Photonic Sneese Reflex

Do you sneeze when you step into the sun?
Enz does.

So do Zizza and The Mr.
They generally each sneeze twice after the those first rays of sunlight touch them.

We had an optometrist friend who shed light on the quirk.
He walked out of church at the same time we did one Sunday afternoon. When The Mr. had done sneezing the friend asked "Do you often sneeze right as you step outside?" When The Mr answered the affirmative our friend told him that tendency is called Photonic Sneeze Reflex, and was something he'd been studying. It also seems to be hereditary.
What quirks did you inherit and/or pass on?

We found him

We found the slowest cashier in the world. He works at a local Wal*Mart.
After completing our shopping we hopped in line. There was only one party ahead of us and they were already in the middle of their transaction when we arrived on the scene so we thought it would be quick.
Soon we realized it was anything but.
As we waited there, batting little hands away from the candy display we assumed that the people ahead of us were causing the hold up. Maybe the woman was a couponer and new at it. Maybe they picked up the one pack of socks with the bar code smeared off and some one had to be called from the hosiery dept. to provide the missing information. Maybe they were dividing their bill between 3 different cards, the change in the bottom of their collective purses and a personal check.
Finally it was our turn. We stepped into position at the register and learned that our judgments had been false. The patrons who preceded us were in no way responsible for the hold up. They were in fact, victims of the snails pace themselves.
The tortoise at the register was a polite teenaged fellow. Tall and lank with shaggy hair and combination skin. He was as adorable (in a teenager sort of way) as he was slow.
He picked up one item at a time, scanning each with no sense of hurry and placing them sloth-like into bags...lots of bags.
I just finished unloading. There was one bag that held 8 cups of yogurt, a can of bamboo sprouts and two cans of coconut milk. That, I think was an appropriate load. The shampoo and dish soap, on the other hand each occupied their own bag and I'm afraid the rest of our order was packed in a similar manner.
The Mr and I exchanged bemused glances throughout the transaction. It really was amazing to see. I didn't know the process of checking out at Wal*Mart could be so slow.

You know what I nearly forgot about?

Halloween.
I'll tell you about it real quick before I forget for good.
I made eyeballs a la Family fun magazine. It was my best candy dipping experience to date. I quite enjoyed these.

For months Enzo and I talked about his costume. he wanted to be Cookie Monster. He had his tag line of "mmmmm cookies" down pat and I had grand plans of ping pong ball goggly eyes and the like.
Then a few things happened to impede our plans.
First, I couldn't find any blue fur. I was thinking about dyeing it myself when Cookie monster costume impediment number two came along.
Enzo decided he'd rather be Bob the builder.
And so he was. I whipped up a quick (and I do mean quick) plaid shirt and he wore the one pair of overalls in the house. They are sized twelve months, hence the shortness and tightness.
We borrowed the hard hat and tool belt from some cousins who went through a Grandparent fed Bob phase a few years back.
If you don't count the hour or so it took to run to Good Will last minute on an ill fated search for larger overalls this costume was made in under an hour. Not too bad considering how pleased Enz was with the results.

Zizza decided that after talking about the possibility for three years, she'd be Lizzie the elephant. I added a skirt, a bandanna and some jewelry to the elephant I made last year, and she was all set.
There's a problem with costumes that are too bulky to wear in transit. That problem is photographs.
I didn't ever get her all suited up for a picture while we were at home. She looked adorable at her preschool party, but I dressed her once we got there and left her to enjoy the event without taking any photos.
Then came the big trunk or treat at the church. We left the head stabilization mechanism (a stocking cap with a piece if duct tape on top to stick it to the inside of the head) at home so she had to hold onto it to keep it from slipping she was also rather preoccupied with her friends. This is the best photo of Zizza as Lizzie the elephant we managed to get.

This little one wore the gypsy costume I made for Zizza when she was that size. I'd planned on making a curly maned lion costume for her but since I was uncertain about whether or not she'd be here to wear it I decided just to recycle the gypsy. I didn't want to be left babyless and crying into a hood of golden grosgrain ringlets.
She makes a cute gypsy though, don't you think?

On Halloween night the Mr and I had a church meeting to attend. We took The New One along with us while Zizza and Enzo trick or treated with their cousins.
After wrestling with the elephant head the night before, Zizza decided she'd take it easy and wear the Minnie Mouse dress I made for her to wear to Disneyland on her birthday and haven't blogged about yet. I think that was the best decision she could have made. The elephant is super cool, but it's also cumbersome.

Another thing I didn't get a picture of was myself in my rag doll costume. I do however, have a photo of the completed wig. Here you go.

Thus ends Halloween 2009.

Tonight,

I met Ree Drummond, The real, actual Pioneer Woman I will share with you a few high lights of our interview.
First we see that as I approach the photo-op position, my mouth is open nearly wide enough to turn my head inside out.
Mean while, it seems Ree is checking her text messages. I saw this photo and hoped there was a corresponding tweet. If there had been a twitter update within an hours window of the time I was there beside her, I would have printed it out, put it in a twin frame with this photo and claimed to have witnessed it's creation.

Now, I think this is when she saw the baby, (Megan's) and said "What are you doin' to me?" She likes babies, remember?

So we admired the baby a little more, and I told her how I almost brought her a baby gift just in case she decided to go for it and give Marlboro Man a chance at a boy named "Bull"

And then this happened.

Apparently Ree was telling a hilarious joke and I was unable to contain my mirthful response.
Either that or I was trying to take a bite out of the baby with my shiny new, enormous (seriously, those things look huge) teeth.

Also there were these beautiful things. They belong to Missy. Ree once described her as a glamourpuss. If that's what she is, I want to be one too.

Don't worry, I found out where they came from. Missy volunteered the information before I had to be so tacky as to ask.
Dillards can be expecting a visit from yours truly one of these first days.
Ree was wearing those heels she had to hike home from church in when she was in New York last summer. You know, the black ones with the wedge heel? I noticed as I was walking away. If only I'd been able to ask where to find a pair of those.
To sum up; Photographic evidence suggests that I may not be physically capable of closing my mouth. I may or may not devour babies, and I love me a wedge heel.
Good Night.

Happy Bitrhday, yesterday, to my Mama

In my family, we sing 4 verses of Happy Birthday.
We start out with the traditional "Happy Birthday to you." Then we move on to "How old are you" (sung to the same tune) followed by "You're (however many) years old," and we finish up with "We all love you."
Throughout the whole people are piking out lines of harmony and singing them just for the thrill of it. Because we can.
You know that feeling when you're singing (or playing) in a group, the music surges around you and your own voice rings one with the rest? How full and happy a feeling that is!
That's what birthday cake was like when I was a kid.
It's been a long time though, since I sang it that way.
When Zizza crawled into bed with us the morning of her Birthday we sang her all four verses. With just the Mr, Enzo and me singing though, we stuck with the melody.
I'm waiting for the day when my own little family chorus grows big enough and full enough to feel like home.
Of all the things we're out side of living so far from family, it's the music I miss the most. Even when it's just "Happy Birthday"

At long last

A promise fulfilled.
Here are some favorites from our recent family photo shoot.

I am (apparently) the luckiest

Remember when I entered this giveaway? I never expected to actually win it. That's why, in my entry post I mentioned making it myself.
Turns out I didn't have to go to the trouble.

Because I won.

And little miss sassy pants (skirt) here didn't have to be cajoled into wearing it either! I actually had to hold her off until I was ready to take her picture in it.

Thanks, Kathleen We love it!

p.s. When your knee socks stop three to four inches below your actual knees it may be time to invest in some new ones. Wouldn't you say?