You Really Are

I was channeling my inner Martha Stewart this week and I came up with a little diddy I'd like to share.

2-Bite Apple Pie
3-4 Peeled and Diced Red Apples
Butter
Sugar
Cinnamon
Water
Athens Phyllo Cups
Vanilla Ice Cream

Mix apples, butter, sugar, cinnamon and water and microwave for 5 minutes. Sweetness is up to you. I used about 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 pats of butter. Water should just cover the bottom of the bowl. Bake phyllo cups for 4 minutes. Spoon apple mixture into cups and serve w/ vanilla ice cream. Drizzle apple syrup from bowl all over. Let your family tell you how creative and beautiful and smart and important you are. Cause you are. You really are.

L'union Fait La Force

Uggghhhh. The pictures from the earthquake in Haiti are heartwrenching. When I used to ask my Mom questions about why bad things like this happen she would tell me "God has a plan. God always has a plan. Put this question in your bucket and ask him when you get there." My time on earth has taught me this; natural disasters happen every couple of years to remind us of our fragility. Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in Indonesia, the tornados in Alabama; all of these are examples to us of how we are not in control. I believe they also simulate a spanking to humanity as if to say, "Get yourself together. Be nice to your sister or your brother. Don't make me tell you again." After all, when these things happen, we are all nicer to eachother for a little while until we get out of hand again.

In times like these, its important to reach out and help in any way you can. Donate. Pray. Whatever. Daddy and I usually donate our money through the Red Cross when these things happen. We make sure to tell Big and Lil' about it so that they know its part of their responsibility as a human who shares the planet to help their brothers and sisters in times of need and struggle. We can't donate much but we give what we can.

We pray to God that he gives those people patience and a sense of calm and peace in the midst of all the chaos. I hope that we all remember the Haitian motto: L’union fait la force (Unity is Strength).

I Just Thought You Should Know

Dear January,

I've got some things I want to get off my chest. I've tried for years to keep this to myself but I can't do it any longer. If I try, I might explode.

I think you suck as a month. You've got a bad attitude, you're cold, you're worried about what you just spent on Christmas, you start thinking about your taxes. Your days have the least amount of sunshine. I think you should try just appreciating that the rest of the months let you in to their year. Enough with the hum dee dum.

Sure, you hold some of my favorite people's birthdays in your lives but you need to get over yourself. You need to realize that we could all do without you and go from December right on into February without thinking twice about you. But we let you in. We let you hang out your 31 rotten days.

I know this all sounds a little harsh but everyone's talking about you behind your back and I just thought you should know.

He's No Good For You

There's an illicit affair going on in our garage and its not between me and my new boots. It's a real life sordid romance. A unnatural story that crosses the tracks and would make any mother shudder.

Last night, Warren (the cat) was out way past curfew. We called and called. He wouldn't answer and he wouldn't come home. A lesson from motherhood told me, "You gotta let go. He's a grown man now. Say a prayer and go to sleep."

I put the rest of the animals to bed. Scout on his homeless-man box bed and Dakota in her crate. She loves her crate and her special blankie and guards them both ferociously. It's her special place and she doesn't share it with anyone. I went to bed with Daddy assuring me Warren would be fine. He would find a warm place he said.

Early this morning while sending Big off to school, I stopped by Dakota's crate to see if she was ready to go out yet. To my surprise, I found Warren snuggled up with Dakota inside her crate. Their hair was all shuffled. Their faces said it all. They had spent the night together and they weren't apologizing for it. I almost felt awkward as I gawked at their brazenness but then I remembered, I was the mother in the situation. It was them who should apologize! Neither one of them did though. I opened the door and in true male fashion, Warren busted outta there like he was on fire.

Poor Dakota. I should've warned her about being too easy. Warren is an old cat. He's been around. She's just a young pup. So naive. Ahhh, don't worry sweet girl. Time is a good friend. Your heart will mend. Next time, maybe you'll listen to your mama when I tell you he's no good for you.

Part-Time Lovers

I can't resist you.
You're tall.
You're dark.
You're handsome.
But you're not my husband.
You're gonna get down.
You're gonna get dirty.
You're gonna be loved.
You're gonna be cherished.

Mes nouveaux amants pas si à temps partiel (because its sexier in french)...

Proud to be a Cougar!

Proud to be a Cougar this morning!

A Little of This and That

Things have been crazy busy since we last spoke. Let me get you up to date a little.

We went here for Christmas...



It looked like this...



He got this...



She got this...



I got these...



He was born...



I made this...



He grew this...



And that's a little of this and that.