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This Picture On My Desk Keeps Me Sane

This post is written as part of an experiment between Chris Elizabeth Griffith and myself to prove that you CAN blog about anything! You can see Chris' post here. I have already admitted defeat, as her post made me laugh so much! Chris, I just needed that laugh today! I thank you so much for that. Please tell Gretchen I appreciate her contribution as well.

But I do believe you can post about ANYTHING. There is no need for a phrase like "Writer's Block". Please help us prove this point by joining in our silly game and posting to our No Writer's Block Allowed Group.

This picture on my desk keeps me sane.

These are my daughters, Tall One and Little One, at the very best age.

At this age, they wanted to know EVERYTHING. They were delighted to open a present and find it contained socks. Wow, SOCKS! Everything in the world was a learning experience.

At this age, I was the most important thing in their world. There was no peer pressure. There was nothing they HAD to have and nothing that EVERYONE else was allowed to do that they weren't.

At this age, watching them sleep touched my heart like nothing else. Hugs were given easily. Their small hands slipped into mine while walking.

At this age, ice cream was a cause for dancing. They were boundless energy tempered by quick naps in the car seat.

At this age, there were little rituals that are gone now. We read stories before bedtime. I rocked them to sleep in my arms. Little One wanted to listen to classical music before bed. Tall One, not happy with Mommy's choices, would call out to her father for help. "Dokken, Daddy! Dokken!" (No, I am not kidding. I've told you she's different!)

At this age they were chubby cheeks and round bellies. They were cuddly, affectionate and giggly. They wore me OUT. And I adored them above all else.

I created these pictures with Microsoft Publisher and framed them for Christmas gifts for the Grandparents last year. I liked them so much that I recently printed another copy for myself.

A glance at this picture during a stressful day can make me smile. I love my daughters dearly now, but I miss the little girls they used to be.

Posted by Sarah Cooper on 04/23/2007 07:02 PM

Comments (85)

no writers block, my desk, little one, tall one

85 Comments on This Picture On My Desk Keeps Me Sane

APR

2007

Awe! Hang on Sarah. They grow up and look like this:

jennafer

muffin

very touching. it make me want to go out and rent a baby right now!! :)

Chris - Your daughter is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!! Ooooh, they're STILL sweet when they're older, aren't they?

Nick - Occasionally you could borrow mine. ;o)

Or they grow up to look like this.....

I'm gonna have to go through that ver soon.

There are websites devoted to relieving writters block...they are pretty useful!

Your daughters are terrific. I miss my boys when they were "this age" too, but one of the joys of life is whn you can be adult friends with your kids. What a great idea to put your pictures into publisher. Think I'll try that for my father in law who is a nursing home. lea

Oh, how I wish to be that age again... Great post as usual Sarah.

I agree! I blog about what I feel like blogging! Let it out people. Good job.

You are blessed. I am so over the edge that no picture could keep me sane, or I guess I should say get me sane again. I never brought pictures of the kids to work. When they were little I worked in a helll whole I could not stand the thought of my babies being there with me.

Not babies, not yet grown up...somewhere in between. Great post Sarah! Here are my loves : )

Kady Brooke Jamie Lynn Madison Paige

Great post! We do need to remember what's really important and seeing those pictures although the kids may be grown now remind one of what is truly a priority on one's life the rest is all small stuff!!!!!!

Kittens and Puppies and Kids... All young and cute...

Then they grow up and think they know it all...

And finally they realize you were right all along...

Yes.. As the saying goes... Father Knows Best...

Sarah dear...two features in one day! You go girl! You and Chris are two of my favorite girls on AR to say the least and glad you are so close. Chris, your daughter is as beautiful as you my friend. I want you to know I love you both!

Love the pics Sarah...looks like you have a life full of joy being a mother...The picture two comments above me is to die for isn't it?

Lovely!

Our children inspire us.

Katie This is my little bundle of joy, Katie.

Katie 2 She and my wife are why I get excited about life every day. -Ken

swinging from banyan tree Sarah,

You continue to keep it fresh and fun! Thank you - here are my 2 "cherubs" - we have to contantly remind ourselves that it's not "random gene selection" :-) (stories for another day).(LOL)

Those that have boys will understand that no home appliance is safe - here they are swinging from a large banyan tree of a new listing we just took - all boy - all the time.

Sarah - I have to rethink my blog - I was thinking paperclip, highlighter, you've set the bar pretty high - I've got writer's block now! (ROTF)

2 Features in 1 day - it's official you're my hero! :-)

Comment on anything - the weather in FL sure is nice.

On topic my wife is due with our second child, first daughter in on week, I am very, very , very excited.

I couldn't resist - everyone's babies are just so amazing - as always, thanks for a great post Sarah!

stock show

My girls!

Sarah, this is an amazing post. It proves why you got 2 featureds today. You write in a way that moves us. What a gift. And look at what you started. Everyone sharing their beautiful babies. I don't have any of mine on this pc. But I sure did enjoy seeing everyone's children. May God bless them, every one.

What a great post.

Even though I have no children of my own I can certainly relate as I am very involved with nieces and nephews. Beautiful children! There is nothing like that toddler age! Thanks for sharing

Sniff, sniff! My kids ARE this age and I'm already mourning the loss, imagining them going away to college, getting married and having kids of their own.

Great post Sarah! You are so awesome!

Here are my boys! How could I have ever known that these 3 would complete my life?

Sarah, you sure know how to roudy up the masses!! What a beautiful post - and Chris's daughter is gorgeous (keep taking pictures of the dress Chris, maybe that way you'll forget how much it cost), the photo of Rich with his daughter is breathtaking!.....now I want a daughter......TLW said I would have grand-daughters but I think I have to wait a while!

I know that feeling all too well. My oldest will be 9 this year. She is my only daughter and I miss the lil girl she used to be. It seems like a day, but it's been years. All my babies are growing and so quickly. I wish I could slow time down.

Sarah great collection of photos. Oh so cute.

Hey Sarah,

You are a great writer but it does not seem too hard to write about how cute your daughters. You can tell by your wirting that you are a wonderful and very caring mom.

Great post Sarah, here are my loves, 21 and 2 years old!

Two featured posts in one day is a rare thing, young lady. I hope you're smiling.

Mike

My son at three...that was 20 years ago...and he's still at home. Help!!

APR

2007

This is one of my babies and no those are not contacts her eyes are really that blue.

Why is life such that the sweetest time for them is the time that physically wears you out the most? So that most days you are only surviving from bedtime to naptime and back again. This morning I woke to a shower of boy kisses that kept me going until they spilled bubbles in the back seat. Ah life.

Wow, what a nice post and comments. The children are so beautiful. I was thinking of trying this out, but have give up after Gretchen and the 'Pictures'. :)

Wow, Chris! Look what happened! Thanks for this challenge! You won, but I think I didn't do too badly either! :o) Hmm, my comment box isn't letting me Bold anything, making it harder to write to all of you, but I'll try! RICH - LOVE that photo!! You both have the best smiles! She looks like you, too! NEAL - It's not bad, I just miss those little girls they used to be! BRAD - So far, thankfully, I have never had writer's block. I just can't imagine it, really! (Am I tempting fate??) LEA - Hi! Using Publisher like that was another way to wring all I could out of something I'd already paid for. Office supplies aren't just for work! KAREN - Thank you, and God bless! CHRISTINA - You got a doggie hug! How sweet! :o) TERESA - I wouldn't have wanted to "taint" my kids with an environment like that either, even just in photos!! KELLI - Thanks for the photos! Your daughters are just gorgeous!!! Easy to tell they're sisters, too! RANDI - They're still little, but not THIS little. Tall One is 14, Little One is 9. Time FLIES. DAN - Great photo!! I can't tell if that's a grumpy or bored face, but either way it's adorable!!

GEORGE - Thank you! No idea how this got featured, but I'm glad to see all the sharing going on because of it! (And thanks to Chris again!) GWENDOLYN - Being a Mom is my most important job. I guess the picture on my desk is to remind me about THAT, too! JOHN - Mine sure do me! KEN - Katie is just about the cutest thing ever!! Thanks for sharing! :o) CYNDEE - Ack! NO WRITER'S BLOCK!! LOL! Love the picture of the boys -- they look like energy-turned-boy! DANIEL - CONGRATULATIONS!! Oh, take so many pictures that it seems ridiculous!! Really. CHRISSY - They're so PRETTY!!! Thanks for sharing your pic!

MAGGIE - Hi! :o) (Everything's OK!) I could only share these pics because the girls don't look like this anymore. I love it when others hop in and share, too! JACQUE - Nice to see you, and thanks for joining the group! I'm trying to look out for you! Toddler age ROCKS. And it goes so very quickly. JESSICA - That is the sweetest photo!! I love how they're smiling at each other! Makes me wonder what they're up to ... ! INES - You've got some handsome young men there! I was a tomboy and always thought I'd have boys, I wasn't really sure what to do with girls. We figured it out! CHRISTY - As they age, the pictures of them small are so much more precious, aren't they? ASHLEY - Thank you. Looking through the albums for them was a lot of fun. TINA - Aw, shucks! Those girls are the best thing I've ever done. ANA - Great shot! They're so happy playing together!! JEFF - Big smile, THANK YOU!! (I feel better today!) JOAN - LOL!! You made me laugh out loud!!! THESA - She looks just like YOU!! Wow! ELENA - You summed it up in three lines. Wow! You're GOOD! DOREEN - GO, TRY. It's for FUN!! Check out the other posts in the group, they're loads of fun!

I'm with Nick! Rent a Baby sounds good to me! Sarah, If I had a picture like yours on my desk I'd smile all day long!

Hey Sarah... for some reason I can't post a picture at the moment (??) - but what cute pics. I keep those little one pictures on my desk too- it makes it all worth while. I miss those little one days - guess Ill have to wait for grand children. Thanks for a happy post.

...Or they grow up and do this to really freak you out :)

Not the same young man folks. They're Blog Boys and my identical twins who are now 30. Geez. Where did all that time go? :)

TLW...ROAR!

Gotta' start with TLW! Billie - I thought I was seeing things!! There he is, and there he is again! Wow! (And looking good in their uniforms, if I might say so!)

Beth - That "glitchiness" this morning was horrible, wasn't it? All better now, please feel free to return and share if you like!

Danny - I do smile a lot! Maybe that's one of the reasons.

Sarah, what a neat post and a neat group. I love the photos! I've got to join this group, just wait to you meet my office desk! I won't be able to post today, but I will be in the next couple days though!

Sarah - What an accomplisment - two features in one day. I really enjoyed your post. Children are the very best gift. I actually wrote a post today with my children's picture included! It must be picture day!

...Then they take it one step further and marry lovely Ladies :)

Just to freak you out a tad more :)

TLW...ROAR!

Lysa - Please join, I'd love to see what you have to say! But a warning -- there will be future writing assignments!!

Paula - Thanks for the link, I'll have to stop by and see!

Billie - (Should I call you Billie, or TLW??? And I can't call your hubby just "Bryant", it sounds like it's missing something.) You have a LOVELY family! I just can't imagine my kids married ... we're still too far away from that!

Sarah...

Which ever one you are comfortable is fine with me :)

I'm not done goofing off on this post. YET. LOL.

Margaret Rome had me yesterday. It's your turn to amuse me today :)

TLW...ROAR!

Oh, now you've got me wondering! LOL!

Should I be concerned??? ;o)

...After they are done doing all of that they finally reproduce and give you the daughter you've always wanted and enough Grand Babies (5) to make ya smile very wide until death do you part :)

So much for freaking you out. LOL.

TLW...ROAR!

Aaaaw!! Now that is NOT freaking me out -- that's something to look forward to! Well, uh ... a LONG time from now, anyway! ;o)

Your grandkids are gorgeous!! Is the little one a redhead?

Sarah...

I meant so much for the kids freaking 'us' out. After the Grammy thing happens the freaking out part stops. You adapt to the fact that...YES...You're old now :)

That's Caleb Bryant...Here's a better pic of him...He looks like his Grammy :)

They don't freak me out anymore. Well. Maybe just a little :)

TLW...ROAR!

Oh, Caleb's such a sweetie!! I bet you guys spoil him rotten! Mmm! Cake! Would he share? :o)

I got to have a little taste of what I think being a Grandparent might be like. I know it's not the same as having your own kids have children and getting to watch your children become parents, but when we had our exchange student, I got to just enjoy her. I didn't have to worry about her emotional development, didn't have to say no so I wouldn't spoil her too much or worry about right from wrong. I got to just have fun and watch her learn about everything here, then send her back to her Momma!

But I'm sure really being a Grandma and holding those babies is 100 times better!

Now Sarah, I think you know I am <kinda> up to the challenge... I think....

Billie, lovely family! I've seen other photos but not these! :)
Dontcha love it when she hijacks?

Lysa - I bask in the warmth of TLW's hijacks! She can take over my blog any ol' time she desires! I'll stand back and she can HAVE it, and won't we all have fun that way!

You can handle the challenge, you're up for it!!

Oh I hear that, anytime TLW Hijacks a post its a compliment for sure :)

BTW I'm taking the photos right now for the challenge

Sarah...

Yup. I'm always up for a good hijack. Kinda my trademark around here :)

Anyway, nothing can top the way my heart feels anytime my Grand Children are around. The sending them to Mom and Dad when there's a problem is a great perk. Like you, with your exchange student, I don't have to worry about the parenting thing. Not my area. LOL.

Lysa...

Okay. So you caught me with out my hat. LOL. Are you going to share your Grand Daughter with us? :) I want to see her in the biker clothes you bought for her.

Here's another one. This was taken about 7 or 8 years ago. I keep it on my frig. It's a little icky but it's one of my favorite pics.

This is actually a good hijacking. Gives me a chance to scan some of the photos I've been meaning to scan :)

TLW...ROAR!

My Two Wonderful Boys

Here are my 2 boys - This was taken right before my older one got a Summer Cut.
They are 8 years apart and are my life!!

Circa: 1982?

And this was a little Butterfly circa: 1982?

Mariana aka Butterfly...

Love it. Love it. Love it :) Circa 1982? LOL.

I sometimes forget how young you are. God you were such a cute little girl :)

Oh. I forgot to tell you that I will not post myself as a child. I was the ugliest little that ever walked the face of this planet. My Dad used to call himself "Father Of Frankenstein". No. That was not very nice :)

Sarah...

I put the word out that we have a hijacking going on here :)

TLW...ROAR!

Hijacking?!? I think so. Like my socks?

There is NO WAY that I believe that you were an ugly little girl, TLW.

TLW, I'm with Mariana. NO WAY were you an ugly little girl!

My Mom called me Bozo. My curls grew straight out horizontal back then. Not pretty.

Well aren't ya'll having fun. Everyones photos are really nice. Mariana you were certainly a little cutie and your boys look just like you. Your favotite color must be pink.

Thank you, Sarah - I almost forgot! This is a great experiment you have here!

TLW, You know what? I've not gotten those pics yet! I'll have to make a phone call! I love yours though, beautiful family! But then what did I expect??

I'm so enjoying everyone's photos on here, I bet Sarah is too! Look what you started Sarah :)

Blackberry Brandy anyone?

Hey, I just thought of something, I have 2 desks... but since I spend more time at the work desk I'm picking that one.. because that part of life can get insane at times...

Ladies...

I kid you not. I'm one of those ugly ducklings that turned into a swan. You all have heard that fairy tale right?

Lysa...

Make the call. I really want to meet her :)

Okay. Here's some more cute for you...This is the oldest twin (by 5 minutes) and his daughter Taylor Ann. We call her Chipper Cheeks :)

Do you know that when your young men grow up they go bald and get fat? LOL. Ha. Ha. Mariana.

TLW...ROAR!

Sarah-

All of the pictures are fantastic!

But the one in the upper left of the frame is TOO CUTE!

You are a lucky woman.

LOL @ Mariana's socks. Too funny!

What did I miss here!!! What a great Thread - TLW, all those pictures are great...and Mariana is adorable!

Guess who this is?

Ines...

Nooooo. Is that you? I am saying that with shock in my voice :)

TLW...ROAR!

THAT's me!!! How did you know?

APR

2007

Billie - Taylor Ann has the cutest, most Chipper Cheeks I've ever seen!! How sweet!

Marc - Back then we called Tall One "Hat Girl". I love that picture, too!

Ines - You have ALWAYS been cute!! It's almost unfair! ;o)

Ines! You are too dang adorable! No wonder you have such beautiful children!!!

P.s. I still wear my hair like that - especially to my high-end listing appointments, and the socks, too.

Sarah and Mariana - I look like a boy...what do you mean?

Ines...It's in your eyes. I would recognize those sultry eyes anywhere :)

My turn. Guess who's smiling very wide?

I may have been an ugly little girl but I was a cute Baby. Note: Circa 1900's :)

TLW...ROAR!

Ines...

You do NOT look like a boy! You look like a mini Ines :)

Mariana is right. It takes a gorgeous Mom to make gorgeous children :)

Mariana...

Say it ain't so. LOL.

TLW...ROAR!

TLW - WHAT AN ADORABLE BABY!!! The only thing you're missing is the cowboy hat!

Well, I already posted Ms. Madison in her own post... but I am sure she would not mind an encore.

Ines - SULTRY. Even as a child. I bet your Daddy kept a close eye on you!! ;o)

Billie - You were an ADORABLE baby!! Thanks for sharing that photo!

Jason - Thanks for bringing Madison by! What a sweetie! She really showed Gretchen, didn't she?

I can certainly understand why too...and look at the wonderful responses...sharing....nothing comes any better than this....great post.

Sarah - "sultry".....I like that word.......I'm daddy's little girl (still to this day)...so I guess he does keep an eye on me. : )

Jason...

Wow. She's getting big. She just keeps getting prettier and prettier :) Thanks for sharing her with us. We love our Madison.

Sarah...

Thank you. I think I'm cute too. LOL. Glad to see you agree with me about Ines's sultry eyes. She's got that sultry thing happening :)

TLW...ROAR!

Sarah,

I guess Gretchen never saw it coming... she jumped off her desk to her death according to Chris. She just couldn't handle the competition. :)

TLW,

Thanks and you're welcome... she is finally starting to walk (strike that, run). She went from crawling to running in a matter of about a week. I will try to post some of the other photos from her Easter shoot later in the week. I just have to scan them in... can you believe they did not offer us a CD?

Jason...

Yup. I believe it. Please don't forget to come back and share her Easter with us :) Only a week? Wow. So she's pretty and smart. Boy are you in trouble :)

TLW...ROAR!

OCT

2007

Awwwe!

OCT

2007

This was posted just as I joined AR. I feel like I missed SO much. Thank you for sharing again in you 9 pack? Have a great day!

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