Postmarked
This month’s postcard was really a New Year’s card, but it felt romantic to me. If you like birds that is–did you know not everyone likes birds? A certain someone who likes to sleep on my couch told me that she hates birds because they poop. Um? What? You hate things that poop? Anyway, I like birds, and I like my bird postcards best. Fred and Martha must have liked birds too because I have a zillion postcards with an entire aviary full of bird options.
Postmarked
January 3, 1919
Endicott, NY
Miss Martha B.
Scranton PA
Ha ha! What do you know about this? Yours rec’d tonight. Will write Wed eve. Want to attend a surprise party tomorrow night for Rev. C Chapman? Sorry you have not been feeling well.
As ever,
Fred
Snow Days
It SNOWED! I admit to having flashbacks of this time last year, but we kept power the whole time, had plenty of food, and nothing but fun. We all played for hours in the snow, snuffles be damned.

First snow angel!

I think he was still in shock this was happening in our southern town.

“Mama, the snow won’t go on my tongue!”


There is nothing like snow days to have an impromptu play date! W is getting huge already.

And this kid is way too cute for his own good.

I have a feeling we are going to have our hands very full!

This is O, three, one of our neighbors on the other side.

Her brother L, is five and such a ham!

On the second day we decided to drive the two miles to my parent’s house to have fun in their “un-played in” snow! They also had the ingredients for snowcream, and the grocery stores here had BARE shelves.


First up, a snow man! The whole family helped, even the reclusive JHJ.
I can not believe I posted a picture of myself with no makeup.




You know that my dad is a car junkie right? We decorated our snowman exclusively with things from his garage. His name is Greasey.



That beard really needs to go!

See that sled my baby is on? It was my Grandpa’s when he was a little boy. That is fourth generation tushie sitting on that sled.


Little punk hit me with a snowball! So I tackled him and covered him with cold kisses.

The Snowcream was delish and no one was injured during the snowball fight. (no pics of that, too dangerous for my camera!)
It was a good weekend, but not good enough to move north of the Mason Dixon.
Some of the photo credits from day two go to JHJ and The HUbs, but I have no idea who took what, so good job guys!
There will be a post with more words than pictures and this month’s postcard soon, I promise.
Filed under Family-blame the DNA, Photography | Comments (3)Only one title is appropriate here. WTH!
THIRTY! I AM THIRTY! Not Fifty. Get it straight AARP. THIRTY!!!

I am still suspicious of this being a prank and am squarely looking at my dad–but he seemed just so innocent when I questioned him. Does anyone want to confess? JHJ? Shoeshe?
Filed under Boy is my face red, lexapro lexplains it | Comments (3)Choices.
The Son has the snuffles. That is news worthy right? I didn’t think so either. A certain somebody watched The Son for a couple of hours this morning so I could go to MOPS. This certain somebody also said that I needed to post some pictures of my kiddo. I said, “But MOM! You are who told me I needed to concentrate on cleaning my house! I cleaned. See? Clean.” I only have so much non-parenting time. Choices must be made. My house was a hole. I neglected my blog, and facebook, and my IRL friends for a week and now the pope can come over.
This makes me happy. Good choice.

Exactly a year ago my hubby made the choice to buy me a very nice camera because he had faith in me.
That made me ecstatic. A VERY good choice.

I offered to take a zillion and a half pictures of people’s kids. For free. I spent HOURS processing them, and agonizing over tiny details instead of sleeping.
This made me tired. Poor choice.

A few people told me I did not suck, that I needed to be charging, that I could do it. This made me feel encouraged so I chose to throw up a website.
This made me feel intimidated and scared, so I have yet to make it live. Probably not a great choice.

I am not happy with how my pictures turn out when printed if you must know the truth. No matter what I do, they seem dark when professionally printed, and I can’t sell something printed at Wal-Mart. The Husband says I need a professional grade monitor. I hate to spend MORE money on a hobby that has yet to even pay for a lens, much less the rest of my equipment.
That choice has yet to be made.

I enjoy taking pictures. I love seeing people thrilled with what I have done. I know this is a good creative outlet, and that it is good for my soul to be creative.
I choose to have fun doing something I never expected to be good at. Correct choice.

Should I scrap the photography website/business, and just take pictures of people’s kids for free and have fun, and not spend more money, and not feel bad if the pictures are not as good as I know they could be? Should I do what it takes to be better than good, to make a little money, to be more than just a hobbyist?
I need help with this choice.

Overheard in TheHuckablazer with a special bonus.
Scene: Pick-up line at pre-school
Me: Hey sweet boy! How was school?
Him: Hi, Mama! I saw birds today!
Me: Birds?! Oh, did the bird man from the zoo come today?
Him: YES! It was Awesome!
Me: Good! I am glad you liked it. What was your favorite bird?
Him: My favorite bird was the owl. She was beautiful and she pooped on the floor and the man stepped in it and it was so funny and I laughed. Like this! (insert maniacal laughing here.)
Me: That sounds funny! What else did you learn today?
Him: Well, that is pretty much it Mama. Just about owl poop.
Me: Huh. I hope that is on the SATs then.
Him: We are home! Can I have some yellow cheese and a donut with sprinkles?
BONUS! Overheard at the Kroger check-out line.
Her (strange old lady standing behind us): Hi young man! What is your name?
Him (in a cart): —-
Her: Are you shy? How old are you?
Him: —
Her: Why will you not talk to me? I am your friend.
Him: You are strange!
Me: STRANGER! He means you are a STRANGER, not strange, so sorry.
Him: No Mama, I–
Me: HERE, put some candy in your mouth.
Her: Hmmph.
Filed under Boy is my face red, Parenting for Dummies | Comments (4)THIRTY things about this THIRTY year old on her THIRTIETH birthday.
1. I have a recurring dream that I am out having fun with my friends, shopping or dancing or something, and I realize I have forgotten my kid and wake up in a panic wondering where he is. He is usually just actually sleeping in his own bed instead of next to me.
2. There are so many things I love about my husband. One of the main reasons? He is a huge dork like me. We are honest to goodness considering our vacation this year to be a 3000 mile road trip through all of the homes and travels of Laura Ingalls Wilder. (Hey you know who, it goes through Omaha.)
3. I never let my kid win at Memory or Hungry Hungry Hippos.
4. My Christmas stuff was all put away on time this year- except for the sad undecorated tree which is still up and in my living room waiting for a new home at my BiL’s. Next year I will not be spending two days putting the stupid thing together.
5. I remember my fifth birthday party vividly. It was at a McDonald’s. As a rule I pretty much hate McDonald’s now.
6. I get my feelings hurt really easily. I saw a couple of Christmas party pictures on facebook, and my feelings were hurt that I was not invited to the party. INVITE ME PLACES! I am so needy.
7. I am having a crisis of confidence regarding my photography recently.
8. My bedroom was yellow and white when I was a little girl. I did not like it because I wanted pink, but looking back at pictures–it was ADORABLE, especially considering it was the eighties.
9. I don’t think thehuckablog.com is representative of me. It is supposed to be, and is in some ways–but I tend to post when feeling melancholy or upset and never when I am happy and cheerful. I think that you all think I am depressed all the time, and really I am a happy person.
10. By the end of this year a decision will have been made if The Son is going to be a one and only or not. I will either be scheduling a vasectomy for someone, or pregnant, or actively trying. Not sure which one yet, but one of the three.
11. We have way more books than we have room for, and yet instead of getting rid of some, we are planning on more book shelves.
12. I have a huge green wall in my living room and want to have some of my photography printed on canvas and make a cool gallery wall.
13. I have no idea how to transition The Son from pull-ups to normal underwear for nighttime.
14. Cold Sassy Tree is in my top three favorite books of all time.
15. I forget to bring my bible to church EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY.
16. I like old fashioned names. Like Martha, Josiah, Ezra, Ruth and Elijah (although that one is getting trendy).
17. I disliked that my name was so popular, but I love the name itself and the history behind it.
18. I played in a germy ball pit today. I had fun and found a token.
19. I left my mascara in the huckablazer last week and it froze and broke the wand. I have not yet replaced it and so I have gone sans makeup ALL WEEK.
20. Are you my Mother is my favorite kids book. Today anyway, tomorrow it will probably be Green Eggs and Ham again.
21. I worry about the fact that my grandma keeps losing things from her apartment–for many reasons, but one of which is that some of that stuff will one day be mine. How horrible is that!?
22. When I was thirteen I got head lice from sharing a brush with a girl at school. My hair was super long and it took MONTHS to get rid of.
23. I have gone from anti-facebook to facebook addict in three months.
24. What I want more than anything else for my birthday is a clean house. I mean really, really the pope could come over clean.
25. I have marked off one of my new year’s to-do list items already. We have a lovely guest room again and not a storage hole.
26. You can see the rocket on google earth.
27. I buy trendy shoes and then only wear my comfy flats.
28. I swear by consignment shopping. MOST of my clothes and ALMOST ALL of The Son’s clothing comes from consignment sales. And you never would have known if I did not tell you.
29. I need five pillows to sleep. Two for my head, one on each side, and one for my feet.
30. I would like you to donate to this for my birthday present. It is an amazing organization, and all monies go to aid-not proselytizing. I promise.
A limerick for my Father.
My dad is a nice guy named Barry
whose chin and cheeks have grown quite hairy.
The beard is short and normal in size,
but quite hard on my poor eyes.
I hope for a visit from the razor fairy!

ps. My dad’s name is not really Barry.
pps. Everyone hates the beard
ppps. he does not seem to care
pppps. Okay, I really don’t hate the beard, it is better than the handlebar mustache, but not as nice as his nice smooth cheeks.

