Popcorn's Poetry: Chairs from Williamsburg, Monticello, and Mount Vernon (and one from a special private collection...)

Ready for this??? Popcorns Celebrate 30 Years of Wedded Bliss

Yes, that's right. You heard me correctly! Thirty years of togetherness. Here's the stats: Married, half past seven in the evening, August 23, 1980. First Baptist Bellaire, Tx. Six houses, 19 cars, three babies/toddlers/preschoolers/elementary children/middle schoolers/TEENAGERS/young adults/softball players/soccer players/football players/baseball players/basketball players...Three dogs, four cats, aquariums full of goldfish, 1 gerbil (gross) Two Brownies and a Cub Scout. One church, 23 years of Wednesday night choir practice, GA's, RA's, and youth activities on the third floor. Anniversary trips to Salado, San Antonio, and Austin. 23+21+17 birthday parties. One sweet 16 party with 150 on the guest list, and one Sound of Music surprise party with 70 eating all German food and dressed in character...lots of nuns and even a couple of smiling edelweiss. Years and years and YEARS of fun, family, and friends. A CD and music video, New Year's trips to Epcot/Disney(with our besties and their kids who are our kids' besties!) and Times Square. Best of all, the sweetest day in /day out, we're a team, I've got your back, life long tete te tete with the man of my dreams. Happy Anniversary honey!

Anxiety Within

Today I'm nagged by the ever so slight gnaw gnaw gnaw of anxiety. I run, it's there. I eat, it's there. I wake, it greets me. I chat and laugh, it lurks. Oy.

Popcorn's Playtime..thanks rain

I have to confess that this week I was given the gift of do whatever I want when I want, even if it's nothing. And I have loved every last drop of every minute. During my busy comings and goings all the time, I have all these things at home that I would rather be doing. Things that bug me if they are left undone, which they always are, so I always feel a nagging sense of being annoyed and anxious to get back home to get on my projects. What kind of projects you ask? Organizing the garage is one biggy. I have wanted to get out there and tear into that thing for months. All spring when the temps were perfect for such a chore I always had something else to do, some sort of commitment. I'm not kidding! From the pretty days of fall all the way through spring, no time to take a couple of mornings to organize the garage. Same thing with my closet. I love an organized closet so much. But it seems like I live my life getting ready to go somewhere....church, choir, school, lunch, dinner, meeting. I know you know what I mean. So consequently the closet becomes increasingly....uh....well, disorganized. Sometimes to the point I can't even walk in it! So this week I've been able to tackle those two chores but for me it was blissful playtime. The garage needs one more morning, which will be tomorrow since it is conveniently trash day. My closet is now ready for the clothes hanging in it to be color sorted. I'm actually grateful for all this rain because without it I'd be getting ready to go somewhere.

Pretty Flowers At Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs

Long TIme No Blog

Wow. March! Has it been that long since I was inspired to write something on my blog?? Truth is when I started my beloved Popcorn's Page I was not really employed..well, part time at my cute little Magpies store (not mine really but mine to me). Once I started teaching full time again that became my creative outlet and this one took a back seat. Sad isn't it? It's just that I am prone to pouring my whole self into things and when you pour your whole self into teaching teenagers...the self is all spent once home again at 3:00 p.m. There's not any energy left to think much less creatively. I'm not complaining. NO! I'm embracing this season in my life. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to teach two miles from my driveway much less the subject that I love. So tonight I am here to encourage you to embrace the new season in your life. We all experience them one way or another. Your season might not be one you've chosen for yourself...maybe another person "shoved" you into the season. Or maybe your new season was brought on by a sadness or tragedy...it happens to all of us. Or maybe you did choose it, like I did, but the adjustment has been rocky. My advice? Look at it, accept it, know it isn't going to go away. Our lives have a certain fluidity that we cannot fight, if we try we're just miserable. I heard a sermon in Colorado Springs last week and the minister said that we can't stay here, we can't go back, and we must move forward. How simple! Psychiatrists charge big bucks for such wisdom. So quit looking back and get going with your new plan. I am! Where do you think I've been all these months?

March Madness, in a good way

No, I'm not going to talk about basketball or brackets or wins or losses. I just want to kvetch(in a good way) about how busy this month is. The build up to Easter is killing me. In a good way, of course. The Popcorns practiced for months on music for the presentation of The Passion, which we presented last Sunday. It was moving experience and it was a privelege to be part of such a beautiful production. But the intensity of the whole thing was exhausting. Then Monday night we were thrilled to be invited to a Seder dinner at the home of Super Church Lady which was so much fun and so meaningful. Really really enjoyed the evening. Last night was Popgrammie's birthday so we all met for dinner at her fav mexican food spot. Tonight was choir practice...we're now preparing for tomorrow night, Maundy Thursday service and Easter Sunday. Whew. Fun, but fast and furious! In a good way, of course. Happy Easter everyone.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day Friends! Here are some vintage Valentines that were given to my Dad by his friends all through his school years spanning the years 1946 through 1954. That was elementary school which was 1st through 8th grade. They are so sweet! Enjoy and Happy Valentine's Day!

Proud Popcorns

Popson was inducted into the National Honor Society tonight. It was a nice candle lighting ceremony that didn't last too long. We are so proud of him!

Blog Photog 2010

TIme for a Change, I Guess

The church I've been a member of for 21 years is planning to change it's name. Personally, I think it is a good but odd idea. The name of the church is perplexing to those who are new to the area and don't know our history or the reason for the name. It is the name of the street we were originally located on but have since built on another site on another street. Hence, there is sometimes confusion about where the church actually is and people get lost and frustrated. That's why the odd idea of changing the name of the 28 year old congregation came about. I like the new name better, some people do not. They don't like the idea of changing it, and they don't like the new choice of names. Hum. It isn't official yet, there's a "vote" soon. We'll see how that goes....interesting. Life is full of surprises.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Popcorn's Prayin'

The carolers are still serenading us on the piano

My little Christmas village is still out

This nativity is still keeping us company in the entry

The patriotic tree is still standing proudly by the Constitution in the music room

We had a faculty meeting today about the possibility of no school in the morning. YIPPEE. I have got to get some more of the Christmas decorations down, sorted, and put away! It's embarassing that the whole project is in such a state of flux. But, (may I whine?) Popdaughter is still here and won't leave until Sunday and I just cannot spend my time obsessively sorting, packing, storing, and cleaning. So would I use tomorrow to complete the task? Maybe for a little while in the a.m. while she sleeps. Nevertheless, an unexpected free day is always a treat.

Nutcrackers are still standing guard on the little china cabinet in the dining room

Popcorn's Ponderings

Have you ever just wanted to be home? Home sweet home. On the couch. You're tired, you're cold, and you're hassled and you just want to hibernate. But the next thing you know you find yourself standing in line at the DPS office with your son because his license expired on his birthday~ in October. Or you find yourself behind a shopping cart at Kroger at 9:00 p.m because the fridge has no milk? I know there's worse things, like Tsunami's and such. I just wondered if anyone else just wants to be home but life often dictates otherwise. : )

Guilt RIdden But Warm

I'm sitting here by the fire feeling so bad. My daughter wanted so badly for all of us to go see Avatar~ and I bailed. I just could not go sit in a movie theater for three hours and watch so not my genre Avatar in 3D tonight. I didn't have it in me, not the night before I go back to school. Bad timing. Bad Popcorn. So here I sit guilt ridden but warm. First guilt of the New Year. Oy.

Sunday Reflections

It is really cold outside. And gray. This is what I imagine it looks like in cities in the northeast much of the time in winter. Not here though, gray days are really kind of rare. But honestly it is sort of calming because it absolutely subtracts some activities from the realm of possibility and I can sit in peace. So sit I will, and think. One is shopping, one is sleeping, and one is throwing the football with a friend. The weather hasn't kept the boy inside, surprise! Hubby is across the room watching football. The fire is keeping us all cozy and warm. I am going to slowly undeck the halls and have actually started. One tree is down and the Spode is back in its home in the red china cabinet. The deer and the outside lights are back in the garage despite protests from the boy. He loves those deer. He wanted to leave them out the rest of the year. I told him that while that is a lovely thought, there are deed restrictions for that sort of thing. What he doesn't know is that it makes my heart sing to have a 17 year old son that wants Christmas deer in the yard all year long. When we tossed the tree out the front door, I texted all three of them and gave a little heads up so they wouldn't drive up and just see it out there, undecorated and all sad by the curb. The decorations around the house served as a beautiful backdrop to a season of joy for our family. I guess that's why we all hate to see them fade away. It's back to school this week for us and back to our regular routine. I hope you have a great week, I plan to.

Popcorn's Promises: New Year's Resolutions

Here are my New Year's resolutions for 2010:

1. Take better care of my husband.

2. Live simply.

3. Hold my tongue!

4. Spend more time with my mom.

5. Walk my dogs more.

6. Cook more.

7. Plan ahead.

I like to make these promises to myself because it forces me to think about what I need to change in my life. My last birthday, which will remain numberless, really caused me to take a hard look at how I conduct life. If I don't make some really important tweeks in some areas, I'm going to look up and, well, let's just say I need to go ahead and craft my life into what I know God wants it to be. There's no time like the present.