Friday, August 14, 2009

With a Capital "T"

Sophie is in trouble today.

Well...actually she was in trouble on Tuesday, but we haven't been able to squeeze her punishment into the schedule until today.

It all started on Sunday really.

Every summer our church (St. Jude's Episcopal) holds a Mass in the Time of Shakespeare (complete with queen, lutes, etc.) in honor of the Utah Shakespearean Festival that is our little town's claim to fame.  We showed up last Sunday having missed the last several weeks, and not knowing what Elizabethan shenanigans awaited us.

For the service, they invite the actors from the Greenshow (the free before-the-real-show-show with dancing, singing, and again Elizabethan themed)to participate.  Sophie--who is a huge Greenshow fan--was very excited to see these"famous" actors at her church.

So, after church, the hospitality ladies put on a super sweet high tea.  We're talking crumpets and cream and silver tea pots here.  Sophie and I ended up at a table with the Greenshow actors, and they were super sweet to her.  They answered all of her questions and chatted her up and it was a thrilling experience for Soph.
But that was NOTHING compared to Tuesday when Sophie and I attended the Greenshow, and one of the actors recognized Sophie and singled her out to stand up and play a part in "The Scum and Ratsby Show"  (think Elizabethan stand-up).

My girl was over the moon.

So we came home, and she was telling her dad about it--swirling and twirling around generally being spaztic--and she promptly spilled a huge class of water right on E's laptop.

It sparked and smoked and died.

I should add that Sophie as been told and warned and cautioned about fooling around in close proximity to her dad's computer desk.  About 500 times.

There were tears all around, and while it was an accident, it was one she had been warned against profusely.  Unfortunately, the incident happened on Tuesday; her birthday was on Wednesday; Thursday I had to be back at work (sigh)and she was scheduled to spend a day with Grandma; so the decided punishment--a full days worth of grounding to her room--couldn't actually take place until today.

Not the best case scenario I know.

Oh well.  Wish me luck in holding my resolve today.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The dog won't come when she's called...

and the dumplings keep burning.

And that is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my complaints about the DS that Sophie (finally) got for her birthday today.

I held out for a long time on this one kids.  But, E talked me around, and my shiny new seven year old is now the proud owner of a shiny new pearl pink Nintendo DS.

Have I mentioned that video games fill me with rage.  I can't play them.  I hate them.  I hate trying to help Sophie play them.  I hate that the stupid voice command on the Nintendogs seems completely shitty, and trying to make the fake dog answer her to her fake name like 50 times (which, by the way, made the REAL dog very antsy because he was like, "Hello!  I'm here!  Why do you keep calling me!) nearly lead me to have a nervous breakdown this morning.

Of course, she's enjoying the Cooking with Mama game, and even has on her chief's hat.  After yesterday's REAL cooking experiment ("I made you a nice warm drink mom.  It has milk, sugar, chocolate, butterscotch and cinnamon. The microwave is a little messy now.") I can't say that I'm sad that she is making octopus dumplings in a completely sterile environment.

Ultimately, I'm a complete and total Luddite when it comes to video games.  I sound like an 80 year old woman walking around saying things like, "Kids these days don't know how to have fun anymore.  All they do is play those new-fangled  Pac-Man games."

But I said OK, and so, having made my bed, I suppose I aught to quit my bitching and lay in it.

So--Happy 7th birthday my darling Soph.  You are the light of my life and the song in my heart.  Please keep liking me for at least a couple more years.  Also, it's almost time to put the DS away.  You have 10 more minutes.  I don't care if you're almost done with that level.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

And then she turned 34...

I kind of hate birthdays.  It's like you should be having lots of fun and feeling very special, but ultimately it's just another day and while it's nice to get some cash and not have to do the dishes, I kind of wonder if it's worth the trouble.

Snapshots from the last few weeks:
  • Janzen watching in awe as I unloaded my first Costco haul.  After he watching me put away the lifetime (well, 3 month anyway) supply of paper towels, toothpaste, laundry soap, etc., he asks, "Geez Boo. Is this for when the zombies attack?"
  • Sitting on the porch at the Jorgensen family cabin all day with my dear Jen.  Nothing better to do than watch the Quaky leaves quake.  Perfect.
  • Making my first ringer in horseshoes.
  • Cleaned out my closet.  Finally.
  • Trying to find some jeans that fit with Soph...both of us struggling and unsuccessful.  Her saying, "Mom, trying on pants just makes me too emotional."
  • The first red cherry tomato from the garden.
  • Turing the calendar over to August, realizing that school is starting any second now, and I am not ready.
  • Having the first truly, truly ugly fight with my husband in years.  Then making up and realizing that I truly, truly do love this man.
  • Watching Soph gear up for her first jog with dad (her idea).  Shoes on the right feet--check.  Headband--check. Shaker cued to Dancing Queen--check.  The girl is ready to rumble.
  • Sitting through my first visit to the dentist in WAY longer than I feel comfortable disclosing to anyone.  Even the hygenist.  Do I floss?  Ummm.  Sure.  You bet.  No cavities (I've never had even one.) but the punishment for my lack of dental care is now a series of fairly painful "deep cleanings."
  • Celebrating Erik's birthday with a picnic at Cedar Breaks--just us and the kids.