Photo Confession

I need to confess to taking a short cut on a couple of recent StalkerClan stories.  The photos of Crystal in two recent stories, Photo Possibilities and Insurance Advertising Possibilities, look like I have done a lot of work editing them.  Actually, there is a website, Photofunia, that does the editing for you.  It takes about a minute to generate one of their photos. 

Here are some more quick examples...

CLICK on the photos to view them full size. 

The mural being painting on the side of the building is now Michelle.
Michelle seemed to like that picture of the Subway Restaurant in Times Square, so here she is in that photo.
Here are those cats but now there are three 'Cats".
Here is Angelina Jolie wearing her new Ted T-Shirt.  She isn't wearing it like Dad wore his however.
Here is Paris Hilton showing off pics of her latest "Boy Toy". ( I'll teach him not to catch a bigger fish than me. )
And finally, here I am in the Andy Warhol artwork showing the world that beauty really is colorblind.

Play around with Photofunia using your pictures. Head and shoulder shots work best. Send me any good stuff you come up with and I will put it on the StalkerClan.

Clyde

More Bragging on the Kids

I promised more......so here it is. - Amber

This time I am going to do some bragging on my K-K. 

I was recently telling Jevon that I have never met a child more thrilled to be a sibling than Caleb.  I was really concerned when I got pregnant with Caitlyn that he wouldn't be able to cope well with not being the baby anymore.  But it could not have been any further from the case.  When she was born he instantly coined the name "Baby Squirrel" for her because he could not pronounce "girl".  And it stuck. 

He is always sticking up for his big brother and Baby Squirrel.  If Austin gets in trouble Caleb will often beg for Austin's punishment to be lessened or taken away, even when the offense was against him.  I am always amazed at this.  I remember begging for my sisters to be punished for hurting or bugging me.  Anyway, when it comes to his siblings, he just seems to have an everlasting supply of sympathy, empathy, and love. 

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A couple of nights ago I took the kids to the fall festival at school.  They had all kinds of games and booths.  Caleb even threw a baseball and dunked his P.E. coach.  While we were there I bought everyone a snowcone.  The kids were especially excited about their snowcones.  Caleb sounded like "What about Bob" eating his.  He kept saying,  "Mmmmmm" and, "Man this cone is goooood!"  But with all the kids and commotion, Caitlyn dropped her snowcone on the ground.  I didn't have one to offer her but if I had, I don't think I could have beaten Caleb before he offered his. 

Now this may not seem like such a big deal to everyone, but in my house we don't eat a lot of sweets and when the kids do, it is special.  Not to mention how much Caleb was enjoying that cone.  He handed that cone over without the slightest hesitation.  I was awestruck.  Of course, Caitlyn accepted the offer without a second thought.  "Thanks, K-K!", she said. 

Now I could have given Caleb his cone back and bought Caitlyn a new cone, but I knew that the experience of selflessness that I had just witnessed would be taken away.  So instead I decided to watch.  Caleb began to eyeball his snow cone almost instantly.  He leaned into Caitlyn and smiled a sweet smile and asked, "Can I have just a little bite of that cone, Baby Squirrel?"  And to my shock, Caitlyn offered up the cone willingly.  This went on, over and over again, without incident until the cone was nothing but a soggy, red, paper cup.  It was a simple gesture of kindness to most people, but it was a huge sacrifice for my sugar-tooth K-K. 

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The next day, Caleb woke up not feeling well.  I don't know if it was all the sweets the night before or what, but he was sick.  He said his stomach felt like he was going to throw-up.  So I grabbed a bucket and scooped him up and began to rock him in my rocker.  Just about that time I heard a stirring in my room.  Caitlyn was waking. 

Now Caitlyn, unlike Caleb, does not like to share anything with Caleb, including her Mama.  So I knew the war that was about to ensue.  As Caitlyn walked out of the room with her crazy "bed head" hair, she instantly zeroed in on Caleb and squealed, "Get off my Mama, Cawub!" 

Caleb, who had also anticipated the same reaction, just looked up at me and smiled.  Then he looked at his sister, as he squeezed to one side of my lap, and said, "Look, Baby Squirrel, there is enough room on Mama's lap for both of us.  Bubby is sick and I want Mama to rock me, too.  Can you share her?" 

To my surprise, Caitlyn squeezed up onto what was left of my lap and we all sat there rocking for what felt like the most peaceful 20 min of my life.  How blessed we are to have such  a sweet and considerate little person like Caleb in our family.

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Really quickly, I have to throw this in.  Caleb came home from school Friday and told me that a big kid at school had called him a midget.  I was flushed with an array of emotions.  Sorrow, hurt, anger.....just to mention a few.  But Caleb just smiled as he finished his story.  "You know what I told him, Mom?  I said, 'Oh yeah?  Well, I might be small, but I am DEADLY!  Wanna wrestle?"

I am so proud to be called Caleb's Mom!  I love you K-K!  

Proud Mama Amber

Insurance Advertising Possibilities

I understand that Crystal is working for a new insurance company.   Being concerned about her and hoping that she does well, I thought I might try to help her build market share by coming up with an advertising campaign promoting her insurance products. 

It seems that most effective advertising campaigns have a consistent, repeated theme.  Everybody remembers the "Got Milk?", "Built Ford Tough", and "Nothing Runs Like a Deere" ads that have run for years.  After thinking about it for a little while, here is the theme and six months worth of ads that I came up with for Crystal.

 

Before Something BAD Happens to Your AUTOMOBILE... Call Crystal to discuss COMPREHENSIVE AUTO INSURANCE.

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Before Something BAD Happens to Your PERSONAL PROPERTY... Call Crystal to discuss RENTERS INSURANCE.

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Before Something BAD Happens to Your BUILDING PROJECT... Call Crystal to discuss CONSTRUCTION INSURANCE.

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Before Something BAD Happens to Your ART COLLECTION... Call Crystal to discuss SUPPLEMENTAL HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE.

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Before Something BAD Happens to Your PETS... Call Crystal to discuss PET HEALTH  INSURANCE.

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Before Something BAD Happens to Your FUTURE... Call Crystal to discuss LIFE INSURANCE.

 

I think it might be possible to keep this ad campaign going for years and years.  I'll keep working on it, Crystal.

As usual, I have done all this work and offer it for Crystal to use absolutely free of charge.  I've slaved over this hot computer for thirty minutes,  no, I meant to say weeks and weeks,  and offer up the fruits of my labor out of the goodness of my heart.  That's just the kind of guy I am.  See how much I have grown.

Kind Hearted and Generous Uncle Clyde

Bragging on the Kids

 Amber sent me the beginning of a series of stories about her kids.  She promises there are more to come.  Here is the first installment:

I just feel the need to write and brag on the kids a little.  They have all made me so proud this week.  Each of my stories are unrelated to each other but they are all connected in that they show the true hearts of my children, and that is one thing that brings me great joy and pride. I'll start with Austin.  Last weekend, after our infamous Halloween party (which is a whole other story) we were on our way home really late.  When we were about a block behind our house we noticed a huge commotion of cops and fire trucks.  There was a home on fire.  It was blazing.  Everyone in the car got quiet.  It was a horrific site.  The kids flooded us with questions.  "Was anyone hurt?" "Did everyone get out?" "Were there animals inside?"  All questions that we could not answer.

When we got home we sat down as a family and said a special prayer for the owners of the home.  When we finished Austin ran to his room.  He returned, his arms full of a variety of his belongings, including his freshly acquired bag of Halloween candy.  He announced very soberingly,   "Mom, I think the people who lost their house probably had kids.  They probably lost all of their things.  I want to donate some of my stuff.  I have clothes and toys and school stuff, and I bet they even lost their Halloween candy.  So I want to give them mine.  Can I do that, Mom?"  It was a selfless act of kindness that no one had prompted him to make.  I was filled with the warm love of God.  The next morning I called my neighbor who lives close to the fire.  She informed me that the house had recently been foreclosed on and she did not think that anyone had moved back into it again.

That Monday I went to the school to do some volunteering in Caleb's class.  The school is understaffed and overwhelmed this year.  Caleb's teacher, Mrs. Cox, was thrilled to have me.  She smiled when I walked in, she said, "You can work with your boy."  She knows that I make a fuss over Austin's brother, Eli.  He's my bud.  He has been struggling with his school work.  They have "sight words" that they have to be able to recognize when shown.  Each week they get about 4 words.  Eli has had a lot of trouble with it.  To make something clear, he is very, very intelligent and both his teacher and I do not blame him for not trying.  Anyway, I have worked with him at my house before so I knew what he could recognize and what he couldn't.  When we went into the teacher's office and started studying I quickly realized that he was able to read more of the sight words this week.  I made a huge fuss over this.  I said, "Eli, my guy!  How did you know those words?  I don't even know those words.  I'm silly, huh?"  He looked right at me and said, "Apparently so, Amber."  I laughed and then I said in a serious voice, "Who has been working on these with you, Eli?  Was it your Mom?"  He shook his head, "No".  "Was it your neighbor who watches you?"  He shook his head, "No".  "Was it your teacher?"  He shook his head, "No", again.  Then he smiled and put his hand up above his head and made a gesture to show it was someone who was about a foot taller than him.  I instantly knew,  "Was it Austin?"  He smiled from ear to ear and shook his head excitedly, "Yes."  Austin is such a special person and I am reminded of that more and more everyday.  I am so proud!  I love you, Austin! Amber

Friday's Fun Foto #3

I have collected several old photographs that need to be shared with the StalkerClan. I plan to post one each Friday until I have gone through them all.

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I still don't know how she did it! 
Jeffery is behind us holding up the Rabbit Ears.  You can just see a little of her head over Mindy's left shoulder.  I just can't figure out how she managed to hold up all three sets of ears.


Photo from Jeff's Collection