Thursday, June 30, 2011

Guilty Pleasure Food


There are certain comfort meals that I can't resist. This one is in the top 10. Grilled hot dogs in Bush's baked beans, Velveeta Shells and Cheese, and broccoli (I was out of broccoli last night so I had to substitute another green vegetable).

The Poor Man's Special, but oh it is so good. The velveeta cheese melting into the baked bean sauce...the broccoli bits falling into the macaroni....the charred flavor of the hot dogs....I could just roll around in it all.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Brain Farts

I'm going to let you spend 10 seconds inside my brain:

Zach's been singing "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" for a few days now. You heard him sing it in Monday's post. The lyrics are (for you heathens) "what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear. what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer". I was humming it off and on in my head yesterday.

As I sent the kids upstairs to play I hollered after them, "No fighting, yelling, whining, or any other INGS for that matter." Then my brain said, "hmmm" and it started singing, "what a privilege to carry every "ing" to God in prayer."

This is my burden.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Monday Mornings With Zachary

Colson made the kids sing along with his piano songs the other day, writing their parts down on paper and making them go practice. Zach wanted to practice for me.





Sunday, June 26, 2011

The Few, The Proud, The Mosleys


10 years ago today I stood in front of a judge at the JOP in East Greenville and enlisted to go into war with fellow soldier Eric Mosley. Today I will gladly re-up for another tour of duty. For though the battles have been great and the scars deep, we've always come out victorious. There's no one I'd rather be in the trenches with.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Driving Mister Colson

Colson was explaining to Ava and Zachary how driver's education works in this country.
"First you get your learner's permit, that's when you have to use two hands on the steering wheel. Then you get your real driver's license, when you learn to drive with one hand. After than you learn how to drive with no hands and two knees, then with just one knee."

Monday, June 20, 2011

Monday Mornings With Zachary



Ava's ballet recital, for which Brooke did her hair and makeup. Ava's gotten so much better that you can hardly tell which girl she is! She doesn't stick out, that's a good thing! When the girls start going in a circle around 1:19 you can see her dancing towards the front of the stage.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

The Dad Squad

Not to be outdone, the yearbook for the men in the Lewis family has come out just in time for Father's Day! Let's see who made the grades!


IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME DAD
No one wanted a baby as much as this dad, so the fact that he had to wait 20 years couldn't have been more agonizing. But that baby finally came, and it's safe to say he was worth waiting for! Andrew's proving to be the dad we all knew he would be; patient, innovative, and fun, making baby RFL a lucky baby indeed. As Melissa T. says, "I think a kid would give up anything to have Andrew as a father and get to sleep in a drawer!"


MOST FUN DAD
Brianne's husband Joe wins this title hands down. When the kids want to play for hours on end, Joe is always up for the challenge. His endless energy and enthusiasm makes him a shoe-in for this category. His son Landon will never be bored, and Landon's friends will always want to come over to his house. In my house, whenever the boys are trying a new trick that requires physical aptitude, you'll very often hear the phrase "I bet Joe could teach us!"


BEST LONG DISTANCE DAD
There are some things Dads never want to be, and I'd bet the number one thing is "not there". But Ed had to take on that challenge and in true Ed style he has made the best of it. He proves that the shortest distance between two points is a father's determination, and while he can't be there physically, he's learned to accept that the next best thing is better than nothing.


GEEKIEST DAD
This Dad of the unsalted peanut is no doubt gearing up to deck the nursery halls with homemade webcams made from old television sets hooked to peanut butter jars and light bulbs. Posters of Bill Gates with Sharpie moustaches and devil horns will line the baby clothes drawers. Little Unsalted Peanut will be spitting on my iPhone "accidentally" while Jeff rewards baby with treats behind my back. Lucky for him I love geeks!


MOST COMPLEX DAD
It's not a given that all dads will be easy to read. Sometimes we have to look deeper into a dad to see the truths that lie beneath. My brother Eric has more layers than a Napoleon, so you've got to work a little harder to get to the layer you want. But it's there. It just might take few pints of a stout ale to reach it. And let's be real, any dad can hug you, but there aren't many dads out there who can rewire your house, build you a computer, babysit all 14 of your children at once, analyze your personality, clean your grout, fly you to your destination, starch your shirts, and teach you Bible lessons all in one day. Way better.


MOST SUPPORTIVE DAD
While Bonnie certainly could have done a bang-up job on her own, she found a gem in Jamie. He stepped into the role of father like he'd been doing it his whole life, and filled a void in the lives of Bonnie's kids. A few special men out there have the ability to love children regardless of who their biological father is, and Jamie is certainly one of those.


JOB WELL DONE DAD
Eric Mosley couldn't be the father he is without my father in law Jerry having done something right. He's another one of those special men who can love a child completely, regardless of biology. Eric grew up knowing he was adopted, but never feeling like anything but Jerry Mosley's real son. Because that's what he was. Big Father's Day thanks go out to this dad.


MOST SATISFYING DAD
If you've got needs, Michael T.'s here to get them taken care of. Whether his kids need time, attention, discipline, instruction, distraction, motivation, encouragement, Michael is on the job. When a deficiency is identified, you can bet the farm it's going to be addressed posthaste.


MOST SEXY DEMONSTRATIVE DAD
I always knew Eric was going to be the best kind of father. Demonstrative to the extreme, supportive to the extreme, attentive to the extreme. And I was right. I've never wished he was any other kind of father than what he is, and I'm so glad for my children that they will grow up with a dad like him.


BEST DAD FOR ME DAD
Maybe some dads are more this or more that, but for my money I couldn't have gotten one more perfect for me. Not many dads in this world would have "gotten" me, but mine not only got me but thought highly of me as well. We've been part of our own Mutual Respect Society from day 1, and the value that he has brought to my life is immeasurable.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Nerf + Plasma = Aneurysm

I spared Eric the rage he would have felt at seeing this in person the other day.....

Friday, June 17, 2011

Adventures In Babysitting Zachary

An exchange between our babysitter and Zachary, while I was in Orlando and she had the kids at the pool:

Sarah: Wow, it's pretty chilly out today.
Zach: Maybe so, but I'm just happy to be living!

After Sarah called Katherine to tell her about the previous exchange, (Katherine is Sarah's sister, who babysits for us as well):

Sarah, to Zach: Katherine said that you're so cute!

Zach: Wow, that's awkward....


Thursday, June 16, 2011

Disruptive Innovation

Came across this guy Michael Horn yesterday through this article, and found his book on amazon.com. Excited to read it. Following is the editorial review from amazon.com:

"It's no secret that people learn in different ways, so why, the authors of this book ask, "can't schools customize their teaching?" The current system, "designed for standardization," must by its nature ignore the individual needs of each student. The answer to this problem, the authors argue, is "disruptive innovation," a principle introduced (and initially applied to business) by Harvard Business School professor Christensen in The Innovator's Dilemma. The idea is that an audience in need will benefit from even a faulty opportunity to fulfill that need; in education, the demand for individual instruction could be met through infinitely customizable online computer-based instruction. The authors, all professionals in education, present a solution to the ills of standardized education that's visionary but far-fetched; even they admit that their recommendations would be extremely difficult to implement in current school systems. Still, the authors' unusual case, though occasionally bogged down in tangents, is worthy reading for school administrators, teachers, parents and, perhaps most of all, software developers.

Product Description

Selected as one of the "Best Books on Innovation, 2008" by BusinessWeek magazine

Named the "Best Human-Capital Book of 2008" by Strategy + Business magazine

A crash course in the business of learning-from the bestselling author of The Innovator's Dilemma and The Innovator's Solution

"Provocatively titled, Disrupting Class is just what America's K-12 education system needs--a well thought-through proposal for using technology to better serve students and bring our schools into the 21st Century. Unlike so many education 'reforms,' this is not small-bore stuff. For that reason alone, it's likely to be resisted by defenders of the status quo, even though it's necessary and right for our kids.
We owe it to them to make sure this book isn't merely a terrific read; it must become a blueprint for educational transformation."
--Joel Klein, Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education

“A brilliant teacher, Christensen brings clarity to a muddled and chaotic world of education.”
--Jim Collins, bestselling author of Good to Great

According to recent studies in neuroscience, the way we learn doesn't always match up with the way we are taught. If we hope to stay competitive-academically, economically, and technologically-we need to rethink our understanding of intelligence, reevaluate our educational system, and reinvigorate our commitment to learning. In other words, we need “disruptive innovation.”

Now, in his long-awaited new book, Clayton M. Christensen and coauthors Michael B. Horn and Curtis W. Johnson take one of the most important issues of our time-education-and apply Christensen's now-famous theories of “disruptive” change using a wide range of real-life examples. Whether you're a school administrator, government official, business leader, parent, teacher, or entrepreneur, you'll discover surprising new ideas, outside-the-box strategies, and straight-A success stories.

You'll learn how

  • Customized learning will help many more students succeed in school
  • Student-centric classrooms will increase the demand for new technology
  • Computers must be disruptively deployed to every student
  • Disruptive innovation can circumvent roadblocks that have prevented other attempts at school reform
  • We can compete in the global classroom-and get ahead in the global market

Filled with fascinating case studies, scientific findings, and unprecedented insights on how innovation must be managed, Disrupting Class will open your eyes to new possibilities, unlock hidden potential, and get you to think differently. Professor Christensen and his coauthors provide a bold new lesson in innovation that will help you make the grade for years to come.

The future is now. Class is in session."

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

S'More Hotline

Best part of the Orlando competition this past weekend was Eric calling me while I was getting ready to compete to ask me this very important question:

"What is the proper procedure for making a s'more so that the chocolate melts?"

So funny. I'd left hot dogs and s'more ingredients at home so that Eric could have a cookout with the kids over the fire pit. Everyone I was with when the call came thought it was the "cutest thing I've ever heard!"

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Ava's Fashions




This video was meant specifically for our babysitter Sarah, and for Brooke, but I thought I'd share it in case anyone else needs to see how to execute a ballerina bun! Hopefully their end result was as cute as this:

Friday, June 10, 2011

Jan Lewis, Deathologist Ph.D.

My mother is now a college graduate.

You know she works at a cemetery, yes? She sells grave plots and caskets and markers, directs funerals, and comforts the bereaved at Limerick Garden of Memories. She's been in the "industry" (insert Amy hand motion) on and off for over 10 years.



She recently had to take some online refresher courses. In true Suzanne style she flew through 6 weeks of courses in something like 4 hours. She recently received her letter stating that she passed.
Dear Janice Lewis,

Dignity University would like to inform you that the following
Certification has been awarded by the Dignity University Board of
Directors:

Associate - Family Service Counselor

Congratulations from all of the staff here at Dignity U! Your certificate
of completion will be awarded to you by your manager in the coming weeks.
Again, congratulations on your efforts in being part of a best-in-class
workforce!

Sincerely,

Dignity University


Dignity University. I can't even stand it. "Where'd you graduate from?" "Dignity U!"

I wonder if they've got a Gravediggers Club. The cheerleaders wear all black and have to cheer in whispers. Grades are handed out carved into headstones. I could go on and on....

And really, doesn't my mother look extremely dignified posing with the mausoleum crypt she's purchased for herself and my father? She's the perfect combo of Vanna White and the Crypt Keeper.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Keep It Together, Shins

Off to the Orange Blossom Dance Festival in Orlando.

They're holding a cool new event this year, the Pro-Am Jack and Jill. Spectators will get to, for $15, come on stage and pull one of our names out of a hat and dance west coast swing and two-step with us Pros. They'll be judged against all of the other amateurs who participate, and the winner will win a cash prize.

I'll be working my rear off at this event. Solomon (my dance partner Richard's boyfriend) is competing in Pro-Pro with me. Pro-Pro is similar to Pro-Am, but if you are a dance professional already, you can dance with a higher ranked Pro and compete against other dance pros. Since I am now a Master level dancer and Solomon ended his country dance career in Division 1, I'm technically ranked higher, so he can compete as the lower Pro in this division. I'm smelling a World Championship for him this year in this division.

I have two Pro-Am students I'm competing with, Paul and Stan. Paul is dancing 4 dances, Stan is dancing 6.

Then I'm competing in Masters Classic and Masters Showcase with Richard and Sasha. I won't be doing line dance at this event, since I need to put together a full line dance program and I don't have that ready yet.

Busy weekend. Hoping for a little downtime so I can get to the pool at least once.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Closet Freak

My husband has always been a closet freak. No, not a freak who is in the closet, but someone who is a freak ABOUT his closet. When I first saw his closet before we were married, it reminded me of my brother Eric's closet. Everything facing the same direction, spaces between each hanger, types of shirts grouped together. He even had a color coded hanger system: short sleeved button downs on one color, tee shirts on another color, pants on yet another color. Shoes were laid out in order from most casual to most dressy.

I didn't know whether to be amazed or frightened.

Because I've always been in charge of the laundry and putting clothes away here, I've refused to follow most of his closet rules. I'll hang the shirts on whatever color hanger is closest to my hand at the time. And fortunately he is still breathing 10 years later, even though he has to walk into his closet every day and see tee shirts hung up on a rainbow colored assortment of hangers.

But there is one closet rule he still follows that I've learned to appreciate. When he takes an item off of the hanger to wear it, he take the empty hanger and hangs it on the far end of that closet bar. So when you go to rehang clean shirts, there is a section of empty hangers right there. You don't have to sift through the hanging shirts to find the empty hangers. Every time I go to hang his clean clothes up, I am reminded of how much I like that rule.

Now, I don't enjoy it enough to do it with my clothes, but I can say that I appreciate the efficiency of that particular rule. If I ever put any care into how my closet was organized, I'd implement that rule for sure. But for now, my only rule is "Throw on whatever looks cute and GET THE HELL OUT OF THE CLOSET as fast as you possibly can. Don't look back, leave all survivors behind, SAVE YOURSELF!"

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

That's Life


I'm a dancer. My niece Bethany works in magazines. But my mother did both. At the same time. With both hands stuck inside a cardboard box. (that's her on the right, her high school friend Delores on the left.)


Monday, June 6, 2011

Monday Mornings With Zachary

Zach has a new hair style. He'll show you how he does it. Then he'll show you other hairstyles that he knows about. Ava interrupts to have the boys vote on who gets to be the boss of the clubhouse. Then Zach tells you all about liquids and habitats, and at the end of today's movie you get to see how much it unnerves Zachary when he is proven wrong in public.


Friday, June 3, 2011

I'll Stay An Ugly Duckling

I haven't posted all week because I've been in a state of extreme anxiousness. I've had a lot of pain in my lower legs for the past 2 weeks, and wondered if I had fractured my bones. I went to see an orthopaedic guy on Tuesday, and he said I had "for sure" fractured both tibiae. He ordered a bone scan just to see how badly they were fractured. I had the bone scan on Wednesday, and I went back to the doctor on Thursday. I saw a different doctor in the practice, he read my bone scans and said that although they showed a lot of activity in my tibia, he didn't think there were any fractures.

I've never been so happy in my life. I actually teared up and wanted to hug the guy. I didn't, because I'm still an introvert. And how could he know that I've had this scene from Black Swan playing over and over in my head every time I've taken a step in the past 4 days:


But hurray, my legs aren't fractured! I've got shin splints, but no fractures yet. So as long as I take it easy and pay attention to my pain, my legs will heal and I won't fracture my bones. All of my dancing guys are on strict orders to take it easy on me, monitor my pain and make me stop and take a break if my legs hurt. They know they can't count on me to monitor my own pain, I danced a full program with an oozing staph infection in my foot once....