Homework

Your Homework Post
Sometime between now and the BLOG GATHERING, you will need to post the answers to the following questionnaire. Please include the questions and answers when you recreate it in your post. We will test your knowledge of, "Which blogger said...?" at the party...so, this will hopefully encourage you to be reading as many blogs as possible, from now until the then. Study hard and possibly win a prize. You can do this even if you can't make it to the party! There is still time to inquire about the party so if you are interested in coming. E-mail me.

What is your Motto?
Glorify God AND Dyslexics have more nuf.

What superhuman power would you most want to have?
Do things at lightning speed.

What makes you laugh?
I of course love my husband and family. But sometimes when the kids are in bed and Matt is out the boys or working late, I watch reruns of classic TV. Cosby's, Mary Tyler Moore, King of Queens, Friends. I laugh out loud.

Cats or dogs?
Until I find a cat or dog that does’t shed, does’t smell, can use the toilet AND wipe themselves . . . I’ll have to go with Jill and Ona’s answer of neither.

Would you rather be a little smarter or sexier?
Ok girls now I am going against the grain here. In my house Matt comes home to a ragged looking 30 year old me in flannel pants and yesterdays mascara marks under my eyes and has to have me right then. So sexier is something that might be dangerous in our marriage. I could always use more brains. Maybe then I could figure out why we park in driveways and drive on parkways.

What's the one thing you'll never understand?
Why people like raisins in cookies and carrots in cake.

My life would be simpler if?
I had a personal assistant. You know someone I could assign all the unpleasant tasks that I put off. She would have to work for free and she would need to stay a secret from my husband so he could just live in awe over what I can accomplish in a day. Interested? Send me your resume.

The big decision I'm currently wrestling with is...
I promised Matt Peanut butter cookies to take to work tomorrow. Should I make them tonight so we have more family time after church? Or continue to enjoy the quiet house, TV on in the background while reading blogs? Why is life so hard?

Sweaterfest 2007

My Grandma made these gorgeous sweaters for the twins and my niece Mariko (born just two days after Jabe and Phoebe). My sister, Elisabeth and I had one wish. A picture with all the babies in the precious sweaters that Grandma knit. Toddlers, sitting still and posing for a pictures all at once. Easy right? Lightning striking a purple leprechaun would be easier to photograph. Here's a video and then some stills of what we got.





I love that I said "Smile" at the end.

Lit for Kids

Charlott's Web

Judy Blum Books

Thumbelina

Pippi Longstocking

Anne of Green Gables

Pollyanna

Island of the Blue Dolphin

American Girl Series

These are the stories that I remember having my nose in while growing up. I suppose I have read a few as a grown up too. These books gave me a love of fantasy and still sit on my book shelves. Today while I was doing my homework (to be posted this weekend.) I ran across these titles that you might enjoy.


CHILDREN'S BOOK TITLES
THAT NEVER MADE IT TO THE BEST SELLER LIST
You Were an Accident
Strangers Have the Best Candy
The Magic World Inside the Abandoned Refrigerator
The Boy Who Died From Eating All His Vegetables
Your Nightmares Are Real!
Grandpa Gets a Casket
Dad’s New Wife, Robert
Curious George and the High Voltage Fence
The Pop-Up Book of Human Anatomy
Whining, Kicking and Screaming To Get Your Way
What Is That Dog Doing to That Other Dog?
Why Can't Mr. Fork and Ms. Electrical Outlet Be Friends?
Daddy Drinks Because You Cry

Becca's Barber Shop

Two mamma's sick of baby hair: Me and Angela

One hairdresser with no experience: Me

One encouraging assistant: Angela

Two costumers who have no way to refuse services: Trey and Phoebe

One pare of dull scissors: $2 Goody brand

Two friends laughing hysterically

One bloody injury: Angela, sorry she's being so offensive !

One girl mullet gone: Before

After

One "rats nest" hacked off: Before

After

Anybody else need a trim?

Commitments

I just got home from a much needed girls night with Angela and Shauna. Roadhouse for dinner, Martian Child for movie, and dessert at Konditori: pretty perfect. It's after ten, Matt is already asleep and I want nothing more than to snuggle into my side of the bed, BUT I made a commitment. To Blog. Everyday. And even though the rules weren't specific of what would happen to me if I missed a day, I certainly don't want to risk my worse nightmare (having to spend a day with Donald Trump).
So good night fellow bloggers, consider my commitment met.

PS Martian Child was good. A tad slow at times but great acting. John Cusack was tender and talented. Angela keep whispering to me that she thought he was cute. Anyway we all loved the pro-adoption message.

Fire Safety Week

Tobin had a week of learning "stop, drop, and roll" How to Dial 9-1-1, how to belly crawl under smoke and quickly escape outside. My fire fighter uncles will be so proud. One big problem: When the fire alarm goes off at our house ...... it just means that dinner's smokin not the house. So Tobin hardly even flinches when he hears it. And for goodness sakes don't stop dancing when you hear a measly alarm!




lessons are free of charge. You're welcome.

Sunday Open House: The basement

Ok so not the most flattering part of the house but because I will probably never have a basement again I suppose it's deserving of a post too.

When I was pregnant with Tobin we took on the task of splitting up the basement and adding a living/office/bath/media/exercise room. It's used for all and we are so glad to have added square footage to the house.

The laundry or as I like to think of it.....my second home. I am here all-the-time.

The staircase

Matt's workshop. I guess I occasionally go down here to retrieve a screwdriver or picture nail but other than that......it's not my cup of tea. Matt also has his "reloader" equipment down here. What? You don't know what a relaoder is? It's where Matt makes his own ammunition, Silly. I can't believe you even had to ask.

Whelp. That's it for this week.

Name Game

When Stefanie, Jill and I get together, one thing is certain to come up. Our love of naming babies. We say things like, "So if I have another girl what if I named her......." Or "I know this might sound weird at first but what do you think of ........" It's hours of fun. We've all swapped baby name books and even emailed new names and combinations when our minds starts daydreaming. So when I saw this little game on Shannon's blog. I HAD to do it. Feel free to use it too.
My answers are in red, Matt's in blue. (He rolled his eyes with every question )
YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Pepsi Sienna Odie Civic
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Vanilla Oreo Mint Peanut Butter
3.YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) B-Rid M-Rid
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Red Dolphin Black Squirrel
5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Ridbe Ridma
6. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The") The orange frappuccino Blue Coke (Matt's more like DRUG ADDICT NAME)
7. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Earl Eugene Clarance Dale
8. STRIPPER NAME : ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) Juicy Couture Twix Eternity Whatchamacallit
9.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) Jane Lee Wayne Sue


Red Dolphin - Out.

Flashback Friday: Drama Queen

I don't know how else to say it but to say it fast like ripping off a band aid. I was a drama nerd in High School. I am really not ashamed of it. I really loved it. I loved the team work, the process of created a good show and of course the audience enjoying our work. Growing up I really believed that acting was my calling. As soon as I could I would pack up and go to New York to be discovered. Life changes and so do dreams. I got really burned out of memorizing line and choreographymy senior year. So much so that I really don't have any desire to act again. But my, my how I do enjoy seeing a good play. (Stef, remember seeing Les Miserables in London? Brilliant!) Anyway I am embarrassed to do this but I will now show you some of my few pictures from my drama years. (Creature Bug, Extra credit if you can guess any of these plays.)

Over a Cup of Coffee

Gals, it is finally time! BLOGGERS UNITE! We've cried together, we've laughed together, we've commented until our fingers bled. And now it's time to meet and sip coffee together. Send me an e-mail at theglorylaine@yahoo.com and I'll give you the details. Stefanie and I want everyone there, so please pass this on to a fellow area blogger you think should join us.

Thanks for being patient as we planned this behind the scenes and I just have to say that I am looking forward to getting us all together. Please stay tuned to my blog sometime this weekend, as I will be presenting a "homework post" for you to complete between now and then!

Wordless Wednesday

1978

Right now.

I am sitting in a hot tub, leaning over the ledge typing this post on my laptop. Matt came home to find that if I heard one more unintelligible whine from my adorable children (waaaah, more candy......waaaaaahhhhh........I don't like applesauce............waaaaahhh I wanted the blue cup, .........waaaaahhhh)he may have to hand over the credit cards and let Nordstoms know I was on my way. Instead he wisely made me an iced coffee and sent me to my tub. Genius. And cute too.

Candy Stash

Boy do I love having Tobin's candy stash handy when I need it. But who ever named those teeny tiny candy bars, "fun size" sure has been deprived in her life time. I'm no party girl but if I had to name bite sized goodness, fun wouldn't be a description that would come to mind. Maybe, "not worth it" or "grab five while you're at it" something catchy like that.

Here are some photos of my bunch from our candy collecting night.

Open House: Backyard

Sorry went a little paparazzi on my backyard this afternoon.

Gotta love making s'mores in your backyard.

This fountain works with a flick of a switch from my basement. Love the sound of water.
Our garage is more like termites holding hands but it keeps the rain off the lawn mower so it's not worthless.

Matt made this built-in BBQ a few years ago. It's gets lots of use.

Gotta love cheep labor.

Proof we have a dog

Signs of children.

We'll miss it.