I learned today that I painted my nails the exact shade of a night vision glasses display case. Also, my thumb is apparently photo shy.
Category Archives: Tidbits
Parade Musings.
A random something that I think about every time I watch a parade is how difficult it is to get a good picture of it. They never look right. There’s always too much in them, which makes them too busy, which means you just don’t know where to look.
When I’ve gone to the Rose Parade in Pasadena, the floats I photograph look flat and uninteresting, yet the reason I took the picture is the exact opposite, I thought the floats were amazing and beautiful. City parades are the same, although I’ve come to realize that city parades are really just local businesses advertising themselves while riding in the back of a pick-up truck waving flags.
Disneyland’s parades are even more busy, MORE lights, MORE people, MORE things in the picture. What were we looking at? Where did it go? And the electrical parade is at night, so even more tough to take a picture of. Plus, I think at least half of the experience at Disneyland’s parades is their music, which of course you can’t capture in a picture.
Is it just me?
Pictures are original content from the Pasadena Rose Parade, circa 1983 or 1984… a unicorn float, a smurf float and a cottage float.
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Filed under Tidbits, Weird is Fun
Morning Goodbyes are Hard.
Leaving for work this morning, William clings to my hand and says, “I’m never letting you go, mommy. You’re my mommy forever!”
I stroke his arm that is attached to the hand that is holding me. In response he says, “If you leave, I will cry!”
I see the sadness in his eyes and so I stroke his forehead and say, “Why don’t you come out to the garage and hug me goodbye after I get in my car?”
He tentatively smiles and says, “OK!” So we hold hands and head into the garage. He stands on the step and waits for me to get in my car, buckle my seatbelt, open the garage, start up my car and pull it partially out of the garage. Then I open my door and he runs to me, crawls in my lap and holds on tight to my neck. He kisses me on my cheeks and my chin. I feel his hands tangle gently into my hair.
I remind him, “I’ve got to get on the road now.”
He looks sad for a second and then says, “Can you call me on your phone? When you close the garage door, can you call me on your phone?”
“Yes, I sure can! What a great idea!”
He gives me one last kiss, hops out of the car and runs back inside to wait for my call.
I love how his brain works.
Filed under Our Kid is Cute, Tidbits
Our Little Planner.
This morning when William woke up, the first thing he said was, “Do you wanna know what I’m going to be for Halloween next year?”
Interested, I replied, “What?”
“Next year, I’m going to be Frank (from Cars movie). And I’m going to scare EVERYONE at your work and then you’ll get a day off. Like the Joker did.”
“Oh, I see. You’re going to compete in my company’s Halloween costume contest with a Frank costume?” I clarified.
“Yes, and then you’ll win and get a day off from work to spend with me. And you can be Scary Sally and daddy can be Scary Lightning.” William replied.
“Is that what you were dreaming about last night? Is your Halloween costume for next year?”
“Yes, and you winning and getting a day off.” He said.
This child. My heart.
Filed under Our Kid is Cute, Tidbits
Getaway
We’re in Big Bear for the weekend, and having a jammie day today. William is drinking some hot chocolate and snuggling while watching a movie. All of a sudden he says, “I’m waiting for snow. Is it snowing yet?”
– Posted from my iPhone
Filed under Our Kid is Cute, Tidbits
Extra gum, cinnamon flavor.
I found this in Ralph’s yesterday. They used to make this and then discontinued it sometime in 2006. I remember searching for it when we went to Ireland that same year, and I found some weird tasting European version of it in the bus store in Dublin.
Strangely, even though the little yellow corner up there of its box proclaims it as being “NEW” it is not listed on their website as being an offered flavor. However, I would argue that they brought it back as “NEW” because it’s in the updated flat packaging, instead of the old boxy packaging. Just so you know, I bought 4 packs just in case there’s an apocalypse and it disappears again.
When I’m featured on some show about hoarder’s with multiple boxes of the same product stacked to the ceiling behind me, I will be standing there in my pajamas (of which I also have 12 of the same print) screaming insanely, “You companies who discontinue my favorite things brought me to this!! It is NOT hoarding, it is inventory!”
Filed under I feel Glad, Tidbits
The Bug Killer
Me, to the universe: I wonder what that black spot is on the floor?
William: That spot there? *points*
Me: Yes.
William: That’s a spider.
Me: A spider? Are you sure? *stares at the spot, it doesn’t move*
William: Yes, I killed it. You can see it better if you…
He stands up and runs off to my desk like a whirlwind, comes back with my magnifying glass and squats down to peer through the glass at the spider.
I stare at him, slightly aghast. I wondered why on earth I would want to see it better with a magnifying glass and why (and how) does he know where my magnifying glass is? I wondered just how long ago he had killed the spider, why it was still on the floor, did his grandma not see it…. so many questions, but the only thing I say is, “I see. Well, when you’re done with your examination, can you put it in a tissue and put it in the trash so your father doesn’t have to?”
– Posted from my iPhone
Filed under Our Kid is Cute, Tidbits
Mini Chuckle Moment
In case you wanted garden soil without poop, here’s your brand.
– Posted from my iPhone
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Filed under Sometimes I have to laugh, Tidbits, Weird is Fun
Selective Hearing
Somewhere along yesterday’s adventure, I lost my voice. ‘Tis the Season, and all that. Day 3 of Antibiotics, yada yada.
This morning, William was trying to rouse me out of bed with various stories and shenanigans. I was in his room, in his bed, with his sound machine still on, and was responding to him in quiet whispers, trying not to strain my vocal chords. He was standing across his room in the doorway. He heard every whisper I said perfectly.
Let it be hereby known that when he doesn’t respond to me, it is NOT because he didn’t hear me.
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Filed under Health/Endo, Our Kid is Cute, Tidbits
Story of Two Mountains.
Last night, Tony was excited. We had scheduled a day off this weekend to decorate for Halloween. Blow ups! Fog machines! Big scary spiders and webs! Yard stakes (made from election stakes they stuck in our yard a few years ago ha)! He even made the grave error of saying, “Tomorrow we can sleep in!” I gave him the side eye, because with an almost 4 year old in the house, there is no such thing as sleeping in. Sure, the child would love to sleep in on weekdays, but weekends? Nope. He is up at the butt crack of dawn.
As would happen, 5:33 AM I wake up. The house is silent. I have no idea what woke me up. So I rearrange my pillow, lay back down and pretend to myself that I’m sleeping. Tony’s wisdom from years ago echoes in my mind, “Even if you’re awake, if you’re resting it’s kind of like sleeping.” So, I laid there.
6:42 AM, “Mommy? Mommy?” I get up and go to William. “Mommy? Can you lie down with me?” I do.
He’s quiet for a few minutes, I listen to him breathing and feel his heart beating. It’s a peaceful moment, but my mind has been awake for over an hour by now, and the thoughts of a mother run through my head. Remembering how when I was pregnant with him, toward the end of the pregnancy he used to practice breathing and I’d watch my belly move up and down where his lungs were, and how I would listen to his heart with a doppler every day just to make sure he was OK. And I feel inordinately blessed that he loves to snuggle, and I wonder how long he will want me to snuggle him.
His mind was apparently working, too, because he says, “I’m going to tell you the story of two mountains now.”
“OK. I’m listening,” I encouraged him.
“Once upon a time there were two mountains. The first mountain is called Big Bear Mountain and at the top of it is a cabin,” he continues.
“That sounds nice.” I observed.
“In the cabin is movies that you watch.” He pauses, collecting his thoughts, then says, “The other mountain is a SCARY mountain. At the top of that mountain is a scary magician!”
“A scary magician? That sounds frightening!” I grasp William tightly.
“Hey! it’s OK, it’s OK! The scary magician put dried corn in the oven and he made popcorn! He’s not scary anymore! And that’s it. Let’s go see what daddy’s doing.”
Filed under Our Kid is Cute, Tidbits
Jammie J's Quest 