Heard and Overheard, volume 1

Today we initiate a monthly entry here at Photographs on the Dashboard. Since our writers often feel completely unoriginal and even downright boring, we figured we could exploit the children that roam around our house in hopes of entertaining you, our faithful visitors and sometime-lurkers. SO, instead of some token post, we leave you--at least once a month--with real-life, acutal-factual quotes from the ever-amusing Anna Kate and Elle. Enjoy.
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Anna Kate, 5: "Mom, can we go out to eat tonight? Cause, at school, I only ate half of my sloppy Jones."

Elle,3, after being disciplined: "Mom, I'm not playing with you. Ha. Ha."

Anna Kate, sweetly and sincerely: "Mommy, I love you to amphibian."

Anna Kate, singing a Christmas song she learned in church choir: "The surgeon Mary had a baby boy...The surgeon Mary had a baby boy."

Elle, in parking lot: "Hey, we're at Target's house!"

Anna Kate: "I love the smell of Elle's hair in the morning.

[big whiff] Ahhhhhhhhhhh..."

Anna Kate: "I'm stuffed like a turkey, but room for dessert!"

Anna Kate, after being told she needs to go to sleep so the Tooth Fairy can visit her: "But the Tooth Fairy doesn't resist!"

Elle, while listening to a Killers CD in the car: "Mama, every one of these musics is my favorite."

Elle, excited about getting dressed after bathtime: "Mom! Look at my pajamas!" Anna Kate: "Elle. Ya know, sometimes we're impressed, when it's brand new, but not when you've been wearin' it forever."

You have a Dashboard, too?

For the longest time, I thought the word "Dashboard" on the dashboard page was a cute little way Blogger abbreviated my blog for me. I never thought much about it so it made plenty of sense to me. And I thought, "How nice...how customized. Just for me." Now, I realize everyone's stinkin' dashboard says "Dashboard." What a disappointment.

Easy like Saturday morning...

That's supposed to be Sunday morning, but every good church-goin' mom knows that Sunday mornings are anything but easy. There's the dragging out of bed (your own self + sleepy-headed kids), the bleary-eyed coffee making (and if you're me the inevitable spilling and cleaning up of coffee grounds), showering, ironing, the detangling of hair, the rummaging around for bows, clips, and tights without snags. Then the dreaded trying on of outfits...lint removing, hair spraying, and teeth brushing (numerous sets, mind you.) THEN there's the packing up: Bibles, notebooks, pens, crayons, stickers, sippy cups, wipes, coats, makeup (to be put on in the car), gum, and hopefully a cereal bar for a makeshift breakfast on the way.

But Saturday mornings are different. They are usually easy. And the little girl in me comes out when Anna Kate and Elle get up early to watch Saturday morning cartoons. I remember fondly Jem, Fraggle Rock, and KIDS Incorporated. For them, it's all about Charlie and Lola. Fortunate for me, 'cause I love it too. Lauren Child is the clever author/amazing illustrator behind this adorable, beautifully animated series about sensible Charlie and dramatic little sister Lola. Charlie and Lola come from across the pond, and their British accents are enough to charm from the get-go. Charlie is a real sweetheart to sometimes manipulative, always determined-to-get-what-she-wants Lola. But she really can do no wrong, with her irresistable spunk and innate cuteness. She's truly adorable...the show-stealer for sure!

And that's my review for today. We adore Charlie and Lola around here. Sorry to those who have heard me go on about them before. If you haven't seen these cuties, check out a clip here:

http://www.charlieandlola.com/website.asp

Best Makeup for a Kindergartener in a Class Project

Anna Kate had to dress up like a 100-year-old for the 100th day of school (huh?), have a picture made, and take it to school. Here is the final product, my little baby all grown up. While funny, these are a little frightening.

Please let this post count, lame as it is. More to follow in the coming days...stay tuned.

To the beach y'all...

When I was in highschool, my best friend Christy and I heard this guy rapping on the North Caddo stage "to the beat y'all, to the beat y'all" and we always thought he was saying "to the beach y'all."

Anyway...I can't wait to go the beach this summer. We go annually with Rafe's mom and sister, our sister-in-law and her kids--a May tradition that will be going into its 6th year. In fact, my MIL--that's Mother-in-love as she is affectionately called sometimes--is coming to visit this weekend so we can have a "beach meeting." (Her idea, and a darn good one.) We are going to research condos, look at school schedules, crunch numbers, pull together our limited resources (limited on our end anyway) and settle the details: When, where, and for how long.

What's so great about the beach? Well, there's:

music on the patio, sun on the skin, not fixing my hair or putting on makeup, people-watching, reading by the pool, napping in the pool on a raft, Elle's killer tan, looking for sand crabs with a flashlight, the smell of coconut-y sunscreen, late-night trips to Wal-Mart with the mom-in-law (which would otherwise be miserable if not for her hilarity), dancing with Lindy, iced coffee in the afternoon (poolside), Bailey's, outlet mall shopping, Louisiana Lagniappe, CHOPS (best creme brulee ever to touch these lips), watching TV and the ocean at the same time, sandpipers and the cute little footprints they leave in the sand, going out with the hubby(free baby-sitters!), spending time with our favorite Semmeses minus Obie, shorts and tank tops, and -ahhhh-tucking in exhausted, happy children.


And now--as an escape from this crappy weather--I will reminisce with a slideshow from last year's beach trip.

Maybe it's just me

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14

Why is it so easy to meditate on things of the world and why does it so often take much discipline to steer the mind and heart to things of the Lord and to keep one's thoughts staid there? The reversal of this tendency is what I most look forward to about eternity. I long to be with the Lord, to behold Him as He is, and to naturally--easily--love him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. No appetite for things vain and worldly....no inclination toward self-love.

. . . . . . . .

I'm learning that it's futile and counter-productive to dwell on our insufficiencies, lest we despair (which I could potentially do every day of my life!) ... Whenever I feel particularly hopeless in my spirital maturity, or when I just don't know what or how to pray, I remember this (a little acronym (?) John Piper shared at Glorietta a few years ago), and ask of the Lord:

I- Incline my heart to Your testimonies...

O- Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law...

U- Unite my heart to fear Your name...

S- Satisfy me with Your lovingkindness...

O Lord, may You, our only hope, produce in us that which you require of us...that which is acceptable in Your sight.

May I recommend...

THE KILLERS, Sam's Town

Okay, we're a bit late getting this album but, MAN, I love it so much. I don't know if any of you that read this really care, but I have to tell the world how much I love this band. I want to marry it.

husband + pyrotechnics = nervous wife

We celebrated New Year's at Grandma's house. The cousins, Nate and Nova, supplied plenty of excitement for our girls. Rafe did the whole fireworks thing (for Nate, mainly) and we both agreed fireworks are a pretty big waste of money. The kids kinda like 'em, but they're so dang expensive. Anyway, here are pics of the kiddos doing up New Year's.

sweetness

Right before turning in for the last time in 2006, I had the privilege of seeing this: