Category Archives: Life in general

I was clearly too cool for school back in 1981. Oh how I adore that photo.

I got my second shellac manicure today (the only way to go for manicures as far as I’m concerned because my nails normally chip within 8 hours of getting a manicure and the first time I got a shellac, it took 6 days to get the first chip. It was awesome! Having my nails painted totally makes me feel like a grown up, a pretty, pretty grown up. The guy who did my nails told me that 20 years ago today he met the Pope and that he got to shake his hand and the Pope touched his head (which he said is why he is balding – ha). He met him in a refugee camp in the Philippines and I would imagine that 20 years ago, his 15-year-old self never would have imagined that his 35-year-old self would be doing nails in Michigan and perhaps not even still alive. Life is funny that way.

1. Would you prefer having people over for dinner or going to their house?
Yes please to both, I just like to be social. I don’t mind going to other people’s houses but I also love to host. And I’m sure that someday, when I have a bigger house, I’ll love hosting even more because I won’t have to tuck everything away and rearrange things when people come over, right now the kitchen just isn’t big enough.

2. Favorite Bible verse and why?
Isaiah 40: 28-31
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

The year I was an RA, we sang a song based on this verse that if I remembering correctly (oh the mind is the first thing to go) one of my fellow RAs wrote the music for and it was a favorite of ours during our weekly meetings. But the verse itself has always been a strong reminder to me to not worry and to look to God for strength when I am faltering.

3. What was the first concert you ever attended, and the most recent one?
The first concert was The Bangles at a music festival at Michigan State. It was outside and it started my love of live music because I was so-so about The Bangles until I saw them in concert and then I was obsessed with their music. The most recent concert was The Verve Pipe’s family concert a few weekends ago. Which would technically be my kids’ first real concert other than outdoor city festivals. Ah, symmetry, love it.

4. The year is 2025. What are you doing, and what have you done?
13 years from now, Liam will be 18.5 and I think just wrapping up his freshman year of college. Jack will be a freshman in high school and our life will look a whole lot different for us. Our children will be nearly adults and I cannot imagine what life will be like or feel like. 13 years ago I was finishing my junior year of college and while my mind doesn’t feel like that much time as gone by, I know that it has and things are so very different. I think your mind never gets caught up with how hold you actually are because it remembers all the times and how you felt during them, etc… but I do hope that when I’m nearly 50 that I will finally feel like a grown up and that I’m not just playing pretend at all this. And I really hope that I’ve gone to Europe 🙂

5. What’s your favorite Easter treat?
I’ve always said Cadbury cream eggs but for the past couple years I’ve been disappointed. I don’t know if they’ve changed their recipe or what but the center is never as creamy as it used to be (I HATE it when I get a dry one) and the chocolate doesn’t taste as good as it used to. My new favorite are Russell Stover’s Maple Cream Eggs with Dark Chocolate on the outside. Those are delicious!

Linking up with Mama M for Five Question

Is it any wonder that boys look so much alike?

 Above, Simon and I as little tykes and below, Liam and Jack.

People always say how much the boys look like Simon, but I think I see quite a bit of myself in there – what’s scary is how much we all look alike when we were at a similar age.

Let’s face it, we all have them, those awkward years that start somewhere between ages 9 and 12 where one day we are just all sorts of not right. Bad haircut, poor clothing choices, with braces and/or glasses… whatever it is, there are just certain ages when no matter how cute we were at age 5, we end up just not so cute.

For your entertainment… let’s take a look and see how I went from the cute little buck-toothed cherub you see below…

To an awkward, badly-coiffed preteen with monster glasses (you can’t really tell but I’m wearing a Minnie Mouse sweatshirt that I got at a garage sale):

Yet another pair of awesome, gigantic glasses. I’m sad to say that I picked these out myself – but at least I was patriotic:

Did a blind person cut my hair? I believe I have a glorified mullet happening here and there was definitely no business or party happening anywhere near me. I do recall that I LOVED that pastel heart bracelet and that purple jacket.

Oh that hair. It was awesome. And pairing that shirt and those pants, genius.

Julie and I at Camp Roger, to think we were cool (or at least thought we were). Grown-out perm and large glasses: check, check. Also, striped sear-sucker Bermuda shorts.

Those glasses just kill me and with my plastic jewelry, sweatshirt cardigan and floral-print dress – I resemble a sister-wife. And I believe this visit to Texas was the time my mom asked my brother if he was dying his hair. [Happy 20th anniversary, yesterday, Lynn and Marty!]

Speaking of dying one’s hair (mom)… I believe I might have pinpointed the very beginning of the awkward years. Note how cute and adorable my nieces still look, Quinn is especially fetching with her curls and sly sideways look. Also note my lovely sweater, pastel button-down shirt and white tights – how I miss the 80s.

Let’s hope my kids take after their father, oh wait… (he’s the one giving the thumb’s up, but really, any of those kids were well into their awkward years). Nice shorts, honey.

If only my phone’s camera could actually capture how beautiful the sunset is, then my life would be [nearly] complete. But it sure was pretty – let’s all just pretend you think so, too.

• I have a sinus infection – again – apparently now that I no longer have tonsils or a gallbladder, my body has decided that its new favorite way to get sick is to contract a sinus infection. One can only hope this will lead to sinus surgery as that has been my track record, one part of my body rebels until I get rid of it. Not that one can get rid of sinuses, but I do believe there is a roto-rooter type surgery that can be recommended for chronic sinus infections sufferers. If this keeps happening, I might have to look into it because they make my teeth hurt and produce way too much snot. It amazes me how much snot a body can generate – they really should figure out how to harness that ability and apply it to other areas; if the body can limitless produce snot, why can’t we figure out a way to put a positive spin on that? [You are very welcome for that entire paragraph about sinus infections and snot – one of my finer moments.]
• Our kids are starting to anticipate our response to their needs and how to phrase their requests to circumvent our giving them an undesired response. For example, when bored, Liam will not just say, “I’m bored, what can I do?” but instead will say, “I don’t know what to do. I’ve already played with Jack and my Legos and don’t want to build anything or color or play with any of the toys in my room. What can I do? Like maybe play the Wii… I haven’t done that.” Or Jack will not just request something to eat, but instead say, “I’m hungry for a treat something, how about a jelly bean?”
• I expect in a couple more years, Spring Break will be a whole lot more interesting but right now it’s just a week off school for Liam and he could really go every day and be happy, I’m sure it’s a whole lot more fun for him to be there. Though he has had a day-long playdate followed by an evening playing with friends from our small group so at this point at least he doesn’t care that we haven’t left town.
• A friend of Liam’s asked Jack about his little hand last week and Jack said to him, “I just have one big hand and one little hand because I’m just little right now.” Which leads me to believe that he might think the little hand will grow to be like his other hand when he gets older. And while it will grow in size, it’s never going to grow fingers (though that would be pretty awesome). But I love how responded to the question, just so matter-of-fact, as we always are when he brings it up or we talk about it. It’s just the way it is, like any other thing about him or anyone else.
• Also, I’m confused as to why Sarah Palin was a guest-anchor on the Today Show this morning. Awkward all around, no matter what your political inclinations are, it was just not good. This seems like it would have been a fairly obvious outcome to anticipate and therefore avoid by NOT having her be on the show for an extended period of time. But what do I know.
• Though I know I should love it, I’m always a little disappointed when a rainy morning turns into a sunny afternoon. Apparently I like continuity with my weather. If it’s going to be a rainy, gloomy, stay-at-home day, then I wish it would stay that way all day. And vice versa, if it starts out sunny and bright, I want it to be that way all day. In general, I’m pretty go with the flow and can adapt when things unexpectedly change, but just not when it comes to the weather. Don’t know what this says about me, but there it is.