Haiku Wednesday. Jingle Jangle.

Next is December.

Why does the time fly like that?

Life is a *?!$cuss word%#*

Unsolicited Haiku

My paper is due

In two wee.... what?!?!  TOMORROW?!

Procrastination.

Haiku Wednesday

Children, spouse, food, house

Warm clothes, good friends, bright future

For these I'm thankful

My brain doesn't work, so I have no post title...

Heya.

Just thought I'd post since I'm supposed to be simultaneously hemming Megan's choir dress (that I just spent forever pinning. no not on pinterest. In REAL LIFE. whoa), painting posters for the walk-a-thon in the morning (Phoenix Children's Chorus stuff), and doing homework (Curse you, environmentalist research paper and two online bio quizzes).  This is when the most blogging gets done.

Just had a few thoughts.  First, did y'all see the google doodle today?  About Louis Daguerre?  He was the inventor of the Daguerreotype (Da-gare-o-type), the first photography process that was remotely practical or reliable.  For a long time photographs were just called Daguerreotypes. Check out some articles about him by mousing over (coining that term) this paragraph for links.

Second, I discovered that I....wait for it.......am a nerd (GASP!)  Yes, I know.  This is brand new information.  But yes, the other day I realized that whenever someone asks "how was class?" after I get out of statistics,  i say "AWESOME!  I LOVE statistics!" 

And then on Thursday I texted Aaron during BIO to tell him that we were learning about RNA translation and how awesome it was and he replied "yeah, protein synthesis is pretty cool."  and I said "oh man, we are weird." and he texted "yeah...or smart."  Ha ha ha.  I like being married to a biologist. 

Speaking of my biologist, we found out that his medical school interview is in Anaheim on December 6th, so keep him in your thoughts and prayers on that day!!  Send him some good juju :)

Ok people, leave me alone.  I need to go get stuff done. and sleep. whaaa?? I know, what a nuisance.  The need for sleep is God's way of saying, "will you please stop for a minute?" I'm glad we have that wonderful reset button.  Thanks, God.

shhhhh.... be calm.....

I have to be careful with my words right now BECAUSE oops, because if I'm not careful all the words will come out in CAPS oops, caps, sorry....  I'm a little giddy.... no, A LOT giddy right now..... I just found out that aaron has an interview with the medical school in the caribbean...... The soonest he could get in is January.  EEP.  oops. eep!  i think my heart is going to explode. and I'm pretty sure that the corner of my mouth touched my earlobe for a few seconds there when I was smiling the world's biggest smile.

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

What I overheard...

While I was doing my hair this morning and the kids were getting ready for school this morning I overheard them having this conversation:

Matt: Megan, you should try out for soccer cause you're a good  kicker and that's what good kickers do
Megan:  Really?  you think I'm a good kicker?
Matt: yeah. and you should try out for soccer
Megan:  Matthew, do you want to know why I don't try out for soccer?
Matt: Why?
Megan:  Cause I forgot who was on my team last time and I messed up.  And then this boy said later "YEAH MEGAN, MESS UP AGAIN!"
---------pause----------
Matt: it's ok, you just gotta remember their names and remember what they're wearing.  You should still try out for soccer.

I like that.  It's a good day.  (And alls I've gotta say is whatever it is that someone slipped in my proverbial drink this morning is amazing.  Good mood, yummy breakfast, kids on time, ahhhhhhhhhh)

Matthew and his cute face.

Just thought I'd post a couple pictures of Matthew and his cute face. In a soccer uniform.

 Watch out, ladies.

front and center :)  What a little stud.

Thanks, God, for Spit-up

Tonight I went to my B's blessingway.  Have you ever heard of a blessingway?  Traditionally, it is a native american ritual where an expectant mothers' closest friends come together while the mother waits for her baby to come and they offer spiritual support and such.  This was not that.  This was a really refreshing alternative to a baby shower (even though Brittney also had a baby shower last week, ha ha).  Here's a little from the invite:

A blessingway is for honoring the mother and giving her love and support before her birthing time. Learn more about blessingways here.

Appropriate gift ideas:
~personal letter
~poem by you or someone else
~coupon offering specific help, ex: "1 hour of babysitting any weekday morning"
~something handmade for the mother
~pampering item for the mother, like lotion
A light dinner will be provided. Bring your birthy love energy and well wishes for Brittney and her baby!  We appreciate your prompt RSVP.  Can't wait to see you there!

We all got together for a light dinner and chatting.  We went around the room and offered a poem or word of advice or spiritual thought for Brittney in preparation for her baby to come this week (yes, there were tears), shared gifts (I'll show you mine in a second), and each stamped part of a leather bracelet for Brittney to wear this week.  She chose the words Birth Faith and we each stamped a letter into the leather band with a mallet.  Before we left, we each chose a bead and a word to be made into a necklace for her as well.  My bead was a sphere with swirled lighter shades of this dark sandy-textured sea green  (HTML #698B69).  I chose the word "calm."   We were each given a little jar with a candle to light when we hear the news that the baby's ready to come (to remind us to keep our thoughts with her while it's lit).

This whole thing sounds so hippyish, and those who know me know I'm a little anti-hippy sentiment, but I have to say that I'd rather this than a babyshower any day (although britt's baby shower was fun- don't get me wrong- this is just a general observation).  This is just so much more personal and supportive for mommy-to-be.

If you know my B, you know that her baby was found to have a cleft lip in the ultrasounds.  They don't know yet if he'll have a cleft palate, but they're preparing for it.  They've got special expensive bottles and B is worried about nursing and how difficult feeding him will be.  She also mentioned how all of the things you normally worry about with your baby seem so trivial once you're faced with a big challenge.  Mothers who worry that their baby has a little mark on their arm or funny hair or the like, need to wake up and realize what miracles their children really are.  Be thankful for the cries (that means your child can breathe).  Be thankful for your child's eavesdropping when you're having a serious conversation (that means your child can hear).  Be thankful for the midnight feedings (that means your child can eat).

With that in mind, I made this haiku and these burp cloths (specific to her instance):

 What a goofball.  Do you like the fifties outlet right in the middle of the wall?  I know. weird.  Also, see the mickey mouse band-aid I have on my middle finger?  That's cause I accidentally sawed through the top of my finger and fingernail yesterday.  You'd think that the knife wouldn't make it through that sheild of a fingernail, but holy crud it sliced through like butter. fun stuff.

ug slouching. and dumb face.  why do I make such faces?  oh yeah, that's just how my face is.  drat.

And that's just how HIS face is too, apparently.  Yes, that's a QT cup back there.  And yes, there's also a cup from Costco where I had the always amazing polish sausage with kraut and diet coke this afternoon for a buck fifty.  Also, see the cloth I'm making- how it's got a little dip in it along the edge?  That goes right by your neck so it stays on your shoulder more easily. 

the haiku goes:

a baby who burps

is a baby who's well-fed.

thanks, God, for spit-up.

and I put TGFS (Thanks, God, For Spit-up) on one corner of each burp rag (using the freezer-paper method).  Helps keep things in perspective.  Brittney got some pictures at the blessingway so I'll post them when she sends them :)

These are made of cotton print and jersey. The top two are backed in an olive green jersey that matches the green stripe on the the 3rd cloth and the bottom two are lined in dark brown.

ADDENDUM: Here she is :)

 Isn't she cute? :)

oops, I should've had her wear it on the other shoulder so you could see the writing. oh well :)

retrobdaypost

I must think the spacebar is overrated. :) 'tis why I'm guessing the title is all jumbled.

I have some horrid pictures of myself that I need to post. yuck. Ha ha 

Aaron had his 36th birthday on October 24th and I took him rock climbing and then to Liberty Market and Joe's Real BBQ for dinner(s).  Remember the Octoberfest Burger post?  Yeah, it was that night. Aaron ordered that (free birthday meal) and then went across the street and ordered me a free birthday pulled pork and cheesy potatoes from Joe's (The Cheesy Pots are bomb- you have but to add salt to unlock their true potential. epic.  I could eat them for every meal and still crave them upon awakening each morning.  geeze I'm so dramatic. anyway.....back to the bad pictures)

We had so much fun and spent sooooo little it's insane.

Before all the eating, we went to AZ on the Rocks.  I bought a groupon from my friend who realized she wasn't going to get a chance to use it before it expired.  She only charged me $2.  $2!!!!!!!?!?!?  It was for a day pass/gear rental (~$22) and a $5 Pita Jungle gift card.  $2!  shweeeeeet.  At AZ on the Rocks, you get a free day pass and rental when it's your birthday, so Aaron got in free. ha ha ha oh man did we work the system. 

Here are the horrible pictures.  That harness made me have a bubble butt. yuck.  and my shirt is all poofed out. and I looked horrible that day anyway.  AND I was slouching and sticking out my gutt in the.... nevermind.  you get the idea.  I dislike the pictures, but it's documenting a fun time and Aaron wanted me to post them
(THIS, Aaron, is how you know that I love you)

Gettin hooked up

 Awww. isn't he cute?  Happy Birthday, babe!

 nice legs, honey. 

 (no comment)

I really did have a lot of fun climbing- it feels so good to reach the top....

However, in this case, Aaron was not belaying me (securing the rope and controlling the speed of my descent with the gear), no, on this climb I was using the "autobelay" device, which is a rope hooked up to that round diaper genie-refill looking thing.  Genie details: 1. it slows your descent, but only enough so that you don't splat on the floor and 2. you have to just let go of the wall and start free falling like a dope before it engages and slows you down.  It takes a second for it to engage so yeah, it's fun. And freaky the first time.

 I swear if you say anything about this........

ummm ok, this is the end of the post.  Thanks for reading with your eyes closed.....  you didn't peek, did you? cause....... then I'd have to kill you.  (awkward silence)

BY THE WAY... I don't know if I've told you before that one of my ambitions is to become a licenced climbing/rappelling instructor.  My family used to go rappelling all the time growing up and I learned a lot from my dad... but it's been a long time.  When I get a little bit of time and money I'm going to get certified so I can take groups out (church youth groups and also just for recreation)  Also, it'd be a fun way to earn a buck.

Oh HEY!  I totally forgot to tell you guys about Liberty Market-  You know that The Lib, Joe's Real BBQ, and Joe's Farm Grill are all at least partially owned by this guy.  Yes, Joe Johnston who always wears a straw bowler and glasses and is super friendly.  You can follow him on twitter here.  We saw him at Liberty on A's b-day and he asked if we were going for the Birthday trifecta (visiting all three restaurants for a free meal on your birthday)  We told him that we had and he said "Now see, what you need to try next year is going in the first part of the day to all three and then after the shift change go to all three again."  Talk about milking the system... wow.  We had thought of doing that before, but kind of felt it was dishonest... now that we have Joe's go-ahead, it's a challenge!

Halloween costumes and other interesting stuff

Halloween night. 

Matthew was Indiana Jones (with a real whip made by friend David Gibbens)

Aaron was "life" and had boxes of lemon heads to hand out

I was Grecian handmaiden to Megan, who was the goddess Aphrodite (She's been really in to Greek Mythology for the last 6 months).

(I had already made my outfit for a program I sang in called Women at the Well a litte over a year ago, so all I had to make last week was Megan's outfit and jewelry and Matthew's leather satchel)

......and heeeeere's Johnny!

As you can see I had a lot of projects going on at once, but

Johnny= the minky quilt I made for my Brittney (otherwise referred to as B or really any word that starts with B).  Holy Fazolis minky fabric is the devil. My house was a fuzzy fluffy mess when I was done. All of the pieced side is fur, there is no stuffing, and the other side is actually made from a very high thread count sheet so it's nice and soft, too.  This is folded into fourths in this pic, I think.  It's basically big enough to wrap a baby in and small enough for a little kid to carry around while sucking their thumb.  And soft enough to never want to leave behind :)  I want one for me now.... too bad I got all the fabric from the fur scrap pile (any fabric left on the bolt that was less than a yard) at SAS and had barely enough for the baby quilt. no duplicating.... booo...  well, there is a teeny tiny little bit left... hmmm.... what to make, what to make.... 

It's funny- Megan will say Mom, can I have your scraps?  and I'll say uhhh honey, Mommy doesn't have scraps. Anything I have left over is just fabric I'm saving for another project.  ha.  it's so true.  but I give her some anyway.

Some funny things the kids said today:

Matt told Megan that her feet were "EXTREMELY smelly." (which, really, that boy's feet smell like pedivomit, so he's the world's shortest hypocrite)

and when we were singing the name game (you know, Stephy Stephy bo bephy banana fanna fo feffy me mi mo mephy, Stephy)

Megan said, no one do "Mutthead" cause that would be bad.

Oh, AND the 6 year old genuinely beat me in a thumb war tonight.  What has the world come to?  I think I'm going to have to cut down on the protein I feed that kid.

Kids make life so much more interesting.  In an innocent funny sweet kind of way.

Megan the Great and the Great Marie Curie

Happy Rainy Monday to you! 

I have had a GREAT day today and I hope you enjoyed the rain and cold weather as much as I did :)

Megan cracks me up.  She read me something she wrote in school today while I was organizing her closet and I laughed so hard that I thought maybe you'd enjoy it, too.

She was supposed to write a sentence that followed these requirements:
1. It had to be declarative
2. It had to use the word famous
3. It had to contain an adverb ending in -ly
Here's what that kid thought up.  What a hoot.

"The famous monster movie star named Lomsyus from the planet Humogolon waved one of his fourteen small green arms slowly at the crowd while devouring a Thanksgiving turkey."

On a completely unrelated note, I'm wondering how many of you saw the Google Doodle today in honor of Marie Curie, who essentially donated her body (and life) to science.  If you haven't read anything about her today (her 144th birthday), here's a link to a really interesting article.  Enjoy it.  I did.

PCC Tickets going fast

Hey peeps, just thought I'd give you the heads up about the

PCC concert at the very beginning of December.

Megan loves being in this choir- I got a sneak peek of some of the numbers they will be doing at this concert and I got teary-eyed just listening to a few seconds worth.  There is nothing more beautiful than children's sweet voices singing christmas music. I heard that the concerts are selling out fast, so if you want to attend one of PCC's cheapest concerts, get your tickets soon!

www.higleyarts.org 

www.phoenixchildrenschorus.org

ALSO, I just found out that PCC is holding auditions in early December. Here is the info.

Haiku Wednesday

Sang a silly song

Said wrong words but that's ok

Since I looked so cute

Recital Tonight-TIME CHANGE

Heya peeps.  As it says, they changed tonight's recital starting time from 6:30 to 7pm.  It's ok to come at 6:30, though, as the house will be open and you can get a good seat.  I'm like the 4th from the last, soooooo sorry about that.  Im also sorry that it's not completely memorized, I'm sick and I am a zombie from the lack of sleep... LOL!!!  it should be interesting

:)

Confiscate Candy?

yes I do.  These children cannot fully appreciate the joy that is an AlmondJoy.  How could they?  Their tastebuds won't be fully developed  until they're 50.  They can gnaw on the now n laters and hersheys bars- whopper balls and reeses buttercups.....  But their AlmondJoys? Those I will dispose of some other way... don't ask me how...  I'm a little ashamed of my caloric intake over the last hour.....