tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84442702024-03-23T14:24:18.231-04:00Katie Geraniumkatevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.comBlogger317125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-28027456159204849632017-06-26T11:08:00.001-04:002017-06-26T11:08:45.063-04:00books read in 2016<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">1-Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
2-The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy and Hard Times</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
3-The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
4-The Nightingale</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
5-The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
6-Wearing God: Clothing, Laughter, Fire and Other Overlooked Ways of Meeting God</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
7-The Woman Who Stole My Life</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
8-The Girl on the Train</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
9-The Ten, Make That Nine, Habits of Very Organized People. Make That Ten: The Tweets of Steve Martin</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
10-Library of Souls</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
11-The Miniaturist</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
12-Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
13-Found</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
14-Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
15-Farewell to the East End: The Last Days of the East End Midwives</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
16-The Kalahari Typing School for Men</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
17-The Hunger Games</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
18-The Full Cupboard of Life</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
19-In the Company of Cheerful Ladies</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
20-Village of The Small Houses: A Memoir Of Sorts</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
21-Falling Free: Rescued from the Life I Always Wanted</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
22-Blue Shoes and Happiness</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
23-The Night Circus</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
24-The High Mountains of Portugal</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
25-The Nest</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
26-All the Light We Cannot See</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
27-The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
28-Clutterfree with Kids</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
29-New Order: A Decluttering Handbook for Creative Folks</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
30-File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents Reports 1-6</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
31-Station Eleven</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
32-The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
33-Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
34-Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
35-One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
36-The Boston Girl</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
37-Packing Light: Thoughts on Living Life with Less Baggage</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
38-The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
39-The Book of Speculation</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">
40-Victorious Mindsets</div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-55402766657734329162016-01-12T17:30:00.000-05:002016-01-13T14:01:40.453-05:00books read in 2015<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
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<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It's that time of year, when I move the book list
from it's little home on the right side of the blog into it's own little post.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://katevp.blogspot.ca/2015/01/books-read-in-2014.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">here is the books read in 2014 post.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
My goal for this year was 40, I reached 27.<br />
It feels a little disappointing, then I figured that I read at least 1 book
every 2 weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I think that's pretty decent!!<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Some of the front runners of this past year were:</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
Stern Men</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Unbroken</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Martian</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Why Not Me?</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I've also gotten myself into a few new series that
I love and now I have to wait for the next book to be released:</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Marywood Rose</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee
Stewart</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Dr. Thomas Silkstone Series by Tessa Harris</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Here is the list in it's entirety:</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">1-Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2-A Beautiful Mess Happy Handmade Home</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">3-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">4-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">5-Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">6-The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The
Unseen Guest</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">7-The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The
Interrupted Tale</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">8-The $50 Home Makeover</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">9-Fahrenheit 451</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">10-The Devil's Breath</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">11-Yes Please</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">12-The Lazarus Curse</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">13-Flight Behavior</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">14-Stern Men</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">15-Gone Girl</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">16-The Boy Who Lost Fairyland</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">17-Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival,
Resilience, and Redemption</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">18-The Shadow of the Raven</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">19-A Little Princess</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">20-Orphan Train</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">21-The Martian</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">22-The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The
Unmapped Sea</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">23-What I Talk About When I Talk About Running</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">24-The Mysterious Benedict Society</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">25-Why Not Me?</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">26-A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future:
Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">27-Solo: A Memoir of Hope</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Some real disappointments on the list included:</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - this
one was an okay read, but something that just rubbed me the wrong way, was the
author continuously mentions that "at least I never walked", to the
point that he wanted to put it on his tombstone when he died. I felt that this
was a complete missing the point of running as well as alienating a whole
gigantic group of runners who are just starting or are using the 10min/1min way
to run. </span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Solo: A Memoir of Hope - I was just telling Thom
that when I first picked this book to read, I thought it was about a girl who
sailed a boat solo (I have no idea why!). I started to read it, and then when I
mentioned it to some friends, they said "oh, Hope Solo, she's the soccer
player from last summer". Hmmm? Apparently, when I pick books, I have no
idea what they are actually about, and I also lived under a rock during the
Women's World Cup. So, once I knew about the semi-scandal involving Solo
and read a few other articles, it changed the way I perceived this
book. Obviously all biographies are biased to the person writing
it, but the last half of the book felt a little phony.</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">This year, I'm aiming for 40 again (I've done it
before right?!)</span><span style="font-family: "Candara","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<u1:p></u1:p>
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katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-82586246900124809342015-09-02T12:33:00.000-04:002015-09-02T12:33:46.362-04:00an intervention.Wow. My book list this year is lacking. Big time.<br />
<br />
It's so short and there are a few reads on that list that I did not even enjoy all that much.<br />
<br />
It would seem that I can get sucked so easily into little games on my ipad. We downloaded a game for Isla, an Inside Out emotions game where you shoot emotion balls.... why do I even feel the need to explain this?<br />
<br />
It didn't teach anything about emotions, except how internally upsetting it was to get stuck on a level for days at a time. To be honest the last level I was on, I was stuck on for 3 weeks. 3 weeks! On a silly children's game.<br />
<br />
Remember how it was for Isla? Apparently it was for me.<br />
<br />
And then I read <a href="http://www.lilblueboo.com/2013/10/candy-crush-is-not-going-to-be-a-memory.html">this</a> on Lil Blue Boo. And it was too real and too close to home and now I am done.<br />
<br />
I also remembered a sermon from a few months back about doing things that are truly soul filling and soul restful.<br />
<br />
And truly, tv and ipad games aren't cutting it.<br />
<br />
So I am now trying to fill my evenings with reading, gardening and crafting-- I'm working on a few little projects in that area.<br />
<br />
Even these past few nights have proven more filling (and restful!) than any straight tv night over the past few months.<br />
<br />
I get it, I feel tired, I'm a full-time mom and wife with a full-time job and trying to keep up with friends and family part-time, it can seem like a lot. TV does seem like a relaxing mind numbing way to end my day,<br />
<br />
But it hasn't been giving me the rest I've been craving.<br />
<br />
And frankly, I don't really want my mind to be numb.<br />
<br />katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-71456590863282478812015-01-16T15:03:00.000-05:002015-01-16T15:08:32.802-05:00Books read in 2014<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This past year ended with our house being sick, we had stomach bugs, then colds, then flus, all of us, pretty much one after the other.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This new year has started with me being sick. I have still been up coughing most of the last 4 nights.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Being sick is no fun.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It did however help me finish up my reading for 2014. 42 books.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">42!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I did it! I reached my <a href="http://katevp.blogspot.ca/2014/01/books-read-in-2013.html">goal</a>.... Wait! I just checked, my goal was 41! I beat my goal!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These were a few of my faves:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0310337909/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=0310337909&linkCode=as2&tag=katigera-20">The Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have To Be Perfect To Be Beautiful</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=katigera-20&l=as2&o=15&a=0310337909" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This book was beautiful. It was like a breath of fresh air to my house and, even more importantly, to my soul. Almost like a breath I didn't know I needed. It gave me peace and patience about my house. <a href="http://www.thenester.com/">Nester</a> gave me permission to take my time, to not strive for perfection. When I think about what I really want my home to reflect-care, peace, coziness, rest-it doesn't need me to have every thing perfectly done, everything in it's perfect space.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0802403476/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=0802403476&linkCode=as2&tag=katigera-20">The 5 Love Languages of Children</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=katigera-20&l=as2&o=15&a=0802403476" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I borrowed this one from the library, but I think I may buy it. It has been instrumental in the way I interact with my girls. The book says that most children do not have specific love languages before the age of five, but I have been seeing where they tend to lean, and by recognizing these, I have been able to show them more love in a way that they feel and receive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I also read a lot of children's and YA fiction this year, there were a lot I loved!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1594746036/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=1594746036&linkCode=as2&tag=katigera-20">Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=katigera-20&l=as2&o=15&a=1594746036" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This one captivated me from the very beginning. The author, Ransom Riggs, based this books around old photographs, weird and mysterious ones. He wrote the book based on images he had or would search out images to fit where he wanted the story to go. It is a time travel, mystery, love story filled with monsters and children and birds. oh it is wonderful. I read the second in his series as well, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1594746125/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=1594746125&linkCode=as2&tag=katigera-20">Hollow City</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-ca.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=katigera-20&l=as2&o=15&a=1594746125" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, just as delightful, and now I am waiting for the third to be released</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(there is also supposed to be a movie done by Tim Burton-be still my heart!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I also started a series called <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0061791105/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=15121&creative=390961&creativeASIN=0061791105&linkCode=as2&tag=katigera-20">The Incorrigible Children Of Ashton Place</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I read the first two books. The quaintness of the settings and the lovely affections and proper etiquette of Miss Penelope Lumley, accompanied by the sweet wildness of her 3 little charges had me hooked from the get go! This is definitely a book meant for the younger than young adult group, but oh I have fallen in love with them. Their are two more loaded on my Kobo just ready to go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And here is the full list of books read this year:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1-A Wrinkle in Time</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2-A Wind in the Door</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3-Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4-Many Waters</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5-Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6-Found: A Memoir</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7-Critical Care</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8-A Swiftly Tilting Planet</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">9-The Book Thief</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10-The Midwife of Venice</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">11-An Acceptable Time</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">12-The Third Wave</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">13-Charlotte's Web</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">14-Escape from Camp 14</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">15-The Silver Linings Playbook</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">16-The Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">17-Little House in the Big Woods</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">18-Notes From A Blue Bike: The Art of Living Intentionally in A Chaotic World</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">19-The Harem Midwife</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">20-The Anatomist's Apprentice</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">21-Beyond Molasses Creek</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">22-Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">23-Everything is Perfect When You're a Liar</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">24-The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">25-Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">26-The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">27-The Five Love Languages of Children</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">28-Charlie and The Great Glass Elevator</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">29-An Irish Country Girl</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">30-Dad is Fat</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">31-The Dead Shall Not Rest</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">32-Still Lolo: A Spinning Propeller, a horrific Accident, and a Family's Journey of Hope</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">33-Divergent</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">34-Insurgent</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">35-The Girl Who Soared Over Fairlyand and Cut the Moon in Two</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">36-The Secret Language of Doctors</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">37-The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">38-Finding Ultra</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">39-The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place-Book 1: The Mysterious Howling</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">40-The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place-Book 2: The Hidden Gallery</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">41-Allegiant</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">42-Flea Market Fabulous</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Books on the list for this year:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-A Million Little Ways (this was on last years list, but I did not get to it)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Simply Tuesday:Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-The Best Yes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Making Habits, Breaking Habits</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Flight Behavior</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-What I Talk About When I Talk About Running</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm hoping to keep around the 40 book mark again this year. </span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">**this post contains affiliate links**</span></div>
</div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-30661932406446700052014-08-13T09:25:00.000-04:002014-08-13T09:25:16.128-04:00don't do it!I know it's been a little bit. (june! yeesh.)<br />
<br />
I just had to pop in because I added a book to the book list that I do not recommend.<br />
<br />
Everything's Perfect when You're a Liar.<br />
<br />
I thought it would be funny. I think it was supposed to be funny?<br />
<br />
It was more like a weird story of growing up with a lot of pot smoking and swearing.<br />
<br />
So... if you like that kind of thing, maybe this is the book you've been waiting for?<br />
<br />
I didn't want anyone to think that my list of books is all books I've read and loved.<br />
<br />
Most are. <i>This one was not!!</i><br />
<br />
Don't say I didn't warn you!<br />
<br />katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-65246370415107305362014-06-26T07:21:00.000-04:002014-06-28T07:24:29.144-04:00Thankful Thursday!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
we had a really busy week!</div>
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it was also a very very fun week :)</div>
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<br /></div>
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this week i am thankful for:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G8n9mPI-X3ypgRH2e6U-I0fALrPWQOUsN6cpPkpo-ByBcPoOlY4iqD3SaDCbZrmKcYllzSZChx_o0b0GX4VUUjs1QKlJZsO6Sr22e4iZpQsn-PwTip9oPdh-jMc_OxBP7cYa/s1600/run+or+dye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4G8n9mPI-X3ypgRH2e6U-I0fALrPWQOUsN6cpPkpo-ByBcPoOlY4iqD3SaDCbZrmKcYllzSZChx_o0b0GX4VUUjs1QKlJZsO6Sr22e4iZpQsn-PwTip9oPdh-jMc_OxBP7cYa/s1600/run+or+dye.jpg" height="320" width="319" /></a></div>
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-the "big mess run" with great work friends and miss Meggie!</div>
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(we actually did the Run or Dye)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMziw7VcPOz3vibn22aAqfMvfBorZWEqfN-gzPG593SJxsVG1nJgtsLac5kg0RpJt9U2yLNySjckiFv_TLaf5YIHXfJKL8bR_tDXuxSVgH_Tvmm7fgepaCGkJiovlwpQUtNHI/s1600/IMG_1839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRMziw7VcPOz3vibn22aAqfMvfBorZWEqfN-gzPG593SJxsVG1nJgtsLac5kg0RpJt9U2yLNySjckiFv_TLaf5YIHXfJKL8bR_tDXuxSVgH_Tvmm7fgepaCGkJiovlwpQUtNHI/s1600/IMG_1839.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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-small crafty art projects inspired by a Hallmark bag</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjt5WNLdSbG401KtylriIbd-p5z8j6Lgn87kh7CpV1mfbXOqfD6SNjlGStY9JSqZe376qD154oi4dKvGCkZ-Z13Wjs_ZKC9iF4YYbSlwS_yxB2cVgaYimkQxwuB9Ufu-IayigO/s1600/IMG_1841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjt5WNLdSbG401KtylriIbd-p5z8j6Lgn87kh7CpV1mfbXOqfD6SNjlGStY9JSqZe376qD154oi4dKvGCkZ-Z13Wjs_ZKC9iF4YYbSlwS_yxB2cVgaYimkQxwuB9Ufu-IayigO/s1600/IMG_1841.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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-Annie! who helped me shuffle our upper cabinets around for a more open feel</div>
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(even the ridiculously gigantic square shaped hole made me laugh when we found it!)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRS1jKQXO5N4VpBE_blBa_NHrhmGCvTH-6vllCaOciY2K4aecN6SZ2M58yXEd9Q69zDau1Q3uezVRZaq-UAAgsalRlFFumzwI2A2infaAZpUz-7547FOqav6V2nuTRVSgRMjWx/s1600/IMG_1842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRS1jKQXO5N4VpBE_blBa_NHrhmGCvTH-6vllCaOciY2K4aecN6SZ2M58yXEd9Q69zDau1Q3uezVRZaq-UAAgsalRlFFumzwI2A2infaAZpUz-7547FOqav6V2nuTRVSgRMjWx/s1600/IMG_1842.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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-funny "to do" lists</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKd_xsmNigv-BYgCC1m1oCp4ObDFKxVzdPfW8zPoEXN8FbEYQrY6yvt2sZWZ_5Pb03dJFkW409m0CWtba6_Zrqvgsa7cLzT-xWoWCjRT7ZE5LvtGH6O0juAuX-Kl2ucqgLCGm/s1600/samisla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbKd_xsmNigv-BYgCC1m1oCp4ObDFKxVzdPfW8zPoEXN8FbEYQrY6yvt2sZWZ_5Pb03dJFkW409m0CWtba6_Zrqvgsa7cLzT-xWoWCjRT7ZE5LvtGH6O0juAuX-Kl2ucqgLCGm/s1600/samisla.jpg" height="162" width="400" /></a></div>
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-dinner with faraway friends</div>
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<br />katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-58868029221390954902014-06-19T22:48:00.001-04:002014-06-19T22:48:42.753-04:00Thankful Thursday<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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this week i am thankful for:</div>
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-camping with friends who love our kids (and our kids lu-urve!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjdidoI8r320uJMCkP9cXgHt2JNx3rtSl0f61JqldkMaCo0gZ6QQ0lDBRckza2rniBXPfg1HxqAA-YUBfV4ThUSIsTzY4lI-ZeJM0xSRHCdiQBQKiZxwljZBWN0QGxjlGEdZx/s1600/P6152022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjdidoI8r320uJMCkP9cXgHt2JNx3rtSl0f61JqldkMaCo0gZ6QQ0lDBRckza2rniBXPfg1HxqAA-YUBfV4ThUSIsTzY4lI-ZeJM0xSRHCdiQBQKiZxwljZBWN0QGxjlGEdZx/s1600/P6152022.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-watching my uber-cautious daughter becoming more brave than i was at her age<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIdLnUyTq60c9fFR7k70Wmxre5-dVE3ialCRk6tW-MwH1FcbR_Sk6xTEjFYsVsFr_AtO1MbVc30XDazqQZJDXVljZQ60p_zrIdRy-XCT-NXw_PHyjVaK0ilbwbwi9j67USz2k/s1600/IMG_1801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIdLnUyTq60c9fFR7k70Wmxre5-dVE3ialCRk6tW-MwH1FcbR_Sk6xTEjFYsVsFr_AtO1MbVc30XDazqQZJDXVljZQ60p_zrIdRy-XCT-NXw_PHyjVaK0ilbwbwi9j67USz2k/s1600/IMG_1801.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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-s'mores and this girl (even when she wakes up at 4:45 am!!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-LlaYGQtTkoHRoPvRN4ynnp0uiYqNpwAV3qf7q29BVkhUmu4XLnAwR2q1UsRJ7fBLa1GyKr9s9ZFB5c8_4k1o45BVQsi_LrDjr0Sf9GF_F1Wh5T6MXSZiN3AEm85HHmF_fFC/s1600/IMG_1811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-LlaYGQtTkoHRoPvRN4ynnp0uiYqNpwAV3qf7q29BVkhUmu4XLnAwR2q1UsRJ7fBLa1GyKr9s9ZFB5c8_4k1o45BVQsi_LrDjr0Sf9GF_F1Wh5T6MXSZiN3AEm85HHmF_fFC/s1600/IMG_1811.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-this dad and his small girls</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Tou0Z7dPayseL1qM4LwpatPhAhg3ulA3WCnQGnQGlM_vLm1aQA0gkuoH0CrMwwtoByjpxEK26xSC1bBIJvkaRDiRTpp01vR7rWcoUf_UmdqRMFeMgl5CpdWLzBodzEZAT4Jc/s1600/P6152019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Tou0Z7dPayseL1qM4LwpatPhAhg3ulA3WCnQGnQGlM_vLm1aQA0gkuoH0CrMwwtoByjpxEK26xSC1bBIJvkaRDiRTpp01vR7rWcoUf_UmdqRMFeMgl5CpdWLzBodzEZAT4Jc/s1600/P6152019.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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-sunny summer days and sunsuits</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWIIoNpa4UIMuyry2mgZM1ef4xQpSeYD5YKQfoTXuWcf5yXl9y8f9XKFsQt3X9BRpVveb9iZ0nMDy534fYn8fXpMb2ecExpoHEDRA2asShpu79MsGiBePwxx2VHrxtml4IROI/s1600/P6152027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWIIoNpa4UIMuyry2mgZM1ef4xQpSeYD5YKQfoTXuWcf5yXl9y8f9XKFsQt3X9BRpVveb9iZ0nMDy534fYn8fXpMb2ecExpoHEDRA2asShpu79MsGiBePwxx2VHrxtml4IROI/s1600/P6152027.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-early morning time spent with Isla and in the Word</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODWNNQ9K6U5hwgKG1U98Zi4qUP0rASzdV8idK9IA6BLPGBJflH1WTrLSGkanRz1LRd0-MfFvU4-ebKOkxRUxCSGHOoFGX3UCci5dkqLoEXNdq_vMvkN828QTCIRGrAtUZp5iV/s1600/IMG_1820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODWNNQ9K6U5hwgKG1U98Zi4qUP0rASzdV8idK9IA6BLPGBJflH1WTrLSGkanRz1LRd0-MfFvU4-ebKOkxRUxCSGHOoFGX3UCci5dkqLoEXNdq_vMvkN828QTCIRGrAtUZp5iV/s1600/IMG_1820.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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-love this girl so so much!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtFf35NeHV2EddJzrxnN7DedBQO1tioty_vSVM0m52il2za69OKK0W_LH0YSD4r26ekbPiHE1pCHET3wfD49Ac5D9JD920MEepG6fSHnfhg5PzddN6MKLj8VjPMfWoIbbOitA/s1600/IMG_1823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtFf35NeHV2EddJzrxnN7DedBQO1tioty_vSVM0m52il2za69OKK0W_LH0YSD4r26ekbPiHE1pCHET3wfD49Ac5D9JD920MEepG6fSHnfhg5PzddN6MKLj8VjPMfWoIbbOitA/s1600/IMG_1823.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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today we also had a goodbye party for my friend Kerry.</div>
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she is a lovely co-worker/co-nurse of mine who initially replaced me on my first mat-leave.</div>
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she is moving to the states in a few weeks and we are all very sad.</div>
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<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
i am so thankful to know her and to have worked with her.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
i am also thankful that we were able to bless her with a lovely surprise present.</div>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
a little Pandora bracelet with some meaningful charms.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDZxQg0doRui_dXMTKLeobg2sLzs0El-p_CX43Ny_cW9KF9Dm7e3wO6XZ4Yj-PeG-Qz3fzh8usfM7cN9LZ7LSHntKiy9bmES6l11LVNMnKrFDlP-y41cRyDbYlQrntM5K-5sQ/s1600/IMG_1819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDZxQg0doRui_dXMTKLeobg2sLzs0El-p_CX43Ny_cW9KF9Dm7e3wO6XZ4Yj-PeG-Qz3fzh8usfM7cN9LZ7LSHntKiy9bmES6l11LVNMnKrFDlP-y41cRyDbYlQrntM5K-5sQ/s1600/IMG_1819.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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it has been a lovely week indeed.</div>
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and i am super thankful to be off to the spa with my girl Becky tomorrow!</div>
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woop!</div>
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katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-89857618569776404192014-06-12T23:20:00.000-04:002014-06-12T23:20:01.710-04:00Thankful Thursday<div style="text-align: center;">
This week I'm thankful for:</div>
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-being back at blogging :)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-Isla attending a morning of Junior Kindergarten (how did that happen?!?!)</div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-voting with these ladies</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcT5DXaDLgPVpiZaY8EdHAHc2e8eMkqMOwDubN4UDBWBQ32A0aKTZUNojSRCBgxd3hDYQn5Pe-J1gPIa1-jvTUoTw3bXatkQJ5LU1mPtWMl7y12mjdlvQ61LbUexBJoCIzMrRy/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcT5DXaDLgPVpiZaY8EdHAHc2e8eMkqMOwDubN4UDBWBQ32A0aKTZUNojSRCBgxd3hDYQn5Pe-J1gPIa1-jvTUoTw3bXatkQJ5LU1mPtWMl7y12mjdlvQ61LbUexBJoCIzMrRy/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
-these lovely Toms from a thrift store! Holla!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3W3vs6BOgf-m7xfBTJqTekUviWwfVhMNeD5SB23zDY_3NbF8b2bjug0gVFuD4qfvk7lZAR-43cx7BxZC94entv6bbJ5b-EkaX-gCzQwcQX3Txdj4Iv6y24HXfkpOKZElNssL/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3W3vs6BOgf-m7xfBTJqTekUviWwfVhMNeD5SB23zDY_3NbF8b2bjug0gVFuD4qfvk7lZAR-43cx7BxZC94entv6bbJ5b-EkaX-gCzQwcQX3Txdj4Iv6y24HXfkpOKZElNssL/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
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-morning runs in sunshine</div>
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<a href="webkit-fake-url://5277DC6C-FE19-4050-9E62-8C155368B4F8/imagejpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-g2HfgM-3OgSyNO4LuvmmeK_AVsgZtEmB76HjNWWBseSOSrH_o547-yvbigTPgYve0CvaIQ4f7z1kvOqidWc5-NOfI2aOG2kQN8O5bxHlG6cSTIbp_3-xwcHTIjbqrG42pzB/s1600/IMG_1771.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-g2HfgM-3OgSyNO4LuvmmeK_AVsgZtEmB76HjNWWBseSOSrH_o547-yvbigTPgYve0CvaIQ4f7z1kvOqidWc5-NOfI2aOG2kQN8O5bxHlG6cSTIbp_3-xwcHTIjbqrG42pzB/s1600/IMG_1771.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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-and cutie cute tiny boots<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeclg9D6VSS4eCwLKNoGk31HgibByFQVtY838p8Yx7Mxz_-zA-DCsZBqAeW-NNX8SVKkFthjUqmuDAZNPg6EXypCUzoCDdtGh6hyCmMoBjtyDGp9Xyy-qI7qlwb3RiZuZKW2tI/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeclg9D6VSS4eCwLKNoGk31HgibByFQVtY838p8Yx7Mxz_-zA-DCsZBqAeW-NNX8SVKkFthjUqmuDAZNPg6EXypCUzoCDdtGh6hyCmMoBjtyDGp9Xyy-qI7qlwb3RiZuZKW2tI/s1600/IMG_0003.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-78027307797560863222014-06-04T22:10:00.000-04:002014-06-04T22:31:20.803-04:00National Running Day! <div style="text-align: center;">
(let's pretend we celebrate this nationally here in Canada too, shall we?)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
i recently watched this little gem:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lOCFYBvpJ6s" width="560"></iframe>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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i've been reflecting on my running journey since i started last July.<br />
<br />
less than 9 months ago, i couldn't run back to my car in a parking lot without losing my breath.<br />
fast forward to a week and a half ago:<br />
i just finished my first 10k!<br />
<br />
i signed up in the fall to do the Ottawa Race Weekend 10k.<br />
i trained in the fall, (and then took a little break due to the ridiculousness that was the Ottawa winter),<br />
and then picked up my training in April.<br />
<br />
i am so proud of what i have accomplished.<br />
<br />
my sister caught this picture of me in the sea of 12,000(!) runners.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhFpcVCvxkJkU_zwMlx5WA70sIIl8O04zusHQpM8i7XtFZBz2nnaqNyEU4zR2WU9CI2f_9UzJayoHMizV5nVu09rc5Txsmb6mc-7kl-UfOOEIFxXOTGgf2RWW4QJTb-02t0QJ/s1600/10402827_10152163515891700_6833812614153997255_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhFpcVCvxkJkU_zwMlx5WA70sIIl8O04zusHQpM8i7XtFZBz2nnaqNyEU4zR2WU9CI2f_9UzJayoHMizV5nVu09rc5Txsmb6mc-7kl-UfOOEIFxXOTGgf2RWW4QJTb-02t0QJ/s1600/10402827_10152163515891700_6833812614153997255_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>{can you spot me?}</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
i was able to finish in 1:05:41.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
a personal best!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
then, this past weekend, i did a mud hero with 9 other co-workers.</div>
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<br /></div>
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so so so so fun!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EWQt17FqZHSktkWRTei8KyunSddon4Xn4IOa_TxDnHD0aqIT_iRBFvEEr_zO8wGz0aqATwWsWhY24_yzcwFF9kfecQLVstk5C_MFaqiQtULNThy-KK8MuIrxLFIbuMZcghmp/s1600/19118-0356e8-21801208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3EWQt17FqZHSktkWRTei8KyunSddon4Xn4IOa_TxDnHD0aqIT_iRBFvEEr_zO8wGz0aqATwWsWhY24_yzcwFF9kfecQLVstk5C_MFaqiQtULNThy-KK8MuIrxLFIbuMZcghmp/s1600/19118-0356e8-21801208.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlgy4VWgRlL_D7XuYVTxRrOUUMh2oQEzt35gjDEPjLQ2TLFlXdtS-N5nPP6C7jivmxN36z1E7zRCFupi5-P1hDzLhTKVhW3cR8aoHfO9TgulWvjFTMl8En7HRC0U9gWE73-4j/s1600/19118-d4a788-21804363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXlgy4VWgRlL_D7XuYVTxRrOUUMh2oQEzt35gjDEPjLQ2TLFlXdtS-N5nPP6C7jivmxN36z1E7zRCFupi5-P1hDzLhTKVhW3cR8aoHfO9TgulWvjFTMl8En7HRC0U9gWE73-4j/s1600/19118-d4a788-21804363.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
the mud hero was definitely the more fun of the two (to be expected i suppose),<br />
but the sense of accomplishment i felt when i crossed the finish line of that 10k?<br />
<br />
amazing.<br />
<br />
i have become addicted:<br />
.to running.<br />
.to the running community in ottawa.<br />
.to racing.<br />
<br />
it's wonderful and exciting and inspiring.<br />
<br />
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</div>
<br />
<i><u>i am a runner and an athlete.</u></i><br />
<i><u><br /></u></i>
<br />
<br />
and i am a proud big sister!!<br />
my sister ran the marathon the day after me.<br />
some words to describe what it looked like to see those marathoners come around the 38km mark:<br />
<br />
crazy . alarming . emotional . disturbing . inspiring . motivational . frightening<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3epda3HXfaszXAmzaSMMBHhM6VMmXa86Np9ct8hGKYZ2IVWmRH7iKpcF_msORFLd1uAbnQZInqTjs5uHs30XzglO6XLPQqkTLsWTenkZHtW3pROqyLsYOFnNQ2Ac4WDd7fyRC/s1600/10255988_10152163719066700_3135176886735371226_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3epda3HXfaszXAmzaSMMBHhM6VMmXa86Np9ct8hGKYZ2IVWmRH7iKpcF_msORFLd1uAbnQZInqTjs5uHs30XzglO6XLPQqkTLsWTenkZHtW3pROqyLsYOFnNQ2Ac4WDd7fyRC/s1600/10255988_10152163719066700_3135176886735371226_o.jpg" height="400" style="cursor: move;" width="176" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>{here she is pre-race}</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaz953-Lq0KTBDfEaG_P5yJO8ZT-AQ-aJEAuWSUSd1HwRxXE0rahsTBJCSEmdAQE-etuwao-MFzHI2cjmC57R269jf7GXX6Nlwm44COxNnYuxk26H7OrCbY6bVXsBtKmt-JM8E/s1600/10155116_10152163536581700_4235772805156713429_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaz953-Lq0KTBDfEaG_P5yJO8ZT-AQ-aJEAuWSUSd1HwRxXE0rahsTBJCSEmdAQE-etuwao-MFzHI2cjmC57R269jf7GXX6Nlwm44COxNnYuxk26H7OrCbY6bVXsBtKmt-JM8E/s1600/10155116_10152163536581700_4235772805156713429_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>{i have medal envy!}</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-59396303692686851282014-02-20T06:46:00.000-05:002014-02-20T06:46:20.364-05:00Thankful Thursday this week:<br />
<br />
-watching Isla fall in love with puzzles!! girl after my own heart!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoOrnklzOf-uWZ_dkE68jO9Q_Qvdwjr2eWlYSqwz5w_ZxS-Vxs2IrWwetUADdFlVMR29oxMfuZuZZ9mhxLdlp1xx876c1KxnxlSGLWJs0BADabtvOG292CdbWxPP-Oobd9xXi/s1600/IMG_1281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAoOrnklzOf-uWZ_dkE68jO9Q_Qvdwjr2eWlYSqwz5w_ZxS-Vxs2IrWwetUADdFlVMR29oxMfuZuZZ9mhxLdlp1xx876c1KxnxlSGLWJs0BADabtvOG292CdbWxPP-Oobd9xXi/s1600/IMG_1281.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>{all by herself!}</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />-having my mom visit this past weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-talking to Auntie Rozzy on speakerphone and having Megan shouting "HI! HI! HI! HI! HI!"</div>
<div>
(we love our Auntie Rozzy!)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-family day pyjama day dance parties!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-my job</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-having my lovely friend and co-worker Becky babysit last night... and i totally forgot to leave any kind of putting Isla to bed instructions... whoops! she feels like such an old friend that somehow i just assumed she knew the bedtime routine... even though it was her first time at our house! Sorry Becky!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-date night that turned into free meal date night because they forgot our order in the kitchen! i have no problem spending an hour chatting with my husband and get a free meal for it!!!<br /><br /></div>
</div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-45100864394928691142014-02-13T21:49:00.003-05:002014-02-13T21:49:30.464-05:00Thankful Thursday<div style="text-align: center;">
this week I am thankful for:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-these lovely lasses. sigh.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Hjz7QDbFe3_CxbCUDW7YxLiVTSiH9c_SFcBr8J12Q24wxnNkw6IGTlr5usUqB5X1fknWwQABQtPIm_aNPq-PQgbP1eE3kpoQJ4xbSxHdU3Vz64b5XlxZtcNq6oLm_1czhPID/s1600/IMG_1255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Hjz7QDbFe3_CxbCUDW7YxLiVTSiH9c_SFcBr8J12Q24wxnNkw6IGTlr5usUqB5X1fknWwQABQtPIm_aNPq-PQgbP1eE3kpoQJ4xbSxHdU3Vz64b5XlxZtcNq6oLm_1czhPID/s1600/IMG_1255.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-a 30th Birthday weekend away (for my bestie!) with 6 ladies and a baby: </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
time to sleep in, eat good food, laugh, shop and reconnect</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-Olympics!!!! Yay!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-My mom coming in on the train today</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-Isla. Here are some things she has said this week:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"look, my breathing is dusty" (in the cold)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Mommy? When I'm a woman, can I drive your car?"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"You know everything don't you?" (to her Gramma Kiki)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Uncle Ryan is silly, huh?... And Uncle Noah... And Mike"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"You came back!" (to me after I was away for the weekend)</div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-65875923087935308622014-02-05T06:39:00.000-05:002014-02-05T06:39:54.534-05:00Thankful ThursdayThankful for:<br />
<br />
-friends celebrating Thom turning 30 this past week :)<br />
<br />
-Sunday mornings with rowdy worship and dancing and fun fun fun!<br />
<br />
-seeing Isla run over and sit with Isaac and Auntie Mary on Sunday morning<br />
<br />
-cuddles on the couch later in the day with my girlies<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbwZArZY95mCqw6_wUWWBrhmViu3oreGfazo_MgD1MWHuPJsuPLAsz3R2RKxtXfI4rp8PMwFfjCfzF7ZQBiPbJm2vo7Vys9i5SCMuIAjX7EFKxf7vnmytx6zlD_oTM0Uu19IQ/s1600/IMG_1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbwZArZY95mCqw6_wUWWBrhmViu3oreGfazo_MgD1MWHuPJsuPLAsz3R2RKxtXfI4rp8PMwFfjCfzF7ZQBiPbJm2vo7Vys9i5SCMuIAjX7EFKxf7vnmytx6zlD_oTM0Uu19IQ/s1600/IMG_1227.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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-getting out running after an almost 3 month hiatus! </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPSd_XOPtMecj-Avq_Sp3JAwRVvRghdPnyHGF12Fx7J0F0PqjOFCmESjcx-9IRmW0a6APxYgitQ3vA1ZbVJlxleRu4hyuqyrGSA3V1ZIPUSJy-zz1H3SuzCf3sTOBVwflpYcE/s1600/IMG_1221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPSd_XOPtMecj-Avq_Sp3JAwRVvRghdPnyHGF12Fx7J0F0PqjOFCmESjcx-9IRmW0a6APxYgitQ3vA1ZbVJlxleRu4hyuqyrGSA3V1ZIPUSJy-zz1H3SuzCf3sTOBVwflpYcE/s1600/IMG_1221.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
-also thankful for no longer blistering frostbiting-ly cold temperatures! sheesh!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-48282596496866692122014-01-23T09:00:00.000-05:002014-01-24T06:45:16.144-05:00Thankful Thursday<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week I am thankful for:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-a great retreat with the young adults last weekend--Megan and I joined them and had an amazing time, we laughed, we cried, we ate some good food!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Megan doing awesome on the drive! Our first trip with someone other than Thom... Thanks to Uncle Noah for braving the drive with us!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-the school we chose for Isla to attend in the fall-- and the way God confirms decisions by having pt's rave about the school... total divine appointment!</span></div>
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</div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Breakfast date with Isla before going to check out her school</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqZYofu4OdBlIJSClMFiTAW5otoSTd7qDGN6H_J1vnqouZSumrfZQoWoCac8-gBBO6AGVU9LhFir83pSDa7QeBSrxXHTyQElo-rg-hs9gHXQBamzNYUGz2ONaJ0d89WZi2fdc/s1600/IMG_1182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqZYofu4OdBlIJSClMFiTAW5otoSTd7qDGN6H_J1vnqouZSumrfZQoWoCac8-gBBO6AGVU9LhFir83pSDa7QeBSrxXHTyQElo-rg-hs9gHXQBamzNYUGz2ONaJ0d89WZi2fdc/s1600/IMG_1182.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-New friends</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-dinner out with my co-RNs-- love working with those ladies!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #06082c;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-and last but certainly not least! that my nephew is awesome.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hSt6JPm8i9fWBgg39t7pL4bH4MLpwF2pf22wa5-KgIm_Y_eVdCF23L6z7YS9qE5SrR6VJ-Mvk0m4wfdqG9trBQT6H5L8r3DdKg6bDvBhm9GYwKxNcPLu2Dc6gqUbp0QobPfb/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hSt6JPm8i9fWBgg39t7pL4bH4MLpwF2pf22wa5-KgIm_Y_eVdCF23L6z7YS9qE5SrR6VJ-Mvk0m4wfdqG9trBQT6H5L8r3DdKg6bDvBhm9GYwKxNcPLu2Dc6gqUbp0QobPfb/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">yup, that's an 18 month old on skis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">no big deal.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-78236184142275249572014-01-10T09:00:00.000-05:002014-01-10T09:00:02.696-05:00Books read in 2013So... my goal of reading 40 books this past year was apparently *ahem* a <i>little</i> ambitious.<br />
<br />
I think it actually wasn't that unattainable but Thom put a Sudoku book in my stocking last Christmas, and while I breezed through through the first three quarters of the book, the last section, the <i>diabolical </i>section, had me stumped and I would pick it up and put it down and then pick it up and then threaten to throw it out and then pick it up again.<br />
<br />
Finally in the second week of December, I tossed it. Unfinished, but no regrets on that one!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><a href="http://katevp.blogspot.ca/2013/06/a-reading-interlude.html">(oh and let's not forget that new "Harry Potter book" debacle!)</a></i></div>
<br />
I think getting wrapped up in the Hunger Games trilogy really helped push me to stick to reading and let the Sudoku go for good.<br />
<br />
Here is the completed reading list of 2013:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">1-Loving Your Kids on Purpose</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
2-Animal Stories</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
3-This Will Be Difficult to Explain: And Other Stories</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
4-The Twelve Tribes of Hattie</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
5-Her Fearful Symmetry</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
6-"Who Could That Be at This Hour?"</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
7-Almost Amish</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
8-That Scatterbrain Booky</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
9-With Love From Booky</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
10-As Ever, Booky</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
11-The Help</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
12-The Power of Three</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
13-The Real James Herriott: A Memoir of My Father</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
14-Half Magic</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
15-The No. 1 Ladies Detective Angency</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
16-Castle in the Air<br />17-The House at the End of Hope Street</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
18-The Dog of the South</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
19-An Irish Country Doctor</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
20-The Hunger Games</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
21-Catching Fire</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
22-Mocking Jay</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
just over half of my goal. Wop wop.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
feels a bit lacking. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm going to basically keep the same goal, but up it to 41--basically just so it feels like a <i>new</i> resolution.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My faves from this past year:</div>
<div>
Fiction: The Hunger Games Trilogy </div>
<div>
Non-Fiction: Loving Your Kids on Purpose</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I honestly thought I had read a lot more non-fiction, but I think I did some major starting and not finishing!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On the list to read this year:</div>
<div>
-A Wrinkle in Time Quintet</div>
<div>
-A Million Little Ways</div>
<div>
-Finding Ultra</div>
<div>
-The Harem Midwife</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Any more suggestions? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Also, I am loving my new Kobo and love love love that I can download books from the library to read on it!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-41741626445914369572014-01-09T09:00:00.000-05:002014-01-09T09:00:01.301-05:00Thankful Thursdayi am thankful.<br />
<br />
thankful for the people i work with. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
thankful for new Church in the 'Hood beginnings.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
thankful for a day that google helped troubleshoot small person sleep troubles (instead of those days that all the most unhelpful info is at the top of the search results!)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
thankful for vaccines that keep people healthy. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
thankful for the OSC seed catalogue coming in the mail!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
thankful for downloading library books onto my Kobo.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
thankful for small people cuddles and smiles and love.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
thankful for life.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-20936070775013778152014-01-02T09:00:00.000-05:002014-01-02T09:00:00.040-05:00Thankful Thursdayahem.<br />
<br />
excuse my little absence. no real reasons. just life ;)<br />
<br />
thankful this day for family, a lovely Christmas, a new year and good friends.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQFoMWWHNJOl7lAMTG53rj9AjLMJLLUz6z7mEXSoTa5nU3HtXm7-wi-KaHBIcaSvjIptKjMRJY-jVmiIQLOYOraXl1wOk61usYGjyc-W9I187UKb6bqe4k_e7PiEBL26LYrEk/s1600/IMG_1063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQFoMWWHNJOl7lAMTG53rj9AjLMJLLUz6z7mEXSoTa5nU3HtXm7-wi-KaHBIcaSvjIptKjMRJY-jVmiIQLOYOraXl1wOk61usYGjyc-W9I187UKb6bqe4k_e7PiEBL26LYrEk/s320/IMG_1063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
thankful for this past year:<br />
<br />
-old friends with renewed friendships (or first "real" friendships)<br />
-watching Meggie and Isla become closer and enjoy their sisterhood and friendship<br />
-growing closer to Thom, seeing our friendship and love get stronger and tackle more<br />
-my wonderful job and co-workers<br />
-new friendship with a "destined-to-be-friends" friend<br />
-becoming a runner<br />
-losing 30 lbs (say what!?!)<br />
<br />
<br />
life is grand!<br />
<br />katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-17093527560707058212013-09-19T09:00:00.000-04:002013-09-19T09:00:00.632-04:00Thankful Thursday<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
today i'm just very thankful today for my family being home safe.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
we had a pretty major tragedy occur in Ottawa yesterday.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
a train collided with a city bus.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
some people did not have their loved ones come home to them.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
praying for peace and love and grace to all those affected by the crash.</div>
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<br />katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-10045530547745712032013-09-12T09:15:00.000-04:002013-09-12T09:15:03.772-04:00Thankful Thursday<div style="text-align: center;">
so very thankful this week for:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-date night! (and baby sitting swaps with friends who also have littles)-</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WNBftRY1gPktxU0t4u5sii92UAYttH0VSJq69KErgNzp6f-HVZAJoyaBXltAQmkWUyYsLbIvPiRNovhYsSd2NwjMTSg8mvhcAb0tzsXzcflVuMe_sJLkBhXPFLL3ozLQ-UJK/s1600/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WNBftRY1gPktxU0t4u5sii92UAYttH0VSJq69KErgNzp6f-HVZAJoyaBXltAQmkWUyYsLbIvPiRNovhYsSd2NwjMTSg8mvhcAb0tzsXzcflVuMe_sJLkBhXPFLL3ozLQ-UJK/s320/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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-strong legs to take me running-</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-Megan learning to say thank you all by herself-</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-brunch on Saturday with the "Ladies and the Babies" (this is what Isla called it)-</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-finding some cute pair of velvet skinny jeans and a polka-dot dress </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
for Isla for a total of $5.23 at Value Village-</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVenewofwPrQ9SiciCG-olqkcwRuqJbnQJoROP7EVaEKLhsHZQRzGtloOmiERPVDfY9-hGrYPEbRlcQvwvV7ORj-j4OWjx2YqqVDRV20ifNwhq9ZtrR0AezzHpVcXR1Oyo3If/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMVenewofwPrQ9SiciCG-olqkcwRuqJbnQJoROP7EVaEKLhsHZQRzGtloOmiERPVDfY9-hGrYPEbRlcQvwvV7ORj-j4OWjx2YqqVDRV20ifNwhq9ZtrR0AezzHpVcXR1Oyo3If/s320/photo+(5).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-Isla's first day of Sunday School *sniff*, she's in the 3-5 year old class, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
graduated from the nursery, where oh where did the time go?-</div>
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<br />katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-77468121459441998712013-09-05T10:30:00.000-04:002013-09-05T10:30:02.698-04:00thankful thursdaysi've decided to start a little weekly thankful-ness on thursdays, it will help me remember to post weekly-insert sheepish grin here-<br />
<br />
so thankful this week for:<br />
<br />
-best friends having babies-my bestie Beth and her husband Pat just had their first little baby. and my oh my he is perfection, honestly the nicest baby i think i have ever seen!<br />
<br />
-bonfires with friends at their amazing new home (on a tree farm no less!)<br />
<br />
-strong legs to carry me while running<br />
<br />
-a busy and fun long weekend filled with lots of visits with friends<br />
<br />
-4 day work week ;)<br />
<br />
-a stack of new books to read on my night stand<br />
<br />
<br />
always so much to be thankful for!katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-54740633658713424672013-09-02T20:50:00.001-04:002013-09-02T20:50:35.694-04:00a little secret<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
i've been keeping a little secret around here... it feels big to me. very big. <br />(it's not a baby) <br /><br />i have recently taken up running... if you know me, you may gasp and/or snort with laughter. <br /><br />i pretty much pledged to never run. <br /><br />never ever ever. <br /><br />if
(and that sometimes has been a very big IF) i was going to do any
physical activity, it was going to be a sneaky trick, as in it would be
something that was fun and made me feel <br />
like i wasn't exercising. like snowboarding, or wakeboarding or canoeing or maybe (maybe) going on a hike. <br /><br />but running? no no no not ever. <br /><br /> <br />then
for some reason* in the past few months i started thinking about that
"never ever never never never running"and i thought- maybe? <br /><br />so i
went all crazy town and decided to sign up for the color run, then i
discovered that if you ran as a team, you could save $5, and me being
just the little bit ridiculous that i <br />am, somehow i ended up being the captain of this team... oh my. <br />
<br />i downloaded an 8 weeks to 5K app on my iphone and finally mustered up the gusto to try it out on July 7th. Go me! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5f-mhzEoG6pf1s3sVWdheWiK1BhQ_xGcP0yCsmlCtm4yZyzxoQ-gefQ89JcDPKUuQGPAu1Bqt6gIMb4YEBEFCPCdsBGeff0izzLrF9VXdIW6LEvB54pTlLxuO32wFdl0VBUZ/s1600/photo%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5f-mhzEoG6pf1s3sVWdheWiK1BhQ_xGcP0yCsmlCtm4yZyzxoQ-gefQ89JcDPKUuQGPAu1Bqt6gIMb4YEBEFCPCdsBGeff0izzLrF9VXdIW6LEvB54pTlLxuO32wFdl0VBUZ/s320/photo%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>{after my first training run}</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
July
8th i trip over our computer cord, jam my toe so badly that i can't
walk and end up needing an x-ray to make sure it isn't broken. <br /><br />amazing, this is my real life. <br /><br />so running gets put on hold for a few weeks. <br /><br />then
i started again. I have been going for a few weeks now and i find the
first little run a bit daunting and then i get into it. it feels good,
it feels fun, it makes me feel strong. <br />
two weeks ago, for the first time, i did more running than walking. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnC3YoyakiJHMBCBi0yJ-5HQQZSpb3y1Z8cDTVFsyOnw-q4-zyVElyBN_BdDaK2U6aCmV1ZB2LqEETZZHLyAMjScL9aCmruTE5c9HQ62heCNVBz-hYV3X7PsCOl-VDg95A129/s1600/PicMonkey+Collagerunning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnC3YoyakiJHMBCBi0yJ-5HQQZSpb3y1Z8cDTVFsyOnw-q4-zyVElyBN_BdDaK2U6aCmV1ZB2LqEETZZHLyAMjScL9aCmruTE5c9HQ62heCNVBz-hYV3X7PsCOl-VDg95A129/s400/PicMonkey+Collagerunning.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>{some post running pics... getting easier to smile after each run}</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
i am very very proud of me. <br /><br />i
also ran that color run two sundays ago, i didn't run the whole thing,
but we ran at least half of it.<br />
i also had miss Isla in a stroller, she
wanted to be a part of the "big mess" run after she saw the promo video.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpNABLOO53vNcWb52ssZM1SyPJ43WNWDC69ts0VG0RN0Qk-w6EO0fP3IhSmXLtlPhUePY_GdC6qd-Hkc5VCg-2JGAZsEv4ttXA12I2fH3VLWEMXu_CagBxQgoWC1lnKwvtFi-/s1600/PicMonkey+Collagecolorrun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpNABLOO53vNcWb52ssZM1SyPJ43WNWDC69ts0VG0RN0Qk-w6EO0fP3IhSmXLtlPhUePY_GdC6qd-Hkc5VCg-2JGAZsEv4ttXA12I2fH3VLWEMXu_CagBxQgoWC1lnKwvtFi-/s400/PicMonkey+Collagecolorrun.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />it made me feel like a real "true" runner.<br />
i really and truly am enjoying my new found running legs and i am excited as to where they will take me :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHIXkl4PyU-1OwSKyXscZbaorAoRMIfkdo83_nxHR_-8h4-rbn4L3bd8iIxG9_0f927Qbb9LunhaVLk-dUSR4QUcdPk6dCnUalmQIOBKN8CuD6VyfNnyVC2BI0_Z2-3ObraoN/s1600/IMG_0776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHIXkl4PyU-1OwSKyXscZbaorAoRMIfkdo83_nxHR_-8h4-rbn4L3bd8iIxG9_0f927Qbb9LunhaVLk-dUSR4QUcdPk6dCnUalmQIOBKN8CuD6VyfNnyVC2BI0_Z2-3ObraoN/s320/IMG_0776.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-56972149000734610372013-07-25T20:40:00.000-04:002013-07-25T20:40:09.517-04:00garden harvest!<div style="text-align: center;">
oh man, my garden has started producing and i love it!!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
this is where we started at the beginning of July...</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpUSh7f1FGs0vl8ib-6RH2h28CZcWa1Veog8rJKYKHXbM49z-Fso72gtg2FbGTf-xEyhZwv1Doz4_G5tYA5rQIR-P6KUJy3HKUJuaBm88LO3Lk4zqlZC3IsGHLhzSHKURGWMS/s1600/P6090753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpUSh7f1FGs0vl8ib-6RH2h28CZcWa1Veog8rJKYKHXbM49z-Fso72gtg2FbGTf-xEyhZwv1Doz4_G5tYA5rQIR-P6KUJy3HKUJuaBm88LO3Lk4zqlZC3IsGHLhzSHKURGWMS/s320/P6090753.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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now my lettuce:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Rt-lHdUkjI-zxv6iPDVXo1C3OW9NXcaWV_e21nYjbZsN5w8aGw40hmJ-2sgO8wu7oiNfxl_xqgjSGj-l-dkWmZBY-B4t7tgFolbWe4-S1-dmzN9JiqQqd63YJgS4CQwHZFn9/s1600/IMG_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Rt-lHdUkjI-zxv6iPDVXo1C3OW9NXcaWV_e21nYjbZsN5w8aGw40hmJ-2sgO8wu7oiNfxl_xqgjSGj-l-dkWmZBY-B4t7tgFolbWe4-S1-dmzN9JiqQqd63YJgS4CQwHZFn9/s320/IMG_0540.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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and my beans, my delicious delicious beans!</div>
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i have been harvesting about a handful almost every night.</div>
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<br /></div>
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they are my delicious crunchy chip alternative</div>
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:) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9G3c8Vx63PNX3ttMI9Nbu7BnyCGs_XbsTA-iFVISwObPwG_V8usLact0mZFXMrEaUScoufKjhyxbIbMaEDyxkuekAslTUcIcFMYK-Noj0R_Hv2jUL8taYliYL4DHkr2gMD1d-/s1600/IMG_0543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9G3c8Vx63PNX3ttMI9Nbu7BnyCGs_XbsTA-iFVISwObPwG_V8usLact0mZFXMrEaUScoufKjhyxbIbMaEDyxkuekAslTUcIcFMYK-Noj0R_Hv2jUL8taYliYL4DHkr2gMD1d-/s320/IMG_0543.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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i'm linking up this week with <a href="http://outsideathome.blogspot.ca/2013/07/harvesting-garlic.html">Outside, At Home</a></div>
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the blog of two sisters who i love love love.</div>
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katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-54401837745539384482013-07-19T17:57:00.001-04:002013-07-19T17:58:09.795-04:00resolution updateback in January <a href="http://katevp.blogspot.ca/2013/01/its-new-year.html">i resolved</a> a few things to happen over this year.<br />
<br />
here is the updated list:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">1-to finally stop biting my nails for good -- disgusting habit, even more so when you are a nurse. blech.</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">update: well, they aren't being bitten, it's been about 2 months i think, but i go back to work next week, so we'll see if they last til then!!</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">2-to go outside with the girls in the winter! -- this is tricky for me, i don't like being cold and it seems like a </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">tremendous amount of work to bundle up 2 littles when i don't want to be outside in the first place!</span><br />
<span style="color: red;">update: we went out a bit. proof: </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;">on this day Isla refused to let Megan sit on her lap</span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIogEwUN7O9JqXBrqVigm0N-JyIjZylVXgdp8uqKdC1jNYYZZeZHngsVr0KgNGFylJId9rG4YaiY9iX-XiwyMv_095CxIC5qBarSRj6RBlzwobJFlvtfU_08Xuit_3ilGuwHvA/s1600/P2270319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIogEwUN7O9JqXBrqVigm0N-JyIjZylVXgdp8uqKdC1jNYYZZeZHngsVr0KgNGFylJId9rG4YaiY9iX-XiwyMv_095CxIC5qBarSRj6RBlzwobJFlvtfU_08Xuit_3ilGuwHvA/s400/P2270319.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilT9NOfnhsxfMKFqSSqEQZK-Ri35ajDnaXRYltN0m8SkxF_VziqgmCiC4A6QEM9RhLMl3DYenNzqaxmZPqeRSr6e19FGNHptGzFRDVwBEJXx8kaLhFGfyBeotAkAA_17Lqz2jM/s1600/P2270325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilT9NOfnhsxfMKFqSSqEQZK-Ri35ajDnaXRYltN0m8SkxF_VziqgmCiC4A6QEM9RhLMl3DYenNzqaxmZPqeRSr6e19FGNHptGzFRDVwBEJXx8kaLhFGfyBeotAkAA_17Lqz2jM/s320/P2270325.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: red;">so she sat on Megan, then as we were coming home, the sled tipped, Isla barely fell out but cried like she was dying, and poor little Meggie basically did a starfish face plant into the snow, a poor little old man walking down the street jumped over about 3 snow banks and almost fell down to try and pick her up, small babies stuck face down in the snow i guess are a little alarming! anyway, when i picked Megan up she just blinked at me. This is a pretty accurate demonstration of first-born vs. second-born. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YufoGXUAtvmTVJsgouR7eHGI11VJvzbZC943iXK3uve0kLN8kRZdJDtp3MN74SGzaeX6DbshwIwKSS2yUReVKYEFa8zZBdZwA3IIxLWV5DFQXU5H1K0wKIVPa-n02Y9JCdTq/s1600/P2270322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YufoGXUAtvmTVJsgouR7eHGI11VJvzbZC943iXK3uve0kLN8kRZdJDtp3MN74SGzaeX6DbshwIwKSS2yUReVKYEFa8zZBdZwA3IIxLWV5DFQXU5H1K0wKIVPa-n02Y9JCdTq/s320/P2270322.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>just a little snow this winter</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">3-to get back into cloth diapering -- i was a cloth fiend with Isla, and i had a pretty decent start with Megan, but kind of fell off for awhile (mostly they get cleaned and then live on top of the dryer for weeks at a time!)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">update: after a few fits and starts, we've been back on full time with Megan when she's not at daycare and with Isla during naps. Yay!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">4-to sew some things -- really i just want to sew, anything at all. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">update: sewed some amazing bunting for a friend's little nursery, and started a quilt! oh, and made some little face or bum cloths, hurray!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">5-to read 40 books this year -- as mentioned </span><a href="http://katevp.blogspot.ca/2012/12/books-read-in-2012.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">update: just finished my 13th, i would probably be further on if it weren't for <a href="http://katevp.blogspot.ca/2013/06/a-reading-interlude.html">the longest most disappointing finally give up JK Rowling book. </a></span></span>katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-62475274726619212092013-07-16T12:44:00.000-04:002013-07-16T12:44:56.279-04:00thoughts on potty trainingso.<br />
we've been attempting potty training for about 3 and some months now.<br />
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it went awesome the first few days, than poorly then well for a month and a bit, then poorly and then very poorly.<br />
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what i mean by this is that Isla always did well when we asked her if she had to pee, but probably only told us she had to pee a handful of times.<br />
she also has very rarely pooped on the potty.<br />
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this has been a frustrating time, lots of pees all over the place: our house, outside, and at friends's houses.<br />
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i found myself starting to be angry with her.<br />
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i was rethinking the whole potty thing when the last thing that happened was 2 visits in a row at the same friend's house she first pee'd on the couch and then the next time pee'd all over her friend's room... that was covered in toys. oy vey. (to be fair, the second time i told her not to pee on the couch, i wasn't specific enough...clearly)<br />
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i think the main thing was that i almost felt a social pressure to punish, and not that anyone was actually pressuring me... but, you know.<br />
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so i took a step back, and then <a href="http://www.dailymontessori.com/self-development/toilet-learning-vs-toilet-training/">this</a> showed up in my facebook newsfeed.<br />
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toilet learning vs. toilet training.<br />
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i'm going to go ahead and say that i won't necessarily do all these things, but what stood out to me the most was this checklist<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtYEC3TqKfS_wJgkd5pCgUWk4ijzc5G2p2YDq8O5qUqnaqp6uIMN2WwLOOTxgy1JJjWyVn4TLWDtbJeC43kH0I7QpwARA1CNa60s5BKinoqqJqQSLLbKMQiV5OoKApSsaZKLw/s1600/checklist+potty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtYEC3TqKfS_wJgkd5pCgUWk4ijzc5G2p2YDq8O5qUqnaqp6uIMN2WwLOOTxgy1JJjWyVn4TLWDtbJeC43kH0I7QpwARA1CNa60s5BKinoqqJqQSLLbKMQiV5OoKApSsaZKLw/s1600/checklist+potty.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.dailymontessori.com/self-development/toilet-learning-vs-toilet-training/">(source)</a></i></div>
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in reading this list i realized that she had not been doing a lot of these things, and in fact still wasn't.</div>
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i also needed to check myself, and if my reactions always seemed frustrated and angry, we had to change something.</div>
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so here's the thing i think, if she's not ready, she's not ready.</div>
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so starting Saturday we put her back in diapers (mostly cloth-yippee!)</div>
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and told her that she could use the potty if she wanted to, but she didn't have to.</div>
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we had a much more relaxing weekend, with a few trips to the toilet or potty,</div>
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and this morning she asked to wear a pull-up and has been pretty much using the potty on her own (go figure).</div>
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so we'll see how this week progresses, but i'm happy to not be stressed and very happy to not feel frustrated or about something she can't control.</div>
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live and learn.</div>
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poor first born trial children ;)</div>
katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-53705924846721720492013-06-20T07:59:00.000-04:002013-06-20T07:59:10.516-04:00I don't feel ready for this!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
these two.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRIPxicWv3wVJAvfk3xyNqNmLt6VpfSpybjSj96GKRXrMaUl3CM7AHZaPvbETmubnWH79i4xBup9Meui2oD-lTdh9-ymgXlO5uh94hkRs9ovD0e_WUILst-Jx_WVQFKboLxy1/s1600/IMG_0193%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRIPxicWv3wVJAvfk3xyNqNmLt6VpfSpybjSj96GKRXrMaUl3CM7AHZaPvbETmubnWH79i4xBup9Meui2oD-lTdh9-ymgXlO5uh94hkRs9ovD0e_WUILst-Jx_WVQFKboLxy1/s320/IMG_0193%5B1%5D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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are off to daycare together this morning, for the first time.</div>
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Isla has continued for one day a week this past year, and today Baby Megan is joining her.</div>
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how did we get to this point? </div>
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this year has been crazy and emotional and a little overwhelming at times,</div>
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but it's been an amazing journey to walk through and to see the bond these girls have already--i'm glad they are so close in age*</div>
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Thom is dropping them off, and i'll pick them up.</div>
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Isla did amazing on her trial days when she was 1, and i'm sure Meggie will do great as well.</div>
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i'm glad they are going to such a wonderful home daycare. </div>
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i felt in my gut, when Isla was little, that this was the right place for them, </div>
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and to this day i am so thankful to God for bringing Kattie into our lives.</div>
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*just to say, that i'm glad they are close, but if we have another one we will wait a weeeeeee bit longer in between.</div>
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<br />katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8444270.post-51121370477660000412013-06-07T06:43:00.000-04:002013-06-20T07:51:32.563-04:00a reading interludeoh man, i've been on the waiting list since last summer for JK Rowling's new book "The Casual Vacancy"<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51L2TXKdyjL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51L2TXKdyjL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>-image from Amazon.ca-</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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i am not enjoying it, not even really one little bit.<br />
it seems boring and i don't care or want to know any of the characters better.<br />
if i hadn't been waiting so long (or keeping track of all my books read this year!) i would most likely put it down and walk away.<br />
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Thom says my problem is i keep calling it "that Harry Potter book"<br />
his exact words were "you keep calling it the Harry Potter book, but Harry isn't going to apparate into this one"<br />
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he's not? well then why am i still reading it!?!<br />
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has anyone read this? does it redeem itself at all?<br />
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all i feel when i sit down to read it is: "oh, not you again"<br />
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maybe it's time to pack it in, life's too short to read bad books.<br />
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***updated to say that i read to about page 250 and then couldn't give it anymore. it was negative, filled with unnecessary swearing and terrible people... every last one of them... not worth my time or energy***katevp-ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098431801998616564noreply@blogger.com0