What Christmas Looks like at our house

No Sammy! That you!

Kershinsnik's Nativity

In light of the completion my research paper, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Contemporary Images of Lactating Women, we loaded up the kids in the car and headed off to the UMFA to see this great painting Nativity by Brian Kershinsnik.

Why did the Chicken Cross the Road?

Sam loves to tell riddles and jokes. One of the many, is why did the chicken cross the road? The answer typically has to do with star wars, light sabers, and often has little to do with poultry or philosophy in general. However, the last time he posed the question, Stella exclaimed, "Chicken! GET OUT OF THE ROAD! ITS A DANGEROUS PLACE!" I'm glad to know she's been listening.

Romance and Religion

Read this article about how romantic comedies effect relationship expectations. Click here.

I would also like to hear your comments about how unhealthy expectations affect religious devotion. Is it possible to romanticize religion to the point that it inevitably disappoints you?

AN ADAPTATION

To all of those looking to get into the Christmas spirit, check out this wonder Christmas gem, a post-modern adaptation of Mr. Krugger's Christmas by our dear friends English & Kelly.

HEY STELLA!

I just read A STREET CAR NAMED DESIRE for the first time and let me assure that I did not name my Stella after Stella Kowalski who is so nice and kind but for goodness sake, she needs to get a backbone. However, I thought you may enjoy this oft quoted scene. Marlon Brando, as the out-of-control Stanley Kowalski, is so vintage attractive, so wonderfully brutish and has no hint of his later Apocalypse Now look. (He's got nothing on Tom though!) Yet as passionate as this scene is, as a Landlord, all I could see is horribly loud neighbors. HEY STELLLLAAA! No way, not for me, not at 2 in the morning. No thank you. Put a shirt on and just go away Stanley.

Vespa Dies Again

This a follow up to my post a few months ago click here. Being that my scooter was built in 1979, I should have realized that parts and pieces are prone to wear out after a few decades. I also should plan on a pre-flight check each time I ride where I make sure there are no metal pieces on the verge of being sheared off exist. No detailed pre-flights have been done since 1979.

Today I happily arrived at work amazed that I could put on some gloves and still ride in on a cold but snowless December day. At about 3:30 I headed for home and on a straight away a big popping noise ocurred and my back wheel locked up forcing me to steer out of several fishtails to keep from laying the scooter down. Luckily I was able to keep the bike up after skidding for about fifty feet.

When a kind hearted passer by offered to help me get the scooter off of the street, the back wheel feel off revealing that the rear axle had broken in half.

Last time my scooter brokedown it took 3.5 years to get it fixed. I am hopeful that next spring will be all that I have to wait, that is if Laura will let me ride it again.

Thanks to any and all powers from heaven and on earth that kept me safe today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM!

I'm glad that we share neighboring birthdays, neighboring closets, neighboring pillows, and neighboring lives.

I glad that you will go to (and more importantly be interested in) strange modern art museums with our whole family and still like us afterward.




I love you.

So the batteries ran out on our camera. . .

which shouldn't be a big deal because when we bought it, we got all of those nice rechargeable batteries. We have since lost said batteries after 'misplacing' the charger which we found just in time to not have any batteries. All in all, picture taking is requiring a little more of us that we are currently willing to give. and if I'm honest, (and a blog should certainly be a format for one's deepest confessions), my once always trusty talent of organization has gone out the window since a. starting grad school and b. realizing that a drawer organized, is a drawer 2 seconds later unorganized. Clearly, the batteries were at one point in the battery drawer. They must have grown legs as walked to the unknown locale of the formally hidden charger which suddenly appeared one day while looking for something else. I suppose one could chalk it up to letting my house turn back into its 'organic' state of chaos but there are days when I am feeling less philosophical and I realize that something must change. Like Brigette Jones, I make lists of goals, set new resolutions to most definitively find set spot for batteries and make well balanced dinners and really scrub that toilet. Unfortunately for her and I, another year passes and entries read the same.

As a band-aid, I offer pictures of my children, stolen from my sister's blog. Please Enjoy.

Stella at my/Tom's birthday.

Sam at my/Tom's birthday.

December 1:
Camera Batteries=still not working
Well-rounded dinner=pizza, soda and cake.
Toilet=not so much...

HAPPY B-DAY WILLA !!!

I cant wait to roast you next year on your 30th.