mommy! It's even Sealy to match the one we bought!

Valentine Project

2010-02-05T08:06:00.000-08:00

Over at The Homeschooled Year there's a Valentine swap for kids all over the country. We signed up and aside from our store bought foiled Scooby cards, we made these pop up cards with wildflowers from around our house. Goose also told me some of her favorite things to do here in California. We're one of two from the west coast and the only ones from CA so we had to do something to represent!

They were pretty fun to make, but not so fun that we'll be doing 23 for her class party...

Wordless Wednesday: Love Is

2010-02-04T00:25:00.000-08:00

Pain!

This was Monkey's favorite thing to do when we were in Disneyland last month. This is for my entry into Kailani's Feb. Photo Contest.

Sensational Haiku Wednesday: Reality

2010-02-03T22:13:00.000-08:00

Little One asked, "what's life?"
A: When it's all boiled down, you have
lemons and lemonade.

Happy Groundhog's Day!

2010-02-02T08:37:00.001-08:00

Dear Mr. Fforde- A Threat

2010-02-02T03:33:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. Fforde,

Know this. If you start another series, without giving us, your loyal readers more in your current series, I will find you and I will kick you. I don't know where I will kick you yet as my mind has not introduced a creative enough place; and it probably won't be very hard because at this point I've abandoned any strength training exercises--but it'll happen.

Don't get me wrong, I ended up really loving Shades of Grey, but where's the Nursery Crime? Where's Thursday? I'll accept more from the Chromatica series, but like I said, if you get some wild idea to write about a whole new world, with all new jargon and rules to pick up, sit on it, or I will kick you in the, hmmm... humerus? Am I tall enough? I need some suggestions.

Sincerely,
Lori

It's a Boy!

2010-02-01T00:44:00.000-08:00

In honor of my cousin's baby being born over the weekend, Ziggy and I went to see Legion.

Ok, it was in no way in honor or my cousin's baby (Congrats, and welcome, TJ!)--we just found ourselves with time, no kids and really wanted to see it.

The movie was pretty lame. I really love Paul Bettany's acting but that's about it. The story started out well, a bit of a creepy thriller like Gladys up there in that poorly edited clip, but it doesn't resolve in a very logical way, and that's with a very willing suspension of disbelief.

And while Ziggy and I didn't come off as the best parents for laughing at a 100+ mph car accident with a newborn being held in the front seat, we couldn't have been that much worse than the parents who brought their two and seven year olds. It was maybe twenty five minutes through the movie when the seven year old had to go sit outside. And the two year old? Slept through the whole thing!

So that's that. If you're not into Bettany, illogical religion, or guns (the official NRA movie critic is likely to give this two trigger-fingers up) then at leat you can take a good nap!

Silly Haiku Wednesday: Changes

2010-01-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

My Life

Bowie filters in
"Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes" starts
Another diaper...

And then, just to share because Goose is awfully proud of it, here's her parody of Browning's famous Sonnets from the Portuguese "Number 43" (Ok, I know it's not a full sonnet, but she's four!). The last bit she wrote out herself.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee as though I were running down 16 stairs.
I love thee all the while I brush my stuffed animals' hairs.
I love thine enforcement as one locks another away in a dungeon.
I love thee as much as my mom.

2010-01-26T23:00:00.000-08:00

When the kids and I were bowling a month or so ago at my brother's work, we waited for him to take a break. While waiting we walked through the neighboring thrift shop and found a dresser that was 1.99, marked "final sale". It was a bit beated and had the most hideous hardware I've ever seen, but still I was fairly psyched and snatched it up.

One month later and we now have yarn storage for Ziggy's projects, but better than that I have memories! After puttying up some damage, Goose and Monkey helped me unscrew the pulls and sand it. They put down the first coat of Kilz via finger-painting. I threw on some wall color we already had and Goose helped me rub som stain into the grooves. Then I loaded it up on polyurethane and voila! Furniture for $7 total, including the generous donation of 25 cents when I bought the dresser to Goodwill.

Then, while we were house/dogsitting for my parents a couple weeks ago Goose wore me down and we grabbed my old dollhouse from the rafters.

As a kid, I never played with it, really. But my Grandma and Grandpa made it for me and I wanted it to have a good life somewhere, so I think Goose will be very happy with it.

I was a bit reluctant to paint it, as my Grandma had picked these sort of Holland-inspired blue/red color scheme, but Goose really wanted it to be pink and purple (of course). So we compromised. And maybe someday she'll paint it with her kids' favorite colors.

We still have a long way to go before we could get to something like Michelle of Scribbit's dollhouse, but Goose is a gal of lofty ambitions and mentioned something about a slide coming out of the upstairs window. We'll see...

All of those projects under my belt and now on to making Valentine's Day cards. While getting the yarn together, what did miss Holly Hobby complete for herself an "upcycled princess crown"... Maybe we look around on Etsy too much?

Just When you Thought it Was Safe...

2010-01-25T11:04:00.000-08:00

Silly me!

I thought I could take a shower. The kids were playing at the train table and since I have my showers at like a military style, break-neck pace of five minutes and the door would be open I thought, "go for it!"

I was in the home stretch--toweling off when Monkey comes around the corner with a handful of blood.

My heart froze.

He was crying, but not in that "sister just beat the heck out of me" sort of way, more like the annoyed at being dirty sort of way.

Then I noticed the red cap in his hand.

And the tube on the ground.

Little Man had found the fake blood from Halloween. And despite the fact that our carpet is now permanently stained in (no exaggerations here) sixteen places, I'm relieved. It could have been so much worse!

Can I make a request that Crayola come out with a line of fake blood?

A letter to IKEA!

2010-01-20T03:49:00.000-08:00

Dear Ikea,

I thought you might like to know, I beat you. Sure I may have almost been crushed to death by the bookcase from falling down the stairs trying to get it up to Monkey's room. And sure I probably made the carpal tunnel onset a few years earlier from the dowel forcing. And I may have given myself a bloody nose by punching myself in the face whilst tightening the forty thousandth screw, but it's there. So suck it, Ikea!

And then I turn to the simple boxes for storing Monkey's cars and notice that you are the bane of my existence. You sneaky, awful place, you! Who knew you'd pack 24 bolts for your boxes?!

Final round, Ikea. You and me and 24 barbaric bolts later, Monkey has himself some organizational items to trash.

Who's laughing now, Ikea?

Your loyal customer,
Lori

Silly Haiku Wednesday: Wind

2010-01-20T01:57:00.000-08:00

Did anyone else find it harder to work without a topic?

The Wind

Trees Bend. Playhouse falls.
It's a force that can't be stopped.
I write snug from couch.

What we did for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2010-01-19T01:58:00.000-08:00

If you think your four year old is going to respect the amazingness of Why We Can't Wait, then you're a fool. And while Goose did sit and do my hair and listen while I read her "Letter from a Birmingham Jail", I had to stop and explain even some of the simplest concepts like "injustice" fairly often, so an impactful line like, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" was lost. I was just glad to read it though and Goose did make my hair look extra beautiful.

Dean Koontz's Martin Luther King poem from Every Day's A Holiday was much better for both Goose and Monkey to sit through--and both of them did on several occasions (though the whole thing takes about thirty seconds to read).

We really don't watch much tv or movies, so Goose is a zombie in front of any film and sat through Martin Luther King's famous speech. When I asked what she thought she said "he talks funny but he doesn't hurt my ears".

We did this reading comprehension activity on Enchanted Learning which was very successful and she liked that it made her relative. But far and away this coloring sheet was her favorite and she was very upset when I made her get off the computer.

The Art of Getting Things for Free

2010-01-18T03:15:00.000-08:00

My kids get a lot of free stuff. Ziggy and I took them to lunch at an old high school hangout of his on Saturday and the guy brought them half a pound of meat and cheese in addition to the sandwiches we had purchased for them.

It's normal for me to daily turn down cookie requests, and perhaps the reason juvenile diabetes, cups of whipped cream on their behalf.

I get it. They're cute. They like to talk to the people at Starbucks or the grocery store and Goose is pretty good at shaking down those who she thinks will give her even the crust of their sandwiches (gross, but it's happened...).

Ziggy can talk his way into anything. He doggedly pursues a price he wants and free stuff added onto that is icing on the cake for him. There's a reason that his work makes him collect fees and payments in addition to doing his regular job. He's also imposing, and like Shaq, he will back anyone down. The last time he called, he talked the cable people into a cheaper bill and adding on two extra premium channels plus a $50 gift card (and that was the third time he had talked them into a lower payment).

Them there's me. I'm not cute and I don't hold my ground enough to ever be imposing, but I can play dumb. The fine art of pleasantness, asking questions and playing dumb landed me with an $800 auto service bill (though his original estimate was $1500), my next service free, a free meal at a local Mexican food place and a free car wash.

And while I felt a tinge of guilt as the service manager gave a stern reprimanding to the employee who helped me out, I felt pretty elated as I walked past them, keys in hand to my sweet ride.

Help for Haiti

2010-01-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

It seems like all of us are glued to the tv or computer watching the devastation in Haiti.

It's horrific. I wish I could be on a plane to go help, but the news isn't asking for SAHMs with BAs in English. So instead I open my pocketbook.

Granted, I haven't opened it very wide ($10 through Yele), but it's something. And little bits can add up.

I donated all the swagbucks I could (and you can use your three A7X bucks from that code a while back through here Here's what they're doing:

SwagNation has shown an outpouring of sympathy across all our online communities, asking how they can help. Here's your chance to use your Swag Bucks to support a great cause. Please consider donating some of your Swag Bucks to our Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. All Swag Bucks we collect will go directly toward a donations to three major relief organizations:

* American Red Cross
* Doctors Without Borders
* Yele.org (Wyclef Jean's relief effort)

If they can get to one million swagbucks then they will donate $100,000.

Then there's the blog effort.

Bargain Briana is donating $5 for every blog post linked to her site. Or 0.25 per comment left on that post.

Money Saving Mom, is donating $10 to Compassion’s outreach in Haiti, for each link
$5 Dollar Dinners is donating $5 per comment or link.
Common Sense With Money, is donating $0.25 per comment on her post for Haiti.

So hopefully that helps.

Ziggy wanted to remind people to donate here within your own community as well. He had a bit of a ranting moment as he went on about how it takes a disaster to get people to donate. So help those hurting in your community if you can with clothing and food donations.

Also check that your donation is being used well by the organization that you donate to!

One Reason Goose Is My Best Friend

2010-01-15T00:02:00.000-08:00

She Tells It Like It Is.

Maybe it's the four year old. Maybe it's the fact that her mom revels in correcting people, but Goose likes to keep it real.

So she'll tell me if my food stinks, or my shoes for that matter. And she tells me if my new voices for story reading are funny enough.

And when we were at Peet's today they had samples. And Goose grabbed hers and then with a look of utter shock she turned to me:

Mom! That lady just took three samples!

Shushing Goose as I finished up our transaction, I glanced over my shoulder to see the woman in question tossing a sample wrapper in the garbage and munching on one. Giving Goose the head shake to say "no more" we then chatted while I waited for my coffee. As I was putting on the lids the woman grabbed one more for the road.

Goose turned to me with her big eyes and said "Mom, that lady's a thief!" The woman glanced at me and what could I do but shrug?

Because Goose was right.

Silly Haiku Wednesday: The Road

2010-01-13T11:19:00.000-08:00

This week's theme is "the road" and I wrote two of them one not silly and one very much so.

Road of Life (inspired by Karissa, and a friend of mine who took her life five years ago)

Then she traveled north
Like Cortes or the dead past
To a new frontier.

Silly one now?
Traveling with kids

Vast is the I-5 stretch
How much Disney do we own?
And will the kids watch?

This is What Happens When You Put Something Off And Your Kid Screws Up Her Face

2010-01-12T16:33:00.000-08:00

I, being amazing at procrastinating, of course put off Goose's kindergarten admission paperwork. After realizing this morning that I had missed the deadline by four days and cursing my lazy butt in my mind, I began filling out paperwork like a madman for the follow up lottery.

Now this school is fairly involved. A physician has to go over medical records in addition to giving her a physical. A dentist must fill out a form (unless your "religious beliefs prohibit" this--what? what does that mean? What do those people do?). A child psychologist must interview your child and then a background check and psych evaluation is done on you, the parent.

So fine. I'm happy to do it because this program sounds perfect for Goose, though it's a long shot that we'd be able to inter-district into the program (even though it's closer to us than the school we're supposed to go to, but don't get me started on that).

So, I'm writing Goose's birthdate for what seems like the five millionth time and thanking god, Allah, whatever thing those people worship that makes them not go to the dentist that Monkey is sitting beside me playing contentedly with his trucks and cars, when Goose sidles up to me waving her Disneyland Princess Pen in my face.

Me: Thanks, Goose. I've got a pen.
Goose: Mommy (trilling like she's doing a kids' musical)
Me: Babe, I've gotta do this right now.
Goose: Look at how beautiful I am!
Me: You're always beautiful, Hon...

And there's where I stopped because there's when I look up to see. Her face! Dear Aforementioned Creator!

That stupid Princess Pen that Ziggy had to get her was all over it. And we're talking ball point pen! Across her cheeks. Up her forehead. In the corners of her eyes. She had thought it would make her very princess like if she colored her face!

And I froze. Today was supposed to be our psych evaluations! Not only that, I wanted so badly to laugh and take a picture.

You'll be happy to know that I didn't. Instead I took her quietly to the bathroom and tried scrubbing. We rescheduled the evaluation and I'm hoping that by tomorrow my baby girl will no longer look like Freddy Krueger

Music Monday: 3eb

2010-01-12T00:59:00.001-08:00

Ack! I fell asleep watching Heroes again. It's a good show, but we're watching like two to three hours a night because Ziggy wants to catch up and it's grueling. Now I know how marathon runners feel...

Anyway, since I'm a bit groggy and I meant for this to be posted on Monday but it's an hour into Tuesday already, I'm going to gush a wee bit.

Third Eye Blind's self titled album from 1997 is yet another that you should buy in it's entirety. There isn't a bad song on there. In fact I can remember 1997 and having that cd on repeat in my room on my cheap Toys R Us cd player, obsessing. 3eb is the only band that I ever joined the fan club of. Geeky, yes, but I was thirteen and a geek also.

I do favor the beginning tracks, but "God of Wine" and "Motorcycle Drive By" are some of my brother's favorites. I think "Narcolepsy" is one of the best songs. I remember when it played in the show Jericho and being totally ejected from whatever was happening plot wise so that I could go listen to that song fully.

Stephen Jenkins maybe weird and not a very good interview per (Chelsea Handler on Chelsea Lately) and his nail polish wholly unflattering, but that cd is one of the best ever.

What is Wrong With Me?

2010-01-09T05:52:00.000-08:00

A: A Whole Lot

I need sensitivity training or something. I made myself throw an ad away yesterday when Ziggy pointed out that what I was saying was mean and shouldn't be repeated in public.

Well how public is a blog with a readership of three?

The ad was for Beano and they used this "woman" to hold the bottle. I don't know why they used this model, if she is in fact an actual model. It looks like a dude in an ugly wig with a thin-lipped, uncomfortable, I-have-to-pass-gas-and-can't smile. My only hope for this guy is that they didn't want to pay someone so they animated him using bits of body parts photoshopped together. Otherwise that has to be the least successful model ever and what a resume!

So that was the nicer of the two pearls of sensitivity...

Goose had a nightmare last night. She dreamed that spiders were all around and on her face. I ran to her room flipped on lights, installed a nightlight, rubbed her back and held her. I then turned off the light and she freaked a bit asking me to check her for spiders. I assured her that there was nary an arachnid to be found beforerecovering her with blankets and singing a lullaby.

The song?

I couldn't stop myself... "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

Happy Birthday, Grandma

2010-01-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

Today is my Grandma's birthday, or would have been, as she passed away 13 years ago.

I've reached a precipice. I've now hit a point where I've been alive without her as long as I had with her. And while I love her so much still, I find it harder and harder to remember things. Goose asked me questions about her on the way to the cemetary today and I couldn't remember the answers to some, or didn't know the answers (did she like planes?).

And eventually I'll only have a handful of memories about her to tell. But those memories... Well let's just say they capture the selfless, kind, and wonderful Grandma that she was.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Silly Haiku Wednesday

2010-01-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

I love poetry. I like all kinds (though rhymed like rondells or sonnets are my favorite). So to get back into the poetry groove I want to start participating in this meme. Sounds fun, no?

A year has passed by
So without further adieu
We begin anew

Wordless Wednesday: Go Fly a Kite

2010-01-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

Just Like That

2010-01-05T14:37:00.000-08:00

I feel like a total fool and my day is a ruined (ok, well the kids haven't been following each other around and screaming at each other much today so it's not a total loss).

I got the box today. The one I'd been waiting for for a year and a half!

I love Jasper Fforde. His writing is insanely creative and funny and while he PROMISED that he would write a book a year, he had a daughter last year so it's been a while.

So after all the waiting why am I bummed?

The book isn't the continuation of the Thursday Next series. I read somewhere (his fan site I think?) that he had changed the name of the newest Thursday Next book to Shades of Grey and that would be in my hands last March. Then it was delayed and delayed again and now, it's a new series.

Don't getting me wrong, any Fforde is still fantastic. It's just not the same as a continuation of the books I have come to know and love, and tout as the funniest books ever.

Oh, and get ready to hear about how wonderful this book is, because that's how great my resolve is.

Musical Monday: Here Comes Science

2010-01-04T23:05:00.000-08:00

Do your kids have songs that they listen to over and over and over again?

Are your kids still involved in Raffi? Or Schoolhouse Rock?

Well this is better. WAY better! They Might Be Giants is a wonderful band and more than likely you know them from their Malcom in the Middle theme or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme if not "Istanbul not Constantinople", "Dr. Worm" or "Particle Man". This has the cred of real songs but backed up with clever lyrics and information.

Can you verbalize the difference between speed and velocity? Seriously. I didn't know that all living things were mostly made of four elements. Did you? Can you name them? I can--thanks to the song aptly named "Elements". (Sorry, the video has a weird hiccup from the BoingBoing co. but the rest is great!)

This is an album that I won't kick off when the kids aren't in the car and it comes up on the ipod. I love that they're even will to make fun of themselves in "Why does the son really shine?" I love that these lyrics will stick in their heads and then be pulled out and dusted off ten years from now in a science class. It'll help things click.

So if you're in need of new kid music that won't drive you up a wall, or even just want to check out their cute videos on youtube, go for it. (this one is particularly cute).

A Letter to a Dead Man in Denmark

2010-01-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

Dearest Mr. Ole Kirk Christiansen,

I know you won't be seeing this as you have been departed for over fifty years, but let me tell you, I'm not a fan.

You see I live with a big kid. And that big kid has started his kids up with your little invention. And in a family of kids who like to take things apart, take things from one another and take little to no time for cleaning up, this has been disaster.

In fact, my bare feet are giving you the middle finger.

Legos are hard! And small. And sharp!

And you know what else? Expensive! Forty bucks on some little ship because it's Star Wars? Are you kidding me, Christiansen?

I'm glad that thusfar everyone enjoys playing with plain blocks and inventing their own stuff, but trust me, should Goose start asking for a Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series Tantive IV Rebel Blockade Runner (10019) your butt is getting exorcised!

Sincerely,
Lori

Merry New Year

2010-01-01T12:34:00.000-08:00

I Need a Box--A Really Big Box

2009-12-31T04:35:00.000-08:00

So what would you do with a king size mattress box? My kids would love turning it into something. I would love what was inside the box: the bed. We need a new bed so badly. So it's great that Mommy Mandy has one up for grabs!

You can win a Sealy Posturepedic mattress on her blog. Good luck!

2009: Blog Review

2009-12-31T03:50:00.000-08:00

This is totally narcissitic and so me, but here are my favorite blog posts from my blog this past year:

Favorite Dear... post: Fish Funeral

Favorite Goings On post: Raising a Drug Dealer

Favorite Craft post: I forgot!

Favorite Picture Based post: Silly Goose

Favorite Activity Update post: Fruitful Friday

So that's all from me, about me. I really like reading all these recaps on everyone's blog and hope you enjoyed mine.

Here's a great New Year's Song

New Year, New Goals

2009-12-31T03:29:00.000-08:00

With the new year upon us, I feel compelled to make new year's resolutions--it's something I can remember my grandma and I doing while she let me type on the typewriter (how quaint!).

But since I never stick to resolutions, rather I'm making a little list of goals that I would like to accomplish in 2010...

1. Make tortillas--well and with great alacrity (trivia: "alacrity" is Ziggy's favorite word)

2. Finish my crazy quilt of clothes and stuff from our past

3. Finish Goose's baby book

4. Make a baby book for Monkey

5. Run a mile without walking, and do it often

6. Get the kids into more of a routine with school, exercise, music, art, stories, experiments, etc.

7. Brush Ludo's teeth at least every Tuesday and Friday

8. Go car-less one day a week

9. Learn to shoot a free-throw, and make at least three of ten (I shudder to think of the hours upon hours logged of trying this with Ziggy, whose goal was a minimum of 9/10--end on a make!)

10. Get through something by Dostoyevsky.

So what are your resolutions/goals?

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas

2009-12-31T03:14:00.000-08:00

The Letdown

2009-12-29T14:46:00.000-08:00

The Zoo. Disneyland. Christmas.

More fun could not have been had last week and now...

Now Ziggy's back at work. I have to make food for us to eat again. Now we go for walks that are "boring".

Me: Look Goose, the trees are just like around Pooh's house at Disneyland.
Goose: Then where's Tigger?

Where indeed? I need to muster up some New Year excitement or something so that I can get over this post-Disney, post-present-giving, post-family non-magical feeling aka letdown.

Funnily enough Ziggy's dad warned us this would happen after our wedding. This letdown feeling. We never felt it. I get it now, though.

Surprise!

2009-12-27T05:55:00.000-08:00

It's not really a surprise that for a special occasion Ziggy will write a poem for me. He writes great poems--ones that end overly sentimental, but that are cut with inside jokes and heavy on sarcasm, just like we are. So the most surprising gift was that he wrote one for me when I had my wisdom teeth pulled. He was still at school while I was at my parents' house when I got an email from him. I remember that despite the Vicodin (which is terrible stuff and I have refused since then because it does nothing for me but make me loopy) I was moved to tears.

It occurs to me now that I have no copy of that poem. My brother has it on his wall, but I don't. Hmmm...

How about I share this one with you? (It's from 2006)

Mother's Day
Goose once told me that she had a great mom
So I looked at the facts and found she wasn't wrong.

When Goose was born, her mom was so happy
she cried and cried and so did her Papi

Goose's mom did everything that should have been done:
she worried and nurtured and slept close to none.

Goose's mom is so awesome--you can't say it isn't true,
Or Goose will kick you in the nuts and her Daddy will too.

We arrived at the hospital 46.43 weeks ago today.
We parked and walked in--we knew that day was the day.

Looking back to what lead to that wonderful time,
I remember amazing things like having Togos on my mind.

Or remembering the things that I had to do,
Like rubbing Goose's mom's hobbit feet for an hour or two.

Goose's mom is so cool when she dances and sings
to songs on her iPod that Daddy thinks stinks.

Goose's mom remembers when she saw Gooes for the first time,
She knew Goose was beautiful and smart even if the ultrasound only showed a spine.

Goose can remember seeing her new room from the hall
And the best part to her was that there were no damn lily pads on the wall!

So on your first Mother's Day Goose and Daddy want to say
You're not only a great mommy, you're the Best day after day after day!

SO that's how Ziggy rolls. And while I have received many wonderful gifts from many wonderful people in my life, those are the best, most surprising.

TwitterMoms is having a contest meme about what was your most surprising gift and the winner gets a Target gift card! Yay! Projects!

Merry Christmas, Baby

2009-12-24T03:01:00.000-08:00

Best Christmas song ever (sorry Charles Brown's original version doesn't compare for me).
Merry Christmas!

Why We Won't Win Any Parenting Awards

2009-12-24T02:14:00.000-08:00

I'm not dangling Monkey over a ledge or pressuring Goose to be a major pageant diva, and yet, it's still not likely that I'll be nominated for Mother of the Year.

Why?

Well, let's just say I may have dragged Goose and Monkey onto certain rides at Disneyland that were beyond their maturity levels...

Ok, so the Haunted Mansion may have made them scream and cry, but you couldn't even hear Monkey once the music was going...

And sure, Hopper in A Bug's World may have tried to "annihilate" us while in our seats, but doesn't my reassurance that we're immune to bug poison count for something?

And Pirates of the Carribean really does have lots of interesting animals to see, so it wasn't wrong that I sold it was being something of a zoo ride.

For Goose and Monkey, I'm sorry if I emotionally scarred you. But if it's any consolation, Daddy and I had a great time!

(ok, they did cry, but calmed down after some reassurance. Except in a Bug's World, don't take your kids there unless they're budding masochists!)

Santa, Baby

2009-12-24T01:50:00.000-08:00

Hi, Ziggy.

Ok, so it's unlikely that Ziggy is actually reading this, but if I force him to, amaybe he;ll get the oh-so-subtle hint that we need a new bed?

Our poor Cal. King is older than we are and to make it to our house was folded in half and stuffed into his camper from his parents' house. That's right. The same bed that was a trampoline for Ziggy growing up, now resides in our bedroom--no wonder it sleeps like a hammock!

That's why I would love to win the Signature Series mattress giveaway over on Mommy Mandy's site.

These beds look wonderful in part because of the high coil count and wonderful options like ultra plus or cushion firm.Pus a king would be close enough to fitting my super-tall Ziggy, who has to sleep in a fetal position no matter what bed he's on!

Wordless Wednesday: Disney Magic

2009-12-23T15:12:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on I-5

2009-12-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

Sure, you're smooth.

Sure, you've gotten us to Portland. You've gotten us here to San Diego. You could get us to Tiajuana if I had a passport...

But you are the reason I am now donating all Christmas funds into teleportation research. You, and my screaming children, and whining husband!

You're boring and long and foggy. And you call yourself an Interstate...

But we're here now and it's been wonderful thusfar. We went to the San Diego Zoo yesterday and the mouse is drawing nearer. We are so excited and the bleary eyed Goose and Monkey are stellar now that we're out of the car.

We did venture another car yesterday, however. A car my dad would dream of (though to me, it's just a car, like all cars.)

So here dad, Merry Christmas!

Devily Pies

2009-12-18T05:17:00.000-08:00

Since Ziggy's Oma passed away I've been waxing nostalgic and also craving more family history.

My mom's family is from Cornwall. They were miners and settled in Northern CA to work the mines.

So to combine the homage to family history and the fact that many of my memories are linked to food, I decided to give Pasties (or "oggies" if your from the motherland) a try.

What are Pasties you ask?

Delicious bites of heaven, let me tell you.

First of all, they're not "pasty-s" those are for your girly parts; they're "past-ees" and they are pie crust wrapped around just about anything that isn't saucy, though I've heard jam ones used to be quite common long ago.

There's this passage from a book in the 19th century that mentions devil stories told by the natives of Cornwall:

The devil never came into Cornwall.

[...]he could not but observe that everything, vegetable or animal, was put by the Cornish people into a pie.

He saw, and heard of, fishy pie, star-gazy pie, conger pie, and indeed pies of all the fishes in the sea. Of Parsley pie and herby pie, of lamey pie, and piggy pie and pies without number. Therefore, fearing they might take a fancy to "devily pie" he took himself back again into Devonshire.

Traditionally they have suet in them, and since that's disgusting I opt for chicken, though Ziggy really wants a sausage version which I'll be attempting for Christmas.

So here's our recipe.

For the crust:
Take 3 cups of flour and about six cubed tablespoons of butter and mix then add 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time until the mix crumbles into pea sized bits. Stop mixing and knead with hand into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out dough with floured pin until 1/4" thick

For filling:
Comine
Two chopped potatoes
Two chopped carrots
One chopped Turnip
One tsp. dried parsley
Half onion chopped (whatever is your favorite kind)
One pound chopped chicken

Place half a cup to one cup of filling on the dough and fold dough over crimp ends together, cut slit(s) in top of dough to vent, and then repeat.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes then add a bit of butter into the slit and continue to bake 30 minutes longer.

Voila! Delicious, personal pasties, ready for a good slathering of catsup!

The Pains of Being a Klutz

2009-12-17T05:59:00.000-08:00

Here's the facts:
-Yesterday Goose and I made the candies for her cookie exchange at school.
-While chopping something completely unrelated to the candies I cut my thumb sort of deep.

Here's the results:
-Goose flipped out at the sight of the blood and wouldn't let me come near her for a good hour. (Though after watching the "sort of scary" Night at the Museum 2, she let me cuddle with her, just with my thumb away).

-My friend attempted to subtly put our candies in the pile I know to be her garbage pile after Goose told her why I was wearing a band aid.

-I'm now freaked out that I should go out and buy something from the grocery store for fear of Goose pointing out my small injury to her classmates and their families tomorrow (when the exchange is going down) and then saying something like "and my mom has AIDS" but meaning band aids, because she says things weird to make herself sound like she can speak another language. This affect plays out in my mind with stake burning, the CDC and vomitoriums being called upon.

-Ziggy and I got in a fight because he said he shouldn't be expected to care much since I injure myself on a daily basis. I pointed out that it wasn't true. He pointed to my skinned knee from the day before when I fell down the stairs.

-Having smacked him in the back of the head, I now vent here.

You'd eat the candy right?

Would Be Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-16T06:35:00.001-08:00

I'm still shocked everytime I get on the internet and read blogs by how small it makes the world. Everyone can interact and we're all on the same playing field no matter who we are, where we are, or how little and insignificant we may feel.

It's even more amazing when all those people come together for support.

While I don't know Shellie or her family, I'm crying for her. Our thoughts are with her family as they try to figure out how to reconcile with what has happened to their baby boy, Bryson.

An Apology to Nikki Reed

2009-12-16T06:04:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry.

I'm extremely tempted to end things there, but that would be too much like my brother and not a very good apology.

I'm sorry I called you fat. I'm sorry I didn't think you should be Rosalie in Twilight and while I may have said you were better off playing a lunchlady or someone picking up garbage in the movie, I really didn't mean it. Sorry.

I watched your movie on Tuesday and I can't get it out of my head. I don't know how much of Thirteen is actually based on your life, but whatever it is--I'm sorry. And any tips that you have for ensuring my kid doesn't end up whoring, stealing, mutilating herself, moving out, and generally doing bad at age 13 (or ever, really) would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and did I mention I thought you looked much better in New Moon?

Doing Right By Grandma

2009-12-14T06:26:00.000-08:00

I'm not a Republican (and this is not a political post--really).

And while I liked the McCain that was willing to be interviewed by Steve Carrell on his tour bus way back before I could even vote, I never voted for him in the last election.

And even though I'm the black sheep in a family of Republicans, apparently, it isn't catching...

Bad News.

Goose will be McCain's next running mate.

A Letter to Me

2009-12-12T23:26:00.000-08:00

Dearest Lori,

I write this as your friend. I know that you like to shop, that it is especially fun when the kids aren't there, and you're at Target--late when there are very few people there. But no more.

I'm tired of watching you make a fool of yourself.

I get that you use coupons to save money and that may cause huge lines at the checkout. I've seen you be socially awkward around other people. But when you put the holidays in the mix, you are an unstoppable force. Please don't subject people to it.

People don't want to hear you ranting aloud that Target is evil because all of the Hanukkah stuff is clearanced with the exception of the thing you want most...chocolate coins.

Check yourself before you do anyone any favors. Don't see a woman with her bra-clad breast exposed and then shout at her down the aisle. Don't freeze when she turns and looks at you as you realize that she's just dressed like a skank despite the pouring rain. Then don't turn to run away and plow into someone shopping for cake mix.

Don't promise to buy gum for everyone in line for causing a hold up with your coupons and then make the line take even longer because there's idiots that want more than one pack or want something from the other side of the store.

Please stay away. No one wants you there.

Sincerely,
Lori

Happy Hanukkah

2009-12-11T06:09:00.000-08:00

This band's Hanukkah Rocks album is great. Goose loves "Gelt Melts" probably mostly because I promised her a whole bag of gelt to get her a bit excited about Hanukkah and distract her from screaming "Rudolph" in the middle of stores or in friends' faces...

Wordless Wednesday:Snow!

2009-12-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

I think generally when people think of California they think of the beaches, but we have the Sierras too. However we live in the valley separating the two, so here's what we get for snow.

(The "snowgirl" is about eight inches tall but she stuck around all day!)

Merry SITSmas

2009-12-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

Twas three days before Hanukkah and all through the house
The children were screaming not one was a louse.
The Christmas decor was strung all around
And broken bits of penguin still littered the ground.
But the two Ziggy children were soon settled
As promises of who could be quiet the longest would win the gold medal...

And that's how I was able to write this post for the wonderful SITSmas going on!

Goodbye, Alice

2009-12-02T06:40:00.000-08:00

Your life was more interesting than anyone will ever know.

Thank you for sharing some of your stories with me, and for keeping the ones that might scare us for your own.

Thank you for not calling my kids stupid idiots.

In fact, thank you for loving my kids so much you didn't care if one threw up all over your shirt. For always trying to keep Goose entertained with little things you had, for having crackers out whenever we were over, for being the most considerate uber-Oma ever, I am eternally grateful.

Goodbye, Alice. Goodbye, Oma.

ABC's Modern Family

2009-12-01T02:46:00.000-08:00

Is anyone else watching this show?

Every episode I watch has some exact lines from my life happening. The most recent one we pulled up in the DVR had two kids sitting and playing while the parents looked on in bewilderment, "what are they doing? Why aren't they hurting each other?" the dad (Phil) asks.

"I don't know but I'm scared to move" replies mom, Claire.

Then I thought Ziggy was going to choke to death while watching the clown episode.

This is a very well put together show with an outstanding ensemble cast and fun talking heads. It's toned down zany-ness of Arrested Development meets mockumentary style. I did wonder, though, not having seen all the episodes myself, what the exact premise was. Will it be like the Office the BBC version and characters will get to watch themselves on tv, or will it be like NBC's Office and the characters will continue to log interviews without ever seeing any footage? Anyone? Anyone?

So if you're not watching it, get on it! I don't want to waste my time with another Wonderfalls or Pushing Daisies, oh Lee Pace where have you gone?

Scenes from Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T11:47:00.000-08:00

The tables may have been fancy and the view breathtaking,

But this was my favorite part...

Thankful Thursday

2009-11-26T10:19:00.001-08:00

I have a million reasons to be thankful, and rather than bore you with that litany, instead here's Goose's take:

(Couch because it's comfy; a mom and dad who give her a bed; art; food, lights, Christmas trees, dogs, animals, fruit, presents and birds)
She was very upset with my reading choices, since she could not find a picture of hot chocolate. Sorry, Goose. This was a really fun project we did one afternoon to rid us of the doldrums. Who doesn't love magazines and scissors?

Wordless Wednesday: One Reason My Kids Will Someday Hate Me

2009-11-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

Let the Factory turn out commence!