Let's NOT Forget

Yes, I remember where I was when the first plane hit the World Trade Center in 2001. I will never forget the confusion, fear and anger that spread out over all of us, two states away in classrooms that would never feel the physical aftermath of the buildings collapsing to the ground. I was stunned. The entire world was stunned.

And now, it's 13 years later. Thirteen years later. I hope that amount of time does nothing to dull our sympathies for the families whose loved ones never returned that day, and that we will remember what that day meant for our nation as a unit to respond and band together with each other against the enemy.

Facebook of course was teeming all day with pictures to commemorate the 13th anniversary of that horrible event; two of them stood out to me and I hope they might resonate with someone out there, as well.

the twin towers

a light against the sky.. we will not forget

For the service personnel and rescuers on and following that day in 2001, and for the families of those who never reported back: Thank you, from one person and her family here in Ohio, for the sacrifice you endured to uphold the safety of our nation and all of us in it. We are indebted to you.

In our daily routine here, it was the standard workday followed by picking up Sydni and heading to the store for some last minute dinner items. Sydni specifically needed some noodles and green beans, so she bought, bagged and carried her own groceries.

little grocery shopper

Yep. That's my little Toms-wearing, canvas-bag-toting, wind-blown-hair child marching out of Kroger like she just bought the place. I. Love. Her.

Tomorrow is Friday and that is fine with me.

xo | cmd

TOMS Tuesday

As far as work is concerned, this week has been an absolute whirlwind, and it's only Tuesday. *WHEW. I'm not sad to see this day laid to rest, but at the same time I'm reminded of how thankful I am to even have a job over which I can whine sometimes. I'm blessed, and not by my own earning, either.. I know that (:

The TOMS Spring catalog was in my mailbox when I got home. It took me about 30 seconds to dive right in; I'm pretty certain I won't be ordering much out of the actual catalog, but that only means that I'll soon be making a run to Peace by Piece over in Belleville [love.that.place]. I know it's so "trendy" now, but I really don't care, I'm still a huge fan of TOMS and since they're comfortable too, I'm still gonna wear them... haha.

It reminded me of this past summer; Sydni and I went all over the place clad with the famous little blue and white flag. She loved them just as much as I did, and I would be lying if I said she won't have another pair for this summer. Plus, when it comes to TOMS, the smaller they are, the cuter they seem to be. Go figure.

toms toms toms toms!

When I finally came to my senses after closing the last page of the TOMS book, I took care of some miscellaneous things, played with Stella, and got started on dinner. I was in the mood for chicken, so I made with it on some spiced orange marmelade drumsticks and pan-fried zucchini & squash. I realized tonight how therapeutic cooking can be for me, especially after a day like today. Plus, it's really not that hard once you get into it, and I've always preferred eating at home as opposed to eating out. 

yum (:

No complaints so far on the food; we're settling in for the night and relaxing. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be an early one since we've both had a long start to the week. I really miss Sydni today.... I can't wait to see her.

Maybe... I'll be surprising her with some new TOMS the next time I do.. ;)

xo | cmd

INSPIRED.

I wanted to take a break from the typical recounting of my day to share with the world some of the things and people by which I'm inspired. While I do have a rewarding life, I love to live that little bit of myself vicariously through others, or if nothing else at least draw some inspiration from things, places and people that move me.

Just SOME of the motivations in my head today :)
In no particular order... 

christine ha | master chef

1 | Christine Ha. I don't watch the show Master Chef, but a couple of my co-workers do, and they share with me the day after each episode how this girl is still hanging in there in this reality show competition for amateur chefs. She's adorable, and quite Asian, yes, but she's blind, too. That's right. The girl who can't see is on national television kicking tail and taking names in the kitchen. I have 20/10 vision, according to my doctor, and I am absolutely positive that I can't cook better than this gal. 


rissa. nancy. yun. joann
august. september. october. november

2 | Adorable Prego Friends. You're lying if you don't think that all four of these girls make the cutest pregos ever. These are four of my girlfriends from back in Cincinnati who are all [obviously] pregnant, all due one right after the other. They got together recently and had i2 studios do a shoot; this is just one of the many killer pictures they got back. They look like pretty little autumn skittles. This one confirms that there's a slight chance I will be this cute in the event I'm pregnant again. Now I just have to find 3 other girls to share the pregnancy journey with, hire an awesome photographer, and we're good. Haha. Seriously, I really was moved by this in that it highlights the innate and natural beauty of a mother. There is so much complexity to the process of literally growing a human being from essentially just a few cells; to have that captured as a complete picture should be a moving reminder to every mom out there. :) I love everything about it and am excited for all of them!


see red.

3 | RED. This is one of the blogs I follow: Tewfic El-Sawy. He's the Travel Photographer, and posted this collaboration recently. Read about it >here<. This is from a tribe of people in Northern Malabar. I wouldn't say I follow the ritualistic tradition behind this customary getup, but I am so intrigued by the cultural concept of such elaborate decoration. Plus, I love red, and the monochromatic way he put this together is quite appealing. I stand to learn so much from photographers like him! This reminded me that I need to travel more, photograph more, and make a constant, proactive effort to maintain an appreciation for worldly culture even while I'm living in the good old midwest, USA.


toms | boot wedges!

4 | TOMS BOOT WEDGES. I'm such a prolific lover of TOMS, not just because their classics won me over from the start, but because I am fully-aware of the impact they have as a grassroots operation gone-global. Sure, their gear is a little pricey for what it really is [truth, sorry], but I've read the articles on their advocates going directly into the hearts of undeveloped territories and putting shoes on the feet of kids who otherwise use whatever they can find in the woods or in a trash can to keep their feet protected. Call me a hippie, but TOMS are comfortable and supportive of a good cause. These new wedges are adorable, and I'm thiiiiinking about checking them out. We.. shall.. see. I use TOMS [& coincidentally the store in which I get them, shout out to Peace by Piece in Belleville] as motivation for my future potential endeavors of entrepreneurship, too. It could happen ;).

that's love! mama & daughter
[borrowed from fb, christine... it looks like a magazine ad :p ]

5 | SINGLE PARENTS. I work in a small office, but there are two single moms on our staff. It's a weird emotion having sympathy for but lacking the experience to have empathy for single parents and the strife that comes with the territory. I had a[nother] conversation with Christine today, with whom I've grown fairly close in our time working together, and was so moved by the current challenges she faces being a single parent. Sorry to single you out, Christine, but it was in something of an odd way, compelling to be reminded of the strength and courage it takes to continue on with blinders focused on objectively raising a happy kid. My respect for the single parent has exponentially increased over the last few months. Make no mistake, either, I share an equal admiration for single fathers, because I know the indwelling of maternal instinct may come a little rougher to them, but they hold down the cycle with the best of them. I had the privelege growing up with two parents; many of my friends did not. I am so grateful for the blessings I've had in that arena. I look at the broken world in which we live sometimes and I can't help but think I couldn't do what these parents do. The ones who choose to raise their kids right in spite of circumstance amaze me. My job as a co-parent looks like a cakewalk compared to what you do. It's parents like this that remind me of the human capacity to overcome and succeed, if the will is there.


happened across this online

6 | NOT JUDGING BOOKS BY THEIR COVERS. I just needed that reminder. Sure, there are exceptions to every condition, but loving art and expression as much as I do, I just have to say that while I wouldn't necessary canvas my body out to the extent this guy and many of my great friends have, I absolutely believe that a heart is a heart and that doesn't change. 'Nuff said.

rick & dick hoyt

7 | TEAM HOYT. If you haven't heard of them, seen their pictures, watched their videos, or checked out their journey, quit reading my amateur blog and go look it up. I'll get ya started: It's amazing. If you need some motivation to work out, or quit complaining about your workout.. or really your life in general, this is a good place to start. Yeah, this is a bit of an extreme example of how my circumstance could be different, but there is so much that I stand to admire about this father and his son. If there's been a testament of dedication, sacrifice, endurance, and unconditional love in this century, I'd say these two are strong contenders for a top spot. Notice that the wheels say, It's a Good Life! Talk about motivating.. :) 

8 | BEADS. I've had these for a few weeks now and finished up the last one tonight. These look like simple little charms, but there's much to them. These are for my pastor's wife, Debbie, who has a severe version of asthma, and has to wear a medical plaque on her wrist as a failsafe in the event she would have an episode. The way she's got it figured, if you're gonna wear the thing, wear it in style! < Totally adoptable principle, and clearly it works, since for the longest time I thought it was just a regular - but stylish - interchangeable bracelet of some sort. She had asked me some time ago if I could make some minor repairs to a few of the adorning bands; I finished the last of them tonight and thought I'd share. It's been a little while since I touched jewelry-crafting... I made a mental note that I must start making time for it: I love it and it's relaxing. Thanks for the reminder, Miss Debbie! 


photog credit : dk

9 | THE BIBLE. Duh. I know this should've been at the very top of the list, but I decided to save it for end so it would be the last thing we leave with for today. There are a million ways to dive into how this one book has revolutionized my life; I will keep it simple and succinct by just saying that there are so many paths down which I tried to take my life on my own terms, but by this book and all the wisdom in it, I found that real peace, that real happiness, and that real fulfillment I wanted, but never had. It's the instruction manual for creating and achieving my short and long-term goals, raising my children, coping with trials, and appreciating my blessings. It's a link between myself and the Lord who so willingly sacrificed his everything so that I could have everything, without hesitation or doubt. It is unchanging, unfailing, and hugely underestimated. It's my lifeline; by and through it I am who I am, and growing, still. TRULY.. Inspired.

What's inspired YOU today? :)

xo | cmd

Hangin' Out With the Mini! (:

It's obviously not unusual for Sydni and I to have plenty of mama-mini time whenever Joe is out of town. Our solo weekends vary from the tame nothin'-at-all days to the more adventurous days. Today fell into the category of spur-of-the-moment outing, which might seem, at face value, ridiculous considering it's still 110+ degrees out. Wellllll.. when the AC in your house is just blowing air, not cold air, it almost seems like a better avenue to get outta there for a bit. Check.

We started off with some errands, some long-overdue [grocery shopping], some just plain overlooked. We knocked out all of the more monotonous pitstops on the list and geared ourselves into downtown Belleville. My original thought was to stop and see our new friend Bulent and get some gelato, but I'd forgotten he was closed Saturdays.. this one at least. *Sigh. We spotted another digs right down the block and decided to check it out - I'm so glad we did! YAY, for local businesses!!

Welcome to Peachy! It's a frozen yogurt bar, surely no stranger to the locals, but a new discovery for us, and a perfect reprieve from the heat.

peachy | goofin' around.. biodegradable spoons, duh  ;)

i. let's see what this is all about | ii. tryyyyy it....
iii. love it, mama | iv. approval!
= a+ from the foodie critic!

Good stuff. Of course, since we were down in the heart of the Belleville local adorably unique shop district [that's obviously not official, but that's how I feel whenever I'm there!], I took Sydni in with me to check out the latest happenings at Peace by Piece. She was the smash hit of the staff, especially the owner's dog, with whom she immediately bonded and even kissed on the head before we left. I ended up ceding to a mega TOMS sale [shocking, I know], and left with some ballet flats. < First time with these; I'll have to see how they fare compared to the classics. Of course, TOMS are TOMS, and I support the core mission there, too, so I have less reservation about spending less than msrp on them today. Bwah bwah bwah.....

Oh! Almost forgot. I met Heather today, who both works at Peace by Piece and is a local artisan. Her jewelry [kindred spirit!] sells at PxP, and in an effort to continue supporting local folk, I ordered a little something that she'll be crafting. I won't say or show what just yet; I'll share that whenever she's finished :).

park baby

Anyway, from the time we got up this morning, Syd had been asking: "pretty please, can i, caaaaaan iiiiii???" to go to the park. I ultimately obliged, but not without trying to redirect her desire in another - any - other direction. It was her afternoon, but I certainly was thinking, sure kid. The park. It's as cool out as the sun's surface, but let's go to the park. ;) 

Like I said, I caved, so for a full 45 minutes, we were the only people outside I'm sure, within a 10 mile radius. Haha.

I realized I must've been asleep or somehow otherwise not paying enough attention to her all the other times we'd been to the park recently, because it seemed so sudden when she turned on some avid climbing skills. Yeah, I'm sure it's probably a standard developmental landmark, but I was prepared to aide her somehow. Not the case.

She's a regular little monkey! I'm so proud :).

mini monkey mode - she's fearless!

To my surprise, I was met with absolutely zero protest when I finally decided it was time to head home. Every surface of the play equipment at the park was "too hot, mommy, it's too hot," so after about 12 times up and down the spiral climby thing, we brought our day out and about to an end. She was asleep by the time I had the car started. Hah.

oh hey, sweat..

Now, I'd heard on the radio a day or so back that it's been clinically proven that prolonged extreme heat affects mental functioning. I think I knew that before I heard it, but it certainly made sense and I'm certainly blaming my random afternoon decision on it, too. I for some odd reason thought it would be smart to go running. Any other day, absolutely, but I'm declaring it official that the heat warped my logic so much that I actually forgot.. about.. the heat. Sad, sick irony.

Anyhow, 3 miles later, I was back home, more thankful than ever that I'm headed to Heaven when my time here is through. This weather made me think of a preview of the other neighborhood, and my sentiment on it is that that rat Satan can take and keep this weather ;).

110+ degrees. Running. Outside. I need to suck it up, I know... I just wasn't quite prepared for it today. Haha. Ohhhh well. Three miles is three miles no matter which way you spin it, even if it meant sweating my weight before I was halfway done. Mehhhh...

We are done runnin' around for the day. We're about to head down to camp out in the basement and watch The Little Mermaid for the umpteenth time. Speaking of which, as a sidenote: I was emptying out our dishwasher earlier and Sydni exclaimed, quite articulately:

"Mommy! Look at aaaaall those dinglehoppers!"
[[ credit: Mo.... haha ]]

Whoa. Moments in the life of a toddler girl's mama. Unscripted!

Haha. It's gonna be an early day tomorrow. The VBS kickoff is less than 24 hours out at this point; say a prayer for us!!

'Nite, beloved blogbots.

xo | cmd

We ♥ Tiny TOMS

Good grief. I'm declaring the following statement, moreso for my own benefit than anyone else's. Obviously:

Dear Self: Sydni does not and will never need to own every single pair of TOMS that you see. REPEAT: Sydni does NOT need every pair of TOMS you see. It's a painful truth, but it's truth. Love, Cori.

Let me share with the class the reason for the wage of inner battle that has consumed me as Spring creeps into our house. With that comes the expunging of winter gear, heavy clothing, and of course, all things too small for growing girls. That includes shoes, and I've been semi-successfully fighting off the delicious temptation lately to clad little Boogie in a very specific type of footwear. It's not anything that consumes me to an unhealthy level [this is a dramatization, really], but they're so stinkin' cute, I nearly cave every time. She'll only be this size once, right [and contextually specific to photo opps, of course]?!

See for yourself:
 

option #1: navy biminis



option #2: flowered burlaps



option #3: plain ole burlaps

 Like I said, good golly! You can't deny they're adorable. I think I'll open the lines for voting and see which one she'll get - it's about that time to spoil her with a little something, if nothing else than for her successful and concerted efforts to conquer potty training [p.s. - where did time go?!].

We'll just hafta see. :)

This has been a beautiful week thus far. OH, and tomorrow's Friday. Wooooot!

God. Is. GOOD. Allllllll. The. Time.
[& what? That's right, ALL the time, God is GOOD!!]

xo | cmd

Oh, What a Beautiful D A Y

1. LIFE IS GOOD.
B. LIFE IS GOOD.
3. LIFE. IS. GOOOOOOOOD!

What a truly beautiful little day this turned out to be!



hello, tiny toms!

  We started off the day with breakfast together before Joe had to go in to work. I was fairly bummed that he had to work this morning, especially since my parents were here and we were gearing up for a loaded church service. Sydni insisted on donning her purple sparkly shoes, so the TOMS made their first public appearance this morning, as well. Loved it...

she dressed herself this morning - not too bad!



becky & tom's baptisms | children's choir!

We didn't quite make it in time for Sunday school, but we were definitely there with plenty of time to get settled in before choir and the baptisms started. Nick & Rebecca, the new couple we met at the Sandvens, made it for their first Sunday. It was a whirlwind of a morning; the children's choir debuted for the year, and not one, but two of our small group members were baptized!

Congratulationsssssssss!!!! Tom & Becky, it was a blessing watching you be baptized. [Our small group rocks!] Major kudos, too, to the children's choir. It was definitely a great morning.

Once church was over, our entire small group rallied together at Bdubs to celebrate the two baptisms.

Back at home, Sydni and I resigned ourselves to a long afternoon nap. This is perfect example of the conversation Joe and I had regarding the fact that whenever we are around my parents, be it here or back in Ohio, we always want to sleep. It's absolutely not that we're that bored or disenchanted by the company; I think rather it's such a super sense of relaxation and peace that makes us want to just kick back and snooze for a bit. Today was no different, except that when I finally woke up, I felt like crap. [Boo. On. THAT.]

My parents leave tomorrow morning, and we go back to the week. Here's hoping I feel .. much.. better... tomorrow.

xo | cmd

Hoo Hoo HOO [Loves Surprises?]

It's Monday, ya'll.
It's been a surprisingly pleasant Monday, at that!

tom hanks :)



A bashmillion [yup] people all around the U.S. went back to work today after what was hopefully a thoroughly-enjoyed, likely short-lived weekend. I was part of that number. Woot.

 Monday was Monday, except for the delivery of two very lovely things very early on in the day. One of those, The Man with One Red Shoe, a Tom Hanks movie from the mid-80's, arrived in the mail over the weekend and was waiting for my pick up when I got to work this morning. I am one small step closer to completing my husband's collection of every movie in which good old Tom was cast.


from the bosses!



The second gem came mid-morning, when this beautiful arrangement from Lee Russo Designs was delivered [one for each of us gals here in the office], compliments of Marc & Diana as thanks to us for holding down the fort here while they were gone all of last week at ILC. They smell incredible, and are making quite the stand atop my overhead cabinet. I love 'em. 



hoo hoo hoo.. is adorable?
... youuuuuu ....



Thirdly [I'm on a streak inventing words today; leave it alone.....], I found a slew of adorable baby animal photogs in my email from Meagan [I'm claiming the owl; I've named him Oliver and he is officially adorable]. That was minutes before she sprung the news on us that she's headed off for a Caribbean cruise all of next week, a surprise from Rob. Mega kudos there, Rob! I am so excited for her - it definitely springs memories of the lovely little Carnival trip that Joe and I took to the Grand Cayman Islands with Lynn & Co. a few years back. *Sigh. I think I'm going to live next week vicariously through the Greers. Hah.

tiny toms = purple glitters.
sydni's going to lose her mind.
:)



Last but certainly and never ever least, I made the trip on my lunch break today over to Glik's in Edwardsville, with the specific purpose of snagging Sydni a new pair of TOMS. It seems that Spring is starting to waft about in the air, I figured I'd splurge just a bit on her and treat her with a little something. Hey, let's face it; she's only little once, and I'll only have so many opportunities to spoil her now without catastrophic result or expectation of it on an ongoing basis. haha. Here's that went:

Anywho - it's about time for The Voice, so whatever else is important is simply going to have to wait.... :)

xo | cmd

Women's Breakfast: Shirley Warren



ladies breakfast @ towerview
guest speaker: shirley warren

I made it out of bed on time this morning and toted my way over to the church for the women's breakfast. By the time we had sat through the presentation from our own Ms. Shirley, I was nearly beside myself: I was reminded today the impact that cancer has on a person. My passion for our church team's Relay was vigorously renewed, and I left feeling so driven to get this Relay thing going. I appreciate beyond words today's testimony, and even though I'm not extremely close to the Warrens, I'll be holding this one close to my heart for a very, very long time. ♥ Not to mention, it was another chance to see some of my fellow beloved ladies for a round of eating and fellowship: Lara, Meagan, & Cathy.
Once we were released from breakfast, I took the opportunity to do some light cleaning around the house before Mo showed up for a quick trip over to Peace by Piece in Belleville. I felt priveleged to accompany her on the mission to purchase her very first pair of TOMS [awww]. We even bumped into Bonnie and one of her girlfriends on the way out. Small world! Either way, our experience went a little something like this:

toms toms toms :)

M: "What color should I get?"
C: "Maybe something neutral, starting out? You can wear it with anything."
M: "K. How about pink sequins?"
C: "How is that neutral?"
M: "Well, true. I'll do red."

haha. Red it was! She wears 'em quite well, I might add. Of course it wouldn't be a TOMS trip without snagging a new pair; I justified that both by that my current treads are starting to [finally] fray out, and also for the sake of the whole One for One thing.

It's going to be somewhat of a relaxing remainder to the day, and I am pretty excited about that :).

xo | cmd

Week 3. Here We Go.

Yeahhhh, Monday.

And yeah, it’s freakin’ HOT outside. I’m not usually one to be discontented with warm weather, but this is a little out of hand for the Midwest. So yeah, *sweating*….

Today was one of those days during which I was so entirely consumed in my work that I skipped lunch altogether and was consequently faced with leaving an hour early. Welcome to the perks of hourly wages. J  Ha. So, that gave me plenty of time to do some light exploring of Belleville, which meant stopping by Peace by Piece, a local shop that carries only American-made products and caters to the sale of local artisans. My kind of shop… 



peace by piece | belleville, il



I had planned on stopping there for one reason only, and found exactly what I needed within the first minute I entered. It’s certainly not Park & Vine, but it’s mildly comparable. I’d definitely go back. Now if only I can hunt down a local dig that carries all natural products and all the hippy stuff I love: Moby’s, cloth diapers, beeswax soap, household items made from recycled bike parts… ya know, that sort of place. Any suggestions?

Towerview’s softball game was scheduled for 6:00 PM, but I craftily used both Sydni and the well-overdue grocery trip to escape sitting in the blazing sun for 3-4 hours straight. Joe headed to the game; Sydni and I headed to Dierberg’s. We managed to shop, return home, and shelve everything within the hour, which left us plenty of time to catch the second game. By the time Syd and I made it to the field, the heat had partially retreated, so the evening was tolerable. We didn’t pick up any wins tonight, but the guys played well and we had fun watching. Plus, Jarod rode his motorcyle and had forgotten shorts, so he opted to simply chop off the lower half of his jeans. Yeah for softball fashion statements. :)

before: jeans | after: jean shorts

It’s still hot, even inside, and I’m pretty sure I’ll end up falling asleep as close to ground level as I can….again, tonight. We’ll see.

xo | cmd

Home Sweet Home

Sam finally had to face reality and go back to work, so Kalyn and I decided to hit the pool. But no, not just any pool. This pool is part of a gorgeous resort lodged into the hillside above Sam’s apartment complex.

falls resort | phoenix

We set up camp just after 9:30AM, and it was already 94 degrees. We took advantage of the resort’s waterfall, waterslide, and even attempted some water volleyball. I honestly wouldn’t have any qualms going there every day for even just a few hours. It’s serene!



pools | waterslide exit



waterfall!



Once we decided we had baked for long enough, we grabbed some Chinese and headed back to the apartment to cool down and eat.

I packed my bag, and, in true Cori fashion, did not include the D90. Of course I would leave behind my camera; fortunately, it’s in good hands until I get it back, and for what it’s worth, I didn’t lose it anywhere. *Whew. Kalyn and I set out to venture into Phoenix for a bit before I had to head to the airport, and stumbled upon an adorable little row of stores with all the handmade, Indie, and vintage stuff we could want. I snagged another string doll at Frances for my collection before we headed off to the airport.



frances boutique | stinkweeds record shop



frances'

cute kids tables | toms inventory

Flying standby can always create a little apprehension, but luckily for me, the flights weren’t nearly filled and I got seat for a direct flight back to St. Louis. Joe met me at the airport and we drove home.

string dolls

Tomorrow, I’ll tell him all about the trip. Right now, I’m spent.

Loves.

xo | cmd