Read/heard/seen
My brother and sister-in-law just started the Dave Ramsey course a few months ago and then I saw AmFam is too. Brett used to love to listen to his radio show (except for the conservative social commentary) because Brett is a junkie about financial stuff. Me, I think Dave Ramsey’s advice is obvious and so does SNL. I thought I’d share it here. (I am pretty sure AmFam could TEACH a Dave Ramsey course only it would have lots of liberal social commentary. In fact, I think she should. There ain’t nothing Ramsey could teach AmFam!)
Edited to add: Post inspired by Abby who needs a bigger bed but insists on paying cash and who could also teach Dave Ramsey courses.
“People always ask me,’You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?’ It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see. Your body is your temple, it’s your home, and,” she chuckles, “you must decorate it.”
via Interview With Precious Star Gabourey Sidibe – Bazaar.com.
For the first night of Hanukkah, Madison and I headed to the Ohio Theater to see the Nutcracker while the boys went and saw some movie. Madison was very, very, very excited because she knew this was a BIG OCCASION! She wore her fanciest dress and she did not walk into the theater, she traipsed into the theater! Arms to the side, hands daintily lifted as if she was holding up her skirt and a merry little yet dignified skip to her step. The ticket taker and the usher both commented on her regal attire and curly-curly hair.
Madison was so impressed with the theater although she would have traded in our excellent 16th row, aisle seats for the ones in the balcony (note the wistfulness in the video below when she mentions the balcony) and the antics of the 3-year old next to us were quite the inspiration for her to sit beautifully through the show.
Ballet Met has a very nice, very child-friendly production with amazing sets and costumes. While our Clara — like all the performers especially the kids — was absolutely TERRIFIC, we were sorry to hear that we missed the little girl who is African American and has the role. Madison did note when she looked around at the audience that there weren’t a lot of black people in attendance and she was very excited to see a little black girl running out from Mother Ginger’s skirt (I was surprised this didn’t make it into the review actually).
All in all it was a wonderful show and now that I know that Madison is as interested in the dancing as she is in the story, we will try some more challenging shows. (She didn’t get bored during the slow parts like I did when I was a kid.)
Anyway, her review is very very cute and I hope it’ll inspire you to treat your kids to the show! (Oh edited to add: That front tooth is thisclose to coming out!)
The folks at VitaClay sent me a Natural Stone Cookier to test out. Review below the cut!
Popped open Huffington Post today and found out that Gwyneth Paltrow and I have some of the same decorating ideas. She recommends personalized prints by the artist Ida Pearle and it just so happens that I cut up this book to frame around Madison’s room in her big do-over.
I framed C, D, J and a couple of others not on this page. I cut this book up, too. And the M page from this one.
I’ve always used extra copies of kids’ books for decor. The pic below is framed in our living room. I went looking for the poster to publicize the book and finally found it but it wasn’t the cover, which is the picture I love. So I bought an extra copy of the book and framed it. Voila. Instant art.
