Tag Archives: favourites

June 15, 2012

Friday Favourites 22

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

So, despite the incessant rain (let’s hear it for the West Coast, people!), this has been a wonderful week! Instead of running through the sprinklers and eating popsicles, we are all about splashing in puddles and cozy, family time. And this week our family includes a wiggly, curious, constantly-on-the-move little man who is the happy ending we’ve been chasing for several years.

So, who cares that we are on track for the coldest June in history (for real). Bring on the rain! We’re just too happy to care.

But what’s this I see out my window… sunshine. Very fitting!

Quote

Nothing like a deeply profound quote to celebrate…

I like rice. Rice is great if you’re hungry and want 2000 of something.

– Mitch Hedberg

Board Game

After the littles have gone to bed and the bigs are feeling the need for some parental attention, we often pull out the board games. We are definitely “game people”, but some of their favourites feel more like punishment than fun. Have you ever played “Canadopoly” with a 9 year old? It takes HOURS and the only thing worse is Disney Princessopoly, a pink and purple hell from which there is no escape.

One of the games we DO like to play is Whoonu. Not only is it fun and relatively quick, it is a great way to get to know each other better. Every person has a turn to be “it” and the others choose two of their “subjects” which they think the person will like best. The subjects on the cards are totally random – everything from tic-tac-toe to accents to Chinese food. The “it” person then arranges all the cards in order of preference and you collect your points (6 pts for first place, 5 for second, et cetera).

Apparently, C actually likes early mornings (though she is impossible to wake up and spends the first 15 minutes of her day lying on the kitchen floor whining that she doesn’t know what to eat for breakfast). L thinks the Weather Channel is fascinating. Glen rates the sound of breaking waves over air conditioning. Who knew?

App

Without a doubt, the FAVOURITE app in our house is iMovie. The girls, along with their sidekick/co-star from two houses down, have spent HOURS writing, filming and editing their own movies. The really fun ones are the many dramatic trailers which they’ve created with relative ease. Just follow the instructions, plug in movie clips where needed (i.e. – action sequence here…), and the app will do all the heavy lifting. We’ve been riveted by such masterpieces such as “The Three Weirdos”, “Obsessed With Myself” and “Evil Easter Bunny Spy Thing.”

Turn your iPod, iPhone or iPad into a film studio. I’ve fiddled around with many video editing systems over the years, and this is definitely the easiest to use. As cheap as I am, it’s worth the $4.99 price tag.

Movie Trailer

Not to be left out of the iMovie fun, our family’s film-making mentors (aka Uncle and Aunt) had Glen shoot this beauty on his iPad when he was visiting a few months ago. Welcome to the World Premiere of Super Family – taking cheesy home video to the next level!

I know what you’re thinking. Yes, that is in fact the Gemini-nominated director of “Love It or List It”, also known as Glen’s little brother. What’s more, these ARE the stars of Cerealized, a hilarious web serial which may or may not be freakishly psychic since they are now married and living together in real life. We’re working with professionals here! But the real draw is that cute little boy (takes after his aunt). He looks all innocent and utterly adorable, but we are going to conquer the world together one day!

Website

While we’re on the topic of high quality entertainment, let me introduce you to a brand new website for those of us who think TV is more than just a massive waste of time and soul-sucking instrument of global ignorance; it’s a lifestyle. TV Asylum brings you validation about People You Watch TV With and important articles such as We Need to Talk about The Office. I’ll admit it, I will never watch The Bachelorette, but I’m loving the Recaps; they are just so funny!

Song

I have loved this song for years and rediscovered it when I met Carolyn Arends last week. That’s right, as I mentioned in another post, she is one of my new favourite authors and I now am the proud owner of a signed copy of Wrestling With Angels! We haven’t exchanged friendship bracelets yet, but I’ll keep you posted.

This weekend, do whatever it is you have been dreaming about for years: make a movie, write a blog, adopt a child… you pick.

So here’s me, seizing THIS day. I think we’ll call this episode “Parenting the Boy.” Happy Father’s Day!

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May 30, 2012

Friday Favourites 21

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

Last night I rocked my son to sleep for the first time… insert sappy sniffle… bliss!

He mostly smiles my way, plays for a few minutes, then runs to foster mom or Daddy, but when I “babysat” him on my own for an hour last night, we snuggled and played together. We had a great time, just us. The next 2 weeks we will continue the gradual transition home. It’s a lot of driving. And it’s hard to leave him each time. But it’s all worth it.

It’s an awkward, wonderful, strange and exciting time!

Quote

“We should not be asking who this child belongs to, but who belongs to this child.”

~ Jim Gritter

Homage to the West Coast

These are my people. This is my home. And we are hilarious. Portlandia is a show for anyone who:

a) enjoys mocking hipsters

b) enjoys being a hipster OR

c) doesn’t know WHAT a hipster is (and you really should in this day and age, since I suspect hipsters will one day inherit the earth).

I was pointed in this direction by S’s nanny, since Dumpster Diver lady and I share a catch phrase. That thing I say whenever S does something cute (usually involving absolutely-smitten-with-his-new-son Daddy): “Awwww”

I watched this with my Dad this week. I find it somewhat alarming that his only comment was “That’s good aluminum there, why would anyone throw it out? It’s worth $1/lb…”

Mom, this could be your life. Who knew Dad had so much hipster potential?

App

She scanned my thumbprint into her iPod. Very official. Kind of an “Alias” vibe. Lo and behold, my name pops up, along with the information that I am currently parenting 3 children with another one coming home soon. What the WHAT? How does it KNOW this?

An upbringing fraught with suspicion about “evil government” and conspiracies of sinful worldly systems kicks right back into play (embarassingly easily to be honest). My moment of panic is cut short as I realize L is giggling like a hyena. It’s a prank app. And it really works. Grandma was mystified that it knew who she was. Grandpa was spitting mad… cue Big Brother rant… Even Glen fell for it.

Fingerprint Security Scanner has given my kids their $0.99 worth of funny practical jokes. You can prompt it to say anything about the person who is “scanned” in. The possibilities are endless.

Blog

iGame Mom is a wonderful resource for anyone looking for great apps and ideas. We’ve used her How to Child Proof an iPad to help us sort out ALL our apple devices. It only takes a few seconds for grimy little fingers to create total havoc. S loves Daddy’s iPad almost as much as Daddy, so this saved our bacon.

Coming To Theaters

In high school I tried to read it in the original language. It seemed sophisticated and intellectual at the time. My french is not that bien, so it was just a collasal waste of time. How do you say “pretentious” en francaise?

It is one of the BEST stories ever told (Victor Hugo), and the musical version is hauntingly beautiful (Schonberg). Add Hugh Jackman, Ann Hathaway and Russell Crowe to the mix, on a big screen… and now I’m ridiculously excited! Coming soon… a new movie version of Les Miserables.

Seeing the musical live, still on my bucket list.

So here’s me, je suis tres exhausted, but happy this week.

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May 17, 2012

Friday Favourites: Adoption

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

I’m busy on Monday afternoon. Just in case you wanted to hang out, or needed help moving a sofa, or something. I’ll be busy.

I’ll be meeting my son for the first time!

App

Thanks to my T-Zero app I am able to report that we will be meeting him in:

2 days, 23 hours, 45 minutes and 52 seconds…ish

 It is possible that keeping a running countdown on my iPhone is a BIT over the top, but Life Changing Moments don’t come around everyday. He’s a bit shy and has stranger anxiety, so I’m practicing my calm, cool, non-traumatizing faces in the mirror.

Song

When B was born, it was 3 weeks before we were able to bring her home. Glen and I took turns sitting by her incubator, and eventually, snuggling her and her many tubes. There were so many big worries on our plate: Down Syndrome, a leukemia scare, muscle tone, feeding difficulties, but the one that seemed to matter most was, GETTING HER HOME! It was so hard to leave her at all. This song was on the radio all the time those days. I used to sing it to her under my breath and imagine smuggling her out with me.

These days I have the song on repeat again.

Book

As we ALL prepare for a big change I have been on the lookout for “Big Sister” books to read with B. It has been surprisingly difficult to find preschool level books which work for our situation. There is no baby in my tummy, we are bringing home a toddler, not an infant AND we are not going to a far away country to do it. Apparently, we’re not a big demographic.

I was thrilled to find On Mothers Lap. It is a great sibling book about a parent’s expansive love. We read it while we rock “back and forth, back and forth” on the rocking chair Glen bought me for Mother’s Day. The final line of this simple story says it all: “there is always room on Mother’s lap.”

Blog

More than just an adoption advocate, Kristen of Rage Against The Minivan is both funny and challenging, with a huge range of guest posts about every topic under the sun. I feel like I actually KNOW her family, who are awesome, even though I’ve never met them. When I first read her Form Letter Apology I knew we were kindred spirits.

Also, she is one of the creators of the Pintrest You Are Drunk board, which is one of the reasons I get SUCKED in time after time. So there’s that.

Genius

Honestly, this one has nothing to do with adoption. But it makes me smile. And hug my kids. And shrug my shoulders about my own “struggles.” It’s an old 60 Minutes segment about an amazing musician, who is also happens to be blind and developmentally delayed. I’m not sure what is more inspiring, his musical genius or his sweet personality.

Definitely, his personality!

Quote 

One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a long time.

~Unknown

So here’s me, T minus 2 days, 23 hours, 23 minutes and 6 seconds until we set eyes on a new land.

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May 11, 2012

Friday Favourites: Celebrate Mother’s Day!

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

Mother’s Day is a big deal for us right now. We made our upcoming adoption official and public just yesterday. And now we have 4 adorable photos of our new son to moon over. JUST in time for the big day! Everything is coming up Christie.

Quote

There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one.

~Jill Churchill

Mothers

I have many good mothers to thank for the part they play in my life. Not perfect, but in the messiness of life they are doing the best they can. And for that I am grateful!

Here are a few of the lessons they have taught me along the way…

  • Thank you Mom – for your unflagging optimism. You’ve taught me to have faith.
  • Thank you Grandma – for your passion for our heritage. You’ve taught me the value of story.
  • Thank you Mom-in-law – for your generosity. You’ve taught me to give lavishly.
  • Thank you Grandma-in-law – for your kindness. You’ve taught me to be gentle with people.
  • Thank you StepMom-in-law – for your strength. You’ve taught me to advocate for the ones I love.
  • Thank you Foster Mom – for your devotion to children. You are teaching me about sacrificial love.
  • Thank you Birth Mom – for your love and effort. You are on my mind most of all right now. I can’t imagine how difficult this day will be for you. Regardless of everything else that has happened in your life, you truly wanted to do right by S. You gave our son life, and that’s the best gift of all!

Video

This one makes me so sad that my Mom doesn’t live closer by, so that I can explain Skype and web cameras to her, again.

Music Video

If you can hang in there through the 2 brats hurling verbal abuse at one another, you will reach the prize. The prize being Mr.T in tube socks and short shorts doing a rap about Mothers.

You’re welcome.

Infographic

Everything you ever wanted to know about Mother’s Day… and then some, to be honest.

Brought to you by: http://www.ultimatecoupons.com/blog/2011/05/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-mothers-day-infographic/

So here’s me, thankful for all the good moms in my life. And frankly, kind of relieved that we’re, none of us, expected to be perfect.

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May 4, 2012

Friday Favourites 18

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

Another week, and another collection of random recommendations. Our adoption is moving forward at a glacial pace. And I am inexplicably (okay, very, very explicably) inspired to write posts about waiting… so stay tuned.

Quote:

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.

~Douglas Adams

Blog:

Sadly, our extended family has more than a few addicts in its ranks. It’s a tragic lifestyle/illness and I’m left feeling angry, bewildered and completely helpless in the face of it. Sober Boots takes on this giant with faith, humour and the kind of wisdom that comes from “been there, done that”. Apart from the focus on alcoholism, I feel like Heather Kopp is someone I want to know and spend an afternoon gabbing with over coffee (for an introvert that is really saying something).

Infographic:

This is an incredibly accurate portrayal of my home country. I grew up in “Bibles”, spent five years in “Centre of the Whole Freaking Universe” and ultimately moved out to “Rain, Rain, RAIN” right near “Snobs”.

Courtesy of http://lolsnaps.com/news/22612/0/

Rick Mercer Video:

Along these same lines: “Everything you wanted to know about Canada, but were afraid to ask.” Surprisingly educational coming from a comedian. Three years behind the game, but I finally understand what happened when parliament was suspended in 2009.

I made my girls sit down and watch it. I know, I can hear the howls of protest: “educational stuff on a Pro-D day, what kind of monster are you?”

Beanie Baby/Hunger Games Video:

Finally, they’ve found something useful to do with all those beanie babies from the 90s! Funny and surprisingly faithful to the book, definitely worth a look for anyone who has seen the movie and/or read the book.

App

In honour of this very special holiday (Star Wars Day, duh) here is an app that both I and my 3-year-old nephew really enjoy. Feel the force on your iPhone as you use realistic sound effects to draw and swing your LightSaber and, well, that’s pretty much all it does. But it’s a LightSaber, so how cool is that! LightSaber Unleashed is a slight upgrade from the program I have, still free, and will totally make you the cool auntie.

So here’s me, wishing you a Happy Star Wars Day. May the Fourth be with you!

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April 20, 2012

Friday Favourites 16

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

It has been a long and exhausting week. Finals are behind me. Glen is home from his business trip. My keys are safely in my purse. And I am ready for my imminent crash.

Why is it that I go into overdrive when I’m playing single mom? I always get WAY more done than normal when I’m on my own. It’s one of life’s great mysteries.

Here is a quote I needed during what we are now referring to as: The Incident

Quote

An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.

An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered.

— G. K. Chesterton

Video

I saw this one awhile ago and enjoyed it more than ever when I watched it again this week. I think it’s because I’ve given several versions of “the talk” this year. No matter how cool I am, or how much of a sexpert I have become… it’s awkward. I’m pretty sure it’s one of the immutable rules of the universe – children and parents discussing sex is inevitably uncomfortable.

Julie Sweeney’s “Sex Ed” Monologue: Hilarious (and p.s. – not kid friendly)!

For some reason, there is a little animated film at the end of her talk; it’s kind of a cute.

Book

Before sitting down to finish this blog, I began gathering my supplies for that most sacred of all times to a parent. The grand finish line on the week: the moment when ALL my children are in bed and I am no longer needed, in demand, or wearing pants. No, this is not ANOTHER post about nudism, I’m a HUGE, HUGE fan of pajamas.

While choosing a book to read, I realized that I had no interest in a)learning anything, b)feeling any sort of angst or c)being motivated or inspired in any way. I know what you’re thinking, reality t.v. it is. BUT I did find something on the bottom of my bookshelf that fits the bill. Chicken Poop for the Soul by David Fisher. It was intended to be a gag gift from my sister, but I’ve enjoyed it immensely. The subtitle is: Stories to Harden the Heart and Dampen the Spirit. If anyone has ever hinted that you may have a dark and sarcastic sense of humour, this book’s for you!

App

This week we got an app called About Me! which allows you to enter your name and birthday so you can find out all sorts of interesting facts: name meaning, number of days you have been alive, famous people who share a birthday, historical events that happen on your birthday… Don’t tell the kids, but the ensuing discussions about Abraham Lincoln and the emancipation proclamation, Gene Kelly and Nazi Germany, are actually EDUCATIONAL. We were having so much fun figuring out all sorts of obscure facts about ourselves, that they didn’t even notice the teaching/learning/broadening horizons that was happening. And the cherry on top, as always, is the fact that this app is free.

WARNING: be careful not to get the about.me app, which is completely different; a social networking app where you can send out all sorts of personal information (and a picture) of yourself and find out the information of anyone who is nearby. Basically, my every worst nightmare as far as my children are concerned, wrapped up in a single app.

So here’s me, my name means “anointed follower of Christ”, I was born on a Thursday and, according to average life expectancy, I have lived 46.5% of my life. I’m not sure if that makes me feel young, or old. Almost half over…

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April 13, 2012

Friday Favourites 15

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

It’s been getting pretty schmaltzy up in here lately. In a good way, definitely. We’ve got all sorts of deep and wonderful and, frankly, emotionally exhausting life changes on the menu (My Little Possibility).

So, I’m even happier than usual to take a break from the profound to offer a bunch of random stuff I think is cool.

I’m not going to lie, it took me a while to figure out this quote, but it was worth it!

Quote

Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day.

Give a fish a man, and he’ll eat for weeks!

– Takayuki Ikkaku

Music Video

This cover of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know by Walk Off the Earth is AMAZING!

5 people on one guitar, at the same time. I really love the guy on the end. He’s definitely taking his job seriously.

Walk Off the Earth

Blog

There’s something about Amalah… the sarcasm, the self-deprecation, the mommy jokes, or maybe the general snarkiness, that just tickles my funny bone (usually with the liberal use of profanity, so be warned). I’ve eagerly read posts about breast-feeding and newborn supply lists, though I am not now, nor ever will be again in that phase of life – because if she writes it, I enjoy it. I initially found her because she is also parenting a child with special needs and her posts on these topics are funny AND touching. Read The Friendship Jungle, really, go read it, right now.

Book

In a turn for the more serious, I’ve been reading Living the Questions: Making Sense of the Mess and Mystery of Life by Carolyn Arends this week. Mostly because they didn’t have the book I was REALLY looking for at the library and I have always considered her an excellent songwriter/poet. I’m so glad they didn’t have that other book; this has been a wonderful discovery. She discusses what she refers to as this “preposterous optimism I’ve come to recognize as faith” through stories of her life which sound so very familiar to me. Everything she writes has a poetry to it.

I know she lives nearby… I’m considering tracking her down so I can force friendship bracelets and commitments of lifelong friendship out of her. Or possibly to stare at her in a creepy, starstruck manner. Which do you think she’d prefer? Cause I want her to LIKE me.

App

I’m going to round out this post with a good-for-you app.

If you consider yourself a modern-day abolitionist, as in, someone who is opposed to slavery, forced and child labour (and really, what kind of evil douche isn’t?), then this app from the Not For Sale Campaign is for you.

Free2Work rates major companies and brands on their labour practices throughout the supply chain. Each company is given a letter grade, then an explanation based on certain criteria (like a report card of sorts). It is a work in progress; apparently, you will one day be able to scan a bar code in and get information on that company.

Consumers have POWER. We can use that to do good and still get what we want/need. With minimal hassle, I can open this app and see what brands are more responsible and then reward them with my business. For instance, next time I’m buying a birthday present I will choose Lego (with a B) over Zhu Zhu Pets (who have a dismal F). Not a big deal for me, but if we were all to do it, it would send a very clear message.

So here’s me, not exactly a William Wilberforce, or a conductor on the underground railway, but abolitionist in my heart.

My daughter disagrees. Apparently $5 for an evening of babysitting is not a “living wage”. BTW thanks ever so much for teaching her that term Uncle Ben.

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April 6, 2012

Good Friday Favourites

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

Today is the most somber holiday in the Christian calendar. So my usual sarcastic, irreverent Friday post doesn’t seem like the thing to do.

If you are not familiar with the story, here it is in a nutshell.

God creates humanity. Humanity rejects God. God reaches out to humanity over and over and over again. Humanity rejects God over and over and over again. It’s kind of our thing.

God becomes human (Jesus, God the Son, is born. Merry Christmas). Jesus reaches out to humanity. Humanity rejects him. In fact, humanity strips him naked, beats him up, and kills him.

This is the part where you almost expect the giant Hand of God (a la Monty Python) to reach down and smite us all, smite us good. Instead, God the Father lets his Son die, because that was the plan all along. He was the ultimate sacrifice – the blood ransom to free us from a prison of our own making.

The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin

so that he’d see life come from it

– life, life, and more life.

Isaiah 53:10

Whatever you believe about Jesus or Christianity, this day is for all humanity. Yes, it is serious, but worth celebrating. So, here are some of my Good Friday Favourites.

Quote

This Word played life against death and death against life in tournament on the wood of the most holy cross, so that by his death he destroyed our death, and to give us life he spent his own bodily life. With love, then, he has so drawn us and with his kindness so conquered our malice that every heart should be won over.  Catherine of Siena

Blog

My friend Marc makes an important, spiritually powerful point. “Pontius Pilate is a pylon.” And how! Here is a post about the guy who just stood there and let it all happen: Pilatitus. Definitely worth a read, because sometimes we’re just like him.

Also, Laura Ziesal wrote a post that has stuck with me this week. “We serve a God who is not far from our pain.” Though Good Friday is not the main topic, My Least Favourite Day of the Year speaks to it in a powerful way, especially for anyone who has lost a child.

Liturgical Tradition

Don’t tell my Anabaptist ancestors, but occasionally I have a hankering for liturgy and the rituals of High Church. Yep, I’m pretty sure my Grandpa is spinning in his grave right now.

There is a richness and ancient meaning behind centuries old traditions. If I were going to pick one which appeals to me most, it would be Via Crucis, the Stations of the Cross. Whether it is a series of art displayed throughout a cathedral, an interactive physical experience or simply a devotional guide, each of the stations depicts a different part of the Good Friday story. Usually there are thoughts and prayers to meditate on at each station. Remembering is not something that just happens, it is something we do on purpose.

Pray through the Stations of the Cross online.

Video

It seems kind of douche-y to have a “favourite” part of Good Friday, since it’s all very grim and painful. But the time Jesus spent in the Garden of Gethsemane is what I am finding most meaningful lately. It hits me every time… Jesus did not eagerly skip to the cross with a serene smile on his face and a cheesy hymn on his lips . He struggled, he cried, he felt the bitterness of grief, and he begged for reprieve. Kind of encouraging for those of us who do not always find God’s will easy to stomach. It also makes his ultimate choice that much more meaningful.

Mel Gibson may be an enormous schmuck, but he did a great job dramatizing spiritual agony (not exactly the most visual concept) in Passion of the Christ.

So here’s me, forgiven, because He was forsaken. Take that creepy snake-satan!

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in favourites, holiday, spiritual

March 30, 2012

Friday Favourites 13

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

This week I’m passing on a few things I found through FaceBook. Which reminds me, Canada is now phasing out the penny (thanks for the scoop Eric). What did we do without FB?

FaceBook is a complicated issue. I love it. I hate it. I connect with my friends and family where I used to drift apart. It sucks away my time. It makes me laugh and inspires me. It reminds me of the quote below.

Quote

“One reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with other people’s highlight reel.” Grace Marshall

Blog

King David is one of my favourite bible characters. Not because of his great triumphs, but because he is so messy and brilliant and screwed up and REAL. I love writers who embody that earthy realness, yet inspire me to rise above it. Tamara Out Loud is one the best examples of this. I used to be jealous of this lady I’d never met, because my husband raved about her brilliant writing, insight and humour. Then I started reading myself and was hooked.

This may not be for everyone, so heed the advice on her “Be Warned” page:

“If any of the words in the following sentence  offend you,

consider turning back now:

This blog sometimes gets all Jesus-y and shit.”

YouTube Clip

I’m a sucker for a “don’t judge the book by its cover” story. It’s cliché. It’s been done. And it gets me every time.

Jonathan and Charlotte

TV Show

I wasn’t going to watch this. I mean, the movie was okay, but it didn’t really seem like a great set up for an ongoing show. But as I was sitting on the couch with my sexy roommate (aka hubby) I couldn’t help but overhear. And now I’m hooked. The ongoing plot is twist-y and complex, but each episode can stand alone. Do-gooder lawyer who goes above and beyond the system to make things right.

Eat your heart out Tom Cruise!

Book

My kindle broke on the final page of this book during our holiday. Game of Thrones has become a huge hit – the book, the graphic novel, the t.v. series… I talked to a few people who liked it. Knights and ladies, strange creatures and ancient kingdoms, plus there’s a map at the beginning. I love books that start with a map. I’m kind of a nerd that way.

It drew me in. It is well written and interesting, but brutal. If you are looking for something sweet and romantic, read something else. The characters here are complex and often disturbing. There are no good guys and bad guys, only bad and less bad; which makes the moments of nobility shine brighter.

The real downside – I uploaded all 4 books onto my kindle, so I’m left hanging. Grrrr.

So here’s me, with a blank kindle and a dead microwave. Technology, you’ve really let me down this week!

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , | posted in favourites

March 2, 2012

Friday Favourites 12: On Vacation

By So Here's Us.... life on the raggedy edge.

Today is that last day I will be posting for a couple weeks. No, I haven’t given up on my slightly weird and time-consuming hobby. But, I will be terribly, terribly busy. Doing nothing. On the beach. In Hawaii. With my kids.

Except for the last part, it sounds pretty relaxing. Whether it is or not, it will be a fun spring break! So, here’s a few random favourites to tide you over…

Quote

A vacation frequently means that the family goes away for a rest, accompanied by a mother who sees that the others get it. Marcelene Cox

Poem in honour of the teachers

The teachers in our school district went on strike this week. I am no longer a home-school mom so this is decidedly INCONVENIENT.

I must admit that I haven’t given a lot of time or effort towards understanding the issues and figuring out where I stand. My redneck Alberta upbringing whispers that unions are just another kind of bully and I recall our own frustrations with policies which favour seniority over merit. BUT I have felt the cuts in government funding, especially for my special needs daughter. AND I think teachers do an incredibly difficult and important job and are worth their weight in gold (except for the really skinny ones who are worth more).

So my official position on on the teacher’s strike may be expressed in one of my most common mom lectures: “I want you two to work it out. Sit down right now and use your words. I don’t need to hear about it, just find a way to make it right.”

Amen!

Vacation Inspired App

Since we are heading out on vacation, my app of the week is in honour of our favourite vacation destination. The sad part is, this was true long before we had kids…

We’re pretty cliche when it comes to amusement parks, especially Disneyland. We love it – hook, line and overpriced, Mickey-shaped sinker! My parents gave Glen the nickname “Disney Nazi” on one trip to LA., because he is not willing to waste a single “magical” moment.

We’ve been a number of times (don’t hate us because we have family who live in LA), but have no plans to go again right now. With so many great memories of Disney, there is a lot of sadness and whining that we won’t be visiting it anytime soon. The kids are a bit disappointed too.

This is why the newest Disney app is perfect for us. They call Disneyland Explorer: the Happiest App on earth. The price makes me happy (free!) and there are all kinds of fun little games and videos as you poke around virtual Disneyland. It’s the kind of holiday that really works in this economy (I say as I gleefully pack for Hawaii).

B likes to wind up “It’s a Small World” then watch the international dolls dance across the screen. Sidebar: the song is every bit as annoying looping over and over and over again in the comfort of my own home as it is in the Magical Kingdom (and that includes the time the ride broke down and we were stuck by the mermaids for an extra 1/2 hour). C’s favourite is Mickey’s house in toon town. When you click on a photo on the wall, it plays one of the original Mickey toons. I’ve even seen Glen pushing the Thunder Mountain Express back and forth across the screen (we can’t figure out what it’s supposed to do – it’s kind of a bust).

If you’ve been to Disneyland and love it, or if you plan to go sometime, or if you think it’s overrated and lame, but are a sucker for free things, it’s definitely worth the $0!

Song that just begs to be spoofed

A few months ago friends told us how their son got in trouble at school for singing this song in class. They went through the 5 stages of parental reaction: shocked, horrified, relieved (that he hadn’t learned it at home), amused and committing the story to memory (to be told to family, friends, facebook aquaintances and at his wedding reception someday). Because it’s not everyday your first grader is sexy and he knows it.

Despite it’s not-remotely-appropriate-for-6-year-olds content, I get why it is being bandied around the schoolyard. It’s catchy. And vile. And totally absurd. And uses the “s” word (hee hee). Not since Right Said Fred informed us that he was Too Sexy For This Blog has there been a song so deeply, deeply stupid, that I nevertheless find myself humming from time to time.

The only version of “I’m Sexy and I Know It” that I don’t like is the real one, but the spinoffs make me laugh, so I decided to include a few. The best is definitely Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young doing an acoustic version (okay, fine, it’s Jimmy Fallon dressed as Neil Young, but still all kinds of awesome).

Sexy and I Know It Unplugged

Here is one that my kids LOVE. Apparently they saw it at school. Really? I’m trying to figure out what kind of lesson that fit into… social media A-B-C’s?

Elmo and I know it

The line up would be incomplete without a cheesy Christian version. As much as it pains me to admit it, these pastors are rocking it. I’ll take “Tithing and I Know It” over “Shine, Jesus, Shine” anyday.

Tithing and I know it

So here’s me, OUTTA HERE! Aloha!

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