For today...

From The Simple Woman's Daybook:

Outside my window ... I can see the Keen Kutter building and a blue, blue Kansas sky.

I am thinking ... that my lunch was nourishing, both physically and emotionally.

I am thankful for ... our neighborhood swimming pool. And the soft pretzels with cheese they sell at the concession stand.

From the kitchen ... this chicken salad recipe rocks the house.

I am wearing ... khaki capris and the orange/brown patterned top I got at Gordmans during that shopping marathon with Tara. We need to shop again.

I am creating ... a back-to-school special section, coming to your Eagle on July 23!

I am going ... to eat some gummy bears.

I am reading ... "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan." Well, I'll start reading it as soon as I pick it up from the library. I just finished "Then We Came to the End."

I am hoping ... that my dad's shoulder replacement goes well next month.

I am hearing ... typing, telephone conversations and a police scanner.

Around the house ... there are a whole lot of wet towels and bottles of sunscreen.

One of my favorite things ... New "Harry Potter" movies!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week ... setting off fireworks in Andover, swimming, barbecue with neighbors, food/friends/fireworks at Tim and Kristen's. Oh, and finishing a whole lot of work before the holiday weekend.

And a photo to share...

New reading spot...

And oh, how I love it. :-)

Currently reading "Then We Came to the End," which is sad and funny and scary and true. Highly recommended, but be warned: It's about layoffs. (I know!! Hilarious, right?!)

Ballet time!!

That means makeup time and costume time and hanging out with all my Dance Mom peeps, which isn't a bad way to spend a weekend.

Title of this year's performance for Rogers Ballet was "Hats Off!" Hannah was in two numbers -- an ice skater (see Courier & Ives-style skating-on-a-pond hat, above), and a Scottish dancer with a glengarry cap. Here's a pic of that one:


Ballet concert time is bittersweet busy, know what I mean? It drives you absolutely crazy while it's going on (especially for loser seamstresses like myself, who are forced to figure out how to tack tutus and stuff). It makes for long days and nights, but when the girls are up onstage and smiling and dancing and really LOVING it, like Hannah did this year, it really is worth all the work.

God, that was sappy and cliche. Sorry, I'm tired. So instead of writing anymore, I will just share some photos (most are by my wonderful photog hubby, of course).

Happy Mother's Day!

It's one of my favorite days of the year, because of adorable handmade presents like this -- and, of course, the snugs and huggles. I love these kids.

Interesting campaign strategy...

I think she wants a hot tub.

Carlos and me, we're likethis

Earlier this week I spoke to Hannah's fifth-grade class about my life as a reporter. I talked about how I come up with story ideas, decide who to interview and put it all together into something understandable and, with any luck, entertaining. I also explained that working for a newspaper is like a new adventure every day.

This morning, I got a bundle of thank-you notes from the students, including this one:

Dear Mrs. Tobias,

We appreciate you giving us your information. It taught us a lot. For an example, when you said it's hard to think of something. Well try figuring how to make my sister happy. It's like we're the same, like you have to work all day and I also. It's hard to find information, like me. Also, we both go on long adventures, just like me when I'm all over the place at home doing chores. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Carlos

Bakugan: It's Japanese for "Let's see how much the idiot American parents will spend on THIS!"

The Boy has a new obsession.

These little plastic marbles-turned-monsters are called Bakugan (the plural, to the best of my knowledge, also is "Bakugan"). You buy them at Target, Wal-mart or wherever plastic toy crap is sold.

He was into Yugioh for awhile, and collected thousands of cards. (Thankfully, the majority were hand-me-downs from generous friends and relatives.) Now this. Each ball comes with thick magnetic cards that cause the Bakugan to open into its fierce skull-face or dragonoid form.

I cannot begin to tell you what the forms mean, or how they battle each other, or exactly what the "G points" are, but Jack would be happy to explain it all to you. He's tried to explain it to me, but after about the 20th consecutive minute my eyes start glazing over and I just nod and try to find my happy place. That place would be one with games like Monopoly or Phase 10 or Apples to Apples. You know, fun stuff.

A single Bakugan with a few cards is $4.99. A set of three is $12.99. Jack's allowance is $8 every two weeks, so you do the math. If this game teaches him anything, it will be patience.