Crazy Eyes

Piper was just drawing on her doodle pad and she said:

"Mama, look I drew a face. A man. And he has CRAZY eyes!"

26 is closer to 30 than 20 my friend

Happy Birthday Noah!

Wine and Cheese

So, I have written about the "school" that Piper and Finn attend, Lab School and something really exciting is happening at our school. We are raising money for a new playground for our facility. The main fundraiser is a Wine and Cheese party this weekend that sounds like it's going to be really fun. There will be a wine tasting and raffle and music and everything and it is at the home of one of our lab school families, and let me just say their home is BEAUTIFUL.

So, you are all invited and Jason and I will be there and if you don't want to attend or are busy for some reason, consider making a donation. We have a sponsor that is matching the money we raise up to $10,000. cool, see you there...I'll be the drop-dead grogeous one, right.

Summer

There was a moment today when I thought that someone had swiped Piper out with a clone because she was just so good today. It was a great day and we went to the park but only lasted for about 30 minutes because it is insanely hot.

You Gotta Fight Fight Fight for FSU

it's that time of year again...

Go SEMINOLES!

FIGHT TEAM FIGHT!

SCALP 'EM!

eventhough our new QB kinda sucks

September Favorites

*parking spaces for parents with children

*juice box holders

*"the closer"

*disposable sippy cups

*jack johnson and matt costa (think nick drake/simon & garfunkle)

*pedicures with piper

*Becoming the Parent you want to be by Laura Davis and Janis Keyser

*My hunky husband cleaning out the garage, installing a pretty new ceiling fan...being the handy man that he is!

*Apostle Clothing - Jason's new sponsor

*Jason's new cell phone (all I want for Christmas is...)

*old friends becoming new friends again

*Finley's lack of fear

*good ol'fashioned down on your hands and knees scrubbing of the kitchen floor

*Fun times with friends who also happen to be family

*Piper on a sugar high PSYCHO!

*my dad - he is a present day hero

This is a comment that Jason left ona previous post and i just want to share with you the man that he is to me:

One of the reasons I don't read your blog while I'm at work is because it often brings me to tears. You're my soulmate and it's things like this post that remind me of the ties that bind our souls together.

I wanted to say something mushy about loving through the thick and thin but I'll hold off for now. Instead I'll share a few of my favorite Jason & Shannon moments to make you laugh and possibly even cry.


- mentoring Wingnut

- loving you so much it hurt

- buying a house

- avoiding muggings in Costa Rica

- making that new house our's

- ripping up perfectly good floors and putting down new floors in that house

- having an epiphany about children and telling your parents we weren't going to wait any longer to start having children when your dad was in a hospital bed

- watching you nest when it was time for Piper to come

- painting Piper's book case when you were in labor because the labor pains were killing me

- not being grossed out by Piper's birth and feeling more in love with you and this new life than ever before

- watching you become a mama and me become a papa in an instant and over time and feeling more fullness in life than I ever imagined

- watching our first baby become a little girl and seeing you in her more and more

- welcoming Finley into the world with open arms and a big sister to guide her

- trying, failing, trying, failing, trying some more to make family time a real priority

- learning the value of a coffee maker

- watching you improve yourself and our family life and house and being inspired by it

Shannon, through the beaches and the law suits, from Curacao to Murphy, North Carolina. From diapers to dating again. From weeknight dinners to Saturday morning breakfasts, my love for you grows stronger and deeper than I ever could've known when we were married. You're my soulmate and my lover. I'll be home shortly.

~jason

SCHWEEET

My baby daddy got sponsored, sort of.

Bubble Toes

It's as simple as something that nobody knows that her eyes are as big
as her bubbly toes
on the feet of a queen of the hearts of the cards and her feet are all
covered with tar balls and scars
It's as common as something that nobody knows that her beauty will
follow wherever she goes
up the hill in the back of her house in the would she love me forever,
I know she could

I remember when you and me mmm how we used to be just good friends
Wouldn't give me none
But all I wanted was some
She's got a whole lot of reasons
She cant think of a single one
That can justify leaving
and he got none but he thinks he got so many problems
Man he got, too much time to waste

His dreams are like commercials
But her dreams are picture perfect and
Our dreams are so related though they're often underestimated

It's as simple as something that nobody knows that
Her eyes are as big as her bubbly toes
On the feet of the queen of the hearts of the cards
And her feet are infested with tar balls and

La da da da da da

Well I was eating lunch at the D. L. G.
When this little girl came and she sat next to me
I never seen nobody move the way she did
Well she did and she does and she'll do it again

When you move like a jellyfish
Rhythm don't mean nothing
You go with the flow
You don't stop
Move like a jellyfish
Rhythm is nothing
You go with the flow
You don't stop

It's as common as something that nobody knows it
Her beauty will follow wherever she goes
Up the hill in the back of her house in the wood
She'll love me forever, I know she

La da da da da da

If you would only listen
You might just realize what you're missing
You're missing me
If you would only listen
You might just realize what you're missing
You're missing me

It's as simple as something that nobody knows that
Her eyes are as big as her bubbly toes
On the feet of the queen of the hearts of the cards
And her feet are infested with tar balls and

La da da da da da

Amazing

So what can I say about the show last night?

Let's begin at the beginning. We left the house and piled into Tiffany's car (6 of us) and it took us about 45 minutes just to get out of Merritt Island/Cocoa/Rockledge area and onto I95 to Boca Raton (where the show was). It was a long trip and we decided to stop at Burger King to get something to eat. They were understaffed and a fight almost broke out...not good.

So then we made our way to the amphitheater and realized that this venue was unique in that we didn't really need to buy tickets...there were hundreds of people just sitting outside the gates on lawn chairs with their coolers have a great time. Anyway, we made it through the gates and waded through the masses to a spot to put our balnket on the ground. we were very lucky that it didn't rain at all and it was a beautiful night.

Matt Costa opened with the Animal Liberation Orchestra. As a special "guest musician," Tom Dumont from No Doubt is touring with them. I have to say that I was impressed by Matt Costa and I have since bought his album from itunes. Check him out! Funny thing is that after the hole show was over, we were waiting for Beka to buy a shirt and walks by Matt Costa. Jason had his picture made with him and he seemed surprised that anyone would want to do that.

So, then Jack Johnson came on. I have to say that it was the best show ever. It was a small venueso it was very intimate. Beka, Tiffany, Noah and I ducked and weaved our way to the front of the crowd and of course there were the drunk obnoxious people and the constant threat of punches being thrown, but when it almost actually happened people were saying, "C'mon man, it's Jack Johnson." And that perfectly summed up the laid-back and inspiring and flowing that the music was. It was like a big party. He sang all of my favorite songs and then we were surprised with a special guest.

Jimmy Buffet. Came out and sang with Jack Johnson. Sweet.

It was a long drive home and it smelled like up dog. What's up dog? What exactly is up dog? (sorry, this is an inside joke)

This was the highlight of this year so far, it was exhilarating and refreshing and all things fun and crazy and fantastic.

Jack Johnson

I can't wait...4 days until we go to the concert. Fun fun fun!



Times Like These

in times like these
in times like those
what will be will be
and so it goes
and it always goes on and on
and on and on it goes

and theres always been laughing, crying, birth, and dying
boys and girls with hearts that take and give and break
and heal and grow and recreate and raise and nurture
but then hurt from time to times like these
and times like those
what will be will be
and so it goes

and there will always be stop and go and fast and slow
action, reaction, sticks and stones and broken bones
those for peace and those for war
and god bless these ones not those ones
but these ones made times like these
and times like those
what will be will be
and so it goes
and it always goes on and on
and on and on it goes

but somehow i know it wont be the same
somehow i know itll never be the same

There is a reason why I haven't posted anything about the hurricane. Honestly, until last night when I had a couple hours to myself to watch the news, I had no idea the magnitude of the situation. Channel after channel there were news specials about the destruction that has been left behind in the path of hurricane Katrina. I could not find words or wrap my head around the devastation that these people are facing. So, I won't go on and on about the tragedy just ask that you pray for these victims, give a donation, send a relief pack or something. I want to do more. Where do you begin?

one more thing

School Days

So we are back in full swing as Lab School has started again and this year both girls are in a class...Piper in one day a week Toddlers and Finn is in one day a week Older Infants. We started Piper on Tuesday and I soon realized that the children in that class were at least 4months younger and none of the kids she was with last year were in there so we decided to switch to the Thursday class. She knows more of the kids in that class and they are closer to her age. With a "slow-to-warm" child, I thought it was important for her to feel absolutely comfortable and today was a success as she creeped out of her shell. Finn is in the Older Infants class and she is the youngest, but she crawled right into the middle of everthing and stole some little boy's toy right off the bat. She will not be pushed around. I am now the "Art Parent" for Finn's class and the "Parent Leader" for Piper's class. I am crazy.

It's a juggling act and just today I ran into a mother of a former student of mine and she said:

"I remember the days when my girls were little and I just resigned myself to the fact that my life was all about them and totally devoted to them and their interests."

Yeah.

Also, I am a moron.

On Tuesday I was rushing out of the house because even though I wake up at the crack of dawn I still can't seem to get it together so we are not rushed in the morning...and I put Piper's shot record on the top of the car and then my beautiful little awesome camera on top of the shot record so I could wrestle Piper into her car seat...and you can see where this story is going. I of course left the shot record and my poor defenseless camera on the roof of the car.

You want to know what's really bad about this story...I didn't even remember that I had put those things there. Later that afternoon I picked up Jason's sister Beka, beloved babysitter of Piper and Finley, and when we returned, my neighbor came up to me and said she had found something in her yard that she thought belonged to me...it was Piper's shot record. I thought that was weird...how did it get in her yard?

DDDUUUHHH.

Yeah, then I realized that I must have left the shot record on the roof of my car, but did I remember my camera? Not until the next morning while I was in the shower did it cross my mind that I hadn't taken any pictures of the girls at school and where was my camera anyway, because I thought I had brought it with me and then...CRAP!

I walked up and down the street looking for even the smallest piece that would represent by beloved memory maker, but alas she eluded me and there was no trace of her anywhere. Some punk probably found it but hopefully it was after it had pour down rain and ruined it and put her out of her misery of being away from her master. Oh, how I miss her nimble size and shape, her easy operations, her sleek styling, her 5 megapixel crisp beautiful pictures. Surprisingly, Jason wasn't too upset with me, I guess he figured that I felt bad enough.

And now Piper is putting "make-up" (crayon coloring) on her babydoll. Nice.

Construction on our pool is supposed to start next week and if you didn't know...we are being sued but I'm not really supposed to talk about that. It's real fun! And neat!

I'm looking forward to this holiday weekend. We will be visiting with family, celebrating birthdays and Jonah will be home. Thinking about taking the girls to a football game and hopefully we might make it to the beach, but it is so stinkin hot!

21 Questions

My girls are 2.5 years old and 9.5 months old and already have a busier social calendar than me. We are committed to something every morning of the week except Fridays and even that day has the possibility of a commitment in the future. I like it this way, though, because it also keeps me busy and not able to get depressed because honestly I don't have time to be down. But it does make me think about the fact that it is all too easy to let your children become your identity when all you do is for them and with them.

I am now becoming "Piper's Mom" or "Finley's Mom" or even "Jason's Wife." Far away are the days when I was "Shannon." The days when boys lusted after me, children were things that I played with and returned when they got needy, nights that became morning without seeing sleep, and I shopped for "make him pant" clothes. Now it's more like babies that lust after the "boob", children returned to me when they get needy, nights that still see no sleep but in a bad way, and clothes that I don't care if they get thrown up on.

I need to better myself someway. I don't know...like take a class, start a business (a definite possibility right now), do something that reflects who I am as me, of course that is what needs defining. Now when I think about what I just wrote it's like, blah blah blah...these are things that you will always question I think throughout your life because your life is constantly changing. Jason and I always talk about how ever since we started dating it's like our life has been a whirlwind of jobs and marriage, and houses, and kids, and jobs and lawsuits and kids and houses etc. And we don't really see a time soon when it will slow down. That's ok though because I have the most amazing people to share it with.

Jason: "Do you know how many questions I had to answer?"
Me: "How many?"
Jason: "21. So, do you wanna play 21 question? *wink wink*"
Me: "It's 20 questions, dear."

As if

there is this woman that is really starting to annoy me. I was told by a mutual friend that this woman is convinced that I have named my children from a certain TV show that I have never seen and will never watch because it is about witches and as you can conclude from previous posts, witches are not one of my interests. As if I would name my beautiful daughter after a witch?

The whole coincidence thing is that the actress that plays the witch character with the same name as my daughter...well the actress had a baby boy and named him Finley. So the actress that plays Piper has a boy named Finley. It is weird, I know, and it would be a logical conclusion to say that I derived their names from that, but I DIDN'T. And, this woman has been told that NUMEROUS times by NUMEROUS people and yet she still feels the need to bring it up with people that are mutual friends. Just to be clear, Piper's name was a name I had always liked and Finley's name came from some liner notes in a CD. If she had been a boy her name would have been Finn (we call her that anyways) and to make it more feminine I made into Finley after Finley Quaye, who as it turns out is a British black man.

And oh how I wish that were the end of the story but there is more. This woman recently had a baby girl. This woman named her daughter...PIPER! At first I didn't know if I should be flattered or pissed off because we travel in somewhat of the same cirlces (not all that often espeically now) and I know her from when I was teaching and there is a chance that our children will go to the same school and the name Piper isn't like the popular names Madison or Emily or Olivia or whatever. People know my child partly because she has a unique name and I like it that way and I guess this woman wanted the same for her baby but everyone will know that my Piper is the original. So at Mom's Day Out there is a Finley and a Piper in the same class. Geez. It isn't so original when you steal it from someone else.The funny thing is when I see this woman while picking up our children, she will not say her child's name in front of me. It reminds me of this article I read about names picked by parents and how it is realted to socio-economics... like the name starts in the upper-class and slowly works its way down the ladder. So where does that put her on the ladder? She did name her child after a witch, you know.

I am mean, I know...wonder if this woman reads my blog?

First Aid

go visit my friend Kellie and give her some love.

Piper and Jagger were born on the same day and that is weird because Jagger's daddy is my ex from jr high/high school. we dated for like 5 years and yeah, his son has the same birthday as my daughter...weird. Anyway, Jagger is a sweet boy and Piper loves to play with him when she gets the chance.

Future Stylist

I have been letting Piper pick out her own clothes recently because it is better than dealing with wrestling a toddler to the ground while she is screaming and kicking me because she doesn't want the "blue" shirt but the "pink ballerina dress." Anyway, the funny thing about it is she will get something out and say "oh no, this doesn't match" and it will be the one outfit that DOES match and then she'll pick something else and say "oh my, this is beautiful. it's gorgeous, mama?" Yes, honey. I don't care about the stares we get wherever we go...my child has unique style and personality and I would have it no other way. She has so little control over many of the decision in her life right now that it is nice to give her some power and choice.

Reality Advertising

I am delving into my Husbands world of advertising and marketing with this post because I am just so impressed with this new trend of using "real women" and "real beauty" in advertising. It peaked in my interest while reading this article in the NY Times.

It is no secret that Dove has started a massive campaign with their "Real Beauty" advertising and it is about time. How long have we been subjected to ads featuring stick thin, beautifully coifed women who have no idea what it is like to scrape dried up poop off a wall or pray that no none sees you with vomit all over your shirt because of course you packed an extra outfit for the baby, but a clean shirt for you...that is a luxury? What surprised me was when i went to the Dove website and found thelink for The Dove Self Esteem Fund. In the US, the DSEF is partnering with the Girl Scouts "to educate and inspire girls on a wider definition of beauty and to make them feel more confident about themselves." How great is that?

When I was a teenager I (like many others going through what I think is one the most difficult times in a woman's life) never thought that I was all that pretty. Sure, I thought I was average looking, but what bothered me most was my "athletic" figure. My thighs, I thought, were wide and big, not strong and firm. My chest was flat, not fit and trim. I knew that these were things that went along with being an athlete and I also knew that I did not have the body of like a dancer...long, lean, graceful, and thin. I was/am short, curvy, and muscular. The grass is always greener, right? I also think that the way I viewed my body directly influenced how I realted to others...especially boys. I was sporty...therefore tom-boyish...therefore always "one of the guys" and not the girlfriend. I painted that picture and that is what people saw. My hope is that by the time Piper and Finley realize there are "ideals" in beauty, those "ideals" will be a wider range of beautiful and women who are strong and smart and ambitious and independent will be the ones that my girls will look up to an admire for their true beauty.

So, when I saw a Nike ad in a magazine I was so excited to see a company touch on a subject that so needs to be re-invented. It talks about and highlights the fact that a woman's butt is big and round and fine just the way it is. I was thinking...right on! Someone finally gets it...that skinny does not = beautiful. Healthy = beautiful and that comes in all shapes and sizes. There are a series of these ads that celebrate different parts of the body like "thunder thighs" (my favorite because I can relate) and broad shoulders. There are also TV ads that feature real women talking candidly about their bodies.

I have since learned to appreciate my "assests." My body has given birth twice and nourished two girls into strong thriving children. I am strong and it is important to me to take care of mybody and then it will take care of me. I may have "thunder thighs" but I like me like that and really that is all that matters. There are times when I feel fat and bloated and there are times that I feel sexy, but my insecurities or my sense of pride are not what defines me...what defines me is the way I view what God has given me and how I use His blessings in my life. I want my girls to view me as a role model of strength and beauty.

A bad case of the Mondays

So I have been feeling sort of blah lately. School has started and the girls are going to Mom's Day Out 2 days a week and we have ballet class 1 day a week and at the end of the month labschool will start and then we will have committments every morning of the week except Fridays. Busy, an my girls are under 3 years old. I like the busy-ness because it helps keep me organized because when you have so much crap to do you have no choice other than to be organized.

On top of that the girls are sick, well, have been sick for 2 weeks. Fun. Now, Piper is on antibiotics...again...can we ever get well? Maybe we have some sort of immune super-disease that htey are always telling you is going to wipe out the whole world when it gets over here from Asia or Europe or wherever it is lying dormant waiting to strike. Oh, the drama.

We went to the church that we belong to on Sunday (we haven't been to that church in like a month and even then it was only 1 Sunday and we hadn't been before that in like 6 weeks) and during the "meet and greet" time people were coming up to us and making comments like, "oh, we missed you" - translation - where have you been?, are you leaving the church?, are you taking drugs? and things like "Oh, I haven't seen you in so long!" and then giving me the look like..."explain yourself!" So, I found myself making excuses for my family "we've been out of town" (true) "we've been sick" (also true) but they kept giving "the look" and I kept stammering on about who knows what until the next person would come over to "greet" me and the cycle began again. I felt so welcomed.

A lot of my frineds are pregnant and it makes me want to be pregnant again, for like half of a second,and then I remember that i can't remember anything because I get no sleep and I can hold off on the pregnant thing for a while. I miss it, though. The first feelings of exhilaration when you see the two lines or read the "pregnant" on that new digital thing. And then the feeling of the cold tile while you are throwing up. And then those first flutters or hearing the fast beating of the heart. Then seeing the little bean on the ultrasound. Feeling your belly grow and stretch. Getting to eat whatever you want and not worry about getting fat.There are definite advantages to being pregnant...it gives youa built in excuse for just about anything - don't want to cook dinner - "I can't cook because the smells make me want to hurl" this excuse also works for cleaning the frige or going grocery shopping. Don't want to clean the house "I can't clean because I can't bend over like thatand reach things and my doctor said that I need to be extra careful because with all this extra weight my balance is off" or "the fumes from the cleaning product make me want to hurl" The "makes me want to hurl" can be applied to just about anything.

Finn is crawling EVERYWHERE now. This is good and bad. Good - she occupies herself for longer periods of time and can get to what she wants. Bad - what she wants is usually me and now she can get to me wherever I am and then try to climb up my leg while I'm wrestling around with raw chicken or something. It will not be longbefore she is walking and that makes me a little nervous.

Piper is such a little girl now...like a kid instead of a baby. She is smart and clever too. She knows more than I teach her and can manipulate with the best of 'em. She is sweet and loving and cuddly and soft.

Life goes on even when you have the "blahs" and I guess it is my choice to turn my "blahs" into "blahmenade."

Your Love Gets Sweeter
Written by F. Quaye

You know your smile woman
You treat me so darn darn fine
You give me such an appetite
And I need your loving every night


Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day


Baby when you kiss my lips
Makes me want to go head over heels for you
When you whisper in my ear
What I say is how I feel for you yeah


Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day


Since I was sweet 16
I wanted you to make you my queen
Then until the day you were
You're the loving girl that's taking my hand


Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day


Now I'm glad I'm older man
See things are riding to plan
And baby if you promise me
We can build our world together


Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day
Your love gets sweeter every day


Walking so sweetly when you walk when you talk
When you dance with me girl
Walking so sweetly when you walk when you talk
When you dance with me girl