Sophia was down in the field with her horse when these two teenage girls were walking down our road and smashing the pumpkins we left on the sides of the road. Sophia hid in the bushes and said in her scariest voice
"DON'T RUIN THE PUMPKINS!!!"
And then she shouted it repeatedly until the girls ran away.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
I have a little problem...
I get these ideas in my head like "I want to paint a mural of vines and flowers on my ceiling"
or "I want to sew a dress that I can wear for running outside and feeling like a Narnian princess"
or "I should blog everyday for a year"
or "Let's see if I can read 80 books in a month"
Usually, they don't happen. But if I really get latched onto a project, it happens.
If it has something to do with sewing, it usually goes like this:
"That dress is the most beautiful one I've ever seen. I'm sewing one."
It happened again. I found the most beautiful dress ever. I'm sewing one.
Stay tuned for updates.
or "I want to sew a dress that I can wear for running outside and feeling like a Narnian princess"
or "I should blog everyday for a year"
or "Let's see if I can read 80 books in a month"
Usually, they don't happen. But if I really get latched onto a project, it happens.
If it has something to do with sewing, it usually goes like this:
"That dress is the most beautiful one I've ever seen. I'm sewing one."
It happened again. I found the most beautiful dress ever. I'm sewing one.
Stay tuned for updates.
Friday, November 5, 2010
If this makes absolutely no sense to anybody else, sorry. It was hilarious at the time.
Me: Mum, you know what I was thinking?
Mum: What's that?
Me: Esther-Ruth and I were thinking we should have a clothes swap, because it doesn't really matter to us if we buy new clothes, or if they're just new to us.
Mum: That's a good idea.
Dad: Yeah, I like that idea too. When I get back on used victoria (Dad is currently on a used victoria fast), that's going to be my first ad: I'm a 40 year old man and I'm bored of my clothes. Anybody want to trade? I've got jeans and lots of black shirts. I'll trade you for a blue shirt?
(We all look at Dad. He is currently wearing jeans, and a black shirt underneath another black shirt. Laughter ensues.)
Dad: That wasn't that funny. (Goes to throw something in the garbage.)
Dad: Hold the phone! (Pulls can opener out of the garbage.) You're throwing this baby away?
Mum: It doesn't work.
Dad: I can make it work like a charm. Besides, we paid 40 bucks for this thing because it had a lifetime warranty.
Mum: Do you really feel like driving out to Sears and getting a new one?
Dad: I love that feeling. Anyways, this one works fine. You just have to squeeze it really hard and twist these things a bit, because the blades don't come all the way together otherwise. (Dad then proceeds to twist the handles of the can opener and try and bend them back together.)
Aaron: In other words, it doesn't work.
Mum: I'm going to have my nap now.
Dad: (tosses can opener back in garbage.) Whatever. It can go.
Aaron: Well, it was fun while it lasted, right Dad?
(Dad slaps Aaron and returns to his office.)
Me: Mum, you know what I was thinking?
Mum: What's that?
Me: Esther-Ruth and I were thinking we should have a clothes swap, because it doesn't really matter to us if we buy new clothes, or if they're just new to us.
Mum: That's a good idea.
Dad: Yeah, I like that idea too. When I get back on used victoria (Dad is currently on a used victoria fast), that's going to be my first ad: I'm a 40 year old man and I'm bored of my clothes. Anybody want to trade? I've got jeans and lots of black shirts. I'll trade you for a blue shirt?
(We all look at Dad. He is currently wearing jeans, and a black shirt underneath another black shirt. Laughter ensues.)
Dad: That wasn't that funny. (Goes to throw something in the garbage.)
Dad: Hold the phone! (Pulls can opener out of the garbage.) You're throwing this baby away?
Mum: It doesn't work.
Dad: I can make it work like a charm. Besides, we paid 40 bucks for this thing because it had a lifetime warranty.
Mum: Do you really feel like driving out to Sears and getting a new one?
Dad: I love that feeling. Anyways, this one works fine. You just have to squeeze it really hard and twist these things a bit, because the blades don't come all the way together otherwise. (Dad then proceeds to twist the handles of the can opener and try and bend them back together.)
Aaron: In other words, it doesn't work.
Mum: I'm going to have my nap now.
Dad: (tosses can opener back in garbage.) Whatever. It can go.
Aaron: Well, it was fun while it lasted, right Dad?
(Dad slaps Aaron and returns to his office.)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Grandma Vi
For any of you who don't know, my great-grandma, Violet Matheson, passed away Tuesday, October 12th at the age of 90. We will always carry so many memories of her, but one I know will stick with me is this:
Grandma spent a lot of time at her piano in the last several years. She had a few songbooks in her apartment that she especially loved to play from, and whenever she came to our house at Christmas, she would sit down at our piano and sightread every song out of the Christmas singalong book that we always had sitting out around that time of the year.
When my grandparents went to her apartment after she passed away, they found her 'Sound of Music' songbook open on her piano to 'Sixteen going on seventeen'.
I'll always think of that with a smile.
One night, when I was lying in bed and thinking about her, I got a picture in my head of Grandma,
Wearing a beautiful dress,
In a gazebo,
With the rain pouring down outside.
And she was dancing,
and twirling and making her skirt poof out like a little girl,
and leaping from bench to bench without a care in the world,
and singing, 'I am sixteen going on seventeen',
and dancing with Jesus.
And though it's sad that she's not with us anymore,
Grandma got her wish to be sixteen again.
I don't have a date for this picture, but we know it was before she was married. Isn't she beautiful?
Grandma spent a lot of time at her piano in the last several years. She had a few songbooks in her apartment that she especially loved to play from, and whenever she came to our house at Christmas, she would sit down at our piano and sightread every song out of the Christmas singalong book that we always had sitting out around that time of the year.
When my grandparents went to her apartment after she passed away, they found her 'Sound of Music' songbook open on her piano to 'Sixteen going on seventeen'.
I'll always think of that with a smile.
One night, when I was lying in bed and thinking about her, I got a picture in my head of Grandma,
Wearing a beautiful dress,
In a gazebo,
With the rain pouring down outside.
And she was dancing,
and twirling and making her skirt poof out like a little girl,
and leaping from bench to bench without a care in the world,
and singing, 'I am sixteen going on seventeen',
and dancing with Jesus.
And though it's sad that she's not with us anymore,
Grandma got her wish to be sixteen again.
I don't have a date for this picture, but we know it was before she was married. Isn't she beautiful?
Sunday, October 3, 2010
fun blog
I came across this super-cute blog the other day and wanted to share it. Hopefully it will give you something fun to read, since I never blog anymore :)
http://milasdaydreams.blogspot.com/
http://milasdaydreams.blogspot.com/
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Why the vikings had no mums and dads.
Dad: Miles, how many days...let me rephrase that: How many days and nights have you been wearing that shirt?
Miles: Umm, I'm not sure...maybe six? I'm trying to wear it until it falls off, like the vikings.
Dad: Miles, please go change your shirt. And while you're at it, change you underwear too.
Oh, brothers.
Miles: Umm, I'm not sure...maybe six? I'm trying to wear it until it falls off, like the vikings.
Dad: Miles, please go change your shirt. And while you're at it, change you underwear too.
Oh, brothers.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
A conversation from my house
Me: Eli, when you're 20 will you still sit on my lap and give me hugs?
Eli: Well, when I am 20 I might squish your lap.
Me: Then, can I sit on your lap and give you hugs?
Eli: Well, ok, as long as you don't give me kisses!
Eli: Well, when I am 20 I might squish your lap.
Me: Then, can I sit on your lap and give you hugs?
Eli: Well, ok, as long as you don't give me kisses!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
yahoo!
Yesterday me and my trusty highlighter made another mark on my list. I finished reading The Kite Runners in two days. I got it out of the library on Friday and finished it Saturday. It was great.
I have a few choices for what to read next, I got several from my list out of the Library.
Books left on list: 80
I have a few choices for what to read next, I got several from my list out of the Library.
Books left on list: 80
Monday, August 9, 2010
reading...
Today I printed off a copy of the book list and highlighted all the ones I have read. I love keeping track of goals this way. I do the same thing with school sometimes. The satisfaction that comes from that little stripe of pink neon is unmeasurable.
Anyways...today I highlighted 'Notes from a small island" by Bill Bryson. It was terrific. A very funny book about all the quirkiness of Britain. I recommend it, but it has a bit of colorful language you may want to avoid. I loved reading it.
I haven't decided what to work on next. Because I am requesting most of them from the library, I have to think about it in advance so it has time to get to me :)
Anyways...today I highlighted 'Notes from a small island" by Bill Bryson. It was terrific. A very funny book about all the quirkiness of Britain. I recommend it, but it has a bit of colorful language you may want to avoid. I loved reading it.
I haven't decided what to work on next. Because I am requesting most of them from the library, I have to think about it in advance so it has time to get to me :)
Monday, August 2, 2010
There are brothers...
who are nice to their sisters
There are 13 year old brothers who say to their mum "Emma's done enough of the dishes, she can go on her walk. I'll finish up."
Even my mum said "Really?"
I had to pipe in with "Aaron and I like to be on the same team."
And we do. We're not always like that. We have spats just like everybody else. But I would say that most of the time, we like to be on the same team. And teammates help each other. I have to admit, however, Aaron's probably better at it then I am, but I'm working on it.
So, when I tell people that I have 5 younger brothers, and they gasp and say "oh my gosh" and "I feel sorry for you," I usually feel really sad. Brothers and sisters don't have to be the enemy. If you can be on the same team as your siblings, it really is the coolest thing.
There are brothers and sisters that love each other
There are siblings that are on the same team
We don't have to follow the 'normal' family pattern
So there, world.
There are 13 year old brothers who say to their mum "Emma's done enough of the dishes, she can go on her walk. I'll finish up."
Even my mum said "Really?"
I had to pipe in with "Aaron and I like to be on the same team."
And we do. We're not always like that. We have spats just like everybody else. But I would say that most of the time, we like to be on the same team. And teammates help each other. I have to admit, however, Aaron's probably better at it then I am, but I'm working on it.
So, when I tell people that I have 5 younger brothers, and they gasp and say "oh my gosh" and "I feel sorry for you," I usually feel really sad. Brothers and sisters don't have to be the enemy. If you can be on the same team as your siblings, it really is the coolest thing.
There are brothers and sisters that love each other
There are siblings that are on the same team
We don't have to follow the 'normal' family pattern
So there, world.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
reading list
Sooo, I'm pretty sure summer is not going to happen. Not the season, but reading all the books in that season.
I will try and see how long it takes me, there's a good goal.
For anyone curious I will post the list and the books I have read.
1. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen * - love this one
2. Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkein - no, I haven't read it. Please don't faint. I want to!
3. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte * - Read this one for school. Had a hard time getting into it at first, but once I did it was so good.
4. Harry Potter series, JK Rowling* - These are good, I had fun reading them all
5. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee* - Way funnier than I thought it would be, but it also made me cry in parts.
6. The Bible* - I cannot promise that I have read every word in the Bible. But lots of it, anyways.
7. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte* - Ahhh, Wuthering. You fail to stimulate my imagination. I'll try you again someday, hopefully.
8. 1984, George Orwell. - I've been told this book is amazing. I'm looking forward to it.
9. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman - don't really know much about this one, actually.
10. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens - I am in the middle of this one right now, and I'm loving it so far.
11. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott* - I go back and read my favorite bits frequently.
12. Tess of the D'Ubervilles, Thomas Hardy - again, don't know much about it
13. Catch 22, Joseph Heller
14. Complete work of Shakespeare - Haven't read all of them, but a few. Midsummer night's dream is my favorite.
15. Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkein - Okay, I need to read this now.
17. Birdsong, Sebastien Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
19. The Time Travellers Wife, Audrey Niffenegger - I've been told this is really good too
20. Middlemarch, George Elliot
21. Gone with the wind, Margaret Mitchell - really want to read this one
22. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House, Charles Dickens - what I've read of Dickens so far has been good, I'm looking forward to this one.
24. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy - hoo boy. Not really looking forward to this one. I'm pretty sure our copy has bugs living in it.
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams - This is supposed to be really good too. I can't believe I've never read all these!
26. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh.
27. Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky - I started another of his long, russian novels. It was really confusing. Maybe I should give him another chance.
28. Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck - I have also been very curious as to what this book is actually about.
29. Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll* - I didn't like the first time I read it. I thought it was too bizarre, but recently rereading it I have loved it.
30. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame -I'm pretty sure the one I read was not the real version. I'll have to find it
31. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens - Really looking forward to this one.
33. Chronicles of Narnia, CS Lewis* - Love all of these
34. Emma, Jane Austen* - How can you not love a book with a title like that?
35. Persuasion, Jane Austen - Hmmm, have to give this one another go I think
36. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis* - ummm, wasn't this already listed?
37. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini - have read a book with a similar title, but I'm not sure it's this one.
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Lous De Berniere - this sounds interesting, I love mandolins.
39. Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden - apparently this book is a bit weird...we'll see
40. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne* - the books are so much better than the disney versions...ah well
41. Animal Farm, George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown - I really want to read this
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriels Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney, John Irving
45. The Woman in White, Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables, LM Montgomery* - the whole series is good, but this is a favourite.
47. Far From the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood.
49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding - is this actually about flies?
50 Atonement – Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel* - this is an all time favourite read, I think
52 Dune – Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen* - Started this, then lost the book. That happens to me often, it seems. I'll try again.
55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens - I want to read this
58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley - this is supposed to be really good
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold - I'm looking forward to this one, I like sad books
65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones Diary, Helen Fielding - I think we have this one...hmmm
69 Midnight Children, Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens - oh, I really want to read this
72 Dracula – Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett* - love this
74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses – James Joyce (Das zweite (noch) ungelesene Buch auf der Reading List. Aber zumindest mal angefangen)
76 The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome * - this book is lots of fun as a summer read. makes you want to go and camp on an island somewhere. I recommend it as a read aloud for kids.
78 Germinal – Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession – AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens * - I've read this every christmas for...a year. But I'm planning to read it again this year :)
82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro *
85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White * - a classic
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I've read one...I think...but not all of them
90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton - As a huge Enid Blyton fan I am shocked that I have never heard of this...and pleasantly surprised. I love hearing about a book that I will probably like that I have never heard of :)
91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
94 Watership Down – Richard Adams - started this, and found it painfully boring. I mean, it's about bunnies. That talk...and have weird names. I couldn't keep going. Maybe some other day.
95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas - ooh, I want to read this. I can't believe how many times I've said that...
98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl* - so much fun
100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo - Love the movie and musical versions, and I really want to read the book althought it's probably completely different.
Whew...well there were lots of books I said I want to read. Good golly.
Hey, apparently I've read 20 of these. Only 80 to go...yay!!!
So, I'm working on Great Expectations. I will be posting when I've finished it.
I will try and see how long it takes me, there's a good goal.
For anyone curious I will post the list and the books I have read.
1. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen * - love this one
2. Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkein - no, I haven't read it. Please don't faint. I want to!
3. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte * - Read this one for school. Had a hard time getting into it at first, but once I did it was so good.
4. Harry Potter series, JK Rowling* - These are good, I had fun reading them all
5. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee* - Way funnier than I thought it would be, but it also made me cry in parts.
6. The Bible* - I cannot promise that I have read every word in the Bible. But lots of it, anyways.
7. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte* - Ahhh, Wuthering. You fail to stimulate my imagination. I'll try you again someday, hopefully.
8. 1984, George Orwell. - I've been told this book is amazing. I'm looking forward to it.
9. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman - don't really know much about this one, actually.
10. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens - I am in the middle of this one right now, and I'm loving it so far.
11. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott* - I go back and read my favorite bits frequently.
12. Tess of the D'Ubervilles, Thomas Hardy - again, don't know much about it
13. Catch 22, Joseph Heller
14. Complete work of Shakespeare - Haven't read all of them, but a few. Midsummer night's dream is my favorite.
15. Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkein - Okay, I need to read this now.
17. Birdsong, Sebastien Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
19. The Time Travellers Wife, Audrey Niffenegger - I've been told this is really good too
20. Middlemarch, George Elliot
21. Gone with the wind, Margaret Mitchell - really want to read this one
22. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House, Charles Dickens - what I've read of Dickens so far has been good, I'm looking forward to this one.
24. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy - hoo boy. Not really looking forward to this one. I'm pretty sure our copy has bugs living in it.
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams - This is supposed to be really good too. I can't believe I've never read all these!
26. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh.
27. Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky - I started another of his long, russian novels. It was really confusing. Maybe I should give him another chance.
28. Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck - I have also been very curious as to what this book is actually about.
29. Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll* - I didn't like the first time I read it. I thought it was too bizarre, but recently rereading it I have loved it.
30. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame -I'm pretty sure the one I read was not the real version. I'll have to find it
31. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens - Really looking forward to this one.
33. Chronicles of Narnia, CS Lewis* - Love all of these
34. Emma, Jane Austen* - How can you not love a book with a title like that?
35. Persuasion, Jane Austen - Hmmm, have to give this one another go I think
36. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis* - ummm, wasn't this already listed?
37. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini - have read a book with a similar title, but I'm not sure it's this one.
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Lous De Berniere - this sounds interesting, I love mandolins.
39. Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden - apparently this book is a bit weird...we'll see
40. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne* - the books are so much better than the disney versions...ah well
41. Animal Farm, George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown - I really want to read this
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriels Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney, John Irving
45. The Woman in White, Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables, LM Montgomery* - the whole series is good, but this is a favourite.
47. Far From the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood.
49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding - is this actually about flies?
50 Atonement – Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel* - this is an all time favourite read, I think
52 Dune – Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen* - Started this, then lost the book. That happens to me often, it seems. I'll try again.
55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens - I want to read this
58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley - this is supposed to be really good
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold - I'm looking forward to this one, I like sad books
65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones Diary, Helen Fielding - I think we have this one...hmmm
69 Midnight Children, Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens - oh, I really want to read this
72 Dracula – Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett* - love this
74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses – James Joyce (Das zweite (noch) ungelesene Buch auf der Reading List. Aber zumindest mal angefangen)
76 The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome * - this book is lots of fun as a summer read. makes you want to go and camp on an island somewhere. I recommend it as a read aloud for kids.
78 Germinal – Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession – AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens * - I've read this every christmas for...a year. But I'm planning to read it again this year :)
82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro *
85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White * - a classic
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I've read one...I think...but not all of them
90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton - As a huge Enid Blyton fan I am shocked that I have never heard of this...and pleasantly surprised. I love hearing about a book that I will probably like that I have never heard of :)
91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
94 Watership Down – Richard Adams - started this, and found it painfully boring. I mean, it's about bunnies. That talk...and have weird names. I couldn't keep going. Maybe some other day.
95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas - ooh, I want to read this. I can't believe how many times I've said that...
98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl* - so much fun
100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo - Love the movie and musical versions, and I really want to read the book althought it's probably completely different.
Whew...well there were lots of books I said I want to read. Good golly.
Hey, apparently I've read 20 of these. Only 80 to go...yay!!!
So, I'm working on Great Expectations. I will be posting when I've finished it.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Winner!!
Hello everybody, today is the day when I am finally going to announce the long-awaited winner of my photo contest!
First of all, every photo made me smile :) I am so glad.
But, there can only be one winner, so I have to make a decision.
And the winner is....drumroll please.....
Mrs. Knight! With her wonderful before and after shots on the beach!
First of all, every photo made me smile :) I am so glad.
But, there can only be one winner, so I have to make a decision.
And the winner is....drumroll please.....
Mrs. Knight! With her wonderful before and after shots on the beach!
Thanks to everyone who entered, and congratulations to our winner!
I will be getting your prize to you sometime before Christmas.
I will be getting your prize to you sometime before Christmas.
Monday, July 5, 2010
3 things I heard today
Eli: Emma, you're acting like a woogle. (I will take any guesses on what a woogle is.)
Shalom (the neighbour): "Mom, our new vacuum is gorgeous!"
Eli (after being told to stop being whiny and be happy): "I am happy! Stop being so pesky!"
And here's one more little tidbit for you, a conversation between Miles and myself.
Miles: Emma, guess what? I think I know pretty much everything!
Me: Oh really? Do you know what short term memory loss is?
Miles: Oh yeah! Uh, I just forgot.
Me: (laughing) Do you know what irony is?
Miles: Yeah, I just forgot that too.
Shalom (the neighbour): "Mom, our new vacuum is gorgeous!"
Eli (after being told to stop being whiny and be happy): "I am happy! Stop being so pesky!"
And here's one more little tidbit for you, a conversation between Miles and myself.
Miles: Emma, guess what? I think I know pretty much everything!
Me: Oh really? Do you know what short term memory loss is?
Miles: Oh yeah! Uh, I just forgot.
Me: (laughing) Do you know what irony is?
Miles: Yeah, I just forgot that too.
Photo contest (finally)
Hey everyone! Sorry I took so long with this. People have been asking me "so, are you ever going to finish that photo contest? do I win!!??" So these are all the photos that were entered, and I will be posting the winner *tomorrow*
These next two go together, you have to look at them as 'before' and 'after' definitely.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
BBC Book list
Has anybody heard of the BBC book list? It is a list of books that BBC deemed 'must reads' by getting people to nominate books and vote. There are 100 books on the list, and they estimate that most people have only read 6 of them.
I have read 17, which is actually less than I thought, but I have seen blogs of people who have read half or more of them.
I think I'm going to try and read them all. Does that sound like a crazy goal? It kinda does to me, but I think it would be super fun. Maybe even this summer! 83 books in 2 months?
No problem!
It will give me something to blog about, anyways.
So, this week I am starting Wuthering Heights, by Emile Bronte. I figure I will start at the top and work my way through all the books I haven't read one by one, and if any of them are too painful, I can come back to them. Sound good?
I have read 17, which is actually less than I thought, but I have seen blogs of people who have read half or more of them.
I think I'm going to try and read them all. Does that sound like a crazy goal? It kinda does to me, but I think it would be super fun. Maybe even this summer! 83 books in 2 months?
No problem!
It will give me something to blog about, anyways.
So, this week I am starting Wuthering Heights, by Emile Bronte. I figure I will start at the top and work my way through all the books I haven't read one by one, and if any of them are too painful, I can come back to them. Sound good?
Monday, June 7, 2010
A conversation I overheard between Miles and Aaron
Miles: "Aaron, if you were in the middle of a really long fart, and then you died, would the fart keep going?
Aaron: "I don't know, it would depend on how strong it was."
You people who have no brothers, have no idea what you're missing.
Aaron: "I don't know, it would depend on how strong it was."
You people who have no brothers, have no idea what you're missing.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Happiness is...
Those twinkly little eyes
Those pinchy little fingers
A nice big spit-up all down my shirt
That pudgy little tummy
Such a winning little smile if you can snag one
Ten little fingers and ten tiny toes
I love that little guy :)
Those pinchy little fingers
A nice big spit-up all down my shirt
That pudgy little tummy
Such a winning little smile if you can snag one
Ten little fingers and ten tiny toes
I love that little guy :)
Friday, May 28, 2010
photo contest
Come on folks, I need more than this. I am extending the deadline slightly because I have not received very many entries.
I'm sure there's a picture somewhere that makes you smile!
I'm sure there's a picture somewhere that makes you smile!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
World of Song
I am writing this here to see if anybody is interested in coming to see our last choir concert. It is called World of Song and it is a collection of International music written by two Canadian composers, Stephen Hatfield and John Govedas.
It is on Monday, May 31st. I can get tickets for $12.50. It will be a great concert and if you haven't seen any of them yet it would definitely be a fun one. I am so excited for it!!!
Anyways, if anybody is interested they can let me know and I will get you tickets :) It will be great fun.
It is on Monday, May 31st. I can get tickets for $12.50. It will be a great concert and if you haven't seen any of them yet it would definitely be a fun one. I am so excited for it!!!
Anyways, if anybody is interested they can let me know and I will get you tickets :) It will be great fun.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Contest!!
I have decided, that for all you wondeful readers (all two of you) I am going to host a special photo contest.
The theme is 'Photos that make me smile'
"me" being you, not me :)
You can enter one photo per person and they can be of pretty much anything, and you must take the picture yourself.
The deadline is Thursday, May 27th, at which time I will choose one, maybe two favorites. That gives you just over a week, which is plenty of time for you to smile lots of times (I hope).
Anyone is welcome to enter if they have a photo. I very much look forward to seeing your pictures, and the winner will receive a FABULOUS prize, which I will reveal at a later date :)
See you later <3
Oh, how to get me the pictures. You can email them to me at d a n c i n g _ d r e a m e r _ g i r l @ h o t m a i l . c o m
(minus the spaces, I just don't want robots finding it and spamming my inbox. And please keep in mind that I will be posting all the pictures on the blog, so there is the non-privacy issue if you are concerned about that)
The theme is 'Photos that make me smile'
"me" being you, not me :)
You can enter one photo per person and they can be of pretty much anything, and you must take the picture yourself.
The deadline is Thursday, May 27th, at which time I will choose one, maybe two favorites. That gives you just over a week, which is plenty of time for you to smile lots of times (I hope).
Anyone is welcome to enter if they have a photo. I very much look forward to seeing your pictures, and the winner will receive a FABULOUS prize, which I will reveal at a later date :)
See you later <3
Oh, how to get me the pictures. You can email them to me at d a n c i n g _ d r e a m e r _ g i r l @ h o t m a i l . c o m
(minus the spaces, I just don't want robots finding it and spamming my inbox. And please keep in mind that I will be posting all the pictures on the blog, so there is the non-privacy issue if you are concerned about that)
Thursday, May 13, 2010
My Hero
I was sitting on the trampoline with Ethan and Eli yesterday.
Eli run up to me and says "Hey little lady (?) ! You look like you need help! But don't worry, I'll save you! I am Buzz Lightyear!"
He bounces around the trampoline in circles a few times humming an impromptu tune somewhat reminiscent of the William Tell overture. Like a chase scene from an western movie, complete with sound effects (Ha! Take that! Gotcha!) only...with one person...and an invisible nemesis.
He stops.
Large gasp. "Oh no! I see...I see...a bear!"
He rushes off and presumably does away with the bear.
"Oh, Eli! How can I ever thank you?"
"I'm not Eli! I'm...Buzz...Lightyear!!!"
(quick side note. Ethan has a stuffed puppy named Finnegan, you know, like, from Mr. Dress up? Anyhow, Eli and Ethan are both quite into Toy Story. Eli is all over Buzz Lightyear. But they've confused the phrase a little bit so it becomes...
"Too infinnegan, and beyond!"
For any of you who don't know, it's actually to infinity and beyond. Hilarious.)
Eli rushes off again, running with a passion and a flame in his heart.
I can fairly hear Chariots of Fire.
My hero.
Eli run up to me and says "Hey little lady (?) ! You look like you need help! But don't worry, I'll save you! I am Buzz Lightyear!"
He bounces around the trampoline in circles a few times humming an impromptu tune somewhat reminiscent of the William Tell overture. Like a chase scene from an western movie, complete with sound effects (Ha! Take that! Gotcha!) only...with one person...and an invisible nemesis.
He stops.
Large gasp. "Oh no! I see...I see...a bear!"
He rushes off and presumably does away with the bear.
"Oh, Eli! How can I ever thank you?"
"I'm not Eli! I'm...Buzz...Lightyear!!!"
(quick side note. Ethan has a stuffed puppy named Finnegan, you know, like, from Mr. Dress up? Anyhow, Eli and Ethan are both quite into Toy Story. Eli is all over Buzz Lightyear. But they've confused the phrase a little bit so it becomes...
"Too infinnegan, and beyond!"
For any of you who don't know, it's actually to infinity and beyond. Hilarious.)
Eli rushes off again, running with a passion and a flame in his heart.
I can fairly hear Chariots of Fire.
My hero.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
My boyfriends
"Oh, they're too old for me :)"
I'm so lucky :)
William Albert Gillespie
Now we have another birthday in our family. Little Will is such a darling :)
Aren't I LUCKY????
Or, I should say *blessed*
Aren't I LUCKY????
Or, I should say *blessed*
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Hey, guess what?
It happens to be 2 am.
I happen to be up.
Guess why?
Well....I just HAPPEN to have a new baby brother, that's why!!!!
I'll be back in the morning with more details.
*yawn*
Goodnight :)
I happen to be up.
Guess why?
Well....I just HAPPEN to have a new baby brother, that's why!!!!
I'll be back in the morning with more details.
*yawn*
Goodnight :)
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
poetry, but not my own
This is a cute poem that I read somewhere, and I liked it so I looked it up.
Smart
My dad have me one dollar bill
"Cause I'm his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
"Cause two is more than one!
And then I took the quarters
and traded them to Lou
For three dimes--I guess he don't know
That three is more than two!
Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just 'cause he can't see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!
And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!
And then I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head-
Too proud of me to speak!
Smart
My dad have me one dollar bill
"Cause I'm his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
"Cause two is more than one!
And then I took the quarters
and traded them to Lou
For three dimes--I guess he don't know
That three is more than two!
Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just 'cause he can't see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!
And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!
And then I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head-
Too proud of me to speak!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
10 things from today
1. When Dad was getting him dressed today, Ethan said Dad was 'a little bit dorky'. Apparently he learned it from Arthur.
2. Aaron and I are on a chess kick. We played 3 games yesterday and 4 today.
3. Eli has a sore throat and he told Mum that, although water is good, the thing that really makes it feel better is ice cream.
4. Okay, I can think of nothing else to say. Maybe it will be the 5 things from today.
5. Still no bambino! Mum and Dad are out on a date right now and I'm rooting for mum to come home and be in labor. That'd be good.
2. Aaron and I are on a chess kick. We played 3 games yesterday and 4 today.
3. Eli has a sore throat and he told Mum that, although water is good, the thing that really makes it feel better is ice cream.
4. Okay, I can think of nothing else to say. Maybe it will be the 5 things from today.
5. Still no bambino! Mum and Dad are out on a date right now and I'm rooting for mum to come home and be in labor. That'd be good.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
waiting...
We're just waiting...
People phone and they ask "Any baby yet?" "Nope, not yet!" I sigh :)
Come on, bambino...
Oh, and to the my amazing auntie Paige and the entire Beselt family who had to wait 16 days over the due date for their bambino, one word:
wow
And I'm not complaining, really :)
People phone and they ask "Any baby yet?" "Nope, not yet!" I sigh :)
Come on, bambino...
Oh, and to the my amazing auntie Paige and the entire Beselt family who had to wait 16 days over the due date for their bambino, one word:
wow
And I'm not complaining, really :)
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Trouser issues
At church this morning I was dancing at the front and Eli kept following me around, patting me on the leg and pulling on my shirt and whispering "Emma!"
I ignored him for a few minutes, but his whispers became louder and more frequent until he shouted "Emma! My pants are falling down!!!"
There were a few chuckles from the front row as I sheepishly pulled him off to the side and helped him pull his pants up.
There is no shyness in our church :)
I ignored him for a few minutes, but his whispers became louder and more frequent until he shouted "Emma! My pants are falling down!!!"
There were a few chuckles from the front row as I sheepishly pulled him off to the side and helped him pull his pants up.
There is no shyness in our church :)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Emmelia - episode 2
Emmelia - episode 2
Emmelia sat quietly in the library. She was reading an article in a fascinating magazine entitled 'The Superiority of Turnips'. Her sister Elizabeth sat nearby, sipping tea and working a cross stitch tulip on a cushion. "How is Mr. Smithers doing these days?" Elizabeth asked. "I heard from Aunt Hilda that he was having some medical trouble." "He's doing all right, his condition is nothing serious," replied Emmelia cheerfully. "He's been very happy because his business is going well. I'm very pleased for him." "Oh, I'm so happy for you," said Elizabeth. "It sounds as though it's going well." At that moment a loud crash sounded from the other end of the large room. A thick book, "The exhaustive guide to the inner workings of generic clocks" had fallen off the top shelf of the bookshelf and lay open on the floor. Emmelia looked up in time to see Mr. Smithers scaling the top shelf of the bookshelf, stepping carefully over books and holding on to the decorative woodwork to keep from falling. His eyes locked on the large brass chandelier hanging about six feet away from the bookshelf where he stood. Emmelia's eyes widened. Elizabeth saw her expression and turned around to see Mr. Smithers. Elizabeth gasped. "Oh my! What on earth is he doing?" Emmelia sighed. Poor man. Perhaps the stress of organizing eight consecutive stress management seminars had finally taken it's toll on his mind. Mr. Smithers pulled up his pants, stuck his arms out in front of him, squatted, and leapt from the bookshelf.
He flew through the air for a short moment, and then landed in a tangle atop the chandelier. The brass decorations rattled and clanged, and the chandelier swung away from the bookshelf. Mr. Smithers' shirttails flapped loudly as he swung back and forth. He wooped and shouted like a young boy and pounded his chest like some prehistoric jungle man. Elizabeth screamed and her face turned white. Smithers' tie flapped in the breeze behind him and he shouted "Would you look at this, Emmelia? When we had this installed the workman said not to hang anything off it because the ceiling beams wouldn't hold! And look at this! I'm hanging on it and nothing at all has happened!" Elizabeth's face turned from white to a deep purple and she sank to the ground slowly.
Emmelia turned her head to watch him swing back again. 'Oh, the poor man.' Elizabeth thought sadly.I never thought it would come to this. Mr. Smithers swung back and forth gleefully, still shouting and trying to spin the chandelier around. "Oh, Emmelia, dear," he shouted. "Won't you run and fetch the camcorder dear? This would make a lovely presentation for the next anti-stress convention at the Henry Watsonburger Center!" Emmelia sighed. 'I really should put up that jungle gym in the basement.'
Emmelia sat quietly in the library. She was reading an article in a fascinating magazine entitled 'The Superiority of Turnips'. Her sister Elizabeth sat nearby, sipping tea and working a cross stitch tulip on a cushion. "How is Mr. Smithers doing these days?" Elizabeth asked. "I heard from Aunt Hilda that he was having some medical trouble." "He's doing all right, his condition is nothing serious," replied Emmelia cheerfully. "He's been very happy because his business is going well. I'm very pleased for him." "Oh, I'm so happy for you," said Elizabeth. "It sounds as though it's going well." At that moment a loud crash sounded from the other end of the large room. A thick book, "The exhaustive guide to the inner workings of generic clocks" had fallen off the top shelf of the bookshelf and lay open on the floor. Emmelia looked up in time to see Mr. Smithers scaling the top shelf of the bookshelf, stepping carefully over books and holding on to the decorative woodwork to keep from falling. His eyes locked on the large brass chandelier hanging about six feet away from the bookshelf where he stood. Emmelia's eyes widened. Elizabeth saw her expression and turned around to see Mr. Smithers. Elizabeth gasped. "Oh my! What on earth is he doing?" Emmelia sighed. Poor man. Perhaps the stress of organizing eight consecutive stress management seminars had finally taken it's toll on his mind. Mr. Smithers pulled up his pants, stuck his arms out in front of him, squatted, and leapt from the bookshelf.
He flew through the air for a short moment, and then landed in a tangle atop the chandelier. The brass decorations rattled and clanged, and the chandelier swung away from the bookshelf. Mr. Smithers' shirttails flapped loudly as he swung back and forth. He wooped and shouted like a young boy and pounded his chest like some prehistoric jungle man. Elizabeth screamed and her face turned white. Smithers' tie flapped in the breeze behind him and he shouted "Would you look at this, Emmelia? When we had this installed the workman said not to hang anything off it because the ceiling beams wouldn't hold! And look at this! I'm hanging on it and nothing at all has happened!" Elizabeth's face turned from white to a deep purple and she sank to the ground slowly.
Emmelia turned her head to watch him swing back again. 'Oh, the poor man.' Elizabeth thought sadly.I never thought it would come to this. Mr. Smithers swung back and forth gleefully, still shouting and trying to spin the chandelier around. "Oh, Emmelia, dear," he shouted. "Won't you run and fetch the camcorder dear? This would make a lovely presentation for the next anti-stress convention at the Henry Watsonburger Center!" Emmelia sighed. 'I really should put up that jungle gym in the basement.'
Friday, April 16, 2010
Emmelia
Some of you probably read these on facebook, but i thought it would be fun to include them here.
This is the first poem I wrote about Emmelia. I will post the second episode tomorrow. And perhaps a third will materialize at some point. Enjoy
Emmelia and Mr. Smithers:
Emmelia bowed to Mr. Smithers
And said (In such a pleasant way)
"Good morning Mr. Smithers, sir
And how are you this lovely day?"
Mr. Smithers returned the bow
And said (In an equally pleasant way)
"The day is young, the sun is bright.
What reason have I to dismay?"
And Emma said (with great discretion)
"That, indeed, I cannot say.
And indeed I could not tell you
What reason you have for dismay.
"Therefore it is my opinion
And excuse me here to say,
As you do not have a reason,
You, indeed, should not dismay.
"And if you should find a reason,
In this lovely pleasant day,
Yes, if you should find a reason,
Find a reason to dismay...
My advice to you is simple,
Listen closely and obey
Never ever lose good sense,
And never e'r should you dismay.
"For, you know, when strife has come
And happiness farewell has bade,
When life gives a sour lemon
You ought to make lemonade.
"For life is never so unpleasant
that we cannot make it through
with the constant loving comfort
of a friend like me or you.
"And I hope that without failing
I shall show that love so true,
And shall be that constant helper
For a friend so great as you.
"For I love you Mr. Smithers,
and I hope that while I live,
I shall never forget your giving
And shall never cease to give.
"Tell me that for all of life,
We shall be, and I concur
Further far than any friendship
and closer than two friends e'r were.
"Tell me that as long as stars shine
As long as fish are in the seas
Tell me that when the sun ceases to shine
So shall you cease to love me!
"Tell me that whatever happens,
As long as the sky is blue
For I tell you, nay, I promise
I will never stop loving you!
"Tell me that you'll be a friend
to me when I lay breathing my last breath.
Tell me that you've loved me always
Since my birth, and to my death!"
"Tell me, Mr. Smithers, friend. Tell me!"
Emmelia paused for dramatic effect, and stayed paused for lack of air.
Mr. Smithers turned to Emmelia and his eyes were wide, you could fairly see the wheels that were supposed to turn in one' head either start spinning madly, doing nothing or grind to a complete stop. Mr. Smithers was bewildered.
Mr. Smithers turned to Emmelia and said (In such and unpoetic way):
"I'm sorry, my dear. You've lost me."
Emmelia fainted.
This is the first poem I wrote about Emmelia. I will post the second episode tomorrow. And perhaps a third will materialize at some point. Enjoy
Emmelia and Mr. Smithers:
Emmelia bowed to Mr. Smithers
And said (In such a pleasant way)
"Good morning Mr. Smithers, sir
And how are you this lovely day?"
Mr. Smithers returned the bow
And said (In an equally pleasant way)
"The day is young, the sun is bright.
What reason have I to dismay?"
And Emma said (with great discretion)
"That, indeed, I cannot say.
And indeed I could not tell you
What reason you have for dismay.
"Therefore it is my opinion
And excuse me here to say,
As you do not have a reason,
You, indeed, should not dismay.
"And if you should find a reason,
In this lovely pleasant day,
Yes, if you should find a reason,
Find a reason to dismay...
My advice to you is simple,
Listen closely and obey
Never ever lose good sense,
And never e'r should you dismay.
"For, you know, when strife has come
And happiness farewell has bade,
When life gives a sour lemon
You ought to make lemonade.
"For life is never so unpleasant
that we cannot make it through
with the constant loving comfort
of a friend like me or you.
"And I hope that without failing
I shall show that love so true,
And shall be that constant helper
For a friend so great as you.
"For I love you Mr. Smithers,
and I hope that while I live,
I shall never forget your giving
And shall never cease to give.
"Tell me that for all of life,
We shall be, and I concur
Further far than any friendship
and closer than two friends e'r were.
"Tell me that as long as stars shine
As long as fish are in the seas
Tell me that when the sun ceases to shine
So shall you cease to love me!
"Tell me that whatever happens,
As long as the sky is blue
For I tell you, nay, I promise
I will never stop loving you!
"Tell me that you'll be a friend
to me when I lay breathing my last breath.
Tell me that you've loved me always
Since my birth, and to my death!"
"Tell me, Mr. Smithers, friend. Tell me!"
Emmelia paused for dramatic effect, and stayed paused for lack of air.
Mr. Smithers turned to Emmelia and his eyes were wide, you could fairly see the wheels that were supposed to turn in one' head either start spinning madly, doing nothing or grind to a complete stop. Mr. Smithers was bewildered.
Mr. Smithers turned to Emmelia and said (In such and unpoetic way):
"I'm sorry, my dear. You've lost me."
Emmelia fainted.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
"Here, Dad, eat this!"
We were about to start Bible reading in the living room. Dad was sitting on the couch, flipping through his Bible. Isabel runs in, holding something she picked out of the garden.
"Here, Dad, eat this!" she shouted, pushing the green thing into his face.
"I don't do 'eat this' " says Dad.
I laughed. "You don't 'do' that?"
"When someone shoves something in my face and says 'here dad, eat this,' that's a no-go." Dad said.
"Dad, it's sooo yummy!" said Isabel. "It's really spicy, it kinda tastes like salami!"
"Salami?" I said.
"Or, what's that green stuff that's in like a toothpaste tube and you put it on sushi?" Isabel asked.
"Wasabi?"
"Yeah, that."
That's why we don't do 'eat this'.
"Here, Dad, eat this!" she shouted, pushing the green thing into his face.
"I don't do 'eat this' " says Dad.
I laughed. "You don't 'do' that?"
"When someone shoves something in my face and says 'here dad, eat this,' that's a no-go." Dad said.
"Dad, it's sooo yummy!" said Isabel. "It's really spicy, it kinda tastes like salami!"
"Salami?" I said.
"Or, what's that green stuff that's in like a toothpaste tube and you put it on sushi?" Isabel asked.
"Wasabi?"
"Yeah, that."
That's why we don't do 'eat this'.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Bedtime
Some nights, Aaron and/or myself help put Eli and Ethan to bed.
On the nights when they can't find a book that they want to read or want one more story, Aaron will do a one-man play of 'Going on a Bear Hunt' for them while they're in their beds.
Last night, however, Ethan got really scared when Aaron got to the part in the cave.
So, to save face, Aaron changed the ending so that instead of finding the long-awaited bear, they find a giant puppy who saves them from the scary cave and brings them all home. Ethan loved it.
Hilarious :)
On the nights when they can't find a book that they want to read or want one more story, Aaron will do a one-man play of 'Going on a Bear Hunt' for them while they're in their beds.
Last night, however, Ethan got really scared when Aaron got to the part in the cave.
So, to save face, Aaron changed the ending so that instead of finding the long-awaited bear, they find a giant puppy who saves them from the scary cave and brings them all home. Ethan loved it.
Hilarious :)
Friday, March 26, 2010
Can you count the quotable quotes?
Miles (to grandma and grandpa):
"It is sheer torture living in a family that knows nothing about hunting and fishing."
I can only imagine, buddy.
"It is sheer torture living in a family that knows nothing about hunting and fishing."
I can only imagine, buddy.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Nickels
After breakfast, Eli came up to my dad with a nickel and said
"Look Dad, see my money! It has a beaver on this side, and on the other side it has me with circle hair."
Then he pauses for a moment and says
"It looks kind of like Aaron!"
Sorry Queen, if you ever read this.
"Look Dad, see my money! It has a beaver on this side, and on the other side it has me with circle hair."
Then he pauses for a moment and says
"It looks kind of like Aaron!"
Sorry Queen, if you ever read this.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
So much fun around here.
Tonight Miles came into the bathroom and asked my dad "Dad, can I have my own razor?"
Dad asked him "What are you planning to do with a razor?" Miles rolled his eyes and said "Shave, of course!"
Apparently for the last several nights he has been putting toothpaste in his mouth, and lathering it up and then spreading it all over his face and wiping it off with a toothbrush. "But," he says "it would be way easier if I had a real razor."
Dad gave him a disposable one, after making him promise to leave the plastic cover on all the time.
Isabel then asked "Can I have a razor too?" "What are you planning to shave?" I asked her. "I don't know, she said. "Your armpits?" Dad asked. "Yeah, maybe. Or maybe my legs or something," said Isabel.
Dad is only letting him have the razor for one night, and then he has to give it back. Miles protested. I said "There are no nine year olds that need a razor."
Dad said, "Well, there might be some." I said "Miles, you can have a razor when you stop wearing the Spiderman pajamas."
It never gets boring.
Dad asked him "What are you planning to do with a razor?" Miles rolled his eyes and said "Shave, of course!"
Apparently for the last several nights he has been putting toothpaste in his mouth, and lathering it up and then spreading it all over his face and wiping it off with a toothbrush. "But," he says "it would be way easier if I had a real razor."
Dad gave him a disposable one, after making him promise to leave the plastic cover on all the time.
Isabel then asked "Can I have a razor too?" "What are you planning to shave?" I asked her. "I don't know, she said. "Your armpits?" Dad asked. "Yeah, maybe. Or maybe my legs or something," said Isabel.
Dad is only letting him have the razor for one night, and then he has to give it back. Miles protested. I said "There are no nine year olds that need a razor."
Dad said, "Well, there might be some." I said "Miles, you can have a razor when you stop wearing the Spiderman pajamas."
It never gets boring.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Another quotable quote
Eli: Emma! Mom pressed my quiet button, and now, hear how quiet our house is!
You got it, buddy.
You got it, buddy.
Finger candy
Bach is like candy.
I am learning Invention #1 in C Major
My it's fun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpgEPdidSfE
Magnificant is simply to die for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlKcMJwcgq4
I'll be back tomorrow to talk about Vivaldi. (sigh of pure joy)
I am learning Invention #1 in C Major
My it's fun. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpgEPdidSfE
Magnificant is simply to die for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlKcMJwcgq4
I'll be back tomorrow to talk about Vivaldi. (sigh of pure joy)
Monday, March 1, 2010
More dinner table tales.
The dinner table at our house is always a hoot.
Today we were having roasted vegetables with a lot of rosemary in them.
It was a bit loud and crazy.
Isabel was singing "O Canada, our home and native land. True Patrick's love, in all our sons command."
I had narrowly escaped having Eli's water dumped all over me once already, by catching it when he knocked it over. Ethan was picking taking pieces of yam, squishing them, and mixing them with water in the trough of his bib to create a lovely orange floaties juice.
"Have some salad, please Aaron," said Mom. "I didn't sneak anything you don't like into it."
Eli called out "Can I have some more potatoes and that grass?" (Rosemary, we assume?)
I put a few more potatoes on his plate.
When I am having difficulty getting the last few bites off my plate, Dad suggests "Do you need some ketchup on that, Em?"
"No thanks."
"Mustard?" "No, Dad, really I'm fine."
"A bit of Mayo?" "Dad! Unlike some members of our family, I am capable of eating food without condiments!"
It is almost like a hush falls over the crowd. (But not really. There really is no hush in our family.)
"Emma!" Miles chides me "What an un-Gillespie thing to say!"
He then proceeds to squirt ketchup onto his own plate, spraying Mom's shirt in the process.
"Hey, I want some ketchup too!" Eli calls across the table. He reaches out to grab it and promptly knocks over his water.
I give up.
Today we were having roasted vegetables with a lot of rosemary in them.
It was a bit loud and crazy.
Isabel was singing "O Canada, our home and native land. True Patrick's love, in all our sons command."
I had narrowly escaped having Eli's water dumped all over me once already, by catching it when he knocked it over. Ethan was picking taking pieces of yam, squishing them, and mixing them with water in the trough of his bib to create a lovely orange floaties juice.
"Have some salad, please Aaron," said Mom. "I didn't sneak anything you don't like into it."
Eli called out "Can I have some more potatoes and that grass?" (Rosemary, we assume?)
I put a few more potatoes on his plate.
When I am having difficulty getting the last few bites off my plate, Dad suggests "Do you need some ketchup on that, Em?"
"No thanks."
"Mustard?" "No, Dad, really I'm fine."
"A bit of Mayo?" "Dad! Unlike some members of our family, I am capable of eating food without condiments!"
It is almost like a hush falls over the crowd. (But not really. There really is no hush in our family.)
"Emma!" Miles chides me "What an un-Gillespie thing to say!"
He then proceeds to squirt ketchup onto his own plate, spraying Mom's shirt in the process.
"Hey, I want some ketchup too!" Eli calls across the table. He reaches out to grab it and promptly knocks over his water.
I give up.
Craziness
Last night was a little nutty.
We cleaning up the supper dishes. There were 5 people in our little kitchen. My mom was in the bathroom with Ethan, were he was working on going to the potty. (He has recently started doing this.)
The rest of us were all trying to rinse the plates and load the dishwasher. Our dishwasher is in a smaller corner of our kitchen. Having everyone in our family trying to work around it is not simple. And having everybody running the sink rinser thingie at the same time can result in a few splashes.
Then we heard that Ethan had peed in his little mini potty. He then proceeded to carry the small plastic potty around the house to show everybody, pouring the contents all over the floor.
Just at that moment, Eli, in his fuzzy pajamas came around the corner carrying the full water jug from the supper table. He stepped in the small puddle Ethan had just left and his feet slid right out from under him. The jug went up, and Eli went down.
When I came out of the laundry room, Eli was lying in the middle of a small lake on the kitchen floor. Three other members of our family dodge the puddle as they carry other various objects from the table into the kitchen.
Miles and Isabel run to get towels out of the bathroom. Eli is crying and wailing uncontrolably.
"Eli," I said. "What's wrong, did you hurt yourself?"
"Noooooo!" he wailed.
"Then what's wrong?" I asked.
"My...jammies...are....WET!!!"
A few days ago, I wrote about calmness. The calmness days are somewhat few and far between. Calmness is indeed lovely.
But you know what?
Craziness is pretty fun too.
We cleaning up the supper dishes. There were 5 people in our little kitchen. My mom was in the bathroom with Ethan, were he was working on going to the potty. (He has recently started doing this.)
The rest of us were all trying to rinse the plates and load the dishwasher. Our dishwasher is in a smaller corner of our kitchen. Having everyone in our family trying to work around it is not simple. And having everybody running the sink rinser thingie at the same time can result in a few splashes.
Then we heard that Ethan had peed in his little mini potty. He then proceeded to carry the small plastic potty around the house to show everybody, pouring the contents all over the floor.
Just at that moment, Eli, in his fuzzy pajamas came around the corner carrying the full water jug from the supper table. He stepped in the small puddle Ethan had just left and his feet slid right out from under him. The jug went up, and Eli went down.
When I came out of the laundry room, Eli was lying in the middle of a small lake on the kitchen floor. Three other members of our family dodge the puddle as they carry other various objects from the table into the kitchen.
Miles and Isabel run to get towels out of the bathroom. Eli is crying and wailing uncontrolably.
"Eli," I said. "What's wrong, did you hurt yourself?"
"Noooooo!" he wailed.
"Then what's wrong?" I asked.
"My...jammies...are....WET!!!"
A few days ago, I wrote about calmness. The calmness days are somewhat few and far between. Calmness is indeed lovely.
But you know what?
Craziness is pretty fun too.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
This is what boys do
Today I came into the kitchen where Miles and Aaron were comparing bruise sizes while sweeping and doing dishes. They also had a heated discussion over who could do the strongest farts.
Is this what boys do?
Miles and his friend down the road built an alien defense base out of several foamie mattresses, some wires, a broken car phone and a three hole punch.
Is that what boys do?
Today Eli said to me "I was running in the hallway at Grandma and Grandpa's house, and I tripped and fell and banged my knee and it hurted so badly, but I didn't cry. What's for supper?" I thought, 'just once I would really love to see your thought process.'
Is this what boys are like?
I suppose I should probably know. I've lived with boys for almost thirteen years. I'm still not quite used to them though.
Eli takes Isabel's dolls from upstairs and asks me if he can drop them out of the bedroom window. What girl does that?
When I had tea parties when I was little, Aaron would only come if there was real food. And he would dash away from the table as soon as he had gobbled his cookie. No tea chit chat for him.
I think all boys go through a phase of wanting to wear dresses and be ballerinas. But they still want to ride bikes, play soccer and wrestle in them if they get the chance.
Eli punched me today and said in his best tough-guy voice "You wanna fight with me?"
Are they just born with that?
I guess that's what boys are like.
Is this what boys do?
Miles and his friend down the road built an alien defense base out of several foamie mattresses, some wires, a broken car phone and a three hole punch.
Is that what boys do?
Today Eli said to me "I was running in the hallway at Grandma and Grandpa's house, and I tripped and fell and banged my knee and it hurted so badly, but I didn't cry. What's for supper?" I thought, 'just once I would really love to see your thought process.'
Is this what boys are like?
I suppose I should probably know. I've lived with boys for almost thirteen years. I'm still not quite used to them though.
Eli takes Isabel's dolls from upstairs and asks me if he can drop them out of the bedroom window. What girl does that?
When I had tea parties when I was little, Aaron would only come if there was real food. And he would dash away from the table as soon as he had gobbled his cookie. No tea chit chat for him.
I think all boys go through a phase of wanting to wear dresses and be ballerinas. But they still want to ride bikes, play soccer and wrestle in them if they get the chance.
Eli punched me today and said in his best tough-guy voice "You wanna fight with me?"
Are they just born with that?
I guess that's what boys are like.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Clotheslined
I had pizza at the Stel's house tonight. It was yummy. After we ate we hung out and watched the hockey game.
I was running back up to our house in the dark, when all of a sudden I was thrown backwards very forcefully by the neck and I fell right on my butt.
Apparently several of the children on the farm decided to make a high jump practice rope by stringing a long skipping rope between the monkey bars and a tree. It took my right out.
For a few seconds I sat on the ground and thought "what the heck just happened?"
It never gets boring around here.
I was running back up to our house in the dark, when all of a sudden I was thrown backwards very forcefully by the neck and I fell right on my butt.
Apparently several of the children on the farm decided to make a high jump practice rope by stringing a long skipping rope between the monkey bars and a tree. It took my right out.
For a few seconds I sat on the ground and thought "what the heck just happened?"
It never gets boring around here.
Calmness is lovely.
Last night when I got back from worship practice, the house was very quiet. All the other kids were in bed except Aaron, and he was thoroughly ensconced in Lunch Money, a good book by Andrew Clements.
(p.s. I had written 'a cute book by Andrew Clements' but Aaron was looking over my shoulder and said "Emma, scrap the cute!" So it's a good book :)
My mom had bought herself a candy pink velour sweatsuit pajama set from Superstore and she was wearing it. She won't let me take a picture.
I sat at the computer and had a bowl of yogurt and an orange and some marshmallows. (my mom and dad don't know about the marshmallows so it's a good thing they never read my blog :)
I read a few emails and was about to type this all up, but then I had to go to bed.
But it was calm. Calmness is lovely.
(p.s. I had written 'a cute book by Andrew Clements' but Aaron was looking over my shoulder and said "Emma, scrap the cute!" So it's a good book :)
My mom had bought herself a candy pink velour sweatsuit pajama set from Superstore and she was wearing it. She won't let me take a picture.
I sat at the computer and had a bowl of yogurt and an orange and some marshmallows. (my mom and dad don't know about the marshmallows so it's a good thing they never read my blog :)
I read a few emails and was about to type this all up, but then I had to go to bed.
But it was calm. Calmness is lovely.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Farm Personnel Files: Volume 1
I talk a lot about them. But have never much described in detail the personnel files of the farm inhabitants. I'll just keep adding to this for a while.
Sweet Pea the man-eating goat, and Meadow her daughter who eats worms and thinks she's a human.
Sophia, who I found today wearing her bike helmet backwards because it doesn't fit the other way.
Dad, also known as Uncle Al. The math teacher who has 3 calculator applications on his ipod touch.
Eli, age 4, who informed me today that he only wipes his bum on saturdays, not mondays.
Sweet Pea the man-eating goat, and Meadow her daughter who eats worms and thinks she's a human.
Sophia, who I found today wearing her bike helmet backwards because it doesn't fit the other way.
Dad, also known as Uncle Al. The math teacher who has 3 calculator applications on his ipod touch.
Eli, age 4, who informed me today that he only wipes his bum on saturdays, not mondays.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Oh brother (literally)
Today we found out that Ethan has discovered how to catapult soup and other liquids upwards by pouring them in the trough of his bib, and hooking the trough underneath the table, and then popping it out and flinging the liquid into the air. It makes a lovely splash which fully delights him.
Note to self: No longer give Ethan soup or drinks at mealtime. A few of us have had the pleasure of being in the way when the splash comes down. Not fun. Although once or twice the splash has hit him in the face and his expression when that happens is quite priceless.
In other news, well...there isn't much else to say unfortunately.
Oh! Here is a video of some of our rehearsal for the Pacific Baroque Festival.
http://pacbaroque.com/?p=197
You just have to scroll down a bit to the bottom of the page.
See you later!
Note to self: No longer give Ethan soup or drinks at mealtime. A few of us have had the pleasure of being in the way when the splash comes down. Not fun. Although once or twice the splash has hit him in the face and his expression when that happens is quite priceless.
In other news, well...there isn't much else to say unfortunately.
Oh! Here is a video of some of our rehearsal for the Pacific Baroque Festival.
http://pacbaroque.com/?p=197
You just have to scroll down a bit to the bottom of the page.
See you later!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
So we're kind of past the 29th day of the year and I only have 29 posts. Bad.
Oh dear. I am a bad girl.
I am not, as some of you may have kindly thought, very busy. Neither do I have a lot on my mind. I am just lazy.
Since I don't have much to say right now, I thought I would show you a little spiel that I wrote for the Pacific Baroque Festival I sang in. It landed me a radio interview so there might be something interesting about it. Enjoy.
I am in the Victoria Children's Choir. We are working on a Bach motet for the Pacific Baroque Festival. I have never sung Back before and I really love it. Bach was a musical genius. Look in any Bach piece and you will find patterns clearly echoed in the music of today, in all genre's. One section of the piece we are working on has a very jazzy feel to it, it's a lot of fun. The song is in two choirs, and when you are singing it the two choirs often echo each other and the way they are intertwined is neat to hear.
One thing I especially love about Bach is that, unlike many other composers, his life matched the devotion to God that his music spoke of. He 'walked the talk' so to speak. There is a quote by Bach that says "I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music." I love that.
Another piece we are working on for the Pacific Baroque Festival is by Telemann and called 'Der Schulmeister.'
I think it will be super fun to watch and we have loved working on it. As well as doing the music, we get to incorporate some acting into it! I know the audience will love it.
I am also looking forward to seeing some of the other music in the festival. I have never been to watch it before, but I have heard it is all wonderful.
See you...sometime.
I am not, as some of you may have kindly thought, very busy. Neither do I have a lot on my mind. I am just lazy.
Since I don't have much to say right now, I thought I would show you a little spiel that I wrote for the Pacific Baroque Festival I sang in. It landed me a radio interview so there might be something interesting about it. Enjoy.
I am in the Victoria Children's Choir. We are working on a Bach motet for the Pacific Baroque Festival. I have never sung Back before and I really love it. Bach was a musical genius. Look in any Bach piece and you will find patterns clearly echoed in the music of today, in all genre's. One section of the piece we are working on has a very jazzy feel to it, it's a lot of fun. The song is in two choirs, and when you are singing it the two choirs often echo each other and the way they are intertwined is neat to hear.
One thing I especially love about Bach is that, unlike many other composers, his life matched the devotion to God that his music spoke of. He 'walked the talk' so to speak. There is a quote by Bach that says "I play the notes as they are written, but it is God who makes the music." I love that.
Another piece we are working on for the Pacific Baroque Festival is by Telemann and called 'Der Schulmeister.'
I think it will be super fun to watch and we have loved working on it. As well as doing the music, we get to incorporate some acting into it! I know the audience will love it.
I am also looking forward to seeing some of the other music in the festival. I have never been to watch it before, but I have heard it is all wonderful.
See you...sometime.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A mysterious gift
We received a mysterious gift this morning.
After several seconds of frantic knocking on the front door, we shouted "come in!"
Nothing. A few seconds later, more knocking. I went and opened the door and was greeted by some not-so-subtle giggling from two girls hiding behind the car. On the ground in front of the door, is a piece of paper. I picked it up and closed the door.
Once inside, investigations reveal a poster of a red stick man and woman kissing and saying "I love you" in speech bubbles with a few colorful hearts floating around them. We are thoroughly perplexed.
Less than five minutes later, Isabel enters the house and sidles up to the counter nonchalantly. "What's this, Emma?" she asks innocently, pointing at the mysterious paper. "Oh, someone left it at our door," I answer. I will play along. "Do you know what it is?" she asks. "No, do you have any ideas?" Ha. I've caught her now.
She studies it quizzically for a few seconds and then says "It looks like Elmo to me. It looks like it might be Elmo and his wife kissing." At this point I am having trouble holding it together.
Elmo has a wife? I thought Elmo was more like preschool age.
She flips the card over. "Oh, yeah. Here Emma. It says "Me and my wife Smoochypoo, love Elmo."
Smoochypoo???
"Oh, wow! Elmo sent us a letter!" I said. "Yup, that's neat, all right," says Isabel. "And you have no idea when he left it?"
"Not a clue," I answer. "Did you see him?"
"Nope. Me and Shalom were at her house making...something."
She now decides she may be giving too many clues and decides to subtly exit the room. After she leaves I lean my head on the door and here her say laughingly to Shalom "She really thought it was Elmo who left it! We so tricked her!" (Hysterical laughter as they run away.)
The joys of being 7
After several seconds of frantic knocking on the front door, we shouted "come in!"
Nothing. A few seconds later, more knocking. I went and opened the door and was greeted by some not-so-subtle giggling from two girls hiding behind the car. On the ground in front of the door, is a piece of paper. I picked it up and closed the door.
Once inside, investigations reveal a poster of a red stick man and woman kissing and saying "I love you" in speech bubbles with a few colorful hearts floating around them. We are thoroughly perplexed.
Less than five minutes later, Isabel enters the house and sidles up to the counter nonchalantly. "What's this, Emma?" she asks innocently, pointing at the mysterious paper. "Oh, someone left it at our door," I answer. I will play along. "Do you know what it is?" she asks. "No, do you have any ideas?" Ha. I've caught her now.
She studies it quizzically for a few seconds and then says "It looks like Elmo to me. It looks like it might be Elmo and his wife kissing." At this point I am having trouble holding it together.
Elmo has a wife? I thought Elmo was more like preschool age.
She flips the card over. "Oh, yeah. Here Emma. It says "Me and my wife Smoochypoo, love Elmo."
Smoochypoo???
"Oh, wow! Elmo sent us a letter!" I said. "Yup, that's neat, all right," says Isabel. "And you have no idea when he left it?"
"Not a clue," I answer. "Did you see him?"
"Nope. Me and Shalom were at her house making...something."
She now decides she may be giving too many clues and decides to subtly exit the room. After she leaves I lean my head on the door and here her say laughingly to Shalom "She really thought it was Elmo who left it! We so tricked her!" (Hysterical laughter as they run away.)
The joys of being 7
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Thursdays are a mediocre day.
Not much usually happens on Thursdays.
Grandma and Grandpa Miller are taking Eli and Ethan and Eden and Nate to the beach this morning. They go out with them most Thursdays.
Generally speaking, Thursdays are kind of a boring day. In comparison to Fridays, they are somewhat abysmal.
Fridays are an exciting day. We have piano in the morning, sometimes we go to the library after lunch and then choir later in the afternoon. Plus after Friday I know the magical day is coming *Saturday*
Saturdays are fun. Sometimes I work, and sometimes we just do nothing.
Sundays are good. We go to church, and then come home and spend the rest of the day mooching about and chilling together.
Mondays are too busy to be boring. We don't really go anywhere or do anything but it's always hard getting back into school after the weekend.
Tuesdays are fun as well. We have choir in the evening and usually we drive home with our friend Esther Ruth so we get to chit chat in the car.
Wednesdays are a little bit boring too, I guess. But I can generally amuse myself with practicing choir music from the night before, and trying to think of things to do on Thursday.
Then comes Thursday again. Sigh.
But maybe Thursdays could be a nice day. A little breath to think about what's coming up next. A little mini sabbath within the week.
I could change my thinking about Thursdays, I think. Boring could equal calm.
A 'boring' mindset could just be discontented. A 'rest day' mindset could be really nice.
At least I have time to blog on Thursdays.
Something to think about. See you tomorrow :)
Grandma and Grandpa Miller are taking Eli and Ethan and Eden and Nate to the beach this morning. They go out with them most Thursdays.
Generally speaking, Thursdays are kind of a boring day. In comparison to Fridays, they are somewhat abysmal.
Fridays are an exciting day. We have piano in the morning, sometimes we go to the library after lunch and then choir later in the afternoon. Plus after Friday I know the magical day is coming *Saturday*
Saturdays are fun. Sometimes I work, and sometimes we just do nothing.
Sundays are good. We go to church, and then come home and spend the rest of the day mooching about and chilling together.
Mondays are too busy to be boring. We don't really go anywhere or do anything but it's always hard getting back into school after the weekend.
Tuesdays are fun as well. We have choir in the evening and usually we drive home with our friend Esther Ruth so we get to chit chat in the car.
Wednesdays are a little bit boring too, I guess. But I can generally amuse myself with practicing choir music from the night before, and trying to think of things to do on Thursday.
Then comes Thursday again. Sigh.
But maybe Thursdays could be a nice day. A little breath to think about what's coming up next. A little mini sabbath within the week.
I could change my thinking about Thursdays, I think. Boring could equal calm.
A 'boring' mindset could just be discontented. A 'rest day' mindset could be really nice.
At least I have time to blog on Thursdays.
Something to think about. See you tomorrow :)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Oh dear, oh dear
I didn't blog yesterday. Not good. This whole goal thing isn't going well.
I really have nothing to say. Also not good.
I guess I'll see you tomorrow.
Oh yeah! I have choir today. We're working on Bach and the Schoolmaster. Should be good :)
I really have nothing to say. Also not good.
I guess I'll see you tomorrow.
Oh yeah! I have choir today. We're working on Bach and the Schoolmaster. Should be good :)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Back
I'm back. It's good.
I had a lovely choir camp. We learned all the Bach music for the Pacific Baroque Festival, we just have to practice it. Some of us jumped in the lake too! Last night we watched a Strauss opera and during the dancing scene we polkaed and waltzed around the back of the room. Jolly good fun.
Apparently Rachel and I were singing a duet in our sleep last night. From what we've been told one of us was singing and the other was grunting melodically. We had a somewhat heated argument about which was the singing and which was the grunting one.
This is a neat story. At choir camp I found out that the author of a book that I loved when I was about 10 is my friend's aunt! The Doll People (very good book, by the way, everyone should read it.) It's not a very common book but I found it in the library several years ago. Anyway, fun.
See you tomorrow :)
I had a lovely choir camp. We learned all the Bach music for the Pacific Baroque Festival, we just have to practice it. Some of us jumped in the lake too! Last night we watched a Strauss opera and during the dancing scene we polkaed and waltzed around the back of the room. Jolly good fun.
Apparently Rachel and I were singing a duet in our sleep last night. From what we've been told one of us was singing and the other was grunting melodically. We had a somewhat heated argument about which was the singing and which was the grunting one.
This is a neat story. At choir camp I found out that the author of a book that I loved when I was about 10 is my friend's aunt! The Doll People (very good book, by the way, everyone should read it.) It's not a very common book but I found it in the library several years ago. Anyway, fun.
See you tomorrow :)
Friday, January 15, 2010
I'm not starting this well
Yeah. So I just got home yesterday, and now I'm off again today. So much for this 'every day' deal. Sorry folks. See you on Sunday :)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
You can tell a lot about a person...
...by what they look for on Used Victoria.
Dad: It varies. Recently it was ski/snowboard equipment for the family. Now we all own our very own skis, boots, snowboards, helmets and goggles. Coincidence? I think not.
Also, a little less recently it was cars. Now we have a new car. The things that don't change are windows, doors and other home improvement items.
Me: It used to be ipods. Now I have a new ipod. Nowadays it seems to be electric pianos. I don't have one yet. Hmmm... I should go check out the newest ones...
Aaron: Lego and comic books. He is working on extensive collections of Calvin and Hobbes, For Better or For Worse and Garfield.
Mom: Whatever she wants, my dad looks up for her. Yeah, yeah. That's just an excuse to be an Used Victoria more.
In short, we are all used victoria junkies.
I'm a youtube junkie too. Generally, Aaron and Dad watch them with me too.
Aaron likes America's funniest home videos best. I'm into the talent shows like American idol, Britain's got talent, etc.
Yeah. Well I'm off. The internet is calling me.
We just watched this incredible video on youtube. It's the winner of Ukraine's got talent I think and it's very beautiful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo
Dad: It varies. Recently it was ski/snowboard equipment for the family. Now we all own our very own skis, boots, snowboards, helmets and goggles. Coincidence? I think not.
Also, a little less recently it was cars. Now we have a new car. The things that don't change are windows, doors and other home improvement items.
Me: It used to be ipods. Now I have a new ipod. Nowadays it seems to be electric pianos. I don't have one yet. Hmmm... I should go check out the newest ones...
Aaron: Lego and comic books. He is working on extensive collections of Calvin and Hobbes, For Better or For Worse and Garfield.
Mom: Whatever she wants, my dad looks up for her. Yeah, yeah. That's just an excuse to be an Used Victoria more.
In short, we are all used victoria junkies.
I'm a youtube junkie too. Generally, Aaron and Dad watch them with me too.
Aaron likes America's funniest home videos best. I'm into the talent shows like American idol, Britain's got talent, etc.
Yeah. Well I'm off. The internet is calling me.
We just watched this incredible video on youtube. It's the winner of Ukraine's got talent I think and it's very beautiful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo
Sunday, January 10, 2010
this morning
One more thing...At church this morning Eli said "Today is a special day, and I won't step on anybody's feet."
Yeah.
Yeah.
Uh oh
We're leaving to go skiing tomorrow. So I won't be home for four days. And then when we get back, I'm leaving again for the weekend. So that could be bad. So I'm going to have to break my earlier promise and see you for the next couple days. I hope you can survive without me for a short while. Thanks a million :)
See you Thursday night or Friday.
See you Thursday night or Friday.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
I have nothing to say,
I have nothing to do.
So here's a little song,
I wrote just for you.
I don't know what to write
But I promised I would
I can't seem to think
But I would if I could
Today was normal
Just fine and dandy
Except that it didn't include
any candy
There you are, that pretty much sums it up.
That was a bit weak, hopefully I think of something better tomorrow.
I have nothing to do.
So here's a little song,
I wrote just for you.
I don't know what to write
But I promised I would
I can't seem to think
But I would if I could
Today was normal
Just fine and dandy
Except that it didn't include
any candy
There you are, that pretty much sums it up.
That was a bit weak, hopefully I think of something better tomorrow.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Short and sweet today :)
Ethan has a rocket ship on the front of his pjs. It's orange with green wings. (Wings? Is that what they're called on a rocket ship? I don't know.)
But he is quite adamant that it's not a rocket ship, it's a carrot.
What kind of child is this?
Any boy prefers a carrot over a rocket ship has been well trained.
I taught him everything he knows :)
But he is quite adamant that it's not a rocket ship, it's a carrot.
What kind of child is this?
Any boy prefers a carrot over a rocket ship has been well trained.
I taught him everything he knows :)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
10 Things of Today:
1. Ethan loves the taste of kids tylenol (the liquid kind that's grape flavored.) If he wants some, he says "I have a beaver (fever), I need medecine."
2. I almost enjoyed my Science lesson (almost).
3. Four of the other kids are at the museum with my grandparents for the free admission week. I refused to go because I'm still scared of that mammoth.
4. Piano starts again tomorrow. I'm happy :)
5. I bumped my head on the ceiling in my bedroom, which I haven't done in months!
6. I am entering an Odyssey trivia contest. Does anybody know the name of the employee Lucy talked to at the Calvin Bloom company?
7. I made four pumpkin loaves yesterday. Two have mysteriously disappeared.
8. The other kids just got home from the museum and Eli says "We saw a big, big elephant that was super big and made loud noises. It wasn't real but it was really scary." See? I am justified.
9. Eli also says "And the deers were scary but the bear was nice." ???
10. It's only 12.47. There will likely be more this afternoon.
Emma
1. Ethan loves the taste of kids tylenol (the liquid kind that's grape flavored.) If he wants some, he says "I have a beaver (fever), I need medecine."
2. I almost enjoyed my Science lesson (almost).
3. Four of the other kids are at the museum with my grandparents for the free admission week. I refused to go because I'm still scared of that mammoth.
4. Piano starts again tomorrow. I'm happy :)
5. I bumped my head on the ceiling in my bedroom, which I haven't done in months!
6. I am entering an Odyssey trivia contest. Does anybody know the name of the employee Lucy talked to at the Calvin Bloom company?
7. I made four pumpkin loaves yesterday. Two have mysteriously disappeared.
8. The other kids just got home from the museum and Eli says "We saw a big, big elephant that was super big and made loud noises. It wasn't real but it was really scary." See? I am justified.
9. Eli also says "And the deers were scary but the bear was nice." ???
10. It's only 12.47. There will likely be more this afternoon.
Emma
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
And they said...
So, we're putting on Ethan's 'handsome shirt' (any button up shirt) and after I got it on him I said "Ethan, you are super handsome," and he said "Yeah. I am handsome like a cow."
You know it, buddy :)
You know it, buddy :)
January 6th, 2009: Choir, etc.
In choir we are working on three main songs right now. The first one is a Bach piece called 'Der Geist hilft unser swachheit auf'(spelling?). My choir director said it means 'the Spirit helps us through all our hardships' roughly translated. It's a lot of fun. Another song is by Georg Tellemann and it's called "Der Schulmeister' Which means the schoolmaster. It is a little mini musical play with 5 songs and acting in between. It's about a schoolmaster who thinks he's a wonderful singer and the best at everything and his class is trying to prove that they're smarter than him. It's all in German but I can understand some of it. They need a few actors from our choir to play brats in the acting part :) We are performing both of those at the Pacific Baroque Festival in February.
Another song we are working on is called African Jigsaw. It's another musical play with lots of songs and some recitations in between. It's about Africa! (No kidding!) I think it's interesting but lots of the kids in our choir don't like it. I don't like all of the songs but I do like some of the more upbeat ones. I'm having fun :)
See you tomorrow!
Emma
Another song we are working on is called African Jigsaw. It's another musical play with lots of songs and some recitations in between. It's about Africa! (No kidding!) I think it's interesting but lots of the kids in our choir don't like it. I don't like all of the songs but I do like some of the more upbeat ones. I'm having fun :)
See you tomorrow!
Emma
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
More News years resolutions
As you may remember, my resolution last year was to start a blog. This year I am upping the antie.
I am going to attempt writing everyday. Doesn't have to be long, doesn't have to be exciting. Like a facebook status or twitter, uh, tweet? Not that I use twitter :)
So, in 2010 I am going to write a 'status of me' everyday. Less than a paragraph. A single sentence if that's what it takes. Maybe I'll make a novel out of it next year.
Can I really do it? Time will tell.
See you tomorrow!
Emma
I am going to attempt writing everyday. Doesn't have to be long, doesn't have to be exciting. Like a facebook status or twitter, uh, tweet? Not that I use twitter :)
So, in 2010 I am going to write a 'status of me' everyday. Less than a paragraph. A single sentence if that's what it takes. Maybe I'll make a novel out of it next year.
Can I really do it? Time will tell.
See you tomorrow!
Emma
Amazing grace how sweet the sound, the lion sleep tonight.
Oh brother. Miles and Isabel have started singing "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". Apparently it's from a movie.
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like meeeeeee
I once was lost, but now I'm found!
Was blind but now I seeeeeee
Aweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Awe Um mum mum baway
Aweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Aweeee Um mum mum baway
You get the idea. Try it yourself. The tune actually fits the words quite nicely. I cannot wait until choir starts again.
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like meeeeeee
I once was lost, but now I'm found!
Was blind but now I seeeeeee
Aweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Awe Um mum mum baway
Aweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Aweeee Um mum mum baway
You get the idea. Try it yourself. The tune actually fits the words quite nicely. I cannot wait until choir starts again.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Another year...
Another year has passed us by.
8 Birthdays
1 Anniversary
1 Valentine's day
1 Christmas
1 Easter
1 Trip to Africa
1 New little Bambino (well, not yet :)
8765 Hours
525,600 Minutes
31,556,926 Seconds
One more year of life :)
Hope it was good for y'all too <3
8 Birthdays
1 Anniversary
1 Valentine's day
1 Christmas
1 Easter
1 Trip to Africa
1 New little Bambino (well, not yet :)
8765 Hours
525,600 Minutes
31,556,926 Seconds
One more year of life :)
Hope it was good for y'all too <3
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