Friday, September 28, 2012

Fill in the Blank Friday!


Each week, Hilary at Feeling Beachie lists four statements with a blank for you to fill in on your own blogs. If you want to join the fun and come up with four fill in’s of your own, please email them to her at feelingbeachie@gmail.com. She will  add you as co-host to the hop if she uses them! This week’s co-host is Ali from Daughter-in-Law Diaries - she came up with the last two statements!
This week’s statements:
1. when I was little I was called ___
2. ___are my favorite candy
3. If I could have one magical power it would be______
4. If I could go back to school it would be to become a _________
My Answers:
1. When I was little I was called my name. Never really had a nickname that I am aware of...
2. Chocolate is my favorite candy. Although I am currently off sugar and not really missing it... Who knew!
3. If I could have one magical power it would be flying? I dunno, I see drawbacks to super powers.
4. If I could go back to school it would be to become a PhD. And I WILL go back to school. Someday...

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Three arms?

"I asked my mom to carry my backpack, but she said, 'I only have two arms!' Only two arms? Maybe she needs some more. Hmmm...I wonder..." From If Mom had Three Arms by Karen Kaufman

I don't think I need all 20 arms the book proposes, but one or two more might be nice. Can you imagine washing up the dirty dishes as you are cooking? Folding the laundry while reading a story? Checking email as you stack blocks? The possibilities are endless!

But alas, I have only two. So I'll do the important things with my two and the rest can wait.

(This was not one of the books from yesterday's story time. Just one we had in our collection.)

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

I got the blues

Ok, so honestly I can't count this as reading a book from my shelf, since it was on Punky's shelf and not mine. This morning (bright and early- yawn) we read "The Daddy Longlegs Blues." It was cute! I remember when I was growing up, we had TONS of daddy Longlegs around. And for a while, they were terrifying. Maybe this book would have helped...
What I really need is someone who can sing the blues to record this book for Punk, I just don't do the blues justice. Singing was never one of my hidden (or not hidden) talents, but you can't just READ this book! And yes, I ignored the pictures of caterpillars in the book, cause they still gross me out *shudder*

So a big thanks to whomever it was that gifted this to Punkerella.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Peace

You will not find My Peace by engaging in excessive planning: attempting to control what will happen to you in the future. That is a commonly practiced form of unbelief. When your mind spins with multiple plans, Peace may sometimes seem to be within your grasp; yet it always eludes you. Just when you think you have prepared for all possibilities, something unexpected pops up and throws things into confusion.
I did not design the human mind to figure out the future. That is beyond your capability. I crafted your mind for continual communication with Me. Bring Me all your needs, your hopes and fears. Commit everything into My care. Turn from the path of planning to the path of Peace.
-Jesus Calling, September 17, Sarah Young

Sunday, September 16, 2012

10 of 10?!

Whoa! Did I really meet my goal with 3 1/2 months to spare? I can't believe it! I think I'll try for 5 more books already sitting on my shelf to be completed by the end of the year.

"Sweet Misfortune" by Kevin Alan Milne was on my shelf a relatively short time. On loan to me from my momma, it was a little more of a romance than I normally go for, but it had redeeming qualities: Sophie's sarcasm, chocolate, and a reference to "To Kill a Mockingbird." I am certain that one teeny paragraph is why the book was handed over to me to read. And in all, I admit, I liked it. It's worth a read, in my opinion.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

NOOK NOOK NOOK NOOK

I love my NOOK. And I love the NOOK app on my phone. Because I forgot my NOOK today and wanted to read on my lunch break. I read two books during my 1/2 hour break. Yep, TWO! But they don't really count because they were NOOK freebies and there really was nothing of substance to them. Cupcake by Clarosa Kopacki said it was 4 pages long. I saw one page, plus the cover. The Girl in the Converse Shoes was slightly longer and more entertaining, but there wasn't even enough to it to call it fluff! But it helped me pass the time in the sunshine at lunch today so it wasn't a complete waste. And now I can clear them off my virtual shelf. They are NOOK lend_me books if you want to check them out...

Bionic Woman

I think my body is confused. If I remember correctly, six months ago I turned 30. Maybe I haven't yet figured out what 30 is supposed to "feel" like, but in my head I'm still around 18. My body however seems to be aging at a much different rate. I think my body thinks I'm 60. Bum knee since high school, outta whack thyroid for a year and a half (I'm really tired of seeing the doctor every three month while we try to get it straightened out), added IBS to the list almost six months ago. And now *drum roll please* I "get" to take muscle relaxers for my back.

I've been complaining for, oh 3 years, that we need to replace our mattress because I wake up and my back hurts. But, as happens in life, other things have usurped the mattress money and a new mattress remains on my wishlist. It was periodic stiffness and achy-ness, that a hot shower and some moving around typically took care of- and I found my back bothered me less when I was consistently doing yoga. Hmmm, ok, I can handle this! Add Miss Punky to the mix. Carrying a nearly 20 pound kid around (plus infant carrier) couldn't be good. And forget about yoga, I'll use my "free" time to shower! Still sleeping on that old mattress...I'd sleep great- until halfway through the night when I started the tossing and turning to find a comfortable position, one where my back didn't hurt. Come morning, nearly every day, when my cute little alarm clock would go off, the stiffness would be with me.

Since I was going to the doctor to get robbed of more blood anyway, I decided maybe, just maybe, it was time to talk about my back...hence the muscle relaxers. And I'm not sure how this is going to work, since I generally am the one on nocturnal baby duty, and am certainly the one on early morning baby duty. Not to mention I need to work and drive... This could get interesting...

Although I do not, yet, have any mechanical parts, at the rate I'm going, I will be have machine by the time I actually am 60!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Will Work for Books

Or money to buy books!

I just finished my vacation NOOK book splurge (yes, I have been back from vacation for over a week- reading time is MUCH harder to come by with a 9 month old). The third book in the Katen Vail series did not disappoint. Velocity was an exciting read and had the surprise ending of- you guessed it! A FOURTH book in the series! Oh Mr. Jacobson, you got me. I already downloaded a sample of book four to my NOOK. But just a sample. I really am trying to clear my to-be-read shelves here at home before adding new books to my virtual shelves.... Plus I think Dr. Alex Delaware is feeling neglected and will require some time here soon. Oh. And I've been thinking it's been over a year since I read my favorite... I need a little Scout in my life. Fall seems like the appropriate time for that one.

I think I have a new motto: Will trade cupcakes for books!

Sunday, September 9, 2012

9 of 10

I admit, I skipped a little bit in this one, but by the time I realized how this book was set up, the parts I skipped were no longer relevant. Normally, when I read a book, I read the whole book...

What to Expect the First Year (Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway) was an informative read. I like the monthly chapters. I did not like that "the first postpartum days" and "surviving the first six weeks" were in section two- hidden behind month 13. Silly me, I didn't know I was supposed to start reading at the beginning AND in the middle at the same time. Plus, silly me got an outdated version for cheap on my favorite website (amazon.com if you were unaware) and later realized a more current version would have been worth the extra pennies. Oh well, live and learn. We've made it through the first 9 1/2 months on outdated information! I decided to read ahead a little bit and finish out the year. I can always go back and look up specifics from month 10, 11, 12 as they occur...

Of course this gets my stamp of approval, but only one.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Friday Fill-In


It’s time for Hilary’s blog hop !!!!If you want to join the fun and come up with four fill in’s of your own, please email them to her at feelingbeachie@gmail.com. If I use them, I will add you as co-host to the hop! This week’s co-host is Janice from Janice’s Footsteps.  She came up with the last two statements!  Check out Hilary’s blog at Feeling Beachie!!!
This week’s statements:
1. I wish I had ___ to ___
2. I stopped wearing ____
3. My favorite song right now is_________because________.
4. I always sing while________.
My answers:
1. I wish I had money and vacation time to travel more.
2. I stopped wearing my hair in pigtails (but only because I cut off all my hair!).
3. My favorite song right now is Brahms Lullaby because it is the first on Punky's lullaby playlist?
4. I always sing while driving solo.
I swear I answered these before I read your answers, Bethie!

Monday, September 3, 2012

Free Association

In my younger days (yeah, yeah, I know, 30 is SO old) I used to journal frequently and write poetry. The older I get, the less I seem to do either. I think my blog (does anyone else picture a big leopard frog when they say blog? Bllllog. Bllloooog. Blloooogger. No? Just me? Figures.) has become a digital catharsis of sorts. I don't have much time to myself anymore, but I can sit and thumb out a blog on my phone with one thumb while I rock Punky to sleep. And it seems to work nearly as effectively as putting pen to paper. Nearly. I originally was hand writing my letters to Punky, but switched over to an electronic format for those- I thought the type would hold up better than the pencil versions. I do still hand write cards, thank yous, and other notes.

While the leather bound journal seems somehow more personal and therapeutic, I'll gladly spend a few extra minutes with my daughter by short cutting on the keyboard. I think I've also learned other coping mechanisms. I no longer solely depend on writing to be my outlet and problem processing procedure.

So I sit, rocking and thumbing in the light of a nightlight, letting Punky play with my hair as she struggles to drift off to sleep. Someday, when she's a little older and more independent, perhaps I will return to my half-used red leather (or more likely imitation leather) journal. Side note, since Ivan free associating tonight- I LOVE journals. I love looking at them. I have to resist the urge to buy new ones because I know I currently have three containing various writings. None of which are the novella I am someday going to finish...which reminds me, finishing it should be on my bucket list. I like lists too- so many ways to organize them: by due date, by priority, alphabetically, by difficulty...

Why is this child not asleep yet? Poor child inherited my difficulty falling asleep, I fear. I think we are now at the too tired to sleep stage. And her little fingers are starting to get tangled in my hair- ouch! That reminds me, I need a haircut. Hmm, keep it short or let it grow out again....

Saturday, September 1, 2012

The Adventure Winds Down

First day here we made a stop at our favorite surf shop (cause we are The surfing type- ha!), Ron Jon's. The huz and I had realized we'd had our current swimwear for a minimum four years (not counting the suit I picked up cheap last year to fit my pregnant belly). It was time for some new trucks and suits. I opted for a swim shirt this time around since the only thing Irish about me is my pasty white skin. And I wore that shirt all week. Until yesterday. I thought it was time for a clean suit.

I should have known- it was the last day at the beach, sunny as all get out, best weather we had the whole trip. It's always the last day, I get a little less vigilant or something...

We were only out a couple of hours. And I used sunscreen- twice! But I still got burnt. My shoulders are toasted just enough to be uncomfortable. I imagine the burn on my back will become apparent when we pile into the car for the trek home. Ugh! I've been trying not to think about that, but the morning has arrived. We will likely be heading out in about an hour. I do not expect the daytime trip to be as easy on the hostages, I mean kids, as the nighttime journey. And therefore will be more difficult for the adults. And will likely take longer, involving more frequent, longer stops... But this time tomorrow I should be waking up in my own bed, begging the huz to slather more aloe on my back before I trudge off to feed Punky.


Goodbye ocean sunrise, I'll miss you.