Birthday Rewind
I love planning parties. I know it is overkill for a toddler’s party, but he will never remember them so really they are parties for ME! We are in full party planning tilt at TheHuckablog World Headquarters as we get ready for the big 2. I did not have a blog this time last year, apart from the imaginary one in my head, so I thought we would have a little time warp back to last year.
The theme (I love themes, lame I realize but they make planning so much easier) was Rubber Ducky, look who’s one. To say I had a few ducks at the party would be somewhat of an understatement. I used turquoise blue linens with white accents, plus, of course, yellow ducks. In the background you can see the ducky cupcakes “swimming” around in a galvanized tub. For food we had cheese and quackers, fresh fruit, ducky cookies, little weenie thingies, spinach AND cheese dips, “mallard”mars, and ducky cupcakes. I always only serve tea, lemonade, and water at parties because they are inexpensive, and look pretty in glass pitchers (are you NOW convinced of the OCD?) There were blue and clear balloons everywhere to look like soap bubbles.
This is the “smash” cake, made by my mom.
Cupcakes made by Cakes by Stacey, (ask for info and I will send it to you). She hand made those little almond bark ducks on top.
In the back yard I took blue tarps and made a canopy to cover the whole back porch, and then had tons of blue and clear helium filled balloons trapped underneath. I took more blue tarps, put them over blankets spread over the bricks, to create a soft surface, then added three blue kiddie pools with MORE rubber ducks. Do you see all of the children who attended his party? All ONE of them? We are hoping the kid to adult ratio at this year’s party is a little better.
More pools and balloons and slides and neighbors.
You can’t see it very well but his onesie says Lucky Ducky, I am One! From The Gap. I had the I am One added.
I could not find party favors I liked, so I made my own. I spray painted party hats turquoise, found stuff to make ducks in the scrapbook aisle at Hobby Lobby, and used stickers to put different sayings on each hat, then topped it all off with a shimmer top coat. Time consuming, but they turned out cute.
I was bummed at the lack of kids, so my Mom was a good sport and donned one.
I made the banner for his high chair, with construction paper, ribbon and more stickers. I can’t show you the front of the house for security reasons, but I painted big yellow duck feet prints coming up the drive, and had a sign on the door that said “Welcome to the Huckablog Tub!”
We had a good time and all the adults had a blast. I am not telling what all to expect for this year so you will be surprised, but I will give you a hint. I hope you like dogs.
Vacation my ass.
On second thought it is probably not that great of an idea to use the word ass in a blog post about church. Instead insert ….um…..Oh! Foot! The title should read Vacation my Foot. This is the week that dozens of children who we usually only see at Christmas, Easter, and chasing the ice cream truck join the half dozen, or so, kids who attend our church regularly in a five-night Jesus extravaganza we call Vacation Bible School. (I think I will pause here and mention I sincerely do not mean this to be sacrilegious. If it comes across that way then start over and read again in a lighthearted, Hey You goes to church multiple times a week kinda way) This year’s theme is “Power Lab”, so everything is bedecked in sciency stuff. We do science themed projects, play “experimental” games, watch a video about a talking chipmunk and a stressed, but not mad scientist. Oh, and learn that Jesus is powerful.
The last couple of years The Husband and I have been “crew” leaders. This means more than five, but less than ten, elementary schoolers pull on us and say, “Miss Hey You! Miss Hey You! She got more than me! But I wanted blue! Green is yucky. Miss Hey You, will you take me potty?” “Mr. Husband? Why does your toe look like that? Mr. Husband? Can I climb on you? Mr. Husband! Garret farted (I HATE THAT WORD!)” The funniest is that The Husband has one kid who calls him Coach Husband. It cracks me up every time I hear it because it is: a. Such a southern thing – all male teachers are “Coach”. b. My darling husband is about as far from a “Coach” as you can get. Unless you can coach children running around like banshees?
Because we are working together, but still have our own distinct groups, the differences in how we relate to kids is painfully obvious. I am VERY strict. I do not tolerate running around, leaving the group, talking out of turn, using even slightly foul language (do as I say, not as I do!), or being disrespectful. I also sing all the songs, dance and do all the hand motions to the music. I play all the games, do all the crafts, and generally am just excited to be doing whatever the curriculum requires. The Husband pretty much lets the kids do whatever. Their lines are nonexistent, never mind army straight like mine. They climb all over him, pick flowers out of the church garden, sit during the songs, and never finish their group questions. He does not participate in the same giddy way that I do, and is shy about getting up in front of them to lead. He is also so-o-o-o patient with them, he listens to them one-on-one. He sits next to them while they eat, and helps them with their projects. The kids adore him. We always request to be on the same team of “crews” because it comes down to the fact that we complement each other wonderfully.
We all come home hungry, exhausted, and happy. This is The Son’s first year to participate in something other than the nursery. Tonight when it was time to go we could not leave until he had kissed his teachers good-bye. He had sung, and danced, made crafts, played, and prayed with other toddlers. VBS is a lot of work, but it is worth it to give other kids that same feeling that he gets, and if they happen to decide that church is for more than Christmas carols and Easter egg hunts, then all the better.
Filed under Family-blame the DNA, Friends-All three of them, Soap box, The Husband, Time Suckers | Comments (8)A change, a change would do you good. (or so says Ms. Crow)
Guess what my darling husband is doing right now? Designing the new and improved TheHuckablog! We are in the middle of a complete redesign, one that will let me do a lot more, one that will be able to handle our new found traffic, and one that may be able to pay for its self. We maaaaay have to take this site down for a couple of days to get the new one up, so be patient if you visit one day and are all “whaaa? Where did my daily dose of The Son go?”.
Now is the time to let me know if you have any suggestions for making this a better site. So you tell me, what can we do for YOU?
Filed under Time Suckers, lexapro lexplains it | Comments (5)The Truth and Nothing but the Truth. Part 2.
You guys gave me some good questions, although some were definitely better than others. I did answer each and every one totally honestly. Feel free to C&P your answers in the comments! I would love to know, for example, how Kari P (who never comments) feels about glass eyes.
What is your least favorite book of all time? Hum. This a harder question than you would think because I probably don’t remember it, if I remembered it, then it at least made an impression of some sort, therefore not being a terrible book. So I would have to say, some really boring, horribly written book I have forgotten about. The one that I slogged through because I had to for school but was not crazy about? Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.
Do you honestly think W has done a good job in his presidency? I voted for him twice, and I still think he was/is better than Gore or Kerry. I think he has done some very good things, and has made some poor decisions. I think that could be said about any president. (this answer was like four paragraphs long with examples and everything, but I deleted it because I just don’t feel up to political debate right now. Maybe later.)
Where do you see yourself in ten years? (have I answered some of these before?) Living in the same town, I would say that I would be working 20-30 hours a week in either the Insurance field, or in some sort of civil service job for the city/county/state. I will have an almost twelve year old and an (MAYBE) eightish year old. I will have just celebrated my fifteenth anniversary to the most wonderful man in the world.
What are your dreams for The Son’s future? I would love for him to be a minister. I think he has the charisma to be a politician, but mostly I just want him to be a happy, productive member of society. Oh, and live no more than four minutes away from me.
What current event has made you the maddest? I get mad when I hear about people taking bad care of their kids. I get mad that there are governments that care more about politics than their people. I get really, really mad when asshat celebrities comment about current events. Be it Sharon Stone being a moron about China, or when Paris Hilton tells us who to vote for. Seriously, you have no idea what you are talking about, so just STFU.
What current event has made you the saddest? People using religion to be a jerk makes me very sad. I think that Christianity is about love, and it is heartbreaking to see it abused and twisted into hate.
What current event has left you feeling apathetic? Anything sports related. Really who cares? And Why? If all the money spent on major league sports was spent on education or feeding the hungry then we would have a lot smarter and healthier population.
Hey You, did you know that I will be going to see Wicked when it comes to Omaha next year? No, that is awesome!
Jealous? Yes! Maybe I should come visit and see it with you.
Remember when I gave you my copy of the book because I thought you would like it? I do, and I LOVED IT.
Have you read the sequel (that came out approx. 2 yrs ago)? Yes, in fact Son of a Witch is on my favorites list. I wonder when the third book will come out?
Describe the causation, parameters, and effects of hatred. Likewise love. Good lord JHJ. Okay, um. Yeah. Hate: I would say that Fear always causes hate, and we hate the things we are the most afraid of. Also maybe ignorance? We hate the things/people we do not understand. I suppose the only parameters of hate are death and education. There will always be hate, because there will always be sin and fear and ignorance because we are human. The effects of hatred? Uh, all bad things ever? Self limiting behavior? Loneliness? Love: Grace has enabled us all to love, to feel loved, to be loved. Love, real love, is without boundaries. All goodness and light comes from love. That and puppies.
I note that you didn’t swear to tell the whole truth in the title of this entry. Is this to protect your carefully cultivated anonymity? Partially that, and also because these questions could be volumes of information, and I don’t really think anyone wants to read that.
If you could choose any artist from history, who would you select to paint your portrait? Well that depends, would I go back in time or would they come to present day? If I were to go back in time I would have to say Michelangelo, just so I could ask him questions, and see the Renaissance in person, (oh, I would need an interpreter as well). If the artist were to come here, I would say Johannes Vermeer, because his portraits are just, wow.
Use food as a metaphor to provide some insight into yourself. Warm, comforting, gets better with a little age, small amounts of onion that bite, chunks of ham that get all the attention, Tubers provide the bulk—they grow the most in the dark places, but are not useful until they come into the light. (Potato soup)
Would you rather have a booger hanging out of your nose or bad breath? Bad Breath.
If you had to choose between “wet” or “cold,” which would you choose and why? Wet, I love to be in lakes, rivers, oceans, pools, tubs, showers
What’s up with that? Well ShoeShe, it turns out that there is quite a lot up with that. Check it out.
Why do people say, “To be honest with you,” are they lying every other time they talk to me? I think that when people say “to be honest with you” it is before they say something they would rather not say at all, but have to for some reason, so they really want you to know it is true.
Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Since wolves are carnivores, any kind of meat should be afraid of them. Their diet ranges from big game, such as elk and moose, to earthworms, berries and grasshoppers. To avoid using too much energy catching their food, wolves prey on weaker members of a herd, such as old, young or sick animals. In summer, when the herds migrate, wolves eat mice, birds and even fish. They may also eat carrion. Al had better watch out.
When did you first know yourself? Myself has been constantly changing, so as soon as I think I have a grip of who I am, I grow up a little more. So…never.
Who has been most influential in your life? My brother, I am the classic elder sibling, always needing to be right, and often controlling. Eldests strive to keep or regain parental attention through conformity. They usually develop competent, responsible behavior and become very discouraged by failure. They strive to protect and help others, and to please. Yup , that is me. And it is all his fault.
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Three cords.
Do you have an “alias”? My son calls me Mama, and I get sweetheart, and honeys from various people. I actually really like my real name and I LOVE The Son’s name, so it is hard to keep up with the Hey Yous and The Sons all the time.
What has been the most frivolous thing you’ve ever done? Used a credit card to go to expensive restaurants, or shopping with my friends in college. Whilst unemployed.
What action have you most regretted? I would like to say there are things I should have done differently, for example, breaking up with pshyco old boyfriends a year sooner, but they make me who I am now, and make me appreciate the blessings I have. I guess I would have to say that I have said hurtful things to people when I did not mean them…or I meant them, but should have kept my mouth shut anyway.
If you could do anything for one week, regardless time and cost, what would you do? Is safety also not an issue? And can you assure me that The Son will not be traumatized? I would go work in a medical clinic for women in AIDS ravaged Africa.
I think you owe it to your readers to divulge why in the world you’re afraid of eye injuries and glass eyes. (mainly for those who didn’t know you were Ommatophobic). When I was 13 and sitting at my desk in Coach Aldred’s seventh grade classroom at North Forsyth Junior High, there was a group of kids making fun of this girl, Catrina. She was overweight, had greasy, long, dark brown hair, and a weird eye. Instead of saying anything, I just wrote a note to my friend. Catrina lost it, and started screaming at them, and started to cry. Her wonky eye looked even weirder, so she popped it out, (it made a noise!) and kind of rolled it around in her hands for second, stuck it in her mouth to wash it off, and then put it back in. The mean kids shrieked and left her alone. I felt totally grossed out by what she had just done, and by what I had NOT just done. Ever since, I have had an irrational fear of prosthetic eyes. Crazy, I know.
So, there is a little more about me. Other unknown facts? There is a huge purple stuffed hippo in my master closet; I have not slept with her since I got married, but she (her name is Violet) still comes out if I am sick or upset about something. What else? Hum, I love the TV show Little House on the Prairie. When I found out I was PG, I wanted a girl. (I am glad I was WRONG!) I used to Nest all day during work at the heartless cellular company. I do not always brush my teeth before I go to bed. And finally, I NEVER get a bowl for ice cream, it is straight out of the carton or nothing.
I swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.
Did you know my brother, JHJ, has a blog? It is really very good, but unfortunately I can never link it here. Why you ask? Because he gives out waaaaay to much identifying information, like his full name including middle initial, where he lives now, where he is from, where TheHuckblogs live, really everything but his SSN. So in compliance with The Husband’s rules, I just have to tell you it is great and have you trust me on it. If any family or friends want it, email me and I will send you the link. Recently he did this thing where he invited his readers to ask him anything at all, and he had to answer it honestly. Hey, that is a great idea to have some blog filler even though I have writer’s block! So ask me too!
You can leave a question in the comments, or email me, and I may steal some of the questions JHJ answered as well. You have until Thursday Saturday Sunday. Feel free to ask anything as long as it is not vulgar, and I will answer completely honestly, cross my heart, stick a needle in my eye.
Friday’s Watch it or Whine: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Alternate Title: I should have taken my suspension of disbelief booster shot before we went.
Warning: if you have not seen it, and you don’t like spoilers then move to the next post!
Seriously, keep reading and you will find out why I was disappointed.
Okay, you can’t say I didn’t warn you!
I have always loved Indy, I love everything about all three of the other movies, especially his whip yielding. Has it really been 19 years since I saw The Last Crusade with my parents? I tried to find a picture of myself as Indiana Jones for Halloween when I was eleven but no such luck. I was super jazzed to go see Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, even if the title did sound like a J.K. Rowling reject. It started out good, I rolled my eyes at him surviving a nuclear blast, I giggled at the smashed up box of the Ark of the Covenant ( a good foreshadow of the return of Marian), I instantly loved Cate Blanchett as an evil communist. I found Shia Labeouf labeoutiful, even if he is seven years my junior. The setting in Peru was stunning, I thought the whole concept with the Mayans, and the skulls, and natives and everything were spot on. I loved the return of Marian and the whole family aspect of the movie (An adventuring family? Rock on Incredible style.) So I am only pointing out good things right? I liked the movie right? Wrong.
Why not? ALIENS!! Not like from across the border, but from like outer-space. I do not like Sci Fi! I have tried it with a mouse, in a house, with a goat, on a boat, and I STILL DO NOT LIKE ALIEN MOVIES Sam I Am. And this movie was chock full of them. They even had a space ship. Gah! Me no likey. Stupid George Lucas, doesn’t Star Wars have enough Aliens for you? Could you not have left my Indy alone? Anyway, it had good points, but it is definitely my fourth favorite Indiana Jones movie.
Filed under Time Suckers, Watch it or Whine | Comments (7)Yowza! This is not supposed to be a decorating site!
I got more emails about decorating questions from this post than anything else I have ever written about! Most of them were about The Son’s room, so by popular request, here are the details.
The sheets, crib skirt, quilt, one of the pillows, and the rug are all called Baby Boats by Pottery Barn Kids, they were from the spring ‘06 collection, but I found some on eBay. We have the bumper too, but it has been in the closet since he was born because we were terrified of SIDS. I plan on doing something (a quilt?) with it some day. The Husband bought the life ring the day we found out he was The Son and not The Daughter, he got it from HSN! The FFIL made the toy chest, and I painted it and added the Oh Buoy. Because I like puns. A lot. The crib is called Jasmine by Delta and is from Baby Depot, it was so not expensive. Shelves are el’ cheepo from Lowes that we already had, I just painted the brackets to match the room. The main paint color is called Spa Blue from the Lowes American Collection. Carpet, is..uh, I have no idea, My Mom and Dad bought it for us. The framed boat water color paintings were a gift from my SIL’s mom, who painted them.
I stenciled the scripture, paddle and buoys with stencils bought from here. The lamp was broken and in the trash waiting to go out at a furniture store. I saw it, they gave it to me, The Husband fixed it, and I bought a little boat from Hobby Lobby and glued to the base. The sailboat pillow was made by my mom. The Futon was The Husband’s from forever ago, and instead of a futon cover, there is just a cheap red fitted sheet from Wal-Mart on there. The end table is from the goodwill and it (and the dresser, and the toy chest) is painted True Blue from the Lowes American collection, again. You can tell where we shop!
The Roman shade is again made by my super talented Mom, and MMIL found a round mirror at an outlet somewhere, and The Husband just nailed rope stolen from my Dad’s garage in a coil around the edge. I use cheap sand buckets to hold board books so The Son can get them and (yeah right) put them away himself. I painted Once upon a time on a wooden bucket for his ever growing collection. The Frames are from the dollar store (that was the day I got flashed by a psycho when I was eleventy billion months pg!) and just spray painted them. In them are old pictures of our family in nautical scenes. ( The Husband’s grandmother in her Hubby’s Naval suit, my Mom feeding seagulls at the beach, my grandfather in a boat as a child, etc.)
Here is detail of the drawer pulls, they were one of our only splurges, and really make a huge difference to the used furniture (this dresser was JHJ’s as a child). I slapped a changing pad on it and never bought a fancy changing table.
I saw a super cute growth chart at Pottery Barn Kids that I loved and was like 90 bucks. The Husband bought this paddle for eight dollars at Wal-Mart and I stenciled “anchors aweigh! How much did The Son grow today?” on it. Boats on the top shelf have been given to us or bought on vacations. The Kermit was The Husband’s as a child.
My favorite part of the whole room is the clouds on the ceiling. Every cloud was painted by a family member or very close friend. We have clouds from all of our parents, brother’s, SIL, Grandmother, cousin, CAT, Tark, even the Dog (quite a story how we did that!). Cloud was one of The Son’s first words. I brought them down to the tops of the walls and it adds a lot of dimension. There is no picture of it, but the fan in the room has a yellow ring around the light fixture, so it looks like the sun, the clouds go away from the center of the room. I love looking at them and telling The Son who painted each cloud.
Here is my FFIL painting his cloud.
Altogether we think we only spent about five hundred dollars doing the whole room. We splurged on the bedding, (MMIL bought the boat rug), and the drawer pulls. Every thing else we made, found, or repurposed. I hope this answers all of your questions!! I will email you personally for the questions about the other rooms.
Filed under The Son, Time Suckers | Comment (1)