It's been an while, and I have many post to write and updates to give, chief among them, I have moved back to Ohio. But right now all your going to get from me is a post about the weather.
I love that weather changes everyday, it is something to wake up to and see what God has provided. I love a crazy snow storm or a rainy day just as much as a I love a sunshiney day. One of my pet peeves is when people complain about the weather. Weather that is a natural disaster like Super Storm Sandy, yes complain away, but I'm always sad to hear people complain about a 45 degree rainy day. No it's not my first choice, but "this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad." Right??????
Today I am defeated. Today I break my own rules and complain about what is happening outside my window. Today the weather is making a 40 degree drop from 65 to 25, and my head hates it. My sinuses are communicating that head implosion is immanent. My face shall soon look like a crushed can of Dr. Pepper. All I want to do is curl up on the couch in a dark room, with hot chocolate, a fuzzy blanket, Jack curled up on my feet, peach rings, and all three seasons of Downtown Abbey. The dress code is leggings, sweat shirt, fuzzy socks, and fuzzy hair.
This why I do not like rare warm days in January. They throw everything out of whack and get you ready for spring too soon. I feel like I should be filling out my March Madness bracket. Punxsutawney Phil who?????? Winter, no more warm days okay? Please stay cold, please return to your snow cover, wonderland, meadow of white, sea full of diamonds shining out through the night self that I love so much.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
3 Funny Funny Things
If I was a more consistent blogger I would call this Tuesdays Laugh Blast, and promise you something funny every Tuesday. I feel like that would just be too big of a promise so here is at least one post of some things that made me laugh this past week.
1. Share it Maybe: Cookie Monsters cover if Call Me Maybe. R and I listened to it three times in a row while making his Grover and Cookie Monster dolls dance to it. We also danced. Nannying has brought back to my attention how funny and brilliant Sesame Street can be. I am tempted to share so many more Sesame Street goodies with you but I am restraining myself to one, you are welcome.
2. This picture had me can't-breath-laughing. Lord may it be true!
3. Mindy Kaling: I just read her book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? HILARIOUS! It's written in the same style as Tina Fey's book. I just watched all of the episodes of her new show The Mindy Project, and laughed many many times. I recommend both.
Happy Laughing!
1. Share it Maybe: Cookie Monsters cover if Call Me Maybe. R and I listened to it three times in a row while making his Grover and Cookie Monster dolls dance to it. We also danced. Nannying has brought back to my attention how funny and brilliant Sesame Street can be. I am tempted to share so many more Sesame Street goodies with you but I am restraining myself to one, you are welcome.
2. This picture had me can't-breath-laughing. Lord may it be true!
3. Mindy Kaling: I just read her book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? HILARIOUS! It's written in the same style as Tina Fey's book. I just watched all of the episodes of her new show The Mindy Project, and laughed many many times. I recommend both.
Happy Laughing!
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Tree Trimming
Another title for this blog post could have been, "My mom and I are sentimental saps." That is really what this post is about.
Over Thanksgiving I got my belly full of turkey, and sat back and let the tryptophan lead me into a food coma. While many people gear up to go Black Friday shopping,* Mom and I prepare ourselves for a day full of memories. Our Christmas tree is one big, pine scented scrapbook of our lives. We don't know how to decorate our tree without crying.
Getting a tree has been the same every year that I can remember. We call the Christmas Tree farmer, and let him know that we are on our way. Dad, Adam, Kurt, and I, and for the last two years Jack, load into our truck and head over. When we get there we walk down a long wooded path. It opens up into a field full of trees just waiting to be selected to be taken home and covered with lights and cheer. When we were little we would play hide and seek among all of the trees.
We always argue over how tall the tree should be. I am on the taller side of the argument, and contrary to popular belief, I don't always win. The tree farmer cuts down our tree. We bring it home and Mom declares that is the best tree we've ever had, even if it is a bit small this year. After making sure the tree is secure, straight, and watered, the boys depart to do something manly like watch football or repair a toilet (they really did that this year), while mom and I are left to decorate the tree, because "you two love that sentimental girlie stuff." Kurt did put the lights on for us this year, which was a huge help, thanks Kurt!
Mom and I then start to pull the ornaments out of boxes and place them on our tree. They remind us of places we've been and people we love. We tear up over the ones that remind us of people who are no longer with us.
This year we lost a big beautiful tree that stood in the middle of our yard. This tree provided our house with shade and privacy. It provided a home for countless squirrels, which provided us with countless hours of entertainment. You know how much we love squirrels, and they seriously yelled at us for taking down their home. All this adds up to us being pretty devistated about losing our tree so i decided to make us an ornament from the saw shavings.
Over Thanksgiving I got my belly full of turkey, and sat back and let the tryptophan lead me into a food coma. While many people gear up to go Black Friday shopping,* Mom and I prepare ourselves for a day full of memories. Our Christmas tree is one big, pine scented scrapbook of our lives. We don't know how to decorate our tree without crying.
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| Walking down the wooded path. |
We always argue over how tall the tree should be. I am on the taller side of the argument, and contrary to popular belief, I don't always win. The tree farmer cuts down our tree. We bring it home and Mom declares that is the best tree we've ever had, even if it is a bit small this year. After making sure the tree is secure, straight, and watered, the boys depart to do something manly like watch football or repair a toilet (they really did that this year), while mom and I are left to decorate the tree, because "you two love that sentimental girlie stuff." Kurt did put the lights on for us this year, which was a huge help, thanks Kurt!
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| Looking for just the right one. |
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| Tree Picked |
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| Adam adding water. |
Mom and I then start to pull the ornaments out of boxes and place them on our tree. They remind us of places we've been and people we love. We tear up over the ones that remind us of people who are no longer with us.
 |
| When my mom was little some of her relatives didn't have enough money to buy presents for everyone. Instead they collected nuts from their yard and painted them making these ornaments. |
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| This is one of the ornaments that used to be on my Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Don's tree. It was one of my favorites when I was little. Now it gets to be on our tree. |
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| Every year my Aunt Lori gets us ornaments. Last year I asked for a lion to represent Aslan. |
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| My Dad's Aunt Emma made this beaded bell, we have a few of them on our tree. |
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| Three pairs of baby shoes for the three of us kids. |
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| Mom brought this home from her family trip to Hawaii, it was the last trip they took before we lost Grandma. |
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| Grandpa's loved to play monopoly especially with his grandkids. We got him this money clip one year for Christmas. I don't think he ever used it, but Boardwalk with a Hotel was his favorite way to take us down, and it reminds us of him. If we landed on Boardwalk, he would sit back in his chair like a king, half smoked cigarette in hand, and gleefully exclaim "Oh yes, my most expensive one." The butterfly was on his flowers at his funeral. |
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| Our tree in the center, on a summer day. |
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| The top of the tree on Easter when we released sky lanterns. |
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| As the squirrels call it; The Massacre |
Drying out the wood and filling the ornament.
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| A new memory added to our Christmas tree. |
What memories are on your tree?
*Black Friday was named thusly because it is the day that the stores ledgers go from being in the red to being in the black, therefore it was meant to be a positive name, instead of the negative one that it has become. I prefer the postivie meaning.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Thanksgiving Heart Preparation.
I think we have already established that I cry as often as you can find a rerun of Friends on tv. If football makes me cry, it only logical follows that so also do many many things. Well today friends there were buckets of tears as I began reading One Thousand Gifts.
I remember when it first came out, the Zon (Amazon.com) told me I would like it. Fool that I am, I didn't fully trust the Zon's recommendation; and so I put it on my wish list thinking I might get to it someday. Slowly I started hearing people talk about how great One Thousand Gifts is. It started being recommended to me, so I decided that November would be a great month to read a book about thankfulness. I invited my roommates to join in, and I started reading yesterday. Oh how I wish I would have trusted the Zon and bought the book two years ago. I have to force myself to keep from reading more, and instead meditate on the dosage that I have been given.
Ann Voskamp's words are like dark chocolate melting in your mouth and warming your insides. The are profoundly poetic, and I find that I prefer to read them aloud. I thought I was a thankful person, and now I am broken hearted over the arrogance of my unthankfulness. Although only two chapters in, I highly recommend that you join myself and my roommates, and make it part of your Thanksgiving celebrating. I submit this sampling to entice you:
"I wonder too... if the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop, the losses that puncture our world, our own emptiness might actually become places to see.
To see through to God.
That that which tears open our soul, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this place to heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave."
I remember when it first came out, the Zon (Amazon.com) told me I would like it. Fool that I am, I didn't fully trust the Zon's recommendation; and so I put it on my wish list thinking I might get to it someday. Slowly I started hearing people talk about how great One Thousand Gifts is. It started being recommended to me, so I decided that November would be a great month to read a book about thankfulness. I invited my roommates to join in, and I started reading yesterday. Oh how I wish I would have trusted the Zon and bought the book two years ago. I have to force myself to keep from reading more, and instead meditate on the dosage that I have been given.
Ann Voskamp's words are like dark chocolate melting in your mouth and warming your insides. The are profoundly poetic, and I find that I prefer to read them aloud. I thought I was a thankful person, and now I am broken hearted over the arrogance of my unthankfulness. Although only two chapters in, I highly recommend that you join myself and my roommates, and make it part of your Thanksgiving celebrating. I submit this sampling to entice you:
"I wonder too... if the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop, the losses that puncture our world, our own emptiness might actually become places to see.
To see through to God.
That that which tears open our soul, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this place to heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave."
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Trick or Treat Memories
I'm all set up. I've got some Halloween music playing. My Jack-O-Lantern is lit and better that ever!!! Don't you agree?
My stash of candy is by the door waiting to go. I hope it's enough. It is full of Reese's peanut butter cups, Grandpa's favorite. It's at this time of year that I miss my grandpa the most. His birthday is in October, and I think he just liked to claim the entire month. He always made sure to hand out full sized candy bars to the many many trick-or-treaters that came to his door. Grandpa never had a lot of money, but he never skimped on dessert. He loved watching all of the neighborhood kids come to his door year after year. As a kid growing up his neighborhood was epic when you measured your haul at the end of the night. My own neighborhood was fun, but Grandpa's was where the candy was at. Over the years I made appearances as a crayon, Princess Diana, The Statue of Liberty, a Witch, a ladybug.
My neighborhood was pretty spread out so my Dad would hitch our wagon to his tractor and fill it full of hay. All of the neighbor kids met at our house and Dad took us door to door together in one big group. The very first year there were only four of us in the whole neighborhood. We got pretty incredible homemade treats that year, because the neighbors were so excited to have kids finally trick or treating in it again. Now our neighborhood is much bigger. Too many kids to fit in our hay wagon, and many more houses to stop at. My last year trick-or-treating was my favorite. My next door neighbor, Kristina and I dressed up as old ladies together. Our acting skills could have won us Emmies that night, and they did get us kicked out of our local mall.
The Trick-Or-Treaters have arrived, so I must go, but what are your favorite Halloween memories?
My stash of candy is by the door waiting to go. I hope it's enough. It is full of Reese's peanut butter cups, Grandpa's favorite. It's at this time of year that I miss my grandpa the most. His birthday is in October, and I think he just liked to claim the entire month. He always made sure to hand out full sized candy bars to the many many trick-or-treaters that came to his door. Grandpa never had a lot of money, but he never skimped on dessert. He loved watching all of the neighborhood kids come to his door year after year. As a kid growing up his neighborhood was epic when you measured your haul at the end of the night. My own neighborhood was fun, but Grandpa's was where the candy was at. Over the years I made appearances as a crayon, Princess Diana, The Statue of Liberty, a Witch, a ladybug.
My neighborhood was pretty spread out so my Dad would hitch our wagon to his tractor and fill it full of hay. All of the neighbor kids met at our house and Dad took us door to door together in one big group. The very first year there were only four of us in the whole neighborhood. We got pretty incredible homemade treats that year, because the neighbors were so excited to have kids finally trick or treating in it again. Now our neighborhood is much bigger. Too many kids to fit in our hay wagon, and many more houses to stop at. My last year trick-or-treating was my favorite. My next door neighbor, Kristina and I dressed up as old ladies together. Our acting skills could have won us Emmies that night, and they did get us kicked out of our local mall.
The Trick-Or-Treaters have arrived, so I must go, but what are your favorite Halloween memories?
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Election Thoughts...Be Nice
Every Halloween I look up and down the aisle at all of the ridiculously skimpy costumes for sale, and I wonder how Halloween became a free pass for women to dress so inappropriately. I'm all for dressing up, but you still need to be just as smart about your choices as any other night, maybe even more so.
I now watch election season unfold, and I wonder how election season became a free pass to be so hateful a disrespectful to one another. I'm not even talking about political adds. You would think that at a time where people hold these issues so close to their hearts, people would take special precaution with what they say as to not hurt each other. Instead the very opposite happens. I understand that politics are passionate. We should get fired up about such a crucial decision as who is going to lead our country. However, this does not mean that it is okay to be unkind to people who have opposing views to our own.
By my own family members, I have been called uneducated, and through facebook, a cry baby, and a moron. I'm not going to pretend that didn't hurt, especially since I don't post political things over facebook unless I think they are pretty safe. I watched family members dish out much worse to each other. I have even seen someone wish death to a candidate.
I want to turn to these people and ask them, "Do you really believe that I don't want the best for America? Not just the best for me, but the best for you as well. Do you really believe I don't educate myself about the candidates and the issues? Do you really believe I would make my choice just because that's what my parents did or that I just don't get it? Finally, do you really believe that when you make your unkind comments to me, or really to anyone who believes the same things I do, that I'm not invested enough in my decision that your comment didn't hurt?"
Hear this. I take great care in forming my political views, and I vote the way I do because I truly and passionately believe it would be the very best choice for the whole country. Most importantly I believe the same is true of you. I believe that you made your decision (even when it is different than mine) because you believe that it is best for the country. I do not think that you are uneducated, or that you simply don't get it. I believe that you have put thought into your decision, and I respect you for it.
I am not afraid to declare that I believe Mitt Romney is best choice for the 2012 election. I feel very strongly about this decision that I have made, and I am very fearful for what America might look like after eight years of Obama. I hope that if you are voting for Obama you feel just as passionate about your decision as I do about mine, and I believe that you do.
I want you to support your candidate on facebook, twitter, and where ever. We absolutely should be advocating for what/whom we believe in. I am just so very weary of watching what could be a respectful discussion turn into words that are hurtful and unkind. Can we all agree to be a little more respectful of each other? Before we post or comment, lets choose to believe that we each want whats best for the country, we just believe that we will get there on different paths.
One thing that is certain, is that every four years there are millions of Americans that are disappointed, because the candidate that they fought so very hard for was not elected. Still, we progress. Yes there are ups and downs to our history, but if past Democrats and Republicans, Federalists and Whigs, and even the Bull Moose found a way to survive what they thought was certainly the ruin of our country, so can we. Whoever we turns out to be.
I now watch election season unfold, and I wonder how election season became a free pass to be so hateful a disrespectful to one another. I'm not even talking about political adds. You would think that at a time where people hold these issues so close to their hearts, people would take special precaution with what they say as to not hurt each other. Instead the very opposite happens. I understand that politics are passionate. We should get fired up about such a crucial decision as who is going to lead our country. However, this does not mean that it is okay to be unkind to people who have opposing views to our own.
By my own family members, I have been called uneducated, and through facebook, a cry baby, and a moron. I'm not going to pretend that didn't hurt, especially since I don't post political things over facebook unless I think they are pretty safe. I watched family members dish out much worse to each other. I have even seen someone wish death to a candidate.
I want to turn to these people and ask them, "Do you really believe that I don't want the best for America? Not just the best for me, but the best for you as well. Do you really believe I don't educate myself about the candidates and the issues? Do you really believe I would make my choice just because that's what my parents did or that I just don't get it? Finally, do you really believe that when you make your unkind comments to me, or really to anyone who believes the same things I do, that I'm not invested enough in my decision that your comment didn't hurt?"
Hear this. I take great care in forming my political views, and I vote the way I do because I truly and passionately believe it would be the very best choice for the whole country. Most importantly I believe the same is true of you. I believe that you made your decision (even when it is different than mine) because you believe that it is best for the country. I do not think that you are uneducated, or that you simply don't get it. I believe that you have put thought into your decision, and I respect you for it.
I am not afraid to declare that I believe Mitt Romney is best choice for the 2012 election. I feel very strongly about this decision that I have made, and I am very fearful for what America might look like after eight years of Obama. I hope that if you are voting for Obama you feel just as passionate about your decision as I do about mine, and I believe that you do.
I want you to support your candidate on facebook, twitter, and where ever. We absolutely should be advocating for what/whom we believe in. I am just so very weary of watching what could be a respectful discussion turn into words that are hurtful and unkind. Can we all agree to be a little more respectful of each other? Before we post or comment, lets choose to believe that we each want whats best for the country, we just believe that we will get there on different paths.
One thing that is certain, is that every four years there are millions of Americans that are disappointed, because the candidate that they fought so very hard for was not elected. Still, we progress. Yes there are ups and downs to our history, but if past Democrats and Republicans, Federalists and Whigs, and even the Bull Moose found a way to survive what they thought was certainly the ruin of our country, so can we. Whoever we turns out to be.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
My Not-So-Favortie Things
To distract me from the disappointment of what's happening in the Buckeye game right now, I decided that since I made a list of my favorite things I would also make a list of my lest favorite things. All of the things I don't like. Not the obvious things most people would dislike, such as murder, household chores, and that state up north, but things that are unique to me.
Sprinkles (not all sprinkles just this kind)
Long shirts under tank tops.
Gum. I don't like to chew it and I don't like to listen to you chew it either.
Chai
Nuts
Doritos
Shirts covered in rhinestones.
Female commentators for male sporting events. (This one is very prevalent to me right now.)
Over used font styles. (Comic sans, papyrus, you know who you are.)
Having to plan my own Birthday
Carnations
Seafood
Running
Flavored Coffee
Flavored Creamer
Yogurt (I have tried so hard to like it!)
Grammar, If you understood what I said then my communication was successful.
Subarus (I know a lot of people love them, but I just don't get it.)
Orange Juice
Pencils
Blue and Black ink pens.
Halloween decorations. (This a new development. I love fall decorations, but I have found that I no longer like Halloween decorations)
Milk Chocolate (I can eat unending amounts of dark chocolate, but a single milk chocolate chip makes me queasy)
Candy (unless of course its made out of dark chocolate, and has no nuts ;)
Political and Religious bumper stickers. (I might even agree with you, but the butt of your car is just not the place.)
Plastic Cups
Boys on Pinterest
Cats!!!!!!
Luckily this list is much shorter than the things I like list. Also a plus, the distraction seems to have worked and The Buckeyes won in heart attack inducing style.
What are some things that you dislike that would surprise people? Do you dislike anything that most people love? Please share!!!
Sprinkles (not all sprinkles just this kind)
Long shirts under tank tops.
Gum. I don't like to chew it and I don't like to listen to you chew it either.
Chai
Nuts
Doritos
Shirts covered in rhinestones.
Female commentators for male sporting events. (This one is very prevalent to me right now.)
Over used font styles. (Comic sans, papyrus, you know who you are.)
Having to plan my own Birthday
Carnations
Seafood
Running
Flavored Coffee
Flavored Creamer
Yogurt (I have tried so hard to like it!)
Grammar, If you understood what I said then my communication was successful.
Subarus (I know a lot of people love them, but I just don't get it.)
Orange Juice
Pencils
Blue and Black ink pens.
Halloween decorations. (This a new development. I love fall decorations, but I have found that I no longer like Halloween decorations)
Milk Chocolate (I can eat unending amounts of dark chocolate, but a single milk chocolate chip makes me queasy)
Candy (unless of course its made out of dark chocolate, and has no nuts ;)
Political and Religious bumper stickers. (I might even agree with you, but the butt of your car is just not the place.)
Plastic Cups
Boys on Pinterest
Cats!!!!!!
Luckily this list is much shorter than the things I like list. Also a plus, the distraction seems to have worked and The Buckeyes won in heart attack inducing style.
What are some things that you dislike that would surprise people? Do you dislike anything that most people love? Please share!!!
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