Friday fill-in

1. No, we will NOT give up.

2. Much measuring and mixing is going on at the old kitchen table.

3. I watched the steam rising from the hot cup of coffee and thought: I can already tell this isn't going to be strong enough.

4. Almost everything is going to be okay.

5. I'll take two, thank you.

6. It's a messy, marvelous world, at least from my point of view.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to samples, tomorrow my plans include a cookie party and a light flirtation with a Canadian border guard, and Sunday, I want to rock with the Greybeards! And roll.

Friday fill-in

Another gift of fill-ins



1. Good times: helping Effie and Fergus make reindeer and sheep poop.

2. Welcome to my home. Pardon the mess: it's the maid's lifetime off.

3. Sleigh bells ring somewhere, but it's not a sound we hear much in the Puget Sound area.

4. You may not know this about me, but I enjoy spending time with kids. Yes, really. Just a little.

5. Once more unto the breach, dear friends. I will probably return to work before the end of the year.

6. Am I happy to have paychecks in my future? Indeed. Am I happy my dedicated family time is coming to an end? Not so much.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to catching up with Frank and Chloe, tomorrow my plans include a Minshull family Christmas gathering, and Sunday, I want to wing it!

Friday fill-in

A gift of fill-ins



1. You get what you need. You just might find. If you try sometimes.

2. It's only right to be kind.

3. It's cheer-and-stress time.

4. My fear of dentistry is slightly ridiculous!

5. I feel more optimistic than I did the other day.

6. Here's your moment of Zen...goodnight!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having my dental cleaning over with, and the series finale of Monk (*sniff*), tomorrow my plans include odds and ends, and Sunday, I want to watch the Seahawks win without freezing!

Friday fill-in

1. Wait! Wait, don't forget to do your Friday fill-ins.

2. Sleepless nights are followed at once by coffee.

3. The trouble is like the beauty: in the eye of the beholder.

4. Molly and my nephews are too many miles away.

5. With a faint pop, her daydreams about January traveling came to an end. Except for Non-Con. She's still going to Non-Con. Dammit.

6. Most days in the Pacific Northwest winter are shadowy and ominous.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to continuing my entirely passive participation in Buy Nothing Day, tomorrow my plans include doing just whatever I want, and Sunday, I want to watch the Hawks win for once pretty please!

Friday fill-in

1. We need world peace and health care for all. Sad that both seem so far out of reach.

2. I finally saw "13 Going on 30," and it made me smile. "Juno" wasn't a fluke: Jennifer Garner learned to act somewhere along the line.

3. If you want respect from your kids, stop telling them what to do.

4. I had to cancel/postpone two unschooler gatherings this week because of this stupid cold.

5. Massachusetts has a proposed 5% sales tax on elective cosmetic surgery; I think it's silly to get worked up about it either way.

6. Happy kids makes for a happy holiday.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging out with my family, tomorrow my plans include more rest so I can get well, and Sunday, I want to watch the Hawks and have some Thai food with TJ!

Friday fill-in

1. It was a dark and stormy night, but they didn't let that stop them.

2. She was swearing off romance novels, so I offered to take the books myself.

3. Rushing out, I noticed I was once again caught up in somebody else's schedule without regard to my own priorities, so I slooooowed down. And then I was late, and the world came to an end.

4. Are the Greybeards playing again?...I think I heard a howl!

5. Shhhh... The grownups are listening.

6. Put down the liver and give me something good to eat!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to our last NaNoWriMo-free evening for a while, tomorrow my plans include driving, writing, mooching, and perhaps some trick-or-treating, and Sunday, I want to be with good people in a good place!

Friday fill-in

1. The crickets sing but not in Washington.

2. I love you, sunshine, wherever you are.

3. I want to get far away from the people who are mean to their kids (and take their kids with me).

4. Pigs can't fly; this was a dream.

5. But as for me, I'll trust my kids.

6. What I come from is only a fraction of what I am.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Sharona on Monk and the premiere of White Collar, tomorrow my plans include a full day of fun, and Sunday, I want to enjoy Sunday!

Friday fill-in

1. So, Frank, are we going out to dinner tonight or what?

2. A new adventure is what's up ahead.

3. I love to do too many things to list them all here.

4. I suppose Glenn Beck is a human... of some sort.

5. I walk a happy path.

6. Joy is the true elixir of life! Drink up!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a date with Frank and then some time with Shawn and Gus, tomorrow my plans include doing as little as possible, and Sunday, I want to help the Seahaws beat the Cardinals—oh crud, I used the wrong color for this FF—and prep the house for the Monday return of girls and Mayers!

Friday fill-in

1. My car makes my life possible.

2. I don't really know what is coming up next, and I like it.

3. Lately, things seem ROCKIN!!!!

4. Inside a good book is one of my favorite 'hiding' places.

5. What happened at Good Vibrations... is all over the Internet, or soon will be. There are no secrets in the unschooling community. (insert evil laugh here)

6. That I will do something today besides play on the Internet is not impossible!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a quiet one with Frank - Psych might be on, tomorrow my plans include having a completely plan-free day, and Sunday, I want to cheer for the UNDEFEATED Seattle Seahawks!!!! But I'm tired enough to be very glad it's an away game. :-)

Friday fill-in

1. I feel restlessness, excitement, helplessness, happiness, curiosity, stress, conflict, anticipation, wonder, joy, bewilderment, resignation, hope, hunger, sleepiness, and irritation.

2. Nothing is always fun.

3. Right now, I can hear these things: a single-engine airplane, hammering from multiple directions, the hum of the computer, the silence that's left after the music stops.

4. Good Vibrations is next week, and I'm glad because it's going to be one helluva party!!!!

5. The last time I saw my kids was about an hour and a half ago when they left for the Evergreen State Fair.

6. I'll be in the car for much of this Labor Day weekend.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to being done with all the packing and trip prep I haven't started yet, tomorrow my plans include driving to California, and Sunday, I want to get there (but might not quite make it)!

Friday fill-in

Today's edition: Name the dude, name the movie.

1. He was a bad mutha f****.

2. Watching the loons is what I look forward to most this time of year.

3. My best friend is a waste of f***ing life who doesn't know anything about boats.

4. I might give you eternal life, but I'm never going to be honest with you.

5. Appearances can be altered.

6. The last person I gave a hug to was my son.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to talking to my cornfield, tomorrow my plans include baptism, and Sunday, I want to go hunting for free-range rude!

(#7 is three dudes and three movies, in case you couldn't tell. )

My real answers:
1. He was a friend before I loved him.

2. NOT sending my kids to school is what I look forward to most this time of year.

3. My best friend is too far away.

4. It doesn't always seem polite to be honest with you.

5. Appearances are not every damn thing.

6. The last person I gave a hug to was Frank and earnest.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a hot date with my hubby, tomorrow my plans include a trip to Canada to be a sexy backup chick, and Sunday, I want to have a quiet day at home because it is practically our last chance for one til mid-September.

Friday fill-in

1. I remember, I remember, I was just trying to pretend I don't.

2. Dear Buddha, I want you to know I'm still waiting for that pony and plastic rocket.

3. Is that my schedule!!???

4. I'm trying to resist the temptation of an all-night reading session.

5. I'm saving a hug just for you!

6. If I made a birthday list, budget calculations would definitely be on it!!!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Psych and some time with my family, tomorrow my plans include a visit from unschoolers and our first Seahawks game as season-ticket holders, and Sunday, I want to rock'n'roll!

Friday fill-in

Just a little late...

1. Sunshine is my favorite summertime thing.

2. My favorite John Hughes movies is "The Breakfast Club," with "Sixteen Candles" a close second. They are two very different movies, but both nicely represent my teen years.

3. A toddler's hair is something I love to touch.

4. The full moon has been hard to spot in our cloudy skies.

5. I'm sniffling right now. It's a small price to pay for visiting Rudy (and his kitties) last night!

6. When daylight fades I wake up.

7. And as for the weekend, last night I was looking forward to visiting Rudy and watching the season premiere of Psych, today my plans include another trip down I-5 (picking up Chloe and visiting the Winklers), and Sunday, I want to come home again and get ready for a VERY busy week!

I'm attempting to do as Kelly Lovejoy evidently does and be busy without being rushed. We'll see how I do.

Friday fill-in

1. Cheese and crackers make a quick and easy dinner.

2. The Power of Mindful Learning is the book I'm reading right now.

3. July brings back memories of sweet peas.

4. That I would wait until the last minute was obvious.

5. They say if you tell your dreams your listeners will likely be bored.

6. It's my habit (and not always a healthy one) to think it over.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going shopping for a kiddie pool and some navy blue accessories for our very green bathroom, tomorrow my plans include welcoming Jerry, Cori, and Molly from New Orleans, and Sunday, I want to play with Mollypop!

Friday fill-in

1. When I heard Helen's baby had been born, I got very happy. It's a girl!

2. "Wait and see" is often the best medicine.

3. It's late, but I'm blogging anyway.

4. I love Chloe always (and other people, too, but she's the one standing here helping me do my fill-in).

5. My eyes have seen strange sights via Facebook, such as Jeff and Jon in hula skirts (thanks for that, Heather).

6. I love Chloe strongly (see above).

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to (or at least considering) going to a drum jam in Seattle, tomorrow my plans include eating, being a pirate, watching my daughters blow things up, and consuming enough margarita to avoid being scared all day, and Sunday, I want to recover!

Friday fill-in

1. She had a great life, and she knew it.

2. My own resilience and wisdom and creativity are is by my side, always. (I do not defer my own strength to a higher power; it's mine. If there's a higher power, she can get her own.)

3. I know this: Being around unschoolers brings me a lot of joy. And it's addictive!

4. Vipassanā is the first type of meditation I've tried where I'm able to sit still. But I don't know if I could do it for 10 days!

5. These words apply to me: Seahawks Season Ticket Holder. Whoot!

6. When I married Frank, the sun was shining.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to arriving in Spokane, tomorrow my plans include relaxing in a hotel room, maybe working on the new Maier family cookbook, and going to cousin Nick's wedding, and Sunday, I want to go home again ('cause whoever said you can't had a really poor sense of direction)!

Friday fill-in

1. I grew up thinking I was never quite good enough.

2. CenterDownHome was the last website I was at before coming here.

3. Why don't you trust your kids? (Think about it! It probably has very little to do with them.)

4. Anything I do for fun helps me relax.

5. Thanks for the very cool birthday party, Zenmomma! I'm bummed that my actual day doesn't fall within the conference dates next year.

6. Traditional parenting, no matter how mild, is very off-putting.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading, drumming, playing guitar, and being with my family, tomorrow my plans include a possible trip up to Hardware Sales in Bellingham for hula hoop materials, followed by going to see Terminator with some friends, and Sunday, I want to go with the flow!

Friday fill-in

1. My family is my home. They travel with me wherever I go (even when we're apart).

2. My favorite thing for dinner lately has been whatever Chef Frank puts in front of me. When we're fending for ourselves, MJ and I have been enjoying veggies and cheese in a flour tortilla, zapped for about a minute.

3. With an exuberant "bark! bark! bark!" Obi expressed his joy at having his boys and a couple of spare girls playing in the lake. The kids were equally exuberant but perhaps a bit more creative in their vocabulary.

4. A nice long walk makes Ronnie a happier, healthier gal.

5. This site—recently featured in the Rolling Stone Hot List—is always there when you need some good news (for a change). And the founder is an unschooling mom!

6. When all is said and done, life is good.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to some good times, tomorrow my plans include a day ruled by impulse, and Sunday, I want to play it by ear!

Friday fill-in

Only a day late this week.



1. Apples are to oranges as Washington is to Florida. (credit goes to Frank for this one)

2. Unschooling is better than school, and that's all I have to say about that. (And if you believe that's all I have to say about that, I've got a nice bridge for sale.)

3. I think I hear starlings. But I'm a little paranoid right now.

4. I'm not yet over my Bush administration-inspired aversion to the American flag.

5. Do what you want to do, but be nice.

6. He was four and much adored by his mother, and behind him was a Radio Flyer wagon; in the wagon was a bucket filled with his very important belongings, such as toy cars, and a dinosaur or two, and a confused worm in a meager handful of dirt.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm last night I was looking forward to a peaceful evening (and I got it!), tomorrow today my plans include driving with Chloe, a long walk in the sunshine, and at least a couple of checkmarks on the to-do list, and Sunday, I want to enjoy a boisterous March-through-May birthdays and Mother's Day party out at the beach!

Friday fill-in

Another twofer.

#121
1. Apparently there's some sort of conference coming up in about 20 days.

2. The grass is always greener on a sunny day.

3. 2009 is loaded with fun so far.

4. We discovered we both liked Dots with our popcorn, and that was it.

5. For too long I've been ignoring the yards.

6. I am not obsessed with Firefly; I am not! Unschooling, either.

#122
1. The first rule of working in an office and getting along is listen.

2. I'd rather have mussels than clams.

3. When I think of carnivals I think of cotton candy.

4. Lilacs are my favorite spring flower.

5. Things on my desk include a Pocket Etch-A-Sketch, a protractor, Frank's glasses, my wrist braces, and various items of trash (not to be confused with trashy items).

6. Sunshine makes me wanna go outside and play. Or sit and bake. Or nap.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to an early bedtime because the midnight showing of Wolverine cost me a few hours, tomorrow my plans include the annual Sons of Italy charity spaghetti dinner, and Sunday, I want to just be home!