Ack! Been a long time since I posted! My excuse is that as the temperature rises in the summer, I swear I can feel my IQ dropping...But the inlaws got us a swamp cooler - YAY! Now we just have to get it installed. And by "we," I mean my husband. (I like to think of myself as a strong and capable woman. However, there are things that my husband is just plain 'ole better at doing than me. Then again, I am much better at turning multiple pirouettes than he, so maybe it all evens out? )

Any hoo, Here's a picture of a box purse I made:

Woo-hoo Cuteness overload, yes? I am currently in the "glitter" phase of my artistic career, apparently. (I say that as if there is a chance I will ever outgrow the glitter. Hah! never! You can have my glitter when your pry it from my cold, dead, sparkly hands!

We're busy getting ready for the "Good Ole Days Tractor Show' in Grace this weekend. We'll be face-painting, selling jewelry, AND dancing! (whew! I'm tired just thinking about it.)

The kids are in swimming lessons again, loving it still. Today we re-start up piano lessons. (We took a short break while the kids took the first session of swimming) And Julie gets to play, "Let's see if I can find the piano teacher's house." (They've moved since we last had lessons. Now I get to drive on the busiest street AND through downtown. Joy. NOT!!)

We've been fostering a mama cat and her kittens. The kittens ate some tuna fish yesterday, and we got mama (who is extremely shy) to take some out of our hands. She nursed the kitties in front of us as well, so I hope we can get her gentled enough that she'll let us handle her. (We need to take her in to the vet so we don't find any more kittens under our bookshelves!) Yes, I have pictures, they are just not uploaded to the 'puter yet.

I can't believe I'm having to argue against information in "The Bell Curve" on one of my message boards. The friggin' Bell Curve! I can't believe there are people who actually think there was any validity to that little racist tome.

*face palm*

Well, my internet drama fizzled right out - I sent an email apologizing for the pissy email, because it really was taking out anger and frustration at a situation on someone who had nothing to do with it. She apologized for her email touching a sensitive nerve she hadn't realized my original post was based on personal experience. I emailed her once again to let her know I had understood part of what she was trying to convey. Ain't internet communication great? (Most times it's not, but when approached with patience, it can work out okay)

Okay, now totally unrelated random thought. I was thinking about cookie monster the other day. I LOVED Cookie Monster when I was a kid (this was way before Sesame Street jumped the shark - back when it was still cool. ) I know there have been nutrionists who have bemoaned the "bad example" that Cookie Monster sets. (I'm not even sure he does his munching down cookies thing anymore)

To me, this seems like a problem of "real vs. make-believe" and making sure kids know the difference rather than a problem of Cookie Monster's nutritional deficiencies. Even as a kid - well of COURSE I liked cookies, but I knew the big blue monster munching down a whole box of cookies was pretend, and if I tried to do the same thing, I would probably end up with a tummy ache.

It was a very fun weekend - poked around the thrift store, took the kids out for hot chocolate at a local coffee shop (while the adults had coffee, of course!) Had our cast party, which the kids had a blast at, and drove up to Idaho Falls today. (FINALLY used our B&N giftcards from a year and a half ago - I got Cindy Lauper's "The Body Acoustic" woohoo!

I think I need to take an internet break for a while - or at least from message boards. I'm getting a bit touchy and sensitive, and that means it's time to take a break. Or I could just be PMSing, who knows? But everything is seeming to touch a nerve, and bother me just a little bit too much.

I wrote a pissy email to someone who felt compelled to correct me on the error of my ways, an email that was probably over emotional and I might regret in the morning. But it was an issue that I have personal experience with, and that experience was what caused me to post the statement that started the whole kerfaffle in the first place. Sigh...don't ya love internet drama? (And didn't you just need to know in excruciating detail yet frustratingly vague wording what was going on in My Own Personal Internet Soap Opera? *rolling eyes at self*)

Alrighty, I need to get myself to bed, so I don't indulge in any more Posting While Tired. (which might be almost as bad as Posting While Intoxicated, but I wouldn't know from personal experience )

This is why I've been insanely busy, and rather short on blogging time lately:

The Whole Family:

The worn out boy:

Me and the girl:

Yaaaaay! Made it through recital for another year. (And yes, we did do a Star Wars tap dance, and yes, we did use light sabers )

Since our "president" today took his stand for hatred, bigotry, and intolerance, I fight back in the only tiny little way I can:

Human Rights Campaign

Please, contact your senators and urge them to not dishonor the Constitution by adding an amendment with discrimination as its only purpose.

Edited to add: And I do know it would have to go through the states before actually becoming an amendment - I just pretty much think if it passes the Senate, it will be a mark of shame on our country.

Survived dance recital. *passes out*

Briefly stirs for a few moments to say "GRRRR!!" and shake her fingers at the Xanga gods that be for the assinine ratings system, with accompanying assinine "Give us your credit card number" for age verification. Wankers.

*passes back out*

I should be making costumes, so of course I'm writing in the blog. Swiped this from Anachronistic_and_Impulsive's site.

1) How old were
you?
THEN: 1996 - 22
NOW: 2006 - 32

2) Where did you work?
THEN: Convenience store. Graveyard shift.
NOW: Self Employed (teaching dance/theatre classes and selling beads/jewelry at craft shows)

3) Where did you live?
THEN: Logan Utah
NOW: Southeast Idaho

4) How was your hair style?
THEN: Bit longer than shoulder length, permed (ick) brown.
NOW: About shoulder length, lightly layered, a couple of braids in with beads I made strung on them, brown with a few grey hairs. I'm bored with the brown and want to dye it, but can't decide whether to go black or red.

5) Did you wear contacts?
THEN: Yup. Glasses too. (but not at the same time!)
NOW: Yes - but I wear my glasses more often. (Waiting for new ones to get in. woohoo!)

6) Did you wear glasses?
THEN: Yep.
NOW: Yep.

7) Who was your best friend?
THEN: My boyfriend/fiance Cheesy but true.
NOW: My husband. Yup, same guy as above. I am such a cornball.

8) Which of your pets were still alive?
THEN: A pomeranian puppy I had in high school (she was living with my parents though) And a tank of Hermit Crabs, fiddler crabs, and fish.
NOW: A Basset Hound, a Pomeranian (not the same as the one above,) a black cat, a little grey and white stray cat who sort of adopted us and just had kittens, two geckos. Um, yeah, we like animals around here. There's also two more cats, two ducks, and a bunch of pigeons at the grandparents/neighbors.

9 and 10?? Where are you??

11) Who was your celebrity crush?
THEN: Geez...um, I was preggers this year, so most of my energy was focused on that..um, I'll say Patrick Stewart, because I've pretty much always had a crush on him. (mmm....distinguished older men with accents..mmmm)
NOW: Hmmmm....Patrick Stewart AND Hugh Jackman...X-Men is my mindless summer movie blockbuster of choice.

12) Who was your regular-person crush?
THEN: Well, of course I adored the aforementioned boyfriend/fiance, but there was a darling punk boy who we met that summer, and I found out had a huge crush on me even though I was hugely pregnant. I rather adored him..
NOW: Other than my hubby? Well, he teases me about crushing on the young, good looking doctors I've been o, but other than that I'm not telling. Well...Our UPS driver is pretty cute.

13) How many piercing did you have?
THEN: Had two piercings in each ear, had my nose pierced, had my belly button pierced, but took it out once the prgnancy made it uncomfortable.
NOW: Exactly the same - I got the belly button re-pierced after I had the baby, and left it in through the whole second pregnancy (it never bothered me with that one)

14) How many tattoos did you have?
THEN: None
NOW: Not yet - I'm still pretty chicken

15) What was your favorite band/singer?
THEN: I honestly don't remember. Or I've blocked it out because it was atrocious. I was still rather smitten with musical theatre.
NOW: Ani DiFranco

16) Had you smoked a cigarette?
THEN: er...um, yup. Two friends of mine had taken me to the park once and "taught" me how. I had a rather goody two shoes reputation, so they found this absolutley hysterical. They were Clove cigarettes.
NOW: I always disliked the smell of cigarette smoke, but got very sensitive to it after my second pregnancy,so I avoid being around it now.

17) Had you gotten drunk?
THEN: Yup. After I turned 21, at a toga party with a bunch of theatre people. Dear boyfriend was there and sober to make sure I didn't do anything too stupid.
NOW: Not really my thing. Did it once, now I only drink occassionally, and definitely not with any intentions to "get drunk"

18) Looking back, are you where you thought you would be in
2006?: Hmmm...No, not really.
Is that a negative? No. Having a kid ended up changing my outlook in many ways - in good ways, I think.

I'm making costumes and programs, and just generally doing the "going slightly insane because our end of the year show is this Saturday" thing.

But I found this quote, and I really really liked it:

"You are an intelligent human being. Your life is valuable for its own sake. You are not second-class in the universe, deriving meaning and purpose from some other mind. You are not inherently evil—you are inherently human, possessing the positive rational potential to help make this a world of morality, peace and joy. Trust yourself."

–Dan Barker, from his book, Losing Faith in Faith

This is not only a good ideal to strive for in my own life, but very much what I hope to instill in my children as well.