tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3714383179323388092024-02-19T01:36:11.511-05:00Blah to BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-75981533904783459072014-12-28T21:20:00.003-05:002014-12-28T21:45:11.329-05:00I feel like this year has lasted a really long timeI freely admit it. I haven't written anything since um...the January before last. I guess I am not a great blogger. I will probably never win an award for it, I will probably never be asked to test things, or blog about them by a company. To be honest, I'm not really even sure why I am blogging tonight, I just felt compelled. Not much has happened this year in the way of big, huge things. I left a job. That was big for me because financially it was better for me and had benefits. I went back to my part time childcare job which caused me to lose 10 hours of work a week, take a decrease in pay and lose my benefits. But I could breathe again. In January or February this year I did my first paid photo session. It led to a bunch more. I photographed a wedding. I started teaching winterguard. A lot of little things happened. Things I am proud of. My daughters being good people, doing well in school because they work hard. Spending time with my husband. All those little things that add up to a good life. Lots of bigger, scarier types of things have happened in the world, in our country, that can if I focus on them make me nervous, less secure. So I choose for my own well being to take care of me, my family, my community by helping to shape little ones in to good people so they won't be part of those big scary things.<br />
<br />
I am ready to take big, new steps though. I don't know what they are going to be. But I can feel myself shifting and getting ready and that's always really exciting. I know some really big dreams I have that will take some work now. I need to start that big work. I don't know how to get where I want to go, but I know where I am heading and that is a big part of it. Anyone else have big dreams? Anyone else feel themselves shifting and getting ready for some new steps?<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43GR7qHQOgPoQcZ4iiGjonEpNsYKYw6mynGH7Cpo4AcyRwx7RxH6g5mv5sQ_Sotnv55aJkklGTVJq5snhFR1MpqLI0hzMpOK28699E1lkEbNqvB9LY3Tv5ASiKbn7Md_l5sPVVzWcgrA/s1600/feet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43GR7qHQOgPoQcZ4iiGjonEpNsYKYw6mynGH7Cpo4AcyRwx7RxH6g5mv5sQ_Sotnv55aJkklGTVJq5snhFR1MpqLI0hzMpOK28699E1lkEbNqvB9LY3Tv5ASiKbn7Md_l5sPVVzWcgrA/s1600/feet.png" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRk-BP4DRRTLSLdxLHEjBKmDD4YoSFZJz8Msbz0KUaKjoiSKZUEQ4EL7SxC6yYh-HAcOJs0cJY7hZnzRjL5IU_uz6UR6cTifOmXNQ_AQgKlxEWZq0UKZiVdm9cwGRxL-epvp7OLMHPfI/s1600/IMG_4202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRk-BP4DRRTLSLdxLHEjBKmDD4YoSFZJz8Msbz0KUaKjoiSKZUEQ4EL7SxC6yYh-HAcOJs0cJY7hZnzRjL5IU_uz6UR6cTifOmXNQ_AQgKlxEWZq0UKZiVdm9cwGRxL-epvp7OLMHPfI/s1600/IMG_4202.png" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnPBHe2LBEZncnNE3JddCNwfGWosz_BmMRVHI9ww4W4cULpORMGk895vzGBj40gfWwaveQen0_XBTIE0KwOS2ztAflUEUVK4oEhxIi-voPhdgicAgBOxE07zkVviprMHlKcON9SvzmqM/s1600/IMG_4280.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnPBHe2LBEZncnNE3JddCNwfGWosz_BmMRVHI9ww4W4cULpORMGk895vzGBj40gfWwaveQen0_XBTIE0KwOS2ztAflUEUVK4oEhxIi-voPhdgicAgBOxE07zkVviprMHlKcON9SvzmqM/s1600/IMG_4280.png" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLO8zwbDkdlbJQjVq4n3QeKEQlwQMUHo0iQNkCR8DOPsaVFvdg_TYeYH6cC4jbL5qR2x45fWmDELTmGFaiT6kJTaMcwu3CfOCfcKWKXqmkMuUV3Nbirwrk_dcL341qRBVBBakatBeCwas/s1600/IMG_5364.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLO8zwbDkdlbJQjVq4n3QeKEQlwQMUHo0iQNkCR8DOPsaVFvdg_TYeYH6cC4jbL5qR2x45fWmDELTmGFaiT6kJTaMcwu3CfOCfcKWKXqmkMuUV3Nbirwrk_dcL341qRBVBBakatBeCwas/s1600/IMG_5364.png" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibShr_0LS9BNVOvXQ5Lw1CNAkGZnI_YWSotzeq_bjCQTXmJT3S9VZasUlgdTAEWfTrIKWKW60V2LQuB-1xtUoHvbOtShPOtWwuICD339gyfVwMK2e0qOnVbCRz6lx_UuZ4wD92itA0wMM/s1600/IMG_5770.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibShr_0LS9BNVOvXQ5Lw1CNAkGZnI_YWSotzeq_bjCQTXmJT3S9VZasUlgdTAEWfTrIKWKW60V2LQuB-1xtUoHvbOtShPOtWwuICD339gyfVwMK2e0qOnVbCRz6lx_UuZ4wD92itA0wMM/s1600/IMG_5770.png" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMrFmRTsGUP__KjPCuHTLYSgHFMERY-7xjf3zEGFfkzA_KEkaraEnCa_fsj7dJu5uEwWYw9D6gy23eeWKo9XaqbAlAUyw4vStDOcwLauX9npvS3OltPseek_WZKLqGwC2thmB7CtO6SQ/s1600/IMG_5787.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMrFmRTsGUP__KjPCuHTLYSgHFMERY-7xjf3zEGFfkzA_KEkaraEnCa_fsj7dJu5uEwWYw9D6gy23eeWKo9XaqbAlAUyw4vStDOcwLauX9npvS3OltPseek_WZKLqGwC2thmB7CtO6SQ/s1600/IMG_5787.png" height="400" width="263" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMh3Ccvf6sKRqj7lK0kz-yBzggOyQekdNdgneVzbWeeKpWODY-b2WzSRxDtsBGgWfKFAgJmfXawrF8e3Ox-R3aSHTEYhEa3Bj-qNLBGK8yNTeqjiNkWOzvIbuoR7yFB_b5zsT571r8GGw/s1600/IMG_7030-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMh3Ccvf6sKRqj7lK0kz-yBzggOyQekdNdgneVzbWeeKpWODY-b2WzSRxDtsBGgWfKFAgJmfXawrF8e3Ox-R3aSHTEYhEa3Bj-qNLBGK8yNTeqjiNkWOzvIbuoR7yFB_b5zsT571r8GGw/s1600/IMG_7030-2.png" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgzmGe2_luz8NxFddvLARcMJlZ-DFwOBFJfnh-8RElpl_KdAc9nyJzW63dPvL5KdDQCmyDgg9Ceje6tsJJZGjslLZLN1SttLgByV1OtCFH7wtICfBwcMi5StBWbatHhjUKGblrwoFTSg/s1600/IMG_7116.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgzmGe2_luz8NxFddvLARcMJlZ-DFwOBFJfnh-8RElpl_KdAc9nyJzW63dPvL5KdDQCmyDgg9Ceje6tsJJZGjslLZLN1SttLgByV1OtCFH7wtICfBwcMi5StBWbatHhjUKGblrwoFTSg/s1600/IMG_7116.png" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9nuQkeonoDwZDo2uWkFNXaN4BeRTZtTWmhAjFFiT2ntYqskT2lp8f2CBsweNuX-Eeu8lu06I2TvBX295JbwVG84oXqnFoXfNYNr-POiBXAux6rLLIbEja9pDLr1TZ7k-5QeOxLl0PEk/s1600/poolkaylarory.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9nuQkeonoDwZDo2uWkFNXaN4BeRTZtTWmhAjFFiT2ntYqskT2lp8f2CBsweNuX-Eeu8lu06I2TvBX295JbwVG84oXqnFoXfNYNr-POiBXAux6rLLIbEja9pDLr1TZ7k-5QeOxLl0PEk/s1600/poolkaylarory.png" height="256" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDefTBONu2ktBoLhyphenhyphenzIpchHWkR2hGMdbbTxJB3WxETjFFus3o1dh0mXK2Ev6wcLgp-HAgFRu6V5LnDYw3Wmreo14Rry6Vj8bcaInQ0CCv6sVT3ZGcnhKLbE2ZhSEud36w87MuWUnpCMU/s1600/Rachelle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDefTBONu2ktBoLhyphenhyphenzIpchHWkR2hGMdbbTxJB3WxETjFFus3o1dh0mXK2Ev6wcLgp-HAgFRu6V5LnDYw3Wmreo14Rry6Vj8bcaInQ0CCv6sVT3ZGcnhKLbE2ZhSEud36w87MuWUnpCMU/s1600/Rachelle.png" height="278" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7WpDVJMPL4rtIwihh_Gkrj5RHR5gfTr6l2oNaenNGInCJy8mIX1tTWfNTYFJilDBicXa7J0_KfFDaXy-PW19O-_tb2e2FbIOk-u056dvSgA9_YnUZq9MS6Gify4tPeWnr7hwx62Ry2k/s1600/RoryFence.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7WpDVJMPL4rtIwihh_Gkrj5RHR5gfTr6l2oNaenNGInCJy8mIX1tTWfNTYFJilDBicXa7J0_KfFDaXy-PW19O-_tb2e2FbIOk-u056dvSgA9_YnUZq9MS6Gify4tPeWnr7hwx62Ry2k/s1600/RoryFence.png" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-38457541065421386142013-07-24T01:33:00.002-04:002013-07-24T01:33:43.689-04:00What I wrote when I turned 30-time for reflection<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
Getting ready to write a new version of this and wanted to remind myself of my own believes and thoughts. It's great to look back and see what I was thinking and feeling. </h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<a href="http://kirasblahtoblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-i-wrote-when-i-turned-30.html">What I wrote when I turned 30</a>
</h3>
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<br />
I started my 20′s pregnant, and since then a lot has happened. I am not
scared to turn 30 any more than I was scared to have a baby before I
had expected I would have a baby, or anymore than I was scared to
finally get my license at 24, or go back to college with a toddler, or
walk in to a job interview. I don’t get scared.In this past 10 years I
moved into an apartment, got married, had a little girl, moved into
another apartment, worked in a deli at a grocery store, started back to
college, bought a new car, got my license, bought a house, got a dog,
joined a gym, got pregnant, quit the gym, continued at college, and
then had my daughter, lost my sister, and had surgery all in the space
of 3 months. I got a job, joined a gym, quit the gym, and finally
graduated college. I lost a wonderful, old family friend and almost
lost my grandmothers, and watched my dad have cancer removed. I lost
weight, twice, and finally settled into dance classes. Throughout the
bigger things, smaller things have weaved in and out and through,
building up those things I have begun to know about myself.<br />
I have learned that even though I never experienced my 20′s the way
many others did, out at clubs or bars, chilling with friends, I didn’t
miss out.<br />
Being a mother is a great thing, but remaining my self through out it,
is more difficult than I can put in to words. I think for myself,
sometimes it is easier to focus on my kids and their growth and selves,
than it is to focus on my growth and my self. My goal for my 30′s, is
to stay me, and focus on becoming a great woman.<br />
I have learned not to watch the news and no matter how much others
think I should be informed, I do not regret that I am not up on every
issue. I have learned that watching the news brings me down. I then have
to go through a cycle that involves depression, thinking I can do
nothing to change things, a few glimmers of hope, and then realizing
that by raising my children well, I am doing something to change things.
Then I swear off watching the news until I accidentally hear some or
read some. Repeat cycle.<br />
I have learned that I can fall into shit and come out smelling like
roses so not to fear the shit. That is partially why I don’t get
scared. In my life I can honestly say that everything happens for a
reason, and that reason is not always about me. I have found that if I
am in a bad mood, I just need to sit with it. Be with that moodiness
instead of analyzing how I got there. Sometimes I can get grumpy hearing
a note of a song. Don’t analyze….just go with it.<br />
I have learned that losing some one close to you is painful, but that
watching someone who is close to you and younger than you die, when you
can do nothing to stop it, is the most helpless feeling imaginable.
After my younger sister died for a while I felt helpless and on constant
edge, wondering if that would happen to my children under my watch. I
have learned I can’t worry about it. I have also learned that during
one of the most awful things that happened to me, I was able to stay
strong and come back from it. What a relief to know that I have that
strength in me.<br />
I have learned that there are simple things that make me deliriously
happy. One of those things is having a piping hot latte, and browsing a
book store, or reading a book, or playing a video game, or driving, or
well you get the picture. Tide laundry detergent makes my heart sing.
Having full cupboards and refrigerator. Opening the canister on the
vacuum and seeing how much cleaner my house must be. Taking a bath with
bubbles and a book, and tea or coffee. Hiking. Tomato plants. Playing
Lord of the Rings online with my husband. Scouring the racks at the
thrift store.Going to yard sales and flea markets with my parents.
Getting really good deals from clearance racks.Dancing.<br />
I have learned that when you become a mother you will think there is a certain way to be. <b>Don’t be that. Do the other one</b>.
The one where you wear what you want, say what you want, and have the
kind of things you like. If they are a little off, a little strange, it
teaches a good lesson to your children to be whoever you think you are
and it helps keep you happy and filled up inside.<br />
I have learned that some people do not listen to me. This is a hard one
for me. I talk a lot and for me to come to terms with this says a lot
about how far I have come. There are times when I am telling a story,
and the person I am talking to is obviously not listening, I will trail
off and they don’t notice, so I just walk away and normally the person
will look a little dazed, like they were doing something but can’t
remember what, and then go about their day forgetting we were having a
conversation. I am learning it is <b>ok to not have your story heard, but to be damn sure you even have stories worth telling</b>.<br />
I have learned that being an independent person is difficult to
maintain when you are married and have children, but it is highly
important to do so. This is why, I do as much for myself as I can and
take time for myself as often as I can.<br />
I have learned that I have to take care of my body. No one can do it
for me, and I am going to want it in good shape when I turn 40.<br />
I have learned that no matter how hard I try, I can not look at things outside the lens of being a mother.<br />
I have learned that at a certain point, your kid is just not listening anymore so get in the most important points in the front.<br />
I still haven’t learned to just get to the point!<br />
I have found that I have NO KNACK for house cleaning. In my house there
are toys, shoes, just stuff, everywhere. I tackle major cleaning
projects every once and a while, minor ones every once in a while, and
someday in the future my dream is to have a housekeeper. I have learned
that there is no point giving myself a hard time about it.<br />
I think the most important thing I know about myself is that I think a
lot more than I should, start many projects that I don’t finish, and
generally flail around looking for that one thing I want to do for the
rest of my life. Often I feel angry at myself that I cannot settle with
something. So I feel mad because I don’t know what I want to do with my
life, guilty because I start things and don’t finish them, and then
feel like a failure because of it. I’m constantly searching, looking.
In my mind that one thing is just beyond my reach, so I stretch and
stretch to reach it and before I can grasp it, it has drifted off
again. So I have learned to give myself a break. To let it go. To not
worry about what I want to do, become, or accomplish. It really
stresses me out. If I have something I want to try, and get halfway
through and quit, it’s ok. No matter how much I get teased or scolded,<b> it is ok</b>.<br />
I have found a person to share my life with that will let me flail when
I need to, who doesn’t force me to fit in to a mold, and who really
takes me for who and what I am. He will wade through the half finished
projects, thoughts, and things to tell me that I am wonderful and
beautiful, a fantastic mother, wife, and person.<br />
Now that I am 30 I have decided that I like what I like. Cool huh? I do
not have to pretend I like something i don’t, I don’t have to pretend
to be interested when I clearly am not, and I’ve decided that I like
dancing, vegetable gardening, antiquing, shopping, shoes, books, coffee,
clothes, crunchy leaves, learning, laughing, history, vintage
clothing, snapshots I find at yard sales and at antique stores, video
games, photography, and billions of other things. I still LOVE Drum
Corps and miss it beyond words as I do Winterguard. Things i don’t like
that I probably never will? Politics and NASCAR.<br />
I feel sturdier in myself and what I think and feel. I feel stronger
and braver. Definitely feistier. I feel like my feet are planted firmly
and I just thing my 30′s are going to be amazing. So thank you 20′s for
being what you were, for bringing me my husband and my beautiful
children. Thank you for showing me how strong I am, and thank you for
helping me understand that I am who I am and damn it, I’m not changing.
So peace out 20′s and hello 30′s!
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-75993936826648901422013-01-06T13:33:00.002-05:002013-01-06T13:33:39.640-05:00A Banging Start to 2013Ok it's time for me to brag some. I'll be honest I don't think I brag nearly as much as I could. But I"m going to do it now and I am going to love every minute of it. Ok first thing. I got a new camera for Christms. It's a Canon T3i, which is AMAZING. Also I got a new Canon 300mm lens for it which is also AWESOME. I received a ukelele for Christmas and lessons from my sister which is SUPER exciting because I have been wanting one for a couple of years now. Ok 3rd I got my favorite photo editing software ever. Adobe Lightroom makes editing a snap and beautiful. My husband bought me a Nook HD which is really really nice and I didn't know I wanted one until I had it and realized it is WAY AWESOME. Ok put those aside in your mind.<br />
I took a few pictures but not many just yet!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnEptUpM3nC20dSh984eEkf_gBZewqeV0KZErvTjUJaMp0uUbbUYndVg402Ej4ml0AKJjZpQA7ZHMrjGUTGcB-bT4bB3HdSvXcf3BKy4VgZwhiCPZ6EZ40iUiZ94sgONHKB9Ltcf33Fo/s1600/IMG_0112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwnEptUpM3nC20dSh984eEkf_gBZewqeV0KZErvTjUJaMp0uUbbUYndVg402Ej4ml0AKJjZpQA7ZHMrjGUTGcB-bT4bB3HdSvXcf3BKy4VgZwhiCPZ6EZ40iUiZ94sgONHKB9Ltcf33Fo/s400/IMG_0112.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK8yt9CElDnqv012iHMdzJiPAH5YMdkIyQXONQ_omyrtXpAq1CEWJ_skWtvMfWyy0yC7E8QXLqe16oDlX5yKzH5NoozzLOg1DuChdiASQdxuvU7bBuEx4Dr0Je-tUoXXlSv7DxzBGA2M/s1600/IMG_0323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKK8yt9CElDnqv012iHMdzJiPAH5YMdkIyQXONQ_omyrtXpAq1CEWJ_skWtvMfWyy0yC7E8QXLqe16oDlX5yKzH5NoozzLOg1DuChdiASQdxuvU7bBuEx4Dr0Je-tUoXXlSv7DxzBGA2M/s400/IMG_0323.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsYLmJyzV05NMLCTRVQgSggzfPDBdiGSzpsuXSnXVNP9ZOPSgrTbxGdnaMxxsLHUxYg4B3_2GzHR9lPZ5g6khptbvymapVhbNKKKUMLeHQgh0qR81lOBUZtqui6g5J_q-cexwz3za4M8/s1600/IMG_0249-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsYLmJyzV05NMLCTRVQgSggzfPDBdiGSzpsuXSnXVNP9ZOPSgrTbxGdnaMxxsLHUxYg4B3_2GzHR9lPZ5g6khptbvymapVhbNKKKUMLeHQgh0qR81lOBUZtqui6g5J_q-cexwz3za4M8/s400/IMG_0249-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
2nd thing: I am starting the new year off with a new job. I have been at my current job for 5 years and felt like it was truly home. I worked at a childcare center and though I didn't realize it, it may be my calling.I will missing working with the amazing people I have worked with but it's time to start moving forward:) I will be starting off the new year as an Activity Specialist at a before and after school care program in the local school district with amazing benefits and full time status. But wait you say...there's more??? Why yes there is!<br />
<br />
3rd thing. A photograph I took is in the top 8 of a contest for the Beach House rental company that my Mother and Father in law use every year to rent our beach house. If I win the photo will appear on the cover of their 2013 Booklet and I will receive a Canon D20 underwater camera. Now I don't really need the camera, but wouldn't it be awesome to see my picture on the cover? For me it would be!! You can vote if you want, I really want you too:)<br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/YKp9x0">http://bit.ly/YKp9x0</a><br />
<br />
Talk about charmed. If there could be a better way to start the new year I don't really know it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Ux9u3DgiJAQgaEJC7bu4FpxScBd1PYSyH3UY2WWtIN3y32PnnHAiorg1A7rjBtpgro-Tx5ryD0ug4UxiNNAT1FDXPFWBdhvMUOQkGenOvROGrA8Fog9nyTadsc49xWDQeGY9wqiW8LE/s1600/IMG_0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Ux9u3DgiJAQgaEJC7bu4FpxScBd1PYSyH3UY2WWtIN3y32PnnHAiorg1A7rjBtpgro-Tx5ryD0ug4UxiNNAT1FDXPFWBdhvMUOQkGenOvROGrA8Fog9nyTadsc49xWDQeGY9wqiW8LE/s400/IMG_0130.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB_jpUrwQhWYcugUar3cYMRc_b5AnQkJFi3hGqJwGneFtCJYMNQQNQnkr1tpgMmcbvkoX5B551h3-miJpsZFhZP6ikVPpbZuGZr9FEvQNWzsqJqLpxxWq3wApmU9-cEDD6pZLTYJnyNk/s1600/IMG_0159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWB_jpUrwQhWYcugUar3cYMRc_b5AnQkJFi3hGqJwGneFtCJYMNQQNQnkr1tpgMmcbvkoX5B551h3-miJpsZFhZP6ikVPpbZuGZr9FEvQNWzsqJqLpxxWq3wApmU9-cEDD6pZLTYJnyNk/s400/IMG_0159.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRkIezRcKoD8xzUIQpYTSdVlYa4LvC2R_lCQSfUtFmR2YDiRId73N35IN_MDKudo1sXwBxYl3GtU0mI_QpkPj02y0vFNguarWLPjdO_L3z1zzduoiDLNaOU1DQaIcLIec4DM2juUPZas/s1600/IMG_0190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRkIezRcKoD8xzUIQpYTSdVlYa4LvC2R_lCQSfUtFmR2YDiRId73N35IN_MDKudo1sXwBxYl3GtU0mI_QpkPj02y0vFNguarWLPjdO_L3z1zzduoiDLNaOU1DQaIcLIec4DM2juUPZas/s400/IMG_0190.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Hope your new year is as good as I think mine is going to be!!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbSB3kDKpF7y0BSv0xO3O5zESbi24GwmgwWByIHPC6o9OGpj1r9LUdU29BPI9Frq2NojSnnuK0OUg4_-BYQZ73wo10JMxcqP6ABF86PNAs5iZOCd1tHHFOMrQ5c1PHwSc4f1TeFtGjxE/s400/_MG_6603.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my Nephew!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Happy 2013!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbSB3kDKpF7y0BSv0xO3O5zESbi24GwmgwWByIHPC6o9OGpj1r9LUdU29BPI9Frq2NojSnnuK0OUg4_-BYQZ73wo10JMxcqP6ABF86PNAs5iZOCd1tHHFOMrQ5c1PHwSc4f1TeFtGjxE/s1600/_MG_6603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-56573241801002915312012-11-24T23:40:00.001-05:002012-11-24T23:40:25.385-05:00Speak Your Mind About: Barnes and Noble<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As a person with a career in Early Childhood and as a Mom and a Thinker there are things that really upset me. In our country right now we have millions of children. Of those children there are so many struggling with reading and speaking properly. In our classroom at school we make sure to have a wide variety of different types of books in all different formats and styles. It is extremely important to engage their brains and encourage them to read, write and think. Books teach lessons, comfort and soothe, teach about the world around you and help to widen children's vocabulary. At home, I highly encourage reading and f<span style="font-size: small;">i</span>nd it frustrating when others overlook this crucial link in creating children who love learning<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> So imagine my frustration when at Barnes and Noble Booksellers this evening we couldn't find many paperback picture books. For most of their picture books they were only selling hardcover copies. Which would be all well and good if they weren't $17.99. COME ON! That is insane. How can we expect our children to learn to read and love it, if we can't afford to get our hands on books? Libraries are great. Don't get me wrong, but there is something very satisfying about having your own bookshelf with books you know frontwards and back. It builds confidence in readers to know how the story goes and to be able to retell it. The ones they did have in paperback were mostly commercial ones: cartoon characters, television shows etc. If that is all you can buy and read, at least it is something. But I was so upset that Barnes and Noble has begun to make reading and book owning something that only the children from higher incomes can afford. So naturally I had to send off a letter to Barnes and Noble. It is not as scathing as the Disney Channel letter was, but at least it gets my thoughts out there. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #073763;">To Whom It May Concern:<br /><br />This evening, November 24th, 2012 I was
in your Big Flats, NY store looking for copies of several children's
books in paperback. You see, these are not new books, but books that are
popular and should have been available in paperback picture books. The
only copies I could find were hardcover books. As I looked around the
children's area I saw that not only were these books only available in
hardcover, but most other children's picture books as well, except for
the commercial books such as Dora, Disney Princess, Curious George etc.
Now the hardcover books, they are beautiful, and much sturdier than
their paperback counterpoints. However, you are selling hardcover
children's books for $17.99. The paperback versions to these books are
available online for $6.99. I think you can see that someone would be
able to buy more paperback books for the price of one hardcover book.
Also by selling only the commercial books in paperback, it really limits
what our children are reading about. The greatest children's books
teach so many lessons that are absent in these more commercial books.
Can I tell you what you are doing by reducing drastically the number
paperback books available? Because of this, fewer parents can afford to
buy books for their children. Not only that but children will not have
the variety in their libraries that helps to promote literacy. Parents
need to have the ability to purchase many different types of stories;
ones that are written in rhyme, poems, song, and story to name a few.
This helps to encourage language. If you do not promote literacy at a
young age, you will lose your readers. If you lose your readers, you
have no business in the future. Just because books are now available on
electronic devices does NOT mean that all children have access to those
devices. Furthermore, those that need the books the most probably really
don't have access to those electronic books. Please reconsider your
stocking in stores. It really is important to your customers that books
remain affordable so that we can get them in the hands of the kids that
need them. Does it not stand to reason that a Book Store would want the
generations of children growing up now to become and remain readers? <br />Thank You for your time.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And of course I signed it and what not. I doubt I will even get a response and that's okay. But sometimes i really think these people running these companies don't actually think about what the implications of what they are doing are. I may be wrong...but I doubt it. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-66574032680516861502012-11-12T21:49:00.004-05:002012-11-12T21:49:44.884-05:00Where did the time go?I haven't blogged in a really long time. Duh you say. Duh. Pretty obvious when my last post was January. Woops. I just haven't felt much like sharing things. Isn't that sad? When you stop sharing your life with others it is almost like it isn't happening. Almost. During the summer our family was blessed with 2 new bundles of absolute joy.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKn_kiPguAViGYvpV_8x8e_lJQQrg9G_TrccT2VgCIIWhfjaXdPrRYK0VU-IhLPhCrRp3QdpE9_CxwuQwRMDfoDUbWBcjVLkZRcnaEtfasP0Evh-EDo3c6sTnjbWgxuVtvckl7KFW7Qs/s1600/shawna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWKn_kiPguAViGYvpV_8x8e_lJQQrg9G_TrccT2VgCIIWhfjaXdPrRYK0VU-IhLPhCrRp3QdpE9_CxwuQwRMDfoDUbWBcjVLkZRcnaEtfasP0Evh-EDo3c6sTnjbWgxuVtvckl7KFW7Qs/s400/shawna.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beautiful niece Roryanna Jessica</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipW6ygK4oZrDKDCHjh3_b2yC8_VL7xRgMe61W0sN9PUGgMxPHRw1GQofvNRasH90Safzqjc5ev84EWgNjwujOtr4-9rhzbWsbPSTk7Yx0gIvXbX7soM-wTKDY6Sq54rbj6xqsU5KZUu7o/s1600/emkaylavignette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipW6ygK4oZrDKDCHjh3_b2yC8_VL7xRgMe61W0sN9PUGgMxPHRw1GQofvNRasH90Safzqjc5ev84EWgNjwujOtr4-9rhzbWsbPSTk7Yx0gIvXbX7soM-wTKDY6Sq54rbj6xqsU5KZUu7o/s400/emkaylavignette.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My stunning daughters!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztvQi-5aF38h0ql9y8_I3EszPdpRaG_AD9OGWd7cfljyikETWheK_tlqh8QCfEDxcrgnWY8qLgIFTMZS6BYa-z_OAlJFD0LC09Svri9KsP1S8xUENhLzX6715Tyhoiz1vbxlMd6XHetM/s1600/benjaminsgirlfriend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztvQi-5aF38h0ql9y8_I3EszPdpRaG_AD9OGWd7cfljyikETWheK_tlqh8QCfEDxcrgnWY8qLgIFTMZS6BYa-z_OAlJFD0LC09Svri9KsP1S8xUENhLzX6715Tyhoiz1vbxlMd6XHetM/s400/benjaminsgirlfriend.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My nephew Benjamin and his girlfriend Belle:)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8iac0oWQ9hRTTp7hrKHKDUWivhibCJib0huYAjTmIgpC08XCLUNCZ09Fy4inyiiwPyACzB634bpr45lpLfjsJnbm06BtxT84ZLRXXtJPc5C3lni5c9ILt73xSdBZtebGIAMSHqxyotE/s1600/cousins3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8iac0oWQ9hRTTp7hrKHKDUWivhibCJib0huYAjTmIgpC08XCLUNCZ09Fy4inyiiwPyACzB634bpr45lpLfjsJnbm06BtxT84ZLRXXtJPc5C3lni5c9ILt73xSdBZtebGIAMSHqxyotE/s400/cousins3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And of course my girls and the babies and their aunts:) on Halloween of course!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqni4ssbOVSo9fofi7zJoLRlzDMutG5xWarNRXm9kUTWRQN5gJnIE7bmNY2IRi8GEzIhK3xoOZLoYTZ8B4njKl18YZc8577hHVLJbVkHO0USuF0uycZ2Od3HQ7DQT_fWTbgfbGa6Lzy14/s1600/roryshawna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
Now there have been other things that have happened as well. Such as:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7GY1pWoGX5f4PtuS5O3maP2UYlbUKqNBA-9TZR__mflFBYi7AADycQoWukEw-yxCvXb9n3XqI5lxvHszutzqnoPiXsl94QnLRDCMKxqxzranJzzEkjMgYqpwW_WAcKal53EJPLwchd4/s1600/IMG_4130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7GY1pWoGX5f4PtuS5O3maP2UYlbUKqNBA-9TZR__mflFBYi7AADycQoWukEw-yxCvXb9n3XqI5lxvHszutzqnoPiXsl94QnLRDCMKxqxzranJzzEkjMgYqpwW_WAcKal53EJPLwchd4/s400/IMG_4130.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of Middle School!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPDg8X9v6uBjnaaZF2jTWcPM2LAsPRGh4X8IP8QHgZ2m07MNK4skvuWmfyGB2fOoIpn_2CVGbXp4HCIR-5fsI_nm5qQxUy3Clz8Oz0dXfUcZKtp7rX1ewdoWe556R4advs_7lr5yCAnM/s1600/IMG_4143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGPDg8X9v6uBjnaaZF2jTWcPM2LAsPRGh4X8IP8QHgZ2m07MNK4skvuWmfyGB2fOoIpn_2CVGbXp4HCIR-5fsI_nm5qQxUy3Clz8Oz0dXfUcZKtp7rX1ewdoWe556R4advs_7lr5yCAnM/s400/IMG_4143.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of Kindergarten!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Plus we went to the beach!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUG56h-nRTYb-NJ-XLyuGVZwmNgssqVtU90Ulwv3Cx1HDn256eTJYUCObHRrxIbrk4k20zlceqv1fBQDROY53SnTJnqHLnnX-TQkXJhzWi4G3yUhMNPvoKAKTFckxhjsSZy2OAJsiwY0/s1600/IMG_1534-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUG56h-nRTYb-NJ-XLyuGVZwmNgssqVtU90Ulwv3Cx1HDn256eTJYUCObHRrxIbrk4k20zlceqv1fBQDROY53SnTJnqHLnnX-TQkXJhzWi4G3yUhMNPvoKAKTFckxhjsSZy2OAJsiwY0/s400/IMG_1534-2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrS9YHvnv0ZJ9XDmPACq5W8zaY9lv6ra5_n6rHAkLU8gQjbkqralAUDUqOgGc-scBYr7PaBXPBNJ-gxNoN8T2PMJn4lGQUvjN66VWRNZ0bwC6yr-6BzkwXPyUWbrGyXov3PHE9NrvoVE/s1600/IMG_2030-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwrS9YHvnv0ZJ9XDmPACq5W8zaY9lv6ra5_n6rHAkLU8gQjbkqralAUDUqOgGc-scBYr7PaBXPBNJ-gxNoN8T2PMJn4lGQUvjN66VWRNZ0bwC6yr-6BzkwXPyUWbrGyXov3PHE9NrvoVE/s400/IMG_2030-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the Nieces and Nephews from my husbands side of the family!! SO ADORABLE!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0P7TJ2eM9_d29z2_GJrBkOeHhk7r93A3lv7kR1Vk3f5C2bE7NhtSkKGuRTJ4fbGTeQ_F9ZzTsbtzKY8Z_FIFlmexB_lRNrEwh9ZbMl6vozBlN7xqWFY5xYxmt2CET7xMSjo_dTTO4eU/s1600/IMG_2047-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0P7TJ2eM9_d29z2_GJrBkOeHhk7r93A3lv7kR1Vk3f5C2bE7NhtSkKGuRTJ4fbGTeQ_F9ZzTsbtzKY8Z_FIFlmexB_lRNrEwh9ZbMl6vozBlN7xqWFY5xYxmt2CET7xMSjo_dTTO4eU/s400/IMG_2047-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And we lost my Grandma to cancer<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmfMP8ggycojhyphenhyphene2gBRxXMmSNr8sJAfmGAqyOOVD2Dd_ZKOBzkyFDaR5nwlu8RRIiqd-RA45CsRnnvWMwF2_ugpZkkq0gJDaFV8pDET1J_EfmkrKtym_9RqYUalR3p6KDZwZo0HEbxYM/s1600/IMG_9242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmfMP8ggycojhyphenhyphene2gBRxXMmSNr8sJAfmGAqyOOVD2Dd_ZKOBzkyFDaR5nwlu8RRIiqd-RA45CsRnnvWMwF2_ugpZkkq0gJDaFV8pDET1J_EfmkrKtym_9RqYUalR3p6KDZwZo0HEbxYM/s400/IMG_9242.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The summer was full of wonderful things, and very hard things as well and as glad as I was to see it come I am glad it is over. I feel like I needed Fall to regroup, take stock and prepare to move forward. It may not be all planned out, but at least I know it's time to move ahead and am prepared for whatever that brings. <br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-49496164563050861562012-01-05T16:00:00.000-05:002012-01-05T23:18:49.486-05:00I know Christmas is over but-I wanted to share the work I didThis year for our secret santa thing at work I happened to get one of my bestest friends. I couldn't just go with your run of the mill stuff. There were 4 days of $1 gifts and then 1 final gift with a cap of $10. I decided to make things, but knew that if I gave her what I was making for those dollar gifts she would know it was me. So I started off the week giving her a can of tuna. It was funny. She immediately knew it was me, but at least I could have fun with her. Anyway, one of the gifts I made was one I had seen on Pinterest. They were scarves made out of upcycled T-shirts.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznfCkpkfr1ZAP0xc0AGS6erFlOVlxUW1RuwOdvUQoUzO0s95HikfDi2jO_bGVQtgpiOdVzbChc_wDRt-q9JFDiAr_2SpMACQ6sT0c50dUD02rjnHPCUG215SqLuLzR2R9AcSSrrs8Mws/s1600/IMG_7683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznfCkpkfr1ZAP0xc0AGS6erFlOVlxUW1RuwOdvUQoUzO0s95HikfDi2jO_bGVQtgpiOdVzbChc_wDRt-q9JFDiAr_2SpMACQ6sT0c50dUD02rjnHPCUG215SqLuLzR2R9AcSSrrs8Mws/s400/IMG_7683.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FzRxN5c4wWrpvyTFY10UTmJso6-zurUsqeNnEbD9DUBhYI9WdVaahPDkBX7wyfLjSXc2wOkNcQss8AWNQdHMS58B1tVmr56Da2Xx8926QqT-w4V92yrrkyq-vV9feIfEeTKR_BwhJHA/s1600/IMG_7932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FzRxN5c4wWrpvyTFY10UTmJso6-zurUsqeNnEbD9DUBhYI9WdVaahPDkBX7wyfLjSXc2wOkNcQss8AWNQdHMS58B1tVmr56Da2Xx8926QqT-w4V92yrrkyq-vV9feIfEeTKR_BwhJHA/s400/IMG_7932.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Not entirely sure what happened to the pictures I had of the actual scarves once I was done with them, but I can't find them. Anyway, I also knitted her a scarf, and crocheted her a washcloth and gave her a bar of Oil of Olay soap. No, she doesn't smell, I just liked the idea of giving her something that smelled wonderful.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2K9jifY6u61aomTV1ryKg6b0sk02KXvFCMWAbu36bn578lOXRZCOACRkf5K3FqkUE7OJCQKLTQCT1__SP-Zx2HqzBGTJjCeI-tcKPoA4V6jd8HwO_8qn4ZyjOpfGQFRVKs1l_lcUcUaY/s1600/IMG_7934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2K9jifY6u61aomTV1ryKg6b0sk02KXvFCMWAbu36bn578lOXRZCOACRkf5K3FqkUE7OJCQKLTQCT1__SP-Zx2HqzBGTJjCeI-tcKPoA4V6jd8HwO_8qn4ZyjOpfGQFRVKs1l_lcUcUaY/s400/IMG_7934.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUQQAlYvZ0n9iRiSwWo82vK1ZZARSuvqVs0xjx4tYefn8N3NBT3eat2vpt3s733bBcAsGBlEP_anz9rWXEJPjIjUEibN5rh4gIPewY_IAw_qV8jk-3qt34buBTgxPMwWOWu8Kfr9Erww/s1600/IMG_7936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUQQAlYvZ0n9iRiSwWo82vK1ZZARSuvqVs0xjx4tYefn8N3NBT3eat2vpt3s733bBcAsGBlEP_anz9rWXEJPjIjUEibN5rh4gIPewY_IAw_qV8jk-3qt34buBTgxPMwWOWu8Kfr9Erww/s400/IMG_7936.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous cream color</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZELg5ubomyYtGaVGWjtzsXQXcgfE3ovfRhbBDZURB53vmHAz5MyeGB0yrPIKSLitOq5qv8phzx59L3sDJ8BhODtnWaFG4RUzZdYcs8XowQduwNqQErMP0o2YHK626XlqaZg5Iclemo8/s1600/IMG_7937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZELg5ubomyYtGaVGWjtzsXQXcgfE3ovfRhbBDZURB53vmHAz5MyeGB0yrPIKSLitOq5qv8phzx59L3sDJ8BhODtnWaFG4RUzZdYcs8XowQduwNqQErMP0o2YHK626XlqaZg5Iclemo8/s400/IMG_7937.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Washcloth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So that was my gift for a very good friend of mine. I also made scarves out of t-shirt for my lovely sister Shawna over at <a href="http://www.skurin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">A Very Dandoislion Life</a> and knitted a scarf for my wonderful mommy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-2431152180353539242012-01-05T14:41:00.004-05:002012-01-05T23:19:18.810-05:00Thrifty Lamp Fun Yesterday evening, or yesternight:) I went to the Salvation Army. I have
a tendency to go there once or twice a week because you just never
know. I went the day before that and there was nothing I wanted. In fact
the shelves were almost empty. I went back yesternight(hey, this may be
the next new word) and found a bunch of clothes and two lamps. The
lamps have clear bases and the lampshades match...well except that one
of the lampshades was stained a bit of yellow. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsj-oSJaelto3sqNUIy9HQpOQTZQzx911hJrEylohd3ZpLswnLW0FblJOYodl2Nfuege65Nn-j039qOq0Lv7frC6CThzvzeCEskzE5QfxbD8KPGNKy6pFolJzGQ3An6pWKISnjREAO8w0/s1600/IMG_8122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsj-oSJaelto3sqNUIy9HQpOQTZQzx911hJrEylohd3ZpLswnLW0FblJOYodl2Nfuege65Nn-j039qOq0Lv7frC6CThzvzeCEskzE5QfxbD8KPGNKy6pFolJzGQ3An6pWKISnjREAO8w0/s400/IMG_8122.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lamps in their original condition.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My hope was to ombre dye the lamp shades so that they would be darker on bottom and gradually fade to lighter colored. I also had a brighter green color in mind, more a lime green. However, this was not to be. The big batch of color didn't turn out the same color as the test batch, I must have miscounted or something. Then the lampshades didn't absorb the color as I as hoping. Plus to further irritate me, I didn't have a large enough bin so that the lampshade could go deep into the dye. I had to use the sink. They barely fit into the sink. So I had to dye all the way around it on it's side first, to cover the whole thing. Then I did the bottom and the top. Unfortunately that left a wide swath in the middle and very definite lines on them. As the dye started to dry, the shiny squares on the shades came out more and actually gave the lamps a sort of Mad Hatter at the Tea Party type look. I may add a ribbon around that middle section. Maybe. I also may redye them. But for now I am in like with them. NOT in love. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQ_Jf_BPLdwr5ESX4P19O9rPUs6dzTGC5f0ZLc2AFhYZ8hN5iwxzKDZJ9fTkHWmf9nQ3NXk4_J6EiK3kkevn882J9j8GsdczzSxQpleUQyYnc81Mkxmth149SSdgM7fcpLAguXC7e4fo/s1600/IMG_8142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFQ_Jf_BPLdwr5ESX4P19O9rPUs6dzTGC5f0ZLc2AFhYZ8hN5iwxzKDZJ9fTkHWmf9nQ3NXk4_J6EiK3kkevn882J9j8GsdczzSxQpleUQyYnc81Mkxmth149SSdgM7fcpLAguXC7e4fo/s400/IMG_8142.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8an7K8huXsP920ZugFmyYHnkqu0QI9RZFJk-0shmOgyYMyzBBHFZaiyqEsJt3rghTdwQfLEvvMst9sijnJVjJu-OR9fEAJWIMdR6wWLaFotWrZfWMNLVlAfVl5w7JIk7MfkhZx1UA_-c/s1600/IMG_8147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8an7K8huXsP920ZugFmyYHnkqu0QI9RZFJk-0shmOgyYMyzBBHFZaiyqEsJt3rghTdwQfLEvvMst9sijnJVjJu-OR9fEAJWIMdR6wWLaFotWrZfWMNLVlAfVl5w7JIk7MfkhZx1UA_-c/s400/IMG_8147.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCUEOYfmRQJNBK9T9M35AEGGoWyf5N5bkSxFo0Xzfv_9zJBWJ25g1CheqaJiO2jDqgTQOUvwUb3rSqmIQagmxctjWgE8tcAMaehfIzIt91HMskxQOZSbeeyEh1V8k4gGF-_tP_0Wx2Hk/s1600/IMG_8155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCUEOYfmRQJNBK9T9M35AEGGoWyf5N5bkSxFo0Xzfv_9zJBWJ25g1CheqaJiO2jDqgTQOUvwUb3rSqmIQagmxctjWgE8tcAMaehfIzIt91HMskxQOZSbeeyEh1V8k4gGF-_tP_0Wx2Hk/s400/IMG_8155.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
So jury is out. What do you think?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-72343275877615875602012-01-05T13:01:00.001-05:002012-01-05T23:25:20.907-05:00Decorating the Christmas TreePutting the tree up this year was interesting. The tree I decided to use was one that had been in the basement a couple of years and needed to be cleaned. All the labels had also fallen off of all the branches and there happen to be over 60 branches. So I lugged all the branches up the stairs from the basement then all the way up to the second floor. Washed them in the tub and let them dry. That took forever and eventually I just started putting the tree together, figuring that getting them on the tree would get them more airflow so they would dry faster.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZ0paITbsNQ8qx36xwswwnfzRD4PfjvFyYqCxP5A4DYcKAArDDPIdGJ8HMOVAvCTIme32oSGJVFAGoTdqkpVMIaAFkimpK1LaMcQ9DWf8aYGpZn0cIV2DDUjOoEe2bp98FePoDEfOFqA/s1600/IMG_7781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZ0paITbsNQ8qx36xwswwnfzRD4PfjvFyYqCxP5A4DYcKAArDDPIdGJ8HMOVAvCTIme32oSGJVFAGoTdqkpVMIaAFkimpK1LaMcQ9DWf8aYGpZn0cIV2DDUjOoEe2bp98FePoDEfOFqA/s400/IMG_7781.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my progress after 4 hours of washing and trying to figure out where the branches were supposed to be. Notice it's not right yet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Eventually I got the thing together. Then I had to go buy new white lights. Did I buy enough? No. So we couldn't decorate the tree until I got around to the store a couple of days later. They were out of the 100 light string so I bought a 50. Well when I got them home and open, they were a closed circuit string of lights...in other words there was no plug on the other end. So I ran to Home Depot in desperation. They were out too. Except for a garland string of lights which had 3 lights in a cluster along the whole thing. It had to do. I was getting very upset about not having a tree up!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFUQ1PtmqfpbVlfZ-495S8FR4mwsjYIjvRk9fIaQyTR19zXTUahRcoO4_njex4_0g5C7mhQIJulTIp4okcHrWQN3XQTEGmnnJHE8VItko9edHdu75BOzuFuWvXHazwV6QiWAOvo2wFtQ/s1600/IMG_7782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFUQ1PtmqfpbVlfZ-495S8FR4mwsjYIjvRk9fIaQyTR19zXTUahRcoO4_njex4_0g5C7mhQIJulTIp4okcHrWQN3XQTEGmnnJHE8VItko9edHdu75BOzuFuWvXHazwV6QiWAOvo2wFtQ/s400/IMG_7782.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPOgdG5yyVzzfFQGL2TjXtub8wk4MXl-RAZ76DAHBE8rMjZM1RUxIs-psK1WD_1ySKU6XE-lO9XOB00FWiM7YNCGuubHadvTeVdlLDqcKwIMbPofcMbLK_evmUmBwZRBwHPQRokr7Eeg/s1600/IMG_7787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizPOgdG5yyVzzfFQGL2TjXtub8wk4MXl-RAZ76DAHBE8rMjZM1RUxIs-psK1WD_1ySKU6XE-lO9XOB00FWiM7YNCGuubHadvTeVdlLDqcKwIMbPofcMbLK_evmUmBwZRBwHPQRokr7Eeg/s400/IMG_7787.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BE5yBU3tcoIamBmkifC_JwlckeeNvhLMpWNxmFtjMxsXnS0zxMAQgLkbpvDsgakFm8WXUEsuZKg7guMKXVLZybyluTfDnieCwoVK4pvO1hweSyor6VMB62HRMW6wmTwAAC22N804PDg/s1600/IMG_7796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BE5yBU3tcoIamBmkifC_JwlckeeNvhLMpWNxmFtjMxsXnS0zxMAQgLkbpvDsgakFm8WXUEsuZKg7guMKXVLZybyluTfDnieCwoVK4pvO1hweSyor6VMB62HRMW6wmTwAAC22N804PDg/s400/IMG_7796.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLt_W_WIXDo1KKdne2stESeThJK2jAlMQoIeSSWlfU3FTRXZrcrqmzN77asYLWL7uX6BPR5Chol_blR9j373tR7o3M76kGwcl3zkp4ycp-3nL9vCXjkjom2i4s-1opu4HzyOCKBBgls4/s1600/IMG_7801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLt_W_WIXDo1KKdne2stESeThJK2jAlMQoIeSSWlfU3FTRXZrcrqmzN77asYLWL7uX6BPR5Chol_blR9j373tR7o3M76kGwcl3zkp4ycp-3nL9vCXjkjom2i4s-1opu4HzyOCKBBgls4/s400/IMG_7801.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8Sga3geR-b-EGLVlBsw-zjJn1-w5y4nHDDxa9siRBvlW1dQFFXDrbL2zPiiplehx05gYZyjaxmtMz6sKTJ6OZTCJgT7FFGDIP-u0raipoHA3460CDq4oTAxKjJWU-x3HqYg7hMeDSmw/s1600/IMG_7825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8Sga3geR-b-EGLVlBsw-zjJn1-w5y4nHDDxa9siRBvlW1dQFFXDrbL2zPiiplehx05gYZyjaxmtMz6sKTJ6OZTCJgT7FFGDIP-u0raipoHA3460CDq4oTAxKjJWU-x3HqYg7hMeDSmw/s400/IMG_7825.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnn1bh8kDOFTNO0NfNXvRGOtXYyhloFM5GP_IRl7DHpnhIuWkfgnkTfKH6Fs9Vqh_jj9DcbR7kaCTPq2Eo74k99WV2fqjWoZQEzTcnzFp6tp0L2oxOnVUrn-SPD-s_u9mTI8CWnGFAsfM/s1600/IMG_7806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnn1bh8kDOFTNO0NfNXvRGOtXYyhloFM5GP_IRl7DHpnhIuWkfgnkTfKH6Fs9Vqh_jj9DcbR7kaCTPq2Eo74k99WV2fqjWoZQEzTcnzFp6tp0L2oxOnVUrn-SPD-s_u9mTI8CWnGFAsfM/s400/IMG_7806.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pm-OEmGhPn5ur4Xc_nuJ0LT6HVXRWSrbTWHcidSRcd3p1rTKibIqRhJpdlNvIl-n3o523n_mN3WGnvG9czSwYfbvvLRffvfRoLdAVhQT62LW8fTQ8B8S-QzbMe1t7PvTkVsA0ero2Wc/s1600/IMG_7818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pm-OEmGhPn5ur4Xc_nuJ0LT6HVXRWSrbTWHcidSRcd3p1rTKibIqRhJpdlNvIl-n3o523n_mN3WGnvG9czSwYfbvvLRffvfRoLdAVhQT62LW8fTQ8B8S-QzbMe1t7PvTkVsA0ero2Wc/s400/IMG_7818.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0xmuOIbxFQXOumPWuW4JFGh5ampgy7msqZ-C5CIAm00osF48C3i7KEPuJU3qiz7JjeLE7HlF8XnIDwKnmAM6Gez_NwWwjGaLmWqqQMOa-DJTm8COjrADabK-Bo1Zx9V1bhyDzqr-Qc0/s1600/IMG_7825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0xmuOIbxFQXOumPWuW4JFGh5ampgy7msqZ-C5CIAm00osF48C3i7KEPuJU3qiz7JjeLE7HlF8XnIDwKnmAM6Gez_NwWwjGaLmWqqQMOa-DJTm8COjrADabK-Bo1Zx9V1bhyDzqr-Qc0/s400/IMG_7825.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
So there you go. After hours and hours of work, our gorgeous tree. Now when I took it down yesterday I labeled each branch and put them on in bins to protect them from muck. Next year will be a piece of cake!!! I even made a list with the order of the colors so there is NO guesswork!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-86771131472626807152012-01-05T12:11:00.001-05:002012-01-05T23:25:44.302-05:00Pre-Christmas StuffI just happened to realize that I hadn't posted about the stuff that we did leading up to Christmas. We baked cookies...twice! The first time didn't go as well because the mixer broke while we were trying to make the frosting! What a bummer. It was mixed enough to use but it didn't have that magic goodness. Of course the second time, we did them, we made 9 billion! No exaggeration. Here are some pics!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48UhUZLrQ4qtVCXKmWiFYt6qNwIffLXstZ6UDKATJMRBg4wegWY9mbD32KtwLoBLE879tWfhlUN26B5Y-AbbAMut9iriXtX1s4IRG1DVAr_KmWBWsexNcaRp1z383r8zusitLDkeGkZQ/s1600/IMG_7740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48UhUZLrQ4qtVCXKmWiFYt6qNwIffLXstZ6UDKATJMRBg4wegWY9mbD32KtwLoBLE879tWfhlUN26B5Y-AbbAMut9iriXtX1s4IRG1DVAr_KmWBWsexNcaRp1z383r8zusitLDkeGkZQ/s400/IMG_7740.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi561_hzYjhLz63QHpguQxnikwEN2UC5o5gecg_Dwd2La1yYkimQhwzwfx_01cAE7Qpo9bRSDtVhpo8-nA5_jg2Ri8I3WqA1udzF1pNzZkFSLzKHzmJD7KNTJlkci2I5obqSthlMjwx5g0/s1600/IMG_7754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi561_hzYjhLz63QHpguQxnikwEN2UC5o5gecg_Dwd2La1yYkimQhwzwfx_01cAE7Qpo9bRSDtVhpo8-nA5_jg2Ri8I3WqA1udzF1pNzZkFSLzKHzmJD7KNTJlkci2I5obqSthlMjwx5g0/s400/IMG_7754.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVHUTL31NZ5tlrUZLV4bA1H9-cizfx_BOjFqk0dKz8G374ABRyBDbNNf45h4bDhKz7Q0vyuDRo8PTs29zU3U44rZyC5z_Df2Vl6pFui48FLfnYjfMB6GX30PNnYMqvCPkI5ZQo4NMuIE/s1600/IMG_7761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVHUTL31NZ5tlrUZLV4bA1H9-cizfx_BOjFqk0dKz8G374ABRyBDbNNf45h4bDhKz7Q0vyuDRo8PTs29zU3U44rZyC5z_Df2Vl6pFui48FLfnYjfMB6GX30PNnYMqvCPkI5ZQo4NMuIE/s400/IMG_7761.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jjDRZ3HKVbKTqGKgArYMcsc1wb9fmdruwAmsMPOMbptmO1VEKyy7tKpDBCsuEoI5ZeaFip0YD-LjEZ0TMcgcbqipSQ2npwawmP6S4Oh6EFHWagTqSoJK8GvnFlx91C8I3CBpQwA_VV0/s1600/IMG_7771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jjDRZ3HKVbKTqGKgArYMcsc1wb9fmdruwAmsMPOMbptmO1VEKyy7tKpDBCsuEoI5ZeaFip0YD-LjEZ0TMcgcbqipSQ2npwawmP6S4Oh6EFHWagTqSoJK8GvnFlx91C8I3CBpQwA_VV0/s400/IMG_7771.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOBCYUIqTmlUq87G_vrqaDq6dY9Z12oiR5yYRsDt3dlv3crtZIMF1HuiDsx3YV-AQSmvsttoVksHzAedtcyLvFsC682EK4N-M-b4xMPzzjjy40mRGskB6TrB2Ce0GKgXuc47J1PE9Lzs/s1600/IMG_7778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOBCYUIqTmlUq87G_vrqaDq6dY9Z12oiR5yYRsDt3dlv3crtZIMF1HuiDsx3YV-AQSmvsttoVksHzAedtcyLvFsC682EK4N-M-b4xMPzzjjy40mRGskB6TrB2Ce0GKgXuc47J1PE9Lzs/s400/IMG_7778.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJy6Y5g47PLY7cUmacPNUq7D7GHSSU9NqXX_jfF0HgrPCRgO858sJcg2LjuCAGKr9iql3qWFOtQCgrJuOtdA9L2W8yHg5UJUG31GoNptiFP460AVlYSBYvAMRX4GG0jfZT3iDrFbD_xo/s1600/IMG_7896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJy6Y5g47PLY7cUmacPNUq7D7GHSSU9NqXX_jfF0HgrPCRgO858sJcg2LjuCAGKr9iql3qWFOtQCgrJuOtdA9L2W8yHg5UJUG31GoNptiFP460AVlYSBYvAMRX4GG0jfZT3iDrFbD_xo/s400/IMG_7896.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjYoZJCgQYUskbYPtwD1OypKYtwwaKmOx_mvKSkWeQ80DeR78WtPYf0gcP4bQBmnsEeAMeKbHyRO8amrChsggnss3lsCa6F6JrppDcA1fZpYETCjH2qK3OE2B5hZDvLZfMms5iOtKFNg/s1600/IMG_7899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjYoZJCgQYUskbYPtwD1OypKYtwwaKmOx_mvKSkWeQ80DeR78WtPYf0gcP4bQBmnsEeAMeKbHyRO8amrChsggnss3lsCa6F6JrppDcA1fZpYETCjH2qK3OE2B5hZDvLZfMms5iOtKFNg/s400/IMG_7899.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqb2IEVMCafHf-heiTYOM7cQ-1zvYEK4fAjolTZy1pLcW_A6smw4D7hyphenhyphenrU-8N7iBXS0AWuDJBj_p8ACXlQK47pdZ9-O3XcOaQBqDtY-LzxjL42swE-f_B2M1th0Wf_J5-n4qukOGa0VJE/s1600/IMG_7768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqb2IEVMCafHf-heiTYOM7cQ-1zvYEK4fAjolTZy1pLcW_A6smw4D7hyphenhyphenrU-8N7iBXS0AWuDJBj_p8ACXlQK47pdZ9-O3XcOaQBqDtY-LzxjL42swE-f_B2M1th0Wf_J5-n4qukOGa0VJE/s400/IMG_7768.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
I think anyone who says kids can't help bake is insane. Both my girls helps with ingredients, mixing and rolling out the cookie dough. Do they need help? Sure! But how else do children learn if they aren't allowed to do things? Anyway they may not have been professional quality but it was fun, messy and yummy!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-12438526323295466232011-12-31T16:28:00.000-05:002011-12-31T16:45:05.745-05:00My view of New Years EveLet me say the following. I have never liked New Years Eve. As in, ever. I don't know what it is about it that makes me feel so sad but it just does. Auld Lang Syne kills me. Did you know auld lang syne means times long past? Or that the song itself is a poem that originated in Scotland? There it is sung as a goodbye or farewell at gatherings, including funerals. That makes sense. It makes me cry. Perhaps the saying goodbye of one year is sad because it takes you further away from other things. Memories of childhood you try and hold on to. Or of loved ones that you have lost. It's a sad thought that in your memory they remain the same age while you get older and further away. For parents I think it's tough to realize that as time marches on, your children will never be this age, this way again. Better things may be on the horizon but the past has a rosy, old time color to it that makes me feel warm. No matter how many times I reexamine the past, it is always the same. I can count on certain memories never changing and that makes it a comfort to hang out there once in a while.<br />
<br />
<br />
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
<br />
<br />
and never brought to mind?<br />
<br />
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
<br />
<br />
and auld lang syne?
<br />
<br />
Should we forget those that have been in our lives but are no longer? What about times long past? I don't believe so, no. The English translation of the song shows how beautiful the song really is because most of us don't speak Scottish!<br />
<br />
<br />
Should <i>old</i> acquaintance be forgot,<br />
and never brought to mind ?<br />
Should <i>old</i> acquaintance be forgot,<br />
and <i>old</i> lang syne ?<br />
<dl><dd>CHORUS:</dd><dd>For auld lang syne, my dear,<br />
for auld lang syne,<br />
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,<br />
for auld lang syne.</dd></dl>
And surely you’ll <i>buy</i> your pint <i>cup</i> !<br />
and surely I’ll <i>buy</i> mine !<br />
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,<br />
for auld lang syne.<br />
<dl><dd>CHORUS</dd></dl>
We <i>two have</i> run about the <i>slopes</i>,<br />
and <i>picked</i> the <i>daisies</i> fine ;<br />
But we’ve wandered <i>many</i> a weary <i>foot</i>,<br />
<i>since</i> auld lang syne.<br />
<dl><dd>CHORUS</dd></dl>
We <i>two have paddled</i> in the <i>stream</i>,<br />
<i>from</i> morning sun till dine<sup><small>†</small></sup> ;<br />
But seas between us <i>broad have roared</i><br />
<i>since</i> auld lang syne.<br />
<dl><dd>CHORUS</dd></dl>
And there’s a hand my trusty <i>friend</i> !<br />
And <i>give me</i> a hand o’ thine !<br />
And we’ll <i>take</i> a right <i>good-will draught</i>,<br />
for auld lang syne.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I think it means that when you look at the past, be kind to yourself. Be kind to what has happened. Don't judge to harshly. A lot has happened between now and those old time days but think about them with grace. That may not be what the song means, but to me it makes sense. Decisions made, events that happened, they are all easy to regret, wish away, and ponder. But what it all comes down to is people normally do the best they can at the moment. If you are upset with a choice someone made, realize that they probably did the best they could. If you are still ruminating about an insult from 10 years ago, chances are that person has changed since then and so have you. These pictures are of me and my daughters as toddlers. Wow has time flown by for all 3 of us. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMhjepb7xSlQiZrnG1ngs-RFoZgP0t0-x-udwdilPQZUGA2dYFKnF7F1kDboCzhHUbHzmMMt2pGr1G1rZ5DCJkoxn6zYz5wbOjp8U1yflqZenXdQoHvUQIIZYeWxbXQKlASShRvLXA5M/s1600/Photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMhjepb7xSlQiZrnG1ngs-RFoZgP0t0-x-udwdilPQZUGA2dYFKnF7F1kDboCzhHUbHzmMMt2pGr1G1rZ5DCJkoxn6zYz5wbOjp8U1yflqZenXdQoHvUQIIZYeWxbXQKlASShRvLXA5M/s400/Photo1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me as a toddler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihV0eENxb4gJXoKZe3jBjRTv5CtadADkcbmZOwNOONIy7sIdDmPM1psplfoZZn7QQTNsDMY-Hnx5g9tfyk0j0bEwhJW_G_uqybBLzayVuhm9W9-gP9JasTj8Yr9oHytQEZ1MuIT9lBqJI/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihV0eENxb4gJXoKZe3jBjRTv5CtadADkcbmZOwNOONIy7sIdDmPM1psplfoZZn7QQTNsDMY-Hnx5g9tfyk0j0bEwhJW_G_uqybBLzayVuhm9W9-gP9JasTj8Yr9oHytQEZ1MuIT9lBqJI/s400/photo.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayla as a Toddler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnAooKfk3vLjdAC_PqC7iyX_hUcw5mByZVxSCQ2ehe7IzN4PL9BM5z31zZjzqk519LXgGSbImMsX49w1hLAewKJWlTt7dWg-dz5rs0qNiEWC6aPqL8vLbkmFQHcDoT4OXxOFveHHqfwc/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnAooKfk3vLjdAC_PqC7iyX_hUcw5mByZVxSCQ2ehe7IzN4PL9BM5z31zZjzqk519LXgGSbImMsX49w1hLAewKJWlTt7dWg-dz5rs0qNiEWC6aPqL8vLbkmFQHcDoT4OXxOFveHHqfwc/s400/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emily as a toddler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I guess for now I will look at New Years Eve as a nod to the past. A chance to say goodbye to the person you were this year because chances are next year at this time you won't be the same person. If you are the same person you aren't growing as a person. I don't intend on being the same person year in and year out. I also don't want to be on my front porch in a rocking chair in 40 years and regret what life I have led. So goodbye 2011, you have been good to my family. May our blessings continue and may we be able to see those blessings for the good that they are. May we stay healthy and safe and be more prosperous than ever before. May we find comfort in one another and have the grace to accept whatever may come our way. Have a safe and wonderful New Years Eve and may 2012 bring you everything you have hoped for.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Love Always</div>
<span style="color: #76a5af; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Kira</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-17586600118773954482011-12-31T15:41:00.003-05:002011-12-31T15:41:43.845-05:00Speak your mind-About Disney ChannelI just wrote an email to both the Head of the Disney Channel, and to the CEO of Disney. I had to express my disgust at the programming on Disney Channel these days. So here is the context of that email. Feel free to write your own and send it to :<br />
Disney Contact Information<br />
<br />
Write the Head of <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1325363706_1">Disney Channel</span>!<br />
Rich Ross,<br />
President and Director of The Disney Channel.<br />
500 S. Buena Vista Street<br />
Burbank, CA 91521<br />
Email: rich.ross@disney.com<br />
<br />
Write Disney CEO, <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1325363706_2">Robert Iger</span>!<br />
Robert A. Iger,<br />
President and CEO of the Walt Disney Company<br />
500 S. Buena Vista Street<br />
Burbank, CA 91521<br />
Email: robert.a.iger@disney.com<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">I have a 5 year old and an 11 year old. Both are girls who are very
smart, kind, and interested in a multitude of subjects from music, to
space, to science, math, social studies, books, art etc. I am deeply
disturbed by the shows you are currently airing on your channel for the
above preschool age groups. You seem to take so much time developing
shows for younger children that will help their minds grow and help
them grow up to be good world citizens and care about others. I am so
confused as to why all of a sudden when a child becomes to old for
Disney Junior they are immediately ready for shows about teens. Where
are the middle school shows, or the elementary shows for that matter?
The only show that both my 5 and 10 year old can watch is Phineas and
Ferb(why not more shows like this? ) My 5 year old is getting to old
for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse but not old enough for shows like Good Luck
Charlie, and Wizards of Waverly Place, Suite Life on Deck, Shake It Up,
That's So Random etc. Furthermore, the characters in these shows are
almost all the same. There are always a bunch of kids that act like
they are completely ignorant, or their parents do(which is even worse
in my opinion). Do you have children? Think about it. Would you like
your children to talk about and treat you the way these characters do
about their parents and teachers? I think probably not.The attitudes
displayed in these shows are enough to make any parent sick. How can we
expect children to respect adults that they come across if what they
are being exposed to is the opposite? You above all people should know
that what children are exposed to when they are young is what they will
exhibit as they get older. ShouId they treat an employer the way
teachers are treated in your shows? Would you appreciate that if they
were your employee? I know so many parents who have blocked your
channel because of your programming or who have limited viewing down to
just Phineas and Ferb. Have you examined what kind of role models
these characters are for children? Have you even paid attention? Where
are the shows for preteens that have any intellectual value? Or shows
about kids and nature? Or being world citizens? What about shows that
teach kids about different places around the world? They need to know
about their global community. It's no wonder kids don't care. Kids are
not stupid. They are not all the same. Please put some diversity into
your programming so that my daughter, who is a straight A student,
trumpet player, artist, crafter, poem writer, story creator, animal
lover, and my 5 year old can enjoy and grow with Disney for many years
to come. I appreciate you reading this and hope you will consider this.</span><br />
<br />
No I didn't send it in red ink. It is a little snippy, as I am very irritated about this whole thing. But I think people are to nice in these cases. I will also be printing this out and sending it via real mail as a friend of mine told me that because real mail is so uncommon, companies are more apt to read the real mail than the email. I hope that this prompts you to take action on something that is bothering you lately. Unless it is my blog. In that case, tough crap:)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-53338105010039822922011-12-05T23:14:00.001-05:002011-12-05T23:22:37.573-05:00Boredom Buster!My girls and I wanted something fun to do a couple Sundays ago. So we went down to the craft store and bought an ornament making kit. My older daughter was especially interested in it which I thought was awesome because they are really actually vintage inspired ornaments. You use straight pins, sequins, and beads and push them into a foam ball. Even my 4 year old enjoyed it and was very careful. They didn't fill in the whole ball, do you know how long it takes to do that??? FOREVER! But they were cute and had lots of fun. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLH3D6SswaYangtQoYaoA-hCfw6a0fKeY0jXPJAt_ekPpvSpsH0XMBwqrbh8wQdk1eQ4KjI1renUDbSSgjqDFPZo0pZn6YEvCBE1b5j-E7mc5JBvZdVnhxulxBYpom6QXAt1h1F11NR8/s1600/_MG_7672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLH3D6SswaYangtQoYaoA-hCfw6a0fKeY0jXPJAt_ekPpvSpsH0XMBwqrbh8wQdk1eQ4KjI1renUDbSSgjqDFPZo0pZn6YEvCBE1b5j-E7mc5JBvZdVnhxulxBYpom6QXAt1h1F11NR8/s400/_MG_7672.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0pcYnqGSBVSQFv22LmLxkYGVZQ21Gw5VHXPGOlPYVHPeqvvB5LSy9WA76WuGZ0nORW_vjQQwpjxuqCuJMxorTCyeZzriUusJg2TLwBoWW8rtc8zW4zqYjmlvOUofSnLKMy4Qc62pn3o/s1600/_MG_7673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0pcYnqGSBVSQFv22LmLxkYGVZQ21Gw5VHXPGOlPYVHPeqvvB5LSy9WA76WuGZ0nORW_vjQQwpjxuqCuJMxorTCyeZzriUusJg2TLwBoWW8rtc8zW4zqYjmlvOUofSnLKMy4Qc62pn3o/s400/_MG_7673.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZSfCb2cbfnItte7OTpO5ID20FnWJws1wOV0pT-xFuX3hVwOJQmh22HPU9v2hSj6OUORPEbZ6MiEVP73Tpp-1RG7dsiLq-oRIufMQynBkyTBRm463vpAcOF_qqpOiloW5Nq5qjQfL6yY/s1600/_MG_7680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZSfCb2cbfnItte7OTpO5ID20FnWJws1wOV0pT-xFuX3hVwOJQmh22HPU9v2hSj6OUORPEbZ6MiEVP73Tpp-1RG7dsiLq-oRIufMQynBkyTBRm463vpAcOF_qqpOiloW5Nq5qjQfL6yY/s400/_MG_7680.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkT_7y3G5JTgH97IO9Ss9frUSMR0tNAE39qd2ebcvGX1NT3dGHfozY640wiFwFxqpoo_Y7jRLSQe_0FiQeThgJpYkXg9VbxcDqctDywRdbVZrhhbnk1zxhKf72PI7vNWt_JsF7KxNtb4/s1600/_MG_7676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkT_7y3G5JTgH97IO9Ss9frUSMR0tNAE39qd2ebcvGX1NT3dGHfozY640wiFwFxqpoo_Y7jRLSQe_0FiQeThgJpYkXg9VbxcDqctDywRdbVZrhhbnk1zxhKf72PI7vNWt_JsF7KxNtb4/s400/_MG_7676.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSWvrkBWAJSI02vd4fm8PbL2BPqjQo7JiKdB6abCvHWpInO5nBpttVgiXjeVLVSVu-QruX53rpU6BSZZWN-3O-PbY1AQsizjWzqCXV_XhJUrr4YibisamOSzeZVmPPaa8H38eowncn1Y/s1600/_MG_7678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdSWvrkBWAJSI02vd4fm8PbL2BPqjQo7JiKdB6abCvHWpInO5nBpttVgiXjeVLVSVu-QruX53rpU6BSZZWN-3O-PbY1AQsizjWzqCXV_XhJUrr4YibisamOSzeZVmPPaa8H38eowncn1Y/s400/_MG_7678.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb42WieVZoTEZUEYG5KQ0EaedciW2oSAcKRL5vpDjwOn0_YUJ5oeOvnUtfW19qSWPdUywyjwtbgASEPkhirwhaoMA1Lm51ndle9ImtRsaC0XNP78KAdVbVo-Y6UJT84DRhc1I3qCu4tUc/s1600/_MG_7679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb42WieVZoTEZUEYG5KQ0EaedciW2oSAcKRL5vpDjwOn0_YUJ5oeOvnUtfW19qSWPdUywyjwtbgASEPkhirwhaoMA1Lm51ndle9ImtRsaC0XNP78KAdVbVo-Y6UJT84DRhc1I3qCu4tUc/s400/_MG_7679.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-15494204133291687432011-10-26T22:20:00.000-04:002011-10-26T22:20:05.342-04:00To Disney...and beyond!<br />
<br />
<br />
I haven't posted in a million years and I am sure all my readers...hello...are you out there? hang on let me clear the cobwebs away...oh sorry....there you are....hi! Anyway, so at the beginning of the month we went on a big fun old fashioned family vacation with my side of the family. I was nervous to a degree, dragging around 12 people through airports, and parks, and Orlando and everything could be worth being nervous about, especially with family. You never know if people are going to argue or fight or whatever. But seriously?? By mid week I thought we should be gathered around a campfire singing Kumbyah and holding hands. It was an amazing trip. We got along, we had fun, we laughed, we were constantly on the go, and it was tiring and lovely.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_n3kqYmMm891fjU3Z1M4n6s_R6n8FKZNeDgTqyZQbWY0GRKPFuW2uCrtEeIBJsNAfSvovYbL83Fs5_-i8bN3X3t-PWbMlWjlsbf_AVc96lTb8jY8qPBcsmFcKsXJUl-jHamjHqt0eew/s1600/IMG_6519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_n3kqYmMm891fjU3Z1M4n6s_R6n8FKZNeDgTqyZQbWY0GRKPFuW2uCrtEeIBJsNAfSvovYbL83Fs5_-i8bN3X3t-PWbMlWjlsbf_AVc96lTb8jY8qPBcsmFcKsXJUl-jHamjHqt0eew/s400/IMG_6519.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did I mention Kayla and I trained dolphins at Sea World? Oh I didn't?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GMQQdASt0USMl7ZSDV9faRqQBqFOVTTjznYIOdfhyphenhyphen_SzlZCHk8Av1-l_jwv_lXQ6QGaV0PTx3kPYDBy-Gk7emSFkxdYsD7D-yCrKTH6Dzs-GmcZ0JWU_yHBU7fEbdahMVKmx70g-87g/s1600/IMG_6614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GMQQdASt0USMl7ZSDV9faRqQBqFOVTTjznYIOdfhyphenhyphen_SzlZCHk8Av1-l_jwv_lXQ6QGaV0PTx3kPYDBy-Gk7emSFkxdYsD7D-yCrKTH6Dzs-GmcZ0JWU_yHBU7fEbdahMVKmx70g-87g/s400/IMG_6614.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma, Bunka and Em and Kayla at Sea World....Em is hard to photograph when tired out!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidWWU0Pp_fbBB0Uh-8kVuGMcDK_XrFf8HLbB3f9VEbBDamC-wOVswJk_Xm0xqk3t12a84BZg-so4aIJkE9w6eNPQwJ8K4T99jZBABFGChpmjxgkTKV-yDPSSYAnm8kVVfR5dhZWbEzXw/s1600/IMG_6505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidWWU0Pp_fbBB0Uh-8kVuGMcDK_XrFf8HLbB3f9VEbBDamC-wOVswJk_Xm0xqk3t12a84BZg-so4aIJkE9w6eNPQwJ8K4T99jZBABFGChpmjxgkTKV-yDPSSYAnm8kVVfR5dhZWbEzXw/s400/IMG_6505.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayla now more than ever wants to be a marine biologist and Dolphin trainer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMuDsMGC_CnORH03F8_qefCXop-S9hesbeJoN0UdnqtdgHPe6KA2dwjcSgUmGW3vIxYMOO_1pj2GEm3h9EXl98DaXfjpIv4SH_p-selLU-kDkTu-YGuUg_8zU9WKKeuEbO_R4OVFcauE/s1600/IMG_6512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMuDsMGC_CnORH03F8_qefCXop-S9hesbeJoN0UdnqtdgHPe6KA2dwjcSgUmGW3vIxYMOO_1pj2GEm3h9EXl98DaXfjpIv4SH_p-selLU-kDkTu-YGuUg_8zU9WKKeuEbO_R4OVFcauE/s400/IMG_6512.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayla scatter feeding the dolphins in the dolphin nursery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQzeYO4ynTqBA5TdmBI09y3zZbeoARrg4R2PGkCZ1-fp0YtcD-0wWI-XlQpqFDB7mqXFXNtD9j9KntGxOHud5lGFmZj9zoautnh-aNsaabbBHuNizdzNr7lQsm8mCZEQQ1mxGHoKGGbg/s1600/IMG_6928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQzeYO4ynTqBA5TdmBI09y3zZbeoARrg4R2PGkCZ1-fp0YtcD-0wWI-XlQpqFDB7mqXFXNtD9j9KntGxOHud5lGFmZj9zoautnh-aNsaabbBHuNizdzNr7lQsm8mCZEQQ1mxGHoKGGbg/s400/IMG_6928.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my coffee at the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRdqGSnV6AuINODDDZc8tD8KGiCWPgkHh3AmVCfqJjqXxw3uQB1gjPDVyL7SXCdM5ovYKHFB4dStPmnlKKl_aFZkf6H1BNJLDcoCw6n4P9fDf_lscXMtZyGwGVeBJAlxjx_dG4koltRg/s1600/IMG_6929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRdqGSnV6AuINODDDZc8tD8KGiCWPgkHh3AmVCfqJjqXxw3uQB1gjPDVyL7SXCdM5ovYKHFB4dStPmnlKKl_aFZkf6H1BNJLDcoCw6n4P9fDf_lscXMtZyGwGVeBJAlxjx_dG4koltRg/s400/IMG_6929.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love coffee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuJ4orCV0bNnLyAOro-Cao3a-TbdgS5egQmqpUWS074_kUuxh4wRYNSdF2arLtSGR3DJiJTbHS256Lug1oSQd6N5bnpkf7HWwZ4o4TEOYtd6QszwIwTKdF3-FvKGEN_8XSU3iai4wXb8/s1600/IMG_6721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuJ4orCV0bNnLyAOro-Cao3a-TbdgS5egQmqpUWS074_kUuxh4wRYNSdF2arLtSGR3DJiJTbHS256Lug1oSQd6N5bnpkf7HWwZ4o4TEOYtd6QszwIwTKdF3-FvKGEN_8XSU3iai4wXb8/s400/IMG_6721.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dress from Bunka and ears from Aunt Shellie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDng0HkTI9NCY56dFXGH-vdhIain4SIGkR3azq5XIl91IwOsrI-0k0JpD0Jy2Lt_oXejGyTQg6TmqgtxvHS4WheEvlRo_-bM1N-s1WwKc3nQ1dSv_aUOi-1PY7CENoIP9eRgocaulKsg/s1600/IMG_6993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDng0HkTI9NCY56dFXGH-vdhIain4SIGkR3azq5XIl91IwOsrI-0k0JpD0Jy2Lt_oXejGyTQg6TmqgtxvHS4WheEvlRo_-bM1N-s1WwKc3nQ1dSv_aUOi-1PY7CENoIP9eRgocaulKsg/s400/IMG_6993.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Husband at end of our big kids day at Epcot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlJM2YLgEEvnip5PPAQqNhtsU5ydDxZ9XOEToV_yCrpgDQqD-yqAuEfIyqtmusyQFyraYTGpuyLly9cl-X70lR__aYpdMu5C1D4kan5t8JLYaCPK_iB8ndIlhSxfMybscXaIHSbpPELU/s1600/IMG_6941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlJM2YLgEEvnip5PPAQqNhtsU5ydDxZ9XOEToV_yCrpgDQqD-yqAuEfIyqtmusyQFyraYTGpuyLly9cl-X70lR__aYpdMu5C1D4kan5t8JLYaCPK_iB8ndIlhSxfMybscXaIHSbpPELU/s400/IMG_6941.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waxing poetic about beers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNTOi-2yoiP9sYdoKe9ExjWo4e6LBwjFKPhT-6ZmuQQ8DisuuLDso7xnur1Trq-LNHChZQ2X4RmKeUiVDhAr4za8yfe1Qhv2Ys29V_GAKJfOYxgxsZMIJ8-EF_c6rPdQCo4sYx-T8Af8/s1600/IMG_7140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNTOi-2yoiP9sYdoKe9ExjWo4e6LBwjFKPhT-6ZmuQQ8DisuuLDso7xnur1Trq-LNHChZQ2X4RmKeUiVDhAr4za8yfe1Qhv2Ys29V_GAKJfOYxgxsZMIJ8-EF_c6rPdQCo4sYx-T8Af8/s400/IMG_7140.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayla moments before be made a Princess by the King at Medieval Times</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Cmj6cKCeAsfRrK3e-zPM_W3KdiNIX8-DCBFTpDMZcZQH36CIK9-HMSuVpZjIzdlPh_sbh52EWanPBwV5X_4SqOtxreCvSLpf6i24S_sf0pdbJZbJnlvum_89VA_tVTEE2P6DrruGTQY/s1600/IMG_7141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Cmj6cKCeAsfRrK3e-zPM_W3KdiNIX8-DCBFTpDMZcZQH36CIK9-HMSuVpZjIzdlPh_sbh52EWanPBwV5X_4SqOtxreCvSLpf6i24S_sf0pdbJZbJnlvum_89VA_tVTEE2P6DrruGTQY/s400/IMG_7141.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite pics from vacation. So much going on!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBm8WPbhYQnSXnIL5EcKtDrgMSvCxE77S5XmLHjcHvBh5zitgaYfkBzQSvPnMl6fagiF3mw-pggLOPbaTXB_t0fLSiKVti7pYVnyrr_lgPZ9pj2Rw3mB_mvDlbNcKTCHDmT06LZlhvyEA/s1600/IMG_7202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBm8WPbhYQnSXnIL5EcKtDrgMSvCxE77S5XmLHjcHvBh5zitgaYfkBzQSvPnMl6fagiF3mw-pggLOPbaTXB_t0fLSiKVti7pYVnyrr_lgPZ9pj2Rw3mB_mvDlbNcKTCHDmT06LZlhvyEA/s400/IMG_7202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our knight in shining armor. We refer to him as Emily's boyfriend because he gave her his favor and she hated it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We went to Sea World, Magic Kingdon, Epcot (the kids went with Grandma and Bunka to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios) and we went to the beach and Medieval Times and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and everything was AWESOME! Oh did I mention it was my birthday while down there and I turned 31? I didn't?? OH. it was and I did! I got crowned Birthday Wench at Medieval Times. It was way hilarious. I close out this blog with a picture of the bag I bought to tote on the plane and then at the parks to store all the crap I knew we would end up buying there....<br />
<br />
Or I would. However, Blogger's photo uploading capabilities is really sub par and cannot handle the awesomeness that is my bag. Anyway I was teased endlessly about this bag by the guys in my family, mainly my husband and it came in handy a MILLION times. I also wanted to post a bunch of other pictures but suffice it to say, it's not happening. Anyway, that's what I did in the beginning of October. Now that I am 31 I am moving on to some big girl pursuits....like making Steampunk stuff.....for myself. I know I said big girl stuff but well honestly, let's be honest.....that will never happen!! <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-62801991770694243172011-09-12T20:57:00.001-04:002011-09-12T20:57:14.078-04:00A catch up postI haven't posted anything interesting in a while. I know this. It's not my fault. Why it's not my fault I don't know. But whatever. So this will be a long post and it will go in no particular order.<br />
1. I watched the first episode of New Girl with Zooey Deschanel. I love her. Love the show and feel like maybe there is part of me in that show.<br />
<br />
2. I miss NYC desperately. Started watching the show Rescue Me and combine that with the 10 year anniversary of September 11, I am desperate to get back there.<br />
<br />
3. Kayla turned 10 August 16th. We went mini golfing and I thought I was going to die of heat.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpucHUZu3F6acfcfqUiE2VdpyboU0lEtU6QnA8Yz3_n1iw5-PCT6D6drL5-IW4gY_45nXg-TO7_ZbdniB3Qn4ZBciXzVQi3l1TVN3roUIaxYLVfFAMK6RQpjYoiK7t2uNQKMnSPKCvVvc/s1600/IMG_5428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpucHUZu3F6acfcfqUiE2VdpyboU0lEtU6QnA8Yz3_n1iw5-PCT6D6drL5-IW4gY_45nXg-TO7_ZbdniB3Qn4ZBciXzVQi3l1TVN3roUIaxYLVfFAMK6RQpjYoiK7t2uNQKMnSPKCvVvc/s400/IMG_5428.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
The guys...aren't they awesome?!?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGV2qVdYBvr-W_29PfuipxgXyY_FS_pBMM5ho850KGFsArc6-aDmIttVtK9mCTAMo9EDQVxn-lDzaGICu74pxiGTzbwucsmDFa7GZdCUIoNMdLEEmv4OqUF7bv1mu2G2fvBUbzQde8HtY/s1600/IMG_5436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGV2qVdYBvr-W_29PfuipxgXyY_FS_pBMM5ho850KGFsArc6-aDmIttVtK9mCTAMo9EDQVxn-lDzaGICu74pxiGTzbwucsmDFa7GZdCUIoNMdLEEmv4OqUF7bv1mu2G2fvBUbzQde8HtY/s400/IMG_5436.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
The long legged Kayla bird<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSasMrYwup6bp87bvc9leXjndPE75SxXrbXpTCxgH4mKEBdDv0GuQqzbZHEPS0VrouGW1WYY_GG9-t0hCSF2IEuvrxf9D9GGrGd2y6360XLl0kErWpWYA3loWeF67tJiVh9liKEKh584c/s1600/IMG_5439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSasMrYwup6bp87bvc9leXjndPE75SxXrbXpTCxgH4mKEBdDv0GuQqzbZHEPS0VrouGW1WYY_GG9-t0hCSF2IEuvrxf9D9GGrGd2y6360XLl0kErWpWYA3loWeF67tJiVh9liKEKh584c/s400/IMG_5439.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
Mom trying to help Em.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JWSknbwuMMB8hyE2mXl07pPzs6qQK0761RAT9r6yBI7FN-YNUS7r2kxG8D7ffzYKAYJ3pQz1IkVjcncwh6LItCfTt5ymFTFtebgt8NjFjYHMnfFjrslBX6dGnaKUMX2EIvoE_dHW4B4/s1600/IMG_5458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7JWSknbwuMMB8hyE2mXl07pPzs6qQK0761RAT9r6yBI7FN-YNUS7r2kxG8D7ffzYKAYJ3pQz1IkVjcncwh6LItCfTt5ymFTFtebgt8NjFjYHMnfFjrslBX6dGnaKUMX2EIvoE_dHW4B4/s400/IMG_5458.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
My older sister Shawna<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyv5IfibvwTMlI0dKtHkJGt75SpAGZ_Tljtur70_R2ia3oZIVNFatmdApKwRlSS9hRZMmFwbtVYLWLQ09IjC2fk1zIbDSlA8Yi5WJgrfRnuPZXTsFQdYQAeS_l29fgTrO1ZnSHyhe2IGw/s1600/IMG_5470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyv5IfibvwTMlI0dKtHkJGt75SpAGZ_Tljtur70_R2ia3oZIVNFatmdApKwRlSS9hRZMmFwbtVYLWLQ09IjC2fk1zIbDSlA8Yi5WJgrfRnuPZXTsFQdYQAeS_l29fgTrO1ZnSHyhe2IGw/s400/IMG_5470.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
My brothers beautiful girlfriend Bethani<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lQD44kgR2R8CYtXsDByb3l-dBnTfXoffiUSDtCt_acnoTTd1zrNi5gr1nVknQy28Aj3rOoPweY2XIUWE2pyPofQcpiiHu_dbuTPhyphenhyphenKebyYfomZzjjIN_62WrOK-_tTnr6hKPd0Bsyps/s1600/IMG_5473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5lQD44kgR2R8CYtXsDByb3l-dBnTfXoffiUSDtCt_acnoTTd1zrNi5gr1nVknQy28Aj3rOoPweY2XIUWE2pyPofQcpiiHu_dbuTPhyphenhyphenKebyYfomZzjjIN_62WrOK-_tTnr6hKPd0Bsyps/s400/IMG_5473.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
And well....you just can't take him anywhere.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZgTJRBMI3anXNg2DjHAsDApU5AoOAc7CWf_H6CtVBVFeya30h9HgdtZl2E3ZDFjZ9-xVOZ5N1vF7XRrFQbSiXAdO1UO5ypK7BEbW80vzobRj0MLSHqgaqcniKLYuv6odhgN6hl75vYs/s1600/me+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZgTJRBMI3anXNg2DjHAsDApU5AoOAc7CWf_H6CtVBVFeya30h9HgdtZl2E3ZDFjZ9-xVOZ5N1vF7XRrFQbSiXAdO1UO5ypK7BEbW80vzobRj0MLSHqgaqcniKLYuv6odhgN6hl75vYs/s400/me+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And then there's me.<br />
4. Kayla wanted cookies instead of cake...bummer for me<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBQ3KIum2h4WbP1hhOsTFcxoZgALx9wRna7HHa8qfygFrBBhcJv1LjywzOxzneFy5723ew0_2Vv0PZd7HxDfHDGKrhzjLA0r9npKEgevBSFw6GMVRNNC6ydplVkfmHdls-J-OUivvQzU/s1600/IMG_5480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBQ3KIum2h4WbP1hhOsTFcxoZgALx9wRna7HHa8qfygFrBBhcJv1LjywzOxzneFy5723ew0_2Vv0PZd7HxDfHDGKrhzjLA0r9npKEgevBSFw6GMVRNNC6ydplVkfmHdls-J-OUivvQzU/s400/IMG_5480.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
So I improvised....<br />
<br />
5. I taught myself to knit, although I did mention that in a previous post I thought I would share a couple of cruddy pictures of my awesomeness<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotRHuH5ijA5Bu6U0xiMfsel2dYDpUnJD7-zKFYxvVcvVAPWC-akDnxm94E0ukXjnCvRcZ4MZ0jKEeqSF7BpkVEnYwayxKEOYWylPdUBueOU9_X2IKF8VaEZgLZ_n9Uh6MiMRIIu14quc/s1600/IMG_5513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotRHuH5ijA5Bu6U0xiMfsel2dYDpUnJD7-zKFYxvVcvVAPWC-akDnxm94E0ukXjnCvRcZ4MZ0jKEeqSF7BpkVEnYwayxKEOYWylPdUBueOU9_X2IKF8VaEZgLZ_n9Uh6MiMRIIu14quc/s400/IMG_5513.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB52LCbWtVfIQyTGGCwdvZbTtoD8G9cxGh_j5VDiV9W9o692S4z-jda5zB4cuEPi2sh8okhjpyz6HvjXlFfrAt3VQ56OhYBqsihhs1fJciT_sI3dVj_g0wUy9MIXCiD7w0-bc1_LulGSI/s1600/IMG_5514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB52LCbWtVfIQyTGGCwdvZbTtoD8G9cxGh_j5VDiV9W9o692S4z-jda5zB4cuEPi2sh8okhjpyz6HvjXlFfrAt3VQ56OhYBqsihhs1fJciT_sI3dVj_g0wUy9MIXCiD7w0-bc1_LulGSI/s400/IMG_5514.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6ryncWi0DLLvlUv5yVRO2zFxVTzvadbj7OfPFVdhIrQct2Q__VaFq74RZ3wOm9iaDfrVOBhq6TveyxL1FqdHBtyKDiISGPEUas_ZkVPHaZqn7_4-n9NGVaM9zRYtXapEjQpQpH_PTjs/s1600/IMG_5516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6ryncWi0DLLvlUv5yVRO2zFxVTzvadbj7OfPFVdhIrQct2Q__VaFq74RZ3wOm9iaDfrVOBhq6TveyxL1FqdHBtyKDiISGPEUas_ZkVPHaZqn7_4-n9NGVaM9zRYtXapEjQpQpH_PTjs/s400/IMG_5516.JPG" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBhH9ETw8584Yxu8xKz6SYdMf2AHzH73Ihi5C9VypJELPm77YbyP4QCW8cIzLAxiZjtDeTtq0WhyphenhyphengWI8qpd6nhBNOsSAtTT2En0nVqlcXFC9havxNeqAFGDjDlOvgQS4_R5WbdONmbes/s1600/IMG_5518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBhH9ETw8584Yxu8xKz6SYdMf2AHzH73Ihi5C9VypJELPm77YbyP4QCW8cIzLAxiZjtDeTtq0WhyphenhyphengWI8qpd6nhBNOsSAtTT2En0nVqlcXFC9havxNeqAFGDjDlOvgQS4_R5WbdONmbes/s400/IMG_5518.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The blue one is the first I did. the purple is Emily's. She forced me to knit as fast as possible. I mean, that when I would rest my hands for a few minutes, she would come over and place the needles back in my hands. Serious Slave Driver.<br />
<br />
6. Kayla started 5th grade. I think had i been feeling better I would have cried. Next year I will have a middle school and a kindergartner!! YIKES!! I will bawl at drop of next year!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1sz1JFHntHsSd6cFRFndETylfoq1g_-X_6uVUOz_mt-RxuiiESya4Dt8xbZ1kylyTAMA4fdbiSlQYNoZXWIvoq-iOhqTOIWQNd1j3BAxqeDPAvubTgGwduqrDKczsIq2GjjtlCAfe6I/s1600/IMG_5503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1sz1JFHntHsSd6cFRFndETylfoq1g_-X_6uVUOz_mt-RxuiiESya4Dt8xbZ1kylyTAMA4fdbiSlQYNoZXWIvoq-iOhqTOIWQNd1j3BAxqeDPAvubTgGwduqrDKczsIq2GjjtlCAfe6I/s400/IMG_5503.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrwKrV_FPcLgkbAmPig92HPrH5K1t51cfFUqw39ehR-GWswWYyWUgJS2ihofkjG8xdkCkgrfMUSrU7D0-CH_JR86h1chpu9ZcCMvunHYiPKkuuCjwU7njrrggcKksJas-eE6Zl8pSVTU/s1600/IMG_5505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrwKrV_FPcLgkbAmPig92HPrH5K1t51cfFUqw39ehR-GWswWYyWUgJS2ihofkjG8xdkCkgrfMUSrU7D0-CH_JR86h1chpu9ZcCMvunHYiPKkuuCjwU7njrrggcKksJas-eE6Zl8pSVTU/s400/IMG_5505.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-J7eWGO4dE_9sNrTiZ9zesLf9O20g0bM5Srg3tm4TN_sDVbK9DB_xCf8JLt9ApsCjV6PC4pou1UyQT0o2Cn7oT41CxzA_lU_S3z7erGrlIhr_UqQ7WDlLzJSQopjN45Fero-ebrK2oE/s1600/IMG_5506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-J7eWGO4dE_9sNrTiZ9zesLf9O20g0bM5Srg3tm4TN_sDVbK9DB_xCf8JLt9ApsCjV6PC4pou1UyQT0o2Cn7oT41CxzA_lU_S3z7erGrlIhr_UqQ7WDlLzJSQopjN45Fero-ebrK2oE/s400/IMG_5506.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoe1-VgHksvukNsezmCumIiBAo-xlGytTjYSsviAycr7Sa_UP_SmrqB0mrClEN0uJ6lEEjjDJpt5Ilr87kDWc8tUOqE1lWuNCaMWU1bZA2D9vpHH4jRECPMIVwjZoMKrNYrWHTym0QmC4/s1600/IMG_5499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoe1-VgHksvukNsezmCumIiBAo-xlGytTjYSsviAycr7Sa_UP_SmrqB0mrClEN0uJ6lEEjjDJpt5Ilr87kDWc8tUOqE1lWuNCaMWU1bZA2D9vpHH4jRECPMIVwjZoMKrNYrWHTym0QmC4/s400/IMG_5499.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Emily and Kayla on Kayla's first day of school. Note the Safety Patrol Badge. She is an important kid!!<br />
<br />
7. I was really sick for about a week. Glad that's over!<br />
<br />
8. Finally something that makes me really happy. Rob Thomas was voted the #5 best songwriter of the decade. And I love him. And know every song. So in tribute to him check out their Youtube channel. It's awesome!!<br />
<br />
http://youtu.be/RJ3JG1pltPo<br />
<br />
Anyway, that's all for now, more to come!! <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-10072901255363948982011-09-05T11:44:00.000-04:002011-09-05T11:44:52.780-04:00Knit for a bitSo 2 weekends ago I decided that I was going to learn how to knit. Like everything else with me, once I've decided to do it, I want to do it right that red hot minute. So I watched a video on <a href="http://www.knittinghelp.com/">www.knittinghelp.com</a> that taught me how to cast on. Talk about easy!! I thought, well holy cow I can do this! So then I watched another video on how to dfo the knit stitch, and well a knitter was born. I started knitting with a yarn that was a 4 and sz. 10 needles. I started and took it out and started and took it out. After about 15 times I started working on a scarf in stockinette stitch. Well it was taking a lifetime. I know that if it takes a long time to do something, especially something I am new at, chances are, I will quit! So I switched to a bulky dark blue, very soft yarn, and a sz. 13 needle.It took me about a week because I made a few major mistakes that took me like an hour each time to figure out what I had done, but the scarf is finished!! So I have already started the next one, for my 4 year old, and she is a slave drive I might add. Then I have a list of people that want one!! I love knitting.<br />
<br />
It is soothing, and wonderful and I feel connected to women throughout time. I feel like I am doing something that a woman on the prairie would have done in the winter out of necessity. Or any other woman through time. I mean yeah I could go buy a scarf for about the same amount of money as the yarn, but the calm it brings me is amazing. LOVE IT. You should try it. You might like it. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-14023990201392057542011-08-20T11:29:00.000-04:002011-08-20T11:29:35.215-04:00My friendsWednesday I had the privilege of spending the day with a good friend of mine. She works with me in my classroom and is very funny! She is also an artist and is quirky and is very creative, not just in her art, but in life in general. She came over with beads and these pieces of wood printed with dolls for the girls to color. The girls have been using the beads since she left and Kayla especially and her friend have made more jewelry than I know what they will do with it! She took me and my girls to lunch and baked us treats! Aside from that, this girl makes me laugh and we can talk for a long time and not run out of stuff to talk about. I look forward to fall days with coffee and maybe the yarn shop and art stuff and cookie making and I'm really glad she came into my life!!<br />
<br />
<br />
I have another friend. She is a dancer. I have known her for going on 4 years now and she makes me smile. Most of the time our moods are the same...which probably isn't good! But I know if I am having a bad day, chances are...so is she!! She can be quiet but she is very funny and fun, and we think along the same lines and sometimes I wonder if we were sisters in a past life. She is super fun to talk to and I love dancing with her at dance class!<br />
<br />
I have another friend. She is sweet and funny and sarcastic. We took dance classes together and we had so much fun on the ride to and from dance. She is having a baby on Tuesday, I am so excited and happy for her. After that, once she gets cleared by the Dr. we can start dancing together again!!! I can't wait. She knows a lot about me, and I hope I make her laugh as much as she makes me laugh!<br />
<br />
Anyway, I just wanted to share with you about my friends, because they make me smile and laugh and I am so grateful that I have met people that make me smile so much!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-49642165674355668352011-08-16T15:41:00.002-04:002011-08-16T15:41:53.911-04:00my websiteDear self:<br />
Since you can't keep feeling this way and not letting it out I have created a website for you to let it out and feel better.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lettersformysister.weebly.com/index.html">http://lettersformysister.weebly.com/index.html</a><br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-67200939616979436012011-08-12T16:34:00.001-04:002011-08-12T16:35:30.999-04:00Picture PostThis is what we have been up to lately. The light changed yesterday, it has that hard shadowed look of Fall around here and it is my absolute favorite time of year for photography.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRFDxfdx_2BijHMA94bAJsai2CzWZOXM2mEnzObnXt8lw_rydqK0ZRfNLSzKzt2c1Hr6vj8gBI4sycQDdg6GeeqqkoO5Q7mxKx8TjNSUnxTisPiACfpvFIQw0_aKJljJiWSWk_vLXYnU/s1600/IMG_5196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRFDxfdx_2BijHMA94bAJsai2CzWZOXM2mEnzObnXt8lw_rydqK0ZRfNLSzKzt2c1Hr6vj8gBI4sycQDdg6GeeqqkoO5Q7mxKx8TjNSUnxTisPiACfpvFIQw0_aKJljJiWSWk_vLXYnU/s400/IMG_5196.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIHtVwTrnYyPG1Y3_uDxNR04NtmyGl4EXMFpcAuEL1wT7rVSEc0YwBRTykLSdh2Qv7vgCdfNxeQfERDCPIkQG-Ari3AcUGDk0i9kGBgkwZnVqIZmB0miKyl86IEHSxbrqPYlA15WEgwg/s1600/IMG_5195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIHtVwTrnYyPG1Y3_uDxNR04NtmyGl4EXMFpcAuEL1wT7rVSEc0YwBRTykLSdh2Qv7vgCdfNxeQfERDCPIkQG-Ari3AcUGDk0i9kGBgkwZnVqIZmB0miKyl86IEHSxbrqPYlA15WEgwg/s400/IMG_5195.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_oIHRzEv1_ZGLpLMebqh3mLUpPofeHyDlYH39NJXIE1l5JUN-TLWYTlmnhgok9S2o19hnqoD1RsHYp9d80xuGP_TXz5Iw8KRR_N7Ib_X2JM6CJ4thmmTuJbyyA4i5SYYhqfWvtzrDZM/s1600/IMG_5194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_oIHRzEv1_ZGLpLMebqh3mLUpPofeHyDlYH39NJXIE1l5JUN-TLWYTlmnhgok9S2o19hnqoD1RsHYp9d80xuGP_TXz5Iw8KRR_N7Ib_X2JM6CJ4thmmTuJbyyA4i5SYYhqfWvtzrDZM/s400/IMG_5194.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMOvygifKTP4MzFsoBij2g52U7JRQDUNMbcuUKY8ZEzHBOFA4NZae6uBd-CvXPnZANyhAokEt4Qyjzlf0XaY192fIoSZvfMEkYNAfUPxUwLyM1LY1aiIs8N-FCRKiDhLCrH9BKWktVo8/s1600/IMG_5192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXMOvygifKTP4MzFsoBij2g52U7JRQDUNMbcuUKY8ZEzHBOFA4NZae6uBd-CvXPnZANyhAokEt4Qyjzlf0XaY192fIoSZvfMEkYNAfUPxUwLyM1LY1aiIs8N-FCRKiDhLCrH9BKWktVo8/s400/IMG_5192.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCG05isO41MRI-Al1Vap3xwxkSKZz20l317HmU1OVVe3ttikwG9FTLw4SnLp4Hy9nYA1uGFmyOe3u0loL1P9f9kEP3VfIr3AYu-vrID9sbfGN1m4mjqpug9BjfbJwPkEj4DeqhrU3aIL8/s1600/IMG_5187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCG05isO41MRI-Al1Vap3xwxkSKZz20l317HmU1OVVe3ttikwG9FTLw4SnLp4Hy9nYA1uGFmyOe3u0loL1P9f9kEP3VfIr3AYu-vrID9sbfGN1m4mjqpug9BjfbJwPkEj4DeqhrU3aIL8/s400/IMG_5187.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8ijtu2QciOeIObHkcY563rsb8Z517Bl80P8mDnigcdSQqH51a2Iv7G4wJ6TualJwCIViey42_Z5I2ts56YuEYCiQiSxFJIFDp70AHyXjm2rqkHoFzimsRi6OVycvtLQwcwiBtSQ0znA/s1600/IMG_5185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8ijtu2QciOeIObHkcY563rsb8Z517Bl80P8mDnigcdSQqH51a2Iv7G4wJ6TualJwCIViey42_Z5I2ts56YuEYCiQiSxFJIFDp70AHyXjm2rqkHoFzimsRi6OVycvtLQwcwiBtSQ0znA/s400/IMG_5185.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKLgKqAoqW4qVt1RsWhIxhlhPQlkOxET0VU469wptKpiJtT0Y5VvcPFSMBCZj5yhqD9O3Xu5WdgQAlzNhgydwOnHih_4oAmOlut4aA-IkX1VUSW-P2slhQQO92LGGYZglgm_wq5yIPw0/s1600/IMG_5183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNKLgKqAoqW4qVt1RsWhIxhlhPQlkOxET0VU469wptKpiJtT0Y5VvcPFSMBCZj5yhqD9O3Xu5WdgQAlzNhgydwOnHih_4oAmOlut4aA-IkX1VUSW-P2slhQQO92LGGYZglgm_wq5yIPw0/s400/IMG_5183.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Museum of Play in Rochester Butterfly Garden with my Awesome Parents!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeKZ180cfWf2iN4B_HQvKN9MavMaqQbKsDs0opTCFjV-UxQK89PqBJiBrHL5joORGoaNQ36C3qnuELIhGzO9FziUkM6pyu-rE4QG3FuIRiLI8ehIJ7BnQgqzEvBJ7bu-7U7DYCPBne44/s1600/IMG_5225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeKZ180cfWf2iN4B_HQvKN9MavMaqQbKsDs0opTCFjV-UxQK89PqBJiBrHL5joORGoaNQ36C3qnuELIhGzO9FziUkM6pyu-rE4QG3FuIRiLI8ehIJ7BnQgqzEvBJ7bu-7U7DYCPBne44/s400/IMG_5225.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJV5twEIgjVMAjBj6DTr3wq9CoZEFT1DE2MpA7EsgK_SgyUXDDrvah1fTmgsJJuxhV-rfyvZVpocagxYKjiQ7GCvXn6Yum02w1Vfz6FQkPcSuFlUKoCTmqmaOi-Z0OSeWMrK9P6shqE7c/s1600/IMG_5204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJV5twEIgjVMAjBj6DTr3wq9CoZEFT1DE2MpA7EsgK_SgyUXDDrvah1fTmgsJJuxhV-rfyvZVpocagxYKjiQ7GCvXn6Yum02w1Vfz6FQkPcSuFlUKoCTmqmaOi-Z0OSeWMrK9P6shqE7c/s400/IMG_5204.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXNAjGdeh8BGz0GErR2bS53kScXj05R6mIoXRls-G03HggOG_1iW7YB3oO8aT3ZK19IOkDRUS3yhBhToXeXJQ8Es2GNEDg8pzAwTb87X8aUifNzo_7BsjMdNBmCQfAnIDqyykeW5flyE/s1600/IMG_5201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXNAjGdeh8BGz0GErR2bS53kScXj05R6mIoXRls-G03HggOG_1iW7YB3oO8aT3ZK19IOkDRUS3yhBhToXeXJQ8Es2GNEDg8pzAwTb87X8aUifNzo_7BsjMdNBmCQfAnIDqyykeW5flyE/s400/IMG_5201.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5GAL9AoLsCm8Ppls6kXHKSPyHgd5bMzvOSk5kZNMFn5pByiY3jdXnbmYLW5igiRF4g3WEADL0klEjqrjhPtsc4hP0GHhdl5IvZkDKJgXyz_a_kZNKh3nh-z1xDGkB6de3HYGl2s7l6A/s1600/IMG_5212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5GAL9AoLsCm8Ppls6kXHKSPyHgd5bMzvOSk5kZNMFn5pByiY3jdXnbmYLW5igiRF4g3WEADL0klEjqrjhPtsc4hP0GHhdl5IvZkDKJgXyz_a_kZNKh3nh-z1xDGkB6de3HYGl2s7l6A/s400/IMG_5212.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJYa2_jjsJkULubfVd_ySaXn52l9oQNRd0rXpECKpznHM14_swAQtJfs0_zTkPCv3rNctTCUjAqQArHpYtrbGkTOKy9tg8Dr60yZss_z_Enq5WdZa6X4J64TSMjm1ErXVi23DIW7uNkI/s1600/IMG_5268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJYa2_jjsJkULubfVd_ySaXn52l9oQNRd0rXpECKpznHM14_swAQtJfs0_zTkPCv3rNctTCUjAqQArHpYtrbGkTOKy9tg8Dr60yZss_z_Enq5WdZa6X4J64TSMjm1ErXVi23DIW7uNkI/s400/IMG_5268.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIFuctUTLWWWtRTr8JoNdckw1pNDr1Oqus9maRtgwelPBqnnHja9HQQdrJdEIXDPArpOVXvOI-4Nhp1dOHin4lg1OVQlfKOb3TwngJnum2LD0FCw7eVIruVY6XCNZ5GaaQby100-Ssao/s1600/IMG_5285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIFuctUTLWWWtRTr8JoNdckw1pNDr1Oqus9maRtgwelPBqnnHja9HQQdrJdEIXDPArpOVXvOI-4Nhp1dOHin4lg1OVQlfKOb3TwngJnum2LD0FCw7eVIruVY6XCNZ5GaaQby100-Ssao/s400/IMG_5285.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Boating with my Aunt and Cousin on Keuka Lake<br />
And finally: visual proof the light is changing and plus also that no matter how cute girls are dressed, mud will still be fun!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5xwwfYCgWZ3Xp0m2hiAf7iV9noMBkE1v39vh0HF9j5pkFDgM5hJVA3RPK6PZh0_jEE1xOMAXUt7Yn3WvXNyLLclmpBiKelV7zMLRFzTsy7Ctfgpn18ayVmsjQgjENOX2On2Rym-flOM/s1600/IMG_5290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5xwwfYCgWZ3Xp0m2hiAf7iV9noMBkE1v39vh0HF9j5pkFDgM5hJVA3RPK6PZh0_jEE1xOMAXUt7Yn3WvXNyLLclmpBiKelV7zMLRFzTsy7Ctfgpn18ayVmsjQgjENOX2On2Rym-flOM/s400/IMG_5290.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrlkLuocK_HneaTburPN9pgIl2mF3BNIQltjschj8nyD8Wh-kVIm3VHc_pb-3DA-qK7tPmEyi8Q4hccPLiCvTbKf8KdGnvm22rTst1bGUc-_wXrjxD_GaupBYe1G5oYlhKWvv4sOmscI/s1600/IMG_5309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTrlkLuocK_HneaTburPN9pgIl2mF3BNIQltjschj8nyD8Wh-kVIm3VHc_pb-3DA-qK7tPmEyi8Q4hccPLiCvTbKf8KdGnvm22rTst1bGUc-_wXrjxD_GaupBYe1G5oYlhKWvv4sOmscI/s400/IMG_5309.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5AOLF0XxLDoOe5vPIrtQGUjv4iSJVs3Mz_10q9wBYx46ZeSD8xB3nH3YVyVKkBUn61Z-OX9i1CEYpyFqIlfYTCcaoXtjogU_a1Z-thcMtUe17NrUlvqJ66h1UEj-1qi3m758PYAmfBM/s1600/IMG_5307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5AOLF0XxLDoOe5vPIrtQGUjv4iSJVs3Mz_10q9wBYx46ZeSD8xB3nH3YVyVKkBUn61Z-OX9i1CEYpyFqIlfYTCcaoXtjogU_a1Z-thcMtUe17NrUlvqJ66h1UEj-1qi3m758PYAmfBM/s400/IMG_5307.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9NoY7RZt1QRNZDeqWrmzpfk026JBARx9xHhJqigT5ITEY92BktNO3kN4tKymOx8L0nE6qDan_2ro894xg1OtauuH6W1stDNAnXE12qUfjDyTN75F9GvR1M8BCrYO7Xv3UyFxDh3Nfd4/s1600/IMG_5302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9NoY7RZt1QRNZDeqWrmzpfk026JBARx9xHhJqigT5ITEY92BktNO3kN4tKymOx8L0nE6qDan_2ro894xg1OtauuH6W1stDNAnXE12qUfjDyTN75F9GvR1M8BCrYO7Xv3UyFxDh3Nfd4/s400/IMG_5302.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSP-nO57-Q9I260O8yQfU_zDJV8HhyphenhyphenoyTGvBZUvDSE6g-s9hNEhfuQFQGNLxB7v1bOUmJiGv__Jx16ujaOd2Dpk4E6yxtjw8ToSnXYe8RRO0T2H3UlIpHYIBRKpxsTlzNntP_ZUVo8Nc/s1600/IMG_5299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvSP-nO57-Q9I260O8yQfU_zDJV8HhyphenhyphenoyTGvBZUvDSE6g-s9hNEhfuQFQGNLxB7v1bOUmJiGv__Jx16ujaOd2Dpk4E6yxtjw8ToSnXYe8RRO0T2H3UlIpHYIBRKpxsTlzNntP_ZUVo8Nc/s400/IMG_5299.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>Anyway, I am going away to my <a href="http://skurin.blogspot.com/">sis's</a> for the weekend, to help her at her craft show and to hang. I'm hoping to have some great new pics to post when I get back. Have an awesome weekend.<br />
Love<br />
Kira<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-22031356052281128192011-08-10T17:53:00.000-04:002011-08-10T17:53:15.008-04:00My vintage/retro loveI have been thinking more and more about getting what I wear up to date with what I want to wear. I love vintage looks. I really do. But whenever I get the thought in my head about them, I always wonder what I would do with my hair. I normally wear my hair in a boring ponytail or down with a head band. However, today while whiling my time on Pinterest....ooh that naughty site taking all my attention away from "real" life, I found a tutorial. And I plan on trying it. Because, I could do this with my hair and wear with my vintage dresses I love so much and then from there try new things!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hPUyjJ7yPNo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>I found this on pinterest and followed the link to a great blog about vintage fashion and sewing and the like. I'm SO glad I was browsing today!!<br />
The blog is called <a href="http://blog.caseybrowndesigns.com/">Elegant Musings</a> and she has a great Youtube channel with awesome videos and stuff. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-6026560088086333712011-08-08T14:03:00.000-04:002011-08-08T14:03:05.987-04:00angry spells and mean streaksOk today is Monday. I have to make a confession. I have a mean and nasty streak. Every once in a while I turn in to the worst person to be around. I get mean I get nasty, nothing I say is nice, and a perfectly innocent statement from somebody else can be responded to with devil ray stare. Then mean words. The words just bubble up and before I can stop them, out they come.<br />
The thing is, these moods come out of the blue. There is no warning, and really no reason for them. I'm not even just saying there is no reason for them, there really is NO reason for them! But this weekend, I was in one of those awful moods where no one could say or do anything right and if given provocation, I could have turned violent. So I'm sorry husband, for being miserable to be around. I'm sorry dog for looking at you meanly, and I'm sorry children, for not being who I ought to be! I love you all.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-62894339121802596582011-08-06T17:10:00.000-04:002011-08-06T17:10:57.360-04:00My Love AffairI admit it. I am having an affair. I love it and it loves me back and I don't care who knows it. It's...the Salvation Army. Today I found the most perfect fitting black pants I have ever owned. New, for $3.99. I then found the most perfect Jetson-esque chair to use while using my laptop at my desk (read...table). The chair was $2.99. I got a long sleeved Champion workout under armore-esque pink shirt, and a satiny shirt. That was today.<br />
The other day I got a large purse that clasps like a coin purse, for $.99. Plus 3 undershirts and a Long, black wool coat.<br />
The thing of it is this. I am at a point in my life, where I am sick of not wearing what I like. I hate the clothes in stores right now, they have zero personality, they are no fun, and I would look like everyone else. The thing is, I am not like everyone else. I have never been like everyone else. At the salvo or any other thrift store, I can scour racks for clothes that speak to me. That make me laugh, make me smile, giggle, and downright shake my head. I need new clothes. I have been existing in rib tanks all summer and frankly, I can't wait till summer is over so I can stop wearing them. That being said, I will need clothes to put on in their place and this time, I am not going to go the "it fits me so I am getting one in every color route" I've done it before and I am not doing this time! I am having fun with getting my new wardobe and I can guarantee no one....will look like me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-86156653269611345592011-08-02T10:58:00.000-04:002011-08-02T10:58:22.918-04:00KivaI read about Kiva loans a while back and forgot all about them. They are small loans you can make to people in countries such as Uganda, or the Phillippines and many other places who are trying to improve their lives. The loan you make, provided their business does well, will get paid back to you. It's a great program, because instead of just giving them food, or clothes, it is helping people to become able to take care of themselves. You know the whole give a man a fish, teach a man to fish thing? Well anyway, they are offering the opportunity to give a free $25 loan as part of a free trial. Now, you won't get the money paid back to you, because of course, you didn't pay it, but you will get updates from the person you gave the loan to. Try it...it's a great way to help people that will continue to give back to them long term.<br />
<a href="http://kiva.org/invitedby/kira6704">http://kiva.org/invitedby/kira6704</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-14188869009628429552011-07-25T19:30:00.000-04:002011-07-25T19:30:35.149-04:00Oak Island NCI just returned from a week at the beach in Oak Island, NC. This was our fourth year vacationing there with my husbands family. The area is GORGEOUS. In years past it's been sad to leave there and leave the ocean behind. For some reason this year I seem to be having a really hard time accepting the fact that I am not there anymore. I keep concocting schemes in my head that would allow me to stay there forever. I can't stop myself from listening for the ocean.<br />
My favorite part of vacationing at the beach, is waking up in the morning, stumbling for the coffee pot, pouring myself a cup of coffee and grabbing a book. I open the door, head to the closest chair, and sit back with a sigh of relief and start drinking my coffee. As I wake up, I crack open whatever book I happen to be reading, and read a few pages, sip my coffee and stare out to sea.<br />
The return home is a jarring return to reality. I don't get broken in, there is no gradual entrance back into real life, the sounds of the highway nearby, the trains on the bridge, the sound of cars and the people that live around here screaming at their kids and rock music. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRUBsDnY8ibiA6YDoFJXVwiCeOooUy86pOaoSsoqU0-aHkoc7mBLZagjsdFqA79MKuKTBRlnQmiJTyzavXAYEWlh491BceKpp07ZXfkbsASOGCs73ib6RXbdGUIPo9oSIXPIVuou074E/s1600/_MG_4250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRUBsDnY8ibiA6YDoFJXVwiCeOooUy86pOaoSsoqU0-aHkoc7mBLZagjsdFqA79MKuKTBRlnQmiJTyzavXAYEWlh491BceKpp07ZXfkbsASOGCs73ib6RXbdGUIPo9oSIXPIVuou074E/s400/_MG_4250.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkxWns0YkHgQFJqWXAAwmseoGa9cN3iqRMtsIIzVmQR1pFxkpRxzDJy7AbUu2HHpU28PrTx5QgFz4z6RLSuGoN4NHbTQP4QUbXln8TPBw-xDfuM3CrEY39BrzAjhkhsS3D4jUFeY4PSY/s1600/IMG_4000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkxWns0YkHgQFJqWXAAwmseoGa9cN3iqRMtsIIzVmQR1pFxkpRxzDJy7AbUu2HHpU28PrTx5QgFz4z6RLSuGoN4NHbTQP4QUbXln8TPBw-xDfuM3CrEY39BrzAjhkhsS3D4jUFeY4PSY/s400/IMG_4000.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> The view from the house my mother and father in law rent every year. Who could resist this view??<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gmfN1yDH4r_aJrscJvGd8V_hz8x6eb1DRY6jN6GzKxmOy1Lb6h1VEm3PU0-fMzJxpogigQNag8w4vMQVrwyM3eYP18oOZ1lN_BZSv-wHtsSAYqYrSnuGB-tsQ_jyRzg4W8EBdtc_M5k/s1600/IMG_4011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gmfN1yDH4r_aJrscJvGd8V_hz8x6eb1DRY6jN6GzKxmOy1Lb6h1VEm3PU0-fMzJxpogigQNag8w4vMQVrwyM3eYP18oOZ1lN_BZSv-wHtsSAYqYrSnuGB-tsQ_jyRzg4W8EBdtc_M5k/s400/IMG_4011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHYwcO5_y75P5jVWoTfuq2-NObAst4nPzpArIHPDXsNdz5YSVC1tDVYtwNSPFYngwCibv5-iQ1yd3AVg8CsO_m8qisaNiBRAl1eia-B9Hgx5u7fa7jw3Z55s9z6erXDhH_VaIdRHGzss/s1600/IMG_4571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHYwcO5_y75P5jVWoTfuq2-NObAst4nPzpArIHPDXsNdz5YSVC1tDVYtwNSPFYngwCibv5-iQ1yd3AVg8CsO_m8qisaNiBRAl1eia-B9Hgx5u7fa7jw3Z55s9z6erXDhH_VaIdRHGzss/s400/IMG_4571.JPG" width="266" /> </a></div>I love upstate NY. I really truly do. The lakes, the seasons, hills, the forests, Fall, and so so much more. But I think it will take a few more days of mourning the loss of the beach and that island way of life, before I can once again appreciate where I live now.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-33275803573217570182011-07-05T16:46:00.000-04:002011-07-05T16:46:41.719-04:00It's TuesdayI"m not entirely sure why my title is "It's Tuesday" other than, well...it is! I have not written a blog in a while. I've been kind of down in the dumps actually to be honest. No reason really, I just have periods of time when this happens. As people point out, I have an entire summer off. From May 21 till August 22. Awesome right? You would think so. Sometimes I'm deliriously happy about it, like the other day. Somedays I just don't know what I want. The days drag by, in a haze. I'm mad because my car is having problems, I'm mad because I don't get paid during the summer, I'm grumpy because there are 9 billion things I think sound awesome but I don't know where to start. Then it gets all piled up in a big pile of grump. So I am in the process of draggin my self out from under the pile of grump.<br />
<br />
Today at a place called the Benjamin Patterson Inn, I was given a brief intro to the world of Hand spinning fibers. IT WAS AWESOME!! You can easily make a hand spinner and I think I just might. We left there, we being me and my girls and headed to the library to return our reading slips for the summer reading club. I found a great book called <u>Learning Hand Spinning Visually</u>, or something like that and it has really nice pictures and stuff. So I'm cautiously optimistic that I have found something I will enjoy. Or at least hold my curiosity for a little while. I am also devoting some time over summer to learning the local history and getting more involved with the historical society that we became members of.<br />
<a href="http://www.joyofhandspinning.com/make-dropspin.shtml"><img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,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" /> Hand Made Drop Spindle</a><br />
Last night the 4th of July fireworks the city put on were beautiful. It was the most clear night we have had in years I think and the fireworks were gorgeous. I was really happy to go to those and just be amazed. There was a group of people sitting behind us. About halfway in to the fireworks I was both shocked and amazed to hear one of the guys say something along the lines off..."this seems like the perfect spot for something to start playing Tchaikovsky". My previous opinion of them kind of got eroded a little. This was the same guy who when a firework burst down by the guys setting them off said, "it would have been cooler if they had hit someone". I guess what it really boils down to is that sometimes people say things relative to who they are with. The getting hurt comment was to show off. The Tchaikovsky comment I believe came from a special place deep down that was more for himself than for his friends. I like that.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371438317932338809.post-88640366560517248632011-06-22T09:14:00.002-04:002011-06-22T12:49:25.387-04:00Shedding a few tears for 4th gradeIf someone had told me at the beginning of this year that I would be sad when Fourth grade was over for my daughter, I would have laughed out loud at them. At the beginning of the year her homework was taking on average 2 hours a night. Add to that trumpet practice, and dance class, and she didn't have much free time. I wasn't to sure about her teacher at the beginning of the year either. I really wasn't, mainly because she was coming from a teacher that was so laid back and fun that I wasn't sure what the contrast would be like for my daughter. <br />
<br />
<br />
If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have been worried about her. I would have been excited for her. Her teacher has helped her immensely to prepare for her middle school and high school and well I would have to say her life years. She has worked really hard with her to make her writing fill out more. At the beginning of the year it was hard to get her to write more than was absolutely necessary. Looking at her writing work from later in the year, it is evident how much work was put in by her teacher to teach her the writing skills she would need going forward. I've written already about the Rev War program. It has taught her a multitude of things beginning with, be proud of where this country came from. It has taught her that soldiers then and now sacrifice their lives for a cause that at times may be hard to understand. It has given an already confident child the swagger she needs to be willing to try new things, and to go for what she wants. She is a little more quiet now(not that I am saying that is a good thing) but she is quiet in an important way. It's more a quiet because she is listening to what is going on in her head and heart. She thinks more about things, and wants to be saturated in knowledge. 4th grade has instilled a work ethic in her to get the job done. Not to put it off until the last minute, but to do an assignment when it's assigned, even if the due date is 4 weeks down the road. It has ingrained in her the things I have tried to teach her such as finding the answers to questions and not to stop learning about something just because the unit, class, movie, etc. is all over. <br />
<br />
Going in to her 4th grade awards assembly, I am feeling a sense of nostalgia. She seems much older these last few months. Quieter, more reflective, and she is beginning to lose that child like look. There is a sense of something lost for me today, and I know that feeling won't last. The conversations we can have now are fabulous, and there are things we can do together now that we couldn't do last year. I am looking forward to watching her grow over the summer and go back to school a confident, strong girl with ideas and joy and possibilities. But for today, maybe even just for these few quiet minutes before a 4 year old bounds down the stairs, a few tears are falling.<br />
<br />
This is a video I made for the teachers that taught the Rev War program<br />
<br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/UHypfrNaV94">Rev War Montage</a> <br />
I hope you enjoy it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06427210067906396177noreply@blogger.com1