Thanks

I have thought about ending this blog for the past year or so, since I've not done a great job of keeping up with it, and when I do, I'm finding my writing to be lackluster at best.


I still really love reading your blogs, exchanging emails, and I'll be around on Facebook.



Thanks so much for reading here, and even more, for commenting. Your humor and insight has been so valuable to me during some really tough periods over the past 3 years. If I ever start a new blog, I'll post a link here so it's easy to find.

Grace and peace to each of you.

Love,
Katie

Can we agree to skip February this year?

[lovely shot courtesy of Pat D. Hemplepp]



I could maybe survive the winter tolerably if I were allowed to stay curled in my favorite blanket at the window where the cardinals congregate in the snow-heavy branches of some berry bush I don't recognize.

I could maybe enjoy it if I stayed there, inches from my peppermint vanille candle, listening to Carla Bruni and Karin Bergquist, whose voices offer as much distinctive warmth as a good Irish Coffee.

I could definitely love it if I had a stack of great novels and a soft overstuffed chair.

Or if I were a wolf.


[image from darkhound.org]




But in the winter months, having to do all the Normal Things required to move through the days and evenings..but doing them while cold(for this girl is always frozen this time of year, unless wearing layers that amount to double digits)...seems terribly unfair. I'm always less patient when frigid. And no matter how much I try to convince the world that I really must retreat during this infernal(ironic) time, it seems that I get the same answer from the cosmos each December:
Keep Moving. Quit Whining. Put on a sweater.



Okay, Cosmos on behalf of Winter. You're probably right. But I'm still a little peeved at you.

You know what might placate me, Cosmos? Arranging a really great deal on an amazingly warm winter coat which actually fits and looks just a tiny bit vampy. I know. It's a lot to ask.

Dear Santa..Love, Ginger

One very cuddly five year old leaped onto my lap and asked me to write Santa a letter for her. She thinks the computer is probably the best way to get a hold of him.
While typing, I gently reminded her that she may want to be as *polite* as she can when asking Santa for things..which she assured me that she understood...yet, I'm not convinced. What follows is the verbatim letter. You be the judge. ;)




Dear Santa,


Um, How 'bout you get me a Littlest Pet Shop? Annnnd....how about a toy horse, like, a horse that comes with like a metal toy horse that comes with a princess?

How 'bout a toy, like, plastic metal-ish dogs that come with a fence and a leash?

And a fence that has a gate? And a cage.

How 'bout a toy smooshy spider that can stick to things?
Maybe I could have...erm...um, like, a little brush. And my own, like, princess-y stuff.

And,like, maybe a train track.


Maybe a picture flame. (? - I asked for a repeat, just to be sure. Yep. A picture flame.)


And, um, how 'bout a toy alligator that, but it's metal, and it has babies that aren't attached?


Yay! All done.


Love,

Ginger



**And with that, she hopped off my lap in a cloud of burgundy satin and tulle(the halloween princess still makes daily appearances around here) and requested to be taught how to make microwave popcorn.
Very politely, I might add.

"Yang Yang was so cute and I just wanted to cuddle him. I didn't expect he would attack."

This made me laugh for a long time just now. I admit, Yang Yang *does* look cuddly. But, c'mon...

cutest la chose jamais

I admit that I paid a visit to GodTube hoping to see another video as hilarious as the one Daniel just sent me. I didn't know such a site existed and expected it to be more entertaining than TCT. However, once I arrived, the first video to catch my eye turned out to be maybe the cutest thing I've ever seen. Ever. (Touche')

Though an admitted information junkie, I find it tedious to listen too long to Keith Olbermann for fear of catching the bitterness which seems to be the common thread through every media outlet on the right and left, every talking head sitting in front of a camera behind a desk.

Maybe the exception for me is John Stewart, whose humor and wit I rarely tire of. In a perfect world I would have two brothers: John Stewart and Jack Black. We would wear color coordinated, monogrammed track suits.

But back to Keith; I think he really believes what he's saying here, and this time I happen to agree with him.



via videosift.com

Many whom I love and respect hold to a very different view of this issue, and I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. It's okay with me if we see things differently, and I feel lucky to be loved by such compassionate and intelligent people.

50 seconds in, see if you can find the kid that made me cry.

The children are our future

This morning, in the van.....


Isaac(in his raspy man-voice): When I grow up, I'm gonna be Barack-O-Bomma.

Will(chipper sing-song voice): I'm gonna be a FOOTball player!!


Isaac's chin jerks sharply in Will's direction.
Eyes narrowed, he ups the stakes.

(Raspy man-voice gets stern):

I'm gonna be a cheerleader.


Silence in the van. Isaac has won, and all the kids accept it.
:)

Just to be sure...

No matter who you're voting for, I hope you make your voice heard on Tuesday.
Let's make sure we show up at the right polling location.

Don't Vote. (fyi - aspects of this video may offend)

via videosift.com

Names changed to protect the privacy of second graders..

Today after school,






Willow: I have these two quarters. I'm giving them to Ginger.

Me: Where did the money come from?

W: From Cory. He gave them to me at recess. He said they were for me.

Me: Huh....are you sure he meant you to keep them?

W: YEAH, mom. He's one of my best friends.

pause

W: There's another one of my best friends who's a boy, too. Jake. I like them both because they're really nice.

Me: huh..(wheels spinning as I calculate how many years til we're talking about a very different kind of 'like'..not great at math and not loving the odds..)

W: But, you know? Jake is voting for John McCain. And Cory is voting for Barack Obama.

Me: (wha-??) Um. Well....are you guys all still friends?

W: Yeah. Even though we're voting for different people we're still really nice to each other.





*I hope she's not involved in some ACORN scandal.*

;)

I don't know how else to say this, but....I've never been so terrified in my life.

via videosift.com

Meet Trynn (foster dog Extraordinaire)

We took a trip several weeks ago to Bellwether Harbor to meet a dog whose profile we had seen at Petfinder. We were considering the pros and cons of adding a dog to our family and thought that this guy would be worth meeting, so Daniel and I took an impromptu road trip while the kids were in school(it was important to us that they have *no idea* getting a dog was a remote possibility).

It only took a few minutes for us to realize that Pax, the dog we had driven 40 minutes to see, had issues which would prevent him from being a good fit for our household. He was friendly, exuberant, and independent. Not to mention black and very large(a newfie/shepherd mix)..all qualities I love in a dog - but clearly too energetic and untrained for the stage of life we're in.

In addition to being better suited for older children, Pax had been recovering from a series of surgeries following a shattered elbow, culminating in the placement of a metal plate in his leg. While he was obviously a fantastic dog, he needs to be adopted by the right family who is prepared for the necessary commitments to medical expenses and training.

What we didn't expect was their suggestion that we meet another dog from the shelter who had been waiting for adoption. She was described as a smaller, friendly, fairly low-key lab/shepherd mix.

Trinity, or 'Trynn' as we've been calling her, has managed to steal our hearts in under a week.




*She is gentle and obedient
*She never tries to steal food from small hands, or any hands for that matter
*She stays out of the garbage
*Doesn't mess in the house
*Sits at our feet while we work
*She loves going for walks and behaves very well on the leash
*If you leave her in the car, she sits quietly in the passenger seat staring at the last place she saw you. The interior of your car is as clean as you left it(umm..or as messy, in our case)
*Crate trained
*Chews only her toys

She does come with a handful of flaws, likely due to her rough start in life:

*Fear of men(especially tall men), the sound of a camera shutter, traffic on wet pavement, and other oddities.

*A passion for identifying and rolling in gross things. We quickly learned the body language clues preceding the dreaded roll and have had no further problems. She quickly learned that a stinky dog gets a bath with vanilla butter cream scented shampoo.

*Appears to feel humiliated during bath with aforementioned shampoo.

Trynn came to Bellwether after being rescued by a woman who found her wandering as a stray. This woman's dog impregnated Trynn, who was likely too young to be a healthy mother. She was surrendered to Bellwether in severe distress during the birth of her pups, only three of which survived(they have all been placed in homes, happily).

The staff at the shelter is amazing. Over the course of our three visits and subsequent adoption, they spent hours with us. They answered our questions thoroughly and honestly without glossing over any of the responsibilities we were about to undertake. During the 9 months Trinity spent there waiting for a family, the volunteers and staff of Bellwether gave her love, attention and training. I've never seen a shelter where the animals seem well-adjusted and the energy is so peaceful - if we lived closer I'd want to work there.

So..the kids still think this is temporary, and it's only been a week; something could happen that would make us reconsider this choice. But as of this morning, Daniel and I are both getting very attached to this beautiful dog.

And feeling great about taking a chance on her.

Two reasons why I love my husband

This

and


this.

Mental Note

#1: Don't climb mountains by yourself. It's really not a good idea. So, don't do that.



#2: Derek Mamoyac is amazing. And amazingly lucky.

It likes me! It really likes me!

I am sitting here eating apple crisp hot from the oven. And let me tell you sumthin', people - life is good.

It turns out? I know how to make apple crisp..instinctively, with no recipe.
No small feat for this girl, I assure you.


(and for the rest of you out there who are dying to tell me how this shouldn't count for a lifetime's worth of culinary validation because apple crisp is the easiest thing in the world to make?

just let me have my moment, will ya? it's not often that the stars line up just right in my kitchen.)

:)

Fear and Election

One of my favorite bloggers recently articulated some thoughts that I think are worth reading. I think they're worth writing, too, but she already did it - better than I could - so as an alternative to redundancy, I give you ~

Allie, dearest


And if you have a few minutes, you might find yourself perusing more of her often humorous, always smart ramblings. If you're like me, and love a good ramble.

McCain disowned by family of mavericks.

pure will

Daniel took this video of Will and I the night we went to the park with the Beans. Will's pitch to me involved a camp-out, an elephant(Lumpy - our new friend/transport), and a whale.

His eyes are so beautiful, and this clip catches a bit of their shimmer.


will's campout idea from Daniel Rudd on Vimeo.

Why is that offensive?

Disclaimer:
Due to my upbringing, I have a soft spot for librarians, and also for those who engage in peaceful protest.
So. I brought those biases to my viewing experience.

But still - no matter who you're voting for(like me, an Obama supporter, or like many people that I love & respect, McCain supporters)- if the roles had been reversed, I think I would have felt the same way about the way this went down.
Just wow.




p.s. Upon second viewing..additional disclaimers:
1) I think that the peas-in-a-pod guy would have been a smarter strategic example to be made on the part of the police if they wanted to squelch the protest in the presence of video cameras. It's harder to sympathize with a guy in a ridiculous costume than a well-spoken grandmotherly librarian.
2)I have no idea what the organization at the end of this video is, so I'm not recommending their website by posting the clip. Wanted to make that clear in case they're kidney stealing wheelchair tippers.

A slug and a praying mantis walk into a yard sale..

..you know the punchline.

(or, at least, your guess is as good as mine.)


Somehow during the rainstorm this early morning, a slug gained entry through our closed back door. I found it wandering slowly across the cool ceramic tile, looking bewildered(as slugs often do).

Naturally, I put our slimy visitor into a small lunchbox tupperware container with some wet leaves from a rose stem and sent it to school with Willow(our resident slug lover) so that she could show her teacher and release it outside there.

We're having a yard sale September 27th. I placed an ad in the paper, which means I cannot forget to have a yard sale September 27th. I resolve to remember. I LOVE getting rid of things.

Twice this morning Daniel has made me laugh so hard that my neck and chest hurt. I married someone funny.

About an hour ago he was surprised to be sharing desk space with a praying mantis. Being as easily distracted as we are, this entertaining friend allowed us to neglect our respective tasks for a solid 20 minutes.




I'm feeling kind of mean-funny today. Very caustic. The sarcasm of my ancestors flows through my veins. Poor husband. He's in for it.

:)

Shenanigans

Lindsey's blog was so fun that I decided to try it myself.






Kind of.

























(my incredibly handsome, funny, great-sport of a husband approved this message. i fully expect to be repaid in like fashion.)

;)

MISSING

Have You Seen This White Puppy?



We have one very sad little girl who would like to know.


:(

A nice Friday surprise

A good thing happened in my very small part of the world today.

My second feature film, Zorg and Andy, got added to the International Movie Database, making my credits a total of two.

This is a very good thing in the world of struggling actors - the more credits, the better.

:)

The addition of that project to my filmography also upped my 'starmeter' by 45% this week. I know how it sounds.."starmeter" I rolled my eyes too. But it's actually a valuable tool which uses different factors to rank every actor in the database. As you move up the scale(I'm in the 140,000 range), you're more likely to garner the attention of those who can hire you for better jobs.

So my IMDB page has a teeny, tiny bit more street cred now. And that makes me feel optimistic about the coming year as an actress.

Also, Daniel helped me record some voiceover demos for an audio books agency. I'd love to get some gigs narrating - getting paid to read and develop my acting chops at the same time sounds pretty dreamy.
Also, money is tight for the creatives at the Rudd house - every income stream, no matter how small, will help us right now.

The first week of school was a smashing success for all.

:)

Ouch.

According to recent polls, 3 out of 5 toes feel that our dining room table is unnecessary.

Thanks, Mom

Just after I posted the Hugging Lions video below, my mom sent me the link to this:

Cat Calculates Risk @ Yahoo! Video

Hugging Lions

I know that everyone in the free world has probably seen this clip.
I've seen it several times myself, and when I came a cross it again just now, I was still just as moved(translation: cried like a baby).

you've got to love this kind of dad..

"Kids, lets try not to play the drum when it's on someone else's head, OK?"


:)


They're really lucky to have him. So am I.

The Tooth Faerie Returns..

When Willow sat up in her bed today triumphantly, I stopped in my tracks. For a moment I worried that she had found one of my sharpie markers and blacked out her tooth. The gap was too stark against the rest of her smile to be real..

But the second she held up her prize I knew it was no sham. This kid had once again yanked a barely-loose tooth from her mouth in a solitary event sponsored by the sheer force of her will.

We cheered raucously, parading around the house with the tiny trophy on display.
As Daniel gave his congratulations, Isaac stood just behind him, mouth agape in astonishment. Clearly he hadn't yet become familiar with the idea of losing teeth.
Later in the kitchen, he somberly approached me and reported in grave tones, "My teeth broken."
I explained again that it was OK, his teeth were going to be fine, and every one's baby teeth come out once in a while to make room for big-kid teeth, but usually not til you're a little older.
"No, right now.", He quietly insisted.
"My teeth already broke. They're broken."
A moment more of seriousness passed; then that familiar spark flashed in his eyes and he could no longer suppress the grin which revealed every one of his perfectly whole teeth.

.....

All day Willow's toothless smile alternately startled and dazzled me. As we got ready for bed she mentioned that she hoped the tooth faerie would do a better job than last time.
See, last time the tooth faerie failed miserably. One of her worst moments. She FORGOT to put the money under the pillow. Somehow, though, she managed to sneak into Willow's room while the girls and I got ready for school in the bathroom, as proven by the evidence left there, discovered by all three of us moments later. This near-tragedy served to solidify the girls' now unwavering belief that the Tooth Faerie is absolutely *real*. Flawed, but real.

Tonight we laughed as we speculated on whether the TF would be tardy like last year, or overly enthusiastic like the year before.
See, the year before, the TF had *really* wanted to make a great first impression. So she didn't just leave money under the pillow. Oh, no - she gathered all sorts of tiny bits of moss and flowers and faerie things, left scattered about the bed and under the pillow near the bag of coins.
In the morning, I remember Willow whimpering in disappointment and as I hurried to see what was wrong..
My poor groggy girl was pawing through her bedding: "She didn't leab be bunny! She only left deeze plants!"
I helped her find the bag of money which had slipped from under the pillow, no doubt while she tossed and turned in the early morning hours, nose stuffy from the pollen-laced weeds the overly zealous faerie had bequeathed.

..

So tonight, I have a feeling that the TF kept it simple: a golden dollar under the pillow(no ragweed) and a carefully tiptoed exit.

Samuel William Rudd

the plastic violin flew to life in the hands of the young prodigy, and while the resulting sounds *were* prerecorded and tinny, everyone nearby nonetheless marveled at his beautiful concentration..



(thanks to grandma c for the photo!)

A recent bedtime conversation

Ginger: I have five questions, mom.
Me(I know this bedtime routine): OK, honey. Number one?
Ginger: How do you make water?


I told her it was a mystery. That she had discovered a question which nobody, to my knowledge, has ever answered.

She decided that she will be a scientist.
She will find out how water is made, and make it.
And then all the other scientists will be happy because she will share her information with them, and everyone will know something brand new.

I pushed her hair off her forehead, and told her(truthfully) that she should go ahead and try. Everything we know about the world we know because of some one's curiosity and discovery.
What I know about her tells me that she could very well be the first person ever to solve the mystery of water.

Through her sleepy smile she ventured a guess:

Ginger: I think..that to make water, you take a little bit of orange juice, and some salt...and a little lemon juice...and a lot more salt. and you put it in a very special cup, a science cup, and you shake it.
Me: That's a good starting point, honey. You just start with your first idea and be curious about what happens next.

..............................

Wistful Imaginings

These are links to some of the places my mind has been wandering for the past few hours..

rich colors, innovative use of space, alternative materials..

I find inherent joy in the discovery of ideas which, to me, are new and surprising.

And also, I'd rather dream than work today.

:)


Romp

NextHouse

Nepali Concrete Tub

Metal Floors

Modern Modular

Kithaus

At Our House

We live among yarn.
Bits and pieces, braids, banners, spiderwebs, crocheted chains, leashes, crowns, fences.
We step over it, climb through it, trip on it.
Confiscate it.
Return it.
Admire it.
Applaud it.

Here, Tom Hanks continues to be A Swell Guy:

Beware: Celebrity Endorsement

Monday Morning at the Big Blue House

Last night I got home after the closing festival celebration absolutely exhausted. I was greeted by a quiet house and wildflowers in a mason jar with a note from my favorite man.

I took a shower(because it is *always* better to go to bed a little more tired than it is to go to bed wearing grime from a long day's work) and checked on four peaceful, sleeping children..

I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow at 3:09am.

Now it's 8:52am, and for the past 30 minutes Daniel has been manning the 'Trumpet Area" in our living room as the kids take turns trying their skill on the unwieldy instrument.

It's been fun to watch them all try so earnestly to elicit a noise, and their embarrassed delight at the resulting squawks like so many baby elephants.

I had a wonderful(though tiring) festival weekend, but missed these five people *very* much, and I am so happy to be spending this Monday morning surrounded by the happy chaos of our home.

Soon we'll pack it up and go looking for a park to swarm or a pool to swim in.

More about the Festival to come soon..

This is where I'll be all weekend...you should come visit me!


:)

The Cosmos have spoken

A lesson in remembering the words of old:

"If any man shall build a mostly useless tower of flickering color-coded nuisance near a busy thoroughfare, it shall be stricken down in due time."

~unknown lofty philosopher, 367b.c.



Not only was the WZZM13 weatherball hit by lightning, but the colors we all depend upon have become scrambled. Word has it that mass panic spread across GR within minutes as commuters lost their bearings. Confused shouts were heard from motorists including, "I can't see the weather! I can't see the weather? Is it still raining??"
and, "It's blue(cooler in view) and red(warmer ahead) and PURPLE! There's no rhyme for PURPLE! What's happening??!AAARRGGHH!"

The beacon of weather awareness is currently dark, undergoing repairs while throngs of bewildered urbanites stand vigil beneath. When asked why they had gathered, one accountant summed it up for the whole group: "We just want our weather back."

UPDATE-------->
11:35pm
Current weather: Dark. Cricket-y.

Dutch Man Suffers Cut Buttocks After Joke Mishap

AP

Created: 6/3/2008 3:43:17 PM

Updated: 6/3/2008 3:47:27 PM

UTRECHT, Netherlands - Dutch police say a man who pushed his exposed buttocks against a restaurant window as a joke was injured when the glass broke and lacerated his behind.

Authorities say a man, 21, and two others had run down a street Sunday morning with their pants pulled down. The man pushed his behind against the window of a restaurant when it broke and cut him.

The injured man was treated for his injuries at a nearby hospital. The cafe owner decided not to press charges after the men agreed to pay for the broken window.

(associated press)

I love these folks

I had the honor of participating in an indie feature film called Zorg and Andy a while back, and have never forgotten what a delight it was to work with this group of genuine, quirky, intelligent people.

They've been chronicling the ups and downs of post-production at the film's blog, and were kind enough to post my updated info there today.


It really takes a special kind of crew to make cockroach wrangling fun; for that, and lots of other similarly unexplainable moments, I thank Northanger Productions!


:)

Frivolous Fun

As it turns out, being British makes toddlers funnier!

As usual, the last to know..

Can someone please help me understand Twitter?
What is that?
Why do I need to 'follow' you on it?
Seriously - two of my favorite blogs now have this column with shorthand updates and I just don't quite know what's happening..

If I follow you on Twitter, will I be able to get back?
Will I know how to read shorthand?

?

...at cmputr, typng Twitter Twitter #@$j/..hping sum1 cn hlp me..
two minutes ago

***There. I did it. Now am I in? ***
;)

Chicago

Andrew documents our trip to Chicago here.

The play we saw Friday night was Sweet Confinement, written by our own ferocious playwright Anna Carini. She's also a fantastic actress with a super-hot headshot.
We were all moved - I was totally destroyed by the whole thing(raw,painful, honest, unflinching, with just the right infusion of dark humor. Frighteningly real.), and I am IMMENSELY impressed with and proud of her. Seriously. Drive to Chicago immediately(well, wait till Friday - weekend showings all month)..

Saturday after finishing the audio work we needed, Levi enlisted our film crew to prank his friend Katie(?) who was visiting from Michigan(!) and *definitely* did *not* want to be in Levi's reality TV show "Livin' La Vida Levi"(a fictional story he had been keeping up with her over the phone, which she mostly knew was a joke, but he's pretty crazy, so..). In order to honor her wishes, we typed up an image release, followed Levi to the pickup point on his white moped, and double-parked paparazzi-style out front. She came out, took one look at our cameras and made a beeline for cover.

At the end of it all, she was a very good sport. (lovely, too)

Chicago traffic was particularly heinous. We drove over 150 city miles in two days.

A slow-down day

I kept Willow home from school today because she feels rotten. We spent most of the morning snuggled up together napping, and while I used the afternoon to clean up the house and create some art, Willow drifted in and out of sleep. Poor sweet girl. The only thing I could get her to eat tonight was a strawberry yogurt smoothie.

We sat at the table together when I started writing this post, and listened to the Cranberries(thanks to Cameron's player, which has been our evening soundtrack). Ginger told us about her day at school and we read a new story before bath time.
(**aside** ~ I am really loving the playlists on the various blogs I read, and am having fun developing my own. It's at the bottom of the page and you have to hit 'play' to listen)

If only Willow hadn't been miserable, I'd say it's been nice to have a truly unstructured day.

Summer Fun

I volunteered last year for the Waterfront Film Festival, and had such a great time that I'm returning this June. The already beautiful and friendly town transforms for three days each year as it films with people who love movies, and the people who make them.
Do you remember March of the Penguins? Napolean Dynamite? Both had their midwestern premieres at Waterfront. Last year, the festival made the top five in the country according to SAG Indie.
This year I plan to sneak away from my venue long enough to check out Lisa Kudrow's new film Kablooey, and a documentary from the producers of An Inconvenient Truth...and more, if I can manage it..

If the combination of Sun, Sand, Indy Films, Coffee, Ice Cream, Parties, Art Galleries, and Shuttle Service sounds like fun to you, passes just went on sale here. Hope you'll come visit me! :)

And, thank you Tara for reminding me to post the dates! :)
June 12-15

Gracious, Competent, Opinionated, Insightful, Unflappable Willow.

My 7 year-old sage Willow is upstairs asleep, her arms wrapped protectively around an oversized T-shirt with Barack Obama's face on it.

Our adventure started when I picked her up from school today and told her we were going to see him give a speech in Grand Rapids. For months she's been asking questions about both Clinton and Obama(she's sharply observant and heard something at school that grabbed her curiosity near the beginning of the primaries). She and Ginger are funny as they converse in the backseat like Bert and Ernie meets NPR, switching support from Obama to Clinton and back again based on who-knows-what..
She was very excited because the evening combined several elements which held strong appeal for her: A night with Mom and no other kids(rare), a trip to Grand Rapids(never fails to elicit jaw-dropping awe from her as she stares up at the tall buildings and informs me(?!) of the latest construction changing the skyline), and a chance to see Barack Obama(maybe the first famous person she's paid particular attention to).
While munching her favorite vegetarian taco in the back seat, this is what I heard:
"Mom? I have a question I want to ask you..but it's a hard question, and it's ok if you can't answer it at all, or right away.."

Needless to say, the inexplicably articulate child I gave birth to seven years ago had my full attention.

"So..the question is, How Did War Start?"

The combination of simplicity and gravity in her inquiry left me speechless. She clarified that she doesn't mean *this* war(the one which she's aware of no matter how much I try to keep it from her consciousness). She means War. When did, how did, humans decide to turn against each other?
I have never been more grateful for the chance to think before answering. I praised her for the kind way she framed such a difficult question and promised to get back with her soon with my best effort at a good response. Her eyes in the rear view mirror were(as they often are) unwavering pools of gentle solemnity.

The optimism which carried us to GR was apparently not speedy enough..since by the time we parked, still blocks away from the arena, Ryan called to say he(and Keith and Maya) were inside already but it looked like they were shutting the doors. With Willow on my back we ran the few blocks(again, the fuel of optimism failed to be adequate) to the already closed arena. It was an hour and fifteen minutes before the event was due to begin - I started to plead with a campaign spokesperson but quickly realized it was out of her hands and there were about three thousand others who wanted the same thing we did..
Willow accepted this news with mellow resignation and smiled at the women nearby, her chin draped over my shoulder. Later she would tell me that she heard the woman beseeching the security guard to let her join her husband inside, who was holding a seat for her, to no avail. Willow said she felt bad for the lady because at least we could still have fun with each other but she'd probably just have to wait around for her husband to come out. ((This is just one recent example of Willow's rapidly developing sense of compassion and perspective. ))
During this time I also learned that my sister and her friend were indoors as well in the overflow area. They showed incredible kindness by walking back out of the auditorium, giving up their chance to see the speech they had travelled to see in favor of coffee with Willow and I. Aunt Lara couldn't abide the thought of Willow missing out on a great time.
We met a shaven sheltie dog and her hopefully harmless eccentric owner who proudly showed us his photo album of the dog posing with many notable politicians. Apparently he follows them around the country with his dog till he gets a photo opp. By the way she laid her face on my sister's knee and refused to remove it for minutes, we guessed she's tired of the hat, or the gig, or both.

On our way to find the Four Friends coffee shop, we stopped to let Willow pick a T-Shirt from a New Yorker selling them outside VanAndel. For ten bucks, she walked away with her choice, which included a picture of Obama, the standard Yes We Can and Change slogans, and an addition at the bottom that read "This time I want a smart President!!!"
I didn't look closely at that last part till after we bought it...ah, well.
The coffee house would have been boring for Willow had it not been for Paul's quick thinking as he grabbed games from the shelf for her to play with; and later, a gymnastics display shared with Aunt Lara(who can still walk on her hands effortlessly) in the middle of the shop floor.

Before I had the chance to worry about a bedtime snack for the road, Lara produced a perfect organic orange from her knapsack which Willow gladly devoured as soon as we got to the car.
On the drive home, I wanted to offer her something to solidify her experience and help make up for the initial disappointment of being turned away, so I offered her the next-best thing I could come up with; a promise that next time Barack Obama comes to town we'll try again if she wants. And that tonight she'd be able to stay up later than usual in order to see a portion of the news coverage surrounding the event. I told her that there was a chance we'd even be on TV, since several of the major channels had their cameras pointed directly at our spot in line. When we found out that John Edwards had been there, too, I said they'd probably have parts of their speeches online and we could watch a couple of minutes before bed if she wanted.

I could tell she was tired when we pulled in the driveway, but she sweetly reminded me of my promise, so before long we were cuddled up on the Story Couch together. I knew she was just trying to extend our evening together and the special-ness it's rarity presented..but I had promised, so I opened the laptop.

She surprised me by being completely disinterested in any clips that may contain footage of us outside. She asked if there was a video that showed "the whole thing inside".
The entire speeches?
Yup.

This kid of mine snuggled in to my side watching intently from the moment John Edwards and Barack Obama stepped onstage to the last 'God bless America'. Asking thoughtful questions periodically, or wondering out loud why someone had written a particular slogan on one of the many bobbing signs behind their heads. I kept asking her if she wanted to be done, but she was determined.

Her first observations included murmured approval for John Edwards' kind words regarding Hilliary Clinton at the beginning of his endorsement speech.

Later she said, "Mom, here's another hard question to answer - one that you could think about in your head or answer out loud, either one: How does 'President' work? Like, how do you have a job and also be President?"

I told her that being President is a job, a very hard one because you have to make important decisions every day, and not everyone will like you..but some things about it are probably also very nice, like living in the White House and being a part of history...then trailed off watching the speech.

After being quiet for a minute, she asked very quietly, "Do you think...well, do you think *I* could do a good job with being President?"

I honestly didn't have to fake my answer one bit when I squeezed her a little tighter and said, "Absolutely. You could be the best President ever. You can do anything you put your heart into."

When she asked if a President can have friends, I told her that they are just people; they have friends, families, hard days, interests, favorite foods...
She asked to see the Obama family, so our evening ended watching this clip of Michelle Obama introducing herself and their girls. Both Willow and I were surprised that their ages are so close to her and Ginger. I thought out loud, "I wonder what it's like for them right now, having their Dad running for President. Kids your age..to them, he's just their Dad.."
She chuckled her response, "Yeah - crazy. I mean, they don't call him *President Dad*!"

Just Passing Through(more to come)

I have wanted to post something almost every day in recent weeks, but invariably become distracted before doing anything about it.

So, I wish that you could have been there to see:

~The view from the tower at the top of the Grand Hotel on our honeymoon..the tower that we had to ourselves for a moonlit songwriting session with the beautiful white piano and the Bridge twinkling on the water..

~Ginger and Willow wearing their beautiful wedding ballerina skirts, twirling in hazy beams of sunlight at the old piano factory..

~the happy chaos of our home as our family of six filled the previously vacant spaces..


and so many more moments which have crowded together lately, creating blurred-around-the-edges memories in a string of happy days and weeks..with the promise of many more ahead.




I've always told the girls that you don't have to choose between the people you love. That your heart can grow to allow more people in without pushing anyone out.
My heart was already so full of love for Willow and Ginger, but letting it expand to encompass Isaac and Will happened more naturally, rapidly, and completely than I could have expected. It's stunning, and I'm unspeakably grateful.

I hope to have more time to write soon..and pictures, too. :)
Thanks again to everyone for your support as our new family settles in!

very very happy

all who helped to make yesterday very special,
thank you so much.
we are very happy
see you soon...
-katie & daniel

Ginger Navigates

In the car this morning Ginger and I were on our way, still wearing pajamas, to get our traditional weekly 'Special Breakfast'.

From the backseat she was making these beautiful faces at me in the mirror, sunlight and shadow racing across her pale skin and intense eyes.

"Mom? Is that 'East'?", she asked while throwing a thumb over her right shoulder.

"Yes", came my slow reply(surprised at her accuracy).

"I got hit yesterday in the East eye."
She continued matter-of-factly, " That hurt. That hurt on the Eastside."

I asked my brain to take a picture.

Yesterday I had all four kids in the front yard, playing ball and making chalk drawings and exploring boundaries.

All of them would be roaming the yard, engrossed in independent play, when one of them would bellow an announcement of discovery. Next, three sets of hands would drop what they were doing and race across the yard on feet made light by curiosity.

One such moment:

Will galumping across the grass, tennis racket in hand, eyes on the sky, occasionally tripping.

Isaac standing perfectly still, red plastic baseball bat in hand, staring me down for a squishy lime green ball pitch that we both know is very likely to land in his face..and almost certainly nowhere near the swinging bat.

Ginger on her knees with dirt under her nails, meticulously digging delicate white blossoms from the ground by the roots(collecting them for the wedding..against all odds).

Willow emerges from the trees lining our yard and bellows in disbelief,"There's a STREAM between our yard and the NEIGHBORS!"

Thus began the caravan through the tangled branches. Willow followed by Isaac followed by Will followed by me..unknowingly followed close behind by Ginger.
Before I could prevent it, a small branch swung back and struck her face. She cried and while I held her each brother and sister came to check on the stricken eye and express their concern.

After a few minutes all was well at the Big Blue House. As evening set in, not only did we manage to play outdoors with *no* fighting(?), but each and every child was *willingly* bathed and PJ'd(!) before Daniel got home. Such moments of ease are there to sustain parents for the long stretches between when all their best ideas are tested and rejected in the face of youthful defiance or sibling discord. Last night's decadence gave me the chance to pause in the middle of a very busy week, a very busy life, and really enjoy the kids I've been blessed to love.

What *does* she do for a living, anyway?

A few posts ago I promised to tell you more about how the recent tax incentives for film productions will affect me as a non-union actress/resident of Michigan.

This week the governor signed Michigan's Film Incentive package into law, generating buzz everywhere from the industry's most recognizable publications, like this article in the LA Times, or this one in Variety Magazine.

Locally there was coverage of the just-started crew training through GRCC.
And other articles giving readers a basic overview of what the Film Incentives will mean for Michigan.

My friend David O'Malley was featured in the Battle Creek Enquirer, a piece in which he mentions plans for bringing film production to Michigan via Safe Harbor Productions in the coming months.

I've been working with Safe Harbor since last summer as their Michigan Representative.
Much of that time has been spent waiting to see what Michigan would do with this legislation.
Now things are progressing very rapidly(an understatement). At least three major productions are set to shoot over the summer, and Safe Harbor is working quickly to establish a ground-floor presence in the state.
Janet Lockwood has been the go-to woman for the Michigan Film Office. Thanks to the governor's signature on the bills, she is able to be at the Locations Expo in LA shopping our state's robust incentive package to the most influential decision makers in Hollywood.

I met with TicTock Studios in Holland recently to see their ongoing progression toward creating the Columbia Art District, and was encouraged to see the tangible headway they're making. West Michigan has a chance to be the premiere area for the state's emerging film industry. With all the hard work they've done and the strides they're making now, I expect that they will be one of the names at the forefront of that movement.

As for Safe Harbor, we have two projects in the works which we plan to shoot in Michigan soon. I will serve as a producer on the first project, and might even sneak a little acting in as well. I am thrilled for the chance to gain a better understanding of the process it takes to tell stories though film. Life is very full and the furthest thing from boring at present.

It's wonderful to see a near future in which it could be possible for performers and crew to stay in Michigan instead of relocating themselves and their families in order to have a chance at living their craft. And in this smaller market, bringing the industry here means every Michigan actor, actress, gaffer, P.A., and the list goes on.. has a better chance at making a go of it. It's a smaller ocean, with fewer sharks.

So for me, the next few months will consist of developing Safe Harbor's presence here and, if all goes well, playing a key role in making a movie or two..
And I'll continue helping with licensing development for Redbeard Music..
And I'll have a fabulous Michigan summer with the five people I love more than anything in this world! Can't wait for swimming weather..

This one's for you,Dad.

When we were kids, sometimes dad would surprise us with a special treat - movie night. My sister and I really looked forward to waiting through one,two, even three Stevan Segal or Chuck Norris martial arts films so we could get to the prize of the last movie, which would be Dark Crystal or Much Ado About Nothing.

So Dad, I give to you Steve Brule, in case you've been looking for a new sensei.


:)

Everything's Comin' up Roses

I couldn't possible convey how thrilled I am about the film incentive legislation that just passed. Things have been very busy ever since. I'll be posting more about what this means to me personally as soon as I'm able.

For more information on the incentives, visit the Michigan Film Office site(the first hit on your google search should get you there).

I think we'll be seeing more companies like this one in Holland showing up here very soon. And, as you can probably guess, I view that as a very.good.thing.

Fat Chix Coffee Cantina needs you

In a previous post, I extolled the virtues of this eclectic cantina on Grand Haven's east side.

Since moving north of the bridge last month I haven't been back(most of my time spent south of it is in a state of late-ness, trying to deliver Ginger to school in time for the *very* important 'second breakfast')..
This morning I remembered the place and stopped in to get my(inexpensive)fix. Everything was exactly the same as before, right down to the row of regulars perched on the bench along the wall(including the guide dog I met months ago, who greeted me this time with a lopsided smile and wagging tail). Wild assortments of scarves and country decor and vintage magnets and sterling silver rings dangled and spread over every square inch of wall and counter. The ever-so-rare money jar sat there waiting for my honest payment.

Still, as soon as I stepped inside I could tell that Something was out of place. After a second or two I realized it was the absence of owner Mary's robust greeting and uncanny ability to remember my last visit and every detail of previous conversations..Mary, undoubtedly the reason why that row of regulars assembles each morning.
It seems that her husband became very ill with a heart problem and she left the shop to care for him during his difficult recovery.
In her absence a group of caring volunteers are working to keep the place afloat. Raising the stakes, the volunteer explained, is the fact that the coffee shop is the family's only income at this time.

If you need coffee on your way through GH, it's only a minute or two out off the highway, and well worth the detour anytime. But especially right now, when you have the opportunity to help Grand Haven keep one of a dying breed(locally owned one-of-a-kind coffee houses where the owner actually makes your drink and trusts you enough to be a good person and pay for it..), AND help a family get through a hard time.
I want to live in a world where people are good neighbors and dogs are allowed in coffee shops, and families get through hard times with the help of great friends.

a first.

Until very recently, I have never told anyone who I vote for; even when(especially when) pressed for an answer. It feels private, very personal, and I generally have little interest in spur of the moment political arguments. Also, I've always felt a bit apathetic on some level..no candidate for President since I've been old enough to pay attention has impressed me very much at all. So voting, for me, has always been about picking who I perceive to be 'not-the-worst' person for the job.
That's why it feels a little weird to be getting so wrapped up in one candidate; feeling invested and hopeful and genuinely enthusiastic. Even in my twenties with so little experience in the political process, I'm just so used to feeling jaded and narrow-eyed about the whole thing.
This time my eyes are wide open along with my ears, and as usual, I'm going with my gut.
If the chance is given, I will be voting out loud for Barack Obama. There. I wrote it.
And in case you're wondering, I probably still won't argue with you about Washington politics.
:)
:)

An otherwise ordinary morning.

We had an adventure at the library today. This should not come as a surprise to those of you who know how much time we spend there, and that libraries are full of magic (having been raised by a librarian myself, I can attest to this).

It seemed like an ordinary visit until Will and I met an unlikely friend on a brief trip to the van. As we walked out the sliding doors, we were greeted by a jolly..golden..FAT..adorably ugly and utterly lost bulldog. This dog's face held possibly the most innocent, guileless expression I have ever seen. I stopped to pet it, after it had lumbered in front of us and deposited its fleshy face on my hip. Every single move this creature made was accompanied by a loud snuffle.

After a quick petting(and the discovery of a ridiculously hard skull even for a bulldog), Will and I continued past the dog to the van. Unbeknown st to us, this hapless hog-of-a-dog had caught a bit of the library magic through proximity, and found itself imbued with the ability to become our absolutely silent shadow. As I spoke with Will and began settling him into his seat, I was shocked to see this dog appear INSIDE the van!
We watched incredulously as the pooch used a considerable amount of effort(as he did with all motion) to squeeeeeeze between the middle van seats and heave himself up onto the bucket seat of the van, where he proceeded to vacuum up assorted kid snacks which had fallen there.

Will and I were stunned.astounded! and fascinated by this jovial canine who had apparently adopted us in less than two minutes' time. I tried hard to keep a straight, *This-is-no-big-deal-hideous-bulldogs-hop-into-strangers'-vans-
all-the-time-I-know-just-what-to-do* face(which became progressively harder as I called, coaxed, baited, etc).
As soon as our sweet friend realized that what I wanted was to get him OUT of the VAN his mug took on a new expression: one of stoic disobedience. He staged a peaceful protest as I tugged on meaty shoulders and metal collar. Finally I remembered the baggy of Cheerios on the front seat and used the contents to lay a trail, luring him after me out of the van. The time spanned from introduction to extrication couldn't have been more than five minutes, proving again that you don't have to make a lot of room in your schedule for ludicrous adventures.

The story ends well for the dog, who went straight from our van right up to the automatic doors of the library, let himself in, and took a tour before being lured out, again, by a trail of cheerios(I would put the estimated weight of 'Hubba' at about 90 lbs, so no one was really going to *make* him go anywhere).

A kind gentleman passed us in the foyer and I could instantly see that he knew dogs, loved them, was gentle, and wanted to help. So I took off the leash I had made from my belt as he fashioned his(incidentally almost identical) belt to trade jobs. We quickly agreed that he would help track down the owner and I would concentrate on getting our library group back together. Will & I did our best to tell Daniel and Angela what had happened, and were met with some understandable skepticism on Daniel's part(it *is* a far-fetched tale);he decided I would need a witness to corroborate, and Will obliged with a documented retelling.

This is pretty much the dog, except yellow. And fatter/taller/more doleful.

And here is a video of Will's take on events. ( **Disclaimer** This is video taken with a cell phone, so the quality is pretty bad. Also, the whole dog fiasco happened during the administration of a time-out for attempted sibling injury..one of our only sad moments at the library that morning, which is an accomplishment considering how long we were there with three kids and three adults. Needless to say, much of the inherent gravity of the 'Time Out' experience was lost on Will as soon as we crossed paths with 'Hubba')

goodnight(great day)

Due to a possible business call from a different time zone, I've been up writing for a while. The house is so quiet this time of night, and it makes me anxious for the soon-approaching time when we will all live here together. Six sleeping heads on cozy pillows in the same place. Long story times, last sips of water, special stuffed animals and blankets. A symphony of snores. I can't wait. :)

It was a full and exciting day, starting with the removal of our picture window and the combined brute strength of Daniel and myself wrestling a very large couch through it(the only opening in our house wide enough to accommodate this beast.)
The delight of the children who romped on and around it all evening made the inconvenience worthwhile.
In between cleaning(both Daniel's apartment and the house needed some attention before kid time, so we scrambled to get them in order today), moving furniture, grocery shopping and making dinner..Daniel and I managed to find time for a brisk long walk in the glorious spring sunshine.
We met a sweet black dog who was afraid of fast-movements and raised her hackles at us, but soon relaxed and showed what a good heart she had. She laid her head in my hands and looked at me so inquisitively. Children had been rough with her as a puppy, her owner said. She came from The Noah Project(a wonderful local no-kill animal sanctuary).
The best part of the day was when the kids could all be together for dinner and some much-needed play time with the adored train set.
Daniel facilitated teamwork which resulted in the construction of the most elaborate and creative train track/luge? that I've ever seen. I did my best to capture the antics of these, my Five Favorites..and while it was impossible to catch all of their hilarity, I was lucky enough to get a few great moments. Video will show up here sometime soon.

Go n-eírí an bóthar leat.

'May the road rise with you.'

Since I'm still up, I thought I could be the first to say it:

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I raise my figurative Guinness in your general direction.

God bless the corners of this house, And be the lintel blest, And bless the hearth and bless the board, And bless each place of rest, And bless each door that opens wide To stranger as to kin, And bless each crystal window pane That lets the starlight in, And bless the rooftree overhead And every sturdy wall. The peace of man, the peace of God, The peace of love on all. ~traditional irish blessing

Warning: watching this clip may result in phantom back pain.

More to come soon..

Seriously?

Did anyone else see this story today?
Every time I see a child doing something like this, I'm speechless while my mind generates lots of questions..I'm not sure what I think about a lot of what's behind stories like these..
but I do feel sure that:
Kids have a lot more potential for early comprehension of the world around them than we gve them credit for.

There are some sweet pictures of the kids

on Daniel's blog.

:)

Golden

Once a year, my beautiful sister Lara makes these amazing candles with her own hands. She gets huge blocks of beeswax from local honey farmers and performs some sort of magic which involves heating and purifying the wax before molding it into the most delicate and intricate shapes; filigree spheres, tall morel mushrooms, flower petals pressed into the sides.. each one is absolutely unique and lovely.

She makes them with such love, gives them carefully and deliberately with gracious hands. I don't know if everyone else in the family anticipates them as much as I do, but I am telling you the truth when I say that I would be perfectly happy if the only gifts I ever received from her were these golden candles.

One year she discovered that I had been hoarding them instead of putting them to use. They were lined in a drawer. I couldn't bear to burn them, but protected them instead, saving them for an occasion when it would be right and they would be essential to the experience.
I said I wanted to burn them in my home, and wasn't sure exactly where that was going to be.
Since moving into the house a few weeks ago, I have suddenly felt the urge to use them.

And their strong-sweet honey fragrance has filled these rooms with the love of my sister.
Two of my favorites are still saved, waiting for one more special occasion. On our wedding day they will be lit along with many other (more ordinary) candles, adding their special kind of light to the symbolic beginning of our new home.

This makes me miss having a dog.

My mom sent me a link to an article about just the sort of dog I love having - big, smart; a dynamic blend of duty and mischief.

It's not a good time for us to add a canine to this growing family. Goldfish are about the highest level of pet maintenance that we should tackle for now. It's just that I have almost always had one, and they bring a lot of joy.

So later, when the kids are older ... I will be so excited to have a dog-buddy again.

A giant sunny diamond..

..is spread across our living room floor, and presently nothing in the world sounds as good as laying down in that perfect warm brilliance for a nap.

But instead I will keep moving through the necessary tasks of afternoon:

Wash the perfect(I mean, PERFECT) four dollar gray woolen blanket I got at goodwill today

Clean the kitchen from last night's dinner( By the way: our kitchen after a meal for the six of us looks exactly like a town deserted in the wake of a traveling carnival)

Embark on the next chapter of the endless investigation into "what the $%^& is that smell" in the green car, which must be found and eradicated. So far all we can figure out is that a kid spilled something a long time ago, it soaked into the fabric, and no amount of cleaning helps. It's going to be detailed and steam cleaned this week. If that doesn't work, you're all welcome to attend a HUGE bonfire in our backyard soon.

Check progress of today's primaries every five minutes

Sign up to bring large quantities of food to Willow's school on Friday for the breakfast her class is hosting.

Redbeard Music work

Paint Will and Isaac's bedrooms

Figure out how to sing with as much guts as Glen Hansard

And lastly, succeed in posting before Daniel. Ha. I win.

Peace,
Katie

Spare a moment for Headshot help?

Hi.
I am an actress whose headshots were woefully outdated.
Until yesterday's impromptu photo session.
So here I am to beg your assistance.

It's recommended that before selecting your final headshots (the ones that you will send ahead, or carry with you, to auditions), it's a good idea to ask family and friends for feedback. My proofs are available for viewing(editing will resolve issues like the light switch, stray hairs etc).

So if you have a minute to follow this link, I'd appreciate anything you have to say. You can leave comments here or email me. If you scroll over the thumbnails at the bottom it will show you the filename which you could use as a reference.

The images will end up online at KateRudd-dot-com after we finalize the site..
which will probably be close to the time when my legal name changes to Rudd this spring.

I chose to switch my performance name from Katie Rose to Kate Rudd after realizing that there are no other people working under that name in the industry, according to IMDB. Just good business sense when you consider the fact that there are several other Katie Roses, one of which is a notable porn star, another of which is an up and coming vocalist from Chicago.

--------End of self-involved tedium------

Just me and the fish(the only ones awake)

Last week the girls and I moved into The Big Blue House(title bequeathed by four kids who love to run the halls there..nobody knows who called it so first).
The experience, while exhausting, was easier than most moves I've pulled off. I think it really helped that over the past few years I've downsized drastically. I love getting rid of things, though sometimes do it too hastily..
Still, for the most part I'm glad to be less encumbered by 'stuff'.
For the first time, when I unpacked things here, I felt like most objects passing through my hands actually mean something to me..and those which seemed empty were rare to come across.
As I sit here all is quiet except for the sounds of the house. Girls are sleeping, the living room is dark and the trees outside are leaning toward the ground under the heavy snow resting on each branch.
If it weren't for the dirty dishes in the sink and the rice on the dining room floor it would be hard to believe that just hours ago this place was absolutely full: of children's wild symphonic voices..the smell of Bombay potatoes and mint chutney..an ancient rolling pin pressing out tales of it's own history and Ryan's amazing naan(devoured by spectators of all ages)..and the endless(wonderful)parade of requests which were each met with the appropriate dixie cup of cheese duckies or spoonful of plain yogurt or one more bite of basmati rice delivered to five expectant mouths.
Every adult knew when the tide turned and it was 'Time', followed by a surprisingly efficient coat/hats/diaperbag gathering ceremony and goodnight hugs all around.

The girls say this place felt like home the first night we stayed here. For me it has been a bit more gradual, and has to be until after the wedding when we can all be here all the time(it's always hard for us to say goodbye to the Rudd boys and I can't wait until we don't have to anymore)..but tonight as I prepare to pack Willow's lunch and remember how she read her homework to Ang at the makeshift dinner table, I feel a very simple and present awareness of being Home here.

It's not hard to take a deep breath and enjoy this moment. So grateful to be this happy.

Sorry for the accidental elitism..

I have had patchy internet the past two days, and while playing around with some things on my settings I appear to have changed the privacy levels.
Some of you sent emails which reminded me that people actually read this thing. Thanks for that.
My apologies for the abrupt disconnect.

Small Hands

I got this from Daniel. It's great.

Fridays are for wasting time..

I saw this Google game on a blog and decided to play. I typed "Katie is" in the search box and here's what came up. I thought the image search was more fun:

Katie is furious over what she sees as the hijacking of her domain name

Katie is Satan

Katie is just plain cute

Katie is probably packing on the pounds to make it look more real

katie is exactly like joey

Katie is here because mom can no longer take care of her

Katie is magically transported into the painting

Katie is still trying to keep up with her Girl Scout troop and is the vice president of the PTA

There is no remedy for love but to love more~Henri David Thoreau

This morning I was driving with Ginger after dropping Willow off at school, and as we crested a hill we were surrounded by brilliant sparkling light from the rising sun, reflecting off every surface which would allow itself to be reflective..
snow, fence, road, vinyl siding, frosted branch, passing car, metal roof..

And it was ALL made beautiful(in varying degrees, naturally..as far as I'm concerned there is only so much beauty that can be shared by vinyl siding, no matter what) by the prismatic beams of the January sun.

We knew we were seeing something divine on our ordinary commute, and Ginger seemed just as connected to the experience as I was.

For me, love has a similar effect on life's ordinary landscape. It bathes the ordinary with prismatic light, and makes things which were already beautiful all the more brilliant.
As for things that previously sucked the beauty right out of their surroundings like so much vinyl siding..well, they still suck, but have less ability to rob the beauty around them.

I'm learning to be more comfortable with the coexistence of light and darkness(joy and sadness, ease and pain), and as I do I'm becoming more grateful for life; especially the parts that matter most.

I haven't read much Rumi, but intend to change that this year. This thought helped me to take a very deep breath once when I really needed it:

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek & find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."

More than ever in my life, I feel prepared to embrace the challenge of that introspective work.

I recently accepted Daniel's marriage proposal with great happiness, and we are in the process of preparing our home to be filled with the noise of four growing children and LOTS of music. The place is surrounded by trees and close to Lake Michigan..for these and countless other reasons, I'm looking forward to the rest of winter.

Zach Braff is Speechless

Fat Chix Coffee Cantina

This is the best find I've had in a long time. Tiny, colorful, eccentric building that makes you want to stop in and see what's going on..
Inside, the place is really small and filled with an ecclectic mix of interesting textures and trappings. Unlike anyplace else around here, and worth a visit just for the visual experience.
Mary, the owner, is a permanent fixture..and will have you talking the moment you walk in. You sort of feel like you've walked into her world, and she immediately sets about putting you at ease there.
The coffee is very good, and she trusts her customers enough to make the airpots self-serve with a can nearby for payment. That's really rare these days, and endeared the place to me immediately.

The customers, obviously regulars, were warm and welcoming, which is good since they are never more than five feet away from you. My favorite customer was the companion dog who quietly melted my heart with doleful brown eyes. Her owner could tell and invited me to pet her while telling me that the coffee shop pretty much belonged to this dog. That made me smile.

I left with a great cup of coffee feeling like my morning was better for having stopped by. I will definitely be back soon(just not when I'm in a hurry...because conversation is guaranteed).

Preschool Angst

This month Ginger has been having a hard time with preschool .. couldn't figure why she was not liking it, but the mere mention of going would cause her to cry lately.. finally the other day it came out that she doesn't like it because "the rest time is TOO long", and worse, because 'Biff' hits her in the back when the teacher isn't looking and calls her names. grrrr....
We walked into the classroom yesterday morning to be greeted by the sneering voice of Biff yelling from across the room,"I hate your dino hat Ginger!"..(she was wearing this insanely cute green spiked dinosaur hat)..and it took all my restraint not to turn into a dinosaur and roar him around the room..then I remembered that he's four yrs old and that moms can get in trouble for turning into dinosaurs at preschools. And that one day I might find out it's *my* kid terrorizing the class.
So I let the teacher know she was having a hard time and as I was talking to her another mom walked by and said, "yeah! my kid said Biff hits him and calls him stupid too!" and the teacher said she'd keep an eye on it.
At the end of the day a worried/hopeful Katie went to pick up Ginger. We spotted her green dino head over by the tree in the play yard and to my surprise she flew into my arms all smiles, talking about her great day. She paused to cheerily call out, "Bye Biff!"
OK, I thought. This is better.
"So Ginger, did you have fun at school today?", I asked.
"Oh YES! It was just fine! And you know what? Every time that Biff said something mean to me the teachers made him say something nice - so by the end of the day, I had LOTS of compliments."
And she trotted to the car, dino spikes bouncing.