spotlight on white



Last night.

The B-girl was watching American Idol Gives Back
(yeah I know but she is doing so well in first grade).

I was in the kitchen, cleaning the sink.

I could hear the contestants singing a song together.

Then I hear B-girl say

"That's just wrong."

"What could be wrong? I say "Sanjaya got voted off last week"

She says

"No Mom, you have to come here and see this."

I say

"I am busy. Just tell me what's going on."

She says

"Well, they are all dressed from head to toe in white."

I ask

"So what's the problem?"

She says,

"Mom,

It isn't even

Memorial Day yet!"






B-girl's fashion sense aside, it was nice to see the fund-raising effort on the Idol show last night for poverty-stricken kids in Africa...and here at home!

Happy Birthday Sara!

This is a picture of my niece Sara getting a boost from her son Mac. I like this pic because it is a fair representation of Sara's personality...fun. She is one of the funniest people I know. Not funny in sweet way. More like a quick draw of wit. Sometimes people don't understand her brand of humor but I am happy to say I get it.

She is only a few years younger than me so we grew up together. I have issues with her coming into our family at my tender age of four. She was my parent's first grandchild and when she came into the room, they lit up.

We had a good time growing up. It was your average suburban childhood but there are some incredibly memorable moments. Don't get me started because I have too many stories!

In 1986 she married da Mr and I was just out of college working as a low-paid newspaper reporter. When you don't make a lot of money, you seek low-budget entertainment on the weekends. Back then the newlyweds proved to be the hosts with the most. All their single (and married) friends would converge on their home every Friday and Saturday night...me included. Ah, good times.

You could say Sara knows me inside and out because she was in the delivery room when the B-girl was born (and I had a C-section). I'll never forget the joy in her voice when B-girl joined our world.

Sara is a psych nurse, wife, mother and a Christian life coach. I don't know how she has time for it all, and I don't see her as much as I used to but I know she has my back...and I have hers.

Happy Birthday Sara

Have a great day!

what the?


"I have spent the better part of this tour trying to come up with easy ways for us all to become a part of the solution to global warming. Although my ideas are in the earliest stages of development, they are, in my mind, worth investigating. One of my favorites is in the area of conserving trees which we heavily rely on for oxygen. I propose a limitation be put on how many sqares of toilet paper can be used in any one sitting. Now, I don't want to rob any law-abiding American of his or her God-given rights, but I think we are an industrious enough people that we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required. "

Sheryl Crow

Now that's just downright unAmerican!

Yeah Baby!

The Flames have been doused, the Wings advance.

(it's San Jose Sharks or Dallas Stars in Round Two)

I just love living in Hockeytown!

circle and return


Be careful ye parents of seven year old girls.

Be aware.

Be prepared.

It can be a regular school night.

You may be just a parent with good intentions,

Getting things ready for the next day.

You could reach into the school backpack

to get the lunch box out.

Here it becomes essential

to be on guard

at all times

for what you may find!

You might be surprised to learn

your child has a reached a certain

point on the social scale,

you were hoping

to avoid

for just a while longer....

the American revelation

We were in the car on the way to the store.

B-girl was holding the $20 bill given to her for her birthday (with the full intention of spending it.)

The following conversation took place...

B-girl
"Why does this money say 'In God We Trust'?"

me
"The founding fathers of our country trusted in God, like we do."

B-girl
"Are those the guys who dressed up like Indians and put the tea in the water?"

me
"Yes. Good! The Americans were protesting the King of England's taxes on the colonies, and the revolution was born."

B-girl
"The American Revolution right? We talked about it at school."

Me
"Good, I am glad you are talking about it. It is very important for you to learn all about it."

Other conversations ensue and we finally arrive at the store.

Then while walking through the parking lot at the store...

B-girl
"If I buy toys that cost a dollar each I can get 20 of them!"

me
"no you can't."

B-girl
"Why not?"

me
"First of all that's too many toys, but so you can learn, let's pretend I would let you buy that many. You could get 18, the sales tax on them would be just over one dollar and you would get a little bit of change back."

B-girl
"MOM!!! STOP TEASING ME!!
You know I don't have to pay tax."

me
"What makes you so special you don't have to pay tax?"

B-girl
"Because I am American and In God I Trust!"

me
"We need to talk more later."

Happy 7th Birthday B-girl!

I love you more than words can explain.

Today is B-girl's birthday but we had her birthday party last Saturday (before the kids went off on Spring break) at the Animal Petting Farm. (There is a separate banquet room for parties).

The kids saw the animals, got their faces painted, had pizza, cake, ice cream and fun!

I think everyone had a great time.

no that's not the white sand of Michigan...

snow, snow, go away

come again some other day

like in the fall or winter.

(took this pic Sat. afternoon!)

rockin' the molar




me (from the living room)
"What is all the noise in that bathroom?"

B-Girl (in the bathroom)
"I am spin brushing."

me
"Why do I hear things falling off the counter?"

B-Girl
"They are accidents."

me
"Come out here right now and stop brushing those teeth
It is not time for that yet."

B-girl
"I am not brushing my teeth."

me
"What are you brushing?"

B-girl
"A rock."

me
"A what?

B-girl
"A rock that looks like a tooth."

So I head into the bathroom and there on the counter is a little tiny white rock that indeed looks like a tooth. She is spin brushing it and the vibrations have caused her to knock the soap dispensers off the counter.

(We have a ton of river rock on our patio and B-girl plays with them on occasion. This time she must have spotted that tiny white rock and put it in her pocket.)

me
"Why are you brushing that rock?"

B-girl
"Because it looks like a tooth."

me
"So what?

B-girl
"I am going to polish it up and leave it under my pillow so the Tooth Fairy will bring me some money tonight. "

me
"It doesn't work that way, the old TF can spot a fake a mile away."

B-girl
"I think it's going to work

and besides

I need the cash."

Ahh Spring in Michigan


Spring is here, officially today. Yes I know it's going to get cold by the end of the the week and possibly create snow flurries but you can't ignore the Michigan signs...

The Canadian geese have landed in the woods behind my complex. They come every year. They stay a week or two and head out to their northern destination. I love to watch them and show them to B-girl. A couple were in front of our townhouse yesterday.

B-girl likes to guess where they stayed all winter--maybe Florida--how about Mexico? Our little woods are their annual stopover on their way back to Canada or northern Michigan. We love them.

And there is the official Detroit Spring Ritual--Opening Day. It is today and thousands of fans are already flocking to Comerica Park to root for the boys and it isn't even 9 a.m. yet.

Wish I could go, but I have a meeting with the Mayor. What up with that? Shouldn't the guy I work for being going to sweet Comerica Park to represent the suburbs?

Since my boss is too busy with the annual budget, maybe I should find a way to bail out of the meeting and get down there on behalf of this fine city!

If you're going

save me a seat,

a dog

and a brew!

Update:
by brew I meant iced cappuccino whaddayathink I meant?

The Boys lost, but it was close and those darn Blue Jays have
an awesome hitting roster.