BE MINE

Hello and a Happy Belated Valentine's Day!  I made these homemade Valentines for my daughter to hand out along with all the Frozen, Cars, and Spider Man Valentines in her 4 yr old preschool class.  And by homemade I mean I took these Hallmark cards with the ocean printed on them and cut them in half and then put a little heart on it.   I feel like, besides being the kid with the brain injury, she's also going to have to live this one down for a long time.  It's like no matter what they wear or how we trot our kids out, we're always going to be the family that kind of smells like garlic.  And that's what you remember them for:  a brief waft of garlic and their homemade sweaters.  Oh well.  There are worse fates.  Like handing these Valentines out with a Kahlil Gibran quote inside for four year olds.  Yes, I went there. 

Your friend is your needs answered.  (Kahlil Gibran)

WHAT MAKES THE JUKEBOX SPIN

Hello world! It's been far too long without a shout for joy so here goes: The New Year is off to a good albeit soul-searching start.  More on that in a longer post.  In the interim, rest assured I am becoming a New Age parody of myself (sipping a smoothie while practicing deep breathing as I walk back to my office after therapy).  You know, THAT sort of thing.  But it's awesome, it's working, and I think I'm putting myself back together after a strangely difficult six months of, well, STUCK.

Stuck sucks

So in the spirit of learning and re-learning the art of mastering self among the complicated web of relationships which we all have occasion to inhabit, I started doing some research on uncanny love and out-of-the box partnerships.  I came across this totally f****** gorgeous article about Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson after their relationship came up in conversation with a friend.  It will warm your heart and break it a tiny bit, all at the same time:

Laurie Anderson's Farewell to Lou Reed

Love.  Good love, bad love, all love.  According to Laurie, paraphrasing Willie, that's what makes the jukebox spin.

CALLING ALL SOULS

Happy Halloween and almost All Souls Day...

from Alice, The Cheshire Cat, and this crazy German Carpenter I picked up nine years ago at Club de Ville and is STILL HANGING AROUND?!

Hope it was equal parts spooky, mysterious, and fun.  Signing off, as my new alter ego:

BAT MOM. 

Hell hath no fury like a Super Mother scorned.  Watch out world.  Here we come.

THIS HOUSE IS HAUNTED

 I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to be haunted.  Not necessarily in the supernatural way, but more in the way that we encounter our past, near and far, in the traffic of our daily lives.  And how the remnants of days and realities and identities of the past can hover like a stuffed sheet, waiting around every corner to jump out with a big, old fashioned boooooooooooo.   This past year has kicked my ass in so many ways.  In fact, in true 2014 fashion, I even started a post full of jokes about ways in which I can totally tell my ass is being handed to me, like the ways I find myself trying to multitask while using the potty.  Seriously, one time I found myself trying to simultaneously scarf down my dinner while I sat on the can and I was like:  This is a breaking point. Anyway, like so many things in the past year, that particular post didn't happen but here I am again, long overdue yet showing up none the less.  Hopefully that counts for something.

My kids went on a walk tonight with my husband and brought me back this?!?

Then once in a while I get inspired, like this week, which really got the haunting thing going for me.  I am now completely, totally, and officially obsessed with the Austin-based Shakey Graves.  It was a slow fall, but after hearing multiple tracks from him/them, all of which totally drew me in, I heard this little numero which is certainly worth the $1 download from Band Camp:

ENGAGING THE PROCESS

I had one of those moments tonight- it was kind of like a mixture of “Ah-ha!” and “Elementary, my dear Watson*,” all at the same time.   After 8 months of co-sleeping, we’re trying to teach our youngest how to put himself to sleep and the process started last night.  I’ve read the “ferberize” method, made popular by pediatric sleep specialist Dr. Ferber (his book is actually a really good reference for lots of sleep related question), but following the methodology to the letter just doesn’t seem like the right fit for our little guy.   He’s sort of extra-sensitive in this really odd and funny way, so happy most of the time as he scoots his 26 pound body around with this funky three legged crawl he’s recently mastered.  It’s hilarious really, he’s this big lug of a dude, and he absolutely HATES being alone.  This probably shouldn’t surprise me, as it sounds like many men I know, but to see it play out with him this young is fascinating.  And funny.   He’s definitely a pretty tough guy until everyone goes into the bathroom to brush their teeth without him, then all hell breaks loose.   Seriously, if you leave his sight line it is nothing short of full-on wailing and gnashing of teeth. 

Whoa.  

FOUR WHEELS AND A BOX

In lieu of a post today, I'm linking you lovely people to one of my favorite on-line sources of all things southern and inspiring.  And more specifically, I'm linking you to a piece I wrote in said online source about my struggle to be a writing mom while staying southern and inspired.  Can you relate?  My guess is yes.  Here's some happy reading for your Monday:

South Write Large: Four Wheels and a Box

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

YOU DON'T KNOW JACQUES by OPI

 

Finally, a fingernail polish AND parenting words to live by.

 

Happy Day to all those who are mothers, have mothers, or otherwise love women who work their ass off in any capacity.  And hey, we all know a few of those.

 

My smart alec but still pretty funny husband shared this video tonight with a little chuckle.  I wish it weren't so funny so I could stay annoyed: