uniquely myself.

ahhh, such a pretty apron!



but she absolutely won't wear it with clothes.  Wish I were so brave!  Well, not to wear an apron in only my underwears. . .but to go against what society says is "normal" or "acceptable".

Like instead of having beautiful long, straight hair maybe wearing my hair short and curly.  Or instead of wearing itsy bitsy shorts this summer wearing a skirt or bermuda shorts--with tennis shoes if I want;-)

I understand that there's a right and a wrong and a time and a place. . .for instance, I probably wouldn't wear my skirt and tennies to a wedding or a funeral or a really nice restaurant but why can't I wear them shopping and not be afraid of what people will whisper as they pass or the looks I will get.

Do you know that on Saturday our son wouldn't wear a bandaid on a cut on his knee even though his kung fu pants rubbed against it and caused pain because he was afraid that if he had a hard time with the stances or kicks the instructors would ask why? and he would have to say he fell.  then they would say are you wearing a bandaid?  and he would have to say yes.  then they would say what kind?  and he would have to answer Dora.  and they would all laugh at him.

I don't want to be afraid of a Dora bandaid!!!!!!!  I want to be like that horribly off key singer who is forced to go on stage at a karoke bar and starts off awful and everyone is groaning and then that same singer embraces her awfulness and throws her heart into the song and everyone ends up singing with her and cheering for her at the end.  (know which movie I mean, anyone?)

so, here's to being uniquely me this summer.  Not some whacko, crazy lady!  But hopefully an individual who can be free to enjoy the moment where ever we are, whatever we are doing.  And hopefully a summer full of memories for my kids.

 

**just found this post. . .for some reason blogger wouldn't let me post it this summer--grrrr!  Must say, I'm still wanting to be this person who is not afraid to go against the stream and be just me;-)



hmmm. . .girl's best friend or invited to a tea party. . .

girl's best friend. . . .

or invited to a tea party. . .

 

. . .think I'll stick with being the photographer today!



Everything At Once

This song says it perfectly!  Thank you, Lenka, for putting into song what is in my heart!!!  Thank you, Angeline, for giving amazing visuals to this song;-)

. . .a photographer. . .

This is of course, a wild and highly unlikely dream because I don't like staged pictures. I like natural, normal, fun, unique pictures. So, my little point and shoot camera comes with us a lot and we have fun taking pictures. Love the camera on my phone too. . .it is why this post is being written. The other night Eddy and I were lying on the bed chatting before bedtime and Heidi came and laid down right next to us. The moment was so, so cute that I grabbed my phone to snap a picture. . .and thus began what must be the WoRsT photo shoot ever! I'll show you the evidence. . .

I told you!  None of these pictures will ever show up in a frame on our walls, but we had so much fun and laughed so hard my face hurt! 

These final two pictures are my absolute favorites.  Heidi and Eddy are the best of friends.  I just love these two little arms hugging each other so tightly!  Also love the fact that our kitty stayed right there on the bed the whole crazy time.  She was my baby way before marriage and kids came along and she used to hide when any visitors came over, but through the loving patience of all the kids, Sarah and Bobbiann included, she has come to the point where she can snooze away no matter what's going on around her.

. . .caught up!

on blogging, that is!  Just check in here once in a while, haven't touched the family blog or reading blog in months. . . maybe going on a year now.  It all seems overwhelming sometimes.  Yet, there is plenty of time to "check things out".  Code for "waste time".  Ha, ha, ha.

So with my Panera time today, I am going to type fast and get caught up.  I want to wait and do everything just right and when that can't happen end up doing nothing instead.  Did you know that is a fault of a perfectionist?  So if you know someone who is seems to be a disorganized mess, they may just be a frustrated perfectionist--waiting for that perfect time to get the job done perfectly.  Because it is better to do nothing than to do something part way or with a lick & a promise.  I know, sounds crazy, but it's true!

summer 2001

 Family blog started with this group:  John, Bobbiann, Sarah, and me. . .10 years ago now--wow!


lamb cupcakes

We added 2 more along the way and just celebrated the littlest's 2nd birthday on Saturday!


Add caption

and I started the reading blog when Eddy and I started devouring books together when he was about 2. 

Time to get on the ball and stay caught up with these things.  Bobbiann is now 20 and living hours away--we hardly ever see her.  Sarah just turned 18 and is loving all the independence and freedom that magic number brings.  These next few years are going to fly by just as fast and I want to remember them.  I am determined to find a way to make this work even without internet at home.  You know the saying. . .where there's a will, there's a way. . .

What are you working on this year?

. . .merry and bright. . .



Heidi 2011

 Well, Merry Christmas and most likely a Happy New Year too!  I hope that with all the busy-ness of the season we all have managed to keep our focus on the true reason for the Christian's Christmas.  I say Christian's Christmas because last night my mom was telling us that she had heard the history behind the celebration of "Christmas" which started as a celebration of winter solstice.  There were other facts about the Germans and their "yule" time celebration, and the Stonehenge creations  and how their seats are in the shadows every winter solstice, and many others that my tired, sleep deprived mind couldn't hold on to during our drive to look at Christmas lights.  But the fact that the "church" incorporated the celebration of Christ's birth into the traditions of the day in order to keep the people in the church and happy came through clearly.

Eddy 2011

In thinking about it all though, it doesn't really matter to me.  Of course we don't know the exact day--our modern day calendar didn't even exist at the birth of Christ and our calendar is different from the Jewish calendar.  What is important is that we do have a time to celebrate the birth of Christ and a time to teach our children about this miraculous event that God in His lovingkindness allowed to happen so that we who live today could be saved by faith through the blood of Jesus Christ.  And that we can use this time to look forward to the day when we will be in Heaven with our Lord.  And to remember that the things of this earth are only temporary and that we have so much more to look forward to in Heaven.  

Sarah 2011

I'm so looking forward to celebrating Christmas with our family and I'm even glad that Christmas is on a Sunday this year.  Maybe my thoughts will turn a little more toward things that matter for eternity and a little less toward the presents under the tree. . . .not sure if the almost 2 year old will have any such thoughts though. . .ha, ha, ha!

**typing at Les Schwab today while they align our car, in case you're wondering;-)

a scrapper!!!!!

**no pic 'cause blogger is messin' me up today. . .

You'll never believe what I finished today. . .Eddy's baby book and calendar. . .and he's only 8 1/2. . .whoo-hooo!!!!!!  We had a Ladies' Craft Day at church and I packed up the kitchen and moved in and took over a corner of the room and buckled down and got it done!  Of course my main purpose was to get Heidi's baby book started--she's 21 months old--and that happened too.  Poor girl.  She never even had an official picture taken until she was 10 months old and practically all of her pics were on my computer which had a melt down and everything was lost--yes, I cried!  I am so, so, so thankful for blogs and facebook which have an assortment of pictures that I can retrieve when the time comes to print them for her baby books and calendar.  My only problem is that I can't remember the first smile, or giggle, or tooth, or food but we will add in our own blurbs because she is a firecracker and something is always going on with her--except when she is sleeping which is right now.

Yes, we are sitting outside Starbucks again and I am hurridly typing with a mostly broken left middle finger--have you ever thought about how much you use that one finger?  Way much more than is comfortable but it's too slow to type one handed and I wanted to pop in here even for just a minute. . .or twelve;-)

Have you been to the pumpkin patch yet?  We haven't. . .maybe tomorrow. . .