6 months

Lost "Sucks"

My mom told me the other day that she tried to comment on my last post. She said if you could have she would have said, "Mimi says, Lost Sucks. I want to see pictures of Maggie."
You cant argue with that. Here are some pics of Mags and her cousins from Christmas.
Also, as an aside, we havent decided if we are going to watch tonights season premiere or wait until this season is over. so no body leave any clues or comments! :)

More Lost Clues

So now that Mojo is into lost as well, we've been researching names, derivatives of names, etc. Desmond whose full name is Desmond David Hume (David Hume is a philosopher and his philosophy parallels Desmond's character). Also of course John Locke who is also a philosopher and influenced our political science and education system. His ideas too are wrapped up in Locke. And on and on with the names. So when we were watching the episode where Juliette is recruited to go to the island, we were interested in the companies name, Mittelos. Mojo felt like it was of greek origin. Well, we googled it and there were like a billion lost blogs and code crackers and mystic lost sites.....keep in mind we just go into this so we were just surprised at all the stuff on the web. Seriously, Lost has done a great job at getting people interested.
So anyway, all the websites said Mittelos was an anagram that when switched around spelled, Lost Time...
well, thats just plain lame. The writers go to such great lengths to twist and weave things, they arent going to throw an anagram in there, right? plus, what the heck does Lost Time mean? nothing.
So we went to a greek translation website. We divided the word. Mi- means un, non or not. Telos means conclusion or end.
So....No conclusion. Unending...
We believe Mittelos and the island people are on the search to conquer death. And what man isnt on the search for that?

Lost Clue

So I started reading Eat, Pray, Love last night. (more on my opinions on that book later)....and I had an epiphany about Lost and the hatch. It comes from one of the beginning paragraphs....
"{The bead of strings that Buddhist/Hindus pray with} is strung with 108 beads. Amid the more esoteric circles of the Eastern philosophers, the number 108 is held to be most auspicious, a perfect three digit multiple of three, its components adding up to nine, which is three threes. And three of course, is the number representing supreme balance, as anyone has ever studied the Holy Trinity or a simple barstool can plainly see."

So every 108 minutes wasnt just an arbitrary number but because it kept everything is perfect balance, just like the number.
Lost fans, can i get props?

I'm open for business

If you have any counseling needs, I'm your gal. If feels good to hold something in your hands that says a task is completed. I cant wait to hang it.

Eyes, Nose, Teeth and Toes...God created me!

We are half way there!! Maggie successfully said Eyes (and perfectly I might add). So we've got Eyes & Nose and the T sound....
just working on Teeth and Toes! Maggie loves that song and I do to. I sang with it about 300 kids from the Kiberia slum in Kenya and so whenever i sing it with Maggie, I am reminded of our position (that I can feed and clothe my baby) and am Thankful! (These Pictures of our Maggie learning how to use our camera in the computer)

Shortbread, who knew?

Mojo and I are behind the times usually. With our noses stuck in books, we miss alot of mainstream media. We normally dont catch on until the shows are already in syndication. For instance, a few years back we watched Law and Order and loved it! Only to realize later that Law and Order had been on for like 15 years and there were all sorts of break offs and we could find it on about any channel any time of the day.
We also landed on Scrubs last year....just in time for there last season, which of course, we continue to forget to watch. I guess we will have to wait until this years Scrubs starts playing on Fox at 10pm.
Since my sister introduced me to ABC on line....I've been up to date. I can watch shows like Grey's Anatomy and Extreme Home Makeover, anytime I want. It's perfect. But since the writers strike, I've been forced to watch old episodes of My So Called Life, which I decided to leave my good memories of it in the past-b/c Jordan Catillano just isnt as cute when you are 31.
So last week I started watching Lost, and oh my goodness....I cant wait for Maggie to fall asleep at night so I can watch more...
We now understand why people in the past have said, Oh i cant hang out-Lost is on.
It would drive me nuts to be left with the cliffhangers each week. Watching it online is full of pleasure. You stop watching only when your eyes cant stay up.


Okay....ALL that to say, I have a new found love. shortbread cookies! i know, my ADD mind found those two topics connected. But the other day, Mojo and I had the pleasure of eating some shortbread cookies at our friends house. I'm not a big sweets person. I'd rather have a piece of fresh french bread and aged cheese than a piece of pie. My all time favorite dessert is Nestle chocolate chip cookies and when we found out Nestle buys from companies that use child slave labor....well, that did it for me, no more perfect dessert. But this shortbread cookies surprised me-I had never eaten them before. And my pregnant self has been craving them since then. So I went to my trusted Becky Crocker and lo and behold, they are so super easy to make!
Two dozen will be ready in just 3 short minutes. Hmmmm.
I'm off to eat cookies and watch Lost.

A Few Christmas Pics

Thoughts without pictures

So I realized today its been a long time since I had the urge to check my University of Tennessee email account. I went today to see if I could still log on, I couldnt. Sometimes we get so use to doing something it seems wierd to stop, even if its time (ie. graduating). I havent gotten my diploma in the mail yet, which is the catalyst to check to see if perhaps someone had emailed about it.
Somethings become a part of your life for a season and you cant imagine life without it or a certain job or something. And then things change and you cant remember life with those things.
I told Mojo today that recently I've missed working. I miss meetings and deadlines and feeling important. Sounds silly doesnt it? I liked the structure of my day, The commute to gather my thoughts. Now my commute is from my bedroom to Maggie's and my thoughts dont quite gather until about 2pm.

Things to think on during this Advent Season. These things have been on my heart. As the quietness before the birth sets in, Ask Jesus to bring with him redemption of these things:
*Current Ebola virus outbreak in Uganda. World Harvest Missionaries are there, some have evacuated, some doctors have stayed.
*Some of you might remember that I did research this past summer on PTSD in child soldiers, specifically from the LRA (Lord's REsistance Army). Well, now there is Village of Hope-a semi-new village funded by African Leadership that serves women who were abducted by the LRA in Uganda and now have children (from bring raped by soldiers). This village will create job skills and create a new home from them and their children. (You can donate online at www.africanleadership.org)
*Joseph Peabody who will start treatment at St. Jude's at the end of the month.

On cheerier note (i'm listening to Pete Yorn who doesnt facilitate cheeriness), Maggie had her 15month check up the other day...she weighed in at close to 23lbs and is 30 inches! Way to go Mags!!!

Joseph

Please pray for an old friend who's 3 year old son has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. He just went through brain surgery. You can read more at
www.prayforjoseph.blogspot.com
He will start radiation in 2-3 weeks when he heals from his brain surgery. Please join with me in asking our Father to heal Joseph.

Christmas, Christmas...Time for Cheer

It's a very blustery day today in Nashville. Makes me wish we had a fireplace that wasnt over a 100 years old and still worked. But nonetheless, we are gearing up for Christmas. Which means of course, we broke out the Christmas records. I've already listened to the Joan Biaz Noel record about 25 times. It's beautiful and I look forward to December 1st when I can put it on. Maggie was a big help this year as you can see...



But most of the time she did this...

(video isnt showing up...i'll work on it)

We've had fun making the house a bit warmer and brighter. I found an delicious recipe for cranberry scones on Martha Stewart. I love finding new recipes that dont call for alot of ingredients but end up being amazing. Banana bread with chocolate chips is one of those and now cranberry scones, although it took me a minute to figure out how to knead the dough without crushing the berries. Oh Martha. Here are some more of the house. The tree and a close up of a favorite ornament.



Our living room mantle and a Christmas Welcome.



Cranberry French doors and our bedroom mantle. Our own private christmas cheer.



And we cant forget my favorite Christmas decoration. The yummiest blanket around. I;ve been wrapped in it for about 5 days straight!


Now I'm off to wrap myself in that blanket and have a cup of hot tea, a scone and listen to Handel's Messiah while Maggie is napping. Mmmmm, Christmas time is delightful isnt? Come drop by and have a scone and hot tea with me anytime.

Love Actually Is....All Around.

"Whenever I get gloomy about the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrowe Aiport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed - but I don't see that. Seems to me that love is everywhere. Often it's not particularly dignified, or newsworthy - but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking feeling you'll find that love actually is all around."

(it's time to break out Love Actually)

Thanksgiving in Sunny California

Actually, it was a bit colder in California than we are use to but Maggie got to spend with lots of family. It was a good time with yummy home cooked food and of course, lots of In and Out burger. We didnt get any pictures of Maggie's new playmate...Cosmo, Aunt Nikki's new puppy!

Mama and "Mama?"

Try as she might, Maggie just cant say her name yet. But oh she tries. Whenever she sees her picture or herself in a mirror she says, Mama? and I point to myself and say Mama and then point to her and say Maggie. and then she'll say Mama? She really believes she is saying Maggie.
My wordsmith can say:
Mama
Dada
More
Night night
Bye bye
Hi!
Doggie
Cat
Woof Woof
Uh-Oh!
What's That? (kinda)
More please (but it sounds more like more cheese)
Nose (she points to your nose but is more like Noooo)
Oh, and of course No! (which she is using more frequently....)
GENIUS ALERT**** After completing this entry, Mojo and I were talking and I ended a sentence with "alot of books." Maggie looked at her daddy and said, "books!" Mojo and I looked at each other and said, Maggie did you say books? And since then all afternoon, she repeats and says perfectly, Books! Books! Books!

Dog+Baby+Timer=Bad Family Photos

So a few weeks ago during beautiful weather, we decided to go take some fall family photos. We took a walk on a trail in Shelby Bottoms where we could let Harriet run free and take some good photos. Well, it was a great idea, but alas, not one good shot. Maggie of course had no idea where to look and Harriet was just too excited to sit still. It was a fun day nonetheless....

Harriet..

So Harriet's new retreat is Maggie's Crib. She did that when Maggie was tiny but since we lowered the crib, she stopped for a while. well, the recent thunder has caused her to somehow figure out how to get under that tiny space. its pretty cute.

updating: St. Louis

So I never wrote about our fun trip to St. Louis in the beginning of November. I LOVE that city. It is so beautiful in fall, all the streets are lined with beautiful trees...all the houses are beautiful. The financial district is filled with yummy bakeries...and best of all, everything is Free! The zoo, the museums...its great! I am a lover of zoos and we went for a short time while we were there. Maggie was AMAZED at all the animals. Her eyes looked like they were gonna come out of her head. And she said "woof woof" at every animal she saw. And the sweet thing is, when we were back at the car, she was talking a mile a minute and every once in a while would say woof woof. And we knew she was saying, "Guys, did you see that Rhino? and did you take a look at the hippos? they are amazing!"
didnt take many photos..but here are some of maggie looking at the animals and of the beautiful Forest Park and Art Musuem.

Pigtails

Supertone by birth. Fan by choice.

Our little Pumpkin