School Days!

My B Girl is a Kindergartner. There are a lot of emotions I was not expecting to feel as we dropped her off at her classroom. I think I was more nervous than she was. She was able to ride the bus home. She almost missed getting off at her stop. I think I need to have a little chat with the bus driver especially because he is in our Ward. Brooklyn said the day started out boring but ended fun.

Brooklyn has been given the curse of shyness from two parents that really have to force themselves not to be shy. Brooklyn's big thing is telling people her name. She feels that is overcoming her shyness. This is the first thing she tells me as she gets off the bus.

Brooklyn: "Mom, I told a girl my name."
Me: "Oh, that is great Brooklyn. Do you remember her name?"
Brooklyn: "No, she was speaking Spanish. I did not understand her."

The next few months will be very interesting.

Cheesy Smile

I could sense her nervousness the closer we came to the school.

Saying goodbye at the school.

This is who I hung out with all day. It was kind of fun being a one child parent for most of the day.

Camden trying to peak over my bump.

Preschool Musical Yeah!

"Coming soon to your town is Preschool Musical 2. And Preschool Muscial 3. And Preschool Musical the Ice Show. And Preschool Muscial the Broadway Show. Ane Preschool Musical the Preschool Musical."

Tassi found a funny sketch on Sesame Street poking fun of High School Musical. Here it is on YouTube.

I Heart Faces Fix it Friday

So I found this blog through a friend that shares some cool sites and articles with me on photography. There is a photo that is entered for people to Fix-It every Friday. This week I decided to participate. Here is the original and then my after.

Before


After

If you click on the photo there is a description of how I fixed the photo.

Black and White Conversion

When I Grow Up

Today while standing in the grocery store line Brooklyn informs me of what she would like to be when she grows up.

Brooklyn: "Mom do you want to know what I want to be when I grow up?"
Me: (Very curious) "Why yes Brooklyn I would love to know."
Brooklyn: (Serious tone) "I want to be a Vegetarian."
Me: (Little surprised. However maybe she feels she will be better at eating vegetables when she grows up.) "Do you know what a Vegetarian is?"
Brooklyn: "Yes, they are doctors that help animals."
Me: "Well, Brooklyn a Vegetarian is not a doctor. They are people that enjoy eating vegetables and fruit and stay away from meat products."
Brooklyn: "Huh? Then what is a doctor that helps animals."
Me: "They are called Veterinarians."
Brooklyn: "Oh, yeah that is what I want to be."

Those that have been around Brooklyn know she is deathly afraid of animals. So I am sure she will examine the animals through a small window behind a locked door.

Important Flowchart

This is perhaps the most important flowcart I have seen this year.

Back to School Fashion Show

With my first daughter embarking on her first year of public school as a Kindergartner it would be very easy to go buy her tons of really cute clothes. However I decided that would not be necessary with the cute clothes she already has. Her and I had a fashion show today with the clothes that are in her closet. There are a few clothes not featured in this spread. Check out my sassy Kindergartner.

Pants are a little big but she sure looks cute.

I think this one needs some leggings under.

I am not so sure how well this outfit goes together however she sure can rock it.

Of course C girl had to get in on the fashion show.

Here's to my very cute and sassy models.

Just the Facts

It seems there is a list of 10 "cannots" attributed to Abraham Lincoln that are making rounds on the Interwebs:

1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
2. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong
3. You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
4. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
5. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
6. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
7. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
8. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
9. You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
10. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves.

When I read these on a friends blog, I thought to myself, "Lincoln didn't say that. I read those quotes in relation to FDR's policies in high school American History." Thanks, Coach Jesse Parker!

So, to be clear, Abraham Lincoln did not say these things. Rather, the quotes were published in 1942 by William J. H. Boetcker, a Presbyterian minister. He released a pamphlet titled Lincoln On Limitations, which did include a Lincoln quote, but also added 10 statements written by Boetcker himself.

Nevertheless, the advice is timeless. If Bible goers cannot get the world to respect its 10 commandments, getting them to follow these is a valiant alternative.

Yet I feel they are being invoked quite blindly. Almost as if it really means something to those posting it. Is it really wisdom by which they live by or a set of statements where a subset seems to contradict the current health care debate and conveniently align with their worldview.

First, I am allergic to those that are quite ready to cuddle up against falsely attributed quotes from Lincoln without thorough fettering of the source.

Second, it is as if the expected response is "ooohh, Lincoln said that... well he freed the slaves, so he must understand health care."

With Grosgrain Ribbon

The ribbon is stretched out to fit the image but I think you get the idea. I will now be on the lookout for some good ribbon. What do you think about this idea?

Here are some photos of the bedroom. The walls are close to the blue in the painting.

Update on bedroom

*Update* Here are some images of what I have been thinking of using for the room as a starting point. Then add accessories along the way.

All comments and constructive criticism are welcome.

I Need Help!

I am going to come right out and say it. I am not a decorator and can't even pretend I am a decorator. As most of you know we have a baby boy coming this November. I had a design in my head that I wanted to do for the girls however with the change in gender the design needs to accomadate a boy.

Here is a painting I want to use as my inspiration painted by my very talented friend Beth Allen.

I want to have fun with different fabrics. I want to go less expensive on sheeting and add my own embellishments if needed. Lets face it pottery barn bedding or boutique bedding is out of my budget.

My plan first is to find fabric to make my own upholstered headboards.
I know I can make that cheaper than Pottery Barn.

Then coordinate bedding with headboards. Remember it needs to be able to coordinate with a boy but still be girly for their beds.

So I need help finding out different designers, great places to buy these fabrics, and any other commentary on my ideas. All advice is welcome.

B Girls Story

Lately Brooklyn has enjoyed drawing pictures and then telling the story that is in her head. I decided to document it with a picture and writing down her words. I hope you enjoy.


"There once was a man that said that he wanted to be hot as the sun because he was really hot. Then a magician heard the wish and he wanted to grant it. Then the man was hot as the sun. Then he said he was too hot and he then wanted to be as cold as the snowflake. Then he said he was too cold and then said his wish was to be the moon. THE END."

Housing prices

Housing prices in Cary, NC have not been influenced as strongly as in other parts of the United States.

The Twilight Writing Process

If you are not familiar with the phenomenon known as Twilight, crawl out from under a rock.

My experience in reading the series isn't as nuanced as it appears others' is. Nevertheless, I found myself strangely drawn to read them despite them putting me in a foul mood because of the Bella character's incessant "me, me, me" attitude.

One particular aspect that I found a bit annoying is the physical depictions from the first person perspective of the Bella character. They are colorful but unvaried. It seems to me that there are a handful of adjectives that get mish mashed together to generate newer descriptions.

"I looked into his perfect, golden honey eyes."

"Tousled hair."

"I pressed my face against his chiseled marble, Roman, ice cold chest."

It is like Stephanie Meyer had those poetry magnets and assembled them together when writers block kicked in.

I think what frustrates me most is not that the series has garnered so my hype. What frustrates me is that I was actually entertained reading the series. Yes, make no mistake. This is Brandon writing, not Tassi.

As an outlet for this frustration, I created a simple web application that allows you (yes, you) to string words together to make phrases that describe Edward, Jacob, and Bella.

Have fun.

http://twilight.16cards.com/