A Little Brighter and More Dazzling

The SUN IS OUT!! Let's Rock!!

Grouplove  "Colours'

So much

We have a lot to discuss here.  I have little yellow post its all over of topics I want to discuss, but time has not been on my side lately.

Part#1
First off, I am OBSESSED with this song.  I cranked it up in the car last night and then Mason fell asleep so I started to turn it down and Dilly asked me to turn it back up, so I know it is good if she likes it.   Read the words, they are truly delicious.

Helplessness Blues by the amazing and fabulous Fleet Foxes



I was raised up believin'

I was somehow unique
like a snowflake, distinct among snowflakes
unique in each way you can see.

And now after some thinkin'
I'd say I'd rather be
a functioning cog in some great machinery
servin' some thing beyond me

But I don't, I don't know what that will be.
I'll get back to you someday,
soon you will see.

What's my name, what's my station
Oh, just tell me what I should do
I don't need to be kind to the armies of night
that would do such injustice to you.

Or bow down, and be grateful
and say "sure, take all that you see"
to the men who move only in depleted halls
and determine my future for me.

And I don't, I don't know who to believe
I'll get back to you someday,
soon you will see.

If I know only one thing
Is that everything that I see
of the world outside is full of such wonder
that often, I barely can speak

Yeah, I'm tongue tied and dizzy
and I can't keep it to myself
what good is it to sing helplessness blues?
Why should I wait for anyone else?

And I know, I know you keep me on the shelf
I'll come back to you someday,
soon, myself.

If I had an Orchard
I'd work 'till I'm raw.

If I had an Orchard
I'd work 'till I'm sore.

And you would wait table 'till you ran the store.
Oh oh ohh.

If I had an Orchard I'd work 'till I'm sore.


Part#2
Then I would like to discuss naivete' in children.  I like it.  I truly believe in being honest with your children and teaching them as much as you possibly can.  But at the same it is refreshing when they figure things out on there own.  The other day we went to eat at a small town restaurant.  As we were walking in, Kendall and Mason noticed the plethora of cigarettes on the ground(SAVEMOTHEREARTH) but look up and see a woman outside, at the same time, smoking.   Kendall says "Mom, why do people throw smoking sticks on the ground.  That is so gross.  Why don't they just throw them in the trash can?"  First of all, I love that she doesn't even know the name of smoking sticks.  I love that she has enough common sense (more than the average adult) to know that you throw your smoking sticks in the trash and I love even more that she still has the gall to say those things in front of the people smoking the smoking sticks.


Part#4
My Goals for Summer 2011

1)Catch fireflies in jars
2)Grow a huge garden free of weeds.  Eat large watermelons.  Eat large cantaloupe. Grow big pumpkins for fall. 
3)Can lots and lots and lots of pickles and tomatoes.  Make a lot of fresh salsa.
4)Take massive amount of pictures.
5)Learn Photoshop. Learn Photoshop. Learn Photoshop(just trying to drill it in my brain.)
6)Get an old bike with a basket and ride it to the market.  And on trails. 
7)Run in the mornings. Get strong, toned legs.
8)Wear flip flops.  Teach the kids to ear flip flops (not sure how you teach that?).
9)Go camping. Go fishing.  Go on "creature hunts".
10)Relax.
11)Close eyes, let sun bathe on me.
12)Wear sunscreen. Wear sun hats.
13)Eat outside. Picnic. Go to the beach on a whim.
14)Pick raspberries. Make raspberry jam.
15)Do cartwheels in the field.
16)Snuggle with the honeybun by the bonfire.  Snuggle with my kids by the firebon(that is what they call it).
17)Make smores.
18)Swim in lakes, in pools, in rivers.
19)Use the bug vacuum to explore.
20)Go to garage sales.


Part#5

Lastly, my favorite new ETSY seller LemKa. All made of leather.  Purdy.

A couple of housekeeping issues

Betty, as in Betty Crocker, sent me a free gift pack(I just picture her in a cute apron, walking down to her perfectly white mailbox, smelly her lovely lilacs and handling my package to the nice postman).  I am so not kidding you.  It was quite lovely, in it was a mixing bowl, a measuring cup, a spatula, a hot pad and a box of their new Loaded Mash Potatoes.  Interject here....I love spoonatulas (spatuloons?)...they work great and this bowl has a rubberized bottom for easy mixing.)  First off, I love free stuff and giveaways, so I was very excited to participate in this review of the product.  I made a full roasted chicken and as a side item I made the loaded potatoes.  To be honest, I was very leery.  Most box mashed potatoes taste like pulverized paper products.  But OH NO...not these.  They truly tasted like delicious potatoes (p.s. always use real butter that makes them even more delicious.)    The kids ate them and liked them which is a major test in itself.  They also are super fast to make, I think like eight minutes, tops.    The taste is deeper than other boxed potato mixes, you could taste the chives and bacon(oh and did I mention the hint of sour cream taste?  Sour cream is good in anything.  ANYTHING).  I even reheated some the next day at work and I would swear they were even better.

So anyways, the exciting part, is I get to give away the same set to one of you readers.  I am going to do the ole' pull the number out of the hat thing.  However, in order to participate you must send me a link to a recipe on the Betty Crocker website that you think is the most delicious thing you have ever laid your eyes upon. 

Nighty night Betty...thanks for the bake set.

PS: I received product information, a link to an online coupon, a prize pack for review and the opportunity to offer a prize pack for giveaway from Betty Crocker and MyBlogSpark.

Photo Recap for April (obligatory for the 'rents)

Happy Earth Day Eve!

Sugarboo

Another one of those things I want to remember

 (I promise to post something original soon.  I am just waiting for IT to hit me.)


From Tina Fey's new book "Bossypants", a prayer for her daughter.

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her
When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Memory

I have a terrible memory, so sometimes I write things on my blog, just so I will remember them. 

One is this quote I saw and liked "Knock hard: Life is deaf"

Wanna see what I bought......(thanks emily falconbridge for the recommendation)

Well.

I smelled the koolaid.  I looked at the koolaid.  I then took a medium sized gulp of the koolaid.  I swirled that gulp in my mouth.  And then bam, the acrid, nasty taste hit me and with amazing force spit out the koolaid. 

And so goes the story of me walking in to Disney World and me walking out after 1 hour and 11 minutes (15 minutes of that was spent in the Dreyer's ice cream line).  Yep, I am not a fan of amusement parks.  Sorry kids, lets go to the beach instead.  Lets go camping.  Lets go swimming in lakes.  Lets go on a hike.  Lets swim with sea turtles.  But lets not pretend to be some Disney prince/princess and spend $312 on park passes so that we can try and feel magical when in fact catching fire flies in our own backyard is where the real magic is.   Miss you guys, can't wait to kiss those cheekers in 33 hours 25 minutes.

Bright Shiny Day

There is Irish in there.

Photo by child.

Catapillar eyelashes.

Add caption

Oh how I love this photo.

And I am reading "Bright Shiny Morning" James Frey and I absolutely love it.....pure brilliance.  It is one of those books that stick with you.