Dispatches from the Edge

Okay, so I have my book club meeting this week and was in search of a biography. This month every member of the book club picked a different biography to read and present. I chose Anderson Cooper's Dispatches from the Edge. He was on Oprah when the book was released and I was instantly mesmerized by him. (No, not just his debonair looks.) His path in life could have been so different...poor little rich kid living off of a trust fund, etc... But he took his mother's advice, Gloria Vanderbuilt... he chose to "follow his bliss". He is an amazing storyteller and brings so much compassion to events most of us want to forget or even conceptualize. After that Oprah aired I knew I wanted to read this book but it took this book club push to motivate me.

This book is gut-wrenching and beautiful at the same time. Cooper, for what seems like the first time, has emotion about the events he brings to us. His family and their tragedies, careers in reporting, war, disaster, despair and finally heroism suck you in on page one and doesn't let go until the end of the acknowledgments. (Don't think I have ever read the acknowledgements before.)

I found myself trying to remember the wars and events that were just in the past 15 years that Cooper has covered. I am one of those Americans that see the headlines and hear the soundbites but nothing sinks in. In this media circus we have, I wonder, if it is serving the public is it suppose the enlighten? We are just too busy filtering out the unnecessary that sometimes the ones that should impact us just don't. I am not a carnivorous reader, however I do read at least a book a month (As time permits without neglecting my husband and children). I would consider myself well-read. It is not often that I read something that touches me to the core and this one did. If you haven't read Cooper's memoir, pick it up at the library today. You will be saddened, touched and will hopefully look past the soundbites on the nightly news and take notice that these causalities are someone's wife, husband, or child and that the world is forever altered with their departure.

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Anderson Cooper's CNN Blog http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/

To Catch A Worm

No, this isn't the next Harper novel. But when I asked my son Creighton "What should we do today?" He replied, "Let's catch worms." Hummmm, 2 feet of snow on the ground, I think this will have to wait until spring. From the mouth of babes! I love it!

Out of Service

I am officially out-of-service for today. Take all your inquires, requests, questions, and whatever else and stuff them up your @$$!

Nighty-nighty!

PS. Our phone in back up. Hurray for small miracles. Thank you Anthony!

Blogging

So my sister has deemed me the "World's Worst Blogger" and I say piss off. At least I have started this blog. And really I don't feel that I have much to say. Maybe I need to start some Zoloft or something but I just don't think my life is too interesting.

I do wish it would stop snowing. We have had snow on the ground for 6 weeks now. This is so crazy for Denver. Sure, we get snow in the winter but it will be snowing one day and 60 degrees the next. UGH! I hate this. Our street has at least 6" on solid ice and mountainous ruts that swollow the minivan. The kids are going crazy and running out of indoor activities. Forget sledding......they are so over that too.

I have the worst head cold of my life and feel horrible. Summer...I need summer!

Stock Show Time

Whew! What a day! I went to the Stock Show with Audrey's first grade class. We had a great time. For those of you that don't know about the Stock Show...it is an annual event (101st) at the Denver Colliseum which features everything Western and Cowboy. Both of which first graders love. There were several petting areas, roping lessons, and horses everywhere. We even got to see a rodeo clown show. Audrey is definitely a Cowgirl at heart.

Yesterday, I registered Carson and Creighton for Kindergarten next year. We wanted to wait one more for them to mature academically and socially, however, we are kinda being strong armed into it since Carson gets some language development services through Jeffco. So, I guess they will just enjoy the fun of Kindergarten for two years. This is a long complicated issue which I wish I had the energy to fight, however feel it is a losing battle to fight. I will keep you posted.

Now I am off to gymnastics with Audrey.

Cookie Time!

Hi! My name is Audrey and I am in Brownie Troop 1523. My troop is selling cookies to help us go to camp this summer. My goal is to sell 600 boxes of cookies. Would you like to order a few boxes of cookies? Each box costs $3.25. My mom told me that girl scout cookies don't count as calories because they are helping charity. So for those you on diets...no worries! (For real nutritional information please go to http://www.littlebrowniebakers.com/cookies/nutrition/nutrition.html)

We have 8 different kinds of cookies this year.

All Abouts: Shortbread cookies embossed with special messages on the top that celebrate Girl Scouting and a rich fudge coating on the bottom

Cafe Cookie: Crisp cookies with caramelized brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon spice

Do-Si-Dos: Oatmeal cookies with creamy peanut butter filling

Little Brownies: (Sugar-Free) An explosion of chocolate flavor in a bite-sized package! You won't believe this luscious, chewy treat is sugar-free

Samoas: Vanilla cookies covered with caramel, then topped with coconut and striped with chocolate

Tagalongs: Tasty cookies topped with creamy peanut butter and covered with chocolate

Thin Mints: Peppermint chocolate wafers covered with a smooth chocolate coating

Trefoils: Delicate shortbread cookies that melt in your mouth

Tagalongs are definitely my favorite and Mommy loves the Samoas. Daddy should eat the Little Brownies since they are sugar-free but he likes the Cafe Cookies. And who can resist the Thin Mints?

Along with our cookie sales, girl scouts also sponsoring a cookie drive for troops in Iraq called Hometown Heroes (Learn more about Hometown Heroes at http://www.girlscoutsmilehi.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=content.home&ipageContentCategoryID=692.) Be sure to add a box of cookies to your order to send to our troops.

If you would like to order cookies, please send an email to me at audie.shea@comcast.net.

Thank you for helping me achieve my goal and I will post pictures from camp!

Best wishes from your little Brownie,

Audrey

Childhood Slipping Away

Audrey faced one of life's milestones. Drum roll, please...She lost her first baby tooth. After a month of wiggling and constant prodding, she pulled it out all by herself. She was excited and terrified as she attempted to get it out and so proud of her accomplishment once the tooth finally gave way. Anthony and I watched and beamed as her hard work paid off. She put the tooth carefully in a baggie (I haven't made her tooth-fairy pillow yet!) and placed it carefully under pillow. The Tooth Fairy came and left her $5...my how inflation hurts.

I still remember when she first got that tooth as a baby and how excited we were then. Time marches on and now 6 years later, she is minus one tooth and 19 more to go. This is just one more milestone, under our watch, as her childhood slips away.

Let me introduce myself...

As this is my first post, I will start with a short introduction of all the character I lovingly call my family. First is myself, Stephanie a 32 year old, happily-married, stay-at-home mom (oh, how I hate that term) of 3 children and 2 dogs. I met my husband of 9 years, Anthony, when I was an innocent 15 year old. Those of you who know me will laugh at the innocent part. We have been lovingly devout ever since. Anthony is a technical support engineer for a voice recognition software company. He designs and supports those annoying automated telephone systems...but hey, it pays the bills. We have 3 children who you will learn more about than ever wished in this blog as their health, development and general well-being are my main concern and as a result are in my constant reflection. Audrey is 6 years old and in first grade. Carson and Creighton, my twin boys are four and attend a local preschool. They are wonderful kids with unique little temperaments and a constant challenge to me as their parent and a growth opportunity to me a person. Oh by the way....I almost forgot - my past professional experience. I am a Meeting Planner with experience in developing adult educational events for a B2B media company, a professional association, and an association management company. I loved this career, but know that the demands of my family and the amount of travel and weekend/evening work required will always be at odds.

Hope this is a good starting point.

Oh yes, We also have 2 beagles - Tucker and Tabbie.