tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8033726924536270512024-02-19T07:22:20.294-06:00The Chronicles of DutchCan a Buckeye from Ohio grow in the Swamps of Texas? We are about to find out.Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-80858171419690439692012-09-26T07:00:00.000-05:002012-09-26T07:00:06.053-05:00The Big One<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One year ago today I delivered our little bundle of cute. We named her Ella.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ella means “bright light” in Greek.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you're thinking <i>Wow, you really did a lot of homework on names</i>! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would say yes because it sounds like we put a lot of work into the naming process, which automatically makes you a better parent, right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But in reality, I had loved the name before there was a tiny little shrimp expanding in my belly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I could not have been more amazingly on target. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Her bright light has quickly and seamlessly filled our world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ella has her Daddy’s scientific demeanor - calm, thoughtful and inquisitive. And his eyelashes. Praise God. (She’ll never be stuck in the bathroom at an embarrassingly old age trying to figure out the art of gluing little lashes to your eyelids. With the end result being your lid is now glued to your brow. Moving on…)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She got my blue eyes and my I’ll-Rip-Your-Face-Off-I’m-So-Hungry moods. Unluckily, enough, she also blessed with my I’m-So-Tired-I-Can-Cry-If-I-Want-To moods. But she's got my independent streak and my love of cheese. Oh, and my love of sleeping (Thank God). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We have been blessed with a very bright light. </span><br />
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Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-84173803534886536912012-09-19T07:00:00.000-05:002012-09-19T07:00:11.045-05:00Wordless Wednesday (Sort of)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Someone's having a very big birthday next week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> 11 months going on 21...and that wasn't a typo. She is seriously going on 21 years old. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She is HER OWN person. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I love it. </span></div>
Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-55290697877256545882012-09-17T10:55:00.001-05:002012-09-17T10:55:46.504-05:00My Texas Wardrobe<font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"> </font><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">Living in Texas has its advantages - the best tex-mex food around, mouth-watering barbeque, and the heart-clogging-but-slap-yo-momma-good chicken fried steak.<br></font><br/><br/>So…food.<span> </span>Texas has food.<br><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><font size="3">I know, I know… there are other fabulous things about Texas but its dinner time and I’m hungry, so bear with me.<span> </span></font></font><br/><br/><font size="3"><font face="Georgia">What Texas, more specifically Houston, does not have, however, is cold weather. Some of you may be like <em>Awesome! </em> I’m more like <em>how do you spell frowny face</em>? </font></font><br/><br/><font size="3"><font face="Georgia"> Growing up in Ohio and the Northeast assured me ample time in snugly sweaters and worn in jeans, parkas, mittens and…<em>psst…</em><a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/sr?keyword=ugg+australia+for+women&origin=PredictiveSearch" target="_self" title="">Ugg</a> boots. They may be a fashion crime people, but DAMN do they feel good! <o:p></o:p></font></font><br/><br/><font size="3" face="Georgia">Living in Houston has required a major adjustment to my closet and my mindset.<span> </span>Just because the calendar says December does not mean you can put away the flip flops.<span> </span><span> </span>Parkas are brought out every 5 years or so when we have a cold snap.<span> </span>You know, when it gets down to 42 degrees out.<span> </span>Brrr….<o:p></o:p></font><br/><br/><font size="3" face="Georgia">Here are a couple of my favorite adjustments I’ve made to my Texas wardrobe.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></font><br/><br/><font size="3"><font><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">Obviously, no wardrobe is complete without several pairs of jeans (of which we only wear 1, am I right ladies?!!). I wear them in the summer as well as winter here but to be honest, I’m sweating my buns off. So I’m delighted when I can throw them on and not worry that I’m going into early menopause. </font><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Tahoma"><o:p></o:p></font></font></font><br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAJppQDM9DPSVgoEV7U7anbaimnOtT1ci24DDHHVXgXqbRsbn78hnoco5R7X_jl5FS-jKfmZbgTIDgxQDuZX6ARKp10GtjozyedhC_z2dto1oRY2qjOjll6jZHO9Wu0ZVLBsTOpMC1Ws/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAJppQDM9DPSVgoEV7U7anbaimnOtT1ci24DDHHVXgXqbRsbn78hnoco5R7X_jl5FS-jKfmZbgTIDgxQDuZX6ARKp10GtjozyedhC_z2dto1oRY2qjOjll6jZHO9Wu0ZVLBsTOpMC1Ws/s500/Photo%252520Sep%25252017%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A16%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347897104278.797" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="183" height="275"></a></div><a href="http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/product.jsp?ensembleId=40094&&categoryId=21183&categoryName=JEANS&pCategoryId=3&pCategoryName=WOMEN&gpCategoryId=1&gpCategoryName=EB&catPath=~~categoryId=21183~~categoryName=JEANS~~pCategoryId=3~~pCategoryName=WOMEN~~gpCategoryId=1~~gpCategoryName=EB&viewAll=n&pg=1&colorId=866" target="_self" title=""></a><a href="http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/product.jsp?ensembleId=40094&&categoryId=21183&categoryName=JEANS&pCategoryId=3&pCategoryName=WOMEN&gpCategoryId=1&gpCategoryName=EB&catPath=~~categoryId=21183~~categoryName=JEANS~~pCategoryId=3~~pCategoryName=WOMEN~~gpCategoryId=1~~gpCategoryName=EB&viewAll=n&pg=1&colorId=866"><strong><font face="Century Schoolbook">Eddie Bauer Boyfriend Jeans Worn In</font></strong></a><br><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Tahoma"><o:p></o:p></font><br/><br/><font size="3"><font face="Century Schoolbook" style="font-family: Tahoma; ">My </font><font face="Georgia">new favorites are Eddie Bauer Boyfriend Jeans. Slouchy and comfy with super soft denim. Throw on a t-shirt, a cute pair of flats and you have you an easy weekend look. I really want to try these with a pair of low cut boots (my favs below) like something Gwyneth Paltrow would wear but I don’t know if I have the guts. We’ll see! <o:p></o:p></font></font><br/><br/><font size="3" face="Georgia">Confession time…I used to never wear skirts, like at all.<span> </span>There was a watershed moment in first grade when the teacher didn’t see my raised hand during a video and I had an accident.<span> </span>It was incredibly embarrassing.<span> </span>The ensemble I was wearing that day was a very preppy pink skirt and matching polo shirt.<span> </span>As if the skirt jinxed me, I vowed to never wear skirts again.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></font><br/><br/><font size="3" face="Georgia">Fast forward 24 years, some serious re-thinking about that skirt jinx and tights. <span> </span>(I know they’ve always been around but apparently not in the land of me.)<o:p></o:p></font><br/><br/><font size="3" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOcADoyjcTdihT8W944pnARq4MuBt51P9hGiEJkyqsHPakNGmefZ7BerchUXm7EFiS1YwKCacqkYjT7f7I_DbzgWBAzUua0cvH4q13fNEzAlvmmMEm1hYWnr-iPi-AJeor556tsj2GcY/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOcADoyjcTdihT8W944pnARq4MuBt51P9hGiEJkyqsHPakNGmefZ7BerchUXm7EFiS1YwKCacqkYjT7f7I_DbzgWBAzUua0cvH4q13fNEzAlvmmMEm1hYWnr-iPi-AJeor556tsj2GcY/s227/Photo%252520Sep%25252017%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A16%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347897104292.8225" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="227" height="272"></a></div><strong><font color="#4f81bd" face="Georgia"><span><a href="http://www.spanx.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11886314&cp=2992042.2992560&parentPage=family" target="_self" title="">Spanx Tight End- High Waisted</a></span></font></strong><br><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia" size="3">Spanx are my new favorite. A wee bit pricey but they really last. All sorts of colors to choose from too!</font><br/><br/><font size="3" face="Georgia">So I’ve already confessed that I have worn Uggs. I love them.<span> </span>My first year in Texas I bought a pair of grey knee high suede Uggs.<span> </span>I wore them exactly .5 times.<span> </span>It almost broke my heart that no one was going to see my beautiful new boots because it was just too darn hot.<span> </span></font><font size="3" face="Georgia">Thanks to Ebay a lucky (and stylish) chica is now wearing them.<br></font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">Thankfully, someone in the fashion world heard my cries and the ankle boots are now everywhere. Here are a couple from my private collection that I can’t wait to pull out of the closet.</font><br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLvLi9GVuulV5RwlP7vSFqtI17BRznjpuWG-xbEwGF8SrZZqR4bXPPJSi8633B0NXtxIgj6EBh2-CiixMtnJWGYjjZa119dJ5d_I83RkZNZkALwlbhbhGb_pVdaDj4ifkzW6YRmdJDTw/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLvLi9GVuulV5RwlP7vSFqtI17BRznjpuWG-xbEwGF8SrZZqR4bXPPJSi8633B0NXtxIgj6EBh2-CiixMtnJWGYjjZa119dJ5d_I83RkZNZkALwlbhbhGb_pVdaDj4ifkzW6YRmdJDTw/s500/Photo%252520Sep%25252013%25252C%2525202012%2525206%25253A50%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347897104300.8562" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia" size="3">These are Steve Madden super sale last spring. While i cant find the actual boot, I found a few elsewhere:</font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia" size="3"><a href="http://www.zappos.com/nine-west-bleaker-dark-grey-suede" target="_self" title="">Nine West</a></font><br/><br/><a href="http://www.zappos.com/mia-dani-black-suede" target="_self" title=""><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">Mia</font></a><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia" size="3"><br></font><br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoSXZEgc2U3N11XDbDxAk4RL8-kusJMAOkympAO7cYs2JvOvFN_rZcpPiJrMLrVEzhkIXZCtjic6T-Y9Y0KPFoBjGHEUxh0xczIV9Y-y6bvAEYKUD4LMUoHPbyvWWCUrGnbMuvRlhe_o/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoSXZEgc2U3N11XDbDxAk4RL8-kusJMAOkympAO7cYs2JvOvFN_rZcpPiJrMLrVEzhkIXZCtjic6T-Y9Y0KPFoBjGHEUxh0xczIV9Y-y6bvAEYKUD4LMUoHPbyvWWCUrGnbMuvRlhe_o/s500/Photo%252520Sep%25252013%25252C%2525202012%2525206%25253A49%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1347897104297.72" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">My Jennifer Aniston circa Justin Theroux boots. LOVE 'EM! </font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">These are from Nordstrom Rack & there isn't a tag or identifying feature on the inside so I don't know who made these. </font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">Here are a couple of choices for those moments when you want to kick</font> someone's butt this winter. <br/><br/><a href="http://www.stevemadden.com/Item.aspx?id=94892&np=261" target="_self" title="">Steve Madden</a><br/><br/><a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ugg-australia-fabrizia-boot-women/3270482?origin=category&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=Black&resultback=7375" target="_self" title="">Ugg</a> <br/><br/> <br/><br/>Technical note: I apologize for the wonky fonts. Im working on my ipad tonight.<br/><br/>Also, I'm working on the comments section... Ever since I got the website a makeover I haven't been able to respond to comments. Sorry about that! I've read every onethough and appreciate all of your thoughts! <br/><br/><br><p> </p>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-72818690686753352202012-08-27T07:00:00.000-05:002012-08-27T07:00:00.983-05:00Mommy Guilt: Or, You Know, Just Another Monday
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">’m a Mom. And I’m
not perfect. I know that you’re not
either but I fear that some of you are probably doing it better than me. Have you seen those <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a> crafts? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This wouldn’t be such a bad thing but this job is kind of a
big deal. I read tonight that we only
have 900 weeks with our children before they leave our home. I know, right? 900 weeks.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfQ_F5GPaH6HVKWKJQ8aWJkDGrNIvxBA0cmxZJdYDmElisk0R_LDTaHL1MTYcK5agwCoT72aId0u5aXIjBpMZPkb4yo0JswcuQ6AiV_UwMO-FUtO8I9e2AvJMMCLEEwNEpn00ht9CDTc/s1600/IMG_2623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfQ_F5GPaH6HVKWKJQ8aWJkDGrNIvxBA0cmxZJdYDmElisk0R_LDTaHL1MTYcK5agwCoT72aId0u5aXIjBpMZPkb4yo0JswcuQ6AiV_UwMO-FUtO8I9e2AvJMMCLEEwNEpn00ht9CDTc/s320/IMG_2623.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Black beans are her favorite. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I fear that might not be enough to time to impart the wisdom
I’ve learned from all of the John Hughes’ movies.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Notably, never wear your bra on your head during a thunderstorm, and always,
always befriend the guy named Ducky. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With my panic mode dutifully set in for the night, my brain
immediately goes to the “working mom” guilt.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m a mom who works outside the home. There are so many days since I’ve had Ella
(ok, all of them) that I question whether I am doing a disservice to her by
working. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9fQu0jjGkI12O0BpbheVuStd3SmqENtrFZNdG3A-u1ShVCE0IG-sfrjBeqHDrPqcg3Vc6cUjUOs-W6MBsbtwbe19DC4NwGPiRNnfoJrNLafWgsqfaD8GLY0xpScYpCgo8xGXq5Fk-tI/s1600/IMG_1950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9fQu0jjGkI12O0BpbheVuStd3SmqENtrFZNdG3A-u1ShVCE0IG-sfrjBeqHDrPqcg3Vc6cUjUOs-W6MBsbtwbe19DC4NwGPiRNnfoJrNLafWgsqfaD8GLY0xpScYpCgo8xGXq5Fk-tI/s1600/IMG_1950.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bath time! </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s not like she doesn’t have a fabulous time during the
day.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are so lucky to have my aunt
and uncle watch her every day.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She’s
loved beyond measure, gets to grow up with her cousin, and gets to go to
pre-school and do all kinds of fun things.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She’s a lucky girl.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But it’s been a trying weekend. A doctor’s visit on a Saturday for an ugly
bug bite that made her face swell up and add that onto the misery of a late
summer cold it has made someone extra cranky.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sippy cup not being held at the right angle? Tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Diaper change without being able to stand up and walk around
at the same time? Tears, screaming and
kicks to the gut (mine, not hers). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m wiped. And for
the first time in a long time I’m looking forward to Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, of course, I’m a pool of mushy mom guilt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWIJHhRnY6kf-vB0YP0v-GYffUuGtZ6yaBsFabXM2QkmLHPsQJ__P1i969nkNzi5Wu9_Mm4APZvIF3ivmWgLABYcuccfgeE-xsw2CyGXUuuVmcLdFWIqiEH7UgUtSfXpjOkzylP7n0ak/s1600/IMG_1822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWIJHhRnY6kf-vB0YP0v-GYffUuGtZ6yaBsFabXM2QkmLHPsQJ__P1i969nkNzi5Wu9_Mm4APZvIF3ivmWgLABYcuccfgeE-xsw2CyGXUuuVmcLdFWIqiEH7UgUtSfXpjOkzylP7n0ak/s1600/IMG_1822.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The girls.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shouldn’t I want to stay home with her all day, every
day?</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shouldn’t I want to wrestle her
through the tantrums because I took away her sippy cup? Or at least be there for all of the the really, really good moments? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then again, for me personally, I think I have more patience
with her when I know I have such limited time. I’m scared of my ability to be patient and
present with her every day. I don’t know
if I’d be the Mom she deserves and the one I want to be if I did not work outside
the home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But it’s never that easy, is it? One minute I’m perfectly content to be a
working mom and then… BAM…I’m right back to wanting to be a stay at home momma. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fabulous hair styling all around. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Really, it’s like I have split personalities. I don’t know the answers. I don’t know what the future holds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Right now, I’m planning on getting up and going to work. Ella will have a perfectly lovely day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am sure there will be a bit of guilt for the way things
could be in a perfect world interspersed with feelings of gratitude for the way
things are. That is really all I know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUbP32VMBi4Gdzgy2Ly_zu3kxbfjUoaUWDBbkDzrikSmE6MApvZGElz3FXd3DSOBEsHRwsd6JFwtFT2cRGbobz1HIDWdT6ImBqijoGV0MSIRdZIPWwRrDdNyBEHeXDP1zIhksPTRJXYc/s1600/IMG_2051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUbP32VMBi4Gdzgy2Ly_zu3kxbfjUoaUWDBbkDzrikSmE6MApvZGElz3FXd3DSOBEsHRwsd6JFwtFT2cRGbobz1HIDWdT6ImBqijoGV0MSIRdZIPWwRrDdNyBEHeXDP1zIhksPTRJXYc/s1600/IMG_2051.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love this girl with everything I have.</span></td></tr>
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<!--EndFragment-->Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-48666849838635696132012-08-23T10:08:00.001-05:002012-08-23T10:08:52.336-05:00All Ella It's been a while since I've posted any recent photos of my soon to be one year old. <br/><br/>Grandma says its time. We listen to Grandma.<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQbR3G9wSXfRraN_cQ0PQ25zjjAyhetZjGJZ35UBtGDCcCu8f17xjAauxe_RoYOnDkBJi6SFAk3lBkA3wnfi7brABwuqwWFJsWO3PAJPKzTe2O8XWgK65hl9zIxZIGKMXSsbu0VTI6kA/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQbR3G9wSXfRraN_cQ0PQ25zjjAyhetZjGJZ35UBtGDCcCu8f17xjAauxe_RoYOnDkBJi6SFAk3lBkA3wnfi7brABwuqwWFJsWO3PAJPKzTe2O8XWgK65hl9zIxZIGKMXSsbu0VTI6kA/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252022%25252C%2525202012%2525206%25253A42%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1345734318082.9329" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Work, work, work all day long.</em><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhLKsrfMRsRZTtyIfDqWt5-TdnFy7ltUz-RSO41r6jjQshF0Fgju9a83FNVxep6qEzrGQgZgeOwY3JKb-ZbU40s0yVu19bMiDxgdXHAYnSHW_RmfVXHhoVc8SZF7n2OzhfK-j7fcWT6g/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhLKsrfMRsRZTtyIfDqWt5-TdnFy7ltUz-RSO41r6jjQshF0Fgju9a83FNVxep6qEzrGQgZgeOwY3JKb-ZbU40s0yVu19bMiDxgdXHAYnSHW_RmfVXHhoVc8SZF7n2OzhfK-j7fcWT6g/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252022%25252C%2525202012%2525206%25253A42%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1345734318142.986" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTn5jzLkVEFNNYyoTgWbufm9bIW5nyh5lqYz_LwwB12z0JSmzPZrcCHS3u0s_Lcb-wLnwoMbCwmr4jkLqAwAveA_-t-bKrlmm150sjtqb_FjNI6eQvhOuDx19zp0IIVNbbNH9Pxmjc_jc/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTn5jzLkVEFNNYyoTgWbufm9bIW5nyh5lqYz_LwwB12z0JSmzPZrcCHS3u0s_Lcb-wLnwoMbCwmr4jkLqAwAveA_-t-bKrlmm150sjtqb_FjNI6eQvhOuDx19zp0IIVNbbNH9Pxmjc_jc/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252019%25252C%2525202012%2525203%25253A40%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1345734318137.5464" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="374"></a><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>It's all fun and games until someone plucks out an eyeball.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2medrViegE14hQmLCsurZEDI4RXrb3WcccZ9TVjWqt3V75T1gfckLZXGU1p6AHDgazRT5RHXHDfuiSTeRjAWPDmX3lktb7PrKk5rK2RtaEM4Q0PeafuGA8ZCJfuzR1If688Eh3l56r8/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2medrViegE14hQmLCsurZEDI4RXrb3WcccZ9TVjWqt3V75T1gfckLZXGU1p6AHDgazRT5RHXHDfuiSTeRjAWPDmX3lktb7PrKk5rK2RtaEM4Q0PeafuGA8ZCJfuzR1If688Eh3l56r8/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252019%25252C%2525202012%2525203%25253A41%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1345734318148.0327" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="374"></a></div> <em>But Mom! I want that little weird ball in Dada's head</em>.<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Y5l6szv5JLIyB76sNTVwNC31EsQ4VpomoBtO1ZvqR9YATSneKYJclkYvvhpO0Zw6wAC0fBsW0-Vs7zCJ2ZkrORpyRKsvT9TTgonmDBTdgKspi22wPWL0Qz2Zrb3BPLuj1fvuOaab_vY/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Y5l6szv5JLIyB76sNTVwNC31EsQ4VpomoBtO1ZvqR9YATSneKYJclkYvvhpO0Zw6wAC0fBsW0-Vs7zCJ2ZkrORpyRKsvT9TTgonmDBTdgKspi22wPWL0Qz2Zrb3BPLuj1fvuOaab_vY/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252019%25252C%2525202012%25252011%25253A12%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1345734318136.4543" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div> <em>Never mind... I've found something better. Daddy's wallet.</em><br/><br/><br><br/><br/><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39BMQYEtDU6uBJ-HS3FsorQ_pMgjMK3EL8kBXwUhZM9G8bz2UD1Mmgb1LgaySQh055lfaalgpKVWkwgh2SM9aW47LdIl5zSG5NgncacWJNMaxIyB2FXXKaUb2BbfW_T48pD2XJHiSvW0/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39BMQYEtDU6uBJ-HS3FsorQ_pMgjMK3EL8kBXwUhZM9G8bz2UD1Mmgb1LgaySQh055lfaalgpKVWkwgh2SM9aW47LdIl5zSG5NgncacWJNMaxIyB2FXXKaUb2BbfW_T48pD2XJHiSvW0/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252019%25252C%2525202012%25252011%25253A09%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1345734318128.6106" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a><br/><br/><em> This is fascinating.</em><br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPcfoJkpZCxOg3CmuuoJ7uNXn9h_m-ztw4ezRoNQ1kOy3Wr38uRPWJgNvm0S8zCqj-A4p4bNc69e7OuV-2tn1ibzOLOSeVVyb1YqP2kOH9Rw4yoXoPI7SuXYaycvURNGU4ZqzYwOqcFU/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPcfoJkpZCxOg3CmuuoJ7uNXn9h_m-ztw4ezRoNQ1kOy3Wr38uRPWJgNvm0S8zCqj-A4p4bNc69e7OuV-2tn1ibzOLOSeVVyb1YqP2kOH9Rw4yoXoPI7SuXYaycvURNGU4ZqzYwOqcFU/s500/Photo%252520Aug%25252019%25252C%2525202012%25252011%25253A10%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1345734318114.56" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div><em>Don't think you're going to get in on this action. </em><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-74382378368674829802012-08-22T07:15:00.000-05:002012-08-22T07:15:01.039-05:00What Happens When I'm Angry <br />
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You know when you're mad at your husband and you just have to leave the house and go somewhere to vent? </div>
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Movies are out. I mean, the fight isn't that big of a deal (but he will not know this yet) so once he figures out how wrong he is and apologizes you will make him take you to see that Valentine's Day chick flick starring like 74 Hollywood stars. (Also, how horrible are those movies? And why can't I stop watching them?) </div>
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Restaurants are definitely out. I like to do my stress eating in private. No one needs to see me pigging out on cupcakes and pumpkin pancakes. </div>
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The mall is dangerous. If I'm really irate, I have been known to go on a buying spree with our joint account. That's right...I'll show you, Mark! I'm going to make us poor. </div>
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That will definitely show him! You go, Kristen! </div>
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So my safety choice is CVS. </div>
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<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1898416522" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 40px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">If I'm in a really poor mood my ability to resist product marketing is minimal. </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">Do you ever have the feeling that with one tube of the perfect mascara or one </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">vitamin/retinal/placenta packed </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">face cream that all of your troubles will mysteriously melt away? </span><span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"> </span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1898416522" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 40px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX18969581" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1298580329" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">You mean THIS mascara will </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">make me </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">look like I have little wings attached to my eyes and </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">every time I blink it will make it rain in the Amazon?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> </span></span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">Sold.</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US"> </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">(Also, that’s the Butterfly Effect, right? I never got all the way through that horrible Ashton Kutcher movie so I’m just guessing.) </span><span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"> </span></span></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX18969581" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1083114836" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1083114836" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX18969581" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1255838891" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTpiExHqVdD6ZaWscFI8mZ8aAmg74oSh-bhocj4VMiX8fZhHodretZEtFCkIMpxti-gt3dFlOASXD1znyuohOHYmBzr3LbGolgvXd53JFNbc8oEMRLllKbv0ewOnuw6UUSdxBGxsLxoA/s1600/IMG_2775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTpiExHqVdD6ZaWscFI8mZ8aAmg74oSh-bhocj4VMiX8fZhHodretZEtFCkIMpxti-gt3dFlOASXD1znyuohOHYmBzr3LbGolgvXd53JFNbc8oEMRLllKbv0ewOnuw6UUSdxBGxsLxoA/s320/IMG_2775.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">A couple of my mascaras. And yes, those two are basically the same but one is Carbon Black and other is Black Black.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX18969581" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX18969581" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">Buy this little tub of farts wrapped in </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">organic dust bunnies we found under our couch sprinkled with real life angel sneezes</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US"> and you’ll never look a day over </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">3 years old</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US"> again! </span><span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX18969581" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX18969581" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="978682596" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX18969581" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1255838891" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">And buy them, I do. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1255838891" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 11px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpKqYvCJjzaovIgvLVmdV5mBxcdUxRm2gXuZwhXAvYhTkpHlBDEAtVW82iTtzhVvX1u_ky5FuCwwFepOA7XtZgKKSkwDZUx5XzoVxeh812YKHKQebA6YaTidrM-wR0PeS5vzb3dDEJiI/s1600/IMG_2774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpKqYvCJjzaovIgvLVmdV5mBxcdUxRm2gXuZwhXAvYhTkpHlBDEAtVW82iTtzhVvX1u_ky5FuCwwFepOA7XtZgKKSkwDZUx5XzoVxeh812YKHKQebA6YaTidrM-wR0PeS5vzb3dDEJiI/s320/IMG_2774.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Just a few of the many products I've invested in. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-size: 11px;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 11px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopYfgEGqK73L9bECVb_4hi11OHw9zUfEt2YKFI6yP-ET4Wvu1NirLELn7O7PEDJ7SvyhzRvwgO4vUCAWgUh_f3_ZdkgKd3v0AJ4O2oA1i1cQgAka_re9OyrkUj5T97St4dgCvkx5id8Q/s1600/IMG_2776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopYfgEGqK73L9bECVb_4hi11OHw9zUfEt2YKFI6yP-ET4Wvu1NirLELn7O7PEDJ7SvyhzRvwgO4vUCAWgUh_f3_ZdkgKd3v0AJ4O2oA1i1cQgAka_re9OyrkUj5T97St4dgCvkx5id8Q/s320/IMG_2776.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Anyone need body lotion, antibacterial hand lotion, spritzes, sprays? </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1255838891" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1255838891" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">I’</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">m a complete sucker. I'd like to say "I'm a complete sucker when I'm angry" but really I'm kidding no one. I'm just a sucker for all these fun little 'miracle cures'. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCX18969581" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="2120610588" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
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<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1892520684" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">My execution is lacking, however. </span></div>
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My bathroom is filled with little baskets and in those little baskets are zillions of half empty bottles of lotions, creams, retinals, soaps and the odd makeup that just never looked right. </div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1429461286" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">They all sit there</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US"> in their little basket, m</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">ocking me. </span><span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"> </span></div>
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<span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1466641284" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">I’m made of </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">f</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">reaking organic dust bunnies, girl! What is not to love? </span><span class="EOP SCX18969581" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;"> </span></div>
<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1466641284" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
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<div class="Paragraph SCX18969581" paraid="1063427635" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; background-color: transparent; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: normal !important;">
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">I guess the real question is, does Good Will accept half used bottles of night cream, body lotion, eye wrinkle </span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">magic</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">,</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US"> and</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US"> dark spot remover</span><span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">?</span><br />
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US"><br /></span>
<span class="TextRun SCX18969581" contenteditable="true" style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: normal !important; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: normal !important;" xml:lang="EN-US">And, maybe I should just go eat my feelings the next time we fight. After looking at all my 'potions', I feel like that might be a better use of my time. </span></div>
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Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-59409074774400348012012-08-10T07:00:00.000-05:002012-08-10T07:00:18.259-05:00There is a Book Review in Here Somewhere...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">Scene:<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>An exceptionally stylish woman, delightfully pretty in that all-American girl next door way with impossibly beautiful hair (it’s my scene, so I’ll write it as I see it) sits by herself at the counter of a trying-too-hard-to-be-hip bistro/diner in a hotel on Waikiki.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">A</span>bsorbed in her Kindle, she does not notice that the</span><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook;">waiter, Rajeesh, needs someone to talk to. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">Rajeesh: So what are you reading?<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">The All-American girl looks up and knows before she even opens her mouth this is not going to end well.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">Tears immediately spring to her eyes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">Kristen: <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Well…ummmmm…*sniff, sniff* … it’s this really terrific book about a little girl who is orphaned by her Irish immigrant parents.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>And…*sniff, sniff* she becomes a slave on a Virginia plantation.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Well, not really a slave *cue tears* but an indentured servant.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>It’s just… so sad, really.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>*Sniff, sniff and… tears* <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">LONG PAUSE. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Tissues procured.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">Then, the slaves take her in as part of their family and *sniff….sob….* and then she’s not a slave any longer and OH....it’s just SO tragic!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">*Sob, sniff…*</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">Rajeesh is wide-eyed with terror.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><i>SHOULD I CALL 9-1-1? </i>his face seems to say.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">Rajeesh: Uh.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">Kristen: I KNOW. It’s...just…so…amazing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">And Scene.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">It may have been the jet lag or the fact that I just left my baby for the first time ever but I’m going to chalk up the dramatics to what a FANTASTIC book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Kitchen-House-A-Novel/dp/1439153663">The Kitchen House</a> is.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">I have fallen in love with Kathleen Grissom’s novel.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>A must read if you liked <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Help-Deluxe-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/0399157913/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344561448&sr=1-1&keywords=the+help">The Help</a> by Kathryn Stockett. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>If not, go read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Help-Deluxe-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/0399157913/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344561448&sr=1-1&keywords=the+help">The Help</a> by Kathryn Stockett. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Kitchen-House-A-Novel/dp/1439153663">Kitchen House</a> details the lives of slaves on a Virginia plantation. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>There are two narrators – one a white orphaned girl named Lavinia who is an indentured servant to the plantation owner and a black slave on the same plantation, named Belle.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Lavinia is considered a slave; she lives and works with the black slaves on the plantation. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>The black slaves become her family and treat her as one of their own. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">The reader soon finds out, however, the advantages she will have based on the fact that she is white even though she is considered a slave.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>The book details her life through adulthood – her return to the plantation she grew up on and the changes of the only family she ever knew.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>The book has some very wild turns and just when you think you know a character something happens and you’re turned on your head.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">Being a history buff, I thought I intellectually understood the dynamic relationships during slavery but this book was so different than what I've encountered before. House slaves vs. field slaves, indentured servants vs. slaves, owners vs. slaves</span><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: 20px;"> it was all very enlightening. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';">It definitely brought me to tears several times, most notably in the trying-too-hard-to-be-cool bistro/diner on Waikiki.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Century Schoolbook; line-height: normal;">If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts!<span style="line-height: 20px;"> And if you've ever traumatized any wait staff while reading! </span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-78697957059075771282012-08-07T10:24:00.001-05:002012-08-07T11:47:13.574-05:00My Olympic Dream While I’m generally not an Olympic person, I can’t help but get sucked into the athletes back stories. Little Gabby Douglas moving away from her family to work with her coach, the 4:00 am practice sessions, the grit and determination. Seeing these dedicated individuals is really inspiring. <br/><br/>This inspiration has led me to look at an unrealized dream of my own.<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Liquid eyeliner. More specifically, the act of applying liquid eyeliner in the cat-eye technique. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Yep, that’s it. That’s my little ol’ dream.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Liquid eyeliner application is like the highest achievable level of humanity in my opinion. I’m sure the Nobel Prize winners are very smart with their disease cures and award-winning mathematical algorithms but I bet they’ve never mastered the cat-eye.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/><br><br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFWFD0gMgyGKM6ebVfopht1iYt-7_hOY3SH2wrt8m0jZcrkYPjtcwV7t4w7VteVPMJbCopZgHByM58KADE-2AkyAJ19BGX41xLh-fEngdQzT5BrKgzukH4mAkaKsZl7i0Mm-XKOIzfO8/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFWFD0gMgyGKM6ebVfopht1iYt-7_hOY3SH2wrt8m0jZcrkYPjtcwV7t4w7VteVPMJbCopZgHByM58KADE-2AkyAJ19BGX41xLh-fEngdQzT5BrKgzukH4mAkaKsZl7i0Mm-XKOIzfO8/s500/Photo%252520Aug%2525207%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A36%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1344357817806.7932" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="240" height="180"></a></div><br><br/><br/>The straight black line across the eyelid, the gentle upward swish of the gooey black liquid at the precise outside corner of the lid with a careful flick of the wrist looks easy enough. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>But you’d be wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Mine is a splotchy, not straight. The all-important swish comes either too early or too late thereby making me look like I have a fish hook piercing my eyelid or at the very least like I accidentally wrote on myself with a sharpie. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>FAIL.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>I want to be the kind of girl who is able to achieve the cat eye. I want the damn cat eye, people! <span> </span>I guess if we’re really analyzing it (and yes, welcome to my life) it’s really what the cat eye represents. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>The girl who wears liquid eyeliner is fearless and not afraid of commitment (cuz that stuff is not coming off anytime soon. See my trash can with the 10 gazillion makeup remover thingies). Also, she’s classic, timeless, sophisticated and damn, it… COOL. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Think Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>I may not have her gamine body or the face shape to pull off those blunt bangs (Jessica Biel doesn’t either, she’s just kidding herself) but I can attain the cat-eye. That I can do. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>If the Olympics has taught me anything it’s that with a lot of determination, a heaping helping of talent and Gabby Douglas’ biceps I too can achieve the cat-eye. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/><font>I’ve already told Mark I’m quitting my job and moving into Sephora full time. He didn’t seem pleased. </font><br/><br/> Photo Credit:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiralhenna/2035619258/" target="_self" title=""> Hiral Henna on Flickr</a><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-82223086094544074672012-08-01T21:02:00.000-05:002012-08-01T21:02:27.383-05:00Where I've Been...<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's been an exciting couple of weeks around here. Since the hubs was doing Navy duty for two weeks Grandma Joni came down to visit, and I don't know, spoil a particular 10 month old. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then I met hubby for a week of vacation. Adults only. Lots of sleep, staying up late, drinks with dinner, long brunches, fancy dinners here and there. It was, in a word, lovely. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not to say I didn't break down once or twice because I missed the munchkin but it was a much needed break. I'm so grateful to Grandma for watching Ella for a whole 3 weeks and especially for the last one. Grateful, grateful, grateful...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mark had to (had is such a strong word here but nonetheless...) go to Pearl Harbor for Naval Reserve duty. So luckily we were able to make a vacation out of it on the back end. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My lei that the hubs bought for my arrival. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yum.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First view of the Pacific.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Champagne Brunch. Yes, please. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The banyan tree in the middle of our hotel, <a href="http://www.halekoa.com/">The Hale Koa</a>. I could not get enough of those lovely, weird trees. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fun times ahead.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tastes of Hawaii.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Pearl Harbor, Memorial for all of the submarines lost in World War II. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pearl Harbor. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzYYz2ozaNtM1Ny099JUtqXEMGYm9wbBtXUYx2jZQGrfavUhvxqlErIm7HpvHF80Fxgkbk3KHqKGz3Cd_6oHDYGG0OgpB4hh6w1WVKdPPADd9cKXbqhIN4yhAkSmVKkXB_0mS-A-7PaVA/s1600/IMG_2474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzYYz2ozaNtM1Ny099JUtqXEMGYm9wbBtXUYx2jZQGrfavUhvxqlErIm7HpvHF80Fxgkbk3KHqKGz3Cd_6oHDYGG0OgpB4hh6w1WVKdPPADd9cKXbqhIN4yhAkSmVKkXB_0mS-A-7PaVA/s320/IMG_2474.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WPYp6vEFYR6Jb8omh4FSLbUAjP54-BivVUy8K5FwpGm8TtiE8vRoJRG3deSSFVzUt6lWhxgnxB-byATRgZXbA9D92fzGGq_Ac_6Ur9eZxqE8EfwfB7M5upMwMe6DRNVzcewJeXOGkfs/s1600/IMG_2478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WPYp6vEFYR6Jb8omh4FSLbUAjP54-BivVUy8K5FwpGm8TtiE8vRoJRG3deSSFVzUt6lWhxgnxB-byATRgZXbA9D92fzGGq_Ac_6Ur9eZxqE8EfwfB7M5upMwMe6DRNVzcewJeXOGkfs/s320/IMG_2478.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Torpedoes on display around the memorial. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZSP0ubtqSPB1U5rju5FpM5x0jzL8LqI9zpJVccUpsUJhPjDQ_dYGGkhLDcR4cyyZPMjkFiOIzwwKrQZd6J5C6ohan-rWk0beuwMMrMSwl3k0_wOZDQPqiPf_c1TCXUe4XpmokJLjpFU/s1600/IMG_2479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZSP0ubtqSPB1U5rju5FpM5x0jzL8LqI9zpJVccUpsUJhPjDQ_dYGGkhLDcR4cyyZPMjkFiOIzwwKrQZd6J5C6ohan-rWk0beuwMMrMSwl3k0_wOZDQPqiPf_c1TCXUe4XpmokJLjpFU/s1600/IMG_2479.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Posing with the torpedo. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTxoEvetCTxOI4W4wZTGqWi75M8DIeki6mt-1KbA9-_TUCAWb9G66pTPo-W2rkL81npybWIyxbVIKp5eDvXjFvdWzO39UOmdIz5ZEGYTjXwS9iPMorEJ0F9mM4KnOX9PevyWHoECSbEY/s1600/IMG_2481.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTxoEvetCTxOI4W4wZTGqWi75M8DIeki6mt-1KbA9-_TUCAWb9G66pTPo-W2rkL81npybWIyxbVIKp5eDvXjFvdWzO39UOmdIz5ZEGYTjXwS9iPMorEJ0F9mM4KnOX9PevyWHoECSbEY/s320/IMG_2481.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Honey, come here and take my picture with the torpedo.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNW2Xs4HGWrch8v0LXb03rmIGe4hOU84dhbI88EqtQxTAPy4hMuWggHtQtDLcMWhaGmNvW0hQU-e7ugMXuygVUgpWoy8D8QkRJuCzYaP2rMpBRti-NjNHxAnUUAYXa5oTXoX1MJScCOY/s1600/IMG_2482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNW2Xs4HGWrch8v0LXb03rmIGe4hOU84dhbI88EqtQxTAPy4hMuWggHtQtDLcMWhaGmNvW0hQU-e7ugMXuygVUgpWoy8D8QkRJuCzYaP2rMpBRti-NjNHxAnUUAYXa5oTXoX1MJScCOY/s320/IMG_2482.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Your turn! Be excited!</i> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_YfW195VgQkPdZrvlLaax7BcjUTF6t3Or73VUyCFZ71f00yrDyLv0o537Jkg5xxFzhX9rDEk3tlpSZBWHE3YVyhFG1xE6X58GubiiiW9S96phdeI1gT_XEPtBKiwJbwOtDf00uwoMR0/s1600/IMG_2483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh_YfW195VgQkPdZrvlLaax7BcjUTF6t3Or73VUyCFZ71f00yrDyLv0o537Jkg5xxFzhX9rDEk3tlpSZBWHE3YVyhFG1xE6X58GubiiiW9S96phdeI1gT_XEPtBKiwJbwOtDf00uwoMR0/s320/IMG_2483.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The conning tower from a World War II submarine. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeUKXsO4mIAbVI_bypeDe_HwwCrTZ06l-KCOEKzFaZ1WA-PwuUL2k-FmYCnr4zq3JvJfGIhl0_S11tbRmv6iu9NvWnmGcUW7iPrn4GUthT_R7pQ_hLri8BcLwxWdGTX8B37lQI_67IEk/s1600/IMG_2485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQeUKXsO4mIAbVI_bypeDe_HwwCrTZ06l-KCOEKzFaZ1WA-PwuUL2k-FmYCnr4zq3JvJfGIhl0_S11tbRmv6iu9NvWnmGcUW7iPrn4GUthT_R7pQ_hLri8BcLwxWdGTX8B37lQI_67IEk/s320/IMG_2485.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ok, now take a picture of me pretending to be Submarine Jane</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypqlslLL2oFsDho5sTQoUO8x-mrQyM9LmaIDRjccWXousS0ACtxWKRXf8MqY-oByDDZPDL6oLctqHxEvz0OVyqmIImKSpVu8eJK7BgUTNW3b1-LaN0Yz8eVzezwj9JEuyxn6rtYDiJL8/s1600/IMG_2488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypqlslLL2oFsDho5sTQoUO8x-mrQyM9LmaIDRjccWXousS0ACtxWKRXf8MqY-oByDDZPDL6oLctqHxEvz0OVyqmIImKSpVu8eJK7BgUTNW3b1-LaN0Yz8eVzezwj9JEuyxn6rtYDiJL8/s1600/IMG_2488.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDHH-DwzJ-zrpmn8ETVx-rxl2z15S0mNoDx9twVkwbZD-yx7BOLZQ8t0RT3F_UMfAitIctu9RULAByCYlRpD9CSq0NGNUuI1urHNVy-fpE-ZXl39gXYmpJ6ZYYLlbuTUzpe-BF9voh44/s1600/IMG_2492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDHH-DwzJ-zrpmn8ETVx-rxl2z15S0mNoDx9twVkwbZD-yx7BOLZQ8t0RT3F_UMfAitIctu9RULAByCYlRpD9CSq0NGNUuI1urHNVy-fpE-ZXl39gXYmpJ6ZYYLlbuTUzpe-BF9voh44/s320/IMG_2492.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">USS Missouri Battleship </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrBieMVzn69PSXgdbxJ4xhyZEKUdKKf99q0tasEi6C-XTynf-xZ30rnE-pvFmOoWy3yLFU9JslVuTinSQpfasm-McexZ9m9JJhWG_jaBXj0T3jq99tstvJ8N8JGilT6XnorD-YVzhQwQ/s1600/IMG_2493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrBieMVzn69PSXgdbxJ4xhyZEKUdKKf99q0tasEi6C-XTynf-xZ30rnE-pvFmOoWy3yLFU9JslVuTinSQpfasm-McexZ9m9JJhWG_jaBXj0T3jq99tstvJ8N8JGilT6XnorD-YVzhQwQ/s320/IMG_2493.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpHwtk6G0BILnZncrqmbky2u5-c16JaBTTTM9ge9ADIXRxkyQeJx6uZI6jI_GfrXVnGRJ_l6yGqdyJLjF1gxIrsT6Kxn5JZkOHzgxEj2eATJkmYntIS2DdxzPxEZWP-Qw320kL2btFj0/s1600/IMG_2495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpHwtk6G0BILnZncrqmbky2u5-c16JaBTTTM9ge9ADIXRxkyQeJx6uZI6jI_GfrXVnGRJ_l6yGqdyJLjF1gxIrsT6Kxn5JZkOHzgxEj2eATJkmYntIS2DdxzPxEZWP-Qw320kL2btFj0/s320/IMG_2495.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6EQQIhj4RPx-FspDg0ZUvqsT5jljw_sk-OWPwCDnAdzkrzGiKOfBQt5aHB11TntZW6WHn3V-GlgBr7AY7hZwlr0OIUxi7kXLWGIOkGliWNGMUkNsjNIfnOfHSpXscPEyg_13UsyM1CA/s1600/IMG_2496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6EQQIhj4RPx-FspDg0ZUvqsT5jljw_sk-OWPwCDnAdzkrzGiKOfBQt5aHB11TntZW6WHn3V-GlgBr7AY7hZwlr0OIUxi7kXLWGIOkGliWNGMUkNsjNIfnOfHSpXscPEyg_13UsyM1CA/s320/IMG_2496.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ummm...it's pretty big. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28qc51awDzbW6MB-PpJo_ciNHr8WfR3n8PkLrdru8CeDdVMK1O5VSqBFCGaRQWOOOZKu3TSvUNzySbvIzWnrw0JLn_9Wv7GBmnt-_YQXsEtJ8ThHfiT84UkONg85M7HJCTZHly4nN8CA/s1600/IMG_2497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh28qc51awDzbW6MB-PpJo_ciNHr8WfR3n8PkLrdru8CeDdVMK1O5VSqBFCGaRQWOOOZKu3TSvUNzySbvIzWnrw0JLn_9Wv7GBmnt-_YQXsEtJ8ThHfiT84UkONg85M7HJCTZHly4nN8CA/s320/IMG_2497.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The USS Arizona Memorial </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84PVeFSl72IscUmEv2K3k48qhqDkQYJygummcG6kDWJjcSNDkHvCY0AWOUEXH4KH5izOeSHjSpEQ0E2PAUh2Jb1gPMBRBcHq-XVesmceg8S77jlPjSwiTrUPVr6EWvV6DKvsyZGCd3Wo/s1600/IMG_2498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84PVeFSl72IscUmEv2K3k48qhqDkQYJygummcG6kDWJjcSNDkHvCY0AWOUEXH4KH5izOeSHjSpEQ0E2PAUh2Jb1gPMBRBcHq-XVesmceg8S77jlPjSwiTrUPVr6EWvV6DKvsyZGCd3Wo/s320/IMG_2498.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sU_2cf1bz6qsBrmPzTb49H04MySiOSPI3mpVCQ31jKf6aRpvdZcR_pGXFUQ8vhgHwvWUQvzBAiN0V36lC512ot062r9vt_Fv4gnEXF1fxSw0ptYwSvSgmzMycDHJTe8aSUu3kqqpzfc/s1600/IMG_2499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sU_2cf1bz6qsBrmPzTb49H04MySiOSPI3mpVCQ31jKf6aRpvdZcR_pGXFUQ8vhgHwvWUQvzBAiN0V36lC512ot062r9vt_Fv4gnEXF1fxSw0ptYwSvSgmzMycDHJTe8aSUu3kqqpzfc/s320/IMG_2499.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My what big guns you have! </span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTVhaqd9uYZ__bnaYc8pnqRJ3dIA2E5Xumhs5MJAyr4vctEe7PA4dPc8s9WOrI9MrIXIqGZSmJbKK4KR_9km3JSNmOPJmrJnfjEKRp-MvGyN0s13UqLDDZcvN7jDZlyLOnfVQ8i8QXt0/s1600/IMG_2501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTVhaqd9uYZ__bnaYc8pnqRJ3dIA2E5Xumhs5MJAyr4vctEe7PA4dPc8s9WOrI9MrIXIqGZSmJbKK4KR_9km3JSNmOPJmrJnfjEKRp-MvGyN0s13UqLDDZcvN7jDZlyLOnfVQ8i8QXt0/s320/IMG_2501.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlicSl1IdS849GlrvE46jgBm8yGddg3c1w2G2fuGyNq23nruVav-hqfJ6USXHuiTih3zdAPxPqAfzGCY6W2xLpRLbovN4zz3gAi6oAZz5kY4JK8RQbDbn6ocVhyQVYZWb_Cao7C35fiEA/s1600/IMG_2502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlicSl1IdS849GlrvE46jgBm8yGddg3c1w2G2fuGyNq23nruVav-hqfJ6USXHuiTih3zdAPxPqAfzGCY6W2xLpRLbovN4zz3gAi6oAZz5kY4JK8RQbDbn6ocVhyQVYZWb_Cao7C35fiEA/s320/IMG_2502.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The exact spot where General MacArthur accepted Japan's surrender during World War II. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Testing out the Captain's chair. He looks like a natural. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixhXmEuoUju0heuxSKmOjjHekdZFlpklcl9HmjhC4nXk1BEZEVDsmTgdsUdi12dp_FgQ1ish5uEtROskvmcCnSk1ia3dqaS6eMCPff8XYJ1bkWaiZek4UgHrczHdtqgdhnkPm4wRGaFI/s1600/IMG_2513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixhXmEuoUju0heuxSKmOjjHekdZFlpklcl9HmjhC4nXk1BEZEVDsmTgdsUdi12dp_FgQ1ish5uEtROskvmcCnSk1ia3dqaS6eMCPff8XYJ1bkWaiZek4UgHrczHdtqgdhnkPm4wRGaFI/s320/IMG_2513.jpg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, who looks like a natural? All this power at my fingers tips... Mwah hah hah....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRq5r4Xj3a0ZvLpTZKZBk1_l2q3kam4ildvznmoK1d-Xiu6RGDMCOyono8LPtJnZQA6svvnlqT31ZOOFfNZuV7UsWolXJwPf3GSgDu9gmfUF0NcDFSv0JAh9A67_xqc4T86gsOhiPCc0/s1600/IMG_2515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCRq5r4Xj3a0ZvLpTZKZBk1_l2q3kam4ildvznmoK1d-Xiu6RGDMCOyono8LPtJnZQA6svvnlqT31ZOOFfNZuV7UsWolXJwPf3GSgDu9gmfUF0NcDFSv0JAh9A67_xqc4T86gsOhiPCc0/s320/IMG_2515.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There's so much more but I'm tired and the only one who probably got this far is my mother, so without further ado, here is the requisite beautiful tropical paradise pictures. </span></div>
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<br />Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-26223015485513917562012-07-17T11:26:00.001-05:002012-07-17T11:26:23.451-05:00Worst Case Scenario Kind of Girl <font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">Thoughts that roll around in my head at night…</font><br/><br/><em><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">What did Mark have in his hand earlier?<span> </span>And why couldn’t I find that big butcher knife at dinner?</font></em><br/><br/><em><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font></em><br/><br/><em><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">*Checking under his pillow* Nope, not here.<span> </span>Remember to check his closet in the morning. <span> </span></font></em><br/><br/><span><em><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font></em></span><br/><br/><em><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">While I am firmly against Ella dating (as in EVER), we must be on the lookout for those boys that want to murder parents in their sleep.<span> </span>Keep a sharp eye out for that kind.</font></em><br/><br/><em><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font></em><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><em>Hmm…sure he says he is going to fix that hole in the garage with the duct tape and tarp he bought at Home Depot but what’s his hidden agenda? Lets just </em><em>remember to throw ‘em in the trash on Wednesday.<span> </span></em></font><br/><br/><span><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font></span><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">So, I <em>may</em> spend a bit too much time watching real crime dramas. Dateline, 48 Hours, Investigation Discovery, you name it I watch it.</font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">Clearly, they have an impact. Good and bad, I suppose. </font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">For instance, midway through a normal dinner, I may happen to blurt out strange things. </font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">For instance...</font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><em><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">You know you'll never get away with it. I am much too smart to be murdered!!</font></em><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">What ARE you talking about?</font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">*Silence*</font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><em><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">Ummm...</font></em><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">You've REALLY got to stop watching those shows. </font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"> </font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">Admittedly, I get a bit “Worst Case Scenario”and freak myself (and my husband) out on occasion. </font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">But, on the bright side, my many hours staring into Stone Phillips’ pretty face listening to his deeply hypnotizing voice will probably, maybe, one day save our lives. </font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia">So Mark is just going to have to deal with the occasional outbursts. And the checking for wayward weapons. </font><br/><br/><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Georgia"><br></font><br/><br/><font><font face="Georgia">Also, if you’re in the market for a never been used tarp please see my trash can on Wednesday. You’re in luck. </font></font><br/><br/>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-54793256738067737682012-07-16T07:00:00.000-05:002012-07-16T07:00:12.258-05:00Why, Hello There!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You might notice things look a little different around here. </span><div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh, no. It wasn't me. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thankfully, there are people in the world with A LOT of talent. People who liven things up, make you feel all pretty and done up. The world is better because of those people. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I found Kristin at <a href="http://www.simplyklassicdesign.com/">Simply Klassic Blog Design</a>. I think my exact words were: <i>I like green, blue and um...pretty things.</i> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How did she get in my head and pull this out? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don't know. I'm just glad she did. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I'm still figuring things out around here. Pages are under construction but I'll get there so keep checking back! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thanks Kristin! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-36036429787687242442012-07-10T11:12:00.001-05:002012-07-10T11:12:39.856-05:00I'm Calling Her Grandma Ghost or G.G. for Short We have a ghost. <br/><br/>I’m totally down with having a ghost.<span> </span>I mean, it’s like the next best thing to having a pool, right?<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>I know, I know.<span> </span>It’s obviously not as cool as a vampire. <span> </span>I WISH!<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>The ghoul hierarchy being what it is: Vampires, Werewolves, Ghosts; I think top 3 is pretty good.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Weird things started happening a few months ago; things that are clearly the work of the supernatural.<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Case in point:<span> </span>last week I went up to get Ella.<span> </span>She was squished into the corner of her crib, like she always is, but this time the music on her mobile was playing.<span> </span><span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>She was still dead asleep.<span> </span>Her little pudgy-wudgey arms and legs could not have reached over to the far side of her crib to accidentally turn it on.<span> </span>And the remote has been out of batteries for some time (us being the lazy parents that we are). <span> </span>This has happened a few times.<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/><em>Obviously</em>, work of a ghost.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Secondly, Ella is a talker, like most 9 month olds<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>She jabbers away. <span> </span>You just know she’s giving you some good stock tip or a new healthy recipe she learned through the endless hours of Food Network we subject her to.<span> </span><span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>(If only we could understand her! We’d be rich AND healthy! )<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>But she’s taken to looking up to the ceiling and jabbering like she’s talking TO someone.<span> </span><span> </span>It’s kind of creepy, really.<span> </span>She stares right up at the ceiling and relays all of her get rich quick schemes.<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Obviously.<span> </span><span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>The husband really doesn’t want to encourage this ghost talk, so he likes to tell me that the noises I hear is just the house ‘settling’.<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Fine, Mark.<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>I guess the ‘settling’ sounds EXACTLY like someone is walking down our stairs?<span> </span>And the house knows which floor boards make the “I’m walking across the room RIGHT NOW” sounds? <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>We either have a really smart house or a ghost. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Clearly Mark is wrong.<span> </span>Sorry, babe.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>I might be more upset about this were it just some strange spirit talking to my baby.<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>But I know who it is.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>The people that we bought the house from casually mentioned that they had moved in Grandma a few years before selling, in the bedroom right next to Ella’s.<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Grandma wasn’t around by the time we bought the house.<span> </span>The bedroom had been turned into a sewing room.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/><span> </span>I’m just saying.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Clearly, it’s a kind, loving ghost.<span> </span>I mean, only a Grandma would turn on the mobile and jabber to a 9 month old.<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>And we're keeping her, no matter what Mark says. Imagine the resale value! <br/><br/><font><font>I just wish we could get her to babysit. </font></font><br/><br/>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-80186110345308768812012-07-06T07:00:00.000-05:002012-07-06T07:00:03.976-05:00High Five for Friday<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is anyone else COMPLETELY exhausted after this week??? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm ready for a weekend and it's going to be a busy one! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before we get to the weekend though, I'm linking up with Lauren <a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/">From My Grey Desk Blog</a>. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's High Five for Friday, folks! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My absolute favorite thing to do during the week is... TURN OFF MY ALARM!! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Yah for Independence Day!! Loving that extra day and a half of vacation. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An extra day of vacation means we got to spend an extra day with our Patriotic Love Bug. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That bow lasted exactly .7 seconds...about .5 seconds longer than I thought. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We made a very grown up purchase this week. Luggage. Maybe next week we'll go to Sizzler for the early bird special and put our teeth in glasses with fizzy little tabs. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">GRANDMA IS COMING TO VISIT!</span></div>
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Books will be read, the pool will be visited and there will be TONS of cuddles. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There were ups and downs this week, like every week, but spending the evening on the couch next to this guy makes the worst day bearable. </span></div>
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Finally, I want to thank all of you who LIKED, TWEETED or COMMENTED on my entry in <a href="http://OneWed.com/">OneWed.com</a>'s Next Big Bridal Blogger contest. Alas, I did not win but it was such a fun experience and truly, being a finalist was REALLY, REALLY awesome! </div>
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Congrats to the winner Michele Schwartz of the blog <a href="http://www.themodernjewishwedding.com/">The Modern Jewish Wedding</a>! Go check out her site and <a href="http://www.onewed.com/">Onewed</a> to find some really lovely inspiration for your big day! </div>
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<br />Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-24099860733466005892012-07-02T08:00:00.000-05:002012-07-02T08:00:20.590-05:00One of Those Weekends<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You know those weekends where the weather is so beautiful? Sunny, hot, green, lush. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You feel like you absolutely MUST be outside, being busy, running errands, taking advantage of every last bit of goodness a Saturday in the summer can bring. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thank god this was not one of those weekends! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was raining, grey and hot. So the only recourse was to stay inside, watch really horrible movies, and lounge in our pajamas. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Done and Done. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn9q2pGESSnW3syyyAiLzegRjNWF72nksBgb8T756ErEsZ2R43JzwoZjMe3NbTZkKMZnY-B0UOHOVnfzXIb7GMlEL8qWBnvdmqNonr0kKc3rNgBUMOVr9dunb8LepCTIFfYKBnWdAAFU/s1600/IMG_2229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitn9q2pGESSnW3syyyAiLzegRjNWF72nksBgb8T756ErEsZ2R43JzwoZjMe3NbTZkKMZnY-B0UOHOVnfzXIb7GMlEL8qWBnvdmqNonr0kKc3rNgBUMOVr9dunb8LepCTIFfYKBnWdAAFU/s320/IMG_2229.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Big girl in a big chair. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HfpjljOgcWyjUuBPPA0wldgEdgCxDYm6i7ujUf5RQDiIAJugMFfVXeCkk6vdFKT9Zw03l-L6TWplxxrTiaiITlvuPp417rR8vwD7D2WyvPYped0QT-wbfgwT0uSDj3RXJBpHpPMHEPo/s1600/IMG_2233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4HfpjljOgcWyjUuBPPA0wldgEdgCxDYm6i7ujUf5RQDiIAJugMFfVXeCkk6vdFKT9Zw03l-L6TWplxxrTiaiITlvuPp417rR8vwD7D2WyvPYped0QT-wbfgwT0uSDj3RXJBpHpPMHEPo/s320/IMG_2233.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hmmm...what is there to see in Dada's office today?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That looks interesting....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Piggy on the loose. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why are you always taking my picture? </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">PJ self portrait</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Green bean guts. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hanging out on Momma's lap. </span></td></tr>
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<br />Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-88450681703147008232012-06-27T07:00:00.000-05:002012-06-27T07:00:12.244-05:00It's An Honor To Be Nominated...But I Really Want To Win<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you've popped over here from <a href="http://www.onewed.com/">OneWed.com</a>, welcome! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm very excited about being a finalist on <a href="http://www.onewed.com/campaigns/nextbigbridalblogger/">OneWed's Bridal Blogging Competition</a>! I can't wait to bring a funny and unique perspective to wedding planning! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love OneWed because their motto is "Smart Planning". Any bride knows how crazy planning a wedding can be. Being a very lucky bride some time back I escaped with only minor mental anguish (those seating charts will get you every time) and a lovely, memorable day that I'll never forget. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">People can either go off the rails or surprise you with their grace. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Did your otherwise very sane best friend insist on making you wear $700 hair extensions for her wedding? You thought she was crazy...until you got engaged. Does your mother insist on inviting her entire Sunday School class but doesn't think the officiant needs to eat? </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Smart Planning" is possible. It just takes effort, will power to not kill your family and friends and good ol' fashion booze. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nah, thankfully that's where OneWed steps in! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The competition runs through Friday, June 29. You have until then to LIKE or TWEET your favorite finalist's entry! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also, I suggest arm wrestling your mom for the guest list. </span></div>
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<br /></div>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-62976428685838336272012-06-26T08:30:00.000-05:002012-06-26T08:30:02.503-05:00Flying, Public Speaking, First Dates and...the Spa?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">You know that feeling you get when you are anticipating an unpleasant experience?<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>The clammy palms, stomach tied up in knots, chest is pounding and that line of sweat starts to bead on your brow.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I’m presuming common triggers for this would be flying, public speaking, first dates, etc.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>That sort of thing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">The spa does it for me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I KNOW! <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>I don’t know what’s wrong with me either.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Do not mistake my basket of nerves for not wanting to go.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Stay with me; this is where it gets weird.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I love the spa. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I really love it.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>I love the ambiance, the quiet, the noiselessly moving ladies bustling about, and let’s not forget the plush robes. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>It’s not like anyone is forcing me to go get manicured or waxed (a la Fifty Shades of Grey but that is another ball of wax. Pun totally intended).</span></span></div>
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The pinched and pulled women intimidate me and I'm never quite sure if I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Yes, I know. It's mostly laying there. But these are MY neuroses, <i>thankyouverymuch</i>. </div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">First, everyone whispers.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>It’s the whole PEACE and SERENITY thing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;">Apparently</i>, I have the hearing of an 97 year old man.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>You whisper something to me once, and I don’t get it I’ll ask you to repeat.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>If I don’t pick it up the second time I’ll just nod, and accept whatever happens next.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">That is how I got my lips spackled with something akin to dry wall paste.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Unbeknown to me, I said yes to some fancy-dancy lip treatment.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> I should have known when my lips started burning. </span>After what seemed like an hour of the esthetician scrubbing and pulling off the dried goo, my poor lips looked like two balloon animals glued to my face.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>And they stung for hours afterward.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Secondly, I don’t want to look like I don’t know what I’m doing... sooooo I just don’t do anything.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">For my first ever facial I had no idea what it really entailed.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Everything was going swimmingly until she burnt my face off. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">(For those of you who don’t know:<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>there is a part in most facials that the esthetician will use steam as a way to soften and prepare the skin for the treatments).<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I wasn’t prepared.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>She didn’t say anything.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>She didn’t even <i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;">whisper</i> anything (at least I don’t think so).<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">All of a sudden, the sun had camped out on my face. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I couldn’t breathe. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I couldn’t open my eyes.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">There was nowhere to turn my head to get air.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I was suffocating.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">You are probably asking “Couldn’t you just move the machine away?” And you’d be right.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> And of course I could have. </span>I just didn't want her to think I didn't know what I was doing. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;">This is it.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>I’m going to DIE.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>In a spa.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>From steam</i>. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;">I hope Mark knows not to put this in the obituary.</i><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;">Nice going, Kristen</i>. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">She came back into the room at the very minute I would have expired.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">"</span><span style="line-height: normal;">Weird, I guess I turned it on MAX.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>But don’t worry; your skin is going to be AMAZING."</span></span></div>
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<i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Oh, goodie.</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Finally, there are some things I’m just not comfortable with getting touched. (You don't need to stop reading, Dad. It's totally PG.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Massages are super ridiculously awesome.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>If I had a tail, I’d be wagging it at the mere mention of a massage.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">For a great massage, you have to communicate with your masseuse about what you’re looking for.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>This should be a good thing.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the intro I always ask for deep tissue, but also I ask them not to massage my feet or hands. Weird? Yes. Crazy? Nah. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><div dir="ltr">
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You see, I hate my feet.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>They are ugly, ugly feet.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Not just run of the mill, haven’t-gotten-a-pedi-in- a-while ugly.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Ugly.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>It’s my cross to bear.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My hands are a different story.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 20px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When I get nervous my palms sweat. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>And since I’m in a spa situation </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’m nervous from the minute I walk in the door until the minute I’m signing the credit card receipt.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I don’t want the masseuse to think I have some weird hand sweating disease, so I put my hands on the Don’t Touch List as well.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My first massage at a new place here in Texas went something like this:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Yeah, so if you could just NOT do my hands and feet that would be great.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Um.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>What?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I really don’t want my hands or feet massaged.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Cool? *Trying to move on*</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That’s like THE best part of the massage.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>*Insert hand on hip attitude*</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">For some people, I bet it is.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Not for me, though.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Sorry!<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With a look that said “you are THE freakiest girl in the world” she sauntered off so we could get started.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not 10 minutes into my massage, she started whispering.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’m face down, trying to enjoy my 50 minutes of peace.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Hmm…I’m sorry, what did you say?</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mumble, whisper, mumble.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Hmmm…ok? </span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And don’t you know I got my hands and feet massaged.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Damn Whisperers. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(And, yes. I did tip her.) </span></div>
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</span></span></div>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-78007469194284262082012-06-13T12:30:00.001-05:002012-06-13T12:30:02.526-05:00Let's Get Physical ... er... Healthy I’m doing this “Let’s Get Healthy” thing. You know the drill – eat better, move more, consume considerably smaller amounts of brownie, etc. <br/><br/>(Side note: “Let’s Get Healthy” should be sung to the tune of “Let’s Get Physical” by Olivia Newton John.<span> </span>It just makes sense.)<br/><br/>In the spirit of “Let’s Get Healthy” I had to measure myself last night. It wasn’t pretty. Mainly because I don’t know how to work a tape measure. Do you put the metal end piece thing-y so it’s just touching the other end of the tape measure or on top of the tape measure? I took livestock in 4-H because I thought it would be a good way to meet boys so my sewing skills are lacking. (Note: if you like making out with someone that smells like manure then, yes, it is a great place to meet boys.)<br/><br/>That is not the point, however. The point IS: I had to measure myself last night. Measuring a few areas on your body is supposed to be a good way to tell if you’re losing inches. Pounds lost is not always the best guide. <span> It's also a good way to become an alcoholic. </span><br/><br/><span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradhoc/7343762168/" target="_self"><img src="cid:367703de-b578-11e1-a118-00215ad99524:1" id="blogsy-1339608413706.49" class="" alt="" width="640" height="425"></a><br></span><br/><br/> So for those of you looking to make a change and want to get started, I’ve made a quick step-by-step guide:<br/><br/><blockquote type="cite"><p class="ecxmsonormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">1. Figure out how to use the tape measure. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">2. Wrap the tape measure around the body part you choose to start with. For example, I chose my thigh.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">3. Stare, disbelievingly, at said number.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">4. Deny that that number is correct.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">5. Re-do the measurement.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">6. Start whimpering.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">7. DENY the measurement.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">8. Storm out of bathroom.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">9. Grab a glass of wine.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">10. Measure, AGAIN.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">11. Commence bawling.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">12. <strike>Sip glass of wine</strike>. Grab the bottle of wine.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">13. Lie on bathroom floor.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">14. Order a pizza. <o:p></o:p></p><strong>The following steps are crucial, y'all: </strong><p dir="ltr"><br></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">15. Have your significant other tell you that you are awesome and perfect and lovely no matter what that stupid tape measure says.**Crucial**<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">16. Wipe nose with his shirt.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsolistparagraph" style="text-indent: 0px; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">17. Throw away tape measure.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="ecxmsonormal" style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 16.2pt; margin-left: 0in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><font>Clearly there was a reason those manure boys and I didn’t work out. </font></p></blockquote><br><br/><br/><em>Photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradhoc/7343762168/" target="_self" title="">Flickr</a></em><br><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-48388418101206646962012-06-08T07:31:00.001-05:002012-06-08T07:31:25.960-05:00High Five for FridayCan you believe we've finished the first week of June already?<br />
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I don't know about you but even though I'm out of school (psst...and have been for quite some time!) I'm still giddy when it comes to summer. Even though I still have to get up early in the mornings and go to work, there is just something about this time of year that makes me happy. <br />
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I'm linking up with Lauren of <a href="http://www.frommygreydeskblog.com/">From My Grey Desk </a>blog for her High Five for Friday series.<br />
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Magazines are one of my favorite things. My pile is too high to even show you right now but this one will get read pronto. I love Salma Hayek!</div>
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Date Night! </div>
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Bath time is my favorite time of the day.<br />
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I had jury duty on Tuesday. It was less fun than I had imagined but my nerdery runs deep. I was the only one in there who actually wanted to be a juror. Alas, it was not to be. </div>
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I'm SO excited to spend the weekend with one of my besties in Dallas! I'm in need of some girl time over margaritas. <br />
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I hope you all had a great week!<br />
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Here's to a great summer :)<br />
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<br />Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-18018468264697448722012-06-07T09:00:00.000-05:002012-06-07T09:00:00.519-05:00Marriage: Just Hire the Experts<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Our house is truly a joint effort.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>My husband and I both do dishes and change diapers.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>We take turns making dinner while the other one feeds the miniature She Devil (mess with her apple sauce and there will be hell to pay.)<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">I'd say we’re pretty much 50-50... unless you count the Boy Jobs and the Girl Jobs.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Growing up, I was one of four kids, the oldest and only girl.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>My dad and my brothers did a lot of the yard work (OK, all of it), took out the garbage, did the plumbing/electrical odd jobs, put up outside holiday decorations, and of course, tended to the cars.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>The boys also had to help in the house.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>I mainly had to help in the house.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Before you get all judge-y, I also had jobs outside the house and spent a lot of time being generally pretty awesome.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>Being awesome requires lots of time and effort, y’all.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Now that I’m married, it's funny because I automatically assume that all jobs outside are Boy Jobs, aka Mark jobs. Some inside jobs, but not all, are Girl Jobs, aka Kristen jobs.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">For example, he'll say <i>We really need to re-caulk the drive way</i>.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>Immediately, I think <i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 17px;">Thank God I don’t have to do that</i>! And he never thinks it’s funny when I say <i>Be sure to wear sunscreen! Enjoy!</i> <span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Queue the discussion about how both of our names are on the deed and 'outside' does not equal Mark.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">By the way, I don’t even know if caulking your driveway is a thing.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>I just made it up.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;">Also, I get the whole <i>We really need to organize the garage</i> speech.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>A lot. <span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>But I don’t like the garage.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>At all.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>It’s really hot in there. <span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>Like gross hot. That 'everything is bigger in Texas' line, well, it’s completely true in the bug department.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>We’re talking geckos, anacondas, spiders, baby velociraptors and not so baby cockroaches.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>Granted, we exterminate on the regular (to the point that I’ve invited Ray of Terminix to dinner) but still.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> Ick x infinity. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">It's not that I think I'm too good to organize the garage or caulk the driveway it just doesn't occur to me to go out and do it. I'm not very hands-on in that way. I'm flipping awesome at laundry and my dish washer loading skills are top notch. He's pretty great at garbage and putting that plunger/ball/hook thing in the toilet tank so it flushes. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">So, compromise. That's the ticket. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">Also, now we just hire the experts. </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Life is much easier when you don't have to caulk the driveway or mow the lawn. </span></div>
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</span>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-8920553021697180952012-06-06T10:09:00.001-05:002012-06-06T10:09:50.904-05:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoNQrfMAYwS03uOQQZ-MXGsoYGkQJzSpS3xhuso0qnrwEXQrhVhIKnvNNRxvkGY7aLLaEmibJz7baHOrlXiXx1fC3HrWRxq3uNVeGentyDHYWG7HQu1Sy8Yzn05rE1r-CPx33mqm1cpQ/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJoNQrfMAYwS03uOQQZ-MXGsoYGkQJzSpS3xhuso0qnrwEXQrhVhIKnvNNRxvkGY7aLLaEmibJz7baHOrlXiXx1fC3HrWRxq3uNVeGentyDHYWG7HQu1Sy8Yzn05rE1r-CPx33mqm1cpQ/s500/Photo%252520Jun%2525205%25252C%2525202012%2525206%25253A35%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338995340616.7415" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div> Two Toofs <br/><br/>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-3151946983045047112012-06-04T10:56:00.001-05:002012-06-04T10:56:48.526-05:00Weekend In Pictures It was just us girls this weekend. Dada was doing his duty with the Navy. <br/><br/>We got lots accomplished : naps were taken, Cheerios consumed, pjs were worn. If you're wondering the dishes didn't get all the way done, the floors didn't get swept but we had lots of cuddles and snuggles. <br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlBp8i1dzUXA1uBbbNoAda9f0_cpMvv1JmOtfpGYpQgh8se9w-gbkbCVzUIBa1rbvyCr7OKHzUdgm9unOrOmLuY8J9mtpmUCkyr16j64TEVb32Z2Ar7EbCqU5PRnz3jZT59G8iOhqXhs/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlBp8i1dzUXA1uBbbNoAda9f0_cpMvv1JmOtfpGYpQgh8se9w-gbkbCVzUIBa1rbvyCr7OKHzUdgm9unOrOmLuY8J9mtpmUCkyr16j64TEVb32Z2Ar7EbCqU5PRnz3jZT59G8iOhqXhs/s500/Photo%252520May%25252028%25252C%2525202012%2525209%25253A51%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338825283934.7605" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div> We love our toy from Auntie Y.<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xWlHamojIfATRvl4MhhmujVhk2Ee9188w2VOwlKInVOgPX_GpGtiScfjPnGR-nf3zFYzdimbGWDNQN1Gn-90KKHameCJzGTLAAy_WN6rIuYLjSVxcvQWFJq0kuK4qKoQt_0mlbdyXj4/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xWlHamojIfATRvl4MhhmujVhk2Ee9188w2VOwlKInVOgPX_GpGtiScfjPnGR-nf3zFYzdimbGWDNQN1Gn-90KKHameCJzGTLAAy_WN6rIuYLjSVxcvQWFJq0kuK4qKoQt_0mlbdyXj4/s500/Photo%252520Jun%2525203%25252C%2525202012%2525202%25253A03%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338825283992.6663" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="374"></a></div> I can't even begin to tell you how in love I am with these feet. She crosses them every chance she gets. Just like her Daddy.<br/><br/><br><br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizio7kXR3rEn6DQFCIKzK2mTNdeOiNCMgvQSphxN348GS0SxKdshKWYinYLoCUO4FS-JDEjDGWQeNgwXMXOQtWAesVcGwZi75sARnwtxMNm5I0Cz40ooPTauvy08avjftl89ndw6eOLWg/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizio7kXR3rEn6DQFCIKzK2mTNdeOiNCMgvQSphxN348GS0SxKdshKWYinYLoCUO4FS-JDEjDGWQeNgwXMXOQtWAesVcGwZi75sARnwtxMNm5I0Cz40ooPTauvy08avjftl89ndw6eOLWg/s500/Photo%252520Jun%2525202%25252C%2525202012%2525209%25253A33%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338825283934.7183" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="384" height="512"></a></div> Like I said naps were had. Dishes can wait. <br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKEYuf2jvgzM8hqp7S18j-a-uh3YD6s5MDkDx-7ccEDVYYdOuIgBbtiz0ebd-mDvEV9bbHLCQZEaNdPxKrHR0Nia1iIdXIlMiMp9ijnyloUY3xJvOPl1eV8QlR-KVOe0Yo7rLdqSL6O4/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKEYuf2jvgzM8hqp7S18j-a-uh3YD6s5MDkDx-7ccEDVYYdOuIgBbtiz0ebd-mDvEV9bbHLCQZEaNdPxKrHR0Nia1iIdXIlMiMp9ijnyloUY3xJvOPl1eV8QlR-KVOe0Yo7rLdqSL6O4/s500/Photo%252520Jun%2525203%25252C%2525202012%2525209%25253A09%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338825283994.4077" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div>NO, you're the one who gets on her belly and refuses to rollover!<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJWupye_-cZVcLEKh7tlqxwh7pVl-1tCRaKzLuuKyrEnsStsrnkOPAwhPy4KXXWe3ZdUUp89Edo7wff2fcTnJFlPQhDUAmGLcQVLHtDQxkDBlpJh9rjB9E7UI7nawGnHn3KtS5kTeobU/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJWupye_-cZVcLEKh7tlqxwh7pVl-1tCRaKzLuuKyrEnsStsrnkOPAwhPy4KXXWe3ZdUUp89Edo7wff2fcTnJFlPQhDUAmGLcQVLHtDQxkDBlpJh9rjB9E7UI7nawGnHn3KtS5kTeobU/s500/Photo%252520Jun%2525203%25252C%2525202012%2525209%25253A10%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338825283940.9087" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div> OK. No, seriously. I can't roll over. Why are you taking pictures instead of helping me? <br/><br/><br><br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZWqr8sFt60afxI9oPVU_lMVmfm-frSybI7LZTYeF1CALhKeRiZHxSPBayqbh3lH4vRM6VjY0oPpYm4UDLwHkV-ol7n1_RUL4gKBx3iTQqc6Bk9II7yZllQ3xbxZtauAeyZflMQHIxMs/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZWqr8sFt60afxI9oPVU_lMVmfm-frSybI7LZTYeF1CALhKeRiZHxSPBayqbh3lH4vRM6VjY0oPpYm4UDLwHkV-ol7n1_RUL4gKBx3iTQqc6Bk9II7yZllQ3xbxZtauAeyZflMQHIxMs/s500/Photo%252520May%25252030%25252C%2525202012%2525206%25253A28%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338825283925.6392" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div> We did venture to the grocery store. So gangsta.<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHr4NP-VwUBedODv5bJ1tJyGORZt_V5gXHFQIwn999Rls922Bmuquqo7ie32dNFHXGLbWDGxa6TEr4bXfhAsyYdFTVyGYWhaCMmmQH1KrwscVjD7XVLSWeIkN6MxZer6nebNokgBoFSs/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHr4NP-VwUBedODv5bJ1tJyGORZt_V5gXHFQIwn999Rls922Bmuquqo7ie32dNFHXGLbWDGxa6TEr4bXfhAsyYdFTVyGYWhaCMmmQH1KrwscVjD7XVLSWeIkN6MxZer6nebNokgBoFSs/s500/Photo%252520Jun%2525202%25252C%2525202012%2525207%25253A22%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338825283943.7332" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="383" height="512"></a></div>Baby Faux Hawk<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibthSSX-Uxy0n8jkBzv97pCokxDqUXs6eBq-3tTrfR3WFLX7tE2iWCoJpBGHi9kWlXHe89N5q_4RNodcW_kFSKQI3BsR46MFw-Ozaj0FHKK0nwmLZpAXsF2nRWsQor6FaIJsBeQC96BHE/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibthSSX-Uxy0n8jkBzv97pCokxDqUXs6eBq-3tTrfR3WFLX7tE2iWCoJpBGHi9kWlXHe89N5q_4RNodcW_kFSKQI3BsR46MFw-Ozaj0FHKK0nwmLZpAXsF2nRWsQor6FaIJsBeQC96BHE/s500/Photo%252520Jun%2525203%25252C%2525202012%2525202%25253A44%252520PM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338825283932.6067" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="384" height="512"></a></div>More naps. More cuddles.<br/><br/><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZEm7EhQB6wi-9qnqBstv0zDvxajgXXL3tpFKqSNe9csDwSz7o7PyWHMOejOXa9kopbdoxnYjiwGjKENnjfOcTECIOZfMFv4BYqbPExhugAWUsQmeAUqoQbEQDny5m6xU83wgcjqoVDg/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYZEm7EhQB6wi-9qnqBstv0zDvxajgXXL3tpFKqSNe9csDwSz7o7PyWHMOejOXa9kopbdoxnYjiwGjKENnjfOcTECIOZfMFv4BYqbPExhugAWUsQmeAUqoQbEQDny5m6xU83wgcjqoVDg/s500/Photo%252520Jun%2525204%25252C%2525202012%25252010%25253A27%252520AM.jpg" id="blogsy-1338825284013.8574" class="aligncenter" alt="" width="500" height="500"></a></div>Even with all those naps, I'm still pooped. <br/><br/>Monday morning = Diet Coke. <br/><br/><br><br/><br/> <br/><br/>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-7352561676671391882012-05-31T06:00:00.000-05:002012-05-31T06:00:03.187-05:00College Tips: Ramen Is Not Your Friend<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"> It’s graduation season and this is the time of the year when people get to tell other people, younger </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"> people, what to do with their life and how to live it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';">And younger people have to listen.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';">That’s how it </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"> works, right? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"> Here is what I've come up with to make your four (or five) years less murder-y, less hangover-y and </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"> generally more awesome. </span></div>
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<li style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">I know someone gave you a cookbook for graduation with a 1,001 ways to make Ramen.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Ramen will never be anything other than Ramen.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Go buy some lettuce once in a while. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Your insides will thank you. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<li style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">The seedy hotel room you are planning on renting for spring break is disgusting.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>That place has seen things…things that can never be unseen.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Grab 3 more people (for an even 47 … you know you were going to cram your entire dorm floor in that room) and spring for a place that won’t require you to testify in a murder trial. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<li style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">If you’re in a city that has public transportation know the time those services cut off for the night (if they do) and stash enough cash someplace safe (and your best friend’s back pocket is NOT it) in case you find yourself stuck.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';">Everyone swears by their own hang-over cure concoction and you’ll find what works for you.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>It will generally consist of grease, water, pain reliever and more grease.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Something magical happens when you ingest grease at 4:00 am.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';">At the end of four years (or five for some of us) you’ll need to get a thing called a job.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>In order to get a job, you’ll need references (and your grandparents don’t count).<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>I highly recommend getting to know your professors and not just the ones from senior year, spring semester.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';">If you don’t know the material by 2:00 am, you’re never going to know the material. Go to bed.</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">Money is probably going to be tight.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>So here are a few things that are worthy investments:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">A taxi any time after dark or when your roommate decides to go home with the hillbilly not wearing a shirt from the bar.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">Pizza any time after drinking.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>(Also see McDonald’s, Taco Bell)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">The one pair of jeans that will make your butt look exceptional as you walk into your History class. Late. For the hundredth time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">Enough beer to share with a friend.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>(I hear drinking alone is frowned upon.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;">Apparently</i>.)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Not So Worthy Investments: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">A free shirt that says “Go Bucks” <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>with a fancy Visa logo on the back is not reason enough to sign up for a credit card. <span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>15 minutes will literally haunt you for life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">Anything with the words “tube” and “top”.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Just don’t.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">The time spent worrying about that guy/girl that didn’t call you back.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Or the time spent worrying about the guy/girl that <i>did </i>call you back.<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span>Enjoy being single.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">The 75 pairs of additional jeans that make you look dumpy, pudgy or lumpy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Schoolbook'; line-height: normal;">Ok, let's hear it…what do YOU wish someone would have told you before you headed off to college?<span style="line-height: 20px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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</div>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-17565894657644332352012-05-30T06:00:00.000-05:002012-05-30T06:00:04.191-05:00Teacher Gifts<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last week was Ella's last week of school. I know. She's already doing fractions. It's crazy. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For her teachers I wanted to make something unique. She had two teachers for Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Tuesday/Thursday. Plus I wanted to do one for each of the administrators that take the best care of her! So there were 6 total. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I found my inspiration on Pinterest, the new social media hangout. Look me up at Kristen Siler Vennekotter. </span><br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/130463720425712434/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://media-cache5.pinterest.com/upload/167548048606521283_80ExVpJk_c.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">Source:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://www.tipjunkie.com/18-creative-things-to-do-for-back-to-school/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;">tipjunkie.com</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">via</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/kmvbuckeye/" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Kristen</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;">on</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/" style="color: #76838b; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Pinterest</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was a pretty easy project but of course I bit off more than I could chew in a short time span. So I enlisted some help. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I picked up 6 terra-cotta pots and 6 trays. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In addition to the pots, I bought black and yellow craft paint, brushes and markers that write on terra cotta. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We put the black on the inside/outside of the pots and trays. And the yellow paint around the rim. The black went on in two coats, the yellow took about 5 coats! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once the paints dried over night, I took the markers and free handed the words on the bottom "Thanks for helping me Grow!" And also used the yellow as a measuring tape and free handed the lines.</span> </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I bought 6 flowers. Which kind? The pretty kind. I don't remember the exact name. And some Harry Potter dirt. It was Harry Potter dirt because the night after I planted the flowers the dirt expanded so that it over flowed out of the pots and all over my floor and counters! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Magical! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here is the finished product!</span> </div>
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</div>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-6694773499464909512012-05-29T09:49:00.001-05:002012-05-29T09:49:24.020-05:00Relying On My NavigatorI had plans to write about our Memorial Day weekend today but something else is weighing on my heart so I think I’ll change course. <br/><br/>I woke up today wanting to be someone else. <span> </span>I have a little case of the jealousies. <span> </span>Ok, a big case.<span> </span><br/><br/><span><br></span><br/><br/>I look all around me and see all of these successful people, doing great things, doing what they love, getting promotions, being who they set out to be.<span> </span>I want to be those people. <span> </span><br/><br/><span><br></span><br/><br/>I have these big goals and I want to go from point A to point Z.<span> </span>RIGHT NOW.<span> </span><em>Pleaseandthankyou</em>.<br/><br/><br><br/><br/>I feel like I’m behind and I’ll never get to where I need to be.<span> </span>The road is too long, the mountains too high, the roadblocks too insurmountable.<span> </span><br/><br/><span><br></span><br/><br/>Part of me feels like it’s too much work. This isn’t so bad, is it? Why not be happy here? But I know I can’t be happy here. I want more.<span> </span>I am more.<span> </span><br/><br/><span><br></span><br/><br/>Regret is not something I want to live with.<span> </span>And quitting is not a trait I want my daughter to see.<span> </span>Quitters never prosper, right?<span> </span>Or is that cheaters? I can never remember.<span> </span><span> </span>I’m so bad with clichés. <span> </span><br/><br/><span><br></span><br/><br/>So, while my footsteps feel heavy, I’ll keep trudging along.<span> </span>(Also, the apple pie I ate last night probably isn't helping.)<br/><br/><br><br/><br/>Today is about realizing your path is not my path and being grateful for the blessings bestowed upon me.<span> </span>God has been good.<span> </span>So, so good.<span> </span>I know He has a plan. <br/><br/><br><br/><br/>You know those GPS systems installed in cars? We call ours Jane. Shes British. I have a tendency to ignore her, to my own detriment, of course. I think I know better than Jane. And then, I'm stuck behind a 4 car pile up for hours. I probably need to give up my ideas about where I need to go & how to get there and maybe I'll hit Point Z before I know it. <br/><br/><br><br/><br/>I need to trust in His plan. I need to have faith. I need to rely on my Navigator. <br/><br/><br><br/><br/><font><font>So if you see me today and my eyes look a little green just know I’m working on it. </font></font><br/><br/><font><font><br></font></font><br/><br/>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-803372692453627051.post-12411623217931804192012-05-23T06:00:00.000-05:002012-05-23T06:00:08.397-05:00Hillbilly Is Not A Language Thank God for the internet. Or should I thank Al Gore? I don’t know. I’m still confused on who made the internet. My point is without email my husband and I would probably not be married. <br/><br/>See, I may not be the best arguer but I can craft a thoughtful, articulate email.<span> When </span>I say “may not be the best”, by the way, I mean I’m the absolute worst possible communicator when I’m angry, hurt, sad, hungry, sleepy or irritable (so any of the 7 dwarfs really). <span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Our arguments consist of me giving him the silent treatment until he figures out that I’m giving him the silent treatment (this could take a while).<span> </span><o:p></o:p><br/><br/><span> </span><em>Are you mad at me?</em><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>No, of course not.<span> </span>I’m just stomping through the house, huffing and puffing and sighing very loudly to let the robbers in the attic know we’re home. (I always think we have robbers. Why they haven't come out & robbed and/or murdered us already is besides the point.)<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Then I announce in an odd, high-pitched, sing-songy voice what I’m mad about and how I can’t believe he *insert stupid thing/comment/action*. <span> </span><br/><br/>He apologizes and SCENE, if this were a Jennifer Lopez rom-com.<br/><br/>But then he has to go and make it a THING. (Way to go, Mark)<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>So then we’re locked in a battle over something really important and we have to “talk it out”.<br/><br/><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>This wouldn’t be a problem if I could think on my feet.<span> </span>But I’m more like a “lie face down” kind of thinker when I’m angry. <span> </span>My points get jumbled; I speak in short hand known only to me, and butcher clichés on the regular. (FYI, I butcher cliches all the time.)<o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Exhibit A:<o:p></o:p><br/><br/><em>I didn’t even think about what I said earlier and I can see how it would make you feel but I didn’t intend to hurt your feelings.</em><o:p></o:p><br/><br/>*sob* It’s just….it really hurt my heart…*sob*…my feelings are sore…*SOB* …*SOB* …and, and *SOB* and you just pulled all the air out of my balloon…and lunch is gone....and now my day got a monkey in the wrench.<o:p></o:p><br/><br/><strong>Translation</strong>: my feelings are hurt *sob* and with one comment you took the wind out of my sails *sob* your callous comments ruined my lunch hour and this argument threw a monkey wrench in my day. <o:p></o:p><br/><br/>Thank god for email because no one is going to win a fight sounding like that.<span> </span><span> </span><br/><br/><span>And I should probably never use cliches in an argument. Hillbilly is not a language. </span><br/><br/><br><br/><br/><span><br></span><br/><br/><br><br/><br/><br><br/><br/><br><br/><br/>Kristen @ The Chronicles of Dutchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12854345753557503970noreply@blogger.com9