Three Cheers for De-Banding Day!

In just 12 hours I will either have all my braces off; or, I will have heard the news that they aren't quite ready yet. Please, everyone, CROSS YOUR FINGERS for me and send your de-banding thoughts my way! I am done with these braces. Really, I am.

Tomorrow is MY HAPPY DAY!!!!

Last year, on My Happy Day, I spent most of the day by myself painting. I didn't necessarily want to be alone; but the children had to go to school and Bart had to go to work. Aside from being alone, I truly enjoyed being lost in paint, design and my imagination!

With the children in the middle of finals again at this time of year, it leaves me to wonder what I will do tomorrow. I have been wanting to complete a series of the winter bird the red cardinal! If I decided to begin this project, I could easily get lost in either my paints, or my graphite and paper. Or, I could spend time with my parents; they called today to see if they could come spend some time with me. I would like that. I would like to sketch the two of them. I wonder if they would be able to sit still for me. I believe my mom would enjoy it. But my dad is a little more reserved and may be uncomfortable.

My sister, Princess Jody, is in the middle of a nasty job she has to complete; therefore she is unavailable. Maybe I could drive out to her and we could go to lunch! We can bang our royal crowns together as we give a hoop and a holler for My Happy Day! But with her icky job, she may not be in a Hoop an Hollering mood....

As for the rest of my siblings, they are probably working, too. Steve is in Iraq, I won't drive over there to see him....sorry!

The reality is that I really have to stay at home because we are getting our kitchen redone and the workers will be here! The cabinets are in the middle of being stained and varnished. We wanted to update our kitchen, and had great plans for knocking down certain walls, etc. but we had some uninvited guests show up that stayed too long and caused some real damage....termites! So, because we were pressed for getting those out of here, and gone forever, we kept basically the same layout that we had before...all original walls still intact. Getting any kind of remodel work done in the house is very inconvenient........very. But, it will be beautiful and hospitable by human beings again soon! I'm a lucky girl, and I'm very grateful.

As an update from a long ago post, I did not do the mural painting job for my friend; for a few reasons. The main one was that I was having some mysterious physical symptoms....Diagnosis Unknown. I went through a gammet of tests, all of which returned normal. However, I question why the phlebotemist that took my blood did not make note of the fact that my blood was the color and consistency of molasses; and that it took 45 minutes almost to get enough blood into the 5 vials necessary to complete the blood screen. Is this normal to have blood the color and consistency of molasses?! I don't know. "Do I drink enough water?" they asked. Yes, I drink a ton of water, yet cannot keep hydrated. Hence the purpose of tests..... My friends have moved on to other home projects and will do the murals later I imagine.

Anyway, with my very fun job on the line, my mouth lined of cotton and My Happy Day just about here, I am going to go to bed. I wonder what I will dream about?!

Manic Monday

I'm sad.
So very sad.
I've had a bad day.
What a day I've had.

Go ahead; ask me why.
I won't cry.
Til the day is over
A smile I will try.

If you will just ask
About the task
Requiring me
To bask

In Sad.

A "Bad" Word Poem can be kind of Fun....

Almost everyday for almost 17 years I have been reading to my children (and any other child that happened to be in my home). I love children's books! I have lots of favorites that I never get tired of reading. Luckily, even though my youngest is 9 1/2, he still wants me to read to him before he goes to bed.

Last night because I was working, he offered to gather the books. I was pleasantly surprised when he chose a book titled, "Poetry Speaks to Children". The book is filled with fun, silly, thoughtful, and even sad poems. Cameron read some and I read some. We had a great time. But the funnest poem we read, that gave us giggles enough to last through all the poems, was the one named "Gas".

I have to tell you that it has a word in it that in our house is considered a "bad" word. But, because of the truth that the poem speaks, and the possibility of a great giggle-fest, I'm going to share it with you.

GAS
written by C.K. Williams
for his grandchildren

There's a land called France
that has an odd law,
a law that might make you
drop your jaw,
for what it proclaims
in words very clear,
is that FARTING
IS FORBIDDEN HERE.

Did you say FARTING?
Did you say FORBIDDEN?

Yes, it's true,
there's a country called France
in which FARTING
must be HIDDEN,
BECAUSE FARTING
IN FRANCE
IS FORBIDDEN!

Though it's not so in Canada,
and not in Spain,
and not on the prairie,
and not on the plain,
and not in countries like Egypt
where camels are ridden,
in France,
on the rivers and mountains,
on the roads and in fields,
FARTING IS FORBIDDEN!

Will a policeman arrest you
in France
if you FART?
Nobody knows.
But, he might blow his whistle,
or pinch your toes.

So what should you say
if a policeman in France
asks, DID YOU FART?
You should answer as quickly as you can,
"THAT WASN'T ME, IT WAS MY BROTHER!"

And what should your brother
say if he's asked
DID YOU FART?
Why, he should reply,
"THAT WAS MY OTHER,
LITTLE BROTHER!"

And what about him
your baby brother,
what should he say
if someone asks him,
DID YOU FART?

Well, he won't answer,
because he can't talk,
though it's well known
that babies FART
before they can walk!

We pretend that we don't,
and cover our nose,
but it's really a pose
because everyone knows
that EVERYONE FARTS:
Fathers, and mothers,
and sisters and brothers,
grandmas and grandpas, and babies who goo.

So if one day in France
a policeman
should inquire of you,
"Excuse me, DID YOU FART?
DID YOUR BROTHERS FART, TOO?"

Without hesitation,
you and your brothers
must shout:
"IT"S NOT US WHO FARTED,
YOU SILLY PERSON,
IT WAS YOU!"

Of Memories and Dreams....

Happy, Happy, New Year!!!!

For several reasons I am always happy to begin a New Year!

1. I love to Reminisce.
2. I love New Beginnings.
3. I love to have Options to Consider.
4. I love it once a Decision is Made.
5. I love to Dream about the Possibilities to Come.

I want to hear from you about what you will be Reminiscing about for 2007 and all the Possibilities you Dream about for 2008!