Happy Birthday to You!!!

There are so many birthdays in December, I'm just going to send out a big Happy Birthday to each of you (that I can remember). This is not to replace any ecard or snail card, I send. It's just 'cause!

One of my favoritest and bestest friends is having a birthday today, December 12! Happy Birthday my little Jannah lamb! As they say in the fields, "Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Happy Birthday also to Maria-Noelle on the 14th! Kenny will be getting older on the 20th! Looking good for your age there, Kenny! (Assuming you look about the same since we saw each other last year.)

Then, this Christmas Eve, my little step-sister Nicole will be 29. (Right Shirley?) The poor dear has spent her whole life, and will have to continue to spend the remainder of her life, with a too easily overlooked birthday. But, we love her so much, and we love her taste in birthday cakes. I hope I can be there next year to partake of the 30th one.

Incidentally, Christmas Eve is also the Anniversary of the marriage of Christina and Kenny. They will be celebrating 16 happy years! Oh my gosh, you guys have been married that long? That's just weird! I've only been married 7 1/2 years. Of course, the old folks have been married longer than all of us, but it often works out that way, doesn't it. :)

I believe there are a couple of Au's I'm leaving out, but please ask them to forgive me, Jannah?

Am I missing anyone else?

Well, Happy Birthday, Snug people. We love you all and we wish we could have a cake with you. We are already indulging enough this month. What's another tasty dessert? :)

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...

Like so many, I am full of such mixed emotions at Christmas time. Since I have kids and a desire to always make Christmas special for them and David, my biggest and foremost emotion is anxiety. That is to say, I'm anxious to plan and work and make things great. It's not completely negative.

My second emotion is excitement. You see, David and I often plan to make big, exciting purchases at Christmas, and I get almost as excited about my KitchenAid Food Processor as Sophie gets about her play kitchen or DVDs. (This year, I'm craving a Palm Tx, which we'll be saving up Christmas funds for. It's a little expensive - as in $250-$300 expensive). Of course, this excitement is coupled with materialistic covetousness, which is then added to by extreme guilt over the covetous nature I suddenly have at the most precious and would-be spiritual time of the year. Of course, those emotions are now a three-some and no longer a couple (if you ignore anxiety and craving).

Okay, so the tally so far is:
Anxiety
Excitement (often considered a simile to anxiety)
Covetous materialism, or materialistic covetousness (I think these are both terms I just made up)
Guilt

Okay, moving on. (By the way, thanks for your indulgence on my syntax and grammar.) So, the next emotion is melancholy. I have always been and always will be without someone very dear to me at the holidays. Aren't we all? When I was a child, my biggest wish at Christmas was presents. Now it's family. This is going to be a very special Christmas, because it will be the first Christmas in years since I've been able to be with my mother on Christmas Day. I'm so excited. Of course, I'll be away from my Dad and my sister and their respective families. In all families, and especially in families with divorce, being with one person or group means not being with someone else. Marriage and in-laws only compound the issue, no matter how wonderful they are and how much you love them.

I'm going to stop on the emotions, at least the negative. I could elaborate on jealousy, loneliness, frustration, stress, etc., but what a miserable Christmas we'd all have if I decided to go into one of my wordy (to state it lightly) discourses on the negative emotions connected with the holidays.

My positive emotions include hope, joy, mirth (is that an emotion, or is it more a state of being?) My greatest emotion right now is gratitude. I'm so grateful I get to be with my Mom at Christmas. I'm soooooooooooooo grateful that David is on vacation from school until January 2, and that he'll only have 6 more months of school from that point on. I'm grateful David is employed and supporting this family so well. I'm grateful that my kids are healthy and extremely gorgeous, and that I have the blessing and privilege of spending my days with two people that I love so intensely. (And then I get to see the love of my life at night). I'm grateful to be thinner this Christmas. Here's hoping I can stay thinner and lose even more after the holidays. That makes me grateful for my elliptical and American Idol, a powerful combination. :)

I'm grateful for Christmas music and decorations, even if we've yet to get all of our decorations up. I'm grateful that even though I'll be missing some people this Christmas, I'll still be able to be with family that I love very much (particularly my Mom, but also my lovely in-laws; and I really do love them all very much). Because of the circumstances, I'm especially grateful for phones, the USPS, and the internet.

I hope that my short and incomplete list not only helps some or all of you feel more grateful, but that it communicates how much you each mean to us. Life and family are about compromise, and we'll always have to compromise at the holidays. It's part of really enjoying the people we have, though (as in - not blaming them for not being someone else). But, all of you who will be far away are truly missed.

In that extremely sappy spirit, I'd like to dedicate a Christmas song to you. I'll be singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" tonight at our church Christmas party (in a VERY deep and husky, still-recovering-from-a-cold voice). I purchased and printed the original (though not first draft) version sung by Judy Garland in "Meet Me in St. Louis." (Judy will be proud of my husk!) I forgot how melancholy the piece is. "In a year, our troubles will be out of sight." "Until then, we'll just have to muddle through somehow." I love the song, but to that I say, "Phooey!" I have no intention of muddling through anything.

So, I'd like to dedicate the more popular lyrics to you all (from the Frank Sinatra version), despite my purist nature. "Through the years, we all will be together if the fates allow. Hang a shining star upon the highest bow, and have yourself a merry little Christmas now." I'm just starting the get the last word of the song - now. Not yesterday or tomorrow, but now.

Love you all and Merry Christmas!

Getting sick around the holidays...

This is certainly not a post meant to bring anyone down. It's actually a rant and a fish for empathy. Does anyone else think it's just ridiculous that at the time you are most anxious to have a good time with friends and loved ones, you are also most likely to become ill. What's that all about? I'm sitting here in my mismatched pajamas and my husband's slippers contemplating all of things I'd like to do to prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas; and I've got an icky throat and have been exhausted all day long. It hasn't been the worst day, but it's hard not to be a little bummed that I'm going to have to practice some mind over matter this Thanksgiving in order to successfully get my pies baked. Sheesh!

Okay, no more ranting. By way of an update, we're doing great. We're crazy excited about a 4 day weekend, David is almost over his sickness, Sophie is pretty much over hers, Aidan seems to be a little gunky but getting out of the woods, and I'm just dealing with a touch of a cold (so far). Inside my head I've been thinking, "Maybe this means we'll be completely healthy for December and Christmas." Would be great! Last year we were coughing lots and Aidan was Mr. Drippy at the Nose during our Christmas visit back East. He still got plenty of snuggles from loved ones, but they were having to dodge the nose quite a bit.

On the upside of things, I have the perfect excuse to snuggle up in bed with my copy of Jane Austen's Persuasion. (See included photo of the delightful birthday gift I received from a Princess friend of mine). Gee, I forgot how difficult that book was to read, and I'm marveling again at how brilliant the 1995 film is! Nick Dear must've just known the book inside and out when he sat down and penned the screenplay, because much like Sense and Sensibility, the book is not exactly brimming over with easy to adapt scenes and dialogue. It's largely descriptions of events and scenes with a brilliant quote here and there. But Dear included every perfect moment, thought, or phrase in the film. It is one of my top 5 favorite films of all time.

Back to the book, I'm definitely humbled by the difficulty of Austen's prose. Mansfield Park, my second favorite Austen, is a much easier read (though with a less rapturous ending for my taste). I always prefer when people marry out of their bloodline, and Frederick, despite his interest in Louisa, was still more constant in his feelings than Edmund was. If you've not had a chance to savour the books or the films (and are hence confused by my commentary), please consider this post a teaser and go read and watch them! (But beware of some shocking moments in Mansfield Park!) I highly recommend them, especially if you find yourself all gunky in the throat at holiday time!

We love you all and wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving Day! Despite feeling a little under the weather today, I have felt almost intoxicated with the love I have in my life. I couldn't wish for more delicious offspring and or a snuggier husband, and lately I've felt really grateful for wonderful family and friends. You all mean a lot to the Buggy Grahams!

"I think you're some kind of deviated prevert..."

It has been a crazy week, but there have been fun moments despite it all. But first, I want to wish a Happy Birthday to my cousin Luc and a Happy Anniversary to Aunt Gloria and Uncle Pete. We love you all even if it'll be awhile before we see each other.

I hope that everyone had the opportunity to vote and that at least some, if not all of your choice candidates, were successful in winning their races. I'll not discuss the folks I voted for, because though most of us actually have similar political personalities, talking politics amongst family is just not fun from my experience. :)

What is fun, however, is talking political film, especially if it includes a whole lot of quotes. Well, on election day, as I left the voting station at the elementary school and headed over to pick up Sophie from preschool, I turned on NPR, which I rarely do. The program was a radio show called Radio West, and the host was talking with a poli-sci professor and a couple of film people from the area about politically themed films. They discussed favorite political films and invited callers to phone in their ideas. If you're interested in their lists, the URL for the show and episode is the following:
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kuer/news/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=992230&sectionID=184
I hope it works for you, because, though there was no quoting and bantering back and forth, just reading the lists of recommended films makes you nostalgic for your favorites. As I listened (with many interruptions), I was anxious to hear my favorite political film mentioned. I never heard it, so finally, I was able to call it in. Dr. Strangelove.

I will confess, on a scale of 1-10 of easy to difficult films, I would actually give DS a 6 or 7. It just takes a while to realize that everyone is kind of joking. Well, the filmmakers are joking, not the characters. As I've discussed with Dad, and as many of you might of observed, it is so similar in plot and theme to Failsafe. I checked IMDB, and it came out in the same year, and both films were based on completely different books. Obviously, one is a drama and the other is farce, and they're both great films. But, while Failsafe, which I haven't seen since I was a teenager, is just sobering and contemplative, I think that Dr. Strangelove is just chilling. As painfully funny as it is to see Slim Pickins riding a nuclear weapon with a good ol' "yeeeeeee-haaaaaw!", it is chilling to imagine that such distruction is even possible. I'm grateful to know that we have good people looking out for us, and so, I guess my thoughts are --- vote!!

Okay, no more soapbox stuff (which was completely unplanned). Instead, I want movie quotes. So, here's my invite. If you have a favorite movie quote from a politically themed film, be it funny or inspirational, please take a moment to post a comment in response to this posting (so that we may all share in the joy). I'll start by sharing my favorites (at least that I can think of for now).

Dr. Strangelove: "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the War Room!"
"You know what I think?! I think you're some kind of deviated prevert. I think General Ripper found out about your preversion, and that you were organizing some kind of mutiny of preverts."
"Well, it's good that you're fine and I'm fine. I agree with you, it's great to be fine."

Dave: "Hail to the chief, he's the one we all say 'hail' to. We all say 'hail' cause he keeps himself so clean!"
"Imagine that the entire United States of America is in the car."

Wag the Dog: "There are two things I know to be true. There's no difference between good flan and bad flan, and there is no war."

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: "No, sir,...I yielded the floor once before, if you can remember, and I was practically never heard of again. No sir. And we might as well all get together on this yielding business right off the bat, now."

"I guess this is just another lost cause, Mr. Paine."

I hope some of you find a few minutes to post a quote. Love to you all!

Drama Queen

I don't know where my kids get their dramatic nature!

This is definitely funnier in person, but I hope you'll find some humor in this. Sophie used to have the most delightful Teddy Bear that her Aunt Christina gifted her. It was tie-dyed pink, purple, and white, and his name was Dumbledore. In his left palm you could press a button, and he'd sing Brahms' lullaby to you (well, he'd play the tune). Unfortunately the most horrible thing happened last spring at a community event called the Teddy Bear picnic. You guessed it - she lost him. We searched for months, contacted the lost and found at the library (where the picnic was), and we finally gave up the fight. Yes, even in Utah things will be stolen. I can't really believe a parent would allow their child to go home with someone else's Teddy Bear, but that's what appears to have happened.

Well, we went to the Build-A-Bear workshop and got a new bear that she also named Dumbledore. He's a beautiful bear, though I confess that the old Dumbledore was cooler, especially since "he" (the original) was designed to be a "she." Still, Sophie has been pleased with Dumbledore II.

Now, I have the most delightful digital piano with many tunes programmed into it, including Brahms' lullaby. Sophie loves to play the various tunes. So, the other day, a new acting exercise started. (I'm trying to be sensitive to tender feelings, but I'm an actress, and I know an acting exercise when I see one). Sophie is at the piano while I'm at the computer, and she plays the Brahms lullaby and points out to me that it's the tune the old Dumbledore used to play (forget the fact that the new Dumbledore and Aidan's stuffed monkey, George, also play the tune). Suddenly I hear the unmistakable sound of keening. She begins with a low moan and the sound crescendos into this passionate weep. I reach out to her, and she lets me hold her for a few minutes. Then she returns to the piano, catharsis complete.

Today, I'm sitting at the computer setting up this blog when I hear Brahms' lullaby followed by the same sound. Yes, keening. If you don't know what it is, you should look it up. It's something the Irish do when they're mourning. I only wish you could see the tears budding in the corners of her squinting eyes as she does this.

Really, I think I'm a decent actress. But, she's good.

Hello.

This is delightful!

Thank you for the invitation to Blog with you. ;)

Welcome to our blog!

I hate to be trendy, but I've loved reading my friend's blog from time to time, and I thought this might be a more usable alternative to the old website to help us stay in touch (until/unless something better comes along).

So, I'll start with Halloween. Sophie and David decided that she would dress up as The Corpse Bride (see Tim Burton film of that name). She was just darling.

We almost decided to make Aidan a fireman, and we got him a very cute, happily inexpensive costume, but it occured to me that he would probably not be dressing up as furry animals much longer, so we stuck with original plan - a giraffe. Was it worth it? If you think he's cute in the picture, imagine picking him up and snuggling him. Very fun!

David and I did the typical "we probably won't dress up and so let's focus ont he kids" thing, which was then followed by the "gee, Halloween is tomorrow and it would be disappointing to not dress up" thing. Anyway, we ended dressing up as Spike and Dru from the Buffy TV series. Unfortunately, with how hectic everything was that evening, we did not take photos. But we were at least as attractive as they were. (I think we were. :) Also, I got some really great new skirts from the whole "shopping for Dru-ish clothing. Love that!

Well, that's it for now, but I love the idea of sharing tidbits and photos from our family without tying up everyone's servers and inboxes. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do.