Friday, May 31, 2019

April 2019 Donations

OxFam Ireland

In Dublin there was a knock at my door and a woman there to tell me of the work that OxFam Ireland is doing in Yemen. I wasn't about to give out my information and sign up for monthly donations, but as soon as I thanked her for her time and closed the door, I logged in to OxFam's site and made a donation.

Oxfam is a global movement of people who won’t live with the injustice of poverty. Together we save lives and rebuild communities when disaster strikes. We help people build better lives for themselves. We speak out on the big issues that keep people poor, like inequality and discrimination against women.

And we won’t stop until every person on the planet can live without poverty.

Oxfam has been in Yemen for more than 30 years, working hard to improve water and sanitation services, as well as the livelihoods of people living in poverty. Since 2015, we’ve reached 1 million people with clean water, food vouchers, cash transfers and hygiene kits as part of our emergency response.

BUMBLEance - The Saoirse Foundation

The world’s first ambulance service specifically designed and tailored for children.
BUMBLEance is the official Children’s National Ambulance Service of Ireland.  We provide safe and comfortable transportation for Ireland’s youngest patients as they travel between their homes and hospitals, hospices, treatment centres, and respite centres nationwide. At BUMBLEance, we know how stressful it is to transport a sick child, BUMBLEance is with families every step of the way, with the comfort and safety of the children as our number one priority.

The BUMBLEance service is the first of its kind in the world.  It has all the amenities of a regular ambulance but it includes the all-important extras to make a sick child’s journey as safe, comfortable and entertaining as possible.  Our aim is to distract, comfort and entertain Ireland’s youngest and most critically ill patients as they travel to and from hospitals and paediatric treatment centres nationwide.


(photo kidnapped from hospitalfrc)

Please join me in the Low Budget Philanthropy movement and help out your community and beyond in the simplest way - donating any amount to whatever charity or organisation that you care about!

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Little House Fans

My entire family loves Little House on the Prairie. We grew up watching it and even though it can be full of gooey sentimentalism, the series has got a lotta heart and it's impossible for any of us to change the channel should we stumble upon an episode. Today I got this text from the baby brother confirming that some things never change:

*that was supposed to read "don't WATCH" not "don't want her" - god damn spell check...it never gets it right...

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

April 2019 Books

April was not a good month for reading books. I certainly bought a ton, but was too busy relaxing in Dublin and showing Xavier around Antwerp to be bothered to read anything. I did listen to the Belinda Blinked podcast, which was a freaking riot. (Special thanks to Anne for telling me about it!) Does that count as a book? I'm gonna say it is. So here's the three books I read:

* Belinda Blinked (care of the My Dad Wrote a Porno podcast) by Rocky Flintstone

(photo kidnapped from amazon)
Billionaire Boy by David Walliams - Another fantastically adorable story from David Walliams. I can't get enough of his unique plots and endearing characters.



♥ I Must Say ¹ by Martin Short - I listened to this in audiobook format on my travels, just as I had done back in September. I own the hardcover, but nothing, nothing beats hearing Martin Short bring every person and character to life. His Nick Nolte impression is only slightly better than Nick Nolte's.

¹ - audiobook
² - abridged version
* - liked
♥ - loved
Any unmarked titles were, in my opinion, so-so.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Outside Phoenixville

When I pulled over to snap these photos on Sunday I couldn't help but imagine my perfect life and how I would have a tiny home on this plot of land and spend every Sunday at The Colonial Theatre watching classic films.




Monday, May 27, 2019

My Mexican Bday 2009

Ten years ago Marina was teaching in Coahuila, Mexico and had her students record a sweet video in honour of my 33rd birthday. I am so glad I remembered it and found it to share on my blog. These kids are super-stinkin' cute!

Sunday, May 26, 2019

The Dirty Dozen

It was off to Phoenixville with Zach today to see The Dirty Dozen at The Colonial Theatre. I packed us some yummy treats (even though we caved in and bought soda and candy from the concessions), one of which was a big ole container of organic strawberries, which are, coincidentally on the dirty dozen list. I swear it was purely accidental on my side - I didn't even realise it until we started indulging. Anyways, the film was just as good as I'd remembered and Zach really liked it, too! We are hoping to see Jaws on June 22nd, if he doesn't have Lacrosse. I love Phoenixville (the little I've seen) and when Autumn arrives I wanna go back and spend the day checking out the shops and cafes.





Saturday, May 25, 2019

BUMBLEance Babes!!

Y'all know I love and support BUMBLEance, well I got a little shirt for Miss Bailey and one for Avery, which is a bit big for now, and a matching one for me! Last night we had a bit of a BUMBLEance selfie party. My favourite moment of the night was when Bailey was looking at the cartoon BUMBLEance on the back of my shirt. "Who's driving the BUMBLEance?" I asked. She was all whispers and hushed mumblings, but whatever she said didn't sound like "bumblebee" or even just "bee." Then she clearly said, "Water." WTF?? So I spin her around and look and damn it if she isn't right. Bumble is in the back and the drivers side is all blue, like water. Man, that kid cracks me up.





(ps - here's the lil BUMBLEance that is being driven by water)

Friday, May 24, 2019

Freddie at Michel's

The last time I stayed at Michel's in Antwerp was back in Christmas 2016. This was in my/Michel's bedroom and I just had to snap a photo of it.


Thursday, May 23, 2019

Nat Sherman Fantasia

About 20 years ago I worked on the Main Line in Pennsylvania with a gal named Meredith. She introduced me to Nat Sherman Fantasia Lights. They took forever to burn and didn't have a super chemically taste. They were natural, which, yes, I realise doesn't mean they've got vitamin C in them, but for me they were a better choice over the Marlboro's I'd been smoking since 1992. Fantasias quickly became my cigarette of choice. I have never been a heavy smoker, at most I would go through a pack a week. I've been cutting back more and more these past few years and in 2017 I stopped almost all together. I finally reached the stage where I could travel, smoke, come home and go back to being a non-smoker, or I could have one here or there at weddings or get-togethers and not feel the need to pick the habit back up full time. It was around this time that I found out that Nat Sherman discontinued Fantasia cigarettes. Luckily I still had a full pack sitting around and have finally come down to the last one in the pack. Pink. Here's a photo I took in October 2018 of the last row of 10. They sure were some purty smokes...



Wednesday, May 22, 2019

What I Love About Lucy

- her squeaky little squeal of joy she lets loose when someone chases after her
- when she walks toward me with her arms outstretched, initiating a hug
- her dimpled cheeks
- watching her play by herself and seeing her creativity blossom
- her lovely shaped eyes
- that lil' button nose
- the giggle!
- how she doesn't say much, but comprehends everything - people underestimate her, but this wee lass is one smart cookie
- when she wears a dress (which is nearly always) and poses like a silent film star, swishing back and forth as she holds the dress's hem
- seeing her and "Jacksie" play together and how it seems like he's her big brother
- I get excited when I know I'm gonna see her because she really is a sunbeam of cuteness. After Nana Irma's funeral when a bunch of us went back to Mama Rosie's, Lucy and Stacey showed up and Lucy completely changed the energy in the room. She is her name's meaning - she is light.
- seeing how much she is loved by both of her parents and how they actually enjoy watching her and don't let the stress of parenthood overwhelm them to the point where they miss out on Lucy's silly expressions and playfulness
- every time I see her I learn to love her even more
- when I hold her and sniff her like a hound and she giggles then tries to sniff me back
- what I love most is that I can see our lives and our future and I just know she's gonna be one of my bestest pals


Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Off Duty Cop

I picked up Jackson on Sunday to take him to see The Wizard of Oz (which he loved!) at Movie Tavern in Collegeville. He had gotten a fake moustache at a dollar store with his grandparents and when I put my sunglasses on him he became the only cop I would ever allow in my car. This kid continues to make me laugh and brighten every day for me. He's one of the best things about my life.





Monday, May 20, 2019

Funeral Flowers

Funerals pretty much completely suck, but sometimes something as simple as a bunch of flowers can lift the spirits. The white roses from family friends (and my BFF!) Amy, husband Don, brother Dennis and Mama Maggie were particularly beautiful. 


 




Sunday, May 19, 2019

More Day-dreamin'!

In my ideal life, living in an adorable tiny house on a plot of land, spending my days writing, daydreaming up new stories for children and living my bestest life, I am pretty sure this would be the little guest house tucked in a corner of the property. It is so cheerful and charming - who wouldn't want to spend a few nights here?!

(photo kidnapped from @tinyhouseattractive's IG account)

Saturday, May 18, 2019

1980s Cuties!

Going through some of Nana Irma's photos, I came across this adorable photo of my cousins Peter and Emily (they're holding hands!!!) with Xavier, sporting a Snoopy Sixers shirt.


Friday, May 17, 2019

Emily McDowell & Friends

Not long ago Helen Coldwell told me about an online shop, Emily McDowell Studios (now Emily McDowell & Friends) and how she created and sold some of the best empathy cards ever. She absolutely does, by the way, along with a slew of other fab goodies. Earlier this month an email in my inbox from the company caught my eye. Now we know the motivation behind her creativeness and I've gained even more respect for this unseen gal.



Thursday, May 16, 2019

Nana Irma

Yesterday evening Nana Irma passed away at age ninety-seven. She's been such an influence on the lives of everyone in our family and she will so be missed. But we are grateful that she will no longer have to deal with non-stop UTIs and aches, pains, her embarrassment of her occasional forgetfulness, and her loss of independence and mobility. The next time, dear reader, you should have a slice of toast with marmalade and a cup of tea, think of this lady and the mark she left on our family. 

 

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Magnolias

Beth Hart - Delicious Surprise
Four Seasons - Swearin' to God
Adam Ant - Wonderful
Guns n Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
Ani DiFranco - In the Way
James Brown - Prisoner of Love
Leftfield - Open Up
Celine Dion - The Power of Love
Sufjan Stevens - They Are Night Zombies!
Journey - Wheel in the Sky
Chet Baker - Tenderly
Judy Garland - Who?
Eminem & Hailie Jade - My Dad's Gone Crazy
Dar Williams - As Cool As I Am
Pink Floyd - Shine on You Crazy Diamond
Fiona Apple - Better Version of Me

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Ghost Buddy: Mind If I Read Your Mind?

Oh my gosh, this audiobook was such a treat. I was lol-ing from the get go and it was way better than the first Ghost Buddy book, From Zero to Hero. Henry Winkler's reading was spectacular and made my workday just zoom by. I just put the first Hank Zipzer audiobook on hold from the library and I can't wait!


Monday, May 13, 2019

Fruity Donuts!!

Oh how you tease me, Krispy Kreme...but I can't bring myself to unsubscribe from your emails!!


Sunday, May 12, 2019

Mother's Day and Mama's Bday!

The whole family, sans Wayne who is at the seminary and couldn't get away, met up to celebrate the Moms. Not nearly enough time with my brothers, but I got to play with Lucy and Jax and chat a lil' with Sydney and Zach. I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful family. I really am.