Thursday~December 31st, 2009 Most people wouldn’t choose this particular house. It has a flat roof except for the vaulted ceiling part which is what Miles calls the half triangle shape. This house has it’s very own personal style that doesn’t really fit with the trends of the time. Kind of like our family. When we were looking for a house, it was the first one that we saw. After that we saw house after house after house and couldn’t stop thinking about this one, “the funky house,” as our realtor consistently called it. The day we told her it was the one we wanted, her face lit up and she said she knew it would take just the right people to appreciate this house. It’s true. During an open house, I watched the other house hunters look around not seeing it with their totally groovy contemporary modern goggles on like I was. We […]
Monday~December 28, 2009 I felt heavy. Heavy footed on the heavy snow. I had dropped the boys off next door. It would be their last visit (as neighbors) with our friends who are family. They would do as they usually do. They would eat lemon cookies and dip them in milk and then maybe they’d play The Lump and The Blue Monster, their made up games that are only for them and our neighbors. I was so glad they could go while I went back to packing boxes. And I was so sad it was the last time until we visit. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much our neighbors mean to us as I walked away. They have been like honest to goodness angel people, gracing our lives with their help and support and wisdom and easy going nearly daily visits with our boys that they love so much. The tears were […]
Wednesday~December 23, 2009 It sounds absurd, believing in this spirit pregnancy and the coming of a Baby God to a small barn with the stench of cows. It can seem ridiculous to think that both the working poor and Very Important People alike came sandal-footed to see if it were true by starlight. It sounds absurd. I don’t believe the absurd because religion tells me to (I brush my teeth religiously and still cavities work their way through my mouth every now and again). I don’t even believe it only because the Bible tells me so (I have found a recent adoration for the Bible, but that was slow in coming, later than my belief in a stable born God coming to rewrite a story that would have had a very sad ending). I believe it because I see the aftermath of this beautiful story. These eyes to see the never-ending string of […]
Monday~December 21st, 2009 I’ll miss the colors of my room, he mumbled, his eyes big with sad. What honey? I looked in the rear view mirror, trying to figure out where the sad eyes came from. I’ll…miss…the…colors of my room I SAID. He said it like he wished I would have heard him the first time so he didn’t have to feel silly for missing colors. It came out of the blue and then there was a lump in my throat like his. Yeah, I’ll miss the color of my room too, Sweetie. Maybe we could paint your new room with the same colors you have now, the giraffe colors? He was quiet for a while and so we drove along thinking. Then he said he wanted his new room to be blue. Yes. Fresh paint in a new color. A fresh start. That’s what we have. . . . We’ve been saying […]
Thursday~December 17, 2009 Miles did our Christmas decorating this year. I believe he has a gift. All I had to do was sit at the table and watch. These are all of our decorations, you know, since we’re moving.I’m cool with that.All that really matters is that proud little grin anyway. ~~~~~ Not only is Miles helpful, he’s also hilarious. Just the other day he said,Daddy, your loud talking is crazing me out. Go ahead and steal the phrase crazing me out. You’re welcome. ~~~~~ Head on over to You Capture at I Should Be Folding Laundry for more Decor photos. ~~~~~P.S. Thank you all so much for your comments on my last post. That was the kind of post I hesitate to publish in all my fear and insecurity, all worried that I won’t be understood. So honestly, I was relieved and humbled and simply blown away by your encouraging comments. You […]
I can’t. That’s what I thought. I can’t. We pulled in the driveway over four years ago, me in the back seat with this new foreign person, aching in every way. And I thought those words. I thought, I can’t. I asked Ryan to take the baby in without me, to introduce him to the dog without the excitement of me, the dog’s everything, in the picture. So I stood outside and shivered in the heat alone, looking around at everything being different than it had been just a few days before, all overly bright and textured from the pain pills. Standing there in my suddenly roomy maternity shirt, I shivered. Empty. Ryan came out and said everything was going fine. The dog sniffed the baby and the baby slept. There were no big events as I had imagined. I walked up the steps, not quickly because of the surgery, and passed through […]
Sunday~December 13, 2009 Yesterday I had a bit of a breakdown. Then I felt guilty and weak. I’m beginning to think that’s the root of many a mother’s problem, this inability to allow ourselves some grace for being simply human. This expectation we put on ourselves to be strong and under control and unaffected by how hard life can be much of the time. We forget to feel, to simply say this is hard, feeling the emotion of it, really feeling it, taking a little care of ourselves and then moving on. We suppress it instead, thinking we must just keep going, and then sooner or later it’s just too much. We tell ourselves we have it easier than so many others so buck up self! When really, yes, there are all different degrees of hard…but they’re all still hard. Anyway… This morning I woke up feeling better than I have all month, […]
Thursday~December 10, 2009 I promise I won’t write another post with the words swine flu or bronchitis in them after this one. It seems like all I’ve been saying in posts and on Twitter is, I have H1N1 and bronchitis, poor me! So yeah, that stuff has cleared up. Now I’m going to move on to mentioning the stomach flu because I’m very mad at it. Yeah, both of the boys got it a few days ago, and then I got it last night. Our humble abode is just one big germ fest. Please send chocolate. No wait. Don’t. Food is gross. (I’m hoping to have lost ten pounds just for saying that.) (And for spending all night and most of today on the bathroom floor.) We’re moving very soon and Christmas is coming and the sick just has to go. I’m done with sick. I just wanted to make that announcement. Sick […]
Wednesday~December 9, 2009 Welcome to Blog • Bid • Hope, an auction benefiting The Liz Logelin Foundation and Anissa Mayhew. (To learn more about these two great causes, please read my previous post on the auction.) Please scroll down to the connected posts to see the amazing items donated for your bidding pleasure right here on The Extraordinary Ordinary. (pssst…I want the monkey spoons, and the cupcake aprons. And Miles wants the car that turns into a robot, and oh how I want the bracelet and….yeah, see? You better get bidding before I keep it all!) Seven host sites are each offering a different selection of items, so be sure to visit everyone: Buried with Children, Mayhem & Moxie, Scary Mommy, 7 Clown Circus, Adventures in Babywearing, & Mama’s Losin’ It. Bidding will begin at $10 and bids will increase at $2 increments. If you see an item you’d like to bid on, […]
This blue transforming car by Blue Hat is sure to please the boys you know. Just ask Aimee (on Twitter if you’d like) at Ain’t Yo Mama’s Blog. She knows. The Blue Hat SAVAGEª Radio Controlled Robot Car is sure to be double the fun. This wireless wonder “transforms from a menacing robot to a sleek race car right before your eyes!” Includes full-function remote control, one rechargeable Ni-Cad battery pack and plug-in charger. Opening bid: $10. Please place your bids in $2 increments Please add your email address so we can contact you if you win your item,especially if you comment anonymously! Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
This gorgeous Celtic Mist bracelet is a chunky stretch bracelet made up of unique green glass beads with metal spacer beads and a little touch of ribbon. Jan Mary is a blogger from North Ireland who creates beautiful jewelry that is made unique and personal piece by piece.(Follow Jan Mary on Twitter.) At Reminisce Heirlooms, Tabetha Sullens will create a one of a kind heirloom featuring your loved one, a favorite verse or memory and encase it in glass. You can design a one of a kind sentimental gift, per your specifications, to be cherished for years. The inspirations for her designs are the two greatest blessings of her life, her children. She and her daughter dabble in a medley of crafts. A Southern girl at heart, she hopes that love for family and God shows through in her designs. She has generously donated a beautiful set of elegant hair pins. Opening bid […]
Buckle Toy is a soft plush pillow or turtle, featuring buckles, colors and shapes, that is proving to be a fun companion that can hold a toddler’s attention. Playing with the child-friendly buckles and zipper improves hand-eye coordination and promotes small motor skills. The toy, which is safe for young fingers, also has a variety of shapes and colors to enhance learning. It’s great for everyday use, but especially helpful for car rides and travel. The Tampa, Florida couple behind the Buckle Toy, Seth and Jill Gomez, came up with the idea after a weekend in which their 1-year-old ignored his other toys and kept playing with the buckles on his stroller. The toy is proving to be very popular. Also included in this package is this Hawaiian gift set from Cupcake Cuddles that includes a blanket and a set of burp cloths. The blanket is 36”x36” and is backed with a super-soft […]
Shop Memento is providing a yummy and adorable personalized Mommy & Me matching cupcake apron set for a special mother and daughter, complete with embroidered cupcake appliqué and name or monogram. Mommy and her little kitchen helper will have fun baking and cooking in their matching mommy and me aprons this Christmas. Perfect for Matching Sister Aprons or for Grandma and her granddaughter(s). And don’t forget these playful monkey measuring spoons donated by Bread & Butter with standard measurements and fun faces that make them just right for little bakers. Follow Shop Memento on Twitter.Follow the Shop Memento blog. Opening bid starts at $10 and can be increased at $2 increments. Happy Bidding! Please add your email address so we can contact you if you win your item,especially if you comment anonymously! Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate […]
McKenna Layne Designs is THE place to stop and shop for customized items such as holiday cards, party invitations, party favors, thank you cards and even luggage tags. A $75.00 Gift Card to the site should allow for the makings of an amazing announcement, greeting, or invitation. Opening bid: $10. Please place your bids in $2 increments Please add your email address so we can contact you if you win your item, especially if you comment anonymously! Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
(Little Aloutte teether) (Punchkin wear) The top pictures show a handmade teething ring as seen on Dooce, created by Little Alouette: Over a decade ago a handsome British boy and an Ohio lass met and fell madly in love at first site in a sleepy university town. The boy was a classically trained master carpenter and the girl a writer with a bit of wanderlust. They worked together creatively through the years on many projects involving woodworking as they restored and remodeled homes together. The boy taught his love about trees on their land in the country and how to use power tools and the girl read poems to him while they worked. They started a journey of following their bliss and eventually brought two wee ones into the world and began creating wooden toys for them. They decided to share these wee wooden toys with the world and Little Alouette, LLC was […]
December 7, 2009 I haven’t sent out any Christmas cards yet. I haven’t addressed any envelopes or licked any stamps either. I have ordered some Christmas cards though, and for that I’m proud. I mean, c’mon. We’ve had the swine flu and a plethora of other diseases over here. AND we’re moving at the end of December. Any kind of Christmas card at all really is actually quite an amazing accomplishment, if I do say so myself. The cards I ordered (which I’ll show you in a future post) actually don’t even have pictures of our family on them. GASP! (yes that was you. YOU. I heard you gasp!) I know, I know, alright? But don’t you worry, the cards are still really cool. I just couldn’t find the time to dig through the gazillions of photos I have saved to find just the right ones. I mean, there are so many absolutely […]
Monday~December 7, 2009 I’ve written quite often about how surprising the blog world has been for me. Through blogging I’ve learned that I can make authentic connections with people around the world that I never would have known any other way. I’m so thankful for that. I’m thankful for so many of you that have taken the time to get to know me, to care about my family, and to allow me to get to know you. We read about one another’s greatest accomplishments, we celebrate the highest highs and we grieve the lowest lows. I’ve mentioned Anissa Mayhew in a previous post, and many of you know her. For those of you who don’t, recently Anissa, a witty blogger, wife and mother of three, collapsed after suffering a massive stroke. Her family and friends are devastated. One minute her husband was talking to her about which hotel they could stay in over […]
Saturday~December 5, 2009 Yes, you’re right. This is my second post in one day. I’ve decided I need cheering up. Would you believe I have both H1N1 AND bronchitis? It’s not super fun. But giving something away IS super fun, so that’s what I’m going to do for the cheering up. You know Dan Zanes and friends, right? When I was contacted about reviewing this 2 disc combo, The Fine Friends Are Here I was more than happy to do so, since I’m already a huge fan. This combo comes with a 16 song DVD and a bonus audio CD with 5 songs. (The bonus 5 song CD is perfect for playing in a child’s room at bedtime. It’s soft and beautiful, the perfect peaceful night time groove.) Dan Zanes and friends are such a talented group, I’m not sure there’s an instrument they don’t play. (I’ll also admit that they make me […]
Saturday~December 5th, 2009 It’s the first Saturday of the month. Time for The Saturday Evening Blog Post with Elizabeth Esther. This is a chance to choose your favorite post of your very own from last month and have it featured on Elizabeth’s blog. My personal choice is listed with the others over at Elizabeth’s lovely place under ‘Heather of the EO.’ If you’d like to see which post I chose, or add your own, head on over there. I hope your weekend is GOOD. (comments are closed on this post) Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
Thursday~December 3, 2009 Untitled from Beth Fletcher on Vimeo. If you’re totally confused, that was ten seconds of completely ridiculous hilarity.How about those animated faces? Starring:Steph as Speaker #1Heather as Speaker #2Beth as Voice #1 and Voice #2 Videography:Beth THIS is why we had to plan CUPCAKE ’10We need to do weird things and then laughuntil our cheeks hurt all over again. Thank you for allowing me to pop up in your inbox and for reading my words, silly or serious. I appreciate you. ~Heather
Tuesday~December 1, 2009 Every time I hear someone say Haiti my heart jumps. I’ve never even been there but I believe one day I will go. I’ve been talking about this mysterious connection to this foreign-to-me place for many years. So when I received an e-mail from Heartline Ministries, asking me to share something with you, I was more than happy to do it. I absolutely love programs that empower people, teaching them skills to make life better for themselves and their families. This is what Heartline Ministries is doing. Their Women’s Program provides teaching with classes like Prenatal care, Early Childhood Development, and Literacy. On top of that, they are helping women earn money by teaching them sewing skills. “None of the women that started the program were able to provide for their families before the class.” * Now that is something, isn’t it? Just think of it. One skill learned and […]
