Fit to be Tied

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW REBERT FAMILY!

Best Man- Jerry, Emily, Scott, Little Paden, Jennifer, and Me.

July 29, 2006

The union of Scott, Jennifer, Emily and Paden.

I wish you all the best!! It was a lovely wedding, and I'll post more pictures later after I meet some deadlines!

Out of the blue...

Samantha is wrapping herself up in blanket when suddenly the following conversation occurs:

Sam: Mommy! Where'd you get me?
Me: What do you mean where'd I get you?
Sam: Yeah, where'd you get me? At the store?
Me: (smiling) Yes, I got you at the baby store! I saw your cute little face and pretty blue eyes and said, "I want that one!"

about 15 minutes later:

Sam: Where is the baby store, Mommy?
Me: In my tummy!
Sam: Really?
Me: Yep! (then I changed up the story a little bit) I went to the store and saw the packets of baby seeds! I picked the one with your face on it, ate the seed, and you grew in my tummy!
Sam: Wow!
Me: Then when you were big enough, you came out!
Sam: (Looking at her belly, and then puffing it out) My tummy is bigger!
Me: Uh-oh! You don't have a baby in there, do you?
Sam: No, just food!

about 20 minutes later during a scene from the movie "Forget Paris" where they show babies in a nursery at the hospital....

Sam: MOMMY!!! LOOK!!! THE BABY STORE HAS A COMMERCIAL ON THE TV!

She is so cute sometimes!

Shame on you, Mr. Bento!!!

Remember when Satrina posted about bento and how cute some people have been making them??? (Click on "Blahg" in my friend's blog links to the side here ----> ) Well, I bookmarked Cooking Cute so I can occasionally look in on more cute creations...

Well....WTF is this?????? http://mmmbento.livejournal.com/27548.html
NOT CUTE!!!!! NOT CUTE AT ALL!!!
What's with the second picture where we see the cute little chickie egg floating upside down in the noodles????? I'm completely traumatized now!!!!! I don't think I can look at another bento again!!! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

MY FRIENDS RULE!

Within 48 hours.... Satrina, Maryanne, and Sillyduckie have all given me hugs and perspective and smiles. You are the best! I mean it! Thanks for the encouragement and gentle words. I feel a shift in the universe coming about!

Maryanne...thanks also for explaining a bit more about the cosmos! I wanted to come over to the show either Saturday or Sunday...but somehow things just weren't going right. How was it? I missed you!

Duckie... thanks for listening in chat! That was really helpful to me, and I know I can always trust you!

**Hugs*** and have a nice Sunday evening and a good week!

Day of Change: July 22, 2006

Can I share something with you... the friends I love? You know me...but you probably don't know the secret pain I carry around each day.

There is a light within me that only I could see. It would brightly burn just for me. I could feel it's warmth inside of me. When I felt lost, I would close my eyes, and I could see it... not just a flicker, but a bright glowing flame. I would write in my journal...talking things out with myself within the light of that flame...and I would feel as though I resolved my troubles.

I've been held back for years by many dark thoughts and ideas. They crowd me and squeeze my soul. They whisper terrible words into my ears, and cause me to retreat within myself... luckily though I would find that light and turn back around and march forward.

So many situations in my past...either beyond my control, or created by my own ignorance or poor judgment, brought me to this light, and so many times I managed to weather the storms. I always continued... a little battered... a little jaded...a little wiser sometimes...but safely and renewed.

But I took it for granted. Somewhere along the line, I lost my way. I forgot how to find it. I let myself be influenced by the darkness, and let myself remain lost. I didn't realize that by doing this...not only did that light get neglected, but I have damaged my body without realizing it... letting the bad influences win me over. There have been a few times recently when I have realized something...I punish myself without knowing it.

(This is so hard... but I feel like I need to talk this out beyond myself...to other eyes and ears...or else I may just let myself slip away.)

This is about a few things... about my troubled mind...about my troubled body. I'll keep it short...Promise!

Instead of finding the light within me when I'm stressed or troubled...I have been finding the light of my refrigerator. I mistook its glow for the glow within myself. I thought it would get me through... but I was wrong. I'm sure you all notice it, but I really never did until recently. Since working full time last August, I have gained 40 pounds. It's not like I was in great shape to begin with so that it doesn't make that much difference...It was adding insult to injury. It's my own failure to properly cope with things I found difficult.

I make happy posts here on this blog... not too many complaints or sob stories (I hope!) I try to blog to celebrate the joy I discover around me. Last night was the last straw for me though.

I cried myself home from a night of partying. A night that was supposed to be fun was really a night of terrible pain for me. I hate being in my own body. I would always look in the mirror and see myself...it is an image that never changed...an image like the one in the upper right-hand corner of the picture above...taken only a couple of years ago..a happier version of myself... a more normal sized version of me...but I realized I was blind. I realized finally what I have really become. I have become a doll. A morbid outer shell that really does not depict who I used to see looking back at me in the mirror. I had no idea how serious this was... how miserably unlike myself I've become. Now I no longer see who I used to... I see a disgusting character...a manifestation of my pain.

I tried to find that light... but there is so much fat on the outside of me that I can't reach the light inside. I'm afraid it's gone. I hate this!

I decided though...I'm tired of crying about it. I'm tired of just sitting around with regret and despair. I'm going in deep to find it again and rekindle it. I'm going to free myself of this outer monstrosity that traps me. I want to be me again.

Thanks for listening. I love you guys! Somehow just putting this out there makes me feel like the tomorrow I want isn't just a figment of my imagination...but something I can wrap my arms around this time... no more false beginnings...just true, well-intentioned steps.

I figure that if you know about it... I'm more likely not to fail. Thanks!

Spoke too Soon!

Is friggin' Mercury out of retrograde yet????
(I'll blame it on that for now! Don't want to say it's just my karma)

So Friday I thought would be normal, right.... ha! The cable internet service was out all day into this afternoon (Saturday)...meaning no phone, no internet... nada! Meaning I also couldn't e-mail work in on Friday. As a result of not getting in one job, the firm owner has me "grounded" on Monday. So I get Monday off for bad behavior.

Later Friday evening we had a bachelorette dinner for Jennifer, who is getting married next week. Well, guess what...forgot my stinking camera at home! Then something else extremely humiliating happened to me later that I will not speak of. We had fun, but on the way home, I just wanted to cry and cry.

Then on Route 116.....on my way home at 1:00 a.m. ... (Don't worry, I don't drink alcohol..don't like the taste) I knew I would be passing the site where our cousin Brandy was killed. There is a cross on the side of the road for her. I couldn't stop thinking about what she might be like today and if she would have enjoyed making beads with me. I remember her visiting her aunt across the street from us...she'd always wave. Such a cute girl. She's been gone about three years now almost... I think she would be turning 18 this year. Not sure. Anyway...I passed by her cross very slowly and whispered some words to her.

I hope next week is less freaky.

Happy Saturday, everyone!

My Week in the Twilight Zone...

I am sitting here remembering Maryanne saying something about Mercury in retrograde...and I know that means something freaky...but I'll never proclaim myself to be an astrology expert. In retrospect...my week has been freaky! I know the week isn't over yet... but I plan to stay inside tomorrow!

Crazy Event #1:

Keith came in and announced there was a problem outside for me to take care of...

BAT IN THE POOL!!! ALIVE!

I fished him out with the skimmer and noticed...not only was a bat in our pool...he had a beatle stuck on his eye!




So I used a pen to get the bug off...

and here is batty!




I dumped him off outside our back gate and he kind of "walked" himself away under Keith's trailer. I hope he made it home okay later because it has been impossibly hot this week!

Crazy Event #2:

While visiting my friend Maryanne (her link is Torchsong Studio on my sidebar) in Manheim, a wicked storm came through!

Here is her cute workshop where she makes soaps, beads, jewelry, and manages her business. At Christmastime, it's an enchanted gift shop!




Inside, she let me play on her torch! Man, I haven't made beads in a year! It was so nice to melt some glass. Here is a view out of her window, and a couple pics of Maryanne making a bead:








We stepped outside to view her gourd nursery... little baby gourds climbing a hand-crafted wooden cupola.
This is a "snake" gourd...although Maryanne's sister referred to it a little differently! ha ha ha Of course I was intrigued when I saw it:



Her dog Rudy is gorgeous and ever so sweet!!! Love him!





So what was crazy about this visit? We lost power while I was starting a bead...so a wonky plain white bead went into the kiln...which was off of course because of the power, but oh, well! She invited me in the house to wait the storm out. Suddenly there was a terrible BOOM! CRACK! Lightning struck close to the property -- splitting a tree a few houses down! We about came out of our skins, it was so loud! (She lost some electrical items due to this, which she found out about the next day!) On the way home, a portion of the route was blocked, and I got completely lost! Luckily I made it home after two hours of driving around!

Crazy Event #3:
At the beginning of my visit with Maryanne, the owner of the firm I report for called and asked if I could take a job in Media, PA...about two hours from my house. I agreed, and he was pretty clear that it started at 2:30 p.m. Well, my worksheet came through the e-mail saying 7:00 a.m. start time. I couldn't get a hold of someone to confirm it because her cell phone died that night too!!! So, not wanting to take a chance that 7:00 was right...though highly unlikely, I left the house at 4:30 a.m. to be in Media by 6:30. Well...not only was it really 2:30...but it later got moved back to 3:30! That's okay...I hung around town...but it was way too hot to go to a park or something...so I just loitered at Borders and Michael's and the mall...ho hum...

On the way home...I passed a couple signs for Spread Eagle Village! Another kinky Pennsylvania attraction!



Crazy Event #4:

Came home to see this:



When Thumpers Attack!!! (Going to submit to Stuff on My Cat!)

Maybe Friday will be a little more subdued. He he he

Can't Choose a Title...

First I thought... "Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of Chicken!".... Nah!
"A Sticky Chickie"... Nah!
"Tooth Fairy Booty".... Nah!

So here is simply David's gift from the Tooth Fairy...




So why was he a sticky chickie? Well, since he resembles a ball...David was tossing him around like a ball, and he landed on Samantha's waffles... hence, a sticky chickie.

David was very excited in the morning when he woke up and found Chickie Ball under his pillow.

BREAKING NEWS! TOOTH WATCH 2006!

How ironic is this!!???!!! I was writing the previous post today about how stubborn David's second tooth was being...then he came and announced that it came out!!! Woohoo!!!

Here is a picture taken by my beloved friend, Yoko. David is flashing his cute little toofers...his very first! This is one of my all-time favorite pictures of him. Now...those two first little toofers are gone. *sniff* *sniff* My baby is growing up so fast!
(If you think that sounds pathetic...wait until his first day of school next month!)



And here he is today... he wasn't sad...just kind of looks that way. He was actually kind of excited that it finally came out.




And a little video about it all!


Is it just me, or is the audio totally off of the video in this take?? Godzilla Theater!


David wrote a letter to the Tooth Fairy. The bear is what the TF brought him last time! Notice his "POTS" sign... that's supposed to be "STOP". That cracks me up all the time!




I guess nobody guessed the right date! Sorry! Thanks for playing along though!

Hydrangea!

Well, I shouldn't take credit for this because I didn't do anything... Nah... I'll take credit for it anyway! Ha! (Only because I picked them out two seasons ago!)

My hydrangea! One of three plants has blooms this year...better than last year where there were none! :(

I'm in love...even though it is just a modest little bloom. I know hydrangea color is determined by the soil's acidity or alkalinity... but how is it that you can get purple/blue AND pink all on the same bush? Tracey, help! You are the Garden Goddess!!!

Anyway...here are my little beauties!

Washington, D.C. Day Trip

On Monday the 10th, we spent the day in D.C.

My mom's plane was leaving early on Tuesday morning, and she had been wanting to visit Arlington National Cemetery. We decided to combine the day with a trip to the Smithsonian National Zoo to visit the panda baby Tai Shan who had just celebrated his first birthday on Sunday the 9th! For more about the zoo and the pandas, go to http://nationalzoo.si.edu.

Here are some photos from the zoo:


Little Tai Shan -- Well, not so little now that he's a year old! He was a little shy, so this is one of the best shots I could get of him. He flashed his butt once though! I just love pandas!


Mama panda Mei Xiang sits and enjoys some bamboo. I just think she is so beautiful!


Here are my little animals posing in front of Tai Shan's poster.


What a goof!

They also had a small mammal house where we discovered golden lion tamarins! Tamarins are small primates that resemble little lions in their coloring. Here is a little video of a black/gold variety of these interesting little creatures. The kids really enjoyed them!




After the zoo we headed down the road to Arlington Cemetery. You may remember the story of my mom's high school sweetheart. John Chubb and my mother met at Perry Junior High. They were engaged in high school to be married. Unfortunately the Vietnam war called him away, and his helicopter went down. He was listed as MIA until just recently when DNA confirmed the recovery of his remains, along with the remains of his fellow crew members. Most of what was identified returned home to Gardena, and a very nice memorial commenced...allowing him to rest with his parents who passed on years ago. Portions of the unidentified remains were given a home in Arlington during an April ceremony. At the moment, there is not a permanent marker, but we found the location.

Here is my mom saying some words to her long-lost love:


Before that though, we took a little tour around the grounds where we paid a visit to the grave of the Kennedy's:

and the amphitheater that sits in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.


Afterwards we caught a glimpse of the Capital and the Washington Monument:




Believe it or not, this was really my first time to see D.C. since moving to the east coast in 2001. This August 1st marks our fifth year here in P.A. I'm realizing there are too many things that I need to visit...I've been missing so many wonders that are right in my own backyard!

Tooth Watch 2006 Update...

The new Davidism:

"I don't want my tooth to come out! It's my best buddy!"

Crazy boy!

So the second loose tooth is putting up a good fight...despite the fact that it is going diagonal now! Seriously! It must miss the other tooth because it is leaning towards the empty space where the other tooth was! One day it was straight...the next day it was leaning! The Leaning Tooth of David! ha ha ha

So feel free to guess on when Tooth 2 will give up the fight... I still have a prize available!!

Searching for Pusey!

I thought that would get your attention!

When I told my mom there is a Puseyville, Pennsylvania, she just had to go and find it... so today we shipped the kids off with my in-laws and we armed ourselves with my camera and some soft drinks. Stepping off the porch I shouted, "Let's go search for Pusey!"

(Okay, we are easily amused!) (Maryanne, if you are reading this, you are probably shaking your head at us crazy West Coast folks who are still in awe over the Amish and the funny little names of Pennsylvania towns. Sorry! Kick me later!)

So we headed out...

but stopped at the World Famous Shoe House on the way. The shoe house is right here in York County, PA! I pass it often, but this is the first time we ever stopped to visit.



Then we got back on the road in search of Pusey! I told my mom it was just a little speck on the map, and sure enough...here is what we found in Puseyville:


a sign....

and a cow!

Then we just had to pop on over to Intercourse, PA! Here we found Amish things and more signs and lots of road apples! ha ha ha






We spent most of the day laughing, so it was a good day!

Let's Play Hide the Pirate!

No, that's not some sex game!

First...why does the Pirates Happy Meal Toy look like he came out of South Park???



I just thought that was funny!

Anyway...the kids occupied themselves on the way home from Knoebels by me playing Hide the Pirate with them. I would tuck him into the sun visor or behind my seat. They would squeal really loud about it...until Daddy yelled at them for screaming. No more hide the pirate...but it was fun for a little bit!

Sunny Sunday!

Here is my mom with the kids. She goes back home on Tuesday morning very, very early. We'll miss her.



I threw this picture in because...well...I just can't stop looking at my little girl growing up so fast!

Big 4!

Turn down the volume to avoid hearing rotten singing! ha ha





I can't believe she is already four!

Camping Knoebels Style

First of all... WE LOVE KNOEBELS!!! www.knoebels.com

Why do we love them so much??? It is a parent's paradise! With good traffic, it takes us about an hour and 45 minutes or so to drive north to Elysburg. There, nestled in the trees, is a wonderful old, yet up to date family park. The parking is free and so is the park admission! We go during the week so we can buy all-day ride wrist bands for the kids. Then if you need to go on a ride with the kids, rides are like 80 cents, et cetera, using a ticket system.

Food in the park is very reasonable! You can get a hot dog for 1.75, or a BBQ pork sandwich for 3.00... not to mention it is very delicious. They keep the place incredibly clean and tidy.. even the bathrooms...and everyone there is very friendly. Even when the parking lot is full, the place does not feel crowded at all. Kids wait for rides for maybe one turn at the most. They have plenty of rides for little ones and big kids.

So this time we did something different. We camped! Okay...but not like real camping with tents and stuff... we rented a cabin!



This is how sad and pampered we are though... the bathrooms were a little far, so we would drive back and forth between the showers/bathrooms and our cabin! How spoiled! The kids were excited when they walked in, but David said, "How are we going to watch TV?" We need to spend more time with nature, I guess!

We arrived Thursday night and left Saturday around noon. Our plan was to stay Saturday and play all day in the huge pool and water area, but it was still closed for post-flood clean up. If you hadn't heard, while we were in California, we got hit with lots of rain. Knoebels sits right on some big creeks, so it is used to flooding. They have the whole clean-up process down to a science. But alas the pool was closed, so we came home early.

Here are a couple more pictures.




We'll probably be up there again one more time this summer to enjoy the pool. We'll see. We still haven't really been to Sesame Place this season...got to get moving!

CELEBRATE 4!!!

It seems like just yesterday you were just a small Sam-bean-a....


Christmas 2002 - 5 Months old with big brother David.

And now you are my big FOUR-year old!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMANTHA!!!

Happy 4th of July!!

Here are some fireworks from last night at the York Fairgrounds! I hope everyone had a great celebration!




And the 4th also marks my mother-in-law's birthday! Here is Janet with the kids and my father-in-law Nelson. (Here's a secret...this photo started out as three different pictures! I took many because some people didn't cooperate well. It started with Samantha poking her cheek...then the finger was in the nose..then the finger was in her mouth...then David was making a bad face..then Nelson looked like he was going to pass out by the time Sam got her finger out of her nose... three pictures and some creative editing later...I got this one:



And here is Samantha being sweet...



Then David snapped this candid picture of the little nose picker while my mom was cutting my hair...




See...got my hair cut:



David showed off his sketching abilities:



And finally...more fireworks!!