Ash Wednesday and Applesauce

So what are you giving up for Lent? Tonight Josh and I are going to Ash Wednesday services--the first time for both of us, I believe. I imagine, growing up Presbyterian, that I probably have participated in an Ash Wednesday service but I don't remember.

I have offered a link to the right under "Links I Love" to my pastor's blog. We are getting ready to do a series on death, dying, and the afterlife which coincides with the celebration of the Lenten season.

I feel very lucky that Josh and I found a church for our family that includes many wonderful, diverse, and humble people. I stopped going to church for several years for reasons that were necessary for me, at the time. I'm finding my way back after lots of doubts, uncertainties, and disappointments with the Christian church. I am glad though, (so very, very glad), that we landed right where we did--in this wonderful community of people who challenge us to think, question, and support each other.

And on an entirely different, random note...Harper is a barrel full of cuteness all the time. The other night she was rolling around on the floor after a long day at school, and an intense coloring session on our living room floor. After a bit of playing she said, "my legs huuuurrrrt." Josh asked her why and she said in a whiney, strained voice, "too much criss cross applesauce!"

These are the things I need to remember for later. Probably more funny for me than anyone else, but I love that little girl!

Twitter. Holla!

I just joined the world of Twitter. Did you know that there are now professional seminars dedicated to Twitter? Namely, how to use Twitter to boost your business? Every professional organization I belong to has luncheons, lectures, and roundtables solely focused on Twitter, Facebook, and blogging. So if you'll look to the right, I've included my Twitter feed.

Sometimes I feel old as dirt and sometimes I feel right like a 13-year-old tech nerd. So I'm going to be tweeting on the latest Joshua Best Studio business news, professional topics of interest, and whatever interesting tidbits I find. And you can be privy to these musings right as they pop out of my head and onto my keyboard! Exciting! Riveting! Narcissistic!

Enjoy.

Staycation

I really don't like that word but that is, in fact, what we're doing right now. Harper is in Wichita with grandma and grandpa and we are in a hotel in...Kansas City!

So far we've been out with friends, slept in late, crashed a Staples convention, and just rolled along doing whatever we feel like. It's been marvelous.

Today I caught up with an old friend of mine who was in town. I miss having friends around to whom you never have to explain anything. You just pick up where you left off.

Later, Josh and I went to see "The King's Speech." Really excellent. Tomorrow we will see if it wins any Oscars!

I picked up a new book to read. After a week of Elvis biographies I thought I should go the more classical route so I picked up a copy of Jane Eyre at the bookstore today. It's no "Child Bride: the Priscilla Presley Story," but I'm sure it will be intriguing.

I don't know how we're ever going top to this wild and crazy weekend but I hope Harper's turned the charm way up the last couple of days. We need to make sure the grandparents let her come back.

My Favorite President is Lincoln

Generic, I know, but probably nothing more fascinating than being the leader of the country during the Civil War.

So last Thursday, Harper and I tried to soak up the nice weather. I'm starting to shop for her spring clothes so we went to an outdoor shopping center and ran around, ate lunch at the T-Rex Cafe, and bought a couple of swimsuits, hoping to magically coax summer into existence through the mere power of consumerism.

Harper had a great time, although she was a little frightened of the dinosaur animatronics. She kept her eyes focused on the pterodactyl hanging from the ceiling in case it swooped down to steal her Dino Dogs.

We both loved being outside and I must say that I am braving the cold front much easier this time around having had a little bit of a break from the snow and sludge.

Speaking of warm weather--Mike Smith, an old family friend of my mother-in-law, just published a book last year called, "Warnings: the True Story of How Science Tamed the Weather." Mike is a meteorologist who happened to be on one of the local Wichita channels when I was a kid. His book is a pretty fascinating account of how technology has developed since the 1940's to accurately predict severe weather. You don't have to be a weather dork like me to enjoy the book.

Anyway, I talked to Mike today and he is going to take me storm chasing in April (that is if there are any storms in the midwest that week). Storm chasing is something I've always wanted to do but never really had the opportunity to go. Mike offered to take me and my mother-in-law a couple of years ago but this is the first time I've really had the flexibility to get away on short notice. I'm really excited!!

That's about all for this week. Hope you've had a lovely President's Day!

Happy Valentine's!

Harper likes to read aloud to anyone who will listen. Us, her stuffed animals, her school friends, her paper plates and cups, my parents' CD collection. She holds the book up for everyone to see and makes up words and stories.

This morning she "read" me a Valentine's story at breakfast. I'm only able to understand about 50% of what she is saying as she counts more on inflection and facial expressions to tell a story than actual words. This morning, while holding up a Valentine's card (pretending it was a book), she told me a fascinating story about making "Valentime's" at playschool with her teachers, Ms. Corinna and Jesus. After making "Valentime's", the kids did some Dora pilates. Finally, in the story's grand finale, a monster ate Jesus! The moral of the story, according to Harper? "Jesus loves everyone and things. Happy Valentime's Day!"

School Play

Harper was in her first school play on Thursday night. I didn't know that this play was such a big to-do. I thought the kids were going to be singing a few songs in their classroom when in fact, they held this play at the community center around the corner. When we got there, the kids were back in a play area going crazy until the parents arrived and took their seats. There are some pictures below of Harper on the climbing wall before the performance.

Also, the school director had put sheet music and CD's out a week before in an effort to get parents to help their kids practice. I missed the memo on that too. So, I guess now that Harper is officially in the 3-year-old room, (thus participating in more sophisticated school projects), I will have to pay more attention to the calendar.

Harper was very cute, but spent most of the play looking like a deer in headlights. It was great though. And in a moment of overwhelming pride and amazement, Josh leaned over to me and whispered, "Our daughter is almost 3-years-old!"  And as if this moment couldn't be more incredible, he added in a voice of utter wonderment, "We met in a bar!"

Happy Birthday!

To my Dad and his twin brother, Gregg!

Good Friends

Yesterday we invited ourselves over to Andy and Kim's house for the KU/K-State basketball game. Andy and I grew up together in Wichita and hanging out with them is like hanging out with family. (Luckily I like mine or that wouldn't be a great analogy). Harper loves playing with their daughter "Baby Lily."

 

Photo Hunt

I went hunting for photos on my Mom's computer this weekend because I am notoriously bad at taking pictures. Conversely, my Mom always has her camera with her and takes generally awesome pictures. Here are a few from the holidays that I would have liked to post a month ago.

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Harper got reaquainted with her cousin Ellery this past summer (my cousin Kristen's daughter). Since then, Ellery has come up daily. It's either "I had fun playing with Ellery," or "I'm not Harper, I'm Ellery," or "Look, I'm dancing like Ellery," or "Look, I'm swinging my hair like Ellery."

Well Ellery came for a visit at Christmas and was a wonderful sport at keeping Harper entertained. I just love this picture of them holding hands. Of course Harper was nearly apoplectic with joy for weeks afterward!

While in Wichita at Thanksgiving we visited Botanica. Harper was listening to carolers when they gave her a bell to play during their songs.

 

When I was about 9 or 10 our families hired a professional photographer to take a family portrait at Christmas. My cousins and I all wore matching outfits. I so wish I had a copy of it to post here. There were about 11 of us--grandparents, parents, and five grandkids. Now, with spouses and great-grandkids, our family has over doubled in size. Time has flowwwwnnnn by. Don't think I won't dig up those old pictures though--I think I need a family "rewind" post soon.

There are very few pictures of Josh, me, and Harper together. Let this be the third or fourth of many...

My sister Jill's new little girl, Austen

That's it for my picture dump. Oh wait...I was missing one. This year's Christmas PJ's!



Couldn't Pay the Rent!

In November I quit my job to join Josh in his firm, Joshua Best Studio. I did this as a total leap of faith. Leaps of faith are harder to come by in this economy. Safety, security, and knowing what's coming next--that's what people want. Probably half of Josh's friends and acquaintances have lost their jobs in the last two years. If they didn't lose a job they certainly lost income, bonuses, and other benefits.

When no other job was forthcoming, Josh struck out on his own. For about six to eight months, this consisted of nothing more promising than another lunch with another contact trying to sell himself and his skills. We had to accept help from our families to keep us afloat.

When this caused me too much shame and embarrassment, I went to the Department of Family Services to apply for food stamps and daycare assistance. I figured that it would be less shameful to stand on our own by any means necessary than to have our parents pay our bills. When this didn't work we talked about selling our house--another dead end. We exhausted lots of of other possibilities until finally, work started trickling in. Then it started pouring in.

Josh became not just busy, but too busy. All of the sudden he was the breadwinner again and he needed help. So that's where I took this leap of faith--to join him to try and grow this business.

I think there are few people who are close to us who don't question this choice. Or at least worry about it. I didn't take this leap knowing we have years of financial security ahead of us--more like 5-6 months. The rest is up to us--how hard we're willing to work, how many opportunities are out there in this strapped economy, and how much personal fear and stress we can stand.

It kind of feels like an extreme sport--an adrenaline rush every day to where by 3pm, I can count on either feeling like I'm going to pass out from exhaustion or puke from the anxiety. It's pretty exhilarating.

I've wanted to be business owner for a long time. I feel that dream starting to take shape as I see opportunities develop in this new endeavor. Maybe by the summer time it will be a complete failure and we'll have to go back to being employees. But I've already lived out my worst fear--not having money; seriously considering moving into my parents' basement; giving up things that I "want" in place of things that I "need."

I've also seen what no options and very little hope can do to my marriage, my mental well being, and my joy for life. It makes me want to take control and take chances I wasn't willing to take before. It's really lousy and wonderful at the same time. We didn't ask for any of this to happen to us but it was the hand we were dealt, as the old saying goes. So rather than be passive and make choices from fear, I'm taking chances and eliminating regrets. In the meantime, I'm trying not to puke.

Random Thoughts

Harper is absorbing information at an alarming rate. She overhears things and repeats them days, sometimes months later. Usually it's something Josh teaches her. Her latest thing? She puts on a gameshow-host voice and says "Here comes big momma!" whenever I enter a room.

She also likes to wear underwear on her head:

S.A.D.

I found out from my doctor that I have S.A.D.=Seasonal Affective Disorder. He told me I need to go sit under one of those non-tanning lamps and take some vitamin D. I have a feeling that everyone in the Midwest has S.A.D. I was going to list some of the symptoms here so that you could self-diagnose but they are too, well, sad. Plus, when I told my sister, she said, "That's a real thing?! I thought it was just something that happened to people in Michigan." I'm not completely sure what that means but I guess that I would, in fact, be seriously depressed if I lived in Michigan. So there you go.

I tried to find this affliction in my copy of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders." Josh, for years, would not allow me near this book for fear that I would diagnose myself with a host of illnesses. This is true. I always think I have something life-threatening. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a hypocondriac. The DSM classifies Hypochondriasis as "fears of having a serious disease based on a misinterpretation of one or more symptoms." See how handy this book is as a quick reference?

Once, my friends Christy and Aali gave me a novelty gift--a little spinnning wheel of physical symptoms that could be interpreted as anything from a harmless malady to a fatal cancer. The wheel was called "Yes, you really are dying." I laughed when I got it, but I'm telling you, I've used it as a reason to obsess over a sore throat.

I recently had to have the painfully embarrassing conversation with the minister at our church, that I can't take communion by intinction because I don't want to catch the flu from my church friends. At least now, with S.A.D., I can just tell people that I'm too depressed to get out of the pew.

So anyways, I don't like winter, cold, snow--and right now there's a heaping crapload of it coming down on my neighborhood. So until the weather warms up and I can crawl out of my cave, I imagine my days will look a little more like this:

Snow Day!

I don't like the snow. I would like to be living somewhere warm. Nevertheless, it was a snowy, snowy day here in Kansas City so we decided to have a little snowy fun...

We bundled up tight this evening and spent approximately 5 minutes trying to build a snowman. The snow was too soft so we just took some pictures instead.

Harper's first snowball...

A Visit with Great Grandpa Minter

Love, Logic, and Resolutions

I just ordered my copy of "Parenting with Love and Logic" to help me get through '11 without slitting my wrists. If you are a parent with a young child, then you know what I'm talking about (both the book and the wrist slicing). My daughter turned 2 1/2 and went ten shades of crazy. Josh and I were not prepared and we do not seem to have a consistent parenting style. She is starting to rule the household. Not good.

Please let me know if you have a parenting recommendation--book, technique, whatever. I had a discussion about some of this with my cousin over Christmas and we went down the list of currently-favored parenting gurus, but I forgot about "Love and Logic." We'll see how it goes. I love my daughter more than any living, breathing, dead, or inanimate thing, but I also want to string her up by her toes. (I promise I will not go through with this plan so please don't call DFS, person with no children and/or sense of humor).

On another note...tonight I sarcastically asked Josh if he had any special New Year's resolutions as I handed him his footlong, quarterpound, chili cheese coney dog from Sonic. It has over 50 grams of fat. I was thinking that maybe he'd like to use that gym membership he purchased several months ago. But he had another resolution--he wants to be more appreciative. I wanted to say, "maybe you should start by appreciating your arteries," but I love my husband. Plus, I was, admittedly, the one who agreed to drive through Sonic to get Josh the aforementioned meat catastrophe. And I also know that in all seriousness, what Josh meant is that he would like to be more appreciative of all the blessings the last 4 or 5 months have brought us. We have come a long way since January, when there was no work and getting our bills paid was a major lesson in humility.

So yeah. I think that as a New Year's resolution, being appreciative and grateful for our lives, our talents, our joys, and our journey right now is pretty good stuff.

So here are some more resolutions from the Best household:

1. Take a vacation, or two, or three
2. Take piano lessons (Josh)/Take tap classes (Jeana)
3. Exercise patience
4. Pray
5. Indulge in more things that are just for fun
6. Take better care of each other
7. Return my library books on time
8. Trust our instincts
9. Strengthen our friendships
10. Get a regular sized washer and dryer and burn the stackable

Here's to 2011!

Harper Unplugged

New Year's Eve

Harper was home all week with a cold. Yesterday, the car wouldn't start when we wanted to finally escape our domestic prison. This is how failure felt:

So today we went out for breakfast at our favorite restaurant, Succotash. We were so very happy. And full.

Today's Special:

Harper wasn't sure if Daddy could eat it all...

Also, I've been trying to come up with some New Year's resolutions. Really, I just like to write down goals every once in awhile in my journal. Over the last week, however, I discovered Josh sketching in my journal and Harper tearing the pages out. I had to solve this crisis:

I think my innermost musings are safe for awhile.

Happy New Year!

Found the Cord!

No Updates

Reason #1 for never updating my blog:
I can't find my camera cord and I just stubbed my toe for the second time while looking for it. At some point, it's just not worth it.

But I will give it another shot in 2011.

A recap of 2010:
The year started out a little rough. The economy was particulary unkind to us but Josh rallied in the summer, started getting noticed, and landed some great projects through his new firm, Joshua Best Studio, LLC.

I quit my job in November to join his firm and to spend more time with Harper. Not sure what I'm doing yet, except I think it entails ruling the world. Or at least Josh.

My sister had her first child--Austen Lillie (pictured below).

My brother introduced a great new woman into our family--Angela, his fiancee.

We took one, count 'em, ONE vacation to Texas over the summer. We got to hang out with the Texas Gatewoods and Harper got to do one of her favorite and my least favorite things--flying.

That's about it really. Hope you had a great year and that we get to see lots of you in 2011!

Happy 2nd Birthday Harper!