Pink... With a Little Help From My Friends

Once upon a Thursday, a blogging teacher asked her second graders a question. "Would you all be willing to help me out? I am making a list and I'd like your help." As all kids do, they rushed in to aid any adult who was willing to ask. "Tell me, class," she said, "When I say pink, what do you think of?"

flowers
butterflies
a pig
pretty paper
strawberry cake
flamingo
strawberry ice cream
yogurt
crayons
sand
scented markers
moon sand
pearl necklace
coral
Mrs. Lawson's picture frame
girls
taffy
cotton candy
those silly makeup cars
one dollar Lawson Bucks
post-it notes
Mrs. Lawson's pens
sugary sweets
Sloane
lipstick
lip gloss
colored pencils
Piglet
tiny pencil bucket
nice feelings
makes me feel beautiful
princess dresses
"That's a girl color!"

Happy Pink Thursday, everyone.

Oh, one more bit of goodness. I recently discovered a terrific new blog. She has a fantastic Etsy shop, and she's having a giveaway. Won't you stop by and visit? You'll be glad that you did.

The image above was taken by one of my favorite Flickr photographers, mjmatt.

Small Delights

Oh, I have so much to tell you!

I have to tell you about the way that YoYo Ma swayed toward the music like a sunflower toward the sun. About sea lions that teach themselves to smile. About little girls who laugh delightedly and dream of growing up to be marine biologists. About little boys who have a goal to write a story that everyone will love. About the way that I always walk down the school's halls with two second graders attached to my sides by the hands they hold and the love they feel. About how badly penguins actually smell, and the black giraffe I didn't know could exist. About the chimpanzee who held his own feet as he slept, and all the beds we jumped on this weekend. About music that was so marvelous, so MAN ALIVE, that all I did was cry. And cry.

Oh, I have so much to tell you!

But, until then. A little story that I told my friend, Pixiedust.


Your bird made me think of the most amazing sight I saw this weekend. We were at a red light and I looked up. The power lines were covered in birds. I mean COVERED! Not hundreds. Thousands. I mean that without one bit of exaggeration. That was cool enough in itself. But then. One bird flew in and snuggled himself down among his buddies. And all down the line, literally thousands of birds flew up one by one and settled again just a tiny space to the right. It was like watching piano keys that whoosh off the piano in a cartoon. It was amazing.

Those birds have it right. It may take a little bit of readjusting, but there's always room for one more.


Both images were taken this weekend. This wonderful, wonderful weekend.

Hello, Dear Friends....

I can't believe I've been away for a week. I have missed you! I wont' be able to stop by for a visit for a little bit longer, but I did want to say hello.

If the past weeks have been wonderfully, crazily full (see last post), then this weekend is overstuffed. Cram-packed with goodness. Just look:

Thursday night - Sloane took me to a local production of Alice in Wonderland. The tickets were my birthday present. It was just wonderful! The costumes were the kind to set you dreaming. Then, we talked and laughed and sang all the way home.

Friday night - Jeffrey took me to our university's production of Because I Love You. The tickets were part of my birthday present. Do you see a pattern here? My favorite part of the musical was the last song. The lyrics said, "It would be easy to say, 'I love you anyway.' But, the truth is, 'I love you because.'" And, really, isn't that the truth? Real love is seeing someone quirk's, faults, and foibles. And loving them for it.

Today - The three of us are off in just a few minutes for St. Louis, which is about a four hour drive. We've got a bag full of snacks, an iPod full of tunes, a book or two for family read aloud, and a book or five for each of us. Not to mention a huge pile of magazines for me and drawing materials for Sloane. Yeah, we're ready for our mini-road trip. We're going to the zoo first. If you can ever make it to St. Louis, you should visit just for the zoo. It's the best I've ever been to. After the zoo, we'll go to our hotel and clean up. Then it's off to a nice dinner and YoYoMa. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!

Sunday - We got a hotel with an indoor pool. We'll play and swim all morning. After a great brunch, we'll enjoy SLAM (St. Louis Art Museum) before we head home.

Doesn't that sound fantastic?




The delighted girl above was drawn by Brett Helquist for a wonderful book called Milly and the Macy's Parade by Shana Corey.

It's a Wonderful, Full Life...

I've noticed that more and more often when people describe their lives their first adjective it busy. And, yes, it's true. We are all so busy and getting busier all the time. But, I think there are better adjectives we can use. Let me show you what I mean.



The short story of a our busy week Last weekend we had company & no time to do regular weekend activities like laundry and grocery shopping. This put us behind all week. Jeffrey has a TOUGH Master's class, a big project, and a mid-term next Tuesday to study for. This is the final week of this quarter so we had tests and grade reports to add to the usual craziness of a teacher's life. On Wednesday we found out that the carpet installers can finally come and make up their previously canceled time. If they didn't come Wednesday, they couldn't come for a month. So, they did carpet on Wednesday. We had company coming on Thursday so we had to stay up most of the night putting our house back together. Then, company arrived on Thursday afternoon. We still hadn't had time to do laundry or grocery shopping.

The short story of our full and blessed week
Last weekend we got to spend the entire weekend with Grammy. Oh boy, did we have fun. Including setting up a blog for her. Then we had a chance to see just how much our students had learned this past quarter. In the middle of the week we were blessed enough to have new carpet through our entire house. It's gorgeous! My sweet mother knew we were in a time bind so she gave up her evening and came to help us put the house back together. Just a day later we had some of our best friends come visit from Oregon. Best of all, we still have the entire weekend to enjoy time with them. What could be better?


Yes, my life is busy. But, I prefer the word full. I believe that our words affect our attitudes. And, I believe our attitudes affect everything. What things are making your life full and blessed right now? I really do want to know what's going on with you.



Our view last night as the grown ups watched the sun sink below the trees while the kids enjoyed an amazing playground.

Pink Wishes

On this Pink Thursday I wish for us all...

breathtaking beauty

contentment

quiet spaces and room to breathe

good health

and a cure for this terrible disease

To beguile an hour of your day, do visit Quizz's photostream. This amazing picture was only a taste.

This One's For Jaime...

Before you read this, won't you please go here and read Jaime's post? Thanks.

Oh, I LOVE this...

~ October
~ furry cat faces
~ finding a perfect skipping rock
~ the morning chill that tickles my nose
~ the smell of stew and cornbread cooking
~ when people I love let me talk them into things
~ the way he massages my feet as we watch a movie
~ the way the leaves try on touches of red and orange
a glove here, a purse there, a peep toe shoe on that tall maple
and overnight, the trees are wearing their ballgowns and ready to dance
~ filling my arms with warm towels and sheets, fresh from the dryer
~ piles and piles of books from the library, too many to fit in my library tote
~ spraying Sloane's fresh sheets with lavender water as I put them on her soft bed
~ friends who write to say, "I'm thinking of you. Tell me how you're doing. Really tell me."
~ Sloane always says, "It's my new watermelon shampoo" when I tell her she smells good

Life is good. And so very, very sweet.

Pink Thoughts

I am joining Christina, the queen of great ideas, for Pink Thoughts. Every Thursday in October, in honor of all the woman who have fought the battle with breast cancer, we will be posting something pink. Care to join us?

Pink is such a delicious color.

It can be innocent, like the ribbon running through the lace of a christening dress.

Or as sweet as cotton candy.

Pink can be bold and blustery, like neon lights burning through the night.

Or exciting, like a pink-scrawled address or a brilliant umbrella.

Pink can be hopeful, like a girl with Bonnie Bell on her lips.

Pink can be unexpected.

Or just right.

It can remind you of a little girl.

Or a sophisticated lady.

Pink can be the color of courage.

The color of a ribbon.

The color of survival and of loss.

Happy Pink Thursday, my friends.


So many wonderful photographers lent their images for this Pink Thursday. Click on the picture to go directly to the photostream of the wonderful photographer of each image.

Thinking Pinkly

I am joining Christina, the queen of great ideas, for Pink Thoughts. Every Thursday in October, in honor of all the woman who have fought the battle with breast cancer, we will be posting something pink. Care to join us?

Today I want to tell you about my mother-in-law.

You know, I really do want to tell you about this woman who raised the most perfect man. This man I call my husband, my life. My love. But, what to tell you? About her legendary sweetness? The way that she is so kind and delightful, so dog-gone sweet, that you'd swear you could lick her like an ice cream cone. Should I tell you about her fierce Momma-love? Tell you about the way that her 6'1" and 6'3" tall boys are instantly obedient to their tiny mother? Instantly because they love her. And respect her. Should I tell you about how she can stretch a nickle past the breaking point and still make delicious meals and give glorious presents? Should I tell you that she's been married to the same man for almost fifty years, and she's still passionately in love with him? Should I tell you about the way that her husband smiles at her? Like there is no one else in the room. Should I tell you about the way she starts every prayer with, "Our Lord, our Savior, and our God"? Should I tell you about grandma kisses, antique key necklaces, pretty yellow dresses, and shirts buttoned wrong on the hangers? What can I tell you about this wonderful woman whose life I've shared for nearly twenty years?
How about this?

She's a survivor.

This November my mother-in-law will have been cancer free for eighteen years. Eighteen years. Alive and vibrant. Happy and at peace. Living a life of service. Living to love her family. Living to serve her Father. What can I say about my mother-in-law? Just two words.

Thank God!
I love you, Ethel.


I choose these pink pictures for my mother-in-law. Because she likes pretty. Thanks to madgirl, reflectingtruth, and lesliesophialindell for the loan.