Random Thought Thursday: Oh Now! That's Just Silly!

What time is it: 956P

Where am I: kitchen table, back home again.

Listening to: the Curious George alarm clock tick. It just went off in the boys room and we had to remove it to keep it from going off again. Thankfully no boys awoke. When was it they found the batteries and put it back in that thing? My find better battery hiding place.

Last ate: Bagel bites (family game night tradition) and Lemon Pecan cookies

Thoughts: When Geo watches Curious George, I will occasionally hear him say out loud "Oh now that's just silly!" And it's at that point that I want to stop him and ask exactly what was it that warranted such a remark since obviously a man who wears only yellow living with his scientifically advanced monkey in a New York City apartment who is friends with a doorman's dog and a Italian chef's cat and who visits the country on the weekends where he races worm is quite normal.

And while we're on the subject, am I the only one who never caught the connection between The Man with the Yellow Hat and Ross from friends? It's so clear- works in a museum ... lives in NYC ... is socially awkward ... has a pet monkey ... why didn't I see it before!

Girls Day

Living in a house of all boys I don't often get to go all girly girly - I mean I still love makeup and nail polish, but there's no one living in my house that gets excited about that stuff with me (and really, I'm okay with that).  So, when my mom asked if I wanted to be part of the girl session of Grannie Camp (she had 3 sessions this summer, bless her heart) I jumped at the chance to go all frilly.

Our first stop was this great new shop in Edmond called Paint Your Art Out.  It's only been open since January and was so much fun I think I'll be going back there for some "me" time in the near future.  For our walk-in class one of the owners sketched out the picture from a wall of selections and then worked with the girls to show them techniques on how to paint it.

Our next stop was Edmond's Inspirations Tea Room where we wore fun hats and sipped tea under the frilly gazebo

And our final stop of the day: Sweet and Sassy Salon for some manis and pedis

well okay, the last stop of the day was actually Lowes, best to start these girls off knowing power tools and lipstick go well together.

A Week In Review

I'll tell you this much, vacation with my mom is hard work.  I crashed at 9:45 last night and slept until 7 (hooray for early-rising dogs still sleeping at the vet).

We spent a few hard-playing days at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine that has an amazing indoor water park.

Which, of course, resulted in the need to superglue a chin

It's nice to have Dr_EAM and his lovely wife closer by- I mean not just for the superglue skills, but because we were able to see them each evening (I wish I'd had the video on when Dr_EAM freaked Geo out by acting like the crawfish - pictured below- was alive.  Oh my goodness!  It was hilarious!)

And we topped off the week with a family reunion for my mom's dad's side.  It's been 22 years since I've seen some of the people that were there and there was a whole new branch that came this time that I've never met.  But, by the end of the afternoon we were chatting like family that had known each other for years.

This is a picture of my grandmother holding the family Bible that belonged to my great-great-great-great-grandparents.

My Uncle James and his wife, he is the oldest living family member in this line (not that I'm saying he's old!)

My mom explaining to my second-cousin the genealogy of the family line.  Mom's put in lots of time and effort into collecting the data.  Dr_EAM and his lovely wife farmed for names from the book later in the afternoon.  Sadly, they have not decided to go with California Delilah.

And here are some of my favorite pictures from my immediate family:

My Uncle Bruce, the roadie, coming straight from gripping for the Lady Gaga show in Dallas.

My Uncle, my cousin, and my sister

My Grandpa's branch: My uncle Ken, Grannie, Mom, and Uncle Bruce (what can I say, they're all a lot of fun!)

Four generations of my Grandpa's branch.  Unfortunately most of the 3rd and 4th generations weren't able to come.  If all of my Grandpa's branch had been there, there would have been 42 people!

Today I'm off to get some girl time with my nieces, will post those fun a frilly pictures later.

Random Thought Thursday: On the Road

What time is it: 1127P

Where am I: Great Wolf Lodge hotel room

Listening to: the people next to me (very clear the money put into this hotel was put into the amazing water park and not into soundproofing the walls/ceiling/floors)

Last ate: Spicy Dungeness crab legs from Joe's Crab Shack-- SEA forever altered my taste buds -- wish I had had the camera on when Dr_EAM was introducing the boys to crawfish. They were awed and terrified simultaneously.

Thoughts: This hotel lists "wireless" high speed internet access available in their hotel information guide. But I think it should list wireless "high speed" internet access because I know I'm wireless, the high speed part is up for debate. I've been very bad about posting my foodie friday information this month. It's not that we haven't been eating- just more that Fridays have seemed to end this month before they begin. With the rate of upload speeds here I'm sure it will be happening tomorrow either.  Forgive?

I'm on the road spending time with mom which is always nice and this time we're even managing to get to bed before 2am (so far). It's been so fun to watch the boys play at the water park and watch them work up the courage to ride the bigger slides and after the first round to declare "let's go again!" It's also been nice to spend some time with Dr_EAM and his lovely wife who's belly has just started to pop in a very cute way.

And, it's been fun to watch the male lifeguards this week too. It's cheer camp at the old lodge and there is a drastic difference between the stance and swagger of the guards before the girls get out of the clinic at 2pm and after. I try not to laugh.

And my dear friends, I leave you with this-

Girl in line at the top of the highest slide to Geo: Are you scared of heights?

Geo: I don't think so ... what do they look like?

Bu-dum-cha!

I Heart Faces: Over My Head

This week's challenge for I Heart Faces is Over My Head.  This is a picture of ISH riding over LK's head.  He use to love to do this when he was younger- his favorite little perch.

Check out more over head pictures by clicking the I Heart Faces logo above

Sunday- after a busy week

I turned back on the NetNews Reader tonight to catch up after stepping away from it for the past few days and saw this post on LK's blog.

I made the mistake of watching the video with the boys around who immediately started questioning why this was making me cry.

Geo turned to ISH and said "I guess some people cry because they see two people kiss and it's just so sweet." He said in that almost mocking-overly-sweet-tone.

ISH looked at Geo and in all seriousness replied "And some people cry because something is so beautiful."

Warning- grab a box of tissues before clicking play

Random Thought Thursday: Country Music

What time is it: 1113P

Where am I: sitting on the living room floor- too dirty to allow myself to sit on the furniture, wearing my painting clothes (this shirt bears witness to every room I've painted since my first home.

Listening to: Fraiser reruns

Last ate: eating Butter Pecan ice cream LK ran out to buy as a post-painting treat

Thoughts: I've been spending much time in the garage painting doors and for some reason when I'm working like this I listen to country music. So here's what I know after several hours in the garage- country music singers are born with an understanding of how to love God and their country but they seem a bit ignorant as to how to love women.

Excerpts from The Boys

Geo's at Camp Sing-A-Lot this week.  My guitar instructor asked him what they do at the camp and with an are-you-deaf look Geo replied "We sing ... a lot."

It's good to know ISH's preschool program is covering the basics of pronoun declension.  I can tell it's sinking in every time he talks about what he was watching on "OurTube."

How to Have Beautiful Feet

I was standing in the churchyard in Mombassa.  My feet were tired and dirty.  We had been walking for what seemed like days handing out tracks and inviting people to come to our evening Bible studies.

"Today" a man said to me through his a thick Kenyan accent.  "Today, your feet are beautiful."

My church's mission Sunday was today.  We had the goal of raising 599,000.00 to help fund special mission efforts around the world and in our own community.  We raised over 601,000.00.  I'm immensely thankful to be a part of a church that so greatly emphases missions.

Today my feet were not dirty like they were in Kenya that hot summer day.  But as I sit looking down at them after a day focusing on how we here are a vital piece in a partnership with dear people around the world- working together to bring the Good News, I have to say, they're looking a little beautiful- no pedicure required.

Memphis Women and Good Fried Chicken

I can remember one of the first times LK and I drove around Memphis.  It was late and after looking around I asked if we were on the wrong side of town.  "No," he answered.  "We're just in Memphis."

A few months later we would go on to buy our first house not even a mile from the gas station parking lot where I made my "bad neighborhood" inquiry.  And while the women from the suburbs whom I worked with, and the people from the delta town in Mississippi where we worship, and my parents (if they were to tell you the truth) all thought we were crazy for choosing to live in Memphis, it became home- our first home together.


In Memphis I found the open door to a job that I love and have been doing for the past (as of this week) 8 years (I suppose it's about time to start calling this a career).  In Memphis we had our first home, our first dog, our first over-night house guest, and our first child.  In Memphis we learned how to drive defensively and in Memphis we watched our first fight between two women who decided to duke it out on the highway- beating each other with their shoes! (Only in Memphis).


And since we were so far away from our biological families, in Memphis we learned how to make "family" out of the people around us (which would include people like the moms from the play group once Geo came along, the fellow grad students who would get together monthly and dream how we were all going to change the world, the previously mentioned suburbanites from my Wolf-Chase-Mall office building, and Randy- our perpetually drunk neighbor who tried to pay LK back for something or another with his food stamps).


And, of course, in Memphis we had great barbeque.


So when I stumbled upon the blog I Love Memphis it spoke deep to the place inside me that still, after after six years removed from it's city limits, wakes up some nights craving a barbeque sandwich with the slaw on top the way Tops Barbeque would make it.  And so I decided to follow her story.


On Thursday the author wrote a great summary of why she and her friends think Memphis is a great place.  For those of you who have never lived within the Memphis city limits, you'll just have to take her word for it.

Memphis is great because nothing here comes easily.

In this town, nothing is handed to you. Staying positive in Memphis requires overcoming a checkered history, chronically low civic self esteem, and the fact that other people constantly suggesting the easy way out.

I’ve thought about the easy ways out quite a bit. There seems to be a lot of conversation about them lately. Conversations that start with “have you ever thought about moving to (insert “cooler” city)”. Conversations about where I see myself in five years, doing the work that I do in a town like this. Questions about why I chose to come back here, buy a house and make a life.

Choosing Memphis isn’t always easy. I’ve joked about feeling like I’m married to the city, like I have to stay with it and make it work, no matter what.

But here’s the thing about Memphis: there’s loads of opportunity. In other cities, if you want to start something – a business, an event, a flashmob – chances are, someone’s already doing it. Here, there’s plenty of room to experiment, to try, and to learn.

Memphis is a city full of secrets. Some of the most amazing places and things here are hidden. You have to work to find them, but once you discover that amazing hidden patio or unguarded pool or bar in a warehouse neighborhood, there’s a thrilling sense of victory and discovery.

Living in Memphis can make you more open minded and  willing to try something new.

Living in Memphis makes you strong.

Random Thought Thursday: OUCH

What time is it: 1046A

Where am I: the couch watching two cardinals play in the trees outside (I so love that we moved the bookcase to add in this window).

Listening to: Nothing. Boys are at Grannie camp.  House is quiet.  It's fabulous.

Last ate: a mixture of strawberries, walnuts, plain yogurt, all bran buds, and brown sugar. (You do know that I time this blogging session just right so that I can appear to be some granola-loving health nut.  Give me time though, the day is still young to and begging to be filled with less healthy food choices. Oh how I wish I was not a junk food kid!)

Thoughts: The boys may be gone, but that hasn't prevented LK and I from keeping their new favorite word alive and well. The word? Touché. And no, they have no clue what it means.  I think they heard it on Phineas and Ferb once and liked the way it sounds.  So it doesn't matter what is said, one of them is bound to chime in with "Touché" at the end of the sentence.  In fact, one afternoon ISH called from the bathroom to the three of us sitting at the kitchen table "Hey you guys," he yelled (which we could hear because the bathroom door was left open). "You guys, Touché!"  Which is then followed by extreme sport giggling. Too cute.

With the boys gone, it might surprise you that I have no major project to undertake, which, as it turns out, is well planned since I tried to take off my left index finger while helping my SIL hang a chandelier in the nursery on Tuesday.

See

Oh gee! Wow I should have probably put a parental discretion on that before posting.  But thankfully I called the ever helpful Dr_EAM who walked me through assessing if I should seek in-person medical attention or not. Thankfully it wasn't bad enough to go to the ER but is a good one!

I'm feeling the need to make chipotle chocolate lime cupcakes.  Like I said, plenty of time left in the day to eat what is not best.

Advice Needed: Home Addition

I love my backyard and I love how close we are to LK's work.  And, for the most part, this house fits us well.  Well- it would have fit us well had I not bought the most amazing dining room table shortly after we moved in that can seat all of us and my in laws (and did I mention it's amazingly beautiful).  But it's slightly too big for my current dining room.

Because of my backyard (terraced down to a creek) we can't build back and because of my roof line (modern and low with a quiet shout out to the Frank Lloyd Wright) we can't build up- but about a year ago I discovered my garage is fully in front of my house which gives me 21 feet in the front of my house to my build line.  Jack pot!

And while this addition may never happen, I am extremely visual which has thus lead to an obsession with Google sketchup.  And so, I've created three different options of what the addition could be. 

Our house is currently a 3 bed/ 2 bath with a kitchen/dining, a living room and a laundry room.  It's a great NSBH layout with lots of storage.  And the addition would call to the NSBH feeling and not take away from it.  We're talking less than 21 feet in front, not a totally crazy, ostentatious building project.

LK and I are in total agreement on the layout of the dining room (easy because it's a pretty open square), and what we would do with the extra space in the kitchen once the dining room is there, but the addition of the dining room leads to an option to add a 4th bedroom on the front as well.  And this has caused some discussion.

If we add a 4th bedroom, do we need a bath as well?  The other bathrooms are not close to the new dining room or 4th bedroom and are in a more "private" area of the house, that will only be more private with the addition.  Is 8'3" for an office too small?  Is more room in the guest room/ office worth only having a powder bath?

So ... here's where you come in.  Here are three options of what we could do with the 14' x 10' space to the east of the could-be-new-entry-hall.  If you walked into these spaces, which would you be more willing to buy?  Which do you think adds more value?  Comments, thoughts, suggestions, please.

Option 1: Guest room/ office with 30" door way (with french doors) and a closet, plus a bathroom with 32" x 32" shower, toilet and pedestal sink.  The line in front of the sofa is how for the sofa bed would extend into the room when open.  The two "blocks" in front of the sofa are storage ottomans that would fit beside the sofa when the bed is extended.  The square beside the closet door is a desk for me to work from (since I work from a laptop and don't have too much paper, I don't need that much space).

Because of the closet, window, and door, this room could be (if we ever decided to move) be marketed as a 4th bedroom, office, den, etc.  Though of course it would be the smallest bedroom in the house with it's narrowest part measuring 8'3" x 10'.

Option 2: Larger 4th bedroom/ office with the narrowest part measuring 9' 7" x 10'.  This room would, like option 1 have a 30" doorway and a closet thus making it a viable 4th bedroom/ guest room/ den/ office, etc.  But to give more room to the room we'd only be able to a powder room.  To make the powder room work, the sink would be wall mounted that extends about 11 inches so it would really be a hand washing only sink, not wash your face kind of a place.  Because of the shape of the room, my desk would have to be in front of the couch so no movable ottomans. 

Option 3: This option, to maximize space, takes the wall off the between the hall and the 4th room making it only a den/ office - it could not be marketed as a 4th bedroom.  Because of this, I've taken the closet out as well.  Since we'd only need a small place for guests to hang one or two outfits (our overnight guests are mainly my parents for a night or two), I have an 18 x 24 pantry beside my desk in the alcove.  Because the "no door" layout of the room takes the privacy factor away, I've added a small dressing area just outside of the 32" x 32" shower.

Discuss  :)

To You

To the woman who taught me video production (back in the day when that meant 6 tape decks and powerpoint), who told me after a bad break up that life would somehow go on (and it did), who showed me by her actions that the femininity and strength can coexist (like lipstick and a hammer coexist in her purse)-  I'm thankful to be your daughter and blessed to be your friend.

And It Only Took 8 Month

We've been joking for sometime now that ISH has taken a Nazarite vow seeing as how he hasn't let us cut his hair in 8 months.  So I'm not sure what it means that after a week studying Sampson in VBS he decides NOW he wants his hair cut. 
But hey!  We'll take it.

BEFORE

AFTER

I know it's short, but I was going on the assumption it could very well be another 8 months before he allows this again.