Let’s Talk Cupcakes

I first wrote about Kirsten from TheKir Corner during one of my very first Talking to Strangers posts.  Kirsten had written about and her cupcakes back in November.  I was moved by her post comparing her comments to cupcakes.   She wrote words like:


“…they are an instant celebration in a small paper cup.”

“I believe our stories are our cakes, our attempts at baking from scratch and setting it on the table so everyone can look at and admire it. We want our guests to enjoy the dessert we offer, to smack their lips and lick their forks, satisfied with our effort.

“A dainty yet delectable slice of my heart that I give you in exchange for the stories and secrets you have made and shared with me.”

She even went on to share, “I may not be good at a lot of things, but I can promise you that if I read your words, I will never leave your space without leaving a whole lot of sweetness behind.”

She moved me.  She inspired me.  She inspired me to also want to share kindness, positive words, meaningful words that would bring a smile or even happiness to someones’ day.

A twitter account @inapaperwrapper, a whole 632 tweets, a Pinterest board and six weeks after it started my mission to spread cupcakes was smooshed and I was pooped!  I LOVED what the cupcakes did for others… If I was on Twitter and I saw that  a mom or twitter friend was having a bad day, grumping about mom stuff or just down I would sent out a tweet with a link to something (usually a cupcake) that would cheer them up.  It was so much fun to do and it made me feel good.  Unfortunately it was just too much and after about six weeks I stopped doing it.  I was disappointed to say the least.

. . . . . . . . .


Fast forward to a week ago…I was checking my email and I saw that Kirsten has left me a comment on one of my posts. I excitedly read it and there it is again….

Her words, her….


How did she put it?

Oh yes, “A dainty yet delectable slice of my heart that I give you in exchange for the stories and secrets you have made and shared with me.”

With tears of happiness welling in my eyes and a full blown #HeyGirl Ryan Gosling addition I was inspired all over again…








A note from Laverne:  I have been dying to get this piece written for the last week.  Now that it is written and my inspiration has been shared you can expect a cupcake every Wednesday and on a really good week some #HeyGirl Ryan Gosling too (I swoon for him… what can I say!).

I can only hope that these cupcakes do for others half of what

Kirsten’s “cupcakes” do!!



and just because…


Brandi and Her Colors

They were strangers the first time I “met” them. Today I find my adventures enriched, inspired and filled with laughter because of them…  

It started with Amy and Her #Sixthings.

Then it was Kir and Her Cupcakes.

Minky {Moo}’s took her turn with her Instagram

Rubber Chicken Madness’s  has shared with her nuggets 

Leila from Don’t Speak Whinese had a complaint letter filed against her

Kelly from Mom Got Blog’s was told her what she didn’t know

Elena’s from CiaoMom was shown just how far her amazingness extends

Today it is Brandi from Brandi Girl Blog turn and I am sharing with you her beauty that extends far beyond the colors she uses! 

I’ve been talking to strangers and what do you know I’ve made some friends!  

…….

Shirley and I sat at her kitchen table.  We had both finished lunch (delicious chicken salad that she had made).  After lunch we were both excited to get on line and explore and share with each other sites we had discovered. 


“I found this one site last night.  I can’t remember the name but I loved its colors and simplicity,” I rambled happily.

“I found one too, by some artist I think.  It’s so clean and she’s great at using color.  I can’t remember her name!” She giggled. 

That day we both came upon her sight separately.  We were both instantly taken.  Her site was simple, clean and had a perfect use of color.  In short we were in awww.

It was one of the first blogs I subscribed to.  Her pictures matched with beautiful color palates began to arrive at my inbox.  I wanted to learn.  I wanted to see if I could catch, bottle or learn just a smidge of skill she had by watching her.  I loved seeing what she was going to capture next and I admired her ability to find beautiful colors in everything.   

As time passed I began to notice that this artist’s blog was far more then color palettes.  She wove stories and memories in with her pictures. I continued admirer her as she shared the lessons she was learning.  Her hunger for learning and self-discovery oozed off the screen.  She was a seeker of knowledge and so passionate about it.  It inspired me. 

The holidays came along and I got to travel with her as she shared her visits with family. I giggled and smiled as she shared stories of visits with her sister, niece and nephew. It didn’t take long for us to connect on twitter.  We began to tweet more and more. I felt like I had a new sister…forever kind, passionately supportive, thoughtful, understanding, warm and a truly wonderful person.  

I subscribed to her blog so I could learn from this stranger…instead I found a friend who taught me about the colors all around me and all the beauty there is to be found in unexpected places! 



10 Exhausting Days

Day 1: Fever, cough… sick 4 year old  

Day 2: Fever, cough, sore throat, negative strep test… sick 4 year old

Day 5: Fever, cough… sick, tired, crabby 4 year old and one very tired mommy.

Day 7: Fever, cough, negative mono and flu test and blood work… sick, tired, poked and prodded, crabby 4 year old and one beyond exhausted mommy.

Day 10…
Today was the day we were taking Francine back to the doctor.  We still had no answers.   We still didn’t know why she would start to feel better but around noon her fever would shoot up to 101.  She would curl up on the couch, her lips purpled and she shivered in fevered chills.  The doctor suspected it was a virus followed by another virus. I was a scared mom who just wanted her daughter to get better.

I was a worried sick mother who had to walk into the other room when her daughter’s fever shot up.  My brain fought off the negative thoughts… is it time for her to go in the hospital, could she have…., or maybe it was….. I wiped my tears, took a deep breath and told myself the doctors knew what they were doing.  I would not entertain any other thoughts.  The doctors would figure it out.


Everything else in life was taking a back seat to this.  My husband and I took turns staying home with her.  Everything extra went to the way side.  Running, making a home cooked meal, writing, laundry, house work, alone time with my husband.

I took a shower and got dressed.  Her appointment was first thing in the morning.  We decided that my husband and I would both go.  That meant the whole family was going.  The doctor walked into the office.  He shared with us that her chest xray was clear.  That meant no pnumonia.  Her blood work showed that her white blood cell count was down, another good sign.  The culture they took for her urine sample showed that she had a bladder infection.  


All of this was because of a nasty virus followed by a bladder infection.  I couldn’t believe the simplicity of it all.  Relief flood over me, then happiness and then embarassment.  All my concern, the worries I had fought off, the people I had bothered with my daughters progress and their worry were all for a virus and a bladder infection!

Day 12…

Several naps, multiple loads of laundry, a couple of home cooked meals, an antibiotic and two sisters yelling, “MMMOOOOMMMYYYY Olivia is bothering me!!!” “MMMOOOOOOOOMMMMY Francince won’t share!!!!”… Life is back to normal and I can not help but feel even more thankful and more blessed for my family, my friends and my children’s health! 






Today I am linking up over at Yeah Write.  
I have missed the group of incredible bloggers over there!  
I am excited to be writing again.  


For those of you visiting from Yeah Write  
I thought you would get a kick out of this.  
 Erica last night with me on Twitter…
It’s why we love her so.  Affectionate with a side of sass 
and a true passion for Yeah Write!  

A Letter to Mother Nature

Dear Mother Nature,
Spring has arrived early here.  Everyone is so happy.  They have pulled out their Spring clothes, painted their toe nails bright sunshiny colors, put on cute dresses and slipped on sandals and flip flops.  The kids have their bikes out.  Chalk drawings are all the rage.  Children are soaring as they pump and swing til their hearts content.  The sun shines strong, day light is long and the flowers are blooming… Everyone is soooo happy that Spring has arrived.  Better yet it is here ahead of schedule. All of this fun, new warm weather has made everyone else happy, but quite frankly I pissed at you!  

In between all your warm sunshiny days you have delivered a knock you off your ass virus and poor Francine has taken the brunt of it.  Your nasty Spring virus had delivered the gift of three days of fever. Six nights of interrupted make you feel like you have a newborn again wake every two to three hours sleep.   Moments of spontaneous throw up from coughing so much.  Your lovely gift to my house has turned my easy going, pleasant, adventurous 4 year old into a neurotic whining crying, my hair hurts, my elbow hurts, don’t touch me, I’m cold, carry me, I’m too tired, my toe hurts, my eyelash hurts sick little crazy girl!

So while the world plays outside, enjoys walks in the sun, hours outside in the backyard basking in the suns glow…. we are stuck inside still recovering from your stinkin’ virus.    

Spring You SUCK!!!  
Go away and come back when your ready to be nice! 
‘CLICK’ Picture for Source

Six Dregees of Elena

They were strangers the first time I “met” them. Today I find my adventures enriched, inspired and filled with laughter because of them…  

It started with Amy and Her #Sixthings.  

Then it was Kir and Her Cupcakes

Minky {Moo}’s took her turn with her Instagram and
Rubber Chicken Madness’s  has shared with her nuggets 
Kelly from Mom Got Blog’s was told her what she didn’t know

Today it is Elena’s from CiaoMom ‘s turn and I’m showing her just how far her amazingness extends…

I’ve been talking to strangers and what do you know I’ve made some friends!  
. . . . . .

Kevin Bacon once claimed that he had worked with everyone in Hollywood.  Some people know it as the Kevin Bacon Game others  know it as Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.  People play the game to see how many degrees (connections) away any actor is from Kevin Bacon.   To me the game shows that no mater how distant a one person may be from another, we are often connected and sometimes one persons reach extends far beyond what they ever realize.   


Elena is my Kevin Bacon.  No she can’t swing from a high bar in the middle of a warehouse  while  Bon Jovi’s Runaway plays in the background and I am certain she has never helped defend a small town against strange underground creatures which are killing people one by one.  I am certain that she does not realize how far… what degree of separation her amazingness has on us!  

My most vivid first memory of her was her call for bloggers to link up and share their lists, “What I like About Me”.  I was all in.  No hesitation, no second thought, no pause…. I had been moved.  Next came Elena’s announcement that she was starting Just.Be.Enough.  A flood of inspiration filled me deep inside.  I knew instantly that I wanted to be a part of it.  This was the beginning of my six degrees of separation from Elena…

Six Degrees of Elena  



Elena’s amazing force has moved me in ways I am sure she is not completely aware of. The JBE team (assembled by Elena) taught me more about the true kindness, acceptance and genuineness of people then I could have ever imagined.  They also taught me that it is OK to let your guard down and safe to let people in.  Being part of Elena’s team made me want to be a better writer and taught me dig deep down inside to write.  Elena showed me that someone can be there for you even if they do not live near you and that I can cry for someone I care for even if we have never met.  Elena made me brave.  She showed me all the wonderfulness that social media is and all the true greatness that is out there with in it.  My experiences with her built the courage that took me to {GLO} where I met other bloggers in real life and showed the real me.  To me she is a kindred spirit that I easily connect with and understand, who share daughters who make things out of nothing, daughters who go through reams of paper and rolls of tape and who drive us crazy with love, imagination and frustration.  


So while she can not swing from a high bar in in the middle of a warehouse or fight strange underground creatures which are killing people… Her six degrees certainly reaches far beyond anything she could even begin to imagine and anything I could even begin show here!! 

It’s My Turn to be a Proud Mommy

Her comments are decadent…delicious sweetness in a paper wrapper.
   
She infuses social media with her sweetness and infinite kindness.  
She describes her blog as, “… my comfortable place where I write about my true loves: My husband, my Twin sons, Writing Fiction, Shoes and Cupcakes. When you add celebrating other proud mommies, bringing a voice to infertility and battling fibromyalgia while enjoying too much television, shopping, books and traveling you have a comfy space where I’m always happy to invite friends in to visit.” 
Today I am taking a road trip to go hang out at Kir’s Corner.  I am sharing my Proud Mommy Moment.  So come on over and road trip with me.  It’s always more fun when you are there too. Maybe she’ll let us borrow some of her shoes and there are certainly going to be cupcakes! 




Kelly and What She Doesn’t Know

They were strangers the first time I “met” them. Today I find my adventures enriched, inspired and filled with laughter because of them…  

It started with Amy and Her #Sixthings.  

Then it was Kir and Her Cupcakes

Minky {Moo}’s took her turn with her Instagram and
Rubber Chicken Madness’s  has shared with her nuggets 
Today it is Kelly from Mom Got Blog’s turn and I’m telling her what she doesn’t know…
I’ve been talking to strangers and what do you know I’ve made some friends!  
. . . . . .

Three posts… three posts in one week (a lot for me and I was pretty proud of myself), two days in bed with a terrible head cold and a husband also sick has left me feeling really uninspired, not very motivated and a bit lost for more ideas.  Then I remembered Kelly!
For three years I have bought and worn the same style of running shoe. What can I say, when I like something I stick with it.  Three weeks ago I decided to finally run in my new, different style and design shoes (huge deal for me).

 

I did my warm up and began my run like I always do.  It was the weekend so my plan was to go for a long run (Laverne’s definition of long run- running for 40-50 minutes and running 3+miles if I’m lucky…it is what it is people).  I watched some action adventures sci-fi movie while I ran.  My pace felt so good I picked it up.  My running started to feel effortless.  My mind began to wander.  Ideas began to flow and dance in my head.
This was also the week Kelly had been struggling with her writing.  The holidays were over, everyone was settling into their routines and Kelly was stuck.  She had nothing.  I could tell her writing was feeling forced to her.  Her struggles pained me.  Her struggles, her feelings of being stuck became part of the dance of ideas that flowed in my head. 

You see Kelly has this thing and she doesn’t even know it.  It really isn’t about her writing (well she is a totally dinamo at that but to me she is so much more).  To me it is about the things she doesn’t write.  

Last Thanksgiving her family ran in a 5k Turkey trot…. so cool!  
Kelly getting sassy with her picture taking.  

Kelly ate her way through Washington DC. 
 I think I gained 5lbs just following all the pictures of the food she ate.
 Kelly can cook.  She has some serious chief skills.  
I want to come over to Kelly’s house every night so she can cook for me!


 See what I mean!  YUMMY!!!


And then there is Kelly just being Kelly!  

You see Kelly, sometimes it is not the words that inspire, make an impact or get peoples attention…. it is YOU!  Your unending kindness toward me from the small act of including me in an Instagram tag to a response to a tweet, Facebook response or comment your actions are what make a difference to me and what I notice.  Your actions are what inspire and you didn’t even know it! 

This day…the day I ran in my new shoes was the best run I had ever had.  It was the first time running had ever felt effortless to me and smooth.  The only day I have ever felt like a runner. The day running changed for me.  And the first person I thought of sharing this news with as when I got off the treadmill was Kelly. She was true to form… supportive and encouraging! 

All pictures used were used with Kelly’s permission

I Hate You

You take away everything beautiful their life.  You blind them to the glow their life has.  You numb them to the warmth, love and joy their life floods them with.  Trapped in the darkness you make them immobile unable to move.  You trap them while you fill their heads with lies and fear.

I hate you.  I hate what you do to friends.  I hate what you did to my mother. I hate what you steal from them.  I hate the place you take them.  I hate how you make them feel.  

I hate that I feel helpless against you.  I hate that there is nothing I can do to stop you.  I hate that I do not know how to help my friends.  I hate that that makes me feel useless and helpless.  I hate that I my heart aches for them, that I worry for them.  

I’ve decided I have spent enough years hating you.  Hating what you did to my mother and now hating what you do to friends.  I will not hate you anymore.  You are a disease.  I will do what we do with all diseases, fight!

A note written to a friend.
It was sent to her so she never forgets

I will listen when they need me.  I will lend a hand when they need it.  Most of all I will remind them of their awesomeness.  I will remind them of life, its light and its greatness.  I will remind them they are strong.  I will remind them they are not the disease.  I will remind them it can be beat!

I wrote this post after talking to a friend on the phone.  I was so moved and inspired after this conversation with this friend, a friend who fights depression, that I had to write.  She inspired this post.  The note is written for her. The words are for all of the other men and woman who fight mental illness everyday.


I Have a Complaint

Dear Head Ninja in Charge,
 
Last month, I interacted with Leila. She delivered her usual quick wit, sass, did something silly, odd, strange or not normal thing and posted it on Facebook.  I commented on it calling her a dork.

I found the interaction that followed unacceptable and damaging. The usual confident exterior, sarcastic, sailor mouth and quick wit sprinkled with a humble and thoughtful Don’t Speak Whinese failed to perform what it promised because Leila is a smart ass. I am disappointed.  Leila has forever destroyed my use of the word dork as a sassy response to Leila’s and any other friends insane, silly, dumb, thoughtless, laughable actions. Additionally, she has forever stole my perfect kind version of your a dumb-ass word.  He smart ass act has also caused permanent scaring to my brain. The very thought of the word dork sends pictures to my brain of a whales…. ak! No! Bad! (Leila so kindly educated me on the fact that one definition word dork is: blue whales penis). My precious word is forever tainted and damaged.

To resolve the problem, I feel very strongly that Don’t Speak Whinese ninjas should supply me with a new replacement word to describe the things that Leila and others like her do. A new polite word I can use to comment with when others engage in foolish, absurd, moronic and senseless acts.

I look forward to your speedy reply and a resolution to my problem.  I am certain that you will resolve this matter and I will not be forced to contact the Better Smart Ass Agency or only be left with sighing and rolling my eyes as a response to Leila’s Facebook status updates.

                                                                                         Sincerely,


Today I am linking up again with the beautiful, amazing,
fabulously indescribable Erica at 
Yeah Write…. 
Come Join Me! 
This writing community is just as fabulously indescribable as she is!



Listicling With Passion

Today I am listicling (not really a word… made it up myself. Just love using it) again.  It’s Jackie’s turn to pick the inspiration.  She choose PASSION… Celebrating a wonderful life of a very special friend Jackie lost after a brief illness.  This is in celebration of her friend’s legacy and love for life!

1. Being a teacher…I have known since I was in the 5th grade that I wanted to be a teacher.  I feel and believe that I was made to do this job. There is nothing like watching a child learn.  

2. My children…I want my children to be the very best they can.  I want them have the skills to choose to be whatever they desire.  I want them to have the values to be an amazing human being.  I want them to dream the unimaginable and have it come true.  This is f****ing hard work this one!

3. Being a good person… This sounds simple, but it is truly important me.  It is important to me to be a person who is kind, caring, compassionate, empathetic, perceptive and thoughtful toward others.

4.My husband… I love the man.  He makes me mad (the crazy mad, well the mad mad too), but bottom line is he is pretty amazing.  One of the most thoughtful men I know, kind, smart loving and a good dad.  The man seriously has a way of making me crazy… oops I said that already.

5. My relationship with my husband… I want my marriage to be a happy one.  A marriage that is full of give and take, good team work, love for each other, wonderful memories and great s… (I can’t type that word in front of all of you).

6. My friendship with Shirley… Being a good friend to Shirley means so much to me.  She makes me a better person.  I could go on but why cause my readers to become nauseous.

7. Sci-Fi… I may not look like it but I LOVE SCI-FI.  Books and movies, the stranger, more unique story the better.  Give me the impossible, the fantasy, the amazing imagination, the how could anyone come up with that and I’ll love it.  The downside… that means I also like a lot of what others would call terrible B movies.  

8. Special Education…I love, to my core, working with some of the most challenging students.  Tuning into each student, knowing their strengths and using those strengths to teach them is what drives me.  Seeing them be successful, exceeding expectations and being an independent person is what I strive for.  

9.My life…I love my life.  It hasn’t always been perfect, neither have I.  I also know it won’t always be perfect.  For now it is good and so I will soak it all in and enjoy it!

10. My sisters… my sisters mean everything to me.  Spending time with them makes me very happy.  They are annoying make my childhood memorable (not always in a good way) who have become spectacular woman.  I love them dearly!






Her Nuggets

They were strangers the first time I “met” them. Today I find my adventures enriched, inspired and filled with laughter because of them…  

It started with Amy and Her #Sixthings.  

Then it was Kir and Her Cupcakes

Minky {Moo}’s took her turn with her Instagram

Now it is Kim from Rubber Chicken Madness’s turn…

I’ve been talking to strangers and what do you know I’ve made some friends!  

. . . . .

I do not remember how I first “met” Kim over at Rubber Chicken Madness.  I know it was when Kindred Adventures first became Kindred Adventures and I know it was on Twitter.  I do remember instantly liking her.  She had sass she was not afraid to dish, she was tough, she was dedicated and I (secretly) adored her.  I continued to get to know her on Twitter.  Mostly we would chat on Saturday mornings.  We would share about our weeks and what was up in our lives.   I learned about her single mother adventures of her two boys she calls “Thing 1” and “Thing 2”.  I learned how she works two jobs to provide for her family.  Then I began to read her blog and that is where her inspiration to me began.  I started to visit her blog as much as I could. I found my self laughing out loud, smiled from ear to ear and had my heart deeply touched.  I do not know if she would ever admit it, but she has a gift, she can dig deep and she can write beautifully moving posts.   

Spread The Madness…
Seriously she wants you to!!


In November 2011 Kim had an idea…. she would post Rubber Chicken Nuggets.  Every Friday she would post mini recaps of the weeks events.   It was genius.  I laughed as I learned what funny things she, her sons and her dog had gotten into.  I was hooked…. I was instantly inspired. I began to look forward to them.  Little glimpses of life beyond the daily posts, woven with funny sarcasm, pieces of nuggets I could eat up!  
     
Thanks to Kim and her nuggets of madness my brain began to go into over drive.  I think the day I was inspired I constantly spewed ideas so frequently that Shirley’s head just began to bob in spontaneous agreement.   I wanted a way to share our weekly adventures with others just like Kim.  Her little nuggets inspired our Rear View Mirror.  One month later we have posted 4 3 2 ? Rear View Mirror posts (I think a weekly schedule will ensure that I will write every Friday….HA!)

Today I look forward to our Friday Rear View Mirror 
(when I get around to writing them).  I find myself taking mental notes of fun tidbits of life that go on all around me.  Tidbits I can share on Friday.  I find myself reflecting on specific moments, remembering them and really remembering details.  Kim’s simple act of serving nuggets has made me want to serve ours too.


Playing my Do Over Card

This week I had a chance to live by my ‘Role Model’ One Two Simple Word resolution.  I had a chance to use my word to make everyday decisions. 
My week went great.  
My daughters worked with me to get their rooms organized.  I worked hard last weekend to make sure that the all the laundry was washed, folded and put away by Sunday night. Shirley and I worked out (My body was back into it’s exercise groove).  I worked hardest to make healthy choices for myself and fight off temptation.   
Then the weekend came…Sunday!  
It all started when I thought I would just get a little time on the computer before the girls woke…haha who was I kidding.  Too many minutes later I should have had the grocery list done. I should have been at the grocery store.  I managed to pull myself away from the computer to go grocery shopping, feed everyone lunch, and get in a great run.  Then it happened again.  I’ll just hop on the computer for a couple of more minutes, I thought.  Too many minutes later I was rushing to make sure dinner is ready on time, rushing to get girls into pre-bedtime routine, rushing…

Modeling healthy use of technology was a strong part of my resolution.  Sunday I had failed miserably.  I was proud of myself for the week. Now I was mad at myself.  I needed to use better self control.  
Should have, could have, would have….  Akkk I hated this Sunday! 

I am not one to accept defeat.  I am a work in progress.  I have not failed.  I simply need to make some adjustments…tweeks to how I am doing things.  
I need a Do Over! I found a Do Over Card. I am playing my Do Over Card…
This week when I get home from work on Friday the cell phone goes away and the laptop never comes out of the bag.  They both stay there until Sunday afternoon.  

So while I will suffer.  It will be painful.  Who wouldn’t want to tweet with their friends and keep up with their going ons on Facebook, share and look at pictures on Instagram and “shop”, gaze, imagine, dream and pin the day away on Pinterest….I know I would.  
Instead I will improve myself by recapturing MY time.  Finishing a book I started.  Write a blog post in one of my favorite journals.  I’ll say it…. clean the house and do laundry on Saturday (I know I am happy when it is all done).  Have a Sunday to just relax.  

So Thanks to Just.Be.Enough I am playing my Do Over Card.  They have one you know (A card that lets you have a Do Over and I am using it)
I am going to let go of this Sunday, play my Do Over Card and next weekend I am going to do it all a whole lot better! 
Thank you to Just.Be.Enough for inspiring me to make up my own Do Over Card for this post.  Please click here to learn more about Just.Be.Enough.  I was not sponsored or selected to write this post. I made it up all by myself.  All opinions are my own.
Every MONDAY join JustBeEnough…
Write, post, link-up, share your story and your voice.
Be part of carrying the weight of confidence and share our mission
to empower, inspire, and remind
women, parents and children

that the time has come to celebrate ourselves!


Momalog and Her TV

They were strangers the first time I “met” them. Today I find my adventures enriched, inspired and filled with laughter because of them…  

It started with Amy and Her #Sixthings.  

Then it was Kir and Her Cupcakes

 Minky {Moo}’s had her turn.

Today it is The Momalog’s turn!

I’ve been talking to strangers and what do you know I’ve made some friends!   

…..
 

I “met” Momalog on Twitter aka @adothemomalog. Between our mommy duties we would chat tweet about life and things going on.  Then it happened…I started following her blog.  Well…That was it!


I have been brought to the floor by laughter and side-aches.  I’ve been moved to tears by her strength and resilience.  I have been awed by her intelligence and graceful words.  She is passionate, well spoken, deep thinking and she is a force.

I read “Mommy’s Rant” (hold on to your chair with that one…It had me in stitches) and “Why We Killed Our Television”.   

I remember thinking, “You know she’s got a point!  But, I love my TV shows.”  

Months passed and Christmas approached this year.  

Words began to come out of my daughters mouths. 

Words I had heard before.  

Words like the ones Ella had uttered:  “I know how you can get that stain out of the carpet – you need to buy some Oxyclean!” and “Can we go to 1-800-Beaches?”

It happened again.  

This is not good!  


Since her first post Ado’s voice has gotten stronger.  Her stories have kept their passion, while her writing has become even more polished.  So, while I can not say I am ready to kill our TV too, she has inspired me!  Once a month I am going to pick a day (maybe more then one…stranger things have happened).*  I am going to put our TV in a “COMA”…still alive and reviveable but not dead or killed.  This will be my small step in cutting back our TV watching.  





*Like any good blogger I will be sharing our “TV COMA” experiences right here…once a month

A Letter to Change

Dear Change,

I hate you!  You suck!  You can go away now and not come bake for a very long time.  I have learned to tolerate you.  I even came to embrace you.  I welcomed you into my life and saw all the good that you brought to it.  I’ve had enough of you.  I’m done. No more. I don’t want any more new people at work.  I like the ones we had.  They do not really need to retire or find a better job…they can stay.  I don’t like the new twitter.  It teases me with its new sexy sleek design but pisses the f*ck out of me because it does not have a horizontal viewing option (does that sound dirty).  Change I am done!  Your stupid twitter app change has put me over the edge.  You are in the dog house and if you keep it up you will not be allowed in the yard.  To quote a six year old I know, “I’m MAD at you! and I DON’T LIKE YOU ANYMORE!”  

 

P.S. I am mad at you too Pinterest… for all your “change is good,  change is pretty,  embrace change,  change the world” beautiful inspiring cra* … art!  You were no help at all! 

We haven’t been virgins for a while now but today we are!  We are linking up with Love Links for the first time because ADo sent us!!!