THE HELP, The Movie, May Shoot this Summer

THE HELP, The Movie, May Shoot this Summer

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3 Beautiful Images

They're not great photography, but the images make me happy.

Exhibit #1: Samwise, trying to get as far under the shelf as possible to feel the heat from the vent that's under there on his face.




Exhibit #2: Cheese Souffle. We had this for Sunday breakfast a few weeks ago, and I had meant to post the pic then. It still looks delish. Think I'll make another one this weekend.






Exhibit #3: Rice Krispie treats in the shape of hearts. Yup, they were for Valentine's Day. I'm a little late uploading pics, obviously. These were yum and very easy to work into my eating plan (unlike the souffle!).

3 Beautiful Things

I came across this article today with 10 tips for staying happy at work. All good advice! In honor of this list, I'm doing all 3 BT's about work today (I know, yesterday had 2 of them about work - weird, huh?).

1. My office window is now decorated with huge retro flowers in bright purple, pink and lime green!

2. I went to help the Ready to Read Corps at the Free Store today, and Abby was so good at working the crowd. It made me feel so good and proud and strong, knowing that CML is doing great things with amazing people in those jobs.

3. A toddler was having a crying fit when I went out to the public area this afternoon, and when he saw me he paused and gave a half smile. He was obviously too tired to stay calm, but I think he's getting to know me a little, and it made me feel good that he stopped long enough to let me read him a quick book.

Bonus BT: planning a little surprise that is going to make my son's eyes sparkle tomorrow. :-)

3 Beautiful Things

1. Reading with 3 little boys today, they all crowded close so we could talk about the Spiderman Villains together. I am thankful that my own (not so) little boy educated me well on this topic!

2. A young girl came in tonight and said "I read those books you left for me last week. They were fun. Do you have any more?" Do I have more? Seriously?

3. Finding a new song on the radio that touches me so deeply that I think "I have to learn that song right now."

1. Seeing the results from a photo shoot of me and thinking "eh, not so bad as it could have been."

2. The smell of Spring-ish rain on the city streets makes me love the city, even though I still have to pause at the shininess of the pavement, thinking it might be slippery.

3. My teenager saying "don't I get a hug?" Cynicism doesn't always reign supreme.

American Idol, making dreams come true and my bucket list

Do you have a bucket list? I don't have one written down, but I do sort of have a list of things I've always wanted to do and would like to accomplish in my life. One of those things involves music.

I have always loved making music. I'm told by my family that I pretty much started singing right when I learned to talk. My sister complained that I would wake her up in the middle of the night (we shared a room) because I'd wake up and sing myself back to sleep. Of course, being a little kid, I wouldn't sing a complete song, but would mindlessly just sing snippets from every song I knew in a sort of random fashion. I'm like that.

I like all kinds of music: folk, rock. church, classical, opera, hip hop, rap, Christian alternative, Jazz, blues, etc. I enjoy singing it all, too. The other day, Si got in the car and said "what are you listening to today, Mom?" thinking I had a book in, as per usual. I turned the CD player on and he got a blasting earful of Beyonce. I embarrassed him by singing and dancing along to Single Ladies as we went down the road. I did some musical theater in college and right after college, and I hope to again some day. I have sung in church choirs and I love karaoke. And I get together with 2 colleagues for our little band and play now and then for some traditional music (folk, gospel type stuff).

I don't know why I never really watched American Idol until last year. I don't like all the drama-building they do and the commercials and stuff, so we DVR it and watch it at our leisure, FFing past Ryan Seacrest and commercials. If I were younger I'd dream of going on that show, only struggling with what kind of music I would want to claim as "my own". I've enjoyed hearing about Susan Boyle and her rise to stardom with her amazing voice. It gives me hope that ordinary folks can do extraordinary, dream-quality things sometimes.

So that brings me to my bucket list. Someday, I'd like to front a blues band. I'd love to really sing all those great songs made famous by Bill Withers, BB King, Etta James and others, and have back-up singers and musicians around me. Mmm mm mm, wouldn't that be fun?

If you could sing in a band, what would you want to sing? What is on your bucket list?

3 Beautiful Things

My SIL has asked - again - that I post more often, and it just occured to me that posting 3BT would be a great way to lift my spirits and post more (win-win!).

1. Seeing the scale stop one number sooner than last week - finally breaking the plateau I've been on for 3 weeks.

2. Sliding through the warm water of the pool with flippers on reminds me that my muscles work, that I am Blessed, and that I am getting stronger every day.

3. My son, reminding me that he has made good choices in the past and perhaps should be trusted to make this big decision about next year, and knowing in my heart that we've done well to get him this far into adulthood so soon. So proud of him.