7 quick takes friday (vol. 13)

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YOU LOSE SOME…There was really only one main reason Adam wanted to go to the American Legion baseball game yesterday: the lure of a drawing for a refurbished bike. Yesterday, when he began to talk disrespectfully, I told him that if he didn’t change his reactions, he would not be able to put his name into the drawing. That was enough to flip the switch. A few hours later, he was tooling around in his newly-won retro bicycle. It pays to listen to your mom — and be lucky!

–2–

FLOWERS AND WORDS: I’ve put up two posts now combining flowers from our back yard and words from my friend’s home. Hope you enjoy them: here and here.

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EMAYE’S HUGS: I’ve come to the conclusion that we are hug-deprived here in America! I learned this last night after meeting my friend Betty’s mother, Emaye, who was visiting for the first time from Ethiopia. Upon meeting her, I received the double-hug treatment — two on either side of her face, warmly given. Later, I joined Betty and her mother in the livingroom for some Ethiopian dancing. It is really quite interesting and amazing. Very little movement with the feet — mostly neck and shoulders. Here’s a YouTube demonstration. And here are some of us on the couch last night. Go here to visit Betty’s blog.

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LETTING GO: We’re down to two children right now. Two are with my in-laws, one is at camp. It’s an altogether different life at the moment. It’s nice, and yet, I keep having to learn the lesson of letting go. I explain more and offer some tips on how to let go well here.

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IS YOUR MAMA A… Last Friday I posted a mystery image and asked readers to guess what it might be. Here are both parts:

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ADAM’S DISCOVERY: Needing a break from sorting rummage sale items, the kids and I went to the library this afternoon. We have a new city library, and it was fun perusing the shelves. In the middle of our browsing, Adam made a discovery. “Your book is in the library?!” he chimed, upon spotting P is for Peace Garden: A North Dakota Alphabet. It was a neat moment for a new reader seeing his mama’s book on the shelf. Neat for his mama, too.

We also spotted this cool statue:

And a tiled wall that matches the aforementioned book’s sunflower cover:

–7–

THERE’S ALWAYS A PLAN B: The rummage sale several neighbors and I were to do has changed slightly over the past couple days. First, we were all going to congregate in my garage. That changed when I was unable to both organize my garage and the rummage sale items. My more organized neighbor, who is not a rummage sale novice like I am, has graciously agreed to host. The third party has moved her sale to her home so it won’t be so crowded. We also pared down from a three-day sale to a one-day sale. Our kids will offer lemonade, a quarter a glass. As of this time tomorrow, Barbie and her friend should have a new home.

I’ll be back later to let you know how it went.

For more “quick takes,” visit Conversion Diary.

Have a beautiful weekend!