Good Words

In our family we strive to use good words. Sometimes I get in a bit of a silly mood and add different letters to the beginning of words--you know, like the old song S'wonderful.

I was putting on my make up in the car (please tell me I am not the only one that does this--I hate to think the Allstate commercial was directed solely to me) and S asked me, "Mom, what are you doing?"

I answered, "Putting on my s'make-up."

S became perturbed and lecture-ally stated, "Mom, that's not a good word. We don't say that word."

I'll admit I bit my lip, but I couldn't help but laugh a little. Then after I could hold it in I promised her I wouldn't say that word again (but I also let her know it wasn't a bad word--if you know differently please let me know).

Unmistakably offended at my laughter she authoritatively folded her arms and gave me the you-know-I-mean-business-mother look.

Playgroup

Playgroup is super here in Brooklyn!

Happy Birthday R!

This was R's birthday party. We went to Chuck E Cheese and played and played. These are our friends Stacey and Samuel. Jason and Apollo. Stacey and Jason are married and Appollo and Samuel are their kids.

My cell phone camera doesn't work very well but here are the kids. I love T's expression.

R stopped for 20 seconds so I could get a decent (somewhat) picture. Thanks R. Happy Birthday!

W got really into it for the kids. :) What a great father! I love you W!

Boy Wonder--not as in Robin and Batman

One of the things I kinda like about NYC is that there is always a movie, documentary, or TV show being filmed somewhere. Maybe it is the potato blossom in me (as I am from Idaho) but there are times that I would like to sit and watch what everyone is doing. Find the techniques to make a quality film and add my own ideas, but watching for five minutes at a time is the closest I'll probably get--and I am okay with that.

They were filming across the road from me for an upcoming film called Boy Wonder. Before you assume I am a star chasing person you have to know that I hardly know any actors names. They could march right up to me and talk to me for hours, even if I knew their names, and I wouldn't know who they were. The only reason I figured out who these actors were was because I had the the drop on the situation, I could use the Internet and figure out who was in the movie and what it was all about (Wa, ha, ha).

By the way, it was a small miracle I got these pictures. The guy with the green and white sweater kept walking right in front of me as I was taking the pic. You can see the guy with the arrow pointed at him is one of the stars--the green and white guy did an effective job of blocking. Good thing my camera takes pictures at absolutely random moments or the picture of Ms. Henao wouldn't have worked (you know she must be thinking I have cute kids, cause she was looking at them [modest chuckle]).

Mr. Caleb Steinmeyer (I think)

Ms. Zulay Henao (I think)

After searching a bit I found this article: http://www.movieweb.com/news/NEdVbgikcJFNgk#

The director, Michael Morrissey, was a short grey-haired man all in black with a thick Aussie accent. Subject change: Why do film people always wear black? There were at least 4-5 people all in black. That green and white guy must have felt like a sore thumb.

We had to avoid walking on that sidewalk for the most part (but I didn't mind--just a different view to gawk).

Nearby restaurant owner of Al Safa Lebanese food. Pretty good taboulea. They had a spread of snacks for the actors and crew (cheese puffs, chips, suckers, R eyed it hungrily). R took this pictures.

Now if you see any more of these filmings going around I appreciate your telling me. I love seeing the huge cameras and all the folks that work on it even though they always give me the wary watch-out-don't-film-yet-that-lady-has-children-that-may-go-off-at-any-moment look.

Note to self. If you want to scare camera crew bring a child The more children, more effective the scare.

The Bronx Zoo

We went to the zoo as a family a couple of weeks ago. Now we have our official zoo pass--except that it goes to all the zoos and the aquarium (Yay). It also has unlimited access to the bug carousel and the butterfly garden (which we all loved). You will also see the effect of T's first haircut. No more curls.
This wasn't actually at the zoo, it was at a school activity for R, but those pictures didn't turn out as well and there are not many good zoo pics of me, so I added it. :) See my new haircut?
Oooh, W's muscle is so big it covers the lions in the back.




Doesn't this picture remind you of the old Chinese or Japanese art? R took that picture.
Can you see R in the back?
R was the only one who held still enough for my camera phone long enough. :)
Remember how disobeying your parents and chasing the peacocks in the zoo was so much fun? It took all my restraint to tell my kids NOT to chase the peacocks. Something in me still yearns. . .

Note R's face--the look of a rhino.

We are so blessed!

Cups

Through the last seven years we have gone through tremendous changes. Marriage, child 1, graduating, moving, moving, moving, child 2, graduation, moving child 3, moving. These are some of the monumental changes that have happened.

Other changes have happened, for example, privacy is a minimum. Unfortuantely even the bathroom is a lackadaisical sanctuary, lockless for the reason our children have locked themselves in there without hope of getting out with the toothpick trick.

Our clothes are 99.9 percent of the time unpressed (sometimes sprayed with water to give the illusion of pressedness). We do not eat out, we order in--usually pizza from Dominoes. Trips to the museums are not times of musing or thoughtful, quiet looking they are juggling fests; chasing children 20 different directions and pointing out all the things that could look the least bit interesting to an uninterested, hungry soul. My purse usually has a large assortment of snacks (depending on my preparation).

Other things include laughing at sweet things our children say from the depths of their souls. We get hugged a lot. We are the first ones our children come to when they are hurt or sad. We have an assortment of grabable snacks (usually) on the lower part of the cupboards for hungry snackers. We get to give praise that lights up a face beyond expectation. We treasure all of these things. We love our dear family.

Back to the cup thing. . . focus, focus. . .

After being married for 7 years I can honestly say that the glasses we've gotten have all ended in the same dismal way--in a pile of shards on the floor. We could give Humpty Dumpty a run for his money. So, as the years have passed we've gone from glass glasses to sippy cups.

When someone visited us recently I pulled out the sippy cups (topless) for them to drink out of (because that is all we have that has survived). I recall a certain shocked look--the look of a respected adult that wailed, "What's that matter with you? Do I look like I'm two?"

Determined this had to stop I have been saving jam jars--recycling, right? It seems we don't go through jam and spaghetti sauce to keep up with the family. After testing break resistant glasses (what does that mean anyway) we have ended up with glass-looking plastic cups. Yay--now when adults visit I can give them psuedo-glasses. My guests won't feel like I am going to pull out the goldfish and raisins and turn on Blue's Clues.

Yay!

Dearest

M: What makes you happy?

W: Besides you? (M is grinning hugely in her head and typing this).

Watch out American Idol

Heather's Baby Shower

This was a wonderful baby shower for my dear friend Heather Ward. She is expecting a baby girl and we are VERY excited for her!









I feel so thankful for these wonderful women and the wonderful young women we served.

To Mommy-dearests All Over the World

This was an email I got (you know the kind--if you got this send it to five . . .) Well, this time it said to send it to all the awesome moms you know. All of you mothers that read this---and I know who you are--are VERY AMAZING! Sooooo, this is a tribute to you. . . but especially my mummy-dearest.

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Chewed on.
etc.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby..
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom .

Gratefully one of commentors, my dear friend, Martha, looked it up and found out that it is by Beverly Mahone. Here is the link: http://www.authorsden.com/visitviewpoetry.asp?AuthorID=40837&id=189722.