SquawkRadio Comments

Okay, you officially win Mom of the Year, though honestly, you’ve been the top runner for months now...if not years.  Where are the pictures of Cat as the Tinman?

I hope you get video!  I want to see this performance!

A fabulous author and now a seasoned actress as well...not to mention a budding redecorating genius.  Is there any creative venue you will not tackle?

That was hilarious, Julie!  Did you know Xtina has her own flock of flying monkeys and she sends them out if we displease her?

I have teens now but when they were little we gave up our livingroom so they could have a playroom.  We stuffed our livingroom furniture in a smaller room and set up the little tykes kitchen along one wall, toyu chest, assorted baskets and milk crates full of toys, stuffed animals and books were stacked in corners, and the middle was kept clear of any obstacles that would hinder impromptu play.

We hardly ever used the room any way.  When we entertained everyone ended up in the family room and kitchen.  So it was worth it.

You both look great in your costumes and I would also love to see the “tinman”.  I used to make my kids halloween and school event costumes.  I used to have time to sew when they were little.  Not so much anymore.  My sewing machine is collecting dust some where.

JUlie-- you and your flying monkette are adorable. WQell, the monjkette is adorable. You may be just plain frightening.

Hi Julie!  This a great story.  It’s amazing what a Mother’s love will do for her child.

My niece Julianna (now 7) wasn’t into Sesame Street either.  She just liked Elmo’s World.  He always had her mesmerized.  She liked Lonette & Molly-Comfy Couch and loved Mr. Rogers.  Now she likes Reading Rainbow and every now and then she’ll still watch Mr. Rogers.

Julie, the things we mothers do for our children!  Your little flying monkey is adorable.  Thanks for sharing your story.  I agree with Julie Leto, you’re nominated for mother of the year!

Uh oh, so this is what I have to look forward to as my son grows up!

Hope the Squawkers don’t mind me asking this here, but I couldn’t find any other place to ask this--is it possible to reprint any of the blogs from Squawk Radio?  I am newsletter editor for my local RWA chapter, and there have been some blogs/guest blogs that I thought would be great to include (if not whole, then snippets).  If I can use them, how do I ensure proper credit?

Thank you,
Laurie

Welcome, Julie! I love to meet a woman who can’t sew, either. And I’m stunned to hear that Flying Monkeys have lines. I make sure my Flying Monkeys are quiet. I’ll bet Teresa can scarcely hear them flapping as they circle her house right now…

Hi Julie! Isn’t it amazing how often WE end up doing something because we’re just SO SURE our kids will enjoy it? 

Gee, our whole house was pretty much turned over to the kid once he was born. Right now, the alleged “family” room, for instance, is coated floor to ceiling with stuff that sure doesn’t belong to me or my husband…

So this video Julie Leto mentioned...that’ll show up on YouTube real soon, right?  Heh heh heh.

Teresa prepares her bucket of water in case Xtina shows up in person.

Hi Julie~!

I love this blog sooo much~!

(the munchkins and flying monkeys gave me nightmares forever when I was little) LOL

I think the Curious George show is new, bc my little one just fell in love with it, too.

Those costumes are just adorable, and I hope you can come back and tell us how the show went! That playroom is so fabulous!!!

Hi Julie and Welcome!

My kids would have loved a playroom like that!  Wow!  But now that they’re mostly grown (three have already left the nest), all we have to be is close to an outlet for their electronic devices.

As far as the Wizard of Oz, always loved it as a child.  But I view it differently now that I’ve seen Wicked on Broadway, and read the book and the sequel. 

Oh, I can’t sew, I’ve tried, it’s hopeless.  I just ask my son to sew something for me.  He was required to take home ec in school and did surprisingly well in sewing.

Laurie, why don’t you email one of us and we’ll discuss what needs to be done?

I can’t stand The Wizard of Oz, never could.  I always thought my girl card was going to be pulled. 

My mom made all my costumes growing up and still does (even though I’m in my 30’s).  I had to dress up for work every year with a theme, and I’d go to her to make them.  She’d complain, but she’d do it.  She failed miserably at making me a dress in high school, but she’s got mad felt and glue gun skills.

The kiddies are adorable, and I love the play room!

Laurie,
Since each blog is copyrighted under the individual author’s name, it would probably be best to just contact the author of the specific blog and ask for permission to reprint it and ask how they want it credited.  I doubt it would be a problem in most cases, especially for an RWA newsletter.  I think you can find most of our e-mail addys on our websites.

If it’s a guest blogger, we can probably try to find you some contact info for them

I have to laugh out loud. My youngest, Judith dances competitively. It began three years ago when she was five. I was truly clueless. I didn’t know that I had to come to competition fully prepared for battle with a huge box of makeup, hair spray, curling irons, straightening irons, hair pins, and other necessary items. At the first practice performance, the other moms were busy fixing makeup and hair. Judith looks at me expectantly. I don’t even have a comb on me.

I have gotten a little better. I bring the make up, hair spray and a comb.  But if I had to make her costumes, Judith would be dancing in a brown paper sack with the arms and head cut out.

Yeah April!!!!!!!!!! I have NEVER seen the Wizard of OZ. Don’t want to. All the clips shown on TV over the years have been enough for me. I’m having dinner with some highschool friends tonight. Can’t WAIT to tell them I’m not the only person on the planet that doesn’t like the show.

Julie - both you and Chenchen look gorgeous in your costumes. I was going to wish you luck for the show but I remembered the correct phrase:

‘break a leg’

If it’s any consolation, I am absolutely USELESS at sewing. I usually blow up sewing machines..the closest I can get to fixing anything is suturing, which isn’t quite the same thing.

orannia

PS Your books have made it to New Zealand - I just checked the online library catalogue (a very evil invention, which I love dearly - YAH! So, I’m going book hunting…

Hey everyone! 

Thanks for the great welcome and the wonderful comments.  I would have responded earlier but we were in court today, asking the judge to have the State of Texas officially recognize Chenchen’s adoption in China.  Went off w/o a hitch, and the girls both got to pick a stuffed animal from the menagie in front of the bench.  That was my first time as a witness, not an attorney.  Was fun (and poor Don didn’t realize he’d have to testify!  Evil laugh!).

The “without a hitch” turned south after the hearing.  We all got trapped in the elevator!  Only for a few minutes, but it seemed like longer.  I have video of Catherine singing “I’m stuck in an elevator” ... will upload to my blog sometime tonight!

After that, many errands.  Lunch with Grandma.  Lucy In Disguise (local costume shop) for silver face paint for the Tinman (I will post a pic!  Promise!  I offered yesterday, but she wasn’t in the mood to get dressed; wanted to play cameraman), picked up a survey for our refinance (ugh), then Waterloo Records (new Pogues CD).

And now I’m home, with minutes to spare to get Catherine to karate!

More later! 

Running off to play harried mom......

Julie, Chenchen is an adorable flying monkey. And that beaming smile on the last pic—too cute!

Is that a cool playroom or what (not to mention a walking, talking ad for Ikea ...)

Hehe. The first thing I thought when I saw your pics was, “Oh, Julie Kenner has got Billy shelves! With Branas baskets! And a Hemnes chest of drawers. And even more Billy shelves in dark brown.” In many ways, Ikea is like MacDonald’s: even when you’re far away from home, Ikea will always make you feel at home.

Julie--Chenchen is too cute!  Congrats on the court thing!

I cannot wait to get my son into sports...I’m hoping it will be baseball, but I have a feeling that it’s going to be soccer since he loves to run and kick the ball. *sigh* At least it’s not football...if it was that means I would have to learn the game!  But nothing would please his father more than if he played football. 

Anyway...Break a leg!

"you officially win Mom of the Year”—Yay, Jules!  I’m so excited!  I’d like to thank the Academy and ... oh, wait.  What’s the prize?  I hope it’s something, um, fermented ....

“I hope you get video!  I want to see this performance!”—We will!  Hopefully it’ll be digital and I can embarrass myself across cyberspace!  And I will most defiitely post C in full TinMan regalia.  How could I not?

“Is there any creative venue you will not tackle?” - Hmm.  Underwater henna tatoo artist?  Just too hard to get the color to stick ...

"Did you know Xtina has her own flock of flying monkeys and she sends them out if we displease her?” Ah, Teresa!  The big question isn’t did **I** know, but how do you know?  Have you done something displeasing?  Come on ... fess up!

"We stuffed our livingroom furniture in a smaller room and set up the little tykes kitchen along one wall, toyu chest, assorted baskets and milk crates full of toys, stuffed animals and books were stacked in corners, and the middle was kept clear of any obstacles that would hinder impromptu play.” You’re my long lost sister!!!!!  I always knew I had a twin!

Fabulous costumes!  Congrats on the great day in court, sans elevator incident.  At least you had some decent musak.

Your house sounds wonderful.  Thank goodness my kids don’t read this blog; otherwise, they’d be plotting to take over. Who am I kidding they’ve already taken over!

Santa
Typing in the den/playroom/computer room/office.  Fooled ya!  It’s not an office.

I just have to say I hate, hate sewing.  I am glad I am not the only person who can’t thread a sewing machine. My mother feels like it is her fault, b/c she never taught me to sew, but I keep telling her “no way.”
I would hate sewing no matter who taught it to me b/c I am the anti-precision, anti-reading the directions queen. That’s why I can make a good soup, not a souffle.  I can drive you there, I can’t give you directions. It is hard to explain to other people, but all you have to do is glance at my very few cross-stitch projects see what I mean.  I have sworn off handicrafts forever in favor of hobbies like learning languages and ice-skating.

My mother sewed beautiful Halloween costumes for me as a child that I guilted her in to making.  I feel really bad about that as an adult, to bring it back to the original subject.  My children will definitely be learning to sew from my mother, not me!

"You may be just plain frightening.”

Um, yeah ....

Hey Elsie!  Catherine was a huge Elmo’s World fan (she still is; the kid will sit with rapt attention to anything that happens to be on.  She’s watching Teletubbies again and not complaining.  She will be a pop culture maven!).

Chenchen likes it, but not enough to really hunker down and watch.

Thanks, Gannon.  And, um, Laurie ... yeah!  Be afraid.  Be very afraid

"I’m stunned to hear that Flying Monkeys have lines.”—No kidding.  I was hoping to just grunt a bit!

And Elizabeth, you totally get it.  The “playroom” may be the designated play area, but “the house” has been over run by, well, munchkins!

Hey, Laura T!

Yes, those monkeys were scary little dudes!  And thanks (mostly from my mom) on the costume kudos!

I’m sure I’ll be blogging and you tubing the whole shebang!  I mean, gotta have something to bribe the kids with later in life, right?

Prudence, I love the music from Wicked!  Still haven’t seen it though (or read the book).  I’m hoping that maybe on the next trip to NYC ...

This was a CRAZY funny post! Just like your books! LOl - Loved it!

Oh, Phyllis!  I see that in my future.  We just cut off Catherine’s long hair into a “sassy” bob. Called her to supper and she didn’t come.  Don found her in the bathroom brushing her hair and doing a complete Marsha Brady.  Too cute.  Can all the accoutrements be far behind?

April and Ann!  I thought there was a local ordinance requiring seeing The Wizard of Oz!  Be wary of Pop Culture Enforcement Patrol.  They may be heading your way!

(For the record, I only sort of liked the book, and really didn’t like the sequels at all.  But i’ve always thought the movie was darling.  And love the Cowardly Lion)

Thank you Christina and Teresa for getting back to me!  I wasn’t sure how blogs were handled.  I will contact you as needed..... :0)

Laurie (off to search for those blog entries that are teasing at the edges of my consciousness)

orannia, New Zealand!!!  Whoo hoo!  Clearly I need to make a trip to sign stock ...

Sandra, you are SO right about Ikea.  And, hey, it’s like McDonalds in more ways than one.  My kids MUCH prefer the lunches there to happy meals.  And riding on the flat carts more than the MickeyD playscapes!

Jill ... another lost sister!  Clearly we share DNA ...