Jack and the Beanstalk, operetta style

The urchins and I went to see a performance of Jack and the Beanstalk today, done operetta style.

One would immediately think, "Operetta and children? No way!" Yes way! The performance is engaging, and there portions of spoken dialogue that reiterate the lyrics so that children can understand what's going on even if they don't quite get the lyrics.

Spyder (age 8) and Sass (age 5) both enjoyed it and understood it. Afterward, the organizer told us about next year's performance, and both of the children wanted me to add it to the calendar right then so that we'd be sure not to miss it.

I absolutely love taking them to live performances. I love the dynamic of a live show. There is an interaction between the performer and the audience that is like nothing that a movie can duplicate. We try to take in a live performance at least every other month, but each time we do, I'm reminded that I should try for even more.

A stellar substitute

Baking soda! Sass and Spyder played "sandbox" in the house today with baking soda. What started out as a simple magic trick (with a promise of "I won't get it on the floor!") ended in a mess. An expected mess, but still a mess.

They did have a blast though, and it wasn't cleanup wasn't too awful. Maybe I should let them do this more often. Sand would have been much more irritating!

Words to live by

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Psalm 143:8, NIV

Want to win a Dyson?

Remember my new vacuum? Of course you do! It was just a few days ago that I raved over my new Dyson Animal.

Well, guess what!?! The women at 5 Minutes for Mom and the Dyson company are giving away one of the new Dyson Slim vacuums!

Head over to 5 Minutes for Mom and enter!

If I happen to win, someone will be getting a fantastic Christmas gift this year!

Wikipedia Meme

Shamelessly lifted from Julie at Multitasking Mama

The rules are:

1) Go to Wikipedia

2) In the search box, type your birth month and day but not the year.

3) List three events that happened on your birthday

4) List two important birthdays and one death

5) One holiday or observance (if any)

Events:

• 1902 - James C. Penney opens his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming.
• 1970 - An oxygen tank aboard Apollo 13 explodes, putting the crew into deadly peril.
• 1997 - Tiger Woods becomes the youngest golfer to win golf's Masters Tournament.

Birthdays:

• 1570 - Guy Fawkes, English Catholic conspirator
  
• 1743 - Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States

Death:

• 1993 - Wallace Stegner, American writer

Holiday/Observance:

• First day of Thai New Year.

Quote

Negative identity, shallow as it is, comes more easily than dedicated choice. It is frankly much easier to be against than to be *for.*

-- Richard Rohr, from "Everything Belongs"

Booking through Thursday

Today's Booking through Thursday question:

Where do you do most of your reading? Your favorite spot?

I do most of my reading on the "comfy chair" in the living room, with my very old, very special blanket that The Michael's mom made for me when I was about 17.

The comfy chair is also old, an overstuffed, oversized armchair that is big enough for an adult and a child, which makes it the perfect reading chair. Sass and I read there quite a lot, and I tend to do my alone reading there as well.

Just three words: believe the hype

Skeeter surprised me with my new vacuum! He knew that I'd been saving up for it, and I had $175 toward it, so he gave me the rest as an early birthday gift!

I decided on the Dyson Animal 07, since I liked having the little mini-brush for upholstery. Ooooh, love it love it love it!

With my dust allergy, vacuuming always gave me a headache. Always. It doesn't matter whether I used my mom's Rainbow or our little Bissell or something in between. Quite simply, the Dyson doesn't. I can't smell that "vacuum" smell. My nose doesn't itch. My head doesn't hurt. It's a little bit of bagless heaven.

And it sucks! (Quite a good thing for a vacuum, you know.) Before, I could run the vacuum, then sit on the floor to play a game with the children, and I'd find dog hair. Every single time. Since the new vacuum, I might find a stray hair or two, but nothing like before. Maybe that will end eventually, since I'm still sucking up over two years worth of hair.

In short, the Dyson gets two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me!

Meme: Me, the basics

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, my grandmother's sister.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Can't remember.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes, most of the time.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LUNCH MEAT? Smoked turkey

5 - DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yes.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Heck, yeah! I'm great!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Oh yes.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? No.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Most definitely not.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL? Currently it's Clifford cereal.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Very seldom.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I think that I am when I have to be.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM? Peanut Butter and Chocolate

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Eyes and mouth.

15. RED OR PINK? Red.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Oh, loads of things. It's hard to pick just one.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS MOST? overall, my Nana

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? n/a, but leave a comment if you participate

19. WHAT COLOR TROUSERS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? tan capris, purple crocs

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? cucumbers

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? the doggies crunching their food

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? indigo

23. FAVOURITE SMELLS? fresh coffee, bonfires, sweet oranges

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE TELEPHONE? my mom

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? of course

26. FAVOURITE DRINK? I almost can't believe it, but a bottle of cold water.

27. FAVOURITE SPORT TO WATCH? downhill skiing

28. HAIR COLOUR? brown

29. EYE COLOUR? blue

30. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no

31. FAVOURITE FOOD? at the moment, it's Southern home cooking

32. SAD MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS ? Happy endings

33. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure

34. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Purple

35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter

36. HUGS OR KISSES? entirely depends on who

37 FAVORITE DESSERT? fresh strawberries with cream

38. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? n/a

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? n/a

40. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

41. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? "Napa Gold. The Gold Standard in Filters."

42.WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TELEVISION LAST NIGHT? the news

43. FAVORITE SOUND? giggles

44.ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles

45. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Switzerland

46. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Arkansas

Appropriate for any season, I suppose

Another little ditty, courtesy of Sass.

Deck the walls with bells and dollies
Fa la la la la la la la la

'Tis the reason to be jolly
Fa la la la la la la la la

Well, I'm glad to know that!

SPYDER: I can tell when people are in love. Mom and Dad are in love. I can tell.

SASS: Am I in love?

SPYDER: No, you're not in love with anyone. I'm not even in love with anyone. You have to be at least 13 to be in love.

Read to me: the final chapter

Sass and I had almost completely gotten away from reading simple picture books. Our day was focused on reading out school books and our novels, and the picture books had gotten pushed aside. Sass is five, and five-year-old girls like picture books. Just because it's not something that I'd prefer doesn't make it acceptable for me to skip it.

So, picture books were our focus in the Reading Challenge, hosted by Jennifer at Snapshot. As I reported earlier, I was quite pleased with our progress in the Read to Me challenge. We were reading several picture books every day. I was, however, quite tired of reading the same books over and over, and I decided to take a more active role in choosing our picture books.

I am happy to report that Sass was just as pleased as I to add a few new books to the routine. She has now begun to choose books that don't have "Clifford" in the title -- a huge step! At first she chose the ones that I had introduced, probably because they were ones that she remembered reading recently. But after a couple of days, she started choosing ones that had sat neglected in the bookshelf.

It's once again opened her up to reading a variety of books, all for fun. Not because it's part of our schoolwork or the book that she and I are reading together, but because it's what she wants at that moment.

I am a big wimp

I turned on the air conditioner this evening.

Normally I try to make it to May 1 before turning it on for the summer. Today's high hit 80 degrees though, and the temperature in the house tonight was -- are you ready? -- 87 degrees. That's with the fans running.

Hot and uncomfortable does not make me a happy mama. Or a happy wife, for that matter. So I made an Executive Decision and threw aside the May 1 ideal. Skeeter doesn't particularly like hot and uncomfortable either, so he was perfectly fine with my Executive Decision. I am usually the one who laments my lack of willpower.

Now it's a much more comfortable 76 degrees, and I am quite satisfied with my coup.

Works for me Wednesday: Filing paperwork

Skeeter and I have always had a huge problem with paperwork. There's just so much! We used a filing cabinet at first, but we could never find anything right away. And, let's face it, I hated pawing through all of those folders.

Enter, three ring binders.

Now, all of our paperwork is kept in three ring binders. Bank statements, mortgage statements, cell phone bills . . . every bit of paperwork that we need to keep is three-hole-punched and put into the three ring binders.

We use three of them -- one for banking matters, one for bills, and one for tax deductible receipts. Most of the paperwork we get is already 8.5 x 11, and it's a simple matter to punch the holes and put it in its proper binder.

For those that aren't already the proper size -- usually tax deductible receipts -- I tape them onto a sheet of paper that is the correct size. This method has the added advantage of giving me an easy space to write the tax deductible reason if it's isn't readily apparent.

Easy, organized, and compact. Works for me!

Check out all of this week's Works for me Wednesday tips at Rocks in My Dryer!

Just another reminder that my little boy isn't so little any more

His shirts are now too big to fit on the children's hangers.

Since it seems that warm weather is upon us, I went through part of his closet, culling the "almost-too-small" and packing away the "should-be-okay-for-fall." That's when I noticed it. The "should-okay-for-fall" shirts were always the ones that I had trouble getting to stay on the hangers.

He's rushing headlong into those dreaded tween years, and I'm not ready for it. Not one bit.

Read to me progress report

Sass and I have been progressing in the Read to Me challenge, and I feel like I'm right in the middle of success and failure.

Since we already read so much, I decided to use the challenge to read more plain ole picture books to my Sass. We started by simply letting her choose books from her bookshelf.

Success! We're now reading several picture books a day (except today, since Ryan and Olivia were here to play for several hours). It's been working quite well. She has complete control over what we read during "our time," and I think she likes it. She is also quite pleased that during this reading time, it's usually just the two of us. She loves her brother, but . . . well, time apart is sometimes a good thing. She loves the extra individual attention, and (to be perfectly honest) I love spending the extra time with her.

Failure. Since I decided to let her do the choosing, we're reading the same Clifford books over and over and over. Yawn! I have memorized Clifford the Firehouse Dog, Clifford and the Big Storm, Clifford's Kitten, and Clifford's Manners. There are more, but you get the idea. All Clifford, all the time.

Since we've started to develop the habit of reading these picture books, I have decided to take more of a role in choosing. She can certainly still choose some, and I'm sure that Clifford will be part of it. We just have so many great picture books that it seems shameful that we're only using a handful.

Here are some of the ones that I'm planning to feature this week.

The Napping House by Don and Audrey Wood. One of Sass's favorites, and I'm actually quite surprised that she hasn't chosen this one on her own. Repetitive, but it has great rhythm, and I think that those are the main reasons Sass likes it so well.

Weslandia by Paul Fleischman. One of Spyder's favorites as well, but I don't remember whether I've read it to Sass or not. The illustrations are excellent, and the whole plot is just so imaginative that I can't see anyone not enjoying it.

Rapunzel by Paul Zelinsky. Again, one of Sass's favorites, and it's one she would probably choose herself if she could get out of the Clifford rut. We used to read it regularly before we started on chapter books at night.

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss. I used to read this to Spyder regularly, but it just never became one of the ones in Sass's collection. It actually helped Spyder quite a bit in being able to define his emotions at an early age, and I think his self-awareness is all the better because of it.

The Parable of the Lily by Liz Curtis Higgs. It seems only appropriate since Easter is only a few weeks away. I also like that it teaches a good lesson in patience as well as in understanding that one can't make a judgment call without knowing all the facts.

Olivia by Ian Falconer. Quite a precocious pig, one that Sass has can recognize in herself. She can relate to Olivia, and she likes hearing about her misadventures. This book has never been one of our mainstays, but it should be.

I've already pulled out these titles and put them in our book basket, and I'm looking forward to tomorrow when we can get started!

Living wisdom

"You know it's been a good week when you look back and realize that your prayers have all been praises rather than requests."

-- Skeeter

Enjoying the day

Freckles

Works for me Wednesday: No more cooking odors!

Do you ever think, "I don't want to make ______ because it always make the house smell like _____!"

Me too! There are several dishes that I used to I avoid making because it made the house smell like grease or chorizo or what-have-you.

I have now discovered the secret to keeping those less-than-wonderful scents at bay -- vinegar!

Pour a cup of vinegar into a cup or bowl and set it near the stove. (I use a Pyrex measuring cup and set it in the center of the burners on the stove.) The vinegar will absorb the odors and your house won't have the lingering smell hours after dinner is over!

Check out all of the Works For Me Wednesday Kitchen Edition at Rocks in My Dryer!

He's certainly a creative little boy

Today I came upon Spyder looking around his room singing this little ditty

Oh, where is the poem
That I wrote?
Oh, I despise
That I am broke.

over and over and over.

And in true Spyder fashion, he was cleaning his room so that he could find something that he'd misplaced. I've no idea what his lack of funds had to do with losing the poem though. Perhaps he wanted to hire someone (me? Sass?) to locate it for him. :o)

My Tax Man Fileth

Hoorah! Skeeter did our taxes today!

It's been one of those things that he's been avoiding because it always seems like such a daunting task. It's really not, but I completely understand how he feels. I feel that way about the laundry most days. At any rate, it's been one of those tasks needed to be done, but he never quite got around to doing.

He's had his eye on a little self-indulgence though. He gave me something similar for Christmas, and we both love, love, love it. And to be honest, he needs something to sync his calendar more than I do. So when he asked if I thought it was okay for him to get it, I said, "You can buy it as soon as our taxes are done."

That was just two days ago, so I suppose that was all the encouragement he needed.

Maisie Dobbs . . . the rest of the story

I've just finished the last book currently available in Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series. I reviewed the first book in the series, but I decided to lump all of the subsequent books into one.

Just as in the first book, Maisie is thoughtful and insightful, alert and astute throughout. We were given her history in the first book, and it seems as if she is comfortable with where she has come from and what she has become. As we read further, we learn that Maisie hasn't quite come to terms with how life brought her to become Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and investigator.

So far, all of Maisie's mysteries have come as a result of repercussions of World War I, and each has allowed her to delve further into who she is and how she came to be. I found that I was fascinated with the details surrounding The Great War. I studied it in school, of course, but there were many times that I had to jot down something to look up later.

In general, I do not recommend series as a whole, simply because I am usually disappointed with the later books. However, the Maisie Dobbs series is a welcome change to that trend. I have thoroughly enjoyed them all. As with any series, I do suggest that they be read in order. The books in the Maisie Dobbs series are as follows (in chronological order):

Maisie Dobbs
Birds of a Feather
Pardonable Lies
Messenger of Truth

Very highly recommended.

The Mad Libs game rocks!

Spyder and I spent part of the morning playing our new Mad Libs card game, found on clearance at Kohl's for $1. If I had known it was this much fun, I would have bought it when it was at 50% off! (You didn't actually think I was going to say "full price" did you?)

The winning sentence?

Massive evil squashed poodles always graciously entertain forbidden pickled vegetables.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Reading Challenge!

Jennifer at Snapshot has issued a reading challenge!

We already spend quite a lot of reading time, partly because Sass and I now read real books together, and partly because we read our school books together. The challenge made me start thinking though, and I realized that I've completely gotten away from reading the shorter and more colorful picture books to Sass. And I definitely need to get back to them. She loves picture books of all sorts!

I intend to use this challenge to read more non-chapter, non-school related books to Sass. I'll be posting updates of what we've read to see how we're doing.

Spyder may or may not be included in this challenge. He usually stops in and listens whenever I'm reading to Sass, no matter what the book. He may only be eight years old,

("Eight and a half, Mom! I'm eight and a half!")

but he's an excellent reader and can read pretty much anything he wants. He reads an average of three books a day, and that doesn't include when we're reading aloud already.

We did read some today, but my official challenge begins tomorrow, with blankies on the couch and a water bottle at my side!

Who says you can't learn anything from television?

SASS: Moooom, I hafta go peeps!

ME: Okay, let's go.

SASS: I hafta go because caffeine is a diuretic.

ME: (very curious) So, what exactly is a diuretic?

SASS: It's something that makes you go peeps! It's in sodas and coffee and tea and stuff.

ME: Well, yeah, that's right. So how exactly did you learn that caffeine is a diuretic?

SASS: (looking exasperated at my idiocy) Arthur, of course!

ME: Well, of course. How silly of me.

SASS: I know.

Jim Weiss

A couple of people have asked me about Jim Weiss since I mentioned him in my homeschooling meme.

As I said before, I absolutely love his recordings. His voice is just simply enchanting. Sitting in my living room, I can actually feel as if I'm sitting in a great hall, listening to someone weave a story for a court. We listen them in the car, but my children are also perfectly happy to listen to them while we're putting puzzles together or coloring or baking cookies.

I've just realized that the clips featured in the brochure on his website are quite long, about four minutes, and it gives a good idea of what the recordings are like. We have several of the CDs (and I'm always coveting more), but the ones that my children seem to like best are Fairytale Favorites (they like Puss in Boots in particular) and Greek Myths.

Another of the great things about his selections is just that there is such a variety. Mythology, classic fairy tales, tall tales, history, the sciences . . . they're all available, and it's just so easy to get my children interested about learning with his tales.

I ordered three more CDs from Overstock.com about two weeks ago. The tracking number showed them to be less than 20 miles from my house for three days before I got them. Three days! For those three very long days, I felt like I was stalking the mail lady.

Wander on over to his website, browse through the online catalog, and give him a listen. It's worth it!

Homeschool meme

Shamelessly lifted from Mary at Owlhaven

1) One homeschooling book you have enjoyed.

The Unschooling Handbook. It was one of the first that I read cover-to-cover. It was a good one to start with because it made me think, "I can do this!"

2) One resource you wouldn’t be without.
If I have to name only one, it would be the internet. But really, the internet and the library are tied for first place. The internet one-ups the library because I research what I want/need then head to the library to get it!

3) One resource you wish you had never bought.
Loads of things, but the biggest disappointment was the Abeka Kindergarten curriculum. It was an utter waste. We abandoned it after, oh, two weeks, and we've never looked back.

4) One resource you enjoyed last year.

Jim Weiss. Love him, love him, love him! I can't recommend his recordings highly enough. Both of my children are absolutely mesmerized when listening to him.

5) One resource you will be using next year.

Learning Through History Magazine. I had a subscription last year, and I let it lapse because . . . well, just because. I didn't have a reason. I ran across the magazines when I was cleaning the bookshelves this week, and I remembered how much we enjoyed it. I have it on my calendar to renew it next month.

6) One resource you would like to buy.

Rosetta Stone German. We downloaded the trial version, and Spyder and I have both enjoyed it. I'm saving to buy it for next year since it's kinda pricey.

7) One homeschooling catalog you enjoy reading.

Sonlight. I've always been very pleased with their reading recommendations, and I get load of great ideas.

8.) One homeschooling (educational) website you use regularly.
Does Google count? It's probably the one site that I use every single day, whether I'm looking up "preschool cutting activities" for Sass or "weapons in World War I" for Spyder.

9) Tag other home schoolers.

Well, Tara is tagged since she's the only homeschooling blogger I know!

Dad-isms

My dad is quite a character, particularly when it comes to his speech. He's truly part of the old South, and his language is as colorful as any you can imagine.

He has quite a few phrases that I consider "his." Here are a few of them, along with a translation for those who haven't had the pleasure of hearing them in person.

Phrase: You ain't done it.
Meaning: I know you're fibbing, so 'fess up. (Doesn't have to refer to a particular activity; can also refer to thoughts or ideas.)

Phrase: What does that have to do with the price of eggs in China?
Meaning: You've brought in excess drivel. Get back to the topic at hand.

Phrase: Six of one, half a dozen of another.
Meaning: Whatever. It's all semantics. Also, it doesn't matter.

Phrase: What about it?
Meaning: Hey, how's it going?

Phrase: I said if this weather continues there's going to be a whole lot of it.
Meaning: I didn't want you to hear what I said. (He always says this if you ask him to repeat something.)

Phrase: Me neither too also.
Meaning: Yeah; I agree with that.

Phrase: I don't know. My brother went to school that day.
Meaning: I don't know the answer.

Phrase: You stepped in what?
Meaning: I didn't hear what you said.

No vampires here

My personal cooking philosophy: If it doesn't have garlic, it must be dessert.

I always joke about this, but I'm beginning to think it must be true. I'm having a Southern Living at Home party tomorrow night, and I've been doing the cooking for it.

I'm serving the following:

Crab & Artichoke dip
Deviled eggs
Sweet & Sour meatballs
Crudite platter with two or three different dips

Every single recipe has garlic. My mom's deviled egg recipe didn't call for the garlic, but I've started adding it anyway, along with a little bit of Emeril's original seasoning mix to give it a little bit of kick.

The cooking is my favorite part of hosting. I always try out something new or make something that I don't take time for very often. The new recipe for this time is the Sweet & Sour meatballs. Deviled eggs take so much time that I don't bother with them usually. Skeeter is always pleased when we host something since he gets to nibble beforehand and feast on the leftovers afterward.

I wish I had a self-cleaning house. I'd host just about every day!

Another kind of sneaking around

Tonight Skeeter and I had a rare completely child-free moment. We had dropped both children at their respective classes at church, and neither one of us were required to be anywhere.

Skeeter suggested that we take advantage of this rare hour alone and head to Starbucks, our favorite grown-up treat spot for our usual, a decaf non-fat toffee nut latte. It sounds pretentious even to us, but it's what we like.

While we were sitting at the traffic light, I said, "You know what I really want? I want Peanut Butter & Chocolate ice cream from Baskin Robbins."

Skeeter turned and looked at me with wide eyes. "Am I allowed to change my mind? 'Cause if I can, I'm in with you for the good stuff. And I won't even have to share!"

I have a goal

And here it is: the Dyson Animal Vacuum. I haven't decided if I prefer the DC07 or the DC14 though.

I've been racking up the points at My Points lately (Land's End and Overstock.com love me), so I figured I'll save up my points to get the vacuum! I'd never be able to spend $500 on a vacuum otherwise. And I seriously doubt that Skeeter would even let me.

I was using them to get Barnes & Noble gift certificates for me, and Starbucks gift certificates to give as Christmas gifts to friends. No more!

For the moment, I'm 1/5 of the way to earning my new vacuum. Friends, I predict that you will receive loads of gifts via Overstock.com. They give 10 points per dollar! :o)

Happy Valentine's Day!

When I was little, my mom always had a small gift waiting for me on Valentine's Day, so I do the same with my children.

As you can see, we don't go all out, either with gifts or packaging, but I think they like them. :) And it's really more the thought than anything else.

Spooks

Skeeter and I have been hooked on a British spy series called Spooks. Here in the US, I'm told that it's broadcast on A&E as MI-5. We've been renting the series through Netflix though, since television watching at our house is spotty at best.

We just finished the last disc of season 4 last night, and even four seasons in it's still the best spy drama that I've seen!

If spy drama is your thing, definitely check out MI-5. Oh yes, and if at all possible, watch them in order! :)

Just when you need it

Saturday I had a horrible headache. It was probably a migraine, but since I've never officially been diagnosed with migraines, I'll just say it was a really bad headache. I got up at my usual time, but I let the children sleep in. They had gone to a birthday party Friday night, and they got to bed very late, so I figured that they deserved it.

I was feeling pretty good when I got up, and I got loads of things done. By the time they got up at 10ish, I wasn't feeling so good. By 1 pm, I was in the bed (nap position), a cloth over my eyes to block out the light, praying that I wouldn't throw up.

Skeeter had to work, so it was just the children and me. And as any mom knows, children are notoriously needy exactly when you don't need them to be. Just think . . . when you're on the phone, aren't your children drawn to you like magnets? Yeah. Mine are too.

This particular day though, my children really and truly were the angels I needed them to be. Just before I went to lie down, I told them how I was feeling and how very, very important it was for me to rest a bit. I don't know if it was the thought of a bit of Mommy-produced regurgitation or if I looked as bad as I felt, but their behavior was exactly what I needed it to be.

I had crawled onto the bed without my throw. Sass got it for me. She also got the cloth to cover my eyes because it hurt that bad. After I was settled and trying to regulate my breathing so that it would hurt less, Spyder asked Sass if she wanted to go into the living room and watch Scooby Doo with him. As they were walking away I heard her say, "We need to make sure it's turned down really low since Mama's head hurts bad."

sniff

Of course, today it was back to the usual, "Moooooommm! Sass is in my room!" and "Mama! Spyder took my ______!" But it was nice to have them so thoughtful and cooperative when I really needed it.

Friday Fact

Something about me that you probably don't know:

I was in Germany in November 1989 when the Berlin Wall crumbled.

My grandmother is German, and we were there visiting her family. Until a few years ago, she would visit every two or three years. She'd leave in September, just in time for her hometown's Wine Festival, and she'd return just before Thanksgiving. I had saved and saved for a year to be able to afford the trip. Plus I had to get permission for a leave from my college so that I could keep my scholarship. It was so incredibly, absolutely worth it.

We had visited the East German/West German border only a few weeks before that November event, and I will never forget how intimidating it was to be in that place with the cleared ground, barbed wire, and armed guards in the tower. When the Fall came just a few weeks later, I had a better understanding of the relief that the East Germans felt.

The Michael

The children and I spent the day with Michael, one of my dearest and oldest friends. Michael is just like family, so much so that we tend to refer to each other as brother and sister. Our history is so long and inclusive that most of the time it's just easier to refer to each other that way rather than explaining our relationship.

When Spyder was little, Michael half-heartedly attempted to get Spyder to call him "Uncle Michael." That never took for Spyder, but he did take to calling him The Michael. Neither one of us knows how that came about, but it's stuck. Even now, Spyder and Sass both refer to him as The Michael. I can't explain how, but it's even capitalized in their voices. Michael signs all of his cards and postcards to them as "The Michael."

Michael has had work issues recently, and his schedule has been very erratic. I don't think we'd seen him since Christmas, so when he emailed on Wednesday, we all jumped at the chance to hang out today. Spyder must have even dreamed about it because when I woke him up this morning, I could hear him (still asleep) muttering, ". . . pizza with The Michael . . . ."

It was quite an excellent day. We met at the Pizza Cafe for an early lunch, then zipped over to the bargain theatre to see Flushed Away. After the movie, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the children's museum. Nothing overly exciting, or even unusual, other than we normally don't do all of those in one day, but it was incredibly nice to have a day to hang out with The Michael.

Bookin' on . . .

Southern Girl has posted another meme that I absolutely couldn't pass up -- books.

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback? Any and all, but for feel, I prefer trade paperbacks or hardcovers. Trade paperbacks are my favorite because they're the easiest to hold one-handed.

Amazon or brick and mortar? Brick and mortar, but I buy online often. I just find so much great stuff while browsing at the store.

Barnes & Noble or Borders? Barnes & Noble. I've never been impressed with our Borders store (the only one I've ever visited).

Bookmark or dogear? Neither. I just remember the page number.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random? I used to have the organized by genre, then alphabetically by author within each genre. Children have cured me of that, although our DVDs are still arranged alphabetically.

Keep, throw away, or sell? Entirely depends on the book. Some I keep, some I sell, and some I donate to the library. I'd rather cut out my tongue than throw one away.

Keep dustjacket or toss it? Keep, definitely.

Read with dustjacket or remove it? I read hardcovers with the dustjacket on. It bothers me when it's not on.

Short story or novel? Novel, hands down.

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)? Generally, I prefer a collection to an anthology. Anthologies seem disjointed to me.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket? Harry Potter. I've never really cared for the Lemony Snicket series.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? I seldom stop at chapter breaks. I generally read until I get to a point that seems to be a natural break, and that almost never happens at the end of the chapter.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”? Either one, really, but it all depends on my mood.

Buy or Borrow? Depends on what kind of book it is. Some I want to keep, but if it's one that I'm probably never going to read again, I'd rather borrow it.

New or used? I usually buy new, but used is fine as long as it doesn't smell.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse? Browsing or recommendations.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger? Neat and tidy ending, thank you. A cliffhanger within a series is fine, but I am not okay with a series that has no definite ending.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading? Nighttime, simply because that's when I have the most "me" time.

Standalone or series? My favorite books are standalone, but I read series books as well.

Favorite series? Harry Potter comes to mind first. It's been the one long series that I haven't gotten tired of reading. I did have a bit of a hiccup with the fifth book, but all was redeemed with the sixth. I'm both anticipating and dreading the seventh.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith. It's my favorite book in the whole wide world.

Favorite books read last year? A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel; Montmorency by Eleanor Updale; Queen of the Oddballs by Hilary Carlip; Bloody Jack by LA Meyer

Favorite books of all time? Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith; A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman

The Devil in the Junior League

The Devil in the Junior League shows us the life of Fredericka Mercedes Hildebrand Ware (Frede to her friends), a pampered and privileged Texas socialite. Her picture-perfect world falls apart the day that she comes home to find another woman in her house who claims to be pregnant -- by Frede's husband.

This book falls firmly into the "Chick Lit" category, and I picked it up on a whim. It's not my usual book fare.

Despite her privileged status, Frede is a good person at heart. She does have some class prejudices, but she recognizes them for what they are. She isn't cruel with those prejudices, unlike many of her peers. She is flawed (who isn't?), but Frede is a likable character, which is what I really liked about the novel. Even though I quickly realized that this book really wasn't my style, Frede herself was the reason I continued to read it.

Recommended only for those who enjoy the "Chick Lit" genre.

Unplanned haitus

Since it's been almost a week since my last post, I offer the following bullet points.

• Spyder was in a bible quiz competition on Saturday. OH MY GOSH. It lasted for five hours. Five hours! Sass was with me, and she did very well for the first four hours of it. By the last hour though, she had had enough. I confess: I let her watch Strawberry Shortcake on the portable DVD player. I am not a person who encourages that sort of thing, but we had colored, written, drawn, and played finger games for the previous four hours. We were tired of being there (and getting a bit tired of each other, to be honest). Spyder did well in his competition though, and our church placed second! Spyder had worked very hard on it, and I was really proud of him.
  
• Skeeter worked at a math competition on Saturday so he didn't get to go to the bible quiz. He was the data entry person for the competition, and he was the one who entered all of the scores and printed out the certificates. He was just as tired as the rest of us when it was over.
• Our internet was out from Saturday night to Monday night, and it was both frustrating and liberating.
  
• I am hooked on a new game, JewelQuest.
  
• Sunday's sermon was absolutely wonderful, on being an encouraging person. I didn't have a big epiphany during it, but it certainly was a good sermon for me to hear.
  
• Spyder and I cleaned out his closet yesterday, and it looks good! Next is Sass's closet, but that's a much bigger job. I'm dreading it.
• We spent the afternoon at a homeschool swim/play time, and everyone is still and quiet. Loving it! :o)
  

You know you're a parent when

. . . you give out a business card with additional information written in crayon.

. . . you are the recipient of said business card, and you didn't even think anything was out of the ordinary.

Well said

Sarah at In the Midst of It has an absolutely beautiful post on motherhood. I'm still astounded at how accurately it reflects my life.

I don't regularly read her blog, but I ran across the address in the bookmarks on my old computer. I truly, wholeheartedly believe that that supposedly random act was God-inspired.

I needed it today. Do yourself a great service and read it.

Meme: Six of one, half a dozen of another

That's one of my Dad's favorite phrases, so I figured I had to do this meme that I saw at Southern Girl. :o)

1. Name six things in your refrigerator:

• Milk (only 1/2 of a gallon left -- need to buy more!)
• Fruit (apples, grapes, pears, oranges)
• Spinach dip
• Leftover Chinese food from when we went out Monday night (veggie lo mein and kung pao chicken)
  
• Sunny D
• Cheddar cheese
  

2. Name six things in your freezer:

• Rice (I buy the 25# bags, and it keeps it from getting buggy)
• Flour (white, oat, soy, and whole wheat -- I have a thing for flour)
• Barley (specifically for Beef & Barley Stew -- YUM!)
  
• Broccoli
  
• Apple Pie
  
• Ice cream bars
  

3. Name six things under your kitchen sink:

• Automatic dishwasher detergent
• A bottle of dish detergent for hand washing the pots & pans
  
• The extra rack for the microwave
• Soft Scrub
• Extra sponges
• Dust
  

4. Name six things around my computer:

• The pen and pencil cup (really it's an ice cream sundae glass)
• My handheld organizer and docking station
• My camera and docking station
• The external hard drive
• Sass's book -- Bear Loves Water!
• Spyder's Nancy Drew game -- The Creature of Kapu Cave
  

5. Name six things in your medicine cabinet: (don't have one, so these are in the linen closet)

• A basket of sample size toiletries
• Extra toothbrushes
• Various cold medicines
• Extra toilet paper
• BeautiControl bath minerals -- LOVE them!
• An extra candle (citrus and cilantro from Pier 1)
  

6. Name six things on or around your nightstand: (don't have one, so these are on/around the dresser)

• Trash can
• Box of tissues
• Sass's book/CD sets from the library
• A huge pickle jar for change (don't laugh -- that change is paying for the boys to go to Space Camp!)
  
• Lamp
• A Magic School Bus video

Now that you've read one, do one! And let me know about it! :o)

The final birthday celebration

Today was Sass's bounce party. It was the culmination of all of her birthday celebrations over the past five days, and definitely the biggest of them all.

We ended up having 21 children, and everyone had a fantastic time. Some of the parents even got in the inflatables. Brenda and William (Michael Ann's husband) had a jousting match in the ring, and Brenda came out the victor. I wish I had gotten a picture of that, but I only saw it as she delivered the final blow. :o)

The children spent an hour and a half running, climbing, sliding, and jousting before heading into the party room for cake and ice cream. No one wanted to admit it, but I think everyone was ready to sit down and rest. I am absolutely certain that everyone who partied with us is sleeping well tonight! I know that when we got home after the party, my children went straight to their rooms for quiet time.

The party was a huge success, and it was one of the easiest we've ever had. Isn't it interesting that the ones that are easy for the parents and some of the best for the children? That's usually the case with my children anyway.

Spyder even made a new friend too, James, the older brother of Sass's friend Rose. They knew each other before, but they'd never played together since James is four years older than Spyder.

The celebrations are over, and tomorrow should get us back on schedule with our days. I know I'm ready for it!

Maisie Dobbs

Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs is my first adult read for the year, and it was well worth it!

There are so many good things that I could say about this book that I'm not sure where to start. The book opens with Maisie opening her detective office, but her investigations are much more than just facts. They are also a journey into the spirit -- hers and her client's.

The setting is the mid 1900s to the late 1920s. We follow Maisie (although not chronologically) from her beginning in service to Lady Rowan to her studies at Cambridge to serving in the Great War to beginning her agency.

This is not a typical fluffy detective/murder mystery that are so popular today. There are no cats or coffeehouses or embroidery circles. The reader finds out that Maisie isn't as calm and collected as we believe at first. She has had experiences that she hasn't reconciled, and by the end of the novel, the reader has done a bit of soul-searching along with her.

I didn't realize it when I picked it up, but this book is often compared to Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. I'm still undecided whether I like the comparison, although I can see similarities.

Maisie Dobbs is very highly recommended.

Obviously, being 5 requires an entirely new wardrobe

ME: Oh, let's put this on today. You love this!

SASS: I can't wear that.

ME: Why on earth not?

SASS: That was a 4-year-old dress. I need 5-year-old clothes now.

On turning 5

My beautiful little Sass was 5 years old yesterday. The celebrations started on Friday night, and she had quite a whirlwind weekend.

On Friday, Sass and Skeeter went to see My Little Pony Live as a special father/daughter date. Judging from the photos and the absolute pink girly-ness of it, Sass had a wonderful time. Skeeter did too, although he did come out saying he needed to go home and watch some John Wayne movies.

On Saturday, we had a family party at my parents' house. They always like to be in on the birthday celebrations, and my dad's been sick, so I didn't want them to have to drive to see us. Skeeter was working the whole day, so he didn't get to come.

On Sunday (her real birthday) is was All About Sass. We went to McDonald's for breakfast, Taco Bell for lunch, and spaghetti for dinner. She got to pick everything, and she was overjoyed, since I don't like McDonald's or Taco Bell, and we very seldom go to either. She also got to work in the nursery with me for a bit at church that night. It always makes her feel like a big girl when she gets to help take care of the babies.

As usual on birthdays, we told her birth story at bedtime. I think that tradition makes them each feel special. She also watched the video that Skeeter had made showing her first few hours, and she talked about that for quite a while.

Her bounce party is tomorrow, so she still has one more day for celebrating!

Birds of a feather

I laughed out loud when I read this review of The DaVinci Code at Multitasking Mama. What was my short-and-sweet review when Skeeter asked me what I thought of it?

These people are really full of themselves.

Friday Fact

Something about me that you probably don't know:

I tried to join the Peace Corps after college graduation. I spent my entire senior year filling out the applications, having interviews, and seeing doctors for them. Three months before graduation, I still didn't have approval, so I sent out a other applications, specifically to several Catholic charities.

Just before graduation, I still hadn't received approvals from any organizations. I finally decided that I had to have a job and a place to live. I told my part-time employer that I would work full time after graduation, and I put a deposit down on housing. The week that I moved in, I got approvals from four of the places I'd applied.

At that point I'd spent most of my ready-cash on my deposit and moving in, so I turned them all down. Instead, I volunteered at a restored Victorian home, a homeless shelter, and a church, all in my community.

I'd like to think I helped make a difference anyway.

A big ole YAY ME!

I did all four miles of my walking program tonight! It felt so good!

After having done the entire program, I can say with certainty that the second mile is by far the most challenging. The pace is most brisk at the end of the second mile. The third mile moves down to a more moderate pace, and the fourth mile is the "cool down" portion.

The whole DVD takes an hour, but I found that it was well worth it.

The Legend of Holly Claus

Book #3 for the year!

The Legend of Holly Claus is such a wonderful story! The novel is very much a larger-than-life story of a young woman who intends to earn her place in the Land of the Immortals.

Everyone in the Land of the Immortals has earned his or her place there -- everyone except Holly. Holly was born because a boy asked in his letter to Santa what Santa would wish for at Christmas. Santa wished for Holly, and she was born -- the first child ever born in the Land of the Immortals.

Told as part fantasy, part historical fiction, the story is set in the Land of the Immortals (near the North Pole) and in Victorian era New York City.

Overall, I loved the gentle delivery and the characters who were truly good people (and animals) who cared for one another. There is a large portion of the plot that deals with an evil sorcerer and his desire to rule the Land of the Immortals. Sadly, I felt that the resolution on that plot point was very hurried and brusque, and not at all in keeping with the pace of the rest of the book.

The pen and ink drawings scattered throughout the book truly made me feel as if I was reading a Victorian era novel. They added that "something extra" that many books lack to make them special.

Even with the one trouble spot, I would recommend the book, particularly to teen girls who enjoy the fantasy or historical fiction genre.

Is that with syrup? Or without?

ME: Hey, it's time to get up. I'll go ahead and make your breakfast. What would you like?

SPYDER: no response

ME: How about oatmeal? Or would you rather have cereal?

SPYDER: no response

ME: Which one? Cereal or oatmeal.

SPYDER: Pinocchio

My Big Fat Mistake

The film My Big Fat Greek Wedding always reminds me of my friend Christie.

Christie was an author, and she wrote a wonderful series of books with Dr. William Sears and his wife Martha that are part of the Sears Children's Library series. The last time that we spent any significant amount of time together, we had a fun morning making smoothies to experiment with the recipe that was eventually included in her book, Eat Healthy, Feel Great. We had a fantastic time puttering around in the kitchen trying out different smoothie combinations with various fruits and juices.

She also taught me the proper way to peel and pit an avocado that day, since we had turkey and avocado sandwiches when we stopped for lunch.

She and her husband were planning to see My Big Fat Greek Wedding that night, and she was incredibly excited about being able to have a date night with him. When I talked to her a few days later, she raved and raved over the movie. Skeeter and I never got to see it when it was at the theatre though, and Christie had said, "It was so fantastic! I'll buy the movie for you when it comes out!"

We ran into each other a few times, and we saw each other at a few playdates. But, as happens all too often, that day in her kitchen was the last time that we really spent time together as friends.

A few months after that day in her kitchen, Christie died in a car accident while driving her children home from school. The school is less than a mile from her house, and she was rear-ended while in the turn lane. Her two children in the back seat were able to come away with minor injuries, but Christie died from her injuries. She was also about 6 months pregnant, and the baby died as well.

Too many times I forget to make time to spend with my friends, for no other reason than to simply be with them -- not a playdate, not an organized activity -- just enjoying one another's company. I find that happens with most of the women that I know. We are so caught up in caring for our families that we don't take time to do something that we want to do (and enjoy) just because.

A few months after Christie's death, I saw the DVD for My Big Fat Greek Wedding in Target. I stopped in the aisle and sobbed, those horribly unpretty, attention-grabbing sobs. I cried for her death, her family's loss, and my own failure to spend time with her when I could have.

It was weeks before I could watch the movie, but now it's part of my permanent collection. I don't watch it very often, but every time I pull it out, I'm reminded that life is fleeting, and letting someone know that you care isn't necessarily something that can wait.

Send an email. Make a phone call. Write a letter.

Do it while you can.

Friday Fact

Something about me that you probably don't know:

I love to play backgammon. Skeeter and I played almost every night for the first three years of our marriage. We don't play as much any more because it's only a two-player game, and I don't want the urchins to feel left out. We usually play Parcheesi at night now, but backgammon is my first love.

Mama, I'm excited about my bounce party

Sass's birthday is coming, and we've decided to have her birthday party at one of those indoor jump places. We went to a party there in the fall, and everyone had a blast. My children weren't even feeling so great -- allergies, in case you might think that I take sick children to birthday parties :o) -- and even they had a fantastic time.

With Sass's birthday in January, the weather is always fickle. She's a run around type of party girl. She'd want her party to be outside if we had it at home, and January isn't exactly good for outside parties. This year I decided that we'd have it elsewhere, where we could invite more people and "play big." I asked her if she wanted that, and she was indifferent, but when we went to pay for our reservation, she was thrilled. Beyond thrilled. Ecstatic!

That was three days ago, and she hadn't mentioned anything about her party. She requires a birthday countdown on the calendar though, and she's talked about being 5 almost nonstop.

Last night she was just drifting off to sleep, and she said in her sleepy little voice, "Mama. I'm excited about my bounce party."

Those gentle little moments are what makes mommyhood so precious to me.

Idiocracy, updated

I finally rated Idiocracy on Netflix. I decided to rate it 4 stars. I know I wrote that I was undecided on how I felt, but I really did like the message. Also, the more I think about it, the more I think it's entirely possible that the annoyances were intentional to exacerbate the viewer's feelings.

Reality squashes idealism, at least for now

I can't believe it myself, but I've realized that I'm becoming more and more mainstream. The frugal and slightly crunchy version of myself doesn't like things like individual packaging and boxed meals. But the truth is that some of those things make my life easier. They've been inching their way into my cupboards and refrigerator without my recognizing it.

I was making a store list of things that we need, and I was shocked to realize how many convenience things were on it.

Individual bottles of Sunny D. The children LOVE that yucky Sunny D. It's the only juice that they really like. If we have a big jug of it, they won't bother to drink it and we waste it, but they'll each drink at least one of the little bottles a day.

Individual cups of applesauce. Same thing. No one eats it out of the big jar, but the individual cups are always a hit.

Clorox wipes. I have children, 'nuff said. :o) Actually, for my "big cleaning" I use old cloth diapers because I always feel like they clean better, but the wipes are great for spur-of-the-moment cleaning. And, trust me, that spur-of-the-moment cleaning comes several times a day when you have a boy.

Microwave macaroni and cheese. Spyder doesn't like it, and it isn't Sass's favorite, but it's just about all that Olivia will eat. If I make a regular box of mac & cheese, most of it goes to the trash. Surprisingly, this makes the individual ones are more cost effective.

Individual bottles of soda. We don't drink enough soda any more to justify buying the big bottles -- or the cans! I open one of the individual bottles, and I'll drink out of it for two or three days. The last six pack I bought (Diet Pepsi, 16 oz bottles) has lasted for three weeks, and there is still one bottle in the fridge.

Individual cups of yogurt. Or worse, Gogurt. Again, no one will eat the yogurt if it's in the big container. That includes me though. I like the blueberry yogurt, and it's just not as good coming from the large container.

Mix and bake packages of peanut butter cookies and chocolate chip cookies. Sometimes Sass just gets the urge to make cookies, and I hate to disappoint her. I really prefer making cookies completely from scratch, but that takes longer, and she (of course) doesn't always choose the most convenient time for cookie-making. With the packages, I can just add oil and an egg and we're ready to go. I haven't moved to the frozen cookie dough, so I suppose that's something.

Swiffer dust cloths. These things are the best for getting up the dog hair that is always on the floor. I'm told that microfiber cloths can be used in the same manner, but I just keep thinking that I'd simply be sending the dog hair through the wash. I'd rather just send it packing.

I'm sure that there are some things that I've missed, but these were all on that particular grocery list. And these probably aren't a big deal to most people, but I feel rather hypocritical in buying them. I was, after all, a breastfeeding, cloth diapering, moderately crunchy one when my children were younger. As they've gotten older I'm turning from my old crunchy ways. Now I feel like I'm more mushy than crunchy. Perhaps as the children get older, the pendulum will swing back in the crunchy direction once more.

Friendship

I am more and more grateful for my friends every single day. I make friends pretty easily, but only the superficial sort. Julie laughs at me because I can (and will) start conversations with anyone, just about anywhere. But that's all they are really, just superficial conversations.

My true friends, the ones that I really share with, are much fewer, and they're very precious. I tend to guard those friendships quite jealously. But in the past year Carla and Brenda have taught me how to have more openness between friends, and I'm thankful for that.

I can count my true friends on one hand, excepting Skeeter, since he's in a class by himself.

Brenda makes me laugh more than just about anyone. Sometimes she can make the most simple thing seem roaringly funny. She's so down-to-earth, and I love that about her.

Carla is probably the sweetest person I know. That sounds so banal, but it's true. She's so genuinely caring, and I love spending time with her because I always feel that her gentle nature rubs off on me just a bit.

Julie is the one that I always call "the sister of my heart." On the surface, we're a study in opposites, but I'm always slightly surprised to find that at heart we're quite similar. I look up to her as well, since she so Together and Unruffled. That's so not me, but I wish it was.

Michael is my second-oldest friend. We've been friends since we were 11 or 12, and we've been "best friends" since we were about 15. Michael and I call each other brother and sister, and that's really how it feels -- as if we've known each other forever and we belong. Our lives don't mesh at all -- I'm married with little ones, and he's living the bachelor life -- but it doesn't really matter.

Michael Ann is my oldest friend. We grew up in church together, and we've been friends since we were about 6. We have so much history together that we can go without really, truly talking for months and then pick up where we are with no effort at all.

So that's it. My one hand of true friends. I did the list as alphabetical since that seemed most logical, but I'm slightly amused to discover that the alphabetical list is also in order from newest to oldest in my life.

The art of napping

I was able to take a nap today! Yes, really! Skeeter and the urchins were in the computer room playing games and studying verses for church tonight, so I took advantage of having another adult be in charge for a while. :o)

Once I was settled into my napping position and I was able to think without hearing, "Mama!" every few moments, I had a small epiphany.

I have rules for napping.

I've already mentioned how particular I am about my bed, but I never realized that I had developed rules for napping too. (Quite possibly since I don't get to nap very often!) Here are The Napping Rules, in no particular order:

• The bed must be made.
• I must use Skeeter's pillow.
• I must nap crossways on the bed, not in the usual "sleeping" position.
• I must nap on my right side.
  
• I use my cross throw as a cover, covering from my waist to my neck.
  
• As mentioned before I don't take off my shoes during the day (even including napping) since my feet are kind of dangling off the side of the bed.
• I always wake up groggy, and I have to have about 15 minutes to acclimate myself to the waking world.
  

So there you have it, The Napping Rules as I remember them at the moment. :o)

Friday Fact

Something about me that you probably don't know:

I absolutely hate dill in anything other than pickles. I've no idea why, but I just can't stand it. And I can always taste it if it's in there. My grandmother used to make dilled green beans and the smell would send me running out of the house.

Idiocracy

I'm very seldom confused about how I feel when I see a movie. I usually have very definite feelings one way or another. But Idiocracy definitely gives me one of those confusion moments.

Essentially, Average Joe and Average Rita are put in stasis chambers to be reawoken in a year. Not long after they are put into the hibernation mode, the project is shut down. They don't wake until 500 years later, only to find that the America has dumbed itself to the point that they are the smartest people alive.

I absolutely love the premise of the movie! Skeeter and I have discussions about this very idea quite a lot. Sometimes I'm shocked and horrified at some of the things that I see on television or read in the newspaper, or even things that I see when we're out and about. Sometimes it seems that we Americans expect to be told what to do at every turn, leaving us without any real need to make our own decisions. This movie points out all of that and more.

But as much as I liked the overall premise, the movie was a little too "over the top" for me to really like it as a whole. The "stupid" characters just got on my nerves! Maybe they were supposed to, but I found myself actually cringing when I saw certain characters come onto the screen.

Recommended only for people who can look past the stupid humor and mourn the death of Common Sense.

Two miles!

Woohoo! I've officially moved up to 2 miles for my walking video!

Tonight I actually did 2.5 miles, and I really could have gone further, but it was 9:30, and I had to finish up a few things before we could get settled for the night. I did the two miles on Sunday as well, but I completely skipped yesterday. Bad me! It wasn't intentional, but just due to bad scheduling.

I never would have believed it possible, but I actually enjoy -- and look forward to -- my walking. Now that the first mile has gotten easy, it's even more enjoyable.

The bad thing about working out? I'm not a person who sweats a lot, but my face gets extremely red when I get hot. And it stays flushed for about two hours afterward, so I have to do it at a time when I don't have to go out anywhere when I'm finished!

Overheard

Spyder (age 8): In 30 years when I have no teeth . . .

I had no idea I was so ancient.

Operation Red Jericho

Book #2 for the year. I finished Joshua Mowll's Operation Red Jericho last night! This was a book that Spyder found at the bookstore, but he's been interested in something else, so I read it. :o)

Set in the 1920s, the book centers around Becca and Doug, two young teens whose parents disappeared a few months before while on an expedition in China. Since then, the two have been shuttled between relatives. The siblings aren't all that good at following rules, and Doug in particular is quite mischevious, which usually leads to trouble.

This book is the first in a trilogy, and while the writing is sometimes flat, the book design is absolutely fantastic. The design alone will appeal to reluctant readers. It is presented as a set of papers that were inherited by the author. The book filled with schematics, newspaper clippings, photos, maps, Doug's sketches, and Becca's diary entries.

Recommended to readers who love the adventure genre, as well as to those who like books that are more "interactive."

My church

I absolutely love going to church. Not just going to church to see everyone, but going to sit and listen to the sermons and spend uninterrupted, focused time in prayer.

If time travel was actually possible and my younger self could see that paragraph, she would faint from shock.

When I was younger, I enjoyed going to church for the activities (and occasionally for the sermon). Now, as an adult, I'm eager to get to Sunday morning service every week just so that I can hear the sermon. I always come away with a deeper knowledge and a passion for the Lord's Word. There could be any number of reasons why I like church so much more as an adult, but I'm sure the main reason is because I'm more mature in my faith.

Unlike my younger self, I spend time reading my Bible every day. I spend time in prayer every day, and I seek out Christian writers, even if it's just for fun (like Dave Meurer). Tonight when I left the church, I put in a CD of a sermon from our last revival. The old me would never have considered doing that!

I am so grateful to attend such a loving church where the pastor and the people encourage me to grow in my faith.

Oh woe is my car!

Again with the car troubles!

The urchins and I had finished our errands and had run back home for a moment. It was on the way, and Sass wanted more chocolate milk, so I ran in to make some. When I got back to the car (less than 2 minutes), nothing. Not even the "rrr . . . rrr . . . rrr" from before. Just a little "click" then nothing.

*sigh*

Well, we're skipping homeschool playgroup today. What are we doing instead?

• I'm cleaning out my plastic containers. My container of containers is overflowing, and I'm organizing sets and tossing the rest.
• Sass is cleaning the fridge. (Yes, she really is -- and it was her idea!)
• Spyder is drawing. Art class yesterday inspired him.

I suppose it's a good day anyway.

Up for a challenge?

Nancy at The Ultimate Creator has issued a walking challenge! Come on and walk with us! I just emailed with my miles for the week (8.5 miles since last Friday, thankyouverymuch).

Now that the weather is getting a little better, methinks that I can convince Skeeter to wander over to the little walking trail at the park around the corner. The city only just built it this fall, and we've only been there once. The urchins will love it!

Friday Fact

Something about me that you probably don't know:

Eating plain bread makes me have hiccups, usually all day. White bread is the worst, but it happens with wheat as well. Eating bread with something else is fine, but plain bread gives me hiccups every time.

Sometimes I can get rid of them with some breathing exercises, but they're usually back within an hour or so. The reoccurrances only stop after I've gone to sleep for the night.

Those pesky resolutions

Okay, here it is.

I am going to be more active this year.

There. I said it. I've never made a real New Year's Resolution before, not one that I had any actual intention of keeping.

This actually started in November 2006 when I decided that enough was enough. I borrowed a Leslie Sansone walking video from Brenda, and I found that it was really easy to do. That's exactly what I needed -- easy. Walking? HEY, I can walk! Well, there's a little more to it than just walking, but basically, that's it. It's fast paced, and the movements are varied enough that it's not really boring.

I used Brenda's video for about a week -- long enough to figure out if I was really going to do it. I bought the DVD in December, and I've been doing one mile a day faithfully for about the past three weeks. Ironically enough, I got the DVD in the mail the same day that my car died, and the urchins and I walked 3.5 miles home. Uh, no. I didn't do the program that day.

The first mile takes exactly 16 minutes. At first I was really tired at the end of that first mile, and I had to make myself do it. Now, it's not that difficult to get to the end. Skeeter has been doing it with me since December 30. I had planned to move on to the second mile on January 15, but I may wait until February 1 to give him the time to catch up, so to speak.

So now it's out there. You and the tic marks on my calendar can hold me accountable.

Boy of the Painted Cave

My first read for the new year!

I started and finished Boy of the Painted Cave this morning. I'm still undecided whether I would recommend this book to another adult. For a child, I would, definitely. The pre-historic setting shows a life far outside the modern child's imagination. I can only imagine what Spyder will say about eating mice!

It's a very easy read, and there is enough excitement to capture most young boys. The main character, Tao, is an outcast in many ways. He wants to be a Chosen One to paint on the cave walls, but he cannot. Because of a lame foot, he should have been left to die at birth, but his mother (an outsider herself) chose to keep him. Upon her death, he was raised by an older woman in the clan. He is already an outsider because of his differences, but even more so because he challenges the traditions of the clan in wanting to create the cave pictures. Ultimately though, he is cast out from the clan because of befriending a young wolf.

The book has several elements of conflict: man vs. nature, man vs. society, man vs. man. One idea that I hope would resonate with readers is that Tao is steadfast in his desire to learn his art. He is respectful to his leaders, but he takes his separation from his clan as an opportunity rather than the punishment that is intended.

Beginning the new year

If how you spend New Year's Day is indicative of how your year will be spent, then I'll be a happy woman this year.

In fact, the whole New Year's weekend was good.

Saturday was spent around the house -- cleaning, laundry, playing with the dogs. It was pleasant, and relatively typical of a Saturday when we don't have outside commitments. It was very rainy, so we were all perfectly happy to stay inside.

We went on Sunday to retrieve my car, and so far all seems to be in working order! We didn't stay at my parents house very long. My sister and her boyfriend had just left to go home. They had been there for over a week, and Mom and Dad were pleased to have the house to themselves again. Dad gets tired very easily these days, and I wanted him to be able to rest well.

We got back home around 5 pm, and we spent the evening playing card games and board games. That was generally how we rang in the new year when I was growing up, and I was perfectly happy to start that tradition in my own home.

On New Year's Day we decided to see a movie at a little local theatre, and I left for work not long after we got back home from the movie. I haven't worked in three weeks, so I was even happy to go in. Even the manager commented that I looked "refreshed." :o)

All in all, a very satisfactory way to start the new year!