The Tooth Fairy Commeth
The small girl is keenly aware of the pecking order as it applies to the Tooth Fairy.
“Mommy, Madison has lost TWO teeth. These ones…..right here…. “, she leans in and opens her mouth wide.
“But, Addie? Addie has lost SEVEN!”
When you are six years old, lost teeth separates the big girls from the little girls….at least in my sweet one’s mind. And she already ranks herself low on the age totem pole, because well, that’s where she falls. With a July birthday, she will always be the baby of the class. Not to mention, she’s a peanut.
For months now, we have been wiggling, and wiggling and wiggling that bottom, right tooth. By last Friday, I could barely stand to touch the thing….since I could almost push it flat. But it just wanted to hang on.
Until Saturday, when the seatbelt yanked it out. That’s right. The seatbelt. Because, naturally, Delaney had the seatbelt in her mouth, right by the stubborn loose tooth. As we rounded a corner - that tooth came flying out. Despite the mouth-full of blood, she was ecstatic.
Overjoyed is more like it. She couldn’t stop giggling.
She hasn’t stopped smiling. She can’t stop looking in the mirror and telling every.single.person we see.
She delicately placed the tooth under her pillow and woke us at 5 am, delighted by the silver dollar the Tooth Fairy had left.
She is positive she caught a glimpse of her wing and crown as she flew into the room and touched her pillow.
I have to confess, I had no idea I would revel in the magic of the Tooth Fairy as I have the past few days. I can’t wait for her to visit again.
Have you had a visit from the Tooth Fairy? And just how generous is she in your home? ( Shhhh - I’ll confess - Delaney’s Tooth Fairy is the VERY SAME Tooth Fairy that visited me when I was a little girl and she is carrying the VERY SAME magical Silver Dollars.)
Hot Air Balloon Adventure from EVOConf
Well, here it is…..our Hot Air Balloon Adventure from Park City, Utah - at EVOCOnf….
DIVINE….
Wordless Wednesday- The Small Dude Gets in the Game
He may have only just turned four, but the eye black, baseball pants, and arm band show the small dude’s serious baseball side.
Lisa Leonard Designs Giveaway - $100 Gift Certificate
I reach behind my neck and adjust the clasp.
There is something so delicate about this piece of jewelry…I sparkle because IT DOES.
This necklace is the one that always garners the oooohhhs, the ahhhhhhs….the ‘where did you get thats??”‘
Mine looks just like this……except the stamp says, ‘bliss’. It is divine.
Have you visited my friend, the lovely and incredibly talented, Lisa Leonard?
Lisa’s work is extraordinary…..not simply because her jewelry is gorgeous, clearly it is….but because you can feel the heart she puts into each piece. When you wear her work, you are walking around wrapped in a piece of art. Lisa’s art.
Because I love you, because I love Lisa……I thought it would be fun to bring you all together.
I am giving away a $100 gift certificate to Lisa Leonard Designs. Did you catch that? ONE-HUNDRED-DOLLARS…..for you to spend as you wish on any of her amazing pieces.
Whatever will you choose?
Ohhhh….and there is so much more.
Here’s how to Enter to Win $100 Gift Certificate to Lisa Leonard Designs:
- Visit her site…stay a while, get comfy, look around and choose: what is your favorite?
- Come back here and put what you love in the comments. Feel free to tell me more than one.
For additional entires:
- Follow Lisa on Twitter
- Tweet this Giveaway
- Come back here to tell us what you’ve done.
This Giveaway will run until June 30th. At that time ONE winner will be chosen. Thank you so much for entering! Good luck!
ExtraordinaryMommy.com is not responsible for prizes that are shipped from outside vendors or sponsors. All entries will be pooled together and one (1) winner will be selected to win a $100 Gift Certificate from Lisa Leonard Designs. The winner will have two calendar days to reply via email. Unclaimed prizes will be placed for availability to newly chosen winners after that time. Giveaway is open to all U.S. residents only, must be at least 18 years old to enter. One entry per person, entries accepted through June 30, 2010 ending at exactly 11:59 CDT.Jewel in Concert, Road Trips Guitar Picks Tour: Meeting, Listening, Moved to Tears
I closed my eyes and I listened.
I allowed myself to feel every beat of music, to dive into the words of each song. I smiled and sang along. It wasn’t until I felt something drip onto my hand that I realized I had started to cry. These tears celebrated my ability to live in this moment, to hold my husband’s hand and to be swept away by songs and stories.
Last week, Jeff and I saw Jewel perform at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis…..an intimate venue (the size of a small church), we were a mere three rows from the stage. I could see every facial expression, was witness to every sip of water, every shy laugh and a few ‘let me start overs’. Every moment served to make this famous singer, this amazing song-writer simply a real person that I would love to have over for dinner.
She talked about growing up in Alaska with no indoor plumbing, about performing on stage with her dad when she was little, about refusing an employer’s advances and ending up without a paycheck: homeless. She shared the stories behind the stories.
As one of the bloggers invited to the concert to celebrate the Road Trips and Guitar Picks Concert Series…..we also had the special joy of meeting Jewel. She did a brief private concert for us….performing a never-released song dedicated to a friend who died after battling cancer.
She also answered questions from us.
Naturally, I had one. I asked her about her song writing process…..do the lyrics or the melody come first? She gave an incredibly eloquent answer about the two melding together for her….and seeming to just happen. (I’m fascinated….since, as you know, I was a singer-songwriter in my imaginary, previous life) She also said, “good question”….earning me a taunting, “must be nice” from my husband.
I’ve always enjoyed Jewel’s music. She got her big break in San Diego when I was a college student there. Some of her songs provide a sound track for my final years before official adulthood settled in. This concert allowed me to revisit that time….she sang, Who Will Save Your Soul, Foolish Games, You were Meant for Me, Standing Still and Hands.
And, of course, she performed a few of my current favorites….(Stronger Woman - below) and I Do. She even asked the audience to make requests. She was barraged with favorites…..this was one.
Every song had a beautiful story….but when she talked about Hands, she relayed having been camping in the mountains with her husband on September 10th and 11th, 2001. They were entirely out of touch with all phones, radio, television and computers. As they came down and learned about the attacks on the U.S., they sat together in shock until a DJ on the radio cued up Hands….and dedicated it to the people of our country who lost so much that day. Jewel cried then. I cried as she told us.
If you haven’t ever seen her in concert, do it now. She is as personable, charming, witty and funny as she is talented. And, damn…she is talented. I also suggest you follow her on twitter…. I did happen to see she was giving away tickets to some of her fans.
And finally….she has a new album that has just been released: Sweet and Wild. My favorite song: Ten.
Thank you to Road Trips and Guitar Picks and to Country Financial - for the invitation. We had a spectacular time. There are other bloggers around the country who have also been invited to attend….t
o hear what they are saying about their experiences, hop on over to visit them:
- Craig of Second Drafts
- Rachel of Cheeky Chicago
- David of Stories in My Pocket
- Melissa of Consumer Queen
- Sheryl of My Atlanta Mommy
- Michelle of Michelle Sidles Photography
- Meghan of HalfPintHouse
Four Years Ago Today - My Sweet Boy Was Born
His small hand reaches out to me, even as he sleeps. Sometimes he rests his palm on my shoulder….occasionally he wraps his fingers in my hair.
He just has to know I am there. And I love that. In fact, I dread the day that he no longer wants me to snuggle.
Four years ago today, I laughed him into this world. Literally.
I pushed one time, Dr. Cartwright made me laugh and Cooper came flying out. That wonderful doctor even convinced me to grab my sweet guy under the shoulders and pull him the rest of the way out.
It was spectacular.
I am convinced the way he was born - via laughter - has shaped the happy little guy he is today.
And on this day, your birthday, I celebrate you.
My sweet, small dude,
Every day I am amazed by you. You illuminate every room you enter - refusing to be intimidated by anyone or anything. You aim that blue-eyed gaze at kids and adults, making friends, garnering smiles.
From the moment you entered my life, you have made me better. From the sporadic, “Mommy? I love you’s” that you sprinkle throughout every day, to your love of holding my hand, I am charmed by you.
If your daddy had written a letter to God before you were born describing the little man he wanted in his life, you match it perfectly. You are kind - giving hugs and love freely. You laugh and joke easily. Every day as he comes home, “Daddy, can we play baseball?”. You would rather watch SportsCenter than cartoons and go page-by-page through Sports Illustrated when it arrives every Wednesday.
My sweet boy - I hope you never outgrow that special little something that makes you sparkle.
Thank you for the privilege of being your Mommy.
I love you my little buddy.
Love, Mommy
I promise I won’t grab the microphone from Jewel - yes, THAT Jewel
If you know anything about me at all, you know that I love to sing. You just won’t ever hear me doing it. Because, if you did, you would cover your ears…and then I would be all sorts of offended and then I might not sing anymore. And that would be sad. (for me)
Because I love to sing. When I am alone.
Coming in a close second to my love of singing is listening to other people who do it well.
Wish granted.
Next Sunday, June 6th - as part of the Road Trips and Guitar Picks concert Tour, I will be listening to the remarkably talented Jewel at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis. Even better, as part of the promotion - my sweet husband and I will spend some time with Jewel backstage….I can’t wait to bring you the highlights.
I’m told I can’t video when she sings for us back stage, but I can get some video before she starts to belt it out. Any questions you want me to try to ask her? How did she learn to yodel? How hard was the road to success? (If memory serves, she and her mom made some huge sacrifices before she was ‘discovered’)
In the mean time - if YOU want the chance to join the Tour - make sure to enter the Country Financial Road Trips and Guitar Picks sweepstakes. If you win, you and three guests will have airfare and hotel for three nights all set…not to mention a spectacular concert with either Jewel or Jason Aldean. Good luck!
Photo Credit : Kurt Markus
