wacky wednesday waffs

Daylight Savings

DON'T Forget TO Set BACK Your Clocks BY One HOUR! 

We get an extra hour!  Yay!  We deserve that extra hour!  What will you do with your extra hour on Sunday?  Relax.  The gym.  A longer run.  A more time-consuming recipe.  More TV.  A jigsaw puzzle.  A project.  Decorate for the holidays.
The good news is that we get to sleep an extra hour. 
The bad news is that we will have to begin imbibing later on Sunday.

It's Friday!

AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?

And... "WINE O'CLOCK"... sums it up!

Sometimes, "Wine O'Clock" arrives earlier and earlier.  Especially after toddler days that are quite humorous.   And perhaps, a bit draining. 
"No, don't throw my keys in the toilet."
"No, don't scream and point -- use your words (the good words)." 

Although, I think I am being a downer with all the "No Words".  Let's try something new...

"Yes, let's see if the keys will float -- never mind that the remote will no longer work!"
"Yes, let's all scream and point -- I hope it works for me, too!"
"Yes, let's all pull out every single toy in our home and leave them out.  First one to break a leg -- gets ice cream every day for a week!"

Last night, according to my toddler -- any event that happened in the past is announced as last night, at bedtime the toddler decided to experiment with mouth noises.  Loud noises -- like distorted raspberries.  Loud obnoxious blowing bubblish kind of noises. 

After each newly created noise, she would ask, "Daddy, does the kitty like this noise?"
And after each question regarding her noise, Daddy did not respond.  Apparently, he thought that if he did not say anything then she would just stop with the noise making.  However, with this toddler, that does not work.  Because she is like the little energizer bunny... and she will keep going and going and going... until she receives an answer. 

We are up to the umpteenth noise and recurring question, "Daddy, does the kitty like this noise?"

And finally... AN ANSWER:

"NO, NOBODY LIKES THOSE NOISES!" responds Daddy.

{Toddler grew very quiet.  And she quietly said, "But I do!"}

And I laughed.  And laughed.  Because sometimes life is just really funny.  Well, maybe not to everyone...and I suppose you had to be there... but it was really funny.  And I still laugh.  And toddler, she is great at retelling the story!  And I continue to laugh every time she retells the "noise story".

WebMedJournal

APPARENTLY, the FLU VACCINE does not cover this virus/ailment.

GET YOUR FLU SHOT TODAY!

IT JUST MIGHT CURE YOU!

A NEW KIND OF ARTIST

THE WEEKEND ARTIST.
The BYOB art class that includes a bit of paint, a couple of brushes, and a blank canvas.

{plus... ice buckets, bottle openers, and glasses that clink are provided for your painting pleasure!!}

Recently, my darling husband and I celebrated an anniversary.  It wasn't the silver nor was it the golden, according to tradition, but I consider all of our anniversaries "golden" because it is such a delight to reflect upon and remember our special day.   I loved my wedding day. 

For a celebration in honor of our day, we decided to PAINT.  We were each given a blank canvas.  And one person painted the night scene while the other person painted the day scene. 

We had such a blast.  We painted, and painted, and painted.
And then we created, and created, and created.

We decided to create our paintings with personal touches...
We hid little symbols within our art...
Symbols that represented our other half...
That only "we" would know about...
Like a little secret...
With a smiling heart!

this is the perfect memory for an anniversary!

HAPPY ALL SAINTS DAY!

I love All Saints Day -- today, November 1st -- because it reminds me of the eternal fun to come.  The Bonus:  more treats!  Oh, and a great way to teach children about some lesser known Saints. 

Trick or Treating in Heaven!

All the Saints have their porch lights on and they are ready to welcome us with a bit of their own personal history.  The fun part is guessing what "treat" the Saint is offering. 

Let's meet the Saints with their porch lights on: 

PS  Don't SPEND too much time knocking on DOOR #4!! Or DOOR #13!!

1.    Saint Therese of Lisieux - the patron saint of missions; her namesake "little rose"
TREAT:  a rose

2.    Saint Joseph - the patron saint of carpenters/workers
TREAT:  a toy hammer

3.    Saint Nicholas - the patorn saint of giving (he's the original Santa Claus!!)
TREAT:  a stocking filled with a spinning top and a tic-tac-toe game

4.    Saint Martin of Tours - the patron saint of drunkards
TREAT:  BEER!!!

5.    Saint George - the patorn saint of England and Catalonia
TREAT:  a little toy army man

6.    Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha - the patron saint of the environment
TREAT:  a feather (to honor her Native American heritage)

7.    Saint Martin de Porres - the patron saint of barbers
TREAT:  an elastic hair band

8.    Saint Martha - the patron saint of cooks
TREAT:  a cookie, or three

9.    Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini - the patron saint of immigrants
TREAT:  a small American flag (to honor the very FIRST U.S. citizen saint)

10.  Saint Lucy - the patron saint against eye diseases
TREAT:  sunglasses

11.  Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian - the patron saint of medicine
TREAT:  a bandaid

12.  Saint Cecelia - the patron saint of music
TREAT:  a recorder

13.  Saint James the Great - the patron saint of Spain
TREAT:  a gold coin (to support his wallet representation because MONEY is more fun than another flag)

14.  Saint Dorothy - the patron saint of Cappadocia
TREAT:  flowers (to represent the flowers sent to Theophilis - the man who mocked this martyr)

15.  Saint Peter - the patron saint of workers
TREAT:  a key (to represent "the keys to the kingdom of heaven")

16.  Saint Petronilla - the patron saint against fever
TREAT:  a candy bar (to honor her hunger strike that led to death)

Happy BOO-Day!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
IT'S THE FABULOUSLY FUN DAY OF TRICK OR TREATING!

I hope everyone has a fun-filled day and evening basking in Halloween traditions and decorations!

I just have to share these fabulous ideas for simple decor:
Pennants! 
Love them.
My family makes banners/pennants for every occasion:  birthdays, holidays, just-because days, pink days, blue days, summer days, etc.

This "Trick or Treat" pennant can be found at http://www.findingmyaloha.com/  It's printable.  So make yours today!  There's still time! 

Or perhaps this great banner?!  Find it at http://www.findingmyaloha.com/

I have to admit I had never heard of this holiday tradition before this year. 

So we added this neighborhood fun to our October calendar.

We booed!

We got booed!

O' how fun!

Put it on your calendar for next year! 

http://www.beenbooed.com/

for printable letters and ideas!!

**your neighbors will appreciate "You've Been Booed"

so much more than the old fashioned "Ding Dong Ditch"!

BOO! 

photographer

My middle little has a habit of finding a camera and taking photographs. 
Perhaps this is the reason I keep having to replace my camera.

Recently, I was downloading photos -- as all mommies do -- whenever they have a free moment.  I started to browse through the photos and delete the unkeepables because nobody ever needs to see that photo EVER, when I noticed a bunch of photos that I did not recognize or remember snapping.  Photographs of a book, the floor, Peek-a-Shoe the fun toy, the painting on the wall, a scene that stood still from "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" on tv,  my daughter's grin, another daughter's ear, another daughter's mole, a rock... 

Instantly I knew who had the camera!

And I laughed.  My dear hubby and I decided a couple of months ago that we would save most of middle little's personal photographs and make her a photo book someday... so her keepsake would remind her of her love for photography!   Perhaps she will be a photographer!

As I was finishing up the quick edit, my eyes caught a glimpse of this photo (see below) and I could not believe that my THREE year old captured this photo, on her own, no photoshop here -- just her real life photo:

fifteen.years.it.has.been. -- recap

REPEAT POST.

2011 is my fifteen year hand anniversary and I am on a personal-day-holiday.

The best part about my fifteen year anniversary -- is that for the first time in fifteen years -- I can "just breathe".  Inhale.  Exhale.  I am okay.  The pain is dissipating.  And I am thankful!

i.lost.ONE.finger.or.TWO
definitely ONE. definitely the use of TWO.

it was not the best day of my life.

october.3.1996
i had a cut that resembled a papercut. not open. not deep. not threatening. until I came in contact with a person with strep throat. the strep infection invaded my cut via coughing or sneezing. it became staph infection. THE FLESH-EATING BACTERIA. GANGRENE.

for those of you who know: you can skip this post.

for those of you who don't know, here are some "clean" tips:

1. WASH YOUR HANDS

2. NEVER KISS A "BOO-BOO", EVER! (KISS NEXT TO IT, AROUND IT, ABOVE IT, BELOW IT... NEVER, EVER ON IT!)

3. NEVER PUT YOUR FINGERS IN YOUR MOUTH AFTER A PAPERCUT OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF CUT!

4. PUT ON A BAND-AID. Or Plaster.  YES, EVEN ON A PAPERCUT!

6 months in and out of the hospital.

365 daily visits to a hand surgeon.

10 hand surgeries.

4 long years of constant doctor monitoring.

40 prescriptions for pain pills.

1200 codeine tablets. (not for sale)

1 prosthetic.

4 doctors.

1 special doctor who saved my life and my hand.

$1,000,000 dollars, at least.

1 conclusion: disability.

1 future possibility: more amputation.

THANK YOU, DR. BOB! AND 'NURSES' CARLA AND DEBBIE! You're my heroes!

what I learned today

I am grateful for my age.  This number that has been assigned to me on Earth. 

{Although in China, I would be one year older.  And for that, I am grateful for living in North America.}

So here is the fine print:

I was not grateful for my age before today.
But since it only takes 88 days for Mercury to rotate in its place in the solar system, I am thankful that I was not born on Mercury.
You see, today, I would be:
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN YEARS OLD!
137 YEARS! 
100 + 30 + 7
12,054 DAYS

AND I CLEARLY DON'T WANT TO BE 137 YEARS OLD. 

ALTHOUGH, I AM LOOKING QUITE WELL FOR 137!

Me:  "I can't believe I am 137 years old!"
Person:  ?????
Me:  "On Mercury, that is!"

{PS the kids are studying the solar system ... and this is all I learned!}
{PPS if you want your age in Mercury years, email me!}

my dog is bigger than your dog

Recently we were in public.  Unfortunately.  For me.  And twenty five other bystanders. 

One of my littles is social.  Not at all shy.  Not at all introverted.  {She must have inherited that trait from a distant family member.}  She enjoys meeting new people.  Everyone she meets is a new friend. 

Title:  "My dog is bigger than your dog"

Setting:  Doctor Office Waiting Area

Time:  Post-No-Nap

Date:  Current

Little:  "Hi, what is your name?"

New Friend:  "I'm Alisa."

Little:  "My name is P. 3."

New Friend:  "I'm Alisa."  Apparently confused by the P3.

Little:  "I'm Three.  And my name starts with P."

New Friend:  "Oh."

Little:  "How old are you?"

New Friend:  "Two."

Little:  "OH."

Little:  "WELL, MY MOM IS OLDER THAN YOUR MOM!"

And the waiting room with twenty five people, no empty seats available, all turned in my direction.

And LAUGHED.

It's A BOY!!

The days are shorter ... darkness comes quickly now.   Literally, my days feel shorter.  I need more hours.  A good thirty hours in a day would be sufficient.  24 to do it all.  And the last six to sleep. 

Recently, my long list of "to-do's" did not get accomplished in the daytime hours so the only time to make some progress was to do a few errands in the evening.

1.  Target -- need drawer liner paper
2.  Kohls -- use $10 gift card
3.  Dillards -- return/exchange shoes for littlest little
4.  Academy -- soccer gear
5.  Running shoes for middle little (she wants PINK NIKE -- specifically)
6.  Michaels -- Halloween decor (scarecrows, hay, etc...)

As I was running out the door, darling husband sent two point five children with me, and a cheerful warning, "STICK TO YOUR LIST, NO SURPRISES".  

Me:  "What could I possibly surprise you with?  It's Tuesday for goodness sake!"  {As if the day of the week has anything to do with surprises?!}

So, out the door with two point five girls in tow.
Stop 1.  Check.
Stop 2.  Check.

Oh shit, DETOUR!

SURPRISE!  Look what we found!

Our newest member!  And "It's a BOY!" 

PS  I thought darling husband would be thrilled! 

PPS  I am not sure when we will tell him that it took thirty minutes and five other people to help "find" this poor kitty.