But first an update. Much travelling, (the beach, then my Dad's), wedding fun, and generally being busy. I think that covers it. :)

I talked in my last entry about how I got drawn into facebook. And I like it. It's easier than pleonast because info about your friends comes to you--you don't have to go down the list clicking on your friends to find out about them. Also, there's not a big time commitment in terms of sitting down to write posts and embed pictures. I can even kinda keep up with it from my phone. But there are still things I like much better about pleo. Mostly, it's the depth of info. I feel like I get a much better idea about what's going on in my friends lives when I read a few paragraphs from them than I do when I see their status updates.

I'll keep doing both. And I encourage those of you who haven't taken the Facebook plunge to do so!

And I'VE BEEN TAGGED! I know there have been various rounds of tagging floating around pleonast, probably from the beginning, but I've NEVER been tagged before and I am inordinately excited. :) I'm supposed to list 8 random facts about myself, and then tag some other people.

Here are my random facts:

1. I really enjoy desktop publishing--playing with images and fonts to make documents.

2. I think I'm immune to poison ivy. (I've never tested this by actually rubbing poison ivy on my skin, but I used to play in the woods all the time as a child and I never got it.)

3. I probably have more podcasts than music on my iPod.

4. I am a dabbler in many things. I love to try things out and learn the basics, but I'm not good at sticking with something to the point of mastery.

5. I like things with leaf patterns and motifs.

6. I'm 6 feet tall with no shoes on.

7. The only TV show I'm currently watching on a regular basis is the new Clone Wars cartoon. (with all my guys, of course)

8. Sometimes I paint my nails just to prove that in a male-dominant household, I can still be GIRLIE!

Don't think I'm going to tag anyone. I think I'm probably the only person on pleonast who hasn't been tagged yet.

*********************
Happy Thoughts:
~Elliot: Mom, you can be the I love you, and I'll be the I love you too.
Me: I love you.
Elliot (smiling): I love you, too.
~Recipes that are yummy, healthy, and easy.
~Gus the cat
~Silas:Mom, are you going to make us wear those jackets to church?
Me: Those are dress shirts.
(I guess I've gone too long putting them in polos. *sigh*)

They say when you have writers' block (never mind who "they" are) to write "I don't know what to say" or "I have nothing to say" over and over until your brain gets so bored it starts giving you ideas.

When it comes to my blog, I have the opposite problem--I have tons of things to tell you about, funny things my kids have said and done, heartbreakingly profound observations on life (ok, well maybe not heartbreakingly), and very little time to convey them to you.

I'm going to take some steps. We'll have to see how they work. First, I think I'm going to drop all of my group memberships, at least for now. (Is there a way to leave a group that you've been made op for?)

I'm going to aim for one post a week--Saturday or Sunday afternoon. And I'll try to keep up with everyone else in the between times.

Elliot's birthday was yesterday--I'll try to post about that before next weekend. So already I'm breaking my self-imposed guidelines...isn't that always how it is?

"I have too much to say. I have too much to say. I have too much to say. I have too much to say....."

********************************
Happy Thoughts:
~Elliot right now, is playing with the magnet letters, dropping them on the floor and saying, "Chicka-chicka Boom-Boom!" If you haven't read that book, this won't mean much to you.
~Getting a laptop riser and a cheap keyboard--makes my computer time so much more comfortable!
~Bluetooth
~having company

********************************
UPDATE: Ok, so I'm cutting back on my group memberships. I can't drop them all. Please don't have your feelings hurt if I left your favorite group.

I went to see it last night. She generously volunteered to watch the boys for me so that I could go. Rusty is out of town, so I went by myself.

Now, let me first say that I have never been to a movie by myself. I was kind of curious how I would feel, sitting in a movie theater with other people around, but being all alone. I needn't have worried.

I was the only person in the theater.

This isn't that remarkable, if you consider that it's not expected to be a blockbuster, and that it was a 5:30 showing on a Thursday evening. But it still cracked me up.

A couple of guys came in about 20 minutes into the movie, but they left after about 30 minutes.

About the movie: I really found it affirming. I can see why some critics are calling it "heavy-handed." It's got lots of black and white clips thrown in among the interviews--people getting slapped around, etc.--for emphasis that I think isn't needed. The words and people speak for themselves.

I am pretty sure that by Neo-Darwinist scientists, it will be dismissed as right-wing political/religious propaganda. But I'm really thankful to Ben Stein and his comrades for making it.

The trailer link is to the left there. I recommend you go see the film for yourself.
**************************************
Things I have heard myself say this week:

"Stop sword fighting and get dressed."
"Leave the dead worm alone--it's time for us to get in the car."
"I think the roly-poly will be happier outside."

I love my boys.

**************************************
Happy Thoughts:
~Kettle Cooked Lay's Jalapeño chips
~Making progress on a project
~An all-girl getaway weekend
~Rusty's coming home today!

The clothes come off.

I really was thinking about writing a very long and detailed treatise on modesty/chaste dress (and I might do it one of these days), but for now I'll keep it brief:

1. Neck-to-Knees coverage--just think about it. It's an easy guideline to remember, and I personally have found my conscience a lot easier to live with since I've adopted it. I could offer many other arguments in favor of it, but I'll save them for now.

2. Covering the body doesn't mean being ashamed of my body, it means that I honor it as being valuable.

3. Sometimes I think it helps to forget about the word "modesty" for a moment--because of all the baggage that it carries for some people--and just think about being chaste in our dress as well as our behavior.

That's all I'm going to say about that.

My good modesty-related news is that I've found myself some cute knee pants--clam diggers? I don't know what to call them! They hit me just below the knee when I'm standing, and just above the knee when I sit. This is practically a miracle for me, since I am six feet tall in my bare feet. Pants that are supposed to fit "normal" women that way end up being way too short on me. The best part is that they were CHEAP at Wal-Mart--ten bucks and change. I got two pair--one khaki and one denim. I am elated!

***************************
Happy Thoughts:
~marigolds
~trees going from bare to leafed-out in one week
~making connections
~my new Bible class--the pre-schoolers! So much fun!

forsythia
dogwood
azalea
phlox
daffodil, Bradford pear, Japanese magnolia (past peak)
children
wisteria
cherry
grownups
blueberry
red (Italian) clover
(dandelion, thistle, allergies)
ideas

This is not an exhaustive list. Feel free to add your own.

*************************
Happy Thoughts:
~see above
~getting packages of homeschooling books
~brain games and logic puzzles
~the well-timed use of paper plates