ememby

You are awesome

Posted on October 2, 2013 | 2 comments

In case you were confused about it or happened to forget this fact about yourself, let me just tell you that you are awesome! Really, you are, pinky swear!

There was apparently an ArtPrize flash mob and because of that I saw a bunch of “You’re Awesome” signs around town and on the news… so why not jump on the bandwagon and spread the love a little more. There’s enough awesomeness to go around, right?

Awesomeness is pretty universal – we are all awesome – even if and when we don’t feel like it. No matter who we are, what we believe, where we live, who we are friends with, what we do for fun and/or what we’ve accomplished (sometimes getting out of bed and showering is the greatest accomplishment). We are awesome. You are awesome. I am awesome (and humble). Let’s not forget it.

If you’re looking for other inspiration, I created a page where all these are collected… maybe you’ll find what you are looking for there.

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Posted in Life in general, Random

Tuesday Musings

Posted on October 1, 2013 | 2 comments

I continue to find it fascinating that my kids only ask theological questions while we are in the car… What is heaven like? Will we ever be as old as God since we will live forever in heaven? Will there be food there? What does it look like? How come Satan didn’t want to stay in heaven? Will it be hot or cold in heaven? How can we live forever? What happens if I do something bad? Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? The questions are endless and I do my best to answer them but almost NEVER do they ask them once we are home. It’s like the minivan is their stage for grilling their mom about religion.
They also talk about farting and underwear to make each other laugh so there’s that.
We did ArtPrize with and without kids… I much preferred touring downtown with just my husband and not having to clothesline Jack by pulling on the hood of his sweatshirt to keep him from knocking down an art piece or crawling under the ropes that keep people back from the artwork (I saw in the news that someone else’s child broke a sculpture that was on a bench… that totally could have been us. In the article, it was funny how the security guy at the venue basically blamed the mom for this happening; clearly someone who didn’t have kids himself, or had the rare breed of child who behaves perfectly in public and doesn’t try and approach the pretty, breakable artwork that was not roped off and seated on a BENCH in a public space).
This past weekend was pretty sweet… one of those weekends I always envisioned having when I was a grown up. Friday afternoon Liam had a friend over, then a sitter came and I went out with my college friends. Saturday I went to a thing at church, then got to go have lunch BY MYSELF at Panera with my music and a book, came home and sent Simon off to rugby in Detroit while Liam had another play date with his BFF. We went to a local farm stand for donuts and apple cider slushies (seriously so good), let the kids play and then drove the BFF back home and was invited in for drinks and delicious food which helped pass the evening so wonderfully. Sunday was church, Sunday school, homemade roasted butternut squash soup, a nap on the couch, Simon played outside with the kids and I made applesauce and then the hubs and I watched the premiere of Homeland. I could not ask for more (other than someone to clean my kitchen).
I accidentally caught part of an episode of Blacklist and I might like it… the jury is still out on that one.
Love The Voice and much appreciate not being bombarded with Christina’s cleavage during the early rounds – I’m sure it will make an appearance later but I might be back to liking her again so I could be inclined to forgive it. [Hilariously I was using my voice recognition for text my friend Stef about it and said, “And I think she’s being less bitchy this year.” And my phone changed it to “b*****” – totally got censored by my own conservative phone.]
The Today Show had a segment called Fact or Fiction today where Matt Lauer presented two stories and you had to determine which was real… sadly one about Extreme Ironing (like with the household tool) was true. It is a thing.
Simon’s going to Iowa this weekend for a football game with my dad, brother and nephew… here’s hoping this coming weekend is still as good as the last one. I am not real hopeful. There’s a 50/50 chance one of my kids will puke while he is gone. The first three times Simon was gone after Liam was born, the kid threw up each time, no lie. And one time I fell down the stairs (unrelated to the puking), bad things happen with my dearest is away is what I’m saying.
I get unreasonably mad at the local weather people when they tell me humid weather is on the way. I hate humidity (dear children, in this case, it’s okay to use the word hate. We are allowed to say we hate humidity and robbers).
You really have to love meteorology to want to become a weather person.
Just got an email from a retailer advertising mesh yoga leggings… um, no. That seems ill-advised.
After reading an article in Costco’s Connection magazine (of all places), I really want to read Malcolm Gladwell’s new book, “David and Goliath.”

In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks.

My kids are OBSESSED with Pokemon. Liam got a Pokemon-branded binder for his birthday and Jack has been carrying around his cards in his hand or a plastic box so yesterday I bought him a 3-ring diner and card-holder pages so he has his very own binder. Last night he slept with it, pulling it up under his cheek and stroking it lovingly. Cute and disturbing.
I’m going to print a Pokemon picture to stick in the front of the binder – we’ll see who is the fun parent then!

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Posted in Life in general, Random, Texting

A year of contentment

Posted on September 26, 2013 | 1 comment

We were going around the circle in our small group, sharing our prayer requests and things we were planning for the coming year and I realized what I wanted for my/our life: a year of contentment. Almost immediately after saying it out loud, I followed it up with saying, but if Simon were to switch to first shift at work, I’d take that, too – that’s the kind of change that I’d welcome to throw a wrench in the gears. Gee, I don’t ask for much.

This has definitely been a year of change and I’m well aware that God answers prayers in ways we aren’t always expecting, despite what our hopes may be and sometimes He goes above and beyond what we could even imagine (this house is our above and beyond because it is so much more than the dwelling itself). So I realize that in praying for a year of contentment, I could be opening up the door to God teaching me to be content, despite the circumstances (Note to God: I’ve got finding contentment in all situations down pat – not perfected by any means, but I’m willing to learn other lessons.) And I’m not praying for boring, or hum drum, but just simple contentment.

From Simon’s mom leaving this world last July to our move on July 1st, it was as near to a year as you can get and it has been quite a year. Plus, there is almost another year in advance of her passing that we were making plans to visit and then saying goodbye and after our move there has been a good three months of settling in, unpacking and adjustment, so we are all set to chill – to take a minute. Now, I can’t make that actually happen, but I can prepare my heart and mind and focus on the things that matter. Enjoying the every day, not looking for the next best thing and not preparing for another great adventure, or a great sadness (though most great sadnesses cannot be planned). Life is an adventure. And life is good and life brings with it hardship. That’s life. But making this house a home, starting a book club and entertaining friends and family whenever we can, these things will do me just fine.

Life is seldom boring, but we are also seldom content. We crave change and excitement and when we don’t, it tends to come looking for us and rocking our boats in ways we weren’t prepared for. And that may still happen to me, to any of us, but in the meantime… I’m going to strive for contentment, though I know I can make no promises to myself that it will fully happen. There are little things that I’ve already been doing that certainly lend themselves to contentment… figuring out ways to deal with the kids and their unsavory behaviors (an allowance system has been put in place and rather than yelling or punishing when they do something on the offense/deduction list, I simply say “That’s ten cents” and mark a tally down on their post-it note); keeping track of things I’m grateful for (dear friends, I need to revive our year of gratitude… you know who you are) and revisiting the things I love like reading, crafting and hanging out with my favorite people (girl’s nights out and date nights/days with my Australian hubby – FTW). And then I know I also need to re-focus on my spiritual life and look to God for my ultimate contentment, the rest is just filling my life with nice things, but without building it all on the rock, I will get easily washed away when the rain comes down or the flood waters rise.

Please join me in praying for contentment, in seeking it out. And please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas on contentment – maybe we can get there together.

Also, if you’re going to tell me I’m crazy or unrealistic in hoping for a year of contentment – just can it. That’s what I have my husband for and I’m not married to the rest of you so I don’t have to hear it from you.

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Posted in Contentment, Faith, Life in general

Friday Musings: Instagram

Posted on September 20, 2013 | 1 comment

Happy Friday everyone… for the weekend I’m looking forward to crafting with Sandy tonight, getting George back from the vet after his teeth cleaning and bladder stone removal – poor pup was a nervous wreck this morning when I dropped him off, dinner out and Over the Rhine Concert with dear friends and ArtPrize-ing with my parents on Sunday. Whew… now, if only I can get Liam to do all his homework tonight so we don’t have to worry about it over the weekend. I picked up a Kindergarten workbook for Jack from Costco, thinking it would be good to practice… where Liam fights me to do two pages of homework, Jack is begging me for MORE. May that kid always love learning as much as he does now!

It’s amazing how few Instagram photos I have to share when I do it more often… you can thank me now for saving your eyeballs.

Seen in the parking lot, of course this person works out with the personal trainers. This morning I stopped at a local cafe for coffee and baked goods for my co-worker and I and one of the trainers was behind me in line and of course order “Just an omelette, NO toast.” Ugh.

In our entry way at home… I want to figure out what else to put here but for now – our last name initial and LOVE. (Banner from Lisa Leonard Designs).

Hurricanes hanging by the kitchen window, photos of Italy from my sweet friend Andrea, tiny plate from Simon’s parents, a Lucky Fin Project ornament and clay artwork by Jack. These all make me so very happy.

The way we celebrate back-to-school? With lots of sprinkles.

First day of school for Liam… the second the bus came he ran for it and would not turn around for a photo. At least at the end of the day he always runs to me and gives me a hug – it makes up for the total disregard he shows me in the mornings.

While Liam would not smile for a first-day-of-school photo, Jack was more than happy to oblige.

Finally, a smile (and morning cuddles).

Chocolate Guinness Cake with chocolate ganache filling and irish cream frosting. It was good.

Ready for the big kid class in Sunday school.

I don’t mind living here at all.

More clay artwork by Jack… it is a fish, though Liam would argue it looks more like a dinosaur.

We got to the bus stop early (someone is overly-eager for his brother to come home) so Jack asked to have his picture taken by the pond.

Yes, we are those people who let our dog lick our plates when we are done eating. At least we don’t let him lick our ice cream cones.

Not pictured: our very first apple cider slushies which were DELICIOUS. We stayed to eat outside because Simon would most likely have a heart attack to think of the kids eating powdered sugar donuts in the minivan (and yes, I would, too).

1 Comment

Posted in Instagram, Random

Thursday Musings

Posted on September 19, 2013 | 6 comments

MOPs starts up again today! Whoot! It’s my last year (not whoot!) after seven years in this group… I’ll be sad to move on but I’m going to soak up every last minute of it this year.
My kids excel at the art of making up excuses to get out of bed… the other night Jack same out and indignantly complained, “Liam said, ‘Shame on me'” I didn’t know any other way to respond to that other than to tell him to go back to bed. I mean, really…
Jack’s also excelling at crawling into bed with us between the hours of 4 and 7 a.m., firstly to check if it is “wake up time yet?” and then to “cuddle.” He’s now added a new thing where he likes to hold my hand (or really, just a couple of my fingers), which would be super sweet if the kid ever stopped moving. I can usually fall back asleep with him in bed, but I cannot when he’s holding my hand and moving constantly. Sigh. I know this age won’t last forever, but it does seem to be taking its sweet time.
I’m looking forward to checking out ArtPrize this weekend – even my parents are coming over for the day on Sunday to check it out. It’s fun living in a city that has cool things without being so big that it seems daunting to check them out.
Recent conversation between my kids:
Jack: Why do you like George better than me?
Liam: Because he’s just so cute!
Jack: I wish I was a dog.
Also looking forward to my first ever Apple Cider Slushy – perhaps today after Liam gets home from school.
I was thinking about my strange dream from Sunday night/Monday morning and realizing that many of my bad dreams involve an animal trying to get me… like the strange dream with the unusually gross snake/lizard hybrid… past dreams have included lions and gorillas. Alternately, they include something else that is strange chasing me like men with jack-o-lanterns for heads or Thriller-esque zombies. What are your bad dreams about?
I have also had dreams where Simon has done something to upset me and I wake up mad at him… he hates it when that happens because he didn’t actually do the thing I’m so mad at him for. Understandable, but I just can’t help it.
Liam takes after his father a bit much… Simon cannot ever be late for things, which is admirable, except it means he is almost always EARLY instead. Liam does this when going down to wait for the bus in the morning… the second the 5/6 bus leaves, he is out the front door, ready for his bus to come. Nevermind that it is sometimes 5-10 minutes later. Their philosophy is better to be early than late (which is true) but I find I prefer to be efficient and simply be right on time. We agree to disagree.
George is having surgery on Friday to remove a bladder stone and have his teeth cleaned… here’s hoping both procedures go well. He gets to spend the night on Friday night at the vet’s office… whatever will I do without the furball sitting on my shoulder while I watch TV and barking randomly at noises I can’t hear?
I did tell Simon that if something happens to George, I was getting the two dogs that my cousin posted who are in need of a new family. He must be confident that George will be okay because he agreed to my “proposal.”
My college friend, Pauline, has a 10-year-old… how does this happen because despite having a 4.5-year-old and a 7-year-old, I still feel like someone else should be signing my permission slips for me.
Despite not feeling old, I think my Google search history would disagree, some things I’ve recently searched for: deer repellant plants, plants for sandy soil, cholesterol results, moles on scalp and sleep apnea.
Does anyone else do Internet research on new people they meet, like perhaps new neighbors or other parents from their kid’s school? Yeah, me neither.
After nearly two weeks of feeling sick to some degree, I feel… well, still a little bit sick. Riveting disclosure, I know.
Jack was wearing a hood Monday morning on his way to daycare and when he took it off, his hair was standing up a bit in places and he matter-of-factly said, “I guess Miss Michelle didn’t do a very good job this time with my haircut.” I don’t know why, but his delivery and what he said just cracked me up, which of course made him furious with me.
Still love our new house and will continue to call it our new house for at least another 4 months, perhaps longer.