tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67088272103555282282024-03-13T12:09:31.395-04:00LauraStoriesLaura Michelehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908987006202428582noreply@blogger.comBlogger359125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-67135420678339414782013-08-26T21:02:00.001-04:002013-08-26T21:02:00.034-04:00Ta-Ta For Now<p>     Obviously, I’ve been taking a big ‘ole break from the blog.  It started unintentionally as James requires most of my time and attention and when he was napping or playing happily alone, I needed to eat or shower or launder or cook… just do the daily grind type things.  When free time did pop up, I really wasn’t feeling inspired to blog.  This summer has been full-wonderful, stressful, busy, heartbreaking, exciting all rolled into one.  For the first time in a while, I didn’t feel the need to blog. <em>  </em>I guess I had not realized how therapeutic this blog  was.  I started it when I was going through an early life career (or lack therof) crisis- so photography and blogging helped me to keep some perspective and distract me from the things that weren’t falling perfectly in my life.  I wrote more and shot less as time went on, a perfect outlet for those post-college, engaged, then newlywed days.  After James was born, I had many more words than time, and I really  prioritized getting those thoughts out.  The shortage of time thing has really helped me to analyze what I want to do and how to get it done. So for now, the blog is just taking a back seat.  Nothing too exciting has been replacing it- playing with James, subbing in some much needed prayer time, working on writing my book, learning to crochet & knit and still trying to overcome my un-craftyness.  </p> <p> </p> <p>    My Grandmother passed away this summer.  She was just an incredible woman!  She was a DOER! She raised 5 kids, taught piano lessons, was a high school music teacher, wrote and directed stage variety shows, she painted, started her own dollhouse miniature company, translated books to braille, and was always working on her crossword puzzles or knitting projects. She’s really inspired me to do more of the things I want to do.  Blogging is not one of them right now! </p> <p> </p> <p>    So my lack of time, my grandmother’s full life and just my love-hate (more often hate) with being on the computer, it just made sense to step away.  I want my son to be a doer, which means he needs to watch his mama doing.  I want him to see me reading, writing, taking pictures, learning new things, volunteering, playing games, dancing.  I don’t want him to remember me being on the computer. </p> <p> </p> <p>     So, it’s not you blog, it’s me.  I’ve had so much fun here, but my minutes are precious and you are going on the backburner for now! </p> <p> </p> <p>     And I’ll go out the way I came in October of 2009-with pictures :)</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cmNU85-7UaE/Uhv6bqlOV5I/AAAAAAAAFo0/uliB5TMQ2IE/s1600-h/August%2525202013%252520005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="August 2013 005" border="0" alt="August 2013 005" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NGZvcMzRQ9U/Uhv6cQdHT3I/AAAAAAAAFo8/lB2w_riMk8A/August%2525202013%252520005_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="804" height="534" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sR6KgQbpBm8/Uhv6c7AE_UI/AAAAAAAAFpE/ka_SuE8PYHs/s1600-h/August%2525202013%252520015%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="August 2013 015" border="0" alt="August 2013 015" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RWMwahHkc5Y/Uhv6dgj0G-I/AAAAAAAAFpM/GSxQw3l4oEo/August%2525202013%252520015_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="804" height="535" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4h9XoFebHzM/Uhv6ePHXBGI/AAAAAAAAFpU/Y079JpDJmrI/s1600-h/August%2525202013%252520023%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="August 2013 023" border="0" alt="August 2013 023" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ck4AYFyt4VE/Uhv6ey4PmXI/AAAAAAAAFpc/9cXFBupUdVk/August%2525202013%252520023_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="804" height="534" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-O5Q_MhBok6c/Uhv6fjJlZPI/AAAAAAAAFpk/C9j-Vx35gSY/s1600-h/August%2525202013%252520055%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="August 2013 055" border="0" alt="August 2013 055" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QV7mHodq1D0/Uhv6gOVOEWI/AAAAAAAAFps/6FPhDngrYh4/August%2525202013%252520055_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="804" height="534" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Wmh1TSnrLP8/Uhv6g773jlI/AAAAAAAAFp0/CXmNExGe9lo/s1600-h/August%2525202013%252520057%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="August 2013 057" border="0" alt="August 2013 057" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SSIruOEaHa0/Uhv6hmMVXRI/AAAAAAAAFp8/BJ3Bsesy5HY/August%2525202013%252520057_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="804" height="534" /></a></p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-75662820751419532522013-06-20T13:02:00.001-04:002013-06-20T13:02:02.367-04:00Father’s Day Camping Trip!<p>   The pictures say it all. </p> <p> </p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fIsr7BCuU0o/UcM08DLLePI/AAAAAAAAFZE/jS-wyuOuZvs/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520146%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 146" border="0" alt="June 2013 146" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-W23g_bzORKk/UcM08tCVGmI/AAAAAAAAFZM/0dkRp1T2TxA/June%2525202013%252520146_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-z4ff3z9Tqeo/UcM09O8LQaI/AAAAAAAAFZU/ta06xIf84TM/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520148%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; 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border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 187" border="0" alt="June 2013 187" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GzfZebzM3AQ/UcM1Zt4DZxI/AAAAAAAAFes/fgNvdaZgagg/June%2525202013%252520187_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lupPle-WEts/UcM1aIy7iTI/AAAAAAAAFe0/I-uFlzpDsKw/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520189%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 189" border="0" alt="June 2013 189" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FicxskmP2r8/UcM1czOHBvI/AAAAAAAAFe8/NYC_LDMtv6M/June%2525202013%252520189_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JJjzF1Tx4Q4/UcM1dZ8DL6I/AAAAAAAAFfE/oxjOSDEgoEU/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520185%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 185" border="0" alt="June 2013 185" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-igqib8VA1cw/UcM1d9oEi2I/AAAAAAAAFfM/b1vYcPRsQVs/June%2525202013%252520185_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--waEdKLCEgA/UcM1eYxfqCI/AAAAAAAAFfU/Ot9G64LkKSE/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520177%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 177" border="0" alt="June 2013 177" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6TJxx310e_o/UcM1e_PnB7I/AAAAAAAAFfc/8x0sEReymkc/June%2525202013%252520177_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xkyDypNT4Og/UcM1fZ7IwgI/AAAAAAAAFfk/FpHKhO_ivVg/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520178%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 178" border="0" alt="June 2013 178" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E_SS5zEjXdM/UcM1gHp9F_I/AAAAAAAAFfs/JYKjVYyfkzQ/June%2525202013%252520178_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>           <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ugp2DVKIzCo/UcM1gk4zJuI/AAAAAAAAFf0/9oo0kdht7ms/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520195%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 195" border="0" alt="June 2013 195" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lI_2GtFP14I/UcM1hPMd3sI/AAAAAAAAFf8/Ay96WzL_egU/June%2525202013%252520195_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PEqat40g4NA/UcM1hm5BxuI/AAAAAAAAFgE/fJ1clnSgOls/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520196%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 196" border="0" alt="June 2013 196" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aBpEQRqDMnY/UcM1ifkEXUI/AAAAAAAAFgM/pa1e5dvp0vk/June%2525202013%252520196_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p>Wellllll, the pictures don’t really say it ALL.  I’ll give a re-cap:</p> <p>My husband the snake wrangler. Baby’s first tick. Lessons in fire bundling. Mindy: “us adults have to pretend we also have not been waiting all day for these smores.” Chigger bites that I thought were bed bugs. Camping baby seat. dirt AND snot.  Cecilia and the toad.  Makeshift basketball hoops and dragonfly nets. </p> <p> </p> <p>A good time was had by all :) </p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-87054616094241055602013-06-19T10:09:00.001-04:002013-06-19T10:09:49.700-04:00Kathleen Meghan<p>     Kap, Kapernoodle, Kate McCoy, the redhead, Meggy Peggy, the CEO, Katydid and whatever else  we called amongst the years…has graduated high school! </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UwNwq-D9t_0/UcG7ezhKKEI/AAAAAAAAFV4/kANlHdXIOzs/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 002" border="0" alt="June 2013 002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qcO77wzL-t8/UcG7fuX0jyI/AAAAAAAAFWA/s8Zy6cFw9Hs/June%2525202013%252520002_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eY3l2HMtvZE/UcG7gEsxsFI/AAAAAAAAFWI/7To2AiF_2Pg/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520012%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 012" border="0" alt="June 2013 012" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6K8ZyUcoCQA/UcG7gs4Og_I/AAAAAAAAFWQ/Ic_DwXCPhZw/June%2525202013%252520012_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a>     <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EoB_aHBlZdA/UcG7hO0zNbI/AAAAAAAAFWY/FMTH9AEdoqA/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520023%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 023" border="0" alt="June 2013 023" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OlE4G_9kG-o/UcG7h0oOUXI/AAAAAAAAFWg/4ncHQxRRCOM/June%2525202013%252520023_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Kv9AawsMRd4/UcG7iU5sbHI/AAAAAAAAFWo/WRfJLQFeb8w/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520024%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 024" border="0" alt="June 2013 024" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0nKe4wkfj6c/UcG7i4k_kzI/AAAAAAAAFWw/VlTl0pajK7Y/June%2525202013%252520024_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Wpnkgnrt1yU/UcG7jVdjPzI/AAAAAAAAFW4/k00Cy99a268/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520025%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 025" border="0" alt="June 2013 025" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fn7oJ7Euijc/UcG7j8SQ-8I/AAAAAAAAFXA/qtWGrBetg2U/June%2525202013%252520025_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ENSHTIvNTBQ/UcG7kc-husI/AAAAAAAAFXI/LSKn-sPzpRY/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520036%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 036" border="0" alt="June 2013 036" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Xb0hBjP6-JI/UcG7k6kiYPI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/fKxCCwCysN4/June%2525202013%252520036_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MIobiQcFA28/UcG7lQhE2pI/AAAAAAAAFXY/ftKVnHyvf5c/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520040%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 040" border="0" alt="June 2013 040" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-m9tXDhvyQWs/UcG7lw-MX-I/AAAAAAAAFXg/RduXrjEL-hw/June%2525202013%252520040_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a>  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sr5A7jnHrpw/UcG7mTfsVYI/AAAAAAAAFXo/JqzRl5Zn0d4/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520060%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 060" border="0" alt="June 2013 060" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aFQV2cQfB9Y/UcG7m_LsTjI/AAAAAAAAFXw/ExJJyqLSBCo/June%2525202013%252520060_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Fb32h2zXHAo/UcG7nQyn9OI/AAAAAAAAFX4/DNdqU0rGFd0/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520061%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 061" border="0" alt="June 2013 061" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-R3eCbChYUrQ/UcG7n4gul3I/AAAAAAAAFYA/1fNrBI8-Awc/June%2525202013%252520061_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HS4yZ1FgeEk/UcG7oU_sHsI/AAAAAAAAFYI/DcyzrbN5HCk/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520062%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 062" border="0" alt="June 2013 062" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-chxEqeUslwY/UcG7pNNyDOI/AAAAAAAAFYQ/xnUsX-gKQlk/June%2525202013%252520062_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DJp7_qss6uk/UcG7pRqiOoI/AAAAAAAAFYY/SWLiCUgm9VY/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520065%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 065" border="0" alt="June 2013 065" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7nAg5UhJNRo/UcG7qAkIzPI/AAAAAAAAFYg/BxKz8si_dLk/June%2525202013%252520065_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>   <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Mj-u9tGZ2F4/UcG7qoHNSrI/AAAAAAAAFYo/hEftLzmuGRg/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520082%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 082" border="0" alt="June 2013 082" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lqLQtQu74j8/UcG7rPYyuAI/AAAAAAAAFYw/C8CUayiBitU/June%2525202013%252520082_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Way to go, Kathleen!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-7062127482789113992013-06-17T21:43:00.001-04:002013-06-17T21:43:53.601-04:00The Father’s Day Reality<p>     I had a surprise camping trip planned, a homemade card ready to be crafted, a book from James to be ordered and all types of other Daddy friendly pampering.  I wanted to live up to the hallmark holiday because I do love myself a hallmark holiday.  I had one deserving dad on my hands- always serving, guiding, sacrificing and I wanted to give a big thank you. </p> <p> </p> <p>    Fast forward to last Wednesday, when I called Marcus at 2 am, scream-sobbing, from the bathroom floor where James had just stopped breathing for a terrifying period of time & then projectile spit-up a extremely scary amount.  He literally left work right away and stayed on the phone with me as I tried to take care of a very sick James.  I was definitely shaken and crying, and even though he spoke calmly and was telling me what to do to keep his airway clear, I could hear the panic in his voice.  Over the past 5 days, we’ve spent nursing a pretty sick James back to health (he’s not quite there yet-boo) That meant we wouldn’t be camping overnight, I scrambled to make a card on Sunday morning, his book never got ordered and there was definitely no daddy-pampering.  The opposite went down- he slept sitting up in a chair holding the baby, got his fair share of baby bodily fluids all over, cooked for ME, and you get the pathetic looking picture.  I was bummed.  When we were stupid enough to take a hacking James to mass on Sunday, Marcus missed the Father’s Day blessing since he had to step out of the church after James had an explosive diaper alllllll over. </p> <p> </p> <p>     Yes, that was our Father’s Day reality and I am figuring it is good God taught me this lesson at the beginning of my parenting days in hopes I can only get a better grasp on real life as I go on.  Marcus loved James long before he was born, he supported me in every way possible during my pregnancy and worked tirelessly through my labor and delivery with me.  He provides for our family financially and spiritually, leading us in prayer.  He was the my cheerleader during all the breastfeeding difficulties and such a servant and comfort during the whole postpartum period.  He had the tender touch to lull a fussy baby to sleep as well as all the rough and tumble play James loves.  Selfless with his time and comfort, Marcus is an inspiring parent and such a good example for me.  There is no card or no present or no celebratory weekend that can give back enough all that he has given.  And Thank goodness for that, since the snot trumped the celebration this weekend. Perhaps against our better judgment (but it was SO fun)  <a href="http://lauramicheleportraiture.blogspot.com/2012/04/fake-camping.html">we fake camped</a> during the day and headed home at night- to the luxury of the humidifier and the crib. It was kind of like last year but even better since I didn’t bring along the nagging morning sickness with me.  We all enjoyed our day camping, even the sicko and especially the man of honor.  Then he spent all of Sunday and today catching whatever James has.  Oh, Happy Father’s Day! </p> <p> </p> <p align="center">     Marcus, I love watching you be a daddy!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S4_ZUGRAgW8/Ub-7RdSKzDI/AAAAAAAAFUw/xwGQJ20PPgA/s1600-h/march%252520photo%252520of%252520the%252520day%252520096%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="march photo of the day 096" border="0" alt="march photo of the day 096" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZnAlHTgwH1k/Ub-7SCPPkXI/AAAAAAAAFU4/O8_rg-3m5zM/march%252520photo%252520of%252520the%252520day%252520096_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>      <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wDOsgDcNuLE/Ub-7Sgz8TpI/AAAAAAAAFVA/nPWprJlOpnA/s1600-h/James%252520Patrick%252520Croft%252520082%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="James Patrick Croft 082" border="0" alt="James Patrick Croft 082" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bcbmSnVeRO8/Ub-7TqhrdaI/AAAAAAAAFVI/haHPqaT90TQ/James%252520Patrick%252520Croft%252520082_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="471" /></a>    </p> <p align="center">James P and Daddy on Father’s Day 2013</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XzzKD1RqLYE/Ub-7UDcdYII/AAAAAAAAFVQ/uRdju6V9HlQ/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520198%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 198" border="0" alt="June 2013 198" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fd5JU3UxpJM/Ub-7U9qfcrI/AAAAAAAAFVY/Y_oJU0GHKJs/June%2525202013%252520198_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>    <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BsStZpSrAOw/Ub-7VS769-I/AAAAAAAAFVg/f3YJteCQ7vw/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520201%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 201" border="0" alt="June 2013 201" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-V-GwSw57ghU/Ub-7V-jf2UI/AAAAAAAAFVo/2Yzd66LF2mw/June%2525202013%252520201_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-55807497939581064532013-06-11T12:05:00.001-04:002013-06-11T12:05:07.140-04:00The Lineup<p>     I’m finding it humorous the things James plays with these days.  With the plethora of baby toys available,  none of them have proved necessary.  We all know when a baby is happily entertained you can engage in frivolous activities such as peeing, eating, paying bills, cooking dinner and keeping proper hygiene.  That is why this lineup is my new BFF.  I’m fat and happy and clean and responsible when these ‘toys’ are around</p> <p> </p> <p>This is a lid to a candle. It is wonderfully loud to bang on the hardwood floor and fun for the baby. He’ll play with this one for a good 10 minutes. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uxHD7Z7kjHI/UbdKjcLVqFI/AAAAAAAAFP4/Q0yR2dxEVNU/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520129%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 129" border="0" alt="June 2013 129" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IMhG4svygVs/UbdKkB2u7GI/AAAAAAAAFP8/02610PwvPOk/June%2525202013%252520129_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>An old remote with the batteries removed is apparently perfect for teething, or so says James.  I’ve made, eaten and done breakfast dishes while he baptized this sucker in his slobber. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-F9Rb1_onn8E/UbdKklSDQxI/AAAAAAAAFQE/06yPi9C6sWo/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520130%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 130" border="0" alt="June 2013 130" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DmTKZOoaKrU/UbdKlDSYXfI/AAAAAAAAFQM/Q_jG_oyN2dw/June%2525202013%252520130_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>A strawberry crate that he loves.  I tried to make it better by tightly tying some ribbons (he loves shoelaces) but he is indifferent to the ribbons so far.  The crate still works magic. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2ZCcRmKwq5I/UbdKloI2DtI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/PKdCW-onN44/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520131%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 131" border="0" alt="June 2013 131" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M4ASHnACesQ/UbdKmPGgOnI/AAAAAAAAFQc/YL8f6AZtnRk/June%2525202013%252520131_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>Oh, miracle empty tissue box, I might have you preserved in gold when your work here is done. James has loved you from the moment he learned to play happily on his stomach and you are still going strong.  </p> <p> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-exGKhz1df7o/UbdKmhB3LjI/AAAAAAAAFQk/t2md7VLGc8k/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520132%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 132" border="0" alt="June 2013 132" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iOh027Xror0/UbdKnNtxsPI/AAAAAAAAFQw/el7tyqajbWE/June%2525202013%252520132_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>A very, very favorite.  I pull this out during mass and baby JP is as good and gold and oh so attentive to the homily.  It is the wire shaker ball inside of his daddy’s protein bottle. James loooooves it</p> <p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZM4lhu-A17g/UbdKng3Q41I/AAAAAAAAFQ4/GD0BgF7PsGg/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520133%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 133" border="0" alt="June 2013 133" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ksIpdcYpjc0/UbdKoNCLESI/AAAAAAAAFRA/becg9uCQB-U/June%2525202013%252520133_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>Good old ice cream scoop and measuring spoons are the answer to the age old  “how do you cook dinner with an active 6 month old underfoot?”</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ty1pSnNJENk/UbdKoqnvY1I/AAAAAAAAFRI/PUHoVwanFsE/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520134%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 134" border="0" alt="June 2013 134" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ckDXj-YIr6c/UbdKpJr4FrI/AAAAAAAAFRQ/1KF2CRJhW8s/June%2525202013%252520134_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>Loves him a water bottle, and he is not even particular.  He is fine to toy around with Aquafina or Dasani or a Smartwater just the same! </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Og31U73N6X8/UbdKpkecsUI/AAAAAAAAFRY/glB7IAH3L5Q/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520135%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 135" border="0" alt="June 2013 135" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KHRl4SlznTM/UbdKqHIh43I/AAAAAAAAFRg/J3hXgT_pp70/June%2525202013%252520135_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>A diaper coupon(cut out from the diaper package and too big for him to choke on).  I can’t understand it but he covets this thing so much that I keep it up high and use if for emergency situations. Obviously, I missed the deal but his obsession for this thing is totally worth paying the whole price of his overnight dipes. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5tBDEGH9OBM/UbdKql2UtVI/AAAAAAAAFRo/5WDQwUvR74Y/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520136%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 136" border="0" alt="June 2013 136" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RM9m-bwPTXw/UbdKrAe9aEI/AAAAAAAAFRw/n5RfB0FJHnY/June%2525202013%252520136_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>Not pictured: Tupperware lids, paper towel rolls, my car keys, the hand towel in the kitchen, sucking on the leg of the coffee table, the door stop….these are a few of his favorite things..</p> <p> </p> <p>Here is what he doesn’t play with. (Although I should take the ball and gym bag out…he likes those a lot…I just added them for effect)</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tpTvFLaoyyE/UbdKrpMqwJI/AAAAAAAAFR4/o39Rj3NDFsU/s1600-h/June%2525202013%252520137%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="June 2013 137" border="0" alt="June 2013 137" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5VTNYMXzYqY/UbdKseu8WpI/AAAAAAAAFSA/c-tpLW8FxZg/June%2525202013%252520137_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>Save your money, mamas!!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-77410861894720635352013-05-31T08:47:00.001-04:002013-05-31T08:47:01.211-04:00A Day at Home<p align="center">Since Memorial Day was so crazy, I wanted to attempt and stay home the whole day (gasp!) on Tuesday so James would get a little break from the car seat & so I could catch up on laundry, diapers and such.  Thanks to these pictures, I’m bringing you along for the ride…</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">A bit earlier than I like to rise, but James said GET UPPPP.  Actually our morning really started at 1:30 am with a steam session in the shower to alleviate a very stuffy, can’t breath through his nose baby. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ouxX_10OLZo/UaibD7zZYEI/AAAAAAAAFFs/O6CG5_c0T4I/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520181%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 181" border="0" alt="may 2013 181" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Y3Q1FGQEbto/UaibEsJD8pI/AAAAAAAAFF0/KHDQeoXcRfM/may%252520%2525202013%252520181_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">first order of the day…get the diapers started!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KLdHW6xyTSE/UaibFF9UfcI/AAAAAAAAFF8/uybbZq5TQcY/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520173%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 173" border="0" alt="may 2013 173" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4Ehx_qq1UuY/UaibFlHZYyI/AAAAAAAAFGE/1vfSxDZoHk8/may%252520%2525202013%252520173_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>  </p> <p align="center">Then James chills in the bumbo for a hot second while I splash some water on my face, put my contacts in, etc<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-b_NN_F9jQa0/UaibGMpMzdI/AAAAAAAAFGM/nD1qnLpFfUA/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520175%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 175" border="0" alt="may 2013 175" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gA_fGwCd_OY/UaibG348-9I/AAAAAAAAFGU/ohPZzVJVWfE/may%252520%2525202013%252520175_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Buuuut he is really getting too big for the bumbo, since he can arch his way out of it.  A mad dash to rescue arching baby below followed the snapping of this picture..</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XWq2i6EzKhs/UaibHT2z2NI/AAAAAAAAFGc/kKkMqbIwYVk/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520176%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 176" border="0" alt="may 2013 176" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4E-7JMXozwM/UaibH1EPe9I/AAAAAAAAFGk/L5J9hcNj7bk/may%252520%2525202013%252520176_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Breakfast time! James does not eat solids yet..he just plays with them.  He also often insists that I cook my breakfast while holding him. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jxEjpmlTRfA/UaibIe-AUaI/AAAAAAAAFGs/SO3Td90_OvM/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520177%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 177" border="0" alt="may 2013 177" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Yc_3z26HBWY/UaibIyErmzI/AAAAAAAAFG0/MmKhq2C6eVE/may%252520%2525202013%252520177_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DLty6GwyLMg/UaibJVBw14I/AAAAAAAAFG8/QJZ4xv8CzTY/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520178%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 178" border="0" alt="may 2013 178" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8AXpoCEqD4g/UaibJ-_DSQI/AAAAAAAAFHE/GLjwQh69MWA/may%252520%2525202013%252520178_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Feeling fancy so it is french toast with bananas, powdered sugar and maple syrup today (and a thin layer of PB for some more protein).  It was delicious and a nice break from my normal egg burrito. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-k0Iq89tDo24/UaibKXxIFlI/AAAAAAAAFHM/LbSZFnVADR0/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520179%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 179" border="0" alt="may 2013 179" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-i_xKkpbDRCY/UaibLAjJbZI/AAAAAAAAFHU/UQWaHVrpz8s/may%252520%2525202013%252520179_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Morning playtime for him</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eB4F_mSQQmY/UaibLqVZwWI/AAAAAAAAFHc/32e-nObsVzw/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520180%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 180" border="0" alt="may 2013 180" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-A_1N0P_a2MQ/UaibMb0Ei3I/AAAAAAAAFHk/yzRnr1qV1iA/may%252520%2525202013%252520180_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a>   </p> <p align="center">Breakfast dishes & trimming up some chicken for tomorrow’s dinner for me. I’d rather sit on the living room floor and chew a giraffe.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Xd7aXd7hhRA/UaibM3cUhJI/AAAAAAAAFHs/vikYxs7Zpf8/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520183%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 183" border="0" alt="may 2013 183" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XeX-upWpb08/UaibNYq_RGI/AAAAAAAAFH0/cktWbBS7vYQ/may%252520%2525202013%252520183_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HXRrmXzuNB8/UaibN-O-9ZI/AAAAAAAAFH8/mmpRNArkONc/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520184%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 184" border="0" alt="may 2013 184" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-l2VNjaYZDdw/UaibOQHrz0I/AAAAAAAAFIE/wuugUNjLdcQ/may%252520%2525202013%252520184_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Multiply this times 8 or 9. Allll the live long day. And, don’t be fooled that the camera caught him laying on his back.. I am normally sweating, trying to snap his diaper on while he is rolling onto his stomach, half-hanging off the table. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZsL-_tY99nQ/UaibOwoAVKI/AAAAAAAAFIM/yt2TyWgQjT8/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520185%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 185" border="0" alt="may 2013 185" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TosvQ6fuf2o/UaibP0l_rwI/AAAAAAAAFIU/_q7AgA0a5m0/may%252520%2525202013%252520185_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>  </p> <p align="center">We got a treat today! My brother Chris came over to say good-bye before he headed back to SC.  It was a treat to have a visitor from the outside world! He promptly wound my son up to the crazieth degree then peaced out. Thanks for coming Uncle Chris!!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MIgoUpWwShU/UaibQdjt0gI/AAAAAAAAFIc/Ogar_pgAJdw/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520187%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 187" border="0" alt="may 2013 187" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-SP5lKbKxioA/UaibQ7j2u6I/AAAAAAAAFIk/EH1XBWGM8Mo/may%252520%2525202013%252520187_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-35AFGi3sDYQ/UaibRsTRBvI/AAAAAAAAFIs/XobJAM7ShdA/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520188%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 188" border="0" alt="may 2013 188" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xBIMq4UpUFA/UaibSGiM-fI/AAAAAAAAFI0/fmOiSCKouXQ/may%252520%2525202013%252520188_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a>   </p> <p align="center">See the booty in the air? That means he is out. Nap numbero uno!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AxHZDQBTCG8/UaibSoVupTI/AAAAAAAAFI8/hshGb3Qda2Q/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520190%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 190" border="0" alt="may 2013 190" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-o7XDjEDE9ek/UaibTahZyDI/AAAAAAAAFJE/9PjvxJ8l2fo/may%252520%2525202013%252520190_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>  </p> <p align="center">The diapers are done so I hang them up and put them outside for some miraculous sun bleaching..they dry super fast this way, too!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7hlj8o4xqM4/UaibT2iaULI/AAAAAAAAFJM/MM9tma79pTU/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520189%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 189" border="0" alt="may 2013 189" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yXzyloL5jKI/UaibUesw3LI/AAAAAAAAFJU/ttOnU718Pp8/may%252520%2525202013%252520189_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p align="center">Then the heavens opened and all the angels sang because finally….the best part of the day…The shower awaited!  Most days, since we normally go do something, I take one while he is awake which means conditioner half rinsed and only one leg shaved but not today! It was glorious!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pJurRdL9SJU/UaibVKj_ZTI/AAAAAAAAFJc/dJj1KbnYRN4/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520192%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 192" border="0" alt="may 2013 192" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-B7qu6eFzwbU/UaibVt0a0pI/AAAAAAAAFJk/Sl-VCb6jlmw/may%252520%2525202013%252520192_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Better late than never..morning prayer</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-N_6HUPE7acQ/UaibWOIhzlI/AAAAAAAAFJs/TYj_2_iWhTY/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520193%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 193" border="0" alt="may 2013 193" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7gYBVMELyg8/UaibWq6AnuI/AAAAAAAAFJ0/6EMzxU7B6Co/may%252520%2525202013%252520193_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">A day full of laundry awaited, no fun during this naptime</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bgJsZSLIxZk/UaibXLWGT3I/AAAAAAAAFJ8/rzybfgGMcf0/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520194%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 194" border="0" alt="may 2013 194" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1i4Qrasb350/UaibX1P1IeI/AAAAAAAAFKE/2082Kos7ccI/may%252520%2525202013%252520194_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Can I call this gardening? Trying to take care of my geraniums. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mDl3QVINKgc/UaibYvn6ARI/AAAAAAAAFKM/pO-TqBDBQps/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520195%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 195" border="0" alt="may 2013 195" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JAZ9pTG5fNI/UaibZPMrJkI/AAAAAAAAFKU/BGVlmq0ojrw/may%252520%2525202013%252520195_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Nap is over, so it is getting dressed for the day and some quality swing time.  <img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 196" border="0" alt="may 2013 196" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-29GtkqZ6Kfk/UaibZkoiOZI/AAAAAAAAFKc/gz0CYAKMwbE/may%252520%2525202013%252520196_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /> </p> <p align="center">An apple slice babysits while I do my least favorite chore: unloading the dishwasher</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QB-APn4XR7E/UaibaImDTlI/AAAAAAAAFKk/yKIEfj2of0k/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520197%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 197" border="0" alt="may 2013 197" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-T08_MT4zGyI/Uaibai6YPSI/AAAAAAAAFKs/SaP3RLW-0ZI/may%252520%2525202013%252520197_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a>  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GmYCdF6yATA/UaibbDB0TbI/AAAAAAAAFK0/8-9VF6yNlGY/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520201%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 201" border="0" alt="may 2013 201" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--FcvzOzLlCk/UaibbxbtPVI/AAAAAAAAFK8/MM4OmqYkG_0/may%252520%2525202013%252520201_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Nap number two means I get to blog, yay!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-J5nS--_cNso/Uaibcr2PR0I/AAAAAAAAFLE/yqVtzPqBtdM/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520202%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 202" border="0" alt="may 2013 202" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Be1iCeywnvU/UaibdOqeYsI/AAAAAAAAFLM/yKacIP2a0sE/may%252520%2525202013%252520202_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Aaaaan he’s up. A snack to get us through the afternoon and more floor playtime.  The front of our house is shaded at this time, so we step out to enjoy and ice cube or 3.  We lounged around on a blanket and chatted with our next door neighbor for a while.  When I went back inside, I decided it was time to turn on the AC.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-z7Jeazui_Zs/UaibdipsRgI/AAAAAAAAFLU/8bfH3rnCwcM/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520203%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 203" border="0" alt="may 2013 203" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-x8tZzFXvAXc/UaibekdYkUI/AAAAAAAAFLc/o6QL0qXmnsU/may%252520%2525202013%252520203_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7NW1SKj2XEc/UaibfH20BuI/AAAAAAAAFLk/_VAZSHLj5NY/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520210%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 210" border="0" alt="may 2013 210" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HJw1vU5q_sk/UaibflJEzQI/AAAAAAAAFLs/nmmACc9lByg/may%252520%2525202013%252520210_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FSM0YbId3LA/UaibgPpYM6I/AAAAAAAAFL0/DFqP6sJx1qQ/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520206%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 206" border="0" alt="may 2013 206" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vAqTfR7Kwcc/UaibgnHLTOI/AAAAAAAAFL8/X9RdXzu-p_8/may%252520%2525202013%252520206_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="529" /></a></p> <p align="center">During the last quick cat nap of the day, I conquered the rest of the laundry and chatted with my mom on the phone</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AYkyDOWFwyw/UaibhBX6jDI/AAAAAAAAFME/oCWTnV5zWus/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520213%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 213" border="0" alt="may 2013 213" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j7rF26C_0iA/UaibhqEvlTI/AAAAAAAAFMM/Dwxyc8n1ZOQ/may%252520%2525202013%252520213_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">My view during our late afternoon walk</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9A0GyU49E00/UaibiDhHPUI/AAAAAAAAFMU/ALtQARgyNd8/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520211%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 211" border="0" alt="may 2013 211" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--A5Jh8oyFIY/Uaibi5REtrI/AAAAAAAAFMc/2jUwVHO1FqE/may%252520%2525202013%252520211_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p align="center">We practiced crawling, which can be soooo frustrating, huh, James?</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AjlUF1CZ2UM/UaibjT_rFxI/AAAAAAAAFMk/ydDV7HGUhrE/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520205%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 205" border="0" alt="may 2013 205" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CDmRUZE0y_w/Uaibj93omHI/AAAAAAAAFMs/Hng9MBg_Sso/may%252520%2525202013%252520205_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a></p> <p align="center">In fact, things were getting really fussy and I was feeling very sleepy so it was time to get a little help from Motown and dancing around the kitchen. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gSIvdwIW_4o/UaibkYmeamI/AAAAAAAAFM0/4XaxNx-PZ3Q/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520204%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 204" border="0" alt="may 2013 204" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FR2BC8UwY_U/UaiblOmzbNI/AAAAAAAAFM8/5cfdkKi-zuI/may%252520%2525202013%252520204_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QynmPU4Gtrk/UaiblrEtWoI/AAAAAAAAFNE/hyiRRZXXZAs/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520207%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 207" border="0" alt="may 2013 207" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-q98B22ALnks/UaibmM4o8VI/AAAAAAAAFNM/WVoILrjwdqY/may%252520%2525202013%252520207_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qvXtQ-EbdeM/Uaibmtd1F2I/AAAAAAAAFNU/RBB_O6ZQpI0/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520209%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 209" border="0" alt="may 2013 209" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5gGx4vHyBEI/UaibncVpPuI/AAAAAAAAFNc/M6Wk9u6HcDQ/may%252520%2525202013%252520209_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>     </p> <p align="center">But it didn’t last. Witching hour was truly upon us.  This picture is really mean but can you see his two little teethies?!<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jhY6maS3z9c/UaibnyxT_nI/AAAAAAAAFNk/fBDa1GO1RXU/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520214%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 214" border="0" alt="may 2013 214" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Q2d7eQWt3fg/Uaiboo_nWeI/AAAAAAAAFNs/5iFlSUfQg4c/may%252520%2525202013%252520214_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">He didn’t eat any</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GJsyxLm7FGc/UaibpJNJ_RI/AAAAAAAAFN0/W6EbMN2eBGo/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520215%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 215" border="0" alt="may 2013 215" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4p9xlMH1feo/UaibprWwSnI/AAAAAAAAFN8/_wbHCvaLwKY/may%252520%2525202013%252520215_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p align="center">But he got filthy. So it was time for the inaugural bath in the sink. I couldn’t decide which of the four pictures I liked the best..</p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2MRUaJ6MyJo/UaibqWAvKyI/AAAAAAAAFOE/DRuhGMFrufQ/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520217%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 217" border="0" alt="may 2013 217" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M9jsbt8pmI4/Uaibq9FJUGI/AAAAAAAAFOM/fQvq4NDn7EI/may%252520%2525202013%252520217_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qgxPodYOz34/UaibreNkfNI/AAAAAAAAFOU/SN9ql6nMiq4/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520216%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 216" border="0" alt="may 2013 216" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_4v5U83ho0w/Uaibr_h5syI/AAAAAAAAFOc/3RLlQfMcSr0/may%252520%2525202013%252520216_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tIikiBu2bxQ/UaibsTgTC3I/AAAAAAAAFOk/AH-Nyqalk6g/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520219%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 219" border="0" alt="may 2013 219" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VeRv0G6hUR0/UaibtGu7tiI/AAAAAAAAFOs/eJxoYdRXNRU/may%252520%2525202013%252520219_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6Hwjh0f11Po/UaibtgMBxyI/AAAAAAAAFO0/IfjPFHBTJpU/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520220%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 220" border="0" alt="may 2013 220" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oaChAzTw_vQ/Uaibuc8kgUI/AAAAAAAAFO8/uKsNJrY0yLI/may%252520%2525202013%252520220_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Tonight's lineup</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Vgs0J9hMu1g/UaibvNuuNmI/AAAAAAAAFPI/5GHmTW5BsVc/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520221%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 221" border="0" alt="may 2013 221" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fNyhsxxEiVA/UaibvnTITFI/AAAAAAAAFPQ/hgF0TPwleLM/may%252520%2525202013%252520221_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Books, songs & prayers before bed</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wQA2RIM3Ln0/UaibwN9MhPI/AAAAAAAAFPY/vpjOvJ_W9Zg/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520222%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 222" border="0" alt="may 2013 222" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-L-NyoEI40xc/UaibwuUN2RI/AAAAAAAAFPg/PYorM-JI2uk/may%252520%2525202013%252520222_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p align="center">He went to bed around 7:15 and I didn’t stay up too much later..he still gets up to nurse in the night so I need my survival sleep!</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Not pictured: the nursing sessions that happened every 3 hours</p> <p>Also not pictured: The dinner clean-up.  All those steamed carrots and mashed avocado all over the floor and in the nook & crannies of the high chair. </p> <p>There you have it! What went down when I stayed home to recover after the crazy weekend.  It was a pretty good day.  Both his morning and afternoon nap were an hour and he was in a happy mood until the early evening.  I didn’t cook a real dinner since Marcus was working and we had given the house a good clean the Friday before so neither cooking or cleaning was on the agenda which makes everything much easier.  Other days James only sleeps for 30 minutes at a time and never lets me put him down.  I still like him, though- he’s a cutie!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-50310715586594716362013-05-29T16:46:00.001-04:002013-05-29T16:46:06.152-04:00Memorial Day Weekend<p>     It was a double header, my friends!  My wonderful, hardworking, generous siblings in-law planned a Happy Birthday Mom Yard Crash for the long weekend.  Grand plans included lots of yard-cleaning and clearing,  bush removal, saying goodbye to a no longer needed wheelchair ramp, ripping up an old deck, taking down an old carport and other awesomely ambitious yard maintenance things. James and I were of absolutely zero help since we were mostly consumed with the other happenings over the weekend but we did manage to show up whenever food stuffs were going down.  We hope it just looked like a coincidence.  Anyways, Marcus re-acquaintanced himself with a chainsaw and Emily slaved away caring for the littles, my brother-in-laws and Becky impressively worked non-stop.  One of the goals was to make the backyard a safe place for the kiddo’s and family gatherings and while there is still some work to be done, some fantastic headway was made! (Wellllll, if you don’t talk about the two slithering snakes sighted).  Seriously though, I’m in awe of my family-spending those 3 days working so hard- they did great work!  On Monday afternoon we enjoyed the new backyard for a BBQ.  Not only can the Crofts yard work, but they just do family picnics right.  Here is a little peek at the cute baby cousins, the backyard and the birthday girl..</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TCsdsiFX1J0/UaZorshgOHI/AAAAAAAAFBU/mZDToenOu5c/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520166%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 166" border="0" alt="may 2013 166" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CF8VxH4zLP4/UaZosbo3ikI/AAAAAAAAFBc/rkg6Gm2CYhs/may%252520%2525202013%252520166_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6S6wBhJwAzc/UaZos2hn6oI/AAAAAAAAFBk/azceYSjLVcE/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520162%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 162" border="0" alt="may 2013 162" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3IU241EziXs/UaZotsxHU0I/AAAAAAAAFBs/vW4Pxqi6RqE/may%252520%2525202013%252520162_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hGAX5aG5r2s/UaZouGHFzfI/AAAAAAAAFB0/p16yptevP6w/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520164%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 164" border="0" alt="may 2013 164" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6hdS38X9BSk/UaZou7EAFII/AAAAAAAAFB8/-_EfvnCxlag/may%252520%2525202013%252520164_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>   </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oWpHJw-YaKI/UaZov9zXNSI/AAAAAAAAFCE/7Gg0Tk7m9L0/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520167%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 167" border="0" alt="may 2013 167" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-J-yRje6uZgE/UaZowisI0DI/AAAAAAAAFCM/_OenQjEC_h8/may%252520%2525202013%252520167_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pSuKMPB6HQA/UaZoxBGfwGI/AAAAAAAAFCU/H-dF9E0lvrk/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520172%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 172" border="0" alt="may 2013 172" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-3Y6efmp22FQ/UaZox544FwI/AAAAAAAAFCc/ZdPOOTWAgw8/may%252520%2525202013%252520172_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a></p> <p align="left">     The other exciting part of this weekend was a much anticipated visit from my uncle Joe & aunt Azita! They came all the way from California to meet James & Rosemary!  My mom has three brothers and for  us growing up they were just all fun and games.  I remember when the three of them made trips together to spend a weekend at the beach.  When we were in Ohio, they took us to movies, bought us junk food, took us for joy rides in their fast & fancy cars, and played in the basement with us.  They were big kids and always up for a good time.   Then Joe moved to California for work when I was a teenager and  met the very beautiful, smart, sweet Azita and fell in love.  We flew to LA for their wedding. </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_3BBR8iSwD4/UaZoyaWqHRI/AAAAAAAAFCk/zwQleoZiY9I/s1600-h/friends%252520046%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="friends 046" border="0" alt="friends 046" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dYqcQSLyA44/UaZozBOyyNI/AAAAAAAAFCs/cdaxKKrS8iE/friends%252520046_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="529" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Good move Joe, because our family gained a lovely new aunt. We only wish we all lived closer to one another! It was so neat to have them visit and it brought back the best memories of Joe’s old visits.  We are a mature crowd with a special knack for teasing and Joe always fits right in.  When we weren’t joking one another, we walked around downtown Norfolk, went bike riding and headed to the boardwalk & beach.  Brian took them to tour his ship on Sunday but we skipped out since the idea of carting James up and down those stairs didn’t sound like my cup of tea. My mom made delicious meals and we ate our fill of homemade strawberry pie all weekend long.  Kathleen taught Joe how to make Bergey’s dinner rolls and we spent a fair amount of time on the ground playing with Patrick’s Keva planks.  Most importantly, we introduced Azita to the Blues Brothers .(A family favorite movie)  I’m fairly certain James loved meeting his aunt and uncle as evidenced here:</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xsl4-f5iq0Y/UaZo0MQqdAI/AAAAAAAAFC0/j31PhYYB6VA/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520150%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 150" border="0" alt="may 2013 150" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ulF8m_vuVCA/UaZo03u0gkI/AAAAAAAAFC8/TfEwKM7ObpA/may%252520%2525202013%252520150_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cQOLghtCNMY/UaZo1eFnh1I/AAAAAAAAFDE/LZQDaMFB1zc/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520147%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 147" border="0" alt="may 2013 147" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gTGfBG-AuN8/UaZo2NmrAiI/AAAAAAAAFDM/9_kl2N13mgI/may%252520%2525202013%252520147_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wXmbcfYN1uE/UaZo2rweMjI/AAAAAAAAFDU/Z8bfzV03fDI/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520151%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 151" border="0" alt="may 2013 151" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oKVeBappfvU/UaZo3dRvtnI/AAAAAAAAFDc/P8hre43kbnA/may%252520%2525202013%252520151_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-t-B20JCZsjI/UaZo3xnUeHI/AAAAAAAAFDk/4aa2GUs2EdM/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520148%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 148" border="0" alt="may 2013 148" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ii3USpGjZsQ/UaZo4irM3UI/AAAAAAAAFDo/XRWPvVajk7k/may%252520%2525202013%252520148_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p align="center">Okay, so maybe he looks less than thrilled..but take it from me..he loved you guys!</p> <p align="center">James went for his first bike ride with over the weekend</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OdfnWst48yg/UaZo5MfODkI/AAAAAAAAFD0/wljPrQtLhVA/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520139%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 139" border="0" alt="may 2013 139" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eCgTyxtkVDg/UaZo5zeSJ8I/AAAAAAAAFD8/JSBF2XS13cM/may%252520%2525202013%252520139_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CNFnsBo16DY/UaZo6hwRq5I/AAAAAAAAFEE/uaU2FA1n7Cc/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520143%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 143" border="0" alt="may 2013 143" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j-dzZKnEnh0/UaZo73MQLtI/AAAAAAAAFEM/0KvA-Lq3K4E/may%252520%2525202013%252520143_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>  </p> <p align="center">(yes, we definitely should be wearing a helmet! The one we brought didn’t fit him!)</p> <p align="center">ANND he took his first trip to Virginia Beach</p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VplNnYrLsg4/UaZo8qSq63I/AAAAAAAAFEU/wTF6A0J2lk0/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520155%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 155" border="0" alt="may 2013 155" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-X51Cv0NoOMA/UaZo9etfzfI/AAAAAAAAFEc/bZ4vVWF3aos/may%252520%2525202013%252520155_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-I8JhW1z_PL4/UaZo94038jI/AAAAAAAAFEk/LgcUk2Wl7NU/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520156%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 156" border="0" alt="may 2013 156" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hC7vAN3_qb4/UaZo-51Nv3I/AAAAAAAAFEs/9iUpRwY3NpQ/may%252520%2525202013%252520156_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Azita & Patrick. Two peas in a pod.  In Azita’s words “We just get each other.”</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1czqqkQdC-w/UaZo_nlh9uI/AAAAAAAAFE0/McR9drWUXPs/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520157%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 157" border="0" alt="may 2013 157" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-80lIcYBbNOE/UaZpAJEvSYI/AAAAAAAAFE8/uiQ25VPBpVw/may%252520%2525202013%252520157_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="454" height="683" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Marcus and I and Brian and Kathleen. Woohoo!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-I3jSNBKIXn4/UaZpAhWVAKI/AAAAAAAAFFE/0eQUC9QI86I/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520159%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 159" border="0" alt="may 2013 159" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gmzogmBDnUU/UaZpBvhzHuI/AAAAAAAAFFM/OepZjzN5_A0/may%252520%2525202013%252520159_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sM89qvFjmco/UaZpCTouH1I/AAAAAAAAFFU/SvWy0ke6nO0/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520160%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 160" border="0" alt="may 2013 160" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uVnA8T76yvU/UaZpC7AphAI/AAAAAAAAFFc/0NlWadeNa4A/may%252520%2525202013%252520160_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="left">     It was a beautifully busy weekend, rich in family, food and laughs.  Loved every minute of it!  James did pretty well being carted every which way…a pleasant gift for Marcus and I!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-57383132253286570832013-05-28T13:51:00.001-04:002013-05-28T13:51:54.651-04:00Scanned Nostalgia: Cole Girls & Middle School<p>     I don’t know if it is because I have been working on my book, transporting me back to my naval base days, or if it was the fact that the youngest Cole girl just graduated from college, but either way I felt compelled to go through my old pictures until I found something good.</p> <p> </p> <p>     The Cole Family moved on base when I was in middle school.  I’ll never forget seeing Elizabeth Cole for the first time- she was waiting at the bus stop wearing khaki pants and a navy blue & forest green fleece pullover.  I was so jazzed to have a new girl my age move into the neighborhood and although she was pretty quiet, it only took one 30 minute bus drive to the local laser tag arena with the middle school young life group before we became best friends.  One of the greatest things about my new friend were her two little sisters Emily & Sarah.  We quickly became quite the bike riding, backyard playing, neighborhood pool swimming, dinner dance showing gangs of all time.  Even if the rest of our middle school friends were kissing boys and playing in make-up, we were happily playing house or riding our razor scooters to Sailing lessons.  We worked every inch of the naval base over…gallivanting across the golf course or riding our bikes to the arcade (supposed to be for the sailors but it was always overrun by the neighborhood kids) to print out hippie smiley face stickers.  To top of happy little world, the Cole family lived in the Illinois House, one of the huge homes part of the Jamestown Expedition.  This gave them some serious base kid street cred and the rest of us clamored to play in their big playroom.  The long playroom, stretching the width of the house, was the perfect rehearsal room for our dance choreography…which we subjected our families to!  </p> <p> </p> <p>     Enough chatter, the real evidence of our fun can be discovered in these perfectly awfully awkward photographs.  I love them!!</p> <p align="center">The infamous dinner-dance show.  Do you like our matching outfits?!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QEpVQiHb_lw/UaTukkdSKkI/AAAAAAAAE_I/zvfijyfV-s0/s1600-h/scanned%252520003%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="scanned 003" border="0" alt="scanned 003" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2TxEKeIGAuI/UaTulWYs0SI/AAAAAAAAE_Q/CXiUNVs7sHg/scanned%252520003_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="450" /></a></p> <p align="center">A whole gang of naval base middle schoolers!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r40pH4z3S_Y/UaTul87CjuI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/CMpsALoYOds/s1600-h/scanned%252520008%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="scanned 008" border="0" alt="scanned 008" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Yvz9mBFM7nU/UaTumu3HRnI/AAAAAAAAE_g/sELc1jLS4AU/scanned%252520008_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="546" /></a> </p> <p align="center">This is me, Emily, Sarah & my little brother Brian.  Emily & Brian were in the same grade and he played with us girls more than he would probably care to admit!</p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-d3EQW8fmg3c/UaTunAXzvUI/AAAAAAAAE_o/iMQCIcPuMvw/s1600-h/scanned%252520006%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="scanned 006" border="0" alt="scanned 006" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6akF4yntxgw/UaTunvMyUEI/AAAAAAAAE_w/j2vunYK0D3s/scanned%252520006_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="476" /></a>  </p> <p align="center">I am pretty sure this is middle school cotillion.  I think Elizabeth & I must have shopped at the same store..modestyRus…thank God our mother’s knew how to lay down the law! (My sweet friend  Diana is on my right in the photo! She and I had babies a week apart from each other this year..crazy!)</p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GkqDOd6FCy0/UaTuoVhbPHI/AAAAAAAAE_4/FZqMOSGUicc/s1600-h/scanned%252520007%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="scanned 007" border="0" alt="scanned 007" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1KUFfjXXLdc/UaTuo5NukVI/AAAAAAAAFAA/zIgw9w7whaA/scanned%252520007_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="454" height="749" /></a> </p> <p align="center">This gem is us girls hanging out at the bowling alley.  Brian and his friends must have followed along, since here we are humoring his friend Stephen’s presence.  We were always annoyed at them following us around, but generally ended up having just as much fun with them around. </p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ujOBEPXGDrQ/UaTupvodV3I/AAAAAAAAFAI/eCHvXERHg8c/s1600-h/scanned%252520005%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="scanned 005" border="0" alt="scanned 005" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gOAcrNXY3HM/UaTuqS6gnnI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/MpQuWFMEPr0/scanned%252520005_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="532" /></a>   </p> <p align="center">Right before Elizabeth moved away, she made this for me and it hung on my bedroom wall for many years to come..</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1FJUh33J11Q/UaTuq4Q1dUI/AAAAAAAAFAY/dh4CPbMGlfo/s1600-h/scanned%252520001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="scanned 001" border="0" alt="scanned 001" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jeCrpRKJ-G4/UaTuruB-FfI/AAAAAAAAFAg/StmCESH7dEA/scanned%252520001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="454" height="621" /></a></p> <p align="center">Emily or Sarah, you are going to help me out on this one? Where are we? Is this after you moved or when you still lived here? </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qJ-TDvv-IBk/UaTusHqqLDI/AAAAAAAAFAo/nyslJxCG0js/s1600-h/001%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="001" border="0" alt="001" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-n_KPa4yVtjs/UaTutGEYnWI/AAAAAAAAFAw/iyvFYYDrrrY/001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="476" /></a> </p> <p align="center">And this picture is from a visit during high school.  </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aIJbgvN4BLc/UaTutnfCw_I/AAAAAAAAFA4/zL2roWmGPvY/s1600-h/scanned%252520002%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="scanned 002" border="0" alt="scanned 002" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5ny4Cfg0hjo/UaTuueHmbpI/AAAAAAAAFBA/sqdhop0KnF8/scanned%252520002_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="454" height="651" /></a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>     I saw a lot of families come and go during our almost 18 years on base, but the Cole girls were hands down a favorite.  I just have the best memories of the fun we had during their quick two years here..and of course, all the pictures to prove it. </p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-31581682518911377872013-05-23T16:01:00.001-04:002013-05-23T16:01:05.705-04:00The Most Boring Bucket List You Will Ever Read<p>     I don’t know if I would really classify this as a bucket list, but if it were..move over Grandma! It’s just my running, let’s save up for this to-do list.  </p> <p>1.) Drive across country with my husband & kiddo(s). Marcus did this with his family when he was young and all his stories make me green with envy! Good thing this one is on his bucket list to do again so it should definitely be happening in the future. </p> <p>2.) Take writing classes and start writing group. So that I can…</p> <p>3.) Write my book. Working on a memoir of sorts, an ode to growing up on base- being the family that stayed while everybody else came & went on a 2 year rotation.  This book has been swirling around my head for years & years. I finally have some outlining done and writing started but whew! It’ll be a job!</p> <p>4.) Go back to Cape May Courthouse New Jersey to see where my grandma (and my dad) grew up.  To see the church they attended, the fire station where my grandfather volunteered, and my <a href="http://www.osbornesattheshore.com/index.html">great-grandfather’s store</a> .</p> <p>5.) Road trip though New England in the fall. Don’t forget my camera</p> <p>6.) Start a supper club so that I can eat my friend’s fancy cooking. </p> <p>7.) Take pictures on my dad’s old (film) 35 mm, print them out in that delicious, timeless, grainy black and white. </p> <p>8.) Take ballroom dancing classes with Marcus</p> <p>9.) I hate sewing but I would like to sew some curtains and a cushion for my hope chest. </p> <p>10.) Write about anxiety</p> <p>11.) Go back and enjoy <a href="http://www.baldheadisland.com/">Bald Head Island</a> where I have the sweetest memories of a Guzzo family (that is my mom’s family!) beach week</p> <p>12.) Vacation with husband and kiddos and whoever else in <a href="http://www.seasidefl.com/">Seaside, Florida</a></p> <p> </p> <p>     So, if you ever had any doubts about how lame I am this should really seal the deal for you! </p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-46329796581999509382013-05-19T19:59:00.001-04:002013-05-19T19:59:25.609-04:00A Mother’s Day Photo Shoot<p>     It took this past Mother’s Day for me to finally try out the remote for my camera.  We took a couple family photographs and then Marcus took some of my boy and I, hooray!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-o-15H4k400A/UZlnNtwq1eI/AAAAAAAAE9A/vniA7EKPbxA/s1600-h/may20130823.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="may 2013 082" border="0" alt="may 2013 082" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-y7EZNEF9_NE/UZlnOXzyCbI/AAAAAAAAE9I/KIlUq50F4b4/may2013082_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L1ZmIdOy1dk/UZlnPAHQ4nI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/EmCP6OSaMXs/s1600-h/may20130903.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="may 2013 090" border="0" alt="may 2013 090" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0GjxHBtF3Yo/UZlnP0S0cqI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/IhY3F2f8AFQ/may2013090_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a>  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GTI-r1ZT9YE/UZlnQdB9wRI/AAAAAAAAE9g/ceVryTgapgo/s1600-h/may20130833.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="may 2013 083" border="0" alt="may 2013 083" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LbFCq-3L8Ao/UZlnRGCZTrI/AAAAAAAAE9o/l1HgrwmmoTQ/may2013083_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a>  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-skjplVoBAzo/UZlnRnb90NI/AAAAAAAAE9w/F1BdhkyDylE/s1600-h/may20130913.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="may 2013 091" border="0" alt="may 2013 091" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EJ7PkE02nwM/UZlnScqFhHI/AAAAAAAAE94/201AO-pqHqo/may2013091_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-BVRyZ1NeaBI/UZlnS-1KX4I/AAAAAAAAE-A/DkNMJUzCKmg/s1600-h/may20130733.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="may 2013 073" border="0" alt="may 2013 073" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XnK2eCc7EIk/UZlnThBuvYI/AAAAAAAAE-I/0tZwu2BRA2I/may2013073_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AL9NBpVFvJA/UZlnUOcwRtI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/iulmilHbEn0/s1600-h/may20130753.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="may 2013 075" border="0" alt="may 2013 075" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_mnQVUn338o/UZlnUt2OmhI/AAAAAAAAE-Y/b-PwwW20UR4/may2013075_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wd513jQoKJ0/UZlnVNHO53I/AAAAAAAAE-g/DHL0iqUQVzg/s1600-h/may20130773.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="may 2013 077" border="0" alt="may 2013 077" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dgAwFmgJ58M/UZlnV5rWogI/AAAAAAAAE-o/9cL1gXRP9HY/may2013077_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a>  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XqVwb6qcZ9o/UZlnWXHglNI/AAAAAAAAE-w/AzBoxJxHLaM/s1600-h/may20130803.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="may 2013 080" border="0" alt="may 2013 080" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ynpENGMkKH8/UZlnW8kfx0I/AAAAAAAAE-4/pp8aj2VC18I/may2013080_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p align="center">Jamey P is getting BIG!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-17211975655386121962013-05-18T20:34:00.001-04:002013-05-18T20:34:00.333-04:00Stay At Home Mama: How I Stay Sane<p><font size="1">*Actually, my sanity is always in question. So, read at your own risk</font></p> <p><font size="1">**This mostly applies to stay-at-home mamas of the one/first child variety. Because, really, I’m sure by the time number 2 and the rest of the siblings make their way….you are FAR too busy to care about sanity.</font></p> <p> </p> <p><font size="3">     </font><font size="2">Let’s start by taking a look at why I would make such a crazy decision as to stay home with my bambino.  My reasons were as follows:</font></p> <p><font size="2">1) I knew that is what God was asking of our family</font></p> <p><font size="2">2) I really, truly always wanted to be a “mom” when I grew up.  I think it is because I thought I would be able to watch soap operas or something, but no matter the intention, God always placed the desire in my heart. (And in case you were wondering, in the 5+ months I’ve stayed home, I’ve yet to catch a soap…guess God cured me of that)</font></p> <p><font size="2">3.) My mom was a stay-at-home mom and it was truly a gift. I want to pass that gift on to my kiddo’s</font></p> <p><font size="2">4.) Jobs & Careers will always be around. Babies & Children won’t be.  I really don’t want to miss a minute</font></p> <p><font size="2">5.) Um…the price of childcare?!</font></p> <p><font size="2">6.) The Blessed Mother did it and I think she is a pretty good example. </font></p> <p><font size="2">7.) We are probably going to be homeschooling </font></p> <p><font size="2"></font></p> <p><font size="2"></font></p> <p><font size="2">     I know I am very blessed to stay home with James.  I know for many it is not an option, and for us it has all been about <a href="http://lauramicheleportraiture.blogspot.com/2013/04/stay-at-home-mamahow-we-do-it.html">priorities and choices</a>.  It’s not that I don’t have career goals and dreams, but it’s something I wanted to do for my boy.  Also, I know not all moms are called to stay at home; and kudos to those balancing careers and raising a family.  Whew! Just watching y’all makes me tired! That being said, staying at home definitely is not the easy option or or for the faint of heart.  It means hours of changing diapers, never ending spit-up covered shirts, nowhere to run to escape the fussing/screaming/colic/gas/whining and yes, a lot of boredom.  Babies are cute, babies are sweet….babies cannot have intelligent conversations with you.  I’ll never forget the first day Marcus went back to work.  The silence was deafening.  So were James’ cries.  Oh my goodness, I watched that clock like a hawk.  The guilt washed over me hard, my inner voice mocking me <em>“This is what you wanted!”</em></font></p> <p><em><font size="2"></font></em></p> <p><font size="2"><em>     </em>It IS what I want, but I had to figure out some survival techniques.  The days are long and repetitive so you have to figure out how to enjoy it all without losing your mind.  Here is what works for me:</font></p> <p><font size="2"></font></p> <p><font size="2">1.)  Prayer!  I’m like Bon Jovi over here, living on the prayers.  Seriously though, if I skip this part… the day gonna be ugly.  Not that I don’t have bad days when I remember to pray, but the grace is just so more abundant.  Babies drastically limit your dedicated prayer time, so I fit it in wherever I can in the morning..often while simultaneously entertaining JP.  Since he loves to be sung to, this means singing my prayer intentions to the tune of He’s Got The Whole World in his Hands.  Whatever works.  My brain has been pretty sluggish the last 6 months, so I try to just commit to a decade of the rosary during  his naptime or nurse so I can focus.  Marcus and I will do morning prayer during his first nap.  We basically just fit it in whenever we can, but truly prayer= survival BFF</font></p> <p><font size="2">2.) Shower & very hearty breakfast!  In all honesty, sometimes I accomplish these at the price of James crying a bit. I’ve found it is vital to my day and I feel better if I look better which is why I sometimes have mascara and a nice shirt on even if we have nowhere to go.  Also, without a high protein breakfast things fall apart fast around here.  I’ll get shaky, nauseous, cranky & mean, and then just want to eat sugar for the rest of the day.  Plus, the breastfeeding makes you perpetually hungry and you need the good food to keep that supply up!</font></p> <p><font size="2">3.) Play-dates!  Okay, James really is not playing with any of my friend’s kids, but STILL… I neeeeed ‘em! I feel so blessed that I have lots and lots of friends & sisters who are always up for a walk in the park or coffee while our kids/babies scoot around on the floor or play together.  That interaction is so important to me and I know I would be going nuts without it.  In fact, every day that Marcus works (he has a weird firefighting schedule), I plan something.  Since he needs a nap when he gets home the following morning, I try to be out of the house then too.  I don’t take my fellow stay-at-home moms for granted, since I know lots of mama’s don’t have that luxury.  I would suggest trying to start something up, maybe with other young moms at church or checking out meetup.com and creating a group.  </font></p> <p><font size="2">4.) Going outside & taking walks! This one is HUGE to me.  Even though months 1 through 5 were cold, cold, cold.. I didn’t care.  I would bundle this baby up and we would walk around the neighborhood, sit on the front steps or lay a blanket in the yard with a couple of toys.  James was just happier outside and it cleared my head & refreshed me.  Even when he hated his stroller in the beginning, I just kept on walking..it wasn’t long before he loved it, looking all around and cooing.  The walks were just enough gentle exercise to be perfect for a postpartum work-out and the endorphins released worked wonders for that postpartum depression.  I remember having a terrible morning then we would go for a walk and when we came back I was just re-charged and much happier.  It gave me energy during that afternoon sleepy slump.  Sometimes, I would use the walks to catch up with two of my long-distance best friends, other times I would chat with James, but I like most of all doing neither of those.  Just being outside and quiet and able to let my mind wander/daydream or pray.  It is pretty much the only nice & quiet time during the day where I can just think about what I want to think about since James is mesmerized with the passing cars and rustling trees.  AND there are no dirty dishes in the sink staring at you ;)</font></p> <p><font size="2">5.) Finding some new, at-home hobbies!  Having a little one and nursing can keep you pretty chained so it is nice to discover some baby friendly hobbies.  For me it is a lot of reading while nursing or naps, and I have finally started working on writing a book that has been floating around in my head forever. I don’t think I would have ever taken the time to do that if I wasn’t staying home with James. Blogging is a hobby, too :) I’ve also been enjoying doing a little baking recently (which is extremely, extremely weird of me and just negates all those walks) and of course, taking pictures.  For you it might be crocheting, crafting, welding, whatever your pleasure..</font></p> <p><font size="2">6.) Don’t obsess over sleeping when the babies sleep!  Oh, the stress that old adage caused me the first few months of James’ arrival!  It was so just so much pressure! Oh, baby is asleep..you better take a nap or you are probably going to die of sleep deprivation!  Even in the wake of James’ recent horrific night habits, I had a hard time napping during the day and then I would freak out about how I was never going to get it right.  I’ve learned to take the pressure off these days. If he is napping and I don’t have any other pressing duties, I’ll just give myself permission to relax, read, soak my feet, whatever might make me tired..and guess what? I’ve been able to nap again.  Many well-meaning baby classes will tell you to let the household duties slide when babies are little and while there is a lot of truth to that, I needed some order before I could nap.  I couldn’t fall asleep if there were dishes in the sink or laundry waiting to be folded (but that might just be the OCD in me).  The point is, do what you need to do to relax. We will sleep again and until then, God will give us the grace..</font></p> <p><font size="2">7.) Step away from the social media!  Really, I love a newsfeed catch-up as much as the next person. There are times when facebook, blogs, twitter and the like can be a great thing- a window to the outside world when you are stuck at home.  It can also be a serious distraction, and if you are like me and suffer from compareyourselftoothersitits, and really make you feel a whole lot of discontent with your lot in life.  People out there in the facebookery world are doing amazing things and the devil can/will use it to tell you that you are wasting your time and talent being a stay-at-home mom. Don’t fall for that trap, friends!  I’m preaching to the choir with this one, but I really, really, really try to avoid screen time when baby is awake.  Not that he needs my unfocused attention all the time, but I try to save it for when he is napping.  I have to be careful about my blog too. I would be perfectly happy to blog while James’ entertains himself chewing the cord to the lamp, buuuut something inside me tells me not to ;)  Please don’t think I have this survival technique down, I flub it up a lot, but on the days I keep the screen time to a minimum seem to go smoother and I’ll stay in a better mood. </font></p> <p><font size="2">8.) Accept Help!  The life & times of a new mom can be extremely, really, very hard. You just have to be humble sometimes and let your mom come over and spend the night when times are tough. And, let your husband help! When he offers to do the grocery shopping, watch the baby so you can sleep in, take the baby for a run or anything that involves giving you some alone time…hop on it! </font></p> <p><font size="2">9.) Invest in your marriage!</font> James’ rocked Marcus & I’s little idyllic romance for a while, and we really had to learn to put each other first in a brand new way. Remember you are on the same team, date each other, be affectionate, encourage each other and don’t take each other for granted.  When Marcus and I are happy, happy, happy I don’t spend my days at home with James’ in bitterness and resentment. </p> <p>10.) Music! We alternate between my terrible singing, and some favorite Pandora stations like Motown, The Lumineers, James Taylor, Classical, and old favorite church hymns.  It puts a pep in our step and makes the house seem not so empty.</p> <p><font size="2">annnd the most important survival technique of all</font></p> <p><font size="2">EARLY BEDTIME! James typically goes to bed in between 7 and 7:30.  This gives me practically a whoooole ‘nother day! When he was a smaller baby, I always kept him up late thinking he would take a longer stretch before nursing or sleep in…it really backfired! He gets sleepy around 6 and sometimes it can be hard to keep him up before his bedtime. We experimented a little, but after reading his cues, 7 to 7:30 seems perfect for him.  Besides when he went through a really horrible sleeping stage, he sleeps into about 7 now.  This early bedtime is so nice, though.  On the day Marcus is working it means dessert and lounging on the couch after doing what needs done around the house.  When Marcus is home it means time together. Win, win, win. </font></p> <p><font size="2"></font></p> <p><font size="2"></font></p> <p><font size="2">So, I think that about sums it up.  This is how I make it through these days. If you throw it a mental breakdown about once a week just for kicks, then it would be even MORE accurate! I’ll be sure to revise this when I have a toddler and a baby some day, laughing at how hard I thought all that boredom was :)</font></p> <p><font size="2">     </font></p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-1432833759641648432013-05-15T14:08:00.001-04:002013-05-15T14:08:12.855-04:00Out of Character<p>     I have a mean sweet tooth.  In order to keep the dental bill down & my overall health in check, sweets just aren’t allowed in the house on a regular basis. So sad for me.  Marcus is one of those weirdo’s (and I mean that in the nicest way possible, of course) who really isn’t into sugary things.  I mean, he likes them, but doesn’t typically crave the anywhere near my level of obsession. </p> <p> </p> <p>     Anyhow, the other day I felt like I really, really NEEDED something cold, refreshing & sugary sweet to drink.  Actually, I was wanting a jumbo margarita.  That was out of the question since we didn’t have any of the fixings and Marcus mumbled something about it being 1 in the afternoon. </p> <p> </p> <p>     Me wanting something sweet: totally in character.      </p> <p>     Me saying something along the lines of  “Oh, I’ll just whip up a simple syrup and make us some lemonade: completely out of character</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center">It was good</p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OhqN6mQHB0c/UZPO8a0yROI/AAAAAAAAE7M/-6yduFHFgpo/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520060%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 060" border="0" alt="may 2013 060" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ijEm_Jlrq9U/UZPO81arSfI/AAAAAAAAE7U/x-9L_ZiB0XI/may%252520%2525202013%252520060_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="356" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-paA7humY1yU/UZPO9Q5lfII/AAAAAAAAE7c/nplSxKKAotw/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520061%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 061" border="0" alt="may 2013 061" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u4lnQJ7H4YE/UZPO9xA43uI/AAAAAAAAE7k/ti_6buZaq3w/may%252520%2525202013%252520061_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a>  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kitRBWUmWgw/UZPO-c9S81I/AAAAAAAAE7s/TCGFOB1crjU/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520063%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 063" border="0" alt="may 2013 063" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nv2Y9wFpDzg/UZPO_ECuq4I/AAAAAAAAE70/fzIWAzlDRIM/may%252520%2525202013%252520063_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-epaz_QZUTkw/UZPO_rhmYEI/AAAAAAAAE78/coTBD49RvE8/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520064%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 064" border="0" alt="may 2013 064" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HbbWHl2Ndho/UZPPAXNkPUI/AAAAAAAAE8E/EYWKpmu4Qco/may%252520%2525202013%252520064_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iNL9zXqFoHs/UZPPA6jqfeI/AAAAAAAAE8M/xU1Xd7C96R4/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520065%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 065" border="0" alt="may 2013 065" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Khu1W3PGZjg/UZPPBi2Hj2I/AAAAAAAAE8U/TsVuTDUFuJo/may%252520%2525202013%252520065_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SxkUKvla-LQ/UZPPCA7d8RI/AAAAAAAAE8c/q2pesLMc67U/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520066%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 066" border="0" alt="may 2013 066" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MNGko7157Q4/UZPPC8bpg9I/AAAAAAAAE8k/WDBltQdOt1c/may%252520%2525202013%252520066_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>     In hindsight, doing such a thing was very Croft-y of me.  Or very Mindy of me.  Whatever-it just wasn’t me in me!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-80731888872177361582013-05-12T07:56:00.001-04:002013-05-12T07:56:53.870-04:00Dear James<p>     On Mother’s Day I could write about the day I found out I was pregnant, the first time I felt your baby feet moving inside me or the moment when we finally looked in each other’s eyes that November morning.  I could marvel on about those cuddly newborn days when I was a brand new mother.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vITDZ5OkDzo/UY-DYcadSjI/AAAAAAAAE5U/RKBVno6cwrY/s1600-h/James%252520Patrick%252520Croft%252520082%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="James Patrick Croft 082" border="0" alt="James Patrick Croft 082" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mc0dE_Zp8LM/UY-DZK5ZJTI/AAAAAAAAE5c/l-6G41wG0LQ/James%252520Patrick%252520Croft%252520082_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="471" /></a>   </p> <p>     Honestly though, baby James, those sentimental milestones were marred with a little bit of fear, a lot of morning sickness, then a whooole lot of exhaustion followed by a little bit of postpartum depression.  They weren’t quite what I expected.  Those moments I thought would magically transform me into a mama felt robbed.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TTf0h4r54ng/UY-DZon1fII/AAAAAAAAE5k/Rp8pm91xjaE/s1600-h/James%252520Patrick%252520Croft%252520004%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="James Patrick Croft 004" border="0" alt="James Patrick Croft 004" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0WeLriVeVv8/UY-DaoXIA6I/AAAAAAAAE5s/QUpXyw4j9LA/James%252520Patrick%252520Croft%252520004_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>     Oh baby, you were so hard.  We had hurdles.  While trying to learn each other we were bombarded with nursing problems.  Your daddy & I were constantly sleuthing, trying so hard to understand why you seemed so fussy.  You boycotted sleep.  I cried, a lot. </p> <p>     But now, I’m not feeling not so naive.  I know those were just the beginning of bumps in the road and tears.  In fact, I’m pretty sure that is what motherhood is made off…hurdles, bumps, tears & being driven to your knees over and over knowing you can’t do it alone. </p> <p>   <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zpmdx0muV-g/UY-DbbcopCI/AAAAAAAAE50/IE8CgEDrII4/s1600-h/James%252520Patrick%252520Croft%252520169%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="James Patrick Croft 169" border="0" alt="James Patrick Croft 169" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tnNoJ4CzABY/UY-Db_agCHI/AAAAAAAAE58/b8lzBYIFGRI/James%252520Patrick%252520Croft%252520169_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p>     During one of those seemingly harrowing trials, I cried to mom in anger, shame & defeat-</p> <p>“Babies just show you how weak you really are!!”</p> <p>     But in her wisdom she assured me, </p> <p>“No, babies show you how strong you actually are”</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lwIBXIHQr9M/UY-DcX1wfvI/AAAAAAAAE6E/s5C2VgcTPQA/s1600-h/January%252520267%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="January 267" border="0" alt="January 267" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--h19bYMcSBI/UY-DdNEyDVI/AAAAAAAAE6M/Ch61722_Qe0/January%252520267_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>     James Patrick, this is so true.  You’ve completely, totally humbled me.  Shown me that I am always a daughter of God first, a mother second.  That I can’t do it alone.  In this humility, I’ve found so much strength. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vgc2-ATbdCw/UY-Ddl2NlPI/AAAAAAAAE6U/y2uptvJfVCU/s1600-h/Dec%2525202012%252520219%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Dec 2012 219" border="0" alt="Dec 2012 219" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UQIo1RQLm_M/UY-DergTmHI/AAAAAAAAE6c/oF9wePGWhqM/Dec%2525202012%252520219_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>I can go on 3 hours of sleep.  I run a hot shower in the middle of the night to steam a very stuffy baby.  I can entertain the two of us while Daddy works his 24s.  I can survive screaming, fussy days and still be head over heels in love with you.  I can give up my favorite in the world (dairy) just to see you feeling better.  I know these little things are just the tip of the iceberg, too.  You have so much more to teach me.  I have so much more humility and strength to gain. You are just perfect for me.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8FgQLG90PTc/UY-DfLXOulI/AAAAAAAAE6k/M1IEEpNIm_I/s1600-h/christmas%2525202012%252520091%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="christmas 2012 091" border="0" alt="christmas 2012 091" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vBjp3wcSC0M/UY-DfzuymxI/AAAAAAAAE6s/TvnRiiqXH0A/christmas%2525202012%252520091_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="608" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>     I love you, my baby JP.  You have stretched me, you have brought my faith to life, you have shown me how to truly serve & be selfless. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OL68CcoHjHY/UY-DgSby-sI/AAAAAAAAE60/S6FJ_zLbz8s/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520079%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 079" border="0" alt="April 2013 079" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gjbAOmWl9NY/UY-DhPobNbI/AAAAAAAAE68/8PVpcxzftvU/April%2525202013%252520079_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center"> Thank you</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-48843395574107455902013-05-04T14:50:00.001-04:002013-05-04T14:50:37.721-04:00Baby Pix Fix<p>Everybody needs their fix!</p> <p align="center"><font size="1">Here is baby JP adoring his daddy..</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0QApYMuuoRI/UYUavPsG40I/AAAAAAAAE1Q/6jGrDRpf1Ds/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520010%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 010" border="0" alt="may 2013 010" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-K8k_RcmSiyA/UYUavqQ95iI/AAAAAAAAE1Y/vztfUruh3mM/may%252520%2525202013%252520010_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p align="center"><font size="1">I call this series: James (in his penguin hat) trying to drink water and being generally cute</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zF5fAk1v0jY/UYUawOsf4II/AAAAAAAAE1g/hMkSmjhJXqg/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520015%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 015" border="0" alt="may 2013 015" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1CYBPdNeC18/UYUawzcg5aI/AAAAAAAAE1o/HFCR2EOoU64/may%252520%2525202013%252520015_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cHe4pRIdeTk/UYUaxbwkdZI/AAAAAAAAE1w/519zwOMbsBE/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520016%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 016" border="0" alt="may 2013 016" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7NPi7X7CZHA/UYUa1sWLpMI/AAAAAAAAE14/B6n_B-6t6LY/may%252520%2525202013%252520016_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aUbfe8oHKIg/UYUa2MVHdKI/AAAAAAAAE2A/qr-j5Hb6-4M/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520018%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 018" border="0" alt="may 2013 018" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LX6Eo7U1uv4/UYVYVc43uCI/AAAAAAAAE2Y/a6Vq5xhEXIQ/may%252520%2525202013%252520018_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-r3eDr1rkV54/UYVYVy_uhWI/AAAAAAAAE2g/nDcZ_0Nq_vY/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520020%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 020" border="0" alt="may 2013 020" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-E0NFGBq0ZTM/UYVYWuY-yJI/AAAAAAAAE2o/bXOcCYOwms0/may%252520%2525202013%252520020_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a></p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EBHieAzY5yA/UYVYXEv3DII/AAAAAAAAE2w/w-QuRqlSX0I/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520021%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 021" border="0" alt="may 2013 021" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0sk-y7U-zzc/UYVYXqZh__I/AAAAAAAAE24/HBW7YVAXaXc/may%252520%2525202013%252520021_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-G-jnKPvFLA0/UYVYYLbMBqI/AAAAAAAAE3A/9Ak-FXssWO8/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520023%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 023" border="0" alt="may 2013 023" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DMKurASz4FI/UYVYYoqB4MI/AAAAAAAAE3I/m6z_G6qEipA/may%252520%2525202013%252520023_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a></p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZRglo0T_ztc/UYVYZHfdXXI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/IypFdXKEgQs/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520026%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 026" border="0" alt="may 2013 026" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9PzaaOP_5vg/UYVYZnAB4XI/AAAAAAAAE3Y/rjc3165FJXU/may%252520%2525202013%252520026_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Z9D8_a_kTL8/UYVYaGxL-5I/AAAAAAAAE3g/GGeKQlBlX88/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520027%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 027" border="0" alt="may 2013 027" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1SmqK7uKKlM/UYVYan7AGLI/AAAAAAAAE3o/u_EXt3YuyrY/may%252520%2525202013%252520027_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="1">These are the days of toe-eating and escape artistry</font> </p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-u1JqdIK-7pU/UYVYbaXCniI/AAAAAAAAE3w/eykgQiBW-e8/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520033%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 033" border="0" alt="may 2013 033" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zskdAIr6Xig/UYVYb6Pl8vI/AAAAAAAAE34/FXShK7SxITI/may%252520%2525202013%252520033_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fQwjErihSC8/UYVYcQMkl3I/AAAAAAAAE4A/ToEaFEwm5Mw/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520035%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 035" border="0" alt="may 2013 035" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bCxUdOSuUkc/UYVYdEBpvoI/AAAAAAAAE4I/FSh2A6jsFck/may%252520%2525202013%252520035_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><font size="1">My little b-baller looking just like his father</font></p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hzuGCMggLJY/UYVYdYx0ItI/AAAAAAAAE4Q/OuoCenNm-2s/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520036%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 036" border="0" alt="may 2013 036" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-i3SbodGG_8k/UYVYd4qMbBI/AAAAAAAAE4Y/rXXqYoK4YAQ/may%252520%2525202013%252520036_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-m8I0GdqfN2I/UYVYeWaDnAI/AAAAAAAAE4g/_tmxbIIItVo/s1600-h/may%252520%2525202013%252520039%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="may 2013 039" border="0" alt="may 2013 039" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rHll-79Ikhg/UYVYfGZVV8I/AAAAAAAAE4o/VHjYv8k98Xs/may%252520%2525202013%252520039_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a></p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-7452792998934984332013-04-30T15:00:00.001-04:002013-04-30T15:00:07.506-04:00Humpty (Bliggity Blog) Dump-ty<p>1) I’m exhausted. In fact, I am convinced that I am only alive with the help of my saintly mother and husband who are helping me get winks in here and there.  James is boycotting sleep and happiness.  Yes, I’m sure it’s a phase, teething, a cold whatever, whatever, whatever I don’t care, I’m tired. </p> <p>2.) I’m also slightly grumpy</p> <p>3.) You never know how badly you want to do something until you can’t.  Like when I am tending to my fussing baby and I can’t help with the dishes or cook dinner.  There was a time I would do anything to get out of doing the dishes, and y’all know I don’t even like to cook.  But it looks so good and so fun when you are chained to your baby</p> <p>4.) A long time ago a friend of mine (who had just graduated college and was had a nice job) told me she kept thinking about how she wanted to go to grad school for something totally different and pursue another career.  Just last week,  3 years after she mentioned this to me,  she announced she was a-headed back to grad school.  This makes my heart so happy and I have not been able to stop thinking about it.  Congratulations <a href="http://www.chronicventure.com/">Elizabeth</a>!</p> <p>5.) It is birthday week! Happy Birthday to Mindy, Dad & Brian.  Birthday week is more fun when you are not on a dairy-free diet (no cake & ice cream for yours truly) but I’m still having a blast…</p> <p>6.) Me & JP (JP and I doesn’t sound as good) went to the firehouse to see Daddy on Sunday.  When James wasn’t flirting with a certain pretty lady captain, he decided to let us take some pictures:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ed-6_ll-PbQ/UYATp_Q4sNI/AAAAAAAAEyM/Z_oyFEVBqhA/s1600-h/IMG_20130428_1338534.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="IMG_20130428_133853" border="0" alt="IMG_20130428_133853" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IxK_nooWd5k/UYATqtVKLxI/AAAAAAAAEyU/ZZHcjg_VQz4/IMG_20130428_133853_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="529" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-InUck-YSks4/UYATrAlsPqI/AAAAAAAAEyc/Upp_NZEI_7I/s1600-h/IMG_20130428_1338353.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="IMG_20130428_133835" border="0" alt="IMG_20130428_133835" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RK5bVXtqr3I/UYATruPWveI/AAAAAAAAEyk/GqyVn_T3vS8/IMG_20130428_133835_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="529" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-p-ZYtHNDc4k/UYATsJEeBGI/AAAAAAAAEys/JJ_lXmXWwz8/s1600-h/IMG_20130428_1340053.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="IMG_20130428_134005" border="0" alt="IMG_20130428_134005" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-A7vb3l-pgvg/UYATs-ST1vI/AAAAAAAAEy0/XZ6lQ_F80_4/IMG_20130428_134005_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="529" /></a> </p> <p>7.) Did I already post this picture? Here is James with yet another fan club:</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bB3GwNg7fv0/UYATtgx_PxI/AAAAAAAAEy8/vt6xM7ds4LE/s1600-h/IMG_20130322_1748223.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="IMG_20130322_174822" border="0" alt="IMG_20130322_174822" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uPMo71CwfMU/UYATucdgVBI/AAAAAAAAEzE/EPSBQ6198n0/IMG_20130322_174822_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="529" /></a> </p> <p>8.) We still take walks. At Oak Grove, at my parent’s neighborhood in Riverwalk where we encounter turtles & in our own neighborhood, too!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jzvQfPQ2Bhc/UYAUmTWlNUI/AAAAAAAAEzY/Q8A6SmyfN0c/s1600-h/IMG_20130408_1513523.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="IMG_20130408_151352" border="0" alt="IMG_20130408_151352" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qO7TgckWrF4/UYAUnGNzewI/AAAAAAAAEzg/Zec_9PeWY4c/IMG_20130408_151352_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="529" /></a>    <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QVFZoOXORgw/UYAUnoA8c4I/AAAAAAAAEzo/BP4f2ei3EUQ/s1600-h/IMG_20130417_1254113.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_20130417_125411" border="0" alt="IMG_20130417_125411" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-h0XPWzviFBU/UYAUoJGJ5tI/AAAAAAAAEzw/goAgQJCbLPk/IMG_20130417_125411_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="471" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ryBVctdf8kA/UYAUowMO61I/AAAAAAAAEz4/2pKL04a3j8E/s1600-h/IMG_20130423_1717203.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_20130423_171720" border="0" alt="IMG_20130423_171720" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dvpa979xlSM/UYAUpeobLRI/AAAAAAAAE0A/SVTbCnztGes/IMG_20130423_171720_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="471" /></a></p> <p>9.) My little boxer</p> <p> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-G8LaddTtMdc/UYAUqFOrFlI/AAAAAAAAE0I/QUZsXKa1cOE/s1600-h/IMG_20130414_0732173.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="IMG_20130414_073217" border="0" alt="IMG_20130414_073217" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cvFu51ED7Ag/UYAUqujr7UI/AAAAAAAAE0Q/laCH-jCileQ/IMG_20130414_073217_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="529" /></a>   </p> <p>10.) We went to Bergey’s for breakfast & saw Aunt Kathleen!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MJIc0xm8o4A/UYAUrWhoPII/AAAAAAAAE0Y/NPNy0XwSLtc/s1600-h/IMG_20130413_0951123.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="IMG_20130413_095112" border="0" alt="IMG_20130413_095112" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-soZPwdqqWHo/UYAUsAlueoI/AAAAAAAAE0g/84HbRADclrA/IMG_20130413_095112_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="537" /></a>11.) We finally finished this puzzle we started 2ish months ago. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zZ8i4E_gncA/UYAUshdRwZI/AAAAAAAAE0o/12IeziLX7oY/s1600-h/IMG_20130413_1330574.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="IMG_20130413_133057" border="0" alt="IMG_20130413_133057" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MUcL_cQyWss/UYAUtG2uQOI/AAAAAAAAE0w/gF3d0HY9b_Q/IMG_20130413_133057_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="937" /></a></p> <p>12.) Much to my mother’s chagrin, I’ve been watching television. Intentional television, I’ll have you know-  and there is a difference.  Our rule is no turning on the tv just for the noise/because you are bored but if you actually carve out time to watch a specific show then you are golden.  What are we watching? Dancing with Stars & Duck Dynasty. Happy, happy, happy. </p> <p>13.) I don’t care who you are <a href="http://www.today.com/moms/exhausted-new-moms-hilarious-take-expert-sleep-advice-goes-viral-6C9559908">this is funny</a>.  </p> <p>14.) I’m also taking a lot of comfort in the Sear’s (Oh, you know them. Attachment Parenting, The Breastfeeding Book…) declaration that “Crying and fussing in the arms of a loving parent is not the same as crying-it-out” as we try out some modified and loving crying-it-out techniques to get our recently up-all-night baby some rest. </p> <p>15.)  I didn’t always have a lot of pride in my <a href="http://lauramicheleportraiture.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-gift-that-lifeguarding-gave-me.html">lifeguarding days</a>, but I know now what a grave responsibility it was.  I learned to love it and then became certified to be a lifeguard instructor. I worked hard to let my students know how scary the job actually was.  Today my friend, former co-worker AND my lifeguard instructor herself wrote a fantastic <a href="http://toolroxy.weebly.com/1/post/2013/04/just-a-lifeguard-not-so-fast.html">blog post</a>. Go check it out.  </p> <p>16.) Okay, I just love <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcAecOpUi3k">this song</a>.  And I have this secret wish that Marcus and I would start a family band and sing fantastically, romantic duets.  But then I remember my musical talents and move on with my life..</p> <p>17.) I would really hate to stop at number 17. I hate odd numbers</p> <p>18.) But I don’t think I have anything left to say.  Also, is it very apparent that I don’t proof read my blog posts ever?  I’m overcoming my dad’s “check your work, and when you are done, check it again” regime.  My run-on sentences and misplaced commas are reason no.23948743944 that I’ll never be a big blogger :)</p> <p>19.) Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, Amen.</p> <p>20.) Hey, non-Catholics…did you know we don’t pray to Mary, but ask her for prayers? Did you know we don’t worship her, but honor her? True story! Live & learn!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-66733573198582149212013-04-29T20:43:00.001-04:002013-04-29T20:43:41.023-04:00Mindy.<p>     It was a rather anticlimactic  beginning for us, you could say.  She was mostly unimpressed with the new baby and when prodded by our mother,</p> <p>          <em>“Mindy, how do you like your new baby sister?”</em> </p> <p>she simply answered with a shrug and replied,</p> <p>          “<em>fine.</em>”</p> <p>I supposed I should give her a break since she was only 4 years old at the time.  It probably shouldn’t be held against her that she wasn’t unequivocally thrilled, moved to maternal instincts at the sight of a brand new, fresh out of the oven little sister.  Especially one prone to colicky, loud crying bouts ;)</p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Xd-KMgtZFlo/UX8TjWmmtlI/AAAAAAAAEwM/DxUxIjS93Ak/s1600-h/002%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="002" border="0" alt="002" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aE2FAJc6Vq8/UX8TkKFJuwI/AAAAAAAAEwU/58wE8sUNEpQ/002_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="274" /></a>  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sWmBn5O0ZBo/UX8TknO60pI/AAAAAAAAEwc/zpyLNzvZngU/s1600-h/001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="001" border="0" alt="001" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WgUpZEBJKtI/UX8TlU5iM6I/AAAAAAAAEwk/k52fzOwnoz4/001_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="270" /></a>  </p> <p> </p> <p>     Those four years were always a little far for us.  Whatever stage I was entering, she was leaving.  We also had pretty opposite interests and dispositions as kids/teenagers/young adults.  There was some bickering and fighting, but more so just a little lack of interest & friendship in each other.  While she was being being the responsible first born, my mom’s right hand help, I was more likely stirring up trouble with my brothers.  Even though I wouldn’t have admitted it at the time, I was pretty fascinated by her.  <em>How was she always SO good?! How did she always make her Halloween & Easter candy last longest?! What was it like in middle school?  How did she get such nice grades in school?  Did she like actually like school or something?! Where did she learn to sing & play the piano so well? Does she actually like practicing?!</em>  Yes, this is a real example of my stream of conscious when it came to Mindy.  As well as: <em>I wonder if she will notice if I steal some of her gum, I like her long hair, woah-big sis can draw! I hope I look that pretty when I go to prom one day, high school looks fun, wow-she can really sing, I want to be a lifeguard like Mindy, she actually likes Latin?!</em> and so on and so forth<em>.</em> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WGoN4T7jg-w/UX8Tl8eqv_I/AAAAAAAAEws/Sm4kvp9eqz4/s1600-h/003%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="003" border="0" alt="003" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-N2Sqa7LEkdw/UX8TmlDMjbI/AAAAAAAAEw0/uh3YTvytHRA/003_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="406" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sWmBn5O0ZBo/UX8TknO60pI/AAAAAAAAEw8/Pu2kttqXS6o/s1600-h/001%25255B2%25255D.jpg"></a><em></em></p> <p><em></em></p> <p><em>     </em>Somebody I used to nanny for once asked me why I liked being part of a big family.  A thousand answers ran through my head, but I finally decided that the best thing about all my siblings is the incredible potential for relationship & companionship.  Even when I graduated high school, Mindy and I seemed worlds apart. We even joke about that birthday I gave her a card that read, ‘Even though we don’t see eye to eye…’ That gap narrowed when she had her babies.  I was awed by her strength and simply adored her children.  Then I got engaged and Mindy simply worked so hard and was so helpful - I think that is when we became more than sisters but friends,too.  I’m just so thankful for her-so thankful for the gift of siblings and even if it takes 20 years to discover, amazed at how truly deep the bond of sisterhood is. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L5psyNJd-xg/UX8TnzYXUyI/AAAAAAAAExA/PcOb2geC7Xg/s1600-h/005%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="005" border="0" alt="005" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0rKPP4I-PFo/UX8ToqCcDZI/AAAAAAAAExI/2CBMWWk5iZI/005_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="399" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WGoN4T7jg-w/UX8Tl8eqv_I/AAAAAAAAExQ/4A2yAfzk-us/s1600-h/003%25255B2%25255D.jpg"></a></p> <p> </p> <p>     Mindy is truly a beautiful person.  She is by nature helpful & hard-working, she is encouraging and always eager to learn new things.  Even if we were not the best of friends when we were younger, I have so many special memories of her kindness to me growing up.  She let me play and tag along with her & her friends, she used to let me crawl in her bed at night and she would tell me all about middle school.  When she started babysitting the rest of our crazy crew she would always whip up these creative desserts..I specifically remember her peanut butter & sugar dessert.  She wrote me a long, long  loving and encouraging letter when I was going through a miserable time in middle school.  She made me mix tapes (which were the ultimate gifts during the 90’s). She took me to a concert at the NorVa in her little tan Nova , let me teach her guests how to line dance and her wedding, and taught me how to take cure of curly hair.  When I was getting married she all but let me interrupt her life as she helped with every single aspect.  And she does not hold it against me that I was a grand whopping total of 0.0% help when she was getting married- I had a tendency to be a little self-absorbed in my college(ish) years. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VJiu7APGOE8/UX8TqcRMfZI/AAAAAAAAExU/K_XFHAf5saI/s1600-h/004%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="004" border="0" alt="004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-07PpGbhzwGI/UX8TrK9ZwMI/AAAAAAAAExc/63E9BqaTYM4/004_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="396" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>     Being pregnant together was the neatest experience.  I remember being a little nervous to tell her since I knew she was hoping to be pregnant soon, too.  She was happy for me and then I was crazy-ecstatic when I found out she was due just 6 weeks after me.  Together we waded morning sickness, maternity clothes, natural childbirth classes and homebirth prep.  After James’ arrival, I remember her quiet presence, simply encouraging and helping.  I’ve had a crazy nursing rodeo ride thus far, sprinkled with some tongue-tie drama, food allergy inquires, fussy baby exhaustion and she is been here through the thick and thin.  And bringing along a dairy-free dessert to boot. </p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5_B0k-Cwc3w/UX8TsnQDAKI/AAAAAAAAExk/QelrR8m4IU8/s1600-h/November%2525202012%252520018%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="November 2012 018" border="0" alt="November 2012 018" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9O5nn3K3qT4/UX8TtbzV06I/AAAAAAAAExs/RCqEJDJ9kmM/November%2525202012%252520018_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TPj-c6WMHsU/UX8TuOuQdHI/AAAAAAAAEx0/7KxEJZzyXRk/s1600-h/November%2525202012%252520017%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="November 2012 017" border="0" alt="November 2012 017" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bJDC_e-s97w/UX8Tu2OHywI/AAAAAAAAEx8/KtTdAM_MdUY/November%2525202012%252520017_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>     Happy, Happy Happy Birthday Mindy.  It has been a blessing to watch you do life.  Whether you are singing, cooking, crafting, or mama-ing you just impress and inspire me all the time.   </p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-38620058872527251012013-04-24T10:12:00.000-04:002013-04-24T11:33:51.080-04:00Baby Croft Chronicles III<p align="center">     I think I’ll open this with the super original ‘I can’t BELIEVE he is 5 months already,’ because it is so true!  How have 5 utterly exhausting, novel, joyful, scary, smiley, drooly, crying, busy months gone by?  </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VyC4VzueS0Y/UXf1oXKQ40I/AAAAAAAAEpw/6Nhs78pYRbk/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520053%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 053" border="0" alt="March 2013 053" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VEeG8uIgI5Q/UXf1o900-xI/AAAAAAAAEp4/e4-LGZx3Ung/March%2525202013%252520053_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p align="center">James Patrick continues to chunk up nicely.  He was 14.6 lbs at his 4 month appointment, now around 16 pounds and he can really work that double chin.  The fat puffs up sweetly around those dimples.  His ears are still adorably outward growing. Little man does still have the monk-look hairstyle on the back of his head, but other than that he has a nice little fuzz all about his head. Those once blue eyes are a deep, chocolaty brown that twinkle when he smiles.  And he smiles a lot!  He is a pretty photogenic guy and I can normally convince him to give me a big ‘ole grin for the camera. Or at least an inquisitive stare :)</p> <p align="center">  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-P_f8bstDueE/UXf7JDnbrMI/AAAAAAAAEqI/ZzlRNw3nx_A/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520043%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 043" border="0" alt="March 2013 043" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lKK4153Z5n0/UXf7JtQ9xQI/AAAAAAAAEqQ/oyRntUIQnZ4/March%2525202013%252520043_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>  </p> <p align="center">     He spends his days rolling all over the living room floor.  I have found him underneath the rocking chair and over the floor vents.  He plays mostly on his tummy now, as his floor mat’s tabs and squeakers keep him pretty entertained (that is for 5-10 minutes) at a time. He likes his Lamaze toys, a baby Einstein singing & blinking sun, a black & white contrast chubby teething book, my kitchen spatulas, my cell phone, anybody’s keys and ohhh myy goshhh the paper! JP goes crazy for some paper!</p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OEpNY7ewObc/UXf7KO6asfI/AAAAAAAAEqY/JzoF0chnLPg/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520024%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 024" border="0" alt="March 2013 024" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L9reU5DWsR0/UXf7K7-DzGI/AAAAAAAAEqg/W_CZGDaxU1I/March%2525202013%252520024_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="454" height="683" /></a> </p> <p align="center">He reaches out to grab everything and anything.  Our dinner plates, my hair, his great grandmother’s nose, eye glasses and the like.  The only time he will permit being on his back is when he has his little tootsies shoved into his mouth.  Should be disgusting, but is oh-so adorable </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3scDsM6J1j4/UXf7Lg52mBI/AAAAAAAAEqo/01XTHBIZbhM/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520052%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 052" border="0" alt="April 2013 052" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r0TUVPI-L9I/UXf7MMTcwaI/AAAAAAAAEqw/rcS9GO2SLA4/April%2525202013%252520052_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pRKnCFFI1HA/UXf7MhnvdJI/AAAAAAAAEq4/w4Ma9LDwB28/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520042%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 042" border="0" alt="April 2013 042" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-D1h4cgK7U2k/UXf7NE941SI/AAAAAAAAErA/9ugZT7zu2gI/April%2525202013%252520042_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_tZiJox4m5w/UXf7NvWM2hI/AAAAAAAAErI/c5_wfj9ua8M/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520044%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 044" border="0" alt="April 2013 044" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ju4TN5qJRe0/UXf7OYbY-UI/AAAAAAAAErQ/MvbZsOQ4nig/April%2525202013%252520044_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">James is  always sticking out his tongue, ready to suck on anything, or sucking in his bottom lip. Just love that look, little cutie</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Tf-fiOueY2g/UXf7O52j3DI/AAAAAAAAErY/-vfZkc10qoE/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520061%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 061" border="0" alt="March 2013 061" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-o_3GlYHQv3s/UXf7Pn7Z_rI/AAAAAAAAErg/Dg-TPNDhzvQ/March%2525202013%252520061_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">He sleeps with a blankie, likes to be held by his mama, loves to be sung to, LOVES to be outside. He finally doesn't make a peep in the cars seat and I celebrate that every time we get in the car.  Oh, and this boy can finally nurse!! The days of tongue tie drama, latch issues, tears, and stretching & sucking exercises are a thing of the past. It took a good 4 months but I thank God for the improvement everyday!!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HEe_WcQWLuk/UXf7QFGf4UI/AAAAAAAAEro/_Em7ozZWmvQ/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520076%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 076" border="0" alt="April 2013 076" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4crF53L8R_Y/UXf7Ql_uH2I/AAAAAAAAErw/3Di_yMabhZY/April%2525202013%252520076_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M9rpN1edUDs/UXf7RXRXYDI/AAAAAAAAEr4/qmWec2EQorc/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520079%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 079" border="0" alt="April 2013 079" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UascPrW6kWc/UXf7R41ScEI/AAAAAAAAEsA/RtsW_3CJhjM/April%2525202013%252520079_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p align="center">    As usual, we keep busy.  I’m a <a href="http://lauramicheleportraiture.blogspot.com/2013/04/stay-at-home-mamahow-we-do-it.html">stay at home mama</a> who just can’t stay home.  We frequent Nana’s, Auntie Em’s, Aunt Mindy’s, and hanging out with Mama’s friends: the Sams & April.  We walk and walk and walk and we have to break out the bucket hat on these sunny days.  When we don’t have a play date scheduled, I drag your play mat on the back deck or the front sidewalk.  We went a-traveling to DC, Pennsylvania & Columbus! We’ve been to Bergey’s where the goat scared him, birthday parties, the Farmer’s Market and a Fish Fry & Stations of the Cross during Lent.  He hated going out to eat on Easter Vigil & fussed the entire time we were in the restaurant, but liked going to the pool to meet Mama’s old co-workers.  Get it together, baby!</p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YczRmRN5XAM/UXf7ScXUPBI/AAAAAAAAEsI/YYU8pijKPXo/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520113%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 113" border="0" alt="April 2013 113" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mW66rzFMqtQ/UXf7TMPmj7I/AAAAAAAAEsQ/Ot_b9nw0E6c/April%2525202013%252520113_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yQUBS1eDU4A/UXf7TjCKCcI/AAAAAAAAEsY/ht5jXi1qsLM/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520114%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 114" border="0" alt="April 2013 114" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TNhGF3dGg8A/UXf7UeiGLTI/AAAAAAAAEsg/GJe8zH2oZv0/April%2525202013%252520114_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> </p> <p align="center">Oh, but these times have been so, so hard.  As I type this, I think I’ve had about 3 hours of sleep.  Baby James is still an extremely fussy, fussy little guy.  I can’t seem to just dismiss it as his temperament, since his fussiness is just kind of peppered throughout the day.  In between smiles & laughs, while playing, even when nursing.  Holding him does not even seem to soothe him.  He seems uncomfortable and extremely restless.  So, in a word- his mama & daddy are exhausted & a bit discouraged..especially since we thought he was doing better during months 3 & 4. I thought his fussy days were leaving us when just in the last 2-3 weeks things have suddenly become quite miserable over here.   I am going to be eliminating dairy (again, hip, hip hooray) since he is showing many signs of food allergies.  He’s had eczema, lots of mucus (since he was a newborn..not a cold!), a random but persistent dry coughing, red eyes, ever present green mucus stools (sorry, that’s just gross, I know!) colic-like mood, increased spit-up and the worst symptom of all- horribly, terribly crappy sleep.  He doesn’t necessarily want to nurse, he doesn’t scream or cry, just writhes around-acting distressed & uncomfortable, waking himself up & then remaining up at VERY non-waking hours.  SO, hopefully cutting out dairy, and adding some probiotics will help.  I’m sure I’ll keep you all posted.  Perhaps some may think I am a psycho first time mom, but my gut tells me to figure out what the heck ails him.  That or more to Alaska!  And if you feel like saying a prayer for us, I wouldn’t be mad at you.  </p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-koW3jQd9kXs/UXf7U02I0sI/AAAAAAAAEso/9g54vjIIHyc/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520118%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 118" border="0" alt="April 2013 118" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-89BbWmX0Feo/UXf7VuBV2lI/AAAAAAAAEsw/q-GPFrGge00/April%2525202013%252520118_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ctxt6qRHJLM/UXf7WqYXjWI/AAAAAAAAEs4/VG5S6eycnRU/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520119%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 119" border="0" alt="April 2013 119" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gdLACUyUUT4/UXf7XXnE0gI/AAAAAAAAEtA/hKux1rHyFqQ/April%2525202013%252520119_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a></p> <p align="center">     Lest I leave on such a depressing note, let me assure you… this baby is a cutie.  He makes us laugh every day and we are wrapped around his little chubby, dimpled fingers.  He is helping us to grow and become just who God is calling us to be and we adore him. You’re a keeper, James P!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-588619598440609262013-04-21T14:28:00.001-04:002013-04-21T14:28:26.677-04:00Stay-at-Home Mama…How We do it!<p>     I’ve wanted to be a stay-at-home mom for as long as I can remember.  Even as I grew up and saw many moms working out of necessity, I still hoped & prayed their would be a way I could do it someday.  When I met Marcus, he also shared the same vision for a family and wanted to work really hard to make sure we could make that a priority.  I think many people believe staying at home with your kids means you are very comfortable financially.  Since I’ve become a stay-at-home mom 5 months ago, I’ve had many people mention to me how lucky I am..they could never afford it!  Friends, either can we!!  My husband was a youth minister, and now he is a firefighter…neither professions are known for being high paying gigs!  Our ability to stay home has much less to do with money and everything to do with choices.  Since we both decided it was a priority for a family we knew where there was a will, there was a way.  I knew that God was asking of it for our family and He would provide.  My older sister once told me, when she was a new mama herself, that if God is calling you to stay home, He will bless you.</p> <p> </p> <p>     I should preface this all by saying so much of our ability to do this has been because of those blessings and some prep work we did.  It takes a village… and Marcus and I have been blessed in huge ways.  Remember the story of <a href="http://lauramicheleportraiture.blogspot.com/2011/08/on-cars-dignity.html">Trusty Rusty</a>? and our Saturn? Gifts, both of them! Can you believe that? Who gives cars as gifts?  Our generous family.  We had so much help starting out.  My in-laws gave us furniture to furnish our little place and I could spend the rest of this blog post sharing all the help we have been given.  So it is not completely by our own merit that we doing this, but made possible by love & support of family and friends.  Yes, it takes humility to accept this type of help, but it is our prayer that someday we will be able to bless others when they are starting out. </p> <p> </p> <p>     In order to set ourselves up as a one income family, we started by doing as much as possible when we were dating/engaged.  Marcus worked really hard to pay off all his student loans so we could go into our marriage debt free.  We both lived at home to save money, and had creative, free date nights instead of lots of eating out and movies.  Once we got married, we set up our finances so we were just using Marcus’ income to pay the bills.  My income went to savings, this way there would not be a huge shock/change to our budget when a baby came along.  Then we made choices to live a more frugal lifestyle.  Choices like:</p> <p> </p> <p>1.) Make your own.  Make your own bread, laundry detergent, shampoo & conditioner, all the cleaning products I use etc.  First, I have to give to props to my older sister.  Anything cool or frugal I have done..she did it first.  In fact, if she had a blog, she would have 4593486792834 followers learning her awesome ways.  I’m just a copy-cat.  Also, I give myself grace. I don’t ALWAYS do these 100 percent of the time- but I try.  It is all  pretty easy.  I’m incredibly lazy, so if I can do it…anybody can do it.  There is a lot more DIY things I aspire to do.. such as making my own yogurt, laundry lint balls (that would mean no more buying dryer sheets), kitchen condiments, dishwasher detergent, just to name a few. </p> <p>2.) We don’t go out to eat.  Again, that is 99.9%  of the time.  We certainly attend birthday dinners, holiday meals with family at a restaurant, or a special date night.  Other than that we just don’t.  That means we pack food a lot! Going to the beach, going on a car trip, going to be out all day? Break out the cooler.  Cheaper & healthier.  And if my girlfriends want to meet for lunch I’m not ashamed to convince them to go to the park instead to meet up. </p> <p>3.) Cloth Diapers.  I can’t even believe how much money this is saving us. And it is <a href="http://lauramicheleportraiture.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-cute-bum-how-we-do-cloth.html">easy, easy, sooo easy.</a></p> <p>4.) Hurr cuts.  Okay so maybe you are not impressed that I give Marcus his buzz cut-do every 3 weeks, probably saving us about 15 bucks.  But you should be really, crazy impressed when I say he cut my hair and I am never, ever, ever going back to the salon.  I mean, does anybody really enjoy the whole ‘What shampoo are you using?!’ and ‘You are going to need to buy this product for your hair. It is actually on sale here today for only 2395 dollars’  No, thank you!! A couple of you-tube videos, and a confidence that you can’t mess up curls…just call my husband Paul Mitchell. </p> <p>5.) No more shopping.  I remember when shopping was a pastime for me.  Strolling the mall with my girlfriends, trying on dresses, the whole 9 yards.  And of course that shopping led to lots of buying.  I didn’t exactly perfect art of window shopping.  Anyways,  I try to be pretty content with the clothes/things I have and the one sure fire way for me to get the i-wants is to spend an hour or two at the mall or target.  When I see all the pretties, I want them.  When I am at home, I don’t know what is out there & I don’t care.  If I need something or want something, I try to buy online to avoid slipping up.  </p> <p>6.) On cars & phones.  used & dumb, y’all.  Well, my husband does have a smart phone, but I’m not sure how long that will be lasting.  He doesn’t need it for work anymore & we have two perfectly good computers for the internet we need.  And a gps in the car.  </p> <p>7.) Grocery shopping.  I’m sure you have heard it before- shop the perimeter off the grocery store-it has all you need!  Beside the occasional detour for flour or some cans, we just stick to the basics.  We skip out on the snack & the desserts and if we want them, we make them ourselves.  It IS more work, but it is also much healthier.  </p> <p>8.) Give.  No matter how tight money is, don’t forget to tithe and/or support charity.  God truly does give back ten-fold.</p> <p> </p> <p>     There is plenty more I could/aspire to do.  Things like couponing.  I have not been huge into it since I don’t often see coupons for things we buy.  But I could try a little harder & snag some deals on the staples.  Also, I would be lying if Marcus & I are fabulous at making a budget.  We have a serious hang-up here.  We’ve sat down many times to do it, but we’ve always had better luck just sticking to our little financial ‘rules’  I’d still like to make one, to be better at saving for certain events/things.  Additionally, I could get a lot more crafty to save money…sew our curtains & clothes or make hand made gifts, but I am so craft-challenged.  </p> <p> </p> <p>    We’ve also discovered that frugality is not synonymous with cheap.  As a family, you have to priority the areas where you are willing to put more of your money.  One of those areas for us is food.  We like local produce/eggs (I don’t care as much if it is certified organic as long as I know where it came from) and it is one of our goals to be able to buy our meat/milk from local farms here.  We also don’t mind spending money to see relatives/friends/take trips.  Those are two areas we prioritize a little more money spent.  Sometimes with clothes, too-it is worth is to buy high quality…you’ll save money in the long run.  A sweater from gap will last waaaaaaay longer than one from tjmaxx (but don’t worry, I have more than my fair share of favorite clothes from there)  but if I was in need of a staple clothes item, maybe a black cardigan or kakhis, I’d probably spend a little more money. </p> <p> </p> <p>     Living simply is not hard or a burden or miserable, but a calling for our family right now.  Truly we have so much and are so blessed that the little things we go without are just that- little things.  If I worked I might make us more money, but I couldn’t justify the cost of not being with my son when I know that is right where God is asking me to be right now. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4rOV9kFJF8A/UXQvx_RJC-I/AAAAAAAAEpY/cLe9odWXf1I/s1600-h/IMG_20130321_163940%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_20130321_163940" border="0" alt="IMG_20130321_163940" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-g-6Fkt7I6iU/UXQvyfXWI1I/AAAAAAAAEpg/iAAe6rTBQjE/IMG_20130321_163940_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="454" /></a></p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-76131132083474107682013-04-15T12:06:00.001-04:002013-04-15T12:06:01.503-04:00Spring Travels<p>     The day after Easter, the whole Croft clan headed to DC and then to Pennsylvania for Grandma Dee’s funerals.  I was especially looking forward to going to Pennsylvania to see the town she and Marcus always told me about.  We didn’t end up having much down time for much outside the wake, funeral and reception, but I loved meeting new relatives and seeing everybody together to celebrate Grandma Dee. </p> <p> </p> <p>     You might think that driving 4 hours to DC, then 4 more to Pennsylvania with our family (one bambino), the Thompsons (one bambino & one bambina) and the Macchia (one bambina) might have been a little nuts, but everything went pretty smoothly.  All of us were a little nervous about leaving early Monday morning amidst all the Hampton Roads & DC traffic to arrive on time but we were there with plenty of time to spare.  Then all the mama’s proceeded to take over the bride’s room as we changed diapers, ate snacks, changed, and hoped our husbands still loved us after we all admitted to being spastic backseat drivers on the way up.</p> <p> </p> <p>     After a funeral & reception there, we all piled back in to the car and headed to Pennsylvania.  James shocked us with his good car behavior!  We were definitely spent that night though, and pretty much fell asleep upon arrival.  </p> <p> </p> <p>     My sisters-in-law did an excellent job picking out the hotel- not only was their a beautiful view of the mountains from our hotel room window, but the continental breakfast was delicious- us fatties had no problem completely monopolizing the little dining room.  Babies crawling around on the floor & the whole nine yards!  The nice staff ooed and ahhed over our children, and gave us a plate full of chocolate chip cookie, hot from the oven, as we headed out for the day’s events.  So, if you are ever stopping in little Greesburg, Pa…check out the <a href="http://www.theinnatmtview.com/">The Mountain View Inn</a></p> <p> </p> <p>     The day started off with a completely serendipitous reunion of Marcus & his old high school buddy/college roommate.  They had completely fallen out of touch the last 4 years, but we ran into them at breakfast that morning!  It turns out they were in town to visit his mom’s family.  In the words of his friend that morning, “How random is THIS?”</p> <p> </p> <p>     The day was spent remembering Grandma Dee & I got a mini-look at Greensburg and her sweet family as we went from the wake, to the funeral to the reception.  I remembered to snag some pictures too!</p> <p>2 of the whole gang</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fU4Wa83HO7I/UWwlHt1l6yI/AAAAAAAAEmg/ROJ47-Xbq1Y/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520062%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 062" border="0" alt="April 2013 062" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TBsbsxh3zEM/UWwlIM5hzYI/AAAAAAAAEmo/lCaFcYvsz9k/April%2525202013%252520062_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OBJWtaaHstQ/UWwlIh3JK8I/AAAAAAAAEmw/zf8nRMe-lcI/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520064%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 064" border="0" alt="April 2013 064" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-g-MTcLpV2AA/UWwlJPMD9UI/AAAAAAAAEm4/_vr2WLhwvvs/April%2525202013%252520064_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>and 3 funny ones of the babies</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bzaoR1p6bds/UWwlJryAd6I/AAAAAAAAEnA/HVrIZwc7LQ8/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520068%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 068" border="0" alt="April 2013 068" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5Y9Mv4PyHHs/UWwlKKQbqKI/AAAAAAAAEnI/2A0-H8jg-vc/April%2525202013%252520068_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-v4cwnHP-SeA/UWwlK36999I/AAAAAAAAEnQ/qUqfJ_qlLK0/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520069%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 069" border="0" alt="April 2013 069" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-m5TyUqEM0M8/UWwlLnispzI/AAAAAAAAEnY/QBs-uRQhUTY/April%2525202013%252520069_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AjG7FNgIvic/UWwlMEhum-I/AAAAAAAAEng/5g5lRuVsEOY/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520071%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 071" border="0" alt="April 2013 071" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-R6kGyuqzBns/UWwlM4ZBDvI/AAAAAAAAEno/hIiGTTZ7vrk/April%2525202013%252520071_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>     When we realized Columbus, Oh was not too far of a trip from where we were staying, we decided to surprise my grandparents with a visit.  And surprise them we did…left the baby on the front stoop, rang the doorbell & hid!  They had not met James yet & nothing says family is important like attending a funeral.  So we commited ourselves to another 4 hours in the car, and a 10 hour middle of the night drive home a day & a half later.  It was SO worth every minute in the car. </p> <p>Meeting Nanny</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RGdAlcPECQ4/UWwlNS05KLI/AAAAAAAAEnw/bC6y_4dZMrQ/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520082%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 082" border="0" alt="April 2013 082" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5pieyA8h3hQ/UWwlN7or3vI/AAAAAAAAEn4/EhyM-JQ0wXU/April%2525202013%252520082_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="608" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WHv3HSK2Grc/UWwlOaGS6yI/AAAAAAAAEoA/x-nSAOSoVTU/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520085%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 085" border="0" alt="April 2013 085" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7NTZk-87gG4/UWwlO4NNBEI/AAAAAAAAEoI/4WyYvo7wux0/April%2525202013%252520085_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> <p>In front of Nanny’s house after a walk down my favorite street in the world!<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bK8k1D2KT6Y/UWwlPji9nHI/AAAAAAAAEoQ/bun4dYY2S5s/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520098%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 098" border="0" alt="April 2013 098" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Imr6-UHaORY/UWwlQATaabI/AAAAAAAAEoY/7Vip4PVf_9I/April%2525202013%252520098_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>Meeting Grandma Jan</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pqwWip48nHc/UWwlQoQf3BI/AAAAAAAAEog/ov7r1Dnoxvc/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520089%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 089" border="0" alt="April 2013 089" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hoWDLRzs2IA/UWwlRST2HII/AAAAAAAAEoo/A1C8TshPtbI/April%2525202013%252520089_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-A7C_D5IkEr8/UWwlR10h6fI/AAAAAAAAEow/B3oXZzWa-to/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520090%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 090" border="0" alt="April 2013 090" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Mg7qfve4nW0/UWwlSWQx7mI/AAAAAAAAEo4/MNeKxvUCu28/April%2525202013%252520090_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1pWeQcHql94/UWwlZrUlojI/AAAAAAAAEpA/S73Iqg9ztQM/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520094%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 094" border="0" alt="April 2013 094" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VindLeO-6y8/UWwlaDnAO4I/AAAAAAAAEpI/PJmwc7bBhnQ/April%2525202013%252520094_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> </p> <p>     And that was our first big family travel.  Thank you baby for doing so well in the car, Thank you sis-in-laws for caravanning- Thanks Mom & Dad C for your generosity in the hotel room department, Thanks husband for your general positive outlook & all the driving, and thanks Grandma Dee for inspiring the whole thing!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-31607805024779503322013-04-13T13:50:00.001-04:002013-04-13T13:50:05.527-04:00Country Does Nostalgia Right<p>     It seems that I am not the only one who has a slight obsession with nostalgia, since Country music has filled my heart to the brim on many occasion with the sweet twang of memories sung.  My favorites include-</p> <p> </p> <p>Miranda Lambert- The House that Built me</p> <p>Holy home nostalgia, y’all.  This song makes me think of growing up on the Navy Base and all the nooks & crannies in the neighborhood that mean everything to me.  It also brings me back to careless summers at <a href="http://lauramicheleportraiture.blogspot.com/2010/09/nannys-house.html">Nanny’s house</a> during Ohio summers.  Don’t think I’ve ever listened to this song without crying </p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:dd078cf8-65be-404e-9368-7708ad2cfae1" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="ca0f9eaf-92ff-4c0d-9f9b-863e0f988b0c" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQYNM6SjD_o" target="_new"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_UcpYQHboIw/UWmaxL-eXgI/AAAAAAAAElw/TpdQW7Wy7p0/video95f8b3c44156%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('ca0f9eaf-92ff-4c0d-9f9b-863e0f988b0c'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/DQYNM6SjD_o&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/DQYNM6SjD_o&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> </p> <p> </p> <p>Kenny Chesney- I Go Back</p> <p>Okay, so I used to loooove Kenny Chesney, but I have not been a fan of his music in recent years.  This song, however, just gets me every time.  We can all relate to hearing a certain song and having it transport you to some part of your life.  This song makes me think of summers in college, driving around way too late with the windows down and all my friends laughter filling up the car. </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e4b305a0-13a5-4204-b29e-690bf481d42c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="cb13e636-0d45-4553-be74-cb27bbbd2f31" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdeSLxz5TTE" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ju0wmIT2Feg/UWmaxlnRFTI/AAAAAAAAEl4/J716RdQNkQ4/videode71303928e2%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('cb13e636-0d45-4553-be74-cb27bbbd2f31'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/MdeSLxz5TTE&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/MdeSLxz5TTE&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> <p> </p> <p>Jason Aldeen- Red Dirt Road</p> <p>I can see past the crappy rapping and just enjoy this song.  I think Jason Aldeen is actually a pretty sappy guy since 99.9999% of his songs are super nostalgic.  His earrings and bad boy look are just a facade. </p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:d73ccb2e-e387-4d62-bc5c-0260398d6271" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="544836ba-edca-428a-b029-d21223bec36d" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb9q1ScC4cg" target="_new"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_HjAAEMdx0Y/UWmayINfITI/AAAAAAAAEmA/F9w_lpuB9wI/video9755fca954af%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('544836ba-edca-428a-b029-d21223bec36d'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Lb9q1ScC4cg&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/Lb9q1ScC4cg&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> </p> <p> </p> <p>Alan Jackson- Remember When </p> <p>I don’t even like Alan Jackson but this song just gives me shivers. I love.. “remember when the sound of little feet was the music we danced to week to week”.. </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:811b707a-7bdc-4dd9-803e-786a84e78bb1" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="b6c46eed-e1ee-40ce-a012-a94025b27076" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTA2buWlNyM" target="_new"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XpqZu5wH4n4/UWmaylcD0xI/AAAAAAAAEmI/QoNd-4Ltw9o/video2e99d16351e2%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('b6c46eed-e1ee-40ce-a012-a94025b27076'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/TTA2buWlNyM&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/TTA2buWlNyM&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> <p> </p> <p>Jamey Johnson- In Color</p> <p>This song is so simple, so poignant. </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:a2e88be2-1239-46d4-9bf7-a04445538b01" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="cab9ca51-246d-49f6-99c5-1d33f185d6f4" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYGwxf1gCC4" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ESpsX7H34aM/UWmay3fp5hI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/pYHrtdE7-BA/video35ef52a2afee%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('cab9ca51-246d-49f6-99c5-1d33f185d6f4'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/EYGwxf1gCC4&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/EYGwxf1gCC4&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div> <p> </p> <p>    There are lots of other where these little ditties came from, but those are my all time favorites. Enjoy!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-70348315148479846692013-04-12T12:05:00.001-04:002013-04-12T12:05:39.178-04:00Lessons on Easter<p>     <em>Sigh</em>. When will I ever learn? A <a href="http://theheartoflifeblog.wordpress.com/">wise, wise, wise mother</a> once shared with me about the trouble our expectations can cause.  My expectations really cause me trouble on the holiday fronts.  It started with our first <a href="http://lauramicheleportraiture.blogspot.com/2011/11/first-thanksgiving.html">Thanksgiving</a> and the hits just keep on coming.  It’s all my fault, too.  Actually, I take that back… I am sure Pinterest overachieving pins & ooey gooey facebook updates have something to do with it too—oh the pressure!  But, really.  Who tries to take their 4 month baby to get their picture taken with an Easter Bunny when he {or me} has not slept all night, the Firefighting husband is sleep deprived and has a sinus infection, and we are supposed to be packing to get ready to go out of town?!  That would be me.  I also wanted to make a bunny cake, make deviled eggs for my mom’s Easter dinner, order James a nice Easter basket, dye Easter eggs, make Marcus something creative for Easter and wear something non-maternity to Easter Vigil. </p> <p> </p> <p>     Instead, the hard-boiled eggs never got to be deviled,  Easter Vigil-ing mass didn’t happen, and James’ basket of spit-up rags worked for an Easter basket.  I cried hot tears of shame when the Easter bunny picture didn’t work (since I KNEW I was ridiculous for even trying),  Marcus’ cold got even worse and he slept through most of Easter Sunday, and I was the only family member not to contribute to dinner.  Oh, the humility I need. </p> <p> </p> <p>    Interestingly enough, Jesus still rose from the dead.  Yup, believe it or not, even with the failed aspirations of a picture-perfect Easter, and my constant whining “It just doesn’t feel like Easter to me!” <em>He still rose</em>.  </p> <p> </p> <p>     I’m wondering how much longer it will take me to learn that Holidays are not about feelings, perfect gifts, accomplished to-do lists, whose house we celebrate it at, the cute clothes, pictures or delicious meals.  I’m guessing it will be a slow process, I’m not claiming to be a quick learner.  But all expectations aside, it was a beautiful Easter.  Little James Patrick and I got dolled up in our very imperfect Easter Sunday best, and enjoyed a wonderful Easter Sunday mass. I had not been to one in so long (I’ve always loved Easter Vigil) that I had totally forgot how powerful & joyful they are.  We let Marcus sleep away the sickness while we headed over to Mom’s for the rest of the day.  The baby was a fussy little guy, but there were so many helping hands.  My mom, Mindy & Kathleen prepared an incredible feast and the rainy morning gave way to some much-needed sunshine.  Marcus felt up to joining us all for dinner & dessert as well as a couple of pictures. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EeYGKzaJe54/UWgwvE2JdhI/AAAAAAAAEkY/eAGFzk091b8/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520004%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 004" border="0" alt="April 2013 004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XWCNj8k0ZK0/UWgwv_otEyI/AAAAAAAAEkg/BUJT7N-GzjU/April%2525202013%252520004_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="608" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0KF5snRH5Yc/UWgwwanAEjI/AAAAAAAAEko/17s2mbgL2_k/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520008%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 008" border="0" alt="April 2013 008" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LevFqc4j038/UWgwxLJDufI/AAAAAAAAEkw/WWP5QFL1cAs/April%2525202013%252520008_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EUZm5R-aKzo/UWgwxrF4AuI/AAAAAAAAEk4/kEjjBsF57Qw/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520032%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 032" border="0" alt="April 2013 032" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GXHchMKI76k/UWgwyfQPMwI/AAAAAAAAElA/TRWa4E_5qEU/April%2525202013%252520032_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>   <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Wob_9zX7OmI/UWgwyweRhLI/AAAAAAAAElI/H7FyCA23nCo/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520011%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 011" border="0" alt="April 2013 011" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QKamhMVTIgM/UWgwzSzbq3I/AAAAAAAAElQ/-Bn-1X_Nl3s/April%2525202013%252520011_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YVYATzJMD6I/UWgwz75g-MI/AAAAAAAAElY/rZKek4E0Uqc/s1600-h/April%2525202013%252520024%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="April 2013 024" border="0" alt="April 2013 024" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-d75npTqoIik/UWgw0XhMaqI/AAAAAAAAElg/stFdxC9LA0Q/April%2525202013%252520024_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="608" /></a> </p> <p align="center">     Easter is always Easter because of what Jesus did, not all the extra, feel-good stuff we do.</p> <p align="center">(I’m preaching to the choir here)</p> <p align="center">So did you hear that Laura?! Jesus rose from the dead.  And he is going to next year, too.  Even if James’ doesn’t get a picture with Easter bunny!</p> <p align="center">Alleluia, friends, Happy Easter!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-51349243103945710912013-04-10T22:09:00.001-04:002013-04-10T22:09:27.600-04:00Goodbye For Now, Sweet Grandma Dee<p>     Marcus started bragging about his grandmother almost as soon as I met him 5 years ago, and having two of the finest grandmothers around myself, I was anxious to meet her to see what the fuss was all about.  When I met her a couple months later, at her 75th birthday dinner, I knew she was worth his every brag and more.  I’ll never forget getting to know her that weekend of her birthday as Marcus and I took her and Papa Joe on a whirlwind touristy day around Virginia Beach.  We talked while wandering around the Aquarium, over ice cream cones at the Purple Cow and into dusk as we sat on the benches on the beach.  By the end of the day I felt more than completely accepted by her, I felt like she loved me and just really enjoyed her time with me.  It wasn’t just me though, as I got to know her over the following years, it was apparent that she loved everybody, accepted them and enjoyed them.  </p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ySO4XSYX3gc/UWYbRabS_XI/AAAAAAAAEjQ/zIUBLPOKg9A/s1600-h/summer%2525202008%252521%252520033%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="summer 2008! 033" border="0" alt="summer 2008! 033" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0b8c-lfvO4I/UWYbSDdfcvI/AAAAAAAAEjY/GwELib1N9Mg/summer%2525202008%252521%252520033_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="454" /></a> </p> <p> </p> <p>     Grandma Dee & Papa Joe’s place was the destination of our first road trip together when we were dating.  Grandma Dee and I stayed up late as she told me stories about her family, told me about all the themed parties she threw over the years, and how great she thought Marcus was.  The next couple of years were peppered with weddings, birthdays and baptisms-all perfect for grandparent visiting.  When baby JP was a’cooking in my tum, we headed up to DC for a way overdue visit.  We just fit the trip in during a busy summer and I am so glad we did.  To watch Grandma Dee take loving care of Papa Joe, flitter about the kitchen constantly to make sure I was getting enough for me+baby, remind me of all God’s promises and dig through box after box of beautiful photographs she had taken was the ultimate example to me.  Grandma Dee knew the meaning of quality time, and she gave it to me like a present every single time I was with her.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7Txj8lgXDFo/UWYbSqXFSYI/AAAAAAAAEjg/bvFfoZtoa2A/s1600-h/LundyPhoto_L%252526M_340%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="LundyPhoto_L&M_340" border="0" alt="LundyPhoto_L&M_340" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8MQHh8CtzHc/UWYbTOBf-pI/AAAAAAAAEjo/sChTI_mRz_g/LundyPhoto_L%252526M_340_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="604" /></a></p> <p>     When we heard she was sick, we took the baby on his first trip to meet his great-grandma.  We had a perfect day.  Whether or not she was feeling well, I’ll never know, but she was full of joy and kept telling me all the things she needed to praise the Lord about.  It is no surprise to me that baby James seemed enamored by her.  She smiled at him constantly, talked to him seriously, and even made puppets for him out of his blanket.  He loved her with smiles and coos and eager kicking on her hospital bed.  We snacked on sweets, spent time looking out the window and held hands while she told me all about her family and growing up in Pennsylvania.  We prayed together and kissed goodbye and I didn’t really believe it would be the last time I would see her. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-y_NKmSbwuKo/UWYbTskOxUI/AAAAAAAAEjw/zdacAJXW9Ts/s1600-h/IMG_20120825_150633%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="IMG_20120825_150633" border="0" alt="IMG_20120825_150633" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-x-DoMgmUWkM/UWYbUaHWdjI/AAAAAAAAEj4/q3NrEd7oglE/IMG_20120825_150633_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="454" /></a> </p> <p>     The week after Easter was a whirlwind of celebrating her.  The funeral in DC was beautiful but going to her home in Pennsylvania was so special to me.  I thought about what the priest in DC said when he advised us to imitate the way she lived her life.  In fact, I was sure it was her voice I heard in my heart, urging me to make an extra, out of the way stop, to see my grandparents.  My father-in-law gave the most perfect, touching Eulogy and I have not been able to stop thinking about it since.  He reminded us how she CHOOSE to be happy and holy.  </p> <p> </p> <p>     After she passed away, I was telling my mom about her.  How fantastic our last visit was.   I felt the lump rising in my throat as I remembered how she kept telling my son “Next time you see me we’ll do something fun!” and “next time you see me I’ll have toys for you to play with” and embarrassed about her lack of lipstick & fancy hairdo that day “next time you see me, I’ll be beautiful” My mom had the perfect response, as she sensed my sadness that their would not be a next time.   “Laura, she was right…next time you see her, she will be beautiful” </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-i4lLI2OEKPM/UWYbU1vzhdI/AAAAAAAAEkA/YQuicjUBmaQ/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520140%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 140" border="0" alt="March 2013 140" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2p_3AnHSNv8/UWYbVlltCjI/AAAAAAAAEkI/Ouf7eJtTY2c/March%2525202013%252520140_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="402" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>     Grandma Dee, you are so beautiful but I can’t wait to see you in Heaven where you will be even more glorious!  Pray for me Grandma Dee, that I can give others quality time, serve with a smile, and choose to be happiness and holiness.  We keep pictures of your joyful face in a picture on our fridge, and in an a frame in our living room.  But even more- I see you in my son everyday- James Patrick has your eyes!  </p> <p> </p> <p>     Thanks for loving me Grandma Dee!</p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-46512933624144555112013-04-10T09:14:00.001-04:002013-04-10T09:14:20.282-04:00Life > Blogging<p>     I have lots of bliggity blogs posts that want to be written, as well as pictures to share and stories to tell since I left out of this place back before Holy Week! But friends, when I am away, you can assume it is because I am very busy living life. I’m traveling, enjoying the weather, spending time with my friends and family, doing laundry, googling things about my baby, attempting to cook dinner, or just cutting my fingernails! I love my blog and I would love to sit down and give it an hour of my time everyday. </p> <p> </p> <p>but living life just trumps the blog. </p> <p>(and I think that is just how it should be!)</p> <p> </p> <p>Hope you are all busy living life too! </p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-30643288366356563282013-03-21T09:30:00.001-04:002013-03-21T09:30:29.121-04:00Pictures, with a Side of Honesty<p>     I was going to post some random, but nice{ish} pictures I’ve taken recently, and then sneak away before you noticed the lack of words.  Then, I was going to title the post ‘Ordinary Days’ cause doesn’t that seem nice?  Perhaps these days are ordinary, but they are hard as h-e-double hockeysticks.  </p> <p> </p> <p>     I really, really hate even typing this, but here we go: James is a pretty difficult baby.  He fusses a lot, especially if I dare to dethrone him from his perch on my hip.  While I used to brag about his awesome sleeping skills, he has since reverted to waking every 2 hours with maaaayyybbeee a 4 hour stretch from 8 to 12.  While I am very happy to rock my baby to sleep for his naps, I’m less than thrilled that he wakes up within fifteen minutes of me laying him down.  He also has a weird case of head thrashing, which accompanies the 2 hour stretches at night.  I’m losing my mind a little bit.  Little man does have a cold, is probably teething, hitting a growth spurt and so on and so forth, or so I tell myself every day.  </p> <p> </p> <p>     I couldn’t wait to be stay-at-home mom, which is not exactly the norm amidst women in the 21st century.  Here is another confession though: When it just one little bambino & yourself…oh, it can be so boring!! I pretty much survive on playdates and visiting the local family.  I absolutely love spending time with James, but was not prepared for the never-ending merry-go-round feeling the days would take on.  The days I don’t make plans…cue Groundhog day!  </p> <p> </p> <p>     James Patrick, lest you read this one day and think I didn’t love you and enjoy you… I adore you.  Just because you are hard doesn’t mean you aren’t precious and perfect.  I live off your every smile, drink up your every belly laugh.  I love you so much it hurts and you are just the baby for me.  You are the perfect firstborn, my refining fire, teaching me more about myself and about God everyday.  Yes, sometimes it seems like a dizzying day of nurse, tummy time, reading books, walks around the blocks, and rocking only to start all over again but I wouldn’t trade it.  I am so stinking blessed to stay home with you.  When you don’t let me put you down, underneath the frustration is me cherishing every little bit of your neediness… I know it won’t last, love.  I won’t always get to rock you, and you won’t always want  me to be your constant companion.</p> <p> </p> <p>    So I’ll make the best of this hard as heck ordinary days.  You are so worth it, my boy!</p> <p align="center">Sometimes you sleep long enough to let me cook.  Then the kitchen looks like this</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gprtDResLD8/UUsLWjmO7iI/AAAAAAAAEgs/5zWwTqDXJas/s1600-h/March20131133.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="March 2013 113" border="0" alt="March 2013 113" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-n6aTPhAvdWU/UUsLXHwCkZI/AAAAAAAAEg0/B1Pgms03nRI/March2013113_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="335" /></a></p> <p align="center">I’m always trying to stay caught up with recording your latest feats in your baby journal.  And need to fill out my March Madness bracket</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Rfa32fhAl_Y/UUsLX7MJp2I/AAAAAAAAEg8/v3Zm38qTiwY/s1600-h/March20131213.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="March 2013 121" border="0" alt="March 2013 121" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zNQAew8W0N0/UUsLYbr3cmI/AAAAAAAAEhE/BAMEJT2tkF8/March2013121_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="335" /></a></p> <p align="center">The exersaucer is my friend, since you will sit in here for 5 mins while I grab a bite to eat.  You are still a little short for it, so a textbook and some non-skid mat make for a perfect fit</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ArWKYIRGkdI/UUsLY_pasrI/AAAAAAAAEhM/vDnNa86PHtY/s1600-h/March20131263.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="March 2013 126" border="0" alt="March 2013 126" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2E2HB2kzzGk/UUsLZTYKtaI/AAAAAAAAEhU/Ix7zSwYeERM/March2013126_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="335" /></a>    </p> <p align="center">You have become quite the blankie boy recently and love to snuggle up with your Aden & Anaias blankets.  Don’t worry friends, I take it away once he is good and asleep…safety first!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fjzFdCYfW3c/UUsLaAlKj_I/AAAAAAAAEhc/kiqAosfecJA/s1600-h/March20131243.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="March 2013 124" border="0" alt="March 2013 124" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-breC2r0H6yU/UUsLa3NH-yI/AAAAAAAAEhk/qwJoKqd8_GU/March2013124_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="335" /></a></p> <p align="center"> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9bPNVT51k2w/UUsLbQhLfQI/AAAAAAAAEhs/jAh_NedCniM/s1600-h/March20131234.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="March 2013 123" border="0" alt="March 2013 123" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_TBT0dqOmQo/UUsLb1EOBZI/AAAAAAAAEh0/Ue0vozb3J_Q/March2013123_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="529" /></a>  </p> <p align="center">At home date nights= puzzles. {Thanks for the idea Trish!}</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jchpQA0VOBw/UUsLcZEdetI/AAAAAAAAEh8/p_CceOFgPgk/s1600-h/March20131253.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="March 2013 125" border="0" alt="March 2013 125" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sUM3B8Pmf-E/UUsLc8ODh0I/AAAAAAAAEiE/Yh75FXTqUlM/March2013125_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="335" /></a></p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6708827210355528228.post-66814342832479262452013-03-20T15:40:00.001-04:002013-03-20T15:40:10.483-04:00Family in Flannel<p>     Well, it is the first day of Spring so our cold flannel wearing weather is going to be coming to an end soon.  Very soon, I hope…come on, warm weather.  Since James received this adorable hand-me-down flannel shirt, I figured we better take a family photo sporting our most favorite attire. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5hzlk_b3XGw/UUoQhEEJtjI/AAAAAAAAEfU/smf2neMTH9Q/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520089%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 089" border="0" alt="March 2013 089" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5sG4CQ-QxY0/UUoQhiPzP1I/AAAAAAAAEfc/qdGKNptC5vs/March%2525202013%252520089_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-V9nvBF9MJlA/UUoQiXJxJqI/AAAAAAAAEfk/XArdWESqQDo/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520096%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 096" border="0" alt="March 2013 096" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-F8q6pjmSajw/UUoQi2TdC5I/AAAAAAAAEfs/wFBvQiilH5w/March%2525202013%252520096_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="532" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uMJtB59y6nU/UUoQjYEMkEI/AAAAAAAAEf0/jmko_aGslFY/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520103%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 103" border="0" alt="March 2013 103" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1UO7ExfrLVg/UUoQkAKMrqI/AAAAAAAAEf8/0jYOtzsDS1I/March%2525202013%252520103_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Z54S9BMhBs8/UUoQkpNuUJI/AAAAAAAAEgE/QPJz73PXHuM/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520109%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 109" border="0" alt="March 2013 109" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Jze6Dme_01I/UUoQlBtMtOI/AAAAAAAAEgM/snZlz1oWEMc/March%2525202013%252520109_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a>      <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bio-ZKIkhvU/UUoQlumwk1I/AAAAAAAAEgU/piaDy2LMCzU/s1600-h/March%2525202013%252520100%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="March 2013 100" border="0" alt="March 2013 100" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vX-BrMaNzzI/UUoQmVMrMpI/AAAAAAAAEgc/HsBw03sk-sc/March%2525202013%252520100_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="704" height="468" /></a></p> Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15911160771553770981noreply@blogger.com0