Tag Archives: life

One extreme to another

Friday night we were testing out the waters of empty nesting.   Saturday we revisited the world of 2 kiddos (oddly quiet) and last night,  blessedly we had the whole family back under one roof.  Just the way I like it.

With the return of the girls also came the return of the sun after many days of rain and gloom.  It was awesome.  Low humidity, sunshine, family home, my productivity was through the roof and there was pep in my step.

Somehow we managed to keep the girls occupied and kind until exhaustion took over and one fell dead asleep with the light on at 8 p.m.  The other, had some math homework to finish up in preparation for a test today.  Now, I ask you….”who gives homework on a FRIDAY and a test on MONDAY?!?!?!??!”  Basically, it was a recipe for a meltdown which absolutely occurred.   The child is more afraid of her teacher than her parents.  It was pitiful, heartbreaking and brought out the Mama (and Papa) bear in us…shoot, even biggest brother joined in on the calming.  Finally, we convinced her to go to sleep and we would tackle it in the morning when her brain was rested, recharged and ready for learning.

Somewhere around midnight I was awakened, did a house check, realized the oldest was up to use the restroom, had a brief chat and then back to bed.  And sleep.  Elusive.  Toss.  Turn.  What the????  I didn’t even have coffee yesterday!!!!

Finally settle in and drifting back off to sleep and our younger son started a coughing jag.  Now 1: 30 a.m.  Up with him….water, cough medicine, hug.  Back to bed.

Cough.  Cough.  Cough.  Remove the kid from the room to the couch to keep the other kid from waking.

2 a.m.  I feel like the commercial…”how many more hours until I have to wake up?”

It’s like having a newborn.

From empty nesting to newborn.  OY.  World of difference, folks.  World.  Of.  Difference.

Happy Monday, peeps!!

Empty nesting is weird

Friday night we had no kids.  None.  Zilch.  Nada.  Weird.

The girls had their annual Girl Scout Camp trip for the weekend (first time for one, 2nd for the other).  They were both bone with their troops by 3:30 p.m.  Sadly, it has been the rainiest weekend since I don’t remember when but I am certain they’re having a great time and will be utterly exhausted come Sunday!

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When I got home, our oldest was at work and our youngest son was out with our nephew.

What this couple to do?  Dinner.  That’s what.

Seafood at a local hole in the wall place we’ve never been to and was fantastic!

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Home to listen to some Jack Johnson.

snatched from the web from craveonline.com

snatched from the web from craveonline.com

Crazy weird, huh?  Eerie and awesome all at the same time.

May 2 or #TGIF or #7QT

Happy Friday and welcome to my 2nd day of blogging for the Mayhem blogging challenge (feel free to join in at anytime!).  Today I link up with Jen at Conversion Diary who has had a crazy busy week with the release of her book (link here to buy)——-> Something Other than God (#SOTG) and the start of her book tour and all that.  AND she’s got a fun contest along with the release and I’m all in for freezies so……yeah, let’s just call that #1 on my 7 Quick Takes, mmmK?

2.  I haven’t actually read #SOTG yet, in all honesty, HOWEVER…..it is Jen’s fault because she recommended Melanie Shankle’s book The Antelope in the Living Room and seriously???  HILARIOUS.  SERIOUSLY.  I think we could be great friends irl.  really.  Anyhooo….I’m trying to break my habit of reading 5 books at once and so, I’ll finish Melanie’s and then move on to Jen…so no spoilers!!!  thanks.

3.  My beloved Macbook took a protein smoothie bath this week.  Don’t even ask.  It is on hospice.  I’m now blogging from our PC desktop.  Bummer timing with this whole blog a day in May deal.  Thank goodness it’s the weekend!!

4.  My workout this week has been BOOM!!!  Spinning twice and swimming thrice.  My knee is a little swollen but in all fairness, I walked the bridge last weekend and it started then.  Coincidence?  meh.  Just keep moving.  I must say….I think I love swimming.  Crazy, huh?

5.  Our girls are both off to a weekend of Girl Scout camping.  They are our youngest 2 and I’m excited for them.  Going to be weird though.  And quiet.  Gloriously.  Quiet.

6.  I am a procrastinator and still need to chop a watermelon for one of our girls to take with her troop.  All the other troop food is chopped, separated and bagged so, down to one measly watermelon is pretty good as far as I’m concerned.

7.  Next month is our 20th wedding anniversary.  We’re going to renew our vows.  In front of the whole church during Mass.  My heart palpates faster just typing that.  So pray for me, OK?  oh, and pray I don’t go off on a tangent and make this like a Wedding #2!!!!  Although, I’m pretty sure the Hubs will keep me in check on that one.

Off to chop a watermelon and get a kid to school!

Have a super weekend!!!

 

Friday and feeling fine

Linking it up with Jen and the QT crew this fine Friday for a weekly recap of what’s going down in our neck of the woods.

  1. I pre-ordered Jen’s book and in the meantime needed another book to read and remembered Simcha Fisher’s book, The Sinner’s guide to Natural Family Planningand so I’ve been reading it this week and holy, moley.  That’s some FUNNY stuff.  If you want a “keepin’ in real” look at NFP…this is it.  Don’t expect it to walk you through the how-tos, but it will help you make it through the tougher spots in the reality of NFP and an honest, hilarious look  at NFP as a whole.  Completely enjoying it!!
  2. I ran out of my eye makeup remover and had to use some other stuff….awful….forgot JUST how awful until my regular stuff arrived yesterday.  Oh,Arbonne….I love you.  AND a new lipcolor….which I love!!  So winning, winning, winning!!!!  (if you need and Arbonne hook up, I’ll set you up with myBFF)….

    note to self:  do NOT run out of this again!!

    note to self: do NOT run out of this again!!

  3. We have some home improvements going on:  new toilets…..wahoo.  This was our “facility” reality last night for a brief time.  Ugh.  It was, blessedly, short-lived and this morning we have the plumber coming to put in trickier toilet and then we shall be back up to full speed with TWO working toilets!!  Life is good, people.nf12T5Ixc39UJIm93XBNaX5DP387FgCKlrCDDzWRRCA
  4. A few domestic projects as well:  I made a pillow from some fabric a neighbor was pawning off and the girls and I have been toying with embroidery.  I started off with something ridiculously hard and will likely put aside, but the girls are just winging it and playing with stitches and getting used to the needle and thread.  Fun.

    Gotta love this!

    Gotta love this!

  5. We met friends for pizza the other night while they were in town.  They have 3 littles and man, how you forget the energy level….it was fun though and the pizza—–delicious and HUGE!!!!
    Holding two little boys at bay had the big boy laughing!

    Holding two little boys at bay had the big boy laughing!

    Having two littles as foot weights had the big girl giggling.

    Having two littles as foot weights had the big girl giggling.

  6. Spring is here and I snapped this lovely, first orange blossom of the season the other day….HALLELUJAH!!

    Ah, spring and the smell of orange blossoms in the air!!

    Ah, spring and the smell of orange blossoms in the air!!

  7. Don’t forget you can still link up your “Day in the life, in photos” with me HERE.  (I’m excited I was able to actually figure out how to do a link….long a curiosity of mine…..a few people actually joined….and I think I set it up for a month or something, so yay!).

Happy Weekeend to you all!!

 

 

 

TGIF!!!! Linking it!!

Bringing it to the 7 QTs with Jennifer Fulweiler and crew….Must be FRIDAY!!!

  1. This week the kids went back to school after Spring Break….can I get a WAHOOOOOO!!⁄?!?!??!?!????  Fine, I’ll give myself one…WAHOO!!!!!  Actually, I’m glad for them to get a little break in the schedule, but I didn’t take any time off so it was a little boring for them, the weather wasn’t all that fantastic, so I’m happy we are all back on schedule and the weather is FINALLY springing up.  Longest winter ever, right?  Even here in Central Florida…gray skies for months.  Boo hoo…I’m certain several people have just clicked away after that comment.  You can always come visit and escape the snow….come on!!
  2. Speaking of people escaping the cold….my mom is here!  She lives in Pennsylvania and has been enjoying the fantastic weather all week!  Of course, she had a rocky start with bad weather  through the southeast mid-trip and was delayed a night in Charlotte, however, she’s been running to and fro catching up with my grandparents, us, and a lot of her friends all week.  We’ve loved visiting and I know she has, too….but man, oh man….it gets exhausting running around visiting, doesn’t it???  Today she and I get lunch together and I am looking forward to our one-on-one!!
  3. I made it back to the gym AT LUNCH this week and I am still sore.  It WAS great to get in a good workout and not be up at the crack of dawn.  This weekend I may have the Hubs get in the pool with me and give me some pointers and add some swimming in on lunch, because it IS getting lovely out!  Although I don’t think I can give up my 5 a.m. spin class which is TORTURE getting up for….but oh, so worth it!!!
  4. This week saw several Paleo-based meals at our dinner table and with the weather changing, I feel I may be emerging from winter time hibernation and almooooooooooost ready to plan and cook ahead our healthy meals and snacks for the week.  The planning and prepping ahead is THE hardest thing for me to consistently stick with and it is also the thing that makes the biggest difference in sticking to a healthy routine or not.  Taking it all one day at a time, and remembering daily that summer’s coming and my bathing suit is waiting.  Motivation?  Um, yes.
  5. Our Yukon needed an oil change this week and it only cost us $465.  Occasionally, when your truck has almost 200,000 miles on its 12-year-old self, service is required.  Painful?  Always.  Grateful for a solid and well-maintained vehicle?  Yup.
  6. Some interesting opportunities are turning up for me in the work arena.  BIG changes and I have been crazy conflicted and praying up a storm.  Must be working because so far, I’m OK with whatever happens.  Of course, I’m not actually at a point where I am making a choice yet; interesting how things present themselves sometimes though.  “Jesus, I trust in You”…..my prayer and my mantra.
  7. Wrapping it up as I bring the first shortie to school #1 and get ready to own this Friday.  Y’all have a great weekend and don’t forget to check back Monday for the Photo Link Up…if all goes well, I’ll have it figured out by then.  How hard can it be, right?  famous last words!!