Justin took Alice to work with him today for "take your daughter to work" day. Who knows what kind of impression this will have on her. She may grow up to work for the Department of Defense herself. While Alice is attending top secret meetings at the Pentagon, Laura can enjoy the day with full access to all the toys in the house. Like true Bringhurst fashion, she chose the laundry basket.
Halley is the proud parent of two fish...Nemo and Dory...shockingly original...no complaints here, she almost maned one Jacque. I picked her up from preschool today where she learned about caring for a pet. We came home with a fish. I will never complain about Spencer's PreAlgebra again...this takes the cake (remind me to thank Sunni) j/k. By the look on her face it is worth it. Next week is my turn to do preschool. What kind of homework can I send home for the theme of "transportation"?
We left Friday after school and got there in time to enjoy a sunset.
Shane enjoyed some quality time with Evan before jetting off to go scuba diving in the Smith river. He is busy getting himself certified to be a Dive Master. Boys are all the same whether they want to be a Dive Master, Jedi Master, or He-Man Master of the Universe.
Halley quickly became a "Kiting" expert. Her sisters worked so hard to keep the kite up with little wind, but Halley casually walked along the beach with the string in one hand.
This sums up how we all felt after a nice long day in the sun. So tired that you poop out on the concrete. Bubba I have one thing to say..Ocean de Ocean Ha ha ha ha ha...Seven Seventeen Ha ha ha ha ha!
Thomas Jefferson did a great job building his dream house. I was trying to keep Laura quiet during the tour so I miss much of the information, but I think it took him 40 years to build it. Yikes. It was a great day with Papa John and Grandma Jeanne. The next day we enjoyed the beautiful spring weather in downtown D.C. The tulips were in bloom and the Cherry Blossoms were still on the trees. I am not one to persuade someone to read a book that I liked. Heck I rarely read a book myself. I don't even suggest movies to watch because it can be so subjective. I guess I don't want a stamp put upon me by someone who disliked one of my suggestions. As to the reason why I rarely read? I have never been a reader because I don't want to start investing time and emotion to something that will leave me feeling flat. Maybe it is also the laziness in me. A movie I can get through in two hours and be done with it. If I found a good book then I can not put it down and everything around me suffers and then I feel guilty...blah blah blah. I also prefer reading non fiction. Don't get me wrong I love Anne of Green Gables...the movie. I tried reading it in high school and about died with all the flowery language and I just wanted her to get on with it.
I had heard a little about Randy Pausch and I was drawn in for some reason. I knew his book would be released on tuesday and decided to look at it and see if I might like it. It was on sale at Target so I bought it. You know how sometimes the anticipation of something can be so exciting that you almost don't want it to begin? As soon as you begin the clock starts ticking and the end is eventual. Take for instance my family's trip to Walt Disney World in two weeks. We have been talking, and planning and fanticizing for so long. As soon as our plane takes off the ground the clock is ticking and our trip will be over before we know it. I liken this to the book. I was so excited to read it, that I didn't for a whole day because the anticipation of reading it was just as thrilling. I have paced myself at a few chapters a day and I can honestly recommend it. I can tell that if I went to Carnegie Mellon University he would have been a favorite professor. If we were in the same social circle, he would have been a friend. I share this with you because I would have wanted it shared with me.
I relearned a lesson today. One that I learned long ago. I remember running for Freshman class Treasurer. I put my heart in to that campaign. I was narrowly edged out by a more popular freshman. I can still feel the sting and I vowed to never try that again. Flash forward to junior year where I had a surge of confidence to try out for the school musical. Call backs came and my name was not among them. My heart ached and I vowed never to do that again. A few months later I had a Laurel advisor Kim Farah who shared some of her own stinging experiences and she inspired me to try again. I ran for Senior Class Vice President because no one else was running and how could that hurt? Well, last minute a girl turned in her 15 signatures that was definately more popular than me. I am sure she saw victory in sight. It was too late for me to tuck tail and hide so I went for it. Thank goodness for Marilyn Granat and her speech writing abilities. I delivered a speech that played off of "Subliminal Man" from Saturday Night Live that knocked their socks off and won the office. Later that year with new found confidence I tried out for the school musical and won a lead role. I am sure you are wondering what this has to do with a Pumpkin Log. In my youth I learned the valuable lesson that victory most often comes after the sting of defeat. I am not sure when I forgot that lesson but the Pumpkin Log was my sting of defeat. I have tried multiple times to make it right with less than stellar outcomes. I vowed never to make that stupid log again...oh but how I loved its sweetness. Tonight I said to heck with it, I am going to try it again. I don't know what I did differently. Maybe it was because I was serving my family for FHE. Maybe it was because I had my lucky apron on. (Thanks mom for the St. Patrick's Day apron). Whatever it may be I relearned that valuable lesson that is echoed by Randy Pausch. "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted. And it can be the most valuable thing you have to offer". I'd offer you a piece but I doubt it will make it through the night.
Sometimes I am envious of my kids. There are many days I would love to climb into a laundry basket and watch a movie with my sisters. They don't know how good they got it!
Well it did my heart good to check on my "little buddy" and see that he was picking at the tassles on my blankie. It must be in the genes. Mom made me this new blankie to replace the one that Dad destroyed when I was little. I must say I had a hard time forgiving him for that one! Anyway I have loved this blanket and so has Evan.
Me and Alice at Montecello. More to come soon.