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January 6, 2009

Learning to play the guitar

The Ones That Don’t Make the Cut

Chosing only one photo per day is difficult. There are so many others that sum up my life. Like this one.

I know it shouldn’t make me laugh, but this is how his bipolar self frequently looks. I can’t remember what it was that upset him so.

Or this photo. This child has a huge personality, something I think often gets lost in still photos. I was taking photos of her with her window art and suddenly she said, “Jazz hands!” And THAT was funny. Right? It isn’t just me, is it? Looking at the photo still makes me laugh.

Or this one because Miles always rubs his chin and says, “Hmmmmmmmmm,” like a little old man. And I want to remember that.

Today the photo that didn’t make the cut is this one. The sky looks like this every night right before dinner in the winter. This is the color of bitter cold.

I love this photo because you can see that she is singing with all her heart. And playing the guitar with enthusiasm. So much so that I taught her this song:

Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
cause theres a million things to be
You know that there are

-Cat Stevens

Ah, a throw back to my Deadhead days. Okay, I never really was a Deadhead. I enjoyed showering too much for that. And shaving my armpits. But I was envious of all my friends who tossed off the shackles of life and followed the Dead around the country. Until they all ended up in rehab, that is.

Oh The Places I Write

I told someone earlier today that I think I am finally out from under the holidays. I think I have finally caught up on everything. Or else given up prioritized.

Over at Work It, Mom! The ultimate 1970’s comfort food — the Tuna Casserole.

So grab your Screwdriver, the drink not the tool, and embrace the casserole and the era.

Remember I went to Disney World in December? I know that I barely do. I have been meaning to write about it, if only for myself so that I don’t forget about it.

Over at BlogHer, I have a post up today with tips on stopping the gimmees at Disney World. This is part 2 in the series. (Part One is here.)

Miles just came over to me and asked if I would read him a book. I hesitated for a second thinking of all of the tings I still have left to do, let out a reluctant sigh, and said, “Sure. You go pick out a book. I’ll be right there.”

He started cheering and then said, “I am going to pick out a book with a beautiful girl with long beautiful hair. Just like you!”

Awwww, how can I say no that. Especially after one of my children said to me yesterday that he was going up to his room so that he wouldn’t have to look at my ugly face anymore. If I had any advice for parents of babies and toddlers out there it would be to not let them grow up. Just don’t allow it. The End.

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January 5, 2009

Paper towel tube turned telescope.

Because you asked

January 4, 2009

How to make you own gingerbread house.

It is very easy. If I can do it, you can too. Seriously.

Also, yes, I will still be posting, not just doing the photo thing. I have nothing to write about today. The HIGHLIGHT of my day was the grocery store.

Where I bought :

bagels (plain, everything, raisin, and mini strawberry),

bread (100% whole wheat, makes me feel better when they slather Fluff on it),

French Vanilla non-dairy coffee creamer (that I drink in my coffee every single day, and have for years, because I am boring),

cereal (the sort I promised myself I would never buy my children back when I had only one kid that was still young enough to be completely under my control and I was therefore an asshole expert on such things)

bananas

ORGANIC gala apples (to cancel out the not made from real food substances cereal),

instant oatmeal (my youngest son eats the same thing for breakfast every. single. morning. Clearly he has inherited my adventurous spirit)

I realized at the check out that I had once again forgotten my bags from home. I have never remembered to bring them back to the store. NEVER. Not once. For awhile I kept buying new ones so I could share in that smugly superior feeling. Oh, c’mon you know you feel like an extra special tree hugger when you use yours. But Rob thought we had enough of them. And yes, I have to admit that even though there are a lot of us, we don’t need quite that many bags. Especially since I never actually use them.

The cashier asked me if I wanted to have bags at all. Oh please? Can I cradle all of my food in my arms? Can I? Because that sounds completely doable.

Oh, the other highlight. I was asked if my Mom or Dad was at home. To which I answered, “Well, they might be. I’m not really sure since they do not LIVE HERE IN MY HOUSE.” But secretly I was flattered. And I really don’t think they were just trying to flatter me. I believe lying is against the code of the Jehovah Witnesses. Nor were they blind. Just in case you were wondering.

Unrelated, I think Maggie Mason’s new book, the follow-up to No One Cares What You Had For Lunch, is going to be titled, “No One REALLY Cares What You Bought At The Grocery Store.” Amen.

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Just in case coloring wasn’t tedious enough… I present window art. Painting on sheets of plastic with non-washable paint. What the hell was Santa thinking?

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January 3, 2009

Earning his keep

Wherein I Turn into the Evil Witch

I know I am tired of hearing about the gingerbread house.

This is how you keep it from falling apart while the icing hardens. I left it like that overnight.

The short version is we built a gingerbread house minus one integral piece. Made do. Stuck as much candy on it as possible. Then ate it. The children possibly putting themselves into diabetic comas.

The long version ,with photos, below the fold. (more…)

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January 2, 2009

Possibly the Saddest Gingerbread House Ever

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Freshly bathed