"Trials are proof of God's care."

Getting religious here for a second: this week has been a challenge on just about every level. Last night, after several long work days topped off by an office Christmas party, I thought my head just *might* pop off. I was very busy listening to everyone around me:
"You KNOW how things are in this economy."
"This is just what little boys are supposed to do."
"But I really *hated* that book, Mama!"
"Christmas is never a relaxing time, you know that."
"That looks more like a Valentine's present than a Christmas present."

Last night, I decided to bring it to a screeching halt. I don't have to listen to the naysayers and the grinches; I can make the choice to see the good, hear the good and follow the good. So I made that conscious decision late last night, and today is much more peaceful.

Today, I choose to eat a frog first (ask Mark Twain if you missed the reference) and then enjoy the rest of the day. I choose to rocket through my work, then focus on my children. I choose to play the "Island of the Blue Dolphins" dice game with 40+ 5th graders who still secretly get excited by Christmas, even if it's not cool to admit it. I choose to make reindeer antlers with 19 2nd graders and I won't even flinch when I get icing on my nice slacks just before a lunchtime meeting.

Life is good.

Hey Bratz Dolls: Don't Let the Door Hit You in the Rear

Remember the end of "The Untouchables," where Eliot Ness and his team finally get Al Capone? Not on gangster-related charges (roll with it - you know what I mean), but on tax evasion.

Now, remember the same thing happens at the end of "The Firm," where Tom Cruise enlists the help of his mob-related clients to bust his law firm for billing discrepencies?

I was thrilled, ecstatic and over-the-moon to see this link online this morning: http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/retail/judge-bars-mga-producing-selling-brat-dolls/

Doesn't matter the reason, the bottom line is the same. They're gone, I'm happy. The world - and the psyche of little girls everywhere - will be a better place.

The Dark Underbelly of College Football.

Let me say, loud and clear: I am a Georgia Bulldogs fan. Let there be no doubt in your mind.

Breaking news is Auburn just fired Tommy Tuberville, probably because he had a losing season (including a good old-fashioned butt-kicking in the Iron Bowl last weekend). But he's a good man, and he's had a great record at Auburn. He's done wonderful things for the football team and the athletics program. He's withstood a fly-by-night (literally) coup attempt that included Auburn's past president in its casualties. During his off-season (is there ever really one for an SEC coach?) he traveled to Iraq to spend time with the troops. He's donated his time to so many worthy causes. He's just a good man, and he's impressed me.

So as much as I am *not* an Auburn fan, I do see the unfairness in this, and I don't agree with the way college football rolls sometimes. Big hugs to all my Auburn fan friends (Kelly!), especially my husband.

If anyone knows Coach Tubby, tell him there's one Bulldog fan out there who's really sorry it came to this.

Happy Thanksgiving, la la la.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We headed to see Rus' family and were treated to some unseasonably warm weather. Thanksgiving Day we had a big group, but here we are with just the fam, about to dig into my MIL's awesome cooking. Don't even get me *started* on her sweet potato souffle - it's out of this world!

Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? I am. :)

Perfection? Or goodness?

"The perfect is the enemy of the good."

A friend from my FebMoms chat group posted this yesterday, and it's been on my mind. Sometimes I push so hard for the perfect - grades from my children, behavior from my children, exercising at the gym, the cleanliness of our house, social activities - that I don't see the good all around me every day. Everything doesn't have to be perfect all the time; there are much, much more important things.

Sometimes, the "good" things aren't enough - they're more than enough.

I'm going to do better with this.

Election 2008: The Final Word

I'd like to share a little ditty a friend passed along via e-mail this morning. Just a little poetic snack to serve as an endnote to our recent election.

The election is over, the talking is done,
My party lost, your party won.
So let us be friends and let arguments pass,
I'll hug my elephant, you kiss your a$$.
- Author Unknown

THANK YOU! GOODNIGHT, COLUMBUS!

And the award goes to ...

I used to have this client, Jeff, who despised TV award shows more than anything. The Oscars, the Emmys, it didn't matter - to him, they were the scourge of our society, an indicator of all that is self-serving and wrong with our country. We had several spirited debates on the topic because, well ... I love me a good awards show. Not all of them, mind you. The Oscars are good. The Emmys, they're OK (good for watching while doing chores in and out of the room). The MTV awards - um, no. I do have standards. :)

Then there are the CMAs. We're big country music fans in this house and it's a family event to watch the performances and cheer on our favorite singers (SUGARLAND!!!). So we're perched in front of the TV this evening, jamming out to Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift and even Kid Rock ("... singin' 'Sweet Home Alabama' all summer long ..."). The best part? No dirty lyrics, no hoochie mama outfits, no bleeps over bad words. Just great, great music and some very cool people.

So far, Sugarland's 1 for 2. Jennifer Nettles, the lead singer, graduated from Agnes Scott, you know. No wonder she's so darn cool.

Yeah, so ...

I can hear my friend Leslie's brain spinning from clear across the country.

It's been a long time, folks! Things happen. Football playoffs, soccer playoffs, tennis team matches, school plays, client trips, elections (and subsequent denial/depression cycles) ... next thing you know, it's been 12 days since you posted on the blog. My, how the time flies.

So a quick update:
- AK's tennis season has ended and her brand-new middle school team placed 3rd out of 8. No hardware, but a nice certificate. (And the knowledge that the team in first place was *very* loosey-goosey with the age rules. Think Chinese women's gymnastics.) But she had a blast and proved that a nice new racquet really makes all the difference in the world. She went 2-1 this season.
- Ryan has one more soccer game left. He's gone from "which direction do I run?" to "outta my way!" in a few short months. He scored another goal this past weekend, and it's still fun to see him giggle with glee.
- My work traveling has diminished, at least for now. January starts the ball rolling again. It's been nice to be home for such a long period of time (a whole month!).
- Rus has three (or four?) classes left and he'll possess a Masters. Woo-HOOO!
- Basketball practice for AK starts this week.
- Because of a soccer game, an end-of-season party and a Girl Scout camping trip, Rus and I will have to make do with listening to the UGA/Auburn game on the radio this year. The things we do.
- Illustrating temporary insanity at it's finest, I agreed to be our Troop's Cookie Manager for 2009. Get those checks ready, people, the Girl Scouts are coming in about 6 weeks!
- Our high school football team finished the season undefeated and starts round 1 of the playoffs this Friday night. Bring it, Hornets. You're goin' DOWN. This is our year to play in the Dome!

I continue to have a work challenge on my plate; not sure how to solve it or when it will end/go away. There must be something left for me to learn or I wouldn't still be dealing with this. Thoughts?

What Are You Doing November 4 (or before)?

I haven't missed voting in an election since I was 18. When I was in 7th grade, I found an essay written by my Aunt when she was in high school. It was a history of the suffragette movement, something that, until that time, I knew almost nothing about.

If you're a woman, it's a discredit to our gender if you don't get out there and vote. Almost 90 years ago, women fought with everything they had to earn the right to vote. Can you imagine someone telling you, today, that you can't vote because you're a woman?

For a little humor, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX40RsSLwF4
If you're in an office, turn down the sound on the Borat parts. :)

If you know me, you know how I voted. Whether you're on the same team or on the other team, please - go vote next week.

May I have your attention, please?

As of this morning at 10:30 a.m., I have voted. I am done. And while I love all of you, Republicans and Democrats ... I don't want to hear about it anymore. I don't want to talk about the election, I don't want to talk about the debates, I don't want to talk about ACORN or Ayers or Diebold or $21K for childcare. I don't want to talk about Mickey Mouse or Monica Key or POWs or women who shoot moose (meeses?).

This is the most distasteful, antagonistic, dishonest presidential campaign I've ever seen, and I am putting my foot down. It will not run my life anymore, it will not affect my mood anymore. From now on at the gym in the morning, I'll be watching videos while I'm on the elliptical. Or maybe smoothie ads. No more CNN and FOX.

I'm not even going to watch SNL anymore.

It's over for me. I'm done. Let's talk about the weather.

Soooooo, it's been a while!

Forgive me, my blogger police friends. I know it's been a long time since my last post. But the sadness of that one, plus two business trips back-to-back, plus a lovely holiday weekend ... well, let's just focus on the fact I'm back now, 'kay?

So many things have happened, and I'll update with photos soon. But while reading two other blogs, I became enchanted with a challenge they put forth: Both Christina and Michelle posted 100 things about themselves in answer to a challenge from their mutual friend. Do I even *know* 100 things about myself? Caviat: these are NOT in order of importance!

1. I love Diet Coke, but only drink it 2-3 times a week.
2. Sorry, Christina: Chick-fil-A has the best Diet Coke.
3. I love hash browns, but not the kind you make at home: the ones from Chick-fil-A and McDonald's are the best.
4. I do not like mushrooms of any kind, so don't ask.
5. I don't like snakes, either.
6. One time, I said a mild 4-letter-word while in a nature center when a park employee walked up behind me with a snake.
7. I was really mortified because I was chaperoning AK's class.
8. Fall is my absolute, hands-down favorite time of year.
9. Last night, I sat out on the patio with the dog and watched the moon rise while I shivered in the cool air.
10. No one else in the family knew where I was and for a few minutes, I was OK with that.
11. I love Disney World.
12. I don't have a favorite park; I love different things about all of them.
13. I will ride any roller coaster, at any time. Bring it, baby.
14. I will not ride anything that spins me around in a circle. Like, oh, tea cups.
15. I am a Georgia Bulldog fan.
16. I do not like U. of Florida, but will tolerate just about any other team.
17. I don't pay attention to the Falcons, but I think Matt Ryan might be a good addition.
18. I watch more sports than my husband.
19. High school football speaks to my heart: Friday Night Lights, cheering for the Cougars and dressing my children in blue and white!
20. Mean people frustrate me, but I'm working on it.
21. I didn't like it when we moved here, but I'm enjoying Columbus now.
22. I'm so very grateful for my family and friends.
23. I'm working on remembering to be grateful for everything in my life.
24. Cheetos - the crunchy kind - make me happy.
25. My friend Wendy introduced me to Hot Tamales, and it changed my life.
26. I have a 10-year-old girl.
27. And a 7-year-old boy.
28. They are who they are because they knew Christina and Michelle from the time they were three months old.
29. My children mean everything in the world to me and I'd do anything for them.
30. But I will *not* buy them any more Webkinz.
31. I know that the extra large Spacemaker storage bag holds 30 Webkinz and about 25 additional stuffed animals.
32. I am very demanding when it comes to my childrens' education.
33. I read voraciously.
34. But as I get older, I find myself reading only things that interest me.
35. I'm working on reading things that don't interest me to expand my knowledge.
36. I like Sarah Palin.
37. I hope McCain is our next president.
38. I truly, deeply believe McCain is the person we need to survive as a country.
39. I will gladly listen to other's political opinions and maybe even gently debate them - but I will not tolerate someone blanketly dissing my beliefs, nor will I do it to anyone else.
40. I am this many years old. :)
41. I think being 40 is cool.
42. I've learned to forgive myself more and care less about what other people think since turning 40.
43. My 40s will be the best years of my life, to date.
44. Because I say so.
45. I have become more spiritually focused since moving here.
46. I teach Sunday School 1 or 2 times a month.
47. I love what I do for a living.
48. My husband loves what he does for a living.
49. My husband inspires me in so many ways.
50. He is truly an involved, wonderful father.
51. My children are very lucky.
52. I consider our dog my canine child.
53. Our dog is very, very spoiled.
54. I love watching Ryan play soccer.
55. I am so excited about watching AK play her first tennis match tomorrow!
56. I would rather spend time with my family on the weekend.
57. I eat more candy than I should.
58. My regular gym visits have increased in the last two months.
59. I am so excited about our family vacation next summer I can't stand it.
60. I have a brother who is 3 years younger.
61. He has a gorgeous little girl who is a blast to be around.
62. I enjoy going out to dinner, but not as much as I used to.
63. I enjoy going out to eat when we're on vacation.
64. I love to shop online.
65. I love to window shop.
66. Most of my clothes are from J.Jill or Coldwater Creek or Ann Taylor Loft.
67. Everyone in my house has big blue eyes.
68. My canine child has golden eyes.
69. I never played sports as a child, but I love to play them now.
70. Rus proposed to me on Jekyll Island.
71. He tricked me, and I was completely speechless.
72. I said yes. :)
73. St. Simons is my go-to place when I need to relax and reconnect with myself and my family.
74. My favorite restaurants there are Gnat's Landing, Fourth of May and Sweet Mama's.
75. Cuddling and snuggling with my children makes me so happy.
76. I used to be blonde.
77. I still am, but I pay for it now.
78. I love one-on-one time with each of my children.
79. I love one-on-one time with Rus even more.
80. Our sitter is a fantastic person and a tremendous role model.
81. I find it hard to listen when people whine about what they don't have.
82. I own too many purses.
83. I would buy many more if I won the lottery.
84. Shoes - I can take them or leave them.
85. I love a new, well-fitting outfit that was bought on sale.
86. I've taught both my children to "never pay retail."
87. The rest of the house will be clean but my office is a federal disaster area.
88. I don't get paid to keep my office clean.
89. We have a maid service because I cannot stand cleaning.
90. I enjoy ironing clothes.
91. "Northern Exposure" is my favorite TV show ever.
92. "Men in Trees" is a close second.
93. Diana Gabaldon is my favorite author.
94. This Christmas, I will start a program to read the entire Bible in one year.
95. I am grateful for my clients.
96. I am grateful for my children.
97. I am grateful for my wonderful husband.
98. I am grateful for the strong relationship I have with my parents.
99. I am grateful that my brother says "I love you" every time we hang up the phone.
100. I am grateful for every person that read this list!

Paula Lawson

My great friend Paula Leah Sossen Lawson passed away suddenly this Sunday.

You would have liked her. Born in Massachusetts and living in Connecticut, she had this clear-cut, take-no-prisoners manner about her. She didn't couch her opinions and thoughts; you knew what she thought and you knew where you stood. But she was never rude; she opined with ease, grace and style. I respected that about her.

She had such a dry, often self-deprecating sense of humor. Sometimes she'd crack a joke and it would take me a full several seconds to catch up - then I'd laugh hysterically. Her one-liners kept me in stitches for more than a decade.

We "met" on an listserv for February 1998 Moms. Her son Jack was born just a few weeks before Anna Katherine. Our listserv defied time constraints and geographical boundaries, staying together until, well, we're still together. It's been more than 11 years.

Several of us in the FebMoms group have been lucky enough to meet in person. Paula and I connected early on and frequently talked off-line, both via e-mail and on the phone. We exchanged cards, letters and pictures of our growing children.

We met in person four times. Twice in Boston: once we had great times at the public gardens with other listserv members, another time we took our 3-year-old children to the aquarium and spent hours walking and talking. One time we met in DC and visited the National Zoo with other listserv members. The last time I saw her, about 4 years ago, she was in Atlanta for a work conference and I spent the evening with her, eating out downtown and talking a mile a minute.

We were so opposite: the Northerner (she called herself my True Yankee Friend) and the Southerner, the liberal and the conservative. But we began with the common base of the birth of our children, and a great friendship grew from there.

Paula and I e-mailed last week. We talked about the hilarious Palin/Clinton skit on SNL, and she said she had "cankles" (she didn't, of course).

Last night, a member of our listserv accidently stumbled across a mention of her sudden passing and we were all stunned. Today has been a day of remembering with friends via phone and e-mail, and a day of deep sadness for her husband, son, twin sister, parents and work family.

It's hard to encapsulate such an intelligent, kind, feeling woman. How do you describe all she desired, all she accomplished, into a few sentences? She was a good person, she married a good man, she raised a good boy and she was well-loved. Maybe that's a start.

Tina Fey for President.

If you missed the season premiere of Saturday Night Live this weekend, you missed a doozy. The show opened with a "bipartisan message" from Gov. Sarah Palin and Senator Hilary Clinton (played by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, respectively).

NBC removed the full clip from YouTube, but it's here in this WSJ article about Tina Fey's return (it's also on my Facebook page if you're a friend):
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/09/14/tina-fey-returns-to-saturday-night-live-to-play-palin/

Rus and I laughed until we couldn't breathe. As my friend Mark said, "Tina Fey does a better Sarah Palin than Sarah Palin."

Remember how hold-your-stomach-funny SNL used to be in the 80s and before? This skit is pretty darn close. Enjoy!

Tomorrow.

Each week, Ryan's class has a "question of the week" they must answer with six sentences. This week's question: "Why do we remember September 11, 2001?" Ryan knows a little bit about that day, but last night he asked Rus and I to really explain it to him. His resulting sentences were tremously deep and illustrated how powerful the simple thoughts of a child can be.

Their school plans to hold a prayer service at the flagpole tomorrow morning, around 8:45 a.m., and both children have asked to wear red, white and blue in honor of Patriot Day.

It's been seven years, but I can tell you every detail of where I was and exactly what I was doing that horrible morning. About 11 a.m. that day, Anna Katherine's school called to announce they were closing; they told the children it was an unexpected and fun "family day." When AK arrived home, I realized I couldn't remain glued to the news as I had been all morning. We did art projects in the playroom and sat in the grass outside with little baby Ryan. I couldn't wait for Rus to get home. I was trying so hard to stay spiritual and pray, but it was almost overwhelming at times.

As I told my children about September 11 yesterday afternoon, I couldn't keep myself from choking up. They don't understand - they think silly Mama is just crying about something she saw on TV. They don't get it, the depth of feeling, the violation we felt, the fear, the complete helplessness. I hope and pray to God above they never, ever understand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_-x9kMPauc

Bend it Like Drew.

Ryan played his first-ever soccer game (he's a Pirate) this past Saturday, and he totally rocked the field. He seems to have quite the talent for this game - and we have no idea where that comes from. When I was in high school, I "managed" an indoor soccer team for a few seasons, and all of my friend-boys were soccer stars. I loved watching them play. Perhaps Ryan gets it by 23-year osmosis ?
Whatever the source, he loves soccer and he's good at it. As I took this shot, I commented to Rus that Ryan wasn't moving his eyes from the ball and was preparing to steal. Within 5 seconds, the other kid is on the ground and Ryan (blue jersey) was headed the other direction. So proud, am I.
The mighty Pirates won, of course. Ryan played midfield most of the game and saved two goals from going in. Once he reached the front, the other team had wised up and tossed some kid in front of the net, blocking Ryan's shot on goal. He's determined to score this Saturday. And I'll be prepared to yell "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!"

Coolness!

Rus and I went to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in 1996, and it was just the coolest thing ever. We watched the mass ascension of 600+ balloons, we took a balloon ride at 6 a.m. one morning and we even crash-landed in the field behind a Captain Crunch plant. Good times.

This weekend there's a local balloon festival going on, so we decided to head that way and check it out. Last night was a balloon glow, and this morning was jam-packed with balloon rides, pancake breakfasts, boat regattas and bungee jumping. If you're interested, see all 55 photos here:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0QbOHLFozbMXgw&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

DC, My Kinda Town

So earlier this week I was in Washington, DC, for an annual media visit. The folks we meet with are just to die for: some of the smartest, nicest, most fun people to be with in the world. My businsess partner and I were talking on the plane ride home about how blessed we feel to be able to a)do something we truly love for a living, and b)get to work with such fantastic people. Here's three of us at dinner Monday night: that's Julie my biz partner on the left, Steph the editor in the middle, and me on the right. Our dear friend Katy got out of the photo op by offering to be the photog, ahem. We'll get her next time.

Proof!

My friend Liticia sent this photo of me dressed as Jim Cantore several Halloweens ago! You can't see the entire outfit: black T-shirt, khaki cargo shorts and my Storm Tracker hat. Thank you, Liticia!!!

This gentleman with me is our family friend Kyle Horton. His 40th birthday party is this evening up in Atlanta, and the Drew family is sad to not be there. We'd much rather be noshing on tacos with the Hortons than dodging tornadoes from Fay.

So a big HB! to Mr. Birds. He's da bomb.

(Full disclosure: Kyle's not a UGA fan. He's wearing the tattoo on his face because UGA beat UT that year and he was honoring his end of our bet. He should probably get ready to wear another Bulldog tattoo this year. You know, since UGA is ranked #1 in the country. Boo ya.)

Before she was here ... she was there.

Here are two shots my Dad took from the Village on St. Simons Island. This was about 2 p.m. yesterday, 1.5 hours before high tide. Usually the ocean is about 2-3 feet below the top of the sea wall at high tide.
This is the pier. Wonder why there's no one on it ...?

And this is one of the beach access points just down from their pier.
My parents told me that right after they took these photos, they caught some gnarly waves, dude.

TS Fay is here to play and it's gonna rain all day! Hey hey hey!

The tropical storm is here, folks, and it's going to rain for the rest of our lives! Not that we're complaining - we desperately need this rain. There's no thunder or lightning, just very gusty winds and lots and lots and lots of water. If you're missing a cat or dog, they're probably in our backyard.

Here's Ryan's take on the weather from about 2:30 p.m. Eastern this afternoon:

Auntie Em! Auntie Em!

OK, so if you know anything about me at all, you know I'm a certified weather geek. Ask my Lawrenceville friends about the Halloween I dressed up as Jim Cantore. He so totally rocks.

Tonight it rained for 30 minutes. So? It wasn't just any rain. It was rain from TS Fay. Seriously! I looked at the radar, and our rain was part of a band thrown off by Fay. It fell apart as it went across the state, but we still got some tropical rain, by gollee.

My parents, completely uninterested in the coolness that is the weather, went to the gym this evening. In the middle of the tropical storm. The best part? They came home to find their neighbor's water oak flat on the ground (no houses, people or pets were harmed - just a car or two). The worst part? The didn't take pictures for me. Sheesh.

Recently, I met two fellow weather hounds. Brian is the husband of a friend and client, and Mike is connected with the same client. Upon discovering a radar-checking fellow soul, we started talking about weather patterns, the zoom feature online, walking around the house carrying a wireless laptop waiting for it to rain, Storm Trackers, etc. Good times.

Mike turned me on to the coolest thing: it's a wireless weather station for your house. I must own one. Someone please share this with Rus.

http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/stations.asp

It's raining again! Gotta go check the hour-by-hour.

I Wish They All Could Be California Girls ...

Professionally, I'm a very driven and competitive person. I love what I do for a living, and I want to do the best job possible for my clients. But it's too easy to get caught up in the situation at hand and lose sight of the right path. I've been struggling the past few weeks over ways to change my business to better benefit both my clients and my business.

My friend Leslie stepped up to the plate for me this afternoon, providing clear, concise insight on an issue. She's a talented marketing consultant and can identify with the unique challenges of the self-employed. She reached in and got right to the heart of the problem, then presented several solutions. Easy, breezy, simple and clear.

So here's a "WOOT! WOOT!" in Leslie's direction. Thanks for the help, my friend.

It's Official:

Superman wears Michael Phelps pajamas.

Go Team USA!!!

Back to school!

Behold, the fifth grader and the second grader! School started yesterday - much, much too early - and new clothes and new haircuts made their debut.

The report from the first day: AK was jazzed that fifth graders get to eat off the "adult" salad bar, including (gasp!) baked potatoes! Ry said his teacher is "the nicest teacher EVER" because she gave him a chocolate kiss yesterday. AK's still in love with her new "er" (not a locker: an "er", since there are no locks) and Ryan was really proud that he kept his shirt tucked in all day long.

It's the little things, people. The little things.

Someone got her hairs did!!!

For years, my precious bunny has wanted short hair. Daddy and I like her pretty long hair. This year, three days before school started, I decided to relent. It hasn't been this short since she was about three.

Don't tell her I said this, but I think it's really super-cute.

Jekyll Island

This is one of my most favorite places in the world to visit. It's a state park, so no more than 65% of the island can be developed. There are bike trails ringing the island, a super-cool waterpark (that we visited just last week), a fantastic Sea Turtle Center and so much more.

Follow this link to a Weekend Window of Jekyll that recently appeared on Good Morning America.

See you on the beach.

http://blog.jekyllisland.com/in-the-news/good-morning-america-featured-jekyll-island-on-weekend-window/

Gratitude, in all forms

Before I wax poetic, a little heads-up: I have a bizarre, embarrassing admission to make. But you have to read to the end to find out what it is. Love ya.

Topic 1
Monday afternoon I interviewed the executive director of our local battered women's shelter for a newspaper article I'm writing. She asked a resident of the shelter to join us for a bit to share her story. I spent about 30 minutes talking with this woman, and going to affect me for a very long time. I'm not sure I can put into words right now the depth of my horror, compassion, anger and guilt. Hannah (not her real name, but the one we chose for her in the article) started off her life with a silver spoon in her mouth and many privileges. She's college-educated, smart as a whip and loves her children. But somewhere along the way, the negativity from her husband became acceptable and she chose to stay, believing herself safer than if she left. When she did divorce him and move away, the situation disintegrated into something you would not be able to stomach. So last week she grabbed her children and ran many, many states and time zones away, hoping that this time, this location, this chance, would be the one that would set her free. I pray every day that she's right.

On the way to the interview I spoke with a friend by phone and complained about how much I want a certain car, but it would probably be another few years until I could get it. Please forgive me for being a spoiled brat. I am so very grateful for the life that I have: my religion and my family give me everything and more than I need. Please remind me of this the next time I whine.

Topic 2
We're at the beach right now, visiting my parents. I do love it here, so much. We visited a waterpark this morning and Ryan went down his first honkin' waterslide. We're hanging out inside a bit right now before we launch Make-Your-Own-Pizza-Night. I'm grateful my parents moved here and we have a quiet, restful place to come and sit and be near the sea.

The Embarassing Thing
Anna K and I were just listening to the radio when this super-catchy song came on. We found ourselves singing along with the chorus after one verse, even doing that head-bob thing. We started speculating on who was singing: Jewel? Carrie Underwood? (It was a country station.) The DJ came on, and his next words made me hit the floor:
"Didja like that song? So many people do - it's a great, catchy summer beach song called "Come on Over" by Jessica Simpson."

This is me, rocking back and forth holding my knees, trying to pretend that didn't really happen.


Bonus Part
We listened to the new Sugarland CD 3 times on the drive yesterday. Go. Buy. It. Now. One of the best CDs, beginning to end, I've ever heard. "Love on the Inside" is the title. Our fave tracks: 1 - "All I Want to Do"; 2 - "It Happens"; 11 - "Steve Earle." Their harmony is a joy to listen to, especially on "We Run." Love this band!

Hi, my name is Kim ...

... and I'm becoming a Facebook addict. It started with simple harassment from a 15-year-old in my Sunday School class: he guilted me into creating a profile and running with it. Now, every time I turn around, I'm taking a quiz. Or throwing sheep. I love throwing sheep. And then there's the Pieces of Flair ...

Are you on Facebook? Let me know - I'll throw a red gummy bear your way.

This one's for Leslie in California

We just returned from four lovely days in Savannah, one of our favorite places. We usually bop all over the city visiting musuems, checking out stores and eating our way through town. This time, well, we're all (meaning me) a little more tired. So we (meaning me) decided to hang out at the hotel and enjoy the ammenities. One of which is the spa/exercise/golf clubhouse! We scoped out the pro shop and bought a logo'd golf ball for Ryan, poked around the gym and tried out a few things, and then we saw it: the sign on the wall suggesting that "you add Wii to your daily workout." So we did - we used the hotel's Wii for one glorious hour, and now we're hooked. We don't have one at home ... yet ... but we will, and soon. I played both children in tennis, bowling and golf, and we had an absolute BLAST!

A little tip: don't play Ryan in bowling. He's a shark. What other 7-year-old gets FIVE STRIKES in one game???

I see a big family Christmas gift in our future ...

Is the contender REAAAAAAAAAAAAAADY?!?!

Have you ever watched "American Gladiators" on TV? (It's OK - I won't tell.) Rus and the children started watching it over Christmas break, then drifted away from it when the school year started up again. Now it's become a Monday-evening staple in our house. It's a truly ridiculous show ... but I decided to watch last night and give it a try. And it was AWESOME! Some of the challenges are impossible, and some I'm confident I could conquer (go with it ...).

In the spirit of the show, we've spent the last 24 hours working on our "gladiator names." Allow me to present:

THE POOHJINATOR!!! (Ryan)
Catch phrase: "There's a new sheriff in THIS hundred-acre wood!"
Trademark sound: GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! (bear growling)

SISTA TWISTA!!! (Anna Katherine)
Catch phrase: "She'll BLOW YOU AWAY!"
Trademark sound: waaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! (think tornado siren)

THE BIG 5-0!!! (Rus)
Catch phrase: "You don't want this po-po in YOUR house!"
Trademark sound: Woop woop woop! (police sirens)

MJ!!! (Maternal Justice) (Kim)
Catch phrase: "Because I SAID SO!"
Trademark sound: Mwa HA HA HA HA!

GODIVA!!! (Scout)
Catch phrase: "She make look sweet, but inside - SHE'S NUTS!"
Trademark sound: ArOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Coming to a network near you. :)

Two Quotes

I've always saved good quotes I've read here and there; my computer screen had them taped all around the edge at one point. Then that became a little distracting, to say the least. Nothing like trying to write a bylined article on building codes and accidentally quoting Ghandi in the middle!

Here are two you might enjoy. One is an old favorite, the other a new find:

"This above all - to thine own self be true; And it will follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not be false to any man."
- William Shakespeare, "Polonius"

"People who aren't real to each other are dangerous to each other. Stories give us the simple empathy that is the basis of the Golden Rule, which is the basis of civilized society."
- Garrison Keillor, "The Motorhome Fades into the Sunset"

Anatomy of a Weekend

As our children grow older, the scales tip: whereas we once could skip town on the weekend for a quick trip away or to visit family, we now must check the children's calendars well in advance before making plans. But we're both OK with it: we're having a blast raising these two, watching them grow and learn and explore new things. We need to be here at home more now so they can develop their own memories, with us and with their friends.

Last weekend was wild and wacky! So many fun things going on:

Some friends stopped by our house for a bit at the end of their vacation. The children are all close in age, and they've been friends for about 6+ years. Here they are enjoying some crazy backyard water fun:


And here's Laura, my bestest friend, and AK dueting on "Heart and Soul":



The night before, AK's friend Kate spent the night and the girls watched the premiere of "Camp Rock" with the Brothers Jonai. All agreed it was a cute movie; not on the level of "HSM", but still cute.
After the movie, the insanity began. Witness: Webkinz on a Ceiling Fan.


The "Steve Dance".

Um, I got nothin'.

They're hilarious together, these two: one minute they're reading poetry, the next they're giggling so hard they can't even breathe. Kate's a good friend - we're glad we met her.

You say it's your birthday ...

Last Sunday, Rus and Anna Katherine hosted a shared birthday party for Ryan and me. Ryan turned 7 in early June and I'll be 40 on June 13th (about 30 minutes after this is posted!). You know I have no issues with my age; it's nothing but a number. I don't feel 40, I (like to think I) don't look 40, and I'm sure all of you will agree I certainly don't ACT 40. I'll never be one of those people who sits around counting years on the calendar, ticking off what should go wrong at a certain age. Hogwash. Balderdash. What a waste of time!

My friend Julie has a quote on her e-mail signature: "It's not the years in your life that matter, it's the life in your years." Bring on life, baby!

The party was held at a cool old barn near our house. This is Ryan waving bye-bye *after* the party. We have zero shots of him *during* the party because he never stood still!

Someone just told me I had to start acting my age. As IF. (Oh, by the way, the tiara I'm wearing is from Disney Princesses on Ice. And it flashes multicolored lights. That's what I'm talkin' about.)

AK and her good friend Mara. There's a 2-year age difference, but these wonderful girls have been friends for about 7 years. There's a Girl Scout saying that's perfect here: "Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold."

Me and my Mommy. :) (Thanks, Olga, for taking this picture. I love it.)

I need to give a special shout-out to my friend Greer. She turned 10 the same day as our party, but she decided to join us in our celebration and postpone her big event. She and her sister are two of the kindest, most thoughtful little girls I've ever met, and I'm grateful to know them.

Happy Birthday to YOU, Sunshine!!!

HB, Ryan!

A quick shot of our big boy and his strawberry cupcakes!

Vacation Photos, Part Three: The Finale

We visited the top of the Space Needle with my friend Katy. The view was just gorgeous: we timed it just right to see the sun set behind the Cascades. It was rather cold and windy - but worth it.

Before the Space Needle, we ate oodles of seafood at the Crab Pot on the Seattle waterfront. Don't Katy and I look fabu in our matching bibs?

Katy recommended we visit Gas Works Park for the skylines view. Of course she was 100% right. We sat and watched the seaplanes land for quite a while.

My little grunge-wannabes, hangin' out at the Market. Isn't AK's hat way-cool? That's the Vancouver 2010 Olympics logo on the front.

A resident of The Butchart Gardens.

Our Vacation, Part Dos

While in Victoria, BC, Canada, we visited The Butchart Gardens. Amazing what they did with limestone quarries a century ago! :)

Don't be surprised to see this picture come December! We're standing in front of the Parliament building in Victoria. The building stretches further to the left and right than the lens could capture. Ryan said it looked like Disney World.

On the ferry ride from Bellingham to Victoria ...

... we saw WHALES! Two rogue orcas, fresh off a meal. Don't ask what they ate.

L-R on sofa: Aunt Suzanne, Anna Katherine, Haley, Ryan, Matt. Back row, L-R: Ashley, me. This was taken following our Memorial Day BBQ. But we didn't actually BBQ anything. We just called it that. Because it was Memorial Day. You know.

A lovely couple from Southern California took this picture of us on Chuckanut Drive in Bellingham. It's a gorgeous drive stretching along the cost. The fog had the San Juans socked in a bit, so it was very Scotland-ish.

Our Vacation, Part 1

We had such a great time in Washington State and Canada! It's such a beautiful area of the country and we loved the cooler weather. Here's a quick peek at some of he highlights of the trip - enjoy!

This doe visits my Aunt's backyard almost daily. She surprised us one morning; Anna Katherine named her Kanga.

L-R: Anna Katherine, Ryan, my cousin Matt and his daughter Haley, all pose in Fairhaven at the end of Ski to Sea 2008.

Ryan and me on the shores of Bellingham Bay watching the Ski to Sea kayakers finish the relay.

AK and Ryan cruising their own cypress tree boat on Lake Whatcom in Sudden Valley. The water was ice cold, but you'd never have guessed it!

Goodbye, Elmo

Tonight was the series finale of "Men in Trees," one of the best shows I've watched in decades. ABC canceled it because of "ratings," but the reality is, they never truly supported the show. It was moved all over the schedule and inexplicably pulled for months at a time. No show could survive that.

I'm thinking of not watching much network TV anymore. All the quality shows I so enjoy are so often canceled by short-sighted goobers who think we really want to see "Redneck Millionaire Real World Jacka**" three nights a week (apologies to Brad Paisley for mauling his lyrics).

Remember "Homefront"? I'm not even sure it survived an entire season. It chronicled the lives of its stars during WWII and starred Kyle Chandler from the Atlanta area.

Then there was "Sports Night." Felicity Huffman has certainly moved on to bigger things, but she rocked this show. Loved the edgy banter and diversity of characters.

My favorite of all time: "Northern Exposure." MIT was often compared to NE, and the surface similarities were sometimes humorous. NE stands alone, in my mind, in the quality television forest. Nothing has ever measured up to its plotlines, dialogue and character development.

But MIT came close, very close. With another year or two under its belt, there might be a tie in my heart for best show. But we'll never know.

So goodbye, Elmo. I will miss spending an hour with you every week. Annie - you probably made the right decision for you, but you broke my heart, along with Patrick's. Jack and Marin, I'll miss the goofy way you two drive each other insane, then come together in compromise and grow even closer. Rub Uncle Ned's furry little head and give him a kiss. Drive carefully Jane and Sam, and eat a potato for me.

Smack me, please.

And the most important news of all: today is Ryan's 7th birthday! His best buddy from school gave him the Indiana Jones Mr. Potato Head - probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I made strawberry cupackes with buttercream icing and fresh strawberries on top, as requested. And his favorite meal ever: ranch noodles with ham. Scout gave him a stuffed Horton (as in Hears a Who), Anna Katherine gave him a cool handmade Cars button-down little dude shirt, and Rus and I gave him a hockey stick and combination compass/flashlight/caribiner from Canada. Eh?
Happy Birthday to Ryan!!!
XOKim

It's not summer until WE say it's summer!

No excuses about the lack of postings. If you have a child, much less children, you understand what happens at the end of the school year. It's like click-click-clicking to the top of a huge roller coaster hill then waiting ... waiting ... aaaaaaand GO! It's the last few weeks of school, hold on tight, people!
Just for fun, here's what we experienced/accomplished during the final week of school this year: three pool parties, one Girl Scout badge ceremony, one baseball pizza banquet, one baseball game (with a certain player maintaining his hitting streak for six at-bats!), one haircut (and highlights, yes), 4th grade field day, 1st grade field day, 1st grade water day. Oh - and Rus was in school all week for his Masters, and we were prepping for our 9-day trip to the Pacific Northwest. Yawn. It was quite boring and unevenful, really. NOT!
So wrapping up the school year: Anna Katherine responded to The New Rules and made straight A's for the first time in 4th grade. She worked her tush off in the process. She's very proud of her accomplishment, and she's enjoying her new bag of clothes from Justice. Not that it was a bribe or anything.
Ryan finished off his year in grand style. He had such a growing experience, learning how to buckle down and get his work done, THEN play and be silly. He's matured quite a bit this year. His "grades" the last 2 quarters were excellent and he's become quite the little reader. Can't imagine where he gets that from.
So now we're into summer 2008! Both children are loving Huck Finn camp at school; today's activity included dragging wood around and "building" a fort in the woods. They came home stinky, sweaty and covered in dirt, so it was a successful day.
More to come from our trip to Washington State and British Columbia!

XOKim

AK Sings Taylor Swift!

Some of you have seen AK's debut video performance, but we'd like it on the blog, so here it is again!

This was her audition for the school's "American Idol" contest. Something like 43 acts tried out for 7 finalist spots; she knew the odds were against her, but this was something she wanted to do and she worked her toes off in preparation.

She didn't make the finals, but she was completely cool with it. She said it was "a really fun experience" and she'd just try again next year, maybe in a group with some girlfriends. She also said, "I'm glad I did it this year, because now the judges will remember my name next year!" Simon Cowell would be proud.

We are incredibly proud of her determination and resilience.

XOKim