tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50613407338420358162024-03-12T18:47:30.468-07:00Lu and MooLu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.comBlogger199125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-35107449552318560392011-01-08T22:36:00.000-08:002011-01-08T22:37:36.658-08:00Be Careful For What You Wish For...I always took that phrase to have a sinister tone--as in, Be careful for what you wish for because it might turn out awful and then you'll only have yourself to blame. Or be careful what you wish for because you might not phrase it right and get something stupid (like a sausage stuck to your nose). For a while there, that fear kept me from wishing for things. (That, and the fact that I didn't have a magic lamp with a genie inside).<br />
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Recently, I read a book in which the author tells of a time she wanted a pair of pants because they were so beautiful. Her mother told her, "Be careful for what you wish for"--with the subtext being: because you just might get it. Sure enough, the girl ended up (through a miraculous event) getting the very thing she wanted. Her message was one of happiness and in continuing to wish for things because you might actually get them. Not sinister at all.<br />
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Now. I love illustrations by <a href="http://www.sophieblackall.com/">Sophie Blackall</a>. I posted about her illustrations of missed <a href="http://luandmoo.blogspot.com/2010/01/sophie-blackall.html">connection personal ads</a> and <a href="http://luandmoo.blogspot.com/2009/03/book-binge.html">a series</a> she illustrates. I check in on <a href="http://sophieblackall.blogspot.com/">her blog</a> once in a while to see what she's posted about. A while back she posted about a display she did for an <a href="http://sophieblackall.blogspot.com/2010/09/drawn-in-brooklyn.html">exhibit at a public library in New York</a>. It looked AWESOME! But, because there was no way I could go to NY to see the exhibit, I was sort of disappointed that there were only a few pictures posted. <br />
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I complained to Moo about my disappointment and she said, "Why don't you just email her?" <br />
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Right. Email a famous person and ask for photos. ... and then, I realized, Why not?! <br />
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So I did it. I emailed her, and THE NEXT MORNING! there was a reply in my inbox from Sophie Blackall herself. Pictures attached. It was like Christmas! <br />
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Thus, I can add my own story to that of the much-wished-for-pants above to prove to myself that wishes sometimes do come true in happy, wonderful ways.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-20185964373695073562010-12-07T09:56:00.000-08:002010-12-07T09:56:58.290-08:00Children Make Terrible Pets / children's book reviews<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Children-Make-Terrible-Peter-Brown/dp/0316015482/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291744582&sr=1-1">Great book, made me laugh, and the illustrations are AWESOME</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4690mK5jv9lv2l56so4GPOnU6zZKz4h3Xu5z6GJ-FUPI4dQDXKuFOmScAimouYUNiJrkuboO4Ym0i-zzJjSEfZV6LlAIqAgxCX9VqJK1iSrWB5vW3FynvWY_TzVeNJOJL5_IHMBtIsMh/s1600/children+make+terrible+pets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4690mK5jv9lv2l56so4GPOnU6zZKz4h3Xu5z6GJ-FUPI4dQDXKuFOmScAimouYUNiJrkuboO4Ym0i-zzJjSEfZV6LlAIqAgxCX9VqJK1iSrWB5vW3FynvWY_TzVeNJOJL5_IHMBtIsMh/s320/children+make+terrible+pets.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Notable-Childrens-Books-Younger-Readers/dp/0152024883/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291744554&sr=8-1">I Ain't Gonna Paint No More</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tg5IEnGp4MCWJJQzvYOeHWGJvCJ74dRezRxO408Mu1UbuW9nEOs2yYNtwvQme4uSoiJy3o3Sew_5MQ8xdkPGud3pLet0o3_SqoeCB74qAUCbwJh6lmeLk-NbsG09m10CM4zz5B40odJd/s1600/I+ain%2527t+gonna+paint+no+more.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9tg5IEnGp4MCWJJQzvYOeHWGJvCJ74dRezRxO408Mu1UbuW9nEOs2yYNtwvQme4uSoiJy3o3Sew_5MQ8xdkPGud3pLet0o3_SqoeCB74qAUCbwJh6lmeLk-NbsG09m10CM4zz5B40odJd/s320/I+ain%2527t+gonna+paint+no+more.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><br />
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This was a smash hit at story time with the 3-4 year olds. (ok, it was a smash hit with me as well). As an added bonus, the song gets stuck in your head!<br />
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--LuLu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-30477895922713309732010-10-29T09:01:00.000-07:002010-10-29T09:05:04.891-07:00Favorite Halloween Costume and Makeup TutorialsThis post is a compilation of the videos and links I've been using for inspiration for my homemade costume/makeup this Halloween. <br />
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I'll include some of my own findings about cheap makeup ideas at the bottom of the post (including where to get some uber cheap makeups so you get the look without breaking the bank for Halloween, along with diy recipes for makeup remover and brush cleaner).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/pub/special_issues/2009Q4//sip_hall09_marthacostume_ld104983_069_xl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="256" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/ghostly-equestrienne-costume?#slide_8">Martha's Ghostly Equestrian</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/pub/special_issues/2009Q4//sip_hall09_marthacostume_ld104983_069_xl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/pub/special_issues/2009Q4//md104880_hal09_bttrfly_019_xl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="256" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/article/madame-butterfly-costume?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/our-favorite-costume-ideas#slide_1">Martha's Madame Butterfly </a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/pub/special_issues/2009Q4//md104880_hal09_bttrfly_019_xl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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Whether you like her or not, <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/our-favorite-costume-ideas">Martha Stewart has some of the BEST costume ideas on the web</a>.<br />
Even if you've seen these before, they are worth looking at again for inspiration--they teach you how to take mundane things and make them something special. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/pub/special_issues/2010/mmsl_hal10_011030305w_evil_sorceress_xl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="256" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/marthas-spellbinding-sorceress-costume#slide_0">Martha's Spellbinding Sorceress Costume</a></td></tr>
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New and sort of hidden this year, is the full tutorial of how they created Martha's Enchantress Costume for 2010. <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/marthas-spellbinding-sorceress-costume#slide_0">Follow this link to get the step by step instructions! </a> AMAZING! And the things they use to create the look probably could all be found at the $1 store or thrift stores (or a substitute anyway). (images from <a href="http://marthastewart.com/">marthastewart.com</a>)<br />
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DIY FAIRY WINGS<br />
This tutorial got me into a fairy wing mess of my own...I'll post pictures when I'm done.<br />
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My suggestion would be to keep it simple (notice there is only one color of paint used in the tutorial), have some glitter on hand, and see if your Walmart has incense on clearance like mine did for 75 cents. Walmart also has really cheap knee highs in little plastic balls (like the kind that come out of vending machines with a toy surprise inside).<br />
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Makeup<br />
I have become quite entranced by the tutorials by MissChevious because makeup is somewhat of a mystery to me, and she makes it much, much less mysterious. I've done two trial runs using some of the techniques she shows, and even with my dollar store makeup, I'm finding I can get pretty close to her look. I'm only embedding one tutorial here: <a href="http://www.misschievous.tv/">check out her website for many, many more.</a><br />
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BEST TIPS FOR 2010<br />
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Never underestimate the deals you can find online. If you give yourself a head start time wise, you can buy good makeup for reasonable prices online. Same goes for craft supplies. Especially if you live in a semi remote location like I do where selection is limited when you do get to an actual store. <br />
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VERY BUDGET HALLOWEEN MAKEUP<br />
The Dollar Tree is your friend for makeup (the larger the store, the better). Don't overlook Ulta (the makeup superstore)--it turns out their house brand Ulta and their other brand Essence can be Very Cheap. And when it comes to cheap, nothing beats E.L.F. makeup--I bought false eyelashes for $1, glue included! And most of their stuff is $1. DON'T ASSUME THE CHEAPEST PLACE IS WALMART! Shop around (even within the store--quickly walk through all the makeup selection and the Halloween section to get an idea of what the price range is).<br />
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Moo and I have found E.L.F. at Target and Big Lots, you can also order it online, but you might not get it in time for Halloween...they do have a 50% off eye makeup right now online, which makes a bunch of stuff 50 cents! I wish I had found that deal earlier. <a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/storelocator">Use this link to find a store that sells E.L.F. near you</a>.<br />
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HIGHER QUALITY MAKEUP FOR LESS--Just from perusing the nets it seems that NYX is a higher quality but still very reasonably priced makeup brand. I think it can ususally be found at Ulta and online. It's heralded as a cheaper alternative to MAC makeup.<br />
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DIY EYESHADOW MIXING MEDIUM and EYESHADOW BASE<br />
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For eyeshadow base, mix foundation and facial lotion (2 parts lotion to 1 part foundation), spread it on/around your eyes and your shadow will stick better and "stronger."<br />
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Eyeshadow Mixing Medium makes any eyeshadow more like a paint or into an eyeliner. Use 3 parts water to 1 part glycerin (at walmart, the glycerin is on the same isle as rubbing alcohol)<br />
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BUDGET FACE JEWELS<br />
I am a goof, I know, but I'm really excited to stick little jewels all over my face this Halloween. The cheapest route I found this year was to pick up scrapbooking jewel stickers at Michaels (on clearance and regularly priced for $1-$2), peel off the sticker back, then put a dab of eyelash glue on them then stick 'em on. Easy, cheap, and very effective. The advantage of looking in the scrapbook section is that they have a larger range of color. I needed browns and goldy-yellows--only found that pallette in the scrapbook section.<br />
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MAKEUP BRUSHES<br />
Best kept secret is that you can use artist brushes for makeup brushes. You can buy them for a fraction of the cost of nice makeup brushes, and I saw one video where the guy showed both the makeup brush and the artist brush side by side and they are almost exactly the SAME (e.g. the handle is longer on one)! Price wise you're looking at $20-60 for a makeup brush and $3-15 for the same artist brush. The recommended artist brush brand: Loew Cornell. (don't pay full price, these go on sale at Michaels and Joanns regularly--and you might try a discount art store too).<br />
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Brush cleaner can be made using rubbing alcohol, purified water, baby shampoo, etc....<a href="http://tipnut.com/homemade-makeup-brush-cleaner/">here's a link. </a><br />
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EYE GLITTER<br />
Use glitter approved for use by your eyes (duh) but! one way to get it to stick: Vaseline. Smear some on, then brush on glitter on top.<br />
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EYEMAKEUP REMOVER<br />
If you don't mind using an oil based remover, get a cotton ball or pad and dampen it with water, then pour a few drops of olive oil onto the cotton and rub it over your eyes. Works like a charm.<br />
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Alright, that's enough for now. If you've found good stuff like this on the nets, let me know! Happy Haunting!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-47472715798237403712010-10-28T21:54:00.000-07:002010-10-28T21:54:51.274-07:00My Momma Done Told MeIn the Looney Tunes cartoon <i>My Favorite Duck</i>, Daffy sings part of "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IG8dNZIcvQ">Blues in the Night</a>," and Porky sings part of "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXsfeBXjG_Q">Moonlight Bay</a>." Both good classics. Here are two versions I like. Enjoy! Happy Friday!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPEt53PyAIgDUDEyEjgTbdkbmPu8KByQQ-3uHH4SBkZfMGA5vWSBmWDFjeOMl-prGHEN9v9kKDweWJ2MSASeniU-Us3ZqGU8sJ_7eKYMFqo-fuhVRwCM-SxbA0nUMM9rpaHwPmW36gcM5/s1600/Moo+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPEt53PyAIgDUDEyEjgTbdkbmPu8KByQQ-3uHH4SBkZfMGA5vWSBmWDFjeOMl-prGHEN9v9kKDweWJ2MSASeniU-Us3ZqGU8sJ_7eKYMFqo-fuhVRwCM-SxbA0nUMM9rpaHwPmW36gcM5/s1600/Moo+button.png" /></a></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-17758405264474610402010-10-15T05:47:00.000-07:002010-10-15T05:47:00.902-07:00The Next Crazy Coupon LadyAt the risk of becoming that lady you know that RAVES about coupons (I'm not going to rave, not even close) I wanted to share the link to this <a href="http://moneysavingmom.com/">website (moneysavingmom.com)</a>, that a friend shared with me. It's FREE. And it looks like it has some good stuff, namely the part where you click on a store logo and it shows you the best deals of the week from that store and provides links to coupons to make those best deals even bestier. <br />
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the end.<br />
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I will now resume my regular posts about books, libraries, and story times.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTmR61q_G4JSVLgQ8VS9TuBxoqwJywZh8VzA7gE204-HJ3eKHJk1dqwsuhD6hOg6oe60jnEVqpvY0YxnsKQSRhxbXzFR1eabrRaqqPf_9b39Ra2P8q2pv0lOT6tjpwoHH2eWsSe3U03lT/s1600/Moo+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPEt53PyAIgDUDEyEjgTbdkbmPu8KByQQ-3uHH4SBkZfMGA5vWSBmWDFjeOMl-prGHEN9v9kKDweWJ2MSASeniU-Us3ZqGU8sJ_7eKYMFqo-fuhVRwCM-SxbA0nUMM9rpaHwPmW36gcM5/s1600/Moo+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPEt53PyAIgDUDEyEjgTbdkbmPu8KByQQ-3uHH4SBkZfMGA5vWSBmWDFjeOMl-prGHEN9v9kKDweWJ2MSASeniU-Us3ZqGU8sJ_7eKYMFqo-fuhVRwCM-SxbA0nUMM9rpaHwPmW36gcM5/s1600/Moo+button.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTmR61q_G4JSVLgQ8VS9TuBxoqwJywZh8VzA7gE204-HJ3eKHJk1dqwsuhD6hOg6oe60jnEVqpvY0YxnsKQSRhxbXzFR1eabrRaqqPf_9b39Ra2P8q2pv0lOT6tjpwoHH2eWsSe3U03lT/s1600/Moo+signature.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-61313744917197031672010-10-12T22:26:00.000-07:002010-10-12T22:26:08.949-07:00I'd Really Like to Eat a Child<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVS8j7USZ5zlnjDo-8olAaqgBGKL4cgLOm0Tg2t9la09TgCv3-SxLySP9th80L1gkPsw6FczouTMIXX1gTJYcKcjHtgLCyoFvPTqZqtUT8JTPV1nQIZOwgWQTVh9Vh8OaY98-eB75CpzE/s1600/I'd+Really+Like+to+Eat+a+Child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVS8j7USZ5zlnjDo-8olAaqgBGKL4cgLOm0Tg2t9la09TgCv3-SxLySP9th80L1gkPsw6FczouTMIXX1gTJYcKcjHtgLCyoFvPTqZqtUT8JTPV1nQIZOwgWQTVh9Vh8OaY98-eB75CpzE/s320/I'd+Really+Like+to+Eat+a+Child.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Really-Like-Child-Picture-Book/dp/0375837612/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286940074&sr=1-1">This book is hilarious</a>--the little crocodile gets tired of eating bananas and wants to eat a child instead. You'll have to read this (very) short book to find out if he gets what he wants. After I read it, I was thinking, "Awesome Storytime Book." Which, by the way, I'm now a storytime lady (think: You've Got Mail, when character Kathleen Kelly wears a princess hat and reads to little kids, except I don't own a quaint bookshop in New York...but The FP is pretty dang close in many respects.)<br />
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I still don't have a sweet hat to wear, but that hasn't stopped us from having a BLAST. Last week's highlight was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Berenstain-Bears-Spooky-Bright-Early/dp/0394839102/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286940036&sr=1-1"><i>The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree</i></a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhQyJyw-h2S0SkV4NPFZxAuAnXsTDRDia4ErWSfNQ55YnpohZFferfLpsZAalNAEMrRto0Tbfjt5qGJDKyjHeeiaeEfs0Mzwp2XuBzKgUpcuMA7UlZtzsgY0lSlcnawClSZJsMr10PEhI/s1600/Spooky+Old+Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span id="goog_436035734"><span id="goog_436035737"></span></span><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhQyJyw-h2S0SkV4NPFZxAuAnXsTDRDia4ErWSfNQ55YnpohZFferfLpsZAalNAEMrRto0Tbfjt5qGJDKyjHeeiaeEfs0Mzwp2XuBzKgUpcuMA7UlZtzsgY0lSlcnawClSZJsMr10PEhI/s320/Spooky+Old+Tree.jpg" width="227" /><span id="goog_436035738"></span><span id="goog_436035735"></span></a></div><br />
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I loved that book as a child, and since there aren't very many words in it (a must when reading to 3yr olds), and because it is sort of Halloween themed, I tried it out on the little kiddies. <br />
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At first some of them looked a little apprehensive, like: Maybe this is going to be a scary book, and I don't like scary. But they got into it (you know, acting out being the bear with the light, the bear with the stick, and the bear with the rope and answering the questions the book poses to the audience: Do you think they went down that spooky old hall???? (so as not to leave you in suspense, they DO go down the spooky old hall.))<br />
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Anyway, the kids loved it, so we read it twice and it was requested again for this week...so they get it again, bless their little hearts. So tuck that away as handy information when entertaining three and four year olds, <i>Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree</i>. It's a hit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-5308110917053136912010-09-26T18:47:00.000-07:002010-09-26T18:47:25.082-07:00Foray into Hobby No. 4,039<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCGwkKUqNndmW0OZs2R69MXmKjzdCzjtMWtGFHrare3nrNtTFU5y3CVCx1J_vNXe47WnfIUM9swhmZvNb_fk6Tt0zvsJUeWjazI3yiqJuYtuz6Z8r80kW6LyC1mTkWo0Ozwqwt8u7gJB7/s320/2010-09-27_1260.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better than an alphabet sampler for a first project.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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As hobbies go, embroidery is not on my Exciting Things to Do With My Life list. Though, I should have seen it coming--the fact that I would one day get tangled up in embroidery (literally, at times)--because even when I was a child, my favorite pillowcases were the ones with embroidery on them (same with hand towels, clothes, etc.) Turns out, I like embroidered things.<br />
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Recently I reached beyond merely liking embroidered things: I started creating them. Hello! I have my very own Pegasus embroidered entirely by me! (let's not look too closely at the stitches, friends, because neat, even stitches aren't my strength yet).<br />
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The big drawback is that embroidery involves hand sewing--heck, it's just combinations of different hand sewing techniques. And I am not one for sewing pretty and even little stitches by hand, let alone for finagling with needles and thread (I don't even like reading about girls in books sewing things by hand with pretty, even little stitches. Yes, that means you <i>Little House on the Prairie</i>).<br />
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You know what did me in though? It was a book that I checked out from the library during the summer doldrums that showcased different types of stitches (though I think the book was billed as hand quilting, not as embroidery, which was very sneaky of them). To my delight and surprise, I successfully completed some of the stitches, including a tricky looking flower one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeofQZdrHaZZDfRb8JdycUENixxso2lOmpyggPaGF9-rH-RMJ1JoDAfJLC1SXi0yMF-OHQje9oThVknbeQe0ynca23K1nNJ7ZzEJtbMvbgcz-rdG3Rf7Z4JN16qZ_O4Bi4sEhqqxJmYDhc/s320/embroidered-first-attempt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By "successfully completed" I mean,they look sort of like the ones in the book. </td></tr>
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I had a fantastic idea for making little bracelets with embroidery on them, and my practice run turned out to be a beaut.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwXMihoE-re8R7YeCouxeacbgQ9r6TmM52Qt91PTbvG0s2n1nFD8L5kE-wMp7rCV1lf7vMZ5jXPvxQSUhxbU2827pYhCD-jbq0K9ZiUG1pyKv8sE66qWe9H5skn7kYjXktZOzwIV9mlTs/s1600/embroidered-bracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwXMihoE-re8R7YeCouxeacbgQ9r6TmM52Qt91PTbvG0s2n1nFD8L5kE-wMp7rCV1lf7vMZ5jXPvxQSUhxbU2827pYhCD-jbq0K9ZiUG1pyKv8sE66qWe9H5skn7kYjXktZOzwIV9mlTs/s320/embroidered-bracelet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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At this point I figured I was ready to see what the next step was in the world of embroidery. Thankfully there are two embroidery books on the market right now that quite captured my attention--one, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811867013/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1AKNWB38XGV4MJ5ATHE4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">Embroidered Effects by Jenny Hart</a>, has a pattern I love<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7Oxm6RWRPKigGwDx7x-CryTiucZKSXVGsis9fsz2-ntDErf_mKVpG0KuRpFr-Rw4RpocnW4wR3Or6poiBOYfErKloDPLmirMT4Ty6PbwpqPMtUCYNTsQmOqNFANgRj2ci985zU08IwVo/s320/embroidered+skulls.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(cheerfully colored skulls! hoorah!) <span id="goog_1276140139"></span><a href="http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2010/1/10/mollys-sketchbook-inspiring-embroidery-books-from-sublime-st.html"></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2010/1/10/mollys-sketchbook-inspiring-embroidery-books-from-sublime-st.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
and the other, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scandinavian-Needlecraft-Step---step-Projects/dp/1907030220/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285548693&sr=1-1">Scandinavian Needlecraft by Clare Youngs</a>, has a pattern I couldn't live without. So I braved dark roads and a snooty parking garage in Scottsdale to get my very own copy (with my 40% off coupon, of course).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKeEQ1mK14tsfMjxlsTciU4sljSy_r-Qug0-stEGq9Sxdzii1Ub84EnqdXhdH2MVOw3QALALYC0Ob-rmLe7YqLRG7N1dRLwZbtpJJGGOGbU9ssyZK8ZGJospnhr86791d-XeDL1tutDHJ/s320/scandinavian+mittens.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from country <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/">Bumpkin & Inspiration</a></td></tr>
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My pegasus at the top of the post is a modified version of a<a href="http://littledeartracks.blogspot.com/2009/10/winged-unicorn.html"> winged unicorn pattern</a> by Aimee Ray--which can I tell you that I would have LOVED this as a coloring book page when I was 5 years old? Unicorn pegasus with stars on it and a long, flowing mane and tail! Does life get any cooler than that?! <br />
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I'll tell you my secret to fun times while embroidering: good audio books. May I recommend <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Everlost-Skinjacker-Trilogy-Neal-Shusterman/dp/1423373154/ref=sr_1_1?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285551273&sr=8-1">Neal Shusterman's <i>Everlost</i></a>--the reader (Nick Podehl) is INCREDIBLE!--and the story is interesting and creative and the charaters are unforgettable.<br />
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Another audio book candidate (I'm only through disk one right now, so the jury is still out on it) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Blue-Tattoo-Bloody-Adventures/dp/1593161344/ref=sr_1_1?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285551354&sr=8-1"><i>The Curse of the Blue Tattoo</i></a>--focuses on a girl (who in the last book was posing as a boy in the British navy) going to finishing school in Boston (in the Fall, har har) and having to EMBROIDER! <br />
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Audio books like these make the minutes fly by--and at the end of the disk or book you have more than just a good story to show for your time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-1330368506615263782010-09-23T21:37:00.000-07:002010-09-23T21:37:20.190-07:00I may not have a great idea, but she does!Cathe Holden (who I blog stalk regularly) has a seemingly never-ending source of creative ideas that I LOVE. Her latest is to take ordinary objects, scan 'em, blow them up (as in make them bigger in size) then print them out and use them for all kinds of things. <a href="http://www.scjohnson.com/en/family/family-economics/10-09-16/Fun-Enlarged-Object-D%C3%A9cor.aspx">Check out her post.</a> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-28200571697466159252010-09-10T22:02:00.000-07:002010-09-10T22:06:07.578-07:00Spider!I went out to vacuum my car this afternoon and happened to glance down and see this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8V9z7pszx-Vc_UubtjbsEI7zZtCZt1UpewXHthGlPbBvZVKbIC5JcQdEnL-P5Y0hHJGgTaNLywa0IGfNjWbrv9X72uCitxl8mRygjzyYCnvNckPDmtD4kbNwFTIUz4cB6e6Lj0BHMvpj6/s1600/spider-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8V9z7pszx-Vc_UubtjbsEI7zZtCZt1UpewXHthGlPbBvZVKbIC5JcQdEnL-P5Y0hHJGgTaNLywa0IGfNjWbrv9X72uCitxl8mRygjzyYCnvNckPDmtD4kbNwFTIUz4cB6e6Lj0BHMvpj6/s320/spider-1.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fJHAqg_HxfHh4LjxXMURJ7BiO8NZO5K76KPKSvb-bp3k1-lzyPCcjngj-1Yx_VyupFTWH37DOdtinxbw8KaP8OWHcstupG4TRj49lQXXNIjzhu0_1ipIIN6r5rxI2HScdOD1Jg-3hipv/s1600/Spider-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fJHAqg_HxfHh4LjxXMURJ7BiO8NZO5K76KPKSvb-bp3k1-lzyPCcjngj-1Yx_VyupFTWH37DOdtinxbw8KaP8OWHcstupG4TRj49lQXXNIjzhu0_1ipIIN6r5rxI2HScdOD1Jg-3hipv/s320/Spider-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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These are some great (albeit a tad gruesome for the grasshopper) photos, and it was an interesting scene to stumble upon. In my delight, I proudly showed my newfound spider to The Rock when he arrived home a few hours later (the spider was still latched onto the grasshopper).<br />
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With mild amusement he said, "Oh, yeah...and that's a black widow." <br />
"No it's not. There isn't any red on it. I looked."<br />
He leans closer. "Sure there is, it's maybe a little faded." <br />
Scooting my face to within inches of the spider I said, "No. There's no red. Just black." I kept looking, watching the spider move, and then I saw it. There WAS red on it's abdomen.<br />
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There was a mad scramble to smash the spider.<br />
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The moral of the story is: If you are ever inclined to stick your hands into our flower pots...well, let's just say the Big Bad Black Widow escaped execution tonight. (shiver).<br />
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P.S. <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.aced15a43a1d10e593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=1c1365eb780cd110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=aa1f65eb780cd110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=print&currentslide=1&page=1">In honor of the grasshopper </a>(har har). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-39401729601352048872010-09-04T23:40:00.000-07:002010-09-04T23:40:15.062-07:00Thoughts on Being a Librarian and New Releases in Young Adult FictionSo I started my job as a librarian a few weeks ago. And it's fantastic. My only complaint is that I was already addicted to reading! How often does what you do in your free time coincide with what you do at work?! <br />
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I placed my first book order--which means I've been researching new releases, while trying to cram in a bunch of books I wanted to have read so I know who to recommend them to. See what I mean! Work is creeping into my free time territory. (I know: poor me, right?)<br />
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Ok, so now you're a wee bit curious as to what's up and coming, right? Well, I'll give you a few YA titles to maybe look forward to yourself. (these are what I would order for my personal library, only some of them will be coming to the library I work for).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pegasus-Robin-McKinley/dp/0399246770/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283666432&sr=1-1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEphWDMAdxUHxffUqeFVZzpP1opOWcEzmR8fvfVJmwQcUpq_yCu_zOTzbaKBACp2WA-7hkhofXUBtCUFwwpf5oCTR3MdJDBMpO-ahxmHrSOZF9jx3H0g34O-9Jv0yA9pECHKjkzqqOCf33/s320/pegasus.jpg" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robing McKinley. Enough said. (Big Mouth here: isn't the cover beautiful too!)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bartimaeus-Ring-Solomon-Jonathan-Stroud/dp/1423123727/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283666408&sr=1-2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbLLBCgIq7NHE_m2F9u1OAH6OPT6GySvPCex_M1Oen2yJoNdmDJmvsCDuBx376BhjDWaxcxEdPjmi7VsAwOmLsHL8m_gaGkstrL_XE6mbOKjdnQEnOfbvnsbqnlk6cNRBdw3kh4wePeSL/s320/ring-of-solomon.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bartimaeus is hilarious (thank you Mr. Stroud for writing another one!)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Clockwork-Angel-Infernal-Devices-Book/dp/1416975861/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGZmaiBdONWvIr__rqpCYxMcC1laMOg2TQOlCdJ7UhqbqndUMLCFd9wyG0RNusn1xq8tOD5ri5wTXMjn-2F2JwWv9XqXSDKbkfsdFp7Zw2Q3n-Im9J9QZOVP9z1uyPwrzwwtBZXWOhWcaG/s320/clockwork-angel.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By the author of The Mortal Instruments Series, which I liked well enough. (ok, so this one came out on Aug. 31.)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Jennifer-Donnelly/dp/0385737637/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283666387&sr=1-1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEJSH2KRcO5fySp-g7hAdQDBk8qCk9Zc7n-ad6ujKzkT39iNzay0zRAVqpMNnW6mqKWsd6mqDwZcQOTebOlCA4sNiJ_6Ze4ucFaXdMwL-NgwM5w4RgYw8wxidVKHZ5ttgfGUYrARWUni8/s320/revolution.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seems like there might be some time travelish thing between a girl in Revolutionary France and the present day.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/StarCrossed-Elizabeth-C-Bunce/dp/0545136059/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283666464&sr=1-1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnU_6mihdkusmXXskeT8cgkTIHMhpN5axjHYuSkySMBUsfGX9ModVv8OS-NIPGVRjbJzZY_E4GBAeGUPM8IO5NVIMUsU5yhT1ii3gypBptrlXSeL44Ppw679gaP6Gw5ijiMri9qPc4nVa/s320/Star-Crossed.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Girl spy/revolution/disguises...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Did you know Orson Scott Card is writing a trilogy for YA? Yeah. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Trilogy-Orson-Scott-Card/dp/141699176X/ref=cm_lmf_tit_33_russss1">The first book, by the name of <i>Pathfinder</i></a>, is scheduled to come out on November 23. I'm curious to see if I'll like it. <br />
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And the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Agency-1-Spy-House/dp/0763640670/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283666210&sr=1-1"><i>The Agency: A Spy in the House</i></a> is already out, but I haven't read it or heard anything about it until now. (So if you have first hand info on it, give me the scoop!). <br />
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Also, (this <i>is </i>a long book post), have you read anything by Brandon Sanderson? I've only read one, <i>Mistborn</i>, and I loved it. The others are on hold all the time, and they are fairly long, so I haven't gotten to them yet. BUT! He has a stand alone book (sigh of relief because this isn't a common thing anymore it seems) called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Warbreaker-Tor-Fantasy-Brandon-Sanderson/dp/0765360039/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283665533&sr=8-5"><i>Warbreaker</i></a>. AND! <a href="http://www.brandonsanderson.com/portal/Warbreaker">it's free on the internet right now</a>. I haven't read it yet, but I'm itching to get started on it. Let me know if you do.<br />
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One interesting thing is that now it seems people feel obligated to mention books they've heard about or read. Even before I worked at the library I was plenty happy to talk books, but now it seems I can't escape it. I wonder if that happens to high school teachers: people divulge their own high school experiences because that's what they know about high school? I'm undecided as to whether these book confessions are a good thing. Well, either way, you can give me book recommendations, but maybe not too many all at once, seeing as how I'm already bringing home piles of books to read. It's dangerous to methodically go through an entire library's shelves. You might be surprised what you've overlooked.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-46718320205008477482010-08-18T20:15:00.000-07:002010-08-18T20:15:41.624-07:00A song I like (though not necessarily the music video as much...maybe just listen to the song...)<br />
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<object width="405" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6JHX0WyKLOY?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6JHX0WyKLOY?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="405" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-74434253933971994562010-08-12T18:47:00.000-07:002010-08-12T18:47:46.093-07:00Moo's Birthday!Today is Moo's Birthday! <br />
In honor of her Special Day I'm putting up some linky/videoy things she likes.<br />
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<object height="385" width="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N14Y81L4IXE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N14Y81L4IXE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="360" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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<object height="385" width="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VonerCejzg4?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VonerCejzg4?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="360" height="385"></embed></object><br />
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<object height="385" width="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tqn0kntlFic?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tqn0kntlFic?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="360" height="385"></embed></object>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-72917727396216335182010-08-05T18:37:00.000-07:002010-08-05T18:39:02.094-07:00An ObservationThe Geologist and I have made an observation about people who shop/pretend to shop at REI. (We're in the pretend to shop category because we like to go and and admire and touch all the shiny bikes and tent poles, but then we go home and look online for where whatever it is we want is <i>really</i> on sale. REI's idea of 'a sale' is not our idea of 'a sale.')<br />
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway----we've concluded that on any given day at any given time that we stop in to REI, there will ALWAYS be 1.) a Subaru Outback (usually green) with 2.) a roof rack. Stickers about the environment or similar are optional. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcLT5hKM-A9uRxG7K27zVudwNTwrMy_yOWEjxlCr3wTde9Xs-bPtT9GzFG9caNuseJs3VoZmGjFwcY_coXAAg1zXTFlJ3lcEWfyDDSMVFYkube1QPSVG5L4PR5GR9gWG8NDPqIsgwUdIL/s1600/REI+Subarus-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFcLT5hKM-A9uRxG7K27zVudwNTwrMy_yOWEjxlCr3wTde9Xs-bPtT9GzFG9caNuseJs3VoZmGjFwcY_coXAAg1zXTFlJ3lcEWfyDDSMVFYkube1QPSVG5L4PR5GR9gWG8NDPqIsgwUdIL/s320/REI+Subarus-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This last time, we counted roughly 8 altogether, 5 with roof racks. They always park facing Yosemite. Just kidding. But this last time there was quite the bumper crop, and I had to take a picture.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMpIPaRGGGvvjfoO2KSydq-I40oHwUXS8McJjeCJtHon-rm7OaJ3CDl28xs36hyphenhypheniBCz3QNPC7_elYO9NNsaKO6ot-DQNRKOXrtnyL8lKvUelFzcGNwyDJOD2CfmMbfnnGX5fb9sKuGAW_/s1600/jackalopes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMpIPaRGGGvvjfoO2KSydq-I40oHwUXS8McJjeCJtHon-rm7OaJ3CDl28xs36hyphenhypheniBCz3QNPC7_elYO9NNsaKO6ot-DQNRKOXrtnyL8lKvUelFzcGNwyDJOD2CfmMbfnnGX5fb9sKuGAW_/s320/jackalopes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>These were at another outdoors store, but as you may guess, not in REI. (The one on the far left is the "Buck and Doe" arrangement. The doe has little antlers, but they're hard to see.) They also sell fake coonskin caps, and if my head were smaller, I'd ask for one for my birthday.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPEt53PyAIgDUDEyEjgTbdkbmPu8KByQQ-3uHH4SBkZfMGA5vWSBmWDFjeOMl-prGHEN9v9kKDweWJ2MSASeniU-Us3ZqGU8sJ_7eKYMFqo-fuhVRwCM-SxbA0nUMM9rpaHwPmW36gcM5/s1600/Moo+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPEt53PyAIgDUDEyEjgTbdkbmPu8KByQQ-3uHH4SBkZfMGA5vWSBmWDFjeOMl-prGHEN9v9kKDweWJ2MSASeniU-Us3ZqGU8sJ_7eKYMFqo-fuhVRwCM-SxbA0nUMM9rpaHwPmW36gcM5/s1600/Moo+button.png" /></a></div><br />
</div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-53843235191549169132010-07-11T17:20:00.000-07:002010-07-11T17:20:04.237-07:00Fantastic Video<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KHDvxPjsm8E&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KHDvxPjsm8E&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-73763684487007654292010-06-27T19:20:00.000-07:002010-06-27T19:23:09.820-07:00Famous Person AlertYerm...<br />
I've been a bit slackerish of late when it comes to posting. And I apologize, hence the uncomfortable, apologetic sounding "yerm."<br />
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BUT! did you notice that the VERY PERSON WHO CREATED THAT WONDERFUL COMIC STRIP I TOLD YOU ABOUT LAST POST <b style="color: #38761d;">LEFT A COMMENT</b>?! Yeah, buddy. Can you say coolest blog comment ever! Wow. That's practically like shaking hands with him. Sweet. (I did a happy dance just then! woot woot!)<br />
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Ok. Ahem. Read the comic.<br />
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In other news, I am back from my almost week long trip to the lovely girls' camp, and my work schedule will settle down soon (right after tomorrow's Big Hulabaloo Eclipse Pre-Release Party. We are watching the first two movies, eating dinner, giving away free movie tickets and generally bingeing (see m-w.com if you don't believe that spelling) on all things Twilight Saga. Sorta scary and sorta fun all at the same time).<br />
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And if the T word isn't quite your thing, you have The Last Airbender to be looking forward to--are you? I'm taking The Rock to see it someday soon, I just know it.<br />
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This Saturday marked our first true summer excursion into The Out--which means pick a dirt road, park when you find a good spot, get out and start climbing. Then, an hour or so later, start picking your way back toward the original road. It's not a plan for the faint of heart (or the organized of mind).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcty95fpAfbYhHTE-trvrAKGbc5NwyvJPneS_P7TG-Ahsug57606JeULnFA6InJxkdVvWT8-qDayXOzf1IW_ATnUN3XUN_34kHZJMoaLFc8W-BJisjXf4BlQO6PFSFIZKp3PZWJq80TYpW/s1600/out-of-the-rabbit-hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcty95fpAfbYhHTE-trvrAKGbc5NwyvJPneS_P7TG-Ahsug57606JeULnFA6InJxkdVvWT8-qDayXOzf1IW_ATnUN3XUN_34kHZJMoaLFc8W-BJisjXf4BlQO6PFSFIZKp3PZWJq80TYpW/s320/out-of-the-rabbit-hole.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKjTf6MPFG6F4jX10xjE4vEq7ZNpsj-2K9Zaf6-U92dFLvzw5-5QQOIrbD5w3kIqxmtoQN0Zu1vpR77T9hufYSrPHPboXhdyCBC2YzZNEYykF05GUrYnDO7trq2_h5Ircwh6Md3ik6-dA/s1600/the-big-picture-off-road-gr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKjTf6MPFG6F4jX10xjE4vEq7ZNpsj-2K9Zaf6-U92dFLvzw5-5QQOIrbD5w3kIqxmtoQN0Zu1vpR77T9hufYSrPHPboXhdyCBC2YzZNEYykF05GUrYnDO7trq2_h5Ircwh6Md3ik6-dA/s320/the-big-picture-off-road-gr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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That is a snakeskin in my hand. And let me tell you, it took quite a bit of reassurance from The Rock that No, it did not contain disease or other harmful substances, before I agreed to pick it up with my own bare little fingers. Bleh.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-49685860589746836982010-06-13T19:07:00.000-07:002010-06-13T19:09:27.445-07:00A little more humor just for youMy brother showed me a cartoon called Mal and Chad. It's Calvin and Hobbesesque--Mal is a little boy and Chad is his talking dog. Though, unlike Calvin who can be stupid at times (e.g. his school report entitled "Bats are Bugs"), Mal is smart, and Chad, well, he's a talking dog! Mal builds robots and jet packs and supposedly spent his summer building a rocket that he took into orbit (which makes it totally understandable that he's a little paranoid and mistakes his babysitter for a fed who's come after him). <a href="http://malandchad.com/2008/08/27/08272008/">Here's a link to the first comic in the series that's posted online. (and I recommend you read them in order).</a><br />
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Tho, you could read just one out of order, and if so, it should be <a href="http://malandchad.com/2008/09/11/09112008/">this one.</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-81356673339609035762010-06-11T21:12:00.000-07:002010-06-13T18:58:20.298-07:00A little humor just for youI don't know anything about MTV or its music awards, but this commercial played when we were at the movie theater and I think it's pretty funny.<br />
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<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" base="." flashvars="configParams=id%3D1640139%26vid%3D520898%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A520898" height="300" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:520898" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="430"></embed><br />
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<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 4px; text-align: center; width: 500px;"><a href="http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/2010/" style="color: #439cd8;" target="_blank"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-78234358107270470342010-06-08T19:46:00.000-07:002010-06-08T19:55:55.076-07:00Summertime Fun!As you probably realize by now, I like good birthday parties quite a bit. I happened across two sites--both are full of goodness (the <a href="http://amyatlas.blogspot.com/">sugary kind for the first</a> and the <a href="http://www.mylittleday.fr/00_index.php?menu_id=6&page=produits_liste">fun, fun, fun</a> kind for the second--ok, and it has a sort of <a href="http://www.mylittleday.fr/index.php">circusy feel to it's opening page</a>. Do you speak French? I don't, but apparently they do!)<br />
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As you may also have noticed, there has been a dearth of posting here lately. My job has started consuming more of my time lately, though in a very fulfilling sort of way. I'm running a summer program for youth--for instance we tie dyed shirts today. Thirty at least. Maybe more. I'll have to count tomorrow. In case you've been wanting to tie dye (or never have? or have a lot in the distant past) may I point out to you the beautiful things called <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/One-Step-Tie-Dye-Kit-in-Blue-Lime-Violet/12356323#ProductDetail">Tie Dye Kits available at Walmart/</a>craft stores? No cooking, no stirring, just fill up the squeeze bottles with water and dye your shirt! Easy peasy.And those spiral types: SO EASY. Who knew. I thought they took a lot of time and effort--they don't. <br />
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As a part of the summer program, I made up some flyers--do you mind if I show them off to you here? (I'm going to, so if you don't want to see them, exit now!) And then, if I can get my show on the road I will put up a summer funtime blog so you can do the same activities we're doing. (I know; I know. A lot of say so and not a lot of do so. I'm getting to it.)<br />
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<a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=tug-o-war.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/th_tug-o-war.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=Tie-dye-flyer.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/th_Tie-dye-flyer.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=rockgardenflyercopy.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/th_rockgardenflyercopy.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=service-project_clean-the-c.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/th_service-project_clean-the-c.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=paper-mache-animals.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/th_paper-mache-animals.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=Nachos-flyer.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/th_Nachos-flyer.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=cookie-decorating.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/th_cookie-decorating.jpg" /></a><br />
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Anyone feel like helping me bake a million and one cookies for the cookie decorating class this Thursday? Any ideas for how to decorate them? I think I'll just make little gingerbread man shaped sugar cookies and let the children go to work on them unless some other great idea comes along.<br />
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tootles!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-901748036897585242010-05-21T20:28:00.000-07:002010-05-21T20:34:24.811-07:003 Movie Reviews: Our Mutual Friend, Emma, The Young VictoriaWhile in The Ohio I watched a few movies (we stayed up very late and tended to get up much too early, but isn't that how vacation is supposed to be?)<br />
<br />
In case you are in need of something new and good to watch, here are my very brief reviews:<br />
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<div style="color: #38761d;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Our-Mutual-Friend-Paul-McGann/dp/B0009PVZM8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1274498764&sr=8-2"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Our Mutual Friend</span></i></a></div><a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=our-mutual-friend.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/our-mutual-friend.jpg" /></a><br />
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The opening scene put me off at first--it seemed to fake to me--but soon after that, I forgot all about my apprehensions and fell headlong into the movie. <br />
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This movie follows the book in all the major plot developments (as far as I can remember), but it cuts out some subplots--there are <b>quite a few</b> subplots in the book, and I think you'll agree with me that although it would have been fun to have everything depicted, the movie would have been much, much too long. <br />
<br />
(Because I realize that, I didn't miss them too terribly, though, the subplot that was included was one of my least favorite: it had to be included because it influences the major plot in minor ways. Pity though, because I really had no interest in it.)<br />
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I think reading the book first is a great idea, because a few scenes will mean more to you for having done so.<br />
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Be prepared to be sucked into this movie. There are some great love stories going on--with some really messed up relationships providing a perfect contrast--and the really bad guy is <i>Very Scary</i>. (Which might taint your view of the latest BBC <i>Sense and Sensibility</i> because he plays Colonel Brandon--though, he's so different a character in each, you'll probably be able to pretend it's a completely different actor).<br />
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<div style="color: #38761d;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=emma+bbc+2009&x=0&y=0&sprefix=emma+bbc"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Emma </span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">(BBC 2009)</span></span></a><br />
</div><a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=emma-bbc-2009.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/emma-bbc-2009.jpg" /></a><br />
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I've heard nothing but rave reviews about this movie, and although I didn't get to see it until just last week, I put so much faith in the first 15 minutes (which I <i>had </i>seen) and the reviews of others that bought it for my mom for her birthday.<br />
<br />
Now that I have seen it, I can join with her (and many others) in singing it's praises. I've never particularly cared for the book <i>Emma</i>, so little in fact, that I skimmed most of it. BUT! This movie has a fantastic view of the true situation of the characters. Emma is all alone, left to care for a father who she loves too dearly to part with, and who is too selfish and myopic to let her go. That may or may not excuse her stupidity in your eyes, but it certainly garners some sympathy from me. <br />
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There is plenty of playful banter and humorous situations to keep the audience laughing--and of course, *SPOILER! (though, I'm guessing most of you already know the plot and conclusion)* Mr. Knightley's declarations of love are well worth the wait and quite touching.<br />
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*END SPOILER*<br />
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<br />
<div style="color: #38761d;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Young-Victoria-Emily-Blunt/dp/B001C4AFOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1274498833&sr=1-1"><i><span style="font-size: large;">The Young Victoria</span></i></a></div><div style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</div><a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=young-victoria.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/young-victoria.jpg" /></a><br />
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I loved that the love story in many ways took a backseat to the political intrigue. Because I'm sure that's pretty much how it was for Victoria (at least at first). <br />
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I have very little by way of historical knowledge to say whether this movie is true to reality--but, frankly, I don't care. I watched this as a romance and a romance is what I got.<br />
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The basic gist of the plot is that Victoria (who has had little, if any, by way of preparation) becomes Queen of England at a very young age. She is being courted (both politically and romantically) by the man who becomes her prime minister. At the same time, her distant cousin from Germany is thrust into the scene by men who want to secure Victoria's allegiance to them.<br />
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He falls in love with her.<br />
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She is undecided about many things, including him.<br />
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An enjoyable film. And I've been told that the <i>real </i>Victoria's letters to her Prince were quite romantic--it seems they really were very much in love with each other. At some point, I'm going to have to find out for myself.<br />
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So! In one vacation I saw two movies I've been wanting to see, and one I'd never heard of. And how often is it that you see three movies in a week and like all of them? Maybe I'm just partial to things Brittish.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-71050790071000074682010-05-20T14:45:00.000-07:002010-05-20T14:45:00.376-07:00The Ohio, SURVEY for my 30th, and summer activities promise<span id="goog_747653568"></span><span id="goog_747653569"></span>Yesterday was my first day back from an almost week long vacation in The Ohio. I stayed with a friend from childhood and let me say: WE HAD A BLAST!<br />
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Sadly, some of my best pictures stayed with her in The Ohio, so I'll put them up on a later date. But I'll share two of them with you right now. First, a landscape--The Ohio is muy beautiful. Even with washed out gray skies it's beautiful.<br />
<a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=The-Ohio-countryside.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/th_The-Ohio-countryside.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>sorry it's so small, blogger's being dumb. or maybe I am. either way...sorry. click to make it bigger.</i></span><br />
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The next, the story of Maudine, the bovine homecoming queen! I love stuff like that. And the fact that Ohio State has an entire room in their student union dedicated to Maudine.<br />
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<a href="http://s879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/?action=view&current=Maudine.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab358/luandmooblog/th_Maudine.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">In other news </span>(and hopefully you made it to this point in the post because this is importantish): I'm putting up a survey for my 30th birthday bash! I'm super excited to test out google docs and I'm super excited to get feedback from you! It's over on the left sidebar. Click it and let your voice be heard! <br />
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While I'm committing to things, I'm going to add one more. I'm running a summer program for youth and it starts in just a few weeks. And because I'm chock full of funtastic (don't you love that word?) ideas to keep kiddies busy this summer, I'll be opening up another blog devoted just to that topic. That way, when you find yourself skulking around the house with nothing to do, you can just pop over there and nab some cool ideas.<br />
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Whew. I'd better get crackin'.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-25848829387346190092010-05-11T05:18:00.000-07:002010-05-11T05:18:00.763-07:00Thirtieth Birthday Party Part UnoOk people. This is serious business.<br />
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Someday in the next two years I turn 30. <br />
My philosophy about turning 30 is this: Do it in style! BIG FUN STYLE.<br />
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You think I'm joking? <br />
I'm not.<br />
I've been warning The Rock about my 30th for a few years now already. Because, the party is going to be BIG.<br />
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I find the best way to get myself to follow through with crazy schemes is to tell a lot of people, and then I start to feel sort of committed. (Ok, that's not really what I usually do because I'm not big on actually following through on my crazy schemes). But, this time, I sort of got carried away with joking about my 30th birthday, and now it's sort of catching on. You know, becoming a community joke.<br />
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At first I would just say that I was having a big bash and a week long celebration. Maybe renting a dancehall or something. And I definitely told The Rock I was flying some friends out for the week (see, it <i>is </i>going to be BIG, or at least, EXPENSIVE.)<br />
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But, then one day (and I don't remember now exactly it came about) it occurred to me that I wanted an elephant at my party. An elephant for me and guests to ride. AND! Get this, the elephant will be wearing, no, not a party hat...It will be wearing a feather on its head.<br />
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And lest you think that's cruel of me to ask that of the elephant, I'll be wearing one too. <br />
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The problem with telling people you want an elephant at your party is that they take you seriously. (well, maybe they took me seriously because when they laughed at the idea I told them, "Hey! I'm being serious over here." I don't know.) And now they're sort of shaking their heads, not just because I want an elephant, but because they think (at least a little part of them thinks) that I'm actually going to do it. Which is probably true.<br />
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But, there are two big hurdles:<br />
1. I don't know the first thing about renting elephants for birthday parties.<br />
2. I live in a little tiny meensy beensy town in the middle of a forsaken desert.<br />
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In good news, though, I have two whole years to get this sorted out.<br />
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And while this is spiraling madly out of control, it is sort of fun. So I thought I'd let you in on it too.<br />
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Whew. This party is gonna rock. Beware, though, I'll probably post about it again sometime soon, because, you know, some serious planning needs to be done.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-75917640525619367992010-05-09T17:18:00.000-07:002010-05-09T17:18:37.281-07:00Houseguest and a Joke for Mother's DayMy house guest for the next few days is:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2yg8izIHdqPhIO0_HfeCzIM3mGrjI10Rxgj5uG-TJb9ORF9eHSUueR0M4ZdS06IwrY_Z4ocMtBPXuN-qK7iYAe8_LW7WZP68O6h-BkoDUUGJHBbRU7OO_BOdf_m2lVGZQlhENGx4mws0/s1600/watermelon-name.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2yg8izIHdqPhIO0_HfeCzIM3mGrjI10Rxgj5uG-TJb9ORF9eHSUueR0M4ZdS06IwrY_Z4ocMtBPXuN-qK7iYAe8_LW7WZP68O6h-BkoDUUGJHBbRU7OO_BOdf_m2lVGZQlhENGx4mws0/s320/watermelon-name.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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As you can see, even a menial task like cutting up a watermelon provides him with an opportunity for expressing his creativity. He's great fun to have around because he doesn't mind helping me out--so we chopped up 2 watermelons, 4 mangos, 1 pineapple, and 4 cartons of strawberries. We're making some killer smoothies later today! Woo hoo.<br />
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He also has a dorky sense of humor, e.g.: <br />
Aaron: Lu! You missed Star Wars Day! <br />
Me: What?<br />
Aaron: Yeah, May 4th.<br />
Me: Oh.<br />
Aaron: You know, May the fourth be with you<br />
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yuk. yuk.<br />
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A few weeks ago Aaron went to a bike junk store called The Bike Guy in Rye (actually, it's called <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=all+bikes+rye+az&fb=1&gl=us&hq=all+bikes&hnear=rye+az&cid=8863732851518210706">All Bikes</a>, but if we could rename it you know what it would be).<br />
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He brought back a sweet vintage bike that he's in the process of restoring AND some cool photos. Here they are:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1QtOKaF09Q2oQB154IitkkuWz8RxpjCKq6EZTPSy70TKRHrCQm4rFTltlU5Rslv5Kby6AAJRCD0-cfBkmohwr6vtgYswj_W9mVEDC11xTpN1yq0U_WTfAHFeevV4xLjeGnyzTwXg060S/s1600/amphibious_car2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1QtOKaF09Q2oQB154IitkkuWz8RxpjCKq6EZTPSy70TKRHrCQm4rFTltlU5Rslv5Kby6AAJRCD0-cfBkmohwr6vtgYswj_W9mVEDC11xTpN1yq0U_WTfAHFeevV4xLjeGnyzTwXg060S/s320/amphibious_car2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love the trike on the hood of the amphibious car</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7fB9bAmgpKMbWLEN0KYvkdFUWf7537Gy7jbOq2LcxxNOUpM36k-UOFLyYXvn3mUHl-cttWkpJ3Z6B8BgVIclrQrY0rMmnqtXj91m9JNPEGSRaLs8MoZXTuf1AwH8x-PfphKJIGyXax8S/s1600/bike_junk6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7fB9bAmgpKMbWLEN0KYvkdFUWf7537Gy7jbOq2LcxxNOUpM36k-UOFLyYXvn3mUHl-cttWkpJ3Z6B8BgVIclrQrY0rMmnqtXj91m9JNPEGSRaLs8MoZXTuf1AwH8x-PfphKJIGyXax8S/s320/bike_junk6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">do you see that really old bike behind the bars? I want one of those.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VbzH7JF7kQa5mXkR8bvhgH8zfyy4HMNPIjhuTqc1zLTwzLMZrOzWSHzTZ97pIqTogeuHEoRUHC11tjk5YgZuCfoOOndnxq58_NNvbnnwXWdbMlIfWktAOGjetdUPh4CE6VsJRWMH4cK7/s1600/bike_junk4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VbzH7JF7kQa5mXkR8bvhgH8zfyy4HMNPIjhuTqc1zLTwzLMZrOzWSHzTZ97pIqTogeuHEoRUHC11tjk5YgZuCfoOOndnxq58_NNvbnnwXWdbMlIfWktAOGjetdUPh4CE6VsJRWMH4cK7/s320/bike_junk4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the composition of this one</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We decided this bike shop would make a great backdrop for a photoshoot. Road trip anyone?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-70685794213286151612010-05-06T14:01:00.000-07:002010-05-06T14:01:27.419-07:00Spring Craft Activity For Kids (and it's recycling too!)I'm helping with an activity for children in my church congregation tomorrow, and this is the craft project we're doing. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNQ5YyP6iIeEqgyUbZsGds-YrikdJdTsdcCk7QaEAX6iq-iS09POVW7tMbwgRurAKTNLrVLVAZkB7wyjauf4puBrK1A2fCAu__CaCNCtOfsITuLzAuH9gkm_VUCTofAv_XipmVjPLs1r_/s1600/egg-carton-flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNQ5YyP6iIeEqgyUbZsGds-YrikdJdTsdcCk7QaEAX6iq-iS09POVW7tMbwgRurAKTNLrVLVAZkB7wyjauf4puBrK1A2fCAu__CaCNCtOfsITuLzAuH9gkm_VUCTofAv_XipmVjPLs1r_/s400/egg-carton-flowers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my sample flowers on the left, original demo flowers on the right</td></tr>
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I enjoyed making the sample flowers quite a lot. Maybe you'd like to make some too. (they're really easy).<br />
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I used styrofoam egg cartons because that's what was available, but<a href="http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=e70df0a83a097210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=21bc9fbee98db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD"> the original instructions </a>call for cardboard ones (because the cardboard can be painted to make the flowers even more colorful) (though, it turns out you can use crayons to color the styrofoam a little). <br />
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The steps are as follows:<br />
1. Cut up an egg carton (each egg "cup" equals one flower).<br />
2. Cut out a 4inch-ish square of tissue paper (I used three different colors of tissue paper for each "flower").<br />
3. Stick the tissue paper into the egg carton in the arrangement you like, then poke a hole through the tissue paper and the bottom of the egg cup.<br />
4. Put a pipe cleaner through the hole and make a loop on the tissue paper side so that it won't slip out.<br />
5. Wrangle with the pipe cleaner a little till it holds the flower head on the way you want it to.<br />
6. Cut a leaf shape out of green paper, punch a hole in it and thread it onto the pipe cleaner. (I mushed the pipe cleaner around the hole so that the leaf wouldn't slide up and down).<br />
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THE END!<br />
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Easy, cheap and fun to make. The box they're in is just a shoe box covered in wrapping paper. And by tomorrow afternoon, the box will be full of flowers! No watering required.<br />
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P.S. If you're lucky, my next post won't have anything to do with flowers or gardening. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTmR61q_G4JSVLgQ8VS9TuBxoqwJywZh8VzA7gE204-HJ3eKHJk1dqwsuhD6hOg6oe60jnEVqpvY0YxnsKQSRhxbXzFR1eabrRaqqPf_9b39Ra2P8q2pv0lOT6tjpwoHH2eWsSe3U03lT/s1600/Moo+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-22151413058629758912010-05-04T21:34:00.000-07:002010-05-04T21:34:42.264-07:00We Planted a GardenFollow the white arrows below to see the beginning of the end of my flower bed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPmDJdWs3h8ogOoanXnRSrVCzWaBUFlZf980SXs1rgZdpdN6HvNB0b79qtjD7FF_ylGCPeWQpDLiaIwSShfpG5ekEK2xX3oAQV87jAwtbvcCCCDkuIOCD3R4yVP1Hnl2LDIGx0lEVrIsE/s1600/javalina-tracks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPmDJdWs3h8ogOoanXnRSrVCzWaBUFlZf980SXs1rgZdpdN6HvNB0b79qtjD7FF_ylGCPeWQpDLiaIwSShfpG5ekEK2xX3oAQV87jAwtbvcCCCDkuIOCD3R4yVP1Hnl2LDIGx0lEVrIsE/s320/javalina-tracks.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Those dark circle indents, the ones those arrows are pointing to... are none other than javelina tracks. Aka <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Collared_peccary02_-_melbourne_zoo.jpg">snorty, nasty piggy</a> tracks. In my freshly sown flower bed. The small green plants already sprouting are sunflowers, but just 2 days ago I planted zinnia seeds...right where the piglet walked. Grrr.<br />
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Which validates all the effort The Rock put into fencing off our backyard. I can only imagine that Mrs. Pig would love nothing more than to forage in our well stocked garden mid- summer. At least the sunflowers seem to be unappetizing to them right now. Though, I wonder if that will change? Do javelinas eat sunflower seeds like all other good hillbillies?<br />
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Speaking of the backyard: our garden is finally planted. Though it's not much to look at right now. Mostly, you would say it looks like a plot of dirt with a few <i>very </i>scraggly weeds. Let me tell you about seedlings: if they get enough light, they are a wonder! and a money saver. If they don't get enough light--they look like <i>very </i>scraggly weeds.<br />
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But, we here in The FP aren't ones to give up easily! No! We planted the seedlings in spite of their stunted growth in hopes that they will rally. <br />
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We have prior experience with hanging in there with scraggly looking things (take me for instance. Naw, just kidding.) Take my chives. They were nothing more than sickly looking blades of grass. And then there were baby bugs crawling all over them and their dirt...it was sort of gross. So this winter, we left them well enough alone in their wee little pot on our front stoop. (mostly thinking that we'd use the pot for something else come spring)<br />
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But, lo and behold! They did rally, to the utter surprise of us all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2LChUjIeIhZ8k3DQ3ADX68ZOaajd9jwHh76ot4Vf0gckwbHWbD2Elyl_X8DhyphenhyphengdjD6tXeNb_c4IqywyQq_MdtcL6ap8ovJufWbHP5vCeWyXgUkq9WtvSk6xeuXa2T3c-4kgmHFSLM-2Q/s1600/onion-flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2LChUjIeIhZ8k3DQ3ADX68ZOaajd9jwHh76ot4Vf0gckwbHWbD2Elyl_X8DhyphenhyphengdjD6tXeNb_c4IqywyQq_MdtcL6ap8ovJufWbHP5vCeWyXgUkq9WtvSk6xeuXa2T3c-4kgmHFSLM-2Q/s320/onion-flower.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">here are the happy chives very much in bloom. I hope piglets don't like chives. Because I do.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78onsEpuuXyK_rn-y_4Sg-TySjErqmbJi8SPbgbF4uHx8aIKOy5pIvCH2P6yyZvmLrR9-o9qPHyYk4PsD67n3rYobUELWCgVdJIIsbumJKqLgYfjZrxJeB2sPQG3Qw8tAKMU_-21ePd13/s1600/Lu+signature.png" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBs0bQ28rsEFNpiVKFK2KL_bRCmjUfRnTfucsw4SVFcu8ev30XcoXmTrnlf46_bVsxS4G4UZLnbDWndC7tZdAgmUBizAOA5BV_4mD63-qqQA7U_rSbxW1Ikda0xIvSA3JWaVYkLu_LMnD6/s1600/Lu+button.png" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTmR61q_G4JSVLgQ8VS9TuBxoqwJywZh8VzA7gE204-HJ3eKHJk1dqwsuhD6hOg6oe60jnEVqpvY0YxnsKQSRhxbXzFR1eabrRaqqPf_9b39Ra2P8q2pv0lOT6tjpwoHH2eWsSe3U03lT/s1600/Moo+signature.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5061340733842035816.post-18965763419998976512010-04-30T21:54:00.000-07:002010-04-30T21:54:48.591-07:00Something's DifferentIn the desert, flowers are popping up like...well, like wildflowers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-_gf0d9ldcSta_oVbmw9QadQT7SDFL5m_Zkp12yTy5SEjzYgwiE9eOiWyEdZkQsKF4De9BwKmH85Qq31rjdrTcF9leHJpe_VXPfYVgiU0HXhlAX_9MGoBEWCalAzTw8zaazLmZA8LETy/s1600/white-wild-flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-_gf0d9ldcSta_oVbmw9QadQT7SDFL5m_Zkp12yTy5SEjzYgwiE9eOiWyEdZkQsKF4De9BwKmH85Qq31rjdrTcF9leHJpe_VXPfYVgiU0HXhlAX_9MGoBEWCalAzTw8zaazLmZA8LETy/s320/white-wild-flower.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><br />
And over here at the ol' blog, I've been tweaking things little bit (or a lot).<br />
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The Bling Out Your Blog class really gave me some useful and fun information, as you can see.<br />
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Because Moo is a Real Artist and actually gets paid to do artistic things, and because she is a busy person, the blog currently reflects my doodly style instead of her amazing skills (check out her art by clicking the link at the top of the page). <br />
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You'll probably see other changes around here, now that I'm getting a better handle on how to make backgrounds, edit html, and lots of other things that will make our blog even more personalized and all around Better. <br />
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If some of the changes are particularly good: let us know. If something really isn't working: let us know.<br />
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And if you want to score some of these mad skills for yourself, be sure to check in on <a href="http://www.littlelightstudio.net/">this web site</a> to find out when the next class is.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Lu and Moohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01795098407851088825noreply@blogger.com2