the before photo...

this was taken BEFORE (hence the name of the post title) he got his hair cut this week. we had to let his hair grow out (since august) for his role in “waiting for godot” at fsu. his boy role required him to look unkempt. i think we accomplished that look. nailed it actually. and his hair was kind of fun. and required him to shower and shampoo every morning. he is usually a night shower-er. and he had to comb it. he isn’t much of a comber. thus the “after” photos in the last post. he decided the extra sleep was worth the short hair. good choice.

and here he is onstage in “waiting for godot”. he does look pitiful. and so did the shower and towels every night after he cleaned up. i had to use a combination of chemicals to clean the tub that might be the next chemical weapon used in warfare. i am still in negotiations with the CIA regarding that.

roasted...

that word makes me think of that girl making the crazy face in the photo (the one on the right, i am NOT the one making the crazy face. that is my regular face, thank you very much). the girl is erin westberry, edub. and she says that word “roasted” all of the time. like when she makes a funny sarcastic comment. or bests you in some way.

and “roasted” is also her favorite meal. roasted chicken. this roasted chicken. and i can understand why it is her favorite. because it is just goodness. 

if you happen to make it with these mashed potatoes and use some of the au jus to moisten up the potatoes a bit and as a little drizzle over the chicken and you will think you hear the trumpets of heaven blaring in your ears and you will eat even faster so that Jesus doesn’t arrive and take you Home whilst you still have chicken left on your plate. and if He doesn’t arrive and take you home then get another serving to assuage your sorrow.

we had it for dinner last night. and that girl left happy and full and on her way to gymnastics. she takes gymnastics, isn’t that precious? she wants to have her birthday party at the gymnastics studio (where we have been for some birthday parties for the under 10 year old set but never for the over 20 set). but i might have to go to that event. and buy a special leotard. ha. 

update... i bought a good knife (thanks lori for the encouragement). i bought the forschner victorinox fibrox chef’s knife (recommended by cook’s illustrated as a BEST CHOICE and a great “all around if you only have one knife” knife) at brown’s home kitchen supply. well under $50 and worth every penny. it is made by the same company that makes swiss army knives. once i told adam about that, he ceased caring that i had bought a new knife. he also ceased caring when he cut up a side of beef last night for steaks for tonight and he was able to see the knife at work.

what was i thinking with my 25 year old walmart set of knives? i was missing out on the good life which was within my grasp so easily (all it took was $38).

this evening we are having the cast and crew of fsu’s theater production of “waiting for godot” over for dinner. maxx is the “boy” in that play and tonight they have no show and so we thought it would be nice to have them all over. they have been so sweet and taken such great care of maxx. it should be interesting conversation around ye olde table. i will be able to show off my extensive shakespeare knowledge to people who won’t roll their eyes. good times.

menu for tonight...

carrot and squash curry soup

spinach salad, with gorgonzola, sweet pecans, and pear. pear and honey dressing

steaks

baked potatoes (sweet or white potato)

lemon and ginger iced tea

and mom’s apple cake with whipped cream for dessert

i better get cookin’. and refresh my shakespeare knowledge.

i'm a celebrity...

but you all knew that already. and i am only a celebrity for one day. tonight is my performance as ms. darbus in young actors high school musical “celebrity edition”. 

too bad tickets are sold out because i know that my TENS of blog readers would be rushing the box office today. i am sure that is my LEGION of fans that have sold out the show. of course at $50 a ticket most of my family and friends said that they had seen my act and it really wasn’t worth $50 to them (i am sure they meant that i was PRICELESS).

i have another funeral to go to today. a 28 year old boy that i used to babysit. and his mother taught me third grade and each of my children she taught in 2nd grade. very sad. he had a massive heart attack. pray for his family. especially his twin brother who he still lived with and worked with and who gave him cpr while he was waiting for the ambulance to come. 

i tend to think of my job as parent being “done” one day. though i am coming more and more to realize that though the job description changes there are certain realities that never change. the idea that any day could be their last day here on earth is a reality that i must cling to every day. and a reality that i must give thanks for even though one of the worst things i could imagine would be them preceding me to heaven. i must be prepared to know that God in His mercy and love may take one of them or all three of them at any time to be with Him. and that them going onto be with Him though it would seem a tragedy would actually be a TRIUMPH for the one chosen to go to His side...

Death can be so inconvenient. 

You try to live and love. It comes and interrupts. . 

And what do I know? What do I know? 

But I know to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord, 

and from what I know of Him, that must be pretty good. 

Oh, I know to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord, 

and from what I know of Him, that must be very good.

{sarah groves}

and that is so DANG easy to say when my three children are here in the house with me, two sleeping peacefully and one reading in the playroom right behind me. easy to say, lovely to sing along with in the song, but impossible to actually walk through, and knife splitting your guts open painful to endure... 

that is enough deep thinking for a celebrity like me.

i am off to do my hair and makeup.

oh, and summer BINGO is a huge hit! i should really homeschool my children (debbie, stop reading NOW). all i would have to do is give them a sheet of items to check off and they would be the busiest beavers ever! rosie has already gotten 10 stickers and she was up and doing her laundry and had stripped her bed to wash her sheets before me this morning AND had read for 30 minutes and done 30 minutes of wii fit. what a gal.