Success

To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I will file this under "things I re-learned in 4th grade". (It's a BIG file!)

Dodi, You Are Marvolous!

I love love love the pictures Dodi took of the girls!
They look wonderful, and I'm happily mulling over them deciding which ones to use for what, because they are all so good it's hard to choose. (One of my favorite problems to have.)

This has been a really great 4 day weekend. Maybe because it sort of snuck up on me and I wasn't living for it before it even got here. I've been doing my hour at a time flitting from one thing to the next, making little dents in all the things I have going on. Hehe - just like the modification I'm making for an ADHD kid in class come to think of it. . . . Well, we are all alittle "special" right?

Thanksgiving was great. I was proud of my Mother, who was assertive without getting nasty at Thanksgiving dinner. It was great to see everyone. I've got near-christmas plans to see my cousins that I'm also feeling good about. The Family game night with Brother and family and Mom and Dad is still a go. I'm going to work on Christmas cards, study, clean, do laundry and as usual, orgainizing the basement. (I can except non-closure!;) Drives my husband batty.)

Thank You's

I am Thankful for:

my two beautiful girls who have changed my life into a playdough fun factory. I love you and you are my whole world.


I am Thankful for:

My Parents. They are always there for me when I need them. You are 2 of the finest people in the world. Thank you for all the things you taught me (by example) about being a good person.















I am Thankful for:

My husband. He's handsome, he's handy, and I'm lucky to have him. Thank you for being a great dad to our kids, and a wonderful, patient, loving husband to me.

I am Thankful for:

All of my wonderful gal-pals, sister-wives, coven-mates, cwafy-talkers and co-leaders. Whatever you call them, they make my life bearable when things get tough, and more fun when shared over coffee, via phone, blog, or in person. You make me feel understood and connected.

Thanks! (I am a Waspina - I new it.)

I miss my camera

I do. I so miss my camera.

It is a lovely Saturday morning. My early rising family has me up at 6a.m., and I've snuck off to be my grumpy-not a morning person-self away from the giddy squealing. (Well, the girls really. Not so much Kevin=) Is Christmas in the air alittle early this year ?)

I just had a look at my Gillis Family blog - and surprise surprise Cousin Les has updated it with a Halloween/grand baby picture! (The Gillis'es have proven to be non blogging folk so far, making this a major break through!) She didn't however link it to anyone, which I'm about to do for her to get this snowball rolling. Grandbaby Nolan is Charlie Brown, dogs are Lucy and Linus

I'm feeling a over the top, bristling need to clean something. But where to start. . . I think I'll have to go with my non-linear hour at a time method. Satisfies my urge to clean, but in a squirrelly chaotic pattern that helps me maintain my healthy chi. (I gotta have my chaos!)

Coffee. This calls for 2 cups I think! A rare treat. Have a fabulous weekend fellow bloggers.

Yadda Yadda Yadda blah blah blah

So, tomorrow is Friday, Next week is only 2 days long (thanksgiving break), I have a week off from Regis and I feel like dancing. Life is good! I'd take a picture of myself grinning if I had my camera, but I've cleverly taken it to the shop and they are replacing it for me.

Here's some Gillis stuff (maiden name) for a change.

November Haiku

By Audrey Nicole Hansen

November 12, 2007

Swirling, twirling, loud

Trees swerving and bending low

Windstorm at my house

Curious and fun

Fuzzy playful full of love

Dogs are a great pet.

Purring and lazy

Curled upon the couch so warm
My cats take a nap.

Audrey is my 2nd cousin(?) My cousins daughter- from Bellingham WA


Cousin Les has top billing, right next to Susan Branch on this website! How cool is she!
New Newton stuff

And just for fun - Cousin Kate sends this; good for building your word power and feeding the world. I was flying high with "vocabulary score" of 41 (whatever that meant) and then I plummeted down to 34 and quit in disgust! Maybe it was really a personality test - I have no staying power, and don't know how to quit when I'm ahead.

Free rice


Night night, happy Friday.

Happy Halloween 2007 from Rolling Hills

Make a slide show, scrapbook or ecard

I just put this slide show together for my family of kids I worked with last year who had to move away. I do miss them, and hope they are doing well. I of course had my camera, and took lots of pictures of their old classmates. And, smilebox is cool! Thanks AT

27 days until Winter break

And I should be studying, but I'm watching HOUSE, lots and lots of House. I must be jonesing for an all nighter or two!

Go Abi Bear!

Ah, and our little goal scoring champion. . .






And team Bears! A very successful first season. GO BEARS!

Superstar!

You know, in defense of my daughter. . . . hahahaha. All almost all 8 -12 year old girl kind of make me giggle and think of Mary Katherine Gallagher, "SuperStar!"

The movie was on t.v. the other day, and I laughed my hinny off, not particularly at the stupid movie, but the painfully dead on borderline personality traits, making out with a tree trunk, ridiculousness of MKG , and therefore; all pre-pub. little nut jobs out there!

I remember as a kid being unable to watch Jan Brady as she made a fool out of herself when the dentist asked her to baby sit, and she had a crush on him and thought he'd asked her out on a date. Oh, it still makes me cringe! JB made me cringe, MKG makes me laugh. Maybe that could be my next years halloween costume.

THE TOOTH FAIRY CAME!!

Not only did the tooth fairy finally come, but she had green glitter, and left a hugs0 and kissesx thank you note AND GOLD COINS! Abi's favorite! Then the tooth fairy finished her power point ahead of schedule and breezed through her presentation tonight. All in all, I'd say the tooth fairy is having a great day.

Do I have a picture to show what a great day? hmm. How about a link to the Troop 349 blog, that has the GS 5k walk slide show I just updated? THAT would be the icing on the Tooth Fairies "I got my to do list- done" cake!

Foiled by a 5 year old

I remembered!! I did! I swear it! Early this morning I went out to my car to retrieve 3 of the $1 gold coins that Abi loves to play with - in order to shine them up and stick them under her pillow - because her dangly tooth that I've let hang on for most of the week FINAL fell out last night! So 5 a.m. I'm sneaking and creeping into her room thinking I'm so good - and she rolls over, obviously awake for awhile; " Hi mommy: the tooth fairy didn't come."

Unfair! Unbelievable! - (please oh please let me remember to do it tonight, I may need to set the alarm for 2 a.m.)

Halloween
A cowgirl and a cheerleader this year. I'd already disrobed from my Orange jack-o-lantern tshirt that I would classify as lame, but the kids thought it was great.

The real fun happened at night though. . .
Since Kevin already had his costume ready for a party the weekend before, he went ahead and dressed up, well, cross-dressed up for Halloween. Pretty funny stuff, particularly if you know my mild mannered husband.

Tommy, Aggie, Caitlin, Jeffrey and Abi all had a teeth rotting, hyperactive, fall over exhausted good time!