Lars turns FOUR!

 

 

 

 

1. Lars and his friend Eleanor from school
2. Big boy who is 4!
3. Lars and me during cake lighting
4. yummy aebleskiver (Danish birthday breakfast treat)

What is wrong with our society?

Take a look at the boy in the picture. He's just another sad example of disgusting hatred that infects our society. He was recently killed in his school in California. While sitting at a computer a classmate shot him in the head. What could he possible do that was so terrible to deserve death? He came out that he was gay. This was obviously too much for someone to handle. But why? Was this child, 15 when he was killed, hurting anyone? I doubt it. What business is it of anyone's. A person's own sexual orientation is their business. If they want to share it, fine. However, it still does not justify any mistreatment because of that. Everyone has opinions, fine. Keep them to yourself. People that are strait, gay, red, blue, and pokadotted are ALL PEOPLE. It blows my mind that anyone could hate someone based on such a superficial level. So sad. Here is the link to the article about this tragedy.

It was awhile ago, but still....

 

 

 

 

Here are some pictures of us at the ICA (Institute for Contemporary Art) in Boston. The last Saturday of every month is free and family-centered. Well, free except for the $11 it costs to park but that's what you get in Boston. It was fun. Joa and Lisa made family trees to add to the wall. Others made their family trees too and then they made roots to connect them. The first picture is from a room that is floor to ceiling glass. Very cool way to see Boston.

ick, sick

While I am not sick-yet- it seems that everyone else is. My poor Taylor has the flu, Ella is recovering from double ear infections, Averie has some kind of bug, and I am sitting on the couch typing this with one hand as a sick Lars sleeps on my lap. He hasn't been himself and this morning while lying in bed with me he had a major vomiting streak. It's amazing how many things used to totally gross me out and how pretty much nothing does anymore. This afternoon he had a few seizures which led to him getting his med. for that. That would be what led him to his current drugged state. Say a prayer for all of these beautiful children that they won't have to be sick much longer and that the adults that are around them won't get it next!

Burrrrr.....

 

It sure is cold here in Massachusetts!

Wayside Chappel

 

 

 

Here is the chappel that is on the ground of the Wayside Inn. Hard to go past it and not see weddings in summer months, or at least wedding pictures being taken. So beautiful!

Wayside Inn

 

 

 

These are some pictures that I took awhile back. This is the mill at the Wayside Inn. It is the next town over from Lars' and is so beautiful. This is the mill on the Inn's grounds. Check it out!

Sledding!

 

 

 

Here's some pictures of Lars sledding. I am not in them, as I was the camera girl. Today has been an interesting New England day. It rained, snowed, and was sunny in between. Kind of reminded me of Ohio.

Change of Plans

As it turns out the interview didn't happen. It had to be rescheduled for next Monday. Oh well, more time to get ready!

What's Mimi up to???

Well, I started back to school and so far things are great. This semester I am taking vocational counseling, psychopathology, and assessment of adults. Psychopath. is my favorite so far. I have an awesome teacher that uses musicals as a way to explain/describe different elements of psychological disorders. Works for me! I am also still caring for Lars around 20 hours a week and Maya around 15 hours a week.
This coming Monday I have an interview for my next internship. It is at a psych hospital with adults. I am very excited! Cross your fingers for me. This internship would start this coming fall during my FINAL YEAR OF GRAD SCHOOL!!!!! ahhh!!!! Can't believe that is coming up so soon. I feel so good about the fact that I decided to take the 3 year route. If I hadn't I would be graduating in a few months. No thanks!
So many pictures to share, so little time. They will come with time.

Go Vegetarians!

BE A MEAT REDUCER
shocking statistics from a 2006 UN report entitled Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options."

The report found that 18 percent of global warming emissions come from raising cows, chickens, pigs, turkeys and other animals we eat. That's 40 percent more than all the world's cars, SUVs, airplanes, and other modes of fossil-based transportation, which combined account for 13 percent. For further comparison, every house, residential and office building in the world accounts for just 8 percent.

There's a trend in Europe called "Meat Reducers" where, along with recycling and not taking plastic bags, people are eating meat at least one day less a week. Become a "Meat Reducer." It is a simple thing everyone can do to lower their own carbon footprint.

Your Graduation Inscription

From the book Pronoia by Rob Brezsny:

May you eat an unfamiliar dessert in a strange land
at least once every three years.

May you wake up to salsa music one summer morning,
and start dancing while you're still half asleep.

May you spray paint Rilke poems as graffiti
on highway overpasses.

May you mix stripes with plaids, floral patterns with checks,
and yellowish-green with brownish-purple.

May you learn to identify by name 20 flowers, 15 trees,
10 clouds, and one extra solar planet.

May you put a bumper sticker on your car or bike that says,
"My god can kick your god's ass!"

If you bury your face in your tear-stained pillow and bed God
to please send in your soul mate may you not slur your words in such a way
that they sound like cell mate.

May you dream of taking a trip to the moon in a gondola
powered by firecrackers and wild swans.

May you actually kiss the earth now and then.

May you find many good excuses to say as physicist Neils Bohr
once did, "Your theory is crazy, but it's not crazy enough to be true."

My Stud Muffin

 

How cute is Lars in his new shirt?! I won it on Meghan's blog. Thanks again Meghan!

Oh, the make-up

 

 

 

 

1. Emma & Ella after doing each other's make-up.
2. Me getting a pedicure from Emma.
The girls having a blast doing my make-up and hair. It took a lot of scrubbing to get all of that off!

my girls!

 

 

 

 

1. ella doing some cooking
2. emma with baby
3. ella and susu
4. emma, all shopped out

Christmas

 

 

 

 

1.Jenn and Bryce
2.Bryce enjoying his new sleeping bag from "big nana"
3.A crazy Bryce face
4.My cousins, me, and grandma

Back Home!

As great as it was to see people in ohio I am so glad to be home! Tuesday night was the most amazing Lars/Michelle reunion. It was hard to tell who was happier! Now that I have a new camera (YEA!) there will be so many pictures up here very soon. Can't wait to share them and then take more, and share those!

here in ohio

well, here i am in ohio. just today i mailed my holiday cards...oops. hey, better late than never. i have been hanging out with my girls and we even went to the art museum yesterday. it was just like old times. averie and baylor even joined us. it was great to see them. so far ella and janet have both been sick. let's hope that's the end of it!
i head back home the 2nd and can't wait to see my larsman!

super fun

if you want to see my signing christmas carols check out this link:
http://www.mercymusicvideos.blogspot.com/

too funny!

ick!

must i get sick during the last week of class???? i guess the answer is yes. i think that i am starting to feel better. not feeling so much like eating anything though. however, i somehow made it through my presentation last night and managed to get a 100% on it! yay! now it's just finishing this crazy developmental psych paper. 7 more pages to write. i will feel 100 lbs lighter after i put this sucker in the mail!

What are you doing Mimi?

Well, currently I am trying to finish a 15-17 page paper for developmental psychology. The developmental question I am working to answer is: "How do young children with visual impairments develop differently?" thanks to lars for being my inspiration! I really wanted to take a picture of my working area, but alas no camera. rest assured that it is covered in notes, tons of books, an empty wallaby yogurt container, room temperature cup of tea, and class handouts. Ah, the end of a semester.

name yourself

ok, who is jeep? seriously, show yourself.

things that help

these are the things that are making me stay afloat these days:
1. peanut m & ms.
2. glass of wine or a beer on a regular basis
3. lars nuzzles
4. the amazingness of my friends to hold me emotionally and sometimes physically, until i can stand on my own. without them i would be no where.

thought of the day

NEVER EVER BUY A HYUNDAI AUTOMOBILE

what i learned today...

1. do not wear ugg boots in snow/rain/slush weather. you will have very wet feet.
2. a new pair of socks can be really awesome when you have cold, wet feet.
3. people can make you feel like crap for having to cancel a commitment, even if your reason is completely out of your hands.
4. even though you have a 17 page paper to write, a 5 page paper to write, and 2 group presentations to work on, you can still have no motivation to do work.
5. it seems to be completely acceptable to walk around the lesley library in sock feet.
6. people from turkey get really excited to see snow (a classmate seeing it today for the first time in years)
8. only 27 percent of americans have a bachelor's degree.
7. when you think you have nailed down who you are is when the search begins again. (ok, so this wasn't today, but recent and relevant)

well, i wanted to make it to ten, but couldn't. feel free to comment about what you learned today.

 

Me, Lars and Kristin.

Nothing Exciting

Nothing really to report. I have spent the whole day doing work around home and stuff for school. The last 3 or 4 hours I have been sitting on the couch in Panera Bread working on my laptop. It keeps me from finding other things to be doing at home! Plus, I got to enjoy some yummy broccoli and cheddar soup and delicious French bread that went right from the oven to my plate. Yum!

YAY!

Kristin is here and I couldn't be happier!!!!!!!! We are off today for some major shopping at the fabulous Natick Collection.

disturbing...

Not sure how I stumbled upon this, but couldn't not share it with the masses. There is something coming to Boston called Russian cat circus. Yes, google away, it is real. There are 30 cats from Russia touring the world and putting on quite an expensive show. Tickets here are $50 and $60! This is a quote from one of the trainers. "American cats will see the Russian cats do tricks and want to perform also." No, I really don't see that happening. Plus, you can't take your furry feline to the show, so how are American cats seeing this? Probably YouTube. What freakish times we live in. Of course, I had to share pictures.

Halloween Pictures!

...thanks to Lisa's camera!

Joa aka Ozzie Osbourne
Lars as an adorable skeleton with a fever, but still having a blast

For the Love of Lars

So, thanks to freecycle I now have a car seat in my car for Larsman. It is in excellent shape and good to go. Tonight (in the freezing cold no less) I decided to put it in using the latch system. This is the safest possible way to install a car seat and also the most challenging. Nothing but the best for Lars. It was quite the challenge, but is now in there and I think that it might never come out. I'd put a picture, but alas...

Sadness

Well, you won't be seeing pictures on the blog for quite awhile.
Last night Andey and I took sweet, wonderful Lars swimming at the YMCA. We left our big bag that had our clothes, Andey's phone, my wallet and my camera in the family locker room. We had a great time, got home and put a tired boy to bed. I got into the bag to realize that the phone, camera, and wallet were gone. Intense sadness. Not over the material things, but over the fact that someone did this. Maybe it was out of serious need, but I doubt it. I would have given them the clothes off my back if that was the case.
It has put me in a very sad place. (thankfully I am seeing my therapist later!) Sadness about our world and those who are in it. Sadness for the photos on the camera that I will never see, for the tiny strips of paper that had deep sentimental value that i always carried in my wallet, sadness that I try so hard to help those I love and strangers, but things like this still happen. It's quite a blow. However, I have wonderful friends who totally kicked in and helped me process everything last night. I love you both, thanks.
I hope that the people that are now the owners of our things are enjoying them and that they sometime realize the pain that they have caused. But they have my total forgiveness.

YAY!

 

I am so happy to announce that Kristin will be able to come for Thanksgiving!!!! Air fare has been really high lately, but finally she found somthing reasonable. It wouldn't have been the same without her. I can't wait!
The picture is of us from last Christmas