Tuesday, March 17, 2009

break

I've been MIA for a while. This is what I've been up to.

www.michellesnotetoself.blogspot.com

Trying to make some changes. Be healthier. Be happier. Be a better me.

The Note To Self blog is really what's in my brain, put to paper. It's intended to be for me, for when I fall off the wagon. Something I can come back to and remember how I feel now. How good I feel now. With the hope that I'll get back on that wagon and continue to stay on track. I'd love to hear your comments/struggles/tricks!

Anyway, I might continue to be away from here for a bit. I'm still in the getting-all-fired-up-trying-to-figure-out-how-to-make-this-a-part-of-my-life phase. So I'm thinking blogging (here)will take a back seat until I get that figured out.

I'll leave with this little convo between Peter and I. It should make sense now, with the above information.

Peter and I after work, on cell phones trying to figure out the evening plans.

Peter: "you sound cranky"
Me: "Yah, I kinda am, I guess. I don't feel cranky, but Michael said that too. I think I'm just hungry"
Peter: "well you knew it would happen"
Me: "I know. it's just weird. I shouldn't be hungry. I ate a good snack like an hour and a half ago. it's hard to te---"
Peter: "tell if it's hungry or habit?!"
Me: "YES!"
Peter: "trust me babe, I understand. I'm fat, too"
Me: dead silence
Me: "did you just say you understand cuz you're fat TOO?"
Peter: "no. oh no! I said, "*I* understand cuz I'm fat....too" "
Me: dead silence
Peter: "Yes, I know that I just stuck my food in my mouth!"

well, it cracked me up!

Friday, March 6, 2009

3 things

thing one:

sarah has twenty teeth. She told me this today, out of the blue. I've no idea how many teeth she has, or should have, or shouldn't have. I also have no idea if I believe her, but if I've learned anything from the #1 child, these kids do not lie. Since she went to the dentist the other day I'm really thinking she knows wants she's talking about. So there you have it. Sarah has 20 teeth, and she knows it.



thing two:

Noah lets me go to my standing Thursday night dinner date with Lori. You didn't know that? yah, neither did I! We were talking about schedules and the alternating weekends, and sleep overs when I said something like, I'm not sure about staying overnight on friday night since you'll be gone at that school camping trip saturday night. ya know. I do like to see you on weekends. His reply? I like to see you too, but think about my dad. He only sees me every other weekend. and besides, I let you go out to dinner with Lori on Thursdays. Yah, okay son. Thanks for letting me do that. So very kind of you.



thing three:
Kate's crazy adorable, but she farts. Like kinda a lot. And ya know what, it kinda cracks me up. Is it wrong of me to put that here?

m

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

follow up

Noah's school, and his teachers, and his classmates ROCKED that science fair! I know, sounds crazy huh? Aren't the required by law to be boring? Well this one wasn't.

The fourth grade projects were wonderful. Noah's was (is) really cool, for sure, but check out what some of these other kids did. This is only a handful of the projects. They were crazy good. Even Noah was excited to check out each and every display. (forgive the bad pics, fluorescent lights and my camera phone)






Prickly Pear Cactus. The quills are toothpicks, the flowers were beautifully constructed from tissue paper. I wish I could remember what the fruit was made of.


Palo Verde. Made of paper limbs and perfectly arranged fake flowers.



Mormon Tea. This one was exquisite. Super simple plant that could have been boring, but she presented it in its different regions. BRILLIANT!! I could hardly stand how amazing this one was.




Fairy Duster. This one was GORGEOUS. Bright and fun and well constructed.





Grey Wolf. wow! WOOOOW people. You probably can't tell, but the rock cliff jutted from the board like 8 inches with different levels and shelves. It looked exactly like the high rock formations here.





And finally, Noah in front of his display. He was over me by the end, I won't lie, so gone is his camera smile. I'll forgive him though, he's still not 100% (today was first day back at school this week) He actually fell asleep on the way home...at 6pm.
m

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Science Night

Those of us with kids, or know people with kids, or ever go to a craft store this time of year, know about Science Night. Happens every year. Elementary school kids buy up all the display boards and craft paint in town for their project. As I write this, I feel like I want to complain about this annual event. But I can't. I love it and have every year since Noah's first fair, 5 years ago.

This year's project involved a full on report with references and everything. I didn't have too much to do with that. It was mostly an in-class thing. But, after asking his teacher FACE TO FACE if it was okay, to which she assured me it was, I was thrilled I could type it all up for him. You see, this was not a typing project, but a science report. Super cool. I'm a little controlling when it comes to our computers. I realize I shouldn't be, but I can't help it. These children of mine get near a computer and Control Alt Delete just HAPPENS. suddenly - BOOM. reboot. I'm not a fan of rebooting. It's right up there with plunging the toilet. sometimes necessary, but NEVER fun.

I did, however, revil in the idea of working on 'the board'. Noah and I brainstormed for a couple evenings before heading out to Michael's for all the necessities. Fifty Five dollars later (okay 75, but I bought a couple things for me) We came home with everything we need (and then some) to make this:









The Pinyon Pine Tree. A tree that, unknown to either of us, grows in (among other places) Northern parts of Arizona. The coolest thing Noah learned about was the relationship between the tree and the Pinyon jay.





A small blue bird that depends on the pine tree for survival. The cool part, the tree depends on the bird just as much. Kinda like the Hippo and those little birds that cleans their backs. Or Pretty Woman. One needs the other.

We found a cute bird stamp (for 6 bucks that I will never use again. Anyone want/need a bird stamp? it's yours!) that worked perfectly. He was adamant about only making one bird. He was over me asking, "are you sure you don't want to add more than one bird???" Poor kid, has a mommy who so often forgets this is not her project!

the needles were fun. I cut them out a thousand slits in paper for him one evening while hanging with my gf (thanks for the company Lolly) Then, together, the stems got colored, trimmed and attached to the board. We rolled little strips of paper to form Pine Cones, which we both loved.






And Noah's favorite, and brain child, THE ROCKS! This is crucial for him because his tree requires rocky soil to grow. I've never seen him so excited to get a project going, all due to these rocks. I (still) suck with pictures, so you can't tell that the dark grey rock is rounded and projects quite a bit from the board. It, along with the needles, provide a huge 3D effect that Noah had to have (yah, like I didn't)

Working with Noah on a Project like this is so much fun. I love the brainstorming, storyboarding, problem solving, construction, editing, and final completion. We work well together and most of the time he knows just how to tell me to STEP ON BACK mom, this is my project. When I flip, and he doesn't know what to say it, I can see that I've lost it and am generally able to reel it back in. In the end, we have a great memory, he has a cool project, and he learned a boat load about the subject of his project, and the process of telling people about it. I'm no rocket scientist, but I'm thinking that's pretty much what it's all about.

Science night is tomorrow night so you know where I'll be, RIGHT? Hanging out with hundreds of other projects wondering why no one else's comes even remotely close to being as cool as Noah's. DUH!

m

Monday, March 2, 2009

Phil in the Box

I'm at home today with a sick Noah Bear. He woke me at some ungodly hour last night with a cough. I feel bad now because I didn't get up with him and (I think) told him to get a class of water. In my defense, I was in the middle of a wackiest dream ever that had me woefully confused. It involved one of my architect clients, who wasn't an architect, but a Catholic Priest. Then, this architect/priest was also my date who insisted I wear his collar. He was kinda pushy about it, too. Crazy, because the architect is no were near pushy, and the same can be said for Priests. This was just the beginning too, and for sure the only parts I can pull out of my head and put into poorly constructed sentences. Still, with this short description, I'm sure you can see why I might have been a tad confused? yes?

geeez. Whoa! how was that for an "I digress" moment?

Back to the story. Home with Noah, but still had to get the girls together and off to their schools. On the way back I stopped at Jack in the Box for the crucial First Diet Coke of the Day. While trying to order I started laughing, making me look especially crazy. All because I saw this:



For some reason, this cracked me up. Come on, that's funny. Okay, okay...maybe it's just me. I've always loved Jack. This love affair has grown over years and years, getting stronger with each new ad campaign. This year's "hang in there Jack" is no exception. I mean this,

The broken nose? GOLDEN! I don't care who you are, that's funny right there. I can't keep from giggling, even now.
Back to the drive thru. I pull up feeling kinda bad that I was laughing while the cute headphone girl was taking my order. They kinda know me there (kinda? they invite me to Thanksgiving) and I wanted to make sure she didn't think I was making fun of her. We got to talking and she told me that there was a message on the JITB voicemail informing management that JACK WAS
BACK! After the obvious laugh about how far this ruse is going, I came home and found this:
HOORAY! because Phil in the Box would have just sucked donkey butt.
m