I am a lucky, lucky girl

First, our used-to-be roommate came to visit us.  She came at the perfect time, and was here for my birthday.

Then, we went to Beckley, and the JoAnn's store there had Alexander Henry fabric.

I'm using this for a screen cover for Bryan's laptop, at his request.

This is for dresses for the littles, at my request.

And today, I reconnected with a friend that I haven't spoken to in, what... 15 years or so?  The last time I saw her was before I moved to California, my sophmore year in highschool.

We talked on the phone today for about an hour, and I still can't stop smiling.  She lives in Barcelona, so I used Skype to call.  (If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it.)  It was so good to talk to her again, and I hope we make it a monthly thing.

Happy birthday to me, and a rant

First of all, today I'm 30.  THIRTY.  I don't feel a day over 17.  It's been a fabulous day, with Chinese food, delicious chocolate cake, and new books and sewing patterns.  Oh yes, and an air popcorn-popper.  I'm very loved.

Also, since yesterday was the big primary here, I've been closely following the WV Hillary vs. Obama spectacle.  In just about every single news report I've read, they've called West Virginians uneducated, poor, and pretty much racist.

Well, that's a huge pile of bullshit.  I mean, does anyone see a problem with calling West Virginians racist?  Ponder that for JUST a minute.

Additionally, while there may be people that live below the poverty line, let me tell you something.  Being poor doesn't make you stupid.  Also, being below the poverty line is completely relative.  The poverty line is a number, and that is all.  Having moved out here, I can afford FAR MORE for my family.  We live a much more comfortable (if rural) life.  If I lived in SoCal, making what I'm making now, we could barely survive.  Still making the same amount, still the same number of family members, but vastly different in the things we could afford.  It's a matter of how much you earn, yes, but also about the cost of living in your state/area.

While having money may give you more opportunities, it does not, by any means, make you more intelligent.

I can argue the same thing about having a college degree -- having one does not guarantee you a good job, and it does not determine how smart you are.  Let's be clear: I'm not knocking it, go to college!  I'm sure it's great!  My kids will go!  But a bachelors degree does not make one person more qualified than another to look at the democratic candidates and vote for the person they feel will do the best job for our country.

Finally, Obama did not even campaign in our state.  Not once.  Conceded the victory to Hillary before the polls even opened.  Why in the crap would I vote for someone that cares so little about my state and its constituents?

You'll have to excuse my fervor.  It's not every day that I become a middle-aged, racist, poor, and uneducated woman.  It's been somewhat of a busy day, and I plan to spend the rest of it eating air-popped popcorn and scratching my balls.

HopeREVO

Inspired by Jen and Odette, we went to Marissa's class today for the kids to write hope notes to the girls in Rwanda.  Read the story here, and learn more about participating here. 

Get a group of kids together, family and friends, or just yourself to spread some hope, won't you?

from Daphne on Vimeo.

Pretty, pretty floor

The kitchen floor is finished, and it's beautiful. I love it, and don't want anyone walking on it, so we'll have to get the kids some jetpacks so they can hover over the floor without actually touching it.

And no more fingerpaints on the kitchen floor. Or even watercolors. And we'll only eat things that are beige, in case something spills.

Life is grand.

Before


After

I've gone and done it again.

I've bought a huge, HUGE pile of books within the past two months.  I've read them all.  All of them.  Every single last one.  Okay, so maybe there weren't that many.  Maybe there were only 7 or 8*.  I still expect you to be impressed.

Anyway, I'm adrift and bookless, wandering around aimlessly with nothing to read.  Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to fall asleep without a book to read?  I sit there and twiddle my thumbs, and then roam around the house for something, anything, to read.  I won't read a book twice, but I'll dig around the kids' magazines for something interesting.  My priorities are whacked.

You guys gave me some awesome suggestions last time I asked, so here I am again, asking for book recommendations.  Please, would you give me some?  I'll give you a list of what I've read recently so you don't suggest something I've already read (and thereby commit a terrible faux pas -- see how nice I am to spare you that?)

Lullaby -- Chuck Palahniuk
Peony in Love -- Lisa See
Son of a Witch -- Gregory Maguire
Three Cups of Tea -- Mortenson/Relin
The Doctor's Wife -- Elizabeth Brundage
Bodysurfing -- Anita Shreve
In Search of Eden -- Linda Nichols
The Double Bind -- Chris Bohjalian
Red River -- Lalita Tademy
You Suck -- Christopher Moore
Best Friends -- Martha Moody

*or eleven.  But the Chuck Palahniuk book doesn't count, because it's from the library.