There can be only one

It worked!! Today the older kids were talking about their uncle, aunts, and grandparents on my side of the family.

Tag: I have an Oma and she's a girl.
PB: I have a girl Oma, too!
Me: You both have an Oma?
Both: Yes!
Me: Is there more than one Oma?
PB: No! We have just one Oma, one Opa, one Uncle (name), one Aunt (name), and one Aunt (name). Just one of everything!

Hehe. That was my design when my first child was born so that when someone said "Oma" we'd know exactly who they were talking about. Over the past year my kids have been introduced to so many different grandparents who have been kind enough to love them that for a little while they seemed overwhelmed with all the new "Grandma (name)"s. They are totally square on which grandparents really are theirs now, but the whole time they only had one Oma, and one Opa.

Ah, it's nice to avoid that sort of identification stress. So there ya go, Mom and Dad! I've gone to great lengths to make sure you guys are always remembered and are one of a kind. Not that you're not one of a kind in your own right... but you know what I mean. ;)

Trying on the St. Patty's hat

Crazy Rabid Squirrel!

No more hosting hat

I love www.recipezaar.com . I've loved it ever since January of 2003 when I first went there seeking a stroganoff recipe to jazz up my attempts. I was there when they celebrated their 75,000th recipe, their 100,000th recipe, and just recently they've hit the 200,000th recipe mark. I've helped put recipes in their correct categories, beta test the new look, host the Thanksgiving help desk chat thingy, co host two different forums and even lobbied to get one of them created. I've received personal correspondence from the founders on two different occasions and considered putting in a resume at one point to be a customer service rep online.

After a lot of introspection, I've begun to rethink and reshape my free time and not so free time. On Sunday I forget which grey-haired general authority said something that really gave me a shock: "You spend time doing the things that really matter to you."

It's a simple little thought. It makes perfect sense. It's perfectly true. I'm in the fortunate position of being a stay at home mom to our three kids and I truly have the freedom to spend time doing the things that matter to me. But is hosting on a recipe website really that important to me right now? Is that one hour a day worth spending on answering questions for those who honestly could have googled their question and gotten a more thorough, better researched reply than I have to offer?

With a sigh of sadness and relief, I take off the hosting hat and give myself the gift of an extra hour every day to do precisely what I truly value: nurturing and cherishing the people and relationships that mean so much to me; shaping and refining how this house is run and making it a home; developing skills and talents that bless my life and those around me.

Sometimes saying no isn't such a selfish thing. And sometimes it isn't such a terrible thing if it is selfish.

Silly to have to learn these things in this society. What was it called... ah, meritocracy. That's right. Now I have two less "merit badges" to share with those who ask about what's going on in my life.

But learning how to be and do in such a way that fully exercises my right to think and choose -- now that's courageous.

Movie Review: The Prestige

Starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale... how could you go wrong? Add Michael Cain, Andy Serkis, David Bowie, and Scarlett Johansson and it's gonna be pretty darn cool. The story follows two magicians as they do everything and anything to prove that they are the better magician. It challenges the way you see everything in the film and totally creeped me out.

It's difficult to layer and arrange a movie where you can put things at the very beginning that are obviously clues but still be able to withhold their meanings until the very end. Creepy, cool, intense, and I couldn't get it out of my head all night last night. Will be watching it again this morning. Since we don't really do rated R movies, this one is the most gripping I've seen in a very long time. PG-13 doesn't get more intense than this and it was some yummy brain candy after a long day of child care.

Watch it after the kids are in bed so you can catch the whole thing. Love Christian Bale but I always have to turn the subtitles on when he's in a movie.

Our little friends

The other day we found a little guy crawling around in the steps outside. Today, we have two more. Tomorrow? Who the heck knows. The kids love watching them out the window and are very careful to do nothing that would hurt them. Man says we can get a ticket for chasing a bird on a beach. I can't imagine what they'd do to us if we hurt a caterpillar.

Mustachioed kidlets

I've got this uncle who loves watching kids play with cool toys. I think we all live a little vicariously through watching them having a blast with these little gadgets. I just about died when I found a box in the mail from him with a bunch of really cool stuff in it. The best one (in my opinion) was the box of self adhesive mustaches. The kids ended up putting them on their upper lips and chins so they could like "just like Dad used to" with a goatee of many colors. We were past their bedtime when I found and opened the box, so the looks on their faces are indicative of their much excitement and fatigue.

A skirt says "It's Sunday"

We hosed down the masses this morning and got everyone in their Sunday best so we could attend the baptisms of two of the young gentlemen in our primary class. Due to a scheduling conflict we had to play musical car so that I could go and conduct the music (while our three kids sat in the crowd) while Man ran off for his obligations. I'm still wearing a necklace and having a hard time remembering that it's only Saturday. I thought about doing laundry but felt guilty all of a sudden for such a blasphemous thought, then remembered that the day to feel guilty for doing housework is still 7 hours away.

Speaking of musical car, any thoughts on multiple vehicles? We're toying with the idea of getting a tiny gas sipper for Man so I can still get out now and then without having to hoof it with two likewise hoofing (and whooping) kids in tow. The alternative would be to get a jogging stroller (a double, for sure) and just make do with appts only on one day a week and hope that no emergencies come up.

Microfiber

I love my couches! They were a major find at a second hand store in my old town. Like new for a fraction of the original cost and with microfiber! I just scrubbed dried on gel pen with nothing but a damp cloth. That's right, damp with water. ::pats self on head:: Goooooood purchase.

Anyone ever heard of this?

For the last few weeks, Man has been going to physical therapy for something wrong with his shoulder. It wasn't until just a couple days ago that the physical therapist has begun to understand the exact nature of this condition. Man showed me last night. He took off his shirt and started to do a pushup against the wall. His right scapula stuck out from his back by a good 3-4" while his left scapula just sort of stayed stuck to his back. What is it? What does it mean? We have no idea but he has some exercises he has to do to try and strengthen his muscles so that his bones will stay put and quit pinching and inflaming the muscles in his shoulder.

Has anyone had any experience with this at all? We're absolutely at a loss except for the exercises he's been prescribed to "try" to make it better. Fortunately (no, really) he's still able to sprint and ruck march (which is a really fast (5 mile?) run at the end of which they pick up at least 60 pounds of gear and march at a quick pace all the way back).