From the Land of Oz

Barbies of Topeka

2011-09-14T11:05:00.000-06:00

This is so funny. I didn't make it up but I had to share!

Mattel recently announced the release of limited-edition Barbie Dolls for the Topeka area market:

"Lake Sherwood Barbie"
This Princess Barbie is only sold at Westridge Mall. Comes with an assortment of Kate Spade Handbags, Lexus SUV, long-haired foreign dog named Honey and cookie-cutter house. Available with or without tummy tuck and face lift. Workaholic Ken sold only in conjunction with the augmented version.

" Potwin Barbie"
Modern Day Homemaker Barbie is available with Ford WindStar Minivan and matching gym outfit. Gets lost easily and has no full-time occupation.
Traffic jamming cell phone sold separately.

"Dirty South Barbie"
Recently Paroled Barbie comes with 9mm handgun, Ray Lewis knife, Chevy with dark-tinted windows, and Meth Lab Kit. Model only available after dark and must be paid for in cash (preferably small, untraceable bills).

"Clarion Woods Barbie"
Yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of BMW convertible or Hummer H2. Included are her own Starbucks cup, American Express card and country club membership. Also available for this set are Shallow Ken and Private School Skipper.
You won't be able to afford any of them.

"Carbondale Barbie"
This pale model comes dressed in her own Wrangler jeans two sizes too small, NASCAR T-shirt and Tweety Bird tattoo on her shoulder. Accessories include six-pack of Bud Light and Hank Williams Jr. CD set. Doll can spit over 5 feet and kick Mullet-Haired Ken's butt when drunk. Pickup truck sold separately and get a Confederate flag bumper sticker absolutely free!

"The College Hill Barbie"
This collagen-injected, rhinoplastic Barbie wears a leopard print outfit and drinks Cosmopolitans while entertaining friends. Percocet prescription available, as well as a warehouse conversion condo.

"North Topeka Barbie"
This tobacco-chewing, brassy-haired Barbie has a pair of her own high-heeled sandals with one broken heel from the time she chased Beer-Gutted Ken out of Montara Barbie's house. Ensemble includes low-rise acid-washed jeans, fake fingernails, and see-through halter-top. Also available with a mobile home.

" Downtown Barbie"
This doll is made of actual tofu. She has long straight brown hair, archless feet, hairy armpits, no makeup and Birkenstocks with white socks. She prefers that you call her Willow . She does not want or need a Ken doll, but if you purchase two Barbie’s and the optional Subaru wagon, you get a rainbow flag bumper sticker for free.

" Montara Barbie"
This classic Barbie now comes with a stroller and infant doll. Optional accessories include a GED and bus pass. Gangsta Ken and his 1979 Caddy were available, but are now very difficult to find since the addition of the infant.

“Hayden High School Mom Barbie"
She's perfect in every way. We don't know where Ken is because he's always hunting or fishing.

" Gage Park Barbie/Ken"
This versatile doll can be easily converted from Barbie to Ken by simply adding or subtracting the multiple snap-on parts.

what's your band name?

2011-01-31T20:54:00.001-07:00

1 - Go to wikipedia and hit random. The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band. 2 - Go to quotationspage.com and hit random. The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album. 3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”. Third picture no matter what it is, will be your album cover. 4 - Use picnik.com to put it all together.

yum

2011-01-06T22:03:00.001-07:00

Liam tries green beans!

Liam's book

2010-11-30T18:49:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

First Trick or Treat

2010-10-27T14:44:00.001-06:00

IMG_8441
Originally uploaded by mypbandj.

Today I took Liam to his first Parents as Teachers playgroup. The kids were to play first then do some Trick or Treating though the elementary school. Maeve attends 5th grade there and she knew we were coming. She kept telling me what class she was in so we'd come see her.

Well, we got there early and I let Liam play in the infant section. They have a really cool foam pit that has textures, colors and mirrors. At first I held him as he stood next to it. He must have felt big because he was screeching like no other. Then I put him on his tummy in it. Some lady gave him a toy to look at and he got excited and pushed himself up on his hands and knees!!! Omg - he's too little. He's my baby. So I picked him up. Enough of that toy! lol

Then it was time for Trick or Treating and I felt kinda dumb. Like he's really gonna eat the candy! But I thought Maeve would want to see him and I didn't want to disappoint her.

We went around the school to the office, the library and the cafeteria. We weren't going to visit Maeve's room but we did pass it. So I stopped at the window and waved.

Maeve just stared at me. I held Liam up. "trick or treat! Look! It's your brother!". I must of been smiling and waving like a lunatic because she's looking at me like a deer in headlights. Her eyes are big and she's kinda shaking her head "no."

LOL I guess she didn't want to see us after all. I can't wait till she gets home to ask her. In the meantime, I'm enjoying Liam's candy!!

Brothers

2010-09-03T19:40:00.002-06:00

Brennen (13 years) & Liam (13 weeks).

2010-09-02T18:43:00.002-06:00

webcam

2010-09-01T15:25:00.000-06:00

What day were you born on?

2010-02-16T06:29:00.002-07:00

The kids wanted to know which day of the week they were born on. Brennen was born on a Thursday and Maeve was born on a Wednesday.

It reminded me of the old nursery rhyme:

Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go.
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
But the child born on the Sabbath Day,
Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.

So Brennen asks: What exactly does it mean to be full of woe?

Maeve explains: It means that those kids are surprised a lot - they're like, "WHOA!"

I think I love drugs!

2009-06-08T16:19:00.002-06:00

WARNING: I am on drugs as I type - I cannot be resposnible for revealing any deep, dark secrets.

I had to get my wisdom teeth out, I've been putting it off for way too long. Having switched to good insurance recently was also a helpful persuasion, that and also the on and off again pain I was having with the one impacted tooth.

So I called up the oral surgeon and scheduled the next available appointment. It was about a month before I was going to get in. I let Paul know right away because they require you to bring someone who can both stay during the entire procedure and drive you home. Paul has the craziest schedule I know: He doesn't really even have a choice, the judges tell him when to be in court and then he goes.

So, of course Paul had several court cases already scheduled for the day I had scheduled my surgery. And Paul is a lot like me, he doesn't like to ask anyone else to do his work. Then one day, Paul is in court and the judge is scheduling more cases: He sets it for June 8th. Yes, another court case that will have to be changed or given to someone else to cover on top of the rest of them. Paul pleads to the judge:

PAUL: "Can we please not pick that day? My wife is having her wisdom teeth removed and I already have several other cases that I might have to find someone to cover. I am trying to find a friend to take her though."
JUDGE: "Mr. Shipp. You will not have a friend take your wife to have her wisdom teeth removed, YOU will take your wife."

So, I like to say that he was court ordered to take me. :o)

I had not felt too nervous about the procedure until this morning. We had to be there by 8 a.m. so I didn't have much time to think about it, we just got up and went. The closer we got, the more nauseous I felt.

We arrived right on time and after checking in, they called me right back. I think I was mostly afraid of the anesthesia. Afraid it wouldn't work. If I had woken up in the middle of it, I would have freaked out!

They attached the blood pressure cuff and the oxygen saturation sensor. The doctor came in and started my IV. He had to use a type of brace around it to be sure it wouldn't be ripped out.

Then, he administered a drug through the IV. (Usually, I am pretty nosy and want to know EVERYTHING. I will ask things like: what is that? what is it for? what does it do? why are you using it? what happens next, etc - but I was way too nervous. I didn't want to talk at all). The doctor tells me that I will start to feel sleeping and I will feel like I can't focus anymore. The nurse starts to lay my chair back and I start to feel the effect of the drugs instantly. I felt dizziness and my vision was blurry. I decided to just shut my eyes and not fight it. I remember wishing that I could to go to sleep.

Next, I heard - wake up, Jennifer. I was done! That was so awesome. I don't remember ANYTHING and that's just how I wanted it to be.

I couldn't open my eyes. Paul said that I was just moving my eyebrows up and down. The room was so bright and I had to force my eyes open for one second. I could barely move. I was like a sloth getting into the wheelchair. They took me to my car and it was so cold that I quickly covered myself with a towel (I brought it just in case I started puking).

We came home and Paul gave me Sonic ice cream to eat while he picked up my drugs. They gave me oxycodone and propoxypene. I started with the oxycodone and that just knocked me out! I slept on the couch all day. After several doses of medication, I don't feel any pain at all. I hope that trend continues!!

I don't have any energy to get up and move around so I'm hanging out on the couch with my laptop, blackberry, remotes for the tv, home phone and wiener dog. Here's hoping that tomorrow is only better.

What a Day!!

2009-06-02T21:33:00.003-06:00

The day started out pretty well. I picked up O so that I could take him and Maeve to camp. We were a few minutes late - no biggie. Then Brennen and I headed off to work. We were interviewing for an open position but knew I'd be back by 2:30 to pick up O and Maeve.
My office is 30 minutes from my home. I like to take HWY 40 home because it's the quickest and most direct route. I'm often told that I should be avoiding that road b/c it's way to curvy and dangerous - well, what these Kansans don't know is that I'm from VIRGINA and they don't really know the meaning of a curvy road until they've driven in Virgina! I remember when I would drive to work in Virginia that there was a mountain that I had to wind around and slow down to about 10 miles per hour just to stay on the road. And when I did home visits for the hospital, we had to take a 4 wheel drive out to some folks homes b/c the terrain was so bad. HWY 40 is a piece of cake.

Anyway, today my boss and I decided we should leave the office a little early and stop by another site to check it's progress. So we start out and pretty soon I hear something odd going on with my tire. I tried to move over - to see if it was just a spot in the road - but nope, it was my tire. Right next to me is the last gas station for miles, so I pull in. (Had I taken HWY 40 - there would have been NO gas stations....NO stores....NO anything. It's all rural).

By this time, I am SURE that I have a flat tire. I pull over, jump out and check. Yep, it's flat! I call my boss and she pulls over. Luckily she knows the area, so she calls the local garage. The guy is out in 10 minutes. We were all in the convenience store when he arrived. I ran out there to greet him. I felt kinda dumb, I mean - shouldn't I know how to change my own tire? Nope, I don't. Heck, I didn't even know where my spare tire was! (Hey, it's a new car - at least I know now).

So, I'm standing around, just watching this kid change my tire. I'm no help at all. I am pretty much useless watching him single-handedly change my tire for me...I'm serious...he SINGLE-handedly changed my tire. He only had one hand. So, I'm feeling pretty lame since I can't even find my spare tire and here is this guy with one hand - jacking up the car, removing the lug nuts, changing the tire by himself. This guy was awesome!!

I run back inside the convenience store to check what things my kid was trying to purchase. I say something to my boss about the guy changing my tire having only one arm. I thought she might know him (it was a small town). Well I guess you know who was listening because as we are walking back to the car, my son and I have this conversation:

Brennen: (rather loudly) He does have two arms!
Me: BE QUIET!!!
Brennen: but he does have two arms!
Me: Shhh. Don't say that.
Brennen: Why not? I'm only saying something positive. He has two arms, just not two hands.
Me: Can you please stop talking? NOW!

About 10 minuets and $10 later, we were on our way! Really, if I was meant to have a flat tire, I couldn't have asked for it to happen any other way. I'm so glad that I decided to go with my boss to check out that other site. I would have been stranded on HWY 40 with my kid otherwise, not knowing who to call or what to do. I didn't get back in time to get the kids for camp. Thank goodness for friends and cell phones!!

Needless to say, I'm getting new tires tomorrow. I hope they are done quickly b/c I really want to get back into the office tomorrow for the rest of the job interviews.

Maeve's swim team practice was canceled due to lighting/thunder so I took the kids to see UP in 3D instead. It was a nice end to the day.

weekend

2009-05-31T09:00:00.004-06:00

Maeve & Jeni

Maeve had her face painted at Chelsea's party.

Girl Scouts

2009-05-29T20:45:00.002-06:00

Our first Junior Girl Scout activity: Pottery class at the art museum.

Pools and Poems

2009-05-28T18:07:00.002-06:00

Today I took the kids to swim at the YMCA. We were there for 3 hours! On the way home, we all made up poems. Here is a sample of what I heard:

Captain Wart Burger was a man.
Who hit himself with a pan.
He went to the ER.
And got hit by a bar.
And then they gave him a shiny new van.
by Michael

Pumpkin
There once was a cat
Who thought he was fat
He ate a rat
And hit me with a bat
And wore a hat
But he was still fat
And that is that!
by Ashley

I once played tennis with a puck
For some reason it kept crying cluck
I was very confused
But a little amused
To notice I was playing with a duck!
by Brennen

There once was a boy named Blake
Who wanted a big green snake
He bought a frog
Who was on a log
And he didn’t know what to take.
by Maeve

Jericho
Before you come over and ring my bell,
I have a secret that I should tell.
You'll hear barking, vicious and mean,
the loudest little dog, you've ever seen.
When you sit on the couch, she'll jump in your lap,
and before you know it, she'll be taking a nap.
You'll end of friends, but start out foe,
That's how it works with my Jericho
by Jen

Summer Reading Kickoff

2009-05-27T18:30:00.002-06:00

Dentist

2009-05-26T22:27:00.003-06:00

Maeve had a dentist appointment today. Here she is looking like a superstar with her sunglasses on!After having her teeth cleaned with cookie dough flavored paste, she was allowed to pick out a pencil. She also left with 1 new toothbrush, 2 dinosaur flossers, princess toothpastes, 1 bouncy ball, 1 sticky-slimy-throwing-picking things up type thingy, 2 stickers, and a small beaded change purse thingy. She also was given a certificate to show her orthodontist that she had her teeth cleaned. That is good for a few wooden nickles which she can later cash in for either a goofy pen, t-shirt or movie pass.

May

2009-05-25T20:13:00.008-06:00

It's not over yet...but it has been a BUSY month!

Maeve bridged up from Brownies to Junior Girl Scouts. Guess who is gonna be the new leader??
Then there was my 13 year wedding anniversary, Maeve's birthday and Mother's Day, all within the same week. Actually, the last two were on the same day. Maeve and I were hoping to enjoy that day more but neither of us were feeling that great. She had a fever and my wisdom teeth were killing me (those are coming out btw - but that's another story).

The day after Maeve's birthday/Mother's Day I had a final exam at 7:30 in the morning. I assume that I did well on it but I'm STILL WAITING for the grades to be posted. Geez, how long does it take?? At least twice a day, I am on blackboard checking to see if my grades are posted, each time I am just SURE they will be there. Well, I'm still waiting.

Then there was the last week of school for the kids and all the festivities that go along with it, field day, pool parties, end of the year parties, etc.For Memorial Day weekend, we went to the lake in Manhattan. Maeve learned how to ride a bike and I'm not sure who was more excited, her or me. So for the rest of the weekend the kids rode their bikes around the neighborhood.

Even the dogs had a good time!

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T11:58:00.003-06:00

My favorite thing about mother's day is receiving handmade cards from the kids. This year, Maeve wrote me a poem:

Awesome
Butiful
Cute
Dorible
Emzing
Fantastic
Great
Happy

I think this little poem is pretty "dorible" if you ask me.

Brennen's Brain

2009-03-30T11:37:00.003-06:00

The kids are taking standardized tests this week at school, the Metropolitan Achievement Test or MAT 8. We have to make sure that the kids have plenty of rest and a good breakfast so that they can concentrate during testing.

Today I surprised the kids at school by bringing them a special lunch. Brennen loves Subway subs and Maeve had a quesadilla from Chipotle. As we were eating lunch together, Brennen announces to me that he has thought of a new math theory. Now, I'm not sure it this constitutes a "theory" and I'm sure it's not "new" either however, it is new to Brennen. Here it is:

If you take any two numbers that are next to each other on the number line (e.g. 4 & 5), then multiply those numbers by the same number -- the difference of the products will equal the number that you used to multiply with!

Here, let me show you an example:

We will use the number 4 & 5.
Multiply each by 7.
The answers are 28 & 35.
The difference between those is 7 (35 - 28 = 7).

Try it! I think it works with any number. Now, I can't tell you how this is actually useful but Brennen claimed to use it during his MAT 8 testing today. I'm just amazed at how that kid's brain works! He can keep coming up with as many math "theories" as he wants to.

Jen needs - a meme

2009-02-17T07:58:00.003-07:00

This meme has been popping up on facebook now and then. It's actually been going around the internet for several years now. I finally decided to try it. The funny thing is that I found tons of other "Jen needs" lists...some written as far back as 2005.

So here you go..this is what I need (according to Google).

Here are the directions, in case you want to join in the fun:
Type “[your first name] needs” into Google’s search engine and list the first ten results. Nearly all will be amusing, but you’re supposed to underline the ones that are actually true about you.

1. Jen needs to have a session or two with a therapist.
2. Jen needs rates on 2 scenarios.
3. Jen needs to find a self righteous, conspicuous "I'm better than you" charitable position so she can keep charming the sheep into thinking she matters a rat's ass.
4. Jen needs human anatomy lessons.
5. Jen needs to wise up.
6. Jen needs a muzzle.
7. Jen needs a tech makeover.
8. Jen needs you.
9. Jen needs to use the bathroom.
10. Jen needs a new job.

Blogger Stress!!

2009-02-15T09:20:00.002-07:00

I remember when I didn't know what a blog was. Once I figured it out, I knew I had to have one. The problem is that the blogger world is advancing much faster than I have time to figure it all out.

First of all, do you know how many different blog sites there are to choose from? I mean really, who has time to figure out which one does what? There is blogspot, typepad, word press, movable type and the list goes on and on I'm sure. I did find a web page that offers cheatsheets for these different platforms - but I don't have time to read it.

Then, once you have decided on a platform to use, I choose blogger, it's time to figure out how to add a cute template to your blog to make it graphically appealing. There is the banner, sidebar, header, footer, scrollbars, links, background images, labels and so on.

And if this wasn't enough to make your head spin, don't forget the Digg button and the RSS feed, followers, videos, ads, contests, give aways, and widgets!! Oh geez, this is enough to make my head spin!!

But that is the EASY stuff. The hard part, for me, is trying to figure out what to write about. I need a theme. Do I write about my family? my daily craziness? stuff I like?

I guess the only thing I know, is that this is one thing I am determined to figure out. It may take me all year - but I'm gonna have a blog!

Random-ness

2009-02-01T23:16:00.001-07:00

1. I am worse than the person who doesn’t know how to say “no.” I don't have to say no because I just offer my time and myself way too much.
2. I felt so guilty when I first bought my Blackberry a year ago. Now I’m not sure I could live without it.
3. The sun makes me sneeze.
4. I gave birth without drugs…on purpose.
5. Key lime pie is my favorite dessert.
6. I wish I had more time for hobbies. There are so many things I’d love to try: digital scrapbooking, taking a photography class, trying out for a play, gardening, etc.
7. I used to teach childbirth classes – my favorite part was attending the births. I’ve been to all kinds of births (home births, free standing birth center births, hospital births –natural, no drugs, hospital births with drugs, and caesarean births, too.
8. I love taking my kids to museums, Broadway shows, national monuments, etc. I would like to spend a summer traveling across the country doing nothing but that.
9. I’m a jazzercise snob. I can’t attend any other type of exercise class b/c I think they are way too boring and stupid. I only like jazzercise.
10. If someone sends me a chain letter via email that contains some kind of urban legend (for example…”This really works! Send this letter to 25 people and you will get free laptop!”), the first thing I do is go to the SNOPES webpage to prove them wrong.
11. Raising an 8 year old daughter is the HARDEST thing I have ever done. God help me when she’s 13!
12. I absolutely LOVE my dvr. I wouldn’t have time to watch TV without it.
13. Ever since last year, when winter would not leave, I have come to despise it. I hate the cold weather. Come on summer, hurry up and get here!
14. If you love my kids – I will love you. If you want to see the mama bear come out, mess with my kids.
15. I miss the times when my kids were babies. I stayed at home with them, organized playgroups, nursed them, wore them in a sling, took them to Musik Garten, cloth diapered them, slept with them. It all seems like another lifetime.
16. I went to seven different elementary schools. This has affected me in at least 2 ways: I make friends easily and find that I have something in common with almost everyone AND I am tortured by the thought of my kids not being at a good school – which is why they’ve been in private school for the last 6 years.
17. I think it’s funny how my classmates at KU think I am so smart, like I can just get an A without effort. I work by a** off for those A’s – but I do have to admit, somehow it is a bit easier for me now. I think I just know how to study better than I did when I was in high school/undergraduate school.
18. I love video games. If I’m on the phone with someone at home, I’m usually playing Zuma at the same time.
19. I love to listen to books on CD while I am driving in the car. I can get through a lot of books that way (because I seem to be in the car all the time!).
20. I love my job. Seriously, I’m not sure why I am even going back to school when I already have the best job in the world.
21. When we bought our house, there was a tree growing out the foundation. The previous owners had chopped it down but once spring arrived, that tree popped right back out. After several failed attempts at chopping it back down – I decided to just dig it up (rather than pay someone to remove it). It took me several days to get it done. My son said it looked like a meteor had hit the side of our house. I wish I had taken a picture.
22. When a section of our sewer pipe had to be removed, I dug that up, too.
23. I have an irrational fear of food contamination. I won’t eat left over’s or food that might have been out of the fridge for more than 2 hours. I won’t touch raw meat – the very thought of meat (dead animals) makes me feel sick. Thank goodness my husband does all the cooking!
24. I’ve watched Days of Our Lives for over 20 years. (Thank you dvr).
25. I can’t resist an open house. I love to see the insides of other homes.

AND HERE IS PAUL'S RESPONSE......
#1. True, my wife can say no to almost nobody.
#2. Also true. I just know that my wife will probably need a newer, better one (blackberry) here in a minute. Potentially a good birthday present or something else.
#3. Funny, but also true, the sun does make her sneeze.
#4. True (she did give birth without drugs on purpose), and it was the best birth I have ever attended, although I have only attended two births.
#5. Key lime pie is her favorite desert. I usually by her Edwards or Sarah Lee, it's in the frozen section at the grocery store.
#6. My basement and garage are full of UNFINISHED PROJECTS that my wife began. We sold a bunch at our last yard sale. My wife's hobby is starting hobbies, but this makes her knowledgeable about almost EVERY darn thing.
#7. She will go to anyone's birth, just invite her. I can admit that I am VERY flexible to make her presence at other people's births possible.
#8. Me too. . . but having the time and money to travel across the country to lots of museums is tuff.
#9. . . .
#10. I just delete chain letter emails and don't read them.
#11. I say, God help up us when our daughter is 15-17!!! I don't think thirteen will be that bad. Hormones + Attitude = VERY BAD DAY!
#12. Our DVR was a present of sorts to each other and the family, and it has been a good idea.
#13. Amen.
#14. . .
#15. Maybe we could have more kids.
#16. I went to the same for school for my ENTIRE life and would love to have it the same way for my kids, but I know that isn't happening.
#17. My wife is smart!
#18. I could go the rest of my life and never play another video game and it wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit, but I did buy my wife Guitar Hero for Christmas, along with an Animal Crossing Guide and a WII Speak, and then said it was okay with me to get a WII Fit. It keeps her happy and helps her to relax. If you play Animal Crossing come visit my wife's town.
#19. Books on tape in the car put me to sleep. Not a good idea. But talk radio; now that gets my blood pumping.
#20. Yeah. . . I remain confused about that one too. . .
#21. My wife deserves a plaque for her efforts in digging up that tree's roots, along with about three or four others in our backyard that she failed to mention.
#22. My wife also deserves an award for single handedly digging up the sewer pipe. Please understand that I was out of town on business for the entire week and so don't assume I told her to dig it up.
#23. I love to cook; I love to cook even more for my wife, but she is not allowed to watch, because if she sees me cooking her food she sometimes will not eat it, weird. Friends like to have us over for dinner because I volunteer to cook (partially because I have this belief that other people's food is kinda gross), because I know what is in the food when I prepare it. Also, If there are left overs at our house, they must be eaten within 24hrs are they get tossed.
#24. . .
#25. . .

John Shipp (1939-2009)

2009-01-18T11:37:00.002-07:00

John Mark Shipp, Sr. (born October 8, 1939, died January 16, 2009). John was the son of A.H. Shipp and Emma Henry Newcomb. He is survived by his wife of thirty-eight years, Shirley Shipp, formerly Shirley Foster. On January 16, 2008 he died at home with his wife after enjoying an afternoon and dinner with her. He died in her arms.

He is survived by four children, Jerry Wayne Shipp, Joyce Ellen Barger, John Mark Shipp, Jr., and Paul Shipp. He is also survived by his step-daughter Kate Marie Martin, who he treated as if she were from his own loins. He was very caring and willing to sacrifice for his family. He often went without so that his family's needs would be met. He was also always concerned about the comfort of others. Complaining was not something he did. In periods of great adversity he was not one to complain, rather he would work through the difficultly and have an open and optimistic outlook. He could find the silver lining in almost any situation.

As a child I remember very vividly the way he would very calmly handle the most difficult of situations. I remember once when our small weenie dog was severely injured when she was attacked by a German Sheppard in our yard. The Shepherd almost tore off our little dog's leg. We had no money for emergency vet services. I was so worried that our poor little dog would not make it because in my eyes she was bleeding a lot. Dad, on the other hand, simply said she would be alright. He assured us that he would do all he could to make certain everything would be okay. I am certain he said a prayer in his heart. It was shortly after the incident that my father had me and others holding the little dog down in the yard as he sewed her leg with a needle and thread. He wasn't a vet, but he did his best. He was shaken by the incident, but at the same time he remained calm, and his calm attitude helped settle those around him. The dog lived many years after that.

My father had a quiet dignity about him. He never spoke ill of other people. He enjoyed serving others. Our front yard was always littered with neighbors' broken cars as he was quite handy under the hood. My father was a great example of how anyone could be an expert on just about everything. There wasn't anything my father couldn't do or learn to do. He was convinced that he could fix anything. Now, it wasn't really true that he could fix anything, but he would die trying because no task was too difficult. He would do everything he could to learn about anything he did not understand. When neighbors had car problems he never worked on before he would spend tireless hours, even days sometimes, trying to help them figure the problem out. Then he worked incessantly until he could achieve a working solution. Even if he couldn't fix your problem, you knew that his attitude was one that he would keep trying until you asked him to stop, and even then, he would sometimes own your problem and keep working on it.

My father always had time. He never made anyone feel as though he was rushing them. He never made you feel as if you were a burden on his schedule, even if you indeed were a burden; it just wasn't in his disposition for him to tell you how much of a burden you really were. He never let his problems get in the way of helping you. As a matter of fact you would never know he had problems, because he wasn't one to talk about them.

On special occasions like his birthdays, father's day, Christmas, and any other time when he was deserving of a gift, everyone was always at a loss as to what to give him, and the reason for this was he was satisfied. He didn't "want" because he appeared to always have everything he needed, even when he didn't. He obviously didn't need to 'keep up with the Jones,' because he was never in competition with anyone for anything. He would wear his socks, shirts, shoes, and everything else until they were literally worn out, and tattered with many holes. He was content with hand-me-downs from any source. He wouldn't get new underwear unless his wife bought them for him. I assume this was his way of counting his blessings. It was also a great sermon on how every man should live a life free of pride.

My father taught me the importance of loving your family. He made it a priority to visit his mother regularly. When he visited his mother he would do anything she asked of him. He loved his wife. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her. He was not happy unless he knew she was happy. It was not unusual for him to worry himself to death about his wife's happiness. He was the same way with his children. My father would even put his family's wants above his own "needs." Again, the comfort of others was the hallmark of his life.

Even now, while he is temporarily gone, and his family and friends are distraught to not have him here to provide us much needed comfort, the truth is he is probably the one more worried about us. He is certainly worried about our individual needs. It no doubt pains him to know that he cannot physically put his arms around us, and tell us softly, “. . . all is okay. . ." It probably hurts him to know that he cannot make our tears go away. He will be greatly missed.

I appreciate so much the many things he taught me by simple, subtle sermon, his example.

Paul

Where You'll Find Me

2009-01-09T21:57:00.003-07:00

Yep, it's a new year...and I haven't an idea of what to blog about. All I know is that I'd like to actually blog more on a regular basis this year. You could kinda say it is a new years resolution.

So I was thinking, why not share with you all those other places I find myself when I'm online. (These are no particualr order).

1. Facebook - I know that many bloggers don't really like facebook, actually I have heard them outright say that they are never going to use it. Well, sooner or later, they all end up on facebook. I've been on facebook for several years now however, it has only been the last six months that I have actually had any "friends." It seems that out of nowhere, people all over the place started to join facebook. As of this day, I have found 140 people on facebook that I know. I love being able to keep up with old friends, see pictures of their baby's and hear about what they are up to. My favorite part of facebook would be the status bar - It always says "Jen Shipp is" and then I fill in the rest. (It's kind of like twitter, but none of my friends have found that yet so I'll just keep using this one on facebook instead).

2. Blogs - I am a blog reader. I could spend hours upon hours just reading blogs. I have an entire list of blogs that I frequent in my bookmark folder. I start with one, then somehow find the link to someone else's blog...and then I'm bookmarking yet another blog.

3. Cuteoverload.com - OMG you have to see this website! What can I say...it's so CUTE! Yeah, this is just another blog...but I think it deserves it's own space. My kids and I get such a kick out of that website. Too cute!

4. The University of Kansas - No, I'm not obsessed with sports...just my grades. Since I've gone back to school, things have really chaged. Everything is online now; lecture notes, quizes, grade books. The program they use is called blackboard and I can't stop looking at it.

5. Google - Did you know that google is an offical verb now? It is. Whenever my kids have a questions, we google it. Once, I was trying to expain to my son (who was 9 or 10 at the time) that the internet has not always been around to find answers to our questions. I asked him if he had any idea how I used to find information when I was a kid. You know, I was thinking of that one encylpedia that my grandparents had. Do you know what that turkey said? He says, "I know, I know...you had scrolls." WHAT?!!

My daugther has also found google. She used to use it to look up kittens or cute dogs. I say used to because the other day, after playing on the computer, she comes down stairs and tells me how she had this great idea to type in "body parts up close" on google. Paul and I exchange glances. "Oh. So...what did you find with that search...?" There will be no more unsupervised googling in our house.

Math Olympiad

2008-05-13T11:38:00.005-06:00

Our school participates in a program called, Math Olympiad. Kids in 4th thru 6th grade are given monthly math tests (only 5 problems each time). It doesn't matter which grade you are, everyone gets the same test. The problems are really hard - see if you can solve this example:

Time Limit: 6 minutes
Bay Street has between 1 and 15 houses, numbered 1, 2, 3,
and so on. Mr. Sullivan lives in one of the houses. The sum
of all the house numbers less than his equals the sum of all
the house numbers greater than his. How many houses are
there on Bay Street?

Did you get it? See the answer below.

Anyway, Brennen scored high enough to earn this patch. He was one out of five kids from the forth grade that earned a patch. Only THREE 5th graders & 12 6th graders earned a patch - which means, that Brennen was able to do better than most 4th, 5th & 6th graders. Remember, they all took the same test. Way to go Brennen! I can't wait to see what he does next year.

Here is your answer & solution:
Consider the first few houses on a street, then the house Mr. Sullivan might
live in, and then the first few houses that come after that.
Beginning of Street Mr. Sullivan End of Street
1 + 2 + 3 = 6 4 5 + 6 = 11 …… Too big
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10 5 6 + 7 = 13 …… Too big
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15 6 7 + 8 = 15 …… Equal sums
Therefore, there are 8 houses on Bay Street.

Sack Race

2008-05-06T18:13:00.003-06:00

From Crackle: sack race

Brennen's Twin

2008-04-30T15:59:00.001-06:00

Make a postcard - it's easy!

Zoo Trip

2008-04-19T22:24:00.000-06:00

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Comic Life

2008-02-04T19:51:00.001-07:00

So I've decided that I will become a comic strip artist....just kidding. I actually found this cool software on my computer and wanted to try it out. It's really fun. You can make a comic strip out of anything. I think I will take some pictures of the kids next and have a little fun.

My Boy

2008-01-27T21:46:00.001-07:00

My son is so literal.

Today I was going through his school folder that was filled with completed work. I came across his math progress report. As usual, he tests as "secure" in each of the mastery concepts. This is nothing new, he has always had a mathematical brain. And if I didn't know that he really does understand math, I might be worried after looking over some of his answers on his assessment. Read on....

So read this question, and pay close attention to his answer.

5. Mrs. Green wants to buy a washing machine and pay for it in 1 year. L-Mart offers two plans, and she want to choose the cheaper one.

Plan A: $7 each week; a total of 52 payments.
Plan B: $27 each month; a total of 12 payments.

Which plan would cost less?

My child, correctly puts down "Plan B."

Then he is asked to "Explain your answer."

He writes:

"I remembered the answer on our study guide."

I tell ya, that kid is so LITERAL!

The Flip

2008-01-21T21:10:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of the Flip camera yet? It is so cool! It's so small that I can carry it in my pocket and then it just fits right into the USB port on your computer and BAM! you can share your videos via Youtube, blogger, email or even make a movie! I love technology.

2008-01-21T20:57:00.001-07:00

Actors- Hugh Laurie
Album- "Wicked" did you have to ask?
Appetizer- Sicilian Pepperoni Rolls from Old Chicago
Book- "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
Clothes built for comfort- Hanna Andersson
Cookbook- "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld
Customer Service-
Comfort shoes- Echo
Documentary- “The Bridge"
Fragrance- Realities
Gadget- bluetooth headset
Healthy habit- Jazzercise
Hobby- Flickr
Holiday activity- sleeping in and just being at home
Live performance- Wicked
Movie- Harry Potter
Quick pick me up- Diet Pepsi
Shopping thrills- ebay
Technology- blackberry
Television- House
Thrifty Finds-
Value- goodwill
Website- Facebook

Science Center

2007-12-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

The kids are having a blast in at. Louis.
Here is a picture of them at the lego mindstorm exhibit. Maeve is finally old enough to try it out.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Wicked

2007-12-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

Here I am, using my mobile Blog. Just wanted to let you know that I'm going to see wicked in one minute from now. Were at the fox theatre and its just gorgeous! Here we go!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Mobile blogging!

2007-12-22T23:35:00.000-07:00

This is my first mobile Blog post. I just have to say that I love technology!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

2007-12-22T23:27:00.001-07:00

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

my other "kids"

2007-12-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

Everything Batman!

2007-11-18T19:39:00.001-07:00

Lest you believe that my kids are obsessed with batman (and batgirl) I am here to tell you that they are not. I wonder where you would ever get an idea like that? First of all, Brennen picked his costume this year. He wasn't seeking out to be batman, but that costume was at the store, it was his size, it was the right price for mom, and it was kind of cool. Maeve on the other hand did her shopping online. I believe that she had her costume down to a top 20 list. She finally picked batgirl after a little pressure from mom to hurry up and decide. I always wanted the kids to "match" on Halloween and this time, I didn't have anything to do with it!

We celebrated Brennen's birthday with a friend this weekend. His real birthday was like three months ago. The family did celebrate but we never had a "party." It was a bit hectic over here b/c both kids were starting school, mom was starting school, and dad was transferring offices. We meant to have a party, but it just never happened.

So finally, Brennen agreed to be satisfied with a sleep over and his best friend, Michael. Dad took him to the store to pick out a cake, and this is what they came home with. Again, I had nothing to do with it. You would think that we are up to our eyeballs in batman videos and toys but we are not. These seemed to just be three separate but coincidental happenings!

They Said Something About Cookies

2007-11-08T22:57:00.001-07:00

Here's a picture of an audiogram showing a "cookie-bite" hearing loss. Apparently, this is something I have. I was participating in a study a the University of Kansas. They were testing otoacoustic emissions (sounds generated by the inner ear). These are important because these are how one can test the hearing of a newborn. Anyway, I was a research participant and to get started, they tested my hearing. Technically, I don't have a "hearing loss." Technically, the student who tested me isn't an audiologist anyway. According to her test results, I am within normal range. I am however on the borderline for a mild hearing loss around the frequencies of 1000Hz. My audiogram makes a shape like this one. It looks as if someone took a bite out of a cookie. Usually, the audiograms will be sloping or a rising line. It would be straight across (at the top) for someone with no hearing loss. You can see from the audiogram with cartoons drawn in how different sounds are at different levels of frequencies (Hz) and noise levels (dB). So now the question is, do I go and get my hearing tested? What? Did you say something? I can't hear you.

Say my name, say my name!

2007-10-25T21:08:00.000-06:00

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Whiskey Prism

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Vanilla PB (Peanut Butter)

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) J Shi

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal), Green Feline

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, hospital where you were born), Elizabeth Pendleton

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first), Shi-je

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink),The Blue Pop

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers), Hilary Floyd

9.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ), Mildred Floyd

10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter), Singletary Salina

11. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower). Autumn Tulip

12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)Watermelon Skirtie

13. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree), Oat Willow

14. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”), The Painting Wind Tour

Audiology?

2007-10-23T17:34:00.000-06:00

So I started back to school this fall at KU. My ultimate goal was to apply to grad school in the Speech Pathology Program but I have to take about 30 credits of prerequisites before I can even apply!

The first class I had to take was Physics of Speech and boy did I almost chicken out! I had to force myself through the motions and just do it. (I keep thinking that if I had just started LAST year like I talked about doing, I would be almost done by now!).

So the interesting thing is that the two classes I am taking are both taught by audiologists. And not only do I enjoy both classes, but I am actually doing VERY well in them. As for my physics class, I have gotten a 100% on both exams. Out of the three exams given, we can drop the lowest grade so I guess I don't have to take the 3rd exam???

Now, if you know me, you know that I like to do things the HARD way. The more difficult, challenging, or expensive: I'm there! The point is this. Maybe I want to go to grad school for audiology instead of speech path. I just don't know. Speech path grad school is 2 years. Audiology is 4 years (Its a doctorate degree). Doesn't that sound cool?

I guess I have at least a year to decide. Since I am working full time AND going to school, these prereq's are going to take awhile.

2007-10-19T19:37:00.000-06:00

I love deception!

2007-10-09T16:23:00.000-06:00

Have you heard about Jessica Seinfeld's new book? She is the wife of Jerry Seinfeld (and we all know who he is). Well, her kids wouldn't eat veggies so she started to puree them and then hide them in foods that matched the color of the puree (squash in mac n cheese). And it worked!

Oprah had her on yesterday and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to buy that book. My kids, especially Maeve, will NOT eat a fruit or vegetable to save their life. Once I offered them a new bike if they would "try" some fruit salad. Nope. Not falling for it.

So if I can't bribe them, I'll decieve them! Well, Oprah was just on, hardly 24 hours ago, and did you know that the book is already SOLD OUT! I checked Topeka AND Lawrence. Then, I had the brilliant idea to stop by at Sams Club. My last hope. At first I thought they didn't have it either and was on my way out when I spotted a copy, up high and on it's side. All mine.

I can't wait to try it out on my kids. Even if they aren't choosing to eat veggies, at least they'll be eating some foods with nutrition.

Wicked

2007-10-07T08:33:00.000-06:00

If you haven't heard of Wicked yet, then this is your lucky day! Let me tell you that my obsession with crocs was nothing compared to this! I love Wicked. I have read the book and have the soundtrack on my iPod. Even the kids and their friends beg me to play the music over and over again. And now, the best part....we have four tickets to see Wicked in St. Louis (thanks to my grandmother who had connections - THANKS MIMI!!). We tried to see it in Oklahoma this past summer but the tickets sold out FAST! My last resort was going to be flying to Chicago with or without the family. But luckily now it won't have to come to that. We can all see it together. Here is a preview:

The PHun stuff about PHYSICS

2007-10-06T22:35:00.001-06:00

I'm taking a physics class at KU this semester. It is called the Physics of SPEECH. We are learning all about the nature of waves. This is a video of the Tacoma Bridge disaster. The wind caused the bridge to vibrate and on this day, the frequency of vibration matched a natural resonant frequency of the bridge, eventually causing it to break apart. From what I read online, the only fatality was a dog named Tubby who refused to jump out of the car.

Home Movies

2006-12-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

I love my digital camera. I love my computer. I love Flickr. I also love to set my pictures to music and create DVDs. The only problem is that while I can share my home movies with friends in Topeka, I can't share them with my friends who live far away! Well, I finally found a solution.

I've discovered a website, "One True Media" that will allow me to create online home movies. I don't have as much control over the end product as I do with my own DVDs but at least I can share them online. The other downfall is that if I want my new movie on a DVD, I have to pay 20 bucks to get it. They're FREE when I make them with my software. Oh well.

So I wanted to share two movies that I've made. The first one is of the kids and the second one is from a field trip Maeve took to the pumpkin patch! I hope you enjoy!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Gingerbread & Ebay

2006-11-19T22:49:00.001-07:00

Gingerbread House #7
Originally uploaded by mypbandj.

We've had a busy weekend! Our friends invited us to attend the annual "Gingerbread Houses for the Holidays" exhibit at the Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC). There were some amazing and creative houses there. The best part was that we were able to use some of our own creativity to design our own gingerbread house from graham crackers. This one is mine. You can see Brennen's on my flickr page. Maeve's house fell apart before we even left and there were lot's of tears - poor girl. Paul felt horrible and declared that today would be "gingerbread house making day!" After convincing Maeve that the first house was simply "practice" he went to the store and bought every single possible item you can think of to make a gingerbread house - except for well...the gingerbread. We just don't have time for that! You can see on flickr the houses that Paul and the kids made.

I've spent the last few months buying lots of items from ebay. It's become quite the addiction. I just love to seach out the great deals. My secret? I look for certain items where the listings are misspelled (so not as many people see them in their search) or for items that have terrible pictures. It seems that ebayers think the prodoct is going to be worth more if the pictures are prettier.

So today, after some organizing and cleaning, I have decided to try my hand at SELLING on ebay. I''ve listed six sets of video tapes. Our VCR has died and I don't think we will buy a new one. I'm selling a set of Thomas the Tank Engine, Veggie Tales, Bob the Builder, Blues Clues, Disney and Animated Scriptures. I also have three bags full of VHS tapes that I'm giving away to my friend.

I've also listed an old laptop of Paul's. It's not really worth much so I've started the bidding out at 0.25 cents. Let see what we get.

My Meme

2006-11-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

Meme: noun. In the context of web logs / 'blogs / blogging and other kinds of personal web sites it's some kind of list of questions that you saw somewhere else and you decided to answer the questions. Then someone else sees them and does them and so on and so on.

1. FIRST NAME? Jen
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Probably while watching a hallmark commercial.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? sometimes
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? I don't like meat much - but if I have some, it absolutly cannot be pink.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Well, this blog is a journal, isn't it?
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Never ever.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Kashi Granola
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? umm, crocs don't have laces.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? compared to who?
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? key lime or sweet cream
14. SHOE SIZE? 7 to 7.5 depending on the width. I have wide feet.
15. RED OR PINK? pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I keep coming up with hobbies that I don't have the time to actually do.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Some of my college friends that I've lost touch with.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? I think it would be fun.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Khaki pants, brown shirt and black crocs.
20. LAST THING YOU ATE? pbj
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? itunes
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? yellow
23. FAVORITE SMELL? baking bread or cake
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? my friend, Petra
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Their personality and sense of humor.
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON Don't know her.
27. FAVORITE DRINK? Diet Pepsi from the fountain with a slice of lemon.
28. FAVORITE SPORT? I don't like sports but I do enjoy taking pictures.
29. EYE COLOR? greenish brown
30. HAT SIZE? no clue
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no
32. FAVORITE FOOD? fajitas
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Can fall be a choice?
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? pumpkin pie
38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I don't know, maybe YOU?
39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? All the rest.
40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? books with ideas for teachers of young children and listening to books on CD.
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I threw it out....and haven't bought a new one yet.
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? I watch shows that I taped on my TiVo (Days of Our Lives, The View, House and Survivor).
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? the voice of glenn beck.
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Japan
46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? developing new talents
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? California
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I took it from another blog

Its Hot in Topeka

2006-11-12T18:09:00.001-07:00

Well, it's actually a little bit cold in Topeka now - but this summer it was HOT! Very hot. This is a short clip from "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends" on the Cartoon Network. To see the clip, click on the link under "My favorite links" to the right. I've never actually seen the show - just this small part. I have to admit that it is kind of silly but it makes me laugh everytime - I don't know why. Are you a hot toe picker?

megaman

2006-11-09T23:13:00.001-07:00

megaman
Originally uploaded by mypbandj.

Ever heard of megaman? If you haven't, you're not alone. Let me try to fill you in. Megaman is video game character developed in 1987. He is a boy robot that fights computer viruses. I'm sure Brennen could explain this better than I can.

As Brennen wore this costume around town the weeks prior to Halloween, you could overhear young children asking, "What are you supposed to be?" But every once in awhile, we would pass by a young adult or teenager that would call out, "COOL! It's megaman!"

Lately, Brennen is all about megaman and he plays the game on his Nintendo Advance SP (after homework and all other responsibilities are completed - of course).

Needless to say, we had a great Halloween and the kids were very happy with their costume choices.

princess or queen?

2006-11-09T22:59:00.001-07:00

princess
Originally uploaded by mypbandj.

Maeve really wanted to be a mermaid for halloween. We went to the fabric store, picked out the pattern and then came home. Once I started to really look at the pattern I finally had to admit to myself that I simply did not have the time to make it.

Lucky for me, we found this dress at "The Toy Store" and Maeve said she would be a "queen." I quickly got over the guilt of having my child wear a store bought costume and we took the purple dress home.

I know what you are thinking - "Isn't that a PRINCESS costurme?" Well, yes...at least I think so. But Maeve says she is not a princess, she is a Queen.