islandmom

Soundtrack Sunday 52

Sorry this is so late, it's been a couple very busy days.... :)

WOW!!!  52 Soundtrack Sundays....a whole years worth of soundtracks from my life and the people I love...crazy! 

If you have been a reader of mine for a while you know the problems I have had finding a hair stylist I love.  Well, just over a week ago I went and got my hair cut for the second time by someone.  When I came home, my husband said, "Wow, your hair looks really good!  Don't ever change it!"  Which is GREAT and made me feel good, but then he kept staring at me and gave me a hug and said, "I really, really like this hair style, it looks so much better!" 

WHAT!?  So much better?!?!?!  All the kids were there and making a fuss over my hair as well and at this point my son said,  "Yeah, Mom, every single time you go get your hair cut, before you come home, dad says, 'No matter what mom's hair looks like, tell her it looks good!'" 

I started laughing so hard and looked at my husband and said, "Really?!?" to which my daughter responded for him, "Yeah, Mom, he does!  Every time!" 

islanddad started trying to shovel himself out of the hole the kids had dug for him by saying, "But, THIS time it really DOES look good.......other times I have had to bite my tongue."

So, this song is for all of those BAD HAIR DAYS....the ones when you look at the photos and "the camera doesn't lie"!!  Hate those days!!!

Little ditty

There is a little ditty about me over at TDD today if you want to check it out!

Sountrack Sunday 51

Yanni.....sigh.  Yanni played a huge part in the soundtrack of my life during high school and college.  My dad was a big Yanni fan and we listened to his music often in our home.  Dad and I put together more than one music video of our famiy vacations with the soundtrack being Yanni.  I also had a bit of a crush on him.  Something to do with that long dark hair and Greek accent!!  We went to a couple concerts in Symphony Hall in Salt Lake and we had great seats......sigh.

I always thought though, that some of his songs needed lyrics.  They were just written like the should be there.  I could hear the verses and the chorus and everything.  A few months ago, I was watching PBS and saw a documentary on Yanni (Yanni and PBS go way back) and his new project.  I was giddy when I heard this song....WITH LYRICS!!!  This is one of my favorite Yanni songs and I love the lyrics.  I also love this video and how they tie the meaning of the song in with his parents...just beautiful!!!  BTW, in the new documentary on PBS, Yanni has short hair....bummer!

St. Patty's Day

If you need some good St. Patty's Day ideas check out these posts at TDD HERE and HERE

Soundtrack Sunday 50

Wow!  50 Soundtrack Sunday's straight!!  I'm amazed!  I was gone yesterday from 9:30-4:00 and again from 6:30-9:30 doing church stuff, so I didn't get this done ahead, but it was a wonderful day! :)

The movie theatre in our town shows classic movies on Mondays for $2.00.  A few weeks ago they were showing "Music Man".  I decided to take the kids on a field trip and go see this movie.  We loaded up on popcorn and drinks (when you pay $2.00 for the movie you can ALMOST afford snacks) and headed into the show.  I knew I needed the popcorn and drink mostly for the youngest member of our group. 

I watched the movie and was flooded with memories of doing the "Music Man" in high school.  I thought of the different people that played different parts and wondered what has happened to them and where they are.  Some of them, I have been able to catch up with recently, thanks to this blog and that email button over there! :)

I had no idea how LONG the movie was and the youngest member of our family did really well...for the first TWO HOURS...it was the last 45 minutes that she was wiggly and wanting to leave.  Toward the end, I had to get up and walk over to the entry way (it's stadium seating) and stand so she could run back and forth.  Every time they started singing, she would come over to watch and try and sing with them. 

During the last time this song was sung, she was singing for all she was worth and at the last "goooooodniiiiiight" she threw her head back and sang right along in full voice and even on pitch.  It was one of the best moments as a mom I have had.  It was also one of the most fun things as homeschoolers we have done.  My kids are really looking forward to "Oklahoma!" this month! :)

Yummy Sushi

Yesterday our internet was having problems, so I took the opportunity of having a break from school to run meet islanddad for lunch.  That is something we rarely get to do since we started homeschooling.  There is a new Sushi restaurant in town and sushi sounded good to me! :) I have to say it was the BEST sushi I have ever had and it was the best value as well!!!  I got the bento with several different rolls; California roll, spicy tuna roll, cucumber roll, and diced tuna roll (not the official names of course), PLUS the mizo soup and side salad for a whopping $13.  Islanddad got a bento with a California roll and some yummy sashimi (raw fish) plus the salad and soup for $14.  I was honestly in heaven!!  We'll have to go back next time without the youngest member of the islandfamily!!  I told islanddad that he can bring me bento from there anytime he wants!!

It's all good...

As my list of things to do gets longer and longer, blogging is the one thing that keeps falling to the bottom.  When I need to homeschool, work here or here, take care of kids, clean (yuck), get ready for camp, or any of the other things on my list....it's hard to justify blogging.  But I know a lot of my "real life" friends check in here once in a while, so while the youngest is still sleeping, the older two are doing chores and I am eating my mini wheats, I'll type a post.

I have been really busy the last week getting ready for Girls Camp.  Lots of meetings and training.  Tomorrow night is our big Kick Off and I finished our slide-show late last night after many, many, many hours (and about as many questions from islanddad about WHY we need a slide-show).  We got the skit written on Monday and I got that sent out late last night as well.  I am just about ready to move onto the next big (and secret) project!

It's all good.  I say this a lot.  I have a friend that picked it up from me and she said that one of her sisters got upset with her and said, "Don't say that anymore, it's NOT all good."  Everything in life is not all good, that is true.  But, I usually say it when I am complaining about things, small things, trivial things (like how busy I am---see above).  The reality is that even as bad as things are, there is SO MUCH GOOD!!!  I say it to remind myself of where my focus needs to be, the GOOD!!  There's good and alot of life, if we choose to look for it.  So....IT'S ALL GOOD!!!

Have a great day!

Soundtrack Sunday 49

This week has been a very emotional one for me.  My mind has often wondered to an event that happened almost three years ago this coming week.  I cannot think about it without crying.  My heart is full of emotion and it is raw and I hope that never changes because if it changes, I will forget.  If I forget, I won't appreciate the small things as much as I do now.

March 6, 2006, marks an event that my husband's brothers, sisters, and parents came for...all at the same time.  That had never happened before and I dare say it may not ever happen again.  Along with that group came one brother's wife and her parents because that brother was going to be undergoing surgery.  Surgery to remove a kidney to give to my husband.  With the gift of that kidney came hope.  Hope that my husband would no longer be spending  9-12 hours a week in the evenings watching his blood be cleaned by a dialysis machine.  Hope that he would once again have the strength to run and play with the kids in the backyard.  Hope that he would be able to once again walk a golf course and golf a round with friends.  Hope that he would not only be able to see the baby we were expecting be born, but live long enough to see that baby graduate from high school and maybe even get married.

The gift that his brother gave to him that day is the most Christ-like thing (next to giving a baby up for adoption) that a person could do for another person.  He endured much pain and sacrificed much because of his love for his brother. 

We listened to this song a lot while driving back and forth to the hospital (over an hour drive) before the transplant took place and for the check-ups that followed.  We talked a lot about how the song applied to our life then and how it applies to our lives in general.  There really is one person that can "fix" us.  He gave His life for us because He loved us so much.  Seeing the sacrifice that my husband's brother made, really makes the sacrifice of THE brother, Jesus Christ, seem so much more real in my life, because it is honestly so incomprehensible to me the amount of love that would take.  My husband was very fortunate to have not only one brother qualify and willing to donate a kidney, but he had 2 brothers, a sister, and a mom all qualify and and all willing.  The more we hear about people that are waiting for a kidney, the more we realize what a miracle that was to have that many potential donors!

Thank you seems so small and so insignificant, but it's the only words that come close to saying what I want to say.  So, to my wonderful brother-in-law and his wife (that watched him go through the donation) THANK YOU from the bottom of my tearful heart and happy anniversary!!!