F is for Foolishnessly.

RBC:Trying to organize boxes and boxes and boxes of photos and memorabilia back to 2002...

2 hours ago via Twitter · 

H:  

Wow. Geez. I hadn't heard that you broke BOTH of your legs! ~ That is THE project that I say I'm going to do when I break both my legs... however, modern medicine wouldn't allow that. C had his hip replaced and was walking within days. So, it's best to do it w/o added drama and pain. I'm VERY impressed.

about an hour ago · 

RBC: Yes, I'm impressing myself. Be watching for random pics popping up on FB.

about an hour ago

RBC: 

Why are YOU up? I'm working on pictures.

H: 

That will be cool. I'm Easter Bunny-ing. I actually have everything very organized but got distracted while trying to find a podcast/audio book to listen to while filling baskets and making fun tags. S(17) didn't come home until midnight. I had to wait ... she is hard to surprise. Although I did get her on the 1st with the fake grapes in the ziplock bag at lunch. :)

about an hour ago ·

RBC 

Fake grapes...fake bagels...I'm not going to trust you the next time I go to your house.

58 minutes ago

H:  

C (an erstwhile curmudgeon) was out of town for April Fools' Day ... I had Lots of fun. You can trust me, really. :]

The cottage cheese in the milk was a good trick. They didn't "get" it until the next morning. I'm still laughing about it. They are too. Once one of them poured the lumpy milk on their cereal, checked the smell, checked the expiration date, and yelled at me, they just waited for the next kid to. No one told anyone. The timing of breakfast/after school snack was perfect. Very funny.

46 minutes ago ·

D is for Dolls -- 1880's Victorian Paper Dolls

http://www.victorianornaments.com/Dresden%20pictures/MakeOrnament%20pix/3dollsheetlargeAcrobat.pdf

Wish I could show the picture...

Click on the link, print the page, cut out, fashion clothes, assemble and marvel that you took time away from your yicky dirty dishes, grocery buying/putting away/cooking, laundry washing, kid totting, podcast listening, FB reading/writing day to make something so lovely.

I've been cleaning up the entry way. Cleaning out the house. What a huge job. Found all sorts of important things that I've stashed away on those shelves since February. Lovely new discoveries.

More loud music and Boner of the Day (x96 radio) podcasts to help make it fun and get it (all) done.

S is for Spin Fun.

The Valentine Gnomie... The white flag should've read, "I surrender!" Didn't really have time to create and be clever, if not brilliant. Wrapped him in an assortment of valentimey decor and called it "Done." Meanwhile I worked on a magnet board for the room.

The following is from an in-class party last week:

Treat #1: Rum Balls by Birthday Girl Vonda! A professional chocolatier.

Treat #2: Peanut Butter Bars brought in by the very trim "Peanut Butter" -- Don't ask about grams of fat, she said the next class.

Treat #3: Cream Filled Chocolate Mini-Cupcakes, brought in by Shauna, a chef.

The On-as: Donna, Vonda, Rona & Shauna!
It was an amazing, fun and HARD workout. I asked birthday girl Donna (who I've known for about 17 years, & whose son is a pal of S's) if she's had a good life so far... Rona was trying to kill us. Well, Rona made us earn the treats.

I've learned that when treats are offered at Spin, take one. Once I said, "No thank you." Only to go home and do a lot more dammage than one mini cup cake would have done. Thankfully, there aren't treats very often... and never before a trio of treats.

Oh dear. POSSITIVE changes to the Bay to Breakers in SF.

I just finished a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle. Thought I'd post it, against my better judgment. What will Misha, Brit and KtG think if they read this...? Well, it is the San Francisco that I grew up in, slightly west of Utah County. I try to always write honestly.

The story: A corporate sponsor is requiring that the Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco be cleaned up. No more nudity or nasty keg filled "floats" -- AMEN! I say. They asked for memories and I wrote the following. Maybe now I can ask Ashley, Noelle, Steph, Luz (tri-athelete friends) to come run it with me; I never would have before. I've wanted to for years.

My advance apologies to my gentle readers.

re: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=55&entry_id=35704

I welcome changes to the Bay to Breakers race. It will only be MORE vital, creative, safe, and wonderful, cleaned up and FUN -- without the naked men, drunks and rank floats traversing the City. And far from discouraging visitors it will encourage more health conscious people and (gasp!) families to participate, watching and running.

When my son K was about 4 we went to watch the race for a while. I had told him that Grandma had run this race a few times and there were teams from my high school (Urban) that ran every year. We walked a few blocks and stood on Fell St. to take it all in.

He remembers being on my shoulders for a while and also the back of my hands, over his eyes. He also remembers seeing a lot of men's shoes. It was fun watching the Elvises run by and the flock of flamingos and, what's that? A nuclear explosion? Oh dear. It was a 7 foot tall penis costume, erect (of course), complete with pubic hair. I didn't point that out to him. Then the naked men. Lots and lots of them. More of them. They were walking, laughing, wearing only their running shoes, and slouched socks, in the throng. They really didn't add to the "vitality" of the Bay To Breakers. I didn't point them out either, hoping he wouldn't notice.

More funny clowns on amazing stilts and a few serious runners, a few runners in wheel chairs, and then more fat, flabby, white, blanched legged, naked men. I asked the guy standing next to me, "Um, are there more naked men this year, or what?"

"Oh Yeah! And they SHOULDN'T be!!" the fellow exclaimed with attitude. The Divisidero guy and Pacific Heights gal had a lot in common. We exchanged a little more friendly and funny commentary and then I thought, perhaps it's time to go back to Grandma who was waiting in the car a few blocks away, quickly!

That is when K chimed in, slowly, "Everywhere I look I see something Strange." He had noticed.

97 years ago public crudity and excessive nudity weren't required to have a great time in San Francisco. Go to Burning Man and enjoy all the debauchery a person could wish for. Get drunk at home. A race that starts at 8:00 in the morning can be colorful and clean, vital and fun.

Thanks for listening.
H

Hi H,

Between Half Moon Bay and Pigeon Point Lighthouse, the San Mateo beaches we saw last week were San Gregorio State Beach, Pomponio State Beach, Pescadero State Beach, and Bean Hollow State Beach. The kids went digging, running and getting wet and sandy at Pomponio Beach. We saw the 'green flash' there. The Walgreen C.D. photos are from there and the Pigeon Point Lighthouse.
You can look up Green Flash on Wikipedia.

xxx, ooo, hugs,
Mom


Just right for her new Facebook pic.


Hey Kids! This is a Ph-one-boo-th! Phonebooth! Kinda like what Superman used... you know what I mean? No.

State Fair cont.

N & K having bushels of fun!

Oh wow.

Yep. Watermelon Rind Pickles.

Haven't I seen this gal somewhere before?

J looking fine, between the lines.

HOWTOONS: so so so so Cool.

http://www.howtoons.com/toon/the-infamous-marshmallow-shooter/

You can buy their book on Amazon.com

B is for Balloon man.

Went to Brick Oven a while back. Food was the same as it has been since the salad bar was first invented in the early eighties. BUT THE BALLOONS WERE COOL. The Balloon Guy made Pokemon, those Star Wars robot guys, Snow White and a penguin! I love that my children aren't snarky brats and LOVED watching him make these. It was really like slow-motion magic.

S is for SPIN.

This is where I am heading. If I can leave in a minute or two I'll ride my bike there. ..only seems fitting.
I hope to catch up on Rona/Spin posts in the next few days. These shots are from just before Mother's day. I tie dyed a bunch of towels (IKEA $.49) and put one on each bike... they were well received. (Didn't do tie dye with Taz last week.)

I love the dark room, loud music, distracting teacher, friends, sweat. It is no longer about weight loss, it is 100% for my brain. About an hour after class I am so much calmer, not really relaxed. It is just a clean feeling, even when I look sick and don't get a chance to shower until late in the afternoon. Perhaps that is the definition of an addict... showers become secondary to the drug.

P is for in a Perfect World; this is how all schools would be.

Just read on the Washington Post about the Big Draw. The slide show/interviews is/are worth watching/listening to. Check this out: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2008/03/06/GA2008030601203.html?sid=ST2008030601398

From the article:

For the 320 students toting sketch pads, charcoal pencils and erasers, North Chevy Chase Elementary School's Big Draw event meant a three-hour break from math, language arts and other classes and a chance to draw to their hearts' content.

The children got to DRAW, learn how to Observe! for 3 glorious hours. What brilliant teachers, administrators and parents. All I can say about the beautiful children is, "Lucky!"

B is for the Body -- a Sesame Street Exhibit.

I'll come back and add more information later.

Valentine Special: Rejection Lines... perfect for all your confectionery put downs.

Before embarking on the confrontation cookies (see previous post) we came up with a list of rude, but not mean, things 12 year old boys and older girls could say to someone they would like to know less. Once I reached my 20's I realized there were many scenes that I didn't have the script for. Just trying to help my kids learn the script. :)
Here are some examples that I am trying to teach SKJN&M:
Someone asks you to babysit, go on a date etc.? I'd love to but I can't.
Someone asks you a very personal, and inappropriate question? Why do you ask?
What is your phone number? 8o1-WAY-WRNG. [just give a wrong number, practice before you need it.]
::X::X::X::X::X::
The phrases needed to be short and slightly funny. Here is the list we came up with:
Scram
Plop
As if
Don't even
ha ha ha ha ha
1800 GET LOST
Get Lost
Thanks for Asking
Next Time
Not U Again
Just Try.
Ha Ha NO.
Go Away
UR A ...
Poop
Nasty
Forget It
& Who Are You?
What's that Smell?
Maybe next time?
No Thanks
No
Now Go Away
Hardly
Love to, Not
Right
Gross
Sick
In Your Dreams
My favorite: What's That?

Nice ones:
Cutie Pie
Ask Me
I hope.
Cool Cat
(heart) of Gold
Smiley Face
Cupcake.
Hey Z! Have any contributions?

A is for AB-OrigiOnals!

This just made me laugh!

S is for Something is fishy around here.

S is for SNOW!!!

http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/
Have you been to this site? It is brilliant. So much fun. Almost makes you want to tell your kids to stay in doors and play on the computer!

S & K are out sledding with some friends at Oak Canyon. J is outside in the fluffy fresh snow, with one of his many J-named friends, building a fort. M was destroying my studio, spreading glitter and glue EVERYWHERE and is now in the time out closet, for good. And N the Magnificent? He has been making snowflakes on the computer and now has turned the kitchen table into a snowflake factory!

W is for Want this swing from China.

N wants to try this kind of swings in China.
That is K on the swing on the right.

N is for Nak ed Lady in a Bath!

N and bath time fun.

I hope that no one is surfing the web and comes across my blog because they were looking for "nak ed ladies" -- ha ha, I added the space thinking that will throw them off.

Spring is marching on, around here it has been cold and rainy. I love it, my peas are loving it and the ducks love, love LOVE it. Llamas? They don't seem to care about much.

One of the highlights of spring if to ask small children if they would like to see a "Naked Lady in a Bath?" Be careful with this these days, this joke only works if you ask a child this question while standing in a garden, no where near a bath tub and be sure that no real naked ladies are involved. Any other way would be sick and wrong and eventually lead to a visit by a uniformed officer of the law. Don't do it. Outside, standing by a big bleeding heart plant is the ONLY way.

The second part of the joke is to gently pluck a flower, turn it upside down and reveal the lady in the bath!

S, K, J, and N love to make these Ladies out of bleeding heart flowers, gently folding the outer petals down to reveal the head and arms of the lady. Giggle giggle giggle.

Best to do it on a big plant so that you don't enthusiastically destroy a lovely young blooming plant.

Lovely M, a young lady in the bath.