Making a List

I have the day off today. What do I have to do? What should I do? What will I do? I've started a list, but hope to keep it short. I may refer to the list, but then I may not. Maybe it would be more fun to make a list of what I am NOT going to do today, then have fun checking off those items.

Diction Lessons

Why is it that children's songs are not the easiest words for them to say? Twinkle Twinkle Little Star comes out inkle inkle widdle tar by our granddaughter who has some issues with the English language.

Just Open the Page

This one is for all of us techo challenged people. You know who you are. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFAWR6hzZek

Kitten on the Keys

My daughter came across a site where the cat, Nora, plays the piano. Go to http://www.youtube.com and search for Nora. Also go to http://www.ravenswingstudio.com where there are several clips of Nora. Amazing!

SADD

Our high school sent a group to our school yesterday for a program. Students Against Destructive Decisions, SADD, presented short skits to teach our children about the dangers of smoking, drinking, and doing drugs. They do a good job of relating to the children. At one point, each one in the group identified his or her role model. When our students were asked if they had role models, one of my little girls raised her hand and said, "My teacher." Whew! Made me teary eyed.

Caught

We had the granddaughter off and on over the weekend. She is such a cutie and she knows it. After pottying, she asked for her usual candy treat. The conversation went this way. Tootsie: I want candy. I want M&Ms. Mimi: We don't have any M&Ms. Tootsie: I know. You ate em all gone. Mimi: (Thinking quickly) Mimi had to potty a lot.

Sunny with a Chance of Fun

It's Sunday, already warm with a promise of being hot. Anticipation builds with the excited chirps of the birds. They must be privy to something not revealed to us just yet. They must know just how great the day is going to be! Listen to the birds and enjoy the day!

Race for the Cure

My husband and I were among the 40,000 people who ran/walked the course for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Indianapolis today. This was our second year to do the walk. We didn't raise a lot of money, but felt that our presence was an important message. We saw many of the same people over and over again throughout the morning, but not one person we knew. Many brought their dogs to walk along with us. All in all it was a wonderful experience, one that I will not soon forget.

Play It Again, Sam

My class performed our play last night for families and friends at our first ever Evening at the Arts at our school. I wasn't sure if all of the students would be able to make it back to school, but they did! There were approximately 50 people jammed in our classroom to watch the short play titled It Could Always Be Worse! It was the students' 15 time to give the play and one of their best performances. The best part for me was the positive comments I received from one of the parents afterward. The father thanked me for the good year that his child has had in this grade and for the progress the child has made. I accepted the compliment with grace, but relished those words in private. For you see, in public schools, thanks from parents is rare and far between.

Write Those Words 10 Times

Went out to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant last night and ran into several of my cousins. We got to talking about things we remembered from our school days. (NO, we did not go to a one-room school house.) I honestly do not remember much of anything, but my cousin, who was in the same grade, replied that he remembered having to miss recess everyday because someone made him redo his spelling and his math. Now that, I do remember. In fact, that is the only thing I remember about third grade.

Too Much

I picked up my granddaughter from day care after work yesterday so we could have some fun time together. I decided to take her to get a Dairy Queen ice cream cone, and she readily agreed. When I placed the order at the drive-thru window I asked for a baby cone. From the back she yelled, "I no want a cone. I want ice cream!" Try as I might, I could not get her to understand that a cone meant ice cream until the worker handed it to me. Were we all like that in our younger days? At one point in the evening, I had to change her soiled diaper. I told her that I loved her so much. In such a sweet voice, (it's not always sweet!) she replied, "I love you too much too." My heart just melted, and the stinky surprise she had made in her diaper was more tolerable.

Up Close and Personal

The new tv arrived last night. Wait, let me back up. Hubby said I could get a whole new bedroom suit if he could get a large flat-screen HD tv with all the bells and whistles (whatever that means). Well, I'm no dummy. Of course you can get the tv of your dreams, because in a week or two, my brand-new bedroom furniture will be here. Yeah! Our old bedroom set is 34 years old, but who's counting. Anyway, back to the tv. It was delivered last night, just before American Idol. Hubby and son set it up, hooked it up, and found the right channels, cables, etc. so we could watch Idol. Wow, the contestants were larger than life. So this morning I turn it on to watch the news. Is it just me, or is it blurry? Hope it is just me. Maybe if I sit in the next room it will look much better. Hey, if that works, I can sit on my new bed and watch the tv from there. Just kidding.

Oh, Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

Wow, what a busy week. I see that I haven't posted for the week. Where does the time go? My granddaughter was over for supper and the evening the other night. She surely loves to eat. I made tacos with all the usual ingredients. She snarfed down her share, part of mine and then some. While her mom and aunt ate Dilly bars, she consumed an ice cream sandwich, minus some crumbs here and there on the carpet and ice cream smeared on her face. While playing with her toys, which are a focal point in our living room, she picked up a small purse for a doll, struggled to slide it up her arm to her shoulder like mommy does, then told us, "I'm going now." How cute. So young, yet she watches us and imitates what we do in our everyday life. How important it becomes for us to model good behavior at all times. Reminds me of the little song, Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See, for the Father up above is looking down in love... Other verses tell us to be careful little hands what you do, feet where you go--a good reminder for we as adults, because little ones are watching too.

Easter

Words and titles from favorite hymns say it all. I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed Wounded for Me Were You There? Jesus Paid It All Blessed Redeemer Up from the grave He arose He Lives Christ the Lord is risen today! Alleluia! Because He Lives I Can Face Tomorrow

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Hubby and I finally decided to go shopping for a mattress. He likes his side of the bed firm, almost like the floor. I ache in the mornings from the mattress, so I need something softer, like a memory foam mattress. For a long time, we have discussed how to solve this problem. We finally decided to go with two twins to make a king size, his twin firm, mine soft. So we began our journey to the big city, hoping to find a bargain. Well, after numerous phone calls ahead of our stops, we soon found out that most places do not carry the tempurpedic or any memory foam mattress. We stopped at the first store and listened to the salesman's speal. He had us trying out several different ones, extolling their benefits. I began to feel like Goldilocks. I found a mattress I really liked, but being a shopper, I decided I needed to go to the other store to try out those. In the second store, it didn't take long. Just by sitting on the side of the bed, I was able to determine that all were too hard. Wish now that I had taken our camera to capture the sight of my husband and daughter curled up on the various mattresses. Come to think of it, mattress stores would make a good Candid Camera episode. We returned to the first store and wrote up the deal. I get the memory foam side while hubby gets the board, I mean firm side. Sweet dreams await.

Masterpiece

I picked up my granddaughter after I finished work yesterday. She was excited to be going to "Mimi's" house. As soon as we hit the back door, she scanned the area looking for new stuff to get in to. She found the sidewalk chalk box with the egg shaped chalk. It was her gift from her aunt, but not right at that moment. Since it was 35 degrees, I wasn't about to go outside to let her color. She wouldn't take no for an answer so I had to think fast. I rummaged through my material scraps and found a piece of blue jean material. If we held it tight, she was able to draw on it with the chalk. That satisfied her for about 5 minutes. When her mama showed up, I praised her work and called it a masterpiece. Granddaughter took it from my hands and took it to mama and said, "Look at my masterpiece." We all sat with mouths opened in wonder of this child who said the sentence so clearly. Grandpa then asked her to say "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." Right! That should take several more years of jabbering. (Can you believe that the spell check actually had that long word? I had only made one letter mistake in it.)

A 3 Hour Tour

My dad was transferred from the hospital in Indy to a rehab center near us early this week. He left the big city at 2:45, anticipating a 75 minute ride. Well, after three hours, we were worried. Did he end up in the wrong facility? In the wrong city? In the wrong state? My sister-in-law, bless her heart, made many calls trying to locate him. But still, no dad to be found. The hospital was calling, the rehab center was calling, and finally, the transfer vehicle called to report where they were--lost! But he arrived and is now settled in. Please pray for his recovery and that he will be able to transfer himself from chair to chair. Thanks!

I Have a Toss-Up for 10 Points

Just came from Beginner Bible Bowl practice with our three elementary students. They are such a joy to be around, such energy, such enthusiasm for learning the Word of God. Where along the way do we lose that desire to know more? Maybe we should invent a new age group for the game that would include the adults. We could call it Finisher Bible Bowl, for those of us who are finishing up in life. Pehaps we would have a new drive and new enthusiasm for learning. Perhaps.

Palm Sunday

I forgot that today is Palm Sunday until I heard it on the news this morning. I don't think we as Christians in the modern world can relate to the excitement that was generated so long ago on Palm Sunday. But as I sit here thinking, I could make an analogy of Christmas to Palm Sunday. Children are so excited and in great expectation as each day brings them closer to Christmas and to all the gifts they will receive. In Jesus' time, the people were so excited and in great anticipation as He entered Jerusalem for they were looking for the gift of an earthly king. I guess because we know the whole story, Palm Sunday does not hold that great excitement for us. But just wait a week till Easter!