Exotic yet ordinary

Part of my evening went like this

2009-10-03T20:26:00.007-05:00

So, Maya is curled up beside me on the couch, sipping apple juice from a regular, non-sippy cup cup (yay!) while watching the Grinch as he grinches the Cat in the Hat. A few minutes into the show, I notice that Maya has gone from sipping the apple juice to swishing it, but I choose to ignore this, mainly because she spent part of her afternoon scrubbing the living room floor for fun. No really. Of all the options I gave her (chalk? play games at pbskids.org? draw? video? nap? clean the floor? ) she gets excited about cleaning the floor. Consequently, this makes me ridiculously excited for the future and makes me think all that time she wasted watching Cinderella is starting to pay off. I mean, who cleans for fun? Apparently, my kid. Anyway, she's sitting and swishing and I'm ignoring until I feel a splat of apple juice on my arm, which has been around her all this time, and Maya gets very still. I'm no longer ignoring, obviously, but I still don't say anything and in the silence I can tell she's debating what to do. Finally, she speaks. "Mom, I spit apple juice on your arm." "Yeah." "Don't worry. I'll lick it off." And she leans over and licks my arm and takes another sip. Told you she likes to clean.

I have a kindergartner.

2009-08-13T21:20:00.005-05:00

Today was her first day.

Her dad and I walked her to school. I was going to grab my camera on the way out the door this morning, but I talked myself out of it. I didn't want to embarrass her on her first day by being all crazy photography mom, the one that followed her around with a camera to document every stride of her first walk to her very first day of elementary school because, you know, she might want a flip book some day. See here? she'll say. This is me walking to school. No really. Watch (thwip thwip thwip thwip). Besides she might want me to hold her hand. And carry her bag. So no camera. As we neared the crosswalk and the school I could see other parents walking their kids inside for their first day. Every single one of them had a camera. Of course. At this point the crossing guard grinned and said, Hey! first day? Got yer camera? No? and then she proceeded to whip out her pretend camera to take a picture of Maya, so even she had a camera. There was no time to go back, so I resolved to take a picture or twelve when she got home that afternoon and marched through the IN door with Maya. We followed her to her classroom, waited for her to hang up her bag, gave her eleventy or so hugs and about as many kisses, waved and left. After that, she was out of my hands. There was nothing for me to do but cross my fingers and wait. Oh, and go to work. At 3:17, I called to see how it went (okay, but nobody wanted to be her best friend) and to find out what she learned, a question I didn't actually expect her to answer but to which Maya replied: we learned to keep our hands and bodies to ourselves. Good deal, I said. And then she ran off to play.

Wish

2009-08-04T21:24:00.004-05:00

Where's your head at?

2008-07-31T21:58:00.003-05:00

Him: Is there something -
Her: I know. It has a wang. I licked it.
Him: ...

(later)
Her: Man. I can still feel that ginger on my tongue.

Last weekend, I convinced Justin that going out for Japanese food at Fuji before our nine o'clock movie was a good idea. After dinner, he convinced himself that he is finally finished with Japanese cuisine. Not that he hasn't given it a good go, or that he didn't enjoy his salmon, it's just not for him... and by it, I assume he means the sushi, which is a shame because I've really started to enjoy sushi rolls. Or am at least getting used to them, the whole two different kinds I've had.

Cage & Aquarium

2008-05-10T11:27:00.006-05:00

Last weekend we went to the zoo. Without any cash. But that's another story that ended with the three of us NOT being able to get into the interactive new bird exhibit, Feather Fest, because it was an additional $2. I was silly and thought the exhibit was free with admission or something, so when the woman at the entrance took our money and only asked if we'd like to plunk down a little extra to ride the train, and what parent with a train-obsessed (almost) 4-year-old in the family is going to say Nah, skip it?, I didn't think about the cost for Feather Fest. Because I didn't think there was one.

So, we rode the train and watched the sea lions do their thing and we walked over to the bears where Maya told us all about spectacled bears and how they eat fruta (thanks, Diego!). At the penguin exhibit, one of the penguins swam over to say hello. The penguin followed Maya as she walked back and forth in front of the tank.

He seemed to be taken with her, or maybe he just thought she had some fish tucked away in her pockets.

Her most favorite part of the zoo visit, she said, was the jaguar. Usually the jaguar is hiding out, lounging in a shady corner or on a large tree limb, but that day he was roaming the perimeter of his living space, and each circuit brought the jaguar

right by the front of the exhibit, sometimes within a few inches of the glass. Which is pretty cool, but a little disconcerting. Unless you're a little kid, then it's just cool.

So we get back home and we're tired but happy and while we're winding down, talking about our day and what we liked best, Maya says: Baby seals can’t be too careful, you know. Well, sometimes they can. Sometimes they can but don’t. Sometimes they can and dry up. And that was my favorite part of the day.

Subliminal

2008-05-07T22:30:00.005-05:00

Highway 51 Blues

2008-05-06T23:43:00.001-05:00

Catching up with

2008-04-28T21:39:00.002-05:00

Amanda hasn’t updated her blog with any regularity because
a) her computer has been taken over by a grad student
b) Netflix! Netflix! Netflix!
c) she’s lazy
d) she has become obsessed with books
e) all of the above

She decided to make up for this by
a) making empty promises to be less boring
b) making empty promises to post more often than almost next to never
c) making empty promises to put down the books already
d) creating this annoying quiz

On Friday night, Maya spent the evening
a) camping out in the backyard with her dad
b) watching Pinocchio for the eleventieth time
c) reciting poetry to her stuffed animal friends
d) eating actual food-at the table-before putting herself to bed
e) walking around on her tip toes

On Friday night, Amanda spent the evening
a) inside the house, away from her family. And the bugs.
b) watching a documentary.
c) ignoring her cat
d) ignoring the creepy, unholy sounds the house makes in the dark of night
e) yep, all of that sounds about right

Amanda spent Saturday afternoon at a wine festival (yea!) sampling wine from four local Oklahoma wineries. How many itty bitty teeny tiny cups of wine did the lightweight sample before she was apologizing to friends and furniture?
a) seven
b) fourteen
c) two
d) one

Extra Credit:
Amanda’s favourite Beatle is Paul and Justin’s favourite Beatle is George. Maya’s favourite Beatle is
a) John
b) George
c) Ringo
d) Paul

Maya's got a duck on her head

2008-04-17T22:29:00.002-05:00

Easter baskets, especially those shaped like little ducks, are for wearing.

Through the looking glass

2008-03-29T22:13:00.003-05:00

Yikes

2008-03-28T07:41:00.002-05:00

I dreamed a zombie movie this morning. Well, I dreamed the beginning of a zombie movie. Luckily, I woke up before any zombies descended upon the small, claustrophobic house with lots and lots of very breakable windows because it was one of those dreams where you are mysteriously transformed from watcher to participant, and before I knew it, I was one of the ten people packed into that little house. But they were out there, and I was the first to know they were coming because it was supposed to be a MOVIE. I think I can admit now that, yes, Justin, if I went to the front door or looked out a window and happened to see a zombie lurching down our street I would indeed be terrified. Even if I can outrun them.

Tell me what it's like to go outside

2008-03-27T18:11:00.003-05:00

Sleepybones

2008-03-27T16:53:00.008-05:00

Yawn. My books and I stayed up way past my bedtime last night, so I've been reeeaally sleeeepy all day today. So sleeeeeepy that after I wrapped my towel around me and stumbled out of the shower this morning I could not remember if I had ever actually used any soap, and I couldn't find my socks, the ones I had been carrying around with me as I padded from room to room looking for them, and at work I ended a phone call with a very helpful woman in HR (Cathy) by calling her the wrong name (thanks, Karen), only to have to call her back a few minutes later because I needed additional information, and I dropped out in the middle of singing Happy Birthday to my supervisor with two other co-workers because I thought it would be great fun to sing 'you look like a monkey and you smell like one too' instead of the more traditional 'happy birthday dear (insert name here), happy birthday to you'... but I couldn't remember it quick enough (I only had the 'monkey' 'and you smell like one too' bit) and so I sang nothing instead and it looks like I forgot his name, (and then there's the whole business of thinking it would be fun and appropriate in the first place). Oh, and I wrote this post. So, my books and I are not having such a late tonight.

The strange design of conscience

2008-03-17T22:58:00.000-05:00

Neighbors

2008-03-15T13:17:00.001-05:00

Maybe someday

2008-03-13T21:14:00.002-05:00

Do I ever cross your mind?

2008-03-12T21:35:00.005-05:00

In the morning

2008-03-11T21:39:00.006-05:00

Earn enough for us

2008-03-10T19:27:00.003-05:00

All I dream of is a friend

2008-03-09T22:30:00.002-05:00

Drifting and dreaming

2008-03-08T08:47:00.001-06:00

Wait

2008-03-07T07:34:00.001-06:00

Little white cloud

2008-03-06T07:28:00.001-06:00

And the Oscar for Best Pictures goes to...

2008-02-24T22:57:00.004-06:00

No Country for Old Men. Thank you, Academy! Now I don't have to (pretend to) break up with you, or beat you with an Etch-a-Sketch for giving the award to another movie, like Juno.

Well, no, I pick the eagle

2008-02-24T19:14:00.005-06:00

Where's my handbasket?

2008-02-24T10:22:00.004-06:00

I skipped church this morning to watch Oscar-nominated short films. I have one more to watch, but so far I like Madame Tutli-Putli best.

Hanger on

2008-02-23T11:13:00.000-06:00

Him: So, now you're closer to sixty than birth.

Her: Um, no. I don't turn thirty until 7:04, so for now, I'm still closer to birth.

Dearest

2008-02-22T12:39:00.003-06:00

Hey! Look who finally remembered her password.

Justin had a date with grad school on Valentine's Day, so we didn't go out on the 14th. And, really, who wants to mess with the crowds and traffic and all that chocolate - the chocolate I can't have for several more weeks yet because I gave up chocolate instead of something more practical, like religious observances, for Lent. So, though I was not treated to a noisy dinner out with my valentine, I did get a lovely bouquet of flowers. And a card.

I like to pretend he actually had to call the note for the card in rather than privately writing it in person.

2008-02-03T19:13:00.001-06:00

Daughter

2008-02-02T15:07:00.001-06:00

Light and dark

2008-02-01T22:50:00.000-06:00

Father figure

2007-12-23T21:09:00.001-06:00

Early that morning

2007-12-22T11:23:00.000-06:00

Saturday

2007-12-17T17:36:00.000-06:00

My grandfather, Hardy Blake Martin, died Saturday afternoon at 3:30. He was one of my favorite people. It is likely, or at the very least possible, that he would have been one of yours, too, if you had met him. He had the best stories. Grandpas always seem to have the best stories. And coffee. Eventhough I'm not much of a coffee drinker, it was always nice to have the option. I am going to miss him terribly.

Oh well.

2007-12-11T20:39:00.000-06:00

Someone (read me) has thought all day long that there were still fifteen days left until Christmas because someone (um, also me) forgot to update our cutesy little Count Down to Santa blocks this morning. Someone (me) should really rely more on a calendar and less on countdown blocks. Someone (me again) figures that fourteen days still provide enough of a buffer between now and Christmas to put off shopping one more evening in favor of reading another chapter or so of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.

Show her she's second to none

2007-12-06T22:35:00.001-06:00

A gift idea for all the fellas out there with ladies to impress this holiday season. Just follow these three easy steps:

1: Cut a hole in a box
2: Put your junk in that box
3: Make her open the box
And that's the way you do it.

No sock zombie for me.

2007-12-02T23:30:00.000-06:00

The prizes for NaBloPoMo have been announced! I was not selected at random for one of the sock zombies, and two other lucky bloggers will be welcoming a yeti into their home. $100 gift certificate from Amazon.com? Bzzzt. But that's ooookay. There's always next year my friend. O-ho yes. Or Santa! Very exciting. And now I'm going to finally go collapse on my bed because I've been up way too damn long today and I. am. tired.

Whenever you breathe out, I breathe in.

2007-12-02T21:48:00.000-06:00

The phone rings. It's 4:30. Who's calling? No one I know would call at this hour. Ah, except my mother. With news. About my grandfather. Shit. I lurch down the hallway and somehow successfully navigate around the love seat toward the phone. 'Hello? Amanda, the hospital called. It doesn't sound good. We're going to the hospital RIGHT. NOW. Do you want to go?' Pause. Thinking. Do I want to go? I need to be there. Do I want to watch someone die? No. I can't. I should go. I'll go. I'll go. 'Amanda?' 'I'll go.' I throw on some clothes, whatever I wore the day before. She arrives ten minutes later. Drive. It's raining a bit. I don't want to hear the conversation in the front seat. I stare out the window. I start to pray in the dark. It takes thirty minutes to get to the hospital. I hate hospitals. I walk in with my family. We talk about nothing. Down the hall. A corner. Through this doorway, that one. The elevator. Sixth floor. Room 680. We're stopped outside the door by a nurse. She tells us that my grandfather's oxygen level has fallen to sixty...something. Sixty-six? Sixty-nine? There are signs of dying. Three days. I hear the hiss of oxygen first. Then his labored breathing. He is not awake. Still, I notice he nods in response to his nurse's question. We find empty chairs around the room and stare and talk about nothing. I watch the sunrise from the sixth floor. I watch my grandfather breathe. The nurse has given him a low dose of morphine so he is less agitated and restless. The morning passes. Breathing treatments. Lasix. Blood gas. Double oxygen. Chest x-ray. At some point, we start to tell my grandfather's stories. By 11:00, his oxygen level has risen to eighty-one. Good news. We leave long enough to grab some lunch and then resume our post. More of the same. An uncle arrives. We talk about nothing. More treatments and hourly morphine and levels and another x-ray now that his breathing is better. His oxygen rises to ninety-five. Better news. Exhausted, four of us decide to leave room 680. Three stay on. I thank God for another day.

Thirty days has November

2007-11-30T23:48:00.000-06:00

And thirty posts has this blog as of... now. Whew! That was a close one. I mean, damn, do you see how close to midnight it is? Do you KNOW how stupid it would be for me to make it all the way to the end of NaBloPoMo only to blow it on the last day? I laugh just thinking about it. Ha ha.

p.s. This posting every day business? It's kinda hard.
p.p.s. November is hella long.
p.p.p.s. Katie, you're my hero.
p.p.p.p.s. Sorry for all the crap.

Some days are better than others

2007-11-29T22:19:00.001-06:00

Love is blindness

2007-11-28T23:10:00.000-06:00

Wocka, wocka, wocka!

2007-11-27T22:07:00.000-06:00

Because I know deep down you really care, and because I would rather think about this than the terrible, no good, rotten day I had, here is the joke that was etched on my brain after curiosity got the better of me (777 clean jokes? really?), causing me to open a casually placed bathroom book :

Hickory dickory dock,
The mice ran up the clock,
The clock struck one,
And the others escaped with minor injuries.

Kind of gives the what's-brown-and-sounds-like-a-bell? joke a run for its money, though Justin's stop sign knock-knock joke will always be my favorite.

Pffft!

2007-11-26T23:46:00.000-06:00

I've been slumped in front of the computer for thirty minutes, taunted by a blinking cursor and a stupid joke. I have writer's block because of this joke. I could understand it and maybe even forgive it for knocking me out of the running for my very own sock zombie if it were actually funny, or even mildly amusing. But it's not. It's terrible. And it's the only thing I've been able to think about since I sat down to write. So, fine, joke. You win. Thanks for nothing. I'm going to bed.

Wayne Manor

2007-11-25T21:09:00.000-06:00

I drove to OKC on Friday to help Rickus paint baby Levi's room. They're decorating the nursery in a safari theme and decided green and brown walls would go swell with all the elephants and giraffes and monkeys. It's a really cute room for what is destined to be a really cute kid.

Before I left on Saturday, Katie offered to take me by Wayne's house. I figured a quick run there and back couldn't hurt. It wasn't far, a few blocks, maybe a mile away, so he's practically a neighbor. He's probably not even there. Besides, he seems like such a friendly guy and really if he didn't want folks to drive by his house in the middle of the day at ridiculously slow speeds he wouldn't have put the cross streets near his home into his documentary, right? Still, I felt a little weird about it since driving by the home of one of your rock heroes might be misconstrued as borderline stalker behavior, and I said as much. Briefly. While climbing into Katie's car.

We get there and I immediately fall in love with the windows, which have a colorful design swirled across the top. As I'm gushing about the windows and how great the house is and how great it is that Wayne is so down to earth and accessible (I could walk right up to his door and ring the bell! in theory), I catch some movement in the second story. It was Wayne. Washing windows. He mows his own lawn and does windows. I try not to point. Katie turns the car around at the end of the block (he'll just think we're lost, she says) and makes one more pass by his house before we head back to 24th street.

Is it weird that one of the highlights of my Thanksgiving holiday was getting to see Wayne Coyne doing household chores?

Hang on tight

2007-11-24T22:41:00.001-06:00

D'oh.

2007-11-23T22:55:00.000-06:00

'Hey, Katie. Today is the twenty-third. That means you're twenty-nine... and a half.'

'Ugh. You're right. I'm going to be THIRTY in six months.' *pause* 'Well, if today is the twenty-third, and I'm twenty-nine and a half, that makes you twenty-nine and three quarters.'

'Shh. It'll hear you.'

Crazy Horse had a magic shirt, too

2007-11-22T23:28:00.000-06:00

When I was little, it was rare that I ever left my grandparents' house empty handed. My grandfather always sent some little something home with me, like the pennies he happened to have in his pocket or sticks and rocks from his driveway. Consequently, my grandfather was responsible for starting my rock collection, which has come along with me every time I've ever moved and is currently stashed in the closet in a red bucket with a white lid marked beef brains. The bucket was also given to me by my grandfather. He used to be a butcher. He's given me other things, too, like his old harmonica in its blue case, and during one visit he gave me his bag of marbles after spending the afternoon teaching me how to shoot. Occasionally, I get them down for Maya now. I'm still not very good, but they're pretty cool, those marbles. The cat's eyes are my favorite.

My grandfather has a magic shirt. He would let us grandkids sleep in it while we were there, especially if we were scared. The magic shirt made you run really fast, and we all thought this was super keen.

He built a goldfish pond for my grandmother at their house in the country. It was near the weeping willow tree. It was made of sand stone. Most of my grandfather's constructions involved native rocks. So much so that as a child if we passed a rock house I would remark that it must be a PaPa Hardy house.

My grandfather has only been hospitalized twice. The first time was several years ago for a detached retina. The other time is right now, for vascular dementia and a stroke. I went to visit him tonight. I wish I had had a magic shirt.

Sweetness and light

2007-11-21T23:44:00.000-06:00

Rocket

2007-11-20T23:38:00.000-06:00

Holland, 1945

2007-11-19T23:03:00.000-06:00

Okay, I've got nothing. Almost nothing. There's a song by Neutral Milk Hotel that's been following me around. I don't really know much about the band. In fact, I think I've only heard this one song, but this one song is just so gosh darn infectious. Anyway, I noticed it earlier this evening as I was walking and then again in between pages of The Peek-a-Boo Caterpillar, and it was also in the dark with me and my daughter when I put her to bed. It's not the happiest song, but sometimes sad songs make the best songs to hum along to. For days.

Somebody come and play

2007-11-18T22:14:00.000-06:00

Nice.

2007-11-17T09:12:00.000-06:00

You know what this means, don't you? That's right. More poop jokes.

Pretty nice hair cut

2007-11-16T22:04:00.001-06:00

So, this afternoon I allowed a girl named Amy to cut off my hair. I am still trying to get used to it, but I think... I think I'm going to like it. I have a stocking cap on stand-by, just in case.

Days that used to be

2007-11-15T22:37:00.000-06:00

Who wants to go to silly old Hungaria, anyway?

2007-11-14T21:45:00.001-06:00

About the title? Don't ask. The important thing is NOT that I would ever mistakenly refer to Hungary as anything other than Hungary, because that would be silly, but that I have the chance to go there, to Hungary, for two weeks next summer. Justin has been very very very very very very very (remaining verys omitted to save time) strongly advised to accept a summer internship teaching English as a second language in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary and one of the top European destinations for tourists (and TESL students, apparently), and he is very very very very keen on going. He is also very keen on my going along, and though I am always whining about how much I don't get to travel, especially to destinations in Europe, I am having a hard time convincing myself that Budapest is the place to spend two weeks. Isn't that crazy? Who wouldn't want to go to Budapest? Maybe it's the people who aren't confident enough to explore a foreign city alone while their spouse teaches English all day. Or the people who can't read maps without turning them so that they point in the direction they are actually traveling. Or the ones that have somehow convinced themselves that they will only get one shot at Europe and they really had their heart set on Rome or Paris. Budapest seems lovely and the bath houses sound like great fun, but I haven't been able to get excited about experiencing the city alone, even if it's just part of the time. Still, the trip is several months away and I can't in good faith dismiss Budapest without at least exploring the food angle.

Tuileries

2007-11-13T21:47:00.000-06:00

A five-minute slice of Paris from Joel and Ethan, who are perhaps my most favorite of favorite directors. I luff them. With two f's.

Ralston Opera Company

2007-11-12T22:10:00.000-06:00

And the conversation died

2007-11-12T14:17:00.000-06:00

Him: Damn. That woman has enormous jugs.

Me (reading, not really paying attention): Jugs of what?

Him: Jugs of tit.

Bed, bed, bed

2007-11-11T22:51:00.000-06:00

We're back. We're tuckered out. We're going to bed. Who knew watching someone open baby gifts all afternoon while shoveling cake in your mouth could be so exhausting?

Take a little trip

2007-11-10T21:03:00.000-06:00

The McFamily and I rolled out of bed this morning 8:30ish so we would have plenty of time to get all of our Saturday morning loafin-round-the-house-in-our-jammies-because-we-slack-like-that in before finally loading up some four hours later to leave for Okrahoma City so we could hang out with Katie and Rick before all the cute gifting and baby belly ogling starts at the Shower Sunday afternoon.

Five minutes before we were set to leave I pulled down our stash of gift bags to find one for our gift. And five minutes before we left, I realized we had nothing suitable. All of the gift bags from Maya's baby shower were pink and girly. We would have to make a stop somewhere to get a bag. I called Katie to giver her our ETA and of course told on myself basically from hello, because that's what I do, and Katie offered the use of one of HER gift bags, because that's what she does. And sadly I thought long and hard about taking her up on it because a) I was ready to get to her house already and b) I'm lazy and c) I don't usually like going into stores all that much, but for Target I'll usually make an exception. Luckily, my husband stepped in and rescued me from my ridiculousness and told both me and Katie we'd be making a stop on the way. I love stops.

Anyway, things seem to always have a way of working out in the end. Turns out Katie lives RIGHT down the street from a Target, so I was able to pick up a gift bag for the shower AND another little sommin' sommin' for baby Levi, this time something that actually made the registry! Another gift to keep secret! And to help make sure it stays secret, Rick and Katie cover their ears and leave the room anytime I try to even hint at what's in the bag. They're such awesome friends. I love them.

Tonight we went out for yummy seafood at Pearls and tomorrow the big kids will take the little ones to the Omniplex while the girls gather for the baby shower. I hope there's cake.

Outside In

2007-11-09T22:58:00.000-06:00

Sitting still

2007-11-08T22:26:00.000-06:00

Tumble down

2007-11-07T22:36:00.000-06:00

This afternoon I watched as a young girl slowly tumbled from one end of the block to the other. Starting at the corner shop, she lifted her arms and bent backwards, arching to the ground and connecting before walking over. She turned and then stood briefly on her hands before toppling over in another arch, catching herself with her feet and standing. Then, hand-hand-foot-foot, she completed a fluid cartwheel. She repeated these same three tricks over and over in the same order as she traveled down the sidewalk. The girl looked to be around six or seven, the same age I was when I was enrolled in a gymnastics class, only this girl was much more graceful and more fearless. I was never able to successfully complete a back bend because I was always too afraid. I was afraid of falling and afraid of being hurt in general, so whenever I'd attempt a back bend I'd pause in the middle and the trick would end with me flat on my back instead of in a smooth arch. I stopped going to class after six months. I walked on as she ran back to the corner shop to begin again.

Up in the sky

2007-11-06T23:28:00.000-06:00

Last night we huddled in our driveway for a bit to check out a comet I had read about earlier in the day. [Note: this means I was outside for an extended period of time twice in one day. I've almost met my quota!] The article didn't have any images of 17P/Holmes, but I have gone out to gawk at a comet before, so I was expecting to see something a little more like this instead of what we actually saw - a circular, fuzzy smudge in the sky. Still, it's a (naked-eye!) comet and it is unique and interesting and worth the cold nose and fingers to search for it in the night sky. Besides, your inner geek will thank you.

Playing in the fall

2007-11-05T21:42:00.000-06:00

This morning Maya stood in the living room watching the leaves fall through the window. After a few minutes, without taking her eyes off the swirling leaves, she asked if she could put on some fall clothes and could she go outside and play in the fall. So, I dressed her in some fall clothes and we went outside to play. Well, she played. I mostly made a nuisance of myself by sticking a camera in her face while she zigzagged across the yard like mad or while she searched for all the red leaves.

She's having a baby... shower

2007-11-04T22:50:00.000-06:00

Hi! My pregnant friend Katie? She's having a baby shower. Soon. Next weekend, in fact, so that doesn't exactly leave me enough time to order any item(s) from her registry. But that's ooookay, because for perhaps the first time ever I was able to admit that I would misunderestimate the amount of time I had to make my gift purchase and took a little preemptive action. I know. It's shocking. Anyway, when I ordered Justin's post-birthday presents, I included a little sommin' sommin' for Katie and Rick. Something baby Levi related. Something they DIDN'T ASK FOR! I couldn't believe how easy it was, buying a gift early! And how good it feels to be kind of - prepared. I don't get to experience that very often. I'm bursting to tell what it is, not because it's the best baby gift ever but because it's a problem I have -- keeping gifts, especially a secret gift, secret. But I won't tell. Not until the baby shower, right before Katie rips off the paper. Okay, who am I kidding? Before she removes the (recycled) tissue paper from the gift bag (also recycled...and most likely from my baby shower). And then I'll bust out the super nifty new to baby Levi items that I dug out of Maya's closet.

On the prairie

2007-11-04T22:47:00.001-06:00

Trouble

2007-11-03T21:13:00.001-05:00

You. are. in. trouble. Go sit in the naughty chair.

Sweet.

Somehow, threatening your spouse with a naughty chair as punishment does not quite have the same effect as it does on your daughter.

Rear window

2007-11-02T21:19:00.000-05:00

There is a window behind my desk. I share it with a neighboring co-worker and anyone else on the third floor who happens to pass by. It is drafty and can make the winter months ridiculously cold, and the view isn't always terribly interesting. My supervisor has offered to let any of us on the north side of the building move to a desk on the other side of the office, away from the windows. But, it is through my window that I notice the first color bursts of autumn on the hill and the fluffy cottonball clouds and tiny, dare-devil insects resting on the screen in the summer and that 6th street cracked and splintered after a particularly bad ice storm a few years ago. On trips to the printer, I notice little old ladies going to their hair appointments at the beauty shop and the kindness shown to those who come on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a sack of groceries at the food pantry next door. I notice the absence of sunlight on overcast days and how sometimes only every other square of sidewalk across the street appears to be wet when it rains. And in early November I begin to watch for the first signs of the holidays as decorations start to appear downtown. In fact, the first Christmas tree made its appearance on a corner street lamp this afternoon with the help of some city workers. I guess it is for these reasons I have never moved. I need the view, even if it is just the small view from my drafty window.

I want candy.

2007-11-01T20:12:00.000-05:00

Bags of delicious Halloween candy: $8
Bowl for distribution of delicious Halloween candy: $3
Making the decision to go back on a diet around Halloween: Priceless

A ghost story

2007-11-01T17:41:00.001-05:00

At the beginning of October, I started pestering Maya about her Halloween costume. What do you wanna be? What do you wanna be? Because this year, I wanted to be on-the-ball-amazingly-with-it SUPER Mom instead of Oops! Sorry! Wait-til-the-last-minute-then-run-around-in-a-crazy-panic Procrastinating Mom. Finally, she answers. A princess. Actually she shouts this, repeatedly, while intermittently jumping up and down, and who can blame her, really, after being asked over a zillion times? So, okay. A princess. That's doable. Uncharacteristically optimistic, I start my search for a pretty pretty princess dress, only I can't seem to find a dress in any stores that a) fit or b) weren't gawd awful tacky or c) fit. The pretend stores on the internets weren't much better. While the Disney Store did have some adorably ickle-wickle sweet dresses, none of them a) fit or b) justified the price, really, unless Miss Maya wore her pretty princess dress every day from now until next Spring... or at least Christmas (Thanksgiving, maybe?) or c) fit.

In the end, Dad suggested a homemade costume. Yes! Of course. We MAKE the costume! Very parent-like! Oh, but it has to be something simple because on-the-ball-amazingly-with-it Super Mom? Can't sew. But she can suggest costume ideas, and to Super Mom, nothing screams classic, homemade Halloween made easy like a ghost. So, we dug an old sheet out of the wardrobe, took measurements, worked some scissor magic, borrowed some white makeup from Grandma, and presto! a ghost costume for Maya.

Admittedly, she looked a bit like a nun, too. Maybe she was a ghost nun. Yesiree. Nothing like dressing your child up like a dead member of a religious order for Halloween.

Decisions

2007-10-30T12:29:00.000-05:00

Let's see. I'm home for lunch and I have the house all to myself and time to kill while my hot 'n spicey chicken does its thing. I can either walk on the treadmill for fifteen minutes OR I could be my usual sloth-like self, sit on my ass, and cycle through never-ending movie trivia over at Facebook until I finally answer a question about The Godfather correctly... Facebook wins!

A whole lotta nothing

2007-10-27T13:04:00.000-05:00

Most days I just sit here, just like this, doing nothing. Well... next to nothing. Or maybe something that just strongly resembles nothing. And then the phone rings and I move, but it's not for me, or the mail comes, but it's mostly bills. So, I go back to my spot and do nothing. And then I remember I haven't told you what is going on with me. But, see, there really isn't anything going on with me. It's mostly just, you know, a whole lot of nothing. So, I don't write. And the days pass and I keep doing nothing and not telling you about it. And, really, I guess even doing nothing is something. So. In the future, I'll be better about keeping you up to date on my doing nothing.

This song's like so whatever

2007-10-24T19:59:00.000-05:00

I hate that I kind of like the chorus of this song.

Um. Yeah. (pause) Me too...

Superduper

2007-10-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, Maya declared that we were a family of super heroes. I was Superduper Leg Girl! Maya was Superduper Hairy Girl! and Justin was Superduper Trash can Dad! Maya never really explained what superduper things Superduper Leg Girl could do (drat it all), but she did elaborate a bit more on the rest of the super family's super powers. Superduper Trash can Dad, Maya explained, had superduper trash can powers, and he's gonna clean up! And Superduper Hairy Girl? She had the power to make everyone... hairy. OH, and things, too, like pillows. Very handy. Much more handy than being impervious to ink or having the ability to stick playing cards to your forehead.

Belly shots

2007-10-16T21:56:00.000-05:00

Saturday, I woke up before the sun (I know!) in order to head north of Cowtown in search of some really tall grass in which to stand and take sunrise pictures of Rick and Katie, quite possibly one of the cutest expectant couples EVER. Last month, Katie sent me an email and she was all Hi! How are things? We've been crazy busy. Hey! take pictures of me and Rick and my belly! And since she is my good good friend, and since I have this mad love for photography, I immediately said yes... and then tried very hard to not spend the weeks leading up to the shoot thinking of all the different ways I could mess up. But the disasters never came and the sunrise was beautiful and after the first few clicks of the shutter I was able to find my groove and relax. And I was so happy to be there at the crack of dawn, knee deep in a field of grass with my friends and my camera. I can't think of a better way to spend that Saturday. Oh, and just so you know, when Katie says she's not very photogenic, she's fibbing.

Remembrance

2007-09-24T22:41:00.000-05:00

[sic]

2007-09-13T22:41:00.002-05:00

Carousel of time

2007-09-12T22:40:00.002-05:00

Anytime I see a carousel I am immediately reminded, without fail, of Something Wicked This Way Comes. I watched the movie exactly one time on the Disney Channel when I was little. I was too creeped out by it to ever watch it again. As an adult, I still change the channel if Something Wicked This Way Comes is on. I'm a wuss like that.

Amanda likes to distract herself with silliness

2007-09-03T21:33:00.000-05:00

It was early on the morning of the last day of a three-day weekend. There was a hamper full of laundry and dishes in the sink and crayons to pick up... and a Google game about me and what the internet thinks I like to do. The laundry and dishes and crayons could wait. I brought up the search engine. I googled the phrase "Amanda likes to" and I pressed enter. I had a good chuckle.

Several of these are actually true. If you can guess which ones, I'll send you a prize! or maybe a nice congratulatory note.

Amanda likes to do it in her community
Amanda likes stalking
Amanda likes to listen to 80s music
Amanda likes to blog
Amanda likes Skittles, Starburst, Butterfinger, and Junior Mints
Amanda likes to sing
Amanda likes to dance
Amanda likes computers!
Amanda likes spaghetti
Amanda likes to read
Amanda likes to burp
Amanda likes chips
Amanda likes men who have the confidence to be secure in themselves when they're with a girl
Amanda likes to play all the time
Amanda likes to smile
Amanda likes to make fun of conservatives
Amanda likes both fancy dresses and comfy clothes
Amanda likes to travel as much as she can, take lots of photos, and go to art galleries
Amanda likes to be needed
Amanda likes to sit in her pajamas and shop for shoes on the internet
Amanda likes to pose
Amanda likes to delude herself
Amanda likes the crazy
Amanda likes to get jiggy with it
Amanda likes to talk
Amanda likes attention
Amanda likes the hucklebuck
Amanda likes to take
Amanda likes bunnies and fountain pens and cake and things that are shiny
Amanda likes double meanings
Amanda likes to pretend that ethnicity doesn't matter to her in relationships
Amanda likes her name
Amanda likes him
Amanda likes them even less
Amanda likes to call
Amanda likes stars
Amanda likes to play games and explore new ideas
Amanda likes carrot cake
Amanda likes her men athletic
Amanda likes to challenge herself as an artist
Amanda likes to do a full dump every time
Amanda likes to shoot
Amanda likes a band
Amanda likes it
Amanda likes stories
Amanda likes coffee
Amanda likes to think of herself as a businesswoman by day, rock star by night
Amanda likes to say that she bans people who bore her
Amanda likes to meet new riders
Amanda likes the color orange
Amanda likes to watch
Amanda likes a challenge !
Amanda likes to eat
Amanda likes to go
Amanda likes the movies
Amanda likes to pimp anything Mr. Wood puts out
Amanda likes her little dude
Amanda likes to kick up the leaves
Amanda likes being
Amanda likes to think it knows better than I do
Amanda likes to do it in the garden
Amanda likes killing so much
Amanda likes to hide
Amanda likes pasta, red wine, and Ferrari cars
Amanda likes learning, and eats bread that's wheat
Amanda likes her job and didn't want to fail a drug test
Amanda likes her configuration files placed in usr/local/etc/amanda

Because snot & kleenex? Not enough of a hint.

2007-08-31T12:55:00.001-05:00

Dude, I MUST be sick. I just realized I haven't dropped in to read Alice in over a week. Or Dooce! Okay, three or four days between visits at Dooce.com, but still. Well Nanda doesn't do stuff like that. Well Nanda checks all the blogs in her blogroll, obsessively, sometimes two or three times a day, even blogs that haven't been updated in months! because you just never know. Something might be there! Or not! Wow. Well Nanda needs to get a new hobby. Or, actively pursue her other one. Wait, is reading a hobby? Then ones. Other ones.

Tell me the story about owl and dragon and me

2007-08-31T11:59:00.000-05:00

Maya loves stories, especially any in which she happens to be a part. Several times a day, Maya will request a story. Mom, tell me a story about you and me and my pony, Butterbell! Or, Mom, tell me a story about me and George and uncle Jason and the lake! Or, Tell me a story about you and me and Dad and lots of fruta! Or, her favorite, Tell me the story about you and me and Dad when you pooted and Dad pooted and I pooted and we all pooted together! (we have Dad to thank for that one).

Last night, Justin and Maya were telling stories using a neato little magnetic puzzle board which has character pieces, including an owl and dragon and knight and wizard and princess and squire. This was Maya's story:

Once upon a time, there was an owl at night. Hoo, hoo. Along came a big, green dragon. It was going to eat that owl. Along came Maya; she came to rescue the owl. She tickled the dragon. She saved the owl. The end.

She has added this to her list of stories she likes us to tell. We told it twice last night before bed.

Sicko

2007-08-29T22:06:00.000-05:00

I'm sick. My nose has been producing an impressive amount of snot over the last week, and a few days ago cough was added to my short list of symptoms, which was previously limited to three: sniffling, stuffy head, and goo factory. Coughing, it hurts me.

I've discovered that certain things become more of a challenge when your nose doesn't work. For instance, it is harder to sleep or tell knock knock jokes or ride a bike (heck, just thinking about it this evening made me wheeze) or whistle the theme to Coupling or to sniff your daughter's stank toes or, say, beat box. I've been trying to learn through Biz's Beat of the Day, and this cold has kind of set me back a bit. And I like to dance as much as the next kid, but there's no WAY I'll be able to keep up with Oskar until I feel better.

Driving and crying

2007-08-25T09:40:00.000-05:00

I spent last weekend with Katie and Rick in Oklahoma City. I pestered them about the baby and baby names and the nursery, they treated me to a movie and Indian food and a book store and trivial pursuit. We laughed, we cried, we stayed up waaay too damn late. I'm so very glad they let me invite myself over.

On the way home from OKC, driving the final stretch of Highway 60 between Ponca City and home, I was looking around, listening to music, thinking random thoughts, when I noticed the sky, which was a brilliant blue, and the clouds and the patches of light and shadows across the fields and rolling hills, and the quiet (that I imagined) outside my car and I was so moved by it all that I actually started crying. I started crying because it made me think about God. More specifically, it made me think about God and the act of creating and God being present within and throughout His creation (including us), about God's presence in everything, everywhere, all around me, constantly, and how it is in God that we live and move and have our being. I have felt distant from God (off and on, but lately more on than off) for a while, and my experience on the drive home was really... hopeful. It reminded me that God does not withdraw his presence even if/when we distance ourselves. And it made me realize that because of God's omnipresence and God in all, I am surrounded by God, I am part of God, God is part of me, and I remember thinking it would be okay to go ahead and let go, even in death, because I will return to God. And that was very comforting.

Thanks for the great weekend.

Sad songs (say so much)

2007-08-09T19:43:00.000-05:00

I love this damn song, but it makes me cry almost every time I hear it.

Right on.

2007-08-04T20:45:00.001-05:00

My photograph has been viewed 13 times and has now received TWO votes. Sure, one of those two votes is mine. But, hey, it was allowed. So, yeah. Anyway. Voting is open until August 8.

Things she said today

2007-08-04T18:41:00.000-05:00

Before eating her first SweeTart ever (courtesy of one birthday goodie bag from her cousin's party), Maya climbed up into my lap and said: Candy makes your tongue feel good. Like juice. She then spent the next five minutes trying to explain the difference between a moose and a mess, and then moved on to a story about a man whose doorbell makes him very cross.

One pair of matching bookends

2007-08-03T17:34:00.000-05:00

The waiting is the hardest part

2007-08-03T07:06:00.000-05:00

I’ve been an online member at JPG Magazine for several months now. Long enough to see at least three issues to which I could have contributed come and go. Buuuut... Earlier this week, I finally got brave, riffled through my stash, and submited a photograph for consideration in an upcoming issue -a whole thirty minutes before deadline, but, whatever. I'm all about the procrastination and pressure, and really if I'd had much more time to think about it, I'd have talked myself out of contributing. Again.

Now, I’m at the mercy of other JPG members, and the editors. Fellow JPGers vote on all the submissions after a theme closes, and the ones that get the most attention from the community typically get published. There are typically three themes for each issue. This issue, the themes are Family, Fashion, and Creative License. I submitted a photograph, At the Zoo, for Family. And now I'm waiting and voting and trying not to think about which of my photographs would have made better entries or the number of votes I'm not getting or the fact that my shot looks more and more mediocre the further into the 376 pages of submissions I go.

I don't really expect my photograph to be chosen for the issue (it's really not going to get much exposure since I entered so late). Mostly, I'm glad I was finally able to make myself contribute. Plus, I think the themes will encourage me to pick up my camera, leave the house more. And, hey! I think I can scratch off another item from my list of 2007 resolutions! Sweet.

The Dane 5.0

2007-08-01T00:10:00.000-05:00

This is my nephew.

Today he's FIVE!

Happy fifth birthday, Adain!

In the mood for Leung

2007-07-31T22:37:00.000-05:00

Mark your calendars. Lust, Caution, Ang Lee's World War II-era espionage thriller starring Joan Chen and Tony Leung!, hits theaters September 28. Sexy! I'd totally squee if I weren't so tired and disgustipated by how busy things are at work.

DiversaFest

2007-07-29T23:24:00.001-05:00

Friday evening, after a final supper with Dave and Sarah (who are abandoning us next week for Chi-town), we motored over to Tulsa to see The Lips rock the main stage at DiversaFest. I viewed most of the concert through my camera since I was too short to see it otherwise (it NEVER fails - the tallest of tall people always step RIGHT in front of me when a band takes the stage). Here are some shots I took before the show and while listening to The Flaming Lips:

The buttonhole bit probably isn't as funny if you've had proper sleep

2007-07-24T21:36:00.000-05:00

I rescued my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows from the evil chain store shortly after midnight and made it back to the house just after 1:00AM. I changed into my night clothes lickety split, hunkered down in bed, heavy book in hand, kissed the husband goodnight, and began to read. Out loud. At his request. He had waited up, you see, and he asked so nicely, after all, and although I really dislike reading out loud (I get the intonation all wrong and inevitably jumble words and I don't do voices for the characters, sorry) I decided a few chapters read out loud initially, just until he falls asleep, would be okay. And when I wake up, I can charge ahead. Silently.

759 pages later, I'm still reading aloud. By the time we finished the book 1:15-ish Monday morning, my tongue felt abnormally... thick... as though it had been subjected to an engorgement charm. Apparently, reading out loud for hours upon hours upon HOURS on end does that. But, it was worth it. It was fun to have someone to go through the book with, someone who also snickered as we read about Voldemort stroking his angry snake, and who misheard me when I reached the bit about roses in buttonholes.

The book was great. It's difficult to talk about it without giving too much away, but I will say this: I TOLD you so!

I said please. TWICE.

2007-07-20T19:37:00.001-05:00

Dear evil chain store which cheerfully harbors my copy of Book 7,

I will be in attendance at your release party this evening. You were the closest to Cowtown and you promised butterbeer. And shrieking pre-teens in costumes. Okay, and shrieking adults in costumes. Really, who can resist that? I have managed to avoid spoilers, even the teensiest of teensy ones, up to this point (it helps to not know the top secret locations of all the fan sites and to have co-workers who have better things to do than fuss over a boy wizard, the lunatics). So please oh pleeeease, with Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans on top , do not muck this up by allowing any of us to get our grubby little paws on Deathly Hallows before midnight, no matter what promises that hot, underaged Luna Lovegood made. That way, I won't have to waste precious reading time thumping the inconsiderate jerkface two spaces ahead of me who thumbed through the book with the sole purpose of discovering who gets offed, only to report the body count at an obnoxious volume to the friend dressed like Professor Trelawney all of two inches away. Otherwise, thanks in advance for a lovely evening.

Hugs and kisses,
Nanda

Can't get you out of my head

2007-07-17T11:28:00.000-05:00

Some people, important people, people that I share a small, hemmed in space with five days a week, tell me that posting pictures? Not blogging. Not really. So today, Holly, I'm going to post something from YouTube! Ah haha!

I have two songs stuck in my head, and I've been alternating between them for a coupla days now. One is the bouncy "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts", the other is the charming (in a way that makes me want to perpetually throw up) novelty song "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas". Of all the songs in the known universe, why these two songs in particular should turn against me in such a vicious way I'm sure I'll never know. But I am certain of this: I. Am. Being Punished.

I am only familiar with a few lines from each song, so the same fragments (I’ve got a lovely bunch of coconuts/There they are all standing in a row/Big ones, small ones, some as big as your head and I want a hippopotamus for Christmas/Only a hippopotamus will do) relentlessly seesaw back and forth throughout the day. Um, out loud. Not exactly conducive to social work, but it does help to secure my position as the office weirdo.

In a weird twist of fate, I came across this over at Milk money or not, here I come. I can now randomly interject Roll a bowl a ball a penny a piiiITCH! into any quiet moments of the day, which is GREAT because I think it is finally scaring off the hippos.

Burst and bloom

2007-07-15T21:54:00.000-05:00

Dora probably tells her mami the same thing whenever she leaves the house.

2007-06-28T16:20:00.000-05:00

Maya followed me to the door to say goodbye when it was time for me to go back to work this afternoon. Just as I was about to step off the porch, she yelled: Byyyyye, Mom! Be careful! And watch out for snakes in the road! And then she smiled and waved.

Sleepwalkers

2007-06-28T07:46:00.001-05:00

Huh. So, that happened.

2007-06-26T19:17:00.000-05:00

I can't BELIEVE it! I can't believe I actually forgot. The release date for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix? July eleventh. Somewhere on the other side of the internets, the biggest Harry Potter fan I know is smacking her forehead.

Been a long time

2007-06-24T23:17:00.000-05:00