My newest meditation...from the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, this (and many other bits from the book) has me thinking differently about happiness, in fact our destiny in general:
"...people universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it."
Well said.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sharing
I hate it when my kids share...(cough, cough, gag, choke)
OK - I love it when they share some things, especially with each other. Like their toys, their activities, their friends, etc...and no, it doesn't happen as often as I'd like it to. They are after all, almost three years apart in age and that explains alot...
But I hate it when they share THEIR GERMS with me (more coughing, sneezing, nose-wiping, choke...). We weren't sure if K4 had allergies or a cold last week, you know the symptoms...coughing, sneezing, sniffling, teary eyes, stuffy then runny nose, a bit of a sore throat. She even asked to stay home from her beloved summer program one day.
Well, I guess it was a cold. Unless allergies are contagious too. Because now guess who's all coughing, sneezing, sniffling, teary eyes, stuffy then runny nose, a bit of a sore throat...yeah, that's right.
I hate it when they share their germs with ME!
OK - I love it when they share some things, especially with each other. Like their toys, their activities, their friends, etc...and no, it doesn't happen as often as I'd like it to. They are after all, almost three years apart in age and that explains alot...
But I hate it when they share THEIR GERMS with me (more coughing, sneezing, nose-wiping, choke...). We weren't sure if K4 had allergies or a cold last week, you know the symptoms...coughing, sneezing, sniffling, teary eyes, stuffy then runny nose, a bit of a sore throat. She even asked to stay home from her beloved summer program one day.
Well, I guess it was a cold. Unless allergies are contagious too. Because now guess who's all coughing, sneezing, sniffling, teary eyes, stuffy then runny nose, a bit of a sore throat...yeah, that's right.
I hate it when they share their germs with ME!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Cousins
This picture was taken back in May (Gasp! Where HAS the summer gone?) when we visited MamaGoose, her goslings and gander in May...I've been meaning to post the picture for a while. I've been a bad blogger of late, have to work on that.
The picture reminds me that no matter how far away you may conduct your day to day business, when you get up close and personal with the people you love, things just naturally go well. Look at those smiles!
Even if the Sea Dogs lost, the memories we made on this day will stay with us for a long long time. Thanks Auntie Maine!!!
I promise to post pictures from their July visit with us BEFORE October...
Sunday, May 17, 2009
WHAT warning?!
Yeah, I know...living where I live this should come as no surprise. But W.T.F! We have a frost warning for tonight and I just planted 15 rose bushes and now I've got to figure out a way to cover them all tonight. I'm thinking big garbage bags may do the trick in a pinch, or 5 gallon buckets? Anyone who has a great (and preferably simple) solution...shout it out!
Looking on the bight side...it is ONLY a freeze warning and at least I shouldn't have to SHOVEL anything. Oh now WHY did I go and type that out loud? Hope I didn't JINX myself...
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Look what we found!
It's wonderful to know that at the mature ages of 9 and 11, both K3 and K4 still get a thrill out of most things in nature. We found this robin's nest on our front porch and we're watching daily to see nature in all her glory...more to come!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day
I saw this video today:
Taylor Swift is clearly a very talented young lady and both K3 and K4 like her music (OK, OK, I do too!) but this song just struck me.
I was talking to my Dad today who called to wish me a happy mother's day and to say he understood it must be a bittersweet day, knowing how much I miss my own mother. He's right - I DO miss her. Every day.
This song (and video) though reminded me how my mother really built a great foundation for me and that I have so many wonderful memories to call upon when I get sad.
I'll never stop missing her. This is a fact but I can remember all the "best days" she shared with me and how all she did for me made me able to be the mother I am today.
I love you Mema. Happy Mother's Day!
Taylor Swift is clearly a very talented young lady and both K3 and K4 like her music (OK, OK, I do too!) but this song just struck me.
I was talking to my Dad today who called to wish me a happy mother's day and to say he understood it must be a bittersweet day, knowing how much I miss my own mother. He's right - I DO miss her. Every day.
This song (and video) though reminded me how my mother really built a great foundation for me and that I have so many wonderful memories to call upon when I get sad.
I'll never stop missing her. This is a fact but I can remember all the "best days" she shared with me and how all she did for me made me able to be the mother I am today.
I love you Mema. Happy Mother's Day!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Sweet Ride!
Yes - I can see me riding into town and doing all my errands with room to spare in this buggy. Or maybe just traipsing around with the kids on a summer afternoon, picnic in tow!
I hope that if you don't win this (you COULD win this!) I DO! I looks like a real sweet ride!
Check it out here:
I hope that if you don't win this (you COULD win this!) I DO! I looks like a real sweet ride!
Check it out here:
Friday, May 1, 2009
Hooray Hooray!
My mother was many things, loving, supportive, honest, loyal, capable and many more. But one of my favorite things about her was her irreverence. Don't misinterpret. What I'm talking about was an uncanny ability she had to do or say something so completely surprising that you were just, well...SURPRISED!
One of my favorite examples of this was what has become one of my favorite "Mema" quotes. Quite a few years ago, she was overheard to say (and said every year on this day from then on) "Hooray, hooray, The First of May! Outdoor Screwing starts today!" Til the end of my days not one single May First will pass without my thinking of her, and this, and smiling.
I love you Mema. Now and always.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
The Name Game
A new blog friend of mine recently gave me inspiration in thinking about what we (and others) call ourselves. Names are important I think.
When hubby (Kevin) and I (Kate) learned we were pregnant we pored through baby name books and searched and seached for the names we like best AND agreed on. One this that came out was that we both had a preference for names starting with K, boy and girl names.Since we did not find out the gender of either child until the day they were born, we ended up with a "short list" (sort of) of both male and female names and figured when we met the little critter, we would make our final decision.
Our first-born was a boy and funny thing was we really didn't have any girl names we felt 100% about. We had three boy names on the short list and ultimately chose Kiefer as his first which in German is a barrel maker or cooper which is Kevin's mother's maiden name. Kiefer's middle name is my mother's maiden name and now he goes by a diminutive of that and is called Mac as a nickname. We love it and think he does too.
A few years later when we were expecting baby # 2 we asked the then two-ish Mac what name he might choose if he had a baby brother or sister. Sadly I don't remember what he chose but thank God she ended up a girl because his pick for a baby brother was "Gunpowder"!
Our daughter's name is Karli which means "purest snow" in Greek and since we live in a very wintery wonderland it suited her (February birthday and all). Her middle name is also a family name from my mother's side.
Dear husband is Kevin as I said above...he is called Kev by many and in high school had the nickname "Cakes", I think because he has a great ass (OK, so maybe I'm biased)! Our pet name for each other is Bubba. Now how romantic is that!
Now me, I was born Katherine but growing up my paternal grandmother nicknamed me "Tink" which was the diminutive for a Russian variation of Katherine, Katrinka. As I grew up I had reasons to dislike the nickname (merciless teasing from playground brats didn't help "Stinky Tinky" and so on...) and when I finally ventured into the business world I felt I needed a more "mature" name so became Kate.
It has stuck and although I do feel it fits me and I like it, I sometimes now wish I had left well enough alone and kept Tink which is who I will be "inside" forever. I've actually asked my immediate family to go back to calling me Tink if they want. My grandmother, God rest her soul, never adopted the name Kate and called me Tink to her dying day.
As my new friend (also Kate) pointed out, names are important. And how we see ourselves and call ourselves is important. Do me a favor, make sure you call yourself good things only. No bad names. Deal?
When hubby (Kevin) and I (Kate) learned we were pregnant we pored through baby name books and searched and seached for the names we like best AND agreed on. One this that came out was that we both had a preference for names starting with K, boy and girl names.Since we did not find out the gender of either child until the day they were born, we ended up with a "short list" (sort of) of both male and female names and figured when we met the little critter, we would make our final decision.
Our first-born was a boy and funny thing was we really didn't have any girl names we felt 100% about. We had three boy names on the short list and ultimately chose Kiefer as his first which in German is a barrel maker or cooper which is Kevin's mother's maiden name. Kiefer's middle name is my mother's maiden name and now he goes by a diminutive of that and is called Mac as a nickname. We love it and think he does too.
A few years later when we were expecting baby # 2 we asked the then two-ish Mac what name he might choose if he had a baby brother or sister. Sadly I don't remember what he chose but thank God she ended up a girl because his pick for a baby brother was "Gunpowder"!
Our daughter's name is Karli which means "purest snow" in Greek and since we live in a very wintery wonderland it suited her (February birthday and all). Her middle name is also a family name from my mother's side.
Dear husband is Kevin as I said above...he is called Kev by many and in high school had the nickname "Cakes", I think because he has a great ass (OK, so maybe I'm biased)! Our pet name for each other is Bubba. Now how romantic is that!
Now me, I was born Katherine but growing up my paternal grandmother nicknamed me "Tink" which was the diminutive for a Russian variation of Katherine, Katrinka. As I grew up I had reasons to dislike the nickname (merciless teasing from playground brats didn't help "Stinky Tinky" and so on...) and when I finally ventured into the business world I felt I needed a more "mature" name so became Kate.
It has stuck and although I do feel it fits me and I like it, I sometimes now wish I had left well enough alone and kept Tink which is who I will be "inside" forever. I've actually asked my immediate family to go back to calling me Tink if they want. My grandmother, God rest her soul, never adopted the name Kate and called me Tink to her dying day.
As my new friend (also Kate) pointed out, names are important. And how we see ourselves and call ourselves is important. Do me a favor, make sure you call yourself good things only. No bad names. Deal?
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