Today's Fun

Today was a good day.
It started around 7:30a. Breakfast was pancakes, eggs, and coffee. YUM.
Next we went to the Victory Garage Sales. They were a bit of a bust but it was good to get out and see what people were selling, backyards, and say hi to our neighbors.
Then we went to our local plant store. We bought marigolds, bee balm, and some veggies.
Lunch was sandwiches and then the kids both napped, FOR TWO HOURS!!!
Heavenly!
Øf course i folded some laundry but I did read for a bit too.
Yardwork finished out the afternoon. YIPPEE!
It is amazing to me that I missed the entire summer out in the yard last year because I was prego.

In other news from today... D is really working on rolling over. He doesn't seem to have the same head issues as his big sister had.

Catchy Title

Good Friday Afternoon!

If you haven't noticed - I use StatCounter to track who is looking at my blog. I can see for instance that someone looked at my blog from Washington State, France, Iowa, and Indonesia to name a few. Isn't that cool? and somewhat scary? I can also see the entry links and I wonder how close to the top of the Goggle query I am when someone types in one of my catchy titles. iPhone gets quite a few hits.

So if you are a blogger and want to have a little fun - play around with your titles and see if you can get a bunch of hits. Let me know how you do in the comments!

She loves picking flowers

Dandelions do have a good use. They keep the other flowers from being picked.
B loves to pick flowers and we have had dandelions and violets in our home for a while now.
It is so sweet when she decides on her own to pick flowers for the neighbors. We have also kept many bouquets for grandparents and friends. What would you think if the florist delivered a vase of dandelions?

If he ever gets mad enough!

D is going to really roll over one of these days. I wish I had video because the screaming that goes along with these pictures is so cute. He is a determined little toot.

Oh geez

'Mom, you know what I do when I love a movie?'
'What B?'
'I cry, because I love it sooo much.'

Shhhh Don't wake the baby...

Did you watch SNL last night

I turned on SNL last night because I always try to watch some of it when I get a chance. It is a show that I have been watching since the 80s on and off and even though it has LOTS and LOTS of crappy skits - you sometimes come across that one gem. Here is one of the many gems from SNL. Dana Carvey is one of my favorites from the show.

Choppin' Broccoli

But the reason I was writing today was because John McCain was on the show in a couple of different skits. If you have an opinion on this - please share it in the comments. I can't make up my mind if I think it is okay for SNL to have politial people on its show, even if he was poking fun at himself. It just made me uncomfortable.

Rating my movies

On the sidebar, I have movies and books I have recently read. When I started that list - I was rating them on a one to four star scale. After watching movies mostly and rating them, I noticed that I very rarely rated any of them badly. So I stopped. I think I like most things I am choosing to watch right now because I have seen them before.

Last night I watched Mad Money and even though it was REALLY slow in the beginning, it turned into a cute flick. I had to get past my skeptism of Katie Holmes but after I let it go - I could enjoy it.

Its the simple things - right?

Steak
Baked Beans
Coleslaw
Welch's Grape
Stees and Ya-ya
The Fam

Look at these cutie pies!

Do you have friends that think differently than you do?

I read the news. I feel like I am fairly well informed. I am about ready to boycott news.

Lately I have just felt overwhelmed by the abundance of the 'we are all going to be in a handbasket soon' type news. All of the coverage of global warming, natural disasters, wars, and politics has got me in a funk. Now on NPR today I heard a conversation about how I would be a better person if I had more friends that were republican leaning. I don't think I can do it! I am over exaggerating a bit - it won't make me a better person but a more informed one.

The interview I was listening to was with pair of people that were friends but one was a Democrat and one was a Republican - or liberal and conservative.

Did you hear this conversation? Are you friends with people who think differently than you do?

Big Day

What a big day at my house today.
It started out with me putting my shirt on inside out and not realizing it until we got to church. Thank goodness I noticed it!
We moved on pretty well from there.
My son was baptized today. We had family and friends to our home for brunch. MD made yummy food. We had a fun time.

Our new best friend

D really loves the Baby Bjorn. He is so happy to be in it.

You've got the look

Or in this case - my daughter has the look.
Ah... the joys of being a parent.
Love you too honey!

Home again Home again Jiggity Jig

Do you ever get something stuck in your head and it just plays over and over? The phrase that is the title of this blog is from one of B's books. I find myself saying it just because I like the way it feels to say it and I like the way it sounds.
Kind of like Bibbity-bobbity boo!
Razz-ma-tazz

Do you have a favorite?

Ritual dancing

I have had a lot of life changing events going on in my life within the last year and many people around me have as well.
As I cope and move through these situations - I have to say that I wish there were more ritual to rely on. Personal prayer is something that I haven't felt very satisfied with but more comfortable talking about. But I was thinking about Native Americans with their costumes, makeup, and dancing and how satisfying it would be to have a physical outlet with a group when performing a funeral or healing for example. Sitting and listening to someone else talk just doesn't help me through the process. I need to participate and talking in front of a group just isn't my style. Plus could you see me at a funeral talking about someone I loved? Well - it really wouldn't be talking - it would be a blubbery mass of me not being very easily understood.

We do have dancing at weddings - but many times it is reduced to a DJ - which is usually too loud and with the exception of the Chicken Dance doesn't have a lot of group interaction because the music is too damn loud. MD and I had a traditional scandinavian band - the Footnotes play at our wedding dance and EVERYONE danced. It was something we all participated in.

I have a friend who has health issues. I will think about him and ask him how he is doing but wouldn't it be more satisfying if we as a community danced with him. Connecting through hands as we moved around a circle?

I think after watching my daughter and her friend dance this weekend while the choir rehearsed reminded me how much I loved to dance and wished there were more opportunities in my life to dance. But the realization of ritual dancing hadn't occured to me until 2am this morning.

What do you think? Are you satisfied with how ritual is performed around you? Do we need to have a dance at church? I wonder if the Footnotes would be free this weekend for my son's baptism.

Listen to these goodies

Podcasts of 'This American Life' and Radio Lab are getting me through my pumping time in the locker room right now. Have you ever listened to these amazing shows?
It is one way to quickly lose an hour.

Check them out!

With great power, comes great responsibility

Thank you eWAC for awarding my blog 'Most Kitten Friendly Blog of the YEAR!'.

I am really going to have to be nice to my kitties more.

Very Impressed

My friend Scott at Going40 shared on his blog that he received two awards at Hamline. Scott started his blog to document/share his experiences going back to school. I know we were in awe of his decision here in this house and though he had said he had doubts, we knew he would be successful. Now he knows too. Congratulations Scott!!! We are so proud of you.