Where I'm From

Dear Judy, my wonderful blogging friend, posted this fun blog activity. Following the outline for a poem by George Ella Lyons (find the template HERE), you create your own "Where I'm From" poem. Let me know if you give this a try...I'd love to read about where you're from!

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Where I’m From

I am from soaps and cleaners,
From Tone and Palmolive, from Snuggle and Pledge

I am from the home on a hill –
Sledding in winter and avoiding the creek…mostly,
Biking barefoot in summer…foot caught in spokes…lesson learned,
Somersault races in spring and fall…grass in hair and stains on clothes.

I am from the mint for our tea,
Green beans snapped on warm summer nights…more eaten than stored,
A pine tree, given in third grade, now twice as tall as me 30 years later.

I am from holiday decorations and nearsightedness,
From HandyGramps and HelpfulGrammy
From (last names removed for anonymity)

I am from the teller of jokes and eyes in the back of her head,
From “Be nice to your sister!” and “I love you!”

I am from the crucifix and the rosary, weapons of my Faith –
Comfort for sorrows, healing for pain
Joy of salvation, Heaven’s eternal promise.

I’m from Ohio, yet a melting pot…a mutt of the world:
Five eighths Italian, then German, Irish, & much more
From rigatoni & ravioli, to pizzelles and biscotti,
Add a bit of sauerkraut and potatoes, stuffed peppers and zucchini.

From the brandied cherries, accidently given to Dad at age two,
Two parents who played as kids, not dating until after high school,
And from first time desert driving…in the rain!

I am from frames hung around the family room,
albums on shelves, scrapbooks of memories,
reflections of the times gone past…
Gone but not forgotten.

Things Your Parents Probably Told You...

In the post I wrote for my parents' anniversary party, I mentioned a poem that my sister & I read. It was actually a compilation she put together of several similar poems. Here it is in its entirety. We definitely received a lot of laughs, heads nodding in agreement, & many comments afterwards saying they had either heard those same things from their parents or said them to their own children!

Things Your Parents Probably Told You
(a compilation of several poems)
Authors Unknown

They taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE: “If you’re going to kill each other, do it outside—I just finished cleaning!”

They taught me RELIGION: “You better pray that will come out of the carpet!”

They taught me MEDICINE: “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they’re going to freeze that way.”

They taught me TO THINK AHEAD: “If you don’t pass your spelling test, you’ll never get a good job.”

They taught me ESP: “Put a sweater on; don’t you think that I know when you’re cold?”

They taught me TO MEET A CHALLENGE: “What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you…Don’t talk back to me!”

They taught me HUMOR: “When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.”

They taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT: “If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.”

They taught me about my ROOTS: “Do you think you were born in a barn?”

They taught me about the WISDOM OF AGE: “When you get to be my age, you will understand.”

They taught me about ANTICIPATION: “Just wait until your father gets home.”

They taught me about RECEIVING: “You are going to get it when we get home.”

They taught me about TIME TRAVEL: “If you don’t straighten, I’m going to knock you into the middle of next week!”

They taught me LOGIC: “Because I said so, that’s why.” & “If you fall off that swing & break your neck, you can’t go to the store with me.”

They taught me FORESIGHT: “Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you’re in an accident.”

They taught me about the science of OSMOSIS: “Shut your mouth & eat your supper!”

They taught me about CONTORTIONISM: “Will you look at the dirt on the back of your neck!”

They taught me about STAMINA: “You’ll sit there ‘till all that spinach is finished!”

They taught me about WEATHER: “It looks as if a tornado swept through your room!”

They taught me how to solve PHYSICS PROBLEMS: “If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?”

They taught me about HYPOCRISY: “If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times…Don’t exaggerate!!!”

They taught me THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: “I brought you into this world, & I can take you out!”

They taught me GEOGRAPHY: “There are starving people in China!”

They taught me about ENVY: “There a millions of less fortunate children in this world who don’t have wonderful parents like you!”

And, they taught me about JUSTICE: “One day you will have kids, & I hope they turn out just like you…then you’ll see what it’s like!"

Personal Care - For Ladies Only!

(FYI - This post is all in good fun! I apologize in advance if this offends anyone, but I couldn't resist posting this!)

Ladies,
When you choose your feminine care products, what prompts you to make your purchase?

Is it the brand that you love & trust?

Is it the cost?

Is it because of the absorbency?

Or is it because of the "Shimmering" plastic applicator?

Yeah, I thought so...I'd go for the shimmering too...LOL! (And don't you love how my camera caught that nice little glare too? Kind of enhances the shimmering aspect!)

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings - Vacation Edition (2nd Post Today)

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for our great three day vacation to Hocking Hills last week while Casinodad had the week off of work. See my Wordless Wednesday post from today for a few photos & hopefully I'll get another post up soon.

2) I'm thankful for all the joy & thanks we received from the munchkins for taking them to Hocking Hills. They had so much fun & surprisingly, there weren't many arguments!

3) I'm thankful that even though temps were in the upper 80s & low 90s, it didn't seem too hot for our excursions...wading in Lake Logan, sluicing at the gem mine, & trekking through Ash Cave.

4) I'm thankful that we were able to find a cabin that is well taken care of & VERY affordable. It was only $99 per night & we got $15 off of that each night for taking our own linens. This is our cabin...Noah's Ark Cabin. How cute is that?



5) I'm thankful there was a clean hot tub at our cabin. We didn't feel comfortable leaving the munchkins inside alone at night, so we took turns. Ahh! Very soothing! (The cabin we stayed in last year also had a hot tub, but we were unable to use it. We turned it on to let the munchkins sit on the edge & dip their feet in, but as soon as it started bubbling, it kicked up all kinds of sediment from the bottom...EEEEWWWW!)

The Top Ten Things I Did That Scared the Heck Out of Me

Sherry, from Chocolate for Your Brain, tagged me in this meme last week. I'm finally getting around to my list.

So here goes, in no particular order...The Top Ten Things I Did That Scared the Heck Out of Me (or at Least They Should Have!)

1) I was almost arrested in a small market while studying in Hungary. My friend & I had stopped in to pick up a few items. After paying for our purchases, one of the employees came up to us, ushered us to the side, & interrogated us in Hungarian. We kept saying "Nem ertem" (I don't understand) & we really didn't. Eventually, after being taken to the back room, we figured out that they thought we'd stolen a deodorant, which we hadn't. We emptied our pockets & showed our packages. Finally, after they realized we hadn't taken anything, they let us leave...via the back door! Both of us kept having images of being held in a Hungarian prison for life!

2) My friend & I arrived by train in Paris about 9pm only to realize that we had no Francs (this was before the Euro) & couldn't get money from the ATM because our credit card cash advances were maxed out. We finally got a taxi that would accept American currency, but who knows whether we got gipped or not!

3) That same night in Paris, we arrived at our hostel to find they didn't have our reservation & they were full. Apparently they felt sympathetic towards us two American college students & gave us an attic room w/ two other girls...an uninsulated, cold (this was December) attic used for storage of mattresses & bed frames.

4) On the day we were to leave Paris, we decided to call a taxi instead of trying to get ourselves to the airport, so we called about 2 1/2 hours before our flight was to leave. Well, it took him almost an hour to pick us up & apparently we were in rush hour. He was a very aggressive driver, smoking & yelling out the window at other drivers. I don't think I've ever prayed so many Our Fathers & Hail Mary's as I did on that trip to the airport. We finally arrived w/ 15 minutes to spare. I didn't relax until the plane was in the air.

(BTW - The rest of our stay in Paris was fine...it was just the arrival & departures that were scary & difficult!)

5) We changed parish churches last summer after being at the same one all my life. This was a tough move, but has been a good one for our family.

6) I take all four munchkins on most of the grocery shopping trips. (Need I say more on this one?)

7) When I was in middle school, my sister & I stayed at our neighbors' house while our parents were gone for the weekend. I went home on that Sunday & the door to the house was partially open. I walked in anyway, thinking I must have left it open. I knew something was wrong, though, when I noticed the TV on the couch & the patio door open. Apparently, I had scared the burglar off when I opened the door.

8) When Casinodad & I bought our house...First-time home ownership was a very scary step for us.

9) When I was about 37 1/2 weeks along w/ The Prophet, I went for my weekly appt. & my protein levels & blood pressure were up. I had to wait two days (it was Thanksgiving time) for the results of the all day protein test & finally heard back about 6pm that I had pre-eclampsia & to go to the hospital for an induction. When they told me they were putting me on Magnesium Sulfate to prevent seizures, I really got scared.

10) I gave three recitals in college...two flute & one vocal. As much as I love music, performing in front of friends, family, & professors was quite nerve-wracking.

Now for those I'm tagging:
Angela at Pretty in Orange (perhaps this may help w/ your writer's block?)
CrazyGirl at Celestial Academy
Judy at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings
Mary at Passionate Perseverance
Mary at 3 Turkeys

If I didn't tag you, but you'd like to take part, feel free to & be sure to leave me a note so I can check yours out!

Day Twenty-Four - Something You Did as a Child That Other People Remember You For

Getting lost in Sears - We were just talking about this last weekend. When I was about 3 years old, I was w/ my mom at Sears. One minute I was standing right next to her, the next she was gone (or as she would tell you...I was gone!) I still remember wandering around a few aisles to find her. Finally I ended up at the register & told the lady that "My Mommy is lost!" I proceeded to tell her my name, my mom's name, & our address & phone number. She paged my mom & we were quickly reunited. Sears has never been a favored store of mine. Perhaps this experience has something to do w/ it...LOL!

Passing out at the eye doctor - Yes, you read that right...I passed out while sitting in the eye doctor's chair. I was in 8th grade & so excited to try contacts. After my exam, he put a trial pair of gas permeable ones in my eyes & told me not to look up. Well, what do you think I did? Of course I just HAD to look up. Those contacts tickled my eyelids. All of a sudden I felt queasy & the next thing I know, the doctor & his receptionist are giving me a cup of water & a cool, wet cloth! Needless to say, I didn't get contacts that year! I even remember what I was wearing that day...white shorts w/ bright, multi-colored squiggles & a sleeveless yellow knit sweater (remember those ones what were popular in the 80's?)

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day Twenty-Three - Most Awkward 1st Impression You Feel You've Ever Given

I can't think of one particular instance where my first impression was awkward. I've found, though, that the awkward moments for me are the ones when I get caught off guard. This frequently happens at work where I may be in the middle of filing or filling out paperwork & someone comes up to ask a question. Because I am focused on my task, my mind has trouble shifting to the answer quickly enough & I just stumble on my words. I'm sure people walk away from me wondering what kind of blundering fool they've employed as a receptionist!

I first noticed this when I started working in the fitting room at Target a few years ago, after being a SAHM for several years. I had to relearn the art of carrying on a conversation w/ adults after being home w/ the munchkins all day. Thankfully most people understood & shared a laugh w/ me when I explained this to them!

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day Twenty-One - Your Favorite Medium of Art (2nd post for today)

Music, hands down! For as long as I can remember, music has been a part of my life. Growing up, we always had a piano in the house & I started lessons in second grade (although I quit & later picked them up again in high school). I can remember going to church w/ my grandparents in 2nd or 3rd grade. Their contemporary music ensemble had a flutist & I knew from the first moment I heard her play that I wanted to play the flute too. I never even glanced at the other instruments when the music representative came to our school in 5th grade. I continued playing flute through high school & even majored in music in college.

I don't have one particular style of music that is my favorite, although there are some that should never have come into existence! There is such a wide variety out there, something to fit every mood I may have. I love Classical, showtunes & soundtracks, Christmas, country, contemporary Christian, kids' songs (Veggie Tales & Backyardigans) & much more. I love Josh Groban, Carrie Underwood, Casting Crowns, Harry Connick, Jr., Chicago, & more.

As I said in an earlier post for this meme when asked about music I'd take if on a deserted island, music is always w/ me. At any time, you could ask me what song is going through my head & probably 98% of the time, I'd have one to mention. Sometimes they're good songs that I love. Other times it may be some ridiculously, obnoxious song that just got stuck there & needs to be pushed out!

Do you have a favorite medium of art? Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

Judy over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for the four days we spent this past week visiting w/ family from out of town. My aunt & uncle we usually see once a year, but we haven't seen my cousins in years. We had a great time catching up & all the little cousins had a blast playing together (despite a few of them having strep throat).

2) Speaking of strep...I'm thankful that we caught it quickly enough for The Archangel. We called the doctor as soon as he got a sore throat & fever. Knowing that he'd been exposed to it this past weekend, our doctor skipped the culture test & went straight for the antibiotics...a good thing, because The Archangel would have had a fit!

3) I'm thankful the weather on Friday was great for our trip to the Ohio State Fair. It was warm (mid-upper 80's) but low humidity. My nephew was singing in the All Ohio State Fair Youth Choir & they all did an awesome job! The munchkins had so much fun on the rides, too!

4) I'm thankful The Prophet & The Princess are looking forward to the start of school in another week or two. (I'm still working on getting The Archangel excited.) The past school year didn't end well, so we're all hoping for a great new start! I've already written their "Beginning of the School Year" letters, which I'm going to mail this year instead of just handing them to the munchkins.

5) I'm thankful for the great 30 Day Meme that my dear friend, Angela, posted on her blog, Pretty in Orange. I've really enjoyed it & it has really gotten me back into journal writing. I'm thinking about continuing after the 30 days is up. There are many journal idea websites, so I could pick a topic each day & just write. The munchkins did some for school last year & it was a great writing exercise.

Day Seventeen - Something I Want to be Remembered For

My answer to this question is something I struggle with, especially lately. Many years from now, I WANT my munchkins to remember that I was a kind yet firm, loving mother. The struggle for me lies in the fact that I have always had a very short temper. Between this summer's heat & humidity, not getting enough sleep, & other issues, it's been worse. I get angry very easily & tend to yell at the munchkins much more than I should be. Little things seem to bother me much more than they should. I've found that the days that are better are usually the days that I've spent more time in prayer. The munchkins notice a difference in my demeanor on those days. So, I know it's possible to turn things around...as long as I have faith, lean on Him, & ask for His help EVERY DAY!

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day Sixteen - Something I Want to Do in the Next Five Years

WOW! Halfway through already! What a great meme this has been!

Today's topic is "Something I Want to Do in the Next Five Years." This is an easy one for me right now because my answer has been on my mind a lot lately. There are actually two things:

1) I want to take a vacation somewhere beachy w/ Casinodad. Ideally a trip to somewhere in the Caribbean would be nice. I've never been a big beach person, but I've felt the pull lately. We've started talking about it & are hoping that our 15th anniversary in three years will be a great time to go.

2) I'd like to move out of the suburbs & into the country. When we first moved into our house, we planned to be here about five years. Next month will be our 9th year here. We've loved our house & have been blessed w/ good neighbors, but the area is going downhill. I really would like a nice acre or so of land when the munchkins would have plenty of space to run around & explore.

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day 14 - Best Mashup You've Ever Heard (2nd post today)

I'm not sure if this is a mashup, but I think it is. It is the Punjabi Wedding Song from the movie Bride & Prejudice (which you must see if you haven't yet...see my review HERE). From what I found, it is a combination of Indian wedding songs. ENJOY!



Yes, that IS Sayid from Lost!

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day 13 - A Memory that Never Fails to Make You Laugh (2nd post today)

1) This is several memories in one: Growing up, there were MANY evenings my mom, sister, & I could be found in uncontrollable giggles. What usually set us off was some insignificant comment one of us might have made. One of us would start to giggle, then another, then all three of us would be laughing so hard we'd be crying. My dad would usually just walk out of the room shaking his head. The first time Casinodad witnessed this phenomenon, he didn't know what to think. Thankfully we were already married, otherwise he might have thought twice about staying w/ me!

2) A couple years ago, the six of us had gone to Taco Bell for lunch. On the way out, The Archangel was walking ahead, but turned back toward us talking. All of a sudden he ran right into the window next to the door...a full body run-in like you'd see in a comedy show. He bounced right back w/ this dazed look on his face, then bust out laughing. After making sure he was okay, we all joined in the laughter. He still brings up that time whenever we go into that Taco Bell.

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day Eleven - A Favorite Photo of Myself

This is my favorite photo of myself, taken when I was about two years old. I am so thankful we finally got out new printer/scanner. Otherwise, this post wouldn't have a photo posted!

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day Ten - Describe a Dream from This Past Week in Detail (2nd post today)

I don't feel like I'm able to sleep in long enough stretches for dreaming. Those I do have are gone the second I wake up because I wake up so quickly! There are two ways I could approach today's entry:

1) Angela suggested that I ask Casinodad or the munchkins about one of their dreams. Casinodad can't think of any either & the munchkins are asleep, so how about if I tell you about a dream I remember from my childhood?

I think I was in the second or third grade when I had this dream. I was home sick w/ the flu & one of the things I remember most about being sick we the heavy, aching, sinking feeling of my body into my bed. I don't think I've felt that sick since then.

One of those nights, I had a dream that I was lying in my bed. I looked down towards my feet & saw my dad running over the covers. He was only a few inches tall. He was being chased (by what or who? I don't know), but I just remember him running all over the covers. I do remember waking up to more of that sinking feeling, so apparently this was a fever induced dream.

2) It doesn't say anything about being asleep for the dream, so I can also tell you about a personal dream that's been on my mind lately. We've been facing a lot of behavioral issues lately. Casinodad & I are struggling to find the right discipline patterns because some of these issues are not w/in the munchkins' control (due insomnia, anxiety, Tourette Syndrome, & ADHD). It's tough to find the right balance between knowing what is truly a lack of disrespect & which is from the uncontrollable side. So, right now I dream (& PRAY) of finding peace, respect, & balance w/in our family again.

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day Nine - Five Things I Want to See Change

WOW! Where do I begin on this one & can I REALLY narrow it down to ONLY five things? Well, I'll give it a shot. (Some of these are just an extension of my view of paradise as listed a few days ago.)

1) An end to abortion - I've heard people say over the years that, while they think abortion is wrong, they don't feel it is their right to take away a woman's choice to have one. But, what about the child? Where is his/her choice?

What can we do? Above all else, PRAY. We have a little rubber-like baby who we have spiritually adopted. This is to signify a baby in danger of abortion. We don't know who he is, but we have named him Cameron. Each night we pray for him, his mother, & those encouraging the abortion. The munchkins take turns holding him during the prayer & when we are finished, each of us will kiss his little head & place him back on the shelf between our statues of Jesus & Mary.

2) Peace & kindness toward others - How many times have you let your lack of sleep or bad mood affect the way you treat those around you? You yell at the your husband or the kids, mutter under breath when that driver cuts you off, etc. Yeah, we've all done it!

What can we do? Follow the Golden Rule: Do Unto Others, As You Would Have Them Do Unto You! Smile at others. Just the other day, when going through the self check-out lane at a local store, the employee watching over the lanes looked grumpy & like she didn't want to be there. As we walked by, I smiled & told her to have a nice day. Immediately she smiled in return. It's amazing what just one little smile can do for someone!

3) Respect for all - There is so much disrespect in the world today. So many people are wrapped up in their own lives that they don't take the time to look outside of themselves. And just look at the way many children & teens talk to their parents & elders. It's shocking! I was listening to a re-play of Mother Angelica Live the other day & she referred to people following the earthly trinity of "Me, Myself, & I" instead of the Heavenly Trinity of "God the Father, God the Son, & God the Holy Spirit."

What can we do? It begins in the home. We teach our own children to be respectful at all times. I'm finding this to be a tough thing to do, but the alternative is learning outside the home & the examples out there are not great at all. Beyond teaching though, they won't learn it unless we demonstrate it ourselves. They learn more by our actions than our words.

4) Our political system - This one is quite obvious, so no further comment needed!

What can we do? Above all else, pray...not just for our leaders, but for us as voters. Pray for God's guidance before each election. Really do our homework so we know what we are voting for.

5) For people to use their money wisely (at home & in their jobs) - Our local school superintendent, who refused a pay raise last year, has been offered an 8% raise this year. From what I understand, she has declined any raises since she's been in the position. Because of that, her pay will gradually increase so that by 2014, she'll be making almost a quarter of a million dollars...WHAT?!?! Also, I just read in yesterday's paper that Chelsea Clinton's wedding this weekend will be between $3-5 million, about $6,000 per guest & $15, 000 in amenities (fancy transportable latrines w/ porcelain flush toilets, hot water, & music), & $150 per custom invitation...WHAT?!?! Can you tell this bothers me?

What can we do? Again, this is something that starts in the home. We teach our children money management skills. We don't give them Every. Little. Thing. their hearts desire or that their friends have. We show them how to save. We let them see us donating to church, charities, those in need.

I know there is a LOT of good in the world today, too, but the question was what five things I'd want to see change. These are some big topics & I know there are many people who may disagree w/ me, but this is how I feel. God Bless!

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day Eight - Someone I Think Would Make a Good President (2nd post today)

It goes w/out saying that anyone would be better than who we have now. I love Angela's suggestions on Pretty in Orange. I am choosing my oldest munchkin, The Prophet. In March of 2008, he dictated his list of things he'd do if he were President of the US. Below is what I posted here on my blog.

March 28, 2008 - If I Were President by The Prophet

With last week being our state's elections, The Prophet started asking questions. After talking awhile, he started telling me what he'd do if he were president. Being a homeschooling mom, I decided to make it into a lesson to put into his first grade portfolio. Here is his list of what he would do if he were president (all in his own words):

1) Make special fighting droids with special shields (Droid Akars)
2) Make stronger suits for the good army
3) Make big walkers (AT-AP Walkers)
4) Make the clone ship & walkers from Episode III (Are you noticing the Star Wars theme so far? I did ask him to think of other things too!)
5) I would give the people who robbed a few more chances.
6) I would make smoking illegal.
7) I would make the UN stronger.
8) I would stay up all night planning more presidential stuff.
9) I would make fire ships (for wildfires) & fire walkers with sprays on them. Battle fire boats, too.
10) Hurricanes - get people out of where the hurricanes are coming (use AT-AT walkers with fast legs)
11) Tornados - same thing
12) I would make builder soldiers to protect the poor people & build houses. They would make free jobs for the Moms & Dads. The bosses would be nice because the people would be poor.
13) Make schools safer - keep police guards, check everyone's pockets, police near stop signs so people don't ignore them
14) Make the world clean - every time you go for a walk, you take a bag & gloves to pick up trash
15) Try as hard as I can to find a cure for cancer
16) Floods - roads closed down, water sucked up by suckwalkers who then take it to poor people who don't have enough water

Once we got past all the Star Wars ideas, I think he came up with some pretty good things to accomplish. Perhaps I should send his list to The White House...

Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours

Day Seven - Favorite Cover of a Song (2nd post today)

When I first saw this topic for Day Seven, I had absolutely NO IDEA what it meant. Did it mean album cover? Nope! After reading Angela's choices, I realized that it is a song sung by someone other than the original artist.

I actually have several I'd like to share w/ you today...in no particular order.

First is Bette Midler's version of Baby Mine. As you know, it is originally from Disney's Dumbo, but she sang it in the movie Beaches. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a YouTube video that I liked to post for this one. (BTW - Many of the other songs she sang in Beaches were great, too!)

The second is Kenny Loggins version of America's The Last Unicorn (from the movie of the same name). This was one of my favorite movies growing up & when I heard Kenny sing it on his Return to Pooh Corner lullaby CD, I fell in love w/ it all over again. The whole CD, if you haven't heard it, is full of covers that he would sing to his son at night.



The next one I thought was just awesome when I saw it on Glee this past season. Matthew Morrissey & Neil Patrick Harris singing Aerosmith's Dream On. This is one version that I definitely think is way better than the original. (Of course, I'm not an Aerosmith fan anyway!) Their characters were using the same song to audition for the lead in Les Miserables. Because they were arguing & interrupting other auditions, the director told them to just sing it together.




Want to join in this 30 Day Meme? You can get the complete list of daily topics HERE. Be sure to leave me a comment so I can read yours.

Day Six - The Earliest Thing I Can Remember (2nd post today)

I'm lucky if I can remember what happened an hour ago, so how am I supposed to find an early memory...LOL!

Actually I do have one. When I was about three or four years old, one of my favorite TV shows was Emergency. I don't remember any of the episodes or characters other than Roy & Johnny. My mom says that I used to sit on the couch w/ my red fireman's hat to watch them race off to the rescue in their squad.

I remember one day, my mom was cooking dinner & she had the baby gate up to keep my sister & me out of the way. Back in those days (the mid 70's) the baby gates had large openings. I knelt down on the floor & tried to stick my head into the diamond-shaped holes. My mom turned from her cooking & told me I'd better not do that because my head would get stuck & the emergency squad would have to come rescue me. I got excited because I was SO SURE it would be Roy & Johnny coming to help me! (Unfortunately, my head did not get stuck.)

SIDE NOTE: I was pleasantly surprised last year when the BIG switch to digital TV occurred & I found RTN (Retro Television Network). They play a lot of those old TV shows from the 60's, 70's, & 80's...Adam-12, The Incredible Hulk, The Hardy Boys, AND Emergency! I was even more pleasantly surprised when the munchkins sat down to watch Emergency w/ me & DID NOT find it boring.

(Trivia Time: Did you know that the man who played Dr. Kelly Brackett was in the movie Maverick? He was the poker player who lost to Jodie Foster's character, Annabelle Branson.)

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Day Five - A Thank You Letter to Someone Who Has Changed Your Life

(I'm cheating just a bit & writing this thank-you letter to all four of the munchkins.)

Dear Prophet, Archangel, Princess, & Saint,

The four of you have brought so much into my life & changed me in ways that I could never have imagined before children.

You've helped me to slow down & look at the world around me through your eyes. For example, Prophet, when you were four years old, we passed a house that had a willow tree in its yard. You said, "Mommy, that tree looks like spaghetti!" Ever since then, I've taken the time to look at different trees myself & appreciate their majestic beauty. Daddy & I decided that each of you will choose your own tree for our future house in the country someday.

You've taught me what is truly worth worrying about. That broken nail or missed TV episode aren't such a big deal when your second child (Archangel) has jaundice & needs to be on a photo-therapy blanket for the first week of his life & a nurse has to come every day to take blood from his tiny heel, when he later needs hernia surgery at the age of two, or breaks his arm the day before I leave for a weekend trip w/ friends.

You've shown me how free it feels to sing & dance throughout the day. Music has always been a part of my life, & even though it's always playing somewhere in the house, some of the music w/in me has been put on hold while I've been raising all of you. Princess, you have reawakened my internal music. You have such a beautiful voice & I just love to hear you sing songs about God & someday becoming a saint in Heaven.

You've become great students & teachers in the school of life, showing that you're never too young or old to learn something new. Each day is a new adventure. Saint, watching you learn & seeing how much you really do understand at the age of two is astounding! Each day you're adding more to your vocabulary. You're very creative & can make almost anything into either a telephone or a gun (yep, you're all boy!)

You've helped me realize that I CAN make it through the day despite a sleepless night!

You've shown me what unconditional love & forgiveness are. Even when you've been fighting & arguing most of the day, when one of you gets hurt, the others are quick to sympathize & bring along some comfort (a stuffed animal, a hug, etc.) Or when someone in the neighborhood is picking on one of you, the rest of you are there to support your sibling. And no matter how strict I may be or how many times I may get angry & yell at you, you're always open to hugs & kisses.

Most of all, you've taught me what real prayer is. Prayers of thanksgiving for the beautiful children God has blessed & entrusted us with. Prayers of contrition...realizing that I'm not the perfect mother & never will be. I have, do, & will continue to make mistakes, but I apologize, you forgive, & we move on. Prayers of petition to keep our family safe & healthy, to help us through those sleepless nights, to help me be a better mother, & most of all, to help me help you get to Heaven.

Each one of you brings something special to our family. I love each of you so much & pray that we continue to grow together in our faith & family.

Much love & many blessings,
Mom

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