The compliment

I'm getting my hair cut today...and I've found that you always get compliments on your hair right before you get a cut.

Yesterday, I was pulling my hair up in a clip, and I asked Trina's opinion on it. She said, "it looks like Padme"

So, question is....which Padme hairdo do you think she meant?

or

Actually, it was this one...*whew* I was worried for a minute.

Sparklers

What is a sparkler?....its something pretty, but short.

When I see good ideas, I often ponder...is this a sparkler? Will this last? For how long?

Maybe its normal for some things to have a life cycle. For Bible studies to come to an end, for chore routines to stop working, for a weekly time to input financial info into the computer to get set aside. Life changes, so other things have to change.

But how do I turn a sparkler into something more like the Olympic Torch? How do I make something beautiful also something consistent in my life? I don't love routine. I may not love change, but I don't love stasis either. I find things that I want to endure, but they rarely do.

Last year at this time I had my house cleaning under control. This year...not so much. And it was better then, so how do I get there again (besides getting off the stinking internet?)? My kids had a chore routine, and they thrived on it...why didn't it last? My exercise and quiet time routine in the morning worked...why is it so hard now?

How does an inconsistent person learn consistency? And for how long can she keep it up?

What about Jay Cutler?

We were talking about politics a little in the car today. I was telling Trina that no matter who wins, something different will happen. Either we'll have a female VP(Please Lord!) or a darker skinned President (not bad in itself, if it were someone else!). Trina had previously noted that none of our Presidents had darker skin.

And Alex's response?
What about Jay Cutler?

Well, buddy...Jay's not old enough yet...and as much of a leader as I think he has the potential to be for the Broncos, I just don't think that after Monday night's game that Jay is on my short list...this year.

I gave in

I signed up for Facebook last night. My sis assures me that although it seems time consuming at the beginning, it actually will not suck my life away after I get settled. I hope she's right.

Sweet lunch date

Today, my sweet daughter took her brother and I out to lunch. Wow!

Yesterday, she decided that she wanted to go to Burger King for lunch. We did not have any more "eating out" money left, so I told her that should would have to pay for it if we went.

Today, I told her she would need $10...3 dollars for each person (not sure if its fair, but I told her she had to pay for us all if she really wanted to go) and then some for tax. So, we went upstairs and we counted out the money. I reminded her that she wouldn't be able to spend this money on ice cream which is something she had been saving for...but she decided it was worth it.

We drove to the restaurant, and we talked over the menu...kids meals for each kid, and a burger and dr. pepper for mom.... My only sadness about this was that the kitchen and front counter were having such a terrible time, that we didn't get to count out the money again. Bill for lunch $9.97. SCORE!

She seemed very proud. I know I sure was. We enjoyed our food, and it was so much sweeter knowing that we were learning about life at the same time.

well

Its 4 in the morning, and I'm awake. I've been up for a while now. After a week like I had, I really don't know if its my brain wanting me to work through some things, the fact that we plugged in our waterbed and I'm feeling warm, or God leading me to pray. I've tried the prayer time, but I feel so scattered. Maybe its a combination.

I did have a swell time last night. A bunch of youth leaders and some of the elders at our church disguised ourselves and "hid" at the mall. The students had to walk the mall and try to find us. It was a full night at the mall...since we had rather cold weather outside. Sitting for 2 hours trying to look inconspicuous is harder than you might think.

My outfit was not too different...I was trying to blend in. I went and got my hair styled, so that made it interesting. I wore makeup...which my family decided they didn't really like much. Hopefully I can post a picture that Roger took...but I better not wake him now. ;)

The purple dinosaur

(No, I'm not talking about Barney....)

At Alex's favorite park, there is a purple dinosaur that has 2 seats....its like the little cars and little animals you find at most parks....its on a spring so you bounce on it and make it sway forwards and backwards. Well, just about every weekday, after I drop off Trina, we go to this park and part of the experience is riding the purple dinosaur...together.

When you are a parent, you are invited to do things you never thought you would again...and you have the choice....will I participate with my child and have fun with him or do I act "too big" and refuse. In the past, I probably chose the latter a little more, but lately, I'm swallowing my pride and just relaxing and having fun.

Part of the story is that there is a small horse nearby the dinosaur and every day, Alex finds the horse while out for his daily dinosaur ride, decides it is sick, gets off the dinosaur and feeds it medicine, and then remounts the dinosaur. Sometimes I'm then asked to ride the horse, but usually we finish the story both riding the dinosaur.

Well, if you know me well, you know I have an innate ability to feel when I am being focused on by a camara. The digital age...and perhaps my own age, have lessened this to some degree, but I'm looking at the camara in nearly every picture I am in....including today, when 2 young men in red ball caps took a picture of me sitting alone on the purple dinosaur.

I'm greatly disturbed by this. I'm not sure if its because of my pride, the sick minds of people, or the fact that I have pegged them as not the nicest young men. But if you run into any random pictures on the internet of a woman on a purple dinosaur...and you think it looks like me....um...well...don't tell me.