Well, I really can’t believe it, but the time is here. The weekend is here. I am here..but going there. It’s time for Ask Away Friday. It’s time for Ladies Only Blog Share Link Party – Father’s Day themed! And. It’s the weekend of BlogU. I’m ready.
I think. I mean, I’m mostly packed. I’m excited. I’m scared. My anxiety? Pretty much at a low dull hum these days.
Which brings me to my introduction of my Ask Away Friday partner this week – Christy from Sweet and Savoring.
First of all, it’s Christy’s birthday and I’m honored to be her partner today. Happy Birthday, Christy! And as I was talking about the low dull hum of anxiety, Christy has a blog that I will not miss a post from, and a voice I gain something from every time. She has singlehandedly changed the way I feel about mental illness, and more specifically – my own situational anxiety. She makes me feel brave and I need that this weekend as I face my first long road trip alone in years. No kids. Open road. Just my own thoughts & my music. Christy writes about life in the Hudson Valley, art, food, photography, travel, more food, more travel, depression and anxiety, hopes and dreams, and strength. Give her a visit just to see how much beauty one blog can contain.
Hooray, hooray, hooray for the all new #AskAwayFriday! Get to know our new hosts, meet our new co-host, and grab our new logo! Be sure to check out our new Facebook page “AskAwayFriday” for a great place to meet up and send out a #BuddyRequest if you need a partner to swap with! And always feel free to contact me here or anywhere if you want to swap with me.
#AskAwayFriday was created by the amazing Penny from Real Housewife of Caroline County as a place for us to connect with other bloggers by asking them ten questions to really get to know them. The sky is the limit with the questions you ask!
Tiffany from Mrs. Tee Love Life Laughter,
Christy from Uplifting Families,
Stacey from This Momma’s Ramblings
and
Amber from Bold Fit Mom
Welcoming a brand new co-host, for the next two weeks is the amazing…April from 100lb Countdown!
April is a wife, mom, blogger, entrepreneur, author, and fitness guru who blogs about the things that make up her daily life as a SAHM focusing on her family. Be sure to stop by April’s site to check out her wonderful recipe offerings and money making opportunities or to just say “Hi”!
Be sure to check out Christy’s answers to my questions HERE. And here are my answers to her questions:
1. Have you ever had surgery or spent more than a few hours as a patient in a hospital?
I’ve had oral surgery twice but that was just a few hours. Once I cut my finger badly and had to get stitches but that was just an Urgent Care facility. Other than that, just giving birth! And to be a patient was really weird for me! It was weird the first time because they endlessly walked into my room at all hours of the night to check vitals and otherwise just annoy me, I guess? I can’t imagine getting better in a hospital, but I guess it happens. The second time was weird too because I was discharged before Des and he felt like part of me, and I felt strange leaving the hospital without him, and it was a disaster, but we got a great kid!
2. Besides your camera, Cassidy and the kids, what three things you would save if you had to get rid of all of your belongings?
Oh, that’s tough. Wait. What about Athena?? I’m going to loop her in with the kids and add three things:
1. My computer. Sounds silly, right? However, it was my grandfather’s computer before he died when he was 100. It’s special. Not only that, it contains Adobe Lightroom which has months worth of photos I haven’t yet saved, backed up three times, and placed into online albums. So I’d hate to lose them!
2. My sundresses. Sounds shallow, right? It’s not, though. They contains so many memories – of the places I’ve been and all of the island towns, cities and other places I have bought a dress in. I wore them while pregnant, while I had babies, and now I raise my kids in my flowing dresses. I find them nearly irreplaceable, although I know everything is replaceable if need be.
3. Our wedding ketubah. Not only would it remind me of that day, and it contains our wedding vows, but it was also written on by all of our loved ones. And there is some wise stuff written there.
3. You seem to have a really special relationship with your mom. Did you have that closeness when you were growing up, too?
Always. Probably before my father passed but definitely after. I didn’t want her out of my sight! And she’s always cheerful, friendly and surrounded by friends, and I’ve found myself wanting to be like her socially. And she’s always on my side.
4. What’s the best meal you’ve ever had? What food do you never want to eat again?
Oh dear. So many choices. My mom’s home-cooked macaroni and cheese after a bad freshman year dining hall. Soul food in Louisiana. San Francisco chocolate and the coffee/beignets in New Orleans. I’m going to name a terrible example. It was a meal in a hospital cafeteria. Yes. It was. I had been watching my food intake like a hawk during my pregnancy and this was after Des was born but while he was in the NICU. I realized I could eat anything I wanted. So I got a plate of comfort foods, including mashed potatoes, and ate as if someone’s life depended on it. It felt so good to stop caring, even if only for a meal.
I have gotten sick three times after eating Thai food so I never want to eat it again!
5. Cassidy is the cook in your family, right? What do you like or dislike about cooking? Is there ever any contention between you two about preparing meals, or other household tasks?
haha! This is great. I’m not a good cook. I think it’s ultimately because I have no interest in it and I’m afraid of cooking meat. I don’t want to undercook it and wind up with salmonella but if I always error on the side of caution, it will always be tough or dry! I guess I just don’t have the knack. There’s not a lot of contention about my domestic shortcomings. Not usually. Obviously I know he would love more help but he doesn’t complain, and he still cooks and cleans to his liking. I try to even it out. If I did NOTHING at all, even one day with the kids would turn our house into a disaster. So there are things I do. Meals for the kids from me are usually leftovers, or fresh and/or easy stuff – eggs, grilled cheese, pizza, quesadillas, fruits, hummus, etc.
Even at our parties, he’s manning the kitchen!
6. Before you had Scarlet, what did you hope for when it came to motherhood? How did that change after she was born?
Oh, it’s so interesting. You just never know what you’re going to get. In some ways, she is more than I ever imagined. And in other ways, yes, she yells at me and eats processed food and throws toys at the dog’s head. I think I just realized that the highest highs are better than imagined, the lowest lows are lower than imagined and that most of motherhood is these wonderfully creamy middles. And I always wanted a daughter. Named Scarlet. With big, dreamy eyes. In a red pea coat. True story.
7. We both have sisters. Tell me a favorite memory you have with each of your sisters and why it’s special.
They aren’t specific memories, or not one-time ones. With my older sister, I remember that when she got her license, we’d go to the mall together whenever we needed cheering up. And she’d blast her mix cds and sometimes drive around where we knew cute boys were hanging out. With my younger sister, she was a freshman when I was a senior, and I drove her to school and back. We had some of the best conversations of our lives then. She’s deep! And a fantastic and sane person to talk about life with.
8. I love your photography! What was the first camera you ever owned?
My first camera was a neon yellow Vivitar L.A. Brites when I was seven! My first SLR was a Minolta Maxxum 5, given to me by an ex-boyfriend. And I had a Tamron 18-200mm lens to go with it. It was film, but I was able to find a photo from my first ever roll of film in the Maxxum, because I used to have a negative scanner:
9. Inspired by Inside the Actor’s Studio: If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear St. Peter say as you arrive at the pearly gates?
Maybe something like, “Here you are, at 110-years-old. It’s time for you to really know your father. Here is everyone else you ever loved. You did good, kid. Nice job with winning the lottery and using so much of your money towards philanthropy. Great photos too. Loved all your bestselling books. Great job on living kindly and living WELL.”
(or something like that)
10. I think this is now my favorite question: please write a haiku about yourself (a poem where the first line is 5 syllables, the second is 7 syllables, and the third is 5 syllables.
I’m sometimes anxious,
but mostly always joyful
And eating cookies
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Be sure to check out our Facebook page “AskAwayFriday” for a great place to meet up and send out a #BuddyRequest if you need a partner to swap with or to just talk about anything #AskAwayFriday!
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Thanks for sticking around for #LOBS! This weekend’s theme is “Father’s Day.” It should be easy to find a post for that, right? You can honor your husband, your own father, your brother, your stepfather, or anyone who is or has been a father or father figure to you. My co-hosts:
Michelle from A Dish of Daily Life
Crystal from Mommifried
Angela from WriterMom’s Blog
Kristen from Four Hens and a Rooster
Amber from “City Girl On Hicks Farm“.
We’d all love to connect with you outside of our LOBS Link Party…Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Pinterest, Instagram…wherever you’d like to connect! My buttons are all at the top of my blog. Write me a note letting me know that you are visiting from the Ladies Only Blog Share or #LOBS, either in the comments below or feel free to send me a tweet or leave me a note on Facebook! I will definitely respond and follow you back! And the rest of my co-hosts would be thrilled to meet you as well!
Now, let’s get started on the link party! Have fun and visit the links below. We ask that you try to visit at least three. Remember to leave a thoughtful comment on the new blogs you’ve discovered and let them know you’re visiting from the Ladies Only Blog Share Link Party! Feel free to pin your blog post to the Ladies Only Blog Share Pinterest board, too! In the URL field, place the link to your post. The name field should contain the title of your post.
Use the hashtag #LOBS when tweeting! Doesn’t it have a nice ring to it?
A few simple requests are…
** Follow and visit all of the hosts and co-hosts
** Link up your favorite post! Please try to stick to our weekly theme
** Please share this link party so others can join
** Visit at least three of the blogs on the link party
And now, party time:
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Wait, am I first to comment?! I love your haiku so much. And the photo of your and your mother. You look gorgeous and it really does capture something between the two of you. I absolutely would grab my computer too. Also because I am terrible about backing it up!! Happy Friday my friend!
You’re the first, followed by another Christine! Woohoo!
The haiku – I just said the first thing that came to mind – glad you love it! It’s me.
That photo was something. I always thought it was a little sad, but maybe just reflective.
DARNIT!!! I WAS so HOPING I would be first again!!! Stupid bowl of cereal I made!! (Now it’s getting soggy…)
Oh well… I am thinking about you SO much and praying for safe travels and for you to keep that low dull throughout the entire weekend! And for you to embrace and love every single MINUTE of your weekend connecting and learning and growing and sharing… OH how I wish I could be there to hug you and eat your COOKIES!!
I love the questions- and I want so badly to meet Christy! She seems amazing! I clicked on her blog link that you shared and it didn’t connect! Will try again…
Love your answers- and I LOVE what your ‘heaven’s welcome’ would be! TOO cute!!! And your haiku is soooo YOU!!!
I Love learning more and more about you always, sweet friend. Christy had some great questions!!! And as always- your answers always touch a part of my heart. And the photos just bring it in closer there. My heart. YOU are in my heart. XOXOXO
I actually thought you were first initially! Another Christine! What are the chances here?
Hope you enjoyed your (soggy) cereal!
Wish you could be there too, my friend. Someday. (like in NC?)
I really adore Christy – the link was slow but should be loading now.
Your comments always touch my heart! xoxoxo!
Love your interview and your photos 😀 You look gorgeous <3
Thank you! I felt a little funny putting that wedding photo. It’s not my favorite but it’s interesting.
Enjoy BlogU this weekend and totally wish I could be there. I will be there in spirit though and you totally need to share all about it with me!!! 🙂 xoxo!!
Aw! Wish you were there too. Don’t worry – I’ll share my wisdom with you.
Have a great, busy weekend!
That haiku is perfect…it just sounds right.
I agree with your comment about the picture with your mom, it does look sad, but it fits because truth be told, not every moment of a wedding day is exuberantly happy. Is it? There’s so much going on…I know your look covers some of the emotion I felt. Same as the look in your second hospital photo – I can relate.
Finally…Scarlet in a red pea coat…beautiful.
I felt so much at my wedding. So much. And I was anxious, which is no secret. I want a do-over, in which I’m exuberantly smiling in more than a few. After ceremony, I was grinning, though!
The haiku was hard! I’m glad I did it.
Good luck on your BlogU weekend! And I loved your haiku – that’s something I never dared to try.
I was very intimidated by the question! As I was telling Stephanie, I’m glad I did it but it wasn’t easy!
You really have cookies on your mind! Haha…so many conversations about cookies lately. My computer would be on my list too. My photos are supposed to back up to the cloud…I should check to make sure that is actually still happening. But even if it wasn’t about my photos, I just have an attachment with my computer. 🙂
Now I have Berger cookies on my mind and I think I always will!
I couldn’t do without my dog either and after that my books and computer. I need to write! Have a fabulous weekend at BlogU!
Books! Yes. So much meaning.
BlogU was something else! I’ll be writing about it.
Re AskAwayFriday, I’m glad you never had to spend time in the hopsital other than for childbirth. It sure is a weird experience. And that’s so good you had a go at comfort food when Des was born. As for Thai food, I’m so glad I never got sick from that, cause I lovelovelove it.
May I ask, how do we know what’s the next theme for the LOBS linky? I can’t find it here and would like to know so I can write something up if I want to.
I wish I could tell you but sometimes we don’t decide until the last minute. If you want to know next time, give me a shout-out a few days before. Maybe we’ll work on getting it out sooner.
Every time you post a wedding photo I think you were the most beautiful bride. I can feel – thrill? Anticipation? Excitement? Bliss?
You name it: ____________
And Eating Cookies… that should be on T shirts.
I don’t know that I’ve ever shared that above wedding photo because I thought it might be.. unattractive.
So to hear you say that and to see so much more that is there – happiness, sadness, thrill, everything you said. All at once.
I’ll make the t-shirts!
I love that Inside the Actors Studio questions. I used to think those questions were so random! That’s wonderful that you have a husband that’s great in the kitchen. I wish my husband was more inclined to cook, or at least try to! I love that party picture of him in the kitchen. The hat is the best!
The hat is amazing! He should always wear it when he cooks. He’s wonderful with cooking and cleaning and I often wonder if I should pitch in more. The answer is mostly always “yes”!
your haiku is awesome!! I love it, and I love the wedding picture with your mom in the background. The new camera I just got included lightroom software!! I am so excited to use. Any tips?
Oh, so many! Email me. Lightroom is amazing when used correctly. And probably amazing when used incorrectly too!
I wish my husband cooked more. I mainly do it, and I hate it!
I’ve always loved pea coats too! My son had one. My daughter still has one. I own one! I just love the look.
It’s a great look! I can see Des looking handsome in one. Although he’s so in dire need of a haircut that he looks like such a cute little hippie right now. Or a Beatle.
Best. Haiku. Ever. Lol so true – I’m mostly observant. You’ll realize there are moments when I’ll get quiet and look around everywhere almost at once. I always joke with my bf that I’m like an old computer because my processor is mad slow – I’ll tell him *please hold while processing* when he wants an answer to something that i need to think about for longer than 2 seconds. lol. 🙂 What thai food did you try?! It’s PHENOMENAL! We need to discuss this later today because I won’t accept that, lol. Hope you are having a very safe trip and SEE YOU SOON!! Happy Friday love!! -Iva
There were so many times I wanted to hear what you were observing. Things I was observing and whatnot.
Um..we hung out. That’s weird, right? Fantastically weird. Weirdly fantastic?
I want to try the “please hold while processing” line.
Haha observing tons – I remembered why I dislike cafeterias and things that feel as such: the chatter drives my gears bonkers. It clouds thinking. It was definitely a fascinating experience – lots of excitement. It was a lot to take in but loved the classes ^.^ Happy I commuted, those dorms were NOT going to work my bed was on point! It was AWESOMELY fantastic – being surrounded by all those awesome bloggers was outstanding. 😛 How was your drive?!
That’s funny about the chatter! I can tune it out but I have stories of dating someone with a disease that made chatter very uncomfortable. So I would hear it for him.
The classes were awesome but I slept through my last one!
The beds? Horrifying!
The bloggers? Amazing.
The drive was ok! The first half was ridiculous because I was so tired but the second half was quiet and I had a sleeping Scarlet with me.
I can’t make that drive without music – it’s a requirement and keeps me going 😀
OH. MY. GOSH. I am JUST getting back to my laptop since late last night when I left your comment and GUESS WHAT??!!!!
I did it AGAIN!!! Your post is open STILL! HA! I suppose this will be my new norm… just as I am passing out from exhaustion, I will see your post appear in my inbox and I will do that “eyes-half-closed-squeal”! I will read it (whilst the cereal soaks and waits) and then I will go off to the couch, eat my cereal, and fall asleep… and then Derek will come down in the morning, and the kids will wake up, and I will feed them and get them ready for camp and walk them to the park and come back and do the dishes and throw all the stuff back in its place all around the house, and then? I will get on my laptop and see that YOU are still here.
Too funny. Too lovely. Too perfect! (Take THAT bounce rate!!!)
I love this, Chris! I just love it!! Stay tuned for midnight tonight AND early tomorrow morning because I have a new post coming and it’s a doozy! Actually you may be too tired for it tonight..
My bounce rate thanks you. Now if only I knew how to track stats!! (I’m trying)
I love your greeting you would have at the pearly gates. I think it’s great that we get to see our loved ones again in the afterlife. I love watching Long Island Medium and seeing people receive messages fron their loved ones.
I’ve never seen it! My mom has seen a medium and loves what she learned. I don’t know if I would or not, but I’d love to watch the show.
Love the haiku at the end! I’ve actually been writing a lot of haiku lately. Just to get the bits of things I can’t publish on my blog out of my head. Also love what you are telling St. Peter. I hope you get to say it later (much later) on in (after)life!
I’d love to read haikus by you! I met someone over the weekend who knows you – Lynn Shattuck. Not sure if you know each other in person or here, but she was lovely.
Then today we went to a water park in NJ and I thought about Six Flags here!
Oh my gosh! Where did you meet Lynn? She’s a friend of mine. We used to work together (10 years ago!) and she’s also done some writing for me. She’s great.
Oh, wow! She was at BlogU! She introduced herself! Her dorm room was right near mine.
So, so awesome.
I’ve never heard of the term ketubah until now and I had to Google it! My husband and I had a similar one (I think), it had a photo of me and my husband on one side and all our guests wrote messages, well wishes and advice about marriage all over it. We had it framed and I love looking at it and read the messages once in a while.
Oh yes! Ketubahs are universal and probably just called different things in different places.
We got ours framed and that freakin’ frame cost more money than my car! Well, not really but it felt that way.
Worth it, though!
This was a fantatic interview. The picture of you in your wedding dress is stunning. Des looks just like you!! I love the relationship you have with your mom. My mom and I have our days where we get along, but not so much!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend at BlogU. Can’t wait to hear all about it!
I’m starting to think Des looks like me! More and more! So thank you.
I can’t wait to tell all about BlogU. Midnight tonight!
I would love to be greeted in Heaven like that too! Gwen will be a senior when James is a freshman, and she already talks about driving to school together. I would love for both of them to look back on that time with the same kind of good memories you have with your sister.
See you in a few hours!
Aw, they will drive to school together! It was so special for us. It cemented our friendship for life.
I saw you in a few hours! That was..crazy awesome!
Haha, the haiku is great! And what you have to say about motherhood is spot-on. Hopefully there are more high highs than low lows.
Lots of high highs and creamy middles, I say!
I love that people love my haiku because I was totally stumped by the question but there is a poet who lives inside of me..somewhere. I can do better than that one but it was the first thing that came to mind.
I love your answers. Oh yes, so many emotions at my wedding too. I love the look on your face in that wedding photo. And I completely relate to your haiku. Anxiety, joy, and cookies pretty much sums up my life. (P.S. Just before I met my husband, I was rail thin, lived in a small apartment, and mostly ate cookies for breakfast and dinner. I probably would have eaten them for lunch too, but we usually went out for lunch at work. A few too many cookies!)
haha! I used to eat cookies like it was my job, and it somehow as because I was in sales and vendors would always give us catered lunches with bakery cookies.
Bribery works when it’s cookies.
Hey Tamara! I love your swap with Christy…Happy Birthday Christy!
I think my first camera was a Kodak 110 camera when I was about 16. I used up so many of those rolls it wasn’t even funny! Luckily I worked at the local Genovese and it had a Photo Lab (ugh just aged myself they don’t even exist anymore). I remember being so torn between matte and glossy…LMBO
I gave up film so recently! Maybe four years ago. Now I could never go back but I used to develop photos. I’ll never forget the smells of the chemicals.
I so agree that connecting with other bloggers IS one of the best parts about blogging. That first photo of your hubby holding the sound maker is hilarious! I also love the photo of your with your sisters. You all look so close and caring. I always wanted a sister and maybe in a funny way, the blogging world has helped fill that void. Have a great time on your trip!
I love that – about the blogging world. I wish I could meet you at a conference! Maybe someday. I want to do BlogHer but it’s a bit too far for my liking this year.
I hope you have an incredible time this weekend – I know you will have so much fun!! Enjoy the drive – sort of nice to drive alone sometimes!!
I love that you don’t really like to cook – why do it if you hate it?!
Kim, you’re so right. Driving alone was somewhat amazing! I guess it had been awhile for me. Although I drove alone at night last night and that was a bit harder. I was tired!
I think we’re both on the same side when it comes to cooking and household chores. I do most of the tasks at home though with the help of my mother in law. My husband sometimes cleans the house but it’s not my kind of clean, I still find it messy, haha, but I appreciate the effort! I sooooo love your wedding photos and the one with your mom in the background, so pretty!!
Where’s the venue of BlogU BTW? I’m excited for you to share your experiences with us and enjoy your road trip! Take care! 🙂
BlogU was at a college in Baltimore! So the conditions weren’t.. luxury or anything but it had such a unique feel. College life!
So funny that your Cassidy had a whoopie cushion in that first photo! Can totally see his personality. I’d totally save my photos too (grab my portable HD). Which reminds me, I wanted to get cloud backup service…And how cute you dreamed of a girl with brown eyes in a red peacoat, and you were able to capture Scarlet in just that!
I also dreamed of a boy with shaggy hair! I got that too, but that’s more from laziness on our parts to get his hair cut.
Love your answer regarding St. Peter. I would love to make it to his gates and he let me in. I’m not sure I’d hear anything else he said! I’ll have to check out Christ’s blog.
Oh I’m sure you’ll be let in! I hear you about not knowing what he’d be saying because I’d be too busy looking around!
Love the Haiku. I think that is something fun I could do with my kids this summer. love that blogs give me inspiration for my peeps 🙂
Haiku is great! I don’t know if Scarlet would be ready for it at her age? I’d love to try it! I remember writing them when I was a kid.
Loved your answers like usual. I forgot that you don’t like to cook. My husband is an amazing cook and he spoils us with his meals. But I like to cook as well, so we share the meal prep. He cooks on the weekends and I cook during the week. Have a terrific weekend! Have fun at your blog conference. I still haven’t been to any yet, and I’ve been blogging for nearly seven years now. Maybe it’s time I start saving my money for a conference.
That’s nice that you like to cook as well! I don’t even do the meal prep very well but I think I need to make it a point to ask him for help more. I think he loves it and I’ll probably find that I can do more than I think I can!
Seven years is amazing. I’d love to meet you at a conference!
My husband is the cook in our family, too. He’s not only better than me (much better actually), he actually enjoys it whereas I don’t like cooking at all.
I love, love, LOVE your haiku!
I hope you have a FANTASTIC time at Blog U this weekend! I can’t wait to read all about it!! –Lisa
That’s what it’s like it! Cassidy likes it and is good at it. I suppose I could help more with prep and cleaning up after. I’ve made it a point to do that more recently.
Thanks for loving my haiku!
Someone did say that the one thing missing from BlogU? Was the Dose Girls!!
Nice haiku! Good luck at BlogU – hop you have a lot of fun 🙂
Thank you! I had such a good time and the weather/company/classes were all divine.
I was totally going to ask you to write a haiku for our AAF but I decided it would be too stressful and I didn’t know if that was a thing you’d be able to do! I can never write a haiku…my brain just does not work that way.
The second picture of you, with the baby, is dreamy. I love it. I can feel your feelings in that picture.
I thought the same until she asked me! I used to be good at haikus but I hadn’t done them in decades probably.
I love that photo of Des and me, even though you can’t see him. It’s just that dreamy, just met feeling!
These was amazing as always, Tamara! Best meal – 1992 at Lawry’s in Beverly Hills. Prime Rib that literally melted in my mouth. For reals. We hope all is well with you, our friend! 🙂
Oh my! Did it have potatoes too? I need potatoes with melt-in-your-mouth meat. I am so excited to see you here and to see that you posted a blog! I’m all over that today.
Hahaha I love the haiku! A lot of people feel that way about meat! It is very, very easy to tell if you undercooked chicken. I won’t go into how gross it looks when it’s not cooked. And beef, well, as long as you cook it for any reasonable length of time, there’s no such thing as undercooking it! This conversation is making me hungry now. I hope that you are having a fabulous time at BlogU! I am so proud of you for going!!
Amy, I really appreciate that! Your tips make sense. I know I can always turn to you for practical and sane cooking advice.
I’m totally hungry now. I ate a lot of bad dorm food..
Good Haiku! I love the fuzzy puppy. I don’t remember specific events with my sister either but more just generalizations. When you love someone that much their life and yours just becomes meshed.
I love the way you said that. It’s just years and years of stories – that so many don’t stick out because maybe they all do. Or they’re all great.
I miss that fuzzy puppy.
creamy middles. Love it.
and now I want a Boston creme donut.
Me too. Me too. I’m catching up on blogs today. Whew boy. Can’t wait to get to yours for a sanity break.
Ha ha love the haiku and eating cookies. What would life be without cookies???
I don’t know, Natalie! And I don’t want to know!
I hope you are having so much fun!!! I really wanted to go to BlogU but the weekend was just going to be too crazy to leave behind. I can’t wait to hear all about it!!
Oh that would have been so good to meet you! Someday.
Have you heard about Bloggy Boot Camp in Philly this September? It’s run by SITS and I’m a new community lead for them and I want to meet, meet, meet people.
Your haiku is awesome! The last line is my favorite part 🙂
haha! Mine too. It was sort of connected to the others, but could also stand on its own.
1. Thank you for introducing us (well me) to Christy. Probably all the other cool bloggers already know her well. She asks some good questions, so she probably can write like a champ, too.
2. The creamy middle is where it’s at. I feel like that as we all drive home from soccer practice or are sitting out by the fire pit and MY Pandora’s playing and no one complains.
3. If Des had been first – would have have had to wear a red pea coat?
Christy is really something else. On our drive back yesterday, I put on Disney Pandora until Scarlet fell asleep, and then I put it on my own stations on shuffle. Scarlet slept for two hours and woke up and said, “Princess music!” The little punk.
Well.. Des. Hmm.. No. I think he’d rock a nice pea coat, though. Maybe a rugged black one? Blue? Green? Chartreuse?
Princess punk, that is. They just don’t allow a parent to get his/her groove on. (This doesn’t stop at age 13. By 16, Elise has wised up and started to listen to dad’s music, too).
I’ve seen dudes in pea coats. It takes a special dude to pull it off. I think with that floppy hair and dreamy gaze, Des would be fine in just about any jacket.
Great description of motherhood – so true! Everything, the good and the bad, is just so much more than I ever expected. Hope you had a fabulous weekend at BlogU!!
I really did – thank you!!
Yes, to motherhood. It’s much more than ever. And much less. Like I really thought my kids would never have tantrums or eat Lucky Charms, but both seem to happen! Sometimes.
Wow so much to comment on. I’ll start with loving the haiku! I enjoyed seeing the misc pictures so far from your weekend via facebook. Nice to see so many faces together. That had to be really cool. As for #5, I started out that way and somehow because a cook over the years. I don’t even know when or how it happened. Believe me it’s not my favorite thing to do. I can remember my husband having the argument about cooking, “Well what about when we have kids?” I said, “I’ll figure it out.” And I did. It might have started with fishsticks but it definitely evolved. Now I’m “so” the cook, Christopher gave me a compliment about a month ago on a meal saying that he thought I deserved a chef hat for Mother’s Day. Thank goodness I didn’t get one.
I’m so glad you followed along over the weekend! It was so much fun and so cool and so weird and so everything. We do a lot of fishsticks around here, actually. I like them. Is that weird? I hated them as a kid and my parents called them “Holiday Delights” – probably because we all grumbled about the name.
I’d kinda like to see you in a chef’s hat – not gonna life.
your ketubah looks amazing. I would love to see more closer up pictures of it!
You know, I was going to take a photo and post it but I got too lazy, I guess!
I will totally do that, though.
I know you had a great BlogU weekend, because, Facebook stalking 🙂
Creamy middles – is it wrong I thought of macarons immediately?
Well I will say that you were missed at BlogU.
Macarons make sense. I thought of Oreos so we are on the same page, although they are not nearly as good.
Loved question #6. True story. 😉
ha! It is. Oh it so is.
Gosh I could have sworn I already commented! I must have written something and then not posted it, in the midst of a bleary-eyed catch-up session over the weekend in Maine. Oh Tamara, I can’t thank you enough for your sweet words. That intro is going in my future Testimonials section! You’re the best! 🙂
I love your answers! ‘Most of motherhood is these wonderfully creamy middles’. Well that sounds appealing indeed! I don’t think your computer/sundress answer is shallow or silly at all. (Especially the computer one- I think a lot of us can relate to that feeling of not wanting to lose data/photos!).
The Cassidy-in-the-kitchen questions was because we have that in common- Andy appreciates it when I cook/wash up, but it’s certainly not something I will jump at! I love to eat food. *Sometimes* I like preparing it 🙂
So glad you had a great, memorable weekend, too! Off to catch up on today’s post!
I’m so happy you made your way back!
Feel free to use my testimonials anywhere! All totally true.
I hope you had an absolutely fabulous birthday week. I am so excited from BlogU that I am barely catching up today, but I’ll get there.
I won’t be helping in the kitchen today, I’ll just say that!
I love reading the details of your present and past. What you said about motherhood, especially resonated. I never knew of such highs and lows until I become a mother.
So much so, that I notice the middles a lot more than I used to – just the even flow of structure and daily life.
I have been admitted to the hospital 4 different times. It was nice having people prepare and serve you meals but you are right they are down right annoying when they constantly come into your room.
I got to spend my 30th birthday in the hospital for a staph infection. I had a pimple that got infected on my face. As soon as I knew it was going to be an issue, I ran to the dr for antibiotics because I just had an issue with a boil a few weeks prior which almost required a hospital stay too. I got antibiotics for it at my dr on a friday afternoon and over the weekend it kept swelling and getting bigger. My dad took me to the ER and I got more medicine and sent home. The next morning I woke up and it was even bigger. My face was super swollen. I had my dad take me back to the hospital and was admitted immediately.
Come to find out that the doctors weren’t treating it with the right medication. It took getting the lab results back to determine if it was antibiotic resistant and apparently it was. While in the hospital, it was very boring even though I had a laptop, phone, and television. I was quarantined to my room and couldn’t roam the halls. It was the worst.
The other times I was admitted was under better circumstances, I came home with three beautiful children. 😉
I am so sorry about your 30th birthday – yikes!
I will say that having been in a hospital twice now, hospital food is actually better than college food. I really believe that. They both leave something to be desired, though.
Phew I am glad to see I am not the only person to have to google ketubah! It looks really fascinating! I love the photo of you and your sisters- how fun to see and read your description of your relationships! I am the middle child too. (Older half sister and younger sister who has also moved to Iowa from Northampton!
ha! I should have included a link to ketubah. There’s also the chuppah. Google that!
I can’t believe everyone left Northampton! It’s so awesome here! Except for today – humid city.
” think I just realized that the highest highs are better than imagined, the lowest lows are lower than imagined and that most of motherhood is these wonderfully creamy middles.” – I love this line, Tamera and couldn’t agree more!
Thank you! It’s so much more high, creamy and low than I ever imagined.
I loved that poem you wrote about yourself at the end, perfect! And you totally hit the nail on the head when you said regarding motherhood that the highest highs are more than you imagined and the lowest lows are lower than you imagined. That pic of Scarlet…she is absolutely beautiful!
Thanks! She makes me very happy. Almost five is such a nice age.
And my poem was so spur of the moment. Now I want to write more haikus!
AMAZING QUESTIONS! I love how you not only went to heaven but you also won the lottery and lived to be 110. LOL! You are so amazing. Cassidy is a great guy! I love that he rolls with the punches and doesn’t have some hangup toward what some people see as a “womans’ job.” That womans’ job mentality would last point zero two seconds in my house, psh. I am a big fan of your “creamy middle” description although now that i’m quoting it, it sounds perverted. I LOVE SISTERS! I have four so I know what you mean, each one is different and there are too many memories to pick just one. MUAH! xoxo
My story may have been a little far-fetched..but then again..maybe not! I guess you don’t know.
Haha! Putting “creamy middle” in quotes is kinda gross, no?
Or it makes me hungry for Oreos?
HAHAHA! Oreos, yeah see why couldn’t my mind go to oreos instead of uhm yeah.
I’ve never seen that picture with your mom in the background! So beautiful! I think we had similar colors at our weddings. Fun! So cool that you are in between two sisters. That was a really great question! Motherhood is exactly how you described it for me, too!
I know I’m a week late posting here, but I just had to say how sorry it is that you’ve gotten sick on Thai food so much. I do love the stuff. Maybe it’s your super-tasting buds? We made Thai food from scratch once, and it had some truly foul things in it. (but that won’t stop me from eating it) And I hope my girls are as close as it sounds like you were/are with your sisters.
I am so behind on reading everyone’s posts! I am slowly catching up, though. I love your haiku! Oh I don’t do hospital stays well at all! I don’t think that I could ever get well in one. I think that the longest I have ever had to stay in one was 48 hours. I definitely always wanted a daughter, too, and one just like the little stinker that I was blessed with! LOL! I wish that I had been closer with my sisters, but there was such a huge age difference between us, that it was almost impossible to hope for. Hope you have a wonderful week!