must be KARMAH

Sign of the Times

Does not contain tomatoes? Thank goodness. Tomatoes on tomatoes?
That's just wrong. What a relief to know that I won't be double tomato-ing.

Lighting Up the Place

Hubby decided that I needed a slight upgrade in my photographic equipment. Despite his rumblings that I am always taking too much time taking photos of strange things, he purchased a new version of my digi for out anniversary. Quite a surprise. And not a purchase that I would have made.

Why? I am more apt to dream of an upgrade on higher priced items, but never actually go through with the purchase of said item. Just because the price tag is daunting to me. And I have often in the past been one to pass up on something for myself in order to spend the money on hubby or the kids. Knowing that had he asked, I would have declined the offer, he went ahead without consulting me.

I guess after all these years he figures that if I am to get anything new, he is going to have to gift it to me. The man has gotten to know me quite well in that department, eh?

The above photo is just a test shot. I was messing around trying to see what different functions on the camera do. Extra points to anyone who can name where the above lamp was purchased.

How Sweet It Is

Today after a long day at work I must not have been in my right frame of mind. I don't know what possessed me to suggest to the girls that we take a two mile plus hike. Goodness knows that any other time I've had a long day I have no more energy than that required to slump on the couch until it's time to drag myself to bed. Delayed spring fever maybe?

The girls had no idea what was in store for them. I just told them to get their shoes on and said "Let's go." Queries about our destination were answered with a vague "You'll see when we get there." kept them trudging along.

During the walk we kept ourselves entertained. Checking out the strange writing on the sidewalk, playing super spy behind the tall oak trees, finding a lost cell phone and calling the owner so that they might retrieve it from a local shop, checking out the birds as they watched us in return, admiring the different homes and their flowers in bloom. Just plain enjoying the evening as we walked merrily on our way.

Just as we were nearing our secret destination little legs were getting tired, children began to wonder if we would ever reach our destination. Quite confident in my choice of locales I smiled and said "Trust me, when we get there, it will all be worth it."

Our destination? The local ice cream shop, where the final product is processed just across the street and brought over on hand carts to the store. The girls were pleasantly surprised. Their eyes widened in awe from the variety of the selections to choose from. Important decisions were made. After all one does not choose indiscriminately after having walked all that way. Le Artiste... Cookies and Cream. Boo-boo... Vanilla with sprinkles of course! Me... A bottle of water that ended up being shared with both children.

As we were walking home, le Artiste turns to me and says, "Your right Mom. It was worth it."

Yes, sharing the walk together was definitely worth it.

Sign of the Times

Pup-peroni low calorie snacks for dogs spotted in Wal-Mart. Why?

Pink & Gray

Is this the time to admit that I hardly go anywhere without my digital camera at hand? Perhaps the revelation of such a fact comes as no surprise. After all, this blog is littered with pics, shot by my amateurish hand. I find myself looking at the world around me and wondering what something might look like on the digi.

This photo in particular I was wondering how the pink of the seed pod would look against the weathered wood. The textures and colors seem to compliment each other. Rugged and soft. Each fragile in it's own way, yet enduring.

Pool Time

Ahhh... The first dip, or shall I say wade of the season was made today. Does that mean summer is officially here? This little wading pool is a few years old, but the girls still use love to use it. Although the soon-to-be teenager le Artiste is beginning to make grumbling noises about how uncool it would be for others to see her in a kiddie pool.

I guess it is somewhat appropriate that this Memorial Day weekend the girls are getting good use out of something that was actually made in the USA (be it a few years ago). It seems to be getting harder and harder to find that label on anything. Not that I am eschewing the manufacturing capabilities of any other country, but it would be nice to see it more often.

Eagle-Eyed Non-Cherry

Whenever we venture out to eat my youngest daughter, Boo-boo, can not wait to decide what to eat. Even though it's inevitably macaroni and cheese, she still pours over the children's menu with an intense look of concentration on her face. And when there is a dessert option? Ice cream wins hands down. She particularly fancies the places where they let you make your own sundae creations.

This particular display of her culinary aptitude, made at Max & Erma's, showcases her love of anything colorful. Notice the liberal dosing of M&M's. Need I say chocoholic? Perhaps with a keen eye, you can spy a feathered friend hiding amongst the sprinkle-fest? Totally by accident. I wonder if I have another artist in the making.

Mumsy

Celebrating this day as a mother makes me appreciate my mother (and father) all that much more. It's only now, as an adult, that I can truly appreciate what they have sacrificed in order to raise me and my siblings. The things they did without. The attitudes that they had to put up with. The discipline that they had to mete out to teach us right from wrong. All of it... the good, the bad and the tough love.

Parenting is not an easy job. It is one of the toughest ones anyone can undertake. It may drive one crazy at times. But the kids, they're worth it. For the love that they bring into your life and for the love that you bring into theirs.

Thanks Mom. Thanks Dad. I love you both.

Happy Mother's Day!

Flossing is Bad for You

Last night I ate a few Fig Newtons. Darn those little cakey devils! I had a seed stuck between one of my back molars and the gum, so I decided to floss to get that little bugger out.

I grab my trusty floss and get to work. The seed pops out and I think to myself, "Great!"

You think I would just call it good and end it there. But noooo. I get the brilliant idea that since I have the floss out, I should just continue on and floss between all my teeth.

Things were going well until I started on the upper teeth. Innocently flossing I got quite a surprise as a large particle was removed. I was amazed that something that big could get stuck between my teeth. When did I last have a brontosaurus burger?

That large particle? A piece of my tooth!

I now have a V shaped piece of tooth missing all the way down to my gum. The strange part is that the missing V is in the space between the two teeth. So that you can not see that the piece is missing from either the front or back, only from underneath via imaginative use of cosmetic mirrors. (The undertaking of which is viewed as a side show by various family members. They quirk their eyebrows, shake their heads and walk away muttering under their breath something about straight jackets.)

So flossing? Not so good. Apparently it makes your teeth fall out. Who knew?!

Postage Due

Have I ever mentioned how card obsessed my in-laws are? I think that they are the reason that Hallmark is rolling in millions (if not more). They send a card for every known occasion on the planet. If there is a card for it, they have sent it. And whoa is the person who does not reciprocate in kind.

Late birthday, Christmas, hey you got your lawn mowed, etc. cards are not tolerated. They have my husband so conditioned that if he even thinks that a card will arrive late in the mail he freaks out. Then he does the outrages and pays to make sure something arrives on the appointed day by ordering flowers, etc. (Which means that we are the ones making FTD rich.)

Recently we have had two fiascos when trying to send my MIL her cards. Once for Easter and now for Mother's Day as well. Her Easter card was returned by the post office in an envelope with an apology from them. Yeah, their automatic machines ate half the card and the only thing still legible on it? Our return address of course. (This was given in person to MIL when she visited. Just so my husband could prove that it had been sent and we were not thoughtless neglectful mother-hating people.)

The Mother's Day card made it's return to us in the mail, several days after it was sent out. Why? Postage due. Apparently sending a flat card that is a teensy bit bigger than 6" x 9" costs 97 cents. Silly me thinking that two first class stamps (twice the normal size card rate) would be enough. You would think that having destroyed the previous card they would have cut me a break. Too much to hope for eh?

Now in order to prove that the Post Office once again let us down on the card delivery, said card was resent. This time in an 8.5" x 10" manilla envelope with four first class stamps on it. (That sucker better not come back.) Why not just add the postage to the front of the card and resend it? Hubby has to send the "evidence" in the original returned state. Otherwise MIL may not believe that one of her cards was once again struck down in transit by the USPS.

Oh, yeah, we had to make another contribution to the FTD coffers. No way is that card going to make it there by Sunday.