Half-Past Kissin' Time

Read in the Classroom

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Our sixth graders' writings are always enlightening,
and this week was no exception.

One of my students had trouble writing about her topic, Hatsheput,
one of the first female pharaohs in Ancient Egypt.

When asked (begged, really) for something important that she had learned about Hatsheput
(who was a powerful woman known for commissioning impressive monuments, her success with trading and who mysteriously disappeared and was likely assassinated),
Lia supplied,

"She married her step-brother."

***

Budding writer, Annie, wrote an "entire" paragraph about Ramses the Great:

Ramses was one of most big builders in agent Egypt .He built the most cites temples and tombs. .He had at least one hundred kids.Ramses was also one of the most awesome and one of most powerful .He ruled for 66 years, the second longest. All and all, he died.

Clearly, there is some work to be done on conclusions, among other things.

What is it with kids and end punctuation these days?

***

From a journal entry about racism,

a theme in the book Maniac McGee, which we are reading in literature class....

I don't feel that people who are a different color are different.

They all act the same, and half of the people that are different colors are famous

(football, baseball, basketball).

Yes, I am embarrassed, but cut her some slack; she's eleven,

and she lives in a rural, mostly-white community.

And yes, we do plan to enlighten her.

***

And finally, another journal gem, inspired by the topic, "Thank you notes".
(And no, for future reference--we do not grade these in front of the students.)

I think one lesson people should learn is to appreciate what you have.

Big or small, a ton or a little.

You've heard the saying,

"One man's junk is another man's treasure!"

***

Get it? One man's "junk"? (I laughed so hard!!)

You'd think I was the one in sixth grade...

And the Winner Is......

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:53:00 +0000

Hooray for Rebecca and Tracie, who each won a dozen, delicious cake-pops in my Giveaway!
Congratulations, Ladies! Please send your snail-mail addresses and start drooling, because you're in for a treat! :)

P.S. Forgive me for drawing the winners seven minutes early--I'm falling asleep here and couldn't be sure I stay awake long enough to remember to do it!

Friday Fragments: Episode #182

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:00:00 +0000

Got tidbits? Fragments? Miscellany? Here's you chance to unload them. I highly recommend it; fragging is good for the soul and a wonderful way to start the weekend. Thanks for stopping by. [First time fragmenting? Please click on the tab above and check out the particulars.]

***

Happy Friday! It's very happy over here, I assure you. Can't tell you why yet (I've been sworn to secrecy for another couple of weeks, and no; I'm not pregnant.) Stay tuned.

***

Kendall got her first "real" job! She going to work at Dairy Queen! Darn--another reason to go out for ice cream....

***

In case you missed it, be sure to enter my giveaway for some delicious cake pops! You can enter until midnight on Friday night.

***

Mr.4444 is a self-professed "flashlight whore." He has at least ten of them, but I'm certain he'll never buy a different one than his new favorite, which he picked up at our local Batteries Plus store:

It has 235 lumens (whatever those are), and even I can't argue with its impressiveness. At $29.95, it's by far the "least-expensive, brightest flashlight" we've ever seen. Personally, I think it would make a fantastic Valentines Day for the man in your life. (Seriously; what man doesn't love flashlights?haha)

***

I watched the documentary, Forks Over Knives, via Netflix last week, and I'm very intrigued; I would love to try a diet free of dairy and animal products, just to see what it does for me. It's probably tough to pull off, though. What do you think? If nothing else, I recommend the movie--It's very informative.

***

Mr.4444 made a wonderful crock pot Pot Roast this week--It was a big hit all around, further reason why the previous fragment would likely be vetoed.

***

Want to know a simple way to increase your credit rating? (This tip comes from my lovely neighbor, Nancy, who is a realtor.) When you're using your debit card in a store and are given the "debit or credit?" option, choose credit. [Update: According to my friend Michelle, of Honest and Truly, this is not true! See her comment below for specifics.]

***

Kyle is still my friend on Facebook. The "rules" for this are: I am not allowed to comment on his wall posts or Like anything before anyone else does. Okay, got it.

Alrighty then! Now it's your turn; feel free to link up and visit some of the nicest folks I know! Have a great weekend.

Who Says Cats Aren't Clean?!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:21:00 +0000

With conferences and a school board meeting this week, three late nights are called for, so I don't have time to create, but I do have a minute to share. Check out this incredible post from Terrence Lui on Google+: How to Train Your Cat to Pee on the Toilet.

Have a beautiful day! :)

Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:49:00 +0000

Many years ago, when Kyle was about six years old and we lived in a culdesac, a little neighbor boy asked his mom, my next-door-neighbor,

"Mommy, how come when I get hurt, you come running outside to help, but when Kyle gets hurt, his mommy stays in the house?"

Parenting style, Kid; that's why.

Today, my Kyle is so-far doing pretty well, in spite of or due to that style. Hey, don't get me wrong--I kissed his boo-boos and joked around to distract him from his tears, like everybody else does; but if there wasn't gushing blood or screaming, I kept ~~watching my shows~~ stayed calm. I just didn't freak out when my kids showed negative emotion. I had grown up being denied any expression of sadness or anger, so maybe that's why I let my kids feel.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I've been reading Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves: Transforming Parent-Child Relationships from Reaction and Struggle to Freedom, Power and Joy (a book whose title couldn't be more perfect, incidentally). I loved it from the start, and my passion has grown; this gem is now on my Top-2 books for how to raise healthy, well-adjusted kids. This is not a sponsored post of any kind; I don't actually remember how I stumbled upon this book at Amazon. I've never met or spoken with Naomi Aldort (though I would love to). I just feel like this book can change parents' and their children's lives; it's truly that good, so I want to tell you about it.

Here are some excerpts that made me nod my head and jot "Yes!" or "Wonderful!" in the margins. I've added my thoughts in brackets.:

*About kids having meltdowns...

When giving attention to a sobbing or raging child, you may feel discomfort and even panic. You may perceive the child as suffering beyond her ability to cope. This perception, however, is really about your own discomfort. Therefore, the rush to distract a child from her hurt or frustration, to compensate for a disappointment, or to minimize the importance of her plight is a response to your own anxiety, not the child's. [Wow! So profound and true!! Every parent can recognize this, and if you say you don't, you're probably lying.]

*Bending the world to fit a child's every whim can hinder the natural development of his emotional resilience. [Why can't parents let their kids want once in a while? (see previous)]

*The child who experiences our peaceful presence [when they're upset] is bound to conclude that going through intense emotions is a part of being human. [And maybe even grow up to go through emotions, rather than around them.]

*Loving yourself will also help you to keep your child free from the burden of providing love for you. Your child is not here to give you love and gratitude or to fulfill your dreams and aspirations. [Even great parents forget this sometimes.]

Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves does have some touchy-feely parts that might make some parents roll their eyes, but to the greatest degree, I cannot argue with Ms. Aldort's wisdom, and I agree that reading this book and implementing the ideas in it would be a gift to yourself, as well as to your child (or grandchild), a gift that would last for generations.

Although my children are mostly grown now, I still very much enjoyed this book, which validated my parenting choices, yes, but also articulated the rationality behind them, even if I (or the neighbor kid) didn't know it at the time.

I love this book! Can you tell?

To learn more about Ms. Aldorts book, workshops, etc. click here.

To read any of my posts related to specific parenting issues, check these out: (Respect, Family Identity, Education & Limits/Boundaries, Attention, or Follow-Through.

Sundays in My Son's New City

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

In case you haven't guessed already, we took Kyle to his new college (U.W. Milwaukee) on Saturday.

This is how we found the refrigerator in his dorm:

At least it was clean,

(which is more than I can say for the floor, which was pretty disgusting).

It's a good thing I'm not that mom, who feels compelled to run around micromanaging her son's move-in.

(His last dorm-mate's parents came in and cleaned the whole place, made his bed

(with his Pokemon blankey, I might add) and stayed long after we had left.)

Hey, cleaning is character-building, right?

No, I did not clean. Instead, I averted my gaze from the dust bunnies and garbage on the floor

to the view from Kyle's window, which incidentally faces Lake Michigan, a half-mile down the road.

Kyle said he wasn't hungry and didn't need lunch, which was probably code for

"Okay, get out of here now-- I need to scope-out some chicks."

We left but took a little cruise toward the lake and found this,

just a few blocks from the dorm--Whole Foods!

(Or, as my niece affectionately calls it, "Whole Paycheck".)

We purchased some provisions for that empty fridge and bought a gift card for Kyle,

who was meanwhile unpacking his duffel bag. A moment later, I received a text:

"The baby scared the crap out of me!"

[insert evil laugh here]

Yes, Mr.4444 had put a little surprise for Kyle in his bag before we left the house:

So, Kyle met us at the door to the dorm with an "empty" but suspiciously-lumpy duffel bag,

and we exchanged the groceries for his "baby brother".

I can't wait to send him a Care Package.

Visit Unknown Mami for more entertaining scenes from around the globe.

Friday Fragments, Episode #181

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:00:00 +0000

The weather outside is frightful (15-below-zero windchill today), but my fragments are delightful. Not really, but after 180 episodes of FF, fresh intros are hard to come by. Let's unload, shall we? [If you're asking yourself, "Unload what?" click on the Friday Fragments tab above and learn more.]

***I wish we could have some of that snow that the Northwest got this week! If it's going to be cold, we might as well have snow, too. It is freezing over here!!! (14 below-zero F tonight)

***Have you entered my easy giveaway for a dozen delicious cake bites/pops? Really, entering is simple; there's no reason not to, and if you're dieting, you can donate your winnings to anyone you like :)

***I have a secret, but I can't tell you what it is, yet. It's killing me; trust me.

***I wish I didn't feel myself getting sick again, but I can. I took this morning off to stay in bed, but it didn't work; I got up at six and worked, instead. At least I got some work accomplished in peace.

***You can read a very clear, helpful explanation about how SOPA could affect bloggers (and others) here.

***Our students learned how to use SlideRocket this week. It's a fantastic presentation tool. I'll share more with you about that next week.

Looking forward to reading your fragments! Have a great weekend!

Mostly-Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:41:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I think eating vegetarians is wrong.

As if they're not persecuted enough, and now this!

(Apparently, they also eat hyphens.)

What's the world coming to?!

Thanks, Sis (Michelle) for taking this photo and sharing it with the rest of us.

LLL: The Knucklehead Fitness Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

The sad part about political correctness is that so many good jokes are off the table as a result. Mr.4444 shared this gem with me via email, and rather than risk offending any particular ethnic group, I've chosen to replace that reference with "knucklehead." (Which could still be considered offensive, so if you're a knucklehead, please accept my mostly-sincere apology in advance.)

A knucklehead was terribly overweight, so his doctor put him on a diet.

"I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, then eat regularly again for two days then skip a day. Repeat this procedure for two weeks. The next time I see you, you should have lost at least five pounds."

When the knucklehead returned, he shocked the doctor by having lost nearly 60 lbs!

"Why, that's amazing," the doctor said. "Did you follow my instructions?"

The knucklehead nodded. "I'll tell you though, I taut I were going to drop dead on dat 'tird day.."

"From the hunger, you mean?" asked the doctor.

"No, from the skippin.'

This joke was brought to you by Lisleman's Leftover Laughs. Haven't had your fill? Stop by A Few Clowns Short

A PSA (and Giveaway) About Getting People to Read Your Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:31:00 +0000

When I have time to read blogs, I do it in one of four ways:

1) I click on your name in a comment you left on my blog and follow the trail of breadcrumbs to your blog. Half the time, though, like Hansel and Gretel, I find no crumbs; I'm led to a dead end, and as much as I love you, I don't have time to go searching for your blog via your name. If you take the time to set up your profile (and add your blog's url) to whatever platform you use for commenting (Discus, Blogger, etc.) it makes it easy for people to return blog visits. If you're wondering why you haven't had a lot of replies to comments you've left on blogs (or return visits to your blog), you might check to be sure you have set up a profile set up on your commenting platform of choice.

2) Another way I might end up at your blog is by seeing a comment from you on someone else's blog. I love bumping into friends this way; it's keeps things interesting.

3) I use my Google Reader to check in on the blogs I've got there. If you don't use a reader for blogs, I highly recommend it. It beautifully simplifies and organizes your blog-reading. This is something you really should consider if you currently use Google Friend Connect to keep up with your favorite blogs--GFC is being discontinued in March of this year. That means that all of the "Blogs I'm Following" list will disappear. Adding a blog to Google Reader is simple to do. You don't have to have a Google email address to use Google Reader. Click Google Reader for Beginners to learn more.

4) When I see interesting blog posts that catch my eye on my Half-Past Kissin' Time Google+ profile, I visit the blog. Since my blogging circles are all attached to that profile (instead of my Barbara Jean profile), I know just where to go to catch up with blogs.

I'm sure other people use these methods as well. In short, the way to get people to read your blog is to make it easy for people to find it and establish a presence in the social networking world. (Of course, there are many other important factors related to getting people to read your blog more than once, but that's an entirely different post.)

And now, to reward the crumb-droppers among you, I am having a giveaway. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment (and a trail back to your blog). Here are some helpful links for how to do this:

*Create a Disqus Profile (SO easy! Just enter your email/username and then add your blog url.)
*Make sure your Google Profile has your blog listed (You don't have to be a Blogger blogger to enter it.)
*If you use the Blogger commenting platform (instead of Disqus), choose the Name/Url option.
*Email me if you need help!

The prize? Oh, yeah, the prize....Hm. How about a dozen cake-pops (or maybe cake bites)? (They ship nicely during the winter.)

*There will be two winners.
*Deadline: Saturday, January 28th at 12am.

Ready? Go!

When Getting Caught with Your Pants Down Is a Good Thing?

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:36:00 +0000

Oh, darn! I missed No Pants Subway Ride 2012!

How did I not know about this world-wide event?!

To learn more about this Improve Everywhere event,

visit No Pants Subway Ride 2012, Something We can All Get Behind.

P.S. I found this via Guy Kawasaki on Google+

Friday Fragments, Episode #180

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:17:00 +0000

Yes, I'm still alive and once again full of fragments. So glad to have a place to unload them. I'm glad you're here. [For the specs on Friday Fragments, click the tab at the top of the page.]

***

Kyle's home from Ecuador! Boy, we missed that kid.

***

Have you entered Rafflecopter's Launch Party Giveaway? I have. I want to win an iPad2 or a Kindle Fire. I've never even used it on my own blog, but I sure am impressed by its efficiency on the giveaways I've entered.

***

My brother Dennis shared this on Facebook today: (Oconto is less than a half-hour from Green Bay.)

***

In addition to other books I'm juggling, I'm currently reading Eats Shoots and Leaves, and I'm laughing out loud with regularity while doing so. This book has made me realize I should probably study up on current comma practices. Some day...

***

Looking for a temp job? The Green Bay Packers organization is hiring snow shovelers. (Bring mittens and a hat.)

***

"If you ask me, the two of them probably share a single brain cell!" (Quote from one of my students this week, telling me about a pair of bullies who've been harassing him on his bus.)

***

In case you missed the Autumn Chopped Salad that a made a few weeks ago, I have to share the recipe again. Everyone at my house loves it, even Kendall, who has a very conservative palate, actually tried it and loves it. She describes it as "scary but crazy-good."

***

If you know me, you will be shocked to learn that I actually ate bleu cheese this week. Seriously! It turns out that crumbled bleu cheese looks a lot like crumbled feta (well, to a tired, overworked, power-grocery-shopper-and-salad-maker, anyway). I accidentally ate an entire salad (we each did) without realizing my "mistake." I'm happy to say it was delicious. (But no, I probably won't be venturing on to bleu cheese salad dressing.)

Okay! Your turn! [But only if you have a FRIDAY FRAGMENTS post, please. Other links will be deleted.]

Monday Minute

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

I wasn't going to post today (no time to plan one), but I knew you would worry about me (I always post on Monday's, right?), so I'm just leaving a note to say Happy Monday and it's all good over here.

And just in case you need a laugh this morning, I'll send you to my favorite Pinterest, You Are Drunk photo. It's rated PG-ish and absolutely hilarious. It's called Having Children Will Strip You of Your Dignity, Literally.

Have a great week!

Sundays in My City: Surprise!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:31:00 +0000

In my city this week, my nephew Logan turned thirteen.

My sister Michelle planned a surprise party for him.

Shhhh....Here he comes! (Brother Caden waits to pounce!)

What?

Huh?

Hey, this is kind of cool....

Happy Birthday, Cousin.

Hey, when did you get taller than me?!

The amazing iPhone cake!

(Yes, my sister is artistic, not to mention one of the best moms I know.)

Happy Birthday, Logan!

Soup and Droop

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:04:00 +0000

The high temperature today is predicted to be a balmy 34 degrees F, and I'm going to enjoy it, because I'm told that in a week or two we're going to get slapped harder than a womanizing drunk* by an "Arctic blast." That's put me in the mood for soup.

photo credit

My mom and my sisters have had two Soup Swaps. Click to read more on that, but it's basically like a cookie swap, except that you're left with a freezer full of soup, instead of a "spare tire".

photo credit

While searching for that post, I found this joke, which Mom shared at our last soup swap:

A girl about 13 came down the stairs in a tight, very immodest shirt and was confronted by her grandma as she went to leave for school, "What in the world are you doing? You can't go out like that; I can see right through your shirt!"

"Oh, Grandma..." the girl replied, pointing to her tiny breasts. "These are nothing but rosebuds!" She left for school. When she came home, she was met by her grandma coming down the stairs wearing no shirt or bra.

"Grandma! Have you lost your mind?! I hope you're not going out like that!"

"What?!" replied Grandma. "I thought you'd like to see my hanging baskets!"

***

Two of my favorite soup recipes include Beef Barley and White Chicken Chili, but I like to change things up a lot, so I'd love some recommendations. Got a favorite soup recipe to share?

*This simile was inspired by Nezzy, Queen of Literary Devices at Cow Patty Surprise. If you don't read her blog, you really need to head over there, as she truly is a master of the simile and makes it seem effortless. Oh, and by the way, the punctuation of my "Arctic Blast" sentence stumped me; feel free to correct it for me.haha

Friday Fragments: Episode #179

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:00:00 +0000

As Grandpa 4444 used to say, I've been "busier than a one-armed paper-hanger" this week. Seriously-busy. Stay-up-til-10:30pm-working-and-never-even-get-to-my-email busy. There is just physically not enough time to fit everything in, and I do not see it letting up soon. Thankfully, I can at least unload from fragments that have been floating around in my head this week. Feel free to join us in unloading yours! [To learn Friday Fragments "etiquette," please click on the tab above. Thank you.]

***Last week on Pinterest, I found this fantastic idea for getting your child to pick up after him/herself. I'm not sure if it works on moms picking up after themselves (and I hope not to find out), but I'm sure it works on kids.

***21 Things That Will Be Obsolete in 2020 is a very intriguing article from NPR's Mind/Shift's Tina Barseghian. No more desks? No more homework? I say, bring on the shift!

***Did you know that if you purchase satellite radio from XMRadio and fail to remember to cancel it at the end of the year, they will charge you $35 and hire a collection agency to get it from you? "It's in the fine print," we were told. Hello? I paid for a year. If I wanted more than a year, I would have bought more than a year. I think that's shady.

***Kendall has been belching like a foghorn every night for two weeks now. (No, this is not her normal behavior.) It's actually distressing to her, as these emissions are incredibly loud, long, and far from lady-like. Since it's clearly something medical, I took her to the doctor today, who suggested that it's caused by gastritis, most likely the result of a stomach virus that needs to run its course. Given that Kendall does not abuse cocaine, consume alcohol or much soda, and doesn't feel stressed, I'm agreeing with the doctor. Hopefully, with a little help from antacids, the virus will be gone within a couple of weeks, and Kendall will be back to her cute, girl-burp self.

***If you're serious about becoming a better photographer, Six New Year's Resolutions Every Photographer Should Make has very good recommendations. I'm too busy to be serious about that right now, but I thought I'd share for those who aren't.

For your FRIDAY FRAGMENTS linking pleasure...

One More for Logan's Therapist

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

My sister Michelle doesn't have a blog any more, and that's a shame, because she has some great gems. She knew the minute I saw this one on her Facebook page, I would want to share it, so it comes with her blessing (never mind Logan's, haha). Here follows an exchange between my sister and her just-turned-13 son:

"Logan, hold this please".

"Mom, give me a sec".

Michelle's quick response: "I don't have secs."

AWKWARD.

Pinterest Interest

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Ever wondered what Pinterest is about? For a long time, I had only mild curiosity about it, but recently, I decided to check it out. I had been hearing about its addictive qualities, and I figured I didn't need any more on-line suckers of my time, but I have fairly good self control, so I risked it, and I'm glad I did. This post is designed to inform you about Pinterest. It's not a sponsored review or anything like that; I just thought you might be curious.

Pinterest is basically a place to bookmark visual stuff you find on-line. While other sites help you organize bookmarks (using urls) Pinterest (like Tumblr) is a place to save photos (or video) and their sources. For example, if I'm poking around on your blog and see that you've shared a photo or graphic that I find especially amusing, educational, or inspiring, I can just click on "Pin It" button at the top of my page, and a box pops up, asking me how I want to categorize that photo. Any time I'm in the mood to poke around (or I need to find something I pinned), I can go to my Pinterest page and click on the appropriate photo, and it will take me to the source.

Some of my categories (called "boards" on Pinterest) include:

Kitchen Inspirations (recipes)
Books I'd Like to Read
Homemade Sweetness (Do-It-Yourself projects, crafts)
Pets
Family/Home
Holiday
Products I Love (a wish list, kind of)
Stuff I'd Wear If I Were Cool (fashion that fits me)

Here's a glimpse of my Homemade Sweetness board (you can click on it to enlarge it, if you like):

Other people have boards for interests like photography, hair style inspirations, travel destinations, home decor, shoes, wedding ideas, etc. (The pages those links lead to change in read time, as different people all over the world are pinning, they're updated.) You can also save videos. My newest board is for saving pose suggestions for Kendall's senior portraits this summer (I have strong feelings about ones I don't want, and I thought it would be a nice way to help the photographer know what we're looking for when the time comes.). I'm also thinking about starting a "Wish List" for my birthday (for Mr.4444).

You can also see what your friends are "pinning" on Pinterest; I've found some wonderful inspirations that way. If you're on Pinterest, look me up (or leave your username in the comments below) and I'll do the same!

*To join Pinterest, request a membership on the site or ask me to send you one.

Funny Monday: How to Deal with Slow Walkers

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0000

This is brilliant (and funny). I found it via Kim Sherell on Google+.

Here's hoping everyone gets out of your way this week :)

Starting the Year with a Brr!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0000

I am here:

I have to admit, though; it could be a lot worse!

My Husband, the Character

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 07:40:00 +0000

Buddy the Elf decided to celebrate New Year's Eve in our neighborhood tonight! Yes, Mr.4444 attended a couple of neighborhood get-togethers in his Elf costume. Introducing himself with, "Hi. I'm Buddy the Elf! What's your favorite color?" he stayed mostly in character (for the first 20 minutes or so) and rattled off plenty of classic Buddy lines, he was a big hit.

(Unless you count the guy at the first house who hurried out of the room as soon as he saw him. Who knew some adults are terrified of elves!?)

At the second house, there were plenty of kids, and Mr.4444's played up his character, enthusiastically greeting them, asking them about their favorite colors, and quizzing them about the four food groups, etc. To his delight, two of the little girls completely embraced his character, and he spent more than a little time with them on his lap, being fed plastic cookies (and even some real ones) and being "forced" to sing Christmas carols (for an hour or more). It was really priceless.

He said that it made his night (maybe even his year)...to be looked at with such sweet, innocent admiration. (They really thought he was Buddy the Elf, or at least a really fun Christmas character who came to visit them.) Mr.4444 said being Buddy tonight made him appreciate why his own dad enjoyed playing Santa, back in the day.

At least two little girls went to sleep tonight with a very sweet memory, and Buddy did, too.

Happy New Year!

Friday Fragments: Episode #178

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:00:00 +0000

Welcome! Feeling fragmented? You've come to the right place; we're full of 'em here!

To learn the ins and outs of FF, please click on the link above. Thank you.
Sorry if you arrived Thursday evening and found no linky. (I have lots of reasons, but zero excuses.) Please forgive me.

***I'm still on the couch, recovering from my painting adventure yesterday. After I had that epiphany, I made this and uploaded it to Pinterest:

I hope that it helps other people remember what I had forgotten. (I suppose that's why I only paint every couple of years.)

***Speaking of senior portraits, Kendall loves playing in the snow, my sister Michelle is going to help us play around with some winter shots (if we ever get some more snow). I can't wait, as Kendall is a real snow bunny, and a senior pic that shows that side of her will be really cute.

***Poor Mr.4444....After four days with our Christmas tree, he realized he was allergic to it (we undressed it and kicked it out the door last night.) Oh, darn! That means we'll have to get an artificial tree in the future; one that's pre-lit, of course, one that will cut my job in half and result in my seeing the tree as a joy to set up, rather than a chore. I'll probably even set it up Thanksgiving weekend, now, instead of the day before Christmas. But yeah, poor Mr.4444. Sorry, Honey. Love you...[STOP THE PRESSES--Mr.4444 says there is "no way" that we are getting a fake tree. He thinks his allergic reaction to the tree was due to the fact that instead of a Frasier Fir, this year, we got a balsam. The Internet says it's mold, not a pine allergy; that we should hose the tree down and let it dry before taking it in the house next time. Greaaat....more pain-in-the-butt jobs Christmas tree tasks.

***You may have seen or heard about Ben Breedlove's This is My Story Parts 1 & 2 videos, in which he shared a couple of weeks ago on YouTube. The videos touched me, as he talked about his near-death experiences (the result of a heart defect) and how he had no fear of dying as a result. I learned yesterday that Ben passed away on Christmas Day while playing with his little brother in their back yard. Today, I watched another video that Ben made, for his YouTube "News" program. In the video, you can see just what a wonderful young man he was. My heart breaks for his family.

***Here's a quick snap of one of my favorite Christmas gifts (from Grandma 4444):

It's a Kameleon necklace (which means that the center stone can be popped out and replaced with another) and I love, love, love it. [And yes, the G is for Green Bay Packers; they were out of green and gold ones, and I didn't mind at all!]

Okay, okay--Enough of my yacking. Let's have some of yours! (SORRY FOR THE LATE LINKY!)

So THAT's Why They Spell It Like That!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 06:48:00 +0000

I wrote this entire post before trying to think of a title, and then I had an epiphany--

Did you ever notice the first four letters of "painting?"

[Slaps self in forehead, (or would if she could lift her arms)]

It all makes sense, now!

I spent 12 hours painting a bathroom today,

and I can't remember being in more pain.

Seriously, I can barely type, and I have three ice packs strapped to my extremities.

It was worth it, though....check it out!

First, the before. That's "builder's white."

(It was about time I painted, given that we built this house 11 years ago.)

This bathroom has a skylight that brings in lots of light. I had no idea how/if to paint it.

Because it turns out that we don't have a ladder tall enough, that decision was made for me

(I didn't touch it.).

These shelves were fun to prep (not).

This is the upstairs (kids') bathroom. That beach-themed shower curtain has been there for 11 years.

Twelve hours, two broken shoulders and two painter's elbows later, and ta-da!

This color is absolutely gorgeous. It's called Hosta

(at Home Depot, Martha Stewart clearance, $13 for a gallon yesterday)

Hosta? What in the world?! It has zero resemblance to hostas, but oh well.

I was a little nervous about painting a darkish color on the ceiling in the tiny shower/toilet area,

but I'm really glad I did--It really looks nice.

Of course, it's only a matter of time before Kendall has her junk all over the counter again,

and I obviously need towels, etc. but I'm waiting for the January bedding/bath sales.

Besides, I'm pretty sure I will need that long to recover! Anyone have any ibuprofen?

Careful With That Ray Gun, Boys!

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:21:00 +0000

Is this photo of Uncle Bob and his brother, Mr.4444 cute, or what?!

So many points of interest in this photo...

*the Lost-in-Space helmet (of course)

*cute pajamas

*grandma's knee-highs at her ankles

*tinsel...ah, tinsel...and the size of those lights on the tree (no wonder trees caught on fire)

*the hip ashtray on the coffee table

*those drapes

Mr.4444 (reading my blog) just exclaimed, "Frageelay! We got something from Italy, too!"

I want to know what a Go-Go Bug is.

You'll be glad to know that no eyes were shot out following this gift-opening.

Got a Good Story (or Joke)?

noreply@blogger.com (Mrs4444) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0000

In our family, there are a couple of really good jokes well-told by certain members of the family. Mr.4444, in particular, has a really, really, really good one that is (sadly) Rated R. (No, sorry; I simply cannot share it here, nor can I share it on my YouTube channel. I guess you'll just have to ask him to share it with you in person some time.) I will share a different favorite, though; this one, from me.

What? No video? Yeah, well, I posted it for about 15 minutes and then had second thoughts, as it, too, is a little risque. Shoot. Now I'll have to think of another story to tell. In the meantime, here's the linky, in case anyone wants to share.

Got a great video of you or someone you know telling a story/joke? Link it up here! Please note that I've set this linky to allow me to approve the link after you enter it. (Just experimenting...) Looking forward to your offerings! :)