It was a Happy Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday. It was wonderful. We had a family dinner (barbecued salmon, wild rice pilaf, fresh pineapple, a great bottle of French wine, finished off by various chocolates) and watched The Blind Side. We got to bed rather early and slept beyond eight hours.

Again, it was wonderful.

And the gifts! Chocolates from the boys, a treasure hunt from Clark (which was SO much fun), and this from Sylvie-Aganoti...

One last time, wonderful.

Confession

Months ago I proudly blogged about our status as a TV-free family. We spent our evenings playing Yahtzee and Chess, reading books, eating family-dinner, conversing... Life was perfect, ideal. Ok, ok, life wasn't exactly rainbows, puppies, and walks on the beach. But pretty darn close.

Then came the Olympics. And the justifications. Just these two weeks. What kind of Americans are we if we do not watch our best and brightest perform? The kids would be missing history. We love sports. Sadly, even the old stand-by, everyone else is doing it.

Well, we watched those two weeks like we were addicts on a bender. At our house when we do something, we do it BIG. And, I must be honest, we are still using. Three times a week. "The Amazing Race", "Survivor" and "Parenthood". Tonight, in fact, is TV-night.

I need to apologize to other TV-watching families. I have judged you in the past. As we had wholesome, television-free evenings, I imagined you hooked up to the Tube, aimlessly amused, with drool running down your chins, and brain-cells leaking out your ears. Now we join your ranks. Humbly.

So, I confess. We are watching TV. Cautiously. And liking it.

Ready... Set... Action Figure!

Sylvie-Aganoti is one little girl being raised with a pack of boys. This has many impacts. She loves to wrestle and throw a football. She can be demanding and bossy, as they hop-to any time she asks. She also adores action figures.

Sylvie-Aganoti bypasses her doll-house daily to play with her brother's ensemble of men with weapons stuck to their sides. She has them walk and talk. She sneaks them into her pockets, and includes them on many-a-family car ride. But what she is really enamored with is hiding them in various tuck-away spots in our home.

Arriving at the point of this post...

Liam has a solo trumpet performance yesterday. He is good at playing the trumpet. Really, really good. Though, this piece in particular he struggles with. He has been playing this song, this one and only song, for weeks and it just does not seem to be evolving.

Picture him standing in front of an audience. Feeling quaky. Feeling unsure. Feeling insecure about the piece he is about to play.

He starts out with a wobbly note, continued by several others. He hears some classmates giggling. Liam is getting that stomach-sinking sensation. The giggling is becoming more enthusiastic. Liam considers bolting for the door.

One lone voice rings out, "Liam, you might have a guy sticking out of the bell of your trumpet."

"What?", Liam thinks. "A guy? Did I hear that correctly?"

Band Director intervenes. Sticks his hand deep into the trumpet. And produces... ...an action figure.

Thank you very much Sylvie-Aganoti!

p.s. After this traumatizing experience, Liam prevails. He plays his piece better than ever!

In Sticking with the Star Wars Theme

We have a new student who is reserved and fairly introverted. On approximately her fifth day of school, her mom has braided her hair in tiny little plaits and pulled them up into two sloppy buns. Her hair was soooo fabulous!

What does the School Counselor say to the new, shy student?

She says, "Student, I really like your cute buns!!!"

!!!??!!!!!!?!!!!?!!!

Yep, that is what I said.

Sinking to a new low in putting my foot in my mouth.

I admit it here, right now, publicly. When I begin praising student's buns, it is a clear indicator that I am loooooong overdue for Spring Break.

Connections!

I was reading a book to Kindergarten students about a character named Harry when...

In the sweetest voice you've ever heard, "Mrs. T., I have a connection! My daddy's back is really hairy."

Is is wrong to have pictured this????

Love those connections!