Arkansas Songbirds

I saw this on the Arkansas State Parks Facebook fanpage, this commercial is in the semi-finalist round and honestly I've fallen for it (yeah, I know it's a Folger's ad), anyway, I love it. Give them a listen and vote if you can. The first singer is the receptionist at the Ozark Folk Center and a recent transplant from KC. While she didn't plan on singing for an audience, the folk center got her into it (she's got a few video's on You Tube - Ruby Pine and the Old Saps). I don't know how the commercial came about, but I love it. Maybe it's the chickens, def. her voice, but also that nostalgic 70's feel. And of course the AR connection makes me want them to win even more.

Chimps

I heard this song on THE WOOD this morning and thought of Jason and my Aunt Linda, both fond of Chimps. Enjoy.

Sleigh Ride

We took some video during the snow days and here's one of Grammy and Nora going down the front yard. Unfortunately no footage exists of Dad pulling Nora and Mom around while Mom yells "slow down!".

ACORN

As most of you know, Jason and I worked for ACORN for several years back in the 90's. It was a chaotic experience that had its ups and downs. Some of you have been wondering what we think about all the allegations about ACORN from the McCain campaign. In short, we are appalled. We both worked voter registration at various times during our employment and can assure you we never saw ACORN promoting Voter Registration Fraud (something quite different from Voter Fraud, which has more to do with getting false people to vote or to vote twice). In Arkansas, as in many states, you are required to turn in every single voter registration card, even if you think it might be a fake registration. Sometimes people who you hire for campaigns like this are more interested in getting paid than in registering people to vote, so they fill out forms falsely. Those folks were fired, when they were discovered. Sometimes, people think it's funny to give blatantly false names on the card, and some people wanted to disrupt the process, so they did this on purpose. In any case, where we could identify forms that looked suspicious, we would set them aside and turn them in with a note to the county that we thought that they were false. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone knows the starting line-up of the Dallas Cowboys, so I'm sure there were some that got past us. It was not in our interest to register non-existent people - the purpose was to register real people, to encourage them to become involved in our civic process and to turn them out on election day - which is what the McCain campaign is really worried about it. The rich and elite in this country have benefited from low voter turn-out and suppressed civic engagement. If we really wanted these things and if they were really concerned about false registrations, they would make registration mandatory and automatic for citizens like many other countries do. Here's a nice video done by ACORN to set the record straight, it's only a few minutes long so check it out:



BTW, I'm proud to say that because of ACORN training, myself and several other women have been working over the past year to promote civic engagement in adult ed classrooms in the metro area - and we registered some folks to vote too. We've passed the deadline for registration in this state, but if you are registered, please make sure to go and vote. It's important.

Exercise

Nora has been channeling the 80's lately with her head bands. Here she is working on her cardio with the jump rope.



She's also been hooking the jump rope over the chair to create her very own Nordic Track type machine (well the arm part at least). I'm glad that she isn't following the poor example her father and I set when it comes to exercise.

Nora Gardens

Here's more of Nora watering the tomato plants.

We Caved

That damn mouse has gotten us again.  The other night, I broke down and bought three DVDs for Nora: 101 Dalmatians (of course), the Aristocats (part of my cat ownership propaganda) and Robin Hood (my childhood favorite).  We decide to wait on Balto.  Well, I popped in The Aristocats tonight, and there was a preview that is almost making me regret my purchase.  This winter, we can look forward to Snow Buddies.  The offspring of Air Bud fall out of an airplane over Alaska and make a young boys dream of racing in the Iditarod come true.  Yes, a team of golden retriever puppies is going to beat out all those other teams of arctic dogs because they have spunk.   I had a sour taste in my mouth, but then Maurice Chevalier started singing the title song and I was drawn in to Disney of my childhood and these modern atrocities were forgotten.  

BTW, Aristocats also includes the voice work of Mel Blanc, Eva Gabor, and Thurl Ravenscroft in case you were sitting on fence about watching this one.  

Nora and the Crow

Nora has been giving the crow at the zoo money. Here she's with her cousins Kylie and Logan (Mete was there too, but he wasn't leaving the stroller for a crow) and all three of them gave the crow a dollar (thanks Uncle Ted for the cash). Although this was her second encounter with the crow, Nora seemed unsure at the last moment whether she really wanted to let go, but eventually she let him have it. Oh yeah, I'm in the video too. The crow stuffs the dollars into a box and it all goes to the zoo's conservation work. I'm sure that Nora will be meeting the crow again, I just hope she doesn't think she needs to give all crows money. I'm still amazed that she's willing to go face to face with a crow (and his sharp beak) but smaller younger children (much less bigger older children) make her retreat in haste.

Piano Recital

Here's some footage from Nora's first piano recital. I believe she is performing and original composition entitled: Karl, Karl, Karl

Obamania

While I still haven't decided who I'm voting for on Tuesday, Nora appears to have Obamania. Here she is rocking out during his victory speech in South Carolina. Yes, that's Dad on the castanets.

SSTTTTUUUKKKKKK!

Many things are stuck at our house. Playdough lids, bear clothes, blocks inside airplanes, feet in footed pajamas, babies on top of potties next to sinks, hands inside elephant trunks. What's stuck in your house?

It's true, everything was cooler when we were 12

Well, actually this is more like when I was five. But Sesame Street was cooler then. I give you this prime piece of evidence. I can't imagine them showing it now and we are all poorer for it.

Owls of Autumn, Part II

Here's some more footage of Nora in the Owl Dress. As you can hear, she wants you to know all about Karl and she's been all about the mirror lately...

Blue Hat

Nora does her best Garbo impersonation here and turns the camera away....

Nora's Glasses

Here's another short video that Jason shot of Nora wearing glasses the only way she will allow and eating a cookie. Or in Nora speak, that would be COOOKIE!

Beatrix goes Flat Cuckoo!

Guest video director:
Murfmensch

Before you play, strap yourself to your chair and get prepped for the ride of your life!

Sand Castles

We're on our way home now, but here's a little movie of Nora on the beach.

Turn Off TV Week

Curtain

Nora Directs