surprise!

at first i thought

you were a girl

fluttering about

like a baby bird

holding her secret

under wing

and then i realized

you're a boy!

banging against

his mama's belly

as if he were 

a plane

a rocket

a racecar

Poem by Alexandra Thayer Stewart

Images via Pintrest

roar

I really want to get one of these for Calvin.

Image via Pintrest.

word of the week

Our Word of the Week

that I added to the fish bowl on my desk

is...

double-edged (adjective) 1. having two cutting edges  2. capable of being taken in two ways

dreams and dishes

i know i should help

mom with our dinner

practice my scales

show dad i'm a winner

at soccer and squash

piano and french

i am that kid

the coach will not bench

but underneath all

of my talents and tricks

my heart, she beats softly

with a tick, tick, tick

i prefer to write poems

and daydream away

sing to my cats

make pots out of clay

i collect stones

in the shape of a heart

i like to rip pictures

and recreate art

they don't understand

how could they relate

they think i'm like them

a perfect blank slate

turns out i'm not

at all what they think

a deep water girl

who's right on the brink

of avoiding their rules

and saying enough

i've had it, i'm done

i'm over this fluff

perhaps they'll give up

and try for another

a sweet baby boy

they'll raise as my brother

i hope this new child

will follow their wishes

he'll get into yale

and wash all the dishes

then i'll be free

to do what i please

god i hope so

i'm on hands and on knees

Poem by Alexandra Thayer Stewart

Image via We Heart It

mozart and dickens

Did you know that Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart and Charles Dickens have the same colorscope?  Click here to read more about it!

australian open 2012

Calvin and I spent most of the weekend watching tennis.

We love Roger Federer.

And, we root against anyone Roger plays.

sweet dreams

Did you know that sea otters hold hands when they sleep?

word of the week

Our Word of the Week

that I added to the fish bowl on my desk

is...

anticipate (verb) 1. to think of something that will or might happen in the future  2. to expect or look ahead to something with pleasure

a tale of two brothers

it isn't funny

not one little bit

mom never said that

why won't you just quit

your teasing and taunting

i know i'm your brother

we look just alike

we have the same mother

i'm not adopted

that's just isn't true

you make my head hurt

you make me feel blue

go away now

i'm tired, i'm done

i want my mommy

she knows i'm the one

turns out she favors

my face to yours

and when we grow up

she'll give you more chores

then i'll be laughing

and you will be sad

wishing you never 

made me so mad

Poem by Alexandra Thayer Stewart

Image via Pintrest

things that scare me

barking dogs

who bare white teeth

behind an iron fence

a city street

with nobody on it

in the middle of the day

the sound of breaking glass

as the earth rumbles

underneath my feet

babies who cry

kitties who leave

and water that won't stop running

Poem by Alexandra Thayer Stewart
Image via Pintrest

word of the week

Our Word of the Week

that I added to the fish bowl on my desk

is...

gestation (noun)  1. the time when a person or an animal is developing inside its mother before it is born 2. the process in which something (such as an idea) forms and develops

nicholas and the gang

Nicholas and the Gang

by Goscinny and Sempe

Synopsis from Goodreads: NICHOLAS AND THE GANG is the fourth book in the series about Nicholas, the cheeky French schoolboy and his friends. In this collection of adventures, Nicholas is invited to the birthday party of the girl next door, plays a very messy game of chess, and learns that walking on your hands is much harder than turning somersaults. NICHOLAS AND THE GANG is a much-loved classic in children's fiction, now available to English-speaking children worldwide in a delightful translation by Anthea Bell. It features 16 stories written by one of the most successful children's authors of all time, with illustrations by one of today's most respected and best-loved illustrators. Aimed at readers age 7 and older, this book will be enjoyed by adults and children alike and is perfect for sharing.

What I think: On a whim, I purchased this book at the Tate Museum in London.  What a treasure!  Each chapter reads as short story, packed with wit and humor.  The voice is very true to kids.  And, I just adore the illustrations.

Image via Goodreads.

laundry time

Before I fold them, Calvin loves to lie on top of clean clothes fresh from the dryer.  It's no surprise that my jeans and t-shirts are constantly covered with orange fur.

word of the week

Our Word of the Week

that I added to the fish bowl on my desk 

is...

ruminate

1. to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly

six

The following is inspired by children's author/illustrator Grace Lin. She posted her six on 2/23/11. I've been thinking about it ever since. According to Ms. Lin, Virginia Woolf gave a speech about Falkner's six (the six things writers should write about).

"Falkner said in 1949 in the Nobel speech that if we are not writing about these six things then we are not doing our job. They are love, honor, pity, pride, compassion, and sacrifice."

As one of my new year's resolutions, I've listed the six things that are important for me to write about.

On 2/27/11 they were:

LOVE
LOYALTY
KINDNESS
COMMUNITY
UNDERSTANDING
FREEDOM

Today my six are:

LOVE
COURAGE
AWARENESS
ACCEPTANCE
EMPATHY
RELEASE

Do you have your own six?