pensieve.me

I had NO idea just how exciting this could be...how excited I would be!

Last fall I was contacted about contributing an essay for a collaborative print book project; everything about it seemed perfect:

• I've highly regarded the publisher almost as long as I could read (an arm of Guideposts).
• Through this Inspiring Voices project, author Margaret McSweeney compiled over 50 WONDERFUL essays related to motherhood from a diverse group of veteran and new authors.
• And what maybe thrilled me more than anything else, all proceeds from book sales was to help struggling women and children in true need:  
  • WINGS:  to help fund a safe house in the Chicago suburbs, where mothers and their children can flee from domestic violence; and
  •  Hands of Hope: to help build wells for school children in Uganda

Legacies, lessons and love were the over-arching themes of the collaboration, and, not only did I know I had to say yes, I knew exactly what I was going to write about--something that encompassed all three!

 

Eight months later I received my copy today...and I'm downright giddy with the end result!!  Smack dab in the center of the book, pages 80-82 to be exact, you'll find my essay.  

Is it a big surprise its title is A Princess Tale? 

As delighted as I am with a single chapter, I cannot image the joy and sense of accomplishment of writing and publishing an entire book!  Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith would make a lovely gift for the mother, daughter, grandmommy or special lady in your life, and serve as a lovely mama-encouragement for you!  And proceeds from your purchase will make a difference in the lives of sweet mamas and children you'll likely never get to meet but who are grateful for strangers who care.

A little bonus I didn't expect was to see my sweet friend and Very Accomplished Grown-up Writer, Holley Gerth, with an acknowledgement on the front page.  That made all this tripley sweet.  

This seems to be a theme, too, with projects I've joined the past several months; both collaborative and related to motherhood. Before this Mother of Pearl project there was the beautifully written collaboration with another group--you might remember it:  The Mother Letters (grab that one for a steal!), brainchild of Seth and Amber Haines.

Sincere thanks to Amy Lathrop for seeking me out and connecting me with Margaret.  I'll be forever grateful to her for this beautiful milestone.  

(In case you'd like to purchase the book, I've included my Amazon affiliate link below.)

Blinded by the white ~ a rare, Bavarian winter spectacular

It has occurred only twice in one hundred years, during the winter of 1911 and again during this winter.  The first was in a non-violent protest of sorts; the second a celebration and commemoration of the first.

SchneeKirche, translated in English, Snow Church. 

Its singular beauty might have gone unknown to us had Deede, a fellow ex-pat from Tennessee, not invited us for a road trip to Mitterfirmiansreut, Bavaria, a small alpine town that shares Germany's border with the Czech Republic.  About two hours away, it was more than worth the drive and price of admission. 

Camera strapped on and rivaling the Abominable Snowman or Pillsbury Doughboy, I was ready.  Tad paid the €5 for our tickets and we were on our way...

...if we could have only seen where we were going!

 

Visibility was about 25 meters.

We were told not to touch the ice sculptures and I thought, "WHAT ice sculptures?!"  As our eyes adjusted to the thick fog, they seemed to appear when we were within touching distance. 

 

Mitterfirmiansreut, Bavaria, February 2012.  My best guess is this is a representation of God protecting SnowKirche; that seems to be the little shape on the pedestal.

Snow Church's welcoming committee, my favorite snow sculpture.

 

As our eyes carve through the fog, SchneeKirche comes into view.

 

In 1911 when the original SchneeKirche was constructed, villagers built it in protest because officials wouldn't build a church in their town; they were deemed too poor and rural.  In order to worship, they had to travel a ways to a nearby town.  During December of that year, Mitterfirmiansreut had heavy snowfall, preventing townspeople from traveling.  They decided to take matters into their own hands, and constructed a church from the only materials available to them:  snow and ice. 

The winter of 2011/2012 marked SchneeKirche's 100th anniversary, so locals decided to construct a modern snow church in commemoration of their history.  It opened in late December and they hope it remains intact through March. 

Snow Church's interior, February 2012.  My loose translation,
"Show some respect--stay off the stinkin' alter!"

l-r, LeAna, who works with Tad, me, Molly, a translator.

A close-up of Snow Church's icy "bricks," oddly my favorite picture of the day.

 

Learning a bit more, at least Molly is because she's fluent in German.

 

SchneeKirche was funded in part by local sponsors and cost about €70,000 to construct, so I'm not sure if this money is used for locals in need or somehow to maintain the structure. 

 

Evidence we were here...at least until the ink melts into paper. 
A nice little touch.

Hot, mulled wine, the perfect companion to our chilly tour.  Not only is this the first time I've tasted Glühwein, it's the first time I ever HEARD of it!  Apparently it's very popular during the winter in Germany (Europe?), especially during their famed Christmas markets.

 

I think our furry friend could have used a sip,
bless his little snow-faced heart.

 

Because it got crowded by the time I thought to video the interior, this isn't the greatest quality, but at least you get a three-dimensional idea of SchneeKirche's interior--

Currently, there are no plans to construct a snow church in future years; which makes it even more special to have discovered it and had the chance to visit!

 

Sweet mercy ~ Cyber Monday BARGAINS you do NOT want to miss, I promise!

Note:  Be sure to scroll through this entire post to discover the BEST 2011 Cyber Monday deals (or at least some you might otherwise not know about)!!  Affiliate links are scattered throughout, and if you click through and buy something, you might be buying me a cup of coffee (eventually), too!!  So THANK YOU for your support!! xo

When I get a really FANTASTIC DEAL, two things happen:

a)  I feel like I've won the lottery.

b)  I'm compelled to tell others.

I've already shared some magnificent bargains that began Black Friday and continue through Monday--like half-price Old Navy and up to 70% off some of my favorite things at DaySpring--but I've discovered a few more deals you don't want to miss.

1.  Therapon

If you have ever wanted to try Therapon?  Now is the time.  If you're already a loyal user, now is the time to STOCK UP.  Click the button below for details, but note special deals will run on the hour beginning at 8:00 am CST.  *Like* Therapon on Facebook and you'll receive an extra amazing deal.

2.   Groupon

$94 for a Sony Bloggie Touch MP4 Camera (RV $179.99)!!

Click around a bit once you're there; you'll find other deals but this one seems too good to be true (hurry--I think they can sell out!).

3.  Living Social. 

Oh my word.  Christmas shopping could start and finish with these deals!

• Bluefly: $25 for $50 to spend (50% off) plus free shipping on orders over $100
• Snapfish: $15 for $30 to spend at Snapfish.com this holiday season (50% off)
• Red Envelope: $20 for $40 to use at RedEnvelope.com (50% off)
• Wine.com: $40 for $80 to use at Wine.com (50% off)
• Fanatics Sports Shop:  $10 for $20 to spend at fanatics.com (50% off)
• Fatheads:  $25 for $50 to spend at fathead.com (50% off)
• and more, a total of 15!!

3.  Blog conference discount.

I have put into practice what I've learned at Type-A Parent Conference probably more than any other conference I've attended and already have my ticket for next year's event.  Buy yours today, use the code CYBERPARENT, & receive 25% off your registration.

 

4.  Beautiful, artist-crafted jewelry.

My friends Lisa & Lisa are offering Cyber Monday deals.  Both of their designs are jewelry pieces I wear often...and commonly receive compliments on.

Lisa Lehmann ~ 25% off all gift certificates (good after January 1) and surprise pop up 30% off deals posted hourly on her Facebook page.

Lisa Leonard ~ $60 for a $75 gift certificate (shhhh!  This one's a secret!!).

5.  Amazon (of course).

If you're going to do any online shopping through Amazon, this week is the time to do it.  You'll want to check back for daily specials.

 

 

6.  Just in case you don't click back to my previous post, I've gotta mention DaySpring's 14 Super Specials plus receive 30% off your TOTAL ORDER by using the code SUPER30 at checkout.

 

If you can buy it online, chances are today is the day to pull the trigger; top retailers are offering the best online deals of the 2011 season on Cyber Monday:

Ann Taylor ~ 50% off everything & free shipping

Staples ~ Crazy deals

Best Buy's Cyber Monday Sale

Kohl's Cyber Monday Sale

JCPenney's Cyber Monday Sale

Staples' Cyber Monday Sale

Walmart's Cyber Monday Sale

 

 

Butterfly kisses on crack...

or Now, THESE are false eyelashes!

or Latisse gone wild...

Eyelash eXXXtensions...

or I don't know HOW else to title this!  If ever there were a case for Wordless Wednesday, this is it--

The one and only Martha Stewart, like you've never seen her before! Thanks to commenters Jenn & Karmyn for reminding me which magazine...and helping me to realize WHO the model was!  How'd I miss it!  (Well, Photoshop for starters....)

(Taken while I was standing in line at the grocery store, but I can't remember the magazine it was on...holla if you know!)

 

Somebody SMACK me...!

Last night some of the happiest, funnest blogging news OF ALL TIME crossed my inbox...

If you've read me for any length of time, you know I relish all things Southern.  When I learned my beloved Southern Living magazine had chosen me as their Mama Blogger of the Week?  Well...my feet haven't touched the ground since.

Heartfelt thanks to Erin Shaw Street and her team of wonderfulness at Southern Living online.  Fabulous Southern bloggers are in no short supply, so I'm sincerely and completely touched and honored to have received this special distinction.  

Hmmm...I wonder if my BFF Paula Deen will invite me over for dinner now; suddenly I'm craving fried chicken, mashed potatoes, fried okra and a gallon of sugar-shocked tea.  Funny, that power of suggestion.... :)

Your turn:  I'm looking for your favorite Southern bloggers regardless of age or size of blog.  Please chime in and tell me a reason or two why they're your favorites!

Ya don't see this everyday...yet

You've got to see this--armed with iPhones and imagination, the Rend Collective Experiment pulls worship out of the traditional box.  I don't think Chris Tomlin needs to worry about getting a day job, but the Rend Collective Experiment's take on "How Great is Our God" is astonishing.  

Does anyone besides me still use a cell phone for talking??? 
:)

Time Magazine: Page 64

Okay, so this might not be a big deal to you, and I know it really doesn't "matter"...but daggum it, I'M QUOTED IN TIME MAGAZINE THIS WEEK!!

Picked up from the online article I mentioned a few weeks ago, they decided to include it in print.  The cover story might be "The Tragedy of Detroit" but from where I'm sitting?  Apparently I'm swimming in controversial water by my alignment with Sponsored Tweets.

Whatevah....

For now I'm just having fun sharing the news.  And it'll give my friends in real life one more opportunity to tell me I'm
only a l m o s t famous :).

Get! Out!! ARE YOU STINKIN' KIDDING ME???!!!!

For all you Twitter naysayers?   Sometimes it PAYS TO TWEET!

I've been acquainted with Squarespace since before I started blogging; two friends who introduced me to blogging used their platform.  When I decided to start my own, I ended up with Blogger, too cheap to pay for service.  I've always been impressed with their professionalism, however, and I think they're BRILLIANT with their current marketing effort; in their words, they were:

"... looking for a way to show our appreciation to our fans and to say thanks for helping us grow 100% over the last few months! With our own Squarespace iPhone app in the works, we thought giving away iPhones would be a great way to celebrate with everyone who loves Squarespace just as much as we do!"

Well, I didn't know if creativity had anything to do with it, but I began composing haikus (those who read me know I'm a poetry freak); here's my winning tweet ~

I'm stunned but not quite speechless.  And, suddenly, I feel like dancing.  Join me, please??

{P.S.  But first, subscribe to my feed or have PENSIEVE delivered to your inbox via email (see left sidebar)}

{P.P.S.  And check out the phenomenal Type-A Mom Conference, register to receive the early bird rate, and we can meet in September}

NOW, let's dance!!

?

"Danger? Hah! I walk on the wild side..."

"...I laugh in the face of danger...!"**

What?  You want me to prove it?

We've just returned from a week at Kiawah Island, a naturally beautiful vacation destination that nourishes my soul and spirit, and always-ALWAYS leaves me wanting more.  Though world-class golf and tennis is available (their Ocean Course will host the 2012 PGA Championship, previously the venue for the Ryder Cup ('91) and the Senior PGA Championship ('07)), it's the artistry of Kiawah's maritime forest and marshes, the allure of shore and sea, and an unbridled animal attraction that beckons me year after year. 

The call of the wild is siren to me--enchanting, irresistible...and potentially dangerous. 

We didn't see gray foxes or bobcats, I have yet to lay eyes on a loggerhead turtle (though dunes are protected for them), but we did see deer; laughing gulls, wood storks, red knots and piping plovers; a copper-frickin'-head and a rattle-frackin'-snake (okay, those were both in captivity at the Heron Park Nature Center, along with plenty of non-venomous snakes) and...my FAVORITE CREATURE TO FIND AT KIAWAH--

Alligators!  Stephen spots the first one of the week, but he doesn't look thrilled about how close we are; I told him not to worry, if the gator charges, serpentine!  {I always hear the voices of Peter Falk and Alan Arkin from the original "In-laws" when I tell my kids this.}  Rumored to run at speeds of 35 m.p.h., the alligator might have the advantage in a foot race.

Undaunted, I get closer.

I can't help it...I inch a little closer still...

This is where Stephen's concern outweighed my need (and apparent insanity) to get closer.

My FAVORITE alligator sighting was outside our friends Chris and Julie's place; we named him Bad Mama Jama because he was and he is...

Bad Mama Jama was so still, I thought he was freakish Kiawah yard art...until Chris said his mouth hadn't been open before.  My husband, sounding much like my son days earlier, suggested I was close enough and not to get any closer!

When he wasn't looking, I might've stepped a teensy bit closer...HOW COULD I NOT??? WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT AMAZING CREATURE?!

Before heading out, Stephen and I took one more bike ride to bid the island adieu and--who am I kidding?--to see if we could spot one last gator.  None were prowling the pond banks yet, but we did see this fella just below the water's surface.

Unfortunately, he was shadowed by a giant.  A giant photographer.  A giant photographer that looks veddy familiar....

Which makes me wonder:  Can alligators jump?

Cause if they can, I don't think it matters how well or fast you can serpentine...! ;)

** Without clicking the link, can you name the movie referenced and the character who said it?

youtube to the rescue!!

Did you happen to DVR American Idol last night only to realize THE SHOW RAN LONG AND ADAM LAMBERT'S PERFORMANCE WAS CUT OFF??  Adam Lambert's amazing Tears for Fears "Mad World" performance??  I'm not even a fan of the song and he had me at hello "all around me are familiar faces...".  Here, in its entirety including the AI intro, judges' remarks and Simon's standing O. 

That alone is telling.....:)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GREAT...it keeps getting removed from youtube, so if you wanna see it, click the American Idol site and you'll at least see his performance (tears for those of you who didn't get to see the whole thing!)

And now, a personal fan letter:

Dear Youtube,

Thank you.  I love you.  Should I ever renounce my religion, move to Utah and become a polygamist, will you marry me? 

Love & hugs & pink puffy heart doodles,

@PensieveRobin

Photo credit:  American Idol