Shameless Comment Seeking

And the winners are . . . Kathleen and Kristin! Wow, you guys know me so well, my own mother told me she wasn't sure which ones were false. But you were right, I don't even really eat sunflower seeds (though I did do the chipmunk cheek thing once or twice when I played softball in the 8th and 9th grade ), and I definitely do not even like "Earth Girls are Easy," although truthfully, it was my favorite movie when I was about 10 years old.

I have really been wanting some comments (I get this strange sense of rejection when I don't get them, it's like this irrational feeling of web-nerdiness overtakes me), so I am posting this picture of Captain Blueberry. Any guess as to who it is? Let's hope he's not too upset with me for using his image for comments.

Wow he's dreamy!

6 Quirks Tag

I forgot that I got "tagged" for this game where I have to list 6 quirks about myself. Well, I've decided to make things more interesting. I will list 6 quirks: 4 will be true, 2 will be made up. You, my dearest friends and family, will have to guess which are made up. Here goes:

1. While Papa Murphy's Hawaiian style pizza is my absolute favorite, I believe that Papa Murphy's Pepperoni pizza is hardly worth eating.

2. I like to put a whole bunch of sunflower seeds in my mouth, and one by one, crack'em open, eat the seed, and store the empty shell in the other side of my cheek. Mid-way through the seeds, I look like a little chipmunk.

3. My drive-thru voice is as loud as my stranded-in-the-bathroom-with-no-toilet-paper voice.

4. I am infamous for putting a virtually-empty milk carton back in the fridge.

5. I hate the words "flesh," and "nourish."

6. My secret favorite movie is "Earth Girls are Easy."

Okay, make your guesses. I tag: Maria B., Maria C., Priscilla, Brittney, Audrey and Elise.

Poetry

There have been some poems that I have heard throughout my life that have stuck with me. The first was a little rhyme I learned in the third grade. My teacher, Mrs. Lizotte, posted it by her door. I would see it every day as I entered the classroom:

Good, better, best,
never let it rest,
till the good gets better,
and the better gets best!

I took that on as my personal motto for many years, and thought of it often when I felt like giving up. Those of you who have tasted anything I've cooked know that I don't quite live by that philosophy anymore.

Another poem I think of often is a poem I had to memorize by Robert Frost.

Whose woods these are,
I think I know,
His house is in the village though,
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow,
My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near,
He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake,
These woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Those last two lines, it's almost like they haunt me. Those late nights when my list of things to do is still a mile long, I hear those lines mercilessly repeat in my mind, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.

And the last poem I remember has left a profound imprint upon my life, as will be apparent to all who read it.

Crowded Bathtub
by Shel Silverstein

There's too many kids in this tub,
There are too many elbows to scrub,
I just washed a behind,
That I'm sure wasn't mine,
There's too many kids in this tub.

(All these poems have been typed from memory, and probably aren't correctly laid out, and are copyrighted not to be dispersed to large groups for profit so I won't get sued.)

More Birthday Pictures

Gwen woke up and put her clothes on. She walked out of her room and said "Huh, my clothes still fit!" I guess she was expecting that since she was a year older, she would now be too big for her britches.

Ruby's unconventional way of eating a cupcake.

Who would've thought a little girl named "Dempsey," (After the Manassah Mauler boxer Jack Dempsey), would have turned out to be such a beauty.

Happy, Happy, Birthday

We celebrated Gwen's Birthday. This was her cupcake-cake. I'm not too talented with frosting(well decorating-wise, I'm am good at eating it), but I am awesome at printing stuff off of the computer.

Emma, Gwen, and Cort opening presents.

Gwen with her fairy wings and fairy skirt.

Ruby with her balloon she swiped from the party being held next to us.
(Note: Thank you to Krystle for the pics, without her, the camera probably would have sat on the picnic table all night).

Off She Goes

Gwen had her much anticipated first day of school on Monday (September 15). She attends preschool Monday through Thursday, 8 am to 2 p.m. That is a long, long time (good thing I'm too busy working to cry about it). I was quite worried that she would have a hard time since she has never been to preschool before, but she had no problem. Gwen walked into the classroom, started playing, gave Brian a goodbye hug and that was that. On her first day, she learned about not talking to "dangers." She already has a best friend in her class named Tiara.

Many of you inquired about Rocko. He is alive and well and I think he is enjoying his new buddy.

Bathtub Pooper: A Cinquain

Bathtub Pooper
adorable, unassuming
splashing, laughing, horrifying,
banned from the bathtub,
Dempsey