New Tea Cake!

I just rec'd a new order of tea from Hou De Asian Arts, an internet tea seller I've never ordered from. I bought my first Pu Ehr tea cake. I was very surprised at how big it is! Now I need to decide what to do with it. I wasn't very impressed with the flavor, so maybe it needs to age. Or maybe I'll try it again tomorrow and it will tast much differently. . .

http://www.houdeasianart.com/

New Face!

Emmerson got his braces on Monday! They're a little tight, but he's slowly getting used to them. Practiced his horn yesterday afterschool with no problem. I don't think Augie has noticed just yet!

I just bought a really great book that I highly recommend, even though I am only on chapter 3. "The Brain that Changes Itself" by Norman Doidge MD. It's very fascinating and tough to put down. Doidge follows a number of neuroscience researchers who are pioneers in the field of neuroplasticity (the ability of your brain to adapt and change the way it's mapped). Years ago, scientists believe that there was a map of our brain that corresponded to sight, hearing, each body part, etc. Which explains why stroke victims have trouble speaking and using one side of the body. However, neuroscientists now believe the brain can "remap" itself and pick up activities that were associated with another part of your brain. I can hardly wait to finish it.

1.0 is 14!

I am not going to cry about how old I am though! When I was 8, I came home from school to find my mother curled up in the fetal position in the living room. I thought something horrible had happened, thermal nuclear proliferation perhaps. "No", she says to me. "You can't possibly understand . . . Mommy is an old lady now . . . Mommy just turned 30" So, right then, I vowed never to get upset over my age. It's better to save your negative emotions for something important you can control but failed to . . . like loosing a big battle in Guitar Hero!

John got me Guitar Hero for Valentine's Day this year. Along with a lovely boquet of flowers. I bought him a new sourdough starter and some green M&Ms, since moving killed the old starter. I have played GH a grand total of 5 times and now the boys are fighting it out in the living room. We have the TV hooked up through the stereo receiver, which makes a big difference.

World Traveler Quilt

I can't believe I sent this to it's new home before taking a decent picture of it. The other picture, with me, is so blurry you can't see what each block is. This is a "World Traveler" quilt made for my MIL, who is being treated for cancer and having a difficult time with side effects from radation treatment. Kids all helped along with dad. It has blocks of gold coins, pictures from different locations, wine bottles, stamps, maps, etc. . . Anyway, there were leftover squares, so Olivia made a lap size for herself. And, being that there were still more squares left, I made another lap size for John's aunt & uncle who recently celebrated their 30 anniversary with a whirlwind trip all over europe. Fortunately, my family is poor and doesn't have the cash to travel because I am out of world traveler fabric. Next time I'll check the camera before mailing off another quilt to a new home. I am getting an abundance of ripped jeans again. I think it's time for a denim jean quilt again. My other problem is that I was entered, somehow through no fault of my own, in a dresden quilt show. So I absolutely have to get the dresden profesionally quilted! No more excuses.

Solo & Ensamble Update

Both Mannin kids take gold rating in solo & ensamble at Avon, IN contest. Olivia on Flute and Emmerson on his new French Horn. Both were thrilled and look forward to the Young Artist Solo competition on Tuesday of this week. Both middle school students will compete for two $400 scholarships to band camp over the summer. It's rather sad that they have the competition for scholarships. They should award the scholarships to econimically disadvantaged children who are serious about their music. Most of the kids in the competition last year were assisted by private tutors. If you can afford a private teacher, you could cough up the $400 for a week of summer band camp. Unless you're going to interlochen arts academy. I couldn't even find the tuition schedule on heir website.

UPDATE: Emmerson won 8th grade Young Artist Solo Competition last week. He was awarded a $400 scholarship to the summer music program camp of his choice. He is excited about going to camp and Olivia is already planning a girls overnighter when he is gone.