CelestialFamily

Just a few pages of things the family has been doing lately:















Book reviews later. Smiles!

::::::::::Nicknames:::::::
Eve, Noah and I were discussing nicknames. I call Eve, Eveybug and I call Noah, No E Monster. They have a boy that they know at school named Robert and they were asking what are nicknames for his name. I threw out Bob, Bobby, and Rob. Noah suggested "Bobert". I told him I had never heard of anyone going by that, but you never know. Then Noah said, "You can love me. You can even worship me, just don't call me No E Monster. If you are going to worship me you can call me Noah the Great.

I think we all can safely say that I will be continuing with the No E Monster...thanks for the suggestion though.

Here are some new digital pages of the kiddos:

::::::Some of My Favorite Layouts and Why::::::::

This layout was a fun science experiment we did with the kids to answer a question they had:

It was fun to show this photo to Eve since she is in 1st grade now:

I love some of the stuff Noah thinks deeply about:

I was amazed at the artwork that captivated Noah the longest:

I have never seen an episode of Survivor, but from what people talk about I think this captures the essence of a show in a twisted and fun way:

We really enjoyed visiting New York City and I love this layout because the artwork is a sketch Michael did that I extracted and made the lines white instead of black:

:::::::::::::::::Birthday Dinner::::::

We just got back from Granny Sydney's house. She made Michael a yummy birthday dinner. We had rolls, barbequed spareribs, corn, green beans, and rice. She made brownies for dessert. The kids had fun playing with the snow on the back deck and with some of the toys. Michael and I had fun just getting to talk with his mom. Thanks, Sydney!


Time to read...The Wordy Shipmates

Smiles

::::::::::Nicknames:::::::
Eve, Noah and I were discussing nicknames. I call Eve, Eveybug and I call Noah, No E Monster. They have a boy that they know at school named Robert and they were asking what are nicknames for his name. I threw out Bob, Bobby, and Rob. Noah suggested "Bobert". I told him I had never heard of anyone going by that, but you never know. Then Noah said, "You can love me. You can even worship me, just don't call me No E Monster. If you are going to worship me you can call me Noah the Great.

I think we all can safely say that I will be continuing with the No E Monster...thanks for the suggestion though.

Here are some new digital pages of the kiddos:

::::::Some of My Favorite Layouts and Why::::::::

This layout was a fun science experiment we did with the kids to answer a question they had:

It was fun to show this photo to Eve since she is in 1st grade now:

I love some of the stuff Noah thinks deeply about:

I was amazed at the artwork that captivated Noah the longest:

I have never seen an episode of Survivor, but from what people talk about I think this captures the essence of a show in a twisted and fun way:

We really enjoyed visiting New York City and I love this layout because the artwork is a sketch Michael did that I extracted and made the lines white instead of black:

:::::::::::::::::Birthday Dinner::::::

We just got back from Granny Sydney's house. She made Michael a yummy birthday dinner. We had rolls, barbequed spareribs, corn, green beans, and rice. She made brownies for dessert. The kids had fun playing with the snow on the back deck and with some of the toys. Michael and I had fun just getting to talk with his mom. Thanks, Sydney!


Time to read...The Wordy Shipmates

Smiles

Noah's question for today: "What is the point of using Jedi mind tricks on stupid people?"

Discuss!



Thank you, Teacherninja, for the nomination.
• Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
• Link the person who nominated you.
• Name seven things about yourself that no one would really know.
• Nominate ten “Sugar Dolls.”
• Post links to the ten blogs you nominate.
• Leave a comment on each letting them know you nominated them.

Finding seven things that people wouldn't really know is rather difficult. I thought that listing that I was a control freak would be considered universal knowledge, so I had to move unto something else.

1. I believe dogs and cats should be spayed, or neutered to help decrease the sad circumstances that are produced by unwanted and uncared for animals.
2. I have fond memories of square hamburgers because my maternal grandmother would drive in to Columbus near the "Bypass" to go to Krystals. She would always put napkins around the salt and pepper shakers because, "You never know who touched them before you got there." I love mustard, dill pickles, and bread. I don't deviate from what I order there, or Subway for that matter. My brother is autistic, but he hasn't cornered the market on repetitive behavior. For example, Subway has a menu that offers so many choices, but I always order: a 6inch Subway Club with pepper jack cheese, toasted with lettuce, sliced dill pickles, tomatoes, heavy on the spinach, and plain yellow mustard (I can't stand the other stuff, which surprises me, yet is absolutely true).

3. I like so many different things and enjoy talking about them without ever having mastered any of the subjects that I come off as a repository for useless and inane facts, but Hey I like it that way. My guess is this tendency has led me to spend an inordinate amount of time watching the series QI on youtube.com.


4. I consistently lose Scrabble games against my husband. He is a master of getting words that count in two directions, while I am looking to make the coolest word. This really is my only strategy because I don't think well on multiple planes. I'm like the triangles in Flatland...one dimensional and dangerous if you bump into me (that is why we stopped playing Monopoly too).

5. My daughter says I'm not funny...maybe I was twice...in her opinion. I sometimes get laughing so hard at something I, alone, find witty that my sides ache. That is a good time, my friends.

6. I will go to the store to buy something and find something incidental on the way. If I continue shopping I will make the case for and against buying the incidental object. Usually not buying wins out (even in the case of chocolate...tell no one).



7. I think the spork is one of the handy dandiest of cool inventions.


:::::::::::Book Review::::::::


Amelia Peabody is tired of the Victorian trappings both ideologically and physically. I think she would burn her bra, as well, but by the author's description of Amelia that wouldn't be a great idea. Amelia is someone who speaks her mind and due to an inheritance can do so without worrying to much about the consequences. The information on Egypt was interesting along with some of the preservation techniques. There were a few times where I would think to myself, "get on with it already" because the author rehashed things a bit too much, but the characters have a lot of potential. There were several pithy lines between the sparring couple Amelia and Radcliffe Emerson. I enjoyed their interacctions. Not an outstanding beginning to a series, but still worth checking out book 2.


:::::::::::::Yearbook Music:::::::
I have been working on the kids yearbook again this year and I'm becoming "snowblind" looking and relooking at photos, but I thought of this song and it made me nostaligic and I just think it's cool:

:::::::::::::Who Lives in a Pineapple Under the Sea?

Spongebob Squarepants, as many people know. We had a request from a friend and her daughter to help make a 1 year-old's party a bit more fun in the cake department. I enlisted the help of my favorite creative genius and we used date night to help decorate this birthday cake:

Everyone pitched in. Favihola (grandmother to our birthday girl) baked the cakes, made the tube worm and some sea grass. Michael trimmed the cakes. I frosted and covered them with fondant. Michael made the pineapple the red & orange coral, and the cute pink octopus. Alex (uncle) made Gary the Snail and cut out the flowers, Christina (mom) made Nemo, the jellyfish, sea stars, bubbles and some seagrass. Favihola made Planktons body and ears and I stuck on his eye bits. Richard (dad) made a giant clam with a pearl.

The toothpicks will get pulled out today for the party. Happy 1st Birthday, Eliana!

Rachel's Vocabulary Quiz Show brought to you today by the letter S.

So Rachel quizzed Noah the other day, "Noah do you know what scrupulous means?"
Noah replied, "Isn't that a part of the body?"

Noah's response brought upon him hails of derisive laughter. I think we will keep him for the comic relief alone. We did eventually tell him what scrupulous meant after several attempts at coming up with some new anatomical definitions in the form of a sentence.

:::::::::::::Copious Book Reviews::::::::



This book was recommended to me by a very well read member of our book group. She knows what types of books I like and this does fit the general bill for me. Elna Baker writes about her experiences, hopes, and dreams. It is book worthy because of the juxtaposition she finds herself in being a single Mormon in a community largely made up of non Mormons in New York City. Her insights, especially, in the beginning chapters is spot on about Singles dances and attitudes in the church. She comes off as rather neurotic, but understandable in the context of being someone who by nature questions everything, but is in a religion that requires faith. She reminds me of an adrenaline junky that wants a constant thrill, but needs to run back to the comfort of familiar beliefs. She is an actress, so the personality is not surprising. Faith is an intregal part of her life and I had the feeling it was like an imbilical cord that was both a life line and something she felt like she was growing out of and was trying to cut the cord. She is an amazingly sharp witted person, but her inability to make a decision left me feeling somewhat the way I imagined her ex-boyfriend Matt felt, rather frustrated.



Dr. Carson was brought up in poverty by a mother who had episodes of depression that had her checking herself into the hospital. He had a brother who was a good example and got him involved with ROTC. Dr. Carson's ability to analyze his life and work past his intense anger issues and early poor study skills to become the skilled pediatric neurosurgeon he is today he attributes to his faith in God who gave him the talents to begin with. He tells off the long hours of studying and internships, which tired me out just thinking about all of the hard work. His ability to think spatially has helped him see how the parts of the body, specifically, the brain works in all its varied parts. I enjoyed the stories of some of the specific cases he has encountered and how they have effected him, as well as, the patient. I appreciated his emphasis on procedures as being a team effort realizing that one person can't get it done. He has kept his humanity in the face of the opportunity to be a celebrity. He acknowledges his talents and achievements, while remaining humble. I was impressed by his wife, who is an accomplished woman in her own right and maintains their family amidst her husband's long hours.


This is not just a book of eye candy. You might think bugs aren't eye candy, but the photographs in this book are outstanding. I might not want to meet these bugs in person, but I loved going over and over this book and looking at the variously hued insects and their funky appendages. The introduction is very well written and a definite solid beginning to a fabulous book.


If looking at freaky cool bugs isn't your thing, then maybe photographs of freaky cool plants and their bits might just be. Pretty colors that are worthy of any lsd trippin' Timothy Leary types (that is purely a guess on my part...about the lsd...I mean...I think the hardest thing I've done is Nyquil for a cold back in 1990...but I digress). This book is so cool. It even has words, which explain the photographs...BONUS I highly recommend this one.


This was a solid sequel to Simon Bloom, The Gravity Keeper. The effects of the octopus dna in the kids was really fun. I love the characters of the narrator, and Ms. Fanstrom from the Historical Society. I even think the Books from the different orders are very intriguing. I could have used less running about finding and fighting folks and had more of the cerebral stuff regarding the Books and how they interact. I'm hoping for a sequel that gets more into the scientific and less about the physical Fight Club aspects of finding out the mysteries of the Board of Administration.

Peace out my Peeps!

The torrential rains bring this song to mind:


::::::::::::Book Review::::::::::




The story of an ordinary girl with busy, unaware parents, in an extraordinary house. Coraline is brave and loyal and realizes getting everything you want isn't really what you want at all. The book is creepy, yet endearing. I was especially fond of the black cat with no name. He didn't need a name because he already knew who he was. My daughter, Rachel, recommended this book to me and I really enjoyed it.

::::::::::::::Another Oldie, but Goodie::::::::


:::::::::::::::Conversations with My Kids:::::

On Thursday Noah and Eve were having a discussion and Eve mentioned something about me being mom. I must preface this with a prior conversation that Noah and Eve had where Eve told me to get her water because I was the maid. Noah, vehemently, defended my position in the family as "mom". Eve finally relented and had to ask politely for assistance. Back to Thursday...Eve asked me something and I sarcastically asked, "Oh, I thought I was 'The Maid'?"

Eve replied, "You're THE MOM!"

Noah said, "You were demotted."

Mom: "So, being a mom is a demotion?"

Noah: "No...well yes. A maid gets paid."

Warm fuzzies...people...do you feel them?

:::::::::::::::Chad Vader:::::::

Rachel, Noah and I watched a show I found on HULU.com. Chad Vader,Day Shift Manager, is about the brother of Darth Vader. Chad works at the Empire Market, which is a grocery store. Each show is about 5 minutes long and completely nuts. Check it out if you are a sci fi geek.

Off to read.

This song is one of my favorite songs. My mom and I used to sing it together on trips to Phenix City, Alabama. She owned a Volkswagen Beetle that logged a lot of miles. I often slept in the very back and woke up very sweaty mid trip.




Something else that I have a fond memory of:






Now for something new:




****Last call for Girl Scout Cookies...mmm...made from 100% real Girl Scouts.

Smiles...

Comment from Aaron for the day:

Aaron: "Hey, mom. You know I've been kinda of paranoid making Ramen noodles ever since I forgot to put water in the pan and almost burned the house down..." "Good times."

Mom: "Yes, Aaron. I remember."

:::::::::::::Fun with Friends:::::::::

I drove Miss Daisy (mom and Carol) to Suzanne's birthday party at Maggiono's at Ashford Dunwoody. We had a great time talking with everyone and the food was excellent. I loved the fried zucchini we had for an appetizer. I ordered the eggplant parmesan with the side of spaghetti with marinara sauce. No ice issues on the way home, which pleased me greatly.

Mom and I stopped off at the health food store for some avocado oil for Eve's eczema. My friend, Elizabeth, who also happens to be a nurse recommended this as something that would ameliorate Eve's symptoms. All the other creams we tried (and they are most of the brands on the shelf) caused a mild burning sensation. The doctor recommended all-vegetable Crisco. The Crisco was okay, but the avocado oil has no odor and soaks in quickly. It can also be used for cooking...BONUS! The avocado oil has been a great help...not a cure...but a soothing help for our lizardy lady.

::::::::::Snow Day:::::::


Okay, it was LAME on the scale of Snow Days, but the kids had fun with the neighbor kids. I made a ton of hot water and mixed several cups of hot chocolate and popped a mess of popcorn. Here are a couple of photos:

Rachel:


Evey

Smiles!

The Noahism of the Day:

Noah: "Why do kids have to wear warm clothes?"

Mom: "So you want freeze your butt off."

Noah: "I will some day freeze my butt off to have that exact discussion."

Stay frosty!

Cold rain...today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HALEY...one of my awesome nieces!


***A.T.C.
I love A.T.C.s...Here is one I came up with:


Here are two oldies, but I felt like sharing them again:




*****Christmas Singing...

Eve yelled at Noah and me for not singing "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" correctly, so Noah called her a "South Pole Elf". This morning we sang "Jingle Bells" while I brushed her hair. No recriminations or chastisements of any kind. Things maybe looking North for our little South Pole Elf.

Have a great day!