And for this we give thanks…

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . November 26, 2010 . 7:19PM

In a year where, at times, I would rather have given up than given thanks, Thanksgiving rolls around and I am once again reminded that there are holidays to come that will be filled with joy and happiness if I allow them to be as such. There are circumstances beyond my control and people and situations that cannot be changed that cause me unhappiness, but there will always be days during the year where people will come together for the better and it is a reminder that few things in life are permanent.

Thanksgiving is always a loud affair. There is no real way that it can be less when you pack around 50 people into a small house. It can’t be a quiet, completely civilized affair when there are at least 10 children in that bunch. We started the lunch at my aunt’s house where she had set up the Wii for the kids and found a surprise: my cousin had me a Mii of great-grandma. So, the superstar of the day was Great-Grandma Z as all the great grandchildren wanted the chance to use her Mii to hula hoop, play tennis and cross country ski.

There was a moment of prayer and the kids jumped into line for what looked like way too much food for the amount of people that were in the house. Casseroles and noodles and turkey and ham and rolls and every carb you could ever want lined counters, the stove and multiple tables. As the little ones picked through the foods they would eat, the adults sat at the tables and talked. The rain turned to sleet but no one was concerned. There was plenty of food and no one needed to be anywhere immediately. The scents of holiday food enveloped us in comfort and we ate plate after plate of food.

And did it again.

And then again.

And had some dessert.

And then ate more food because you can’t waste food.

And ate some more and there was still MORE food.

About that time, the wind howled and the sleet turned into fat flakes of snow that hugged the cars and the sky turned dark. AJ, who rarely sees snow of any real accumulation in TN, yelled that there was snow and he was going sledding! The adults started to get groggy and talk of naps and Black Friday shopping.

As the snow continued, there was a thief on the lose…a candy corn thief…

To be continued…

Sweet Home Illinois

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . April 21, 2010 . 8:01PM

When things go wrong as they do, the saying goes that blood is thicker than water. I’m a firm believer in the idea that we make families of the people that we choose to allow in our hearts and keep them there. However, I’m really close to my mom and sister, who are my whole immediate family pre-marriage, and I couldn’t wait to go to Illinois to see them last weekend.

As expected, seeing my family had a calming, cathartic effect on me. It has taken many years for home trips not to stress me out, but my relationships there are finally where I feel like they need to be and I could have stayed much longer this go around. Sometimes you just want your mommy and your sissy. I think the whole trip can be summed up in these three pictures.

Sweet

Comforting

Loving

Book Review: Pregnant: A field guide to Fathering by Gary Kleiman

by Jillian @ http://blueshelled.com . March 29, 2010 . 10:50AM

A month or so ago, I received a book in the mail to review. Since I wasn’t Pregnant, or planning on becoming pregnant, I wondered how much I would have to add to this book to give it a review of any sort. However, I’m a trooper and when I opened the book, the time flew. I have to say that I was surprised by how into this book I really was. As someone who, when she was pregnant, read what felt like every freaking parenting book out there, I was impressed by this little tome of information.

Let’s start with the obvious: this isn’t a large book. It’s not a step-by-step “how to be dad” book. It’s not going to give you the blow-by-blow details of parenthood that “What to Expect” would give you, nor will it scare you half to death like that book will. What it will do is give you a laid back view of fatherhood written by a man who has been a single dad for a long time.

At times, the book has a crunchy, granola-like feel, but overall, the information felt sound. Some of the most important advice in the book is simple: You are not your parents and you aren’t anyone else. Do your best.

The book hits on important topics such as how to hold a baby all the way through how to talk to your kids about important things. There are aspects of parenthood such as the “how to”s and the things you never consider when you are starting as a parent such as the inevitable poop in the bathtub. Yep. Been there, done that.

Overall, I’d say this is a good book for a new dad or for a new stepdad. It is a book to give to a dad who needs to not be overwhelmed with what is happening or about to happen. If you are a dad who is anal or who likes a lot of lists or being told what to do, this book isn’t for you. But if you just need a primer and a little encouragment, I highly recommend, “Pregnant: A Field Guide to Fathering” by Gary Kleiman.