ugh!

this.

must.

certainly.

be.

the.

longest.

Lent.

in.

history.

wordless wednesday

a qwerty keyboard even

I think it is strange that I go and get a new phone that has a slidey thing (keyboard) but the number of texts that I usually get has dwindled down to nearly nill. Oh well. More time for sewing.

determination in action

Speaking of no. 3, let me tell you what that amazing girl has accomplished:

There is a girl who is in her fifth grade class who Does. Not. Talk. Apparently she talks to her mother and one friend from a different school, but that is it. All year in class, this girl has not uttered a word. If she is asked a yes or no question, she will nod or shake her head, but other than that, no sound has left her mouth.

When the teacher calls on her to give an answer or read aloud, she just sits there. Forget about even getting the girl to stand in front of the class to give an oral report. It has bothered my chatty thirdborn child since school began. So, she has decided to make it her 5th grade mission to help this girl get out of her shell. She told her teacher of her plans, and got permission to go full steam ahead.

Whenever the class was given Free Time, no. 3 started by writing notes with yes or no questions as well as trying to engage her in dialogue. The girl didn't budge. 3 got frustrated at one point during the second quarter of school and told her that she really wanted to be her friend, but that a friend wouldn't just sit there quietly. Afraid she would push her away, 3 dropped back and continued the slow-but-steady note writing and one-sided dialogue.

Finally a week or so ago, she got the girl to say her "yesses" and "nos" aloud, which thrilled my sweet, determined girl. Then my blonde beauty came home with a heart as light as a feather -as if monsoon season had arrived, the girl had talked all day!!! Not only that, but she laughed out loud as well.

no. 3 said with a giggle, "At one point I almost needed to tell her to be quiet!"

ode to the middle child

Recently my sweet third born child spent the weekend curled up on the living room couch reading my blog entries from past years that I had put into book form. I heard her in there giggling and she'd share which entry had tickled her funny bone and I'd get to re-live (remember) a funny story, too.
But come Monday morning, she was in a funk. She wouldn't spill the beans to me, but King finally got it out of her that she was upset because so many of my blog posts are about #4 or others, but not many are about her. Since I think of my blog as more of a record of anecdotes, I don't keep score, but, in order that it might be in a book one day, I wanted to put into print my thoughts, an ode if you will, to the beautiful creation that God made in no. 3.

When I think about her as a toddler, I remember beautiful blonde hair and infinite blue eyes. She has a determined spirit like no other. With a sweep of her hand across her face to move her hair out of her way, she'd set to work on whatever project she had going on.

She always woke up with the happiest of dispositions and her cheery smile lit up the room. Nowadays her beautiful smile, braces and all, can still luminates a room; and though it is not possible for me to scoop her up and lift her high as she squeals with delight, holding her in my arms is still a soul-filling joy.

My extremely bright girl is a wonderful artist and incredible musician. She is a very thoughtful child has always had feelings that were as tender as baby lettuce but with a God-like wisdom and understanding, she forgives easily. That tenderness must be the main ingredient that goes into the fact that she adores animals. She has an amazing capacity to absorb animal facts; and her love for horses is a legacy handed down to her from her grandmother.

Experiencing her development into the beautiful young lady she is has been such a blessing. She is already a faithful young woman and she possesses an incredible strength which will serve her well as she becomes a wife and mother.

Personal note to no. 3:

I look forward to seeing the person you will become.

And thank you for giving me this opportunity to tell you so.

I love you.

wordless wednesday

At the beginning of Lent, I attempted to make this crown of thorns made with a salt dough and toothpicks. It didn't turn out so pretty, but (thankfully) that wasn't the goal. The point is that each night we are to sit down and review our day and name the kind acts we do for others and pull out one of the toothpicks, or thorns from Jesus' crown.

Not even halfway into Lent and we are each realizing that while we do kind things throughout the day, none of them (yet) feel big enough or important enough to lighten the load for Christ. In just going through the motions of our day.... we are are not being "kind enough."


So last night we redefined what "kind" is:

anything you do for another person, family or otherwise,

in which you receive no payment;

the only "kickback" would be the good feeling that results

from having helped someone.

more cell phone fun

T9 makes me giggle.

Type: 5477

The same numbers are used to spell

kiss

&

lips

Go ahead, look it up.

you know it's gonna be a challenging day when....

the only three items on your grocery list are:

Pamprin

Pantyhose

Clean & Clear

smellmories

You know how you can smell something and immediately you are whisked back in time on the wings of a memory? Well, I know this is odd, but the smell of pure tea tree oil reminds me of when I was a child and I would go with mom to take one of our dogs to the vet's office. I always thought it was the smell of dog vitamins. But I suppose he must have used tea tree oil to disinfect his exam table. Strange, but true.

?

Is it just me or does anyone else ever want to run

very.

very.

far.

away.

?

you got that right!

No. 4, thinking he is reading the title correctly calls this game "Bladder Dash".

Um, yeah... that's what it is called when we play the game with my mom and sister.

We laugh so hard that tears run down our legs.

wordless (ash) wednesday

photo credit

just between us girls

Of course this is nothing we girls would talk about in mixed company, but I think whoever came up with the description of a nice looking man as "Hottie McHottie" is a genius. Some things make me giggle everytime I think about them.... this is one of them.

(Another is a time when my aunts took all of us girl cousins to the beach and we checked into our room, went out on the balcony, and saw that there was an overweight lady sunbathing - bottom side up. Her annoying 8 year old son was running all around her, like a fly at a picnic. I'm sure I don't remember whose idea it was but my partner-in-crime cousin and I went to the ice machine and filled up the ice bucket and while the aunts attention was distracted by my sister who had been complaining about her loose tooth, cuz and I hit our target right between her cheeks. Something I am sure I will have to make amends for before I enter the pearly gates.)

Anyhoo, the child-of-mine-who-thinks-most-like-me and I were coming up with alternative names to describe above-mentioned, nice looking love interest.

• Hottie McYachttie is what you call your love while y'all are sailing.
• Hottie McPlottie is when you have a crush on your lit teacher.
• Hottie McHotShottie is when your love is a show off on the ball field.
• Hottie McJohnGottie is when you live in da Bronx and suspect your love is in da mafia.
• Hottie McIdiottie is when he's cute.. but he's not that smart.
• Hottie McOopsIForgottie is when you still like him even after he forgets your anniversary.
• Hottie McBoycottie is if you don't forgive him after he forgets your anniversary.
• Hottie McBlottie is when he makes you too mad and you wipe him from your memory banks.
• Hottie McGotALottie is your love interest, even if he is a spoiled little rich kid.
• Hottie McHottentottie is what young girls from the Khoikhoi tribe in South Africa may have called their love interests. (Even though when I was a child, it was not, apparently the term is now derogatory. So if you want to be politically correct, please do not use it.)
• Hottie McKarattie is when your love knows a martial art.
• Hottie McLatte is when you go visit your love at his workplace, Starbucks. (Score!)
• Hottie McNottie is what you call all other boys that you are not attracted to.
• Hottie McNaughty ... let's just say your mother will not let you like this boy, so don't even think about it! Next!!!
• Hottie McPot.... erm... nevermind. Next!!!
• Hottie McRottie...ew, gross - too, too, Tutankhamun. Next!!
• Hottie McRobottie is when your love interest is cute, but has no personality.
• Hottie McSnottie is who he is during allergy season.
• Hottie McScottie is when he wears plaid.
• Hottie McSquattie is when he is a bit shorter than you are.
• Hottie McTaterTottie is when you visit your love at his new workplace because he got fired for sneaking you too many Java Chip Frappuccinos and now he works at BoJangles.
• Hottie McHitTheJackPottie is when your sweet love pops the question and you say "I Do."

too good not to share

A very special person sent me

this link

for a

virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel.

http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html

ohmigosh, that reminds me of a story

First of all, if you have the stomach for kid + poo stories, go read this and then come back.

I'll wait.

**If you don't have the stomach for it, might wanna grab you'a glass of lemonade and go file your nails on the verandah.

I'll post something else clever soon, I promise.

***********************

Back? Kewl. Wasn't that both gross and hilarious all at the same time? I know, right? Well, you know that annoying game of one upsmanship that people always do? I can actually "oneup" that cutie-pie Ashley's story.

When I was expecting #2, like any-day-now kind of preggers... the wayyy-out-to-here kind of belly, I thought it would be just. so. sweet. for my firstborn and I to take a bubble bath together...........

I guess by the sound of your wheezing laughter you figured out where that one was going, huh? Let's just say you've never seen anyone move so fast before in your life!

lent: my flesh is so weak

I know full well that I will be tempted, but here's the list:

• water only to drink
• no s-s-sw-sweets
• 15 min a day on elliptical
• Gospel of John + Acts of the Apostles bible study
• no fuh-fuh-fuh-facebook

if you like spicy foods...

Then you will LOVE the new Thai Chopped Chicken Salad at Panera Bread. Next time I get it, I'm gonna hafta let them leave off the edamame. Just sayin'

wordless wednesday

note to self

Tomorrow is Wednesday.

Do not disappoint.

in my opinion

Because a friend of mine mentioned the current train wreck du jour, I just watched a couple of recent interviews with Charlie Sheen. All I can say is that it makes me abhor Hollywood and the media even more than I already do. None of these media types care about this man who is obviously on a downward spiral to either harming himself (and) or others. None of them want to help Mr. Sheen, they just want an audience for their sponsors.

Rather than forgoing ratings and getting the man the help he so desperately needs, they want plenty of footage so that on the morning of this sick man's death, they can replay all the mug shots and interview sound bites, which, admittedly, are like going down the rabbit hole.

Respect ALL life. Even Charlie Sheen.