mmm... fingers...

I think she's gonna be tall.

Deep thoughts, #1

this foot


is the same foot as was felt and described in this, and in this prenatal post ? That was little Niamh stretching her yet-to-be-exposed-to-the-world legs.

How totally amazing. Just hit me. Life is so amazing.

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I'm starting a new segment that will recur in this blog. Here is the first installment.

Deep Thoughts, with Jen Dandy*

"According to research from Columbia University, children who eat dinner with their family on a regular basis are 60% less likely to smoke cigarettes, 50% less likely to use drugs, and 66% less likely to drink alcohol."
Interesting. I don't think this is the whole picture by any means, or full reason behind these children leading healthier, less substance-abusive lives. I wonder what else was different and common among these homes, in the lifestyles and beliefs of the parents, who all ate together. What else did they do differently than the other half-ish of the population? What fundamental belief systems, of which eating together was just one expression, were in place, and what other habits were factors? Hmmm...
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*I've noticed two major components to humour. Timing, and understatement. Don't overexplain something. Leave some tidbit to be assumed by the reader. I'm about to drain any potential humour out of this by ignoring that. Jen Dandy is a double reference. It rhymes with Jack Handy, from SNL, and sounds a lot like jim dandy, an expression we always used back home, which means something that is notable and exceptional. Aren't I witty? It's awe-inspiring. Where do I come up with them, I really don't know.

WEEE!!!

I have this crazy hankering to spend a day at Lake Jacomo water slides, or riding the Fury of the Nile over and over and over as nauseum.

or go roller or ice skating.

This sounds like more fun to me than... I dunno. It sounds really really fun!

Aren't you better off for knowing this?

Happy Thanksgiving, Canadians!

I am definitely joining in the thankfulness. Only fair, since I'm definitely joining in on the turkey, veggies and pie.

CHEESE WARNING: if you can't handle it, quickly find another page to read, cause it's comin.

I have been experiencing this absolutely giddy joy over my kids. I could just giggle, I can't get over it. Having a baby in the house is so amazing. It's almost like it is just sinking in, 4 months after the fact. It is so amazing and wonderful. God graced with me an understanding of how FAST this time will fly by, and it really helps me enjoy it, and not wish it away. I will be no time at all, and she will be talking, learning to read and having totally different requirements, like Anna, and I will have to look at pictures to try and remember these baby days. Each phase is so engrossing with its own new developments, whatever came before passes into inactive memory so quickly. I'm so enjoying every moment. With this kind of perspective I find it isn't taxing when she wakes up AGAIN, or needs to be picked up again... I can sleep later. I can't carry those chubby cheeks and legs around for long. That gorgeous toothless smile, the wide-eyed look of intense excitement and thrill when you hold her hands and she can stand up. The way they contentedly, and with great focus, settle into nursing, all business-like and no messing around.

more simple pleasures:
a steamy washcloth on my face when I wash before bed
hugs
golden glistens on hair in the sun
smiles
music, beautiful sounds
nature's vibrant and pure colors (God's painting :)
delicious smells
the warmth of fire
the refreshing splash of clean water
a fresh breeze with the smell of chlorophyll

I'm just having a hefty portion of thanksgiving this year. Thank You, God. Life is amazing. Full of drama (that's our fault), but amazing. You made one heck of an awesome world. I love it.

nuttin much

What's with nouns strangely becoming verbs that don't really seem to match up?

I noticed there are a few nouns that got imported to mean, move fast. Among them: jet, boot, and book. Jet I can see. "I gotta jet." Jets move fast. That makes sense.

Boot, well, I can at least see a reference to kicking up ones heels, or move your boots with speed. "I gotta boot'er."

But then there's book. "You better book'er!" Meaning, of course, hurry up!

?

Isn't a book maybe one of the slowest things you can think of? You are generally required to sit still and not move to read one. Or referring to the book itself, it certainly isn't going anywhere, especially not fast.

Just silliness from English. It's full of that silly stuff. Probably cause it was made by people, who are silly.

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Repeat after me: Chocolate is not god

I guess I'm having some trouble with this one.

What makes me think I'm apotheosizing a sugared bean powder? you may ask.

Well, I find myself saying: ooh, it's time for some chocoalte :
-when I am depressed or stressed
-when I want to celebrate
-when I'm lonely
-when I want to relax

all times that, to me, sound like a good time for prayer or communion with God. Not a time to eat. A good time to eat is when you are HUNGRY. mmm... fascinating. That reason, however, was not included on my list. I'll be addressing this issue with myself. Don't worry.

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I'm contemplating what I'm calling the principle of reflection.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

"Bad company corrupts good morals."

"A little leaven leavens the whole lump."

There is a fact of the company one keeps influencing them, for good or for bad.

I've also been thinking about perspectives, and how we project our perception onto the world, and read what we see through our imposed lens. I'm wondering to what extent we endeavor to find ourselves in other things, or how we presume our own qualities in other things/people. For example when Chris assumes that I would not enjoy a potluck at church just because he wouldn't. There is more to this, I had all these thoughts, but someone seems to have pulled the plug on my brain, and everything ran out. I can't find it now. Maybe later.
Besides, Anna says, "Mommy, you're writing too much letters."

Put that in your pipe

Paparazzi got you down?
Tired of seeing your face all over the headlines every time you drive drunk or get a haircut?
Wish there was some place to which you could wisk away and escape the spotlight?

Why don't you try buying an island in Tracadie!

Where???

Exactly.

This is apparently what Ethan Hawke thought was a good idea. When he and Uma were together, Chris saw her here at our 'corner' store (there is no actual corner - I'm lucky the road is paved) and she got directions somewhere.
At one of my ceilidhs, who did I spy leaning against the back wall but Richard Gere. Chris served him tea, as he was helping in the kitchen that night.
Another night I was almost made late having to wait for J-Lo and Ben Afflek's large boat to pass.

This area is known for not giving a rats patoots who you are - in terms of fame. Your family name is a whole other issue, that we are not broaching today: that matters immensely. But just because Hollywood thinks you are somebody, around here, we could care less. You're really not in Hollywood anymore, Zha zha. Just another Shmoe. For that reason, I suppose, celebs are drawn to the area. No one is taking their picture or even staring. Same treatment as anybody.

SO the story goes, that a friend of Chris' from work was having a house party to which Ethan Hawke was invited and actually came.

So he lands in with incredibly muddy boots. He comes tromping in to the lady's house tracking mud everywhere.
"Yo, Buddy!" she says," Leave the boots at the door! Jaysus look at the mess, what!?"
Well, Ethan was less than gracious. He told her to clean it!
"I'm not cleaning that *&~@!"
So, Mr. Savvy reaches into his pocket, throws out some cash onto her side table and says, "There - I'll pay somebody to clean it."
"You absolutely will not- you WILL get your #^* out of my house!"
And she kicked him out.

So there. Smoke that.

Bowman girls

Tanny up!

O Blogger, Where Are Thou?

I am back.
One thing that kept me away lately was having my phone line yanked from my house by a passing tractor trailer. Crazy eh? Now we are back on the grid, connected to the interweb. Yeehaw!

Does anyone else find patterns in their life to be self perpetuating?
For example: When I am doing well, I seem to just get better. I am on the ball: the house is sparkling, I bake and cook up a flurry of culinary varieties, I speak Irish like I'm smart or something, read to my girls so they will be smart or something, exercise, juice, take time outdoors - and all with a big smile. I feel confident because I'm accomplishing all this stuff, and things are going great. With this confidence and good energy, I can just keep accomplishing more!

Then these times happen when I'm not doing well. My brain seems to be on slow motion, I can't manage to think of Irish, and start to feel stupid. I am exhausted, so I don't clean or cook, so the house gets messy and we don't get nutritious food prepared. The mess then gets overwhelming, so I eat 'comfort food' [read: chocolate], I don't spend any time in the sun, can't find the strength/gumption to juice or clean, and my response to the under-achieving ends up perpetuating the exhaustion, stress and discouragement.

What happens to break these cycles I'm not sure, but they seem to spontaneously turn around. One day you are Mrs. Over-Achiever-Cleaver, the next, you feel you are barely hanging on.

Weird.
Just life, I guess. Life, and hormonal fluctuations, likely.

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I have been really preoccupied by world issues lately: hunger, poverty, disease, injustice. One evening in particular, Niamh had been playing on the floor happily, but then the fun ran out, as it does, and she started crying. It took me a minute to get to her, but as soon as I was there to talk to her, she was smiling again. Just wanted someone to talk to her and engage her.

Then it just struck me, the countless orphans in the world, and all they are doing without. They aren't any person's #1 priority, there isn't anyone that they know will always come for them, or for whom there is that feeling of security and familiarity. Most are probably in the care of some nurse, state employee or volunteer, many of whom are great I'm sure, but it is just not the same as the one Mommy or Daddy all the time, who loves you like nobody else. I just thought how very fortunate my girls are to have both parents, in the same home, who adore them. It is just so sad to think of the baby out there just like Niamh, who doesn't have a mommy to come smile at her when that might be all she needs, to know you are there.

There now, aren't you glad I came back so I could depress you? Better luck next time maybe.

What a cheap-scot!

So three lads walked into a pub and ordered a pint: an American, an Irishman, and a Scotsman. Now, this pub was not renowned for its cleanliness, and there were a number of flies buzzing around.

Well, it just so happened (now wasn't this convenient for the joke?) that a fly landed in each of our fellows' drinks.

Appalled, the American dumps out his pint and orders another one.

The Irishman, taking it in stride, picks out the fly, flings it away and continues drinking.

The Scotsman carefully picks the fly out of his drink, holds him up, and giving him a hateful glare says, "Spit it out, ye little bugger."

happy in my little house

This makes me crazy.

But it also makes me feel happy and safe in my little house, not making waves, not having my voice squashed by some corporate and/or political monster (if those terms can be distinguished anymore, I'm not sure - corporate and political I mean, not political and monster :)

It is a scary world. The corruption blows my mind. Once again, I am sooooo (insert a thousand o's) thankful to have my peaceful little life. If my biggest problem in the run of a typical day is sleepiness, a cranky toddler or a leaky pooy diaper, I have it very easy. I cherish my freedom. Although my ability to voice my faith publicly is diminishing as ultra-tolerance is the word of the day and absolutes, as well as anyone who believe in them, become criminal, I can still practice my faith with more freedom than so many in the world. I can put my kids down for a nap in the afternoon without hearing gunshots or bombs going off outside their windows. We have windows. We have a house. A new one. A full fridge with a variety and interesting selection of foods. I can go to church openly, read my Bible (quietly to myself) in public. I think those days are numbered, but I am enjoying them immensely in the meantime. Thank You, God, for a peaceful country, and all the blessings I enjoy in my life.

Irish donut, anybody?

I am craving a soft serve cone today so bad it isn't fit. It's all Anna's fault. The power of suggestion. She likes to pretend about all these treats she has 'made', so she is forever offering me these delectable imaginary treats I have to pretend to eat, and then I get hungry for them, for REAL. *sigh* Doesn't help with that whole post-partum weight loss thing.

She is doing fine, in reference to 2 posts ago. Yay!

SO...
There seems to be two camps (I will oversimplify and reduce many perspectives to two) , that I didn't even realize existed. There is a whole world out there of blogging moms who jokingly say they are endeavoring to 'lower the bar' for parents everywhere, call themselves white trash mom, and the like, with pride (not that there's anything wrong with that). But they have set themselves up against another camp they refer to as the Martha Stewart Moms. I know people have given me some irritated comments in the past about being too smiley, (do you ever wipe that stupid thing off your face???) and disgusted at various habits, like anything one makes from scratch or whatever else they see as being Mrs. Cleaver-ish.

Look, people-who-might-criticize-but-aren't-reading-this, People are just living their lives how they want. Aren't we all. Don't be a hate-a.

I bet if you talked to those women you consider Martha Stewart Moms, you would find they have their fair share of insanity in their life, and there are more than ample times where their hair is afro-ed and their house a mess. Maybe you just missed that day. They undoubtedly have a list of failures, inadequacies or challenges you may not see but are potentially painful hurdles for them. Everybody does.

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Funny quotes from Anna:

"Yook, dat man has a smushtash." (moustache)

after finishing an English muffin Daddy had given her, "Uhm, Daddy? Can I have another... uh...Iwish .... donut?"
She wasn't certain, but knew it was some kind of British-Isles-vicinity pastry.

can't handle it.

Just too beautiful.

The following 2 pictures are from Niamh's bathtime, and Anna was helping me bathe her.

Aren't they sweet?

What a day will bring...

One never knows.

Last night Chris and I got home to late to find Anna still up because.. she was peeing blood. She was, however, completely cool about it, and even thought it was fun that her "pee is pink!!" Yay! I guess... She had no pain or discomfort of any kind, and was perfectly happy and energetic. However, he still took her in to outpatients, as it was a little too dark for us to feel comfortable putting it off.

Back home after a short exam, I find out that more than likely, it is just a small broken vessel from one of the bazillion tumbles a 3 year old takes in the run of a day. It should heal itself with some rest (any pointers on how to get the tazmanian angel to sit down?) and gradually clear up over a few days. We are to take her back if it doesn't. But even as of this morning it is waaay better than it was, so now Mommy can say YAY!

If anyone hasn't seen this yet, you should check it out. Anyone, specifically or especially mothers. Just funny. I swear this lady is going to end up on Oprah. Mark my word.

Best of both worlds

I wish you could have them. Kinda. Allow me to essplain.


Reflections on hedonism


I was thinking last night, how I was wearying of different aspects of my current life, (the inturrupted short sleep thing is starting to take its toll) and daydreaming about a time with a more open schedule, more freedom to say, go to a dance, a session, go out to eat or meet friends for coffee. I realized that at one time I had that, and when I was there I daydreamed about having a husband and a house and kids. I would think, "If only I could have that..." I didn't realize how much I loved being able to run over to the coffee shop or session whenever I felt like it.


So what do we conclude - the grass is always greener. I find we want whatever we don't currently have. In the summer, people complain about the heat and bugs, and pray for the soon coming of autumn to relieve them. During the winter, they bemoan the cold and the precipitation and extol the virtues of beautiful summer. I know not everybody is like this, but I do hear this a fair amount. And I hear it in my own head, regarding the phase of life issue.


My conclusion, after one night of introspection (so this certainly is the end-all truth of the matter, after all THAT impressive deep thought):


Every phase has is its pros and cons, and it is given to us in that way so we learn to appreciate what we currently have and find the good in it, to be thankful. If we had it all, we would be so spoiled we would be unable to enjoy it. Besides being more rotten people. Think Ms. Hilton par example.


THank you, thank you, you can call me your Buddha if you like. I am so enlightening after all.
You can't, however, rub my belly. It ain't like dat.

Debunking the myth

True or False:

You can eat a candy bar every day and stay in your current pant size.

False. You will not be able to stay in this size for very long if you maintain this routine.

Darn.

*sigh* oh well. I gave it a good effort anyway. And I did confirm the factuality of that statement, in case you were wondering. I have completed the trials.

Way to go, Ms. Clouseau

How do I say this cutely - I poured an entire large coffee from Tim Hortons on my creamy khaki capris clad lap about half way through the 90 min. drive to my ceilidh (fiddle concert) last night. Good job. I thought I could just send the dancer that is always there home to get me a pair of pants to borrow, but Chris thought it better to check local clothes merchants first. So I ended up having to pick up a pair of semi-strange denim highwaters for $25. Not something I would normally do, but I was in a pinch, as my entire underside was a tad bit coffeefied, I was headed on stage in like 20 minutes, and most other options in this tourist trap were upwards of $100, most of them slight little summer dresses or -Ack! - shorts! Heaven help us, my white legs in shorts... let's not go there. SOME of us are not blessed with Maori colouring. :)

Ms. Clouseau is of course a reference to the accident prone Jacques Clouseau in the Pink Panther detective movies from the 70's.

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I always thought those people were weird who could rhyme off incredibly detailed information about sports history/trivia, like who pitched for what team, what game, what year and their stats.

Then I realized I'm basically like that for fiddle stuff. I have scared people on more than one occasion. I'm wicked at playing "Name That Fiddler" within a certain stylistic spectrum. I trip people out when I tell them who is playing piano or fiddle on some home tape I have never heard, and what year it likely was. So I guess I'm a higher ranking geek than I knew.

Hey, can you get a cookie for that? I should look into it. I would love a cookie.

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Anna has started a delightful new game of quizzing/drilling me on Irish vocabulary! I love it, and think it is hilarious too. She will go on for Quite a goodly time asking, "What is fridge in Iwish? What is window in Iwish? What is couch in Iwish?" etc. indefinitely, til I get a sizeable unsolicited, but much appreciated review session of every noun she can think of. Isn't that funny or is it just me?

Oh foolish girl...

I stood still in the middle of my kitchen with an anticipitory excitement: Free time! Could it be??? I was in shellshocked disbelief for a moment. So - what will I do??? Daring not to waste a crumb, I quickly decided what the funnest thing at the moment would be.

I put on the kettle for a pot of hot starbucks coffee, a gift from a beautiful friend, -thank you! - and ran to my closet to fish out the afghan I had been working on before someone else came and decided to occupy my hands for 16 hours of the day. Not that I begrudge said person, but still.

I french-pressed my coffee, poured the fresh cream, got my crochet hook and strolled very pleased over to the table to sit with Anna, and sip my hot joe.

heard in the distance :

**waaa! waaa!**

She woke up.

Oh well.

There was a beautiful moment of grown up, relaxed quiet and indulgence. But then after some nursing, of COURSE, there is always nursing, she had such big smiles and coos for us, I knew this was much better than any old afghan. And I still got to sit and sip my coffee while she had her num nums. Yay for baby smiles! They are the best.

In other news, the ceilidhs are going great. They totally recharge my batteries. I guess I have come to a point in my playing or reached a level where it doesn't take as much to maintain the performance level. Certainly a couple years ago, I would never have been able to play these with as little practice as I have had. Whether it is God's pure grace, or I just got better, I'm doing way better than expected. Another yay!

Surgery recovery was remarkable. I'm great. Disgusting tasting chinese herbs are making nursing comfortable and enjoyable. Yay! Niamh is sleeping well at night. Daytime naps are another story... although God gave us swings to save us from the Valley of the Shadow of Desperation. I am doing better at speaking Irish to the girls, which makes me feel like much less of a slacker.

Hey - by any chance - are there any employers in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area reading this who would like to hire my dad? He needs a job.

Though we have been having tons of rain, about which locals are complaining profusely, I am SO enjoying the summer! All I need is green. Jenni is happy with green.

So as not to leave you without a picture, this is a proud Anna last week, displaying her work : writing her name for the first time. I didn't even know she was working on it. She just walked over and showed me. "Yook, Mommy, I wote my name!" And she had. What a girl.

Aahh... the life of a Holstein....

akin to my own current life.

Minus all the grass.

Today is Chris' birthday! Happy Birthday, Sweety! Not that he reads this. I made him one of our favourite dishes. Everyone who samples it decides it is one of their favourites as well. It is a family recipe called Roman Round pie. If anyone wants the recipe, I can email copies out. It really is excellent.

So we had yummy food, as is a-priori in my opinion for a birthday, and Chris spent the morning at a barn-raising : his own! He is working on building a barn. Big project, but he is the man for the job. Handy, as I mentioned before.

A funny thing I can mention is this : if anyone is flying WestJet in the next month, may I recommend you leaf through the seat-back magazine that will be in front of you? I'm in it!!! My bro and sis-in-law were recently on WestJet and as they were leafing , stopped short and said , Hey! That's Jen! And it was! How crazy is that? It is a picture of me at one of my ceilidhs with a brief telling of my from-Kansas-City story. Of course, not a Jenni-approved picture, not what I would call flattering, but so funny! Totally unexpected, I had no idea I was going to be in a magazine. Not that one anyway. Certainly no one got my permission!
So there ya go.

That's the stories for now.
Happy summer, everybody!

For the image deprived.

This was taken in the hospital by my sis-in-law.

Will get around to saying something later. If you want to know what is going on with me, you can revisit the post from June 17th.

Oh yes. More infections. I got a Sabbath in between and that's it. One the other. Crazy and annoying. Oh, and painful. But hey. I have a beautiful punkin' to admire while I peer through squinty aching eyes. And now she will smile, and what is cooler than that??