The Life

Yesterday's views are from my spot at the pool:

And at the beach...pretty hard life, huh?

AND it was Molly's 7th birthday yesterday too! Happy Day, young one!

Gobble

Hello my pretties! I am currently with the kids on lovely Captiva Island, FL. As a matter of fact, here is the view from our balcony:

And that boy, in the white shirt, in the bottom center? That is Carson picking up shells...we're loving life, can you tell?

Back later with more photos and stories, I am sure!

A Family Daughter

Last week I finished A Family Daughter by Maile Meloy. Yet again, it was a library book, continuing on my drive to read more books from the library rather than just buying them.

This book was recommended to me by SGM's mom, and I think SGM gave it to her to read. If you read it, you might wonder why in the world someone would recommend a book about incest, but the story line was original, and it was a fairly easy read. Characters in the book were very well developed, and the book ended very naturally.

The more books I read about families, the more I realize that most families are not normal. I grew up loving my extended family, and thinking everyone was so cool, and normal. After college, I started noticing things about family members that when viewed as an adult were really strange. I have one aunt who is really selfish and unstable, an uncle who is all about my grandmother's money, and another who is married so someone who is just plain annoying. All of these things are clues into my own history, but are also so different than what I saw when I was a child. I suppose some day my own children will say the same things.

Maile Meloy also wrote Liars and Saints. I don't think this is a sequel, but I wonder if I should have read it first. Has anyone read Liars and Saints? What did you think?

At home with a sick kid

I'm at home with a sick Molly today. We're watching TLC.

Have any of you ever caught yourself pushing with the woman on tv who is having her baby on A Baby Story?

Getty Image

I do. That's all.

The Reveal...

The Tutweiler house built in 106 hours in Chapman, KS

Yesterday was the big reveal, so now I can tell you about the home I have been working on! As some of you thought, it wasn't my home...

I was lucky enough to be chosen as a volunteer to work on the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition house that was built this past week in Chapman, KS. It was an amazing experience. To see a house built from the ground up in 106 hours is a phenomenal thing.

Me and Ty. When I asked if he would take a photo with me he said "Of course. It's the least I could do for someone who is doing all of this work for me."

I did everything from hang wallpaper to sweep the driveway to paint chairs for Ty Pennington. The staff and crew of the show are wonderful people who really feel that they are doing a great thing for these families and communities. The logistics of a task like this are huge. Everything, I mean everything is donated. One camera man told me they build the entire house on a budget of $2000. One of the project managers has been in Chapman for 5 weeks now lining things up and making arrangements with builders, vendors, and the city. Huge.

Me and Paul (who lived in Wichita, KS for 17 years) working in "his" room

Apparently the show has 2 builds going on at the same time. One is started, and goes for 3 days, then Ty flies (in a private jet) to the other site and gets it started. He then flies back to the first site for the finish and reveal and then back. Thus, two entire crews of builders, designers, producers, cameras, staff, and volunteers to manage. I am exhausted just thinking about it. There will be 32 shows taped this year. This build in Chapman will be a 2-hour special run during sweeps week, and I think broadcast January 25th. They will submit this episode for the Emmy nomination.

Ed is a great guy. He built all of the furniture in "his" room and worked in it all day on Monday. He even found my lost camera for me.

So my weekend was filled with fun and charitable events. The Tutweilers now have a house to live in. Here's hoping they are able to make it into a home, their home, as quickly as it was built.

I am sure I will think of other things to tell you about the build, but now I have to get back to my real work!

What the Fuck Wednesday...for the Holidays

Since everyone is doing "holiday gift lists" of their own kind, I thought I would do one of my own.

However, my list will contain items that most appropriately fit into the What the Fuck category. These will be gifts that you would say what the fuck? when you received them, or you might say what the fuck? when you saw it in the store on on line, and would never gift them...

So here we go, kiddies!

Bloomingdale's has LaPrarie Cellular Cream Platinum Rare

for a mere

$1000.00

What the Fuck?

I can get Oil of Olay at Walgreens for $6.99 and i bet it does the same thing...

In other totally unrelated news...

Here's Carson (otherwise known as Massasoit in the Thanksgiving play coming up on Friday) in the costume my mom and I whipped up for him last night!

My mom pinned and cut and I sewed. Those feathers...they're from real pheasants and turkeys that were just hunted this year! How cool is that?

And yes, that's my dirty kitchen he's standing in!

Here's a hint...

That's my mom, by the way!

Building a home...

Speaking of homes, I have been away from the computer for a few days doing something really cool. I can't speak much of it as of yet, but I will be away today too. Hopefully later in the week I can tell you more about it!

House and Home

So, I read a lot this weekend and so far this week. Last night I finished House & Home by Kathleen McCleary. It was (obviously) a quick read. Since I am one for a lot of character development, quick reads don't often do it for me, but I did like this one. The story a is little on the obsessive side, but fun to read and could provide for some good discussion about what does make a house a home?

I was thinking about how much I loved, loved the last house we lived in (the first one we bought, the house where my first child game home to). Sometimes I still dream about it. I like the house we are in now, but does it really feel like home? You know, HOME? I know home is where my family is with me, snuggling on the couch, but this house is not warm, it is not cozy, we can't really use our fireplace, and I don't love my bedroom. There are lots of windows, but not much light. I often wonder if It doesn't seem like home because I keep comparing it to our first house, or because I am ready to move on to the next house/project?

The Zygote Chronicles

Yet another book on my list that I finished this past weekend. This was a good one. It reminded me a lot of Anne Lamott's Operating Instructions . Since I am not currently pregnant (nor planning on it again) I think it lost a little bit on me. Her style is journalistic, not too many words, and a quick read for someone like me who has "been there done that." I would recommend it for someone who is currently pregnant, but doesn't want to read (or re-read)all of What to Expect...

What the Fuck Wednesday

Remember THIS one?

Now look at this one.

Who thinks of this stuff? Why would a person do it?

Yet another one from my inbox!

Rahm Emanuel

Yummy...political style

Those dimples...did you know he lost his finger working at Arby's in high school?

Now that's serious.

I must say, you have aged very well, Mr. Emanuel. You are definitely more yummy with age.

(Kinda looks a little like Robert Downey, Jr. here, doesn't he?)

We Dodged a Bullet...

Check out this Huffington Post article of the many other things coming out now that our friend Ms. Palin "didn't know." And we thought the Katie Couric interview was bad!

Yesterday

Yesterday, I stayed home from work for a much needed mental health day. I walked the kids to school then took the dog for a long walk, didn't answer my cell phone, put a roast into the crock pot, and took a bath in the middle of the afternoon!




The best thing that happened was that I finished The Sixteen Pleasures by Robert Hellenga. It is a good read, a little DaVinci Code like, with much better/more character development (which is what I like in a book). For a book that I just picked off the shelf at the library because I liked it's cover, it was a success!



I also have to say that it was the second library book in a row that I have finished. I might be on to something here. I tend to be one who buys books, but I have been trying to get myself to check them out. We go to the library all of the time for the kids, and I check out audio books, but I have just recently been checking books for me to read out.



Up next (actually I am already 1/2 done) is The Zygote Chronicles by Suzanne Finnamore. Will review when finished.

What the Fuck Wednesday (on Thursday)

Are you serious? There is hair color for "your hair down there?"

If you need some, (you can even get "fun" holiday colors like 'Lucky Betty' (green) and 'Love Betty' (red)) go to Betty Beauty.

No really, have any of you ever HEARD of coloring your pubic hair? I know that SGM and Decorno have tried conditioning theirs, so maybe this is next?

Go Vote, and a few funnies too!

Well, today being an historic election day, you better get out there and vote...but better yet, here are a few gems out of the mouths of babes (MY kids) from recent conversations about voting and the campaign:

Carson (age 8): Can you tell people who you vote for?

Molly (age 6.9, her birthday is the 29th): I'm voting for McCain because that's who Maysin (her friend) is voting for.

Carson: I'm voting for Obama because I want to be different.

Mom to Carson after he went with his dad to vote this morning: Did Dad tell you who he voted for? Carson: No, but I watched him vote, and I'm not telling you.

I have done my best to be objective and informative about the process of the election, and not talk about the candidates per se with the kids. At this point i want them to understand the importance of voting and how they can make a difference. Hopefully I have done that.

Some things I have been thinking about and doing...

• I am so glad to live in middle America. It seems that we are fairly isolated (so far) from the extremes of this economy and hard times. I think that we don't tend to live beyond our means like some on the coasts do. These are still houses being built here, companies are hiring, and life seems to be pretty much normal. I do, however, feel for those who are more affected, like my brother who lives in New Jersey.

Unfortunately that's not my yard, its from JD Fielding's Flickr Photostream

• Yesterday I did the annual "winter ready" for our yard. I mowed (hopefully for the last time until spring), cut down and pulled out all of the dead annuals, filled my compost pile with leaves, and spread my home-made compost over the vegetable garden for a nice winter sleep. It feels good to have all of that done. I do still have bean pods piled high on my sidewalk.


• Carson was allowed (for the first time) to go to the "little park" by himself to meet friends for a game of football. I dropped him off (we live across a big, busy street, and I am still too afraid to let him walk up there by himself) and went back to check on him one hour later, and then again 2 hours later. They were having a great time, and he earned himself the chance to do it again! Oh, the sorrow and the joy of my kids growing up!


• Today is church and Todd is playing golf (for the last time this season...again!) Molly has risen, and thanks to turning our clocks back and the extra hour of sleep, she is not grumpy, and may actually have a good day! I am going to try to block out a few hours to work on our Holiday cards, I have a few good ideas, but want to get started on them as there might be a good amount of assembly.

I think that's it for now. Happy November, and enjoy the end of your weekend.