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Happy birthday, Pearl!
Pearl is 7
Yes, Mama and Baba are reeling in disbelief. Today Pearl is seven years old! At school part of the birthday ritual is All About Me Day. So Pearl brought in a few photos of herself. I thought that I'd share them with you.
Robin,
Like everyone else, I'm sad to hear that you will no longer be blogging. I have greatly enjoyed reading your posts over the last few years.
Valerie
Closing Down the Shop
After five and a half years of blogging, I've decided to stop. Thank you for reading, responding, and just being there. I've enjoyed the process and hope you have too. If you are in the habit of following along with our family and want to stay in the loop, please add me and Marcia as friends on ...
My teacher, Ms. Shephard (which I'm not sure I'm spelling right), was considered the cool teacher. Now that I look back, I realize she might have been a bit of a hippie. Yay! She played guitar and sometimes (I don't remember how often, once a week, maybe on Fridays?) the entire kindergarten would would go to the cafeteria/auditorium for some sort of assembly, and Ms. Shephard would sit up front on a stool or chair and play her guitar for us. Her class got to sit right up front, so we were the cool ones. Yay! Everyone wanted to be in the guitar-playing teacher's class. She rocked.
I also remember that at the end of the year some older kids came to our class for a week or so and helped us write a book. We would tell our stories and they would help us write them out, then everyone got a book with copies of everyone else's stories. Mine was about a Rubiks Cube. Yes, this was the early 80s. :-) My mom still has that book stored away somewhere.
Oh! And we had a circus at the end of the year. I think I was seal. I can't remember exactly, except I remember wearing my bathing suit and that I wanted to be a trapeze artist.
Question of the Day: Kindergarten
Since Pearl starts kindergarten next week, we've been thinking a lot about our early school experiences. What do you remember about kindergarten?
Most of my reading has been for my classes, and I'm sure you aren't interested in that! The two books I read for fun this summer were "Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson, and Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five." Both were very good.
Question of the Day: Your Summer Reading
Have you read any good books this summer?
Congratulations on your anniversary! Here's to dozens more years together! :-)
Blogging for LGBT Families on our 12th Anniversary
Mombian sponsors the Blogging for LGBT Families blog carnival each year to orchestrate our hundreds of voices in praise of LGBT families around the world. Feel free to join in. This year Monday, June 1st, is Blogging for LGBT Families Day 2009. It is also Marcia and my 12th anniversary. L...
Congrats on the kindergarten acceptance! And the monkey bars! :-)
Pearl is Rockin
After taking April off, I'm behind in updates on the children, so I thought I'd do a post on Pearl today, and one about Carrie, tomorrow. Pearl was accepted into our first choice kindergarten, and we are excited about that. Admission included two tests and a lottery. She is excited because th...
Congratulations on both counts! Here's to five more!
Happy Birthday, Little Blog
The Other Mother has hit another milestone. It's been 5 years, folks. I started the blog a week before Pearl was born, and she'll be 5 next week. Here's a link to the first posts from way back in 2004. Other good blog news: The Other Mother made the “Top 100 Healthy Mom Blogs” this year, as ...
I'm a toenail girl -- they are almost always painted -- so I guess that's why I noticed them and didn't even think twice about the necklaces! Tres chic! ;-)
These Grrrls Are Growing Up
My favorite thing about these photos is the girls' red toenails! :-)
These Grrrls Are Growing Up
It said I'm a "Self-Knowing Tree Hugging Reinventer." Hmmm...
Who Are You?
Take this quiz to find out. And don't forget to share your answer. I took the 43 Things Personality Quiz and found out I'm a Romantic Extroverted Builder
I like coloring too! I haven't done it in a while, but I do have a coloring book or two and some colors. I find it to be very relaxing when I'm stressed out. :-)
7 Things You Really Don't Need to Know about Me
I was tagged by Christine Martell and feel obligated to reveal to you today seven things you really don't need to know about me. Where shall we begin? I have absurdly narrow feet. For me, buying shoes has never been a bit of fun. I have balance issues. I can't ice skate or roller blade. ...
Normally, negotiating the family visits is the most stressful part. It is still stressful, but this year it might be trumped by worrying about the expense of presents.
Question of the Day: Stress!
Here's a question to nudge you right where it hurts! What do you find most stressful this time of year? This question is borrowed (with slight alterations) from Manic Monday.
That's a great list.
I'm curious, though, about the "string in my pants." Does that mean drawstring to hold them up? When I first read it, I envisioned strings coming out of a pair of pants at the seams.
The Thankfulness Grid
Wow! What a week -- losing a tooth and no training wheels!
Congrats!
Look, Moms!
[time = 26 seconds]
Thank you for posting this video.
The mayor's courage, sincerity and willingness to change his mind and explain why are commendable, and his statement has moved me to tears.
Change of Heart for San Diego Mayor
Thanks, Lori Hahn, for posting this video of Mayor Jerry Sanders explaining his decision to support gay marriage. Below is a letter Marcia wrote to the San Diego mayor applauding his decision. Dear Mayor Sanders, I just saw a video of you and your wife on YouTube in which you announced tha...
Big Bend is one of my favorite places. It is medicine for the soul.
For Tracey: http://www.nps.gov/bibe/
Greetings from Big Bend
On the Friday when Ike was coming, my brother and sister-in-law were coming up to stay with us for the storm -- they live on the coast in a mandatory evacuation zone. The morning they were supposed to come, my brother told me he changed his mind and they were staying home. I was so upset and worried that I couldn't stop the tears.
They ended up coming, after much pressure from me, my mom and my sister-in-law's tears.
Question of the Day: Tears
What's the last thing that made you cry?
I'm not sure who counts as most famous: Bette Midler, Geena Davis or Woody Harrelson. I've met all of them and actually had conversations with Bette and Woody. Bette is much more serious than you'd expect, Woody is a big flirt, and Geena had a cap on that said "Girls Kick Ass." She's also very tall.
I'm not sure who I'd like to meet. I'd love to have Jodie Foster over for dinner, so we'll go with that.
Question of the Day: Ever/Never
This week's question is another double-header. 1) Who's the most famous person you ever met? 2) Who's the most famous person you never met (but wish you had)?
My dad picked my first name from an Elton John/Bernie Taupin song that most people have heard of. It's called "First Episode at Heinton" and my dad loved the name. My middle name is my dad's middle name. It's a name that has both masculine and feminine versions that sound the name, but I have the male spelling of it. When I was a kid I hated it, but as I got to be a teenager and grown-up, I didn't mind at all because my dad is a pretty cool guy! :-)
Question of the Day: Names
This question is a double-header. Are you named after anyone AND (if applicable) are your children named after someone?
"I'm willing to look beyond China's faults with human rights (like the USA doesn't have its own troubles, right?) because these games will showcase what's beautiful in China, and they are about more than one country -- they are really about individual achievement and patriotism and camaraderie, and I love that."
Actually, as I watched the Opening Ceremonies last night, those feelings were the ones that took over. As the commentators speculated about the reception some of the countries would get, I found myself saying, "No one should boo them -- this is the Olympics! It's about the athletes!"
The thing that bothered me most had nothing to do with China, actually. I was quite annoyed by the announcers' subtle (and not so subtle) criticism of the costumes/outfits of various countries. I thought that was pretty tacky.
TV Dreams Beijing into Life
Dana's questions about the Olympics on Mombian really got me thinking. Actually I’ve been thinking about the Olympics a lot this week. It’s a big water cooler topic at my office. It turns out that several of my colleagues are veritable Olympic junkies. Who knew? NPR has run some great stori...
I love the Olympics. They make me all sappy and mushy and proud. I cry at the stories about hardship, when usually I think that type of stuff is cheesy. I cry during the medal ceremonies. I cry when they show some athlete's mom watching from home half way across the world.
I'm not bawling, mind you, but the tears do manage to find their way down my cheeks.
This year, though, I'm a tiny bit less excited. I keep reading about and hearing stories about all the problems in China, ones I knew about and ones I didn't, and it's putting a damper on my anticipation.
Am I the only one who feels this way?
Not that it will keep me from watching. I even like the opening ceremony cheesiness, and I have avoided watching the leaked video online so as not to ruin it. I can't wait to watch them tonight.
Of course, the China issue won't bother your daughters one bit, which is good. I hope they enjoy watching the competitions and maybe find some inspiration!
TV Dreams Beijing into Life
Dana's questions about the Olympics on Mombian really got me thinking. Actually I’ve been thinking about the Olympics a lot this week. It’s a big water cooler topic at my office. It turns out that several of my colleagues are veritable Olympic junkies. Who knew? NPR has run some great stori...
Sweet story!
Bookmaking for Preschoolers
Storytelling is one of those primal experiences, and I think that by trying out both the telling and listening roles, children get an early introduction to literature that is powerful and memorable. I mentioned Pearl's adventures in bookmaking last month, and my friend Doodaddy kindly asked...
Have fun!
Viva Vacation
With luck and a little fortitude, my next post will come to you live (moblogging!) from Santa Monica. [photo by bluesky7777 via flickr]
Actually, not sure if that would even count as a nonfiction novel, but still so far so good. (forgive me--we got in from our roadtrip at 3 am and I'm still a bit "road lagged"!)
Question of the Day: Summer Reading Rex?
It's that time of year again. We're gearing up for summer vacation. I wonder if you have some book suggestions for us. I'll give you a few topics on each of our minds. Pearl and Carrie's recent favorites are listed in the right-hand column. Carrie: animals, sisters and brothers, books like...
Maybe for Marcia: I'm not sure if it would count as literary, but I love the "nonfiction novel" genre and have just started reading "Sin in the Second City" by Karen Abbot. So far, so good.
Question of the Day: Summer Reading Rex?
It's that time of year again. We're gearing up for summer vacation. I wonder if you have some book suggestions for us. I'll give you a few topics on each of our minds. Pearl and Carrie's recent favorites are listed in the right-hand column. Carrie: animals, sisters and brothers, books like...
More...
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