SortaCrunchy

the stuff of dreams

At some point when time and I have made amends, I will say something much more elaborate in the way of introducing you to one of my oldest and dearest friends, laura.  She has just in the past few weeks rolled out her darling blog - one that I have long been anticipating. 

In the meantime, you simply must go over and read her account (weddings aren't for wussies) of a recent wedding, um, experience, that is so surreal it feels like a crazy midsummer dream that causes you to mumble that was weird before you shrug and start to shake off the swirling images of bizarre scenarios that are quite certainly are a little too fantastic for reality.   

It adds a whole new dimension to the coverage of the fires at Big Sur, to be sure. 

(oh, go ahead and sneak some peeks are the cards.  they are fabulous.)

this is just to say

We made it . . . we're here.  Have been, in fact, since Monday night, but the magnitude of the chaos has allowed precious little time at the computer.

I forgot how much I love Braums, horses grazing pastures, and the blessed freedom from fire ants.

I forgot how much I hate red dirt, marathon severe weather warnings, and the ferocity with which the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

I am weary of boxes. 

I am ready for a regular routine.

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OH!  Before I forget . . . if you have about one minute  (maybe less), and if you are a parent who has shared sleep with your children, would you mind to stop by the co-sleeping survey?  Let's do stand up and be counted and make known that co-sleeping is a safe, nurturing, helpful parenting practice which more and more parents are choosing, even if we aren't all talking about it.

Push Pause

The moving truck is in the driveway, slowly but surely filling with boxes of stuff. 

(We have realized we have so fallen short of our vision of a simpler, less-stuff lifestyle.  Nothing like boxing it all up to get a good grasp on how much stuff you have!  Much reevaluation to do when we land in our permanent place.)

Anyway, thanks so much for your amazing feedback, thoughts, and prayers.  I hate not being able to respond individually to each of you; thank you for bearing with me.

We roll out Monday morning, and I look forward to seeing everyone around sometime later in June!

Blessings to you all!

Week in Review, mid-May

So many things to share . . . where to start?

You know how if you live in a smallish town or a smallish community within a big town, you find yourself running into the same person over and over again in various scenarios?  Like, you saw her and her kids one morning during Open Gym at the gymnastics gym, and then you noticed her at the library the next week?  And then you see her and her kiddos at the toddler park and then you see them the next day at the grocery store?  And then it gets kind of awkward because you kind of smile and are cordial but you've never introduced yourselves?

That's how I've felt about Kelly at Love Well for a while now.  She and I run around in the same bloggy circles, as I know I've seen her at Missy's place, and for sure at Elle's, and other places, too (Coulda' Been Worse, perhaps?).  Anyway, finally, I went on over to her place and sorta introduced myself, and I am so glad I did. Kelly is just so neat!  And she is way cooler than I am in that she let her husband hijack her blog last week to write this timely and important post on The Art and Heart of Giving.  Make sure you take a minute or two to read this insightful guidance from someone who is definitely in the know.

You may have noticed the new button on my sidebar directing you to Karen's Simply . . . Amusing Blog.  Karen is doing a special and important series titled "Nip Cancer in the Bud with Early Detection."  If you have questions about cancer and cancer screenings, please go by and find out how you can get those questions answered by some Texas oncologists who have committed some time and energy to further spreading the word on the importance of early detection!

Completely switching gears, my friend Laura has set me up for a world of hurt by introducing me to Velvet Lava.  My entryway into this devilishly delightful homage to all things baked (complete with just lovely photography) was this utterly ridiculous Red Velvet Cake post.  Truly, there should be law against such things as this.  I was going to try it out this weekend, but tragically, I have run out of time.  I'll get you, my pretty, someday . . .

Let's see, what else?

Oh yes!  I was delighted to see that Simple Mom has chosen Rachel's Small Notebook as the first ever recipient of her Shoe of Simplicity spotlight.  I've been convinced Small Notebook is the Best Blog You're Not Reading, and I am just thrilled to see her get this attention! 

Speaking of Simple Mom - oy!  I just love her.  She posts the BEST stuff.  I emailed her last week to ask how she went about finding all those fabuloso Flickr images for her posts, and she kindly and promptly emailed me with the link to this article: A Complete Guide To Finding and Using Incredible Flickr Images.  Yahtzee!  Had to pass that along.

There's more, but now I've run out of time and D is about to go out of her mind begging me and Daddy to play a little game of freeze tag, so off I go.

Stay tuned this week as I share something really big happening in the lives of our little family.

I Ain't Freaking*

I ain't fakin' this . . . *

Last night, The Coach surprised me with my Mother's Day/early birthday present - an impossibly tiny little nano.

That man.  Ridiculous in lavishness.

Anyway, I sat down with iTunes for the first time ever last night and was immediately overwhelmed.  Thanks to my friend Melissa's guidance, I knew I wanted to start with Patty Griffin's Impossible Dream (sitting in my Amazon cart for weeks now).  After that, I found myself browsing Laurie Berkner selections and was struck by what a lame-o I am.

So who wants to help a mama out?  Wanna help me build my post-career, pre-soccer mom playlist? 

What are your essential must-listen picks?

To give you an idea of the music I gravitate towards, there's the aforementioned Patty Griffin, and I've long been a fan of the Dixie Chicks (newer stuff more than older, and I have Taking the Long Way committed to memory).  I adore Joshua Radin and would be thrilled if someone would release a soundtrack anthologizing every song from every episode from every season of Scrubs. 

Let's see, what else?  I can never say no to George or Jimmy.  And I actually really do like Laurie Berkner and have been known to listen to her when the girls are nowhere around.

I'm totally okay with Taking it Easy, but I've been known to Blister in the Sun, too.

As far as spiritually inspired or inspiring music goes, I tend to have the same problems with Contemporary Christian music that I have with Christian fiction (let's leave it at that), but I am a hard-core fan of the old school hymns.  (Something feels very wrong about hard-core and hymns in the same sentence.)  Wanna expand my horizons in this genre?

I can't wait to hear your recommendations, as ya'll are some of the coolest people I know.  I just know you are listening to some very cool stuff that you cannot wait to tell me about.     

* For my more evolved friends and readers who don't watch commercial TV, the reference here is to the newest iPod ad featuring the Ting Ting's song "Shut Up and Let Me Go ."

Week in Review

It's as though I just barely had a chance to breathe in April, and now here we are at the end of it and I don't feel quite ready for May. 

I sometimes feel as if all I do here these days is post pictures and share link love.  Ya'll, this is so unbearably trite but so exceedingly true - there just aren't enough hours in the day for me to do all that I want to.  So I focus on what I need to, and carve out time for the rest when I can.

Anyway, can you handle a few more links?  A few more pictures?

Two women I admire and respect are each about to launch separate but equally exciting new ventures and I want to make you aware of them:

Lis Garrett, of both woolgatherings and Lis Garrett: Silver Tongued Writer, is launching a new online web site called Root and Sprout.  Get a little preview of the sort of content Root and Sprout will offer here to find out why I am so looking forward to her launch.  I know some of you are amazing writers - this may be just the opportunity you have been looking for!  She also has information available if you are interested in advertising at Root and Sprout.

Another writer I absolutely adore is Megan of Velveteen Mind.  (She had me at Victor Vito.)  I am quite excited about her upcoming roll-out of Blog Nosh Magazine.  (Nosh.  Delish.)  Even though my feedreader and blogroll and email subscriptions are already way more than I can ever manage, I still love to discover new-to-me writers who are putting great content out there.  (She's looking for posts and channel editors - think you might be interested?)

One post I came across this week has spoken to me deeply and I keep rolling it around in my mind, like a mental wine tasting, breathing it in and savoring the top-notes and nuances in each sip:  Ann Voskamp's Breathe.

I don't usually read keeping awake, but Karla shared this in her reader this week, and I am so thankful - if you have a minute, go check out Boothe's thoughts on the question, "What if better doesn't come?"

AND ohmygosh I almost forgot this one!  I have to tell you about one of my new favorite blogs - Small Notebook.  They don't come much cooler than Rachel.  To begin with, she's a Texas mama (with tops out the cool meter right off the bat), and not only that, she's all about living green in the city - complete with compost bin, herb garden, and clothesline.  She buys gently used clothes for her darling daughter and I just adore how her blog is a collection of amazing photography, sweet ink drawings, and helpful, practical insights.  Go see her.  Enjoy.

OKAY.  I feel so much lighter.  Thanks for indulging me.

SO.

I think about five or six of you commited to mentioned you'd be up for sharing some poetry on Wednesday in honor of the (now almost over) National Poetry Month.  If I can figure it out, I'll do a Mr. Linky.  Let's have a good old-fashioned-hippie-beatnik poetry read!  Roll out your original verses or share your favorite lines from your favorite poets.  I can't wait!

Wait!  Before you go. I have pictures.

D celebrated Earth Day by glorying in both nature and pink.  Because pink's awfully earthy, right?

(these were shot through the window screen as I was trying to catch her unaware)

(which lasted about as long as one camera click)

(and then the silliness started)

(and the posing)

And can you believe AJ started with the finger foods this week? 

And finally, as you know and I am sure you are sick of hearing about, I haven't slept a whole lot in the past week.  And so here's my mothering tip of the week - when you are smooth-runnin' exhausted but your preschooler is abounding with energy, I can't think of a much more relaxing, mama-doesn't-have-to-move-or-even-get-out-of-her-chair activity than letting little one loose with the face paints.

Behold.

I so wanted to photoshop those dark circles away.  But that wouldn't have been very truthy of me, right?

WEDNESDAY.  POETRY.  BE HERE.

Of Earth and Poetry

Happy Earth Day everyone!

What will you do to celebrate? 

Sometimes the idea of going green or saving the planet can be a little overwhelming.  Sometimes it seems too big, and it's much easier to just be content to let others make the changes.  (And I can be Queen of the It's Too Hard, so I am speaking primarily to myself here!)

But there are lots of little things we can all do to make little changes.  And you know what?  Lots of little changes can motivate you to make some big changes.

Here are some little changes we've been working on:

* Almost 100% kitchen cloth use instead of paper towels and paper napkins.  One roll of paper towels (that I use primarily for wiping up meat juice messes) lasts for weeks and weeks and weeks around here.

* Switched to  Country Save detergent.  It's the best stuff I've ever used - safe for cloth diapers and safe for the earth!

* FREECYCLE - we've been known to nearly fill a dumpster after a round of spring cleaning or pre-move decluttering.  Now I try to list any and everything we want to get rid of on Freecycle.  It is uhMAZing what people will be happy to take off your hands for you!

* And one BIG, HUGE change we are about to undertake - getting rid of the plastic water bottles!  Yes, ya'll, I think we are about to take the pledge.

Want some great ideas on how to celebrate Earth Day as a family?  Go visit Crunchy Domestic Goddess's Making Earth Day a Family Day for an excellent list of ideas.

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Now, on a slightly different note . . . did you know that April is National Poetry Month?  Yes, it is indeed.  I was wondering . . . would anyone want to join me in celebrating?  I thought maybe we could do a bloggy poetry read-along next Wednesday, April 30th.  You could share your favorite poem(s) either on your blog or in the comments.  Self-composed poetry would be welcome, as well as favorite poems from your favorite writers. 

Anyone? 

If there's enough interest, I might try to do the Mr. Linky thing, so let me know if you would want to play along!

Inspiration, revisited

When I wrote about Sara and Walk Slowly, Live Wildly on Tuesday, I had no idea that the Lord was about to send me a magnificent dose of inspiration in the form of my sweet friend Melissa the very next day.  (You remember Melissa, right?  She of the amazing voice and profound lyrics . . .)

Melissa and I had been planning to get together for coffee and talk (both small and big) for, gosh, months?  Since before Christmas.  We live in the same town!  How hard can it be?  You know how it is, though.  Sick days, hard weeks, things come up, stuff goes down, plans are rearranged.  In a way that only He can do, God orchestrated both of our schedules yesterday so that we were finally able to connect.

Now, Melissa is not going to be one hundred percent in love with me sharing this part (she's one of those who gives quietly, shunning applause), but I must tell you that she came bearing gifts:

Look at all that organic, natural-living, good-for-you-and-the-babies goodness!!  Blessed. My. Heart.

But far more importantly, she brought with her a conversation in mind that I know without a doubt was from the Lord.  We talked about art and life and spirituality and she shared with me some of what she learned from Madeline L'Engle's Walking on Water.  I can't possibly retell all we discussed, but as we talked I knew precisely why the Lord sent her yesterday.

Well over a year ago (like late fall of 2006), I began to feel a burden to start a writing project.  My friend and mind twin Laura and I talked through some of it and we decided to try to tackle this topic together.  It's something we both feel strongly about and we were excited to get started on it.  Then within a few months, both of us got pregnant and welcomed our second children to our families.  As you can imagine, plans were rearranged.

This burden in my heart has been weighing every more heavily in the past few months, and as Melissa and I talked, God started whispering to me, "Seriously.  What are you waiting for?"  Yesterday, He helped me to know that the time is now.  And a quick phone call to Laura confirmed that she, too, is ready to take this up again.

Exciting, scary, overwhelming . . .

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Speaking of inspiration . . . the girls' Aunt Emily says there are never enough AJ pictures.  (Those second-borns gotta look out for each other!)  So for Aunt "MiMi" and anyone else who enjoys some almost-seven-months-old baby girl love . . .

She loves to play . . .

. . . she's got some cheeks . . .

. . . she's kind of smiley . . .

. . . those eyes . . .

. . . and pretty much is enthralled by Big Sister.

So here's the deal

I have been struggling, ya'll.  Struggling.  Struggling to keep up on reading all the blogs I love to read.  But here's the thing - when I am caught up on my blog reading, it generally means my house is a wreck, there's nary a bite to eat in the house, and my children and I may or may not have gotten dressed for the day.  Flip-flop that and you know if you drop by my house and my girls and I are dressed with teeth brushed, food in the tummies, dinner in the crockpot, and the housework is sorta done - well, I haven't read a single blog all day. 

'Cause I can't just stop at one.  Nope.  I peek at one and that reminds me I wanted to get over to another and next thing I know I've spent way too much time reading and way not enough time doing my job(s).

So here's the thing.  I have cut and trimmed and narrowed down as best as I can.  I now have seventy feeds in my Google Reader.  I just can't cut another one.  So I have divvied those seventy into seven neat lil folders of ten.  I figure I can feasibly make it by ten blogs throughout the course of the day.  That's reasonable, right?

And so, if days and days go by and you haven't heard from me, please know I'll get by your place just as soon as I can.  I promise.

Sooooooooooo.

Anyone wanna see some pictures?

Seven Things about Me Me Me Meme!

Dare I say it?  I think the girls and I are ready to rejoin the Land of the Living and Well.

I know different versions of this yucky, cough-y, lingering bug are all over the place.  Thanks so much for the sweet words of well wishes while we were down with it.

Weeks ago, my funny and insightful friend Missy at It's Almost Naptime tagged me with a Me Me Me Me Meme.  Last week, my wildly talented friend Stephanie at Providence Handmade tagged me with a Seven Things Meme.  In order to be efficient and to spare you from suffering through thirteen random blabberings about myself, I am going to mish-mash the two into a Seven Things about Me Me Me Meme!

Okay, here are the rules...

1. When tagged place the name and URL on your blog.

2. Post rules on your blog.

3. Write 6 (or 7) non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.

4. Name 6 (or 7) of your favorite blogs.

5. Send an email/comment on their blog letting them know they have been tagged.

Here goes!

1. I recently shared this with my Prayer Coffee friends, but not many other people know this.  Human hair, off the head, completely grosses me out.  Like hair in a hairbrush, on the bathtub rim, in the sink . . . all of it, even my own.  Makes. Me. Gag.  As evidence of the sacrificial way my man loves me, let me tell you he has been cleaning out my hairbrushes for me for the past ten years.  My wonderful younger sister had to do it for me before that.  I don't know where this came from, nor can I explain it.  It's just one of my many quirks!

2. Although I was a hard-core Clinique fan for many, many years, last year I switched to Bare Minerals and haven't looked back.  I don't wear much make-up anyway, and the Bare Minerals just smooths things over for me.  I do still love some Clinique lipstick though!

3. I use the Oil Cleansing Method of face care.

4. Here's a quirk about the way my body works - I only nurse from one breast.  Last month, I told Megan about how my Righty doesn't quite work right, so we all have to rely on Lefty to do the work around here.  I don't know what is wrong with Righty - some kind of boob malfunction.  D never would nurse from that side, but I chalked it up to her persnickety personality.  When Easy Baby AJ shunned that side, too, I decided perhaps it is Righty who is persnickety and allowed her to opt out of the breastfeeding experience.  Just so you know, it's entirely possible to nurse from one side only - as all seventeen and a half pounds of six month old AJ will testify to!

5. My heart thrills to the announcement of the April 10th return of The Office.

6. I am very seriously considering getting my nose pierced.

7.  I would really like to lose fifteen pounds and/or get back into my size 8s before The Coach and I celebrate our ten year anniversary in June, but I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally don't want to change my eating or start exercising.  So I'll let you know how that works out for me.

Two of the chicas I was going to tag - Alana of Gray Matters and Birdie at BirdBrain - just posted their 100 Things, so I won't torture them with this.  Instead, I choose:

GreenStyleMom at GreenStyleMom

Long-time friend and new to blogging Suzy at Coping with Chaos

Laura at Sweet Awakenings

Veggiemommy at Here We Go Again!

Sheila at Mom-fessions

Jen at Kickboxing Mama

and

Christie at 'Tis But a Season

Enjoy!