A Stolen Idea...Our Summer List

I totally stole this idea from Meg, but I have to share mine here just in case you haven't stumbled upon her fabulous blog. Today we made our Summer List and hung it on our fridge so we can start checking off each fun thing as we do it. From her post, it appears that she's done this for several years. This is our first year and I hope it keeps us from being couch potatoes all summer.

*milkshakes at the drug store *camp out in the living room *leave happy notes *play tennis *invite friends to the pool *blow bubbles *go fishing *go to the movies *cookout *get cupcakes from the bakery *story hour *game night *paint *day trip to ?? *play golf *play in the rain *make pudding pops *go to a children's museum *(monkey) learn all 26 letters *go to the park *make lemonade *sidewalk chalk *have a friend sleep over *icecream sundae playdate with friends *Blackout Day (no tv, lights, computer) *visit Granny *visit GiGi *visit Grandma P *visit Liz *(monkey) learn to count to 10 in Spanish

What's going to be on your summer list?

Mental Clutter

I've been having little bouts of anxiety lately. I don't deal well with some transitions. I don't like this about myself, but I like things planned and when there is uncertainty in my life it affects me.

When I say affects, I really mean consumes me. It makes me approach lots of things in my daily life with a different attitude than what I like. The uncertainty right now centers around what job I will be doing next year and what school I will be at. In an ideal world, I'd return to the school I previously taught at in a first grade position or in a Title I position. That is unlikely.

So I check the vacancies on the county website no less than 10 times a day. See...consumed.

But when I try not to think about it I just redirect my anxiety on other things...should I have eaten that piece of pie, how I need to sweep the floor again, how I should have pushed myself harder at the gym today, and so on.

These are NOT things that normally bother me, but when I'm anxious these thoughts just pop into my head. I just hope I get this job thing settled soon because I don't like feeling like this...it stinks.

Happy Birthday RedHead!

Today my RedHead turns 30 years old! We went out yesterday to celebrate and had the whole evening to ourselves because my Mama was kind enough to have the children sleep over at her house.

We went to eat at one of our favorite restaurants, Bonefish Grill, and had some delicious food. I thoroughly enjoyed my pomegranate martini, calamari, and shrimp pad thai! After dinner we went and saw the movie Date Night and it was hilarious. We had thought about seeing Robin Hood or Iron Man, but decided on something less serious and I'm glad we did! We ended the evening with drinks (nothing like a margarita nightcap) and were able to sleep peacefully until 7:30 this morning...yeah, that's late for us.

Mom brought the babes back home this morning and I made breakfast for all of us before church. I made Stuffed French Toast (using Strawberry Freezer Jam with the cream cheese for filling) and Sweetened Whipped Cream to top it with. Oh. My. Gosh. It was SO good!

{picture from Pioneer Woman--Tasty Kitchen}

He got to open his presents...a new golf shirt from the babes and concert tickets to see Jack Johnson from me. The concert isn't until August, but he'll have something to look forward to later.

I hope he had a wonderful birthday; he so deserves it! Happy 30th birthday Red! I love you!




(Thanks to google for all other images.)

Story People

If you have never heard of Story People, then you're missing out! We had a store in college that sold their prints and books and I love them. I have one book called Strange Dreams and I'm on their email list so they send me a daily story. These are some of my favorites:

Death take me now & spare me the pain, she said. It was difficult for me to get that excited. Get a grip, I said, it's only aerobics.

She laid on my chest & her breathing filled me almost to beyond what I could hold.

When I first met him, I knew in a moment I would have to spend the next few days re-arranging my mind so there'd be room for him to stay.

My grandfather used to say nobody gives a damn anymore & the thing I remember most about him is the way he never let that stop him from giving a damn all the days of his life.

I learned 2 things early on, my sister said. The first is don't blame people for being the way they are. What's the second? I said. She smiled. If they're really stupid she said, go ahead & blame them. It's a really simple philosophy, she added.

I've had some of my best conversations with strangers, she said, because they have no idea who they're dealing with.

Not sure whether to smile too much because someone might put them on the hospitality committee.

I do much better as a goddess, she said, since my secretarial skills have always been limited.

Her feet moved like small creatures over the floor, quiet & unconcerned with anything but the business of dancing.

For a long time there were only your footprints & laughter in our dreams & even from such small things, we knew we could not wait to love you forever.

Check them out at: Story People

Top Two Tuesday...On My Bucket List

This week's Top Two Tuesday topic is to share two things you'd like to do before you die. This one is hard for me to narrow down because there are so many things I'd like to experience in this lifetime, but here we go!

1. Skydiving! I want to experience the rush, the thrill, the excitement and fear! Hopefully I'll have this one crossed of the list by the end of the summer because my college roomie and I are planning on going once school is out. I'm guessing she doesn't want to leave her students without a teacher if we don't make it back and I've already asked the RedHead if he could handle being a single parent and informed him that if he wants to increase my life insurance now would be the time to do it.

2. Run a Half Marathon. I just started running about 2 months ago and I'm running my first 5K in June. My hopes are to continue training, and one day be able to run a 1/2 marathon. I realize it would be more dramatic if I said I'd like to run a full marathon, but I'm being realistic and hopefully one day (once I run a 1/2 marathon) I'll add a full marathon to my bucket list!

These are just two of the things I'd like to do for myself before I die. I have a whole other list of things I'd like to do with the RedHead...adopt a child from China, travel to France, renew our wedding vows at some exotic location, and grow old together in our home where we will host holiday gatherings, care for our children and grandchildren, and love each other forever.

We're Family...We Share EVERYTHING!

As you may recall from this post, our family is the BEST at sharing. Well, we've be at it again. And of course it all began with Monkey...again. Monkey got sick Wednesday before last and he ran a fever for about 12 hours (very mild) before he quickly recovered and was left with only a little cough.

Next came the Bug. Now she hasn't been sick often, but when she gets it she really GETS IT. She started running a fever Saturday night and while "viral" she began cutting hella teeth. I took her to the doc on Wednesday and she'd developed a slight ear infection due to all of the head congestion related to the cold and teething. While better now, she was left with the cough and the snottiness.

The RedHead and I both took a turn for the worse on Thursday...he definitely had it a little worse than me. I think mine was mostly allergies, but he ran a temp so I know he had the virus too. We are all on the mend, but trying to keep us going the past week has left little time for blogging. I really hope that now things can get back to normal because this lack of routine has done nothing for my sanity or my attempts to eat healthy (I'm a stress eater) and exercise.

I'd really like to explain to my family that while I love that we share everything, we don't really have to share EVERYTHING. :)

Death By Pollen...or Teething. Choose your poison.

The Bug has been battling some allergies for about 2 weeks now, but after Monkey's soccer game on Saturday she's just been getting worse. Oh, and might I mention that she's apparently cutting SIX teeth! One has broken through but the other 5 are just a puffy swollen mess.

Yesterday neither of us could take it anymore so I took her to the doctor and the poor thing was developing an ear infection from all of the "head mess" caused by the teething and allergies.

So now we are on a permanent rotation of:
Amoxicillin
Motrin
Teething Tablets
Ear Drops
Tylenol

I hate feeling like I'm drugging my baby with so many meds, but it's the only way she seems to get relief and rest. Keeping my fingers crossed this will pass soon!

Top Two Tuesday...Dream Homes

I am a sucker for a beautiful home because a home means so much...it is where you raise your family, make memories, and live your life. Beautiful doesn't always have to be "big" or "new". A dream home is simply what's perfect for you. I'm lucky enough to be building my dream home with the RedHead right now!!

Here's our dream home (or what we call our "Forever Home"):

Now if I were to buy another home, I think I'd have to go for this one!

It is a home I saw when we were on vacation on Beaufort, NC and I just love it! It's Southern, it's beautiful and it's in Beaufort...swoon!

Most Days Feel Like Mother's Day

I've noticed this past year that pretty much every day feels like Mother's Day. I didn't necessarily feel this way while I was working after Monkey was born, but since I've been at home with my children each and every day I feel so much more appreciative of the time I get to spend with them.

Yes, there have been days when all I want to do is have the RedHead watch them so I can drive far far away to a hotel and just sleep. Every mother has these days. It's because we give our children all we have, more than we have, and that feeling is a survival instinct telling us that we need to recharge so we can continue to be good mothers.

On this Mother's Day I want to share the everyday gifts I enjoy from my children:

~Being able to kiss their heads and hug their necks WHENEVER I want.

~Saying goodnight prayers with my son.

~Being called "Mommy" each and every day.

~Being the one that they run to whenever they are hurt or sad or happy.

~Listening to their laughter fill our home every day.

My list, like any mother's, could go on and on.

I just want to thank my children for making motherhood such a blessed journey and thank my mother for being such a wonderful mother to me and inspiring me to do the same for my children.

**And a special thanks to the RedHead and my sweetpeas for the awesome Mother's Day gift! I can't wait to wear my new ipod when I go running!

Can't Wait To Decorate!

There will be a lot of rooms in my new house that I will enjoy decorating, but I think my favorite room with be the Bug's. There's something fun about decorating a little girl's room...you can make it completely girly and frilly and live vicariously through them since you now share your bedroom with the hubby who would rather the room be lacking in girly and frilly things.

I have already bought the Bug's bedding, a pink and green paisley set, a cute "L" sign for her door, a pink and green picture collage frame, and these Kelly Rightsell prints.

Don't worry (in case you go check them out), I definitely didn't pay those prices for them. I got them for $5 (yes, $5!) at a Buckhead Betties warehouse sale.

I also have these things picked out at Pottery Barn Kids for my little Bug's room.

The adorable frog plush.

...and one of the two rugs.

Isn't it going to be just the girliest, frilliest room ever? Maybe she'll let me sleep over! :)

Here I Am...

I've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus. Not really intentional or for any reason other than I've just been busy with life. Here's a hodge podge of life updates...

We had Bug's birthday party on Saturday and I think she had a great time. I still can't believe that my baby is one! Here's a few pics of the fun:

We've also been makin a lot of headway on the house! I'm sure people think we stalk the house because we are out there every (literally, EVERY) day to check out the progress. They've framed the first story and are almost finished putting up the exterior walls. As of yesterday they were framing the garage and then I guess it'll be on to the second story soon!

Boot Camp is going great!! Tomorrow I will have completed 5 of the 8 weeks and when we measured last Thursday I have lost over 11 inches! I weighed this morning and I've lost about 4 pounds, so I am getting exactly what I want (a more toned body, but not the weight loss). Hopefully in a couple more weeks I'll be "Beach Body Ready"! ;)

Maybe now I'll back to my regularly scheduled blogging! Happy Wednesday, Hump Day, Cinco de Mayo!