Bring On Lemons

Thank you WOW! Women on Writing and the lovely Jodi Webb for inviting me to be part of this book blog tour of The Translator: A Novel by Nina Schuyler. Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto After having read The Translator , I feel like I have gained an entirely new perspective in regards to communication. This may have been a book about Hanne Schubert and her experiences, but in reading The Translator I feel compelled to learn more about communication and foreign culture. Nina Schuyler may be a newer author, but she does a wonderful job drawing the reader into the story. I felt an overall message of "don't be afraid to jump right in and embrace life" as Schuyler's eloquent writing style hit upon the reality of what Hanne Schubert was experiencing. Here are some things I would tell others who may be interested in reading The Translator : Great story line Moved along at a comfortable pace Well written Believable characters Excellent attention to deta...

I had a great conversation with a dear friend this evening and she summed up my feelings when she said "Life isn't a competition and parenting most certainly shouldn't be either; but nobody seems to get that." We all parent differently. Please don't compare yourself as a person or a parent. So often people apologize to me because they don't cloth diaper, don't breastfeed, don't make home made baby food, etc... These people assume I am looking down on them because they don't parent the same way I do. Guess what? I didn't parent this way 8 years ago and it doesn't mean I am a better parent now than I was then. I do what works for me and I love you and want you to know you are doing a great job. Let me say that again, just a little bit louder: I LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB!!!! There are days when you are just glad you've made it through the day, right? Then there are days when you say to yourself "I've got th...

Today was filled with emotion as we laid a family member to rest. The gentleman who passed away was dearly loved by those I hold most dear. My husband says "he treated me like a son" and "I grew up around them and he taught me so much". Thought I didn't know his well, I know the scenario all too well. My heart breaks for the wife he leaves behind, his children, and his present as well as future grandchildren. On the drive home, a favorite song by Jewel came on "My Father's Daughter" and I wept for the child I once was, for the adult I am...but mostly for cousin David's children. I am my Father's Daughter I have his eyes I am the product of his sacrifice I am the accumulation of dreams of generations And their stories live within me like holy water I am my Father's Daughter The immediate pain of losing a father is brutal. When I was 17 it shook me to the core. In my journal I wrote about how my life felt meaningless wi...

So, you've picked up a great parenting book or magazine and the cover shows a smiling, well rested, woman or man holding an adorable pudge-faced child. That's what parenting looks like, right? We are super happy ALL THE TIME because we have a little bundle of love. I'll give you a moment while that sinks in... That's NOT AT ALL WHAT REAL PARENTING LOOKS LIKE! Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful journey and totally worthwhile, but if you expect it to be a walk in the park, you will be disappointed. If you expect yourself or your spouse to be on cloud nine for all 18 years of the parenting journey, you will be forever falling short of your plan. Here's the down and dirty truth: _________________________________________________________ 1) You forget. You will forget the last time you used the bathroom alone and eventually you'll stop shutting the door because your efforts are wasted. You'll forget the last time you had a romantic evening wit...

You may be expecting an article about making time to write or blog...maybe tomorrow, but for today I want to talk about making time for you. I've written about the importance of self-care, but it's worth repeating. I need to repeat it for myself. I'm probably the biggest offender. We did't go on a honeymoon because "this isn't a good time, let's go in a few years when things settle down". We don't take family vacations "because things are hectic now, let's wait until next year". We intended to go on date night several times each month, and you guessed it, we are lucky to go twice each year because "it's just a hassle to find a sitter, and maybe next month there will be more time". The truth is, none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. A cancer diagnosis, heart attach, or car accident could be right around the corner. Caring for ourselves means making the most of the here and now. I don't recommend quitting your job or r...

I've really gotten away from writing. For that, I am sorry...but taking care of a family of six is no small task each day. The wonderful news is our youngest is still nursing like a champ at nearly 7 months old, and we have successfully started the new school year for the older children. Breccan's 2nd birthday is right around the corner (this Wednesday) and we had his party today. Saturday was also a lot of fun as we hosted Two Rivers first #LilleInTheCity babywearing meet up and had 33 adults in attendance as well as lots of adorable babies, toddlers, and children. As you can tell, I haven't been sitting on my hands. I really should be telling you about how Boobiebars has helped me maintain my milk supply, how hard it was to find just the perfect convertible car seat, and share my secret to stink free cloth diapering. I promise I'm going to tell you all that and more as I get back into the swing of things. I truly feel that it takes a mom body 40 weeks to grow a baby...