Drivin' Home

I dropped Sesame off at Yia Yia's house (my mom, aka grandma to Sesame) about a half hour/hour ago to get some work done at home. It's taking the entire time to dump some video so I can start working on the editing part. Wish I would've thought to do that earlier this morning! Anyway...

As I drove home I noticed negative thoughts brewing in my brain. Nothing too hideous, just negative thoughts. Something like:" Oh we have so much to do....Why can't we just stay home...Why would we commit to so much at once...I'm so tired...The laundry will never all be done...The dog smells like tuna..." You get the point. Then I was struck with the realization that I was Queen of Sourville. "Why!? What is going on with me today!?" I thought. (And yes...I thought out loud.)

The realization number 5, 239 happened. I hadn't opened my Bible. I hadn't read a single verse. I tried to think of a verse I had memorized to ponder on and immediately had a negative reazction: "I've only ever memorized two or three verse...what's the point in repeating them to myself." Then the Lord felt it was time to hit me over the head with a broomstick. A flood of verses popped into my head that I didn't even know I knew. I might not have known where to find them in the Word, but I KNEW they were in there.

It was just a reminder for me - a reminder of the power of the Lord and our cries to Him. He is amazing and when we truly realize we need His Word, even if it's not within arms reach, or we don't think we have the time, He will provide you with pieces of the Bible. He will bless you with His Spirit and cover you in His grace. All you have to do is ask. Or, in my case, say Lord I don't know any verses. :)

Morning Baby...

I'm at the computer (the room next to Sesame's) editing some photos and checking up on some email. From the room next to me I hear:

Happy-screamy sounds.

High-pitched shrieks of joy.

Tiny hands slapping on thick wooden rails.

Too-long nails scratching at Dr. Seuss characters on a bed sheet.

Plump feet scrambling to crawl around.

Coos and oohs and aahs.

Blankets fluffing around and crunmpling together.

And "hi."

:)

I Learned Something Today...

It's not impossible to teach yourself how to imbed video into a blog! :)

From My Videos

P. S. I'll try and learn how to load better quality video!

July 22, 2009

July twenty second

two thousand and nine

Momma and Nellie

were feelin' so fine

Nellie played with her toys

and rode in the swing

The rolled on the floor

a bell she did ring.

What's this that did happen

on such a fine day?

Did little Nellianne

run out of things to play?

She lifted her bottom

and tried to push forward

But it was no use

she was just still ignored

Perhaps some tissue paper

will provide her fun

as it crinkles and crunches

under her thumbs

Or maybe the paper

is more of a blast

when it's spread open wide

and in your face is smashed

Or perhaps a small piece

torn and placed 'tween the lips

will recall hints of carrots

or sweet potato dip

Then there's the moment

when one does get caught

and surrenders the paper

to be lost and forgot

But no fear little Nellie

there's plenty to do

Momma has toys

like a lamb and a shoe

Then again you could always

roll around on the ground

pick up a book

and in a blanket be bound

Now it is time

for Sesame to sleep

to drift and dream

far off in the deep

Because She's Just That Cute...

And Then the Email Came...

So I promised a lovely story retelling the creation of my tote bag. I attended a class at a fabric store that I will not name Joann's with my two best friends. We had a blast. HOWEVER our instructor left something to be desired. :) I was going to retell the story on my own, but Jenn so kindly sent us and email today with the instructions from our class...complete with notations straight from Jenn. So I will allow her to tell the story:

Special instructions appear in italics…)

Supplies & Tools:

· 45” Home Décor fabric

o 2/3 yd for bag

o 1/3 yd for handles

· Matching thread

· Basic sewing supplies (RULER. RULER. RULER.) [note from Emily: The instructor pulled out a large "sewing ruler" and kept banging it on the table sternly saying "This. Is. A. Ruler." We couldn't hold ourselves together. We actually laughed out loud. Jenn so suavely responded with, "Yes I see that. Do you mean to say that we do not have sewing rulers???"]

· Optional: 12” x 8.5” cardboard for bottom

Directions:

1. Cut fabric as follows—two pieces 16” x 12.5” for front and back; one piece 9” x 43.5” for sides and bottom; two pieces 5” x 44” for straps. (If you really enjoy sewing, you might as well cut the front and back pieces out in such a way that you can no longer cut the sides/bottom and straps out in continuous pieces—after all, what is more fun than piecing together your fabrics to end up with a Frankenstein-esque bag?)

2. Fold straps in half lengthwise and press. Open and fold edges in to middle. Refold and press. Place inside edge of strap 3” in from each edge of front. Top stitch both sides of strap to approximately 5” from the top. Repeat with back piece. (Alternate Version: Skip step 2 and first complete step 3. Then seam-rip out all the sewing in step 3, and do step 2. Then go to step 3 again.)

3. Using ¼” seam, stitch front to side/bottom, clipping and pivoting at corners. Repeat with back piece. Press seams toward sides. If desired, seams can be finished with surging, zigzag, or Fray Check.

4. Fold down 1 ½” on top and then under ¼”, press. (Funny, Em, how that is EXACTLY what you were saying to do! So Alternate Version: Do a lot of needless sewing and pinning.) Then edge stitch in place, keeping handles free.

5. Continue top stitching straps to bag and along strap edges, reinforcing with x-stitch at top edge of bag. (Or not—who needs reinforcement? Especially no need to teach this concept/technique to new sewers…)

6. Optional: Cover cardboard with fabric and place in bottom of bag.

"This is a ruler..."

Blog post ideas that have popped into my head since last posting:

1. A "Dear Bad Drivers" letter. I determined that this post would also include a section dedicated solely to people who believe it's safe to leave their car running while pumping gas,smoking and - wait for it - PLAY WITH THEIR LIGHTER. Also included in this post, a section on why I will NEVER follow behind a mini-van.

2. A super, sappy post in which you can almost feel my tears soaking through the screen. Topic: Sesame's 6 month "birthday."

3. A lengthy post entitled "The Mountain Range of Laundralia" in which I detail the extent to which I allowed our laundry to spiral out of control. Homer tripped and crashed leaped like a sly minx through our main floor ALL WEEK. Visuals included.

4. Why I shouldn't have cell phone. (P.S. For some reason my cell phone survived it's baptismal in the kitchen sink. Phone of steel I tell you.)

5. A post about husband's addiction: Viva Pinata. That's right. He plays a child's video game every night before bed. No, really. You create your own garden and tempt tiny, little, animal-like pinatas to come live in your garden, so you can breed them, and sell them, and get chocolate coins to buy more pinata to breed, and sell, and create your little, large candy-eating, gem-mining, pinata family. See what I mean. A-DDICT-ING.

6. A post about how I fall asleep on the couch watch my husband play every evening.

7. A post with words entirely in strikeout. Because I just learned how to do it. :)

8. A post about our weed garden. Honestly. We have weeds taller than trees. Even when we were trying to care for our hedges and shrubbery, it looked like the invasion of dandelion monsters after a week. Why is it that our weeds grow at an alarming, in human rate?!

9. An homage to photoshop. Yes, I finally downloaded a trial version and yes, I'm in love.

10. Last, but not least, a post which I fear I will have to write. A post that ties to the title. The story of the tote bag. :) But that, my friends, will have to wait because it is currently 10:19 pm which is, give or take, 19 minutes after my bed time. :)

Guess who discovered her tongue Saturday?!?

Blanket Baby.

Tiny Toes.

Hand. Yum.

Laundry Lady.

Somber Snuggler.

New Photos That I LOVE!!!

I'm thinkin' maybe I should edit my family photos more. I'm always glad I did when I do! :)

Notice several links????

You did. That's because I am entered to win a cool bike for each of these buttons/advertisments I put on my blog!

And...

I would REALLY LIKE TO WIN! :)

WARNING: Rambling Post to Follow

DO NOT READ IF: You like Michael Jackson and have been glued to the television for the past week or so. You will likely be angered by this post.

Dear News Persons,

Yes, Good Morning America(GMA), Early Show, Today Show, Local news stations, msnbc.com AND EVEN CNN - I'm talking to you.

I am a homemaker. I say that proudly. I LOVE my job. In fact, it's the only job I have ever always wanted. In the morning I lazily wake, switch on the pot of coffee and meander upstairs to pluck my smiling babe from her bed. We coo and laugh and then head downstairs so I can feed her. Generally, of a morning, a flip the television on to GMA to catch the news. See what's happened in the world overnight.

But not lately.

Why? Because Michael Jackson is splashed about the screen on every station. If he's not on one station it's his attorney, his mother, his children or an old photo of Cindy Lou, his most adoring fan from Louisiana at her first concert in 1981. Seriously people. This. Is. Ridiculous.

I tried to find information about our nation pulling our of Iraq. Remember that whole war thing??? That's right there was a deadline for our residence in the country - June 30th. I had to SIFT through articles online because NO ONE WAS COVERING IT!!! Oh, and I don't know if you heard, but our government is attempting a massive overhaul in the area of health insurance. Anyone heard anything on that??? No, Michael Jackson's drug use does not count. Not to mention HONDURAS' GOVERNMENT WAS OVERTHROWN YESTERDAY. AN ENTIRE COUNTRY is dissolving before our eyes and our eyes are glued to an ENTERTAINER'S funeral.

Yes, he was a good musician. A good man, I think that's questionable. I heard it said that his funeral was viewed more than any other event in history. Sick. That's just sick. What is this world coming to when Pop Stars are given more glory and fame than people who are truly making a difference in the lives of others. Can we say idol much?

And that's what's really agitating me. The first commandment is "have no other gods before me." That's what this is. This is the biggest indicator of where our priorities lie as a country, of where people stand as individuals spiritually in this country. I am overwhelmed with sadness more than anything. Sadness for these lost souls who are so entangled in what this world has to offer that they have been following a Pop Star. The Lord offers so much more.

He is infinitely good and loving and selfless and worthy and patient and kind and great and mighty. And there is NO QUESTION about it.

I don't expect the news stations to start covering Jesus Christ. That would be ostentatious, but I do expect them to cover the news. Is that too much to ask???

My Phone.

Let me start this off by saying I am not, repeat not, a cell phone person. If it were up to me mine would have been run over "accidently" by a large Cadillac Escalade, trampled on by a dancing doldrum of hobbit feet and then promptly tossed into the Hudson River, never to be heard from again. However, I understand the times. I understand that I would shunned by the Middle School kids at church if I were cell phone-less. I even "get" that it would be good to have one if I were stranded on the side of the road with car trouble and a baby...since we leave Greenwood so very often. [note the sarcasm.] So. I carry one, when it's not lost. And have done my very best to keep mine safe, clean and in good condition. Then today happened.

It was as normal as any Wednesday could be. I was cooking dinner with little Sesame hugging my right hip, shrieking away like a joyful little banshee. The zucchini and squash sizzled away in the cast iron skillet. Homer was even lounging about on the kitchen floor. Life was good. Then I remembered my cell phone was still on the coffee table in Sesame's obscenely large sun hat. (I left both the phone and hat at Krista's yesterday.) "Oh," I thought," I should keep that near me." I snatched up the cell phone and placed it on a small pile of paper towel.

I don't know if I can properly re-tell the events that unfolded. All I know is Mary Poppins' 'Supercalifragilistic' started blaring from my phone speaker. I was so shocked I turned around, much too fast. Just as I went for the phone, a fountain of white, chunky froth emitted from Sesame's mouth. Instinctually, I jerked my arm out of the line of fire, thus covering the rug with spew and sending the phone spiraling toward the kitchen sink.

I don't normally have good aim. But today, of all days, I was a sharp shooter. That's right, just call me sharp shooter Em, because; my phone managed to dodge the largely dry sink and plunk into the small cereal bowl - FULL OF SOAPY WATER.

Oh and then the house phone rang. And then the baby started crying. And THEN that zucchini and squash on the stove, yeah, it started burning. AND MY FLOOR WAS COVERED IN PUKE!!! At least Homer managed to stay dry.

Needless to say my phone is now drying out. But...I might not be so sad if it never turns on again. :)