a life beyond running shoes.

absolute indulgences. nothing more. nothing less. probably enjoyed more than most because of the recipes, which i actually read most (not all), and because much takes place in and around brooklyn. my curiosity was totally peaked with all her talk of authors from brooklyn she dated that published books that got famous. killed me not to know who she was actually talking about. interesting to see how cooking shaped much of her story, or was the frame in which she told her story through. wanted to see her end up with the guy but that is not always the story. i still like a good memoir. simply passed the time. interesting characters all living in the same building. interesting new york premise. love washington square park as the back drop to the apartment building. did not like the infidelity..... the sex was pass-over-able. perfect for sitting on a beach.... which i was on a lake but same difference for types of books to be reading. just pages i read. i have it if you need to kill s...

.....is an experience. it can make you believe, forget, remember, feel...... it can also make (help) you grieve. especially when during the opening scene my mother-in-law remembered that this was one of g'pa's favorite movies, knew all the words, and would sing them to her all the time. well her tears only provoked my tears. it is amazing what moves me to the places where i realize what is missing in my life. but it was a sweet missing, as my mother-in-law put it. the missing of what another person loved, enjoyed, was passionate about. the sweet missing of how another person helps expand who you are, stretches you, enriches you. that is the sweet missing.... and we do miss, a lot.

one should not potty train and sleep train in the same 24 hour period. one should not let a 2 year old try and "tee tee" by himself because then he tries to do it like his brother.... standing up....... "tee tee" can actually end up on the wall behind you when you are too short to actually pee in the toilet and it ricochets off the toilet seat. one should take her antibiotics as prescribed because if she forgets to take two pills during the day, mastitis can come back in the middle of the night. a smile from a five month old can make up for the hour she was awake at 2:00am. new bunk beds are a hit for little boys. sleeping in my own bed is awesome after almost 4 weeks on the road.

.... but who knew it would be like this. after a 14 hour drive yesterday in our new mini-van (thanks to giving up cable, a car loan, and other cutback in our household)..... i knew today would be difficult. especially since we had to put the boys room back together. my husband sanded and stained the hardwood floors in their room. he also made more progress on their bunkbeds.... to be completed today. both look awesome!!! little did i know that today would consist of: one allergy attack in the parking lot of the grocery. one suppository for one non-pooping infant. one rocking session for one toddler that has not happened in over a year because he could not calm himself to get to sleep. one night without a baby in my room.... all children have been moved to the kids room (plus the addition of the monitor which has also not been used in about three years. i never used it with little bit). one bottle of wine for mommy and daddy to settle us down after this mania of a day. i'll post p...

when you spend three days in an airport mostly with a five month old who sleeps off and on for a couple of hours.... i found that i got through my book rather quickly. much quicker than at home, funny that. well, i finished it really with the thought that i was excited to see the movie. i think perhaps it will be a better movie than book but that being said, it was a good book. not fabulous. not a page turner, at times a bit confusing.... but good. i'm glad i read it. i know there are those out there that probably loved it since i have seen it on top book lists..... but not on my top favorites but not on my "waste of time" list either. this was a quick read. entertaining.... interesting premise... but it more just passed the time while sitting on the beach on the one day i got to go this summer. i liked her mode of story telling and the characters were slightly interesting.... but not a compelling love story. it made time traveller's wife much more appealing. i rea...

can't believe how much i loved it! i read the book julie & julia in 2006. i read the other book the movie is based on last summer, my life in france . it was so fun to see meryl as julia. what a delight. i highly recommend.... i almost went and saw it again but got the times wrong... so i got my toes painted. that hasn't happend since before sweet pea was born. our time in florida is almost to a close but we will soon be at a lake house with daddy for a week. the boys have REALLY missed their dad..... i do too but if i have to battle one more bedtime without him it will be too soon.

three days of airports, one funeral, one day at the beach, one friendly reunion, two traumatic swim lessons, throw in some naps and a very accommodating g'ma.... and you arrive to today. my granny passed away two weeks ago and since i was already flying down to florida to be with my mother-in-law... i left the boys and flew up to louisiana for the funeral. lots of delays that limited my less than 48 hours on true southern soil with one amazing baby girl afforded me the chance to celebrate my granny's home-going. it was refreshing for my heart to be reminded of what it means when someone who loved jesus so passionately goes home to glory. her earthly body suffers no more.... her mind is whole again.... and she is greeted by a glorious reception. i needed to hear about her home-going because i got to hear more about the grandmother that i had. she was amazing. she loved god's word and his church. she was a member of her church for 70 years. i don't even know people ...