Finally the good camera has been repaired. It has been wonderful to take a few spring pics. Looking over my blog there haven't been as many pics the last 6 months, the demise of this camera was the reason. It's hard to be happy about taking photos when you know they could look so much better. So here I am happy about taking photos again!
OK, I really don't like the layout of this post. I can't get Typepad to cooperate - the margins, spacing, etc. (Why am I paying for this?) Anyone help me with how to make a montage or mosaic of photos here? thanks :)
Took the kids to see Alice In Wonderland - it was great! A real heroine movie with a Jabberwocky, what's not to like? (I happily remembered my Dad quoting the Jabberwocky often during my childhood.) Think six impossible things before breakfast! We all agreed that without the costumes and art it wouldn't have thrilled us as much. There are great ideas in there for a birthday party (those ideas are for younger kids, but I'm thinking about R's 16th birthday that is 9 months away! The drinks in little bottles with "Drink Me" tags, little petit fours with "Eat Me" written on them, playing chess and cards, funky tea party with broken and mismatched dishes, and a vial of Jabberwocky blood attached to a silk cord as the party favor. ) and Halloween costumes - not the cheesy, real dressing up!
After all the fantastical things in Alice it seems right to make paper flowers - click all the way through Martha's list, there are roses and peonies and poppies and apple/cherry blossoms. (While we're on the subject, Martha continues to bug me - several of these crafts I saw years ago on other blogs. So that's what crafters get if they're nice enough to offer a free tutorial - poached by Big Sister Martha.) The cherry blossoms remind me of our tree outside. The blossoms go so quickly, making a branch like this would remind me of spring. (I'll leave the birds off, I'd have Alfred Hitchcock type nightmares otherwise).
Rach and I went to a consignment store. I had to explain what a consignment store is to her to get her to go, "It's second-hand clothes, but better than Goodwill. Macy's clothes on a Goodwill budget." It wasn't a teen store, and she's a picky girl, and she still found a shirt and a necklace. I found a dress (I haven't bought a dress in years, they either don't fit, aren't modest, or are matronly), a beautiful green blouse that happens to be silk (silk scares me, I'll ruin it just as sure as I shrunk that cashmere sweater), a necklace, earrings, and another brooch for my purse. Brooches are lovely, especially when they're $5, but I feel weird wearing them on anything but a coat. So I've got two on my purse, a bee and now a butterfly.
These things a personal trainer learned over 20 years made me think. Funny thing is he went against several things he posted - he's selling things and he has a book and a blog. I guess he didn't see the irony there. Is it also irony that I keep reading how bad sugar is for me and I continue to consume it in vast quantities? What might work better in my body if I could step away from the sugar bowl and soda machine?
Not wanting to end on something as sad as giving up sugar, I'll tell you about lunch. DH and I went to a local farmer's market (the same one I visited with my parents when they visited). It was bustling and loud today, the epitome of Eastern US culture. We decided to eat at the Mediterranean restaurant, I had a chicken swarma wrap and DH had a Gyro - yummy! It was hard to choose where to eat though, there was a southern food booth, a pizza booth, a pretzal booth, many bakeries, several sandwich shops, a salad booth, a seafood booth, a candy booth, a bagel booth, a comfort food booth, and on and on. We could eat there everyday for a month and not tire of it.
Today was J's Avatar birthday party. He had a wonderful time, tons of fun, a complete success. (His real birthday is next week, I'll do his birthday post then.)
I had different feelings. I was bummed that only two kids came and one of them kept talking about another party that he was leaving our party early to attend ("I better not drink soda, I'll have a lot at the other party", "No cake for me, I'll have some at the other party", "It's Ok that the pizza is late, I'll have some at the other party."). At least one of our other no-shows went to the other party that J wasn't invited to. My happy birthday boy was oblivious (I think). The important thing is that J. had a great time, but I'm left wondering what happened to social graces and manners. I'm no stickler but don't say you're coming to soothe my feelings only to not come. Telling me the truth, that you won't attend, does far less harm (if any) than not showing up. This is one of the reasons siblings are great - J. had a full table at his party because his sisters were excited to be part of the fun.
The kids played asteroids (a game rolling balls on the floor, not arcade), decorated treat bags, hunted for alien creatures in the basement with flashlights, made a space map on scratch art paper, had air blaster rocket wars, birthday cake and alien slime (sprite and sherbet). And eventually, after an hour and 10 minute wait, ate pizza.
None of the boys wanted to decorate the blue masks (Avatar theme). This is a big difference between boy parties and girl parties, they weren't into the crafty activities - it was all about the action. They also had little interest in watching the Space Shuttle liftoff video I checked out from the library. In comparison to Star Trek and Star Wars those old Space Shuttle liftoffs are pretty tame. They're cool to me because they're really real, something that might escape 7 year olds. So maybe I'll have an adult space party for my birthday. (DH, Rach and I watched the Challenger disaster and inquiry from the same NASA DVD set, that was interesting. I freaked Rach because I played the liftoff without telling her what would happen - a good history lesson ;)
After finding nothing in the stores to help me carry off an Avatar theme it was all up to me. We used blue plates, napkins, tablecloth and I made the cake myself. If you ever need to replicate the Avatar font it's 'papyrus'. Just so ya know, because hey, you could need an emergency Avatar poster at any time.
(The color on the cake looks weird, base color is black, lettering light blue - or I should say "was" it's gone!)
My sister (AKA readermom) asked me yesterday on the phone if I'm doing OK, because my posts have gotten very serious. I laughed, which answered her question I think. No intentional pattern, unless it's that I'm sick of winter while at the same time trying to limit my computer time (it's like being trapped in a time warp - zip - the afternoon is gone or dinner is 2 hours late).
Here's a few light things to get rid of the heavy vibe :)
Adjust a button, because the New Years resolutions are beginning to slip. (True Confession: I had McDonalds on Saturday, first time in months. And that, my friends, is a miracle considering I have 4 children.)
Dropped Food guidance - the five second rule is antiquated. (Actually the husband of a friend recently conducted a study for a men's magazine about the 5 second rule. The results: if it's wet toss it, if it's dry make sure no one is watching before you gobble it down.)
Love this post, it's not light, but after that ridiculousness on facebook I had to post the other side.
Edible crafts - Why waste your time with inedible stuff?!
“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”
-- Carl Jung. This great quote is from The Happiness Project.
It is the wee hours of the day. Early, early. Actually late, late. If I stay up a bit longer it would be my normal wake up time. Does everyone do this? Delude themselves into thinking that hours not slept are hours stolen from the clock? Whatever it is I'm here. Restless and wishing something during my day had been exciting enough to put me to sleep at the end.
I've been riding waves of Mormon Literature, surfing on the net. It's surprising that there is so much available. So much I'm ignorant of and glad to find available without cost to someone far from "Zion". I like the availability, my curiosity and desire for learning about it couldn't be satisfied otherwise, but I miss the physical proximity to others wading in the genre. Not only the thoughts and concepts, but the satisfying sound of words, the body language, the silent pauses.
"Meditation is a serious intention of the mind whereby we come to search out the truth, and settle it effectually on the heart." - Thomas Hooker
While reading a post at The Red Brick Store I found links and suggested readings. This isn't Ensign article stuff, but I wouldn't say it's apostate either. It's where doctrine meets life, true and messy. But not messy in form, such beautiful writing. Tonight I've searched out Mary L. Bradford. After reading her work I believe there is a real future in writing about being Mormon. And by future I don't mean earning power, I mean future as in, many avenues to pursue and meditations to be considered without casting stones at my beliefs.
Mary Bradford said:
"Essay is a logical extention of testimony."
"The way a thing is said is ultimately what is said."
And she wrote this great essay about Mormon Personal Essay, "I, Eye, Aye".
I've got learning to do. It might happen better on more sleep though.
A and J played so well together over Christmas break. It was nice to walk by the closed bedroom door and hear them laughing. Much of the time they involved Baby too, which increased the decibel level.
One night as I was putting them to bed I saw a scrap of paper on the dresser in A's room. I picked it up and begun to laugh. Before I show you what it said I have to remind you that they got the movie Night At the Museum for Christmas and have watched it at least 3 times already. During the day that I found the note the kids and I joked around calling each other 'hopscotch' and saying a silly threat, like the security guard, Guss (played by Mickey Rooney), did in the movie.
Here's the note I found, penned by J, my 7 year old boy:
"Wake up hopscoch or I will punch you in the nose! from guss" (and then "messige" with an arrow)
After having a good laugh with the kids I set the paper back on the dresser and said goodnight. Today when I saw the paper still sitting there I picked it up and saw that it had something on the back:
"invenchens. Fire Robot. Sack Robot. ailen Robot. (something scratched out that looks like "Homer Robot") Metroid Robot. With pictures of each drawn by the name.
I think these are all his inventions that were sparked by the game Little Big Planet. This tells you so much about my boy. It's hard to be in any way upset about his distractions, speaking out of turn, or fidgety hands in school when I see these things. His mind is always going and I don't want to put out that fire. Keep it channeled yes, not dousing it.
Yesterday his teacher started a program to track his behavior at school, specifically if he is paying attention and what his hands are doing. On the first day he only missed a perfect score by 3. Today he missed it by 1. Why do it at all if he's getting such good scores? Because he works to get a good score when he knows he's being scored. He likes having feedback on how he is doing and being praised. He especially likes the thought that we're going to reward him with a toy if he earns a certain number of good scores. His toy request? A new set of Woody, Buzz, and RC toys. "Mom, they all come together in a pack!"
I found this website today, I love what it stands for.
Dreaming is a necessity of life, without it we wither and die inside. Often those who need it most, do it the least. It takes belief in yourself and courage to dream, to give yourself the possibility of more. You might have to admit that what you have now isn't the best it could be. Sometimes we're not strong enough to do that, to admit we don't do everything right. Not admitting it is like sitting in the mud and not considering that it might be good to get out. Life always holds the potential of something better.
Do you have the courage to dream?
Everything that exists was first someone's dream. Even You and I.
Will you have the courage to do something to make your dreams reality?
Someone will do those amazing things, it might as well be you.
It's a song, a book, and a place. The book and physical location were named after the song.
"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains there's a land that's fair and bright Where the handouts grow on bushes and you sleep out every night Where the boxcars are all empty and the sun shines every day On the birds and the bees and the cigarette trees Where the lemonade springs where the bluebird sings In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains all the cops have wooden legs And the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft boiled eggs The farmer's trees are full of fruit and the barns are full of hay Oh, I'm bound to go where there ain't no snow Where the rain don't fall and the wind don't blow In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you never change your socks And the little streams of alcohol come a-trickling down the rocks The brakemen have to tip their hats and the railroad bulls are blind There's a lake of stew and of whiskey too You can paddle all around 'em in a big canoe In the Big Rock Candy Mountains
"In the Big Rock Candy Mountains the jails are made of tin And you can walk right out again as soon as you are in There ain't no short handled shovels, no axes saws or picks I'm a goin to stay where you sleep all day Where they hung the jerk that invented work In the Big Rock Candy Mountains."
By Harry McClintock
.
The book, The Big Rock Candy Mountain, is written by Wallace Stegner. I've told you before that I have a new author love in Wallace Stegner. My friends at book group don't necessarily agree, they think he's overly descriptive. That's probably part of what I love about him, because he's describing my homeland.
Anything beyond the Missouri was close to home, at least. He was a westerner, whatever that was. The moment he crossed the Big Sioux and got into the brown country where the raw earth showed, the minute the grass got sparser and the air dryer and the service stations less grandiose and the towns rattier, the moment he saw his first lonesome shack on the baking flats with a tipsy windmill creaking away at the reluctant underground water, he knew approximately where he belonged.
This book had even more of what is familiar to me. A large part of the story takes place in Salt Lake, with intimate details that show Stegner's love of the places we both know well.
Stegner knows my people too. I read once that if any of his books could be considered autobiographical it would be this one. In those same readings it said that his feelings towards Mormons were respectful and understanding. When I read these lines I wondered if he referred to the Mormon culture that surrounded him during his years in Salt Lake City, "To belong to a clan, to a tight group of people allied by blood and loyalties and the mutual ownership of closeted skeletons. To see the family vices and virtues in a dozen avatars instead of in two or three." (I assume the closeted skeletons he refers to here, if he's thinking of Mormons specifically, is polygamy.)
This book was about many things, but one that stood out to me was family. Who we are, where we come from, what home is, if we're more of our mother or our father, or half of both, or all our own.
There also was the theme of work, and conversely, the making of a quick buck. Which is what the book title and song refer to. Stegner wrote, "The hobo Heaven, the paradise of the full belly and the lazy backside. That was where his family had been headed for all his life... So when, he said, do we get enough sense to quit looking for something for nothing?" It's especially applicable because the book was set during the Great Depression when there were many men roaming the country without work, looking for the Big Rock Candy Mountain. It seems applicable today too. But maybe we'd sing about Ponzi schemes that never run out and government defecits disappear while we laze on the shores on our credit card-financed vacation.
I enjoy the epic book, a book that shows a character's development across a time. This book delivered with a poignant intimacy. There is some that could have been edited, if it was autobiographical then I attribute his stayed hand to personal investment in the details. It's a good book to invest time in, however long it takes you to read over 550 pages. There are many themes to think over, but it's not overwhelmingly preachy.
Soon I'd like to read Stegner's bio or one of his books about Mormons (this one even has a Minerva Tiechart painting on the cover), I'm interested in his perspective.
Technology is what R. wrote on our thankful list. I like it too.
Start your engines, Christmas isn't far away and Sew, Mama, Sew is doing their handmade gifts tutorials this month. They are all awesome and is where I got most of my ideas for handmade gifts last year.
The famous Emily (she's famous in my house) wrote about an email/blog exchange we had. I love her and she loves me, and so we're a happy internet family. Sisters in the gospel, you know.
Find unique gift ideas like a Wi-Fi finder t-shirt here! I tell you, technology is some good stuff.
Cherry almond pie. Looks like I'll be spending some time alone.. in the closet.. with a fork and this pie. I hope it is as good as it sounds. Maybe I just need to make some almond custard and top it with cherry pie filling. I like almonds. I like cherries.
This is some seriously complicated waffle-ness. If I get that new waffle iron for Christmas I may have to try it. (hint, hint)
Creating something from nothing takes... something. It's a quality difficult to describe, and I don't really want to label it for fear of someone saying, "I don't have that, no wonder I don't create." Everyone creates.
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain was my first formal introduction to creating. We all create, we've been doing it since day one (creating poo-poo). But to think about the act of creating takes our work to another level. Creating deliberately, consciously.
(Walden Pond)
"I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. To put to rout all that was not life and not when I had come to die discover that I had not lived." Henry David Thoreau
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain did two things for me. First it shattered my prideful conceit that I was magnanimously bestowed with the ability to create art. The book told me that anyone could draw, and it showed the living proof. At that time in my life I was a high school student desperately clinging to my identity as "artsy fartsy" and so I was able to walk to my own beat and hold my head high. When the rug was pulled out from under me I wanted to refuse the notion, (I had my niche!) but it struck home too squarely for me to deny it. It forced me to see that it wasn't just creating art that made me special, it was that I created MY art. Being true to myself, not letting art teachers have too much say, was what made my work valuable.
The second thing the book did for me was to open my mind to the multitude of creative possibilities in the world. If anyone could draw, maybe anyone could paint with watercolor. I had a bad time with watercolor, it just didn't work, it all ended up mud. That was fine, I dedicated myself to other mediums- acrylic paints, printmaking, sculpture. But then my art teacher pushed me a little, just try it. I did, it was great, and my art teacher bought the resulting painting.
This little lesson stayed with me. I kept trying new things, because if anyone can draw, maybe anyone can act... Maybe anyone could write...
There is a scary moment when you're creating. The moments between idea and done are tenuous. When you have an idea you can say, "I have this idea..." and go on about your grand plans, embellishing, dreaming, making it lovely in your mind. But eventually, if you are serious about creation, you have to turn out a physical manifestation of your idea. This is the scary part. Because first tries are seldom glorious. As you look at your first attempt and know that it just doesn't measure up, that you've failed, you have to find the strength to try again. It goes against our natural instincts. Usually when we fail our first thought is to throw in the towel and go home. But anyone who has been successful in creating, (and you all have) knows that somehow you try again.
This is one part of the creating process I've become addicted to. Try, fail, try again. CRAZY! But there is an adrenaline rush in it for me now. Can I do it better? What would make it better? Oh, if I do that... then I could do this! Try it. Fail again? Try again!!
"There is no try, there is only do." -Yoda
You do it again and again and again until it is right. And sometimes when you get it right, it's right only because you've run out of time and perfection just isn't obtainable.
In our modern world we're being sold an idea of perfection that just isn't real. Perfect romances in the movies. Perfect children in books. Perfect bodies via Photoshop. The more we buy into that impossible idea of perfection, the less we will create because failure looms too large. The key is to know that creation isn't perfection- it's a work in progress.
