The Snooze Button

My friend Julie calls me quirky. I probably am. I have a strange hatred for certain things, and the alarm clock snooze button is one of them.

Skeeter and I have had this issue since we got married. He seems to believe that it's okay to set the alarm for an hour earlier than he actually intends to get up. He uses the snooze button for that "extra time."

It drives me nuts!

Perhaps I'm a bit different than the rest of the world (it wouldn't be the first time), but I can't see how getting an extra hour of rest nine minutes at a time is particularly worthwhile.

I firmly believe that the alarm should be set for whatever time that you actually intend to get up. (Shocking!)

Last week our old alarm clock stopped producing sound. The clock portion still works, but no sound at all. When I went looking for a new one, I searched every clock that Target offered, determined to find one without a snooze button.

No luck.

From that shopping experience, I fear that I'll have serious opposition when I try to convince the rest of the world that I'm right.

Love in action

My uncle died very suddenly. He was swimming with his children, and -- who knows why -- he had a brain aneurysm. He died instantly, and the two oldest children (E, age 8 and B, age 9) had to drag him from the middle of the pool.

It makes me cry just remembering it. It was an incredibly hard time for the family -- for the whole family -- but most especially for my aunt and cousins.

This all happened years ago, and the children aren't children any more. C, the youngest, will be 20 this month.

I always count my years with my dear friend Michael from the birth of the youngest. We were friends for several years before that, but the first time that Michael went to my Memaw's house was when C was born. Almost immediately, Michael was adopted into my strange, quirky, loving family.

But all of the above is just back-story.

On Sunday night, Michael called E. The usual sort of conversation ensued . . .

In the middle of the conversation, however, E said, "I need to tell you something. Right now. After my dad died, I remember how you were there for us kids. I remember that you picked us up from school sometimes. How you took B to dance class and let me drive your truck while we waited for her. All of that stuff that you did, and you didn't HAVE to do. You were there for us, and we needed it. And you didn't have to do any of it. I remember it, and I appreciate it."

Michael took the time to be with them while they were growing up, and it made a difference. E was absolutely right. He didn't have to; it wasn't an obligation. His actions came from love and caring, with no other motive whatsoever. He simply saw a need and did what he could to fill it.

Michael loves to say how completely superficial he is. I've never believed it. He may prefer to hide it, but he has a beautiful heart.

My Points

I just read my My Points newsletter today, and in it was a challenge (offer?) to blog about My Points. No problem! I love My Points!

Never heard about it? Check it out with this link. I've been a member since 1999 (I think). I came to it from an even older online rebate service that I can't even remember.

Here are the basics: My Points is an online advertising/rebate service where you earn points by clicking on a link in an email (5 points usually). You earn more, of course, if you take advantage of the offer (usually anywhere from 500 to 2000 points). I earn points by clicking on the links, of course, but I get the most points from buying things that I'd buy online anyway: books and DVDs from Barnes & Noble.com, Burt's Bees stuff from drugstore.com, joining Netflix . . . . you get the idea.

Now, here's where the fun comes. You redeem your points for gift certificates to your favorite stores! Our favorites are Barnes & Noble, Home Depot, Olive Garden, and Starbucks. Skeeter and I both have My Points accounts, and he has almost enough to get a $50 gift card to Home Depot. New ceiling fan for the laundry room! YEAH! It's taking a lot of willpower not to go ahead and get a $25 card for Barnes & Noble instead though.

Between the two of us, we earn about $300 worth of free gift certificates per year! Oh yes, and one year, we gave some away as Christmas gifts. :o)

Interested? Hey, let me know and I'll send a referral email. I get points for it, you know. ;o)

Quote

Most modern freedom is at root fear. It is not so much that we are too bold to endure rules; it is rather that we are too timid to endure
responsibilities.

~ G. K. Chesterton, from "What's Wrong with the World?"

What will you have to write on the chalkboard?

Noodle will have to write:

I will not be charged with conspiracy to overthrow the monarchy again

'What will you have to write on the chalk board?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Snow Day

It started snowing around 2 pm, big, fat, fluffly flakes that started sticking to the grass immediately.

We never get that kind of snow. It's always snow and ice, or snow and sleet, or snow and freezing rain. This time, it was just snow, and it was beautiful.

Spyder and Sass played until they were little frozen popsicles, then they came in and had hot cocoa and warm baths.

It was an absolutely fantastic day!

Quotes

A friend's Question of the Week is to list a few favorite quotes. Here are some of mine:

When you're average, you're just as close to the bottom as you are to the top.

~ attributed to Alfred North Whitehead

I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.

~ attributed to Alfred Einstein

Intimacy is what makes a marriage, not a ceremony, not a piece of paper from the state.

~ Kathleen Norris

Just because no one understands is doesn't mean that it's art.

~ Unknown

Why argue over half-full or half-empty? It's still only half.

~ Spyder

I'm glad our doggies have tails. If they didn't, they'd be bears!

~ Sass

Offering the Day

Yesterday Sass was sick. She woke up at 4:15 am and said she needed to "frow up." We made it into the bathroom and waited for a few moments, but it never happened. After a bit, she decided it would be best for us to sit on the couch for a while. Personally, I wanted to go back to bed, but I could tell that she really did feel sickly.

We went to the living room, put on the Heffalump Movie, and cuddled up on the couch. Surprisingly, she didn't go back to sleep during Heffalump (she usually does when she's tired), and we moved on to Scooby Doo after Heffalump. Sass and Spyder have both become huge fans of the classic Scooby Doo cartoons recently, so Spyder heard Scooby and came running!

Skeeter left for work at 7:30, and the day continued pretty much the same way that it began. Sass took a nap from about 9:30 to 10:30. I was shocked that she didn't sleep longer since she had gotten up so early AND she was so sick. She had started out the day feeling tummy-sick, but it moved into sniffles and coughs. By the time she was up from her little nap, fever was added to the mix.

She and I spent most of the day cuddled together on the couch or in the rocker. And it was actually a pretty good day.

Years ago, before Sass was even born, I read an article in Mothering Magazine called "Mom Medicine: Offering up the Day to a Sick Child." It completely changed my outlook on "sick days." Instead of feeling upset and exasperated and annoyed that my to-dos are still undone, I offer a prayer of thanks that we have so many healthy days, and I welcome the excuse to do nothing except be with my child.

Last night, Spyder said, "Mom, today was a really good day." And his day was essentially the same as usual, so I think HIS day was better because MY day was less hectic. It's food for thought, anyway.

Today is beginning pretty much the same way as yesterday. Skeeter got up at 6:00; I got up at 6:30; Sass got up at 7:00. Skeeter left for work at 7:30. Sass and I are on the couch, watching Scooby Doo. Sadly, there are three errands that MUST be done today, but I think I can make them painless. :o)

Reading for Spyder

That boy is such a good reader that I have to preview many of his books. Just because he CAN read something doesn't necessarily mean that he SHOULD. Luckily, he's working on Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys at the moment, which don't really require review.

I'm always on the search for books for him though, just to be prepared. Yesterday, I read Anthony Horowitz's Stormbreaker, the first of the Alex Rider series. Excellent!! I can't wait to start the second one, but I'll wait until I'm finished with The Last Cato since it's getting good! :o)

Stormbreaker is currently being made into a movie as well. Only a pseudo-teaser trailer is out so far though.

Living the big life

So, what constitutes a "big life"? This has been a discussion on one of my yahoogroups recently, and as a result I've been more consciously evaluating the way that my family lives and explores the world every day.

We read. We read constantly. Poetry, novels, picture books . . . Sass's current favorite is Jack Prelutsky's The Dragons Are Singing Tonight. Spyder is zipping through the classic Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series like mad -- about a book every two days.

We play board games. Sass loves Candyland, as most almost-4 year olds do. Spyder loves playing chess and backgammon and the occasional hard-hitting game of Monopoly. :o)

We talk. And talk and talk and talk. I don't like having the television on, and I think a big reason for it is because it stifles conversation. We talk about fun things (Sass wants to be a princess when she grows up, and she refuses to be persuaded otherwise); we talk about issues (yesterday's was how international politics affects gas prices); we talk about abstracts ("Mom, I think that most adults forget what it's like to be a kid. That's why adults don't ever believe me when I say I'll be a detective when I'm an adult!").

We travel. Unfortunately, finances don't allow us to travel as far or as often as I'd like. Sass is still too small to appreciate long travel anyway. She's just as happy hiking the trails at one of the local nature centers as she would be if we'd traveled long and far to get there.

So what truly constitues a "big life"? Is it one where the family regularly experiences new things? Is it one where the family is just simply happy with each other and themselves? Is it an achievement, or is it always a work in progress?

I honestly think that my family lives a life that's big enough for us. At least for now. Things will change as the children get older, I'm sure. Their lives -- our lives -- will grow with them.

4 Things (Tagged by Julie)

Four jobs you’ve had in your life:
hospital switchboard operator
bookseller
comedy club jack-of-all-trades
typesetter

Four movies you would watch over and over:
Ella Enchanted
The Princess Bride
The Mummy
anything Indiana Jones

Four places you have lived:
Tennessee
Mississippi
Arkansas
Maryland

Four TV shows you love to watch:
Alias
The Vicar of Dibley
Absolutely Fabulous
Chasing Nature

Four places you have been on vacation:
Great Britain
Germany
DisneyWorld
Missouri

Four websites you visit daily:
eBay
IMDb
Go Fug Yourself
Netflix

Four of your favorite foods:
White cheese dip
Pears
Homemade biscuits
Sweet potatoes

Four places you would rather be right now:
having a snooze
at the Children's Museum
at a crop
having a chat with Skeeter

Four bloggers you are tagging:
leaving this part for the moment, since poor Alicia is backed up with my previous requests! :o)

Quote

By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
Second, by imitation, which is easiest;
and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

– Confucius, 551-479 B.C., Chinese Ethical Teacher and Philosopher

Reading . . .

Just finished Freakanomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner a week or so ago. An excellent read!

Currently reading Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. I'm approximately halfway through it, and it's great! Absolutely fantastic! If you haven't read Gladwell's The Tipping Point, give it a try as well. It's still one of my top five books, even after about five years!

Just started The Last Cato by Matilde Asensi. I'm only on the second chapter, but it's good so far! More on this later, after I've gotten through enough to actually have an opinion. It seems like a good book for fans of Dan Brown. It's actually not due out until early April, but working at a bookstore does have some advantges. I scored an Advance Reader's Copy today. :o)

It's all about me!

I did a great job on my new "be mindful of myself" resolution yesterday!

As usual, I worked all day at the bookstore. After work, I was supposed to head straight to a going away party at Molly's. We'd had the usual incredibly busy Sunday though, and I was tired.

Little White Lies by Gemma Townley was my most recent fluff book, and I only had a couple of chapters to go, so I decided to sit and finish that before going. I sat in the cafe, had a glass of water and finished my book. Fifteen minutes of sitting, reading, relaxing, and I was ready to go have fun!

Mini-book review: A fun, easy read. Loved it! I'm going to read Townley's other book too, When in Rome.

The party was crowded and fun, and I got to chat with several people that I don't see very often. I'm sad that Laura's moving though. Bunco just won't be the same!

Answers

I don't know how it works for others, but God speaks to me all the time, through the simplest things. I shouldn't be surprised by it, but every time it happens I feel a little "WOW!" run through my emotions. I somewhat expect it during my prayer time, but the during-the-day ones always make me feel extra special. :o)

On my drive home from work last night, I was thinking over the day and feeling completely inadequate, and The Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns came on the radio. WOW! What a song!

It really is so incredibly easy to get discouraged, whether it comes from your own expectations or from others. That's exactly what was happening to me, and this song was a fantastic reminder that I just need to push those discouraging thoughts aside.

If you've never heard the song, you can listen to a snippet here thanks to the Casting Crowns website.

Or you can listen to K-Love online. Lucky for me, they play it pretty often. :o)

Two Things (tagged by Julie)

2 names you go by (other than the obvious):

• Noodle
• Sugarbooger

2 parts of your heritage:

• German
• Native American

2 things that scare you:

• ladders
• birds

2 things you are wearing right now:

• maroon shirt
• khaki pants

2 favorite songs (at the moment):

• Pure by Superchic[k]
• Rhinoceros Tap by Sandra Boynton

2 things you want in a relationship (other than real love):

• honesty
• respect

2 truths:

• I have absolutely no idea what I would do without my husband.
• I love Neil Diamond's music.

2 physical things that appeal to you (in the opposite sex):

• hands
• voice

2 of your favorite hobbies:

• reading
• soapmaking

2 things you want really badly:

• More sleep than I usually get
• To live to a fun and healthy old age with Skeeter.

2 places you want to go on vacation:

• England
• Germany

2 things you want to do before you die:

• Live in Europe, if only for a little while.
• See my children grow into wonderful, generous, respectful adults.

2 ways that you are stereotypically a dude/chick:

• I love sappy chick flicks.
• I detest most insects.

2 things you are thinking about now:

• I need to put the dogs out for the night.
• I wonder if I can get some reading in before I go to bed rather than vacuuming like I should.

2 stores you shop at:

• Target
• Schnucks

2 people you would like to see play along:

• Alicia
• Dana

New Year, New You

Last night, I went shopping for the first time since Christmas. Really, it wasn't much of a shopping trip, just a minor stop after our weekly night at Fazoli's. Sass has a birthday at the end of the month, and I went to Kohl's looking for a new nightgown for her ("a princess bednight dress" as she says) since she's outgrown and worn out the Barbie one that she has. And I found one that I think she'll love.

BUT . . . . thinking about my new resolution to be more mindful of myself, I went looking in the jewelry department! I have plenty of necklaces, but only one pair of earrings. I found a great pair of silver filigree earrings that I loved, and I spent some time at the cologne counter trying out new fragrances. Lately I've been wearing the Herb Citrus perfume oil from http://www.maggiespharm.com, but I thought it might be nice to try something new. I didn't find anything that really thrilled me, but at least I tried! :o)

a Christmas ephiphany

I'm a horribly practical person. It's true. Sometimes it's not a good thing.

My #1 item on my Christmas list this year was . . . a blender!

Yes, really. It was.

I have one very dear friend who always gives me incredibly lovely and frivolous gifts. This Christmas, it was this butterfly necklace, made by a local artist, and I absolutely adore it!

When I went to put it away last night, I looked at my jewelry drawer, and (to my honest surprise) I realized that most of the items there came from this friend! And those are the ones I wear most often! Several thoughts followed this realization:

• He knows me very well.
• I just don't *think* about asking for things like this.
• Why don't I shop for fun or beautiful things just for me?

Like most moms, I spend most of my time making sure that everyone else is cared for, comfortable, and happy, and I simply don't think about doing those things for myself.

It's terrible to write (and even worse to say), but I think I need to spend a bit more time on me. I made an attempt today, and I fear that this is going to be more difficult than I thought. I don't really "do" New Year's Resolutions, but this is one of two that I'll attempt for 2006.

Oh yes, I did get a new blender, and it makes great frappucinos!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is one of my most favoritest days. We fell into the tradition of hosting a Mexican fiesta at our house every year. We just finished this year's and it was grand, as always. Right now we're baking cookies for Santa (chocolate chip, what else?) and cleaning up from the party. We'll be eating enchiladas and queso dip for days, and I'm not even sure I can fit everything into the fridge!

Traditions are a funny thing though. We absolutely love our Christmas Eve filled with friends and great food; others feel that it's just odd that we don't have ham and turkey like most people. Personally, I'm of the opinion that holidays are meant to be *enjoyed* not suffered through, and traditions are what you make them.

Have a very happy Christmas everyone!

Seven Things

Seven Things to Do Before I Die:

1. Raise my children to be happy, generous, loving, well-rounded adults
2. See the aurora borealis
3. Read the Bible in its entirety
4. Travel, specifically Europe, but I'm up for other places too :o)
5. Take a photography class
6. Own a bookshop
7. Learn to knit

Seven Things I Cannot Do:

1. Knit (this is bothering me; can you tell?)
2. Calculus
3. Read something without (mentally) correcting the typos
4. Drink black coffee
5. Climb ladders without being scared I'll fall
6. Pick up either of my dogs
7. Sleep with my mouth open

Seven Things That Attract Me To My Spouse:

1. His sense of humor
2. His intelligence
3. His tenacity
4. His sense of fun and adventure
5. His loving kindness
6. His willingness to try new things (even when he doesn't want to)
7. The way he loves me

Seven Things I Say (or Write) Most Often:

1. :o)
2. Excellent!
3. WOOHOO!
4. Are you sure that's a good decision?
5. Hey, that's pretty good!
6. It's time to get in bed.
7. No, you may not read right now. It's time for bed.

Seven Books (or Series) I love:

1. Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith
2. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
3. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
4. The Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey
5. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
6. The Idiot Girls Action-Adventure Club by Laurie Notaro
7. A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman

Seven Movies I Would Watch Over and Over Again:

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. The Mummy
3. The Princess Bride
4. Real Genius
5. Hitch
6. 13 Going on 30
7. Ella Enchanted

Seven People I Want to Join In (Be Tagged):

1. Michael
2. Alicia
3. Dana
4. Diane
5. Rachel
6. John
7. Brenda