Julie Pippert: Using My Words

"And I'm a Canadian!" said my four-year-old niece from the back of the minivan. The three adults in the car---me, my husband, and my mother---had a laugh that we quickly tried to cover and convert into a pleased sort of "that's right, you're right" sort of chuckle. My niece Sonsie is a sensitive sort, and we all knew that if she felt laughed at, her pride would quickly evaporate into confused shame and hurt feelings. "You are!" said my mother, "You are a Canadian!" Later we repeated this story to my sister, who allowed herself one quick laugh and said, "Yes, the Canadian thing comes up pretty frequently these days. It's her Thing. Pretty much everything goes back to her being a Canadian." "I had no idea it was such a big deal to her, being Canadian," I said. "Oh no, not Canadian, a Canadian," my sister said, "Yeah, it's funny. She'll get a compliment, like nice outfit or good job and sh...

Hand me a tissue... Well, I guess it's time to say goodbye. It has been fun writing. And thank you Julie Readers for staying tuned in and putting up with me. I don't know how so many of you do it every day and so well. I have visited several different blogs during my 'sitting'. And I am humbled by the honest, graceful and relevant writing I found. I also, now, have felt (am feeling) the pains of writer's block. But, I guess that's okay, since I was billed as having less to say. :) Hopefully, you all will tell Julie I did a good job and she will have me back (If not, there's always the rogue route). Since my brain is frozen, like my computer has been lately. I'm going to leave a clip of one of my most favorite movie scenes of all time. It pretty much sums up my personality. You'll see, it's not hard to tickle my funny bone. http://lesstosay.blogspot.com/ Enjoy! (Please don't laugh but, you'll have to link to my blog because I cannot figure...

I like movies. I used to love movies, but lately haven't had a chance to see many. And maybe they don't seem as good as they used to somehow? Or maybe my attention span has shortened (likely). So today on a lighter note: What is your favorite movie and movie quote? I'll get started: Guy 1: I've got a question. If you know so much about girls-What are you doing at the Gas'N'Sip on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere? Guys: Choice man, Choice! Name this movie and you win a free date with the lead actor, no wait, that's my fantasy! Have a fun day! xoxo, Lesley today's wine (or other beverage): Oktoberfest Beer and for a treat, hot popcorn mixed with Hot Tamales and m&ms. oops: I forgot some of my favorite movies- In the top ten Usual Suspects Rear Window Almost Famous

Do homework and drinking go together? Wait, don't answer. And tell Miss Meredith V. to tune out. Normally you might not think so, but you have never tried to help my Masie, the seven year old, with homework. Let me go back a little and give some insight on my second oldest. I like to say Masie was born with just about everything wrong you can think of, but none of it life-threatening. She was underweight slightly, jaundiced, had 5 holes in her heart(ASD's and VSD's). Her nose was squashed. She had a high fever and so on. She was basically one of those babies that people see and say 'oh gee, they all look the same, don't they.' Like the Seinfeld episode- look at the beautiful baby! Isn't she gorgeous. No, Masie was not a cute one. Then ten days after May was born, she started to cry 12 hours a day, all day and did not stop. She threw up (not spit up) all the time, had to have breathing treatments, had RSV, 11 ear infections by 5 months, tubes twice, and a con...

Last week, I had what could have been a very embarrassing moment. In the morning super rush-I quickly threw on workout clothes. Very very soft running shorts (from a sale bin, this will be important later) and loose t-shirt. I was in a hurry as usual-I was off to drive kids around, then go running. All of us suburby moms look like this, the new morning rush uniform. I dropped off Kiddos 1 and 2. Salsie and May at school, where luckily I stay in the car. Then, I had to drop kiddo 3, who calls herself Sauncy, at preschool, where I do have to get out of the car. Eyewitness point number 1. Then I went for a run- starting pretty much up and down the main street, past the 'gated' part of my development, right by several construction sights, then in front of the golf club. Eyewitness locations 2-20. Where I finally ended at the park to set kiddo 4, Willsie, free from stroller jail. Eyewitness location number 21. At the park, trying to cool down in 90 degree, 100 percent humidity, dri...

So my sister---who some of you have met on your own blogs---has agreed to blogsit for me when I am unable to blog. This is my nefarious underhanded plan to get her to start her own blog, or at least a joint blog with me. I'm liking "Divine Secrets of the Ha-Ha Sisters" with subtitle/caption "The All True Adventures of Lola and Flavia Honobutt." These are our real names, or are at least the ones we tormented each other with our entire lives. I even created a blog for her: Less to Say...Your Blog Brain Candy (you can follow that link but you'll just find a blank blog...for now...) This is her idea, this title. It's funny. It's punny. It's very her . It's also her Antithesis of Me, which pretty well sums up her main motto in life growing up (I mean, after she realized she was not, in fact, an extension of me...a sad, hard day for me, indeed, her too, probably). (And I say that lovingly because I'm fine, FINE I SAY, with it. After all, I did...