A Sweet Present!

So I have been posting about my birthday.
And I got the sweetest present ever this year. AND it wasn't even candy. I do like candy, but this was better than that!

Sweet and talented Sarah suprised me with one of her crocheted creations.

According to her and my slightly jealous daughters (only slightly, cause it isn't nice to be jealous.) I am in style now! The girls lovingly finger it, but know better than to ask for it or to borrow it. Can you see me twirling and dancing around the room, singing "I am in style"?
What busy mom doesn't want to be a bit in the now and fashionable every once in a while? So I loving gaze down at my wrist and say, "Thank you, Lord for a friend who loving thought of me and twisted and twirled this yarn into a thing of beauty for me."

She makes lots of really cool hats and has her own Etsy store! I am amazed by her creativity and wonder where she finds the time with her busy children and home. But she does and she is so talented!
Check her out her creations at TaeTaesCrochet.
I absolutely love this hat:

The sock monkey hats make me giggle. The ones with flowers make me oooh and ahhh.

Flutter Nutter's Present

In my bedroom, when I hear Flutter Nutter yelling, "Mommy!!  You got a present!" 
"You got a present in the mail!!!"

Fun Mom is laughing hysterically. "Mom, you got a present!"
This was my present:

Turn it over and....

Oh MY! If only the company knew the humor they provided my family with for my birthday this year. Fortunately, for me, Fun Mom was the only one at the time to get the humor.

Birthdays

I am not big on my birthday.  My birthday date is a bit unique.  A bit controversial.  October 31.  AKA: Halloween.
I have experienced the gamot.
When I was little, my siblings shared their candy with me.  Consider the sugar possibilities !  ! ? ? ! !  Cake, ice cream, and candy! !   My birthday is shared with deer hunting season, so celebrations had to be scheduled around school and the hunter Dad's absence. 
Then as I got older, I heard things like, "Aren't you a witch!"  Excuse me, HELLO! !  It is just a date. 
That was in response to securing my driver's license number and expiration date for a check.
Then there was the look of horror on the faces of fellow Christians when they discovered I shared my birthday with the horrible holiday Halloween.  I even heard from one person that birthday costume parties were only acceptable for people without Halloween birthdays! 
Oh well.  So I tend to be reluctant to share my birth date.  Here I am announcing it to the world on my blog!
But as I have gained wisdom (i.e. not older), I don't dread it so much. I actually look forward to it.  My only request is I don't have to cook on my birthday.  A logical request considering the need to get children costumed up and answering the door to hand out candy.  I look forward to not cooking.  I look forward to greeting the little princesses, lady bugs, puppy dogs and other cutely dressed tots.  No, I don't look forward to the zombies and other blood encrusted children. 
But the smiles and sweet "tank ewes" I do enjoy. 
Occassionally, the familiar face of an adult I haven't seen in years is a delightful treat.  I really do love children.  I really do believe they are a gift from the Lord.
If I can bless them and love on them this way, then I will. 
And then, I will share in my children's sweets after they go to bed. Then I go shopping on Nov. 1 to get the clearanced candy, cause afterall, I like CANDY ! !

Suprises in Shakespeare's MacBeth

I remember reading MacBeth in high school.  Vaguely.  I remember trying to figure it out.  Discovering Cliff Notes.  Listening closely in class to the discussions, wondering where I was when God dispensed the abilities to understand Shakespeare.  Then, this weekend, I curl up to read MacBeth once again.  Shook my head a couple of times to get rid of the "flusters".  Grabbed the dictionary and slowed down my reading.  I understood it!  I really was enjoying the intelligence of the writing.  The wit and humor weaved in the poetic style of writing.  A depth and complexity that challenges one to think as they read, but rewards the reader with humor and suprises. 
Suprises, in deed, because this time around I am getting what I am reading.  Jaw dropping that causes my curiosity to peak, what will my students have to say about this book. 
They have much to say.  Crazy, incomprehensible (my word, not theirs).  Lady MacBeth is EVIL! Crazy!  Psycho! 
To which, I have to agree. 
I never remember reading this in MacBeth before:

"I have given suck, and know
How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me:
I would, while it was smiling in my face,
Have pluck'd my nipple from his boneless gums,
And dash'd the brains out,"

WHAT ????

I was completely into the story anticipating the murder of King Duncan and then I read the above.  Shock rippled through me and I laughed.  I know I have read the story.  So many of the lines are familiar.  I even remember my awkwardness when reading some of the passages.  But this one, somehow escaped me.  It did not escape my students.

But the highlight of the week's reading....Hurlyburly
as in, "When the hurlyburly's done,"
Isn't that such a fun word, especially, in light of Lady MacBeth dashing a baby's brains out. 
Hurlyburly, meaning uproar or tumolt

My kids are in the midst of a hurlyburly.  :)
No more hurlyburly! !

Why it seems nothing ever gets done at home...

Lately, I am trying to keep from losing my hair.  Gray hair, no problem.  Hair loss could be a problem.
I look around my house and it seems to be in utter disarray. 
Then I have a day/night like I did today. 
Up early, got around for the day.  Took care of some paperwork.  Answered some school questions. 
Met realtor to review inspection list for house my dad is buying. 
Get ladder to inspect a roof.  We were having trouble believing the roof was okay.  Seller said the roof was replaced in 2009.  We happen to know there was softball size hail in the neighborhood in 2010. 
Big O Daddy O climbed up and all was well.  Matter of fact, he was greatly impressed.
Off to get a Pepsi, cause I am fading now. 
More paperwork, phone calls, count up popcorn sales and money for Cub Scouts, it is due tonight.
Whoops, missed lunch.  Time to teach English.  High school English and discuss MacBeth. 
The time quickly passes. 
Time for allergy shots, schedule a handful more and then post some packages at Dillons.
Home once again.  Just in time to start thinking of dinner. 
Fortunately, Fun Mom offers to prep dinner, while I lay down and work on Cub Scouts with Daddy's Buddy and Awana with Little Princess.
Little Princess is off to do her research now that I have her pointed in the right direction on the Awana website.
Daddy's Buddy is brushing teeth, lotioning hands and personal chores thanks to the Cub Scouts' section on caring for one's self.  Then, we discuss character trait: Faith. 
Close the eyes, but it is time to eat and I have to choose between snooze or eat.  Did I mention I missed lunch, and instead ate a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and a few handfuls of Cheez-its? 
Fun Mom has made chicken noodle soup from the basic of ingredients.  A great job she has done.  No canned soup for this girl. 
Time to leave:
First drop off Fun Mom for a play performance, featuring several home school friends. Then, a stop at the library cause it is only 2 or 3 blocks from Cub Scouts. 
Next, Daddy's Buddy has Cub Scouts and Little Princess and Flutter Nutter will hang out with us there.  Hockey Player will be picked up and taken to the rink by a teammate. 
Blink, blink, notes here, notes there, a little flag folding, wiggling, election, debating, and snacks Cub Scouts is over. 
Late heading out, a few phone calls while driving, pick up Hockey Player, pick up Fun Mom, and take the long way home around because the short way is closed due to construction!  Home sweet home and it is 9:45. 
10:30 and everyone but mom is in bed. 
Leftover Braum's and a bit more paperwork, computer work.  The day is done. 
But wait, just in case I can't remember why my house looks like it does in the morning, I will blog a reminder of the day(s) before.