tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2027052338994701092024-03-05T21:32:27.461-08:00Time CraftedKarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.comBlogger402125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-91202558530586006572014-08-03T00:13:00.000-07:002014-08-03T00:13:00.812-07:00Reading with the Kids: Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryOne of our summer's biggest delights are the stories, tales, and written words read by both myself and my kids. They aren't li'l ones anymore, so we all read independently, but even each of us reading our own separate worded worlds while all of us are in the same room feels like we're sharing our books together.<br />
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More than once there has been one kid reading from a printed book on one end of the sofa, while I'm on the other, reading an ebook on my phone, while the other kidlet sits on the floor right next to us and reads an ebook, checked out from the library on the laptop.</div>
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And occasionally, two or three of us might share a special story. Recently, I started reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1500426040/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1500426040&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20&linkId=LE3SHN3JQFBE7N3O" target="_blank"><span style="color: #666666;">Anne of Green Gables</span></a> aloud to my sweet girl and with each word spoken, I wander down memory lane, revisiting when those words were my first time reading them as a girl myself. She loves sharing the story so much that her prized yard sale find this summer is her very own copy of the old book that she picked up for fifty cents. Now, I read aloud as she follows along, gingerly turning the pages of her newest treasure.</div>
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And even better, a book that again allows me to wander through my memories and that I'm then able to pass on to another generation. The imaginative tale of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142410314/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0142410314&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20&linkId=CO2PSV3MNWHJQYDI">Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=timecraf-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0142410314" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
by Roald Dahl has been just that tale. My boy was first introduced to Dahl reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142410373/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0142410373&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20&linkId=JUSENU5XPABQ4EYH" target="_blank">Matilda</a> with his class a few years ago and laughed himself sick. And my girl has been experiencing his worlds with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142410365/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0142410365&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20&linkId=KLJV3DW2OLAS4MQI" target="_blank">James and the Giant Peach</a> before Charlie arrived on our doorstep. </div>
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Dozens of books, thousands of pages, and millions of words have yanked the three of us into dozens of different writers' imagined worlds. And we are smiling because of it.<br />
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What are you reading this summer? If you have kids, what books, pages or screens, are they sticking their noses in?</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142410314/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0142410314&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20&linkId=CNYEN42F7PO7GODW" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2nEz4jtOTiN_NjqN25HJMV-0A-l7i7lWBbK-1fw2ssNUCDzhaiHORqLYPbizPmjCselYyyYPSW5DFeTtWR2HwDvejrh7_HQKhr5goil3A9bEXPhaOkihWFCQLR2M_J9J_C3kW93V7dJI/s1600/Charlie-and-the-Chocolate-Factory-by-Roald-Dahl-666x1024.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a></div>
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<b><i>This post was inspired by the
classic </i></b><a href="http://www.roalddahl.com/"><b><span style="color: #1155cc;">Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</span></b></a><a href="http://www.roalddahl.com/"><b><i><span style="color: #1155cc;"> by Roald Dahl</span></i></b></a><b><i>,
which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. To celebrate, </i></b><a href="http://www.us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/youngreaders/index.html"><b><i><span style="color: #1155cc;">Penguin Young Readers Group</span></i></b></a><b><i>, in
partnership with </i></b><a href="http://www.dylanscandybar.com/"><b><i><span style="color: #1155cc;">Dylan’s Candy Bar</span></i></b></a><b><i>, the world-famous candy
emporium, and </i></b><a href="http://www.firstbook.org/"><b><i><span style="color: #1155cc;">First
Book</span></i></b></a><b><i>, a nonprofit social enterprise that
provides books for children from low-income families, is launching a year-long
international celebration.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>Head over to </i></b><a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/book-club-feature-charlie-chocolate-factorys-50th-anniversary/"><b><i><span style="color: #1155cc;">From Left to Write</span></i></b></a><b><i> to learn how you and your child
can have a chance to win the </i>Golden Ticket Sweepstakes<i> where the grand prize is a magical trip to New York City plus much
more! For every entry submitted, Penguin Young Readers Group will make a
donation to First Book. Then, join From Left to Write on July 24 as we discuss </i>Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory<i>. As a book club
member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-49645799522484050272014-05-19T17:38:00.000-07:002014-05-19T23:17:15.516-07:00From Left to Write: Summer FunWith three weeks left on the countdown clock 'til the school's last bell rings, the buzz coming off the kids is palpable. Ready or not, summer is coming.<br />
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And while I am more than excited to ditch the 5:40 am alarm clock, I would rather be ready and have some activities planned out, or at the very least, thought out.<br />
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There are the inexpensive to free activities that will be the staples to fill our days:<br />
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~ Trips to the <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2012/01/color-wash.html" target="_blank">coast</a> to build sandcastles & take adventure walks along the<br />
<a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2011/07/love-ocean-dig-beach.html" target="_blank">beach</a><br />
~ Summer library reading programs to keep li'l & big brains from getting<br />
jellified<br />
~ Tending to our growing edible garden in the backyard<br />
~ Riding bikes through the neighborhood<br />
~ Playing with neighborhood friends<br />
~ Mornings at the park <i>(mornings, because uber hot days & I are not on<br /> the friendliest of terms)</i><br />
~ <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2010/08/get-your-paint-on.html" target="_blank">Painting</a> with the kids <i>(looking forward to <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2011/01/frame-it-up.html" target="_blank">framing</a> some new pieces)</i><br />
~ Learning how to play the guitar<br />
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And then there are those activities that cost some dough, but are totally worth it:<br />
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~ Taekwondo <i>(Big Bro began taking classes over a year ago and four<br /> months in, Li'l Sis jumped in too)</i><br />
~ Swimming lessons<br />
~ Local day camp<br />
~ A couple of local museums we want to visit<br />
~ The Zoo<br />
~ <a href="https://jellybelly.com/info/visit_jelly_belly/california_factory_tours" target="_blank"><span style="color: #666666;">Jelly Belly Factory</span></a> tour<br />
~ <a href="http://www.mrsgrossmans.com/pages/tour-the-factory" target="_blank"><span style="color: #666666;">Mrs. Grossman's</span></a> sticker factory tour<br />
~ <a href="http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit" target="_blank"><span style="color: #666666;">Exploratorium</span></a><br />
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That should keep us pretty busy! What are you up to this summer? Any exciting plans? Any fun destinations you're looking forward to visiting?<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804138567?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0804138567&linkCode=xm2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SXK0qT6oDIG8rU0-4CqUwL3tOS2txx2Kls68H_jzJ5adSvMLKhG6nY4-p-XAjSKd9fO5i-wiic-ux1rGR7cbXcLoPzy3RbLMuA5SWnxT5X7GER5_P-qDFLFrMXKiZ55wMgkx3vUdG_Q/s1600/Bittersweet+by+Miranda+Beverly-Whittemore.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>This post was inspired by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804138567?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0804138567&linkCode=xm2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank">Bittersweet</a> by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore, a novel that exposes the gothic underbelly of an American dynasty, and an outsider's hunger to belong. Join From Left to Write on May 20th, as we discuss Bittersweet. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</i></div>
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<i>Affiliate links used.</i></div>
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<br />Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-87908258669265608682014-05-07T18:00:00.000-07:002014-05-07T18:00:17.547-07:00From Left to Write: Sparkle Words Shine in Ruby<br />
"Use your Sparkle Words!"<br />
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Flashing back to my son's first grade classroom, I easily hear his teacher rallying her students to include descriptive adjectives into their writing. As they were six years old, those words often consisted of a favorite color from an eight pack box of Crayolas; or the words <i>a lot, very, many</i>, <i>great, </i>or <i>cool</i>. As simplistic as those words are, even several years later, I still think of those or <i>any</i> descriptions as Sparkle Words.<br />
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Clearly, those lettered images grow as kidlets' vocabularies increase. And by the time words are whipped into published story, hopefully those stitched together letters and phrases paint pictures for readers to see into the writer's world.<br />
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Cynthia Bond transports her reader, creating magic with her Sparkle Words, in her debut novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804139091?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=0804139091&linkCode=shr&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank"><span style="color: #444444;">Ruby</span></a>. The imagery her words paint firmly embeds a reader into time, place, sight, sound, and smell.<br />
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My eyes sucked in the opening of Bond's tale, telling of a mad woman, but it was only the second paragraph that grabbed and pasted me stuck like a winged creature on a permanent fly paper pit stop. Bond uses her version of Sparkle Words to tell us of Ruby Bell.<br />
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Eyes read those words, just as I was taught at three, moving from left to right across the page. But, once was not enough. And I still did not have enough, even reading it five, six, seven times. Due to its subject matter, the book is not one my kidlets are ready for, but I knew those words in the second paragraph - the ones that would not let me go - are the perfect sample of where I hope they learn to grow their own versions of Sparkle Words, so I read it to them. And even still, it was not enough.<br />
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It took me at least a day before I was able to move beyond just the second grouping of sentences. And the very last set of words from that second grouping held so tightly to my breath, I fell asleep several nights watching them parade across my closed eyelids.<br />
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Fortunately, Bond continued to share her rich and layered imagery for my eyes to greedily suck in the hundreds more paragraphs in her tale.<br />
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I hope your world is adorned with Sparkle Words - words you hear, words you read, words you write, words you speak.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804139091?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=0804139091&linkCode=shr&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVC3e6vhMogxtCiPU0l20EZ940Bs5WYY_SBhOevT3FPna5iGyJWXMM57zPoPg6soTm08mKjKYkNffL58fYcd2sgLRO-aniZc3hiuei7ST-mYI9KN8cVKseFT4scXN4-CAIBGKK-wEn1g/s1600/Ruby-by-Cynthia-Bond.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><span id="goog_1989661898"></span><span id="goog_1989661899"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></div>
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<i>This post was inspired by the novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804139091?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393185&creativeASIN=0804139091&linkCode=shr&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank">Ruby, by Cynthia Bond</a>, a gripping story about overcoming our past and embracing love in a racially charged rural 1950s Texas. Join <a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank">From Left to Write</a> on May 8th, as we discuss Ruby. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</i></div>
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<br />Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-38766296531617069452014-03-10T04:14:00.000-07:002014-03-17T12:41:53.854-07:00My Writing Process<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Writing stories, since I was a kid, was just something I
did. Then, I had kids, life
took over, and I read stories to my children, rather than write my own.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Three years ago, Mandy, from <a href="http://www.inmandyland.com/" target="_blank">In Mandyland</a>, inspired me get
back to my writing, even if she didn’t know it at the time. Though, I’ve told her since that it was her
own creative writing she shared online that made me want to move some of the
characters parading through my head back onto paper…or my laptop. Her writing brings her characters to life,
always making me feel as if I’m in the room with them while curled up with the
book that writes of their tale.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, when she asked me to participate in a Writing Process
Blog Tour, of course I said yes!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What am I working on?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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If you’ve swung by here in the last year, you may know that
my muse decided to take an extended vacation – an <i>unapproved, extended</i> vacation. With or without my favorite muse, I have
continued to write, albeit mostly offline, rather than on. Thankfully, I'm beginning to see sparks of mojo returning.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have focused more closely on editing the beginnings of two
novels and slowly adding to them, in an attempt to get back on track. And there is a microfiction/photography
project that I have been toying with for a while now and am finally
beginning to work on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>How does my work differ from others of its genre?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Honestly? I’m not a
fan of labels. I think the minute we use
them, we remove our ability to try or see something new.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And since what I’m working on currently dances in four
different “genres,” I’m glad I don’t subscribe to them. I understand how quickly and easily we human
beings want to slap a label on something and make it easy to define, but
personally, I really don’t want to live in a world where we only look at the
surface. For me, life is rather boring that
way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Why do I write what I do?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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I grew up moving. A
lot. And in each new state, town, school
and/or workplace, new friendships were formed.
Through those encounters, I watched and learned about relationships in a
way that I don’t believe I would have if I had grown up within the same
community all my life <i>(though, if I had, I’m sure I would have learned a lot as
well, just from an entirely different perspective)</i>. Consequently, a lot of what I write looks at
the bonds of friendships and the individuals that create them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>How does your writing process work?</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s the call of a character parading through my head that
leads my fingers to tap a keyboard. That
is inevitably where I begin writing a story, whether that is the actual
beginning, middle, or end of the tale itself.
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I suppose that makes me somewhat of a pantser in terms of
just sitting down and writing. Though, I
am finally caving and know I need to embrace outlining to help me get past the
walls I’ve hit with those two novels.</div>
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And fortunately, I’ve even learned how to write when the
kidlets are immersed in their own activities three feet from me. Though, <i>editing</i> amongst chaos does not work
for me and for that, my brain needs quiet space to twist the words and hear the
characters on the pages in front of me.
Because, really, just how many voices can my poor brain hear all at
once? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><b>********* </b></o:p></div>
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Next Monday, the Writing Process Blog Tour moves on to four
writers I’ve connected with through both ends of the word loving spectrum - an
online writing community (<a href="http://writeonedge.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Write on Edge</span></a>) and an online book club (<a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">From Left to Write</span></a>):<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.sheltonkeysdunning.com/#" target="_blank">Shelton Keys Dunning</a> is the author of paranormal mystery
novels <i>The Trouble with Henry</i> and <i>Hagatha Kittridge Must Die</i>, along with
several short stories and the blogs Expressions of Talking Leaves on blogger,
and The Scribe, The Quill, and the Secret Notebook on Tumblr.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Eva Greene Wilson is the editor and owner of <a href="http://socamom.com/soca/" target="_blank">SocaMom.com</a>, an
award winning website for Caribbean parents.
She has also written and published the children’s book, <i>Anancy’s Family
Reunion</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Shannon Morgan is an editor and a food and travel writer
working on her first novel. Visit her
blog at <a href="http://www.shannonmorgancreative.com/" target="_blank">Shannon Morgan Creative</a>.</div>
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Jessica Claire Haney is a writer and mother of two who is working on her first novel. She blogs at <a href="http://crunchychewymama.com/" target="_blank">Crunchy-Chewy Mama</a> and has two essays published in the recent anthology, <a href="http://www.demeterpress.org/HaveMilkWillTravel.html" target="_blank">Have Milk, Will Travel: Adventures in Breastfeeding</a>. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-79512477623076981822014-03-04T21:18:00.000-08:002014-03-05T12:21:58.086-08:00#iPPP a la Girl Scouts<div style="text-align: justify;">
Back for #iPPP and it hasn't even been a whole year since my last visit! Say what? Only two weeks? Call Guinness!</div>
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Life's been busy, busy, but last weekend, busy also meant tasty. My sweet girl was working on her Snacks badge for Brownies (Girl Scouts) and got crackin' in the kitchen, creating a sweet treat and a smoothie.</div>
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Saturday night, for dessert, she made yogurt strawberry parfaits, layering greek yogurt mixed with a li'l honey, sliced strawberries, and granola.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpq31dlXubTwbiU-MafEvYPzPc_q6hnfomOd7izinbhBKMXurV0mbrzQ3woWDVPDRC2u-rDRo-1N6F7sDjAJp4sLM9MQjrxw5FmrIt-SpENJdVN85wzxTCac5KIeA6ONUO3SIXzGf7YY/s1600/GFCF+Almond+Yogurt+Parfait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpq31dlXubTwbiU-MafEvYPzPc_q6hnfomOd7izinbhBKMXurV0mbrzQ3woWDVPDRC2u-rDRo-1N6F7sDjAJp4sLM9MQjrxw5FmrIt-SpENJdVN85wzxTCac5KIeA6ONUO3SIXzGf7YY/s1600/GFCF+Almond+Yogurt+Parfait.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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And while the first set of parfaits were made gluten free, using Udi's vanilla granola, she needed to go one step further for her brother, who can't have dairy, to join in the sweet treat fun and swapped out the greek yogurt for almond yogurt creating a GFCF parfait delight. Looks nearly the same, eh?</div>
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Can I share the <i>most</i> random and yet <i>helpful</i> thing I learned over the weekend? Thanks to friend Jenn visiting, I <i>finally</i> learned how to spell dessert and not get it mixed up with desert! Dessert is spelled with two 's's because you want more and desert with only one 's' because you supposedly want less <i>(since I'm not a fan of the heat, this totally works for me)</i>. Told ya it was <i>random</i>...but, it will save me when spell check isn't nearby!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlPTTWyCxC-KFqt_FOHb-ilteZCdfH9lFDbl_PZyLFtv3UBEU4tjVbJaRmzDwAUq9D8YObCEnHKLrF8v8kHaLbj3iVBcrdZyKIwaPpHFhmURDDrRK7DnMMqHp2CKxXS1MRqEj_EA08cg/s1600/GFCF+Fruit+%2526+Spinach+Smoothie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPlPTTWyCxC-KFqt_FOHb-ilteZCdfH9lFDbl_PZyLFtv3UBEU4tjVbJaRmzDwAUq9D8YObCEnHKLrF8v8kHaLbj3iVBcrdZyKIwaPpHFhmURDDrRK7DnMMqHp2CKxXS1MRqEj_EA08cg/s1600/GFCF+Fruit+%2526+Spinach+Smoothie.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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On Sunday, she blended up a smoothie, using frozen organic blueberries, frozen strawberries, frozen mangoes, fresh ripe banana, fresh baby spinach leaves, and coconut water. We slurped up smoothie and then poured the left over mix into popsicle molds for desert this week. Delish.</div>
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Coming back for an #iPPP visit with</div>
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<a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/" target="_blank">G*Funk*ified</a> & <a href="http://www.jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed.com/" target="_blank">Jumping With My Fingers Crossed</a> & <a href="http://www.angelaamman.com/" target="_blank">Angela Amman</a></div>
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Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-26584033878006053132014-02-18T21:56:00.000-08:002014-02-19T14:56:24.646-08:00#iPPP: Valentine's Day...A Year Later<em>Holy camole macarole!!!</em> Looking back, my last #iPPP post was <em>last year</em>, this same week! I knew it had been quite awhile, but <em>geez</em>! Um...well, then...hello again. :><br />
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This year, we found some really cute li'l heart printables with the perfect Valentine's sayings for the themed pencils we slid through the cut out hearts on <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/timecrafted/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, <i>of course</i>. You can find them on <a href="http://oneshetwoshe.com/2014/01/valentine-printable.html" target="_blank">Or So She Says</a> where Sharon, from <a href="http://www.sharonrowanphotodesign.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Lemon Squeezy</a> shared them. <em>Loved</em> that they were a fun non-candy option!</div>
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But, since I've annoyed myself and forgotten to snap a pic, let's move onto what I did remember to document from Valentine's Day. And that is what has quickly become a favorite tradition:</div>
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<a href="http://instagram.com/timecrafted" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzmrwXRoCtiltWvTWtveIa0FkCsg_fZgIcoWnhy7aM6sTB8XeV9ZbWEFAuDbivnf6NkXy7i1jFrAWDpIV5tBH12aT3aCI1ia1ETD0oIiLW5CgiKVpN9p8DS3hW00MjH67ftQ5z3MJX-sM/s1600/Living+Flowers+-+Valentine's+Day.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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hubs brings <i>living</i> flowers for me</div>
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<a href="http://instagram.com/timecrafted" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpMF0CgnBcUtOR6WgvWJ8W24wFpqkNJR2QEM6UEtfKf7NIwa7j7nLDm_qtW39QOiU22QR8uAEDQaLDPLcjzcXTqj6w5PLse39uk5k1cf4BuvAc3j7NCosyOR7cg2so0nlMEActJOAZxoU/s1600/Valentine's+Pansies.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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and for his sweet li'l girl too.</div>
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When we keep them alive long enough, they can be planted in the backyard next month. <i>Sometimes</i> that happens, <i>sometimes</i> it doesn't. I hear there's this little thing plants like called water??? So far, they're looking good and my girl's old enough now to help remind me of that <i>tiny</i> life sustaining necessity. Fingers crossed!</div>
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<i>Finally</i> coming back for an #iPPP visit with</div>
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<a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/" target="_blank">G*Funk*ified</a> & <a href="http://www.jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed.com/" target="_blank">Jumping With My Fingers Crossed</a> & <a href="http://www.angelaamman.com/" target="_blank">Angela Amman</a></div>
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Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-56629669892342550342014-02-17T13:51:00.000-08:002019-09-30T10:40:43.018-07:00From Left to Write: Hope's Dream<div style="text-align: justify;">
Young, elementary school kidlets stepping up to the podium, taking the microphone in
hand, sharing their dreams for their classes' <i>I Have a Dream</i> presentation
carved a niche in me. They spoke from their hearts and touched mine.</div>
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Thinking on my response to reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EMXBDKW?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B00EMXBDKW&linkCode=shr&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank"><span style="color: #444444;">Prayers for the Stolen</span></a> by Jennifer
Clement with <a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #444444;">From Left to Write</span></a> this month, those speeches bubbled up.
This is a bit different than my typical post, but where both the book and those
children's words took me.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Hope’s Dream</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Martin Luther King, Jr. - <br />
Ideas cut through the air, rolling across hundreds of thousands.<br />
Orated ideals, shuttled forward through decades to come; <br />
Words chauffeured through time, but not all lands.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“I have a dream…”<br />
Children speak their own whispered hearts.<br />
Trees for forests, healed and healthy parents, worlds without war -<br />
They have a dream.<br />
Breathing environments, cornflower blue skies, crystal streams channeling dirt-<br />
They have a dream.<br />
Kids free of fear, shining seas, feathered and furry friends left to roam free
-<br />
They have a dream.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Dozens of children hope for the wider world
around them.<br />
One child hopes for a world he came from, a world he knew.<br />
A future holding more,<br />
A future lacking less,<br />
A future without dirt floors,<br />
A future without empty bellies,<br />
A future with hope.<br />
He has a dream.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EMXBDKW?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B00EMXBDKW&linkCode=shr&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJsW765iz9_GyvWr48NTt2TNwzfejOePKhOAVZ_3_VdeIeinyW98D9SDQUC1lH6vbLQABzFeadq0dq6bCs7b2azD26dIr7h5OVtx_wrfFrG4ac0nlcpYfklzxd0jualAjkLIUXs2-Jio/s1600/Prayers-for-the-Stolen-by-Jennifer-Clement.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><i style="font-family: inherit;">This post was inspired by the novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EMXBDKW?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B00EMXBDKW&linkCode=shr&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank">Prayers for the Stolen</a> by Jennifer Clement. Ladydi grew up in rural Mexico, where being a girl is a dangerous thing. She and other girls were "made ugly" to protect them from drug traffickers and criminal groups. Join <a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank">From Left to Write</a> on February 18 as we discuss Prayers for the Stolen. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes. Opinions and response are my own.</i></span></div>
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<br />Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-34543202118708863272013-12-18T22:15:00.000-08:002013-12-18T22:15:00.866-08:00Christmas Music Countdown<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">'Tis</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">the</span> <span style="color: #990000;">season</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">for</span> <span style="color: #990000;">my</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">current</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Top 5</span> <span style="color: #990000;">Christmas</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">Songs:</span></span></div>
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<strong>5) Let it Snow</strong> <em>(Because I miss the possibility of li'l white flurries falling from the sky and blanketing the earth below for a glistening white Christmas.)</em></div>
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<strong>4) Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer</strong> <em>(It's my favorite Christmas movie too!)</em></div>
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<strong>3) Silent Night</strong> <em>(Was taught this one in sign language at church when I was just a girl and have always loved it.)</em></div>
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<strong>2) White Christmas</strong> <em>(Sang this one to my first kidlet when he was a newborn, even though it wasn't Christmas time because Girl Scout & Christmas songs were the only songs, in that severe sleep deprived state that I could remember the words to!)</em></div>
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<strong>1) The Little Drummer Boy (</strong><em>Currently, the kidlets and I are absolutely hooked on Pentatonix rendition of this Christmas classic. Nothing like a li'l beatboxing to modernize a traditional favorite. Have a look & listen!)</em></div>
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If you listen to Christmas music, what is your current fav? Song? Album?</div>
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In addition to more Christmas tracks than I can count <i>(heavily laced with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=Glee%20Christmas&linkCode=ur2&tag=timecraf-20&url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music" target="_blank"><span style="color: #444444;">Christmas music from Glee</span></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=timecraf-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />)</i>, we're also enjoying Kelly Clarkson's newest album, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G07IOZK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00G07IOZK&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20"><span style="color: #444444;">Wrapped In Red</span></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=timecraf-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00G07IOZK" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, and more from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=Pentatonix&linkCode=ur2&tag=timecraf-20&url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music" target="_blank"><span style="color: #444444;">Pentatonix</span></a><span style="color: #444444;"><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=timecraf-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span> <i>(which is new to us this year)</i>! </div>
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<a href="http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Mama’s Losin’ It" src="http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac331/mamakatslosinit/workshop-button-1.png" /></a></center>
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Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-54903755785411988822013-12-16T18:04:00.000-08:002013-12-16T18:04:14.118-08:00From Left to Write: Arriving at Downton Abbey<div style="text-align: justify;">
Just a li'l chat between hubs and I about a year ago, before season 3 came out here, in the States. He was driven to make me fall down the Downton Abbey rabbit hole.</div>
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<i>Downton Abbey. Have you seen it?</i><br />
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<i>No.</i><br />
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<i>Have you seen it?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>No.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>You have to see it.</i><br />
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<i>You think?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>No, really, you have to see it.</i><br />
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<i>I'm getting that.</i><br />
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<i>You know, if you're looking for something to stream, you ought to try Downton Abbey.</i><br />
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<i>You really want me to watch, don't you?</i><br />
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<i>Well, yeah. I think you'd like it. It's so good.</i><br />
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<i>I get that it's totally you. British. Historically based. PBS. But, will I like it?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Watch it.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Maybe.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>No. You need to watch this.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>We'll see.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>So, you're going to watch it, right?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>{Head. Desk. Ouch.} Okay, okay, okay. I give.</i><br />
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While there was oodles of hoopla surrounding the show post season two, I wasn't convinced it would be something I would like. But, clearly, unless I wanted to keep having the quite cyclical conversation, I caved and hit PBS online to catch the first season.</div>
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It didn't take long at all to get completely hooked on the show and rapidly found myself signing up at Hulu + to see the second season. I was thoroughly taken in by the smallest period details of the show. And what caught me most significantly, was the subtlety in which the most poignant and powerful life moments were conveyed.</div>
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A fantastic period piece, whether via a visual medium in a show or movie, or through the words of a fictional book, will inevitably send me in the direction of the nearest source for the real story behind the scenes, the real story of that time period, the real story of the location, the real story of the people.</div>
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Do you do that? Do you like to uncover the next layer of the story? To move from the fictional tale to the histories that inspired the fiction?</div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrh9ouudCM1v1ySJtBe1YNlUBVpOp82ub3tB96hlUx2sFyA3ErPl9vDNCl2YMnPIuM7z3pZIF0Yacme6pbt_O6V6GQPWE7ZK2tmertJUCzWnlXIMjxQIAj3piT01XiOi1vkoakSlfrmoM/s1600/Lady+Catherine,+the+Earl,+and+the+Real+Downton+Abbey.jpg" /></div>
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<i>This post was inspired by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385344961/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0385344961&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank">Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=timecraf-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0385344961" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by The Countess of Carnarvon. Learn more about the family who lived in Highclere Castle, where the popular British series, Downton Abbey is filmed. Join <a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank">From Left to Write</a> on December 17, as we discuss Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</i></div>
Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-57232602084476939872013-11-30T10:53:00.000-08:002013-11-30T10:53:00.812-08:00She Came, She Wrote, She Won!<br />
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My sweet girl was itching to write for NaNoWriMo again this year with their <a href="http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">Young Writers Program</a>, after trying it for the <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2012/10/ywp-nanowrimo.html" target="_blank">first time last year</a>. Even when her Mama didn't write along with her (<i>yes, I bailed...but, I worked diligently on my cheer leading skills!</i>), she kept whipping her words into shape.</div>
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Last year, she worked with a special purple mechanical pencil and her Hello Kitty notebook, marking her words down by hand. This year, she put the computer keyboarding skills she's learning in school to use and typed her NaNo. As touch typing is a new skill still being honed, it was a little slower going. But, she is one determined kidlet and didn't let a challenge stop her.</div>
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Today, she passed her word count goal and verified on the site, making her a WINNER!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFauGrYx5GMtQCa26ilfhMynwI6Hl972yvjyuqK8RGkFI9RToFpHLhGonrjda0SXqEURXUZuk72k2_EUrTVoZlaR6pTn6tBC2SFgbC_48UVtlz4Ax92OKYGjTHAZjsyU3ppKEquczLLiA/s1600/2013+Winner+Facebook+Profile.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFauGrYx5GMtQCa26ilfhMynwI6Hl972yvjyuqK8RGkFI9RToFpHLhGonrjda0SXqEURXUZuk72k2_EUrTVoZlaR6pTn6tBC2SFgbC_48UVtlz4Ax92OKYGjTHAZjsyU3ppKEquczLLiA/s1600/2013+Winner+Facebook+Profile.png" /></a></div>
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We are so proud she kicks her goals' backside and is already talking about jumping back into NaNo next year!</div>
Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-88068386886384854972013-11-13T11:20:00.000-08:002013-11-13T11:20:00.734-08:00From Left to Write: The Cartographer of No Man's LandI'm not sure when it happened.<br />
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It could have possibly happened when I lived on the west coast, just one state south of the border, in Washington, as a young child.<br />
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It could have happened when I lived on the east coast, just one state south of the border, in New York, as a kid.<br />
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It could have happened when I dove into Lucy Maud Montgomery's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007Q4DC4O?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B007Q4DC4O&linkCode=shr&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank"><span style="color: #444444;">Anne of Green Gables</span></a>, landing on a farm on Prince Edward Island.<br />
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I'm not quite sure exactly <em>when</em> it happened.<br />
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But, at some point it did.<br />
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I fell in love with our neighbors to the north. I fell in love with Canada.<br />
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Was there any love lost for my home country? As a child, absolutely not. However, I vividly remember my Canada curiosity.<br />
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Could I have both? Live here, love there? And what exactly was it that I loved so much?<br />
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Truthfully, when this affinity struck, I don't believe I had ever even been north of that map line.<br />
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As a kid in New York, we once went to Niagara Falls, but I couldn't tell you what side of the Falls we were on.<br />
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While living in a number of locales across this country, I have not travelled much - I leave that to my baby brother and his wanderlust. But, when I did finally travel the wee bit I have, I headed north to British Columbia in '95 and 2000. And instead of a remembered childhood love of the then abstract place on a map, Canada, I looked around and breathed deep. As much of a tourist as I was - and yes, I did indeed do the typical tourist activities - it felt more like stepping out into a favorite corner of my backyard. It was comforting, fresh, natural, and of course, a visually stunning feast for the eyes.<br />
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It's been thirteen years since last visiting and I dream of going again. In the meantime, I think I'll keep exploring that remembered childhood love through words woven across a printed page.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0871403765/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0871403765&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0871403765/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0871403765&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyroRnXc_8FPSarRmYmO1qLkucbmxQxcAAL_xj8by9EqYKPUKq3b4AT-kXvUFuWdL27ef-RvPwgaRxNbS-xs8lC3MmL5VXlsP4RmWsnzDG5U4q0_2IxvlO2j8oM8mIHYLI7zg6YuQOq0/s1600/The+Cartographer+of+No+Man's+Land+by+P+S+Duffy.png" /></a></div>
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<em>This post was inspired by </em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0871403765/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0871403765&linkCode=as2&tag=timecraf-20"><em>The Cartographer of No Man's Land: A Novel</em></a><em><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=timecraf-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0871403765" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by P.S. Duffy. Angus enlists in the Nova Scotia WWI regiment and travels to Europe to search for his missing in action best friend and brother-in-law. Along the way Angus discovers more than he ever wanted to know. Join </em><a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank"><em>From Left to Write</em></a><em> on November 14th as we discuss The Cartographer of No Man's Land. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</em></div>
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<br />Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-60895886073972406932013-10-17T17:28:00.000-07:002013-11-30T10:53:48.837-08:00Wanted: Missing Muse<div>
My muse up and disappeared. I thought she was simply escaping on a rather marvelous vacation. I was, in fact, quite envious. But now, I'm beginning to worry she developed a terminal illness and expired...and I'm trembling with fright at that disastrous prospect. <sigh></sigh></div>
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November 1st is rapidly approaching, aka <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">NaNoWriMo</a> launch day, making that missing muse even more of a problem than it has been through the last year.</div>
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The previous two years, I click clacked my way across my keyboard for NaNoWriMo and last year, my <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2012/11/ywp-nanowrimo-shes-winner.html" target="_blank">wee girl got her NaNo on for the first time</a>, jumping on board with great gusto. She loved it so much, she wants to write again this year...and she wants the other half of her Mother-Daughter Team click clacking while she puts a special purple pencil to her Hello Kitty notebook. With said muse missing, in distress, or chained face down in a river somewhere, I'm madly sending out search parties for her in hopes of joining my li'l girl for NaNo and thousands of words of my own.</div>
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The clock is counting down and at this point, I would happily accept a wayward muse or even a drunken, wandering muse who hiccups with greater enthusiasm than the hoped for whispering inspirations.</div>
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Send help. I'm going to need it.</div>
Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-2310848292361219272013-04-09T15:47:00.000-07:002013-04-09T16:52:10.373-07:00From Left to Write: Afterwards<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tall black rubber rain boots, navy chino shorts, topped with
a nearly too small Pokémon t-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Utilizing her new skill, she pulls her hair back into a low
ponytail, heading for the screen door.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Metal on metal sounds as she slides the worn screen door
open, calling out, “I’m coming, Dad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wait for me!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rain boots making her tiny feet look and sound bigger than
they are race across the deck as her ponytail dances on her shoulders,
absolutely tickled with delight to help her Dad with yard work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">An audible gasp escapes my lips, caught in one of those rare
moments when life simultaneously stands still and flashes forward.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">She’s a decade older, a sixteen year old girl a few feet
from me, embracing life, even the simple moments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">I couldn’t tear my eyes from the little girl in front of me
or from the teenager I’ll one day meet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">She’s burned into my heart now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Looking forward to when the two girls will become one, but
for now, I’ll hold on to the li’l girl and her small hands that still look for
encouragement and guidance a while longer.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307716554?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0307716554&linkCode=xm2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVu9A1kVyVhyphenhyphenLHoXihLNJhv-wPGXEwXPGXxN3ssaVQihXkg9upKcc8IoDHnSOLuGTk89WAV-8Ky8hW5q8_KbCG_KrKeWwNt7O6FimYpDOyXoQ7AquZ8ki7DW5QiBcYAjReeLJ_kTOuGM/s1600/Afterwards-by-Rosamund-Lupton-194x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><em></em></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><em><span style="font-size: large;">This post was inspired by the novel </span></em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307716554?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0307716554&linkCode=xm2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Afterwards</span></a><i><span style="font-size: large;"> by Rosamund Lupton. After witnessing her children's school set ablaze, Grace attempts to find the arsonist as her teenage daughter lies in a coma in Lupton's suspense thriller. Join </span><a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">From Left to Write</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> on April 11 as we discuss Afterwards. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</span></i></o:p></span></div>
Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-11790938539374384172013-04-04T00:52:00.000-07:002013-04-04T00:52:01.017-07:00Writer's Workshop: { Seventh Grade Bookends }<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Boarding the yellow school bus, the last stop on the route, was hell.</div>
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There were a lot of us waiting to climb aboard. There were never enough seats left. One child made the less-than-brilliant move to mark my li'l brother's neck with ballpoint pen. It was the '80s and I'd bet my favorite Bic pens were the culprit - I preferred blue, but that day black was used.</div>
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That bus. That bus stop. Those kids. I couldn't stand it.</div>
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I needed another method of transportation to the seventh grade. Definitely.</div>
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Feet. They worked. Often.</div>
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On the days I needed to go faster, a bicycle worked. Black and white ten speed. Pedals turning. Chain cycling. Wheels rotating. Faster.</div>
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Two get-myself-to-school memories are etched into the ol' brain. Perfectly placed bookends.</div>
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Fall. And then falling. Autumn coats the air. Pumping the pedals to climb the last hill to campus. Two nameless boys in front as I miss the rhythm, pulling a right leg too early to hop off. Landing hard.</div>
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"Eat dirt?!!"</div>
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Grumbling internally. Some unknown, surely less than witty remark to hide the embarrassment, tossed their way. Rising up to walk the bike the remaining distance. A big, huge hole at the knee of the only pair of jeans - any pants at all - owned.</div>
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I wore skirts the rest of the seventh grade.</div>
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By spring, a friend from the same neighborhood, was joining me on the avoid-the-yellow-school-bus trek.</div>
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The oh-my-goodness-what-am-I-going-to-tell-my-mom about this or that talk that went on as we walked home caused giggles to erupt. But, it's The Pole memory that is the solid bookend to the get-myself-to-school memories.</div>
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Once a week, the school newspaper - a two sided ditto - came out. We took turns reading it to each other, whether we were on bike or foot.</div>
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Coming out of the wooded patch, onto the steep hill, we climbed. Once at the top, the street leveled out. Then it was much easier to dive into the school news.</div>
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She read to me, completely captured by whatever tale that courier font regaled. Listening intently, I no more saw what was in front of her than she did.</div>
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A pole. A light pole? I don't know what exactly it was in the moment. But, she walked right into, school newspaper in hand.</div>
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SMACK.</div>
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From that day on, it was <em>her pole</em>.</div>
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Every school day after, she would give her pole a li'l hug as we passed by it, on our way home.</div>
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And on the last day of school, we even stopped to photograph her with it.</div>
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I'd share it with you, but then I'm sure she'd have to kill me. And I'm not ready to do dead.</div>
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So, that particular seventh grade memory bookend will stay right where it is.</div>
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But, I remember both experiences vividly - acid wash jeans destined to become cutoffs after I crashed and burned in front of those boys for me and navy blue shorts, navy blue & white stripped tee for her and her pole.</div>
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I. Loved. Seventh. Grade.</div>
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You know how I'm sure?</div>
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My memory banks are bursting from that particular year. Thank goodness.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/2013/01/dear-man/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KYEVxZ6Z_CyIPW9XcEwmHBoaBKvyc-pNRigjmSevnxYirEUsJiD2uJTuJC7vgltLAxgV_aPp3ARslaBiRr6aJF6IG-_5xF9S9W8urBFB_CKClVA15Y-qDJD9_4NjUvAE8MyBUtVpKuo/s1600/MamaKat's+Writer's+Workshop.png" /></a></div>
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Ran with Mama Kat's first prompt: a seventh grade memory. I had oodles to choose from for that particular year. So, to keep indecisiveness at bay, I ran with the bookends!</div>
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What do you remember from your seventh grade year?</div>
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Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-39548081296524999602013-04-01T22:12:00.000-07:002013-04-01T22:12:00.916-07:00Great ExpectationsGuess where I get to hang out right now?
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Greta, the fun, totally real mama of four, invited me to spend the day with her at G*Funki*fied.<br />
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Twitter struck again and led my way to the lady with the sassy pants and I'm so glad it did! She tells it like it is, shares her fun family photos a la her <a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/category/project-365/" target="_blank">Project 365</a>, working towards her <a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/category/mamavation/" target="_blank">2013 running goal</a> (she's totally rocking it) with #Mamavation, and we've found a common bond through her own kidlet <a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/category/gluten-free/" target="_blank">gluten free</a> journey. Make sure to join her <a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/category/ippp-2/" target="_blank">#iPPP</a> linkup, sharing phone snapped photos on Wednesdays.<br />
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Come on over to Greta's place where I'm sharing <a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/2013/04/great-expectations-time-crafted/" target="_blank">what happens when I'm desperate</a>...and just how much I trust my husband. And then stay awhile and visit with Greta!<br />
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<a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/category/great-expectations/" target="_blank"><img alt="G*Funk*ified" height="125" src="http://www.gfunkified.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/greatex-150x150.png" width="125" /></a></div>
Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-54486416255237077072013-02-20T16:30:00.000-08:002013-02-20T17:02:47.187-08:00#iPPP & WW: Valentine'sThanks to <a href="http://pinterest.com/timecrafted/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, Valentine's Day was a glowing hit here!<br />
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Looking for something for upper elementary age kids that didn't include candy, I came across these glow stick bracelet Valentine's. Initially, I was just thinking of these for my older boy, but the wee girl thought they were so cool and wanted to make them for her class as well.<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/158892693075383741/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/550x/2c/56/0e/2c560e719aa7425eaeff01b256f84eac.jpg" width="293" /></a></div>
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Source: <a href="http://theteacherwife.blogspot.com/2011/12/you-make-my-glow-v-day-freebie.html" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">theteacherwife.blogspot.com</a> via <a href="http://pinterest.com/timecrafted/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Karen</a> on <a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></div>
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Glow sticks send me zipping down Girl Scout memory lane....but, that's another story for another time and another day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjqm57i_nubWzai8PN87pWgXJcRVkyAR8WhhFSq6lvf-TZTU-3zKIfQA1CHJx9EVpV1DMe2Xi4QpE9y9__TDfy2FJu8vHjJ5X2nw8_I5_SMzkRqde-XeBL5o0QtDTCmViUixuxvKjzz4/s1600/IMG_20130213_194445_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjqm57i_nubWzai8PN87pWgXJcRVkyAR8WhhFSq6lvf-TZTU-3zKIfQA1CHJx9EVpV1DMe2Xi4QpE9y9__TDfy2FJu8vHjJ5X2nw8_I5_SMzkRqde-XeBL5o0QtDTCmViUixuxvKjzz4/s400/IMG_20130213_194445_wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Party City had the glow sticks <em>(though, with 49 kids to buy for, these were the most expensive Valentine's we've ever made or bought!)</em> and thankfully, the wee girl had the time and hand cut out all 49 hearts for both her classmates and her brothers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMGA-2WcdI57ozA0gtZ2q_zfjdW3dK-8bAViGxJ0G_n1ihQvuWuspTZsf1ezpqEMDx1EZ4GD6Dcqla4v9UMKUUBaGNJzgRkygH6q0nn33Rlvz7aJzIiF8BinPwwx26gSHJy-9ya989lY/s1600/IMG_20130214_174439_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDMGA-2WcdI57ozA0gtZ2q_zfjdW3dK-8bAViGxJ0G_n1ihQvuWuspTZsf1ezpqEMDx1EZ4GD6Dcqla4v9UMKUUBaGNJzgRkygH6q0nn33Rlvz7aJzIiF8BinPwwx26gSHJy-9ya989lY/s400/IMG_20130214_174439_wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Hubs has never been big on flowers, but ever since having a daughter, he brings me live flowers to plant in the garden every Valentine's Day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnOspXXzdnz3geTuRQK2usRc4nQn9zPfzhx3ebtksxA7P0MtjiN7qJJJK-R_M0BwmPZ9CUzlU_fTmgXR7dozfLjdUaPnX3Qr12iZskYbpJ7KyegKoooYtkSn1nPZDePUB1YvPyr-05Q0/s1600/IMG_20130214_175026_wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXnOspXXzdnz3geTuRQK2usRc4nQn9zPfzhx3ebtksxA7P0MtjiN7qJJJK-R_M0BwmPZ9CUzlU_fTmgXR7dozfLjdUaPnX3Qr12iZskYbpJ7KyegKoooYtkSn1nPZDePUB1YvPyr-05Q0/s400/IMG_20130214_175026_wm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And another one for her!</div>
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Hope you're enjoying your February.<br />
It's one of my favorite months of the year!</div>
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Linking up with these awesome sites - come join us!
</div>
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#iPPP with <a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/" target="_blank">G*Funk*ified</a> & <a href="http://sundayspill.com/" target="_blank">The Sunday Spill</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Word-less/ful/ish Wednesday at <a href="http://sevenclowncircus.com/2013/01/wordful-wednesday-emma-turns-11.html" target="_blank">Seven Clown Circus</a>, <a href="http://parentingbydummies.com/" target="_blank">Parenting by Dummies</a>, <a href="http://www.projectalicia.com/" target="_blank">Project Alicia</a>, <a href="http://liveandloveoutloud.com/" target="_blank">Live and Love Out Loud</a>, <a href="http://www.jennifromtheblog.com/" target="_blank">Jenni from the Blog</a></div>
Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-63639142318458199872013-01-29T21:57:00.000-08:002013-01-30T10:58:52.997-08:00#iPPP & WW { The Other Woman }<div style="text-align: justify;">
Driving north, the green freeway signs continued to pass
on my right, assuring me the small town my new boyfriend lived in was getting closer.</div>
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I might have been a touch nervous. My first visit to his place and I had heard all about the <em>other woman</em> who lived there.</div>
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Word on the street was how fiercely she ruled the nest. Supposedly, it could get downright nasty if her claws were out. She never hesitated to tell any female exactly what she thought of them.<br />
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I wanted none of that.</div>
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No way was she going to interfere with my first visit to my new man.</div>
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Whipping my li'l white car into the driveway, turning the engine off, grabbing my purse, stepping out and squaring my shoulders. I climbed the stairs, determined.</div>
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A single knock on his door and there he is. Leaning in, he tries to kiss me. No.</div>
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"Where is she?"</div>
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"What?"</div>
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"You can have a kiss after. Where is <em>she</em>?"</div>
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"Oh. She's over there, on the couch."</div>
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Without hesitation, I walked away from him and over to <em>her</em>.</div>
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Holding out my hand to her, I waited.</div>
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She sniffed. She gave me the eye. She opted to play coy and appear bored.</div>
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But, I knew. I was <em>in</em>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHl5qH3P9vWea0_lwxllBtxOmW0z0TmWqZ7d7Z-CzlL-Q01OS_kGlgB_oqqve2wvFIJukZ7llloaOq9aIWFzayTL3eCdDWDcFwFJ85hw5OFEe-HqwuVvDsDUdls3WBD0FYA3EyI2_iUuA/s1600/IMG_20130114_123143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHl5qH3P9vWea0_lwxllBtxOmW0z0TmWqZ7d7Z-CzlL-Q01OS_kGlgB_oqqve2wvFIJukZ7llloaOq9aIWFzayTL3eCdDWDcFwFJ85hw5OFEe-HqwuVvDsDUdls3WBD0FYA3EyI2_iUuA/s400/IMG_20130114_123143.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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You see this sweet, nearly twenty year old kitty?</div>
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This is Bonnie, the <em>other</em> woman.</div>
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Legend has it, before I came into the picture, this sweet, innocent looking cat would hiss and spit at any female that came over. And I'm not a fool, I knew who's fur not to ruffle. While she merely tolerated me in the beginning, there was never a hiss for me and ultimately, she came to know where to get the best cheek scratches.</div>
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On January 16th, Bonnie passed away in my husband's arms, just like her <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2010/03/here-kitty-kitty.html" target="_blank">brother</a> did three years ago. This photo was taken two days before she left us, happily soaking up sunshine.</div>
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We miss her. But, there are so many sweet and often silly memories with this li'l nine pounder. She was a Manx/Siamese/Tabby mix and high on personality.</div>
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In her younger years, you had to keep your eyes peeled with this one. She was the original Stealth Kitty and could jump up, cross your lap and steal a piece of pepperoni off the slice of pizza in your hand and you would never know - until you looked at said toppingless piece.</div>
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Bottlecaps were prized kitty toys.</div>
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There was never a sun's ray she didn't like.</div>
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The same kidlet who sent her running for the hills when he learned to walk as a tyke later became her best buddy to hang with. They were amazing calming forces for each other and in her last year, when arthritis was hitching her hips, he was her own personal physical therapist getting her to go on "Walk Races" back and forth, until she no longer limped - every single day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGoMTmm99em7iH_3hsJrIqnBU2yFDsFHOPDdfdmpOA-b18N1l7LsJ7NLxQeSnzXUccLyozGIaEmpuwN5FqsB7ZIqR2ZJSi4t5ofasI6j6aPqP-5_C4Zv1XOEeznhyfFPgtvkG2QG37Z8/s1600/IMG_20121231_153143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcGoMTmm99em7iH_3hsJrIqnBU2yFDsFHOPDdfdmpOA-b18N1l7LsJ7NLxQeSnzXUccLyozGIaEmpuwN5FqsB7ZIqR2ZJSi4t5ofasI6j6aPqP-5_C4Zv1XOEeznhyfFPgtvkG2QG37Z8/s400/IMG_20121231_153143.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And she was the bomb at the photobomb and never failed to get in on everything I snapped out on <em>her</em> deck.</div>
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We love her. We miss her. We <em>happily</em> remember her.</div>
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Linking up with these awesome sites - come join us!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
#iPPP with <a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/2013/01/fun-for-them-while-it-lasted-ippp/" target="_blank">G*Funk*ified</a> & <a href="http://sundayspill.com/2013/01/30/ippp-strange-little-band-of-characters/" target="_blank">The Sunday Spill</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Word-less/ful/ish Wednesday at <a href="http://sevenclowncircus.com/2013/01/wordful-wednesday-emma-turns-11.html" target="_blank">Seven Clown Circus</a>, <a href="http://parentingbydummies.com/2013/01/best-family-travel-review-site.html" target="_blank">Parenting by Dummies</a>, <a href="http://www.projectalicia.com/2013/01/ww-embracing-forty.html" target="_blank">Project Alicia</a>, <a href="http://liveandloveoutloud.com/2013/01/29/lake-chelan-new-home/" target="_blank">Live and Love Out Loud</a>, <a href="http://www.jennifromtheblog.com/2013/01/ww-follow-me-on-vine.html" target="_blank">Jenni from the Blog</a></div>
<br />Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-27940915709378321492013-01-24T12:00:00.000-08:002013-01-24T12:01:00.928-08:00What are you reading?<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Here a book, there a book, everywhere a book book.</div>
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On a shelf. Stuffed full, spilling over with pages.</div>
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Stacked in closets. Next to bedsides. In cabinets and cupboards.</div>
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On a computer. In an app. On a phone.</div>
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Books, digital and paper, everywhere.</div>
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I love books - both reading and simply books themselves, keepers of information to grow brain bumps with, fantastical tales to get lost in, both the familiar and the foreign.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zMTSvVmfo9vsgTx15IsrAuL65JrvdAePbeEbcXGPT8TphClH_BY3K6JahTGapx2eWg1hy87m2DMSzYd09MJLFCpMnE8hf1ktdInDi7G21n0vowp-3agpYdxntcKbKNzxAeYCSPXH-Ac/s1600/The+Expats+by+Chris+Pavone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zMTSvVmfo9vsgTx15IsrAuL65JrvdAePbeEbcXGPT8TphClH_BY3K6JahTGapx2eWg1hy87m2DMSzYd09MJLFCpMnE8hf1ktdInDi7G21n0vowp-3agpYdxntcKbKNzxAeYCSPXH-Ac/s1600/The+Expats+by+Chris+Pavone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zMTSvVmfo9vsgTx15IsrAuL65JrvdAePbeEbcXGPT8TphClH_BY3K6JahTGapx2eWg1hy87m2DMSzYd09MJLFCpMnE8hf1ktdInDi7G21n0vowp-3agpYdxntcKbKNzxAeYCSPXH-Ac/s200/The+Expats+by+Chris+Pavone.jpg" width="129" /></a><br />
The words of Chris Pavone's first novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0770435726?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0770435726&linkCode=xm2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank">The Expats</a> have whisked me off to Europe this month. I read it with the <a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" target="_blank">From Left to Write</a> book club and shared my <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2013/01/from-left-to-write-expats.html" target="_blank">response inspired by the book</a> earlier this week. It's a thriller filled with a husband and wife wading through, running from, living their secrets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-EA5dHmkZREsBY-oDU396SirWPc9UHvfwtA8P_4zfwNNLB2jDTTnqNZbyo7tLp1paJL4kTErihkCvRuEL6nhBkZGMZ701UgcIm6wCSX9u7P6w5wbm5ZdZIvFDZoTR0RrP6kC1GxCZkg/s1600/Hunger+Games+by+Suzanne+Collins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp-EA5dHmkZREsBY-oDU396SirWPc9UHvfwtA8P_4zfwNNLB2jDTTnqNZbyo7tLp1paJL4kTErihkCvRuEL6nhBkZGMZ701UgcIm6wCSX9u7P6w5wbm5ZdZIvFDZoTR0RrP6kC1GxCZkg/s200/Hunger+Games+by+Suzanne+Collins.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MQYOFW?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B002MQYOFW&linkCode=xm2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank">The Hunger Games</a>. Who hasn't read this one by now?! That would be me! At least, not all the way through. I couldn't get into it and put it down pretty early on. A Target receipt playing the role of a bookmark has rested on page 43 for the last year. I am refusing to see the first movie until I read the book though and with the second one, Catching Fire coming out next fall, I pulled it out to get back to reading. Really hope I catch the Hunger Games bug that infected so many others.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmkKTXAgFwiZFtdRN7PlRVAi0I8vTy4_uuEnC4Smc2KUWWKCZMvIBvkkwsWc4VEA8VAB0xZL1mJUDQobqpem_hVv2uzwmQCdT7vn-cpvJBec-6UOjtDGgF-9415YZPN9V1aH8HwP2FAI/s1600/The+Blood+Gospel+by+James+Rollins+and+Rebecca+Cantrell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmkKTXAgFwiZFtdRN7PlRVAi0I8vTy4_uuEnC4Smc2KUWWKCZMvIBvkkwsWc4VEA8VAB0xZL1mJUDQobqpem_hVv2uzwmQCdT7vn-cpvJBec-6UOjtDGgF-9415YZPN9V1aH8HwP2FAI/s200/The+Blood+Gospel+by+James+Rollins+and+Rebecca+Cantrell.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
I'm about to dive into is a collaboration by one of my favorite thriller writers, <a href="http://www.jamesrollins.com/" target="_blank">James Rollins</a> and new to me, Rebecca Cantrell. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006199104X?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=006199104X&linkCode=xm2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank">The Blood Gospel</a> is a blend of thriller, mystery, and horror. I don't read horror. I don't even watch horror movies. So, needless to say, this isn't exactly a genre I would naturally gravitate towards. Rollins is what sold me on trying it. So, I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006199104X?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=006199104X&linkCode=xm2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank">City of Screams</a>, a short story eBook also co-authored by the same two writers that sets up The Blood Gospel late last year in order to give this a shot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipc6t2qWm-YALKhI9NVgSusqcS4PCuBtNUF7BVsoUEYHu_3hHmdwncSpQ5Vc17uR3D_5HqtEpnawgfIYVN6JOHsUfl3j5_LaVAjQGs1uxTN5Sv-gQlijnI2WxBQDYohO3ZOxs9E67EYAY/s1600/The+Taker+by+Alma+Katsu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipc6t2qWm-YALKhI9NVgSusqcS4PCuBtNUF7BVsoUEYHu_3hHmdwncSpQ5Vc17uR3D_5HqtEpnawgfIYVN6JOHsUfl3j5_LaVAjQGs1uxTN5Sv-gQlijnI2WxBQDYohO3ZOxs9E67EYAY/s1600/The+Taker+by+Alma+Katsu.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1439197067?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1439197067&linkCode=xm2&tag=timecraf-20" target="_blank">The Taker</a> by Alma Katsu has been waiting more than patiently for me to pick her back up. I was fortunate to win a copy during a From Left to Write <a href="https://twitter.com/TimeCrafted" target="_blank">Twitter</a> party and enjoyed tweeting and chatting with the author. The cover is gorgeous and Alma was kind enough to sign it. Once again, this is a genre I haven't read much in. But, I'm enjoying stalking words from books and in new to me genres, opening my eyes to so many other worlds, proving our imaginations are our only limitations.<br />
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As bookstores continue to disappear <em>(ack!),</em> I have found a way to compensate by using the samples available for download and reading a little bit from the inside pages to decide what book I'm interested in, which words speak to me most - much like I would inside a book store. <em>(Don't worry, I still haunt bookstores too!)</em> Currently, I have several different books on Buddhism, Zen, and Romanian Gypsies in my e-reader app, looking at their samples to see which ones need to come home with me, either with paper pages or digital words.<br />
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What are you reading? What's waiting in the wings, hoping to be your next read? Are you a die hard paper bound book fan? And exclusive eBook reader? Or do you, like me, enjoy a harmony of both mediums?</div>
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<a href="http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/2013/01/dear-man/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KYEVxZ6Z_CyIPW9XcEwmHBoaBKvyc-pNRigjmSevnxYirEUsJiD2uJTuJC7vgltLAxgV_aPp3ARslaBiRr6aJF6IG-_5xF9S9W8urBFB_CKClVA15Y-qDJD9_4NjUvAE8MyBUtVpKuo/s1600/MamaKat's+Writer's+Workshop.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Affiliate links are used.</span></div>
Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-27812392121884417942013-01-22T19:42:00.000-08:002013-01-22T20:39:29.269-08:00#iPPP & WW { Car Wash Style }Car washes. I could. not. stand. them as a kid. I had some irrational fear that the whole place would fill up with water; even held my breath while going through them. Seriously big aversion.<br />
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And now? Love 'em. Besides the obvious clean car factor, it's fun to take pics while inside the car, inside the wash.<br />
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That last one, is overhead, taken through the moon roof. All of these were snapped with the ever handy phone. One of these days, I'll remember to take my good camera with me...to add to the already unusually large number of car wash interior water, suds, brush photos already in my files.<br />
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It's official. I'm obsessed.<br />
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I'm weird, I know.<br />
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That's okay. Normal is boring.<br />
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<a href="http://www.gfunkified.com/" title="GFunkified"><img alt="GFunkified" src="http://mamamash.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/ippp-polaroid-125-x-125.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.sevenclowncircus.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="125" src="http://sevenclowncircus.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/sevenclownbutton.jpg" width="125" /></a> <a href="http://parentingbydummies.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="parenting BY dummies" src="http://parentingbydummies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/button125.jpg" /> </a></div>
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<a href="http://angryjuliemonday.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Angry Julie Monday" src="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a223/huladance/5830461900_a843618ab2_o.gif" /></a><a href="http://www.projectalicia.com/" target="”_blank”"><img src="http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo34/iowalish/wwbrown175x175.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.jennifromtheblog.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2jae260.png" /></a> <a href="http://liveandloveoutloud.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://liveandloveoutloud.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/buttonclick175.jpg" border="0" alt="Live and Love Out Loud"></a></div>Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-90206740744909381272013-01-21T15:30:00.000-08:002013-01-21T15:30:02.034-08:00One Word 2013<br />
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One word.</div>
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Just one word to see me through 2013.</div>
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2013 marks the fourth year of selecting one to march three hundred sixty-five days forward. Each word and each year have varying levels of connectivity and impact.</div>
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2012 and my word, <i><a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/search/label/Animate" target="_blank">Animate</a></i>, didn't gel quite so well...which probably played a factor in my late arrival at 2013's word, this twenty-first day of the first month of this new year. But, 2011 and my word, <i><a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/search/label/Grow" target="_blank">Grow</a></i>, taught me just how much focus a solitary word can bring to a year's journey.</div>
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Late last year, the word <i>Imagine</i> called to me, but when January 1st arrived, it was no longer set on the navigator's seat. <i>Act, Do, Forward</i> all rang at the door, but never fully stepped through.</div>
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And then in the most surprising fashion, as I wrote the last paragraph for a <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2013/01/from-left-to-write-expats.html" target="_blank">book club response</a> earlier today, a word that had only whispered so softly before, charged through the door and rather assertively took the navigator's seat.</div>
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<i>Create</i>.</div>
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One word, <i>Create</i>.</div>
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2013, meet <i>Create</i>.</div>
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I'm looking forward to our journey together.</div>
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Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-60180365828749485872013-01-21T13:39:00.000-08:002013-01-21T13:39:58.956-08:00From Left to Write: The Expats<br />
Moving from one home to another, state to state, town to town, one coast to the other and back again, layers up inconveniences and work. It also affords grants many favors and freedoms.<br />
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Beginning a childhood career of moving at three weeks of age, it took many less years that one might think to garner awareness of these delights.<br />
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From early on - though, not quite that first move at three weeks old, for sure - I reveled in the excitement of a move. Dad always left for the new location, Mom prepared the house for sale, and there were lots of visitors that I learned, as I grew, were people looking to buy what would become our old home.<br />
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Sure, there was the pain in the backside to packing - whether it was a company move that provided help or not - deciding what to keep and what could be parted with permanently. And when little, the parade of people visiting your home is fun, but as you get a little bit older, you have to help prep the house for each potential buyer. The man that came with the video camera who insisted I stand in the pictures for his wife, so she could get an idea of scale - even though I was home sick - was certainly worthy of a groan.<br />
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There's the work and the inconveniences and the good-byes and all the changes.<br />
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And then, there's <i>all the changes.</i><br />
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Moving to a new place means <i>everything</i> is new. A new house to explore. New friends to find. New schools to enroll in. A new neighborhood to navigate.<br />
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And a new <i>You</i>.<br />
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Everything is new. Everything is full of possibilities.<br />
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Loaded baggage will travel with you from one place to the next. But, each new location also leaves one hand free to explore what might happen if that baggage is laid down.<br />
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Baggage can always be laid down, regardless of a new location, a new you. But, inevitably it is a much easier and obvious choice to make when geographically starting over.<br />
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Moving more than many military families growing up, I can vividly remember the dazzling excitement of a new locale...at least, until I was old enough to assume the responsibilities of moving myself - then, it was a whole lot of work!<br />
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And now, happily living in one location for more than a baker's dozen years, I also know the peacefulness of remaining still.<br />
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But, no longer will a new location invariably create a new me with little effort. Staying still means any change I now want, I have to create. And that is an entirely different, and foreign to me, journey to travel.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0770435726?ie=UTF8&tag=timecraf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0770435726" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXLt9H1zX8DLMct_R3DqaFpCB9dNa1qygUYLbXexMX_Gcr42HvJtCUIvj_bAGgm9lONspgoqmSaAcaLcMbtch-VnBbc7z2CIYHm9rLwwJWilYlOEy2s-4DId3m_LsqKj3Jtdoh32sTUYM/s1600/The-Expats-by-Chris-Pavone-194x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">This post was inspired by mystery thriller novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0770435726?ie=UTF8&tag=timecraf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0770435726" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">The Expats by Chris Pavone</a>. Kate Moore happily sheds her old life to become a stay at home mom when her husband takes a job in Europe. As she attempts to reinvent herself, she ends up chasing her evasive husband's secrets. Join<a href="http://www.fromlefttowrite.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"> From Left to Write</a> on January 22 as we discuss <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0770435726?ie=UTF8&tag=timecraf-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0770435726" target="_blank">The Expats</a>. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.</i>Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-46174973558553581782012-12-31T10:09:00.000-08:002013-01-03T13:15:11.476-08:00Life can be MAGIC!<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Is today really the last day of 2012? <em>Really?</em></div>
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My sweet girl has been commenting on how fast the year has gone by almost daily for the last two weeks. And she is right. She is <em>so</em> right!</div>
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Three hundred sixty-five full days are nearly gone.</div>
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Three hundred sixty-five days marked by books taking us to other worlds, rushed school mornings, followed by adventures on two campuses at two schools - with both highs and lows, laughter ripping from souls, smiles dancing on lips, a trombone sounding, words flitting across pages, movie nights at home, friend visiting, birthday celebrating, and every daily bit that creates that spinning vortex whirling three hundred sixty-five days by.</div>
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Three hundred sixty-five days of 2012 say good-bye this eve to make room and welcome in the coming New Year.</div>
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A few weeks ago, just before she began commenting on the speed of 2012's cumulative days, my sweet girl drew this...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFI0SmsNB6fi3nQBEEtO_9Y2f2Ix7-uLH6fEH6lsdtyyhi_Hk7a7-kJ63St8nRShGVmyVJ_ROr5JFfPE13UXNwRECOHJF-aK0zlIHiBScic-L_5aKDKl5Ob_B2QdE-jaXjVFBwDkh4ZPM/s1600/Life+can+be+MAGIC%2521+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFI0SmsNB6fi3nQBEEtO_9Y2f2Ix7-uLH6fEH6lsdtyyhi_Hk7a7-kJ63St8nRShGVmyVJ_ROr5JFfPE13UXNwRECOHJF-aK0zlIHiBScic-L_5aKDKl5Ob_B2QdE-jaXjVFBwDkh4ZPM/s400/Life+can+be+MAGIC%2521+copy.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
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... and her beautiful words, "Life can be MAGIC!" is a sentiment I am happy to carry with me into 2013 tomorrow.</div>
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Both tonight and tomorrow promise to be mellow around here and I am more than content with that. Are you staying home or heading out to celebrate?</div>
Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-39155448768391267032012-12-24T13:30:00.000-08:002012-12-24T13:30:01.372-08:00Merry Christmas 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpPHH3qPGw8Sq1hczX9DO-l_Bc9zWUI3GkZrqjLaOqgofHiHNVGTKnzNX2cDARbso-qJXXwk6UJosYiQPWC6dhmKaWo3pAmUkvKcwWTRFBA0yUMmsmlfiG_8ziGUoo4Z-gYtP7nPCKxg/s1600/Merry+Christmas+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpPHH3qPGw8Sq1hczX9DO-l_Bc9zWUI3GkZrqjLaOqgofHiHNVGTKnzNX2cDARbso-qJXXwk6UJosYiQPWC6dhmKaWo3pAmUkvKcwWTRFBA0yUMmsmlfiG_8ziGUoo4Z-gYtP7nPCKxg/s640/Merry+Christmas+2012.jpg" width="408" /></a></div>
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Our tree is lit, </div>
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kidlets sit with wonder.</div>
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Grandparents travel to see loved ones,</div>
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and family gathers</div>
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to celebrate what matters.</div>
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Celebratory goodies bake in the oven,</div>
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candles and sparkles on the table,</div>
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for loved ones to create the year's splendid fable.</div>
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May whatever holiday you celebrate,</div>
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whichever way your candles light,</div>
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may your season be merry and bright.</div>
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<br />Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-85478354089238508852012-11-30T16:28:00.000-08:002013-11-30T10:53:48.839-08:00YWP NaNoWriMo { She's a Winner! }<br />
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November 1st began with squeals of delight from my sweet young girl as she found her Hello Kitty notebook and new pencils waiting for her to begin <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2012/10/ywp-nanowrimo.html" target="_blank">her very first NaNoWriMo</a> through the <a href="http://www.ywp.nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank">Young Writer's Program</a>.</div>
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For the first week, she couldn't wait to write everyday. On school days, she got busy on her homework just to be free to put her pencil to paper and whittle her story, A Girl Who Lived on an Island Alone. On the weekends, she often wrote before I even got up.</div>
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The second week held just as much excitement as the first. By the third week? She hit a speed bump and lost some interest. I wavered between encouraging her to keep at it and not wanting to take away any of her joy in writing. In early elementary school years, personally, I think it is more important to keep kidlets excited about telling stories than it is to drill in a daily writing habit.</div>
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And with the end of November rapidly approaching, she began writing again. A secret smile plays on my lips when I see her smile as she writes her tales.</div>
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Today is November 30th and my sweet li'l girl entered her story to verify and validate and...</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">WIN!!!!</span></div>
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She won her very first NaNoWriMo and I sincerely hope there are more writing experiences we can share still to come. And every time she grabs her special NaNo Hello Kitty notebook throughout this coming year, I'll be wearing my secret smile.</div>
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Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-202705233899470109.post-67322793843221739612012-11-29T12:17:00.000-08:002012-11-29T13:03:27.265-08:00December Daily<br />
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December Daily.</div>
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I tell myself, year after year, to jump in and document December's tale. <a href="http://timecrafted.blogspot.com/2011/12/infusing-some-december-daily-into-my.html" target="_blank">Last year</a>, I recorded some of our December stories...though, they never made it into an album of sorts.</div>
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The whole idea behind #DecemberDaily is to document the traditions and stories occurring throughout our days this coming month. Ali Edwards creates <a href="http://aliedwards.com/2012/11/december-daily-2012-foundation-pages.html" target="_blank">foundation pages</a> before the first of the month to streamline the process. And then simply adds photos and words for each day of the celebratory month, documenting both the big and little things life offers.</div>
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And while it is <em>last</em> minute...<em>again</em>...I can't help but be infected by the enthusiasm for the project shared across the blogosphere, Pinterest, twitter, flickr, and Facebook. It's as if social media has lassoed me and is pulling me in. How can I resist sweet family memories and glittery, shiny Christmas bling?!</div>
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Do you document your stories? Do you document December differently than other months through the year? Do you December Daily? <em>Yes, it's a verb. ;></em></div>
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I've collected a few links from around the interwebs for <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23decdaily&src=typd" target="_blank">#decdaily</a> inspiration:</div>
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<a href="http://aliedwards.com/projects/december-daily" target="_blank">Ali Edwards December Daily</a> pages, of course.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/decemberdaily2012" target="_blank">December Daily 2012 Flickr</a> group.</div>
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Becky Higgins shares a delightful compilation of <a href="http://www.beckyhiggins.com/blog/2012/11/christmas-traditions/" target="_blank">Christmas traditions</a> from her readers.</div>
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Elise Blaha's 2011 <a href="http://eliseblaha.typepad.com/golden/2011/12/holiday-minibook-complete.html" target="_blank">holiday minibook</a> is full of inspiration & she has assembled minibooks in her <a href="http://elisejoy.com/shopbooks" target="_blank">shop</a> too.</div>
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A <a href="http://pinterest.com/search/?q=December+Daily" target="_blank">Pinterest search</a> always yields oodles of ideas.</div>
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And remembering to actually <em>use</em> my own <a href="http://pinterest.com/timecrafted/christmas/" target="_blank">Christmas Pinterest Board</a> is nice too.</div>
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So, where is December taking you? Go!</div>
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<br />Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06572568205513606978noreply@blogger.com2