Spring Break - March 24, 2008

Okay, I skipped several whiny entries about union stuff and my decision not to run for president again.  The entries are sort of sad.  I was upset over some back biting and the collapse of all the work I was doing to bring parents and teachers together. The last sentences in the entry before the one I am about to share reads: 

I must take a break.  I am sick of my self.

I remember separating my and self with intention.  I was sick of my ego.  I was sick of living in my head.  I needed to find some joy, right meow (as Dana C. would say).  It seems like our school breaks always come right at the very brink of the maddness capacity a teacher's sanity will allow.  Anyway, the following was my plan for that necessary break from my self...

Theme for 2008 Spring Break:

Reconnecting with the little ones I love...yesterday was China Town with Maggie, the Fuzz, Emily, Logan, Sheryl, & Laura.


Before we went, I gave the little girls rolling book bags filled with Usborne craft books and all the supplies to make the crafts possible: paper, paints, tissue paper, sponges, foam, glitter, glue, ribbon, pipe cleaners, scissors, etc.  I had so much fun putting those packs together, and I am excited about crafting alongside those unburdened creative little beings. :-) I also want art created by them.  I gave Logan the two Diary of a Whimpy Kid books and an Amazon gift card.  He really liked that. Score.  I told Sheryl that Bob and I plan to get Em a laptop for her birthday/graduation gift.  And just like that, I was caught up with missed birthdays.

We ate at The Evergreen and the Chow Fun was some fun chow! Wow!

It was a beautiful day.

Today was Max and Kody's day.  We ate at Baker's Square and talked about feeling safe expressing ourselves.  Then we painted ceramics at Art 4 Soul.  Max picked a plate and painted a huge smiley face on it for his mom.  Kody picked a Budda and painted him pure blue.  I made a SPRING FARMS tile for Jen.  After, we played at Lan Oak park.  I was free.  No more self.  Just them and me.

65 Reasons to Love a Mom 12/16/2007

For my mom's 65th birthday, my sister Wendi came up with the idea to document 65 reasons why we love her and then share them with her somehow.  I collected ideas from sisters and nieces and nephews until we had plenty, writing them all in my journal.  Then we created a tiny book with one beautiful reason on each of its pages.  I added some very primitive artwork and we presented it to her.  I think she liked it.  Here are the 65 that made the cut...in no special order:

1. for teaching me the art of tree decorating at Christmas
2. for instilling in me a love for music and art and poetry
3. for saving every silly card I ever wrote you and every corny school project I ever brought home
4. for providing juice to my little peanut his first several years on all those mornings I couldn't get up
5. for showing us how to be a family
6. for the best advice you ever gave me: "Marry your best friend."
7. for protecting me from myself but still giving me room to learn and grow
8. for backing Grandma Diggins down the stairs when she picked on us
9. for driving me everywhere even when I didn't even have an address
10. for never picking favorites
11. for playing with me at every age
12. for interpreting poetry for me when I was in college
13. for being the best example of unconditional love...over and over again
14. for getting on me to do my homework and for letting me figure it out myself
15. for being so so so patient
16. for teaching me chopsticks on the piano and playing it with me whenever I asked
17. for hot chocolate after winter fun
18. for being a traveler and taking us with whenever you could
19. for bringing us something cooler than a crappy t-shirt when you couldn't take us with
20. for donuts...even if we didn't go to church
21. for teaching me to shuffle cards
22. for instilling in me a love for words and language
23. for the most awesome birthday parties
24. for singing to us and teaching us a million silly songs
25. for reading to us and writing about us
26. for the food...oh the food...the dinners and lunches and desserts and breakfasts and snacks...all delicious...all magnificent (except the cube steak)
27. for giving us the most awesome sister-friends we could ever hope for!
28. for always forgiving me
29. for nurturing my stubborn independence
30. for coming up with the best Halloween costumes at the last minute...every year
31. for showing me what brave looks like
32. for tickling my arms and back
33. for seeing our highest potential
34. for asking just the right questions so I can find my own answers
35. for instilling in me a desire to make the world a better place
36. because every time I think I might finally catch up to her wisdom, I realize upon our next conversation there's still a long way to go
37. for love that can outlast any storm emotional or otherwise
38. for having a soul that's still as sweet as a child's
39. for the way her face lights up when there's a baby around
40. for having such grand integrity, we can no longer get away with all the stuff we used to because your voice comes in loud and clear.
41. for tenderness that could melt an iceberg
42. for pretty much raising me my first quarter of life and I'm very grateful for the time and energy she's put in to taking care of her whole familycuz she's real good for huggin'
43. for smelling my neck and checking if I cleaned behind my ears after I took a bath
44. because I'm her first grandson
45. for smelling good
46. for being the only one allowed to get my "nick-neck"
47. for never letting us go hungry when mom's busy
48. for being our 2nd mom
49. for snuggling our sadness away
50. for knowing where to take us to create the best memories: beach (tubing), Lemon Lake, Crane Orchards, Nutcracker Ballet, Museum of Science & Industry, Saugatuck...
51. for fixing my hair..."sit still!"
52. for making sure my outfit was just right and if it had a bow, it was tied perfectly
53. for making sure I didn't scuff up my shoes
54. for tomato soup & grilled cheese and cookies after school
55. for all kinds of cheese...you were always on the cutting edge of popular cheeses and you brought us with you
56. for making me feel loved...as if I was your only child and for my knowing my sisters felt the same way
57. for telling me when I was in the 3rd grade that if anyone ever does anything mean to me to run home - "where ever you are, just run home." I still have that sense of security
58. for hanging a congratulations sign on the front door when you knew I was accepted into the Dental Hygiene Program...for celebrating all my accomplishments
59. for teaching me proper dress for interviews and traveling and shopping and mowing lawns and driving a convertible...
60. for teaching me that a lady makes very little noise when she walks
61. for helping me to understand that a beautiful woman is a confident woman and that a smile looks better than a frown
62. for teaching us manners and etiquette in such a way that I always look forward to an event  where I can be my most proper and civilized self
63. for showing me that some sticks and some old string can look like a beautiful decoration with historical significance
64. for getting excited whenever I drop by unannounced
65. for all the stories and for the beautiful way you tell them...about Mimi, about us growing up, about the Beachway, about friends, about acts of kindness, about funny things, about very funny things, and about unexpected things

On Truth...sometime btwn July and Dec 2007

I was watching a pretty cheesy chick flick.  I did not write down the name of the movie and, of course, cannot now recall it, but I did write down something the father said to his future son in law who was screwing up: 

"People know the truth.  They may not like it, or want to know it, but they always know.  Lie, and you will lose her."

That's all.  It really is that simple.  Our cells know when someone is lying to us, and we can bet others know when we are lying to them.  No matter how hard the truth seems, it is always easier (in the long run) than the lie.  Someone else's truth can only potentially hurt my imaginary ego, but will always bring healing and understanding to my higher self.  Period.


Thank you for the truth for all these years.

List of Awesome Names

In my little notebooks, I keep a running list of names I find entertaining due to their irony, their redundancy, or their general silliness.  Here are many:

Dr. Popp - Chiropractor

Dr. Bone - Chiropractor

Dr. Hertz - DDS

Dr. Bush - you guessed it - OBGYN

Dr. Seaman - also OBGYN

Dr. Payne - Orthopedic Surgeon

Dr. Butch - Mom's General Surgeon

Dr. Shock - my childhood GP

Pat Urbut - Homewood, Illinois, Attorney

Mr. Prettyman - Director of Color for 1892 World's Fair

Pastor Goodpastor

If you have any you could add - legit ones only - please do so in the comment section of this blog, or on Facebook.

What's in a name?

Shiny Beads

The Fuzz and I, for joy's sake, of course, donned 10 or 15 or 50 shiny beaded necklaces and danced in front of the full length mirrors in Laura's hallway.  Laura wanted to join us, but the Fuzz declared that she was "NOT part of the TEAM!"  This is the song we sang until I wanted to shoot myself for ever making this crazy stuff up:

Look at my shiny beads!
Look at my shiny beads!
Look at you, you got some, too!
Look at you, you got some, too!
Look at me in my shiny beads,
singin and swingin in the breeze.
Look at my shiny beads!

_________________________________________________

How the Fuzz got her name

The Fuzz is the nickname my husband gave Linda when she was just a babe.  She had this awsome sticky-upy soft dark fuzz on top of her tiny head, and Bob just started calling her "the fuzz."  It stuck...well, at least for me and Bob.  I don't think anyone else calls her that anymore.  As well, they shouldn't because she grew out of that hairdo many years ago.  Anyway, she thinks I am fabulous, which makes me feel fabulous because I think she is just resplendent!  We sat on her living room floor that day and went through about 500 New Orleans style beaded necklaces and carefully chose the most wonderful arrangements to make us perfectly lovely.  Then we danced maddly, swinging them all over and belting out that song.  She now believes I am the most fun a girl can ever have... and she may just be right.  Here are some photos of her with fuzz and without:

Tax & Poker Party @ My House: 2/25/2007

This is the day before Wendi's brain surgery.  Jen, Joe, John (Zack's friend), Zack (until he left for work), mom, dad, Mira, Bob, & I are gathered for the purpose of tax filing and poker.  We ordered Chinese and then added the words "in bed" to all our fortunes:

Bob: You will make many changes before settling down happily...in bed.
Joe: Good things will come to you in due time...in bed.
Me: It is impossible to please everybody.  Please yourself first... that's right...in bed.
Mira: You are capable of building a thriving business venture...uh oh...in bed.
Carol: Patience is the best remedy for every trouble...in bed...ain't that the truth!
Rog: You will soon receive an unusual proposition...in bed.
Jen: You have common sense and a lot of charm...in bed...figures.




I beat Joe in Texas Hold 'em....again.





We talked to Wendi on the phone.  She was getting cold feet.  She called me the next morning at school and told me she was sorry for not being more supportive when I sent Zack to Salem.  It made me cry.  It felt like she was making amends before signing out.  She must be so scared.

Me and Wendi