tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71796666819682011612024-03-14T10:11:54.021-05:00What's happening with the Baum Family?Small moments in the life and times of the Baum Family.Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.comBlogger728125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-46837567384173265512020-12-13T17:20:00.002-06:002020-12-13T17:20:50.834-06:00Advent Days 9, 10, 11, and 12: Glory, Revealed, Voice, Might<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Glory:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(32, 33, 36); color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: left;">magnificence or great beauty</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XjKHIsFx4kR5rmRag8Kao6i8z8KwIsmZ7mYHgeLBfRbjxEaUdIccYDjsVYqaO4w5WDNQ390llrKXr17gCDY80WyYMBosr4QT2JDMCTgm1qvkP5s6wKgeIteyv_kXPMaMRdX_iF3g9gk/s2048/IMG_7885.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1627" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XjKHIsFx4kR5rmRag8Kao6i8z8KwIsmZ7mYHgeLBfRbjxEaUdIccYDjsVYqaO4w5WDNQ390llrKXr17gCDY80WyYMBosr4QT2JDMCTgm1qvkP5s6wKgeIteyv_kXPMaMRdX_iF3g9gk/s320/IMG_7885.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We love going to the movie theatre and for obvious reasons have not been in many, many months. So on Wednesday night we used gift cards from last Christmas and rented our own AMC theatre for a viewing of ELF. It was glorious and for an hour and a half things felt pretty ordinary in the very best way possible!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Revealed :</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UlFuOYsP5UxrFJUB03U42TY2FP0hO0ZcXqgpPTZKvAyD5X4p_qvRqD1SzOrSMmEMTnf7tJEW7hZm-aKGwdPoTLYTPWVQF8BmpMzCvWkIsQPcLBVAvfb_MMixq1RkIDnbQaKHz-1muog/s2048/IMG_7897.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UlFuOYsP5UxrFJUB03U42TY2FP0hO0ZcXqgpPTZKvAyD5X4p_qvRqD1SzOrSMmEMTnf7tJEW7hZm-aKGwdPoTLYTPWVQF8BmpMzCvWkIsQPcLBVAvfb_MMixq1RkIDnbQaKHz-1muog/w640-h480/IMG_7897.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-wmPzQ_mB472YNgNn8QOVS0ywsIYQ9L3yUwybGnWBOMzKttbpP2f2FUG7_2oz4FfSfPcrmeX26G-3OVPcz_2kZO0VxbDi96MnSIR7hbGtqUxWG5YT4agh7ht510Zb1ZaBwYEs0-s-84/s2048/IMG_7893.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-wmPzQ_mB472YNgNn8QOVS0ywsIYQ9L3yUwybGnWBOMzKttbpP2f2FUG7_2oz4FfSfPcrmeX26G-3OVPcz_2kZO0VxbDi96MnSIR7hbGtqUxWG5YT4agh7ht510Zb1ZaBwYEs0-s-84/w480-h640/IMG_7893.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br />I love snowmen so when I received an email about a snowman pretzel deal I couldn't pass it up. I have entirely fallen off my clean eating dairy and gluten free lifestyle and gah can my gut and head tell. I'll deal with that soon enough but for now I"m finding bits of joy revealed in silly little things like snowman shaped carbs.<p></p><p><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Voice:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3ZvLDNpFuspV0GVDqjHi4ZxF3EHNMbGTH3PROzfETqy_mfdA-1-K8i0Urb7KbnCwREkGp02dTd4VLbLIivUFhGIcf0twaloEH8M346v2eQtbc1UcBRtAdS4XqAFiil9JehvrJRGpBrA/s2048/IMG_7891.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu3ZvLDNpFuspV0GVDqjHi4ZxF3EHNMbGTH3PROzfETqy_mfdA-1-K8i0Urb7KbnCwREkGp02dTd4VLbLIivUFhGIcf0twaloEH8M346v2eQtbc1UcBRtAdS4XqAFiil9JehvrJRGpBrA/w640-h480/IMG_7891.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lucy is writing like crazy! Stories, poems, non-fiction books. She's using her voice!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Might:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHncITqNXfAOU55IwgrTx4lFBo5ieTccZvFZa5qroJ_oDXuQamnQMAeu4RhJr5SV5RnYJjiX_Vh1ooMyyFRCq59olhstqY6wCBwcyUddN4W8eCoUo6lJh62GbJ1zwTy_Js5izZwAH_14g/s2048/IMG_7900.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHncITqNXfAOU55IwgrTx4lFBo5ieTccZvFZa5qroJ_oDXuQamnQMAeu4RhJr5SV5RnYJjiX_Vh1ooMyyFRCq59olhstqY6wCBwcyUddN4W8eCoUo6lJh62GbJ1zwTy_Js5izZwAH_14g/w480-h640/IMG_7900.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br />From the New York Times <p></p><p> "<i><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem;">I have long thought that when it comes to being a parent in the pandemic, it might be the hardest for parents of teenagers. Parents of little ones can</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem;"> </span><a class="css-1g7m0tk" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/parenting/coronavirus-masks-kids-socialization.html" style="border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #326891; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" title="">meet most of our children’s social needs</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem;">, and our kids still kind of want to be around us. Not so for parents of teens. I recall with poignant shame what a complete nightmare I was at 16 when I was told, for various sensible reasons, that I could not hang out with my idiot friends. I can only imagine the epic battles that would have ensued had there been a pandemic raging, keeping me from hotboxed station wagons.</span></i></p><p class="css-158dogj evys1bk0" style="border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.875rem; margin: 0px 0px 0.9375rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px;"><i>So in fairness to teens in 2020, this is a particularly difficult time to be young. “Pandemic conditions are at cross currents with normal adolescent development,” said Lisa Damour, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and the author of The New York Times’<a class="css-1g7m0tk" href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/lisa-damour" style="border: 0px; color: #326891; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" title=""> Adolescence column</a>. The most powerful forces driving development for middle and high schoolers are increased independence over time, along with being with one’s peers, Dr. Damour said, and the virus curtails both of those things." </i></p><p class="css-158dogj evys1bk0" style="border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.875rem; margin: 0px 0px 0.9375rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px;">Yep, it's hard. All of it. Being a teenager is its own kind of tricky but in the middle of a pandemic. OH! It's really, really hard. Nobody wants to work on a hobby or keep exercising or log into school. We don't even feel like getting dressed. But we do. It takes might and faith and belief that we will all be ok. And sometimes we make fruit Christmas trees on a gloomy afternoon and that is enough to make us smile.</p><p class="css-158dogj evys1bk0" style="border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: nyt-imperial, georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.875rem; margin: 0px 0px 0.9375rem; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px;"><i><br /></i></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-12287405931047371162020-12-09T15:07:00.005-06:002020-12-09T15:07:48.013-06:00Advent Days 6, 7, 8: Remember, Tenderly, Prepare<p> Remember:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2YcLxvcgn1S3iLrSwYTJEa45DnJyDDKkSZTr4QM9TZop6dtsMikU3PMFn0YNlNHm-Ot2GyG7MPYaNbFf8HpsAbD8-SDr4G5YeDtwXGfxGvXy22mnaq1smjITSasCMhoy2uz1m3Jgygk/s2048/12.08.2020-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2YcLxvcgn1S3iLrSwYTJEa45DnJyDDKkSZTr4QM9TZop6dtsMikU3PMFn0YNlNHm-Ot2GyG7MPYaNbFf8HpsAbD8-SDr4G5YeDtwXGfxGvXy22mnaq1smjITSasCMhoy2uz1m3Jgygk/w640-h426/12.08.2020-11.jpg" title="December 2020" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>On Saturday, we had family photos taken even though it seems like we just had them taken. Except that was actually 4 years ago.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAtLZPFnS0YJw-KYbJye-RIJ8HAxFCW1ZLly8tvcsy_zS5B40jYe5vHxuf19ainscTu0pTvxL6N7shx0SJ0IvSTt2nvE6VJ-haYsPi7kB4HcMSt5brLhRtZGVGO1e32Ng_gEgpRReKsk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAtLZPFnS0YJw-KYbJye-RIJ8HAxFCW1ZLly8tvcsy_zS5B40jYe5vHxuf19ainscTu0pTvxL6N7shx0SJ0IvSTt2nvE6VJ-haYsPi7kB4HcMSt5brLhRtZGVGO1e32Ng_gEgpRReKsk/" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Tenderly:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZ1TtahWtlWDGGY4-HmEJ3uUUI6zUL91CT3fF5_JkoC8tn3X6yCBNssVupm0exM09NhkWKIuJs4WRJkNVABC8-3apoZGmPsZHw8lVyf1p9WiT6xG-NGBiRIfoGoeV58t9jJUGeBpVIY4/s2048/IMG_7876.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZ1TtahWtlWDGGY4-HmEJ3uUUI6zUL91CT3fF5_JkoC8tn3X6yCBNssVupm0exM09NhkWKIuJs4WRJkNVABC8-3apoZGmPsZHw8lVyf1p9WiT6xG-NGBiRIfoGoeV58t9jJUGeBpVIY4/w480-h640/IMG_7876.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yesterday on my run I heard such a racket that I stopped. I looked up and spotted that guy perched on the wires. I watched him for a bit and a couple of other people stopped as well, all of us trying to capture a photo. I ran on my lunch hour, you know in the middle of the day. These other people were presumably also in the middle of their day at work. Before Covid would we have all stopped to watch and listen? My heart feels happy with the thought that maybe we're all a bit more tender, a bit slower, a bit quieter now. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Prepare</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSN5_iBldP3y2rq-sdBK2Gdi0-z70VkYapGKovIt8wFk84MyuKjmtqvZwD1t-D5WgQ3G8w5VAR10h8fzUxqwm-c9c_Xl3O0Fb5aKrvvF8gz3Q8uhnztnYn8PFUmklQpA_eaMiM9plUVk/s2048/IMG_7883.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSN5_iBldP3y2rq-sdBK2Gdi0-z70VkYapGKovIt8wFk84MyuKjmtqvZwD1t-D5WgQ3G8w5VAR10h8fzUxqwm-c9c_Xl3O0Fb5aKrvvF8gz3Q8uhnztnYn8PFUmklQpA_eaMiM9plUVk/w640-h480/IMG_7883.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Emma and Eleanor snuck out of the house early this morning and went to Dunkin Donuts for coffee and donuts to start our day. I was so delighted with my oat milk gingerbread latte! It was the best way to prepare for day of online school!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-19166946583222918352020-12-05T18:16:00.004-06:002020-12-05T18:16:25.549-06:00Advent Days 4 and 5: Awesome and Perceived<p> Awesome:</p><p>Yesterday afternoon Emma and I went visited the Central West End and walked through <a href="https://stlshakes.org/production/carol/">A Walking Christmas Carol</a>. It was a beautiful afternoon and our time was so well spent. This is a great example of the kind of thing that pre pandemic we would have said we wanted to do but we would never have actually done. Some things about our life right now are just so awesome. Praise be to God that we still have an abundance of blessings!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNCNtAvlE_oNwcDQrzNAFxn8KSnGkfmb8tyFkZ_Oil4FhGQaGz_wUxyW0-0UiCIXgxUByN5xJ79aedT5UAuGNMZtu0KFPFv1hFqZXRnMDgtNg0wjVqqm_ulZaozbL1RKQddAsKzYCIdM/s2048/IMG_7852.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNCNtAvlE_oNwcDQrzNAFxn8KSnGkfmb8tyFkZ_Oil4FhGQaGz_wUxyW0-0UiCIXgxUByN5xJ79aedT5UAuGNMZtu0KFPFv1hFqZXRnMDgtNg0wjVqqm_ulZaozbL1RKQddAsKzYCIdM/w640-h480/IMG_7852.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Perceived:<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xLMtvomSAPR54be6nOgoy_Mn3G9OD1yYrVVBHIC7bEK1YOfRgG-CS_kIK1UCqQAcO_PbKTs08rncSpP5dVU_9w0_x9J-KlM457nA-P2fYbyLcmOOz7BmzetR6DWbH-tjdu9dp_fK-rU/s2048/IMG_7780+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xLMtvomSAPR54be6nOgoy_Mn3G9OD1yYrVVBHIC7bEK1YOfRgG-CS_kIK1UCqQAcO_PbKTs08rncSpP5dVU_9w0_x9J-KlM457nA-P2fYbyLcmOOz7BmzetR6DWbH-tjdu9dp_fK-rU/w480-h640/IMG_7780+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This tiny room was created in our renovation last fall. We call it the nook and the girls watch tv and hang out here. Except Teddy thinks we created it for him. And when I find him all snuggled in like this I don't have the heart to boot him out. Sometimes what we perceive becomes our reality. For Teddy, in this case, that is a good thing! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-52256183595421816982020-12-03T18:29:00.002-06:002020-12-03T18:29:19.188-06:00Advent Photo Challenge Days 2 and 3: Kindles and Known<p> Kindles:</p><p>We always visit the St. Louis Zoo Lights at Christmas. Pandemic plus super early in December made it a ghost town last night. We didn't mind and had a great time. The zoo holds a lot of good memories for all of us and being there always feels good.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XYJODm3-qmfxaJKi_hCimWkt6M8ywXH6azzRQ8ZIkJvsiYuPUGClS6N-Cdft7b68ch_tS-tOA4D18i8cydA1yeFMYSr8fxESGvCKr4OpkIPy_7WyK6GbYn-bM_oZZW2JPaQsQSTkwm0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2048" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9XYJODm3-qmfxaJKi_hCimWkt6M8ywXH6azzRQ8ZIkJvsiYuPUGClS6N-Cdft7b68ch_tS-tOA4D18i8cydA1yeFMYSr8fxESGvCKr4OpkIPy_7WyK6GbYn-bM_oZZW2JPaQsQSTkwm0/w640-h482/IMG_3298.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>I love those eyes!<p></p><p><br /></p><p>Known:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RaiM2k3JuoWnDFJJQeGZXkQWdXnpR3bgwF4VZAE7ZQ0VZru-uXcGHxDr5MesCBwqdhzJU2gIoYFmOhxikoRLu-jYwbGfknysKrEcQNVEYtaPvg2-JOYukvpUPEI3UX1vXpHDZTfDOjw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RaiM2k3JuoWnDFJJQeGZXkQWdXnpR3bgwF4VZAE7ZQ0VZru-uXcGHxDr5MesCBwqdhzJU2gIoYFmOhxikoRLu-jYwbGfknysKrEcQNVEYtaPvg2-JOYukvpUPEI3UX1vXpHDZTfDOjw/w640-h480/IMG_7785.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br />My school is currently online so I'm teaching from the living room and this guy is my office mate. He is so comfortable with himself. He snores and groans and makes me laugh all day. He's sweet to keep me company but sometimes he's a bit much.<p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-1606569033229286712020-12-01T19:44:00.000-06:002020-12-01T19:44:02.673-06:00Advent Photo A Day: Presence <p><span style="font-family: arial;">We've been listening to Christmas music for a couple of weeks (ok, maybe a little longer) so I've heard "O Holy Night" a few times this season but today when I heard it, the words "the weary world rejoices" hit me. How very weary the world is. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;">O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;">It is the night of our dear Savior's birth</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;">Long lay the world in sin and error pining</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;">'Til He appears and the soul felt its worth</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;">A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;">For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;">Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;">O night divine, O night when Christ was born</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;">O night, O Holy night, O night divine!</span></i><br style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: 18px;" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Today I started the Advent Photo a Day challenge. I'm only a day behind plus it's December 1st and since I like to start new things on Mondays or on the first of the month I feel like I'm in good shape. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: large;">Today's word is presence. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">We are weary.</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">We miss our old lives. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Nothing feels "normal".</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: large;">But tonight, all is </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">right. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">We're all in the same room watching Rudolph. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is our norm. We eat dinner together. We spend the evening together. We're almost always together. </span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">2020 is hard. But there is a lot to be grateful for, starting with a norm that includes being together. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Presence. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzG5pQkLgmEv46E0nXKUuGw7ux-_BO9IATUUU4wVsfdKmq1bj0xKUTjjjl1bLzRlwk_PwUlI5f-papTUHNVzS037i1nHONSThRPKH66yP4_UpSr_jnJHxqhLxzq-RioaUeec6p9cSskA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzG5pQkLgmEv46E0nXKUuGw7ux-_BO9IATUUU4wVsfdKmq1bj0xKUTjjjl1bLzRlwk_PwUlI5f-papTUHNVzS037i1nHONSThRPKH66yP4_UpSr_jnJHxqhLxzq-RioaUeec6p9cSskA/w640-h480/IMG_7777.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #222222; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-83372910416989312662020-10-26T15:15:00.005-05:002020-10-26T15:15:45.536-05:00Trout Lodge- Year 5<p> What started as a whim of an idea to take the girls on a nature retreat has officially become a tradition. I think 5 years seals these sorts of things! Every October we drive to Trout Lodge and do one overnight that is packed with way more laughs than nature but honestly, time together away from our norm was my original hope so there's no complaining on my end.</p><p> Some things have become standard parts of our trip. We always plan our trip for the end of first quarter long weekend. We leave on Thursday after the girls get out of school for an early release day. We stop at the Blue Owl for lunch, and then at the Wal-Mart in De Soto, making what should be an hour and a half drive from St. Louis at least a three hour drive. Why Wal-Mart, you ask. Who knows why, other than the fact that it's become a tradition that we all love. We always watch Halloweentown, and some of us even stay up to watch Halloweentown High. The lodge always serves roast turkey for dinner. </p><p>And some things change year to year. </p><p>One year Lucy's lips were so chapped she could barely smile in any of the photos! Another year Emma was in 7th grade, and then another Eleanor was a 7th grader ....and we all survived! One year we drove through the lodge grounds at night looking for a nature presentation in one of the cabins. I got a little off track and we went off roading in the mini-van. Finally we found a little cabin with the lights on and a group of people sitting around. In my excitement I jumped out of the van and ran up to the cabin full of people who were there on a vacation, that did not include me or a nature presentation. The girls still howl about that one. There was the year that I forgot to put my bag in the car before we left home. I had nothing. No pajamas, toothbrush, clean clothes. In a stroke of good luck I purchased a pair of pajamas at the DeSoto Wal-Mart before even realizing my bag was at home. They were a nice cozy pair that I wore to bed and then the next day to breakfast at the lodge and on our drive home. We've taken a pontoon boat ride, played pickle ball, cards, putt putt, tennis and volleyball. </p><p>This year had some differences, too. </p><p>Trout Lodge isn't open during the week right now so our trip was on a Friday night, not Thursday. So no turkey for dinner. Dinner was actually better than we remembered though! We ate outside in the freezing cold all by ourselves, because everyone else was packed into the dining room. We were as happy as could be! We tried to stop at The Blue Owl but the town that The Blue Owl is in was hosting a Halloween extravaganza of some sort. The streets were full of people, shoulder to shoulder without masks. We could not get out of town fast enough. However, the DeSoto Wal-Mart was a haven for the masked! And the best difference ever was our little political study. In 2016 we were sucker punched by the campaign signs for Trump. It was hard, we were surprised (not exactly sure why we were so surprised) by the enthusiasm! This year we saw Trump signs for sure. But we also saw signs for Biden! We only counted signs once we left St. Louis County. 20 Trump signs. 10 Biden. Hope!!!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OMShbIp8UQ1rgz-rBYe_4aXXviKePnDdhVqRjRWXcF9M5IrHrtB054xM3TOTVNOwD0DtDh183YC3Ulvf1uZXLVablgZs3089xOIj-4EPdI57ZJqh0sKZzgf9u7xngjeZvVa05NLmQuQ/s2048/IMG_7524.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OMShbIp8UQ1rgz-rBYe_4aXXviKePnDdhVqRjRWXcF9M5IrHrtB054xM3TOTVNOwD0DtDh183YC3Ulvf1uZXLVablgZs3089xOIj-4EPdI57ZJqh0sKZzgf9u7xngjeZvVa05NLmQuQ/w640-h480/IMG_7524.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>2020- Outdoor dining! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVIjPuAhX1zPtS-SCMy_SW9f5svg7G6Kg6byEsSKfy_tyDfn6Zr_7V8-b-YgZif-k3hsMMIpuKxYzazyXgOriCmJ48RAItc_ovqh0MECcm8GCmY4TNPl6dsxRgpPTewtLaOC8em9CvLc/s2048/IMG_7511.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSVIjPuAhX1zPtS-SCMy_SW9f5svg7G6Kg6byEsSKfy_tyDfn6Zr_7V8-b-YgZif-k3hsMMIpuKxYzazyXgOriCmJ48RAItc_ovqh0MECcm8GCmY4TNPl6dsxRgpPTewtLaOC8em9CvLc/w640-h480/IMG_7511.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> <span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>2020- Masked beauties!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTumKwWmUpCzMmfk7Lsd3waY6xWh8A5dPpvtFI9punsJYuLcHGfTikhroyB_taBvkHyvX4FNJFgDPeXEgKnxOUvJWZY50Ccga_l0gXPv8HvvbF_VZjJdi3iSM9WBOJTlwigac4WDgAeDk/s2048/IMG_6722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1863" data-original-width="2048" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTumKwWmUpCzMmfk7Lsd3waY6xWh8A5dPpvtFI9punsJYuLcHGfTikhroyB_taBvkHyvX4FNJFgDPeXEgKnxOUvJWZY50Ccga_l0gXPv8HvvbF_VZjJdi3iSM9WBOJTlwigac4WDgAeDk/w640-h582/IMG_6722.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2016- Year 1</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUfj1br1jS6iHsX9rVrCDoFdR3PIzG_3S2Nccm4EclQEgZLIbAsyUG77fKsuOoGiDHXy4FucTiv0VzbD-Gtty0s2FPtilmOPgbWb9pzoiYl1SM-hV2Ga_0mrOppplq0Y0BCpBcjfywiM/s2048/Year+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1511" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUfj1br1jS6iHsX9rVrCDoFdR3PIzG_3S2Nccm4EclQEgZLIbAsyUG77fKsuOoGiDHXy4FucTiv0VzbD-Gtty0s2FPtilmOPgbWb9pzoiYl1SM-hV2Ga_0mrOppplq0Y0BCpBcjfywiM/w472-h640/Year+2.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2017- Year 2</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGa5l3ORxklLQpDve70IgN5aTnEsnjSXxQp_HZvIdNz63RhavcpkGy7bA9sxjwqv6cPvbDRxT9ghvHUK1I6Wghyphenhyphen4a2SnbdtH4-iHZolURX5w_00TNgLVx-VTkdeLGzfa7-kQGcXRheLsk/s2048/Year+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGa5l3ORxklLQpDve70IgN5aTnEsnjSXxQp_HZvIdNz63RhavcpkGy7bA9sxjwqv6cPvbDRxT9ghvHUK1I6Wghyphenhyphen4a2SnbdtH4-iHZolURX5w_00TNgLVx-VTkdeLGzfa7-kQGcXRheLsk/w640-h480/Year+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2018- Year 3</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjVax4U9UNHULjzxhKi1qyPqbGaECoYCoMKFh5oXKWjJgbQaTpwlaog2CSCH6mEZ3et_NQUC1SGC2v5_Oz3rfut0tYxiwpHNyC-2TqUANeIbSJy_clSE7RNCcb5M244RG88CrubKJruE/s2048/Year+4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1626" data-original-width="2048" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjVax4U9UNHULjzxhKi1qyPqbGaECoYCoMKFh5oXKWjJgbQaTpwlaog2CSCH6mEZ3et_NQUC1SGC2v5_Oz3rfut0tYxiwpHNyC-2TqUANeIbSJy_clSE7RNCcb5M244RG88CrubKJruE/w640-h508/Year+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2019- Year 4</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-28623175283219125132020-09-20T18:24:00.003-05:002020-09-20T18:24:31.122-05:00September<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />Many parts of September feel ordinary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzkRFSGLnlvyW7WeINJ5rgJehMb57W5awBFYpgyLwlwIYOXJ57Ft6F6rKwTirY_TyV5xV8EOeLaM4ICXEU1RN4ra4m-AgAxezZEBdWgkfSpvO6-CKZqdRsPP7GTSst3XcAZ3yNykQgBU/s2048/IMG_7294.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzkRFSGLnlvyW7WeINJ5rgJehMb57W5awBFYpgyLwlwIYOXJ57Ft6F6rKwTirY_TyV5xV8EOeLaM4ICXEU1RN4ra4m-AgAxezZEBdWgkfSpvO6-CKZqdRsPP7GTSst3XcAZ3yNykQgBU/w400-h300/IMG_7294.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="text-align: left;">We picked apples and made applesauce and are waiting for a crisp fall day to make an apple pie. It's coming, we can feel it!</span></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6A4fNf-hRlB8wsxumErn6-jna6RTUSPg353NLRHWaX6hwoE81fi6b4ncdwjczKL5edP1cSZ1NkHIPr06grFYax3n66vLwVUL1pQwtanVIdd9U_gO4_S-yGPjAta6ycPHaCPqqX-zCj5s/s2048/IMG_7361.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6A4fNf-hRlB8wsxumErn6-jna6RTUSPg353NLRHWaX6hwoE81fi6b4ncdwjczKL5edP1cSZ1NkHIPr06grFYax3n66vLwVUL1pQwtanVIdd9U_gO4_S-yGPjAta6ycPHaCPqqX-zCj5s/w300-h400/IMG_7361.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>We celebrated Emma's 17th birthday! And even with the pandemic she said it was one of her favorites. And I believe her! We ate great food all day long, and spent the day doing whatever Emma pleased. Which included lots of time to talk and walk and just hang out. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1TlqHe2ShAe9ezYFa1939MYipAmabjyS0RWlTOeX7i0UDRBAbJ98H1R-tovURDDsSO0JRla-kN_XAgN4eCaE-F6Yoj63g7_jvlx6tb74fXa0zAx3265wXm547UGQZX7a0ZjMOmQZeQE/s2048/IMG_7394.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1TlqHe2ShAe9ezYFa1939MYipAmabjyS0RWlTOeX7i0UDRBAbJ98H1R-tovURDDsSO0JRla-kN_XAgN4eCaE-F6Yoj63g7_jvlx6tb74fXa0zAx3265wXm547UGQZX7a0ZjMOmQZeQE/w400-h300/IMG_7394.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The balloons showed up in Forest Park just like they always do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But there are lots of other reminders that this September is not at all like any of the others.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDgMTVUmzWQeWV_nFAtGAUe3wG7yBr8lNJXeC9R90Dy7r3LsRVk_T6A1eyMnXAGw1N6TyKWmYTXqGV0C2KFgNUzMXSZvJl8giNdfI5yhu5Y1Pp-q52cZzLJj9nPmdEEnfRdBV3SGSON8/s2048/IMG_7395.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1218" data-original-width="2048" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDgMTVUmzWQeWV_nFAtGAUe3wG7yBr8lNJXeC9R90Dy7r3LsRVk_T6A1eyMnXAGw1N6TyKWmYTXqGV0C2KFgNUzMXSZvJl8giNdfI5yhu5Y1Pp-q52cZzLJj9nPmdEEnfRdBV3SGSON8/w400-h238/IMG_7395.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The balloons showed up but the people did not. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnYk-S3FcXyWhFLJL9vezzt9o9GQVZo0nONpVBysrtmT5SwKfU2ljcL6oT9d4sh32wzFeZBefr4GuWAeb8ZdH9n_jSHmp6wX0e_77TK9B8-xgpuirLfOcEbx6VdvPARsYPhHY9NDgOCU/s2048/IMG_7261.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnYk-S3FcXyWhFLJL9vezzt9o9GQVZo0nONpVBysrtmT5SwKfU2ljcL6oT9d4sh32wzFeZBefr4GuWAeb8ZdH9n_jSHmp6wX0e_77TK9B8-xgpuirLfOcEbx6VdvPARsYPhHY9NDgOCU/w300-h400/IMG_7261.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our 17 year old attended her first college fair in our dining room on Zoom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBw0RzgnnnDOfzCcAoJPtp3PYW_pooE14CpEAM6dWo77qv8RO-XnOxNcr_M6gUEVw3R8p6BXcpdJEVGftY7JaX5CHTPiNiYWlyrWU7bYMbQFhLjoS5OCpULKRzni587XxfHVWpkz7Ofk/s2048/IMG_7285.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBw0RzgnnnDOfzCcAoJPtp3PYW_pooE14CpEAM6dWo77qv8RO-XnOxNcr_M6gUEVw3R8p6BXcpdJEVGftY7JaX5CHTPiNiYWlyrWU7bYMbQFhLjoS5OCpULKRzni587XxfHVWpkz7Ofk/w300-h400/IMG_7285.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And apple picking with masks on makes apple eating pretty tricky.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We've had some pretty hard days. Being a child during a pandemic hurts. Being a parent during a pandemic hurts. It's just a whole lot of saying no, not right now, we'll have to wait and see, and let's keep praying. Praying that people will put the whole before the individual. Praying that we will care about one another. Praying that we'll keep seeing this as an opportunity to be the people we really want to be. And remember, <a href="https://youtu.be/Gs069dndIYk"> it is still September!</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-46812490387703723312020-08-31T16:29:00.001-05:002020-08-31T16:29:39.815-05:00Just keep going<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some days are like a bike ride with an empty water bottle and sun in your eyes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmrCjmZ3JyWB9m3xxwfZRPgslLMTyvZgDEDinygBtrlNAwsyCcPCUig7LG2mM9dntfNWc13qThVUl_3KtWslHM4XTOjhcgmjjZ9IXPDIw74JrA3tDkFbKHvr-2nSn3ffhBLQu0fKL_aM/s2048/62014581546__5D0B60EA-2719-44F9-9841-19B3741BF9C8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWmrCjmZ3JyWB9m3xxwfZRPgslLMTyvZgDEDinygBtrlNAwsyCcPCUig7LG2mM9dntfNWc13qThVUl_3KtWslHM4XTOjhcgmjjZ9IXPDIw74JrA3tDkFbKHvr-2nSn3ffhBLQu0fKL_aM/s640/62014581546__5D0B60EA-2719-44F9-9841-19B3741BF9C8.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And some make you feel like you just can't even get out of the car at the end of the day. It's too much and you pray that maybe you can go directly from the car into your bed where you'll sleep until sometime in mid-2021.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVwViVBK49lKesvi-_UtO4z2P9f7UZnV-niyRL5fbGk1G4PLFyHTC27N9H6sBcrBRLxgnOyogZBqrHpBRt1UqZQC91NPxpgqYw5Tm90tEVCojJHrF6Tno3EaLGBzIsQCHTdaUmG9FmkY/s2048/IMG_7232.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVwViVBK49lKesvi-_UtO4z2P9f7UZnV-niyRL5fbGk1G4PLFyHTC27N9H6sBcrBRLxgnOyogZBqrHpBRt1UqZQC91NPxpgqYw5Tm90tEVCojJHrF6Tno3EaLGBzIsQCHTdaUmG9FmkY/s640/IMG_7232.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That's the real of right now. Some of it is not that pretty. But the truth that has held throughout this whole mess is that if we just keep going</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMi6KO7rjXpqGy519LJ3eyg5xycZDhBdVGxYNZIO61_4IuwbIlFrUGa97fFkiGJy8t7ZFNaP7IE5tbt1uKhE4-ROjxWjOH02QjzuuQbAPZ7_NaD-SYnQGC2kqWmVndJbyaaAwdH8_IbE/s2048/IMG_7238.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1723" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMi6KO7rjXpqGy519LJ3eyg5xycZDhBdVGxYNZIO61_4IuwbIlFrUGa97fFkiGJy8t7ZFNaP7IE5tbt1uKhE4-ROjxWjOH02QjzuuQbAPZ7_NaD-SYnQGC2kqWmVndJbyaaAwdH8_IbE/s640/IMG_7238.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">we will wake up in the morning and the sun will rise. And if we're lucky enough we'll see it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveUeatbZNrVeLPUDSi_pxPpc82RJbdz8-c65z7WKXcx9zqQBltuQ03vXSZrSOw5yJEbTtQpChPsfNjZ_IlVX_f4d38WOrcOa4LrNIzqTE09Tf7m6fA8WWj3Hi0c2BHDGJ7fUSDHZyT8A/s2048/IMG_7175.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhveUeatbZNrVeLPUDSi_pxPpc82RJbdz8-c65z7WKXcx9zqQBltuQ03vXSZrSOw5yJEbTtQpChPsfNjZ_IlVX_f4d38WOrcOa4LrNIzqTE09Tf7m6fA8WWj3Hi0c2BHDGJ7fUSDHZyT8A/s640/IMG_7175.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And with a full water bottle and sun glasses we are pretty unstoppable.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-21035189037514131412020-08-25T16:54:00.003-05:002020-08-25T16:54:40.014-05:00New Year! Day 2Today marks day 2 of the 2020-21 school year. Like so many things that we've done over the last 5 months, if my 5 month ago self had a peek into yesterday or today I would have thought I'd lost my mind. Gone crazy. Needed an intervention. None of this is normal. Kids at desks in the hallway, multiple Zoom calls going at once, me homeschooling and starting a new part time job that takes me outside of our little remote school, plus Kevin working in the basement. Oh my goodness, this is bananas. But, life in a pandemic is bananas and when you realize that, well, everything is actually a ok!<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo40iLdje4n4GsTGsxw55ggFUCRRT3F3E7XNAyehYIhs4p4vQ-VuHG8lpi5AkNurKP-Ri_PgZtVfyY1l99cRJfgDTz9F_JrqVqGAy73Z_vDPv83j3_iKStFrk1EHdjOPHsDbAUimprnBQ/s2048/IMG_7083.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1543" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo40iLdje4n4GsTGsxw55ggFUCRRT3F3E7XNAyehYIhs4p4vQ-VuHG8lpi5AkNurKP-Ri_PgZtVfyY1l99cRJfgDTz9F_JrqVqGAy73Z_vDPv83j3_iKStFrk1EHdjOPHsDbAUimprnBQ/s640/IMG_7083.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eleanor is now in high school! Classes are all virtual until at least the middle of October. As expected she's super organized and totally ready for the rigor of high school. She rarely complains and when she does (because honestly, there's a lot to complain about) it's not long before she's flipping the complaint around and figuring out how to make something positive out of the situation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaF6cO5dhPOj9Cr2sPeCeLMgDJI3HglF3DwxjdISLVQkM5jMlSA0bPEDSJOKBn7GMYHADtzBngZobP2kpIIUk6JR3bes0uzAAo4A7wVpgCnwXd7IaO7fjCx8rWv6nciowDq8bf2NuFDVw/s1808/7AB072F3-2904-44FE-BA72-DA37011A1EFE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1793" data-original-width="1808" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaF6cO5dhPOj9Cr2sPeCeLMgDJI3HglF3DwxjdISLVQkM5jMlSA0bPEDSJOKBn7GMYHADtzBngZobP2kpIIUk6JR3bes0uzAAo4A7wVpgCnwXd7IaO7fjCx8rWv6nciowDq8bf2NuFDVw/s640/7AB072F3-2904-44FE-BA72-DA37011A1EFE.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Emma is a junior this year and so ready to get back to work! She is taking three AP course, is a section editor of her school newspaper, and co-conductor of the student run musical. Things will be very different online but she's focused on making the best of it! Also, she's now driving and is such an incredible help to our family, running errands, including chauffeuring her sisters!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqUAw_hpvPM1X6FFBAiVwhbr8V3BNtRcZ5pE61IPCuDxyIBkLhiIZZiNJku35YtQ2sqpxsIb4x9bZzbdmm8J0d9aJB8xzRnRPxcEL2nQ2kW8_Ih5LsMTlV9lwgqrtmzR5uAk1BhbNVk4/s2048/1106B98A-F5BE-4729-8112-844D8EED4927.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqUAw_hpvPM1X6FFBAiVwhbr8V3BNtRcZ5pE61IPCuDxyIBkLhiIZZiNJku35YtQ2sqpxsIb4x9bZzbdmm8J0d9aJB8xzRnRPxcEL2nQ2kW8_Ih5LsMTlV9lwgqrtmzR5uAk1BhbNVk4/s640/1106B98A-F5BE-4729-8112-844D8EED4927.heic" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lucy is in 4th grade at Family Homeschool! We are using Oak Meadow curriculum but I'm supplementing quite a lot using the curriculum from Clayton, which thankfully I have easy access to because the school I'm teaching at this year uses the same curriculum for math and literacy. In addition she is taking two dance classes and violin. Plus, she now has 3 animals! I know that we will have really hard days but the last two days have been amazing. In fact today was one of my favorite days in very long time. It included having Lucy read aloud to me under a fort, taking a long walk and taking pictures of trees so we can later try to identify their type, zipping through math because it's just review and boy doesn't that feel good to zip right through something, and reading aloud to Lucy on a blanket in the middle of Concordia Park, in a spot I've named our outdoor classroom, and Lucy thinks is so goofy but it also makes her smile great big like she knows I'm right :)!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifobT51xsKQ0K5uOncsCvU4GA7p5jHpwrpyWjI-UgBUhydguS371fMaQ-sAr3i-2NdAc-nshn-_t555p6TmlPpQuDPXzclCe9ImzYGZwpMdHL_zn4lI2alx1-4HHqmZTpVnSOZwj8xEJM/s2048/FFAE0EF8-7534-4FDB-A529-C874C1DC0A43.heic" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1539" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifobT51xsKQ0K5uOncsCvU4GA7p5jHpwrpyWjI-UgBUhydguS371fMaQ-sAr3i-2NdAc-nshn-_t555p6TmlPpQuDPXzclCe9ImzYGZwpMdHL_zn4lI2alx1-4HHqmZTpVnSOZwj8xEJM/s640/FFAE0EF8-7534-4FDB-A529-C874C1DC0A43.heic" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>And here I am all masked up in my classroom. Again, no way I would have thought this would be a thing 5 months ago. Back in a school and so, so, so happy! 5 minute commute, wonderful learning community where I get to teach literacy to 5th and 6th graders. Pinch me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I know, I KNOW, there' s a pandemic! It's scary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And yet, I still feel this way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvFgTM3aTOYyW29yisfj1k9118roznzvRUltBLtJmmbIZUrhzpbImVjBpqcQ9Dep4gri_ZHXgDO6KbOk0bkbaF20cSkoifnGlA4F-xx0GG-3VRu3gtyI4d311PmzhAON43EK0_o20oos/s640/3D84ACA3-A2F7-4F5F-A924-176CE6C5455A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJvFgTM3aTOYyW29yisfj1k9118roznzvRUltBLtJmmbIZUrhzpbImVjBpqcQ9Dep4gri_ZHXgDO6KbOk0bkbaF20cSkoifnGlA4F-xx0GG-3VRu3gtyI4d311PmzhAON43EK0_o20oos/s0/3D84ACA3-A2F7-4F5F-A924-176CE6C5455A.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> And Kevin! His work hasn't let up one bit so even though he's home working, he's not really home. Thankfully he has a spot away from the sometimes chaos of upstairs. He makes sure everyone has what they need and is always willing to take a bike ride, or a walk, or watch a show or movie. And honestly, right now, just having someone who will be with you in all of this unknown is such a gift. </div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-17977731130505177432020-03-30T17:07:00.000-05:002020-03-30T17:07:02.522-05:00Not bored<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBoowa0SpNNwpQdyCvahgfamp9NYzRmOaaCmIMrinR9vgRy_x8Zn1KnNzHcwPfkqEXIa3uT9SpfZqzkbkTaO_Bucr8ZSvMZSlJ_Yl9RRVMZS7UBlvvOFFEN97wYCqXKDJxZUVwHacums/s1600/91AA99BA-3186-41DA-87D8-123B38DB943C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBoowa0SpNNwpQdyCvahgfamp9NYzRmOaaCmIMrinR9vgRy_x8Zn1KnNzHcwPfkqEXIa3uT9SpfZqzkbkTaO_Bucr8ZSvMZSlJ_Yl9RRVMZS7UBlvvOFFEN97wYCqXKDJxZUVwHacums/s640/91AA99BA-3186-41DA-87D8-123B38DB943C.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Today marks the beginning of the third week since we've been staying home because of the pandemic. I have a lot on my mind that I don't want to forget but today I have just a quick story to share that I think says a lot about our days. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Eleanor finished her school work late in the morning. I asked her how she felt about that and if she was frustrated with her new school situation. She said, "No, I'm fine. I'm actually not bored. I was more bored before all of this than I ever am now." I asked her if she'd tell me more. She explained that before she had to stay home she always had things she had to do, things that felt like they were weighing her down, and when she had a little bit of time--like 45 minutes, that felt like pressure too, like she had to come up with the perfect thing to do with that time, so it was hard to make a decision and she felt like she wasted the time, leaving her feeling bored." </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-15076474015506324712019-12-02T17:45:00.001-06:002019-12-02T17:45:28.895-06:00Lysol and cleaning wipes <div style="text-align: center;">
We have two sick girls. Each with a different type of ick. One woke up in the night with thedreaded stomach virus!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Oh, December! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We have a real knack for getting stomach bugs in December. I've even blogged about a couple- <a href="http://buildingwiththebaums.blogspot.com/2012/12/what-few-days-its-been-using-my-phone.html">2012</a> <a href="http://buildingwiththebaums.blogspot.com/2011/12/vomit-zamboni.html">2011</a>. Plus there was the year Kevin and I got sick over Christmas in Columbia. And last year a stomach bug hit Lu right before Christmas and took me down on Eleanor's birthday :(. And of course I'll never ever forget 2005 when I was 9 months pregnant with Eleanor and landed in the hospital with a stomach virus. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
What gives in December? </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not enough sleep- true</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Too much sugar- also true</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Lots of time around other people in enclosed spaces-yep </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It might be too late for us this time around but those stomach bugs will be waiting all December long! So today I cleaned every surface with disinfectant wipes. I sprayed everything down with Lysol. I'm washing all sheets, towels, coats and any laundry just hanging around. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And I'm thinking positively. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We can make sleep a priority. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We can be smart about sugar.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And we can be careful about how much time we spend indoors. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Today I'm thankful for Lysol and cleaning wipes!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HDdtx6HWPlbbGiOWJtQMDPGnOodfBJgB26pajDEGW0kavH8S8K9bUo2Y8MKpWNPs8YbBvSizL8KUB0Xqf6-Tr-_lnd9c-Ui-kCuSUIXI9VWMLSZGU4Z7BJarj95DCKgXZFbA729_kqI/s1600/IMG_5031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HDdtx6HWPlbbGiOWJtQMDPGnOodfBJgB26pajDEGW0kavH8S8K9bUo2Y8MKpWNPs8YbBvSizL8KUB0Xqf6-Tr-_lnd9c-Ui-kCuSUIXI9VWMLSZGU4Z7BJarj95DCKgXZFbA729_kqI/s640/IMG_5031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
An afternoon snack with Olaf!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-1484096333097714342019-12-01T20:14:00.000-06:002019-12-01T20:14:06.285-06:00Picking right back upDecember 1 is here and so is the first day of Advent! Today I'm thankful (so it didn't work out to blog daily in November--oh well, there is hope for December--there is always, always hope!) for an ordinary Sunday. It's been a few weeks since we had a run of the mill Sunday and it felt so good! After a great dinner, a family devotional, and a family meeting to lay out the week I am fully satisfied and grateful!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxxs2sYOx9TbcBAZFvT2xUNb2xOcC25Zm6uuaIYivVg9Z2vnnYhO4us4K-6jYf5Mhw3dzB8TyF7tl_mkUbccpH4mRp1pYldAUvpZqZUaMiJ9HpJii9BKzIDQib064rA8MBKM4YUHpL90/s1600/Nook+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1597" data-original-width="1600" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxxs2sYOx9TbcBAZFvT2xUNb2xOcC25Zm6uuaIYivVg9Z2vnnYhO4us4K-6jYf5Mhw3dzB8TyF7tl_mkUbccpH4mRp1pYldAUvpZqZUaMiJ9HpJii9BKzIDQib064rA8MBKM4YUHpL90/s640/Nook+.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have a easily visible calendar for evening activities, this is also something to give thanks for! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-82459954164672478192019-11-05T19:17:00.001-06:002019-11-05T19:19:24.932-06:00Two More!<span id="goog_1111851181"></span><span id="goog_1111851182"></span>I'm thankful for Mondays! I work from home on Mondays and most weeks I just work a half a day. I catch up from the weekend and get set for a great week. This week in particular I was grateful for Monday because most of my weekend chores were left undone since Eleanor and I left for Chicago on Friday morning. I cooked and did laundry and cleaned up the house. I got my calendar straight for the week and took a long walk. I was able to return work email from my dining room table and the one meeting I had was at the Starbucks up the street. Monday might not be my favorite day of the week but it's still a pretty terrific day!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://memesbams.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/text-Monday-meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://memesbams.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/text-Monday-meme.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This pretty much sums up my Monday :)!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Today I'm also thankful for Richard Rohr. I was introduced to his writing a long time ago but didn't really read anything until a couple of years ago. Now I read something of his almost daily. His writing is brilliant and makes me really think about my lived faith. Here's a <a href="https://cac.org/beloved-children-of-god-2017-09-21/">devotion</a> I've been re-reading lately. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-42286864059753861682019-11-03T10:14:00.002-06:002019-11-03T10:16:17.134-06:00November is here!November is here which means my annual attempt to mark each day of the month with a thankful post is also here. We're three days in so, here goes with 3 things I'm thankful for right now.<br />
<br />
<br />
1- Eleanor<br />
Just the two of us traveled to Chicago this weekend. She is a lot of fun to spend time with. She is thoughtful and smart and funny, too! I have about a million and one stories to back all of that up, but she's 13 and most of her stories just plain belong to her. But if you know her, even a little bit, you don't need any stories to know that what I say is true :)!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uDNK1c5niarwGQB77-4ypznPyHpcIpgyOGkAkBo1EBtjW_2hP2hH5p9RogzesrWxHou2KrxRu25bPcl44g0XHOoPLg42CBkt43DKu_RKEG46lSYJk46Uot1xOLmEaAPrVxJSPieyijo/s1600/IMG_4867.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uDNK1c5niarwGQB77-4ypznPyHpcIpgyOGkAkBo1EBtjW_2hP2hH5p9RogzesrWxHou2KrxRu25bPcl44g0XHOoPLg42CBkt43DKu_RKEG46lSYJk46Uot1xOLmEaAPrVxJSPieyijo/s640/IMG_4867.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
2- Holiday preparations<br />
Our trip to Chicago has been so much fun and I hate for it to end--though I do miss the rest of my family and am excited to get home to them! The weather was chilly and perfect for getting us in the holiday mood. We woke up early and were at Macy's when they opened yesterday and loved shopping and enjoying all of the holiday decorations. We've got some ideas for the holidays and are hoping that somehow the next two months can feel like an eternity as we try to just enjoy the moments!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ReMohffGN8SVs9Nl986HVOBrRgjG-ctQ1U8-YzQGf_fFXN-Y2KbovlpneFa4r36GIGyWAj5bnIfOC1yDAmyt6f_Zu-Uz1d67_iMKWrEOg1fQJqjGPOJ_as2oGnHrLM0xo7kP2wZ6m0g/s1600/IMG_4872.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1341" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ReMohffGN8SVs9Nl986HVOBrRgjG-ctQ1U8-YzQGf_fFXN-Y2KbovlpneFa4r36GIGyWAj5bnIfOC1yDAmyt6f_Zu-Uz1d67_iMKWrEOg1fQJqjGPOJ_as2oGnHrLM0xo7kP2wZ6m0g/s640/IMG_4872.jpeg" width="536" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
3- Train travel<br />
Traveling by train in the US is not exactly the fastest way to travel. If Eleanor and I had wanted to be speedy we would have driven to Chicago . But we didn't care too much about speed. We both wanted to sit back and just relax. We've done some online shopping, planning, homework, Netflix watching <img height="16" id="w1gosf2tlpd2" src="data:image/gif;base64,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" width="16" />and chatting. And we've enjoyed the other people on the train. There is a man near us who is currently on hour two of catching up on the phone with someone he must not have talked to in at least five years. I am dying. It is so sweet and I love it. Also, the couple next to us brought McDonald's on for breakfast, prayed over their meal, finished up and had been snoozing away for 2 hours. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-4640823282695013662019-03-27T15:47:00.000-05:002019-03-27T15:47:19.981-05:007 more!14- Birds<br />
<br />
I love that I can hear the birds singing in the morning when I wake up! They are a sign that Spring is coming and that sounds wonderful to me. One of my favorite things about where we live is getting to experience 4 seasons every year. I'm almost always ready to move into the next season when it's time.<br />
<br />
15- Dark chocolate<br />
<br />
It's funny how tastes change. I've always liked chocolate but I'm finding that I'm really grateful for dark chocolate lately :). Not so much candy bars, in fact those mostly don't interest me. Just a little plain dark chocolate. Sometimes I wonder who I am. <br />
<br />
<br />
16- Wondering who I am.<br />
<br />
Dark chocolate and other small things lead me to my 16th thing to be thankful for. Oh sure, mostly I am the same year after year. But every so often I realize I've changed. Not good or bad or really any judgement whatsoever, just changed. It feels good to know that I'm growing into whoever it is I'm meant to be.<br />
<br />
17-Apple Car Play.<br />
<br />
What a great invention. It allows you to plug your phone into the radio and access Apps. Easily. Like so easy that a low tech person like me can't mess it up. It's wonderful.<br />
<br />
18- Text messages<br />
<br />
I remember when I first heard about texting. I really thought it was dumb. I'm a slow adopter. Very slow. Would rather not adopt in most cases. But the thing about us slow adopters is, once we're convinced we're with you, we're not looking for the next shiny thing. You really have us! Anyway, I could see absolutely no reason why texting would ever serve a purpose for me. Fast forward many years and now I LOVE it. I talk to my kids multiple times a day via text. Funny videos, hilarious memes, and just general awesomeness! I love that I can quickly catch up with friends and family and even get reminders for orthodontist appointments!<br />
<br />
As I wrote #18 this text came in-<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
🐨🐶🐮🐻🦁🦊🐱🐭🐰🐹🐯🐸🐷🐵🐣 YAY!</div>
<br />
Who doesn't want this message from their favorite 8 year old?!<br />
<br />
19- Pushing past comfort.<br />
<br />
<div>
I read this on Instagram right before the plane took off on Monday for a conference in Houston I attended and it was exactly what I needed read. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QJwSSUtUdLiBeH8lctYxH3YJwfUT7KDWEXXzGKwx4_YWAMZoXqH86yzksuIfjNr-AdJOarSrlOFG3wLY2D0AOEM_kKj4nVyeVDAMiADE6vkDC9wMp2xJM2XJvtG6qqHbK1yJofgFuj8/s1600/image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QJwSSUtUdLiBeH8lctYxH3YJwfUT7KDWEXXzGKwx4_YWAMZoXqH86yzksuIfjNr-AdJOarSrlOFG3wLY2D0AOEM_kKj4nVyeVDAMiADE6vkDC9wMp2xJM2XJvtG6qqHbK1yJofgFuj8/s320/image.png" width="282" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
Another time I will write about all of the things that led to me traveling to this conference but trust me, it was meant to be. However, every bit of this was out of my comfort zone. From the moment I got into the Uber at 4:15 on Monday morning, until the moment I returned the rental car an hour ago. A few of the things that were out of my comfort zone:<br />
<div>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Checked myself in for a flight . I usually fly as a family group where someone in the group checks us all in. Checking myself in resulted in me boarding in the C group for both flights. Thankfully one thing I have going for me is the fact that I am not a nervous traveler. I'm not worried about being early, I'm not worried about being late. I'm not worried about being in A and I'm not worried about being in C. And yes, I had to sit between two people on the flight to Houston and I suspect the return will be the same. Somebody's got to do it! Another thing I have going for me is being 5'4". I don't take up a lot of space.</li>
<li>Rented a rental car. Ok, it was more the picking it up and driving it. I did fine! They rented me a little car that had Apple Car Play so I plugged my phone in and away I went. Not a single problem. I even had to drive in Houston traffic out to the suburbs about an hour away. </li>
<li>Stayed in a hotel all by myself. I'm 43 and I've never done this. Two summers ago Lucy and I drove to Wisconsin to pick up the older girls from camp. We spent two nights alone in a hotel as we made the drive and as silly as it sounds, I felt different after that trip. This stay had less of an impact. Mostly, I felt just like me. For instance, I forgot my key every single time I left the room. Went to work out, had to get a new key. Went to breakfast, had to get a new key. Came back from a day at the conference, had to get a new key. I did thoroughly enjoy two nights with absolutely no responsibility though! I stopped both nights after the conference and picked up a salad and some fruit for dinner. And then I got in bed at 6:45 and watched reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond until I feel asleep around 9. Left to my own devices this is the exciting life I live.</li>
</ul>
</div>
20-Home-<br />
<br />
I am at the airport and heading home and I cannot wait! Can't wait for all of it. The work, the complaints, the laundry, the smiles, the hugs, the mess. I love my home and the people who make it my favorite place!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-47054045423215580172019-03-19T16:14:00.001-05:002019-03-19T16:14:49.171-05:0012 and 13Today I'm thankful for time. Time away from our normal routine to explore and enjoy. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhChh5P46cTzeuIpHkRgn9_HRnUwFtKkmmcXMTBRcHM6XqGjj333EZjhE7lWpdoi4ojDXkwNkQoiWvO5PegLJWZyiw-yOJRgWUS2fr_Z7zxGLBROvhFB4VFEJcnaF60gCzfAHOe4VrDNYs/s1600/IMG_2579.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhChh5P46cTzeuIpHkRgn9_HRnUwFtKkmmcXMTBRcHM6XqGjj333EZjhE7lWpdoi4ojDXkwNkQoiWvO5PegLJWZyiw-yOJRgWUS2fr_Z7zxGLBROvhFB4VFEJcnaF60gCzfAHOe4VrDNYs/s640/IMG_2579.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Time for things like holding baby alligators! Boy does she live by the when in Rome motto! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKBHETacQQtX1PvIExtyFAgZEx81oBVahWsJbwYnKtO9GbjD7M_5fD4yNOhJ4gVJgV7-a09yV9NOZJUdJEtZotzwRpPeB-anV-6LnURsIUbrOZs0vF_KLyCk1UTi9iMb0t0FdxpzwQrc/s1600/IMG_2454.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKBHETacQQtX1PvIExtyFAgZEx81oBVahWsJbwYnKtO9GbjD7M_5fD4yNOhJ4gVJgV7-a09yV9NOZJUdJEtZotzwRpPeB-anV-6LnURsIUbrOZs0vF_KLyCk1UTi9iMb0t0FdxpzwQrc/s640/IMG_2454.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Time for learning about a time in our history that we know too little about. On Sunday we visited the <a href="http://whitneyplantation.com/">Whitney Plantation</a>, one of the only plantation museums with a focus on slavery. We learned so much and it has us thinking a lot. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Yesterday I was thankful for my birthday! It was as good as it gets and if yesterday was any indication, 43 is going to be amazing! We had a decadent breakfast (bananas foster gluten-free pancakes and a mimosa for me!), followed by a stroll around the French Quarter, then an outstanding narrated tour for kids (but parents also learned a lot!) of the history of New Orleans and the French Quarter, a snack on one of many lovely balconies in the French Quarter, an hour-long line for Preservation Hall that felt like a minute because of the good company, the beautiful weather and the comedy of standing on a street in New Orleans (so many characters!), a great jazz show at Preservation Hall and an outstanding dinner and dessert at Muriel's. Plus somewhere in there, we had Pinkberry. And Lucy got a henna tattoo. It was a day packed full of fun!</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjPcHiEONENZs55NtXSkR-TgKGo-iSpSVj9jRQZ1GTiRNibyThNI3M-oJXcOL0MKvFlmiNqu8iyoh2xQiu8AFTgwPXzRvk5ev-nOeWV7IgBOT2eEFLCblMZGIrbtkBweYIJ-XxReoXy4/s1600/IMG_2519.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjPcHiEONENZs55NtXSkR-TgKGo-iSpSVj9jRQZ1GTiRNibyThNI3M-oJXcOL0MKvFlmiNqu8iyoh2xQiu8AFTgwPXzRvk5ev-nOeWV7IgBOT2eEFLCblMZGIrbtkBweYIJ-XxReoXy4/s640/IMG_2519.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-67262526220356787782019-03-16T18:37:00.002-05:002019-03-16T18:37:44.157-05:00Days 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11I have been very thankful and even intentional about thinking about something daily but I have not written. So, I'll catch up today with 5 things just from today that I'm thankful for!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGIVVU7yfKugG8ZwftFHpsL6fbpGcdDT6gWMBduOLqDiqwrSd5CPv2TtHzbkc6XAMKZKR2w-gk59fH1aRy6ObjFj4CDbOajTvRHySuriskUsvz88dJ2ydK6-Ml2vvKeykOTvaTUU9T8Y/s1600/IMG_2419.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGIVVU7yfKugG8ZwftFHpsL6fbpGcdDT6gWMBduOLqDiqwrSd5CPv2TtHzbkc6XAMKZKR2w-gk59fH1aRy6ObjFj4CDbOajTvRHySuriskUsvz88dJ2ydK6-Ml2vvKeykOTvaTUU9T8Y/s640/IMG_2419.jpeg" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
1: Waking up to gentle rain. We drove all day yesterday from St. Louis to New Orleans and got in at about 8 last night. We were exhausted and all slept great, and waking up to the gentle sound of rain was beautiful!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8X-irH-Y_zOIaawo89HZkSexvRgPGVvzi5rvNlKU2e-nvxlBytzU4eq16QasHD5LHlbBnkKTG0cTWngj9ARF7vWktRyGdBMlg7O0ApE9HqYorlc5luGPI1k0SNDPJsFcUCXaUPouaB_c/s1600/IMG_2424.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8X-irH-Y_zOIaawo89HZkSexvRgPGVvzi5rvNlKU2e-nvxlBytzU4eq16QasHD5LHlbBnkKTG0cTWngj9ARF7vWktRyGdBMlg7O0ApE9HqYorlc5luGPI1k0SNDPJsFcUCXaUPouaB_c/s640/IMG_2424.jpeg" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
2: Great travel companions. All of them are really the best. Everyone is up for an adventure (a VooDoo Museum that a certain 8 year old had to see), understanding of diet restrictions (vegetarian and gluten free), willing to try new things (gumbo), and in general just a whole lot of fun. They are my favorite group ever.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6t28Ob-TNEvXJA3GVtpVMIJO5vUqkQ16d_fApqkSpm__LXd0FZnHbuE8jmp9DAxGlcWi7vHFRMlX2pLMaP1m87NEgDqQlSXOxM_grwxsOHLvysQJHHC8bt7nOKQwa2m4I1h_ezHuyI8/s1600/IMG_2443.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6t28Ob-TNEvXJA3GVtpVMIJO5vUqkQ16d_fApqkSpm__LXd0FZnHbuE8jmp9DAxGlcWi7vHFRMlX2pLMaP1m87NEgDqQlSXOxM_grwxsOHLvysQJHHC8bt7nOKQwa2m4I1h_ezHuyI8/s640/IMG_2443.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
3: Musicians in the family. One of the reasons we chose to come to New Orleans was jazz. Both Emma and Eleanor play in jazz bands, and have taught us a lot about jazz music and instruments. We heard some fun music today and are looking forward to more throughout the week.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrCQ2Gp8-wL6GMekky4VSW7xG45ak7oh6TpiUCZvtOX6ADFuqmrTCzlq1Zkuf_ixTQ_MQKplYN-SmJ7uRSwHIXR8zsCNempW3zgXWx8j9lBIb3wQSHfYKNv3wFhBLPT8Y3sRcD4m4nQo/s1600/image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrCQ2Gp8-wL6GMekky4VSW7xG45ak7oh6TpiUCZvtOX6ADFuqmrTCzlq1Zkuf_ixTQ_MQKplYN-SmJ7uRSwHIXR8zsCNempW3zgXWx8j9lBIb3wQSHfYKNv3wFhBLPT8Y3sRcD4m4nQo/s640/image.png" width="435" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
4.) The Magic Tree House book series. Lucy and I read a Magic Tree House book about New Orleans and Louis Armstrong last week and we learned all sorts of things about the city and jazz. Lucy keeps noticing things we read about and sharing them with everyone! Emma traces her love of history back to that book series and I'm seeing it happen again with Lucy! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPL1_6oID5Uxcj_Mm-EakVG7tvFD7LgkhRtgHUPExF85kZPsMm4llI2G6EWwVy5a_2gTOfhqfczvyL8li8GhzJqRqi3W096umbJ5tCFvwZljZOzMtVoUNztf0d74_V4ooN2AvumupWQrk/s1600/IMG_2448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPL1_6oID5Uxcj_Mm-EakVG7tvFD7LgkhRtgHUPExF85kZPsMm4llI2G6EWwVy5a_2gTOfhqfczvyL8li8GhzJqRqi3W096umbJ5tCFvwZljZOzMtVoUNztf0d74_V4ooN2AvumupWQrk/s640/IMG_2448.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
5. Quiet! Right now I'm sitting on the front porch of our Air B and B and I can hear birds singing and an occasional car. It's cool outside and there's nothing I need to do. Kevin is reading and the girls are inside relaxing with Food Network. We're ordering Mediterranean food to be delivered for dinner and everything is lovely. Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-21904184681691179042019-03-11T13:54:00.002-05:002019-03-11T13:56:11.004-05:00Days 3, 4,5 and 6- Laughing, talking, a good haircut, and smoothies.I am so thankful to be in a family that laughs. A lot. Every single day. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I am also thankful to be in a family that talks. A lot. Most of the Baums are quiet introverts. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Yrl_DbQ3K1puvTP6LncFEO0d-C87kbNgraOMdfVXgTFl4twuL-CPmX77b8qI6a8bWiiXXtV_XD7zfXWGwr9rT6xko1cSQE71bGUF5IaGVsQR6amTxZXIn4ob79EbSMDOJcaw62hI8Hk/s1600/image.png" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySU8wkCt2XRbya9-bVXX-Cd67uxm_OB6Us1l08icv3sW3BcFB-GSPXE4Th2tSYM3b7k-ZS3yiwyUqHUC8DqPEFIRa0AC5Wi7EyrWPqB4NVSnNYEzdog9Cy0MTSETpg8iQpYaUVcZ605Y/s1600/image.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySU8wkCt2XRbya9-bVXX-Cd67uxm_OB6Us1l08icv3sW3BcFB-GSPXE4Th2tSYM3b7k-ZS3yiwyUqHUC8DqPEFIRa0AC5Wi7EyrWPqB4NVSnNYEzdog9Cy0MTSETpg8iQpYaUVcZ605Y/s640/image.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
That's right quiet introverts and yet we laugh and talk! Imagine that. As a quiet introvert who is raising quiet introverts I am on a mission to raise girls who believe that quiet people are incredible leaders. That quiet people are marvelous listeners. That quiet people are deep thinkers. That quiet people have strong opinions and lots to share. That quiet people can do whatever it is they want to do. <br />
<br />
I am thankful for a good haircut. I got one on Saturday and it feels great!<br />
<br />
I am thankful for smoothies. I have one almost every weekday for breakfast and every day that I don't, I regret it.<br />
<br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-26600780332029671272019-03-07T18:46:00.005-06:002019-03-07T18:50:46.037-06:00Noticing<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Yesterday as I got ready to write my post I noticed I had over 100 unpublished posts! What? How could that </span>be.<span style="text-align: left;"> So I started looking through them. At least 50% are simply posts that I've titled with no actual writing. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few titles:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">On Summer (Was it good on summer, or bad on summer?) </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">The Day I realized I Support Bernie (I'm assuming this was Bernie Sanders. I wonder, what did happen that day?)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Grateful Day 1 (Was I really that stumped...on day 1?)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">This Is What We Do (What, what do we do???)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I shall never know the answers to those questions. But there were others that were full posts. I do not remember writing them. At all. I remember the situations I wrote about but can't for the life of me remember why I didn't hit publish. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here's one:</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
When Emma began kindergarten I imagined us walking to and from school every single day. A happy stroll to begin and end our day. One of the many things that attracted us to our neighborhood was its wonderful walkability and I couldn't wait to take advantage of it! </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
At first my idealized arrangement worked nicely but as time passed I found us hustling around in the mornings more than I wanted because I HATE to be late. I was griping and rushing and frustrated and yelling. Emma does not hate to be late plus she's not a morning person so leaving early to walk to school seemed silly to her. It made practical sense to her to NOT walk and to use that extra 15 minutes to sleep.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
We went on like this for several years. Me being convinced that walking was the way and Emma dragging her feet every step. </div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Tomorrow is Emma's last day of fifth grade and we walked to school once this year. Once. On the first day of school. We replaced the walk with a quick drive and gave up the yelling and frustration---we've hung on to the hustling, it just became part of our fabric.</div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
In an oddly sweet turn, Emma did walk home most days and in some little way that seems absolutely perfect. That sort of sums up what elementary school has been for us....having the most incredible place to figure out what works and what doesn't, where to put energy and where to ease up and how to change expectations and figure out what's really important.</div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Fast forward four years...</div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmax4K80i3UpcfbDNYOWmQKms7tjS2ePEkvjmFrke9c8YrBE4HVu9zqQnbK23fpqltTLrh4CCQdgrSh9-0VLF7NhmIVl3oW12YcG0Q5yI6cAB3OIiBCpnQ5iL4cKrVn-xO3FwD3_a970/s1600/IMG_2363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmax4K80i3UpcfbDNYOWmQKms7tjS2ePEkvjmFrke9c8YrBE4HVu9zqQnbK23fpqltTLrh4CCQdgrSh9-0VLF7NhmIVl3oW12YcG0Q5yI6cAB3OIiBCpnQ5iL4cKrVn-xO3FwD3_a970/s640/IMG_2363.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6:55AM!! Dressed and ready for her day! She leaves early every day and is up late every night. All that hustling we did in elementary school is paying off! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today I'm grateful for noticing. Noticing the little ways my girls are growing. Noticing the changes but also the sweet connections to the past. Noticing how no matter if they're 15 months of 15 years, seeing their faces first thing in the morning makes my heart leap a little. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I hope I always remember to notice.</div>
</div>
</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-38534578338510610332019-03-06T16:46:00.001-06:002019-03-06T16:46:45.082-06:00Ash WednesdayToday is the first day of Lent and as I've attempted (but not achieved) in the past, I plan to create a habit of writing Lenten what I'm thankful for posts. Thinking of what I'm thankful for is not hard, choosing to make time to write about it is. I know there is power in gratitude and intentionality so I hope to make space for it!<br />
<br />
<br />
Today I'm thankful for liturgical seasons and the way they center me. Advent and Lent are both times that I feel so much peace and purpose. Filling up during these seasons helps me all year long. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRJnjqLO0woqkrXA6x6HU-w4xJ9fDpHAOO6ONuuFdiamUWfdlhcckAd3j_bTTiyprn0P4cm261nJvQXSQHcQAERK54eMkWglpQ_mNtlufLNe3ILDLnvzNNLhj2ot9uXISEOjDcYFlaZA/s1600/Meagan+and+Lucy+Ash+Wednesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRJnjqLO0woqkrXA6x6HU-w4xJ9fDpHAOO6ONuuFdiamUWfdlhcckAd3j_bTTiyprn0P4cm261nJvQXSQHcQAERK54eMkWglpQ_mNtlufLNe3ILDLnvzNNLhj2ot9uXISEOjDcYFlaZA/s640/Meagan+and+Lucy+Ash+Wednesday.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy and Pastor Meagan. I love this photo of these two amazing ladies!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #002f5d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em;"><a class="link_title" href="http://www.shrineofstjude.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ssj_what_is_lent#AshWednesday" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #002f5d; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2em;"><i>Ash Wednesday</i></a></span><br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5em;">
<i>Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It occurs 46 days (40 non-Sundays, and 6 Sundays) before Easter and can fall as early as February 4th or as late as March 10th. According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan. Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter.</i></div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-24240929034235728462019-01-05T19:18:00.001-06:002019-01-05T19:18:35.603-06:00Hello 2019<div style="text-align: center;">
The most exciting part of 2019 is the fact that this fantastic young lady is now 13! </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzR6QKpYMYZaP3N_RFbNqXBRDUDf_0rzNn-GqFYPTOVCd88apoOqGrqE3UbJC8_3pd19K1G1D7iYbepuoh6So4_0MjSiAD5tR75li1_Vkb1BL3p4UK1I5_-5txch0EBJ9FSvyrRf5haY/s1600/IMG_1399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1186" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzR6QKpYMYZaP3N_RFbNqXBRDUDf_0rzNn-GqFYPTOVCd88apoOqGrqE3UbJC8_3pd19K1G1D7iYbepuoh6So4_0MjSiAD5tR75li1_Vkb1BL3p4UK1I5_-5txch0EBJ9FSvyrRf5haY/s640/IMG_1399.jpg" width="474" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
She is funny and kind. Strong and inclusive of others. Super smart and humble. And a million other things. She is perfectly, brilliantly Eleanor. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Eleanor turning 13 means that we now have 2 teenage girls in the house. I have a lot to say about teenagers. Though I'm new to parenting teens I've already formed a lot of opinions and have at least a short book of thoughts in my mind on the subject. But I have a solid 12 years of parenting teens ahead of me. So laying down a whole lot of thoughts at this point is a little like making a grand declaration about running a marathon once you've run 2 or 3 miles. Instead, I will write this, as this feels pretty certain to me:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;">Parenting teens is hard. They are a little crazy. And they know it. And you know it. And you all have to survive together with this knowledge. </li>
<li><span style="text-align: left;">Parenting teens </span>is<span style="text-align: left;"> terrific. Some days you catch such a clear view of who they have been created to be, and it's so incredibly beautiful that it just guts you and you wonder how, just how, you get to have a </span>front row<span style="text-align: left;"> seat to this. And this gets you through the crazies. Because it's a long game and a few crazy days should be expected. </span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86a_DYN_z8tK381_I85uj2TftdPq_VdR9RBwFZWrPwJpZ0yu7miGR5G9GWhf1Hn4-1GuMFyuLWZfJWTics7s-xfIWW8LM8L7wCp2nJfRzu7XWuak3-Mw_10fWDYRXGdAXElhszdunrVk/s1600/IMG_2179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86a_DYN_z8tK381_I85uj2TftdPq_VdR9RBwFZWrPwJpZ0yu7miGR5G9GWhf1Hn4-1GuMFyuLWZfJWTics7s-xfIWW8LM8L7wCp2nJfRzu7XWuak3-Mw_10fWDYRXGdAXElhszdunrVk/s640/IMG_2179.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ok, one more thought on teens: You learn to accept table behavior that you'd never have allowed at 5. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
Other news in 2019:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQa1U57OGpAHgSfNrpFjSIUa3AoZ24AH8mI3-tL_Ri2FZFm4aGw2tlGVDiFNaG68_-NPSSAqs2QXbL7EU_JWzF8OVVHzRhA2pg3oeguKOdDN_MJejyCO185tkfORigR32p8RZHXaZzD0/s1600/IMG_2181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQa1U57OGpAHgSfNrpFjSIUa3AoZ24AH8mI3-tL_Ri2FZFm4aGw2tlGVDiFNaG68_-NPSSAqs2QXbL7EU_JWzF8OVVHzRhA2pg3oeguKOdDN_MJejyCO185tkfORigR32p8RZHXaZzD0/s640/IMG_2181.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Lucy is playing basketball! She is having a lot of fun and we love to watch her play! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Q0B0F5e0JTaURiQCwOW36jjwFOkrAL8HIjE05u-rYqgdstmjkZPrAcAPnaBvlQiId8w7-A2D6UCmzuwp2rPUzMWC_JOwQ3VYoSWuk3e20sp-CeiuxoK2ciW_NTbS47C6nNEjA_iQON4/s1600/IMG_2178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Q0B0F5e0JTaURiQCwOW36jjwFOkrAL8HIjE05u-rYqgdstmjkZPrAcAPnaBvlQiId8w7-A2D6UCmzuwp2rPUzMWC_JOwQ3VYoSWuk3e20sp-CeiuxoK2ciW_NTbS47C6nNEjA_iQON4/s640/IMG_2178.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Emma doing homework after her first day back from Winter Break. No easing back into things for her teachers. Emma had an excellent first semester of high school and we could not be more proud of how hard she worked but also how well she balanced life. It's a challenge for sure.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-17574189186050449932018-11-17T18:23:00.000-06:002018-11-17T18:23:08.408-06:00It’s not the same without you..We are on our first road trip post Janie and I don’t mind sharing—-we are missing that sweet pale blue family rom on wheels. Kevin’s SUV is no match to the comfort and space of a van. Comfort aside we are fairing well. We are 9 hours into day 1 with about 2 hours left on this leg and other than my incredibly ill advised choice to purchase Lucy a book of 300 animal knock knock jokes at the book fair yesterday we are having success. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVShBylCXipSrsN_5DzBw1xOmAgMDrV1VworcHz0MkxDdqMdCc-WMrxUIjplfgdwL7gq7fkbuLv7L87LhVdZrcGqjqEHtw7WiVxigjTcSOzkQEyeafSW2ajSj8CGuDKwu5uhPQg3B9JAc/s1600/9C66FA51-0738-46AF-9E1F-B245B90F23DF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVShBylCXipSrsN_5DzBw1xOmAgMDrV1VworcHz0MkxDdqMdCc-WMrxUIjplfgdwL7gq7fkbuLv7L87LhVdZrcGqjqEHtw7WiVxigjTcSOzkQEyeafSW2ajSj8CGuDKwu5uhPQg3B9JAc/s640/9C66FA51-0738-46AF-9E1F-B245B90F23DF.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Knock Knock</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Who’s There?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Kanga</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Kanga who?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
KangaROOOO not WhOOO!</div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-24956171386972964432018-08-17T18:41:00.000-05:002018-08-17T18:41:47.884-05:00The Magical Disappearing Summer...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: center;">Summer break really did disappear. Right before our eyes the calendar showed August 15 and snap we were back to school. Here is a bit of what we spent our summer doing-</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGLaBz-ASUcISgNS_lEIm6sxsfYJzvoocAOd0SJJpwNjfoWWgfkXulC9s4dvQYLxfBzOHFdo-g1AquV_WQGOi8LDzVkQyzMI9WBkvgVcqozflZQg7a81AZmDVoUO5Sj6fIkF1woyvxco/s1600/IMG_4001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1248" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGLaBz-ASUcISgNS_lEIm6sxsfYJzvoocAOd0SJJpwNjfoWWgfkXulC9s4dvQYLxfBzOHFdo-g1AquV_WQGOi8LDzVkQyzMI9WBkvgVcqozflZQg7a81AZmDVoUO5Sj6fIkF1woyvxco/s640/IMG_4001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">A visit with our friends the Mays, who live in Colorado. As always too short but such a treat.<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsNp9WQRGhJlynTDc6Jg5klTtWs8meEPdgp_nYt2rh9bvUWzEAjjDmZeUXFIn0HyjOf0cHsYoFGTLxBCGxZwksLSlPhg00hqaDF4C3tXbv4VwJ_GzvwKmuhW8qySFPWq3zJzhiZufBik/s1600/IMG_4038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsNp9WQRGhJlynTDc6Jg5klTtWs8meEPdgp_nYt2rh9bvUWzEAjjDmZeUXFIn0HyjOf0cHsYoFGTLxBCGxZwksLSlPhg00hqaDF4C3tXbv4VwJ_GzvwKmuhW8qySFPWq3zJzhiZufBik/s640/IMG_4038.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Emma and I had Muny season tickets, which we loved. But this is how we looked every single week. Soaked and tired because of rain delays! I now have a pair of pants called "my Muny pants" which resemble pajama pants. We got so used to rain delays and sitting in the rain that I started going to the shows prepared. Which meant, I washed my face and put my heavy duty night wrinkle cream on, no make up, and I wore my Muny pants. Which allowed me to crawl right into bed when we got home, no matter how late the rain delay made it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsg8iUG5dT08Kxba8Y6LoOCCtLd2omf2krWShx-bf-v1g1_LfLqgI2m9Qc9SJ6L6M-rfyE6WKrIRn1KV_vgL6dOlGPBflYXVKuvWgsCfejvcA9hDCKUPoW3ccplcdPcVvpjs2Jl_qPg0/s1600/IMG_4126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsg8iUG5dT08Kxba8Y6LoOCCtLd2omf2krWShx-bf-v1g1_LfLqgI2m9Qc9SJ6L6M-rfyE6WKrIRn1KV_vgL6dOlGPBflYXVKuvWgsCfejvcA9hDCKUPoW3ccplcdPcVvpjs2Jl_qPg0/s640/IMG_4126.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">We had a fantastic trip to the lake with Grandpa Jim and Grandma to celebrate Grandma's birthday!<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGHY_ob_SI6Pu5gqQhbHTGMkuuJH9HI6S75SN8jIGlSo2bGp8vDjZ2RXspyaJqBCrsfHzFKZ8eqlRN1AMN3eawhy8nH-SXB7pbhTwwAFZyi1id-MU4jyKNHBsjQcj6G3aQEZzYP-xf-o/s1600/IMG_4152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGHY_ob_SI6Pu5gqQhbHTGMkuuJH9HI6S75SN8jIGlSo2bGp8vDjZ2RXspyaJqBCrsfHzFKZ8eqlRN1AMN3eawhy8nH-SXB7pbhTwwAFZyi1id-MU4jyKNHBsjQcj6G3aQEZzYP-xf-o/s640/IMG_4152.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">We got a hamster, we lost the hamster, the hamster met his end, we got another hamster, we lost the hamster, we found the hamster, we took the hamster back to the pet store, and we now are the happy owners of a guinea pig named Oreo.<br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsjySVIfZPwlKcAICASAROtXubSpvnOVItixc9e9PZtAx05ldWXlezNrRaeTf0J_NtHygDht38YFNu1ZUOtDUHb_sJqKGJkWyfmInLHksP70ctaIVTlFdx51G-eYUHkHXUKU3-_2x8ow/s1600/IMG_0084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsjySVIfZPwlKcAICASAROtXubSpvnOVItixc9e9PZtAx05ldWXlezNrRaeTf0J_NtHygDht38YFNu1ZUOtDUHb_sJqKGJkWyfmInLHksP70ctaIVTlFdx51G-eYUHkHXUKU3-_2x8ow/s640/IMG_0084.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">Emma and Eleanor turned every bit of that fruit into pies which they sold as a fundraiser for a friend of ours who ran for State Representative. While she didn't win, she'll be back and we're grateful for the opportunity to show up for something important. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAalrZutV0pYLyh1E4Mj6UsNnGUWk9RGY_y1a1XSvsmP3POUZ5cMZuZUDBYrXKv5q0XHMpfZf1j2gnWKj8-G89QiqKXc28s1Y5PPuMk-IEn1JxaQ-SeEGdDSv6ERUQdLXw6PyajXJwus/s1600/IMG_0523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAalrZutV0pYLyh1E4Mj6UsNnGUWk9RGY_y1a1XSvsmP3POUZ5cMZuZUDBYrXKv5q0XHMpfZf1j2gnWKj8-G89QiqKXc28s1Y5PPuMk-IEn1JxaQ-SeEGdDSv6ERUQdLXw6PyajXJwus/s640/IMG_0523.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">We always have fun in Chicago and this summer was no different. We took the train (our favorite form of transportation) and on the way, we stopped in Springfield, IL to visit the Lincoln Museum. It was excellent and well worth the stop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWmjTUct4hkXpRA87Ro00yzWfGfAjSx8IDV_Bz8PXBJGBXnPUBiy1grTF3-KCHSNUe_WQnOJrLAU2QLOEy-hnGyuLEs4qHukPikAfe6pZctWJphpEUYBz6Iobdh528zl9WGvTkxLcyDA/s1600/IMG_0687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWmjTUct4hkXpRA87Ro00yzWfGfAjSx8IDV_Bz8PXBJGBXnPUBiy1grTF3-KCHSNUe_WQnOJrLAU2QLOEy-hnGyuLEs4qHukPikAfe6pZctWJphpEUYBz6Iobdh528zl9WGvTkxLcyDA/s640/IMG_0687.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We spent some time in Colorado and there were highs and there were lows. But, sheesh, this was a trip I loved. It was packed with so many good reminders about the power of family, persistence, and unconditional love. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVuGihfbQjHbi5hL76vwWr7qIlW8zlUQYYNSmC0fzOqnsJyOXyL5YLU3PlRWVCPRkjww8Yq28AZtcEYonTketIGlqTkapcYnjleEgmvivmpKTZVPN_b3r-LXWczcQrmQoNughs13hjsM/s1600/IMG_0877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqVuGihfbQjHbi5hL76vwWr7qIlW8zlUQYYNSmC0fzOqnsJyOXyL5YLU3PlRWVCPRkjww8Yq28AZtcEYonTketIGlqTkapcYnjleEgmvivmpKTZVPN_b3r-LXWczcQrmQoNughs13hjsM/s640/IMG_0877.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We spent a week in Michigan with people we love! Take me back!!<br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpAm-FuYcHNn_lBsvZBliZKia2sJ9QQgTcXH396KCElX2vIFbuK-H3_F1NiUvHAaFtLuZqy9pq9UHdWsS0hzsHE1hPKenFxtw4MHn9QpBpSd_4sAgufIgKQIV2sWwMca8mVH6NoH5-1U/s1600/IMG_0341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpAm-FuYcHNn_lBsvZBliZKia2sJ9QQgTcXH396KCElX2vIFbuK-H3_F1NiUvHAaFtLuZqy9pq9UHdWsS0hzsHE1hPKenFxtw4MHn9QpBpSd_4sAgufIgKQIV2sWwMca8mVH6NoH5-1U/s640/IMG_0341.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin and I celebrated 18 years of marriage with a trip to Nashville. We had a great time and loved every minute!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhacOliha76gU4XxL8PLM4kpeTtsjZIRG8lNYPUmKxcIhmQQWVym9BHuMZ7KrVAWU7pFvuaaE7HhpEKvI6LBiYmtCJPhkaCuw5PckmG2B17MWzvEfGySMUuX2kxW3BHgIPFSZgPCKCidk/s1600/IMG_0901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhacOliha76gU4XxL8PLM4kpeTtsjZIRG8lNYPUmKxcIhmQQWVym9BHuMZ7KrVAWU7pFvuaaE7HhpEKvI6LBiYmtCJPhkaCuw5PckmG2B17MWzvEfGySMUuX2kxW3BHgIPFSZgPCKCidk/s640/IMG_0901.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: small;">The braces are off! WOOHOOO!! What a gorgeous smile this girl has, metal mouth or not! </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodfLQQwnUGfq8CcIJ2VxGVh57E_aIwQXbPL0NnQg2YQuo4awukHEw11eU_nMAwmlnBh-Sv7gxGgEMnJBu60IFo30BI7LmCYOWlne4RkxVauogBfJYF7vtg_PLeuGPq-CRQbizs31mTzc/s1600/IMG_0934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1210" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodfLQQwnUGfq8CcIJ2VxGVh57E_aIwQXbPL0NnQg2YQuo4awukHEw11eU_nMAwmlnBh-Sv7gxGgEMnJBu60IFo30BI7LmCYOWlne4RkxVauogBfJYF7vtg_PLeuGPq-CRQbizs31mTzc/s640/IMG_0934.jpg" width="586" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">The baby turned 8! She is just pure joy and fun! <br /><br />There were a million other little things in between that made the summer feel just right. With a summer so sweet I cannot complain about how brief it felt. It really is true, time flies when you're having fun!<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-55884315298990562232018-06-11T08:20:00.000-05:002018-06-11T08:20:08.771-05:00June so far<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHnnRRnrsNLUhdd00v6E7-ReoRjilXUhrSvr1ldGep4iggwopfQrnFfvWK4lUtUx4Kedku2GWNn4f28jsFtnit4J-z2fMnCStRuXO0HtpbCBNNcf41q_Hb4_GjtGf5zw9O_x0_FyyNvs/s1600/IMG_3960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="1600" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHnnRRnrsNLUhdd00v6E7-ReoRjilXUhrSvr1ldGep4iggwopfQrnFfvWK4lUtUx4Kedku2GWNn4f28jsFtnit4J-z2fMnCStRuXO0HtpbCBNNcf41q_Hb4_GjtGf5zw9O_x0_FyyNvs/s640/IMG_3960.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A highlight of our week---2018 MJ Dance Recital! These two were fabulous! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Our first week of summer was a win. We settled in, not really with any sort of rhythm but it's coming and that feels great. Lucy had a camp last week, the older girls worked on figuring out how much to sleep in and how to manage their time so they both feel free and not like total slobs :). I had one last work commitment last Friday and so now I also feel like summer is here! I'll still work some but with a lot more freedom until the girls go back to school. Yay!<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A few more moments from last week...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyvJ-v6oX0F452WN7voL0uqQiSK45FYWOLg0Vk4Upqvx3MpTQP3uvM7G9ExRjJjCiM2t9_sFOX7w6sjyQD2Ua08XY4oB3Q_16RY-g5gkLYPHW1aHUusofWYsZy_qOHx4AynkpIJoac4I/s1600/IMG_3951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyvJ-v6oX0F452WN7voL0uqQiSK45FYWOLg0Vk4Upqvx3MpTQP3uvM7G9ExRjJjCiM2t9_sFOX7w6sjyQD2Ua08XY4oB3Q_16RY-g5gkLYPHW1aHUusofWYsZy_qOHx4AynkpIJoac4I/s640/IMG_3951.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great visit with Grandpa Bill full of grocery store trips, tons of laughs, a paper map, card games, a dessert challenge, and driving in St. Louis traffic on a Thursday night! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_PZELL-zC6o6OScrHHfMXjQcydGHZe4kUszXlJvERzIvdYzw8ZjebSZvgSYn-R0VEV51jEsZpo31kYQwM38wRp3fsAtA7hmf2wrWZf4syCcpijph6CTIDibqHgn7yvCc9C8mB7ZnWJw/s1600/DSC_0726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_PZELL-zC6o6OScrHHfMXjQcydGHZe4kUszXlJvERzIvdYzw8ZjebSZvgSYn-R0VEV51jEsZpo31kYQwM38wRp3fsAtA7hmf2wrWZf4syCcpijph6CTIDibqHgn7yvCc9C8mB7ZnWJw/s640/DSC_0726.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> A nice family lunch (Emma was there...her head is just hidden by Kevin's!) after the dance recital. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxNysLnGhVJuLXiuczfsY353afttpZ86bbpc4lk1yYDd7uO34CGABjlxQ37m46IwFnl01XrCjZcUr-Ikg2G5WgBa0JSyb7bYtu5qOabZAn1xR8s80Qc3aUwOyZq4BO51LqjmuUtAEaD4/s1600/IMG_3957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxNysLnGhVJuLXiuczfsY353afttpZ86bbpc4lk1yYDd7uO34CGABjlxQ37m46IwFnl01XrCjZcUr-Ikg2G5WgBa0JSyb7bYtu5qOabZAn1xR8s80Qc3aUwOyZq4BO51LqjmuUtAEaD4/s640/IMG_3957.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy has not stopped reading since summer has started! I came upstairs this week and found her standing and reading. She is nearly always on the move so standing and reading makes a lot of sense for her!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gh22Yjj96317Cr6_YGOlAg9HJJOsxhrDwBHmujq8RmgU8gGVLawhVcBRJ9O5TJLZfntFSdGFRI5Ht7wRmJ9ad8gCEE_qlW1Evx3Tgw40Op4HR6VLq9AScCooh0MrxsSRSW3ISchTYJk/s1600/IMG_3948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gh22Yjj96317Cr6_YGOlAg9HJJOsxhrDwBHmujq8RmgU8gGVLawhVcBRJ9O5TJLZfntFSdGFRI5Ht7wRmJ9ad8gCEE_qlW1Evx3Tgw40Op4HR6VLq9AScCooh0MrxsSRSW3ISchTYJk/s640/IMG_3948.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma and Eleanor are running this summer! Emma even tackled a loop of the park with me on Saturday!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br /><br /><div>
<br /></div>
Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179666681968201161.post-67722425427610194182018-06-04T07:51:00.000-05:002018-06-04T07:55:03.569-05:00Summer 2018 is here!It feels like summer! We had a really nice weekend of relaxing and enjoying beautiful weather and time to do whatever we pleased. And this morning, I'm enjoying a cool morning in the back yard while the girls get to sleep in! We've had no rushing, not a bit!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VVRyucxXtRsoavLe4Ht9jiOO1x2q8Eha-8v4h0SoZr_oAbNNt0GbFnfnRKoIadLCWRfFt3STufRvO88vOmeuhphgiVQRRjEuSLZNm2bS164F_ddPJJepQitqGf0KlA9t2tuQV40vnaw/s1600/IMG_3923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1271" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VVRyucxXtRsoavLe4Ht9jiOO1x2q8Eha-8v4h0SoZr_oAbNNt0GbFnfnRKoIadLCWRfFt3STufRvO88vOmeuhphgiVQRRjEuSLZNm2bS164F_ddPJJepQitqGf0KlA9t2tuQV40vnaw/s640/IMG_3923.jpg" width="508" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A favorite summer ritual which I started last year- each morning after I work out I sit in the back yard for an hour or so with my coffee and computer getting caught up on work or reading. AHHHH! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
One afternoon last week we held our annual summer summit where we lay out the summer calendar, figure out some ground rules and talk about our hopes for the season. It sounds pretty official but really it's not. It's just a time to connect and think about how to have a great summer! Mostly summer for us is just about extra time to do things we love.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz8WFgHL5zoiRDkRxLyrHB0kA6JA89mMbU84qOKGMS1nYPTqMumwwz1Z_GkpaL6hTB79ZPlJwB9R5Bd_A7gJA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Doing whatever we love sometimes means giving mom a heart attack! I am really proud of her for getting that back handspring though. That girl is a hard worker!</div>
<br />
<br />
Part of our summer summit was a conversation about rebooting our family blog! We're all pretty excited about it since this is essentially a family scrapbook and the last few years as I've been figuring out how much to share without giving up confidences it's been awfully quiet. And you know life right now in our house is not quiet! So much good stuff is going on! Emma and Eleanor each want to try out blogging here. From time to time they each want to write about something--no telling what. I'm looking forward to writing here again, too!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP9DLczMo6PeOiU8ZG7tiPCkXNHTGcUvvSPQAfNYIGDHjI95eOt26Bzs5cX7HbHRT_NIWfLt34IhO1dLqfrjL-l5mIrJ1NZPrpmIGUwL2_ZjuATwi8CcpZQOlfJspEeQqL3nq0K_ADDU/s1600/IMG_3913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQP9DLczMo6PeOiU8ZG7tiPCkXNHTGcUvvSPQAfNYIGDHjI95eOt26Bzs5cX7HbHRT_NIWfLt34IhO1dLqfrjL-l5mIrJ1NZPrpmIGUwL2_ZjuATwi8CcpZQOlfJspEeQqL3nq0K_ADDU/s640/IMG_3913.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16999443581323583326noreply@blogger.com1