Minor trauma

Watched the first ten minutes of a documentary about sea turtles. The baby turtles hatched and then had to crawl to the sea. The movie introduced the turtles' predators (crabs and gulls) with dramatic music. I said to Shannon, "I don't want to see the turtles ripped apart!" and then Link repeated me. The worst thing was that I'm pretty sure he understood exactly what I meant. Netflix said it was a children's documentary, but there were shots of crabs grabbing turtles and dragging them away! I might have nightmares myself! It was like the beginning of Saving Private Ryan in reverse.

In other news, I taught Link the background vocal for M83's "Midnight City". I hear him singing it to Shannon as she's putting him to bed right now.

2012- Week 4

1. It was a week of bad karma for me.  Lots of people telling me things that I did not want to hear about me, lots of people having bad days and putting that energy on me, lots of good things that I couldn't be a part of me making me feel jealous.  Overall not great emotional health for me.

2. Celebrated Trish's birthday at her house.  Richard ordered in fajitas and we ate and talked and laughed well into the night.  Sam and Link played Star Wars.  The best thing about being with the Bruxvoort-Colligan's is that I always go away feeling like I am a loved person for just being who I am.

3.  Went to another bridal fair with Amber, which allowed me to pig out again on cake and samples and see what people have to offer in the area.

4.  Whimsy Market had a Chamber Welcome.  They encouraged us to have an After 5 soon.

5.  Went to an auction.  It was going all really high, but I got an ok deal on a chair, lamps, and plenty of little items.

6.  After School Program went sledding with the kids and we had a lot of fun.  I think I had more fun as an AmeriCorps Vista this week than I ever have had.

7. I feel like I am starting to be able to hear what my body is saying to me more.

8. I have a husband who loves me.

9.  I have a son who loves me.

10.  I am alive.

2012- Week 3

1.  Bryce's job at Tech Crunch got a little bit bigger.  He feels more like a part of the team.

2.  CD Swap gave me Rolling Stones and Apocalptica (Cellos playing Metallica) this week.

3. Went to the Robie house in Chicago.  I think this is one of my favorite Frank Lloyd Wright homes. 

 

4. Named our second baby "Thyne" which was my grandmother's maiden name.  It makes us feel like the baby was and is a part of the family.  Gender neutral because we don't know the gender.  And although it is pronounced "Tine" it makes me think of the phrase "thyne is the kingdom" in the Lord's prayer and allows me to remember where our little one is.

5. Mentor Kenosha Racine inspiration for my after school position and reconnecting with friends from AmeriCorps training.

6. Got to hang out with Mike Andrews, a friend of Bryce's from Cranbrook.  He took us to dinner and dessert and a coffee shop, and an art opening with more food.  This man has no bottom to his stomach and the most friendly personality of all time.

7. A weekend away in a hotel with only my husband allowed for some great lounging time watching Chopped and House Hunters International and other fun.


8.  Co-worker had me over for interior decorating advice.  It was fun to have the side of me come to use some times.

9.  Watched Opera House's version of Wizard of Oz and have a better understanding for tricks and set design.  AND I was able to change the date.  Yahoo!

10.  Seeing Link again after three days without him. 

Public Bathrooms

I have a thing with public bathrooms and wishing all public venues had the perfect bathroom.
It is not the germs, I have no problem with that, except obvious disgusting waste.

Before I had a Link this was my list:
clean
able to open the stall door without having to stradle the toilet
working lock
no auto flush
warm automatic water
auto soap
waving paper towel roll that does not give too little or too much
covered trash cans
hooks for coats
tray for wallets

Now that I have a Link there are more:
baby changing table a little above waist level that is outside of a stall
a seat for the kids to sit in
a complete ring for a toilet seat, no opening in the front
no super power air dryer
locks above a toddler height

I wish there was an app where you could find out where the kid friendly bathrooms are in a town you are in.

2012- Week 2

1.  Marge Banse had a little party which included Bryce and me as practice for her deep tissue massage.  We went to her home and played games with the kids while she did an hour session on one of us at a time.

2.  I held auditions and cast the high school musical.  We are doing The Wizard of Oz.  I was shocked that only 5 girls auditioned.

3.  Went to the dentist and had two cavities filled.  It was fine, but my bottom jaw was numb most of the day which is always an odd feeling.

4.  We had our first real snow, big enough to need shoveling.  Still pretty nice outside though.  We went out and made snow angels in the dark.  All was going well until Link pushed a bunch of powdery snow onto his face a freaked out in a major way.  We even made snow ice cream.

5.  I had my last Peace Church Council meeting as a board member.  I spent two years on the board.  Seems to have gone very fast.

6. We went to an Opera House meeting in town.  It is always a little weird to hang out with drama nerds who randomly quote lines from dozens of plays and musicals, but the fact that I know from which productions they are talking about makes me one of them, I guess.  It is also a great social time.

7.  Martin Luther King Jr Day is trying to become a day of service.  Through AmeriCorps we talked about ways to be of service.  I had the K-2 grade after school program go to the nursing home and assist the older people in their activity for the day, which was making snowmen and penguin out of shoe prints.

8.  I watched Max and Mary on Netflix and LOVED it. I came across it randomly.  It is a claymation, adult themed movie about a pen pal relationship with a little girl in Australia and a man with Ausburgers in NYC.  I cried several times.  Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collette do the voices.

9.  I went shopping at Maurices.  They have a $5 clearance sale.  I got 16 new sweaters and tops.  New clothes always make me so excited.  This time I did make sure to take 16 items out of my closet that I don't wear anymore and donate them.

10.  I went with my sister and mom to a bridal show in Decorah.  Amber is getting married in September.  Filled up on Wedding Cake samples.  Also scored some good deals at Goodwill including some lighting for the bathroom for $8 (originally in the $100 range).

2012- Week 1

I realized I forgot to post my December Top Ten, so this is a mix of December and week one.


1.  Holiday Train- included the usual can't find a parking space, going up the river road where you can't turn around in forever, fretting over missing the train, trying to walk around the damn thing, and then joining the crowd in the freezing cold for some rocking songs and a dancing Santa.  Link said little in the cold, but talked about Santa on the train the whole way home.  Of course he was all smiles until the camera came out.  Then he just looked mad.

2.  Sadie came back for a week and invited me to a winter solstice party with her.  It was a great time for meditation and letting go.  It also had a hot citrus drink, which was perfect since I had been craving Russian tea all week.


3. We had a Paducah Christmas this year.  We stayed with Ken, Laura, and Landon which was great as Link had a blast playing with Landon and all his toys.  It was also nice to get some quality time with Laura.  We gave books as Christmas gifts.  We got way too many great gifts.

 

4. On the way back from Paducah we stopped in Metropolis, IL, which is just like 5-10 miles north.  We took a picture with Superman and visited all the brightly primary color painted things in the town.

5.  Due to so many holidays around the weekends I had very short work weeks.  Sometimes only one day at the office.

6.  We had an electrician come and do some rewiring in the bathroom so we are steps closer to getting the downstairs bathroom done.

7.  I had another photo shoot, this time with a cow!

8.  Celebrated New Years at Dani and Todd's.  I feel asleep while putting Link down after the new year and woke up the next morning to a big breakfast by Dani.

9.  We are being considered for housing grant of around $40,000.  Only six homes in Elkader will get chosen.  Our fingers are crossed.

10.  Cleaned the bath tubs.

2012 Goals

Lifestyle Changes
1. Buy 99% of meat and eggs from local sources
2. Make 99% of all our bread
3. Replace a household cleaning product with a self made
4. Make a worm tea bin or get a compost machine
5. Plant a bigger garden
6. Buy/eat only locally grown vegetables
7. Trade out non-stick pans and plastic spatulas for iron, stainless steel
8. Can vegetables or make jam
9. Replace a bathroom product for a natural fragrance free product
10. Learn to make cheese
11. Look in the fridge/pantry and pick something to make from scratch instead
12. Switch something buying from store to co-op bulk

Professional Goals
1. Use credit at Photo Pro in CR
2. Make a new photography brochure
3. Become a home vendor of a product
4. Print t-shirts
5. Choose a wholesale company to partner with
6. Read the Barbra Winter's Book Again
7. Finish the Art Punks website and get it up
8. Create an art chair
9. Start a day care
10. Create a play area for day care
11. Finish children's book
12. Publish children's book

House Goals
1. Have electrical done in the bathroom
2. Plaster and paint bathroom
3. Plaster and paint kitchen
4. Roof the house
5. Clean siding and put up shutters
6. Have ceilings done
7. Have floors done
8. Strip the wood
9. Fence in play area for day care
10. Paint/Seal the basement
11. Put bathtub upstairs
12. Set up a better recycling area

Financial Goals
1. Record expenses again
2. Don't buy anything in Prairie du Chien
3. Do taxes and get refund
4. Have credit card below $8000
5. Create a will or revocable trust
6. Set up a Roth IRA/retirement
7. Put $3000 in Link's savings account
8. Pay off $6000 in college loans from AmeriCorps
9. Cut one of our biggest monthly expenses in half
10. Have credit card below $6000
11. Learn about the stock market
12. Give to a charity

Random goals without a timeline
1. Read the Grant Wood book and visit locations
2. Read the El Kader book and write play
3. Make a photo album from high school stuff
4. Make a photo album from college stuff
5. Get Lasik
6. Take a sister's day trip or vacation
7. Go to Amy's Scrapbooking Saturday and do paper crafts
8. Get a dress pattern and sew own dress
9. Take piano lessons again
10. Go to a Quaker meeting in Decorah
11. Visit the Mosque in Cedar Rapids
12. Bike at least once a week
13. Improve time in the Bix or run the Quick Bix
14. Take dance lessons and perform in the dance reunion
15. Plant Link's placenta and possibly a tree
16. Enter a project at the county fair
17. Learn to do my own taxes
18. WWOF in Australia
19. Go to the Duqubue museum of art