Silent Saturday – Sock Monkey’s Used Wedding Dress
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Dear Santa, For My Sister
[flickr id=”8265585712″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”none”]I remember writing many letters to Santa. Asking for Cabbage Patch Dolls, Ballerina Barbies, and Star Wars figurines (Princess Leia, please…and ewoks).
Santa ended up on the receiving end of so many of my wishes and hopes. Many unmet, and many that were.
Not once did I ever ask Santa for something for my brother.
Ever.
And yet…today as I read these words from my middle child, “Can you get my sister a barbie for her”.
My heart is just filled with pride. Joy. Love.
The past couple of months have been difficult.
Behaviorally.
Emotionally.
The end of the year naturally causes chaos, but outside forces have added so much more to our lives that some days I fear one, or all, of us might just break.
And then I see the kindness hidden under layers of quirks. The love expressed – perhaps with the help of her aide, perhaps all on her own – toward a sister I often have to keep her from abusing.
And for a little while.
Just a few minutes.
There is peace.
Hump Day Hook Week 5 {Changing Tracks}
Time for another Hump Day hook. Once again I’m talking about my upcoming release with Secret Cravings Publishing. (Their logo will be on the cover soon, I’m still waiting for the final copy – this is the cover I’m pleased to say I designed myself 😀 )
Changing Tracks is the story I worked on for a while. Jane & Cole became such a part of me, I thought I’d never be able to write anyone else. I’ve since learned I have a tremendous amount of characters in my head, but Jane & Cole will always hold such a dear & special place in my heart. I’m so glad that I already have more books to (re)write for them – it is a series after all. Maybe soon I’ll show something from book 2 – but for now I’ll stick with CT and show you another giggle worthy interaction between Cole & Jane. Jane is a sassy smart-mouth minx, with enough opinions to fill an ocean:
“Well you are a woman.” He eyed her appreciatively, “And women should keep their mouths shut. They don’t get opinions.”
“Just because you own the women you bother to keep company with and they must do as you say doesn’t mean they lack opinions. Just means you lack the fortitude to listen to them.”
“If you’re trying to curry favor, you ain’t on the right path.”
Hump Day Hook asks authors to post one paragraph of one of their stories, whether a WIP, one contracted, or already published. Please visit and comment on the participants – you might just stumble on the next great read for your library! To see more participants, click on the HHH banner below:
The Sun, The Moon, & The Stars
[flickr id=”8263289615″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Oh, this box has garnered a lot of excitement in my house this week. It came from BabbaCo, and was so chock-full of good stuff we’re saving half of it until Christmas break when we can take our time and enjoy it.
I couldn’t keep the girls out of it for long, though. We eagerly dove in and took out the Constellation Frame.
[flickr id=”8263288763″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”right”]With 2 sheets of sun-sensitive paper and enough star stickers to overflow the papers, I had to exert some limits on how many stickers to use. Still, the girls had so much fun plotting out where to put them, and insisted on sharing the paper. All the time they were filled with questions and asking about the moon and the constellations – thanks to the coloring pages also provided.
Unfortunately winter hit just before we did this – and gray skies don’t help the paper turn dark so we’re still waiting on our finished product 🙁 To ease the girls disappointment, pulled out the crayons and colored the pages provided.
[flickr id=”8264354868″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]I’ve never seen my girls so focused and quiet for any amount of time before. They wanted their pictures to be perfect. Tongues were bitten in concentration to stay in the lines and make things pretty. Molly decided to make the moon picture she was drawing red like sand, so I suggested that maybe she was coloring it as Mars instead of the moon – setting off a whole new slew of questions.
I used to think about home-schooling, but always worried I’d have no clue where to begin. I wish I’d known about the BabbaBox then. A monthly delivery, always with a theme and relevant projects? With help like this, I might have had more courage to try.
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BabbaBox is a theme-based box delivered to your door that allows you to enjoy a little convenience and inspiration! As any parent can attest, the most important thing you can give to your child is quality time. BabbaBox makes this possible by helping you to save time, money, & mindspace.
Just think! Fantastic monthly activities with ALL the materials for kids ages 3-6. Included in the box are 3 projects + 1 bestselling book + digital download + parent surprise gift!
The best part? Babbabox makes a GREAT unique gift during the holiday season.
Act now! Get 50% off your first month when you sign up for a monthly membership using the code, SWAY100. Offer expires December 31, 2012.
**This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BabbaBox. The opinions and text are all mine.**
Winter Crawls In {Scavenger Hunt Sunday}
Winter has crept in slow and steady – with rain and warm temps.
All taken w/ Canon Rebel XS.
1. Season
Tis the Season for Bokeh galore
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2. Colorful
The editing phase has begun…it involves much colors & highlighting.
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3. Weather
Warm days and rain are not normal weather for December.
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4. Silhouette
Winter Silhouette’s against a night sky
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5. Calm
Nothing calms like a cup of warm milk.
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You can find more pictures over at my flickr account.
Scavenger Hunt Sunday is run by the beautiful Ashley. Head on over to see more Hunters.