Mulder, Hanging Out (170/365)

TIME: 6:03 PM
PLACE: Kitchen
SUBJECT: Mulder

He has de-stuffed the Bark Box Monsieur Acorn, leaving only a ragged shell.

He keeps the world safe from evil fluffy stuffing, one toy at a time.

Which One to Choose? (016/365)

TIME: 7:55 PM
PLACE: Living room
SUBJECT: Dog toys from BarkBox

It was a time a great excitement in all the land – the new Bark Box has arrived!

The theme: Knights of the Hound Table.

Two knightly toys to play with this month: Tavern Turkey Leg & King Arfur.

Which one to choose first?

Tavern Turkey Leg won!

Epilogue: King Arfur would also be chosen, and soon have one less leg to stand on – but to quote the Black Knight “’Tis but a scratch!”

Death of a Nutcracker (045/365)

TIME: 11:21 AM
PLACE: Living room
SUBJECT: Stuffing, chewed noisemaker, Norm the Nutcracker

It only took Mulder 7 days to kill the Nutcracker toy from the Barkbox.

He’s getting quicker.

T-Rex (105/365)

Rex: I'm going for fearsome here, but I just don't feel it. I'm think I'm just coming off as annoying.
Toy Story (1995), Pixar Animation Studios

TIME:  6:21 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Dinosaur & flower

It’s Tax Day, so here is a photo of a T-Rex with a dandelion.
You’re welcome.

Puzzled

TIME:  8:44PM
PLACE: Dining room
SUBJECT:  Puzzle

StellaDella and I began putting this puzzle together about 2 weeks ago.

We are soooo close to being finished.

The moon section has many, many similar pieces.

It’s taking longer than I thought. 
Stupid puzzle.

Temptation (247/366)

“Lead us not into temptation. Just tell us where it is; we'll find it.”

Sam Levenson (American Author and Humorist. 1911-1980)

TIME: 3:04 PM
PLACE:  Pool
SUBJECT:  Sign and teddy bear

Labor Day is also traditionally the last day the pool is open for the season.  It was overcast at noon when we went, but the sun came out about 2:30 for a final hurrah.  The kids swam while the adults pelted each other with splash balls across the pool.  The “enemy” even tried enticing our troops to their side with the promise of free adult beverages.  My cousin, Lisa, did not succumb to their empty offerings.

Hungry (233/366)

Effie Trinket: Welcome, welcome, welcome! Before we begin, we have a very special film for you, brought to you all the way from the Capitol. The time has come to select one courageous young man and woman for the honor of representing District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games!

The Hunger Games, Lionsgate, 2012

TIME:  9:11 PM
PLACE:  Living room
SUBJECT:  Dinosaur and movie case

I bought “The Hunger Games” DVD for DramaQueen last night.  Tonight, the entire family watched it together – even HandsomeHusband!!!  THAT surprised me.  I wouldn’t have thought that he would be interested in it.

Floam (181/366)

“Mold anything!
Mold everything”

Floam slogan

TIME:  9:46 PM
PLACE:  Home
SUBJECT:  “Purple Power” Floam

SD and I went out to eat (her favorite place – Fazolis) and then stopped by the bookstore to look around.  She spied her current heart’s desire – Floam (an “as seen on TV” modeling compound marketed by Nickelodeon).  Her just given allowance was itching to be spent.  I did talk her into going to a couple of other stores to see if it could be purchased any cheaper, but where where we went, no one carried it.  So back to the bookstore we went.  Since I have missed passing out a couple of allowances (shhhhhh, don’t let her know), I went ahead and bought it for her.  It made her day.
~*~*~
I have since found a website that give a recipe to make your own “Floam” – probably a better thing to do.

Lego Maniac (128/366)

“Size doesn't matter. When stepped on in the dark, a 2X2 LEGO brick causes the same amount of pain as a 2X8 brick.”

Unknown

TIME:  10:42 PM
PLACE:  Home
SUBJECT:  StellaDella’s newest Lego creation

SD has pulled out the Legos from the depths of the toy area in the basement.  She has been busy building creations like this one.  It looks like it means business.

Bunny & Basket (090/366)

Q. What does the Easter Rabbit get for making a basket?

A. Two points just like everybody else!

A really bad joke

TIME:  10:41 PM
PLACE:  Home
SUBJECT: Schieich rabbit figure & basket

The Schleich animal figures are a favorite around here and if I happen to come across one in my thrifting/yard sale/estate sale browsing, they come home with me.  I found this rabbit at a thrift store along with this tiny basket.  I believe the duo set me back a whole quarter.  This bunny looks like a rabbit we use to own many years ago by the name of Peter Rabbit.  DramaQueen named him herself.

Cars (075/366)

Ralph Wiggum: [at the Lincoln Memorial, sitting on Lincoln's lap] I want a tricycle, and a dog who won't chew my Hot Wheels, and a brighter future for America. I'm Ralph Wiggum, and I've been a good boy.

"The Simpsons: E Pluribus Wiggum (#19.10)" (2008)

TIME:  7:45 PM
PLACE:  Target
SUBJECT:  Hot Wheels
(taken with my cellphone)

What do you do when the photos you took today left you feeling less than excited?  Why, you process the jeebeezus out of them in Photoshop of course!  That automatically makes them better.  Right?

They’re Always Watching (058/366)

“I could tell my parents hated me. My bath toys were a toaster and a radio.”

Rodney Dangerfield (American Comedian, 1921-2004)

TIME:  11:17 PM
PLACE:  Bathroom
SUBJECT:  Bath toys

This is why I don’t take baths.  There is no hiding from prying eyes of the bath toys.  I need my privacy.

It’s Like Looking In A Mirror (050/366)

[Sean Archer and Castor Troy, each wearing the other's face, meet]
Castor Troy: It's like looking in a mirror. Only... not.

Face/Off. John Woo, dir, Paramount Pictures. 1997.

TIME:  6:56 PM
PLACE:  HandsomeHusband’s shoulder
SUBJECT:  Blade and friend

We celebrated StellaDella’s birthday with family tonight.  Of course Blade had to come out and join the festivities.  Part of Grandpa’s gift included this “Squishimal” lizard.  I think Blade is impressed with it’s craftsmanship.

Vending Wall Of Delights (026/366)

Maggie Sibley: Well, I know that if you think life is a vending machine, where you put in virtue and you get out happiness, then you'll probably gonna be disappointed.

"Time Flies." Six Feet Under. 27 June 2005. Television.

TIME:  12:53 PM
PLACE:  Chinese buffet entrance
SUBJECT:  Vending machines
(taken with my cell phone)

I met the HH for lunch today at a nearby Chinese buffet. (We get the “date” time together when we can!)  During lunch I asked him if he like my photo yesterday and it was then that I realized my photos over the last 3rd days have been of something either on or against a wall.   Well, I guess since I have I theme happening, I need to name it - Week of Walls – all rights reserved (ha!) and need to keep it going.  Here are vending machines against the wall in the entrance area to the restaurant.  I was very tempted to part with 50 cents for one of those string dolls in the upper left machine.  But I didn’t.

Solstice Santa (355/365)

“If you ever have to steal money from your kid, and later on he discovers it's gone, I think a good thing to do is to blame it on Santa Claus”

Jack Handy (American Writer and cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1991-2003. Famous for his Deep Thoughts comedy sketches.)

TIME:  9:33 PM
PLACE:  Home
SUBJECT:  Playmobil Santa

This year, we got out one of our many Playmobil Advent calendars to help countdown the days until Christmas.  Today’s figure was the man in red, Santa Claus, himself.  I was reminded that there are only three more boxes to open until the big event.  I am so not ready.

Kings Of The Hill (173/365)

William Barclay 'Bat' Masterson: From where I stand, this town could use an honest dealer.
Ellie Winters: From where you stand, you'd better keep right on going. Oh, Bat, this is one time you picked the wrong man to play "King of the Hill" with.

"License to Cheat." Bat Masterson. 4 Feb. 1959. Television.

TIME:  6:12 PM
PLACE:  Little League Fields
SUBJECT:  Toys on top of a dirt pile

Remember the dirt pile from day #141 - Saturday, May 21st?  Well here it is again with a lion, a saber tooth tiger, a triceratops and a pink truck at it’s peak.  We were back at the ball fields for MB’s game this evening.  This time, SD was able to play in the ginormous pile of dirt to her heart;s content.  When we arrived home, she went straight into the bathtub for a hose down.

Merry-Go-Round (146/365)

“Life's just a merry-go-round. Come on up. You might get a brass ring.”

Mae West (American Actress and sex symbol, 1892-1980)

TIME:  3:46 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Vintage Fisher Price Merry-Go-Round

This was my last day of Thursday freedom from work AND children until August when they return to school – so you know I didn’t spend it at home cleaning like I should have.  Oh no, no, no.  I ventured to the new Goodwill Outlet in St. Louis, where they sell by the pound and new crap goodies are wheeled out in huge plastic containers every twenty minutes.  *singsong voice*  I. was. in. heaven!  I found a nice Pyrex divided dish, some baseball cleats for StellaDella, several books, some vintage Christmas items, and a bunch of other tchotchkes I really didn’t need, all for the low, low price of $15.76.  That price included this toy as well – I remember seeing it in the Sears Christmas Wish Book as a youngster and thinking it was pretty nifty.  Funny, I don’t ever remember asking Santa for it though.  That could be why I never found it under the tree.

Dandelion For Domo (093/365)

“Courtship consists in a number of quiet attentions, not so pointed as to alarm, nor so vague as not to be understood”

Laurence Sterne (Irish born English Writer, 1713-1768)

TIME:  7:19 PM
PLACE:  Front yard
SUBJECT:  Domo and Buzz Lightyear

How sweet!  Buzz has picked one of the first dandelions of the year and is presenting it to Domo.  I think Domo looks surprised and pleased to be the recipient of Buzz’s affections, no? 

Controller (016/365)

“One of the best lessons children learn through video games is standing still will get them killed quicker than anything else”

Jinx Milea

TIME:  9:14 PM
PLACE:  Home
SUBJECT:  Xbox 360 wireless controller

MonkeyBoy received an Xbox Kinect for Christmas, but hasn’t been able to use it as his bedroom (where the Xbox was) did not have enough space for it to work properly.  Late this afternoon, after hours of bugging asking me, we moved the whole configuration to the living room.  I got to spend a good 30 to 45 minutes figuring out how to get everything re-connected and in working order.  I must say, I done good – there was minimal cursing and it worked the 1st time we turned it on.  It might be better having it in the living room – since it’s connected to the family TV it will really limit the amount of time he gets to spend on it, plus parental supervision will be easier.  I don’t think he thought of that before asking to move the system.

Sands Of Time (105/365)

 
“The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.”

 Niccolo Machiavelli (Italian writer and statesman, Florentine patriot, author of 'The Prince', 1469-1527)

TIME:  6:47 PM
PLACE:  Back yard
SUBJECT:  Sand toy

StellaDella loves to play in our sandbox.  What I can’t figure out is how the sand seems to evaporate from it like water over time.  We had to purchase 8 bags of sand to refill it this spring.  I also had to throw away many sand toys that had become brittle and broken due to exposure to the elements.  Of course, they needed to be replaced.  What’s a sandbox without shovels, pails, trucks, sand molds, sifters, plastic animals, a watering can and a funnel/wheel combo?  Not as fun I say.  Gotta love that we can purchase all those things inexpensively from the dollar store!