Books Read in January

So, I'm totally stealing this blog posting idea from two friends of mine that post the books they've read on a monthly basis. I am not nearly as prolific, but I thought if maybe I was making myself post the books I read, then maybe I'd read more.

It's worth a shot, anyway.

So, the books I read in January are... (drum roll please)
1. It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips(re-read, but in my defense, I reread this one every year before the Super Bowl)
2. Perfect by Judith McNaught (also another re-read, but I had a craving for Zach and Julie. Really, can you blame me?)
3. Burn by Linda Howard
4. Ice by Linda Howard

Total page count = 1868 approx. (paperback count)

Photo 127 - A Niece and Nephew Visit

Today, we watched my niece and nephew while their parents went to an event nearby. We haven't gotten to see them very much so it took a little bit for them to warm up to us. Eventually, we were able to bribe them out of their shell with pizza, games of hide-and-seek, chocolate chip cookies, games of Candyland, games of Go Fish, playing with the Leapster, and YouTube videos of Smurfs. They were with us for about three hours... and it took two and a half of them for my niece to talk to me. Thank you Smurfs!

There was one funny moment in the evening that won't soon be forgotten. A few days ago, Short Person wanted to sleep in bed with us. LJS said no, so Shortie offered him money. Again, LJS said no. So, Short Person asked if she could bribe him.

Well, during our game of hide-and-seek the kids really wanted LJS to play. They climbed up on the bed where LJS was watching television and asked if he would join us. LJS said no, so my nephew offered to pay him. LJS, somewhat chagrined said "Thanks, but no." My nephew, not phased by this asked, "Well, can I bribe you?"

LJS and I busted up laughing. LJS refused to join, but offered to play Candyland with them instead.

Photo 126 - Legs Under the Truck

I came home from scrapbooking today, pulled into the driveway, and was greeted by two pairs of legs peeking out from under the truck. I don't know what they were looking at, but it must have been important because neither of them looked or got out for several minutes after I parked.

Photo 125 - Cheer Clinic

Today, the high school put on a cheer clinic for kids from 4-years-old to the 5th Grade. Short Person (and I) have been looking forward to her finally being eligible to attend. We missed last year, but made it this year.
In this photo, each of the cheerleaders were holding the Kindergartners up for a stunt. This was Short Person's first try. In the second, she finally got both arms up.

The kids that attended the clinic will get to perform during an upcoming basketball game next week. They like for the kids to dress in the school colors (obviously), so I needed to find something she could wear that looked "cheerleaderish". On a whim, I decided to pull out my Letterman sweater to see how large it would be and whether there was going to be any way to make it fit. From this photo, you can tell that there probably is not. It's still pretty big on her.

Photo 124 - Cuddle Time with Daddy

Some things never change. Curling up with Daddy on the couch is one of them.

It's kinda cute and funny, but if you were to look through photos in print at our house, there is at least one of every niece and nephew curled up with LJS. Not exactly in this position, but they are all laid back either sleeping or watching television with him. Cuddle time is apparently prevalent in this living room.

I Used to be Smart... I think

Today, Short Person argued with me about the fruit of the spirit, self-control. She wanted some chocolate cake, despite not having finished her mac and cheese. When I said that if she was still hungry enough to each chocolate cake, then she should finish her mac and cheese. She said that if she was full and ate chocolate cake it was not practicing self-control and she needed to eat the chocolate cake while she was still hungry.

I had nothing. *sigh* I am so fighting a losing battle of wits here.

Photo 123 - Folding Socks and Last Day with Franklin

Short Person loves helping around the house. Maybe I should clarify that-- she loves helping around the house so long as it is not something of hers that she messed up. Then, it's like pulling teeth. But if it's something I'm doing, like cleaning the bathroom, washing dishes, or folding laundry, she's ready to chip in.

When it comes to folding laundry, we've been starting with simple stuff, like folding wash clothes and folding socks. There's just one problem with the socks...




Here is the latest of our entries into Franklin's journal. One thing about his process is that it's hand-written, so there's no going back to edit. I suppose it keeps it real.

Dear Class,

Happy New Year! I'm so excited that I get to come visit all of you again. The first person I was able to visit was Megan. Her mommy gave me a bath first thing because I'd been playing really hard and got really dirty.

Once I was done getting washed and dried, Megan and her parents took me to a basketball game. It was a lot of fun to watch the boys shoot baskets and have fun. Meg's mommy held me up most of the time so I could watch all the action.

The next day, Megan put the last two marbles in her reward jar and got to go shopping for something she wanted. We all piled into the car and went to Build-a-Bear to buy my new friend Bella some clothes and a pink carrier just like mine. Megan left me in the car because she was worried someone would think I was stolen, but when she got back she showed me all of Bella's new clothes. On the way home, we stopped for chocolate ice cream, and then to play hide-and-seek at the park. There was a lot of laughing.

Our last day together we just hung out and watched football. Megan called it a "hanging out day". I think it was more of a folding laundry day though. Megan even showed me how to fold socks! Looked pretty hard.

It's time for bed now. I hope I can sleep, since I have so much excitement in me. I'm so looking forward to seeing you all again!

Love, Franklin

Photo 122 - Short Person and Franklin

Short Person finally earned enough reward marbles to receive her award. It typically takes her at least 3-6 months to fill a jar, although if she worked at it, she could fill one a month. She chooses not to, for some unknown reason. I keep thinking the reward isn't motivating enough, but each jar she fills is worth $25.00. She can spend the $25.00 on anything she'd like. Today, she chose a trip to Build-a-Bear to get more clothes for Bella and a pink travel carrier (picture a backpack for kids). Afterward, we took Franklin for ice cream at Jem 100 and then to the park to play Hide and Seek.

I had a great time playing the game at the park, but will remind myself in the future never to try and hide behind the garbage can again. Holy heck! I don't know what was in that thing, but I darn near passed out from the smell. It was RANK. *shiver*

Photo 121 - Franklin and the Game

In an effort to make sure I was able to copy the journal entries we had written for Franklin, I asked if we could borrow the journal and take it home. It turns out Franklin was in desperate need of a bath and if we promised to wash him up really good, we could have him for the week.

So, after his bath, we took him out and had some fun. This is a photo from the basketball game between Newberg and McMinnville. It was an okay game, but I often feel as though it is played with less integrity than is possible. I've never been a fan of refs calling the game for the home team, and unfortunately some of the officiating killed my enthusiasm.

However, even with the sometimes slanted calls, we won easily. A wonderful thing considering NHS's best player was suspended and both teams were tied for the first place in the league.

Photo 120 - Short Person and Kaysa

For all my daughter's grumbling about not liking babies because they are "drooly", you can tell from this photo that she's got a way with them. Short Person asked to hold Kaysa and then had her laughing from the moment they sat down. Shortie's looking quite proud of herself too.

Photo 119 - Blazer Game

We watched as the Blazers rebounded the ball and dribbled it down the court, passing and dribbling, taking time off the clock. Everyone was on their feet chanting "Cha-lu-pa! Cha-lu-pa!" The shot went up, bounced off the backboard, and a player from Orlando Magic went up to rebound, missing and knocking it out of bounds instead.

11 seconds were left on the game clock, 1 second on the shot clock, and the ball had been knocked out of bounds by the opposing team. The score for the Blazers was 99 points. I don't remember what the other team, Orlando Magic, had. I remember we were winning by an enormous amount, despite only having 8 players and missing Brandon Roy, so I wasn't worried about whether we were going to win or lose. At least not in the game sense. But, there was something on the line. A free Chalupa from Taco something-or-other.

I didn't know what a Chalupa was, but I didn't care. I cared that I had told Short Person, as a means to keep her interested in the game through the last quarter, that if the Blazers scored over 100 points, we'd all get a prize and I really wanted to be able to say "Yay, we all won a prize!" at the end.

But it wasn't looking good. One second on the shot clock and needing to inbound the ball is not ideal circumstances for getting more points before the game ends-- in 11 seconds. Did I say that already?

EVERYONE was on their feet, tense, watching. A hushed excitement and hopeful anticipation electrifying the air as we waited for them to position. And then, it happened. The Blazers inbounded the ball, kicking it to the far corner and into the hands of Steve Blake, who effortlessly pushed it up for a sweet, nothing but net, 3-point basket... just like he'd been doing all night.

And the crowd went wild. Blazers 102, Magic a memory.



We had arrived early, literally 60 seconds before the doors unlocked an hour before the game began. We took the escalator up to the second level, where only a few people milled around, took the kids to the restroom, got dinner, and were told by a lady that they were doing free airbrushing. Short Person got a rose on one cheek and the Blazer's logo on the other.

This was the first time she "got" what she should be cheering for; and, the first night that she understood "Defense" and "Offense". The first time she actually watched the game. Chanting "Go, go, go" as the Blazers took the ball down the court and then clapping and yelling when they made a basket. We were both horse by the end of the game.

What a night!

Photo 118 - Click Clack Moo

Tonight, we read the library book Short Person checked out at school and needed to return. The story is about a farmer's cows. The cows had found an old typewriter in the barn and started typing requests about what they wanted from the farmer in exchange for their milk. The farmer and the cows finally reach an agreement and arrange an exchange, via the neutral-party duck. But what happens after the duck gets the typewriter is enough to induce a laugh.

It was a really cute book and a fun 7 minutes of reading.

Photo 117 - Shocking Angels

A friend of mine got me this ornament. The inscription says "I feel there is an angel within me that I am constantly shocking."

A rather fitting quote for me, don't you think?

Photo 116 - Muffin Tin Monday

My mom suggested I try something called "Muffin Tin Monday" as a means of making Short Person's lunch a little more creative so that she'd eat it. Lunch is served up in a muffin tin, with a big variety of items. This was my second attempt, the first attempt having gone very well.

It does have a few drawbacks, I am finding, such as that it doesn't fit in her lunch box, which means that there's not means of keeping things cold. I'm still trying to work those types of kinks out, but Short Person enjoys it.

Photo 115 - Sleeping Dogs Lie

This is how my dog fell asleep. LJS was rubbing her tummy and she just went out.

Photo 114 - JMBB Baby Shower

Today, was scrapbooking day! An all-day event that occurs every 6-8 weeks, and one where I invariably get little done because I'm busy gabbing with my friends-- or, like today, I've forgotten to bring pictures with me. It happens more often than I'd like to discuss. This time, however, I was rather disgusted with myself because I'd done page and embellishment choices for a bunch of projects and thought they were all ready to go. Guess not. I guess I forgot to order pictures AGAIN!

But, something good did come out of it. I was able to work one two projects that didn't need any photos developed. The first was a four-page spread of baby shower cards (yeah, yeah, I'm a little behind) that had messages in them I wanted to keep. The second was to scrapbook what little I had of my super-surprise, via mail, Dreadnaught Baby Shower.

Although we took photos of the event, the disposable camera never showed up where it was supposed to for development and online posting. I wish I new where it went because it was the only photos I took of my baby belly. I was too self-conscious to take any even for my own remembrance. Covered with little latex rashes from the injection sites and little bruises, I just never thought I'd want to remember it. But I took them for my friends who couldn't be there. Dang, I wish now I had them.

Anyway, not long before I was due to give birth to Short Person, a package arrived in the mail. Since I wasn't expecting anything I couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be. I cried when I opened the box and discovered decorations and gifts for a baby shower being thrown by women I'd met years before on the Internet. Even now, I'm humbled by how precious that day was too me. LOL... so much so, that I have 99% of the books, clothes, and blankets I received. The books still reside on Meg's bookshelf and the clothes and blankets are carefully stored in a box in the top of her closet.

So, sometimes it's a good thing to forget pictures. It let's you get caught up on things you've been putting off and let's you savor and relive faded memories.

Photo 113 - It Had to Be You

Every year, I read this book. I love this book. I wish I could remember the year that I first read it, but I don't. All I remember is that after reading this book, I suddenly understood football. The game. I've always been a fan, but never an avid watcher. Now, I reread this book prior to the Super Bowl every year, and I never get tired of it. Awesome story. Pick it up!

Here is the synopsis from amazon.com...

The Windy City isn't quite ready for Phoebe Somerville—the outrageous, curvaceous New York knockout who has just inherited the Chicago Stars football team. And Phoebe is definitely not ready for the Stars' head coach, former gridiron legend Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. Calebow is everything Phoebe abhors. And the sexy new boss is everything Dan despises—a meddling bimbo who doesn't know a pigskin from a pitcher's mound.

So why is Dan drawn to the shameless sexpot like a heat-seeking missile? And why does the coach's good ol' boy charm leave cosmopolitan Phoebe feeling awkward, tongue-tied...and ready to fight?

365 Resolution

If you've been following this blog at all, you will probably notice that I got off track in October. Thank you horrible flu. I've gone back and uploaded pictures to try and fill in the blank space, but obviously I can't recreate photos I did not take. It seems as though my 365 project has failed, especially since I'm actually writing this Resolutions post on January 13, 2010 (shh... don't tell!).

Something that did come out of this though is that, even if I cannot keep up the photo a day thing, I still have the desire to try. It's too awesome a pictorial diary of our lives to let the project completely die without a fight. So, I am going to cut myself some slack if I don't get the photo taken, and keep on keeping on.

The other thing I'm going to change is the photo count as the title. I may decide later to stick it somewhere up there, but for now I think it will be more fun to do the day and the occasion/title. Which, I suppose, really makes My 365 Project more of a photo journal, but hey... whatever. Right?