Can you repeat that? I think you're breaking up.... oh. You're 13? That explains it.

I have tried on several occasions to explain the Hama Hama stage that teenage boys go through. I've tried to write. Writing just doesn't do Hama Hama the justice it deserves.

Finally, an example.





Please ignore the messy hair and lack of neatly done make-up. (And yes, I know that I blink a lot. I hear it has to do with spending a few of my early years overseas....)

I needed to get this post up or the message might be lost forever. Perhaps because of this video, some parent will recognize the symptoms of Hama Hama and take comfort in the knowledge that it is, indeed, just a stage.

(And just a side note: why is it that whenever these little video clips finish, your face is left distorted in some really weird shape or expression? Why? Grrr.)

Mother's Day Brunch: birds, butterflies and booze. Ahhh.

Why do I host a Mother's Day Brunch? I'm a mom... shouldn't I be the attendee and not the host...?

Why play hostess? Because I get to do crafty things that are purely unnecessary... but they bring me joy. Crafty Joy is my Mother's Day gift to me.

Each year I have a different color scheme. This year was robin's egg blue and chocolate brown. (... 'cuz I had the brown curtains handy from Thanksgiving...)

In December I wrote about this free chandelier that I re-made into a candle holder. I painted it red for Christmas but even then, I knew that by spring it would be blue and have nests and birds on it.

I spray painted a cornflower blue over the red, Once it was sprayed blue, I mixed up some acrylic paint (remember acrylic paint...?) into the shade I wanted and painted over the whole thing. I then sprayed the chandelier with a glossy, clear sealant.

Since I already had the spring chandelier idea on my mind, I was fortunate enough to snap up some gold bird's nests that were on clearance right after Christmas.

I lightly sprayed them with brown. I placed little votive cups in the nests to hold a little water and then stuck clipped roses into them. I added a bird and added some bling, and it was a nice focal point.

I decided to go completely economical with my centerpieces. I bought rolls of crepe paper streamers at the dollar store and crumpled little 12" strips into flowers.

All together it looked like used kleenex sitting on the counter, but once I hot glued the "flowers" onto branches I'd been collecting, it looked pretty cool.

I also wanted to incorporate the robin's egg blue color by adding a couple of butterflies or birds into the centerpieces. I couldn't find any birds that would work.

I also couldn't find any butterflies that were the right size and the right color. (And the right price.) I finally found some that were the right size and price and figured I'd have to fix the color part on my own.

Gold? No.

I mixed 1 part paint to 2 parts water and kept dunking the butterflies in it.

Once they were the right color, I edged the wings with a different shade of blue and added glitter. I wired them onto the branches. They looked like they were hovering over the flowers and they moved in the breeze a little.

I think they turned out pretty well. Since I already had everything but the crepe paper and the butterflies, the out of pocket cost for these centerpieces was $11. ($10 was for the butterflies...)

Of course, decor and everything is fun for me, but the really important part of Mother's Day Brunch is family...
....my sister....
... my dad, out-numbered by the women in his life...

Grandma with her grandsons...

And of course, food is important. Baked eggs in a bacon and polenta crust, stuffed french toast, chicken fried steak with biscuits and gravy.... Holy cholesterol!


And champagne. Lots and lots of champagne.

Hope everyone had a happy Mother's Day!

One foot in the sugar bowl and one foot in a mud puddle...

So yesterday I was posting about what a funny little bruiser of a boy Grant is.

However, he came home from school and asked me if I would like to hear a Mother's Day song he is learning at school. Well of course I do!

Who loves me every morning?
Who loves me every night?
Who could be so in love with me?
My mom, the light of my life...

He sang it to me in this warbling, sweet little falsetto voice. He sang it with feeling. With big blue eyes and with expression... and then burst into tears.

He was sobbing. I had to rock him and hug him for a good 5 minutes. He reduced himself to tears "of love."

See? He's not ALL snips and snails and puppy dog tails...

Yep. I have THAT kid.

Grant is not always the best behaved little kindergartner.... he's a BOY.
He wiggles.
He talks out of turn.
He doesn't always follow directions.
He runs with scissors.
Typical 6 year old boy stuff.

When I picked him up from school on Friday, I received a report from his teacher that he created quite a disturbance earlier in the day. It appears that he asked to be excused from class in order to use the restroom. While in there, he decided to kick the trash can.

Repeatedly.... Again.

You see, a few months ago he discovered that if you kick the trash can it creates a fabulous banging sound that has echoes. Echoes are great. Except that you're not supposed to kick trash cans in the bathroom when you should be in class listening to your teacher.

He was able to resist this compulsion for a few months, but for whatever reason, he could resist no longer. He went in there and kicked the trash can. He kicked it enough that he disturbed 3 other classes and the Principal!

Well, of course he got in trouble. He'll miss recess this week, and he had to write a letter of apology to the Principal.....


I was given a copy of his apology letter:
I am sary that I kicked the chrash can. I will nevur do it a gen.
Got it. OK...

Me: "But Grant, what is this a picture of...?"
Grant: "It's me kicking the trash can."
Me: "Is that a thought bubble above your head? What are you thinking about...?"
Grant: (looking at me like I'm a bit slow)"I'm thinking about kicking the trash can."

Duh. Of course.
I just love that the "thought bubble" was so focused and so typical of what motivates little boys. Nothing nefarious... just the single minded focus of making a loud noise.

Me: "At any rate, don't do it again."

I was able to wait until he left the room before I busted out laughing.