letting go of something or somethings (plural) is often more difficult than the actuality of living without it. I think for me, it’s the incontrovertible process of having to say goodbye. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Family
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE…WE DID IT!!!
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This gallery contains 14 photos.
We never really know the impetus or the catalyst behind some of our personal choices. We can speculate, presume, and try to make sense, where there is no sense to be made. Sometimes, you just have to follow your dreams. And that’s what we’re doing… Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY…just swinging
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What’s more romantic than a tree swing which allows you to watch and capture moments of your life as a family together? I can see the girls (at various stages in their lives) in a montage of images with music playing in the background…maybe playing at their weddings many years from now. I can see the girls keeping the videos for their own kids to watch and I can imagine how “old” and “Long ago” it will seem to their children. Musings of the traditions of a simple yet beautiful tree swing. Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED SIXTY NINE…did someone say “road trip?”
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Sometimes, life just calls for a really great long ass car trip. It doesn’t always happen though. Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED SIXTY SIX…Spring Chickens and Ceramic Bunnies
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Random minis: We spent last week at my brother’s vacation home in Beech Mtn. NC. On Wednesday, for dinner, Greg and I were in the mood to try something new. Whenever we visit Boone, Banner elk and Blowing Rock we … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE…this southern girl is feeling appreciative
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This gallery contains 15 photos.
Crisp cool evenings chilly air wafting through the house at night through the open windows the constant smell of freshly cut grass the constant sound of birds of different species singing to one another in all their different languages the … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED SIXTY FOUR…don’t give that mom a knife!
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safety in the kitchen…or lack there of. Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED SIXTY THREE…mommy, help me out
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Finding little ways to be helpful and celebrating little successes on the blog tonight. Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED SIXTY…
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Yet another story on the trials and tribulations of being a mother of young children, and the funny scenarios that I find myself in. Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY SEVEN…the pitfalls of homeschooling
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I was unpacking our bicycles from this mornings ride when Phoebe approached me in the garage with a serious tone in her voice saying, “Mommy, something’s wrong with Abby. She is saying she doesn’t want to play dolls with me. I … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY SIX…processing to remember
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Here we are one week after our sweet dog Bear’s passing and our emotions are still raw. We have crossed that hurdle of being able to say his name and talking about the goofy times we remember without our voices … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE…Thank You Bear
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For the past 3 weeks I have been struggling to get back to our normal routine. On Wednesday I was finally able to make all the bi-annual and annual doctors appointments for everyone, including our furry side. Bear’s appointment was … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR…daddy the hero
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We went to church on Sunday. Abby and Phoebe attend the Childrens’Â moment in our church. It’s always interesting to hear what Phoebe is going to say in front of the entire congregation. People enjoy her random verbal diaharea…as long as … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN…annoyingly happy
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If your having a particularly annoying day, don’t read this blog…I am having an annoyingly happy day/week and I am openly expressing my gratitude! Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED FORTY…our own personal lotto ticket
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When we had Cecilia, it was almost as if we had a new lease on life. Our luck changed. Our outlook on life changed. Our priorities changed. She brought something different to the family. More than the joy of babies, … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY NINE…letting go of a crazy week
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so we had some friends over for the week from Tennessee. We had 4 adults, 6 kids and one dog in our house. The 10 of us were all together for a total of 6 days and the kids didn’t get in one … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY SEVEN….premium octane please
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My tolerance level is running on fumes right now. People never tell you when your pregnant that, once those cute adorable little babies turn into toddlers you will have to repeat yourself constantly. Ask those cute innocent little beings the same … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY SIX…questions for the void
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Lately there has been a small issue Greg and I have not been able to figure out. You see Greg and I are both the youngest in our singing line-up. ***I’m venturing through pictures of yesteryear to help me with this … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY FOUR…remove the lid
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I have wanderlust in the worst way. Yes, we just returned from a 3-week vacation in Tennessee and Michigan. 2,984 miles in the comfort and convenience of a mini-van. Your probably asking yourself, “Is there such a thing as comfort and convenience … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY THREE…an ending in pictures
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The last week of our 3-week hiatus included an adventurous, rocking and might I add “freezing” night on a boat, 5 amazingly fun and very different playgrounds, An amazing garden filled with beautiful purple flowers, ‘Moomers’ the famous ice cream … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY TWO…we have located heaven on earth
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This gallery contains 61 photos.
Just like Tennessee, when we headed to Michigan, I had a list of things I wanted our family to experience. And of course, staying 2 weeks didn’t allow us to do all of those things. So once again, I had … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED TWENTY SIX…sisters and their acrobatic dolls
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This gallery contains 11 photos.
On Thursday Abby, Phoebe and I met my sister at good ole’ Yeehaw Junction. The girls were going to spend a couple of nights with her. Their plans included visiting the American Girl Store for an afternoon of tea, a … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED TWENTY TWO…
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I turned 38 years old 20Â days ago. My husband and I have a continual dialogue about our dreams which almost always include travel of some sort. Occasionally I dream out-loud about photography equipment and encourage him to fantasize about a … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN…i am missing something, am i missing something
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I woke up this morning with a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach…”I forgot something or am forgetting something”. Lucky me, I know the mystery will reveal itself to me before the day is over, most likely too late … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN…we got this! seriously! we got this!#$%!??!! Part 5
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So just to recap on the trip thus far, (NOTE: this section of Part 5 is inspired by Bear Hands, Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem and Bombay Bicycle Club) we have learned 7 Extremely valuable lessons about RV camping; Seatbelts ALWAYS…even … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED TWELVE…imaginative hearing
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This gallery contains 11 photos.
I was in the middle of finishing up a painting project so we could all hop in the car and escape for a wee bit. Our end goal was the fresh market so we could grab some essentials before our … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED ELEVEN…3 is a good number
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My baby girl turned 3 at the end of July. I had this *brilliant* idea that I would go through each and every picture file on my folder and pull out my favorite pictures of Cecilia over the past 3 … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED TEN…my day was ‘craptastic’. How was yours? Part 2
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This gallery contains 11 photos.
So far, from what I can tell, Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors was not based on my life, but after today, maybe it should have been. The last time I had a craptastic day was 2 years and 5 months ago. The start … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED EIGHT…worth celebrating
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All week long I have been waiting for Friday. Â I wanted to remember the special day in March. I forgot it last year until the very last minute, which made me feel like the WORST mom on the planet. Friday … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED SEVEN…let ’em eat cookies
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A day off from school is equal to a day of absolute and total chaos in the kitchen. WE MADE COOKIES!!!!! butterfly cookies heart cookies circle cookies star cookies, triangle cookies, dragonfly cookies, apple cookies, Teddy Bear cookies, flower cookies, … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED THREE…Friday night, my brain is fried, randomness
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This gallery contains 19 photos.
Phoebe has been spitting a lot lately. I’m not sure where she picked up the habit, but when she’s mad, she spits. When she’s sad, she spits. When she falls down and hurts her knee, she spits. If there’s a … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED TWO…dysfunctional appreciation
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We have taken dysfunction to a whole new level in this house. I know we have reached our “dysfunctional family” monthly limit when my newly seven-year old wanders into our bathroom and sees a tampon (still wrapped in its store-bought … Continue reading
ONE HUNDRED…new start
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Since my last post, 3 months ago, we have 1. celebrated a birthday 2. started a new elementary school 3. moved to a new home (oddly enough I do not have any pictures of our home) 4. added 2 new … Continue reading
NINETY-NINE…next stop – normal
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Sometimes I forget that plateaus lead to progress. I felt as if we had been on a plateau for so long. I thought the plateau was something to do with me. There is one theme which continues to remain prevalent … Continue reading
NINETY-EIGHT…and we’re back
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I have a love/hate relationship with this face… I love that lip. It’s so adorable. But seeing her upset hurts my heart. But that lip!!!! MAKE IT STOP!!! Cecilia is still screaming…and working on getting on to her knees and … Continue reading
NINETY-SIX…
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PhoebeShe eats with her mouth wide open. And makes little noises when she eats her food. Chunks of food fall out of her mouth and at the end of a meal she has food all over her face, hands, clothes … Continue reading
NINETY-FIVE…new dreams
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We have turned a corner at the Spranger house. Cecilia has adopted a personality and she wants everyone in this house to know. Â The above picture is a moment captured in a day in the life of Cecilia. Â If Cecilia … Continue reading
NINETY-THREE…memories and anniversary’s
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In 7 days, it will be our one year anniversary since moving to Florida. Greg reminded me today. Â on the one hand, it is so hard to believe it’s only been a year We have built a life here, I … Continue reading
NINETY-TWO…sisters
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I was in the kitchen washing paint off my hands when I overheard Abby explaining to Phoebe how to braid her Barbie dolls hair. Abby has been working on her fish tail braiding skills. She was very supportive of Phoebe … Continue reading
NINETY-ONE…productivity
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I have discovered a productive way to take Phoebe to the grocery store 1. Phoebe 2. Phoebe’s personal grocery cart 3. first stop…bakery, the ladies at the bakery know her and great her by name. She stands and chats with … Continue reading
NINETY…shake it like a polaroid picture
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Thanks to Abby and her sudden discovery and thus interest in Katy Perry and Justin Beaver (I like the way she pronounces it!!) I too have Beiber Fever! “Mommy can we listen to Katy Perry please…please…Mom, please put Katy Perry … Continue reading
EIGHTY-NINE…that’s a wrap!
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Wrapping up the holiday’s while the sun is shining, is far less depressing as it would be if we had grey in the skies and snow on the ground! I love where we live! I am a sentimental kind of … Continue reading
Eighty-Eight…
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Lately, Phoebe and I like to play this game where I ask her what her name is and she responds simply by saying, “Chris-mis”, then she proceeds to sing the ‘jingle bell’ song and finally following up with a, “Santa, … Continue reading
EIGHTY-SEVEN…tomorrow
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When I picked Abby up from School on Friday, I watched her from a distance. I saw her sitting with her friends waiting to be picked up from school. She was giggling, smiling and completely ignoring the announcer who had … Continue reading
EIGHTY-SIX…it’s Christmas for crying out loud
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I am so tired of finding Christmas tree ornaments strewn about the yard, dangling from the turn switch on a lamp, crammed into the crevice of the seating in our living room and lying broken underneath the couch. Why such … Continue reading
EIGHTY-FIVE…holiday ramblings
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I don’t know exactly what it is about this little girl, maybe it’s her chubby cheeks, her adorable little nose, those amazingly bright eyes or that incredible emerging personality or the way she rocks her sassy stance when I am … Continue reading
EIGHTY-FOUR…bring on the festivities…
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This gallery contains 9 photos.
I remember babysitting for my niece and nephew were around the ages of my kids now. I would watch my sister-in-law and think to myself, “man she is so busy, running a household, raising kids, taking care of pets and … Continue reading
EIGHTY-TWO…it’s all good
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When Abby was born, Greg and I had the brand new tv monitors. We placed it in her crib angling it perfectly so it would look right into that amazing little face. By the third night, we had to unplug … Continue reading
SEVENTY-NINE…sometimes there are no words
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This gallery contains 11 photos.
Siblings… When I went to my first Down Syndrome Awareness Group meeting I met a mother who spoke about her sons’ older sister. When her son was younger, in elementary school, his older sister (who was only 9 or 10) … Continue reading
SEVENTY-SIX…sweetness times 10
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This gallery contains 11 photos.
Today,Instead of cleaning house or doing laundry…which sadly, is very much-needed… Cecilia and I got dressed up in our fancy picture clothes… retrieved our fancy multi-colored beach blanket, and headed out to a nearby park where mommy could focus on … Continue reading