Sunday, January 30, 2011

The Sunday Creative - Extent

To the extent of my knowledge
is a loopy old term
Having an inclusion and an exclusion
in the same line.
Some of the best things to know
are those things I am learning, that were out of my realm
before.
Owning that, opening up, welcoming the unknown
without fear
Hoping for enlightenment, searching for purpose
to the extent of my ability.
And here we are again.
Curlicue, curlicue, take me around.
Which came first, the extent or the reaching beyond that extent?

BL
1/30/11

I only know that I am claiming no extent, not as long as google is around. :) Here are the other Sunday Creative submissions, for your browsing pleasure.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Now We Are Six...

It was birthday time last Friday, time for two girls to turn SIX! In the manner of my mindset this week, here is a scattering a photos with a smattering a descriptions. Smothered and covered not included.


Birthday Bowling with their pals.

Look, Isabella has a new twin... her doll Juliet

Grandmother Gigee made the girls some veterinarian scrubs, and Phoenix is their puppy patient.

Birthday Queen of all things...

Birthday Bella Boo

And now we come to my favorite project of the month... the little beauty that I worked on during all those snow days! I'm not gonna lie, I am a little obsessed with banners now. I have more that I haven't shown you yet, because when and if I do, you will think to yourself

"A little obsessed?!"
:)
Happy week, happy winter, I will be back when time permits. And by time, I mean Phoenix.
Let's just say he is really good at being two... and he is available for loans. And I have gotten better at hiding. (Laundry room? I call it my hideout! Who would ever suspect I was in there?!)

Monday, January 17, 2011

A World Away

Let's take a respite from ice and snow! I've been meaning to tell you about our adventure to the Wild Animal Safari, in Pine Mountain, GA. We took advantage of the ONE warm, sunny day which happened to be December 31, and the Groupons I had bought awhile back, and we went on safari. This place was a blast, and it did not disappoint in the up-close interaction with the animals. The Park is a refuge for exotic species, and the main attraction is the safari drive through it's acreage. We bought bags of food pellets, and prepared for the hour-long drive...
Here we go!


Luckily, a fight over window space encouraged us to rent a zebra van - which seriously saved our own van from encountering antlers and much slobber.

This is me, feeding a giraffe. I was awed by how very gentle this animal was. It very tenderly lipped the food from my palm, and I blathered about it for the next half mile.





Maybe not the most exotic, but these pigs and piglets were hilarious! Phoenix pointed and yelled piggies, and I squealed Wee! Wee! Wee! I'm sure no one got tired of that.


Cole tentatively holds some food, which that buffalo is determined to get, railing or no.


I mean really, how cool is this!
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Here's to rain melting the last of The Great Deep Freeze. If you missed the Martin post, here it is. Cole is still at it, expounding on the achievements of the civil rights movement, much to the wide-eyed adoration of his sisters...
"Girls, Martin is the man who made it possible for you to go to school with Anushka!"
:)
Happy MLK, Jr. Day!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

The Sunday Creative - Extension

By extension of you, I am here
An extension of me, you are there
We share a kindred heart, a kindred spirit
And any other sort of kindred we wish to name

We exist in extension
We commune long distance
We do not put this into words
But then sometimes we do
Sometimes we need to hold in our hands
Something that is ethereal
And to squeeze it and see it in the light
Where it can be more real than real.

But mostly... mostly we exist in concert
By extension.

1/16/11
BL
For friends.

I'm back and I'm committed! See what others view by extension at Madeleine Bea's Sunday Creative.

Friday, January 14, 2011

A New Phrase... and Phase

Phoenix has a new phrase. Really, it's several, but only he can seem to string them together in such a way as to have us rolling. I would have to be writing it down in the moment to get it right - and, yes, even I am not that good at documenting. :)

Isabella: Get him out! He might pee in the tub!
Phoenix: Well, I wore a diaper yesterday, and I peed and I don't care.

Isabella: This is our room! Stay out!
Phoenix, shrugging casually: Well, I can't care it's your room.

Me: Let's head up to bed and read a story.
Phoenix: Well, I don't care.

Mr. Suave. And despite knowing better - he now has ME saying it. With an oh-so-suave shrug.
I don't care. In this time of limited (iced-over state of neverending waiting for ICE to melt) space to one's self (and by one's self I mean myself) privacy has become a premium. I have taken to locking myself into my room for a moment or several of quiet time. Purely for practical reasons! Like, a shower! Promise!
Phoenix's tactic last week was to knock continually on the door:
"Mom? It's me. It's just me. Unlock da door." (As in, we're good, right? It's just little old me!)
"Mom? MOMMMMMMMM!" (yelled into the crack under the door)

His new strategy today involved the use of tools. There was no banging or crying, only the tinkle of small sounds on the knob, and the constant twisting of the knob, as though he were testing it. When I came out, what do you suppose I found?

A popsicle stick.
An ink pen.
A coat hanger.

Give him a week. He'll pick my lock. He's so two.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Cabin-feverish mumblings


"Donner? Party of six?"
(This was really funny to me when I thought of it. So I've walked around saying it all day. Rick thought it was funny too.... the *first* time....
I am not alone. Today I overheard the kids planning to defraud The Tooth Fairy, by putting mini- marshmallows under their pillows. Then they planned what to buy with all the money. Cabin fever anyone?
I just feel like folding into a ball and rocking back and forth, while mumbling about ice and why it won't melt. School has been cancelled for tomorrow. Georgia does warm really well. Georgia does not do snow very well. And neither, incidentally, does the DOT. That's another sort of mumbling I have also done this week, that Rick thought was funny - the *first* time.
It was my imaginary conversation with DOT officials, reminding them that ice is simple science. That they need not invent the products and chemicals to melt it, they need only to procure the products to melt it.
Until next time, as Jadyn would say this week, hip cocked and hand in the air:
"Peace out, suckas."

Monday, January 10, 2011

I Know Who Did This

If you're wondering who brought all this snow to Georgia and the southeast, I know who did it.

It was Puff.
Puff the Magic Dragon.

I totally blame him.



Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy, Happy

I was reading the paper this morning, and Dear Abby had a list of resolutions for the New Year. As I went down the list, ticking off some of the usual suspects, I burst out laughing. There it was. The heart of the matter. The holy grail of happiness. We should have known all along that the woman who can answer any etiquette question with panache, from those involving rude wedding guests to sticky family money matters, would know how to resolve things in the new year.
Number 6 out of 8:
*************************************************************
Just for today: I will refrain from improving anybody but myself.
*************************************************************
Let me be up to that task! :)

And also for you, dear ones, a favorite Irish blessing to start your year. I feel a smile start just knowing we have connected, shared a space, and taken moments together, online or off.
And so...

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.


Happy New Year, friends!

XO,
Bethany