One Part Inspiration...

One night, it was late.  I was in the middle of doing a hundred million things (no exxaggerashun).  I was tired.  Actually, I was very OVErtired.  There were things on my list that were not being accomplished.  I sat in front of the computer staring.  And then, my eye caught a website that boasted the most BeautifuL clothes for very leeetol muny.  I allowed myself to be distracted.  I browsed.  I scrolled.  I clicked.  And before I knew it, I had talked myself into buying a dress for 'the wedding'. Perhaps it was the way the dress was flowing with the gentle breeze in this picture. Or perhaps, I suddenly imagined myself being able to pull of this statuesque pose at the wedding. Or it could have been the jewelry that she sported that I could see myself wearing - floating into the ceremony with a gentle wave to all the attendees. Most likely, it was the overwhelming fatigue.  However, by the end of the night, I had...

               Grampa wore her out.   He got on the floor and showed her how to crawl. Then,  he brought the kittens to her. Then,  he carried her around the house and they turned light switches on and off. Then,  they found the dog, and she took rides on Henrik's back, while Grampa held onto her.  Then,  he brought her to our room and helped her do somersaults.   Then, he played the thumb game with her.     He put his thumbs out, she would reach up and grab them, and he would help her stand, and bounce on the bed.   Then,  she would let go,  flop backwards, and belly laugh. Then.  she would reach her hands up to his thumbs to do it all again.  Over and over,  they played, until she slowed down the bouncing to a rocking back and forth with her legs. Then,  he put the soother in her mouth.   Then,  I sang her a s...

A Letter to My Children: I have a confession:  Your mother has a secret life. And, so does every other mother on the planet.  There was the mom that you saw.  Then there was me - who was  (and still is) essentially, just a girl in adult-sized skin trying to navigate the waters of motherhood as best as she could. You saw a mom who insisted on following rules; who gave consequences if you disobeyed. You didn't know that I second-guessed myself a lot - it was a constant battle to decide if the consequences were fair, and consistent, or if I was just being ridiculously stringent. [Or worse: if I was being totally erratic.] You saw a mom who took life very seriously.   You didn't know that I felt a huge responsibility for bringing you up right.  You didn't know the nights I cried myself to sleep; the weight of raising you to be a decent, loving, respectful, law-abiding citizen, heavy upon my heart. Y ou saw a mom who insisted that you obey authority a...

Don`t get me wrong.  I am captivated by short videos demonstrating easy ways to prepare delicious looking food.  I find myself clicking onto websites that promise that I will become a candidate on "BEST CHEF E.V.E.R."  But when it comes right down to it, I don't have the attention span to produce the same end result. "Their" kitchens never look messy while they prepare the food.   Mine, looks like a tornado tore through the back door, and didn't stop until it it took the whole neighbourhood with it.   "Their" ingredients always look fresh.   Mine have to be stacked "just so" because otherwise, the product, which otherwise would be its way to product heaven, might be too distracting in the ingredients photo. Case in point: Manuela`s blogpost looked like this: and I was INSPIRED BY WHAT I SAW I thought.  "Hey, the girls and I are getting together for dinner this week, and I said I'd bring desser...