On Saturday me & my hubby went on our Valentine's Date.  We never go on Valentines Day because of the crowds.  So we went to Mimi's Cafe, since they have a gluten-free menu (for me) and it's still good food.  We went at, like, 5pm for dinner so it was crowded with the senior crowd.  Then we went to the movies and saw "Pan's Labrynth".  It was kind of strange like "What dreams may come".  It was unexpectantly gruesome but it was good.

And I saw the strangest thing on Saturday afternoon.  I was driving down NW Expy and got cut off by a car.  Then another car cut me off.  The second car threw a drink at the first car, then the driver of the second car started to get out, but the light turned green so off we went.  At the next light, he threw another drink at the car and was hanging out the window screaming.  I've never seen anyone freak out in person like that.  Weird.

Monday night we went to view the documentary "Invisible Children" with my 2 girls.  Alix is 15 and Michalela is 7.  It wasn't nearly as graphic as I feared, and my girls were both very moved.  Alix wants to start a club to raise money for them.

Tonight I took Alix to a voice lesson and Michaela to a guitar lesson.  Alix is soooooo talented.  She has the most beautiful voise.  She's having to learn an Italian aria (sp?).  I have absolutely no musical talent.  So I'm thrilled they are musical.

I know it sounds like I'm bragging.  That's because I am.  JK...I am a very proud mama though.

My husband has developed a new "man crush" on Barak Obama.  He's been talking about him, reading about him, sending him money.  I feel a little jealous.

I, the other hand, am spending my cold winter days dreaming about my garden.  Now keep in mind that my backyard is overrun by our 2 large dogs.  So much of it is bare dirt and they chew anything.  Literally, anything.  Once we found one of them chewing on the concrete foundation.  The deck is in desperate need of attention, the grass we have won't really grow well because of the dogs, and the sparse plastic chairs the dogs have chewed on the legs so they wobble.  So it's not like it's a paradise right now.  Every year I have big dreams, and by late July, it's too hot to be outside for long so everything dies anyway.  But right now, I want tomatos and strawberries and cucumbers.  I went through my Burpees cataloge last weekend and the total for seeds was $250.  Today I scaled way back, just $25 of seeds.  My grandfather is a master gardener.  I think I got the desire from him, but not the skill.  Ooh, and I want to plant living willow arbors for the kids. 

So today my 15 yo was telling me about these videos she's been watching online called "Invisible Children".  Since I'm over 30, I've never seen them.  So I go online to look at them too.  Aparently 3 guys filmed kids in Uganda who every night, leave their home to find a safe place to sleep, miles away, so them won't be kidnapped in the night.  If kidnapped, they serve as sex slaves or forced soldiers.  I mean, these are little kids.  In the morning, go home, only to do it again tomorrow.  Maybe I'm too idealistic, but I want to do something.  I've known about "blood diamonds" and the tribal fighting over there for some time, but this is an organized movement that I can join.  I've never been much of a joiner, but this has really caught my heart.  We're going to watch the movie at UCO on Monday (2/12/07) night.  Take a look ... How can your heart not ache for them?

www.invisiblechildren.com