MEMEday Week 9
It has been a few weeks too long since a meme took up space here. Today’s memes are inspired by a family…a mother and daughter. Last week Jenna shared a post at Made More Beautiful… she was So Done and I was so incredibly proud and happy for my friend and the 366 days she endured to be legally separated. It inspired a meme for her I have been meaning to introduce for months… Christian Bale. I can not wait to see what day 367 and beyond hold for her! Last week Jenna’s daughter Grace also shared a post on Made More Beautiful: Anxiety Defeated. I was incredibly moved by this 7th graders powerful voice and her ability to use words to create a vision of anxiety and the battle so many face with it. So today I present you with two brand spanking new memes. Two memes that I am certain will be here to stay! (Please excuse the swear word in one of the memes. Frankly, I could not think of a better and more meaningful word to make my point.)
11.19.2012
Her First Trophy
Francine and I giggled and smiled as we shared chicken nuggets and french fries with “dip” (ketchup).
“Can we sit here?” he asked
Looking up at the familiar voice, “Of course! Please sit. There’s plenty of room!” I answer.
Six and seven-year olds giggle in between silly jokes, funny faces and the smiles of being with their teammates. With stomachs now full it was time to hand out the trophies. Trophies were accepted with shy smiles as the coaches words filled the air and made each parent and soccer player proud. Shiny, star topped trophies awarded, it was time for ice cream. Giggles and chatter stopped briefly as proud soccer players clutched their trophies in one hand and tried to lick their cones fast enough to keep drips from running down their arms.
“So did Olivia enjoy soccer?” he asked with an eager smile. “Will she play again?”
I paused in between bites, smiled at him and paused to think…
Fall soccer had been Olivia’s first venture into team sports. Very quickly she learned that soccer was not the summer park district kick the ball around, play some cutesy games and run a little bit soccer she thought it was.
“I hope my team loses!” she growled to her dad her first game, “I’m not playing!”
Each Saturday morning, each Tuesday night practice brought new fierce and meaningful words.
“I don’t want to play!”
“Who’s idea was it for me to play soccer anyway!”
Each pre-practice shin guard and cleats lace up was joined by growls and more words to ensure our understanding.
“When exactly did I say I wanted to play soccer!”
“I don’t ever remember saying I wanted to play soccer.”
As the weeks of what we thought would be a season of learning fundamentals, hard work, learning the enjoyment that comes from being active and the great fun that comes from being a part of a team became my seven-year olds very first lesson in finishing what she started.
Looking at her coach I smiled some more and continued to think. Do I lie, tell him she learned so much and had a good season or tell him the truth, hell no not if you payed me a million bucks (ok maybe a million bucks) would I be signing her up for soccer again any time soon or subject myself to ten weeks of torture again.
“No, she’s not going to play soccer again. She learned that this really isn’t her game.”
Taking a moment to check on Olivia I look over my shoulder. Her six-inch star topped imitation gold winked a reflection at me. Her first trophy was not simply one of many that will pack the shelve in her bedroom, this trophy will forever represent a life long lesson that my husband and I hope that will stay with her forever engrained in her character.
Inspired Illustrations Week #2
Two things have been on my mind and I suspect the minds of many others this week….
the weather and Halloween.
So while I have few words to share right now I do have a couple of more drawings.
To all of my friends and family on the East Coast I think of you often, wishing and hoping that the storm and the weather will pass swiftly leaving you, your family and your home safe.
To all of my friends resisting the nightly call of the Halloween candy summoning your name from inside the cabinet, telling yourself you won’t eat any tonight…. it is for the kinds.
Happy Halloween!
Inspired Illustration Week#1
Everyday my daughters create something. They draw, they paint, they glue, they color. Their imaginations over flow with inspiration. They write lists, they author stories, they draw pictures of their day, they illustrate princesses and superheros. As they have grown I have worked hard to encourage their infinite inspiration and boundless imagination. It is a piece of them I want to exist and flow through them for the rest of their lives. In the last two months Olivia’s drawings have consistently become fantastic and left me more and more in awww of her ability to go to some other place and share it through her drawings (yes, total and complete mommy bias).
Suddenly I found myself looking at the world in a very different way. Maybe instead of writing about a memory I could draw too? Maybe instead of taking a picture or sharing words I could share an emotion or thought through drawings. Could I? Could I turn a vision, a thought, an idea into a drawing? So I found a great app on my iPad, bought a stylist and I began to draw….and draw and I drew some more. I began to study my daughters drawings. I watched the details they added. I took notes on their feelings. I remembered how they were inspired. And then I drew some more. Soon I started to find my own style.
After months of studying them and drawing my own pictures I realized it was time. It was time to share my drawings with other. Actually let other human beings (not just my daughters…who are totally bias. I could draw a wiggly lopsided stick figure and they’d say that’s beautiful mommy!!) I channeled a pinch of whimsy and a cup of sweetness and drew for someone I knew would love my art even if it sucked. With a million nervous knots in my stomach I hit the share button…
and when no one told me my drawing was awful I drew some more. Today I find myself with a brand new creative outlet.
I LOVE TO DRAW.
While I am still terrified to share my drawings with others I love it too much to let my new found love be effected by what others think. So today I start what I hope will be the first of many, many, many more inspired illustrations.
I owe this new found passion all to my daughters!
MEMEday Week #8
Boy do I love MEME inspiration.
Today I have more from the Prattling Pineapple and another visit from Ryan.
My sister took Francine and Olivia out to celebrate Olivia’s 7th birthday. The texts that came to me while they were eating dinner and filling up on a brownie dolloped with vanilla ice cream were pure Prattling Pineapple… my very own 6 year old stream of conscious, non-stop talking, unfiltered narrator of life!
This Hey girl is inspired by my fantastically beautiful friend Kim over at Rubber Chicken Madness. The girl has entered the on-line dating world (she’s amazing…and oh the stories). In between holding my nose to prevent myself from snorting coffee I am also moved by the passion, strength and ability to stay true to herself that she possesses.
Can’t a girl find a guy?!
Guest Post: Gfunkified Great Expectations
Greta Funk is a self described mom of four tornadoes living a glamorous life on the Kansas Prairie. I first “met” the beautiful and spunky Greta through Instagram. We got to know each other through each others pictures. As time went on…a comment here, a comment there, add a little spunky sass (she can dish it, I can take it…I love to dish it she can give it back) and a new friendship began.
So when Greta asked me to guest post for her weekly Great Expectations she got a absolutely hell yes!
Today I am over at Greta’s place Gfunkified. I am sharing my story about an expectation I had in life and how it actually turned out. It is a moment I am certain all woman in relationships can relate to.
Meredith and her GLOw
Rain drizzled on my “yes, it’s a good hair day! {fist pump}” hair as I ran from one black awning to the next trying not to get too wet. I peaked inside the first door.
“No, that is not it,” I thought.
I ran to the second door. Looking through the glass of the the door I couldn’t make out if there was anyone in there. I leaned closer to see if I could see anyone. The door to the restaurant opened and I was welcomed by a blonde hair, warm smiling, black rimmed glasses wearing beauty.
With parking figured out I nervously signed in and put my name tag on. I was super excited to be at my second Girls Lunch Out event, but nervous to be doing it all by myself. Before I knew it I was talking and meeting new woman. Today was the day I was going to learn about vlogging. Was I ever going to vlog, probably not, but I loved using videos in the classroom and on my classroom blog. I was excited to hear about it and learn something new. Soon it was time to meet everyone. Each woman took their turn introducing themselves (I have to work on my introduction by the way). I was in aw of the amazingness each woman brought to this event. Then she stood up. The blonde hair, warm smiling, black rimmed glasses wearing beauty.
“Hi I’m Meredith Sinclair…”
“Meredith Sinclair….Meredith Synclair …” rattled through my brain.
{insert light bulb}
“Oh my lordy that is the speaker today! I talked to her. She helped me. She’s nice. She’s funny. I can’t wait to see hear her talk!” my brain rambled on.
Lunch was surrounded with tweeting, instagraming and getting to know each other. We were filled with a fantastic meal (by Francesca’s on Taylor) of salad, bruchetta, two types of pasta, a little wine. It was wonderful. As bites of dessert were being taken it was time for the guest speaker… yep Meredith Synclair of themeredithsinclair.com. As she pitched to us the impact and audience we can reach with vlogging. She gave us tips on vlogging, how to get the best light, make sure you have good sound and how to teach yourself to edit video. I took notes on the tips and make sure you remember to do this’s. Between the notes and fantastic tips I still thought not in your life am I ever going to vlog woman. Meredith continued to talk, sharing her tips and make sure you’s. Suddenly she went from instructional to inspiring. She shared with us a deep passion, her phenomenal work ethic, her drive, her passion and her unwavering belief in us. Words like “pretend like you’re talking to your best friend”, “you don’t have to be perfect”, “you can do it” and suddenly my thoughts of no I will never vlog moved to I can create what I love and I can do anything I put my mind to (… to date I am seriously debating with myself whether to do a vlog or not…oh it might be fun…no no no vlogging…damn you Meredith!)
So when Meredith shared her fantastic smile and warm personality with me one last time
I knew not only was I deeply inspired by this incredibly dynamic, creative, inspirational, make you feel like you can try anything woman… I had a serious crush!
This was my second Girls Lunch Out event. It was even more fun then the first. It was wonderful to see friends from the last event and meet and talk to mind blowing, strong, fantastically amazing woman that participated in it
I was not reimbursed, payed or given any samples for this post. All thoughts and opinions regarding Meredith, Girls Lunch Out and Francesca’s are my own. They really are that fabulous!!
MEMEday Week #7
I LOVE MEMEs! If you have been here and visited enough you know that. MEMEs come to me from all parts of life. I get them from twitter, my kids, my husband my friends… no ones life is inspirationally off limits. So one would think with everything going on in my life MEME inspiration would be everywhere. One would be wrong. I have had a bit of a MEME dry spell lately. So this week I had to look hard for the fun and funny things in my life that would inspire me for MEMEday.
The Prattling Pineapple makes a come back this week. Her philosophical constant narration of her thoughts have been a little off this week, but ride in a car with her when a VW bug drives by and watch out…
Sometimes it really slays me what goes through the minds of men…
Donnie makes a come back here for a Dear Abby…
Happy Monday everyone!
May the words you use be my inspiration… he he he!
and your TO DO lists be completed!
MEMEday Week #6
I first saw this adorable fruit on Stasha’s Instagram (@northwestmommy) feed. The second time I saw the sassy, fun fruit I knew I had to beg and pretty please my way to getting a copy of it. Stasha (like she always does) was happy to share. I have never hidden my admiration for Stasha. She is one of the most talented photographers I know and she has a heart as beautiful as her artistic photographers eye…in other words I adore her and am left in awwww of her talent daily. Oh yeah, I also have a major crush on her dog! Don’t know Stasha? This post I wrote about her will bring you up to speed: Stasha and Her Perspective.
Today this shaded produce is the newest member of my MEMEday line up. I couldn’t think of a better little fruit to lend its voice to this MEME then my own peanut Francine. My 5 year old PRATTLING kindergartener inherited my gift for gab. Well to be quite honest with you the poor child has inherited my ability to talk continueously with out taking a breath. That coupled with her affection for pure stream on conscious narration of her thoughts makes for some incredibly interesting car rides. So today I am introducing to you the PRATTLING PINEAPPLE… a stream of conscious, non-stop talking, back seat driving, unfiltered narrator of life!
If you have a moment be sure to check out Stasha’s work at: Stash B. Photography, visit her blog (her Listicles are a hoot), or follow her on her Instagram @Northwestmommy
MEMEday Week #5
Happy Tuesday! Wednesday! I am a day two days late with MEMEday, but that is just how life is right now. I continue to happily be on the receiving end of an abundance of ideas. unfortunately an insanely busy schedule and no ability to stay up past 9 freckin 30 at night to write has left me no time to create. So as the MEME ideas flow through my head in the shower, during the car ride to work, in the middle of the night, during tweeting or even instagraming I am trying to capture them and write them down. Saving them for the right time to be created and shared.
This weeks first inspiration comes from Alex (@l8enough). Yes, she is back again for MEMEday Week #5. I can’t help it. The woman is seriously funny. She can string words together to make me snort and laugh so loud my children give me odd looks and wonder if mommy is ok. Upon falling in love with a meme I made of one of Alex’s tweets* she DM’d me last week to ask me a question. Those DMs lead to this twitter conversation…
I have to tell you (I may be giving away Alex‘s secrets here) but there is something else I have discovered about Alex… she is amazing. Not amazing like super woman (well that’s a possibility) amazing like behind that sassy punk red streak there is a woman with fierce integrity, high standards and great respect for others… and she is a great secret keeper, good listener and it takes a lot for her to think your crazy (and I dished her a good slice of crazy, neuroticnesss).
Two weeks ago as part of my BAZINGA MEME fest I asked my reader for BAZINGA inspiration with promises that if I liked them I would create a them inspired BAZINGA MEME….
Inspired by Abby
Inspired by Kate
To finish off this weeks MEMEday I can not help but wish Abby, one of my most favorite I absolutely adore tweets. Scratch that… she is not just a tweet she is a dear, close to my heart, I wish she lived next store we’d drink coffee together each morning and chat over wine at night kind of friends Abby from abbygabs.com or @thatgabbyabby
*Alex was not reimbursed, compensated, payed, given chocolate or free deodorant for saying she loved my MEME of her tweet. Her opinion was purely made up.
MEMEday Week #4
Life is such a whirl-wind. No one warned me that when we decided to sign our two daughters up for fall soccer my life would go from manageable to tornado whirling , life energy sucking, absolutely no time for my self chaos. Well Shirley told me, but she told me this weekend… thanks for the heads up. Working full time and now the addition of four lovely days a week of soccer has left me no time to work out (I miss running and feeling fit soooooo much) and no time to blog. Unless you consider falling asleep at the computer and your forehead hitting the keyboard writing a post blogging then I write a post every night. Until that counts my tired butt can’t manage to stay up past ten. In the past couple weeks (besides being exhausted)… no last month or so I have slowly been compiling MEME ideas. Ideas float around in my head stored until they are plucked, created and then released.
Some of my ideas have been inspired by my daughter…. Like this one my father took this of her at a children’s museum. I could not wait to work my magic on it and make it something more beautiful.
This sketch I drew. Inspired by @coffeelovinmom and a tweet she sent out. I can’t wait to share it with her….
This Twitter inspired MEME inspired by @L8enough…
This MEME I already put out there for my lovely friend Sunday (@xtremeparnthood) on her anniversary. I had to share it again!
and this gorgeous man (one of my most favorite MEME subjects) with an ode to my week…
as we enter a new week…one that already is looking more manageable then the last…
Happy New Week!
Abby and Her Key
I have been truly blessed by the people I have met blogging and tweeting. If you’ve known me long enough you know that when I first started blogging I was certain I was going to get stalked or my kids would get kidnapped if I shared too much about the real me. I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined the wonderful friendships that would be formed.
I don’t remember the first time I “talked”. I say talked but it really is tweeted with Abby or maybe I read one of her posts (www.abbygabs.com) first and then tweeted with her… I guess I really don’t remember the first time I talked to her! The first post I remember reading of Abby’s involved an bon fire, her brother, her mom and dad and a tree.
My cheeks hurt from smiling, my side ached from laughing but most of all I was left in awwww. I was in awww of the fantastic family she had, the love they had for each other and how the hell they could all get each other in such a state. Most of all I was in awwww of Abby’s ability to bring that moment to life in drawings, her ability to embrace the hystericalness of it all and her comfort with putting it out there.
To say the least I was hooked!!
Each week I waited for the latest Abby post. What would she do next?! What crazy fun perspective would she bring to life? I couldn’t wait to see!
One average Saturday. Well, average if you call running from ballet recital to a princess party average. I was sitting at the princess party, stuck because my daughter was a bit nervous and she really wanted me to stay, but oh my lordy was I board. I sent out a tweet proclaiming by princess party boredom. The moment that she tweeted back a sassy, giddy, excited totally Abby reply was the moment Abby went from being a stranger and an absolutely cherished friendship began. That and a very princess princess party of our own was had!
The more I chatted and got to know Abby, the more we started writing posts together.
Her enthusiasm, creative perspective on life and discoverer of all things hilarity started to rub off on me! Creating became more than writing a memoirs. It became putting beautiful words together with stunning pictures.
It became finding the funny in the everyday and adding the sexy.
Then it became me picking up a pen and tapping into my long forgotten drawing skill…
note to reader…If you’re wondering what is up with all the Donnie Walhberg. Yeah… that’s Abby. She likes him just a smidge!!!
Then it happen. Last week, I sat at my desk at work, writing a welcome back post to my parents. I suddenly found myself adding more fun to it. I found myself bringing in the funny. It was a day I will never forget. It was the day I knew I could never thank Abby enough. Throughout all of this, throughout the silliness, the photo shopped pictures and the drawings Abby did something. She unlocked something deep inside of me. Creating posts and teaming up with her pulled something out of me that had long been buried away. Sure I knew I was a relatively creative person. I knew I could draw OK. I had a pretty good eye for making things. Suddenly it was like I was given permission to pull out a long hidden skill. Abby unlocked this amazingness inside of me. She showed me it was OK to bring out the fun. It was OK for me to draw (and actually show my drawings to other people) and push my creative limits. She showed me that it’s fun to grab up all the silly life brings you and put my own twist on it. Most of all she taught me it is totally OK for me to love being me, for me to have fun being me and it was OK for me to look deep for long forgotten skills and create! The moment I pushed the publish button of that classroom blog post I knew in that instant she had unlocked an energy, a fun, a zest and a creative freedom I had long forgotten. For that, I am more grateful than she will ever know because she unlocked my fun! 
