The Beauchamp Family

Last month, Cassie’s class was supposed to design their own theme park and draw it out on a big piece of butcher paper. No princess parks here, no. Casie designed the Poison Park. That’s right folks, step right up and be half murdered and pay good money to do it!

This is a long video, I won’t be offended (much) if you don’t listen to it, but I cracked up every time Cassie told the class to “Shhhh!” and the fact that the kids were obsessed with the invisible bridge. LOL.

Many thanks for her teacher for taking the video. Cassie was VERY excited about it and wanted me to see it.

Jamie and Cassie are starting to be obsessed with language idioms. I blame a book we got in for review called The One and Only Sam and Tom shared a few with them.

This morning, we were in the drop off line behind a daycare van and this was the conversation from the backseat:

Jamie: “Caution – Children”

Me: “Yup, it’s a daycare bus”

Jamie: “Yeah, cuz kids can be kinda dangerous, ya know!”

Cassie: “You never know what kids will do, look out, mom!”

*snicker*
Yeah, I’m easily amused.

We spent Christmas with my mother in South Carolina. On Christmas Eve, just as the kids were getting ready to go to bed, we hear someone walk through the door… Santa was early! Oh no! But never fear, he just came to bring them one little thing each before getting back on his reindeer. He did come back though!

(thanks, Jamie, for being such a good sport)

It’s late, but I’m still working (it’s January. I’m always working. ’nuff said.) The kids are getting stuff together to go spend the night with friends. Cassie has her suitcase but Jamie says he has his clothes packed, but we don’t see anything. Tom mumbled something about he probably used a garbage bag because well, he’s Jamie…. a few minutes pass and I hear the following conversation:

Tom: Jamie, Why is there underwear on the kitchen counter?

Jamie: Oh, it must have fallen out.

Tom: Out of what?

Jamie: The bag of clothes

Tom: Oh *looks and mumbles* Yeah, you actually did use a garbage bag.

Jamie: *incredulously* Of course I did!

Maybe you had to be there, but Jamie’s “Of course” had us rolling. Because, ya know, he’s Jamie.

I just got a phone call:

Me: “Hello?”

Caller: “It’s me, Jamie. I don’t have my binder.”

Me: “Okay, what’s in your bookbag then?”

Jamie: “Oh, it’s fully of Cassie’s dirty clothes.”

Me: *blink* “Um, okay, let me finish my shower and I’ll bring your binder if I can find it”

Jamie: “Okay, thanks Mommy, you’re the best!”

I want to ask why the heck he has Cassie’s dirty clothes in his backpack. They didn’t go on a sleepover together or anything. But I’m afraid of whatever strange answer those two would come up with. In the meantime, I cannot find his binder and my hair is soaking wet (worked out today with Chris over at Libra Fitness so I was nasty – shower much needed TYVM). Sigh. When is this whole Mommy thing over?

Happy MLK Day. I wasn’t alive in 1963 when this amazing man gave his “I Have a Dream” speech, but listening to it, you cannot help but feel inspired.

This speech was given 5 years before he was assassinated. I think about it and it’s been 46 years since he gave that speech. Today we have a black man as the President of the United States. Change is slow, there’s no arguing about it, but it does give me hope for the future.

I’m a white woman, so I don’t pretend to understand the struggles. I grew up in the lowcountry of South Carolina where, unfortunately, I still see the racial issues are in full effect. In fact, someone said something totally inappropriate and so very rude when we were there that Tom and I were just appalled. You just don’t make racial slurs to someone you’ve just met. It really hurt my heart to hear that it still goes on.

I guess I live with my head in the sand. I moved to Hawaii when I was 18 and now live in Austin (where there are some issues, but it’s nothing compared to where I grew up). I don’t know why I’m always shocked when I go visit my mom and someone says something I consider offensive. I guess I keep hoping that things have changed.

I guess the point of this post is to ask everyone… before you say something, think. I don’t like it when people make fat jokes (cuz, well, I’m fat). My husband doesn’t like it when people make really nasty comments about smokers (he quit – again – he struggles – although this time I think he’s kicked it long-term). You can offend people, not just because of the color of their skin, but in other ways too. I remember someone asking a Japanese friend of mine where the best Korean restaurant was “because you people know about that stuff”. Oy.

Having said that, I think you can be too sensitive sometimes. It’s okay to ask your best Hispanic friend for her tried and true fajita marinade. It’s also okay when she asks me how the heck to make homemade tortillas. *laughing*

So today, Mr. Martin Luther King Jr, I thank you for your speech, for all you did for the civil rights movement. I think you helped bring about change, not only for the African-American folks, but in general too. Tolerance is one thing, but acceptance… that’s where we should all strive to be.

Disclaimer: I’m sure not all of the lowcountry has racial issues, perhaps I just notice it more or perhaps it’s just the people I know. *laughing*

I know most of you won’t know who this is, but trust me when I tell you that he is probably one of the nicest people you’d ever want to meet. On Sunday, I saw a Tweet from my friend and colleague Shawn Powers that simply said “My house burned down”. I was hoping this was figuratively or some weird Linux thing I don’t understand (hey, it happens more often than you’d think!). But no. His house did burn down. He, his amazing wife and 3 girls (ages 12, 10 and 9) are okay. The family pets did not make it. I cannot even begin to imagine how you recover from this. He and I work together (virtually) with Linux Journal. He’s a funny, yet caring gentleman who would give you the shirt off of his back. So, I’m here asking you.. if you have an extra dollar or two sitting around in your paypal account, can you pass it on to his family to help them get back on their feet? I’m writing this on Sunday to post on Monday – he hasn’t asked us to set this up, Linux Journal just did it – we know there are things they are going to need that he hasn’t even thought about.

So there ya have it… my plea for a friend This money goes directly into his paypal account, bypassing myself and the Linux Journal crew completely. My thoughts are with you and your family, Shawn. If you aren’t able to contribute, you can always stop by his blog with thoughts/prayers/whatever. I know he appreciates just knowing we are thinking of him.

You can give by clicking the button below or by visiting the donation site directly at http://helpshawnpowersfamily.chipin.com/

I also wanted to add a note here about the power of the internet. See that total up there? Is that amazing or what? I remember back in the early 90s when I was using a BBS, my mother asked if I considered “those people on the computer” my friends and I told her yes. She asked how I could call someone I’d never met my friend. She understands a little more now since she has email and works from home via internet, etc. BUT…

Yes, you can make wonderful friends virtually. I’ve met Shawn once. We had dinner together with a group of Linux Journal people and then walked around downtown trying to find a place to do some remote video thing LJ was doing (I have learned to just nod my head a lot). But I still consider him a friend. No, maybe more like a big brother. I look up to him and I know that if something ever happened to me, he’d be there to beat those mean people up! I also have a stinky little Internet brother too, but that’s another post for another day (love ya, Justin!).

In the meantime, help if you can… you can follow Shawn and find out his status by visiting:
http://www.facebook.com/shawnp0wers
http://www.brainofshawn.com/
http://www.natuba.com/shawnp0wers/
http://twitter.com/shawnp0wers

From the shower last night:

Jamie singing (to the tune of the Barney theme song):

“I hate you, you hate me, we’re a hate filled family….”

Ummmm…. yeah.

Clifford came to visit on literacy night… and Cassie participated in a square dance thing at school… enjoy!

Earlier today I shared this on Facebook, but figured I’d give the full run down of “what the heck” I meant…

~My husband and I have the weirdest conversations, “No, the dead lady, the one that we think really is dead this time… she’s the one having the roof work done”….. “OMG, did you see her outside? I’m pretty sure she did really die this time.” (yeah, that’s a long weird story)~

So yeah… what? Early last year, Tom told me that the neighbor behind us had died, he had talked to someone out in the yard and that’s what they said. We talked to her a few times when she was watering her grass or whatever, but we weren’t “friends” I guess. I said “oh, how sad” and on we went… about 2 months later, I get up on a Saturday and look out the window… the dead lady is watering her grass. Apparently, she’s back! So I go wake up Tom, who comes into the kitchen and we’re staring at her. He’s saying maybe it’s her sister, but no, it’s her.

What the hell, right? Zombie neighbors!

Apparently, her husband died I guess and she was staying with family. Um… okay.

So… late Summer Tom once again says she has died,  he talked to her son who comes and mows her lawn (and can I say that I hope my son one day loves me enough to come mow my lawn and do nice stuff for me *ahem*Jamie*ahem*). I’m not sure if I believe him and if that zombie bitch comes back again, I swear I might go stake her.

Um. I’m kidding. (Mostly)

So yeah, the house is not “the neighbor behind us” – it will always and forever be the “not really dead lady’s house”. Gah, I hope my kids don’t hear us saying crap like that. Now to get one of my friends to buy it LOL