Little Bites of Heaven

Poiema Place | Danielson Designs - Giveaway

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:22:00 +0000

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Random...

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:54:00 +0000

James + Cameron have spent lots of time sleeping in spots that are not their beds. They are just miserable and wake up crying for no apparent reason other than general discomfort and they want to be near me. So they nap on the couch while I work or climb into bed with me at night. Ella is still hanging tough (that wasn't an intentional NKOTB reference, but...) and though she has a cough, she seems to be okay so far.

We made pumpkin bread yesterday and The Peaches were in heaven. All the measuring and pouring and stirring. And, of course, at the end they got to eat it. They were so excited to watch the transformation from 'gredients' to an actual loaf of bread. Ella kept peeking in the oven, getting excited each time the loaves would rise a bit more, yelling, "Mommy, come here, Mommy! Look at this, Mommy!" And now, every time they have some of it you can just see their hearts swell with pride seeing what they created.

No one is really napping at all right now, other than catnaps on the couch, which is driving me crazy. They walk around all morning exhausted and miserable, but once naptime hits they spend the entire time bouncing around their cribs and singing like crazed lunatics. I tried an earlier naptime, a later naptime, no naptime, all day naptime...why no naps? Aren't sick children supposed to sleep more?

I am tired...and now I am coughing too. But, thankfully, so far, my symptoms seem to be pretty comparable to Ella's. Which is a really good thing because I have lots (and lots and lots) to still do if we are going to get ready for Christmas by next week. I haven't done much so far. A tiny bit of shopping, the gingerbread house + some snowflakes. We did put our lights outside and our mini tree is up inside the house. But the decorations and stockings were only pulled out last night.

I know we are a little late to the game, but I am excited that it is finally starting to look festive around here. The Peaches adore the twinkly lights and all of the pretty decorations, oohing and ahhing over each one. They loved helping Nana place ornaments on her tree, so I can't wait until we finally get our tree. Last night, Lydia read some Christmas stories which they listened to with rapt attention. I spent some time talking about the stories behind the nativity scene, but they ignored me and wanted to play with the characters instead.

Watching everyone last night, I came to the realization that even if we are all sick for Christmas this year, it's okay. I can already tell it is going to be so much fun watching the little ones experience it all and enjoying the time with my family. It will be wonderful to celebrate and focus on all we have to be grateful for.

(The Peaches must have agreed that it wasn't looking festive enough around here yet; because as I was writing this, they pulled out a giant bag of sequins that they are now decorating my office with...gotta love this age.)

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Ugh.

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:09:00 +0000

All three of the little ones are sick again.

So is John.

My home is full of coughing, sneezing, runny noses, fevers and aches.

It started with James...a fever, a stuffy nose, some coughing and then I thought he was fine.

But by yesterday afternoon everyone was sporting some of the symptoms and John was the worst of the bunch. He slept all day, barely able to get up for even a drink of water. Though still sick, thankfully today he is much, much better.

James slept with me on the couch last night (I don't want to get sick) because he didn't want to be alone. Cameron wandered around this morning like a zombie and hardly touched a morsel of food (and the girl loves food). Ella seems to have elevated spirits so far, but if history has taught me anything, it is that tomorrow she will be in Cameron's shoes.

My poor babies :(

At this point, I am just hoping that we are all healthy enough to celebrate Christmas.

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Jacob | 4 months { Central IL Lifestyle Photographer }

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:57:00 +0000

This little guy was full of smiles for our entire session. I mean full of smiles. His parents were afraid he wouldn't crack a single one, but as soon as I pulled out my camera he turned on the charm. He was so wonderful for the duration of my time at their house, that I am having an incredibly difficult time narrowing down the best of the bunch.

Here are two of my favorites...

Leslie and Mitch, thank you so much...I had so much fun with you guys + with Jacob and I cannot wait to show you the rest!

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Tomorrow.

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:13:00 +0000

You can read more here.

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Photo Story Friday

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:32:00 +0000

It has been a long time since I have participated in Photo Story Friday + I have to say I have really missed it!

Spending time browsing through folders (and folders and folders) of images each week, choosing the perfect one as a platform to tell the perfect story. Ok...maybe the posts were never perfect, but I did enjoy the whole process of going through our week and reliving the moments through images and words. Since things went kind of crazy around here (starting my business, the death of my uncle, my husband's career change) + I stopped posting on my 365 blog, I have taken less pictures and posted fewer stories than I would have liked. Which makes me a little bit sad, wondering how many moments I may have just let slip by without so much as a nod.

I am looking forward to getting back in the habit of photographing my own family and spending more time telling our story + I think this is the perfect place to begin. So, thank you, Cecily!

One of my favorite moments from this past week was the time we spent putting together and decorating our gingerbread house.

There is an 'S' on one side in drippy icing and a banana door on the other. There are little empty spots of icing where there was once a candy that a little Peach hand plucked off and ate up when no one was looking. There is a path made up of the leftover (uneaten) candy. James took a bite out of the wall, Cameron couldn't get enough icing straight from the bag and Ella kept sliding the candies around until she found the most perfect spot. We put the house together before naptime and decorated it after naptime.

And I love it.

It was the perfect kick start to our holiday season...we were together, we laughed, we listened to Christmas music and we danced. But most of all we had fun...we had lots and lots of fun. Which is something we all really needed.

Hosted by Cecily and Rachael

To play PhotoStory Friday, check this. Copy this code into your post and sign Sir Linky:

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Exciting news!!!

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:15:00 +0000

Stay tuned, because....

I was asked to host Photo Story Friday with Cecily this week!

I am working on my own post right now, but we are heading out to a Christmas party at the local children's museum so it will be a little while longer before I get it finished + posted. In the meantime...get your favorite image(s) and the story behind the image(s) ready to share. And then come back here to link up your post...I will be posting Mr. Linky a little bit later tonight!

(You can find the details on Photo Story Friday here.)

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Joy + wonder.

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:52:00 +0000

We decorated a gingerbread house this weekend + tomorrow we are making paper snowflakes to decorate the house...I am thankful that the joy + wonder of the season is starting to creep into our home. It's something we all needed.

This is just a little peek...I have many more gingerbread pictures coming soon!

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Just in time...

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:18:00 +0000

for the holidays!

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Don't laugh...

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:46:00 +0000

I gave James a haircut last night.

I was very scared to put scissors to his hair. Mostly, because I have cut my own hair (more than) a couple of times and the results of those misguided trims were not happy ones. The first time, in 6th grade, I ended up with nearly non-existent bangs (they were about 1/4 of an inch long...maybe) + another time I 'trimmed' my length from below my shoulder to above my ears. Oops.

But, though we do like his hair a bit longer + somewhat messy, James was long overdue for a haircut. He has a lot of hair and was starting to get annoyed by the bangs in his eyes, constantly swiping them out of his face. And the back? I am sad to say that it was beginning to resemble a mullet. So, I picked up the scissors and this is what I did...

I realize it isn't great, what with the almost moppet look he is now sporting, but I was surprised that result wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. It is still a bit uneven (though in my defense, in the picture taken of the back, that part on the right is tucked into his collar). But I had to put down the scissors before he ended up with the kind of chop shop cut like I am known for...

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My wish for you...

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:19:00 +0000

{found here.}

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Clorox Green Works...

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:36:00 +0000

does the laundry!

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Peace.

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:58:00 +0000

{found here.}

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So far, so good.

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:33:00 +0000

The girls are doing so much better today.

Their coughs have gotten considerably less severe with only a day + a half of treatment. And their nebulizer treatments are going so much better than the first one did. They sit on my lap + hold the masks to their faces like big kids for the entire 10-15 minutes, moving it back into place if it slips off. When did they get to be so grown up?

And James seems to be holding steady with only a runny nose, so far it hasn't spread to his chest.

Thankful. That I am.

In other news, they are hysterical. And so sweet. They have begun adding names onto the end of every question + statement, using the softest tone. Especially James. Saying thinks like, "Look at that big dumper truck, Mommy!" and "Where is my (toy), Daddy?" and "Ella, Mommy is asleep, Ella."

And then they will turn around + walk (yes walk) or sit on top of each other.

Lydia is so excited that her volleyball season starts tomorrow with the first practice...she has been walking around for weeks counting down the days. She really missed having a sport this year during the basketball season.

John is still on the hunt for a job. Though he has several great leads, most people just aren't hiring until after the first of the year. In the meantime, he has been working patiently (I change my mind a lot) on things for my photography (like a logo + a blog).

Love them. Oh yes I do.

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And then there were four

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:12:00 +0000

James woke up from his nap with the telltale sneezing, super runny nose + difficulty breathing that marks the start of RSV. I imagine it won't be long before he is getting nebulizer treatments too.

Which, by the way, are not fun with two year olds. Cameron hated it + totally freaked out, it took both Lydia + I to hold her down. Ella wasn't too happy at first either, but eventually she realized it wasn't that bad + insisted on holding it and 'doing self' (while continuing to protest).

3 nebulizer treatments. 4 times a day. For 2 weeks.

As Cameron would say, while attempting to gesture wiping sweat from her brow (note to self...must get that on video)....'fee-yew!".

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Big S, little s...

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:34:00 +0000

What begins with s?

Three Schirano sisters who are

Sick, sick sick.

We took The (girl) Peaches + Lydia the Dr. today and walked out with three prescriptions (one for antibiotics for Lydia + a nebulizer treatment for each of the girls).

James, so far, seems to be a-ok. Though the sneezing has started, so I imagine it is only a matter of time before he is joining the little girls.

The likely culprit for Lydia is a lingering sinus infection, so not too bad.

But the little girls have Bronchiolitis. Which is caused by a respiratory viral infection...most likely RSV. Thankfully we caught it early, so I am hoping that they recover quickly. Cameron has the worst of it so far, with a fever + a cough that wakes her up crying several times throughout the night (it is also doing so right now, during naptime). Ella is just mostly a bucket of snot, sneezing constantly.

My poor babies :(

This is unrelated (of course), but I was going through photos from this summer, trying to find one to use for something + came across a picture that I thought was too perfect not to share with you...

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Sesame Street + K'NEX

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:44:00 +0000

Team Mom and K'NEX recently sent us a couple of fun things to try out...

Visit More Little Bites to read the rest!

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rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:49:00 +0000

{found here.}

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Giving thanks.

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:30:00 +0000

{found here}

When the world spends its days dumping buckets of rain down upon you, it is easy to get swept away in the dreariness of it all. But, I refuse to let the beauty in my life be shadowed by darkness.

Because I know that where we have been is not where we have to go, and where we are now is not where we have to be.

Life is change. It evolves as we evolve. And sometimes what we perceive as a roadblack is actually a blessing in disguise. They happen because we are meant to learn, we are meant to grow...and at that moment in time we just cannot see it.

I do know this...despite the rough month we have had, there is so (so, so, so) much I have to be thankful for. People who inspire me, elements that leave me awestruck with the wonder of it all + I am filled with hope.

I am thankful for my family + the love they surround me with...my husband + my four children. My parents + my siblings. My parents + siblings through marriage. My nieces + nephew. My entire extended family.

I am thankful for friends...both new and old, who embrace me + encourage my dreams

I am thankful for health...my health + the health of those around me. Life is incredibly precious + having more of it to look forward to is an abundance of blessings. Sure, I have no idea what will happen tomorrow, but for today, I have it all.

I am thankful for my passion...it took me nearly 32 years to uncover what I truly love to do. But it found me + through the beauty of art I have discovered the world.

I am thankful for home...we built our life in this spot on earth and it is full of comfort + joy. It is a house, but it is the people who live within its walls make it our home.

Wherever you are, whomever you are with...I send you much love + the warmest of wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving.

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i heart faces | sun flare

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:17:00 +0000

I love this photo...captured in that brief moment right before the kiss. You can see the love radiating from their faces as they turn towards each other completely open + trusting.

Love is a beautiful + powerful thing.

Visit I Heart Faces to check out the rest of the entries for this week's challenge or to enter your own photo.

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Letter to my younger self.

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:44:00 +0000

There is a book titled, Letters to My Younger Self. It is a collection of letters from successful woman, written to their younger selves about the things they know now + things they wish they would have known then. I own it. I think I received it as a gift. I remember being really excited to dig into it, but since it still sits beside my bed in a pile of about a dozen untouched books patiently awaiting me, I haven't had the chance to do much more than page through it.

Just the premise has always led me to wonder, had their younger selves truly known what was in those letters, would they have become as successful?

A little while ago, I stumbled across this in my google reader...

{found here.}

And it led me to think about all the things that I wish I had truly known, even a short 5 years ago.

Most on the list are things that have been said a million times, yet I only recently grasped the true fullness of their meaning in my own life.

1. Seek first to understand.

2. Though your past helps shape who you become, it does not define you. Leave it behind.

3. Forgiveness has incredible power. Forgive yourself, forgive others.

4. Impulsivity drowns out your intuition. Keep it in check, so you can listen to your heart.

5. Dreams can, and do, come true.
6. Hard work pays off.
7. This too shall pass.
8. Rely on yourself, but don't forget to reach out and ask for help when you need it.
9. Don't worry about what everyone else says or thinks. Worry about what you say + what you think.
10. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. Savor the moments + be present in each.

What would you share with your younger self?

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One hundred dollars.

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:22:00 +0000

Who couldn't use a little extra cash this year for the holidays?

Enter here for your chance to win $100 + an amazing gift basket from Aquaphor + Blogher.

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Prematurity Awareness Day

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:25:00 +0000

On July 8, 2007 at 1:19, 1:20 + 1:21 am, The Peaches were born almost 11 weeks prematurely at 29 weeks, 2 days.

James weighed 2lbs 10oz + measured 14 inches,
Ella weighed 1lbs 10 1/2oz + measured 13 1/2 inches +
Cameron weighed 2lbs 7 1/2oz + measured 14 1/4 inches.

Their first diapers were smaller than an iPod + yet they were too large for their tiny bodies. Their ankles were smaller around than a penny, their hands the size of a quarter, their feet about the length of a AAA battery. Their heads were no bigger than an orange.

They were tiny + they had an uphill battle to face before they were strong enough to come home.

So...they fought and 38, 41 + 45 days later they did come home. And they grew into these three amazing, strong, beautiful, normal two year olds. They truly are miracles.

But they weren't the only premature babies born in the year 2007. And they weren't (and aren't) alone in the struggles they faced...

Visit March of Dimes | Prematurity Awareness Month to learn how you can help.

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Autumn Beauty | I Heart Faces

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:27:00 +0000

The challenge this week at I ♥ Faces is 'Autumn Beauty' + though I know I have already posted this image (and not all that long ago) it is a favorite of mine from this fall...

You can visit I Heart Faces to check out the rest of the entries for this week's challenge.

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Wish List Meme

rachael.schirano@gmail.com (Rachael) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:22:00 +0000

TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

Let's see...most everything on my wish list has to do with photography (ie...an upgrade for my current camera body, some shiny new lenses, one of a couple of workshops I have my eye on, etc...) Personally, I am desperate need of a good haircut + could really use a brand new pair of jeans. If I am being practical, the list of things we need for our home is quite large. Ooh...and someone to come + clean my house once a month would probably make me cry.

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

I am a big fan of handmade gifts. Since my husband is an artist + I have four children, I have received many drawings + pieces of art over the years, so there are lots of favorites. Beyond that, I think my favorite handmade gift is a personally crafted album from my youngest sister full of pictures of us growing up (she gave it to me as a wedding gift).

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

I would love to learn how to sew + make all sorts of beautiful things for family members...purses, pillows, dresses, headbands. But sadly, I have no idea how to sew...buttons + holes in socks are the extent of my expertise.

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

I am pretty sure I didn't fully appreciate it at the time, but the most memorable gift I received was a handmade doll from my parents. The way I know my mom now, and what I didn't know then, was that she probably spent lots of time searching for the perfect one to give my sister + I.

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

Lydia would be happy with anything for volleyball and track or anything related to fashion + design. The Peaches typically want anything someone else has that they want. If I had to guess, I would say that James would be thrilled with construction trucks + tractors; honestly, Ella + Cameron would probably love them as well. There are just SO many things they love right now, it would be difficult to narrow that list down to one item each.

6. What is your favorite holiday food?

Homemade pumpkin pie with homemade spiced whipped cream.

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

Probably nothing this year, unless taking my photographs + printing them counts.

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

Elf or A Christmas Carol (the Alastair Sims version) - we watch them both every year.

9. Favorite holiday song?

Baby, It's Cold Outside (Dean Martin).

10. Favorite holiday pastime?

Making batches (and batches and batches) of cookies with my Mom, and now my own children, and leaving them out for Santa on Christmas Eve with a giant glass of cold milk.

To enter to win all these cool prizes below simply answer the questions in this meme, make sure to post links back to TodaysMama.com and Provo Craft (use this link: http://bit.ly/4ikY3c ) and tag your friends, if you wish!

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