April is National Poetry Month! And unlike all the other National whatever months out there, it is one that this particular Smith family enjoys and actively participates in. NYC used to also have something called "Poem in my Pocket" week. Maybe they still do, I don't know. But the subway cars would have poetry where ads usually were and people would post poems on their cubicles. Such a nice month.
Anyway, I will be posting a poem here every day throughout the month of April. If you have any favorites you would like to share, please email them to me.
Happy almost April!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Photos
Seriously, is there some sort of cosmic law that dictates that all official photos must turn out badly? My college ID is the only one I don't hate. I look stoned in it, but other than that it looks fine and it made me blend in with the rest of my fellow underclassmen.
I had to go to BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) today to get a new license. Unlike every other time, I at least remembered to first brush my hair and put on a little chapstick. And also unlike every other time, the woman behind the camera didn't tentatively say, "Um, are you sure? We can take it again." Yes, my pictures are THAT bad.
I had a drivers license in college that cut off the bottom of my chin, giving me a weird King Tut like appearance. It is still a source of humor for the people who saw it then.
My passport photo from ten years ago was another one where people said, "Um, really? This is the picture you want to use?"
I've learned to live with it. Just not gracefully. Harrumph!
I had to go to BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) today to get a new license. Unlike every other time, I at least remembered to first brush my hair and put on a little chapstick. And also unlike every other time, the woman behind the camera didn't tentatively say, "Um, are you sure? We can take it again." Yes, my pictures are THAT bad.
I had a drivers license in college that cut off the bottom of my chin, giving me a weird King Tut like appearance. It is still a source of humor for the people who saw it then.
My passport photo from ten years ago was another one where people said, "Um, really? This is the picture you want to use?"
I've learned to live with it. Just not gracefully. Harrumph!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Birthday
Today is my 32nd birthday.
That used to sound really old. It no longer feels old, though. Probably because I spent my 20s being thoroughly exhausted. College, teaching, wedding, pregnancy, birthing, nursing babies, and generally being chronically sleep deprived thanks to children did not lead to feeling young and carefree. Now that my boys are old enough to sleep through the night and don't hang on me all the time and I get regular exercise, I'm feeling pretty good. So, I'm good with my thirties.
Other bonuses for being 32:
-I don't have to get my heart rate quite as high for it to be considered a good work out.
-And I'm another year closer to being old enough to be a Red Hat member. Yes, I adore those ladies who lunch in purple feather boas and red hats. I'm going to start my own chapter when I turn 50, because the leader gets to be "the Queen Mother" (Sorry, John, baby. I'm stealing your title!). Who doesn't wanna be known by that title?!
My in-laws and parents were here to celebrate and I received lots of well wishes from friends and family that I don't get to regularly speak with. Thank you everyone for making it a special day.
That used to sound really old. It no longer feels old, though. Probably because I spent my 20s being thoroughly exhausted. College, teaching, wedding, pregnancy, birthing, nursing babies, and generally being chronically sleep deprived thanks to children did not lead to feeling young and carefree. Now that my boys are old enough to sleep through the night and don't hang on me all the time and I get regular exercise, I'm feeling pretty good. So, I'm good with my thirties.
Other bonuses for being 32:
-I don't have to get my heart rate quite as high for it to be considered a good work out.
-And I'm another year closer to being old enough to be a Red Hat member. Yes, I adore those ladies who lunch in purple feather boas and red hats. I'm going to start my own chapter when I turn 50, because the leader gets to be "the Queen Mother" (Sorry, John, baby. I'm stealing your title!). Who doesn't wanna be known by that title?!
My in-laws and parents were here to celebrate and I received lots of well wishes from friends and family that I don't get to regularly speak with. Thank you everyone for making it a special day.
Nathaniel the Movie Critic
Today we went to see "Enchanted" at the dollar theater. Mondays are "Family Days" and a group of three or more can get in for 50 cents each! And popcorn and a drink together cost $2.50. I love this place. Anyway, Enchanted is very cute, but is probably best appreciated by little girls. My boys enjoyed it, but I think Nathaniel summed it up best when during a particularly quiet part of the movie, he groaned and said (loudly), "AAAGGG! Why is there so much kissing in this movie?!"
Everyone around us was extremely amused.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Painting the Dining Room- The Saga
We have been wanting to paint our dining room ever since we moved into our house 3.5 years ago. So naturally we waited until a week before mine and Todd's parents were coming to stay with us. That procrastination thing-worked for writing papers in school and still works today. "I work best under pressure."
Anyway, here's what it used to look like:
Click here to see all the colors we considered and eventually rejected, because it turned out that they didn't actually work out that well with our furniture.
Now for the saga. I went to Lowe's because I love Valspar paint. They have a lovely thing now called "Auditions". For $3 you can get a tiny can (maybe 1/2 a pint) of whatever color paint you want to try. So, armed with three tiny cans of paint and some practice boards, I headed home to try them out.
SO Cute!
Todd painted the practice boards and then we watched for a day to see how the various colors caught the different light in the room. Then we argued over what color to choose. Click here for argument (See Letter F.)
We finally decided on two colors. One on the top then the chair rail painted white and a darker color on the bottom portion of the wall. My lovely golden color for the top, and a burnt orange for the bottom. The third color we had tried out was rejected, and I put the can away thinking perhaps we could use it to paint next year's pinewood derby cars or something.
Then I carefully wrote down the names and numbers listed on the labels of the two cans and went back to Lowe's to purchase my paint. After they mixed it up for me I did think it looked a little dark, but it's hard to tell in the lighting there and the dab of color they put on top is never dry enough to tell how true it is.
That night, Todd was doing the cutting in, so he opened the lighter of the two colors I had purchased and started painting. When I came in to start rolling, I again thought that it was darker than I remembered, but again thought that it was just because it was wet.
We had finished the entire top portion of the room before I realized that there was a problem. I ran and retrieved the third tiny can of paint that I had rejected and put away. And this is what I found.
You probably can't read that, but the color I wanted and the color I didn't want had been labeled with the exact same label! I had written down the name off the can that I wanted, but it had been labeled with the wrong label.
Here's the color I ended up with next to the color I wanted:
Of course all this happened on a Saturday night, so not only could I not deal with it right then while I was very annoyed, I couldn't deal with it until Monday. We ended up painting the whole room in the color that originally was just for the bottom half of it.
When I went back to Lowe's on Monday, the woman at customer service looked at me and informed me of their policy of NOT taking back custom tinted paint. So, I went to the paint guy. I showed him the little cans and had that "I dare you to tell me 'no'" face. He quietly took the can of reject paint and made up another of the one we needed to do a second coat. I didn't even have to growl at him.
So we went from this:
To this:
(Ignore all the breakfast stuff on the table.) So, it wasn't what I was going for, but it's done. And family is in town now. Our parents are united (if in nothing else) in horror at our color choices. We grew up in homes of white and pastel walls, so I think our parents are just genuinely confused by us.
Saga over. Until it's time to put up the crown and baseboard moulding. And curtains? Let me just say that that whole valance scarf draping thing is WAY harder than it looks!
Anyway, here's what it used to look like:
Click here to see all the colors we considered and eventually rejected, because it turned out that they didn't actually work out that well with our furniture.
Now for the saga. I went to Lowe's because I love Valspar paint. They have a lovely thing now called "Auditions". For $3 you can get a tiny can (maybe 1/2 a pint) of whatever color paint you want to try. So, armed with three tiny cans of paint and some practice boards, I headed home to try them out.
SO Cute!Todd painted the practice boards and then we watched for a day to see how the various colors caught the different light in the room. Then we argued over what color to choose. Click here for argument (See Letter F.)
We finally decided on two colors. One on the top then the chair rail painted white and a darker color on the bottom portion of the wall. My lovely golden color for the top, and a burnt orange for the bottom. The third color we had tried out was rejected, and I put the can away thinking perhaps we could use it to paint next year's pinewood derby cars or something.
Then I carefully wrote down the names and numbers listed on the labels of the two cans and went back to Lowe's to purchase my paint. After they mixed it up for me I did think it looked a little dark, but it's hard to tell in the lighting there and the dab of color they put on top is never dry enough to tell how true it is.
That night, Todd was doing the cutting in, so he opened the lighter of the two colors I had purchased and started painting. When I came in to start rolling, I again thought that it was darker than I remembered, but again thought that it was just because it was wet.
We had finished the entire top portion of the room before I realized that there was a problem. I ran and retrieved the third tiny can of paint that I had rejected and put away. And this is what I found.
You probably can't read that, but the color I wanted and the color I didn't want had been labeled with the exact same label! I had written down the name off the can that I wanted, but it had been labeled with the wrong label.Here's the color I ended up with next to the color I wanted:
Of course all this happened on a Saturday night, so not only could I not deal with it right then while I was very annoyed, I couldn't deal with it until Monday. We ended up painting the whole room in the color that originally was just for the bottom half of it.
When I went back to Lowe's on Monday, the woman at customer service looked at me and informed me of their policy of NOT taking back custom tinted paint. So, I went to the paint guy. I showed him the little cans and had that "I dare you to tell me 'no'" face. He quietly took the can of reject paint and made up another of the one we needed to do a second coat. I didn't even have to growl at him.
So we went from this:
To this:
(Ignore all the breakfast stuff on the table.) So, it wasn't what I was going for, but it's done. And family is in town now. Our parents are united (if in nothing else) in horror at our color choices. We grew up in homes of white and pastel walls, so I think our parents are just genuinely confused by us.Saga over. Until it's time to put up the crown and baseboard moulding. And curtains? Let me just say that that whole valance scarf draping thing is WAY harder than it looks!
Earthly Treasures
I know that money can't buy happiness, but a well placed $20 sure has me smiling a lot. =)
Especially since now I can jump in puddles again! Or just slog through my swamp of a backyard to throw the compost in the bins...but that part doesn't make me smile quite as much.
Happy Spring!
Monday, March 17, 2008
It's All Who You Know
At every single play that I've gone to see since we moved out here to Ohio, I scour the playbill to see if there is anyone I know in the traveling company since I have a few friends in that profession. I was beyond thrilled then when I found out that my friend, Chris-Ian, is going to be performing "H.M.S. Pinafore" with The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players at the Southern Theater in Columbus in April!!!
This is me and Chris-Ian sleepy in Princeton last Spring. Aren't we cute?
Anyway, so Benjamin had received tickets to see "Annie" as a birthday present. The blizzard canceled that performance, but even before that happened, he asked if he could get a refund so he could go see King Tut perform! (Benjamin first saw Chris-Ian perform the roll of King Tut in NYC for a touring children's show and the image seems to have stuck in his mind.) Then he asked if we could wait by the stage door afterwards to get Chris-Ian's autograph. Apparently, we have raised a theater geek.
But, the most exciting part is that Chris-Ian is going to fly out a day early and stay with us before the show! And then (like we needed any more excitement?!) he promised us comp tickets!!! Really, I didn't know he could do that! It totally made Todd's day. Gilbert & Sullivan + Chris-Ian + Free = Hooray!!!
Here's a picture of me and Chris-Ian last spring at what is to become my annual sleepover party in NJ. There aren't even words to describe what a character this guy is:
"We are the Lions. Roar!"- Chris-Ian's impersonation of our college mascot.
Life would be miserable without good friends, wouldn't it?
This is me and Chris-Ian sleepy in Princeton last Spring. Aren't we cute?
Anyway, so Benjamin had received tickets to see "Annie" as a birthday present. The blizzard canceled that performance, but even before that happened, he asked if he could get a refund so he could go see King Tut perform! (Benjamin first saw Chris-Ian perform the roll of King Tut in NYC for a touring children's show and the image seems to have stuck in his mind.) Then he asked if we could wait by the stage door afterwards to get Chris-Ian's autograph. Apparently, we have raised a theater geek.But, the most exciting part is that Chris-Ian is going to fly out a day early and stay with us before the show! And then (like we needed any more excitement?!) he promised us comp tickets!!! Really, I didn't know he could do that! It totally made Todd's day. Gilbert & Sullivan + Chris-Ian + Free = Hooray!!!
Here's a picture of me and Chris-Ian last spring at what is to become my annual sleepover party in NJ. There aren't even words to describe what a character this guy is:
"We are the Lions. Roar!"- Chris-Ian's impersonation of our college mascot.
Life would be miserable without good friends, wouldn't it?
Friday, March 14, 2008
Profound silliness
Our house has been full of profound silliness tonight. Example:
Todd: Emilia, can you go upstairs? I hear noises up there. (He was prepping the room for painting and the kids were supposedly in bed.)
Me: Noises? I know, don't you hate it when the giraffes start infesting the attic?
Todd: Yes. Giraffes are always the problem this time of year.
And another example of silliness:
Todd: Emilia, can you go upstairs? I hear noises up there. (He was prepping the room for painting and the kids were supposedly in bed.)
Me: Noises? I know, don't you hate it when the giraffes start infesting the attic?
Todd: Yes. Giraffes are always the problem this time of year.
And another example of silliness:
"The Holy Ghost is one of the evil swamp witch's helpers." -Caleb in response to Todd questioning our children during scripture reading tonight to see how well they understand the gospel principles.
Ether Bunny
When I was 12 or 13 I found a book of boy scout skits, songs and silly jokes.
I have been singing the songs and telling the jokes ever since then. Undoubtedly, the jokes that have been given the most mileage are the Ether bunny jokes. The Ether bunny jokes are a series of knock knock jokes that I trot out every Easter time at least. (I also start telling them when I'm up past midnight with people who are stupid tired...or drunk.) The peak audience for these jokes seem to be 5 year olds....though my 8 year old still responds. I also had great success telling them last year to my friend, Brian, but then again he was sitting in a class titled "structured financial transactions", so I'm guessing anything was funny to him right then. My dear friend, Liz, whom was around when I first found the book still laughs at every single telling of these jokes. And I think has even spread the gospel of the Ether bunny jokes, herself.
Everyone else groans at these jokes. Todd banned me telling them to him about five minutes after we were married. I never thought to write that into the pre-nup. Live and learn. (Okay, so we don't have a pre-nup, but I might be for them in light of his first proclamation as my husband!) Some people even go out of their way to avoid me in late night situations and the few weeks before and after Easter. This year I had one friend even threaten to disconnect his phone. (Not to worry! I got him last night, so I was able to continue the annual tradition. He's come up with a sneaky way to take the fun out of it for me, though. He's memorized most of them. I remain undaunted in my happy torture! Hey....maybe these jokes could replace water boarding!)
For those of you who have endured (and secretly enjoyed!) the ether bunny jokes over the years, here's to good times. For the rest of you....
Knock knock!!
I have been singing the songs and telling the jokes ever since then. Undoubtedly, the jokes that have been given the most mileage are the Ether bunny jokes. The Ether bunny jokes are a series of knock knock jokes that I trot out every Easter time at least. (I also start telling them when I'm up past midnight with people who are stupid tired...or drunk.) The peak audience for these jokes seem to be 5 year olds....though my 8 year old still responds. I also had great success telling them last year to my friend, Brian, but then again he was sitting in a class titled "structured financial transactions", so I'm guessing anything was funny to him right then. My dear friend, Liz, whom was around when I first found the book still laughs at every single telling of these jokes. And I think has even spread the gospel of the Ether bunny jokes, herself.
Everyone else groans at these jokes. Todd banned me telling them to him about five minutes after we were married. I never thought to write that into the pre-nup. Live and learn. (Okay, so we don't have a pre-nup, but I might be for them in light of his first proclamation as my husband!) Some people even go out of their way to avoid me in late night situations and the few weeks before and after Easter. This year I had one friend even threaten to disconnect his phone. (Not to worry! I got him last night, so I was able to continue the annual tradition. He's come up with a sneaky way to take the fun out of it for me, though. He's memorized most of them. I remain undaunted in my happy torture! Hey....maybe these jokes could replace water boarding!)
For those of you who have endured (and secretly enjoyed!) the ether bunny jokes over the years, here's to good times. For the rest of you....
Knock knock!!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Here Comes the Sun!!!!
I owe Columbus an apology. Last night I called it 'sunless'. But today the sun is shining!
Thank you, Sir Sun.
And, Columbus, I apologize for my remarks.
Thank you, Sir Sun.
And, Columbus, I apologize for my remarks.
Alphabet of life
My friend, Anne Marie, tagged me last week, but with the excitement of the blizzard I nearly forgot!
Tag: ABC's of my life
A: Attached or single? Attached
B: Best friend? Todd (awwwww)
C: Cake or pie? Depends. Who made it? If it is homemade pie with a homemade crust (made with butter or lard, NOT shortening!) and fresh fruit filling (NEVER from a can!), then pie. Otherwise, a good cake. Mmm...like the 7 layer cake from that bakery in Raritan, NJ. No frosting with shortening. (Shortening tastes soapy to me. Blech!)
D: Day? Any day that is lovely for gardening or riding bikes.
E: Essential Item? Burt's Bees lip balms. Assorted flavors. (You never know what flavor will match your mood....am I feeling pomegranate or honey or mint today?)
F: Favorite Color? Blue. But lack of sun has me infatuated with a warm golden color at the moment. Conversation from last night while we were deciding what color or combination of colors to paint the dining room:
Me: Will you think I'm horribly unadventurous if I say I only want that one?
Todd: No, but you realize it's almost exactly the same color as the living room, right?
Me: No it's not! They are in the same family-similar, but not the same. This one is clearly more orange.
Todd: Every time we have to pick a color, you pick the same color.
Me: It's because you moved me to this sunless place! I'm trying to bathe the inside of our house with a warm golden feeling because the sun isn't around to do it for me!
Todd: Yes, dear.
G: Gum or mints? Gum
H: Home Town? Branchburg
I: Indulgences? Books written by Meg Cabot. I read everything she writes. They are like mental cotton candy, but they make me laugh out loud.
J: January or July? July.
K: Kids? 3 boys.
L: Life is incomplete without? Books
M: Mexican or Italian food? Italian...if it's good Italian. Otherwise, Mexican. I'm not as snobby about Mexican food.
N: Number of siblings? 2 sisters and 1 brother.
O: One word that describes you? Gregarious...except when I'm not.
P: Phobia? I'm not telling. If I write it down, I'll start obsessing and then I won't be able to sleep tonight.
Q: Quote? "Mix a little foolishness with your prudence: it's good to be silly at the right moment." -Horace
R: Reason to smile? My children. My husband. Sunlight filtering through new green leaves. Tulips.
S: Season? Fall. Crunchy leaves are my favorite.
T: Tag? Anyone who wants to take a few minutes.
U: Unknown fact about you? My hiccups can be instantly cured by Todd when he says, "Emilia, we're moving back to Provo." It has worked every single time for the last 8.5 years. The thought of living in Provo scares the hiccups right out of me.
V: Vegetable you love? I'm a little obsessed with artichoke hearts at the moment. But that may not last. Tomatoes are my real favorite...though I suppose they are technically a fruit. (I can eat them like apples!) Um, baby spinach.
W: Worst Habit? Telling my children to "hang on a second" so i can finish reading a page or a chapter in whatever book I currently have my nose in.
X: X-ray or Ultrasound? Ultrasound. I've seen babies, and hearts and livers. It's just cool because its alive.
Y: Your favorite food? Cheese. At the moment, it's a tie between queso fresco and parrano. Who will win?!
Z: Zodiac Sign? Aries.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Ugh.
Well, I did it. I finally got myself all registered for the Bank of America Capital City Half Marathon. (Couldn't they come up with a shorter name?)
I am walking. Not running. I could run just fine until I had babies. I swear my hip sockets permanently relocated sometime after baby #2. It took several months after baby #3 before I could even walk normally again.
I've been training for this for weeks. I do short walks through the week and then a long walk on Saturday. Six miles was fine. Seven miles was awful. I'll let you know how eight miles goes.
I am excited and scared. Excited because I've always wanted to do something like this and will finally be able to check this off my list of things to do before I die. Scared because...hello? walking 13.1 miles in whatever kind of weather happens to blow our way. Am I completely crazy?!
I have a few consolations in this. First of all, I'm good at endurance. I always have been. Hand me a big ol' backpack and a trail and point me towards a campsite, and I can hike for 13 miles no problem. (Except I get to stop and rest and eat and go however fast or slow I want to go.)
My second consolation is that I am not alone in my insanity. My friends Beth and Trish have also undertaken this adventure. All three of us may need to be wheeled into church on Sunday, April 13, but we'll feel proud of our accomplishment!
I am walking. Not running. I could run just fine until I had babies. I swear my hip sockets permanently relocated sometime after baby #2. It took several months after baby #3 before I could even walk normally again.
I've been training for this for weeks. I do short walks through the week and then a long walk on Saturday. Six miles was fine. Seven miles was awful. I'll let you know how eight miles goes.
I am excited and scared. Excited because I've always wanted to do something like this and will finally be able to check this off my list of things to do before I die. Scared because...hello? walking 13.1 miles in whatever kind of weather happens to blow our way. Am I completely crazy?!
I have a few consolations in this. First of all, I'm good at endurance. I always have been. Hand me a big ol' backpack and a trail and point me towards a campsite, and I can hike for 13 miles no problem. (Except I get to stop and rest and eat and go however fast or slow I want to go.)
My second consolation is that I am not alone in my insanity. My friends Beth and Trish have also undertaken this adventure. All three of us may need to be wheeled into church on Sunday, April 13, but we'll feel proud of our accomplishment!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Blizzard weekend
For all my friends who live in places that didn't have record breaking snowfall this weekend, here's some pictures of what we did today since church was canceled.
And we drank hot chocolate. Lots of hot chocolate. Made with whole milk and whipped cream. Calories don't really count in a blizzard, right?
And we drank hot chocolate. Lots of hot chocolate. Made with whole milk and whipped cream. Calories don't really count in a blizzard, right?
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Jersey Girls
Birthday Clues
This was the story that Todd wrote for Benjamin's scavenger hunt to find his birthday presents. Can you figure out where he had to go for the next clue?
Clue #1:"Once upon a time there was an 8 year old boy named Benjamin. He had giant potatoes growing in his ears, which sometimes made it hard for him to hear. For instance, one time he thought his father said, "I think my shoes are underneath my bread."
Clue #2:"One day Benjamin was confused because his father was talking about needing to go into a room for doing addition or subtraction. I think I would be confused, too!"
Clue #3: "Just yesterday, Benjamin and his friends were playing tag in the house. (His Mom wasn't very happy about it.)
'What's base?' Benjamin asked.
He was perplexed when they told him the base was his Claude's it!
'But I didn't ask who's it!' Benjamin grumbled. 'How come no one ever listens carefully?'"
Clue #4: Another time, Benjamin asked his mother if she had seen his Calvin and Hobbes book.
'I think it's on the toffee cable,' he thought she said.
Benjamin was so confused. 'What's a toffee cable?' he asked his mother.
His mother chuckled and said, 'Who do you think I am, Runny Babbit?!'"
Clue #1:"Once upon a time there was an 8 year old boy named Benjamin. He had giant potatoes growing in his ears, which sometimes made it hard for him to hear. For instance, one time he thought his father said, "I think my shoes are underneath my bread."
Clue #2:"One day Benjamin was confused because his father was talking about needing to go into a room for doing addition or subtraction. I think I would be confused, too!"
Clue #3: "Just yesterday, Benjamin and his friends were playing tag in the house. (His Mom wasn't very happy about it.)
'What's base?' Benjamin asked.
He was perplexed when they told him the base was his Claude's it!
'But I didn't ask who's it!' Benjamin grumbled. 'How come no one ever listens carefully?'"
Clue #4: Another time, Benjamin asked his mother if she had seen his Calvin and Hobbes book.
'I think it's on the toffee cable,' he thought she said.
Benjamin was so confused. 'What's a toffee cable?' he asked his mother.
His mother chuckled and said, 'Who do you think I am, Runny Babbit?!'"
Friday, March 7, 2008
Eight.
It's great to be 8. Or so Benjamin tells me. He celebrated his day by taking 2 dozen OSU colored cupcakes to school. (He's been properly brainwashed here in Buckeye country.) It was also the class "read in" today. So he had to take in a pillow and blanket. They had a couple hours of sacking out on the floor of their classroom reading books. For Benjamin, it was a perfect way to spend a birthday day.
Tonight after dinner, Benjamin was too excited about presents to go straight to cake. Todd had made a wonderful scavenger hunt for Benjamin to find clues and eventually presents. The clues followed a story that unfolded with each new piece of paper found. Todd pitched every one just right for the 8 year old boy sense of humor. My boys had all sorts of fun scurrying around the house trying to unravel the clue hidden within the story. I loved the noise and laughter of everyone happy and working towards a common goal.
I still can't believe that I have an eight year old. When did I get old enough for that?
And here is the birthday boy and his birthday pastries!
Tonight after dinner, Benjamin was too excited about presents to go straight to cake. Todd had made a wonderful scavenger hunt for Benjamin to find clues and eventually presents. The clues followed a story that unfolded with each new piece of paper found. Todd pitched every one just right for the 8 year old boy sense of humor. My boys had all sorts of fun scurrying around the house trying to unravel the clue hidden within the story. I loved the noise and laughter of everyone happy and working towards a common goal.
I still can't believe that I have an eight year old. When did I get old enough for that?
And here is the birthday boy and his birthday pastries!
You Really Can Slip on a Banana Peel
Okay, so the only thing Todd didn't do was slip on a banana peel. But everything else was straight out of slapstick comedy.
Tonight for Benjamin's birthday dinner, we had pizza. Todd couldn't find pot holders to get the pizza out of the oven, so he grabbed two kitchen towels. After pulling the pizza out of the oven, he shut the oven door with his foot. Unfortunately, the force upset the precariously balanced pots and pans that I had left on top of the stove to dry after I'd washed them.
Todd (still holding the hot pizza with the towels) slammed his body up against the oven to block the pots and pans from all falling on to the floor. In so doing, he managed to turn on all the gas burners (with his hip) and light the kitchen towels on fire.
The towels were thrown in the sink to get the fire put out, none of the pots fell down, and the pizza safely made it to the table. We all laughed. A lot.
Tonight for Benjamin's birthday dinner, we had pizza. Todd couldn't find pot holders to get the pizza out of the oven, so he grabbed two kitchen towels. After pulling the pizza out of the oven, he shut the oven door with his foot. Unfortunately, the force upset the precariously balanced pots and pans that I had left on top of the stove to dry after I'd washed them.
Todd (still holding the hot pizza with the towels) slammed his body up against the oven to block the pots and pans from all falling on to the floor. In so doing, he managed to turn on all the gas burners (with his hip) and light the kitchen towels on fire.
The towels were thrown in the sink to get the fire put out, none of the pots fell down, and the pizza safely made it to the table. We all laughed. A lot.
Blizzard
They announced on the radio this afternoon that our winter storm was being upgraded to a blizzard with 15 inches of snow expected. Apparently the difference between a winter storm and a blizzard is wind. Blizzards have more.
Which made me sad I had no more lists of crushes to make. But I did forget this one:
Linus Roache. I saw him in "The Priest" my freshman year of college and kept the playbill from it. (The snobby foreign film theater that I went to had playbills for each movie.) I was very excited to see him again in Batman Begins.
Which made me sad I had no more lists of crushes to make. But I did forget this one:
Linus Roache. I saw him in "The Priest" my freshman year of college and kept the playbill from it. (The snobby foreign film theater that I went to had playbills for each movie.) I was very excited to see him again in Batman Begins.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Whole Foods
So when my husband asked if I wanted to move away from the land of my birth, and having my children's grandparents one mile away, one of my very first questions was, "Is there a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe's and a Wild Oats?"
Had the answer been 'no' it would have been a total deal breaker. I am frugal to extremes. I almost never buy clothes or make up. I cut my hair once a year. I use the library instead of buying books and CDs. My kids wear second-hand clothes, and I keep our thermostat set so low that family members pack extra clothing when they come to visit us.
Food is not something I skimp on. I look for good deals there, too, but have no problems shelling out all sorts of money for locally raised meat and local veggies and eggs fresh from the farm. I'll take fresh and local over organic, but prefer all three.
I also appreciate that those stores tend to have some of the foods of home that I miss. After we'd been here a little less than a year, I popped into the closest grocery store because I was in the mood for rugelach. After wandering around for awhile, I realized that Ohioans don't generally know what rugelach is unless they're Jewish. For me, it was just a food I grew up with, something perennially at the grocery store and bakery. I can also find paneer and Irish butter. (Unrelated, but still two yummy favorites.)
Benjamin is turning 8 tomorrow. He decided that instead of a birthday cake, he wanted a bunch of different pastries from the bakery at Whole Foods. So, today I went and wandered the store while my kids were all in school. I felt like a little kid myself, practically slobbering on the glass as I tried to pick out a few yummies. I'll post a picture of my selections tomorrow with pictures of Benjamin's birthday, but here's a picture from Whole Foods to tide you over until then. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............
Had the answer been 'no' it would have been a total deal breaker. I am frugal to extremes. I almost never buy clothes or make up. I cut my hair once a year. I use the library instead of buying books and CDs. My kids wear second-hand clothes, and I keep our thermostat set so low that family members pack extra clothing when they come to visit us.
Food is not something I skimp on. I look for good deals there, too, but have no problems shelling out all sorts of money for locally raised meat and local veggies and eggs fresh from the farm. I'll take fresh and local over organic, but prefer all three.
I also appreciate that those stores tend to have some of the foods of home that I miss. After we'd been here a little less than a year, I popped into the closest grocery store because I was in the mood for rugelach. After wandering around for awhile, I realized that Ohioans don't generally know what rugelach is unless they're Jewish. For me, it was just a food I grew up with, something perennially at the grocery store and bakery. I can also find paneer and Irish butter. (Unrelated, but still two yummy favorites.)
Benjamin is turning 8 tomorrow. He decided that instead of a birthday cake, he wanted a bunch of different pastries from the bakery at Whole Foods. So, today I went and wandered the store while my kids were all in school. I felt like a little kid myself, practically slobbering on the glass as I tried to pick out a few yummies. I'll post a picture of my selections tomorrow with pictures of Benjamin's birthday, but here's a picture from Whole Foods to tide you over until then. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Crushes-the married years
You can guess from my topic what the weather is outside. I don't want to talk about it. It's been one of those crazy busy days, but I have 20 minutes while dinner is in the oven and before we have to leave for tap class. So, here is the next installment of the crushes series.
1) Hugh Grant. Really he belongs in the college years, but somehow I forgot him. Sorry, Hugh. The way you fumble simple sentences with your British accent and blue eyes looking so helpless, leaves us all a little powerless in your wake.
2) My other Hugh. Todd refers to Tuesday night as my "date with Hugh". I love Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House. I loved him in the British sketch show "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" and I love him as the ridiculous Bertie Wooster of "Jeeves and Wooster". And wasn't he delightful in "Sense and Sensibility"? (Admit it: most of you didn't even remember that he was in that movie!) He's an actor, a published author, and an amazing musician.
3) Orlando Bloom. As an elf, not as a pirate. Long blond hair, pointy ears, at one with nature. I wonder if he plays the guitar? Here's one of him with Vigo. (who doesn't do much for me but I'm hoping the mere sight of him will make Anne Marie blush!)
4) And while we're discussing dark hair dyed blond, let us discuss James Marsters, shall we? He was my favorite boy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Also plays the guitar and sings (and I haven't seen much that makes him in any other way likable, but I'm all for suspension of disbelief with regards to actors).
5) Topher Grace. Thank you, Beth, for reminding me of this one. He is simply adorable.
6) And the final one is Todd Smith. (Todd joked that he wouldn't let me publish this list if he weren't listed as my favorite guy.) Todd should technically be included in my high school crushes since that's when I fell head over heels "in like" with him. Every now and then I get a glimpse of him when he makes a certain face or grins in a certain way, and I see for a moment that wonderful 15 year old face that I first adored. He, too, is tall, skinny, musical, and has dark floppy hair. But mostly, he loves me. And he appreciates (finally! Teenage boys can be SO very vacant!) that I love him. He is immeasurably patient with me and my bizarreness and crassness and other idiosyncrasies, and I couldn't have imagined a better father to our children. So, all my crushes in all of their hormonal lustiness really amount to absolutely nothing. Because here is a real man and he's all mine...and he takes out the trash!
1) Hugh Grant. Really he belongs in the college years, but somehow I forgot him. Sorry, Hugh. The way you fumble simple sentences with your British accent and blue eyes looking so helpless, leaves us all a little powerless in your wake.
2) My other Hugh. Todd refers to Tuesday night as my "date with Hugh". I love Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House. I loved him in the British sketch show "A Bit of Fry and Laurie" and I love him as the ridiculous Bertie Wooster of "Jeeves and Wooster". And wasn't he delightful in "Sense and Sensibility"? (Admit it: most of you didn't even remember that he was in that movie!) He's an actor, a published author, and an amazing musician.
3) Orlando Bloom. As an elf, not as a pirate. Long blond hair, pointy ears, at one with nature. I wonder if he plays the guitar? Here's one of him with Vigo. (who doesn't do much for me but I'm hoping the mere sight of him will make Anne Marie blush!)4) And while we're discussing dark hair dyed blond, let us discuss James Marsters, shall we? He was my favorite boy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Also plays the guitar and sings (and I haven't seen much that makes him in any other way likable, but I'm all for suspension of disbelief with regards to actors).
5) Topher Grace. Thank you, Beth, for reminding me of this one. He is simply adorable.
6) And the final one is Todd Smith. (Todd joked that he wouldn't let me publish this list if he weren't listed as my favorite guy.) Todd should technically be included in my high school crushes since that's when I fell head over heels "in like" with him. Every now and then I get a glimpse of him when he makes a certain face or grins in a certain way, and I see for a moment that wonderful 15 year old face that I first adored. He, too, is tall, skinny, musical, and has dark floppy hair. But mostly, he loves me. And he appreciates (finally! Teenage boys can be SO very vacant!) that I love him. He is immeasurably patient with me and my bizarreness and crassness and other idiosyncrasies, and I couldn't have imagined a better father to our children. So, all my crushes in all of their hormonal lustiness really amount to absolutely nothing. Because here is a real man and he's all mine...and he takes out the trash!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Spiders
A few minutes ago, Nathaniel called out, "Mom, there's a spider where we're playing!"
I am anti killing spiders. If they are in my way, I will scoop them up and put them outside. If they're not in my way, I'm happy to let them eat all the other bugs. I had a symbiotic relationship with a spider back in our NJ dining room. She had a fantastic web in the corner that I only knocked down when company was coming. One day I walked into the dining room and it looked like there was a cheerio suspended from midair. It turned out it was just caught in her web, but it was cool to look at.
So, I gave Nathaniel the useful advice of , "Say 'hello' to the spider."
Nathaniel said as if he were speaking to a person, "Hello, spider. You are kind of in my space right now. We are playing here."
It made me giggle. I giggled even more when a few minutes later Nathaniel said, "Mom! The spider is still in my space!! He's really bugging me!" Then he realized what he'd just said and continued, "Haha! Get it?! Bugging me?!"
I like that my children have learned from me to not automatically kill bugs on sight. I like even more that they have learned to appreciate a good pun and a groan-worthy joke.
I am anti killing spiders. If they are in my way, I will scoop them up and put them outside. If they're not in my way, I'm happy to let them eat all the other bugs. I had a symbiotic relationship with a spider back in our NJ dining room. She had a fantastic web in the corner that I only knocked down when company was coming. One day I walked into the dining room and it looked like there was a cheerio suspended from midair. It turned out it was just caught in her web, but it was cool to look at.
So, I gave Nathaniel the useful advice of , "Say 'hello' to the spider."
Nathaniel said as if he were speaking to a person, "Hello, spider. You are kind of in my space right now. We are playing here."
It made me giggle. I giggled even more when a few minutes later Nathaniel said, "Mom! The spider is still in my space!! He's really bugging me!" Then he realized what he'd just said and continued, "Haha! Get it?! Bugging me?!"
I like that my children have learned from me to not automatically kill bugs on sight. I like even more that they have learned to appreciate a good pun and a groan-worthy joke.
Voices
I woke up around 3:45 a.m. this morning with allergies. (I spent yesterday pulling out bushes and trees that had the audacity to be where I didn't want them, but foolishly I didn't take any extra allergy medicine.) I couldn't fall back to sleep, so I got dressed for seminary and came downstairs with a blanket and curled up in the dark living room.
I was in that weird not quite awake not quite asleep place when I flashed back to something that happened on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. I was in the kitchen of our "new" house, unpacking boxes, and listening to NPR (WNYC, specifically). Suddenly the reception went out. I climbed off the counter and tried to fiddle with the antenna to get it back in, but nothing worked. I finally switched stations to 95.5 WPLJ. It was the station that I had listened to back in my commuting days and it was still coming in. I listened to the normally silly DJs as they recounted everything that was happening on their screens. We didn't own a TV at the time, so listening to them was all I had to inform me. I immediately called Todd's office and left a message, knowing that his train should have just been pulling into the WTC as everything happened. He didn't answer the phone and the quivery message that I left for him is one that he kept on his voice mail as long as he could. Then I went back to listening. The DJs started taking calls. And this is what was haunting me this morning. They took calls from people who were on the floors above the plane crash. The people were terrified, but amazingly coherent. They were calling for help and to let people know they were there. The DJs reassured them that there was no way the NYFD wouldn't get them out, and just to sit tight and wait. I still hear the background noise on the phone calls and the voices of the people who called in. The building collapsed a short time later and they all died.
It's been nearly seven years since all this happened. And yet when the memory comes unbidden, that's what I hear. I don't have the visual images that everyone else has even though I did eventually go to my in-laws to watch the news and wait to hear from Todd. What I have are voices of the dead. It sort of swipes my feet out from under me when it happens. Whenever the reception goes out on my radio, I have to take deep breaths so I don't burst into tears. Technical difficulties don't go over well with me.
How do people who actually go through this stuff deal with it? I was so much on the periphery of everything. The whole thing didn't really affect me directly and yet I feel like this still. What do people do who were actually there? Or who live through wars or other horrific events? And does it fade? Will I be waking up 50 years from now hearing those same voices?
I was in that weird not quite awake not quite asleep place when I flashed back to something that happened on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. I was in the kitchen of our "new" house, unpacking boxes, and listening to NPR (WNYC, specifically). Suddenly the reception went out. I climbed off the counter and tried to fiddle with the antenna to get it back in, but nothing worked. I finally switched stations to 95.5 WPLJ. It was the station that I had listened to back in my commuting days and it was still coming in. I listened to the normally silly DJs as they recounted everything that was happening on their screens. We didn't own a TV at the time, so listening to them was all I had to inform me. I immediately called Todd's office and left a message, knowing that his train should have just been pulling into the WTC as everything happened. He didn't answer the phone and the quivery message that I left for him is one that he kept on his voice mail as long as he could. Then I went back to listening. The DJs started taking calls. And this is what was haunting me this morning. They took calls from people who were on the floors above the plane crash. The people were terrified, but amazingly coherent. They were calling for help and to let people know they were there. The DJs reassured them that there was no way the NYFD wouldn't get them out, and just to sit tight and wait. I still hear the background noise on the phone calls and the voices of the people who called in. The building collapsed a short time later and they all died.
It's been nearly seven years since all this happened. And yet when the memory comes unbidden, that's what I hear. I don't have the visual images that everyone else has even though I did eventually go to my in-laws to watch the news and wait to hear from Todd. What I have are voices of the dead. It sort of swipes my feet out from under me when it happens. Whenever the reception goes out on my radio, I have to take deep breaths so I don't burst into tears. Technical difficulties don't go over well with me.
How do people who actually go through this stuff deal with it? I was so much on the periphery of everything. The whole thing didn't really affect me directly and yet I feel like this still. What do people do who were actually there? Or who live through wars or other horrific events? And does it fade? Will I be waking up 50 years from now hearing those same voices?
Monday, March 3, 2008
Haircuts
Today was the day. Nathaniel and Caleb went for hair cuts today. Nathaniel was very excited to get his long hair chopped off so he could "look like Dad" again.
Caleb, however had to be chased around the shop for a few minutes before the hairstylist and I managed to wrestle him into the chair. He kicked and screamed the whole time. I wanted to cry as I watched all his pretty long, blond hair falling to the floor. He was able to donate a ponytail's worth, but still. Such prettiness. Gone. I'm not too melodramatic, or anything. I couldn't get a "before" shot of Caleb due to the chasing and holding him down thing, so here's one from a few weeks ago.
Before During
After
And here are my two little boys afterwards finding the last patch of snow in the neighborhood (BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE SPRING TODAY!!!!!) They have goofy faces because they are chewing on ice.
Caleb, however had to be chased around the shop for a few minutes before the hairstylist and I managed to wrestle him into the chair. He kicked and screamed the whole time. I wanted to cry as I watched all his pretty long, blond hair falling to the floor. He was able to donate a ponytail's worth, but still. Such prettiness. Gone. I'm not too melodramatic, or anything. I couldn't get a "before" shot of Caleb due to the chasing and holding him down thing, so here's one from a few weeks ago.
Before During 
AfterAnd here are my two little boys afterwards finding the last patch of snow in the neighborhood (BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE SPRING TODAY!!!!!) They have goofy faces because they are chewing on ice.
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