fluteloop

Dear Blogger,

2009-04-19T22:51:00.001-07:00

It’s over between us. We were good together but I have to move on. Wordpress offers me more control and you know I need that.

It’s not you.

It’s me.

I’m moving to fluteloop.com with a wordpress blog and I know I will be happy.

I wish you the best, you were always good to me.

fluteloop

Technorati Tags: wordpress,blogger,moving to wordpress,breaking up,goodbye,fluteloop.com

My dinner date!

2009-04-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009-04-16T22:36:00.000-07:00

The darkest hour is upon us all!

How amazing does this movie look? I am so excited! I remember seeing the first trailer before Twilight and as excited as I was to see that movie it was nothing compared to how much I am anticipating Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

YTSO

2009-04-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

The world's first collaborative online orchestra performed at Carnegie Hall on April 15, 2009.

It has been really interesting watching this cutting edge idea unfold on You Tube. I enjoyed watching the audition and introduction videos made by the musicians. I wish more orchestras would feature their members in a prominent way, and I don't mean the sterile biography! I watched this hour long performance and browsed the comments which were from a wide range of YT users.

"great out of this world....IDEA thank to all stars"
"omg 1 hour... WHO DOES IT WATCH?OMG :D"

I wonder if there is a plan to hold another collaboration. At that point it might be a tad more competitive after all this publicity! I wish I hadn't procrastinated making a video. Not that I think I would have won but at least I could say I tried! I told my students about it, I thought it was a more of a youth orchestra and I imagined my video being ridiculed! It takes courage to put a video of yourself playing out there for all to judge. In an audition it's between you and the people behind the screen. If you fail spectacularly it can be your own little secret!

This makes me think of a grown up honor band...

Congratulations to all involved!

More on Susan Boyle.

2009-04-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

Every time I watch it I cry. I wonder how she will top that!

We have sky

2009-04-15T00:55:00.001-07:00

View of the desert sky taken last weekend from the car.

Goose Bumps

2009-04-13T14:54:00.001-07:00

It’s never too late to seize the dream!

Technorati Tags: Britains Got Talent 2009,Susan Boyle,singer

Happy Easter!~

2009-04-12T23:33:00.001-07:00

Woman Attacked by Cuteness I mean Polar Bears

2009-04-11T23:31:00.000-07:00

A polar bear attacked a women at the Berlin Zoo after she climbed a fence and jumped into its habitat during feeding time.

Sometimes things don't turn out the way you planned I suppose?

I guess she miscalculated when she put on her essence of seal perfume that morning.

Joking aside though, what is the purpose of the bear form really. I know that seems stupid and it's not really a well thought out question but bears seem so fluffy and cute. You know, when they aren't attacking you. I mean why the big floppy paws and cute little faces? I look at a predator like a shark and I can appreciate a well designed hunter. More importantly I DO NOT feel an urge to hug it. But look at a polar bear... it's cute! Anyway, moral of the story is don't scale walls and jump into polar bear moats. I hope they don't blame the bears for this one like that poor cat in the San Diego zoo a few years back.

People can't want what they want

2009-04-09T22:52:00.001-07:00

I spent all day looking for a new (used) car to replace our Camry that has now become the shining beacon of pristine used car-ness that no other car will live up to. I have been looking on Craigs list and it seems every "good" deal I find is a crock. The old saying holds true, If it's looks too good to be true, it probably is. I never knew so many salvaged cars were out there masquerading as "excellent condition" cars. If I wanted a car with a salvage title I would run back and buy our Camry. I feel extra tired today. The good news is that my neck and shoulder seem to be healing. I am still all "crackly" though. If I straighten my back or move my neck around I hear pops and creaks. But if I don't do extra wiggling I am feeling ok. I was even able to pick Ara up to see over the rails at the zoo yesterday.

We had a play date with an old friend of mine from school and her 3 year old daughter. Ara was in heaven, having someone her age to hang out with. She even defended her new friend... a little boy was chasing her so Ara pushed him down. I don't condone her actions of course, but I understand her little logic. She was sad when I scolded her for it and had her do a time out. She really tries so hard to do the right thing, I hate to correct her when she feels so grown up and proud of herself. On Monday I took her to the park and she yelled at a jogger, "No running in the street!" Today I put her step stool in front of the kitchen sink and she did the dishes. Which is mostly playing with water, soup, and scrubbing brushes. Before I could stop her she drained my entire bottle of organic dish soap. She turned to me and said, "mama look what I made!" So happy and proud of her sink full of ultra soapy water. What a character!

Hopefully we will make a car decision soon. I need to put this whole thing behind me, I am dreaming cars and accidents and STRESS.

I will have zoo pictures just as soon as I unload them from the camera.... Oh and I had dinner with my high school band director from California! That was pretty awesome possum.

Sleep time.

I leave you with a quote from a recent library pick, Six-word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak.

"People can't want what they want."
~Dr. Drew Pinksy

Taking time to play~

2009-04-06T17:24:00.001-07:00

Last week was so doom and gloom, with the accident, injuries, and the insurance drama. So today I decided to just get out of the house. Ara needed a day of sunshine and running so much and it made me feel good to see her cheeks flushed with exercise and happiness. We walked to the park with the princess carriage loaded up with Ara’s tricycle, helmet, bouncy ball, water (it was hot today!), and strawberries to munch. It was a good day.

I received information in the mail from the Montessori preschool I was interested in. I was so excited because the website for the school says it is a charter school, meaning free tuition but it turns out only K-5th grade are free. Preschool is NOT free, in fact it would cost more than our rent per month. Plus they run on semesters like the school district and they are a month away from summer break. I feel discouraged. I think she would really benefit from a few hours a day in preschool. She is so smart and active and she is dying to play with kids her age. Between the car fiasco (buy a car, drive for a week, get smashed by a reckless driver, tons of out of pocket fees) and looking at these astronomical tuition rates I feel trapped by the almighty dollar. I keep thinking if only I could contribute the extra money we could do this for her. The school sessions are only 3 hours in the morning. Not really enough time to have a job. I think it’s time to put some effort into building my studio up again. She is just growing so fast I feel like the clock is ticking and I need to get everything just right. There are no “do-overs” in parenting!

Technorati Tags: Montessori,princess carriage,fluteloop.com

The joy in learning

2009-04-05T12:59:00.000-07:00

Foam letters in a craft store create preschooler frienzy!

Ara takes so much joy in knowing all of her letters. We are working with her on knowing both the upper and lower cases and introducing small words. She is a cute little learning sponge with a pony tail and a too small shirt!

Favorite Shoes!~

2009-04-05T01:44:00.001-07:00

Here is a little factoid about me you may not know; I have funny feet. I walk on the outsides of my feet, I have the Filipino shuffle going on, and I’m convinced they are more flipper than foot. I’m ok with it, it’s part of who I am but until recently I thought I also had to accept that all shoes would be uncomfortable. Not so! Says the pretty shoe in the picture. Salomon Woman’s trail running shoes. The actual model I have are a little different but I couldn’t find a picture, this is close enough. This shoe, is my new favorite shoe. I expect shoes to hurt when they are new. I’ve accepted that as a fact of life. But these shoes felt wonderful from the first day. So, for all of my fellow weird footers out there.. don’t give up! And to the shoe fairies THANKS!

Technorati Tags: Salomon Trail Runners,fluteloop,favorite shoes,wide width,funny feet,shoes

Yummy

2009-04-04T00:00:00.001-07:00

Ara told me I was a monkey. I said she looked like a banana and asked if she was yummy. She said, “no, I’m too hard and yucky”!

The photo is a shot I took back in October. Beautiful old pueblo style window framed with leaves.

I feel artistically blocked. I am trying to design a new site template for Wordpress now that I have control of my domain but I am drawing a blank. I wish I could remember my dream design (literally saw it in a dream).. I saw it so clearly a few weeks ago but now it’s poof! It’s been so long since I had so much freedom and I don’t know what to do with it!

We went to Target tonight and found some really cute Easter basket fillers. We looked at the actual basket selection and both A and I agreed that there was no point in buying a cheap wicker basket or in buying an over priced character basket that would only be used for one year. So we went to the home section and found a pink plastic tote that is perfect and only $2.99. A picked out some super cute new socks and panties for her and I grabbed a dozen plastic eggs. A Sesame Street book, toy truck, and we finally caved and got her another Fur Berrie. She has been asking for Blue Berry Bear since December, except she calls it “booboo fairy”.

Quick update on GoDaddy. You can now upgrade your account from IIS6 to IIS7 without deleting your account. It’s a simple setting change. Be warned though, you cannot downgrade once you make the jump to 7. After I upgraded I successfully installed wordpress through the GoDaddy interface with no problems.

I recently used GoDaddy to transfer a domain into my name but I neglected to update the whois information and when the old owner complained, GoDaddy charged me a $10 fee to process that complaint (by process I mean email me about the fee). I need to learn not to take things for granted… I didn’t see this one coming at all. I assumed the info would be updated once it was added to my account. Mistakes will cost you… be warned.

My old 280 z (32 years old)

2009-04-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

This was the first car I bought for myself. I paid $400 because the owner was an old air force buddy of my Dad's. Originally the car was for his teenage daughter, but she left to live with her Mom so I won! When I got the z it had been sitting for over a year and the inside had a fresh(ish) coat of black paint and thick pink house carpet. The original owner had sprayed every surface pink! A and I re carpeted the car and installed speakers in the back. We worked for hours on end doing everything ourselves. College students on summer break with no money but lots of time! We even managed to get the paint shiny (in most places) by buffing off the paint oxidation. Lots of work! My z treated me well. It had well over 200,000 miles on it but it ran like a champ. I loved it. The only problem was that it was so old and the parts were hard to find and expensive. After a few years I gave it to my Dad to work on as a hobby and had to move on. Mostly because I couldn't bear the thought of selling it. That's how it goes with our first car loves isn't it?

It has been collecting dust in my Dad's garage for years now, but he is moving soon so today he rolled it out. Right after the z saw sunlight the garbage collection came by and the driver leaned out the window wanting to know if it was for sale! I'm telling you, everyone wants the z because it's so obviously made of win. My Dad probably will sell it. So my car heart is breaking twice this month.

The z and the camry... good cars are so hard to find.

I tried to go motrin free last night. I woke up in tears from the pain. But before I woke up I was having the strangest dreams where my shoulder and neck hurt. I wish I could blog my dream world.

My unconcious is so entertaining!

Spot

2009-04-01T20:33:00.000-07:00

The last time we went to the library Ara picked up Spot loves school by Eric Hill and asked to check it out. Since then it has been a bedtime favorite. It's a board book with very minimal words so I usually embellish and ask Ara questions about what she thinks the characters are doing. Spot is a dog, he has three friends; a hippo, crocodile, and a monkey. On one of the pages all the animals are lined up at school with their lunch boxes, and our conversation went like this;

Me: What does Spot have in his lunch box?
Ara: Yogurt balls
Me: What does monkey have?
Ara: A banana.
Me: And hippo?
Ara: Grapes.
Me: What about crocodile?
Ara: STEAK!

I liked that all the kids/animals had healthy snacks (yogurt balls are close enough) and I thought the steak bit was hilarious.

Yucky Lizard

2009-04-01T00:30:00.000-07:00

I have been so stressed and cooped up the past couple of days I feel like I am going out of my mind. So I am going to focus on positive things...

My Mom came over the past 2 days to play with Ara so that I could have some rest time (aka answer calls and fight with insurance people). The first day, they went outside to play and when my Mom saw a lizard she screamed so loud Ara ran inside. My Mom has this auto-scream anytime she sees something slithery, I can solidly pinpoint the origin of my irrational fears! Hahahah, I'm kidding, kind of. Well my Mom felt bad about scaring Ara so today she brought a package of fake lizards and bugs and a bug catching kit. I may be repeating the "super loud bug scream" the first time I see one of those in the house. Anyway, Ara loved it. She was the happiest little girl sitting outside arranging bugs and lizards among the flowers. She carried the 8 lizards around with her all day, in her pockets and carefully cupped in her hands. My favorite part is when people come over to talk to the "sweetie" and she holds up a lizard! Loving that reaction! We had the radio on to a local "pop" station and during every song Ara would declare that this song was a lizard song! The world is a wondrous place to her and I am so lucky (yucky) that I get to share her view a little bit.

Yucky to have eachother

2009-03-30T23:52:00.001-07:00

While kissing Ara goodnight I say to her:

Me “We are so lucky to have eachother”

Ara “we are yucky?”

Support the Earth

2009-03-26T23:26:00.001-07:00

Official Earth Hour 2009 video. Earth Hour is on March 28th, 2009 at 8:30pm. More at http://www.earthhour.org
Support Earth Hour by making your own video and adding it to our Earth Hour Global group here:

http://www.youtube.com/group/earthhourglobal

Check out the Flicker photo stream for some nifty images:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/earthhour_global/

Support the earth!

Technorati Tags: earth hour,2009,fluteloop,tree huggers,turn off the lights

My Little Slice of the Internets…

2009-03-26T23:01:00.001-07:00

I am now the proud owner of two domains that are fluteloop related. I own them.. well kind of… as much as you can "own” anything on the internet I guess. Anyway, I learned a lot during the process of transferring my old domain into my name. When I got the email saying it was finally complete I was overjoyed. I immediately started planning the content and look. I also started thinking about what content management system I would like to use. I have blogged on Blogger for years now and I don’t have many complaints. I also have a few test blogs set up on Wordpress. In general I feel like Wordpress has more of the options I need and a nicer dashboard interface. But Blogger gives me access to modify my HTML which has made modifying templates so much easier and it connects me to my word (gmail, reader, photos). I also blog on livejournal which is great for the community but not even in the running as far as I’m concerned. I started looking around and I found that I could download wordpress, install it on my own site and have unrestricted access to it! No compromise necessary, I can have every thing I want and need!

Woo freaking Hoo!

***snag***

You knew it was coming right? I logged into my GoDaddy account and found that my hosting plan was not compatible.

What?

How is that possible.. I looked at the comparison charts and my economy plan had a big ol’check mark next to PHP and Wordpress. So I assume there is some mistake (on my part of course). I do what I always do when I don’t understand something… I turned to google. I found an article from March 2, 2009 on Michael’s Techbox called Thinking of hosting with GoDaddy?.

GoDaddy won’t install WordPress on IIS 6.

I started by signing up for a Deluxe Windows Hosting Package, so that I could test out some MVC stuff, and play around with new .net stuff. At the same time I was told that it was “no problem” to install a wordpress blog in the Windows package. It was a matter of a few clicks. Unfortunately the GoDaddy software requires you to select IIS 7 during the account setup, if you intend to run PHP. There were no warnings or prompts about this. Technically PHP is capable of running on either IIS 6 or 7. So this is a GoDaddy specific issue. I installed IIS 6, hoping to install an older version for maximum compatibility. The only way to resolve this is to completely delete the account and restart. This implies getting refunded on money spent and repurchasing the package. If you don’t believe this - here is offical GoDaddy communication to confirm this.

Upon review of the currently hosting plan you have with us, it is not compatible with WordPress. WordPress requires PHP language support. Your hosting account is an IIS6 Windows hosting account, which does not support PHP scripting. If this website is using only non-Windows based programming, then it is advisable to migrate the account to a Linux hosting account. If you must use Windows for any ASP.NET, Microsoft databases or other specific Windows scripting, then this account will need to be canceled, repurchased and then setup as an IIS7 configuration for Windows which does support PHP 5 scripting (not PHP 4). We do not offer an upgrade from IIS6 to IIS7. Please use the steps below for the different options suggested to resolve this connectivity issue.

No matter how you look at this, its totally unacceptable. But could have been avoided if I had a support technician on the line with me during setup. I would also like to again remind you that You absolutely cannot blame the support engineers for this type of answer, instead the real reason behind this, the outdated software that drives GoDaddy.com. I decided it was easier (cheaper too) to migrate to Linux.

A GoDaddy representative actually commented on his article!

Considering this is problem is GoDaddy specific I think they should fix it or at least put something about it in the set up screen. But that is my non-tech savvy opinion. I have no idea what that would entail. I sent a support email, hoping that they have somehow found a better solution than deleting my account and starting over. I will have my answer sometime in the next 24 hours or so. Overall, I am disappointed. I have only used GoDaddy in the past for domain registration. My hosting experience thus far has not been positive. If I am told I need to delete and start again I will be looking at other hosting companies. I should have done my homework before setting up my account with GoDaddy.

Technorati Tags: GoDaddy,fluteloop.com,domain,hosting,wordpress,blogger

“Screw Bailouts, Energy Efficiency Could Save Us $168 Billion”

2009-03-23T15:39:00.001-07:00

Energy efficiency initiatives that reduce electricity and gas usage could save consumers and businesses up to $168 billion, says the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).

Read the Article on Digg

Chatter-box

2009-03-23T15:02:00.001-07:00

Every time I take a picture of her running, neither of her feet seem to be touching the ground. Solid evidence that she is in fact a cartoon! Her legs just blur and she runs on air.

A boy at church decided to tease her and call her a name… “chatter-box”. He told the other kids to run away from the chatter box and then watched for her reaction. Ara just looked at him for a second, then dismissed him. Owned.

Technorati Tags: teasing,kids,church,running,fluteloop

Jason

2009-03-22T22:31:00.001-07:00

Sometimes bad things make you thankful. Today I am thankful.

I found out last night via the blogosphere that an old friend had taken his own life. Jason was someone I connected with online. When I met him I was just beginning to find I had an interest in design. Jason, or JasoNYC as he was to me then seemed to know it all. He seemed to crackle with wit, sarcasm, and talent. We would talk everyday about our projects and he would give me honest and critical comments. Sometimes they stung, but I would dive back in and realize he was right, I could do better. We would even play “photoshop tennis” passing an image back and forth, taking turns adding increasingly far out elements. I felt a real connection to him in this area but looking back I knew so little of Jason himself. We both moved on and we haven’t spoken much these past few years. My last communication with him was a year ago through Deviant Art.

The post by Chris Diclerico about Jason is really touching and explains a little to me how Jason could come to this point. It also has links to Jason’s work, he was an amazing photographer. Several of the pictures in his galleries were taken when he and I were still talking everyday and they look so alive and contrary to the reality that all of his friends are facing now.

I have been looking through old blog posts from back in the day and I found this. It’s nothing more than nonsense but it made me laugh and laugh at the time:

The following is a transcript of a chat I had with my friend Jason, master of random thoughts:

~fluteloop~ : It was sort of ghetto-an-istic... fight or be fighted upon
?jason? : I hate being fighted upon when I'm not in the mood.
~fluteloop~ : so true
?jason? : But after I watch fight type movies...
~fluteloop~ : you totally want to kick some ppl!
~fluteloop~ : yeah!
~fluteloop~ : Im with you!
?jason? : Like Spiderman 2, I was so ready to climb up some walls and fight crime.
~fluteloop~ : I will have to go see that
?jason? : Not really bad crime with guns and stuff.
~fluteloop~ : I just said that...but I know I wont go...crazy
?jason? : Just like...if someone's peeing, and they try to pee on me, I would totally yell at them.
~fluteloop~ : well... you
~fluteloop~ : are a new yorker youre tough and stuff
~fluteloop~ : I would yell at them too but then later I would cry
?jason? : I would yell stuff like 'Hey! Don't pee on me!' And smart things like that.
~fluteloop~ : good call
?jason? : And...
~fluteloop~ : i would say 'whats wrong with you?'
?jason? : Dude. You just totally took what I was going to say...
~fluteloop~ : I also like refering to ppl as pieces of crap
?jason? : Pieces of crap goes with so many occasions.
~fluteloop~ : and that might pertain to the situation
?jason? : You can call someone a piece of crap.
?jason? : Something can BE a piece of crap.
?jason? : You can FEEL like a piece of crap.
~fluteloop~ : cant breathe
?jason? : Versatility is a major part of any important slanderous phrase.

I can’t believe this is a world without him, I hope he found his peace.

You Look Ridiculous, I mean Warm...

2009-03-22T15:33:00.001-07:00

Wait.. what?

When the family stood up to cheer while wearing the Snuggie I had to laugh! Is it just me or is this reminiscent of a monks robes?

My Sole is Tired…

2009-03-20T14:01:00.001-07:00

It’s that time, actually it’s waaay past that time.

Time for new shoes.

My absolute favorite pair of walking/elliptical shoes are starting to look so ratty even I am aware of it! These were KangaROOS ordered from Endless a shoe and handbag website with free shipping and good prices. I remembered having ROOs when I was a kid. They were awesome shoes with little zipper pockets in them. Back in the day when there were such things as pay phones and two quarters in your shoe could mean a soda, a couple saladito's’ from the ice cream truck, or a phone call home for a ride.

In short they were awesome!

This particular pair were my favorite because they were mary jane style slip-ons so I could literally step into my shoes on the way out the door. They had a cushion insole that came out so it could be washed and they felt like you weren’t wearing shoes at all. Aww how I will miss them!

So this leads me to my search for new shoes. I bought a pair last night at Target with my birthday gift card but then on the way home Alex said, “You should have looked on Endless again since you liked that pair so much”.

And I realized he was exactly right but don’t tell him, it goes to his head.

So I sat down and happily spent an hour shoe shopping online. There is a lot to be said for online shopping. Especially with free shipping (amazon’s shipping is so high I hardly ever click “buy”). I love that I can spend all the time I need without keeping track of Ara, who gets VERY excited around shoes. I also really like the little description they give you about every shoe. I don’t know why, but it really adds to the experience! So I found some Sketcher’s that were similar to my old ROO’s but there is something too trendy/girly about them. I want the quirky KangaROOS from my childhood. Take my feet back in time please!

So I have narrowed it down to two pairs:

The first pair look cute and have the zipper pouch but they have laces and I don’t know if I can spare an extra 10 seconds to tie my shoes.

The second pair resemble my old pair but they don’t have the criss cross straps on top and the color options aren’t very festive, if I was only going to use them in a gym I would like the white. But I will use these for walking as well so I think the black would be more practical.

Decisions decisions.

Unfinished. Throwing it out finally.

2009-03-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

I started painting this years and years ago in an oil class. I always intended to finish it but setting up oil paints is a lot of work. Plus the paints are toxic so with Arababy around it's a no-go. So goodbye dusty canvas clutter!

Now that I look at it, it was ugly anyway!

Why do we keep all the things we keep to make our lives dustier?

To the A man

2009-03-19T22:52:00.001-07:00

Alex,

I know you have been stressed but it was all worth it and you were great! I love you.

He wants a hug!

2009-03-19T11:35:00.000-07:00

You (and this leaf) are really important to me.

2009-03-18T14:52:00.001-07:00

Today was errand day! I had a To-Do list that was looming over my head so I packed up a freshly bathed baby girl and headed out. Can I just say that there is nothing like 6 months on the bus and hoofing it to make you appreciate riding in a nice cool car! It was 88° on this lovely March day and I could not be happier that I am not sitting at a bus stop with 2 gallons of water in my purse and a grumpy preschooler at my side. Haha 2 gallons of water would have to mean I carry one very large purse… so I may have exaggerated the amount but still.. it’s heavy!

In the car we drove by something that looked like a school and Ara said, “I want to go to big girl school, I don’t like mama school!”. Break my heart! I know that on errand day, mommy school does pretty much suck but it hurt a little all the same. I think Ara is telling me something.. she just might be ready. I think I will let myself feel a little sad about that right now. Don’t bother pointing out the positives, sometimes it’s ok to feel sad and I do!

I’m still coughing like a 50 year old smoker and I’m still grumpy-lady, and I just want to lie down and take a nap. Does it seem like being “sick” is more common now? I mean, it’s probably just my perspective but I don’t remember having this many colds any other time in my life.. so is it my age or the germy times?

A friend of mine on facebook just posted a picture of their new tattoo..

I don’t mean to offend anyone but I just don’t see why anyone would want permanent “clip art” on their body. I mean I have seen some people who go to artists and have something truly original and arguably beautiful done and even though I wouldn’t personally choose to do it I can appreciate it. But, really with the butterfly on your back? Or the flower on your ankle? All I am saying is that generic clip-art type tattoos are really not so much a personal expression of anything apart from "I like other people’s doodles so much I paid to have one drawn on my skin'”. To me, they seem like more of a label of conforming to a stereotype. One of my high school boyfriends had my initials tattooed on his chest as a valentines gift to me. It might have been more of a romantic gesture except that he also put a marijuana leaf on his back. It was like, “look, you and this leaf are like really important to me”. He showed me his raw skin and he looked so darn proud of himself. I was horrified. I tried to act enthusiastic but I really just wanted a card and maybe a balloon (balloons were all the rage as status symbols in HS)!

Oh, that reminds me of that song.. you know the one? Something like, “Just like a tattoo. I’ll always have you.” Yeah, that makes me laugh. Ridiculous lyrics and sentiment if you ask cynical me, which no one did, but like whatever!

Doodles are for scraps of paper you keep in your purse not for your butt!

Haha.

Sorry Facebook friend.. I can be such a jerk.

~~“Just like this scar on my right arm. I’ll always have you.”~~

~~“Just like this sarcastic take on pop lyrics. I’ll always have you.”~~

~~“Just like my craving for chocolate. I’ll always have you.”~~

Cake Wrecks

2009-03-16T21:45:00.001-07:00

I just stumbled across this hilarious site, cake wrecks. The site features professional cakes that have well.. wrecked. It’s the witty comments by author Jen that really made me giggle though!

Shopping Cart Fail

2009-03-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

see more pwn and owned pictures

Happy Birthday Dad

2009-03-16T13:03:00.001-07:00

My Dad turned 50! We celebrated with him on Saturday and I’m glad to see that he seems to be in a very happy place in his life. His fiancé got him a flat screen TV and my brother, sister, and I all went in on a HD DVD player (or something) and a game he wanted. Neither my sister or I had much money to spend. She is in the process of buying a house, which is amazing. We are buying a car, which is exciting. My Dad is so deserving of good things I wish I could spend millions on him. He has always gone above and beyond the call of duty with his family. My Dad is a source of inspiration to me. I have never known anyone with such self control and selflessness. All my life he has worked harder than anyone should have to but I have never heard him complain. He has kept every single one of my cars on the road through sheer determination and through the sacrifice of many a weekend. He has always had a way with Ara. When no one could calm her, he would take her and within minutes there would be silence. My Dad can hold still for longer than anyone! He is like a safe statue. Ara knows he will hold her still and silent until she stops, so she just gives up. He fights the good fight. I have always known that my Dad would be there for me and I hope that I can do the same for my family. Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you.

After we did cake (pecan pie) and presents the adults set up the DVD player to enjoy a movie in all it’s high definition glory and I took Ara out front with Joey’s helmet and scooter. She was a natural right from the start. I didn’t have to show her how to do anything. She had fun riding and I had fun running along trying to get a picture of it! If you look very closely you can see our new white car in the background of the picture!

I had a more elaborate post planned with videos but I am being attacked by an awful cold so instead I am going to put Ara down for a nap, take some Nyquil and take a nap myself.

*cough*

Woohoo

2009-03-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

Pass on the Shuffle

2009-03-12T23:01:00.000-07:00

I watched the Mac video introducing the new Shuffle and I had the same thoughts.. just less funny and nalt's-like. I guess no one has told Mac that we HATE the ear buds that come with iPods. No one mentioned to them that the first thing you have to do when you get a new iPod is buy headphones because they ones they provide a) hurt anyone who has ears smaller than an elephant and b) don't stay in your ears at all. Putting the controls on the headphone is such a terrible idea it would have made a funny ironic skit or something. Plus the girl in the video wearing the grey shirt with the grey sweater creeps me out a little.

Craft Store Treasures

2009-03-12T21:36:00.001-07:00

Ara and I went to a craft store today and I picked up a couple things from the $1 bins for her. I found this place mat with the Alphabet written on it (lower case on one side upper case on the other). It came with a dry erase marker that has an eraser on the cap. The mat went over like gangbusters (hmm.. is that a real saying?). She said she was “writing down her schedule” which is super dog cute. We also got new list pads with magnets to hang on the fridge. I had one that I used for grocery lists but Ara took a shine to making lists too so we needed more! I also found a foam 3D animal creation kit and a pad of Disney’s Car’s characters that came with little markers. All for a dollar each! Woo hoo. I have way to much fun in craft stores. I spent a lot of time looking at the cake decorating isle. I need a lot of equipment but I can’t decide if it would be better to buy individually or as a set.

I need all things cake!

I swear every isle in that store sparks my imagination. I want to buy more beads, a canvas, more paint to use on the canvas, storage boxes, picture frames, photo albums… the list goes on and on. The only place worse for me is a hardware store (craft stores for the serious people). I managed to escape with under $20 in items and I have a few little things to keep my Ara’s mind and fingers busy!

Ara used the restroom at the craft store! She still has a lot of worries about falling in and the noise of the flush but her successes are out numbering the times when the fears get the better of her. Yay! We were out and about from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm and she went diaperless and carefree the whole time!

Technorati Tags: crafts,craft store,dollar bins,letters,Ara,fluteloop

Thoughts from a Tired Mind.

2009-03-12T00:34:00.001-07:00

I purchased a domain from GoDaddy on Tuesday and I still can’t access it through FTP. And I have made no progress what so ever towards regaining control of fluteloop.com. I am going to contact the company that is holding it tomorrow.

I forgot to call Caleb back (sorry).

We cancelled our cable TV through Cox. Originally I had a multi line discount that worked out so that the cost of having internet and TV was only $5 more than not having TV. That changed, however and I’ve watched my bill increase from $50/mo to almost $80/mo. Finally I had to say, “no more”. As a side note I hate Cox. Every single time I have dealt with them I have had comical incompetence and/or rudeness. From what I gather there is some sort of industry standard for this in the business of internet so I suppose they are just doing their part. I don’t think I will miss the TV much. I can always watch on Hulu.com and let’s face it the internet has plenty to fritter my time away on!

Ara has come down with a cold and has a rattling cough. I have the same thing. Sucks.

We have been “test driving” the car we want to buy all week. Today Ara and I took it in for a brake inspection because the warning light is on. Brake Master’s quoted me $350 worth of work that needs to be done ASAP. Hopefully we can have that cost knocked off the price of the car. I really like the car. It’s pretty and shiny and… well it’s a car! I hope everything works out.

March is going by so quickly, the student recital is just around the corner and I have slacked off with my practicing. (checks shiny spot on her finger) I am losing shininess!

Ok I think I have captured MOST of my random thoughts. Now I just need them to stay here so that I can sleep!

Good night!

Let’s Do Something Good.

2009-03-11T17:03:00.001-07:00

A 17 year old boy killed at least a dozen people on a shooting spree at his former school…

I don’t want to believe that this is the world we live in.

As we prepare to send Ara to school I am continually reminded that this is indeed the state of things. Mesh backpacks, metal detectors, elevated levels of awareness, and still it happens. Doesn’t it? Why?

I’m going to go tell my daughter than I love her.

And think some more about home school.

Peek

2009-03-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

I've got my yellow eye on you!

2009-03-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Toy inspection

2009-03-11T12:02:00.001-07:00

Taking pictures to amuse ourselves while the car gets an inspection.

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Ramped Consumerism

2009-03-10T14:20:00.001-07:00

Ara, pretending to buy soda. She only has pennies so the machine rolls them right back out.

How she has grown! Comparison pictures March 2008 and 2009.

Parade and School

2009-03-09T00:31:00.001-07:00

I saw this Earth Day Festival advertisement on the bus today! I am going to talk to Ara about it tomorrow. We get to pick an animal to represent in the parade. I am curious to see what Ara will want to choose. Maybe panda bears!

Join the Parade
All species great and small-insects, plants and animals-the Earth needs them all! Dress-up and participate in the “All Species Procession” as part of the Earth Day Parade! Make a banner and tell us how your species is so important to Planet Earth. Are you helping clean the air (trees and plants)? Are you endangered or threatened species? The ice may be melting your home (global warming) or maybe there hasn’t been rain in a while so you are affected by drought or the threat of fire… let us know what we should do to help all species have a green habitat! Parade begins at 10:00 and winners are announced at 11:30.

Below are some pictures from our “Tot School” lessons last week!

This was a kit I found at a craft store on clearance from valentines day. We had a lot of fun putting it together and decorating it with stickers and glitter glue. Ara was completely engrossed and she was so creative. Most of the actual construction was a little too complicated but we worked together. Plus she was so proud of the end result!

This was water day. I gave her different sized cups and bowls. She loved pouring, dropping beads in, and pretending to make a cake. She wasn’t big on the eye dropper for moving water. We experimented by filling a cup and then adding beads until it spilled over. Ara noticed that some of the beads floated and some sank.

This tray was filled with food pictures I cut out of grocery ads. We used glue and scissors to make an “ara’s-favorite-foods” collage. She enjoyed this for a bit but it didn’t hold her attention like the other trays.

This tray was something I saw on the tot school site except that they used big plastic tweezers to move the balls from the bowl to the tray. I didn’t have one so I substituted a spoon. Ara was not interested in this one at all. She does like to play with the puff balls though.

Technorati Tags: tot school,fluteloop,activity trays,earth day,parade,panda bears,endangered animals

March is a good time to say…

2009-03-07T21:55:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday!

March is a crazy birthday month in my family. My Brother turned 27 last week, today was my nephew (7) and my Mother in Law, and next week we will celebrate with my Dad.

For my Brother Ara made a special cake. We used a small star shaped silicone cake pan and she did every step (with a little mom help). She even cracked the egg! Then she frosted it and added sprinkles. We managed to stick all 27 candles into Ara’s little cake and she was tickled about it. I made an extra regular looking cake that we used to back up but it was clear who’s cake stole the show!

For Joe’s birthday he requested a Sponge Bob Square Pants cake. I have never even attempted a character cake before so I was nervous. My problem is that I make these elaborate plans and then when it comes down to it I don’t have the time. I found myself stirring spaghetti sauce on the stove while holding a spatula covered in icing, trying to decide if I could put garlic bread in the oven with the second layer of cake! I ended up at 2 am sitting at the kitchen table, too tired to think straight, scraping designs off with a toothpick. It was all worth it though! When Joe saw the cake today he said, “It looks even more delicious than I imagined”. What a sweetie.

My Sister went all out economy style for this party and it sort of made the day even more special and unique. Everything was home made and just a little different. She actually made a piñata by papier-macheing (spell check doesn’t know that word) a balloon and then she decorated it like some sort of festive egg! It was pretty cool. I think she may have added a few too many layers though because it took quite an effort to take that thing out. All the kids took turns and then my Sister gave it a try.. then we gave the bat back to Joe and he attacked with a candy-craving-maniacal-glint in his eye. He started with a downward stroke, breaking the piñata off it’s rope. Then, once it was on the ground he gave it a few more swift swings with the bat. As a last resort he used some sort of super wrestling/ninja move where he twisted up into the air and brought his new Heelys down, dealing a final blow. I have pictures of the whole thing! Muhahaha!

After the party, we had to rush home to change for my MiL’s birthday dinner at the Texas Roadhouse. Unimpressed by the food and noisy atmosphere over all but it rounded out an eventful Saturday and now, I am glad to be home!

Party

2009-03-07T14:40:00.000-08:00

FB Tweets

2009-03-06T00:18:00.000-08:00

The Coming Facebook-Twitter Collision

Forget about rivalries with MySpace and LinkedIn. Facebook's real competition is coming from upstart microblogging site Twitter

Interesting story.. is facebook shaking in it's boots? I use both Twitter and FB but I mostly update my Twitter as a way of updating my FB. What a complicated web we weave on the web!

My Twitter: http://twitter.com/fluteloop
My FaceBook: If I gave you this I would have to kill you...

Square Pants!

2009-03-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

I will have lots to post about soon... but we are waiting on some answers first.

Today Ara and I did Tot school for the second time and she is loving it! It's so fun. I'm actually not really following the program but I liked the basic ideas. Each day I prepared three trays with activities and let her choose. First she chose a 3D foam project and today she chose the water tray. I took a few pictures but Ara gets grumpy with the camera lately. "Mama NO pictures!" But I loved watching her discover and experiment with the water. I will have more detail when I put the pictures up.

I walked Ara to the grocery store tonight to get supplies for the gigantic Sponge Bob cake Ara and I will be making tomorrow. Oh! I have pictures of the cake she made for my brother too! She did it all, even cracked the eggs.. (I had to fish out the shells though).

I'm tired and not feeling well so I think it's bed time.

Parting thoughts:
I love office supplies!
And my "W" key is hardly working!

Eat Less Meat, says Hank!

2009-03-03T15:54:00.000-08:00

It must be YouTube Tuesday? And I must be on a "save the environment" kick today. But I like to watch documentaries on animals and every single one has a message of doom.

Eat less meat, waste less, give a damn. The polar bears, sharks, blue fin tuna, and panda bears need us! I can do this, I don't need to eat meat with every meal. Of course Alex may not love that but Ara won't mind!

Homeless Polar Bear

2009-03-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

I feel sad now.

Ara's Imaginary Monsters

2009-03-02T23:24:00.000-08:00

Ara(tear streaked face): "There are red guys. Red guys in the trees. The wind is blowing."

Mama: "This is YOUR room, you need to use the magic word so they will leave."

Ara furrows her eyebrows and looks at me trying to understand if I am angry at her.

Mama: "They are afraid of the magic word, do you want to know what it is?"

Ara nods seriously

Mama: (loudly)"Skedaddle! You see they all ran away!"

Ara: "Ski-waddle?"

Mama: "That's right!"

Ara: "I can say ski-waddle and they will be very nervous!"

Mama: "YEAH!"

Ara: "SKI-WADDLE!"

Ara looks thoughtful

Ara: "Mama? Ghosts live in the rectangle (vent) I can say ski-waddle to them and they will run away."

Ara: "And, wolves will run away too."

Ara: "And monsters live in Sesame Street."

We also have skedaddle spray because she thinks the bumps in the plaster are holes that can bite her.

All of this seems to help empower her a little but when it comes down to it she is still a terrified little girl facing her worst imagined fears. Tonight when I went in she was under her covers sobbing and shaking. Her imagination is vivid and to her, the fears are real. I was exactly the same way, and to a certain degree I still am. So I tend to be really lenient with her, I want to make her feel safe and at the same time tell her I believe she can face her fears alone in the dark. Alex sticks to authoritative mode and in the end I think she actually feels safer when he does that instead of coddle her. It has been exhausting though. Our once tried and true bed time ritual has been disrupted and what used to be 30 minutes of story and kisses has turned into a 2+ hour ordeal. The good news is that the child development articles say that she will grow out of it.. in 5 years or so. Ack!

Little Laptop, Little User

2009-03-02T01:42:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a wonderful family stroll to a nearby restaurant, a little Mexican place. Ara rode in the princess carriage and "computed" the whole way. Once we were inside she promptly set herself up to look just like her Daddy! It was cute, she would even pretend to type really fast like he does. The laptop has little games to practice letters, colors, and shapes. She loves it! She calls it her "Ko-puter". Today we are starting "tot school" so I will have some pictures to post later on! I'm excited about the activities I have planned, I hope she loves it! I might also have some car news soon but I will keep that under wraps until things are decided.

Happy Monday!

Twilight is Moist and Delicious?

2009-02-28T22:58:00.001-08:00

28 Creative and Amazing Twilight Cakes

What?! I love looking at cake designs as it is.. Ara and I check out at least 2 books a week on the topic but here is a listing of Twilight themed cakes! Woo hoo. It made me wonder.. what do the Harry Potter cakes look like? And for that matter are there cakes based off of any of my other favorite books? Don’t you love the internet? You can always find that you are not alone!

And.. the Hogwarts cake takes the.. WIN (you THOUGHT I would say “takes the cake” but I am only that cheesy on Tuesdays!)! Come on, this one is impressive!

Park Pictures!

2009-02-26T10:52:00.001-08:00

View Full Album

Our picnic at the park yesterday… in February and it was really warm!

His eyelids got heavy..

2009-02-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

WoW John Green is Funny!

2009-02-25T13:24:00.001-08:00

15 year old Girl: How do I get 15 year old boys to like me?

John Green: Become World of Warcraft

I had to lol. I love the vlogbrothers lighthearted, fast talking, witty vlogs.

Ara and I spent a nice, slightly hot day at the park and since I couldn't sleep last night (again!) I will now take a nap. Good nap!

Princess Carriage

2009-02-25T10:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Cassandra and family this is how Ara rolls now! I wish there was one for me...

After I strolled her home she asked if she could stay outside, to sit in the carriage and finish her berries and carrots!

Tot School

2009-02-24T21:14:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this blog by clicking the "next blog" button on top of my page and it seems like JUST the thing I have been talking about. I am excited to have such a treasure trove of ideas and learning tools at my finger tips to better prepare Ara for Pre-K. I'll post a little explanation. I'm super excited to get started.

Tot School isn't really school at all! Don't let the name confuse you! Tot School is basically a focused time each day on the tot in your family. For those of us with older children that are homeschooled, we often place a lot of emphasis on them while the tots just *play.* This isn't bad, it just didn't work for me. Personally, I felt I was losing valuable 1 on 1 time with my precious tot that I had with my first child since he was the only one then. Tot School is the time each day I spend with him, exposing early learning skills through FUN play. Tot School is not forced, is always fun, sometimes doesn't happen the way I plan, and is always focused on my tot, "Krash."

Audio of Ara talking

2009-02-24T19:55:00.001-08:00

This is Ara talking about her drawing. I had to record it just to remember how she uses the word "mama" like it's the normal beginning and end to a sentence! Plus, she has such a sweet little voice and the way she says Triceratops is so cute!

Hair!

2009-02-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

Sunshine

2009-02-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

Breaking Dawn kept me awake! (and Pre-K)

2009-02-23T22:07:00.001-08:00

Tidbits:

I am currently reading Persuasion by Jane Austen.
I borrowed the movie to watch when I’m done.
I am researching Pre-K for Ara and plan on visiting a few schools this week.
I was sullen and moody at church and I can’t really blame any one else for that.
Ara has been drawing the most vivid characters out of letters.
I have been practicing again and it feels great.
Ara’s constipation is clearing up, I had to resort to meds though.
I will still be tormenting Alex and Ara with whole grain, flax seed, Omega-3 filled meals anyway.

Sleep deprivation:

For the past 2 weeks I have been having trouble sleeping. It was a spiral that spun out of control. I began to feel stressed about going to sleep so that when I lay down my heart would race and I would squeeze my eyes shut. Not the most productive sleeping environment. I was getting on average about 3 hours of sleep a night and I was GRUMPY about it, let me tell you! The past few days I have been sleeping just fine however, and I think I can pinpoint the source of my sleeplessness. Breaking Dawn. I was listening to it on my iPod every night. This is my second read and I remember having problems sleeping with every book in the Twilight series. Of, course I was usually lying awake, light on, book in hand so it was less noticeable. There are themes in the book that really get under my skin. On top of being an incredibly suspenseful book. I actually feel like I should identify with the author more because she is a mother herself. As is the author of Harry Potter. But, in Breaking Dawn I find myself thinking that, for a Mother, she is strange. Bella, knowing that she is going into a situation where either her or Edward will die states that she will not live without him. In my head I wondered, how she could be so selfish. Did she think her daughter would prefer her parents to leave her together so that they would feel no grief? What of her daughters grief? I suppose I am supposed to see the bond between Edward and Bella as unbreakable, perhaps stronger than a normal love. Stronger than a Mother’s ties to her child? Maybe I am being too harsh, I know that she was trying to ensure her daughter’s future by sacrificing her own. At least that is how we are supposed to see it. I know it’s a romantic book with very young characters and meant for a young audience but I just couldn’t identify with Bella on that level. The night she first saw her baby and learned that her life could be in danger from her accelerated growth… Bella went off and had a magical night with Edward. I KNOW the baby was asleep, but I would never have been able to compartmentalize that information long enough to go have a carefree night. Is that just me? “Oh, my little girl’s life is in danger? Well, I’ll think about it later, after all she is asleep”. A mother wrote this? In the final installment of Harry Potter, the author has a Mother step into the role of protector to take down bad guy #2. Out of the blue this sweet little lady steps in to shield her children from danger and does what no one thought her capable of. And in fact the very reason Harry is so powerful is because of his Mother’s unconditional love. Ok my rant is over, you can see I was getting obsessed with this and since I finished the book I have been sleeping better. I am currently listening to A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and sleeping so much better!

Pre-K:

I have been staring at my computer screen in frustration pouring over information about local schools offering a pre-k program. Aside from the emotional factors I have to also consider price, location, and quality. Most private schools are too pricey and even the community schools sometimes charge a good amount. There are also a few charter schools in our neighborhood and they are free. So, do we try to put her in a program at an elementary school, one that she could stay at for K-6 or do we look at a program based solely on it’s student:teacher ratio, report card, test scores?

I keep asking myself if I was right to keep her home. Is she better off now than she would be if we had sent her to daycare? I can see the drawbacks. She is socially not as advanced as many other children her age. She doesn’t know how to wait in line or interact with her peers. On the positive side she has great communication skills, and a good sense of herself. How ready is she for school? What more can I do to help her? I have questions… I also have books on the subject but I am still torn. We have been working with her everyday on her letters and numbers and she is excelling beyond my expectations. She doesn’t lack potential that is certain.. she takes after her Dad. I want so badly to make things easier for her. To prepare her for the world. I want to give her the skills to navigate school and at the same time I want to protect her forever. I’m a wreck, anyone surprised? Didn’t think so.

Wow this was a long post.

I still have no wallet.

How to Find Lost Objects

2009-02-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

"Some people lay things down around them neatly; some of us toss. If you're a tosser, go into the most traveled spots of the most suspect rooms, then pretend that you're tossing the object as you turn in a circle."

I lost my wallet sometime between when I taught Saturday and realized I had no money on Sunday. I thought the wikiHow article was funny but I still have not found it! I did check my bank and all my millions of dollars are still in there so I guess it's lost not stolen.

Come back!!

The thing that is making me most sad is that my Target gift card Alex got me for my birthday was in there. I have been holding onto it until I think of something really special. Now, it might never be!

How to Find Lost Objects

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

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Do you often find yourself in a frenzy and tearing apart your home in search of something? Are you late for work again because you couldn't find your car keys? Use this guide to save time -- and your sanity.

Steps

Check your immediate surroundings. Survey the room or rooms where the item might be. Don't go into depth, searching under piles of clothes and inside pants' pockets. Instead, just look around to see if the item is in plain sight.
Look for the missing object where it is supposed to be, or where it can usually be found. If you lost your check card, then you should obviously check your wallet. If your keys are missing, then look in your door and car locks to make sure you didn't simply forget them.
Check on your person. It sounds silly, but it's possible to forget that your glasses are already hanging around your neck, perched on your head, or even right in front of your eyes. Check these obvious spots once more even if you're sure you already did.
Search for the missing object in depth. Now that you know the object is not in plain view, look in more detail around your home and car. If you have a messy residence, this may require some time. Make sure to be thorough. Most people have the same daily routine, which will narrow things down a bit. Eliminate places that the item is very unlikely to be (such as keys in the oven) to save time. You probably thought of several possible places, gave a cursory check of the first few, and by the time you got to the end of your list were getting worried and looking more carefully. Go back and look carefully in those more likely places too.
Clean your surroundings. Try doing a rigorous tidy-up of your room, house, apartment, dorm room, car, book bag, backpack, purse, or whatever area you have likely lost your item. Items seldom disappear from spotlessly neat areas. Just cleaning up may very well reveal the whereabouts of your lost item. If not, well, at least you cleaned up!
Think back to the last time and place you used the missing object. Did you take it to work or to a friend's house? Were you recently at a restaurant or on the city bus? When did you use the object last? Retracing your steps may lead to the object. These things usually happen when we are on auto-pilot and get distracted. Maybe someone was cleaning up and moved your item. Where might they have put it?
Call the people and places you've been recently. Now that you have narrowed down the places it could be, call your friends, your job, the bus station, etc. They may be holding your missing object for you.
Ask others to help you look for it Enlisting the help of others will often enhance your chances of spotting the lost item. This could be your family members, your friends, the bus driver, even total strangers (who are often remarkably obliging in looking for a misplaced item!). You can even put an advertisement in the local newspaper, on lampposts or on Craig's List--it's a long shot but may be worth it if your lost object is valuable.
Search systematically Depending on your surroundings, try to come up with a system to avoid overlooking an area. For instance, if you think you may have lost your lucky penny in a grassy lawn, you may want to create a search pattern by yourself or with volunteers to avoid overlooking an area.
Consider the possibility that the item may have been stolen. Do not panic, but consider how much the item might be worth to a stranger and whether anyone might want it as their own. If the item is relatively valueless, of course, it's unlikely to be an object of theft. However, you never know--people sometimes steal things for apparently nonsensical reasons.
Give it time. Sometimes an item will surface in time. Your sister finds it while vacuuming in an oddball spot you never would thought of, for instance. Unless it is something which can cause serious problems (like credit cards, cell phone, checkbook, I.D.), sometimes just waiting pays off.
Make sure the missing item doesn't get lost again, whether it is found or you replace it. Whether the item is replaced or found, get a better key chain (and use it for its purpose), organize your home, and have a designated place to store your valuables until the next time you need them.

Video

Tips

Do not look blindly for the item. The first reaction is to search for the missing item everywhere imaginable, leading to frustration. Take a moment to calm down and think logically. Be methodical and split the area up in smaller zones and scan one at a time. If you go back, always search the area as you've earlier defined.
On at least one search pass, look above eye-level. So often, we're looking down while searching, but might have put the item on a higher shelf, "just for a moment."
Check everything again and again. If you have searched your room for your keys three times, check again. It is not rare to find something in the very place you thought you had already searched thoroughly. Ask someone else to help you if you don't mind them looking through your things.
Don't forget the automobile! For most people, the last place they were before coming home was in their car. For small objects (such as keys and credit cards), be sure to look between and under the seats of your car to make sure they didn't fall out of your pocket.
Consider the item's characteristics. The nature of certain items makes them easier or more difficult to locate. Missing cell phones, for example, can often be recovered by simply calling the number of the phone, assuming the phone is powered on and charged. Also, consider that when you use the item. For example, if you often use something in the winter, try checking the pockets of your winter jackets.
If none of this works, just stop looking. Get your mind completely off finding the object. This gives the amazing computer in your brain a chance to work, which sometimes leads to instant recall.
Write your name in heavy duty markers on valuables in a hidden place. That way, if they get stolen, you can easily prove it's yours.
If you don't find the item quickly, stop looking and start picking up and/or cleaning your house, car, or office. This changes your focus and level of frustration. When you find the item (or even if you don't), you'll be on your way to more organized surroundings and less likely to misplace things.
Know your habits. Some people lay things down around them neatly; some of us toss. If you're a tosser, go into the most traveled spots of the most suspect rooms, then pretend that you're tossing the object as you turn in a circle. This gives you a radius (based on how you would toss that particular object -- you'd toss your keys differently than a notebook or breakable object) of roughly where it would be, including the trajectory it could have bounced off of the bed or a sofa cushion.
For next time try to remember where you first looked for it, when you realized it was lost. Keep it in this place and you should avoid losing the same thing again. Usually the first place that springs to mind will be the same each time.
If the object is small, and you think it might be on the floor, lay your head down so that the floor is at eye level. This makes small objects more easily seen.
Try to keep backups of the most common misplaced things (keys, wallet, purse, cell phone, and the remote control), so that if you don't have time to look for them, you can still get by. Make sure they look and feel different from the originals and keep them in a separate place. You don't want to lose both by always thinking you had the other one.
Habit is a great substitute for memory. Practice the habit of putting your keys and wallet/purse in the same place, every time. If you catch yourself thinking, "I'll just put it here for a moment...", stop, give yourself a small dope-slap, and go put it in the Proper Place...which should be a convenient and dedicated shelf or container very close to The First Place You Looked.
Put your keys on a nail or key hooks (available at a hardware or home decor store) next to the door. You will always have your keys handy and the fire dept advises putting them where you can grab and go. You could also keep a dish or shelf (frisbee, abalone shell -- whatever will hold your stuff) where you put all those important things (phone, wallet, keys, change) right as you walk in the door.
Put your jewelry into a jewelry box to keep it easy to find and a clean look to your bureau.
When you do something, say it. When you talk, your brain works to remember what are you doing. If you put your wallet somewhere, say to yourself where you put it.
If you are extremely worried, use one of those new RFID tags and locaters. Just don't lose the locater.
You can also try services like TheFoundBin. These sites list found objects on an easy to use map.
If nothing whatsoever works, simply pay to replace the item. After you have the new one, the lost item will suddenly appear in a place you thought you had raided thousands of times.
If the object is small enough to fit in say, a pocket, then try checking dirty pants that have not been washed yet or are somewhere in the laundry room.

Warnings

If the item can be easily replaced, then cut your losses to avoid further inconvenience. Check and credit cards, for example, can be replaced by your bank, usually free of charge. If a card has not been found after going through the above steps, call to have the card deactivated and have a new one sent. Many places do not check photo I.D when using such cards, and if it has been stolen, you could be hurt financially if you don't report the loss promptly.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Find Lost Objects. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Crazy Friday

2009-02-20T16:05:00.001-08:00

While I was teaching, my neighbors had a blow out fight and the police came.. Ghetto flute lessons anyone?

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I've never seen someone so perfect.

2009-02-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

Laundry day!

2009-02-19T11:27:00.000-08:00

Ara is Using the Flushing Toilet!

2009-02-18T14:40:00.001-08:00

Most Innovative Toilets in the World

This toilet celebratory post is in honor of one Miss Ara who has been successfully using the flushing toilet for 3 days in a row now!

*pause for applause*

She has been doing really well at home using her Fisher Price potty chair but she couldn’t get over her fears of the loud flushing toilets that most of us are accustomed to. This was quite an obstacle when we were out in public without our potty chair in tow. Needless to say, I am happy to be flushing instead of dumping and cheering instead of wiping.

Go Ara girl!

To Do List (for my life)

2009-02-17T23:07:00.001-08:00

1. See my daughter grow up and live her life to the fullest.

2. Hike the grand canyon.

3. Learn as much as I can about everything.

4. Dive with marine mammals.

5. Shed my inhibitions and sing Karaoke.

6. Feel compassion for every person I meet.

7. Touch a panda bear!

8. Travel. Everywhere.

9. Really appreciate and hold those I love close to me.

10. Play flute often and well.

11. See an alligator in the wild.

12. Teach with sincerity.

13. Be supportive of myself inside my head.

14. Take a vacation with Alex and really relax.

15. Take great pictures.

16. Make time for friends.

17. Travel through Europe with Ara.

18. Petition to make M&M day an official holiday!

Ok, now I’m getting silly. This is my list (so far)!

Already done:

1. See the Swiss Alps, from the top.

2. Sky dive.

3. Feed a baby seal.

I’ll try to think of more because the length of this part of the list is depressing!

Starbucks Is Not Your Office (but it would be great if it was)!

2009-02-13T15:12:00.001-08:00

“Reader jessettrs sends in this ridiculous image taken at a Starbucks on 42nd and 9th. Yeah, it's a guy with a Mac Mini and a 15-inch LCD.

Our tipster also says that there's a T-Mobile G1 hanging off that contraption for some reason, and the guy looks like a homeless dude. Anyone who needs to bring the entire contents of their home office into a coffee shop is as good as, we say.”

To read the full story click here.

Maybe, this guy is just a little smarter than the rest of us.. I mean are we not headed into a financial recession? Cut the internet bills and set up shop in a Starbucks! I hear they have refreshments there.. (subliminal message: Italian Soda!)

Love from Ara

2009-02-13T11:01:00.000-08:00

Ara & her grandpa

2009-02-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

My Dad came over today to take Ara and I to lunch. I had Ara all excited about going to her eat Macoronii & Cheese and icecream (which was a little shameless since Jason's Deli is one of my favorite places). I didn't realize until he got here that my Mom has our car seat in her car so we were stuck walking to a local place. We used the new "princess carriage" that Cassandra gave us last night, it's a really cool stroller/bike trailer. The walk was really nice, the weather was sunny but not hot and we ate outside at this little Mexican resturant around the corner. It was a really nice day. Now, I just need nap time to start to make it perfect!

Super tall tower

2009-02-11T19:31:00.000-08:00

Tonight we FINALLY made it over to Cassandra's house. Ara fell in love with her 9 year old daughter instantly and she followed her around happily. I love when Ara finds a good kid to idolize! I am writing my blog out of order since I just mentioned the stroller/trailer that Cassandra gave us in my blog for today and now I am writing about last night and the time warp in my brain is making me dizzy! The picture is just the block tower Ara and I built last night, she was also partially in undressed because she was stalling getting her pajamas on and I was an accomplice! Ok I have to stop I am having an upside down feeling that needs to stop!

Posting via Email

2009-02-11T09:18:00.001-08:00

So many strings that tie me to the internet. Twitter, blog, facebook.. I am a puppet on a string! (Just testing email posts :D)

Paper Towns

2009-02-11T08:55:00.000-08:00

John Green answers questions about Paper Towns.

None of my questions though! If you have not picked up a John Green book you should. I particularly loved Looking for Alaska but I read and enjoyed all of his books. They are easy to read and you are pulled into them from the first page. In fact I wish that I had not read them yet.. so that I could read them again! In the video he talks about writing the screen play for Paper Towns, that's exciting. I love love LOVE watching movies made from books. It's so exciting to compare your imagination to the movie (my imagination is always better). I particularly enjoy the scenery. I mean the first time I saw Hogwarts in the movies I was in love! Ok back to my green tea morning~

@church notice they hide all the toys!

2009-02-10T12:55:00.000-08:00

She looks so grown up

2009-02-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

Joy?

2009-02-08T09:10:00.001-08:00

I couldn't sleep last night, stressed about church.

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25 Random Things About Me

2009-02-07T00:17:00.001-08:00

Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. I refuse to watch scary movies, movies about animals, sad movies, or movies set in Scotland or Ireland. When I was pregnant I had to stop watching shows like CSI and even the news. They effect me too much and make me have bad dreams. I do know I’m a wimp.

2. I think of playing flute as an emotional faucet. All of the emotions, frustrations, passions, and even forgotten things come bubbling up to the surface when I play. Sometimes I have to keep a list near me to write down all the things I realize I’ve forgotten.

3. From 7th grade up I have always been in a relationship except for a small window in my Senior year in high school when I moved to Arizona. All of my relationships ended amicable.

4. I learned that I loved to read books in 3rd grade. I would put books on my lap under the desk in school to read through the day. Charlotte's Web was my first love.

5. My first flute teacher didn’t play flute but she would spend hours a day playing piano for me. Her passion, love, and devotion have been a guiding light to me throughout my life.

6. My dreams influence me and sometimes teach me about myself. They are also crazy and highly entertaining.

7. I envy people who say they are bored. Who has time to be bored?

8. Since I realized I was pregnant I have been a different person. It may be cliché but in a very real and profound way I am changed. I love Ara with a love so fierce it can still shock me.

9. I have always been in awe of Alex’s musical talent.

10. The greatest musical moment in my life was in Lucerne Switzerland playing Maslanka’s Sax Concert. My tears flowed through the entire last movement and it seemed so natural.

11. I am extremely proud that Ara had a drug free birth with midwives in a birth center. I felt empowered and in control. Hospitals are for sick people. I had Ara in a place that celebrates life.

12. When I decided to go sky diving my Dad objected saying, “no daughter of an airplane mechanic jumps out of a perfectly good airplane”. When I left the house to do the jump I backed over the garbage cans.

13. I am terrible with money and if not for online bill pay and emailed reminders I would never pay anything on time. In fact I still really don’t.

14. I am afraid Ara will be like me with money.

15. I have been blogging since 2003. Before I knew it was called blogging.

16. fluteloop.com has been paid for all these years by someone I met online who called herself DragonGirl. I haven’t updated it in over a year because I lost the password.

17. I hardly ever drink.

18. I like to quote Seinfeld but when I do my students look at me blankly.

19. I miss teaching and playing and at the same time I wish that I could keep Ara home with me forever.

20. I don’t keep in touch with anyone. I wish that I wasn’t like that I miss friends who have moved away.

21. Touring Europe was a dream come true for me. I hope I can go back with Ara someday.

22. I want to go back to school.

23. In college I shared a 3 bedroom house with 4-5 girls. They were all Mormon and for the most part I loved living with them. It reminded me of Anne of Green Gables. I didn’t keep in touch with any of them.

24. I am uncomfortable with the subject or religion but I am trying to reconcile myself to it so that I can be some sort of guidance for Ara. I think I’m agnostic.

25. I would like to be a writer someday.

Found This Saved as a Draft from a While Ago

2009-02-06T22:53:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time there was a scientist who was also a princess and her name was Ara. Ara was a very curious girl and she was determined to find out everything about everything. If she saw an animal she didn't know, she would remember everything about it from it's name, to where it lived in the world, and even what sound it made.

One day Ara's Mother gave her a bag full of cereal to snack on. Ara looked closely at the little balls and thought that she should do some experiments. She threw them in the air, and noticed that they always fell to the floor. When she walked on them, they made a crunchy sound. She noticed her share bear nearby and threw the bear into the air over the balls. It fell onto them and made another crunchy sound. She rolled her keyboard over them and it spread the crumbs out. Ara noticed that the cereal balls didn't bounce like her other balls. She tasted one and found that they were more delicious than her other balls as well. She tasted some crumbs from the floor and thought that the cereal was just as good on the floor and crushed. It was harder to pick up though, so she got down on her tummy and tried licking them up. This worked but when her Mom saw her doing this, she seemed upset. Ara's Mom also seemed upset about the cereal all over the floor. What an interesting experiment.

Penguin Dream

2009-02-06T12:36:00.001-08:00

I had the most amazing dream this morning!
I was at some sort of camp or retreat, it reminded me a little of church camp from my youth except that it was right on the vast, dark, turbulent ocean. It was also snowing but being a dream I wasn't feeling the cold I just knew that it was cold. It was a stormy night with snow so I decided I would like to take a swim in the ocean (of course right?). I know it sounds kind of nightmare-ish but my ocean dreams are like flying dreams for other people. When I am swimming in an ocean with no boundaries I feel utterly alone and free and somehow brave. So, I am back stroking through the strong waves really enjoying myself when I realize I am close to a sheer black rock cliff. I try to steer away from it but I keep coming back to it. Then suddenly some animal attaches itself to my neck and I feel it's face on my cheek. Again, it sounds like a nightmare and even in my dream I thought, "I should be afraid, but I'm not". I knew that it was a baby penguin somehow and I let it continue to cling to me. I started to dive repeatedly, thinking that it would want to let go and that I could shake it loose. It clung tight so I continued to swim until I was back at the camp. I took the penguin with me to a mess hall where I saw some of the ladies that have been making me feel so unwelcome at church.

These ladies are bothering me more than I would like to admit. They aren't bad people but the looks on their faces (and their words) tell me that I am not one of them. I am not accepted and that hurts me. I'm ashamed to admit it but I start to imagine what they must see when they look at me and my self esteem takes a hit.

Anyway, in the dream these ladies see me with my fuzzy little penguin friend and they start to whisper and hiss to each other. I overhear that my penguin is an endangered species and it's illegal to remove one from the wild.

This is a little nod to the Desert Tortoise adoption program I want to be a part of. And that someone just a few weeks ago offered me a baby (bred in captivity) and I turned it down because I want to go through the correct avenues.

So I decide to take my illegal penguin to my room and then the dream gets a little hazy. There is some confusion with which room is mine and I can't seem to find keys or something or my Mom has them... I briefly see my brother which has no bearing on the plot of the dream just that it is pretty random. I guess I found my room and went to sleep because the dream continues the next day. It's still dark though, like the sun never shines. It's still snowing but there is no snow on the ground. I walk with my penguin to a dark water avenue that winds through narrow channels in the cliffs and camp (anyone read The Host?). So.. now apparently I am in a Venice camp or underground cave system? As I am rowing I see my Dad and his fiancé, Ann and they get into the boat. I am feeling anxious about my penguin, I don't want them to squish him. For some reason, I feel like they can't see him. Suddenly the passage opens on one side and I see a glacier lake and 3 adult penguins. Feelings of relief and sadness roll over me as I decide to take my little penguin to them.

And then I woke up.

Daddy day

2009-02-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

Small A

2009-02-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

Ara wants to take ballet lessons!

I told her that all the kids in ballet class use the toilet that flushes so now she is determined to make it happen.

We've been working with Ara on her letters and numbers.
She is like a learning sponge..
an enthusiastic absorbent learning sponge..
an adorable enthusiastic adorable absorbent learning sponge that I love!

The only small issue has been convincing her that small "a" looks so different from a big "A". I know it was my mistake calling it small and big instead of upper and lower case.

My camera is still broken. I feel so crippled without it!

Bird house attempt

2009-01-28T19:28:00.000-08:00

It's a work in progress! I thought this would be a fun project for Ara and I and then we could paint it and attatch it to a fense post. The problem is that it isn't as easy as it looks! We are waiting for the glue to dry to attempt a roof and some front door. I doubt any bird will decide this house looks structually sound enough to live in though. It's probably for the best because my cat might eat the birds when their house collapsed and that would be sad. Ara added the sample paint color on the side tonight. She was painting pictures next to me while I puzzled over the third wall. I left the room once and she called out to me "mama I spilled but I'm cleaning it". I cringed.. the image of Ara smearing paint all over something with her hand came to me as I hurried into the kitchen. I was wrong though. I found Ara, paper towel in hand expertly wiping the paint off the floor. She did indeed "clean it". I tried to kiss her for being so mature and thoughtful, she complained and went back to her painting! Darn grown up kids who don't want mama kisses!

Coloring in the kitchen during church

2009-01-27T00:18:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry mama.. Sorry you yelled at me.

2009-01-27T00:15:00.000-08:00

Short

2009-01-25T12:16:00.000-08:00

I have been passively avoiding organized religion for most of my adult life. A few months ago I started taking Ara to the church I grew up in. I left today in tears. Isn't it ironic how the "holiest" of the older church ladies can wear such an expression of disapproval and make you feel so unwelcome in their sad childless little sanctuary. I plan to write more later but right now I need to get out some power tools and fix the gate (aka vent some anger).

Also Alex left this morning on a work trip and irrational as it is I feel so alone!

Under a Mountain of Toys

2009-01-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

For my birthday I got a lovely bouquet of flowers that I promptly stuck in a coffee cup with water (I don't even own a vase!) and expected to watch them die. I put a packet of that flower food that came with the flowers and it was amazing! My flowers lasted 20 days and I got used to having this pretty bright spot in the kitchen. So I have added a resolution for 2009! I need flowers every week! I told Alex, he was less enthusiastic about it, don't ask me why. This week Ara and I picked out a bunch of white mums and my Mom gave me a pretty vase. I can't explain it but I look at them and I see happy :D Maybe it's just because it's winter, who knows? Yay flowers!

Today is raining so I have pulled all of Ara's toys out into the living room to begin a mass organization project. This has been on my "to-do" list forever and it's quite the undertaking! Why does my 3 year old have so many books and toys? Well I can guarantee that the donation and trash bags will be full today.

I am also trying to think of projects and games we can play next week. I want to keep busy and on schedule so that Ara won't have as much time to act up about Alex being out of town. I am also trying to comfort myself, he has a business trip next week and I am nervous about things here. I'm sure everything will be fine but I'll miss him!

Megan took me out to lunch and ice cream for my birthday. It was so nice to eat Chinese food and laugh and worry only about my own table manners!

I have been missing the YMCA a lot lately. We stopped going when the purple car died but I think it's time to go back! Y-M-C-A ( I was singing that).

That's it for my small update. I will write more often next week so Alex can read all about it! I'm off to organize!

Lunch after spending christmas money!

2009-01-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

Child Flute Player and You Tube Auditions

2009-01-16T07:54:00.000-08:00

Amazing 8 year old flute player! She apparently started lessons at the age of 3, which makes me think... Ara is 3... but unless I can find a "My Little Pony" flute I doubt she would interested lol.

This is an interesting concept. Auditions for an orchestra via You Tube. Check out the LSO master classes linked from this video!

My Lola

2009-01-14T09:17:00.000-08:00

I'm sick today so I'm doing a lot of laying around trying to think of things to occupy Ara with. My Dad is in California today for my lola's (Filipino Great Grandmother) funeral. I want to post some pictures of her from our visit last May but I can't remember where I put the little key drive thing. My brain is useless today! My great uncle emailed the obituary that he wrote for her and I want to share it here because her life story is so amazing.

Felisa was the third of four children from her mother’s second marriage; she had two half-sisters, and three half-brothers and sisters. As a child, she loved reading but had to leave school in the third grade to help an older sister take care of her children. Despite leaving school so early, she was an able writer in three languages, Kapangpangan, Tagalog, and English. She loved sports, playing softball in her youth, often at first base because she could leap high for balls thrown wide and wild. In 1935, at age 19, she married Aniceto, a young soldier in the Philippine Scouts.

Evident early on in her life, her strength and resourcefulness often kept her family from harm. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese armed forces attacked and eventually occupied the Phillippines. With her husband away defending the Philippines, and pregnant with her fourth child, alone she protected her three young children, evacuating them from her home at Ft. McKinley to a village about 30 miles north of Masantol. This village was not immune from the Japanese planes, which dropped bombs which she described as larger than her forearm. To safeguard her children from bombardment, she dug foxholes, where she lived with the children until the bombings ceased. To keep them fed, she bartered and bargained on the black market for any food she could find. Along with other woman, she slaughtered chickens and pigs. Assisted by midwives, she had her fourth child in July 1942. During the Japanese occupation, she rarely saw her husband. He, along with thousands of Philippines and US soldiers, was captured, and forced on the infamous Bataan Death March. After arriving in the prison camps, he attempted to escape but only to be shot and returned to a Japanese prison camp. He made good on a second attempt to escape, and surprised Felisa, making an unannounced visit to her door in July 1943.

In 1950, with the outbreak of the Korean War, Felisa and her children, now numbering six, saw her solider husband off to another war. Her husband, now a member of the United States Army, saw close combat for which he received the Silver Star for his heroism. Felisa wrote to Aniceto’s commanding general, eloquently describing the hardship of raising six children on her own if he was killed in combat, and requested that he be sent home to his family. Disappointed, Aniceto was home within the month.

In 1955, Felisa packed her family and left her homeland to join her husband now stationed in Japan. After two years, the family moved to Ft. Lewis, Washington. In 1959, her husband retired from the military, and all eight piled into one 1957 Buick to make the 18-hour drive to Sacramento, where they put down roots. Here in Sacramento, Felisa had her last two children.

As her children grew up and had their own, Felisa became “Lola” to her growing grandchildren, followed by great grandchildren. For almost fifty years, she often had at least one grandchild in her care. Her last grandchild, Emilio, spent much of his first year in his Lola’s arms and care. Besides the special foods she would cook for the grandchildren, she was fond of making up unique and playful nicknames for them.

Her final days and months of life were spent in the generous and loving care of her fourth daughter, Dellie and her husband, Dr. Achelle Punla. This Christmas was spent with her children, grand children and great grand children. Her family has lost a very strong, but loving mother and grandmother, aunt and friend. She held the loving respect and admiration of all who knew her. Though she was our family’s heart and soul, we each will carry her love forward.

I don't want to sound insensitive but I was surprised how sad I felt when I learned of her passing. As she grew older she spoke English less and less. My memories of my lola are mostly of her in the kitchen cooking for our family gatherings. I remember the smells of fried rice and lumpia. She always had a smile for me. She would place her soft worn hands on my face and smile and speak in tagalog to me (which I didn't understand). My childhood is filled with memories of my great grandparents wonderful house in Sacramento. I only realize now how much I miss those gatherings. How much I wish that Ara could have those same memories. But now she is gone, and it will never be the same. That makes me sad. Ara did get to meet her last May and the image I have of them locked in each others eyes smiling is a very comforting one. Great great grandmother! Today I am sad that I am not in Sacramento playing Ave Maria for her. She wanted me to do that and I am not there. I feel guilt and sadness. I remember nodding every time she would tell me that this was her wish and thinking that I would be too sad to play. My thoughts are with my family there. They have had a rough couple of years, seeing my lola through her failing health. I wish I could be there, I can imagine there are tears but also laughter and food.. lots of food. That is the Filipino way! I keep getting the crazy urge to call my Grandma in California to beg her to move here. I want so badly for Ara to know and love her like I do. Visits don't feel like enough. Since Ara was born I have noticed how very few Filipino customs I have kept. Ara is only 1/4 Filipino (1/4 white (sorry if that was not pc) and 1/2 Hispanic) she has so many pieces of herself, so many places to belong. I want her to love and embrace that about herself. Suddenly I feel out of energy to write and to feel this way so I am going to stop.

A quick list of things I want to blog about:

Pictures from Christmas
CA pictures
The Yard
Current Books
Ara's chores and cooking

Giant flute

2009-01-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

Contra Flute @ TFC rehearsal

In my head though, it is called paper clip flute!

I have a ton of things I want to write about but I don't have time at this moment. I want to write all about Ara's Christmas, my birthday, New Years, the exciting new play yard for Ara... the list goes on and on. I did go to the library last night before rehearsal and I checked out far too many books and audiobooks.

Joy of Cooking
How to Practice The Way to a Meaningful Life
Practical Wisdom for Parents
Confetti Cakes
Eclipe (audio)
New Moon (audio)
Letter to my Daughter (audio)
Harry, A History
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Eragon

(there are a few more but I will stop there, I realize I left out author's names but I'm pretty sure a google search would reveal all!)

I actually haven't even finished the Host yet so I am behind in my reading! I feel so rich in life when I have so many books waiting for me!

Quick Ara update:

She loves her new bed.

Lately, she greets other children so enthusiastically she is actually frightening some of them. I've told her she should at least ask before hugging and kissing them. She calls every kid she sees "friend".

We have been having her help with cooking and baking and I even let her help me rinse the dishes. She glows when we include her in such grown up activities.

Today we are painiting her fence and I am late already!

New Years Resolutions

2008-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

This list is a work in progress. The New Year/My Birthday is looming and there is so much I want to improve about myself.

Diet and Exercise for optimum health
Be more consistent with Ara's education
See the world through Ara's eyes
Patience
Get more sleep
Make more time to laugh and cuddle with Alex
Take a writing class
Practice
Give a recital

Happy Slip

2008-12-20T22:43:00.001-08:00

This music is old, neat.

2008-12-20T10:58:00.000-08:00

Joe and Ara at the library

2008-12-19T10:58:00.000-08:00

Random Christmas-ness

2008-12-16T14:14:00.000-08:00

I love sitting on the couch blogging with a pretty Christmas tree sparkling in the corner! I am waiting for a student, trying to stay awake. Last night Ara and I were invited over to Megan's house for Christmas cookie decorating. She had the whole table set for decorating with red table cloth and homemade sugar cookies, icing, and sprinkles. Ara created some very interesting and frosting-ful cookie masterpieces before she realized that icing is delicious. After that the icing mostly went into her mouth! I blame myself really that she is so sugar deprived! She had a blast and she didn't even break anything. So proud.

Today is Tuesday. Which means.. non-stop fun (that was sarcasm). Laundry and cleaning so the house will be decent for students. Ara is supposed to be sleeping and I have chairs and a stand set up outside. I'm hoping it won't be too cold and dark for an outside lesson again.. it's so much easier to focus on teaching without her dancing around me in circles. She is still singing silly songs in her bed though...

We are so close to being done with Christmas shopping after the marathon in a toy store last weekend. This is a thrifty Christmas so we are trying to have restraint when we buy. Except when it comes to the kids, of course! Ara has a pile of presents under the tree already. We still need to get her Santa presents though. He is giving her a twin bed... technically we already have the bed but she doesn't know this! It will be in the living room all made up on Christmas morning. With new red flannel sheets, a new comforter, pillow, some cute stuffed animal, and a big red bow. I hope she thinks that is special. A Santa bed! It's another sappy Mom moment.. graduating from the cute little toddler bed to a bed she could be in through her teenager years.

Did I mention that the Christmas tree is pretty!

I'm back from teaching, this is why I have trouble writing a coherent entry, too many distractions! Well, that and my brain are the problem.

Tomorrow I plan to walk to the library and pick up my reserved books! It's exciting because I have:

The tales of Beedle the Bard
Gilmore girls : the complete sixth season
The Jane Austen Book Club

And I am 1/3 reserves on Harry, a history : the true story of a boy wizard, his fans, and life inside the Harry Potter phenom!

I am almost done listening to Twilight on audio which has been fun. I love having audio books for re-reading. I also have Angel's and Demon's (Dan Brown) on my iPod but I keep feeling like it's too creepy for listening right before I sleep.

Yay, just talked to Alex on IM (he is at work) and he suggested pizza since it's been a long day for us.

After the library Ara and I will be making a batch of Peppermint Bark to give away to spread holiday cheer!~

Happy Christmas!

I am in love with this!

2008-12-13T12:42:00.000-08:00

Slide

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First batch of Christmas presents!

2008-12-11T13:29:00.000-08:00

Reading

2008-12-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

The past few days I have been immersed in John Green books. I read Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, and An Abundance of Katherine's. I really enjoy the pace of the books, I am interested in the story and main character from the first page. I love finding new authors and having a colorful fictional world to live in for a few days. I laughed and cried (seriously) and I would recommend all three books!

For my future reading plans...

Tales of Beedle the Bard

Harry, A History

I just picked up the audio version of Twilight yesterday (library again) so I am looking forward to listing to that on my ipod today as I clean my incredible messy house. Seriously this place is in shambles. When we brought the new bed in we had to get rid of a desk, dresser, and a chair. So now I have several things without a home. So I have to go through a bunch of clothes and add them to the pile of donation stuff I have sitting in the corner. I also asked Alex to get my music down from the loft last Saturday so that I could find all of my Christmas books. While the boxes were down I thought it would be a good opportunity to organize them so here they still sit... in the living room. Ahhh clutter is scary and stressful! So today everything will find a home and the floor will be clean. I will be tired from a day of laundry and cleaning but I will sleep well tonight! My Mom and I had planned to do laundry this morning at 9am but she is an hour late which is why I am blogging right now! I made banana nut muffins this morning and I am now ignoring the fact that the kitchen is calling out for a cleaning. I can't hear you kitchen! Geez it makes me feel so stressed to have a messy house. I even think Ara misbehaves more when the house is a mess.

On a less messy note... we are going to get the Christmas tree on Friday! Yay! I can't wait! I have the Christmas box sitting in the living room (yet another rubbermaid box sitting here.. driving me insane). Ara is the embodiment of Christmas joy. She is delighted by anything Christmas. It would be hard not to be enthusiastic with her around!

There has been a hitch in the potty training... public bathrooms. Ara is developing a 3 year old phobia of loud flushing toilets and automatic hand dryers. Without fail we will go somewhere and right away Ara will say, "mama I have to pee!". I lead her to the bathroom she starts declaring everything "sceeeewy" and backing out. Then I put the emergency diaper on her and feel like we are not making much progress. At home, she is doing great and the rest will work itself out eventually, I'm sure.

Cold day at the park

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Give me a margarita!

2008-12-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

I don't know if this is too private to talk about but I am going to write anyway and then decide if I should post. I have been feeling strange for a few weeks and I have been pretty sure I was pregnant. Alex and I have been talking about another baby but this wasn't the timing we were expecting at all. There is so much to consider. So many pros and cons to weigh into the decision. I was already in love with the idea of a new baby though, so today when my period came (4 days late) I was disappointed and relieved at the same time. Poof went all of my day dreams of Ara having a little sibling on her 4th birthday. Of watching another perfect little tiny baby tummy rise and fall as they sleep. Poof went all of the worry about money and timing and labor and sleepless nights. No more wondering if I can do it all again. Everything is back to normal and yet I feel a sense of loss all the same. In a lot of ways this is better. I can go on giving Ara my undivided attention and it's less strain financially and this is a decision we want to make when we are ready. We've already done the whole "surprise you're pregnant" thing so it would be nice to plan ahead and be 100% sure we are ready. The time will come, or it won't but either way I already so much to be thankful for. Alex and Ara are my family and they are all I need. And to think.. I could have had that margarita on Thanksgiving after all!