Saturday, March 14, 2009

Leprechauns and Cowgirls

Change in plans. Katie was nice enough to let me (Claudia) steal this day from her. She gets that when your blog is about creativity and a creative idea comes up, you have to be flexible enough to go with it. That's what we're going to do today. We're going to follow the creative energy of Children's Courtyard in Grapevine, Texas. Stay with me if you're if you're still looking for an award winning St. Patrick's Day idea to use with your kids, neighbors, students, residents, family, or friends. I think you'll be impressed.

No worries for those of you who were not ready to switch gears for the originally scheduled Women's History Month programing. We will still feature questions for you to answer from the game, "Cowgirls Ride the Trail of Truth." It's the perfect way to join in community and to continue getting to know one another.

First, St. Patrick's Day. Yesterday morning I walked into school and immediately noticed this box sitting on the counter in Jack's classroom. Immediately drawn to anything that sparkles, I asked Ms. Psasha what the box was all about. She explained that the decorated box was a "Leprechaun Catcher" and that every classroom was making one. St. Patrick's Day is less than a week away and Children's Courtyard wasn't going to leave leprechaun catching up to the Luck-o-the-Irish. Instead, each classroom put on their creative caps and dreamt up exactly what they thought it would take to catch themselves a magical leprechaun and his pot of gold. To me this activity is brilliant - not only because it fosters creativity, but also because it helps to build a sense of excitement around this simple holiday. Check them out and tell me if you have a favorite leprechaun catcher?





This is a great weekend activity for just about any group of kids (young and old).

Now the questions...

Last week Heather laid the ground work for each of our Saturday posts in March. She explained that, in January when I attend Misty's Annual Potato Soup party, I became acquainted with the game, "Cowgirls Ride the Trail of Truth." The game comes with a box of thought provoking questions in the following categories: Sex & Body, History & Experience, Family & Friends, Spirit, Shadow, and Taste.

Today I will share a card of six questions, allowing you to pick your favorite question and to share your answer with the rest of us. If questions such as these can be used to help us get to know one another better, then imagine how much fun you could have asking them of your closest girlfriends. Consider planning a coffee, brunch, or lunch with your friends and letting these questions be your guest of honor. Or, what about mailing each of your girlfriends one question in a envelope with a self-addressed stamped envelope (do it on one of Peggy's great looking cards and score extra points) with the hopes they will mail their reply? What a fun way to honor the women in your life during the month of March AND to maybe learn something new about them!

Here are today's questions. Tune in next weekend when Katie actually gets the chance to serve as hostess (without being usurped by me) and presents you with another set of questions:
  • How do I feel about getting older?
  • Who is the most influential person I know?
  • How do I feel when I hear a man praise his wife?
  • If I could be invisible for a day, I would hang out at...
  • When did I maintain a disguise?
  • If I found out I had a life-threatening disease, who would I tell first?
You've got all weekend to answer! Answer one or answer them all.

Signing off until Monday...

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

How do I feel about getting older?
I like it - age for me brought confidence and less worry about what other people think. Although I don't enjoy the wrinkles appearing around my eyes, I do have a more comfortable relationship with my body than I did when I was younger. Being in my 30's reminds me of a favorite pair of jeans - broken in just enough for a comfortable fit.

Anonymous said...

How do I feel about getting older?

Not fantastic...although I have quickly learned that no matter how much older you get you still FEEL the same age. I FEEL the same way I felt when I was 20, 21, 22 years old. It isn't until I look in the mirror or look at my life and realize I'm in my 30th year that I realize I really AM an adult.

Who is the most influential person I know?

HAHAH.....Claudia!!! Mike and I were just talking about this yesterday. You just feel like you need to do things because of her and for her. That's an amazing power to have. Mike's personal example was that he felt the need to send an article to her attached to a postcard and sent from Seattle.

How do I feel when I hear a man praise his wife?

Lucky because I know I am married to a man who praises me and it makes me feel amazing. So I know that other women feel the same way to know their husband adores them enough to praise them in public.

If I could be invisible for a day, I would hang out at...

Daycare to see how Lily acts when we aren't around. I love peeking at her when I first arrive and before she realizes I'm there to see what she is up to. I firmly believe she is a totally different kid at daycare than at home (mainly because if she acted there like she does at home she'd totally be kicked out by now!)

When did I maintain a disguise?

Job interviews probably! You only let them see the positives and composed portions of yourself even though you are freaking out on the inside. Fake it till you make it!

If I found out I had a life-threatening disease, who would I tell first?

I don't know. I'd like to say that I'd tell Bal first but I'm not sure I'd be able to break it to him.

Kat said...

* How do I feel about getting older?
I am enjoying it so far. With age comes more life experiences. I think I am gaining confidence the older I get.
* Who is the most influential person I know?
Probably my dad. He has the ability to befriend anyone and make them feel special. I would love to be like that.
* How do I feel when I hear a man praise his wife?
* If I could be invisible for a day, I would hang out at...
Some of my friends' houses. I would love to see what they are like as parents when no one else is around! It think it would make me feel a little more normal!
* When did I maintain a disguise?
In any new situation.
* If I found out I had a life-threatening disease, who would I tell first?
My husband. He would help me figure out how to tell everyone else in my life.

Cheryl Houston said...

How do I feel about getting older? I love it. I can't wait until I'm 80 and get to say whatever I want no matter how absurd!

How do I feel when I hear a man praise his wife? Jealous, but in a good way. :)

Peggy said...

Well, since there isn't much activity going on here today, I'll answer a few questions...

I like the 2nd posted picture, the one with the black pot of gold (or witches cauldron) Very cute!

How do I feel about getting older? A few thoughts, I can't change it first of all. My memory is selective, so although in my 30's I hated it, now in mid 40's I'm so looking forward to what's next. Sometimes I don't know who is looking in the mirror back at me.

Who is the most influential person I know? That would probably be my dad... however, that would have been in my growing up years... or now I admit and realize that. A lot of people influence me... and since I've been at HLA, Claudia's enthusism, ideas and outlook influence me.

How do I feel when a man praises his wife? I'm impressed and often tell my husband( not to 'show him' but as part of excitemet) and I tell others.

If I could be invisible....can I go back in time to my first day of highschool?

When did I maintain a disguise? not sure what this means, but I often feel invisible in a crowd (kids school events, party, back in my hometown) and wonder if I have a mask on.


If I had a life threatening disease... I would tell my husband, because he knows EVERYTHING about me, then my parents.

There is a story like this happening at my small office this past week @@ and I found out details (so I think)before the person's mother, which I thought was odd.

Thanks for reading my long comment. I was at a fun, fun, FUN!!! card class yesterday. Check out my blog to see what I made!
http://prdesigns.globspot.com

Cheryl Houston said...

ha Peggy. I clicked on your link though I think I already peeked at your cards this morning and the link didn't work. I looked at it again... you typed globspot instead of blogspot. we she start that site... globspot.blogspot.com! hee hee.

Peggy said...

Baaahaaaa haaa!!!! Think of that as laughing like Snoopy.... yikes... blog/glog... you guys should be checking me out daily anyhow!!! hee hee!!!
It was such a good day
http://prdesigns.blogspot.com

Katie said...

*How do I feel about getting older?
I feel good about it. I feel like this is such a difficult age of trying to figure out who I want to be and who I'm meant to be. I feel as though every year I feel a little more confident in those answers and in my self image.

*Who is the most influential person I know?
My mom. Through her strength, she reminds me that despite anything that happens to you on a given day, it will be okay.

*How do I feel when I hear a man praise his wife?
Happy for that woman, and hopeful that maybe one day that will be my husband talking about me.

*If I could be invisible for a day, I would hang out at...
A daycare. Just to watch the babies.

*When did I maintain a disguise?
High school was a time when I maintained a disguise because I had no idea who I was, anyway.

*If I found out I had a life-threatening disease, who would I tell first?
I would tell either Lorie or Kristina, my two best friends. I could not break it to my parents the first time telling someone.

Claudia @ Highlowaha said...

Sunday night at 8:13... that's not too late to answer this weekend's question... is it?

How do I feel about getting older?

Rushed is the first thing that comes to mind. I have a long list of things I want to do in this life and when I think about getting older, I worry I will run out of time.

I look at pictures of Ricky when Richard and I first got married (Ricky was six) and I can't believe that is a little more than a year away from Matthew's age. Time goes so fast. Yesterday I stumbled on a picture of Ricky holding Matthew just days after Matthew was born. They both look so tiny yet it was almost five years ago.

Time with kids seems to move at a faster pace than life before kids. Days go faster, but so do weeks, months, and years. Maybe it's because years are marked by birthdays, first-Christmases, and a million other "firsts."

So, yes... while I am enjoying my forties, I certainly am aware that life moves at a good clip. When will I read all the books on my long list? Travel to all the places I imagine visiting? Hold all the jobs I would like to hold? Create all the things I want to create? Spend time with all the people who are important to me?

How do I feel about getting older? Excited, but anxious about all that is left to do.

Anonymous said...

How do you feel about getting older?
After recently watch my grandmother become very ill and then watched her die (what felt like slowly over the course of 5-6 months) it scares me. I know that not everyone gently eases off to sleep to never wake up, but I think it's the loss of the ability to get out bed and to move around. So when I get up in the morning, as I near middle age, and feel creaky I worry. I know I'm not always going to be young, which is fine, it's the loss of physical ability that worries me. Though I feel confident that my older children were given a good example (so were the younger ones but they won't remember) so that they will take care of me when the time comes.

Chaotic Kristi said...

how do I feel about getting older? Grateful! I am getting to see things I never thought would happen... and I am now at the point where I can appreciate them...

Anonymous said...

Who would I tell if I had a life threatening condition....well this went with a master class I am taking, we looked at nurses that were asked to help with death. So it is a very deep question but I email my girl pals onlined and asked them this question. I am attaching the reponses I recieved back...
Lee: I would tell my husband 1st, then my children later.
Cindy:I would probably not tell anyone for a while.......and then tell my sister.......
Maureen:Hey Lori
I would talk with my best friend Laurie first because I would need her help with telling my children, parents, then siblings.
Karen:I would tell my husband, he is my best friend and we share everything, well everything I know that I can tell him right away (not the money I spend but everything else yes!)
Marge (my mom)I would tell my cousin, Molly, who is also my therapist...She would help me deal with the news and tell my family....
Katie: my husband, then my mom
Deb:Hi Lori, this one threw me a bit. When you get back to me you'll need to tell me what Highlowaha stands for!!!! Enjoy your weekend, Deb
I would tell Drew, my husband. We have been married 30 years on the 30th of this month. We have been through a lot together and he and I would then tell the kids. Both our mums are not with us anymore so we lean on each other in times of need.
Sara:I guess it would have to my husband. He knows everything about me and my best friend. He would hold together better than my mom would I think, but she would be the next person I would tell. Between the two of them, they would keep me together
Susan B:since joe was with me when i had a recent scare, the fist person i called was my sister. though she would be there for me EVERY step of the way, she is also the one who is going to take it the hardest. then it would have to be my neice sabrina, since she is the nurse and the next in line to hold the family together
God willing, we will never have to find out.
love to all, sue
Connie:Hi Lori, that's a tougher question than I thought it would be. I guess I would tell my husband. My two best friends, Marge and Gayle would be close seconds
Cheryl:Hi Lori,
In response to your question....I would probably tell my mom first, because she is a nurse and I'd want to know more medically about my disease. But for support, I'd tell Karen, Dana and Warren first. They have always been there for me, guided me, and always help me believe in myself
Mary:I would tell my husband since he is the love of my life and is always there for me through thick and thin. Mary
Lindsay:I would tell my mom... she's the first person I tell anything important, and she's amazing and would know what to do. She'd also kill me if she found out I told anyone else first. =)
And last was my email them to all of the gals

I belong to a blog group called Highlowaha, it is a blogging group for women started by a cousin in KY. This weekend they are asking us to answer one of a series of questions. As a nurse this one really made me think. So if you could take a few minutes and write me back with your response so I can forward it on to the group on Sunday night. I will forward you back all of my responses I recieve. Have a great weekend. Love Lori