Every night since Hannah was born, we have included prayers in our bedtime routine. Either Jason & I will say them and at first - before she could talk, naturally - Hannah would just listen. Now she likes them so much she requests her prayers, and in particular at this point in time she wants daddy to do them (she is in a phase where she wants daddy to do everything!). But, tonight, we mixed it up, and daddy asked her if she wanted to say her prayers. Here's what she said:
"Thank you, God, for the day..."
(This is how the prayers always start.)
And then she continued:
"Thank you for turtles. Thank you for monkeys. Thank you for zebras. Thank you for Grandma. Thank you for daddy-mommy."
(She often refers to us as "daddy-mommy" collectively.)
Isn't that cute? I'd say.
Thank you, God, for our Hannah girl.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Follow your instinct
"It's a sad thing to live your life without this deep-rooted sense of connection to your purpose. Like a lightbulb without a lamp, this kind of disconnect fosters dark and foreboding feelings in the soul. Whether you are the manager or the employee, the homemaker or the home builder, what matters most is that you have been awakened to your purpose and enlightened to the inner fulfillment that it affords."
-Bishop T. D. Jakes
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Summer Events Around Saint Louis
My coworker, Anna Brown, did an
amazing job putting together a schedule of summer activities in St. Louis. Way
to be awesome, Anna!
There is no excuse to being
bored in St. Louis over the summer.
What else do we need to add? Let
me know and I'll put it on the list!
Art Hill Film Series
9 p.m .Showtime, party starts at 7 p.m.
- Friday, July 5th - Casablanca
- Friday, July 12th - West Side Story
- Friday, July 19th - The Princess Bride
- Friday, July 26th - Roman Holiday
Boathouse Forest Park
7 p.m.
Friday & Saturday Live Music
Boat Rental 4 person $15/per hour
Brewery Tours
http://www.budweisertours.com/z01/index.php/age-gate/
June-August
Biergarten Now Open
June-August
- Mon-Sat: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m
- Sun: 11:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Biergarten Now Open
- Mon-Sat: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Sun: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
A Celebration of Food & Beer Featuring:
- 17 Beers
- Beer Flights
- Brewmaster Tastings
- Delicious food
- Clydesdale Appearances (3 p.m.)
Bierfest – April 19th 12-3 p.m. $25/person
Children’s Garden Club
9 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month (except July & September)
- May 3rd, 2014 Annual & Vegetables – Compliments Wiethop’s Greenhouses @ Jefferson Barracks part of the Home Front Exhibit Ordinance Bldg. – Victory Garden
- June 7th, 2014 Plant colorful annual combo – Sherwood Forest Nursery & Garden Center, 2651 Barrett Station Road
- July 12th, 2014 Fun in the Garden – Chesterfield Valley Nursery -16825 N. Outer Rd
- August 2nd, 2014 Butterfly Gardening – Faust park, 15185 Olive Blvd, Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House & Faust Historical Village Herbs & Heirloom plants
- September 12th, 2014 Plant fall color – Sherwood Forest Nursery & Garden Center, 2651 Barrett Station Road
- October 4th, 2014 Topic to be decided – For the Garden by Haefner’s, 6704 Telegraph Road.
- November 4th, 2014 Open
- December 6th, 2014 Holiday Decorations – Sherwood Forest Nursery & Garden Center, 2651 Barrett Station Road
Skyview Drive In Movie
Prices: Adults $10 each, Children (12 and under) 2 Free* per each
paying adult, Each additional child $3, Cash Only
Fair St. Louis
4th of July Weekend
Summer Parks & Rec guide for St. Louis:
Faust Park – Summer Series
June 3rd – August 12th
Opens at 5:15 p.m. Concerts are from 7-9 p.m.
Festival of the Little Hills
August 15-17th Historic Main Street & Frontier Park, St.
Charles
Festival of Nations
August 23-24th, Tower Grove Park
Fox Theatre Backstage Tours
Tues/Thurs/Sat
10:30 a.m. 1.5 hours long
$8 Adults, Seniors/Students/Children $6
Missouri Botanical Garden
Nature Connects, Art with LEGO Bricks
May 24th Sept. 7th
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Laumeier Sculpture Park
Event Hours:
·
Friday, May 9: 6-10pm
·
Saturday, May 10: 10am-8pm
·
Sunday, May 11: 10am-5pm
Admission:
$10 adults and ages 12 and up
$5 for children ages 6-11
Members and children under 6 are free
$5 for children ages 6-11
Members and children under 6 are free
Taste of Clayton
Sunday June 1
Downtown Clayton
Taste of St. Louis
September 19-21st
Moved to Chesterfield Amphitheater
Whitaker Music Festival
Wednesdays, June 4 to August 6Music begins at 7:30 p.m.
Last entry at 9 p.m.
Free admission after 5 p.m.
The Children’s Garden remains open with free admission from 5 to 7 p.m.
·
June 4 Peter
Martin Quartet
·
June 11 Al
Holliday & the East Side Rhythm Band
·
June 18 Marsha
Evans & the Coalition
·
June 25 Javier
Mendoza
·
July 2 Old
Salt Union
·
July 9 Big
Brother Thunder & the Master Balsters
·
July 16 Nigel
Mooney
·
July 23 Augusta
Bottoms Consort
·
July 30 Melissa
Neels Band
·
Aug 6 Gene
Dobbs Bradford Blues Experience
Harvest Festival
Sept 19 begins at 5 p.m.
Augusta
Chesterfield Amphitheater
Concerts:
·
May 10th St. Louis Civic Orchestra 6-8 p.m.
·
June 7th Wayman’s Revelation 8-10
p.m.
Movies:
·
May 30th Planes 8-10
p.m.
·
June 13th Frozen 8-10
p.m.
·
July 25th Despicable Me 2 8-10
p.m.
Summer Concert Series at Soldiers Memorial TBA
Jungle Boogie at the Zoo
5 p.m.
·
Friday May 23rd
·
Friday May 30th
·
Friday June 6th
·
Friday June 13th
·
Friday June 27th
·
Friday July 4th
·
Friday July 11th
·
Friday July 18th
·
Wednesday July 23rd Jammin at the Zoo
6 p.m.
·
Friday July 25th
·
Friday Aug 1st
·
Friday Aug 8th
·
Friday Aug 15th
·
Friday Aug 22nd
·
Wednesday Aug 27th Jammin’ at the Zoo
6 p.m.
·
Friday Aug 29th
Purina Farms
·
April 26th StL Disc Dogs Spring Friendly Flying disc Competition
10 a.m.
·
June 14-15 Countrytime
Bluegrass Festival & Kids Country Carnival
·
July 12-13 Disc
Dog Hot Jam Flying Disc Competition
·
August 24 Petapalooza
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Wehrenberg Summer Series
Now $1 each
Wednesday & Thursday 10 a.m.
Town Square Schedule
·
June 4/5 Turbo
·
June 11/12 The
Lego Movie
·
June 18/19 The
Croods
·
June 25/26 Epic
·
July 2/3 Despicable
Me 2
·
July 9/10 The
Smurfs 2
·
July 16/17 Cloudy
with a Chance of Meatballs 2
·
July 23/24 Rio
2
·
July 30/31 The
Nut Job
·
Aug 6/7 Mr.
Peabody & Sherman
Chesterfield Galaxy/St. Charles/O’Fallon 15
·
June 4/5 The
Smurfs 2
·
June 11/12 Despicable
Me 2
·
June 18/19 Cloudy
with a Chance of Meatballs 2
·
June 25/26 Turbo
·
July 2/3 The
Lego Movie
·
July 9/10 The
Croods
·
July 16/17 Epic
·
July 23/24 The
Nut Job
·
July 30/31 Mr.
Peabody & Sherman
·
Aug 6/7 Rio
2
Mid Rivers/Des Peres
·
June 4/5 Epic
·
June 11/12 The
Croods
·
June 18/19 Despicable
Me 2
·
June 25/26 The
Lego Movie
·
July 2/3 Turbo
·
July 9/10 Cloudy
with a Chance of Meatballs 2
·
July 16/17 The
Smurfs 2
·
July 23/24 Mr.
Peabody & Sherman
·
July 30/31 Rio
2
·
Aug 6/7 The
Nut Job
Twilight Tuesdays
6-8 p.m. @ Missouri History Museum
·
Michael
Fitzgerald Jazz-Tribute to Miles Davis and David Sanborn
Tuesday, April 22 2014 at 6:00 pm
Tuesday, April 22 2014 at 6:00 pm
The Muny 2014 Season
·
Billy Elliot June
16-22
·
Tarzan June
25-July 2
·
The Gershwins Porgy and Bess July 7-13
·
The Addams Family July 14-20
·
Seussical July
22-28
·
Grease July
31-Aug 8
·
Hello Dolly Aug
11-17
Kimmswick Strawberry Festival
June 7-8 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Union Station
·
National Train Day, Union Station, May 10th
http://www.stlouisunionstation.com/event/national-train-day/2145434198
http://www.stlouisunionstation.com/event/national-train-day/2145434198
·
Live Music Thursday Nights
And of course the traditional
list of things to do in St. Louis that doesn’t involve Schedules (minus the baseball)
§
Note: Tuesday special exhibits are free
§
Note: Friday special exhibits are free
§
Note: check website for Star Party, free at the
planetarium, dates vary weather permitting
o
Note: Keeper Talks – every Sat. & Sun. Free
Small steps and the art of allowing
I've been extra emotional over the past few days but I am forging through and feeling optimistic.
It may seem that I spend quite a bit of time on Facebook. For one, it's part of my job as a digital content strategist. For two, I love seeing where people are in their lives - their evolutions, who they surround themselves with nowadays, what parts of their faces they passed along to their children, what they do for work, what they do for fun, where they've traveled, what stirs their emotions - as a people watcher, it's like an online and far more personal version of sitting in the airport. For three, I see it as a bit of a personal archive. I love going back through the pictures and comments I have posted, reminiscing on where I was in life and how things have changed. And, finally, I love reading posts and articles and perspectives and learning new things and uncovering new ways of viewing the world from people. On that, I came across two things that really spoke to me today.
One was this:
I like being subscribed to this "Begin with Yes" page - it's like a daily dose of hope. This particular post spoke to me because I am struggling with my sense if purpose - what's this life about? Is this as good as it gets? Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? Etc. The good news is that I am learning how to live in the present and to not underestimate the day of small things, as I recently posted. I like, as this image above mentions, the idea that today's small step may be the one that I look back on as a giant leap forward. You just never know, right?
The second bit of brilliance I read today was an article called "The Art of Allowing." I can't even summarize it or do it any sort of justice by providing highlights. If you're at all curious about what it means to deliberately allow people and things to be as they are, I encourage you to read it.
Be blessed today, friends!
It may seem that I spend quite a bit of time on Facebook. For one, it's part of my job as a digital content strategist. For two, I love seeing where people are in their lives - their evolutions, who they surround themselves with nowadays, what parts of their faces they passed along to their children, what they do for work, what they do for fun, where they've traveled, what stirs their emotions - as a people watcher, it's like an online and far more personal version of sitting in the airport. For three, I see it as a bit of a personal archive. I love going back through the pictures and comments I have posted, reminiscing on where I was in life and how things have changed. And, finally, I love reading posts and articles and perspectives and learning new things and uncovering new ways of viewing the world from people. On that, I came across two things that really spoke to me today.
One was this:
I like being subscribed to this "Begin with Yes" page - it's like a daily dose of hope. This particular post spoke to me because I am struggling with my sense if purpose - what's this life about? Is this as good as it gets? Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? Etc. The good news is that I am learning how to live in the present and to not underestimate the day of small things, as I recently posted. I like, as this image above mentions, the idea that today's small step may be the one that I look back on as a giant leap forward. You just never know, right?
The second bit of brilliance I read today was an article called "The Art of Allowing." I can't even summarize it or do it any sort of justice by providing highlights. If you're at all curious about what it means to deliberately allow people and things to be as they are, I encourage you to read it.
Be blessed today, friends!
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
From special to snubbed
Man, two year olds can really be hot and cold.
Last night Hannah and I shared a moment that felt very special to me. I was sitting on the floor and she got behind me, put her arms around me, and started rocking me. Then, she broke out into song: "Rock-a-bye, mommy, on the treetop..." She doesn't know all the words so she improvised. It was incredible. I sat there with her little arms around my neck, cherishing the sweetness, feeling like the luckiest.
But, less than half a day later, I woke up to hear her telling daddy that she didn't want much of anything to do with me.
"Let's go wake up mommy," Jason said to Hannah.
"No mommy," she said sternly.
"Well, let's have mommy come get you dressed," Jason told her.
"NO!" She said. "I NO WANT MOMMY!"
Ouch.
Yes, I realize she's two. But it still doesn't feel good to be snubbed! She continued to tell him that she didn't want to see me, didn't want me to change her pants (which is normally fine by me), didn't want me to help her brush her teeth or do her hair or pick out her clothes or do anything.
"Daddy do it!" she said repeatedly.
How can we go from special "rock-a-bye mommy" time to this? I'm sure she will be excited to see me later today when I pick her up from daycare, but it still hurt my feelings. Sometimes I feel like no matter what I do, she will always prefer her father. I know she loves me and needs me and everything, but I wish she would light up for me the way she lights up for him. I am grateful she loves him so much and he definitely deserves her affection. I just have a hard time sometimes when I feel like I'm on the junior varsity team.
Last night Hannah and I shared a moment that felt very special to me. I was sitting on the floor and she got behind me, put her arms around me, and started rocking me. Then, she broke out into song: "Rock-a-bye, mommy, on the treetop..." She doesn't know all the words so she improvised. It was incredible. I sat there with her little arms around my neck, cherishing the sweetness, feeling like the luckiest.
But, less than half a day later, I woke up to hear her telling daddy that she didn't want much of anything to do with me.
"Let's go wake up mommy," Jason said to Hannah.
"No mommy," she said sternly.
"Well, let's have mommy come get you dressed," Jason told her.
"NO!" She said. "I NO WANT MOMMY!"
Ouch.
Yes, I realize she's two. But it still doesn't feel good to be snubbed! She continued to tell him that she didn't want to see me, didn't want me to change her pants (which is normally fine by me), didn't want me to help her brush her teeth or do her hair or pick out her clothes or do anything.
"Daddy do it!" she said repeatedly.
How can we go from special "rock-a-bye mommy" time to this? I'm sure she will be excited to see me later today when I pick her up from daycare, but it still hurt my feelings. Sometimes I feel like no matter what I do, she will always prefer her father. I know she loves me and needs me and everything, but I wish she would light up for me the way she lights up for him. I am grateful she loves him so much and he definitely deserves her affection. I just have a hard time sometimes when I feel like I'm on the junior varsity team.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
So many of us choose our path based on fear disguised as practicality
This is a minute-long snippet of Jim Carrey's commencement speech to Maharishi University of Management’s class of 2014 that spoke to my heart today:
"You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love."
"You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love."
Monday, June 9, 2014
Out of retirement and onto the green.
It was kinda like this. |
I'm breaking out my clubs, and ending my golf retirement. Whoa.
The last time I golfed was a special time. I was pregnant with Hannah, and I was really freaking hungry. A group of us had gone to play a round at the local par 3. I couldn't have cared less about how I was performing - it had been a long day and mama was ready for a burrito.
We approached the 18th hole and I muttered something about - this better be fast. And it was. It was as fast as a hole could go.
I hit the ball - very poorly, I might add - and it shot down and diagonally across the green. It hit the edge of a bunker. It rolled up and a little northeastern toward the hole. I hear Jason say, "Holy crap, that's gonna be close!"
No, no, no, sir. Not close. IN.
"HOLE IN ONE!"
I threw my club in the air and everyone jumped and yelled. Someone hi-fived me. I think it may have been Jesus because this was a freaking miracle.
We yelled and screamed and I hurried up into the clubhouse because I was seriously starving by now. They took my picture for their "hole in one" wall. Some sucker at the bar made a comment about how I am supposed to buy everyone a round (look, dude, if mama can't drink, ain't nobody drinking). Then I went to Chevy's Fresh Mexican and had myself a burrito. Dang good!
So, that was well over two years ago, and I have been busy managing my procreation and haven't hit the greens since. But, today, my dear sister-in-law invited me to participate in a fundraising golf tournament, and I obliged. Since the last time I played I have put on 30 lbs, made a human, and herniated a disc in my spine, so here's hoping this is mostly painless. I'm not shooting for any holes-in-one, but in the rare case it does happen, I will head out for another celebratory burrito and definitely hang up the clubs for good. It doesn't get much better than that.
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