Shansland

OHHH Life

2011-09-12T12:52:00.013-05:00

....is bigger.

Bigger than you

And you are not me.

..But that was just a dream

Try, cry, why try?

That was just a dream

Just a dream, just a dream

Dream

When the day is long,

and the night, the night is yours alone,

When you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on.

Don't let yourself go, 'cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes

Broadcast me a joyful noise unto the times, Lord,

Count your blessings.

The papers wouldn't lie!

I sigh, not one more.

It's been a bad day.
Please don't take a picture.
It's been a bad day.
Please.

I've got R.E.M. running through my head this morning for some reason so I looked them up and smashed some songs together. I never really realized how sad and depressing a lot of their songs are. [Thoughtful pause] Still cool though~very cool indeed. And apparently they knew what was really going on-a bunch of sad stuff you just can't do much about.

Well, it's the end of the world (and R.E.M.) as we know it. But I feel fine. (fine, fine)

Okay, I can't stop. Since my brain IS 80% song lyrics, I guess this is to be expected.

I just can't get out of my head how rough times have gotten for most of my loved ones lately. Where are all the lighthearted sitcom circumstances? All the shiny happy people laughing? It's hard to find it amid the job loss, money lacking, sickness and death we've been seeing around here lately. If there's comedy, it tends to be dark or short lived.

Hold on.

This is not the kind of change we were hoping for! (Oops, that was campaign slogan banter, sorry.)

Back to the jumble in my head. I'm starting to wonder if the Lord is allowing more people to pass away so fewer are here to worry as even harder times come. Or is the crowd only thinning lately from my perspective? My aging self.

This weekend as we watched a dear cousin suffer a fatal heart attack during our yearly Red Rock Canyon reunion, I found myself thinking "And now, of course, THIS is happening." I didn't feel surprise-just more sadness. More grief for those suffering.

Why does praying not seem like quite enough?

If I thought latch hooking a rug would help in these times of grief, by gum I'd be turning out tacky mats by the dozen! I just don't seem to know what to do with myself to aid in this pain. I guess I'll just have to keep praying and work on being a blessing to others rather than a burden(says the dramatic high maintenance diabetic.)

Consider this, consider this:

Everyone around, love them, love them.

Where tomorrow shines, gold and silver shine.

Throw your love around.

Happy, happy.

And on that note:

This one goes out to the one(s) I love.

(My apologies to R.E.M. for what just happened.)

XOXOX

The nose knows what time it is

2011-09-07T13:28:00.020-05:00

Don't let me startle you showing up blogside unannounced. I just thought I'd jot down an observance I made while going over some photos from a recent family trip.

I took a few of the usual "See, look, we've left the house!" pics of the various things we saw and experienced while on our getaway to Big Cedar.(BEAUTIFUL place, by the way.)

But now I'll deviate to the less predictable but palpably deeper reason I'm here.

Upon checking the pic my mom took of the hubby and myself, I happened to notice my nose had taken a stronger role on my face than it normally does. In the first photo I chalked it up to indiscriminate posing but then it went on to repeat its flared looks in each shot to follow. I'm not sure what this means. I don't even think it seems bigger than usual in that way that people say your nose keeps growing as you age. I just found it to be more nostril forward.

(I've got flare)

I wonder why my face is morphing before my eyes- under my eyes. I didn't feel I was the least bit stressed or strained, fatter or thinner than I was a smooth-nostriled couple months ago. It was simply as if I now found the world to be just a tiny bit stinkier than before. And you know what? Maybe. I. do.

Now, what about you? Is your nose behaving? Have you glanced in the mirror recently and seen a droopy eyed sharp shnozzed guy or gal gazing back? Perhaps there are two of you now?

Maybe this is just what forty-two looks like for me without the use of daily moisturizer. I rather hoped I'd age like a fine cheese since I eat so much of it, but apparently I'm taking a more of a Pete's Dragon approach to the decades ahead. Hey, at least I've got some tufted pink hair in my future! Now, off to practice my harmless quizzical look.

Smell you later,

Shans

**For more titillating topics like this, join me next time when I ponder visibly whether or not my newly bending pinky finger keeps bending.

Putting on my game face and my birthday suit

2011-07-19T16:54:00.019-05:00

Well, I guess it was time. Time to get my Eyeore on and whip out some summer time malaise. Hey, if that opening line doesn't leave you begging for more then, I don't know HOW to please you.

You know, I made it through non-camping like the hotel staying champ I am and didn't feel the least bit stressed all week. The persnickety little D checked his troubles at the fish farm door and had the happiest week he's had in a long time. We were thrilled at the way that boy entertained himself in a 4x6 baby pool hour after hour! Water truly has a way of soothing a child with sensory issues. And, as I have been reading in my book about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome characteristics, MANY of these kids are attracted to it in the same way our boy is. Fascinating.

Happy Camper

I didn't manage to blog while on the trip because, well, I was watching cable, doing laundry, and eating cheese in my room most nights. That was enough multi-tasking for one gal. And trust me, you would have thought I was in a five star facility the way I enjoyed my ME time each eve. I'm ridiculously simple dahlings.

Until it came to the drive home.

Then, my nerves collectively started acting as if someone had taken a potato peeler to them slowly skim skim skimming away until I just started feeling like someone was repeatedly scaring me. That's not fun, but the part that most bothers me about depression/anxiety is the lack of interest in ANYTHING. I mean pahleese, I struggle with that when I'm perfectly happy! Take the psyche down a couple notches and the mayday alerts start sounding.

But, alas and alak, I talked it out with Jamey and that really did help! He noted that I often don't seem to realize that being a parent to a special need's kid can really wear on a person without her necessarily noticing. Then one day, someone gives you an odd look in the grocery store and you leave with a sackful of paranoid depression you never even put in the cart!

I have been struggling with whether to keep Dev home another year for school when none of the choices we have for him seem perfect. I like that he can concentrate at home better but he has become even less tolerant of groups and noise when we are around them on small occasions. I guess we'll know more about the new small school in town after our meeting at the first of the month.

Now I am relieved to be mentally perkier- putting things in perspective, remembering that it's my favorite season of the year, that I love my family madly and they love me too, and that God has a purpose for me (yes, even on loser days). I am not alone here and even though I sometimes feel freaky, the reality is life IS occasionally more comparable to a confusing Japanese game show than the board version by Milton Bradley.

Though we might spin the wheel and collect from our chosen career on payday, we can also expect to sometimes feel like we're being repeatedly pelted by giant wet sponges while maneuvering across a slippery punching conveyor belt. "Heey, I think I'm gonna..wait, what's this?!"

It really just depends on the day now doesn't it. And speaking of days, tomorrow is MY special day. So I think I'll hit the sack so I can wake up and enjoy my facebook wishes properly rested. :D

Happy Birthday to Donetta and Dawnetta my b-day buddies!

XO Shan

Getting things straight

2011-06-28T17:10:00.007-05:00

Dear Diary,

Lots of things are rattling around in my head today and I don't really know what to zoom in on. I thought I'd come here where we can be alone and jot some things down to ponder whilst away on our trip.

Okay, so first of all. I cried a little tear at the Chiropractor yesterday. Yes, it was totally hormonal -a "pretty" cry- with no makeup lost. They were giving this presentation that involved me looking at x-rays of my curvaceous spine complete with stiff bony neck and the technician telling me that I needed to come in twice a week for 11 weeks-then once a week totalling 64 (yes, sixty-four) treatments to get my spine back in the neighborhood of it's original form and my head not jutting out ahead of the rest of me like a curious but friendly visiting alien's.

After that, of course, I'd have the absolute luxury of only coming once or twice a month for maintenance. Say wha???

While the nice lady spoke, I just kept thinking about all the furniture and home improvements I could buy from Sam's with that imaginary chiro money, and then went on to visualize myself skillfully pedaling a recumbent bike down a winding path for no correlating reason but my own entertainment. I wonder how those are for long-backed ladies with a touch of scoliosis. I really like how it seems like you're just lounging around on them in a comfy laid back position all the while totally moving forward looking at the scenery....or a good book...

Ok, sorry sorry. So, acheybacknonewfurnitureorbike it shall be. AND on to the next issue.

We've now completed one rip-roarin' year of home school, the First Grader and I. And though there actually was a bit of ripping (him ripping pages of work) and roarin' (me losing my complete cool once and a while), we really did get some fairly low stress learnin' in- which was the main goal.

There seemed to be no improvement, however, in his ability to concentrate or follow directions in a group. Even a small out of shape dog sleeping in the room was enough to get his spider senses tingling toward irritation. I still cannot imagine him doing anything but beeping and holding his ears in an actual classroom. If we decide to do second grade at home, I think I'll need a proper curriculum and not the willy nilly seat-o-the pants lesson plans I used this year. Sadly, I seem to be as into teaching as I am most things. Tepidly.

Next item on the block: What's with these extra ten pounds? I het them Ignacio. I het all the extra pounds in the whole world!

Being almost forty-two is not as much fun as being almost forty. I think my chances for being on 'So you think you can dance' may be dwindling to nil at this point. Oh well, at least I've got the Yoga and my homemade hula hoops (Hoopsuckers, Shizameters) with which to strengthen my back and middle. I think I'll make one for Susu (my only niece) and take them on our trip.

I threw that video in for you Diary, because I know you like the cinema. ;)

Speaking of "our trip", we are leaving for Illinois in a couple days and will be gone for an entire week of camping/non-camping. I do the latter while the rest of the family stays in tents, don'tcha know. It is Jamey's Granny Clayberg's fish farm where J's fam stayed for months at a time while missionaries on furlow in the States. Granny passed away this past year so it will be an emotional last trip to the place they all know so well.

I like how the five oldest cousins run around that place like a pack of wolf boys. They fish, have air-soft battles, play games like Kick-the-can, and have all kinds of old school fun. The younger boy and girl cousins kinda join in here and there and play with each other while my little loner wanders around the adults playing with water and trying to braid all the camping equipment together into one giant pulley system. He is kind of in an "Uh, I have nothing to do." state right now so he and I may be taking some field trips into the neighboring farm towns to see what we can see. I am actually a little bit looking forward to soaking in the sun and trolling around in the boat with a fishing pole. This is a new feeling for me but I am trying to go with it.

That's all for now, Diary, as even you will tire of me if I can't learn to nip it. I might bring my faithful Lappy along and try to record some of our trip for the ages.

Thanks for letting me hash things out with you.

Evermore,

The elephant story in the room

2011-06-17T13:14:00.011-05:00

Today I shall break my nine month silence for no other reason than-- Heeh, why not? It wasn't like I was monking it (the verb) on purpose or anything.

I guess it's possible, however, that I've lost my more flowery presentation style while off non-blogging. But I figure now that it's been this long, very few will see my soft re-entry into posting and I can quickly slip back into the blog waters like a svelte Olympic diver-all pointy toed and serious. Bloop.

Aaaand, now that I've managed to liken myself to an olympic monk in a few short sentences, I guess I'll get to the real reason for being here. Showing off my offspring!!

Yes, I wanted to post a blurb of Big G's writing on my blog so I'll have a mini journal of this stuff and also so grandmas and friends alike can take a peek at what he's working on this summer. I read the first 15 pages of his book (on his laptop-not by feather pen) this morning and really loved it! Forget, I do that he has such a way with words and vocabulary! He's just thirteen but already can really describe and develop characters and events that seem so mature. I shall make great effort to cheer him on to completing this one.

Here's the very beginning of his book which I'm not sure if he's named yet, but is about a group of elephants who practice "Timbo-Kwon-Do" and are called upon to use this ancient elephant art form for the greater good or something totally awesome like that. Teeheehee.

I'm going to say goodbye for now up here because below this cut-and-paste-in my font gets all messed up if I try to type and it looks like a continuation of the story. It's fun being back though! Hope to see you 'round the blogs this summer!! ~Shan

Prologue

Dawn was arriving in the jungles of Africa, awakening wildlife to its majestic scenery. Monkeys were screeching, birds were squawking, all unaware of the events of the day. In a sun filled clearing, a lone male elephant treaded through the lush, green grass, searching for a drink. His long trunk guided him with the scent of clean, life-giving water. The elephant pushed on, unaware of the figures surrounding him. Hidden by the thicket, they closed in on the unsuspecting mammal. They stopped at the edge of the bracken, and paused. All was silent, except for the distance sounds of wildlife. Sensing that danger was near, the elephant froze. Their was a moment of silence... and the elephant hurled his five ton bulk into the bracken, accurately sending a man flying with a thrust of his foot. He was perched on his back feet, his front feet still outward from the strike. He backflipped through the air, with impossible agility for the largest land mammal in the world. When he landed he struck again, knocking another two figures away with a double punch. The male elephant was more than twice the men's height, and they stood no chance against the amazingly powerful animal. One by one they were sent flying from a kick or punch, their weapons cast away into the dense African woodland. Once his work was finished, the male elephant relaxed his bulky frame, and continued his search for water.

** Jamey just shared cloud technology with me so now I can put up the first six chpts. he's gotten done ;) Here's the link: http://cl.ly/312J1N1D0L320A233q2Q

Under Construction

2010-08-28T17:02:00.006-05:00

In case you think I'm gone forever, I thought I'd explain that I am really just on a passive strike until my hubbs gives me a fresh new look here at Shansland. I may not hold out that long though because I'm in the mood to write slightly longer updates than my facebook statuses allow. And since I announced I'll be away indefinitely, I've sufficiently taunted myself into wanting to blog. I may end up slapping a little powder on the more hagardly parts of this old place here and forging on unchanged. We shall see. We shall see.

Until then, you can find me on facebook looking into lifes deeper issues in forty-six characters or less. I'm not sure who I'm fooling with this as we know I pretty much just ooze aspartame damaged brain juice no matter what the length of the page. But it sounds good nonetheless!

Bye for now,

Shan

(Hope the hammering sounds don't get too loud for you over here.)

Smelly souvenirs

2010-06-18T10:43:00.009-05:00

HELLO fellow bloggists! I have a lot of nerve calling myself a bloggist when I barely check in here these days. But I like to feel included so there it is.

I'm far too behind to update anyone on my goings on, but Jamey is home from a three day trip to Kansas City with his job and I wanted to show you what he made while he was there.

He attended a workshop and a seminar or two given by some well known designers. One of the speakers was a favorite of his, Tim Biskup. Jamey has been a fan of his for a while and took a small book of TB's designs to have him sign. Needless to say he LOVED the talk and the autograph complete with drawing Biskup added to Jamey's book!

Another designer he met gave a workshop where they made these beautiful flowers.

Matthew Sporzynski is a paper artist who's work regularly appears in Real Simple magazine. You should scroll through some of his stuff on that last link if you have time. He can make ANYTHING out of paper!! Jamey said his huge personality alone was worth experiencing-pure entertainment.

This project came from an ad prop he produced for a perfume made from whatever flower this is (I'm sorry I don't do thorough journalism). Jamey forgot what it is called. Geranium maybe?

Anyway, Mathew S. allowed each flower made in the workshop to be squirted with this $600 essence of flower of some sort perfume. It smells very real!

And then they made little window boxes to keep them in.

He brought it home to me as a gift! Isn't that C-U-T-E?

And a MUCH nicer treat than the souvenir he took for himself from the trip which was a mixed media display of hurl-your-guts-'till-your-ribs-hurt food poisoning.

Not cool, Mongolian Barbeque!

"Welcome home Sweetheart! Hey, why so green?"

"Oh, you know, art workshops...yurp".

"Riiight." :~{

So hubby is back and feeling better and we are off to a great summer. Hope yours is full of creativity and you blog about all your adventures! I'll be checking in on you!

If you give a Shan a toilet...*

2010-04-23T11:06:00.011-05:00

(this toilet knows what it's capable of)

She's gonna want a new floor(without duct tape on it) to seal it to.

If you let her pick out a new bathroom floor..

She's gonna want the claw footed tub painted a fresh new color.

If you are already removing the tub for flooring..

She's gonna want you to go ahead and take the cabinet with the mauve countertop out too.

Since you are changing the color scheme this much already...

She's gonna want to paint the whole room.

While shopping for a tiny patch of flooring and new paint, Shan's gonna see the carpet samples....

Then, she's going to want to use your tax refund to get new carpet in all the rooms upstairs.

But, while cleaning the dingy base boards...

She's gonna want to paint the trim in each room.

Painting the trim is going to be so easy without worrying about making a mess on the old floors...

She's gonna decide at least one more room needs painting.

With all the room rearranging, painting, and garage sale gathering and sloughing going on...

you'll somehow end up with another set of bunk beds. (???)

So alas, what is the lesson we all learn at one point or another in our lives...

Replacing a toilet can be QUITE an ordeal!

A guilty Grinch grin is forming across my face as we speak.

Kinda reminds me of the time I needed a new oven...

* This, of course, is a play on the well known Children's book 'If you give a mouse a cookie..'

IT'S A MAJOR AWARD!

2010-04-01T18:02:00.010-05:00

Yesterday we received a paper invitation, printed and folded into quarters home-made-card style. It said:

Dear Parents,

You and your family are invited to attend the awards night for the youth's writing contest given by the [Our town] Writers. Your child, or children, will receive a certificate along with the prize money.

"Your child, or children, will receive a certificate along with the prize money"? What? One or BOTH of my children will receive THE prize money? I'm confused.

Why can't I understand the writing of the Writers Club?

So that happened yesterday. And tonight, the kids and I went to the Senior Citizens Activity Center as requested on the invite, instead of going to see Jamey play music in Fayetteville as we'd planned.

It's a good thing we did too because my boy won FIRST PLACE in the Prose category with his story 'The Golden Manatee'. This was a contest he entered totally on his own volition from a flyer he saw at school! Isn't that neato? He had to write a short story beginning with the sentence "The door was closed."

What fun for him to be rewarded for something he really enjoys doing!

It's so thrilling and strange to see your children grow up into their own- bageck- (sorry-losing my cool a little bit there) independent selves. He's such a wonderful newly twelve year old and we do love him so...and not just for his prize money.

Have a terrific Easter weekend all!

Slap those thighs

2010-03-30T23:14:00.004-05:00

Not a morning person? Then you are sure to have kids who are.

Who needs coffee really. Oh yeah...me.

Simple Cooking Failures(episode two)

2010-03-23T10:50:00.009-05:00

It's time for the second installment (second verse-lamer than the first) of a little segment I call Simple Cooking Failures. It lacks spunk and luster due to the particular circumstance of the failure itself, but I'll share it with you anyway.

Here's the birthday cake completed to the best of my ability at 4:00 in the morning. Good thing Ratchet is so easy to please. He knows my heart(and hopefully not my hair) is in it.

Funny, I thought that yellow brick was a sickening flesh color last night. This is a nice surprise. Ahh, but I got it done-and plenty early it turns out.

The party is now set for Friday (three days away) due to three sickly cousins that couldn't come today. Wah-wah. It just wouldn't be the same without them.

NOW, I'm feeling like a genius for using Crisco in my "buttercream frosting". What foresight-what planning! I wrapped it up tight and it may taste even more authentically LEGOlicious(like plastic) by Friday. I wouldn't be at all surprised.

Sleeplessness makes me so sunny. Now if I could just get this fluffy cloud feeling off of my face I could truly shine.

Night nighZZZZZ....

Cat tells

2010-03-05T09:48:00.010-06:00

The other day I went outside and came upon a cat,

who sat upon my lap.

Then another happened along,

and it soon became a throng....

(My back fence this very morning)

Ok, so I'm back to the blog after a brief hiatus. I told the facebookers a couple days ago that I had rushed inside and jotted down some things I've been pondering about cats (Yes, I DO realize that sends up a freak flag with a paw on it, but I'm ok with that.) And, since that brought out a few of my fellow cat loving ~~freaks~~ friends, as well as a few that just enjoy a side show- I figured I'd share.

It wasn't really a list of questions to be answered by other cat "enthusiasts" (That sounds better right?), but more a batch of thoughts pertaining to cats that might be better expressed in the Jeff Foxworthy way. So here were my passing cat fancies:

You might be a Catlady if....

...you seriously ponder purchasing a 3ft. tall rod iron cat shaped plant holder from a store called "Oops!"- though it is quite clear you are not a "plant person".

... you coax a cat you've never seen before over to you, then let it lay on your lap for thirty minutes while it kneads it's claws into your wrist.

...you look deep into previously mentioned cat's eyes as it adores you, and wonder if it could possibly be an angel sent in this form with a special message just for you. Then you wait a moment for it.

...on your wedding day your friends and family all make a pact to not tell you about the incident involving the cat in the parking lot of the church.

...you yell out "Kittee!!" into the darkness only to realize you may have been talking to a decorative rock in someone's yard.

...you have a "great idea" of what to stencil on your cork board, but are reminded with a sigh from your husband that this particular room already has at least thirteen other pictures of cats in it.

...once upon a time you looked in the mirror and regularly saw a resemblance between you and your cat Tigger.

...your current pets also remind you of him.
And finally, you might be a Catlady if you can come up with such a list about YOURSELF!

Have a purrfectly splended weekend! Meow.

Just Illin' and cold chillin'

2010-01-29T12:24:00.017-06:00

First signs of life: Day two-the orneriness returns.

And story time humour for couch bound youth:

And finally, when your sick you can sleep most anywhere.

Be warm and well fellow bloggers!

(Facebookers click on 'View original post' for videos)

Lava: It's not just for video games

2010-01-20T21:49:00.008-06:00

Here's a little experiment for the scientifically minded folks in the audience (read: grandparents and cousins). Ratchet had a much anticipated school project due to erupt this week, so of course we took some snaps and did a little trial run before hand to get a feel for the explosive power we were working with.

Here is the volcano in it's dormant state. The natives are busily going about their lives completely unaware of what's brewing at the base of this beast.

Here's Ratchet proudly standing behind his volatile creation.
And here's our practice run the evening before the natural disaster was to take place.

Speaking of natural disasters, you'll catch a glimpse of our torn up kitchen in the middle of its makeover. It's not an attractive sight right now but I am using my swanky new stove and microwave-which helps keep me chipper sans countertops. OH, and please turn the sound down if my constant noise gets bothersome during the pre-eruption. I am annoying! Here's what happened to his actual volcano at school on Thursday. Yay for extra credit!

(p.s. Any young kids (or middle aged men) who want to make your own version: We forgot to mention that we also added a couple squirts of dish soap to create a foamy effect ;)

Did I forget to share my meat cake with you?

2010-01-13T08:00:00.002-06:00

Shame on me and my big fake fingernails!

One of the fun things that happened (and I documented) during the hoobity whatie part of the holidays was Santa's (and Trisha's) Magical X-mas party. Oh yes, it was DElightfully tacky. I'm suddenly feeling likewise myself just now posting about last year's fun here on this mid January day in 2 ot 10. BUT, still I want to share these olden times with family and friends who might have missed out, and of course future me who won't remember any of it very very soon.

I made a progressive photo log of the "Christmas cake with a smack of ham" that I contributed to the party. I thought it would be kind of fun to see it come about in pictures.

FIRST, I lined the tree shaped cake pan with crustless flattened white bread. (I seem to have forgotten this photo so I'll leave a space and you can mentally squish and press the bread to your liking.)

Next I smeared 4 cans of deviled ham(a little gelatinous for my taste) evenly on the bread and up the sides.

Then I lovingly placed olive loaf slices atop the canned ham continuing on in the tree shape.

Next I topped the compressed lunchmeat with a sizable bowl of homemade chicken salad. This part I would happily eat.

Once I got that smeared around, I smashed another layer of white bread on top like so...

With much anticipation, I then turned that sucker of a sammy right over onto a foil lined tray. It was nothing short of albino splendor. See if you agree.

Once that was all done, I "iced" the colourless conifer with cream cheese and "trimmed" it with celery and festive radish ornaments(that hubby styled whimsically with a knife).

And BOOM goes the dynamite! All it needed now was generic Ruffles and a Twilight plate!

Here it is joining T's corndog casserole, the classic Ants on a log and Dorothy's clear jello among other tastefully tacky treats.

So there you have it!

I hope you plan on making a holiday meat cake at your next gathering! It's just as easy as putting on pantyhose if you have the right shape to smash it into! I also have a Big Bird and Bugs Bunny shaped cake pans (funny what you find when you uproot your cabinets) just begging to ham it up for your guests!

Enjoy! You know we did! Thanks for all the fun Trishie!

Just like a home schooling mom without all the kids to teach!

2010-01-06T23:16:00.013-06:00

I'm becoming so natural from the neck down I can hardly recognize myself! I just made my first batch of homemade laundry detergent and am now clearly unstoppable. Just point me to the patch of land you want vegetated this Spring. I'm a true pioneer. I've made soap with these hands! Is there anything coming in between me and a complete organic vegetable garden now?!

Oh yeah, all that wormy dirt touching work and such.

Ok. Coming down from my high now. Maybe my first batch of detergent doesn't make me entirely hearty and self sufficient but it was a super cool feeling while it lasted. And I do love my new detergent recipe! My gal pal Tab gave me a jar of this laundry soap at Christmastime and I just fell so in love with its crisp fresh scent and washing power, I had to find the goods to make it myself.

All that's needed is:

1/2 cup Borax

1 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda(no picnic to find, btw.)

1 bar of Fels Naptha soap-grated (So awesome but equally hard to pin down in your everyday store.)

essential oil (optional ingredient: I used Lavender this time to see what happens.)

It is supposed to weigh in at just a fraction of the cost of store bought brands and you can sass it up anyway you like with essential oils (though while making it I found it to smell great as is.)

It is Michelle Duggar's(mother of 19 and local celeb.) recipe that Tab shared with me. I made four batches tonight which totals around 160 loads. I should be set for a while!

And now I've got plenty of time to sing this:

I'm easily impressed with myself it's true. This will no doubt keep my negative self talk at bay until well into next week!

Look out world! I'm every woman.

Talent Show: Day 5

2009-12-15T09:05:00.005-06:00

Talent is as talent does:

Well, now, any of you who know my hubby also know he really has no talent to speak of. ;) Poor guy, I know. Since we couldn't think of anything good enough to compare to some of the previous entries, I just decided to post one of his recent attempts at "entertainment" where he is showing us one of the ways he makes music with his computer.

Like I said, not exactly dog ventriloquy, but it is something. (Wheeze!)

My Grandma's recipes are lethal

2009-12-11T11:48:00.003-06:00

But, as they say..."Everything in moderation including moderation."

Perhaps I should warn people to take each tin slowly around curves. ;)

See you when the powdered sugar settles!

Talent show: Day 4

2009-12-07T12:10:00.006-06:00

Ever since we started the talent show entries the dogs have been hounding me to get in on the action. You know how camera hungry small dogs can be. So while we round up Jamey's entry, we thought it would be a good time to put in a little Christmas number the T & T (dynomite) recently worked up. Of course, when it was my idea to finally film it they totally gave me the disinterested faces of teenagers. Whatever lickies.

So here they are without their Christmas hats or spirits (a contractual compromise):

Tiki and Tulip

Trust me, I've been this ridiculous for years. ;)

Another birthday already?

2009-11-24T14:39:00.001-06:00

Yesterday our Dandy dude turned SEVEN! I can't believe it has been five years since I saw his tiny little sleeping face and immediately went squishy with love. He was our first foster child and a complete answer to prayer as we had been hoping to adopt but felt God was leading us toward fostering through the state.

Shortly after arriving in our care at not quite two, he needed two separate surgical procedures done to correct hearing and vision problems so he was placed on the extreme makeover circuit to get him caught up. It was an all consuming stressful but joyous time for all of us. Getting to know him and seeing him heal physically and mentally, were our main focus that first year before he became ours officially. We tried not to give in to our trepidation about his future as to whether he'd remain with us or go back to his father who gave us little hope of rehabilitation or parental competency. And instead tried to do all we could to further his future either way. Of course once we met him, we could never imagine life without him!

And now we're here. Still discovering, still healing and growing together as a family.

The learning curve continues. One of the things that we now understand more clearly is just how affected the bonding process is when a child has had a rough start in life. The brain actually forms differently in children who aren't cared for properly and they become practically hard wired with defensive mechanisms that keep them going in a state of self preservation, preventing them from feeling too deeply and therefore detaching themselves from true pain. It's an incredibly helpful AND hurtful dose of denial built right into the newly forming brain chemistry.

As an adopted person myself, I've not had any understanding of Attachment Disorder having gone home from the hospital and fully bonded with my "forever" family.

It was not until we planned on adopting a nearly three year old that attachment concerns even came to my attention. Even then to me it seemed pretty black and white. They get to know you and trust you, then you have attached. Check mark on steps 1,2,and 3. Nurture wins every time!

Of course this is not the case. And now I've even come to learn that some kids have it way worse than most people could ever imagine. This is called Reactive Attachment Disorder(RAD). Having a challenging child such as Dandy, I've tried to educate myself on this and many other possibilities that have come to mind when attempting to understand our own little complex guy.

As no two children are the same, we've found that our Dandy especially follows no previous pattern or rule book. He is wonderfully unique in the way that each fine human piece of art created by God is. But, he IS an abstract creation and a head scratcher to be sure.

He is diagnosed with Mixed Developmental Disorder, which we are told is sort of a blanket label to allow him to receive all the services available to him from which he might benefit. If they put him in the spectrum of Autism, then he would receive only specific help in that direction. And he's not entirely Autistic but more a mix of that,Oppositional Defiance, Cerebral Palsy, Microcephaly, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, developmental delays,Failure to thrive, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Attachment Disorder, all in a colorful candy shell.

Yes, he has some challenges and therefore so do we. I'm of course not saying he's the most difficult child in the world. I've met and read about much more medically and emotionally challenged children. He is just such a mixture of issues, we never quite know what needs to be done to help him deal with things easier.

He hasn't been doing well with the school setting since he began kindergarten and though we even have him in a special school to handle this, he seems to be doing the same or even worse. He never integrates in with the other children and even disrupts the class so much with noise or destructive behavior, he has to be removed several times per day.

About a month ago he decided, by pitching huge fits and unbuckling his seatbelt, not to ride home in the transport vehicle. So I've had to pick him up myself which usually takes more than an hours worth of driving time at the same time Ratchet is getting out of school in our town each afternoon. This just doesn't work for us at all.

Every time something new comes up we can't help but wonder if the experts know what their doing. Is our child in capable hands or are they putty in his? Why does he seem to confuse them on a daily basis? Aren't they trained in every possible situation? Should we let our instincts override the conflicting voices in our ears or trust the people who schooled specifically for these things? I'm not really sure.

I am sure that he is going to keep surprising us in good and bad ways. Just as we expect a certain behavior from him, he totally throws us an opposite. For instance, he potty trained in less than four days. He quit a major six year thumb sucking habit in two. He can't put his own socks on or take his shirt off by himself but can read an entire book to you if he so chooses. He is a wonder not to be underestimated.

What a wily little coyote we have in that kid! He is so adorable, creative, and focused one minute and so donkey stubborn, destructive, repetitive, and manipulative the next. He wants to please, but also has a strong voice inside him working to sabotage any good rapport he's formed with someone.

We have gained so much ground with him over the years though. SO much. (I repeat for myself). We definitely go backwards occasionally too, but are trying to keep the wheels pointed forward and the positives accentuated when he's having them.

I ache to keep him home from school at times when I'm most frustrated with his behavior there. He would never throw a chair or peel up a floor at my house and know he could get away with it. We do let him make his quirky noises more at home because he doesn't have to sit in a classroom without disturbing other children.

But, "they" keep telling me he needs to deal with this now. He needs to be able to be around people and interact with them properly. And he does. But he also needs the physical, speech, occupational therapies and psychiatric care he is receiving at this school. He just wouldn't get those things at home without us breaking the bank entirely.

So we are tightly squeezed between the rock and hard place doing what we are told is best for our child. I am claustrophobic in here, but with the help of medicine for Dandy(and ok, myself too ;), we are learning to deal with the anxiety and sometimes debilitating daily challenges that swoop in and try to steal our confidence and joy. It is an endurance thing not a quick fix.

Still we wonder what next year will bring. And the next. And the next. It is scary raising an oppositional child that doesn't respond much to consequence and has trouble forming bonds with people. I know many parents with kids like this struggle with thoughts of the future when it's hard enough to deal with life's pressures on a child without any challenges.

I pray daily that we will grow stronger as a family in dealing with difficult periods in our Dandy's life. And that God will give him a supernatural wisdom that keeps him safe and able to make good decisions as he grows into adulthood and goes out into a dangerous world on his own.

In the meantime, I must remind myself that though wedged, I'm not completely confined in this hard place. I can still glorify God from this position and that is really all that is required of me. No excuses Shan. Stop that worry and get to the GLORY! God loves these wounded children more than any of us can comprehend.

Thank you for letting me spill. I guess I slipped into essay mode there. :}

I don't mind at all if you skipped to the part where I say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRECIOUS BOY!!!" We love our gift!

Talent Show: Day 3

2009-11-13T17:48:00.008-06:00

I have a wicked laugh.

As the show goes on, you may be increasingly afraid of what we here at Bergville refer to as talent. Well, if laughing is not a talent it surely must be a creative outlet of some sort, because I've been changing it up for years! And my laugh has never really been considered mainstream. It has gone everywhere from Bahahaha(like Arnold on Happy Days but long morphed into breathy and fake sounding) to a brief equestrian period in high school in which I whinnied like a reared up horse and earning the nickname "Wildfire" from a close friend.

To this day, my chortle has become a veritable cacophony of glottal fricatives that occasionally even surprise me with their uniqueness. (Odd sentences are also a talent of mine.)

This was one such occasion. You have to watch all the way to the end which means enduring one of Dandy's T-rex moments also caught on tape. :}

What made me laugh was that I had just stepped onto and flattened Jamey's collection of paper boats that he had been ever so carefully lighting and launching into the water as you see in the video.

All I could do was laugh my "I'm soooorrrrrryyyy" the way I do when I find myself in a sudden pickle. Please enjoy-and remember to leave the hearty laughter to trained professionals such as myself to avoid harm. ;)

Birthday boy considered "well into thirties" by 40 yr old wife

2009-11-11T21:33:00.010-06:00

Today was a special day for a certain young man in our house.

He's finally lost his youthful curls

And now he's all grown up!

And super ninja tough!

But he's also pretty sweet

That's why he's wanted in several counties for just being so dang awesome!

Happy 37 dear husband!!

We love you much!!!

Talent Show: Day 2

2009-11-10T10:42:00.008-06:00

He speaks Whale....

I especially like the note around second 52 if you have the higher reaches of your hearing. If you don't, your dog might perk up unexpectedly there and that would be fun to watch too. ;) This is one of his favorite things to do so I have several of these vids in my collection. Don't worry, I'll stop after sharing just the one....for now. Baha

Talent show: Day 1

2009-11-05T12:19:00.008-06:00

I've decided to do a video talent show since I've built up quite a repertoire in my files. My oldest, always eager to please, volunteered to go first. (Ok, he's at school, but he WOULD have no doubt volunteered had he been available.)

Ratchet is in sixth grade and writes better than many a college freshman! He worked this little piece up for a quick homework assignment. I was astonished at the content in what seemed like busy work for him. I made him read it to me again for the camera since he had included character voices and everything. :) His literary talents are emerging!

(If you are seeing this on facebook, you'll probably have to click on the link that takes you to my blog to watch any videos.)

I'll be back shortly with the next entry!

Ugly Shan

2009-10-16T11:10:00.007-05:00

When I saw this ad for Ugly Betty on my google page Friday I thought I'd seen that picture somewhere before. Sure enough there it was in my photos. I guess I've got one Halloween costume idea in the making.....

Get the braces back on, darken up the hair a bit, and I'll be Betty's ugly older sister in no time. Baha

(Sorry to dwarf you Betty dear. I tried to find a bigger pic of you in this pose but failed.)

Love Out Loud-numero deux

2009-10-05T11:58:00.013-05:00

The Love Out Loud show was such a fun experience! Friday night tons of people came and got totally rock-us and silly with us. I was so concerned I would freeze up on my keyboard solos, like the one scarring time in high school when asked to accompany our football king and queen's coronation ceremony (Barry Manilow's 'Mandy' has NEVER been so unrecognizable since- I pa-romise you!). I just couldn't entirely relax and enjoy myself until I knew my hands wouldn't betray me.

On Saturday night (since there was obviously no turning back) I decided I was just going to have fun no matter what happened. What happened was the arrival of an entirely different audience! One where in between the contained claps and the next song, you could hear yourself swallow. Gulp. But, not blaming this country/folksie crowd for not easily adapting to techno, we motored on through and had more fun than ever. If I can get a snippet of something presentable(no not the facebook vids) I'll find it for you and post it.

Meanwhile, please enjoy the muppet-esqe video made especially for the opening song played each night. Jamey made a video for all 11 songs we performed, but this one we all got in on. I,unbeknownst to me at the time, literally was in almost every shot-which was not my desire considering I hadn't a stitch of makeup on. J had to photoshop bricks over my head for most of the song.

(That would have been a strange q and a had someone asked what he spent his Sunday night doing. "Oh, just bricking out my wifes giant head all evening. You?")

Jamey is a wealth of creativity and talent, and I enjoyed practicing along to all the subtleties of his music. How his brain comes up with it all and how he executes each instrument in his songs, I have no idea! I had fun being a part of it this time though.

Here are some more snaps from the event:

Herva

Trish and her fabulous purses

Fool For Now from Saturday night(So beautiful!)

Rick's handmade journals and Dean peering over

Freedom and Nancy(the hosts)with an artist whose name escapes me-oops.

Herva donning masks just because we go all the way for our fans. ;)

If you wish to hear the hubby's latest songs and some of the ones we sang for L.O.L., you can find him here.

Object betrayal

2009-09-24T07:37:00.015-05:00

I was traumatized by my medical supplies last night and I wanted to share it with my lovely readers today as it reminded me of recent incident that happened to another thumb I'm fond of.

Warning: This post contains some material that may be too graphic for some.

Please read with caution or avoid all together. :}

Were you too busy looking at his sweet face to see this?

On a recent trip to OKC to visit my parents, Monkey Fingers McGraw(a.k.a. Dandy) got himself into a little scuffle with a stapler.

My mom, Dandy, and I had just popped in for the briefest visit to her office for troubleshooting (or something I can't now recall), before heading off to do our favorite form of geocaching-shopping!

Instead, as you can see, Dandy immediately fired a staple into his finger and then began screaming one continuos shrill note that lasted without breath until I airlifted him out of the office and into the car. (Need your workday spiced up? Call on us.)

Now, I've stapled my thumb before as a child, perhaps you have too. Normally, this type of wound is quickly taken care of when you pluck the thing out, daub it off, and get a band-aid topped with a kiss for your troubles. Because this was a stapler that is used to dealing with insurance claims, that thing fired with the tenacity of a tail gunner and went straight into my baby's little thumb bone and it was not coming out!

So with an ER visit, an x-ray,one hemostat, and a trip to the pharmacy for antibiotics, our "brief troubleshooting" errand had a lot more trouble and shooting in it than we'd bargained for.

Now, back to me.

I wear an insulin pump that uses infusion sets that have to be changed every three to four days. The ones I use have an inserting device that is extremely spring loaded and tends to "insert" the plastic tube coated needle with a lot of force. (Still with me?)

I've hired this male model to show you what they look like. We'll call him Mylan.

Thank you Mylan for that tiny thumbnails worth of ab you've given us. Next time bring no less than an 8x10 if you want consideration! VERY disappointing sir!

Anyway, I had my spot picked out and was pinching up some skin for the needle that goes in at an angle almost parallel to the surface skin.(Notice Mylan's other hand was well out of frame). I fired it in and got a pain in my thumb that felt like the wide plastic coated needle had poked me and rammed right into my nail on the other side of my thumb! That's because it did.

I said "OUCH!" which sometimes I say anyway, but this time I kind of yelled it indignantly. Then I looked down to find that not only had I failed to get my port inserted properly, I had managed to shoot the two inch needle into my stomach, out through another place and then into my thumb all at the same time!

It totally bruised my thumb and my feelings as well when I realized I'd been shish-kabob-bed by my own "user friendly" device.

After daubing my wounds and inserting a new site, I laid down to go to sleep and could feel that my face was still frowning. I have been known to feel sorry for myself when I get fed up with the ins and outs of stupid Diabetes(like the time when I looked down with a syringe in my mouth and stuck myself in the boob). But, this was a different feeling, like a betrayal of trust between me and an inanimate object. That's strange.

I know that actually it was just a simple case of user error like Dandy's stapler incident (and, yes, my accidental boob injection). And, in the end I found myself saying the same thing he said while holding up his freshly stapled thumb.

"Ohhh, I shouldn't have done that!"

No, you really shouldn't have.

Love Out Loud 2009

2009-09-21T10:09:00.008-05:00

Calling all bloglookers(cheeky monkeys, YOU)!!! :D

This weekend (Sept. 25th and 26th) we will be in Fayetteville helping promote the Love Out Loud Art and Music show our Friend Freedom Rodriguez puts on to raise money for his missions work in Africa.

The descriptive from the Love out Loud 2009 facebook page sums it up like this:

"Love Out Loud is an annual fund-raiser promoting the use of creative gifts and talents in cross-cultural ministry.

This event is inspired by exploring the question of the purpose of creativity. We may not all be artistic, yet the truth is we are all creative in various ways — through our vocations, hobbies, our everyday lives are filled with creativity. This creativity is ingrained in our human nature. Yet where does it come from? The Bible says that we are created in "His [God's] image" and we are the "workmanship [craftmanship or poem] of God". What does this mean in our daily lives? Is creativity solely meant for self-expression? Or should we actively pursue to glorify God in our creativity? This and many more questions are being asked. What's your conclusion? Maybe your still seeking. Well, Love Out Loud is the place you can explore these questions and possibly find the answer. Join us and feel the love."

If you are in the area, we hope you stop in to this creative extravaganza. There will be many hand made and painted items for sale, wonderful music by our friends Tab and David from Fool For Now, and I will be there both nights giving my contribution by playing some keyboard and doing backup vocals for the ever talented Herva.

Now, seriously, are you gonna wanna miss out on that last bit? I'm in a band for Pete's sake!! (Can we just guffaw together for a moment? )

Ok, now, back to business.

Here's the video Jamey and Freedom put together for those of you who haven't seen it:

Host:	Vintage Fellowship
Type:	Causes - Fundraiser
Network:	Global
Price:	FREE ADMISSION - Art and gift items for sale, and donations made to OM-ARTSLINK will be accepted.

Date:	Friday, September 25, 2009
Time:	7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:	Vintage Fellowship
Street:	3416 N. College Ave
City/Town:	Fayetteville, AR

Live it. Love it. And then, buy the t-shirt(they're really cool)!!

Love Out Loud from herva on Vimeo.

Homework for the long weekend

2009-09-04T11:16:00.004-05:00

"You've got big dreams? You want fame? Well, fame costs. And right here is where you start paying ... in sweat! "

Test on Tuesday people!!! ...2,3,4...

IN A WORLD WHERE MOVIES AND HEROES ARE MADE IN THE SAME KITCHEN

2009-09-02T15:55:00.007-05:00

Jamey and our middle schooler Ratchet have been plotting, planning, and preparing (for nearly a year now) the movie they've wanted to make with all the cousins. We needed to get the filming in before school(and puberty and such) so we decided to have a two day movie making extravaganza!

Here are a few behind the scenes looks into the making of FUZION WARRIORS.

In this first scene, "Little Chef" has cooked up some scary looking alien grub and the warrior clan will be filmed giving their various reactions to the strange new cuisine.

Naturally, Jamey will be adding all kinds of computerized awesomeness to transform my chaotic kitchen into pure movie magic. (Why can't we do this everyday?!)

Here's another sneak preview from the next day's filming. The scene about to be shot is in the Fuzion Warrior's hangout where they really get down to business, or just really get down depending on the danger level present.

Now, don't YOU feel safer knowing the Fuzion Warriors are on the scene?

I know I do. And I'll be sure to be at the premiere when this baby opens.

This movie is not yet rated.

A Vegas sized post

2009-08-31T15:30:00.005-05:00

Most of what happened in Vegas is very clearly going to stay there because I have waited way too long to make it any kind of pertinent news to my poor neglected readers. As many of you know, I've never really had an elephant sized memory, so if it weren't for photos, much of our trip would have no doubt sloughed out with the altitude change in the airplane. Fortunately for us(that's what your feeling right?) I was armed with my camera and will now present my findings in a series of pics and videos.

We had just one full day to get an eye full of Vegas because the other two days were eaten up with travel and plane delays. We got there late Tuesday and I quickly got my fix of gambling done with one major losing session. That's five dollars I'm just never going to get back-sniff.

Here is where I retreated after losing my lunch money in those stupid blood sucking slot machines. Marble floors and free upgrades are very consoling. The bidet, not so much.

The next day when we finally got up and out we spied these things:

fountains and casinos....

Lady Liberty and an inner city roller coaster...

Idols of all kinds..

Food for a very hungry JC...

olives for me Me ME!

Chocolate fountains...

mosaics a-plenty(for Katie)...

Chihuly glass for Dean...

escalators for Trisha...

night life for the rest of you(to keep the post length down-you understand.)

and one well celebrated birthday girl!

Thank you Sweetheart for such an exciting adventure!

And Happy 13th Anniversary to us today!!! I feel like the big winner here whether Vegas agrees or not!! :D XoxOXo

Dandy in the Kitchen

2009-08-23T19:00:00.008-05:00

Dandy always tells me he wants to be a chef when he grows up so we read this and tried the recipe at the end for some griddle cake funsies. I'll not be attempting Julia Child's classic first book anytime soon as much as I enjoyed the movie about her.

I'm working on my Vegas post...still (and trying to make shorter blog posts as well) so I'll see you soon!

A Muzac moment

2009-08-03T20:16:00.004-05:00

Sometimes the paparazzi tell little fibs to get the shots they want. It doesn't always work on Uncle Sean though. I think he's aware of my methods. ;)

My Vegas posts are still on the way....You know I'm easily distracted by the dance.

When FORTY sneaks up on you with loud clicky heals

2009-07-21T18:31:00.000-05:00

I was born in the sixties. Barely, but I like how that sounds to the ears of the young. Yes, in just one short day I am expected to turn forty. I've been fitted for my new glasses and will no doubt be the envy of all those below me when I strut these babies out amongst the people .

Why not wear it loud and proud all over your face, eh? Word.

When you turn forty, you slow down a hair and sometimes need more than a day or two to celebrate. I've just gone ahead and claimed the whole week for this metamorphosis to fit in all the naps and such that will no doubt be needed as I gain my mid-life zero.

Here's what some special girls and I did Friday to celebrate.

First we stuffed ourselves with Mexican food.

Then went to Jenna's house-o-fun, which was royally decked out for the party! The players left to right: Jenna, Sara, Becky, Trish,Lori, Moi, Arlynda

Then this happened....after the photo, I carefully side stepped off and went in and changed into proper swimwear like the forty year old I have become.

Here's where I was trying to coordinate the girls into a synchronized swimming spectacular. That never really panned out olympic style.

Somewhere in this post I was planning to list all of the wise and observant things I have learned up to this point in my life journey. But, not tending to be a deep or deeply organized person by nature, I haven't really succeeded at jotting down my most poignant (if fleeting) realizations that have hit me thus far.

I did manage to dive through a and wedge myself into a small ring at Jenna's pool. It only took this young and agile thing a few short minutes (and some huge thigh-flops) to wriggle myself free from the floatation device. It occurs to me now though that there could possibly be a metaphor of my life summed up in this very picture.

Don't see it? Let me help you. Though at times I appear to be floating mindlessly around in the carefree security of my youth, there are unseen struggles both in my actual mid-section as well as the mid-section of my days on earth. I push and pull to get loose from the things that bind me, all the while trying to contain my ridiculous juxtaposition between laughter and tears that swell and groan between the deep and shallow. I am wizened- but only halfway. There's a lot left of this vessel yet to navigate.

It's like English lit class all over again. If you can't find the meaning-just make it up! There, now back to the festivities....

Play some 80's friend montage music in your head to look at these next few.

Yes, friends are friends forever, and I got the most thoughtful gifts from these dearies. Here is a picture the talented Trisha painted of me to remember my glamorous side. Can you even believe her? :D

I shall remember this party as long as my memory actually holds out!! Thank you girls I LOVE YOU!!

And now I must move on to phase two of this bang up birthday party. JAMEY'S TAKING ME TO LAS VEGAS TODAY!!! Who knew I was this special?????

Stay tuned as I celebrate my official birthday in the city lights! I could get used to this.

You know I'm Trippin'!

2009-07-09T21:17:00.009-05:00

Sorry once again for straying from my land for far too long. It's been a fast paced whacked out summerpalooza of sorts around here. With one in summer school(and having a terrible go of it) and the other on a dead run toward friends and activities at all times, a special sister/friend in town from oversees visiting and tons of little trips in between. I've gone and gotten my hair all mussed and myself internally flustered in the process! How's this low energy gal to handle all this?! My nerves have literally been shocking themselves and my heart and head have taken to pulsing spells.

Yes, it IS quite pitiful. I'll give you that. I actually thought I was having a nervous breakdown one weekend! Then having the genius idea my thyroid meds were messing with me, I popped in to the doctor to check it. Turns out it was the first thing. I needed nerve pills for Pete's sake! What would I actually do if real problems came along? pfffft. Apparently, I don't begat from a long line of hearty stock when it comes to the old mental stamina. I'm a delicate. I've always told my oldest that I'm breakable so that he won't practice his Tae Kwon Do moves on me, and my youngest so he just won't whack me in general, but I guess I failed to realize how my psyche was right there in the squishy department as well! Oh bother.

But, neither of us need to dwell on my rattling marbles, so I'll show you a collection of pictures from our recent trip up to Illinois. The first week in July, all Jamey's family took the trip from Arkansas with tents ready for some grand camping and fishing on Granny's farm. There were 16-20 of us there in all with 8 kids age 11 down to 3. There were no cries of boredom from anyone. In fact, we thought the children had turned a little wild after the first few days. They stayed in a pack and grunted around a lot in the tall grasses.

J's brother and sis-n-law

J's dad and nephew

Brother in law and youngest boy

Jamey's sis and Mom(and camp cook extraordinaire)

Miley the only giant dog I love

Our lil' gipper

Proud fishermen J and the Ratchet

Rainy day kids gathered around a six inch t.v.

He's a loner, a rebel.

My tent looked much like this and was in a neighboring town. Did I mention I have anxiety issues? ;) Well, I slept the sleep of the heavily drugged when I made it here each night. Sweet sweet camping times for me. I DID get some unexpected company from my boys in the middle of one rainy night. Their tent leaked and they headed for the inn at 2:45 in the morning. They are probably lucky I wasn't packin' heat startling me at that hour!

And here's a little video that shows a rounder of where we were. It's not really entertaining but it gives the lay of the land to help make up for my short supply of pictures. Yay for peaceful and relaxing(finally- thanks Dr.)times with family.

P.S. Though there are 0 pictures of yours truly, I could almost swear I was there for some of it...oh wait, that is me making the boring video comments. Yep.

Hopefully, I'll get some more reports on my summer visitations going soon now that I've broken the freeze on the manage blog post page again. I hope you haven't all stopped visiting me all together! Until next time friends and fam! :D

A horse is a horse...

2009-05-30T09:22:00.008-05:00

Of course. Of course.

But when you use Mane 'n Tail,

You might become one as well!

Hope your day is as voluminously full as mine! :D (Whinny)

He's Gradumacated!!

2009-05-29T20:28:00.011-05:00

Boy oh Boy it's been quite a year!! Today we celebrated the Dandy One at his kindergarten graduation in the park. Not only did I enjoy my third free hot dog lunch of the week (quite an accidental accomplishment in itself), but I also got to see my babe receive his tiny little signed diploma saying that yes, in fact, he WAS at school all this time and hopefully learning things as well! Huzzah Huzzah!!

Now, even though I think it is silly to call the transition between kindergarten and first grade a "graduation" requiring Pomp and Circumstance or any other official procedure, I am so relieved that we've come this far with our sweet 'n' sour sauced little Dandy this year. He's a corker, that boy! A sauce dipped corker!

We'd known he would have challenges with school from his rough start in the world but we started him in a special therapeutic school midway through the year that helps him deal with his various issues and monitors his progress along the way for maximum success.

Here's a video he's working on for his final thesis this year starring lovable furry old me. I went all squishy last night when we watched it together because he kept pausing it to tell me he loved me. Little Punky. I heart my graduate!!!! XOXO :D

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CHILDREN OF ALL AGES:

2009-05-23T16:12:00.021-05:00

Friday night we took the boys to the circus!! Oh yes, and it was quite a sight to see. Unfortunately, we were right by the speakers so it was even more a sound to hear!

Dandy, our sensory overload kid, began to panic when the Ringmaster started in with his first of many "chance of a lifetime" deafening announcements, and immediately smacked his hands over his ears preparing to block out all surroundings. I knew when I glanced back at him crumpled over his daddy and descending into the blank stare of self preservation, that I'd better get him engaged in the action of what was in front of him or he'd forever be terrified of striped vests and cotton candy.

So I snagged my little 40 pounder and put him on my lap, clasping my hands into suction cups on both sides of his ears and that seemed to help his comfort level enough to take in the visuals.

And now on with the show! They started right in with the big cats and up until I began squeezing Dandy's head in a vice grip, I had been happily filming tiny snippets of what I was seeing while they readied the animals. Here's a peek at how close we were to the action.

Oopsie. I quietly turned off the camera and lowered it down whistling guiltily at this point. Jamey said later that he thought the announcer man was looking right at me while he mentioned that no digital cameras were allowed at all (Yes, excited lady stuck on the gum covered bleacher end, that means you!!). Who had anything else? I wondered, looking around. Were we supposed to bring sketch pads and rapidly draw all of these "chance of a lifetime" experiences they kept reminding us of. What year is this again? I did actually see the lion tamer using a Polaroid at one point and it made me wish I still had my early 80's version with the handle crank that brought forth the white magical square of captured time.

Ahh, but I understood. I just didn't think I was in a fancy enough experience to leave to the professionals to film. But, for sure they don't want PETA in there with digital videos of those poor tired animals getting poked and prodded three hours a night. No way, no how.

I did think about how they were treating their animals and I was keeping a close eye on the way the workers interacted with them and cracked the whips toward them. I never care for that part of wild animal training. I don't like how the giant cats look mad and ashamed when a lion tamer is making them maneuver over metal frames and each other for tiny chunks of meat. Something about that seems so wrong. At the same time though it is fascinating to watch and I had happily paid to see it all myself.

I was worried for a particular doggie entertainer though. He was wearing a plush elephant suit and walking around like a wind up toy. It was one of the cutest things I've seen in a while, naturally, but the little poochkie had to have been burning up in that extra fur suit! It didn't help that he was acting like he was collapsing over and over for the clown who had repeatedly wound him up with a huge foil looking cardboard key. It just went on way too long for my comfort levels knowing I myself (who since jr.high has had very little body hair) was practically sweating pools from the heat in that place while this elephant dog was blindly running around and then collapsing over and over for crowds of shouting people's amusement.

But then the clown "revived" him finally and in one swift move had the costume off the scotty type dog, who then proceeded to bolt around the ring with the hi-pro glow of a champion- totally proud of his toylike performance!

I don't know what to think about any of that. I was mostly just so relieved that I myself wouldn't have to grow old wearing a sequined leotard and slogging through elephant dung most nights of the week. I mean there is just no way I am cut out for that stuff! We could see three generations of circus entertainers out there doing what they've always done with their lives and it really seemed so so... tiring and unglamorous.

Yet, it was good old fashioned entertainment in every sense of the word. The boys had a great time and even Jamey thanked me for making him go (hee hee). It was indeed a marvel of stunts and folly that only the Greatest Show On Earth is capable of. One might even go so far as to call it a chance of a lifetime.

Because I've been MIA from my blog...

2009-05-19T08:46:00.004-05:00

I'll post a photo of young Ratchet who played the part of a hippie in his fifth grade program last Thursday. That will at least change the scene until I manage to get back to business in my land. "To everything... turn turn turn. There is a season...turn turn turn." I should have had him turn turn turn his hand around so that he's not flipping people off British-style. Sorry about that Lynn and Dive. I promise you he comes in peace.

Happy Birthday Arly!!

2009-04-30T20:57:00.011-05:00

We have seen some pretty rockin' times together my friend and that was only in the first forty years of life! Thanks for being the Romy to my Michele all these years. We'll keep our heads held high together no matter what (hair or clothing)challenges await us in the future! Love you much! :D

Bear Grylls vs. blue suede hiking shoes

2009-04-21T09:18:00.013-05:00

Ratchet should be shaking a leg at school today in hopes of landing the part of Elvis in their fifth grade musical review scheduled for next month. He's half hearted about the whole thing because there are no big speaking roles-just music, music and more music. Apparently he prefers acting to singing though he did do both in last years production of 'Santa's Ho Ho Ho Down' (or something to that effect), where he enjoyed a little taste of fame after playing the Bearded One himself with a full bellied chortle and ad-libbed dance jig that surprised and thrilled the audience toward the end of the show.

This year, the only part that interests him is the Elvis number. So, as any scary stage mom would, this morning I made him show me what he was going to do at the audition. Nonplussed by the idea of becoming Elvis in his own kitchen at breakfast time, he stood there and dutifully sang 'Teddy Bear'. Well, this wouldn't do as you can imagine, so I was forced to get up and show him the wide legged bent kneed stance he was going to need to pull off a believable impression. After seeing his mother gyrating around in the kitchen with arms quaking out to the sides, his skepticism about my Elvis knowledge increased. What else were we to do than consult the all knowing Youtube for a proper instructional on The King. I think Ratchet was surprised to find Elvis doing many of my same actions only in such a way that they didn't really look so redonkulous coming from him. I can't imagine. I guess we'll see soon enough how it all turns out. I told him that in a class of 300 or so kids, there were bound to be a few good Elvis impersonators, so he'd better bring his "A" game for the ladies in the room. I told you I was scary.

Speaking of characters we pretend to play. Yesterday we took a picnic dinner and went on a short woodsy hike outside of town to get a feel for the new "Outdoorburg" persona we are working on this year.(It doesn't come entirely naturally for some of us.) While waiting on our wandering leader who was going ahead for a quick check, I made Ratchet do his Man vs. Wild-Bear Grylls impression for me. Because he was in serious hiker mode, he didn't really get into it as he sometimes does. But you'll get the idea. Be careful with the volume though as Dandy does some impromptu yelling at the beginning and I'm not exactly quiet in stage mom mode myself..

Life is a stage you know. A tick infested stage.

Thursday in the big town

2009-04-16T21:21:00.012-05:00

I've got a few tidbits to share before I head off to bed and lose it all. I want to remember this day and the simple pleasures it gave me before I sleep and it becomes, well, yesterday.

This morning, a.k.a. trash day, I planned to position myself at the window in clear view of the can at the curb outside. This was not hard for me as I am usually at this window enjoying 1-3 cups of coffee and the company of my computer friends most a.m.'s. My plan was to watch the "waste team" as they came across the poster board you may or may not remember from Ratchets cowboy b-day party. It looks a little something like this:

And it was sitting next to the black can waiting to be disposed of. Now, I ask you, what regular human could resist picking up this poster with an adult sized hole sitting atop a goofy picture and NOT immediately put their head through it? It just isn't done. Knowing this and hoping not to be disappointed, I carefully peeked out the window. There were two guys there hanging from the back of the truck so I was encouraged. Then the one closest to the curb hopped off and methodically went for the can, first tossing the top bags until it was lighter and then lifting the whole can in. Then, still lacking enthusiasm, he grabbed the extra stuff including the poster board and tossed it all into the back of the truck.

"Wait." I thought, as he looked at what he'd just thrown. Then YES, he pulled the stiff board back out of the trash and popped it right onto his head to show his partner! I thrilled as I watched them smile at each other. I kept watching and sure enough, the first dude wore the thing around his head until the next stop where he proceeded to get out and stand perfectly still, hands supporting the sides of the picture until the driver of the truck noticed him! Finally, after giving him a good look and laughing with the buddy in back, he jogged around to the passenger side of the trash truck, opened the door and tossed in the poster for safe keeping. I LOL'ed and clapped with glee inside my house knowing Jamey's silly poster will live on another day. It was so fun giving those dudes a little lift in their stinky stanky Thursday run. I sighed thinking that was really all I needed to happen today. Then, I instantly wondered what we could do next week to surprise our hard working trash getters. Maybe it was a one time thrill for us all. I supposed a live possum surprise wouldn't thrill as much as frighten/annoy, so that big guy under the house may have to wait. Whatever the case, it was good not-so-clean fun on this particular morning.

After school, my boys and I went to the park and enjoyed the perfect Spring day. There is a creek running along beside it and they both took off their shoes and waded through until their feet were bright pink and nearly frozen. I sat on a rock at the edge of the water like the lizard that I am, and just soaked in all the Lithium my brain could process. Dude, what a rush. Dandy, normally physically challenged by any new terrain, was amazing as he took to the cold rocky surface like Gollum from the Lord of the Rings. He had all fours down at several points, but kept this determined look mixed with wonder on his face as he maneuvered the rocks awkwardly with his bony tender frame. After about 45 minutes, he announced from the middle of the stream that he wanted to stay there[with his Precious]forever. Baha. The sunshine was affecting us all apparently.

When it was almost time to get back home for dinner, Ratchet decided to ride his bike up the hill toward home and Dandy stayed for one last hurrah on the playground. While The D was messing about, we ran into one of Ratchet's favorite teachers of all time (from Kindy and first grade). We rarely see her but have been following her blog and praying for her as she has been battling cancer for over a year, and has been a huge inspiration to hundreds of people she's encountered along the way.

Her daughter took this picture of us today and she put it up on her blog just for my big boy to see and to leave a special message to him. It pained me to hug her goodbye as the doctors have given her only a couple months and I wasn't sure we'd get to experience her delightful personality and smile again this side of heaven. If the Lord chooses to heal her and keep using her to his glory on earth, there will be a huge celebration of this wonderful lady, no doubt. She simply glows with the love of Christ and I felt blessed to have seen her on this perfect Spring day.

Now though, it is midnight and my Thursday has officially ended- therefore so must the story. I hope you all have as wonderful a Friday as I enjoyed today. And may the weekend give you cause to be wanted by the sheriff fer all that fun your a havin'. XOXO

Oh what a night!!

2009-04-07T09:06:00.013-05:00

BUT NOT in that Frankie Valli seventies song way-- if anyone is now humming that old tune to themselves and imagining circling the skating rinks in their minds like I am. Perhaps you don't think in song. Anyway, the particular night I'm speaking of was last night, and now that you mention it, it did seem to be cruising along like a well oiled wheel on a skate. R.E.M. sleep was fully in place with all the cartoon peaceful sounds of sleep going on around us. Honk-shoo. Honk-shoo. Delightful.

Then, at 3:00am. Violent muffled screams went off in my head. I proceeded to apply them to my dream and continue sleeping. But wait, I know that voice. It is the something's-not -right-in- my-life banshee call of the 6 year old. Ok. So I folded myself like a rusty arm chair and started the getting out of bed process. I shuffled along resembling Tim Conway doing his old Mrs. HaWiggins bit and began closing in on the door at the end of our small bedroom.

Suddenly, and it always is, WHOOSH! Jamey is up in his wild check the house frenzy, racing past me headed for the stairs. "Oh." I thought to myself. "(yawn)He's on the case." There I wisely froze out of his way for the instant that he'd be brushing by. Then, he reaches the stairs mumbling something about tripping the alarm. "Alarm? I wonder what that is?" I began thinking to myself with incredible precision. We don't have any sort of alarm, so I make a mental note to ask Jamey about this later when down he goes into a ninja crouch at the foot of the stairs. I continued to stare at him fully trusting he knew something I didn't as he ducked and stepped in slow motion over and around the space in front of him on the first three steps of the empty staircase. Meanwhile, the screaming continues overhead. Now Ratchet is awake and calling down to us dutifully from the landing above. "Dad? Dandy needs something." He states, trying not to sound annoyed.

At this point Jamey has only made it a few more steps up because he is having to climb through all kinds of invisible laser beam trip wires to get to his son-who's clearly in danger. Instead of blazing past him to the bellowing child or asking what the heck he's doing, somewhere inside me I start to suspect something funny is going on. Much too tired for such things now, I make a note to laugh hysterically about it in the morning, and head to the restroom.

Once Jamey finally realizes he's not on a mission impossible, and finally makes it upstairs to trouble shoot, he manages to handle the situation ,which was of course not a situation at all. Dandy, in his own convoluted dream sequence, thought there was no light on in the upstairs bathroom or anywhere else (though there were) and had begun his own not so silent alarm process. So many alarms, so little wakefulness between them. Poor chaps.

Bad sitcom completed, to bed we headed to resume the blissful descent into nigh nigh. Wait, no. Is that another murderous scream? I'm afraid so. This time Dandy was violently complaining that the air vent was too loud in his room and he couldn't hear his cd properly. Really? Wow. Good times.

Next it's the chihuahua's turn to shine. Tulip, who is now awake and curious in her room, suddenly needs to see her mommy and begins feverishly trying to claw the door down between us crying loudly. I get back up, this time feeling jittery and weak from low blood sugar. I go for my glucose tabs beside the bed, but in my loosey goosey state I dropped and clumsily lunged at the huge bottle causing a loud maraca sound to scatter across the room as I caught them again. Jamey did no leaping this time but no doubt would have if I'd waited until he'd drifted off just a little further. I went in and shushed the dog once, but a half an hour later she was back at it begging to come in the rest of the house. This time I just opened the door and she shot straight to the warm spot between us in the bed-the very reason why both dogs get shut in another room at night in the first place. But, you know, because it's THAT kind of night, instead of nestling down to sleep, Tulie begins an elaborate self cleaning process with all kinds of smacking and kicking about, shaking the bed with each move. OH MERCIFUL NOT QUITE DAY it was annoying!

So the dog was sent packing back to her assigned room where she chose to save her own life by shutting it until morning. Bless her little tan hide.

This morning after waking to an even worse blood sugar spell and resting it off, I finally managed to pull it together and work in one huge chortle over Jamey's nocturnal stair maneuvers. Sadly, he was in no mood to fully enjoy his own antics, so I am forced to share my sighting with you to get it all properly off my chest. Whew!

Oh, and just in case you're wondering, I did get J's permission to make this report. You see, when it comes to my amusement (or taking on imaginary intricate security devices to save a child in crises), my hubby is always there for me!

Life is goood. Dreams are better. :D

*Had to rush this to post to remain timely and fit in a quick trip out of town. Please forgive blatant errors in writing tenses and such. !SKNAHT

Whole brained but half rumped

2009-04-01T17:49:00.016-05:00

Boy, it really has been a long time since I've actually written much of anything on here, hasn't it? I think I got out of the habit of writing while the Winter funk was swirling around in my brain. I don't usually find this the place to express my inner most feelings(squish squish) and I don't really enjoy being super serious on my blog. I also don't hang on a thought long enough to be interesting most days.

Considering I tend to prefer intake to being the main voice in the room, I would rather look in on you folks, or read/watch/listen to the clever people around me than come up with my own topics for presentation. Of course, it could just be because I'm as slow as MOlasses being quietly released from the tiniest of spickits. (Spickit isn't a word? I'm pretty sure other people say this so I'm going with it.) Maybe if Spellcheck approved of me more....

>>Update: OH SPIGOT! Right Right! I didn't try that one. Wordlilly's got my back!

But, now that I've broken the seal on the syrup bottle, I might as well share a few tidbits about lil' ole me. Fairly recently, among many many more meaningful and world changing epic things, I've made a hobby out of taking Facebook quizzes.

Yes it IS awesome-I KNOW!

ANYway, I've taken a few of those lately upon check-in and have decided they are curiously helpful in explaining some key pieces to this peculiar being we call SHAN.

So now with much testing and without further ado, here's what I now know about myself:

1) If I were a dog I would be an AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD.

Hmm...Ok. Family oriented, reserved but not to be taken for shy or insecure(still up in the air at this point) and extremely hairy if I recall from the picture.

Upon reflection, there was a time when I had to beg my mom to let me shave my legs before debuting my pep club uniform at school in 7th grade. I guess that was when my hairiness was at its pinnacle. No young lady wants to be known as "Chimp-the other mascot" during those tender middle school years. "This breed is not for everyone" rings true here as well.

2)I TYPE roughly 47 words per minute currently-which beats my all time high in high school of 37. Blogging is honing my skill beautifully. I'm really a marvel to behold after twenty something short years.

3)Typing tests won't keep me from what I was meant to do, however, and it was incredibly keen on Facebook's part to realize the JOB MOST SUITED TO ME is...pause for dramatic effect..

DANCER.

But how did they..? (fanning eyes, gulping and rolling lips inward)

4)The next test, though entirely separate, continued with my natural leanings. For what better place to dance than the CITY assigned to me? NYC, NEW YORK!! Start spreadin' the news, I'm leavin' as soon as the recession ends.

5)Why not? I already have the NORTHERN AMERICAN ACCENT fully in place, even if I've only lived in Oklahoma and Arkansas. I feel certain I could do a convincing Boastonian as well. Geography can't quiet the yankee in me!

6)But if I get no roles because my jealous GREEN HEART gets the best of me.. (What do they know anyway. Those girls are all lights-no music. I'm the real thing. With a little cosmetic surgery, a full-time nanny and several years of physical training, why I could..)

7)As a fallback, I might get in the mix and do what comes natural for me as a SOCIAL REFORM THEORIST. Because, I've now been likened to VOLTAIRE, and that's just the way I think. (If I understood or cared a lick about such philosophical things.)

8)What else would make my WRITING STYLE resemble VIRGINIA WOOLF'S? She and I...well apparently though brilliant woman's libbers, tending to be a wee suicidal at times, are/were certainly all about the stream-of-conciousness writing style. Did I eat breakfast? Oh look, my nails have grown!

9)Though I'm a little on the high maintenance side, if in fact I were a CLASSIC NOVEL, blog friend Robyn would appreciate me-as testing proves me to be the book TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Ah, but I realize now that's just the social reformer working itself out again. Tell true Facebook. Tell true.

10)It's really what you can expect from a WHOLE BRAINED person like myself. I'm rare in that sense. So uniquely even minded I am, that I'm teriffically mediocre at almost everything! I eat and write with the left hand, but sport and support with the right. I have a moderate amount of interest in the Arts as well as the Sciences but neither ignites a complete fire in my....

11)FEMALE BRAIN. I'm just too girly for passion I s'pose. ( Titter titter titter-squeak!)

So there it is. My homemade compilation meme. Feel free to hunt down and take all of these quizzes yourself. It can be worked into any schedule with just a few minutes a day over several weeks time. I can't honestly think of what I would have done without knowing what flavor of ice cream I am- not that I would share that with you now and end on such a cold note.

I wonder if there is a casserole quiz...uummm..I'm hungry. What would Facebook make of this new finding?

Everything went OK at the corral...

2009-03-21T18:48:00.005-05:00

Eleven reasons to celebrate!

2009-03-16T21:14:00.012-05:00

Happy Birthday sweet boy. You are a delight to our hearts and we love you!!!

Ratchet rocked the party yesterday and it wasn't even his actual party! We had a fabulous time in the park with ALL of the cousins and then we took ourselves over to the pizza place to give the evening a nice saucy ending. What a great kid.

HAVE A HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY BLOGVILLE!

Loading...please wait

2009-03-04T16:18:00.003-06:00

I've got nothing. Actually I have too much and can't sort it all out into anything short-ish and interesting. So I'll just post this photo of the next door neighbors dog to change the page up a bit until I get back here with life updates. In this pic he's on the porch roof but when we first saw him yesterday he was standing like a weather vane on the very top of their two story house! It looked hilarious and you'll just have to take my word for it. Silly climbing critter.

Happy Wednesday.

Showin' the luuuv.

2009-02-17T09:05:00.010-06:00

Here's what I woke up to on Valentines day morning:

There were cards...

And homemade paper flowers in a paper wrapped vase....

Oh yes, and homemade wrapping paper around my present....which was a hands free phone cord for my latest celly. You can picture that part yourself.

That evening, we went to dinner in a neighboring town and had some delicious Mexi food together. (I don't take pics of EVERY meal we eat so imagine 4 hogs(one with a red wig)at a trough for this part, because that's a pretty accurate mental image.

All together it was quite a delightful day.

On Sunday it was my turn to show my Valentine a less greedy side of myself (which would be my right, no doubt, because I'm a lefty). So, with the help of my darling friend Jenna, who offered to keep the chaps-sweet thang that she is- I took my fellow to see his other true love....

SUSHI!!!! EEEEEEEK!!! I don't even eat COOKED fish(gagging sounds)!!!!!!!!!!!

But since he made me those pretty flowers, I turned off the flop sweat and tried a vegetable sushi roll with soy paper wrapping and something called "crunch" on the outside. Let me tell you right now non suchi eaters, this stuff was absolutely delicious!! I might even be able to crave it from time to time and join the sushi revolution currently in progress. If I could just master those chopsticks a bit more...

After making the waitress take our picture, we finished the evening at the nearby bookstore with coffee and zero children in tow. Pure relaxation.

So, there's a story that only family and hopeless romantics can appreciate. Girl feels loved. Girl attempts sacrifice for love. Girl avoids seafood disaster. Girl goes to Barnes and Noble with her love. Girl realizes she has made no sacrifice at all-typical. Girl loves boy....still.

I hope your weekend was just as satisfying.

Last night at Tabbitha's house

2009-02-10T12:19:00.005-06:00

This broke out. Freestyle jammin' with Tabs, David and Jamey. Take a peek. We had such fun I actually suggested meeting at our house next time. With the kind of social activity I've had lately, I don't know how I'm going to keep up my hermit act much longer! It's really gonna be touch and go.

When you take the eighties very seriously.....

2009-02-08T17:36:00.007-06:00

you end up with extremely tall hair and lots of attitude! Man I loved those faux leather snakeskin shoes! Can you believe some people at my conservative Christian college were actually afraid of me? It must have been my mauve awesomeness that intimidated them.

What were you donning or doing in 1988?

Or we could each just order one of these

2009-02-06T10:24:00.002-06:00

I can't wait to get my puzzle pieces! Have a great weekend everyone!

Hey! You're here! I like that about you!

2009-02-03T15:16:00.007-06:00

I found this little film over at Jason's blog and I just had to snatch and patch it over here to share it with my readers. I'm excited about this mini movie because it summarizes one of my major life philosophies so well. I try to remind myself that we would all be so much better off if we were more affirming of each other on a daily basis. It's a Stewart Smalley thing but with the mirror sort of angled out so the compliment is reflected to others instead. "You're good enough, you're smart enough, and doggoneit people like youuuuuuu!"

What I've always just thought of as "encouragement" is really better termed in this film as "validation". Whatever the case, I decided long ago that if I have any sort of talent or special gift at all, it must be the talent of pointing out other peoples talents! YESS!! (Aside from the obvious talent of using the word "talent" multiple times in a sentence, of course.)

Giving encouragement or validation is such an easy thing to do and it certainly can improve a persons mood if done with kindness and sincerity. So, I'm once again challenged to use this... (dare I say talent again so soon? Ah well if you've got it flaunt it right?)TALENT to point out the good in people around me!

I want to be a highlighter pen in this world, not a red one, circling peoples mistakes and making nasty comments in the margins!

And now, as Jason did, I'll ask you to watch this clever film about validation. It is a little on the long side, but I think if you take the time you'll also be inspired to focus on the good in people and see just how much of an impact a few kind words can have.

Now, let's get out there and make some smiles happen people! Who's with me?!! Gimme an S!!!...

Icy times

2009-01-29T08:26:00.010-06:00

Greetings blogland! I am happy to be able to check in with you today as half of our little town is totally without power! Our house went without for only one night and then it miraculously came back on and seems to be doing fine even though the whole electrical unit has been ripped off the side of the house!!! What an ice storm we've had!

I went by myself for an overnight trip to Oklahoma City (three hours Southwest) on Sunday because I wanted to attend a special cousin's funeral service scheduled for Monday morning. The ice started there on Monday but several of us were able to get to the church in a town outside of OKC and then over to the graveside service and back in the freezing rain. By the time we made it back to my mom's house on the North side of the city, the streets had become way too dangerous to go any further. Though two of my relatives from the panhandle decided they HAD to get back home, my cousin Kris (who had travelled 4 hours from Dallas, Texas) and I couldn't face the increasing ice. So, there we stayed. And stayed some more until Wednesday when the sun peeked out to melt some of the highways enough to brave our solo trips in opposite directions.

In the meantime my boys were fending for themselves and suffering a 24 hour power outage in a state just above and to the right of me. Needless to say, I felt more than a little selfish having a constant gourmet snack fests and rollicking game times with my parents and cousin, who we rarely get to see but thoroughly enjoy.

After Krissy decided she'd better try to get back to the helm of her business, and my parents to theirs, I wandered around the house in full dorkdom trying to get up the nerve to leave myself. If you dare to watch this riveting video you will realize I'm suffering a touch of the cabin fever. That's the excuse I'm sticking with anyway...

When I realized I was just stalling for time, I too decided to head out and try the roads. They were totally fine for more than half the trip so I only had to kick the bravery in toward the end of the last turnpike. Ahh, but there's no place like home. Even if home looks like a crystalized war zone. Stay warm everyone!!

Born to shine, or past my prime?

2009-01-20T15:37:00.008-06:00

My phone made its last call this weekend and slipped away some time Monday without so much as a final vibration. I'd only had it a few years but that didn't keep the shoddy workmanship from shining through, no sir. Nor did it keep the nice saleslady from mocking my "ancient sim card" when she whipped the back off of my lifeless companion and dug out the tiny fingernail sized chip under the battery. She managed to retrieve the old info pretty as you please and copy them over to my 2009 model so that was just swell.

I thought as they waited to have me pay until the end of the process, that it might be a funny joke to painstakingly choose a new celly after quizzing all workers and shoppers on each phone's specific differences, get everything transferred over and all the new contract bits approved and then say "Yeah, like, this is cool and all but I think I'll shop around a bit before actually deciding on my new phone." But, sometimes my joke thoughts are really not very funny at all and this was one such time.

So, after a quick blank stare to wander that mental rabbit trail, I whipped out my debit card and swiped the thing to get my new phone paid for and myself back from that day long communication hiatus. (Can you even imagine the isolation of only having a home phone and internet? Why, anything could have happened!)

My shopping trip took no more than 15 minutes. And I thought I had handled all of this electronic decision making pretty well considering it usually takes me longer than that to pick out the right lip balm. Normally when buying cell phones and such, I use my phone-a-friend option and call Jamey for some in-depth research and decision help. But I had this thing in the bag! I knew that my phone needs were completely basic and that I would not require any huge roll out key pads or touch screens. I thought if this particular phone was Born to Shine then that sounded like a motto I could get behind as well!!

And then she showed me how to put a picture of my "grandkids" on the main screen.

Apparently some of us are born to shine and others of us merely shine with a light coating of age-defying facial creme. I understand. Do you suppose Jennifer Aniston gets this when she goes out shopping? Hmph. I think I'm starting to feel like a two year old cell phone.

I smell drama

2009-01-16T21:04:00.007-06:00

What chemical reaction suddenly caused my candle to turn Roman and start hosing the place with wax and sparks? It was close to the bottom so I suppose it found the end of the wick, but where does the plastic effect come in? Candles are way up there on the list for fire starting so I'm sure this is completely normal for some demon spawn variety candles, but I've never seen the likes of one of these before. Have you?

Experimentation

2009-01-14T09:10:00.006-06:00

Ahhhh....the art of being relationally understated. Or is it a science? I'm not sure yet. I'm coining a descriptive term for my husband here because he can lack for personal exuberance in his delivery at times. I don't mean that negatively as I appreciate an even keel. I just mean he is lacking a certain element of drama in his stories when you might expect to get, well at least a tidbit of rise and fall.

Like the time when I decided to wax on about... oh, I don't remember but it was something happening to me equivalent to, say, a tight head band. I was no doubt reeling around and dramatically pulling the thing from my temples having Jamey rub the indention on my head until I could muster up the strength to go on. All I really remember was that I was voicing my woes about something silly and then a few minutes of ample sympathy later, he raised his shirt six inches looked at his stomach and said "Hmmph." in a slightly annoyed tone. I of course said "What?". Then he mumbled in the laziest way "Oh I guess I've got a hernia." "WHAT?" This time I was louder, and I looked to see what he was talking about. Sure enough, there by his navel was an obvious blowout between his skin and muscle layers! ( I apologize if that makes anyone queazy.) At this point I'm feeling like my "tight headband" condition might pale ever so slightly to this new revelation. Yet, Jamey was giving me close to nothing reaction wise while discovering that his guts were practically spilling out on the floor!! (See, I know how to give attention where attention is due. ;)

That was one of probably many examples where a casual presentation on the husby's side leads to a larger than normal reaction on my side. I'm sure there's some law describing this imbalance like Newton's third law "For every action there is an equal or opposite reaction". Only it would be a fourth or fifth law that states "For every under reaction, there is a wildly overdone counter reaction to equal out the overall level of general action ." or something like that. I didn't finish college so my scientific analysis may contain nuts and or milk products.

My whole point here is not whether or not I remember science(or math?) rules but that this phenomenon has happened again. And it never fails to catch me off guard! There we were at a restaurant sitting around eating chicken and taking pictures of each other eating chicken.

(Ratchet and friend )

( Me, the under reactor, and Dandy)

Then, as an afterthought, Jamey looks at his hand and says to himself "Yep, that seems to have done the trick." Well, this is of course where I look up from my battered french fries and mutter through greasy lips "What?" with little or no enthusiasm. So he lays out his giant manly paw and says "I fixed my nail." Ok, I'm confused. And I say as much, so he continues. " Well remember the other day when I said my fingernail got torn a little and it went to the quick?" "Sure, sure," I say wondering why we are talking about fingernails. "Well, I fixed it and it doesn't hurt anymore." "OK. But I don't see what you are talking about. You're nails look fine." Then to myself "gee you'd think he had a hernia or something bringing up his nail again." And then the surprise. "That's because I put a fake nail on it." he says with the same lack of affect as before. "WHAT?" I ask for clarity. "WHERE?" "Right here." He says showing me his hand again. "I CAN'T SEE IT!!!" I say now with disbelief and increasing inquiry.

And there it was on his ring finger. I still couldn't tell it was fake, just that it was a hair longer than the others. It looked absolutely congenital, like he was born with Sally Hanson's on!!! I absolutely guffawed as I imagined how that thing got on his nail without me having ANY part of it!! I sat there laughing at him as I imagined the shopping involved in the process. Then I moved on to the skillful sizing and trimming he obviously had done and then to the gluing and the clear coat of paint that was on all of his nails and I laughed some more! How does he manage to be so understated even as he dabbles in cross dressing????

OH MY I needed that little surprise. When I asked how he possibly got a set of fingernails big enough to fit his manly proportions, he just said "It's a thumb, so I have two that fit." You know. Just when you think you're aware of what's going on in your house......surprise, surprise.

And so I've decided to coin the term "Relationally understated" as a descriptive for my husbands type of personality. He has got the quiet physical comedy down and half the time it seems purely accidental. Don't even get me started on the "neighbors slide incident" that story is for another time and place!

Do you know someone like this? If so please feel free to use this terminology next time you speak of their drama inducing delivery. It is the equal and exact opposite of the way I'm wired and so I find it quite entertaining. It's clearly an art form. Or maybe it's science. I still don't know.

A New Year's 360

2009-01-04T18:16:00.008-06:00

Happy New Year Everyone!!! I know I'm a little late with this latest proclamation but I was trying to wait until it felt genuine and like I actually yelled it with glee. Let me just admit to you now that those last two to three exclamation marks weren't necessarily from the gut. I tried but really they were a little forced to be honest.

Of course I mean for everyone to have a fabulous year-don't get me wrong-but I'm just not my usual chipper self about it all. I'm ready to hear some really good news folks! I would like to hear that Ladybird Rufflebottoms* got her dream job that pays just the right amount saving her from doing anything drastic about her house. I'd like to hear "business is getting stronger" from a close relative who's worked most of his life to build a company toward retirement only to have it screech to a halt and dry up just when he needs it most. I would like to know that our precious friends the Wondersteins* will soon get a clean bill-o-health report on their little trooper boy suffering from cancer. It would in fact be awfully nice to hear that news from some of you as well! How about less premature death this year? Or maybe just a specific life rescued from drug abuse and mental woes with a miraculous full recovery.

YES! I NEED TO HEAR SOME OF THAT NEWS THIS YEAR!

If it seems like I'm just looking at the dark side of the room, that's because I have found myself there lately. I've had a few glimmers of happiness recently though and I don't think I'll reach for the antidepressants just yet. I feel like it actually takes times like these in our lives to remind us that we are not just here for our own pursuit of happiness, but we are here to muddle through a fallen world until our Saving Grace arrives to scoop us up and say "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

I don't really expect to hear that upon scoop up. Right now I'd hear something more like "Why such a weakling, mediocre and lackluster servant? Could you not have put forth just a touch more effort in my name?" I, of course, would deserve much more of a talking to, but I really can't bear to think about my personal failings right now.

Right now I've got these worries for my beloved friends and family. I want to help each one of them but in every case I find myself lacking. All I can really do is pray and sometimes my brain is even too confused to do that well. I realize I don't have to pray eloquently or list every detail. I just have to do it. And often. God is so amazing to watch in action as he takes care of his people. He knows more than we do what needs to happen. And he can reach people in ways we never expect him to.

So I'm forced to trust Him in his choices. He wants us to need Him and He expects us to call on Him for comfort and answers when we can't find them ourselves. He has not failed me and He will not fail those who call on Him, even as the heat cranks up on our discomfort. We can choose to be refined by these fires rather than destroyed by them as the study of Daniel once taught me. I've made it through a few personal "fires" and I know how the Lord was never more real to me than in those particular instances. He cares about us more than we can possibly perceive and I know in my human failings that I can trust Him!!! And it seems as though I might even be getting my three exclamation point exuberance back!!!

Ok, I think I'm through giving myself this extravagant pep talk in front of you all. And now that I've dragged you to the darkened corners of my mental room and back, can I offer up some hopeful news? We have a God that can take over where we leave off!!! May He help us each pull ourselves up and be all that we were meant to be this year in the joyful and difficult times! And, my prayer is that He protects us and shows us just what we are individually gifted to do to bring Glory to His Kingdom. YOU ARE MIGHTY LORD!!! And I give you my praise. Amen

Now that I'm feeling a tad less mopey, how about you tell me something you are hoping to accomplish in 2009. Do you have a new exercise plan, a work challenge, or perhaps a new hairdo on the horizon? Do tell.

(C-berg's in front of some brilliant LED Christmas lights in Oklahoma City)

* some names slightly altered for privacy sake

Time to fire up the sleigh and make our rounds!

2008-12-21T22:20:00.007-06:00

We try to make use of having a graphic designer in the family when we can. But we haven't been able to get our act together recently to top 2005's card. I thought I'd share it anew with my blog friends and give those who've received one a reminder that we have actually managed to send out cards until fairly recently.

I'm hoping to hit the rooftops of each of my blog reading friends before Christmas but if not...

Have a very very Merry Christmas my lovelies near and far!! I am so thankful to have known you for years, or to have recently made your acquaintance as in the case of some of my newer friends in the great land of Blog! What a wonderful bunch of people!! May the Lord bless you this year and into the future of '09 and beyond!

Much love and air hugs,

Shan and fam

And they call it Puppy Love

2008-12-18T20:36:00.014-06:00

Well, I have just had quite the scare from my serene young cat-dog this week! I noticed she was looking a little green around the gills yesterday morning as she robotically walked right by the scene of me giving her sister a treat, and barely managed to give us a slight courtesy glance. This is highly unusual behavior for a Boss Hogg type of dog like Tulip. Nothing goes down between Tiki (our well mannered pomeranian) and a human that Tulip doesn't try to intervene somehow-usually with her midsection poised atop Tiki's head if at all possible.

But on this day OH DEAR! My little poochie was sick! I immediately got down on the floor to begin asking her what was going on and how I could help her. She stood, eyelids at half mast, like a pony at the fair just waiting to be reloaded with a bratty kid. Then, as if loaded, she walked on with the same measured steps she'd been doing before, so I got up and followed. Steadily she walked all the way outside and down the stairs and then proceeded to do some throwing up. Just as slowly, she walked all the way back inside only to repeat the process moments later with a bathroom trip. It was strange to watch my normally spunky fast paced chi hoo hoo turn so serious (even polite) and just go about her illness as if having had trained for such times. I watched in worried fascination.

This time though she came back in and walked under the table and flopped over into a strange twist with her buns (haunches?) down and her ribcage turned all the way to the side and she started doing this slow twitch with front paws together at the wrist and her back legs stiffening out behind her each time she flinched her stomach muscles. You can probably guess what happened next, but if you can't I'll tell you. Naturally, I burst into tears and thought Tulie was going to kick it!! It was horrible!! By the time I got myself dressed and ready to take her to the vet she was looking a little more relaxed and was able to get up in a chair and rest so I cooled my jets a bit.

I was expecting company the whole day beginning with some friends of mine and ending with my nephews after school so I just kept my eye on Tulie for the rest of the day to make sure she wasn't going to do any more doggie Lamaze.

She was somewhat better today but I took her to the Vet this morning to make sure she wasn't dehydrated. He gave her a shot for her stomach pain and doggie antibiotics which were super fun to try to trickle down her throat by myself. At one point in our wrangling, I noticed my mouth was right beside hers and I thought it would be funny if I squirted the chalky liquid in my own jowl accidently rather than hers. Grodimus.

Can I make a story out of ANYthing or what, you ask? Well, it scared me!! I am not a brave pet owner when it comes to these things! I can't even trim my dogs toenails because I made Tulip yelp once having clipped a nail too short. And then of course, Tiki had some horrible bowel blowout earlier in the year which was one of my very first entries on my blog as I recall. Canine Colon trouble always makes for good blog fodder don'tcha know????

And now, as a tribute to little Tulip, who is feeling ever so much better aside from some wicked gas. I shall share with you a poem that came to me all at once as I curled up beside her one evening while she slept on my bed. Now, I'm no poet. I don't like poetry and I certainly don't claim to be able to write it seriously. This just plopped out of my head like it was from the cosmos so I jumped up and wrote it down without giving it any second thoughts. So don't mock me. Or do, I don't care-baha. This is copied from my old Myspace mini-blog.

a bedtime poem
Category: Life

I Laid Down With My Chihuahua

I laid down with my Chihuahua and thought about the world.

She growled at me a little and I thought about the world.

It growls at me a little too and smells a bit as well.

I think about that big round world that turns and smells and growls.

And nestles itself down for sleep while half of it stands guard.

It guards itself against itself and yet still fails to win,

because it's hind leg wiggles up and gets bitten in the shin.

Yes, the world goes round and thinks it's tough but small it really is.

To the great "I am" it struts its stuff with Bravado and its kids.

We have no clue where we're to go just feel our way is right.

And, of course, the Master sees our plans and still kisses us goodnight.

She is not just a dog in a vest after all....she is my muse!

All in a days play

2008-12-10T10:49:00.009-06:00

Todays excuse for not blogging lately: I can't type very well while wearing knit gloves on my frozen mitts.

Ok, no, that's not really it, though my mitts are definitely frozen. I guess I'd just rather not be the prime talker, as my self edit button is usually on the fritz, and I say far too much without it. Boring boring snoozerville of a girl you don't have to write EVERY single thought! (oops)

Soooo....today to break the ice a bit both here and between my fingers. I think I'll show you a couple of things from last Saturday. Saturday was a wonderfully Christmassy day indeed. Let me set the stage a little bit for you.

I awoke after having slept in just long enough that the piercing morning light coming through my East facing window didn't get the chance to actually burn a laser sized hole right into my brain via one of two vulnerable eye sockets. So far, so so good.

Then we chatted a bit over coffee (and breakfast by hubby--always nice) with our in house guest, Travis, who will soon be mentioned at length in a whole 'notha entry.

The morning flew by both peacefully and in an instant as Saturday mornings, heck most mornings, tend to do. The boys played video games while I tidied up a bit and listened to this on my headphones. Not the most interesting book I've ever "read", but the author was really able to describe life as a stay-at-home mom to a tee from several different perspectives. So much so in fact, that I found myself agreeing audibly with some of the lines in the book like they were coming right from my own bank of thoughts. But anyway....

Next, the kids and I made our second annual gingerbread house together. And here she is in all her candeliciousness.

I probably should have made more of an effort to cover the plastic base now that I'm looking at it with fresh eyes with you. But, oh well, it's still quite cheerful.

Then, with fire in fireplace and The Santa Clause II cued up (it chokes me up EVERYTIME- Darn you Tim Allen!), we began putting up the synthetic tree together. Sigh.

I realize I might need to improve on my 'Jesus is the reason for the season' pre-Christmas teachable moments. But I figure we can make time for plastic Santa movies and trees this early in December without much harm done.

My afternoon soon migrated back to the kitchen where I had shortbread and sausage balls to prepare for our traditional post-parade party at Casa de Beck Bleu.

Oh but the parade!!!! I mustn't pass by it so quickly. My hair was not quite as ready as I needed it to be (read: soaking wet fresh from the shower) so I sent the boys down the street ahead of me so that they wouldn't miss anything. Our house is two blocks up the hill from downtown so we are just naturally included in any event that clogs up our main street and we never need to hunt for parking. We just step out and enjoy!

As I knew from past experience that finding my three guys in a mass of people wouldn't be easy, I decided just to take in the small town crowd as a whole experience and walk the downtown area as if I were in a movie. Here's what it was like only much less dizzying in person:

I love this town!! We may leave it someday, so I try to find these drinkable moments and just hang on to them the way I do with my kids sweetness at every age. Delicious!

This was a perfect day in almost every way! Family fun, festivities, fires, fattening foods, farades (ahem). What more could one ask for on a Saturday in early December? I can't think of a thing. Thanks for reliving it with me.

A Tale of Two Parties

2008-11-25T10:07:00.012-06:00

Eeks! How is it I remember blogging about something that happened BEFORE I ever had a blog! Are blogs like cell phones and Diet coke now? We can't seem to remember how we did things before they came along? I can almost swear I blogged about Dandy's birthday party last year because it was a crazy day where I gave his party and attended two others plus an entire parade!!! That was a day etched in my mind and my camera! I must have emailed my tales to people before blogging because I put those events together somewhere. I just know it.

Well, anyway, I'm going to try to push past this and do a little compare/contrast with my birthday boy's 5th and 6th parties now that I'm actually blogging outside my mind. I am right?

OK! So. Dandy, our little party planner extraordinaire, likes to plan his birthday celebrations well in advance. We've known all year, for instance, that his number six party would be a "blue" party with an underlying "Thomas the Tank Engine" theme. Easy enough, we made it so.

Here we have things like: blue rice krispy treats, blue chips, gummy bears and m&m's in blue, blue dip for the non blue veggies, blue chocolate dipped pretzels(not pictured because I forgot to get them out), blue filling in the non blue tortillas, white cheese and white cheese dip ( I just didn't have the heart to soil the cheese dip after everything else was doused in food coloring.)

And then we had the Thomas cupcakes, stickers and gifts to round out that portion of the theme.

Yes, he was one happy party host, walking around handing out spoons and stickers with a most hospitable air. There was no room for blue moods by the time this party started.

We had trains coming and going for engineers young and old to busy themselves with.

And my sweet sister-from-another-mister, Arlynda and her family even came up from Tulsa! :D (We have always been twin-like in our looks and sillies. HI ARLY!)

What I have failed to mention or picture in this happy go lucky post is that while everyone was blueing it up heartily, slowly the children were dropping like flies. Two kids left early with stomach aches (NOT caused by my colored food-I promise!), and then one of my nephews fessed up to his tummy woes but couldn't bring himself to leave while the leaving was good. About an hour later.....we saw the party again....all..over.. the..floor. Yep, after so carefully keeping the fluorescent punch in restricted areas away from the carpet-- hurl happened. And it wasn't train colored.

Did I say up there I was going to compare and contrast two parties? Do YOU have all day to read this blog entry? Did you check out after the first picture realizing this is just another had-to-be-there post? That's what I figured. And I'm supposed to be washing my dogs for Thanksgiving travels!! That is, no doubt, the reason I'm still here.

Ok, instead of changing the title of this post (which would be the logical choice),I'll just show you what last years party looked like so I can say I included it. It was quite the Festivus of Verdis if I do say so myself. Which would you rather eat (or hurl)? Green or Blue?

As you can see, our adorable Dandy is a colorful chap at any age! Happy birthday big D! I'm hearing talk of Red and Orange for next year so we shall see. We shall see.

Have a great week and Holiday weekend everyone! I may not see you for a while!

"Be-GOCK!!!"

2008-11-17T08:36:00.011-06:00

Yes, it's official I'm still a huge chicken. My hilarious friend Trish uberkindly described the experience I'm referring to here.

I thought for sure by this time in life I would be just a touch more brave about getting up in front of a crowd, but apparently I'm still just as insecure as ever. The strange thing about it is that I like singing, and I like performing on stage as well-but not as myself. Without some sort of disguise or costume, my body betrays me and tries to go into shut down mode at the mere thought of being seen! The liquid once kept in my mouth instantly moves to my armpits, forcing my lips to move dramatically around my teeth like a horse with peanut butter. The blood that when in my head helps me remember lyrics and practiced cues, just as suddenly migrates to my extremities, leaving my head vacuously circling while my legs get ready to run or buckle beneath me.

It's the familiar scene of the classic performance anxiety from which I suffer. But, the real problem is that this anxiety is not restricted to the stage. I can get performance anxiety just knowing I have a really busy day or week ahead of me. I don't have that little buck -up gene that huddles together with the others and says "Look gang, I've got just the go juice this project needs! Sit back and enjoy the gun show while I fire this baby up!" And then of course, he would make engine revving sounds with his tiny little plasma mouth and kick me into high gear.

Nope, I don't have one of those. Or maybe I'm just missing one because genes prefer to work in pairs and my little tough guy gene is missing his Harley counterpart.

In any case............. CURSE YOU JR. HIGH!!

(I don't know if this is the real culprit or not but I like to yell that sometimes when I'm feeling particularly scarred about something. It's nice to have a scapegoat at the ready- after all.)

I just wish I could figure out how to get past this self induced handicap. I mean, come on! Can't I just learn to tap into Big Shan when I need her instead of having her pop up whenever the diva so chooses? If only. You can't control a diva's schedule you know. Don't waste your time trying.

She's busy accosting young mothers and imposing her baby holding services on them. Or, she might even surface upon meeting a new church member at the store and on each and every aisle, quiz the woman wildly about her family life, while in turn sharing equally about her own. OY VEY! At one point in the middle of my chattiness on that particular day, I recall even telling this nice ~~victim~~ lady how shy I was. Then, because B.Shan is always on her toes, I realized suddenly how absurd that must have seemed to my new friend, so we shared a little laugh over that one. (titter titter titter)

Oh well. We all have our own hang ups don't we? Why do mine seem to be more like hang outs? Some day it would really be nice to board the bus to sanity and actually not get off until I get there. Until then, I suppose it's back to my Relacore study and being an inappropriate freakazoid when I least expect it. Such is life-cluck, cluck- such is life.

IT'S THE HUBBY'S BIRTHDAY!!

2008-11-11T08:49:00.004-06:00

In case you didn't know it, I have the sweetest, kindest, most clever ~~ninja~~ husband one could possibly ask for! Please join me in wishing him a veeeery happy birthday while I go off and try to forage for party supplies. Here he is with young Ratchet in an extremely manly video they made over the weekend:

Pumpkins + Sword = Fun

p.s. He made the music too. :D

LOVE YOU SWEETHEART!!! XOXOXO

A late because I'm Shan(and Shan can) picture gallery from Halloween

2008-11-03T19:07:00.018-06:00

This was supposed to be footage of the army dude getting his game face on for candy collecting but his little brother refuses to share the spotlight so we have this. It is a rare moment in the day when either of my children aren't speaking. It's usually all or nothing (nothing being sleep) for them both. I realize, of course, I'm just getting my due. My mom didn't call me Chatty Kathy just for fun back in the formative days. Here's a little sample of how it is at my house:

The actual trick-or-treating went much the same way for Dandy. It was like a mosh pit of emotions for the little boy who didn't like not knowing how the whole evening was going to go. Of course, any night where collecting candy is the main activity; it's usually gonna turn out pretty decent for a chappy with a sweet tooth.

For Ratchet, it's really all about the costume and embodying the complete character. He's out to convince the general public on Halloween that whatever he happens to be wearing is actually his full time job in the real world.

And then there was the less convincing performance....

But seriously, who wouldn't root for this guy on the field?

Here's one last shot of my little pumpkins begging for candy at their grandparents house. We figured they were a sure thing when it came to MRE's and Gatorade.

And once the young had their cavity collecting done and the street grime and makeup washed away, we sent them off to dream of ghouls and goblins so that we could snack and laugh it up with friends. OOH OOH AHH AHH!!! Ah yeah, who's the goblin now?

Apparently it was me, because even though I wasn't in costume, I had the Big Shan face out and was parading it around! At least that's what my photos seem to project.

Here's me meeting Sarah Palin in my own kitchen as she made her final campaigning rounds. She really seemed quite smart and up on the issues when I met her. I was just pleased as punch to meet her.

After a while, and one costume change into a more comfy outfit, I realized Sarah P. had been my friend Trish all along! She went the "trick" angle for sure-GAH!!

She was ready for the press to leave her alone in this next picture, but I'd have nothing of the sort. I don't have people over often and you are probably starting to see why.

I made my famous (though hideously fattening and even more hideous sounding) dried beef dip as one of my snickies. And Matt wasn't sure what he ate before discovering this mayonaise and sour cream heart clogging wonder. Teehee- I KNOW MATT! I KNOW!

And finally here's a creepily lit picture of the master of the house, D.J. Jazzy Jamey. He made the perfect musical compilation for our tiny Halloween mixer because that's his thang dawg! Now, don't you cross him!

Speaking of...the dude is waiting patiently in the other room for me to wrap this picture laden post on up! And now, I'm all exclamation pointy about it, so I'd better scoot!!! Take it easy YO!

Now THIS ticket I can stand behind! (But where will my values be at lunchtime?)

2008-10-30T22:35:00.006-05:00

A partisan guest post

2008-10-29T09:39:00.015-05:00

I think since we are getting so close to the election, I'm going to feature my dear friend Becky's blog today. I tend more toward flibbity fluff when I open my mouth to communicate my feelings. And I find it extremely hard not to be silly and light-hearted when safely inside Shansland, because that is my default modus operandito.

So, rather than try to express it in my words, I'll link her recent post here and you can take it as my shared (though much better spoken and thought out) opinion. Or, this is perhaps where you'll want to quickly look away as to not chance getting frothy at the mouth. That being said, I'll now direct you to my favorite English professor and bosom friend Becky, of Pith, Marrow, and Coffee Spoons:

FIND HER HERE

Friday Photos: Red Rock Canyon, Hinton Oklahoma

2008-10-24T00:00:00.004-05:00

This is where we went last weekend for my family reunion on my Mom's side. It started the year I was born so we can kind of guage how long our family has been meeting by counting the lines on my face. Fortunately we don't actually do that though. Isn't this a beautiful place? The sky is always so blue here this time of year, and it plays off the rose colored canyon so nicely.

Those pointy things are the A-frame cabins we sleep in, boys in these, girls on the other side. This is about as rough as I tend to get. They have no bathrooms or heaters! I usually sleep with one eye open always on the look out for daddy long legs and other spiders that might want to crawl inside my sleeping bag with me. Eek! Not restful.

Here, Beck'sboy and Ratchet are scaring me with their boy antics. And of course Dandy below that, just living the dream. He is never more content than when at Red Rock. :)

This is a picture of the boys and a couple people in my family that I took from the ground at the low spot in the corner of our area where the young and nimble can scale the foot holes in the canyon. Jamey of course counts in that category. I always chose a safer way to go up as a young lass and still do.

Here's my cute little mom standing with me, safely aground below the others.

We rent out this whole area each year. It's a U-shaped part of the canyon.

Here's where I usually hang out with the lady folk turning out giant pans full of food to a hundred or so extended family members that come through on Saturday. I don't ever know them all but I always give 'em a good look them in the eye when I ask which casserole they'd like a scoop of. heh heh

Here are the kiddos again exploring the canyon. This is Becksboy's third year to join us at R.R! He is officially a regular. It will be quite the crew once Dandy starts to bring a friend! This year he brought dinosaurs instead.

So that's it, the hole in the middle of Oklahoma that nobody ever seems to have heard of. I know it was quite a shock to the people who found it during the Oklahoma Land Run. It would have been a treacherous discovery for a covered wagon caravan! My pictures don't show the highest walls but it is really an amazing site in the middle of such flat and windy lands now only a few miles off a major interstate.

Happy weekend everyone!

RICK ROLLin' and written hurl!

2008-10-22T19:23:00.015-05:00

I don't know who you're voting for ( I'll not be voting for this particular candidate though I imagine you care not to hear political stances from moi) but, either way this video is a crackup!

You see, I'm an eighties girl. So, naturally, I love the Rick Roll phenomenon that has made its way through Youtube! If you don't know what I'm talking about then you probably have an actual life outside your computer. K-kee-kee.

Apparantly, what's happened is people have been listing links to things that sound really interesting or "alluring" , and then when someone else clicks on the link, they instead find Rick Astley or some form of him singing 'Never gonna give you up' in all his one-hit-wonder glory. And then, of course, the pranks have developed from there.

Actually I usually only know about stuff like this because Jamey is a big time tech-know kinda guy who works best while being constantly inundated with entertaining youtube clips or web finds, all the while doing his job and watching a movie, composing a song or listening to music on the side. Whew! This is a fine piece of writing I'm doing here folks. Do not look away now or you will be dizzy! ;)

That multi-tastic style Jamey tends to thrive on would give me a huge case of Stimulus Overload Majoras!! For I am the type that must take on absolutely one thing at a time if I am to be able to apply my brain properly to it. Unless... I'm on the phone. While on the phone, I could probably parasail while having an uninterrupted convo if I had a hankerin'. Does anyone share this ability? I love it when a friend of mine-who I often find myself having long phone conversations with-says "Well, I guess I'll let you go so you can get that dessert made for the blippity blank." and I say "Oh, I finished that and already ran it up to the school. Now, I'm home again and about to start the mower so I guess I should get off this phone now or we won't be able to hear each other."

And it's the same when I'm listening to an audiobook. I know I've talked about this before but it still amazes me what menial tasks I surely could accomplish if I just didn't think about them too long. "Hey, look everyone! I just refinished all of my floors and I don't remember a lick of it! Isn't that great?!!"
I think I'm meant to be a drone.

But for reals. When I have to listen to more than a couple voices at a time (i.e. music and a human talking to me) and actually make sense of what I'm hearing , I get nothing but static. I can be quite the textbook case of A.D.D. on most days to be honest. I tend to fail at receptionist catchall types of jobs that most mother types would have a natural affinity for.

I'm also the ding bat who starts cooking hamburger meat and then decides to change out the seasons in one of my kid's dressers upstairs. "Ooh, someone's grilling! Wait a minute, that's me!" And when there's lots of stuff coming at me at one time, typical family style, I tend to start shaking my head like I have a flea in my ear and then my arms immediately want to start flapping myself out-a there! This (and the fact that I am mental) is why I will never be a kindergarten teacher, or say, a stockbroker. I'd be running for the emergency exits after the first couple of days of either job, and they'd find me hours later in a field chewing on grass or worse- Lord preserve me!!!

I don't know why you've allowed me to go on this way when I only meant to post that video and give a brief explanation of the Rick Roll. You'd think I had all the time in the world and might as well go ahead and post some pictures of our weekend at Red Rock Canyon while I'm sitting here blithering. Nope, I'd like to share those, but I've taken up enough of your time. I will instead leave you with this one... parting... thought .

I'll choose Places you find terrorists for $500, please Alex

2008-10-15T21:53:00.012-05:00

Well, just when I thought I might never post again....I did something blogworthy!! Yes! And it was smack in the middle of the week to boot! I might even do you dear blog friends the favor of skipping all the warm up material and getting right into the photos of my trip DOWN UNDER!!

What? did you think that I, the two-state traveler, actually managed Australia? No, no, no, that kinda thing would take much more than a mental whim and a Wednesday to pull off. (And yes Mme B. I would definitely have mentioned such a thing to you ;)

This was the sort of down under that you read about (or let's face it, see, in the movie theater) in Journey to the Center of the Earth . Ok, nope. I just watched the trailer and remembered that the movie had WAY more dinosaurs, special effects, and appearances by Brendan Frasier than this place did so I can't totally go there with my analogy without feeling just a wee exaggeratory (Wow, I didn't make that word up like I thought I might have).

So even though we didn't get anywhere near the center of the earth, we did go to this really fabulous cave in Eureka Springs!!! It was such a last minute plan in our otherwise busy outing but it was one of the coolest (exactly 58 degrees year round-I listened) places I've seen in quite a while.

I took tons of pictures of stalactites and stalagmites along the way but what I couldn't capture was the awesome old fashioned feel this whole place had. We were each handed gigantic headphones upon entering the Onyx Cave and were instructed to line up carefully along the yellow lines at each listening station so we could hear the commentary after pushing a tall flashing button straight out of a Dharma training video from an episode of LOST (sorry if I actually lost you non LOST watchers there). The recorded voice playing on the headphones was so dated, he actually reminded us not to leave anything but our camera "flash cubes" behind in the trash receptacles provided along the way. Remember those? haha.

Welcome to the 60's dear children. It's not quite an i-pod but these things get the job done when you need to know what to do when in an underground poorly lit natural dwelling!

Ok, that's all for now. But, that's only because it is getting quite late and I've got a pumpkin patch requiring my presence in the morning plus a hugely busy weekend ahead. I just wanted to share a tiny bit of our day today and hopefully I'll get to more of it in the next couple days- barring a total blog rebellion- as lately I've been prone to pulling.

Please take care all. I'm thinking of a special few of you tonight as you are dealing with especially difficult times in your lives. You know who you are and if you are reading, know that I am praying for you all along the way dear friends. Much love.