Sunday Funnies: Cruella DeVille

At the end of each and every school year my children take their empty backpacks to school for the last time.  After a day of fun, games and goodbyes desks are emptied unceremoniously into tattered backpacks that have seen better days.

For some reason once these backpacks, full to the brim with papers, workbooks, pencil cases and glue sticks find their way home they are carelessly lobbed on the couch as my kids hit the door way.  Thinking that the girls would come back and take care of their things I left them.  Apparently Kira and Izzy were content to let them lay in a heap on the couch for the duration of the summer vacation.

After sitting for an entire day without being moved from their resting spot I finally gave in and sat down to sort through everything that had been sent home.  I flipped through portfolios of art, math and spelling.  I cleaned out glue sticks, crayons, erasers, scissors, and sharpeners.  I found an abundant supply of sharpened and unsharpened pencils, they probably brought home an entire tree between the two of them.  When I reached the bottom of Kira's bag I found a small spiral bound notebook.  As I pulled it from the bag a loose page fell out.  I picked it up ready to add it to my trash pile, but saw that it was covered in her "neat" handwriting.  Neat is a perspective word...

On one side was a journal entry where Kira went on and on about how much she "loves spring" and how wonderful it was to have warm sunshine on her face and sunshine to help the flowers grow.  I smiled to myself and thought about how cute she is and what a fun thing this little journal entry was to find.  I quickly flipped the paper over to see if I had missed any other messages about spring. 

This is what I found:

A closer look:

Translation:

Dear Diary,

Mom isn't so bad after all she's being nice today.

This may affect my reputation as the meanest mom ever. 

Sunday Funnies is a weekly theme here at Cake Crumbs. If you would like to play along just think back through your week and find the funniest thing that happened to you and jot it down. Then simply leave a comment with your link address and join in the fun!

Photo Story Friday: Spun Gold

I have to admit that there is one thing that I absolutely love about my daughter that I think nears perfection, her long, luscious hair.

Her hair streams like fine strands of gold, and shimmers in a bit of sunlight.  I love to braid it and pull it into various hairstyles that can only be achieved with a large amount of hair.  She has sworn that she would keep her long princess hair forever.

Last week Kira came home from school and announced that she wanted to cut off 12" of her hair to donate to someone who had cancer.  I didn't quite know what to say at first.  I had that momentary thought that I could never let her hair go.  But after some quick thinking I excitedly told her that we would find someone that could cut her hair and donate it to locks of love.  How could I ever really have said no to such a request.

There was one condition that I insisted on before she had her hair cut, that she let me take a few pictures of her in her baptism dress with her long hair still intact.  It was too short notice to hire a professional photographer so my meager pictures will have to sufice.  I took the pictures on Saturday.

When she got up Tuesday morning we did her hair the way she liked best, in a braid.  Her hair appointment was scheduled for after school and she was nervous and excited all at the same time.  When she got into the chair at the hairdressers the lady asked Kira if she was ready and she answered with an excited nod.  Then she snipped twelve inches off Kira's braid.

The remaining hair fell like a waterfall around her face and down her back.  There was more left than I had expected.

After a bit of cutting and styling Kira had a brand new look. 

I am so proud of Kira's decision to give something that was precious to her to someone in need.  Thank you Kira for being such a good example for me.

Ruby Tuesday: Once There Was A Snowman...

Now it's your turn...

Stack three golf balls on top of each other and have them stay standing for at least 3 seconds.

I did it in under 60 seconds...

Let me know how it goes!

Wordless Wednesday: A Shining Star

For more wordless fun stop by Wordless Wednesday HQ

Photo Story Friday: Empty

An empty desk stares across the aisle at my nephew.  It's emptiness weighing heavily on his heart.  There has been a hushed silence that has followed him in the halls through the past week.  A few brave students approach and say hello and to say how sorry they are.  The teachers and staff have all been careful to give a kind word or squeeze to his shoulder when they see him.
On the Thursday before Easter Tiger and his best friend Zachie laughed and joked and played.  They teased the girls in their 5th grade class and planned what they would do for their long break from school.
On the Friday after Easter, Tiger dressed in his Sunday best and walked into a chapel where he received a carnation boutonniere and sat as an honorary pall bearer for a boy that was his best friend. 
It has been a hard week as I've watched my 10 year old nephew try to understand and accept that he will never see his friend again.

I have watched Tiger as he came to a new school struggle with shyness and making new lasting friendships.  I have seen what a good kid he is, how caring and loving and giving he ALWAYS is.

I have watched him as he has cared for everyone around him.  He is so sweet when I drop him and my girls off at school in the morning, he waits and walks Izzy to her class everyday, making sure that she gets to where she needs to be.

I remember one morning I dropped them off late and as they were hurrying to the doors that would lead them to the school the national anthem started playing over the loudspeaker.  I watched as he stopped the girls and had them turn and face the flag.  With their hands held over their hearts I felt such pride in him.
I have truly learned to love my nephew, I hate to see him so hurt and sad, I wish that there was something that could be said or done that would take the pain away. 
I am grateful for my religion and the comfort that it has brought in this very sad and difficult time.  I know that one day Tiger will see Zach again and that they will once again be able to run and laugh and play.  Until then I will pray that Tiger will find peace.

Sunday Funnies: Definitions and Family Portraits

Emma is at the age where she wants to know everything, especially what words mean.  She quizzes me all day long about what this and that word mean.
A few days ago we were sitting at the table eating breakfast and she got that quizzical look on her face and her eyes sought mine.

"Mom," she said, "what does fightin' mean?"
"It means that people aren't getting along, they might be mean or hit each other."
Right on the heels of finishing my sentence, "Mom, what does mean, mean?"
"It means that you are being unkind to someone."  I said with a monotone voice.  I could see where this line of questioning was going, she would pick a word from my answer and ask for the next explanation, this can go on, and on, when she's in a mood."
"Mom, what does lice mean?" 
Caught off guard I raised an eyebrow at Em and said, "A little bug that gets in your hair."
With an appalled look she said in a know-it-all voice, "No, mom, I said NICE!"

For Easter my family made a trip down to Arches National Park yesterday.  It was windy, cold and fun, fun, fun!

The scenery was beautiful and the hiking invigorating.  It was wonderful to be out into the great outdoors. 

My kids had a ton of fun running and playing in the red dirt and climbing on the slick rock.

This trip provided so many photo opportunities that it was amazing!  My sister, Annie, tried all day to get everyone together for a big family picture.  But no matter how hard she prodded the picture never seemed to happen.

Late in the day my siblings all decided to hike the trail up to Delicate Arch, all the little kids had gone home with my parents who were done with the day.
The hike was strenuous on the way up, but the hidden treasure at the top was well worth the effort.

As we trekked back down the trail my sister tried several more times to get us to stop for the long sought after picture, telling us that we could use it as a mother's day gift for my mom.
At the very end of the trail we finally all gave in.  The result: 

So much for a nice picture for mother's day.


Sunday Funnies is a weekly theme here at Cake Crumbs. If you would like to play along just think back through your week and find the funniest thing that happened to you and jot it down. Then simply leave a comment with your web address and join in the fun!

Sunday Funnies: Flat Out Fun

Every family on the face of the planet has one. A great story teller. In my family we are fortunate not only to have someone that can draw you into a story and make you feel like you are the one who experienced all the drama, but my aunt can tell a story that will have you laughing so hard that you will be literally rolling on the floor holding your stomach trying to keep every thing in (which, I've found, gets increasingly hard with every child that you give birth to).

This is my Aunt Susan, and she is always the life of the party.

I was reminiscing about a story that she told once when I was a young teenager and thought that I would share it, since I seem to be having a hard time coming up with something from my own life lately.


Susan woke in a terrible mood. All she wanted to do was stay in her nice warm bed and not get up and get the kids ready for ANOTHER day of school. But being the mom she had no choice and heaved herself out of bed and walked into the kid's room to start the day.
After fighting and wrestling her kids into clothes, shoes and coats Susan feed them a cheerful breakfast of burned toast and chocolate milk made with powdered milk. Yes, it was that kind of morning. She shouted and shouted until everyone was finally on their way out to their trusty brown chevy. The bickering in the back seat nearly sent her over the edge. But she breathed deeply and shut her eyes and counted to ten. And then she reopened her eyes only to discover that she had drifted to the other side of the road. And so she gave up trying to achieve any semblance of calm and just dropped the kids off at their elementary school and headed back home with her preschooler in tow.
The preschooler of course was sick. And so upon arriving home she called the doctor's office and set up an appointment for her youngest son. They for once weren't running way behind schedule and told her that they could see him at 9:00.
That left her an hour to shower, primp, and get her son looking presentable. Not much time, but she hustled as much as she could.
At 9:05 she was mostly ready with only a few pieces of hair still uncurled, but she had on clothes, shoes, and had brushed her teeth. It would do.
Her son on the other hand was lolly gagging in a way that only he could. He had on his shirt but that was about it. And so with a longing for a cattle prod and an eye roll she started with the lawnmower engine motivator.
(Now imagine for me the sound of a gas powered lawn mower as it starts up, the sound when you first pull the rip cord)
"Come on. Come on. Come on. (then suddenly the engine catches) GET THOSE PANTSSOCKSANDSHOES ON NOW!!!!!!
Well, the pants were on and so were the socks. But he was still fiddling with his shoes at 10 after nine.
"Mom," her son whined. "There's something in my shoe."
Susan had hit her boiling point, "I don't care if there is something in your shoe," she hollered, "just GET THEM ON!"
And he did. And he stomped in an angry huff all the way to the car. But he quickly forgot the offense as they traveled the seven minutes that it took to get to the doctors office. He was his happy smiling self when he got out and in his joy, and much to his mother's annoyance, he skipped the whole way to the office. Singing the entire way "there's somethin' in my shoe, there's somethin' in my shoe".
At last they made it through the waiting room, nurse assessment and were simply waiting for the doctor to show.
Much to my aunt's dismay her son had continued his little song the whole time, but his song was quickly becoming more of a whine again.
"Fine," she said in an exasperated voice, "give me your foot and I'll see what's in your shoe."
He obediently lifted his shoe as high as it would go. Susan took hold of the heel and pulled perhaps a bit to forcefully. Suddenly a gray mat of fuzz flew through the air then bounced on the floor, then like a coin on it's side it spun round and round until it finally stopped in the middle of the room.
Susan's mouth dropped to her toes as she watched in horror as a squished flat mouse stared up at here with it's dead lifeless eyes.
Just at that moment a nurse walked through the door. She looked puzzled at the expression that she saw on Susan's face. Then she followed her line of sight and screamed. The whole office was in an uproar as the flat mouse was placed in a Ziploc baggie and gingerly disposed of in the dumpster.

Susan quietly packed up her son and ducked her way out the front door of the office.



Sunday Funnies is a weekly theme here at Cake Crumbs. If you would like to play along just think back through your week and find the funniest thing that happened to you and jot it down. Then simply leave a comment with your web address and join in the fun!