Thursday, October 15, 2015

Around Here

Snapshots of the everyday. 




$5 Oil Painting I passed up at my favorite thrift store last week but returned to hunt down Monday. A nice pop of color in an otherwise quiet white bathroom.

Fall dresses I'm not wearing because it's still to hot to resemble anything close to Autumn.

New shoes I am wearing, with the sun dresses I keep trying to retire.

*A fourth grade apology note written to Arlo after a brief playground tiff got physical a couple weeks ago when he heard a fellow classmate call Leon a name, with instructions to "Open at home and in front of mom" and reads: "to my friend Arlo. I am sorry for what I said about your brother and mom / family. I well never ever say one mean thing about your family. It's ok to tell me "I'm not you're friend." I under stand but are we friends? Tell me whenever you want. Sincerely, Brandon. p.s. Also I feel bad for saying those things to you. I let my feelings take over me. Im sorry for everything I did. 

Above baby's bed.

Fall scents.

Yesterday's especially calm coffee hour.

Bedside goods.

Morning bath.

Thrifted basket, broken jewelry.

First bowl of Pumpkin O's. Not too bad.

My new favorite children's book. Illustrated by one of the best, Carson Ellis.




* This note makes me happy. Arlo commented about it seeming totally "mommed out." As in, very obviously drafted by his mother's command. But that's what makes it so great. An old school apology note still goes a long way. I told him I would have handled it the exact same way.


12 comments:

  1. Those look like mighty fine dresses. Fall weather's in full force here in Buffalo. I like the apology letter too. I can see why Arlo thinks it doesn't mean as much, but maybe one day Brandon will issue his own heartfelt apology remembering this exercise his mom made him do. I'm the first to make my boys apologize if they are wrong. They don't always like it, but I think they realize sometimes it's necessary to move on. People will always mess up and make mistakes, forgive and forget are important life lessons.

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  2. Oh my, that note just made me cry. The P.S. seems genuine perhaps? Maybe less mommed out? I would have done the same as well.

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    1. It made me cry too. I was very upset initially, hearing that he had called Leon a hurtful name (Leon didn't hear, thank God) So reading a since apology from this kid - meant for me as well, made my day.

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  3. oh boy - that letter!! kids can be so cruel in one moment, but oh so sweet in the very next. and it doesn't matter if it comes from his mother or from him. an apology is an apology.
    i hope arlo is alright (don't let silly words hurt you, you're SO much better than that!)
    x

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    1. I agree. And I really do believe he felt bad. I told Arlo that he did the right thing and there should be no grudges. Which seems to be the case. I think it meant a lot to Arlo too. Even though he tried to joke about it sounding like a mother wrote it :)

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  4. Best note. What a way to learn a lesson! Three cheers for old school apologies.

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  5. Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

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    1. Hey Obat,

      That is so sweet of you to say. I really appreciate your insight! I think the difference now is that I do have a little more time to lend to edits and re drafts. And, I try to stick to the stuff that interests ME and not worry about what anyone else is doing (which is always easier said than done, right?) When I stick to that, blogging becomes a much more fulfilling and fun expereince to keep up :)

      Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read and comment here.
      Xx
      J

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  6. Funny that I read this and a few days later my sweet 9 year old was sitting down to write an apology of his own (teacher mandated). He was coming to someone else's defense and ended up saying something very unkind to another boy. Such a hard lesson to learn, that your well-intentioned intervention can backfire and you end up doing/saying something worse than the initial offense. In this case I thought the letter was a bit much because he had apologized right away and was already such a wreck about the whole thing. But then I took a look at it after he went to bed; carefully written in his best cursive with drawings of things he's not normally interested in, that I'm guessing he thought this other boy would appreciate. I think that maybe the writing is just as therapeutic as the receiving.

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  7. Maybe I'm just hormonal. But, that story just made me tear up. Even if it was a bit "Much" - at least it instills in them that old school sense of a written note of apology is still a decent way of communication. Fixing something we've done wrong and need to make better. And, you're right. Sometimes it can be just as therapeutic on the other end. I mean, how many letters have we all written and never handed over you know? Getting it out. Sometimes that's all need :)

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