June 11, 2011

And now for something completely different…

I was browsing, as I’m prone to do.  And I came across this fabulously pretty hair idea from Happy Together, who got the idea watching this sweet and simple Video Tutorial.

After watching the video – and this gal is darling with her awesome (and what I’m assuming to be) French accent – I was sold.  It seemed so easy and relatively painless.

So here goes my try:  a way to get heatless and lovely curls, hassle free.  (*Note – my hair is not naturally curly.  It’s naturally grey, but not naturally curly.  I would say that it has a very slight wave to it, on certain days when the birds are singing and the flowers are blooming and perhaps a rainbow peaks out from behind the clouds.  But this is an honest portrayal of a project gone right.)

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Last night I got my hair band out, placed it around the top of my head and started folding in layers.  (watch the video!)  My hair was dry and clean.  I used a smaller band than the one shown in the video – and yes, I might have burst out into “Let’s Get Physical” and done some hot 80’s moves in my bathroom.  Because the headband in the front?  Really funny.  But oh…so radical. 

Without any information on my project AB was a little perplexed at my new “hairstyle”.  It’s not that bad, I argued.  What’s wrong with it? (*wink) He might have asked me 17 times if I was serious.  Seriously?  Seriously.  Seriously?  Oh girls, it was fun.  


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Sleeping was not interrupted.  I was not uncomfortable at all, and my hair stayed in place all night.  Amazing! 

This morning, I woke up, easily removed the band, and was amazed.  It worked!  I sprayed my hair with hairspray and then ran my fingers through loosely.  This image shows the result with little to no fuss and very little product.  Just a few sprays of hairspray. 

BOOYAH!

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Seriously. Doing. This. Again. Very. Soon.

You’re welcome.  I’m nothing if not helpful. Ahem.

June 9, 2011

What happened to that year?

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Sorry, but I came across these pictures tonight and I was just completely stunned.

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She’ll be two next week.  Please, please someone stop the clock.  I can’t bear to see her grow up…

Waiting for her took a lot longer than the rapid speed of watching her grow up into the beautiful toddler she has become…

Oh, my heart!

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Stop the clock!

June 7, 2011

Fear

I’m just popping in to confess something to you.  And it ain’t so pretty – but well….whatevs.

I have lots of fears.  Some of them irrational.  Some of them founded.  Some of them bizarre.  And frankly, sometimes, I live a little too much in them.

Like, I’m terrified of a house fire, but I don’t own a fire extinguisher.   What’s up with that?  I’m scared my kids will get hurt because I’m not paying attention, but let’s face it - I’m obsessively paying attention (because of the fear and all).  I’m terrified my kids will be hit by a car.  Like in our own driveway.  So I’m constantly freaking out and yelling things like “FREEZE” and “GET OVER HERE”.  Totally confusing for them.  I have a whole colony of fears for spiders, bugs, and creepy crawlies.  Yes, I said “colony”.  Don’t even attempt to talk me out of it.  I hate them.  And I may or may not be one of those people who constantly looks over their shoulder, just in case, to suss out my surroundings.  I can neither confirm nor deny it.  I’m only saying that I *might” be one of those people.  I am scared to death about the state of our economy, our safety, our government, and even our fellow citizens.  Will I even have retirement after all this mess?

And then our pastor spoke on the subject of fear.  And I was really convicted about living my life that way.  And even if I can’t change it overnight, I do so want to work on it.  Because I don’t think we’re called to live our lives this way.  And I know I am not the only one who has these kinds of repetitive and somewhat consuming fears. 

Here is a great and encouraging quote from Stuart Briscoe’s “Hearing God’s Voice Above the Noise” in reference to the book of Haggai in the Bible – if you haven’t read either, I can highly recommend both:

“Down through the centuries people have lived to a greater or lesser degree in fear.  They fear the future, the present, and the consequences of the past.  They fear the Communists or they fear a recession.  They fear what is going to happen to their children.  Many tend to live in a constant state of dread.  They are emotionally distraught.  Haggai has a message for such people – and for all of us.  If we learn to fear God in the right way, there is nothing else to fear.”

Am I prepared to trust God, despite my fears?  And more importantly, have I ever truly learned to fear God and nothing else?

I don’t even want to answer that.

Lord, help me to trust You with my anxious thoughts and runaway fears! 

“Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He brought them out of the darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains” – Psalm 107:13-14

June 4, 2011

Anatomy of a Meltdown

What’s that? You’re saying that I can’t have my way?

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Well then, allow me to lay down here.  In the middle of wherever we are.

And CRY. MY. HEAD. OFF.

I might throw in a kick of the leg or two.

For added measure and to prove my point.

Are you still looking??

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Oh, good.  You are still looking.  Perfect.

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

You’re the meanest Mommy in the whole. wide. world.

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

(breathe)

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

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And it’s all your fault I am forced to lay on this hard concrete.

If you would only give me whatever I want

when I want it…

Gah!

I can’t even look at you anymore.

I’m too upset!

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Oh the humanity!

Where is your sense of maternity?!?

This is an outrage!

Don’t you even care, woman?!?!

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Oh, I care, son. 

I care a lot…

Enough to let you lay there on that hard concrete

and act a tantrum throwin’ toddler

Because I now have pictorial proof

and some day you’ll have a girlfriend…

just sayin.

Love, Mom