tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54341278767387576252024-03-14T08:51:46.635-05:00The Yorktown OwensHubster and I met in 1996 and fell in love while working at the Olive Garden, where somewhere between the mediocrity of the breadsticks and the all-you-can-eat soup and salad exist some magical lasting love-inducing properties.
After ten years together, we replicated ourselves and now are three. Our powers of insight have multiplied exponentially with the rookie's addition to Yorktown Manor, and so here we will share them with the world.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-81339992344859810392012-09-17T12:57:00.000-05:002012-09-17T12:57:19.564-05:001. Husband added this wonderful family shelf in our kitchen. Not beautiful, but functional and with three kids, that matters. This way, we can enjoy time together around the kitchen table everyday around dinner time and it's not just home and into bed.<br />
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2. We took the kids to the Admiral Twin for the first time since Arthur was a baby and (obviously) since it was rebuilt. We piled all three kids in the back of the Suzuki 5-door Aerio and flipped up the back door, and everyone snuggled under the covers while we enjoyed the cover of the door protecting us from the rain. Who would have thought that a five-door subcompact would be the perfect vehicle for a family of 5 at the drive-in?<br />
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3. Noah and Arthur got a new "little friend"--a dwarf hamster he named "Doctor Squeakers." Guess where the "Doctor" part came from?<br />
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Notice the color of the cage...that cost extra, but somebody loves pink! He's been talking about his "little guy" nonstop. It seems like having a pet is really good for his empathy building and social interaction. He also <a href="http://autism.wikia.com/wiki/Stimming" target="_blank">doesn't engage in as much stimming</a> when he's talking to/about The Doctor.<br />
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4. We finally took the advice of so many mom bloggers and made glitter meditation jars for the kids. They love them, and the jars provide an adequate amount of stimulation for Noah. You shake them and when all the glitter settles, time out is over. Lucy's is smaller and faster, while Noah's is thickest and lasts the longest because he shakes it and uses it in other ways than as a timer. Next step: get a clock for our daily schedule so the children can physically see it and an egg timer for time out.</div>
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5. We also figured out (with the help of the Interwebs) that magazine holders make great kitchen storage for ziploc baggies, trash bags and wraps and other such things. Gone are the days of frantically tossing around random packing and bags in the kitchen looking for one little trash bag. Hurray for baby steps.<br />
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Sorry for the bad pics. We still really have no earthly clue where our broken camera went. We'll find it when it's obsolete and the parts are no longer available.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-41708170415662285202012-09-17T12:43:00.001-05:002012-09-17T12:58:14.726-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-64138119352966088112012-08-18T10:36:00.001-05:002012-08-18T10:36:41.806-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Pinterest commanded me to make some blue raspberry Jolly Rancher-infused rum and it was pretty rad with some Sprite in it. I thought Jolly Roger would be a cool name but there's already a cocktail named the Jolly Roger. Then Michael Bolton reminded me of my favorite pirate ever:</div>
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...and we ended up with the Captain Jack Sparrow! Now to plan our next insanely expensive Disney World vacay...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-47657704029112710412012-08-04T15:27:00.001-05:002012-08-04T15:30:38.512-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Not bad for a four-year-old, right?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-63310731534954669972012-08-04T13:44:00.001-05:002012-08-04T13:45:39.290-05:00Organizing a busy familyWe have a pretty crazy schedule, and resources for stay-at-home dads are pretty slim on the web. Of course Pinterest is a fabulous round-up site for cool info on running household, but some of the household organization approaches are so complicated it's hardly worth it. For example, we have and use a household binder, but it's not an everyday thing. We have three under five, and between the college teacher parent and the college student parent, one or all of us is constantly at the college. Our kids probably think they are enrolled at this point.<br />
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For us, the most complicated part of running our household is keeping track of communicating where everyone is supposed to be and when. Doctor's appointments, occupational therapy, visitations for little nephew with three different sets of family members, school, haircuts, uniforms, college meetings, college classes, meetings with clients for our wedding/event business, a couple dozen loads of laundry a week, just to start! On school nights, we literally "tag" each other sometimes as one runs home from work and the other dashes up to class. Who has time to write all this stuff in a binder or enter it into an app?<br />
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Meet the easiest organization system ever. This and email are the core of our household organization.<br />
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1. Owen (actually "Sluyter"--Justin's mom's side of the fam) family calendar. We still use google calendars and all those other cool tools, but there's something to be said for having the master copy everyone can sync up with in good old tangible paper. And it certainly doesn't hurt to have cool annual family calendar.</div>
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2. We've posted about the color chart before, but it's basically the easiest way to manage discipline in young kids because it's what most of them are already using at school. It's so easy: stay on green, get privileges. Note the wonky smiley face to indicate how successful one is being at achieving green. Yellow means they need to slow down, exercise caution, be mindful--the text says "try harder." (Note: at four and a half, they should not need warnings on things they already know about, so if it's something the really know they aren't supposed to be doing, we don't warn. Example: throwing toys). Orange means they need to have some time out, but it's important to differentiate that time out is most effective when used not as a punishment but as a time of reflection and chillage (Nanny 911 much LOL?). This is done by one minute per age; right now they both do four and a half minutes. It works best with an egg timer but somehow ours keep meeting demise. With a child with R.A.D. issues, this meditative time can be a key to helping the little nugget learn to self-regulate, which is a huge challenge for these kiddos. Getting a "RADish" to stay in time out isn't always easy, so we have a bunch of <a href="http://www.newautism.com/hyposensitivity-and-autism/501/" target="_blank">those little squishy toys </a>, but any sensory device will do, like these awesome glitter meditation jars I totally want get. Since RAD and ASD present similarly and those kiddos struggle with similar issues, this can also work for some children on the spectrum. In fact, we get a lot of our parenting ideas from a friend whose child is hypersensitive to sensory stimulation, which is similar to being on the spectrum and depending on who you talk to counts. Who cares about semantics, right? We just care about results. What's cool about teaching kids to self-regulate is that if it is good for an ASD kid or a RADish, it's usually pretty good for a non-spectrum kid too. Yesterday at Artie's first back to school night, his teacher commented repeatedly on how sweet and calm and articulate his speech was and how polite he is. We really think this has to do with teaching self-regulation. Not to say he's perfect, but instead to emphasize just how truly helpful time-out as a meditative self-regulation practice can be.</div>
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I often hear people say "You'll change your mind about time out when they get older" or "It just doesn't work for me." While both of these statements may be true, we always keep in mind that schools manage 20 or more kids that age between one or two adults without corporal punishment for hours each day, kids who have no discipline at home, kids who have too much, kids who are cranky and tired, kids ho have undiagnosed ADHD, RAD, ASD, etc. This discipline chart works best and really ONLY works when used with unwavering consistency and paired with a tight schedule. Little kids thrive on consistency because it gives them security.</div>
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3. Giant whiteboard. This is an absolute necessity. Grocery lists, reminders, questions, etc. This is how we communicate when telephones are hard to use due to background noise, meetings, and other complications.</div>
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4. Visual schedule. This works well for pre-readers and keeps them on task. With a 6 AM awake time,and 7 PM bedtime mean the schedule is the master of our day. I picked up this one online but can' remember the site and will post the link if I find. It's a basic after-school chore version of more advanced schedule we build our day on.</div>
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So that's it. The basics of keeping our people and home organized as simply as possible. </div>
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How do you keep your household organized?</div>
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<br />J Owenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18116217702997415982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-90021684495232816492012-07-07T19:53:00.002-05:002012-07-07T19:53:53.088-05:00I am starting to love settling into my Saturday night ritual. For years we would be out until dawn partying on the weekends, hitting up concerts anywhere within 10 hours driving distance, working our press passes, VIP passes, partying on a level that hasn't been socially acceptable since <a href="http://www.michaelaligclubkids.com/klub_kids.htm" target="_blank">Michael Alig and James St. James</a> brought it back for a brief revival. Not bad for Tulsa. So it's been hard in all honesty for us to settle into domesticity, but I am getting there. Now Saturday nights mainly consist of a project or two w/ the three amigos, early dinner and baths, and then putting <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stormageddon-Dark-Lord-of-All/280218518672532" target="_blank">Stormageddon Dark Lord of All</a> to bed and letting the boys check a little VHS action in Arthur's massive bunk/fortress <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJffYHfDqwg" target="_blank">while I hit up the Ion <i>Psych</i> marathon</a>, wash and fold a dozen loads of laundry and tidy the house, and settle into a glass or two of wine and my hidden stash of Twizzlers. With hubs at week and the house quiet, vegging out and watching TV is just the ticket for my laundry-folding home-grown utopia.<br />
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Anyway, this Saturday I am particularly relaxed because our hours rolled over at work and I took a short little staycation (ahem...cleaning staycation, but whatevs) and don't go back until Tuesday. I've cleaned the hell out of everything, dyed my hair fish bowl blue, and organized the boys' closets to get them ready for school in a month. In a month I say!!! My little chicken nuggets are growing into full-fledged chicken wings!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Today's greatest triumph was pre-Christmassing. Hubatronic 1.0 is always perplexed by how parents pull together decent Xmases for their kids. The truth is that we all think the whole thing is just a massive commercialized clusterf*ck, but we want our kids to be happy and not be like those poor Waldorf kids who get tree branches and sh*t for Christmas (not that I am dissing Waldorf, just those extremist parents like the douchey hippies in <i>Lilyhammer</i>), so we go for a moderate lifestyle, which I've blogged about before. Plus, we're damned poor, primarily because I work as a teacher and I am my family's main financial supporter until I sell a screenplay or book or establish a super popular online publication. So anyway, we're poor.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">But I like to have nice things and I like my kids to, and I am smart and also awesome, which is why Arthur got like 350 bucks worth of He-man toys for his birthday (thank you, Craigslist).</span><br />
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Here's how it works: Our family looks for things in good condition that our kids (and other people we plan on gifting) like ahead of time...way ahead of time. I keep a little list and it's important to know if someone's interests change or if it's something they are really, really into (like Arthur and Tim Burton films). Then we keep on the lookout for second hand items in good shape at thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales and online and get them months in advance and put them away for later. For example, Arthur has been asking for a Mermaid Barbie for ages. Today, I found him a <a href="http://article.wn.com/view/2012/04/08/2012_The_Mermaid_Barbie_makes_a_big_splash_with_collectors/" target="_blank">Magical Mermaid Barbie </a>which I will be stashing back for Christmas. She lights up and usually comes sold in a set that is available for $85 plus shipping all the way to $135. <i>I got her for $1.50.</i><br />
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I also picked up a 1960 vintage Barbie Allan doll along with some other friends for the mermaid.<br />
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But that's not the coolest thing I got!<br />
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I picked up the following Generation 3 My Little Ponies:<br />
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Star Dasher<br />
Summer Berry<br />
Denim Blue<br />
Golden Delicious<br />
Precious Gem<br />
Rainbow Flash<br />
Lolligiggle<br />
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And I picked up a pink G4 pony, but I haven't looked her up yet. Anyway, all the ponies together were 4 bucks.<br />
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While there, I picked up my own cute Vera Bradley two-piece set. Yes, old ladies love them. But I've always had a little Grandma Bessie May Crow in me.<br />
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Anyway, that's the beginnings of some solid Christmas gifting. Reduce, reuse, recycle is nice on the pocketbook too.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-33011531127171318082012-06-13T10:17:00.002-05:002012-06-13T11:20:51.184-05:00I haven't blogged in a very long time, or at least, I haven't actually finished and subsequently published a post in a long time. A lot's happened. I started my own awesome wedding business, accidentally got into marketing and PR, and began building a national wedding web site. (tba)<br />
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And then my little brother, Jeff, became sick.<br />
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It started as a really scary car accident that we were grateful he survived. A few broken bones, a swollen leg, nothing too serious. Then the swollen leg required surgery, and he contracted a vancomycin-resistant infection in the hospital. We spent weeks taking turns with the kids going to visit him, taking him magazines, books. His condition was said to be improving, but the infection got into his bloodstream and then around his heart, and then he suddenly died.<br />
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There are a million things I could say, and for the past two weeks I've thought of them all. I could write something beautiful about how many amazing memories we had as kids, how our relationship became more complex, about all the things we overcame together, including, at the very end, how Justin and I worked with Jeff and his fiancee to get him away from the opiate dependence he had picked up after years of living with chronic pain, about how proud I was of him for getting his life together, about how he'd finally met someone who could keep him in line and how he had a plan for his life and was helping with his son so much. About the day I came home and found him playing T-ball in the front yard with Noah and Arthur, or the times he sat with me and talked about his hopes for his son, the times he suddenly appeared at my door with ice cold Mexican cokes (because they don't have high fructose corn syrup and they come in glass bottles), the times he brought paletas. Jeff was the only person on the planet, my husband included, who remembered my very peculiar likes and dislikes when it came to food: how I prefer coconuts and creams in paletas but preferred fruit desserts over chocolate in everything else, how I don't like cake that much but like tres leches because it's moist, how I love strawberries but don't really like strawberry ice cream or love watermelon flavored candy but not watermelons. I could write volumes about how volatile our relationship was and how deeply we loved each other and how Justin thinks the two were inextricable. How he was the only person I know besides Justin who I have always felt was intellectually my better, and how nearly every single night since he died I close my eyes and he wakes me up to tell me I am doing a good job and what he wanted with his funeral and with his son and keeping everyone together.<br />
<br />
I want to write everything I can remember about him, every moment, every expression, every detail of him, so I never forget over the coming decades of my life I will have to live without him.<br />
<br />
But I am not ready to write all that yet. I just want to say that there is no relationship in my life that will ever be like my relationship with my brother, and that my brother and I had a very deep powerful connection, which sometimes made us absolutely despise each other, but always loved each other, and that no one in my whole life, not even my husband, has bragged about me or adored me the way he did, and that my heart is broken for his little boy, who I pledged that I would care for no matter what, and that I want my children to love and care for each other with a sense of responsibility and true devotion the way I loved my brother.<br />
<br />
I miss him so much, and I will probably miss him every day for the rest of my life. He was an incredible, often completely douchey, absolutely insane, hypersensitive, quirky, brokenhearted, brilliant, beautiful soul who left this earth too soon.<br />
<br />
I miss you so much, Jeff.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-2379779136790070222012-05-14T07:58:00.001-05:002012-05-14T14:29:53.969-05:00EVOfest 2012<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/366737520037354/" target="_blank">EvoFest</a> is a pretty cool little festival put on by some locals based on the ideas of sustainability and bartering in a place where people can enjoy music. We made it out for a terrific set by Aaron Hale and the Human Beings. Here's a pic of Lucy enjoying the music on the lovely cool spring grass.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-3699634126025702572012-05-13T10:46:00.001-05:002012-05-13T10:55:18.067-05:00brother and sister<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-54736263965862556732012-05-13T06:23:00.000-05:002012-05-14T07:54:25.554-05:00holiApparently, being a working mom with one's own business and a part-time teacher while raising one's autistic/R.A.D. nephew, an often less well-behaved and insanely precocious other four-year-old, and an infant is a very busy line of work.<br />
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(That's me accounting for my lack of posting to my 20-some odd readers of friends, family and former students. Please do forgive and also forgive my acknowledging this in my blog which is apparently blogger taboo, although to be frank since this is a family blog and not a monetary blog I don't really see as it matters that much.)<br />
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Also, I am ashamed to say that since Picnik closed I've been far too lazy to edit my photos for the web. It's so sad and so true. Have Photoshop, can use Photoshop, have janky computer that runs like sh*t when Photoshop is open and little patience for remembering how to do the things I want to do in Photoshop. I know, so so so so so lazy.<br />
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Now to business.<br />
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What have the Owens been doing lately?<br />
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I've been wanting to check out Holi festival for ages, and the Indian Association of Greater Tulsa <a href="http://iagtok.org/iagtok/" target="_blank">(IAGT)</a> put on a heck of a party at <a href="http://www.parks.tulsacounty.org/HaikeyCreek.aspx" target="_blank">Haikey Creek Park</a>.<br />
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Holi is a festival of color. The point is, as the adorable Yorkshire Deven's adorable Indian mom explained, to celebrate the beginning of the farming season. Or something. She told me in India it gets crazy. It wasn't crazy, but it was fun. Bright colored powders were painted onto us by giggling little girls.<br />
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-12130194808707915042012-03-22T22:32:00.001-05:002012-03-22T22:32:06.176-05:00River's edge girl<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div style='width:600px;margin:0 auto'><div style='position:relative;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/rivers_edge_girl/set?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=45879879'><img force='1' border='0' height='600' title='River's edge girl' src='http://embed.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/cid/45879879/id/z0xzXiFdS8aGVSyxDpFMFQ/size/y.jpg' alt='River's edge girl' width='600'/></a></div></div><br/><div style='text-align:center'><small><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/rivers_edge_girl/set?.embedder=1253366&amp;.svc=blogger&amp;id=45879879'>River's edge girl</a> by <a href='http://kristigroeowen.polyvore.com/?.embedder=1253366&amp;.svc=blogger'>kristigroeowen</a> featuring a <a href='http://www.polyvore.com/floral_brooch/shop?query=floral+brooch'>floral brooch</a></small></div><div style='width:600px;margin:0 auto'><small><div style='padding-top:16px'><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=47782216' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/47782216.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=47782216' rel='nofollow'>Beyond Vintage lace blouse</a><br/>£178 - matchesfashion.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=52236050' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/52236050.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=52236050' rel='nofollow'>Pleated mini skirt</a><br/>£75 - houseoffraser.co.uk<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=51949678' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/51949678.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=51949678' rel='nofollow'>Frye tall leather boots</a><br/>$448 - dealuxe.ca<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=31923404' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/31923404.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=31923404' rel='nofollow'>Plastic Bat floral brooch</a><br/>£6 - hannahzakari.co.uk<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p><p style='clear:both;margin:0em;padding:0px'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=31664734' rel='nofollow'><img force='1' height='50' style='border:1px solid #cccccc;margin:0 8px 8px 0;padding:2px;background-color:#ffffff;' src='http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/31664734.jpg' hspace='4' align='left' width='50'/></a><div style='margin-bottom:8px;text-align:left;'><a href='http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing.outbound?.embedder=1253366&.svc=blogger&id=31664734' rel='nofollow'>Tarina tarantino</a><br/>$63 - tarinatarantino.com<br/><br style='display:none'/></div></p></div></small></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-88848584537471125152012-03-21T15:56:00.000-05:002012-03-21T15:56:09.468-05:00what the kids are up to<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhF-x9NbgJ7XOkBglrx17F3xbUIgI0BmdyJ9IPr7PJsg1WDpd0qf98tmKpcGx9XxOwuAqClaOHy1xZNPQsBlySP0_Y1qkZjt2PG9BVfMfRDQleLt1EhjTZYaCVjkkJ2_8yK_jqE2lCh4w/s1600/419741_10150677510444306_825459305_9131651_575897882_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhF-x9NbgJ7XOkBglrx17F3xbUIgI0BmdyJ9IPr7PJsg1WDpd0qf98tmKpcGx9XxOwuAqClaOHy1xZNPQsBlySP0_Y1qkZjt2PG9BVfMfRDQleLt1EhjTZYaCVjkkJ2_8yK_jqE2lCh4w/s640/419741_10150677510444306_825459305_9131651_575897882_n.jpg" width="584" /></a></div>
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Lucy loves peek-a-boo.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXN8dzpLWKLt5R9_3KrxjsQyOzddwct8PRjCyoPL_8nH3GCfYP3N-DLoz3iYx6fAsf6UWFsnyIYNHZ7vhhugQsnFEVcx1uT8fgziBZPM68Uvf3Y8174NEIERIsuqs4Mha54UBRbGXAoKB/s1600/430451_10150674892039306_825459305_9124870_198314073_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNXN8dzpLWKLt5R9_3KrxjsQyOzddwct8PRjCyoPL_8nH3GCfYP3N-DLoz3iYx6fAsf6UWFsnyIYNHZ7vhhugQsnFEVcx1uT8fgziBZPM68Uvf3Y8174NEIERIsuqs4Mha54UBRbGXAoKB/s640/430451_10150674892039306_825459305_9124870_198314073_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lucy's baby. She looooves her. Her name is Tiny Tina, and I recently found a bunch of my old jewelry from when I was in a kid hidden in her head. Seriously. It was nice to know she wasn't supposed to rattle like that.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-u3avNoI1vIjHqtN02UpXiwnTC2Ovnq53XGu5qw3Kuvj-B0shnG064nMkTWNjhD-synpqb4ppQ7UxdzomzJqYtUqbe4OM9qzXCbIu175ePv-olxIuFotKZdnHTo44D0oUBKr84NyIACa/s1600/538242_10150693913099306_825459305_9184407_285635074_n+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-u3avNoI1vIjHqtN02UpXiwnTC2Ovnq53XGu5qw3Kuvj-B0shnG064nMkTWNjhD-synpqb4ppQ7UxdzomzJqYtUqbe4OM9qzXCbIu175ePv-olxIuFotKZdnHTo44D0oUBKr84NyIACa/s640/538242_10150693913099306_825459305_9184407_285635074_n+(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Lucy, rocking the cutest outfit on the planet, which unfortunately you can't see very well thanks to her car seat.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2IhyphenhyphenD934rZGk56NoDUVgGt1WE1fWi0UH24kVRCha1ZERqKeY2CL_FzotJUilyp7-PwVCvye4m9GalF1-8tNBkevQj9o2vD6Xe6JZnrjZ22XsKNn55Tsx4z932W8LTPhBpMLfe-BPJt5u/s1600/gothic+indian+boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2IhyphenhyphenD934rZGk56NoDUVgGt1WE1fWi0UH24kVRCha1ZERqKeY2CL_FzotJUilyp7-PwVCvye4m9GalF1-8tNBkevQj9o2vD6Xe6JZnrjZ22XsKNn55Tsx4z932W8LTPhBpMLfe-BPJt5u/s640/gothic+indian+boy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Arthur loves the gothy stuff. We were on a vintage loot quest and found this cemetery in the backyard of an estate sale...he had to have his picture taken.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJs-KqRiWizVHrI5Kqfx9uSou5EjTyYIPUOw7l5FXeSUR1PRWhxwNkfQcdSYZFXVec_IHxJXMJkH8640GJuoG6CVXD0lyxPpFR9PYLgBGEgLYHU5NbdXtvpiLMBSKwqla-738VOWPIBfw/s1600/559859_10150693928904306_825459305_9184449_2108332732_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJs-KqRiWizVHrI5Kqfx9uSou5EjTyYIPUOw7l5FXeSUR1PRWhxwNkfQcdSYZFXVec_IHxJXMJkH8640GJuoG6CVXD0lyxPpFR9PYLgBGEgLYHU5NbdXtvpiLMBSKwqla-738VOWPIBfw/s640/559859_10150693928904306_825459305_9184449_2108332732_n.jpg" width="458" /></a></div>
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Noah has the best smile ever!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EX6h7CwsO5MwJoHVBsLFc6uoadeaME7F0ixx-EX74ji711CL2C9jPJCA3xZ54Im30rzo1dqQJSa_GYZAzWZoifLczJJNY49UjuF-x3WTavKKKGPpHu-kRDCB1Fqf5Xwk4KF2bDM2Wwa9/s1600/masters+of+the+universe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EX6h7CwsO5MwJoHVBsLFc6uoadeaME7F0ixx-EX74ji711CL2C9jPJCA3xZ54Im30rzo1dqQJSa_GYZAzWZoifLczJJNY49UjuF-x3WTavKKKGPpHu-kRDCB1Fqf5Xwk4KF2bDM2Wwa9/s640/masters+of+the+universe.jpg" width="618" /></a></div>
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Finally, Arthur got a pirate's treasure's worth of Masters of the Universe toys for his birthday. Even Lucy loves them!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-38493846658263215132012-03-21T15:16:00.001-05:002012-03-21T15:16:16.428-05:00Random hair.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUHAWHelN07DNd2uIuMPqwSnQqIkBdGOBw1NlQBfbjdxJlQm1GDHlq5Vwq22Ey3QjKCpwv6y-elZx37kJv5PMWFGrilKfBfWuBaqFPhxwr4zEWCKWhuhy1dYv2dhCLoMxiD5s3fdm0_Df/s1600/Feather+head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUHAWHelN07DNd2uIuMPqwSnQqIkBdGOBw1NlQBfbjdxJlQm1GDHlq5Vwq22Ey3QjKCpwv6y-elZx37kJv5PMWFGrilKfBfWuBaqFPhxwr4zEWCKWhuhy1dYv2dhCLoMxiD5s3fdm0_Df/s640/Feather+head.jpg" width="530" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWkbJYeg2I5DZx5JxmyjAVyHl0-CUbJASV5zoz72JZ2OGIy4OoC_VdmFH_hzRYNjtcTKNIJ6CHsWGXINXgHxCA2ZGTgloZiuNGd_d7emzAx3x7Ps5h26k4vyNbWqy_5UUOC2Ogk9Ry1Dt/s1600/pastel+blue+hair+tips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWkbJYeg2I5DZx5JxmyjAVyHl0-CUbJASV5zoz72JZ2OGIy4OoC_VdmFH_hzRYNjtcTKNIJ6CHsWGXINXgHxCA2ZGTgloZiuNGd_d7emzAx3x7Ps5h26k4vyNbWqy_5UUOC2Ogk9Ry1Dt/s640/pastel+blue+hair+tips.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Finally...growing my hair out! I love the pastel blue ends. I can't help it; I am a sucker for Manic Panic.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-28345290677858535942012-02-22T23:42:00.002-06:002012-02-22T23:50:59.879-06:00the world needs more love letters<div style="text-align: center;">
I have an amazing job. <i>I get paid to teach people magic</i>.</div>
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Here's a pic of me, teaching people magic.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhd_-FHffSqgYErFIuEhX-SQCDql_zLWKr1z88TBWPG4FFDLTtxHcRYOaa2Xk5UbfbNsub_VpWMh8Xi6gbsFpQ4jI6ERaRhAmBnw1k3kOrVpls8n9ZIAG32h4iJkEQh-85XP6ucuufQVU/s1600/427746_10151305712240161_720555160_22858223_1465771535_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQhd_-FHffSqgYErFIuEhX-SQCDql_zLWKr1z88TBWPG4FFDLTtxHcRYOaa2Xk5UbfbNsub_VpWMh8Xi6gbsFpQ4jI6ERaRhAmBnw1k3kOrVpls8n9ZIAG32h4iJkEQh-85XP6ucuufQVU/s640/427746_10151305712240161_720555160_22858223_1465771535_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Last week, I was super elated when a colleague/friend messaged me on Facebook to tell me she'd overheard a student talking about my class. Specifically, he was saying something about how unconventional my teaching methods are...and how much he appreciates that.</div>
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I've been with <a href="http://tulsacc.edu/" target="_blank">Tulsa Community College</a> in one capacity or another for about seven years, and in that time, my experience as both a classroom instructor and an instructional specialist has affected me perhaps even more profoundly than my students at times. Never was this more true for me than when a former student, now a nurse, made special arrangements to gain entry to the O.R. where Lucy was delivered in April last year, holding my hand and offering support through what was for me a terrifying experience after nearly losing my life due to complications from Arthur's caesarean section in 2008, giving the comfort that only a woman can as I struggled to overcome an embarrassing anxiety attack.</div>
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<i>This</i> is what I do this for, I remind myself now as I stand before each classroom. </div>
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I've always known there is a magic to language, and that magic, like the wands at Hogwarts, is infused with power. </div>
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Language can be almost telepathic.</div>
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Language can save lives.</div>
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Language can destroy and build and tear down walls.</div>
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To harness this power is a gift.</div>
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I try to remind my students of this as often as I can. Few things give me the twitches more than teachers who don't relate what the students are learning to the journey that lies ahead of them...the whole cocoon metamorphosis thing. But thinking of Wendi, my former student-nurse, I can't let go of that image.</div>
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That's why when I first stumbled upon Hannah Brencher's beautiful concept for filling the world with random spontaneous acts of kindness in the form of that magic at her site <i><a href="http://www.moreloveletters.com/" target="_blank">The World Needs More Love Letters</a>, </i>I was enchanted with the idea. She encourages people to write letters to strangers, sending their positive energy out into the universe.</div>
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Magic. Beautiful, linguistic magic.</div>
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I knew immediately this was going to happen in my classroom. It had to. It was <i>so</i> in line with my teaching. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDwh8sNN-mStTHv9Gb5AqjeDj7sgePz2zIpcJDq1T2mbAIS000ytotUNamtOipeDPuynrNp4YlmG26M35Wqe1lQ-ML64XnOMi5EyyyzKqPxsGWRd1ZUtTxLXzo1BIvAnI9x-rfpn2TKg7/s1600/381803_10150469729054306_825459305_8479651_716381772_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDwh8sNN-mStTHv9Gb5AqjeDj7sgePz2zIpcJDq1T2mbAIS000ytotUNamtOipeDPuynrNp4YlmG26M35Wqe1lQ-ML64XnOMi5EyyyzKqPxsGWRd1ZUtTxLXzo1BIvAnI9x-rfpn2TKg7/s640/381803_10150469729054306_825459305_8479651_716381772_n.jpg" width="640" /></a>
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I knew my students were up to the challenge. After all, they do stuff like <i>this</i>:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Q0LqKax8pknQi-X4KBBitpNUOs8fG9a2La1Oe8EdTewvq5VS_rdpOjmlQDLSr3w1eKPBYa_A_7ktaMM6YA258rocGcaDJ7yZ1_PKDJQVM9dn8g5VNEJwsJNCCcqKFWvAMKP47ul974y/s1600/397110_10151306532725161_720555160_22860352_1258018888_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Q0LqKax8pknQi-X4KBBitpNUOs8fG9a2La1Oe8EdTewvq5VS_rdpOjmlQDLSr3w1eKPBYa_A_7ktaMM6YA258rocGcaDJ7yZ1_PKDJQVM9dn8g5VNEJwsJNCCcqKFWvAMKP47ul974y/s640/397110_10151306532725161_720555160_22860352_1258018888_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Q9swq6HycCF7DmdTj8gClvlXpDOxGfuuY3K7jF7VymWWZxLki2IshvFGCM_80AqesBpgYn1LTEVz8ZqJmGFv8mHqpMZle-i7diUq9sxGPm9Hc3tDVYdddSLdUdidLFVSaOBftCTOTH8e/s1600/423376_10151305720725161_720555160_22858248_275786052_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Q9swq6HycCF7DmdTj8gClvlXpDOxGfuuY3K7jF7VymWWZxLki2IshvFGCM_80AqesBpgYn1LTEVz8ZqJmGFv8mHqpMZle-i7diUq9sxGPm9Hc3tDVYdddSLdUdidLFVSaOBftCTOTH8e/s640/423376_10151305720725161_720555160_22858248_275786052_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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(that's me in the pink shawl)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGya0CEymw6KJmi_9wi9qZRi2HasCVnPgpCyUXs6paP_YXwv04YxTAgM0drMQWQ2BkV-QHgdlnUmVFz8o4b_Ud3sMEOjJPrBOLInLfmljnI48eqefXNWDa5YZ4rNbG4MJG901pCWIwGzhc/s1600/401013_10151306380075161_720555160_22859926_453750235_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGya0CEymw6KJmi_9wi9qZRi2HasCVnPgpCyUXs6paP_YXwv04YxTAgM0drMQWQ2BkV-QHgdlnUmVFz8o4b_Ud3sMEOjJPrBOLInLfmljnI48eqefXNWDa5YZ4rNbG4MJG901pCWIwGzhc/s640/401013_10151306380075161_720555160_22859926_453750235_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This was their assignment:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbq7s4A3gBwGGdIUxnYuJh7G6-EqTkQbjD0qDhF0ZB6SGlGodz8nVK0QngrcloMGN20kaifTIRXjihFvc1t_ULqbWaVyM1cbUJ3K-GhEq6CYzTNR94mnjnRIIyiBDqWeiotoX31sEE_z8/s1600/393445_10150533029394306_825459305_8718022_1437395479_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbq7s4A3gBwGGdIUxnYuJh7G6-EqTkQbjD0qDhF0ZB6SGlGodz8nVK0QngrcloMGN20kaifTIRXjihFvc1t_ULqbWaVyM1cbUJ3K-GhEq6CYzTNR94mnjnRIIyiBDqWeiotoX31sEE_z8/s640/393445_10150533029394306_825459305_8718022_1437395479_n.jpg" width="533" /></a></div>
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And <i>here's</i> what happened.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirwiFlewgQhanaqzeP3UmJFagYwA4Dq4jfRZ8_4aLnbfXTpiRti7HH7CsUHbKg2akTEf_NImJRV2E4_LdUo2rfcYzDs3wHQXuNcFNbD4xm9pUUScuUQVMpLLYhm9Q_NLXb2PB5Vst62pe/s1600/428144_10150580694904306_825459305_8848286_285736828_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirwiFlewgQhanaqzeP3UmJFagYwA4Dq4jfRZ8_4aLnbfXTpiRti7HH7CsUHbKg2akTEf_NImJRV2E4_LdUo2rfcYzDs3wHQXuNcFNbD4xm9pUUScuUQVMpLLYhm9Q_NLXb2PB5Vst62pe/s640/428144_10150580694904306_825459305_8848286_285736828_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpyKks8unB7robcd31k-un1ZH81Xh21q4F_zjYkbwKozhN7G7lIpgGPzTOL3mJPvvkk7YqgrbyJWaz4e41rNQ8x51JvmErP8W9kdZz13EjfK64NZKFcBuj1kcZuiYi5pi14PF6LyGqtgr/s1600/427618_10150580247744306_825459305_8847551_1200009661_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpyKks8unB7robcd31k-un1ZH81Xh21q4F_zjYkbwKozhN7G7lIpgGPzTOL3mJPvvkk7YqgrbyJWaz4e41rNQ8x51JvmErP8W9kdZz13EjfK64NZKFcBuj1kcZuiYi5pi14PF6LyGqtgr/s640/427618_10150580247744306_825459305_8847551_1200009661_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3MMppvOYzefRVeihY9nX3hivxYlYU_q1vvQAfgFEydNbiivzB63f19xM4TRyLNA5XoNYxJuCvrXV4Xpbm6oSszo8Xwlg71ndUKShaK0nV2HtkuDmNxDyMSABmey9DSjES41js8o-C4sO/s1600/398630_10150610501144306_825459305_8928529_1520936024_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3MMppvOYzefRVeihY9nX3hivxYlYU_q1vvQAfgFEydNbiivzB63f19xM4TRyLNA5XoNYxJuCvrXV4Xpbm6oSszo8Xwlg71ndUKShaK0nV2HtkuDmNxDyMSABmey9DSjES41js8o-C4sO/s640/398630_10150610501144306_825459305_8928529_1520936024_n.jpg" width="619" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZc-2DGNUMjLv4Ju_roAYF40k4IEDy33g-H1vfyoRkl8fUq7-nsLTkmhlP0A1wPPtJLViV2_UIDhOkBDOBnZDhdzeGrFgtl2OaOAgXahfOZpSiaz5bcFZzbwNSe79v8TefuMwiwob53yRF/s1600/402012_10150581263559306_825459305_8849975_1961236284_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZc-2DGNUMjLv4Ju_roAYF40k4IEDy33g-H1vfyoRkl8fUq7-nsLTkmhlP0A1wPPtJLViV2_UIDhOkBDOBnZDhdzeGrFgtl2OaOAgXahfOZpSiaz5bcFZzbwNSe79v8TefuMwiwob53yRF/s640/402012_10150581263559306_825459305_8849975_1961236284_n.jpg" width="449" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ma1VBoZE6plkWgZ8nULM-Q8mZtD-KzDMR9ytJKNMWxmqM0YBzQSzRGm_iL0B2h_nxu1GbjRXoi47llnOGQqrf2_E4ehDSh8vagpx1JlafjdTpYLzYkdJWiBASmUkPF3N1vUtbzt6aqu2/s1600/408776_10150610514724306_825459305_8928572_976925527_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ma1VBoZE6plkWgZ8nULM-Q8mZtD-KzDMR9ytJKNMWxmqM0YBzQSzRGm_iL0B2h_nxu1GbjRXoi47llnOGQqrf2_E4ehDSh8vagpx1JlafjdTpYLzYkdJWiBASmUkPF3N1vUtbzt6aqu2/s640/408776_10150610514724306_825459305_8928572_976925527_n.jpg" width="509" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDrfIs3UuDFH6IKhAPU54anEQ3NKXGqsgcCPZMjOCipBN34TVUHmNoMlb0mci4jDpP13Dk0WoZwSB57MgvBJIYDbnCgBalv3D-vdYN07ClLgYyCVA7_AmwXYN6Rh35WEFFcpN4Z05Tnvj/s1600/408825_10150581253574306_825459305_8849952_1541325028_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgDrfIs3UuDFH6IKhAPU54anEQ3NKXGqsgcCPZMjOCipBN34TVUHmNoMlb0mci4jDpP13Dk0WoZwSB57MgvBJIYDbnCgBalv3D-vdYN07ClLgYyCVA7_AmwXYN6Rh35WEFFcpN4Z05Tnvj/s640/408825_10150581253574306_825459305_8849952_1541325028_n.jpg" width="502" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLi4FL5I9RcY0CDlA0lid67UuPeeUhIAUZFPi7NQGOwLKrFa0l-hRDSy-FiVfwIPq4sGxEu2iuH6w8wyuB9N7NukU48EeUkTAc_QFGxfkcCnb_S9st9FkqnVJeOQA0kJzJR8Ld5SCqCDR/s1600/425396_10150580692284306_825459305_8848280_98013825_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwLi4FL5I9RcY0CDlA0lid67UuPeeUhIAUZFPi7NQGOwLKrFa0l-hRDSy-FiVfwIPq4sGxEu2iuH6w8wyuB9N7NukU48EeUkTAc_QFGxfkcCnb_S9st9FkqnVJeOQA0kJzJR8Ld5SCqCDR/s640/425396_10150580692284306_825459305_8848280_98013825_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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(That's me in the pink hair there holding the sign. I promise we were all really having a good time...it was just like the fifth camera take!)</div>
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Altogether, we put out about 50 random letters all over campus and a few off-campus.<br />
For many students, the experience was not just a way of connecting with others, but reflecting on their own experiences, their own fears and accomplishments.<br />
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In a way, they were encouraging themselves.<br />
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The best part? I have run into a few people who told me how they came across random letters of encouragement on campus. The library staff came across one and taped it up on the reference desk. And I even found one in a book just a few days ago. Students are reading them and then moving them for others to see! How amazing is that? </div>
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So what are you waiting for? Go write a love letter!!!</div>
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(a very, very special thank you to my students for participating in this project and letting me post about it. You are all a.ma.zing. You are the reason I do what I do).</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-190037654301607012012-02-09T09:46:00.003-06:002012-02-09T09:46:42.414-06:00Rainbow Road braceletMy lovely friend Cassie Angel made this Rainbow Road for me, explaining that when she thinks of me she thinks of bright colors. She is a very talented local jewelry artist and I hope to work with her very soon on our super top secret project. Sssshhhhh.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2HF-CDw-qAYrumGiXcTeSC-11JnFjwWkSW0pwtUEdZgups551NAi_BB2fKpDXJA9loejWu9uf6Z-YRXZ0dlqvR-GUiZfbEpST8338aUKfLxtNpyOeWbrYOI58OqJLw0i19X8s82gcEHX/s1600/423520_2266510521134_1799673405_1415540_1136835527_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2HF-CDw-qAYrumGiXcTeSC-11JnFjwWkSW0pwtUEdZgups551NAi_BB2fKpDXJA9loejWu9uf6Z-YRXZ0dlqvR-GUiZfbEpST8338aUKfLxtNpyOeWbrYOI58OqJLw0i19X8s82gcEHX/s640/423520_2266510521134_1799673405_1415540_1136835527_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Isn't it lovely? If you would like one, message me and I will get you her contact info.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-75012487575201314982012-01-30T08:50:00.002-06:002012-02-23T07:15:44.138-06:00cute big easy updo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I really enjoy wearing my hair up, but I really don't have time to primp. That's why finding easy ways to make my hair look like I put an hour into it make my heart flutter. </div>
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I really love the look I wore yesterday so much that I wanted to post instructions and pics here.</div>
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This is so easy you won't believe it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSQnjnnmgwGG-2NLtEmGQUAj7sZF9oXylvA-g0w6ZGnmgK_PCFoELg92r8gEqHH0TOEBMTVlc2EaJA4iB2Y6o4Vaexr2ao0pvyazTT8pCTfSTi0WUafWh1xkHdK3-IRrVsl9HsN5Hvxip/s1600/big+easy+updo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSQnjnnmgwGG-2NLtEmGQUAj7sZF9oXylvA-g0w6ZGnmgK_PCFoELg92r8gEqHH0TOEBMTVlc2EaJA4iB2Y6o4Vaexr2ao0pvyazTT8pCTfSTi0WUafWh1xkHdK3-IRrVsl9HsN5Hvxip/s640/big+easy+updo.jpg" width="514" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYjAntaMHG8zBi_nROgmZTlM1FOh3WXz3kbGiwboCdhHdu8VOweuvW5U-Fu6C0sLspdFFc1pk55vlHU5T7lAXS1p5cmHvZi1o3as_h33iwcoEVJ_Z1sq3Ci5RH4rj6W_hx0yD3cwJbG3O/s1600/updo+three.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYjAntaMHG8zBi_nROgmZTlM1FOh3WXz3kbGiwboCdhHdu8VOweuvW5U-Fu6C0sLspdFFc1pk55vlHU5T7lAXS1p5cmHvZi1o3as_h33iwcoEVJ_Z1sq3Ci5RH4rj6W_hx0yD3cwJbG3O/s640/updo+three.jpg" width="404" /></a></div>
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Instructions:</div>
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Step one: Depending on how long, thick your hair is, you may need something like a <a href="http://www.bighappiehair.com/" target="_blank">Bumpit</a>. Dumbest name ever, but it's a handy little product. Mine isn't that long right now, so I used two of them on the top.</div>
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If your hair is a bit longer and thicker, all you need to do for step one is tease/backcomb your roots, flip your hair upside down, spray, spray, spray with a high hold product--not so high that you get hair glue though--, let it dry, and then pull a section of your hair forward to "store" it for a sec. Pull another section of about two inches diameter from just past the front, the middliest middle, and twist it into the puffiest, biggest bun you can gather...a <a href="http://coastalgourmetct.blogspot.com/2011/11/sock-bun.html" target="_blank">bun like this one</a>, which can be achieved by twisting a sock into your hair or just poofing the crap out of it.</div>
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For me, I pulled the first section forward, then stuck a Bumpit further back on my head because I was going for a thickness near the back of my head. You can even using a second Bumpit, or a third, if you are going for a Marie Antoinette kind of deal.</div>
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Step two: Brush the hair from the front very flat, pulling it as wide as possible. Brush it over you bun or bump, then as you pull it behind the bun/bump, give it a little forward push for some extra volume, then bobby pin into place. You may also need to pull hair forward over the bump, but cover the bump as much as possible.</div>
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Step three: Leaving the sides out, pull a second small pony directly underneath your bump. Repeating the process above, make a thick loose bun, pull taught while pushing upward, and spray like a bitch.</div>
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Step four: In varying medium to small sections, using a smooth brush, pull sections of your hair across and over the bumps, brushing them flat as you go, pinning them into place.. Mix it up by throwing a loose braid or twist in there every now and then....not too many...and above all, spray the crap out of your hair.</div>
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Voila. You have an <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&ved=0CDkQtwIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D8Ov_9RoCyQA&ctbm=vid&ei=-fcnT7-OEcTi2QXw8MDqAg&usg=AFQjCNEpTDaa_Q-wGXo25rJ-oaafBWaZRg&sig2=SU2Gy2LtJeqihVdSUX6OJA" target="_blank">aesthetically pleasing configuration of hair</a> that humans go nuts over.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-54021404024682679762012-01-29T23:06:00.000-06:002012-01-29T23:06:21.316-06:00how to get the perfect shade of lighter pink, lavender, lilac, blue, et cetera, for you hairMaybe it's all the Rainbow Brite and Jem and My Little Pony schwag I consumed in the 80s as a genX child. I love coloring my hair unnatural colors. I've recently gone back to a more vivid pink, knowing that it will very soon fade into a pretty pastel. If you've ever done the Manic Panic thing, you probably know that pastels are really difficult to accomplish on your own...if you want true pastel highlights, you are almost better off shelling out the cheese for extensions. But if you want to cheat, do what I do between visits to my lovely friend and family stylist of about twelve years Corie Butler. Take a bottle of the bright color you want--I usually use two or more shades to get a kind of ombre effect, dying the ends first--and mix with conditioner until you get a pale version of what you are going for. Pinks last the longest, but all pastels will require upkeep between visits. I go in for my next appointment on Saturday, so we'll see how it looks before it's total hair makeover time.<br />
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By the way...if you adore funky hair but hate the idea of bleaching the sh+t out of your hair, Corie says you should try using oil pastels for a no-commitment color that will take over darker shades and light ones. Who knew? I can't wait to go all rainbow one day just for the heck of it.</div>
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And yes, I am the only pink-haired English teacher at the college...that I know of, at least.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-18427200951962407032012-01-14T23:33:00.002-06:002012-01-14T23:33:36.705-06:00Love letters to strangersI love writing because I love words. I love words because they mean something...they are useful tools with limitless power that when wielded can destroy or create.<br />
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Words are magic.<br />
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That's why I fell in love with <a href="http://www.moreloveletters.com/" target="_blank">this website</a>. Hannah, the site's owner, is on a mission: writing love letters to people who need them in a world where love can be hard to find.<br />
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I am one of those crazy teachers who thinks she's in <i>Mona Lisa Smile</i> or <i>Dead Poets Society</i>. I can't help myself: if I ever dreamed I could change the world one sweet word at a time, this delusion was solidified when one of my former students held my hand as the doctors cut through the donor tissue that makes up my abdominal wall to bring my daughter into the light and her first breath of air.<br />
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That's why when I first came across <i><a href="http://www.moreloveletters.com/" target="_blank">The World Needs More Love Letters</a>,</i> I knew this would totally make its way into my classroom. When I told my super awesome film student friend Jabari Jackson about my assignment, he decided he'd do me one better: he's going to use his talents to get some footage of our experience. I'll be rolling out the writing project this week for my Comp I and Comp II classes.<br />
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Here's the assignment. I'll keep you posted on how it goes!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-61391532084490620392012-01-14T21:35:00.001-06:002012-01-14T21:35:41.450-06:00meditations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I really love this little list I found on Pinterest. The original source is attributed on the list. I need to meditate on these things this week. When everything I do seems to go into the universe and never make its way back, I need to remind myself it's not about me.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-2253249348772437692012-01-06T08:42:00.000-06:002012-01-06T08:42:13.349-06:00let's stay togetherIf you know me or have read my blog much at all, you know that my husband and I have been together a long. mother. effin. time.<br />
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We moved in together after the spring that I turned 21. I will turn 36 this next spring.<br />
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We did not put a lot of time into thinking about what we were doing, a luxury of youth. Time was on our side. If things didn't work out, I would still have time to move on and enjoy a lovely, optionally promiscuous rest of my twentysomethings. But things did work out. When you think about how young we are, it's hard to believe. We were really young. It was so long ago that--<br />
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1. We used to ask for Sunday nights off so we could watch the <i>X-Files </i>in its first run<i>. </i>Justin's big brother Brendan, <a href="http://progressivesoldier.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">now known as the Sarge</a>, would leave his 101 dalmatian pajamas all the way in OKC to drive out to watch it with us. I was obsessed with the show. I had the book companion...it was my first foray into dorkdom. Ahem. Into fandom.<br />
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2. Justin had a bucket of quarters and a pager; I had a landline. Cell phones were still really big and most people didn't have them until a few years later. I used to accidentally wash his pager in the laundry. He would get super pissed and tell me how expensive it would be to replace; fortunately, it was nearly indestructible.<br />
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3. We had a waterbed with black satin sheets and thought this was awesome. It turned out to be less awesome as time went by. I am pretty sure time will tell that waterbeds are terrible for our spines (and romantic lives, but I don't really want to get into that).<br />
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4. I was thoroughly impressed by Justin's extensive CD collection. I was still mainly listening to cassette tapes.<br />
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5. I was also thoroughly impressed when we got the Internet. Before I moved in with Justin, I thought the Internet was something government agents used to communicate top secret info and break down spy rings. Of course, like everyone else, we had a dial-up connection. I would wait, wait, wait, for it to connect listening to the horrible worse-than-nails-on-a-chalkboard sound and finally the page would start to load and some jerk would invariably pick up the phone and knock us offline. I used the Internet to plan our wedding a few years later and thought it was the most amazing thing ever, and that was still when the web was pretty deep discount looking.<br />
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So that was a long time ago, right? I've seen lots of couples get together and break up and been to many weddings only to later be a victim of the brutal ceremonious friend division that comes with a breakup. Sometimes I wish more people would ask how we stayed together so long in an age where almost no on stays together. My cousin and her husband, who we lost earlier this year, seemed to have it figured out, and I know that will bring her comfort the rest of her life and be a blessing to their children. Our friends Melissia and Keith seem to have figured it out. Kate and Chris from St. Louis seem to have it figured out. Everyone else is still getting there, so we'll have to wait and see.<br />
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Here are some of the things I believe have kept us together. This is geared towards marriage, but of course could apply to any relationship. Good luck! The world needs more love in it.<br />
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1. Annual vacations. Every year we take at least one vacation and as many weekends away as we can. The first year we went to San Antonio, and we've gone someplace at least once each year. Even if you can only get a weekend away, think of it as an investment in your marriage. It's a way to hit the pause button on your life, and getting caught up in all the chaos of your life is what often makes us forget to prioritize our loves.<br />
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2. Taking a few minutes each day to talk. We don't always get to but when we can we do.<br />
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3. Prioritizing intimacy. If you don't connect physically, your emotions start to follow suit. Then you detach. Sex should be a place to put everything else aside and just connect on the most basic chemical level and is very important in a marriage.<br />
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4. Realizing that if there is some stuff about them making you crazy, guess what? There is some stuff about you making your partner crazy. This is normal. It's understanding that you have to put up with a certain amount of another human being's annoying qualities to be in a long-term relationship; you just have to ask yourself if your love for them outweighs your irritation. This is a question you ask in the beginning; you don't get to change your mind after ten years. I promise you, if it bugs you in the beginning, you won't train it out of them and it's not going to get better. If you make a commitment to be with someone, this is part of what that commitment means.<br />
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5. Understanding there are some battles you will never win, you will find yourselves having over and over and over, and that doing the same thing over and over and over with the same negative results reinforces bad energy in your relationship. Have a sense of humor about it, but pick your battles. Just be happy he is so handy with tools he can replumb the house, fix the washer and dryer and central heat, build a dollhouse, and deal with his inability to prioritize changing the bed linens. It's not going to happen so get over it. It's not worth wasting minutes of your life you'll wish you had back at the end of it.<br />
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6. Disallowing certain things. Don't ever talk about splitting up unless you are having a serious heart to heart in which it's an actual possibility...don't just throw it around. Don't call each other names. Don't give in to anything you'll regret later. This is a person you love and have committed your life to. Remember that you don't want to hurt them, even if you think you do at the time.<br />
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7. Disallowing jealousy. Jealousy is poison. If you have to go through his/her cell phone or email messages, you shouldn't be together. Period. You cross that line and you've brought something ugly into your home that will slowly poison your relationship. If another girl smiles at him, flirts with him, be proud that a man so fly is going home with you. If he smiles and flirts back and you know he's a cheater, why the heck you with him in the first place?<br />
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8. Find time for joy. We have been to hundreds of movies together and almost 300 live music shows. Dance, have fun, realize how short life is.<br />
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9. Don't reprogram your life for a person. If you find your friends, taste in music, taste in everything has changed, your relationship probably won't last forever and you're going to feel pretty empty when it's over.<br />
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10. Don't talk bad about that person to your friends when you are mad. Respect the special bond you have by keeping the trash talk out of it. Trust me, you'll regret it and your friends/family will never look at him the same way again.<br />
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11. Remember why you loved him/her in the first place. Write love letters or send texts reminding them of this. People step out because they aren't getting something at home. Make your home the center of love and joy. It should be the place they can't get enough of.<br />
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12. Have a short memory. Forget about why you were mad easily and never drudge up things that have long passed. You'll both be grateful.<br />
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13. Admit when you screwed up at least some of the time.<br />
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14. Laugh. A lot. Mostly at yourselves.<br />
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15. Love your children with all your hearts, but don't let them get between you. You and your husband/spouse should be at the center of the family. You are its foundation, its heart. Be committed to making that your biggest priority. You are modeling love for your kidz and every relationship they have will be based on how they see you interact.<br />
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16. Be affectionate. Don't be afraid to kiss in front of the kidz. It will give them security to know that you are in love with each other. <br />
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17. Celebrate your love as often as possible.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-39004054717791593072012-01-02T13:26:00.000-06:002012-01-02T13:26:04.043-06:00random downtown<div style="text-align: center;">
views from my office building</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-60463569202173296812012-01-01T22:39:00.001-06:002012-01-22T00:05:21.615-06:00party of five<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I mentioned briefly in my last post, our little nephew Noah has come to live with us for a while. I believe it took his parents a great deal of courage and faith in us to ask us to take him into our care, and we consider him as much a part of our family as Lu and Arthur whether he's living with us or someplace else. He is a wonderful boy with a smile that could melt any heart and a light, gentle but robust sense of humor. Going from three to five in six months has been a challenge, but we have always loved a noisy and happy home. Noah has some challenges of his own to face--he is showing symptoms similar to those of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_attachment_disorder" target="_blank">Reactive Attachment Disorder</a>, although there could be any number of diagnoses, and his official assessment is still two weeks away. He needs extra special and constant attention, a very tightly structured schedule, and disciplinary methods which might at first seem counter-intuitive (e.g. "time-ins" as opposed to "time outs"--sitting near him and using calming techniques to get him to talk and open up; meditative techniques [closes eyes, imagines an ocean and counts to five]; remaining emotionally neutral in reaction to an outburst). But this family is like the Marines: we leave no man behind. We're all in this together. His parents and family friends are helping us build a support network for him, and I am amazed at how well he's doing.<br />
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(Isn't he the sweetest?)</div>
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I plan to blog more about cousin's condition and diagnosis in the future to help other caregivers.<br />
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One really cool thing about being a party of five is that game nights and movie nights are way more fun. I love being a mom, always have, but as much as I love the sweet baby snuggles and indiscernible ravings of toddlers, I have always looked forward to the excuse-for-a-second-childhood stage of my children's lives. You know, the part where they can play games and enjoy watching all the shows you grew up on and they're brand new to them!!! The part where their toys are so freaking cool that playing with them is a blast, and you totally want to cut work to hang out with your home skillets. Anyway, we've made it through the first of the <i>Lord of the Rings</i> (Arthur has a Frodo costume) and one <i>Star Trek </i>series (Frodo can name two captains), played some serious dress up, had some messy art parties, and played some awesome new puzzles and games (I am SO hooked on <a href="http://www.ugames.com/" target="_blank">University Games</a>!):<br />
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Paul Frank bingo. Easy picture bingo for little kids. We played the heck out of this at <a href="http://www.elguaposcantina.net/" target="_blank">El Guapo's</a> the other night!</div>
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Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. AWESOME!!!</div>
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And Eric Carle's ABC game (We love the Wii ABC game by the way).</div>
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Everything is at once a bigger hassle and a bigger blast. I was really quite proud of myself when I mastered getting three kids organized and out the door by myself for the first time for Philbrook's Festival of Trees. Turns out the more you practice, the easier it becomes.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-27798390323112421322011-12-13T12:04:00.000-06:002011-12-13T12:04:11.284-06:00Super Simple Revising Cheat PrintableThis idea isn't a completely novel one; I've seen similar ideas on the web and in other teaching materials. However, I created this one to specifically suit the needs of my writing students. Feel free to download and enjoy. Click on the image for the Google Docs download, and enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BxuvB5_UmsUAMDJlY2VmZTgtYTJiMS00MjQxLWI2YjMtNGIxYzcwMzdkOTU0" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkx4wTaCAbCdg5ftej8bx_0hn0VKzKZBFsxxzfAWwRkSrg4imN3sjrFMgmUeYKQ-fFM1UUcyc1cnhyphenhyphenpQdlJhYeMM76naBmB1vwy2UaTuOiP-1cr3EtmtpDJg5ChGCvMrzj9Gt1Y-OhjBaD/s640/revising+cheat.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-25569356739568710502011-11-23T14:39:00.001-06:002011-11-23T19:20:19.689-06:00the flip side of oklahoma weather<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's no secret that Oklahoma's weather is extreme. I don't really know what people from across the country think of when they think of Oklahoma, but I can pretty much guess that just as I involuntarily think of unshaven men in fishing pants when I picture Alaska and my mind's image of Florida is sprinkled with "elderly couples in mint Cadillac" confetti, I can probably assume the universal stereotypes of Oklahoma include some vague concept of a Southern Baptist theocracy in a Devil-went-down-to-Georgia battle with the ubiquitous Indian casinos and thousands of rubbernecking rednecks standing on their porches tornado watching.</div>
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And they would be kinda right on both counts.</div>
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I've lived in the city my whole life, and I'm indoctrinated to its ways. As I jaywalk to my car every evening, taking in the sounds of cars and trains and the electric buzzing of downtown, the comforting art deco giants looking down protectively, I find the thought of living in the midst of rural quiet a bit unsettling...a bit <i>Deliverance</i>. I'm not going to lie and pretend like I know much of anything about Oklahomans outside of the city. To my shame, when people begin listing off their tribally-named hometowns (Okemah, Coweta, Talladega), I realize my familiarity with most of them comes from watching the storm warnings roll across the bottom of the local news as I watch for Tulsa and pray the storm doesn't interrupt the broadcast of <i>Community</i>.</div>
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Most native Tulsans have the similar paradoxically warm childhood recollections of tornado warnings: being rushed into the bathroom, hallway, or (in our case) the "cubby hole" under the stairs, where we'd wait for hours sometimes, eating culinary abominations like canned cheese and chicken-n-a-biscuit crackers (a concept that defies the laws of God and man) while playing Monopoly or Clue by candlelight to the sound of sirens through wind until the storm passed. Honestly, storms are kind of fun to us.</div>
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<i>Thunder</i>storms are kind of fun. <i>Winter</i> storms straight up suck. Case in point, <a href="http://owensofyorktown.blogspot.com/2011/02/snow-day.html">last year's blizzard</a>, when our central heat conveniently went on the fritz while we were snowed in for a week straight and <a href="http://owensofyorktown.blogspot.com/2011/02/nice-cold-bath.html">our bath tub froze</a>, literally a week <i>after</i> <a href="http://owensofyorktown.blogspot.com/2011/01/sunny-day-picnic.html">this sunny day picnic</a>, and <a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2007/icestorm07/default.aspx">the devastating ice storm of 2007</a> (oddly and unfortunately, I was <a href="http://owensofyorktown.blogspot.com/2011/02/lucy-at-29-weeks.html">very pregnant</a> for both of these events).</div>
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But even winter storms I can cope with. It's the Iraqi desert heat waves that make this place unbearable. This summer, for example, temperatures lingered over 100 hellish degrees from late June until the end of August <a href="http://www.tulsabeacon.com/?p=5427">in a record-breaking heat wave</a>. On top of all the floods, droughts, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microburst">microbursts</a> like the one that flipped our neighbors' 18 foot trampoline onto their shed last year, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squall_line">ominous squall lines</a>, golf-ball-sized hail, and other such miseries, the <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2011-11-06/us/us_oklahoma-earthquake_1_47-magnitude-quake-largest-quake-56-magnitude-quake?_s=PM:US">recent rash of earthquakes</a> has prompted an even more menacing threat--<i>a dramatic increase in talk of the "end times" inevitable in this part of the country</i> (shudder).</div>
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But the truth is, anyone in 7th grade science can tell you that we live in the middle of the continent--in scientific terminology, the <i>middle</i> middle--near some pretty flat geography, where <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_the_United_States">extreme weather is a fact of life</a>. While it can be a drag, we do get surprised occasionally with unseasonably awesome days, as was the case last week. With three kiddos in the house now that Arthur's cousin Noah is going to be staying with us for a while, I took the hint, grabbing the stroller and a couple of bags for nature hunting.</div>
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It was an amazing day. Enjoy our pics.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935228736994550923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5434127876738757625.post-56293034090194581022011-11-17T04:58:00.001-06:002011-11-17T04:59:15.752-06:00Recent Kiddos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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