Embracing Life

We’re all a little weird. And life is a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall into mutually satisfying weirdness—and call it love—true love. ~ Robert Fulghum Today's prompt - June 26-- What does your significant other do that makes your heart melt?  I met my husband in June 2000. He had an orange mohawk and a few tattoos. My parents were thrilled.  We didn't start dating for another year. At no point during our first few months of dating, could I have imagined that this is how my life would be now.   Every time I see Keith reading to Keira, playing soccer with Connor in the backyard, building elaborate train tracks for Colin, my heart melts.  Once, when we were dating, he said that all he wanted was a family of his own.  As you can see, he got his wish: For the record, I take no responsibility for the disaster that i...

Yesterday, the twins turned four. I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that four years have passed since I was handed those teeny tiny babies. And as you will see from the pics below, they aren't babies any longer!

There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared:  twins.  ~Josh Billings Double the blessings Double the love Double the sweetness Double the cuteness Double the fun Double the trouble Double the smiles Double the giggles Happy Birthday to my little twinkles. When I was pregnant with you two, after telling a little old lady I was having twins, she said: "God bless you. Oh wait, he did." Keira and Colin,  you have brought joy to my heart  and gray hairs to my head. I love you both more than anything in this world.

June 22nd - When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? When I was little, I wanted to be a cheerleader when I grow up. It's true, it's in my baby book. However, if you know me at all, I'm not really the peppy cheer-leading type. I was a pom in high school though. You did have to be a little peppy, but I perfected the art of a fake smile. Plus I got to dance which I LOVED! *********************************  For a long time (even now) I thought I should be a librarian. Then I could sit and read all day. *********************************** In high school, I wanted to be a teacher for the deaf. I even went to college for it. Somewhere along the way, I realized that wasn't the right route for me. Instead I received my B.S and M.A in History.  ************************************* I taught college a little, but again, not the right fit. I did find my calling in higher education, just not teaching. ...

I missed yesterday's blog challenge. It was to post a picture of yourself as a young child. I'm on the right with the striped shirt. The year is 1983. We went with my grandparents to Springfield. Funny story: My dad was driving down the road and  my mom said they couldn't find the turn off for Lincoln's tomb.  I said we just passed the sign. I was five so no one believed me. 30 minutes later, after we had to turn around and head back the way we just came, they admitted I was right. ;)  

My Goodreads Rating: 4 stars This book is utterly delightful!!! I will be honest. This is not the kind of book I normally read. There were no vampires in it. In fact, there was nothing paranormal at all in this book! (There was some mystery, but it appears to be set across the series as an underlying tone, so I'm "forced" to read books 4 and 5 to see how that concludes. ;) ) In continuing with my honesty, I probably would have never even picked up this book had it not been given to me at the RT Convention this past April. But that will teach me to judge a book by it's cover.  The author, Sabrina Jeffries , was part of two workshops I attended at the convention.  In fact, both workshops talked about romance books (regular romance, not PNR).  Jeffries writes Regency novels, which of course, the historian in me finds great fun in reading. ;) In How to Woo a Reluctant Lady , we find Lady Minerva Sharpe trying to find a way around her grandmother's ultimatu...

I am proud that I... am creative. am loving. am kind. 

The challenge for today, June 16, is "Fitness guru or couch potato? Talk about your fitness habits." Can I say I'm both? To be honest, I'd rather be sitting on the couch, reading. Or laying in bed, reading. Or lounging by my imaginary pool, reading. But my husband is not like that. In fact, he does crazy things like the Warrior Dash. And the Chicago Triathlon.  In 90-degree heat.  See, crazy. ;) Through him, I stay healthy. We have a gym membership. He cooks healthy meals that involve a LOT of chicken, rice and vegetables.  And because he gets the lunches ready in the morning, I find things like carrots and honeydew and snap peas in there. As I type this, I'm eating a "trail mix" he made for us: craisins, unsalted sunflower seeds, and a Kashi granola bar crumbled up. YUM! Recently I've become addicted to Tazo's green tea with spearmint.  I usually make a pitcher each day and drink it throughout the day. My one vice is a MCD's large ...

Today's challenge is to list 15 tips for you,  my readers, to get through life. Here goes! Pray Let go. 99% of the things you are worrying about today will not matter in a year or two. LAUGH . Then laugh some more. Put your children first . They are a blessing and deserve the world. Don't drive like an idiot. (Advice I wish I could have imparted to the asshat who drove off the road to get around the other 10 cars waiting to turn because she was too impatient to wait.) Smile when you answer the phone. The person on the other end will notice. Treat others as you would treat your parents. With respect . Find time for yourself . Schedule it in your planner and keep the appointment. Exercise . (Take a walk around the block if that's all you have time for.) Go outside your comfort zone, even just a little. (Recently I ate a cricket (not live) and touched a cockroach.) Use sunblock . Put down the phone. Walk away from the computer. (On weekends, I don...

I've fallen behind already! Yesterday's prompt was: June 11-- Best day of your life. On day 2 of my twins' lives, my little twinkles were separated.  Colin has what the nurses called "lazy boy syndrome" and was not eating.  I had to drive away from the hospital without my baby. If you've never had to leave a baby in the NICU,  you can never understand the pain I had in my heart.  On day 14, he came home: It was the best day ever. Except for the part where he peed on me and it got me in the eye.

Today's blog challenge is: Cost aside, famous art piece you would have in your home. Hmmmmmm........... I'd have to go with this one: Yes, it's one of Van Gogh's most popular pieces. But that's not why I like it. I've always loved the moon and stars. In fact, I have a crescent moon and star tattooed on my calf. This piece has always spoke to me, and it would go great in my living room. ;) 

The challenge prompt for June 9 is:   Your worst cooking disaster. Well this is a disappointing once, since I've never had a cooking disaster. That's because I don't cook. I can cook, I'm just not allowed to. I used to, before we had kids. I made a great beef stroganoff. Keith prefers to cook, mainly because he gets home from work about 30-60 minutes before I do each night. I've tried cooking on the weekends, but he always tells me, "It's ok, you can go play with the kids." Ahhhhhhhhh......... I see his plan now. I hang out with the kids during the witching hour while he gets to enjoy the quiet in the kitchen. Well, now that I'm on to him, guess I will need to start cooking again.

Today's challenge for June 8 is:   Not including blogging, what's your favorite guilty pleasure? Books Large cokes from McDonald's Handbags  You will notice that through no fault of my own,  this list is very similar to the one on this website: Life in Lusaka Weird, huh? ;)

I'm late in this because, well, I just found out about it today! But it seems fun, and I've been in a bit of a blogging rut, so why not?! June 1-- Why are you doing this challenge? I am doing this blog challenge, because 1 - like I said above, I've been in a blogging rut and haven't been posting as often as I'd like, and 2 - because it sounds fun! June 2-- Post a picture of you smiling. This is me and Keira Princess Rose ;) June 3-- 15 interesting things about yourself. I didn't find out I was pg with twins until the 20 week ultrasound. I danced in the 1996 New Year's Day Parade in London, England. I collect purses and silver rings. I can knit, cross-stitch, and crochet, yet I never have time to do so. I named my cat, Mina, after Mina Harker from Bram Stoker's Dracula I've been obsessed with reading since before I was in kindergarten. I have three tattoos. Some of my closest friends are people that I've nev...