Conversations with a Four Year Old

"...and it breaks my heaa-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-ar-eart." My ringtone is currently set on Regina Spector singing "Fidelity". When we were shopping the other day Riley heard the song and immediately it became her new favorite. I let her hold my phone so she could keep replaying the song, and she quickly caught on and sang along with Regina.

A while later, as we were walking around Target (after we looked through the cards, of course) Riley found a card making kit that she "needed". I think it was a legitimate desire. She held tightly on to the big box as we looked around for "mommy" to "tell her if" Riley could have it. She was quiet for a few minutes (which is abnormal for Ry) until she shared her thoughts...

"do you think we could make a card for, um-what's her name? Regina?"


"Yes. I think we could do that. What will we say?"

"Can I tell her I love her?"

"Why don't we tell her we love her song, because we don't really know her."

"Yeah. Regina Spec--what?"

"Spector."

"I love her song."


I so enjoy life with a four year old.

"The one where Manda moves to the new town home"

I always loved the way the Friend's episodes were titled: "The one where Joey gets a duck". Sometimes I title scenes in life. Like this one--"The one where Manda moves to the new town home!" I do so enjoy change. This won't be anything major (I'm moving 3/4 of a mile from my parent's house), but it's definitely going to be different. I'm going to be living with my sister, brother-in-law, and my niece in our new town home on the golf course. Eeeee! I'm so excited! If my friends lived here, we'd have a house warming party so we could pray over each room...then you all could lavish us with home decor gifts, and we'd end the night with a crazy fun dance. Maybe our next reunion should be here, so we can fill the new house with great memories. I've played so many of them in my head already. -like the one where we stay up all night watching the whole 5 video Pride and Prejudice series in our basement (on the 62" plasma screen Nick bought so the Wii would be more life-like). . . and the one where we sit on the roof in the Colorado summer watching the sun set, and talking about the goodness of God. . . and then the one where Jane takes the pregnancy test and gathers the family in our living room to tell us we're going to have a baby! . .I am so thankful for this new home. God's timing has been absolutely perfect. He is so good! Yes, and amen.

Peace, love, and...skulls?

Yesterday I went Christmas shopping with my sister and neice.(Jane and Riley).We seriously shopped until we dropped. I didn't end up buying very many Christmas presents. Come to think of it, I didn't buy any. Oh dear. I bought my 13 year old sister her birthday present. I have fun shopping for her. She's into the florescent 80's colors. Jane and I are trying to manipulate her style to carefully draw her away from the idea that skulls and peace signs go together. The junior high style is so weird. I have to be careful with my comments though. Thirteen is a very sensitive age. Last year I made the mistake of laughing at some girl's big skater shoes with bright laces-turns out Sarah had the same ones. Whoops! She held a grudge for a few months. That was before I moved home, so I didn't feel the reprocussion of my taunting.

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They're so cute. :-)

Greetings!

I am a huge fan of greeting cards. I can spend entirely too much time in the Hallmark store just browsing cards for all occasions. I normally only walk away with one, and it's often one that I don't know I need until I see it. I love the moment when I know I "just have to get it" for whoever I decide would love to get it in the mail. I mean, really...who doesn't love getting a card in the mail?? My friend, Lindsee, loves Hallmark's Fresh Ink cards, so now I'm a fan. And then, there's Papyrus. Ahhh...Papyrus. In my opinion, no one does a better job creating an experience for the recipient than the Papyrus card company. The cards are pricey, but worth the cost. Before viewing the card, you have to break the golden, embossed seal that is marked with the signature humming bird. Then, the cards are lavishly decorated with beautiful prints. Even the simple cards are beautiful.

I think dictation is the "sinker" in the "hook, line, and sinker" trio (and "Fresh Ink" wins there). The front print is the hook (or the bait). The "line" is a subjective feature-the moment when the viewer decides if it's worth opening. So, if they make it this far, and the dictation inside just doesn't cut it, the whole process looses momentum. This is the point when  the viewer will flip the card over to check the price. If it's too high, the fish is off the hook. If it's reasonable, maybe they'll buy even if they don't love every aspect of the card.

I would love to have my own greeting card company. That's my latest developing dream. I'm having a hard time knowing how to start this endeavor. I've been researching non-profits that I could eventually partner with so that a percentage of the proceeds could go to a good cause. Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Connections?

Lean Muscle Eats Fat...

I started P90X this week, and though right now it's kicking my butt, after a few more weeks I hope to hold some fitness authority. It's funny how a tough workout brings out my aggressive side. I feel like yelling at Tony Horton for making me beat my body for 58 minutes (with only a few 30 second "breaks"). Even during the breaks he makes me keep moving (it's called "ballistic stretching"). I'm blaming this all on him, but I really do love it...and I hate it too. I'm sore today, and it feels great! The endorphins are definately a motivating factor. So, that's the latest. I'll be finished with my 90 days on March 7th. I'll let you know how it goes.

Something Old, Something New...

Who: Valerie and the rest of the Goulson family, Emma, and me.
Where: Willmar, Minnesota.
Why?: It's our ANNUAL "THANKSGIVING REUNION"!!

What a wonderful trip this has been thus far...it is so good to see the town that Val lives in (she grew up in a town not too far from here). Yesterday was Emma's birthday, and what a birthday it was! We enjoyed every moment. We even did something that we've never done before...

Join us as we explore "Weddings on First".

This was only a glimpse of one stop along our week of adventure. The week was filled with Christmas decorating, a ladies shopping retreat to the Mall of America, dinner and a movie with the guys (Josh and Bryan), more laughter than I've had in months, great vanilla chai from Lulu Bean's, family game night with the Goulson's...okay, I could go on, but you get the picture. It was a blast!