This Moment

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see." (SouleMama) -- Here's mine.

2010 - Alternate Endings

Here are the Christmas cards that didn't make the cut. They were all so adorable I couldn't resist sharing.

Oh Holy Night Religious Christmas Card

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Is she laughing or yelling? We were afraid you couldn't tell so this one got nixed. As Dee said, "We don't want people to think we have a yell-y baby." Our girl yelling? Never!

Tree Topper Red Christmas Card

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I adored the colors in this one, but alas, that "Merry Tree" thing kept throwing Dee.

In the end we went with the card we did because, even though I was a lot less crazy about the color combinations, every time we looked at it we smiled. And, really, what more can you ask for? Wishing each of you a happy, smiling Christmas (with no yelling ;))!

This Moment

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see." (SouleMama) -- Here's mine.

What do you write when a "bad" week follows another?

Because I plan to have shining successes in the future, I need to be brutally honest about weeks like these. I am just scraping through and for no good reason at all. I think sometimes parenting is a chore or a job, and I hate feeling that way. But I do the job anyway I guess. It's not going to be well done, in many ways you could say it has not even been done because I have not lived up to my ideals and I can see that reflected back to me from my child. "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly" Chesterton is quoted to have said. So it's one foot in front of the other time. This is what will distinguish me. I pass to my child a genetic legacy of depression and unhealthiness spiraling into heart breaking abuse. But this time, this generation, I'm going to give her some tools to go along with it. One of those tools might just be sitting here and crying for a little bit. And then it's time to get on with it. Mr. Rogers is good for the soul.

http://pbskids.org/rogers/songLyricsImTakingCareOfYou.html

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Yeah, you're thinking the same thing I am -- Christmas card time! Or maybe not.

Correspondence "snail mail" style is not my biggest strength. Boxes sit half packed (or worse, fully packed!) for weeks if not months. Thank you cards don't get mailed . . . and then we have Christmas cards.

This year I did it right. I packed away last year's Christmas cards neatly in the tree decoration box along with the envelopes or addresses -- all ready to give me the information I needed to respond to dear friends with a Christmas card this year. Sunday we opened that box and I took the cards out and set them on the mantle rather pleased with myself. Surprisingly, this did not actually take care of the Christmas card task for this year!

Thankfully, I was not without resources in conquering this foe! A friend on facebook shared this link for an opportunity to receive 50 photo cards from Shutterfly just for blogging about their new holiday photo card line. Yes, feel very used. I could apologize, but instead I'll send you an adorable photo Christmas card if you just make sure I have your address! And seriously, if you're still trying to figure out what you're doing for Christmas cards (am I the only slacker??) there are so many options here I think it would be impossible not to find one you love. Use the coupon code "HolidayCard10" and get up to 30% off at checkout. See? I do care! And if you're looking for photo gifts don't miss their snazzy mugs. (Why yes, I was required to include another link, how did you guess?? But really, for photo mugs, these are snazzy!) Best part? You can do it all without having to go anywhere! Except the post office. I don't think I can save you that trip . . .

This Moment

Heard about Soule Mama's This Moment ritual via The Leaky Boob and I'm loving the idea.

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see." -- Here's mine.



And this song.

I'll be back

Which makes me think of . . . was it Theodore Roosevelt? And Arsenic and Old Lace. And Advent! I need Advent. I'm so glad it shows up every year.

But for now a link I need to have in the files for later reference --
Before You Wean

Any one else having one of those weeks you'd rather forget?