Photo of birds in nest
Today, I took this photo of the barn swallows we have living outside our front door (click to enlarge): Read the rest of this entry »
Achoo
Something is in the Austin-area air these last few days. I can’t stop sneezing. I’m scaring the children and the dog.
Speaking of sneezing, I read an interesting article in Popular Science (I couldn’t find the exact article online to link to) about people who sneeze at the sun. Apparently, no one really knows why, but about 10 percent of people sneeze in bright sunlight. I do occasionally, and I’ve noticed Gabriel does, too.
According to this article, the phenomenon is known as “Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst Syndrome.” Right. I guess “Sneezes-at-the-Sun-itis” didn’t have a good ring to it.
Our baby birds have hatched!
The barn swallows that have built a nest right outside our front door have new babies! It’s been a great science lesson for the kids. Although, Mikaela saw the baby bird and said “she eyes are broken.” 
Photos: Read the rest of this entry »
Ha.
Mikaela walked into the living room to get a drink of her ice water, which had been sitting out for awhile.
She looked in the cup and bellowed, “who took my ice?!?”
I have a boo-boo
If you’re squeamish or eating, stop reading!
I have a bandaged-up leg after an ER trip last night. Several days ago, I got what looked like a bug bite, and a red circle grew out from it. I went to the doctor yesterday and they diagnosed me with cellulitis, gave me an antibiotic and told me to go to the ER if it changed at all. Well, between about 8 pm and 2 am, the red circle continued to grow steadily, putting out some long red streaks as well. The area also started feeling cold and tingly. I figured that it was time to head to the ER. I got there and the doctor cut into it pretty deep with a scalpel. He didn’t numb me up very well, so it was excruciating. He then packed it up and bandaged it. I guess he took some skin out; I was close to fainting from the pain, so I wasn’t watching. Anyway, it hurts like heck today, but the red streaks are gone, so I guess it’s getting better.
Fun stuff. Another one for my long list of hospital visits.
Can’t help myself
I tried to make myself wait on this post until I’ve read the entire book, but I am about to burst. I can’t hide it when I’ve found something great!
It’s quite possibly the best book I’ve ever read (except for the Bible, of course) – Captivating. I honestly know already, just 37 pages in, that it’s going to change my life. It’s empowering and purpose-giving and just a great overall read. I am temped to post portions of it here but I should probably ask permission before I do that. By the way, if you’re familiar, it’s by the author of Wild at Heart, but this one is for women.
Anyway, check it out. I’ll write a longer post when I finish it.
I can’t believe I’m actually writing this
My husband is currently at “praise band practice” because he’s going to be one of our church’s drummers (they take turns). I realized something watching him play earlier, though … I’m going to have to look elsewhere during our song service. As in, not at him. Because he looks … well, RIDICULOUSLY SEXY playing drums. And I’d hate to think impure thoughts in church.
Well, I guess it was the thought that counts
You remember that floral arrangement that I did a few weeks ago?
Well, I was just standing in the bedroom sorting laundry and Mikaela walks up, freshly-plucked plastic flowers in hand: “I pick for YOU, mama!”
Helping those in need
In the interest of making a difference for China and Myanmar in the wake of their recent tragedies, CNN has posted a good resource page listing some of the highest-rated charities. I would love to go over there and help people in a personal hands-on way, but this is the next best thing. Please consider giving!
Boy Band Creator Sentenced to Prison
The Statesman ran an article on Lou Pearlman’s (the infamous creator of both N’Sync and the Backstreet Boys) recent trial and prison verdict.
Now, Pearlman was allegedly on trial for fraudulently bilking investors out of their money. But do we really believe that’s why he’s going to the slammer?
Maybe we can find a way to go after the people behind New Kids on the Block now.
Another getup
Apparently my daughter gets her sense of style from Punky Brewster. Read the rest of this entry »
A boy and his dog
Gabriel has really taken to Daisy lately. He’s calling her “my dog.” It’s really cute. Read the rest of this entry »
Our garden is growing!
Our first garden seems to be doing pretty well. We have a couple of little tomatoes sprouting, and buds are coming up on other plants that I’m not sure about what exactly they are (Jay did the planting, not me). I think it’s either the cucumber plants or the okra plants.
I was watering the garden yesterday when I thought I saw a small frog scurrying out of the way, but upon closer inspection it was a very large spider. Yeeek. Well, I’m told spiders are good for gardens (they eat the bugs that can destroy the ‘crops’) so I guess it can stay.
You can see the plants’ progress in the photo below. Don’t laugh at our fence. It’s leaning because it needs some stakes. Read the rest of this entry »
Speaking of drums
Jay’s drums came today. They’re awfully pretty. Read the rest of this entry »
Drums and stuff
So, my husband has recently gotten out of the woodworking business. Jay was really, really good at crafting fine furniture, but we never wound up selling anything. Fine, people, go buy your crappy particle-board furniture at Wal-mart. You get what you pay for.
So anyway, another of Jay’s many talents is percussion. He did really well in marching band (he ranked really high in the state contest) and went on to teach drum lessons, which he’s been doing on and off since the early 90s. Starting this summer, he may be the go-to guy for private percussion instruction for a local ISD’s band kids. And he’s also starting to play drums for our church’s worship team. So, needless to say, he needed to purchase a drum set.
Now, I knew drum sets were expensive, but I knew nothing about cymbals, which I thought were just glorified trash-can lids. Apparently not. I am not usually a cheap-skate, but when I heard what cymbals go for, I just about fainted.
Anyway, I’m kind of excited that Jay’s finally getting a drum set. He sold his previous one right before we met. I’ve always wanted to learn to play the drums. Is it too late to be a rockstar?
My advance apologies to my catholic readers
If anyone ever voted to make me a saint – wait a minute, voted? How are saints selected, anyway? And once you’re declared a saint, are you ’sainted’ (you know, kind of like being ‘knighted’)?
I digress, which is actually ironic.
If anyone ever decided to make me into a saint (not that this is a likely thing, you know), they would declare me “Our Lady of Perpetual Distraction.”
I’ve always been easily distractable, but it’s gotten much worse since I’ve had kids. I have to work hard enough to hold my train of thought, without it being shattered by cries of “I need a wipe!” “Mama, he/she hitting me!” or “Mama, I spilled it.”
Recently, I was proofing a Web site and the kids interrupted me so many times that I wound up reading a single paragraph half a dozen times. I gave up and tried again later when Mikaela was napping.
It affects my household chores, too, though … I know it drives Jay nuts when he walks in and finds half a load of laundry in the washer, the rest spilled onto the floor. Or a half-loaded dishwasher. You get the idea. I am so bad at walking away from something like that and then totally forgetting it and starting something else. Which I will no doubt be distracted from as well.
Not to say that being distracted by my kids is necessarily a bad thing. We have our bad days, but this has been a fun stage in their lives. They are saying something funny or cute all the time. I have to write more of it down. Or better yet, I need to get another camcorder. But that’s another post.
Oh, to be a rockstar
The Smoking Gun reports that it has obtained a copy of the Foo Fighers’ tour rider. (If you don’t know what a tour rider is, click here.) If you want to skip to the funniest parts, look for the red arrows.
Car Conversation
Gabriel: I love you mama. That makes you happy.
Me: Yes, Gabriel, that does make me happy.
Jay: Gabriel, what makes you happy?
Gabriel: Uh … Mikaela.
Me: Mikaela, Gabriel loves you! Do you love Gabriel?
Mikaela: (sounding annoyed): Yes.
Well, at least ONE of my kids has a sweet disposition!
A dog after my own heart
Recently, Jay opened the door to let the dog out back when he was leaving for work. In the middle of the night, a cold front had come through, so it was pretty chilly out. Jay said Daisy got a few inches away from the doorway, stopped dead in her tracks and retreated. She went back to curl up on the nice, warm couch.
I’m with you, Daisy.
Be Still My Beating Heart
I recently blogged about one of my favorite bands – Portishead – coming out with a new album (which I’m somewhat disappointed with).
But as a consolation, two more great bands I love are coming out with new albums – the Verve and Coldplay.
the Verve, like Portishead, are back together after a 10-year hiatus. (I swear, these bands are re-uniting to save us from the wretchedness that is ’00s music.) They have tour dates scheduled and recently released the Thaw Session, which you can hear here. I saw the Verve live at the Roxbury in Atlanta in 1997. I would love to go see them again, they’re a great live band. They currently don’t have any U.S. dates listed, but they did recently play at the Coachella music festival. Anyway, an album is forthcoming. I’ll try to contain my excitement. [If you're new to the Verve or only know them by their hit single Bittersweet Symphony, here's a few songs to broaden your horizons: Slide Away, Gravity Grave, Lucky Man, Weeping Willow]
Coldplay, on the other hand … I’ve loved every album they’ve put out, but I’m not sure what I think about the single, Violet Hill from their upcoming album Viva La Vida. I mean, it’s not bad. But something about this track reminds me of that insipid Franz Ferdinand song they played to death on the radio the year it was released. I personally love their endearing, melodic songs like Fix You and Trouble. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?
Mikaela
“Mama, I sitting on the couch like a lady,” she said. Three going on thirty. Read the rest of this entry »
Out of the mouths of babes
You never know what Mikaela is going to say. She makes us laugh every day.
This morning, she looked at the entryway floor and said, “Mama, this ’sgusting” (disgusting). Guess it’s time to mop!
This afternoon, Jay had a bloodshot eye and he asked her how it looked. She said, “It looka kinda terrible!”
Perhaps I’ve visited the drive-thru too much lately
Gabriel was at speech therapy on Friday and his therapist was asking him to name things in certain categories. She asked him to name something large.
He replied, “uh … a Large Diet Dr. Pepper.”
Ill-advised idea #943
So, we have a long-haired dachshund. As the weather has been getting warmer, I’ve been wanting to take her in for a trim so she doesn’t bake every time she goes outside. But after finding out the price – $38 (my haircuts cost $18 and that’s with a tip) – I decided to give it a shot myself. I spent 4 hours yesterday cutting her hair with scissors and Jay’s clippers (sorry, Jay!). When I was done, I was covered in sweat and dog hair. There was enough fur on the ground to knit a sweater. And the dog … well …. Read the rest of this entry »
Ha.
This morning, I turned the TV on for the kids. The channel had been set to a local station last night, so when we turned it on this morning, the news was on. Mikaela saw this and frowned.
“This not for kids, Mama,” she said. “This for ‘dults!” (adults).
Hold on to yer britches
May 22, 2008 at 8:46 pm (social commentary)
I saw a banner outside a hummer dealer today, proclaiming that the H3 gets … are you sitting down? … EIGHTEEN MILES PER GALLON! Well, call the middle east and tell them the oil crisis is off!
I guess it’s all relative, though. 18 mpg (highway) on the H3 looks better than 15 mpg (highway) on the H2.
And the original H1? Well, let’s just say you’d better hire a fuel tanker to follow you around.
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