What're the odds?

You know it been a depressing month, book-wise, when the best thing you read was a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, aimed at the middle-school set.

I was pledged to her for worse or better

If Jeff and Lora are that couple that have been married forever, then James and I are that couple who have been married forever plus one year. :P

This picture was taken at a wedding shortly after we got engaged.


At the Orlando Temple, shortly after we were married.


It's hard for me to believe that tomorrow will mark our 12th Anniversary. Looking back, we were definitely too young and too stupid to get married, but who isn't? Can you ever *really* be ready? I don't think so. ;)

If I were to sit down and make a Top-Ten-Reasons-Why-I-Love-James type of list, Numbers 1-5 would be because he makes me laugh: Inside jokes. Wry observations. The penchant for getting himself into wacky situations. Rolling-on-the-floor-crying-real-tears kind of laughter. He just has the best sense of humor.

Number Six would be his cooking.

Number Seven would be his mad cleaning skillz. The Navy taught that man right!

Number Seven would be his way with children. He should have been the father of at least a dozen kids (okay, maybe not a dozen- let's say four or so) but it hasn't worked out that way. So he's content with being an amazing father to our girlies, the best uncle to our nieces and nephews, and the man at church who is known for soothing fussy babies.

Number Eight would be his handy man skills. He knows a little about almost every household need, enough to keep us from having to call Dad everytime something breaks. And when he doesn't know something, he's not afraid to ask for help.

Number Nine would be his bravery.

And Number Ten would be his humility. He is a constant example to be, a person who is not-so-humble. (But that's only because I'm made of awesome, and it's really hard to be humble when you are made of awesome. It's a burden, really.)

No Witty Title, Just Unrestrained Excitment

Today is a very special day.

THE NEW FALL TV SEASON IS STARTING!!!!!

Last year I decided that there was no point in pretending that I don't enjoy watching TV, because I do, and I feel no shame in that. What's more, our entire family likes watching TV! (You know what Madeline wanted to do on her birthday? She wanted to eat homemade pizza for dinner, have chocolate-chocolate cake for dessert, open presents, and then watch the Season One Doctor Who DVDs we got from the library as a family. For the record, we are now on Season Two!)

I figure that we lead a pretty well-rounded life, and I spend almost as much time reading as I do watching TV, so all those people who think they are so superior because they don't watch TV or don't even have a TV can just sod off.

*smiles*

Those of you who received our 2007 Christmas newsletter know what a difference the DVR has made in our lives. (Seriously- it was life changing, much in the manner of a religious conversion.) So with the DVR all set and ready to go, here is what our TV viewing schedule looks like. This list includes time, program and channel.

MONDAY
8:00- Top Gear (BBCA) (Super funny British car show, *highly* enjoyable even if you don't care about cars)
8:30- How I Met Your Mother (CBS) (It's gonna be legen....wait for it...dary!)
9:00- Dirty Jobs (Discovery) (Mike Rowe. Rawr)
10:00- Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (Travel)

TUESDAY
8:40- Gavin and Stacey (BBCA) (A very funny British sitcom, currently running one series behind here in the US)

WEDNESDAY
9:00- Mythbusters (Discovery) (They make science fun!)

THURSDAY
8:00- Ugly Betty (ABC) (America Ferrera=LOVE)
9:00- Grey's Anatomy (ABC) (Oh Grey's. How you mess with me! The last half of Season 3 and first half of Season 4 were TERRIBLE. The last half of Season 4 was good, but not great. Might have to give you up if you don't improve tout suite.)
9:30- 30 Rock (NBC) (This show is the funniest thing on TV. I *heart* Tina Fey. She's awesome. And she has great glasses.)
10:00- Ace of Cakes (Food Network) (Duff and his bakery crew are so hilarious and random, all at the same time.)

FRIDAY
9:00- Friday Night Lights

*pause*

Forgive me for a moment while I extole the virtues of Friday Night Lights, which is hands down the VERY BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION right now. I am serious. You need to watch this show. Yes, it's about football. But no- it's about people who happen to love/coach/play football. I have laughed and cried during some point in EVERY SINGLE EPISODE.

It has the most realistic depiction of teenagers ever, gorgeous set and art decoration, phenominal casting and I swear if you don't want to grow up and be JUST LIKE Coach and Tami then there is something wrong with you.

Watch the opening credits:


OK, seriously. If that did just not get you to your core (the gorgeous scenes and the music by W.G. Snuffy Walden) then you are OBVIOUSLY COLD AND DEAD INSIDE.

Now look at this. It's a compilation of scenes from the first season, set against the amazing music by Explosions in the Sky.


Are you choked up yet? Is your heart racing? I mean, just look! Tim Riggins! Matt Saracen! Julie!! KYLE CHANDLER'S HAIR IS EMOTING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Just do yourself a favor and watch the show, okay?

SATURDAY
8:00- Robin Hood or Doctor Who, depending on the schedule/season (BBCA) (Yeah, we're nerds. :P)
10:00- Graham Norton (BBCA) (Umm, don't watch this show unless you like your humor somewhat left-of-center and British. Or if you're my mom.)

SUNDAY
9:00 AM- Sunday Morning (CBS) (Usually watched no where near Sunday morning :P)
10:00 PM- Mad Men (AMC) (I watch it for the costumes and set decoration. And superb writing and acting.)

This also doesn't include one-off programs or series like Alton Brown's Feasting On series or Masterpiece Theatre (did anyone catch the complete Jane Austen series they did this year?? Amazing!)

So there's our viewing season in a nutshell. Don't call us during those times unless it's an emergency. ;)

Everything she knows, I taught her

Ways In Which I Am Becoming EVEN MORE Like My Mother



1. I am seriously starting to consider taking a nap everyday from 1:30-2:00 just so I can make it through the rest of the day (especially on Wednesdays and Thursdays).

2. I've got a dress hanging in the closet for just wearing "around the house".

3. It's a Saturday afternoon with no external commitments, and instead of reading a book or watching a movie I'm in the kitchen baking and listening to Easy Listening Hits of the 80's and 90's.

4. Whenver the girls complain of a upset stomach/headache/profusely bleeding wound I find myself asking them when was the last time they drank some water.

This is all truly frightening.

However, the flipside of all of this is that it's too much fun watching Mom turn into Grandmom. ;)

Shout Hooray

Today my darling girl turns 10, or as she keeps telling me, "Double digits, Mama! DOUBLE DIGITS!!"

Even though I have earlier memories, the age of ten is where my consciousness really began. I can easily remember that age, and things that happened to me, and I can only assume that it might be the same for Madeline. These first ten years have gone by so fast, and I know that a the end of the next ten years she will really and truly be her own person.

8 months old, with my brother Frodo


2 1/2 years old


3 1/2 years old


5 1/2 years old


6 years old


August 2008

Impossibly Perky

The girls teamed up on me the day after school started and asked if they could do cheerleading this year. We had two options: they could 1)cheer through the county Rec department program or 2) cheer through a local Baptist church's program. Since the church's program was more low-key (practice and games all on Monday night, as opposed to two or three times a week) and cheaper, we opted to go with the church program.

Note: another difference between the two programs? The uniforms. No belly-baring tops or bloomers for the church program! No ma'am! Sleeveless polo shirts (SHOCKING! SHOULDERS!!) for the tops and skorts for the bottoms. Hee. The girls also have to learn a bible verse every week.

So after three weeks of practice they were ready for their first game this past Monday.

Their squad is made up of girls in 2nd-5th grades. Their coach is a very nice woman named Natalie. Natalie is impossibly perky. She's also the type who wears long sleeve shirts when it's 90 degrees outside because she has ZERO BODY FAT. (Not that I'm bitter or anything.)


The dude with the megaphone is the Athletic Activities Director for the church. He led us in prayer before the game started.


The squad led off with the highlight of their routine- a pyramid!


And yes, that's Isabella on the top of that pyramid! Oh wait- she just informed me that she's called "the flyer" (although no 'flying' is involved).


That pyramid was a lot of work, they had to take a break. (They took a break after pretty much every cheer, truth be told.)


Ooooh- Pom-poms!


SPIRIT FINGERS!!!!


Spirit is exhausting!


Who cares about the game?? We are here for the CHEERLEADERS!!!


I like to call this my Friday Night Lights shot. Heh heh. BTW- Friday Night Lights is the BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION. WATCH IT. LOVE IT.

Also in that pciture? Please to be noting the 120 foot tall concrete cross that watches over the football stadium. (It's on the right, behind the trees.) TAKE THAT, Rec Department! It had been dedicated the night before in what we were told was a very fun and exciting ceremony that half of Albany attended. But since we're not Baptist, we missed out. Bummer.

In addition to the 120 foot tall cross, there was something else strange in the football stadium. Take a look at this picture. Notice the team colors? There's a blue team and a green team.


Now look at this picture. Now it's a blue and white team!


You're eyes aren't fooling you- there were TWO simultaneous games happening on the field at the same time! Each game took up 50 yards of the field, and the cheerleaders just cheered in the middle. Each game had their own referee and set of coaches, not to mention at least 15 fathers standing on the field adding in their $.02 worth, but that didn't prevent a little bit of confusion from occurring.

This poor kid laid on the field for at least a solid minute before any of the coaches/refs/fathers noticed their was a player down. (He was fine, no worries.)


At half time, the cheerleaders went out and did their pyramid again, along with a few more cheers. Then they went off with their coach and advisor for snacks and a devotional. As *riveting* as the game was, James and I ended up taking a few pictures in the manner of those crazy teens today on Facbook/MySpace/etc.







I love how he's pretending to be shocked and upset at a play happening on the field in this picture.




Oh yes, I can still shake a pom-pom with the best of them!


After their devotional, the girls came back and it was time to go home. (They didn't cheer for the second half, which was fine by me.) They were tired but happy, which I guess is the important thing.

Whatever it is, just do it

To make things more interesting for you, the viewing public, I've decided to make all of my blog post titles from song lyrics. (At least, I will do this until I forget to do it, or until I get tired of it, whichever comes first.) Amuse yourself by trying to figure the song and artist, and while you're at it, discover some new music! (I have excellent taste.) If you post the correct answers in the comments, I will do something very nice for you! (Just like I did for my brother David in this post. He correctly identified Lynyrd Skynyrd's lead singer, Johnny Van Zant, and last Saturday I cooked him a delicious dinner (grilled chicken, green beans with shallots and garlic, Caesar Salad and the Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings (except I made the dumplings with pears instead of apples)).

Coming up next in the Tree Fort: Pictures from our first football game!

Dreamweaver

Last night I dreamed I was dating this guy.

What do you think that means?

Feel sorry for me

I had a bad day. Why, do you ask? Was it

- The upset stomach that started at 1:30 am that necessitated me trying (emphasis on trying) to sleep upright in the bed in hopes the heartburn/indegestion wouldn't kill me?

- The MAJOR traffic jam in Leesburg this morning that made me get to preschool 15 minutes late even though we'd left our house 15 minutes early? (for the record, Leesburg has two traffic lights. TWO. The traffic was backed up at every major intersection for at least 1/2 a mile. There was no discernable reason for the backup.)?

- One of my preschool kids throwing up all over the classroom ten minutes after she walked in to school?

- Having the water cut off at the preschool (IN EVERY SINGLE BATHROOM- no flushing toilets, no running water, no water fountains- it was like a third world country up in there!) at 10 AM because new toilets were supposedly being installed (even though there were no workman anywhere in the building)?

- Having one of my kids be the last to leave (1:15 ish) on a day I needed to leave early, because I had to get up to Leesburg to pick up Madeline at school and then *back* down to Albany by 2:00 for an orthodontist's appointment? (Lessburg is about 15 miles north of Albany.)?

Just pick one or two- it'd be enough to make anyone cry! ;) I'll be spending the rest of the day in bed, hiding from the world.