Ick

So I was cruising around Etsy today. School has been canceled due to bad weather and I am bored. Not because I have nothing to do. On the contrary...I have TONS of laundry and vacuuming and the inevitable shoveling. But in the grand tradition of procrastination I am waiting for later to get here before I get too excited about cleaning. It's not very fun and I don't enjoy it nearly as much as I used to. But anyhoo...I was browsing the Etsy isles and I came across this....
Hand soap...shaped like little hands....little body less hands. Ick...this is so disturbing to me. I can't even imagine a scenario where any creative (non disturbed) person would think this is ok. I am at a loss for words...is it as icky as I think or am I just sleep deprived??

I Get It Now

This is Kevin...age 5

So in the class that Shelby is in there is the cutest little boy. His name is Dominick. I know this because the teacher says it repeatedly throughout the day. "Dominick, sit down. Dominick, stop talking. Dominick, do you need a time out? Dominick, Dominick, Dominick..." But the thing is...I really like this kid. He is somehow endearing. His antics are cute and charming and he is just fun. At first I thought it was because he reminds me so much of my awesome nephew, Bridger. He is just about the same age as Dominick. They both have big, soulful eyes and impossibly long eyelashes and a quick grin. They are both charming and sweet and mischievous and want to know how things work. As I was confessing this to the teacher, almost embarrassed that the kid who caught the most grief was my favorite...she concurred. He was one of her favorites as well. She talked of his many attributes (that some might see as flaws) and how after relaying them to Dominick's Mom followed it up with, "But I REALLY like him." And it hit me...he reminds me of Kevin when he was little. That is exactly what all his teachers said to me. "He talks too much. He moves too much. He can't stay focused to save himself....but I really like him." No wonder this little boy can flash his smile and I am ready to stand up for him to anyone who dares question is abilities to sit and stay. Some times there is more to life than sit and stay. Dominick gets it...and so do I.

So In Shock

I suppose nothing should shock me after working with the little people for so long. I was in the bathroom changing Shelby's diaper. You all know the panic that ensues if I am spoken to in the potty. Well, picture a nice bathroom with a changing table and one adult size toilet and one sink...no divider or hiney hider in sight. I didn't lock the door...really no need...just a diaper change. One of the "Grandmas" that work at the school came in. She said, "Oh, I didn't realize that you were in here." Instead of going back out and waiting for me to finish she proceeded to drop. her. drawers. Yep. The 3 more minutes it was going to take for me to finish was apparently to long for her old bladder. I was MORTIFIED!!! All I could do as she was sitting not 2 feet away from me (making me so uncomfortable with her bathroom noises) was concentrate so hard on Shelby she probably thought I was going to have a stroke. I could feel my face turn beet red. I was so in shock that when she had wiped, flushed and washed she wished me a nice weekend and all I could do was gape after her. I am still wondering if that really happened or if I fell asleep during Shelby's nap. So bizarre.

The Birthday Girl

My little sister has a birthday today. I do think that we have decided to officially celebrate her half birthday from now on. You know...then we won't be so sad when we could be singing. What do we sing to the birthday girl?? Well, stuff like Happy Birthday to You... and They Say it's Your Birthday...and He's Large....hehehe. You know the one..."He's got monnnneyyy and respect...he's better than the rest. He may not be the best....but he's large." Oh, I do love that song. I know Michelle is singing it as she reads this. My day is complete if I have made her smile. Happy Birthday you rotten favorite child. I'm so glad you are my sister. I miss you terribly and can't wait to see you in June...and May...tehehehe.

On a Lighter Note

So my daughter doesn't love cooking. She actually will do almost anything to get out of spending any time cooking. Last night she was babysitting and was required to cook a Papa Murphy's pizza. Being the ever crafty teen she is...she looked at that pizza and laughed in the face of her own fear of the oven. She removed the plastic covering and placed the pizza in the pre-heated oven and cooked it to perfection. She even managed to get it out of the oven without burning herself. This morning, when we were discussing her adventure last night she said (and I am so serious about this), "Mom, I felt just like Martha Stewart!" I kid you not. She is a true Barton girl....able to look at the mountain before her, and take that first step...then turn to you and tell you how great the view is. What a champ. tehehehehe I love that kid.

The Day After

I will tell you that yesterday was harder than I ever thought it would be. I was unprepared for the wave of memories that crashed down on me. I thought that the blessed fog that enveloped us the day Mom died would have kept some of those memories from resurfacing. Guess not. Not all of them were bad memories. Parts of that day found us laughing until we cried...the tears were real...but so was the laughter. The Hospice lady (that we'd met only once...2 days before) was there doing some of the things that Hospice offers...like rounding up all the meds of the deceased. We didn't realize she was just outside the room when we jokingly pointed out Mom's narcotics on the nightstand. The uncomfortable way she rushed in and scooped them up is something I'll not soon forget...or the HUGE burst of laughter that followed her out of the room. I'll always remember the snow that fell during the night that made the roads hazardous for my Aunt Peggy who just wanted to come say good-bye before the funeral home left with Mom's body. I'll never forget making all those early morning phone calls to relatives and friends letting them know that Mom's plans changed and she wasn't going to be there for her party that afternoon. I still feel bad for the ones we forgot to call. The cute little valentines that the younger kids gave Gram the day before, are still taped to the picture in the guest bedroom where she could see them. The shopping trip to find something to wear for the funeral...sheesh...the worst shopping trip in history. So many memories...a lifetimes worth...filled my day yesterday. Some of the day was spent sobbing, some of it in quiet contemplation. Most of it was lonely. I wasn't great company at all...not too surprising....but Jim hung in there and tried to be supportive. Mostly I'm just glad to be done with the day...only a few more days filled with more memories to endure. But then, I have reason to believe, that it will get a bit better. The memories won't slice though me like a Ginsu. The rough edges of the scars will fade and the memories will be just that...memories.

Retail Therapy

Whoever said, "Money can't buy happiness," never bought scarlet fiestaware bowls. Bolster the economy, my friends....go buy bowls.