A Day In The Life...

Do you ever wish you could go back and take a glimpse of  how you spent your days years ago? Not the special days like Christmas and birthdays, but the ordinary days. The days that seemed to run into one another. The days that you thought you would never forget. Somehow the memory of those ordinary days is tucked safely in my heart, but not in my mind.

This is one of the reasons I am thankful for this wonderful world of blogging. I am able to document the beauty of these most precious of days, which are flying by more quickly that I could have ever imagined. One day last week,  I picked up my camera and took a few pictures of an ordinary day in our lives...a day like so many others... gone forever...existing only here and in my heart.

Rise and shine...good thing I am an early riser. The kids...not so much...

Once the big kids were fed and on their way, Flynn and I made beds and straightened bathrooms.

Then Daddy was off to work...On this day, Flynn said, "There goes my daddy!"

And yes, my daughter was wearing Christmas jammies in May. Don't ask.

Once Daddy was off to work, Flynn and her blankie Taggie had breakfast with Little Bear.

I love how she holds the little tag in her hand.

I don't even want to think about the day when Little Bear is not on my television every morning.

Then we mixed up some brownies for my mom and dad. It was my dad's turn to take dessert for Bingo, and we made brownies for brownie sundaes.

After that,  we threw in a few loads of laundry...

and Flynn played a bit while I ate my cereal and checked in with you all!

After lunch, Flynn helped me make my coffee, then we had our coffee and milk break.

This has been my magic number for years now...it is the exact time I need to leave to pick up the kids.

Finally dressed and on our way...with all necessary items in tow...Taggie, Teddy, Peanut Butter Bear, balloon, and her Nintendo DS.

Finally home and ready for our afternoon walk...after this I ran down to help my mom prepare for Bingo. Then I picked up dinner on my way home. Rhett was already inside watching one of his new birthday movies!

Dinner. Steve was working late and it was a dinner in front of the tv night.

You do that sometimes too, right? : )

After dinner, it was clean up, bath and jammies and tv before bed. It was a chilly rainy night, or we would have been outside. I don't mind a tv night once in awhile, though. This was the last picture I took before I fell asleep on the sofa...I may or may not have washed my face before crawling into bed.

And that my friends, is a day in my life. Thanks for hanging in there. And I would love to see one of yours sometime too! : )

A Touch Of The Red, White, And Blue

Over the weekend we gathered up all things spring and packed them away. We got out our summer decoration box and added a touch of red, white, and blue to our home. The fun thing about these decorations is they work for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day...so we are good to go until it is time to pull out the pumpkins and leaves for fall. Here is a quick look at our red, white, and blue home...

The summer mantle

and the holiday tree...

a closer peek...

These little stars hang in the kitchen.

A little touch on top of the bookcase...

and a lone heart in the family room.

The sweet Little People set that plays the most patriotic tune...

and our God Bless America candle that burns every evening in our country home.

Happy Summer, friends!

Weekend Plans...Memorial Day 2013

Memorial Day Weekend? Amen! The crazy busy month of May is winding down and summer vacation is almost here...This year, our Memorial Day Weekend is quite busy with assorted parties and what not, and you all know just how much I love that...insert massive amount of sarcasm here. ...Anyway, Friday is actually a free evening. I think I will pack away all my springtime decorations and get out red, white, and blue Americana decor I put out for summer. It works for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day, so I am all set. These don't come down until it is time to ...be still my heart...decorate for fall! My favorite time of year... Wait...getting ahead of myself here...

Saturday we have a graduation party for my nephew and then a birthday party for my sweet sister Margie, which is being held at our camp, and then a quick trip home for late mass so Rhett can serve. And then me collapsing in exhaustion, or thankfulness that I am home.

Sunday Madison is singing at our high school graduation in the morning, and then we have two graduation parties to attend. One is for Jeffrey, which I am planning on attending for sure. The other...I may put a card in the mail and call it a day. Is that awful???

Monday, Memorial Day, we spend together as a family. We always attend the parade in our little town and then plant our flowers. Steve is planning on making a pork loin on the grill and I think I will keep it simple with some baked potatoes and steamed broccoli with cheese. And then we will do baths, showers, backpacks, and lunches to get ready for the last week of school! Well, That is what we have planned for this holiday weekend. I hope yours is happy, and warm and festive, whatever your plans may be!

The beautiful trees that line our driveway did their thing this year...

 

 

and I am glad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somebody likes to give her brother lots of love before he leaves for school.

 

 

This is what the bottom of our driveway looks like with all in bloom...

 

 

and after Steve spends a few hours on his mower!

 

 

 And here is where he keeps that huge machine...along with assorted bikes, scooters, balls, and bubbles!

 

 

Someone had ponytails this week...and looked a little too old for her mama.

 

 

One more birthday boy pic...

 

 

and a few of my little sweetie on a random spring morning...

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is here! Spring is here!

 

 

Wondering what is happening to her beautiful dandelions...

 

 

and being ok with it when I told here you can blow on them and make a wish...

 

 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy 11th Birthday Rhett

Today my son turns 11 years old. Wow. He is a wonderful young man and I am thoroughly enjoying the privilege of being his mother. I can remember every detail of the moment he was born. ( Never mind I can't remember what I ate for breakfast today.) I remember practically falling off the table...C-section number 3 folks ...when I heard he was a boy. He was a joy from that moment on...for real. And so Rhett, my son, this is for you...


Rhett, at eleven years old you

love movies. All kinds of movies.

love spending time with Dad at work.

love V-8 Splash Juice...Berry Blend.

dislike milk. Very much.

serve every Funeral Mass. And are very devout about it.

eat a Cookies and Cream Poptart almost every morning.

carry your iPod everywhere you go.

are very respectful and friendly to everyone.

love soccer and have scored two goals already this season.

are very good with your Flynn and play hide and seek way too much.

make the best popcorn for us at night.

make my heart happy every moment of the day.


Here are some pictures of you, my little Rhett...

Always happy!

 

 

You were so proud of your little Flynn!

 

 

You and Grandma on your 6th birthday...

 

We celebrated you today with family and friends and hamburgers and hot dogs...your choice. We had a chocolate cake with yummy peanut butter icing and lots of presents too. I hope you had a great day, my Rhett. I love you!

Birthday Breakfast...French Toast!!

 

 

A quick picture before school...

 

Your cake...yummmm!

 

 

Your fave gift...a "real" jersey!

 

 

Party table...

 

 

and sign!

 

 

Flynn helped me make your favorite...fudge. : )

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Rhett!!!

Still Keepin' It Real

So awhile back I wrote a post about keeping it real on my blog. That is...being honest about the non-perfect parts of my life. I mean, I don't write about them all the time because, really, who wants to hear about the weirdness that is me on a daily basis? But from time to time, I feel it necessary to lay it out there and hope to Heaven I don't scare you all off...ok, here goes...


Sometimes...sometimes I go to bed without washing my face. There,  I said it. And I am hearing a collective gasp in blogger world. The truth is, sometimes I am just plain too tired. And then I always exfoliate the next morning. Swear.


My kids love Pop Tarts. You have no idea. At any given time, there are at least five boxes in the pantry. Because of course no one likes the same kind. And then they go in streaks...eating them everyday, and then not for weeks at a time. Which means I find that lone Pop Tart in the opened foil pack that is hard as a rock. Great.


I have a completely irrational fear...of school buses. For real. I mean like when I am stopped at a stop sign, and one is turning the corner right toward me...I freeeak out. Ask my kids. I know...warned you this wouldn't be pretty.


I told you before I enjoy being home...well, that is true...and then some. I really am not good at socializing. I am most comfortable in my home with my family and few close friends. I am very friendly, just from a distance I guess. Does that even make sense? Here...maybe this illustration will help...

 

 

But this doesn't apply to any of you...you do realize that right? I mean, if I saw you in Walmart, I wouldn't turn and spend the rest of the time in some sort of covert operation trying to avoid you...because that would just be weird.


And speaking of weird...my kids tell me I have a weird sense of humor. I tell them they are wrong. Because this is hilarious, right?