Just because sometimes, even when – especially when, things don’t go quite as planned I need to remember that it’s always worth it to take a moment, stop – and smell the roses.
Even when the roses are hydrangeas.
60 Random Questions
Every so often I see a list of questions making the blogger rounds, sometimes it even gets sent to me but, and I know I’m a blogger so this sounds weird, I don’t actually want to sit down and list answers to a bunch of questions all about me. However, one night last November, John and I answered a giant list of questions together. That was a whole different story, we laughed and talked and teased and discussed and had a lovely evening and then the list and answers were forgotten. Today, I was prowling through my drafts looking for inspiration and pulled it up. The answers are still all true so if you want to know what John and I think of a whole lot of random things read on…
Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? Both. It doesn’t matter until winter when it’s really cold and then we have to close them because our closet is quite possibly the coldest room in the house.
Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel? No, John just shaved his head again and they never put anything worth taking in them.
Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? Nothing may be tucked in because that would make your feet trapped and claustrophobic and who could sleep in a situation like that? (To let the record show, John thinks its ridiculous!)
Have you ever stolen a street sign before? John has, and other random acts of vandalism, I have not.
Do you like to use post-it notes? “Dear God, it’s one the best inventions ever!” – John And yes, I like them too.
Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees? Bees. Bees don’t actually attack when they are swarming- big bears do.
Do you always smile for pictures? Mostly.
What is your biggest pet peeve? “People who don’t throw away the sandwich box at work. What a stupid question. Why isn’t it everybody’s?”- John We are both surprised that I can’t think of one, must have been a good day.
Have you ever peed in the woods? The question should be, “Have you peed in the woods today?” John-yes, Jessie- not since yesterday
What about pooped in the woods? Yes.
Do you ever dance even if there’s no music playing? You don’t need music to spontaneously dance in the kitchen together.
Do you chew your pens and pencils? “Pens? Pencils? I never chew my keyboard” – Jessie “I’m a chemist, lord knows what’s on the pens and pencils.” -John
What is your song of the week? Shut up and dance with me is stuck in both of our heads, possibly the kids’ fault.
What’s your least favorite movie? Jessie refuses to answer because that’s by nature a ridiculous question. John, apparently, hates the LEGO movie.
Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? If we told you it wouldn’t be very well hidden now would it. But it would for sure be in a tin, because I love tins.
What do you dip a chicken nugget in? We are a BBQ or Ranch house.
What movies could you watch over and over and still love? John can re-watch movies an alarming amount of times, I don’t.
Were you ever a boy/girl scout? No Boy Scouts and one short stint as a Brownie.
Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? No, we are too old for that shit.
When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? When our friend’s husband died.
Can you change the oil in a car? John is a super fantastic oil changer – so I don’t have to be.
Ever gotten a speeding ticket? “The more interesting story is when I talked myself out of a speeding ticket by telling the officer I was going to study organic chemistry at 7 on a Friday night, sadly it was the truth.” – John “Nope, I drive nice and slow, that way everyone else wants to drive so we get there faster, then I don’t have to drive and we get there faster – win win.” – Jessie
Ever ran out of gas? Yup.
What is your usual bedtime? 12 – 1 Am
Are you lazy? John isn’t lazy, he says he could be, but he isn’t. I’m not lazy it’s just that after a day of super productiveness I sometimes need to reward myself by reading an entire book.
What is your Chinese astrological sign? Apparently we are a Monkey and a Snake – and we are not impressed.
How many languages can you speak? We are pretty good at English and if pressed John thinks he could still navigate a French speaking country. I however panic in the face of foreign language and could not. (Update: In the last year we have now learned to sing in Portuguese, though we don’t always know what we are singing about and John can count to ten in Korean.)
Do you have any magazine subscriptions? Only nerdy ones. National Geographic and Discover.
Which are better, legos or Lincoln logs? That’s… That’s… such a ridiculous question. You can build houses, barns, other square buildings, and fences with Lincoln logs. You can build ANYTHING with Legos. Also I might have a MiniFig obsession…
Are you stubborn? “I’m gonna let you take this one…” – John. “Yes. I think yes is the correct response here.” -Jessie
Who is better, Leno or Letterman? John says Letterman, I dislike them all.
Ever watch soap operas? John hasn’t but in college I was a regular Days watcher.
Are you afraid of heights? John climbs high things for fun while I try not to watch.
Do you sing in the car? Totally.
Do you sing in the shower? Never. That would mean you would be wasting time in the shower and then you’d be in there longer and that would be ridiculous.
Do you dance in the car? Only when there isn’t oncoming traffic watching.
Ever used a gun? Not today, and that’s a serious issue when it’s November.
Do you think musicals are cheesy? Of course they are it’s part of their charm.
Is Christmas stressful? No. Having a kid’s birthday on December 23 might be though.
Ever eat a pirogi? “What’s that?” – Jessie “Yup, made by a polish woman.” -John
Favorite type of fruit pie? Apple… or blueberry.
Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? Paleontologist, Astronaut, Doctor, Veterinarian, Elementary School Teacher. You can guess who’s who on those.
Do you believe in ghosts? “Nope.” -John “Except when its a dark and stormy night and I hear funny noises then my imagination tries to convince me otherwise.” -Jessie
First concert? I don’t remember. John saw Air Supply with his mom.
Nike or Adidas? Ummm dude, shoes are foot coffins, they are both evil!
Cheetos or Fritos? Doritios is the -itos we should be talking about here!
Peanuts or Sunflower seeds? John loves sunflower seeds, but they aren’t really food so I’m choosing peanuts for both of us.
Ever take dance lessons? They don’t give those out in cars so no. John took a swing dance course in college though.
Regularly burn incense? Does burning oak in the wood stove count?
Who would you like to see in concert? The Piano Guys, Little Big Town (but I couldn’t remember their name so I’m probably not going to make that happen) John’s adding Rush, I don’t even know who that is.
What was the last concert you saw? Great Big Sea
Are you patient? Do elephants fly?
Which are better, black or green olives? Ick. I give all my olives to John and he says their isn’t’ enough data in the question to make an informed decision. Fancy green, canned crap, black.
Can you knit or crochet? I could knit, not sure I remember how anymore though.
Best room for a fireplace? The middle one.
Who was your HS crush? Somethings should die with High School.
Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? No, that’s what the three year old tries and it doesn’t work for her either.
Do you have kids? Three
Do you want kids? Three is good, no more please.
What’s your favorite color? Blue
Do you miss anyone right now? Not more than usual.
How about you?
Have you ever answered questions with someone before?
Jane’s Favorites at Four Years Old
Jane what’s your favorite…
Color – Pink!
Animal – Monkey
Food – “Like can you say vegetable or fruit?” ( sure…)
Vegetable -Potatoes (Botanically speaking anyway)
Fruit – Banana (Sorry Jane, no bananas in the house, I hate them!)
Clothes – Fashion star! Is that a kind of clothes? … hmmm…This kind!!! (and then she shows off her sparkly toed shoes with her sparkly pink tutu ballerina outfit).
Dog – “Jessie’s! Jasper! No not Jasper. Radar! If I go by Radar he actually doesn’t bite anymore.” (Jessie is my friend who has three dogs we watch often. Jasper is the smallest of the group and while they used to be good friends, I’m not sure Jasper has held still long enough for Jane to pet him in months. Radar is my Dad’s new puppy that might be part alligator but for sure has had Jane unwilling to go in or out of the house in her efforts to stay away from the puppy. It’s possible she forgot the meaning of the word favorite here).
Cat – Fiona (Fiona was our old cat that the other kids “gave” to Jane, Jane did admit that Cassie is her favorite cat that is still alive.)
Person – Mom ( With her finger literally on my nose, it’s nice to be loved right?)
Thing to do – Watch videos
Thing to do inside – Watch videos
Chore – Cleaning rooms (While she never is willing to help clean up her and her sisters’ room she did today because she was bribed with the previously mentioned videos.)
Time of day – My birthday! Me: “No time of day not actual day.” Jane: “My birthday!” Me: (Explains what a time of day is.) Jane: “Summer! Turtle and floaties!” Me:”No, TIME of day!” Jane: “Morning!” Me: “Why?” Jane: “Just because I can do chores so I can watch videos.” (Wow… all that and we returned to video watching…)
Place to go –Lake Ripley
Song – SNOW GLOWS WHITE ON THE MOUNTAIN TONIGHT (Let It Go from Frozen for those of you who don’t live with a child obsessed with Elsa, ice powers and a healthy set of lungs.)
Flower – Probably the scillas. Like- snow drops first… and then scilla.
Farm Animal – Horse
Thing about your sisters being in school – Because I get to play with their stuff. (As if we didn’t all see that one coming.)
Friend – Nobody. (tiny sad voice) Except liberty is my only friend. (fake tears) (She has other friends. I promise I don’t keep her in a box, we keep her on something more like a stage, drama queen that she is.)
Movie –Xiolin Showdown
Thing to do with Clara – Nofin, I don’t want to do anything with her. (Ouch. The next day she would only sit by her at dinner though, nothing permanent there.)
Thing to do with Ivy – Play LEGOs!
Thing to do with Dad – Tricky dad! Trick dad! (Don’t ask me, I’m just asking the questions here!)
Thing to do with Me – Trick you!
Book – Princesses (sings) Elsa (sings) Me: “Do we have one?” Jane: “No.” Me:” Have we read one?” Jane: “No.” Me: “How can it be your favorite then.” Jane: ” Just because I like it.” (Clearly.)
Meal – Macaroni and cheese
Thing to do in the car – (GIANT SIGH) Wait. (Again, possibly we needed to go over what favorite actual means.)
What do you want to do when you grown up? -Be a rock star “Sing it girl!” (I… I… Possibly she was switched by the fairies? …)
What kind of problems do you want to help solve when you grow up? – Mystery (whispers) You lost something and you can’t find it anywhere and it’s invisible! Me: “You can find those?” Jane: “No, not really, you have to feel them out.” (As she pantomimes feeling invisible things and I wonder if her logic is irrefutable or perhaps she really was switched by the fairies.)
Anything else? – Yes. One clue, come on. (wander…wander… distract…distract) Making cards for Liberty! And going to the zoo. Only one more. Being at Grandma Pat’s house, because sock world…what it is called? Monkey Joes!!!
Here are some links if you’d like to take a look back at Jane’s answers over the last few years. Though I can tell you while the answers have changed, her unwillingness to give a useful answer the majority of the time has not!
Jane’s Favorites at Three Years Old
Jane’s Favorites at Two Years Old
and
A Study to Determine Jane’s Favorite Items at the age of 15 months
Book At The Door: September Giveaway
I’ve got a book here. Would you like it?
But, you protest, how do I know? What is it? What is it about?
Ahhh…. that’s just telling don’t you think?
Let’s be surprised instead!
My favorite way to pick a book is just to open it and see how it starts.
This one sounds intriguing don’t you think?
“A fug of tobacco smoke and damp clammy air hit her as she entered the cafe.”
As always this month’s book is going to be sent in real life, passing through hands of actual postmen to land at the winner’s door along with the above print of the first line.
If you want to be entered to win, just leave a comment below that includes the name of the book or your favorite thing to order from a cafe. (Googling book titles is totally encouraged but Googling favorite cafe orders seems like a risky thing to base an actual cafe order off of.)
This month’s awesome artwork comes from Dan of straydogstrut.co.uk where you can find him blogging, creating and wearing his dreamer hat. You can also track him down on Twitter and Facebook, but my favorite place to connect with Dan is on Instagram. There, in addition to peeks at daily life, he chronicles the 100km ultra challenges he does for charity. The first time John and I “watched” the event unfold we cheered for Dan. The second time we were rooting for his feet to make it through in better shape!
Please, go track him down on your social media platform of choice, see what he’s up to today, tell him I said hi, and check out his charity work. Then come back and play with us! Leave a comment, maybe you’ll be the one to get a package in the mail!
Contest will be open through September 27th.
The winner will have the honor of receiving a quality print of Dan’s artwork in the mail as well as the book.
Artists of all kinds (Yes, you photographers and you who says you can’t draw and you who just wants to practice hand lettering and you who is selling paintings online and…all of you!) if you are interested in providing a small piece of work that includes a first sentence, I would love to hear from you!
Authors, have I read your book and tagged it as a recommended read? Would you like to donate a hard copy? Let me know!
Just Jane
With the older girls back at school it’s just me and Jane all day long.
Perhaps I should rephrase that…
With her older sisters at school Jane is back to talking to just me all day long.
Today I learned some interesting things…
When she colors too much the bones in her finger become so sore it requires a massage from her mother to continue coloring. I really have no idea how she’s managed this long without her regular finger massages. I mean, really, sore finger bones, it’s a dramatic sort of problem. In fact I’m really rather amazed we made it through without professional intervention and merely a few wide eyed earnest looks and large sighs from the poor girl.
Then, after reading a book where someone was nervous, we were talking about what makes her feel that way.
“Well” she said, “if you trained alligators that would make me nervous.”
I tend to agree.
If sore coloring fingers require massages just think of the drama alligator training would bring!
First and Fourth
Here they are headed to their first day of first and fourth grade.
I bet you can guess who came home bubbling with excitement who came home and pronounced the day “boring” and “horrible.”
Poor Clara.
Maybe if we could introduce bee keeping into the first grade curriculum she’d enjoy school a little more…
It’s John’s Birthday!
Happy birthday to my favorite excitable man!
I’d like to tell you this was the face he made when he realized how cool it was that we’d been married for a third of his life but no, he was just that excited to have guessed his gift!
Happy Birthday Honey!
Clara’s Favorites at Six Years Old
Clara what’s your favorite…
Color – Blue
Animal – “Like bees? Are you going to ask me about bugs? … Yeah? Then cats are my favorite animal.”
Bug- Bees!!! (Who would have guess it?)
Food – Pizza
Clothes – “I don’t really know, fancy clothes?” Me: “Are they your favorite?” Clara: “No, Lola’s.” (Much discussion followed and I discovered that Lola’s fancy clothes are Clara’s favorite clothes to wear.)
Dog – Trip and Rosie
Cat – “It used to be Fiona but now it’s Gypsy.” (Poor Fiona has been gone for just over a year now.)
Person – You and Dad
Thing to do – Play at the waterpark when I go to Wisconsin Dells with Lola. ( You might not know this yet, but everything eventually comes back to her best friend Lola. Everything.)
Thing to do inside – Play with cats.
Chore – Baby ducks and baby geese. Me: “How come.” Clara: “That they are fuzzy.” (Can’t argue, fuzzy baby birds are the best.)
Time of day – The afternoon. Me: “How come?” Clara: “Because you don’t have to do chores and you don’t have to eat dinner.” Me: “You don’t like eating dinner?” Clara: “Yeah, it’s weird I like lunch more cause I usually have tiny lunches.” (It’s good she has a reason… right?)
Place to go – Wisconsin Dells with Lola.
Song – My songs know what you did in the dark – Fall Out Boys
Flower – I don’t know. But my least favorite kind of flower is thistles. (And see there is an answer to a question I never even thought to ask!)
Farm Animal – Horses. Or bunnies. Do you know what my favorite kind of horse is? Me: “No.” Clara: “The kind that, um, um, I might have… One of these, I don’t remember what kind I think it’s a tinker.” (So the question is, Clara, do you know your favorite kind of horse?)
Thing about school – You don’t have to do chores.
Friend – Lola (Surprise!)
Movie – Bernstein Bears (that’s a movie?) but at school my favorite video is Olivia.
Thing to do with Ivy – Play fairy gardens.
Thing to do with Jane – Play dress up.
Thing to do with Dad – Help him coil up the rope. (Old wire fence, fun right? Right…)
Thing to do with Me – Gardening
Book – Bees. The one where you can see the mite close up on a bee. (Because she knows her bees and her bee parasites!)
Meal – Dinner (Wait, I thought diner was weird?)
Thing to do in the car – Color
What do you want to do when you grown up? You know… be a bee keeper! (It’s true, I did know.)
Anything else? –
Bookmark- Bee bookmark
Tree- Apple
Favorite kind of apple – Golden Delicious
“Oh for flowers I remembered what it was. Petunia. NO apple blossom.”
LEGOS- Elf
(Good thing I asked!)
Looking back:
Clara’s Favorites at Five Years Old
Clara’s Favorites at Four Years Old
Beloved by Toni Morrison and August Book at the Door Winner
And the winner is…
Her very own copy of Beloved by Toni Morrison, as well as a print of this first line art work by Abbie of Sidereal Catalyst, will soon be finding it’s way overseas to her!
“124 was spiteful.”
This was the first beautiful book about ugly things I ever read.
I love it for the way it takes the lives of escaped and freed slaves and tells their horrifying stories in a cadence that is lyrical and in words that are part poetry. And I will always love it as the first real “adult” book that I was able to see that the phrases and words often had meaning far beyond the lines on the paper.
Stories are told to be remembered, even the ones, especially the ones, that are hard to hear. In the twenty years since I first read this book, phrases have popped into my mind from time to time, lyrical, beautiful phrases of terrible things.
This is a story to be remembered.
Would I recommend it? Yes. I know it was made into a movie many years ago, I’ve never seen it but I did just watch the trailer. Don’t do that. Don’t watch the trailer. Don’t see the movie. At least not until after you’ve read the book. And if you have already seen the movie, (it has been out for almost 20 years) read the book anyway. Movies can’t do beautiful-ugly the same way books can.
The Book at the Door winner was chosen using a random number generator from http://www.random.org
Artists of all kinds (Yes, you photographers and you who says you can’t draw and you who just wants to practice hand lettering and you who is selling paintings online and…all of you!) if you are interested in providing a small piece of work that includes a first sentence I would love to hear from you!
Authors, have I read your book and tagged it as a recommended read? Would you like to donate a hard copy? Let me know!
Ivy’s Favorites at Nine Years Old
Once a year I like to interview my children to find out what all of their favorite things are. It has never failed to be informative, surprising and amusing.
Ivy, what’s your favorite…
Color – Blue (Which Clara objects to because blue has always been her color, and so either because Ivy is so nice to her sister [unlikely] or doesn’t actually like blue best [much more likely] she never chooses blue anything).
Animal – Horses
Food – Tortellini casserole (Even when it has green stuff in it!)
Clothes – Dresses
Dog – Penny (A whippet owned by one of the summer cottage renters at my parents’. She seems nice but I’m offended on behalf of my dog just on principle.)
Cat – Cassie (Cassie loves her best too.)
Person – You and Dad
Thing to do – Read
Thing to do inside – Play with LEGOs (Oh so true, it’s LEGO mania around here lately. Have I showed you my new favorite mini fig?)
Chore – “I don’t have a favorite chore.” *giggles* “That’s funny why would I have a favorite chore?” (insert mom sigh)
Time of day – Ivy: “Bedtime.” Me: “What? why?” (Because bedtime sure doesn’t seem like anything anyone around here loves.) Ivy: “Because I like laying down, it’s fun.” (Okaaay…)
Place to go – Florida
Song – Lady Gaga (She couldn’t pick just one, and her love of Lady Gaga is all John’s influence, just so you know.)
Flower – Lilac
Farm Animal – Horses
Thing about school – Reading
Friend – Natalie and Hija
Movie – I don’t remember, I mean I remember, but I’m trying to think about it.. Can we come back to this one? … Secretariat, I can’t think of it so I’ll just say Secretariat – oh wait, it’s Enchanted. I love that movie!
Thing to do with Clara – Rolling around. Messing around. Messing around with pillows and blankets and sometimes mattresses. (I hate that plan, it involves mattresses pulled off beds and lost blankets and despite anyone’,s best intentions, it’s never fixed before bedtime!)
Thing to do with Jane – Dress up, she’s the one that loves dress up. (I found this answer hilarious for reasons I can’t quite articulate.)
Thing to do with Dad – Checkers (She’ll be able to beat me regularly soon.)
Thing to do with Me – Just hang out with you. Probably working out… sometimes… (Yeah, I’m not always a fun mom…)
Book – Rainbow Magic (This is where I repeat: I’m glad she likes to read, it doesn’t matter what she’s reading I’m just glad she likes to read. I’m glad she likes to read, it doesn’t matter…)
Meal – Dinner
Thing to do in the car – Read
What do you want to do when you grown up? – Marine biologist, … Studying sea turtles, I love sea turtles, maybe leafy sea dragons. (That’s excellent because I always wanted to know more about leafy sea dragons!)
When you get older what kind of problems to you want to help solve? – Bullying (Hint: Start with your behavior toward your sisters!)
Anything else? – I love the ocean. (Poor Midwestern child, that ocean is so very far away!)
Looking back:
Ivy’s Favorites at Eight Years Old
Ivy’s Favorites at Seven Years Old
Ivy’s Favorites at Six Years Old
Behind the Willows 