A little bit of heaven

Having a kind of crappy day, getting too upset about things I can't control, so I want to share with you the happiest, most precious thing I can.

Comments

[Katie]

Oh Shannon they're adorable!! My day just got better. :)

[Rebecca]

You're. So. Lucky. <3

[Shelby]

SO CUTE:)

[Annette]

that's the perfect kind of perspective for a crappy day! enjoy all four of your happy-precious "things!"

[tanita]

And the angels sang...

[jen bryner in logan]

aaw, look at those eyes!! as a photographer, i appreciate those cute little faces! as a mother, i appreciate the feelings of gratitude we have for our precious children...especially when the rest of our day is full of doo-doo. :)

[Marcus Aurelius]

Weird. Those bowls of phở look a little like babies.

Super weird.

But yeah, a good bowl of phở can brighten the darkest day.

Even baby-looking phở, I suppose.

[Julia]

Smiley, happy babies are the best!

[Calliope1of9]

They're so blond! Adorable!

[Abby]

Heart. Melted.

[Christen]

Cutest... children... EVER. :))))

[anilee]

Oh my goose. So cute.

[Frogster]

They're so cute! You are one lucky mom. :)

[Q]

Those are definitely Hale babies (pun intended).

[McKenna]

They're so adorable! :)

[Elenatintil]

They are so adorable! And I am really starting to see how much they look like you! :) Thank you for sharing!

[Irena]

Can I just say AWWWW!!!

[Shelly Brown]

They are precious. They look like their sister. Babies grow up so fast but I agree, they are the best 'happy-makers.'
My last is a smily redhead and I wouldn't trade him for the world.
I've got a pair of blonde haired, blue eyed twins myself. They are so snuggli-perfect (I should patent that word before they steal it for some infomercial product)

[Amelia]

I had an awful-mommy day today as well. Finally had more than ten minutes to talk to my husband after the kids fell asleep and ranted about how HARD being a mom is! Then went on and on about how there is never enough money, time, energy, patience, lap-space, or me-writing-time. After a hug, a massage and a prayer, he sent me to the computer. But I still felt awful. Thank you for sharing your frustration and your compensation. Helped me feel a little less alone. Now, I must stop procrastinating and get snapping on that one awkward scene that needs two hours and no interruptions to fix! :)

[nerdyem]

Don't you just feel sometimes that motherhood is about relinquishing control? I'm feeling that all the time now and in every aspect of my life. It's kind of a good exercise to go through, I suppose, a test of sorts. I could use a load of refining, so BRING IT ON!

Here's a hefty quote that has been turning over and over in my mind this week (just to make you feel like you've at least got an ounce of control when things seem bleak):

"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms--to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." -Frankl

That sums it up for me, I want to choose my own way. Isn't that what we all want.

So I just glanced up at the previous post, and I think it was written by my sister-in-law, Amelia! Ha ha! (The very dear friend, now sister, who set up my husband and me when this beloved sister-in-law and I were studying illustration in school. I'll have to go e-mail her now and ask her if that was she who just posted-- looks like we both turn to Shannon Hale when we're feeling a little blue and need a shot in the arm to boost us up before we hit our keyboards to work on our books.)

Just so you know, I check Squeetus every other day or so whenever I feel I need a gem of inspiration of just a ray of fun to brighten my day. Thanks for that.

One last thing that is completely unrelated to anything, but is a delicious resource for moms that I think you might love (which you may already use): The Food Nanny website.

The one recipe in particular that I crave to prepare all the time (and that my husband suggested we make every week until our pickiest has fattened up a bit), the very one we used for tonight's dinner, is called Chicken and Potatoes Italiano. Just the name makes me happy.

We're talking fifteen minute prep time and a meal worthy to serve to company on a Sunday evening. This is it: quartered (or octered, tee hee--what could be the real word here for cutting something into eighths?) potatoes, quartered onions, (I like to chop up and throw onto the jellyroll pan a few carrots as well) chicken breasts (I cut them into chunks for faster baking and easier eating for little ones), olive oil drizzled over the top of everything, sea salt sprinkled over all, and freshly-plucked bits of pungent rosemary generously scattered on every piece of yumminess.

Bake at 400 until the onions carmelize, the potatoes are gorgeously golden, and the kids come running in to say, "MMMMM! What smells so good! Yay, we're having THAT!" (Pointing into the lit-up oven window before giving you a huge old squeeze.)

That kind of reaction sure makes a little effort in the kitchen go a loooong, looong way. I can be a scullery maid for an hour or two a day for a reward like that.

Even our two year-old will eat the baked rosemary, as he holds up pieces of it and says, "Like the Christmas thingy, Mommy!" (He means it smells divine like pine bows, I guess). So, Shannon, if you bake anything in the next few weeks, TRY OUT THIS RECIPE and you will not be sorry. (And then you'll have to walk in and out of your own front door several times after dinner just so you can smell the incredible aroma wafting from your own house and escaping out into the crisp night air. So silly but such a pleasure to realize that your own home smells so inviting. :)

Okay, I'll stop babbling now, and will work on my story for fifteen minutes before bed. (After I e-mail my sister-in-law to see if that was she who posted earlier.) We love you, Shannon. Happy dreams. (Speaking of, will you do a post sometime on what you think the purpose of our night dreams are? I'm curious to hear your take....)

Ciao!

[Faith]

They are adorable!

[Emma]

Wow, they've gotten so big! Those sweet smiles could cheer anyone up. :)

[Julianne Donaldson]

Oh, yum. I'll take two of those with a side of Nutella, thank you very much. What sweeties!

[Crystal Broderick]

I hope ur day gets better

[melissa @ 1lbr]

Wish I had such cute faces around when I'm having a bad day (ok, hubby's face is pretty cute, but not quite...)

[Christy Grigg]

They are beyond precious. Hang in there Shannon! Saying a little prayer for you.

[Belle]

They are too cute for words!!!

[Jen J]

Oh my goodness, I just want to SQUEEZE them!!!

[Miss Erin]

I am melting over here. Those EYES. Those SMILES.

[Isobel]

What brightness they have! You're very lucky. I always love seeing photos of your twins girls.

I had a dream the other night that you, Shannon, hosted the opening of a "shark display" at a museum (!?) and were giving a talk on a platform in the middle of the ocean, but the sharks began ripping apart the platform and we all had to swim for shore. Yes, very strange...

[Sondy]

Oh. So. Sweet! Thanks for helping everyone else feel better, too! :)

[Sondy]

One nice thing about pictures: Now I've got a mini-slide show going on my computer desktop, and the computer takes from ALL my pictures. When my sweet babies show up (who are now 23 and 17), it STILL makes me smile! :) Take lots and lots!

[Rachel]

So so cute, Shannon :)

[Nike Free Running]

ings do not change;we change.sell your clothes and keep your thoughts