Quote of the Week...

"Many of life's circumstances are created by three basic choices: the disciplines you choose to keep, the people you choose to be with, and the laws you choose to obey."

--Charles Millhuff

The fun of teenagers...

Red shirt & trimming for daughter's Olive Oyl costume: $17
Faux pipe & sailor cap, and shirt created by Popeye's Mom: $11
The smiles on their faces as they head out to win first place
at the Halloween dance: Priceless

Quote of the Week...

"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."

--P.J. O' Rourke

Hosting preschool...

So, my daughter has been doing preschool with the children of several moms that decided to start up this fall. I am sure at some point I said I really, really wanted to do this...but right now I'd deny it to the death.

Mostly because now it's my week to host it. Crap.

Quote of the Week...

"A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success."

I love this face...

Even though sitting through a game makes me want to bite all my nails off; and every time he receives the snap I have to practice my Lamaze breathing; how can I not love the happy face he gets whenever it is game day??

oh, and get this: He chose the #9 because it's how many people are in our family.

Dang, I love this kid.

Quote of the Week...

"He that is discontented in one place will seldom be happy in another."

--Aesop

My favorite day...

If you'd ask me what my favorite day of the year was, you might be surprised at my answer. It isn't my birthday, or Thanksgiving, or even Christmas.

It's Pajama Day.

Many years ago, life started feeling a little too crazy. When you have lots of children, and a father/husband/super hero who works odd and varied hours, it can start to get to the point where you meet up with family members in the hallway and introduce yourselves. "Hi, I don't believe we've met..."

And thus, "Pajama Day" was born.

There are only 3 rules for Pajama Day: 1. all members of the family must be there, 2. all participants must wear pajamas for the entire day, and 3. there is no answering the phone or leaving the house.

We spend this day together. We play board games, we watch movies, we wrestle, and we eat green apples with caramel dip. We nap and we laugh and we tell horribly embarrassing stories about ourselves and each other. We sing and dance in the kitchen. We steal each other's snacks, blankets, and spots on the couch. We are together. We are a family, with no distractions.

I highly recommend adding this holiday to your calendar. Schedule it, and then make that day's schedule sacred. If you don't, it's not going to happen. And believe me, you want it to happen. Many of you probably have something similar that you do from time to time...my suggestion? Make it official. Write it down on your calendars. Look forward to it. Make it as much an event as any other holiday you celebrate.

Now, if you'll excuse me...I have an important day coming up...and I have to make sure my favorite pajamas are washed.

Last night...

OK, so when the insomnia finally left to go find some other innocent victim, I was savoring my 3 precious hours of sleep when I had this dream:

I was driving around in this delivery type truck (similar to a UPS truck, only white and covered with advertisements for all different kinds of things) and every time I pulled into a parking lot, which was at least a dozen times, Hillary Clinton would come find me and happily shout to me:

"You're a GENIUS!!! A GENIUS!!!"

Quote of the Week...

"Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes, He lets the storm rage...and calms His child."