Memory Lane: April 22, 2010

I'm five years old and it's getting cold
I've got my big coat on
I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you
I run and run
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides
Look now the sky is gold
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you're not scared of anything at all
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day with you today

I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean
I come home crying and you hug me tight and grab the keys
And we drive and drive until we find a town far enough away
And we talk and window shop till I've forgotten all their names
I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay
But I know I had the best day with you today

I have an excellent father
His strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little brother
Inside and out he's better than I am

I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run
And I had the best days with you

There is a video I found from back when I was three
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs
Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

Now I know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong
And I love you for giving me your eyes
Standing back and watching me shine
And I didn't know if you knew
So I'm taking this chance to say that I had the best day with you today


lyrics "The Best Day," by Taylor Swift

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Right Now: April 20, 2010

Outside my window... it's dark & still.

I am thinking... how cool 3D ultrasound images are. And how cute my nephew is.

I am thankful for... Darnell McDonald & his walkoff single.

From the kitchen... there will be hot dogs for dinner tomorrow. I'm in the mood for some warm-weather food.

I am wearing... capri pants & my Mike Lowell t-shirt.

I am creating... blog posts again. Finally.

I am going... to Epcot with my dad, his wife & my half-brother on Thursday.

I am reading... "Where Are You Now?" (Mary Higgins Clark) and it is creeping me out--but in that good suspense story kind of way. It is also confusing me. There are a lot of characters & the way they have been introduced, it's so difficult to keep track of who's who & how they are related. This may be by design, given the nature of the book, but it sure is taking some brain power to keep track of them all!

I am hoping... the Sox can get on a winning streak now.

I am hearing... the dishwasher humming as it heats up water.

Around the house... things are clean & fresh after some Spring Cleaning. I have a few more little projects to work on but it's coming together.

One of my favorite things... is crossing items off my ToDo List.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Epcot on Thursday (as I mentioned), Sox viewing (of course), finishing up some more Spring Cleaning projects this weekend. That's about it.

A picture to share...

...from my trip over to Magic Kingdom a couple of weekends ago.

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Monday Stream of Consciousness: April 19, 2010

I've found myself taken aback by how many times I hear the Today Show interviewing a child or the family of a child about teenage violence. Bullies have always existed. I suspect they will til the end of the time. There will always be those people who derive satisfaction or power or confidence from picking on anyone they deem weaker or less important. But it positively sickens me how far it has gone in recent times. No more does a squabble turn into a bloody nose or a black eye, some tousled hair, a ripped pant leg & two scowls as the participants await the arrival of called parents. Children are now beating one another to within an inch of their lives, pummeling each other into comas, lighting other children on fire, driving pre-teens to suicide. I cannot wrap my brain around this. I just...cannot. How does this happen? I've often observed that there are few tyrants more merciless than children, but on their own levels. And then it occurred to me, the example adults are setting & sadly, maybe I'm not all that shocked. We criticize, berate, slander, gossip and tear down our peers every chance we get it seems. Blog comments are left by anonymous haters. Message boards are frequented by trolls. We flip each other off on the roads. There is such a blatant disregard & disrespect for others all around us...and I find myself no longer surprised, because children are, and always have been, mirrors of what they see & learn. That leaves me simply feeling appalled. And more determined than ever to be careful of how I treat people. If you have nothing nice to say, shut your mouth & walk away. Give your attention to something that truly does matter. Like the Red Sox. And their dark spiral into the ground. Except that it's only the beginning of third week of a six-month season & there is a lot of baseball left to be played. There will be slumps & injuries & hot streaks & rookie sensations. In the mean time, I will take an April slump to one in September. And if we shed a few more Pink Hats during this early season hiccup, it won't hurt my feelings. They will be donning pinstripes or sunbeam gear by May. See? This is where we need to keep the taunting: good-natured ribbing & friendly banter & proverbial beatdowns of the 10-0 variety with your preferred team on the double-digits side of the shutout. Unless you root for the Yankees or the Rays. ;-)

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20 Questions: April 18, 2010

1. What kind of weather do you most dread?
Endless humidity. It wears me down. If you had asked me this back when I lived in Connecticut though, I would have said ice.

2. Which drives more of your decisions: your head or your heart?
I'm a Libra, which means I thrive on balance. Translation: I don't lean in either direction more than the other, and I weigh out all my options. Sometimes to the point of teeth-gnashing by anyone waiting for me to make.a.decision.already. Which means that when the decision is made, it's a healthy dose of both...otherwise known as: your gut.

3. When were you last in a church? What was the occasion?
This morning. Because it was Sunday? It's rare that I miss a week.

4. What is the closest framed photo to you?
There are two on my end table. One formal portrait of Miss Catherine on her second Christmas. And one black-and-white snapshot of my grandparents on their wedding day.

5. Mustard goes on:
Kielbasa. Ham & cheese sandwiches. Brats (the sausage, not the children).

6. Do you fold your underwear or does it just get stuffed in the drawer?
It is folded. In nice neat little thirds.

7. Which Disney character is your favorite?
Aurora. You probably know her as Sleeping Beauty. Of the non-princess variety, Eeyore.

8. Do you sleep with bare feet or do you need socks on?
Sometimes I would sleep with socks on in the Winter back up north, mostly because when my hands & feet get cold, it can take me days to finally fend off the chill & get warm again. Down here, I never ever sleep with socks on.

9. Do you know how to shoot a gun?
I do. I might require a brief refresher because I've only done it once (well, I went went one time, I fired the actual gun quite a few times while there), but it came to me pretty easily & I suspect it is much like the proverbial riding of a bike.

10. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth?
Never! Can you believe it??

11. Do you write in the margins of books as you read them?
No. I do not ever write in books. I might stick a Post-it flag on a page to come back to, but I don't leave marks on the pages. It feels wrong to me somehow.

12. How do you feel about Thursdays?
They are Posers. Every freaking week, I think it's Friday. Every freaking week, I am wrong. Thursday is my nemesis.

13. What was the last item you purchased and returned?
A shirt that was going to be a Christmas gift, but I didn't realize I had grabbed the wrong size & when I went back, they were out of the right size.

14. What is the last letter of your middle name?
N.

15. Do you read tabloids?
Sometimes I read the covers when I'm waiting to be rung out at the grocery store, but just for laughs at the ridiculousness that they come up with. I don't think I have ever actually opened one up. I think it's kind of pathetic that there is so much money to be made, making up lies about famous people.

16. What is the last kind of cookie that you ate?
A Spring-themed Oreo. And it was good.

17. What was your seventh grade teacher's name?
This one took me a second, which surprised me. Mrs Higgins. One of my very favorite teachers.

18. What is the newest television show you've acquired in your personal lineup?
Parenthood. Started watching it a couple of weeks ago. The episode was pretty good, so I checked the Prime Time On Demand Channel & they had it there, so I was able to watch all but the pilot!

19. Three signs Winter is here:
The humidity goes away. I can open up my windows again because the air conditioner is finally turned off. Thanksgiving is approaching.

20. Are you afraid of the dark?
Of the dark itself, no. Of Things That Go Bump in the Dark...well...let's just say I can sufficiently freak myself out when I apply a sprinkling of imagination.

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Slice of Life: April 17, 2010

I'm a week behind myself. At least. I should have posted this *last* Saturday, but I didn't. So there's that. I suppose I could have let it go but it was such a telling part of that weekend, the perfect "slice," really. And this weekend is all Spring Cleaning, big whoop-dee-doo. So hop into your time machine & let's turn the clock back to last week, when I plopped myself in Magic Kingdom to get acquainted with my new camera.

I played with exposure...






...and shutter speed...



...and depth of field. All things I could only control on very basic levels with my trusty little Kodak.







The learning process is way too much fun!
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I saw the coolest post on the blog, "your wishcake," and thought it would be a lot of fun to incorporate it into my weekly Slice of Life posts. It's up to you, readers! What slice of my life would *you* like to see photographed & shared here in the future?

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I Want Wednesday: April 14, 2010

**I Want a hammock in the shade. And a good breeze. And a couple of magazines. And a glass of lemonade.

I've been MIA for a week. I can't seem to get my head on straight. I am scattered & easily distracted. I have no motivation & no ability to focus. Which says to me that I need a long weekend or something. There isn't one in sight, unfortunately. However, I plan to spend my whole weekend at home, relaxing, getting caught back up. Just a nice low-key weekend. Two more days to go...

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I Want Wednesday: April 7, 2010

**I Want to go to WDW to play with my new camera.

**I Want the Sox to win tonight.

**I Want Mike Lowell to be the DH. Nothing to do with Papi (or his lack of production in all of two games). I just I want to see my favorite player, you know, *play*.

**I Want a day off. With pay.

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Right Now: April 6, 2010

I am thinking... that Angel Hernandez is a joke.

I am thankful for... the fact that the Sox cannot possibly be swept this series.

From the kitchen... on Easter, there was ham, mashed potatoes, cauliflower, yellow & zucchini squash, and strawberry shortcake.

I am wearing... black cargo capri pants & a red Red Sox t-shirt.

I am creating... a lot of interesting photos that will end up deleted during this learning process.

I am going... to bed. If this Sox-Yankees game ever ends.

I am reading... a Mary Higgins Clark book. I'm too lazy to walk into the bedroom to verify the name of it.

I am hoping... the Sox can score some more runs. Sooner rather than later would be better.

I am hearing... the baseball game on tv, some sort of creature scuffling around in the leaves outside, the whir of the ceiling fan.

Around the house... are various little piles of things that will get put away before I head to bed. If this game ever ends.

One of my favorite things... is a Mike Lowell sighting (on tv).

A few plans for the rest of the week... include watching the Sox, doing some laundry, and maybe heading up to WDW on Sunday.

A picture to share... except that they are all still in my camera. And I am too tired to upload them. Boo.

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Monday Stream of Consciousness: April 5, 2010

There is pollen everywhere down here right now. The weather guy on tv said that it's a perfect storm really, because the cold weather prevented a lot of the trees from blooming when they typically would be, so now everything is blooming all at once. My apartment complex is surrounded by & filled with trees. I have to squeegee my car windows in the morning because simply using windshield washer fluid creates a a yellow-green paste. I'm really glad that the allergies I had as a child have all but vanished. Otherwise, I would be miserable right now. I'm kind of bummed, though, that the orange blossoms didn't last as long as they usually do. My Easter lily is still going strong though & it smells pretty good too. I had to give in & run my air conditioning last night, and again tonight. I'm not ready for this. Neither is my electric bill.

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20 Questions: April 4, 2010

1. Whose baby did you last hold?
Hmmm... it's been a while. I'm going to go with Gosia's son, Alex. I'm pretty sure she was the last one to have a baby. He's a big boy. Over a year now. It's been too long since I snuggled a baby.

2. What is your preferred brand of dishwashing soap?
Method. Usually the cucumber scent.

3. Cadbury Eggs or Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs?
Reese's Peanut Butter. No competition.

4. When were you last on an airplane?
December 30. Coming back from California.

5. Are you afraid of lightning?
Not if I am inside. I am not crazy about being outdoors when there's lightning though! We get some mean looking bolts here. I respect them.

6. Something that happened to you in 1992:
This is the lamest answer ever: I turned 16. Everything else I thought of happened in either 1991 or 1993, upon further reflection! If I don't just accept being lame, I am going to still be sitting here in 2092, staring at this screen.

7. When did you last run?
I ran to catch up to Troy while we were walking the other day. I had stopped to toss a peanut to a squirrel & I had to catch up. And by 'run,' I mean 'jog.' He told me I run like a girl. I say, I *am* a girl, what do you want from me?

8. Are you guilty of peeking in medicine cabinets?
No. I'm afraid I will find something that horrifies me. I do not need the mental images.

9. What guilty pleasure do you hate to admit liking?
I watch American Idol. There. Are you happy? =P

10. Has anyone ever called you a bad influence?
Yes. The mother of an old high school boyfriend. I won't lie. That hurt a lot. Because I really really wasn't. I was (and am) way too worried about disappointing anyone or getting into trouble. I have since moved on, but at the time, I was really distraught that anyone could think I was a bad influence. Brandi keeps claiming I am one now. She is mistaken. =P

11. Pineapple or watermelon?
Pineapple. I'll eat watermelon, but it's not my favorite.

12. Have you ever seen the ocean, live and in person?
I have. I grew up in Connecticut, so I have seen the Atlantic on many occasions. I have also seen the Pacific. I think it is beautiful.

13. Tell us about your nickname(s).
I'll tell you about one of them: Nonny. One of my daycare babies couldn't say "Dawn" so she called me "Nonny." (She called one of the girls I worked with "Kickin" (Kristin). One of the cutest little kids *ever*.) There are a couple of people who call me Nonny now, as a result of hearing that story.

14. Do you have a ceiling fan somewhere in your home?
I have two. One in my living room & one in my bedroom. You *need* them in Florida. Gotta keep that air moving!

15. What do you look forward to most about Autumn?
Down here, a break from the humidity, though it sure takes its sweet time in arriving. Back in New England, I looked forward to the crisp days, the gorgeous foliage, and apples-apples-everywhere.

16. What would I find in the trunk of your vehicle right now?
My spare tire, three boxes and a baseball bat.

17. And in your kitchen sink?
Two pots, a baking sheet and a spoon, soaking. And the bowls & forks from the strawberry shortcake we had for dessert.

18. Who do you kinda wanna smack?
Joe Morgan.

19. Preferred sleepwear: nightgown? pajamas? undies? au naturel?
Pajama pants or shorts & a tank top.

20. When you use a grocery cart at the store, do you return it to the proper place?
I do, either in the corral, if there is one, or back to the store. It's not that difficult, plus the extra exercise never hurts. What I really don't understand? When people leave their cart right next to the corral. Is the extra half step going to kill you? My one & only exception: When it is monsooning.

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Victorious.

...Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

from "In Christ Alone," v.3

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Entombed.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain...

from "In Christ Alone," v. 3

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Slice of Life: April 3, 2010

Some of my Easter decorations.



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I saw the coolest post on the blog, "your wishcake," and thought it would be a lot of fun to incorporate it into my weekly Slice of Life posts. It's up to you, readers! What slice of my life would *you* like to see photographed & shared here in the future?

Read more...

Forsaken.

In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

from "In Christ Alone," v. 2

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Betrayed.

What fading flow'rs His road adorn
The palms how soon laid down
No bloom or leaf but only thorn
The King of glory's crown
The soldiers mock, the rabble cries
The streets with tumult ring
As Pilate to the mob replies
"Behold, behold your King!"

from "No Tramp of Soldiers' Marching Feet," v. 3

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Memory Lane: April 1, 2010

I cannot believe these photos were taken twenty years ago. Seriously. SERIOUSLY.

Seriously?

Ok, I'm over it. Well, no, I'm not, but for the sake of the post.

I actually almost didn't get to be confirmed with my class. I had a horrible awful terrible case of chicken pox. (That my brother gave me. My brother who had a grand total of, like, eight pox. I had about eight bajillion. And it was a warmer than typical April. I was miserable. I missed two weeks of eighth grade.) But they decided that as long as I wasn't still breaking out in new pox, I could go to church, get confirmed & then go home again.

The way my childhood church did confirmation, you got confirmed on Palm Sunday, and then, as a group, received your first Communion on Maundy Thursday. I always thought that was well-planned. Very meaningful & symbolic & all that. I still remember my chosen Bible verse: "I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) We were given a little prayer book as well. I still have it in my cabinet, along with the Catechism & the hymnal my Gram & Dad, respectively, received for their Confirmations.

I look at that photo, most of those faces, the kids I went to school with for the first ten years of my education. And I can't believe how young we were. Or how much time has passed.

Twenty years.

Twenty.

The pastor to my left in the photo, not looking at the photo), Pastor Yops--I used to babysit his kids. They are 30, 28 and 25 now. I'm pretty sure my head just exploded. That girl standing there had no idea just how quickly it all flies by...

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Two sides of the coin.

I got a pineapple core in my yogurt this morning. That was rather unpleasant to bite into. On the other hand, it's nice to have confirmation that they actually do use *real* fruit. ;-)

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Snapshot from Along the Broken Road: March 2010

A photo of me:

Me, K & Brandi at EPCOT, Italy Pavilion.

1) Current candle scents:
Spiced Pumpkin. Harvest. Cinnamon. Country Linen. Lavender Vanilla. Egyptian Cotton. Cottage Breeze. (Ha! Did you notice the distinct change in the seasons? LOL!)

2) What I am reading this month:
I *just* finished reading the entire Bible for the "Cover-to-Cover in 90 Days" challenge for church. I think my brain might explode.

3) Top three songs I was drawn to:
"Love Like Crazy," Lee Brice. "White Horse," Taylor Swift. "Hallelujah," Justin Timberlake & Matt Morris.

4)Movies I saw:
None. Zip. Zero.

5) Favorite tv moments of the month:
The scene when Penny punched Sheldon (The Precious Fragmentation, The Big Bang Theory).

6) Something yummy I made:
Homemade chocolate chip cookies.

7) Restaurants where I ate:
Bonefish Grill. Chef Mickey's (at WDW's Contemporary). Sunshine Seasons (The Land pavilion, EPCOT). Tangierine Cafe (Morocco pavilion, EPCOT). Five Guys.

8) Something that made me laugh:
The guys Brandi & I stood near when we were watching K in the WDW Princess 1/2 Marathon. They were there to see their wives & kept calling out things like "Have you seen my wife? She's in pink & black!" and "Desiree??? Where are you???" but they were also cheering for other runners, many of whom dressed up for the race in tutus & tiaras or even full costume--even some of the guys (nothing like a manly-man running along in a fuchsia tutu to make you laugh!)--and they'd cheer "Keep going, Snow White! You're doing awesome, Cinderella! Way to go, princess dude!" and then there was the time the one guy tried to figure out how to drink his coffee with his Mickey hands on... I'm guessing you maybe had to be there, but Brandi & I were in hysterics.

9) A goal I had for this month:
To get some organizing done. I didn't get much accomplished. This was a strange month, what with The Ick, and more plans than I usually have, and what not. I'll just have to try again!

10) This month I looked forward to:
Meeting K!

11) Something I want to remember about this month:
All you need for a great day is a camera & someone who makes you laugh. =)

12) A photo I took this month:

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