[MtlMom]

Oh my. In an effort to not turn this into a momblog I have neglected this cozy place!

Chris sounds like a really fun person. Isn't it great being around people like that? We have a family friend who is hopelessly crazy as well - father of 7, youth pastor, musician, crazyman... and he is so smart and intuitive. Right now if I were to see Dave it would take him 2.5 seconds to see my distress and say 'what on earth is going on with you" and another 5 seconds to get me to talk about it. So I will avoid him, of course.

How do you know Chris? Who is getting married?

[Mara's Mom]

June: I know...you need to visit more often. Oh...wait...I'll be seeing you in Bora Bora soon, right? We will be like Thelma & Louise without guns, but with lots of eye contact. And instead of committing crime we will hug lots of people.

Wedding: Two young people that I pretty much watched grow up are getting married today. Sarah and Michael. Their families go to the church where I grew up. I have not been to many weddings where the bride and groom have grown up together. It's kind of fun. 'Twill be a festive, fun event. I am excited to dance!

Chris: Salamanda and I grew up with Chris in the above mentioned church. He is Salamanda's age. Handsome, single boy who is honest to a comical and sometimes disturbing fault. His parents divorced not too long ago so this wedding message is going to difficult for him. He has been praying for a wife for quite some time and now he is feeling very wounded and we're wondering if he will ever marry at all. Soyes. He has asked for prayer.

Lori: She is Chris' sister and she is not related to any of this except that we love her, too and she leads a very exciting life in the UAE working for the world's most insanely wealthy resort known to man. They have a fleet of Rolls Royces for their guests. They are building an island that you can see from outer space. It's like a modern day Babylon. Scary. She flies all over the world hiring employees. Literally all over the world. She has eaten zebra and she has funny monkey stories. Muffin-eating monkeys. Fearless muffin-eating monkeys. We don't have stories like that, but we do have a cat that eats tortilla chips. So we're kind of just like her.

Today:

Mr. D has sold his job trailer because it is ginormous and his new baby pick-up can't pull it. He is very sad. He called the gentleman back who is driving a couple of hours to purchase it. He was telling him that he accepted his offer and then sub-conciously was trying to un-sell it. But it didn't work. *grin*

We need to clean bathrooms and vacuum hallways at church, but I think we will do it tomorrow while Mara is practicing with the worship team. She is thrilled about this plan.

I have to fill out papers for the county assessor. I hate doing this. I am too abstract. So it is an exercise in mind control to just answer the question at face value without asking myself what they mean. Mr. D would be done with it in two minutes, but he knows that it is good brain exercise for me. Ladies, look for a man that will do this for you. No pansy husbands that just do everything for you. Nonono.

It's just like when I put Sophie in charge of ordering and paying for everyone's lunch at McHooHa yesterday. She was convinced that she was going to mess it up or run out of money. "So what if you do, Sophie. You'll be okay, darlin'..."

And then we pahty at the wedding. I get to dance with Mr. D. And my mom and dad. And Salamanda and Salachada. And Chris and his mom, Mary. And lots of other people that we love.

I don't get to dance with the people that I love from CGR. *sad* But one day...there will be CGR dancing. Ohyes. [/determined]

Ohwait. Do some of you not dance? THAT IS OKAY. We will offer alternatives. Like mandatory karaoke.

AREN'T YOU GLAD THIS GINORMITY OF A POST IS NOT IN ANY OF YOUR BLOGS?!?!?

[Mara]

I don't get to party. I have to watch small children. And eat poptarts. It will be fun though.

[Andrew]

Hello Mrs. Mother. How are you today? I am going to call you tonight or tomorrow, okay? Okay.

[MtlMom]

Okay, this is very strange. I would have sworn that I posted this earlier. Apparently not! By some strange fluke it was still on my clipboard, though...

You are going to have a blast at that wedding! Big fun. Some Mennonites don't dance. We are the dancing variety. Taylor has not had much opportunity to dance, but little does she know that we are going to take a hip-hop class at the gym and we will have big fun. Mr. M. and I have talked about taking some swing or ballroom classes. Next time they offer them here at our opera house I think we will do that. He's a pretty good dancer.

I have to fill out papers for the county assessor. I hate doing this. I am too abstract. So it is an exercise in mind control to just answer the question at face value without asking myself what they mean. Mr. D would be done with it in two minutes, but he knows that it is good brain exercise for me. Ladies, look for a man that will do this for you. No pansy husbands that just do everything for you. Nonono.

Oh, you would have to bring this up. I hate doing this kind of stuff. Do I get credit for the fact that I know that I am perfectly capable of doing it? I read and write legal contracts at work all the time. I manage a multi-million dollar budget for the hospital - but don't ask me to do my own taxes.

Seriously, though - you speak with great wisdom. My friend Carrie - poor thing. She was a girl who's father completely took care of her until she got married, then her husband took care of her. Warren did everything for Carrie -out of absolute love. When Warren died unexpectedly, Carrie didn't know how to put gas in her car. She didn't know if they owned the car or if they were making payments on it. She had never paid a bill. She had no idea who their insurance agent was.... Fortunately, she had a lot of great friends who came to her rescue. Warren took care of her out of absolute love, but he had no idea how much he was taking away from her. Today, 3 1/2 years after his death, she will tell people that she now realizes how much she missed by not participating in such life lessons. Not just because she was so paralyzed by his death, but because she sees that she wasn't living fully when he was alive. She never really became an adult, because she was so dependent on him. That is not what the Proverbs woman is all about, that's for sure.

Today we need to go to Fresno and find a dresser and/or chest of drawers for the child of mine. We will do that while Mr. M is painting the un-named room that leads to the Parisian bathroom. The un-named room is going to be the Moulin Rouge.Yes, he is painting and I am going shopping. It isn't always like that, honest.

Before we do that, we need to talk to some friends. Renee is an acquaintance more than a friend. She is the mother of one of Taylor's sort-of-friends. Her other daughter is autistic and quite a handful. Her husband left when he learned that he had a child with major issues, and left Renee with a two year old and a one year old, the younger with autism. Nice. In the last two years Renee's grandmother and both parents have died. That was her entire support system. Today they are having the estate auction for her father's belongings. I feel like I need to be there for this woman, but I don't really know her. Taylor feels an obligation to her friend, but I don't think she really likes this girl and they have almost nothing in common. They post on each others' Xanga - that's about it.

So there's the drama in my life for the day. I still need make sure that there is no internet in Bora Bora before we leave.

[Small]

Originally Posted by Mrs. D

There is one that has really driving vocals that I love, too, but I don't know the name of it.

+UC says it's Lose It Again. My mom likes that one, too.

Chris: Salamanda and I grew up with Chris in the above mentioned church. He is Salamanda's age. Handsome, single boy who is honest to a comical and sometimes disturbing fault. His parents divorced not too long ago so this wedding message is going to difficult for him. He has been praying for a wife for quite some time and now he is feeling very wounded and we're wondering if he will ever marry at all. Soyes. He has asked for prayer.

People who are honest to that level are sometimes scary to be around, but it's always challenging to me that they can be so totally open about everything. They actually manage to live out "Hide nothing." Oh my. He did not ask me, but I will participate anyway.

EDIT: I don't think my church appreciates dancing. My family, however, has no problem with it. And I personally have been thinking that ballroom dancing is one of the things that's just very good to know how to do. Along with hotwiring a car, incapacitating an attacker, knotting a tie, changing a tire, etc.

[Mara's Mom]

Originally Posted by Andrew

Hello Mrs. Mother. How are you today? I am going to call you tonight or tomorrow, okay? Okay.

*whispers* Right now I am so lovely it should be illegal.

*whispers even lower* I don't know what that means.

*back to regular whisper* I like that plan.

Originally Posted by June

Mr. M. and I have talked about taking some swing or ballroom classes.

Us, too!!!! [/horrific sentence fragment] I can hardly wait. I would like for the girls to come with us just for fun. But we won't let any boys touch them and the two places we know of will not allow girls to dance with girls. They need taller brothers. What does one do in this situation?? [/angst]

she sees that she wasn't living fully when he was alive

What a tragic thing to have to face at the death of your husband.

I feel like I need to be there for this woman, but I don't really know her.

How did this go?

I still need make sure that there is no internet in Bora Bora before we leave.

Oh look! My friend Rolf just walked in...

+UC says it's Lose It Again. My mom likes that one, too.

I am listening to it now, so I will let you know. I think I like your mom. She sounds smart.

And Small! You have so far put together a pretty impressive Life To-Do List. There is this wonderful resource called Luke's List. They have them for various academics, but also for life skills. It's basically a ginormous checklist of things to teach your children or at least make sure they've learned. It sounds unnecessary, and for some people maybe it is, but I'm amazed at how many things are so valuable to know that I would never remember to cover. It's like a cheat sheet. I'm pretty sure hot-wiring a car is not listed, though. Which is actually too bad, because that has come in handy a few times for Mr. D. All perfectly legal. Promise.

Wait is more incredible when it is not a :30 clip. June, do you dance to the Young People music we so brazenly enjoy? I dance more than Mara and Sophie.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Why am I up so late? I have clothes to put in the dryer or one of us will be going to church naked tomorrow. Um...it's not me. And our food for tomorrow is not quite done yet. I need to shred the beef for tomorrow's tacos. So all I have to do is warm it and add the green onions and cilantro. The crockpot has been going since 2ish. And it was a fat enough roast that it's still not quite all shreddable. I mock the people that write recipes saying "Cook in crockpot on Low for 4 hours and then shred." They are living in a dream world. A dream world with big fat hunks of beef in their tacos.

Tomorrow's menu:
beef tacos w/pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese
special refried beans
homemade chocolate cake ala Sophie
pineapple sherbet (yesssssssss...I want some now.)

Wedding: It was wonderful. Ohyes. The gravy had capers in it. It was a bit odd. I think the capers were included for flair. Ginormous silver candelabras with red roses. Church family. Some of my favorite people in the world were there. Only SOME of them. *wink* Chris was awesome. I haht him. Immensely. We have another Chris story. JASON KNOWS. We danced mightily to We Are Family. I did NOT get a chance to snag Mr. D from the other side of the dance floor with the Dancing Fisherman. *sad* I have decided that it is criminal to only have one wedding in your lifetime.

Sophie baked a chocolate cake from scratch tonight while we were gone. AND she made frosting. AND she decorated the cake. There is a single candle in the middle. She doesn't know it yet, but we are going to light it in her honor. After all, without her there would be no chocolate cake for dessert tomorrow.

It is 1 AM. My mom duties need to hurry up and be over so I can get some sleep. Good night, CGR homies...SWAK!

[ICTHUS]

Originally Posted by Mara's Mom

Us, too!!!! [/horrific sentence fragment] I can hardly wait. I would like for the girls to come with us just for fun. But we won't let any boys touch them and the two places we know of will not allow girls to dance with girls. They need taller brothers. What does one do in this situation?? [/angst]

Make Leo and Ian wear really, really tall platform shoes. [/Not.Helping.VeryMuch]

I think that is a good rule. *doesn't elaborate*

Oh look! My friend Rolf just walked in...

Ihr Freund Rolf? Kommt er aus Deutschland?

~*~*~*~*~*~

Why am I up so late? I have clothes to put in the dryer or one of us will be going to church naked tomorrow. Um...it's not me. And our food for tomorrow is not quite done yet. I need to shred the beef for tomorrow's tacos. So all I have to do is warm it and add the green onions and cilantro. The crockpot has been going since 2ish. And it was a fat enough roast that it's still not quite all shreddable. I mock the people that write recipes saying "Cook in crockpot on Low for 4 hours and then shred." They are living in a dream world. A dream world with big fat hunks of beef in their tacos.

Tomorrow's menu:
beef tacos w/pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese
special refried beans
homemade chocolate cake ala Sophie
pineapple sherbet (yesssssssss...I want some now.)

Wedding: It was wonderful. Ohyes. The gravy had capers in it. It was a bit odd. I think the capers were included for flair. Ginormous silver candelabras with red roses. Church family. Some of my favorite people in the world were there. Only SOME of them. *wink* Chris was awesome. I haht him. Immensely. We have another Chris story. JASON KNOWS. We danced mightily to We Are Family. I did NOT get a chance to snag Mr. D from the other side of the dance floor with the Dancing Fisherman. *sad* I have decided that it is criminal to only have one wedding in your lifetime.

Sophie baked a chocolate cake from scratch tonight while we were gone. AND she made frosting. AND she decorated the cake. There is a single candle in the middle. She doesn't know it yet, but we are going to light it in her honor. After all, without her there would be no chocolate cake for dessert tomorrow.

It is 1 AM. My mom duties need to hurry up and be over so I can get some sleep. Good night, CGR homies...SWAK!

That was a hefty Mom-update and a half!

The last wedding I went to was not a very happy occasion for me. *doesn't elaborate*

[Adri]

*Stumbles in.*

I had to come in and visit!
Unfortanetly I have nothing of great worth to comment about on what is being talked ..except "pineapple sherbert' !! I have never tried that! Is it good? Like real good? Do you buy this stuff.... Or do you make it yourself?
I love reading your posts. They always make me hungry.

[H.M. Murdock]

Originally Posted by Mara's Mom

Why am I up so late? I have clothes to put in the dryer or one of us will be going to church naked tomorrow. Um...it's not me.

I bet Ian would do it if you gave him a Fat Tuesday coin for it.

Chris was awesome. I haht him. Immensely. We have another Chris story. JASON KNOWS.

Bob pulled a Chris in church today. He took a few minutes to talk about doctors and he just stopped for a little bit. As if in very deep thought. And he said, oh so slowly, "Doctors are here... to... push pills."
Pause.
"Oh my! That's not right. Um. TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODIES."

We danced mightily to We Are Family. I did NOT get a chance to snag Mr. D from the other side of the dance floor with the Dancing Fisherman. *sad* I have decided that it is criminal to only have one wedding in your lifetime.

The Dancing Fisherman is ten times better than the sprinkler or the lawnmower.

[Godslilrosebud]

Mrs. Mother. I love you. You are very very wonderful.

[Mara's Mom]

RYAN: I NO SPEAKA DA GERMAN. And you should make it a point to go to some happy weddings. Just crash them if you have to. And if people ask who you are, just smile and say,"Great punch, huh?!?"

ADRI: Well, hello there, Adri. And how are you? We purchased the pineapple sherbet, though I suppose that one could make it if they really put their mind to it. It was OK. I was really in the mood for something pineappley. I prefer orange or lime I think. Are you an ice cream or sherbet person?

Speaking of icy desserts, a scoop of cranberry sorbet alongside a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream is worth experiencing at least once.

JASON: I bet he would take the bribe and then refuse to go through with it. He's good like that.

Wow. Bob was thinking out loud, I think. Haha. "Did that just fall out of my brain and spill out of my mouth?"

Yes, the Dancing Fisherman is a classic. Though I must confess having no clue about the sprinkler.

ROSEBUD: Awwww...you're so sweet. You do know that this is Mrs. D's blog and not Mrs. M's, right? *smile* How are you, dear? And how are Laura and Andrew? Not the humans. The ones from the parallel rabbit universe.

~*~*~*~*~*~

So far today we have discussed the distributive property of multiplication, solving relational conflicts with calm intelligence, the secret stain-fighting properties of Dawn dish detergent, the headache inducing pungency of automobile air fresheners and currency exchange rates. You would not be nearly as impressed if you'd actually been here.

I witnessed something adorable yesterday. Leo was singing his heart out during worship. Vibrato and evrathang. He was crooning. Amazing facial expressions to boot. We sat down for the sermon. And as quietly as possible I whispered through his curls into his little ear, "You have a really wonderful singing voice, Buddy." He nodded with solemn gratitude and then straightened himself to look taller, puffing his little eight-year old chest. *melt*

Ian has announced that he is thankful that he knows how to read the letter o in other languages. I don't know what that means, but I am proud.

[ICTHUS]

Originally Posted by Mara's Mom

RYAN: I NO SPEAKA DA GERMAN.

I said "Your friend Rolf? Comes he from Germany?" (Literally: Ihr Freund Rolf? Kommt er aus Deutschland?)

And you should make it a point to go to some happy weddings. Just crash them if you have to. And if people who you are, just smile and say,"Great punch, huh?!?"

Hahah. I should try that. That is the best idea. EVAR.

So far today we have discussed the distributive property of multiplication, solving relational conflicts with calm intelligence, the secret stain-fighting properties of Dawn dish detergent, the headache inducing pungency of automobile air fresheners and currency exchange rates. You would not be nearly as impressed if you'd actually been here.

I dunno. I am pretty impressed about the distributive principle thing. Who were you teaching it to? He/she will use it FOR THE REST OF THEIR MATHEMATICAL CAREERS. BECAUSE IT COMES UP EVERYWHERE.

I witnessed something adorable yesterday. Leo was singing his heart out during worship. Vibrato and evrathang. He was crooning. Amazing facial expressions to boot. We sat down for the sermon. And as quietly as possible I whispered through his curls into his little ear, "You have a really wonderful singing voice, Buddy." He nodded with solemn gratitude and then straightened himself to look taller, puffing his little eight-year old chest. *melt*

Nice!

Ian has announced that he is thankful that he knows how to read the letter o in other languages. I don't know what that means, but I am proud.

Hrrm. What languages? He might be referring to pronuncing it in languages like German and French?

Ask him how to pronounce the word "Schön". It should sound like an "o" and an "e" squished together into one vowel. "Schoen"

[Godslilrosebud]

Originally Posted by Mara's Mom

ROSEBUD: Awwww...you're so sweet. You do know that this is Mrs. D's blog and not Mrs. M's, right? *smile* How are you, dear? And how are Laura and Andrew? Not the humans. The ones from the parallel rabbit universe.

They are happy, fat, and dumb. Well, maybe not fat. (At least I hope not!) I'll update more about them in my blog later. Yes, I know who's blog this is.

[Mara's Aunt]

I must concur with Cin and say that the wedding was lovely! Nothing like cuttin' loose on the dance floor!! So fun! Chris did a great job. It was very entertaining and on the mark, I think! The "tick" part was my fave! Wouldn't want to suck your partner dry!! I use !! way too much and I speak in incomplete sentences. YAY!

Cin-I will show you the sprinkler when we have our "L" Christmas in 2 weeks. We are going to see "The Lion King" that day so we will only be there for a bit. Are you getting something for Dylan? I figured he was on the kid list now.

My "from the devil" van is in the shop again. I was driving to mom's to let Andy out yesterday and my engine light came on. Those darn lights freak me out every time. So Mara's Uncle took it in this morning.