Makes My Monday: Get a Groom

Dirty dog---in the Petsmart parking lot.

Clean canine...fully fluffed!

Our darling dog---all dolled up---Makes My Monday!

Play along with Makes My Monday!

Link up below, visit other celebrants, and don't forget to leave a comment when you do...comments are always joy-bringers!

Love Lines

After a week with more-than-the-norm maternal evening obligations...

Darren: "Do have to give tours at the museum tonight?"

Mom: "Nope."

Darren: "Do you have a conference call tonight?"

Mom: "No, Sweetie."

Darren: "Do you have your book club tonight?"

Mom: "No, Honey."

Darren: "Do you have any work you have to do tonight?"

Mom (slowly catching on...): "No, Darren, I don't. Do you know what I absolutely have to do tonight?'

Darren (smiling broadly---far quicker on the uptake than his mother): "What?"

Mom: "Hang out with YOU!"

Doubt there's a mother in the world who appreciates homemade cards, art projects and hugs from her children more than I do; but upon the advice of the ever-clever team at Fishful Thinking, I spent this week looking for ways my two show their love in less-obvious overtures. Hands-down, this little conversation was one of my favorites!

Don't let February's love-focus go on hiatus 'til the next Valentine season; peek at this motivating article from positive parenting guru, Dr. Karen Reivich, and get your March off to a loving start with your little leprechauns!

Over the Ocean and to the Shore

Juan Ponce de Leon
and Jacques Cartier as well
Explorer subjects

Oversized poster
A 3-D diorama
Projects done with care

When one's in third grade
The expectation are high
We had TWO on task!

Composed in haiku in loving honor of Laura at Catholic Teacher Musings' Bad Haiku Friday (currently on blog hiatus) and linking in with the fabulous ThreeUnder of Lit and Laundry for Finished for Friday!

Way Back When-esday: Measuring the Marigolds

Dateline: February 2005
Twins' Age: 3

Caught caterpillar in a cup. Fascinating x 2 !

Play along with Way Back When-esday!

Dive into those digital photos or scan a scrapbook find. Tell the tale and place a post on your blog. Be sure and link back to participate in the web-wide reverie...and leave a comment when you do!

Advertising at Rest

Face it: if our forefathers in the form of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln---even Chester A. Arthur---were alive today, they'd surely take offense that we "honor" them by taking a day off from gainful employment. Americans are worker bees. As such, not every three day "weekend" is a feasibility. As the PT out-of-homer, kids coming with me---to my very family-friendly workplace---made sense.

The twins saw not one, not two, not three, but four fellow ad agency offspring. They rode Razor scooters indoors. Ate treats. Aided in the coffee run. She-Twin did a scratch track voice-over. He-Twin composed copy for a spot of his own; coincidentally, a homework assignment...written within the same architectural confines as commercials that are part of our national pop cultural lexicon.

Afterward, like any good ad man, he rested his creative mind, and took in a little television.

 

Makes My Monday: Gallery Girls

Ceal Floyer. The BEST Cafe. A chat with Director, Alex Nyerges. Picasso. Lots and lots of Picasso. Our Ladies' Sunday at VMFA was unforgettable.

Freshly made museum memories Make My Monday.
Play along with Makes My Monday!

Link up below, visit other celebrants, and don't forget to leave a comment when you do...comments are always joy-bringers!

Semi-Spiritual Sunday Snippet: Sacred Cereal

During breakfast, pre-church...

Darren: "Mom, check it out: Lucky Charms are a Christian breakfast!"

Suppose He-Twin remembered the symbolism of the historic fish outline more readily than he could recall not to submerge his fingers into a milk-filled bowl.

Here's to finding glimpses of God in unusual places...

Saturday Snapshots: Blue Batter and Patient Pups

Valentine's Day's pink pancakes provided the impetus for this morning's breakfast in blue. Ever optimistic Larry dog loves positioning himself behind twin eaters...hoping for an opportune moment of kid clumsiness!

How's your weekend looking so far? Snap a shot and play along!

Another Little Piece of My Heart Now, Baby

Sarah's passion for classic rock collides fully into her confidence with line. I know she's got it, and it makes me feel good.

Way Back When-esday: Art History is Not Linear

Dateline: May 2010
Twins' Age: 8

Theories abound that playing classical music to babies in-utero results in intellectually stimulated children. Tangentially perhaps, Darren and Sarah---through no choice of their own, nor any prenatal, pending-parent protocol of mine---toured our local fine arts museum, VMFA, innumerable times while wombmates (I've been a tourguide there for nearly 20 years!).  As toddlers and young children, it was always a "go-to" destination, in the double stroller and once out.

Then it happened. A long-awaited, much-needed expansion closed our beloved museum for over a year. Their withdrawals were as pronounced as mine. One day driving by the construction site, a then 6-year-old Sarah in the backseat announced, "Darren, we will be EIGHT when the bigger museum opens!" It seemed an eternity away.

Then it happened. The expansion was completed. As Sarah and Darren took in the newly commissioned Ryan McGinness created especially for VMFA (the title of which was copped for this post), I nearly wept behind them.

This weekend, as part of our museum's 75th anniversary year, Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musee National Paris opens. The only East Coast venue. Knowing my family will drink it in with relish equalling my own warms my heart this mid-week.

Play along with Way Back When-esday!

Dive into those digital photos or scan a scrapbook find. Tell the tale and place a post on your blog. Be sure and link back to participate in the web-wide reverie...and leave a comment when you do!

This Little Light of Mine

After a Sunday afternoon of He-Twin and Mommy time---an hour+ of errands punctuated with exceptional politeness and kind smiles...

Mommy (from the front seat, with sincere appreciation): "Darren, you shine everyday, but especially so today."

[Silence for a few minutes]

Darren (from the backseat): "Today feels really special."

Mommy (affirmingly): "Today is special...and truly, every day with you as my son feels special."

Darren (bringing it back to reality): "Please don't turn this into a romance novel, Mom."

Makes My Monday: Sunset Cycling

Our pair---pedalling in a parking lot---under a perfect sky Makes My Monday.

Share what's warming your week's beginning; play along with Makes My Monday!

Link up below, visit other celebrants, and don't forget to leave a comment when you do...comments are always joy-bringers!





Happy Valentine's Day, Friends!

A Perfect Day

After bemoaning our parental prohibition of top-of-the-line tech for nine-year-old twins....

Sarah: "Do you want to hear about my perfect day? I would wake up and go to school, have fun with my friends and come home. There would be no homework. When I got home, there'd be a package for me at the door. When I opened it, there would be an iTouch and a green gel case to go with it. I would download lots of games and then we would go to the beach. Then we'd go to sleep at the Comfort Inn."

Darren (with the He-Twin rebuttal): "This would be my perfect day: I would sleep in, because school would be canceled. When I got up, I'd watch some TV and play on the computer for a while. Then we'd go to Quaker Steak and Lube for lunch. The we'd go to the beach for the afternoon and then have dinner at Friendly's."

Lo and behold, yesterday, I had a perfect day.

Mommy (with gratitude): "I woke up in the morning, and had breakfast with the kids while Daddy showered. After making lunches, I jumped in the shower, and Daddy took the twins to school. Then, Daddy and I drove to the National Cancer Institute at NIH in Bethesda. There was next to no traffic. Once we got there, we were told the lot was full (after circling inside for quite sometime), but then found a place right next to the entrance. We spent silly money on a tiny but yummy lunch at the in-building Au Bon Pain. We went to the clinic where Dr. Brock Lanier shared there was no sign of cancer in Daddy's scans. Dr. Steven Yang concurred. We went to the medicolegal offices to pick up copies of all Daddy's paperwork to share with the UVA melanoma treatment team, and they were ready and waiting for us. We were on the road home by 2:15p. Stopped at Steak 'n Shake for my first time ever, and bought Darren* a can of chili. (*No, we didn't get Sarah anything this go 'round. We don't always "balance," and feel strongly that is right and good---and fodder for another post...) We picked up a bottle of wine to thank the parents of He-Twin's classmate who picked them up after school, let them play outside, and had taken them to their home for some Wii and DSI time (See how very tech oppressive we are?). Upon our arrival, parents talked and shared, while kids played. After thanks and hugs, and shared good news, we went to Quaker Steak and Lube for dinner. When we got home, kids went to bed; parents watched some History Channel, then went to bed."

Sure, the title "The Perfect Day" seemed more artfully composed, but fully aware that we're faithfully counting on many more such happy (albeit perhaps spaced in 3-month increments) reports, "A" seems the correct and unlimiting article.

Thanks to all for the thoughts and prayers. We are truly blessed and grateful, and ask you to please continue!

Way Back When-esday: Don't Send in the Clowns

Dateline: February 2006
Twins' Age: 4
Darren's hesitant, half-hearted double thumbs up and Sarah's full-on recoil upon confronting their first real-life Ringling circus clown warms my heart this mid-week.

Play along with Way Back When-esday!

Dive into those digital photos or scan a scrapbook find. Tell the tale and place a post on your blog. Be sure and link back to participate in the web-wide reverie...and leave a comment when you do!

Rock Keeps Rollin'

While watching/listening to the only channel She-Twin selects as late:  Music Choice - Classic Rock...

Sarah (with disbelief, and apparent horror): " 'The Honeydrippers featuring Robert Plant'? Robert Plant? REALLY? Robert Plant is the lead singer of Led Zeppelin."

Wonder if Rolling Stone accepts nine-year-old interns?

Makes My Monday: Puppy Bowl Patriotism

My hand-over-his-heart placing son who rose to his feet during the National Anthem prelude to the PuppyBowl Makes My Monday.

You know there is a glimmer of goodness brightening your week's beginning; play along with Makes My Monday!

Link up below, visit other celebrants, and don't forget to leave a comment when you do...comments are always joy-bringers!

Semi-Spiritual Sunday Snippet: Low-Sodium

Matthew 5:13.

Salt. Allegorical. Aspirational.

Gearing the Gospel assignment more personally in this morning's pew time, a worthwhile---maybe even preferable---spiritual substance substitution came to mind: Sugar.

Salt preserves and flavors, but sugar honeys, cheers and dissolves easily...making all the surrounding swirling sea sweeter for its presence.

Splenda may be the more desireable choice diet-wise, and to most tastebuds it serves a palate-pleasing purpose, but it is artificial. Acting upon your faith mandates authenticity.

So the next time you ponder hiding your light under a bushel, be the cup of sugar your neighbor needs---and make it a heaping one.

Fish Deathwatch: The Finale

Darling, Sweet Skittles.
You were our first girl Betta.
You lived a long life.

For more than a week,
You were not feeling too well.
Sarah took good care.

This morning, we woke
And Sarah went to your bowl
Sadly, you were gone

Thank you for the fun

You were such a friendly fish

We will miss you so.

What are the Consonants Hiding?

Over the dinner table, chatting upon news of the day...

Sarah (with affection, reminiscing about beloved Boy K, who moved out of the school district mid-year): "Guess what I found today? K's recorder from music class! Buried deep in the vowels of his cubby..."