Archives for March 2009
Silhouettes
This is so fun and easy that you must try it with your small children. Silhouettes are all over the internet but I think I first saw this method on the Shabby Nest.
1. Take a picture of your subject. This happens to be my darling and wonderfully handsome nephew because I’m making silhouettes for my sister.
2. Print the pictures to whatever size you want the silhouettes to be onto cardstock. I traced the silhouette and then solicited the help of the youngsters to color them in. Use a black permanent marker and fill in the image completely. They thought this was so much fun since they were essentially ‘coloring themselves’.
3. Use an exacto knife and precisely cut out the image; careful to preserve cute little noses and lips.
4. After cutting the image, color the egdes again so that no white is showing.
5. Then place them into frames and enjoy. I backed the cardboard from the frame with fabric such as linen or burlap to add texture to the framed silhouettes. They turned out beautiful! Only 6 more to go!
And in case you wondered about the ‘brood’, they’re just dandy. The rooster is quite the bossy cackling little guy and one of the hens loves to mother and preen the others. The ducks, named Bumper and Thumper, love to swim and love to wake me up at 5 a for more water.
Let me know if you try the silhouettes. There are also professional silhouette artists who can make ‘real’ ones for you……but that isn’t nearly as much fun!
100 things (painfully continued) Edition 3
41. I speak from experience when I say that having children who are compliant can give you the false sense that you are an extraordinary specimen of a mother. And on the contrary, having strong willed children will have you convinced that you are not capable of parenting at all. I have both varieties in my little family. Until you’ve parented a strong willed child, it would be wise to save all your statements that start with “Well, if that was my child, I’d….”. Give people the benefit of the doubt and spend the time you might judge them–saying a prayer for them instead. This is no task for the faint of heart. And grace and mercy need abound.
42. My favorite color is tiffany blue. I have plans to paint my craft room that color. Last year, my favorite color was orange. I’m wishy washy like that.
43. My favorite southern city is Charleston. My favorite northeastern city is Boston. My favorite midwestern city is Chicago. My favorite place to spend time in the summer: on the lakes of Minnesota.
44. I dream of lazy days reading and baking and making crafts with my children while the smell of clean laundry and fresh bread tickles my nose. No wait, that’s what I get to do everyday. Someone pinch me.
45. My favorite tree is the southern magnolia. It looks beautiful and stately in the yard and its branches frequently adorn my tables inside. Neither Emme nor I, however, like the smell of magnolia.
46. If I could live during any historical time period, it would be colonial America. Maybe that’s why I love Boston so much. I would assume the role of Abigail Adams.
47. My favorite movie is The Notebook . Or maybe Office Space. I also love Steel Magnolias and Little Women. And The John Adams series. And of course Coal Miner’s Daughter. Then there’s Slingblade. And Pride and Predjudice. Picking one thing has never been my strong suit.
48. Steve introduced me to Martin Luther and bird watching. I introduced him to C.S. Lewis and cornbread. I’d call that even.
60. I once glued someone’s eye shut when I worked in the ER. It’s a good story. Maybe I’ll tell ya sometime. Suffice it to say, I will never live that one down and as it turns out, an opthamologist told me “Aw, don’t worry, people do that accidentally with super glue all the time. It’ll come out in a few days.” Maybe the public is safer with me here at home!
100 things Edition 2 (big yawn)
If you’re really bored and don’t have any laundry to fold, take a seat, drink some coffee (you’ll need it to stay awake) and stroll down memory lane with me.
21. I double majored in chemistry and biochemistry in college with a minor in biology. I would have made a pathetic chemist. Chemists should be precise and serious and a little neurotic.
22. I am a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Tennesee 1994. I had two babies at the time and studied alot. Maybe back then I was precise and serious and a little neurotic.
24. I was the secretary of my medical school class. I redefined that role to entail baking bread and cookies frequently for my class mates. I’m sure that surprises no one. I can’t remember doing anything ‘secretarial’.
25. I have always been athletic. I played almost every sport in high school, broke my hand playing flag football in med school, trained and finished a few half marathons, and can’t remember a time when I didn’t ‘work out’. As I approach my fortieth birthday, I’d like to train for ‘something’…..a marathon, a triathlon, a hotdog eating contest……..unless you have any better ideas for me?
26. I gained 12 pounds with my first pregnancy and did aerobics nearly until I delivered. 20 yo bodies were meant to have babies. I loved being pregnant. Every time. I would have a quiver full if I could. There is nothing more miraculous than giving life to a child from your own strong able body.
27. I have so many regrets about my early days as a parent. Can I get a do-over? Why is it that when you finally ‘figure out’ how to do this parenting thing, your oldest is graduating high school?
28. My father passed away when I was 27. He died from complications of lung cancer and cirrhosis. I lived 2 hours away and the night they called to tell me he ‘wasn’t going to make it much longer’, I prayed the whole way that he wouldn’t die before I got there. When I walked into the room, his breathing was labored. He died twenty minutes later. I cried and hugged him and held his hand and sang Amazing Grace to him as he passed from this life to the next. I know he waited for me. I can’t wait to see him again someday.
29. Watching Grey’s Anatomy has been a little like reliving parts of my past. And I knew from the start of the show that I’m definitely an Izzie. I get too attached. I struggle with boundaries. I had several regular patients to whom I gave money and rides home and my cell phone number. I prayed for them often and always had a sense that their over arching spiritual and life issues were often at the heart of their physical complaints. I miss doctoring. I miss the sacred bonds of the doctor patient relationship. It has been one of life’s greatest honors; to care for the sick and afflicted and dying.
30. I met Stevie just after I had told my first patient he was dying from pancreatic cancer. Despite my herculean efforts, two tears escaped as I held my patients’ hand and tried to give him hope. When I left the room, my heart broke into a thousand tears. A knight in green scrubs rescued me. I have been trying to say thank you ever since.
31. A brief period of darkness ensued. I will summarize by saying that the love of Christ is tenacious. God chased me down dark and twisty roads. I ran for my life and in circles and He was always there, breathing heavy into the recesses of my want and pleading with me to stop. He has been determined from the start to have the last word in my life. I’m trying to sit still and listen.
32. I am an ESFP on the MB personality test. To refresh your memory, that means: extrovert, sensing, feeling, perceiving. If you’ve been reading my blog very long, you probably already know that.
33. I am a foodie. My dream kitchen would have an eight burner Viking gas stove, 3 ovens, a built in deep fryer and wine refrigerator, a commercial coffee maker, a sous chef, and an entire collection of vintage aprons.
34. I don’t read chick lit. The closest I come to chick lit is The Red Tent. If there is a chick lit book that you think I must read, send me an email. Otherwise, my night stand will continue to look like that of a 40 year old male seminary student.
35. I am neurotic about smells. I love a fresh, clean smelling house. And fresh clean smelling kids. And fresh clean smelling pets. My car….. now that’s another story.
36. I married an IITJ. Opposites attract.
37. I love old style country music. I grew up listening to George Jones and Johnny Cash and Tammy Wynette. I could bust out a good Loretta Lynn song at the least provocation. My children can roll their eyes and testify to that.
38. I am growing weary of the ‘100 things’ list. ADDers should never start a ‘100 things’ list.
39. I feel fairly certain I won’t have the sticktoittiveness to finish it.
40. But you probably already knew that too.
Logos School takes a field trip……..
It’s Spring Break for us so I invited several friends and their teens and tots to join us at Barter Theatre to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I don’t what was more fun….watching the play or watching my kids watch the play. The teenagers laughed out loud and wore the technicolor flashing glasses we bought for them. And Sue and Donna and I couldn’t resist a picture with ‘Joseph’. My angel friend Donna who used to make her haven next door to me lives in the vicinity of the theatre now….so we were especially excited to see her.
Emme was brave enough to stand next to Joseph for a quick pic.
We enjoyed lunch together at KP Duty in Bristol! Morgan joined us for the fun day too and kept Taylor and Andrew in line.
And I was fortunate to spend a few hours in the car with Cindy……and 3 teenagers and 3 small girlies. We talked and played music and laughed and talked some more and drank Starbucks (be still my beating heart). Abingdon is such a quaint and cozy little town. And every production I’ve seen at this theatre is spectacular. Our little group picture is missing Cindy, Sarah, Emily, Clay, and Donna. Sandy and Sue rode together with their kiddos and I’m only sad that we didn’t have more time to visit with them.
And the icing on the cake? We ran into Taylor’s first grade teacher Mrs. Savery! I almost cried. She was such a blessing to us and I have such fond memories of being at Providence Academy…..where I first learned about classical education. It was so good to see her and Bunny Turner. It was nearly a perfect day from beginning to end.
So, the girls and I are watching YouTube clips of the play this morning. Sandy was lucky enough to see this very one where Joseph was played by Donny Osmond! Thank you girls for such a great day!
100 things Edition 1: Before Children
I am quickly approaching my 200th post! Wow, I’ve had a lot to say these past 9 months. To celebrate, I’m contemplating a giveaway and I’m doing the obligatory ‘100 things’ post…..only in bits and pieces. And only 100 because I don’t even know 200 things about myself. So here’s the first installment.
1. I was born in Maryville, Tennessee. I am southern through and through. I like banjo music, monograms, cornbread, saying y’all, teaching my children to say ‘yes ma’am’, and watchin’ Gone with the Wind.
2. I took a hard fall as a baby while sitting in a ‘punkin’ seat on a kitchen table. That may explain the following 98 things.
3. I am a people pleaser to a fault. I was compliant and pleasant as a child. And cried alot. And still do.
4. I went through a severe tomboy phase as a young girl. I took boxing, had a mullet, begged to try out for the football team, and loved to beat boys in arm wrestling.
5. I fell into a frozen lake while playing outside with my friends. I was afraid I was going to die and even more worried that my Jordache jeans were ruined. I didn’t. They were.
6. My daddy loved a good honky tonk and frequently left my sister and I in the car with some RC cola and some ‘tater chips’ while he did whatever it is you do in honky tonks. This didn’t seem to me all that strange at the time.
7. I am an overachiever. Partly I think as a result of being a child of a binge drinker. And partly because I function as a first born. (my brother is 7 years older). I rarely do things in a ‘normal’ fashion.
8. My mother has always loved me unconditionally. This may be the greatest gift that I have received from a human. I am trying to pass it to my children. She made it look so easy.
9. I am an eternal optimist. The glass is always half full—-with pink juicy sparkling champagne. And a cherry on top.
10. I have been a christian for more than 30 years. I have done nothing to merit the wonderful grace of God. I have only presumed upon it and abused it in the most vile ways. I am learning to accept the gifts He gives with humility.
11. I am more like my daddy than my mother. I inherited his sense of humor, his insatiable bruxism, his kind and generous spirit and large imposing forehead.
12. I’ve always had the most wonderful friends. It seems that no matter where I move, beautiful angelic people are waiting to ‘befriend’ me. I am thankful for them all.
13. I never tried marijuana or any illicit drugs and did not drink alcohol until I was 27. I have never smoked a cigarette. Go ahead and say it. Goody two shoes.
14. That said, I will probably die from lung cancer from the 2nd hand smoke I was exposed to as a child.
15. I have always had the sense that we are part of a grand adventurous story. That God has a purpose for our lives. That His great ransom of mankind is the most miraculous and romantic tale of all.
16. My mother once told me, “The sun always shines where you are”. I have spent decades listening to that phrase play a melody in my heart. And I finally believe she is right. He does always shine. He is like a consuming fire. Purifying and making new.
17. My sister and I have shared a complex myriad of traumas and joys together. It has forged in us a bond that is untouchable. It is, I believe, eternal. I’m sure that she and I will go skating together in heaven and watch our children play along the sea and make each other laugh till we cry.
18. I have a ravenous appetite for books. I wish I could just sit and read all day, every day. I almost always have a book in hand. And one in my purse. And several in my car. And hundreds in my house. I think of Lewis and Chesterton and Luther and McDonald almost as friends. And just mentioning G.K. Chesterton’s name makes me want to devour “Orthodoxy” again. But I need to finish Surprised by Joy first and I am so jealous of Steve who is finishing C.S. Lewis’ sci-fi trilogy. My favorite book is Mere Christianity. After the Bible of course.
19. I was named after two deceased uncles. Ed and Dennis. Wow, that’s a cheerful start.
20. Edie is not short for Edith. It’s just Edie. A name which I hated as a child. Why couldn’t I be Kristi or Tiffany or Kelly? Now, I love my name. It exactly fits me.