Various and Sundry

I was cold last night. So cold in fact, that I wore a nightgown, jammie bottoms and hoodie sweatshirt. With the hood on. Curled up in a ball. Why, you ask? Why would I do that? Because the windows were opened and the cool, crisp air felt nice. Except for the part where I was freezing.

It's been so long since I got to keep the windows open that I really, REALLY, want to keep them open. Soon, the weather will be much too hot and humid to keep windows open. I have to take advantage while I still can. Thus the multi-layer approach to bedtime.

In other news, Mom and Dad get home tomorrow!!! Wahoo! This means that I can call them anytime I want (give or take the two hours difference in time zones) and we'll still be on the same day. I'm very excited about this.

Justin and Grace get home tonight. YAY! I've been missing them. While they were away, I'm sorry to say, I was not productive at all. No cleaning. No laundering. No organizing. In my defense, this really is a first. I had the best intentions. Then I realized two very important things: 1) it's my birthday and, 2) I didn't want to be productive. And so I wasn't.

For anyone who cares, here is a list of what I did do:

• birthday stuff: dinner, movie, hair cut, manicure (Thank you to all my lovelies who made my day the very best xoxo)
  
• Books!: The Rose Bride, Maggie, The Handmaid's Tale, Good In Bed (no it's not a sex book, but it is fantastic -a story about a larger women learning to love herself and how to be loved - but not in the way you're thinking -stop that!)
• Real Housewives or New York City: this one just made me incredulous and then I had to turn it off -after it was over, naturally. Then no more t.v.
• !/2 of The Martian Child. It really has potential. John and Joan Cusack? It's sure to be great.
• Sleep.
• Miss my sweeties (but only a little -they were having a great time without me)

I hope everyone has a lovely evening. I will be in Harrisburg, anxiously awaiting an airplane.

Proof

Moddy sent this to me today and I have to share it with the world as true, irrefutable, evidence that Grace is my daughter. Moddy took this the day she got her new camera. I was going for that "material girl" look. I nailed it, right? Guys?? Who else could have given her that amazing sense of style? No really, who did?



Anyhow, the point is that I look like Grace. I've never really seen it before, other than the blonde hair and blue eyes (but Lauren has those too and I think Grace looks more like Justin's side of the family -beautiful people that they are). Yay for the Holmes' side. Finally representin'.

The Bad Tooth Fairy

So Friday morning at 4 am, yes you did read that right, PJ lost a tooth. He had woke up for some reason, I had just gotten him back to bed and I was heading back to bed and here he comes running out of his room yelling. I wasn't exactly happy with him I was afraid that he would wake up Miss Magoo. He was all for putting his tooth under his pillow right then and there for the tooth fairy. I convinced him that it was too late for the tooth fairy to stop by, she comes a little earlier in the night. We agreed that he'd do it Saturday night and everyone went back to bed. So Saturday night he faithfully puts it under his pillow very excited about getting $$ for his tooth. Well Saturday we had a little company. So after the kids went to bed we stayed up and visited until oh about 1 am. I totally spaced putting the $1 under his bed. Sunday morning he wakes up at 6 am in tears. He comes to our room and cries all over me about how the tooth fairy didn't take his tooth or leave him money. I think I saved it by telling him that it was mommy and daddy's fault. We had stayed up so late that when the tooth fairy came to our house she saw us still up and passed our house by, and that she would for sure visit our house again Sunday night and we would make sure that everyone was in bed before she came. Well this morning we almost blew it again. Thankfully about 5 this morning we remembered. I snuck into his room with the money and right as I was trying to open the little wooden box that he put the tooth in he rolls over and says "did she come?" so I left the money on top of the box and told him "yes". He grabbed the money, never questioning that the money was on top of the box and thankfully he didn't check in the box to make sure the tooth was gone. After all that sneakery PJ was upset that all he got was $1 and no gum. GUM, what self respecting tooth fairy leaves gum?? Apparently some of the other kids at school tooth fairies, go figure.

NonFiction is our Friend

I don't always remember this but it's true. I've finally (after many years away) found a work of nonfiction that is fascinating and engaging and yet about real people and real things.* Incredible!

So, go right now and buy or check out: "Muhammad, a biography of the prophet" by Karen Armstrong. It's great so far and I want to keep reading. This is key because often about half way through text books and such I want to poke my eye out but feel obligated (paid for the class or promised someone) to finish.

The introduction is a bit blah blah blah this is important blah blah blah. Sorry, but this is how it came across to me. The author failed to mention "hold on, the actual book is a great read". I think the main problem is that she is trying to force a WHOLE LOT of important information into a small space and the sheer amount of this to know and understand is too much for this average mortal. Once the chapters get going, however, information spreads out and there is room for my little brain to start absorbing things.

And the things to absorb; they are amazing and thought provoking. Ms. Armstrong begins by giving a history of the hatred, by Western peoples, of Islam. I didn't know of most of this so it was disheartening and intriguing. It also explains SO much.

Chapter two takes the reader into the "the way of things" at the time of Muhammad's life. As well as a brief history leading up to. Also fascinating. Did you know that, until the Qu'ran was written, there was no sacred texts for the Arabic and desert peoples? This only happened 1400 years ago. Christians and Jews have been blessed with sacred texts for oh so much longer. We better start appreciating.

There have been several other pieces of information that have really stuck with me. One being that the biographers of Muhammad, in writing about him and his life, were extremely honest and as accurate as possible. Warts and all (to borrow an expression). Historians made no attempt to deify or "clean up" Muhammad for the masses. Ms. Armstrong likens this to biblical prophets such as Moses, David, and Solomon; all deeply religious but also flawed men**.

I really appreciate this approach to great movers and shakers throughout history. I know people aren't perfect, even our spiritual leaders, and it's frustrating when people pretend that they are or were. Case in point, Joseph Smith had many wives, failed banking attempts and liked to rough house. Some people loved him and many hated him. My testimony of him as a prophet isn't shaken by knowing this. He still did the other things he did, he was also just an actual person. No one gets it right every time. (I hope Grace holds on to that sentiment when she's an adult.) Anywho, (stepping off soap box) moving right along.

Another point, and this wasn't entirely new, is that humans always seem to need someone to hate and persecute. Sometimes it's the Jews, much of the time it's Muslims, sometimes it's ______(fill in the blank). Interesting though, Ms. Armstrong points to several Muslim societies where Christianity and Judaism were permitted and welcomed into Islamic regions. No one bothered anyone about what they were doing religiously. For awhile anyway. All good things tend to end at some point. Still, wouldn't it be nice if we could all just get along and not feel threatened by difference?

This is waxing long. I'm going to end here and write again when I've read more. So long and thanks for reading.


* I think the last one was "The things they carried", that I picked up at Tom's house, a very good read. Difficult to read but for a different reason. I tend to find most war books "difficult". I also tend to think they should be. edited to add: oops, that was nonfiction. But it was good!
**This phrase is from somewhere in Karen Armstrong's book. I don't know what page but it's not mine. Just so we're clear.

The Friends That Count

Grace has a new imaginary friend.

Really, it was just a matter of time. So anyhow, meet Tiffany. She's an assistant teacher. She's Grace's imaginary friend.

Welcome Tiffany.

Mmmmmmmmmm Brie

New favorite food:

Brie topped with chopped orange-flavored craisins and dried apricots, sandwiched between thin slices of fresh sourdough bread. And you can add walnuts. That's good too.

Favorite. Food. Evah.

Reading About Islam

I'm embarking on an educational reading phase. Of course, I learn something from everything I read, even if it's "ewww, I don't like that kind of book." But this time I'm seeking out books of a more "non-fiction" nature. Text books even or at least didactic or sacred.

In light of world events (pretty much name anything) and my own cultural wonderings, I've come to the conclusion that I need to know more about the third Abrahamic religion: Islam. My store of information thus far has come from Justin (who I hold as a reliable source, being wicked-smaaaht and all) and the media (which I hold to be significantly biased, not to mention bought and paid for by parties I may or may not agree with -except NPR, I love NPR).

In conference this past weekend, both President Monson and Elder Uchtdorf stressed the importance of understanding and respecting other cultures. Not wanting to go off of stereo-types and misunderstandings, I think a little (or a lot) of research is warranted.

I can't really believe all the hype about Islam being a violent religion. I mean, depending on what bits of Mormon history one could read, one might draw the conclusion that all Mormons are into blood atonement and polygeny -which certainly isn't true of THIS Mormon. Or that all Catholics are planning their next Inquisition. You get the point. I want a more rounded view and perhaps from authors who are not haters*.

Anywho, I wanted to start with the Q'uran. Justin suggested I read a biography on the prophet Muhammad. This would help me to understand the sacred text more fully. So, that's what I'm doing. Today I started, "Muhammad. A biography of the prophet" by Karen Armstrong. It's basically a text aimed at the unbelieving, mostly ignorant, seeker.

In a few weeks, I'm hoping to enlighten myself and possibly you all (infidels that we are). We shall see. In the meantime, if there is anyone who has already studied on the subject and would like to share, please leave comments. Justin, I'm looking at you (or at least throwing you heavily suggestive sideways glances, whichever you prefer.)

*Just a side note: While this post is a little light-hearted, I am in fact very much wanting to know more about Islam. I certainly want to show it all the respect and decorum I show my own faith. Thought I should mention this.

Welcome Back Maudie Jane!!

Welcome back to the U.S., Maudie Jane. I hope Germany was everything you hoped for and that you got lots of good sleep. (That's always my wish when away from kids.) Anywho, can't wait to hear how everything went.

Frenectomy

I don't really have much to say today but really wanted to move on from the last post.

Grace went to the dentist today and will need to have a frenectomy. My question is, who has had it done and how did it go? Can she eat regularly afterwards or is there healing time involved? Let me know.

In other news, I have a surprise for Justin and emailed him to tell him so. He won't get to find out for another week, therefore, neither will you. It was important, though, to let him know that a surprise is coming so that he can fully enjoy the suspense and excitement of knowing that something great (or not) is coming up. What do you do about surprises in your house?

Embarrassing Moments, take 1

In a quest to keep the lovelies (that's you, Gentle Reader) satisfied I offer this:

Most Embarrassing Moments EVER, from the life of Miss Kitti. (ps, don't judge me!)

**Disclaimer** The first story might not be for the easily grossed out or squirmy. Or men. You might not want to read this if you're a man. I'm just saying...

Also, at some point I will be using all caps to emphasize my distress. Get over it. :)

Last summer, in a fit of cleaning, I did all the laundry and started piling bags of stuff to throw away. I had Grace help me take out all the garbage. This amounted to several trips back and forth to the dumpster. On the final trip out, I happened to glance down and saw something white on the sidewalk, in front of my neighbors apartment. My mormon neighbors. (Remember that, it will be important.)

Hmm, that something white looked familiar. Yep. You know it. And, no less, someone was probably just finishing their "ladies monthly", as the used panty-liner so kindly pointed out. I picked up this white "something" and giggled a little, "Ooh, she's going to be so embarrassed that her g's are outside for anyone to see." (Oh yeah -can you just see the finger on the "smite" button? Because I can.)

Without further ado, I took them up to the door and, with much embarrassed laughter on both sides, gave them back. Imagine with me then, the feelings of HORROR when she came over a few minutes later to say that THEY WEREN'T HERS and could they possibly be mine????? There are no words.

Except maybe this one: SMITE.

The shame! I knew right then that we could never be friends again. Justin and I would have to move. I was going to have to change my name. Who does that?? Who doesn't check first to make sure the the underwear in question are not their own? Me. That's who. And that's all I have to say about that.

Moving right along.

BYU freshman year. Physical Science 100. Large amphitheater in the MARB (is it still called that? Large classroom building, then). Several hundred students, lights out, professor droning on about sound waves or something. I'm struggling to stay awake, as the squiggles on my paper show. Obviously I am trying to take notes, however, the language of the notes is indecipherable as I keep falling asleep mid-word.

Lights come back on just as I feel something wet on my hand -the one on the desk, not the one propping up my head. Looking down, there is a puddle of DROOL by my hand. I'm not even kidding. I feel asleep in class and DROOLED. And, given that my head was way above the desk, there's no way that no one noticed. I'm shuddering right now, just thinking about it. So, if you were there and saw the poor girl drooling all over the desk, thanks for not laughing out loud. She felt dumb enough as it was.

I'm ready for my smiting now.

And finally, for your reading pleasure:

My favorite dress in high school was a knee-length (of course) black dress with white polka-dots. One that I stole (or borrowed, I totally could have borrowed it) from Lorna. Super cute. I wore it to dances and to church. Although, technically, it probably wasn't a "day time" dress, I didn't know about such things as evening versus day-wear, so whatever.

Standing outside the front foyer, one fine windy Sunday afternoon, I felt a mighty breeze on my hinder. AND IGNORED IT. A minute or so later, my friend -let's call her JW- came running outside to tell me her DAD asked her to tell me about my "slip showing." Unfortunately for me, I was wearing a short slip with a wide "V", so as to make anything (panties, nylons) under it clearly visible. Very Smooth.

I would love to say I have awesome legs and was a little pleased to be showing them off. But that would be a blatant lie and so I shall only say -how embarrassing for me. And that it's amazing to actually be able to feel a blush forming. I'm sure I reached all new levels of red that day.

Smite.