too weird

Just bizarre, but then again, maybe not really....

It turns out that the fabulous nurses that took care of my sister-in-law in the hospital for those four days ended up printing the lyrics to that song (I posted and asked you to listen to) for her to focus on while enduring this experience.

She sent a message out last night with this very same link! How crazy.

just had to share...and record...and remember how NOT alone we are.

life is not a snapshot

Is this just human nature? When something happens in life that knocks you out of the routine complacency... you always feel like you are going to remember it and to be grateful for the good things, happy for the moment, happy for the blessings and try not to get complacent again, right? Or is this something only I do? I forget this feeling of gratitude. I get frustrated. I lose focus. I forget to remember that this is all fleeting....

J's brother and sister-in-law lost their unborn baby (whom they named "James") this weekend and have had to undergo an incredibly difficult and what I can only imagine as a horribly painful experience. I stand back and feel so saddened by this time that they are going through and remember a time when I also lost a baby too early. It was an incredibly difficult time, but one that many people have experienced: a first trimester miscarriage. I have a few friends who have experienced the torture of losing babies late in pregnancy and can only imagine that kind of loss. I can only imagine if you have had this experience, it changes you. You probably don't forget to feel gratitude for the health of your children.

I have experienced loss. Big and small. I really should have my act together....being grateful for each day I am given. I'm gonna be working on that and will let you know.

This reminds me of a great book I just read called The Happiness Project. The author is a writer who took a year out of her life to pursue this "project". The theory being that she (and all of us) could take steps each day, each month, to become a little "happier". That we each have a happiness barometer, some of us look at things a bit more positively or negatively than others naturally (the glass half-full/empty idea) but that we could all use to reach the top end of our natural happiness predisposition. Her ideas were pretty simple; from clearing out the clutter to improve energy, to loving more. But, the point being that we each have our own personal issues and to be proactive in setting resolutions that might help us attain a more peaceful and, dare I say, happy attitude. Talking about this book is a few blog posts in itself. I'll get to that more later. She also has a blog: http://www.happiness-project.com/

I heard this song on the radio today. I have heard it before and probably you have too. It's not typically my style, but it sinks in every time I hear it. Possibly...let it sit with you today too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qG1ThtgguE

rearranging stuff

I haven't been a very good blogger it seems lately. One post in April?! (wow.) I have had a lot to blog about and am keeping lists, don't you worry! You will hear what's been on my mind....one of these days.

Last Friday, I took on a re-arranging project. It's been on my mind for awhile and I figured I had better get around to it. Because in my mind, that day we finally decide to put that sign out front in the yard - you know... I need to be prepared. Preparation means making the house look a little less cluttered. And a little bit of organization and clearing away clutter does a LOT for mental clarity. A lot! (Which makes me think of another post I am going to do soon-but you'll just have to wait for that one. Even if it DOES take me another month.)

But, I digress, again.

My re-arranging project.... I took on j's room. As you can see from the picture above and below... I had a "helper". He was a big helper removing books from the shelves. Can you tell?

The good news is he also likes to stack. Well, I don't know if it's good news, but at least he had fun "helping".

After we stacked, and restacked a few times...we finished up the room. It's fun to think that one day they might share a room.

(if we still live here...:)

the B...word.

Confession: This may come as a shock, really (not really); but I am not the most budget minded individual. It is almost like a dirty word....the b. word. It's just not a natural inclination. All those numbers just swirl around in my head like crossword puzzle tiles waiting to be put into some rational order. It probably has more to do with time management and laziness rather than mental ability, but I am just going to blame it on mental confusion for now.

Part of the problem with our budget is the GROCERY budget. (please tell me this is so for you too?) Trying to feed healthy meals to my family with many different dietary needs is a challenging task. Especially when you could easily go broke doing so. I am learning though. It is all about planning! For this non-planner, that is a struggle. I would rather "feel" what I want to eat and go from there, rather than plan out a menu a week in advance. (Blech.) I should live somewhere that I can stop at the market everyday and buy fresh food for dinner and that's that..(in a perfect world.)

So, my point is this:

I have found a few noteworthy blogs that help me figure this out. Finding quality food products at a discount AND buying things you feel good about feeding your family (even with coupons occasionally.) There are a slew of blogs out there on this topic btw. Too many.

On a side note; the whole coupon thing really perplexes me. Doubles, triples, daily doubles, foibles, wha...? I just don't get it. Not to mention most of the coupons out I see are for crap food; food I wouldn't buy anyway. But with a little hard work, patience and dare I say, planning, I can actually find coupons for food I will buy. Imagine that. If you know of any other ways to help me on this quest, please share. I am all ears.

Here are a few blog links that I have found to be of interest.

Organic Deals

Budget Mommy

This is just something I keep thinking about to help me keep the b. word alive and well in our home. (And my marriage happy too.)

(I also might just have to rename my blog... "Random Things I Think About But Really Won't be All That Helpful to You, Dear Reader.")

coolest of the cool

Dear Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Birthday Genie and (any other unnamed magical holiday super-being that I may have forgotten),

I would really like to redo some parts of my house and here are a few things I might like to see in it. Do you think you might be able to magically transform my old things...I'd be forever grateful. I'd put in a good word for you. (Pretty) please?

Thank you for taking the time to indulge my fantasies. I could give up something...maybe swearing? Or chocolate?

*sigh*

xo, heather

my band days

One day, when I grow up (or when I can travel through time and go back to more youthful ones)... I want to be in this band.

Please watch, enjoy and try to imagine me in a white robe. Maybe I can play my triangle. Or my tambourine. I had both of those in college. I used to dream of fronting my own band, with a few friends. "My Bloody Shoe" (so creative I know) was born as I kicked a broken bottle stumbling my way out of the 4oWatt in Athens, GA circa 1995. We had a great gig going there for awhile. (okay, so it was only in our minds) At the time, we were hoping for a Luscious Jackson meets Mazzy Star sort of vibe.

So, here's to you..my (once) dreams of being in a cool band.

Terrific Twos

So, I am a bit behind in blog world....updating life events and all.

Little a. turned 2 and had a fun 'dog party' in the spirit of Go, Dog. Go!.... He loves reading this book and getting to the end and yelling "A DOG PAWW-DEEEE...." so, we figured it was a great theme to celebrate him turning TWO!

I have decided that 2 is a great age. Everything is still such a great adventure. New words and sentences are still exciting and new each day and everything is just so darn cute. It was this way with l.j. as well. Things didn't become "difficult" in the "terrible two" way until he turned 3. ("trying 3's?") So, it seems with little a. as well. It's the "terrific twos" if you ask me....

I tried my hand at sculpting a cake...

I made this cake dairy-free, soy-free, and peanut-free for little a. It turned out pretty good, I have to say. But since this family just doesn't eat cake, most of it went to the birds. sad. so sad.

I also made an allergy friendly brownie cake....

We had some colorful goodie bag handbells and handmade lollipops...

Chicken salad "dog bone" sandwiches, with cut-out paw prints....

Also on the menu, hot DOGS, spud-PUPPIES, and a variety of homemade dips and chips (of course...) All in all, a "howling" good time!! (sorry, I just can't help it....)

Check out the smile on little a's face in this happy birthday video.....

Happy Birthday to the sweetest little happy dude I know! Love you to the ends of the earth...(of which there are none, don't ya know...)