Bald Eagles

Last night Lexy had a special dinner. I say special because I was exhausted from work, she had not taken her nap and was extra hyper, and we had just spent 45 minutes on the phone with her Grandparents, Aunt Brittney, Aunt Amanda and her Nana. By special dinner I mean she had a fish fillet, sweet potato fries and peas. Josh and I ordered a pizza.

While Lexy was eating and our pizza was on the way I was showing her a book of animals. I was explaining to her that the Big Boy Lion has a lot fur around his head and it is called a Mane. And then I got the brilliant idea, when she asked me to see more lions, to show her the National Geographic website for kids. It's awesome, if you haven't checked it out. We watched a video on lions and went on to watch about 10 others. When we got to the Bald Eagle this was the video that they have posted. A mother eagle caring for her chick. I told Lexy that it was a baby eagle in the picture and she proceeded to tell me that there was a Mommy Eagle, too. And when the Mommy Eagle came on the screen she pointed and said excitedly

"It's Carin Eagle, it's Carin Eagle".

Yes, Lexy knows my name is Carin. I am a Bald Eagle.

Wishes and Dreams

He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven by William Butler Yeats

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.



I lay my dreams at your feet, my friends. Have a beautiful Wednesday.

Pink Duct Tape

Okay, I have to ask. Why am I putting SO much effort into this bridal shower? To be honest, I don't really know Josh's cousins very well. We see each other at Christmas and sometimes Thanksgivings. There are a few in between visits, but we don't call, we don't email... we don't even really talk over Facebook. And here I am just having spent 45 minutes searching the Internet trying to find the perfect bridal shower favor. Yes, 45 minutes. I think I found something, but anything under $2.00 per favor is absolutely hideous and I don't want hideous to be reflected upon me or Josh. Ah, the true crux. I don't want to be hideous. The favors that I found are little teapot shaped ceramic plates for teabags. The shower is kitchen/bath. Teapots would fit, right? Please say right because the shower is 2 weeks away and I don't have time to think of something else. 45 minutes today alone people!

I'm stressing over what to add to the menu. I have 2 boxes of hors d'oeuvres in the freezer. I have 2 platters of cheese. I have a shrimp ring chilling out in the spare ice box. I have pasta salad, veggie platter and some ham sandwich thing that the Mother-In-Law is going to bring all hanging around in my head waiting for next week to buy. But. I have 32 people on the guest list. And the invitations say "regrets only". I have heard from 2 people that they won't be able to make it. It's a little less than 2 weeks from the wedding and I have heard from 2 people. I was assured by the creators of the guest lists that at least 10 people if not more would be declining. So far... only 2. This is going to be the largest party I have ever hosted, and so far I'm doing 99.9% of it on my own, even though the invite says 2 names. Ugh. What was I thinking???

When did I think I would have time to do this. I work part-time. I have Lexy full-time. I have a dog. I have Josh. That should count for 2. I have my parents and Lexy's play dates and my groceries. And I really really really wanted to decorate Lexy's room with some new Pottery Barn beach theme items for girls. All postponed to pay for the shower. Who knew that showers were so FLIPPIN' expensive? No one told me. I knew that they were expensive, but really. $60.00 for food and I'm not even 1/3 there. I have no idea what else to put on the menu... any suggestions?

And games. Boy, oh boy, the games. I've already shot down the "bridal gown toilet paper" game. Save a tree. I think I have it pinned down to the trusty "Match the TV couple" game and this really fun one that I once played with rice and paperclips and blindfolds. Connect the dots. It was really hard and lots of fun. 2 games. 30 people means a lot of presents. I'm thinking that this shower will be about 6 hours and I may have to order out for pizza. Or run to Target and buy extra pillows and blankets for all the people that will be sleeping on my floors.

Please. If you read this and you love me or even like me a little bit, next time someone mentions something other than "Bridal Shower for Shelley", please find some of that really girly pink duct tape and slap it across my mouth before I can say "yeah, sure, I guess I can do that". Unless it's Shelley and you can get an enthusiastic "YES, I WANT TO HOST A SHOWER!!!!" I want that duct tape in place from date of engagement to date of wedding. Thanks.

Coffee Filters

Dear Friends,

First, just so you know, that picture above is entirely made from coffee filters. Cool, huh? Yesterday our church service was run by the youth members. I won't lie when I tell you that I was completely apprehensive about attending the service. I'm not into rock music or praise worship. It's just not my thing. I prefer tradition and liturgical services. I don't know if it's the structure of the services I prefer or the routine (which I guess is the same thing), but it suits my personality. So, when the youth director stood up and told the congregation that they were in for something different this Sunday I must admit that I cringed. I also thought that if I wanted to skip a Sunday that this would have been a good one to skip.

And, okay, I'm not going to lie when I tell you that there were 3 or 4 times in the service that I really wished I had skipped the service. I mean, for me, acting out a Lifehouse song with one of the deacons dressed as Jesus was a bit much... not to mention that the youth of our church (Bless them) are really poor actors. It was a definite cringe worthy moment. But, I give them total credit because I never would have gotten up in front of a congregation and done it, so, more power to them

There was one moment, though, that I would like to share with you. And whether you believe in God, the Trinity, or trees, it was a beautiful thing. The youth director explained at the beginning of the service that every seat in the sanctuary had a coffee filter and a marker. Unfortunately for me there wasn't any coffee to go in the coffee filter. I know, sad, right. I was a little upset about it. But, the reason for the coffee filter was even better than coffee. I know, scary that the coffee addict would say something like that.

For our confession, if the member was comfortable, you were to take the coffee filter, the marker and write down your confession. When you were finished you walked up to the front of the church and put the coffee filter in one of many crystal bowls filled with water. The tables were full of glittering candles and the bowls of water refracted the light beautifully. But the most beautiful part was putting your confession into the water and watching it be washed away. The coffee filters were white while the water was colored. For me, that's what Jesus is and does for me. I bring myself to him, covered with markers of all different colors and degrees of permanence. Some are harder to scrub off than others, but once admitted and turned over, they are washed away (or scrubbed off with a Brillo pad) and I'm left looking like myself again, only with a little more glint and glimmer from the candles that are on my table.

I had chills during this part of the service. Goosebumps. It was hard to think of what to write because I wasn't anticipating so much emotion from this small action. But translated into an entire congregation and to connect it to myself and how I bring myself before God brought me to tears. I think this translates to everyone. Very Message in a Bottle. I may start using this in my daily life. Writing down my prayers, confessions, even hopes and blessings. Dipping them in water and watching them be washed away and brought closer to the One that can help me with them. You should try it and let me know what you think. Turn it all over. Be washed and see how much marker comes off of you.

I hope you all have a blessed week. Love to you all,
C-

p.s. Today is my 7 year anniversary. Josh, I love you more now than I did on that day. Happy Anniversary.

Celebration

April 26, 2003. Tonight we celebrate. What was the happiest day of my life to that point. The beauty of being with our family and our loved ones. Pledging to each other that we were a new family, together. Before each other and before God. And, gosh, I love that dress.

Thursday Thankfulness

Dear Friends,

Thursday. Ah, beautiful Thursday. My first day of Stay-At-Home Mommy-ness for the week. The beginning of my 4 beautiful days with my daughter (and my housework). I love Wednesday nights, too, as I get to relax and know that if I don't get the dishes put away it's okay because I don't have to rush through anything the following morning. Today I am thankful that I have Thursdays. This probably should have been the first "Thursday Thankfulness" post, but I wasn't smart enough to think of it then. So, here we are.

Today's Thursday should be extra special. Today I get to go and meet my Jennifer's new baby boy, Todd. I was trying to give her some time to settle in. Time to get her older son used to the schedule and routine of the little one, and just some room to breathe and become accustomed to being a mommy of 2. But, it's been long enough and I am SO ready to make the trip to see her. Lexy is dying to see Adam and I am DYING to hold that little baby. It's been too long since I've gotten to hold a baby. Watch out, Josh, it may make my uterus warm (as my dear friend Monica used to say). I have been looking forward to today for weeks.

Thursdays are always good days for us. Typically Lexy and I will make a morning run to the grocery store and then we spend the rest of the morning playing together. Lexy loves going to the grocery store, looking at all the things and watching all the people. She is a major people watcher. I love going to the grocery store because it's time she's trapped in a grocery cart and I know she can't escape. It's some nice quality time. And while she doesn't stop talking at all, ever, nonstop babbling and questions, I don't have to keep up with her physically or transition from toy to toy or think of a new game to play. It's time with Lexy without too much exhaustion. I remember loving going to the store with my mom when I was little. I used to get to take a coupon and go off and find the item that she needed. I doubt that in today's society I will ever let Lexy do that, but I'm hoping we can figure something else out. But, to have a fridge full of food with so many options for dinner (not that Josh would eat, but to have the option in just a mental plus) is a happy thing and makes me feel comforted.

Thursdays also mean nap time. Ah, the blessed nap time. To have 2 hours (or more... sometimes less, but usually more) to do what I need to do. To not have to rush through chores. To watch TV while I fold the laundry or listen to music while I swiffer the floors. I know it sounds like a little thing, but if I can get the majority of my housework done Thursday during nap time I will have 3 days of nap time when I can do something for myself. I can sit and read. I can catch up on email and facebook. I can watch something off the tivo. I can take a nap. Oh, the glorious adult nap. I am obsessed with the adult nap. I never really understood what a beautiful thing the adult nap was until I had Lexy. And now I cherish them. And all of this can happen because of the amazing Lexy nap time on Thursday so I can do work. I look forward to doing housework. I think I may be officially nuts.

So, here is where I give homage to the single mom. Or the full-time working mom. Or the stay-at-home mom that spends all her time teaching her kids to do much of anything else. I just want to wash your feet. To give you major love. I don't know how anyone can have the time or energy to do what has to be done in a household over 2 days in a weekend or at 10:00 at night. I don't have that stamina. My home would look like something out of Clean House or Hoarders if I had to do this with something other than a part-time job. It just wouldn't get done. It's a struggle with the part-time job and I still fall short of how I think my home should look. Of course, I have this crazy Martha Stewart, Pottery Barn idea in my head so that probably doesn't add to the reality of the situation. And my house is overloaded with toys at this point, too, so that doesn't help. But Thursdays I get to rearrange and clean and organize. I love you mom's that can do this and function on little to no sleep. You are amazing people.

My Thursdays are my blessing today. I will remember to be thankful for my free time and my cleaning time and my time with Lexy. I will try and be thankful in an outward manner, to show by example that I have so many blessings and they start with Thursday. What is your Thankfulness today?

Love to you all,

C-

What ever happened to...

Dear Friends,

Food has been foremost in my mind for the last few days. I feel like I've been inundated by the media with all types of health warnings and reports coming out about various stories relating how much salt or sugar should be in your diet, what the fat content of your food should be, whether or not coffee, wine, or chocolate is good v. bad. I've been seeing the same commercial on t.v. over and over from the American Beverage Association (sorry if I got that wrong) and how it's removed its full calorie carbonated drinks from schools across America. And then there's Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution". I love it. He's trying to get a whole town, including the schools, cooking for themselves and eating smaller amounts of processed foods, more fresh vegetables and fruits, and so on. Very cool. I love Jamie Oliver. He's such a cutie and what a great idea.

My question is though, whatever happened to the parenting that kept our kids from becoming obese? What happened to the self-control that taught us that a muffin the size of your head isn't actually one serving, but 4? What happened to common sense telling you that drinking 4 Big Gulp size sodas a day probably isn't the best idea if you're trying to keep the calorie count down. When I was little I never got to drink sodas unless we went out for dinner, which was only once a week. Doritos were a special treat. I can count on 2 hands the number of times I got to eat Lucky Charms. My mother always gave us treats for desserts, but we had healthy snacks after school. Fruit, crackers... not cookies or doughnuts.

I'm just wondering why it's become so necessary to have the Today Show and the local news run 4 segments per airing about different aspects of the same story. I don't understand what happened to the common sense of people, parents especially, that told us that these things aren't healthy habits and that some things really are better in moderation. Don't get me wrong. I love my chips and cookies. In fact, writing this is making me really want one of those Do-Si-Do's that I have from my beautiful local Girl Scout troop. In fact, when I'm done writing, I'll probably get a nice glass of milk and a cookie. But, just one cookie. I don't really need 4. I may want four (or a whole sleeve), but one will do just nicely.

I'm really wondering what everyone's opinions are on this. Is it just that parents aren't home enough anymore that they have to rely on processed foods and things that are prepackaged so that their kids can grab things on their own? I try and give Lexy what I think is the best food I can. We only drink organic milk, we try and have mostly organic dairy products. She gets treats after dinner and that's it. If she eats all her lunch she can sometimes have chips, but they're reduced fat. I give her dried fruit and cheerios for snacks. Macaroni and cheese is a staple, but it's not everyday regardless of what Lexy might tell you. It's only 4 times a week. I get that I'm home more than most parents and that Lexy goes to family when I work so that helps with the diet thing. But, even before Lexy, I never really got the parents getting their kids large Frappuccino coffee drinks from Starbucks. What is that 750 calories? And the kids are about 10-20 pounds over weight. I'm confused.



Give it to me people. Help me to get it or let me know if you agree.

I'm off to get my cookie and tomorrow when I'm on my third cup of coffee I'll reread this, contemplate whether or not caffeine should be entered in on this post, ignore those thoughts and put it out there. I hope you all have a beautiful and healthy day.

Love to you all,

C-