A picture is worth...

Some photos from this summer...

Fireworks on the 4th

Stephen and I camping

Jeremy Nelson on our kayak trip

Cindy, Chris, and Stephen at the fireworks

Stephen and Abbs camping

Oh those dog days of summer...

I thought maybe I'd be apt to write more now that it is summer, but I had also tricked myself into thinking I'd have the house spotless by now or that I'd write to my grandma more often, and, well, if you were my grandma or my house you'd see how that's gone. To be perfectly honest, I have never been good at documenting my life religiously even though I like the idea of it. When I was younger, I would start a new diary with the best intentions, but after several entries I would just be done with it I guess. The best effort I ever made was in college, and it wasn't even in a journal. Martin (foreign ex. student at MHS our senior year) and I wrote crazily long letters back and forth from ND to Germany, and I had the foresight to photocopy everything I wrote. A lot was going on in my life, and we generally shared everything. So I do have a good record of say 1994 - 1996. But that's about it.

Pair my lazy habits of writing about myself with the fact that I want to lay my life out for friends, but I know the audience can be anyone out there with a computer and a connection, and I get genuinely creeped out. I mean I know there are bloggers out there who are much more interesting than me (see list below, I'm not just self-depricating) and who share more than I ever would, but, mmmmmm, I dunno. You see, I'm the paranoid freak who locks the house when I take the recycling out back to the alley. Of course that's only when I am home alone. And for the record, the DQ by our house was robbed at gunpoint last year... So as much as I habitually read Heather's blog (Dooce) and Andrea's blog (superherodesigns) and they don't know me in any way, shape, or form, I am uneasy about unknown people reading mine. (Did I just admit that I am a hideous lurker? And that I am a hypocrite?)

Maybe this is just all an excuse for the fact that I doubt my wit and doubt that people do in fact read my blog in the first place.

(I guess I'm admitting that I'm insecure in some ways, too.)

Anyways, on with the real business for the day, lists. Because lists are easy, and lists don't require stunning wit!

A few of my favorite summer things:
(like the last fav. things list, not people, just things!)
Oh lovely Costco, how you are so much more desirable than Sam's Club.
Nature's Path Flax Plus Cereal (from Costco)
Vats of blueberries (from Costco)
Ecopolitan--Kim and I went on a lunch date here last Thursday.
Sommerfest/Macy's 24 Hours of Music--except for the fact that we took the city bus (and were totally proud of not driving for once) and missed getting into Orchestra Hall for the 8pm performance by the orchestra. We did see The New Standards, however, which could be a "fav things" line-item in themselves.
Ploughshare Farm--our CSA. We signed up to get a load of organic right-from-the-farm produce this summer. We are sharing it with Chris and Cindy, which gives us a good excuse to see them every week, too. Which reminds me that CHRIS and CINDY are back from Central America after living the good life there since February. Incredibly tan and looking good!
They are in Northeast right now but will be moving to south Mpls in August.
Camping--Wild River State Park. This is our regular spot, but I'd love to get back to Jay Cooke SP sometime. I think I put up some pictures last year around this time.
Kayaking--Stephen sold the old 70s speedboat that sat in our garage for two years, and we bought kayaks with the cash. Yes, the boat would have been fun, but being the non-SUV people we are, we never had a vehicle
big enough to pull the beast. The kayaks are considerably lighter...
REI--finally got a membership
Aveda Pure Privilege membership

A few of my favorite websites:
Heather B. Armstrong, full of wit I mean it
Andrea, honestly gives me hope for my creativity in the future
Another great writer who has an amazingly creative site
Loobylu and husband's creative kid sight. surely worth checking out
Ali Edwards. As much as I fight even wanting to do anything that remotely resembles (scrapbooking) I entertain the notion of doing it digitally when I look at her stuff.
Sabrina. I found her book when I was getting a divorce, forgot about it, and somehow came across her website in a completely different way. The world works in mysterious ways. Super creative and inspiring.

Have enjoyed in the last month:
A Prairie Home Companion movie
Over the Hedge--Ben Folds on the soundtrack! And please note that I didn't fall asleep during either movie... This is monumental.
Camping at Wild River
A MN Lightning game
Fireworks in downtown Mpls on the 4th.
Soccer games with Abbs
Sommerfest (see above)
Kayaking on Lake of the Isles and the St. Croix
Waterpark of America

Still to do this summer:
Canterbury Park
Music and movies in the park (Haley Bonar and Low!!)
Twins game with Marcus and family
Horseback riding at Wild River Stables
Mini golf

Thesis update:
I turned in the first three chapters of my thesis to Walter last Friday. 99 pages. Finally.

Something interesting I found this week: We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us. --Joseph Campbell This is especially interesting for people like me who are planners. It reminds me that I can and should look at life in a different way more often than I do.

MS

Voice, where are you sucker?

So I don't know what was up with my writing yesterday, but I felt like my writing "voice" (uh, if I have one) was nowhere to be found...just a clusterfk of imaginings. Things I wanted to say, but not really a flow to them. Which made me cranky. Cranky.

So I do a fair share of blog-looking when I should really be doing my thesis, I guess, but I do get some inspiration from some that I read, so I'll have to link them sometime. One off the top of my head is www.superherodesigns.com I think. And her Community/Links section is good. I guess sometimes I get afraid of living blindly and some of the sites I frequent give me hope...and help me to reflect and come up with new ideas and laugh. Which is important.

My best friend from highschool (one Jennifer Smith) is getting married in September in northern MN. She lives in San Francisco, and I think her choice for the wedding spot is excellent. We've not talked a whole lot in the past several years, and I think because we never really fought as best friends have a weird passive agressive way of presenting our frustration in not being good adult friends. I wonder if this happens to other people, too. I wrote her yesterday, she replied today, and in what has to only be considered a miracle, I actually replied again just about a half an hour ago. This is the quickest reply I've ever had to her in probably 10 years... Here's something I wrote to her today...

"Ok, so I completely know why we were best friends in high school  =)  
Your emails always make me feel good.  Most of the time I view our 
friendship with my tail between my legs, like I've really screwed up 
somehow and lost you forever.  I guess time without correspondance 
and miscommunication will do that, but I usually just feel dumb about 
it.  Very grown up, I know...Anyways, you always give me hope that I 
haven't completely screwed myself out of a great friend, even if we 
aren't "current" I guess in each others lives.  I do want to work to 
improve that throughout our 30s, but like anything that changes for 
the better, I know I'll need to try harder and not just talk about 
writing more...actually do it.  The one thing I want you know know is 
that when I hunker in (usually in the winter, but not just then) it 
isn't just away from you.  I'm not off visiting other friends or 
going out all the time here.  Stephen and I and our friends in Mpls 
are pretty guilty of the same; really we go out with Jeremy Nelson 
every other week and that's our only stable going out time.  So this 
"taking time for friends because you only live once and need to reach 
out" thing... yea, gotta work on it on several fronts. =("

I really started to think about how friendships make the transition into
adulthood several years ago when some of Stephen's friends made the
decision to cut off one of the guys who wasn't really giving anything in
terms of a friendship/relationship anymore, who maybe never had but
was just one of the guys in high school.  It scared the living daylights
out of me.  Not that I thought it was unjust...the guy really didn't
contribute a lot to them I guess and I don't know most of what went on,
but I thought about my relationship with Jen and how I've been so
content about being so passive and not really giving anything.  Just
taking it for granted.  And I didn't want her to hate me or to not want anything
to do with me.  Not that we both haven't been guilty of not writing/calling,
but I guess I take it on the hardest for some reason.  I mean I lived with her
during the summer of 97 and she's been here for me through TWO weddings,
but we lose track of each other's day to day worries,  joys, happenings, etc.
Which sucks plainly spoken.  And it is weird because another good friend
(Heather) and I can pick right back up, but I think that's because we weren't as
close as Jen and I were.  Any thoughts? This happening to anyone else?  Am I
yelling into a deserted forest?  Did I ever tell you that the blog world sometimes
creeps me out?  MS

Happy mother's day!

I must admit, Mother's Day is a little weird for me as a step-mom... Most people envision step-moms in stereotyipcal ways--as the evil Cinderella type, as someone who only has to parent on the weekends, and definitely as secondary to the "real" mom. Are you really a parent??? These things are hard for me. I raise Abbey with all my heart; we have her four nights a week which means I help put her to bed/wake her up/dress her/feed her/love her/help with every whim of hers four days and nights each week. Unlike the stereotypical divorced dad, Stephen has equal custody. No weekends-only or just summertime crap. When Abbey is here, it's full-on parenting.

So today when she said, "You are the best thing in the world, even if I didn't come out of your stomach," it felt pretty sweet =) I got mushy inside, but I get mushy inside a lot with Abbs; she's a cool kid to have.

Parenting as a step parent is definitely different than what I have always envisioned parenting would be like. Even if you get along with the other set of people (which I do) you still have to reconcile your ideas of parenting (How you think it should be done--what is really best for a kid? What are your goals in raising a kid?) with other adults. And I learned the hard way--after a divorce--that people don't always have the same vision of what adulthood should be like...I've come to realize that likewise, people have different visions of raising a child. So I've learned a lot, encountered a lot of stress, and I've learned a ton about myself by being a parent. I believe I've become a better person by helping raise Abagail.

Stephen and I are looking to get pregnant within the next year, and while I'm still a little scared, I am excited, too! I think we are finally ready. I hear from people that there isn't really a good time to get pregnant, but I fully believe that there are better times than others. We've had to be patient before--had to wait at least two years to pay off debt from past marriages before we could buy a house and be financially stable. Had to wait to get a dog before we got that house. Have to wait, I suppose several more years, before we have some extra cash to travel and take Abbey on some memorable trips (you know, actually do Spring Break!) Have to wait, hopefully not forever, before we can get a lake cabin... Had to wait until we felt ready to have a baby, and I think that time has finally come...So my sister lent me five or six baby books. They are a little overwhelming (and I'll take Stephen's advice to not read any of them cover to cover or else I'll become a hypochondriac) but I don't know ANYTHING about pregnancy really (other than take folic acid and, um, practice, practice, practice), so I've been looking at them a little. Got a lot to learn! I started with Abbey when she was just turning five, so I don't have much baby experience =) I'll get there soon enough I guess!

Anyways, one last bit on parenting before I fully give in to having to balance my checkbook (can't procrastinate much longer). The new Vanity Fair has an article on Nicole Richie, who was adopted by Lionel Richie and his wife when she was around 9. Her biological dad played with Lionel and her biological mom was on the road with Prince, so she was left a lot as a baby, toddler, and kid. After I explained this to Stephen and Abbey at supper (Cause everyone needs to know this, right? Yeah, we have great table talk =) Abbey asked if N. Richie's mom loved her. I said that she probably did, but that love in itself isn't enough to raise a child well. Loving her daughter didn't mean that she was being a good parent. Love is definitely the first requirement, but there is a lot more to it than that. I love Abbey with all my heart, but I've learned that it indeed takes much more...including a lot of trial and error...and patience, and heart, and listening, and humor, and on and on and on...to raise a child. I'm sure I'll add "getting up in the middle of the night numerous times" and "changing diapers" to that list sometime here. So looking forward to that =)

Well, that's it for now. Time to face Microsoft Money. Unless I find something else to do before then... Hasta luego... Michelle

life is going better, and my friend, jenny sue, wrote to me =) long live long lost friends... thesis update: i'm on page 73 of chapter 2... almost there. 19 days of school left! almost summer =) here are some photos from last weekend. went to the twins game, and they won! go twins...

love that

Back to normal.... love that little quip from the last post. There is one part of life that is always dramatic-stressful, and so this week, I have to guffaw at "back to normal." Yet it's off limits because it isn't directly related to us, so what's a girl to do?

Find things that she can control-- and exploit them...

Back to WeightWatchers online, of which exploitation will only help, I guess.
Back to serious time at Lifetime, of which exploitation will only make the $69 bill more worthwhile. (Actually, swimming with Abbey always makes it worthwhile. And Friday night hottubbing....yeah, worthwhile!)

And these are things I have been aiming at anyways, so that when we get preg., I will be healthier...

Of course my ill temper comes only from sheer frustration.
And so I try to focus on other things...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Like the completely cool poets we saw last Sunday night who have been competing this week in NYC at the International Youth Poetry Slam Festival. Stephen, Abbs, and I caught them at Macalester along with an acting class from a HS in St. Paul performing a play that they had written about the govts response to Katrina.

Which reminds me of my favorite adult slam master.... Taylor Mali... and some of his spoken word, which of course is better live.

Totally like whatever, you know?
By Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com

In case you hadn't noticed,
it has somehow become uncool
to sound like you know what you're talking about?
Or believe strongly in what you're saying?
Invisible question marks and parenthetical (you know?)'s
have been attaching themselves to the ends of our sentences?
Even when those sentences aren't, like, questions? You know?

Declarative sentences - so-called
because they used to, like, DECLARE things to be true
as opposed to other things which were, like, not -
have been infected by a totally hip
and tragically cool interrogative tone? You know?
Like, don't think I'm uncool just because I've noticed this;
this is just like the word on the street, you know?
It's like what I've heard?
I have nothing personally invested in my own opinions, okay?
I'm just inviting you to join me in my uncertainty?

What has happened to our conviction?
Where are the limbs out on which we once walked?
Have they been, like, chopped down
with the rest of the rain forest?
Or do we have, like, nothing to say?
Has society become so, like, totally . . .
I mean absolutely . . . You know?
That we've just gotten to the point where it's just, like . . .
whatever!

And so actually our disarticulation . . . ness
is just a clever sort of . . . thing
to disguise the fact that we've become
the most aggressively inarticulate generation
to come along since . . .
you know, a long, long time ago!

I entreat you, I implore you, I exhort you,
I challenge you: To speak with conviction.
To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks
the determination with which you believe it.
Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker,
it is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY.
You have to speak with it, too.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

You do. And you have to learn to let things go. So that life can be, in fact, back to normal. Which is my personal lesson for the week. Do the best with what you have where you are...

Our week

After an...interesting Easter...we were back to normal life on Monday. Monday night we went to the driving range because Abbey has been asking about playing golf. Tuesday night, we went to L2 to get her a spring outfit that she's had her eye on. She had some L2 Bucks, which is essentially 25 dollars free, she paid 15 from allowance, and we paid the rest. We generally don't spend mucho $ on her clothes, but she is getting older... So finally, more interesting than text, are some photos. I WILL post some from the home improvement section of our life in the near future!

oh my

Well, well... some time to write. We here at the G/S household have been a load of fun lately! Yesterday, I woke up at 6:30 to let the dog out and feed her...and promptly started in on my thesis work. Of course I did go back to bed for an hour or so, but really, aside from two appointments (chiro and orthopedist) and a few trips to Home Depot, I worked on it until 1am. So far on Chapter 2 (the literature review that has had me banging my head against a wall for the past year and a half) I have 45 pages. I expect this chapter to be 60+ pages when I am done, so I've got a little ways yer. I truly have never EVER used my brain and entire being as much as I have for my master's thesis, but this is it I suppose--the difference between your bachelor's and master's--this time I am giving back to my profession., not just taking...becoming an expert in something, actually doing primary research and not just lookin up what others have written and regurgitating it (although that is the purpose of Chapter 2). I have several incentives for getting done: 1) My family won't have to listen to me talk about how I need to work on it; 2) I will get paid more; 3) Any further grad classes will finally count to getting paid even more (I'm to my limit now until I graduate with the MAEd); 4) If I don't finish by January, I will have to pay another $1400 for the capstone course; 5) I can possibly start into more creative endeavors again, like making jewelry and making some $ from it; 6) My brain will be back...except for the fact that I hear it departs when you get pregnant and possibly for the next 18 years, so even though I'm not pregnant yet, don't expect much for the next 20 years or so =)

Stephen has gotten himself into quite a mess. To take you back a bit, we are redoing our basement (I'll post photos sometime) and in the stage of waiting for more electrical bids as it will be around $2000 to wire and any little less from a company would be grand). So in the waiting process, we decided to paint in the kitchen and hallway. After an expensive trip to Hirschfield's (where we purchased paint that is bad for us) we began our journey into secondary home improvement (the primary job being in the basement). Painting isn't easy. Tape, remove all the face plates, remove the vents (and buy new ones b/c the old ones were nasty), remove all the woodwork, prime, paint, try to miter some new woodwork *chair rails* made from plasticy-balsa stuff, put it all together, and voila, a nice new kitchen and hallway four days later. Then there was the table set in the kitchen with the hunter green paint that, mmm, didn't do much for the light blue and cream.

So began Stephen's journey. He decided to strip the paint, which may be easy on flat surfaces, but on chairs with the little dowels in the back part and non-straight legs, not quite. He was up until 1:30am and is still working on removing the paint right now. Let's just say that when we redo the cupboards in the kitchen, it will be a cinch compared to the bastard table and chairs. I'm more prone to spray paint or NEW tables and chairs, but Stephen, the hard-worker-and-good-follow-througher he is won't give up until they are done. And they will look nice. We hope.

Abbs comes back today at around 4pm. Can't wait...we have great Saturday nights, sometimes karaoke, always Saturday Night Live (unless she's grounded from it, just twice though) and it seems so quiet when she's not here. Things have been going well with her lately; she's really excited for 5th grade and is constantly asking Stephen and I for advice on boys and all sorts of other things. It has been so much fun to watch her grow into a young lady and seeing her become more independent and inquisitive. She's chomping at the bit to go camping in the pop-up and wants to invite a friend with sometime this summer. Lately she wants to golf and go curling with Stephen, croquet and biking. It's great to watch a child open their wings (so to speak, that sounds so cheesy, but it's true). Last week she had a plan for a "new self" at her new school next year (which as a good stepmomI would never indulge--the plan or the school =) what her fav. color will be, what her fav. bands will be, etc. Reminded me of myself....I was forever writing up little plans like that when I was about 4th - 7th grade. I was glad to see that her's didn't include anything focusing on body size...which mine too often did.

Anyhoo, I need to go get her Easter basket and (blech) peeps and (yea) chocolate for tomorrow morning. Stephen is making a hunt for her, something she completely loves. AND, we are going to the Universalist church with my parents, sister and her family! Will be the first Easter not at a Lutheran church! Makes more sense to me overall, but should be interesting. Thanks for listening, MS

So I'm not sure why I get motivated to post when I do, but I thought this personality test would be interesting. I got the link/idea from Kari, Abbey's mom.

Here goes...

Advanced Global Personality Test Results Extraversion |||||||||||||| 60% Stability |||||||||||| 50% Orderliness |||||||||||||||||| 76% Accommodation |||||||||||| 50% Interdependence |||||||||||||||||||| 83% Intellectual |||||| 30% Mystical |||||| 30% Artistic |||||||||||| 43% Religious |||||||||||||||| 70% Hedonism |||||||||| 36% Materialism |||||||||||| 50% Narcissism |||||||||||||| 56% Adventurousness |||||||||||| 50% Work ethic |||||||||||| 43% Self absorbed |||||||||||| 50% Conflict seeking |||||||||||||| 56% Need to dominate |||||||||||||| 56% Romantic |||||||||||||| 56% Avoidant |||||| 30% Anti-authority |||||||||||| 43% Wealth |||||||||| 36% Dependency |||||||||||| 43% Change averse |||||||||||||||| 70% Cautiousness |||||||||||||| 56% Individuality |||||||||| 36% Sexuality |||||||||||||||| 63% Peter pan complex |||||| 30% Physical security |||||||||||||||||||| 90% Physical Fitness |||||| 24% Histrionic |||||||||||| 50% Paranoia |||||| 23% Vanity |||||||||||| 50% Hypersensitivity |||||||||||||| 56% Female cliche |||||||||||||||||||| 83%

Take Free Advanced Global Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Stability results were medium which suggests you are moderately relaxed, calm, secure, and optimistic.

Orderliness results were high which suggests you are overly organized, reliable, neat, and hard working at the expense too often of flexibility, efficiency, spontaneity, and fun.

Extraversion results were moderately high which suggests you are, at times, overly talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting at the expense of developing your own individual interests and internally based identity.

Trait snapshot:
clean, self revealing, open, organized, outgoing, social, enjoys leadership and managing others, dominant, makes friends easily, does not like to be alone, assertive, hard working, finisher, optimistic, positive, likes to stand out, likes large parties, respects authority, practical, high self esteem, perfectionist, dislikes chaos, busy, not familiar with the dark side of life, controlling, high self control, traditional, tough, likes to fit in, conforming, brutally honest, takes precautions

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Not too familiar with the dark side of life??? I thought that phrase was particularily humorous! Not that I am, really, but I think that an unwanted divorce (although I couldn't be more thankful now) counts as being familiar... But yes, I do admit, pretty functional family of origin, very functional marriage and home life, functional job, etc. And I guess I DON'T sit in dark corners and drink or anything... Hmmm. So maybe it's true.

Likes large parties? Actually, small parties will do, but I can stand big ones. Just never go to any...

Respects authority? Pretty much, unless you mean the current political administration, which I have no respect for.

Dislikes chaos? DEFINITELY. I hate chaos. Hate it.

Tough? Ha, ha, ha. So I know how to argue well. You would to if you honed your skills with your first husband. But really, I have toned down my instinct to go for the jugular when in a disagreement...

Finisher... of most things, like, uh, what's on the plate, but not of books or movies, which I have a low tolerance for. I fall asleep way too easily when in front of a book or a movie.

Brutally honest? My face generally shows my first reaction I guess, but I don't think I'm a cutting person. Check my bro on that one! He's more brutally honest than I ever will be.

Which reminds me-- Chris and Cindy should be home in early June! I am glad they are in Costa Rica/Nicaragua/Panama, but I'm starting to miss them quite a bit.

Spring Break is next week. HOORAY! In other news, I've been coming along on the thesis, which is probably why I never blog. Graduate school... my nemesis.

Should be good for a little while. Sorry to those of you who check back and never find updates, like I do with DYLAN's, and AMANDA's, and JEREMY's blogs... I always get bummed when there is nothing new, yet it somehow doesn't prompt me to post any more frequently...

Have a good one!

sunday

Fewer and farther inbetween wasn't my goal for posting on this blog, but I have been getting more work done in terms of my thesis, the student newspaper, and reading for the two book clubs I have this week (one professional and one personal.) Sorry, real life trumps the screen /always.

Good news though, so I thought I'd break the ice for the first time in several weeks.

In addition to a solo show at the Gage Gallery at Augsburg College in 2007
and a 5 ft. show at Gallery 360 in Mpls in August

Stephen has been offered a solo show at the Taube Museum of Art in Minot, ND
either in September if he can fill the main gallery
or later this year or in 2007 if he has less work to show.

Congratulations! This is great news because as you know if you have submitted work for shows before, the rejection letters rush in more than the acceptance letters.

This is only one facet of Stephen's work; he has two other "sides" to his professional work: wedding photography (7 weddings booked for this upcoming season so far) and the business side... just shot for Minnesota Monthly, Augsburg three days a week, headshots, theater shots, etc. He is a busy freelancer and has really built his business. Which, I might add, was a little nerve-wracking for me when we got married. Teachers are on contracts and are guaranteed wages and benefits, so the whole piece-it-together thing was foreign to me. But I haven't met many people who work harder than Stephen and still cook supper every night, so it shouldn't be a surprise! And he still plays Narnia-Polly Pockets with Abbey, too =)

Speaking of Abbey, we have loads upon loads to Girl Scout Cookies to deliver. And eat. And go to the gym to work off. What a great time of year... =)

it's been

a while. The sick has finally caught up with me so the little time I spend posting in the first place has really suffered. The week has been full of stresses...
--student newspaper not done
--thesis not done (and time is creeping forward at an amazing rate)
--Chris and Cindy flew to their new home of Costa Rica on Tuesday
--chiropractor Monday and Friday, which is good but busy
--knee doctor on Tuesday, maybe a torn meniscus, maybe surgery
--MRI on my knee today, I HATE MRIs and I'll post a poem by Bill Holm about
them sometime (I don't think he likes them either)
--haven't worked out in a couple of weeks, and that's what keeps me on-kilter


The saviors of my week
--Stephen, my cook and my love who puts up with my occasional self pity
and sick self
--Abbey, who has been great lately--we've had really good weeks with her and we
get an extra night with her this week! Sweet!
--my parents will be here tomorrow night
--my neice turns two and has a party on Sunday, such a live wire, little ones are great

Monday I get the MRI results... I'll see what's up then I guess. MLGS

TOYMN in Crash

I always get sad when I hear about things like this. Good people lost.

m-w experiences

So I write with my students. Can you really be an effective teacher of writing if you don't write yourself? Can you coach hockey if you've never laced up, have only watched the Mighty Ducks?

I'm working on MEMOIR with the kids right now. Can't say I'm all that excited about writing a piece with the thesis, loads of correcting, and the student newspaper looming, (plus regular life like sweeping the black dog hair off of the floor and making sure the laundry gets put away, recycling gets put out). But I think it will be an interesting experience. And I know that all of them aren't super crazy about it either. But (yes, you can start sentences with conjunctions, stylistic you know) the only way to become a better writer is to JUST WRITE. No other way.

So we worked on Memoir-Worthy Experiences for a bit to get some ideas for writing. Here are mine. This really isn't a well thought out list.

Memoir Worthy Experiences
Traveling to CA when I was four
Camping/using acorns as Barbie toys
Too small to go on go carts at Disney Land
Too small to go on a horse ride that Lisa got to go on
Chandelier/surfboard at Great Uncle Dan's
Trampoline/hot springs at campground
Creepy hotel in LA while Mom and Dad were at Teacher's Conv.
Someone was stabbed there that very same night

Trouble with Mr. Serr when I was a senior
Trouble in 3rd grade- punching M. Saunders, writing notes to everyone with advice,
using tape (wasting) as a medical bracelet
Trouble in 1st grade- airplane pencil. stamping Smurf stamps in the tunnel
How I strove to be a good kid/do the right think, yet sometimes trouble struck

Divorce- I don't want to write about this for class

Car crash- changed how I think

Sandy/search for a dog as an adult/companionship

Eye surgery- changed how I think, feeling of loss, so young compared, fear of other eye going bad

Changed my life- step-parenting!

Guitar- follow through

How I deal with change-- cabin being sold, clarinet, Mini-Mart/old buildings, farmsteads

Important? Grad from college, travel to Europe 3X, study abroad/Spain

Night Chris was born, licorace

Travels to NY every few years to visit Dad's side, origin/place, who are we really, how much are our relatives like us without us really knowing them?

+++++++++++++
I think my Writing Territories list is better, but those lists are all at work...
Wanted to put up SOMETHING so as not to completely lose the two actual people who read this...

Have a good weekend!

Tuesday

Random things you could have heard/witnessed if you were the fly on the wall at our house tonight:

"I really need to stop eating so much chocolate." (MS)
This was after trying on two pairs of pants to figure out what to wear to work tomorrow.
"But there is so much room for chocolate in my life." (MS)
"Did you just say 'There is so much room for chocolate in my life'"? (SG)

"I'm so cute." (SG)
"No, you aren't." (MS)
"Yes, I am." (SG)
"Moms lie." (MS)
"That's the number one rule. Moms lie." (MS)

So after Abbey was thrilled half to the stars by me picking up KFC and bringing it home for supper (my plan since last night when I smelled something similarily good as I headed into the chiropractor), she came back to earth after she confessed that she hadn't indeed read the assignment of chapters 9 - 15 in her reading book for school nor had she finished the questions that go with them. Why do these things always come out at 8:15 when she is in the shower? And after she has sworn that she is done with all of her homework? Parenting. A tough job, but yes, it is ultimately rewarding. Moreso on nights unlike tonight. At 8:15. While the kid's in the shower. So it's no allowance for this week and no SNL on Saturday. Make lemonade with those lemons. There's always SNL next week.

You know you are a dedicated step-mom when you turn your kid's LIGER shirt inside out whilst ironing so as not to distrub the decal on the front. Dedicated or nuts. I prefer dedicated. No wrinkly kid here =)

A walk at Minnihaha Park today

New Year's at Chris Shaf's

We celebrated with Jeremy, Chris, and Cindy... Food, Trivial Pursuit, Music, Champagne, and Fireworks! Happy 2006 =)