Happy New Year

Since this will be my final post of 2006 I wanted to end it on a positive note. I wish you all a very happy new year. May the coming months be filled with much prosperity and good health. I would write up a 'year in review' thing for everyone but right now, I am drawing a blank as to what happened in 2006. I do remember lots of baseball (God Bless the baseball fan), M-Boy getting his ear rebuilt in the inside (whoohoo!) and traveling to 3 coastlines: DC in February, CA in September and TX gulfcoast in June, July and December (not bad for an old married woman in KS, eh?!).

Here's to 2007! May it be greater still

Bittersweet Holiday

I had a really great Christmas with my family. The kids got spoiled, I got spoiled and I got to drink wine with my dinner since we were just staying in. We got back from Houston on Christmas eve just in time to pick up my niece from the airport. It really was a great celebration but it was a little bit darkened by the happenings in Houston. I want to spill my heart out onto this blog about it but I need to respect the privacy of all involved. A brief summary is that Mr. Daphnewood's brother is bad off and Mr. D was the one to tell him how many months he has left to live. Imagine having to tell your brother he is going to die. I just ask that everyone keep my brother-in-law in your prayers. We are praying for a miracle and some good news when he goes to MD Anderson this week.

On a more positive note, my BIL got to go home and spend Christmas with his family. He reported to us that it was the best Christmas ever. I am so glad for that.

Blappers.com Makes Me Laugh

I found these "Blappers" because they had a podcast on the Lt. Dan Band. You all know how I feel about Gary Sinise. Anyway, they put a SNL sketch up this week and I think you should go watch it. It is hilarious. It does have some explicit lyrics but nothing too bad. It's funny folks. Go watch it here

Happy Moments In My Life

FindingHeart wrote about happy moments in his life to shake off some lingering blues he is having. I am accepting his broad tag because I too feel like focusing on some happy thoughts.

1. When Mr. D and I were dating, we went to a place called Builder's Square. They used to have them in Houston but it was kind of like a Home Depot. I was bored to say the least. He lifted me up onto a wooden desk and I sat there as he talked away about his hopes and dreams. He said "Someday when we are married...." I heard nothing else. He didn't even realize he said it. I kept quiet about his slip of the tongue but later that week he asked me to marry him.

2. I remember my Daddy sitting across from me at a restaurant, kind of acting emotional. He told me he loved all of his children. Even the ones that give him problems. I said I knew he loved us all. Then he looked at me with tears in his eyes and said "you, you are my heart and C. (my brother) is my right arm. I would be nothing without you two." That made me happy because I feel like I neglect him sometimes. I don't mean to but I don't get to spend nearly enough time with my father.

3. When M-Boy was diagnosed with autism I was heartbroken. I was afraid of how his life would be. He didn't talk anymore. He lost all of his words. He didn't laugh or smile nearly as much as he used to. He was fixated on repetitive play. I was laying down on the couch while 3 year old M-Boy was taking the lid off of this box and putting it back on, over and over again. I started praying and God showed me M-Boy's mind, like I was right there thinking his thoughts and feeling his feelings. All I could feel was happiness. M-Boy was happy! At that point I knew autism wouldn't be that bad. As long as M-Boy was happy, so was I.

4. Mouse's first word was "Mama". She was a just 6 months old but she stretched out her arms for me to pick her up and said "Mama!" And she did it in front of people. They were amazed that such a young kid said something. I know I was amazed. I floated around for weeks in happiness that "Mama" was her first word.

5. The first time I ever let all three of my kids visit their grandparents in CA was murder on my nerves. I had let the older two go because they were potty trained, could speak, could get something out of the fridge if necessary, etc. But Little Man was only 2. I don't know how my mom talked me into it but I said they could all go. I never felt such happiness seeing all three of their weary bodies piling out of the airport terminal, running to me with their arms outstretched waiting for a hug. What a great feeling.

So there it is. Some happy moments of my life. Tag to anyone who wants to think happy thoughts.

Where Is Mary Poppins When You Need Her?

So I try to keep the "turn your work into a game" frame of mind. It just isn't helping. I want to just sit in front of the fireplace, drink hot cocoa and read a good book. Here is what I have been doing instead.

• buying the few little presents I have left to get for family members
• Picking up M-Boy from school because he is STILL sick. I also forgot to call the bus company to let them know he wouldn't be riding the bus. I am prepared to get chewed out tomorrow.
• Cleaning the house in anticipation for a sole house guest.
• Making sugar cookies
• Making toffee
• putting triple antibiotic ointment on my left breast that I burned with boiling water.

Where's my spoonful of sugar, dammit?!

Can He Get Any Cuter?!

Tonight Mr. Daphnewood was trying to emphasize to Little Man that he felt like he was a rich man because of his children. He asked Little Man "Do you know how they measured wealth in the Bible?"

Little Man's response: No, I'm only on page 27.

The Choice Is Yours, Roger Clemens

If Roger Clemens decides to follow his buddy Andy Pettitte back to the NY Yankees, I am going to hire an old gypsy woman to put a hex on Roger Clemens to curse him with man boobs. Really really big ones too.

More Art From Mouse

Sometimes I wish I were an artist. My daughter sees so much beauty everywhere she looks. What a wonderful gift to have.

Apocalypto Movie Review

Mr. D and I went out to see Apocalypto today. I had heard about Mel Gibson's unfortunate drunken tirade and how many people would be boycotting this film. I am a believer in boycotts as a peaceful way to express disproval. *cough* Dixie Chicks *cough* However, I have been around several drunks in my time and know that alcohol has a way of twisting a situation. So, I held no bad feelings towards the man. I am glad that was the case because I would have missed out. This movie was terrific. From the moment it began I couldn't take my eyes off of the screen. The subtitles were not long and much of the story was told through actions and expressions of the actors. It was AWESOME. I had also heard people say the gore was over the top. I didn't think so. War movies are always full of gore. One scene has blood spraying from a man's head which I thought was ridiculous like Monty Python or something but Mr. D says that wound was totally believable to him because he sees that weekly. I loved the scenery and I chewed my nails down to nothing. Would Jaguar Paw make it back to his family? Would he die? I loved this movie. I am not lying when I say that this is probably Mel Gibson's best film yet. I liked it better than Braveheart.

If you saw the film, please tell me what you thought about it. Did you like it? If you haven't seen it, do you want to?

Is God A Baseball Fan?

I hope He is because I have been praying that Andy Pettitte doesn't play for the Yankees. I want him to stay in Houston. If he does sign with the evil entity known as "The Yankees" you just might see this grown woman cry. Probably, I'd sob like a baby like I did when E.T. died and Elliot was screaming "Don't leave me!"

Have a great weekend folks!


****update****

Well Andy P signed with the Yankees. I think I suddenly have become a Boston fan and hope the Yankees don't even make the playoffs. But that would be sour grapes, wouldn't it? Yep! or maybe just wine/whine

whaaaah!!!!

Go Stros'!

U2 + Green Day = Crappy Song

I love U2. I also love Green Day. And together they have put out this song. The Saint Are Coming is typical political fare for U2 and fast playing guitars for Green Day. However, my friends, the song sucks BIGTIME. And the video is the lamest bit of contrived material I have ever seen. All I hear is blah blah blah blah. Is there anyone else out there that is a U2 fan and Green Day fan that thinks this song stinks? Anyone?

My Funny Boys

M-Boy and Little Man say the most random things sometimes. Let's start with M-Boy. I bought a bag of nuts from Sams Club the other day. There is something about the winter time that gets my family in a nut-eating mood. M-Boy was looking at the nutritional content of the bag (he does this with all food). I hear this from the kitchen:

Oh my GOSH! Mom, these nuts are a disaster! There is no vitamin A OR vitamin C.

I guess we should throw out the whole bag, eh?

Then at dinner the other night M-Boy was asking everyone which type of food do they hate. He wasn't asking what dish but what entire genre. My mom wasn't sure what he meant so I offered up an example. I said this:

He means what kind do you dislike overall. Like personally, I cannot stand Indian food. I loathe the stuff.

That is when Little Man spoke up. He raised up his hands and had this disgusted look on his face and said:

Oh me either! No way am I ever eating buffalo!

I nearly spit my iced tea out my nose. I was thinking more along the lines of 'punjabi' when I spoke of Indian food but buffalo seems a little exotic too I guess.

Stolen From Al

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you're a dreamer, but you're not the only one.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.