tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57731705372516100062024-03-13T07:23:27.547-05:00Joyfinders PathFinding our happily-ever-after in a little house on the prairie.Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-84635820928802759982013-10-30T07:03:00.000-05:002013-10-30T07:03:00.631-05:00My sister's baby-bump<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">One of my favorite parts of this last pregnancy was watching my little sister be pregnant too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I wasn't sure I would ever have siblings who were having babies at the same time as me. They just all seemed like they were either too young or on another path as I carried and birthed my first three kiddos. That is what happens when you get married young and start having babies right away. I have been thankful for cousins who were family-growers alongside me the last 9 years and for the lovely smackerel of nieces and nephews I have via my husband's family. So feeling like I was much closer to moms older than me, reveling that some of my peers from my youth are now starting families, and contenting myself with the idea that my kids would be great older-cousins to my eventual nieces and nephews I was pretty satisfied with my little plot of baby-raising earth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I didn't know what I was missing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then *woosh* came the news Heidi was expecting and *<em>wheeeeeee*</em> my heart rose like a "welcome baby" balloon released at a raucious baby shower. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We were going to have babies together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Due only a month apart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This baby was a sweet surprise wrapped snugly in the pretty package that is my little sister.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I saw her with new eyes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Suddenly we were closer than we had been for a long time. Late night phone calls talking birth and breastfeeding. Parenting questions and motherhood worries bounced across emails and texts. We were on the same plane again. Headed to the same destination. Destination: Motherhood, capital of crazy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It was reminiscent of the days when we were in the same stages of imaginative play as little girls, or as teens when we enjoyed the same creative pastimes and fashions. We are only three years apart but life has taken us through many eras of tightly-meshed sisterhood bonding and a few times we felt light-years apart. We have gotten along pretty well, for the most part. Both passionate and emotional which has lead to an argument or two - but family loyalty and sister-love runs deep and I've always known she was only a phone call away when I needed her. I always knew there are things that only she can truly understand. And as grown-ups, it didn't matter how long between sightings, it was a good time when we were together. We come from the same stuff. That means a lot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And now we were back in the same ballgame.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Those months were a beautiful thing to watch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At the culmination of this baby-growing thing she asked to take her pregnancy pictures and attend her birth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I said yes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">No way I would say no to that glow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Positively radient.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Love you, Sis!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Congratulations to you both.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Love, Raimie Lu</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">xoxox</span></div>
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Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-80399692387983665742013-10-29T07:03:00.000-05:002013-10-29T08:29:13.963-05:00I'm not pregnant anymore (and my maternity photo shoot)<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Too long since I've been here. A misbehaving computer will very quickly steal the joy of this blogging thing, let me tell ya! Oh well, gotta push through barriers and jump hurdles. Warrior-on and all that jazz. Writing will never happen if I don't DO IT.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So here goes again...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I gave birth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Almost 11 weeks ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">(really need to change my blog profile pic)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Baby Beckett is currently blessing me with smiles and coos, almost full nights of sleep (not holding my breath that will last), and good eating habits that have equalled nice growth patterns.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But sometimes I still need to remind myself I'm not pregnant anymore.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Like tonight, I was making supper as part of our hectic evening. I start serving seasoned ground beef over fresh spinach and topped with salsa. I hand the first plate to a kid. He promptly begins to make a fuss about how I put his meat ON his spinach. So I trade that plate for an unfilled one and give the offending plate to another child. This time I separate the meat and spinach and put the salsa on the meat. <em>Oops!</em> I am in trouble again. He wants the salsa ON the spinach but NOT the meat. Another trade. Gonna get it right, hopefully before we run out of plates. One juggling motion too many and a plate hit the floor face-down. There is salsa, spinach, and hamburger splattered all over and a broken plate. And in comes my daughter to complain HER food wasn't arranged properly either. It was like my life had hit the floor with that plate. I am steaming at this point. </span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Just eat your food the way I serve it for once. If you would have made your way to the table with your plate when I first served it this would not have happened! This is a lot of food to be wasted! Now go eat, please!"</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Clean. Clean. Clean</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fume. Fume. Fume.</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">[baby cry]</span></em><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"What!? How many times do I have to tell you not to take your brother out of his swing without asking?! I don't care if you think he has been sleeping long enough or if you saw him wiggle so he must want held! Now he is woke up and all upset so I can't even eat before we leave for the PTO meeting! I am sick and tired of you not listening to me! How am I supposed to manage everything when your daddy is gone this week if no one listens to me?! It is like I am talking to the wind around here! All I do is clean up messes and no one is even thankful. We are not doing this anymore! There are orphans in Africa who would love their meat on their salad and would always clean up after themselves for the privilege to live in a nice house like this!"</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My son's face is blank. He has no idea how we got from a spilled plate and a crying baby to orphans in Africa. I'm not sure either. I guess it was probably underlying stress about getting out the door to PTO, Mr. Loggerhead being away, and a messy house that was clean only a day ago. The dropped plate and the bothered baby just turned up the heat under a boiling pot and over the edge we went. A few cool-down minutes later, as I sat nursing the baby and scarfing down my supper at the same time, I recall my son's expression of sheer confusion mixed with panic. I have seen it before. It has been worn by my dear husband a time or two. During pregnancy I have sometimes gone from clothes left on the floor to World Peace in about 3.0 seconds. It's a hormone thing, OK? Hello, Pregzilla!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But I'm not pregnant anymore.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have no such excuse, right?</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">No hormone roller-coaster to blame this kind of thing on.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">No cravings to which to attribute crazy eating habits.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">No growing unborn-baby to reason away the belly bulge.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">No energy-drain to name suspect for wanting more sleep.</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So what is a girl to do?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Apologize. Hug.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">That's a good start.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then introduce the fresh line-up of culprits to your confused family:</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Postpartum hormones</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Breastfeeding cravings</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Leftover baby-fat</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Night-time feedings ('cause I'm sure they will be back)</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">From when I was still pregnant:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Pictures of my parents as children in the corner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Like a time warp.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Prayers for the unborn child</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This man puts up with a lot, when I am pregnant or not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And these children are watching and listening all the time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">***</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tonight, long after the mess was cleaned up, the baby soothed, the meeting attended, the husband talked to, and the children of Africa prayed for, I was contemplating my explosion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The final line of my son's recent book report on <em>Where The Wild Things Are</em> came to mind.</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"I learned that we should try to say what we really mean and always use kind words."</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So next time, <em>"I am really worried we aren't going to get out the door to an important meeting, can you please help me? I miss daddy and I bet you do too. It stresses me out a lot when things aren't organized and cleaned up, what can we do to fix that?"</em> might be a better choice for the occasion and we can save the children of Africa speech for a more appropriate time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Like next time I'm pregnant.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TiOKvhHO3zQ/Um9PEEh-gnI/AAAAAAAAIE8/IgcINW0rDUM/s1600/from-a-child.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TiOKvhHO3zQ/Um9PEEh-gnI/AAAAAAAAIE8/IgcINW0rDUM/s1600/from-a-child.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Happy Tuesday, y'all!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Raimie Lu</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">P.S. Maternity photo credits go to my little sister Katie. She is only a sophomore but her photography knocks my socks off. <em>Thank you, Katie!</em></span>Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-78643503145483350912013-06-13T19:56:00.000-05:002013-06-13T19:56:32.586-05:00Robot day and the 4 real reasons I do crafts with my kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dear Friends, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Looking at my instagram feed and this blog you will see a lot of pretty pictures, sweet moments, and a creative thing or two. This is true of a lot of mom-togs and mommy-bloggers. The part I don't like is that sometimes this puts people on a pedestal of having "perfect lives" and it makes moms who don't do things the same feel bad about themselves and their own parenting style.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If we dig a little deeper I think we all know that nobody is perfect and that nobody has it all together all the time. But there is still a sense of disquieting reactions to these types of posts in the mom-media realm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hate the idea of anything I share about my life being even the slightest bit hurtful, guilt-causing, or the stem for discontent to another mom. Our loads are heavy enough without adding burdens to eachother.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This post is hard to write because it's baring a raw part of my momma-heart. So hang tight. It might get bumpy. But it's all true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to share why I do creative and crafty things for and with my children. How, as pretty as it looks in pictures, it is for much messier reasons. How it is a matter of survival for me in this time of my life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't do crafts and fun activities with my kids because I am a <i>good mom</i>. I do them because I am NOT naturally good at this role and crafting helps me get better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let me explain - not the hundred or so even more complex reasons why creativity is important for humanity, for mothers, or for me as a person or a mom - but specifically in regards to doing crafty things <i>with</i> my kids.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. A planned, intentional activity (like a craft, game, art project) feels like an apology or a bandaid for the times I was not focused where I should have been. In my mind it says, <i>"I love you. I'm sorry I was impatient and didn't take the time/thought to do umpteen things properly today. But look, I am slowing down now. I am looking at you. Let's do something special."</i> I hope they get that message.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. I do not have "everything together" a lot of the time. Planning and organizing a project makes me feel put-together. Even when the whole thing rarely goes as planned - the kids get distracted, bored, don't finish, or don't cooperate. It doesn't matter because, even if they run off to play elsewhere or I have to pop in a DVD to buy a few minutes to finish the craft myself, it makes me feel like we added something nice to our day just by planning and semi pulling-it off. It feels like we accomplished something meaningful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Crafting is controlled. There are countless things about life I can't change - the weather, work schedules, cost of living, health concerns, other people, world issues. But we CAN craft and make our own brand of sunshine. I find joy in practicing that privilege.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Group-art is about both self-awareness and selflessness. When we craft together we are each putting a part of ourself into our work; it is personal and expressive. I like seeing my kids' characters in what they make and how they do things. But also, since we are sharing the project, we work together and blend our labors. We are pouring out a portion of who we are, exchanging it with one-another, and taking in the gift of knowing eachother better and learning from eachother. I think that is important as a family and I love watching it as a mom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So if you see cute-crafts we did together on this blog or in pictures on Instagram you will know the truth:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's not because I naturally exude cutesy glitter, ruffles, and craft-stick creations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's because my human-nature spills much nastier things and crafting with my children helps me clean up the toxic spills - both mentally and relationship-wise. It works like a temporary magic eraser for my anxious, self-doubting, guilty, bored, lack-lustre, uptight issues connected with being an imperfect soul. These times are therapy sessions, cleansing floods, life lessons, quiet love-notes, wordless explanations. They are a blessing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't want to be a<i> better mom</i> than somebody or <i>as good of a mom</i> as someone else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to be a better mom than I am and as good of a mom as I can be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Crafting helps me do that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think we could all use a few such powerful tools in our mothering tool-belt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What are your "mama-magic" tools? What do you do when all crazy breaks loose and you just need a little something to feel like it's all tied back together for a while?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Raimie Lu</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>P.s. These were shots from Robot Day.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>It was crafty-happy-making at it's best.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Noisy, chaotic, normal, wonderful.</i></span><br />
<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just what we needed. </i><br />
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<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When all else fails, break out your robotic-mom voice.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Pure magic.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Have a beautiful tomorrow, wherever you are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">xoxox</span>Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-85387794319617937632013-06-06T07:00:00.000-05:002013-06-13T18:09:05.503-05:00Out with the boys<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nothing prepares you for being a mom to a little boy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That intensity - both in sweetness and activity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The noise. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The dirt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The hugs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had a girl first so I already knew what it means to love your own child, what it is like to be a little girl's mama, and I <i>thought</i> I sorta knew my role as a mother at that point. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Before child number two. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Before <i>him.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sons are game-changers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They love you like you have never been loved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Your love for them is new too... not <i>more</i> than for a daughter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just different.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I even had three little brothers and I still didn't get-it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The way they play.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The way they drive you to the brink of insanity and reel you back in with those long-lashes and wiley grins.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Actually, just the way they drive. period.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They slip their hands into yours and it's ok that there is dirt in all the pudgy cracks of their boyish fingers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They hold your heart in the pocket of those favorite shorts - the ones they refuse to admit are too small because they like them and you let it go because you hate to think about how big they are getting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They tie you up in knots and fly you like a kite on days when your patience is thin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They teach you to look at things in new ways - "gross" things especially.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They can be quick to instigate arguments with a sibling but even quicker to protect them from someone else.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They are loud and shake the whole house in a storm of galloping feet, tumbling bodies, and limbs akimbo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They are experimenters, frog-catchers, stray-dog lovers, army guy sketchers, zombie-tag players, sister-thwarters, daddy-helpers, Lego engineers, finger-painters, early risers, storytellers, silly singers, mommy's quick crafters, puddle-jumpers, sword swingers, and cape wearers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They take on a plethora of personas and create countless characters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You can't keep up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You are thankful this is all "normal".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You love them the way they are.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You just wish they would be quiet for a minute.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And then they surprise you with their quiet attentiveness to something that piques their interest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You are thankful for those moments immeasurably and they give you the insight you need to last through the crazier times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is the blessing of boys.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are <i>my</i> boys.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A peek into a couple special days I spent with my boys and their classes. It was sweet to focus on them separately and watch them interact with teachers, friends, and peers; like learning other angles of their personalities not always visible at home and as a family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Plus, I am soaking up the days that moms are "cool" and coveted accessories on field-trips.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1Q-Y-QtXXk/Ua9UlqmjbuI/AAAAAAAAHwA/Nrb3QG_vAHQ/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1Q-Y-QtXXk/Ua9UlqmjbuI/AAAAAAAAHwA/Nrb3QG_vAHQ/s1600/05.jpg" /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">My older boy.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MXoYHjVHtUw/Ua9UpX-PtwI/AAAAAAAAHww/HDk-H_CMDUM/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MXoYHjVHtUw/Ua9UpX-PtwI/AAAAAAAAHww/HDk-H_CMDUM/s1600/01.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iyvRPmzeic0/Ua9UpOIlsdI/AAAAAAAAHws/GRzdk2DDFjY/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iyvRPmzeic0/Ua9UpOIlsdI/AAAAAAAAHws/GRzdk2DDFjY/s1600/03.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2sIgiLJnpmg/Ua9UpRnbD5I/AAAAAAAAHw0/FCrPNV6vykE/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PQiUtgwumto/Ua9UrBiUNuI/AAAAAAAAHxU/W-xq3JrAiII/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PQiUtgwumto/Ua9UrBiUNuI/AAAAAAAAHxU/W-xq3JrAiII/s1600/07.jpg" /></a><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2sIgiLJnpmg/Ua9UpRnbD5I/AAAAAAAAHw0/FCrPNV6vykE/s1600/02.jpg" /><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My littler boy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And it strikes me often that this bump <i>could</i> be boy #3.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6O2AJsGuqOw/Ua9UqPIIp5I/AAAAAAAAHxQ/c8w_MsAPBDY/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6O2AJsGuqOw/Ua9UqPIIp5I/AAAAAAAAHxQ/c8w_MsAPBDY/s1600/05.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-02i2dBAHLiY/Ua9UqAWzU2I/AAAAAAAAHxI/kgXOKAEl02M/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-02i2dBAHLiY/Ua9UqAWzU2I/AAAAAAAAHxI/kgXOKAEl02M/s1600/06.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My daughter would call me crazy, but I would be alright with that.</span><br />
<br />Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-1169499488835815612013-05-26T07:00:00.000-05:002013-05-27T00:23:55.800-05:00diy {Monogram Paper Bag Album}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Was mid-April through most of May cray-cray-crazy at your house?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Like time-hungry schedules got notice that the school-year smorgasbord was about to be put away and had to cram in as many more bites into its mouth as possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hardly time to savor. Hardy time to chew.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But now we are settling in with a big plate of summer relaxation in front of us and I hope you are too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Amidst the scramble of recent weeks arose the sudden need for several gifts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Graduations. Mother's Day. Teacher thank-yous.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These paper bag albums were my <i>go-to</i> this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They are fun, simple, and easy to personalize.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JDdRYdZu9fk/UaAxPJzm7ZI/AAAAAAAAHt4/7fAE1g5gLBE/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JDdRYdZu9fk/UaAxPJzm7ZI/AAAAAAAAHt4/7fAE1g5gLBE/s1600/03.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Supplies and tools:</i></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Brown paper bags (I used the lunch variety you can buy in packs of 100 for a buck something at Walmart and such places) - the number needed depends on how many pages you want in your album. These were made with 8 bags.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Double sided 12X12 scrapbook paper (mine was Beach House by Colorbok)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Children's handwriting paper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">White cardstock</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ribbon or lace</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Adhesive </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Scissors </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Papercutter </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Large scalloped circle punch</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hole punch (mine is the Crop-A-Dile Big Bite - I adore that thing)</span></li>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WjAYtQ3sDQk/UaAxQY6yJxI/AAAAAAAAHuo/h7cVpIQT6vc/s1600/09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WjAYtQ3sDQk/UaAxQY6yJxI/AAAAAAAAHuo/h7cVpIQT6vc/s1600/09.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fold over the top of each bag about an inch. No exact measuring needed. Eyeball it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stack the bags all facing the same direction like pages of a book with the folded over ends as the binding.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P4jsHDZho1Q/UaAxQJ8sTYI/AAAAAAAAHuc/zTfcH08RJPI/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P4jsHDZho1Q/UaAxQJ8sTYI/AAAAAAAAHuc/zTfcH08RJPI/s1600/08.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Punch two holes through the whole stack at either end of the folded over 'binding'.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LiSpFtJk8JE/UaAxQBbmdoI/AAAAAAAAHuY/wxaFOnZjDvE/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LiSpFtJk8JE/UaAxQBbmdoI/AAAAAAAAHuY/wxaFOnZjDvE/s1600/07.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tie lace or ribbon through the holes.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TqWewo7CItM/UaAxP_wnYdI/AAAAAAAAHuU/yl9CFj5eDJ4/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TqWewo7CItM/UaAxP_wnYdI/AAAAAAAAHuU/yl9CFj5eDJ4/s1600/06.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cut patterned paper to 12" X 4 3/4" pieces. One piece for both sides of each bag except the back one - it only needs one piece since the back side doesn't have paper added to it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fold a 4" flap over on each piece showcasing the flip side of the paper design. Adhere the flaps down.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rPcNLFGgKsA/UaAxPH0Qe-I/AAAAAAAAHt8/8lXGTUg1LEk/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rPcNLFGgKsA/UaAxPH0Qe-I/AAAAAAAAHt8/8lXGTUg1LEk/s1600/04.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Adhere paper to pages and cover.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zCb3qcL8lkY/UaAxQuexE6I/AAAAAAAAHu0/SYbxBXmgjPk/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zCb3qcL8lkY/UaAxQuexE6I/AAAAAAAAHu0/SYbxBXmgjPk/s1600/11.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cut circles from handwriting paper.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uSoJsF2ZZPM/UaAxOFK1jtI/AAAAAAAAHts/tSaiZZO1puA/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uSoJsF2ZZPM/UaAxOFK1jtI/AAAAAAAAHts/tSaiZZO1puA/s1600/02.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Adhere a handwriting circle to each page and to the cover.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OyzSpVnq2XA/UaAxPcJ1KBI/AAAAAAAAHuM/S7b8p-r7pJw/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OyzSpVnq2XA/UaAxPcJ1KBI/AAAAAAAAHuM/S7b8p-r7pJw/s1600/05.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Cut large letters from patterned paper. I made these by drawing each letter in reverse on the backside of the paper and then cutting it out - a stencil could be used instead if free-hand isn't your style.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JDdRYdZu9fk/UaAxPJzm7ZI/AAAAAAAAHt4/7fAE1g5gLBE/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JDdRYdZu9fk/UaAxPJzm7ZI/AAAAAAAAHt4/7fAE1g5gLBE/s1600/03.jpg" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Adhere a letter to the circle on the cover to create a monogram effect. Graduate's first name initial, teacher's last name initial, "M" for mom. Take it and run where you wanna go.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reK9UerpfUI/UaAxQgNG3sI/AAAAAAAAHuw/iZ4dzLSV2FA/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-reK9UerpfUI/UaAxQgNG3sI/AAAAAAAAHuw/iZ4dzLSV2FA/s1600/10.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Cut white cardstock into mats for 4x6 photos. 4 1/2" by 4 1/2" gives a quarter inch border around pictures. I wasn't adding pictures to these but leaving them blank for the recipient to add their own photos so I added labels to mats to indicate their purpose. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For a very special gift you could add photos... sky is the limit on ideas there.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-etsCOzSRXPQ/UaGZQe__W_I/AAAAAAAAHvM/59rr04yxOWQ/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-etsCOzSRXPQ/UaGZQe__W_I/AAAAAAAAHvM/59rr04yxOWQ/s1600/12.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Adhere mats to pages.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Pg06XR3QKY/UaGZ5vp9g0I/AAAAAAAAHvU/6OmrNYTswig/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Pg06XR3QKY/UaGZ5vp9g0I/AAAAAAAAHvU/6OmrNYTswig/s1600/01.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All done!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy little handmade gifts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My favorite.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy summer Sunday to you!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Raimie</span>Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-86335302643508155362013-04-23T22:58:00.000-05:002013-04-23T22:58:15.974-05:00Earth Day Party <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What do you think about on Earth Day?</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Save the trees?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Endangered species?</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I like to think about The One who created it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wonder at the majesty of His design, the intricacies of each minuscule detail, the thought and love that went into making it as a place for us to live.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think about taking care of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not because that is what popular media says I should do but because if you are given a precious gift then it speaks to the way you care for the giver in the way that you take care and treasure what they gave you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to care for this ole' earth like a traveler... Be happy while I'm here. Marvel at what I see. Think about how to spend each day wisely. Take advantage of the time. Take only pictures, leave only footprints. Leave it nice for the next folks traveling through. Remember we have somewhere to go to when the trip is over.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am thankful for what He created.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am thankful for all that I have been given.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JSNtmfhmg_8/UXb-mES-kBI/AAAAAAAAHpQ/JnUBxT53D1E/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JSNtmfhmg_8/UXb-mES-kBI/AAAAAAAAHpQ/JnUBxT53D1E/s1600/05.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">{You Are My World Greeting Cards} - Globe crayons attached to the card-fronts were made by melting blue and green crayon pieces in an egg poacher and letting them set up before popping them out.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Earth Day!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Head-gear for "Recycled Hat Day" at school</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cEZv12GdD0Q/UXcK1CYjpsI/AAAAAAAAHqg/-BM-8HiHXrA/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cEZv12GdD0Q/UXcK1CYjpsI/AAAAAAAAHqg/-BM-8HiHXrA/s1600/15.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We had a little Earth Day party at my mom's house, just us, when the kids got home from school. Jeffrey and Prosper are still gone. I am missing my little boy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Black and white construction paper triangles and basic globe print-outs became a fancy streamer for the occasion.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-td3XsUBGbjw/UXb-l5zKH_I/AAAAAAAAHqE/HblN_UTObaU/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-td3XsUBGbjw/UXb-l5zKH_I/AAAAAAAAHqE/HblN_UTObaU/s1600/04.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Old canning jar lids, more print-outs, and some fabric salvage strips became place-tags.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I kinda <i>do</i> thrive on the reuse-recycle thing, I guess!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The table was set with dishes and treasures I scavenged from all over in my mom's bungalow. I love her style. Any time we have a party or dinner there it is like browsing a great antique/thrift store for goodies to go with the theme.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TgcRvnBD0q4/UXb-mQKk8TI/AAAAAAAAHpY/HhPNq0yXOyw/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TgcRvnBD0q4/UXb-mQKk8TI/AAAAAAAAHpY/HhPNq0yXOyw/s1600/07.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An after-school snack that looked <i>vaguely</i> like the world with a heart around it. I was just satisfied it was obvious enough that the 1st grader got it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Four stations to keep the kids busy while supper was cooking.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Snack</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Newspaper flowers (pictured in the centerpieces)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Animal coloring sheets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You Are My World greeting cards (shown above)</span></li>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f8EFBgjVaW8/UXcK0y6l_oI/AAAAAAAAHqc/Ok1zT97o7sY/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f8EFBgjVaW8/UXcK0y6l_oI/AAAAAAAAHqc/Ok1zT97o7sY/s1600/14.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They all loved it. Well, let's be real, the boys loved it for a while and then went to play with Legos. The girls loved it all the way through to the last drop of wax. That is close enough to perfect for me.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-enQdsgsVJo0/UXb-ozVMJBI/AAAAAAAAHp4/ZoeF7CKtAqE/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-enQdsgsVJo0/UXb-ozVMJBI/AAAAAAAAHp4/ZoeF7CKtAqE/s1600/13.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We ate a chunk of the world for Supper:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">New York strip, Idaho potatoes, Brussels sprouts, Georgia peaches, Boston iced tea, and baked Alaska.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was delicious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Side notes: The dessert was a Paleo-hack triumph and was met with great pleasure by our kids who usually have to skip dessert due to food allergies! Also, we apparently don't name vegetables after places in the US so we had to hop across the pond to Belgium for our greens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After supper we all exchanged our cards and showed a little Earth-Day love by writing down and sharing some of our favorite things in the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As idyllic as this sounds, I must burst your bubble with some more reality... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was those boys again and it went something like this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Hey, Latham, I'm gonna put down Legos as my favorite thing."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Oh, me too!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Boys, this is about Earth Day. You need to put down something that came with the Earth; animals, events in nature, weather, plants, things like that." </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Ok. Plastic, to make Legos!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"No, Plastic is man-made."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"What is it made with?"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Chemicals."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Then chemicals are my favorite."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"YOU CANNOT WRITE CHEMICALS ON OUR GLOBE FOR HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Ummm... OK?!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Hey, Jax, Let's go finish our Lego plane!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>"Yeah!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>[Boys exit]</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>[Moms shake their heads]</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>[Girls giggle]</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>[Moms start to giggle too]</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jax: <i>What are you laughing at?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kat: <i>"Nothing. Happy Earth Day, Chemical-breath!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And on that note I'll leave you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Raimie Lu</span></div>
Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-8248851936069587552013-04-19T21:08:00.000-05:002013-04-23T13:47:22.675-05:00Beautiful Mess Centerpiece<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Surprise! I'm posting Monday's post today! My husband took our 3 year old on a trip for the weekend, our older two are playing with my younger sister and brother. And I'm excited about what I worked on today...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All good reasons to throw prior plans to the wind!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International just announced next year's theme will be, <i>A Beautiful Mess</i>. Tomorrow, I have the honor of being part of a training session for MOPS groups from our end of the state. We will be celebrating the successes of this year and brain-storming ideas for next year and I'm super thrilled to be in on it.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A Beautiful Mess.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I like that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Life is certainly messy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And most definitely beautiful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My responsibilities for the session included putting together the decorations and centerpieces. As the creative activities coordinator I guess that falls under my roof and I couldn't be happier.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not one to break too far from my retro-vintage chic (i.e. junk) pile, I fell back on my comfort collection...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Buckets, garlands, Ball jars, musty bottles with rusty lids.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"I got a bucket, got a bucketful of sunshine</span></i></span><br />
<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I got a love and I know that it's all mine, oh, oh oh oh..."</span></i><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> Ok, Natasha Bedingfield, moving on.</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Throw in a wooden crate, newly (finally) budding branches, doilies, and burlap for the welcome table. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm a happy girl.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">These are the centerpieces for each table. Wellies, jars, moss, rocks, markers for jotting down momentary inspiration, Forsythia, raffia, more burlap and a shelf-liner "puddle".</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>And just so you know, I am pretty much infatuated with this chippy cupboard door. Barely-there aqua and white. Rusty, painted hinges and latch. Scrumptious.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> A beautiful mess.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A motherhood centerpiece.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because mothering is a lot about finding only one boot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Little boys playing with sticks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Scraps of paper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rock collections.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Leafy green stuff trodden on the carpet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Chipped paint.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dirt in the cracks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Little girls calling Forsythia, <i>"For-Cynthia"</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Putting a bow in it to make it look combed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Scotch tape.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Running for a bucket.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Recycled egg-crate crafts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Crooked cut-out hearts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Motherhood is about mud-puddles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And singing while you stomp in them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Raimie Lu</span><br />
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<br />Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-69474753430036585482013-04-19T12:00:00.000-05:002013-04-19T20:07:10.300-05:00Friday Phone Dump and a Mama-flub<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been a little scarcer this week due to some big projects, some much needed naps, and lots of usual running, ranting, and ridiculousness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And this post is just a drop-in to say I love you and stay tuned for some crafty-fun next week!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What do you have planned for your weekend?</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Friday Phone Dump</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgw7rwTT770/UXFwKof75VI/AAAAAAAAHnU/P9UCYPLXlPs/s1600/Phone-dump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgw7rwTT770/UXFwKof75VI/AAAAAAAAHnU/P9UCYPLXlPs/s1600/Phone-dump.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>1.</b> <span id=".reactRoot[1].0.{info424583058133506187_50298221}.[0][1].0.[1].[1].[1].0.[0]" style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">April is not for the fools, April is for the dreamers </span><span id=".reactRoot[1].0.{info424583058133506187_50298221}.[0][1].0.[1].[1].[1].0.[1]" style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><b>2.</b></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: center;"> Easter break hopped by <b>3.</b> </span></span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Climb high, child, higher than the sky<b> 4. </b></span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Boy on swing</span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><b> 5.</b> </span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Mischief personified (x4) <b>6.</b> </span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Boy pushes girl. Amen <b>7.</b> </span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">Little girls are like sparkles dropped from Heaven<b> 8.</b> Mad hatter's tea</span><span id=".reactRoot[1].0.{info431092764750534742_50298221}.[0][1].0.[1].[1].[1].0.[1]" style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"> <b>9.</b> </span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"> Bubbles. Quiet. Book.<b> 10.</b> 23 weeks</span><span id=".reactRoot[1].0.{info432694435154909357_50298221}.[0][1].0.[1].[1].[1].0.[1]" style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"> <b>11. </b></span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">What he does </span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"><b>12. </b>He eats apples at soccer<b> 13.</b> A</span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">fternoon crafting delight <b>14.</b> </span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">I am a soccer-mom <b>15. </b>T</span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">o work with daddy</span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;"> <b>16.</b> My little sister's announcement <b>17.</b> G</span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">obble-gobble <b>18.</b> Requesting early wake-up calls so she has time for art <b>19. </b></span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">I want to remember combing her hair<b> 20.</b> S</span><span style="background-color: #fcfcfc; color: #444444; line-height: 16px;">aid goodbye to this guy for the weekend, he is off on a trip with daddy.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Sometimes people tease me about taking so many pictures. I may look like <i>that</i> mother who documents every living moment of her children's lives. But, alas, as of last night, I am also <i>that</i> mother who gets to her daughter's 2nd grade annual music program just to pull out her big-girl camera and realize she forgot the memory card! </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i>[Slapping forehead repeatedly]</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">I did not go home to get one and miss half her program. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">I <i>did </i>take some pictures on my phone.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">The program was perfect.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">The pictures are not.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"><i>I'm letting myself be ok with that.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Thank you for tuning into this week's mama-flub moment.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Brought to you by pregnancy-brain, too many irons on the fire, and I am a ditz international.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Have a fabulous weekend!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Love,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Raimie Lu</span></span>Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-51167274010238684662013-04-17T06:00:00.000-05:002013-04-23T22:59:10.026-05:00Spring-cleaning heart and home<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A new season usually spells lots of fresh goals and projects for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And isn't it grand that Spring coincides with my second trimester up-swing of energy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well, Spring </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">in theory</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> because we haven't really had many signs of Spring weather here on the plains yet...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But it will come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And I'm ready when it does.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the meantime my focus has turned to getting things into better shape around here. There are still rooms that aren't really decorated after our move in the Fall and the basement is storing boxes of things we can probably safely get rid of and never miss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Plus, all the normal dirt, clutter, and fingerprints that build up when you do as much living in your house as we do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We give our little space a daily workout that puts world champion weightlifters to shame, let me tell ya.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On that note, I was amused to find this bucket in the dollar aisle at Target. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOh3jwqJqmg/UW3K3Nzs1rI/AAAAAAAAHms/-wLiVkrqTXw/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOh3jwqJqmg/UW3K3Nzs1rI/AAAAAAAAHms/-wLiVkrqTXw/s1600/05.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While this quote is very comforting to me in regards to my house when it is at its worst... I think in my family's case that those happy kids with all the messes and laundry would be happier still if their mom was sane as well as good, right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So we clean now and then to keep me from going crazy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In all reality the list of cleaning and organizing to be done is a lot longer than my days but I'm encouraged when I can cross a few things off the list. Even tiny things. I've been known to write small unplanned tasks on the list <i>after</i> I do them just so I can have the immense satisfaction of marking them off.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because accomplishment feels good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a couple new friends who are helping accomplish the cleaning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let me introduce you to Flo, Broomhilda, and Dusty.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B5e5grqKpAk/UW3K2Ys9zZI/AAAAAAAAHmQ/lI4Bv7OG7oQ/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B5e5grqKpAk/UW3K2Ys9zZI/AAAAAAAAHmQ/lI4Bv7OG7oQ/s1600/01.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TlbezZbzu78/UW3K2qX001I/AAAAAAAAHmg/OdqzGJUAu1o/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TlbezZbzu78/UW3K2qX001I/AAAAAAAAHmg/OdqzGJUAu1o/s1600/02.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Source: Boston warehouse</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They are not only good at doing their dirty jobs but they manage the super-human feat of looking chic, fashionable, and put-together while they are at it. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh, how we would rock this world if we mothers could manage that trick!</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wait, maybe <u>you</u> CAN pull that off... </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A cleaning uniform consisting of: Yoga pants, heaven help us if anybody sees me in this stained t-shirt, flyaway hair, spot of something unidentifiable stuck to a cheek, bare feet which can't remember the last time they had a pedicure-- maybe that is only me. Maybe...</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I digress.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway, my truly favorite part of my new cleaning crew is they are the best recruiters <u>ever</u>. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have 3 littles lined-up to be their best helpers. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">They will do anything to work with these gals. <i>Anything.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That's a powerful sales pitch, right there. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zkSYTW92cIA/UW3K2yRpBkI/AAAAAAAAHmo/7UvA2rdrHRg/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zkSYTW92cIA/UW3K2yRpBkI/AAAAAAAAHmo/7UvA2rdrHRg/s1600/04.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So the organizing and de-cluttering continues.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aided by my addiction to cute containers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It may be divine intervention that has never allowed me to shop at <i>The Container Store. </i></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just the name gives me goosebumps and shivers of delight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I confine myself to thrift stores, garage sales, and people's cast-offs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And they never let me down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But I think seasonal cleanings go deeper than the dust ingrained in the crevices of our home. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For me, they are also about reviewing the purpose for our life and marking hard tasks off my mental list.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Reach out to someone new.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Be kind even if it makes you uncomfortable.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Write that card.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Through some gals I follow on <a href="http://instagram.com/joyfinderspath">Instagram</a> I became aware of a certain <a href="http://psweadoreyou.blogspot.com/2013/03/meet-brielle.html">little girl who is fighting Cancer.</a> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There are so many who are fighting this disease but there is something about this one that has touched me deeply and I'm not sure why. Even her beautiful name calls to me. My "hard things" list includes writing her a letter. Soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We can do hard things.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We can scrub every inch of our homes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We can find a few words to comfort someone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We can toss out junk that burdens us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We can pray in the face of acts of hate and terror.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We can clean up our act.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We can walk a little straighter with happy skips in-between purposeful strides.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is Spring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is the season of miracles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is the season of <i>CAN</i>, <i>WILL</i>, and<i> DO</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Raimie Lu</span><br />
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<li><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">What is on your list?</i></li>
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Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-69616395740239906912013-04-15T15:07:00.001-05:002013-04-19T00:16:13.800-05:00diy {garland dress-up} and a GIVEAWAY winner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AxoFsXvbtnw/UWxQ_MxltVI/AAAAAAAAHlw/4IIlvU8QcQ0/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AxoFsXvbtnw/UWxQ_MxltVI/AAAAAAAAHlw/4IIlvU8QcQ0/s1600/04.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago I happened across a bag of unfinished quilt-blocks at my local thrift store. The colors in the fabrics made me happy and the price tag made me smile too. Without question they hopped right in my cart and came home with me. You may remember I used a couple of them for <a href="http://joyfinderspath.blogspot.com/2013/04/easter-freak-session-and-our-non.html">wrapping on Easter</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--XjlfnARTBM/UWxQ-hT06GI/AAAAAAAAHkw/Hh0VvQjfVcU/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--XjlfnARTBM/UWxQ-hT06GI/AAAAAAAAHkw/Hh0VvQjfVcU/s1600/03.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Then a while back My mom gave me this garland that used to hang in my little sister's bedroom before she outgrew the dolly theme and the pastel color-scheme. The garland was store-bought from the Simply Shabby Chic line at Target and I like it.</span><br />
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But it lacks <i>pop.</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pizzazz.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Punch.</span></i><br />
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I kept trying to like it the way it was.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nope.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Didn't work.</span><br />
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Had to fix it.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Ef-R9FXyFM/UWxQ_YxHDSI/AAAAAAAAHls/ovZdRMLjWVE/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Ef-R9FXyFM/UWxQ_YxHDSI/AAAAAAAAHls/ovZdRMLjWVE/s1600/05.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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I folded over and ironed the tops of the pieces so that they were straight instead of arched.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNFKOBn2ofE/UWxQ-9NfFgI/AAAAAAAAHk8/drEq8BvwxAM/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNFKOBn2ofE/UWxQ-9NfFgI/AAAAAAAAHk8/drEq8BvwxAM/s1600/02.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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I felt a twinge as I broke out my hot-glue gun to 'cheat' where someone else had so lovingly done it 'right' and hand-sewn these pieces together. </span><br />
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The feeling passed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I hot-glued away, happy as a lark.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3_Quc82T9Ec/UWxQ_uaeQ6I/AAAAAAAAHlY/XAuBeb_T1XU/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3_Quc82T9Ec/UWxQ_uaeQ6I/AAAAAAAAHlY/XAuBeb_T1XU/s1600/06.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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I glued a quilt piece behind each of the triangles of the original banner.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g6xg69-ntUY/UWxQ_hv9FdI/AAAAAAAAHlo/BXXGskrdmM4/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g6xg69-ntUY/UWxQ_hv9FdI/AAAAAAAAHlo/BXXGskrdmM4/s1600/07.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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It gave the garland a skirted-bunting look and a more vintage feel.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rHZ2mv_R4bs/UWxRAP4egJI/AAAAAAAAHlg/pgLvyDelJiw/s1600/08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rHZ2mv_R4bs/UWxRAP4egJI/AAAAAAAAHlg/pgLvyDelJiw/s1600/08.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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It hangs in the living room above the french-doors to our bedroom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Much more happy and colorful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Much more me.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4yTREnczeWA/UWxQ-0SS3CI/AAAAAAAAHlE/-WO1TOQ6E_I/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4yTREnczeWA/UWxQ-0SS3CI/AAAAAAAAHlE/-WO1TOQ6E_I/s1600/01.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Sharing at <a href="http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2013/04/wow-us-wednesdays-114.html">Savvy Southern Style</a>, <a href="http://www.commonground-do.com/">Common Ground</a>, and <a href="http://www.redouxinteriors.com/">Redoux</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This project had me feeling almost guilty because it was so easy to do and I like the finished product so much. But for this mama, a quick 15 minute fixer-upper was the best way to wrap-up the afternoon while Pip napped, the older two were at school, and the chaos of evening had yet to ensue.</span><br />
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You do what you need to do to get your craft on and to create happy corners in your home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I loved reading<a href="http://joyfinderspath.blogspot.com/2013/04/housecleaning-and-giveaway.html"> your comments on the giveaway post</a>. Thank you for beings followers of my ramblings. Thank you for hopping from my old space to the new one. Thank you for your shares on Facebook. The cherries on top of your weeks were sweet indeed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And we do have a winner...</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBug4VO1DGk/UWxRAbWfIFI/AAAAAAAAHlk/NyUhvnLqtHk/s1600/09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9vA1DwnmAQ/UWYErERjMhI/AAAAAAAAHjI/s1aLrJ5__6g/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9vA1DwnmAQ/UWYErERjMhI/AAAAAAAAHjI/s1aLrJ5__6g/s1600/07.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBug4VO1DGk/UWxRAbWfIFI/AAAAAAAAHlk/NyUhvnLqtHk/s1600/09.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">A Tisket A Tasket</span> if you would email me at joyfinderspath (at) gmail (dot) com I will mail you your goodies! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thank you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Time to go wake up the apple of my eye.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Have a delicious day!</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5zv-HM83QUI/UWxcm46u2CI/AAAAAAAAHl8/DJJxG82qLIs/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5zv-HM83QUI/UWxcm46u2CI/AAAAAAAAHl8/DJJxG82qLIs/s1600/10.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-61488329719220290292013-04-10T21:00:00.000-05:002013-04-16T23:26:04.383-05:00Housecleaning and a GIVEAWAY<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This post is gonna be all over the place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kinda like my hairdo today.</span><br />
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We are at the peak of our week, ready to slide down the other side to the weekend, and all the normal things are in the mix with the kids starting soccer, checking out library books, practicing spelling, building Lego iphones, etc. A few sweet additions jump in there too, like daddy being home each night, hearing baby's heartbeat, and some happy mail.</span><br />
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That's our life. A bowl of healthy, colorful, ordinary mixed veggies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With some sugar sprinkles on top.</span><br />
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Sprinkles make everything easier to swallow.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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A mid-week dish of what we are having: free sprinkles</span><br />
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<i>Friends with their babies</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VOyljrXc-dE/UWYHUL-_uNI/AAAAAAAAHjs/Sr75XO5Gsmw/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kzzHkZJyYsY/UWYHUcKCVzI/AAAAAAAAHjo/lEh8IEoWvUo/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kzzHkZJyYsY/UWYHUcKCVzI/AAAAAAAAHjo/lEh8IEoWvUo/s1600/03.jpg" /></span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VOyljrXc-dE/UWYHUL-_uNI/AAAAAAAAHjs/Sr75XO5Gsmw/s1600/02.jpg" /></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Gets me counting the months.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i>Cozies</i></span><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c56S33dj9XE/UWYG1ichq9I/AAAAAAAAHjU/J2mYBNLa8sw/s1600/IMG_0926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c56S33dj9XE/UWYG1ichq9I/AAAAAAAAHjU/J2mYBNLa8sw/s1600/IMG_0926.jpg" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">We are still apt to crawl into our Christmas jammies in April. Nebraska can't get it's act together and get out of the ice-age so I guess we will get cozy and sit out the cold spell. Candyland helps. </i><i style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
Veggin'</span></i><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IIWSPv-Tyw0/UWWRyzh8yeI/AAAAAAAAHhk/xBwhMCFIXVA/s1600/IMG_0981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IIWSPv-Tyw0/UWWRyzh8yeI/AAAAAAAAHhk/xBwhMCFIXVA/s1600/IMG_0981.jpg" /></span></a><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i><br />
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: x-small; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sometimes its kinda tiring waiting for brother and sister to get home from school.</span></span><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Mrs. Polifax</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6c_-Q0rq42s/UWWRy48RxVI/AAAAAAAAHho/avDjPy8sX90/s1600/IMG_1007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6c_-Q0rq42s/UWWRy48RxVI/AAAAAAAAHho/avDjPy8sX90/s1600/IMG_1007.jpg" /></span></i></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">These are one of my dad's favorites, he got the recommendation years ago from my great grandma Ruth, and then passed the suggestion down to me. I am re-reading the series for the 3rd time and she still makes me giggle. I imagine my great-grandmother giggling too.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i>Lunch with friends<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VlURMD4PbC4/UWYHU-T29_I/AAAAAAAAHkE/vtb-C2-1agc/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VlURMD4PbC4/UWYHU-T29_I/AAAAAAAAHkE/vtb-C2-1agc/s1600/04.jpg" /></a></i></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6AtRogXVs3A/UWYHVC3YuGI/AAAAAAAAHkI/IAhM7SZBULo/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6AtRogXVs3A/UWYHVC3YuGI/AAAAAAAAHkI/IAhM7SZBULo/s1600/05.jpg" /></span></i></a><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rTO1AhsGzlc/UWYHT1-CjAI/AAAAAAAAHjw/ogGkIeXRVeQ/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rTO1AhsGzlc/UWYHT1-CjAI/AAAAAAAAHjw/ogGkIeXRVeQ/s1600/01.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i style="font-size: small;"></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Always good to end on a happy note like food and drink. Yes, I am that girl who freaks her friends out by asking if I can take pictures of their plates. It is just who I am.</span></i></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
Housecleaning:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
Some notes of unfathomable worth... Not really, more like meandering mumbles from a stack of "Don't forget" sticky notes stuck all over my cup-ring stained desk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYMegc1AYlE/UWQgkg_SPgI/AAAAAAAAHes/fdqvIFafNcA/s1600/01.jpg" /></span></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />We added a couple verses to our <a href="http://joyfinderspath.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-playful-pirate.html">Playful Pirate poem</a>. Prosper is so enchanted when we tell him stories or recite poetry where he is one of the characters. Must be a preschooler thing... or a steak of narcissism.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ohOvuTojtt4/UWYDxGv71sI/AAAAAAAAHi8/fn0cbTsLO2E/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ohOvuTojtt4/UWYDxGv71sI/AAAAAAAAHi8/fn0cbTsLO2E/s1600/17.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<br />
A second design option has been added to the <a href="http://joyfinderspath.blogspot.com/2013/04/diy-tomato-cage-chandelier.html">{DIY} Tomato-cage Chandelier tutorial</a>. I am excited about a smaller, more girly version. Let me know what you think.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<i>Ok, this note is actually important:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
Our Emma-girl</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lsS2OKtCx2E/UWVtLbJUxlI/AAAAAAAAHhQ/pcme-Ssy49g/s1600/emma-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lsS2OKtCx2E/UWVtLbJUxlI/AAAAAAAAHhQ/pcme-Ssy49g/s640/emma-banner.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thank you for your sweet comments on the post about<a href="http://joyfinderspath.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-changing-road.html"> the changing road</a>. I was asked to put together a memorial blog for Emma. It is an honor to help in some small way at a time when a person hardly knows how to be of service. Feel free to visit and leave a message of condolence for her family.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://emmakringle.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Remembering Emma</span></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yay, we are past the business part and you are still here!</span></i></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">GIVEAWAY-TIME!!!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Note: My little sister loves when I add "-time" to the name of any scheduled event (i.e. craft-time, homework-time, snack-time, get-your-bummy-busy-with-your-chores-time, etc). She says it makes everything sound like we are in preschool. Me, I like preschool.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I also like giving away stuff.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And I <i>did</i> promise we would do this right away...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9vA1DwnmAQ/UWYErERjMhI/AAAAAAAAHjE/IunmB1696MI/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B9vA1DwnmAQ/UWYErERjMhI/AAAAAAAAHjE/IunmB1696MI/s1600/07.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One lucky reader will receive this collection of goodies from Joyfinders Path. Not a sponsored giveaway, just gift out of the <i>"I feel like showering you with presents"</i> part of my being.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Chicken apron</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Longaberger large soup mug and saucer in Paprika</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sweety-Pies-Uncommon-Collection-Observations/dp/1561588482"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sweety Pies: <span style="background-color: white;">An Uncommon Collection of Womanish Observations, with Pie</span> by Patty Pinner</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And since I like to make things interesting, this time I will give you a few ways get extra entries.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Enter by answering the following question in a comment:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What is the cherry on top of your week?</span></i></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For extra entries:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. "Follow" this blog</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Share on Facebook</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Be a follower of my old blog who has jumped the gap</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(Please leave a separate comment for each entry)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The recipient will be decided by Random.org.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Entries must be posted by 10:00 pm (Central) Sunday, April 14, 2013)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Let the good times roll!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MTCO194Wr94/UWYHHLOI4LI/AAAAAAAAHjg/e1ngoTkTJ1g/s1600/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MTCO194Wr94/UWYHHLOI4LI/AAAAAAAAHjg/e1ngoTkTJ1g/s1600/06.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-60285129934698936152013-04-09T09:34:00.000-05:002013-04-16T23:25:33.229-05:00The Playful Pirate<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5 bonny scarves, 1 bare tum.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rojbRe2-WOQ/UWQgk9HjOqI/AAAAAAAAHew/tnwBeRqh5aU/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rojbRe2-WOQ/UWQgk9HjOqI/AAAAAAAAHew/tnwBeRqh5aU/s1600/04.jpg" /></span></b></i></a><i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>You are the scurviest, head to your toes.</b></i></span><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 dirty feet and a button nose.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYMegc1AYlE/UWQgkg_SPgI/AAAAAAAAHes/fdqvIFafNcA/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYMegc1AYlE/UWQgkg_SPgI/AAAAAAAAHes/fdqvIFafNcA/s1600/01.jpg" /></span></b></i></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Avast me hearty, a sailin' you go.</b></i></span><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wave to your mama, she loves you so.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4He8aAFSnx4/UWQgkVH4f-I/AAAAAAAAHek/NPLGQ9HZkGg/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4He8aAFSnx4/UWQgkVH4f-I/AAAAAAAAHek/NPLGQ9HZkGg/s1600/02.jpg" /></span></b></i></a></div>
<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Where are you off to? Nobody knows.</span></b></i><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But come back to mama before the days close.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--wuSuZTbBoo/UWQglyIdJyI/AAAAAAAAHe4/5E5U58WT6yE/s1600/03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--wuSuZTbBoo/UWQglyIdJyI/AAAAAAAAHe4/5E5U58WT6yE/s1600/03.jpg" /></span></b></i></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b><br /></b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Hoist the colors, light your torch!</b></i></span><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 mighty yell, you take over the porch.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>You are the captain, brother's your mate.</b></i></span><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When mom calls for lunch you don't want to be late.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Sisters the maid who cries out in dispair</b></i></span><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When you threaten to tie-up her teddy bear.</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>You pillage the toy-box, playing your part.</b></i></span><br />
<i><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You are surely a pirate, you stole mama's heart!</span></b></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b>
<b>-- Raimie Harrison</b></span>Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-66082195330320436192013-04-08T17:19:00.000-05:002013-04-16T23:25:14.411-05:00The changing road<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pr8HthtNHmY/UWMoIHyC_wI/AAAAAAAAHeQ/05tiDQHtt7U/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pr8HthtNHmY/UWMoIHyC_wI/AAAAAAAAHeQ/05tiDQHtt7U/s1600/01.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Life sometimes meets speed-bumps.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
Those little things that tell us to "Slow down!"</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Thump*</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> *Jog* </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*Jostle*</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are abruptly reminded that life is best traveled at a pace where we can contemplate turns, adjust our lights properly, and easily stay off the shoulder and out of the ditch.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
But there can be much bigger things in the road than speed-bumps. Things so big they alter our course in an instant. There are circumstances that are like coming around a corner at normal speed and finding the road we are on simply<i> isn't</i> anymore. The bridge is out. The mountain has shifted. The forest has burned.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<i>Brakes scream.</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tires slide.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Steering wheel spins without effect.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Impact.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Silence.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Weeping.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
There was a moment like that this Saturday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I blithely took my middle child to a play. I laughed. He wiggled.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I left my phone home on the charger.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I missed the text that warned of rocks ahead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> <i>"There has been an accident."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
By the time I got home the abyss was open right in front of us.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"We've lost Emma."</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
The daughter of some of our dear friends was gone.</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Impact.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i>*****</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
There is nothing that shakes me as much as seeing the agony parents go through when dealing with the death of a child and in our circle of friends, this has been our portion to witness 3 times in less than nine months.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<i>Tyler, age 20</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rebecca, age 7</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Emma, age 13</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
These names are engraved on my heart like historical markers. They are detailed with memories that keep each sweet face present and alive in my mind in a special way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<i>Tyler, with his easy-going, friendly manner.</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Rebecca, with her unstoppable smile.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Emma, with her motherly-care of every living thing.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
These 3 families, whose journeys are forever changed and whose hearts hurt in a way we are sure we could never bear... And we couldn't. Because only God has the strength to carry people through these things. Only He can lift them from the pile of rubble, set them back the right way on the road, and give them direction of where to go from here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
In these dark days they are sifting through the pieces, trying to comprehend, trying to put fragments together into something that makes sense and connects to what they once knew. Their heads are jumbled. Their hearts are shattered. It feels like none of this can possibly real- except the pain, the pain is very, very real.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<i>And their friends?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
We wonder how we can help. We feel we lack the words to give comfort. We want to take some of the weight but human strength is not enough. We cry out to Heaven on their behalf and we beg for grace and wisdom to be a help when it seems like nothing could be remotely adequate. We stand together because otherwise we would fall over. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
We watch while God does his mighty work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It makes us ache with sorrow, gratefulness, and awe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<i>Where do I go from here?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
These cliff-top, cannon-edge experiences may shake me beyond measure but they steady me too. When the knee-knocking fear of falling subsides I must find a rock to stand on. The rock that is knowing there is a plan for this journey and there is a destination that is worth all these experiences.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I am left with an overwhelming desire to reassess my route, refocus on my destination, carry on with careful precision, hug my littles in the back-seat and buckle them in with prayer in preparation for the bumpy miles. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I want to turn on a song of love and thankfulness to play constantly while we travel - a song about the one who planned this way with every rest-stop, speed-bump, pot-hole, road-sign, and dead-end put there for a reason. A song of thanks for only showing me a tiny portion of the map, enough to tell me<i> "You are here."</i> and <i>"Keep going."</i><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VhtNOJTHEFA/UWMoH0V8R8I/AAAAAAAAHeI/somIG58uMiY/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VhtNOJTHEFA/UWMoH0V8R8I/AAAAAAAAHeI/somIG58uMiY/s1600/02.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
<br />
*****</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
Note: The particulars about Emma's passing are not mine to tell and I hope you will understand if I don't answer questions here out of respect for her family.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
This post is meant only as an account of my own impressions, a glimpse of the impact the death of these 3 precious young people has had on me in recent months, and my personal observations about how we deal with life-changing events in general - because they happen to us all in some form or another.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
If you would like to learn more about Tyler or Rebecca you can visit their memorial blogs here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://tylergrotz.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tyler Grotz</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://rememberingrebecca.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Remembering Rebecca</span></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*****</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our greatest condolences and expressions of love go out to each of these families as they grieve their children. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
Please hug your loved ones tightly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Raimie</span>Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-11642361661718505132013-04-06T07:00:00.000-05:002013-04-16T23:24:54.229-05:00Beginnings<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spring is another word for<i> beginning.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
All the promises of a new season with the bonus of budding plants, warming weather, and every bird singing a song of <i>"hope.hope.hope"</i>. Gets me in the mood to clean, declutter, prioritize, create, plant, and make a joyful noise!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
We are ready to be done with Winter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The coats, hats, gloves and scarves have done their duty and are set for retirement. I would toss them all out in a minute if I thought it would hurry the warming even a smidge. But I've lived in Nebraska long enough to know that Spring on the prairie is a test of patience and long-suffering. Only the strong survive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
It takes patience beyond reckoning to have three little people in the house, underfoot, and in my face so much of the last few months. I adore those little faces but right now I would like them even better<i> outside.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i>Am I abnormal?</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
But that song of hope keeps being sung and April is finally here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sunny days are getting more frequent; hints of the feast to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We devour those days like the starving sunshine addicts we are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
*****</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
This was one of those delicious, glorious, marvelous days:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Front-porch art show</span></i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PegC3EzA6eI/UV5HBj0L50I/AAAAAAAAHas/cBoIjCdxvZ4/s1600/IMG_1252-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PegC3EzA6eI/UV5HBj0L50I/AAAAAAAAHas/cBoIjCdxvZ4/s1600/IMG_1252-2.jpg" /></span></i></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Un6TdDNpi78/UV5HBy98sMI/AAAAAAAAHa4/VrQS_fjG-MY/s1600/IMG_1268-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Un6TdDNpi78/UV5HBy98sMI/AAAAAAAAHa4/VrQS_fjG-MY/s1600/IMG_1268-2.jpg" /></span></i></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i>Artist in torn jeans and bare toes</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bVqlyYIPjng/UV5HCFT16vI/AAAAAAAAHa8/0ZZNcoCGXkU/s1600/IMG_1269-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bVqlyYIPjng/UV5HCFT16vI/AAAAAAAAHa8/0ZZNcoCGXkU/s1600/IMG_1269-2.jpg" /></span></i></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Sounds like the name of a masterpiece to me. </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><b>"In Spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt." --Margaret Atwood</b></i></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AB0U02sOA2E/UV5G_ebZNtI/AAAAAAAAHaE/rlc06K7UCVI/s1600/IMG_1285-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AB0U02sOA2E/UV5G_ebZNtI/AAAAAAAAHaE/rlc06K7UCVI/s1600/IMG_1285-2.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i0Mfs6hPjqM/UV5G_GxiGfI/AAAAAAAAHZ8/yvPq-EcK3yU/s1600/IMG_1287-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i0Mfs6hPjqM/UV5G_GxiGfI/AAAAAAAAHZ8/yvPq-EcK3yU/s1600/IMG_1287-2.jpg" /></span></i></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-d9pPz8-r0/UV5G_h-4UJI/AAAAAAAAHaY/gs4sx0nD0FY/s1600/IMG_1289-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-d9pPz8-r0/UV5G_h-4UJI/AAAAAAAAHaY/gs4sx0nD0FY/s1600/IMG_1289-2.jpg" /></span></i></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I would say my boys are doing their Springly duty quite well then. Got dirt? Check.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i>Climber</i></span><br />
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<i style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MKRCZbHsuKQ/UV5G_40fPkI/AAAAAAAAHac/TOydCF9JCos/s1600/IMG_1291-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MKRCZbHsuKQ/UV5G_40fPkI/AAAAAAAAHac/TOydCF9JCos/s1600/IMG_1291-2.jpg" /></a><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Climb high, precious bird, higher than the sky. But always come back to me because you take my heart with you when you go.</span></i></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i>
<i>Bouncer</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-krx3QhxJKjg/UV5HAMzD07I/AAAAAAAAHaU/hTq_sLG6pHM/s1600/IMG_1295-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-krx3QhxJKjg/UV5HAMzD07I/AAAAAAAAHaU/hTq_sLG6pHM/s1600/IMG_1295-2.jpg" /></span></i></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> Attempting to spring right into Spring.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i>Chucks and cowboy boots</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X4X62XEnFd4/UV8rysiUMYI/AAAAAAAAHd0/R54tSfygLsk/s1600/IMG_1306-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X4X62XEnFd4/UV8rysiUMYI/AAAAAAAAHd0/R54tSfygLsk/s1600/IMG_1306-2.jpg" /></span></i></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>That's how we roll!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*****</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
I could tell you it was a perfect day. And in a way it was... as long as <i>perfection</i> includes a fair bit of squabbling, dropping your apple in the sandbox, restroom requests five minutes after we left the house, and heading home just a dash early because of too much sass...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
Maybe you could call it "Perfection with dirt on its face" and this would be the illustration:</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76ofigwet5c/UV5G-QcWb2I/AAAAAAAAHZw/REgwPjr0l3c/s1600/IMG_1283-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76ofigwet5c/UV5G-QcWb2I/AAAAAAAAHZw/REgwPjr0l3c/s1600/IMG_1283-2.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
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Looks sweet right? Like the epitome of sibling camaraderie and middle-class Midwest America; walking to the park, holding hands, mailbox, mini van, camper, windblown trash barrels, cracked sidewalk, bicycle-wheel yard-art...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
What you can't see is the girl pinching her brother, him sticking out his tongue, and the youngest yelling bloody murder at everybody to look at whatever he is innocently pointing to with his middle finger.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
Call me crazy, I still love it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's a postcard of my life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And I'm busy taping it in a place of honor in my heart's scrapbook.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
*****</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<i>Have an amazing weekend! See you Monday.</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Raimie</span></i><br />
<br />Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-88975187197474060572013-04-05T07:00:00.000-05:002013-04-19T00:17:02.546-05:00diy {Tomato-cage Chandelier}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am probably the worst kind of gardener there is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I admit it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love the <i>idea</i> of gardening. I want the vegetables and the flowers. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm a rockstar planner/shopper/planter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But after that? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am a dead-beat gardener.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't remember to water or call. I don't weed, feed properly, or discipline. Half the time I forget to pick up the harvest on-time. I do not pay my garden-support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">All jokes aside, ask my poor husband, I'm bad. When he worked a job where he didn't have to travel we did ok -- a sorta limp-along ok, where I held up very little of my end and he pretty much dragged my dead weight. But we [read: he] managed to keep the thing alive and get some good out of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now he travels. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is no garden.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The end.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Or not...</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We moved a fair amount of gardening things along with us to this house, even though there are no plans to garden this year. I may wheedle some <i>tiny</i> flowers pots out of him if I'm good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm a rockstar wheedler.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anyway, there is this stack of tomato-cages just sitting there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They look so lonely and bored.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had to help at least one of them out...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--FqN9ZXcqDU/UV5WgMCvBzI/AAAAAAAAHcc/sIpQBXtDJS8/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tomato-cage Chandelier</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--FqN9ZXcqDU/UV5WgMCvBzI/AAAAAAAAHcc/sIpQBXtDJS8/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--FqN9ZXcqDU/UV5WgMCvBzI/AAAAAAAAHcc/sIpQBXtDJS8/s1600/10.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mrJDvcSDAr4/UV5WeZQE6rI/AAAAAAAAHbg/6ZPaYLnlEsQ/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mrJDvcSDAr4/UV5WeZQE6rI/AAAAAAAAHbg/6ZPaYLnlEsQ/s1600/01.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Supplies:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">tomato-cage</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">fabric</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">yarn</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tools:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">fabric scissors</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">heavy-duty wire clippers</span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iy2YUWSrTpc/UV5WeY2VO5I/AAAAAAAAHbk/YeWL-VgsFxg/s1600/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Iy2YUWSrTpc/UV5WeY2VO5I/AAAAAAAAHbk/YeWL-VgsFxg/s1600/02.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The fabric I used was the backing off an old quilt. The poor thing is in pretty bad shape but I have plans for the front. It seemed a shame to toss this cheery polka-dot.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zK8ICAUDpYA/UV5WfI0wFjI/AAAAAAAAHb8/jsxd0GReD2I/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zK8ICAUDpYA/UV5WfI0wFjI/AAAAAAAAHb8/jsxd0GReD2I/s1600/05.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was a bit of a chore to cut all the ties but I'm glad I did.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3EnPrjPtghw/UV5WesZvm5I/AAAAAAAAHb0/-U45P2d_qc8/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3EnPrjPtghw/UV5WesZvm5I/AAAAAAAAHb0/-U45P2d_qc8/s1600/04.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I cut the whole thing into strips about an inch wide (this project didn't take exacting measurements, thank goodness). It made a happy pile of polka-dot streamers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Using the wire cutters I cut the legs off the tomato-cage right below the bottom ring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I started wrapping the whole cage, tying lengths of fabric together as I went.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I left three alternating rungs without fabric-wrapping and then wrapped those in minty yarn (perfect for Spring). All the ends are just knotted at the bisecting rungs. I left the ends because I liked the raggy-taggy look.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yum, makes me smile.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Who needs a garden? </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">[wink]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I tied three more streamers to the top for the hanger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But I needed something more to finish it off.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pattern Posies</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our favorite little local thrift shoppe wraps all their breakables in old patterns and I'm in the habit of keeping a stack because it seems likely I will think of something to use them for, if only gift-bag tissue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I broke out my favorite scalloped-circle punch and punched away at a stack of pattern pieces. The circles became the raggedy pattern posies. These aren't an exact science either -- I'm not really into exact, if you can't tell. You just layer two or three pieces together and sorta 'smush' them into a flowery shape.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thrift-store lace (again) and a quick needle and thread job. Not fancy stitchery at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Voila! A happiness-chandelier with pattern-posies on the side.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I started into this project an hour before the kids got home from school and didn't quite get done before they walked in. Felicity, not one to be left out of anything crafty, got busy using my scraps while I finished up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She made these flowers with the tomato-cage legs, yarn, pattern posies and cupcake papers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">They may grace our table, play stand-in for our non-blooming houseplants, or bring a smile to a friend, I haven't decided yet.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Girl of my heart</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Friday!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Raimie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">UPDATE:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Did you see the huge pile of strips that fabric gave me?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, I was curious about a smaller version of this project so I got to experimenting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This one is made using only the top two rungs of the tomato cage. Otherwise the design is pretty much the same. I left off the yarn, it just didn't work on this size somehow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I tied short strips around the bottom to give it some girly flare. This way it is a bit more lamp-shade looking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can see it as a front porch pretty or over a vanity. Maybe with something sparkly hanging down in the center? A friend said she thought she would hang her jewelry on it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How would you use it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sharing at <a href="http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2013/04/wow-us-wednesdays-114.html">Savvy Southern Style</a>,<a href="http://www.commonground-do.com/"> Common Ground</a>, and <a href="http://www.redouxinteriors.com/">Redoux</a></span></div>
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Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773170537251610006.post-54894675378704238812013-04-04T08:30:00.000-05:002013-04-17T00:59:16.231-05:00Easter freak session and our non-traditional traditions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span id="goog_816460725"></span><span id="goog_816460726"></span>As the sun rose on Easter morning I should have been thinking something meaningful about the glory of the new day, but I was mostly thinking, S<i>o soon? Five more minutes. </i>Three drowsy children got prodded out of bed and ten sleepy feet began tapping out their <i>wake-up-wake-up</i> shuffle. Jeffrey started making breakfast. The sun kept rising and soon it was poking timid strands of light into our windows and into the corners of my muddled mind. My attitude started adjusting to the light, the smell of scrambled eggs and the sound of the coffeemaker. I gave thanks for sunshine, caffeine and protein. Whenever we need to refocus, thankfulness is a really good place to start.</span><br />
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The gratefulness and sustenance put my head got back on the track it should have been the moment it left the pillow. Blessings. Thanksgiving. Rejoicing. Good Sunday thoughts. A chiming clock called me to hurry up. Getting five people ready and presentable usually requires a hunk of patience and a lot of "Hurry-up!" But today the hungry hoard made their eggs disappear with no need for speed reminders. Daddy makes the seriously best scrambled eggs ever. Amen.</span><br />
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The day was shaping up to be a lot like most of our Sundays. I hadn't planned a lot for Easter. We usually do whatever feels right that particular year. Occasionally that is a blow-out, no-holds-barred, go-for-broke extravaganza. More often I think of 40-hundred fun new things to try but thinking is all I get around to doing so I end up pulling together something spontaneous according to our mood that day... [Insert mental freak out session here]</span><br />
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<i>Am I ok with our lack of plans?</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Should I make a bigger deal out of it?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What about Easter traditions?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I guess I pretty much stink at traditions.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We almost never do the same thing twice on holidays.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am probably hurting my kids by raising them this way.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Look at the enjoyment other people get from their traditional holidays.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Look at how they have the forethought and dedication to pull off those time-honored ceremonies year after year.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What is my problem?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is something wrong with me?</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I better get my act together before I screw up our lives...</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>These wrinkly thoughts needed straightening out even more than Felicity's dress. The youngest climbed out of the shower and started shouting for his towel. Latham wandered through the livingroom looking for his shoes.</span><br />
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<i>Just like every Sunday.</i></span><br />
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And there it was, like a sudden burst of steam from the iron.</span><br />
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<i>We do keep traditions in our house. </i></span><br />
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They might not look like other people's. They might just be simple little things we do on a daily or weekly basis instead of yearly, but they tell a lot about who we are as individuals and as a family unit and they are infinity important to our well-being. And </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />So maybe the true issue was never my haphazard, slap-happy, observance of this or that holiday. Maybe the true problem lies in taking for granted the time I am given every day to celebrate our basic family-life for the treasure that it is. Maybe the key is being very intentional about the way we spend out time, the routines we pick up and the actions and words we repeat.</span><br />
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<i>"Habit is a poor substitute for conviction."</i></span><br />
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<i>"What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while."</i></span><br />
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<i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5773170537251610006" name="1" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"> in it." Ps 118:24</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Those are all words I need to repeat to myself frequently. They are true and have the power to change my way of thinking and therefore, my day.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">And my Easter was changed. No, I wasnt suddenly inspired to deck the halls, dress as the Easter bunny or color eggs. I just saw our Sunday for what it truly is, a beautiful tradition. I found a sense of peace and contentment in where we are at this time of our lives.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">I fell in love with the first day of the week all over again.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">And it just so happened to be Easter.</span><br />
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I hope your Easter was just the way you like it!</span><br />
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*****</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What does our Sunday look like? Here is a nibble...</span><br />
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<i>Coffee</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Makes the birds sing sweeter.</i></span></span><br />
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<i>Eggs</i></span><br />
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<i>Sunday go-to-meetin' clothes</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Helping in the kitchen</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>They worry me a little when they are so excited to use knives. Little savages.</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Setting the table</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sit down dinner</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2wFa99Bjmsk/UVug6oja1II/AAAAAAAAHX0/ICrCxd_gtSU/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2wFa99Bjmsk/UVug6oja1II/AAAAAAAAHX0/ICrCxd_gtSU/s1600/05.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2wFa99Bjmsk/UVug6oja1II/AAAAAAAAHX0/ICrCxd_gtSU/s1600/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KvN-teIeMGA/UVxd7q3J8qI/AAAAAAAAHYs/fZfPjTWIKBk/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KvN-teIeMGA/UVxd7q3J8qI/AAAAAAAAHYs/fZfPjTWIKBk/s1600/12.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i></i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Funny papers</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>We fought terribly over these as kids... Why didn't we figure out we could sit three in a row and see just fine?</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Somewhere in there I had a nap; a pregnancy custom that I observe almost daily with great satisfaction and downright selfishness.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because it was Easter: a few last-minute whip-ups in my typical spur-of-the-moment style.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cotton-tail treat bags</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Paper lunch bags, cardstock-ears, cupcake papers, cotton-ball tails. <a href="http://katherinemaries.com/blog/archives/13762">Inspired by Katherine Marie</a></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Brown eggs</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iUH1HZtkE4/UVug6XoEcEI/AAAAAAAAHXc/h4GVYKuumkc/s1600/04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iUH1HZtkE4/UVug6XoEcEI/AAAAAAAAHXc/h4GVYKuumkc/s1600/04.jpg" /></span></i></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Nice of the hens to pre-color our eggs for us!</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fresh reads</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Thank goodness for my stash of go-to gifts and its usual inclusion of books that I picked up in a rare preparatory moment. These are tied up with thrift store lace and unfinished quilt-blocks.</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*****</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">P.S. If you came over here from The Prairie Hen's Nest, welcome to our new blog-home! I hope you will follow along. Stay tuned for a giveaway in the very near future. I'm excited to share with you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">*****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Have a happy day!</span></div>
Raimiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10185244992121474252noreply@blogger.com16