You Know the Twilight Series?

There's a reason why it was set in Washington. Stephanie Meyer was not kidding nor was she exaggerating when she described the weather here in our lovely state. It really is that cloudy, foggy, and rainy. Any vampire would be proud to call it home. And why stop with vampire books? A lot of writers could capitalize on the weather here. For instance, Marion Zimmer Bradley could do a sequel: The Mists of Lynnwood. I'm sure it would be fascinating. I'd read it.

I miss snow.

Sue

All I Want For Christmas Is...

There's a First Time for Everything

For the first time in our fifteen years of marriage Mike and I got our tree up in a timely fashion. One year, no lie, we waited until three days before Christmas, and so by the time we finally got to a tree lot it looked like a scene from a Charlie Brown Special. We ended up with a crooked, misshapen thing with a hump. We couldn't even put our angel on it. It was too precarious for her.

This year, however, we got our tree up on the day after Thanksgiving! I can hardly believe it. We're like those really wacky people who put their tree up on the day after Thanksgiving. The truth is we bought a pre-lit Christmas tree after January 1st last year, got an amazing deal on one we wouldn't otherwise be able to afford, and I simply couldn't wait any longer to check it out in all its glory. And it didn't disappoint! It's tall and beautiful.

You know what else is awesome? Having kids who are old enough to basically do all the decorating by themselves and who want it that way. Between the tree already having lights and the kids hanging every last ornament, all I had to do was put the tree skirt under it and call it good.

Sue

Happy Thanksgiving!

This has been such a nice day. There was a wonderful dinner, a fire in the fireplace, some great movies on TV, and just a peaceful, happy time with each other. I'm thankful for my family.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sue

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

When all through the house...

• The kids have all had a shower. Check.
• The house is squeaky clean. Check.
• The food is prepared as much as possible. Check.

Whew! This turned out to be kind of a long day, but I got a lot done. The house is totally dusted and the hardwood floors mopped, my two least favorite jobs. In fact, the only time they get done is when we're having guests over and often not even then. It smells faintly like Murphy's Oil Soap in here.

Our menu for tomorrow is as follows: Prime rib which Mike is going to make (I love being married to a man who can cook!), stuffed mushrooms, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh steamed green beans, squash, cranberry cream salad, rolls, wine, and sparkling apple cider. Afterward there's pumpkin pie, apple pie, and ice cream, which are being brought by Patty. It's not a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, but it's what Mike wanted this year and it sounds wonderful.

So! The mashed potatoes are all but done (I used this recipe because it can be made ahead.), the cranberry cream salad is mostly done (Some parts you have to do right before you serve it.), and the rolls are rising (Never mind, they're done now and filling the house with a delicious smell!). With all that out of the way tomorrow should be a relaxing day with family. I can't wait.

Sue

Hi, my name is Sue and I'm a surprise spoiler.

I can't help myself. If I have a gift or special fun secret for someone, I tell them straight up. I try very hard not to, but the excitement of it bubbles up and bursts out. Sort of like vomit.

Today I called my mom and we made small talk about Thanksgiving for a few minutes, then I said, "Mom, I got your Christmas present. You're going to love it! You wanna know what it is?" And since my mom isn't the greatest with the whole delayed gratification thing either, she replied, "Sure!" I let her know I made them a photo album of their trip to Washington. Not a scrapbook, but the kind that's put together online and ends up looking like a coffee table book. It turned out so nice!!! I'm really happy with it and my mom's totally happy, too. Or she will be. When she gets it.

Oh well. I get another chance to surprise her with something on Mother's Day. Of course, last Mother's Day didn't work out the greatest. I called her in the morning with, "Did you get your flowers?! Do you love them?!" just as the delivery man appeared at their door.

Columbus Day then. I'm really going to rock her world next Columbus Day.

Sue

Bless You, Sudafed

I know you're hard to get now, what with having to show my license and sign my soul away in blood, but you're worth it. There's nothing quite as wonderful as the feeling of a sinus headache that's fading away into nothing. I think that's sort of what Heaven must be like.

Sue

No Turban, No Service

The other day I was reading blogs when I came upon an entry by a woman who wrote that she went out to eat with her husband and the dress code was “casual sheik.” It made me chuckle. In fact, I chuckled every time I thought of it for days afterward. I think it’s delightful when people are writing along, taking themselves very seriously, and all the while they’re actually doing things like cluelessly telling us about fine Arabian dining in which a turban is required but a tie is optional.

Happiness is often found in the little things.


Sue

Welcome!

I moved! Which I guess you know if you're reading this. Hope you like the new place. It might take a little time for me to get used to where things are and how to do stuff, but I'm glad to be here. I've been contemplating moving to Blogger for ages simply because it offers a few more options, but I didn't do it because I'd built such a huge archive of posts at Our Little Corner the First. I love that blog. I poured a huge amount of the last couple years into those fifteen pages, to the point where it's become a kind of living scrapbook to me. But then I got to thinking about it, and I realized that moving doesn't mean I have to delete the old one. I'll just keep it there, unchanged, and hopefully figure out how to link to it in the sidebar of this one. Maybe no one will ever go back to look, but just knowing it's still around will make me feel good.

So...welcome!

Sue

We is homeskoolers!

(Baylee has a loose tooth.  Can you tell?)

Ahhhh....Friday

Random highlights from the week:

~  The kids and I were driving somewhere in the car and Baylee was telling us all about how God created Adam out of clay and then breathed the breath of life into him.  Zach replied in the driest possible voice, "Oh.  So he was like Gumby then."

~  A little while ago Drew said, and I quote, "That Billy Gates and his big ideas!  Creating something that connects computers all around the world!"  I mean, I have no idea if Bill Gates actually created the internet, but that's beside the point.  The real question is:  Who the heck's grandmother did Drew just channel and why???

~  A couple days ago Zach noticed a little boy huddled on the neighbor's porch in the rain and growing dusk.  We kind of know him because our neighbor babysits him occasionally, but he's not one of the kids my kids hang out with on a regular basis.  Apparently on that particular day the neighbor forgot all about the commitment she had and wasn't home.  The poor kid walked to her house from school only to find it locked and empty.  He had no phone and no idea what to do.  I told Zach to run over and bring him home to our house, and I watched him for a couple hours until his mom showed up from work.  There's just something very scary about that whole picture.

~  "Watching TV with swimming goggles on, of course.  Why do you ask?"

~  He's starting to look so tall and grown up to me suddenly.  He's not my baby anymore.  Wait.  Yes, he is.  He'll always be that little guy with the bright blonde hair that stuck up like a mohawk and the blueberry eyes.

~  Baylee reading to her "children," as she says.  I love that she loves her dolls.  I never liked dolls all that much when I was a little girl, so it's fun to see her so into them.

~  The Game of Life, some assembly required.  *Cat sold separately.

Sue

Figures.

The one time something exciting happens in church and I miss it because I'm in a different part of the building helping with the children's choir.  Mike told me there was a woodpecker outside on the roof today, pecking at something metal on and off through the entire service.  The congregation would sing, then ting ting ting ting ting!  Ting ting ting! The guest missionary speaker would pray, "Dear Lord..."  Ting ting ting!  "...we ask you today..." Ting ting ting ting ting ting!

I so wish I could've been there.  The missionary did say, though, that he's from Africa and if we think a little thing like a woodpecker is going to make him lose his concentration, we'd better think again.  And sure enough he did go fifteen minutes over.

Sue

You Guys Will Never Believe This

You know that mushroom I was happily snapping pictures of?  I got curious tonight and googled "orange mushroom white spots."  It led me to a website about poisonous mushrooms, with a huge picture of a mushroom just like my mushroom right on top as a banner!!!  Come to find out it's called an Amanita and its poison is one of the most deadly types found in nature.  In fact, the website says, " Amanitas are the reason why there are no old, bold mushroom hunters."  And this thing is growing in our front yard under the pine tree!  Not that I think anybody's going to pop it into their mouth, but still.  It's just really weird that we were all fascinated by it, not realizing how dangerous it is.  There's gotta be a Sunday School lesson in there somewhere.

Here's the website where I got my info:

Poisonous Mushrooms

Sue

Cute Little Girls and Ugly Fungi

Lately the cat sleeps with Baylee every night.  It's weird.  One day it couldn't stand her, the next it was sleeping with her.  What I think is cute, though, is the fact that she covers it with doll blankets.  Not only does the cat put up with this, but it'll actually spend the whole night there.

In other news, look at this disgusting mushroom that's growing in our front yard.

Sue

My Favorite Part of Having a New President

First of all I want to say thank you to everyone who responded to my last entry, both as comments here and privately.  You guys really encouraged me and gave me some stuff to consider.

Secondly, I just have to say that I'm really excited about our new president for one reason:  No more email forwards from my Democrat friends!  I cannot tell you how sick I am of getting "I hate Bush, pass it on" emails.  I mean, what's up with that?  Why do people think that I want to hear all their latest feelings on politics, especially when they know I'm a Republican?  Are they trying to use cheesy email forwards to convert me?  I actually had to flag someone I know as "spam" because it got so irritating.  Of course, that person had no idea I spammed him.  That would be rude.

I look forward with hope to an emptier inbox.


Sue

Why is That? No, Really. I'm Asking.

Have any of you other women found that the older you get, the worse you're able to cope with PMS?  I'm really wondering and I'd love to hear your thoughts.  I'm 37, so I know I haven't started menopause...right?  Or perimenopause?  My mom didn't start all that until she was in her fifties, I think, so there's no history of being early.  But I feel stressed out and worn thin a lot of the time.  What's going on with me?  Is it PMS?  It does seem to get worse around that time.  Is it spiritual?  Or is it simply that I AM stressed out and worn thin?  I feel like lately I'm going through the motions in sort of a semi-detached way.  Like if I don't stay in "Do not bother me.  Do not stop me.  Just let me get my work done." mode, everything will all fall apart, including me.

Yesterday was such a bad day.  Right off the bat in the morning Zach started up.  He's got a terrible attitude about going to the clinic right now and Mondays are awful because of it.  He told me he wakes up and his first thought is, "Clinic day," and he spirals into the mood from hell.  And who do you think gets the brunt of that?  So I'm dealing with him, trying very hard to maintain my cool while I teach him about transitive and intransitive verbs, and the doorbell rings.  It's Puget Sound Energy wanting their money.  But here's the thing.  They made a mistake.  Our meter wasn't working quite right when we moved in here and, of course, not being meter readers we didn't know.  Who could know that?  Finally a year and a half later they figured it out and suddenly wanted all the money they failed to collect.  Right now.  Luckily we had it, but still, that's not a great day maker.

Then we went to the clinic and Zach had his session.  Afterward, as always, I went in for a short conference with his teacher, just the two of us.  Usually these talks take five minutes during which time we quickly discuss what they accomplished that day and how I can utilize it at home.  This time I was in there for twenty minutes, mostly discussing Zach's struggle right now with attitude.  I'm glad she has Kleenex on her desk, because I broke down and cried in there, which I've never done.  I guess Zach told her that he no longer has a disability, and when she asked him why he thinks that he said, "Because I don't want to have anything wrong with me, so I don't.  I decided."  He's in denial and is having a bad time of it, and because of that it's a thousand times harder to teach him.  I cried because sometimes it feels so hopeless...like I'm looking into a bottomless pit.  I feel like we'll never make enough of a difference for him to be able to leave home someday and live successfully.  The good thing is that his teacher understands and is able to offer support.  She let me cry and said nice things.  Then she decided that she, Zach, and I are going to have a meeting together next week to talk with him about his attitude and to kindly tell him some things he needs to hear, things that sometimes are more effective coming from someone who's not your mom.  And maybe he'll open up, too, and share where he's at.  It could be a really good thing.

And finally yesterday, to top it all off, I broke a wisdom tooth.  It already had a filling, so I guess the thing to do now is have it removed.  Ugh.  Just what I needed.

So.  What's going on with me?  Stress?  Sometimes I feel like I should be able to deal with things like this without it affecting me.  I wonder if I'm just more highly strung than other people.  I even started taking B Complex vitamins because I read on someone's blog (Thank you, Camille!) that it helps with mood.  So far all I've noticed is that it's turned my pee neon yellow.

Anyway.  Do you ever feel like this?  It would help me to know.

Sue

That Was So Much Fun

Today I was asked by Baylee and Drew's choir director if I'd consider coming to the practices and lending a hand with the musical this year.  Specifically she asked if I'd help kids with their acting.  I agreed happily and started right away this morning.  Oh my goodness, it was so much fun!  I LOVED it.  Honestly, though, I have no idea how the director discovered I have some acting experience or what she thinks I might've done in the past.  Today she told the kids, "This is Mrs. ----  and she's worked with kids in plays before, so she'll be helping us!"  Errr....I've never actually done that.  I've been in plays...with adults.  Lots of them.  I was in three college plays (I had the lead in one.) and then after I got married I joined Master Arts Theatre in Michigan.  Plus I've done lots of church drama.  But I've never helped other people and I've never worked with kids.

Oh well!  I'm not even going to say anything.  I'm just going to pitch right in and do what I can.  Today I got to give input on a scene with several children and I found myself channeling Pris, my old director from Master Arts.  Her big thing was always that acting is every bit as much what you do what you're not speaking as what you do when you are.  You have to be in the moment.  Don't anticipate.  Listen as if it's the first time you're hearing it.  Speak as if the thoughts are forming in your mind.  Make the audience believe the lines are really yours.  I don't remember exactly how I put that to the kids, but they really picked up on it and suddenly that scene came alive. It was so great to watch!

This is going to be such a cool ministry.

Sue 

Halloween, 2008

Man, it seems like we did a ton of Halloween-oriented stuff these past few days.  On Wednesday the kids carved their pumpkins, then Mike's mom came over and we all went to our church's Harvest Festival for supper and a carnival.  I have to tell you the embarrassing thing that happened to me there, though.  We'd been there a couple hours and we were having a good time.  The kids played lots of games and I won a cake...well, actually a box of Cinnabons, which is even better...in a cake walk, but finally it was about time to go home.  I found Mike talking to some other guy and I started walking over to him to ask if he was ready to leave.  The only thing is that I was walking and talking to Mike's mom at the same time and so I wasn't paying really close attention to what I was doing.  I got to Mike and put my hands around his bicep and kinda cuddled up really close to him.  Then he looked at me and I looked closely at him...and oh my gosh it wasn't Mike.  It was the other guy!  I was like, "I thought you were Mike!  I'm so sorry!"  He was very nice and he and Mike both got quite a laugh out of it, but still.  Oh my gosh. 

Friday Drew realized that he didn't have a Halloween costume, even though I'd taken him to two different stores this past week and warned him he really should make some kind of choice.  The following is the result of leaving it to the last minute:

It says, "I went to the costume store and all I got was this lousy t-shirt."  He loved it.  He thinks it's the best costume he's ever had.  In fact, next year he plans to make another one that says, "This IS my costume.  Deal with it."

On Friday afternoon the neighbor boy, Jacob, came over as he does almost every day and he spent a couple hours playing, and somehow that turned into having supper over here and going trick-or-treating with us.  And then somehow that turned into just going ahead and spending the night.  The boys had a great time with him.  After trick-or-treating they all ate themselves sick on candy while watching Journey to the Center of the Earth, then they camped out in their room and "gambled" with their Halloween stash.  A good time was had by all...except Mike.  He's the one who got to stay up keeping an eye on things until the boys dropped off to sleep in the wee hours of the night.

Here's a few pictures.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com