jennifer patel

Dear Dad, As I'm sure you've observed, I am near your place of rest quite frequently. I like going to Super Target and Central Market and Nordstrom Rack on a Sunday after church. I drive right by most days, thinking of you, kind of giving a spiritual "what's up?" but I don't often stop. What kind of daughter am I? I'm still ashamed I led the decision to pick your eternal resting place under the ugliest, most sheddy tree in the cemetery. And you taught me so much about trees! I knew better. I am hating work right now. It stands for everything evil and wrong by kids and has become so meaningless to me. And you know I still care...so much! That's why I'm so angry and say, "I don't care" at least 20 times a day AND I can hear myself spewing banal, verbal diarrhea to anyone who gets tricked into listening... I know it's exhausting for V and my friends. You used to get so upset on my behalf when I was overly dramatic (and overly...

Notice anything awesome about this picture I took at Target? The exit goes out into a mall. We went to Houston over the holiday weekend so our sweet friend could take our yearly family photo and Alex's 4-year-old (what?!) pictures. While we were there, we got to visit and catch up with a lot of old friends. But back to a Target connected to a mall... I am glad this doesn't exist in my commutable area based on my ability to spend money at Target alone. This is genius.

V is one of those older boys who still likes Batman, and still likes Legos and is kind of obsessed with having every Batman Lego set that exists. Two new sets came out this year (thanks to the Lego catalog we get) and V excitedly showed me both of them. As in, hint, hint my birthday is in a week.     His birthday always sneaks up on us because it's only a week and some after Christmas. I always do a pretty terrible job of planning a fun birthday day, even when I set out to. I went to the Lego store on January 2, because when the catalog said the new sets came out January 1, I thought 1)Stores are closed on New Years 2) I should be able to get them the second day. As I set out to find a parking space at the mall, I thought, "I am out of my damn mind being here right now!" As I sat in my car waiting for a spot, watching a women disassemble her fancy stroller in 18 easy steps, I asked myself, can I really do this, right now? Since it wo...

Since I don't do New Year's Resolutions, I'll share with you a few things I am in love with right now. It will help start the new year off right, and help distract me from the sadness that comes with taking down Christmas decor and the inevitable Sunday night blues that will be upon me in a few days. (Taking down the decor makes the house look naked and sad and the Sunday night blues after a long break are worse than normal.) Dear 2015, I'm in love with... 1. Taylor Swift Not when she talks in interviews or acts in movies, but when she takes me back to an easier time with her catchy pop songs. Thanks, Roshni's friend for sharing this on her timeline this morning and making 2015 right. Shut up and sing, Taylor... for phones for phones 2. This I should just keep them up all year. I LOVE Christmas cards and seeing our smiling friends and family as we walk in every day. This is not a guilt trip for those of you who forgot to send us cards this ...