Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tribute to forgotten Wordless Wednesday
This week is going by WAY too fast - I haven't even had time to look up a good SMA picture yet. I was going to post this comic, sent to me by my friend, Rebecca, yesterday... please do enjoy.
Monday, April 27, 2009
A year ago today...
...was the day we lost my mom. This last Saturday was the day my kids had their dance photos taken, and my mom NEVER missed a recital. She loved to watch my girls dance, she'd even attend a class or two during the year so she could watch them. Last year my kids weren't able to attend picture day at the studio because it was the last day my mom was alive (although I didn't know it that day - all we knew was she was really sick and that they couldn't do anything else to save her), so Husband and I were at the hospital most of the day.
I thought a lot about her on Saturday while doing the girls' hair and makeup, getting them dressed, watching them preen in front of the mirrors.
When we got home from the studio I snapped off a couple of pictures since they looked so cute. (My DD1 completely has my mother's smile!)
I miss you, mom.
Friday, April 24, 2009
SMA Friday!
In honor of the new X-MEN movie that opens May 1st which I doubt I'll see.
Confession time: I've never seen an X-MEN movie even though I love Hugh. I cannot stand when Hugh has a square head.
Confession time: I've never seen an X-MEN movie even though I love Hugh. I cannot stand when Hugh has a square head.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Grey Gardens
Ahhh, HBO did a good job! Have you seen it?
Particularly good was Drew Barrymore as Little Edie, she nailed the performance.
I saw the original documentary. The eccentricities of these two women was, frankly, disturbing to watch. It did help that HBO gave us some background. The story is no less disturbing this time around, but they did a good job of weaving flashback scenes in to the "documentary" scenes. Building on, but never overshadowing the work done by the Maysles. I will watch it again, I'm sure.... and again I'll be rooting for Little Edie to pull herself up, slap her mother in the face, and make it to that damn audition for Max Gordon. It bothers me so that Little Edie never had the inner strength to stand up to her mother - and that her mother never loved her enough to let her go. Big Edie only ever really cared about what Big Edie wanted.
Here are are a couple of pictures to show you how well the makeup is done:
Particularly good was Drew Barrymore as Little Edie, she nailed the performance.
I saw the original documentary. The eccentricities of these two women was, frankly, disturbing to watch. It did help that HBO gave us some background. The story is no less disturbing this time around, but they did a good job of weaving flashback scenes in to the "documentary" scenes. Building on, but never overshadowing the work done by the Maysles. I will watch it again, I'm sure.... and again I'll be rooting for Little Edie to pull herself up, slap her mother in the face, and make it to that damn audition for Max Gordon. It bothers me so that Little Edie never had the inner strength to stand up to her mother - and that her mother never loved her enough to let her go. Big Edie only ever really cared about what Big Edie wanted.
Here are are a couple of pictures to show you how well the makeup is done:
(Photo by HBO)
It's an odd subject matter, the fall of this prominent NY society family. I wonder why watching the very wealthy fall from grace is interesting (fascinating, even) because they have so much farther to fall?
Monday, April 20, 2009
Everyone remembering Columbine today...
All over the internet, all over television... today is the 10th anniversary of the tragedy at Columbine. My thoughts and prayers go out to the survivors of that horrible day. The friends, families, injured, and affected. Especially to the parents of those lost and injured.
10 years ago today, we were in Mexico on vacation. The eyes of the world, for weeks afterwards, were on Colorado. Specifically a suburb of Denver called Littleton. It was ALL the BBC talked about the rest of our trip - and since we had no American stations available, we relied on international news for all of our information. It was so strange. There were 8 of us in the group that traveled together, and wherever we went people asked if we knew anyone that was hurt. Honestly, we didn't know. Husband and friends played soccer with a man who taught at Columbine - but we aren't from that part of town, we'd answer. We're from South East Denver, and Columbine is in South West Denver. I remember specifically someone from the east coast asking if Littleton was a "bad" part of town. I don't remember who it was, but someone in our group answered, "Not at all. If you aren't safe in Littleton Colorado, you aren't safe anywhere."
The world changed that day. All of the sudden, school's were no longer the bastion of safety for our children. Since then? Even worse. Now it's not just an American problem. This kind of insanity is worldwide.
About 7 weeks after that vacation we found out that we were going to have a lifelong souvenir from our trip - DD1. Our first child , a treasure to be kept safe. I know that someday my kids will have to leave our little nest - and that when the time comes they will gladly go. But, wasn't High School supposed to be where Moms and Dads practice "letting go"? Wasn't that the relatively safe environment before they fly up to college to practice their adult skills without us so close? Now neither place is potentially as safe as it once was... and that worries me. Because we can parent them, we can love them, and we can try to make sure they are morally and ethically strong, caring people. But we can't control who crosses their paths in life. And 10 years ago today that prospect got a lot scarier.
Pray for the survivors today.
10 years ago today, we were in Mexico on vacation. The eyes of the world, for weeks afterwards, were on Colorado. Specifically a suburb of Denver called Littleton. It was ALL the BBC talked about the rest of our trip - and since we had no American stations available, we relied on international news for all of our information. It was so strange. There were 8 of us in the group that traveled together, and wherever we went people asked if we knew anyone that was hurt. Honestly, we didn't know. Husband and friends played soccer with a man who taught at Columbine - but we aren't from that part of town, we'd answer. We're from South East Denver, and Columbine is in South West Denver. I remember specifically someone from the east coast asking if Littleton was a "bad" part of town. I don't remember who it was, but someone in our group answered, "Not at all. If you aren't safe in Littleton Colorado, you aren't safe anywhere."
The world changed that day. All of the sudden, school's were no longer the bastion of safety for our children. Since then? Even worse. Now it's not just an American problem. This kind of insanity is worldwide.
About 7 weeks after that vacation we found out that we were going to have a lifelong souvenir from our trip - DD1. Our first child , a treasure to be kept safe. I know that someday my kids will have to leave our little nest - and that when the time comes they will gladly go. But, wasn't High School supposed to be where Moms and Dads practice "letting go"? Wasn't that the relatively safe environment before they fly up to college to practice their adult skills without us so close? Now neither place is potentially as safe as it once was... and that worries me. Because we can parent them, we can love them, and we can try to make sure they are morally and ethically strong, caring people. But we can't control who crosses their paths in life. And 10 years ago today that prospect got a lot scarier.
Pray for the survivors today.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Some things you have to share...
I've emailed this, I've posted on Facebook, and I'm putting it on my blog. I've watched this over and over... it's about 7 minutes long. I can't seem to embed the video here - - so follow the link. Watch the entire thing.
She had a dream
She had a dream
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Springtime in her world
The Dandelion. Nothing more than a weed, a nuisance, an invader... lawn graffiti.
Unless you are a six year girl.
To a six year old girl a dandelion is a beautiful sign of Spring. A perfect little yellow flower, something so beautiful that you can hardly believe you are free to pick it... they don't let you pick the other pretty flowers. But a dandelion is special. It is an unloved flower, one that a little girl is free to pick and give to her mom. So it is loved.
As is she.
She will never know the warmth in my heart when I am handed this favorite flower of hers. "Keep it safe." I will, sweetheart, I will.
Unless you are a six year girl.
To a six year old girl a dandelion is a beautiful sign of Spring. A perfect little yellow flower, something so beautiful that you can hardly believe you are free to pick it... they don't let you pick the other pretty flowers. But a dandelion is special. It is an unloved flower, one that a little girl is free to pick and give to her mom. So it is loved.
As is she.
She will never know the warmth in my heart when I am handed this favorite flower of hers. "Keep it safe." I will, sweetheart, I will.
Friday, April 10, 2009
SMA Friday!
Today's SMA Friday takes us back to 1993 - a younger, maybe even hotter Hugh. Ahhh, even more than the 80's I am nostalgic for the fashions of the early 90's.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Was there an Easter last year?
So, Easter this year is the last "1st" we go through until the anniversary of my mom being gone. As I was getting some stuff ready the other day I was thinking... and for the life of me I couldn't figure out when Easter was last year. I couldn't remember IF there had been an Easter last year. I knew that I had gone in for my d&c and ovarian cyst on March 27th, that my mom had gone in to hospital April 2nd... but I also remember that there was an egg hunt at my parents house on Easter. How was that possible.
Was I remembering a different Easter? There were quite a few egg hunts at the grandparents house, a couple here... and frankly last Spring is a blur.
I called my friend, Julie (Gingerbread Julie), the other day. "When was Easter last year?" Neither one of us could remember.
Easter last year was on March 23rd. Before my "procedure" (during my difficult time) and before mom got sick.
There was an egg hunt at my parents house.
It was the last time my girls were with their Ammie before she died. Because once she got sick I didn't want their memory of her to be sad, I wanted their memory to be her on that fun day.
You'd think I'd have remembered that.
Was I remembering a different Easter? There were quite a few egg hunts at the grandparents house, a couple here... and frankly last Spring is a blur.
I called my friend, Julie (Gingerbread Julie), the other day. "When was Easter last year?" Neither one of us could remember.
Easter last year was on March 23rd. Before my "procedure" (during my difficult time) and before mom got sick.
There was an egg hunt at my parents house.
It was the last time my girls were with their Ammie before she died. Because once she got sick I didn't want their memory of her to be sad, I wanted their memory to be her on that fun day.
You'd think I'd have remembered that.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Spring Break 2009
(Disclaimer: This is a Mommy Post if there ever was one. Click to the next blog if you can't stomach the gross stuff.)
You know, I usually have high hopes for things we'll do when the girls are off of school for a little break. We didn't take a vacation this Spring Break, so I thought we'd do some fun stuff around here. A little adventure each day. We have fun museums, activity centers, shopping.... shouldn't be too hard to keep them entertained.
Sometimes a plan backfires.
Cue DD2's "lower intestinal irritation". (I abhor the "D" word.) It started last week on Thursday (the first snow-day off of school). It was bad enough that she needed quick access to a loo, not bad enough that she felt sick. She's really not sick enough to justify a trip to the doctor - but bad enough that by this Thursday we were pouring Imodium down her because the bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast weren't working. (Probably because I kept giving her yogurt, jam on her toast, un-toasted bread, and goldfish. Which don't sound that bad - but kept the whole intestinal festival alive! Plus? She won't touch rice unless it has a lemon sauce on it - citrus and sugar? Disaster.) We managed a movie on Tuesday, a shopping trip to ToysRUs on Wednesday, and a glamour outing on Friday - haircut, Claire's Boutique, and new outfit from Gymboree. (DD1 had a fun Friday too: spent the morning at an animal rescue farm in Parker with a friend and then she had a play date.) Other than that? Not much.
It wasn't the greatest Spring Break ever... but school is out in two months and what's more fun than Summer Break?????
You know, I usually have high hopes for things we'll do when the girls are off of school for a little break. We didn't take a vacation this Spring Break, so I thought we'd do some fun stuff around here. A little adventure each day. We have fun museums, activity centers, shopping.... shouldn't be too hard to keep them entertained.
Sometimes a plan backfires.
Cue DD2's "lower intestinal irritation". (I abhor the "D" word.) It started last week on Thursday (the first snow-day off of school). It was bad enough that she needed quick access to a loo, not bad enough that she felt sick. She's really not sick enough to justify a trip to the doctor - but bad enough that by this Thursday we were pouring Imodium down her because the bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast weren't working. (Probably because I kept giving her yogurt, jam on her toast, un-toasted bread, and goldfish. Which don't sound that bad - but kept the whole intestinal festival alive! Plus? She won't touch rice unless it has a lemon sauce on it - citrus and sugar? Disaster.) We managed a movie on Tuesday, a shopping trip to ToysRUs on Wednesday, and a glamour outing on Friday - haircut, Claire's Boutique, and new outfit from Gymboree. (DD1 had a fun Friday too: spent the morning at an animal rescue farm in Parker with a friend and then she had a play date.) Other than that? Not much.
It wasn't the greatest Spring Break ever... but school is out in two months and what's more fun than Summer Break?????
Friday, April 3, 2009
SMA FRIDAY!
A reminder why we meet here every Friday:
I decided, back in November when People Magazine went to the trouble of agreeing with me on the fact that Hugh is the sexiest man alive, that I'd post a picture of him every Friday. Not only to remind you of my superior skills of choosing good looking men, but to perhaps see if it would get at all annoying. So far? Your comments lead me to believe that you're not annoyed. SMA Friday is my blog "thing", my hook, my signature move if you will. I'll miss him in November... pray to your Gods that we get a good SMA again next year - or the annoyance factor may prevail. (Note to Aimee: If it's Zac, the SMA Friday post goes to you for the duration of one year. I'm NOT posting Zac every Friday! No way, no how.)
Have a great weekend!
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