Just seems fitting somehow

Some randoms

• I was looking for one of those refreezable icepacks the other day and decided to check in Isaac's lunchbox. One was in there, along with a greenish grayish old wilted turkey sandwich in his sandwich container. I definitely almost vomited.

• Isaac heard "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul on the radio the other day and said "Who is this? The Beatles?" He's also been listening to KC and the Sunshine Band's "That's the Way I Like It" repeatedly... which is getting old. I liked his Michael Jackson obsession better.

• Speaking of music... I'm loving this song. And Megan Tonjes does a great cover of it:

(Go ahead and click it. Give it a listen while you are reading.)

• Isaac spent the night at my parent's house Friday while I went to the concert, and when I went to pick him up the four of us went to see Cars 2. Wow was I disappointed. Isaac enjoyed it well enough, but I was a little shocked at how violent it was. It was a little disconcerting to see Mater outfitted with a machine gun trying to "kill" other cars in a shootout. But don't tell that to Joe-- he will just remind that you DISNEY/PIXAR movies might not be suitable for kids (????).

• I've been reading a ton lately. I read the first of the books in the Hunger Games. I need to read the next ones ASAP! I've also been working my through Jennifer Weiner. Her books fall more into the "beach reads" category, but they are well written and they are set in my favorite city-- Philadelphia and it's fun to hear all of her references to local neighborhoods, streets, restaurants, etc. Feel free to leave recommendations. One of my to-dos this week is to pay my library fines so I can put in some more requests.

• I'm finally getting into the groove of summer vacation. This is the first summer that I haven't really worked at all and also that Isaac hasn't been enrolled at least part-time in some kind of childcare. The first week was extremely overwhelming. I know it sounds super-lame to complain about, but day after day of being home with nothing to do except housework was so overwhelming. I was kind of having a breakdown and I didn't think I could make it to the end of the summer. I've said it before, but even if I was a bazillionaire I could never be a stay at home mom. I would slide into a serious depression. At any rate, this week I made a point to fill up my calendar a bit more. Isaac and I both did the dentist (both cavity free!), I scheduled a consult with the oral surgeon, a physical, a hair appointment and an eye exam, as well as some play-dates for Isaac and some girlfriend time for me. I definitely feel like things are a bit more doable now and that I can make it to the end of summer without having a nervous fit.

• Isaac is doing a few soccer camps as well as swim lessons for the summer. I enrolled him for a group class at our local YMCA, except that for the first two weeks there were no other kids in his class, so he got a private lesson for the price of a group lesson. His teacher has asked me to move him up to the next level though, which is good. The first week he got all weird and would barely participate. He did a lot better the second week though, and by the end of the class was diving and swimming the length of the pool. Growing up, my parents always had all of us kids in swim lessons and I think it's really important for kids to feel confident in the water.

• We also did another trek out to one of my VERY favorite spots in the city Smith Memorial Playground. If you've never been and live in the Philly area, check it out. It's amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing and it's free! Also, for the summer months they have extended hours. It's a great way to fill a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

• I really miss my sister. It has been nearly a year since I have seen her, which is really just unacceptable. I'm so counting down the days to our beach trip when she comes home.

Well, that's all for now, since I just realized it's nearly one in the morning. Oops. Feel free to leave a comment. I see so many random people on my feedtracker and would love to know who is lurking. =)

Gym fail

So I ate it on the treadmill today.

I stepped off to retrieve the cap to my water bottle and without thinking stepped right back on. Not unlike this guy:

The gym was full of senior citizens and I think I gave them a good laugh. =)

My two cents (before I spend it)

Sorry, apparently I am incapable of updating el blogo more than once a week anymore. Sor-ree.

So I just finished this book . It was amazing!!!! I can't wait to discuss it at book club. Now I feel like I can't start another book, because it will just feel like a let down. A post-reinforcement pause, for my fellow ABA geeks. I had sort of gotten distracted from reading for a while, so it was good to get back into something.

So things have been pretty grim at work. The noose is tightening thanks to our fabulous govenor and losing several key grants that fund support staff. They laid off some assistants, and cut related arts (music, gym, library, art) to part time employees. There's no more tutoring. No more summer school. No more kindergarten assistant. It's really sad and it's the kids that are losing out. I feel fairly safe that my job is secure, but you really never know. It's scary to see people I work side by side with every day getting bad news. It's also made the morale at work even worse. Everytime adults are alone together (without students) that is inevitably what the conversation turns to. It's draining. Thank goodness spring break is next week. I am itching for a few days off.

Speaking of arts education, my heart about burst with pride when out of no where he turned to me and said that he liked an artist named Van Gogh and his favorite painting by Van Gogh is "Starry Night". I got a little bit teary, I'm not going to lie.

Tonight I watched "Exit Through the Gift Shop". 2 thumbs up. Definitely recommend.

I'll leave you with this video. I love the conviction in her voice. "This is my life". :-)

Finally

A Will.i.am song I can get behind. My friend Mandy posted this in honor of her little boy. It might become my new themesong. Positive self-talk is important for everyone, old and young!

I love Ben Lee

"Begin" I'm walking down Broadway Each footstep is a new love letter I'm trying to make eye contact With each and every stranger that I pass I'm thinking about the city It's living proof people need to be together I'm thinking about how I just wanna open up And give and give and give And its ok for you to care Cos I can feel you in the air And while you wonder How's this gonna end I only wanted to begin I'm thinking about desire I've had to learn how to sin successfully I'm thinking about bliss And bliss is all dressed up and there's no one to dance with Remembering her smile And the nuclear bomb and the reasons I loved her I'm walking through central park I'm in a foreign country and I'm waiting for a sign And its ok for you to care Cos I'm not going anywhere And while you wonder If you should let me in I only wanted to begin I'm still singing Twisting new melodies, breaking arrangements I'm thinking about my heart I guess youve heard, sometimes its heavy But I just keep moving When I hit a wall I look up at the sky I'm thinking about my maker And despite all this I know she wont give up on me And its ok for you to care Cos I can taste you everywhere And while its true all straight things must bend I only wanted to begin

Not quite as good live. But I can't find the album version anywhere...

Common - Finding Forever

It's no secret...

...that I love Alanis Morrisette.

"Flinch" What's it been over a decade? It still smarts like it was four minutes ago We only influenced each other totally We only bruised each other even more so What are you my blood? You touch me like you are my blood What are you my dad? You affect me like you are my dad How long can a girl be shackled to you How long before my dignity is reclaimed How long can a girl stay haunted by you Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name Where've you been? I heard you moved to my city My brother saw you somewhere downtown I'd be paralyzed if I ran into you My tongue would seize up if we were to meet again What are you my god? You touch me like you are my god What are you my twin? You affect me like you are my twin How long can a girl be tortured by you? How long before my dignity is reclaimed And how long can a girl be haunted by you Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name So here I am one room away from where I know you're standing A well-intentioned man told me you just walked in This man knows not of how this information has affected me But he knows the colour of the car I just drove away in What are you my kin? You touch me like you are my kin What are you my air? You affect me like you are my air

(That's for you WJM)

Not anymore...

six numbers, one more to dial

before I'm before you

I tried to call

been busy all night

gave up waiting at daylight

Excuse me Mrs. Busybody

could you pencil me in when you can

though we both know that the worst part about it

is I would be free when you wanted me

if you wanted me

ohhhhh...

I am the man on the side

hoping you'll make up your mind

I am the one who will swallow his pride

life as the man on the side

one of the many

one of the few

to stand back and wait for you

excuse me Mrs. Busybody

could you pencil me in when you can

though we both know that the worst part about it

is I would be free when you wanted me

if you wanted me, if you wanted me

ohhhh...I am the man on the side

hoping you'll make up your mind

I am the one who will swallow his pride

Life as the man on the side

Life as the man on the side

I fell in love with the dream that I built of

the part of the queen

taking my own advice

I'm giving up tonight

good luck to you and the king

excuse me Mrs. Busybody

could you pencil me in

though we both know that the worst part about it

is I would be free when you wanted me

if you wanted me, if you wanted me

ohhhhh....

I am the man on the side

hoping you'll make up your mind

I am the one who will swallow his pride

life as the man

you know life as the man

living life as the man on the side

show me what I'm looking for...

(actual music video isn't embeddable)

I love her

Isaac...

Just so you all know, I am the mother of the most hilarious four year old on the planet. Several times over the past few days I have overheard Isaac singing some pop music which totally cracks me up. In the car I definitely overheard him singing this little diddy by the ubiquitous Miley Cyrus: This one he was singining the bathtub, which I thought was terribly cute ("She's cheer captain and I'm in the bleachers"). This is my personal favorite though, since I have been listening to this album basically non-stop. I have overheard him singing this while he was in his room alone playing with toys. I love the fact that some part of him appreciates electronica, even if it is Top 40.

I'm changing my mind

Beyonce is still not one of my favorite people. But I dare you to watch this clip without crying. The little girl is dying of luekemia.

Gonna Make You Sweat *Sw-eat*

I definitely remember dancing to this song as sleepovers in sixth grade. I don't know how Isaac heard of this song but he loves it. He gets to sing the women's part ("Every body dance now") and I have to sing the rap part featuring such sweet lyrics as "I'm just a squirrel trying to get a nut, so move your BUTT" Also, this particular video is just hilarious. Don't know how to make it bigger though... Here is the link if you prefer..

Gay white rapper

No good deed goes unpunished

So I was lazily reading blogs over the weekend and I came across this blog with the cute little pumpkin treats for teacher appreciation week. Now, I am not niave enough to expect anything for teacher appreciation week. All I got for Christmas was a horribly nasty phone message. But Isaac has two wonderful and devoted preschool teachers who definitely need to be recognized. And while I don't think I can make a cute stamped box like the one featured, I thought I ought to be able to whip up some pumpkin bread and do something cute with packaging. And, in light of my new quest for domesticity, I decided I would NOT get a pumpkin bread mix, but I would make it from scratch. Now, Cathee and Christi I am not, but I thought I could manage pumpkin bread. So I bought the ingredients yesterday but decided I would wait until today to bake them. Well around 9ish I figured I should stop nodding off to Lita videos and get cracking. I forgot that bread takes a lot longer than cookies to make. Like, six times as long. Whoops. Then I realized we didn't have enough flour, so I had to run out to the store and buy more. Whoops. And now I sit and wait. And hopefully not burn anything...

You tube

Can't seem to make the embed feature work. But I love this