ten thoughts on a wednesday |23|

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one.
thank you for the excited congratulations on our baby news! we are feeling thrilled and grateful … and a tiny bit overwhelmed about the future of two kids under two! :)
we actually didn’t intend to announce our pregnancy to the world for a little while longer, but on monday afternoon my dad let me know that he had sent a mass email to all the (thousands of) subscribers of he and my mom’s website, and told me he hoped i didn’t mind that it was signed, in part, from “charity and ian +1.5 in london.” (he mistakenly thought i had already made a wide-reaching announcement.) well, i did mind … kind of a whole lot! i guess it seems kind of silly, but i had spent a lot of energy thinking about how i wanted to share our news on the internet, and i wanted ian and i to be able to do it together, in our own time (and in a fun and clever way). you only get to do this type of thing a very few times in your life! my dad assured me that no one would notice, but within an hour messages started rolling in from people inquiring about that “1.5.” and so ian and i quickly decided we had to make an announcement right away, to avoid our exciting secret being revealed on a closer-to-home scale by some stranger (i love all of you, dear blog readers, but i’m pretty sure that while i was sleeping that night here in london, someone out there would leave an exposing comment on this blog or elsewhere on the internet!). i scrambled to find a picture that i could post had that an ultrasound photo in it, while all my dreams of a cute and thoughtful reveal went down the drain - ha! and then i hastily posted that random selfie of ian and i outside the hospital after our first scan.
i’m already looking back at this experience and chuckling … but it really was quite upsetting in the moment! we are looking forward to sharing more about our baby (due date, pregnancy so far, birth plans, preparing for having two kids, etc etc) but now that dad’s got the very clear message that all of that is our news to share, i’m going to save that info for next week’s wednesday thoughts post :)
(love you so much, dad, and i know i said i would lay off the guilt trip… :) )

two.
a few things i have been thinking about connected to strengthening my marriage, and myself:
be the person you want your spouse to be.
your spouse's issues aren’t your fault, or yours to fix; and vis versa.
praise breeds confidence, which makes most relationships better.
empathy is hugely important - consistently work to really put yourself in others’ (especially your spouse’s) shoes.

three.
random rewind memory to share: when ian’s sister sarah and her husband michael were in town last month, we met them at the tower of london one night to watch the roadway of the tower of london raise as a big ship came through! i've always wanted to see this happen, but just have never made it to a scheduled opening. and it was really cool! pretty neat to think about the feat of engineering that bridge was when it was built long ago. and it’s just so beautiful - the second best bridge on planet earth (can you guess what i am sure is number one??).
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four.
christmas has officially arrived in londontown. i used to be the most staunch not-until-after-thanksgiving/don’t-dilute-the-magic christmas fanatic ever. but after spending two christmases in spectacularly christmassy london, i’ve decided to fully embrace pre-december christmastime. i realize now that i can still hold onto the wonder of thanksgiving, and just allow the magic of christmas to be extended rather than diluted. over the past week i have gone to four christmas light switch-on events and have taken moses to see a few spectacular christmas window displays. the old me is rolling over in her grave, but the new me is positively giddy!
but don’t worry - even though we live abroad and in such a early-to-christmas-stuff city, i’ve made sure we are properly celebrating thanksgiving — we have our thankful tree up and growing in the entryway of our new flat, we are going to a big pie party with a bunch of friends this weekend, and we’re having the whole traditional feast the saturday after thanksgiving with our dear family friends outside of london (and i’ll definitely make a modified thanksgiving dinner on the actual day to enjoy with ian after work!).
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^^ oxford street lighting last tuesday! ^^
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^^ carnaby street lighting last thursday ^^
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^^ with a stop by to see the fortnum & mason windows on the way to the tube! ^^
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^^ my favourite christmassy street in london - old bond street! // the windows at harrods! moses is obsessed. ^^
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^^ covent garden lighting last night - so fun (and a little surreal!) to be in our old neighborhood! ^^
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^^ marylebone street fair and lighting tonight. they had santa’s sleigh, fake snow falling, and real reindeer! little mo and his friend samuel were loving it! ^^

five.
i have three new mantras i am trying to live by more these days:
“comparison is the thief of joy.”
“expect nothing and appreciate everything."
and
“it’s always better in the morning."

six.
one specific thing i was sad to leave in our old neighborhood was my gym. it was just a 3 minute walk away from our flat and had all the basic equipment that i like to use (as well as regular classes), and it was so cheap (this is extremely hard to find in london). i considered joining a new gym close to our new flat, but it was more than twice the cost of the old one and significantly smaller … so i decided to try something different for exercise over at least the next few months. i have been waking up early most mornings and working out in our living room using the app “sworkit,” which just tells you different strength training or cardio exercises to do in timed intervals. i also have been going to a weekly workout for a bunch of moms led by a friend at our new church building - it is awesome because all the babies/kids have a blast playing together and with all the toys at the church while the moms exercise together (and chat for a long time afterwards!). and i’ve gotten back to the mat and started attending yoga classes occasionally again. i am always so blissed out after a good yoga session - it makes my mind and body and spirit so happy!
i am incredibly grateful for my healthy body - especially as i carry this tiny babe in my belly!

seven.
i am trying to wrap my head around this: a bunch of hollywood moguls are accused of sexual assault, therefore they are completely shunned by everyone in their industry and despised by the general public; donald trump was accused of sexual assault and caught on tape bragging about it, therefore he was elected president of the united states. what?! man, that election that happened last year is still surreal, and from where i stand, it just keeps getting weirder.

eight.
a few tidbits about moses:
he is really settling into his new home. we think he was pretty confused the first week - it probably felt like we were on a trip, but all of his stuff was there?! but he just adores all the extra space in our new flat and has now explored pretty much every nook and cranny. he loves to climb inside a nearly empty cupboard in the kitchen, and now we call it his “clubhouse.” he hangs out there while i cook :) he has also discovered that our downstairs neighbors have a cat that hangs out in their back garden. he is so excited to see the cat out the window in our bedroom, it’s almost painful.
he has started signing “i love you” by rubbing his hand over his heart. it is the sweetest thing ever!! his communication skills are improving so much every day - he is saying more words, following more specific instructions, and figuring out all kinds of ways to get what he wants to say across :)
i gave him a haircut in the tub last sunday night. let’s just say i did a better job last time…
he has out of the blue become a picky eater, which is frustrating! anyone out there have tips on how to help him enjoy feeing himself more than just crackers and fruit?!
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^^ moses playing at an awesome playground we discovered, and hanging out in his “clubhouse” in the kitchen! ^^

nine.
it’s really starting to be winter here in london. the trees are getting more and more bare, it is getting dark so early (i kind of despise daylight savings time…), and we have had some majorly chilly days! i love living in a place that has distinct seasons. that said, i am bracing myself for the next few months. it really doesn’t get outrageously cold here in england, but the lack of daylight is really hard. luckily we have christmas magic, and a trip planned to a warm(er) locale in february.
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^^ some last scenes of autumn. i love the holly berries under the fall foliage - a change of seasons is here! ^^

ten.
a couple of saturdays ago we rented a car and drove to ikea and then to the temple. the first thing i have to say about that is this: dang, those ikea meatballs are so good. with the mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam?! sooo good! the second thing i have to say about that day is this quick story:
ian and i traded off going inside the temple and staying outside on the grounds or in the visitors’ centre with moses. there’s this big statue of jesus in the visitors’ centre and i brought moses right up close to it and he loved it. at my suggestion, he waved at jesus, and looked at the nail prints in his hands. and then, with zero prompting, he looked right into the face of jesus, thought for a little second, and did his sign for thank you. it was just the sweetest thing! i did not encourage him at all to do this - wasn’t talking about how we are thankful for jesus or anything like that. he just felt like it was the thing to do. and he was right.
the same statue of jesus is in the church building close to our new flat (where we will now go to church - it also doubles as a visitors’ centre). whenever we approach the building (which we have a few times this week for various events), moses gets so excited, points eagerly at the statue and makes a “sssss” sound, which is how he says “jesus” these days.
i’m grateful for the reminders my tiny son gives me that jesus is real, and that we love him, and that we should thank him.

happy wednesday! life is beautiful!

Comments

  1. Congratulations Charity!! Just wanted to back you up that you are not crazy or petty to be miffed that your dad shared the news about your pregnancy - it's your news to share. But I'm glad that you were able to talk it through and that he understands that now. (I hope this doesn't read as snarky - just wanted to validate that I would have been upset too.)

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    1. thanks, anna. i appreciate the validation :) and yes, it's all good now.

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  2. Congrats! So exciting for your little crew :) My mom announced my first pregnancy long before I was ready to talk about it, and it totally took the wind out my sails for telling anyone for ages. It's silly (and very likely hormone related), but it took forever to get pregnant and I was so sick I felt like I DESERVED the announcement. Ah well. Live and learn :)

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  3. Your dad did the same thing to your brother Noah several babies ago in their blog.

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    1. wow, you have an incredible memory. i certainly don't remember this! bless him - such an eager/excited grandfather :)

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  4. My dad did the same thing for me in a facebook post. Luckily my sister caught it, called my dad and logged into his facebook account and deleted the post (he couldn't do it because he was at a work dinner). I cried because I hadn't had a chance to tell my best friend in person. Its ok to be upset!

    Congratulations! I had 2 boys under 2 (now 3.5 and 5) and it was awesome. I love it--they are the best friends, truly.

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    1. thanks for the validation. i processed the upset and then moved on. but it was legitimate! :) and so great to hear that your two under two situation was positive. i'm excited ... mostly ;)

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  5. I can totally see my dad doing this! He just adores his grandkids and would be so excited to share the news of another on the way. Oh dads! Gotta love em!

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    1. you've just gotta. sometimes they don't know what to do with all that love and pride! ;)

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  6. The story of your dad announcing baby #2 will probably end up being just as memorable as a fancy reveal (even though I’m sure your reveal would have been awesome.)
    Your three mantras are perfect! Definitely good things to remember. (And things are USUALLY better in the morning.... unless you have morning sickness.;) )
    I love that Moses signed “thank you” to the statue of Jesus. So sweet! Also, I love the pic of him doing a yoga pose in his clubhouse. :)

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    1. i think you're right. even now, only a few days later, it's a memorable and funny story :)

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  7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    1. Uncalled for. It is a pregnancy not a national secret. If she does not want people to know she should not tell anyone.

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    2. sorry maria, you’re wrong. he is an incredibly sweet, wonderful man that has done a lot of good that you have no idea of. he is a proud and awesome father and grandfather and an incredible human being that has taught me so much about being humble and grateful. you have no idea what you are talking about and comments like the one you made above and i deleted are NOT welcome in this space.

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  8. I’m guessing you are thinking the Golden Gate Bridge as #1? And congrats on the baby!! Having my first two 12 months apart (although quite the surprise) was the best thing ever. Best friends, completely, at 8 and 9 now.
    With all your thoughts and mantras, I think you would LOVE a certain podcast, seems right up your alley. Its called Bold New Mom. It’s been honestly changing my life... how changing my thoughts can change everything. Start from the beginning, listen to a couple and you will be HOOKED.

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    1. you've got it! nothing even touches that bridge. it's the best in the world, no doubt!

      12 months apart! wowee! go you. good to hear :)

      i'll check out the podcast! thank you!!

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  9. Congratulations, Chare! So excited and happy for you guys and your baking bundle! I love that your dad is so excited for another grandchild, despite having so many. Just shows what a great grandpa he is. But I totally sympathize with being sad about not getting to do things in your own time and way! Makes perfect sense. I'm looking forward to reading about your pregnancy and thoughts next week! Always love reading your blog.

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    1. totally. i actually have been so amazed by how special i can tell moses is to my parents. i was worried that by #28 it would kind of be like, "oh, another baby..." but honestly they dote on him just as much as they did on their first grandchild. it's pretty sweet. love just keeps getting bigger rather than divided!

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  10. Check out "French Kids Eat Everything" (http://amzn.to/2ht0FJA) for tips to help with picky eaters. Apparently it's easier to train kids from the beginning to eat everything than it is to correct a picky eater later. Good for you, being proactive about it!

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  11. Keep offering the unwanted foods...taste buds, textures are still developing.

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  12. I follow the Eyreslm blogs and think this is not the first time your dad has made this exact same mistake. I'm really glad you told your dad how much this bothered you. I think it's a reflection of the patriarchal LDS culture to think of all his "progeny" beling to him as well as his tendency to brag

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    1. hi jenny - my dad certainly does not feel
      that his children belong to him, and he is an awesome human full of love and tenderness. and of course i told him it upset me - we are very open with each other.

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  13. Perhaps it is because you are too young to remember Bill Clinton? Monica Lewinski was not supported very well with her me too hashtag. Person in authority. Do you accept the pass or decline? Every step of Bill Clinton’s career while married in various public offices he has had accusers and some claim it was forced. There were four at one of the debates. Bill Clinton said his relationship with women was not something that would effect his presidency with the first lady nodding in agreement during all those interviews. Bill Clinton made sexual misbehavior acceptable in the oval office. Funny Hillary was hoping to point a finger and benefit from such a scandal. Hollywood men apologized and admitted and there was a paper trail of law suits. Bill Clinton lied. There is only way for his semen to get on her blue dress. Trump apologized for the words on the tape and denied the actions. Nothing has been proven in court. Why is Michael Jackson still loved? He is on tape saying it fine for an adult male to sleep in the same bed as an unrelated minor. There were several law suits relating to the ranch. He is on tape dangling his child outside a window balcony in germany with a blanket over his head. Kennedy had several women. When a man has several women sometimes he will make a pass at a woman who says no. All do not say yes. As president he would have been around interns and workers at the WH. Ordinarily if the no is respected and the asker is not a boss all is well. Today though I am not so sure. Since it is a sudden career killer before charges are even filed this is hurting future victims of harrassment and worse, I doubt every man is a predator. I wish we could use a lie detector, so much is he said she said.

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    1. THANK YOU!!! What's good for the (Democrat) goose apparently isn't good for the (Republican) gander. You should stick to the pretty flowers of London and your cute baby. Leave the politics for the liberal media!

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    2. Telling that these are anonymous posts. Thank you for always being honest, Charity.

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    3. Mine was the second reply above. My name is Julia. I accidentally clicked "Anonymous" and couldn't figure out how to go back and add my name. So there you go. And Charity wasn't honest. Unless you count telling "half the story" as honest. I don't.

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    4. So because we've had vile presidents in the past, we should continue to have them?

      This makes no sense. I don't want sexual perverts from ANY political party running the country.

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    5. The DNA on the dress proved that married president Clinton had sexual relations with an intern in the WH young enough to be his daughter. There is no DNA on Harvey but a lot of papertrail with his contract and law suits. Like President Clinton he controlled their job and careers. Harvey signed into rehab. Trump talked trash, apologized for talking trash and nothihg more has been admitted or proven. Apparantly he was right that this is how hollywood talked years ago. Look what they are doing for pity sakes. Monica hashtagged me too and got blasted for it.

      In the 90’s it was not uncommon for a boss or coworker to hit on you. If you said stop and it stopped with no work consequences for declining all was well. They were jerks. Some of the very many allegations against many individuals are along these lines. There is almost too many people accussed at the moment to even believe it all. It seems a great easy way impossible to prove to bring someone down. I think we have greatly improved as a society to know none of this should have ever been fine to talk or act that way. Clinton did it a long time ago, his wife was fine with it in public anyway, and she 20. No one cared she was an intern and they did it in the peoples house. He was not tried for sexual harassment but for lying about it.

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  14. Congrats Char! my parents announced my wedding before I could! I was a little upset, but really everything passed when they said " we're just so happy for you!"
    mistake in good conscience I guess hehe.
    Manchester is even darker earlier and I still have to get used to the nightlike sky at 4,30 in the afternoon...!

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    1. totally. parents get excited :) i can only imagine how pumped i will be to tell the world when moses is getting married or having a baby (if that happens for him)!

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  15. Hi Charity! Thank you for sharing your life so honestly, and for the light and joy that you share. I have a little girl who's about the same age as Moses and she can be fussy with this too, sometimes I wonder how much of it is teething. What she has loved lately is smoothies - a ripeish banana for sweetness, handful of spinach, tspn of peanut butter, and some milk in a blender. Sometimes I add some oats, or yoghurt, and mixed berries too. Hope this helps!

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  16. I would have to say announcing your pregnancy in and off itself is incredible. Though I get it because you had a certain idea built up in your mind of how you wanted to do it! Probably something totally pinterest worthy, but I think how you announced is perfect.

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    1. haha, thanks kelleyn. i wasn't gunning for pinterest fame or anything, haha! just had some simple fun ideas that didn't include a random selfie without the little mo! :) but you're totally right - the whole experience in and of itself is awesome.

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  17. Congrats on the pregnancy! So fun! There's always the gender reveal announcement, right!? (that is, if you plan to find out!).

    Mo reminds me so so much of my little guy (they are only 6 months apart). Just wait, his vocabulary is going to continue to explode and one day, you'll wake up, and he'll be singing you songs. I absolutely love this stage of development! As for the food, I say just be patient. I feel like with food and sleeping, things change and regress constantly (just when you think you've got it figured out - BAM - things change). Just do what you've been doing and give it 1-2 months. In the meantime, a cracker and fruit diet won't hurt him.

    Side note/question - in your old flat, did your bedroom and living space have two separate entrances from the hallway (and not connect)? It looked like that from the pictures, so just curious.

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    1. totally. the gender reveal will be epic - haha ;)

      thanks for the thoughts on picky eating!

      yes, in our old flat, inside the front door there was a small (private - part of our flat) entryway with three doors leading to the reception room/kitchen, the bedroom, and the bathroom.

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  18. Congrats, Wright family!

    Sorry, but I agree with Jenny (also), and Maria, whose comment I read before you deleted it. They are saying, albeit kind of rudely, what everyone else is thinking as they read this post.

    Your Dad did not make a mistake by doing what he did. I've been reading your families' blogs for a long time and he has done this before several times, on being pregnant and gender reveal.

    Everyone just shrugs/laughs it off, because - well, what else can you do after he's already done it?

    It is his subtle (or really not so subtle) to remind all of his children and children-in-laws that HE is the KING of the REALM. He is the patriarch.

    I hope you and Ian have the nerve to step up and create your own WRIGHT-REALM and let him know he overstepped his boundaries on this one.

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    1. hi tabby. thanks for the congrats! i have to tell you that the end of your comment made me laugh out loud. with all due respect, i think i know my dad better than you do :) and he's NOT trying to remind us that he is the king of the realm (i had to just laugh again writing that). he's a proud/excited (and also extremely tender and sweet) father and grandfather, and as evidenced by many comments above, not everyone who read my first thought in this post thinks about it the way you (and/or maria and jenny) do. and i also thought i made it clear that i did in fact tell him he overstepped his boundaries :) it was mistake that has been forgiven and seriously, the guy is freaking awesome. you just don't actually know him - sorry :)

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  19. I'm sure he is very tender and sweet and loves his kids and grandkids... and hopefully he will one day get it that this is the wrong thing to do!

    I'm glad you and your Dad have come to terms with it and can move on. Enjoy your pregnancy and forget the whole thing! You don't need the added stress!

    Are you going to find out the gender??!?

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    1. two days ago was the day - haha! he knows it was wrong. and no one is stressed (anymore - i was upset for a few hours :) ).

      yes, we are going to find out if it's a boy or a girl. i am so amazed by people who don't! i want all the information i can get :)

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  20. Congrats! I've been reading your blog and Shawni's blog for years and years and I must say I love your Dad! He seems like such an amazing father and all around human! I'm a little jealous that you get to call him your Dad!
    I appreciate how real you are and share your joys and hardships. It's very refreshing. Congrats again! How are you feeling?

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    1. thanks april! i'm feeling great ... now ... first trimester can really be a doozy, huh?!

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  21. Hi, I don't usually comment on blogs since English is my second language and my grammar sucks but, can't help it today haha.

    There is a lot of projection in some of these comments. Charity's dad seems a sweet and genuine person who loves his family. I can't count the times after reading some of Charity's posts, I would wish my dad is as half as supportive as hers.
    I'm an ex mormon and have a lot of negative things to say about the church and mormon culture but I don's see him being "the king" or whatever.

    Congrats, Charity and family!
    I love mo the bro thing :)

    Eva

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    1. thanks for your comment, eva (and ps your english seems perfect!).

      xo

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  22. I totally understand your being upset with your dad.
    That said, I thought your announcement was no less exciting than if it had been something more. I am just so happy for you!!!

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  23. #mothebro =favorite hashtag ever!!

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  24. Hi Charity! Congrats on the new little one, that is so excited. I look forward to watching your family grow. Unfortunately, I had to be realistic with my announcement and not tell my MIL until the general announcement, since I knew she would be happy and excited but totally prone to such a mistake. I think this is the second time your dad has done, this: http://eyrealm.blogspot.com/2013/11/were-thankful-for-noah-kristi-and-their.html

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  25. "It was supposed to be a secret until Noah and Kristi came up with their usual, unusual way of announcing the arrival each new member of the family. When we got home, however, Dad/Grandfather sent out a draft of our annual Thanksgiving Card to the family before we sent it out to “the public” for everyone to check for mistakes. The biggest mistake was putting in the information that Noah and Kristi were expecting “a little gal”.

    When he realized his mistake in his office at home, he started yelling, “Oh no! Oh no! I can’t believe this!” I thought someone had died! He was so horrified that he couldn’t even get out what he had done! Noah and Kristi in the their usual gracious manner accepted the foiling of their plans with their usual graciousness and, knowing their “Grandfather’s” enthusiasm for new additions to the family, forgave him...."

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  26. Cracking right on up that your Dad announced the news like that, hahaha. That is such a Dad (/guy) thing to do! So well intentioned but so inappropriate. And I have the utmost respect for your dad, just reminds me of some of the men I know! Either way, a funny story down the line indeed. Congratulations on the new arrival! They will be very loved indeed. - Caitlin

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    1. thank you caitlin!! it is rather funny - to look back on, not necessarily in the moment! ;)

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  27. I thought your announcement was simple and lovely. A departure from the somewhat cheesy, more involved announcements. I thought y'all were just being classy!

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  28. Yes, it was a sweet, classy announcement, just as it was.

    But I know back when I was pregnant, I would have been upset if I'd had to make it before I wanted to. And it would have taken me more than a few days to calm down!

    But as you've found, grandparents and other family members who love our kids are worth their weight in gold. There is nothing better when you're a parent than a tight, extended family of people deeply invested in your little one.

    So - congratulations! I'm very excited for you. (And envious at you being in London in November - I don't mind the early Christmas thing there because it feels more celebratory and less commercial)

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    1. ahhh, thanks nora. i wasn't going for anything too spectacular with the announcement - i mostly just wanted it to be my own. and absolutely - tiiiiny price to pay for such incredible grandparents :)

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  29. When I was pregnant with my second I had a plan of how and when I wanted to announce it, and it got foiled when complications with the pregnancy arose. Although I was thankful the baby ended up being fine, it took me a little bit to get over the disappointment of not being able to announce it myself and when I wanted. He's almost five now, and I haven't even thought about the incident in years (until this post made me think of it). I think when you are dealing with pregnancy hormones though, everything seems even worse and more dramatic. I love this blog. Thank you for being so real and genuine. I find it so uplifting, and find your honesty about life not being absolutely perfect so refreshing. I hope you are feeling well! Congrats again on your growing family!

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    1. totally. those dang hormones!! all good now though - just a few hours of upset :)

      thanks for your kind words and for being here and reading! and for the congrats!

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  30. That's lovely how Moses signed thank you to the Saviour.

    I also love how he calls him "sssss". Very cute:)

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    1. I hope you didn't change from brilliant to obvious because of those anonymious comments! You use it a lot, but I thought it was funny how I was reminded of you when I recently watched Sherlock.

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  31. - exercise with a few mothers in church : I think this is great! You mentioned some time ago that it was hard in London to find close friends. But young women with young children probably have time and similar wishes on how to spend time. Most of my "old" friends work, so it was great I had a few new Mum-friends after I had a baby.
    - In one episode of HIMYM it was said that the same act by two different persons can be percieved very differently depending on whether you're attracted to the person. So yes, it's a TV show but I kind of believe it. Even if someone wasn't attracted to Trump in a sexual way, a voter was attracted and so the grabbing and bragging wasn't as bad. Same goes for Clinton of course (though wasn't it consenting with Monica L.?).
    - I think you love daylight saving time! DST is during summer. I mourn, too, about the switch because I love those longer evenings and don't mind a dark morning.:-)

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    1. Harvey admitted it, signed himself into treatment and there are a mess of lawsuits and even his contract had provisions for compensation should it continue. That is a real papertrail. But it is odd suddenly many are guilty without any lawsuit or conviction and expected to step down. Some actors and politicians have denied allegations. The consequence for sexual misconduct should be prison and not job related. Can not work from prison though.

      There is an accuser of Clinton who says it was forced. But no convicton. Monica got some backlash for her me too contribution. It is harassment when your boss or someone in authority makes a sexual advance at you married or not. It is what harvey did. He controlled their career and job. This is why it is a problem. Clinton made it fit for the presidency to be married and in the WH to hit on and go further with interns young enought to be his daughter literally in the oval office. You can even lie about it. This world is not fair, to answer your question.

      Pence was teased for going to great lengths not to be alone with any woman. Brilliant. The world should be more like this.

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  32. Lesson learned: don't tell your dad anything! Let him know in the Internet announcement along with everyone else. I seriously cannot believe he felt so ENTITLED to share YOUR news NOT THEIRS. Didn't your parents write a book about entitlement? I mean did they seriously learn nothing when they wrote it? That's two awesome humans for you obviously lacking content to share in the silly newsletter so they decided to share your news. Unbelievable.

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    1. sorry you're so outraged, internet stranger friend! i guess i can see how you would consider this scenario to be exhibiting entitlement, but as someone MUCH closer to the situation i can tell you i don't think that's what this was about :) excited and proud grandfather who yes, should have checked and double checked with me first!

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  33. First world problem. Charity is even over it. Most people learned through Charity. Her dad is probably managing 6 other temporary secrets. It’s impossible to keep a secret when a few weeks later everyone will eventually find out. First he has to act like he doesn’t know, then he does. Just tell everyone at once. He might have only known cause of his recent birthday. Extra something to be grateful for. I can’t believe how outraged people are.

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  34. Congrats on your pregnancy! I saw your announcement on Instagram and never would have known that wasn't well planned. The picture was so cute! My only advice on picky eating is to not make a big deal and keep offering a variety of healthy foods (and modeling it yourselves). I have one picky eater and one who eats anything and everything (she's now 6 & the other day a man gave her a flower when she was crying & she asked me if she could eat it!!).

    But what I really came on her to comment on was Mo & the neighbor's cat. I just finished reading Beverly Cleary's book "Socks" to my kids. Mo is young for it, but you might enjoy it. It's about a cat who is adopted by a loving young couple who then have a baby, told from the cat's point of view. We just finished it tonight & the last chapter is a great reconciliation between the cat and baby, now 10 months. If you have time. :-)

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    1. thanks kerry! i hope to check that book out! it sounds super cute.

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  35. I'm sure this has plenty of potential to come across as rude, but I don't mean it rude at all's you've mentioned several times your dislike for Trump and the sadness of the election. My question is, what do you see in Hillary? Why would she have been 'your' president?

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    1. hey jenn! it doesn't come across as rude to me, don't worry :)

      hillary had my vote, but i *certainly* don't think she was an ideal candidate. i do think she is very smart and very experienced, and mostly i just think she was absolutely a better choice than trump. but that is just my opinion!

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