So my Ashley, my beautiful second born, turns 22 today.  Reminds me of the Benny Hill skit where he’s sitting in a bar and says “21 today, 21 today” and someone says “Happy Birthday!” and buys him a drink.  He drinks the drink and then says “22 today, 22 today”.

 Anyhow, as I just know she won’t be spending time sitting in bars and all drinking and stuff, it’s nothing to worry about.

Happy 22nd birthday Ashley.  We love you so very much.  I was going through  a book of poems my mom gave to me in 1988 called “For You, My Daughter” - a compilation of poems edited by Susan Polis Schultz.  I’d like to share this one with you, Ashley.

I will support you in all that you do.                                                                          I will help you in all that you need.                                                                          I will share with you in all that you experience.                                                         I will encourage you in all that you try.                                                                      I will understand you in all that is your heart.                                                           I will love you in all that you are.

- Susan Polis Schultz               

Ashley, I love you and think you are a wonderful, wonderful young lady.  I’m lucky to be your mom.   Happy 22nd, may all your dreams come true.

Love,                                                                                                                   Mom

P.S. all my photos of you and Nicole are film - I need to beef up on the digital photos!  Although, today my dial up is excrutiatingly slooooowww.  I can not download the pic I wanted to.

I baked chocolate chip cookies on Friday.  Ross and Francesca shared a cookie (a big cookie) later that evening.  Ross has a tendency to leave his snacks on the end table in the living room, which in our house is a problem.  The dog is just chompin at the bit to get his snack, it’s like stealing candy from a baby.   This time, Moose was a bit too slow. 

As I was cleaning up in the kitchen I heard the pitter patter of very very quick little feat.  That sound means trouble is brewing or something just happened.

I followed the sound and saw Francesca hiding behind her crib, eating what was left of Ross’ cookie.  Smart kid - even the dog has a hard time getting back there.

i’m seeing Peace symbols everywhere these days.  It resurafaced last year to mark it’s 50th birthday. And now it’s on jewely adorned by kids, teens and adults everywhere.  It’s on onesies and toddler tees and all the best dressed boys and girls have something with a peace sign on it. 

It makes me miss my jean jacket - from my teenage years.  The jacket was worn and faded in all the right spots and had patches sewn on by yours truly, with my favorite patch - the peace sign right on the front.  I wore that jacket everywhere. 

I think I’ll have to go searching for a new jean jacket.  It can’t be too new but not too faded either.  I need to work it in just right.  And maybe I’ll even get a peace patch.  It’s even kind of sad that I don’t even know where you get patches anymore.  Thank goodness for the internet. 

And since I searched through tons of images in Google and did not find one jean jacket with a peace sign patch, I give you this.

Courtest Google Images - s. Dali Peace Sign

Peace out.

I don’t think I have ever been so interested in a presidential election and Innauguration.  Don’t get me wrong.   I’ve always voted in them, I feel it is my right and my duty.  And when I was able to I watched the Innauguration.  But this one has been so very different.  I have never seen such passion, particularly for those in the Obama camp.

We are a nation in turmoil.  Back on  September 11, 2001 our stability was rocked and we were forced into the realization that we were not overtly safe on our own soil.   This was a crushing blow to most of us.  We had listened to the news and read about the threats and concerns of other nations, had sympathized and cried over terrorist attacks not on American soil.  But when it happened to us, when tragedy struck it was sobering.

There have been many developments since then, our nation went to war, our freedoms were harnessed and our faith - not in God - but in mankind - wavered.

Fast forward to now, our nation is in an economic downward spiral.  Banks and businesses are going under, the unemployment rate is growing every day, good jobs are getting harder and harder to come by.  Everyday people have seen their retirement savings dwindle to a fraction of what it was.  Families are losing their homes, and many more people are joining the ranks of the hungry.   The future is still up in the air.

And yet, as a nation we are hopeful.  Even those of us who did not support Obama seem to know that we need to work together.  That we need to embrace him as our President, pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and get busy trying to make things right again.  The coverage of the Innauguration was so very moving.  I had the misfortune of having scheduled a doctors appointment that day (what was I thinking?) and had several pressing errands to run but was able to catch the important parts in between my errands.  

Even in the waiting room the tv was on with coverage of the events leading up to the swearing in.  Every person in the office sat, eyes glued to the tv, not taking.  I dropped off the kindergarten enrollment fee at Ross’ school - again - the little tv was in the office with staff watching intently.  At the library, quickly dropping off books the tv was poised in the main lobby with workers and patrons alike standing and watching as our new Vice Presient and President were sworn into office.   

This moment in our history will always be a highpoint.  Now that we have our first African American President - maybe we can just get past that.  It’s not about the race, or the gender for that matter.  I think this election finally proved that.  We are ready.  I’m not saying it isn’t significant.  Of course it is.  And it’s about time.

But now, as a nation, it seems we are all coming around to supprt the man who will be leading us.  It makes sense.  Let’s just hope that the Senate and the House follow the people’s lead.  Lets forget some of the politics, the agendas and the parties and focus on doing what we need to do to make America better. 

We’re off to a good start.  We have momemtum.  We have hope, which for a long time now we’ve been lacking.  We are all pulling for the man with the almost unbearable task ahead of him.  The call for community, for service has been issued.  It will not be easy, and I fear, that if/when things don’t turn around as quickly as some people expect them to we will lose some momentum.  I hope not.  The situation we are in now was a long time in the making.  It will likely take a while to get back on track.  But as we move forward, working together we have our renewed faith in our nation and the words said many times over during this campaign and election- Yes, we can.  Yes, we will.  We simply have to.

Well over a year ago, when he was first signed with an agency, Ross’ very first call was to audition for a major motion picture role.  His agent emailed over the story line and it was for the role of Matty in an untitled original screenplay.  It was billed as a psychological thriller in which a 19 year old is “haunted by a dybbuk - the soul of  a dead person barrred from Heaven — in the form of a young boy who perished in Auschwitz.” 

In reading over his lines for the audition we were a bit concerned about the content of the film and how the experience would be for him. Ultimately, we decided that his lines for the audition would not be in context of anything else and,  what was the chance of him actually landing this role as it was his first time out (and the role seemed more than supporting).

Ross auditioned and he did well I suppose as well as a first timer, but he didn’t get the part.  We were not surprised nor were we disappointed, we thought it was great experience for him to audition and what fun it will be when the movie comes out to be able to say he auditioned for it.

We have been waiting ever since to see what the movie will be.  Well, thanks to Brandon’s key eye, the mysterty is solved.  The movie is called “The Unborn” and from the looks of the trailer it looks like we may have saved a boat load of money on therapy down the road.

The Unborn Trailer ,  shows a scene Ross actually did for his audition - standing over the crib and swinging the mirror to hit the babysitter’s face and then saying “He wants to be born now” . Creepy.  And kind of cool. 

I am not the fan of horror movies that I was when I was younger.  But I just might have to see this one because of the fact that Ross had his first audition for this movie. That, and the fact that someone thought my son looked like he’d make a good disturbed, possessed child.  Freaky. 

So in my usual way of putting the cart before the horse, I found the perfect rug and lamp for Francesca’s new room.  We still have to fix the ceiling (air conditioning leak from the attic) and paint the room (a lilac-like shade), but I fell in love with the pieces and just knew that when I was ready for them they’d be gone.

The lamp is from Target.  The shadow box with the little doll inside was a gift from Nicole and Brandon to Francesca.  Nicole made the little “doll” and framed it.   I received the crafts and pieces to make more dolls as part of my Christmas gift from Nicole and Brandon.  Thank you Nicole and Brandon!

The rug is also from Target.  The table will be set up soon and ready for tea parties.  This is the same table and chairs from when Nicole and Ashley were little.  Just stripped and painted. Thank you Sam - nice job!

I love that the rug has some pink in it.  Just perfect for her room.  Next we need to pick up a toddler bed and some bookcases/storage shelves and more bins and baskets to hold the many toys she has accumulated.  I want to get white, and eventually the bedroom furniture will be all white too but that will come later.  For now storage and the toddler bed will do just fine.

Now I need to get Sam moving on the ceiling so I can get the room painted and get her in there.  Ross has plans for the space that will open up in his room once Francesca’s crib is taken out.  He is all set for a reading nook.  That is another post for another day.

I’ll post photos when the room is painted. Just don’t hold your breath.  We don’t move at lightening speed around here.

I

So it’s still snowing outside today…. when Francesca went down for her nap, we bundled up and headed outside to make a snowman.  The snow was not exactly good packing material.  Let us introduce to you, Frosty the snow blob….

To scale.  He looked cold.  We added a scarf.

Maybe tomorrow the snow will be more cooperative and we’ll add to him.  Or start anew.  Ross really likes him.

The first of the expected Garden Catalogs have arrived!  Michigan Bulb popped into my mailbox with its’ spring offerings.  I am eyeing some more Pink Astilbe for the side of the house and perhaps some more Coreopsis for the back yard. 

I am also trying to decide on some grasses to add for some height and visual in the winter months too.  There is a really pretty Purple Love Grass that is light green but then turns bronze with a bluish tint in the fall.  I don’t think I’ve seen this before - it says hardy in zones 5-9 so I might give it a shot.

I’d  also like to get a Reblooming Lilac but right now I’m not sure where I’d put it.  I need to start planning the beds for either side of the back yard.  I’ve also seen some colossal hostas and Sum and Substance Hostas that are really pretty but I don’t think there is a shady enough area in the yard anymore for that.

The kid in the catalog is dwarfed by that Hosta!  Hopefully I can find a spot because I think it’s really cool.  The kids might be a bit frightened by its size. My business partner Anita has a large Hosta in her front garden, maybe it needs to be divided!  Not sure if they work the same that way as the regular hostas.

I have more dreaming to do and need to focus some on the shrubs and foundation plantings I need to add.  So so easily distracted!

So a New Year is here and another fresh start for many things.  I had a lot of plans for ‘08, and when my position was eliminated many of those plans shifted.  I gained some new loves; gardening, arts and crafts and of course the opportunity to be home with my kids.  I even lost some of the “baby” weight from Francesca.  Gardening  - ripping up some of the existing plants and creating new beds really helped melt the pounds, and it was so enjoyable to me.

What I didn’t do was join a yoga class and get more into a daily exercise routine.  I still want to lose some wight, particularly in my stomach which seems to be where it all is.  It’s so easy to put off better eating or a healthier lifestyle.  I needed a good kick in the butt to get started.  One of the blogs I frequent, http://scandaloushousewife.net offered up the most perfect opportunity.

Scandy has started a weight loss challenge and was bold enough to “out” all of us who want to participate on her blog.  Now, by the looks of Scandy on her blog I wish I had her weight loss needs (read: none), but who doesn’t want to be a little bit thinner ?  Or more.  Anyway, I AM IN.  Just the public forum I need to keep myself in check.   I am in for 18lbs in 6 weeks, official start date Monday, January 5th, which brings us to February 16th.  A nice little Valentines’ Day present.    

I aim to be pre-baby (Ross and Francesca) weight/ shape so I can take advantage of the summer styles (another goal - to dress more fashionably).  I don’t know about anyone else but after my first 3 babies my stomach was never flat but it was never like after the C-Section I had to have with Francesca.  I think the C-Section and being close to mid-40’s did a double toll on my body.  But alas, no more!    

Here’s to a cute, petite me. Being an “older” mom second time around makes me want to take better care of my health and present a more stylish, more hip me!  If anyone is interested in joining up with Scandolous Housewife and her diverse  crew of weight loss inductees, swing by her blog.

Tomorrow, I am off to shop for some cute excercise clothes!