Friday, March 30, 2012

7 Quick Takes

One

I finished The Hunger Games this week, and I quite enjoyed it.  I thought it was a good story, paced very well, with compelling characters and an interesting (albeit brutal) concept.  I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy to see what happens with Katniss and the gang.

This is not a spoiler, just in case I am not the last person on the planet to have read the book, but the description of the showers/beauty regimens in The Capitol sound so good to me.  I know what the author is trying to say about perpetuating the perception of perfection, but I still want one of those ultra luxe showers with the fifty nozzles for water and shampoo.  And one of those full body glow scrubs.  The kind that buffs away any wrinkle or blemish.  I could really get into that.

Obviously, I'd be the first one offed in The Hunger Games.

Two

I've been out trying to get the remaining pieces for the kids' Easter outfits this week because I hate shopping during Holy Week.  The latest I will shop is Spy Wednesday, after that if I don't have it, then we'll do without.  All the kids really need at this point are shoes.

They always need shoes.

I did pretty well with the hand-me-downs this year.  Some years I feel like I strike out because the children are the wrong size at the wrong season for the clothes I have stored away, but sometimes I strike it rich and I feel like I am going on a spree down in my storage room.

I have been known to dig through my huge plastic tubs, shouting "yes! I can really use this!"  It baffles Francie, who has said to me, "why are you so excited?  You knew these were down here, you're the one who put them away!"


I admit that she has a point, but come on . . .  wouldn't you be super excited to pull out a barely worn jacket or dress that is the perfect size for that one child who has nothing to wear on Easter morning?

You know you would.

Three

Speaking of shoes and dressy clothes for the kids.  What is wrong with the children's clothing designers of America?  I mean, seriously, what are they smoking?

I know I've complained about this before, but I'm in the mood to beat a dead horse.  Once the kids are out of the nice, but rather expensive Gymboree/Hanna Andersson styles, you are in big trouble if you are not looking to dress your daughter like a hooker or your son like a thug.

Take Francie, who is almost 13.  The problem is that she is also 5'5" tall string bean with a 9.5 shoe.  The girl's got some tall genes.  She fits into extra small women's clothes, but women's clothes are not always appropriate for her.  So I look into the juniors department, and all I see for sale is the smallest amount of Lycra that could legally be called a garment.

Some of those skirts are nothing more than a wide belt.  And don't get me started on strapless tops/dresses for her age.  Really, people?  Strapless dresses at Easter?  Ugh.

And it's not just Francie.  Sally is a normal sized 5 year old, and I saw strappy wedge heels laid out as "dressy" shoes for her.  Is it abnormal that my 5 year old cannot pull off a wedge heel?  I don't think so.  What happened to patent leather Mary Jane's?

Of course, I went one aisle over in the store and I saw tiny wedge heels for Mopsy.  Who is turning 2.  TWO!

Gah.

Four

Speaking of Miss Mopsy, her big day is tomorrow!   The only thing she knows about her birthday is that there will be cake, and that's good enough for her.

Whenever someone asks her if it's her birthday soon, she just looks at them and yells, "CAKE!"  She's like a tiny, less verbal Marie Antoinette. (Even though M.A. never really said that.)

Note to self:  You better get cracking on her cake!

Five

Hmm . . . wonder when I get my CAKE?!


Six

Speaking of cake . . .

The bishops of Pennsylvania have declared today a day of fasting, prayer, and abstinence for religious freedom.

And I have to make a cake today because there is no time tomorrow.  No spoon licking allowed.

Boy, do I love my religious freedom.

Seven

I know that the coming days will be filled with some heavy duty prayer time for many of you, so could I ask a tiny favor?

Would you be so kind as to send one up for two friends of mine, both young and both battling cancer?  One just started her chemo and is unsure of how it will work, and the other is using her last ditch effort and battling for her life.

I'd appreciate it tremendously.



And now . . . I'm off.
Happy Palm Sunday weekend, my friends -- we are almost through, hang in there!













3 comments:

  1. Hi Aimee! I am new to your blog but enjoyed reading your last few posts. I just finished the Hunger Games books two weeks ago and saw the movie last week. I enjoyed both very much but like you, say many parallels to our own society. (And I'd be happy to just find time for an undisturbed shower, let alone a Hunger Games style one. ;-) I also second what you said about young girls clothes. My oldest is 10 1/2 but close to wearing junior clothes and I tremble at the thought of finding her something decent to wear. Anyway, just wanted to say I enjoyed your posts! Have a great weekend. :-)

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  2. I will be glad to pray for your friend.
    I too "get" the happy feeling of digging in the Rubbermaid and finding just the right treasure for a kid to use now.
    My daughter is 16. I SO know the whole "fashion for girls" thing. (Swimwear for Francie? limericki.com has cute, stylish and modest stuff. Very well made. Very pricey. But well made, and pieces mix and match--they're all about rocking the tankini). Just wait until you see the swimwear for 2 year old girls with ruffles on the bikini tops, and underwires on the tops for 5-year-olds. Oy. Ballet flats are a good shoe choice, in style, and probably right up Sally's alley.
    Happy birthday to Mopsy and I hope she loves her CAKE! That's so cute and so is she.

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  3. I have two boys, but I can relate to most of your clothing comments. One was born in July 2008 and one in November 2010, so a lot of the hand me downs are the wrong season, but how nice it is to find, say, a shirt I loved for Thomas that now his brother can wear. It helps that is has been in the 70s - 80s all during March, so the summer shirts are already in use.

    Also, I have totally started a blog post re girls' clothing and the way young girls are sexualized (because yes, I feel that that is what is happening with the street walker looking clothes) ... but I get distracted and cannot finish it. I hoped I would have boys instead of girls for numerous reasons, the clothing issue being a major one (no lie). Now I find myself becoming irked because so many boys shirts have skull and crossbones or sports themes on them, and I'm not a huge fan of either.

    Oh, and I have not read The Hunger Games and I probably won't. I rarely read the popular books (except The Help, which I LOVED). Who am I kidding. I rarely get to read any book other than children's books, but that's alright. I prefer books with pictures anyway.

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