So far behind...

Ok well it's the pressure I put on myself that keeps me so far behind. But I really am!

So The Noisemaker (TN)and I had a playdate -- a woman who I really like from the Zoo Board has children a few years olders than TN. Tn had agood time but I think she's inherently timid and honestly, so used to being by herself that she almost intuitively goes just go and hang with kids. And I notice, that she completely looks to the older kids to show her what to do.

Seeing her today reminded me SO much of myself as a child: looking to others to lead the way, timid, and awkward just being around other kids to play. I am allowing her to be herself, but it does break my heart to see her play by herself at this point when she's around kids. I think some of my sentiment is due to the fact that she is such a sweet, nice child -- and I want her to truly enjoy being a child. I think I need to pray and trust that God will direct my path as a parent to do the best thing for my baby.

I have a lot more to discuss, but not tonight... I'm a sleepy girl. Life is good but so much to be done.

Writing My Future

Ok so maybe the post should be : "Writing for my Future".

While on facebook, I got a great boost in the arm that I need to feel that my "voice" is stronger than I give it credit for, and that I need to personify it better and bring it into fruition in the form of published writing. It starts here with me being dedicated to blogging (moer regularly). But also it means that if I YEARN (which I do) for a life maintained, sustained by writing, then do it. Why does it take someone to light a fire under your butt about something you already know yourself?

And a friend at work -- my work spouse I call him -- told me that he totally concurs with my fb friend. He said that I have great insights in this post-Obama world on being an African American woman. So maybe I try here!


So speaking of post Obama world... the times they is achangin'... Thank God. And yet, probably not enough. But I saw a link today to an article about Disney at Toy Fair, where they introduced their new princess: Princess Tiana. She's the new black princess. I was delighted that she's really brown with kinky hair. And she's cute, don't you think? Glad to know that my daughter will have the choice of what princess she'd like to look like when we hit Disney in a few years -- God willing and money saved!

Plotting New Traditions

Today I took off to clean. Of course that means I've been avoiding set tasks all day thus far, having slept in late (even the noisemaker slept in!) and being online.

I found some new blogs and designer websites with incredible inspiration... Here's image is from Kelly's Blog: "My Happy Little World". As Kelly asked: Doesn't this just make you tingle? Man I want to just go and pick up my notebook and write. But then, I'm here writing already, right??

Well on with my Good Friday cleaning. I made a to do list and have accomplished NOTHING from it -- and am contemplating bailing on it all together! I am so naughty! But I DO have to ready up for the Easter Bunny (EB).

We don't go to church, right? But we are God-loving people so we're celebrating Easter! Because I have the dedication to celebration for my child, here's my thought about the new tradition I'm creating for the EB...

We color eggs on either Good Friday or Holy Saturday. (Haven't figured that out yet.) The point of us coloring the eggs as a family is to have them out and available for the EB to witness that we're ready for him to come and visit us, leaving his super eggs (boiled eggs that're colored marble style or metallic and those plastic-filled eggs with candy). The key is: we have to find his eggs during a hunt on Easter morning. And once they're ALL found (yes me and Dad will have to keep count), then "we" get a wonderful bounty of Easter gifts from the EB.

What do you think? I am loving it but I can tell this won't last super late into childhood, but I am trying! :) We've gone WAY overboard -- particularly the Dad -- with the EB gifts. Plus, we decided to purge the gift closet and give the noisemaker all the gifts there so we can start anew. There's A LOT of honking gifts... I mean, MANY -- plus the new ones. We really have to scale back from here on out but you can only be a parent to a 28 month old Winter once!

Workplace EQ and Grace in small things: #4 of 365r

You can tell I'm back and work and vacation is over eh? I haven't forgotten about the small things but boy is work intrusive! I guess that's why they pay me the "big bucks". It's such a weird place to be : grateful for the job and yet dreading being there. How does that happen?? And I know I'm not the only one...

What is really interesting to observe -- now that The Shinehart Wig Company (my adopted code name) has announced a reorg and forthcoming layoffs -- is how people act. First, the place is so quiet, you can hear a pin drop. The "normal" activities have slowed substancially. But the other thing that's interesting is that people are nicer. They speak to you when you're on the elevator, they even hold it for you. It's kinda nice but it's like this we're all in the same pot suffering mentality. So in some way this is worth enjoying: just to be treated nicely by my fellow human beings. I think the next place I want to work, I want maybe a smaller environment but need the same money.

Oh and I'm changing my font. I think I'm liking san serif better... onto graces...

1. My cat's mousing abilities (if we didn't have them, mice would definitely be worse)
2.My husband's willingness to pick it up and throw it away
3. My daughter's calm reaction to her parents' hysterical screaming upon seeing the dead mouse laid at their feet
4. Quilting for hours at a time
5. Finishing UFOs (unfinished objects)

Grace in small things:#3 of 365

1. Having someone else wash your hair!

2. Prospect of spending most of the day quilting... YUM-MO!

3. Good leftovers (stuff salmon filet)

Grace in small things: #2 of 365

1. Watching my daughter color and draw with crayons with the intensity of a research scientist!

2. Waiting for my husband to take the items he bought out of the bag and distribute them... always like Christmas with his thoughtfulness.

3. A good gossip session with my mom over the phone.

4. Finding a new needlework technique!! Always a thrill

5. Enjoying the joy, joy joy of a hobby with others who enjoy it equally!

Grace in small things: #1 of 365

To make sure I'm starting off the year "gracefully:

1. For Winter peeling her own Clementine orange today! My baby is growing up!

2. The wonderful feeling of finishing a quilt top (photo to be posted later!)

3. A call from my uncle James who've I've not talked to in ages...listening to his endless discussions and debates with himself.

4. My husband and his devotion to his family.

5. The optimism of a new year!