In case you somehow missed it, Sean and I are completely obsessing over Harry Potter right now. After visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, we couldn't help ourselves. I'm listening to the whole series on audio book and immersing myself in literary criticism of Harry, and Sean is rereading the series.
All this has got me thinking of some of my favorite Harry Potter related memories. Here are two of my favorites:
I read Harry Potter for the first time during the summer of 2008, which I spent in Florida. That summer Cathryn was also learning how to drive. Since I'm six years older than her, I was legally able to take her out driving. So one day, Cayla, Cathryn, and I were coming home from somewhere--with Cathryn driving--and we happened to be talking about J.K. Rowling. I was telling them how beautiful the author was, but the girls were in disbelief. They were both saying how they imagined her looking like the crazy cashier lady at our neighborhood Walgreens who is older, stout, with frizzy gray hair that always has an absurd hat (usually decorated with a big spider) perched on top of it. We were laughing so hard over this image as we pulled into our driveway that Cathryn lost track of what she was doing, and drove the van right into the house. Literally, she hit the house. I know I should've felt bad as the responsible adult who was supposed to be monitoring her, but it was one of the funniest moments of my life.
Another great Harry Potter memory is a lot simpler, but nonetheless meaningful. The day after our wedding, Sean and I were relaxing in our room at the Tiburon lodge, recovering from the craziness of the weekend. And we had one of the best evenings in the world: we rented Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire from the lobby's movie collection and ordered room service for a cheeseburger and a double serving of garlic fries. It was so simple and yet, was undoubtedly one of the best spent evenings of my life. And that's one of the reasons I love being married to Sean--I always have my best buddy around to enjoy all the little things of life with.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
A Tiny Conversation
Me: Sean, do you remember when we weren't married?
Sean: Yes.
Me: Wasn't it terrible?
Sean: Yes.
Me: Wasn't it terrible?
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Greatness:
There's nothing quite like a great day. There are different things that make each day great, and today was great because:
I slept in until noon. (For those of you who think this is overwhelmingly slothful of me, let me add that I do wake up at 5:30 a.m. regularly for work.)
Sean and I went hiking up in the hills behind our neighborhood. We loved the views, the sunshine and green hills, and the little cottontail bunny who hopped across our path!
I babysat the Moothart boys this afternoon. I wished Thomas a Happy Birthday, received a spontaneous hug from Jonathan, and rescued Josiah when we all went inside and he remained outside calling, "Need help! Neeeeeed help!" (He couldn't get down from his perch.)
Chicken Parmesan for dinner. Organic, free range chicken from Whole Foods. Whole wheat pasta from Trader Joe's. Yummy AND healthy!
Now, yesterday was great for entirely different reasons. Vinny and I got to spend the afternoon together, just the two of us, since Giuliana was at a playdate and Michael was still at school. Vinny just discovered "fortune tellers" or "cootie catchers" or whatever you want to call them (the folded paper creations with four points that move back and forth...) and he was delighted beyond belief that I was able to make them. So, while he did his homework, I made fortune tellers for all the kids at his table in school (SIX). Vinny said, "I really like you now." I said, "EXCUSE ME?!?!?! You JUST NOW started liking me?" (I've worked there for 7 months.) "Well, I already liked you," he explains, "but I like you even more now!" Oh, the honesty.
Vinny also gave a brilliant and adorable explanation of where babies come from last night. Somehow it came out that I want to have at least 5 children.
Vinny: 5 kids??? But the more kids you have the more work you have!
Me: I don't think of it that way, I think the more kids you have the more fun you have!
Giuwels: I want three kids. 2 girls and a boy.
Vinny: I want three kids too. 2 boys and a girl.
Giuwels: Carolyn, do you have any kids?
Me: Not yet, Giuwelsy, I just want to have them some day.
Giuwels: Well, are you married yet?
Me: Yeah, I'm married, I just don't have any kids yet.
Giuwels: Well, if you're married, why don't you have some babies?
Vinny: (with authority) Giuliana, you don't get married and then a baby pops out. It takes a lot of time for love to fill you up, and then a baby comes out.
I slept in until noon. (For those of you who think this is overwhelmingly slothful of me, let me add that I do wake up at 5:30 a.m. regularly for work.)
Sean and I went hiking up in the hills behind our neighborhood. We loved the views, the sunshine and green hills, and the little cottontail bunny who hopped across our path!
I babysat the Moothart boys this afternoon. I wished Thomas a Happy Birthday, received a spontaneous hug from Jonathan, and rescued Josiah when we all went inside and he remained outside calling, "Need help! Neeeeeed help!" (He couldn't get down from his perch.)
Chicken Parmesan for dinner. Organic, free range chicken from Whole Foods. Whole wheat pasta from Trader Joe's. Yummy AND healthy!
Now, yesterday was great for entirely different reasons. Vinny and I got to spend the afternoon together, just the two of us, since Giuliana was at a playdate and Michael was still at school. Vinny just discovered "fortune tellers" or "cootie catchers" or whatever you want to call them (the folded paper creations with four points that move back and forth...) and he was delighted beyond belief that I was able to make them. So, while he did his homework, I made fortune tellers for all the kids at his table in school (SIX). Vinny said, "I really like you now." I said, "EXCUSE ME?!?!?! You JUST NOW started liking me?" (I've worked there for 7 months.) "Well, I already liked you," he explains, "but I like you even more now!" Oh, the honesty.
Vinny also gave a brilliant and adorable explanation of where babies come from last night. Somehow it came out that I want to have at least 5 children.
Vinny: 5 kids??? But the more kids you have the more work you have!
Me: I don't think of it that way, I think the more kids you have the more fun you have!
Giuwels: I want three kids. 2 girls and a boy.
Vinny: I want three kids too. 2 boys and a girl.
Giuwels: Carolyn, do you have any kids?
Me: Not yet, Giuwelsy, I just want to have them some day.
Giuwels: Well, are you married yet?
Me: Yeah, I'm married, I just don't have any kids yet.
Giuwels: Well, if you're married, why don't you have some babies?
Vinny: (with authority) Giuliana, you don't get married and then a baby pops out. It takes a lot of time for love to fill you up, and then a baby comes out.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
I think about my job a lot, always trying to figure out exactly what it is that makes me love my work so much. Here's one reason: I love my job because it doesn't feel like a job at all, it just feels like being part of a family. All the other jobs I've ever had felt abnormal--I would step out of my regular life and go do some task that I would otherwise never be doing--and then I would get off and re-enter the real world. In between punching in and punching out, I would count the hours--watching the clock and waiting for this interruption to end so that I could get back to what I really wanted to be doing.
When you're doing what you love--what you would want to be doing whether anyone paid you or not--well then, you don't have to watch the clock. Confucius said to choose a job that you love, and then you will never have to work a day in your life. There's this amazing feeling when you find a job that pays you to actually do what you want to be doing. So, I'm doing what I love--therefore, my job doesn't feel like a job at all. But there's another reason my job doesn't feel like a job: my job is, essentially, to be an active, supportive, and loving member of a family. This doesn't feel like a job to me--just a normal part of life. I spent the first eighteen and a half years of my life being part of a vibrant, struggling, chaotic, and loving family unit. This comes naturally.
When I moved away to college, I was still part of my family, but in a more removed way. I was a member, but from a distance. And the minute I moved, I started missing my family, and realizing just how much I had taken for granted. There's an inevitable loneliness that comes when you learn to live alone, or with a couple roommates....after you've lived in a house with six people whose actions, thoughts, emotions, and histories were shared in such close quarters. I love Sean, and we are incredibly happy together--we are completely happy in each others company, but to me--so often--our house feels empty. I especially feel this after I come home from a long day at work--where I slip right into the family dynamic and thrive in that environment. Sean and I have a family dynamic--it is just the family dynamic of two--which is far different from the family dynamic of 5 or 6 people, that I am used to. It's good for it to be just me and Sean right now. But I also can't WAIT until the day when our home is overflowing with children, and buzzing with life and activity. I also continue to love my job and enjoy all the moments I get to spend with these three kids--who have become family to me, and I to them simply by the sheer amount of time we spend together and the affection we share.
I love mornings when I take Vinny outside to wait for his mom to get back from driving carpool for her oldest child, so she can pick Vinny up and take him to school. Giuwels always tags along in her pajamas and we open the garage door and find the street half in shadow, half bursting with early morning sunlight. Vinny digs out a basketball from somewhere in the garage and starts shooting hoops, and Giuwels put her little hand in mine and says, "Come on, Carolyn, let's go sit in the sun." And we walk over to the large rocks that line their neighbor's yard, and she plays on the rocks and I sit on one, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight contrasting with the chill morning air. And everything is bright, and new, and the children are beautiful and precious, and this--to me--is happiness.
When you're doing what you love--what you would want to be doing whether anyone paid you or not--well then, you don't have to watch the clock. Confucius said to choose a job that you love, and then you will never have to work a day in your life. There's this amazing feeling when you find a job that pays you to actually do what you want to be doing. So, I'm doing what I love--therefore, my job doesn't feel like a job at all. But there's another reason my job doesn't feel like a job: my job is, essentially, to be an active, supportive, and loving member of a family. This doesn't feel like a job to me--just a normal part of life. I spent the first eighteen and a half years of my life being part of a vibrant, struggling, chaotic, and loving family unit. This comes naturally.
When I moved away to college, I was still part of my family, but in a more removed way. I was a member, but from a distance. And the minute I moved, I started missing my family, and realizing just how much I had taken for granted. There's an inevitable loneliness that comes when you learn to live alone, or with a couple roommates....after you've lived in a house with six people whose actions, thoughts, emotions, and histories were shared in such close quarters. I love Sean, and we are incredibly happy together--we are completely happy in each others company, but to me--so often--our house feels empty. I especially feel this after I come home from a long day at work--where I slip right into the family dynamic and thrive in that environment. Sean and I have a family dynamic--it is just the family dynamic of two--which is far different from the family dynamic of 5 or 6 people, that I am used to. It's good for it to be just me and Sean right now. But I also can't WAIT until the day when our home is overflowing with children, and buzzing with life and activity. I also continue to love my job and enjoy all the moments I get to spend with these three kids--who have become family to me, and I to them simply by the sheer amount of time we spend together and the affection we share.
I love mornings when I take Vinny outside to wait for his mom to get back from driving carpool for her oldest child, so she can pick Vinny up and take him to school. Giuwels always tags along in her pajamas and we open the garage door and find the street half in shadow, half bursting with early morning sunlight. Vinny digs out a basketball from somewhere in the garage and starts shooting hoops, and Giuwels put her little hand in mine and says, "Come on, Carolyn, let's go sit in the sun." And we walk over to the large rocks that line their neighbor's yard, and she plays on the rocks and I sit on one, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight contrasting with the chill morning air. And everything is bright, and new, and the children are beautiful and precious, and this--to me--is happiness.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
A Year In Books
My 2010 Reading List:
January 2010
The World Is Flat – Thomas Friedman
*Baby Catcher – Peggy Vincent
People of the Book – Geraldine Brooks
The Year of Magical Thinking – Joan Didion
The Republic of East L.A. – Luis Rodriguez
**Walk Two Moons – Sharon Creech (Audio Book, with Sean)
February 2010
****My Story As Told By Water – David James Duncan
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – J. K. Rowling (Audio Book)
A Wrinkle in Time – Madeleine L’Engle
*The Noonday Demon – Andrew Solomon
Spiritual Midwifery – Ina May Gaskin (First half of book: Birth Stories, 218 pages)
A Circle of Quiet – Madeleine L’Engle; 246 pages
A Wind in the Door – Madeleine L’Engle; 240 pages
March 2010
The Summer of the Great Grandmother – Madeleine L’Engle; 246 pages
Giving Birth – Catherine Taylor; 300 pages
A Swiftly Tilting Planet – Madeleine L’Engle; 256 pages
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J. K. Rowling (Audio Book)
The Midwife – Jennifer Worth; 319 pages
Lady’s Hands, Lion’s Heart – Carol Leonard; 354 pages
Many Waters – Madeleine L’Engle; 310 pages
A Perfect Mess – Eric Abrahamson & David Freedman (Audio Book)
The Irrational Season – Madeleine L’Engle; 215 pages
April 2010
Committed – Elizabeth Gilbert; 285 pages
Things I’ve Been Silent About – Azar Nafisi; 314 pages
Till We Have Faces – C.S. Lewis; 309 pages
Castle Corona – Sharon Creech; Audio Book
Two Part Invention – Madeleine L’Engle; 232 pages
Beautiful Stories of Life – Cynthia Rylant; Audio Book
The Metamorphoses: Books 1 & 2 – Ovid; 50 pages
Shards of Honor – Lois McMaster Bujold; 313 pages
***The Whale Rider – Witi Ihimaera; Audio Book
Barrayar – Lois McMaster Bujold; 386 pages
An Acceptable Time – Madeleine L’Engle; 367 pages
May 2010
The Fabric of This World – Lee Hardy; 185 pages
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – J.K. Rowling; Audio Book
The Warrior’s Apprentice – Lois McMaster Bujold; 315 pages
Acedia & me – Kathleen Norris; 329 pages
Anne of Green Gables – Lucy Maud Montgomery; Audio Book
June 2010
I GOT MARRIED!!!!!
July 2010
Fellowship of the Ring – J. R. R. Tolkien; Audio Book
Tinkers – Paul Harding
The Outsiders – S. E. Hinton
*The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexander Dumas; Audio Book
The Cloister Walk – Kathleen Norris
August 2010
Anne of Avonlea – Lucy Maud Montgomery; Audio Book
*****The Brothers K – David James Duncan; 645 pages
Anne of the Island – Lucy Maud Montgomery; Audio Book
The Two Towers – J. R. R. Tolkien; Audio Book
Dakota – Kathleen Norris; 220 pages
The Maytrees – Annie Dillard; 216 pages
Travels with Charley – John Steinbeck; Audio Book
*A Mother’s Rule – Holly Pierlot; 200 pages
September 2010
Housekeeping – Marilynne Robinson; Audio Book
The Quotidian Mysteries – Kathleen Norris; 88 pages
Life of Antony & Letter to Marcinellus – Athanasius; 129 pages
The Rule of St. Benedict – St. Benedict; 70 pages
A Thousand Acres – Jane Smiley; Audio Book; 13 discs
Around the World in 80 Days – Jules Verne; Audio Book; 7 discs
October 2010
Church History in Plain Language – Bruce L. Shelley; 495 pages
Funny in Farsi – Firoozeh Dumas; 198 pages
The Nanny Diaries – Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus; 306 pages
Invisible Cities – Italo Calvino; 165 pages
Unmasking L.A. – edited by Deepak Narang Sawhney; 260 pages
You’ll Never Nanny in this Town Again – Suzanne Hansen; 286 pages
And Nanny Makes Three – Jessika Auerbach; 272 pages
Nicholas Nickleby – Charles Dickens; 25 discs
November 2010
The Perfect Stranger – Lucy Kaylin; 228 pages
Flipped – Wendelin Van Draanen; 6 discs
*Searching for Mary Poppins – edited by Susan Davis and Gina Hyams; 275 pages
Just Like Family – Tasha Blaine; 319 pages
Global Woman – Edited by: Babara Ehrenreich and Arlie Hochschild; 284 pages
December 2010
White House Nannies – Barbara Kline; 234 pages
The Year of Living Biblically – A. J. Jacobs; 332 pages
Where I Was From – Joan Didion; 226 pages
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – J. K. Rowling; 17 discs
*******Crunchy Cons – Rod Dreher; 250 pages
Total: 74 Books
It's been a wonderful year for reading books! I started out the year devouring midwifery literature and ended the year pouring over nanny-literature. In between, and all throughout, I revisited books that are old friends ( the Anne of Green Gables series), read my favorites over and over again (Harry Potter), made wonderful memories (I'll never forget sitting in the sands of Waimea Bay at sunset and watching Sean body surf in the cresting waves while I read Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking or driving through the green mountains of Oregon on our honeymoon listening to Fellowship of the Ring), and discovered delightful new authors like Kathleen Norris (thought-provoking), A.J. Jacobs (hilarious), and Rod Dreher (life-changing). I finally read an extensive portion of Madeleine L'Engle's work (but by no means all of it) and explored topics such as depression and Church History more thoroughly than I ever have before. And there was no lacking in adventure: I journeyed through outer space with Miles Vorkosigan and swam with whales in the wild waters off the shores of New Zealand. I battled Voldemorte alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione, exacted a breathtaking revenge with Edmond Dantes, and traveled around the world (in 80 days!) with Phileas Fogg. I delivered babies with Berkeley's best midwife, trekked to Mount Doom with Frodo and Sam, and roamed the streets of East L.A. with Luis Rodriguez. The worst book I read this year was A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. Do yourself a favor and never read it. Do yourself a favor and read Crunchy Conservatives by Rod Dreher, which wins for being by far the most life-changing book I read this year. I familiarized myself with some classics--including The Count of Monte Cristo and Nicholas Nickleby (both of which are brilliant and amazing books!). The best book I read this year was--hands down--The Brothers K by David James Duncan. This was my second time reading it, and I loved it even more--if possible--than the first time I read it. This is probably the most rich and heart-warming/breaking, loving and funny story of a family that anyone will ever read. I also reread Annie Dillard's The Maytrees, which--after visiting Megan in Massachusetts this Spring, took on new meaning and beauty for me. To read books is to associate with the Great: St. Benedict, John Steinbeck, and C.S. Lewis--to name a few. The adventure of reading books is second only to the greater adventure of living life, and I hope--by God's grace--to do much more of both in 2011.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Christmas Cheer!
It's been raining in L.A. for days. Sean finished his finals last Thursday, and flew home on Monday for Christmas. I'm still in Los Angeles because I have to work through this coming Thursday. I have to confess that I was struggling with having a major pity party for myself about this week.
My husband gets to go home, and I have to stay here all alone and work four days in a row, and come home to an empty house infested with ants because of all the rain. And last year I got six weeks off for Christmas...Where's my Christmas break?????
These were some of the thoughts running through my head on Sunday evening as I prepared for work the next day, and Sean got ready to leave. I thought I was going to be miserable, but I temporarily forgot a couple things.
1. I forgot that it's pretty much hard for me to be miserable anywhere (except in Hollywood). Ever the optimist, I just LIKE enjoying myself, so I always try to have fun.
2. I forgot that the kids weren't going to be in school. This means that a ton of pressure is taken off both me and the kids, and better yet, it means that we get to relax and actually spend TIME together, which is wonderful because I love these kids!
And after only two days of working, I know that I wouldn't trade these days for anything in the world. There are special moments, hilarious situations, and inside jokes that make my whole 12 hour work day worth it in a split second. Like Monday morning, when Giuwels asked me if she had school that day. I told her no, and an enormous smile appeared on her face as she said...the good news slowly dawning on her..."That means we can PLAY!"
Yes, my dear, yes it does.
Giuwels has been so much more affectionate than usual, which is so sweet. She's always hugging me and wanting me to pick her up or hold her. Monday morning I told her that she needed to go get dressed for the day, and she said, "Ok, but first I want a hug!!!" and she wrapped her little arms around my neck and gave me the biggest hug ever.
Monday afternoon the four of us went to see Yogi Bear in 3-D...Haha, not my first choice of a movie, but hey, we got to get out of the house, walk around the festive mall, and relax in a movie theater for almost two hours. On the way to the mall, we were listening to Christmas music on the radio when Feliz Navidad came on...We listened for awhile, and then Vinny goes, "What the heck is he saying????" I told him that Feliz Navidad means Marry Christmas in Spanish, and he goes, "Ohhhh....I thought he was saying 'Release Naveda' like Naveda is a person who needs to be released." I'm not entirely sure why, but this sent all of us into gales of laughter--which only got louder when the next song "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" came on the radio and Vinny said, "Santa Claus is coming to town to release Naveda!" So that's our big Christmas joke for this year, along with the fact that whenever one of us does something particularly clever we say, "You're smarter than the average bear!"
Another thing I find so precious is Giuwel's fear of flushing toilets. She hates the loud noise they make. Luckily, the toilets at their house are completely silent, so no problems there. But when we're out and about we can run into difficulties. Usually she goes to the bathroom then gets up, walks as far away as she can and covers her ears while I flush the toilet for her. Yesterday at the mall, Vinny and Giuwels both had to go to the bathroom. The nearest department store was Nordstroms so we ducked in there to use their restrooms. Giuwels and I walked into a handicap stall together, I'm just standing there, happy as a lark, waiting to help her with whatever she needs when she says in a serious tone, "It's an automatic." At first I didn't even know what she was talking about, and then I see that, yes, the toilet is one of those new-fangled gadgets that flush automatically. These are the worst kind because Giuwels has no control over when they flush, so they catch her off guard and scare her. This precious five year old toilet connoisseur looks at me and says, "I'll just go at home, Carolyn." And, bless her heart, that's what she did.
We spent today making sugar cookies. Lots and lots of sugar cookies. I told Giuwels' friend Georgia's mom the other day that I was looking forward to Christmas Break so I could make cookies and do other fun stuff with the kids. She was like, "Wow, I'm glad you think making cookies is fun, I think it's so stressful." I can understand that--if you try to keep everyone in order and have the kitchen stay clean and the cookies turn out perfectly, then yes, it will be stressful. For better or for worse, I expect the most chaotic events when cooking anything with children, so I'm generally not upset when flour flies everywhere, and six grubby hands land in the dough before I remind them to wash their hands. Yes, Michael and Vinny both had to shower after our baking experience, but why not? We had a blast, and the kids made some amazing cookies!
I'm looking forward to tomorrow and then Thursday, and Thursday night I'm catching a plane to the Bay! I cannot wait!
My husband gets to go home, and I have to stay here all alone and work four days in a row, and come home to an empty house infested with ants because of all the rain. And last year I got six weeks off for Christmas...Where's my Christmas break?????
These were some of the thoughts running through my head on Sunday evening as I prepared for work the next day, and Sean got ready to leave. I thought I was going to be miserable, but I temporarily forgot a couple things.
1. I forgot that it's pretty much hard for me to be miserable anywhere (except in Hollywood). Ever the optimist, I just LIKE enjoying myself, so I always try to have fun.
2. I forgot that the kids weren't going to be in school. This means that a ton of pressure is taken off both me and the kids, and better yet, it means that we get to relax and actually spend TIME together, which is wonderful because I love these kids!
And after only two days of working, I know that I wouldn't trade these days for anything in the world. There are special moments, hilarious situations, and inside jokes that make my whole 12 hour work day worth it in a split second. Like Monday morning, when Giuwels asked me if she had school that day. I told her no, and an enormous smile appeared on her face as she said...the good news slowly dawning on her..."That means we can PLAY!"
Yes, my dear, yes it does.
Giuwels has been so much more affectionate than usual, which is so sweet. She's always hugging me and wanting me to pick her up or hold her. Monday morning I told her that she needed to go get dressed for the day, and she said, "Ok, but first I want a hug!!!" and she wrapped her little arms around my neck and gave me the biggest hug ever.
Monday afternoon the four of us went to see Yogi Bear in 3-D...Haha, not my first choice of a movie, but hey, we got to get out of the house, walk around the festive mall, and relax in a movie theater for almost two hours. On the way to the mall, we were listening to Christmas music on the radio when Feliz Navidad came on...We listened for awhile, and then Vinny goes, "What the heck is he saying????" I told him that Feliz Navidad means Marry Christmas in Spanish, and he goes, "Ohhhh....I thought he was saying 'Release Naveda' like Naveda is a person who needs to be released." I'm not entirely sure why, but this sent all of us into gales of laughter--which only got louder when the next song "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" came on the radio and Vinny said, "Santa Claus is coming to town to release Naveda!" So that's our big Christmas joke for this year, along with the fact that whenever one of us does something particularly clever we say, "You're smarter than the average bear!"
Another thing I find so precious is Giuwel's fear of flushing toilets. She hates the loud noise they make. Luckily, the toilets at their house are completely silent, so no problems there. But when we're out and about we can run into difficulties. Usually she goes to the bathroom then gets up, walks as far away as she can and covers her ears while I flush the toilet for her. Yesterday at the mall, Vinny and Giuwels both had to go to the bathroom. The nearest department store was Nordstroms so we ducked in there to use their restrooms. Giuwels and I walked into a handicap stall together, I'm just standing there, happy as a lark, waiting to help her with whatever she needs when she says in a serious tone, "It's an automatic." At first I didn't even know what she was talking about, and then I see that, yes, the toilet is one of those new-fangled gadgets that flush automatically. These are the worst kind because Giuwels has no control over when they flush, so they catch her off guard and scare her. This precious five year old toilet connoisseur looks at me and says, "I'll just go at home, Carolyn." And, bless her heart, that's what she did.
We spent today making sugar cookies. Lots and lots of sugar cookies. I told Giuwels' friend Georgia's mom the other day that I was looking forward to Christmas Break so I could make cookies and do other fun stuff with the kids. She was like, "Wow, I'm glad you think making cookies is fun, I think it's so stressful." I can understand that--if you try to keep everyone in order and have the kitchen stay clean and the cookies turn out perfectly, then yes, it will be stressful. For better or for worse, I expect the most chaotic events when cooking anything with children, so I'm generally not upset when flour flies everywhere, and six grubby hands land in the dough before I remind them to wash their hands. Yes, Michael and Vinny both had to shower after our baking experience, but why not? We had a blast, and the kids made some amazing cookies!
I'm looking forward to tomorrow and then Thursday, and Thursday night I'm catching a plane to the Bay! I cannot wait!
Friday, December 17, 2010
WARDROBE MALFUNCTION!
Tonight after work I picked my husband up from Biola's graduation ceremony and I was HORRIFIED to discover that Sean wore his Dharma Initiative LOST T-shirt, his ratty old GYM SHORTS that he wears everywhere, gray socks and FLIP-FLOPS! I expressed my utter mortification over his fashion faux pas and what does he say in an attempt to comfort me? "But I didn't put the socks on until AFTER I sat down."
Oh, that makes me feel SO much better!
So I say, "Sean, you couldn't manage to put on a pair of jeans for your friend's graduation ceremony?" "Care, these are my favorite pants!" "Yeah, and my hot pink pajama pants are my favorite pants, but you don't see me wearing them to class, church, formal events, etc." He replies, "But my shorts aren't PJ's, and I already destroyed one pair of shorts for you!"
And this is true. A few months after we started dating, I broke the news to Sean that his somewhat tight-fitting denim shorts with (I am not kidding you) GOLD STITCHED PLEATS UP AND DOWN THE LEGS AND AROUND THE CROTCH were the worst shorts that ever existed in the entire world. Sean didn't believe me at first, but after I managed to convince him that he should really never wear those shorts in public again, he ripped them into rags and then tossed them from the window of his third floor dorm room.
Good riddance.
And whenever I remember those pleated jean shorts, I start to think that the grungy old gym shorts aren't THAT bad.
P.S. I just read Sean this blog, and he's now laying on our bed reflecting over those ill-fated denim shorts..."I thought those shorts were cool...but then they got a little small."
Oh, that makes me feel SO much better!
So I say, "Sean, you couldn't manage to put on a pair of jeans for your friend's graduation ceremony?" "Care, these are my favorite pants!" "Yeah, and my hot pink pajama pants are my favorite pants, but you don't see me wearing them to class, church, formal events, etc." He replies, "But my shorts aren't PJ's, and I already destroyed one pair of shorts for you!"
And this is true. A few months after we started dating, I broke the news to Sean that his somewhat tight-fitting denim shorts with (I am not kidding you) GOLD STITCHED PLEATS UP AND DOWN THE LEGS AND AROUND THE CROTCH were the worst shorts that ever existed in the entire world. Sean didn't believe me at first, but after I managed to convince him that he should really never wear those shorts in public again, he ripped them into rags and then tossed them from the window of his third floor dorm room.
Good riddance.
And whenever I remember those pleated jean shorts, I start to think that the grungy old gym shorts aren't THAT bad.
P.S. I just read Sean this blog, and he's now laying on our bed reflecting over those ill-fated denim shorts..."I thought those shorts were cool...but then they got a little small."
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