This Reminds Me

Archive for the ‘Serendipity’ Category

We’ve had art in the front yard today.

And on it, too.

But we saw it on the way to church tonight, cutting through the Reagan High School parking lot (a teensy bit against the law and therefore a sin, hence, the need to get to church.)

My kids don’t think a 7.5-year-old Ford Windstar minivan is too cool but we know better, don’t we, Clark?

Now, I owe it to myself to tell you, Mr. Griswold, that if you are thinking of taking the tribe cross country, this is your automobile. The Wagon Queen Family Truckster. You think you hate it now, but wait till you drive it.

Now get on down the road!

After three years of bands, brackets and blisters , Hannah got her braces off today.

And she’s never had a cavity!

Rachel started our family’s Sojourn to Straightness on December 20, 2003.

In April, 2004, Rachel chose “Fiesta Colors” for her bands.    Talk about a party in your mouth!

We had two in braces at once with Rachel and Lois, then later with Lois and Hannah.  Because we could see this coming, we joined a DMO when we moved here.  Belonging to a DMO means you don’t have to cruise as many dimly-lit convenience stores to fund those grins.

I had two “Full Metal Daughters” in February, 2005.

So today marks the end of seven years and four months of making the orthodontist’s office our second home.

Three kids in braces spread over seven years plus Rachel’s 17 broken brackets necessitating an extra year of treatment  – I estimate we’ve parked here about 150 times since December 20, 2004.

I’d like to say we’re finished but…..

I suspect we’ll be back in two or three years.

So – what the heck – we might as well smile!

Shoes are an “issue” in our house.   Oh, sure, Julia’s okay with her whopping Size 1.  Lois and I can kind of tiptoe by with our Women’s 11′s – sometime we can find those in bricks and mortar retail.   But Keith’s Men’s 14, Rachel’s Women’s 13/14 and Hannah’s Women’s 12/13 – forget it.   We haunt Zappo’s, Barefoot Tess, Shoebuy, etc.   for anything attractive and reasonable.

Rachel had to have a pair of white Keds for choir last year, requiring a $50 online order.  Kill me now.  Ked’s don’t even hold up well.  And Rachel didn’t really want them, so after choir – discarded to the closet.  Sigh.

Lois-The-Artist got busy this week and transformed those weasly whites into zingy zapatos with a few Sharpies and lots of imagination.

“I love you, you love me….” and Barney was long a part of our family.  These shoes are not Rachel’s first Barney-themed clothing item.  She had all sorts of Barney attire as a toddler, including the panties that helped toilet train her.  She didn’t want to wet the big purple guy.

That was no boating accident!

Pikachu! At Rachel’s graduation, the valedictorian said of all his accomplishments, he was most proud of being able to name all 150 Pokemon.

I asked Lois if she’d do a pair for me.  “Sure, Mom, for $20.”

What a heel.  The child has no sole.