Four Looks Good On You Baby!

Tatum had a big day today.

First, she flipped off her Mama. 

Then she had a snack.

And then...

Voila!

So, we celebrated.

Resolutions

On the brink of 2009...

Find ... my happy self, my content self, my zen self.

Pursue ... my passion for love, my passion for friendships, my passion for creating family, and for creating memories.

Believe ... in the beauty and awe of GOD, that dreams are still awaiting me.

Appreciate ... the small and smaller moments, the things which bring me stress may be a gift to another (work, family, etc), the smallness of my children NOW -- they seem so big, but I will look back at their tiny hands and arms and faces and remember just how small they still are.

Trust ... that not knowing the outcome of tomorrow makes me stronger today.

Encourage ... everyone; my children to be whoever they dream to be, my students to follow their own dreams, my family to love big.

Pray ... more intently, more frequently, more meaningfully.  

2009 

I'll give more high fives, more smiles, more hugs.

I'll chase dreams, and BELIEVE that they will bring me exactly.where.I.belong.

2008 Pics

Well, the cards have been sent out.  Some of these made it.  Every November, we do a family shoot.  I make a photo collage for the wall, a sort of Year in Review.  

The day we took these shots was the first day of deciding to grow out Tatum's bangs.  The awkward in-between phase is hard to get through, but if you keep going, you get what you need, right?

Kind of fits my mood right now.

Pretty soon, they'll be too heavy for this one.  You'd think we would have learned our lesson.

Go to the Head of the Class

Does this sweet, sweet child just make you want to melt, or what?  

(Click to enlarge)

And to csdw.org, it goes.

50 Is The New 40 and 32 is the New ... Where Was I?

Sometimes I worry.  Like about myself.  

I shouldn't do that.  In fact I know I shouldn't do that because I watched The Secret again today.  Negative energy creates more negative energy.  So I gotta get off that.

But really?  Exhibit A:

I was wrapping this gift for my husband today:

When it occurred to me that, it looked vaguely familiar.

Kind of like the one hanging in OUR CLOSET ALREADY?

He also reminded me that upon noticing his "Lucky" jeans yesterday, I said, "Hey, when did you get those?  I like those jeans."  

Apparently, not only has he had them for months, but I also asked him the exact same question, in the exact same way a few weeks ago.  No recollection.

I commented on a blog post recently.  A birthday post.  I truly thought, Wow Happy Birthday Friend.  Then, I went back today, and commented on the same post, never knowing I had seen it before, let alone commented.

I dunno.  I remember strange things, dreams for example, with such vivid color and clarity.

Then, other days...

Exhibit, what am I on, Exhibit D?  Patrick and I had a night out recently, last weekend I think.  We checked into a hotel.  The Bourne Ultimatum was on.  I plopped on the bed and was enthralled with one of my favorite series.  I LOVE these movies.

Only, this time...I couldn't remember it.  None of it.  Not just the ending.  But the parts in between.  "We saw this together," Patrick told me.  I kept thinking my memory would be jarred by (hello?) MATT DAMON!!!  But... nothin'.

So.  I dunno.  I'm hoping 33 brings my memory back, 'cause 32 is kind of freaking me out.  

My Christmas List...

csdw.org

Did You Hear the One about Super Scribbler That Walks Into A Therapists' Office?

I've been in need of some good blog material.  And lucky for me I got tagged.  Usually, I'm a wee bit snarky with being tagged.  I have a hard time following the rules, and I don't like being told what to do.   Go figure.

Since that hasn't changed, and I'm grateful for the tag, here goes:

Chris at Finding My Way (love that title, by the way), AND Jennifer at Crazy, Magic, Sometimes Hectic, Beautiful Life (Um, yeah, that about sums it up, eh?) both tagged me with the same one.  Love that!  I'm feeling all efficient and sh*t getting them both done!  Chris is a doll.  She has a darling little son, Jack, and is a teacher -- of that number-like thing...I think it's called Math.  So many kudos to her.  And Jennifer not only has twins, but she threw another one in there too.  Sheez.  Over-achiever!  Please stop by. 

So this is the 7 Random things tag.  I think I'm supposed to list 7 random things about myself, and tag 7 people or something... (how am I doing so far?  Still reading?).

So I'm tweaking this a bit into 7 Random Reasons Why I Need A Good Therapist:

1.  I dream about having more babies ALL. THE. TIME.  Last night I had a peach-fuzzed, blonde little girl that I kept throwing up into the air because she was asking me to.  Yup.  The baby.  I knew she was mine, but I didn't know her name.    

2.  I totally want to be past-life regressed.

3.  I hate dirty hands and feet.  I wash my hands maniacally, and when I carry baby wipes to wash my feet on flip-flop days.  

4.  I've googled all of my exes.  Heh.  

5.  My dog knows my mood better than I do.  If she's under the bed, I guess that means I should have crawled under there with her.

6.  I organize my kids' toys.  Art supplies no exception.  I actually head out shopping in search of a new "puffy ball" tin, or "googly eye bin."  Markers must be sorted by brand, size, and thickness.  EVERYthing has its place.  Fun times.  (See playroom for neurotic exhibit A.  Wish I had a shot of the "creation station.")

7.   I still think that for a short period, when I was five, I could hover.  I floated, in a doorway.  Totally.  I think I was magic.  

There you have it.  I'm taking recommendations for meds I may need to discover.  

As for the tagging part, if you dig it, please join in.

But wait, the fun is not over, I was also given a hugely generous gift from the ever-so-lovely Jason at The Jason Show.  Does it get much better than this?  I really think it must have been Jason's hunky stand-in that truly gave me this award (not to be outdone by Jason's uber-hunkiness, himself).  Because my lack of quality bogging has been rather apparent these days, okay, months...

However, since I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Jason, I accept.  Thank you my friend.  Please check him out.  The most loveable family man you may ever meet.  And by family, of course I mean, an ex-wife, a handful of children, an English-as-a-Third-Language (hunky) partner, and all the mixings for some truly fine comedic relief.  

Allow me to flaunt:

I'm passing this one along to:

Clarissa, at A Working Mom's Playground because this mother of beautiful boy/girl twins has heart and soul, creativity and drive, persistence and motivation all of which I admire and envy.  Please check her out.