tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171835592024-03-07T13:56:06.360-05:00MariContraryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-65431385571811037122010-02-11T22:01:00.002-05:002010-02-11T22:33:10.014-05:005 Years Later?...Life has whizzed past since I started this blog in 2005. That's just crazy. 5 years. My kids were 11, 9 and 4. Wow.Now my oldest has a shiny, white Jeep Cherokee that is nicer than my car. It's already been repaired once and has a fresh new bumper crunch from backing out of the carport last weekend and hitting a pole.My middle child...still the gentle soul...has his first girlfriend, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-19312905814246999562007-10-01T22:21:00.000-04:002007-10-01T23:36:30.738-04:00Barefoot in the Parking LotSo...have you ever left church barefoot? Not only that but have you ever left behind your favorite pair of shoes, never to see them again? Ever dream of doing just that and feeling very much okay with the whole thing?I never would have dreamt it. And if I had, I don't think I'd have been at all "okay" with it in my dream. But dreaming and doing are two totally different things.Of course, it'sUnknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-19214610959803104522007-09-16T21:17:00.000-04:002007-09-16T22:00:01.367-04:00Saturday MatineeAaaahhhh...I found I had a few hours to myself yesterday. It was a fabulous occurrence. So I treated myself to an afternoon with Jane Austen, sort of. I am a bit of an Anne Hathaway fan and I also love most anything Jane Austen. So Becoming Jane was the movie I chose. If you find yourself with a few free hours, go see it!One of the best things about the movie was the previews...not your Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-176801879665817372007-09-11T22:02:00.000-04:002007-09-11T22:36:28.590-04:00Coffee TableI don't drink coffee so, technically, it's not really a coffee table that sits in front of my couch in our living room. Up until about two months ago I could have called it my Diet Coke Table. But now that's history as well (that was really hard, btw!)Honestly, even if I were to pour a cup of coffee, there isn't one square inch of tabletop available for setting it down. No room. It'd have to Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-57584553039784053752007-09-10T22:58:00.000-04:002007-09-10T23:07:18.387-04:00SuggestionsRecently I was asked, "So Marianne, what movies have you seen lately?" All I could answer was, "Pirates, Shrek and (in a hushed tone) The Simpsons Movie."My embarrassment led to my new lower -end membership to Netflix...no kid movies allowed on my Rental Queue!So, sitting on my DVD player ready for viewing are Hotel Rwanda, The Last King of Scotland and The Constant Gardner. I'm in URGENT need Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-81995522750535424752007-09-06T22:31:00.000-04:002007-09-06T22:59:16.403-04:00Adolescence - Already Arrived?New book...same topic...teenagers. But this one is a really really good book. Get Out of My Life, but first could you drive me and Cheryl to the mall? (Anthony E. Wolf, Ph.D.), is a must read for any parent, aunt, uncle, teacher, grandparent, neighbor, or anyone else who may happen to come across a teenager in the near or distant future.I'm almost finished reading it (for the first time...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-23013497955841589022007-09-04T22:39:00.000-04:002007-09-04T23:26:57.595-04:00Middle ChildSince my oldest daughter gets most of the attention on my blog these days and my youngest daughter gets scads of attention at home the rest of the time, then my middle child - the boy of the house - is due a tribute here and there, every now and then. Besides...he's really nice to his mom.My son, as some of you know, is a gentle compassionate soul as well as an expert lizard catcher. Really...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-59675127040432405182007-09-03T22:24:00.000-04:002007-09-03T22:50:55.499-04:00Grab a box of tissues......and check out these three chic flicks...Catch and Release - Jennifer Garner and an equally cute co-star with really great teeth as well. Need to Google him...just a sec...Timothy Olyphant. Hmmm, well, very nice teeth. Because I Said So - Diane Keaton plays a hovering mom to her youngest of three daughters, Mandy Moore. It was fun to watch a mother/daughter relationship struggle (only Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-21852048019956298202007-09-03T21:40:00.000-04:002007-09-03T21:43:03.791-04:00So FarThings aren't happening quite as I had planned. Very little exercise so far. Yesterday...some abs. Today...some arms. Impressive...not so much. But I can only go up from here. I'll let you know.:-)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-56701739954554841032007-09-02T00:53:00.000-04:002007-09-03T21:43:32.996-04:00Another Challenge...WooHoo!Kat is challenging the blogosphere once again with the 21 Day Challenge. And (how embarrassing) I already missed the first day. But as Kat herself pointed out, that's the beauty of having more than 21 days in a month. So...I start today developing a new (old) habit of exercising in some way every day.One day it could be 3 miles on the treadmill followed by 30 minutes of free weights. Most Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-67166408671671156062007-08-30T23:23:00.001-04:002007-08-30T23:25:27.273-04:00Soft Drink Friday is almost here...Means nothing to you...means EVERYTHING to my kids - at least on Friday mornings. Don't even ask how it came to be because I have no recollection. It just is what it is.:-)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-75245944885859230632007-08-30T22:47:00.000-04:002007-08-30T23:01:08.901-04:00So Last WeekI've been told it is way past time for a new post...Back to School was like soooo long ago. But it isn't just Back to School that has me distracted from reading my favorite blogs and blogging myself...it's this whole new job thing. For the first time in, hmmmm, 7 or more years I am working full time. School schedule but still, pretty much full time. And, no kidding, this is the hardest work Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-9193880231338755362007-08-19T22:46:00.000-04:002007-08-19T22:56:18.499-04:00Their Bags are PackedAnd yeah, they are ready to go. One more excited than the other two about Back to School, but it's happening anyway.Amazing that moving on to first grade seems as scary an adventure as does starting high school for each of my girls. But the lure of middle school and all that goes with it - cooler uniform shirts (if there is such a thing)...longer lunches...better lunches...buddies...girls (Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-12837049824579585842007-08-15T00:10:00.000-04:002007-08-15T08:15:06.212-04:00One Track MindI wish I could think of something else...anything else...to write about but almost the only thing on my mind is the teenager sleeping (or quietly watching MTV) upstairs. In every conversation we have I fail to take the highest road. Usually I do take a pretty high road but, really, I should be taking one higher still. How else will she learn about self control, patience and boundaries?Kat (my Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-7686391256706998192007-08-13T23:14:00.000-04:002007-08-13T23:48:25.230-04:00AngstI've heard that word many times when someone struggles to describe the emotional world of a teenager. Let me point out that it applies just as perfectly to the upside down world of a mom desperately and clumsily trying to parent one of those teens.Yes, I'm blogging (all about) me again. Sigh.I'd heard of moms locking themselves in the bathroom to reign in anger, but had a hard time picturing Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-67003534942624177582007-08-08T22:17:00.000-04:002007-08-08T22:51:28.436-04:00Starting SoonIt happened...the first meeting about getting the kids to raise money to build a well in Africa. We're really going to make it happen. We talked about Bulletin Boards, Well Buckets, Two Weeks of Sacrifice and why we are doing this. We have a plan and a start date - September 1.For one year, September 1- September 1, the students are going to raise money for Blood:Water Mission. Some will go Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-38890711515452233142007-08-08T00:59:00.000-04:002007-08-08T01:38:04.878-04:00No Internet :-(Finally...I have internet. But it's been 5 days since my daily visits from the Internet/Cable Guys began. And, still, they have to come back for more tweaking. I think that means they are hoping whatever wires or splitters or boosters (those are just words I've heard cable guys use before) they leave me with will, once and for all, solve my problems. For now anyway.So, for those of you who Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-45713459469314345622007-07-31T09:43:00.000-04:002007-07-31T10:12:15.076-04:0040 Day Fast...Day 40Today is the last day of the 40 Day Fast and Toby fasts and blogs for our U.S. Armed Forces. He highlights the organization Treat Any Soldier in his post and says...I know there seems to be so many troops in Iraq right now, but there are so many more of us. I can only imagine how great they must feel to get some sense of home in a package. We take for granted things like M&M's, Starbursts, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-81000311287385165852007-07-30T10:14:00.000-04:002007-07-30T10:24:30.562-04:00Get a Goat Kat's back at it...challenging us once again...placing ways to help others right at our feet. No excuses. There isn’t a person reading this who can’t afford 5 minutes and $1 dollar, writes Kat. Read more here.At the time of this post there is $66 left to go to buy a goat for a family in need through World Vision. If you and me donate just $1, there will be only $64 left to go. It's that Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-5905047085432044082007-07-30T09:52:00.000-04:002007-07-30T09:59:58.163-04:00Got American Airlines Miles?If so, please consider donating them to a family trying to get to Orlando soon. They are friends of Shaun Groves and his family. The wife has been diagnosed with cancer and is said to have only a few months to live. She wants to travel to Disney with her husband and kids before she begins chemo...very soon. If you don't have the miles to donate and would like to make a contribution, that'd Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-40485948297112942912007-07-30T09:47:00.000-04:002007-07-30T09:48:52.338-04:0040 Day Fast...Day 39Today Tressa writes about her family's time spent in India with the Dalits. Please read her post here.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-37311364197036615892007-07-29T12:38:00.000-04:002007-07-29T12:41:35.742-04:0040 Day Fast...Days 37 and 38Charla and Rick fasted and blogged for Days 37 and 38 of the 40 Day Fast (although I don't think Rick has posted just yet...I'll check back later and let you know.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-43829653307565113952007-07-27T09:27:00.000-04:002007-07-27T09:36:37.861-04:0040 Day Fast...Day 36Today's blogger for the 40 Day Fast is Ted. Please take a few minutes to read his post. Over the past 35 days, he has been moved to action after reading many posts highlighting Compassion International...Somewhere in this 40 Day Fast, I’ve been moved to action. I think it began with the initial shock of the picture, and then continued as I read many wonderfully written posts about people Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-45490844114963974372007-07-26T23:08:00.000-04:002007-07-26T23:37:08.058-04:00Paper SkinIt's the name of Kendall Payne's newest CD...Paper Skin. So far I've only heard four of the songs in their entirety(ies?). You know what I mean. Anyway, Myspace still works for me for stuff like that. Or you can go to CDBaby.com and hear clips of each song from Paper Skin. Highly worth your time...in my opinion.I first heard Kendall Payne last November in Anaheim at a YS Conference. FirstUnknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17183559.post-40714970582746026052007-07-26T21:24:00.001-04:002007-07-26T22:09:39.504-04:0040 Day Fast...Catching UpI've fallen so far behind here in posting and I hope if you've come here in the last week to check on the 40 Day Fast Bloggers that you've known to click on the blogs in my sidebar.Last week Amy posted about human trafficking. Not a day has gone by since last Saturday when I first read her post that I haven't thought about the things she wrote. Please take a minute to read her post if you have Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0