[JessFinds] Some hae meat and canna eat

Top Ten Things I am Thankful For 

(Inspired by my friend Heather)

1. My girls. My brilliant, beautiful, hilarious, perfect-in-almost-every-way girls.
2. My hubby. My tolerant, sweet-natured, funny and wikked-smaat hubby.
3. My great huge extended family (my crazy and not-so-crazy relatives, non-relatives, relatives-in-law and my amazing friends)
4. My cats. They keep my blood pressure down.
5. Health Insurance. Hate that I have it and others don't, but thankful that I have it.
6. Malbec Wine. Thank goodness they rediscovered that grape varietal. My life is better for it.
7. Options. I am thankful I have so many of them when so many people in the world do not.
8. For having Scottish ancestry. It makes my eccentricities seem cool.
9. My Nana, rest in peace, for bequeathing me her power of finding prime parking spots
10. My new home, the chance to have a great adventure and still being young enough to appreciate it.

"Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit."
— Robert Burns

[JessFinds] Lancaster, PA

We visited the Amish of Lancaster County, PA.

Whoa! Where's the fire, Elder? Someone give this guy a ticket!

 I am pretty sure you can't steal their soul by taking a picture of them from behind. Apparently this is not actually true ... but still. Just in case. No souls stolen on my watch.

We also visited Thomas the Train. The girls loved this. Had a lovely afternoon train ride on Thomas.

Thomas, you are creepin' me out with those googly eyes!

We giggled at the names of places. Bird-in-Hand. Intercourse. Blue Ball. Paradise. Geesh. Suppressed much?

We visited THE train museum of all train museums:

In addition to climbing on trains (so cool) there was a great miniature train play area. I could have stayed there all day. So many trains to play with.

Aside from being stuck for two full hours in the Bronx just to get across the Hudson River, the trip was a blast. Repeat after me: Tappan Zee bridge. It is there for a reason. Don't spend two hours of your life in the Bronx unless it is at the Bronx Zoo.

[JessFinds] Hold Fast

I am the queen of the scatterbrained post of late, so here are my musings for today:

Yawn Alert: 
I have not made a big deal about it here on the blog because I hate sounding like someone who constantly complains about their medical issues. Nothing more (yawn) boring to read about. But in the midst of all the family upheaval I have documented over the last two months, I also found out I was really sick. My thyroid levels plummeted and, oddly enough, I am vitamin D deficient. Not just deficient - nonexistent. The two issues are related ... and combined make for a lethargic, achy Jess. It mimics Fibromyalgia. It also mimics depression, etc.. So much fun! See, I am not a depressive person by nature. By nature, I am a pollyanna nutbag. I was just assuming that my lack of energy and constant body exhaustion was due to all the stress and lack of sleep. I am sure those did not help. Anyway, I am being bombarded by the MEGA PILL of D. I take it once a week for four weeks. I don't feel much better yet (week 2) but I hope things pick up. If you have Hashimotos like I do or Hypothyroidism in general, ask your doc to run a vitamin screen on you. Apparently D and Magnesium can be all out of whack.

I am not cool enough to wear these:

Photo from Etsy - SweetAddictions Shop

But I loove them. So very much. I am told I am named after my Great-Great Grandmother, Jesse MacLeod.*  A good solid Scottish name. And "Hold Fast" is the motto of Clan MacLeod. It is also a salty old sailing term.  

*I am also told I am named after Jessica Walters, an actress.

Other Scottish clan motto's in my family include "Endure Fort" and "Do Not Forget" (Ne Oublie).  I like that. Hold Fast. Endure Fort. Do Not Forget. All pretty good motto material.

One that is not in my family but belonged to a friend of mine  (a Bruce of Kinnaird): "Fuimus" meaning, in Latin "We have been." Some say "We Were." Sort of anticlimactic, no? Might as well be "Meh."

[JessFinds] Foot Painting. Everyone is doing it.

Me: "Uhhh. Gonzo? What are you doing in there?"

Answer: "Foot painting."

[JessFinds] Pack it up

We have a huge Home Depot credit after returning all of the supplies for home improvement projects that we will NOT be doing now. That credit is going towards buying all of our packing supplies - which is good because we are going to need a lot of boxes!

We are starting with Miss Crab's room. It is a little hard because her room was the first "finished" room in the house. I decorated it with such attention to detail and ... funny enough... it ended up not fitting her personality at all. She was not even 3 years old when we moved in and she thought princess fairies were fun. She still loves the light purple /light green colors but is definitely not a butteries and fairies kind of girl! Right after her 3rd birthday we discovered that she was a pirate.

Pretty sure this is the last time I saw her, willingly, in a tutu. Okay. Maybe not willingly.

Wall mural, framed out with chair-rail molding.

The tot-requisite IKEA leaf. I chose those drawer knobs from Anthropologie.

So I am slowly disassembling the room that I put together, feeling a little bittersweet about it. It has been slowly pirate-afied over the last few years to reflect her personality. The subversively placed dinosaur and light saber, here and there. She will get a new room and some input on how it is put together. She said something about sunsets and mice for her next room...(???)

I love that my eldest daughter has the soul of a pirate. She is an adventurer. She goes to her own drum. Does this look like a girl that lives in a fairy bower?

Yeah. I didn't think so.

It is okay. I never was a butterflies and fairies girl either.

[JessFinds] Marie is right. Things ARE looking up!

Tonight I was able to pop that bottle of champagne that has been sitting in my fridge, chilling, waiting for good news.

Tonight, my darling hubby was offered a fantastic job opportunity. In an amazing community. With a beautiful home. And a top-rated, rock-star school district. And it was a generous offer. Plus, it is in a culturally rich area (!!!) with real job possibilities for me. I am dazzled and a little frazzled! Pinch me.


(That sounds like bragging above, and it kinda is. I am just blown away by how something this awesome could land in our laps.)

Part of me wants to yell "neener-neener-neeener" to the stinkers that yanked the rug out from under us. That part of me is 4 years old. But the other part of me is so overwhelmed with thankfulness. Positivity is what got us to this new place. I blocked out a lot of negative influences, focused on my family and kept my chin up. I just knew that we would land on our feet. It is what we do. We are a good family with a lot of love, we laugh a lot and we have each other's backs. It feels like sunshine. 


The fact that my dear man was snapped up with such excitement, so quickly, speaks for itself.  I am beyond thrilled. There were happy dances, victory dances and more than a few hugs, high-fives and fist-bumps in our home tonight.

I cannot thank my friends (and some new blog-mama friends too!) enough for their incredible support. We had to make some very tough decisions. But this has gone from devastating to an inconvenience to hopeful to celebratory.

So tonight - we celebrate!

[JessFinds] Saturday Zen

Hubby is back home and all is right in the world.

We have been together for 14 years (!!!) and I always feel like my world is off balance when we are apart. I don't know if that is a sign of a strong marriage or co-dependance, but I just know that we work pretty well as a team. Which is good. Because we will need to be like a team of oxen in the next few weeks. I think all the bad will be balanced out by some really good news. Soon.

Hey - Speaking of good news ... rumor has it that my co-blogstress Marie has landed a job. She did not think you guys were worth announcing it to. So, lets throw some blog hate over to Marie.  Lots of middle fingers and hissing. Congratulations sweetie! You are one of the most focused, determined women I have ever met and you are an inspiration to the rest of us lazy slackers. You were unemployed for what? Ten minutes? XOXO.

Back to me.

I have so much stuff that needs to be weeded out before we move and it would be great if someone could line up a robbery. Put that ad out on Craigslist that I need a burglar who disassembles and steals cheap IKEA furniture and kid toys. No home invasions. I don't want to have to go all Chuck Norris to defend my Bjorkinorkinbillyblat bookshelves.

www.yelp.com 

What ROCKS this Saturday? The Internet does. Specifically Yelp.com. We live in an area where you can post a question to a targeted audience and get instant gratification in tons of quality expert answers. For example:  "I am interested in neighborhood A and neighborhood B. What can you tell me about them? Which would you choose and why" I think I easily got 30 responses from people who live in those areas within 24 hours. It is so incredibly helpful! I would not use Yelp to, say,  diagnose a medical condition, but learning about local resources = awesome.

[JessFinds] Scenes of Halloween (2010)

Pixie, Kobold, elf and sprite
All are on their rounds to-night-
In the wan moon's sliver ray
Thrives their helter-skelter play.

Fond of cellar, barn,or stack, 

True unto the almanac, 

They present to credulous eyes 

Strange hobgoblin mysteries.

Cabbage-stomps-straws wet with dew- 

Apple-skins, and chestnuts too,

And a mirror for some lass, 

Show what wonders come to pass.

 Doors they move, and gates they hide, 

Mischiefs that on moon-beams ride 

Are their deeds, and, by their spells,

Love records its oracles.

Don't we all, of long ago, 

By the ruddy fireplace glow,

In the kitchen and the hall, 

Those queer, coofllke pranks recall?

Eery shadows were they then-
But to-night they come again;
Were we once more but sixteen,
Precious would be Halloween

-- Halloween by Joel Benton

[JessFinds] Halloween, Visits and What an Old Lady I Am

Hey blog hoppers - scroll down for the Friday Blog Hop!

This is going to be a very hard weekend for my family. But after this weekend, I can blog all about it!

So we are trying to focus on the kids having a good Halloween. Miss Crab's costume is complete - she is going to be a fabulous bat thanks to her grandmother's efforts on the sewing machine. Gonzo is building her witch costume. We are going to look for a broom today. Gonzo insisted she wanted to be a seagull yesterday. I say "Yes! Brilliant!" to everything because when it comes down to it - girlfriend is going to be a  witch! 

I also get a very much anticipated visit with friends this weekend. I love how Ashley is always okay with our last minute repertoire. She knows my stress level has been off the charts and offered up a simple "let my husband cook dinner for you, we'll pour wine and let the kids play." Sigh. Perfection. That is exactly what I want these days. That is all I really want any given day! My girls are excited for an overnight and we are just looking forward to spending time with people who have braved the trenches with us. 

Old lady moment: So I have had Hashimoto's for a while. It has been managed pretty well. No big deal, just take a little pill to level out the hormones. I recently went to my primary doctor to bring the management in-house because I really don't care much for my endocrinologist and we need to consolidate our medical records for ease of access. So he  ran some tests to re-establish the baseline. I asked him to tack on cholesterol and vitamin screening. So glad I did!

I have been attributing my low energy and outright exhaustion to all the stress we are under. I am sure it plays a part, but my thyroid level plummeted and apparently I am vitamin D deficient. Those two things on their own = sluggishness. Together? Lethargy. Now I don't feel like such a lazy ass. It also creates an environment for depression, etc... Doc has requested a meeting to discuss the findings. Pretty sure all of it can be fixed pretty easily.

Bodies are weird. 

[JessFinds] BlogKeeping and BonBons

Housekeeping:

1. Our Klout was at 30 the last time I checked! Yay influential mom-bloggers. You can follow us on Twiiter too...

2. I checked our Word Cloud on Wordle and was delighted to see that the most commonly referenced word on JessFinds is (drumroll) ... shoes. Really? Hilarious.

3. Any problems leaving comments? Let me know.

Regularly Scheduled Programming:

Single Malt Scotch Bars from BonBonBar at Foodzie.com,

Hello my pretty. I have coveted these for a few seasons now. Dah-rool. I love Foodzie and I think that these small batch delights are almost as fun to look at as eat. And that little pincho of sea salt? YUM. Perfect. TDF. I want to buy these for everyone I know this Christmas. Unfortunately, that will not happen (this will be a lean season) but know that I love you and wish Single Malt Scotch Bars under your tree.

Disclaimer: I did not receive any compensation for my review of this product. 

[JessFinds] Kindness

 "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." -- His Holiness The Dalai Lama

We have been up against a lot of unkind people, things and situations of late. I am starting this Saturday with a little meditation on kindness and it's cousin compassion.

I think it is time to throw some honey at it all. I have some South Carolina blood and it certainly could not hurt to pull out a few "Well bless your hearts" and "You don't say!" in response to all the negativity.

I think channeling my inner southern belle could be the answer I need. Sometimes you need to practice kindness, really practice it.

So I am going to spend this Saturday, actively practicing kindness. I will not speak negatively. I will re-frame my words. Instead of yelling at my kids for being rude, I will say things like: "Don't you mean to ask if I would please make you a peanut butter sandwich? Let's try that again!"

I will tie up loose ends. I will try to remember that just because I am overwhelmed I can't expect others to understand or even be helpful. All I can do is model it.

I will respond to the icky and nasty with the positive and reaffirming. At least for today. 

[JessFinds] Recessionista Footwear

I had to give up heels a while ago (remember that post about being a clogs mom?) but that does not mean that I don't drool over darling shoes like any red-blooded woman should. I am hard on shoes - I find a pair that I love and I wear them to death. I tend to purchase the same high-end brand comfort shoes (Ecco, Propet, Dasnko) and spend my money there. Fashion shoes elude me as I can't imagine spending $600 on a seasonal whim.

These are amazing, a-maze-ing, shoes that ooze personal style and look far more expensive then they actually are.

CC Flat bootie - $39 - Swirl by Daily Candy

You need to sign up to join member site Swirl (no cost) but they are sending out $20 credits to all new sign-ups right now. That means these boots are - gasp - $19.

Charlotte Russe - $30

These have a bo-ho aesthetic I don't normally go for but I keep going back to them. Look at that little rainbow arch around the toe and the careful ruching. It just looks like someone cared more than $30 to make.

Forever 21 -$24.80

These look like they danced out of an Anthropology catalog shoot. I am not above pillaging a Forever 21 store for shoes!

Charlotte Russe - $22.50

I love, love, love these. When all the magazines said "leopard" I thought "snakeskin." These are also a very similar tribute to a certain pair of Jessica Simpson brand $75 shoes.

What have you found out there? Let me know and I will link out to it!

[JessFinds] Break out the banjo - a style reflection

My husband (aka Preacher) has informed me that we are "hayseeds." Really. Unkay. This is a derogatory term for people who have been put out to pasture too long, been roaming the ranges ... country folk. Style-less. Gasp.

Let me get my banjo and play a little tune to help paint this picture ...

I have been many things, but hayseed was not one that popped up in my mind.!!!

Grunge: In the early 90's, I tried on grunge. It was the Pacific NW ... we wore flannels and docs and thermal underwear under ripped skater shorts. I wore skull caps. I tried to tone down my natural perky behavior. Perky was not grunge. I dyed my hair orange and maroon and went to Primus (Nirvana, Alice in Chains, etc...) concerts and threw myself in mosh pits (where inevitably I would get shoved in to the back of that sweaty shirtless fat blond guy ... you know the one that was in EVERY mosh pit the summer of 1992). I still have indentations on my shins from being used as a human ladder. I got a stoooopid tattoo that I still love because it reminds me of being really stooooopid. I dated musicians and drank a lot of black coffee.

Glam-Goth: In early to mid college I went for glam-goth-pirate. I was overdressed, always looking like I was about to go clubbing even though I was just going to class. It was the antithesis of the hippy look that was pervasive at my college. I wanted to look glorious. I wanted perfectly applied makeup and teetering heels. I eventually dyed my hair black with blue highlights and looked like Japanese animation. Or a vampire. Some people swear I was seen wearing a cape - I swear I was never that lame. However, that time frame is a wee bit foggy. I do recall wearing thigh-high boots and poet shirts without irony. I went to warehouse parties. I dated misunderstood boys and drank espresso.

Shabby Prep: Then I went for the broke-down preppy look as I started to exit college. Vintage thrift store finds. Back to my natural hair color (white blonde). I thought I was channeling a whole Katherine Hepburn vibe with menswear. I owned suspenders. Thought I was a hipster. I dated grad students and drank black coffee.

YUP: Enter Seattle circa 1998-2001. I am a young urban professional! I am riding the Dot.com boom! I make great money! I have a personal shopper at Nordstroms and I buy MAC cosmetics by the truckload! Hello cashmere! I am married! I go on vacations! I talk about the stock market! I put cream and sugar in my coffee!

Momista Chic: Then we go to the Virginia /DC years - 2002 - 2005. I dyed my hair red for a while. Worked in not-for-profit land. Got preggo, had Miss Crab and adopted a mommy-chic aesthetic. I had a Kate Spade diaper bag. I gave up coffee completely.

Mommy: We move to rural New England. I have another child. I am jeans and tee-shirts. Add a sweater in winter. I own clogs. And a minivan missing one hubcap. I suck down coffee any way I can get it. Frequently Iced Lattes from the Dunkin Donuts drive-through.

Ohmigod. We are hayseeds! I need an intervention.

[JessFinds] Vote for Miss Crab

Title: Hot summer ... cool kid!

My daughter is one of this weeks finalists in a Parents Magazine summer picture competition. As of this posting, she was ranked #19. Lets pump up that number people!! Click here or on the link below to vote.

PLEASE VOTE FOR ME!!!

[JessFinds] Blog Hop Tuesday - Tag! You are it!

Hey blog-hoppers, welcome! Say hello. Linky up. Grab my Tag Button below and repost if you like!

Follow me ... follow others. It will be awesome. You can join me on Google Friend Connect (right hand column) or Facebook or Twitter!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.jessfinds.com" title="Jess (& Marie) Finds"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5G03LtZ7A0Ot9hljQe71LbWcKmr-6XrQqzEiBDyx4DiZg5qWQQk8UfuBsnzzIigPJe-ihBsIigEoHJhtW90yaYhhqJt_X5yTKD1zrL4tuQlTzYAcGDmDhwJm71EaLMA_kQndUf4_wbn0/s1600/BlogHop1.jpg" alt="Jess (& Marie) Finds" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

[JessFinds] Blog Awards! Who Me? Why Thank You!

Wow. I have been preparing my whole life for this moment, and I find myself speechless (pulling out a piece of paper from my ballgown) I would first like to thank all of the little people...

We got awarded from My Life on Harbor Way!! Thank you!! Three awards at that!

Rules for Accepting:

1. Thank and Link back to the person who gave you the award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 7 other bloggers the award.

4. Contact those bloggers and let them know about the award.

Seven things about Jess:

1. I believe blogging is cheaper than therapy, but probably will go to therapy anyway.

2. I have the most amazing, supportive friends spread all over the world and this blog started out as a way to keep in touch.

3. I talk to my mom every day. No really. Every day.

4. I never wanted to be a mom, but now that I am - I can't imagine how I existed without my little goats. 

5. I really like goats.

6. And goat cheese.

7. I am hungry right now.

See how I did that stream of consciousness thing? Yeah, that is why I win the big awards, see.

I solemnly bequeath these awards to the following blogs: 

1. Freckles & Fudge

2. Non-Typical Mom

3. I'm Just Sayin'
4. Crunchy Carpets
5. Wait in the Van
6. Life...Crazy, Fun, Amazing...
7. Miss Adaptation

If you have already received this / these awards - yay! You are a freakin' rockstar and I am redundant girl. Either way, know I love your blog and think you are cooler than me.

[JessFinds] Oh Hello Monday

[Hello Blog Hoppers! Let me know you were here!]

Oh Monday. Whew. Another week survived, another fresh start.

I am taking Crab to the doctor today. It was supposed to be her 6 year old checkup but I think it is turning in to a sick visit - poor thing has a barking cough. Can a cough be described as chewy? Eeew. I just gagged.

I really need to make sure I put my health in the primo #1 position. Vitamins, temple food, liquids, fresh air, lots of sleep - the full routine.  With all that has been going on (read: dumped on our heads) I cannot afford to crumble. Stress always does a number to my immune system. Any tips or tricks you would like to share? Add walking and washing hands like Howard Hughes to that list.

I did something completely irreponsible and purchased a expensive pair of shoes. My hubby rewarded me for working so hard and looking so cute (hahahaha!). I have had a multi-year obsession with a beautiful pair of Frye 8 inch rise Engineer boots. I have blogged about this love affair. So, I finally ordered the darn things. We call it committing Salvation Armani in our household. My husband does it far more frequently than I do (tisk-tisk). I just can't justify spending money on myself (ever). We never use credit. But I have to tell you - it felt GOOD placing that order.

[JessFinds] Puck Lost and Found

One of my best friends is hurting. And I am far, far away. So - this is for her.  It has always been my poem for her. Life can be a greedy goblin, stealing things away from us, but we keep our gardens stocked for fairies. Puck always comes back, makes us laugh. A life without fairies would suck. Thank you Mr. Dodgson for being more eloquent than I am.

[JessFinds] My First Baby ... Part II

When you suspect something is true for a long time and then get confirmation from professionals that it may be true, do you feel better or feel worse? The word (phrase) for the day: High Functioning / Aspergers. 


She is still the same girl. So that hasn't changed. I am still her devoted mom. So that hasn't changed either.


Okay. I am processing. I have done a lot of processing of late. 


And shortly there will be more tests. And more opinions. And I am glad for that. Because I don't believe in turning over one stone and saying I moved a mountain. So we will explore all of the avenues. There will be more psychologists, psychiatrists, OTs, IEPs, developmental pediatricians and teachers. Miss Crab is (in her own brilliant, unique, quirky way) actually pretty classic Aspergers. I am not a fan of labeling kids, but in this case it is going to open some doors. It is not a label if it is true, right?


The good news? She has amazing coping skills. She is scary smart. I believe she may have a photographic memory. She pushes her own comfort zones. Blah, blah ... fantastic, soulful, beautiful child and she is all mine.


The bad news? She is bored easily. Everything is black and white and we are a long way from solving her social issues. And we are about to throw some major transition at her. Did I mention in previous posts that Miss Crab does not handle transitions well? 


It is a start. And I already knew the answer. Hugs to all the parents out there who stand up for their kids and fight for them. We are band managers for rockstars. 

[JessFinds] My First Baby...

... is walking a big ol' beam by herself!!

Proud Parent = Me.

Miss Crab shows y'all how it's DONE, son!

Ok. Enough gloating. Miss Crab loves her gymnastics. She had a huge grin on her face the whole class. Life is a bit harder on her, but when she enjoys it - look out world! She owns me outright. Sigh. So much love.