what will happen?

to the longest surviving renter at the glen arlo...we're all so excited about the big news...but more importantly--WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THAT SACRED APARTMENT?!

one for your queue

One of the most fascinating, resfreshing, & inspiring documentaries I've seen in ages, Danielson: A Family Movie, is a documentary about Daniel Smith & his brothers/sisters that make up the band he plays in, Danielson Famile. And beyond that, you catch the refreshing enthusiasm of someone who expresses curiosity in the natural & supernatural with unashamedly. And though his music is, at times, really odd, this film may end up being of my all-time favorites. Move it to the top of your queue!

christmas in nebraska

last christmas i was pregnant with henry. jason had only one day off for the holiday. it was a dark december with lots of cold weather & much to be desired.

this year, we have a crazy moving 9 month old & our very silly girls, we're in omaha for ten days, & we love our new place in life. it's nice to look to a new year with excitement; to feel the momentum moving in a forward direction.

and it seems that, if one thing is constant about every year that i am on this planet, is this: i am, each year, more increasingly aware of my need for a savior to forgive my sins, to cover my blunders, & clothe me in righteousness that is not, in any way, earned. a gift. my two favorite stanzas from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel:

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o'er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

merry christmas, whocaresians!

....and may God bless us, every one!

When I’m gone...

The idea of death and dying is something I try not to think about. I hate funerals and I do not handle those experiences well. Personally, I don't want a funeral - cremate my remains and throw them over the Cheslatta Falls.



The glitch in the whole plan and perhaps for all of us is the idea that we are indeed just a speck, a bit of dust floating about in the universe. We all - I - want to be remembered.

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you planned:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
Remember

by Christina Rossetti

sound off.

is it just me, or do these light bulbs give off a weird light?

it gives me a headache.

i think these are energy saving bulbs because you would rather have the light off and be in complete dark, than have the light these things give off.

gretsch

posting these pictures for sale.

Two years ago today

....the valiant Caron E. came to my aid and helped me wrap up my newborn little girl in a guest towel.

This morning I've brought my little two-year-old in from playing in the snow and we're drinking hot cocoa together. She's chattering about something I can't understand. Sure do love her.

One for the parents.

I know I'm not the only one out there who has been embarrassed by your child making regretful remarks in public. Please post! I want to know, laugh and commiserate.

Here are mine (or at least two I can recall at the moment):
1. Standing in line at Chipotle. I'm holding Linus. Referring to the large man about 6 inches behind me he says (loudly): "Mom, that man has a really, really big tummy."

2. Getting into an elevator at the doctor's office and witnessing a rather large WOMAN step off as the doors open Linus says (again, loudly): "Mommy, that MAN is really big!"

Tip of the day

Here's a little tip that is so obvious I should have figured it out myself. But, I didn't. Hope it helps you, too:

If you collect your compost in a bin on your counter or under the sink but have problems with smell and/or fruit flies-- store it in the freezer instead until you can take it out to your pile.

My silly kids and our tree.

Did you know that most Christmas trees you buy at a store or nursery are spray painted?? (Except the Charlie Brown kind and Douglas Firs)

post-a-tree II

here are a couple pics from our tree-trimming....the tree now has ribbon & candy canes on it, but i'm too lazy to take another pic. :) bless the person who invented the pre-lit tree!

A Whocares Cookin' Idea

(click on the post title for the website) Nate came across this website and I am just passing it along... possible re-igniting the fire of the cookbook idea.

post-a-tree

this year we have a christmas tree that is taller than 3 feet---only the second time that's ever happened!! so here's a picture or two...and post yours!!

i'll be home for christmas

i have to admit that i have fairly romantic notions of what it means to be home for christmas. clearly, those who come home for christmas have some pretty serious mystique compared to those who live at home year-round. surely additional surprises are afforded to them. unrequited loves of by-gone years rekindle. wars cease. puppies are born. it snows. sugar plum visions dance in their heads. i know you know what i mean.

so this year--tomorrow, in fact--i'll be home for christmas. and i'll be sure to let you know if puppies are born and unrequited love rekindles.

i wanted to post to celebrate the end of my first semester. you all were so sweet and encouraging when i was about to have my first day of class and was listening to julie andrews to gather my courage. while i'm not exactly completely finished yet--one paper due wednesday and grading to do--classes are over and i'm grateful for a really pretty good experience overall.

can't wait to see you all soon. oh, and a new christmas mix is forthcoming. i'll be sure to distribute it amongst my who cares friends.

heartburn

from a little debbie german chocolate ring!? where is the justice. this is just wrong. i have had heartburn before, but this is bordering on "just-kill-me-now" heartburn.
give me heartburn from a taco, or chili, but NOT a little debbie.

why art cannot be defined

I don't know what kind of post would be appropriate following yesterdays events here in town and the previous posting. Maybe something about unexpected beauty. This man's art would seem to embody why you cannot easily define what is art and what is not - what is beautiful and what is simply "good in the eye of the beholder".

Now I'm thinking how symbolically powerful it would be to construct a crucifix in this manner - out of individual nails. Maybe that is something I will do one day.

omaha shooting!

i can't believe this happened in omaha today. everyone okay?!

Why I Oughtta

Okay. So a few of us have fessed up to names we've made up (for whatever reason) for our nephews, nieces, kids, etc. Appropriately:

What nicknames did your parents, relatives, friends, etc...have for you (or still have for you) when you were younger...up to the present. And feel free to answer for others, except Ali & Darby, because they're related & that's not fair.

why you little...

ali and i come from people who love nick-names (several generations of arants are prodigious nick-namers; our dad's childhood nickname was "dicky-duck-o'biddletson," no kidding), and i too make free with applying nicknames to ben. they're almost all goofy terms of endearment, but sometimes, when he's crying like a maniac, i call him a "little turkey." which isn't super creative, but when he's really crying like a maniac, i call him a "turducken," after the poultry-within-poultry-within-poultry dish. turkey to the third power, as it were. andrew started that one, actually.

anyway, i don't like words like "brat" or "monster" for little kids...anything that maligns or disrespects their personhood is off limits...but what are your favorite terms of annoyance for kids you otherwise completely love? my grandpa ray (not from the arant side) used to call us "pills" when we were acting up: "now...you little pill..." he would growl. tell me what you call your kiddo (or niece, nephew, or babysitee) when they're acting like a little turkey.