tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9057419931431729852024-03-05T15:25:07.870-05:00Make Time For LoveShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.comBlogger389125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-91853604849020947182013-04-10T13:15:00.001-04:002013-04-10T13:28:09.097-04:00Manifest<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Every
so often, I make a biting comment about my mother within earshot of the girls. When
the words are escaping my mouth, I think nothing of them. They are my thoughts,
my complaints, my perspective, my truth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
girls see it quite differently though. They love my mom, and their entire
extended family fiercely, but from a distance. As children should be, they are
only exposed to the best of the best and shielding from the unsavory moments. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These are the moments that make Matt and I parent the way we do, with our
sometimes excessive amounts of hugs and I Love You’s. If there is such a thing.
We talk about hopes and frustrations openly. We encourage discord and yelling if
for no other reason than to make sure the feelings are liquid and flowing
instead of ice slowing turning into immovable burgs. We talk about bodies and femininity
as is appropriate with the pre-school set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And we talk about how we can talk about anything.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">One
story that I will certainly tell the girls, when the time comes, is about how
many of those things were broken in my childhood. It’s the kind of story that
comes up fairly regularly with girlfriends because every so often, anyone can
get caught completely off guard by an early cycle. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
was 12 years old when I got my period. It is bit unbelievable (from the raised
eyebrows I get from friends), but I didn’t know much about menstruation despite
it being 1990. I was the first of my very small group of friends, and must have been one of the
first in my grade to get it. It was terrible. I didn’t know what to do, and was
afraid to talk to my mom.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
and I didn’t talk about anything. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I take
that back, she constantly talked, and I might have been listening, but it wasn’t
substantial conversation. Right now, sitting here typing, I can only recall one
substantial conversation with her in my entire life. And it was in the last
year. She didn’t prepare me. She didn’t warn me. She didn’t even notice
anything was wrong with me. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
so I kept my secret, slyly taking maxi pads from under the counter and
searching the dryer for forgotten dimes. For six months, I kept my secret,
only to be undone by an Aunt who noticed a change in my skin. It was a crass
moment, filled with soul crushing shame on my part and screeched words and
laughter on hers. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
still remember how I shook, so afraid of my mother’s reaction to the news that
her daughter wasn’t a physiological little girl any more. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
remember how her face blanched at the realization, presumably, of her failure. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
was still no conversation. Just the arrival of my own supply of maxi pads on my
bed the next day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And
so, Matt and I talk to our girls. About everything. I don’t cover my body in
front of them. I don’t like shut doors. We ask about days and friends and loves
in the hope that nothing will be big enough to be kept secret.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV-4ANs1xoQOVHjiTG6poGlYpiXWHN0EuuDdet07NZI6YlfeE6vH32u0h9cooYH5w2dMEKOqFg-RfRiakDfYdgtogY2hZO6013fZfTex9cSo1DsHvZmwvQhFL3Slv0h9XakJ3QtIMV_kQ/s1600/Afterwards-by-Rosamund-Lupton-194x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV-4ANs1xoQOVHjiTG6poGlYpiXWHN0EuuDdet07NZI6YlfeE6vH32u0h9cooYH5w2dMEKOqFg-RfRiakDfYdgtogY2hZO6013fZfTex9cSo1DsHvZmwvQhFL3Slv0h9XakJ3QtIMV_kQ/s200/Afterwards-by-Rosamund-Lupton-194x300.jpg" width="128" /></a><i><span style="color: black;">This post was inspired by the novel</span></i><i><span style="color: black;"> </span></i><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://amzn.to/Y9TvWW" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Afterwards</span></a></span><i><span style="color: black;"> </span></i><i><span style="color: black;">by Rosamund Lupton. After witnessing her
children's school set ablaze, Grace attempts to find the arsonist as her teenage
daughter lies in a coma in Lupton's suspense thriller. Join</span></i><i><span style="color: black;"> </span></i><i><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">From Left
to Write</span></a></span></i><i><span style="color: black;"> </span></i><i><span style="color: black;">on
April 11 as we discuss Afterwards. As a member, I received a copy of the book
for review purposes.</span></i></span></span></div>
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Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-64999109025096999792013-02-13T14:22:00.000-05:002013-04-10T14:04:22.373-04:00My Saturday NightI've made a new friend. Which, ya know, is kind of a big thing for me.
This woman has seamlessly incorporated me, my whole family, into her life.
<br />
<br />
Even more, she's extended party invitations.
"You should come!" she insisted, "Its a Girl's Night Out. You'll love it!" And has
hence incorporated me into her friends lives.
<br />
<br />
Which is surreal.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvC1DZmfEfObWhI_Zt6h09XXyXFqUdHQxSuXPAViDsJ9TqF2gIHzqDJdpcUDOV_G7GhWvXWLnKWQeAXDGCq3RXMyqXYIw-LDzbj9vy2EMpbhZXiLOzHe4-J0aagR1YeEJCumTWFIxtQSex/s1600/girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvC1DZmfEfObWhI_Zt6h09XXyXFqUdHQxSuXPAViDsJ9TqF2gIHzqDJdpcUDOV_G7GhWvXWLnKWQeAXDGCq3RXMyqXYIw-LDzbj9vy2EMpbhZXiLOzHe4-J0aagR1YeEJCumTWFIxtQSex/s320/girls.jpg" width="240" /></a>It takes a lot for me to
talk to people. I need a plan, mental index cards with conversation topics, most
of which usually revolve kids and the weather. I know, it's bad. Which is why I
avoid social situations. But I walked into our friendship blind, and it has
flourished; so I walked into her circle of friends blind too.
<br />
<br />
While it is to early to declare myself a
success with the circle, I can say that night one was good. I was quiet, but I
was myself. I made an ass of myself, and it was embraced, heralded even.
<br />
<br />
"You are one of us now!" they exclaimed in
triumph, smoothing over actions that would have crushed me in any other group.<br />
<br />
And so, in a group of strangers that I have little in common with in the day to
day, I now possess what seems like a teflon bond of foolishness.
<br />
<br />
<br />
********************************<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHwJHKyHkv5EyMTXHiGiFn0OOcWr5XUrSIhqPOtjVDczlL02u0memOTnIfraWIcA67hxX3J9_BKs5zUM-2QrvgQWB8QwY58YB8XkABW9xl9cidNQUClb8DVgvBvtoJB_JR2Kkkj_Gq1S0/s1600/Saturday-Night-Widows-by-Becky-Aikman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLHwJHKyHkv5EyMTXHiGiFn0OOcWr5XUrSIhqPOtjVDczlL02u0memOTnIfraWIcA67hxX3J9_BKs5zUM-2QrvgQWB8QwY58YB8XkABW9xl9cidNQUClb8DVgvBvtoJB_JR2Kkkj_Gq1S0/s200/Saturday-Night-Widows-by-Becky-Aikman.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<i>This post was
inspired by <a href="http://amzn.to/11T1BWw" target="_blank">Saturday Night
Widows</a> by Becky Aikman. After being kicked out of her widow support group
for being too young, Becky creates her own support group with an unusual twist.
Join <a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank">From Left to
Write</a> on February 14 as we discuss Saturday Night Widows. As a member, I
received a copy of the book for review purposes</i>.</div>
Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-66353678160330839142013-02-11T08:43:00.000-05:002013-02-11T08:43:37.583-05:00In-Network<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88DdBpqvId972z6mhhtiUkR1voW9xs4J0dwzPIVdYIu5aLMcrZHomHxZxrQ7D32BOu4yY4xxj080APoWON91wXqDwgfn4R9JSz5EZrS0svBjD4XmlYQdjakSyYtCRgLv6_fMMHOuqp32W/s1600/teeth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88DdBpqvId972z6mhhtiUkR1voW9xs4J0dwzPIVdYIu5aLMcrZHomHxZxrQ7D32BOu4yY4xxj080APoWON91wXqDwgfn4R9JSz5EZrS0svBjD4XmlYQdjakSyYtCRgLv6_fMMHOuqp32W/s200/teeth.jpg" width="200" /></a>At the Grace's visit to the dentist for her cleaning, her 5 year old status granted a new experience: x-rays. When the images were transferred to the computer screen, I was immediately called over to have a look. <br />
<br />
Somebody is about to loose some baby teeth, the staff exclaimed. We are sure the next time we see you, you'll be missing some teeth Grace!<br />
<br />
On Friday night, Grace had her first visit from the Tooth Fairy. Not for tooth collection, but for formal registration with the <a href="http://noteverstill.blogspot.com/search?q=registration+notice" target="_blank">Tooth Fairy Network</a>. That sly little sprite left this package on Grace's bed overnight for her delight at dawn.<br />
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<br />
<br />
The message read:<br />
Dear Grace ~<br />
I hear you have some loose teeth!<br />
Congratulations and welcome to the Tooth Fairy Network!<br />
To schedule a visit, leave a tooth in this pillow.<br />
~ The Tooth Fairy<br />
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<br />
And for the rest of the day, she whispered her tongue across her teeth testing for wiggles.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-9034947863198421352013-02-08T16:24:00.001-05:002013-02-08T16:27:07.587-05:00Big TimeThis chair has been a center point of my world for the last five and a half years.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-Z-WqmOp8i3BfjN4OfQcZM_OjgtxMlABWnuPemMnYpXShnBEDiuTN-x_5mUbszfjfWbZqeVRTt9TzacKlz7LKtI1XXP3o7uTDWz7XRGohJYV01XPI03woxiM0lNf1E_8tFFCIH-cWXy5/s1600/bed1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-Z-WqmOp8i3BfjN4OfQcZM_OjgtxMlABWnuPemMnYpXShnBEDiuTN-x_5mUbszfjfWbZqeVRTt9TzacKlz7LKtI1XXP3o7uTDWz7XRGohJYV01XPI03woxiM0lNf1E_8tFFCIH-cWXy5/s1600/bed1.JPG" /></a></div>
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<br />
It has stood true, creaking toward the end, but always giving a place to nurse, feed, snuggle, rock, sing, sleep, read, laugh and cry. And today, it has found a new home. It is just across the hall, newly designated as my reading chair, but still, it's presence is missed.<br />
<br />
It's time had ended though. We need room for this.<br />
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<br />
Clare no longer fit in my arms in that chair. She no longer needed my body as a pillow to sleep. She needed the next step. She needed a big girl bed.<br />
<br />
We do need to get her a little stool to help with a boost into that big bed though.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-65367957310383922032013-02-01T08:46:00.000-05:002013-02-11T08:50:37.749-05:00With a Rubber HoseWe were all rushing around like bees in a hive:<br />
4:45p Daycare pickup<br />
5:15p Early dinner for the girls<br />
5:45p Matt's class at the gym<br />
6:15p Grace's gymnastics class<br />
<br />
At 5:40 Clare decided to put herself on the evenings agenda too.<br />
<br />
I was barking orders and clearing dishes and clearly not paying attention.<br />
<br />
She looked at me slyly.<br />
"Mama," she said with a smile, "In my nose."<br />
"What's in your nose sweetie? Buggers? Do you need a tissue??"<br />
"No," she said, "Up my nose. No buggers. A bead!"<br />
<br />
Time froze for a second. She was so proud of herself.<br />
<br />
Upon inspection, there it was. As a distraction, I had pulled out a big bag of beads over President's Day weekend and let the girls and their friend string necklaces. The rubber of the elastic cording in the bag must have been getting old, because the necklaces have been systematically breaking and spraying nostril sized beads all over the floor. I thought I had been doing a good job of cleaning them up. <br />
<br />
I tried trying to wiggle the bead back down her nose with my fingers from the outside. It wasn't budging. In fact, with the way she was fighting me, it was sliding further up. I called Matt. By the time he came home from his abandoned class, Doctor Google had given us some new ideas:<br />
<br />
<b>Try tweezers!</b> - Except as soon as she saw us coming with them she would start to scream and thrash so violently we were afraid of poking the bead up into her brain.<br />
<br />
<b>Use a shop vac to suck it out! </b>- Which we do own as part of the ill fated pool draining experiment, but they are big and loud and the hose was the size of 1/3 of her face. So we tried the vacuum, which didn't go over well either, because I don't vacuum. Ever. Well, only on special occasions. It is usually something we leave to cleaning crews, so Clare has only ever heard the vacuum 2 or 3 times in her life. That option did not go over well either. And now she was crying so hard she was doing the opposite of the vacuum and starting to suck the bead up further into her nose all by herself.<br />
<br />
So at this point we were talking about the immediate care center. And Grace has realized that her chances of going to gymnastics were getting slimmer by every passing minute and starts to have a meltdown.<br />
<br />
At the clinic, the doctor was indeed able to remove the bead in the predicted 30 seconds, but it was well worth the $50 copay. She would have never let us get it out.<br />
<br />
And now the house has been purged of the beads and we repeat the daily mantra of "I promise I will not put anything up my nose. No beads in nose. I promise." <br />
<br />
<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-34815891475890360802013-01-21T20:46:00.002-05:002013-01-22T09:08:52.002-05:00Needing and Knowing<br />
<div aria-label="Message header" class="y-module message-header collapsed-header" data-action="toggle-msg-header" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1358915629729_1563" role="complementary" title="Show details">
<div class="info expanded twolines" id="msg_details">
<dl class="details"><dd class="hdr-info"><div>
My job used to be part of the odd world of Need to Know.</div>
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I don't talk about what I do much, because it's really not that exciting. I work for the government, and in the government, there's always some function of Need to Know. I always wonder if what I say today is going to affect me tomorrow. And if the fact that the federal government has my fingerprints on file, as part of my mediocre mid-level job, is ever going to come back to haunt me. </div>
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If you've ever been through the security clearance process, it's a surreal thing. They want to know everything about you, and your parents, and your family. They want to know if we've been to a foreign country, and oh-my-goodness if you say yes: How long were you there? What did you talk to anyone? Did you make any friends? </div>
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It's a little bit nerve-racking, even though I know I have nothing to hide. <br />
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I always wonder how much I don't know about people around me. I know I have friends and neighbors that do <i>something</i> for the government, but they are Need to Know kind of jobs. The terrible kind, that they they love like a child, but also alienates them from their children. </div>
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And I've always been so glad that's not my world, and could never be.<br />
Because honestly, I really don't Need to Know. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnqeONJjoSynknGHlpBqhs5ID1Dq1_b1dvuKN959X5Yti5IWrNSi-L4kfydaRc8p_uyc7ZmvO1OmQB293hpcA0xnIU9Nvjge9_Yg4X-oJcT5iJi_7EuVPa7n4LKGSMbspcZfiMxqEJfUC/s1600/The-Expats-by-Chris-Pavone-194x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZnqeONJjoSynknGHlpBqhs5ID1Dq1_b1dvuKN959X5Yti5IWrNSi-L4kfydaRc8p_uyc7ZmvO1OmQB293hpcA0xnIU9Nvjge9_Yg4X-oJcT5iJi_7EuVPa7n4LKGSMbspcZfiMxqEJfUC/s1600/The-Expats-by-Chris-Pavone-194x300.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
<i id="yui_3_7_2_1_1358915629729_2314">This post was inspired by mystery thriller novel <a href="http://amzn.to/WZqdtn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Expats by Chris Pavone</a>. Kate Moore sheds happily sheds her old life become a stay at home mom when her husband takes a job in Europe. As she attempts to reinvent herself, she ends up chasing her evasive husband's secrets. Join<a href="http://amzn.to/WZqdtn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> From Left to Write</a> on January 22 as we discuss The Expats As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</i></div>
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Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-2758106486816854062013-01-15T15:16:00.000-05:002013-01-24T15:16:36.872-05:00Tiny DancerSo <a href="http://maketimeforlove.blogspot.com/2011/07/happy-feet.html" target="_blank">ballet class</a> didn't last very long for Grace. If you ask her about it, she'll shrug and say 'It was fine.' She wanted more movement, more activity, more recital without the itchy costume. So she has moved on.<br />
<br />
Clare, on the other hand, has been waiting and wanting for her turn with the tights and tutu's. She begs for her slippers. She runs to the studio with a confidence carefree attitude that Grace never showed when her teacher arrives.<br />
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<br />
We are only a few classes into the new year, but I believe <i>this one</i> is our dancer.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-59955330526366160132012-12-24T16:48:00.000-05:002013-01-24T16:51:09.559-05:00Our NormalWe have a new tradition in our house.<br />
<br />
It's not necessarily about family in the
broader sense like so many other people this time of year, but <b>our</b> family. We live 800 miles away from the
rest of our family and refuse to trek to Chicago for the week. It is ours, it is our girls.<br />
<br />
It is a little bit maddening.<br />
<br />
We've come to the realization that we need to do something, ANYTHING,
to get us out house when the rest of America tucks away into itself. And so, we started a Christmas Eve trip tradition, and went to Hershey Park. Bet you didn't know they were open in the middle of winter, huh? Let me tell you, they are and it is awesome.<br />
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<a href="http://www.christmasinhershey.com/christmas_candylane/index.php" target="_blank">Hershey's Christmas Candylane</a> is a must on our holiday agenda now. At least until the girls out grow the type of ride that can function in the middle of winter.<br />
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<br id="yui_3_7_2_1_1359055301559_6768" />
But really, does anybody really outgrow Peanut Butter Cups?<br />
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<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-20915550064205952072012-12-20T08:55:00.003-05:002012-12-20T09:09:53.557-05:00Christmas SparkleWe made <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1356011212_0">Christmas cards</span>
yesterday.<br />
<br />
Gifts for the teachers, that they wouldn't feel obligated to keep forever and if they did at least it is easy storage. Plus, it's the added bonus of something to put cash in and so I don't feel like we didn't try to be creative.<br />
<br />
The girls absolutely loved it though, and they turned out so cute. It was actually an
exercise in giving up control for me too, but in the end it was awesome. I'm so glad I just took a step
back and let them do their thing.<br />
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They turned out perfect.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-59268343050308796462012-11-25T09:21:00.000-05:002012-12-20T09:24:36.550-05:00Pine Trees and Coco Beans<div style="position: absolute; z-index: -5;">
</div>
It's tradition. Every year, the weekend after Thanksgiving, we go hunt for our White Pine.<br />
<br />
It has to be a
White Pine. <br />
<br />
For some reason, it never goes smoothly though. Grace is five this year. This is
the first year that she hasn't had some sort of fit during our Christmas tree
expedition. Clare decided to pick up the reins though. So we tromped through the
<strike>forest</strike> wooded lot, back to where our trees were hidden, to find a perfect one.<br />
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All a while Clare screamed while mist from her mouth from the frigid air, and snot
ran down her face. We persevered though, and found the tree.<br />
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After the half mile hike back into civilization we wiped noses, dried tears and bought hot chocolates. And everyone was happy again, because chocolate makes everything better. Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-43481803795934783562012-11-06T16:50:00.000-05:002012-11-06T16:50:35.748-05:00I VotedSo Grace is obsessed with the President. She calls Barack Obama her President.<br />
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Sometimes asks to call him at the White House because he is her President and she wants to tell him something. Although when pressed, she will admit most of the time the call would be placed just to say hi.<br />
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She's slowly been making a presidential montage over the last year. This fine original acrylic is my favorite piece.<br />
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<br />
It is called "President Barack Obama Stands by the American Flag".<br />
The bumper sticker is mine.<br />
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And today, much like most of America, she is excited. And nervous. And outraged that 5 year olds aren't allowed to vote.<br />
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Don't worry though baby, Daddy and I have you covered.<br />
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<br />And no matter what CNN tells us tomorrow, he will always be your President.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-37124943953534397812012-11-02T16:03:00.000-04:002012-11-06T16:06:54.174-05:00Tricks and TreatsThe Fall is flying by. We once again seem to be trapped in a series of trigger events.<br />
<a href="http://www.maketimeforlove.blogspot.com/2012/09/wedding-bells.html" target="_blank">Wedding</a>. <a href="http://www.maketimeforlove.blogspot.com/2012/10/party-like-five-year-old.html" target="_blank">Birthday</a>. Hurricane.<br />
And now, Halloween.<br />
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OMG Halloween. It is a sugar induced crazy fest. I am never sure if the girls are excited about Halloween, or if it is just sooo built up that they are thrust into the pseudo-holiday. Either way, we embraced it.<br />
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We carved.<br />
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We trick-or-treated.<br />
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We feasted.<br />
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And Grace has shown her true colors and will follow in my footsteps, much preferring to had out candy like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Soup_Nazi" target="_blank">Soup Nazi</a> ~ One piece for you! ~ instead of collecting herself. Clare on the other hand, would have '<i>Knock, knock, trick-or-treat</i>'ed (her phrase to each candy giver, not mine) if it hadn't been so cold this year.<br />
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And both girls are already plotting next year's costumes.<br />
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Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-25745837324294551282012-10-26T08:32:00.000-04:002012-10-26T08:36:28.742-04:00Fall-ingI love this time of year. Even with my new found allergies going crazy, I love it.<br />
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The girls seem to also. Yesterday was a good day. An outdoors kind of day. An enjoy this weather, because it doesn't get much more perfect than this kind of day. Particularly with <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/weather/weather-blog/bs-md-hurricane-sandy-forecast-20121025,0,2792596.story" target="_blank">Sandy</a> giving us the eye. <br />
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So they rolled and played and laughed.<br />
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Then, they suited up.<br />
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Yesterday was the Trick-or-Treat on Main Street in our little town, and the girls got their first test run of Halloween 2012. For Clare, at 2.5 yrs old, this is her first <i>real</i> Halloween. The first time she is excited about the costumes <i>and</i> the candy. And after getting over the trauma of having to wear pants, she was game.<br />
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Their insect coordination of costumes was completely unintentional. Clare's bee costume was a recycle from Grace (with the same disdain for the antenna boppers), but Grace's was her new, much anticipated, blue <a href="http://www.wholesalecostumeclub.com/new-costumes/" target="_blank">butterfly costume</a><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1351248844421_2972" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: black;">. While the awesome mask wasn't part of the costume, the dress, wings and antenna were perfect. </span></span><br />
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1351248844421_2972" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: black;">Now, let's just cross our fingers that the weather is clear for them to rock the costumes on Halloween. </span></span><br />
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1351248844421_2972" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">* <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WholesaleCostumeClub?ref=hl" target="_blank">Wholesale Halloween Costumes</a>
sent us the Ballerina Butterfly dress in exchange for the inclusion of
the links you see above</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">. </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Thank you!</span> <span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1351248844421_2972" style="color: #1f497d; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-15311221347255142442012-10-16T12:24:00.000-04:002012-10-26T12:26:16.174-04:00Party Like a Five Year Old<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's amazing how fast time flies by. </div>
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How quickly 24 hours can turn into 72. </div>
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<br />
That is what Gracie's birthday was this year. A 72 hour bonanza ear marked by the arrival and departure of family, with a moonbounce and lots of sugar in between.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-74813858519963113862012-10-12T07:02:00.000-04:002012-10-15T07:02:59.407-04:00FIVETo Grace on your 5th Birthday:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9xNMOh1S8xEt7LZ_CnqOJAqXVJ93wBXwt3stgneoOM-O9WYupSJ-IREdVd3JBBt-xQQ_WRKukEGkmKi1VWTtiQYJTc3ue37AeaD5jSTQZxIqq4si9wGi_OaCC7UWahXJa8KfrpHRIQ9z/s1600/5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj9xNMOh1S8xEt7LZ_CnqOJAqXVJ93wBXwt3stgneoOM-O9WYupSJ-IREdVd3JBBt-xQQ_WRKukEGkmKi1VWTtiQYJTc3ue37AeaD5jSTQZxIqq4si9wGi_OaCC7UWahXJa8KfrpHRIQ9z/s200/5.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is a day we've been counting down to for so long, the promise of five. It really is such a big number officially declaring you the big kid in a school full of littles. It is such a proud number for the both of us, five years of not only survival, but a thriving vivaciousness for life.<br />
<br />
Your energy bubbles, pulling everyone around you into your giggles. When your happy your eyes twinkle and your smile sings. Your ability to empathize makes my soul happy, and I know it will make you a great person long after my days of parenting are done. <br />
<br />
You, my big girl - my FIVE year old - are one of the best people I have ever known, and I am so proud you are mine.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Mama<br />
<br />
<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-61392374626769223742012-10-10T08:14:00.001-04:002012-10-10T13:34:34.834-04:00Blurred Lines<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Growing
up, I thought the world’s population fell into 3 categories:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">1.
Irish or Polish Catholic</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">2.
Italian Catholic</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">3.
Other</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
my little Chicago suburb, we have 3 Catholic churches within a 2 mile triangle
radius of each other. You were defined by the church you attended. The Polish
church said one of three masses a day in Polish. The Irish church’s Father had
a thick brogue. Our family bucked tradition, and attended the church with
German roots, but was taken over by a mix of the remaining who had quarreled
with the other two parishes. Plus, it was an easier walk from our house than
the Irish church.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
I was in my early tweens, my Aunt married into an Italian family, and my experience
with cultures that didn’t stew cabbage on a regular basis was expanded. I think
I loved my new Uncle from the first moment I met him, pronounced by the fact
that he is Clare’s Godfather. Still, some in the family whispered about his
parent’s off-the-boat Southern Italian bloodline. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He’s not white.</i> What on earth were they talking about?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
I went to college, it was the first time I was put in a situation where not
everyone I knew fit into categories 1 and 2. My first assigned roommate was Shaniqua
from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_St._Louis,_Illinois#Recent_history" target="_blank">East Saint Louis</a>. Seriously. While I made jokes about we might be confused
with each other since our names were so similar, I was terrified to know that
the person I would be sharing a small room with for the next year was coming
from such <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_St._Louis,_Illinois#Crime" target="_blank">a hard area</a>. She never showed up though. Instead, the day before
school started I was assigned a new roommate, Emily, who was a transplant from
a blessedly soft suburb much like my own. While we were not best friends by any
stretch, we were definitely solid enough that she explained what a <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=perm" target="_blank">perm</a> was. If
it wasn’t for her, and later <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1213585/" target="_blank">Chris Rock</a>, I would be clueless.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">When I started taking my Political Science courses, I became friends with a black guy who was a
constant in many of my classes. We would study together relatively often, I
presume because we were in the small faction that wasn’t already set on the
notion of law school. One day, as we sat in an open quad after class going over
notes, a group of black girls past us. I was mostly oblivious, but he groaned.
Moments later he told me that he couldn’t study with me in the open any more,
that the fact we had just been spotted together was going to earn him a lot of
grief with his friends. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I can’t be seen
with a white girl, it ruins my chances with anyone else.</i> What on earth was
he talking about? He later apologized, but we never hung out again after that
day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today,
I think I have finally found a place where I can surround myself with like
minded people, regardless of race, and more importantly, have been able to
incorporate Grace and Clare into environments where they see more that Irish
and Polish faces. From the time they were born, they have been cuddled, cared
for and honestly loved from faces spanning the world. Mexico, Cameroon,
Somalia, Egypt, South Africa, India, Iran, China and Japan on skin. Catholic,
Methodist, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim in hearts. I love the fact that culture, outside
of our new slice of suburbia, is a constant in their school and lives. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
talk about race occasionally. Most of the time it is about tradition and
celebrations, but occasionally, skin color comes up. When playing doll dress up
games on my iPhone, Grace often picks black skin colors. She asks if she had
dark skin, if she would still have freckles, because dark skin colors are so much more fancy in their pigments; but, then decides that she likes
her white skin because she doesn’t want to take the chance of NOT having those
freckles anymore. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
know that these experiences won’t stop someone from not wanting to be their
friends because of skin color, but I do hope that it isn’t even a factor for
friendship for them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">************************************</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6u-ArNcmHNEMBkkKTLj084WQ4DO0Uxradu5ncNZR4Ic_BTwMJBBeuW-Xq6yctV2D6-oWCUKRD3wWQGIJ0Ebj59x-VYNlUHxfU_geXMJYPPRTQU5HQsHKLn_PHMuH-XL6kjYHdbOpUNiz4/s1600/The-Black-Count-by-Tom-Reiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6u-ArNcmHNEMBkkKTLj084WQ4DO0Uxradu5ncNZR4Ic_BTwMJBBeuW-Xq6yctV2D6-oWCUKRD3wWQGIJ0Ebj59x-VYNlUHxfU_geXMJYPPRTQU5HQsHKLn_PHMuH-XL6kjYHdbOpUNiz4/s200/The-Black-Count-by-Tom-Reiss.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><i> This post was inspired by</i> </span><i><a href="http://amzn.to/Tcq5tH" target="_blank">The Black Count</a>. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i>Alexandre Dumas' works were heavily influenced by his father, also named
Alexandre Dumas. In the biography The Black Count, author Tom Reiss tells how
Dumas went from slavery to become the equivalent of a five star general in the
French military. Join <a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank">From Left to Write</a> on October 11 as we discuss the <a href="http://amzn.to/Tcq5tH" target="_blank">The Black Count</a>. As a member, I
received a copy of the book for review purposes</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-81387555111315387782012-10-04T16:33:00.001-04:002012-10-04T16:35:14.647-04:00To the 9'sI love this day, the day of our love. I mix it up in my head sometimes though, are we 9 or 14 - 4 or 9? In the end it dosn't really matter, because it is all the same, plus you remind me.<br />
<br />
Nine years married, 14 years together. Married on the 4th, first date on the 9th. It is all about the same thing in the end. Our commitment to the end. And despite the bumps we have been though this past year, we are solid and unbreakable; forever.<br />
<br />
Happy Anniversary Matt. You make me just as happy today as you did on the 4th and the 9th.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr20JUdJPWI_CGck6OSOTt9ELlLzidVtZxkx7oUoGa-G-f1O2wPtNXIdDGzAmo8IDNJ3vHiO26yNWh9yRrYYWA_xShppa_ZPRk-fu-knD77aLRAudxcuHvwYn50LPi1ye7AWmqvpErWShO/s1600/255439_527137120635282_1743066381_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr20JUdJPWI_CGck6OSOTt9ELlLzidVtZxkx7oUoGa-G-f1O2wPtNXIdDGzAmo8IDNJ3vHiO26yNWh9yRrYYWA_xShppa_ZPRk-fu-knD77aLRAudxcuHvwYn50LPi1ye7AWmqvpErWShO/s320/255439_527137120635282_1743066381_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-28776718589091053832012-09-24T16:44:00.001-04:002012-09-24T16:56:24.158-04:00SacrificeWhen I was pregnant with Grace, the
world seemed so black and white. To me, there were lots of hard
questions with easy answers. Matt felt more grey. <br />
<br />
It's an age old childhood question forcing you in a corner to choose
between friends: The house is on fire and you can only save one person.
Who do you save? Our conversations, considering my high risk status, was
always my press of: If something goes wrong and you have to choose, I
want you to choose the baby. <br />
<br />
For me, the conversation
was black and white. Of course I would sacrifice myself for someone I
already loved. I would give everything. Matt saw the greys of a life
without me. I also think he was gripped with the heartbreak of knowing
that if we were pressed to make a terrible decision like that, he would
be powerless. <br />
<br />
Luckily, we never even came close to
making a decision like that. There were <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=905741993143172985#editor/target=post;postID=4567593645642733030" target="_blank">slight hiccups</a>, but nothing that
made us much different from the billions of childbirth stories out
there. <br />
<br />
**********<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-toA0NwGpUzWt19JXS5mwFF5mGxaJc_xpL1jXYIBjFWt0LAvEWafw9LRkx_ARoe8jPlOfTEUiat6A2fcA8-Gu_2iXsiWTl_LYzeH-lsRWm0J9ozVYICZHHIp1Q8o30MIqNtFDRPr6Ht6p/s1600/Bloodletters-Daughter-by-Linda-Lafferty1-200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-toA0NwGpUzWt19JXS5mwFF5mGxaJc_xpL1jXYIBjFWt0LAvEWafw9LRkx_ARoe8jPlOfTEUiat6A2fcA8-Gu_2iXsiWTl_LYzeH-lsRWm0J9ozVYICZHHIp1Q8o30MIqNtFDRPr6Ht6p/s200/Bloodletters-Daughter-by-Linda-Lafferty1-200x300.jpg" width="133" /></a>This post was inspired by The Bloodletter's Daughter. The description below says that this book is about murder and power. I believe that it is about self sacrifice. What struck me the most was the end of the book and the choices the protagonist makes for those that she loves.<br />
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -<br />
<i>Inspired by a real-life murder that threatened to topple the powerful Hapsburg dynasty in the 17th century, <a href="http://bit.ly/PvTey1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1348518790_7">The Bloodletter's Daughter</span></a> imagines how one young woman holds more power than she thought possible. Join<a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> From Left to Write</a> on September 25 as we discuss the The Bloodletter's Daughter. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</i> Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-72613051754636962342012-09-22T16:51:00.000-04:002012-09-24T21:19:40.231-04:00Wedding BellsWe survived.<br />
<br />
Sure, there were mishaps outside of our control, but my children were well behaved.<br />
(To the point that strangers kept approaching to tell me how wonderful they were acting.)<br />
((Which, never EVER happens. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=905741993143172985#editor/target=post;postID=4371031373654178536" target="_blank">EVER</a>.)) <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qCc-rzKWkxEld54JE0SySaQEl8eSVtH_KJ4hYX9ynCUnTBHUt7-SXN4IhbpAccRMuAU-KhFNwFdlokhnq7S94kQfxAFOel7AkxJbZI0JPhE8IGkBh9lNSXMioe8a8Q28Y3IKUKiEeGzc/s1600/jj7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qCc-rzKWkxEld54JE0SySaQEl8eSVtH_KJ4hYX9ynCUnTBHUt7-SXN4IhbpAccRMuAU-KhFNwFdlokhnq7S94kQfxAFOel7AkxJbZI0JPhE8IGkBh9lNSXMioe8a8Q28Y3IKUKiEeGzc/s1600/jj7.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
The ceremony was beautiful.<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/AVvXsEi_O4kid39c-dJdvbE5bIZMwdDZclX3vCr1t7YGpJW_rEQ3WV_Kb3K2lOtqnQgegVM4NVgI6JnR0hsy7uf0UaE5BAG4BEjsk41huA2U5foPc9LGy7ng4MWHXK9ai3DdUUjLyOoXTFz2ISCK/s1600/jj6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_O4kid39c-dJdvbE5bIZMwdDZclX3vCr1t7YGpJW_rEQ3WV_Kb3K2lOtqnQgegVM4NVgI6JnR0hsy7uf0UaE5BAG4BEjsk41huA2U5foPc9LGy7ng4MWHXK9ai3DdUUjLyOoXTFz2ISCK/s320/jj6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*Stolen off my brother's Facebook page</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The bride was flawless.<br />
<br />
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<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/AVvXsEhtRwYMeZSKaJutxCg69x5E_0-LcJ_5XMV7hmdlkCGaJojrrD_m3W2Qo_JWsZ8jaHqzjLAIXBpIPwKP4XZge1Mfn0I0t4Ydbdsz-lJnq86oNpRPtYMJpdMdyp_KkbQFmCj9i_JRgV0h-LSW/s1600/jj1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRwYMeZSKaJutxCg69x5E_0-LcJ_5XMV7hmdlkCGaJojrrD_m3W2Qo_JWsZ8jaHqzjLAIXBpIPwKP4XZge1Mfn0I0t4Ydbdsz-lJnq86oNpRPtYMJpdMdyp_KkbQFmCj9i_JRgV0h-LSW/s320/jj1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*Stolen off Jill's Facebook page.<br />
Since my entire family is in it, I figure I have rights to it</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And the girls had sooooo much fun. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSijRSX_-em56Cxs97X5Ls3FdHI0QkQgxUqFdorVyTLzp_Hq0hBVhoV-2PaMAVwwXxAyXN7S1jSdoZLefIVja-8ld5NIe-Fia1Q2Q1ldOpAELhBrSnXR3d3ms22FQz-8x1YPSAR_Xaz0p7/s1600/jj8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSijRSX_-em56Cxs97X5Ls3FdHI0QkQgxUqFdorVyTLzp_Hq0hBVhoV-2PaMAVwwXxAyXN7S1jSdoZLefIVja-8ld5NIe-Fia1Q2Q1ldOpAELhBrSnXR3d3ms22FQz-8x1YPSAR_Xaz0p7/s1600/jj8.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And all of my <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=905741993143172985#editor/target=post;postID=7900339486855117843" target="_blank">doubt melted away</a> as I watched my brothers face as he watched his bride walk down the isle.<br />
<br />Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-43710313736541785362012-09-18T13:30:00.002-04:002012-09-18T13:32:09.351-04:00Pictures are DeceivingBy the pictures, we had a wonderful weekend away.<br />
<br />
There were blue skies and a sparkling lake.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCVZOsLw48mzw7RtqJ5r57iJoQVqKgN9UCOL4kJAq_NQuiLraWj2Zk4Uk-yvT5Qkxm6-sk7lA77GsETt86o3gdf8FBOMW0gjH5A4baoNNw8MaJh-axCFJmDZ9TlSKti8PxLqby9NJiCG6/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisCVZOsLw48mzw7RtqJ5r57iJoQVqKgN9UCOL4kJAq_NQuiLraWj2Zk4Uk-yvT5Qkxm6-sk7lA77GsETt86o3gdf8FBOMW0gjH5A4baoNNw8MaJh-axCFJmDZ9TlSKti8PxLqby9NJiCG6/s1600/photo.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
Matt was able to show the girls how daddy rode up the <a href="http://www.savagemantri.org/Westernport_Wall.html" target="_blank">worst road known to man</a>.<br />
<br />
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They touched his brick for the effort in <a href="http://maketimeforlove.blogspot.com/2011/09/savage.html" target="_blank">last years Savageman</a>.<br />
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<br />
BUT<br />
<br />
What the pictures don't show is the fact that <a href="http://www.maketimeforlove.blogspot.com/2012/09/blue-skies-and-green-fields.html" target="_blank">Clare was on another tear</a> again this weekend. The three hour drive from Baltimore to Deep Creek alone had us rethinking our weekend plans. By the time early evening rolled around, I was using my phone to see if I could rent a car to drive back home with the girls that very night.<br />
<br />
What there are no pictures of is the fact that I was walking, seething with rage over temper-tantrums, small town rental car hours and slow 3G connections on my iPhone, and playing with my phone instead of looking where I was going. Or that I am a clutz and I always look down while walking on uneven terrain.<br />
<br />
There are no pictures of my fall down a few rustic, nature preserve stairs, when I insisted I was fine to finish the walk down to Matt's bike drop off, or when my vision went white and I was <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">.this.close.</span> to fainting so I made Matt move road blocks to come pick me up in the car. <br />
<br />
There could be pictures of the fact that my right foot is still swollen to about double it's normal size and turning the most delightful shades of purple, black and blue, but it is so grotesque, I will spare you that visual.<br />
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There are no pictures of the fact that it meant that I couldn't attend the triathlon the we had driven 3 hours to watch and cheer at. That attitudes did not improve, adults included, in our 2.5 days away.<br />
<br />
Honestly, the best part of the weekend? The drive home.<br />
<br />
We are <a href="http://www.maketimeforlove.blogspot.com/2012/09/mr-mrs.html" target="_blank">headed to Chicago</a> tomorrow. Wish us luck, and maybe send a prayer or two our way.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-74827985595408096752012-09-10T10:10:00.000-04:002012-09-17T10:12:09.539-04:00Blue Skies and Green FieldsWe always start off with good intent.<br />
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"Let's do something new this weekend! My friend does equestrian stuff, let's take the girls to go watch," Matt said.<br />
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The day was beautiful, the weather perfect.<br />
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What we fell a little short on though was behavior. Oh my goodness are we going through a phase. And apparently, horses don't like phases. Who knew? I thought we would be outside in a big grassy field with lots of sunshine and fresh air and space for the girls to exhaust themselves.<br />
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The folks who participate in these things though had other ideas. No loud noises, no sudden moves, nothing that might spook a tense horse and its owner...... Which, in hindsight makes sense, but at the time. Ugh. It was not quite the day we'd had in mind.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, now we an say that we've been.<br />
And in a few more years, it would be a lovely afternoon. <br />
<br />
Except for when the girls start asking about horse back riding lessons.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-25402668438397060012012-09-09T10:01:00.000-04:002012-09-17T10:02:50.727-04:00Nemo 3DOur friends at Disney, with a little prod from our <a href="http://www.noteverstill.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Fairy Godmother</a>, hooked us up again.<br />
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It is funny how the timing worked out, since we had just been on a Finding Nemo kick in our house. With the announcement of <a href="http://disney.go.com/finding-nemo/home/" target="_blank">Finding Nemo 3D</a> popped up in my mailbox, how could we say no?<br />
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<span id="goog_1168378885"></span><span id="goog_1168378886"></span><br />
The movie is exactly what you expect. It is a fun movie that you have probably seen 8 million times before with a little bit of bonus - Oooooo - thrown in every so often. It totally didn't matter that the girls had seen it 8 million times before. <i>This time</i> they were seeing it in a big movie theater with popcorn, slurpies and fancy glasses.<br />
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<br />
It was magic all over again.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">* The tickets to the screening were complementary (we still shelled out $25.00 for popcorn though), and the
complements are all my own</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">.</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span>Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-79003394868551178432012-09-07T09:29:00.000-04:002012-09-17T09:41:17.358-04:00Mr & MrsWe are a two weeks away from a big moment. My brother is getting married.<br />
<br />
I don't know why I haven't specifically written about it. It has been a significant part of our life for the last year. Our entire family is involved; Matt as best man, I as a bridesmaid and the girls as flower girls. It is the reason for our last two trips back to Chicago.<br />
<br />
I want him to be happy. I want him to have a home and a family and beyond everything love.<br />
But.<br />
I don't know....<br />
<br />
It's not that I'm not happy for him, because I am.<br />
I think I am being selfish.<br />
I am mourning my loss of a single brother. Of someone who has 3 day weekends that are unattached and can be spent focused on.... me. On my family, my girls. That is going away now. To be honest, that didn't really happen all that often, but still.... he will be more of his own person now. Not just a brother, or uncle or son.<br />
<br />
So much more, something bigger.<br />
Husband.<br />
And I assume in the near future,<br />
Father.<br />
<br />
And nothing trumps that.<br />
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<br />
My heart burst with happiness for him, but trickles with just enough sadness for me to compel writing this.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-10706270589474213762012-08-29T13:56:00.001-04:002012-08-29T14:01:08.366-04:00SignageWhile <a href="http://maketimeforlove.blogspot.com/2012/08/cookies.html">baking with Maga</a> was a treat, it is not an unusual practice in our house.<br />
<br />
The kitchen is the center of our home.<br />
<br />
The girls jockey for position to help cook meals. Part of the reason why vegetables have made such a big resurgence on our dinner plates is that the girls can easily help prep them. Peeling corn, snapping beans, picking tomatoes and prepping salads are all proven and fulfilling toddler-preschooler activities.<br />
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But just in case anybody forgets the drill, Grace has taken it upon herself to create some signage.<br />
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Oh, and as an afterthought.....<br />
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To bad the person they are directed at can't read yet.Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-905741993143172985.post-73778018899462759342012-08-28T06:56:00.002-04:002012-08-28T07:03:55.513-04:00CookiesThe last two posts I've put up were kind of throw aways. Two weekends in Chicago, over 1200 miles in the air. It's exhausting.<br />
<br />
But it's been making me think about family a lot. <br />
All of the things we are missing. All of the memories that aren't being made for us and our girls.<br />
<br />
During the <a href="http://maketimeforlove.blogspot.com/2012/08/weekend-in-instagram.html">first weekend</a>, my mom was at the center of the trip. She had grand plans for Gracie. She wanted to make up for lost time with some of those memories. She wanted to bake. <br />
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Armed with three kinds of chocolate chips, they worked together, side by side, in a sweltering kitchen without pause.<br />
<br />
<i>I'll crack and you stir.</i><br />
<i>You pour and I'll stir.</i><br />
<i>Careful, only the eggs are supposed to go in the cookies, not the shells.</i><br />
<i>Let's taste. Does it need more chips?</i><br />
<br />
There is something so back to basics about baking. I can't imagine a childhood without it; without those memories of stirring, pouring and kneading. Teaching your kids how to cook is like teaching them about soul. How to put love into something inanimate, that has the ability to animate. <br />
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And I'm glad that Grace was able to have that afternoon in the kitchen with my mom baking cookies.<br />
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Eggshells, salt pockets and all.<br />
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******************************<br />
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<i>This post is inspired by Sarah McCoy's <a href="http://amzn.to/T1t5qh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1346150789_8">The Baker's Daughter</span></a>. In a small Texan town, Reba discovers Elsie's German Bakery and falls in love with more than the pastries. Shes drawn to Elsie's life in Germany during the last year of WWII. Join <a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">From Left to Write</a> on August 29 as we discuss The Baker's Daughter. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</i></div>
Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17543085128334753055noreply@blogger.com5