tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35257130535175909652024-03-08T05:32:29.378-06:00the many adventures of usthis is a collection of the stories we want to remember...from our many adventures to our ordinary lifeshellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.comBlogger255125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-4737535609431224092022-11-22T14:33:00.400-06:002023-11-13T15:47:06.759-06:00the day that archie was born<p>while not everything was the same this time around, because i am evidently skilled at coming up with new and different ways to create drama in the delivery room, our second birth experience had some notable similarities to the first. to start off, we were once again caught off guard at a routine appointment where we expected to discuss an induction date that was still a few days away, but due to some extra amniotic fluid that showed up on the ultrasound that morning, ended up being induced the same evening.</p><p>we settled into our room, which happened to be the same one jack had been born in, and things moved along pretty much as expected, aside from the three tries it took for the epidural. once that was finally in place they broke my water, but the progress after was slower than expected. around this time i started getting the shakes which ended up lasting through the whole ordeal. when my doctor arrived early the next morning she was a little perplexed about the slow progress and ended up breaking my water for a second time, and this time it really worked [i was a bit oblivious, but donald describes this part as "epic"]. it was still slow going for awhile, but once it was finally time to push i did three sets and on the fourth set the contractions came back to back and the baby popped right out! the nurse put him on my chest while my doctor and a resident worked on repairing a relatively small tear. everything was calm and i think i actually said out loud, "is that it?"</p><p>spoiler: that was not it.</p><p>after about twenty minutes my doctor asked if i still had my epidural button and suggested i push it again, which seemed strange since i was under the impression we were pretty much done. i asked why and she said "i just think it's a good idea." and this is where things got interesting.</p><p>my placenta was not delivering, which i later learned is an uncommon and potentially quite serious condition called a retained placenta. when this happens someone has to manually go in and get it, which involves a glove that i previously thought was reserved for livestock, and my doctor digging around in what felt like my ribcage. during this process the shakes i had been experiencing basically the whole time became more like spasms, my speech became slurred, and the room filled up real quick. at one point there were five doctors and more nurses and techs than i could keep track of. i was once again hemorrhaging and it was another hollywood-esque scene as doctors shouted orders and various people ran around sticking needles into my legs and pills into my mouth. </p><p>an ultrasound machine was brought in to monitor the progress of the placenta removal, and after all the bits and pieces were eventually extracted the room cleared out a bit, but i still had another couple hours of the shakes and just generally feeling bad. at some point my nurse asked me to sit up so she could get an accurate blood pressure reading and it was as if a switch flipped and i suddenly felt fine [and also very, very hungry]. soon after we moved over to mother baby for a short stay, and while we were there we officially decided on a name and introduced archie michael to the world.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFKES4icTnrbLofvV7WZiupMUrj04-tPRJlldKqtAtO2EJiGJyzH4Dx7Qto7htO-UnMxmofZ4KAlZoEKB8Cq-Irbr3z3jo-9-Wdp7cw5FaMtqu0aS42ufoBnxpaRLvXeP70U7SF0n8nEFwuSQ5G9UxGH-ROgzmIisL0Lm8XAG76ANlqg9Rmj_y5sZ/s1731/little%20archie.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1731" data-original-width="1164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvFKES4icTnrbLofvV7WZiupMUrj04-tPRJlldKqtAtO2EJiGJyzH4Dx7Qto7htO-UnMxmofZ4KAlZoEKB8Cq-Irbr3z3jo-9-Wdp7cw5FaMtqu0aS42ufoBnxpaRLvXeP70U7SF0n8nEFwuSQ5G9UxGH-ROgzmIisL0Lm8XAG76ANlqg9Rmj_y5sZ/s16000/little%20archie.PNG" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-22405425799563195792022-10-18T20:31:00.024-05:002023-11-13T15:45:26.610-06:00pep pep<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6izzIHBn3QYwjl99z0qtFYg7ih-r4xstgl6TkwcpgKcRQdlsw8m-Uap7oukoFSraWwOhXVvvy_uKE6dbQPEFLbEz8bVbgCyZWWYTF0Qk-qvsz8NW0zVIwqQ2s-uaIEsE6Jt4ey3pVAtJwCtdnMu9vBwIKyxxkQWXxfmjhiIDPXxBz1Z-GG-0dSHeDf1A/s2371/pep%20pep.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2371" data-original-width="2371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6izzIHBn3QYwjl99z0qtFYg7ih-r4xstgl6TkwcpgKcRQdlsw8m-Uap7oukoFSraWwOhXVvvy_uKE6dbQPEFLbEz8bVbgCyZWWYTF0Qk-qvsz8NW0zVIwqQ2s-uaIEsE6Jt4ey3pVAtJwCtdnMu9vBwIKyxxkQWXxfmjhiIDPXxBz1Z-GG-0dSHeDf1A/s16000/pep%20pep.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div><p>we lost our beloved pep pep suddenly and unexpectedly. he was the quiet and humble leader of our family, who lived his life with an obvious awareness that everything he had was a gift from God, and he was grateful for each and every blessing. </p><p>his favorite thing was Jesus, but his family was a very close second. he enjoyed the simple pleasures in life, and there was no earthly thing that gave him more joy than having his whole family together in one place. no matter the holiday or occasion, it was never a question of how he wanted to celebrate...with all his kids and grandkids coming over, and most likely some bar-b-que and a slice of pie.</p><p>he was intentional in our time together and often prepared a devotional to share with us. on multiple occasions he went around the room and talked about each person individually. it was obvious how much he valued each one of us as he took time to prepare, thinking of and praying for each child and grandchild, caring deeply what each of our lives looked like.</p><p>jack won't have many tangible memories of his grandpa, but he loved taking him donuts during the week just for fun, and racing dad to be the first one to give pep a hug when it was time to head home from dyer dinner. </p><p>there are so many things we will miss and remember about him. he made the best mashed potatoes i have ever had, and his don dyer tacos are legendary. he gave me the big family i always wanted, and he knew how much i valued that. but the thing i admired most about him was his unshakeable faith. he always had complete trust in God, and an unwavering expectation that God would provide for him and his family. he was a great man of faith, and we are so blessed to have called him ours.</p></div>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-48082857932188468072022-08-20T14:20:00.136-05:002023-02-24T22:47:02.644-06:00things jack says<p>it is still so fun to hear jack talk and to giggle at the funny things he says. here are some entries in the dictionary according to jack: </p><p></p><ul><li>pecutor = computer </li></ul><ul><li>noculars/super owl eyes = binoculars/hand binoculars </li></ul><ul><li>no please = no thank you </li></ul><ul><li>sticky splat = when dad throws the tay-tay blanket at him </li></ul><ul><li>mean flamingos = the swans at gaga dub's house </li></ul><ul><li>swimming pool costume = swimsuit </li></ul><ul><li>clipper nails = finger nail clippers </li></ul><ul><li>purple thing = yogurt tube </li></ul><div><ul><li>birdie leaf = feather </li></ul></div><div></div><div><ul><li>coconuts = acorns </li></ul><div><ul><li>spider room = the basement [harsh, but fair.] </li></ul></div></div><div><div><ul><li>last sunday morning = referencing anything that happened in the past </li></ul><div><ul><li>14 degrees in the morning = his answer to "what time is it?" </li></ul><div><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xpa4ypLd2NBVLn5eyE6F3z5IhmHWD94f7KgCL7inLnQ8vSsAlrb2gagaV4btT66DwV0cQg-2BawAq0ixr-L38mziAQkx-jUqR_SQQztw7VNQ3O0LlkZ10NmHY0E8Ttk2dXWpxuWI3XQ3tbK4ZaciOeXm7BuRpakmjaRD8bEiu0z4iY4sAPfMIjaJ/s3020/jack%20in%20car.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2265" data-original-width="3020" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xpa4ypLd2NBVLn5eyE6F3z5IhmHWD94f7KgCL7inLnQ8vSsAlrb2gagaV4btT66DwV0cQg-2BawAq0ixr-L38mziAQkx-jUqR_SQQztw7VNQ3O0LlkZ10NmHY0E8Ttk2dXWpxuWI3XQ3tbK4ZaciOeXm7BuRpakmjaRD8bEiu0z4iY4sAPfMIjaJ/s16000/jack%20in%20car.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div>and some other quotes we love: </div><div><p></p><ul><li>"dad, can you hear me in my ears?" </li></ul><ul><li>"ding dang commercials" [he picked this one up from gaga dubs] </li></ul><ul><li>"oh! of course!" [his go-to affirmative answer] </li></ul><ul><li>"i. am. FRUSTRATED!" </li></ul><ul><li>"mom, you will always be in my heart" [i don't even know where he got this, but it melts me every time] </li></ul><ul><li>"dad, you are the best dad ever" [true.] </li></ul><ul><li>"look at my face" [what he says when he wants our attention] </li></ul><ul><li>"mom, do you happen to have an apple bar in your bag?" [not sure where he picked this one up either, but it's adorably polite] </li></ul><div><ul><li>"would you be so kind as to read me this book?" [again with the politeness] </li></ul><ul><li>"mom, i need some 'orant' because my hiccups are coming" [he loves putting on deodorant] </li></ul><ul><li>"something is wrong with my clock, it's going like this 'beep! beep! beep!'" [when the alarm accidentally got set on his okay to wake clock] </li></ul><ul><li>"that's when i was a working man!" [looking at a picture of himself playing at a kids workbench with a hammer and nail] </li></ul><div><ul><li>"maybe i'm not an outside playing guy" [because a bug crawled on him and he wanted to go back inside...but also because he was apparently channeling his dad] </li></ul></div></div><ul></ul></div><ul></ul>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-8486971142242110552022-02-20T22:00:00.006-06:002023-10-16T15:42:24.117-05:00jack is three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiktYDYR9rUhSJPJFXzhW_ijGOOGVOdp17lHtEfBvghs551Yx313h0vec5uCQ26yk62GDwFvkf4vHx6350x7lgtWLS1bmlRuGhjgiuOPWnqIhSoR30x0TKl3cIAeav40S8gpLOv2IxFAo5DwiqqaRW-byQFPSK-ICzajYW-npSUqLmAPwfK7vNLNvIf=s2520" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2520" data-original-width="2520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiktYDYR9rUhSJPJFXzhW_ijGOOGVOdp17lHtEfBvghs551Yx313h0vec5uCQ26yk62GDwFvkf4vHx6350x7lgtWLS1bmlRuGhjgiuOPWnqIhSoR30x0TKl3cIAeav40S8gpLOv2IxFAo5DwiqqaRW-byQFPSK-ICzajYW-npSUqLmAPwfK7vNLNvIf=s16000" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">these are ten of the things we love about you: </p><p style="text-align: left;">1. you aren't quite the stellar sleeper you were in your younger days, but we can never turn down your requests for a pre-nap or bedtime "hug kiss" and always giggle at the "excuse me mom, my light turned green!" announcement when it's time to get up </p><p style="text-align: left;">2. you are genuinely delighted by so many things [christmas lights were a real treat this year] </p><p style="text-align: left;">3. when you pull on our hands to get us to tickle you under your chin </p><p style="text-align: left;">4. your surprising success rate when talking to google and convincing it to play your favorite songs </p><p style="text-align: left;">5. the way you refer to colors by the name of their coordinating sesame street character [green is trash; red is elmo; blue is cookie; and yellow is big bird] </p><p style="text-align: left;">6. watching you pretend play [especially talking with your winnie the pooh friends and fighting the bad guys with your zooms] </p><p style="text-align: left;">7. your laughter and excellent repertoire of silly faces </p><p style="text-align: left;">8. you take great joy in filling the sesame street treat bags with "surprises" for people you love </p><p style="text-align: left;">9.<span> listening to you sing "acchaeus", 'have patience', and quoting almost all of 'the many adventures of winnie the pooh'</span></p><p style="text-align: left;">10. you continue to impress us with your moves and are currently perfecting some fortnite dances like dance monkey and "itsa" [aka the rick dance] </p>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-6662668975005656512022-01-26T23:30:00.075-06:002023-10-30T14:30:42.727-05:00anniversary number nine<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp7Bgj9pObrGaTFigmSYdpzPf49hxK_N2Pq3kmUi3LLSt5VYaED3MGJY3-XSWfQ-YqO5eeFo0nertDwqhV3Le8p_jWdkdd54SLA5AV5ZzjjzcyPNzYx19p06PxANDtIek22GCe44NkoEq5BBauhGgm0un-9ri0mZbon-ly5cMzwTXWBMnl14G8ecz5=s2872" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2154" data-original-width="2872" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgp7Bgj9pObrGaTFigmSYdpzPf49hxK_N2Pq3kmUi3LLSt5VYaED3MGJY3-XSWfQ-YqO5eeFo0nertDwqhV3Le8p_jWdkdd54SLA5AV5ZzjjzcyPNzYx19p06PxANDtIek22GCe44NkoEq5BBauhGgm0un-9ri0mZbon-ly5cMzwTXWBMnl14G8ecz5=s16000" /></a></div><br /><div><div>in an unusual turn of events we ended up with two downtown date nights in the same week. the weekend before our anniversary our little third wheel tagged along with us to dinner for jack stack with jack jack. then he headed off for a few hours with gaga bisc and pep pep while we went to see nate bargatze at the midland. the show was just as hilarious as i had hoped, and i even talked donald into an after show streetcar ride before we headed home.</div><div><br /></div><div>the night before our actual anniversary donald had to work, and he therefore slept most of the day, so i treated him to a fried chicken breakfast in bed from krispy krunchy chicken around 4pm. later that evening we got to enjoy our second date night when we ventured back downtown for dinner at garozzo's. we picked up a chocolate bag from mccormick & schmick's on the way home and enjoyed it, along with some seinfeld, from the comfort of our couch.</div></div>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-13684546975222240722021-09-20T11:00:00.185-05:002023-02-24T22:48:17.237-06:00things jack says<p style="text-align: left;">like most toddlers, jack has a language all his own. we love the hilarious things he says and the new words he adds to our family vocabulary. here are some of our favorites: </p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>baboo = pumpkin </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>beeka = banana </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>beebug = ladybug, ant, etc. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>trash = oscar the grouch and/or green </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>eyes = glasses </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>gaga's ears = ear plugs </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>humpy dumpy = humpty dumpty </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>chewy-bacca = chewbacca </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>big cheese = cheese stick </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>zoom = light saber </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>two clicks = buckling into his high chair or booster seat </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>hands hands face = getting cleaned up after a meal </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>pat pat drop = using toilet paper after going to the bathroom </li></ul><p></p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzRVuZDVpt2GaxnjCYH_EBF6YtgOUN4g3NeHkJCWUll4gvnKoXDFjSKeCUUdsAyGnQ01rc1O3I8AtweZMRPjGuCWeOu8H2Dc22EWt21zodgqWUeG7KiMCk918ci47fNnAca7yHGuoxcqF4rLMJVbQxtWsVxlIeO9hqamTBSkapdNxhxatl1o5c509A=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzRVuZDVpt2GaxnjCYH_EBF6YtgOUN4g3NeHkJCWUll4gvnKoXDFjSKeCUUdsAyGnQ01rc1O3I8AtweZMRPjGuCWeOu8H2Dc22EWt21zodgqWUeG7KiMCk918ci47fNnAca7yHGuoxcqF4rLMJVbQxtWsVxlIeO9hqamTBSkapdNxhxatl1o5c509A=s16000" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><p style="text-align: left;">he also has some memorable and frequentl<span style="font-family: inherit;">y used quotes, such as: </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"no little push, just big push" [we get this a lot when we're playing on the swing in the backyard] </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"i peed into my pants" [this one was during the potty training stage] </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"just a little" [he wants to keep the door open a crack at nap or bedtime] </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"my eyes!" [which means he was crying and wants to wipe his tears on one of our shirts] </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"that's not right" or "mom, it's not perfect" [examples: when the blanket is wrinkled in his bed or the toilet paper does not tear off in one perfect square] </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"oh sorry dad, haha" [when he makes a little mistake like bumping into someone or dropping a toy] </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"it's a beautiful day!" [sometimes he blurts this one out just because] </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"i don't know" [his answer to "what are you doing?" when he thinks he might get in trouble] </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit;">"jack jack NEED that" [typically referring to some kind of treat donald has] </span></li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"i sure do!" [his affirmative answer to any "do you want..." question] </li></ul><p></p><p></p></div>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-5732177022062156492021-05-07T14:25:00.032-05:002022-03-23T00:19:58.442-05:00a glimpse of life<p>this is our life in 2021. donald works nights as a nurse at ku's strawberry hill campus. i work from home for a law firm and spend my days with jack. we're fully vaccinated, and while things are not quite back to the way they were in the before times, life is feeling a little more normal every day. in just a few weeks we will be back at lakeland on sunday mornings as a family, and we're so happy to have our lunch gang back together again. thursday night is dyer dinner, which usually involves a game of dominos. donald spends his free time playing games like pandemic, domination, and fortnite. i spend mine on house projects like organizing the garage, living room paint prep, and brainstorming landscape ideas.</p><p>jack has oatmeal and fruit for breakfast every morning. his current interests include playing outside with his bubble gun, driving daddy's car, and eating peanut butter sandwiches. he also frequently shouts "play cookie" in an effort to get the google home to play 'c is for cookie' for the millionth time. at bedtime he sings amazing grace with me [which he calls "how sweet the sound"] and it is pretty much the best thing ever.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DXL95PkO2JyEMVoNSXZv0ziS1T-6cfgxMhTnB-H-FefXc7xK1rkurfAk1JYimTHZTr8RODdRqbRfszlMum38ndHWbeVcxy4Les1887sNYjXfhhg4s8PVUTAjcvn3AwZOOYMfygF55ZM/s2048/2021.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5DXL95PkO2JyEMVoNSXZv0ziS1T-6cfgxMhTnB-H-FefXc7xK1rkurfAk1JYimTHZTr8RODdRqbRfszlMum38ndHWbeVcxy4Les1887sNYjXfhhg4s8PVUTAjcvn3AwZOOYMfygF55ZM/s16000/2021.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-90596479643650795722021-02-20T22:18:00.155-06:002022-07-24T23:15:26.213-05:00jack is two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5zoGxCgYTXnOa14DKgvDbQS1gchjUt8imILq6dtw6Hf4vOVrrJ2B7ZDOTzj1nQ9XLNDAEJA9M81Kx1KoUYP4xQzezpDVDqSHBwF7kkotqG43OUPcp8sFgyLl9-bRAWJ8h7t5fIKNz9g/s2048/jack+is+two.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5zoGxCgYTXnOa14DKgvDbQS1gchjUt8imILq6dtw6Hf4vOVrrJ2B7ZDOTzj1nQ9XLNDAEJA9M81Kx1KoUYP4xQzezpDVDqSHBwF7kkotqG43OUPcp8sFgyLl9-bRAWJ8h7t5fIKNz9g/s16000/jack+is+two.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>these are ten of the things we love about you: </p><p>1. you have such a cheerful disposition...you are always smiling, laughing, and ready to have fun </p><p>2. you're an all around good eater, but you especially love anything that comes with dip dip </p><p>3. the way you close your eyes when you do something you're not supposed to or when you're trying to hide </p><p>4. you love dumping your toys, but you're also a great helper when it's time to clean up </p><p>5. you are so good at saying please, thank you, and sorry </p><p>6. we know we keep saying it, but you are the. best. sleeper. </p><p>7. you are agreeable, easygoing, and always up for adventures </p><p>8. the way you are gentle when you see someone feeling sad </p><p>9. your little toddler language and your little toddler voice </p><p>10. you have some seriously amazing dance moves [specifically the handy manny toolbox dance, the wrist twist, and your mad dance...which is nothing short of epic] </p>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-48248319850344092952021-01-26T20:14:00.042-06:002021-02-27T18:40:34.566-06:00anniversary number eight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBMy1b7NhYA4nPrtjmwipU7F09a5SRmtD6HSGLmj6FMFgGtchpG98sGR7hZZ2cmFILDTVc7OZvuCXZ7d_NiPAQZVrnmybW6GSZb-w6Vjy6N79GaTcbrsyAIp2Q-XSnIVKDnK8xA3UQnM/s2048/2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1554" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBMy1b7NhYA4nPrtjmwipU7F09a5SRmtD6HSGLmj6FMFgGtchpG98sGR7hZZ2cmFILDTVc7OZvuCXZ7d_NiPAQZVrnmybW6GSZb-w6Vjy6N79GaTcbrsyAIp2Q-XSnIVKDnK8xA3UQnM/s16000/2021.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>while it often feels like we've been enduring a pandemic for years, this marked our first official coronaversary. as with most celebrations these days our options were somewhat limited, and it didn't help that donald was scheduled to work that night. in true pandemic fashion we ordered carryout and dined on our traditional fried chicken courtesy of niecie's restaraunt. our after dinner entertainment was a game of gin, and we spit a box of heart shaped junior mints for dessert.</p><p>it wasn't a flashy celebration, but we're thankful to have each other and we do our best to enjoy every day we have together.</p>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-88575317792183154372020-12-30T21:14:00.170-06:002021-01-16T18:47:03.045-06:00the wit and wisdom of ted<p>this was a hard year. the pandemic made it hard for the world. racial and political tensions made it hard for our country. and cancer made it hard for our family. but at the end of this crazy and exhausting year, ted lasso shined in like a ray of sunshine and i'll always be grateful for it.</p><p>the story of an american college football coach who ends up coaching professional soccer in southwest london, it is heartwarming and hilarious. but also heartbreaking at times. i didn't like the hard parts the first time through, but i've come to appreciate their importance.</p><p>while the show falls firmly in the comedy category, it is also full of poignant messages. the best of which, in my opinion, is ted's truth bomb from the final episode of season one:</p><p style="text-align: left;">"i promise you, there is something worse out there than being sad, and that is being alone and being sad. ain't nobody in this room alone."</p><p style="text-align: left;">a timely word for the year we've had.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdonCBTjA-5s_Whw2LJTDGV1AGO2wmRToE0ynY2jzts2_nL3v96oL4l_DbiAyAA8sQBils2n5GNpB9BvsgP6d4s-m7GYKdCqTX5GJNjYDl3iOu_UHWoAMxjmkBL3WaWXcY1iy36Q7YuA/s726/ted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="726" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFdonCBTjA-5s_Whw2LJTDGV1AGO2wmRToE0ynY2jzts2_nL3v96oL4l_DbiAyAA8sQBils2n5GNpB9BvsgP6d4s-m7GYKdCqTX5GJNjYDl3iOu_UHWoAMxjmkBL3WaWXcY1iy36Q7YuA/s16000/ted.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>there are a million other great quotes, and lines that made me laugh out loud, but i've narrowed it down to my ten favorites [which was no easy task]:</p><p>-</p><p>beard: you wanna grab some breakfast?</p><p>ted: nah, i just had one piece of cereal and i'm pretty stuffed.</p><p>-</p><p>rebecca: you're going to show up tomorrow with biscuits, aren't you?</p><p>ted: come on now. i would not bet on that. i mean, unless you wanna win a buttload of money.</p><p>-</p><p>rebecca: so, how was your first official day?</p><p>ted: i'm not entirely sure what y'all's smallest unit of measurement is over here, buuut that's about how much headway i made.</p><p>-</p><p>ted: you're gonna love this story. actually, did y'all get the oj trial over here?</p><p>-</p><p>ted: see what i tell ya, huh? this woman right here is strong, confident, and powerful. boss, i tell ya, i'd hate to see you and michelle obama arm wrestle, but i wouldn't be able to take my eyes off it either.</p><p>rebecca: that's not a compliment i've had before.</p><p>-</p><p>roy: agree to disagree. i find it hilarious. i thought it was funnier than step brothers.</p><p>ted: oooh, high praise.</p><p>roy: that scene where the bunk bed collapses? i used to think that was the funniest thing i'd ever seen, but then i just saw that, and now i'm gonna have to rethink my order of what i think is the funniest thing i've ever seen.</p><p>ted: yeah, that's where sports and art combine, as far as i'm concerned.</p><p>-</p><p>ted: nate the great! he's gonna be my date! and for obvious reasons we'd love to be at table eight!</p><p>-</p><p>sam: coach, is it true in america you guys have so many beautiful dogs in pounds that some get put down for no reason? </p><p>ted: that is true, sam. but it's also something a lot of female singer-songwriters are trying to change.</p><p>-</p><p>ted: all righty. see the milk sisters anywhere? you want me to skim the back room?</p><p>rebecca: don't make me regret this ted.</p><p>ted: don't worry, don't worry. i'm gonna be an udder gentleman, okay? hey, i wonder if they've ever seen the movie bridget jones's dairy? sorry, that's not my breast milk pun. i can do better.</p><p>rebecca: oh my gosh. this was a horrible idea. seriously, please go home.</p><p>-</p><p>ted: i promised myself i was never gonna watch fresh prince again when they swapped out aunt viv's. but truth be told, as long as they let carlton do his thing, i was always gonna take a minute and just sit right there.</p><p></p>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-51445126145637902482020-10-20T14:20:00.099-05:002020-11-10T23:33:30.799-06:00life with jack<p>jack turned twenty months on this 20th day of october, so i declared it to be his mini golden birthday. to celebrate, we thought we'd document a few of the fun things we're loving about jack right now:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>he loves playing with balls...footballs, basketballs, any kind of ball. and he excitedly yells "ball ball!" anytime he sees one.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>whenever he spots the chiefs logo or a football game on tv [which happens a lot at our house] he puts his arms up and says "touchdoooown chieeeefs!"</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>he has loads of hilarious faces and expressions: the sneaky, innocent look when he is trying to get something that's off limits; his big eyes when he runs across a room; the squinty eyes when he's copying daddy; the surprised face he makes just for fun; and the big, toothy grin when he sees a phone and says "cheeeese!"</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the awesome bouncy dance moves he breaks into almost every time he hears music.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>he's still an embarrassingly good sleeper and our quarantine rhythm has him sleeping in L. A. T. E. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the sing-song way he signs and says please, which sounds exactly like "peas." it's one of my favorite sounds. </li></ul><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BhcJ1vkabnRPzuE9zhCueDOjdhZefEzZJKMODANsrMbhOeGQROIeztljVcWROAapmkb6_C5krm6Uv8vO-te1iuZl0g30glDrp1mxf_LzOfdLtNP17AV6UiSIAD39y3OFV9ua5P1EKKU/s2048/jack+in+bed.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1700" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BhcJ1vkabnRPzuE9zhCueDOjdhZefEzZJKMODANsrMbhOeGQROIeztljVcWROAapmkb6_C5krm6Uv8vO-te1iuZl0g30glDrp1mxf_LzOfdLtNP17AV6UiSIAD39y3OFV9ua5P1EKKU/s16000/jack+in+bed.JPG" /></a></div>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-24556383934252567872020-09-16T22:01:00.239-05:002021-01-15T23:42:13.022-06:00that pandemic life<p>we've been living the pandemic life for about six months now, and while our pace of life is a little slower, in a lot of ways things aren't all that different from before. donald works at the hospital two or three nights a week, and jack and i spend most of our days hanging out at home. while we would certainly prefer to be going on adventures and spending more time with friends, overall being at home still feels pretty normal.</p><p>but there are many things we've become accustomed to over these past six months that are decidedly not normal. we wear masks everywhere we go and everywhere you look there are signs and floor stickers reminding us to stay six feet apart. grocery stores are well stocked again, but paying with cash isn't always an option due to a national coin shortage. we can't visit the library in person, so we reserve our books online and pick them up curbside. getting takeout food doesn't feel as risky as it once did, but actually eating inside of a restaurant is a rarity for us.</p><p>schools are a mixed bag. many districts have some form of in person learning, while others remain fully virtual. churches are able to hold services, and we've been a handful of times, but it isn't at all what we're used to. while there is some comfort in actually sitting in the sanctuary as opposed to watching online, and a welcome feeling of community with those we see on a sunday morning, things are very obviously not as they should be. the lights in the lobby are dim. there is no nursery or toddler room for jack to explore. there are many faces we don't get to see and our beloved lakeland lunches have been confined to zoom or the occasional socially distanced park visit.</p><p>there are stretches when we're at home for so many days in a row that i kind of forget how different everything is [except when all the pools were closed this summer...that i always remembered]. but there is no arguing that we are living in strange times. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20s2K6ZUZfFfp30QBjrRh0_EDl-pJufOmXNQdltXfIG3WYGVHxbI7gHmacFml-HeWYcLdFhcHjsko1wTcJvNrdbyf3PnMERV0k958GO7pQaF-rTFOv6W9iYW_XeWksL2yFBbQpDyUyxs/s2048/mask+%2526+jack.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20s2K6ZUZfFfp30QBjrRh0_EDl-pJufOmXNQdltXfIG3WYGVHxbI7gHmacFml-HeWYcLdFhcHjsko1wTcJvNrdbyf3PnMERV0k958GO7pQaF-rTFOv6W9iYW_XeWksL2yFBbQpDyUyxs/s16000/mask+%2526+jack.JPG" /></a></div>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-6935539866586102842020-06-08T12:11:00.017-05:002020-11-03T23:44:04.467-06:00the one where we were all in quarantine<div>these are certainly strange times. our little family was already adjusting to a temporary new normal as we were spending much of our time in st. louis helping my mom through chemo, and then everything changed. for a time the news was shifting significantly hour by hour. schools and universities were closing. professional and collegiate sports cancelled. the number of people permitted to gather in one place started dropping and didn't stop. it all happened so fast. </div><div><br /></div><div>we didn't know what we were getting into. no one did. i was especially nervous about my mom contracting covid with her weakened immune system. we didn't eat any outside food for two solid months, not even takeout. we wore masks to the grocery store, where we sometimes had to wait in line to get in. many shelves were empty and the toilet paper aisle was always bare. methodically wiping down each grocery item as it was unpacked was a chore. we went exactly nowhere else.</div><div><br /></div><div>time had almost no meaning as the days blurred together, but there was still good. there were things that brought joy in the midst of so much uncertainty. these are some of those things:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>daily walks with jack [and in an ideal spot no less]</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>lakeland lunch zooms</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>lots of jigsaw puzzles</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>jack's falling off the chair video</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>lakeland's easter benediction</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>donald playing with jack over facetime</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the parks & rec special</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>mom's birthday parade</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the marco polo app</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>colt clark & the quarantine kids</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>a family size package of original chips ahoy cookies</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoK9JUfRxmt-WRr2xWAaRMegxUYk9xAjKY0E9tOQjY-rN2tElnqNu1oNU0qILtovWiMxeJmSXkE8oiUY4x3WqSJxvQB8Tblv1Fo9Zk-gPs25ouP6gIgg-4cikFgKTj8exKJv-dbyHQqY/s2048/410DB57C-B7CE-43C6-952B-7B3300B872E0.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoK9JUfRxmt-WRr2xWAaRMegxUYk9xAjKY0E9tOQjY-rN2tElnqNu1oNU0qILtovWiMxeJmSXkE8oiUY4x3WqSJxvQB8Tblv1Fo9Zk-gPs25ouP6gIgg-4cikFgKTj8exKJv-dbyHQqY/d/410DB57C-B7CE-43C6-952B-7B3300B872E0.JPG" /></a></div>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-75256476383692386002020-02-20T20:23:00.011-06:002020-11-10T23:42:57.182-06:00jack is one<div style="text-align: center;">[aka baby jack; jack jack; jack-o-jack; buddy] </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7n0Q4XZHB5T6GNyu0W10I-HUJf5hkJIQWos9Jk1ztljGlp4OeAqOnrOeUqNkW8Y6g4e7v3rCgZqnEoALN0OgBrlOZM2r_eBYjF_3WQCM6jmJQHtOh58Lw7EMKIuYsAxx9xhKkw9yBpk8/s2048/2020-02-20+20.16.16-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7n0Q4XZHB5T6GNyu0W10I-HUJf5hkJIQWos9Jk1ztljGlp4OeAqOnrOeUqNkW8Y6g4e7v3rCgZqnEoALN0OgBrlOZM2r_eBYjF_3WQCM6jmJQHtOh58Lw7EMKIuYsAxx9xhKkw9yBpk8/d/2020-02-20+20.16.16-2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">these are ten </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">of the things </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">we love about you: </span></p></div><div><p style="text-align: left;">1. you are a champion sleeper [and we appreciate that very much] </p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. the way your face lights up when you smile </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. when you laugh really hard and drop your head </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. the way you play and explore </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. you are generous with your smiles and good at making friends </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">6. how excited you get when you see mom or dad </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">7. the sound of your giggles </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">8. those bright blue eyes that everyone loves to comment on </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9. you are an easygoing traveler </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10. when you lay your head on us and snuggle [it doesn't happen very often, but we LOVE when it does]</span></p></div><div><div><div><div><ol>
</ol>
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</div></div></div>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-57045706875376989312020-01-26T21:25:00.018-06:002021-02-02T23:10:51.779-06:00anniversary number seven<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Lh7NVmAdc0sxAeGFefW_zeh33kVYiddi2sWimVCafeQASHiUQ6XcF04ErqqdK1V5OgPF8iotL3rAaGOdCFlpDJkvTooysPIh-5bVYkziowcGeP0ll9H7_7LceMSpVT7xrh-zpswqUbg/s2048/2020-01-29+12.53.32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Lh7NVmAdc0sxAeGFefW_zeh33kVYiddi2sWimVCafeQASHiUQ6XcF04ErqqdK1V5OgPF8iotL3rAaGOdCFlpDJkvTooysPIh-5bVYkziowcGeP0ll9H7_7LceMSpVT7xrh-zpswqUbg/d/2020-01-29+12.53.32.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">on anniversary eve jack spent a few hours with grandma while we used donald's beloved amc film fanatic card to see <i>just mercy</i> and indulge in </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">some sweet treats from hurts donuts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">on our actual anniversary we were heading to st. louis, so to keep with tradition we scouted a location for some road trippin' fried chicken. we ended up at lee's famous </span>recipe<span style="font-family: inherit;"> chicken in columbia and were pleasantly surprised to find that their recipe is famous for good reason. we made it to my mom's house and after putting jack to bed we settled in for an evening of fighting the villains in harry potter hogwarts battle.</span>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-86056904299088403272019-12-12T17:30:00.051-06:002020-06-13T01:01:56.301-05:00dyer [not so] diy: kitchen edition<span style="font-family: inherit;">after five years of dreaming, planning, and also procrastinating, we officially said goodbye to the original 78th street kitchen on august 12th. and a very, very, very long four months later, we finally have a working kitchen again!</span><div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIR4-u_IKoylKps_9hBzfPjgq-hHQMczvPVbgML5zXfOF8Sn3wycgxXbj_tDHDofXJ-vwbnkCHsZ0_YTgCVlvYJfN2S6G2sI8esWnHS5UuPXp1sdYG9F2olAnQ_ez99emdvTaYzlka7o/s4032/2019-08-12+09.29.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiIR4-u_IKoylKps_9hBzfPjgq-hHQMczvPVbgML5zXfOF8Sn3wycgxXbj_tDHDofXJ-vwbnkCHsZ0_YTgCVlvYJfN2S6G2sI8esWnHS5UuPXp1sdYG9F2olAnQ_ez99emdvTaYzlka7o/d/2019-08-12+09.29.02.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>as someone who is not great at making decisions and loves to overanalyze everything, a kitchen remodel that we plan to enjoy long term was quite a daunting task. throw in the fact that i'm kind of a perfectionist with impossibly high standards and it's borderline impossible. after the literal years we spent designing the layout and choosing the finishes, the final hurdle was finding a contractor to do the actual work. this was another lengthy step in the process, but in the end we found robert and he was delightful.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">it was interesting timing to be without a kitchen when jack was starting solid foods. we did have a refrigerator and microwave, but no running water on the main level of the house. generally our eating habits weren't stellar to begin with, but the no kitchen situation brought them to a new low. thankfully i discovered microwaveable pot stickers, which became a staple of my diet, and a friend lent us her kitchen for some crock pot meal prep, so we muddled through.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>the transformation is pretty stunning in both appearance and function. it's very surreal, but we're thrilled with the final result.</div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxV6YinStwcKsLChxbJafgZtBgECE7drTA-rfXY_jW_nAhaiSKhw1KhqSctKBCwN5rAspiO7jfLlDaJB9pC433_UxXHGaKsqAI3ce17woHkQhrK8QrTh2W67yy5RUgwN1AW4MPhLxPBI8/s4032/2019-12-12+16.56.38.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxV6YinStwcKsLChxbJafgZtBgECE7drTA-rfXY_jW_nAhaiSKhw1KhqSctKBCwN5rAspiO7jfLlDaJB9pC433_UxXHGaKsqAI3ce17woHkQhrK8QrTh2W67yy5RUgwN1AW4MPhLxPBI8/d/2019-12-12+16.56.38.jpg" /></a></div>shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-35964537318906018982019-09-30T16:04:00.000-05:002020-04-03T13:13:26.821-05:00jack's first flightthe original plan was to take jack's first flight as a family for our mostly annual trip with the pullens to visit the taltons in north carolina. unfortunately ku had other plans and scheduled the opening of their new freestanding psych unit on the same weekend. so long story short, donald had to stay home. never one to pass up an adventure, i decided i was up for tackling the flight with jack solo.<br />
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we arrived at kci as prepared as we could be and hoping for the best. i was already slightly concerned about getting through the dallas airport and making our connecting flight with a pretty short layover, then our flight out of kc was delayed due to a bird strike. that was a new one for me. it ultimately ended up that everything was delayed out of dfw as well, so it all worked out in the end. on our first flight we unexpectedly ran into the parents of some college friends, which was a fun surprise. and we also completed our first in-flight airplane bathroom diaper change, so i imagine my merit badge should be arriving soon.<br />
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jack was a great little traveler and made a lot of new friends [i haven't interacted with this many strangers in an airport since i flew with the harry potter books]. our long weekend in nc was delightful as usual. lots of good conversation, london broil, low country boil, and of course more than a few games of wizard. jacob and i also kicked it old school with an impromptu audio adrenaline sing-a-long, which is now officially one of the highlights of our friendship.shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-52785865239160886732019-07-01T12:00:00.001-05:002020-11-10T13:56:21.980-06:00life with jackafter a few months in survival mode and an insane amount of pumping and supplemental bottles [which in hindsight were probably largely unnecessary] we've settled into a good routine. jack typically wakes up for first breakfast after sleeping eight or nine hours, a feat which mom and dad are both incredibly thankful for. soon after he and i both head back to bed for a bit because the love of sleep is one of our core family values. jack does his sleeping in a bassinet by our bed partly because he is "supposed to" and partly because his room isn't ready, but he's a pretty great roommate so we don't mind one bit.<br />
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our days mostly consist of a repetitive cycle of eating, playing, and sleeping, along with a healthy dose of spitting up, which seems to be jack's favorite activity. we have dyer dinner every thursday and church and lakeland lunch on sunday. we do our best to get out of the house a few other times each week and get ourselves to a pool as often as possible.<br />
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shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-72846062662478049582019-04-27T09:27:00.000-05:002020-03-09T23:14:03.563-05:00the baby blurno matter how much you try to prepare for bringing your first baby home, there's just no way to really understand what it will be like until you're in the thick of it. your friends try to warn you, the books and blogs give you advice, but ultimately you just have to jump in and hang on. looking back i can see how the days and weeks unfolded, but at the time it was all a blur.<br />
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that first month was literally all about survival. i heard this a lot when i was pregnant, but it's hard to comprehend just how true it is until you're in it. aside from my obvious new job of taking care of jack, i had exactly four priorities and the number one priority was sleep. this was by far the most important thing to me and i'd say the pursuit of sleep consumed at least 80% of my thoughts that first month. i was constantly calculating how long it would be until i could sleep again and how long i'd be able to stay in bed once i got there. numbers two and three sometimes switched out of necessity, but generally priority number two was eating and number three was going to the bathroom. while both of these things did obviously happen, they would easily get the boot if sleep was an option. coming in at a distant fourth was taking a shower, and we only made it that far down the list on a few rare occasions.<br />
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in the second month small glimpses of normal life started to appear. don't get me wrong, sleep was still very much the number one priority, but i would occasionally have the capacity to think about other things. we made it to church. we'd do something wild and crazy like go out to eat, visit a park, or walk around target. embarking on one of these adventures usually necessitated a day or two of recovery after, but we were beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.<br />
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we're now in month three and i'd say we're figuring out our new normal. we've emerged from the blur and i usually have enough mental capacity to think about more than just sleeping, eating and pooping. we're making plans to leave the house to see friends and family instead of them having to come to us, and i've even started working on a few house projects. the progress on these projects is slower than slow, but progress is still progress, and life is good.shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-23563362025204831282019-02-25T21:04:00.000-06:002020-03-30T12:54:18.404-05:00the day that jack was borndonald went to work as usual on a regular monday night with plans to meet me at the doctor's office early the next morning. it was to be a routine appointment, and while this wasn't our first choice, we expected to have a conversation about potential induction dates later that week or early the next since there was no indication my body was gearing up for labor and my doctor did not want me to go past the due date because to my advanced maternal age. which incidentally is a delightful phrase to hear on a regular basis.<br />
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spoiler: it was not a routine appointment.<br />
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when we arrived my blood pressure was a little high and we were sent directly over to labor and delivery. the plan was simply for me to be monitored in triage for a few hours to rule out preeclampsia, but in a confusing and comical series of events i was instead taken straight to a delivery room. the staff was certain i was there to be induced and it took awhile to convince them otherwise. ultimately the monitoring showed i was fine and we were given the choice to go home and come back the next day to be checked, or to just stay and be induced. it is worth mentioning that donald had been awake for well over twenty four hours at this point. that was a strong argument for team 'let's go home'. on the other hand there was yet another big snow storm brewing, and much more importantly, i had already been stuck with an iv. it's probably important to know that i do not like needles. at all. so when i realized that if we went home i'd have to get the iv taken out and then get stuck again, i made up my mind. with the iv in my arm i was basically halfway through labor anyway, so i wanted to stay. and when you're the one having the baby, your vote counts twice.<br />
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once we made the decision to stay things progressed in what i can only assume was a very typical way. my body responded well to the medication to induce labor and things were moving along. throughout the evening i started feeling a little more uncomfortable, but i was surprised and honestly a little confused that i wasn't really in any pain. i alternated between walking the halls and sitting on the ball until it was late enough to go to bed. i kept asking when i should get the epidural and my nurse said i would know when it was time. when i woke up and couldn't to get back to sleep for an hour i decided it was time. those epidurals are marvelous things.<br />
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aside from a few interruptions, i slept soundly until my doctor showed up the next morning and told me it was time to push. donald's job was to support me by holding me up behind my shoulders during the pushing, and he was doing a great job. while the encouraging tone of the doctor and nurse indicated otherwise, there was not much actual progress being made and the people who knew that were settling in for a long labor. then, without consulting anyone, donald decided to see what would happen if he held me up by my lower back instead. and what happened is the baby came out. this surprised everyone, including the doctor.<br />
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they laid him on my chest and there was a flurry of activity as a bunch of people, who were also surprised by the sudden arrival, rushed to our room for various tasks. i was awake and alert for the first few minutes and remember donald standing up to cut the cord before suddenly feeling very, very sleepy. and this is where things got interesting. i laid back and closed my eyes as a second wave of activity flooded the room. the basic gist is that i had some significant tearing that a typical repair wasn't going to fix and i was losing blood fast. my blood pressure tanked and donald could only sit and watch as a scene from ER unfolded in front of him and they whisked me away.<br />
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i was groggy in the operating room, but still mostly aware of what was happening around me. this gave me the advantage of reading the voices in the room and recognizing that once the doctors got to work everyone seemed much calmer, which is how i knew i was going to be okay. unfortunately donald did not have the same luxury. i'm certain the whole ordeal was much worse for him as he was left alone in the delivery room with our son and very few updates over the next two hours. we did eventually make it in and out of recovery and into a regular room. ultimately i couldn't feel my legs for a day and a half, and my hospital stay was slightly longer than usual, but things otherwise went back to normal. in true dyer fashion we didn't settle on a name until almost two days later, but we finally got there and officially introduced jack marshall to the world.<br />
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shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-39797800937870663472019-01-26T22:30:00.000-06:002020-01-20T15:30:18.870-06:00anniversary number six<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">from the beginning of this pregnancy we knew we were in no particular hurry to find out our baby's gender, but i was also pretty sure we wouldn't wait to be surprised in the delivery room. when the day of the revealing ultrasound came we had the tech seal a photo in an envelope, and donald was in charge of hiding it when we got home. i didn't think much more about it, but there was a close call one evening when i was home alone and accidentally discovered donald's hiding place. i was confused by the blank, sealed envelope i found stuck in a random book, and was seconds away from opening it when i suddenly realized what i was holding. [and no, i did not peek.]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">since our anniversary happened to fall about a month before the due date we figured it was as good a time as any to pull that envelope back out. we grabbed fun treats from the store and some sharx fried chicken and had a little indoor picnic. after dinner we opened the envelope together and were both a little shocked to see 'it's-a-boy!' typed across the ultrasound photo, but happy to know we're having a son.</span><br />
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<br />shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-6919970916965481852018-09-26T23:27:00.000-05:002019-10-24T23:11:06.865-05:00it's a jolly holiday with donaldour plan for this trip was to travel slow, so after a short layover in iceland we landed in london with just a few must do items on our list and only a general idea of how we would spend our days. between the time change, extra pregnancy sleep, and donald's internal clock being set to the night shift, we weren't super successful in overcoming our jet lag. this resulted in an overabundance of nap time, but we still had a jolly good time exploring the city and enjoying our week with the british.<br />
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the first morning we popped into an ole & steen bakery and donald fell in love with their cinnamon social. he had one for breakfast every day, while i ran into the sainsbury's across the street for two croissants and a pint of skim milk. with the rest of our days we explored some charming old streets on our way to eat handmade pasta, got caught in a rainstorm at the tower bridge and warmed up with bangers and mash at a cozy pub, attended evensong at westminster abbey, ate wafflemeister waffels whenever we got the chance, waved to the queen at the palace, tried a scotched egg, spent sunday evening in a neighborhood pub with nfl redzone, and one of us thoroughly enjoyed our frequent underground rides.<br />
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while i found london to be as delightful as ever, our two favorite activities happened to be the ones that took us outside the city. the last time i was in england visiting some friends i talked myself out of a side trip to a miniature village i knew i'd love because i was too cheap, so this time we took the train to beaconsfield to visit the bekonscot model village and it was by far my favorite day. the village itself is tucked away in the midst of a quiet residential area, and our stroll there from the train station was delightfully charming. the miniatures were just as magical as i'd hoped and i was so glad we went on that little adventure.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fKMG0xlugfGu4mdEV8rsET5OLZmoFYFm0GP8Kp59GV8xt8jZrjLwv1sCndGhWYGA2T-M0oWmH_S5oGUMyHKLDt8Za6yX-S4OoR66R7Ph2_5SqKr6FVeRtms7o5rQmN1dafi5EHOZv0g/s1600/2018-09-23+16.19.43-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7fKMG0xlugfGu4mdEV8rsET5OLZmoFYFm0GP8Kp59GV8xt8jZrjLwv1sCndGhWYGA2T-M0oWmH_S5oGUMyHKLDt8Za6yX-S4OoR66R7Ph2_5SqKr6FVeRtms7o5rQmN1dafi5EHOZv0g/s1600/2018-09-23+16.19.43-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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unsurprisingly, donald's favorite activity [aside from nfl redzone] was the very thing that enticed him to agree to the trip in the first place. our main event was a visit to the making of harry potter at warner brothers studio, where we saw first hand the magical ways the movies brought the world of harry potter to life. we wandered the great hall, saw tons of sets, props, and costumes, and learned some fun trivia about the filming, like how the color of voldemort's robe faded each time a horcrux was destroyed. this was also the same day we happened upon an english chap on the train wearing an iconic kc heart t-shirt, and that was a delightful surprise.<br />
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shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-82955888790741831472018-07-21T16:32:00.000-05:002019-10-03T15:03:24.595-05:00mcculloch's kansas city adventure<span style="font-family: inherit;">for the past few summers my mom has hosted a sleepover for my cousin's daughter mcculloch. they usually go swimming like twelve times, watch movies and go on a little adventure. she is easy to please and is always gushing about how great her sleepovers are. this year my mom decided she wanted to go big with the adventure and bring mcculloch to legoland in kansas city. so they took their sleepover on the road and we spent a few days having fun together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">along with the visit to legoland, we made art at kalidescope, swam at a water park, had hamburgers delivered by a model train, ate some questionable jelly beans, and were wowed by donald's light saber pizza cutter. </span>it was definitely action packed, but the best part was hearing the hilarious things that mcculloch says. so in no particular order, here are my top ten mcculloch-isms:<br />
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1. are you jealous of my comedy?<br />
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2. [as dag is licking her] this is the old school way to wash your hands<br />
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3. i feel like a real gamer now<br />
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4. that was harder than spreading cheese on a rotten cracker<br />
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5. you guys have the coolest objects [referencing the tv remote you can talk into, but needless to say she was very impressed with all of donald's toys]<br />
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6. this is like a water wonderland!<br />
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7. we're such an amazing couple [re: shelly & mcculloch]<br />
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8. oh no, papa sir knows nothing about fashion<br />
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9. having kids is a fun and hard job<br />
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10. the funnest part of today was just being a family<br />
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shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-35194536486959660152018-07-10T11:00:00.000-05:002019-10-02T21:01:23.057-05:00how we summerit's no secret that i love summer. i love sunshine and swimming and shave ice. i also love the feel of summer...the freedom from school and responsibilities. obviously most adults don't get to enjoy the same level of freedom as the kids, but i still do my best to make summer feel like summer, even as a grown up. we typically take a bit of a break from house projects and try to spend our time enjoying summery things.<br />
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after a few too many summers that felt like they were over before i really got to enjoy them, i started making 'the summer list'. it's a fun way to make sure we don't miss out on our favorite activities and really, who doesn't love checking things off a list! the only downside is that most of the items require some level of planning or scheduling, so it wasn't really helping with that carefree summer feeling. so this year i added a mantra...enjoy every day.<br />
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it isn't much different than the simple discipline of noticing. i wanted to fully enjoy the moments that felt most like summer, and maybe add a little something extra to make them more fun. so instead of eating that shave ice or qt cone in the car, we found a patch of grass to lounge in. i took the back roads home at night with the windows down and the radio up [i also randomly started playing real mccoy songs, which immediately transported me to the summers of the late 90's and those early morning pom practices]. there were day movies and night movies. walks to the thrift store. honey smacks for breakfast. mugs up root beer floats, just because. sandwiches with lettuce. sitting outside after dark. reading by the pool. and an adventure to find the raytown dragon...and i thoroughly enjoyed it all.shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525713053517590965.post-90993660209338451132018-06-23T22:15:00.000-05:002019-10-02T10:35:18.257-05:00our last little pig<div>
it's a little surprising how often we've been able to host the ardens in kc the past few years, and we had another opportunity when their cross country sabbatical road trip passed right through raytown.</div>
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as is the tradition, we introduced them to another staple of the kansas city barbecue scene with a visit to joe's, and we also made a stop at the beloved mama china. our few days together were otherwise spent chatting, playing games, taking walks, breaking out of an escape room and sorting through donald's baseball card collection. </div>
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the other tradition is eating our last meal together at the little pig in belton. what we didn't know at the time was that it would be our last chance since the restaurant was destroyed by fire a few months later, but we're thankful we got to enjoy those bbq sundae's together one last time!</div>
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shellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05477159037517062379noreply@blogger.com0