But at least he was honest about his dishonesty...

Thanks, Samusani xo

The Brown-Thumb's Guide To Growing Ridiculously Gorgeous Flowers

This WFMW was originally posted last May, but due to some desperate queries regarding it lately, I feel it warrants a re-post. This method really does grow 'em as high as a pre-schooler's eye! Every time. Read on, soon to be master gardener..


When we moved into our house about 4 years ago we were most taken with the curb appeal of the front flower bed. It was October and it was just stuffed with beautiful, brightly coloured amazingly tall and lush impatiens.

We decided that despite our somewhat dodgy past adventures in gardening, this was something that we wanted to keep happening in our front yard, so we consulted with The Lady of the House (ex owner)who is an avid gardener and she talked us through the process.

To our great wonder and amazement by following her instructions to the T, the flowers sprang up just as vibrantly for us as they had for her and the front bed continues to be somewhat of a legend in these parts, because nobody has ever seen impatiens grow to the size that they do. It has become a family tradition to devote an afternoon each May to plant our Impatiens together (and this year, the irony of the flowers name was strong as my kids were anxious to get to the pool for the first time this season).

We have kept our mad scientist methods a closely guarded secret up until now but in a rare flush of generosity and the desire to make the world a more beautiful place, I decided to share.

Ok so this is what you do.
1. First you buy Impatiens which are designed to grow bigger then the average type. The type we buy are the Blitz variety. The darker colours seem to do better then the lighter ones but we always throw some white into the mix because it makes the other colours pop.

2.Procure the magic serum from your local nursery. If they don't have it, tell them to order some.


3. We mix it up according to the instructions in old milk jugs and pour an inch or two in these old cake pans. Be prepared to devote the rest of their lives solely to this cause.



4. We take the plants out of the flats and let them soak in this solution for about 10 minutes while we dig the holes.
5. We pour a little bit of the solution into each hole before we place the plant in there.

Pull the roots apart a little before you put them in their holes













6. Pat down the soil. Stand back and watch them grow. Small children and animals may get lost in the foilage.

7. We give them a little shot of Miracle Grow about once or twice a month for maintenance. We water them daily (unless it rains or is exceptionally humid).

They grow from just after the last frost in May til well into October. Our kids have fun stomping down the huge stalks on Hallowe-en night when they start to look tragic.


Hermione, Malfoy and Potter pose in front of their herbology project

Go to, and plant!

Large Trash Pick Up

Ok so this is how it goes down twice a year (or however often Large Trash Pick Up rolls around).

The week before, Aaron and I soberly agree that we must take full advantage of LTPU and rid our home of everything not edible or upon which anyone is sleeping.

LTPU almost always falls during a week when every single night has us away from home (ie during soccer season). This means we do not have the time to excavate trashy items from our garage/basement/attic/playroom/etc etc.

But it makes me feel really left out if I don't have a mound of embarrassingly decayed items on the sidewalk in time for LTPU. It feels something like not cashing in a free gift. Someone coming in and hauling away my crap no matter how large? Is it a dream or is it real?!

So this morning as Finny and I ambled down the road, he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and exclaimed in delight. "Mommy! Someone left a beautiful couch here!" He strokes it lovingly.

My eyes focus on the priceless piece of furniture left in front of the church turned commune/garage band druggie haven. The first thing I see is a detailed diagram of male genitalia inscribed with a sharpie across the top of the couch. Educational. Next to this, is a star of sorts with 6-6-6 scrawled inside of it. Within a split second, half a dozen highly unsavoury experiences that this couch may have had, this couch that my precious child is caressing in wonderment flashed through my mind. "Don't Touch That" I shriek. He shrugs and continues to swagger coolly down the road. He is used to such hysterical proclamations. I estimate that we have only 3 minutes before I can exhale while I stick his tainted hand under hot running water and suds. I casually mention that we need to wash his hands really well the minute we get inside, when out of the corner of my eye I see him vigorously rubbing his nose. The screaming inside my head was loud, but brief. I've come a long way.

Anyway, back to the exciting saga of LTPU, so this afternoon I realized that my neighbour's trash was still out on the sidewalk which meant...there was still hope for us! I heard the truck rumbling about a block away, I figured this gave me at least 5 minutes. Enlisting the help of Finny, whose hand miraculously did not turn black and fall off after the sidewalk couch episode, I rushed into the backyard to grab a decaying rocking chair which I had discovered on the sidewalk during a LTPU of times gone by. It has since become less picturesque after a couple of years left out in the elements of our not so temperate climate. After that exciting little coup, we surveyed the garage for any junkable items. We emerged triumphant with a couple of cardboard boxes and the like. Then I got into the basement and grabbed some blinds we had been keeping just in case....(of what? A sudden unexpected influx of sun?) A few more little things here and there got the juices flowing..and then I recognized the stirrings within me. The waking of the beast. The Beast of the Purge. Once I start, it is hard to stop m'peeps. This is almost always a good thing. Almost.

Getting rid of stuff can be highly addictive and when you have to do it under such a pressing deadline-well let's just say, we came close to being one couch down (since we only have 2, both of which we use constantly this may have been noticed by the family,) not to mention living a life sans microwave.

I just checked and the LTPU truck has still not come. Apparently, it was the recycling truck I was hearing earlier..

Must go....

Memorable Monday....

Biking with Finny collecting lilacs. Noon-day sunlight still delicate as it shines through buttery new leaves, soft fragrant breeze blowing, the world is fresh.

Gliding on the deck swing with Gracie, matching socks and folding t-shirts in the late afternoon sunlight with the scent of fresh laundry, fresh air, lilacs and dinner being cooked, wafting past our appreciative noses.

Sitting on the sidelines with the family as the sun sets mellowly golden in our eyes, squinting at the shimmering field and cheering for Benj-MVP of the game. Well earned.

Spring, you are sublime.

Suffering from Perfectmomitis?....

post-Mother's Day. You know, from hearing all about the perfect mom's at church (my husband grossly misrepresented my superior mothering qualities in his talk yesterday, not to say he is a liar, he is just genuinely delusional), and children singing sweetly about their mother spending the day smiling and singing so softly and such, and all the Mother's Day ads showing glowing moms in twin-sets cuddling their children in fields of daffodils and stuff like that? Feeling a tad inadequate perhaps?

I was reading this last night and found myself literally snorting out loud. Nothing to make you feel like a better mom then a bunch of other moms confessing their most shameful mothering secrets. It's good for the soul. Be sure to read all the reader's responses.

On being a mother...

A few things I like about being a mother:

• Kids are by far the best excuse for everything from thunder-thighs to a messy house (both of which are really only due to my own laziness).
• Hugs and kisses. Sounds so cliched but you know, not everyone gets them in as constant, fervent and genuine supply. Physical affection is something many people in the world don't experience very often.
• Realizing that you are teaching them something important and they are actually listening (!)
• Getting to watch Disney and Nick. And listen to the Highschool Musical soundtrack in the car.
• Halloween and Easter and Christmas and Valentine's Day and April Fool's Day...they all take on a totally different level of excitement.
• Watching them sleep.
• Watching them being kind and tender with each other.
• Listening to my kids chatting to each other when they don't know I'm there.
• Watching my husband be a father.
• Thinking of things that you would like to blow their mind with (a puppy, a trip to Australia, Disney, South Africa...) and how fun that would be.
• I can still cuddle and convince their problems away
• Feeling a tense or distraught little body relax in my arms
• My kids take me seriously. I like that. Not everyone does. (Imagine?!)
• Watching my kids become who they are going to be. It is the most fascinating process imaginable.
• Waking up to a warm soft sleepy baby face breathing right into mine.
• Watching their determination on the soccer field. I have yet to see any of them give less then their all.
• Reading something they have written
• Hanging up their original artwork on the fridge
• Finding their love notes to me
• Watching their faces in rapt entrancement over something
• Watching them laugh and shriek with excitement
• Making them giggle by being goofy. Nobody else appreciates goofy the same way.
• When kids at the school say "Hi Ben/Gabe/Caroline's mom!!"
• Knowing that simply by virtue of being a mom, I have the power to change the world.
  

The other day I was feeling irritated and stressed. It was later in the evening then I wanted it to be with four unbathed kids in the car on the way home from the soccer. I discovered that my van was running on fumes and I started muttering darkly about that. Suddenly out of nowhere a thought popped into my mind, "Oh my goodness! I'm a wife! I'm a mom!This is really happening. How cool!"

As a teen or a child I would imagine how it would be all grown up with a family on far off day, and when I would imagine it even being stressed and too busy, seemed exciting and fun. I would be the mom, I would be all grown up, it would be my life to be in charge of. In that running on empty van that night I realized that I was there. I was the soccer mom, driving my van full of 4 kids who needed to go home and be bathed and put to bed and kissed goodnight. I had arrived! How cool was this? I had many lofty aspirations as a young girl, a big career, changing the world, but my loftiest by far (I realize now) was being a mom. And now I am. How about that?

Um yes, I do, I do know this has been the case for more then a decade, but sometimes you really get so caught up in the run of the mill that you don't stand back and gasp at the amazing coolness of a dream becoming reality.

Here's to more standing back and gasping. Being a mom is cool. Being a mom to my kids-more cool then I could ever have imagined.

A few things I like about my mother:

• Life is a celebration
• She is not a low reactor to good news (low reactors disappoint and confuse me)
• She is wildly creative
• She is funny
• Her faith is unshakable, come what may. (And trust me, may has come)
• She is affectionate physically and emotionally
• She cares about how she looks, but she is not silly and boring about it
• She is generous with time, things, energy and praise
• She can see the silver lining in any situation, without being an irritating Pollyanna about it.
• She is open and genuine and she isn't afraid to say what everyone is thinking when it needs to be said.
• Everyone is her friend. Whether she knows them or not.
• She makes a personal connection with every person she meets (which is soooo irritating when you are with her, and in a hurry, but I bet it totally makes the day of the person she is connecting with)

Thinking also of my lovely granny today and of my wonderful mother-in-law. What an amazing son she raised. No mom could possibly be prouder. I owe her so much. I hope they are both feeling the love in heaven today.

Dream come true...

I have always dreamed of being in a spontaneous mass song and dance number. I totally would have jumped in and messed everyone else up. I know this to be true. This made my heart super happy. I smiled the whole way through, got a lump in my throat and said, "this is freaking awesome" out loud a few times too. You should watch. Just a typical Wednesday....




PS: I just had to add..why don't we do this stuff? Like all the time? How much better would life be if this happened at least once a week at your local Kroger? MUCH better that's how. I think I just found my calling in life.

Fabulous Friday Follower Featured Is....

Laurel! From Ducks In A Row! Isn't she cute? Don't you wish she was your friend? She reminds me of my lovely friend Candace (hey Candace!) in this photo.

I love the name of Laurel's blog for starters, I think it is adorable and I kind of wish I could steal it because I always think my kids look like ducks in a row when they walk along in size order. But alas, the name is hers and she uses it well.

Another thing I admire is how completely cute her kids are. I admire them every time I visit her blog. Does that sound creepy? Well it's not, it's just that they are admirably cute.

Laurel is one of those annoyingly crafty people (and I say that with love and respect) just look how she showed the rest of us up on Easter Sunday. The rest of us with baskets bought 50% off from Big Lots...I love how she says "my only regret is that I didn't monogram them" there, there Laurel, maybe next year you won't be such an incredible slacker.

Oh and look at the cute apron she made to inspire herself to bake. When I feel inspired to bake, I visit the bakery, buy what I want and that takes care of that. Whew.

Laurel is also a fellow sufferer runner, which I think is awesome.

Ok I just found this post and this one I'm thinking that perhaps I don't like Laurel after all. On account of the overwhelming jealousy. I think it is safe to say that Laurel, she is organized. But the redeeming thing about that is that she is willing to share her organization tips. So we'll forgive her. For now. So long as she does not get any more organized.

Thanks for being a loyal follower Laurel, I love your comments and I always enjoy your blog. I will be in contact so we can send you a lil something. Everyone, go look at her blog and give her some love. I insist.

As always chocolate kisses to all my loyal followers, I love you muchly. If you subscribe to my blog through a reader, I don' t know who you are (I'm sorry...I'm technologically impaired-I'm sure there is a way to find these things out but I'm always kind of freaked about stalking my peeps and finding out all their deets so I avoid it..) Anyway if you wish to reveal yourself, let me know and I will be sure to enter you into the next giveaway.

The Finnster Report

A little recap on how Finny spent his birthday:

A lot of doing this throughout the day.


Also, talking on the phone to family members who sang him various renditions of Happy Birthday (his aunts in Australia pulled out every one in the Primary songbook. It was impressive)

He also got to dine at McDonald's for lunch, whereby he procured a Kidzbop CD and a cardboard microphone which further strengthened his resolve to be a rock-star before his next birthday. He also generously offered to share his fries with me. Oh yeah...Rock on. At least he is thoroughly fluent in the body language of a rock star. (This was to express the awesomeness of finally being allowed to unwrap his presents..)

After lunch I surprised him with a trip to Petco and told him he could pick out a fish. His reaction was the same as if I'd told him he could pick out a puppy, so good thing I didn't. Fish poop is easier to deal with. He looked at me in joy and wonder and said, "but mommy how did you KNOW I wanted a fish?!" To which I replied, "you told me". He looked at me, genuinely touched that I had actually followed through with one of his requests and said, "oh mommy, I love you".

He selected a blue male beta fish. He promptly christened him Dorothy.


On the way home he said, as he'd said many times over the course of the day, "Mommy is this a dream? Am I really, really five? Five with a fish?! Is it a dream mommy?" Then he'd have to clench his fists and have a quiet squeal just to deal with the unbearable awesomeness of the fact that this was his new reality.

He then helped me with the arduous task of conditioning the water since 5 drops per 1/2 gallon when you don't actually know what a gallon is, can be challenging. (I've only lived here 14 years, I can't be expected to know everything! Won't you people go metric already???)

After siblings returned home and daddy showed up it was finally, finally time for a couple more presents. There were five in all. Serendipitously enough.

More dreams come true. The much longed for Husky webkinz. Creatively named, Husker.
"Thank you everyone. I love you all!" (Direct quote which did literally accompany this picture. He's a sweet kid, no?)


Other Finny-isms recently:Benj has had a persistent cough and he overheard me asking Aaron if I should take him to t he Dr. Finny interjects with great indignation, "you should take ME to the Doctor! I.Have.Issues!" When we asked him to elaborate on said issues he said, "nose issues, froat issues, issues with a cough..." The day before his birthday he greeted me in the morning with a runny nose, indignant once again, "I have not had issues for TWO weeks and now I have issues again!" It was later revealed when he chimed in knowingly on a conversation where allergies were being discussed, "yes I have issues too". I suppose the two words are quite similar to the four year old ear.

On his birthday he was telling me how he didn't like to see women in high-tops. It just made them look weird. Eventually it became apparent that "high-tops" were actually "high-heels" and that he could live with them on me, "because you only wear beautiful high tops mommy."

It was then time for the gourmet dinner of his choice. Chili-mac and pears. A box and two cans, can you see why I love this kid so much?



His sense of entitlement on his birtthday was sweet but strong. He made a powerful case for staying up to watch Dancing with the Stars in its entirety. And then he crashed...

Just look at this baby face. He is aging well.

Finny continues to be the coolest kid you can imagine. He is sweet, charming and just...cool. You've got it or you don't-he does. But with the coolness, he remains super sensitive and kind. He spent a lot of the day checking in on me.."see mommy? I'm still Finny even though I'm five. I'm still cute and funny, I still love you so so so much!'

And I love him...to infinity and beyond. So just like that, my baby is 5. I thought it only happened to other people, but not so.

And really..it's ok. I guess.

My house exploded

There is a two hour delay today because of "fog". Have I ranted here before about how my mom used to drive me and my brother and all the neighbours up the Guiness book of records recorded most dangerous road (a steep hill) in the world every single day, often in fog so thick you literally could not see a metre in front of you? I have little patience for "fog days" when I can see no fog. At all. Anyway..

I don't generally mind a delay, it just means for a less stressful morning. However this morning my kids kindly let me sleep off a bit of my own fog. When I finally made it down to the kitchen the scene that awaited me was like something out of one of those movies when they accidentally leave the 7 year old in charge of everything.

There was mud EVERYWHERE. Happily they seemed to figure this out after tracking it all around the kitchen so there was a pile of muddy shoes on the doormat which the bunny has shredded. A broken plate sat stacked neatly on the counter, bread was falling out of the bread bag which was not closed after sandwiches were made. Many bowls of half eaten cereal in the sink. Pile of laundry on top of the dryer (but that's my fault) Chocolate chips keeping the mud company on the floors. And the cherry on top? The bunny had pee'ed in the corner. I love how she tries to contribute.

My reaction? Gingerly tiptoe my way in my socks (I am still in my sleeping attire) through the mud, grab one of the few clean bowls, pour a bowl of cereal, pop an anti-depressant, say a brief prayer over the cereal with an addendum begging urgently for patience. Walk out of the kitchen. Plop down on the couch. Blog about it.

My friend Nathan maintains that no blog can be a true reflection of who a person is.

I assure you, this is who I really am. (Now Nathan is going to complain that I am being more real then I really am. )

How about you? Do you censor your blog? Heavily, somewhat, not at all? Do you represent yourself in your entirety or just the pretty parts? Do you think people should be completely candid in their blogs or there is such a thing as over-sharing? Which blogs do you love the most? The real sometimes raw and gritty ones, or the pretty ones for escapism and inspiration? Let's tawk.

The Fabulously Frugal Round-Up

WFMW is hosting a frugal theme this week, since like many of you, I have a frugal bent, I tend to throw in my tips all the time, so I thought I'd gather them all up in one little encylopedic post for future frugal reference. Without further ado:

Frugal food tip-Can't say much more then Aldi's, Aldi's, Aldi's. If you have one or the equivalent-SHOP THERE. Yes it's not fun and fancy like Kroger but it really is worth it. Also: add at least one vegetarian recipe into your menu each week, and maybe one breakfast for dinner. The kids will be happy about that.


Frugal beauty tips-Don't buy disposable washcloths (oil of Olay etc) just use cotton ones and wash them ( a fresh one every day). Nice and exfoliating.
Nice 'n Easy root touch-up can extend an expensive dye job or high-lights for quite some time without you looking sad and like a desperate housewife in the non-TV sense of the phrase. More of my el cheapo inexpensive beauty product endorsements here.

Frugal Decor- My decor shopping war-cry: "BGG!"-BigLots, Goodwill, Garage Sale. I don't think there is any decor item in my home (other then those from S.Africa or those I have been gifted,) which has not been procured from one of these 3 locations. And truly, the rush of finding them, and giving them a new home and leaving the $2 price tag on the bottom of them to lovingly admire and brag about is so addictive. Even if frugality was not a factor, it works for my aesthetic, I am never impressed by decorating that has clearly been bought as a matched set at one store. It may look finished but it is boring and soul-less to me. Look lookie! A blurry photo of my latest GW find-a cute trio of compotes. Sprout some wheat grass in there and voila-a lawn in your kitchen! Give it a haircut every now and then (as you can tell I just had-mmm it smells good!) How much fun is that? Tons of it, that's how much.

Frugal cleaning tip- One of these, extensively lauded here. Initial outlay quite expensive (although I've seen some sales lately, and even one at Big Lots!) But! Never having to buy cleaning solution, another mop head or those swiffer thingies again-priceless. Easy on the planet too.


PLUS: Vinegar, Baking Soda and Lemon juice. The magical trio. Can't leave those guys out.

Frugal party gift-Fun, inexpensive, cute, consumable (clutter hating moms love that)
Frugal gift wrap- Here ya go.
So cute too. If the ribbon is neutral enough you can use it all year long for birthday gifts too.

Check it out: 5-5-09 5th birthday wrapping! Wow! It's not just for Christmas anymore.









I think that about covers it. Nothing is more en vogue then frugality right now m'peeps. Go forth and save! Once this recession mess is all behind us, I like to think we will all be more resourceful and simply thrill in frugality-just because we can.

Finny says....

I'm.....



I'm 5 on the 5th! It's my STAR Birthday!



I had Trix for breakfast! They are really, really, really colourful! I got to open one present!













POKEMON CARDS!!














My brothers and sister then added all their favourite Pokemon cards to my stash. They are the bestestest sibs EVER.




I can't WAIT for the rest of my day. Five is "BEyonD AwEsoMe" so far! Happy Cinco de Mayo to everyone...and especially to ME! "I'm FINALLY FIVE!"

See how far he has come in just one year!

My Marmie: Birthday Poem for my Mater

On this your birthday, Marmie dear
I wish you scads of love and cheer
I hope that not one moment of it was a bore
And that nobody even thought of dirtying the floor

Mom you have style, you have panache
You can pull off a "look" even if there is no cash
You taught me how to make a house a home
Regardless of in which unpleasant location I may roam

Mom you have enthusiasm to spare
Sure everything will be alright with some hope and some prayer
Nothing gets you down for long
Or quiets your joyful, operatic song

Mom you are bossy
Without you so many would be at a loss(y)
On how to live their lives
And find themselves wives

So many people have you for their life turnaround to thank
Be it for a spouse, a child or more money in the bank

Mom you have aged so well
If you are a day over 40 nobody could tell
You are strong and you are mighty,
Even though you stay up too late nightly

Your sense of humour is sharp as a knife
You laugh and make us laugh
Even (especially?) during times of stress and strife

You can cook and you can sew
Write a story, put on a show
You can landscape, you can party
Whoduthunk one so old could be so hearty?

Juuuust kidding! Never fear!
It's only one more little year
You won't be old until you're ninety
But even then I'll bet you're sprightly

Happy Birthday Marmie Dearie
Of life may you never grow weary
Wishing you lots of glorious surprises
Wish I was there to toast you with Appletisers!

xoxo Stinny

Number 4....

Last night, I attended a session of Stake Conference. If you aren't LDS, ignore the preceding lingo and just stay with me.....

Our Stake President who is an accomplished story teller gave an awesome analogy which I will share with you boys and girls today. 'Cos I love me an anology, I do, I do. ( Incidentally when I was growing up I had an Irish friend-Gillian Hetherington are you out there?) and she used to finish pretty much every sentence with "I do" or a variation thereof. It was endearingly weird. Like, "I went to do the shops I did", or "I'm going to date that boy you think is a freakshow, I am".

Back to the book! (as they have to say whenever I attend a bookclub..)

Ok so our Stake Pres. grew up on a farm in SE Idaho (didn't they all-I think it may be a pre-req for any leadership position in our church past Bishop that you grow up on a farm, preferably in SE Idaho...anyhoo..). Did I tell you guys I took an Adult ADHD diagnostic test online and they were like, wow we are surprised you made it through the test, yeah you have it seek help..?? (well they put it somewhat more professionally, but shockingly enough, I scored really high....)

SO! Whilst growing up on the farm, the Stake Pres and his family raised cattle. They would start as cute little calves. He said most of the calves would pay them no attention but this one, which had been tagged #4 ,was unusually friendly and affectionate. Hence, he and his brothers would kneel down on all fours and take turns butting heads with the calf. 'Cos in a boy's world that is fun times.


Sadly the calf, he grew, and he continued to enjoy the game long after they did. One fateful day, they heard screaming from the pen or whatever it is you put growing calves in, and upon inspection, there lay his brother, pushed down on the ground by the calf (I am thinking forehead to forehead?) not about to let him up. It took several people intervening to get him to release the brother and he did, only to toss him over the fence. Nobody ever found themselves going alone into the pen with number 4 again.

The analogy was of course that some things in life start out really innocuous, playful, fun and seem even natural so we "play" with them. And then they grow and take control over us. They are too big and strong for us to overcome alone and without help may easily destroy us and or our families.

It got me to thinking what type of things I may flirt with in life that may be getting out of control. The computer is one I constantly battle with, as I've said before. Unfortunately, we don't live in a society where it would be easy or even beneficial for me to cut the 'puter totally out of my life, but it needs constant monitoring (not to be punny) and reigning in if it's not going to become a monster which steals all my time and leaves me with regrets at the end of the day...

What else? What else? Well a lot was spoken of complicating our lives needlessly with things that are good things but not the best things for our family. (6 hours of soccer on a Saturday anyone? Hmmmm...Maybe just once in a very great while that is ok, but as a lifestyle? Not good for this family, not good at all.) A lot was spoken of simplifying, I loved what was said and unfortunately I did not get it verbatim, by one speaker along the lines of, "the happiness our children remember from our lives will not be the gifts they got or the sporting victories they had, it will be the time that they spent with their family" . Aint that the truth?

I experimented with that concept for a moment, trying to think of what I got for say, my 10th birthday or Christmas. I couldn't. Of course there are some gifts that stick out as particularly meaningful but I think they were so magical because our parents were so diligent about not spoiling us, even when they could afford to.. but more then anything else, I thought about Sunday afternoon lunches under our mulberry tree. (Or maybe it was Apricot? Help me out, Shona.)

Sitting for hours after the food was eaten, laughing and talking with my siblings and parents. Sunday afternoons lying on a blanket in the backyard, soaking in some of the wintery sun, chatting sleepily with my mom and brother. Long drives sitting next to my mom or dad, the radio off, chatting about everything (mostly boys). I long for memories like that for my kids! I wonder if that would have been the same if we'd been allowed to watch TV on Sundays, or if the internet existed, or if we were allowed to go to parties or hang with friends on Sunday? Sunday was strictly a family day. If we hung with friends, we hung as a family.

One of my fondest hopes is that one day we will have four teenage children who will linger at the table for hours with their parents on Sunday afternoons, not wanting the meal to end...

Gotsta watch out for those number 4's...

Awetism Awareness Month

My friend, reader, and fellow blogger Julie of Mom 102, has written a beautifully insightful, informative and uplifting blog post about life with her autistic son.

Go ahead and read it, it's cool and it will make you smile. Autism touches us all.

May Day! May Day! (the 2009 edition)

It was a full day, this first day of May.

There was the little matter of my baby growing irrevocably up in a heart-wrenchingly tangible way... and the picking out of the teacher gift for the occasion. He chose a very appropriate fun and funky wind chime for her garden (she has a very fun garden), he picked out a card, he picked out a gift bag, he picked out the tissue paper, he dictated the card to me:

Dear Muss Cindi, you are BEYOND AWESOME. I love you and will miss you so, so, so much. You are the best teacher in the whole, whole, white, white world (I wonder what imagery goes through his head when he says that.. probably lots of snow..it's only natural being a child of Ohio...). Love Jonathan" (he wrote the Jonathan himself, complete with the pre-schoolishly endearing backwards "n" and "a"s

Then the (mostly) internal weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth as teacher Cindi and I bemoaned the fact that for the first time in 5 years we would no longer be seeing each other on a twice daily basis...and then numb with the reality of the horror, I drove away for. the. last. time (until I come back next week for the "exit interview")...the agony.

Then the preschool picnic (with accompanying traditional freezing weather and rain-good times, good times..)

Then the soccer game in the rain. Ahhh..bracing.With the promise of more tomorrow-excellent.

(Add in there the going to the gym, four separate trips to the shops, the making of the May Day baskets /misshapen cones with ensuing chaos on the home front, the begging people to vote for me, the obsessing over whether the computer counted the votes, the attempting to express my gratitude to the people who voted for me...whew..it's time for bed man)

Here are the 3 children who took me to the preschool every day for the last 5 years neatly stuffed into a cubby with Muss Cindi. Benj The Outsider was courteously asked to step out of the frame. That's what you get for being 6 when we moved here. Tough break, kid.

And finally, the truly delightful moment of the day... the dropping off of the May day baskets. Where we get to make like we are criminals.

The sun came out to dry up all the rain and eensy weensy kiddies were out there once again...




Stealthy drop offs...because not a soul will be able to figure out your identity, so long as you remain (mostly) unseen as you shriek at your sibling to "hurry up"
and your dad gets the getaway van fired up with 3-5 minutes of you ringing the door-bell..











All in all...a good start to this lovely month. It brings with it: May's flowers, my mom's birthday, my baby's birthday, Mother's Day and our anniversary.

She works hard for the money, May does.

I love my peeps....

You are so good to me. Thank you for so generously voting (and persisting when it wouldn't go through and being worried that it didn't go through-I am worried too-will let you know when I know anything) and spreading the word for me. You do so rock. I don't love asking people for stuff but you have been so kind and gracious that even if I don't win, I have major warm fuzzies to have such kind and generous friends. I always suspected I knew the best people in the world. Suspicions confirmed.

May calorie free (with the taste and texture of full fat) chocolate hugs and kisses rain down upon you. (unless you think that would hurt...in that case, light and feathery cash...)