Friday, November 09, 2012
Thursday, November 08, 2012
Election 2012
Taken from Daddy's Facebook page:
The political musings of my kids:
Dad: Who should be president?
5 yr old: George Washington!
Dad: Good choice, for a corpse...what about you?
3 yr old: I dunno
Dad: Would you pick a donkey or an elephant?
3 yr old: I think I pick the giraffe
Dad: Also a good idea.
The political musings of my kids:
Dad: Who should be president?
5 yr old: George Washington!
Dad: Good choice, for a corpse...what about you?
3 yr old: I dunno
Dad: Would you pick a donkey or an elephant?
3 yr old: I think I pick the giraffe
Dad: Also a good idea.
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
My Sweet Daughters
Today I am thankful for my girls.
I am on travel for work and after having been gone for only a short hour, I already got a phone call from my Ellie. She just HAD to tell me that she counted 76 cars on the train that stopped them on the way to school! She just HAD to share.
And my sweet Addie. They called again before going to bed. I told Addie I missed her and she sadly said "Yes." Then I told her "I have an idea. How about you go to bed and think of me. Then when I go to sleep I will think of you and we can hug each other in our dreams?" She excitedly said, "Yeah! I go to bed RIGHT NOW!!!" before hanging up the phone.
I'm blessed.
I am on travel for work and after having been gone for only a short hour, I already got a phone call from my Ellie. She just HAD to tell me that she counted 76 cars on the train that stopped them on the way to school! She just HAD to share.
And my sweet Addie. They called again before going to bed. I told Addie I missed her and she sadly said "Yes." Then I told her "I have an idea. How about you go to bed and think of me. Then when I go to sleep I will think of you and we can hug each other in our dreams?" She excitedly said, "Yeah! I go to bed RIGHT NOW!!!" before hanging up the phone.
I'm blessed.
Monday, November 05, 2012
Friday, November 02, 2012
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Heartache in Gnifferland
I am blessed beyond words, and so many ways that it would be pointless to attempt to list them all out in this post, so I'll just speak to one. My gnomes. Though this blog is usually focused on my girls, I feel like I need to get this out. I suppose it's fitting because it's my gnomes that have made this blog slip a bit, but that's besides the point.
Gniffer's Gnomes has taken off and has established such success that I'm still in shock over it. My fans love the gnomes because they give them a tiny pick-me-up and are always looking for ways to make the garden a better place. The demand for my tiny fuzzy gnomes and their personalized stories is so great that sometimes it's hard for me to maintain my enthusiasm because the feeling of constantly being "behind" and never being able to catch up threatens my ability to stay positive.
But then there are the reactions I get from people. It seems that these tiny gnomes have brought so many tears to people's eyes in the last year and a half. Yes, I've made more than my fair share of people cry, though they've mostly been happy tears (I hope). There is just enough in their stories to make a person feel really loved and cherish.
It's magic. And it keeps me motivated to bring as many gnomes to life as possible.
However, in recent weeks I've experienced some difficult times in Gnifferland, and it's for reasons that I was not prepared to deal with. I've dealt with people complaining about the long wait list, or the prices, or even not getting the details right. Those are easy hurdles to move past.
Though most gnome stories are uplifting and bring a smile to one's face, there have been some difficult topics that I've had to address as well. Sometimes one might make the argument that someone with an illness is in MOST need of a gnome to lift their spirits. I've been secretly proud of my ability to handle such sad and serious situations in a way that still keeps with the light-hearted character of a gnome.
But now enough time has passed that I have been faced with reality.
Last year I made this set (Bushels of Hope)for a family whose Daddy was suffering from a rare type of cancer. The thought was that they would each have a gnome to keep them company while Daddy stayed in the hospital for long durations. Sometimes Mommy would stay at the hospital with Daddy, and sometimes she would stay home with their little girl. A year and a half later I saw a status update on my friend's FB page, saying she was at her friend's funeral. "Nothing more crushing than hearing his 5 yr old daughter crying during the service."
And I found I was lost for words.
Earlier this year I made these two gnomes. What started out as a simple Gnome Give Away Contest for Patches, ended up with me making one for the winner's (a 5 year old little girl who suffers from brain cancer) little 3 year old sister as well (Patches #1 Fan). On the very same day as when I found out the fate of "Daddy" from above, I learned that Patches' Mommy had to make the decision that no parent should ever have to make. The had decided to stop treatment and let their beautiful girl live the rest of her life as pain-free as possible.
Again I was lost for words, though I knew my heart felt overwhelmed with powerful emotions. I managed to bottle it up until I saw a new update today.
Her Mommy wrote:
"the docs asked me if it came to it if i would want her incubated and have them try everything possible to save her...my answer was NO, i do not want her on a tube where she cannot talk, i want her to be able to say she loves us if she is dying i want to be selfish enough to say i want to hear her last words to me dammit."
OH. MY. GOD. As a Mommy myself, this brutally honest sentiment is beyond powerful.
I did not ever have any direct contact with either of these people. In fact, I never once heard from them, nor did I expect to. I've always feared that my well intentions might be taken as an insult. After all, how can I expect a tiny 2" felted wool critter cure cancer?? How can a firm chuck of wool, no matter how cute it may be, help in such a sad situation???
No, I didn't know these people. Nor did I really expect my gnomes to cure cancer. However, for the day or two in which I was creating each of their gnomes, I gave them my heart. I put my heart and soul into their situation, even if just for a short period of time. They touched me. They may not know who I am, but I feel like they have become a part of who I am.
And so I guess it makes sense for me to feel a significant loss right now. My heart goes out to these families, whether they know it or not.
Again, I am so blessed in an infinite number of ways, in spite of Gnifferland being touched by heartache.
Gniffer's Gnomes has taken off and has established such success that I'm still in shock over it. My fans love the gnomes because they give them a tiny pick-me-up and are always looking for ways to make the garden a better place. The demand for my tiny fuzzy gnomes and their personalized stories is so great that sometimes it's hard for me to maintain my enthusiasm because the feeling of constantly being "behind" and never being able to catch up threatens my ability to stay positive.
But then there are the reactions I get from people. It seems that these tiny gnomes have brought so many tears to people's eyes in the last year and a half. Yes, I've made more than my fair share of people cry, though they've mostly been happy tears (I hope). There is just enough in their stories to make a person feel really loved and cherish.
It's magic. And it keeps me motivated to bring as many gnomes to life as possible.
However, in recent weeks I've experienced some difficult times in Gnifferland, and it's for reasons that I was not prepared to deal with. I've dealt with people complaining about the long wait list, or the prices, or even not getting the details right. Those are easy hurdles to move past.
Though most gnome stories are uplifting and bring a smile to one's face, there have been some difficult topics that I've had to address as well. Sometimes one might make the argument that someone with an illness is in MOST need of a gnome to lift their spirits. I've been secretly proud of my ability to handle such sad and serious situations in a way that still keeps with the light-hearted character of a gnome.
But now enough time has passed that I have been faced with reality.
And I found I was lost for words.
Again I was lost for words, though I knew my heart felt overwhelmed with powerful emotions. I managed to bottle it up until I saw a new update today.
Her Mommy wrote:
"the docs asked me if it came to it if i would want her incubated and have them try everything possible to save her...my answer was NO, i do not want her on a tube where she cannot talk, i want her to be able to say she loves us if she is dying i want to be selfish enough to say i want to hear her last words to me dammit."
OH. MY. GOD. As a Mommy myself, this brutally honest sentiment is beyond powerful.
I did not ever have any direct contact with either of these people. In fact, I never once heard from them, nor did I expect to. I've always feared that my well intentions might be taken as an insult. After all, how can I expect a tiny 2" felted wool critter cure cancer?? How can a firm chuck of wool, no matter how cute it may be, help in such a sad situation???
No, I didn't know these people. Nor did I really expect my gnomes to cure cancer. However, for the day or two in which I was creating each of their gnomes, I gave them my heart. I put my heart and soul into their situation, even if just for a short period of time. They touched me. They may not know who I am, but I feel like they have become a part of who I am.
And so I guess it makes sense for me to feel a significant loss right now. My heart goes out to these families, whether they know it or not.
Again, I am so blessed in an infinite number of ways, in spite of Gnifferland being touched by heartache.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
The World According to Ellie (5 years old)
In case you're keeping track of how much this lovely little girl has grown, here is The World According to Ellie at 4 years old.
My name is LORI-ELLE VINCEN(t)
I am FIVE YEARS OLD AND I'M IN KINDERGARTEN ALREADY!!! THE FIRST RULE OF KINDERGARTEN IS TO HAVE FUN! THE SECOND RULE IS TO RESPECT YOUR TEACHER AND DON'T INTERRUPT. I FORGET WHAT THE THREE-D RULE IS.
This is how I write my name:
This is what I look like:
I have DIRTY BLONDE HAIR. THAT MEANS IT'S DARK BLONDE BUT NOT REALLY DIRTY. I have brown eyes and have lost one tooth!
I even have my ears pierced!
The people in my family are MOMMY, DADDY AND ADD-A-LINE. SOMETIMES MY FAMILY IS ALSO LOTS OF PEOPLE LIKE AUNT ERIN, AUDREY AND CLIVE. AND GRAMMA. AND NANA. AND GRANPA. AND GRANPA LOU. AND GRANDMOMMY JEANNE....
This is what my family looks like:
I love my mommy because SHE GIVES ME LOTS OF LOVEY KISSES.
I love my daddy because HE GIVES ME LOTS OF TICKLES AND WHEN I HUG HIM IT MEANS I WANT TO BE TICKLED!
I love my sister because SHE GIVES ME LOTS OF HUGS AND SHE THINKS I'M FUNNY. I LIKE TO MAKE HER LAUGH.
My favorite toy is BUN BUN. I'M NEVER EVER GOING TO FORGET HER!!! TELL ME A STORY ABOUT BUN BUN WHEN I WAS JUST A BABY...
My favorite friends are BRYNN AND IZZY. I CAN ONLY PLAY WITH BRYNN FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES IN THE MORNING UNTIL SHE GOES TO HER KINDERGARTEN. THEN I CAN PLAY WITH IZZY UNTIL BRYNN COMES BACK IN THE AFTERNOON.
My favorite thing to do is LEARN AT SCHOOL. I LOVE TO LEARN HOW TO READ!! I CAN READ ALL OF THE WORDS. REALLY! I CAN!
The best things about me are I'M TICKLISH, I LAUGH GOOD AND I LOVE DADDY AND I LIKE TO HUG HIM.
I'm good at playing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on my saxophone, doing flips in the water & swinging on monkey bars.
I'm especially good at writing my words all by myself!
My favorite color is PINK THEN PURPLE THEN BLUE
My favorite food is MAC & CHEESE AT RED ROBIN. MY FAVORITE DESSERT IS PUMPKIN APPLE BROWNIE SURPRISE!
My favorite place to go is WHAT'S THE PLACE WHERE WE GET TO COOK OUR OWN FOOD? (Melting Pot)
My favorite game is TAG THE MONKEY!!
My favorite animal is A GIRAFFE AND HER NAME IS SPOTTY!
My favorite magical creature is A UNICORN AND HER NAME IS FLOWER! SOMETIMES HER NAME IS SNOWFLAKE IF SHE'S A WINTER UNICORN. HER NAME IS FLOWER IF SHE'S A SPRING UNICORN.
My favorite song is THE RAINBOW SONG THAT GOES LIKE THIS: WE'RE A RAINBOW MADE OF CHILDREN. WE'RE AN ARMY SINGING OUR SONG. THERE'S NO WEAPON THAT CAN STOP US. RAINBOW LOVE IS MUCH TOO STRONG."
My favorite book is ALL THE BOOKS AT MY SCHOOL LIKE "12 LITTLE PIGGIES ARE HUNGRY." WE GO TO THE LIBRARY EVERY THURSDAY SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE BRING MY BOOSTER SEAT OK? WE GET TO PICK OUT OUR VERY OWN BOOKS EVERY TIME!!! BUT DON'T WORRY, MOMMY. THE BOOKS STAY AT SCHOOL SO WE DON'T LOSE THEM.
My favorite weather is WINTER TIME BECAUSE I LOVE TO PLAY IN THE SNOW. IT'S FALL TIME NOW AND THAT MEANS WINTER IS NEXT! I'M SOOO ESS-CITED!!! I LIKE WINTER THE BEST BECAUSE WE GET TO SLED DOWN THE HILLS!!!
When I grow up I want to be A BALLERINA TEACHER AND I WANT TO TEACH MY KIDS HOW TO BALLERINA DANCE. I WANT TO BE A MOMMY AND I WANNA HAVE 5 KIDS!
I'M GOING TO MARRY MICHAEL WHEN I GET OLDER. HE DOESN'T REALLY WANT TO MARRY ME RIGHT NOW BUT THAT'S OK BECAUSE I'M NOT READY. MAYBE HE'LL BE READY WHEN I GO TO SCHOOL WITH HIM AGAIN IN FIRST GRADE.
My favorite place to visit is GRANPA LOU'S HOUSE AND PAPPY'S HOUSE BECAUSE I LOVE GRANDPA LOU AND PAPPY!!!
The most beautiful place I've ever seen is INSIDE DA CHURCH WITH CHURCH WINDOWS.
I would like to help the world by TELLING THEM "SAFETY FIRST!" AND RESPECT EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING. IT MEANS RESPECT THE PERSON AND RESPECT THE TOYS. BE NICE TO OTHER PEOPLE AND BE GENTLE WITH ALL THE TOYS.
My thoughts on God are: I THINK THAT GOD IS IN THE STARS SO WHEN WE FEEL ALONE WE CAN GO TO THE STARS AND SEE HIM. I LEARNED THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SIMBA'S DADDY TOLD HIM (from The Lion King). SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOD AND SOME DO NOT AND THAT'S OK. I DECDIDED THAT I DO BELIEVE IN HIM.
My thoughts on Santa & the Tooth Fairy: I THINK THAT SANTA IS REAL BECAUSE HE LEFT ME PRESENTS LAST YEAR. FAIRIES AREN'T REAL. THE ONLY FAIRY THAT IS FOR REAL IS THE TOOTH FAIRY. I BELIEVE IN THE TOOTH FAIRY BECAUSE I WANT TO BELIEVE SHE IS REAL. IF I DON'T BELIEVE SHE IS REAL THEN SHE WON'T BE REAL AND THAT WILL MAKE HER SAD.
How long did it take for Rapunzel to grow her hair out? 50 HUNDRED YEARS!
How many people are in the entire world? 50 HUNDRED!!!
What we will remember most about Ellie at this age is...
In the last year something just clicked in your head. It's as though there is now no limit to the things you can learn and you are doing so at an exponential rate. Whether it's writing, reading, biology, or even how the world works around you, you amaze us with your new knowledge every day. You like to remind people that "I know better than you because I'm in Kindergarten now." You're so proud of your achievements, as you should be, and you say your favorite thing about school is how much learning you do. If there was one single thing that you are most proud of yourself for, it's that you are always coming up with good solutions. When you list the people you love, you remember to include yourself and tell us that it's ok for you to love yourself because you're a very nice person. When I ask you what you love most about yourself, there is no hesitation. "I love that I can always come up with new ideas." Yes, Ellie, we love that too. I love that you know that if something is difficult, you just have to keep practicing or think of a different solution. My hope for you is that this will remain a strength in your character and that you will always have the love and belief in yourself that you do right now. You continue to be a good sister and I'm so blessed to have two girls who love each other so much. It still amazes me when I see the two of you reach for each other in need of comfort or support. Your best friend is still Brynn, though Izzie now takes a close second place because Izzy is in your Kindergarten class while Brynn is just with you before and after her Kindergarten. This will be the last year you're with Brynn and I try not to think too much about how difficult next year might be for you. I'm sure you'll handle it with grace and view it as yet another challenge that just needs a good solution. And you're good at coming up with solutions, aren't you?
You know how life works: I LIKE TO PLAY WITH MYSELF AND I LIKE MYSELF BECAUSE I'M WONDERFUL JUST LIKE A PRINCESS. NOT A PRETEND PRINCESS. A PRINCESS FOR REAL LIFE.
Ellie if you keep that kind of confidence, then there is no limit to the places you will go!
My name is LORI-ELLE VINCEN(t)
I am FIVE YEARS OLD AND I'M IN KINDERGARTEN ALREADY!!! THE FIRST RULE OF KINDERGARTEN IS TO HAVE FUN! THE SECOND RULE IS TO RESPECT YOUR TEACHER AND DON'T INTERRUPT. I FORGET WHAT THE THREE-D RULE IS.
This is how I write my name:
This is what I look like:
I have DIRTY BLONDE HAIR. THAT MEANS IT'S DARK BLONDE BUT NOT REALLY DIRTY. I have brown eyes and have lost one tooth!
I even have my ears pierced!
The people in my family are MOMMY, DADDY AND ADD-A-LINE. SOMETIMES MY FAMILY IS ALSO LOTS OF PEOPLE LIKE AUNT ERIN, AUDREY AND CLIVE. AND GRAMMA. AND NANA. AND GRANPA. AND GRANPA LOU. AND GRANDMOMMY JEANNE....
This is what my family looks like:
I love my mommy because SHE GIVES ME LOTS OF LOVEY KISSES.
I love my daddy because HE GIVES ME LOTS OF TICKLES AND WHEN I HUG HIM IT MEANS I WANT TO BE TICKLED!
I love my sister because SHE GIVES ME LOTS OF HUGS AND SHE THINKS I'M FUNNY. I LIKE TO MAKE HER LAUGH.
My favorite toy is BUN BUN. I'M NEVER EVER GOING TO FORGET HER!!! TELL ME A STORY ABOUT BUN BUN WHEN I WAS JUST A BABY...
My favorite friends are BRYNN AND IZZY. I CAN ONLY PLAY WITH BRYNN FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES IN THE MORNING UNTIL SHE GOES TO HER KINDERGARTEN. THEN I CAN PLAY WITH IZZY UNTIL BRYNN COMES BACK IN THE AFTERNOON.
My favorite thing to do is LEARN AT SCHOOL. I LOVE TO LEARN HOW TO READ!! I CAN READ ALL OF THE WORDS. REALLY! I CAN!
The best things about me are I'M TICKLISH, I LAUGH GOOD AND I LOVE DADDY AND I LIKE TO HUG HIM.
I'm good at playing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on my saxophone, doing flips in the water & swinging on monkey bars.
I'm especially good at writing my words all by myself!
My favorite color is PINK THEN PURPLE THEN BLUE
My favorite food is MAC & CHEESE AT RED ROBIN. MY FAVORITE DESSERT IS PUMPKIN APPLE BROWNIE SURPRISE!
My favorite place to go is WHAT'S THE PLACE WHERE WE GET TO COOK OUR OWN FOOD? (Melting Pot)
My favorite game is TAG THE MONKEY!!
My favorite animal is A GIRAFFE AND HER NAME IS SPOTTY!
My favorite magical creature is A UNICORN AND HER NAME IS FLOWER! SOMETIMES HER NAME IS SNOWFLAKE IF SHE'S A WINTER UNICORN. HER NAME IS FLOWER IF SHE'S A SPRING UNICORN.
My favorite song is THE RAINBOW SONG THAT GOES LIKE THIS: WE'RE A RAINBOW MADE OF CHILDREN. WE'RE AN ARMY SINGING OUR SONG. THERE'S NO WEAPON THAT CAN STOP US. RAINBOW LOVE IS MUCH TOO STRONG."
My favorite book is ALL THE BOOKS AT MY SCHOOL LIKE "12 LITTLE PIGGIES ARE HUNGRY." WE GO TO THE LIBRARY EVERY THURSDAY SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE BRING MY BOOSTER SEAT OK? WE GET TO PICK OUT OUR VERY OWN BOOKS EVERY TIME!!! BUT DON'T WORRY, MOMMY. THE BOOKS STAY AT SCHOOL SO WE DON'T LOSE THEM.
My favorite weather is WINTER TIME BECAUSE I LOVE TO PLAY IN THE SNOW. IT'S FALL TIME NOW AND THAT MEANS WINTER IS NEXT! I'M SOOO ESS-CITED!!! I LIKE WINTER THE BEST BECAUSE WE GET TO SLED DOWN THE HILLS!!!
When I grow up I want to be A BALLERINA TEACHER AND I WANT TO TEACH MY KIDS HOW TO BALLERINA DANCE. I WANT TO BE A MOMMY AND I WANNA HAVE 5 KIDS!
I'M GOING TO MARRY MICHAEL WHEN I GET OLDER. HE DOESN'T REALLY WANT TO MARRY ME RIGHT NOW BUT THAT'S OK BECAUSE I'M NOT READY. MAYBE HE'LL BE READY WHEN I GO TO SCHOOL WITH HIM AGAIN IN FIRST GRADE.
My favorite place to visit is GRANPA LOU'S HOUSE AND PAPPY'S HOUSE BECAUSE I LOVE GRANDPA LOU AND PAPPY!!!
The most beautiful place I've ever seen is INSIDE DA CHURCH WITH CHURCH WINDOWS.
I would like to help the world by TELLING THEM "SAFETY FIRST!" AND RESPECT EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING. IT MEANS RESPECT THE PERSON AND RESPECT THE TOYS. BE NICE TO OTHER PEOPLE AND BE GENTLE WITH ALL THE TOYS.
My thoughts on God are: I THINK THAT GOD IS IN THE STARS SO WHEN WE FEEL ALONE WE CAN GO TO THE STARS AND SEE HIM. I LEARNED THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SIMBA'S DADDY TOLD HIM (from The Lion King). SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE IN GOD AND SOME DO NOT AND THAT'S OK. I DECDIDED THAT I DO BELIEVE IN HIM.
My thoughts on Santa & the Tooth Fairy: I THINK THAT SANTA IS REAL BECAUSE HE LEFT ME PRESENTS LAST YEAR. FAIRIES AREN'T REAL. THE ONLY FAIRY THAT IS FOR REAL IS THE TOOTH FAIRY. I BELIEVE IN THE TOOTH FAIRY BECAUSE I WANT TO BELIEVE SHE IS REAL. IF I DON'T BELIEVE SHE IS REAL THEN SHE WON'T BE REAL AND THAT WILL MAKE HER SAD.
How long did it take for Rapunzel to grow her hair out? 50 HUNDRED YEARS!
How many people are in the entire world? 50 HUNDRED!!!
What we will remember most about Ellie at this age is...
In the last year something just clicked in your head. It's as though there is now no limit to the things you can learn and you are doing so at an exponential rate. Whether it's writing, reading, biology, or even how the world works around you, you amaze us with your new knowledge every day. You like to remind people that "I know better than you because I'm in Kindergarten now." You're so proud of your achievements, as you should be, and you say your favorite thing about school is how much learning you do. If there was one single thing that you are most proud of yourself for, it's that you are always coming up with good solutions. When you list the people you love, you remember to include yourself and tell us that it's ok for you to love yourself because you're a very nice person. When I ask you what you love most about yourself, there is no hesitation. "I love that I can always come up with new ideas." Yes, Ellie, we love that too. I love that you know that if something is difficult, you just have to keep practicing or think of a different solution. My hope for you is that this will remain a strength in your character and that you will always have the love and belief in yourself that you do right now. You continue to be a good sister and I'm so blessed to have two girls who love each other so much. It still amazes me when I see the two of you reach for each other in need of comfort or support. Your best friend is still Brynn, though Izzie now takes a close second place because Izzy is in your Kindergarten class while Brynn is just with you before and after her Kindergarten. This will be the last year you're with Brynn and I try not to think too much about how difficult next year might be for you. I'm sure you'll handle it with grace and view it as yet another challenge that just needs a good solution. And you're good at coming up with solutions, aren't you?
You know how life works: I LIKE TO PLAY WITH MYSELF AND I LIKE MYSELF BECAUSE I'M WONDERFUL JUST LIKE A PRINCESS. NOT A PRETEND PRINCESS. A PRINCESS FOR REAL LIFE.
Ellie if you keep that kind of confidence, then there is no limit to the places you will go!
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