This is what is capturing my attention right now...

I keep trying to steal away a half an hour or so before the kids get home from school or before I need to get dinner or before I shower in the morning to read another chapter of this book.  I'm only 100 pages into it and it is as horrifying as much as it is inspiring.  I am shocked at how little I knew or was ever told about what took place during the cultural revolution in China.  I was a little hesitant to start it after my mother in law had lent it to me - I knew it would be difficult to read because of the nature of the material.  But it is filled with hope and perseverance with these stoic women at the core.  It has made me realize how much I take for granted.  Being able to have opinions, rights, and general safety.  Unbelievable book. 

Back to School...

Look at the smiles on those faces.....  If only that would last all year!  I came home from a run and we usually get the kids up at 7:00 to get ready.  It was 7:07 and Ethan was upstairs, eating breakfast, clothes on, backpack firmly attached and buckled on, and ready to go.  Eva is excited to go back, too.  She had accessorized, had her 50 lb backpack all ready, and magnets and stuff for her new locker. They got to meet their teachers at Back to School night the week before and they were ready.

School shopping on the other hand is about 75% done.  I fear buying pants for Ethan  and this is why:

These are Ethan's pants from school last year.  He has a favorite soccer move - the slide tackle - that he does whenever he gets the chance.  Everyday I'd pick him up from school and he'd have a new pair of pants with big holes ripped in the knees and grass stains all over them along with a guilty face, knowing he was going to have to deal with mom.   2 months into the school year, almost every pair we had bought looked like this.  What do you do?  He's a boy.  That's what boys do, according to his father.   

This pair of pants is quite extraordinary.  They were a little long on him so I rolled the cuffs up.  They were brand spankin' new to replace one of the torn knee pants we had bought a month earlier.  The first day...FIRST DAY...the damage had been done.  It was rainy and when his cuffs rolled down, he just kept-a-walkin and sheared away an inch of the hem.  Do they make disposable khaki pants out there?  Ya know, to last a day or so and then throw them away?  I'm gonna google it.

Here's a little ditty for you...

After sorting through both of my son's rooms with them, I am almost ready to tackle Eva's with her.  She is her own girl and has her own ideas of how her room should be.  Occasionally, we need to intervene.  When we were reading this morning, Becks grabbed this book on manners called Are You Quite Polite?  by Alan Katz and David Catrow.  All of the poems go along with familiar songs and remind me a little of Shel Silverstein. Anyway, here is one of the songs that is dedicated to all of the mom's that are scared to go into their children's rooms for fear of being swallowed up and lost forever.  Enjoy!

Try Being Neat

(to the tune of "America the Beautiful"...much funnier if you sing it....especially opera style)

Look in your room
Is it a mess
'Cause cleaning's what you dread?
And does it take a
Bulldozer
For you to find your bed?


Try Being neat
It's quite a treat, 
And the best news is this:
Under that clump
Of clothes, that lump
Could be your baby sis!


Check your backpack
For last week's snack
It's prob'ly hiding there
Don't touch it, though
Because you know
Pudding should not have hair!


Try Being neat 
It's quite a feat
It's good to show you care
So organize
Al-pha-bet-ize
All of your underwear!


(Angie - those last two lines are for you!  I know you read this once in a while......)

RRrrrrrruuuufff!

 With all of the kiddos back in school, my little Becks Man is on my heels all day.  Today, he is literally on my heels because he is crawling around the house on all fours acting like a new puppy and only responding by barking or whimpering. It was funny for a few minutes - but I think this kid could go on for hours.  Let's hope something else sparks his interest!
Speaking of sparking his interest  - Beckham declared to me his future occupations yesterday.
When he grows up, he is going to be: a dog trainer, a train engineer, and a singer.  


Interesting mix, but it seems to incorporate all of his favorite things.  Shoot for the Stars kiddo!

Chris Isaak. May I swoon for a minute here?

Ok.  I have a little crush. Kerry and I had tickets to see Chris Isaak  at Red Butte Gardens Tuesday night.  One of this summer's highlights, hands down.  He put on an incredible show.  He is all sorts of retro-cool and full of absurdities with a fantastic live band.  He is almost impossible to classify or describe. He had me at his bright yellow sequined suit he wore as he walked out on stage for the first time.  Not many people can pull off a suit like that, but he can.  I could have listened to him play all night and woo us all with his wit and charm.  Smooooth like buttah, this boy.   I started listening to him in college and I love his voice - the high falsettos and the low low baritones.  But I had no idea what a great performer he was in the flesh or how devilishly, genuinely funny he was.
 Fantastic venue, too.  Red Butte is one of my favorite places to see live music because you are right up in the foothills.  It's low key and a little more of an intimate setting.  The place was packed...completely sold out.  
Kerry originally wanted to see his "girlfriend" Natalie Merchant who played last week.  He's always had a little thing for her when she was with 10,000 Maniacs.  Well, I dragged him to this instead.    But he'll be the first to tell you he completely underestimated this guy.  His voice was phenomenal.  Kerry and I had so much fun.   Mr Isaak and his band looked like they were having so much fun.  Maybe that was what was so great about it -cool and confident, charmingly delightful Mr. Isaak knew how to put on a good show and make it look easy....and totally rocked.  Rockabilly, baby!
Kerry doesn't believe me, but the other guy that is similar in take-you-by-surprise-understated-charm is Lyle Lovett.  That man puts on one amazing show with his 'Big Band' in tow.  The full sections of the drums, brass, and strings - you get it all.    See him once and you'll become a fan.  Better yet, see both of these shows and you can thank me later :)