I had a bunch of posts planned for this month, but life has just gotten a little too complicated to keep up with the fun (read non-stressful) things. To give you an idea of the things that have been happening around here:

My oven decided it didn’t want to light anymore. Stovetop, fine, broiler, good to go, but bake anything, NO WAY!

My washing machine decided (at 13 months of ownership) that it didn’t like where it was, and started vibrating/walking all over the place.

My computer, with all my pictures on it, wouldn’t turn on. It was just the power supply, but I went out and got an external hard drive and backed up all my favorite photos and uploaded them to an online site as soon as I got it back.

My dog, while fooling around in the backyard by himself, managed to stab himself in the chest with a 6 foot long tree limb. $500 and a few sleepless nights later, and he’s fine.

My mother, who’s been doctoring for heart trouble for a few years now, was told by her doctor that she needs to do open heart surgery within the next 2 months. I’m trying to talk her into getting a tattoo when it’s all over.

My mother-in-law, who had been sick since Thanksgiving time, was finally diagnosed with cancer in February. It had spread from her colon, to her liver, and into fluid around her lungs. The weekend before she was to start chemo, she passed away. Her memorial service is tomorrow.

So that’s why I’ve been unable to keep up with the blogging and writing lately, in spite of it being one of my resolutions for the year. Here’s hoping we have some wonderful, positive things coming our way soon.

There are times when my kids do something that is so very different from myself and my husband that I wonder where the impulse originates. Take for example, peas. I really don’t like them, and neither does Jonathan. We both can relate stories of swallowing them whole just to get them down as kids. However, Simon loves them. He’ll ask for them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s gotten to the point where we’ll keep a bag of frozen peas (and some green beans, too) on hand for whenever Simon’s got a hankering for green drops. (As they are called in Charlie and Lola.) In fact he asked for them today. Twice.

He loves peas and will gobble them up just like that. How did we find out he liked peas? He asked for them at a restaurant once. And after reading this. Now they’re a staple.

Now, since both Jonathan and I don’t like them, and neither do our mothers, where do you think he got a hankering for them from? I’m betting on his great grandmother K, who, although she made a salad for just about every dinner, never really liked vegetables. Except for peas. She loved peas.

This is what I’ve been listening to the past few days. I hope you enjoy it.

I just wanted to recommend some picture book favorites. I went into my son’s school and read these to his class today, and they all seemed to enjoy them.

The first is one my son requested, and is a fun look at the common complaint “I’m bored!”

This is the second book I read, and it has some fun wordplay on color and cool text design. We’ve had this book for years, and I still love reading it to the kids.The last is one we’ve had for a couple years, and is a fun way of finding different ways of describing the same person. If I get a chance to, I’ll be using it to work on a book with my son’s class. I hope we can manage to do that, because I know I’ll have fun doing it.

Enjoy the stories!

I just wanted to share some good news. There’s a sale on all T-coded stamps (their item number starts with a “t”) at the angel company. Details are below. Let me know if you have any questions.

http://www.theangelcompany.net/Promos_Flyers.html

If I could buy a Phineas and Ferb soundtrack, I would.

This makes me think of Mom. Love you 🙂