Just Jules

Work? What? What have I been doing for the past 11 yrs if not work?

2012-01-23T07:54:00.000-06:00

So back to work. I remember kind of liking Mondays (and totally feeling guilty about it) when my oldest was a wee one and in daycare. Well now I have been a SAHM for 10 yrs and 11.5 months. Today I end that cycle and move onto a new phase. One where I get paid for the work I am doing. I am only subbing and today (my first day) is only for 3 hrs. But oh man how I have dreaded this day

Here I go.

There is a reason- words to remember

2012-01-21T22:28:00.001-06:00

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They may seem like a godsend and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die.

Sometimes they walk away.

Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,

because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it, it is real.

But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must

build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.

TODAY

THANK THE PERSON WHO IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

HAVE BEEN PART OF YOUR LIFE

Even if a small way you can make them feel

That you are indeed thankful for their

Presence as well as the beautiful moments that they have given -

No matter if they are your reason, season, or your lifetime.

Food tastes better when it's pretty (or when your kids aren't crying that they don't like it)

2012-01-20T06:00:00.002-06:00

Eating is something I enjoy far more during the Winter vs Summer. With the sun sitting so low in the Winter sky the beams cast a glow on my counter top right around lunchtime. This makes my food look that much prettier (plus it helps that there are not 4 kids running by saying "I'm starving, I'm going to die, When can we eat?, I don't liiiiiiike egg stuff, can I have your orange?)

Lunch today- Egg Salad and oranges

Egg Salad Recipe:
4 hard boiled eggs sectioned
heaping kitchen Tbsp of mayo or miracle whip
(not the measuring kind, rather the eating kind)
a squirt of brown mustard
salt to taste
and a pinch of sugar (this is the secret ingredient)

Eat on toasted bread or bagel with a heap of fresh spinach and a tomato if you like (which I don't)

Enjoy.

Panakuken

2012-01-19T11:47:00.000-06:00

Today's weather calls for comfort food

Panakuken
(German Baked Pancake)

In a blender:

6 eggs
1C Milk
1C Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla
3 Tblsp Sugar
2 Tblsp melted butter for pan

Mix all ingredients together until smooth

Bake 400 uncovered
in a 9x13 pan
for 20 minutes or
until edges are golden brown
and pull away from sides

With my family of 6 we easily clean up one pan of this easy recipe and could eat a whole other pan. My two younger children love eating it throughout the day as left overs (hot or cold)

I serve it with syrup or berries with whipped cream.

NOTE: This should be eaten directly from the oven as it comes out so nice and fluffy, but quickly falls. So be prepared ahead of time.

Chasing Chikadees (with a 40 below windchill)

2012-01-19T11:13:00.000-06:00

Good frosty morning to you and yours. I woke this morning to a phone call (6am) from the school district telling me school was 2 hrs late but teachers (my husband) had to report on time. Well he had long since gone to the gym. I ran around the house and turned the kids' alarms off with hopes that they would sleep in a bit and crawled back into bed. When I finally emerged from the cocoon that was my bed I ventured outside (only to feed and water the chickens) along the way I decided to snap a few shots. Birds don't have the option of sleeping in and wandering to the fridge for a quick snack to go with their coffee. They have to get up and get to work to survive. The have to persevere and the colder it is the more so this is true. Conditions may not be ideal but they continue to work to survive and when Summer rolls around they again will be singing their happy tunes.

If you want to eat you have to work for it

Even if the conditions are not ideal

We could learn something from birds

Coming in for a landing

White Breasted Nuthatch

Fancy meeting you here

I'm going in

This little guy found a patch of sunlight

Sitting in the sun, trying to warm

Against a cold blue grey sky

A finch stopped by to say hi. The best way to attract finch to your yard is to serve up Thistle Seed

See, it really was cold out there this morning

I came in and my right hand ached from the cold and my cheeks stayed rosy for an hour

But that is what Minnesotans do- challenge the weather

(and we even win sometimes)

It was a moment - a moment I took a breath

2012-01-02T21:53:00.001-06:00

In the middle of me throwing an adult temper tantrum over having to put away the Christmas decorations and my complete dislike for this chore, I caught a glance out of something - this sunset. It stopped me, I inhaled and for a moment it was ok.......... but just for a moment.

(Decorations are put away and I have had a chance to get over it all now. I am fine, now)

New Year/ New Day/ New Possibilities

2012-01-01T22:59:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit: Julie Saari

The moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours. No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen. And the fact that it practically always doesn't, matters not a jot. The possibility is always there. ~Monica Baldwin

Taken December 2, 2011
Near my house
Grace Lake, Mn

copyright TIMTB 2011

Space for my (introvert) girlie -a tiny hideaway- it was easy

2012-01-01T12:18:00.002-06:00

Left over tulle from a birthday party
Ribbon from gifts given by Debra at Sojourner
A set of butterfly wings left over from a Halloween costume years ago
Christmas lights straight off the tree
A staple gun from the garage
and about a half hour.

Now a trip to the store for a larger pillow and a fun fabric to cover the pillows in and we will be set. A hideaway for my girlie who just needs time away (from school, her 3 brothers, the world). I am not an introvert but I am trying to understand.

You might like it a little

2011-11-19T00:15:00.000-06:00

OHHH, the fun I have been having with this site: http://pixlr.com/o-matic/
Go see, I dare ya. I bet you might like it a little

A Minnesota Tradition

2011-11-09T07:35:00.000-06:00

It's that state wide holiday

Deer Hunting!

After hours and hours spent strapped to a tree in a tiny tree stand

and now even more hours sitting in a deer standing

My oldest finally got his first deer

A good size 6 pt buck

I am happy for him

It's a Minnesota Thing

Frosty Fall Morning (Picture Post)

2011-11-03T08:09:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween from Minnie (Mouse) Me

2011-10-31T16:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!!!

disappearing act

2011-10-22T08:16:00.000-05:00

Thank you for the messages, I am fine. I just seem to not have anything worth time to say lately. Kind of just fallen into days of getting things done, trying to remember to breath and then dealing with family until bedtime (after school) followed by watching Netflix and going to sleep. Just nothing exciting right now. I haven't disappeared...just boring

Shot of the Season

2011-10-14T08:30:00.001-05:00

This is my husband diving off a pontoon into the lake.
This is my shot of the season

Realization

2011-10-12T09:12:00.000-05:00

So (as I was cleaning the toilet this morning) I had a realization......

All human fears can be summed up in one word-

UNKNOWN

We are basically afraid of the unknown. Fear of the dark, fear of death, fear of heights- they could all be blamed on the unknown. Yes, it is a scary scary thing, that unknown

thank you Vi.sualize.us

for always having the perfect pic

Time for some football

2011-10-02T14:37:00.002-05:00

(my oldest. The QB)

Football is, after all, a wonderful way to get rid of your

aggressions without going to jail for it. ~Heywood Hale Brown

(my son is the one doing the tackling)

Let's face it, you have to have a slightly recessive gene

that has a little something to do with the brain to go out on the

football field and beat your head against other

human beings on a daily basis.

~Tim Green

Fall 2011- A picture post

2011-10-01T22:56:00.002-05:00

Julie S.
2011

A lesson that needs telling again......

2011-09-30T07:57:00.000-05:00

I originally posted this in July of 2009. I liked it enough to post it again.

The lesson in the van tonight-

It is not what you buy that makes you "cool"

You can not buy yourself into a personality.....

It is who you are

As a person

That matters.

A black eye

2011-09-29T23:02:00.000-05:00

I got a black eye tonight. I got a floor hockey stick on the face. I laughed even though it hurt.

I was the only parent at Family Fun Night for the 6th graders who didn't stand on the side lines but rather played. It was so worth the tiredness, leaky bladder (thank you four pregnancies), loss of breath, sweat, and yes even the black eye. It was a blast and my son (and his best friend who was with us) said they weren't at all embarrassed because of how well I played *heart swell*

This after watching my 6th grader play his first football game. Watching him play QB was a good mom moment. He got an interception, several tackles, and a touchdown.

A good night

and now I can look all tough girl tomorrow

I have a stat counter, and I use it

2011-09-27T22:05:00.001-05:00

Hellllllo Virginia Beach, Virginia
You are sure interested in me. Out of the 100 visits my site meter shows you represented 21 of those visits, that is almost 1/4 of all of my visits!

A big Howdy going out to Mountain View, California you've been by 10 times out of the 100 showing - an even 1/10th of my visits are from you. I feel like I should be offering you a beverage and snacks when you come in ;)

People come to my blog using Google Image search quite often, but they most come for this pic:

Keywords that have been searched:

happy birthday best friend

dance in rain

funny perception

just jules

creatures of habit

dancing in the rain

funny happy birthday best friend pictures

we are the best

best friend birthday

funny racism

The most popular referring URLs are:

http://gothise.com/?link=itisjustjules.blogspot.com

http://gothise.com/?itisjustjules.blogspot.com

http://risingtaste.com/clothes-for-free.html

***Now I have visited those links and can not see how they are getting to my blog from there but find it interesting.Apparently I am hip with the alternative crowd??? *wink*

My most popular post are:

Be My Guest

Sep 21, 2009, 9 comments

956 Pageviews

You will always be younger than me- Happy Birthday...

Nov 28, 2009, 5 comments

798 Pageviews

A guest posting today - Making Connections

Apr 10, 2010, 5 comments

430 Pageviews

Women are Catty!

Jun 18, 2009, 23 comments

381 Pageviews

F-U-N, t.v. crew, dancing in the rain!!! Join me w...

Apr 29, 2010, 7 comments

368 Pageviews

Double Dose of Radiation = Superhero

Mar 4, 2009, 11 comments

360 Pageviews

But, I'm not wearing any underwear!!!!

Mar 22, 2010, 20 comments

306 Pageviews

Why Be NoRmaL....far too boring

Feb 4, 2010, 9 comments

287 Pageviews

Who's Going Down?

Aug 4, 2009, 12 comments

180 Pageviews

What is the point?

Jun 8, 2010, 13 comments

Ahhhh yes, the fun of a stat counter, (and the fact that I just used it to fill a post)

Entering Middle School= Checking Brain at Door

2011-09-27T08:06:00.000-05:00

Middle School
What a cesspool of human emotion.

I guess when a child; one who up to this point has been relatively grounded, incredibly smart, had good social skills and confidence, when this child enters Middle School it must be required to check your brain at the door. Honestly, there must be a (overpaid) person from Admin standing at the door with a big bag....or is it a vacuum? Vacuum makes way more sense...... anyway, they are standing at the door waiting to suck every ounce of common sense and critical thinking skills out of these children.

Last night my son (6th grade wonder that he is) found himself in the middle of a girl and his friend, this girl likes my son's friend. Now it is not the first time this has happened in the 3 short weeks school has been going on. (I guess girls still do the "Ask John if he thinks I am cute" routine) Thanks to modern technology this has become a lot easier - ahhh the joys of texting, a girl doesn't even have to use her vocal cords anymore to express how she "feels" about a boy. I wasn't taking it too seriously but did instruct my son to NOT become that friend in the middle - do NOT become the middle man- because it is always the messenger who gets shot.

As we are working through these things last night I start to realize that he is really being effected by these things. He is already starting to get sucked into the cesspool of idiocy. It is hard to be the wing man even if you are 12 I guess. A ways into the discussion he became emotional and started talking about how hard Middle School is (OHHHH how I know son- one of the worse times of my life!)

::I asked him what the purpose of "dating" someone in 6th grade was.
::What does one do when they have a girlfriend in 6th grade? (it's not like you can go pick her up and take her to the movie)
::How long did he think any of these "relationships" would last?
::Other than to be like everyone else why did he think he needed a girlfriend?
::I then went onto explain that unless there was a girl that really "tripped his trigger" one that he couldn't stop thinking about, one that he found incredibly good looking, funny, smart, interesting and so forth then he should not be so worried because he was only signing himself up for trouble.
::I told him to watch how a few of these "dating" things turned out- to time them and see how long they lasted, to listen to the "drama" that comes of them, to witness with open eyes how very little it means to have a g'friend this long (I mean what do you say? "Can I pick you up at your locker and walk you to Science" )

Sigh..... I don't know

What I do know though is you have to deal with the crap that comes from a relationship for the rest of your life why start so damn young??????

Ok Ok so there is one example.

Then this morning he turns on his phone (that he received for his birthday to communicate with us after school, and I have to say it has come in handy before school too) as he turned it on it vibrated in his pocket. He stopped in the middle of the kitchen and spaced out for a second and said "ohhhhhhh" he then proceeded to hit the vibrate setting and vibrate it up his torso to his face and I stopped him somewhere around his ear as he continued to (in a girly voice) say "ohhhh, ahhhhh, mmmm, vibrating" *shaking head* what the heck ?

Other recent examples:

Today he walked out the door with a pair of shorts, short socks, a t shirt, and an unzipped sweatshirt. It was 40 degrees this morning.

He forgot his backpack- when he came back he didn't put his homework in it.

This child that has worried about his clothes his whole life now hasn't brought home his gym clothes since the start of school 3 weeks ago.

He forgets his homework assignments (when normally he would panic over forgetting something when he hadn't)

I don't think he has opened a book for pleasure since the middle of summer
(no biggy for most kids but this boy would whip through HUGE chapter books- 1 a week - since 3rd grade)

He doesn't seem to understand the simplest of concepts he used to understand many grades ago

He literally is going brain dead I swear!!!!
Now, I read a study awhile back that spoke of this. It said how (especially) boys are effected by hormones and brain development. It is to the point where the frontal lobe of their brain is underdeveloped enough that they display the same kind of behaviors one does when they are drunk (poor judgement abilities, risk taking, slower thought process, fuzzy thinking, etc) Maybe that is his problem. Maybe he is in a way brain dead- or at least suffering from an under developed, hormonally impaired brain........

I am back - wow! that was fast

2011-09-26T00:06:00.000-05:00

back from Vegas

what a crazy fast trip.

I am getting old! My hips are sore from dancing

yes- sore hips *shaking head...

Fun was had and I think my friend enjoyed her birthday weekend!

What happens in Vegas.....(is better therapy than 20 hrs on the couch)

2011-09-22T07:37:00.000-05:00

Mama needs a break

I'm outta here

A quick trip to Vegas

2 nights and very little sleep

Dancing, laughing, some poolside

Where being me is permitted.

Pictures from Vegas always strike me because of my smile

It is a real, genuine smile.
It is not the forced, tight lipped, tense jaw smiles of most of my pics.

I am off to Vegas to smile

Life: It goes on

2011-09-21T07:55:00.000-05:00

I am incredibly organized, task related, multi-tasking, efficient, and capable.

(yesterday the world worked against me on these things,

but today I woke with another chance to get things done)

I am resilient, stubborn, and determined- today, you are mine!

Oh just stop it- calm down and try to stay real!

2011-09-19T11:02:00.003-05:00

(people are getting on my nerves lately)

I understand teaching morals and values and having a sense of who you are and passing that on to your children.....but I am wondering if some people are getting a bit too carried away.

(insert cute cartoon of guy w/ ripped pants- blogger is getting on my nerves too it appears!)

Case in point (I have several, but will stick with this one) I had to run a new pair of jeans into my teacher husband this morning because the back side of the pair he had on ripped (about two inches. from the side of the pocket and down) nothing showed- he tucked his shirt in further to cover anything and called me. I was there by the end of class. He was changed and fine before the next class period.

He is certain he will get a phone call from the principle on the issue.

Why?
Because some student will go home and blow this up to their parents. Instead of the parent saying- wow! that must have been embarrassing for Mr. S. they will call the school and file a complaint.
Seriously.

I mean come on people! Haven't we got a bit crazy? His brand new pants tear after he leaves for his school day. It is an honest mishap, and that is all (one that was resolved quickly) He was not trying to cause undo harm to any students. Calm down and let's stay real here!

As I said- I am wondering if some people are getting a bit too carried away.
What do you think???

Comment Anon if you want, but I'd like to hear your opinion

HHHHMMMMPPPHHHH............

2011-09-17T10:49:00.000-05:00

....... sigh ........

Dreams (mine are odd)

2011-09-15T07:29:00.001-05:00

My husband woke me up right in the middle of kissing John Travolta this morning. John was laying next to Michelle M. a girl I graduated with and had just seen at the class reunion. John Travolta looked like his Pulp Fiction days (of course!).

Prior to that I had been walking down the hall and met Gina who up to a few years ago was Greg (I think all of her surgeries are complete now) Gina was walking down the hall with her former male self Greg- we were in a school and headed different ways.

Before I saw either of them I had accidentally walked into a boys bathroom where I told one of the boys to make it in the urinal before leaving to find the girl's bathroom I had been in search of in the first place. On my way out the door the boys got into a peeing fight in which I got spray- ack!

Heading down the hall after running into Gina/Greg the transgender person, I walked into a classroom that a concert was going on. I will spare you the (odd) details- I will just say it ended with the lady I was with getting thrown up on by the lead singer, and us having to leave so she could change her clothes.

Which brings me back to where I was kissing John Travolta...... he must have been in the house we went to get new clothes at.

yeah..... dreams.....mine are odd.

p.s. I have not posted very many of my own photos because my laptop is in repair and I just do not want to add any more photos to the desktop (which is already an issue.....(1) that there are so many on desktop (2) I don't take the time to transfer them to the external hard drive) as soon as I get the laptop back I will be hopefully getting more of my own photos out there

Day of Rest

2011-09-14T15:08:00.000-05:00

This morning was a day of rest for me
I have been going steady since school started for my children
(and hubby who is a High School Teacher)
Running, doing, being, helping, getting, running..... you know
So I took some time this morning
talked with a friend
watched a bit of t.v.
ate some yummy food
napped
but I woke from my nap feeling panicked and behind.
Calm my anxious heart!

Canning

2011-09-13T09:14:00.001-05:00

pic by Jules

The price of groceries have driven me to canning.

I now understand why Sunday was a day of rest

Women needed some down time after all the effort it took
to put into preserving their food and their families.

Tiring work- yes

Rewarding- I hope so

Sunday thought stuck in my head

2011-09-11T12:27:00.001-05:00

I'd rather believe in God and be wrong
Then not believe
Only to find out (too late) I was wrong

I have stopped attending church regularly.
It has nothing to do with my belief or lack of in God
I just find that I spend my time making 'to do' and 'grocery' lists during the service
We have a great pastor- very thought provoking, but I tend not to listen

I find my time better served with the kids and my husband that extra hour at home
But I do take my kids to Sunday School.
I guess at least there is a foundation there for them to build off from.
It can't hurt them. (after all I'm not bringing them to the Westboro Baptist Church )

pic via Vi.sualize.us

All good things come to an end

2011-09-10T17:21:00.003-05:00

Today was the last day
Last day visiting the river
Last day at the lake
Last day we will act like it is Summer.

pics via Vi.sualize.us

We had a great run of good weather this year (vs last year where 70 seemed rare, and sunshine less prevalent than greyness). This year, the year we frequently swam against the current of the Mississippi, the year we walked forever (and were still only up to our belly buttons) on Cass Lake, the year we soaked up the sun, the year we had more than our fair share of swimmers itch, this was the year we built sand creations and came home sun drunk, this was a great Summer to be on the water....yes this was a great year.

But all good things must come to an end and today is that day.

That being said- I also ended my old blog last night.
I cried as well wishes flooded in.
My former blog received a quarter of a million page views in a short time
(I have had two different URLs since leaving Just Jules, the one I speak of was the second one....
the one before that had triple the traffic of the last)
A sad ending indeed.

In Life.....

2011-09-08T23:29:00.003-05:00

___________________________________________________

I am waiting for the magical "ping" sound that cans make as they seal. I have 6 quart jars full of chopped tomatoes just out of a hot water bath. 45 minutes of steaming up the house. I hope it was not in vain. Please oh please jars make that magical ping sound that means you are sealed.

___________________________________________________

In 2 weeks from tonight I will be packed and waiting to leave for Vegas the following morn. I am going a bit earlier than normal this year, but will be going for a friend's birthday. It is right in the middle of back to school, bear hunting, and dock season (we have a dock and boat lift business). Not sure how it is all going to work- but hopefully more smoothly than I am imagining!

___________________________________________________

We now have 4 beautiful brown eggs from our chickens. We got 18 chix in the middle of April. These are the first eggs they have laid. I was so excited- maybe too excited.

___________________________________________________

Ahhhhhh! some of the jars are sealing.
Ohhhh! wait- 2 more!
I can relax and go to bed now. Phew!

nn all

I'm back....well, I never really left

2011-09-07T13:59:00.004-05:00

I am back to my Just Jules blog identity

I never left blogging really *gasp!
I just took on a new identity for awhile- one in which noone knew me, at least not real life people.
(no need to comment on this one my little peanut gallery of followers following me back here from there)

I needed to be where I wasn't being questioned or where I felt like I had to censor myself, which I found I was doing constantly here. Basically I was 'being someone' in this blog, when really I wanted to find out who I was/am. It was all counter-productive.

I will not be blogging as much, and I rarely have time to blog read- so if I don't comment back on your blog and that offends you, I am sorry. I just don't have much time anymore. I reply back to comments via email often though-so if your settings are such that I can send you back a reply then you may hear from me.

I don't know how this will go over here, but we will see. It is time to try to put who I was and who I am into one person and just be me, just be Jules.

(me this Summer with my blonde hair! I am back to mostly brunette again)

Something worth sharing

2011-07-17T18:56:00.001-05:00

Today I danced in the rain

We received 3/4 of an inch in about 10 minutes

It happened at the Sanford Center

2011-04-21T22:53:00.003-05:00

I have been down for months do to a MAJOR surgery. I finally was able to put a new post up at my webpage for my hometown This is my town: Bemidji
Come see. Here is a preview:

The Peep Show

2011-04-20T08:11:00.002-05:00

Well hello there everyone.
I realize I have not posted on Just Jules for hmmmmmm EVER?
You may even wonder if it is an error seeing me show up in your updates.
But, NO my fine friends I have popped in to show you something!

Look at what I brought home yesterday

18 baby chicks

Oh the sweet sweet sound of peep peep peeping !

If you would like to follow the chicks progression
they have their own FaceBook page
(of course they do!)
Friend us- It's fun!
Thanks for taking a peek at our peep show
~Jules

What is the point?

2010-06-08T08:08:00.004-05:00

I don't know if this blog has a point anymore. I don't find the time to post anymore, and when I do I wonder why. I will keep this blog open for those times I find something to post.....but in the mean time.

Let's just say "We're on a break"

That is the post I have been running through my head for the last couple of weeks. This is what I thought I would say when I logged on this morning, but I can't do it. Summer will afford me things to post about - I know this.

Know I am busy, and trying to get things onto a running summer schedule. I will get it pulled together. I am not sure how or where I found so much time to read blogs before. I do know I was happier when I did find the time to read more. I found great pleasure when I was able to sit down and pound out a few posts and collect my thoughts. I will return. I may turn off comments. I think this may have something to do with it. Having a certain expectation or hope of response and not getting it. I have to return to writing for myself.

I did think of starting over, a new blog- one noone knows of...but I do not want to lose my blog connections, my friends. So, I will get it worked out. I always do.

No point - the last week of school

2010-06-02T12:14:00.003-05:00

What good does the last week of school serve? Children dragging their feet out the door, one in tears over having to go. Field trips, extra recess and playground time, free time all day (yes all day for my 4th grader) yesterday, the lessons are taught and the minds have shut off.... what purpose does it serve for the Elementary school to even be open?

I have moved into the summer mindset. I lose track of time at night - it is still warm and light at 8pm.... hard to remember it is time to lay their heads down.

Next year all four of my children will be in school. I realized this morning that these are the last three days my youngest and I will be alone until my third child graduates (and hopefully) moves out. Wow.... that is 10 no 11? years from now. Amazing to think about.

Off to hang the last hammock and to water the garden again... because I am in summer mode even if the school calender doesn't say it is

Remember to teach the children

2010-05-30T09:30:00.004-05:00

Wars are fought in distant lands
hard to find on a map
and even harder to understand
without experiencing

Children hear the talk
they may or may not know someone
who serves or died serving
but again - it is a story
hard to understand.

Take the time to teach
to explain
to answer the questions
look up the answers you don't know.

Remember to teach the children to remember
to appreciate
to care.

Freedom is ours because of lives lost
Let's remember this weekend.

Why would she stay?

2010-05-25T01:27:00.002-05:00

Kathryn L.

May 2010

Lake Bemidji Waterfront

Stone Steps

Strong is how I would describe Kathryn Lavelle. Brought here by an abusive man, ripped from the environment she knew and left here to survive on her own- a single mother escaping the clutches of yet another abusive relationship. In search for a ticket out of here Kathryn found instead a town that embraced her and helped her heal. She found a place that her life’s pain could be used to help others, she found a home. I will let her explain why Bemidji is her town

Meet Kathryn:

I was born on September 5^th, 1967 from strong-New York born-half Irish-half Italian-church going-Catholic parents at St. Claire’s Hospital in a small New Jersey town called Denville. I lived in NJ until I was 9 years old and then my family moved to Maryland. I grew up in Maryland…Fallston to be exact…until I entered adulthood.

I attended Fallston High School, where the majority of my time was mostly spent skulking through enemy territory. Fallston was a lily white, somewhat affluent, mostly conservative community that seemed hell bent on showing me to my place and forcing me to stay in it. Let’s face it, at the time I was not pretty…I was not popular…I was not a cheerleader…I was never what you would call successful in school. I always felt out of place…as if I was supposed to be living somewhere else…some magical town or city where I could just be myself, breathe deep and be appreciated for my strengths and talents. I later attended Harford Community College only to eventually find myself great with child as they sometimes say, and I had to drop out after only half a year. I had become a statistic,

To read more go HERE

Summer, I can smell it coming

2010-05-24T09:29:00.004-05:00

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. ~John Lubbock

Summer is coming
I can smell it in the charcoal

in the fresh tilled soil

and in the wood smoke

I am getting my to-do list done
early this year
(sand and seal outbuildings)

So that we can enjoy this summer.
I can smell it coming

Am I Insane?

2010-05-23T12:01:00.004-05:00

Am I insane? What would I be committing myself too?
Every week, every other?
Just one month of the summer? Or longer - play it by ear?

So much to consider.... but I want something - I need people, I need fun!
This summer I need more.

I am thinking of hosting yard games this summer. Corn toss, croquet, washers, badminton
Friends, food, fun, fire.......

Sounds fun.
Could it work?
Am I just asking for more work and more trouble?

Just a Swingin' .........

2010-05-19T18:32:00.001-05:00

You can not imagine 50 below, until you live it

2010-05-16T23:34:00.002-05:00

Photography by Julie Saari

Ashley H.

Filming “Common Ground”

North East of Bemidji

April 2010

Ashley was the one to contact me. She asked me if I would take part in her LPTV show Common Ground. I was so new into my project this prospect made me nervous. We met and discussed the possibility at a downtown coffee shop. When we left I was going to take part in Ashley’s show and she was going to participate in my project. She would be filming me taking pics of someone and I in turn would take pics of her filming someone,a very snake eating it’s own tail tale. What I learned is Ashley is learning to live in the Greater North. Brought here temporarily for a job, she is staying for reasons not listed in the travel brochure.

This is Ashley:

I was offered a job, I was moving to a new city! Life, as I knew it, was great! I received a packet in the mail from the Bemidji Chamber of Commerce, including ALL the information I needed to know about the city of Bemidji. Sure, the temperature looked colder…. and my friend’s eye’s nearly bugged out their heads when they saw 50 below in all of that information…but, it never really impacted me?

I guess, a naïve Ohio girl had never felt 50 below, so it was no big shake. I was ready!

Permanent and I am not talking about Sharpies

2010-05-14T21:25:00.003-05:00

I got a tattoo today. Actually I got 5 tattoos today. 5 birds.

Birds can go anywhere. They are able to fly anywhere in the world- yet they tend to stay near the place they were born.

Birds leave the nest, they fly off. Some go as far as other continents, yet they always remember where home is.

Birds are beautiful

1 bird for each of my children on my shoulder
1 on my wrist for my little girlie who did not stay here on Earth... she has already taken flight.

Do women ever grow up

2010-05-14T00:03:00.002-05:00

I was in my favorite coffee shop this morning. It was busier than normal. Too busy for my taste. I am used to being there during the quite part of the day- to pay my bills, balance my check book, read, etc. It is like my office away from my house (as is it for many)

It was loud today however, too loud for my reading - even with my mp3 player. I gave in and just sat for a moment trying to pick up on the conversations - listen without gawking sort of thing. (you know that, I know you do)

There were three older (70ish) ladies two tables over from me. Listening to their conversation ended up being quite hilarious and a bit eye opening. Their conversation was basically that of a group of thirty year old woman mixed in with some complaints about technology from the one. Honestly, do we as women never grow up and move on from the same gripes? Husbands, kids, family, one was quite hung up on the de-personalization of humanity due to Facebook..... can we not move past the same thing and find something better to talk about? As I said, it was both good for a giggle and eye -opening.

When I am 70(ish) and hopefully able to hang out with my "coffee chickas" I will make it my goal to bring up interesting things to talk about.... a bit more philosophical. I will try to get my group to use their experience and wisdom to pull out a decent conversation.... like-> do you think that major events (births, deaths, tragedies, etc) define us as a person? make us who we are?

However, I probably will just be bitching about my husband and kids.

Woodshed Wisdom

2010-05-10T21:33:00.010-05:00

There are some things I was thinking about as I split wood on Mother's Day. I started telling these bits of knowledge to my daughter as she watched me work. I realized I was spouting off some pretty good "Woodshed Wisdom" I ran to get a piece of paper - good thoughts are rare these days, wouldn't want to let them go to waste!

A lot of what holds true to logs seems to hold true to people:

* Anything will break if you hit it in the right spot

*The logs that are the hardest to deal with are those that are spoiled rotten inside

*Letting go at just the right time is key to not getting hurt

*Read a log before trying to split it- it will tell you where to hit- much like people

*If you are too tired to do the job it is near impossible

*Start with the biggest, hardest logs- you will be too tired at the end to split them.
Conquer the toughest task first

*If you keep your eye on the target and swing hard you won't miss. Closing your eyes or being hesitant will lead to failure.

*Use momentum

*A log much like a family- is strongest where all it's branches come together.

*You have to work around a knot, you can not break it.

*The base of a tree is toughest for it has the most experience/years on it.

Manual labor can give a person perspective

Warning- You are about to see my "mom pants" also known as my work jeans.... they keep everything where it is suppose to be.

Yes, logs were hurt in the making of this slideshow- deal with it!

Pictures taken by Addie with Nikon D60
in three separate attempts (to get the whole sequence)

Meet Kirby

2010-05-10T09:04:00.001-05:00

Photography by Julie Saari

Kirby
Movil Maze
Northeast of Bemidji
April 2010

I had just finished a meeting downtown. A truck with a trailer pulled up and parked as I crossed the street heading toward my vehicle. The emblem on the side resembled that of a super hero, and maybe Kirby (The Bike Guy) is a super hero, at least in the world of bikers. Kirby grew tired of trying to make a living and decided to try to earn money doing what he liked instead. This decision seems to have served him well. Mobile bike repair with same or next day service is something this town obviously needed. But there is a man behind the business

Meet Kirby H. (aka The Bike Guy):

Water, pine trees, wood smoke and ‘smores, that was the beginning of my personal Bemidji. I guess I am lucky that my parents loved to camp. When I was a kid the word “Bemidji” was magic. I have heard it said that a picture is worth a thousand words, but to an eight year old growing up in the middle of the Red River Valley, the word “Bemidji” conjured up a thousand pictures. Here a few words about my town, you will have to fill in your pictures yourself.

Summer, the camping was in the summer.............

To read more go HERE

To see the photo shoot go HERE

I am: a mom, yet more

2010-05-09T11:17:00.006-05:00

I am:

I am a mom

I am blessed x 4

I am a wife

I am a business owner

Yet I am still a woman
(who is still wild/untamed)

I am a work in progress

Love me for who I am
Appreciate me for who I am trying to become
Don't try to change me, rather enjoy it
You can't hold back the wind.

I posted over here too - a note to my daughter (more pics too)
I wrote a post here - for my son (a pic too)
Mother's Day funny below

Happy Mothers Day!!!

2010-05-08T21:28:00.001-05:00

Love to all the moms out there
and a special hug to my mom.
Sorry I can't be there today.

Waiting

2010-05-08T17:49:00.003-05:00

Hey. Where have I been? What am I doing?

I don't know that I really can answer that . I am in limbo. Waiting.

Waiting for nicer weather to start the outside stuff again. Waiting for the motivation to tackle the grass that is taking over the garden soil - lawn trying to reclaim it's old territory.

Waiting for the next stage of my life - so I don't have to wonder what I will be doing when I grow up.

Waiting for summer always.

Waiting for my kids to grow past this stage and then wondering how they got so big so fast.

Waiting for things to slow down - knowing they never will, not soon anyway.

Waiting for one kid to get over the bug - stomach crud... waiting for the next one to get it, or for myself to end up head first in the toilet.

Waiting for my next thing and missing the opportunities in between the ones I am waiting for

Waiting for the wash machine and the dishwasher to finish, waiting for the kids to get on the bus and off the bus, waiting for rain, and then praying for sun.

Waiting too long to go to bed, not wanting to give in to the tired.

I am still here, I am just waiting.

What a friend is

2010-05-05T21:21:00.001-05:00

Description of a friend:

One that will pull one of her best employees and "make her" be your babysitter for Friday night so that you can still go to a party (thrown in your honor).

Thank you!!!!

It could really make a difference in someone's day

2010-05-03T22:35:00.005-05:00

So, this is what I don't like. You are talking with a lady, a friend (sorta) and they say, "We should do that sometime" and you think YES... but you say, "that would be great, we should" and you smile and walk away thinking "....we should" But it just doesn't happen. Ever. How do you cross that line? How do you make it happen? How do you make a new friend?
Females are awful. Catty, mean, opportunistic, selfish, evil really. They can also be kind, caring, motherly, devoted, loyal and giving. We woman protect our own.

But, how do you get into that realm with a woman? How do you 'make nice' become a friend? Be the one they defend instead of the one they stab and spit at?

Making friends is not easy. It is not easy for adults and it is becoming quite obvious that it is not always easy once Kindergarten is over.

My girlie is having problems making friends. Her best friend moved to a school across town leaving her to fend on her own. She had friend trouble last year too but always had her b.friend to fall back on.

I have done all I can personally as far as getting involved. I have been in the classroom, I know the girl, I have observed on the playground. I have talked to my Girlie. What I have learned (and some of what I already knew) Third grade is a hard year for girls - they start to grow up. The pre-hormones kick in. They start to notice boys and vice versa. They learn there is power with words and with no words. They get bitchy.

After trying everything we knew my hubby had a moment of inspiration - instead of telling our girl to go make friends and to ask people to play (in which she countlessly gets turned down and hurt) he backed WAY up and decided to teach her the basics of socialization and friendship. Today's lesson - give someone a compliment, just one girl, one compliment. Say something nice to one person in your class and tell us what happened when you get home.

Guess what - she did it (after crying for 1/2 hr the night before at the mere thought of it). She told one of the nicer girls (let's call her Ann) in her class that she liked her shirt (I told my daughter a few of the girls to avoid - let's make this easy on her) and Ann asked Girlie to play at recess. WOW! It worked.

Tomorrow's lesson - two compliments, one to Ann again and one to another girl. Plus if I can sneak in a suggestion I will tell her to mention to Ann how much fun she had playing on the playground with her the day before.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This has got me to thinking. We all need to be nicer to other woman - my dear women friends. We protect and support our friends, but do we make it easy for other woman to get in, or do we leave them standing alone on life's playground sad and feeling lonely?

Today's lesson - Compliment someone today. Just one lady. It could really make a difference in someone's day.

This just in from Facebook, and Twitter confirms

2010-05-03T15:05:00.002-05:00

I do not watch the news. You know that. It irks me to no end. If I do watch I will watch BBC - because they seems to be a bit more for promoting news.

However, here we go - I turned on the news again. Headline News on CNN to be exact. Why? I guess so I could have fodder for a blog post.

If I hear another news reporter say- from Facebook.....
or
on their Facebook page.....
or
we are getting off from our Facebook page.......

Ok Ok I get it - Facebook is the top place for information - but for news? really? I don't think so. That is saying the water cooler is the best place to get your facts from.

Let's keep Facebook for our family updates, drunken messages on Saturday night for some, pictures and other random tid bits..... But NOT for the news.

Thank you, and carry on.

all the ......'s were for you Os. Sorry. Got a bit carried away!

"Ruby" Big brown eyes.... loves to be pet

2010-05-02T23:44:00.002-05:00

Photography by Julie Saari

“Ruby”
Downtown Bemidji
April 2010

Ruby “works” at KD Floral flower shop on the corner of 3rd St. and Minnesota Ave. I find myself returning to this shop time and again not so much for the flowers (which are always fresh and beautiful) but, rather to see Ruby. Always friendly and happy to see you, she greets customers with her caring brown eyes and a wag of her tail. ‘Pet therapy’ is what I call it, what would you call it?

If you haven’t already,

Meet Ruby:

Squirrels, birds, frogs, trails, snow banks, lakes, and creeks. It’s the perfect place for a dog. There’s always something to do where I live. You should see all the forest left to explore! I love to run on the trails that are out by our house. You can run and run and tumble and nothing gets in your way. And in the winter sometimes the snow is so deep my head barely shows above the top. Yea, it’s pretty great living here.

I didn’t always live here.......................

You can read the rest HERE

To view a slideshow of Ruby’s photo shoot click here

No More Sorrow

2010-05-02T08:17:00.000-05:00

Dancing in the Rain!

2010-04-30T13:25:00.002-05:00

Photograph by Jon Heller

Trying to wake the dead!

(if you notice this was in a cemetary)

F-U-N, t.v. crew, dancing in the rain!!! Join me with a smile

2010-04-29T13:38:00.003-05:00

Today our Public Television station followed me on a photo shoot for my project - This is my town: Bemidji. I took pictures of a gal while they filmed me. It will be featured on their Common Ground show (see link). It will air in June I believe. It was a lot of fun to do.
Then when I got a home a local photographer popped into my Facebook page and said he wanted to take pics in the rain. I told him I wanted to dance in the rain. So..... I am going to dance in the rain while he takes pics! How fun! Absolutely F-U-N! (maybe it will look like this (but I will wear a bra) )
Then I am going to come home and collapse! I am dead tired. A short rest will be in order. I forsee take out tonight......

What I meant to say - you know you love it!

2010-04-27T23:48:00.006-05:00

K - I am warning my mother and my friend Deb, just down the page there is a pic or two of the middle finger.... do not proceed if you are going to grumble about them. My blog, my pic choice. Look through your fingers if you have to - warned you....
Oh I am so excited to play again! It has been awhile!Let the fun begin!!!!

WIMTS ---->

To the d*ck head that scraped my black van with your red car door: What I said was (in front of my pre-schooler who is 5) "OH MANNNNN!!! look at this, someone put a ding in my door."
WIMTS- "You suck! Seriously suck, I am going to hunt you down and put huge black van door marks all over your red car. Further more did you have to push the door so hard it slid and put about a 1 inch mark instead of the standard ding with trace remnants of paint? Again, to be clear, YOU SUCK!!!!"

To the person who irked me via email Monday night: I said WIMTS here, in yesterday's post.
(what I did say was too long (via email) to post here, I won't bore you)

To my period: What I said was "ohhh, hello you again. Looks like it is you and me for the week."WIMTS- I am so over you. I could be fine if you would go away and not come back. My child bearing days are over. Thanks for the years of pain, bloating, irritability, discomfort, and fall out to others you have caused. You provided a nice warm safe environment for 5 babies.... but those days are done now - go away. (But don't leave in your place the horrid hormonal side effects that you tend to leave when you go away )

To my cat: When he tried to trip me down the stairs because his food bowl was empty (his means of getting my attention) What I said was, " ohh, are you hungry? did I forget to feed you?"pic by Jules

WIMTS -" If you kill me you idiot beast, there will be no one left to feed you. That water bowl that gets fresh water in it several times a day? gone.....it will dry up and no one else will notice. Your limp half dead body may be noticed by the rest of my body, but only after notice they are stepping over my body at the bottom of the stairs (or the smell gets to them first) So, don't kill me on these stairs cat, because it will be the death of you too!!"

Racism is funny (not really)

2010-04-27T07:48:00.006-05:00

You know what I find funny - racism.

NO racism in itself isn't funny AT ALL. But, rather, the perception some people have. I was attacked (gently) last night via email from someone concerning my project. What I found funny (like car crash funny) is the fact that this person chose to "judge" me without meeting me, or (imo) worse! without asking for further explanation.

Yet, this is ok. It is ok to judge me before meeting me because I am white.
Maybe this is reverse - racism??? (If we are using this persons argument)

I know - tread lightly - this is a touchy subject. (I get that)

But, I mean it.... and I think of it often.....

Why is it racist for me to judge someone who is say Spanish American, when my judging has nothing to do with their race (yet it gets called racism). When in turn this person can turn around and judge me? (yet it would never be called racism) Some of these people who are on this particular soap box are the worst offenders.

Now, this person was not African American. But, they are not Caucasian either. Let me just say that I did not back down, and I did call this person out on their quick judging of me, which to me seemed to me to go against what they stood for.

But, damnit I was mad!!!! So, without too many details, now you know!

p.s. noone was harmed with this post, let's keep it that way in the comment box

Yoga Queen

2010-04-26T08:25:00.004-05:00

First, I am over here too:

Next - a new post is up on my website This is my town: Bemidj

Photography by Jules

Karen (or Ambika!)

Downtown/Lake Bemidji Waterfront

March 2010

Strong, stoic, a wolf at heart, Karen wowed me with her smile and calmed me with her centered presence. A warm Spring day and cold Lake Bemidji were our backdrop. We talked and I snapped pictures. Karen did one yoga pose after another, making them look effortless. Years of experience and teaching give her this advantage. Well known around town we stopped often to chat with people passing by. Fun, energy, lover of life – this is the impression I was left with, what impression does Karen give you?

This is Karen F:

It’s not about me loving Bemidji, it’s more about Bemidji loving me! Both sets of paternal Great Grandparents came from Sweden and settled in Guthrie so I’ve always had roots and relatives in the area. My earliest memories of Bemidji are of “going to town” with my grandparents. Grandpa brought milk to the crea mery and Grandma, the Guthrie Reporter, handed in news to The Pioneer. I often made news; “Karen Lillquist, Bud’s girl, rode the Greyhound from Minneapolis to visit Art and Irene at home. She attended Ladies Aide, played with cousins, and rode her horse.” I thought I was famous in Bemidji. I still do….. I kind of am.

I didn’t plan on living up north permanently and even after 3 decades I sometimes feel like its time to go back to city life. Bemidji is a vacation place and I’m allergic to pine trees..................................

Written by Karen F

To see a slideshow of Karen’s photo shoot click here

pics by Jules

Read the rest HERE

My how they grow - a picture

2010-04-25T18:30:00.000-05:00

Be Strong

2010-04-25T15:26:00.000-05:00

Comparing moms to daredevil motorcyclists

2010-04-24T16:51:00.005-05:00

For moms with younger kids. What size shoes do your kids wear? How about pants, shirts, and underwear? Where is the syrup at? Where can the extra toilet paper and papertowels be found? If I were to ask you when the last time the house plants were watered or the floor vacuumed I am guessing most of you could tell me. What day can you find the best produce at the market and which store has the better quality meat? These are all things that are no brainers to you, right? Bath times, the way your child eats their toas,t or goodness, what way NOT to cut the toast, these are all things moms know.

The fact that these little gems of knowledge are not broadcast around makes our job seem a lot easier than it really is. When we are coasting through our day making it look effortless (when, really, you and I both know we are one broken plate away from going over the edge) that in reality it is a well orchestrated performance. One that is rehearsed every day. One that is learned in time. Our job is no easier then the dare devil at the fair riding his motorcycle around and around the cage - but like him, we make it look easy.

So as Mother's Day approaches this Spring - think of that.

You are a motorcycle driving dare devil on their daily task of taking care of a child and the household and making it look easy in the process.

So the next time your spouse comes home and says, " What did you do all day?" You just tell them you rode motorcycle around a wire cage all day.

Earth Day Images (that you haven't seen)

2010-04-21T23:31:00.004-05:00

Who says recycling is boring?
Recycling: it makes you better

Don't let excuses get in the way:
This guy is showing you up!

Do your part - today - everyday.
Happy Earth Day 2010

A Creative Energy: Cate

2010-04-20T20:33:00.002-05:00

Photography by Jules

Cate B.
Cass Lake Elementary School
April 2010

Somewhere between roller derby practice, judging performances for a music scholarship, child’s theater practice, classes, workshops, and meetings, Cate whittled out a bit of time for me. I met Cate for the first time at The Wild Rose Theater in downtown Bemidji. Trying to keep up with Ms. Belleveau and snap pictures at the same time was, to say the least, a challenge. One can not help but feel her constantly creating, it seems to be second nature for her. A buzz of activity and energy Cate’s spirit fills a room.

Meet Cate:

An athletic 8th grader traveling with her Wisconsin based family on a trip around Lake Superior and its environs was told “ Haul out everyone we need a break and this grassy lake front seems perfect!”

Six kids were stuffed in a baby blue Ford station wagon and welcomed rolling down the grassy hills that came to a pleasant stop at the shores of Lake Bemidji. After picnicking on that sunny August day and doing the “Cheese Smile” at the statues of Paul & Babe , we continued on to Lake Itasca. That would be a must-see if one was visiting northern Minnesota.......

You can find the rest of Cate's story here

Cate's photo shoot can be found here

Let the games begin

2010-04-19T21:46:00.003-05:00

Home Sport and Travel Show is over.
It is like the opening ceremonies to the dock season.
We made it through again for another year.
Now the busy time begins with installing docks and boat lifts
and delivering what we sell.
Let the games begin.

Recovering the house from a week of neglect was on the agenda today.
I did sneak outside for about 20 minutes and walked to the garden.
It was gorgeous. I had to be forced back in.

May Flowers- a bit early, like everything this season.

He's a Superstar and b.s. sale lines

2010-04-17T08:24:00.005-05:00

James , left, owner of Boon-Docks, shows off the deck on a boat dock to Vic and Betty Lynne at the 33rd annual Bemidji Jaycees Home, Sport & Travel Show Friday afternoon at the John Glas Fieldhouse. About 150 booths are part of the show, which is open today from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pioneer Photo/Monte Draper

Picture and article from here.

article:

The 33rd Annual Bemidji Jaycees Home, Sport and Travel Show gives visitors a sampling of the myriad opportunities available in the area.

From playground equipment to docks, kettle corn to brats, fireplaces to log buildings, the Home, Sport and Travel Show is an exhibit of diversity. The show in the John Glas Fieldhouse ran from 3-8 p.m. Friday and continues from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, April 17, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 18. More than 150 exhibitors set up booths Friday to show off their goods and services.

Jeri Fuller at the First Realty booth said she and her colleagues will give away bicycles to winners of the children’s coloring contest. Participant will receive a sheet of paper to design their dream home.

Other booths have visitor gifts such as lollipops and bookmarks. But perhaps the most iconic give-away is from Bob’s Econo Pump booth. Visitors there can take away rolls of toilet paper wrapped in an image of an Econo Pump truck and the slogan, “If you ain’t a-flushin’ we’ll be a-rushin’.

Many of the exhibits relate to northern Minnesota culture. Fishing Has No Boundaries has an upstairs booth, while hot tubs, patio arrangements, fishing gear, chainsaws and lawn care companies display their wares downstairs.

Some booths, such as Sport and Spinal Rehab, offer on-the-sport services such as that business’ “Free Thumper Back Massage.”

Entry to the Home, Sport and Travel Show costs $3 for a single ticket, $6 for a family ticket, with children 6 years old and younger admitted free. Those who bring Bemidji Community Food Shelf items to donate can deduct $1 from their entry fee.

________________________________________________________

My husband made it on the front page of our paper and it's website. We are at a "Home, Sport, and Travel" Show this weekend selling our docks and boatlifts to potential customers.
Oh man do the lines fly when you are selling. Here are a few lines:

::Everyone has lake shore property (after all it is Minnesota) just some of us need longer docks.
::Well sir, who doesn't need a new dock? You surely deserve it....
::Imagine your family at the cabin enjoying this.
::Oh you will be the envy of your neighbors.
::I can move this thing around and I am just a little girl, a big strong guy like you will have no problem. (bat eyelashes)

I'll stop there! But you get the point.

Off to stand inside on a cement floor for 9 hours. Enjoy the beautiful Spring day outside.

Have you really looked?

2010-04-14T16:33:00.002-05:00

This post is from last May. I saw my first dandelions of the season and thought of what I wrote last year.

Have you ever really looked at a dandelion?
Click to enlarge this pic
and REALLY look at it.

They are beautiful!
We have been told they are not
They are a weed
and We believed them.

It wasn't until I set this pic as my
Wallpaper/background
that I realized they were wrong.

What else have they told us
That we believed
Without forming our own opinion....

They might be wrong...

Everyone Has A Story: David

2010-04-12T07:16:00.002-05:00

: South of Bemidji

 Photography by Julie Saari

David H.

South of Bemidji

March 2009

I found David quite by accident. I knew I wanted a logger to be part of my project. But, how does one find a logger? After all they work in the woods. I happened across a site, took a chance and scrawled a note on a piece of paper and stuck it on the truck at the site. I was praying he didn't think me crazy. Instead, he called me. He was excited. See, David knows he has a story, and he was ready to tell it. To me this is the best kind of story; one of a life well lived, and lived simply.

The day I took David's pictures it was his 63rd birthday. He was ready to go and had everything planned to make my experience easier. What he may not have known is I loved being out in the woods. I could have stayed all day; the trees, the smells, the quiet taken over by one lone chainsaw.

David has a story, here it is:

I grew up on a farm near Guthrie. My first involvement with the timber industry was my brother and I cutting aspen off our family farm to sell to the Nu Ply plant in Bemidji. We used our Ford farm tractor and a two wheel trailer loading and unloading all the wood by hand. After we had stacked the cut pulpwood in a place a truck could reach we hired a logger who had a truck to haul it to NuPly.

After graduating from high school I continued to log some in the same way and also to work for loggers who had more specialized equipment. Until I graduated from the University of Minnesota, Forestry school, spring 1970; I worked weekends and breaks logging for myself or for loggers to pay my way through school. By the time I graduated I knew I really enjoyed logging. The development of rubber tired skidders and hydraulic log loaders had taken the backbreaking labor out of the process and made it possible to log more difficult terrain. However, before I could start logging full time I had a military obligation to fulfill........

Written by David Horn

To read the rest of David's story head over here: This is my town: Bemidji

To see a slideshow of David's photo shoot click here

A guest posting today - Making Connections

2010-04-10T05:46:00.000-05:00

I am not here. I am in South Dakota visiting my oldest bro. He has a new bar and wanted my other brother and I to visit for the night. We will maybe be gone 18 hrs, but I am happy to go. So, I have a guest blogger today

A guest post from 25 by 35 . Show her some love.

vi.sualize.us

I have a new Pen Pal and I met her through our blogs. She has a blog about motherhood – though it’s not exactly a mommy-blog, it’s more of the identity-crisis variety, which is perhaps why I was drawn to her.

My blog is about losing 25 pounds by my 35^th birthday, but I have had several blogs over the years and this particular person is the only person I know who is aware of all of them and has read them. So in a sense she knows me pretty well, all the facets of me. She swears she isn’t as complicated or complex as I am; I would disagree.

But there is something about putting pen to paper, creating ink words on a pretty piece of stationery, choosing to scribble or using your best handwriting and sealing the envelope with your very own saliva. It is something infinitely more personal than blogging, even though the subject matter is significantly less personal. What you choose to put on the two pages is telling, and the letter is touched by your hands, your eyes, your mouth and your soul.

Whereas blogging is diarrhea of the keyboard, a letter is special. It is an isolated event and it is a part of you that you give away. After it is sent, there are no edits, no second chances to re-read what you wrote, no looking back.

With blogging, you know people are reading but you don’t really know who. Even your commenters are cartoon characters; imaginary friends. But when I send my letters to Kate, I know that there will be a moment, whether it happens when she checks the mailbox or when her husband hands her a small stack of things addressed to her, that she will see that I was thinking only of her while I wrote this letter. Maybe it will give her the small jolt of electricity her letters give me; maybe I make too much of it all.

How this happened I can’t exactly say. She blogged about being lonely, or was it bored? I asked for her address. Yes, I think that’s how the story goes. So I sent her a letter.

I half expected that to be the end of it, but a week later, I checked my mail and there she was. Much more feminine and composed than she has ever laid claim to in her blog. A pretty piece of cream-colored paper with the silhouette of a lady walking her dog embossed at the top.

Blogging has been my salvation and my Achilles’ heel, the thing that sustains me and controls me. I love to write, I need to be heard, and so blogging is, in the end, a good thing.

But my Pen Pal is a new twist on the never-ending ways I seek connection with real, live people and I begin to wonder if one Pen Pal will ever be enough. I feel as though I could write letters all day, send them into the world and dream of a speedy reply.

3D glasses got me thinking

2010-04-09T09:27:00.003-05:00

Our children listen and they hear what is the 'right thing' to do. But, if we don't back up these messages with our own action, they will not do the 'right thing'. We are their example, we are the end all be all in teaching right and wrong. We can tell our children not to talk mean and yell at each other but if that is the way we communicate - good luck getting them to act differently. If they know to recycle, yet we don't provide for them the tools to do so - how can they? We provide our children with the resources to be who they will grow to be. What are you teaching? What am I?
This comes up after going to the 3D version of How To Train Your Dragon (which was totally worth the $8 a person). At the beginning of the movie a little snippet comes on asking the movie goers to recycle their 3D plastic glasses in the bins provided outside the theater doors at the end of the movie. We make it through the movie and shake off the darkness as we walk out into the light of day (it was a matinee). My children grab their glasses and search out the bin. Without thinking I toss my glasses in and my children follow suit. We have a small discussion about why they ask us to recycle the glasses and what probably happens to the glasses once they go in the bin (initiated by the kids). A man, woman, and maybe 5 yr old child come out of the theater behind us. The boy is insisting (loudly) that the glasses get recycled. "We need to recycle our glasses.... it said in the movie to put our glasses here at the end....we NEED to... THEY said...." My kids and I stepped back and watched this happen. "Put your glasses in here.... we HAVE to they said" The woman and man are looking at this child like they are not sure whose kid this is. The woman finally grabs her glasses and tosses them in. The man kinda laughs and mumbles and starts messing with his phone. Again, the boy insists. The man tiring of all this turns and says - we could use them for shows at home (HELLO DIPSH*T no you can't!!) anyway.... The boys says "Well if you aren't going to do it, neither am I" and he was just pleased as punch.

My kids acted as though they had just witnessed the biggest crime possible. They talked about this for the next 1/2 hr. Amazed. I was amazed at the influence that truly does exist in us as adults. Of course we know this - but to see it play out so obviously.... made me think.

Collaborative Photo Project-Art

2010-04-07T14:02:00.003-05:00

Deb's Contribution: Detail of Bronze Sculpture by Michael McCullough, Ridgeway Colorado

Jules' Contribution: painting by Deb, crocus by Mother Nature

I just wanted you to know

2010-04-07T08:18:00.004-05:00

So it begins. The weather has turned the ice is off and......the phone has started ringing. Yep a ringing phone. People calling to get their dock in, husband calling with things that need to get done, sales calls. This is all fabulous and a business owner that complained about business would be crazy -but wow! it is a bit early, by a month.

I have been working on some reading, my project has taken over my brain - the FB page has exploded (for a town our size), I still have the kids to deal with and am working on a whole "let's talk nice and not just yell right away" campaign with them, their is outside stuff that is now needing to be done after the snow has melted, along with the normal housework stuff which just seems to be too much lately (read - I do not want to do it.), etc etc

Excuses - maybe.

But I am not around as much and I just wanted you to know.

Meet Lisa - a hometown girl

2010-04-05T01:14:00.002-05:00

 Photography by Julie Saari

Lisa W.
Back Alley Downtown Bemidji
February 2009

What if someone never leaves their hometown? Do you consider them stuck? Or are they blessed to have been born into the town they were meant to live in?

Lisa W. is one of the first people I see on my days in town. A quick stop into Harmony Co-op for my Certified Organic Free Trade $1 cup of coffee serves more as a recharge of the spirit than a hot beverage. Seeing Lisa there stocking the fruits and vegetables is a kind of comfort to me. The contentment of her face made me want to know her story, maybe you will find it interesting also. Do you think she got stuck?

This is Lisa:

Bemidji’s my hometown. I was born in the nursing home right off Bemidji Avenue which used to be the area’s main hospital. I graduated from Bemidji Middle School, Bemidji High School and Bemidji State University, got married (and divorced, and married again, ahem) in the Bemidji courthouse, had a baby in the “new” Bemidji Hospital, and landed a job in downtown Bemidji at a our only community owned grocery store. You get the gist. I’m one of those: a local. Not a seventh-generation indigenous local or a third generation Scandinavian-settler local, but the kind of local that was simply born here and feels Bemidji in her blood.

The question most hometown people get, from my experience, is ‘why didn’t you ever leave? Or ‘what made you stay?’ ..........

To read the rest: follow this link.
Be sure to view the slide show posted at the bottom of Lisa's story too.

Spotted (and I had my camera for once!)

2010-04-04T21:38:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love a fuzzy bunny?

2010-04-02T17:48:00.001-05:00

Have a happy and blessed Easter
I will return after the holiday.

Happy April Fools Day - Need some ideas?

2010-04-01T07:28:00.003-05:00

Last night my husband moved all four kids around to different beds when they were sleeping (and their alarm clocks too) so that when they awoke this morning they found themselves confused. It was good for a giggle and a bit of talk this morning around the breakfast table. What did you do/ have done to you?

These ideas are kinda funny:

My super secret project revealed

2010-03-30T07:51:00.005-05:00

Your Mom’s Tattoo Atelier
Downtown Bemidji
February 2009

I walked into Mike’s business, a cold call. I had nothing but an idea. I nervously explained how I wanted to collect the stories of people who live in Bemidji; people who loved living here. Because, everyone has a story, I want to know what they are- don’t you?

Mike listened, smiled, and agreed. He agreed to the project. I had no site, I didn’t even have my camera with me. Just off the street. I came into his shoppe and was made right at home. A man gifted in his work using few words, rather speaking through his inks. An artist.

You have a story, everyone walking the streets of Bemidji has a story, so does he.

What is it?

Join me as we find out.

A hometown boy who left, only to return to the very town that had once stifled him. Leaving showed Mike who he was. Returning allowed him to become that person. This is the story of Michael Wiltse:

I am originally from Bemidji, MN. I was born in the mid-seventies and grew up in the downtown region of Bemidji. As a child I never really liked Bemidji that much, I suppose it was because of youth dreams of other places.

To read more and to see Mike's slide show of pictures please go to my new website:

This is my town: Bemidji

This is my super secret project I have been hinting at for a month and a half now. I "officially" launched the site last night. Special thanks to Julie Michelle for the inspiration from her site - I live here: SF. I also need to give Mike at WildernessVoice a shout out for helping me navigate WordPress and Godaddy. It is good to have super heros.

Please read, and enjoy. Jules

Hope Springs

2010-03-28T09:07:00.001-05:00

pic by Just Jules

I Don't Want to Grow Up

2010-03-25T20:27:00.002-05:00

I registered my 5 year for Kindergarten tonight. A much different experience with the fourth child then it was with the first. I can't say that I am sad or heavy hearted even. He is ready. He can do this - he needs to do this. I do not doubt he will be beyond fine, in fact he will excel.

The problem is that I have to grow up now. I have been out of the job force for 9 years. Not much to fill the gaps on my resume even. A committee here, volunteering there, but nothing worth much. You can not put down - real life experience far better then your 'book learnin' you require. Nope. Not going to work.

So, now what?

Some good stuff, I should charge for this, AND, Collaborative Photo Project - Blur

2010-03-24T17:00:00.000-05:00

First of all, if you didn't see my - What I meant to say post earlier today you are going to want to check that out (I lost a follower after I posted that! yep, it is that good haha!) AND - if you have been hiding under the covers and wondering what is to become of our now socialist society then you probably missed the funniest post I have ever had on my blog and the comments got even more interesting - Sage did it, I swear it wasn't me, you can crawl out from under the covers long enough to read that.

Alright - I know you are all on the edge of your seats in anticipation of our photos choices of the week - will they match ever again? What could they have chosen for the word blur? riveting isn't it?! I should charge for this stuff. Here we go:

The word for today is Blur

Jules'

Deb @ Sojourner

If that just was not enough excitement for you and you would like (hours) more- our previous pics can be found here:
Anticipation
Rest
Words
Flight
Landscape
Eyes
Cold
Color
Crazy
New
Serenity, see also: Peace
Star
Reflect
Snow
Grey
Light
Read
Exhilarate
Fear
Care
Free

What I wanted (meant) to friggin say - to the "stupid" mom at McD's

2010-03-23T19:27:00.006-05:00

Ok - just so you know...
What I REALLY did say was nothing... not one word.

Story:
I took my youngest to (I really don't want to admit this but here it goes....) I took my youngest to McDonald's today (seriously, how gaggy I know!!! yuk, uck, gross, so unlike me) But, we were there, at McDonald's. In the playroom was my youngest and I, and two other moms. These two other moms had 3 children and a baby between them. The one boy was sitting at the table and eating while reminding the other children to "come take a biiiiittte". Fine - he was about 3 and cute as a bug's ear. However, the two moms were seated at another table away from the kids, not far away, but away. They were chatting (read:gossiping). They were loud, or the one mom was loud. She was going on and on and on about this that and gosh knows what (or cares).

Well, every once in awhile the mom would hollar up "....Ryyyyyaaannnn, come take a bite and then go back and play.... Ryaaaaannnnnn.... R.Y.A.N. Come take a bite, and not just of a french fry" this continued (change name per kid) over and over and over loudly, whiney-ly, annoyingly ... yeah. Every once in awhile she would throw in a "or else" and a "now" .
What I wanted (meant) to friggin say was - Your threats are empty and your kids know it. They are not now or ever going to listen to you, because they know your "or else" and "now" is full of crap.
Now this continued the whole time we were there. My (perfect, sweet, wonderful) son was sitting at the table eating his food before he could (1) have his toy (2) go play in the playland. He knows that we will pick up and leave if he doesn't listen to me - we have done it before and we will do it again - my threats are not empty people.

Next (I want to slap the crap out of you) moment was when this same mom (of the year) then starts in on how "stupid" the kindergarten screening was. How her son had to do this, that, and the other thing and it was so "stupid". She was telling her friend that she would not do it again - her friend should just skip it, cuz it was...... "stupid".

What I wanted (meant) to friggin say was: You "stupid" fool you. It is a Minnesota State Law - your child must have a Kindergarten screening before they will be allowed to enter kindergarten. OhHHHH and that tower that you said your son was suppose to make - that was so (you guessed it) "stupid" and the same tower you said you can't even make - my son made it when he did the screening when he was three. Now who looks "stupid"????? Dumb B*tch.

But instead I tried very very hard NOT to stare at them and be amazed by her ignorance, I bit my tongue (hard for me to do) and walked out.

pics from
Google image search

But, I'm not wearing any underwear!!!!

2010-03-22T22:00:00.002-05:00

Amy is back, and she has a funny story for us this time. However, today it isn't about the gym she owns, no it is about her visit to Urgent Care:

I have been sick for four days now – yes four. We are talking fever, aches, upset stomach, dizzy and worst of all a sore throat. Finally deciding it was not going to go away I decided to make a “quick” visit to the Urgent Care Clinic this morning before work. Now I use “” around quick because you would have to be certifiably looney in the toons to think that on Monday anything about Urgent Care would be quick.

I drove into the parking lot 10 minutes before the clinic opened, thinking this would be suitable enough to get me out in plenty of time to make it to work. As I sat in my car I started getting that panic feeling in my gut – you know the one you get when you are about to get out of your car early Friday morning for the after Thanksgiving Black Friday sale? My eyes are darting back and forth between the clock, the parked cars and the ones rolling in – one hand is at the ready on the door handle. Finally with 5 minutes left till go time, someone makes a move. It was like a chain reaction of panic with doors flying open and people do that stupid run/walk (you know what I am talking about – that cross between a run and walk that people use when they are mid street and the little red hand comes up telling you it is NOT safe to cross the street, and you don’t want to look like a fool running, but you know time is running out so you do the run/walk – lets just call it a rulk). Anyway people are rulking up to the door, and of course even though there is a clear line formed at the door, people decide they are going to stand off to the side of the line and just cut it. So finally the doors open and we all rush forward like the walking dead towards the reception desk.

I get my place in the line up and go sit down to start the waiting (and watching) game. So all of these people are lined up at one reception desk waiting like cattle, when low and behold a receptionist at the other end of the building calls “I can help someone down here.” So this Dad takes his little boys hand and starts to walk over, when this older lady tries to do some type of football maneuver around them to get there first – tripping the poor kid in the process. Then of course I end up between the fighting couple and the woman with volume control syndrome who is having a very personal conversation on her cell phone. What else could I do but sit and pray for it all to be over soon. Thankfully, as I was visualizing grabbing the phone and walking over to the front doors to chuck it outside, I get called back. You would think my story would end here….

Unfortunately no. So I get checked out by the doctor and find out that aside from the nasal congestion/flu crud that has been making the rounds, I have strep – my third case in the last two months. I get the great news that she is going to have the nurse come in and give me a shot of antibiotics, no messing around with pills this time. Well, aside from the fact that I really hate shots, I could not come up with a good enough excuse to convince her otherwise – plus I can’t swallow pills anyway. The nurse comes in and I start to roll up my sleeve, only to be informed that this shot doesn’t go in your arm – it goes in your thigh. Well great! She asks me to pull down my pants and sit on the table. At this point I get the a case of the giggles as I explain to her that with being sick all weekend I didn’t really get a chance to do laundry so ummmmm I’m not wearing any underwear. And that is how I started my morning.

I'm trying here

2010-03-22T09:26:00.007-05:00

First - I'm talking about sex over here.

Anything we do often can become a grind.

Today is laundry day. Yet, here I sit putting it off. Ridiculous really. I do not have to load up my clothes and take them to the laundry mat I don't have to sit there watching my clothes spin. I get to go down and shove three loads into one in my HE machine and walk away. But when you do the same thing over and over it becomes tiresome.

I think the same thing about other aspects of our life. Think of how new and exciting your job was when you first started. Think about the first days of your relationship. Things become same old same old after awhile.

It is our job to find ways to keep them going - and if possible exciting. Of course exciting may be easier in a relationship then in laundry, but follow me here. Pulling ourselves back, rethinking things may be just what is needed. Today I will remember that I am blessed with my great laundry facilities and not stuck in the cold ucky laundromat.

pic from vi.sualize. us

Are you suffering from the same old same old grind? How do you change it up a bit.

Let's talk

Spring

2010-03-21T07:38:00.001-05:00

Spring is here early. The snow has melted and the bulbs are peeking through the ground. Yet, I do not have faith that it will stay. I believe it will snow again. But, as in life - even if it does snow again, I do know that eventually Spring will be here to stay.

Would you like to be able to hear what people are thinking?

2010-03-20T11:21:00.002-05:00

What is kinda scary is that my brain kinda works like this guy is talking - with chopped in bits of editing that don't relate - yet do. Can you follow?

Would you like to be able to hear what people are thinking?
Leave me a comment.

Dating profile - to - English Translations

2010-03-18T20:59:00.001-05:00

This is worth clicking on to "big it" and taking the time to read. Don't read with a hot beverage in your mouth - you've been warned. I am not responsible for spit coffee on your screen!

Read on:

Sheeple

2010-03-17T15:14:00.006-05:00

"Sheeple"
My five year old has banned me from saying this word, but come on people
Stop being such followers!
Think, think, thiiiiiiink!

I do not understand how a bunch of relatively smart individuals suddenly and without warning start acting like a mass group of idiots. I do not think I am any smarter then the common man. But, amazingly I find myself often alone in my actions.

I can get in and out of my kid's school in record time to pick them up - simply because I do not try to crowd into the front parking lot that everyone is going into. I do not break the rules and head into the bus parking lot, nor do I teach my children terrible lessons by picking them up early - no - I simply drive around the back and occupy one of the 8 spaces always empty and available. I walk around the edge of the playground and grab my waiting children and head out. In and out. No mass suicide into the parking lot from hell with all the other sheeple.

This is just one of many fine examples. From clothes, to shoes, to handbags ladies conform everyday. A celebrity has it, your neighbor does, etc. Even crafting goes in trends that people just follow along with: cross stitching, stamping, scrapbooking, candle making, hotpads, fleece blankets etc. Don't get me wrong, I know that not all of this is bad. Following some trends is good and does help with social acceptance and keeps you from being the crazy cat lady, or that lady rocking the 80's fashion, not because it came back, but because you never changed. (yeah yeah - those are trends, different from following......or is it?)

However when individuals are fine with going with the flow and stop using their own minds I have a problem. Stand back, observe, look around, listen, but most of all THINK people. It is time to lift your head up and see if you are walking over the cliff simply because you are following.

What example of sheeple-ism have you witnessed lately?

pics from
Google image search

2010-03-17T00:28:00.001-05:00

St. Patrick's Day Glitter Graphics

A Happy Day? Ask the lunch lady...

2010-03-16T01:24:00.002-05:00

This is one of my favorite posts ever. I wrote it last school year. I thought I would re-run it today since it applies to today.

My morning can be made or broken by the school lunch program.

Today's lunch is soft shell tacos. It was a good morning.

Let me back up.
I stumble out of bed. Make my mandatory stop at the bathroom (hey, it's true). V Line for the coffee pot (don't get in my way less you get pushed aside) . The lunch menu is stuck to the fridge beside the coffee pot.

My eyes final formed a small enough slit to peek out of my sleep induced comma. I look, with fear, at what the lunch menu says (the sound of the coffee pot doing it's job is only slightly helpful at this point of the morn').
How will my morning go?

Today is soft shell tacos - FABULOUS! All three school agers will eat that, and I agree that it has enough nutritional value to work for me too. I can grab my coffee and go about the other morning duties without hesitation or frustration.

However, there are days it does not go so smoothly. For example a Friday morning when lunch is BBQs (also known as sloppy joe's) with a salad and corn - ugggggg, do I really have to get out of bed?

Fridays can be the worst. This is because Fridays are spelling test day. So not only are we worrying about clothes, backpacks....."did you remember to throw your shoes in", and "......hey you need to brush your teeth better than that!" but there are spelling words to practice one last time. Now, throw in three cold lunches for three very different tastes and it is enough to send me over the edge. On these mornings I think I should be drinking IRISH coffee

You are getting the idea.
Let me elaborate...
Grilled cheese and tomato soup - 2/3 of a bad morn. 2 cold lunches, 1 hot (lunch at school)
Chicken leg with mashed potatoes - good morn' with hestitation.
All three wee ones will eat at school but I wonder if they really will get enough food to keep them full.
Cheese Pizza - 100% sit down at the table and talk, great morning.
I know all three will eat it and be full, and it has enough nutrition to keep me happy (I have low expectations for school lunches)
Cheeseburger with tator tots - This too will be a good morn.

Now, if it is cheeseburgers on a Tuesday it is a happy day. Tuesdays are good mornings I get to stay home, the spelling words aren't calling yet, kids are out of the weekend slump etc.....

This is the kind of happy day where I feel like a choir should shuffle in from the back deck and break out in song leaving the kids dancing out the door on their way to the bus (which arrives no later than 7am btw) So, bring on the choir the dancing and clapping because today was tacos and it was a HAPPY DAY!

It's time to dance

2010-03-14T20:00:00.002-05:00

For years I have been tough
strong
independent
I can do it myself
I can handle it
will do it
and well....

No need for a thank you
or
flowers, or a pat on the back.

The fact that I could do these things - prove myself, that was enough.
I had a do all be all attitude. I needed it - what was on my plate was huge

A husband gone working before the sun and long after it set. Baby after baby after baby, after what? one more baby? Running a daycare to boot. Plus insert many medical ailments and surgeries and pain. A house to keep up, a family who needed my body, heart, soul, and spirit. Children to chase, shape, and tend.

Doing it all plus is what I do. Without me doing my job my husband could not do his like he is able to do and vice versa. We know this. We do not argue on this point, sometimes point this out to each other, but agree.

It has worked.
Until lately.

I am done being strong, fierce and stubborn.
I am tired.
An engine can only run on high so long without a break and some maintenance.

I am ready for flowers, and pats on the back. I yearn to lay my head in a lap and have my hair petted. I want to be taken care of, if only for a short while. Daily tasks are slipping and I could care less. "Your socks are in the basket, won't kill you to dig for them."

You would think I would have reached this point in the middle of my kidney stone surgeries- throwing up on the side of the Highway with a car full of babies coming back from a basketball game where I made an appearance - keeping up appearances you know. Socializing the children. All important. Coming home from giving birth and being alone with two very small children and a newborn while bleeding and pale from exhaustion, two in diapers always. Dearest having little choice but to go back to work - or get docked pay. These are the days you think I would have laid down and given up - but my stubborn, put your head down, and get the job done attitude took over. This was necessary. Survival mode kicked in, and I am grateful for it.

But, no more. For awhile - I want flowers, and diner, and new clothes. Someone to notice my shoes and that my boobs look amazing in my new bra (thank you peri-menopausal hormones for making them grow!) Movies, and flirting, fun, and dancing. I want out. I want crowds, socialization. I want change. Dearest's position is safe in all of this - no fear. He is the one I want petting my hair and handing me the flowers and take me out so I can dance (he himself isn't a big dancer), we need something to look forward to. We need to get out. We need a change.

pics from vi.sualize.us

Nobody said it would be easy...

2010-03-14T00:48:00.003-06:00

pic from here

Cropping out our history

2010-03-11T17:45:00.003-06:00

pic from here

Oh, I remember that couch

I hated that rooster thing you had on the wall

Oh, look, there is Ginger our wiener dog -ohhhhh

What was I wearing?

Look at the back of grandpa's hair! He had hair.

These are the comments we are missing out on these days with our cropped and edited and well framed pictures. By taking out the back ground and being overly conscious of what is "going on" in our pictures we are erasing a bit of our history I believe.

I for one am all for every picture being wonderful and I eliminate as much of the background as I can too. But as I look back on old pictures it isn't the foreground I look at the longest it is what is behind the birthday girl.

Something to consider.

Collaborative Photo Project- Anticipation

2010-03-10T11:26:00.004-06:00

Anticipation

Jules

Debra @ Sojourner

This week Deb and I came up with the word after I said what picture I wanted to post. Is that cheating? Well, maybe just Jungle Rules... but we both agreed, that is all that matters right?!

If one doesn't know anything

2010-03-08T23:48:00.004-06:00

This made me giggle last night
although the fact that it was midnight might have had a whole lot to do with it!!!!

ok- here--->

"One cannot analyze what one knows,
go beyond what one knows,
or apply what one knows if one does not know anything"

Sternberg, Grigorenko, and Jarvin

vi.sualize.us

I think I found it so funny, because it is so true

Crush

2010-03-08T07:15:00.006-06:00

I don't do blog crushes, Julie @ Moments of Perfect Clarity does blog crushes...
But, every once in a great while I come across a blog that grabs me from the first line,
and then seals the deal with a video of her baby attempting to drink a beer out of the pantry.

Yep, I am crushing
You can too - So So Stephanie is HERE - all the cool kids are doing it.

pic by

Stephanie Meade Gresham

I can relate to that

2010-03-07T16:33:00.004-06:00

vi.sualize.us

Women tell stories to each other.
We sit or walk close together, telling stories
of our lives,
loves,
discoveries,
challenges,
pains
and dreams

Stories are our way to illuminate the path
and find common ground.

Our illusions of separation disappear
When we hear stories of another's struggles
or discoveries
We hear ourselves say
"I can relate to that!"

Succulent Wild Women
by Sark

At what point does an acquaintance become a friend?

I have decided that the information shared between people is where the difference is made; opening up, telling personal tidbits, find those things that are your own yet you have in common, these are the things that draw us to another.

Do you scratch the surface, give basic details (I have 2 kids) or do you elaborate (one is a biter) ? Does that person reply back, "ohhh, that is nice".... or do they say - "I have a biter too!!" Suddenly a commonality is found that bonds you - you can relate. This is what happens.

Being able to open ourselves up a bit, sharing a more than what is on the surface is where the difference between acquaintances and friends are made. While it may not be easy to show what is down a bit deeper, in the end it can be worth it.

Handprint

2010-03-07T00:38:00.002-06:00

pic by JJ

" We leave our handprints on everything we touch.
Long after the print fades, the impression they made lasts forever."

Written in 2010 by Samantha Storsberg

Got just enough religion and a half tank of gas

2010-03-06T12:09:00.005-06:00

You know what I love about road trips? You come back a changed person if you are the same when you return... you did it wrong.

New places,
new experiences,
new tastes and smells.

My favorite...different people.

The planning, and packing situating, and organizing all becomes worth it when you pile into your vehicle - a hot cup of home brewed coffee on your lap, the sun rising in your face. Followed by a day with miles behind you and the sun setting on your back as you have a cup of coffee from a random gas station you stopped to fill up at. The possibilities endless.

Life is lived in the small moments between the planned ones. I never remember the route we plan, the things we predetermined we would see... no, it is always the detours that took us in circles, or the best pie ever at the restaurant we HAD to stop at for a bathroom emergency. The brakes going out in the mountains (twice) or our fuel line coming off on our way up to the Black Hills..... yes these are the things that make a trip memorable.

Much like life my friends. It is the unplanned events that seem to be where the memories are. Those are the times you remember....

What unplanned memory will you make?

"Lost Highway"

In my rearview mirror
My life is getting clearer
The sunset sighs and slowly disappears
These trinkets once were treasure Life changes like the weather
You grow up, grow old or hit the road 'round here
So I drive, watching white lines passing by
With my plastic dashboard Jesus, waiting there to greet us

Hey, hey, I finally found my way Say goodbye to yesterday
Hit the gas there ain't no brakes on the lost highway
Yeah I'm busting loose, I'm letting go
Out on this open road
It's independence day on this lost highway

I don't know where I'm going
But I know where I've been
Now I'm afraid of going back again
So I drive, years and miles are flying by
And waiting there to great us
Is my plastic dashboard Jesus

Oh patron saint of lonely souls
To tell this boy which way to go
Guide the car, you got the keys
Farewell to mediocrity
Kicking off the cruise-control
And turning up the radio
Got just enough religion
And a half tank of gas come on, let's go

I finally found my way
Say goodbye to yesterday
Hit the gas there ain't no brakes on the lost highway
Yeah I'm busting loose, I'm letting go
Out on this open road
It's independence day on this lost highway