Category Archives: Life

Time flies

School is back in and HOLEEEEE. CRAP. Summer done washed away my memories of how freakin’ busy the fall is. Lord, have mercy.

We are starting to hit our rhythm now that we are done with Labor Day’s brief respite and it’s starting to come back to me. Plan. Plan. Planplanplanplanplan. Ahead. The planner aheader gets the easier night. Truth. Young mamas, take note.

Last night I had the amazing GRACE of our 16 yo son calling me at work to see what he could do to help with dinner. Be still my heart. The boy got those meatballs simmering and then whipped up the awesomely hugemongous spinach salad to go with the Angel hair past and meatballs. WinNING!!! He also chauffeured me to me grandmother’s to pick up some family tree papers to add to our 11 yo’s family tree project . A sweet treat.

Then taking our almost 14 yo to his French horn practice we had a raucous discussion on men’s hairdos (the boy is FINALLY going short–fingers crossed and double crossed, I think the Bieber look is on the way out!!) and somehow we were rolling on a drag queen discussion–don’t even ask–and Mama made a huge funny because that kid was almost hyperventilating he was laughing so much. Mark another “W” in the column. A banner evening. Topped off only by waiting for the horn prodigy for a mere 30 minutes in which I was able to read, get caught up on some emails and do a chapter in my study with my awesome friend.

Tonight I got a great walk in while our youngest was at cheer practice and came home to chicken and dumplings in the crock pot which EVERYONE loved….seriously, do you know how hard it is to find a meal that they ALL love???!!!!? Insanity. Hubs and the 16 yo enjoyed watching the World Cup Qualifying Final with the US and Mexico, I kicked the 13 yo off the computer and made time to blog.

I should stop while I’m ahead. It’s only Tuesday.

When your stats flatline

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August 31st, people. August 31. Summer is over. We shall be soaking it up here at Casa E with my sister and fam this weekend, hopefully in the pool and beach (assuming the weather is going to cooperate) and sleeping in and NOT. GOING. TO. WORK. ON. MONDAY. (Thank you Congress, class of 1894! and President Grover Cleveland!)

It’s also a short break after 2 whole weeks in school. Whew. Exhausting. After Monday, those who haven’t started school will join in the fun. So far so decent in our house, but I haven’t hit my new routine yet. And….by the look of my stats, my blogging has taken a hit. It happens when you don’t blog. I’m still looking for the elusive extra hours in the day and until I find them, I’ll be flatlining over here.

That BIG spike is my road-trip-friends post. I should write about my friends more!!!

I’d like to join in with JEN and Co. with 7 Quick Takes, but it’s just not going to happen this week. Until I get it together this will suffice. Now…..today I have a football game to get to, maybe I’ll get another post or two ahead this long weekend, see how it goes! Wish me luck and happy looooooong weekend to you!!!

Dang, that first week of school is HARD!!

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Happy earlier bed times…I mean 2013-2014 school year!!

One week under our belts here. Please don’t take this as boasting….please. Just don’t. But…..it went pretty well. I even experimented with doing my MWF (scratch Monday to just Wed/Fri this past week) in the a.m. and had Hubby wake the kiddos so that our 5th grader is ready (almost) for me to take her to school when I get finished at 7. So far, so good. (The high schooler is long gone at that point and the middle schoolers still have an hour-ish before they leave). We also had cheer practice on Tuesday and Thursday. Lawn mowings at the end of the week. Of course, no real homework to speak of until Friday, overall, I simply can NOT complain. Disgusting, right? Hopeful, yes?? Yes. I vote yes.

Scenes from a cheer practice. Girls under cover, mama in the car.

And so why in the he-double hockey sticks were the Hubs and I flat exhausted this week? Flat. Out. Exhausted. Hopefully we will get a second wind and adjust to our schedules and school life–which as history shows, we will. Until then, I will sing the praises of the iced coffee and the franchise of the Donut that is Dunkin’.

ye olde afternoon pick-me-up**

**of course, adjusting bedtimes, dinner routines and getting back on the healthier eating choices will help, too. DD is just so tasty and convenient, though!

Because we can’t be having THIS scene every night, those kids DO like dinner.

Summer time sendoff at the Springs

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The Hubby and I took a couple of days off at the end of the week before the kids went back to school. One of the days we went to the springs. I don’t know why we haven’t been before. It was beautiful, crisp and COLD and since it was a weekday….uncrowded.

The swimming part of the springs is concreted off, similar to a swimming pool…around the edges but still plenty of rocks, sand and algae on the bottom and crystal clear. The swimming area is separated from the river with a lovely walkway with a jumping platform on one side and waterfall on the other side.

The restaurant portion offers AYCE pancakes for about $5.

Behind the restaurant are the remains of the original mill.

Swimming and jumping in super clear and crisp 70degree F water.

Sad to say the ole Fountain o’ Youth was bone dry.

Road Trippin’ for a Friend Fix

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There lies the season where I miss my friends. It’s a crazy thing, getting older. Not as simple to make friends any more. Everyone is busy. Everyone has baggage. And so I remember the plaque that hung in my grandmother’s kitchen from a hundred years ago….(or 40):

Make new friends, but keep the old;

The new are silver and the old are gold.

These friendships have weathered life’s storms: Cancer, infertility, marriage struggles, divorce, faith struggles, death of a child, children with emergency surgery, financial drain, suicide, depression, alcoholism, prison, poor health, aging parents, death of parents, miscarriage, many children, few children, job changes, bullying, education challenges, children growing up and moving away, children with faith crises, deployment, moving, starting over, making new friends and the list goes…..it is life. Distance may separate us, however, these life cords forever bind us.

So worth the road trip with my girls to visit these dear friends. We didn’t get to make ALL the rounds due to end-of-summer craziness and that only makes the argument for another visit and for visitors here. Life’s too short, make the effort, you won’t regret it.

Rollin’ with my homies.

making the trek

Trekking through life: Faith, family, friends and a whole lot of coffee!