tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28794784105616611022024-03-13T06:47:11.623-04:00BrookStina DomesticYour last resort after you've visited all your favorite websites.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01719422716225742844noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-81479456180650159122012-07-27T21:16:00.001-04:002012-07-27T21:18:16.856-04:00Photo Catch-UpIt's been a busy summer, and it's not slowing down yet! I'll use that as an excuse for doing a mishmash of pictures rather than a proper post.<br />
(Photo credits go to Judy Shiffler for the fourth and fifth row.) <br />
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<br />Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-55668112551429143772012-06-07T21:36:00.003-04:002012-06-07T21:38:37.740-04:00Jennykins Comes to TownFirst things first: thank you all for the love and support and kindness you've shown with my last post's news. I had no idea people would be so positive! It really makes a huge difference to me to know that my loved ones like what I'm doing. I just really appreciate it. So thanks. :)<br />
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Speaking of loved ones, my sister Jenny came to visit! She was here just for a quick six days, and we took advantage of the opportunity to show her the beach! Myrtle Beach, that is. My favorite thing we did was visiting Huntington Beach State Park, where I got to face my longstanding fear of alligators. ALLIGATORS. They are monsters. I actually did really surprisingly well in their presence. Let me reiterate: these are actual wild vicious alligators in their natural habitat, swimming frighteningly and sneakily through a lake just a few feet away from innocent humans. I did not panic or scream or run away. But I did have nightmares that night, so I guess I can't claim to have conquered my fear. Anyway, here are the demons themselves:<br />
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Uuuuuugggghhhhh! <br />
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Moving on, here are some photos of us all frolicking on and around the beach. We are SO much easier on the eyes than nasty alligators.<br />
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And a new favorite family photo, taken by Jenny:<br />
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And a few more photos. Jude, <a href="http://www.huntingtonbeachstatepark.com/Atalaya.htm">Atalaya</a>, Sudden Belly.<br />
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</div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-56232225840671006662012-05-16T15:59:00.004-04:002012-05-16T15:59:37.426-04:00I am a Gestational SurrogateSome of you may already know this, but now that we've hit the second trimester I decided to make it officially public news: I am a surrogate. More specifically, I'm a gestational carrier. I'm carrying twins for a wonderful, loving, enthusiastic French couple whom I adore. If the idea of surrogacy is new to you, you might want to check out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrogacy">the wikipedia page</a> for a quick catch-up. The babies are due in November; being twins, they'll probably come earlier. I'm hoping for full-term October babies.<br />
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Here are some pretty typical questions I hear when I tell people I'm a surrogate, along with my responses:<br />
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<u>What made you decide to do this?</u><br />
I am blessed with a body that seems intended to bear children. I have easy pregnancies and births, but I don't particularly want a large family for myself. Soon after Isobel was born, I remember thinking to myself- "All that pregnancy and birth business was a piece of cake compared to life with a newborn. I could do pregnancy/labor/delivery a hundred times if I didn't have to have a newborn afterwards." (Hyperbole! I don't actually want to do this a hundred times.) <br />
Surrogacy is meaningful, even fulfilling: I feel honored to be involved in helping a couple start a family. <br />
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<u>Won't it be hard to give up the babies?</u><br />
The line most surroMoms use here is "I'm not giving them up, I'm giving them back." These babies are not genetically related to me and I haven't thought of them as mine ever. My focus is very much on the Intended Parents: my relationship with them, their relationship with the babies. Obviously I care about these babies and want what's best for them (if not, I wouldn't be a very good surrogate) but I don't LOVE them or feel attached to them. It's nothing like the feelings I had with my own pregnancies.<br />
If I wanted a baby of my own, I'd be having a baby of my own. I have absolutely zero desire to keep these babies. The culmination of this journey will be the beautiful moment when I get to see them in the arms of their parents for the first time- I love to imagine that moment.<br />
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<u>Do you know the babies' parents?</u><br />
I was matched with this couple last fall through an agency (Circle Surrogacy) and didn't know them prior to the matching process. Since then we have gotten quite close and I count them among my most treasured friends. <br />
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<u>How does Brooke feel about this? And the kids?</u><br />
Brooke took some convincing in the beginning, but now he is 100% on board. He's proud of what I'm doing and loves the Intended Parents just as much as I do. <br />
Jude, of course, is really too little to be tuned in to what's going on. Isobel, on the other hand, gets it. I prepped her with a children's book about surrogacy called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Kangaroo-Pouch-Gestational-Surrogacy/dp/1425105572">The Kangaroo Pouch</a>. So when I told her that I have twins in my womb that I'm carrying for another family, she seemed a little surprised but not really thrown. Now it's just a normal part of her world. She likes to talk about the babies and their parents and meeting them next month when they come to town for an ultrasound and hospital tour. She knows that as my belly gets bigger it will be full of babies, but their not OUR babies, not her brothers or sisters. <br />
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Hm... I'm sure there were other things I was going to mention, but now I can't remember what they were. If you have questions, please feel free to ask me! This is a pretty huge and exciting part of our life right now and I love to talk about it. It has actually been hard to keep it a secret this long, and I'm happy to finally be going public!Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-55590889371033614502012-05-15T11:06:00.001-04:002012-05-15T11:10:41.746-04:00Catchup<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aQb2C5qMgiQ/T7Jq1oJO-FI/AAAAAAAABz4/df3C76KqU6M/s1600/DSC_2598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aQb2C5qMgiQ/T7Jq1oJO-FI/AAAAAAAABz4/df3C76KqU6M/s400/DSC_2598.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isobel's new down duvet and the removal of her toddler bed rail! Very exciting for her.</td></tr>
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Oh boy! Why do I go so long without posting? Blogger has mixed it up
on me and now I'm not sure what I'm doing with formatting. So that's one
reason (other than laziness) that I haven't updated y'all for, like, a
month. <br />
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Last month we went to Pennsylvania and then left the kids with some <a href="http://brianmainsfamily.blogspot.com/">WONDERFUL friends</a> while Brooke and I attended his cousin's gorgeous wedding on the eastern shore of Maryland. Here are some photos, mostly taken by <a href="http://www.thesleepytimegal.com/">Nicole</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of cousins! Look how attractive everyone is!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dcp7AxEN7PQ/T7JtGqH_odI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/j4BtOIUNd0o/s1600/457337_3711973914843_1140489422_33492636_829525314_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dcp7AxEN7PQ/T7JtGqH_odI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/j4BtOIUNd0o/s640/457337_3711973914843_1140489422_33492636_829525314_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New favorite photo of Brooke's family</td></tr>
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Alas, I don't have photos of the happy couple, nor the incredible setting. You'll just have to take my word for it: everything was beautiful.<br />
<br />
Speaking of beautiful... STRAWBERRIES. We picked some. They are delicious. This year we went with our friends <a href="http://thelufts.blogspot.com/">the Lufts</a>, and that made the experience all the more enjoyable!<br />
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Stay tuned tomorrow for a pretty major family announcement! I didn't want to bury it down here at the bottom of all the photos, so I'm just going to do a separate post. Trust me, you won't want to miss it.Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-64883919612889668382012-04-23T10:49:00.005-04:002012-04-23T10:56:47.223-04:00Colorado TripGuess who forgot the camera, as usual? Never fear, Instagram to the rescue! We had a great trip. <br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34ojKDtztQc/T5VskdCjohI/AAAAAAAABrA/ImgyI3Q-G7s/s1600/IMG_0478.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-34ojKDtztQc/T5VskdCjohI/AAAAAAAABrA/ImgyI3Q-G7s/s320/IMG_0478.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609074052637202" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UwJcUfI8Odw/T5VtBcH0r6I/AAAAAAAABr8/5Jbi-2APs9I/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UwJcUfI8Odw/T5VtBcH0r6I/AAAAAAAABr8/5Jbi-2APs9I/s320/IMG_0519.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609572022497186" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BzBvUeSDOOo/T5VskPnu4OI/AAAAAAAABq0/Ob8fbEnCe3Y/s1600/IMG_0464.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BzBvUeSDOOo/T5VskPnu4OI/AAAAAAAABq0/Ob8fbEnCe3Y/s320/IMG_0464.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609070450467042" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-98MSLFwntoI/T5Vs_wBmlxI/AAAAAAAABrc/GsGeaZH48Sg/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-98MSLFwntoI/T5Vs_wBmlxI/AAAAAAAABrc/GsGeaZH48Sg/s320/IMG_0561.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609543005378322" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1CxzJ-aAUN8/T5Vsjsuy6HI/AAAAAAAABqo/1eWH9TUasDY/s1600/IMG_0448.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1CxzJ-aAUN8/T5Vsjsuy6HI/AAAAAAAABqo/1eWH9TUasDY/s320/IMG_0448.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609061084850290" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mBPVr9ndaHo/T5VtA65zKCI/AAAAAAAABrw/eYpn7ZMxw3E/s1600/IMG_0546.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mBPVr9ndaHo/T5VtA65zKCI/AAAAAAAABrw/eYpn7ZMxw3E/s320/IMG_0546.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609563105306658" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3SLn1zYVVPs/T5VsjH2p7hI/AAAAAAAABqg/QBsiKnsNMAI/s1600/IMG_0433.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3SLn1zYVVPs/T5VsjH2p7hI/AAAAAAAABqg/QBsiKnsNMAI/s320/IMG_0433.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609051185704466" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wN8cNYpwvFY/T5VtAZc6yzI/AAAAAAAABrk/VeG6hq_Kg58/s1600/IMG_0559.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wN8cNYpwvFY/T5VtAZc6yzI/AAAAAAAABrk/VeG6hq_Kg58/s320/IMG_0559.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609554125802290" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nDZhLfRCoTQ/T5Vsk8soeDI/AAAAAAAABrM/aHXM3UQJ0rg/s1600/IMG_0496.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nDZhLfRCoTQ/T5Vsk8soeDI/AAAAAAAABrM/aHXM3UQJ0rg/s320/IMG_0496.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609082550614066" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l6UmwBIgQAc/T5VtB177DdI/AAAAAAAABsM/WVBnOtjZa_E/s1600/IMG_0501.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l6UmwBIgQAc/T5VtB177DdI/AAAAAAAABsM/WVBnOtjZa_E/s320/IMG_0501.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5734609578951904722" border="0" /></a>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-27352942709454110842012-03-06T22:12:00.005-05:002012-03-06T22:36:02.372-05:00Boston Trip<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qtfud6xIWA/T1bVq1hSBmI/AAAAAAAABcs/jWvrFFGVNPE/s1600/IMG_0250.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qtfud6xIWA/T1bVq1hSBmI/AAAAAAAABcs/jWvrFFGVNPE/s320/IMG_0250.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716991708891317858" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EgqwrfYqxns/T1bWLjj5i0I/AAAAAAAABdg/aH1QMfTo8Yo/s1600/IMG_0266.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EgqwrfYqxns/T1bWLjj5i0I/AAAAAAAABdg/aH1QMfTo8Yo/s320/IMG_0266.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716992271006141250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0L-rrcOPa0/T1bVqPMaldI/AAAAAAAABck/doSpTwTWgyc/s1600/IMG_0245.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O0L-rrcOPa0/T1bVqPMaldI/AAAAAAAABck/doSpTwTWgyc/s320/IMG_0245.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716991698603251154" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dHokEmkynUU/T1bWM1ue8KI/AAAAAAAABd0/OtGu0SL54ng/s1600/IMG_0260.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dHokEmkynUU/T1bWM1ue8KI/AAAAAAAABd0/OtGu0SL54ng/s320/IMG_0260.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716992293062242466" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uwdx8a_Umjo/T1bVpuFQJGI/AAAAAAAABcY/D8s_AgreOK4/s1600/IMG_0244.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uwdx8a_Umjo/T1bVpuFQJGI/AAAAAAAABcY/D8s_AgreOK4/s320/IMG_0244.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716991689714836578" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a1JrwfnETaI/T1bWNLSqLtI/AAAAAAAABeA/3-7e4VrO_MQ/s1600/IMG_0257.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a1JrwfnETaI/T1bWNLSqLtI/AAAAAAAABeA/3-7e4VrO_MQ/s320/IMG_0257.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716992298851118802" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ej4wgnYllXw/T1bVr_mAnpI/AAAAAAAABdI/9lvnv8jrvpY/s1600/IMG_0256.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ej4wgnYllXw/T1bVr_mAnpI/AAAAAAAABdI/9lvnv8jrvpY/s320/IMG_0256.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716991728775372434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sgSNTlURXh8/T1bWLWXRKYI/AAAAAAAABdU/ecdRTuGUc90/s1600/IMG_0267.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sgSNTlURXh8/T1bWLWXRKYI/AAAAAAAABdU/ecdRTuGUc90/s320/IMG_0267.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716992267463502210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cTTcHjR7wt4/T1bVrCh5h_I/AAAAAAAABc8/LKgmuijetsw/s1600/IMG_0254.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cTTcHjR7wt4/T1bVrCh5h_I/AAAAAAAABc8/LKgmuijetsw/s320/IMG_0254.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716991712383567858" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h9b7AYYSY0A/T1bWMVV6i1I/AAAAAAAABds/sKLC8RQL848/s1600/IMG_0262.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h9b7AYYSY0A/T1bWMVV6i1I/AAAAAAAABds/sKLC8RQL848/s320/IMG_0262.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716992284369259346" border="0" /></a>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-50754346030774345922012-02-29T22:22:00.008-05:002012-02-29T22:29:28.157-05:00Isobel<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YlqAQWNR7pw/T07rhfyIp6I/AAAAAAAABaI/z4I32vwGyco/s1600/DSC_2456.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714763937879730082" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YlqAQWNR7pw/T07rhfyIp6I/AAAAAAAABaI/z4I32vwGyco/s640/DSC_2456.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cPQvJUos_YQ/T07rremzEjI/AAAAAAAABaU/Nlxa3OV94eE/s1600/DSC_2450.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714764109362434610" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cPQvJUos_YQ/T07rremzEjI/AAAAAAAABaU/Nlxa3OV94eE/s320/DSC_2450.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 213px;" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SuoogyXqEhs/T07r-72MbVI/AAAAAAAABas/TknnKzCf0ZM/s1600/DSC_2461.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714764443629153618" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SuoogyXqEhs/T07r-72MbVI/AAAAAAAABas/TknnKzCf0ZM/s320/DSC_2461.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 213px;" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tk9vjt6QePg/T07sQcF6aDI/AAAAAAAABbM/xvtUmsigM9w/s1600/DSC_2491.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714764744342792242" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tk9vjt6QePg/T07sQcF6aDI/AAAAAAAABbM/xvtUmsigM9w/s320/DSC_2491.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 213px;" /></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jj4mRdxGyMw/T07rr32VmCI/AAAAAAAABac/D9lFr_TOOkw/s1600/DSC_2452.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714764116138498082" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jj4mRdxGyMw/T07rr32VmCI/AAAAAAAABac/D9lFr_TOOkw/s320/DSC_2452.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 213px;" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03dV82OTcV8/T07r_MHEpCI/AAAAAAAABa0/HLQ9X1hz2rc/s1600/DSC_2465.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714764447994913826" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03dV82OTcV8/T07r_MHEpCI/AAAAAAAABa0/HLQ9X1hz2rc/s320/DSC_2465.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 213px;" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o7mIXKpTzTE/T07sQAleprI/AAAAAAAABbE/5WzLMGklY4g/s1600/DSC_2470.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714764736958998194" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o7mIXKpTzTE/T07sQAleprI/AAAAAAAABbE/5WzLMGklY4g/s320/DSC_2470.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 213px;" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c7SYNafeE3U/T07sjXO0DbI/AAAAAAAABbc/GhD-AMKukWg/s1600/DSC_2479.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714765069455461810" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c7SYNafeE3U/T07sjXO0DbI/AAAAAAAABbc/GhD-AMKukWg/s320/DSC_2479.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 213px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qVErr4CJ20c/T07srsvyyHI/AAAAAAAABbo/oyeNvXQq0jU/s1600/DSC_2488.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714765212669888626" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qVErr4CJ20c/T07srsvyyHI/AAAAAAAABbo/oyeNvXQq0jU/s320/DSC_2488.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 213px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></a>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-77749960730365514432012-02-26T15:26:00.009-05:002012-02-26T15:52:06.752-05:00Jude is two! TWO!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i_OiJsfIjpk/T0qVkKIeDpI/AAAAAAAABZA/w5eNrWBw8-E/s1600/DSC_2498.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i_OiJsfIjpk/T0qVkKIeDpI/AAAAAAAABZA/w5eNrWBw8-E/s400/DSC_2498.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713543525700603538" border="0" /></a>Can you believe it? Jude. Jude Jude Jude. It has been two whole years since <a href="http://brookstinainternational.blogspot.com/2010/02/jude-michael-shiffler.html">the glorious day of your birth</a>!<br /><br />Brooke was out of town on business yesterday (the actual birthday) so we celebrated with cupcakes and presents on Friday. And then we celebrated a little more yesterday without Daddy. We had delicious <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/01/cake-batter-pancakes/">Birthday Cake Pancakes</a> for breakfast, visited the Natural Science Center, and in the afternoon we went out for milkshakes.<br /><br />So I think he had a good birthday; it's always a little hard to tell with stoic Jude. He's so sweet though. We all adore him. I'm so happy he's in my world.<br /><br />Anyway, here are some more photos! The cupcakes are probably the most beautiful-looking and worst-tasting thing I've ever baked. The birthday banner is our traditional baby/toddler bday decor. And lastly, feast your eyes on the fruits of Jude's birthday portrait sesh.<br /><br />Happy birthday Jude!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zVTv9xdfGlk/T0qaJfjYHFI/AAAAAAAABZM/VN5cznOd7sk/s1600/DSC_2446.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zVTv9xdfGlk/T0qaJfjYHFI/AAAAAAAABZM/VN5cznOd7sk/s320/DSC_2446.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713548565152275538" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91yuJOhLWAI/T0qacowCElI/AAAAAAAABZY/zsJFQLHqN8o/s1600/DSC_2513.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91yuJOhLWAI/T0qacowCElI/AAAAAAAABZY/zsJFQLHqN8o/s320/DSC_2513.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713548894038790738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iekIEiX2LS4/T0qao9OjdII/AAAAAAAABZk/TwN28fopxk4/s1600/DSC_2529.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iekIEiX2LS4/T0qao9OjdII/AAAAAAAABZk/TwN28fopxk4/s320/DSC_2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713549105693947010" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zoJnBBY2aNU/T0qaxu8RAII/AAAAAAAABZw/Z_hJmbWtQI8/s1600/DSC_2544.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zoJnBBY2aNU/T0qaxu8RAII/AAAAAAAABZw/Z_hJmbWtQI8/s320/DSC_2544.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713549256477966466" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VG62PvrisDg/T0qa76kya_I/AAAAAAAABZ8/VcIu9pXM1fg/s1600/DSC_2550.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VG62PvrisDg/T0qa76kya_I/AAAAAAAABZ8/VcIu9pXM1fg/s320/DSC_2550.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713549431399410674" border="0" /></a>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-38487255353082754902012-02-19T15:19:00.011-05:002012-02-20T14:10:32.854-05:00Smells like teen spirit<span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Guess who's back, back again? It's me Brooks (as some people call me despite reading my name on my business card). I feel like sharing with you the truth about germs: They are EVERYWHERE EVEN IN UR HOUSE AND ON YOUR HANDS SO WASH THEM 4-7 TIMES A MINUTE OR YOU WILL BE LIKE THOSE GROSS PPL IN CONTAGION AND SOMEONE BEHIND ME SNEEZED IN THAT MOVIE AND I ASKED THAT PERSON TO LEAVE. my arms are raised because i believe in song. </span></span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ewTmxNozIw8/T0FZZPN-2uI/AAAAAAAABXE/-VQszvMqJ8c/s1600/DSC_2375.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ewTmxNozIw8/T0FZZPN-2uI/AAAAAAAABXE/-VQszvMqJ8c/s400/DSC_2375.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710944092599278306" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKyHDT-eVYA/T0FZwg7jkrI/AAAAAAAABXc/20Tmd3TiJNA/s1600/IMG_0179.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKyHDT-eVYA/T0FZwg7jkrI/AAAAAAAABXc/20Tmd3TiJNA/s320/IMG_0179.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710944492490822322" border="0" /></a><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Brooks- Hey Isobel.</span></span><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">I- wut. </span></span><br /><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">Brooks- Guess who's birthday it is today?</span></span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I- Yours. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Brooks- And Stella's</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I- yeah right</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Brooks- you don't believe me?</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I- nope</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Stella- Ruh Roh.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />That shirtless kid was the ringleader in the rare photograph of an undercover fingerpainting money laundering front. All monies collected went to buy <a href="http://www.lindtusa.com/category-exec/category_id/18/nm/Lindor%20Truffles/">Lindor Truffles</a>.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMQ_E-KeIcg/T0FZ8vqhVeI/AAAAAAAABXo/IQIMqwUCdcw/s1600/DSC_2377.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mMQ_E-KeIcg/T0FZ8vqhVeI/AAAAAAAABXo/IQIMqwUCdcw/s400/DSC_2377.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710944702604334562" border="0" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; ">Girl, girl, shirtless Casper the ghost. </span></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bTeYct8mQFs/T0FaIHlrRNI/AAAAAAAABX0/RLI6HmA2CMo/s1600/DSC_2429.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bTeYct8mQFs/T0FaIHlrRNI/AAAAAAAABX0/RLI6HmA2CMo/s320/DSC_2429.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710944898005026002" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kRPADWKzSDY/T0FaSXl_OXI/AAAAAAAABYA/5leGk3ZYrtQ/s1600/DSC_2386.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kRPADWKzSDY/T0FaSXl_OXI/AAAAAAAABYA/5leGk3ZYrtQ/s320/DSC_2386.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710945074099992946" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ITzlEBSE-Po/T0Facnqc11I/AAAAAAAABYM/9DEnLvr_39A/s1600/DSC_2380.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ITzlEBSE-Po/T0Facnqc11I/AAAAAAAABYM/9DEnLvr_39A/s320/DSC_2380.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710945250212370258" border="0" /></a>The PA Shiffs paid us a visit and left one of their kids here for what they called "collateral for a really big deal" and promised to get her in April "when the showers will bring May flowers; wink, wink". It was awkward.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k3JxWVZq9I0/T0FcJdvM_UI/AAAAAAAABYY/HUitFIpVj_k/s1600/426105_3193787640510_1140489422_33267653_121343850_n.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k3JxWVZq9I0/T0FcJdvM_UI/AAAAAAAABYY/HUitFIpVj_k/s400/426105_3193787640510_1140489422_33267653_121343850_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5710947120153689410" border="0" /></a>THE END. </div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-11205567172285673192012-01-31T20:44:00.010-05:002012-02-01T16:10:44.943-05:00Cadillaaaaaac Dinner<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7D0vQPfW9ik/TyiZQhXgDbI/AAAAAAAABUw/gHuc8OGVNMk/s1600/IMG_0173.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7D0vQPfW9ik/TyiZQhXgDbI/AAAAAAAABUw/gHuc8OGVNMk/s320/IMG_0173.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5703977437178629554" border="0" /></a>So! Each year, Isobel and Jude's school holds a big fundraising dinner and auction. This year I co-chaired the auction part with my friend <a href="http://thelufts.blogspot.com/">Dani</a>. We worked hard and learned a lot. Here are some of the things I learned:<br /><ul><li>I'm not really a great leader, but I CAN follow directions<br /></li><li>I know nothing about planning events</li><li>Local businesses here in Greensboro are very kind and generous in their support of B'nai Shalom</li><li>Brooke is GREAT at getting out there and talking to people and asking for things. (I already knew this, but I was reminded.)</li><li>I miss my kids when I'm away from them a lot.<br /></li></ul>But you know what? The dinner itself was really fun and successful. I loved seeing so many of my fellow mom friends lookin' fancy! I took advantage of the opportunity to buy <a href="http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-1205-off-campus.aspx">a new dress</a> (which I'll also get to wear to Brooke's cousin's wedding in April) and get a professional updo for the first time ever! Unfortunately Brooke was out of state for a food show; it would have been more fun if he had been there for the culmination, especially since he helped so much with all the preparation. Next year I hope we'll be able to attend together.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ub9yZOWm1TU/TymZp7oe8iI/AAAAAAAABU8/hUumKOnkDIQ/s1600/IMG_0167.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ub9yZOWm1TU/TymZp7oe8iI/AAAAAAAABU8/hUumKOnkDIQ/s320/IMG_0167.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704259348702622242" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kN49G3UM8f8/TymZwpmTFMI/AAAAAAAABVI/8P-Tvdo5OlI/s1600/IMG_0175.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kN49G3UM8f8/TymZwpmTFMI/AAAAAAAABVI/8P-Tvdo5OlI/s320/IMG_0175.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704259464120702146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Don't you love that fabulous pin curl? (Thanks again, Hayley!)<br /></div>Of course I can't write an entire post without mentioning and presenting photos of my children, so here are some recent favorites:<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-455t7WrzURo/TymbLRsoJKI/AAAAAAAABVU/mjqov1KVEfs/s1600/IMG_0161.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-455t7WrzURo/TymbLRsoJKI/AAAAAAAABVU/mjqov1KVEfs/s320/IMG_0161.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704261021072893090" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgeEmn1QcV8/TymbRvnracI/AAAAAAAABVg/OUzef5_WxFk/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgeEmn1QcV8/TymbRvnracI/AAAAAAAABVg/OUzef5_WxFk/s320/IMG_0138.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704261132184414658" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />See? They're still cute. Here are some tidbits about them: Jude has skipped his nap for three days in a row now. I'm starting to worry that the end is near for my long, quiet afternoons. :( On a happier note, Isobel can write her name! She puts a smiley face in the "O" every time, which I think makes her name an adorably accurate representation of her happy, sweet personality.<br />After watching <a href="http://rcwags.blogspot.com/">videos of my niece, Amélie</a>, I realized that it's been ages since I took a video of Jude. So a couple of nights ago I took this one of him and Stella. Enjoy!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/q9Jio9tYEhU" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-33040598492408473242012-01-27T20:44:00.006-05:002012-01-27T20:55:50.086-05:00Old Salem with the Little GuysRemember <a href="http://brookstinainternational.blogspot.com/2012/01/christmasy-happenings.html">when I mentioned Old Salem before</a>? Well, recently Jude and I had a little playdate there with Amanda, a friend who has the hookups (a membership) and her little boy, Kingston. This was my first time getting to go in the buildings and see demonstrations of Moravian life. It was awesome!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jXuU12ut58/TyNT08qo1BI/AAAAAAAABTE/OAbIrPjk6lc/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jXuU12ut58/TyNT08qo1BI/AAAAAAAABTE/OAbIrPjk6lc/s320/IMG_0146.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702493722284446738" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qbgg0dv_k-Y/TyNU8jQeF3I/AAAAAAAABT4/PzgRCG_U4d4/s1600/IMG_0153.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qbgg0dv_k-Y/TyNU8jQeF3I/AAAAAAAABT4/PzgRCG_U4d4/s320/IMG_0153.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702494952414386034" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--cMjwrzeEwA/TyNT1_jzMmI/AAAAAAAABTc/vLNvjK_4B68/s1600/IMG_0149.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--cMjwrzeEwA/TyNT1_jzMmI/AAAAAAAABTc/vLNvjK_4B68/s320/IMG_0149.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702493740240941666" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xae9GZcTRqk/TyNU8K1xMVI/AAAAAAAABTo/y-Z_U-DQN_Y/s1600/IMG_0151.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xae9GZcTRqk/TyNU8K1xMVI/AAAAAAAABTo/y-Z_U-DQN_Y/s320/IMG_0151.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702494945859940690" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hrACmMqDb24/TyNT1MzZEYI/AAAAAAAABTQ/i_6yJ0t-Ync/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hrACmMqDb24/TyNT1MzZEYI/AAAAAAAABTQ/i_6yJ0t-Ync/s320/IMG_0147.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702493726616129922" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMby11SyODE/TyNU9ojLdvI/AAAAAAAABUA/QHlwvOAEljU/s1600/IMG_0154.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMby11SyODE/TyNU9ojLdvI/AAAAAAAABUA/QHlwvOAEljU/s320/IMG_0154.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702494971014903538" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br />I love old stuff.</div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-10569923414780310482012-01-14T14:49:00.016-05:002012-01-14T15:55:18.162-05:00Jude's Room<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ybO_lp0OJY8/TxHdUqDN1_I/AAAAAAAABOg/6-EE-yZnI8s/s1600/DSC_2351.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697578350555289586" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ybO_lp0OJY8/TxHdUqDN1_I/AAAAAAAABOg/6-EE-yZnI8s/s400/DSC_2351.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 400px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 266px;" /></a><br />
About six months ago I posted about <a href="http://brookstinainternational.blogspot.com/2011/07/isobels-room-with-shout-outs.html">Isobel's room</a>. Then I wasted a whole bunch of time feeling guilty about Jude's, since I hadn't really put any effort into making it look like it belongs to him. I had lots of grand ideas: painting <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30053921/#/40214551">the dresser</a>, painting the wall behind the dresser, a painted shelf to display Jude's name block...<br />
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None of those things happened.<br />
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But since we're hoping to buy a house sometime within the next year or so, I'm just going to leave Jude's room as is and call it good enough. We did hang a few pictures, and it already has a great color on the walls. Jude's is the smallest room by far, but it's my favorite (even though it always smells like diapers) because it gets the most natural light.<br />
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So anyway, here's the biggest project that happened in Jude's room: I painted three <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40070185/">lowly Ikea spice racks</a> to match <a href="http://www.thesleepytimegal.com/projects-revisited-monogrammed-pillow/">a baby gift from Nicole</a> that I wanted to use as the basis for the room's color scheme.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9CQjm5XzHFg/TxHgdDk1wLI/AAAAAAAABO4/3TJ8wThFYe4/s1600/DSC_2324.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697581793381040306" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9CQjm5XzHFg/TxHgdDk1wLI/AAAAAAAABO4/3TJ8wThFYe4/s320/DSC_2324.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 213px;" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7kXZUeQQPE8/TxHgqhdbHKI/AAAAAAAABPE/Drnrs7KdUNE/s1600/DSC_2328.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697582024741297314" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7kXZUeQQPE8/TxHgqhdbHKI/AAAAAAAABPE/Drnrs7KdUNE/s320/DSC_2328.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 213px;" /></a><br />
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Here they are before books...</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
And after!</div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NGBu6AMqX-k/TxHg3aegm0I/AAAAAAAABPQ/bzejgawH8ZM/s1600/DSC_2333.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697582246205102914" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NGBu6AMqX-k/TxHg3aegm0I/AAAAAAAABPQ/bzejgawH8ZM/s640/DSC_2333.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>They were really easy and quick to paint and put together. My only complaint is that they aren't very sturdily attached to the wall (I just used nails because I stink at hardware-type things) and if anybody hangs on them they're going to come a-tumblin' down. They've been up for a week, though, with no unfortunate incidents. So maybe it won't be a problem. (Knock on wood.)<br />
Here are a few more views of the room:<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZfgxV6vESLY/TxHkHRhB-NI/AAAAAAAABPc/bN42Ln0GLI8/s1600/DSC_2329.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697585817212549330" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZfgxV6vESLY/TxHkHRhB-NI/AAAAAAAABPc/bN42Ln0GLI8/s640/DSC_2329.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1T9lWHDEV2Q/TxHkVL_kSxI/AAAAAAAABPo/QIA_0ozQ2V0/s1600/DSC_2332.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697586056248183570" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1T9lWHDEV2Q/TxHkVL_kSxI/AAAAAAAABPo/QIA_0ozQ2V0/s320/DSC_2332.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 213px;" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LoF7mvKjuLI/TxHktUL858I/AAAAAAAABP0/BQk8gyW_cg8/s1600/DSC_2345.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697586470764472258" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LoF7mvKjuLI/TxHktUL858I/AAAAAAAABP0/BQk8gyW_cg8/s320/DSC_2345.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 213px;" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g8y0raJOIqs/TxHk5FNHsdI/AAAAAAAABQA/qWTTK42hb9Y/s1600/DSC_2340.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697586672901272018" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g8y0raJOIqs/TxHk5FNHsdI/AAAAAAAABQA/qWTTK42hb9Y/s320/DSC_2340.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 213px;" /></a> I love love love those yellow walls! How do you like the smears of white and blue paint? They're left over from when we painted Isobel's furniture in this room. Maybe it's because I'm used to looking at them or because I know I'm too lazy to do anything about them, but I kind of like the way they look against the yellow.<br />
The prints above Jude's bed are from this awesome etsy shop, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/collageOrama">Collage-O-Rama</a>. And the cars lined up on his dresser are <a href="http://www.automoblox.com/">automoblox</a>: toy cars that are aesthetically pleasing enough that they deserve to be displayed.<br />
<a href="http://brookstinainternational.blogspot.com/2011/07/isobels-room-with-shout-outs.html"></a>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-11838156781967824182012-01-10T22:08:00.004-05:002012-01-10T22:24:05.479-05:00Bathtub Rave!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LodBgDIwMmQ/Twz_5ejGOjI/AAAAAAAABN8/6ryJv3L5mLA/s1600/DSC_2265.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696208991634733618" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LodBgDIwMmQ/Twz_5ejGOjI/AAAAAAAABN8/6ryJv3L5mLA/s640/DSC_2265.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>Glowsticks in the bath, people! It's the simple things that end up being the most successful, amirite?<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cBKz7d8mfN8/Tw0AKjbqfiI/AAAAAAAABOI/jR0rCBexyTg/s1600/DSC_2230.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696209285003509282" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cBKz7d8mfN8/Tw0AKjbqfiI/AAAAAAAABOI/jR0rCBexyTg/s640/DSC_2230.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e885aoVLIf4/Tw0ALNHYkxI/AAAAAAAABOU/Db2YNbq-ZNs/s1600/DSC_2224.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="425" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696209296192738066" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e885aoVLIf4/Tw0ALNHYkxI/AAAAAAAABOU/Db2YNbq-ZNs/s640/DSC_2224.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-50551199382512577122012-01-07T13:34:00.015-05:002012-01-07T14:31:15.797-05:00Christmasy happeningsThis year we stayed here in Greensboro until Christmas day, when we drove up to Pennsylvania to spend the holiday week with Brooke's family. We did the same thing two years ago (before Jude was born) and I really think it is the ideal way to spend the holidays. Of course I miss my own family this time of year; we alternate, so we were in <a href="http://brookstinainternational.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post.html">Colorado in 2010</a> and we'll be there again for Xmas 2012. But I love discovering new things to do around here, and I like having Christmas Eve and Christmas morning in our own home.<br /><br />Here's one really cool thing: Christmas Eve <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovefeast">LoveFeast</a> at <a href="http://homemoravian.org/">Home Moravian Church</a> in <a href="http://www.oldsalem.org/">Old Salem</a>. It was a beautiful service, with a brass ensemble playing prelude music, coffee and delicious orange and nutmeg rolls for everyone, lots and lots of carols, and colonial-style hand-dipped candles. Isobel felt pretty grown up holding that candle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ug6nLx_lwzg/TwiQc8PneUI/AAAAAAAABLs/5X91fkJPFwU/s1600/IMG_0116.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ug6nLx_lwzg/TwiQc8PneUI/AAAAAAAABLs/5X91fkJPFwU/s200/IMG_0116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694960555692357954" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4k4Q6I1hz5c/TwiQjqoKJfI/AAAAAAAABL4/7aQsalVzmcc/s1600/IMG_0120.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4k4Q6I1hz5c/TwiQjqoKJfI/AAAAAAAABL4/7aQsalVzmcc/s200/IMG_0120.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694960671222539762" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kKnfbGKDab4/TwiQrVeDqUI/AAAAAAAABME/bqxGrS_E9bM/s1600/IMG_0117.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kKnfbGKDab4/TwiQrVeDqUI/AAAAAAAABME/bqxGrS_E9bM/s200/IMG_0117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694960802981980482" border="0" /></a>Another cool new thing was visiting <a href="http://burlingtonnc.gov/index.aspx?NID=233">Burlington City Park</a> with our friends! The carousel, train, visits with Santa and hot chocolate were all free for one special night.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TvZn_tEEoX4/TwiXZmajq0I/AAAAAAAABMQ/udGzELfWEkg/s1600/DSC_2048.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TvZn_tEEoX4/TwiXZmajq0I/AAAAAAAABMQ/udGzELfWEkg/s320/DSC_2048.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694968194874452802" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wdKmaNy9kIY/TwiXryB-guI/AAAAAAAABMc/4w0Fitx3_jA/s1600/DSC_2042.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wdKmaNy9kIY/TwiXryB-guI/AAAAAAAABMc/4w0Fitx3_jA/s320/DSC_2042.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694968507230225122" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-geYdwukGtow/TwiX9urEB2I/AAAAAAAABMo/qrorwPoQICs/s1600/DSC_2077.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-geYdwukGtow/TwiX9urEB2I/AAAAAAAABMo/qrorwPoQICs/s320/DSC_2077.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694968815566456674" border="0" /></a>We were also lucky to have Brooke's sister, Allison, come down to spend a few days and then drive up to PA with us. Having a guest made those days leading up to Christmas extra exciting. Here we are in Old Salem after the service:<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AlEuS2UfJIk/TwiZKEQcWHI/AAAAAAAABM0/RkfaOyAczDw/s1600/DSC_2104.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AlEuS2UfJIk/TwiZKEQcWHI/AAAAAAAABM0/RkfaOyAczDw/s400/DSC_2104.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694970127030442098" border="0" /></a>We made the Greensboro-Carlisle drive in five and half hours (including one stop), which is the fastest it's ever been! Brooke's parents' house is especially homey during the holidays, with lots of little people running around and, on colder days, a fire in the hearth.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uijkt3UKq78/TwiZ_5XMdGI/AAAAAAAABNA/bq6I_YyLjDs/s1600/DSC_2184.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uijkt3UKq78/TwiZ_5XMdGI/AAAAAAAABNA/bq6I_YyLjDs/s400/DSC_2184.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694971051818906722" border="0" /></a>Don't worry! I didn't forget about the obligatory photos of the kids in front of the Christmas tree. In fact, we had two fairly unsuccessful photo shoots: one in front of our tree, and one in front of the Shifflers'. Here's what I got:<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m2r_83br4WY/TwialgDKsnI/AAAAAAAABNM/IeQacGT1xDo/s1600/DSC_2032.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m2r_83br4WY/TwialgDKsnI/AAAAAAAABNM/IeQacGT1xDo/s320/DSC_2032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694971697859048050" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-053CS-Lsc_U/TwiavZ6ChqI/AAAAAAAABNY/Vk-dPRxbYjw/s1600/DSC_2120.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-053CS-Lsc_U/TwiavZ6ChqI/AAAAAAAABNY/Vk-dPRxbYjw/s320/DSC_2120.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5694971868008842914" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I always seem to have a terrible time getting good photos in front of the tree. They're either blurry with no flash or washed out with the flash. Anybody have a tip or solution for next year? Or am I just going to have to wait until my kids get old enough to hold still?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We've done a few cool project-type things lately, so stay tuned for another post sometime soon!Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-43206315001310610982011-12-21T16:44:00.008-05:002011-12-21T20:35:04.001-05:00December<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8B7E3WbR-ak/TvJTVnl7znI/AAAAAAAABKA/TBgRCA2OGnE/s1600/DSC_1952.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8B7E3WbR-ak/TvJTVnl7znI/AAAAAAAABKA/TBgRCA2OGnE/s400/DSC_1952.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688700910192807538" border="0" /></a>Ah, December. Doesn't it seem to go by faster every year? I would really like to spend most of my time cuddling up with Jude and watching TV (though Teletubbies might not be my first choice) but instead I have been rather productive this month.<br /><br />Isobel has had a bunch of exciting firsts: Attending Disney on Ice with Azucena, having a big girl date (lunch at <a href="http://www.libertyoakrestaurant.com/">Liberty Oak</a> and then The Nutcracker) with <a href="http://thelufts.blogspot.com/">the Lufts</a>, and performing with her class in the school's annual Chanukah Show.<br /><br />Jude sat on Santa's lap for the first time today but other than that he's mainly been a passenger/spectator or the one at home with a babysitter. It's a good thing he's so laid back- he doesn't care (or doesn't realize) he's missing out. He did get to watch the old <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058536/">Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer</a> with me and Isobel tonight (another first for both of them).<br /><br />Brooke and I attended our first ever <a href="http://www.greensbororollerderby.com/">Roller Derby Bout</a> last weekend and IT WAS TOTALLY WICKED. People, here's some advice: look up your local Roller Derby. Attend a bout. You will enjoy yourself!<br /><br />The next few days will be exciting, too- lots of dinners with friends and Aunt Allison coming to visit (yay!) before we head up to Pennsylvania. Isobel is most excited about visiting <a href="http://thesafarination.com/">Safari Nation</a> tomorrow.<br /><br />So, without further ado, photos from The Nutcracker! These appear courtesy of Dani, since I (as usual) forgot the camera. Isobel and Shaina got to meet Clara!<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mdALmaijjh8/TvKGKaH9WBI/AAAAAAAABKY/XeOyrZlVztY/s1600/DSCN0554.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mdALmaijjh8/TvKGKaH9WBI/AAAAAAAABKY/XeOyrZlVztY/s400/DSCN0554.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688756792691873810" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ksZTEdITk94/TvKGkJJx6rI/AAAAAAAABKw/oohkuUXiAm0/s1600/DSCN0540.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ksZTEdITk94/TvKGkJJx6rI/AAAAAAAABKw/oohkuUXiAm0/s320/DSCN0540.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688757234812709554" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cNxyqLmSMSw/TvKGj17pyoI/AAAAAAAABKk/8sfz_eWGe0I/s1600/DSCN0551.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cNxyqLmSMSw/TvKGj17pyoI/AAAAAAAABKk/8sfz_eWGe0I/s320/DSCN0551.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688757229653183106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And a video of Kitat Nitzan performing The Dreidel Song. This is a professional one, and the quality is 100 times better than the one I took and posted on facebook. Isobel and friends come on at about the 6 minute mark.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vVz4XY6jVM8" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />And finally...<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-62fC4vlRZ6M/TvKHvPqfTHI/AAAAAAAABK8/l4c83ikXp_g/s1600/2011%2BSanta%2BPicture.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-62fC4vlRZ6M/TvKHvPqfTHI/AAAAAAAABK8/l4c83ikXp_g/s400/2011%2BSanta%2BPicture.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5688758525050702962" border="0" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Happy Holidays, everybody!<br /></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-63684126248982191412011-12-02T21:22:00.006-05:002011-12-02T21:50:57.089-05:00School Portraits<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hlMXHBXualI/TtmIMBkxkcI/AAAAAAAABHU/cNAvFaYKpGE/s1600/Jude.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 283px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hlMXHBXualI/TtmIMBkxkcI/AAAAAAAABHU/cNAvFaYKpGE/s400/Jude.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681722145067078082" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A0DXe-QfS2Y/TtmIrsQxpYI/AAAAAAAABHg/7O184yrBOGs/s1600/Isobel%2BII.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A0DXe-QfS2Y/TtmIrsQxpYI/AAAAAAAABHg/7O184yrBOGs/s400/Isobel%2BII.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681722689101866370" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Those are my children! MY children! I almost didn't bother having them take school portraits this year because the prints are so ridiculously expensive and I feel like I can generally get better photos myself. But there's something special about that cheesy blue background, maybe because I remember having similar pictures of myself taken every year.<br />And I have to admit that I'm happy with these pictures. Doesn't Isobel look so grown up? I feel like that chapped lip is the only thing in the photo that makes her look four instead of fourteen. Jude looks so handsome with his rockstar hair. I'm so proud of these babies!<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-12932215276900702452011-12-02T20:18:00.014-05:002011-12-02T21:08:29.061-05:00Thanksgiving!As has become our habit, we spent Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania with Brooke's family. We had a really nice visit, lots of quality family time, and even a midnight showing of a certain movie.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HgF74ooh-XM/Ttl6hvO7_mI/AAAAAAAABF0/nNgH1-jGUt0/s1600/DSC_1837.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HgF74ooh-XM/Ttl6hvO7_mI/AAAAAAAABF0/nNgH1-jGUt0/s320/DSC_1837.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681707124937981538" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jNP7nHT3dWs/Ttl6yohScQI/AAAAAAAABGM/XbKKc96B_dw/s1600/DSC_1950.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jNP7nHT3dWs/Ttl6yohScQI/AAAAAAAABGM/XbKKc96B_dw/s320/DSC_1950.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681707415193678082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vAO8ToRXsUQ/Ttl6h1cJOWI/AAAAAAAABGE/AeQnnK-YQuo/s1600/DSC_1893.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vAO8ToRXsUQ/Ttl6h1cJOWI/AAAAAAAABGE/AeQnnK-YQuo/s320/DSC_1893.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681707126603987298" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Thanksgiving morning we went to a park for a walk and some kickball/frisbee play time. I hope this will become a new tradition; it was so nice to get out and get some fresh air and exercise before all the cooking and then the feast. Of course, this year it helped that the weather cooperated. It was a perfectly crisp (but not cold) Fall day, and everybody had fun. Of course I forgot the camera, so Instagram saved the day as usual.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZ_9XlMTLTo/Ttl96S5w1_I/AAAAAAAABGY/7NOJQZQm8wY/s1600/IMG_0056.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BZ_9XlMTLTo/Ttl96S5w1_I/AAAAAAAABGY/7NOJQZQm8wY/s320/IMG_0056.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681710845364590578" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dRS6jFIn7gk/Ttl-1qmUELI/AAAAAAAABGk/ezcs6BewM5M/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dRS6jFIn7gk/Ttl-1qmUELI/AAAAAAAABGk/ezcs6BewM5M/s320/IMG_0057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681711865337745586" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-StP70kZulmg/TtmAR31apwI/AAAAAAAABGw/i4gLEtGtD7w/s1600/IMG_1884.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-StP70kZulmg/TtmAR31apwI/AAAAAAAABGw/i4gLEtGtD7w/s320/IMG_1884.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681713449438717698" border="0" /></a>Nicole let me fool around with her camera and I got lucky and snapped a new favorite of Jude. Look at that cutie-pie! Just look at him! :) <br />And while you're looking, you can also take a peek at our feast, provided by Brooke's mom and dad. We ate like kings (thankfully, of course).<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iJKxzZmV2eE/TtmB3_9oNOI/AAAAAAAABG8/8d-saI42Zh8/s1600/DSC_1948.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iJKxzZmV2eE/TtmB3_9oNOI/AAAAAAAABG8/8d-saI42Zh8/s320/DSC_1948.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681715203967300834" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And finally, here is Isobel raising a potato masher in triumph!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SclA56Kt7Ww/TtmCI3rfdDI/AAAAAAAABHI/XrI_H8DUg9I/s1600/DSC_1945.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SclA56Kt7Ww/TtmCI3rfdDI/AAAAAAAABHI/XrI_H8DUg9I/s400/DSC_1945.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681715493801522226" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!<br /></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-52367196426807765562011-11-16T14:32:00.007-05:002011-11-16T23:28:22.715-05:00I am the luckiest girl in the world.Brooke went to New York on business and I got to tag along! Isobel and Jude had a great time here in Greensboro with Brooke's parents, who came down to watch them. Lucky, lucky, lucky!<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7muOcUX4YbU/TsQS6Qc1IJI/AAAAAAAABBs/cHX3qBManUQ/s1600/IMG_0028.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7muOcUX4YbU/TsQS6Qc1IJI/AAAAAAAABBs/cHX3qBManUQ/s320/IMG_0028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675682222451269778" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BPUVoXFooQs/TsQVNQ_NhDI/AAAAAAAABCs/accnpjrJAmM/s1600/IMG_0039.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BPUVoXFooQs/TsQVNQ_NhDI/AAAAAAAABCs/accnpjrJAmM/s320/IMG_0039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675684748036244530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w58y2AQc-S4/TsQS7b5XMQI/AAAAAAAABCE/7dynxD-cZVM/s1600/IMG_0034.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w58y2AQc-S4/TsQS7b5XMQI/AAAAAAAABCE/7dynxD-cZVM/s320/IMG_0034.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675682242703601922" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pOlSZKaQGXo/TsQVNG4dNZI/AAAAAAAABCc/x0rY6EoXFjY/s1600/IMG_0045.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pOlSZKaQGXo/TsQVNG4dNZI/AAAAAAAABCc/x0rY6EoXFjY/s320/IMG_0045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675684745323558290" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sBiuMblTpqE/TsQS5S5eLqI/AAAAAAAABBg/0G5r16iwsV0/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sBiuMblTpqE/TsQS5S5eLqI/AAAAAAAABBg/0G5r16iwsV0/s320/IMG_0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675682205928402594" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lh4idwdCrJw/TsQVOv6RJtI/AAAAAAAABC4/1oQq1N6WMMA/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lh4idwdCrJw/TsQVOv6RJtI/AAAAAAAABC4/1oQq1N6WMMA/s320/IMG_0037.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675684773516879570" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPbRutiDqjE/TsQS6qasaVI/AAAAAAAABB4/33i_h0u2ARI/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPbRutiDqjE/TsQS6qasaVI/AAAAAAAABB4/33i_h0u2ARI/s320/IMG_0033.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675682229421631826" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cPz5jSQyuyw/TsQVM__qC3I/AAAAAAAABCU/ddiRH26ahxI/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cPz5jSQyuyw/TsQVM__qC3I/AAAAAAAABCU/ddiRH26ahxI/s320/IMG_0035.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675684743474711410" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7kaqp1nk_SU/TsQS5IGzCuI/AAAAAAAABBU/11WrAx1f6IY/s1600/IMG_0020.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7kaqp1nk_SU/TsQS5IGzCuI/AAAAAAAABBU/11WrAx1f6IY/s320/IMG_0020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675682203031505634" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6n_R0OmJfPM/TsQVO5zBBwI/AAAAAAAABDI/8IO5p-tzvJs/s1600/IMG_0036.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6n_R0OmJfPM/TsQVO5zBBwI/AAAAAAAABDI/8IO5p-tzvJs/s320/IMG_0036.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675684776170817282" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't spent much time in New York, but I love what I've seen of it. Highlights this time included visiting my friend Claire in Brooklyn, eating incredible French food at <a href="http://leshalles.net/brasserie/">Les Halles</a>, hearing Jeffrey Eugenides (a favorite author) read at the 92nd Street Y, and seeing a tiny fraction of the amazingness that is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was a fantastic trip.<br /><br />AND I got <a href="http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/bcbgeneration-shoes-meegan-boots-only-at-macys?ID=599855&CategoryId=46912">new boots</a>. Yaaaaay!</div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-71774239438053322742011-11-07T20:21:00.007-05:002011-11-07T20:40:02.459-05:00RenFest Instagram Photo DumpSaturday last we did with joye partake in ye olde Carolina Renaissance Festival. Forsooth, the Shiffleren did party like 'twas 1499! Feast thine eyes anon!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_npQlYvn2sI/TriGtqwmu4I/AAAAAAAAA_o/wbKGoaV_4Rc/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_npQlYvn2sI/TriGtqwmu4I/AAAAAAAAA_o/wbKGoaV_4Rc/s320/IMG_0003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672431849803529090" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9pNrHoo3szw/TriHTAnTrrI/AAAAAAAABAI/SDkS6yO55ng/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9pNrHoo3szw/TriHTAnTrrI/AAAAAAAABAI/SDkS6yO55ng/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672432491325271730" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iH4AbUQnQps/TriGtmgV0zI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/0rkNcEcw05k/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iH4AbUQnQps/TriGtmgV0zI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/0rkNcEcw05k/s320/IMG_0001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672431848661570354" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qj8-sQrrPd0/TriHS0Yyh2I/AAAAAAAAA_8/HwyJDBA4Q8M/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qj8-sQrrPd0/TriHS0Yyh2I/AAAAAAAAA_8/HwyJDBA4Q8M/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672432488043153250" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-70QcDSEmcZQ/TriGu3kEcvI/AAAAAAAAA_w/CqWgkvGZyQM/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-70QcDSEmcZQ/TriGu3kEcvI/AAAAAAAAA_w/CqWgkvGZyQM/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672431870420480754" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--C5UxxjUU-A/TriHUPSLj6I/AAAAAAAABAU/x6LchY52bm0/s1600/IMG_0012.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--C5UxxjUU-A/TriHUPSLj6I/AAAAAAAABAU/x6LchY52bm0/s320/IMG_0012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672432512443060130" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />(ok, a few explanations: Isobel rode the camel with total strangers because we were too cheap to pay another $5 for Brooke or me to ride with her. She was also asked to dance on stage with some rather unenthusiastic child performers who were accompanied by their father on the lute. And she got to hold a very sweet goose or duck or something and pet it. Brooke bought me a stem of beautiful orchids. It was a good time for all.)Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-26677146502613146832011-11-01T11:02:00.007-04:002011-11-01T11:18:08.132-04:00October IV: Halloween<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d98Oehnk9Fc/TrAKc2O4fYI/AAAAAAAAA8A/ypruY2zPWiE/s1600/DSC_1748.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d98Oehnk9Fc/TrAKc2O4fYI/AAAAAAAAA8A/ypruY2zPWiE/s400/DSC_1748.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670043421570006402" border="0" /></a>For the last few years, we haven't made Jack-o-Lanterns. It makes a mess, it's one more thing to do in a busy afternoon before trick-or-treating, and (this is the main reason) I'm not very good at it. But this year Isobel was old enough to know that pumpkin carving is a part of this holiday, and she really wanted to do it. When I asked what kind of face she wanted to do, she requested "sneaky." So I tried, but we wound up with something that looked kinda like a demented hillbilly baby. The photo above doesn't really capture it. I guess that's one good thing about jack-o-lanterns: I am so clumsy with a knife that I usually wind up with something way weirder-looking (and, hence, creepier) than I intended.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hHiPtX-ccZA/TrALjm-HJwI/AAAAAAAAA8M/H13uBo7OXlA/s1600/DSC_1708.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hHiPtX-ccZA/TrALjm-HJwI/AAAAAAAAA8M/H13uBo7OXlA/s320/DSC_1708.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670044637243844354" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RClt5AfO8Ko/TrAL6DZRzEI/AAAAAAAAA80/xsdu0P9v034/s1600/DSC_1737.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RClt5AfO8Ko/TrAL6DZRzEI/AAAAAAAAA80/xsdu0P9v034/s320/DSC_1737.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670045022831103042" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i5wcFXiceQk/TrAMd91fKrI/AAAAAAAAA9I/mGYmwcy3Rec/s1600/DSC_1721.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i5wcFXiceQk/TrAMd91fKrI/AAAAAAAAA9I/mGYmwcy3Rec/s320/DSC_1721.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670045639814097586" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dOGEofsMY5c/TrALj16WIjI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/Y7imw47qHnI/s1600/DSC_1712.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dOGEofsMY5c/TrALj16WIjI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/Y7imw47qHnI/s320/DSC_1712.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670044641254580786" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1BZ3LaRaO5o/TrAL5zNViPI/AAAAAAAAA8k/3C2SjUt-to0/s1600/DSC_1732.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1BZ3LaRaO5o/TrAL5zNViPI/AAAAAAAAA8k/3C2SjUt-to0/s320/DSC_1732.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670045018486049010" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-epjpZnMTG9c/TrAMdoDCshI/AAAAAAAAA88/ayOEUGopKkA/s1600/DSC_1739.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-epjpZnMTG9c/TrAMdoDCshI/AAAAAAAAA88/ayOEUGopKkA/s320/DSC_1739.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670045633965371922" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YP8s0vRX5Gs/TrANZ2JgNYI/AAAAAAAAA9U/HOcQkbAMRcw/s1600/DSC_1729.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YP8s0vRX5Gs/TrANZ2JgNYI/AAAAAAAAA9U/HOcQkbAMRcw/s400/DSC_1729.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670046668542719362" border="0" /></a>Hope you had a safe and happy Halloween!<br /></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-70946494439566883192011-10-30T20:11:00.013-04:002011-10-30T20:43:46.097-04:00October III: Grandma and Papa Visit<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OW3fRCAIjcU/Tq3n46a3TqI/AAAAAAAAA6g/FHz1o2Y5Axw/s1600/DSC_1668.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OW3fRCAIjcU/Tq3n46a3TqI/AAAAAAAAA6g/FHz1o2Y5Axw/s400/DSC_1668.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669442470869946018" border="0" /></a>Brooke's parents came to celebrate Isobel's birthday, too, a few days after the fact. It has been a whole month of celebrating Iso!<br />We had several outings with Grandma and Papa. One was the Lexington BBQ Festival. As you might remember from <a href="http://brookstinainternational.blogspot.com/2010/02/some-of-that-sweet-sweet-carolina-bbq.html">this post</a>, Lexington is a town south of here that is famous for its own special style of barbeque. I expected the festival to be sort of a small-town podunk affair, with various local barbeque restaurants hawking their pulled pork.<br />Boy oh boy, was I wrong. It stretched on for blocks and blocks! We never even found any actual barbeque, there were multiple stages set up for ongoing live music, and there were all kinds of vendors. It brought on flashbacks of the <a href="http://brookstinainternational.blogspot.com/2010/10/pumpkin.html">State Fair experience</a> last year. I kinda regret passing on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to taste deep fried butter.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CHHBcvV2B78/Tq3q4L5W2fI/AAAAAAAAA6s/VhNmlX61gxU/s1600/DSC_1571.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CHHBcvV2B78/Tq3q4L5W2fI/AAAAAAAAA6s/VhNmlX61gxU/s400/DSC_1571.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669445756916259314" border="0" /></a>Another outing with Grandma and Papa: our pumpkin patch expedition. This was our third year visiting this farm and, as always I took lots of photos.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAI8qdZ9JuQ/Tq3ruOvBYjI/AAAAAAAAA64/nOkDqRj5Z28/s1600/DSC_1640.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAI8qdZ9JuQ/Tq3ruOvBYjI/AAAAAAAAA64/nOkDqRj5Z28/s320/DSC_1640.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669446685391151666" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uz3l_XX_nfo/Tq3r6K6x0mI/AAAAAAAAA7E/X7pcKOtgHZ0/s1600/DSC_1652.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uz3l_XX_nfo/Tq3r6K6x0mI/AAAAAAAAA7E/X7pcKOtgHZ0/s320/DSC_1652.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669446890525151842" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Isobel and Jude had a great time. I get a little sentimental when I see my kids frolicking on a farm, and especially running through a cornfield. Even though I don't really have a rural background myself, it still feels like going back to our roots somehow.<br /><br />And finally, a few recent photos I'm proud of:<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pjCNfCXrRo/Tq3sp8Emy-I/AAAAAAAAA7Q/_uTFwB3QzjM/s1600/DSC_1558.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_pjCNfCXrRo/Tq3sp8Emy-I/AAAAAAAAA7Q/_uTFwB3QzjM/s400/DSC_1558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669447711173561314" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rzZub89pVGk/Tq3s2PJT4oI/AAAAAAAAA7c/PHUtLZ8RO48/s1600/DSC_1566.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rzZub89pVGk/Tq3s2PJT4oI/AAAAAAAAA7c/PHUtLZ8RO48/s400/DSC_1566.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669447922451997314" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x5L5oBbncE4/Tq3tGsB5k3I/AAAAAAAAA7o/zSjqCqoNRdg/s1600/DSC_1549.JPG"><br /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x5L5oBbncE4/Tq3tGsB5k3I/AAAAAAAAA7o/zSjqCqoNRdg/s1600/DSC_1549.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x5L5oBbncE4/Tq3tGsB5k3I/AAAAAAAAA7o/zSjqCqoNRdg/s400/DSC_1549.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669448205083448178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(The old tree stump in our back yard has erupted with mushrooms. They are the perfect subjects)</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1BBAqNqeXs/Tq3tPhv6KiI/AAAAAAAAA70/4nFq8j7BSi4/s1600/DSC_1656.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1BBAqNqeXs/Tq3tPhv6KiI/AAAAAAAAA70/4nFq8j7BSi4/s400/DSC_1656.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669448356942457378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(one more from the farm)</span><br /></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-81341018026751606502011-10-29T21:09:00.017-04:002011-10-31T14:26:20.728-04:00October II: Isobel's Birthday Party<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n_hXVOaOvMs/TqykG8P1pyI/AAAAAAAAA40/KGcn4FLTThw/s1600/DSC_1407.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n_hXVOaOvMs/TqykG8P1pyI/AAAAAAAAA40/KGcn4FLTThw/s400/DSC_1407.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669086470111340322" border="0" /></a>Here we are in the second installment of the Brookstinobelude October series! Huzzah!<br /><br />We held Isobel's birthday at <a href="http://www.greenhillcenter.org/">Artquest</a>, an art studio for kids downtown. <a href="http://brookstinainternational.blogspot.com/2010/10/in-which-isobel-is-feted.html">Last year</a> was a church friends party, so this year was a school friends party. And I'm not gonna lie, it was so much easier to do it somewhere other than our house. Artquest had a party coordinator who kept the kids pretty well entertained. They made birthday crowns, then ate pizza, then made play-dough, then had cake and <span style="font-style: italic;">finis</span>! Very low stress for mommy and the other parents, and lots of fun for the chilrens. So without further ado, the photos:<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GLjo_ldODGc/TqymRzcZ7vI/AAAAAAAAA5A/858oXmWqvfA/s1600/DSC_1410.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GLjo_ldODGc/TqymRzcZ7vI/AAAAAAAAA5A/858oXmWqvfA/s320/DSC_1410.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669088855749947122" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_03ERzo-hi4/Tqymlxs9_zI/AAAAAAAAA5M/542P_OKnwlQ/s1600/DSC_1485.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_03ERzo-hi4/Tqymlxs9_zI/AAAAAAAAA5M/542P_OKnwlQ/s320/DSC_1485.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669089198879932210" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4St_zJvgx_8/TqynH9Y7acI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/Du6zFVwYOUY/s1600/DSC_1454.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4St_zJvgx_8/TqynH9Y7acI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/Du6zFVwYOUY/s320/DSC_1454.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669089786132654530" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KRIzwlOEgIA/TqynWd6G7gI/AAAAAAAAA5k/L6tCwUyppW4/s1600/DSC_1467.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KRIzwlOEgIA/TqynWd6G7gI/AAAAAAAAA5k/L6tCwUyppW4/s320/DSC_1467.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669090035379924482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A8iVgCWxhxs/TqynoYYC9HI/AAAAAAAAA5w/PPl5T10ii3w/s1600/DSC_1489.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A8iVgCWxhxs/TqynoYYC9HI/AAAAAAAAA5w/PPl5T10ii3w/s320/DSC_1489.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669090343132525682" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPBsO7Mk86g/TqyoL1A4J7I/AAAAAAAAA58/J7oeTs_2uXw/s1600/DSC_1498.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPBsO7Mk86g/TqyoL1A4J7I/AAAAAAAAA58/J7oeTs_2uXw/s320/DSC_1498.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669090952115398578" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9LvnDNhjY4/TqyofpWxvcI/AAAAAAAAA6U/L2dNoUsDxjM/s1600/DSC_1507.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9LvnDNhjY4/TqyofpWxvcI/AAAAAAAAA6U/L2dNoUsDxjM/s400/DSC_1507.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669091292583411138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I love looking at these photos! Isobel is lucky to have so many good friends to celebrate with her. Yesterday she said "Mommy, I wish I could go to school every single day," and I know it's because she loves all of her friends (and her teacher) so much. I can't believe she's four already! Such a big girl. I am so proud of her. <br />P.S. - Note which hand Jude is using to stab that play-dough! I suspect him of being a southpaw.Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-33826186585078980102011-10-23T14:36:00.039-04:002011-10-24T21:06:26.267-04:00October I: Nana and Grandad visit for Isobel's Fourth Birthday<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WXYdYAanVp0/TqRf92UypgI/AAAAAAAAA1g/_dnvW8MY8_A/s1600/DSC_1306.JPG"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666759747298305538" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WXYdYAanVp0/TqRf92UypgI/AAAAAAAAA1g/_dnvW8MY8_A/s400/DSC_1306.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 266px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 400px;" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l9NdQLb3wS0/TqRfSJmUJmI/AAAAAAAAA04/4QVcbwCexSw/s1600/DSC_1276.JPG"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666758996557833826" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l9NdQLb3wS0/TqRfSJmUJmI/AAAAAAAAA04/4QVcbwCexSw/s400/DSC_1276.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 400px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 266px;" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KW_AlPD4b6U/TqRf9tuoJGI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/P90P-dsvHi0/s1600/DSC_1295.JPG"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666759744990749794" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KW_AlPD4b6U/TqRf9tuoJGI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/P90P-dsvHi0/s400/DSC_1295.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 266px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 400px;" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9GkghsQM2mU/TqRf-3dZ0yI/AAAAAAAAA1o/zKsDkRY9iB0/s1600/DSC_1232.JPG"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666759764782732066" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9GkghsQM2mU/TqRf-3dZ0yI/AAAAAAAAA1o/zKsDkRY9iB0/s400/DSC_1232.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 266px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 400px;" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73T3eF5ca2U/TqRfScOZqqI/AAAAAAAAA1E/D_ANn31RFMw/s1600/DSC_1293.JPG"><br /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Oh boy, it's been another month! And what an eventful October it has been. I was going to do one huge monster post, but I got overwhelmed just thinking about it. So I'm going to do a series instead.<br />My fantastic parents came to visit for Isobel's birthday, and we did lots of fun things. One of those things was visiting Pilot Mountain State Park.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73T3eF5ca2U/TqRfScOZqqI/AAAAAAAAA1E/D_ANn31RFMw/s1600/DSC_1293.JPG"><img alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666759001557805730" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73T3eF5ca2U/TqRfScOZqqI/AAAAAAAAA1E/D_ANn31RFMw/s400/DSC_1293.JPG" style="float: left; height: 400px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 266px;" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73T3eF5ca2U/TqRfScOZqqI/AAAAAAAAA1E/D_ANn31RFMw/s1600/DSC_1293.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73T3eF5ca2U/TqRfScOZqqI/AAAAAAAAA1E/D_ANn31RFMw/s1600/DSC_1293.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73T3eF5ca2U/TqRfScOZqqI/AAAAAAAAA1E/D_ANn31RFMw/s1600/DSC_1293.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73T3eF5ca2U/TqRfScOZqqI/AAAAAAAAA1E/D_ANn31RFMw/s1600/DSC_1293.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73T3eF5ca2U/TqRfScOZqqI/AAAAAAAAA1E/D_ANn31RFMw/s1600/DSC_1293.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73T3eF5ca2U/TqRfScOZqqI/AAAAAAAAA1E/D_ANn31RFMw/s1600/DSC_1293.JPG"><br /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This was my dad's first time ever visiting North Carolina, and my mom hasn't been here since Jude was a newborn. So we were especially excited to have them here.<br /><br />Here are some photos of the actual birthday day:<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mChEEVTt0gE/TqYKhE1AWKI/AAAAAAAAA3k/x5gbJ_H6neQ/s1600/DSC_1348.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mChEEVTt0gE/TqYKhE1AWKI/AAAAAAAAA3k/x5gbJ_H6neQ/s320/DSC_1348.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eyocK8B721s/TqYKYPWgTwI/AAAAAAAAA3c/b72kvi9TC0M/s1600/DSC_1312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eyocK8B721s/TqYKYPWgTwI/AAAAAAAAA3c/b72kvi9TC0M/s320/DSC_1312.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="212" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--S28iMxkX8I/TqYKrAEIFEI/AAAAAAAAA3s/uzfM3qnoF9E/s1600/DSC_1327.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--S28iMxkX8I/TqYKrAEIFEI/AAAAAAAAA3s/uzfM3qnoF9E/s320/DSC_1327.JPG" border="0" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-27829194317688618722011-09-25T17:03:00.014-04:002011-09-25T20:44:54.907-04:00Why do I have so much trouble coming up with post titles?Yay, it's time for our monthly Brookstinobelude update! I'll start posting more when we have more news (which, actually, could be soon) and/or when I have more free time. Stay tuned, bear with me, all that junk. Until then...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nbTL850cQEY/Tn-XpTwlA-I/AAAAAAAAAyQ/dwWevJqoTEw/s1600/DSC_1218.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nbTL850cQEY/Tn-XpTwlA-I/AAAAAAAAAyQ/dwWevJqoTEw/s400/DSC_1218.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656406392935089122" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g70l6BgbSx8/Tn-YuqNpPWI/AAAAAAAAAyY/az5xD-49vWc/s1600/DSC_1220.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g70l6BgbSx8/Tn-YuqNpPWI/AAAAAAAAAyY/az5xD-49vWc/s320/DSC_1220.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656407584373554530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eb1jF6g2O80/Tn_DJ9cou7I/AAAAAAAAAyg/Q3ckMWf-Bzg/s1600/DSC_2905.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eb1jF6g2O80/Tn_DJ9cou7I/AAAAAAAAAyg/Q3ckMWf-Bzg/s320/DSC_2905.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656454232881544114" border="0" /></a><br />We haven't had too many opportunities to hand down clothes from Isobel to Jude, so it's pretty exciting that these skeleton jammies are seeing their second Shiffler family go-round. I love them. I also just really like Stella in both of the photos with Jude. She's like a doggy model or something. Isobel is fresh out of the bath in that photo, so that explains the slicked-back mullet hair.<br /><br />I don't usually think the kids look much alike, but seeing them at around the same age and wearing the same clothes, I can kinda see some resemblance.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b5w8xg4OsoQ/Tn_EauBLgjI/AAAAAAAAAyo/khTI2LOwD8Q/s1600/DSC_1190.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b5w8xg4OsoQ/Tn_EauBLgjI/AAAAAAAAAyo/khTI2LOwD8Q/s400/DSC_1190.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656455620309254706" border="0" /></a><br />Here they are on the first day of school! I've spread this picture around a bit, so it may not be new to you. I like it because it captures their attitudes toward school and their personalities in general. Isobel is eagerly looking to the next exciting thing; Jude is warily clinging to something solid and safe.<br /><br />Actually, it's not fair to simplify Jude that way. He's very loving and enthusiastic once he warms up. He totally digs school now. And both of my kids are wonderfully easy-going if we're considering the broad spectrum of neuroticism.<br /><br />I guess <a href="http://www.theemotionmachine.com/sitters-and-rovers-healthy-risk-taking">Jude is a sitter and Isobel is a rover</a>.<br /><br />Moving on, I'm going to post a few images I've been using to make greeting cards, in case anyone wants to use them. Aaaaand, I was going to post "via"s, but I'm too lazy to find the pictures all over again. So I hope nobody gets too mad.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5r1sfOS6MJw/Tn_IfpYRA6I/AAAAAAAAAzA/oVMTRIGRZeU/s1600/vintage-ads-shaving.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5r1sfOS6MJw/Tn_IfpYRA6I/AAAAAAAAAzA/oVMTRIGRZeU/s320/vintage-ads-shaving.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656460103009764258" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hNkRCKOuU0/Tn_IraQmBOI/AAAAAAAAAzI/91a91ue7QMI/s1600/ChalkboardBaby.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_hNkRCKOuU0/Tn_IraQmBOI/AAAAAAAAAzI/91a91ue7QMI/s320/ChalkboardBaby.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656460305109484770" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3W9dCBKcsbw/Tn_IyLxIxkI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/3g9TpC3MK_o/s1600/draft_lens10991471module100455461photo_1273776937baby_and_mother.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 179px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3W9dCBKcsbw/Tn_IyLxIxkI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/3g9TpC3MK_o/s320/draft_lens10991471module100455461photo_1273776937baby_and_mother.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656460421478532674" border="0" /></a>I used the first for a first birthday card, with a number one on the chalkboard. The second and third were for new baby cards, for a girl and boy respectively. I actually upped the exposure and contrast on the girl one to get rid of the gray- let me know if you want that version and I will gladly send it to you. Enjoy!Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2879478410561661102.post-36678704858985527272011-09-05T15:41:00.008-04:002011-09-05T16:17:31.763-04:00OBX 2011: Photos<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lyqx3QL0L8E/TmUo0Nv8CpI/AAAAAAAAAxM/JiTOdd53SpY/s1600/DSC_1011.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lyqx3QL0L8E/TmUo0Nv8CpI/AAAAAAAAAxM/JiTOdd53SpY/s320/DSC_1011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648966185115191954" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bYeiCioh15E/TmUp4Su4izI/AAAAAAAAAxU/AwvYt0CldXY/s1600/DSC_1017.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bYeiCioh15E/TmUp4Su4izI/AAAAAAAAAxU/AwvYt0CldXY/s320/DSC_1017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648967354684050226" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tHI36Ty-bLQ/TmUqU2-uA7I/AAAAAAAAAxc/TXo7HyNUGow/s1600/DSC_1058.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tHI36Ty-bLQ/TmUqU2-uA7I/AAAAAAAAAxc/TXo7HyNUGow/s320/DSC_1058.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648967845450482610" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RuLhh292UNc/TmUq0tyKU_I/AAAAAAAAAxk/c-0L0ApYWUw/s1600/DSC_1062.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RuLhh292UNc/TmUq0tyKU_I/AAAAAAAAAxk/c-0L0ApYWUw/s320/DSC_1062.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648968392737706994" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-esCK4bWq9m0/TmUrLO1ADvI/AAAAAAAAAxs/GJiYt0TnMjw/s1600/DSC_1066.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-esCK4bWq9m0/TmUrLO1ADvI/AAAAAAAAAxs/GJiYt0TnMjw/s320/DSC_1066.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648968779565108978" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nAFjbdW-XiI/TmUuDprPj4I/AAAAAAAAAx0/mSlyLxpgGxo/s320/DSC_1106.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5648971947867869058" border="0" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-41gDJQgnVJ8/TmUh9Ik3gpI/AAAAAAAAAwk/LabJ47Mz1P4/s1600/DSC_1106.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V-tYhMoxDX0/TmUiLuwzD3I/AAAAAAAAAws/zF2yl0os2aI/s1600/DSC_1159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V-tYhMoxDX0/TmUiLuwzD3I/AAAAAAAAAws/zF2yl0os2aI/s400/DSC_1159.JPG" border="0" height="265" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16366906896853072205noreply@blogger.com2