Cafe de Canciones

That was the title of the musical/drama performed in church this morning. I don't really remember the moral of the story, but I loved the part when the singing waiter suggested (to the tune of the James Bond "Live and Let Die") the customers order - "CHICKEN POT PIE!"

Rachel said the waiter should have sung "Eat it! Just Eat it!" to the Michael Jackson classic. If only he had been wearing a single glove . . . But then again, it was church.

I Heard Myself Say It

"Get that popcorn out of your belly button!"

Happy Fall, Y'all!

One of my favorite pictures of Rachel. I think she was about four years old.

Quinn and Felix

For one brief moment in 2000 - a cat whisperer.

SYATP

Yesterday was the official "See You At The Pole" rally around America. Teachers, students and parents were invited to meet at the flag pole of their school for a time of prayer. When I dropped off my kids at school, there were about 20 people around the flag pole.

When I drove up to my school in the next town, there were about 200 kids around the pole. I was astounded. Then I drove around to the back parking lot and noticed another 200 kids out there.

It was then I realized the fire alarm had been pulled.

Choose Words Wisely

That's what my friend's husband learned this weekend after he performed his first wedding ceremony. Upon returning home he told his kids, "Guess what? Daddy just married two people tonight." His six year old son replied, "Cool! You mean I have two step-moms now? Where will we keep them?"

True story.

Animal Lover

We drove by a very large home of Quinn's classmate. Rachel asked what his parents did for a living to afford such a big house. I told them that his mother was an adoption attorney. Quinn asked, "For kids or cats?"

Hmmm . . . maybe I'll call her about placing the EIGHT baby rabbits. We're getting to a critical period now between the time when the bunnies are weaned and when the bunnies can begin making more bunnies.

Fourth Grade Follies

Now!? Now he chooses to give us a lip-only smile?! Now that the braces are off and his teeth look beautiful?! Quinn told us that he tried to smile really big but the photographer asked him to "stop making that face." Hahahahaha!

His teacher sent home a note last week letting us know that he talks quite a bit during class. I wrote back to let her know that I took him to speech-language therapy for four years to perfect that skill.

Sixth Grade Smile

Rachel was happy that the photographer captured the Puma logo on her shirt. Band is going well and she tried out for basketball today. She told me that she is the fourth tallest in her class. I thought, "Wow!" Mike said, "Don't worry. Some of those young ladies are done growing. You'll be the tallest next year."

Rabbitsitting

Quinn was in charge of keeping eight rabbits in this rubbermaid container while Rachel cleaned the cage. As you can see, the container is muy shallow. I couldn't help videotaping some of it because it reminded me of that arcade game "Whack-a-Mole!" (well . . . minus the club). Some day when I learn how to upload video segments, I'll post the event.

Carson & Austin

My nephew, Carson will be three in a couple days. He's the high inquisitor regarding badminton technique. His big brother, Austin and his buddy are pictured above on their first day of Kindergarten. Later that week, Austin was able to look at a short note from his teacher and "read" it to his mom. Austin commented to me, "Hey! Aunt Marcie! Guess What?! I can read -- FINALLY!

Kelly's Baby

My youngest sister, Kelly is having her third child. She says it's a boy based on an ultrasound performed yesterday. Mike says it was probably the umbilical cord she saw. Grandma says the "watchamacalit" doesn't even grow until the last week of pregnancy.

Although I can confidently say that yes, indeed the "watchamacalit" would be formed by four months gestation, I cannot be certain of the ultrasound technician's ability to discriminate between it and the cord.

Therefore, to play it safe, Kelly, I suggest you either choose both a girl and a boy name, or find a name that is gender neutral. For example: Kelly, Jodie, Jamie, Lauren, Logan, Leigh, Laine, Pat, Taylor or Morgan.

I'm voting "Lincoln" for a boy and "Jillian" for a girl.

Four weeks old

Eight baby rabbits are four weeks old. They will be available in two more weeks. We cannot guarantee the gender of any animal, but I'm certain of the color.

NIH (pause) NOT!!

I've read some research lately with such flawed methodology and confounding factors that I can't even believe they were published. This ranks right up there with them.

Jodie

Marcie, Jodie and Grandma Ann 1972

Look how cute you were 35 years ago!! Seems like I was dressed in my snazzy pants for the occasion of your arrival.

I remember an evening about 20 years ago when you called me from a friend's house to pick you up. Unknown to you and your friend, I had Dad as a stowaway in the hatchback of the 1981 Mazda GLC. After picking up the two of you, we started down the road when suddenly Dad reached over the back seat and grabbed you by the shoulders. I'm not sure which was louder - your screams or my peals of laughter.

Uh, sorry about that by the way. Do you remember which friend that was or if she ever visited with us again?

Let it be Written

“Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created may praise the LORD …” Psalm 102:18 (NIV)

Do you think of The Rellim Family Blogspot when you read that scripture? I don't. Maybe I should tweak the focus a bit. What a charge!

I'll tweak the focus after I scrub the kitchen floor. One of the Rellim not-so-young-sters decided to dump his scoop of ice cream out of his dish and smoosh it onto my newly-mopped floor instead of putting it back in the freezer like I asked. His demonstration of defiance will not win my praise today.

Why I'll be Fired

Mr. Rellim cringes when he asks about my day and I start out with, "Just so you know why I'll be fired . . ."

Today it's because I gave some advice to two fifth graders who stutter.

I asked how their weeks have been going and one reported that she is being teased by someone who says, "Why do you stu-stu-stu-stutter?"

I told her to ask him, "Why are you so uh-uh-uh-ugly?"

I'm pretty sure this counseling tip is not on the website at the Stuttering Foundation of America.
However, I believe it to be a better idea than Wendell's.

Up a stream

This is Quinn pulling his friends who got tired of paddling. Quinn decided it would be easier to pull them to shore than try to coordinate a shared effort.

What an appropriate metaphor for my day.

Some would disagree with the choice to jump in and keep the boat moving, but neither one of us likes to float about aimlessly. You go, boy!

Oh Happy Day!

My Norton Antivirus has been updated AND I'm still able to post pictures on by blog!

This is last year's back-to-school picture. Funny thing is that I inadvertantly wore the same blouse and necklace for this year's picture.

Excellent (pause) (not!)

Those of you who've suffered through the film "Borat" will appreciate the title.

Lisa and I get to visit in person only once a year and this is the only picture we have for 2007. We look awful! I know one of us had been sick the day before and the other has no excuse. Here's to a better photo op in 2008!

Grandma Ann

Move over, Marilyn Monroe!

Rabbits

And I'll name this one Winky. Seriously, does anyone want a pet rabbit? We can't eat all of eight of them . . .

Good Times

Old friends, late night, good times!

First Day of School 2007

Sixth grade and fourth grade, here they come!

PICTURES!!

For whatever reason, my computer has allowed me to post pictures tonight for the first time in about four months. HOORAY! Unfortunately, I have to update my Norton Antivirus tomorrow and who knows what might happen. Where's Mr. Bickerson when you need him?

I'll try to link some photos to previous posts just for fun. Wish me luck!

Hammock

Rachel still cannot understand why I had this hammock in the trash. The best part of the story is how she used it for about four days this week before her father finally confiscated it!

Sixth Grade Chorus Practice

Rachel told me that her chorus teacher instructed them to work on their "dictation and pronounciation."

I let Rachel know that the correct terms are "diction" and "pronunciation."

Those words are a bit easier to pronounciate anyway.

PS: This is a picture of the Rellim Family cousins taken in June

Ignoramulus

Quinn's new label for anyone who annoys him. It's pronounced "ig - no- ram- you- lus."

Poor Man's Patio

That's what we call our summer garage make-over that gives us some outdoor activity space.

Anyhoo - tonight we ate supper out there. Rachel ran back into the house to get some (what else?) parmesan cheese. When she returned about 45 seconds later, she was sobbing and holding an ice pack (well, more like a pack of frozen raspberries) on her shoulder.

Mike asked her what the heck happened.

Her response? "I stubbed my toe so hard it made my shoulder hurt!"

Sports

Two nephews visited today and we taught them the fine art of badminton. The nearly three-year-old asked me, "Why you have chicken? Me play tennis!"

Translation: Why are you playing tennis with a birdie?

Life Lessons

My friend's daughter's friend (got that?) asked her, "Ms. Mary, what is a 'personal lubricant?'" My friend, completely caught off-guard, replied something like, "Umm . . . it's stuff you put on stuff so things will work better."

I hope to be present for the round of follow-up questions.

William Butler Yeats

I heard a partial quote today from a lengthy poem of his:

" . . .A time when the best of men are without conviction, and the worst are full of passionate intensity. . . ."

Call Arnold Schwarzenegger's office today to voice your concern about the many "anti-discrimination" bills sitting on his desk. 916.445.2841 One includes the right for HIV positive men to be sperm donors.

Oh! You'll have to press "1" to hear the message in English.

School Lunch

We've had some trouble with school lunch. For starters, the prices are only posted at the end of the line at the cash register (in tiny print) after the students have loaded their trays with food. My kids pay with a debit card system, so their lunches are always "free" they tell me. We are working on budgeting and allowing only two ala carte items per week.

Today, Quinn told me he bought something off the "olive cart" and it was yummy.

I didn't even know he liked olives.

Campaigning

Quinn: Here is the paper about voting.

Me: This is about running for class representative for the student council at your school. You know, you might be a good candidate.

Quinn: What do you do?

Me: Well, you go to meetings twice a month and talk about ways to improve the school. For example, you might want to increase the variety of fruit juices offered in the cafeteria or something like that.

Quinn: No thanks. I like the apple juice. I don't think I want to be voted for.

Meetings

I participated in a meeting today where we talked about when we would have the next meetings and what we would talk about at those meetings. That . . . was pretty much all.

Scissors

One day last week Quinn was wearing a hat indoors. He later let me in on a secret. He had cut off his bangs - entirely - because "they looked so stupid!"

Yeah, he helped the situation out immensely with his trim.

I'm so thankful that Wal-Mart's hair studio is open late.

Multi-tasking

This story may not be as good as my friend's on her lifegetsin.blogspot but here goes:

After baking scrumptious lemon cream muffins, I decided to also make some lemon cream frosting. This involved much grating of lemon zest and much squeezing of the lemons. To my shock and dismay, the frosting did not look like frosting at all.

Guess what happened? While baking and talking on the phone and answering the door and listening to the radio and checking homework I measured FLOUR into the recipe instead of powdered sugar.

Baking tip: Flour don't make no frosting.

Poor Brock

Until this week, my son has held the championship reign for most incredibly stupid and/or dangerous stunt pulled off by an elementary school child (among my friends). This of course, was when he was six years old and asked to ride his bike around the block, but instead rode his bike ACROSS TOWN to the ice cream shop and had himself a treat.

Well, son, your reign has come to an end. As of Wednesday evening, your friend Brock takes the cake. He threatened to run away from home (again) and his parents didn't think a thing about it until the doorbell rang and there stood a policeman with their eight year old son. Brock had been found walking along the highway a mile north of his home, wearing his pajama bottoms and carrying his teddy bear.

Poor Brock - and poor Brock's butt.