2012 BOOK LIST:

2012 Book List - Keeps it simple...I think - concise is good.
So my dad did Rick and I a HUGE favor a couple Xmas' ago and snagged us a his

and hers e-readers. You know - the Kindle:

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So I am FINALLY getting around to using this for something other than recipes and have now dedicated my free time to some great literature. To start, is a one- ten list I hope to complete in the next 3 months - and then another: ten-twenty. So far, so good - already almost completed Fahrenheit 451 - SO GOOD!! I

highly recommend this classic, especially if you are getting back in the habit of reading - most apropos. Well here it is, drum roll.... the list​

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1. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

2. East of Eden by John Steinbeck

3. Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut

4. The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie 5. Hard Times by Charles Dickens

6. 1984 by George Orwell

7. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

8. Last Words by George Carlin

9. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway 10. What is What by Dave Eggers

Ok, so I know some of these are not near old enough to be 'classics' per-say but I mean, come on! George Carlin - he must be on the list. And if you have ever encountered a lecture with Salman Rushdie, Satanic Verses would go on a to-read list in a heart beat...and speaking of heart, Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius immediately places Dave Eggers in a one-ten reading list.

So there it is - a start to what I hope is a return to my obsession with literature. Join in! Let me know what you think! 

IN YEAR 2011, ONE YEAR

​So in my quest to create an adorable b-day card for an absolutely rad friend I couldn't help but then create yet another collage. Going through Soren's first birthday pics was a an absolute joy - can't wait to catch up on the baby book (gee gads!)...of which I am extremely behind! 'till then, I shall continue to simply enjoy.

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eah for carrot cupcake and maple cream frosting! NOM!!!!

LITTLE OVER 14 MONTHS...

...and I swore to myself I would NOT be that person - you know, the one that you ask, "how old is your son?" and they answer, "ohhh....about 26 months..." and then you are stuck there trying to do the math, looking silly when you finally realize they could of easily said, "he turned two a couple months ago" or plain and simply - "two.".

Well, anyway, now I find myself answering 14 months. I promised I would stop with the months after a year, but every time I answered, "he's about a year old." I get these surprised glances like, wow! that child is big, or he's already running around? - so now I specify. I finally came to terms that he is really growing that fast, so fast per month that it is absolutely worth recognizing his gi-normous growing leaps and bounds every month.

Which brings me to my blog today. 14 months - wow... I mean really, wow. Soren started climbing, like - ladder climbing last night up onto an adult chair. Just about gave Rick and I both a heart attack - but when he made it up all on his

own, we giggled and praised his hard work. Then we both shot each other the glance. You know? the glance saying in unison, "remember this time last year - we were rejoicing when he held his head up on his own...". Then and time and time again (it never gets old) - I saw the happiest, proud, Poppa-tear well up in Rick's eye. It really goes this quickly. Luckily though - I still get to do things like rock Soren to sleep or cuddle with him when he gets worn out, and trust me, I will be holding on to these things as long as I can, because it won't be long before he is 'too big, and too old' (as he will confidently declare!) for me to rock my baby (because he always will be to me) to sleep.

Thinking back, I can't even begin to explain just how afraid and tentative I was about having a baby the day we found out. I remember thinking what an awful parent I was going to be, or how 'it' was going to fit into my life...but the first

wiggle in my belly, or the first ultrasound, or the look of absolute joy when I told Rick he was going to be a father washed the worry away and I realized, it isn't any longer about me. I had 25 wonderfully selfish years - to work, go to school, party and now, NOW I have started a new life - one for my son. A life I get to watch explore, mature, discover and develop through wiser eyes. It is an absolute joy to watch him grow. I truly don't know where my life would be at this moment had he not been a part of it, but I can honestly say, the these 14 months have taught me more about myself, life and what living is all about - and I LOVE it!

1 month - starting to support your head...

2 months - almost fully supported head (for short periods of time) and about to roll over

3 months - exploring mobility, rolling over belly laughing ALL the time! Love, LOVE tummy time!

4 months - rolling all over the place, swimming on your belly and talk, talk, talking.

5 months - the smiles NEVER stop and you are army crawling backward! And did someone say solids? Yeah for Bananas!

6 months - sliding all over the place and love, LOVE going to the pool - my lil' guppy .

7 months - so big! pulling yourself up and walking along furniture...now your quad crawling!

8 months - still afraid to let go and take off - but holding on with one hand and standing.

9 months - still cruising with help - but less everyday. You are however quite the speed crawler!

10 months - Grandma comes in town and temps you with your peek-a-who book and you take off, leaving mom with laughing tears! I can't believe it!

11 months - and off he goes!!! still getting the hang of those legs, but you are now becoming quite the skilled walker and eating just about everything in sight. What an appetite!

12 months - so now we start the climbing and running. You don't hold still!! I have to chase you down to eat!

13 months - 8 teeth later and you eat everything, I mean EVERYTHING! Kale, butternut squash, chickpeas, tomatoes, spinach - and you LOVE it all! oh! and let's not forget - you now walk backwards and when the music's on you DANCE<DANCE<DANCE!

14 months - here we are - I am ma-ma and Rick is da-da. Your signing please, more, bye-bye, all done, diaper change and almost hungry. You are trying to sound out words, mimic and climb. One of my favorites - you read yourself books and then you read them to me. You have gone from almost rolling over to climbing in my lap after picking a book out and reading to me! In one year!

Thank you Soren, for showing me what living is truly about. What those 25 years were for before you were born and what the rest of my life is bound to be filled with - tears, laughter, worry, pride and pure joy. This year's time has taught me to waste not, want little and enjoy every moment.

​xo​

Momma​

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BLOGGING HEAVEN -

So I finally ventured out to re-create my blog. Oh my goodness - the options! What a blast though. I can't wait to continue the blog action...so, now seems like

just a good a time as any -

Hello Wyoming! We hit Wyoming, Ohio yesterday for Episode 4 of LX - and admittedly, what a surprise. This is such a unique neighborhood.

With a Main Street atmosphere like Bellevue and a neighborhood feel of Mt. Carmel, but with great historical preservation. Just from our conversations off the mic, you can tell this community stands together, and strong. We had a great time chatting with Penny and Britt about not only the Farmer's Market (which we will be hitting up frequently whence spring hits the Nati) but also about the public school system in this quant town. I won't dive into too many details, but I can say - these are surely parents and neighbors that care greatly about a well rounded, supported education - I was impressed!

So the people are great - but the food is even better. The vendors/restaurants really concentrate on quality food and excellent customer service. From custom roasted coffee beans to a dog watering hole hooked into the plumbing of the building to a menu even catering to my vegetarian family. Love it!

Then we moved into the culture - we chatted with Inez of ART: Art Resource Team and my personal fave - Milan from the Wyoming Fine Arts Center. Soren, I hope you're ready - because we will be hanging out there in the near future... ALOT.

So I guess you can see, I was quite pleased...more than pleased...I mean - totally ecstatic about this great new find for me, my family and the rest of this Great Queen City!

Kudos Cincinnati!​

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SOMETIMES, IT JUST GETS HARD...

So I was chatting with one of the officers at last nights concert - interesting conversation really. And if you are wondering why, exactly there ARE in fact officers at concerts - particularly of the classical persuasion - don't think for a second that there aren't stalkers, crazy drunken debauchery or just plain ole' debauchery at these shows - they're are. Anyway, besides the point, really -

So we were chatting about what most people my age chat about at some point - marriage. Not that we were talking about marriage in an us sense (wink, wink), but in general. Being an officer of the law, he witnesses more than most - but he isn't just that, he is an officer of the law in one of Cincy's worse neighborhoods - district one. Anyway - he made a very poignant statement. I will summarize -

'...in today's society, marriage doesn't carry the weight it did at one time. And from what I have seen - chasing drug dealers, murderers, being in the middle of shootings - life is really difficult enough as it is. It's hard enough just living day to day - and marriage today, just really seems to make life more difficult. I am in love with someone and I want to be with that person - I am content in just keeping it simply that way.'

I can appreciate this. Now I was raised well, very well - I think (shrugged shoulders...), but I have seen the good, bad and ugly of marriage. And every time I think - yeah it might be nice to wear a ring to show off how much I love my baby daddy - then I start thinking of how complicated that could start making our lives. We get in these rough patches, and when we do (maybe a little bit more than recent...yeeks~!), there are always the empty threats made like - guess one of us should start looking for an apartment, or the really obnoxious - how are we going to split custody, you know I want to be a part of his life still (I know - petty, right...like DUH of course - you are quite possibly the BEST Dad ever!), but then I think, what about the penultimate - I guess we should file for divorce -

YUCK! I mean really-YUCK!!! I just don't want that, I don't want to have to come back from an argument from - THAT!

And I know some of you might be shaking your head like - 'well then just don't get to that point in the fight, then'. But no offense, you are kidding yourself if you think in some 10 years of marriage one of you is NOT going to say that. It's human nature and like the officer so delicately pointed out - marriage doesn't hold the weight it used to and life today is difficult enough as it is.

So - long point made short here -

We get in these rough patches and I really start to think about this stuff - like, should I be happy we aren't married? and well, yeah. I am - he's my baby daddy and a darn good one. And yeah, he does stuff that upsets me, but he stays - and I don't have to come back from the absolute worse position in an argument - divorce or not. He knows that I love him, at least I hope he does. Ok - so I digressed a bit more. Point - he doesn't care if we get married. He stands by my side no matter what. Through pregnancy, hormones, a crappy work schedule, dealing with relationships, supporting my family and most of all - being a stellar parental partner. I may be a loon - but he stays - without a ring.

...and I love Rick even more for that.