HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ROB!!!

That's right, today is Rob's birthday - the man of my dreams, the most excellent father of my children (hmmm, that doesn't sound quite right as he's the ONLY father of my children, but he's most excellent at fathering). He keeps me sane and even more importantly, while he knows of my many flaws, he still loves me.

We celebrated part of his birthday this weekend when Mark and Celeste came to visit from the Bay Area (Mark, for those who don't know, was instrumental in helping Rob realized that I was flirting with him big time lo those 17 years ago). It was great fun seeing both of them and getting to play some Mario Kart with Mark and watching Mark and Rob play Star Wars Force Unleashed (not much is more fabulous than watching two grown men play like little boys - it was excellent!).

Mark and Rob at Mark's b-day party

end of an era

There are so many little things that tell you your children are growing up. For example, the last time I nursed Rhys - he said "Mama, I LOVE to nuhse" and then he never asked to nurse again. It was a little hard. He's my last baby, so it was my last nursing. I didn't know that would be it, but there it was. With Rhys there are many things like that, because he's my last. With Irene, I'm excited about each new step. This isn't to say I'm not excited about Rhys' new steps, new experiences, new stages, b/c I am!! But too, there is that bittersweetness to them.

So - I needed to send some fabric to Lydia (who is amazing and sews up the most INCREDIBLE clothes in the entire world and she has agreed to make Rhys some pants and a vest for my baby brother's upcoming wedding), and I know her sweet Sadie loves Angelina Ballerina. I asked Irene if she felt like she was through playing with her Angelina, Alice, Henry, and their clothes. She said yes. As I packed up the precious dollies, I was surprised at how hard it was. I will have to find pictures to put on here from Irene's Angelina Ballerina birthday party (she was 3 1/2). Irene fell deeply in love with the Angelina books when she was 2. I think my mom bought her the book Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird. Irene was hooked. Of course, it helped that she loved to dance, she loved to dress up and that Angelina did these things too.

At a staff meeting one day (when I was working at Papermill Creek Children's Corner in Point Reyes Station), we were just chatting and I mentioned Angelina Ballerina. Would you believe that Katharine Holabird's best friend was our school psychologist (I don't know if that was her exact title - she was probably more of a consultant? she always helped us and our families and the children). It was amazing and delightful to find that out. AND, when I was pregnant with Rhys, Elizabeth had Ms. Holabird personalize a copy of Angelina's Baby Sister!! We were all over the moon. It was also around that time that American Girl started carrying all things Angelina Ballerina AND the little cartoonettes came on. Our world revolved around Angelina. It was so nice to have this little mousling who wasn't perfect and made mistakes but was sweet and kind and tried to be good. I loved to watch Irene making stories with them. gads - getting teary thinking about all that...

Anyway, she no longer plays with the dollies and so we've sent them on to Sadie. I am so pleased to be able to share them with another little girl who will love them and play with them and dress and undress them a gazillion times. I miss that Irene is no longer the little wee girl playing with them, but I love the little big girl she is and the new directions she is taking. Ahhhh, I wish we could press the rewind button sometimes.

new glasses

Reisa and I (or, facebook is cool)

Reisa and I are sorority sisters. We hadn't seen each other for a bit more than 15 years.
Her parents live in South Reno and she was up visiting, so we went and had coffee together and caught up a bit on the past 15 years -- something else that's wild...when I was working for Head Start, her aunt was the psychologist there! I had no idea she was Reisa's aunt. And even more crazy? Her aunt and I share a birthday. Cool, huh? Reisa and I re-connected on Facebook. It's been fun reconnecting with people from high school, college, and life after college as well as staying connected to friends that I don't get to see on a regular basis.

Will you be in New York City this weekend?

If you will be, I highly encourage you to go the following play:

We are *extremely* excited to remind you that our very first production - an evening of six one-acts presented under the title *Questionable Content* - opens TONIGHT, September 18, 2008!!! The show runs each night at *7 p.m.* from *September 18 - 21st (Thursday thru Sunday)*, with additional *2 p.m. matinees* on *September 20 & 21 (Saturday & Sunday)*. It all happens at *EndTimes Underground at the Gene Frankel Theatre*, 24 Bond Street in Manhattan!

The shows:

*Absolutes* by Craig Abernethy

*Building a Better Mousetrap* by Scott McMorrow

*There Is No Dash* by R. Harrington

*Hijab* by Catherine Rush

*Urashima Taro* by Francesca Sanders

*Been Laden With Terrorette's Syndrome* by Wayne K.Greenwell

Tickets are available in advance at the EndTimes website (www.endtimesproductions.org),or at the door.

We hope to see you there - be sure to say hello!

Did you see that lovely bolded play? Did you note that it was by Scott McMorrow? For those of you who read here on occasion, you may remember that Scott was a finalist for his 1 minute play _Calling Long Distance_ when I wrote about it here. Not only was he a finalist, he won!

_Building a Better Mousetrap_ is about 10 minutes long and will be well worth attending.

So - all of you visiting (this weekend) or living in New York, do go and check out Questionable Content!!

stegosaurus

Birthday at Black Rock



Hue

I saw this on Julie's blog.


Go take this Hue Test. The best score is Zero. I was astounded with my score - I got an 18. I'm not at all confident in my color theory or choosing of colors.
Your score: 18

Thanks, Julie.

Rhys and mama giggling

having fun

waiting for swimming lessons

sacked out

total concentration

working in his kumon lowercase letter book

conversations about dislocation at Black Rock