Category Archives: Family

“Resting” Day….

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Here I sit in my quiet Sunday morning house.  Not a sound except my typing on the laptop.  Bliss.  As rare as the supermoon.  OK, more than that, but pretty scarce.  Yesterday was a seriously full day, ironic since, on Friday, my girlfriend and I were both basking in the fact that neither of us had a single plan for the entire weekend.  And we didn’t have a plan..but here’s how it shook out anyway:

  • Power walk in a.m.
  • Grocery run
  • Laundry and start house chores
  • Hubby started installing ceiling fans in all three bedrooms–he is so persistent and refused to give up until they were all in and in correctly–QUITE the task!!
  • Son had his French horn lesson
  • @the same time, my oldest son’s friend came by to fix my cracked screen on my phone (for FAR less $$$ than the mall or apple store)
  • Grandparents came by with fresh homemade bread and short visit
  • Finished helping Hubby hang fans in bedrooms
  • Picked up youngest and her friend and we all took a break to the beach with neighbors for an hour or so
  • Rejuvenated, home to finish fans, make dinner and pick up oldest son from skatepark
  • Bring home daughter’s friend
  • Shower, dessert
  • Finish the LAST episode of Downton Abbey–<boo hoo!>  (Glad it wasn’t a total cliffhanger though…still looking forward to Season 3)
  • Checked out the moon with very little luck on pics…my “good” camera just not good enough. Looked like a giant lightbulb in the sky.  But very cool with the human eye!!  No meteors sighted…
  • Bed–under the awesome breeze of the ceiling fans!  LOVE my handy Hubby!!

Then,  unfortunately, I woke @ 4:30 a.m. with the beginnings of a migraine.  took an aspirin and went back to bed.  Made it through the morning and coffee helped but still needed another aspirin and am waiting for the last of it to kick off!!  Blessedly, they don’t come often!!

And so, Hubby wanted to try out surfing and left with a neighbor about 6:30 a.m.  The girls have Religious Ed this morning between Masses.  So…..Hubby and the boys went to 11 a.m. Mass and I’ll take the girls tonight to Youth Mass.  And that’s left me with some nice quiet time to let this headache finish up.  A silver lining, huh?  🙂

Therefore, today will be “restful”.  As it should be.  At least one day a week.  Happy Sunday!!

First Friday and Quick Takes!

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— 1 —

So.  Glad.  It’s.  Friday.  It’s been a busy couple of days for some reason and I am looking forward to some downtime this weekend.  I texted a friend today who’s been on my heart and asked her if there was anything I could pray for her.  She was fine and caught me up on the busy happenings in their family and just asked for prayers to be who God wants her to be in spite of and in the middle of all the busy.  And as tonight came to a (grateful) close, I realized I am so NOT who God wants me to be when I am tired and stretched too far.  And I really need to work on that.  really.

— 2 —

This week brought the beginning of the “Blog-Every-Day-In-May” challenge.  My friend Lea started it five years ago.  Ironic that she started it in May because it has to be THE busiest month of the year (next to December) with all the end-0f-the-school year activities and bustle and why wouldn’t you want to add to the craziness with blogging daily???  My other friend, Brite, calls it the challenge you love to hate–especially by the end!  I did get some interesting insight that apparently May is INTERNATIONALLY busy with the end of the year/semester as Ellie (in Ireland) is doing the calendar juggle as well.

— 3 —

It’s not too late to join our challenge.  Really you can join in at any time.  I’m not too serious and hard-core.  And if you don’t  post EVERY day, no biggie.  You can use words, pictures or both.  It’s all good!  Just comment and include your blog and I’ll add you to the roster below:

Apurva 

MB

Brite  

Amanda 

Lea 

— 4 —

My girlfriend sent me my birthday present yesterday.  She’s way early and I opened it.  I can’t WAIT to shower this morning!!!  It’s a new shower scrub and bath gel called AWAKEN.  You can get it from Amanda HERE.  (Teacher gifts, hint, hint)  Shameless plug, but I really love Arbonne.  It is the bomb-diggety!!!  (to steal a phrase….)  I started using their skin care line when my face was SO dry when my oldest was a baby—14 years ago!!!!  Anyway, I love their makeup and skin care, but I don’t treat myself to the luxury of the scrubs and gels….so she treated ME!  I’ll just have to hide it from my girls…..

— 5 —

I am up WAY too early, but one hour from now and my workout will be over!  Woo hoo!  We were so busy yesterday at work, I didn’t get to the gym at lunch–worked straight through–but I did manage to squeeze in a walk when I got home to save my sanity.  somewhat.  That may be a lost cause!

— 6 —

Hubby’s tomato plants are growing like crazy and we even have little tomatoes already.  It’s only been about 4 weeks.  maybe 5.  Last week he planted cucumbers and they are sprouting, too!  Our first foray into gardening.  Very exciting.  He gets all the props though, I’m just standing back watching and he’s doing a great job!!  I’ll get some herbs to add to the mix this weekend and I foresee SALSA in our summer future!!

— 7 —

As another week comes to a close, may your weekend be blessed, whatever it brings.  Hug your babies, because tomorrow they’ll be 6 inches taller than you and one foot out the door.  Enjoy each day because it truly is a PRESENT.

Now, go grab a cuppa somethin’ and join Jen and everyone else for the Friday recap!  Blessings!!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

The piano recital that wasn’t…

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Yesterday afternoon my oldest daughter and I went to support her BFF at her first piano recital (we thought).  It was at a local church and her piano teacher is the music director at the church (I think).  As it turned out, the recital was actually a fund raiser for the church with a variety of musical talent performing.    (my friend–mom of daughter’s BFF–was unaware as well).  Either way, after the 2nd act I realized this was a) going to be longer than the 1 hour I told Hubby and b) he was going to have to make pizza for dinner.  Getting all the dinner texting out of the way, my daughter and I settled in to the most wonderful treat of an afternoon.

In addition to her BFF playing piano, only 8 months in and did a lovely job, we were also blessed by the following acts:

A group of 8 women singing in harmony first to a traditional hymn and then led by one of the women singing an African-American gospel “Down in my Soul” that gave me goosebumps to my bones and hands that began clapping on their own.  This youtube video is a good idea of the song, you have to get past the first 2 minutes or so of talking…..

A Rock Band playing LOUD.  playing WELL.  and glorifying God in every note.  The kicker was “I can only imagine”, by MercyMe.  UGH.  That song slays me!!!  My daughter thought it was pretty cool that there were likely some kids that were able to say their grandpas were in a band—since they were about grandpa’s age.

A 93-year old Baritone singing in a lovely and heart stirring DEEP voice in memory of his late wife, supported by his two daughters and wife’s childhood friend.  I felt a tear…

After some technical difficulties and delaying his act a few times, a young man, choreographed and danced to He wants it all.  Not only was the song fantastic, but the young man’s strength, grace and God-glorifying routine was heart stirring.  He had to leave for another performance immediately after his spot, so I was unable to praise him personally (I’ll do it here).  WOW!

A singer/actor, Harry Burney, performed a song he wrote “Changed my Name” hearkening back to Christian slaves and what it means to be Christian.  Not an easy road.  But one taken trusting that Jesus will guide each step of the way.  Spectacular.  Riveting.

A trumpeting missionary, in which I had to actually get up to make sure it was truly a trumpet, it was played so softly and gently, accompanied by the piano, I swear I could hear it sing!

A legally blind pianist playing first classical, “Rhapsody in Blue” and followed up by “I love being here with you” joined in by the band….in B flat, the bridge in D.  She was a hoot!!

A mime.  At this point, my daughter moved from our seats in the last row to join her friend in the front row because her friend was a afraid of clowns.  Please.  She knew what she was doing.  Front and center.  And that guy was mind-blowing.  I thanked him after the show, to which his reply, “To God be the glory”.  And yes.  It was!  Who knew?!?!?

A group jam to “Shackles” finished up the afternoon and I felt like not only did I start my day with the Lord at Mass, I finished it up with an eclectic group of people sharing in their gifts and talents to further worshipping and glorifying God in spite of this world, it’s trials and tribulations.  His goodness and mercy reign.

I can’t think of a better way to end the day with my sweet girl.

Wrapping it up! (or, I thought Friday would never get here!)

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Friday and time to take a look at the week in review or “7 Quick takes with Conversion Diary’s Jennifer Fulwiler and friends“….

Since  my internet connection is down and I may or may not be mooching off a neighbor’s wireless with an extremely slow connection, I’ll make this brief (I hope), since I am procrastinating (as usual) and do need to start waking the kiddies for school shortly….

1.  The internet is down.  (see above)  Fortunately, Hubby worked from home all day yesterday with no problem, so apparently we lost connection sometime late in the afternoon.  Our phone is internet phone (Magic Jack), our TV is internet (Roku) and know what?  It didn’t make too much of a difference last night.  Now tonight…..I want to watch Downton Abbey with Hubby (our weekly date) so that AT&T dude better fix it up tonight!!!  or not….whatever…the longer it’s broke the bigger discount they will give us for next month; at least that’s the way it’s worked in the past.

2.  My favorite Pyrex pan (13X9) EXPLODED the other night with the kid’s FAVE new dinner in it.  URGH!!!  Note to self, no multitasking while butter is melting in the pan.  Apparently the butter was too hot when I took out the pan and the biscuits, though sitting at room temp for quite some time were too cold.  Well…..SHAZAM.  It was loud.  It was messy.  Fortunately, just a couple little cuts on my 2 fingers from cleaning up and my sweet daughter took a hit to the shin from the shrapnel (small cut, we didn’t even notice for an hour or so)…so it could have been much worse.   A trip to Publix for some comfort fried chicken, coleslaw and key lime pie….lesson learned!!

3.  Hubby and I have joined together in prayer and a united front to once and for all (I hope and pray, DEAR GOD HEAR OUR PRAYERS!!!) to break our youngest from her hideous bedtime drama routine.  she’s 8.  It’s so overdue.  After a long talk, a visual chart to mark progress, clear expectations and goal stated, I am pleased to report we are 4 nights in to success!  Fingers and toes crossed and prayers storming heaven!

4.  The weather has been PHENOMENAL all week long….though starting to warm up again.  So I have walked almost every day and today will get day 2 of strength training.  Shooting for 3, but I’m not going to whine about it, something is better than nothing!!!

5.  I have been spending far too much time with Stephanie Plum.  (Hubby is surely kicking himself for introducing us as she keeps me up far later than I should be at night!!)  She’s a train wreck and a clutz (I can really relate there!) and I am addicted.  However, once I finish book 10, I’m putting her away for a bit.  I’m starting to dream about the books in which I am solving the mystery and it’s really ruining it for me.  So….it’s time!

6.  Hubby has taken up our landscaping lumber around our little plant island in the front of the house (it was rotting) and replaced it with huge pavers his dad had lying around their house and it looks great!  I’ll post pics at some point.  probably.  maybe.  once the internet is up and running.

7.  Hubby’s tomatoes are growing!  YAY!  This weekend he’s adding cucumbers and I’m going to get some pots for a herb garden.  Summer is upon us!!!  I foresee lots of salad and salsa in our future…BRING IT!!

Happy weekend and be sure to check out lots of other recaps at Conversion Diary!!  Blessings!!

Quality time

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Yesterday was seriously packed full of STUFF!  It started out like any other Saturday with grocery shopping, exercise, etc.  Hubby’s plans to kayak with his buddy fell through and he went solo in the ocean.  When he got home we decided the girls and I would go with him back to the beach so they could kayak, too.  This would take place after lunch and AFTER our son’s haircut appointment.  Our oldest was skating/filming with friends and our youngest was headed to a friend’s house after his haircut, so off we went…the girls and Daddi-O.

Daddy's girls. Be still my heart!

We were racing the impending rain (which finally came at 3:30 a.m.  and kept me up until 4:30!!  WHATEVER!!)  and we actually WON!  The reality is, often it can rain on the mainland, but the ocean breeze will keep the beach dry far longer.  (Little FYI for ya)

Threatening rain....

Our oldest daughter went first and I played football with our youngest.

Heading back in

Then our youngest went out.  On the way in they actually capsized.  Thank heavens for lifevests.  Though for a brief moment I lost sight of our littlest, to which I am certain my heart actually stopped.  And then there they were, swimming in and our oldest daughter running down the beach until she could wrangle the kayak back to the beach.  As they came to shore, our youngest said, “It’s a good thing Dad was a lifeguard, Mom!”  Hubby said she did real well, she didn’t panic, she followed his instructions and both girls are ready to go AGAIN!!  Praise God for a calm Hubby!!

And then we went home and CLEANED!  Woo hoo!!