January 5, 2011

Knitted Headband

I knitted this headband for my friend Christina. Happy birthday! Doesn’t she look great? I used this pattern from Martha Stewart Living. There are garter-stitch and cable versions. I stuck with garter stitch, but I’d like to try the cable version once I get my courage up. The pattern gives directions for making I-cords for the headband’s ties, but I like visual directions when possible, so I went here for help.

I love the Chloe sweater from Never Not Knitting. I have a little goddaughter with a birthday in March. If I got started now, I just might finish this in time. I’ve never done buttons before, but I’m sure Knitting Help will have a video to walk me through the process.

Day 5 of the 100 Push-Ups Challenge. It’s not too late to join in.
Are you in an organizing frame of mind? Take a look at this fantastic project board from Marta Writes. I have an empty bulletin board just waiting to be filled.
Doesn’t this peanut butter pie look delicious? I think we’ll be having it for dessert this weekend.

(Update: We made the peanut butter pie and it was so good. Michelle at One Ordinary Day said it was rich and she wasn’t kidding. Definitely a keeper.)

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Hello! My name is Shannon Taylor and I’m a mom of four, originally from Minnesota and now living in Maryland. I "published" my first newsletter when I was nine, and since then, I’ve written and edited for magazines, websites, and textbooks. I started this blog when my kids were small to reflect on life, share ideas, and preserve memories. Now that my children are grown, I continue to use this space to document meaningful moments and practical ideas.

If you're in the mood for a bit of Christmas cheer, you might enjoy THE ADVENT BOX, available wherever books are sold. You can click on the cover below to learn more.

I almost canceled my birthday trip to NYC because I hadn’t dropped those 10 pounds I`d meant to so I could be at “fighting weight” (by Midwestern standards, if not Manhattan`s, lol) when I stepped into The Plaza and the DanceBody studio. And, if I’m honest, I was a little worried about feeling out of place at The Plaza—no Birkin bag, after all. 😅

Thank God I didn’t listen to that voice—because, of course, it didn’t matter.

When I was growing up, we moved a lot, and I was the new kid more times than I can count. It didn`t take long for me to learn that the way to make friends quickly—to belong—is to understand that everyone has a story.

So, yes, I felt a little worried about the "outsides” when we first arrived. But then I had a lovely chat with Waheed, who`s been a bellman for 32 years. I asked him what’s kept him at The Plaza so long, and without missing a beat he said, “The people. The beautiful people I’ve met from all over the world.” And we both knew he was talking about their "insides."

There was a family in the elevator—so polished they could’ve stepped out of the pages of Vogue—and for a moment I felt that old flicker of comparison. But then, when I complimented the four-year-old`s dress and asked if she`d had a special night, she grinned up at me and said, "Yes! Mommy let me stay up late to see `Lion King`" and suddenly we were all smiling—at her, at each other—because she was just so excited.

And at DanceBody, after class, I talked with a mom who shared stories about her very funny two-and-a-half-year-old. We laughed, and I shared a few things I remembered from when mine were that age. Just a nice moment between two moms at different stages. And, of course, @katia_dancebody was warm and generous, as I knew she would be.

So no, I didn’t feel out of place at The Plaza. Or at DanceBody. I showed up, felt like a queen for a night, had a blast dancing, and met some lovely people along the way.

That’s what I’ll remember, not those 10 pounds!

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I almost canceled my birthday trip to NYC because I hadn’t dropped those 10 pounds I'd meant to so I could be at “fighting weight” (by Midwestern standards, if not Manhattan's, lol) when I stepped into The Plaza and the DanceBody studio. And, if I’m honest, I was a little worried about feeling out of place at The Plaza—no Birkin bag, after all. 😅

Thank God I didn’t listen to that voice—because, of course, it didn’t matter.

When I was growing up, we moved a lot, and I was the new kid more times than I can count. It didn't take long for me to learn that the way to make friends quickly—to belong—is to understand that everyone has a story.

So, yes, I felt a little worried about the "outsides” when we first arrived. But then I had a lovely chat with Waheed, who's been a bellman for 32 years. I asked him what’s kept him at The Plaza so long, and without missing a beat he said, “The people. The beautiful people I’ve met from all over the world.” And we both knew he was talking about their "insides."

There was a family in the elevator—so polished they could’ve stepped out of the pages of Vogue—and for a moment I felt that old flicker of comparison. But then, when I complimented the four-year-old's dress and asked if she'd had a special night, she grinned up at me and said, "Yes! Mommy let me stay up late to see 'Lion King'" and suddenly we were all smiling—at her, at each other—because she was just so excited.

And at DanceBody, after class, I talked with a mom who shared stories about her very funny two-and-a-half-year-old. We laughed, and I shared a few things I remembered from when mine were that age. Just a nice moment between two moms at different stages. And, of course, @katia_dancebody was warm and generous, as I knew she would be.

So no, I didn’t feel out of place at The Plaza. Or at DanceBody. I showed up, felt like a queen for a night, had a blast dancing, and met some lovely people along the way.

That’s what I’ll remember, not those 10 pounds!

Another trip around the sun! I celebrated 57 with an in-person hip hop class taught by the incandescent @katia_dancebody After six years of live-streaming @dancebody classes, it was so much fun to experience one in person, and I`m grateful to everyone there for the warm welcome.

I`m also grateful for the gracious and friendly staff at @theplazahotel who made our stay so special (you`re never too old for a teddy bear in a party hat!) and the cheerful crew at the 6th Avenue @starbucks who made my day with free coffee and a cake pop. Such a fun surprise! And then we came home to a delicious key lime pie made by Alexandra. ❤️

*Last photo is Kiri eating the cake Alexandra made for her first birthday last Sunday!

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Another trip around the sun! I celebrated 57 with an in-person hip hop class taught by the incandescent @katia_dancebody After six years of live-streaming @dancebody classes, it was so much fun to experience one in person, and I'm grateful to everyone there for the warm welcome.

I'm also grateful for the gracious and friendly staff at @theplazahotel who made our stay so special (you're never too old for a teddy bear in a party hat!) and the cheerful crew at the 6th Avenue @starbucks who made my day with free coffee and a cake pop. Such a fun surprise! And then we came home to a delicious key lime pie made by Alexandra. ❤️

*Last photo is Kiri eating the cake Alexandra made for her first birthday last Sunday!

Pandas are back at the National Zoo! We were there within days of hearing the news. 😂 Bao Li and Qing Bao are enjoying the spruced-up panda home on the zoo`s Asian Trail.

We last saw the pandas during a trip to D.C. in May 2011. I`m not sure if it was Mei Xiang or Tian Tian who firmly kept their back to us, but it was pretty hilarious. (photo #7) Not only did we get to see those wonderful pandas, but we got to spend time with Alexandra`s godmother, Amy, who was on home leave from her job with the State Department. Amy`s a fellow Midwesterner I met when we were interns waaay back in the day. (We connected watching "Northern Exposure" at Thompson-Markward Hall, affectionately known as the Home for Wayward Women.)

Be sure to put "Visit the Pandas" on your itinerary when you come stay with us in Baltimore. ❤️

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Pandas are back at the National Zoo! We were there within days of hearing the news. 😂 Bao Li and Qing Bao are enjoying the spruced-up panda home on the zoo's Asian Trail.

We last saw the pandas during a trip to D.C. in May 2011. I'm not sure if it was Mei Xiang or Tian Tian who firmly kept their back to us, but it was pretty hilarious. (photo #7) Not only did we get to see those wonderful pandas, but we got to spend time with Alexandra's godmother, Amy, who was on home leave from her job with the State Department. Amy's a fellow Midwesterner I met when we were interns waaay back in the day. (We connected watching "Northern Exposure" at Thompson-Markward Hall, affectionately known as the Home for Wayward Women.)

Be sure to put "Visit the Pandas" on your itinerary when you come stay with us in Baltimore. ❤️

My mom practiced, practiced, practiced and got to sing at Carnegie Hall for the premiere of "A Vision Unfolding" by Minnesota composer Kyle Pederson. A truly beautiful, uplifting work. I hadn`t been to Carnegie Hall before, so to visit for the first time to watch my mom perform was really wonderful.

Before the concert, we met Mom and her fellow choir member, Kathy, at Patsy`s, just down the block. The traditional Italian food was perfect on a chilly, rainy day—and it was fun to see photos of the celebrities who`ve dined there over the years, from Rihanna to Frank Sinatra (the restaurant`s claim to fame is that it was his favorite).

Mom, Tim, and Will hadn`t been to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum yet, so we headed to lower Manhattan after the concert. As we walked silently through the exhibits, trying to take it all in, I was struck by the distance between the concert, "A Vision of Light," and the grief and darkness around us. I thought of the words Mr. Pederson shared in the playbill, "It is my hope that we lean into the invitation that the choir offers—that each of us might reach out beyond our comfort zone and seek to build bridges of care and connection, finding a better way of being in community." And that’s what art does—it offers light when and where we need it most.

📷: Distinguished Concerts International New York

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My mom practiced, practiced, practiced and got to sing at Carnegie Hall for the premiere of "A Vision Unfolding" by Minnesota composer Kyle Pederson. A truly beautiful, uplifting work. I hadn't been to Carnegie Hall before, so to visit for the first time to watch my mom perform was really wonderful.

Before the concert, we met Mom and her fellow choir member, Kathy, at Patsy's, just down the block. The traditional Italian food was perfect on a chilly, rainy day—and it was fun to see photos of the celebrities who've dined there over the years, from Rihanna to Frank Sinatra (the restaurant's claim to fame is that it was his favorite).

Mom, Tim, and Will hadn't been to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum yet, so we headed to lower Manhattan after the concert. As we walked silently through the exhibits, trying to take it all in, I was struck by the distance between the concert, "A Vision of Light," and the grief and darkness around us. I thought of the words Mr. Pederson shared in the playbill, "It is my hope that we lean into the invitation that the choir offers—that each of us might reach out beyond our comfort zone and seek to build bridges of care and connection, finding a better way of being in community." And that’s what art does—it offers light when and where we need it most.

📷: Distinguished Concerts International New York

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