From my daily calendar…
Lewis Carroll introduced the notion of pormanteau words in Through the Looking-Glass where Humpty Dumpty says to Alice:
‘Well, “slithy” means “lithe and slimy”. “Lithe” is the same as “active”. You see it’s like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word.’
**Ten Prairie Box points to anyone who contributes a few portmanteau words in the comments section.
Kira, the beautiful and sweet Siberian Husky that belonged to Jeremy’s parents, died last weekend. Jeremy bought her some 12 years ago and trained her well. When he left the country for a year in Europe, his parents took her home–and she lived happily with them from that point on.
Kira was absolutely one of the kindest dogs I’ve ever met. She was obedient, patient, and fun-loving, and she had the strongest hunting tendencies I’ve ever seen. My very first exposure to her is wrapped up in the beginning of my relationship with Jeremy. Jeremy wanted to get to know me better so, under the guise of relational youth ministry, he asked if my younger brother and I would join him on a Sunday afternoon trip to a state park with his dog. When he showed up at our house after church, I actually turned him down with the excuse of college homework or something (poor guy!) which left him now being relational with Andrew alone. But it was Kira who stole the limelight in that moment. In front of my house, she bound out of the Jeremy’s car and instantly trapped a squirrel in a sapling of a tree. A bunch of neighborhood boys surrounded the scene and cheered on the hunting wolf (as least that’s probably how they saw her). In no time at all, the squirrel was hopelessly caught in Kira’s strong jaw, squealing his pitiful squirrely death-squeal for help–which sent me running for the house. An empathetic animal-lover wuss all my life–I actually left the movie theater bawling when wolf got shot in Dances with Wolves–the dying squirrel sounds were more than I could handle. Ah, what a first impression from Kira!
The Husky played more of a role in my courtship with Jeremy as we successfully went on many walks through the dog run and other parks. I’ll always remember her joy at seeing Jeremy when we drove up to Bill & Karen’s house, her special invitation to come in the house one time each year (Christmas for a dog treat and bone), her sweet sniffing when meeting Livia for the first time, her gentleness with Livia for the past three years.
Kira has been a joy. She will be missed.
Franny & Zooey by JD Salinger – This book was a Christmas gift from my little brother Andrew. He reads more thoughtful literature like this all the time; I do so very rarely. It was a special treat to read Franny & Zooey, the equivalent of eating a steak dinner when I’m accustomed to a #2 on the McDonald’s menu.
You Can’t Make Me (But I Can Be Persuaded) by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias – A lot of my struggles in parenting since Livia turned three are related to the difference in personality types. I’m going to credit Tobias with something very important: she helped me see how my daughter operates. This is a valuable read for parents, teachers, friends… pretty much anyone who wants to intimately related to others!
The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman – A true story of a zookeeper’s family during World War II, this book will open your eyes to some fascinating and tragic events of the last century. Ackerman writes in such great detail of the Warsaw Zoo and the invasion of the German army that sometimes the reader has to press forward, with eyes a bit glazed over, to keep the story moving. Still, it’s a small price to pay for a book that’s highly worth your time.
I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids by Trisha Ashworth & Amy Nobile – I wanted this book because 1) I identified with the title, 2) I liked the cupcake cover, and 3) the back cover copy made me laugh. A quick and easy read, this is an exploration of modern motherhood and focuses on why moms today feel so frazzled. It basically comes down to expectations, really high and unrealistic ones that many of us shoulder on a daily basis. I’m already planning to share my copy with a few other women who feel the same way I do.
Me: [Trying to get the attention of the Blockbuster Dude who always ignores me] I’m looking for a movie called Bella.
Blockbuster Dude: Huh?
Me: Bel-la. The director has a Latin-sounding name. I couldn’t locate the film on Blockbuster Online.
Blockbuster Dude: [Using computer] We don’t have it.
Me: O-kay.
Blockbuster Dude: I’ve never even heard of it.
And then I sang my own little ditty about the lame ass guy at Blockbuster on the way home. Seriously, between not having Bella or Helvetica, and this unhelpful clerk, Blockbuster is making me crazy.
“I need a juice box because I love you!”
This was the pronouncement I heard from Liv this morning. A twist on the correct version, but it got me nonetheless. I can see the future now: I need an all-expenses paid trip to Europe… because you love me!
The wee lad getting some extra air
Stats on my hand
Six weeks early, but this little guy looks absolutely perfect to me. Though it’s been a joy to watch his mama’s tummy grow, we’re thrilled Gooper is here at last. Both Renae and Simon are doing really well. Congratulations to the Moreheads!
Per Michelle W’s request, I’m going to list a few movies and TV shows we’ve recently watched… and liked. There is a shorter list of shows we didn’t like–I haven’t decided yet if I’ll post those or not.
Once
I was informed by Renae that I’d love this movie, and she was correct in her estimation of my opinion. Once is a small, comfortable film with no dazzle or special features. It’s about a guy and a girl and they seem so real, and it’s about music, the kind of music you’ll be humming under your breath for days, the kind of music that puts a smile on your face when your husband finally buys the album on iTunes.
Rescue Dawn
This movie is a POW tale. I know, I know, we’ve all seen enough of those movies. But Werner Herzog, an amazing director, brings fresh insight to Rescue Dawn. I was impressed by how Herzog chose to tell this story with a refreshingly small amount of violence and a healthy dose of reality. Christian Bale as the lead is, as always, great, but the comedic actor Steve Zahn is the surprising standout here.
Miss Potter
This sweet film, which I watched by myself, had me in one moment calling out to Jeremy about how charming Ewen McGregor was and, in the next moment, weeping in my peppermint ice cream. And goodness knows how much I enjoy being delighted and tortured with tears all in the same film. I avoided Miss Potter for the longest time because I couldn’t stand to hear Renee Zellweger doing another British accent. But darn it all, Zellweger as Potter was an excellent fit and this flick made my night quite special.
Also recommended: The Namesake (not fabulous, but good), Amazing Grace (really wonderful bit of history), Deep Water (a fascinating history lesson), and Music & Lyrics (silly but good for a laugh; Friday Night Lights fans need to watch for Jason Street).
“Just one more ‘cuz you love me?”
Livia’s in the living room, asking for one more Hershey’s Kiss. Awhile back she would ask me for treats because she used the toilet correctly or did something good. I wanted her to know that I was giving her something delicious or special just because I loved her. See where that leads? Now she’s got me pegged!
It’s difficult, if not impossible, for me to pick my favorite Owen shot from yesterday’s mini photo shoot. Those eyes, those cheeks!
Can you tell who is ready to be a big sister? Liv desperately wanted to feed Owen his bottle, make him laugh, talk to him and hold him. She’ll be a great helper when the next little Tred arrives. She did seem a bit eager to say goodbye when Owen’s mom showed up, though… And ready to take her rightful position in my lap once he was gone. Guess we’ll have to figure out lap-sharing some other day.
When it’s 5 degrees outdoors and you leave a warm building, the cold smacks your forehead like a sledgehammer.
When it’s 0 degrees and you’re going to bed, your house feels very cold even though the thermostat hasn’t been turned down yet.
When it’s less than 0 degrees and your daughter awakes in the middle of the night and her head feels like a frozen popsicle, you open the heating grate she closed earlier in the day and pile another blanket on her little bed, knowing she’s alive and well (at least enough to wake up Mommy) albeit a little chilly.
When it’s -2 degrees and feels like -12 (or so says Weather.com) and you wake up in the morning, you feel you deserve a medal for being the first out of bed to crank up the heat.
When it’s this cold in the Lincoln, Nebraska, you wish you had invested in long underwear and face masks during the after-Christmas sales. Either that or you stay inside all day with plans to watch Pixar movies and bake peanut butter cookies.