Well, I didn't get to the bookstore or the library - found out the grandgirlies (& my big girl & her hubby) would be spending the day with us today, so I went to the grocery store & stocked up on goodies instead, & cooked up a storm (well, actually a ham, sweet potatoes, baked beans, au gratin potatoes, brownies & spiced cider) which were all gobbled up in no time today.
The little girls had a great time with dressing up Zoe in all her costumes, over on the "allsorts" site (if you have kids & haven't seen this, you need to check it out - SO cute & fun for kids!) & we big girls crafted up treat bags, etc for the pre-k class my daughter teaches. Good times...
Tonight, Desperate Housewives is on, & I am SOOO ready to be in my pj's & under a fuzzy afghan in front of the tube...maybe with a bottle of applebeer.
All Hallow's Eve-eve at its best.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Dress-Up
So what do you think? I was getting tired of all those polka dots & thought it might be nice to have a change, since I still am unable to post photos/graphics, I thought I'd at least try some different templates out for Some visual interest! Can't do much else with it for now, so I'll just play blog "dress-up" & put a different costume on it each post!
Sorry I don't have much else to offer today (though I'm going to the library & bookstore to see if I can make myself at least a teensier bit more knowledgeable on this whole web/blogging thingy - cross your fingers! There's hope for me yet [I hope]!) (Is there a limit to the number of parentheses & brackets you can use in one sentence? [Hope not!])
Have a good day everyone - if I get a little more edumacated today, I'll try some of that knowledge out here later tonight. TTFN.
Sorry I don't have much else to offer today (though I'm going to the library & bookstore to see if I can make myself at least a teensier bit more knowledgeable on this whole web/blogging thingy - cross your fingers! There's hope for me yet [I hope]!) (Is there a limit to the number of parentheses & brackets you can use in one sentence? [Hope not!])
Have a good day everyone - if I get a little more edumacated today, I'll try some of that knowledge out here later tonight. TTFN.
Friday, October 28, 2005
When Your Inner Child Throws a Tantrum - Throw Something Back
A disclaimer: This blog contains much whining & some kvetching. The contents of this blog may bore some viewers to tears. If you feel this may apply to you, you may want to avoid viewing today's episode. You should probably consult a physician if you experience symptoms similar to those described in the blog. Reading this blog (or viewing the movie described therein) is NOT a substitute for actual medical care, no matter what you may think this blog says.
I'm STILL dealing with a sinus infection while healing up from dental work. So I went back today to the Dr. to get New, Improved meds - Now With More Germ-Fighting Power! - since the ones I've been on have been total slackers - Hello! it's been 10 days! Time to work now! (Which by the way, is what my boss & co-workers would like ME to do - & me too, since I really like getting a paycheck). And while my outer grown-up is sick & tired of being sick & tired & not working, my Inner Child has been pouting & throwing tantrums ("I hate being sick & never getting to play! I HATE IT, I HATE IT, I HATE IT!!!")
So, while waiting for my prescription to get filled, I took my Inner Child to the movies to see a cartoon (Wallace & Grommit - Curse of the WereRabbit). And It Was Good (both the movie & the Inner Child - it sat very still through the whole movie without whining once, & even laughed lots to itself. I mean me; myself. Oh you know what I mean!)
Anyway, I think that may have been the best medicine I've had all week; I felt better after the movie, even BEFORE I took the new med.
Next time I'm feeling sick, I think I'll find a good comedy to watch first, before I ever go to the doctor. It'd be a lot cheaper & it's certainly a heck of lot more fun!
(Remember the disclaimer at the beginning? Well, this is where you're supposed to remember it! So don't mess around & not go to the doctor when you don't feel well, just because I say silly things in my blog! However, AFTER you see your doctor, feel free to go to a funny movie & laugh your head off - it just might feel better - once you pick it up & put it back on...make sure you wash all that icky stuff from the theater floor off it, though - ooo, yuck! Is that someone's gum down there in the popcorn?)
I'm STILL dealing with a sinus infection while healing up from dental work. So I went back today to the Dr. to get New, Improved meds - Now With More Germ-Fighting Power! - since the ones I've been on have been total slackers - Hello! it's been 10 days! Time to work now! (Which by the way, is what my boss & co-workers would like ME to do - & me too, since I really like getting a paycheck). And while my outer grown-up is sick & tired of being sick & tired & not working, my Inner Child has been pouting & throwing tantrums ("I hate being sick & never getting to play! I HATE IT, I HATE IT, I HATE IT!!!")
So, while waiting for my prescription to get filled, I took my Inner Child to the movies to see a cartoon (Wallace & Grommit - Curse of the WereRabbit). And It Was Good (both the movie & the Inner Child - it sat very still through the whole movie without whining once, & even laughed lots to itself. I mean me; myself. Oh you know what I mean!)
Anyway, I think that may have been the best medicine I've had all week; I felt better after the movie, even BEFORE I took the new med.
Next time I'm feeling sick, I think I'll find a good comedy to watch first, before I ever go to the doctor. It'd be a lot cheaper & it's certainly a heck of lot more fun!
(Remember the disclaimer at the beginning? Well, this is where you're supposed to remember it! So don't mess around & not go to the doctor when you don't feel well, just because I say silly things in my blog! However, AFTER you see your doctor, feel free to go to a funny movie & laugh your head off - it just might feel better - once you pick it up & put it back on...make sure you wash all that icky stuff from the theater floor off it, though - ooo, yuck! Is that someone's gum down there in the popcorn?)
Thursday, October 27, 2005
A Halloween Kitchen Mystery
Everyone has such clever Halloween blogs, with cool banners & ghost stories....my blog envy grows by leaps & bounds!
The only remotely spooky thing I have to offer is THE MYSTERY OF THE POTS & PANS!!
Actually, come to think of it, it was a pot & a spoon....Tonight, inanimate objects in my kitchen have decided to move about inexplicably on their own.
At the time of the Incident, the cats were all accounted for, vegging in front of the tube tonight with my hubby & me; the girly was at a play rehearsal at the college; the dogs were outside, taking care of business; the rabbit was in his bathroom and the frogs & fish minding their own business in their bathroom (well, technically in their aquarium, in their bathroom) - NO ONE (that we know of) was in the kitchen, though someone HAD left the light on (tsk,tsk) - when the pot & spoon that had been sitting on the stove (empty, thankfully), decided they just couldn't take it anymore, & decided to JUMP from the stove, onto the floor (like 2 feet AWAY from the stove)!
Now, they did have good reason to be depressed, because I am not known for my promptness in housekeeping (obviously, since we'd finished eating, yet there on the stove they sat; but still, if everything in this house that's neglected started behaving this way, it would look even more like a tornado had been thru here than it already does! (And frankly the laundry would have had much more of a reason to try to end it all - some of my husbands socks can stand on their own, I'm surprised they haven't tried to make a run for it yet!)
We do live in earthquake country, but nothing else moved...Or some sort of magnetic anomaly? Has anyone else experienced this? There may be a pandemic of pans spontaneously springing around on their own. Perhaps they've gotten ideas by us watching "Beauty & the Beast" one too many times with the grandgirlies. We do read nursery rhymes to the little ones, too - perhaps they were running away like the dish & the spoon?
I am trying to maintain a humorous attitude about this, but I have to admit, it did leave me feeling a little spooked & nervous....& really glad we'd had soup for dinner & not something requiring forks, knives or a cleaver!
Ok, on that note, you'll have to excuse me now - I have to go duct-tape the utensil drawers shut.....
(Silly as it all sounds - this really DID happen tonight! Anyone have a rational explanation, I hope?!?)
The only remotely spooky thing I have to offer is THE MYSTERY OF THE POTS & PANS!!
Actually, come to think of it, it was a pot & a spoon....Tonight, inanimate objects in my kitchen have decided to move about inexplicably on their own.
At the time of the Incident, the cats were all accounted for, vegging in front of the tube tonight with my hubby & me; the girly was at a play rehearsal at the college; the dogs were outside, taking care of business; the rabbit was in his bathroom and the frogs & fish minding their own business in their bathroom (well, technically in their aquarium, in their bathroom) - NO ONE (that we know of) was in the kitchen, though someone HAD left the light on (tsk,tsk) - when the pot & spoon that had been sitting on the stove (empty, thankfully), decided they just couldn't take it anymore, & decided to JUMP from the stove, onto the floor (like 2 feet AWAY from the stove)!
Now, they did have good reason to be depressed, because I am not known for my promptness in housekeeping (obviously, since we'd finished eating, yet there on the stove they sat; but still, if everything in this house that's neglected started behaving this way, it would look even more like a tornado had been thru here than it already does! (And frankly the laundry would have had much more of a reason to try to end it all - some of my husbands socks can stand on their own, I'm surprised they haven't tried to make a run for it yet!)
We do live in earthquake country, but nothing else moved...Or some sort of magnetic anomaly? Has anyone else experienced this? There may be a pandemic of pans spontaneously springing around on their own. Perhaps they've gotten ideas by us watching "Beauty & the Beast" one too many times with the grandgirlies. We do read nursery rhymes to the little ones, too - perhaps they were running away like the dish & the spoon?
I am trying to maintain a humorous attitude about this, but I have to admit, it did leave me feeling a little spooked & nervous....& really glad we'd had soup for dinner & not something requiring forks, knives or a cleaver!
Ok, on that note, you'll have to excuse me now - I have to go duct-tape the utensil drawers shut.....
(Silly as it all sounds - this really DID happen tonight! Anyone have a rational explanation, I hope?!?)
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Family Art Show
Here's the idea I passed on to another blogger earlier today - so if you read this on My Weblog (Molly Chicken) already, I apologize. Actually, I apologize to everyone who's ever had these ideas already published - I told you they weren't all that original, I'm just adding my own little twists here & there.
OK - you're dying to work on your own art - but the kids want every iota of your attention; they are Bored with a capital B. So gather the crayons & every scrap of paper you can find, because in a minute - NOT YET! - you're going to announce that there will be an Art Show at __ o'clock [choose the time based on a) the age & attention span of the kids - give yourself at least 1/2 an hour; b) the amount of paper you have for them to draw on - & paper bags or old newspapers can work here if need be!]
BUT FIRST:
BEFORE announcing the art show - quickly get some ribbon scraps (one per child) & with a marker, write: "Winner 8 yr old div." or whatever age applies, one ribbon per child. No ribbon? No prob - just do the same thing on pieces of paper (remember - kids are not as picky as adults & usually they like it that an adult took the time to play along this far with them). But whatever you use - DO THIS BEFORE YOU EVEN TELL THEM ABOUT IT. For one thing, it piques their curiousity "What are you doing?" "You'll see in a minute, if you're quiet." (This usually will buy 3- 5 min. of semi-quiet, "What do you think she's doing?", "I dunno! Shhh!" For another, you don't want to cut into the time you're carving out for yourself by doing this while they're drawing! That's YOUR time! No matter how tempted you may be, at least the first few times, try the ribbon or paper award ONLY, to see if you can get away with it - 'cause once you've started with any add'l treat, they won't be happy without it. Much later, down the road, AFTER you've had a bajillion artshows & it's allure is wearing thin, ONLY THEN should you up the ante by attaching a stick of gum or candy with some tape to the award. Trust me on this.
Also, look around you now, for the "display area" - it can be the fridge if you have lots of magnets; along windowsills or a mantel; I've even clothespinned them onto clotheslines & shower curtains; pinned them on drapes; and paperclipped them to windowblinds. Whatever it takes; I support the arts (lol)
OK - you have your "awards" ready, you've mentally designated the exhibit space, announce the show!
The Prospectus: In order for their art to be eligible for the show, they must use at least 3 different colors & cover as much of the page as possible "to look like a painting" (this helps slow down the quick scribbler syndrome) and (if able to, yet) sign their work. They must enter at least 3 drawings to be eligible for an award. If they're in a whinier than usual mood or just stumped for ideas, give them a theme (You can give them a quick pep talk naming some subjects for the theme: say it's Halloween: Costumes, pumpkins, black cats, haunted houses, spiders, monsters, etc.) If it's not near a holiday, some other quick themes:
Superheroes; favorite toys, books or movies (create posters for them); castles, dragons & royalty (princes/princesses); amusement park rides (ones they've been on & ones they invent themselves); family portraits - a different portrait of each person in their family with things that person likes, include pets; school portraits - a picture of each person in their class (or at least their friends), include their teachers; animals (see who can come up with the most drawings of different animals - call it a wildlife show!); garden - flowers, trees, veggies, creepy crawlies.
Believe it or not, I learned you actually can buy MORE time with this one by NOT using a timer - they usually get so caught up in this activity, they'll go beyond the time you would normally allot without thinking about it. I just tell them at the beginning a time we'll have the art show
& usually they'll keep drawing right up to the deadline! Now's YOUR chance - GO! Work while you can!
Then at the appointed art show time, help them line up their work in your designated exhibit space. Ooo & aah, lots - ask them about each one. Then tell them to come back in 10 minutes (go play, pick up toys, whatever). While they're gone, choose one from each child as the best & attach the award to that one. If you have a camera, when they come back for their awards, take a picture of each child with their prize-winning picture. Not only does this boost their self-esteem & look good in their scrapbooks, you also have visual proof when they become sullen teenagers, that you DID, too, spend quality time with them!
Happy art show!
OK - you're dying to work on your own art - but the kids want every iota of your attention; they are Bored with a capital B. So gather the crayons & every scrap of paper you can find, because in a minute - NOT YET! - you're going to announce that there will be an Art Show at __ o'clock [choose the time based on a) the age & attention span of the kids - give yourself at least 1/2 an hour; b) the amount of paper you have for them to draw on - & paper bags or old newspapers can work here if need be!]
BUT FIRST:
BEFORE announcing the art show - quickly get some ribbon scraps (one per child) & with a marker, write: "Winner 8 yr old div." or whatever age applies, one ribbon per child. No ribbon? No prob - just do the same thing on pieces of paper (remember - kids are not as picky as adults & usually they like it that an adult took the time to play along this far with them). But whatever you use - DO THIS BEFORE YOU EVEN TELL THEM ABOUT IT. For one thing, it piques their curiousity "What are you doing?" "You'll see in a minute, if you're quiet." (This usually will buy 3- 5 min. of semi-quiet, "What do you think she's doing?", "I dunno! Shhh!" For another, you don't want to cut into the time you're carving out for yourself by doing this while they're drawing! That's YOUR time! No matter how tempted you may be, at least the first few times, try the ribbon or paper award ONLY, to see if you can get away with it - 'cause once you've started with any add'l treat, they won't be happy without it. Much later, down the road, AFTER you've had a bajillion artshows & it's allure is wearing thin, ONLY THEN should you up the ante by attaching a stick of gum or candy with some tape to the award. Trust me on this.
Also, look around you now, for the "display area" - it can be the fridge if you have lots of magnets; along windowsills or a mantel; I've even clothespinned them onto clotheslines & shower curtains; pinned them on drapes; and paperclipped them to windowblinds. Whatever it takes; I support the arts (lol)
OK - you have your "awards" ready, you've mentally designated the exhibit space, announce the show!
The Prospectus: In order for their art to be eligible for the show, they must use at least 3 different colors & cover as much of the page as possible "to look like a painting" (this helps slow down the quick scribbler syndrome) and (if able to, yet) sign their work. They must enter at least 3 drawings to be eligible for an award. If they're in a whinier than usual mood or just stumped for ideas, give them a theme (You can give them a quick pep talk naming some subjects for the theme: say it's Halloween: Costumes, pumpkins, black cats, haunted houses, spiders, monsters, etc.) If it's not near a holiday, some other quick themes:
Superheroes; favorite toys, books or movies (create posters for them); castles, dragons & royalty (princes/princesses); amusement park rides (ones they've been on & ones they invent themselves); family portraits - a different portrait of each person in their family with things that person likes, include pets; school portraits - a picture of each person in their class (or at least their friends), include their teachers; animals (see who can come up with the most drawings of different animals - call it a wildlife show!); garden - flowers, trees, veggies, creepy crawlies.
Believe it or not, I learned you actually can buy MORE time with this one by NOT using a timer - they usually get so caught up in this activity, they'll go beyond the time you would normally allot without thinking about it. I just tell them at the beginning a time we'll have the art show
& usually they'll keep drawing right up to the deadline! Now's YOUR chance - GO! Work while you can!
Then at the appointed art show time, help them line up their work in your designated exhibit space. Ooo & aah, lots - ask them about each one. Then tell them to come back in 10 minutes (go play, pick up toys, whatever). While they're gone, choose one from each child as the best & attach the award to that one. If you have a camera, when they come back for their awards, take a picture of each child with their prize-winning picture. Not only does this boost their self-esteem & look good in their scrapbooks, you also have visual proof when they become sullen teenagers, that you DID, too, spend quality time with them!
Happy art show!
The Enchanted Leaf & Finding a Purpose
This morning, I groggily sat down on my front porch to sip my tea (more like slurping it since the mouth is still healing, yuck) & looked out to see a magical, enchanted leaf - floating in the air, dancing in the wind! Now I know I've been on painkillers & I'm NOT a morning person under the best of circumstances - so it took me a while for my brain to sort out what my eyes were seeing. But while I was waiting for the synapses to connect, I felt all the wonderment of childhood again. This leaf was PURE MAGIC! Perhaps it was under a spell! Maybe it's being held by a ghost (it IS Ghosting season, you know) or a fairy!
Unfortunately, the brain finally woke up enough to kick me in the derriere & say"You idiot! Your porch is shaded, so obviously you can't see the strand of spidee web it's attached to!" (I really Hate when my brain talks down to me that way. We're thinking of counseling...) But I've stubbornly tried to cling to that sense of wonderment all day (so what do you think of that, Miss Brainiac!?!)
(Sorry to involve you in our sordid pettiness...Yes; yes, I would like a comfy little padded room - as long as there'll be crayons to draw with!)
Which brings me to my next little brainstorm....When I finished my tea & finally got my brain into gear, I tried to find a purpose for the day; but somehow I just ended up drifting over to the PC, blogging along thru my usual bookmarks. Then I found someone who was having kind of a "down" day with the kiddies at home & so I left a comment wiith a semi-coherent idea of mine (that I really hope works for her!) to entertain the kids & retain some sanity (hmmm, now that I think about it, maybe this idea didn't succeed in saving mine! Well, at least it kept me off the 11:00 news!) Anyway, from time to time, I'm thinking I might share some of these "fun things for little people" ideas, in hopes they'll help some of the grown-up people enjoy life a little more - I'm sure the ideas aren't all that original, but maybe someone who's desperate for an idea will stumble across these when they need them. So starting with the next post I'm going to be throwing some of these ideas out to whoever wants to play catch. Or just wants to catch a moment of peace.
Unfortunately, the brain finally woke up enough to kick me in the derriere & say"You idiot! Your porch is shaded, so obviously you can't see the strand of spidee web it's attached to!" (I really Hate when my brain talks down to me that way. We're thinking of counseling...) But I've stubbornly tried to cling to that sense of wonderment all day (so what do you think of that, Miss Brainiac!?!)
(Sorry to involve you in our sordid pettiness...Yes; yes, I would like a comfy little padded room - as long as there'll be crayons to draw with!)
Which brings me to my next little brainstorm....When I finished my tea & finally got my brain into gear, I tried to find a purpose for the day; but somehow I just ended up drifting over to the PC, blogging along thru my usual bookmarks. Then I found someone who was having kind of a "down" day with the kiddies at home & so I left a comment wiith a semi-coherent idea of mine (that I really hope works for her!) to entertain the kids & retain some sanity (hmmm, now that I think about it, maybe this idea didn't succeed in saving mine! Well, at least it kept me off the 11:00 news!) Anyway, from time to time, I'm thinking I might share some of these "fun things for little people" ideas, in hopes they'll help some of the grown-up people enjoy life a little more - I'm sure the ideas aren't all that original, but maybe someone who's desperate for an idea will stumble across these when they need them. So starting with the next post I'm going to be throwing some of these ideas out to whoever wants to play catch. Or just wants to catch a moment of peace.
Breaking Thru Artist's Block
Well, it took a week off from work with sinus & dental problems, mega antibiotics, painkillers, & lots of sleeping...mmm...I'd forgotten how good sleeping is...Yawn :<> , yep, ready to go right back to dreamland again - oh, sorry! What was I going to tell you? Oh, yeah. Finally got a little inspiration going again & broke out my sketchpad & Caran D'ache neocolors (cool little watercolor crayons) & these fun multicolor rainbow crayons from Michael's & tried out an idea for a children's book. I can't believe it, but I was actually inspired by my visit to the dentist! Someday soon (Christmas is coming & I've been laying MAJOR hints) I hope to have the technology to share my artwork digitally & then I can show you guys.
But now I think it's time to catch some more zzzzzzzzzzzzzz'sssssssss. 'Nighty - night
But now I think it's time to catch some more zzzzzzzzzzzzzz'sssssssss. 'Nighty - night
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