Wednesday, January 28, 2015

My Dad

When I was a little girl and couldn't sleep my Dad would come in and tell a story.  Really slow, and I would drift off to sleep.  He could have said anything.  It was his voice that made me feel safe.

When I was only seven years old my Dad switched teaching positions with a teacher in Hawaii so our little family could have the adventure of our lives living in Hawaii for a year.

When I was engaged I found my Dad outside in the flower garden.  He gave me a big hug and was so happy for me and this next stage of life I was starting.  If I close my eyes I can feel the sunshine and smell the earth on his hands as he worked with the roses.

When we were little kids my brothers and I were entertained for hours in the car listening to stories of how my Dad grew up.

When I got married my Dad was the last person to hug me before I left for my honeymoon.  He told us "we were just about the most perfect couple he has ever seen" and that "we would have a lifetime of happiness".  I was so homesick on my honeymoon for my parents. I was so in love with Scott, so excited about our new life, but it was just too far and too long to be without my parents.  Back then I thought it was terrible to feel those feelings.  Now I know I was just blessed with the most amazing childhood a girl could have.

When I 'got the call' for my first teaching position I ran to my Dad to tell him it was official, "I was a third generation teacher".  Oh I was so proud.

When I wanted to run my first 26.2 marathon my many multiple time marathon runner Dad helped me train and ran behind me for the last 10 miles.  The next year we ran a 26.2 mile marathon together.  Holding hands at the finish.

When Scott and I announced that our first baby would be born on the other side of the world and have shiny black hair and almond eyes my Dad hugged me so hard I can still feel the love, the approval, the joy.

In all the big moments, and every single little in between moment I have been and will always be my Daddy's little girl.

In the hospital today it took my breath away to see him being wheeled into his room in the cardiac unit, intensive care.  I went to be there for him but he squeezed my hand and was there for me.

How is that?  It that the beauty of being a parent?  No matter what life holds you are always looking out for your child.  When you're the one needing encouragement you protect the feelings of your child.  Forever and always.

My Dad will be fine.  He's my Dad.

One year ago he cycled from Connecticut to Canada.  Two days ago he went for his regular run and lifted weights at the gym.

Just last spring he painted Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit in Abigail's room for me.

He painted Anna's cloud ceiling and her castle to look up at and give her sweet dreams for a lifetime.
I have a beach painting of my daughters above my fireplace and Anna's First Communion portrait in the living room.  Santa Claus hangs each Christmas and this happens every year too.

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He is magic and he is love.  He is strength and he is joy.  He is my Dad and he will be just fine.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Update

Well we are moment away from the start of an "epic" blizzard here in Connecticut.  But if you know me at all, you know that I love these.  We are safe, we are prepared, we are ready.  So the rest is all just family cozy time.  And that my friends, is the best thing in the world.  So bring it on!

I'll post for sure on this storm (as long as we have power) but I just don't want to forget all of these little moment.

"For it is the sweet, simple things in life, that are the real ones after all"  ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

Anna played in her first Middle School concert.

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She's been wearing 'black and white' concert attire since she was five but this time they called for pants! Now that was a change up! She wore mine. And looked so darn cute in them!

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On Friday afternoon my Mom took Abigail to the mall. And she come home beaming.

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She has a 'thing' for elephants ever since the Kindergarten research project (back here)

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Because of the magic of 'kinderland' she will always consider herself an expert on elephants.

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(especially ones that fit on her hip like a baby)

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On Saturday morning we woke up to our first real snow storm since the day before Thanksgiving when I did this photo session for the Christmas card.

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She was at the foot of our bed for an hour just enjoying the quiet beauty.

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During a storm I got to try a new tea... love!

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and the early morning view from my kitchen window

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It is not a snowy Saturday without baking in my kitchen.

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And a snowman with daddy at night.

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"... for a winters night.  
for the wind howls loud and the flurries fight;
spice it with love and stir it with care,
and I'll toast our bright eyes, my sweetheart fair."  
~ Minna Thomas Antium) 

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There was paper doll playing

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and sledding the next day in the sunshine

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It was a perfect snowy winter weekend. And by Sunday morning we knew we were in for what is about to come our way. Blizzard 2015.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Snoooooow!

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"Fairy magic sparkles in nature" Lynn Holland 

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"Sometimes," said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."  
AA Miline

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"Above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't beleive in magic will never find it." Roald Dahl, The Minpins

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Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Skating

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The video (song ~ Love Take Me Over, Steven Curtis Chapman)



There were so many smiles that morning. And it was so much fun to have FUN with my family!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day (especially since the movie program I use tends to crop the images)

~ snow on her bottom ~

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~ big sister bringing along her snowman ~

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~ holding on tight ~

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~ happiness ~

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~ blue skies on a January afternoon ~

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~ little smile ~ (when seven and a half looks four)

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~ the way daddy loves being with his girls ~

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~ oh yeah, it was fun ~

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Sunday, January 18, 2015

Our House ~ January

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Each month is like a clean slate to me.  And January is all about cozy in our home.  Is it boring to peek inside?  Because after all we all like different things surrounding us in our homes.   I thought about not putting these pictures here but then decided that my girls might like to see what their house looked like ~ how their mother decorated "back then".  So here we gooooo.... do you want some music?

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Books of winter fill our family room.

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And a few movies for this time of year too.

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I decided to keep out the "Christmas in the Forest" for the whole winter because it's cozy.

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I added some snow books...

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And twinkle lights for at night.

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And guess what? The birds...

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... love the birds!

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Where to start?

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Mini half bathroom

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In the dining room... I keep my phone right here next to my weekly planner.

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Right above my tea cart is this amazing winter scene (with a bird... love) that my Dad painted

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KITCHEN!!! My favorite room! With all it's cozy touches.

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I love when snow sticks to the window!

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And my friend Billie Jo inspired this! I've always wanted a seasonal tree from my very first ever visit to her blog. But I couldn't seem to make it work. So I created a seasonal windowsill instead.

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But as we were packing away Christmas it dawned on me to just leave the kitchen tree up, change the ribbons, add snowflakes... and I was in Heaven I tell you... oh so happy when it sparlkles at night!

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Teapots say cozy to me!

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And my mug of choice these days. Do you know Emma Bridgewater? All hand painted... in England... isn't it romantic?

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And gosh darn... she makes all these lovely seasonal ones.

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I wish you could see the inside. She paints the inside too! At the very top is a night winter, snowy sky with bare trees, and cute owls and birds flying.

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I learned this from my first "real life" visit to Billie Jo's house. Nothing says cozy more than blankets... everywhere!

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Anna eats breakfast before school each morning with this wrapped around her. She likes all the lights off except for the snowflake tree and the windowsill birds.

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Entry way

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And the top of the stairs

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Some seasonal jewlery out so they remember to wear them!

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Books "on tape"

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And a snowman notepad

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It's all the little touches that I love to do. All the little things that make a house a home. And I'm overjoyed to do it!