Brace Yourselves...

DISCLAIMER: It's ok if you don't like the hair or the plates; I didn't do either one for anyone but me (and Pete; he loves the hair). I just like the pics on the plates and love the herbs, and I love the hair because it's different from any color I've ever had. So here goes nothing...

notice how blue the eyes are :)

the plate on the wall
the new plates
just cute of Will 

it all started with a plate

ok, I've been feeling a little trapped within myself lately, like there's someone in there but they are not quite making it to the outside. I've felt that way with everything... the clothes I wear, the way I decorate, the activities I participate I am, the kind of friend of I am, the house I live in, and all the way down to the way I wear my hair. None of it really seems like me... maybe more of a copycat of the closest things around me that I kind of like. Ok, enough of that, on with the story. I first thought I would let this person out by decorating and creating my house to be and a reflection of how I think & am and for how I hope my family will feel when they are here. I started this process by finally shopping at the type of stores that I love, not the catalog type of stores that are popular but the second hand type that have lots of eclectic things that are just waiting to be given a new life. Anyways, this story is going somewhere, I promise. Over the last few weeks I have seen these plates. I loved them the moment I laid eyes on them and knew the exact place that I would want to display them. I didn't buy them; I was a little unsure if they would really work. Every time I went I told myself to buy them if they were still there, and every time they were still there but I still left without them. Until today. I bought them, and they are PERFECT for what I wanted. Different, yes, but perfect in the exact way I had imagined. What really started with the plate you might be asking? It gave me the  greatest boost of confidence to start living like I'm seeing instead of fighting it. So now I'm in a changing rampage. I changed my hair tonight. Brace yourselves. There will be pictures later. I would prefer to have clothes on and make-up done, and since I have spent the last 4 hours on my hair none of those things are happening right now. Check back, and know that I LOVE IT. 

Is there any hope for repair??????

Please tell me there is hope! Do you see this? In case you can't tell what it is, it is the cord to my dyson vacuum cleaner cut into three bungee cord pieces. Who did this one might ask? I'll give you a hint... it rhymes with "dam". 

Baby Blues

Baby Blues. That's exactly what Will has if one of his 8 babies is out of his sight for even a second. He has definitely been our softer, more tender child,  and it is very apparent in his choice of entertainment. He's never without his little ones, not even at night. I think it's precious. Even if some of you might be getting nervous.

finally, the light came on

I was talking with my sister today about a blog we are both familiar with. My sister commented on what an amazing person this blog girl is (and she really is!). Knowing all I know about this girl, a comment like this would have normally made me feel like I was less amazing because she is so, well, PERFECT. As I've thought all day about the girl and my sister's insight on her amazingness, the light finally came on. We really are all amazing, each and every one of us, especially as a mother.  Whether we are enjoying every second of it or just surviving it, it's amazing that we are mothering at all. Whatever route we go about it, I think it's all amazing. Think about it....

•  some mothers feed their children tofu and apples at every meal, and other mothers feed their children grilled cheese and homemade cookies, licking the beaters included. Isn't food amazing?
  
• some mothers have their children on a perfectly executed sleep routine, sleeping alone and all through the night, and other mothers let their children into their beds every night to sleep. Isn't sleep amazing?
• some mothers provide everyone in the family with their own the beautifully designed and decorated space, and some mothers don't bother and let their children see beauty in what they do have all nice and cozy with everyone else. Isn't having a home amazing?
• some mothers dance and sing with their children every day, and other mothers provide endless hours of Barney music. Isn't music amazing?
• some mothers provide 100 crafts a day to provoke creativity, and some mothers let their kids run around outside for hours. Isn't creativity amazing?
• some mothers teach important life lessons by using a magnet board with handmade accessories and perfectly prepared scripts, and some mothers teach important life lessons with a look or just a few words in passing. Aren't life lessons amazing?
• some mothers document every day of their child's life through eloquently written daily blog posts and professional looking pics, and some mothers write a few things on a daily calendar. Isn't preserving all these memories amazing?
• some mothers can imagine wild and adventurous stories off the top of their heads at any given moment, and some mothers can read a story or two everyday to their children. Aren't stories amazing?
• some mothers can make everything they need by hand, and some mothers know the best places to go to find the things their family needs. Isn't having our needs met amazing?
• some mothers can go all day with never needing a break, and some mothers do their best for 2 hours at a time and then need a break. Isn't doing our best amazing?
• some mothers raise their children on their own, and some mothers have the help of a spouse. Isn't having the privilege of raising our kids at all amazing?

Now that's just scratching the surface, but you get the point.  I'm going to stop thinking about how amazing some are and how unamazing others are. Instead I'm going to remember that however we go about it, we are all amazing for just doing it at all.

Teacher of the Month

Pete was welcomed back from Christmas break with some great news. He was informed that he was chosen by the administration to be Teacher of the Month at his school. Since he will NEVER be caught bragging about this, I feel like I should brag for him. I think it's quite an honor, being a 1st year teacher especially. I was able to attend a breakfast with him yesterday at his school and hear the lovely report the vice-principal made about him. It was quite touching, but the part that stood out the most was his report on Pete's hard work and level of dedication. He said that he arrives at the school every day at 6:30 am and without fail Pete has always beat him there. He was impressed by Pete's commitment level and amount of hard work he is putting in to be a great teacher. It's about time Pete's dedication to work is being recognized. I can't say enough what a great switch this job was for him. It has made a world of difference in our family. The lowly teacher's salary is no longer a concern for us; we have quickly learned that we choose quality of life any day, and we certainly have learned that money can't buy happiness. 

Congratulations, Pete. I am so proud of you!!!

It is a happy new year

Our family finished up 2008 in good spirits. The best part of our celebration was having Pete home and being together as a family. We are looking forward to a new year. I recently read a quote: It's not about how life is treating you, it's about how you are treating life. I love that. I'm ready to take life by the horns and live the life we most desire instead of waiting for "life" to hand it to us on a silver platter. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully you all are started off on the right foot!