thanks

Thanks to everyone who has (knowingly or not) been helping to pull me out of my annual January funk. Lisa and Ashlee, who basically told me I could do whatever I wanted. My mom, who is coming down here for my birthday in March. Raj, who told me about Pandora internet radio, although Raj is on the bubble because I'm a little miffed he didn't tell me about it before. (Check it out, it's awesome.) For the record, I'm still sticking by my RSAD (reverse seasonal affective disorder) because though I may not be in a funk anymore, 80 degrees in January still hacks me off.

If anyone is keeping track, I did not find a VeggieTales calendar this year. I am fairly confident, through my exhaustive (not really) internet research, that there isn't one this year. So I went to Barnes & Noble and got an M.C. Escher calendar for half off.

Another reason to love Starbucks: I got free coffee last night in return for a promise to bring the baristas rice krispie treats next week.

And here's a picture from Christmas - the first time my babies have played in the snow. Alaina and Jadyn are making snow angels, and Jared is just trying to get around.

happy new year?

It's not a new year for me without a new VeggieTales calendar (which I don't have yet) and a new pillar added to my moral stance (about which you are soon to read). Sorry if you tuned in expecting a cute Christmas picture and/or nice Christmas vacation vignette...I'm aiming for that for the next post.

I returned to my normal routine this morning to find this story among the Relevant Magazine "slices" that I was catching up on. Basically, the RIAA is suing a man for ripping CDs that he purchased onto his computer for his own use.

The last grasping death throes and wheezes of an industry so out of touch with the people that it is marketing to are just pathetic.

Perhaps it seems odd that I would get worked up about something like this. I am a stauch supporter of artists getting paid for their work. I have long been opposed to the blatant copying and distribution of CDs, particularly over the internet with any and every random person. I would even rather have a physical CD than use iTunes or whatever to purchase music. But when the idiots of the RIAA, who have been completely bilking people on the price of CDs for a very long time, decide to tell me that I can't listen to music I have purchased in the format that I want, then I'm done.

Until something changes with the RIAA and their policies, I won't be buying any more CDs. I'll be buying all of my music online. I really like Amazon's mp3 website - DRM-free and cheaper than iTunes.

It's no wonder that so many bands are making a beeline for the exit when it comes to record companies.

oh, the snowmanity!

So that was really just for dramatic effect. (And because Joe said that, above, and it was funny.) The snowman cake actually behaved quite nicely:

And Jadyn did finally decide that she was, in fact, 3 and not still 2. ("I'm still little!" is what she kept telling me.)

We painted "snow" on the windows, which was ridiculously cute. Jadyn kept getting upset because somehow, she kept getting painted with snow. This was, of course, a tragedy since the snow paint was made out of soap. "I not a window!" (best read with accompanying frown/grimace)

I think she had fun, and the best news is that today she is still 3.


And now basically everything is over. Sounds absurd, huh? I have a week to pack, and then it's Christmas in Omaha. I'm really glad I have a week to "take a breaver" (as Jadyn says) before Christmas.

In another exciting development, I got a Dremel tool set for Christmas. I am super excited about it, and no doubt I will be posting pictures of my accomplishments throughout the next year! First up, jewelry box.

party!

Jared's birthday "cake." (Out of the 7 birthday parties I've done so far, we've only had a cake twice. And one of those times, the cake looked like Pablo's face, so it was a pretty involved cake.) Isn't it cute?! I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Sometimes I never know if what I cook up in my head is able to be executed in a manner acceptable to my standards. And it's Monday morning, and only the letters and part of the caboose (and most of the wheels) have been eaten.
The birthday monster really likes rice krispies! (And puppy chow, and anything else he could get someone to feed him!)

Then Jared opened presents with his daddy, and then he had to leave his own party early to take a nap. Rough.

In a completely unrelated note, we netflixed the movie Stranger than Fiction, with Will Ferrell (and a bijillion other people). It was really really good. If you haven't seen it, you need to. I'm still thinking about it.

happy Jared!

This look says, "I know mommy wants me to cooperate, but I think I'm gonna continue to do whatever I want!"

Today is Jared's first birthday. For his birthday, I took him to the doctor. Aren't I nice? But before that I made homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast. I have this tradition of making cinnamon rolls for birthdays. Until this point, they have definitely been popped out of a can. (Who can resist popping open those cans?) But this time, I made them. I think I have bitten by the organic/no preservatives bug...but that's another blog.

His birthday party is Sunday - there will be better pictures then.

In some ways, a year goes by so fast...in other ways, it's been a really long year!

we're going to the beach, the beach, the beach

I can always tell when it's time for me to take a vacation because I very suddenly have no more ability to be productive. I also get impatient. The trouble is, actually taking a vacation is no longer very relaxing for me. So I've found myself embarking on mental vacations. I picked up a sudoku puzzle the other day and figuring out a system of solving those puzzles was interesting diversion for a couple of days. Then I busted out a book of logic puzzles. Doesn't sound much like a mental vacation? Well, it's a departure from the things I have to think about (or at least should be thinking about/doing).

You are witnesses; I am starting the trend. Here is the first "year in review" for 2007: 2007 was pretty much as stinky as 2006, in a whole new way. There were perhaps a few more good things in 2007 than there were in 2006, but there has certainly been just as much drama.

my mom is cool

In case anyone ever wondered where my penchant for kooky ideas comes from, this should explain everything:



Yes, those are my parents. Yes, that is a giant rice krispie treat wedding "cake." Isn't it cute?!

My mom came up with this idea for a friend's wedding party/reception, and my dad helped her execute it. I think it's super cool, and I love that my parents do crazy things like this. I just wish I could've been there to help!

Jadyn is learning a valuable lesson: if she doesn't eat her food in an expeditious manner, chances are good Jared will finish it for her.

This morning, she left some of her pop tart (as usual), and Jared came along and finished it. (Not ideal, but he's almost a year old and pop tarts aren't the worst thing in the world.) This upset her greatly, although I think it was mostly because he ate her food, not necessarily because she was ever planning on finishing it herself...

For those keeping track, Jared's second word: "ba-ba," translated "bye bye," complete with hand gesture. Words 2, Dada 0.

trouble already

Sadly, I didn't have my camera to capture the momentous occasion: Jared ate an entire Jr. Roast Beef sandwich and 1 1/2 potato cakes for lunch at Arby's on Saturday. I told him his Uncle Ravi would be proud. I think Jared will be giving Ravi a run for his money for the eating bragging rights in the near future.

Last night, Jared climbed up the stairs. All of them. By himself. Joe followed him up, but I was highly disturbed watching the whole business. Apparently, he hasn't read the memo about not being a year old yet.

Some days you wake up and notice a pattern to the day. According to my small children, apparently the theme of the day is "let's make a mess for mommy to clean up!"

The leaves started falling off our oak tree in the backyard about a month ago. I thought it was odd, since the weather hadn't changed at all, but perhaps the tree checked a calendar. Silly rabbit, fall is for kids. The tree was merely shedding leaves in order to grow new ones. It's nearly full of bright spring green leaves. Depressing.

this and that

• Anyone who reads this and is not part of our Friday night Bible study will be sad: I have declared October "pumpkin dessert month." Lest the name not be description enough, every Friday night in October we will be having a pumpkin dessert. First up, pumpkin pie. After that...we'll see. My choices abound: pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin creme brulee, pumpkin bars, pumpkin cake... (I'm starting to feel a little like Bubba from Forrest Gump.)

• Jared starting saying "mama" on Monday. It's his first word, and he is the first child to say "mama" before "dada," and the sad part is I would have been just fine with him saying "dada" first. It makes it very easy to hand him off, "See, he's asking for you!"

• I never suspected it would happen, but I'm really enjoying coaching soccer. Last Saturday, my little team actually played like they had heard and understood and were implementing things I had been teaching them. It was pretty exciting. It is amazing how personalities play such a factor at this age, maybe because they haven't learned to be anything but who they are yet. It's also a little overwhelming to try and figure out where to start in teaching them how to play - they really don't know anything, but at the same time they are eager to be taught and then play. I sometimes wish I hadn't had my nose in a book the whole time I was growing up. I think I would've liked to play a sport...I might have been decent at softball.

• If you are at all able, go get some Blue Bell Southern Blackberry Cobbler ice cream. There really are no sufficient words to describe it.

• One of the worst parts about having small children is not being able to just sleep it off when I am sick. Today is the first day this week I feel remotely like myself again. And as a sort of addendum to my previous post (sorry Ashlee!), I must point out that I had no trouble with allergies until I came to the lovely state of Texas.

• In case you were wondering, we have declared September a terrible month. This information is so that you can be prepared next year, as we certainly will be. As far as I am concerned, September is now a close second to January when it comes to months that I don't like. October, if solely by mere fact of the "pumpkin dessert month" declaration, will be better.

• Poor Jadyn is feeling horribly left out because I have started homeschooling Alaina, and Jadyn desperately wants to "do school" too. Given my natural tendency to want everything to be fair, a large part of me wants to include her. The other part of me, which is winning, says that she has to wait until she is old enough and that she's not going to get to do everything Alaina does at the same time.

• Jars of Clay and Relient K have new Christmas albums out this year...look out world!
  

today...

I hate Texas.

I hate Houston.

I hate the weather.

I hate airports.

I hate not getting what I want.

I hate traffic.

I hate having to persevere.

SAVE ROSENBLATT

Okay, I know this post will have little meaning to some of you who read my blog. However, if you have a minute, I'd really appreciate your help.

Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha is the site of the Men's College World Series. The CWS has taken place in Omaha for over 50 years. I don't even know how many games I've been to, or how many times we've stood in line for hours on Saturday morning of the championship (when it was one game, winner take all). Going early and finding the best parking spot on the street is part of the adventure. We have found a couple of "secret" parking spots over the years. We've also parked at the zoo, which is right next to the stadium (even though you're not supposed to, though for the record, we did go to the zoo that day). We used to go during the week, when you could get in with one ticket and stay for two games. We always sit in the right field bleachers and mock the left field bleachers and heckle the right fielder. I'm pretty sure we were at a game that USC was playing and we heckled Morgan Ensberg.

Every summer, one of the most significant things I miss about being in Omaha is going to the CWS. That's part of the reason I will watch every game on ESPN - you can see Rosenblatt and get an idea of what Omaha is really like. There's a reason you will always find an LSU fan at the CWS, regardless of whether or not LSU is in the tournament.

And it's not just the CWS. Rosenblatt is a really great stadium for minor league ball, too. It may not have the swimming pools of new minor league parks, but it has character and tradition, which you cannot manufacture, no matter how much brick you use. This picture is how I think of going to a baseball game (even though this picture is from the wrong field bleachers). Summer, open air, sunshine...no doubt a beach ball is floating around the bleachers somewhere.

So please go here, and sign the petition to save Rosenblatt Stadium. Tell anyone you know who is a fan of baseball, or college sports, or just opposed to wasting money on a new sports arena that isn't necessary. And if you're ever in Omaha I will take you to a game.

assorted musings

From the last week or so...

• If you heard a faint shout for joy last week and were perplexed as to its origin, all I have to say is that Pumpkin Spice Lattes have returned to Starbucks. Bring on the Christmas music!
• More evidence proving the case that I should be commissioner of baseball: Bud Selig reduced his friendship with Cecil Cooper to a race issue. The article is here.
  
• Sunday morning conversation:

Jadyn: I want sa brefest. (translation: some breakfast)
Me: You want some breakfast?
Jadyn: Yeah.
Me: Well, it's almost time for church, so we're going to have to eat breakfast in the car.
Jadyn: Awww, dagnabbit!

• Sometimes they prove they really do love you (or at least need you because they're hungry). The other night, after putting the girls to bed, I stayed upstairs to do some work. Joe and Jared were downstairs. Jared crawled (scooted, more accurately) from the living room to the kitchen, whined a bit, turned around, scooted back to the living room to the stairs, where he started crying when he heard my voice.
• Every week should be a 4-day week.
  

just for Lisa

Ode to My Espresso Machine

The question I ponder
every now and then,
regarding the past,
how it could have been
that I harbored distaste
for a newfound friend?

That friend, espresso,
takes a latte form.
And frantic to and fro
of my daily norm
then takes a repose
while my latte is warm.

So hurrah for my espresso machine!
A true friend will it ever be.
Though small in size, on it I am keen.
But please don't expect more rhyming from me!

breakfast wisdom

I want to share with you the things I learned from my cereal box. These are suggestions from the good people at Cheerios (or at least their marketing or box design department) about how to "mix it up" in your life.

- Make a mix tape/CD.
- Learn one good joke and tell it.
- Write 10 things that make you happy and do one of them today.
- When describing something, use sound effects.
- Write all your emails so they rhyme.

Spanglish

So we Netflixed Spanglish, and I watched it on Sunday. Has anyone else seen it?

Let me start by saying that I really liked the movie. Adam Sandler, and by extension his character, is extremely likable - genuine and human. I have never really liked Tea Leoni, but she plays the role well (I'm beginning to think she's generally typecast). The crazy part is, despite my dislike of Tea Leoni, I still understood her character and even felt sorry for her. Anyway, the movie is really good - I've been thinking over it for a couple of days now. The main theme of the movie is the question, "how do we define ourselves?" Do we let external influences - culture, appearances, wealth, etc. - determine who we are and how we behave? Or do we let internal desires make our choices?

I have hung on to so many things (or people) that provided a definition for me over the course of my life. But at the same time, I react very negatively when someone tries to label me or tell me what I am. I don't think it's an easy thing just to be who you are. I think we'd save ourselves a lot of trouble if we could just figure out how to be who God made us to be and be happy with that.

my new best friend...

a mid-morning latte.

(Just in case you haven't heard me say it yet, coffee and caffeine both have health benefits. Seriously.)

childhood conversations

Jadyn: These flip flops are not working!

Alaina: (not even looking up from her task) Are they the right size?

Jadyn: Yeah. (pause) Pretty sure. ... Pretty sure.