Your Mountain is Waiting

As I have said before, I like to read. And I like to be a well-rounded reader. These days I am reading more textbooks and kids books than anything else. But I am learning that there is a great deal of wisdom to be found out there in those books. For instance, I have become captivated by my history textbook. All of the historical stories are really making me interested in history for the first time. So much so that I am in the process of planning a trip to Boston for next fall. But also, I am learning from my son's books as well. Just the other day we were sitting in his room reading Dr. Seuss and I was still invested in the book long after he had given up listening and moved to another task. Something in those Seussian words spoke to me. I felt understood, encouraged and reminiscent. Here are some lines and pictures that moved me:

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You're on your own.

And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you DON'T.

Because, sometimes, you WON'T.

Bang-ups

and

Hang-ups

CAN happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You'll be left in a Lurch.

And when you're in a Slump,

you're not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done.

I'm afraid that sometimes

you'll play lonely games too.

Games you can't win

'cause you'll play against you.

ALL ALONE!

Whether you like it or not,

Alone will be something

you'll be quite a lot.

But on you will go

though the weather be foul.

On you will go

though your enemies prowl.

On you will go

though the Hakken-Kraks howl.

Onward up many a frightening creek,

though your arms may get sore

and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike.

And I know you'll hike far

and face up to your problems

WHATEVER they are.

You'll get mixed up

with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

and rememnber that Life's

a Great Balancing Act.

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So... GET ON YOUR WAY!

Happy, Happy. Joy, Joy.

I can't believe that it has been a week since I last blogged. Time really flies when you are multi-tasking through your life. I have been meaning to write and I have lots of ideas in my brain to write about, but everything has taken a back seat this week because... Sunday is my birthday!!! Thus, this is my birthday week. It has long been a tradition in my family to stretch the birthday fanfare to include the week before. Birthday week is like a free pass for getting the things that you want. You get to pick the movies, the games, the restaurants, the dessert, the activities... everything is at your whim for that one week. And believe me, I am enjoying my reign. My week started last weekend when the fam and I went to Canyon Lake to celebrate. We ate and played and even made it to the Wurstfest... which was mostly just an excuse for people to walk around with pitchers of beer and eat meat on a stick. That part wasn't very fun, but the rest of the weekend was. And then tonight a larger group of family members went to Bucca de Beppo for a birthday dinner. This was my 5th year in a row to eat Bucca for my birthday and I am a sucker for traditions. So, only 4 more days in my birthday week and I am spending my time wisely. However, now I must go and study for my World Geography quiz tomorrow. Even a birthday girl has to buckle down and get to work... as it turns out, Lonestar College doesn't care whose birthday week it is. Bummer.

Hello, McFly

These days, my head is filled with so many facts that I feel like it might explode. I am really liking all the new tricks this old brain is learning and I feel my mind growing ever bigger. But... this body and this brain are TIRED folks!! Only 5 more weeks to go in this semester and I am feeling the weight of all the work. It's crunch time for me. Time to do a gut check and just suck it up. Grin and bear it. Bite the bullet. Go big or go home. You get the point. I am regretting adding another class that is only 8 weeks long. This class is fast and furious and not all that exciting. But... the show must go on. (Man, this post is full of cliches). I have another History test to take on Friday morning and I am cramming info into my brain as fast as I can. Who knows how long it will stay there but for now it is trying to take root.

Things that keep me sane:

- This weekend, because my family and I (minus the squirt) are going to New Braunfels to relax and unwind. And I need it (read above paragraph to see why)

- This weather. It has been so nice that we have taken every opportunity to go outside and be active. Today we went to a picnic in the park and it was really beautiful and fun.

- My new Sunday School class, which I am liking a lot. I am on the verge of throwing myself into the mix with reckless abandon. But for now I am on the outskirts, testing the waters.

- The holiday season and the plans that are already brewing.

- Being nearly done with my Christmas shopping for Luke.

- Having a good excuse to let the baby sleep in my bed last night. He was feverish and I needed to keep an eye on him). Who doesn't love to cuddle their little one every chance you can?

- Planning a vacation for next year.

Well, this post marks 5 more weeks of long, tedious hours of school punctuated with active hours of mothering. Makes for one exhausted me. Off I go to study for my test. All work and no play make Leslie an A student. TaTa.

Boo, Who?

For Halloween we went all out this year. We didn't really decorate and we didn't trick-or-treat but we made the costumes a priority. This year Luke had 3 costumes, and he wore all 3. We did this because my mom and I love to play dress-up with Luke and also because what 2 year old doesn't need 3 costumes? OK, so one was technically a pajama set. But still... it counts. He had a Halloween Party at Mother's Day Out for which he was Woody from Toy Story. This was a back-up outfit that was easier to wear all day. The real outfit was a dragon.

He wore the dragon today to the church's Fall Festival. It was a big hit. I try to ignore the fact that he is wearing leggings. They didn't come with the outfit, by they made it look better. And we literally got them in the girl's department. Shhhh, don't tell his dad. It was a fun Halloween season and we were both so glad to share it with all of the grandparents. It is so nice to get to share all of the Kodak moments with people who care and support us.

Make You Jump, Jump

I have been pushed to the max this week with schoolwork. I had to go and observe a classroom on Tuesday for my Intro to Teaching class and I went to Bryan, TX to watch my friend Brook work her magic on her 6th and 7th grade English classes. It was fun to watch her do her thang but I also missed a full day of being with my baby. With that and the weather and a few other school things, I needed a happy fix. So my mom and I did some research and found a little indoor inflatable land near the house called Monkey Bizness. We gathered ourselves up and headed for fun. Turns out we were the only ones there and it was pretty inexpensive. Score!!! It was a real blast to let that energy out and just go crazy in there. Reminds me of being a kid and just getting so excited. Little man slept great that day and was so big going down the tall slide. Mommy and Nana didn't fare so well... big tree fall hard. Anyway, here are some pics.

The Res

It has been a week since my last post and yet, life has continued to fly by unawares. So much happens in a day, let alone a week, that I literally am brimming with information to share. But I don't want to bore or overindulge you with TMI on my life and kid so I will filter, filter, filter. It would be easy to post about the tot, since my life is pretty much about him right now. And believe me, I have stories and pictures. However, today I want to talk about my res. And by "res" I am referring to my resolution, as in a new years resolution. I know, I know... its a bit early for New Years. But I am closing out my twenties next year and so I want to resolve to make this year great. Last year was a humdinger and so I am LIVING out loud this time around. So my year starts on my birthday, which is rapidly approaching (the 15th). I am creating a Bucket List of sorts. I will call it my Get er done list. No, I won't call it that, but I can't think of a good name yet. Still, the sentiment still applies... I am saying good bye to my twenties this year and I need to put a few notches on my belt before that happens. I am allowing myself to add to this list as I see fit, throughout the year. But I start today... with goal #1, as in first in the list, not first in importance.

I consider myself a movie buff based on my love for movies, the frequency with which I watch them and also the memory I have for random movie related facts. As I was skimming the world wide web a few days ago I saw a list on Moviefone that caught my eye. It was a list of the best movies from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. I love movies and I go cuckoo for lists so I had to check it out. It was awesome! 40 movies from each decade (that's a lot of movies). As I read each list I realized I have a very limited scope in my movie watching. Most of my favorites are in the late 80's and 90's bracket and I know very few from the 60's and less from the 50's. This is a tragedy. So I must rectify this situation. My goal is to see the following movies this year:

1. Guys and Dolls

2. From Here to Eternity

3. Some Like it Hot

4. A Streetcar Named Desire

5. Bonnie and Clyde

6. Cape Fear

7. Dr. Zhivago

8. The Way We Were

9. Deliverance

10. The Last Picture Show

11. An Affair to Remember
12. Cabaret

13. Kramer vs. Kramer
14. A Clockwork Orange
15. Apocalpyse Now
16. Annie Hall
17. Taxi Driver
18. A Room with a View
19. Sophie's Choice
20. My Left Foot
21. Boogie Nights
22. Trainspotting
23. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
24. Blade Runner

This is two a month, starting in November. Yikes! I've got some work to do. Feel free to borrow this list if you'd like. Many of you may not care but I want to learn to appreciate the classics - or at least see them.

STAR Report

This just in! I have gone the way of the celebrities and I have gotten a face-lift. Well, not me actually, but my blog. Thanks to my very talented friend, Beth, my blog has a sleek and fall-friendly new look. I felt that it was perfectly fitting for someone who is reinventing herself.

If you also need a blog face-lift please check out Beth's blog Scoop for some help. Also on that blog, she is doing a holiday card giveaway. Beth is the artsy-fartsy type and she is pretty fantastic at designing cards. She has her twelve designs on her blog site. So check it out and enter to win and you could have free Christmas cards this year. And cute ones to boot! Double score!! Ok. That's is folks. Happy Wednesday.