frabjous-ness and random-ness

ranunculus are frabjous.

if you’ve been to wonderland recently, as we have on sunday, you’ll probably want to use that word too.

fresh flowers tucked in different parts of the house really cheers me up.

today was wicked cold and dreary. it felt a lot like march is supposed to feel. my fingers are numb. fingerless mitts simply aren’t enough.

i am really loving this song. but the video is so weird. i must be getting old. (but not old enough to not be contemplating going to see them in mexico this summer. even after i promised my mother i wouldn’t be going there again after our last stint there wherein our taxi driver talked so nonchalantly with my husband-in spanish- about how peoples’ organs were being stolen and harvested in local hospitals and the recent murder at the airport for something drug-related-while i silently prayed a litany of ave maria’s that we’d get home to our babies.)

but back to the song.

it did make me think a lot about my cousins who were killed in the last few years. such tragic. untimely deaths.

the trial for olivia is starting this month. i type her name because people don’t often want to say the name of a victim of a violent crime. they are afraid of the painful memories it evokes.

my family is going to need a lot of prayer. murder is one of those things that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. it affects you in a way like you never imagined and healing and forgiveness only comes with the grace of God.

up since 6 am i am tired.

i had to leave the house for a number of errands out-of-town. one of which took me to the big mall. i hate big malls. for various reasons. the annoying music. bright flashing lights and army of mannequins in old navy being only a few.

but my favorite face-make up (one of my luxuries i afford myself). the only make-up that covers my freckles. and makes me feel slighty pretty is at that awful mall.

and so there i went. and there i waited way too long. only to come home and find out that it is available online.

i love shopping online. for various reasons. saving money by not having to buy a certain teenager a pair of shoes. some pants and shorts being just a few.

a certain teenager who is signing up for driver’s ed this week.

that is not frabjous.

so what little luxuries do you afford yourself, if and when you can?

we all have an achille’s heel.

hello september

we greeted you with rag curls. not all of us of course. the boys refused to participate and i, well, i couldn’t do them to myself, so let’s just say, one of us greeted you with rag curls.

we are almost finished with hamlet. we watched the movie. the one with mel gibson. and it was long. and i was really frustrated, with him during the whole movie. i couldn’t stop thinking about how mad i was that he left his wife for that mistress. silly, i know. but what can i say?

anyway, i happened upon a GREAT website that is helping me immensely with our literature studies. it is called sparknotes. and i think so much of it that i am going to put a link on my sidebar. with 4 students this year, our reading list is consuming me. between school and chores, by the end of the day i am so exhausted, that i don’t know whether i am coming or going. i fall into bed at night and though it is only the second week, i can’t help but feel a little panicked. sparknotes has made me a happier homeschooling mama this week. it does the thinking for me. it helps with quiz and essay questions, literary devices, etc. if you try it, let me know what you think.

i used my very own grocery bags for the first time yesterday and i got a 30 cent credit on my groceries. it wasn’t much, but i am so tired of all those plastic bags. now, i must add that as a family of 6 i will need an awful LOT of those bags to do my regular grocery shopping. this was just a bread, milk and miscellaneous run, but i think every little bit helps. my boys are embarrassed to come to the store with me when i use them so i said perhaps they’d better not “eat” the food i bring home in those bags. boys can be so silly. (did you know martha stewart makes shot glasses? i found them when i was looking for flatware at kmart…)

i hope my post yesterday wasn’t too confusing. i re-read it and realized that i should’ve explained my thoughts a little better before hit post. i am certainlynot against crafting of any kind. it is VITAL to my sanity. i really just meant, for those who struggle, and i was mostly talking to myself, not to lose heart when things don’t come out perfectly. saturday and sunday i had some “issues” with things i was making and i felt bummed out. so i guess i was just thinking out loud. because that is basically what i do here. think out loud. and try to offer a little bit of encouragement when i can.

anyway, sometime wednesday i will post the winner of my little give-away. i have to admit it was so nice to see my stats rise the way they did the other day. shame on me. i already said i’d rather remain an inconspicuous blogger. but just a little bit of fame never hurt anyone.