This was the first time in many, many years that we haven't had to drive anywhere, I mean anywhere, for Christmas! What an amazing, stress-free, beautiful thing.... Home Christmas Eve, home Christmas morning, home ALL day on Christmas day. At home in our church to celebrate Christmas. Home cooked food that was oh so yummy. No stress in the car. Nothing but the sounds of children enjoying their day and the smiles of Grandparents watching.
Did I mention that I was happy to be HOME?
Hope your Christmas was as magical as ours was and that your New Year brings joy and love!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
You Capture - You!
I am finally trying my friend Beth's photo challenge! And, of course, I would have to start with the hardest one...a photo of me! So, here I am.... And, be sure to check out Beth's blog...she Rocks!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
It's never to late...
You know that feeling when someone surprises you? Like really in the most unexpected way kind of surprise... Well, that happened to me today.
When I opened my email this morning, I had an email from someone that I probably have not seen or spoken to in over 14 years. Now, I would never reveal the identity of this person, but I do want to share what this person said to me. The email said, "I know that this it completely out of know where, but I saw something the other day that reminded me of you. It got me thinking about what jerk I was to you. It's been bothering me ever since so I just wanted say that I am sorry for everything I did."
After I scraped my jaw off the floor, I really had a peaceful feeling come over me. This email answered a question for me that I have wanted an answer to for a very long time. Can people really change?
I have let most things go that plagued my existence in high school. However, I do know of many people who will never let go of things that hurt or embarrassed them in the past. What would it be like if everyone took the time to say they were sorry. Even if they thought that it was to late.
I would bet that it would make a difference. I know it did to me. So, to the people who take the time to think of others and even maybe pause to say "I'm sorry"... Thank you.
When I opened my email this morning, I had an email from someone that I probably have not seen or spoken to in over 14 years. Now, I would never reveal the identity of this person, but I do want to share what this person said to me. The email said, "I know that this it completely out of know where, but I saw something the other day that reminded me of you. It got me thinking about what jerk I was to you. It's been bothering me ever since so I just wanted say that I am sorry for everything I did."
After I scraped my jaw off the floor, I really had a peaceful feeling come over me. This email answered a question for me that I have wanted an answer to for a very long time. Can people really change?
I have let most things go that plagued my existence in high school. However, I do know of many people who will never let go of things that hurt or embarrassed them in the past. What would it be like if everyone took the time to say they were sorry. Even if they thought that it was to late.
I would bet that it would make a difference. I know it did to me. So, to the people who take the time to think of others and even maybe pause to say "I'm sorry"... Thank you.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Applesauce and Cod
Funny how kids can make anything work. Tonight our 2 year old dipped her crispy cod nuggets into her applesauce and enjoyed it as if they were meant to be eaten together. Our children are often masters of putting odd things together and just making it work. Their imagination and openness to new possibilities in unending.
Why can't I be that way? I know I'm not the only adult who struggles to put the pieces of life together and make them work. When did I lose that childlike ability to be more open to possibility, change, growth, risk. Our darling daughter took the risk that the applesauce and cod would most likely taste like crap. But she went ahead, dug in, tried it and loved it!
We have recently taken on a new venture in our family... One that I am struggling to jump into with all of my passion and energy. I love the idea. I trust the person in charge with all of my heart. I am still afraid of uncharted waters. The freedom and growth that this "change" will give us in our lives could be amazing.
I think that from now on I must look at our world through the eyes of a child. Fear will only keep me from experiencing the many joys that are waiting.
Maybe tomorrow we will all try applesauce and cod for dinner...
Why can't I be that way? I know I'm not the only adult who struggles to put the pieces of life together and make them work. When did I lose that childlike ability to be more open to possibility, change, growth, risk. Our darling daughter took the risk that the applesauce and cod would most likely taste like crap. But she went ahead, dug in, tried it and loved it!
We have recently taken on a new venture in our family... One that I am struggling to jump into with all of my passion and energy. I love the idea. I trust the person in charge with all of my heart. I am still afraid of uncharted waters. The freedom and growth that this "change" will give us in our lives could be amazing.
I think that from now on I must look at our world through the eyes of a child. Fear will only keep me from experiencing the many joys that are waiting.
Maybe tomorrow we will all try applesauce and cod for dinner...
Friday, July 10, 2009
Marley and Me
So, have you seen Marley and Me? I am always up for a good movie. Casey and I are huge fans of lounging on the couch or in bed on a Friday night and watching movies. In fact, in our first place together, we used to push the couches together in the living room to make a bed and watch movies all night. We had no TV in the bedroom so we thought is was so fun to camp in the living room. Anyway....back to Marley and Me. Usually, I am very well informed about movies that we will be watching. So as to protect myself from watching incredibly crappy movies like the movie Superbad, for example. Superbad, supersucked, and I would so like that 90 minutes of my life back. But, the point I am trying to make, is that I am very seldomly caught off guard by movies.
Then, came Marley and Me.
I had failed to my research. I thought simply, good actors, cute dog, sounds good to me.
Casey and I watched, laughed, then cried. Oh, the crying. Oh, how we couldn't stop the crying. We couldn't even look at each other because we were both embarrassed at how much we were crying.
We both love animals. We, up until a year ago, had our very own Marley. Two of them. They both died within a year of each other. And, there has been a hole in our family ever since where they used to bark, play and love us.
My husband and I got our first dog, Dallas, when we were just dating. We had been together for a year. We had gone out to dinner and were on our way to a sorority dance. Instead of going to the dance, we skipped out and got a puppy. We were your typical, irresponsible, college students. Our parents thought we were crazy, our roommates wondered where we were going to keep him. But, we didn't care, he was our new baby. A cute, fluffy, 12 week old Norwegian Elkhound.
Dallas grew up in the fraternity house with Casey. He was very well socialized, ahem...
Bailey, our lab Rottweiler mix, came a year later when we were engaged and had our own place.
They gave us many Marley and Me moments. They rode everywhere with us in the car, slept in bed with us and grew to watch over our kids with us. They had there own gigantic bed with pawprints all over it. They even shared their bed with the cat. They were huge dogs, but often liked to lay on our laps....they never knew how big they really were. They were great with the kids. I have beautiful photos of our oldest daughter reading stories to them when she was just a year old.
It still brings tears to my eyes when I think of them being gone. Bailey became ill and died at our home. Dallas died in my arms at the vets office. It was the hardest thing that I have ever done. It felt like a rock being shoved down my throat.
I think of Bailey when we play outside in the water because she loved getting wet. I think of Dallas when fireworks go off or it storms because he was so scared of loud noises.
I miss them, our Marley and Me.
Then, came Marley and Me.
I had failed to my research. I thought simply, good actors, cute dog, sounds good to me.
Casey and I watched, laughed, then cried. Oh, the crying. Oh, how we couldn't stop the crying. We couldn't even look at each other because we were both embarrassed at how much we were crying.
We both love animals. We, up until a year ago, had our very own Marley. Two of them. They both died within a year of each other. And, there has been a hole in our family ever since where they used to bark, play and love us.
My husband and I got our first dog, Dallas, when we were just dating. We had been together for a year. We had gone out to dinner and were on our way to a sorority dance. Instead of going to the dance, we skipped out and got a puppy. We were your typical, irresponsible, college students. Our parents thought we were crazy, our roommates wondered where we were going to keep him. But, we didn't care, he was our new baby. A cute, fluffy, 12 week old Norwegian Elkhound.
Dallas grew up in the fraternity house with Casey. He was very well socialized, ahem...
Bailey, our lab Rottweiler mix, came a year later when we were engaged and had our own place.
They gave us many Marley and Me moments. They rode everywhere with us in the car, slept in bed with us and grew to watch over our kids with us. They had there own gigantic bed with pawprints all over it. They even shared their bed with the cat. They were huge dogs, but often liked to lay on our laps....they never knew how big they really were. They were great with the kids. I have beautiful photos of our oldest daughter reading stories to them when she was just a year old.
It still brings tears to my eyes when I think of them being gone. Bailey became ill and died at our home. Dallas died in my arms at the vets office. It was the hardest thing that I have ever done. It felt like a rock being shoved down my throat.
I think of Bailey when we play outside in the water because she loved getting wet. I think of Dallas when fireworks go off or it storms because he was so scared of loud noises.
I miss them, our Marley and Me.
Back at the blog...
OK, so I know that I haven't written for a long time. Like a really long time...And, I changed my blog title. Shows total lack of commitment, right? But, I really do have a good excuse, a lot of them in fact.
We have been Sooooo busy... Do you know how long I've waited to utter those words? I'm soooooo busy, I always wanted to be one of THOSE moms, you know, the ones who are sooooo busy. The ones who are running to swimming lessons, practices, church meetings, camps, cooking dinner and keeping the house perfectly clean. HA! It sooooo doesn't work that way.
We moved into our new house in May. So, being organized is not something that I can even come close to claim being.
Moving, ahhh, moving. Who ever thought that was a good idea. I have decided that I would much rather be told that I will be staying in a house forever. Forever. End.of.story. There is no choice, Miss, you must live here forever, and you will never, ever be allowed to move again.
Oh, and did I mention that we moved back to my hometown, where I grew up. Now, I will say there are several benefits to this move. My family is finally close. Like really close. Like pajamas in the afternoon are no longer an option close.
But, seriously, I do love being here. The girls love it and it is great to have so many friends and family that I have known forever here to help us and share in our life. I have spent much of the summer showing our girls the things that I enjoyed as a child.
Which is really special.
We have been Sooooo busy... Do you know how long I've waited to utter those words? I'm soooooo busy, I always wanted to be one of THOSE moms, you know, the ones who are sooooo busy. The ones who are running to swimming lessons, practices, church meetings, camps, cooking dinner and keeping the house perfectly clean. HA! It sooooo doesn't work that way.
We moved into our new house in May. So, being organized is not something that I can even come close to claim being.
Moving, ahhh, moving. Who ever thought that was a good idea. I have decided that I would much rather be told that I will be staying in a house forever. Forever. End.of.story. There is no choice, Miss, you must live here forever, and you will never, ever be allowed to move again.
Oh, and did I mention that we moved back to my hometown, where I grew up. Now, I will say there are several benefits to this move. My family is finally close. Like really close. Like pajamas in the afternoon are no longer an option close.
But, seriously, I do love being here. The girls love it and it is great to have so many friends and family that I have known forever here to help us and share in our life. I have spent much of the summer showing our girls the things that I enjoyed as a child.
Which is really special.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
One would think...
My day today started out like most... The kids usually get up early. They're like little roosters...they wake up way to early, hungry and pecking and all. Like usual, they all curled up in front of the TV with bowls of cereal and juice. I walked around the house for a few minutes, surveying the damage....oh what to do first. Pack more boxes, nope...do more laundry, nope....maybe dishes. Counters wiped, check. Dishwasher loaded, check. Dishwashing detergent in...crud...how could I be out of dishwashing detergent? I really need to just get these done. No time to run to the store now. So, being the brilliant person that I am, I go with plan B. A little liquid dish soap in the cup should do the trick...
Now, I know that most of you are already saying, "Oh no she didn't..." OK, so apparently I didn't get that memo, 'kay. One would think that I would know that this was a really bad idea. I already knew I was in trouble when I could hear a rather muted sound coming out of the dishwasher that just.didn't.sound.normal. And, then, of course, as if off of a cue card, the bubbles started pouring out of the bottom of the dishwasher. It was just like one of those scenes from a movie...you know the one where the dumb blonde spills something on her shirt and has to wash it at her date's house and fills the washer with way to much laundry detergent. Except in that scene, it turns into a sexy suds fight that ultimately ends up with hot making out on the laundry room floor in the middle of the mess. This was so not that.
So, now I am turning my mess into "Spring Cleaning" as one of my friends suggested. I'm thinking that the house will smell really fresh when I am all done. And, my dear hubby will think that I worked really hard today!
Now, I know that most of you are already saying, "Oh no she didn't..." OK, so apparently I didn't get that memo, 'kay. One would think that I would know that this was a really bad idea. I already knew I was in trouble when I could hear a rather muted sound coming out of the dishwasher that just.didn't.sound.normal. And, then, of course, as if off of a cue card, the bubbles started pouring out of the bottom of the dishwasher. It was just like one of those scenes from a movie...you know the one where the dumb blonde spills something on her shirt and has to wash it at her date's house and fills the washer with way to much laundry detergent. Except in that scene, it turns into a sexy suds fight that ultimately ends up with hot making out on the laundry room floor in the middle of the mess. This was so not that.
So, now I am turning my mess into "Spring Cleaning" as one of my friends suggested. I'm thinking that the house will smell really fresh when I am all done. And, my dear hubby will think that I worked really hard today!
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