Tuesday, February 27, 2007

My "M" Meme*

Every week, Donna from the Double Happiness Blog hosts a Friday Foto Challenge. This week's was to take the letter randomly assigned to us by Donna and share ten things we love starting with that letter, with accompanying artwork / images.

So without further ado, I bring you my life and loves according to the letter M.


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Mornings
~~my absolute favorite time of the day~~

Although I've gotten a bit off-schedule since motherhood, I still love those days when I'm up before the world and all is quiet. I drink coffee, read, sometimes watch a bit of tv, sometimes write. I generally don't do anything from my "to do" list and I don't feel guilty about it.
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Motherhood

~~even though I knew I'd like it, I never knew I could be this in love~~

Exhausting, challenging, snort-laughter-inducing, terrifying, expensive, clothing-destroying, inspiring, humbling, gratifying.
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The Moon and Her Meanings
Many of you know that Kate has speech issues and, the more we learn, the more we're pretty sure that it's actually a speech disorder rather than a delay (more about that in another post sometime in the next month or two). Well, "moon" is one of the handful of words that she can say. She loves everything about the moon - from when its a sliver in a daytime sky to when it hangs like a ripe peach just over the ocean. Of course she also loves Goodnight Moon.

The moon holds stories for many cultures, including China. I remember BK (before Kate) looking up into the moon and realizing that, half a world away, we shared a moon. Now, I look at that same moon and I think of her birthmother. I pray that there's a way that she sees the moon and feels an unexplainable comfort -- that somehow the universe has told her that Kate is happy, loved and taking on each day for everything its worth. And when Kate and I are sharing a quiet mommy - daughter moment looking at the moon, she blows kisses to her Guilin Mommy. So do I.
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My Mom
Clever, beautiful, giving, strong, my mom raised me to believe in myself, to help others, to be polite (well, she tried anyway), and to pursue my dreams. Watching her be a grandmother makes me appreciate her in a way I couldn't when I was a kiddo. I love you, Mom!

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Mischief

"Well behaved women rarely make history." ~ Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I just love, love, LOVE creating a bit of mischief and it's what I miss most about the classroom. No one's better than a little mischief-making than 8th and 9th grade students, unless it's their teachers. Oh, wait a minute -- I have my own mischief-maker 24 / 7. It can be a little exasperating, but mischief makes for a strong woman -- so keep bringing it, chica!

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Music

Classic rock, country, lullabies I sing to my daughter, and any campfire songs. Last three artists I've listened to? John Denver, Laurie Berkner (very cool kids music), Indigo Girls.
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~my very guilty pleasure, tongue-in-cheek redneck radio at its finest~

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Mystery Novels
(well, Mystery - Suspense, to be more precise)
~loved teaching 'em, love reading 'em, love when the twist surprises me~

Recommended:
To the Power of Three by Laura Lippman
Tess Gallagher series by Laura Lippman
V.I. Warshawski series by Sara Paretsky (set in Chicago!)
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Gone for Good by Harlan Coben
Goodnight, Irene by Jan Burke
Most anything by Jeffrey Deaver
And your recommendations are???
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Men Who End Up Doing What They Swore They Never Would

Scott was never sure about being a dad, so when I catch him doing things like this -- well, I can't help but find it both hysterical and endearing. No, not so endearing that I won't embarass his ass on this blog, but just the same, it's sweet.

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Madison, WI
Madison, WI -- home to childhood vacations, godparents extraordinaire, Monty Python marathons with Tommy, horseback riding with Donna, the best ice cream in the entire world (at the University of Wisconsin, Madison where they make it in the Dairy / Ag. building), corn-shucking, reading beneath the willow tree, and being the happiest a kid could be.
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***A reward for those of you who actually read this far:
What is a meme?
People often ask, "What is a Meme?" so here's a more than a little information on that. I pronounce it so it's rhymes with 'dream'; some pronounce it so it sounds like 'mem' (from mem-ory).
In the context of web logs / 'blogs / blogging and other kinds of personal web sites it's some kind of list of questions that you saw somewhere else and you decided to answer the questions. Then someone else sees them and does them and so on and so on. I generally consider these to be actual questions and not some multiple choice quizzes that determine some result at the end (what color you are most like, what cartoon character are you, what 80s movie are you).

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

My Sleeping Beauty

Looking at this face, I fall in love again and again.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Happy Chinese New Year!

How I love that beautiful girl!

This is the Chinese version for "Happy New Year"

Pronunciation: "gong her shin shi"

Lovely Summer
Emily, thirsty after coaching the drummers

Above, Kate and Ashley "row, row, row" their boat. Note Kate has taken the tomboy approach of sitting in a dress. ::sigh::

Below, Mr. Kevin attempts to get all the kids together and looking at the camera. Better luck next time!


Below, sweet Miss Ashley wishes Kate a happy new year!


Above, the Lion Dance - very cool,very loud. The lion and his tamer would get right into our faces. Kate LOVED that part as long as she had a firm grip on my hands, but her girlfriend Ashley was not so sure about the whole ordeal.
Below, you can see how Ashley looked for the entire presentation. Too funny!

I wish I would have gotten a pic of Kate's other girlfriend, Emily, who looked like a drummer for a rock band the entire time. She was soooo into it!

Kate shows off her "year of the pig" craft.


And now for some cultural education, thanks to www.chinatoday.com

The Year of the Pig -- 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007
You are a splendid companion, an intellectual with a very strong need to set difficult goals and carry them out. You are sincere, tolerant, and honest but by expecting the same from others, you are incredibly naive. Your quest for material goods could be your downfall. The Pig would be best in the arts as an entertainer, or possible a lawyer.


And what is our Chinese zodiac?
Kate...
Our Monkey -- 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004
You are a very intelligent and a very clever wit. Because of your extraordinary nature and magnetic personality, you are always well-liked. The Monkey, however, must guard against being an opportunist and distrustful of other people. Your sign promises success in any field you try.

Scott...
Chef Rat -- 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996
You are imaginative, charming, and truly generous to the person you love. However, you have a tendency to be quick-tempered and overly critical. You are also inclined to be somewhat of an opportunist. Born under this sign, you should be happy in sales or as a writer, critic, or publicist.

Melissa...
Le Dog -- 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982 (my blog, my choice of years!), 1994, 2006
The Dog will never let you down. Born under this sign you are honest, and faithful to those you love. You are plagued by constant worry, a sharp tongue, and a tendency to be a fault finder, however. You would make an excellent businessman, activist, teacher, or secret agent.
WHAT IS YOUR CHINESE ZODIAC?
Read the description below and post a comment telling us your sign and if / how it fits you.
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Born in 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008.
RAT: You are imaginative, charming, and truly generous to the person you love. However, you have a tendency to be quick-tempered and overly critical. You are also inclined to be somewhat of an opportunist. Born under this sign, you should be happy in sales or as a writer, critic, or publicist.
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Born in 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009.
BUFFALO: A born leader, you inspire confidence from all around you. You are conservative methodical, and good with your hands. Guard against being chauvinistic and always demanding your own way. The Buffalo would be successful as a skilled surgeon, general, or hairdresser.
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Born in 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010.
TIGER: You are sensitive, emotional, and capable of great love. However, you have a tendency to get carried away and be stubborn about what you think is right; often seen as a "Hothead" or rebel. Your sign shows you would be excellent as a boss, explorer, race car driver, or matador.
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Born in 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011.
RABBIT: You are the kind of person, that people like to be around affectionate, obliging, always pleasant. You have a tendency, though, to get too sentimental and seem superficial. Being cautious and conservative, you are successful in business but would also make a good lawyer, diplomat, or actor.
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Born in 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012.
DRAGON: Full of vitality and enthusiasm, the Dragon is a popular individual even with the reputation of being foolhardy and a "big mouth" at times. You are intelligent, gifted, and a perfectionist but these qualities make you unduly demanding on others. You would be well-suited to be an artist, priest, or politician.
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Born in 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013.
SNAKE: Rich in wisdom and charm, you are romantic and deep thinking and your intuition guides you strongly. Avoid procrastination and your stingy attitude towards money. Keep your sense of humor about life. The Snake would be most content as a teacher, philosopher, writer, psychiatrist, and fortune teller.
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Born in 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954,1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014.
HORSE: Your capacity for hard work is amazing. Your are your own person-very independent. While intelligent and friendly, you have a strong streak of selfishness and sharp cunning and should guard against being egotistical. Your sign suggests success as an adventurer, scientist, poet, or politician.
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Born in 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015...
GOAT: Except for the knack of always getting off on the wrong foot with people, the Goat can be charming company. Your are elegant and artistic but the first to complain about things. Put aside your pessimism and worry and try to be less dependent on material comforts. You would be best as an actor, gardener, or beachcomber.
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Born in 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016...
MONKEY: You are a vary intelligent and a very clever wit. Because of your extraordinary nature and magnetic personality, you are always well-liked. The Monkey, however, must guard against being an opportunist and distrustful of other people. Your sign promises success in any field you try.
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Born in 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017...
ROOSTER: The Rooster is a hard worker; shrewd and definite in decision making often speaking his mind. Because of this, you tend to seem boastful to others. You are a dreamer, flashy dresser, and extravagant to an extreme. Born under this sign you should be happy as a restaurant owner, publicist, soldier or world traveler.
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Born in 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018...
DOG: The Dog will never let you down. Born under this sign you are honest, and faithful to those you love. You are plagued by constant worry, a sharp tongue, and a tendency to be a fault finder, however. You would make an excellent businessman, activist, teacher, or secret agent.
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Born in 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019...
PIG: You are a splendid companion, an intellectual with a very strong need to set difficult goals and carry them out. You are sincere, tolerant, and honest but by expecting the same from others, you are incredibly naive. Your quest for material goods could be your downfall. The Pig would be best in the arts as an entertainer, or possible a lawyer.
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Friday, February 09, 2007

A Few Letters

m&mmmmmmmmm.....

Dear Auntie Dorothy,

Thank you so much for the check. In the card it said that mommy should use the money to buy me chocolate and bubble gum. Well, I clearly told mama that I wanted candy by using the sign for it, which is using my pointer finger to make a dimple in my cheek. I know this sign so well that I've been known to leave a bruise on my own face trying to get these people around here to hand over the sugar.

Anyway, I asked mama for candy and she told me "later." Can you imagine? Later?!!! What the heck does that word mean?

Really, I was forced to take matters into my own hands and, if you think about it, it's their fault. Daddy left his m&m's in my snack container and then put it onto the counter that he keeps thinking I can't reach. Their ignorance is my bliss.

So I ate daddy's m&m's. All of them. And I still have your check to buy more.

Auntie Dorothy, you rock!

Your comrade in chocolate,
Kate
PS: I'm sorry for the belated thank you. With a double ear-infection, I've been laying on mama pretty much non-stop which has kept her from my secretarial tasks.



Um, I don't think these are pajama bottoms

Dear Daddy,

Don't get me wrong - I like that the top and bottoms match, but I'm pretty sure that tights are for daytime, not for sleeping. However, if you give me what I'm asking for in these pictures, I won't tell mommy. (FYI: In the first pic, Kate is signing "more" and in the second, "cracker.")

Love,

Your Favorite Girl

PS: These actually made for comfy sleeping. Who knew?!!




The Superbowl


Dear Rex Grossman,

You suck.

Signed,

A Former Fan


Oh well, only 2 months until the Cubs' Home Opener....