tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15354153823118924242024-03-13T13:42:54.301-07:00Singing a Different TuneCandacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-67933562377582554862012-10-10T20:30:00.001-07:002012-10-10T20:30:42.296-07:00Chachacha changes!!!!Holy time warp, Batman! It has been forever since I have sat down to post anything new. So for all three of you who read this, I've got so much to catch you up on. Our lives here at the Dickinson household have changed quite a bit. Well, not our lives, necessarily, just the logistics. Life is good. Life is busy. I thought I knew busy before, but I must say it's all perspective, I guess, because whew. So here's what's new...<br />
<br />
I'm working. Well, that's not actually that new. I thought about working as a new endeavor, but truth is that I have had my finger in some kind of working pie since Melaina was 18 months old. The work I did never took me away from home longer than a couple of hours, but it was work nonetheless. I had been an adjunct teacher for the past two years when all of a sudden the winds of opportunity blew open the doors and I have started teaching full time now. <br />
<br />
My very first thought back in the spring when it looked like working was to become a reality this fall was "what about Clara?" I couldn't bear the thought of not being around her the great majority of the time. She's so young, and so attached, and so on and so on and so on. The truth of the matter is that kids are pretty great at adapting, it's us grown ups who tend to cling to the status quo. So when school started, I cried pretty hard the first couple of mornings, while Clara got over the transition much quicker. She loves her school and her teacher and her new little friends. She is cracking us up non stop with her new words and phrases that are coming like rapid fire these days.<br />
<br />
As for Melaina, she is a big time afternooner now and thinks she runs the place. The "place" being school, home, GG's, our living room, pretty much anywhere she goes. She is such a vibrant and imaginative little girl and I cannot believe she will be 5 in just a couple weeks. For anyone who doesn't know what an afternooner is, it is simply a primary student at Montessori who stays into the afternoon. Yeah, it's kind of a big deal.<br />
<br />
I love my work. Seriously, when this crazy hectic life starts feeling all the more crazy and hectic, I just think that I am proud of what I do and lucky to have the chance to do it. And sure it has been a change for the whole family, but I want these two girls seeing their mom do what she is meant to do. I was meant to be a mom and a teacher and a singer and a wife and yes that's a lot of things, but that's what's so great.<br />
<br />
Oh, and did I mention that I work with my husband?? I mean, that I GET to work with my husband? That's what I meant to say. Tee Hee. No seriously, it's pretty great. We've done this in some shape or form for several years now with summer programs and such, so it's just more of the same in a way. It's actually pretty cool.<br />
<br />
OK, I think I've filled you in on all the new goings ons. Now for the pictures. I'll start with a few and then add lots more. Oh, and Melaina stories will be coming soon, too. She's had some doosies lately! That girl is a trip.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCopVq0wogNnVHPavyFwcnGawSP5JihRI6aJdldosp5w1N8biq2hRDBqZvq391UAd3kspElC_ziE_r-pKiLF2tHMxOz6Td1hu9UkBfP8f6_8-a3LyAWJ-BP3zZyzjvIt72NWv5KZb-jGXn/s1600/IMG_1126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCopVq0wogNnVHPavyFwcnGawSP5JihRI6aJdldosp5w1N8biq2hRDBqZvq391UAd3kspElC_ziE_r-pKiLF2tHMxOz6Td1hu9UkBfP8f6_8-a3LyAWJ-BP3zZyzjvIt72NWv5KZb-jGXn/s320/IMG_1126.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's amazing how quickly it can all go south...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZzfFIBsRenoh8dPQx5MIbTkHIisROuc0YWM1TqVZyT5USRtttLpoQLfJ-CMYjOBrnVlA_tqIsphlH-TIDQHhQBn2IOb-cwhTfBcXGrjWiwSARHbtnID91wViQGq3XyzO4EXUNogHcPyt/s1600/IMG_1127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZzfFIBsRenoh8dPQx5MIbTkHIisROuc0YWM1TqVZyT5USRtttLpoQLfJ-CMYjOBrnVlA_tqIsphlH-TIDQHhQBn2IOb-cwhTfBcXGrjWiwSARHbtnID91wViQGq3XyzO4EXUNogHcPyt/s320/IMG_1127.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Eating her cupcake at Clara's and bff Presley's 2 year old b-day party</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGbs2o97MX9Dd9zUDMtlOKr-7-jYJxxOKYsiFHL8Lbj1C6xtkWr47WeVgY9-06J3oKb4WKE_b6FjnXcQpmwYuXG59rwdgVwaPb5aCDBcm8Iezy-cmzsiOukDgPToQjPcgrqG6Bw65aBcv/s1600/IMG_1147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGbs2o97MX9Dd9zUDMtlOKr-7-jYJxxOKYsiFHL8Lbj1C6xtkWr47WeVgY9-06J3oKb4WKE_b6FjnXcQpmwYuXG59rwdgVwaPb5aCDBcm8Iezy-cmzsiOukDgPToQjPcgrqG6Bw65aBcv/s320/IMG_1147.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"I pity the fool who says a word about my sleeping outfit I chose to pack for the beach"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH3U28Iy-g5QVLyGRtcUTvAQCHq8gP_f6CsHq_DCcpCm90TLicJt7gKvjAq7gwuU3yBQ_muH3ZQQ_2UfWytxmR1j_COir5OYZupD__K2eq1i5MkvpuKQvCHg2sYRuBe_75jKPP20F7V6k/s1600/IMG_1177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH3U28Iy-g5QVLyGRtcUTvAQCHq8gP_f6CsHq_DCcpCm90TLicJt7gKvjAq7gwuU3yBQ_muH3ZQQ_2UfWytxmR1j_COir5OYZupD__K2eq1i5MkvpuKQvCHg2sYRuBe_75jKPP20F7V6k/s320/IMG_1177.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My sweet little nugget tired after an afternoon exploring Barrier Island</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMblcwX-jqUDn19ImL5xxvVWWT2-6RFQN8e7nVIutv06hdmpGdF_qCch-K-N3Wx3llXydB7QHR8QQAU7Ubhaub8Fa7NsX6xz6pnnL5eSvtgL4aF3jCBY2sNwQU2w7DoEnv1hxHZSWq0Vn/s1600/IMG_1186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeMblcwX-jqUDn19ImL5xxvVWWT2-6RFQN8e7nVIutv06hdmpGdF_qCch-K-N3Wx3llXydB7QHR8QQAU7Ubhaub8Fa7NsX6xz6pnnL5eSvtgL4aF3jCBY2sNwQU2w7DoEnv1hxHZSWq0Vn/s320/IMG_1186.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Well, more to come soon, folks.... until then...<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVYbwpe99MM" target="_blank">David Bowie, anyone??</a>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-25440493663209363852012-04-11T11:21:00.004-07:002012-04-11T12:03:58.823-07:00The (not so) Glamorous Life<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHrsvZ_33eB_gaUGFUn8XXC53aJ-jOKVPQIIrnPARDGnvkv7NXHoOqqX16FBWgPOY1L8DEOiMwHMxbtNzq5aJjLyWf4oL8ym8fjNj9SR5juHffavf_wI7Hmm8o2b02_T1AR1r10VmZwGZ/s1600/PDI0350626_P_Opera-singer-side-view.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHrsvZ_33eB_gaUGFUn8XXC53aJ-jOKVPQIIrnPARDGnvkv7NXHoOqqX16FBWgPOY1L8DEOiMwHMxbtNzq5aJjLyWf4oL8ym8fjNj9SR5juHffavf_wI7Hmm8o2b02_T1AR1r10VmZwGZ/s400/PDI0350626_P_Opera-singer-side-view.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730219286755501954" /></a><br />When one thinks of the life of a classical singer on the day of her performance, one might conjure images of sleeping until noon while wearing a silk eye mask, eating only the most healthily prepared food prepared by someone else of course, doing an hour of yoga followed by a hot relaxing shower while warming up her voice for the first time that day at what is now 4pm. Well, one would be wrong. At least in the case of this classical singer/mommy/teacher/fill in the blank.<div><br /></div><div>It all started on the eve of my recital a few weeks ago when Melaina called out from sleep with a very sore throat. Even when she's got the most terrible cold, she usually doesn't mention her throat at all so I was worried. So just to play it safe, the next morning I took her to the doctor and they diagnosed what I was most afraid of -strep throat. Luckily, it was something that she could easily get rid of by consuming that pink antibiotic of wonders. So thus began the day from H-E-double hockey sticks.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I came home to care and nurse my poor baby while trying to keep my other healthy baby from sneaking sips of Melaina's drink or bites of food which in itself is a monumental task. Not to mention, all of the "not talking" I had planned for the day was out the window. All in all, though, the day from down-under-and-I-don't-mean-Austrailia went as well as I could have hoped for given the circumstances. Tom went in a little late to work and my mom came to keep Clara while we went to the doc. Not to mention our wonderful babysitter came several hours earlier than we had planned so that I could mentally prepare for the performance. (what also helped was an 8 minute guided meditation i bought on i-tunes. Awesome. I did it twice) This glass half full view of the days events only comes weeks after the actual day. On the actual day, I was freaking the *&$% out, to put it mildly.</div><div><br /></div><div>Believe it or not, the purpose of this post isn't to recount the happenings of that blessed day. My point is just to state even further what life has really been teaching me this past year or so. I have control over pretty much, <b>NOTHING</b>. The moment I get in my head what a certain day should or WILL be like, it's like God is saying "Oh, child, have mercy! (I'm pretty sure God is an enormous black woman). When will you get it into your thick head that you don't spin the world on your little ol' finger. I guess I'll just have to show you once again who has the real power". </div><div><br /></div><div>And then just like that, life happens and I freak out because something "awful" happens to destroy, I mean literally destroy what plans I have made. But seriously, when will I learn that every time this happens I have the opportunity to grow, to learn, to evolve. I have been given the chance through something as little and minor as the strep throat incident to change my way of thinking. </div><div><br /></div><div>And when it comes to the performance, well, there's something to be learned as well. Art isn't about nice smooth edges and seamlessness. It is about communicating the real human condition which is not at all pristine or holy, but rather passionate, messy and at times tragic. I chose this life of wife and mother over that of staying in the trenches as a performer and leading that very uncertain life so that I could experience the days like this one. A day filled with caring for others in a home I love surrounded by all I could ever need. And the friends! Friends who came out to love and support me whether or not classical music is their thing. Friends that are always around, not just the sort that one meets during a 6 week engagement and then moves on to the next gig. And I have to say that I think I enjoyed performing way more after a day filled with being taught lessons and giving love and compassion to my sick daughter than I ever would have sleeping until noon and getting a massage...</div><div><br /></div><div>Though, that would have been nice.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-50760324132557209502012-03-09T11:19:00.005-08:002012-03-09T11:48:55.803-08:00<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;color:#663366;"><b>Meet Baby Kitty</b></span></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjZVf4CPQWX0aaDwBuZ8KTugYO8J7IyarYD0kB1FqY-FjGsQFnvQ9baPRik1BSEoestCh4_TRELW_XisJ4_nU9JKSo32PoJjkoc2gyUPPJkTpOb-tJXMSIDdHKufIVqpE8GY002R1nnSr/s1600/IMG_0268.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGjZVf4CPQWX0aaDwBuZ8KTugYO8J7IyarYD0kB1FqY-FjGsQFnvQ9baPRik1BSEoestCh4_TRELW_XisJ4_nU9JKSo32PoJjkoc2gyUPPJkTpOb-tJXMSIDdHKufIVqpE8GY002R1nnSr/s400/IMG_0268.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717979675313871330" /></a><br />Baby Kitty has been around since Melaina was 10 months old. We were out one day just shopping and passing the time when we passed by the children's toys in World Market. Melaina said "kitty" and pointed to this little black and white stuffed kitty lying on the shelf. So I picked it ups and handed it to her. It was love at first sight. She hugged that kitty nd gave the biggest smile. I will never forget it. So I knew I had to buy it for her and that was that.<div><br /></div><div>A few days passed and it was evident that not only did she love this little kitty, it became an appendage. She had to have it wherever she went. So I did what any sensible parent would do, I went back to World Market and bought three more for back ups. I kep them hidden and would only take one out when the main kitty needed washing. Well that all ended when Melaina grew and became more curious and found the other three kitties. So then all four kitties were in play. </div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually, Melaina began to be able to tell the difference between all of them and named then each. Baby Kitty was her main squeeze, then Mama Kitty, Daddy Kitty and Cousin Kitty. There is no way to pass one for the other, she knows. That child knows baby Kitty from Mama Kitty no matter what.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now Baby kitty has outfits and Melaina sews little blankets for her at school. Baby Kitty is like another person in this house. Very often BK will sit at the table with us for dinner, goes on trips with us, has her own seat in the car and so on.</div><div><br /></div><div>I know this may not be very interesting to anyone else, but I had to write a post about Baby Kitty at some point or I would be leaving out a vital part of our family's experience. I sure hope Baby Kitty can hold out a while longer seeing as there is no sign of Melaina's infatuation slowing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, here are more pictures of this inanimate object otherwise known as Baby Kitty.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am going against my better judgement to bring you this picture. We all look haggard and homeless. I remember feeling that way when this shot was taken. I look like white trash, but look at sweet little BK.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWoN9yfL_vK2agD0GBrDz2sBrsfbgI0E22buCgMIb6n82bg-Ifog99M8VzroxDqVZ6H8efyGRPp-1cpaqqQ3-d8XpxjSYN3EmhhXTFPbHmr446_DwE3XHEzP5HKgTzhA2nr1PVpxKDhVHX/s400/IMG_0582.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717983949952058530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">BK riding in style with M</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7KomYzZ0MwL3pcDbk2CSHe_-tbGE2QZWSRJSALibT8q2MJAQ7GuX5iP2xHdU7IQV8vowLg2FIVp4eqL2ppREVI7UHR89pBnG6ePwBddeFgdSpTFPh5jepDr4Le4I-qyiyAd4Igoz1l5J/s400/IMG_0705.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717985357600593234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Melaina trying to make a cozy moment happen between sissy and BK</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXpLFY2SHoUQKb23pfVFTriHp6GNYtulcvjnbvFd0P0DN1QAGYPQScFIUsFAO4ml_28XwIqSQhkq6eprZk4fob3fg60HGdNuUKsjS3FREAfTqOmSbSFobelZMmO71NKZIMLowcADA3SPH/s400/IMG_0628.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717983955677920130" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">My favorite: Baby Kitty on the little bear downtown at the Children's garden</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisF6YREFIVNad9lGMFVCMfO5rqv4hyVXG-eHVK-qGkNPPYHMU2ZmmHXzsipKkejpYlGYHAq4u8G4iReY1vzQjbmSx3rlmQM6tKuEbGC71BGv3H_jH97nuICDj9DANa7JYOTsRtGmHn2ZxP/s400/IMG_1030.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5717985366366029394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-36212450719918138702012-03-09T10:44:00.006-08:002012-03-09T11:12:59.071-08:00When did I get old??It's so weird getting older. I mean I've never really been hung up on age. Although to be honest turning 35 did freak me out a bit. Actually it was the thought of the pending birthday. It was months ahead and it suddenly occurred to me that I was going to be, 33, no 34, no wait... <div><b>Holy #&@!</b> 30-freaking-5.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, then I adjusted my thinking and 35 was really quite awesome. Once I made the decision or came to the realization that a number doesn't dictate how I live my life, I felt pretty great about it. So here I was two months into 35 when, bam, it hit me. I mean there I was in Earth Fare with Clara jamming out to the music (it's kind of our thing because they always have great music) and I was singing right along to one of my favorite songs ever, "Too Much" by the Dave Matthews Band. Remember them? You know, that really cool band that released "Crash" just a few years ago. "Wait, how long ago was that", I thought to myself. you wanna know how long ago???? 1996, my friends.</div><div><br /></div><div>Is it just me or does that seem like yesterday? I know every word of that song like I just learned it. But no, I was a freshman in college, for the love of all that is decent and holy. It's not that it bothers me that so much time has gone by, it's that it doesn't <i>feel</i> like so much time has gone by. It's been in a blink. 16 years -- poof -- gone. I have experienced so much in that amount of time, but it's just so crazy to think that the next 16 years may well seem to go by just as fast.</div><div><br /></div><div>The good thing, though is that I know better now than I did then. I know myself a heck of a lot better but still have a long way to go. I know that time is precious and that life is a gift. that sounds so wise doesn't it??? Hmmm. I'll just wallow in my wisdom for a moment....</div><div>I also know that my body doesn't feel or look like it did 16 years ago. My skin betrays me and shows the lack of sleep and those pesky hangovers can't be easily remedied by some eggs and home fries like they used to.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, getting older has it's drawbacks. But I seriously wouldn't go back there to 1996 for all the gold in Texas. I like who I have become, warts and all. Although I sure want to improve this body and this mind, they are mine. We've been though a lot together and I sure am grateful to have come this far and can't wait to see what's around the bend. </div><div><br /></div><div>Please stand up and sing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itdZIIeVDas">this</a> to the top of your lungs. You know you want to!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-12394262407368487732012-02-24T10:17:00.015-08:002012-02-24T11:10:28.952-08:00Time flies when...<div style="text-align: center;">You know the rest. Let's face it though, time flies whether you are having fun or not. But these days I have to consciously tell myself to stop, take it <b>all</b> in, the good and the not as good, or else it will all be gone before I know it. Life is really good, no doubt about it. I love what I'm doing, teaching is wonderful. The girl's are healthy except for the nagging colds that they keep trading back and forth. I'm healthy, my husband's healthy. So really, all good stuff, but man am I pooped!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's the latest:</div><div><br /></div><div>Clara is getting to that really fun age where her personality is really taking root and cracking us up. There is such a strong little person in there. She is DIFFICULT, don't get me wrong. There are some days where I swear she clings to me all day and is in a constant state of trying to re-enter the womb, but she's a cuddle muffin and we love her dearly.</div><div><br /></div><div> Here's a slice of life photo: Laundry Day at the Dickinsons'</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Xa3Mr0U6KjmimMlEWYjGyuZqE8LO-AvSjhB-bKgKuWv215ThZvUgrp8YZ-ubsXlha9FymcZwKfV0aJ9NkIqAVAetHftU_vVwMCwU9hwm34V5ABI0YBdqte5HTylnOUHRsSBOON_uX6Fs/s400/IMG_0455.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712773376056600098" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span><div>Melaina is a hoot. Really there is no other way to say it. She says the most hilarious things and has no idea she is being funny. On the other hand, these days she is trying to learn how to tell jokes. These jokes of hers are just terrible and not funny at all, and instead of doing what we are probably supposed to do like saying "Oh, Melaina, that is so funny" we say, "Melaina, you have got to learn a good joke". Oh, well at least we're honest, right?</div><div><br /></div><div> "Hey, let's get a picture of the eleph... Oh, hi, Melaina"</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlZCP6Eoczxa4rMc6Gd5Z7imXakWEAYyW9gICLh6CiDIlxu9O2MeyKGc5rUPuyNXtBS6kHVZIw77a7m3JHblemDvVLy4oj-JQnDKKyIWw8OSGLr48fUbKFCUfw5VlIMI7ZhIsOdJmTzNg/s400/IMG_0344.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712775203719982194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span><div>She is one tough cookie and takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Below is the biggest fat lip I have ever seen. I had to keep looking away from it because it made me queasy. At least she was wearing her Super Girl costume. Could've been much worse without it...</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0UhIPjFeHJlfIcswh5FitVDQdmBZfV9jaV1wjFaQFq1m8taD_2QFcosf6HGL8QcPpZPimVPiTDHjl3V-bxx8P-qJd-L4sukY-nQOaaaBNdgoUuLuRlYg6hbQXwnjpT7ysj46mlvP7VLf/s400/IMG_0446.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712776736408450546" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>They are the best of buds. I can't get over how much Melaina loves to play with Clara as a real playmate. She has such a tender way about her and it is so sweet to watch. She loves to dress Clara up in beads, dresses, tutus, crowns, the works. Clara just lets her do it. Clara idolizes Melaina to put it mildly.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5YD4nHRCM_PGZZMvYGZX8U1nRsX6GISoJhZnImQMcRj2yl15h8IA6ThWbQMZ6WxhLdBU5tW-8iyP71UVlPoVtIIbDgEqTdNzJhz5vJBDy0h7t1z8ac453_YVUjTboSOYaUJfquzSWIiNB/s400/IMG_0403.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712775024164078658" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span><div><br /></div><div> Best Friends</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CT3wau4aDC2Z4clQZUEFVPts0iMn325aYeIGq6RgTlTb98Wn3Q2JFo5pVxgy-KHYA0WONxG93_YH9p9U4uFO5LklDWih8h_cPpMEgWyQm1f4-9hU_zbdKLTh6brsthnL9eJebxv4A_Qo/s400/IMG_0464.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712773335302434226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This was a picture from Grandpa's visit earlier this month. He, Tom and Melaina went to the Children's Museum and had a ball. Melaina loved the dinosaur exhibit.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPwPccVlJRmDTxeCJalTPNqeeiam59a8cV0c6FxtKnLldyFk13c087nQgRjizzdfVipoJ9Ub5AaE1_7c5P3QAjwRbHuXdUm_6l_IlCi5ODHTHlY8qII98kdrbLIxcW8UQyhIbtbEQQ6cS/s400/IMG_0552.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712773361835048114" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span><div>Tom and I really don't have much time to ourselves apart nor together, so we were so excited to have the chance to get away earlier this month to Charleston. Tom had a bit of work to do during the day on Saturday but that wasn't a bad thing because for the first time in a long time, I just sat, drank coffee, got dressed without a 19 month old between my ankles, and wandered aimlessly around a town that wasn't mine. It was HEAVEN!! Great food, great shopping, great sleep. Now don't get me wrong, being that this was the first time I had EVER left Clara since she was born and only the second time I had left Melaina since she was Clara's age, I was a complete and total nervous wreck on the way down to Chuck Town- as the kids these days call it. Tom was stressed as he drove because my anxiety was extremely high and i can't see well in the dark and I assumed he was about to run us off the road since I couldn't see. It was hell. But then we arrived, took a walk with all the crazy college kids polluting the streets and yelling obscenities and got a couple drinks. That turned out to be awesome.</div><div><br /></div><div> Photo of what I thought were sweet peas, but I think they are a different flower. Pretty, though. We found them tucked away in a neat little garden that was down one of those cute little alleys of King Street.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEfdQJ2nsagQVqoKI8br1cV0gsvwcn484RtdpK9-Nn2UiGh8RDT5GOsX5bs-CDouVlP3vbFG4QynikUXhdjYu3pZmRMsmNSrCTuH9rACulo8CowfqIZpUZlFN0fv4R0gTUlU5MhEYN3TM/s400/IMG_0437.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712772662739037074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>This is a video of me trying to rehearse with Melaina what to say if anyone at school commented on her lip. Just in case you can't hear...</div><div>Me: Wow, look at that lip</div><div>Melaina: You should see the other guy!</div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxnqksov4v0otzJ5emSWU8tbfQ5fgVe1Rr9iC5FIYrO4cCpjsY38lLhFx-xVCcRc_PTxsY1vlwqgxTpoLzxbQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-35305319420944594522011-12-28T21:18:00.000-08:002011-12-28T21:44:45.430-08:00"Did My Heart Love 'Til Now?"<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Pretty title, huh? I didn't write that, Shakespear did. He sure did write some catchy lines. Yes, I know I sound like a hick. I'm trying to be funny. <div><br /></div><div>There are these beautiful sculptures where Tom and I work and one day whilst performing our juggling act of me driving the girls there just in time for Tom to get out of class and I to run to mine to teach it, Tom snagged these pictures.</div><div><br /></div><div>The subjects are Romeo and Juliet in the balcony scene and let's just say, Melaina is smitten. Many of our friends tell us that they think Melaina will be in the theatre one day. I don't doubt it, but as a director, I'm sure. She's got a knack for telling people EXACTLY what to do, how to do it, when to do do it, and with what inflection. No kidding.</div><div><br /></div><div>Clara was without a bow, as always.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ah, Juliet.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjNpqyfrvm5r91MyEZm49l00mHqXtIIv_wrDvL0fojGKI4N_mCU0eq5hkrSfC2OG6PI2nemj1AoxNFi6UzfNsZvuygjeAB6yPO0i3HKnkohS1iAmCTK0-Ls8sHcysNFJE22B19hGQeMPr/s400/IMG_0169.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691418410687008194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">From a different perspective</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTokBiJPl2xbmn_J0H-nZVJDxZ7J0r5OCEhUIc5sNX_4xk4wbV8BL0oHUY7fownhmj8ShDZKIK4A_4ejCOlWxbLWTYaNCoggMwV5pnFKTY-lcrkUiP8WVp_8o_q7LTSbo-kD1eLrdmwicY/s400/IMG_0173.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691418411523182450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">"I need more effort from you Romeo! What is your objective in this scene?"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkrtkxsR560VIDVLJbN1zbS5cQDd9B-3wb5-wqNeSv9jPqKgYRx2BQG3xsubzP15cdJd6_JuBXHW7XOF7VUGHxwqYEzhIKS8Lx2NhqAnWM33LFCobjoXR2PpGIfjzCqV05FeF2eIDqunx/s400/IMG_0177.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691418960815489490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">"It is the east and Juliet is the sun"</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCyEAweZ0zqtLJwUnNeoX2XsEXlBi2Isdl_6-rmvMr_QMUh2bzU3yV0BCpot4Na4F4AItE8_5CZI4eevjoIfJC_fZIZGq79VX4SRFEdA-MPRfIR_nUYN7uUU2Sf3vpc39LiYPX0Y5YO01/s400/IMG_0168.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691418410775010434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">"My sister is nuts"</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9qhkzVmJ0jnDfcKFjHeBN5dEky84qXZHpo3CiZByJFMTCwateHwL712oNv9WPTbcRwQkuFXm0r8An02RnE8sJNrFZYWbe64xfq4wsCiwU7SrNj2fYZ0pNlqqGW6WssCVTe3pnLrjpJZ1/s400/IMG_0175.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691419329285366498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">And well, I have no words for this one...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pHBOhtbB62QQVi8pr1XM58IiY597J4WcYtN-qelBBv3B4Xb94cgcTIvlHQN8g4bgwFbcRGOwO0_JhUV81c7nugraKl3N-wbrRLYmXVKOxhrDjYYvnIIjUMKRzfgRCHyzTce6PsdYy9BK/s400/IMG_0178.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691418961329141314" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-33956884254365362042011-12-28T20:28:00.001-08:002011-12-28T21:15:36.583-08:00Life is a blur! No. Really, an actual BLUR...<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zq05OeJmKWiIslmyyXy92bUkl4L4_YBBRWEHrgHjfDTDMfY_IPFDPfBkf4kWlZch0iOhVEwFKy041P5KYQOorff6kuAXla8thakZKYAjsiDkv5o4ONEz-qdiPxh9mSwhY15jyi9U-b5h/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>So you know the old cliche that we all use when we are asked by an acquaintance, "so, how's life been?" Rather than getting in to a long detailed rant on how your life seems to be spinning out of countrol, but you love it, but seriously, you need help, but these are the best times and so on, you just say, "oh, it's a blur". Well, at least that is what I say. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">But as you can see from these photos, life at the Dickinson household is really, actually, literally, a BLUR. No one stands still for long enough to catch a decent photo and I never really like photos of myself except on rare occasion, so we are always trying to get photos of the girls and not so much the family thing. </span>It never fails that posed photos of the 4 of us don't exactly turn out so well. A christmas card? Didn't happen. It's not that a photo didn't happen. My friend Laura took lots of great photos, but not one photo looked fit for human consumption. Why? </div><div><br /></div><div>It's not that one person's hair isn't just so or that we're not all looking at the same spot, no, I would gladly take those mishaps. It's that as a whole, my beautiful family, we all look like it's the annual Olin Mills family day at the loony bin. I bet Annie Liebovitz herself would get huffy, walk out on a photo shoot of our family screaming "I can't work like this! Keep them still!" </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><div><br /></div><div>I digress. Here are some recent photos of the blur...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Clara swinging... </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7D0fSF427mJoGnGjhSp9ILosqXOcONxrPeYvGQr-1LSzmsz0sGObzMX46GH_j-LoI47b0TAQhAxHBHJv0RrZDyVY8r1ikOOk5xfxdv0W-CujMuCOn2TNv0o9uzCjzqIGLLvuKIVPCctCA/s400/IMG_0191.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691404951473936722" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Melaina swinging...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJ7YcQ53m9M7NRQ3S79WIZVk1tg9-E9JP2J-YGz_5MCU-HnA0Uo6whODnAexfe9_69aWIsRB3kVwajUHGBnb9Or4t7NKwFzddZR_8alRHkIELwgxkz7jAVe8IZi_V-KqjO7HQHancC2Am/s400/IMG_0190.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691404948723703426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Clara at Melaina's birthday party living it up. Side note: that red ballon which Clara fell in love with and brought home from the party was still around our house until about a week ago. The party was in October. Weird balloon.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJHmoyulF9vl2ifaFg5Jc0VWRC8JO4Rj4q2obV5CW3x77xde1YP_3nYlgMYg_UfkqJVkKHNM0um9JJVxILsAt1ja2e1pZ8_PjSSMisRC5J3H4mnbczosF-byad1wACsk6b89vjyVa2_BO/s400/IMG_0084.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691404970581118898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Melaina so excited on her birthday carriage ride... There were some decent pictures of this outing posted on an earlier post. There were many, however, that were not posted that looked like this. But here's the thing: ask anyone, my husband is a great photographer, so this is not to diminish his talent in any way shape or form. End of disclaimer.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDo7LkbQC5cTUAVPVmmhrxa0N3dy_U3aBd8i0GIEtkrNGAUScL0WKggaaAUxCkZJgrV5enml8btQnetnLqYySPZ76tR9HykjCUEkiAQ1lITH_1dzoIO3QjUvj1YlHlFIu7B6beyH_bJdp/s400/IMG_0055.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691404960351585954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">wow.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Yes, that does look like millions and millions of dust particles to the left in the sunlight.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">What's your point? Dust doesn't have time to settle around here, it just floats as if in an abyss, waiting for the next tumbling object to propel it to its new destination. Fun way to say that I hate to dust.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eXPEk-k22H0gwDK3dPG7H9Uy1ryWl9bghfTHA89zGfYzUR7mCc0ISeV6xm5eVbOqFkM7EJInj9YoCyrf68s_sAu833QJYRFGmkUzdpA1RnNCf2cmmj9tKYWKQrzWj1ZbQMd0upPHVDES/s400/IMG_0256.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691408427721202610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">Now, this could have been a really cute picture if my children weren't being hooligans.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_zq05OeJmKWiIslmyyXy92bUkl4L4_YBBRWEHrgHjfDTDMfY_IPFDPfBkf4kWlZch0iOhVEwFKy041P5KYQOorff6kuAXla8thakZKYAjsiDkv5o4ONEz-qdiPxh9mSwhY15jyi9U-b5h/s400/IMG_0165.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691409104891757650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;">I really do love this blurry life.</span></div></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-67030358027704476772011-11-25T10:29:00.000-08:002011-12-28T20:26:40.559-08:00Milk DanceTo catch you up, all 3 of you, I will have to write a series of posts since it has been so long. Why not begin with something a bit light-hearted? Life has been really full lately. Lots of work, being busy with kids, mom having pneumonia, then knee surgery. And then a tragic loss of a dear friend and mentor. More on all of that later, this is to be light-hearted after all. So to kick it all off, something fun and humorous. <div>I don't know what it is about my kids and dancing in the grocery store. But come to think of it, I'm the one who sort of starts dancing and they take it from there. Just a bob of the head keeping rhythm at first, then singing along to whatever song is playing over the store's system, and then it inspires an all out dance off with my kiddos. And actually when I look back on my life, I can recall MANY dance breaks in the grocery store, Home Depot, K-mart, you name it. Hmmm, doesn't everyone do that? So anyway, here is a look at Clara breaking it down in Trader Joe's a while back... Enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy0UgfVL1HMfsP-ylnuyDnHzDSzaxm4gnh2efqS2dXNYudI2QlVVhAKcUe58R5PHYkNGtZPEcekxSt2nIJK5g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-27119363755500339552011-11-07T11:52:00.000-08:002011-11-07T16:54:21.984-08:00More Fall Stuff...<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I really do love the Fall so stinkin' much. The crisp air, the brightly colored leaves, the seasonal beers, long sleeves, pretending (or not) to care about football, pumpkins, all baked goods, Fall for Greenville, the list goes on and on. So here are several pictures that sum up our October and early November...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The view at Fall for Greenville. We had so much fun. We rarely get out these days, so we lived it up and ate and drank our way down main street with some good friends.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOlnBfB35E-mjT909SyP01qCNleT5vtr8g7mOsMwsPA5TXk0tb84wvCBAp25Pq6s3XbxYr1ZLDjb6WLNmWPY-UBOdEtt0_Aybg339_isy5kOy8RtgryzoALk-GKAmtb0FZOvVyTRgqFdf/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOlnBfB35E-mjT909SyP01qCNleT5vtr8g7mOsMwsPA5TXk0tb84wvCBAp25Pq6s3XbxYr1ZLDjb6WLNmWPY-UBOdEtt0_Aybg339_isy5kOy8RtgryzoALk-GKAmtb0FZOvVyTRgqFdf/s400/IMG_0007.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672345528272211298" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A rare photo of me. The backdrop is that beautiful, funky old tree in Falls Park.</div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qdTHm3Xf2rUTUkRbUnVYXndXNa6zNfiWeEMV655BqUFLhhfv11DGOZXnBBwp85h0eadK11C_Z1Qu1IyNQ2N_J7RK5EJbLg2g_wkcsz6bK5jG3kAWpHzYhP9cHriH1xAuwA4xql4lVeEK/s400/IMG_0011.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672345534132368994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Melaina about to enjoy her first carriage ride kicking off her Birthday Weekend Celebration!!!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hGbO5d5mhBMrq23fVNx56WUoY05PmIDp2-ShY9VFdas0fN45HVBt3co0kjNh781K6ZaIh1DH0sTS813bDuTdABJi8LoE5x6Pt1kZs9OKM-N3Crs84FuNblmG8ikK9hZTuepM7udfSmFT/s400/IMG_0042.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672345535693323330" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I love this picture of Melaina posing for a split second. She loved watching the horse and talking to the coachman.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pOVZ3RiwujJbmzPgForXNET21reLl0k_7bVHtt-_XLlh9KvHtnpoAFexL7lBrjB6SvkBmT1vf0KpyAVXFuqy_lzZ7Wrq_9fylj20uzns8nKInePnMz4LN6j3mcT-EhhzQS0qKZdQGfAb/s400/IMG_0054.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672346787757690770" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">A blurry pic of the whole fam, Grandma, Papa, Clara, mommy, Daddy and Melaina!</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjau2T9jdIN5astoIT3iz324stG1lDPkMfhdJXyQUV7KKkWafPbpg2EY_UNgx-OKlk1ABezNqjbLMnM6KrEW8Tz2VUA3um-Q4pj3g67Nv0EiJPxRjShEhCxyJTVB7NREJYfERe07wrYvz51/s400/IMG_0045.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672346783944653602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Clara meditating amidst the pumpkins at Sky Top Apple Orchard.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4PK854uQnDQy5N-L6wLRA1I5IwaDlZjCXp6oLZJROOm8GAVX1cgqSOy0MzG6Re7LcLunQEanjRjDRAzh-ZYTN09iTrhFz7bZytD2Jv-alr042liYEYZDmnnB_uZsOsL-Ma94pI6TcufF/s400/IMG_0069.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672346794036057410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Melaina dubiously admitting one photo of her and her pumpkin that she picked out. To be not-so-shy, the girl doesn't love having her photo taken...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJjAQzAGiPXJqZ-tVDPAX3zAD2CvkLTuG09rL8U9RxtA_fIvogonErOYM1MIyMyS-hrucV6ASTH231inp5BpH0BwCUhn60VRxIvRzFeCaO2DveMc_ARTzyzbdrVcrdmpAbxM2Zkzqp5KV/s400/IMG_0126.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672347322081199010" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">...except after helping Daddy carve the Jack-O-Lantern. (this goes out to my friend Ashley: What is that spherical object along the left side? Spooky)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0l4PSStT4Lfad106j3u2hhvC1QfIVKDF4uCUSCyxeeFTBj8DYiiI1J6DTfO4WxupKP0_KDDTeeMpqUsk-rx7crmsIaou9z6CddYdsYmKsCI65rqgD3LNZxdfNae-hosliUSLSlSlyULY/s400/IMG_0130.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672347330521379858" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLCsd3VB6XsqtJgK9f_sJ3X4PG2M8lqa2ap4-q6NJm76RFYGE21EOQ8fLCQNayVV5outfXDI0AUohhvoI7b5-NcwTO9kwzI4uzbKBileeu5Mx5dSd8wUCa493XkxZFroYBRXe-x3AjusC/s400/IMG_0132.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672347347552351410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;">HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL!!!!!</span></span></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-56626837470734649152011-11-07T11:14:00.000-08:002011-11-07T11:52:39.049-08:00Halloween Fun<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I wish Halloween came more than once a year. It is my all time favorite holiday. I have such great memories of Halloween as a child. The first Halloween I remember was when I was 5 or 6 I guess. I dressed up as Annie and went to my uncle Max's house. I guess he was having some kind of party or something since my mom got dressed up, too. I don't remember what she was supposed to be, just that she was super creepy in a teased out blond wig and scary makeup. Then for the next 5-6 years I was a witch. Not because I wanted to be a witch for Halloween, well maybe the first year, but because mom had bought a giant piece of black fabric to create this costume that would stand the test of time and Lord knows she had to get her money's worth. We were broke as a joke in those days so there was no use in protesting it. I would try to petition my case to be a fairy or a princess, but mom would just say in her most ghostly voice "Halloween is not for being pretty. It is meant to be a SCARY and SPOOKY night and what is more SCARY and SPOOKY than a witch?" Then I seem to remember a loud cackle. Humph. It was no use. <div><br /></div><div> So what else is being a parent for than to make up your own rules!!! So, no witches this year for my girls, but Super Girl and a Ladybug instead. I actually do agree with my mom about the scary and spooky part, but maybe when they're a bit older. Hey, wonder if she's still got that costume somewhere. Watch out Melaina and Clara!!!! (Cackle...)<div><br /></div><div>Enjoy some pics from our fun night trick or treating in the neighborhood. It all started with a visit to our friends' house, then a parade led by a fire truck, pizza at the club house, and then the trick or treating!!!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I love this costume so much. Tom picked it out for Melaina in San Francisco before she was even born and now my little Clara is sporting it.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvVM5Z_fb2MUd8L_pF4SxgssMF5TdbsWCmfMsLuW1sWz9Wo_kiAfoRFzfpMjHE8fcyTX-XBPHAASAtWjJlgMN26UfElcNcJfIr6adJyvYxLdS7yKfafXekyFi_LhZDoqSN7yr1aakQKUi/s400/IMG_0141.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672341986145304914" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">BFFs, Super Girl and Princess</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCi8-TK2WZbwsFGVHKKT2zmmLwZKf1eILQ7iJ1ayUOQFyzppqciGgtT2YvomK57DLRLuYi3i4paPgOukcjjt4_qm0eV33WuC7VHp9bgSWOFPI-JOFUznUlzrRUukWTv7x20Vzw3J1wevEL/s400/IMG_0143.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672341988846100354" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">"So, you got stuck whirring your sister's old costume, too?"</div><div style="text-align: center;">"Yeah, I wanted to be one of the Angry Birds, but I can't talk yet so here I am"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQP3buo9u_1G9acNqDxcQNuHR9ddHhGGPwAQaeCk2hFjwBuMgtzd-lPfrAPypiK18_x9vxM2NBnFx_6LtgjQ6glPbDP2QE_pQebmuXgJSGQ24nPlqZzLeJB1T7BhXTZIaV_a9rGE_9zE8/s400/IMG_0147.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672342450474333906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The neighborhood gang...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAFd2ydYvh-jsFh_PkTyFLybnEbT2fz7eryurdZbWrNn-tBj5bX5IqiGgXM-l4ap9Hr7pQfVkIlF27tzRyBCzSBIk9d95P0W_TbXvVXo8db-u2nIzBK4f7gryN5M99WgwS0RiRCBbLFIB/s400/IMG_0154.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672341995253414674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-42048932597662553542011-10-24T19:55:00.000-07:002011-10-24T20:40:21.451-07:00Holy Autumn, Batman!!!<div style="text-align: left;">Ok, so, for the three of you that read this blog, I apologize for the really long hiatus. I know everyone's life is extremely busy especially if you have kids, but let's face it, some handle it better than others. And I, well, I guess I am just not a very good juggler. I feel completely crazy all day pretty much every single day.</div><div><br /></div><div>Don't get me wrong, just because it's crazy doesn't mean it's not good. LIFE IS GOOD!!! I am loving teaching part time and I can't think of anything I would rather be doing while not at home with the girls. It is truly a blessing to have this opportunity, but I tell you for the first two months of classes, I mean first two solid months, I felt that completely out-of routine feeling you get when one of your cars, either yours or your spouse's is in the shop and you are trying to figure out who has the kids and who is dropping whom off at which place when and when will you get picked up or are you doing the picking up and so on and so on. Like I said, not a great juggler. But the juggling is so that I can do what I want to do and still have the girls at home. Although Melaina is at school until noon everyday which is a Godsend! And don't let me forget the wonderful lady who comes to watch the girls once a week during the day when I am at school for a solid day. As far as I'm concerned, she walks on water!</div><div><br /></div><div>So now, even though we are still juggling, I have adapted to the chaos somewhat. The girls are doing great and Melaina turned 4 yesterday!!! Photos...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Melaina and her bestest bestie, Brooke along with her partner in crime from school, Alex. I think we have a crush on our hands.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rAN5zoZS2r3q30UXrLEOXDDK5TyqUrGMjbVtJ-UsDfj63Jqt05e2X0sD0h3OUtQz6CjsLT3qx9FBrsYkDiULc9m7v1Efq18pdKcFPHAMgWl8EMXnHRUcDmIF0bAZ-Ngaj5IVqxaLIduX/s400/_DSC5315.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667260777632665458" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Shhh...don't disturb her. She is in cake land...</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJnAQKY6Umrat9lQKjEhxXINxC9r4dBuNTiU2T6SxIJpG8S4fAYjXLfUk5xdWlFq44pbjkN_9w3UH4VClk46oQyVZBj10UwIgMewp0zmkJ7aCBx7N-CH9moxY2PHe3NLhUmJe8Db6n6zgX/s400/_DSC5387.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667260780498342226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></span><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Tom and I have even had some </span>opportunities to sing<span class="Apple-style-span"> <b>together</b>, well one, but still, that never happens! Life is grand. Well, life is a grand old glorious mess and I'm trying to cope with it. So here are some photos that span the last several weeks since my last post. I promise to be a better blogger now that I've got a seemingly good grip on reality these days...Hahaha who am I kidding!</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A few Saturdays ago we had lunch at Williams Hardware in TR then walked a bit on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj233fLMk11AvqAbCWn3_LdeT6XxTfCDqFKLJikRh6eViTVtOaL56pbs2_q0y1dIukPQ5CDbR4EjzkPNwrBiEBnQjkZWEjjB5O8VZPFxJ9YHcTvBka2-foCQiaPS8ot1C3EyyMzpO3yWGhK/s400/IMG_0006.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667261814448868034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of Melaina's fun Birthday weekend activities was an impromptu carriage ride for the whole fam - Grandma and Papa, too. Here's our driver (coachman?) smiling for the camera. Oh, and that's new fangled scarf around my neck is Clara who was scared to death for the first 10 minutes or so.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9BGQd5mLKYO5vmwqM4PHDh97zk_Tsoi3KZCSBxG2NdZfLIeZjwVD69SUSteuqLEwaPzQgdegZWHsm1lsOgsavKeMy5ahawTFM_1Aah-C9_RJgTqVYCumzJNONDpN5uhWHOJJfHDuXZlI/s400/IMG_0060.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667261811571226978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Clara is too cool for school.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkygyVbzr4ALhaUc3FGrviyocsSOYLkkabrOQlkYMTsalQhqH_vsqO9KwYeUYbWJoxwkxv8JTPaL1egwBV8CGN5gIwNGPxcq75UgHd_iHBNH5XVEgZasM9Ob-7MtDeooAdL9170DbI5v_/s400/_DSC5245.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667261807241114786" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although usually up for adventure, Melaina didn't love picking apples while being on Daddy's shoulders while <b><i>he</i></b> was climbing a tree. Wonder why?</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYveIYzo0TIIRvL6z0Alv-K2XZmtWD539Rr7YqdWq-uDzcfh9ZwYbjl1khuV-_CWSd2yW0qXTL450nLlrftMWqzcLZlGUloEmHbBUGRFBOgfoVp1b5q30obVEpsg7FMgD77aURov2QXEn/s400/_DSC5274.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667262263819772178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Poor thing won't keep a dang bow in her hair to save her life, but she's sweet as can be so who cares. She's looking a little "children of the corn"-esque in this photo, but still more sweet than creepy.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6wsEwD6ick3b3zQf0qA1e5XxA_r8nGzcBkZdHzO6drPuEC6aNbUeaTw3m47JqglvVPEyn4A31ewuiYdWT1-p0ld1x4AqB7sRWO5tBSSH3RVeoO8mjqiqolEGs4mPrh47eON5emKW3Pkw/s400/_DSC5266.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667263346558052402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">In the mass of pumpkins, no bow, but with sippy cup. All is good.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJksXN_8GWVeD6p5qbfVqqT2pAcoU1OON-8k89FJ3adwDyXg8z_jOTqoHqwnLzHjGyxkp3rigyKnMcXNsxEO1qXWa7fvM8L061dPZ5fptwFkXxG2ufi47yogbxl6xVi88WPwSLhF2ljnCu/s400/_DSC5305.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667263336101662242" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">That girl is serious about her birthday cake gelato.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuVYFTPftOPrIF-m4EGhOGMZUko-jbEAevuSbAv3DUN4zalh641UgxQTrBnvHaA5vwC_1ud8qyRkgIyFniZ37U4PNorhcREpVV7Sbc7FiqKYGjPuwjPClZF80FavQ3p0dmWasxOFMXfQl/s400/IMG_0064.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667263331400534978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></span>My four adorable children from left to right: Clara, Gradley (Melaina's imaginary friend), Melaina, and Baby Kitty. See, Tom, we have plenty of children already!!!!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbTrhaIuBobG8-NTdcWXG5AFfuQQFyZ5GYQ3HguuV6w0RBMC4czTNQb3yHTj1ICt8yAWSVIgqsM4N4Jf2gw34VxAqGByet-miWO3Eyc3V64oXwqDYZBogZJ7m9493mt56eej_xb8_8QFM/s400/IMG_0022.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667263356204873234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-24564927284033646482011-08-12T06:50:00.000-07:002011-08-12T07:30:45.131-07:00How Many Women Are You?I don't know about you, but life with children sometimes brings out the best in me and then, sometimes the worst. I mean let's be honest. The monotony of staying at home can be overwhelming. I know that sounds crazy because sure, living a slam packed crazy busy life can be overwhelming, but a monotonous one? How can the seemingly meaningless albeit necessary tasks of home life be overwhelming? Well, I tell you (and it's my blog, so there) that they certainly can be.<div>
<br /></div><div>But the cool thing is I think I've found a pattern here. When I am at my most frazzled and bored yet overwhelmed state there is always a common denominator. It is when I am living my life as wife and mother ONLY that I feel like I'm going to lose it. Now I know what some people will say to this, that I should count myself fully blessed to be a wife and mother and that there is no greater call in this world. I'm not arguing that at all. It is incredible to be a wife and it is a great joy to be a mother to my two darling girls. But guess what???? There is more to me!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Ahh! Shock. Gasp. Guffaw if you will, but it's true. And it is when I have neglected the other parts of myself that I begin to feel like I'm drowning, barely keeping my head above water and gasping for air. It makes sense I guess, you can't starve people and expect them not to revolt even if these people are just other parts of yourself.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>So, just who are these other women you may ask?? Besides wife and mother, I am sister, friend, daughter, comedian, teacher, singer, poet, artist, healer, student, thinker, nudist (just kidding), chef, philosopher, speaker, bohemian, dancer (when no one's watching), and free wheeling' feminist. Ah, that felt good. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>There are so many facets to every woman and we just so often get jumbled up with daily life that we forget to give voice to those other ladies that are just as much a part of who we are. It is when I bury these others that I become cynical, critical, mean, ugly, indifferent and just plain depressed. So why is it so hard to let ourselves be all these things at the same time? There's a part of us that feels that we need to express ourselves in small bits so as to not rock the boat too much. That we need only to decide which one of us the other people in our lives need us to be the most and we let that one shine.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Now, I'm not saying that I have a choice today whether or not I'm going to be a mother or a dancer/speaker/etc, I dot. Once a mother, it isn't ever a role you can hang on the shelf, even for a moment. But I'm saying that maybe me and my selves can co-exist. I mean after all, isn't that what I want my daughters to see? Don't I want them to know all of me and see that they too can be many women and not just what the world says they need to be? We are not Kodak moments preserved in some photo album. We are not slivers of complete people, but are full round and whole.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Ok, so I'm rambling a bit. Got all up on my soap box. So what now? All I can do is to be aware that all of me is here for the being. All of me needs to be fed and to be expressed. All of me is pretty darn cool!</div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-61226485949213509352011-07-30T11:22:00.001-07:002011-07-30T11:37:46.462-07:00Life and Other Stuff...It's been while since I last posted and it seems like the entire month of July flew by! There's been some good things and some heartbreaking things that have occurred since I last posted. Everything that has happened, the good and the bad have really caused me to stop, count my blessings and put life in perspective. It sounds so darn cliche, but dang it, I'll say it anyway...every moment is a gift, my friends! <div><br /></div><div>So, lest I become too heavy, here's a video from Melaina's final performance after her week at dance camp. She was a hoot!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joQKs2_n0pg">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joQKs2_n0pg</a></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-3173985208914271852011-07-08T18:33:00.001-07:002011-07-08T19:02:01.293-07:00The Light at the End of the Tunnel!!So I wrote a few posts ago about this 21 day cleanse that my husband and I have had the gaul to embark upon. Let me just walk you through the last 18 days of crazy sexiness. <div><br /></div><div>First 5 days of cleanse = HELL. 'Nough said.</div><div><br /></div><div>Day six: Rounded a corner, feeling much better.</div><div><br /></div><div>Day seven: Even better</div><div><br /></div><div>Days eight through twelve: Coffee cravings gone! Sweet cravings, gone!! Enjoying green juice more and more and although this is tough, we are half way through. Woot Woot!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Days 13, 14: Dear God!!! What the hell was I thinking?!? Major speed bump on the road to being Crazy Sexy!! Sitting in floor with iPad reading the diet book trying to find one reason why I shouldn't give up and call it a day. I mean, what could 21 days do for me that 14 didn't?? Huh?? tell me, you stupid, stinking, self-righteaous, do-gooder, kill joy! (Keepin' it clean on the blog. Won't write what I really said) CLEANSE THIS!!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Deep breath. Namaste. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After having a real heart to heart with myself, on to day 15.</div><div><br /></div><div>Day 15: Hard, really freakin' hard.</div><div><br /></div><div>Day 16: Hard, but feeling strong willed and determined...</div><div><br /></div><div>Day 17: I'm gonna kick this cleanse's booty, but it's still hard.</div><div><br /></div><div>Day 18: Feeling pretty depleted physically, but my spirits are up, my weight is down and tomorrow is day 19.</div><div><br /></div><div>Will I ever do this again? Doubtful, but I do know this: I don't miss meat, I don't miss milk. I miss the heck out of some coffee and wine (I guess I love my mood altering beverages, my stimulants and depressants) and two salads a day gets kind of old after awhile.</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all I am calling it a success!!! Well, with three days to go, that is.</div><div><br /></div><div>The main thing I have learned about myself is that the growth happens, either physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc when you make it past the breaking point and reach really freakin' deep within yourself and find that all too quiet voice that says "girl, you can do this".</div><div><br /></div><div>Ok, now for a little melodramatic silliness. No I am not G I Jane, but I love this scene and this drill sergeant's voice is similar to the one in my head that was having a "come to Jesus" meeting with me on day 14... Enjoy.</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Bd5DhItKQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Bd5DhItKQ</a></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-51418873293532714662011-07-07T18:36:00.000-07:002011-07-07T19:10:35.255-07:00Clara turns 1!!!<div style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; ">On July 5th, Clara Faye Dickinson turned 1 year old!!! I really can't believe how quickly time has passed and I have to say that I am a little sad that those sweet tiny baby days are behind us. I used to think the same thing of the women who said they were sad that their child was turning 1 as I did those women who said they loved being pregnant. Something like, "Oh, please!!" But really, I have loved this past year with Clara so much. I remember with Melaina I was so excited to reach every milestone that 1 year old seemed much like a victory for the whole family, but it's different this time around. Maybe since I now know by having experienced it before, just how fast it all goes. So, enough with the ho-hum...on with the party!!</div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">We had Clara and Presley's party together on the 4th! Presley's birthday is on the 4th so Laura and I were in the hospital at the same time and I really cherish those memories. How cool is it to have your best friend having a baby around the same time as you much less the actual "same time" as you! Really, we ordered pizza and hung out in each other's rooms. It was just about as much fun as postpartum gets!!</div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">So the party was a blast! It was a pool party followed by pizza and cake. (Tom and I were drooling over the yummy food since we are still on the #$!@-ing cleanse.) The little ones had so much fun as did the older sisters and their buds.</div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Here are some pics of the par-tay!!</div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">Everyone having fun in the pool...</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3eTmKFco5Uq1KE-L2PcRj-emETxDVJJMu0vgZEpLqbO6oJCnDY9LL7t0BHVqwS32bdawzGA1ptzoo-MtG8LF-PV5vDzKX7gemQxEYhoPDB-Y2-FKVL54RnrqrroB5kDbwB3nmYAztGOh/s1600/_DSC5152.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik3eTmKFco5Uq1KE-L2PcRj-emETxDVJJMu0vgZEpLqbO6oJCnDY9LL7t0BHVqwS32bdawzGA1ptzoo-MtG8LF-PV5vDzKX7gemQxEYhoPDB-Y2-FKVL54RnrqrroB5kDbwB3nmYAztGOh/s400/_DSC5152.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3ssNnQNxTEWq272-zIw0GGoDJRC6yVwHiR2zCFNGVIEGLl9W526rAwXzZxxHr0j5CMezGWUol8HVjR2FDCvKNjf-vFIMvNubT930zC-kwb9uV2OxyWmF46uw6jD66eSRwhcZR3x1ggZK/s1600/_DSC5156.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3ssNnQNxTEWq272-zIw0GGoDJRC6yVwHiR2zCFNGVIEGLl9W526rAwXzZxxHr0j5CMezGWUol8HVjR2FDCvKNjf-vFIMvNubT930zC-kwb9uV2OxyWmF46uw6jD66eSRwhcZR3x1ggZK/s400/_DSC5156.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">Me and my Clara...</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnog0WCVZIvOC9Vj7qrKm_uphCJkXrK_WczNWg3fbcJeqs9T2MLJhUBKC3AH_yF9_NTIhd2lQcZnrRalIZJb4nZ_oeZusTUNXfaDtHv66M3hzn4aWQ7V8ZfuiZog0SWzqI1nccgTqYyd0/s1600/_DSC5154.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnog0WCVZIvOC9Vj7qrKm_uphCJkXrK_WczNWg3fbcJeqs9T2MLJhUBKC3AH_yF9_NTIhd2lQcZnrRalIZJb4nZ_oeZusTUNXfaDtHv66M3hzn4aWQ7V8ZfuiZog0SWzqI1nccgTqYyd0/s400/_DSC5154.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">Melaina and Brooke chowing down with their friend Luke... </div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-fGtoP-T43K_C9g8g4xY6hH0mKvLnBjexx40NKWiOaPdd6uZvOzgNe8xjE_Xp-807yNwWaf2NfHtc_U44IMxzVR42vOR4J2xudx3MXJLAWvTaOrtWhVyKiPyCxJKJTH8rkn3k_OqUYfU/s1600/_DSC5157.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-fGtoP-T43K_C9g8g4xY6hH0mKvLnBjexx40NKWiOaPdd6uZvOzgNe8xjE_Xp-807yNwWaf2NfHtc_U44IMxzVR42vOR4J2xudx3MXJLAWvTaOrtWhVyKiPyCxJKJTH8rkn3k_OqUYfU/s400/_DSC5157.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">Party pic...</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR8kMoMwwR4maOTwTeQ2mctNqdShKve2PrtSW4JYCiEfF7YTGaDed27JI2N8yowmUhaxaa-hCRcbAkMNqiCT3E1cI9VOlquCg2w7DyQF-0S6tVpVJyU-1IKjM5RNEHKyDtVnUP-U48yZg/s1600/_DSC5159.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrR8kMoMwwR4maOTwTeQ2mctNqdShKve2PrtSW4JYCiEfF7YTGaDed27JI2N8yowmUhaxaa-hCRcbAkMNqiCT3E1cI9VOlquCg2w7DyQF-0S6tVpVJyU-1IKjM5RNEHKyDtVnUP-U48yZg/s400/_DSC5159.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">There's my Miss America...</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-qUQZ1OKm93X8eCUgFUcQre40mO_WUt_sfhAYiuuFg8LKB1VwBIm69OYzIuzoPCMEynxsKH3RJOBstryPjl-NQRz-pl217isbmlqm208vNBpL-aP5G6H3q5CEDuZCFu5W8LNXvD9Lcfg/s1600/_DSC5160.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-qUQZ1OKm93X8eCUgFUcQre40mO_WUt_sfhAYiuuFg8LKB1VwBIm69OYzIuzoPCMEynxsKH3RJOBstryPjl-NQRz-pl217isbmlqm208vNBpL-aP5G6H3q5CEDuZCFu5W8LNXvD9Lcfg/s400/_DSC5160.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">These girls were in denial that the party wasn't for them!</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdaaF8zXT3nnN_HcZT-6F0jJDKPi17-NfIRCVOJ_LNU6R1uB12mT1_17Ht82sVtpHo9753kdwfProuZFQlmEGXSulqfAW0v_3_ZxXSga40sjYDhiDc5Brj2MLasoMUduXM3D5HVniinIM/s1600/_DSC5164.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtdaaF8zXT3nnN_HcZT-6F0jJDKPi17-NfIRCVOJ_LNU6R1uB12mT1_17Ht82sVtpHo9753kdwfProuZFQlmEGXSulqfAW0v_3_ZxXSga40sjYDhiDc5Brj2MLasoMUduXM3D5HVniinIM/s400/_DSC5164.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">The cake and cupcakes! Yum, I just drooled a little...</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfZDR881DRR_UGh9N1rQUvXBQx4EHrzrVfH6gGZ0vDaZ0l8zM0vnKOmhXwtOY0NI6qcsj2WVfaemYxDuOXHme49QwLEV86GwICLVBFuqMLhMRnGmdCe7pTqTb24y8fCHgoDQMwxeFMn83/s1600/_DSC5170.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfZDR881DRR_UGh9N1rQUvXBQx4EHrzrVfH6gGZ0vDaZ0l8zM0vnKOmhXwtOY0NI6qcsj2WVfaemYxDuOXHme49QwLEV86GwICLVBFuqMLhMRnGmdCe7pTqTb24y8fCHgoDQMwxeFMn83/s400/_DSC5170.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">Us mamas singing "Happy Birthday"...</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyT_utIq4GovqxFPJyVOisO-fXyoKD4G3FEMOs9rgiNiLrTlqkhyphenhyphenT6tUJqk3BeDnX2n0b5WSMS9tETtFGre5HZA-wOb2dF-le7ARsXKUkvZE1R0-bw1Px4duXzxKZ8A3BlpPCPmLmWLeo/s1600/_DSC5183.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyT_utIq4GovqxFPJyVOisO-fXyoKD4G3FEMOs9rgiNiLrTlqkhyphenhyphenT6tUJqk3BeDnX2n0b5WSMS9tETtFGre5HZA-wOb2dF-le7ARsXKUkvZE1R0-bw1Px4duXzxKZ8A3BlpPCPmLmWLeo/s400/_DSC5183.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">That cupcake didn't stand a chance...</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2R4l4j65q88gLYtZ9rjnZ71cPk3Na_fu4ICfrBEY-2PhNVb6zA9wPmdjGafSuyrfOk2ffasXb48h5ED5bSbT4ZKugjKLd5uk_OoXQ7mY2T8PDR9ZBICcNsLi60P6wJRAh4PM7t9B6T_mt/s1600/_DSC5210.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2R4l4j65q88gLYtZ9rjnZ71cPk3Na_fu4ICfrBEY-2PhNVb6zA9wPmdjGafSuyrfOk2ffasXb48h5ED5bSbT4ZKugjKLd5uk_OoXQ7mY2T8PDR9ZBICcNsLi60P6wJRAh4PM7t9B6T_mt/s400/_DSC5210.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">Presley made a very nice modern art painting with her icing!</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKomarVCOXexi9LJKBLReZFOEvgxsbtH5uKs1-LUXpONjUftt9lx4SYmL_CBDAzBiLgob9HNtCRps5pAU9srzX0jGWAm-z1fgrbed6YzOXnstlBSeVTfGz_Z4MfRy4icT3CEVM46pqWAc/s1600/_DSC5201.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtKomarVCOXexi9LJKBLReZFOEvgxsbtH5uKs1-LUXpONjUftt9lx4SYmL_CBDAzBiLgob9HNtCRps5pAU9srzX0jGWAm-z1fgrbed6YzOXnstlBSeVTfGz_Z4MfRy4icT3CEVM46pqWAc/s400/_DSC5201.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; ">This may be my very favorite picture. Sisters and sisters having fun together!!</div><div style="text-align: center;clear: both; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6J3mfXqDiqgqwZKBxPe0mu5_OHap5bLMud44T_Q0oWiMhnKO6wHCEBHmPIXcj6Q7bKJL0D9CqSy1i62Zte8lBDWOpC53Og9ONxpFKTeCw0P2WKA-QGdrE6a2pVpR7fneoLpMqClxrHrzy/s1600/_DSC5178.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6J3mfXqDiqgqwZKBxPe0mu5_OHap5bLMud44T_Q0oWiMhnKO6wHCEBHmPIXcj6Q7bKJL0D9CqSy1i62Zte8lBDWOpC53Og9ONxpFKTeCw0P2WKA-QGdrE6a2pVpR7fneoLpMqClxrHrzy/s400/_DSC5178.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-64914558412191205082011-06-28T18:01:00.000-07:002011-06-28T18:43:12.666-07:00Crazy Sexy or Grumpy Boring?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQV3hom6hdBk9Ojur9sbrvaqfjrot4ks7cu2JOuLL6Nyr5QPrje4MV3YqiEkvR9UPmCaBKYhlFmA5jLRWvMfVTXrqkdprW8QoPpUAwi4yRmaPLo220QDMRJfB8iUC5OLNlVfDZyibNQjm/s1600/images-1.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 199px; height: 253px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQV3hom6hdBk9Ojur9sbrvaqfjrot4ks7cu2JOuLL6Nyr5QPrje4MV3YqiEkvR9UPmCaBKYhlFmA5jLRWvMfVTXrqkdprW8QoPpUAwi4yRmaPLo220QDMRJfB8iUC5OLNlVfDZyibNQjm/s400/images-1.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623451294391826914" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxueh_6ng1QVfzUJlGjd6BoUvL4IvIbX3RwzcI212viSGPsExdl5mvlNtg4dW8TSYOIy7BIXC4NxDSCQ2VSH5uhngRvGSg7rLgIWZ2x5W_8CUjjc4uduQ_a-wt7iNBMKolHXAe9V_gEAv/s1600/images.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>So a couple of posts ago, I wrote about the "new leaf" that Tom and I have turned over in terms of our outlook on food and our health. Well, we decided to kick it up a notch and go on a 21 day adventure cleanse. That's right, adventure cleanse. Those two words really should not be in the same sentence should they? This cleanse come from the Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr. After day two, Tom decided that it needed a new name...Grumpy Boring Diet because that pretty much described the diet as well as us and our demeanor while beginning the diet.<div><br /></div><div>So why this cleanse? Well, the idea is that our normal diets are very high in acidity and to bring oneself to a more optimum health, ones diet needs to be much more on the alkaline side of things. Acidity increased inflammation. Inflammation is the root cause of many diseases, anxiety issues, mood swings, depression, and down right feeling crummy.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Well let me just tell you that the first 5 days were absolutely <b>hell on earth</b>. Even though we had been eating so much better and getting cozy with our new juicer, we still relied on our comforts that are near and dear to our hearts. These comforts are: coffee (every single morning and sometimes afternoon), wine (a glass, sometimes 2 at least 4 nights a week), the occasional ice cream, cheese (since I had the go ahead from the pediatrician to have dairy again, OMG how much do I love gruyere!!). I could go on, but I am salivating and getting off point.<div><br /></div><div>So here's the deal with the cleanse. No coffee. No alcohol. No meat, dairy, or eggs. No gluten. Pretty much no processed foods. No sugar, refined or pure. Dear God, help me.</div><div><br /></div><div>So what do we eat on this thing you might ask? Lots and lots of raw vegetables, plenty of cooked ones, some fruit, whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, beans, nuts and that's about it. If we feel absolutely crazy at the end of the day and nothing else will do, we can have two squares of 70% cacao dark chocolate. Sounds like a freakin' party right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, I have to say that we finally turned a corner on day 6 and, speaking for myself although I think my hubby feels the same, I feel pretty fantastic. Really! No kidding. And I have cooked some pretty tasty meals that I was kind of scared of cooking prior to this diet. We are at the end of day 8 and I actually have energy and feel good inside. I know this sounds crazy but I am really seeing that this is not just a cleanse of the body, but emotions, spirit, it's all tied in together.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now before you start to think that I'm some goody goody, let me just tell you that although I might remain a vegetarian (I just don't miss meat AT ALL), after the 21 days are over some things are coming back into the diet, though hopefully more sparingly than before. These things are COFFEE!!! I just love it, but will keep it to a cup a day. WINE, I mean, have you met me? Again, in moderation (nursing majorly helps keep that one in check. Hmm, maybe I should nurse until Clara goes to college). And maybe the occasional cheese but not often since we think Clara is still allergic to Cow's milk (that's another story entirely).</div><div><br /></div><div>So I'll keep all of you, all three that read this, updated as to how it's going. Just in case you fancy a look at what all this is about, check out the link to Kris Carr's website <a href="http://crazysexylife.com/">"Crazy Sexy Life"</a> She also has a website devoted to the <a href="http://crazysexydiet.com/">diet</a> and book itself. She has such an amazing story of how being diagnosed with cancer gave her the gumption to take her health and her life back into her own hands...Thank you Erin Paup for introducing me to this whole shebang. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-17402500836788409152011-06-25T17:19:00.000-07:002011-06-25T17:52:17.389-07:00Asheville Part 2<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT954iMa8rJvlCnUV1mImDxSNK4ZlgkQ6jr6jRMMxlVrqUtz7fKJsVz93JuR8oMPr5vnPwrHmhgvqYpHc4EV3YXcysgOAAjeTXJbH8vcMgbNKpwerC7ckr4ifb5yCOT_O4cTZpQ3GwfH2/s1600/_DSC4837.NEF" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Here are some more pics of our Asheville vacation...<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">William and Melaina reaching the summit of Mount Mitchell. They had absolutely no idea why they were asked to pose in front of the sign.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTT954iMa8rJvlCnUV1mImDxSNK4ZlgkQ6jr6jRMMxlVrqUtz7fKJsVz93JuR8oMPr5vnPwrHmhgvqYpHc4EV3YXcysgOAAjeTXJbH8vcMgbNKpwerC7ckr4ifb5yCOT_O4cTZpQ3GwfH2/s400/_DSC4837.NEF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622322184642003410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The Three Musketeers (Melaina, William, and Emeline) "fishing" in the front yard pond/waterfall.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaC4logEN4RLOcpUaA9pFntSIb2Axg3f1b5mUS9svSzCOT6XNVh2CatbwCc1xyeeZojgJ0_HDJ3xk0xEnCTse8vArRb94pArWZkRsjphEZrWrMbr3boc9gS-rihSILiWGnptdjGyKVKgM/s400/_DSC4881.NEF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622321234768061426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Everett and Clara in what Tom's uncle Tom named "Baby Gitmo"</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">(You may think, "Wow, two Toms?" Actually there were three. Tom's cousin is named Tom as well!)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrwLcWcg1jc9ZDXlvprjGywyRVwnvweQ1Zy0q5kqRyhZX5UEgE4hKnN5bhJEQD19-y76EGfqPz0L1puulys7Lyil38cUTI6TQnt2SuI_QgUHNqpS06hRIAnTM3MaTIQtbIknuePgBbhuU/s400/_DSC4892.NEF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622321532104998978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Clara finally free from the stroller at the Arboretum</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zsBPh5fm3lB4VVqXpro73R8osrRV44C6Ptr3tEYiCCpzI5agYD3XA7cyMmGinuLnRRmAfG9WqYGX0Dl9fHt8KiO7d0jCEQKcRnxhMq9Ojqv0TrV-axAC2lNPneen_bIvhvV_uVaG4W_V/s400/_DSC4928.NEF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622318186749595922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">There's always time for a little song and dance routine...</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-YTqXt8zourzj8DhBrWZEu6mVXVo-gpmVRKM6Mgao6_ZExeK0033zobXvHJUJX0DsltnwrEwVk6objMv3wqdc1MgoJYch7HLeXiHEL7Y6iY3NmHjwdgjT5nY6QdsGKESeNTmr-zMeF5C/s400/_DSC4929.NEF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622318481592968098" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Two Snow Whites and one Prince Charming!</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnOgS2WWS6IWEf7pgKSCsQQWvJI-eOOrpWoSdL2G1sgEyzaWbjg5rLIuxfA0Db6Jsmp6a5O29chv78tyn7EYC5B-CV0s-vf2WIzAn2-cN5a3D3i_z7upw2Z-CzbC2omGVP1uDJR4xeRSj/s400/_DSC4899.NEF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622317863265914274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-36840639601996507722011-06-22T09:09:00.001-07:002011-06-22T09:24:09.237-07:00Grandpa<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Whew!! Is life moving at warp speed these days, or is it just me??? It's been forever since I posted anything, so I will try to get caught up in the next few days if I can manage to slip away for a moment or two sans kiddos.<div><br /></div><div>Several weeks ago, Tom's dad came for a visit. We had a great time. Melaina love him to death and we have to reel her in so that she doesn't completely wear him out in one day. She just wants to play play play. It was also so great for Jonathan to see Clara. He hasn't seen her since she was born and she has changed so much.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are some photos of the visit...</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">An original by Melaina complete with the artist's signature written "all by herself"! We are so proud!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UojFA-bIiCkmqkZTl8jNn6FY4cUp83qc82aIixyQ7ME0uRWrpR4sE4AFlOa4Q4cBreHpgO8ZPMn4Yq6g97MxYyuf1Ssud7BPmhnxM-dZiXBmqUt_T3dPu23OaPHnzm7Zjkt2BZ-JOHSd/s320/_DSC4463.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621078833442730082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">A trip to Whole Foods in which Melaina begged to have a driving partner. It was too cute!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAscnLb2flIT7EtAG3iTukCN9jIjo_W7opdy2B0H_6Tz9av9kDPRvF0gyAQeLfTvMtFvnTXITZCsTT5hyphenhyphenEvWK1FyhvC50Vwx9MHnAGVrgyxU2ySIvUk5c1W4x3tRqTLiCrY-uWlikUVRML/s320/IMG_1059.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621079561834414434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The girls with Grandpa at the Runway Cafe.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6kLN9peIHmK9hI0ENUhBPlUNN5gCfj7KqPm0cYGe_96Y78ggiy_XiFOfuOABzSeD0D2cH2JhEG1x26kfJHps_lkyd2jkREIdON5W3mMLY9UnM21ArrNY7OJZgoB-iBRGo8n6JVbdLYkg/s320/_DSC4451.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621079565147311762" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">This is my favorite! Grandpa reading "The Ladybug Girl" to Melaina. She loves her new book, Grandpa!</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvElyy8OPgqtrffYM0w-weLHO58vNHVntR4WRVH0rZUgWm_QCmF1SamggJ3GuMIoro64ta-YRsb8AJdLhAHwDrigp2JZJvzE2ouhSsZtsfg1y_aqPP7pDYhe0jqCmBRHCfdkhNSacf91S/s320/_DSC4471.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621078839092072322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-79099831618937769392011-06-22T08:47:00.000-07:002011-06-23T17:24:05.461-07:00Asheville part 1<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We had a great vacation in Asheville a couple of weeks ago with Tom's family. His mom, step-dad, brother and sister-in-law and their two angels, Tom's cousin's Erica, her hubby and their little man, another cousin Tommy and his fabulous wife and Tom's uncle Tom and Aunt Barb. So, there were 17 in all in one house and it was tons and tons of fun.</div><div><br /></div><div>The best part was how much fun Melaina had bonding with her cousins. She was pretty much enamored with them instantly and misses them very much.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are some photos of the week in Asheville...</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Paup, Dickinson, West, Pilon Reunion</div><div style="text-align: center;">(otherwise known as PAUP-apalooza)</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3Ys_p0-QPQqlqY0yOvMxAWSaltjNmYTxBQnpbgccngxfwrNhOwLkkOjxfGlQSCVdVEimz5ERxOzRFn-nIdU9xSnvDq3Tc-H8O21iIg_5p8SFy58NmkqPB8y0cyOzjSrL0BeIVCmhbW4i/s320/_DSC5148.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621572759669213954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Grandma with all four grandkids! First time we've all been in the same place with all four.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhtFe4I09Y637uT3JG2zc2xcUfvEQ-1veU69Mg7h7muFRycqpS4EiVhGwOsWawgadpUHrtmqDlgSp5MLSTQj3mONRJETzMkDtnhSoJg2Z05tPGS0eCFJ0BsrajhGZxkrDjvR2YKNpi5dN/s320/_DSC5146.NEF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621572754322202514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The amazing view from the deck one morning.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7vb8kwa8xVMfJ5R_io920axJStuvutA70tReDIw3roS8OMDgEXKD_7bPA-ZwkodyB3VfUgvko3eTm9P9PLrrcRROM39Rylo66jB_Wc07CRbayr2bTn896l93CDUA0XgMkzsGMJ8a-Wxo/s320/_DSC5131.NEF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621572776690014818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">This is one of my favorite pictures of the trip. Melaina and her cousin William hiking along like they were born to blaze trails.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAkeMGfXTY6f6p6tnVixfi41ciYwIYGq6pWT_HwwzkPrkPx6VR2chiSp1TZEieu0uaJ2gO_Jyqkkj4JZ-RqqMway9_-DHozepmqvDe2lkqopRI2XoGr5T2EDj699lxFAXlJ6meVfVZJ1W/s320/_DSC5062.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621571889963482818" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">And last, but not least...the sign outside "12 Bones", an awesome BBQ joint in Asheville</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mLYyv9ss9W6rWnur3WCSH8W2rcpUykHF8k-_uqWvILfpPcWCGgairvPVlHkz346AygEdk2nOAKNEUxgrpQBoyCW6UUnNz8TmiqSoZN4nL-OobSUgDhQN75oZj_T3-IuHGpiRj6G-PV8r/s320/_DSC5032.NEF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621571894598634082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 120px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">More pics to come...</span></span></span></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-60167164833754280462011-05-23T07:17:00.000-07:002011-05-23T08:03:29.991-07:00A New Leaf<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyDlRPe7ZwDwVNJCbDFNbBSqC0RgL0qPKL6Ii6Usb738213xOFnvK2963h2LI-bXFZSxmTLObrwYUj3LZeI83kxpobao3y-Fc0S_yczZ4P6FSXg4_uRFuoxT0s9CP_re9-obfmX5r9dDF/s1600/IMG_0305.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>I began this blog to journal what's going on in my life. There's been some pretty big things that I have left out lately, though. I haven't written about the following subject because of many reasons. I wanted to make sure this wasn't just a new kick I was on that would come and go in a week. Also, I didn't want to sound preachy or self-righteous - I hate that. But, this has really become so much a part of my life, our lives in this family, that I just have to write about it now. <div><br /></div><div>To say that my husband and I have made a change in our eating habits over the last few months is an understatement. We went from thinking nothing of eating Zaxby's (even if it was a salad) to eating mostly organic (and local when possible) fruits and vegetables and much less processed food than before. We eat meat one, maybe two times a week rather than every day and that meat is of the free range variety. I can't tell you the difference it has made in how we feel. Now don't get me wrong, we are no saints and love to still have our wine and some occasional pizza or Chipotle! It's all about balance, people!<div><br /></div><div>I was a vegetarian for 11 plus years back in high school, college, and a couple years into marriage. I'd say the last 5 years has been a slow, but steep decline in my mindfulness about what goes into my body. That mindset has definately taken its toll in all sorts of ways, but one Saturday night back in February, completely exhausted from the day, I decided to lay in bed and watch a documentary called Food Inc. . It had a tremendous effect on me. It was a wake-up call.</div><div><br /></div><div>I asked my husband to watch it the next night. Ok, I actually said, "You <i>have</i> to watch this - it will <i>change</i> your life - we are watching this together tonight! No ifs, ands, or buts", but asking sounds nicer. We both knew we needed to make some pretty big changes and now we had the motivation to do it. Thus began this quest to find out anything and everything I could about eating whole foods. I immediately turned to Tom's cousin's wife, who is an incredible woman and such a helpful resource on healthy eating, cooking, gardening, you name it. She pointed me in the right direction and gave me some great go-to sources for further research. </div><div><br /></div><div>It has taken a lot of work, but it has been so rewarding. I still have a long way to go, but I finally feel as though I'm living and eating mindfully. It's amazing how changing your ideas about food can really transform so many areas in your life. Another post entirely.</div><div><br /></div><div>So to give you a little taste of the newest addition to our culinary adventure, I give you these pics. A juicer was my Mother's Day present and I LOVE it!!! This is the green juice I make just about every day. I know it looks disgusting, but it grows on you (ha ha) and it makes me feel great. Clara loves the stuff!! Ingredients: All organic kale, romaine, cucumber (if not organic, then peeled), celery and pear.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnP8ip6nPFrR7EE3urDSRrTx_DC104LwV_V_1eCqwlaG3CeHh7-9SII3ybcFgsEJUh4WdMANslFk6lMNPg0cGiJAY3SL3zXLJTNZCEhD5XXTtYWWqUg7r2i5gk17nR8JV_sMtAE8wbvetC/s320/IMG_0304.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609925940389052402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyDlRPe7ZwDwVNJCbDFNbBSqC0RgL0qPKL6Ii6Usb738213xOFnvK2963h2LI-bXFZSxmTLObrwYUj3LZeI83kxpobao3y-Fc0S_yczZ4P6FSXg4_uRFuoxT0s9CP_re9-obfmX5r9dDF/s320/IMG_0305.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5609925944081565186" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-59416473353615849702011-05-16T07:22:00.000-07:002011-05-16T07:52:01.481-07:00The Evolution of a Photo<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOXB_qHpqtZ-gpuqVvhrjAwFfBfy94WTAXp3NX9YxWRDTG4iJzAGJDQZ9LT_PIs54s4tNkhzcobUWJBzegBfqb8u_iOXI6R_UtAkWGayLMaD53bpKK3jXNcOpztLIVdvMJTOBRZrs1bBR/s1600/IMG_0294.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>Whoa! It has been forever since I posted anything and it feels really good to be back. It has been a whirlwind the last few weeks. Lots of end-of-the-school-year performances and rehearsals for Tom which means lots and lots of "girl time" for me, my girls, and often, my mother (Lord bless her!) If it weren't for my mom I don't know how I would ever manage. She keeps me grounded, sane and often says the funniest things that keep life in perspective through laughter and a light hearted approach to everything. The best mom-ism of late was on Mother's Day. I dressed Clara in the cutest little pink dress complete with bloomers that had her initials embroidered on the bottom (thanks LeAnne). Mom comes rushing up to me as I held Clara and says, "Look, aren't those the cutest mammogramed bloomers?!?" That's right, folks, not monogrammed, but rather mammogrammed! I thought I was going to drop to the floor with laughter and if it weren't for the fact that I was holding my Chicken (aka Clara - I call her "chicken") I would have. Ah, Mom!! Anyway, Mother's Day was so great and I will be adding a post about the greatest Mother's Day present later, but for now I thought I would post a few pics...<div><br /></div><div>I call this series of photographs "The Evolution of a Photo". All parents know what I mean when I say that it takes at least 5 tries before one picture actually makes it to the point where it is meant for public consumption. In this case I thought I would post all of the tries so you could see just how quickly things unravel while trying to get a single solitary image of the girls. I'll let you decide which one was the the "good" one. Good luck. Actually, I never got exactly what I had in mind and just gave up, but nonetheless I happen to love each photo!</div><div><br /></div><div>Disclaimer: I am NOT a photographer as you will soon see below. All pics that I take are with my iPhone and are very grainy. Sorry, but that's how I roll. Thank goodness my husband is very gifted with photography or our girls would need therapy later in life due to lack of adequate photo love.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHNSyjCLwVbtvHWlTPquctVgo81IRo91kzGo9n2RdVbyWdWLpgKB-SyAMQzV2J-KvMfR4j-wSALYi91qzCZeiWgw1MMsl2_QxjvjaO6sCzFw8doMfcObBwPhVpmu5oYauRnGb8s7cdtLH/s320/IMG_0287.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607323706875231778" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELtITCibV20o0sDnneu0MofF0oHN31nCkw4W0DenOUvf1OT8KkxTpCNVmRvT9v0zwu0_HQIoZ48B4p8ocOI8DD6iNGubiZmTzHXuKK_kP6F_45wmLXHq8RihqBQWJWifYTTWaMHCe0x0f/s320/IMG_0288.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607323710922725698" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7mPMGdvPJgQsQqM9V1a7oSNVNRvnksH_xwK7_i2g2OilHyhUQXjBO32hVz3pXmi0ExlNVfhLDsYNsc9-SM_b-m3h7YGnowyt9j_Jd-F6XTuivGCnP6mflYDENxpzyad8I03wDwlWMhiR/s320/IMG_0289.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607323712144922226" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmqDe5ckH0DWahaWBYJifqgXU-07I5QBCSxxwo7eDZj80SsCvWLJELorZtyFJlrrgJVO0bCIgSVypCldsyyHIAc_cw_PjhEo-pQ9nPBEwi5WQILeyAFyXS7EN_4mQBfVfPaGrQGiK5Q5Cp/s320/IMG_0290.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607324021721038354" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RvMuHngcz_wMbkXMFsZ92JPUxXvGDEMuFiGbq02NP9AcvkWgLOSCQOVOzHb5lvaERsgLBtwssh9ynl_w-mSA9OGbFVop59nS9cAcoqiYAvGo-UF2pZA7OSFgdkdQqDzPTdFocdW12aAj/s320/IMG_0291.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607324027188727810" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggem7ttrVHk1NqNVTHD7XsjDmD6zF6XlBtAmtiT8znmFIXbIhdDqPUAz5y705hOPciCcanQIVR21HyaWAyurRcMg_d2wgH-XUtsvRlx2YHKVjeZsvBUzIOgkWDqOGNYjRxXAkTT26KZViy/s320/IMG_0292.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607324032784428994" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxIVKvi6bjBfC1b1gHrR8Aonx_xWylYjyOKsZ1Eb2b-0KIMnpr45MTNqMj_o81ZbmCscau1fsE63HGCu7T-Lb4-Eo5lcjcxQsGsCdkccPIILLjx4jPHnvoYKxjLc5tqO8GBC-j9m-USEp/s320/IMG_0293.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607324287884799026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOXB_qHpqtZ-gpuqVvhrjAwFfBfy94WTAXp3NX9YxWRDTG4iJzAGJDQZ9LT_PIs54s4tNkhzcobUWJBzegBfqb8u_iOXI6R_UtAkWGayLMaD53bpKK3jXNcOpztLIVdvMJTOBRZrs1bBR/s320/IMG_0294.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607324294005108946" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-3057550732485232462011-04-29T06:57:00.000-07:002011-04-29T07:34:52.501-07:00Theology of a Broken SquirrelLast week me and my girls were on a walk when Melaina noticed a squirrel lying dead in the road. This squirrel had no doubt met it's bitter end while being at the wrong place at the wrong time in front of either a soccer mom racing to a PTA meeting (I can poke fun at suburban moms since I am one) or perhaps a text-crazed teenager blatantly disregarding the neighborhood speed limit-Darn Kids!! Wow, I'm getting old...<div><br /></div><div>Anyway, Melaina saw this sad little creature as we passed by and she asked, "Mommy what's that?"</div><div>"A squirrel", I said.</div><div>"What kind of squirrel", she asked</div><div>"A dead squirrel, sweetie", I answered. Smooth, mom. Real smooth.</div><div>"What happened to him" She asked with concern in her voice.</div><div>"A car ran him over, I suppose" again, let's not beat around the bush here.</div><div><br /></div><div>She was quiet for a minute and said her favorite question lately, "what?"</div><div>This is what she does if she has trouble processing information. She just keeps asking "What?", hoping I guess that an answer will come to her that makes sense, (my husband does the same exact thing) but she just couldn't quite understand what was wrong with that squirrel. Finally she decided. "He's broken?"</div><div>"Yes, sweetie, he's broken". There, done and done I thought.</div><div><br /></div><div>A couple of days went by and as we were all sitting at the kitchen table, M looks out the window and says, "look at that squirrel!"</div><div>I look out at the squirrel sitting on the rail of the deck and then Melaina says, "that squirrel is fixed."</div><div>I looked puzzled not sure that I had heard her correctly when my husband reminded me that the other squirrel aka the dead squirrel was broken and therefore, this one is fixed meaning, well, not dead.</div><div>"Oh, yes, he is fixed" and I thought that was the end of it, but then...</div><div>"Mommy, where is that other squirrel? A trash can?"</div><div>Now here is one of those defining moments in parenthood and no matter how well you thought you would handle that first conversation about death with honesty and PC vaugeness, you find words coming out of your mouth that just don't sound right. I remember when my first dog, Scruffy got ran over by a car and my father and my Granny and Poppy told me that they had taken him to a farm. That's right folks, that cliche "farm" that dogs go to where they can run around and be happy with other animals. All I kept thinking was, why in the world would they take him to a farm when he was just fine where he was (at my Granny's house because my mom cannot stand furry creatures, but that's another whole story in and unto itself). The truth is that if they had just told me he had died, I would have been sad, cried for a day or two and gotten over it. Beyond that, I would have begun to understand that there is a cycle to life and that neither animals nor people live forever. Now, these same people, mind you, had no trouble taking me to funerals of all sorts of family members, close or distantly related and walking me right up to the casket at the viewing as they touched the hand or face of the deceased - freaky. But Scruffy couldn't be mourned over and buried in the back yard, he had to go to a "farm". Again, more stories for a later time.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back to the conversation at hand between myself and my three year old. She asks about the squirrel being in the trashcan and I just can't bring myself to tell her that that is where life ends, in a trash can. I can't let her think that life and death are so brutal and that once you're dead you are discarded like trash, so I did what any rational person would do. I told her the squirrel was in heaven. Well, that opened up a whole can of worms let me tell you. I won't go into the entire conversation but basically here are a few questions that were asked only to be answered awkwardly and incompletely...</div><div>"where's heaven?"</div><div>"Other squirrels are there in heaven?"</div><div>"God got that squirrel?"</div><div><br /></div><div>Needless to say, Melaina is none the wiser about matters of life or death, but at least we got that first conversation over with and I'll be ready next time. Maybe that farm idea isn't so bad after all.</div><div><br /></div><div>PS. Now I have elton John's "Circle of Life" running through my head. Usually, I would post a link to a You Tube of the song for you all to enjoy, but I don't want you to blame me if it gets stuck in your head all day.</div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-84293994339568890592011-04-26T06:12:00.000-07:002011-04-26T06:58:31.138-07:00Finally Exhaling And Some Melaina Moments<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Whew, the last couple of weeks has seemed to fly by in a dizzying haze. Another cold virus came and went, my husband's Easter season singing commitments and my own are now over, as is his Easter break. It has been a good couple of weeks though with dying Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts, Easter dresses, baskets, visits from the Bunny himself and some unforgettable Melaina moments. <div>I could give a couple of examples of the hilarious dialogue between M and myself over the last couple of weeks, but I think they will lose a little something of their charm in translation. This moment however has been preserved forever thank to the modern convenience of the iPhone.</div><div>If you listen closely you can hear the music being played in the grocery store as well as Clara's hiccups...</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYoRJ9VOdZE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYoRJ9VOdZE</a></div><div>Melaina is a nut, plain and simple. And I love that nut more than words can express.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Here are a couple of shots of M dying Easter eggs. Her favorite part was wearing my red apron. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOCjz5dxbYzuR1qHcBcbdMVDvbBx-aszO736R0u_i7hjqEgHilvq0PMnBWTJQtFocHOFLbqTb1neylZrunBHzgpkSuOSvr1BD6KIH8FJcjJQERBhudSYnCSX3QhWdkNr1TgGRybFqptme/s320/IMG_0278.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599888002103463906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div>We are in that phase of being completely incapable of taking a "normal" smiling picture. Oh well, who wants normal?</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gVr7P3P0kfAi1NgVCxN1_VJ3IDN3zx6_ZiYQdz-yhXpc2NzPA_6WKh7R2NPwxLl9QS08eWFu8Z4BYe27QUYdCQRwKzDuxYYpLCFJSxbb8etKlsZW9gcXaB_LUuhzH2xnNarMbcec9_UI/s320/IMG_0276.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599887995438538034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span><div>I've got tons to write about but I will try to chop it up into digestible daily bits instead of one long mama-jama blog post. Here's one last pic from a flower fairy named Melaina. She seems a little peeved, at what I have no idea.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYK33wJz8RjJfOSc4XRJysreDvFTWG8nNd25Ipkccy3C3rSWSdGtfOY2b_NwV7DIeIKeqHLD9TxHYLbEM9eqgtIYaI_nZXvhltzsSuCI-2XFBEK1rAn01D2idPH8FLb4njsvaQ0bjMFSU/s320/IMG_0269.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599887993325577634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-43941242646296748702011-04-12T16:24:00.001-07:002011-04-12T17:23:45.277-07:00I'm good enough...I'm smart enough... and doggone it...<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLofggp0q1NRtZjMWoLipeJBvhFFlv7SZOTEeiizdQESjm8_9giXfp83udJpwSC7LZq31C_9oUlFuB1JUlXu8h3urCCa57rSEn35mYd-_NvrAgOAWPVswaHNEOsJ3GTAXXyF7hUVsi6tGd/s1600/images.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>It is true, in my opinion, that a large number of people in the classical singer world have sizable egos, larger than average opinions of themselves and are prone to neurotic and narcissistic personalities. I am not at all excluding myself from this lot. There are, of course, those who are more the level headed, down to earth type, but in my experience, these people are rare and since they are in the minority one doesn't immediately bring to mind these types when conjuring up images of opera/classical singers. Of course, if we are going to stereotype the image of an opera singer, we may as well go ahead and picture a soprano breaking a glass with her high notes, brass armor and cone shaped bras, diva moments and large bodies to go along with the egos. And no, that's not a picture of me.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLofggp0q1NRtZjMWoLipeJBvhFFlv7SZOTEeiizdQESjm8_9giXfp83udJpwSC7LZq31C_9oUlFuB1JUlXu8h3urCCa57rSEn35mYd-_NvrAgOAWPVswaHNEOsJ3GTAXXyF7hUVsi6tGd/s320/images.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594854405914569954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 285px; height: 177px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>And scene. </div><div><br /></div><div>Since my return to the civilian life almost 8 years ago, I have had plenty of time to reflect on that other life and the type of personality traits it requires and have thought of myself as somewhat separated from all of that drama and nonsense of ego and diva moments, although my husband would definitely disagree with that assessment. However, as I have entered into a new world entirely, that of a stay at home mom of two, I realize that I shouldn't let go of that person (as if I could) and that <b>ego</b> may be my best friend!</div><div><br /></div><div>After Tom and I were married, I moved within a variety of fulfilling jobs such as maintaing my own voice studio, and working at my alma mater recruiting music students. The thing I miss the most about working a full time job is not the daily conversation with adults, the dressing in nice clothes, the getting to go to the bathroom BY MYSELF (although that is highly underated), or even the pay. What I miss most is that daily affirmation that I took so completely for granted. After I finished an assignment or a student's recital, I would receive comment after comment of "Good job" or "Well done". Even complaints and criticism within the working world are handled while dishing out a mild dose of compliments such as, "I can see that you are working very hard, but this other item needs more of your attention".</div><div><br /></div><div>I just didn't know how to appreciate all that validation! Oh, how times have changed. Now, my conversations with adults during the hours of 9-5 that are outside the realm of this"stay at home mom" talking to other "stay at home moms" (and I would be sticking my head in an oven if it weren't for ALL of the moms that I call friends, let me tell you) happen only by happenstance at the supermarket, doctors office, or car pool lane at the preschool and those conversations total about 3 minutes a day if I've even had a chance to get out of the house which is certainly not a guarantee. </div><div><br /></div><div>My point, and I do have one, I promise, is that a good hearty ego is not a thing to be ashamed of. In fact it may be the very thing needed for survival after a day of being completely ignored by a three and a half year old when I tell her to come back to the table and finish dinner, or to pick up her toys before nap, or if I ask her what book her highness would like me to read. Or let's say I'm not even giving orders, but I have done all I can do to get through the smattering of necessary chores and making sure she has the lunch she wants and the show she wants and for goodness sake the blanket she wants and then after all that, she gives me a whiney "but I wanted apple juice not milk". What is it that picks my weary soul up of the floor? Energy? nope. A good attitude? nope. An awareness that I am an insanely lucky woman who gets to do this every single day? Sometimes, but getting to my point...nope. It's ego, people! Short and sweet. It's knowing that I will not be broken by this 3 foot cranky person who shouts directions at me like the most hateful of stage directors. I've taken orders from taller and crankier people and I've come through it unscathed. Insane, but unscathed.</div><div><br /></div><div>I know this was one of those ramblings that I sometimes warn about but the truth is that it's my blog and I'll ramble if I want to. There goes that ego again.</div><div><br /></div><div>PS - Please know that I say all of this in jest and it is only after a completely horrific day of being torn down and having my will utterly flattened that I write these silly things. I'm really not all <i>that</i> full of myself. I do in fact understand that humility wins over egotism, blah, blah, blah. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now for a little laughter and a daily affirmation... Eat your heart out, Stuart Smalley</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg&feature=related</a></div><div><br /></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1535415382311892424.post-64064524392948201282011-04-10T18:03:00.000-07:002011-04-10T18:35:01.911-07:00Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me......motivated! I know it's weird. My entire life, mondays have been about a beginning that I was not all too excited to embark upon. But lately, I love a Monday. Here's the deal. Weekends are great, don't get me wrong, but I tend to get absolutely nothing done on weekends in terms of housework. Part of it is my need for something different than the rest of the week, part of it is wanting to put family first and just enjoy my peeps, and part is downright denial that there is anything that needs to be done. All of these factors add up to the fact that by Sunday night, a whole lot of work is looming, but I've generally had enough of the denial that I am actually ready to face the tasks at hand.<div><br /></div><div>So what will it be tomorrow? Making much needed phone calls that I have been putting off such as dentist appointments, summer kids classes for Melaina, etc? Or maybe putting the Mr. Clean magic eraser to work on those scuffs on my walls and baseboards? Laundry? Dusting every piece of furniture? Changing out winter/summer clothes in the closet? Shredding old mail? Rearranging M's toys now that Clara can get to anything and everything? Who knows, the possibilities are endless. Maybe I'll do all of it and then some.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I could end this post here and let you think that I am such a productive woman who seizes the day and has endless energy. But you should know me better than that by now, so here's the other half of the truth. Yes, Monday I will certainly wake up with renewed vigor and tackle much needed chores, but that is the peak for the <b>entire</b> week. By Tuesday morning, I have a remarkably less motivated spirit and amount of "getterdoneness". The rest of the week will be a quickly declining arch of housekeeping that will culminate in another weekend of "this is my time" and then another injection of Monday adrenaline. That's not all, while doing these great projects, I will no doubtably belittle myself during any said chore as it is happening. </div><div><br /></div><div>Example: A couple of Mondays ago I got down on my hands and knees all Cinderella style and scrubbed the bejeezus out of my kitchen floor. At first I felt so proud of myself for finally tackling one of my least favorite things in the world, but that pride quickly gave way to absolute shame and guilt and downright emotional self abuse. The whole time I was scrubbing, all I could think about was, "How in the !@#$ did I let these floors get this bad", and "This is disgusting, I am the worst housekeeper ever", and last but not least, "Shame on me!"</div><div><br /></div><div>If you are thinking I need a shrink (and a housekeeper) you are correct, but I digress. I am still trying to focus on keeping the main thing the main thing and not let my many shortcomings get me down. Bottom line: life is good and when it is all said and done, I won't be wishing I had spent more time on my hands and knees cleaning. It's the hugs and kisses, memories and loving moments that a well spent life is made up of. For the heck of it though, I will let y'all know what tomorrow's renewed sense of Martha Stewart inspired chore tackling brings! Until then...</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F5qgEBHAVM&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F5qgEBHAVM&feature=related</a></div><div><br /></div>Candacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14168824745218387676noreply@blogger.com0