Friday Funnies

We took the kids to see Monsters vs. Aliens and enjoyed it immensely. It was full of lots of funny moments, and I found these two on YouTube for your "Friday Funnies" pleasure.

Enjoy! And if you get a chance, check out this movie...especially in 3D!

24 Hours and Counting...

When I was in high school, there was a cheer that was popular (still might be... I'm out of the loop on that). It went like this: "A-W-E...S-O-M-E! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome are we!" (There's nothing quite so self-promoting as a cheer, huh? *wink*)

Anyways, lest my blog become a solid wall of Ethan-ness in various stages, outfits, and expressions...I thought I'd post a comment or two about the newest season of my favorite show. (Caution: Spoilers may follow.)

After waiting 18 months for the next season...and viewing the first four episodes...I have to say:

1. It was a-w-e...s-o-m-e!
2. It was phenomenal(ly awesome)!
3. Only one week to go until the next (awesome) episode!!!!

(Did I mention that it was AWESOME? You cheering with me yet?)

I'm probably not the most unbiased judge of the show since I've liked every season/episode/blooper reel/anything 24 they've made to date.

I think Kiefer's done a brilliant job of building up the emotions in Jack's character over the seasons. And the action/energy of the show is a perfect match to the drama. I think it's all well and good to have motions in a series, but it needs to be coupled with emotions to bring some depth to the show. Otherwise, it's just a weekly James Bond flick. (Not that there's anything wrong with that. The latest installment of that series was excellent! A true bite-your-nails, edge-of-your-seat kind of movie.)

So I might be a little psyched...pumped...ecstatic for the next episode which is only 6 days, 21 hours, and 59 minutes away...

Okay. Okay. Just a tad excited...

Redeeming? You Betcha!

You Know You're...

You know you're...stupid when you go to see a particular horror movie -- your least favorite type of movie -- knowing that you wouldn't have even known about it if your favorite actor wasn't starring in it.

You know you're...manic when you go to see this movie three weeks before you're due to give birth to your third child.

You know you're...crazy when you go to see it a second time, especially when you aren't a fan of any kind for this particular film genre.

You know you're...silly when said-movie -- in which you should know all the surprising moments, having already previewed them once -- still makes you jump high enough to throw your popcorn.

You now you're...nuts when you come home afterwards and look into all the mirrors just to prove that you aren't afraid of them.

You know you're...even crazier when you buy the soundtrack to said-movie, so that you can "relive" all those terrorizing moments through music.

You know you're...loved when your hubby and one of your dearest friends go to see this movie with you, even though neither one is a fan of this particular film genre either.

Thanks, Stuart and Angel!!!

Mirrored Monday Musings

Happy Monday to you! Only one more Monday in August. Wow!!

School begins next Monday...already. We're starting a week earlier than usual so as to get a jump on our lessons...that way, Leechie's arrival won't interrupt our studies too much. *grin* That's the theory anyway.

Speaking of Leechie's arrival... Only 25 days to go. Well, 25 until the due date. That's not necessarily Leechie's day of arrival. I'm just about in the the "any day" range now. But I think we're ready-ish. I found most of the infant gowns/sleepers that I used with my first two. I've washed them and found that some survived 7 years of storage and other didn't. (Click here to go to a site with some very good video suggestions for stain removal.) Oh, well. The baby will have plenty to wear -- thanks to some very dear people in our lives!! And it's usually warm in September... It's been very strange to fold such tiny clothing again. I feel like I'm folding Emily's doll's clothes.

Stuart and I got to see Mirrors (locally -- hooray!!) this past Friday, and I surprised myself by actually enjoying it. This does not in any way make me a horror movie fan. I'm sure I wouldn't have even been interested in this film had Kiefer Sutherland not been starring in it. But I'm glad I saw it since it had a great storyline and a very interesting twist at the end...plus, it was very well done.

Stuart finished painting the side of our "shed" that needed to be done to bring our house "back into code." We just signed a contract with a professional painter to get the eaves/gutters done some time in the next week. The church group decided it was just too high to risk helping us...and we agreed. (It had worried us.) It'll mean tightening our financial belts yet again, but we know that God will provide. And it will be exciting to see the house looking really nice again. We just wish the timing could have been a bit different... *wink*

Emily had her 4-H Rabbit/Cavy Club picnic this past Saturday. We enjoyed it despite the fact that not many members came this year. The weather was perfect, and there was plenty to eat and a pool to swim in. Plus, the hostess took the kids for a carriage ride. That's always a treat!

Speaking of weather... We've been enjoying some unseasonably cooler summer days, allowing us to turn off the A/C and open the windows. Yippee!! Never a bad thing to save a few dollars on electricity, right? Especially after reading the sensationalized headline about electricity rates skyrocketing to the moon in yesterday's newspaper. Ugh. Plus, opening the windows allows the house (and us) to get some fresh air.

We've also been battling some fleas. I think we're beginning to get ahead of these [insert mild naughty word here] bugs, but it does cause us to feel a bit paranoid every time we get a little itch somewhere on our bodies. As much as we're the "big people" of the house -- you know, the ones who aren't supposed to be afraid of anything -- neither Stuart nor I likes bugs. I think we could easily become like the two men in the movie Mousehunt...check out the trailer to refresh your memory.



With my impending delivery of Leechie, the kids have been pretending to be a married couple having a baby. I overheard Edward announcing to Emily this morning that her baby is a boy. She squealed with delight, and they both laughed happily. Hmm... My memories of childbirth -- while somewhat distant -- are coming back very vividly (funny how that happens in the last month, huh?)...and I can't remember many moments where I "squealed with delight" or "laughed happily"...though I recall being very, very pleased/relieved at the end to finally meet the little person who'd been "hitching a ride with free drive-thru" for the previous 9 months.

Perspective is a funny thing, huh?

Refreshing Reflection

Thanks to BennyBlog for the Mirrors photo

It's no secret that I'm a huge Kiefer Sutherland fan. I've enjoyed following his career in recent years, after rediscovering my former interest in him.

So it's been interesting to watch the "finale" of his DUI/jailtime unfold and hear his reflection on it all.

A little background for those who don't know/follow Kiefer: Last September, the 24 star was arrested for DUI, following being stopped for an illegal U-turn. He was subsequently sentenced to 48 days in jail which had to be completed by March 2008 -- with no chance of early release. He chose to serve his time in December and January -- presumably during the show's Christmas break -- so as not to disturb production on the show. Before that could happen though, the Hollywood writers' strike began and the importance of that was voided. Still, to jail he went in early December, serving his time during his birthday, Christmas, and New Year's. He left the prison, which was a 24/7 indoor county facility, a thinner, paler version of himself. It was actually sad to watch.

But he did it...as he should have.

Unlike many of his Hollywood contemporaries/cohorts, though, he didn't complain or blame society for what happened. He didn't negotiate for less time or use his status as a top-grossing movie star to get special treatment. He said from the start that he made bad choices and had to pay the consequences.

It was an interesting time in our household since it provided us as parents with (sadly) a good example of what happens when we make bad choices. My kids know how much I admire this actor so their eyes and ears were wide open to see how he chose to handle it.

So getting back to the story.

Kiefer seemed to stay out of the limelight for the last 7 months, opting to keep away from the talkshows and interviewers. We still got photos of him and little snippets of news stating what he was doing career-wise...but nothing really more personal than that.

But he is human after all. He needed time to heal and reflect, I'm sure.

Fast forward to now. With the upcoming opening of his newest movie Mirrors (which isn't being shown locally to me!!!! Grrrrr!! UPDATE: Yes, it is!! Whoo-Hoo!!), he finally made some appearances, chatting quite openly and frankly about his time in jail with David Letterman and admitting to several of the others that he made some bad choices and had to deal with that. He reflected on the fact that if you don't learn and grow from bad experiences/choices then you have a serious problem and the experience was for nothing.

I find it all very interesting.

While he's not perfect and still lives with the morals of the world, he provides a different reflection to the Hollywood image. Despite being in a constant limelight, he still shows us his human side and his respect for his fan base in general. He's humble enough to admit when he's done something very wrong and even humbler to accept without reservation the consequences that follow.

And that's a definitely refreshing change.

How many of us would do that in our little sphere of the world?

Monstrously Muggy Monday Musings

My handsome guys after their latest haircuts
Happy Monday to you! A very hot and muggy one here in Pennsylvania. I think you could ring out a few clouds today.

Looking at the calendar, I am again reminded of how quickly time dost fly. Is it really nearing the end of July already? Didn't we just celebrate July 4th?

Ugh.

We already received our school materials which means...not long until our lessons begin again.

Ugh...again.

(Hmm...I wonder why the school year doesn't go quite as fast?)

Anyways...

I made a small change on the old blog, trying a music player on the sidebar instead of the usual music video. It has about 30 or so songs on it, and you can select other songs to play whilst you read. Or you can choose to stop the music -- especially helpful when watching a video. Either way, I hope you enjoy some of the selections.

We enjoyed a relatively less busy weekend. The kids went to my parents' so that Stuart could take me to a local tea room that opened a few months ago. It was such fun to dress up and enjoy an afternoon together. When we returned for them, they told us to go out again...they weren't ready to come home yet. *grin* So two dates in one day? Yippee!!

I have another appointment at the midwife's tonight. I'll report her findings tomorrow. Hard to believe we're in the single digits week-wise now. Less than 8 weeks to go!

We've been battling fleas on the dog recently. I keep washing him in flea shampoo and then all his bedding in hot water and ammonia. But I think I need to break down and buy the more expensive flea remedy...and then spray the heck out of the house. See what cheapness gets me? Ugh! I hate fleas so much and think of them as large brown lice. Soon enough, I'll get rid of them...or they'll get rid of me?

I've enjoyed a few more 24 prequel trailers...and another trailer for Mirrors. Egads! Can you feel my excitement? I'd start a countdown for the prequel, except then I'll be even closer to my due date, and I'm not quite ready for that at the moment. Mirrors comes out in a few weeks...and, as I've said before, I'm nervously excited about that one...not being a true fan of horror flicks. Still in all, I am a big Kiefer Sutherland fan...and I've never seen one of his movies on the big screen...so "any port in a storm," right? *wink*

Off to finish my cleaning and continue organizing? Here's hoping!!

More Manic Monday Musings

Emily and Edward at the Philadelphia Zoo, July 2006
Happy Monday to you!

I was singing "Monday, Monday" by the Mamas and Papas earlier this morning when "Manic Monday" came into my mind, too. I've always enjoyed that particular Bangles' song so I decided to include the video at the bottom of my blog today. *grin* (Be prepared to step back in time a "few" years. *wink* The video is a hoot! Very dated!)

Anyways...

A busy Monday as always...getting the house cleaned up after the weekend.

I refreshed my baby duedate ticker tape thingy on Facebook to see that it's only 60 days (or sooner) until Leechie might possibly debut... Of course, I could go later, but the 60 days brought a certain panic to my chest since I know I still have lots more stuff to do before that happens. Hence, the "manic" in my Monday musings title today.

We went to New York to see a dear friend this weekend. (I'll blog on that tomorrow and include lots of photos.) It was a gorgeous day, and we enjoyed relaxing and hanging out with her...and eating some fantastic food!!

The kids spent Saturday and part of Sunday with my parents, enjoying some shopping and games. They haven't had that chance in over a year so it was fun for all.

Edward lost a tooth whilst at the grandparents' house. He put it under his pillow there but to no avail. The Tooth Fairy doesn't make guest appearances at houses without little people, I guess. As my dad pointed out to him, "old people" don't lose their teeth anymore...hopefully, anyway.

So Edward put it under his pillow again last night............ And guess who remember she hadn't remembered to check last night? You got it. But somehow I managed to sneak upstairs while he was sitting with Stuart this morning. I exchanged the bags and nonchalantly came back downstairs, saying nothing more about the Tooth Fairy's "forgetful" nature. I did, however, offer to e-mail her yet again, and Edward was grateful. *wink*

We're still excited for the 24 prequel. The countdown is close to 4 months now, making the new season's debut only 6 months away. Yippee!! Mirrors comes out next month, and Stuart and I are guarded in our excitement since neither of us is a horror flick fan. Still, Kiefer on the big screen? I can close my eyes, right? And ears...and curl up in a ball on the sticky theatre floor...

Well, lots to do before September. So I'd best roll on.

Enjoy your Monday!

Totally Tuesday Tidings

Happy Tuesday to you! The last one in June!

I'm writing my musings today instead of yesterday since we (my sister, my kids, and I) took a quick one-day trip to the beach...to play in the ocean, walk the "boards," swim in a pool, and visit my 87-year-old grandmother.

Since it's about a 3-hour drive, it meant an early start and a late finish, but we had a really good time, and it was wonderful to see my grandmother.

The weather wasn't very cooperative, and we ended up getting rained on a little (with a few rumblings of thunder), but the kids managed to dig in the sand and bury their aunt's feet...and generally enjoy themselves. (See the slide show below.) And I must say, the smell of the ocean was invigorating! We enjoyed some "boardwalk fries" and fudge...along with all the goodies we'd brought along for the trip.

In other news...

Hmm...

There's not much other news.

We are plodding through the summer, enjoying the slightly more relaxed schedule. It doesn't seem possible that school will begin again in a few months. But let's not think of that just yet...

The weather is cooler today due to a horrible thunderstorm we had last night, which arrived during the last half-hour of our drive home. I don't think the kids were ever quite so glad to see their beds.

We head to Hershey Park on Saturday for Stuart's company picnic. The kids are so excited since it means a day of going on rides followed by a yummy picnic dinner. It's the perfect way for our family to go to an amusement park -- actually the only way for us to go...because it's free.

More and more photos and articles are surfacing from the filming of the 24: Season 7 Prequel. And it looks mighty fine...mighty fine indeed. Only a little less than 5 months until that airs...and about 7 1/2 months until the new season begins. Fingers crossed that nothing will stop it this time. The Mirrors movie also comes out soon, and from the two trailers I've seen of it so far, it looks VERY scary. I told Stuart that if the baby is born during our viewing of this film and it's a boy, he's going to be named "Kiefer." He wasn't quite agreeable to that idea. *wink*

Speaking of the baby, we have our next appointment with our midwife tomorrow to see how our little "Leechie" is doing. I just hit 28 weeks last week and cannot believe how quickly this whole pregnancy is going.

I've been hustling to get stuff cleaned out and moved so that we can set up the baby's room. Last week, I discovered a box of all the news articles I penned while working for the Reading Eagle. It's been nearly 11 years since I left the newspaper to give birth to Emily...and I'd forgotten all the fantastic companies/people I enjoyed interviewing during my tenure with them. It's funny how life can twist and turn and change so much over the years, but a simple piece of paper can jog a memory and take you back to another moment in time.

On that note, I must bid you adieu and get some lunch ready for my hungry tribe.

Wordless Wednesday

Friday Funnies

This is cute. (Loved the imitation of his son-in-law-to-be's accent!) I admire Kiefer's calm attitude through it all. I wonder how Stuart and I will feel when the day comes for a young man to ask for Emily's hand in marriage...

Enjoy, and have a funny Friday!

Memories, Mumus, and Musings on Monday

Happy Easter Monday!

I hope you enjoyed a blessed Easter weekend...and didn't gorge on too many marshmallow bunnies or Cadbury eggs. *wink*

We had a good time sharing dinner with my family at my parents' house. Stuart and I made the cole slaw. We often are in charge of making that since Stuart has a severe carrot allergy, and we can make it sans carrots, unlike all the store-bought brands.

Now it's back to real life.

School started again today, and I'm pleased to say that the week off didn't hurt the kids in their studies. Both buckled down and finished all their work by noon. I decided to hold out a "carrot" of sorts to Emily to keep her focused. This "carrot" came in the form of stickers and a piece of candy. Hmm...amazing how a little piece of sugary goodness and some brightly-colored sticky pictures help immensely...but, hey, I'm not complaining. She struggles with staying focused, and if this works -- ALL the better!

We lost a very dear older friend on Good Friday. She was my "auntie" while we lived in England and taught me all sorts of stuff about English foods and customs. We had our first "high tea" at her house over the Christmas holidays -- our first away from family -- and shared many a "roasted meal" with her and her husband after church. We hadn't seen them since Emily was a baby since they moved up to Scotland to be closer to children...but they were always close in heart. And they will forever remain my English auntie and uncle.

Stuart and I were discussing "mumus" the other night. I was telling him about how when my mom was a girl she made them with some friends at a sleepover. Stuart didn't even know what they were exactly. I wondered from whence they originally came. So we turned to handy-dandy Wikipedia.com for some answers. Turns out the "mu'umu'u" originated in Hawaii. To learn more, click here. Always nice to learn something new.

Heard from the 7-year-old: "The most best foods of summer are Popsicles, lemonade, watermelon, and ice cream." All the best food in life comes loaded with sweetness, right?

Kids say the darnedest, huh?

My friend Angel's 4-year-old C'sa watched me take off my coat last week when we got together to have donuts. "I was wondering what you were wearing," she said matter-of-factly. I loved that my clothing choice for the day interested her. And I think she approved since we were both wearing stripes. *wink* Watch for this girl to be in charge of a fashion runway at some point in the future.

Photo art courtesy of BennyBlog. THANKS!

I don't know if I mentioned that Kiefer Sutherland's latest flick, Mirrors, now has an official release date. Did I say that the movie Mirrors has a release date? I think they finally announced a release date for the Mirrors movie.... Think I'm a little excited?? August 15th is the day that the movie will hit theatres. We have a new IMAX theatre going in nearby...wonder what this horror movie would be like in that sort of theatre...

I'll forgo my usual "5 Things to Be Happy About" list so that I can actually get this posted on Monday.

Enjoy your last full week of March.

Friday Funnies

Thanks again to LOSTin24 for this videoclip:


Extra tidbits from the Free Radio show with Kiefer Sutherland. Gotta love this Lance guy's thinking.

Have a funny (snowy) Friday!

Friday Funnies

Here it is, thanks to Lostin24, the video of Free Radio. Enjoy! And have a funny Friday!

Monday Musings

Photo from Free Radio, courtesy of BennyBlog
Happy Monday! The first Monday in February.

My nephew turns 14 tomorrow and Edward turns 7 on Valentine's Day next week. Wow! Time certainly flies by!

Good news on the writers' strike. A tentative deal has been reached which could lead to a formal deal being announced sometime this week. Fingers crossed that maybe we'll get our 24 back? I know I'm not alone in hoping for this. I saw a funny Kiefer tidbit on YouTube with him doing a cameo on a new show called Free Radio. I'll try to post it for my Friday Funnies.

We spent Super Bowl Sunday with a group of friends from church. Lots of good food and fun was had by all. And while Stuart and I aren't football fans in the slightest, he said it was an excellent game...made more fun by being with other guys. We were both glad to see the Giants win -- sorry to any Patriots fans out there. *wink*

* * *

A page from our Mensa Puzzle calendar for you today:

The Great Detective was grilling a woman who had produced a second will that cut the detective's client out of a large inheritance.

"And how did you find this will?" he asked.

"I looked in his Bible," said the woman, "and there was this small paper stuck between pages 111 and 112."

"Aha," said the Great Detective. "You are lying."

How did he know?

* * *

And another (especially for any Pennsylvania readers or Phil fans out there) from our Cranium page-a-day calendar:

True or False?

Legend has it that there will be six more weeks of winter if Punxsutawney Phil (the groundhog) doesn't see his shadow on Groundhog Day.

* * *

Speaking of Groundhog Day... Phil saw his shadow on Saturday. *sigh*

Emily has a friend coming to 4-H with us tomorrow. She's so excited to introduce her to the world of 4-H. And tomorrow night officially starts the new year for the club since it's New Member Night, which also means that Earl Grey gets to makes an appearance. Emily is doing her presentation, as well, on Himalayan Dwarfs rabbits.

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• winter break from school

• ham studded with cloves

• finding good stocking stuffers

• the bottom of rabbits’ feet

• crocheted snowflakes

* * *

There's something wonderful and "warm and fuzzy" (pun intended) about rabbits. I've had one (or two or three) since I was 11.

Mittens, Willowby, Thumper, Bashful Bitsy, Bootsy, Pipsqueak, Peepers, Nutmeg, Sooty, Wellington, Lulu, Bonny, Clyde, Bubble, Squeak, Clementine, Jack, and Tony.

And that's not including any babies I didn't keep that happened along the way. *wink* (Flopsy, Jellybean, Scruffy, Dandelion, Griz, Wallowby, Blossom, Rosebud, and Blackberry.)

I've loved them each so much....from their wiggling noses to their sweet furry tails to their soft rabbits' feet, which are much "luckier" on the actual rabbit. *grin*

When I lived in England, I owed a "furry angel" named Peepers, named for her large red eyes and her propensity to "peep" at me around the wall in her cage. We bonded from the moment we "met." (There is truth in the saying: "Love at first sight.") I've never had a rabbit quite like her before or since.

She traveled all around England with me, riding in an "African bag" -- a colorful, open purse made with woven straw-like fibers. I always kidded that if she'd had an odometer on her, she would have hit 25,000 miles at least. She was always so trusting and never tried to get away from me. In fact, I walked nearly 2 miles from the pet store where I bought her to my home, carrying her without a box or leash.

What was most amazing about her was how much encouragement she brought to others. (Hence, the furry angel part of her.)

In Brighton, England, we spent a lot of time sitting in the park, me reading or writing, and her (on her leash) nibbling grass or jumping around. People would stop and ask me about her. They were often surprised to see a small white rabbit on a leash in the park and loved being able to pet her. Children who'd never touched a rabbit would wiggle their fingers through her white fuzziness, giggling as she sniffed them or gave them a "kiss." One woman who was being abused by her boyfriend found comfort in stroking her, telling me about her woes. A group of touring Germans even asked to get a photo with her.

I had her for almost six years, bringing her back to the States (an adventure and story of its own) when I started college. We were inseparable.

But, as with all little furry creatures, we did eventually have to separate. It was a heartbreaking day for me. She had developed cancer, and it was time to bid her farewell.

I knew I would love other bunnies...that another would capture my heart in some way, too...but none was ever the same as Peepers, the little furry angel from England.

More Amusing Monday Musings

Happy Monday to you!

The last Monday in January.

Lots of fun stuff today...be sure to click on any links you see.

We had an eventful weekend, trying to get the car "up to snuff" for its annual state inspection. (Sadly, it failed on Friday and needed some work.)

We also got the chance to see the newest VeggieTales movie, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. It was hilarious! Very well-done and very worth seeing! Click here to see the trailer.

I'm still working through Season 2 of 24 as I fold my laundry. Apparently, the writers' strike is getting close to finishing? We'll see.

Kiefer Sutherland was spotted in New York City yesterday, visiting with some old friends. Pagesix.com got this video tidbit of it. I love Kiefer's reaction to Baby Leo. I think the baby must have grown some since Kiefer last saw him? *wink*

Stuart "put his foot in it" (no pun intended) with the kids a few times this weekend. My personal favorite: While chatting with Emily, he told her that drinking too much soda will prevent a little girl from developing..."bazongas." Edward happened by and said, "Are those a type of gun? I've heard of bazookas but not bazongas."

Hmm...what do you say to that?

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT
• Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup bottles
• nurturing a child’s imagination
• pine boughs
• an elaborate coat of arm
• travelogues

* * *

When I was a little girl, I always remember my mom's collection of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup bottles. It wasn't elaborate but they were constant, up on the window sash to allow the sun to shine through them.

The peaceful look crafted on "Mrs. Butterworth's" face combined with the soft brown-colored glass bottle made for a nice lasting image in my brain.

She always seemed so pleased to help make your pancakes and waffles taste yummy. She was the "mama" who wanted you to "eat up" to put some "meat on your bones." She seemingly cared about you.

They say that product placement and slick advertising can help sell a product. But I think nostalgia can play an even bigger role.

Afterall, I find myself still buying Mrs. Butterworth's syrup for my family.

Sadly, they don't share my warm and fuzzy memories about Mrs. Butterworth since my mom doesn't have her syrup bottle collection anymore...

But they can still enjoy the yummy syrup. *wink*

Merriest of Merry Monday Musings`

Happy Monday to you!

New day, new week, new excitements!

Yay! Yay! YAY!

My favorite-most actor finished his time in jail and is now back home. I've been intrigued by the various articles written about it, quoting the policemen from the jail. They all agree that he was a "model prisoner" who "paid his debt to society with complaining or asking for any special treatment." I'm glad for his sake that it's all over. And, as I said before, I'm proud to call myself a fan. He handled the whole situation with dignity and honor, not running away from what happened but facing it. How many of us would act likewise in such a challenge?

I'm going to New York tomorrow to meet up with two Kiefer fans/friends I met on another blog. It's such fun to think that you can actually make nice friends online...not everyone is a stalker or pervert, looking to hurt young children.

No news on the writers' strike. We're still waiting for 24 to resume filming so that there might actually be a season this year... Ugh! In the meantime, we're still enjoying The Closer and some episodes of the X-Files (previously my very favorite-most show...)

We played some games with the kids this past week and weekend. We realized that we hadn't done this in awhile and resumed this practice around the holidays. Gametime is always such a great connecting time with them. It's fun for all and teaches a lot about sportsmanship and cooperation.

One of the games we played was one we gave them this past Christmas called "Monopoly: Here and Now." It's fun and a great teaching tool for learning larger numbers (the smallest denomination you get is $10,000). It's also been fun to talk about the different landmarks you can buy, and instead of railroads, you can purchase the four major U.S. airports: LAX, JFK, Chicago, and Atlanta. The pieces are things like a cellphone, a hybrid car, a labradoodle, etc. This is not the "Monopoly" game that your grandma played, huh?

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• puddles of sunlight

• a bowl of buttered popcorn

• little girls in tutus

• black pearls

• hardworking colleagues

* * *

I think I was a cat in a previous life -- if I believed in such nonsense. I love sitting in "puddles of sunshine," watching the rays come in through the window, lighting up the bits of dust in the air.

I always imagined the dust I saw was actually atoms. I thought I must have the strongest and mightiest eyes around to be able to see actual atoms with my naked eye. Hmmm...

* * *

Growing up, my family enjoyed popcorn. I mean we LOVED it.

It was a Friday night ritual to pull out the pot and pour the thin layer of oil and cover it with popcorn kernels.

(All this was before the invention of microwave popcorn, of course.)

If we had friends over, we'd pop corn. It was inexpensive and tasty. We'd eat it while watching movies and/or playing games and/or using the computer.

And forget popcorn chains for the Christmas tree. We wanted to eat it, not string it.

Then came microwave popcorn, and we continued to enjoy this yummy snack even more.

Fast-forward to 1988 and Swindon, England...

We'd moved to a foreign place with lots of new, interesting foods to get used to. We could still buy ice cream (another family favorite) -- though in only a few varieties at that time -- and occasionally we'd find something familiar amongst the unfamiliar on the grocery shelves.

But no popcorn.

Then one day we saw some microwave popcorn. It was like the heavens opened and the angels sang for us. We were so excited.

My dad bought the entire flatpack (some 30 or so packages?).

We've often wondered what the cashier thought when we arrived at the register with only these "30 or so packages" of microwave popcorn to buy...

Hey, what could we say then (or now)?

We LOVE popcorn!! *wink*

Merely Musing on Monday

Photo thanks to Bennyblog
Happy Monday to you! The second one for 2008, and it's already the middle of the month!

I loved this photo of Kiefer Sutherland and Kyra Sedgwick. As Benny said on her blog: Their expressions say it all. Only one week until Kiefer finishes his time in jail. Yay! I admire him for not whining about his punishment or asking to be let out early....like so many other Hollywood-types. (No names mentioned.)

The premiere of Season 7 of 24 was meant to air last night and tonight. But, alas, the writers' strike continues. *sniff...sniff...grrr!* So no word as to when the new season will actually air. I've been working my way through Season 1 as I fold laundry each week...makes the whole chore so much more enjoyable. *wink*

We had a relatively uneventful weekend, just enjoying being together as a family. Sometimes Life gets so busy that we forget to take the time to just relax together.

Emily and I picked up her new glasses yesterday. (See the above pic I took in the store right after she got them...she wasn't pleased that she's not looking her "best.") She looks very stylish in them and mostly loves wearing them. We went out for a "girls' time" afterwards and chatted about life and boys and growing up. She's in such a betwixt time...wanting to stay little but wanting to grow up, too. And society doesn't help in this battle, encouraging kids to be big before they need to be. *sigh*

Heard in Sunday School yesterday: Stuart asked our pre-k/kindergartners if they remembered any of the Ten Commandments that we'd learned the week before. Most remembered some of them, and one clever, little boy said, "Do not cover your neighbor's wife or any of his possessions." Hmm, brings a new spin to some of the others.

The weather has yet to decide if we're really in Winter...which suits me fine. I realized I'm a bit of a "snow Grinch." I'm not very keen on the wet, white stuff...at all. I think it all began when we were still living in the city. I remember getting snow in my shoes and down my shirt as I tried to get Edward (then a baby in an infant seat) into the car after...whacking my head on the car as I did so. My snow hatred is understandable, no? *grin*

* * *

5 THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT

• birthday banners

• burning incense

• standing by someone you love

• proposing a toast

• a mean game of solitaire

* * *

Edward has been all about Solitaire these days.

He's been finishing his school lessons early and eagerly asks for his cards to be shuffled so that he can lay them out for a new game.

Last week I took my computer with us to use in the cafe while Emily was in dance class. I was hoping to catch up on my Monday Musings...

Sadly, there was no wireless Internet -- either the service was down or disconnected -- so I couldn't write my blog entry.

But I could show Edward the Solitaire on the computer.

He was amazed and played game after game. (He must have forgotten how often he used to watch Stuart play it.)

The great thing?

He still enjoys playing it with real cards on a real table...and he doesn't mind calling a game "dead" and starting a new one, knowing that this one might be the one that he wins.

A Fable - Part 2

The kids were doing fables in school several months ago, and I decided to try my hand at writing one with a little added meaning. *wink* This is a continuation of it...

The ground was cold and dark to young Kaysay, the once-beautiful, golden Binzu bird. Had he but paid heed to old Poolee's advice...

Now, he was stuck on the floor of the forest with no friends and no safety. His troubles hung heavy on him. He knew he could blame no one but himself, and he felt very sorry for his actions.

He shivered in the darkness around him. What would become of him? Why had he not been careful with his indulgences of the Hollyberry tree?

He missed flying, but he knew he was too heavy for his wings. He missed sitting in the sunshine and drinking the sweet dew, but mostly he missed singing with his friends high in the treetops.

Hanging his head sadly, Kaysay waddled along, all alone, mindful of the fact that food was scarce and his friends no longer could be near him due to his over-indulgence when he lived high in the Hollyberry trees.

Then he heard a sound above him. It was faint and high, high above him.

What was it? Kaysay wondered, tilting his head to one side and straining to hear it.

Was it really...could it be?

It was.

The singing of thousands of birds sounded above him.

Kaysay looked up but saw nothing except darkness and a tangle of leaves and branches above him.

Still, the sweet sound of their singing met his ears, and he knew that his friends were singing for him. His friends -- the ones he thought he had disappointed -- were cheering him on to bring him home.

He really wasn't alone.

Moral: Never doubt true friendships. Birds of a feather stick together.

Copyright 2007

Believe in You to Keep Holding On

Photo thanks to BennyBlog

These two videos are in honor of Kiefer Sutherland's birthday today.

Sadly, he's in jail at the moment, serving a sentence for a DUI probation violation...but he still deserves to have a very happy day.

A friend of mine and fellow Kiefer fan said she's so proud to be his fan, especially at this time. And I couldn't agree more.

With so many Hollywood-types balking when they are caught breaking the law, it's nice to see one of them actually own up to what happened and take the punishment. As hard as it's been to watch (from afar, of course), I've been amazed at how he's handled the whole incident.

No passing the guilt or blaming others...just facing what he did, apologizing, and then doing what has to be done to make it right.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating: He's an example of honorable behavior in the face of bearing the consequences of his sin.

All of us "sinners" should take note. Would we behave the same?

Happiest Birthday, Kiefer!

You're on our minds and in our hearts especially today!

(Be sure to pause the sidebar video player.)


Believe In You



Video thanks to Vaniamaria on YouTube