Can't Get You Outa My Head

Okay, that's a song by Kylie Minogue, but the song that's really stuck in my head right now (and will probably be stuck in yours as soon as you read this) is the song "I Love Trash" by Oscar the Grouch. "Oh I LOVE trash... anything dirty or dingy or dusty... anything ragged or rotten or rusty... I love it because it's trash!" I've been dubbing some old VHS tapes onto DVD, and I recorded an old Sesame Street video (their 25th Anniversary--guess when THAT came out!) for Donovan... thus, that song has been in and out of my head for a few days now.

I guess I was thinking of Oscar's song now because I look around the TV room in our basement as I type this, and I see little bits of paper strewn all over the place, magic markers with their lids off, and a few stray pieces of Scotch tape lying about--then I look up on my computer desk and see the stack of printer paper is quickly dwindling... These are all things I've been scolding the girls about lately--when they use their "safety scissors" to cut, they either cut up a million pieces of paper and then leave them, or SOMEbody decides it's time to cut their clothes, their blankets, pillows, etc. Ditto for magic markers. And I've had to replace more rolls of Scotch tape and printer paper in the last year, just because of my little artists. I shouldn't complain, though. I guess, when it's a rainy day and they can't go swimming or to the park or the zoo, I should just be glad they're not beating each other up. (At least, not until about 8:15 tonight--then they finally let loose on that, too!) I came down here at one point today, to download the 12 pictures from our camera that we'd taken yesterday and a few days ago... there were actually 110 pictures on my camera!!! I'd say at least five of them were of the TV (Max and Ruby was on at the time, I believe), a couple were of the insides of the girls' mouths (what is THAT all about), and then we had a few pictures of the afore-mentioned artwork.... Mostly, though, were self-portraits. The girls have learned to take pictures of themselves, in addition to taking them of each other. I hate to discourage this for three reasons: one, it kept them busy; two, with a digital camera, I don't mind them taking all the pictures they want--I keep a few and delete the rest (like those inside-of-the-mouth ones!); and three, a few of them are actually kind of neat, in an abstract/artsy way. Here are a couple I like:

Josie's chin and neck.

Josie's toes.

The Play-Doh tub.

Magic marker tower (with the top of Lindsay's head... for perspective?).

Some of the pictures they have taken in the past are actually quite good, I think, as far as being creative, etc. It's just the weeding out process that's a little tedious.

I can't sign off without adding a few nice ones of my babes, though. (The ones of the girls are self portraits.)

Lindsay's Self Portrait.

Josie's self portrait--there were actually a few that were cooler, but this was the only one of her smiling.

Donovan says, "Mommy, come over here--see, I saved you a seat!"

Playing catch-up!

I am SO far behind on my blogging, it's not even funny. I'm going to make an attempt to get everything into one blog. (Just a few things I've been wanting to put in here, that is.) And then I'll do another one tomorrow or sometime soon with more current stuff.


First is Bunko. (I really prefer to spell it B-U-N-C-O, but everyone else I know writes it B-U-N-K-O, so I'm going for consistency.... not like it matters.) I absolutely LOVE playing Bunko. I may have mentioned that in a previous blog entry--not sure. The time before last (this would have been the April game), our hostess decided to go with a Luau theme. It was such a riot! She was brilliant about it, too, because she even took pictures. I was especially excited, because I got my sister-in-law, Anne, to come join me as a sub, and she even won a little $$$ that night!!! We had such a great time!

Anita after getting BUNKO!

The money coral.

Here I am with my winning BUNKO.

Vicki's hula dance. (Are those coconuts a bra? Or shoulder pads?)

Trish doing the hula. (Notice how well the coconuts fit her!)

The following month, May, I got two BUNKO's in a row, followed immediately by a Baby BUNKO. I was so pumped, I about jumped off my chair! Can't wait to roll 'em again!!!

The other thing I wanted to mention was Lindsay's Brownie Tea Party. Her Brownie Leaders, bless their hearts, came up with the coolest activities for their troop this year. I should know--I was a troop leader last year! It's tough, not just spending an hour and a half with 11 or so screaming, giggling girls, but also coming up with new and exciting ways to entertain them while earning Try-It patches. Anyway, to celebrate their great year and to hold an awards ceremony, Marcy and Karla (the leaders) came up with the idea of an old fashioned Tea Party. Mothers and grandmothers of the Brownies were invited. Both my Mom and Jim's Mom came, which was so nice. A few of us wore hats, and we were all dressed up prettily. I even saw one woman wearing gloves. (Die hard Tea Partier!!!) At the Tea Party, we all got to do a craft, along with chatting it up with our table-mates, taking a few pictures, and watching the awards ceremony. I think both of Lindsay's grandmothers enjoyed themselves--I surely did!

Isn't she lovely?

Donna, Tracy, Lindsay, and Kay.

We had a great Mother-Daughter day! Thanks, Lindsay!