Too Much Disney lately...

I think I've heard (heaven knows I don't actually see them they're just always on in the background as I go about my daily activities) too many Disney movies lately! I've got the soundtracks running through my head - especially Peter Pan and wishing on a star. I stumbled on this site and found several things that I would want to have if I could stop growing up and be a kid again (oh yeah and had all the money in the world)!

For example...Here is where I would lay my 'Lost Girl' head at night...

($2,000.00)

And I would sit here while I read stories to the other 'Lost Children':

($350.00)

And it's a toss up about what I would wear out on the island...could be this:

($80.00)

or this:

($198.00)

But would definately be accessorized with a pair of these:

($28.00)

The mermaid lagoon would welcome me - tail and all:

($48.00)

All of these lovely items are indeed for sale at Chasing Fireflies and don't you think for a second that every one of them wasn't in my shopping cart just on the off chance that I got a million dollar windfall in the mail today...or, my ship came 'toot tooting' into the harbor....or the tax return check was going to be earmarked for tons of unecessary and completely frivolous items for a spoiled little 3-year old. Of course we'd think absolutely nothing of dropping $2400+ for fantasy items like these (cough, cough)...just ask Eric! LOL

A gal can dream can't she??? That's what good ol' Walt Disney was all about - thanks Walt!

"When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do." - Walt Disney

Another Mile Marker - #9

Then...

...and Now (Today, to be exact!)

8 years seperate the two pictures and while some days it seems like a lifetime in many ways it seems like just hours ago. I marvel at how much you have changed physically - and never notice it on a daily basis until I stop to compare these kinds of photos or look at old videos. We used to clap as you played "Pat-A-Cake" or sang princess songs - yesterday we clapped and cheered as you ran up and down a basketball court trying to make a basketball shot! I used to read you "Goodnight Moon" now you read to me from your latest issue of American Girl magazine. You used to watch Cinderella over and over - now it's Hannah Montana, Zach and Cody, That's So Raven and I took you to see "The Spiderwick Chronicles" on Saturday night with a girl friend.

You're now ordering off the adult menu at restaurants and picking out your own clothes every morning. You will let me brush your hair - but only if I do it the way you want and it has to be 'just so' with no clips, pony's or bows. You still like to sit next to me or Dad and have us scratch your back or head. You still love to watch tv or movies until late at night and don't like going to bed until you have to! You're doing great in school and have lots of friends. Gratefully your great laugh and giggle haven't changed...just gotten a little deeper. You still love to draw and play imaginative games with your stuffed animals and dolls. "Littlest Pet Shop" toys are some of your favorites right now.

I wish I could say that I had been the perfect parent these past 9 years - I haven't but I've tried hard. I can say that I've loved you to the best of my ability and done all I can to give you opportunities to learn, grow and try new things. I miss the little baby and little bitty girl that danced around in her princess dresses. I do enjoy this new almost 'pre-teen' with her wit and sarcasm...the sass that has been there since day one! I love the things we do together - just us girls. I love your art work and the stories you bring home from school - you amuse me!

It scares me to think you're half-way to the big 18 that will bring you to leaving our nest and out into the adult world. Wow! Exciting for you and nerve racking for me! Better get started on imparting some more wisdom, nagging, cajoling, loving, cuddling, praising and enjoying every precious moment until my next 'then' moment! The "NOW"s are coming way too fast!

Happy 9th Birthday Big Girl!

Happy Valentine's Day

I found this cute page in a magazine a while back - love the picture and the quotes are good reminders that many of us have probably heard before.

Happy Hearts Day!

The Darndest Things!

Yesterday was Parent/Teacher Conferences for our oldest daughter and our son. It's always a pleasure - luckily we have great kids with good minds and hearts who love school (so far so good...we're up to 3rd grade!). Anyway - during our daughter's conference the teacher gave us a true 'gem' that she'd had her class make. It's a booklet titled "Third Grade Words of Wisdom". She used popular cliches and cut off the well known endings and had her students fill in the blanks and illustrate their new 'sayings'. Here is our daughter's sayings and illustrations. (We enjoyed the drawings as much, if not more than the words). She wanted to add a disclaimer that she didn't have enough time to color them all in. So now you know! Prepare to laugh!

If I'd only known if was the gift horse's eye I was trying to avoid all this time and not his mouth - ugh! and I'll try to remember that 'freezer trick' next time things get too hot! Out of the mouths of babes...words to live by!

Tripped and Fell!...down Memory Lane

I was reading one of my favorite blogs this morning Confessions of a Pioneer Woman and she was talking about 'morning people'. I am not truly one of them - more of a mid-morning person myself. Anywhoo...that led me to thinking about my dad waking us up with a "Good Morning Captain" straight out of the 70's show Captain Kangaroo and my reply of "Good Morning Mr. Green Jeans". Which in turn led me to a quick search on You Tube to see if by chance they had any clips of Captain Kangaroo's show. Lo and behold - the beauty of You Tube!!!!




Don't they have everything!? My youngest DD sat glued to this clip and wanted to watch it 3-4 times - it still has charm! They just don't make things like this anymore. Boy, did it bring back memories! I had a Raggedy Ann doll just like that big one and think my sister did too! I remember watching this dancing bear on Captain Kangaroo. Probably this exact episode because I loved me some Captain and loved Raggedy! A double treat! I was a total child of the 70's. In a quick 'google' search I saw that the Captain Kangaroo show continued until the 80's but I would have been in high school by then. I remember the moose, the rabbit, the ping pong balls, Mr. Green Jeans....great stuff! Anyone else love an old man in a red suit (not Santa - though loved him too!), a naughty bunny and a guy in green? Raise your hand and don't be shy about it!

Balance and Inspiration

My Dad sent me an email this morning with a video clip that brought me to tears - you can read the background and see the video here:

Extraordinary Couple Win Dance Contest!

Chinese modern dance competition. This lady has one arm and the guy has one leg. The lady, in her 30s, was a dancer and had been trained as one since she was a little girl. Later she got into some kind of accident and lost her entire left arm. She was depressed for a few years but then someone asked her to coach a children's dancing group. From that point on, she realized she could not forget dancing. She still loved to dance and she wanted to dance again. She started to do some of her old routines, but by losing an arm, she also lost her balance. It took a while before she could even make simple turns andspins without falling.

Then she heard about a guy in his 20s who had lost a leg in an accident. This guy also fell into the usual denial, depression and anger type of emotional roller coaster. She looked him up (he was from a different Province) and persuaded him to dance with her. He had never danced before and to dance with one leg? Are you joking with me? No way, he thought. But she didn't give up & finally he reluctantly agreed, saying, "I have nothing else to do anyway." She started teaching him dancing 101. He had no concept of using muscle, controlling his body, and a few other basic things about dancing. When she became frustrated and lost patience with him, he would walk out. Eventually they started training. They hired a choreographer to design routines specifically for them and their handicaps. They danced so beautifully and powerfully that they legitimately beat all the others in the competition! They truly are incredible. Now enjoy watching them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnLVRQCjh8c

I was quite emotional watching this video clip - for a variety of reasons. I am not a trained dancer but took many years of dance lessons. I've often wondered what my life would have been like if I had 'stuck with it' - or better yet if I'd had the drive and motivation to truly make it happen in my life. I wonder what would happen if I had the drive and determination that these two people in the video clip exhibit? and applied that in different aspects of my life?

It takes incredible balance just to walk (ask me I know! as I often trip and hit my legs and arms in the house) - can't imagine dancing without a limb. But doesn't daily life take balance in many aspects? It's good to be a balanced person and it requires such a concerted effort some days to keep from tipping over and losing it all. That reminds me of one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movie musicals: "Fiddler on the Roof"

Tevye: A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask 'Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?' Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition!

Ahh....Tevya! That's right! Traditions, rituals, faith, customs, habits, routines, schedules and all those little daily things that keep us going. I hope you've been inspired. I have and will be pondering it some more. Now go forth - have a day! Be inspired and make it better for someone else!

Drum Roll Please...We have an Apron Winner!

Yes, I did things the old fashioned way and cut up all the 293 comments into individual strips. I used a bowl since a knit beanie wouldn't have allowed me to show you all the lovely comments.

Yes, I allowed my almost 3 year old to pull a strip out 'randomly' - she had no clue what I was doing and I do mean that literally! "Why mommy the papers?"


And the winner is.....

Ben and April !

Congratulations! I was overwhelmed with the 293 comments I received on the giveaway! I know some people think it's just the 'gimme's' talking - but I like to feel the love! Come back again some time and I'll be posting next week some more about where the aprons come from and how you can make your very own. To those of you that asked - I don't sell them, just make them for my family and friends but would be happy to direct you on how to make your own! It was a fun carnival and now I'm spent! Ya'll come back now ya hear!

"Ben and April said... Beautiful apron!!! Thanks!"