tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60612172024-11-01T05:38:14.873-05:00The ramblings of a mama who has been told too many times that she has her hands full.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger381125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-35624313440858796702015-03-22T22:46:00.000-05:002015-03-22T22:46:36.879-05:00

The good in today: Being the person a stranger needed to talk to, letting her know that she isn't alone. Giving my time to let others show their children a new home so that the children feel more confident about where they are going. Staying calm through another challenging bedtime for a child. It's been a number of difficult nights, but I'm helping her work through them while still staying

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-16948905295389322042012-12-09T20:41:00.002-06:002012-12-09T20:41:35.850-06:00

I learned this poem years ago, in junior high.  My class has to each learn a poem to recite, and was the one I selected.  Every once in a while, I think of it again, as I've never forgotten in.  Something about it touches me.  Perhaps it is the fact that I grew up inland, yet I always longed to see the see.  Vacationing in Maine the times that we have done it was magical.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-67739809729848721442012-03-26T22:15:00.002-05:002012-03-26T22:15:26.878-05:00

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. ~e.e. cummings One is not born a woman, one becomes one. ~Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1949 If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies. ~Author Unknown ...and slowly, with a little fanfare, another child starts the transition to adulthood.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-20986383451191390282012-02-13T16:37:00.001-06:002012-02-13T16:39:09.088-06:00

For the holidays this year, Simon received his first Erector set. He thought it was wicked cool since he has been wanting to use Vincent's forever. Simon's is the younger child version, larger plastic parts instead of tiny metal pieces. So the boys were playing together when they popped downstairs to show me their latest creation. Instead of a car or some other traditional Erector Set

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-54440913361510651882012-01-26T16:16:00.002-06:002012-01-26T16:19:25.119-06:00

Simon and Vincent received a set of large Tinker Toys for the holidays. These are great toys; I remember building fabulous things with Tinker Toys as a kid. True to form, though, my in-laws never get quite the right thing. They found not regular Tinker Toys, but the jumbo ones, so we have Tinker Toys with wheels the size of saucers and foot-long sticks. Anyways, Simon was just playing with

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-21876467924655602442012-01-16T16:21:00.002-06:002012-01-16T16:24:29.136-06:00

There is nothing quite like going to check on your precious children just before you are ready to collapse from exhaustion. The little faces, sound asleep, always look so angelic and it melts the heart no matter how tough the day was.It is far less special to go check on them and find one covered in vomit after puking in his sleep. Such joy to clean up that up from the floor, wall, bed,

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-32366333046235001462012-01-04T21:27:00.001-06:002012-01-04T21:30:20.634-06:00

I started doing yoga again recently. I have been doing a 25 minute daily video at home until I become a little more flexible again, then I will be going to the studio once more. Simon is all about doing yoga with me, just like Vincent used to enjoy doing Pilates. It is always fun to watch kids this age try to doing these positions. The other day, Simon and I were doing our yoga, and he kept

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-61676135344522887492011-08-24T15:59:00.002-05:002011-08-24T15:59:08.380-05:00

Phenomenal WomanBy Maya Angelou Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size   But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms, The span of my hips,   The stride of my step,   The curl of my lips.  &

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-74976790980035610022011-05-22T13:20:00.002-05:002011-05-22T13:24:11.374-05:00

In the warmer months, I love to whip up a big salad to take to the office for lunch. Rip up a little lettuce and spinach, toss in a few walnuts and dried cranberries, chop up a hard boiled egg or a little meat left over from the night before if we have any, drizzle it all with a touch of vinaigrette. It is so easy to do, taking just a few minutes.I am frequently dismayed, however, by how often

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-46197073706010516102011-04-21T23:09:00.001-05:002011-04-21T23:13:40.360-05:00

I went to the local arts center this evening to hear an author speak. I enjoy going to these talks, whenever time permits. I usually bring along a mindless knitting project, often the cuff or instep of a sock, something that I can work on without thinking about as I listen to the author.This evening, I brought nothing with me. My latest sock is waiting for me to kitchener stitch the toe

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-52323972072052316312011-02-25T21:36:00.003-06:002011-02-25T21:53:10.085-06:00

A house does not feel like home to me until the walls have art hanging on them. We moved in here ten years ago. Two young kids, new house, we didn't have a lot of money. Still, art popped up here and there, covering our wall. Print outs of Impressionist masterpieces by my favorites - Van Gogh, Monet, Degas. We grew our collection of larger pieces slowly, and a few years ago began adding a

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-63069583588600091242011-02-21T22:02:00.002-06:002011-02-21T22:04:29.565-06:00

"All around you, people will be tiptoeing through life, just to arrive at death safely. But dear children, do not tiptoe. Run, hop, skip, or dance, just don't tiptoe."— Shane ClaiborneI saw a version of this quote at a friend's home this evening. I loved it so much that I had to look up the original, and the original is even more wonderful that what I had seen. I have been looking for a quote

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-81305344040465624782011-02-01T16:08:00.000-06:002011-02-01T16:13:08.903-06:00

I saw this on StoryPeople today. It's an invention, he said. What's it do? I said. I don't know, he said. It's not finished yet. It reminded me of Vincent.

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-8543328710791682642011-01-24T14:52:00.002-06:002011-01-24T14:54:31.842-06:00

Isabella had a slumber party over the weekend, and I love listening to the girls chatter away in the next room when they don't know I am listening.All ten girls were playing some convoluted imagination game involving neighboring countries and their governments when I heard my favorite quote of the party:Girl 1: Attack!!!! Let's invade!Girl 2: Hey! Don't invade us. We are a peace-loving

Brendahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04398909254618860035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-17437701537151816732011-01-08T21:40:00.001-06:002011-01-08T21:42:44.141-06:00

I made the strangest cake today.  The only ingredients are eggs, sugar, ground almonds, baking powder, and five entire clementines - skin, pith and all - topped with dark chocolate. I found the recipe in Green & Black's Chocolate Recipes, a cookbook that I swear makes me gain weight just by reading it.  No photos, just a simple ingredient list and short set of directions.  The

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-53693436772230280622010-12-31T18:44:00.000-06:002010-12-31T18:44:00.202-06:00

Long time, no blog, eh?  I keep meaning to get back on the wagon.  I even have wonderful posts all composed in my head.  Alas, I sit down at the computer and do something else instead.  Tonight, though, I am sitting down and am writing what I intended to. So, about a month ago, my mother brought down a bag of fortune cookies.  I have no idea why she had an

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-21389213812875127242010-08-25T22:36:00.004-05:002010-08-25T22:45:58.764-05:00

We've struggled with helping Vincent learn to speak in an understandable manner for years. Goodness, back when he was two, we just struggled to get him to speak. He was such a master of non-verbal communication, and truly he still is.His inability to properly say some sounds has impacted his reading ability. While I've asked others for advice on and off over the years and have searched the web

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-44404806422875228602010-08-20T00:05:00.002-05:002010-08-20T00:13:09.228-05:00

Notice that it is midnight and I am posting something. The is a little one sleeping in my arms, and I found our conversation just now too funny not to record for future smiles when I reread this.Simon: (awake and crying)Me: Ohhhh, what's up?Simon: Meeeee.Me: (laughs)Simon: (gets up and starts climbing out of bed)Me: Where are you going?Simon: On your lap. (sound asleep twenty seconds later

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-32925520242667006592010-07-31T21:59:00.004-05:002010-07-31T22:10:54.732-05:00

If it is nine hundred degrees in the kitchen and everything in the kitchen is sticky, then it must be peach season.Three more canners full of peaches have been put up. That makes twenty eight quarts so far this year. I think it might last until mid-winter if I'm lucky. Considering that Simon finally tried a bite peach in syrup tonight and promptly gobbled up half of the peach, I think I might

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-90553385836003663482010-07-29T21:27:00.002-05:002010-07-29T21:31:43.012-05:00

Conversation with Simon last night:Me: Time to be quiet and go to sleep, bop.Simon: I quiet. I no talk. See, I quiet, mama. Lay in my bed; I quiet now mama. I no talk.Me: Shhhh.Simon: Mama, I wiwy* quiet, see? I no talk. Lay with me now, mama. I quiet!Repeat three more times. I think he misunderstands the meaning of "quiet", eh?* wiwy = really for those of you who do not speak

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-45109764332371492992010-07-24T16:00:00.002-05:002010-07-29T21:37:18.821-05:00

I'm thinking about names today.Limburger cheese is received with turned up noses. Semi-soft, stinky "artisan" cheeses are placed on tasting trays and given respect.Sauerkraut, gross. Kimchi? Intriguing and exotic. Both are fermented cabbage.Can I interest you in a pair of shower shoes? How about these cute flip-flops from Old Navy?Would you wear a tummy shaper or Spanx? Grandma did too,

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-29033752324364777222010-06-27T22:53:00.002-05:002010-06-27T23:35:35.913-05:00

A few years ago, I was sitting in the kitchen eating lunch with the girls when I looked up and saw the neighbors' large, old oak tree fall over. It was not a stormy or windy day, and the tree looked healthy with a full crown of leaves. Yet it simply collapsed, like an antebellum belle in full swoon, the rustle of leave hitting the house replacing the whisper of skirts and crinoline.I'm not sure

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-78982655305476653142010-06-21T11:44:00.003-05:002010-06-21T12:10:29.926-05:00

For the last few years, Luis has come home with a Bucky Book every fall. Bucky Books are fund raising coupon books. They cost about $35, and if used, they will save the purchaser many times that amount.The one problem with Bucky Books, in my opinion, is that we live an hour away from Madison and most of the coupons are for Madison businesses.The first year Luis purchased one, we were in the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-70498884779396551052010-06-08T12:31:00.002-05:002010-06-08T12:54:54.381-05:00

Apparently I am thinking a great deal about the elderly lately because the idea of the "sandwich generation" is on my mind.To be perfectly honest and blunt, I find the idea of a sandwich generation to be a creation straight out of the egos of the baby boomer generation.It seems like the baby boomers have always had the idea that their generation is the first to deal with issues. That is a load

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6061217.post-87851254039021488812010-06-04T10:10:00.002-05:002010-06-04T11:19:54.715-05:00

A few years ago, my uncle was telling me a story about his mother. She was at the very end of her life, days before she passed. He was visiting with her, and she questioned him about his jacket. She felt it was not warm enough for the day, and she wanted him to put on a thicker one. I was reminded of that story yesterday when I was driving through downtown. I saw a woman who appeared to be in

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1