Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Tuesday Toonlet: The Evolution of Cat Nicknames

related [litandlaundry.blogspot.com]
The Evolution of Cat Nicknames


Please tell me we're not the only crazy family that twists pet names around! Not only is Dumbledore "Chumble Cheese," but his sister Hestia has a hundred names, many surrounding her relatively low kitty I.Q. We're a heartless bunch perhaps, but we do love our cats.

Any silly pet nicknames at your house?

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Vacation

funny pictures of cats with captions

I'm out of town this week with the family. I have a few posts pre-scheduled, and Finished for Friday will appear without a finish from me. You will have to supply the finished projects!

Wild tales of our adventures to follow - although I plan to do a lot of what that cat in the picture is doing.

What was your favorite vacation? We're off to a new destination with our kids this time and my fingers are crossed that we all enjoy it (although I'm pretty sure we will!)

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Finished for Friday: Chocolate Rabbits


I got another block put together for my "Rabbits Prefer Chocolate" quilt. Once again this year, Easter will come and go and this quilt will not be finished. I'm shooting for Easter 2011 now. This might be my oldest UFO (unfinished object) around.

What have you finished up this week? Link up and show us what you've done. Thanks for joining in and have a great weekend!


[I'm having trouble adding the link-maker at the moment, so please leave your links to finished projects in the comments. Thank you!]

Edited: I got the linky working now. Thanks for your patience! Please also visit the links listed in the comments.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Enduring Annals


"However humble may have been the condition of those who fled to New England, in its primeval and savage state, to found a land of freedom of thought and action, their names will occupy a proud place in history which is yet to be written, and ungrateful must be that descendant of those founders who will not in some way aid to rescue their names from oblivion, that they may be engraved upon the tablets of enduring annals."

— G. S. DRAKE.


I found this quote on a website that traces my paternal grandmother's family name. I don't know who G. S. Drake is, but I think I understand his sentiment. On that website I found my grandmother's name, neatly outlined in a family tree that traces back to ancestors who came to America in 1591.

This same side of the family is cataloged in OneWorldTree, a division of Ancestry.com that pulls common family trees together. I found my grandmother there, and hit the little button that says "find famous relatives."

Then I fell out of my chair.

Famous relatives? I've got them.

  • Oliver Wendell Holmes
  • Samuel Adams
  • Florence Nightingale
  • Georgia O'Keefe
  • Mary Baker Eddy
  • Two signers of the Declaration of Independence
  • 6 U.S. Presidents
  • Elizabeth Browning
  • Jack London
  • Aldous Huxley
  • Isaac Newton
  • Lucille Ball
  • Nathanial Hawthorne
  • Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • Bette Davis
  • Norman Rockwell
  • J.P. Morgan
  • Robert Frost
  • Gregory Peck
There are also a half-dozen first ladies (not by virtue of their relation to the presidents mentioned above, but true relatives with a common ancestor to me), and a serial killer.

Of course, of all of these, my kids were most interested in the serial killer. His name was Joe Ball and he's suspected of disposing of the bodies by feeding them to his alligators down in Texas.

This is only one branch of my family tree. My mother's side goes back to 1389 and a little church in England. My paternal grandfather goes back to the mid-1700s in Denmark.

I am absolutely caught up in this project right now. And to the lovely gentleman named Ebenezer at the top of the page? I just want you to know that you are not forgotten.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Hard to Stay Ahead

related [litandlaundry.blogspot.com]
Hard to Stay Ahead

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Finished for Friday: More bunnies

Spring is at last starting to show up around here and I'm in the mood for it! I haven't gotten as far as sticking flowers in pots yet, but I did stick some flowers and strawberries and bunnies on this wool penny rug.

Of course, as soon as I put it on the coffee table to take a picture, my very helpful kitty had to come and inspect it. *sigh* So much for art.

What have you been up to this week? I'd love to have you join us! Please leave a comment and visit the other participants to spread around the oohs and aahs. Thanks for joining in!



Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Way Back When-esday: Focused

Summer 2003, Jungle Boy at age 5. He was sitting by me at the zoo, watching his sisters climb on a cargo net. I love this profile shot I managed to get.

A dozen shots later, I got this one of Drama Girl. Believe me, there was lots of smiling and happiness that day - but I'm glad I also got a few candid pictures of their serious faces.

I can't remember why each of them sat by me. I think it was hot and they were taking breaks from climbing around. Whatever the reason, I think these portraits serve as nice reflections of their inner selves.

Way Back When-esday is hosted by Cheryl, who has all the good ideas so I just join her parties all the time.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Makes My Monday: The Future

I'm an expert in wistful mom thoughts. With a sigh I remember getting the kindergarten packet to sign for Drama Girl. I remember filling in all the forms and gathering proof of our address.

Last Friday Drama Girl came home with another fat packet of forms - for high school this time.

How did this happen???

Back then, I was confident that she could stand still in line, hold scissors correctly and write all her letters.

Now I look at her as she sketches out her next four years, full of advanced placement math and science and Shakespeare. She wants to do it all; every difficult, challenging, class that will get her one step closer to her college dreams. Which will get her one step closer to that ultimate dream, a happy comfortable life.

I miss that little 5 year old girl terribly. I miss Readmore Bear, who came home when it was her turn and listened as we read stories to him. I miss fingerpainted art projects and carefully printed and stapled little books she copied all by herself.

And while I admire her determination to do it all, when she volunteered to commit her summers to summer school to get ahead, I had to rebel.

"Take summers off. Do some life-learning and reading and just play. You only get to be young once."

And how short that once really is.

So while I share her excitement about her bright future, this Monday is also tempered with some sadness that the future will arrive all too fast.

To see more Monday thoughts, visit Cheryl at Twinfatuation.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Finished for Friday: Bunny block

This is one of my more epic UFOs. I started this quilt about two years ago. There, I admitted it. At least I've made some progress on it lately. The latest block:


Here is the quilt so far, up on my design wall. It's called "Rabbits Prefer Chocolate." Just a few more blocks to make, but I'm really slow at applique.

There will be all sorts of buttons and bows to embellish it when it's finished.

What have you been up to this week? Add a link below and show us your accomplishments! Please note that the linky program sets its own start time. This one will be ready for links at 9PM Pacific time Thursday night. I leave it up all weekend so feel free to add your link then.

Thanks for joining in!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Dramagirl reviews: The Hunger Games



The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

No, this is not a book report, it's a review (as so wisely stated in the title). The difference being my teacher isn't breathing down my neck, and I don't have to spend ten minutes on an introduction or completely useless thesis statement, and can say whatever I want without worrying about failing English and getting grounded and not being able to go to the dance...

This book is a romance, I'll be honest. A romance where lots of people die. Except for the people actually involved in the romance, because that would just lead to unnecessary whining and going on and generally being annoying on the heroine's part (see New Moon, chapters 1-12). I'm really getting annoyed by the fact that the only really good action books have guys as the main character, so I was really excited for this one. The heroine, Katniss Everdeen (it's futuristic, people, you can't make fun of the names) is super resourceful and independent, and even though one of her best friends is a guy, you can tell that she definitely is no damsel in distress, thank goodness. Her coolness factor is definitely increased by the fact that she's amazing with a bow and arrow, climbs trees, and risks death for her starving family. That sounds really cliche when
I say it, but its really original, how its written.

The basic premise of the book is very original, too, and if you're one of those people who say there are "no new stories, only new ways to tell them" will be blown away (figuratively). So anyway, the setting is a futuristic north America, with a wealthy capital and twelve districts with decreasing wealth. District twelve is the poorest, and manufactures coal. Enter Katniss Everdeen, father dead in a mining accident, starving mother and younger sister. Her only option is to hop the 20 foot high fence and illegally poach animals from the surrounding forest with her equally starved friend, Gale. Enter Effie Trinket, eccentric representative from the capital, and Haymitch, drunk survivor of the hunger games.

Every year, each district must send two tributes, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18, to the capital, to the arena, to fight to the death in the hunger games. Each year there is one survivor, each year the arena is different, each year every family in every district must watch the games on their small tv. (they're starving, but they have tv?) Each tribute's name is pulled from a ball, and is written on a small slip of paper. When Primrose, Katniss's younger sister is called, her older sister volunteers to take her place.

So basically, you've got these kids fighting to the death, right? why? Because before Katniss was born, the districts rebelled against the capital, and so the capital instilled the hunger games, to remind them who's boss. And let me tell you, its not pretty how these kids die. Actually, its very descriptive. So if you have kids, you should probably read this before them.

I give this book five stars, which I don't usually do, but this book is absolutely amazing. The sequel (its a trilogy) is just as good, and I can't wait for the last one to come out. I would say this is a teen book, but it was recommended to me by the librarian at my school, who is not a teen. I currently own both books, and I've read them at least three times. I'm definately glad I bought them.

~*warm fuzzies*~

Dramagirl





Monday, March 8, 2010

Makes My Monday: Superior

Wasabi Girl took part in the annual California Music Educators Association auditions on Saturday. She received a "Superior" rating for her saxophone solo and also a Superior rating for her trio performance.

She performed before a judge who rated her and gave comments on her performances. I remember doing many of these when I was a kid and frankly, I have to say this is pretty nerve-wracking - especially for the parent. Now I know what my mom meant when she said she would stop breathing for three minutes while I played.

I am so proud of Wasabi Girl for showing her talent. She works hard and practices faithfully. Her achievement makes my Monday. For more Monday happiness, visit Cheryl at Twinfatuation.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Finished for Friday: Calendar Quilt

Here is the quilt I was embroidering last year month by month. I think it turned out kind of cute. This post is going up later than usual because I was just putting the last stitches in. My regular quilt holders are all in bed asleep, so I spread it on the floor. Do you know what happens when you put a quilt on the floor? This.

I had trouble getting the shot, so I put it up on the counter and stood on a bar stool. Here's what happened then:
More feline help. Although I couldn't get a good shot this way, this picture does give a better idea of the colors. And it proves that despite my rotten hip I was able to climb up on a bar chair. That's an accomplishment in itself.


What did you check off your list this week? Join in and link up with an accomplishment or project. Books read, pounds lost, and snow shoveled totally count. Let's hear from you. Please be kind and leave comments for the other participants as well!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Junior Domestic Diva

After a trip to the store, I asked Drama Girl to put the fruit away. This is what she did with it.

I think the bananas look like dolphins breaching.

She then threw the box that the clementine oranges came in onto the floor. It was quickly adopted by Dumbledore, who seems not to mind the fact that he doesn't quite fit.


Wordful Wednesday is hosted by Angie at Seven Clown Circus. Visit her for more photos with stories behind them!

Monday, March 1, 2010

Tuesday Toonlet

Toonlet Complaint Department

related [litandlaundry.blogspot.com]
Toonlet Complaint Department

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