An Early Education

WARNING

If you are sensitive to the posts referring to body parts, you may want to skip this post.

How could I not share a recent conversation had in my car?

Miss Ky from her car seat in the back: "I don't have a willy Mom."

I wince. I hate that word. It's the word my kids learned on the playground for a body part that I don't feel we need to nickname. I've always been very open with my kids when they ask, and believe me, I never told them the word "willy". In fact, that word really messes with my saying, "You're a silly willy". Whole. new. context.

Me: "No, sweetie, you don't"

Her: "I have a ba-jI-na"

Oh dear. Someone's been building his sister's vocabulary.

Remember When?

Remember when I thought it was important enough to send you to the movie rental place...
back in February 2008?
I really thought Amazing Grace was a movie that shouldn't be missed.
So, if you take into account that I shout out movies rarely and only if I am really impressed (Twilight doesn't count, it is not a movie it is a phenomenon), pay attention:

You must see the new Disney Pixar movie "Up".
Maybe you live in a country where they have bombarded you with advertising and trailers that make you feel like you've
already seen the whole movie in 2 minute increments, but I don't so I went in with NO expectations and came out wishing I could get back in line. I did it for the kids, but was thrilled with the entertainment it gave me. LOVED this movie. Photo taken directly from the Disney Pixar website with the intention of drawing masses to their film.I hope they take that into account when they sue me for copyright violation.



The next movie may be harder for you to find,
but if you have kids (mine were ages 9 and 10), teens or anyone involved in sports, you should make the effort. My kids loved it. It is an earnest, wholesome movie with a great message.







Another bonus:






If you happen to be a Desperate Housewives viewer,
you'll be glad to know that you have the opportunity to hate Dave Dash (alias: Williams) for another hour and a half. Not dishing the actor Neal McDonough, just saying he is excellent at playing intense, complicated men.



Now,
be off with ye. Go laze around in a cool theater or in front of
your own T.V. with some popcorn.

A Breathless Message

Sorry I'm late!
I am only here for a minute-- in between kids swim lessons, attending birthday parties and now an evening at the cinema, but I did promise to post a picture of my box.

After Lisa's it does seem rather pathetic, but please know I meant well.

Your very own UK editions of New Moon and the (Unofficial) Twilight Companion, Twilight Forbidden Fruits Sweethearts and more fruit-- a Lemonade body scrub.

What box coming from the UK would be complete without a real pudding? You pop it in the microwave an enjoy... while you're in the bath scrubbing your body and reading New Moon...with a cup of Cadbury chocolate. Like I said, it all seemed so great until I combined it for a photo-- just roll with me, ok?

And IF you like chocolate, you will need to tell me: DARK OR MILK and I will send you one of these. If you live in Texas, it may show up to your house as a chocolate puddle in a baggie, but I can't help that now can I?

The drawing will take place on Wednesday, 8.00am MY time (there's a clock on my side bar, but pretty much figure if you're in the States, make sure you're entered by midnight Tuesday night, if you're elsewhere, look at my sidebar).
It's my way of celebrating the 45th anniversary of the birth of my mother's last child. The big FOUR FIVE. The day I was supposed to be walking the streets of Pompeii until the Air Force decided the Hubby needed to hang out at Abraham's birthplace instead. again.

Can't remember what this drawing is all about? Go here. Haven't entered? Convince me why I should travel all the way across the ocean in November to see the premiere of New Moon with you (either here or on the original post).

I'm off now! Places to go and go and go and go.....

I'm as Happy as a...

... you fill in the blank, all I could come up with was "pig in slop" but it wasn't very original and completely out of harmony with the mood.

Nothing makes me happier than getting mail (except maybe for getting comments. and email. and visits from people I like. and kids flushing the toilet. and toddlers NOT spilling liquid soap all over carpeted bathrooms...),

so imagine how happy I was when THIS came in my post office box!

When I get good mail like this, I like to savour it... and take pictures of it, so this box had to sit in my house nearly 24 hours before I could get to it without fighting off little hands.

In my excitement I opened it upside down and then realized that Lisa from Is That a Garage Door on My Ceiling? had taken care to pack everything all carefully so I had to flip the box to begin properly.

There was a sweet card from her that nearly made me teary eyed...

...then I opened the second card and really did have to catch myself.

Holy smokes Batman, will you look at the loot?

Lisa, you may have just saved my husband's mind. You see, when I get stressed or discouraged, I pick up the mouse and shop. Ebay is my best deployment friend and several times the Hubby has had to tell me to "...step away from the bidding box, dear". NOW I can shop guilt free!!

Chocolate is a mood enhancer, I could've stopped the spending spree with this part of the package alone.

The grand package included a hand crafted leather journal (lovely), and special pen (also hand crafted from authentic Bethlehem Olivewood), a beautiful book hook (to go with my purchases from Barnes and Noble and Amazon!)... I'm getting carpel tunnel here...you can see the list on her 100th Post Giveaway where she describes it all so wonderfully. She made me work for it. I had to think and answer questions somewhat coherently. When asked to fill in the blanks of this sentence: "If _________ fell on the floor at the _________ for longer than 20 seconds, I would totally pick it up and still eat it."

I responded: "If ANY form of chocolate fell on the floor at the tube station for longer than 20 seconds (and my life was only marginally in danger from fast moving trains) I would totally pick it up and still eat it. If it wasn't mine to begin with, I'd be a lot faster than 20 seconds and someone might go onto the track in the process."

When I went to gather the tissue paper up, I realized that I had missed something...

Isn't this cute? She even wrapped each of these little magnets up and put them in the pretty little bag. I am placing these on my refrigerator so people wil thank im smart.

At the very bottom of the box were three bags of fun for my boys.
All kinds of little things that would thrill any boy to death (whoopie cushions and sweets).

Lisa, you are amazing, but I have to be honest... see these?

The kids are NOT getting them all.

THAT is the candy I beg people to bring when they come visit and NO ONE has ever been able to find them (I'm related to a lot of backwoods folk that don't understand that there are stores to shop in other than WallyWorld).

So there, I said it. I will steal from my kids.

Now a perfect ending to this post would be me showing you what some lucky commenter will win from my Please-Convince-Me-To-Come-To-Your-Town-To-Watch-
New-Moon Giveaway(which is still open for latecomers), but I am intelligent enough not to even try to entice you with my silly little box after showing you this one.

So,

Lisa, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you not only for this amazing box but for the package you're so willing to ship at a later date and for your friendship.

And the rest of you...

come back tomorrow to see what has ended up in my give away box, but for today, you can drop hints about what you'd like to be in there...

Maybe You Just Need a Smile