Momology

Team-Up Thursday: Design

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Just take a look at that cool, mod design Joanna found in the baby gate at the top of her stairs...such creative, outside-the-box thinking! Unfortunately, my photo looks sadly uninspired next to her's this week. :oP But Nadia isn't uninspired...she loves to stretch her mind as a little clothing designer. I love the details she puts into her designs - matching hair bows or doll clothes to go with each outfit.

Visit Megan for more Team-Up Thursday!

Team-Up Thursday: Food

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0000

This week's theme was "food"...but looking at the dyptich Joanna and I put together, it could have just as easily been "hands!" Kinda funny that with all the yummy foods out there, we both chose of focus on our kiddos' hands. It's pretty rare for Nadia to want to cook or bake with me, and even when she does, she usually loses interest pretty quickly...it's just not her thing. But every rule has an exception, and we had a blast making sugar cookies together the other day, Christmas cookie cutters and all. But as excited as she was to make them, she was even more excited to eat them. I gotta admit...me too. Like mother, like daughter! :oP

Visit Megan for more Team-Up Thursday!

Team-Up Thursday: Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:30:00 +0000

Spring is in the air! And Joanna and I set out to capture it this week.

It was a fun and easy theme for me. Spring is everywhere down here in Texas, where we've already had several days in the mid-80s. I'm loving it now...but am really afraid of what it means for the summer! :oP We spent most of the day outside yesterday, barefoot and fancy-free, planting herbs and playing in the sprinkler and enjoying picnics in the tree-house. Yup, spring is here, itty-bitty tomatoes and all!

Spring was a bit more of a challenge for Joanna tho. It's amazing the difference a few hundred miles can make, and up in Minnesota they are still waiting for spring to arrive. Jo didn't let the cold wet weather stop her tho - she still found some spring! I love that she can make a photo of a magazine cover look artsy, and I love it that our pictures have many of the same tones despite the difference in subject matter!

Don't miss out on more Team-Up Thursday!

Team-Up Thursday: Music

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

What a contrast between Joanna and my pictures this week! The theme is music, and they both represent music...but in such different ways. Color vs b&w, modern vs vintage.

The ear buds are Jo's - who else takes macros like that?? I'm always amazed by the clarity and detail of her shots, plus her lovely processing style.

And then I have some vintage Nadia! And her cousins! I had a photo in mind for this week's theme, but it never happened. I kinda forgot that the piano would be covered in a huge plastic tarp and utterly inaccessible as the downstairs is being painted this week! Yes, exciting stuff - my parents are having the kitchen redone and it is g.o.r.g.e.o.u.e.s! So I decided to raid the archives, and I could resist this photo of the cousins making some music together. Awww, they were so little and cute! It was taken almost exactly 4 years ago, the day after Sister #4 came home from the hospital.

Visit Megan for more Team-Up Thursday diptychs!

Team-Up Thursday: Upside Down

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

I'm pretty sure you can guess which photo is mine and which is Joanna's this week. :o)

Find more Team-Up Thursday here!

Team-Up Thursday: Everyday Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Everyday Beauty is the theme this week...a theme which was both the simplest ever and a profound challenge. I mean, once you open up your eyes and take notice, beauty is everywhere...especially the everyday sort! So, how do you chose?

My picture is of a bedraggled bunch of wildflowers clutched in grimy little girl hands..."just weeds" but also a gift from the heart of my daughter. She is in love with those "pretty, tiny purple flowers" popping up everywhere right now, and she wanted to share them with me. I think I've been given three bouquets this week alone. :o)

Joanna's photo is also of a flower...but that pretty Gerber daisy (I think??) would never be mistaken for a weed. I wouldn't mind having that sort of beauty around every day! Altho personally, I think Jo's macro photography is the best bit of beauty there!

Visit Megan for more Team-Up Thursday diptychs full of everyday beauty!

Team-Up Thursday: In the Distance

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:46:00 +0000

This week's theme for Team-Up Thursday is "in the distance."

I'm loving the depth of field in Joanna's image of the tequila shots. It makes for such a dreamy, distant feel.

Mine is of a little nurse...because that's where I see myself in the distance! Believe me, the three or so years it'll take to get there is feeling very far off right now!

Feeding the Ducks

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:04:00 +0000

Chunky Monkey, Snuggle Bunny

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 04:00:00 +0000

------------
As cute as she is in these pics, they really don't show her true spirit. She is totally the happiest, most mellow, easy going baby evah! Full of smiles, and she almost never cries. Seriously, almost never...even when sick last week! She just goes with the flow and happily soaks up all the love that comes with a family of 4 doting big sisters and a doting big cousin (not the mention the doting aunts and uncles, and honorary aunts and uncles!). I love that wittle niece of mine. :oD

Team-Up Thursday: Blue

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Joanna and I are back and ready to play along with Team-Up Thursday again! This week's theme is blue.

Mmmm, those tempting blue m&ms are Jo's. It's only a few days after Valentines but I'm not chocolate-d out, and I'd happily pop a handful in my mouth. :o) I love that one of the candies has a crack in the shell, that adds so much character.

And the blue jeans are mine...which I seem to pretty much live in lately. They are comfy, but I am ready for spring weather and a return to my beloved sundresses!

Edited to add: the shoes seem to be popular!! I got them at Target just a few days ago, and I love them. Easy to dress up or down, the perfect everyday shoes, and comfortable too.

Love Day 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 04:50:00 +0000

We made scratch-off valentines for the friends at school and cousins. Honestly, they were fun to make and a clever idea...but they didn't turn out that cute. I'd wanted to do a repeat of these ones, but Nadia had other ideas. I mean seriously, where does the kid get this idea that she's allowed to think for herself and have her own ideas?! :oP

We also made foam valentines for family and friends. With 6 snow days in the last two weeks, we really needed some crafty activities to keep little hands busy!

And then we had an awesome Valentines Day party, complete with girly giggles, pink punch in real wine glasses, heart place markers, heart- and flower-shaped tea sandwiches, and adorable heart brownies. That's a lotta hearts! And it was a lotta fun.

And best of all, this year I had a Big Valentine and Little Valentine to share it with. :o)

Happiness Is....

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:30:00 +0000

The Faith of a Child

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:00:00 +0000

It was a profound moment...one of the most profound moments of my life, and of Nadia's.

She and I have been serializing Little Pilgrim's Progress , reading a few chapters each night before bed. I've been pleasantly surprised by how much she has enjoyed and understood the allegory of this classic tale, but never was it more profound than last night.

After reading, we snuggled together in her bed and the following conversation unfolded:

"So, is the Good Prince like Jesus' son?"

"No, the Good Prince IS Jesus. The King is God the Father, and the Good Prince is God the Son, Jesus."

"So then why isn't He there with Little Christian all the time?"

"Well, in a way He is always with him, since He is always watching and helps him whenever he needs it. Right now He is in the Celestial City, Heaven...but once, because He loved people so much, He went out of heaven and was a pilgrim just like them.

"Wow. So the real God was just a person?"

"Yes. Jesus Christ became a person just like us. Our God loves us so much that He became a person so that our souls, the part of us that never dies, could be saved and be up in heaven with Him. God became a person to show us how to live, and to make us able to do it."

"Really? you mean really? Jesus was a real person? And he was God at the same time? The real God was a real person?"

"Yes."

"Oh my gosh. That was so sweet of Him, don't you think? Wow. It's amazing. We should tell Him thank you."

And she began to cry, the tender heartfelt tears of a soul transformed by God's love.

Tears sprang to my own eyes as well.

What a powerful and profound moment. And what a blessing to witness that moment in my child, the moment when head-knowledge became heart-knowledge. The moment when she truly understood for the first time, what our God has done for us.

In many ways, the goal of the rest of Nadia's life will be to maintain the simple faith, awe and gratitude of that moment.

And it's my responsibility as her mother to nurture that faith. What an awesome responsibility it is to be a parent, charged to guide the spiritual life of a child when I am so weak and lost myself.

May God bless her pure childlike faith and grant me the same!

Little Girl, Big Book

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 22:00:00 +0000

Click

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 21:00:00 +0000

It's just a matter of time before it all clicks.

Nadia has had the ability to read for some time now...she just doesn't know it. All she's lacking is the confidence and desire. But it's starting to click now.

She writes like crazy, and her spelling has progressed enough that I can almost always decipher what she's saying. click

She's starting to read random words in the world around her. click

The adruous process of sounding out has become more natural, she's recognizing patterns, and the list of sight words is growing. click

She often wails, "noooo, I can't!" when asked to read something, but she's more willing now and the successes delight her. click

The idea of reading a book on her own still scares her, but last week she sat down and read several pages of Little Bear all on her own. I haven't been able to get her to do it again, but still - click!

The only thing that still needs to click into place is her realization that she can do this on her own and it's fun, and she'll be off and running into that wonderful new world.

Click, click, click.

It's coming.

Yes

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Yes.

Yes to us.

Yes to joy.

Yes to contentment.

Yes to a future together.

Yes to dreams coming true.

Yes.

It is amazing to think back to where I was just a few years ago, and where I am now. God truly does work in mysterious and wonderful ways!

I am blessed.

I am engaged to a wonderful man. The best man I've ever known. The man who fills my heart and my future. The man who's helped me learn how to love fully and be loved fully. My Scott.

Yes, I am so very blessed.

---------
Some of the details everyone wants to know:

The When: Well, I'll tell you as soon as I know! There is no date set...at least not anything more specific than "probably awhile." ;o) There's a lot to work out in terms of jobs, school, where to live, etc, and I have no idea how long it'll take to answer those questions. I'm very eager and want it to be tomorrow, LOL, but all things in good time. But now we know we are working together towards the same thing, and I love envisioning our future together.

The ring: It's perfect!! It's a red heart shaped ruby, and I love that it's not the traditional diamond. This is so much more special and romantic. I love to feel it on my finger, and it makes me happy every time I see it.

What Nadia Thinks: How many exclamation points can follow a sentence? That's what Nadia thinks, and more. She's actually been begging for this for months and couldn't be more thrilled! She totally adores Scott, Ian and Braden and is very excited to have two big brothers. We all have so much fun together...it already feels like our own little family. :o)

The Wedding: Slow down!! Since we don't know yet when it'll be, I don't want to let myself think about the wedding too much, as that'll just make me more anxious for it. Simple, intimate, white dress, cool groom's cake, that's about the extent of the planning at this point. :o)

The Bottom Line: I can't imagine a better man than Scott, and I am so happy to share our lives together. There's still a lot to be decided, but when I look to the future I see him...and our family...and I know it'll be wonderful. I love you, Scott!

Useless Trivia About Me

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 04:30:00 +0000

I'm good at starting things but not quite so good at finishing them. I procrastinate. Case in point: this post has been sitting in my draft folder for months. And I'm only pulling it back out now because I really should be studying. :oP I am very good at distracting myself, until I forget all about the original task.

I love the textures of the world around me. I can't stop myself from touching things. Soft, silky, smooth, velvety, rough - I love them all. Walking thru the woods or the clothes department, my hands are always out. (I guess I know where my daughter gets that from!)

I use my heart condition as an excuse not to exercise. Yes, it's true that I should not let my heart rate get up too high, but I take that too far. A little exercise would definitely not hurt me!

I really, really need to start a regular exercise routine.

Dark chocolate truffles are amazingly yummy. Don't ask me how I know this...but it may or not not be coincidence that this tidbit follows the one regrading the need for exercise. :oI

I do not like for money to be wasted - mine or anyone elses. Over-priced things do not impress me, and it really bugs me that a little brand name tag has the power to raise prices to ridiculous levels. And those brands only have that power because we give it to them!

I'm generally not a fan of fresh cut flowers. For one thing, they fit into my "wasted money" thing, and I just hate to see something beautiful wither and die. I prefer something that lasts...like the giant plush rose recently given to me. :o) That said, there have been a few times I received flowers that absolutely meant so much to me.

I use [....] way too much. And dashes too - I like those. ;o) Oh yeah, and smiley, too!! And lots of exclamation points. Okay, maybe I just like punctuation a lot??

I second guess myself a lot. I have a hard time making decisions, and even once I've made the decision I keep stressing over it and re-analyzing it. Even over stupid stuff like what to eat for lunch!

I am a lotion and lip gloss junky. I simply can't stand for my hands or lips to feel at all dry, and I use both many times a day. But I'm also a lotion and lip gloss snob and only a few kinds pass my test. Favorite lotion: St. Ives. Favorite lip gloss: CO Bigelow from B&BW.

I used to not like spicy foods at all. But more and more these days, I like it. Yum. But only if it's a flavorful spicy, I'm still not a fan of simply hot food. My favorite types of spicy are buffalo wings and horseradish.

I can be a very lazy, selfish and self-centered person. I am a more patient mother, a more helpful and kind person, when other people are around to see.

I used to think of myself as a carefree, seat-of-the-pants kind of person. That is so not true. I seem to be becoming more Type A as time goes on. There's a lot of my Mama in me. :o)

I am terribly music illiterate. I enjoy music...but I very rarely seek it out and I often totally tune it out even when it is playing. I have a hard time making out the lyrics in an unfamiliar song. I really don't even know what type of music I like....and while I'd like to have a better grasp of that and build a little music library, I don't want it enough to take the time to figure it out.

Dirty dishrags and dirty dishwater are some of my biggest pet peeves. I can. not. stand. them! Yuck. It takes a huge surge of willpower to make myself stick my hand in a sink full of dishwater gone cold.

I can never, ever remember the html for posting a link. I have to look it up every single time.

My biggest concern for this semester of school is spelling. I can spout off all sorts of fun facts about all these different types of bacteria and viruses, but learning how to spell their crazy names?! Yeah right.

I have an amazing ability to spend great quantities of time doing nothing. Seriously. It doesn't feel like I'm doing nothing at the time, but at the end of the day I look back and think, "what the heck did I accomplish today?!"

For years and years, I preferred soft, pale colors. And then rich earth tones became my favorite. Now I feel pulled towards vibrant jewel tones...especially a rich purply-pink. I kinda see the change in my color preferences as a metaphor for my outlook in life.

I have a bad habit of smiling/laughing when talking about something serious or delivering bad news. I can't help myself. I get nervous...and out pops a smile. My Mom does the same thing, so I totally blame her. :oP

I shave my legs every other day year round. I simply cannot stand the feel of two stubbly legs rubbing against each other. ewww!

When my family first moved to Texas 15+ years ago, I swore I'd never be a real Texan. I refused to adopt the southern drawl, and I insisted and I'd never consider 40 degrees cold. Well, I do sometimes hear that twang creep into my voice, and my blood has thinned enough that 40 degrees is freakin' COLD! I have spent the last 2 months in an almost constant near-frozen state.

I've been making an effort to go to bed earlier, and I'm actually sorta succeeding! My typical bedtime has been moved back from midnight to about 11. And it's getting close to that time now, which means you are saved from further random and uninteresting facts about moi. :o)

Nadia the Spy

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:00:00 +0000

A couple months ago Nadia watched Harriet the Spy...and became briefly obsessed with all things spy. She carried around a notepad, carefully recorded everything she saw, and went on secret missions - just like Harriet! This series of photos came from one of our secret spy missions around the neighborhood; Gray (our cat) was her partner, and she made sure to record all her observations so she could report to him when we got back home. This morning I noticed this series of photos in the "to be blogged" file, and it made me smile to remember that short-lived fascination. I sure do love that girl and her imagination!

24 Wonderful Hours

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Calling all Lurkers!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Apparently I am more in tune with the rhythms of the blogging world these days than I realized.

I don't worry much over blog stats anymore, but this morning I happened to notice the little badge over there to the right - the "turq-green" (as Nadia would say) one that currently shows "248 Readers." That means there are 248 people out there who subscribe to this lil ol' blog, 248 people who read whatever gibberish I happen to throw up here. WOW, that's a lot of people!

And then, as I was marveling at that and skimming through my Google Reader, I came upon a few posts that referred to today being National DeLurking Day. Heh, who knew?! Obviously not me. ;o) But how serendipitous is this timing?!

In the blog world, a "lurker" is anyone who reads but doesn't leave a comment, and today is the official day to come out from behind the corner and say, "hi! I'm here!"

This made me wonder what other wacky "official days" there are, and look what I found!! Haha! Apparently today is also National Dress Up Your Pet Day. Get ready to celebrate...Bubble Wrap Day, Rid The World of Fad Diets Day, and Inane Answering Message Day are all coming later this month!

Anyway, that makes now the perfect opportunity to ask -

Who ARE all you people?!

This place is just the simple, often uninspired, journal of our lives, and it amazes me that so many people are along for the ride. I'd love to know who's out there, and why you read. I'd love to get to tell you thanks for checking in.

Will you please click the comment button and say hi?

Thank you!

And a couple photos, because no post is complete without photos. :o) And yes, Nadia does love to pose these days.

Sleeping Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Shhhh! Do you hear that?

Me neither.

It's the beautiful sound of silence.

Although, if you listen really closely, you might be able to catch the faint strains of angels singing.

Nadia took a nap a couple afternoons ago.

Actually, that simple factual sentence should end with about a dozen exclamation points.

It has been a long, long time since that bundle of endless energy slept during daylight hours.

One minute she was reading books on the couch...the next minute it was strangely quiet, and when I went to check I found her fast asleep.

Oh what a sweet sight!

And almost as welcome as the unexpectedly peaceful afternoon itself was the opportunity to snap some of the sweet sleeping photos I love so much.

Seeing her there - so sweet and innocent and beautiful - made my heart swell.

What else did this Mama do with her quiet afternoon?

A little blogging...a little reading...a little napping of my own. Oh yes I did!

Kinda made the whole getting-up-way-too-early thing more worth it!

An extra bonus (or, boneless, as Nadia would say): the naps gave us extra energy for a fun evening with Jaimee and her boys! We've missed our buddies and it was great to see them. Nadia was very excited that "they came all the way from Yew Nork to visit us here in America!" hehehe!

Snow Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:30:00 +0000

We made snow ice cream no less than FIVE times in the first 24 hours snow was on the ground.

I think it's safe to say the kid likes the stuff, just a little.

Well, maybe more than a little.

She insists this concoction of snow, sugar, milk and a dash of vanilla is better than any ice cream at the store.

And to think - this is the same kid who disliked frozen treats as a toddler!

Hmmm, maybe one day she'll decide onions aren't so bad either.

(BTW, that is the ONLY food I could think of that my weirdo child doesn't like!)

Snow Day

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0000

If it seems like all she wants to do is eat the snow...well, you're right. :o)

Oh, and I love her kitty hat. LOVE IT!

Good Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Snow days

Late night phone calls

Cozy slippers

Countless rounds of Rat-A-Tat-Cat

Leftover ham for potato-ham soup tomorrow

Chubby baby cheeks

My sister's triple-layer peppermint bark

Coconut macaroons

Winning Settlers of Catan

Snow ice cream and hot cocoa for a bedtime snack

Text messages

Lollipops

A beautiful butterfly necklace from my sweetie

A six month anniversary, and a 2nd 1st date

Feeling loved and accepted no matter what

Bengal Spice tea

Nadia's joy at a kitty cat video game made just for her

A boyfriend who made a kitty cat video game just for Nadia!

A little girl's love for her new baby

The satisfying weight of a heavy blanket

A cat curled up in your lap

Plans to see a friend, whom I've missed for too long

Unexpected blessings

Sharing a good book with my girl - and realizing she's finally old enough to get into chapter books!

New routines

Bedtime....good night!

Heavy Metal

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 03:30:00 +0000

Last week found me in an unexpected place: a sheet metal fabrication plant. I was asked by a friend to take some photos of his family's sheet metal business workshop, for the planned update to their website. The experience was half photo shoot, half field trip. It was quite interesting to learn more about an industry about which I knew very little ...and quite honestly, had never really thought all much about! It's pretty amazing how much goes into cutting out, stamping, folding, smoothing, packaging and otherwise creating all the little metal parts around us! So many different types of machines! This type of photography was something very new for me as well, and altho neither my camera nor I were the best candidates for the job, we came up with some compelling images despite the lighting challenges. Let me tell you, I could have used a flash! It was a very interesting and educational experience, and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity.