Laugh and the world laughs with you.

I went to my second dance class tonight. It was a lesson in humiliation.

The teacher was really late because she forgot what time it started. So the dance studio owner suggested we should warm up with the girls who had their jazz class starting. On the surface, that sounded like a good idea. I like stretching and warming up with my teacher. We roll our necks, stretch our muscles, and gently try to fold ourselves in half. This was not my experience tonight.

First, you have to factor in the fact that I am a chubby mom in her 30's, and the girls in the class are teens and skinny. Worse, I know several of them. Sorry girls. Then you have to know how they warm up. They are contortionists. And they are cruel. First we did crunches. I can handle crunches,but after the first set they had us put our legs up in the air for the second set of crunches. Okay... I did it, but felt awkward. Then they told us to do airsplits while crunching. Their legs made nearly straight lines. Mine made a narrow "V". Be glad you didn't have to see it.

Next up were lunges. Okay... here we go. I bent one knee and stretched out over it with my other leg straight behind me. Survived that maneuver. Then they told us to stick our rears up in the air and bend over with legs straight in a scissor pose. Cruel, cruel, cruel girls. Try not to picture it; it wasn't pretty.

Then... oh my... then... well she told us to do the splits. I haven't done the splits in 30 years. She said if we can't do that, then just do a pseudo split. She didn't leave any other options for those who can't do pseudo splits. You can't even fake it in a situation like this. I just sat and did a lateral split.. you, know, where both legs are together in front of you.

Next everyone stood up, and needed to line up in rows, and make turns across the floor. At this point I bowed out. I had images of me getting dizzy and knocking some cruel innocent over, or whacking one of them with an arm when I tried to position them right. I am not sure whether bowing out was a better idea because I didn't want to hurt them or because I might have gotten a measure of satisfaction out of it after that cruel warm-up.

Either way... I still love the class. I still feel ridiculous in it, and I am sure I look completely comical, but I will keep going. I will hold my chin up and not let myself feel stupid there. I will forgive Johanna for abandoning me to the mercies of skinny teenagers when she was supposed to be in class this week too. And eventually it will pay off. Eating less, walking everyday, and going to dance class each week has to end up having some positive benefits, even if every muscle in my body is screaming and begging me not to do this to them anymore.

I just hope our teacher shows up on time next week.

Never Forgotten

There are some things that I never want to forget. One of those is how I felt seven years ago as I watched that second plane fly into the World Trade Center. I never want to be complacent about the safety of the citizens of the US. I never want to stop holding terrorists and those who aide them accountable. And I never want them to have the opportunity to enact this sort of evil again. Our country has so many problems, but I am grateful that our government, our military, and our civil servants have done all they can to prevent more attacks on our own soil. I know the terrorists haven't given up trying. We never should either.




A few years ago, a veteran named Bob took me through a part of Arlington Cemetary that I had to have special access to see. He took me to a fence and showed me where the attack on the Pentagon had occurred. As I stood in that cemetary, surrounded by the tombstones of soldiers who had served our country, and looked upon that scene, I was overwhelmed in a way I cannot desribe.

Today, my thoughts and prayers are with the survivors, the victims and their families, and with our country.

This is a layout I made as a letter to Todd Beamer. Did you all know that we named our Todd after him? In his own way, my Todd is also a hero. He is a bone marrow donor match for Chet.

Today is a blood drive at my church. Giving blood is free. It saves lives. Please go to a local blood drive or your local blood bank and donate. Be a part of that life-saving gift. And until the 22nd of this month (which happens to be Chet's birthday) the National Marrow Donor Registry is waiving the fees to register to become a registered bone marrow donor. Please don't overthink this. To be a donor is simple. If you are ever called to be a donor, it does not hurt the way you may have been lead to believe it does. You are sore for a day or two. You go home the same day you donate. You spend the rest of your life knowing you made a difference. You can save lives. You can use your marrow to restore health to somebody who has no other alternative. Please, get involved. Click here for more information.

Update:
It looks like you can't follow a link directly to the sponsored page. I called NMDR, and Sherry told me we have to follow a certain path for it to be free because of their security issues to avoid hacking.

First go to www.marrow.org

On the right side of the screen, under the cord blood box is a box that says "Events" Click on the link that says "Nascar Foundation Drive." About 3/4 of the way down that page, you will click on "join online now." Then finish filling in the paperwork and the Promo Code will automatically generate. I know it is a couple of extra clicks, but please don't let that deter you from joining!!

Weekend Junque

I have several more pictures from last weekend ready to share, but Blogger hasn't been letting me upload them. I will try again tonight. Here is what I have so far. My friend Crystal N. and her daughter Meghan came over to scrap and play last Saturday. Crystal took me to a new bakery in town, and I am in heaven. They make lots of incredibly yummy baked goods, but the best part is that they have Tres Leche, and they make it really, really, well... almost too well. This temptation is right across the street from my office. Oh my. If you have never had GOOD Tres Leche (milk cake) you really have to do yourself the favor of having some before you die. It is so yummy!

Crystal's dad works at the hatchery and is able to give her the eggs that don't make it through inspection. Some of the eggs are double-yolked (more to come on that later) and some are too small, and then there are others, like this one, that are just comically deformed. (Kyle had been building mudpies, hence the very dirty little hand.)

This is one of my favorite scenes when I am driving home. I love the tree tunnels. This time of year they are really starting to get pretty. The leaves are changing colors, but haven't fallen all the way off yet. I really want to find one of these where it is safe to let the kids walk along it while I take pictures. The corners are too sharp here, though, and the cars come too fast for me to risk it.

Sunday was a busy afternoon as well. Faith signed up for volleyball and had her first practice in the afternoon. She is catching on pretty quickly, and likes it so far. Her wrists are a little sore, but she will get used to it. Several of the girls on her team are in her class at school, so I think she likes it even more because of that.


After we practice we came back home, and Nathan & Crystal brought over burgers and hotdogs. After dinner, Nathan went outside and played basketball with the kids for a while. I was so tired by this point that I wasn't a very good hostess at all. Sorry about that guys!

I just wanted to show you the hamburgers and steaks my neighbors are raising. This is part of their backyard, which conjoins with ours. Some mornings I wake up with these guys right outside my window mooing and hollering. I have learned how to tell when a baby and a mama get seperated. When I went out to take their picture they were all facing me. That big scary camera scares them off everytime, though, and then one always gets brave enough to stop and turn back and try to scare me off like the one in the middle. Don't worry mama cow... I am not going to eat you. Yet.

My inner Andy Warhol

I wanted to make a new avatar with a current picture, so I asked Jack to take a picture of me before he went to work. This one came out okay, and I will probably end up using it. It just looks like I am missing an eye. Then Faith wanted to take some of me when we were inside. I said okay, but didn't check the settings on the camera. I had it in full manual mode, and at 10 Faith isn't really ready to tackle aperture, shutter speed, and focus. Therefore, the pictures all came out fuzzy, and the lighting created some extremely odd shadows in some parts of my face and washed out other parts. I don't end up on this end of the camera very often, though, so I thought I would play with some filters on them and see what I came up with. Come along and laugh with me.

This is my ghosty look. Ethereal white is in vogue, right? Beyond being fuzzy and strangely lit, I want to reach in this photo and fix my bangs. Stupid cowlick.

My alien DNA is showing in this one.

Hello high forehead.
Boo. Scary isn't it?
I am going to be taking some family photos for Crystal and Nathan soon. Would you guys prefer the missing eye look, or the alien or ghosty settings???

Labor Day festivities

I wasn't feeling well Sunday, so Jack dropped Matt and Faith off at church and I pretended to sleep in. Someday my kids will learn that "sleeping in" means I shouldn't have to get up until 9 0r 10. 7:30 is not sleeping in. At least not in my nightowl world.

Tyler spent the weekend with us. We have taken to calling him our stepson since he is here about half the time. I really don't mind, and have even given him a list of chores he has to do when he is here. We loaded him and the kids up on Monday morning and took them all to the Labor Day parade.
The powers to be have decided it isn't a good idea for the paraders to throw candy at the kids. It has been deemed too dangerous. However, the kids were told they could walk out in the parade path and get candy from the people riding in the exhibits. That seems much safer, doncha think? So this parade didn't bring the candy windfall they were expecting, but Todd did get an apple.
To assuage my lingering guilt feelings, I let Matt drive down the dirtroad to the house. He is taking driving pretty seriously,thus the lollipop stick in his mouth. He should have his license pretty soon.

Tuesday was Beth's first day of preschool. She got her nametag, and headed off to play on the playground after giving us a quick hug and kiss goodbye. She loves her class and her teacher. I hate leaving her there. The school is great, but I miss spending all day with her. And nothing is going to change that feeling, no matter what justifications can be made about benefits of preschool.

Tuesday night was the family night at the county fair... aka FREE!!! Matt went to the girls' volleyball games again to show his support (flirt). I took the other kids and we spent the night playing games like Barnyard Football (throw a potato through a tire)

And Pass the Chicken. (an egg relay toss.)
Faith did well at the Pass the Chicken game until she tried to catch an egg with her foot. Ew.

There were lots of other games we played, as well as watching the turtle races, but nothing was taken as seriously as the cake walk. Beth tried so hard to win her own, but she got tired from hopping around those stones. Faith and Todd took over for her and won her a blue cupcake.

As they played each game they collected tickets, and then used them to buy prizes. Todd only wanted one prize; this goofy straw hat. It took twenty tickets so he had to go back and play a couple of games over again. He finally earned it, though, and was wearing it when he picked up a fuzzy chick.
Tonight I did something I didn't think I would ever get to do. I started attending a modern/contemporary dance class. Oh my goodness. I had fun. I loved the stretching, but 35 has never felt so old on me! There will be no pictures of me doing this until I have retrieved some of the grace I occasionally had in my younger days and I have lost the love handles that apparently have hidden muscles that are screaming at me now. I gained back half the weight I lost last winter, but nothing has motivated me to get it off faster than to see myself trying to stay balanced in that ridiculously large mirror. My friend Crystal watched the kids for me while I went (thank you!!!) and then she dyed my hair when I got back. I think having a headful of bright red hair will be appropriate when I enact my version of Lucille Ball in next week's dance class.

History has just been made!!

Oh, there was so much about Sarah Palin's speech I loved, but let me just focus on the very best part of the whole thing for a moment. I don't think this has ever happened before. It will probably never be done again. But when we look back on tonight's convention speeches, I will be able to say that I was watching during the fist spit bath ever given during a Vice Presidential nomination acceptance speech!

Politically Fired Up!!

Alright... I have some Democrat friends out there, and if you need to , go ahead and close your eyes for this post! :0)

I am so excited about this election now! I am sitting here watching the RNC, and I just cannot wait to vote!

When I read of Senator McCain's choice for VP I stood up in my chair at work and WHOO-HOOed. You may not know this about me, but I was raised in politics. I stuffed and sealed more fundraising envelopes than I can count. I attended fundraisers on Wayne Newton's property, and I sang at a fundraiser event where Ronald Reagan and George Bush were speaking during their presidential campaign. I remember being dressed in my red, white, and blue suit and attending that speech, and feeling the energy and excitement in that room. This is the first election since I have been old enough to vote that I have felt that fired up about a candidate! The McCain/Palin ticket makes me want to go out and campaign for them! My mom was able to attend the RNC for the Reagan/Bush nomination, and as I am sitting here watching this RNC I really wish I could be in MN watching it live! Just how does one become a delegate???

I have always liked McCain, and everything I read about Sarah Palin makes me like her even more. She is smart, she has guts and gumption, and more importantly, she represents my values and political leanings. I am not going to list all the political reasons I like her or McCain; those are issues being debated all over right now. But let me just quote Guiliani for a moment... "How DARE they question whether Sarah Palin can be Vice President and have enough time to spend with her children!" Amen, Brother! That absurd question brings to mind an image. Did anybody ever question this presidential candidate how he would make time for his young children in the service of his country???



And another favorite quote from another speaker tonight..."Drill, Baby, Drill!"

I am going to log off now because she is about to come on and speak. Can you hear me applauding up there in MN???

A photographic weekend

After a busy afternoon of catching frogs yesterday, Beth convinced Faith to give her a hair and make-up makeover. A few hairclips and lipgloss applications later they were ready for photos. Dear Future Teenage Boys - These girls will never be allowed to date. We will be arranging marriages for them when they are 30.

Jack came in this morning with a bowlful of veggies from my garden. The tomatoes are finally turning red. The humongous cucumbers (about 4 inches round) were a surprise. Jack found a volunteer plant in the back of the garden with a whole bunch of them. At this size, they are too woody to eat, but those tomatoes and peppers will be on the menu tonight!

I took a break from designing last night and scrapped a couple of pages. I am hoping to make a couple more tonight, headache permitting. Perhaps some homemade pico de gallo will be a good antedote for this recurring migraine!

Why I won't be Mother of the Year 2008

I picked Matt up the other night from the concert he had gone to, and he told me he had hurt his finger at practice. It looked a little swollen, but since he hadn't told his coaches about it and it didn't seem to be hurting him too much I told him to ice it and take some ibuprofin and go to bed.

The next morning it was even more swollen, so I told him I would call the doctor to make an appointment to look at it, and I would come get him from school when it was time to go. He called me at work about an hour later and said his coaches thought he had just jammed it, and that they were going to tape it up. He said don't worry about going to the doctor's since it would just need time to heal. I should have listened to my own instincts and taken him.

He woke up this morning with an extremely swollen hand, and when Jack saw it he said he thought Matt's finger was broken. He took him into the ER, and yep... one broken digit. I feel so bad. They got him all splinted up, and he will still be able to play football. The finger should be healed in about 4-6 weeks. I should stop feeling bad for not following my own intuition about taking him in for x-rays in about 4-6 years.

While they were visiting with the ER crew, I spent some time outside with the other kids. Todd kept us entertained as he rocked out on the two-stringed ukelele.

And Beth was busy with her favorite pasttime--- finding frogs.

"Let us out!! Chirp! Let us out now! Chirp,chirp, chirp!"

Why am I showing you a jelly jar with a bit of Kool-aid in it? Because Kyle has embraced country life in every aspect. The last time I went grocery shopping I bought some Blackburn jam in these pint-sized jugs. Kyle saw them when we were putting away groceries and said,"When this is empty I am cleaning it to use it as my cup!" That is exactly what he did. It isn't really Kool-aid... we drink Crystal Light to avoid the sugar and calories of Kool-aid, but the kids call it Kool-aid. Is there anything that says "country life" more than a jelly jar of kool-aid on the porch railing?
Well, maybe wild sunflowers growing in your yard do. Todd found these today and picked them for me. I have one child drinking out of mason jars, and on the other end of the spectrum is the child filling the drinking cups with flowers. And I can't be the only one who finds it funny that my very masculine boy is picking flowers while my girly-girl daughter is catching frogs. Such is life on my pumkpin farm.

So how did you spend your Saturday?

Overheard

Kyle and Todd were talking about how school has been going. In the midst of talking about which girls chased them, and what grades they got on their tests, Kyle said, "It is good now that I got my guts back." Todd asked him what he meant. Kyle told him that he called me that first day of school because he was scared, and "then Mom came back to the school to give me guts again."

And Todd said, "Mom came and didn't come see me?" Kyle said "You didn't need guts right then like I did."

I guess Kyle already sees the bigger picture. And he hasn't even said I can't be in charge of his childhood photo slide at his wedding. Katherine, it brought tears to my eyes too!

I love my kids. I am so grateful for the moments like these. When I held these babies there were lots of things I wanted for them and lots of ideas I had for what our relationship should be like. But you know, I never really thought of my role as being a restorer of "guts". Don't you love the way little boys think?

Which American Accent?

When we first moved out here, my brother was teasing me and asking me when I would develop my hillbilly accent. There is a range of different accents in the area I am in, but head down south a bit and it gets very twangy. This test was right in that I speak without an accent, but I have found myself lately saying things with a bit of a drawl that never existed before. Kyle has become Ky-al. I still don't "warsh" my clothes, though, and I still eat lunch, not supper.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland   "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
The West
Boston
North Central
The South
Philadelphia
The Northeast
The Inland North
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

A Calm Week

Other than Matt, who has been gone every night at practices, a concert, and attending a volleyball game (AKA flirting with the volleyball team) we have all had a quiet week.

Faith, Todd, and Beth were all promoted to the next Sunday School class on Sunday. Faith received a Bible, and they all got certificates. I can't stand that Beth isn't in the nursery anymore. I think babyhood should last a lot longer than it does!

We spend every Tuesday at the church cooking a community dinner for anybody who wants to eat. It is a mission that has been growing, and last Tuesday we fed 111 people. I love when Kevin brings his guitar on Tuesdays and sings during the dinner. Faith usually sings with him, and it is good practice. Beth has been listening all along, hearing the songs in church and as Faith practices them around the house. Actually, Faith is always singing when she isn't talking.

Anyway, I digress... Beth has been learning these songs, and at 4 years old seems intent on being a part of the praise band in years to come. She sat down with Faith and Kevin the other night and sang along. All on her own. In front of a room full of people. We could hear her in the kitchen. My astonished heart was bursting with pride. This is the same little girl who has spent years hiding behind my legs. I wish I'd had my video camera!

My kids think pizza is a food group in and of its own. They really love when I make either homemade pizza or mini muffin pizzas. We went for the mini muffin version the other night. I like to buy the big pepperoni from the deli counter. It tastes better than the packaged version, I can have it cut as thin as I want it, it costs less, and one piece fits perfectly across the top of the muffin. According to Todd, these make me the "Best Pizza Cook in the Whole World." Ironic since I don't particularly like pizza myself.

I showed you some Suprise Lilies the other day, but when I came home and found all the raindrops sprinkled on them I had to take another picture. I might enter this one in the fair.



Jack has been working nights, and I am reveling in the quiet at night. After dinner, clean-up, baths, and bedtime, I have a clean and quiet house all to myself. I have been getting a lot of design work done, and even scrapped a couple of layouts. It won't last, of course. Regular football games, youth activities, and other things are starting next week. Faith is signing up for volleyball tomorrow (because we didn't have enough sports activities on our calendar) and the county fair is next week. I am thinking of entering some of my pictures into the photography contest at the fair. I need to decide which ones, though. I am looking forward to all of it, but for now I am really, really, seriously, I mean really enjoying my quiet nights at home. If anybody has yahoo messenger and wants to chat, just holler!

Both of these layouts are made using kits I designed last week. Beth is still trying to sneak frogs into the house. This one was chirping as he desperately tried to escape her clutches. Poor frog. She is the girliest tomboy I have ever met!



I am looking forward to the quiet weekend, and the kids are excited about the parade on Monday. There weren't many pictures to share this week, but that is all going to change next week. See you then!

Need another good laugh or two?

This blog ranks right up there with lolcats. I am still wiping away tears from laughing so hard at the sexual harassment cake. Enjoy!

Cake Wrecks

Seeing Red

We looked out the back window yesterday and saw spots of red in the garden. Could it be? Is it possible my tomatoes are finally beginning to ripen? Keeping my thoughts of pico de gallo in check, we wandered out to see. The heat of the last few days seems to be working, and throughout the tomato rows there are spots of green tomatoes turning red.

These tomatoes are still green, but even if they ripen tomorrow I will not be picking them. Henry the garden spider has spun a huge web around the front of this plant, and was busy snacking on a grasshopper he had trapped in his web. These tomatoes are huge, and will be lovely when fully ripened, I am sure, but as far as I am concerned Henry can have them. I will not be weaving my hand around his web to get to them!

Fueling my pico de gallo fantasies, the roma tomato plants are heavily laden. Unfortunately, there aren't enough yet for a full bowl of heaven on a chip. The jalapenos are ready.. in fact I have enough for a couple of trays full of pepper poppers. But I am keeping some on the vine to add to my pico when the day finally comes.

I did pick some of the green tomatoes that Henry hasn't built a home on. I gave these to a friend, but am thinking of going out to get some more to try my hand at fried green tomatoes. I have never made them before, but I do love the movie. In fact, I need some comedy in my life. Does anybody want to come over to cook them with me and re-enact the food fight scene? Actually, lets do it at your house. I just mopped my floor.


Speaking of seeing red, Friday was the Meet the Tigers pep rally. We all came to eat free food and watched as Matt and the other athletes were introduced.
In the middle of the different sports teams being introduced, this year's boys track team was brought forward. This is Matt's first year in track.

After a few more introductions, the senior baseball team was brought forward. I think, but am not positive, that they need at least one more boy on the team. He knows there is that age and grade level requirement hurdle he would have to overcome, but Kyle wants them to know he would gladly fill in if they need him.

A few more teams were brought out, and then the senior football was brought forward for the grand finale. Matt is the last one in the back row.

After the rally was over, Matt told me he and his good friends wanted a "buddy pic."
They have their first jamboree on Tuesday. Good luck guys!

Are you ready for some football???

The school is having its big pep rally on Friday where all of this year's athletes are introduced. The football games begin in just a couple of weeks. There will be lots of pictures taken, and hopefully I will actually have the camcorder turned on for Matt's key game moments this year.

I thought I should actually scrap some of his photos from last year before I start filling the harddrive with new ones. Now, if you don't live here, you may not know that Matt isn't really known as "Matt" in school, or even around town. When we arrived here two years ago, he was the third Matt on the team. In an effort to keep them sorted out, his coaches starting calling my Matt "Vegas" since we had just completed our exodus from that infamous desert. The name has stuck. All the kids call him Vegas, the coaches call him Vegas, and his friends ask me about Vegas when he isn't around. In fact, I have twice in the last two months been recognized as "Vegas' mom." I don't mind at all, and I think it is actually pretty cool when the announcer calls his play and announces his name as "Vegas Wellborn."

This year he will have a new jersey number ... the one I think he will keep for the rest of his high school career. He is also playing a new position. Tight end. I can't wait for the games to start. I will be there cheering and shooting from the sidelines. It will be easy to spot me. I will be the one in the shirt that says "Vegas" on the back.