HELD BY JUST A STRING

I sit on the edge of everything.

There is nothing sudden.

Everything is slow.

We stretch like taffy.

And then you’re gone.

So silent I hear just your footsteps.

Dragging around my heart.

Letting handlebars go.

Flying off stonewalls.

Meeting people I may never know.

I am the red balloon.

I made this.
I made this moment.
I am the queen of small wild girls.

Held by just a string.

e.e. cumings

”let it go

the smashed word broken open vow or the oath cracked length wise

let it go it was sworn to go let them go

the truthful liars and the false fair friends and the boths and neithers

you must let them go they were born to go let all go

the big small middling tall bigger really the biggest and all things

let all go dear so comes love.”

-e.e. cummings

back-to-school

'tis the season...and the girls were ready!

back-to-school night

back-to-school night

day #1

cutting it up

the girls had their annual "back-to-school" haircuts again this summer...wren decided to go short (gasp! me, not her) and linnea just went to her shoulders.  they look adorable!  a wee bit sassy, too!

little eyes are watching...

...their momma who has decorated parts of our home with "stickers" and words...

so, i could not be upset when i found these renderings on her wall, down by the baseboard...

(she wrote our last name, too, but i have blurred/x'd it out)

still makes me chuckle.

My Girls

amazing young ladies.

that's these two.

they are finishing up the school year.

and it has been a very, very good year!

both were Top Readers each (& every) month for their respective classes.  

that means that they each read, or were read to, the most.

this is nothing new at our home.

we have always read to they girls.

both The Daddy and me.

and I love that they love to read!

linnea reached 150 days of "Walking Club"! 

wren was disappointed that she was 2 days short.

next week they have their year-end celebrations and classroom awards.

i am so proud of these two!

and i cannot wait to spend the summer with them!

You Don't Know Jack. . .

. . . but you soon will.

This is Jack.

His full name is "Jack Dempsey".  Not sure if he is named after the boxer from early 1900's...but we have given him numerous nicknames:

jackaroo

jick-jack

lil buddy boy

jacky-mcjackerton

He is an 8-yr-old Jack Russell terrier and so far is getting along quite well with Alice and Puddy McFluffkins.  It did take Jack a bit to get used to his new kennel...at his previous home he had a doggy-door and huge fenced yard.  And Alice was/is a bit jealous, but both are super cute together!  Jack was quite curious of the cat, but that has worn off for the most part.  Not saying Puds doesn't get chased, he does occasionally, but he can at least come onto the floor some now.  And the girls?  Oh my are they smitten!  I know Jack was not used to this much attention but he ADORES the girls.  And their belly rubs.  And that are treat-givers.  He enjoys storytime, too.

Jack moved in with us in mid-February.  He moved to Omaha from western Nebraska because his owner, my Dad, came to Omaha.  Part of my Dad coming to Omaha was that Jack would be able to come, too.  And while my Dad was in a hospital I was able to take Jack up and visit a few times.  Jack sure enjoyed those visits!  He was very well-mannered and I think Dad appreciated seeing his lil buddy, too!  Unfortunately Dad's move to Omaha was short-term...we had him transported to a hospital in Omaha so my siblings & I were able to spend more time with him close to all of us.  

My Dad was in the end stages of COPD and on April 5th died peacefully with all of his children surrounding him.  It was not the ideal ending - would have preferred a miracle cure.  But it was the best we could do for him in his last few weeks:  close to where we kids live so we were able to visit daily and spend time with him.  Had he stayed where he was, over 4 hours away, it would not have been possible to be there (not that some of us did not try...numerous trips during January & February were made)...and it would have been quite lonely for him.  So while there were some expenses with having him transported here, it was all worth it.  I could tell numerous stories about the entire "situation" - some funny, some not so much.

LAWRENCE A. ANDERSON

"grandpapa pancho"

06/22/37 - 04/05/12

(Grandpapa Pancho & Linnea - 2007)

mothering

"Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world’s goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all."

Julie Beck

if you give a dog a cupcake...

WARNING:

graphic photos are included

in this post!!

********

and, technically, the title is not quite right.

it really should read:

"if you give THIS dog a dozen or so cupcakes"

friday was an epic fail in the story of our household.

on a normal morning one of our girls will  kennel up the pooch.

but, last friday morning the girls & I had to leave about 15 minutes earlier than usual to go pick the 2 dozen donuts for Wren to take to school for her birthday.

The night before I frosted the chocolate, vanilla and strawberry cupcakes that Wren had requested for her birthday gathering with a few friends.  I put them on 2 containers, laid out a clean tablecloth and placed to 2 containers center on the table.  I did think fleetingly that the cat, puddy mcfluffkins, might mess with them...but i decided he was probably not strong enough to really do any damage.

anyhoodles, back the dog.  so, we leave and the daddy is still home & since one of the girls normally kennels up the pooch he did not even think about it.  probably because the pooch was hunkered down for a snoozer.  well...an unkenneled dog will get herself into trouble.

we were greeted at the door by the pooch.  odd, since she is supposed to be in the kennel.  (and, no, the daddy did not come home early)  as I picked up the pooch i noticed one of the cupcake containers over by the piano.  it was then i realized that the little dog had been naughty. 

very, very, very naughty.

very, very, very, very naughty

indeed!

after i put little dog into her kennel i returned to the kitchen and found...

no tablecloth on the table.

and no cupcake containers on the table.

the container by the piano was still closed as it was impossible for the "treat-seeking-missile" (aka the little pooch) to get into it. 

the other container?

not so much.

it probably broke when it hit the floor.

and then?

well, the "treat-seeking-missile" then helped herself to the cupcakes.

not all the cupcakes.

there was one left.  and some frosting.

and the decorative "7" picks.

it could have been worse.

(or i keep trying to convince myself)

she could have tried to eat the sharp picks.

(she did not)

she could've gotten sick from the dozen+ cupcakes she did eat.

(she did not - and yes, I did call the vet)

i am guessing she had zero restraint and devoured those cupcakes early in the day because the frosting smears on the kitchen floor were hard & caked on.

(she could've had her "party" on the carpet)

and, so, the fat-bellied "treat-seeking-missile" celebrated Wren's birthday all by herself.  well, puddy mcfluffkins might have observed the carnage, but for the most part it was "alice, party of 1" for that reservation.

and so..............

"if you give THIS dog a dozen or so cupcakes"

a few hours later she just might do this to this momma's favorite, handmade, one-of-a-kind llama named gunther:

poor, poor gunther.

now i have to do some

crazy, leg-re-creating stitching

to fix him up.

poor, poor llama.

bad, bad dog.

moral to this story: 

do not give THIS dog a dozen or so cupcakes.

ever.

things that make a momma's heart melt

my oldest is an amazing tender heart who is so caring and sensitive and genuine to others that it makes my heart melt!

my youngest is a spunky spitfire who is kind and funny and reads like she is much, much older and she also makes my heart melt.

these two are best friends.  that really makes my heart melt!

today, a "backseat" convo i overheard as i drove the girls home from dance classes:

nea:  so, wren, i thought that maybe i would talk to momma & daddy tonight about what i am getting you for your birthday - but you can't hear!

wren:  ok, i've got a bunch of things to do anyways...so while you chat with momma & daddy, i can feed junior and give her a bath and blowdry her scales...

nea:  perfect!  i'll let you know what we decide!

wren:  you can't tell me what you are getting me for my birthday!

nea:  i won't....i'll just give you hints!  i'm going to get you 7 presents BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO BE SEVEN!

and that led to high-pitched giggles.

my favorite lines above?

"and blowdry her scales"  (if you recall, junior is one of her lizards...)

"i'm going to get you 7 presents BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO BE SEVEN!" (how sweet is that sister?!?!?!)

life is good!

seasons

"i am not all introvert quiet

or all extrovert energy. 

i am small and big,

loud and quiet,

thankful. 

i am not just one thing,

don’t fit in the corner of a box.

live in your seasons,

take the breaths you need,

keeps eyes wide open when you can

and close them tightly when you need to.

this life is a gift and

the giver is God and

we live full in

each season

as it comes."

of lizards & reading and such

WE HAD A WONDERFUL COUPLE WEEKS OFF FROM SCHOOL TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS.  THE GIRLS LOVED HAVING "SLEEPOVERS" IN EACH OTHER'S ROOM.  THEY CHOSE AMAZING GIFTS FOR ONE ANOTHER - LISTENING TO IDEAS FROM THE RECIPIENT TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE SOMETHING THEY WOULD L-O-V-E!  I LIKE TO GET OUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DONE BEFORE DECEMBER...THAT WAY WE CAN ENJOY ALL THE FESTIVITIES THAT COME OUR WAY...CONCERTS, PARTIES & GET-TOGETHERS, CHURCH ACTIVITIES, DANCE RECITAL, (& WHILE THE GIRLS ARE YOUNG) THE T.V. SPECIALS, ETC.  EACH YEAR I LIKE TO MAKE SOMETHING FOR THE GIRLS...THIS YEAR IT WAS JUMBO "BUTTON PILLOWS".  AND THE REACTION FROM THE GIRLS?  TOTALLY WORTH MY TIME AT THE SEWING MACHINE FOR SURE!

WREN IS GOING THROUGH A "LIZARD" PHASE.  SHE DID ASK SANTA FOR A REAL ONE, BUT MOMMA EXPLAINED THAT SANTA WILL NOT BRING A REAL PET WITHOUT GETTING PERMISSION FROM THE PARENTS.  WREN'S PARENTS (ERRR, MOSTLY MOMMA) SAID, "NO!".  WE REMINDED HER THAT HAVING A FURBALL CAT AND A POOCH WERE PLENTY FOR OUR HOME.  SHE WAS OKAY.  BUT SHE DID GET VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT KIND OF STUFFY LIZARD SHE WANTED:  A BLUE, GIRL LIZARD - NOT A CHAMELEON, BUT A LIZARD...AND SOME FAKE FLIES SO THE LIZARD HAS FOOD.  LUCKILY, NEA & I DID SOME SURFIN' O' THE NET AND WERE ABLE TO FIND:

CHICKEN, THE LIZARD, WAS A GRAND PRESENT FROM LIL SISTER

JUNIOR - THE NEWEST LIZARD

CHICKEN, THE LIZARD & JUNIOR 

AND WREN LOVED THE LIZARD FROM SISTER!  NOT SURE WHERE THE NAME "CHICKEN" CAME FROM, BUT IT FITS.  ADDING IN "JUNIOR" A COUPLE WEEKENDS AGO AND THEY MAKE AN AWFULLY CUTE GROUP, EH?!

AND HERE ARE THE "READING CORNERS" IN EACH GIRLS' ROOM.  THESE JUMBO BUTTON PILLOWS ARE SUPER COMFY...I MIGHT NEED TO MAKE A COUPLE FOR THE BASEMENT, TOO!  A BIG HIT WITH THE GIRLS...THEY GET COMFY COZY AND DO SOME "ALONE READING"...OR TUCK IN A BUDDY OR TWO AT BEDTIME...AND IT HELPS THE GIRLS REALIZE THAT WHILE SHOPPING AND BUYING IS FUN, NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO BE BOUGHT...BEING RESOURCEFUL & CRAFTY ARE GOOD TRAITS TO HAVE. 

I THINK WREN MIGHT HAVE PUT IT BEST: 

"THESE ARE BETTER THAN STORE BOUGHT BECAUSE MOMMA SEWED IN SOME OF HER LOVE INSIDE!"

NEA'S READING AREA

WREN'S READING AREA

OH, AND WHILE I HAD A FEW MOMENTS OVER THE WEEKEND...I GOT THE PORCH A LITTLE "VALENTINED"!

$1.49 GARISH WREATH, 15 MINUTES, SCRAPS OF PAPER & SOME HOT GLUE CAN BE PERFECT FOR THE VALENTINE'S SEASON ON OUR FRONT DOOR

for 2012...

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann c.1920

why ya gotta be so mean?

*sigh*

I knew the day would come.  The little girl giggles and silliness would go sideways in comes mean.  not in my girls.  but other girls.  perhaps these girls have not had "the talk" with their moms.  My girls have.  And we continue to have it.  I refuse to raise "mean girls".  I want independent and assertive girls, but not by meanness.  Luckily (?) the meanness from others is coming in small quantities.  And has happened when I am around - although that almost bothers me MORE - that these young girls are bold & brave enough to be mean in front of me.  And luckily the episodes seem to burst and be done.  I've had some good heart-to-hearts with both girls...trying to help them understand how a true friend treats you and you should treat others.  Gently reminding them to be friendly to everyone, not to leave someone out when possible, and not to talk about someone when they are not around.  Hopefully giving them a soft & safe place to land when they are hurt...Despite my initial reaction is to put those mean little girls in their place...I am pulling up my Big Girl Panties and biting my tongue and taking 3-4 deep breaths and kneeling to their level and explaining that their words/behavior was not appropriate or nice...trying to find out  "the why" behind what they did.  Sometimes easier said than done.  But at the ages of 5 & 6...no one, NO ONE, should start their day of school in tears.  I just wish that all parents took the time and patience to teach their daughters the importance of being nice.  And what being a friend entails...but of course, assumes the Moms know these things themselves, right?

On a *happy note*.........My girls have found a great liking of Taylor Swift songs.  And for the most part, her music is okay for their age.  They love "Mean" and lil miss Nea does a *mean* version of it - in fact, she often tells me she sings just like Taylor Swift (yes, if Taylor has a bit of a lisp and is merely 2.5 ft tall....but we got that long blond hair AND she does know the words AND does very similar dance moves as seen in the video The Daddy showed the girls...).

busy autumn

it has been a crazy busy fun fall thus far for all of us.

the girls love school.  adore their teachers.  can't wait to go each morning.  i *heart* not having to fight to get them up & doing and ready to go!  of course, picking out their outfits the night before is very helpful.

although there have been many events and laughter that i'd love to write about...this one is a quick one about teacher conferences.

i am so stinking proud of my girls!

nea is reading 1st grade level (and sometimes harder!) books...she is one of the best readers in her class and knows all her sight words already!  so her teacher is starting her on 1st grade words this week.  she is super excited.  and that girl can draw & color like a pro!  beautiful pictures that are colored intricately for her age.  she is still quiet, although her teacher does finally get a smile out of her!  for as quiet she is during school hours, the words & storied pour (gush!) out of her at pickup.  and she is competitive - she likes to be first in line.  we knew she could be sneaky and it sounds like she is showing some of that in school.  soccer season went very well for her - she learned the fine art of stopping with the ball and letting the other kids run past her then turning and scoring.  the pride on the little girl's face was so awesome!  she is still dancing tap and ballet - and really wanted to add a jazz class.  maybe next year.  she really likes being in the same class as her sister and they are super cute together!  i cannot wait for their christmas recital  - they are dancing to one of my favorite non-traditional songs:  "i want a hippopotamus for christmas...".  and finally, she is monkey-bar-hanging-swinging-spinning fool!  had the blisters on each hand to prove it.  they are nicely healed now and well on the way to being calloused because those monkey bars must be conquered at each recess. 

wren knew all her 1st grade sight words a few weeks ago and we got a note letting us know that her teacher was starting her on the 2nd grade words to keep challenging her.  she is reading very well and loves checking out all sorts of books from the library (she just brought home a book about ancient egypt!).  at conferences her teacher had such good things to say...except wanting her to slow down a bit with her writing.  her teacher is not letting her use the "i'm lefty and it's hard to write well" excuse.  but my favorite thing was a book where they are journaling about what they did on the weekends.  they write a sentence and draw a picture.  she wrote about going to gram & grandpa's.  getting groceries with the daddy.  and more than once she wrote that we went to church and she learned about God.  i love that girl!  i am so proud of her!  wren had a good friend of hers hurt (almost break) her arm and when she showed up at "walking club" with a cast on, wren went over to ask if she was okay and immediately offered to help her get her jacket on and held her good hand the whole time we walked.  she is a good friend!  she is continuing her piano lessons and enjoys practicing and playing each day.  today she had a "group" lesson and i was just walking out of her teacher's home as she was starting her solo.  she was sitting up proud and straight and played loudly, then softly and all from memory.  that girl can play a good "ole macdonald's farm" i tell ya!  she enjoyed soccer this year, but mostly the social aspect.  although she enjoys running and kicking, soccer is not necessarily her best sport.  she is still dancing (ballet & tap) and likes that nea is in class with her.

so there's bit aboout us and what we are up to.  my working is going well...days go fast!  the house is not clean.  the laundry piles up.  and my "fall painting projects" will have to be "summer painting projects" when i will be on sabbatical.  i have been able to get in some volunteering at the girls' school and am able to do "walking club" each morning with them.  it is fun to see them interact with their teachers and classmates and other students.  karl & i have made it to the ISU home games and some have been great.  others not so much.  such is the way of college football.  we are getting ready for halloween...hopefully i'll get some photos posted in a couple weeks of our "jasmine", "flamingo dancer", "ISU fan", and "parrot".  in the mean time you'll just have to try to guess who is going as what.  or who.  or is it whom?  whatever.

what linnea hears...

so online i saw a list of

"top 10 funniest misheard lyrics:

here is the list 

**PLEASE NOTE - SOME ARE NOT EVEN REMOTELY APPROPRIATE**

Elton John -- 'Tiny DanceR'

Misheard: "Hold me closer, Tony Danza."
Real: "Hold me closer, tiny dancer."

Jimi Hendrix -- 'Purple Haze'

Misheard:"S'cuse me while I kiss this guy"
Real: "S'cuse me while I kiss the sky."

Pearl Jam -- 'Glorified'

Misheard: "Horrified virgin on a pelican"
Real: "Glorified version of a pellet gun"

Manfred Mann's Earth Band --'Blinded by the Light'

Misheard: "Wrapped up like a douche"
Real: "Revved up like a deuce"

Van Halen -- 'Panama'

Misheard: "You reach down between my legs... squeeze the seed bag."
Real: "You reach down between my legs... ease the seat back."

Adele -- 'Chasing Pavements'

Misheard: "Should I just keep chasing penguins?"
Real: "Should I just keep chasing pavements?"

.

Creedence Clearwater Revival -- 'Bad Moon Rising'

Misheard: "There's a bathroom on the right."
Real: "There's a bad moon on the rise."

The National -- 'Mr. November'

Misheard: "I won't f--- her sober."
Real: "I won't f--- us over."

Hall and Oates -- 'Every Time You Go Away'

Misheard: "Every time you go away, take a piece of meat with you."
Real: "Take a piece of me with you."

Eagles -- 'Desperado'

Misheard: "You've been outright offensive for so long now."
Real: "You've been out riding fences for so long now."

AND SO WHAT, EXACTLY, DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE TITLE OF THIS POST..."WHAT LINNEA HEARS..."??

WELL...WHILE LISTENING TO A MIXED CD SHE TOLD HER SISTER THAT THE 2ND SONG IS THE FUNNIEST B/C IT SAYS:

"COMPLETELY UNDERWEAR"

AND THOSE 2 GIRLS CACKLED & CACKLED!

LINNEA WENT & GOT THE CD AND THE ACTUAL WORDS ARE:

"COMPLETELY UNAWARES".

I LAUGHED OUTLOUD.

FOR QUITE A LONG TIME!

FIRST DAYS