Boys Playing Basketball (video)

Boys Playing Outside

First video I captured with my mother's day gift...of COURSE it's of my boys! Not the most excited video, but you get to see them as more than a picture. =)

Angelina & Brad - An Unbeatable Duo

Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie and actor Brad Pitt have donated $1 million towards the humanitarian effort assisting millions of people affected by the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR ) has announced...

"The donation from the Jolie-Pitt Foundation will go to three agencies playing key roles in Darfur and neighbouring Chad: the UN refugee agency; the International Rescue Committee and the international non-governmental organization, SOS Children's Villages," UNHCR said in a press release issued on Thursday."

Read the full story: http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/content/view/2032/118/

Boy Gets Heart Transplant Thanks to Cell Phone

On Wednesday, 10 May, hospital officials in Pennsylvania tried to contact a family awaiting a heart transplant. Their son's organ had arrived and he needed to get to surgery immediately. The mom's cell phone was turned off due to attendance at a jazz concert, so the Pennsylvania State Police called Sprint Mobile to track the family's phone using GPS. The concert was stopped, the family's name announced, the boy was whisked away in the nick of time, while the crowd offered a standing ovation.

He was in critical but stable condition Thursday morning, his mother told CBS's "The Early Show."

CNN story here - http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/05/10/gps.transplant.ap/

See Jane Improve Hollywood

"Gender equity has progressed in many ways, but male characters still dominate television, movies, and other media for young children. Since women and girls make up half of the human race, the presence of a wide variety of female characters in our children's earliest media is essential for both girls' and boys' development."

This is the first paragraph from the website SeeJane.org. This organization was founded by Geena Davis and she says "By making it common for our youngest children to see everywhere a balance of active and complex male and female characters, girls and boys will grow up to empathize with and care more about each others' stories."

For this effort, Geena received the 2nd Annual USA Today Hollywood Hero Award on 01 May. The first recipient was actress, dancer and choreographer Zina Bethune, who "made remarkable contributions of time and energy to help those less fortunate."

On Top of the World

On this day in history in 1995, Alison Hargreaves, 33, became only the second person ever to reach the peak of the world's highest mountain without oxygen or the help of sherpas. The British mother of two failed in her first attempt yet still chose to tackle the mountain's notorious north ridge from Tibet.

She reached the 29,028ft (8,847.7m) summit at 1208 local time on Saturday - 0723 in Britain - and immediately radioed her base camp. She wanted to send a fax to her two children, Tom and Kate, aged six and four, at home near Fort William on the west coast of Scotland.
The message was: "I am on the top of the world and I love you dearly."

Daily Dose of Cute

Do you occassionally just need a daily dose of cute? Check out this site: http://www.cuteoverload.com.

It has lot of pictures like this in a blog:

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there - and to me!

I've come to expect Mother's Day as just another Sunday fighting with my kids, having to make my own dinner, getting plants I don't like (cuz, honestly, I do NOT have a green thumb - it's more black, as in death-causing...) and goofy cards. This year, I was EXTREMELY surprised.

I'm not sure how my hubby did it, but he got the boys to be good ALL weekend! They were amazingly sweet and mostly even-tempered. And all day today, they'd count 1-2-3 and yell "Happy Mother's Day" from whatever room they were in - too darn cute!

My schedule today was highly unexpected too...

1. Got up early & got ready for church in complete aloneness (read: peace and quiet)
   
   
2. Sang at KidStuf with my 7ups (7th graders & up) - that was just a goof-fest in-and-of itself (I'll have to add a separate post about KidStuf after the season ends next week...)
   
   
3. Enjoyed sitting through church alone - good message by Brian Wright this weekend - of course celebrating moms! Awesome worship (and non-worship) music, too! Our band leads off with a "rock" song most weeks (read: non-secular) and this week they played "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" by Shania Twain. Killer sax player and just funny to hear in church!
   
   
4. Came home and "the boys" all came in - hubby from planting veggies in the garden and boys from playing in kiddie pool. They gave me homemade and store cards, cute little "baskets of kisses" the boys made at daycare and a new camera. Yep - a new Sony CyperShot. WHOO HOO!
   
   
5. I was told to stay inside and chill, nap, read, whatever. I started to feel sad that no one wanted to spend time with me then said "wait - time off? I'll take it!!"
   
   
6. Various family members trooped in and out all afternoon while I sat and did nothing. Very nice.
   
   
7. Joe made a leg of lamb at my request. I made the rest of dinner, but it was ALL stuff I wanted (sweet potatoes, cinnamon & butter carrots, King Hawaiian buns, and my lamb), so I didn't belabor that point too much. If I hadn't cooked, I probably would have ended up with asparagus and rice. =)
   
   
8. After dinner, we went and got ice cream at Dairy Queen. I felt the need to try the new waffle bowl sundaes. It was ok, but didn't really hit the spot. Boys were happy with their M&M blizzards - I think they have a new favorite "special"
   
   
9. JOE gave the boys baths and cleaned up the kitchen. Me? I sat on my butt again. like I'm still doing - except now I'm blogging while he's sleeping (has to be up at 4am!)

All in all, it was a very unexpected day in our home - and very very nice! Happy Mommy!!

Kid and a Dolphin

Ok - it was pointed out to my friend Ramsey that this is actually a Beluga Whale, but I have to agree with him - using the title "Kid and a Beluga Whale" isn't as catchy and cute!

Life is Short...Get a what???

I was rather disappointed in Americans - lawyers especially - when I read this story. Apparently, this law firm feels that not only is it okay to advertise that they're divorce lawyers (can you say "ambulance chasing?"), but it apparently feels the need to advocate for divorce as well!

Personally, having been married for 10+ years, and being a Christian woman, I have a serious problem with this ad. Not the people in it - heck I've seen worse than that. It's the message in there. Basically saying that when things get tough, just move on. Heaven forbid you take your marriage vows seriously and keep trying to make it better. Prayers couldn't help at all, huh? Trusting God has a plan would just be wrong, right?

Anyway, I could go on for a long time here, but I'll let you decide for yourself. BTW - there's a Survey on their link. When I took it, the results at the time were 49% Yes to being offensive, 51% No. That just made me even more sad...

(oh - in case anyone feels the need to use the words "hypocrite" or the like... yes - I freely admit that I did get a divorce. And sometimes I wonder why I got remarried. But, I did get remarried - to the same guy I divorced. And short of a disaster befalling my family, we're in it for the long haul. 10+ years is hard to give up just because "life is short"!)

Twister

This post is in memory and honor of the victims of the Greensburg, KS tornado that hit last Friday. I've re-written this post several times and everything just sounds trite or inappropriate in light of the subject matter. So, to simplify matters, I'm removing myself from the story and simply posting pictures and a link. Do what with what you will - personally, I'm simply praying for them all right now.

All photos above are credited to Jaime Oppenheimer/The Wichita Eagle.
More photos can be seen here and here.

Seriously, I CAN do this!

I promised it wouldn't be that long between blogs, and yet here it is a week later almost and I haven't posted anything! I know it can't be THIS hard...

Maybe it's not the blog, it's simply the amount of time I have in a given day. And even though writing this kind of thing only takes 10 or 15 minutes, I always seem to spend a lot more time on the computer when I pop on to do this.

Anyway, enough whining. Here's what's going on...

Boys were supposed to have their first t-ball practice tonight but it got cancelled. We're not sure why it was cancelled, as it was a beautiful night, but that's neither here nor there. As they were all excited about it and it was nice in the backyard, we pulled out our own T and let them hit and field for about 45 minutes or so. They loved it! When I got home, I got to watch Joe showing them how to square up to the plate, figure out how far to stand from the T with their little bat and call them girls names when they threw the ball to the ground instead of to him. It's was pretty funny. I realized what a good coach he was and how much he loved doing it. But, he told me later that he just didn't have the patience with his own kids to actually be their coach. I didn't see that, but if that's what he thinks, then I'll let him believe it and just do the backyard thing with them! =)

We got to watch American Idol while eating Sloppy Joes after t-ball practice (and baths!) and the boys weren't too excited with the Bee Gee songs. Can't blame them there - Jordin was the only one who actually sounded good. We think it's because she sang songs the Bee Gees WROTE, but didn't perform themselves!

I'm trying to finish a book called "Looking for God in Harry Potter". It's a pretty interesting read but got very heavy-handed (read: big words) at the very end and I'm lost. Maybe cuz I just can't concentrate for more than 5 minutes on it. It does give a whole new perspective for me on the series (which I loved anyway!) so now I have to go back and reread the first 6 - just gives me something to fill the time until #7 comes out in July! But, I can look for new symbols and ideas in all of them this read-through.

Otherwise, life is pretty quiet and "normal". I just hit my 4 year anniversary at DEG and my annual review is this week. {{chewing nervously on fingernails}} It should be fine - I'm not really expecting a lot of negative feedback or a big raise (Neal, if you read this, ignore the raise part - I'd LOVE a big raise!) As long as they don't hit me with stuff that happened LAST year, I'll probably come out unscathed and happy.

That's it for now. At least for the "journal" post. Gonna go hunt for other things to post...

Have a great day!

OH - and don't miss my little Zwinky over on the side. That might change from time to time, depending on what's going on. And seriously, yes, that's how I'm thinking of getting my hair done in a week or so!

For the love of the game...

As my boys are about to start t-ball next week, I couldn't pass up this story. You'll have to read it to get all the details yourself, but essentially it's all about Miracle Leagues - baseball leagues specifically for children and adults with 'physical challenges'. It's very touching and wonderful - read it here.

To find where Miracle Leagues are being built or to start a league in your community, please contact the national office at (770) 760-1933 or (770) 241-8694 or email them.

More details here as well - http://www.moodymiracleleague.com/MML%20Connection.htm

American Idol

I have to admit, publicly, I'm a huge AI fan. Not the beginning part where they make fun of people - I actually really hate that part. But I do like the beginning where there's all these amazing kids and young people who screw up their courage, get in a group of thousands of people, sing in front of Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell (him alone would scare the bejesus out of me!), and pray that their God-given talent is recognized and they are put through to Hollywood.

If they make it to Hollywood, they have a chance to sing in front of millions - yes MILLIONS - of people who then get to decide every week if they stay or go. Each week they get to transform songs - normally well-known songs - into 2 minute blurbs to showcase their best singing assests, while adding some stage presence to get the crowd excited about their act. The next night, they get to sit through Ryan Seacrest's filler and rewinds of the night before and chew their nails waiting for the results. Ouch!

So - why do I like this show? Lots of reasons...

1. Simon. Yes, I like Simon. He's English, blunt and to the point. Most people DON'T like him. But I do. Mostly because I think I'm a lot like him. He's telling these kids the truth - and sometimes that hurts. Alot. He can be a little tactless sometimes, granted, but I think he simply wants to get it into their heads that this is TOUGH - it's HARD - and very very DEMANDING. Not just the show but the career - the life - the "idol"ness. And if they can't stand a little criticism on their craft now, they won't survive in that business.
   
   
2. Paula. She is ALWAYS a breathe of fresh air. Even when she's telling someone they're bad, she just does it so darn SWEETLY! I've been a fan of hers since her own pop idol days - especially her video with MC Skat Cat. She's a Hollywood icon to me and she's wonderful.
   


3. Randy. Of course. He's always 'keeping it real, dawg'. The fact the he was in Journey just endears him to me even more. He's a cross between Paula and Simon. He tells it like it is most of the time, just sometimes a little nicer than Simon.
   


4. The band! My goodness, they are wonderful! Learning twelve new songs each week for many weeks, adjusting to each singers tempo, pitch, voice indiviudally is just amazing. The piano player (I think it's the same each week) changes song keys and other details at the mere suggestion from any pro they get on there to make the song work for the singer. I'm in awe of this group! Maybe that's just the band geek in me though - always was my dream to be in a professional band. =)
   


5. The music. Sometimes it's good, sometimes not so much. I personally don't like it when a singer makes a popular, Top-40 ( Top-10!) song "their own". Certain songs are meant to be sung the way it is. But sometimes, a singer just really nails a song and makes it theirs in a way never before heard. Like Katharine with "Black Horse & a Cherry Tree", or any song that Taylor did last season, Blake's rendition of "You Give Love A Bad Name", or Kelly Clarkson & Carrie Underwood - those two ladies just ROCK! I've even been watching AI Rewind so I can watch Kelly all over again - and catch myself cheering her on or crying over the tension - and I KNOW whe's going to win!
   


6. The families. Parent, siblings, grandparents, spouses, children and close friends. They encourage and support - from the theatre back to home states. People who spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars in support of these dreams - from childhood all the way through the day the are voted off the stage. And beyond. They cry, they cheer, they sing along. They're amazing!

I could probably keep going, but you get the idea. They could lose the obviously bad singers in the first 4 or 5 weeks, lose Ryan (or at least tell him to give up the sniping with Simon - it's just annoying!) and lose the frustrating and heart-wrenching portions of the "results show" and making it touching and wonderful instead. Keep the rest. It's an amazing show that truly gives someone a chance to completely flip their world upside down and use the talent God gave them for a positive influence on the world.

Apologies

Ok - so I don't have many readers (at least, not too many that I know of, since no one has posted responses yet!) but the ones I have appear to be very dedicated - cuz they "yelled" at me for not writing since April 17! To them, I apologize as I've been insanely busy and the thought of adding more to my schedule voluntarily just made me a little, well, insane.

I have a co-worker - friend - PITA - pal - bud - whatever who blogs every day! I had to stop and think about how that's even possible. Then I thought about the fact that he has a trove of peopole who send him information, links, pictures, etc. and all he has to do is wade through, grab a handful and post them - occassionally with a comment or two. Me - I gotta think of stuff to say about life, liberty and the pursuit of religious children and go strolling through the murky Internet waters to find the few pearls to post that I think are happy-thought-making posts. I love ya Ramz, but I think you got the easier blog! =P

But, nevertheless, I have let down those who do actually read this happy insanity of mine and for that I apologize. I'll try not to go more than a few days without posting again - even if I just throw up a happy face, so you know I'm thinking about you!

OH - and speaking of happy faces - here are the boys most recent school pics. Enjoy!

Thomas	Travis