Write a NICE Letter

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you all heard about the horrific letter that someone slipped under the door of an autistic boy's grandma the other day? I've been thinking a lot about it and wanted to comment on it somehow, but didn't know how. Last night I decided how my energy would be best spent. 

Instead of being angry at the anonymous author or all the other people I know who do mean things, why not just turn it around and use my energy on something positive? 

I decided to write a letter of my own and leave it for someone to find, only my letter would tell someone how great he or she was. Naturally, I asked Josephine who the recipient of the letter should be. She chose her playgroup leader*. She told me things she liked about her, and I wrote it all down, then she added a little at the bottom and even wrote her own name (you'll have to squint a bit to make it out). 

  (The tattoo was temporary J)

Our plan is to surreptitiously leave it on her desk after our next playgroup meeting. I thought it would be better if we left it for her to find instead of standing right there while she read it.

Josephine had a lot of fun doing this, and so did I. It was easy, made us feel good, and made someone else feel good. While I don’t necessarily believe that one nice note could cancel out the hate that the other note created, you all could always do the same and we could start a wave of positivity.

What do you think? Do you have the time to write a letter to someone who makes you happy? If you do, leave a comment, leave a link to a blog post, or tag it #writeaniceletter on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

*P.S. Josephine goes to a playgroup once a week through the Great Start program. If you have one in your area, I cannot recommend it enough. It is like a miniature preschool, it’s free, and the people are fantastic. She loves it so much and has learned a great deal. The St. Clair County Great Start Collaborative also sponsors the Imagination Library for St. Clair County. If you want to sign up for free books for your child, click HERE. If you want to buy free books for a child in St. Clair County for an entire YEAR, you can do so for only $25 by clicking HERE.   

P.P.S. I've been writing over at Sean Purcell Photography but neglecting to tell you about it. I shared this challenge, and if you want to read about wacky ways to beat the summer heat, flower girl gift ideas, my experience getting portraits taken with Jeremy to make up for our lousy wedding pictures, or, if you want to see what Sean and Amanda had to say about our family portraits and pictures of me and Jeremy being all in love, then I've got you covered. 

Made it this Weekend

Just a little bragging, folks, don't mind me. 

We have a three-page-long list on our fridge of things to make, fix, paint, or clean before the girls' first/third dual party in less than two weeks, so I made us a pretty freaking long list for this weekend. And we KICKED BUTT. 

There were multiple shopping trips for supplies, lots of cleaning and organizing (even -- this is embarrassing -- an entire BEDROOM in our basement that I had turned into the "throw crap in there to deal with later and slam the door shut on the way out" room), painting (walls, trim, the hallway linen closet, AND ceilings -- kill me), AND I made a bunch of stuff. 

I know, right? Too bad we are not even close to being done. *Womp womp*

But, I made these things all in one weekend ... and got the world's dreariest Monday to take pictures of them all (oh well, please excuse the terrible picture quality).

I recovered the so-dark-brown-they-were-almost-black roman shades with this beautiful fabric. This is on the back wall of my living room and to one side of the side door (the one most people use -- don't even get me started). I've been wanting to do it forever, but after painting the trim white, it became even more necessary. 

And here's the "matching" widow on the other side of the side door and in the eat-in- part of the kitchen. At least this picture has a little bit of natural light.

This project was not hard at all and would have been super fast if I hadn't accidentally cut the strings while I was working and had to figure out how to re-string them. Ahem.

I've had the supplies and intentions to make this next project for more than a year, and I finally did it. This is the little half wall as you walk from the kitchen to the living room. To the left are the basement stairs and to the right is the side door. Sorry about not being able to take a head-on shot, but the pesky flash, you know.

This project was also easy peasy.

This final project that I made for above Genevieve's dresser/changing table took much more effort, but it's not like it was brain surgery or anything. I'm most upset about the lack of sun for this picture because I couldn't get it clear enough or from a good angle. Each of the butterflies is only attached by the body, and the wings are lifted off the paper so they look like they are flying in the shadow box. Again, I was planning this and had all the supplies since before GiGi was born (sigh) but I finally spray painted the shadow box, punched out the butterflies, chose the pattern, and glued them all painstakingly on in rows. I love it. It looks about a million times better in real life.

And hey, we also managed a visit to the Bologna Festival (the free balloons were the best part, apparently):

A cookout and parade viewing with friends:

And dinner with Granny and Gramps.

And I am dead. 

BUT, it's looking like the only rooms we won't have completely done by our one-year house-versary will be the kitchen and our bedroom! That doesn't sound all that great, but we have worked our butts off in the other rooms and the yard (dear god, the yard). Hopefully I will be able to do before and after pictures in a few weeks. Things are looking up! Now just two more pages of things to complete! Oh, wait ...

My feelings on the remaining list. Home-improvemented out. 

I can't wait for next weekend. :/

Josie Says

Josie: I heard a really loud noise, and I got scared, so I ran to the neighbors' house* and I hid in their rowboat** to be safe.

*Nope. Didn't happen.
**They don't even HAVE a rowboat.


Josie: Who made this quilt?
Jeremy: Granny.
Josie: Oh. Who made this doll?
Jeremy: Well, that doll came from a store, so no one we know made it. Someone made it in a factory.
Josie: It came from a store?
Jeremy: Yep.
Josie: A store like Meijer?
Jeremy: Sure. Probably Meijer or Target.
Josie: *thinks quietly for a minute* But, did Uncle Luke make it?
Jeremy: No, Uncle Luke didn't make this baby.
Josie: I think Uncle Luke made it. 
Jeremy: Okay.


Josie: I don't have any dog bones in my butt.
Veronica: ...
Josie: But your doctor office does*.
Veronica: My doctor's office ... has ... dog bones ... in its butt?
Josie: YES, MOMMMMM.

*We were driving past the doctor's office (that I went to ONCE, six months ago), but the dog bone thing? No idea.

This Week (plus links)

So, I wrote a few things for the Sean Purcell Photography blog recently. First up was a fairly heart-warming post in which I count my blessings (something I need to do more often, it seems).

The second post talks about how nervous I was to have not only a family photo session, but a lovey-dovey one with me and Jeremy to make up for our dreadful wedding photos. I talked a bit about how I'm uncomfortable with my looks, and, I've gotta tell you, when I posted the link on facebook and people were commenting left and right that they thought I was beautiful? I eventually started to feel like Kelly in the "Weight Loss" episode of The Office when Michael makes her stand up on her chair and has people shout out things they like about her. At first she's hanging her head and embarrassed, but then she slowly lifts her head and asks "What else do people like about me?" 

But then, of course, I immediately thought of Phyllis and laughed and got over the desire to pull a Kelly:

Anywho, if you're interested, follow those links (bonus: You will get to see some sneak peeks from our portrait sessions. If you're into that sort of thing, of course).

***********************

In other news, we had a mighty busy week. We did a bunch of fun things despite the high heat index (feels like 105 ... YUCK), but that just meant packing lots of extra water, sunscreen, hats, and a spray bottle of ice water with which I compulsively spritzed the girls (they ADORED it).

Josephine and Genevieve were in a PARADE for the first time!

Waiting to line up -- she was a leeetle excited.

Wet spots on my shirt are from J squirting me with the spray bottle. I swear.

She shouted "I'm in a hip-hip-parade!" the entire time.

I also took Josephine to the family night at the Blue Water Festival where she got her first taste of a bounce house and her very first pony ride! 

She had a blast, but unfortunately, when she tells people about it, she only says "A big guy CUH-RASHED into me in the bounce house and I CRIED. Then mama popped my balloon." 

I swear, I was holding her balloon animal to keep it from popping on the pokey grass like her friend's did and it just popped in my hand! There was a pop every two minutes at that place. Maybe the heat? Anyway, try explaining that to an almost-three-year-old. Or to all the people in line for the pony rides (she went up and down the line and told every single person -- through tears -- "My mama POPPED my balloon!"). 

Plus storyhour, pool time, playgroup, a visit to Granny and Gramps and a visit to Grandma and Grandpa. Quite the week.

Hope you all had a great week too and no one popped any of your balloons. 

She Just Has So Many Feelings

About forty minutes after going to bed tonight, Josephine started sobbing and screaming something unintelligible from her bedroom. She never does that, so after waiting a minute to see if she'd calm down on her own, I went in and asked her what was wrong. 

Me: What's wrong, angel?

Josie: Well*, I just want to vacuum ALL. BY. MY. SELF.**
*She starts pretty much every sentence lately with a long drawn-out "Welllll ..."
**She's obsessed with vacuuming. She's do it all day if I let her. 

Me: Oh, you heard me vacuuming, huh? I'm sorry, honey. You can vacuum first thing in the morning if you want. 

Josie: *sobbing escalates*

Me: I'm sorry, honey, but it's bedtime now, so you can't vacuum, but you can in the morning, okay?

Josie: *sobbing escalates even more*

Me: Sweetie, I said you could vacuum in the morning. What's wrong?

Josie: Well, I just love to cry.

Me: You what?

Josie: I love to cry. It makes me so happy!

Me: You ... do?

Josie: Well, YES!

Me: Ummm ... well, do you think it might be easier to fall asleep if you stopped crying?

Josie: Well ... yes.

Me: Okay, how about you take a deep breath and count to ten.

Josie: *takes a deep breath and counts to fourteen*

Me: Now close your eyes and think of something happy.

Josie: *Lips start quivering, tears well up in eyes, starts crying again*

Me: Josie, when I asked you to think of something happy, did you think of ... crying?

Josie: Well, yeah! It just makes me happy!

Me: *Sigh* Let's start over ...