Friday, February 8, 2013

Best Link-up EVAH!!!


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Well, now, it's been such a long time since I've done 7 Quick Takes. But considering it's the "Best Link-up EVAH" and it's hosted by the recently crowned "Coolest Blogger", I thought today might be a fun day to jump in.

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Happy Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita! Today is Sunshine's confirmation name day. We don't have any special plans. It's not fun to celebrate when you're on the couch with a red nose and a fever. The Professor was sick on his name day. I'm hoping this isn't a trend for this year.

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So, I kind of took some heat on Facebook when I posted the following:

Am I the only parent who can't stand Goodnight Moon?

1) Yellow, red and green are not soothing colors. My eyes sigh in relief when we turn to a black and white page. Red lettering...also killer on the eyes. 
2) Why is the bowl of mush sitting on the nightstand all night long and not in the sink in the kitchen?
3) The quiet old lady whispering hush creeps me out. The way she appears and disappears. Weird. She disappears while the fire is still going and there's no screen in front... in a kid's room! Seriously? Not to mention the carpeted hearth just waiting to smolder into a blaze from the first spark that jumps out. Not smart, people.

Yeah, I might be a little crabby today.

According to the comments I got in response, this is a much beloved beautiful piece of prose with unique enough pictures to captivate attention and interest. So, I went back and read it again. And my eyes still hurt. Based on some of the comments, I'm thinking it might be this particular new fangled edition. I'm trying to get an older copy from the library to compare mine with.

Yeah... I might still be a little crabby.


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Ok, my mood is improving slightly. It's piano practice time and my children are working on their recital pieces. I love this time of year! I love all of their choices too. They've each chosen a piece by David Nevue. His music is just lovely. They are far from playing perfection (their recital is still a few months away), but it's fun to hear them as they progress.

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Sean took the big kids to Confession last Saturday. It's a parish that is a ways away but the Cistercians usually send one of their priests over to help and if you haven't been to confession with a Cistercian, by golly, get yourself to one! It's amazing. Sadly though, the amount of construction and traffic now between us is probably going to make that confession location an unrealistic choice. They arrived much later than they thought they would and only managed to get three in. Thankfully, we just discovered that there are regularly 4-5 priests hearing confession once a week at a local parish. Score! We got the rest of us in this week and we are all still on the same schedule! Whoo hoo! I hate it when some of us have gone and some of us have to wait. It's the little things.

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I haven't seen any news yet about the snowstorm hitting the Northeast, but I have been thinking about those I know in that area. I'm so sorry. I know we complain about the heat down here, but I'll gladly take heat over snow any day. Especially so much snow that you can't leave your house. And yes, Melanie, my children do actually agree! :)

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Time to go wake the baby up. It's usually a rule of the house to never wake a sleeping baby, but if she naps too much longer, she will be up until midnight and that will not make for a happy mama. So, crabby baby or crabbier mama... you decide!

 

11 comments:

  1. Girl, step away from the picture books. ;) I think you just need a margarita (or likewise) to fully appreciate the genius that is Goodnight Moon. ;) seriously, how can you not like the lady whispering hush?!?! :)

    Hee. Happy weekend!

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  2. Well, I don't hate "Goodnight Moon" but it's not one of my or my kids' favorites. The colors are garish, but I like the story. I never zeroed in on the mush - weird things always end up on my nightstand all night long. I'm not really looking for complete line up with reality in kids' books - after all, animals don't wear clothes and have tea parties a la Beatrix Potter. Since you are artistic, I bet it's the colors that get to you the most.

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  3. Good Night Moon is better than the Runaway Bunny. What a rotten little bunny!

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  4. I giggled at your Goodnight Moon status...good points I thought!

    Today is my oldest's feast day for her Confirmation name too! She chose a smallish size (to share with her a couple of her brothers who will be up late as she is coming home late from work) brownie cheesecake to share with them :) I hope Sunshine feels better soon!

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  5. Ooh. We don't own Goodnight Moon. I never really got it either! I suppose the writing is sweet but yes, I agree about the colors! Never really thought about it but I think that is exactly what turns me off!

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  6. I got Goodnight Moon when I had my first baby and was surprised at how simple it was to be such a prize winner. I didn't get the color thing, except that is one of the things she did (Margaret Wise Brown, right?) The kids always ask, who is that old lady? I say, I don't know, I think it's the mama, mama bunnies have lots and lots of bunnies. Which is probably why all those things are so weird, right? She's scatterbrained like I am now after 6 kiddos.

    We've got a big storm coming too....9-15 inches by Monday. Gosh, I hate Minnnesota winters.

    That whole Confession thing, I guess we are so blessed to have priests offering Confession every weekend at a couple different times. I take it for granted, that we have it, reading about some places around the country, it's not always readily available I guess.

    Next week, just go again to get everyone on the same schedule. (not saying you sin or anything) but I think the Holy Father goes every day right?

    Happy weekend!

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  7. Any book I can memorize and "read" with my eyes closed with two kids on my lap is a good book. Not that I...uh...have ever done that. The best part of GNM is that the kids can search for the little mouse on the colored layouts! They love that.

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  8. Yeah, I never liked Goodnight Moon myself, but my toddlers are always captivated by it, maybe because it is so overly simple? I figure the "mush" on the nightstand is from the era of "stuff them full of rice cereal to make them sleep!" Apparently our grandparents' generation did that beyond infancy, as that bunny seems to be a little kid and not a baby??

    The old lady... uh, maybe she's the grandmother? but then why do they call her "old lady" if that is who she is? Random old lady is my interpretation too!! Maybe she's the nanny?

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  9. oh, so glad to see I am not alone! The book was my oldest two littles favorite, and I did have it memorized (and could probably recite it 18+ years after 'learning' it), but I never liked it. (it got in the house via a Christmas gift and never left)

    prayers for speedy recoveries.

    blessings
    Karen

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  10. I like Goodnight Moon because I find the words and just general rhythm very soothing. We need to go to Confession!

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  11. Your comments about GNM are HILARIOUS! I thought your distaste for the book would be from the repetitive rhyme of the verse or just from having been asked to read it too many times, but all your observations were spot on. Even if they were the result of a crabby day, they made me laugh.

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Thank you for sharing your thoughts and yourself!