tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75552612238003209582024-02-06T22:04:16.677-08:00NewlyWifedJordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.comBlogger579125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-87986859244427106752016-01-28T06:26:00.000-08:002016-01-28T06:26:10.807-08:00I Moved!<div style="text-align: center;">
Hey, friends!<br /><br />I've been hard at work during my little blogging hiatus and am so excited to share my new space with you.</div>
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Meet me over at <a href="http://baremama.com/">baremama.com</a>!</div>
Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-44893308579616314852016-01-01T21:39:00.000-08:002016-01-01T21:39:27.330-08:00Clean<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tonight we took our first bath in 2016. I pictured it washing away all of the ugly from the last year, all those moments I swore I'd drown in the guilt. The months we didn't know what was going on with this babe, why she wasn't gaining weight--those months felt like long, torturous lifetimes. They stole so much joy, and we're still working on fixing all that was broken. <br /><br />But today I can tell myself that was LAST year. I can separate myself from that season with something tangible like the numbers on a calendar. I can tell myself to let go and stop holding hands with the ghost of a new mama who truly had no idea it was okay to trust her instincts over what the doctors said. I can sit here in the bath with my nursing, sleeping toddler (I'm fully aware both nursing and co-bathing are controversial at this age) and say no, you don't know my child better than I do, and I don't know yours. But I can bet we're doing the best we can to love them with all we have.<br /><br />So love her I will, without guilt, this year and next and 75 years after that.<br /><br />To kick off this new season, I'm signing off for a week or two. Hope to be back soon with a full heart and some fresh content for you, friends!<br /><br />Happy New Year!</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-91684816062333523842015-12-30T10:44:00.000-08:002015-12-30T10:44:07.145-08:002015 Reflection Exercise<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 25.5px; text-align: center;">
I found this <b><a href="http://www.mothermag.com/reflection-exercises/">Reflection Exercise</a></b> on Mother Mag yesterday, and I thought it might be a healthy way to say goodbye to such a heavy year. If you're interested in participating, I'd love to read your take on 2015!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What 2015 accomplishments am I most proud of?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Overcoming crazy nursing hardships by trusting my mama instincts and not giving up, being there for Edie's first steps and first words, giving up more unhealthy eating habits, sharing the hard stuff with you all with the hope it might make someone feel less alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What are some takeaways from those triumphs?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The best things often require the hardest work, I am stronger than I ever knew, I no longer matter to myself the way I once did because my babe matters so much more--and that is so freeing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In which areas did I struggle most in 2015?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Postpartum depression/anxiety, lack of self care, and marriage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Which of these difficult situations did I overcome? (Or work to overcome?)</b></span></div>
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I'm working on myself and my marriage through individual and couples counseling and lots of anti-anxiety exercises.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Which friends supported me most this year?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Nataley (always), Sam, Krystal, Tara, Cherry, my dad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Which friendships changed and shifted?</b></span><br />
All of them! Being a mama changes everything, but I also made new friends because I'm a mama.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What are some new skills that I learned?</b></span><br />
Worked on continuing to develop my photo skills, and daily learning/adapting to motherhood as it changes all the time!</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What are some things I’ve learned to accept about myself this year?</b><br />My body, for sure. Still working on accepting that I can't be a perfect mother and working through guilt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Name 3-5 positive memory-making experiences from 2015.</b></span><br />
1) Finally seeing Edie gain weight and nurse well after all of our hard work.<br />
2) Maiedae Mixer--first night out by myself!<br />
3) First La Leche meeting--realizing I had found my tribe and starting to feel okay that I didn't have it all together.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Name a couple of negative memory-making experiences.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1) Edie falling off the weight chart and all of the medical testing/fear/anxiety/tears/arguments that followed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2) Hours of pumping for very little milk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>In which areas did I see the most personal growth and change?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh my. I think that was all this year was about. I've never felt so challenged. I've never felt so incapable and strong at the same time. I thought there was no way I could keep pushing forward so many times and then I'd wake up the next morning still here, doing it. I thought the guilt would swallow me whole and then Edie rolled over for the first time, crawled, stood up, walked, talked. She did it despite the fact that I was convinced I was failing. She changed every day and I changed with her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What did I learn about myself in 2015?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm stronger than I ever knew and also so, so vulnerable.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 25.5px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What am I most grateful for in 2015?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Unconditional love and grace, from the Lord, from my daughter, and from my family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What did I gain in 2015? What did I lose?</b></span><br />
I gained confidence in my instincts. I gained a toddler and lost my baby. I lost quite a bit of weight. I lost my mental health, and my marriage almost followed. I gained a new support system through LLL and counseling.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What things do I want to leave behind in 2015?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anxiety and fear. Apathy about my marriage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Which things do I want to take with me into 2016?</b></span><br />
Confidence, vulnerability, the desire to move forward and get better.</div>
Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-47177168144982618462015-12-29T17:26:00.001-08:002015-12-29T17:26:25.102-08:00Holiday Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wore this dress on Christmas day for the drive to Tulsa and dinner at my dad's house. It's comfy enough to travel in! Aside from that, I don't really have much to say other than I am SUPER awkward at this whole style post thing, haha. Seriously, solo photos are so weird! </div>
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Dress // <a href="http://www.shopsosie.com/clothes/dresses.html">Shop Sosie</a></div>
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Boots // <a href="http://www.shopsosie.com/shoes/boots.html">Shop Sosie</a></div>
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Can you believe the year is almost over? Lots of changes coming to this space in 2016!</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-45359464978901395412015-12-28T12:02:00.001-08:002015-12-28T12:02:40.059-08:00Our Christmas in Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I thought I'd share a little look at how we spent our holiday week. After Daniel got off work Wednesday we ventured out to a house we kept hearing about to look at Christmas lights. The Stewart family goes all in when it comes to Christmas decorations--oh man! They had tons of lights, inflatables, a popcorn cart and a train we got to ride! Edie loved it.<br /><br /> Our little family of three spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at home. We went to church for the candlelight service, wrapped gifts, and cooked up a yummy steak dinner, and in the morning we watched Edie enjoy what Santa left her and got out of town wayyy later than we had planned because toddlers call the shots and there is definitely a learning curve to traveling with one. We spent the rest of the weekend relaxing in Tulsa with family as it rained and rained and rained, and last night we returned home to a flooded neighborhood. Thankfully the water didn't reach our house (we were concerned--the yards were under) and it has slowed down a lot this morning. Does anyone else just feel totally off after a trip? I'm sitting here on my couch trying to remember what we even do on a normal day. I need a vacation from the vacation or something.</div>
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Edie changed during the trip, too--she learned lots of new words! Girl regularly started saying "tractor," "turkey," "bear," "joge" (George--Curious George), "hat," "bye," and "Mag" (Maggie, my brother's dog). She's learning so much every day, it's crazy!</div>
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I hope you had the merriest Christmas!</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-500677134765581092015-12-23T11:43:00.003-08:002015-12-23T11:44:48.341-08:0012 Days of Christmas Crafts: Toddler-Friendly Trees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Edie is a bit of a wild child. She is running around grabbing at things and knocking things over constantly. Because we're blessed with such a spirited babe, we decided not to put up our Christmas tree this year. For the sake of everyone's sanity and safety (I was not feeling broken ornaments all over the floor or a toddler belly fully of fake tree crap).</div>
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But I still love Christmas and want a place for Santa to leave presents tomorrow night, so I needed to come up with another type of (indestructible) tree. Here are two! And one of them is even specifically for toddlers to trash and decorate and repeat. :)<br />
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<b>Floral + Tape Christmas Tree</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-54tyf2X2Jc5octsebO9lkhm7ZGrGD9P8Z8nzGP9Uwq_PO78O-Bdo4ViQ3xB9x3cCYZ4gAzioNQHhDavPKIp7E86OrcfB6YEw49huo0fAOEMDZZJpaMj3hW3v1ZrLaoZl068fE54hbs/s1600/tree3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-54tyf2X2Jc5octsebO9lkhm7ZGrGD9P8Z8nzGP9Uwq_PO78O-Bdo4ViQ3xB9x3cCYZ4gAzioNQHhDavPKIp7E86OrcfB6YEw49huo0fAOEMDZZJpaMj3hW3v1ZrLaoZl068fE54hbs/s640/tree3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0y3cPOPEoziDKbUofZSZ0oLh2Qr42JhbS7nzJzoMz3MRR7DwDAU5XG6VxwLzemFC9oMJdQFvwklXQHg7lTzc3ETr_HUJ8hLD6LhF5UbosgbUaIe9342P7D0RFecv_5v8Ovswrx6GGLU/s1600/tree5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0y3cPOPEoziDKbUofZSZ0oLh2Qr42JhbS7nzJzoMz3MRR7DwDAU5XG6VxwLzemFC9oMJdQFvwklXQHg7lTzc3ETr_HUJ8hLD6LhF5UbosgbUaIe9342P7D0RFecv_5v8Ovswrx6GGLU/s640/tree5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pick up some greenery and whatever flowers you like, grab some masking or washi tape, and tada! I just put ours up this morning so it isn't totally dead and shedding on Christmas morning, and I taped it up high enough so that Edie can't reach it. </div>
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<b>Felt Christmas Tree</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOwLgiYjSu3Fjj4hDAupPcc3__Tb1nLckS7Chn5K0Sbk3AUwa7wZA-w7z9Yv3RsxedsHP6z-sTCih2cNz1EL5jW9YHYbvJYnSLsizyz5sdDv0l1dRgG44COcLhMr5dBVxZFVGUl62KyY/s1600/tree1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOwLgiYjSu3Fjj4hDAupPcc3__Tb1nLckS7Chn5K0Sbk3AUwa7wZA-w7z9Yv3RsxedsHP6z-sTCih2cNz1EL5jW9YHYbvJYnSLsizyz5sdDv0l1dRgG44COcLhMr5dBVxZFVGUl62KyY/s640/tree1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcTlRdTw-HaIM1cwysZO5bay_OPdmu4ZxFPtujBx-0pZWm4wUjuzG-MfXHQuQmFEhH9Chh_1i3tDkiJ7Rn64Oh5-UOHq0_RlBGsP_P8chFzE9GHic0SaPgpPQHnjyAPPZrMbBSa2rg-Q/s1600/tree2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcTlRdTw-HaIM1cwysZO5bay_OPdmu4ZxFPtujBx-0pZWm4wUjuzG-MfXHQuQmFEhH9Chh_1i3tDkiJ7Rn64Oh5-UOHq0_RlBGsP_P8chFzE9GHic0SaPgpPQHnjyAPPZrMbBSa2rg-Q/s640/tree2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This one took a bit longer than my other crafts and I didn't even make intricate, pretty ornaments. But felt isn't the quickest material to cut, and there's a lot of cutting here. I also bought felt to cut out a snowman for Edie to decorate (eyes, carrot nose, hat, scarf, buttons--we can keep him up through the winter!), and since I made this tree I've been entertaining all kinds of fun felt projects we could stick on our wall in other seasons.</div>
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Merry Christmas Eve Eve!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoM7tE180F2QOS0x7VdrwgQX7H4m8M1HU83w6PNYT4E-4IFjMtp7Qe-38lZnLrTzTfJQbCeKHrFSa9aePg7-GBx82ezhlbjr-LEP3-dsIb4m6cp_Ubs4Nu0Dv8QMp1yOPdkEWSQWj4uj0/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoM7tE180F2QOS0x7VdrwgQX7H4m8M1HU83w6PNYT4E-4IFjMtp7Qe-38lZnLrTzTfJQbCeKHrFSa9aePg7-GBx82ezhlbjr-LEP3-dsIb4m6cp_Ubs4Nu0Dv8QMp1yOPdkEWSQWj4uj0/s1600/unnamed.png" /></a></div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-11900677551478215512015-12-22T16:00:00.001-08:002015-12-22T16:00:22.701-08:0012 Days of Christmas Crafts: Edie Ornament, Day Five<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjndoE11jHunwqkpBVD7PYSIC1iL55KY06L-vpGxWuhS-tmkzuqcs_wPrUTbwLBsGhDCupzR9N8F9usoX2dmdKJdlLyzUuKOLUukDbMwkJd_8LaVz6kzLLBS7rozCEN6BUgFMdwD1axos/s1600/orn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjndoE11jHunwqkpBVD7PYSIC1iL55KY06L-vpGxWuhS-tmkzuqcs_wPrUTbwLBsGhDCupzR9N8F9usoX2dmdKJdlLyzUuKOLUukDbMwkJd_8LaVz6kzLLBS7rozCEN6BUgFMdwD1axos/s640/orn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Edie just saw this and got REALLY excited. :) She's squealing like a maniac. Girl has healthy self esteem.<br /><br />This is a super simple, silly little craft--all you need is a decent size photo of your little, some cardboard (I cut up a diaper box), tape or glue, and some sort of string or twine. Cut out and fashion the cardboard to the back of the photo, poke a hole, and yay! You have a fun gift for the grandparents or something to hang on your tree for years to come to remember your babe at this age. </div>
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So, I'm sure you've figured out that I won't be sharing all twelve crafts on this space, but I have done at least that many and I probably owe it to this little series for keeping me accountable! However, I might have one more for you tomorrow if I can pull a few things together. This season is just kinda of INSANE, and even more trying to shop and get stuff ready with a toddler on my hip. But she's worth the extra time and effort :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgd96dniivY9v3HRrZIbDhSeeVj_GPuo1Qdjwn5lDoN5yI7UvxbVQmaMFu-NucXlpFW6_XlM99-zPiHGMq3OfYqveEgQol3jSxcLIPuW_DNlEXuZJ40nTGMy04mfr48a7tXIwc6lRQLg8/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgd96dniivY9v3HRrZIbDhSeeVj_GPuo1Qdjwn5lDoN5yI7UvxbVQmaMFu-NucXlpFW6_XlM99-zPiHGMq3OfYqveEgQol3jSxcLIPuW_DNlEXuZJ40nTGMy04mfr48a7tXIwc6lRQLg8/s1600/unnamed.png" /></a></div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-63578374969594398632015-12-19T06:27:00.000-08:002015-12-19T06:27:12.008-08:0012 Days of Christmas Crafts: We Made Snow! Day Four<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1XyBtyFcChcej42RXBtXGzUJExLC3Dxvk8L_lt8f8Bolamvo9sGJWCDUyPWpu9rwnuNB_cAUQ26lTbxAQxSsgJseIe9qU6xaw7USms_afIi3EV3Sbohfw5E7ubKrZJ_847KSlpNTnV4/s1600/snow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1XyBtyFcChcej42RXBtXGzUJExLC3Dxvk8L_lt8f8Bolamvo9sGJWCDUyPWpu9rwnuNB_cAUQ26lTbxAQxSsgJseIe9qU6xaw7USms_afIi3EV3Sbohfw5E7ubKrZJ_847KSlpNTnV4/s640/snow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfctspdVci2pnNhL7aDrfKsiWYiV3r_FESl6MuvACJ1CIaxcPzurEMsO70Qy6tsLRLvt51AkgiM5UT94NQyhiIHQsTh0BEj5wW2Js6j16_orOlezG-_4Ul0DSXSDSsOnJ3ZV5vi8UNEw/s1600/snow1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfctspdVci2pnNhL7aDrfKsiWYiV3r_FESl6MuvACJ1CIaxcPzurEMsO70Qy6tsLRLvt51AkgiM5UT94NQyhiIHQsTh0BEj5wW2Js6j16_orOlezG-_4Ul0DSXSDSsOnJ3ZV5vi8UNEw/s640/snow1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKCP8gEx_kQC3XBkjWil6pU8U19dRDSBCj0oasB2m4-_W8RMXcC00lLEWD4Y6T417NtXa2RCWWihFFO_Tb2zYJmur4X_Klr7ILmd6777jguAhBG2Om_Xc9_WoQGEZuqu6lcPk0cPu5tw/s1600/snow2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKCP8gEx_kQC3XBkjWil6pU8U19dRDSBCj0oasB2m4-_W8RMXcC00lLEWD4Y6T417NtXa2RCWWihFFO_Tb2zYJmur4X_Klr7ILmd6777jguAhBG2Om_Xc9_WoQGEZuqu6lcPk0cPu5tw/s640/snow2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvtVkAtUeRhgpmtay5HzMoXcqmFWkSeQ1EvmbUCpYSK4wu3IAUPAbXEfwDNBCpD93HEb_GaTIi0HY5yF6Wj2LlZkskIiu2h643uSxqqh_g0wa1c3cZjsWnCj1KYunR-agwYi08dxa1ew/s1600/snow4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvtVkAtUeRhgpmtay5HzMoXcqmFWkSeQ1EvmbUCpYSK4wu3IAUPAbXEfwDNBCpD93HEb_GaTIi0HY5yF6Wj2LlZkskIiu2h643uSxqqh_g0wa1c3cZjsWnCj1KYunR-agwYi08dxa1ew/s640/snow4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Okay mama friends and non-mama friends who want to feel like little kids again (so fun!), I'm kind of proud of this one. It's SO easy and fun! I planned to show Edie how to play with it and hoped it would distract her so I could get a few things done but I ended up sitting on the floor building a snowmama and snowbaby for I have no idea how long. This stuff has an awesome consistency and doesn't stick to your hand because of the coconut oil. I didn't try chilling it because I used ice cold water, but that could be fun, too!</div>
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Here's what you'll need:<br /></div>
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<b>-1-2 tbs coconut oil (depending how much you're making)</b></div>
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<b>-1-2 cups baking soda</b></div>
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<b>-1-2 cups water</b></div>
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Mix coconut oil and baking soda and then mix in water. If it's too runny, dust in more baking soda until you get a dry-ish play-doughy consistency. </div>
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Seriously, so simple! And baby/toddler-safe, too. No yucky ingredients!</div>
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Let it snow!</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-70890937555325713092015-12-18T08:33:00.001-08:002015-12-18T08:36:55.463-08:00Eden Faye, 14 Months<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNY6HgUw2cUKEdmaBH70xec6IK1EOXVFJrb6kfgUxv4TDVK-5fZK6kLx5ERr3HZPD8ddzkUSZW76Iz3XHoyFaD_K1BINwc02yTz2oFEELq-IpPv9AodfHJ0OAwKCu-kqhWJPQyjL6Kkc/s1600/e14mos6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNY6HgUw2cUKEdmaBH70xec6IK1EOXVFJrb6kfgUxv4TDVK-5fZK6kLx5ERr3HZPD8ddzkUSZW76Iz3XHoyFaD_K1BINwc02yTz2oFEELq-IpPv9AodfHJ0OAwKCu-kqhWJPQyjL6Kkc/s640/e14mos6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hi, friends! I'm 14 months old today!<br />
Here's what I'm up to lately:<br />
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-I weigh 19.5 pounds and am over 30 inches tall!</div>
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-I started saying a lot of new words this month! A few new regulars are:</div>
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"baw" (ball) </div>
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"Puh Puh" (Penny)</div>
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"boo" (book)</div>
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"whoa!"</div>
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"dog"</div>
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"cat"</div>
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"cup"</div>
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"nana" (banana)</div>
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"more"</div>
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"dipe" (diaper)</div>
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"ahhh-kle" (apple)</div>
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"go!" (usually directed at Penny)<br />
"uh oh!"<br />
"shhh!" (at Penny)<br />
"sssssss" (sit, also directed at Penny as I point my finger at her. HA)</div>
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-I also know sounds if you ask me what a monkey, dog, or cat says! My cat noise is a high-pitched shriek. </div>
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-And much to Mama's dismay, I LOVE cats.</div>
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-I started shaking my head no. A lot.</div>
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-I know where my head, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, tummy, knees and feet are and I cover them with my hand if you ask me!<br />
-I'm getting all of the teeth and none of the sleep.</div>
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-I am incredibly coordinated! I dribble a soccer ball all around the house and kick it hard if Mama asks me to.<br />
-I love walking my puppy (a toy dog on a string) and will do so if you tell me to!</div>
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-If I poop and Mama is busy doing something like dishes or laundry, I take off my diaper and hand it to her. (!!!!)</div>
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-I eat all the things. Seriously. I LOVE FOOD. Some new favorites this month are blueberries, carrots with hummus, and pumpkin soup. And I loved turkey on Thanksgiving!</div>
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-I know my books by title. If Mama asks me to go get "Red Truck," I get up and dig through them until I find it!<br />
-My favorite books this month were "Red Truck," "Little Owl Lost," and "The Christmas Story."<br />
-If Mama asks, "How big is Edie?" I lift my hands above my head as she says, "SO BIG!"</div>
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-I give very wet kisses. If Mama asks for a kiss, there's only about a 10% chance I'll give her one. I usually get all smiley and flirty and bury my face in her shoulder. But if she tells me to give Penny or my baby a kiss, I do it right away!<br />
-I rock my babies and kiss them on the head.<br />
-I push my baby doll stroller everywhere.<br />
-If I'm playing and Mama says she needs to check my diaper, I look at her and run away. No time for that!<br />
-I love being chased and tickled.<br />
-I play games right back! I look at Mama and when she looks at me I look away real quick with a big grin on my face and then look at her and if she's looking at me I look away real quick again. I'm a big girl!<br />
-I am a social butterfly in big groups! I love everyone!<br />
-I wave at people on the TV when Mama watches the news.<br />
-I'm no longer afraid of my rocking horse!<br />
-I still nurse all day and night :)<br />
-I don't like to hold Mama's hand in public--I want to explore on my own!<br />
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---<br />
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<i>Oh, Edie. You are SO spunky and crazy and hilarious. I just love your fearless personality--you wear Mama out every day in the best way! You're becoming so independent and getting into everything, and I can't believe how quickly you pick up on new words and concepts. We worked on one body part a day this month and you got them down by bedtime! The huge grin you get on your face when I read the first line of a book is the best thing I've seen in all my life. And the whole dribbling your soccer ball around the house thing just BLOWS MY MIND. You are just a year old! I don't even understand. I love watching you play with Penny--you are an animal lover, for sure. And your little mama instincts with your baby dolls--OH MY GOODNESS. You are so sweet, love. I love you with all of me.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Mama</i></div>
Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-16240547554388681042015-12-17T13:50:00.001-08:002015-12-17T13:50:31.021-08:00Good Vibes Only<div style="text-align: center;">
Christmas is ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW. What? When did that happen? Before baby I was pretty on top of the whole shopping for gifts business, but this year I am not ready. Not even close. Eeek!<br />
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But I do have a little gift for you lovely people--a discount on some pretty prints from my girl, Chelcey Tate! I met this sweet friend at the Maiedae Mixer a couple of months ago and she is pretty much the coolest. And so talented, too! </div>
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Check out her studio <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/chelceytatestudio">HERE</a> and use discount code JORDAN20 for 20% off your purchase :)</div>
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Merry Christmas!</div>
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Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-88855384109301616072015-12-16T11:20:00.004-08:002015-12-16T11:23:39.214-08:00A Sweet Sister Session<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This little shoot was a dream! Big sister loved the camera, and as you can hopefully see, the camera loved her right back :) These photos almost make me want to give Edie a baby sister!</div>
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Merry Christmas, sweet girls.</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-24355666616791690542015-12-15T09:47:00.001-08:002015-12-15T09:47:12.770-08:0012 Days of Christmas Crafts: Cranberry Garland, Day Three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sorry for the mini hiatus--my computer wasn't feeling well :( Haha but we're back, and I think I'm going to have to start posting two or three crafts at a time to get them all out there before Christmas. Because it's in TEN DAYS. What? It's 70 degrees outside. I don't understand.</div>
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This craft is about as simple as it gets--just string some cranberries together with a needle and thread. And it looks so lovely! Draped around a tree, on the mantle, over a window--so pretty. I would show you an after photo, but as I was hanging my finished garland on the mantle a cute little lady pulled on my leg and when I spun around, cranberries went all over the room. Between this post and my gingerbread cookies, I'm feeling really awesome about my crafting abilities. Yeesh.</div>
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Thankfully I have more exciting projects in the works, and not just Christmas crafts. This next year is looking promising, and I'm pumped!</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-26100936891963292492015-12-10T05:46:00.002-08:002015-12-10T05:50:14.580-08:00On Advent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 21.4667px; text-align: start;"><i>We are now in the third week of Advent, which is a big time of year for my Jesusy people. The new church year begins and a new note is struck: It is a time of preparation and waiting, because even though, as autumn grinds to a dark and murky halt, everything is dying and falling asleep and falling off, something brand new is coming. Hope is coming. And so one of the messages of Advent is, don’t weep over leaves.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 21.4667px; text-align: start;"><i>The belief is that enough hope and tenderness will lead to world peace, one mind at a time. All nations will come together in kindness and justice, swords will be beaten into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks. This is a little hard to buy with a world stage occupied by so many madmen, and so much suffering. But setting aside one’s tiny tendency toward cynicism, in the meantime — in Advent — we wait; and hope appears if we truly desire to see it. Maybe it’s in tiny little packets here and there, hidden in the dying grasslike winter wildflowers, but we find it where we can, and exactly as it comes to us, while the days grow dark. We remind ourselves that you can only see the stars when it is dark, and the darker it is, the brighter the light breaking through. Advent is about the coming of Emmanuel, which means “God with us,” and so as the fields outside our windows go to sleep, we stay awake and watch, holding to the belief that God is with us, is close and present, and that we will be healed.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 21.4667px; text-align: start;"><i style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 21.4667px; text-align: start;">I want that belief, and that patience; I checked the box on the form choosing that. But it has not been forthcoming. I have instead been feeling a little — what is the psychiatric term? — cuckoo. My mind has been doing a Native American worry chant, that I must have learned in childhood, WORRYworryworryworryworryworryworryworryWORRYworryworry … It’s not that I don’t have a lot of faith. It’s just that I also have a lot of mental problems. And I want to fix them all, and I want to do that now, or at least by tomorrow afternoon, right after lunch.</span></i></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;"><i>I thought about calling our pastor and trying to get her to try to fix me, but she had left town for a little R&R. This is just intolerable. I have told her more than once that we wouldn’t have hired her if we’d known that she was a minister with boundaries. So I started calling all the other religious people I know, but discovered that, even though God may be ever present and close by, none of His or Her spokespeople were in very good moods.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">The first Protestant pastor I reached seemed bitter. “Can we talk about God?” I asked.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Who’s that?” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">So I called a Jewish friend, who usually makes me laugh, but I could tell right away she was in a terrible mood. Her children were keening in the background.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“You should smack those children,” I said warmly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Tell me about it.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“I was wondering if you could tell me about the Jewish celebration of the light's return; what spiritual preparation is called for in the weeks before you light the first Chanukah candle.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">There was a long silence. “This is a joke, right?” she asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“No, no, talk to me. So, well, you’re Reform, right?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Of course we’re Reform. We’ve got a crucifix on our front door. Look,”she said, “call me tomorrow. My child just drew with Magic Markers on the TV screen. Tomorrow we’ll have an invigorating talk about the menorah, about Judas Macabee casting the Syrian thugs out of the Holy Land. And I don’t mean Miami Beach.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">I called another minister. “My mind is on the fritz,” I said.”I want God to reach down with His or Her magic wand and restore me to my former luster.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Good luck, Bubbie. Here’s the only thing I’m sure of: Go take care of God’s children today, and God will take care of you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Does it say that somewhere?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Yes, it’s right here, under ‘Secret of Life’ in my Owner’s Manual.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">Then I called my Jesuit friend, Tom, who is a hopeless alcoholic of the worst sort, sober now for 35 years, someone who sometimes gets fat and wants to hang himself, so I trust him. I said, “Tell me a story about Advent. Tell me about people getting well.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">He thought for a while. Then he said, “OK.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">In 1976, when he first got sober, he was living in the People’s Republic of Berkeley, going to the very hip AA meetings there, where there were no fluorescent lights and not too much clapping — or that yahoo-cowboy-hat-in-the-air enthusiasm that you get in L.A., according to sober friends. And everything was more or less all right in early sobriety, except that he felt utterly insane all the time, filled with hostility and fear and self-contempt. But I mean, other than that everything was OK. Then he got transferred to Los Angeles in the winter, and he did not know a soul. “It was a nightmare,” he says. “I was afraid to go into entire areas of L.A., because the only places I knew were the bars. So I called the cardinal and asked him for the name of anyone he knew in town who was in AA. And he told me to call this guy Terry.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">Terry, as it turned out, had been sober for five years at that point, so Tom thought he was God. They made arrangements to go to a place Terry knew of where alcoholic men gathered that night in the back of the Episcopal Cathedral, right in the heart of downtown L.A. It was Terry’s favorite gathering, full of low-bottom drunks and junkies — people from nearby halfway houses, bikers, jazz musicians. “Plus it’s a men’s stag meeting,” says Tom. “So already I’ve got issues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“There I am on my first date with this new friend Terry, who turns out to not be real chatty. He’s clumsy and ill at ease, an introvert with no social skills, but the cardinal has heard that he’s also good with newly sober people. He asks me how I am, and after a long moment, I say, ‘I’m just scared,’ and he nods and says gently, ‘That’s right.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“I don’t know a thing about him, I don’t what sort of things he thinks about or who he votes for, but he takes me to this place near skid row, where all these awful looking alkies are hanging out in the yard, waiting for something to start. I’m tense, I’m just staring. It’s a whole bunch of strangers, all of them clearly very damaged — working their way back slowly, but not yet real attractive. The sober people I've met back in Berkeley all seem like David Niven in comparison, and I’m thinking, Who are these people? Why am I here?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“All my scanners are out. It’s all I can do not to bolt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Ten minutes before we began, Terry directed me to a long flight of stairs heading up to a windowless, airless room. I started walking up the stairs, with my jaws clenched, muttering to myself tensely just like the guy in front of me, this guy my own age who was stumbling and numb and maybe not yet quite on his first day of sobriety.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“The only things getting me up the stairs are Terry, behind me, pushing me forward every so often, and this conviction I have that this is as bad as it’s ever going to be — that if I can get through this, I can get through anything. Well. All of a sudden, the man in front of me soils himself. I guess his sphincter just relaxes. Shit runs down onto his shoes, but he keeps walking. He doesn’t seem to notice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“However, I do. I clapped a hand over my mouth and nose, and my eyes bugged out but I couldn’t get out of line because of the crush behind me. And so, holding my breath, I walk into the windowless, airless room.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Now, this meeting has a person who stands at the door saying hello. And this one is a biker with a shaved head, a huge gut and a Volga boatman mustache. He gets one whiff of the man with shit on his shoes and throws up all over everything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“You’ve seen the Edvard Munch painting of the guy on the bridge screaming, right? That’s me. That’s what I look like. But Terry enters the room right behind me. And there’s total pandemonium, no one knows what to do.The man who had soiled himself stumbles forward and plops down in a chair. A fan blows the terrible smells of shit and vomit around the windowless room, and people start smoking just to fill in the spaces in the air. Finally Terry reaches out to the greeter, who had thrown up. He puts his hand on the man’s shoulder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Wow,” he says. “Looks like you got caught by surprise.” And they both laugh. Right? Terry asks a couple of guys to go with him down the hall to the men’s room, and help this guy get cleaned up. There are towels there, and kitty litter, to absorb various effluvia, because this is a meeting where people show up routinely in pretty bad shape. So while they’re helping the greeter get cleaned up, other people start cleaning up the meeting room. Then Terry approaches the other man.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“My friend,” he says gently, “it looks like you have trouble here.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">The man just nods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“We’re going to give you a hand,” says Terry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“So three men from the recovery house next door help him to his feet, walk him to the halfway house and put him in the shower. They wash his clothes and shoes and give him their things to wear while he waits. They give him coffee and dinner, and they give him respect. I talked to these other men later, and even though they had very little sobriety, they did not cast this other guy off for not being well enough to be there. Somehow this broken guy was treated like one of them, because they could see that he was one of them. No one was pretending he wasn’t covered with shit, but there was a real sense of kinship. And that is what we mean when we talk about grace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">“Back at the meeting at the Episcopal Cathedral, I was just totally amazed by what I had seen. And I had a little shred of hope. I couldn’t have put it into words, but until that meeting, I had thought that I would recover with men and women like myself; which is to say, overeducated, fun to be with and housebroken. And that this would happen quickly and efficiently. But I was wrong. So I’ll tell you what the promise of Advent is: It is that God has set up a tent among us and will help us work together on our stuff. And this will only happen over time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;"><i>“For you, Crabby Miss, and for me; together, over time.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21.4667px;">-Anne Lamott</span></div>
Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-9076864518793010502015-12-09T14:50:00.000-08:002015-12-09T14:50:34.513-08:00I've Got Friends in Similar Places<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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These are our sweet friends Krystal and Lilly. Edie and I have been so thankful for them this year--they joined us on our first several mom/playdates! Edie and Lilly are only a few days apart, and I can't tell you how nice it is to have a mama friend in the same stage of new motherhood. We don't know what we'd do without them!<br /><br />If you're on the hunt for mama friends, I highly recommend checking out your local La Leche League group! :)</div>
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Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-46164695033651909912015-12-08T08:16:00.002-08:002015-12-08T08:16:14.989-08:0012 Days of Christmas Crafts: Paleo Gingerbread Cookies (FAIL), Day Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGISink6n0s1GtZBwWt9-GIKUXLdRdg5YW_oQ_cPCw_A-MAf_xrl9g4EtlzkwstUTdGQHJcF02QR8Zo_bhOg0lIV2nlrfTtvFPw7PPQgRtyg6wZc5mN6rXaoNirSvLfIOxuw1bExA75E/s1600/12336437_10205417232337412_1529579004_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGISink6n0s1GtZBwWt9-GIKUXLdRdg5YW_oQ_cPCw_A-MAf_xrl9g4EtlzkwstUTdGQHJcF02QR8Zo_bhOg0lIV2nlrfTtvFPw7PPQgRtyg6wZc5mN6rXaoNirSvLfIOxuw1bExA75E/s400/12336437_10205417232337412_1529579004_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So, these did not work. At all. When I went by the recipe, they turned into big unrecognizable blobs in the oven. And when I baked the second half of the dough as one big sheet and cut the cookies out when they were still soft out of the oven, they dried and crumbled apart. But that's life, right? Everything doesn't work out, and I didn't have the energy to attempt them again. Maybe another day.</div>
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However, we're having a merry Christmas over here, failures and all! Edie opened her first present from my mom yesterday--the most beautiful cotton rag doll--and has been kissing it and carrying it around since. She's also cutting three more teeth this past week, and I just know I'll appreciate the gift of sleep when we experience it again someday. Hopefully someday soon. Please, Santa. </div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-51406869541327897582015-12-07T18:30:00.002-08:002015-12-07T18:30:18.514-08:00What Brings You Joy?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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These photos are from a family shoot from a couple of weeks ago. She kind of makes you want to carry around a pink bunny, doesn't she? If only something so simple brought me that much happiness on a regular basis.</div>
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I've been thinking a lot about what joy looks like for me in this season and trying to drag out the moments I find myself giggling as Edie giggles at Penny or tearing up when she walks over to lean her forehead into mine.</div>
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<br />What brings you joy? Even on a Monday.</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-23130462452297597502015-12-05T18:42:00.000-08:002015-12-05T18:42:25.661-08:00Drawn to Jesus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mY_uzdc7Hf4KKJHPYoForQfVWhcXsz23sI85GNCy_FqVzYiBKUy2jXrAUaxg1b33XMqBOubxPcTGoLEioFiGU2gNQ4catWcPhAsBFkPX590aoTq5Ousct4r7EtYfEq-WF6q9KfeYyA4/s1600/nativ1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mY_uzdc7Hf4KKJHPYoForQfVWhcXsz23sI85GNCy_FqVzYiBKUy2jXrAUaxg1b33XMqBOubxPcTGoLEioFiGU2gNQ4catWcPhAsBFkPX590aoTq5Ousct4r7EtYfEq-WF6q9KfeYyA4/s640/nativ1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This weekend we gave Edie her first nativity set and read through the Christmas story with her. As soon as I set everything up, baby girl ran over, took a good scan of the whole scene and picked baby Jesus up and walked away. She eventually came back and sat down to look everything over a little better, but she continued holding Jesus as she did so. This was yesterday, and she's pretty much been carrying him around with her since then.</div>
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Watching my daughter stare at her little picture of Christmas with fresh eyes was a sweet reminder to slow down in this moment. I find plenty of things to get anxious about on a daily basis, but why? My toddler is already drawn to Jesus, even if it's just because he's a cute baby on a piece of wood to her. Her tiny grip on toy Jesus has me asking myself what he is to me, praying to see him with new, wide-eyed wonder as I continue to wade through a tough season.</div>
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Joy to the world, the Lord has come!</div>
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P.S. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-3858-Nativity-Set/dp/B0043RSSHI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449369712&sr=8-1&keywords=melissa+and+doug+nativity">This nativity set is by Melissa and Doug, and we bought it on Amazon!</a></div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-1055541945013828932015-12-04T07:34:00.002-08:002015-12-04T07:36:46.373-08:00Winter Morning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'd like to take today with me, to pack this season for later like the down in my coat.<br />
I watch the cardinals land in our backyard from the kitchen window, <br />
red ornaments on the dead lawn, and peck at the frost.</div>
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You squeal with morning energy, your head bumping my knee </div>
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as you walk circles around a book on the floor before squatting down to read it to yourself.</div>
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You can't say any of the words yet, but you don't skip a page.</div>
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You are thirteen months old and yesterday you kissed our dog right on the mouth.</div>
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You grabbed her face with intention, didn't give up when she turned away,<br />
and caught her whiskers between your three tiny teeth.</div>
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You know what you want at one better than I do at twenty-six--</div>
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when you need to be held, when you're too tired to keep going, </div>
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when you're so happy </div>
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you can't help but scream it out.</div>
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Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-49421738329751777282015-12-03T10:29:00.001-08:002015-12-03T10:29:23.962-08:0012 Days of Christmas Crafts: Paper Forest Advent Calendar, Day One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Does anyone else find being a mama in the Pinterest age just a little bit (okay, A LOT) daunting? I feel like I need to be constantly cooking/baking/crafting/teaching my babe new info in a super cute, cutting edge way. I go through phases of stalking Pinterest for days for inspiration, and then I don't visit the app for over a month. As soon is it becomes pressure to perform or compete against other twenty-somethings, bloggers, photographers, mamas...I'm out.<br /><br />But another big part of me is super excited and thankful to be a young mom today. So many lovely ideas to do with and for my girl! So I thought it'd be fun to put a little low-pressure challenge on myself to throw together 12 simple Christmas crafts this month. And when I say simple, I mean five minutes with a pair of scissors. </div>
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Every year I swoon over the loveliest advent calendars on my favorite blogs. And every year December 23rd rolls around and I have to cope with the fact that I did not craft the calendar of my dreams. Usually I haven't crafted a calendar at all, and if I have, I've forgotten to use it.</div>
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So this year I grabbed a couple of pieces of green and red cardstock, a white gel pen, and voila! My table now holds a mini forest.</div>
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I asked Daniel if he had any Christmasy family date ideas he'd like to do this month, and we came up with a list of 12 things. Yes, I'm aware we did 12 instead of 25 but this month is about grace and 25 scheduled things, well, just straight up aren't going to happen.</div>
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So here's our list of 12 things we hope to do as a family by Christmas, in no particular order:<br /><br />1. Go through the Nativity Story with Edie (her play set is on its way!).</div>
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2. Bake Christmas cookies.</div>
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3. Watch Rudolph in our PJs with hot cider/cocoa.</div>
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4. Drive around and look at lights.</div>
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5. Decorate the front porch.</div>
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6. Wrap presents while listening to Christmas music.</div>
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7. Shop for an Angel Tree gift.</div>
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8. Build a snowman (this might be in our craft series!).</div>
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9. Watch The Family Stone (my favorite Christmas movie).</div>
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10. Go on a carriage ride.</div>
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11. Watch Elf.</div>
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12. Make ornaments.</div>
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What's on your list?</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-83529973021979687852015-12-02T19:21:00.001-08:002015-12-02T19:21:08.070-08:00My Green Mattress Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQqOq5Sbnk7k0hslKY9nf1sTHCEYRJEqmVIbqh7jIw70tU3EOohIh576OvK6nNhGdRo2_mmq3Bn4kHCtymE4Tz0ISOa_HstVIbTHNADs2wqjeodENfiHuliRcaEHwNutNzG1-O2YkPao/s1600/bed2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQqOq5Sbnk7k0hslKY9nf1sTHCEYRJEqmVIbqh7jIw70tU3EOohIh576OvK6nNhGdRo2_mmq3Bn4kHCtymE4Tz0ISOa_HstVIbTHNADs2wqjeodENfiHuliRcaEHwNutNzG1-O2YkPao/s640/bed2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For the past few weeks we have been sleeping like kings on our new mattress. Friends, a big bed is a game changer. Oh man. I feel like I'm on vacation every night. I love our new bed!<br /><br />After months of saving and researching, we purchased a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Green-Mattress-Organic-Natural/dp/B00GR9I5XC/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1449112801&sr=1-1&keywords=my+green+mattress">My Green Mattress</a> on Amazon for ourselves as an anniversary gift (year two is cotton, so it worked!). This mattress is made of organic cotton and high quality wool without all the yucky chemicals found in conventional beds. Therefore it didn't have an unbearable smell when we first opened it up. And it was delivered right to our door! It was rolled up super tightly, but Daniel was able to hug it and carry it upstairs to open it out and let it expand. It's pretty thin, especially compared to the pillow top we were sleeping on, but I really like that it's low to the ground because we have a very active toddler who likes to climb and fall off of things. Yes, our mattress is on the ground because of that--we prefer a shallow fall.<br /><br />It's also very firm compared to what we were sleeping on, but that was one of the main things we were looking for. I've been sleeping SO much better, and because of the firmness I'm able to sleep through Daniel getting up in the morning--there is NO bounce if someone gets in and out of bed. It's amazing. I'm actually able to nurse Edie down and get up to do stuff, like blog. Which is what I'm doing right now, as she snoozes away!</div>
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The firmness took some getting used to for Daniel, but he seems to be on board now, too. It's so nice to be able to roll away from Edie to talk and cuddle a bit when we have the chance! I'm so excited to be turning our room into a relaxing haven away from everything else.<br /><br />I love this mattress! And this sleeping babe :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27T8sTmEGPFO8inDWf9OxbOPZDxV6uvD1t9PXadjOtt-tYcQd0ddlcQ5H1h37Lyeribax7JCPVkCS5IhUtxQfW0mzWrnF6hYOaH7vjPP6YqjkL54jZgyxjArrjDwuFGuLgoPJav0qpHo/s1600/bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27T8sTmEGPFO8inDWf9OxbOPZDxV6uvD1t9PXadjOtt-tYcQd0ddlcQ5H1h37Lyeribax7JCPVkCS5IhUtxQfW0mzWrnF6hYOaH7vjPP6YqjkL54jZgyxjArrjDwuFGuLgoPJav0qpHo/s640/bed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sweet dreams!</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-113437247156095202015-12-01T07:31:00.002-08:002015-12-01T07:31:36.633-08:00Christmas Cards by Minted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDOyu_ycd2R3-CDdn2H8PsPKt50WYMRCSSDdH75V1QEU1_wSw4B7-mf-b2FYIOaum1YMZFyLi87DhfET6lXiHneQHk5DOrXtM61qif_Q9c0MY7KpD4h23_aRFPJ9MRTnvlAGHq8678k8/s1600/card2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdDOyu_ycd2R3-CDdn2H8PsPKt50WYMRCSSDdH75V1QEU1_wSw4B7-mf-b2FYIOaum1YMZFyLi87DhfET6lXiHneQHk5DOrXtM61qif_Q9c0MY7KpD4h23_aRFPJ9MRTnvlAGHq8678k8/s640/card2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Thanksgiving has come and gone, and for me that means it's time to track down addresses to send out Christmas cards. Does anyone else have the hardest time keeping addresses organized? I'm terrible. In the past two plus years we've sent out wedding invitations, baby announcements, Christmas cards and birthday invitations, and I think I've had to ask everyone where they live for every occasion. Whoops. Maybe my New Years resolution should be to learn to adult. </div>
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ANYWAY. Our Christmas cards have been in a box ready to be addressed for a couple of weeks now. I used the wonderful <a href="http://minted.com/">Minted</a> again this year--I just loved how easy their website was to navigate for Edie's birth announcements and our family cards last winter, and they have SO MANY choices and ways to customize! </div>
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These cards are so lovely I want to frame them and display them all year. Since that might be a little much, I am thinking about collecting them to put out every Christmas season so we can watch how our little family changes from year to year. I'm a bit of a tradition fanatic. </div>
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This year I went with <a href="http://www.minted.com/product/holiday-photo-cards/MIN-YWC-HYC/painted-foliage-frame?feature=Browse&event=sku_click&sku=MIN-YWC-HYC&pop_rank=14&source=image&t_api=1&ccId=629261&agI=0&org=photo">THIS DESIGN</a> by alethea and ruth. So simple and lovely.</div>
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And merry Christmas to you! Minted extended their Cyber Monday sale through today! 20% off holiday cards and 25% off everything else with code CM2015. </div>
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Happy December!</div>
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P.S. My <a href="http://thenewlywifedlife.blogspot.com/2015/11/small-business-saturday-sale.html">small business Saturday sale</a> ends tonight! Mini shoots for $50--I'd love to meet you!</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-31515521256708615672015-11-30T10:19:00.001-08:002015-11-30T10:19:29.242-08:00Edie Meets Santa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Hello! Hope you had a wonderful holiday. We just got back from a relaxing visit with family. The only thing we really did, aside from eating, was take Edie to meet Santa for the first time. And by that I mean we traumatized her briefly for the sake of tradition. I was a little traumatized, too, because Santa called my daughter "It." Twice.</div>
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Me: "Hi, Santa."<br /><br />Edie starts crying as soon as she sees him.<br /><br />Me: "Sorry she's crying. She's a little tired and..."<br /><br />Santa: "Oh, it's pretty standard. What's its name?"<br /><br />Me: "Her name is Edie."<br /><br />Santa: "Edie. How old is it? About 10 months?"</div>
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Daniel hands Edie to Santa.<br /><br />Daniel: "She's about 13 months."</div>
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I snap photos, pass camera off to my brother for quick family photo, take "it" from Santa and get the heck out of there.</div>
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Tis the season, right?</div>
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^Not. A. Fan.</div>
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But isn't the crying Santa experience kind of a pivotal part of childhood? Ha, even so, we got in and out of the little cottage quickly and enjoyed the rest of Utica Square, which was pretty much dead for Black Friday due to the yucky weather.</div>
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Merry Christmas!</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-44735023710547876252015-11-28T20:44:00.002-08:002015-11-28T20:44:45.649-08:00Small Business Saturday Sale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Still in need of Christmas card photos? Or maybe a sweet gift idea for your boo? I'd love to meet you! In the spirit of supporting small businesses today let's talk about setting up a little photo session. Book by December 1st and get the promo price! Email me at jrockphotog@gmail.com :)</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-52469305841293982992015-11-25T09:51:00.000-08:002015-11-25T09:51:16.356-08:00Fall Dinner Party Table Cloth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgK6c6z2SO9bbz0LSwyTuc_dflBQTslzZpni2MzgH9GUGva4_FCAORjN_UUCHnrWrDqtukdGr2bkS7iREOfWt7O8JtB8w3mrBh5uG2Y2nMtZfErwuft7h0R8jrIwm0e5pRFwtTkgliWc/s1600/party3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgK6c6z2SO9bbz0LSwyTuc_dflBQTslzZpni2MzgH9GUGva4_FCAORjN_UUCHnrWrDqtukdGr2bkS7iREOfWt7O8JtB8w3mrBh5uG2Y2nMtZfErwuft7h0R8jrIwm0e5pRFwtTkgliWc/s640/party3.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Throwing a cutesy little Friendsgiving this weekend and feeling a little worn out by all of the pumpkin decor that's been hanging around since Labor Day? Why not decorate with pretty red apples instead? I stamped the tablecloth the day before Edie's October birthday party, and for the low cost and little effort, I was pretty pleased with how it turned out.<br /><br />All you need is an apple, a knife, a light colored sheet and some red paint.</div>
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Lay your sheet on a flat surface, slice your apple in half and stamp away!</div>
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Happy Thanksgiving, friends!</div>
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555261223800320958.post-12494843077571556582015-11-21T20:09:00.002-08:002015-11-21T20:09:50.981-08:00What a Difference a Year Makes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Jordanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03908780401033597350noreply@blogger.com0