But this......this showed him that facebook does have a purpose and has contents that are sometimes worthy of a closer look.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
facebook +
Saw this on facebook and passed it on to my husband. Did not pass it to him on facebook because he's old school (Not old, old-school . Totally different) and sees no need for facebook in his life.
But this......this showed him that facebook does have a purpose and has contents that are sometimes worthy of a closer look.
But this......this showed him that facebook does have a purpose and has contents that are sometimes worthy of a closer look.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Perfect Day
Tuesday was the perfect day!
I sprung Piper from school at noon (just cuz). We ate lunch together at Panera and had some serious Mom/Daughter talk. Real talk. Next we hit the grocery store. Piper taught me about economics when I snatched up a pineapple that was on sale for $2.99 even though it was not on the list. She explained opportunity costs and the lure of cheap items that we may, or may not, need. Impressive. Pineapples though? Always needed. After getting everything that was on the list, we struggled together over the self checkout. Can I just say; self check out should never, ever be a struggle. Dear Grocery Store Dudes: I am doing someones job for free please make it easy on me. Because this is a bugaboo of mine (one of many), I freely use the 'store log in' code that I see the real check-out girls using when the dang machine gives me crap. I don't use it to cheat just to keep it moving when it gets feisty. Piper is only slightly embarrassed by this but she takes it like a woman. After wrangling the check-out process we headed home, unloaded the groceries and took a break in front of the TV. Ahhh..... Pretty soon Connor was home so we chitty chatted with him and some of his friends (I handled myself very well - Connor said so). Later on Piper and I went for a run. I could not keep up with that girl which makes me feel.............proud. You go girl! We were on our own for dinner so we shared some Trader Joe's taquitos (holla!) over the sink and settled in to watch a movie. It was just a perfect, perfect day. My heart was full and I was grateful for all of it.
The day was so darn perfect that I started thinking...........I bet I'm going to die tonight. These are my true thoughts - don't judge me. My therapist calls this 'catastrophic thinking' - I call it logic. Follow me --> I had recently paid all the bills, vacuumed behind the fridge, mailed birthday cards in a reasonably timely manner and then had this awesome day with my girl. What is the next logical step?
Death.
You betcha.
The only possible explanation.
God was blessing me with an awesome day right before I die.
Oh dear.
As I was getting settled into the bed that night I shared my concern with Brian and started brainstorming who might be a good replacement for me since I would most likely not be around in the morning. It was hard to settle on someone but we jotted down a few names just in case. It should be noted that Brian was not truly participating in this exercise. He was mostly rolling his eyes. Piper and I were doing the heavy lifting on this.
Alas, I am still here. Thank God! It was close though. During the night I dreamed that I swallowed a handful of Advil. A handful! With wine! Like a rock star. I could feel them dry and clumpy in my throat. I had to refill my wine glass with gross water from a broken water fountain just to get them all down. I was at a baseball game (of all places/night game/not sure who was playing) with one of the ladies on the Jen replacement list. I was too embarrassed to tell her that I had accidentally swallowed all of these Advils. I just could not tell her so I was just going to die........and then my alarm went off. Thank God! I'm alive.....and I don't have to tell anyone that I'm an idiot. Unless thinking that dying is the only antidote for a perfect day makes me an idiot. In which case, now you know.
I sprung Piper from school at noon (just cuz). We ate lunch together at Panera and had some serious Mom/Daughter talk. Real talk. Next we hit the grocery store. Piper taught me about economics when I snatched up a pineapple that was on sale for $2.99 even though it was not on the list. She explained opportunity costs and the lure of cheap items that we may, or may not, need. Impressive. Pineapples though? Always needed. After getting everything that was on the list, we struggled together over the self checkout. Can I just say; self check out should never, ever be a struggle. Dear Grocery Store Dudes: I am doing someones job for free please make it easy on me. Because this is a bugaboo of mine (one of many), I freely use the 'store log in' code that I see the real check-out girls using when the dang machine gives me crap. I don't use it to cheat just to keep it moving when it gets feisty. Piper is only slightly embarrassed by this but she takes it like a woman. After wrangling the check-out process we headed home, unloaded the groceries and took a break in front of the TV. Ahhh..... Pretty soon Connor was home so we chitty chatted with him and some of his friends (I handled myself very well - Connor said so). Later on Piper and I went for a run. I could not keep up with that girl which makes me feel.............proud. You go girl! We were on our own for dinner so we shared some Trader Joe's taquitos (holla!) over the sink and settled in to watch a movie. It was just a perfect, perfect day. My heart was full and I was grateful for all of it.
The day was so darn perfect that I started thinking...........I bet I'm going to die tonight. These are my true thoughts - don't judge me. My therapist calls this 'catastrophic thinking' - I call it logic. Follow me --> I had recently paid all the bills, vacuumed behind the fridge, mailed birthday cards in a reasonably timely manner and then had this awesome day with my girl. What is the next logical step?
Death.
You betcha.
The only possible explanation.
God was blessing me with an awesome day right before I die.
Oh dear.
As I was getting settled into the bed that night I shared my concern with Brian and started brainstorming who might be a good replacement for me since I would most likely not be around in the morning. It was hard to settle on someone but we jotted down a few names just in case. It should be noted that Brian was not truly participating in this exercise. He was mostly rolling his eyes. Piper and I were doing the heavy lifting on this.
Alas, I am still here. Thank God! It was close though. During the night I dreamed that I swallowed a handful of Advil. A handful! With wine! Like a rock star. I could feel them dry and clumpy in my throat. I had to refill my wine glass with gross water from a broken water fountain just to get them all down. I was at a baseball game (of all places/night game/not sure who was playing) with one of the ladies on the Jen replacement list. I was too embarrassed to tell her that I had accidentally swallowed all of these Advils. I just could not tell her so I was just going to die........and then my alarm went off. Thank God! I'm alive.....and I don't have to tell anyone that I'm an idiot. Unless thinking that dying is the only antidote for a perfect day makes me an idiot. In which case, now you know.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Confession
Sometimes when I pull into the parking lot at my kid's high school, with them in the car, I feel frustrated because it is early and they are being not grateful, they are being miserable actually. And by miserable I mean, mean. They are just mean. It's tough to take. They are hypercritical, condescending and .......mean. It is early for them too and they don't realize that these are the best days of their lives (ha!), that they are in the best shape of their lives (true), that they are blessed humans to be riding in a warm car with a woman who gives a rat's... and puts money in their lunch account. So yeah......
This makes me feel frustrated.
Then, as I make the big circle around the lot...
I see all of the jocks and goths and pretty girls (with straight hair/skinny jeans/Uggs and a coffee -all different all the same) I realize, "Oh my gosh, I am soooo glad I do not have to stay here today! I am the lucky one!"
And when my miserable children get out of the car with a grunt I carefully close the door, turn up the radio and shout, "SEE YA SUCKAHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and laugh all the way home.
Not sorry. This is true.
This makes me feel frustrated.
Then, as I make the big circle around the lot...
I see all of the jocks and goths and pretty girls (with straight hair/skinny jeans/Uggs and a coffee -all different all the same) I realize, "Oh my gosh, I am soooo glad I do not have to stay here today! I am the lucky one!"
And when my miserable children get out of the car with a grunt I carefully close the door, turn up the radio and shout, "SEE YA SUCKAHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and laugh all the way home.
Not sorry. This is true.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
On Wooing Girls
Girls. My son likes 'em. Which is normal and fabulous and also nerve wracking. In recent days he has been hanging around with a nice girl named Donna (not her real name, duh). "Just friends". Mmm.....hmm...... I've been curious about this girl. I did get to meet her briefly while she was working at a purveyor of fine groceries. She was very polite and cute too. But I have not had a chance to actually talk to her. And by talk I mean grill.
Friday was my birthday and I finally got to meet the girl for realz in my own kitchen while Connor and Piper were cooking my birthday dinner (lovely). Not awkward at all - it really was not. I sat at the kitchen table and visited with her. And by visited I mean grilled. She's got a couple younger siblings, has a job and a good head on her shoulders. Donna is a good soul - she seems solid.
While visiting with her I feel myself slip into overdrive. My eye contact is dead on, I'm working my best smile and my eyes may be emitting actual sparks. I want this girl to like me and cannot begin to help myself. My heart is wide open, I'm using all my best lines and honestly there is nothing I can do to stop this freight train of weird Mom wooing. I don't think it was specifically because of her but she was a cool kid. I hope I would never work that hard on a ditzy texter. Still, it just happened. Something came over me.
Later on Connor said something like, "Mom, that was hard core." Oh really? You noticed? I was hoping to be the only one who noticed. Hopefully sweet Donna will not be too afraid to return. I promise to be cooler next time. Maybe.
Friday was my birthday and I finally got to meet the girl for realz in my own kitchen while Connor and Piper were cooking my birthday dinner (lovely). Not awkward at all - it really was not. I sat at the kitchen table and visited with her. And by visited I mean grilled. She's got a couple younger siblings, has a job and a good head on her shoulders. Donna is a good soul - she seems solid.
While visiting with her I feel myself slip into overdrive. My eye contact is dead on, I'm working my best smile and my eyes may be emitting actual sparks. I want this girl to like me and cannot begin to help myself. My heart is wide open, I'm using all my best lines and honestly there is nothing I can do to stop this freight train of weird Mom wooing. I don't think it was specifically because of her but she was a cool kid. I hope I would never work that hard on a ditzy texter. Still, it just happened. Something came over me.
Later on Connor said something like, "Mom, that was hard core." Oh really? You noticed? I was hoping to be the only one who noticed. Hopefully sweet Donna will not be too afraid to return. I promise to be cooler next time. Maybe.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Make It a Venti
Came home from playing volleyball one night and said; "Do you want to get married or what?"
Just like that too.
An offer I couldn't refuse. Three boys and a wood paneled mini-van? Where do I sign up!
After Brian and I had been married for 10+ years, his dad said to me; "We always liked you, we just didn't know how you would handle the boys but it all worked out just fine". And by God's grace it has all worked out. We have not grown without some pain and frustration but we have grown nonetheless and I find myself now blessed by the friendship and wisdom of these men who once were boys.
January 11, 1992 We planned our wedding in a mere six weeks. Only two people were brave enough to ask if I was pregnant. (One being my mother). Alas, I wasn't, just in a hurry. It was winter break after all and classes started again on January14th. Brian and I decided we would go with the "50 year trial marriage". Not rush into anything and just see how it all works out. Fifty years should be plenty of time to see if we want to keep going.
21 years old. What did I know? My maid of honor and I made all the food for the reception - just not enough. Who knew there were charts that explain how much food to make for large groups of people? And because maid of honor read cookbooks for leisure we had a really eclectic menu. Weird stuff. Hopefully there were peanuts at the bar.
I was born with a bossy spoon in my mouth.
Every day is a good day.
Circa ~ 1997 We've got a little college going on here, a little high school, also some thumb sucking and diaper filling. We've got it all.
Same pose, same folks 13 years later. Love, love, love....is all around.
Not pictured are two daughters-in-law (who are AWESOME) and five grand babies (also awesome). The wheel of love keeps getting bigger.
Darling Brian, if you are reading this, please know that this is your anniversary card. I kept thinking I would make a card, a really pretty one but alas time marches on and then it vanishes so I made this instead. I am grateful for our rich history and that we've come this far. I am grateful for the opportunities to grow that this family has afforded me. I look forward to the future, to the next leg of the journey and hopefully.....someday.....to Tahiti. For Realz.
Truly I do say... Happy Anniversary and I also say.....We Are Awesome! and also I say....
30 years to go!
The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep running.
~ Author unknown, reference Ecclesiastes 9:11
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
2011 in Books
Happy New Year!!
I was lucky enough to spend a good amount of time reading
Here they are ~
1. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This book found me in love with Atticus Finch and Harper Lee whose writing is intensely wonderful.
2. Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel
Scattered gems amongst heaps of narcissistic garbage.
3. Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
WWII story, interesting angle, gratuitous. Not recommended.
4. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Not as fabulous as I had hoped. Love Miss Angelou though. A wise sage.
5. Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Excellent work on Christian faith. Refreshing. Affirming.
6. The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig
Solid literary work. Glad to have read it. Would read more by this author.
7. Lit (memoir) by Mary Karr
Enlightening. Somewhat Anne Lamott-esque but not quite.
8. At Home by Bill Bryson
Ill chosen chapter titles. Lots of interesting info. Tons. Ending becomes Bryson's pulpit. No thanks.
9. A Visit from the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan
Different. Interesting. Liked it.
10. Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott
Imperfect book - appreciate her non-fiction much better. Although, did secure a great quote from this book, "you cannot worry yourself into serenity". I know that's right!
11. Bucolic Plague by Josh Kilmer-Purcell
A memoir about two Mannhattanites becoming gentleman farmers. Well done.
12. The Irresistable Henry House by Lisa Grunwald
Based on true events. Good read.
13. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
EPIC. Worth the time and energy. A gold mine of good writing and good thinking.
14. Freakonomics by Levitt and Dubner
Quick - which is safer; swimming pool or gun? Think again.
15. The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich
Decent book. Picked for cover.
16. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Exceeded expectations. Hearty with thoughts, laughter and wry observations.
17. Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue
Unique setting, idea, execution. Very good read.
18. Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan
Hours I will never get back.
19. The New Yorkers by Cathleen Schine
Light and easy but worthy.
20. Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
L o n g winded. Good info. Be interested in topics if reading. Really interested.
21. Cry of the Sloth by Sam Savage
Completely written in the form of letters by a broken man becoming more broken. By the minute.
22. Leaving the World by Douglas Kennedy
Would choose this author again for plane rides, doctor appts etc. Not deep but interesting and keeps you reading.
23. Nice Girls Don't Change the World by Lynne Hybels
Simply awesome.
24. Don't Get Too Comfortable by David Rakoff
Like him more on the radio than in print. Good effort though.
25. When you are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Just what I needed. I love you David! I wish you were my brother.
26. Charms for an Easy Life by Kaye Gibbons
Good read.
27. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz-Zafon
Best book I read this year. Tight and twisty plot, characters and charm abound. Highly recommend.
28. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Well done.
29. Born to Run by Chris McDougall
Mind opening, intriguing, engaging. Worth a look.
30. Jacob T. Marley by William Bennett
Not so much. Weak.
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