worry never goes out of style

It has been a long couple months in this house! We suffered a great loss in July. We started high school in August. We had our first homecoming in September. October started with Mother Nature losing her dang mind. 

There were lots of firsts and not all of them were good ones. I gave my first eulogy. I learned to manage my sorrow. BUT I learned a lot from that experience. Life is short and we need to embrace each day as the gift that it is.

My baby started high school with grace and confidence. She learned new routines, made some new friends, and rekindled some old friendships as well. I have no need to worry. Her grades are good. Her confidence is high. Her smiles are present.

A good change is that we got to go homecoming dress shopping. Then shoes. Then nails. Then all the girly discussions about hair, flowers, makeup, toes, glitter. All the fun things! I worried most of the time she was gone, but she came back with big smiles and said it was a fun night full of dancing and laughter. 

Onto October. I just had a birthday and so far, I am not feeling older! What do I wish for this year? Peace. Happiness. Good health. Easy living.

I am definitely looking forward to cooler temps. I miss my cocoa, bonfires, leggings and sweaters. In the meantime, I will find new things to relax and enjoy. I will also find new things to worry about. I am sure of it 🤣

when your kid wants to try new things, you go all in!

Both of my kids have always been very consistent in their habits, hobbies and beliefs. Not much seems to shock me any more. However... My kid came home last week and said she's making some changes. Just like that. Straight to the point. She had a plan and a back up plan already laid out. 

She wants to start a fresh path. She wants to try something new. She has new ideas. I love this! In the past, we have always mentioned camps, tryouts or activities that she always wrinkles her nose up to.

What does this mean? Summer camp! Or two! A trip to Target! Some choreographing of open gym times. New things are fun to think about and plan for.

I hope wherever this kid's plan takes her, she embraces it. I hope she thrives. I hope she makes new friends and memories. I am proud of her doing a reboot all on her own. We always encourage trying new things. 

Here's to having a high schooler. Here's to having a kid who can make her own plans. Here's to the future. Here's to growth, fun and adventure. Here's to my wallet, sanity and parenting to last and be the best! 🤣

Valentine's Day is for the kids :)

Valentine's Day has always been just another day. It's a day of love, sure. Chocolates, flowers, drinks, gifts. What's not to love? But if I didn't get any of those, then today would be just another day.

Really. It's for the kids or young couples mostly. I love all the things, but I love the joy of seeing my kid's face most. She loves to ooh and aah at the fancy chocolates or the heart shaped boxes. She loves to linger over all the cutesy cards and the pink displays everywhere. 

This year she surprised us both and spent her hard earned money on us! After she opened her gifts from us, she pulled out 2 hand wrapped gifts she bought. I got a rose with a tiny teddy bear attached, the pink easel I eye balled from Dollar General, and a tiny balloon attached to chocolates. She was so excited to see my reaction. I just loved it.

Anything that makes my kid smile makes me happy. If it takes cheesey cards and upcharged chocolates, then so be it. Lots of love at this house all the time. We don't need a day to prove it. BUT, if we had to prove it, I would say that love is in the air and we are doing great!

today we find the joy in a real snowfall!

Two days ago I asked why we live in a place where it hurts my face to step outside sometimes. It got really cold really fast! And then we look outside this glorious morning and I remember why. The snow and all the magic that comes with it. Enough said. 

I hate the cold. I can never get warm. I will crawl into bed at night just to realize one of my hands or feet is purely frozen. It's always just one, never both. And then I lay there trying to warm it up before getting out of bed to run warm water on my hands or throw on extra socks. My circulation is just that bad.

Then you have the added bonus of shoveling driveways and sidewalks (thankfully I don't do that), walking dogs in the snow,  getting mail in the snow, running the car forever on -3 days so you can drive it... The list goes on. I appreciate all the effort that others put in to make sure the roads are safe, the furnace works and the wood pile is always stacked for a good fire. I TRY to find joy and gratitude :)

Today we choose joy. Sure it's cold, but we have fresh snow to look at and play in. Sure it's on the roads, but plows are running nonstop to keep us safe. We have hot chocolate, wood for the fire and new snowpants to enjoy. We can watch the animals enjoy this wonter wonderland as well.

As we approach the chilly, blah winter months we will try to choose joy. Find joy in hot chocolate instead of grumbling about the snow. Find joy in a Netflix marathon instead of grumbling you can't go anywhere. And rejoice in kicking someone's butt in a game of Sequence instead of grumbling the roads are too bad to go out. Go find YOUR joy!

be grateful you get to be here

As you prepare the hot dishes and make your last minute preparations, don't forget about those that won't get the opportunity. I felt guilty about no Christmas cards. For about 5 minutes! I prepped for good behavior, the perfect gifts and lots of tasty food. We cleaned and booked and prepared. We baked and did the advent calendars.

Then we started doing our charity work. How many dogs are in the shelters? How many hats and blankets can we crochet for the homeless? Are soldiers getting gifts and love? Cue the commercials of soldiers overseas sending their love home. Cue the tears.

So very grateful for our military relatives and all they have sacrificed. Hoping everyone gets to be with their loved ones this season. As I prepare to spend time with my own family this weekend, I send peace and love to everyone, but especially military families. My military roots are pulling at my heart strings a bit extra right now. Always proud and appreciative to have been a part of the biggest and greatest family ever.

The season, be aware. Be grateful. Be blessed. Be present! Happy holidays!

the best quote from a cool chick!

We are constantly trying to instill good values into our tiny human. Be kind, choose wisely, be a friend to all, pick up after yourself... there are just too many to list! A personal favorite: "leave no trace" came in handy last week. Life lessons are everywhere and I wonder how many other people pick up on this stuff. I am huge fan of good quotes, life lessons, and mantras, so these concepts blend well into the life we have created for ourselves.

My favorite quote from Maya Angelou is a great example of a good life quote and a great way to teach a tiny human to have good values. Why be normal when you can be YOUnique, amazing, and a true individual??? What is normal anyways??? And who decided that was the end game? In this house we strive to be ourselves so we feel comfortable in our own skin, with who we are, what we wear, what we do...

We took a trip last week. No hotels, no Uber, no catered meals (all of those things are fantastic, but this wasn't THAT kind of trip!). We slept in, rode bikes through mud puddles, jumped off a cliff (yep, that happened!), wore swimsuits all day,  explored, created, lived. It was BY FAR one of the best family vacations, in my humble opinion, that we have ever taken. It was far from your normal because we spent 10 days in a camper... with a kid AND a dog... and it went great! 

This is our new normal and we love it. I am so excited to hop a plane and get on a cruise. I can't wait to hit up an all-inclusive resort again! I can't wait for life as we know it to resume it's original glory. Because we choose to redefine the word "normal" we are able to have amazing adventures, stay true to ourselves, and still learn life lessons along the way.

Be normal, or not. Be unique, or not. Just be amazing! Be yourself. And be your best self!

you can learn a lot from flower gardens

We are expanding our flower garden to be a little longer. Now don't confuse me with someone who actually gardens or does it well! I just figured it would look better going the entire length of the garage instead of stopping half way. Insert mini me. She obviously wants to help.

We dug out the existing border edge and yanked up the grass in the new garden spot. We went and picked out a few new plants to start. She helped me transplant and water. We plan to pick up more plants at the new store that just opened in Rockton for all our flower needs! I am hoping that it will be a constant rotation of colors, flowers and plants in bloom throughout the year.

I need more garden pavers and a few more filler plants and voila. We will be done. I honestly got the plant Hen&Chicks because that is just adorable. No idea what it will look like. Don't even care. The name sold me!

Now we can weed the vegetable and the flower garden together. Do I hear bonding time? Yep. Do I hear less work for me? Yep. Do I hear instilling a sense of pride and accomplishment? Yep. Did I take it too far? Yep. Don't even care! We will have pretty flowers to look at while we chill on the deck. 

Dad's Day

Someone I know spent HOURS creating a perfect Father's Day experience for her dad. She had mock up menus, she practiced her handwriting styles until she picked just the right one, and she googled meal prices to charge him exact amounts for her home cooked breakfast, lunch, and snack options (I get to handle dinner- that didn't go well, but I insisted). There is even a spa day menu complete with back massage and your choice of music and diffuser smells. 

I remember putting all these creative efforts into special days when I was a kid and I am glad my daughter has the heart and creativity to do the same. This is all we have talked about for a week. Everything had to be just so, just right, so daddy would know how much she loves him. And I am the trusty sous chef, assistant, and guide as she caters her dad through a day built just for him.

She referenced her kid's cookbook for just the right menu choices and even helped me order groceries so everything would be perfect. She wrote and rewrote everything. She wrapped the Monopoly money in with the card so he can pay for his day. Sass and attitude are all gone today, so everyone wins!

What better way to say I love you than breakfast in bed with hot coffee. Or maybe with a lunch she prepped and cooked herself. She is on the ready waiting for him to get thirsty, bored, hungry, or anything else so that she can do or grab things for her dad.

If you actually look up the definition of Father, it's not saying a lot. A dad is someone who goes beyond a DNA match. A dad has a bond, a special place in your heart, he is the drier of tears, the keeper of secrets, the planner of fun, a coach, a ballet enthusiast and so much more. 

There are so many important people in our daughter's life who help her and love her. We are indebted to them, their guidance, and their love. They help her and mentor her time and time again. They are uncles, cousins, buddies, teachers, grandpas, coaches, etc. We are lucky and blessed to know them all. 

We want to wish everyone a very happy Father's Day. I hope everyone gets catered to, waited on, doted on, and loved not only today, but all year through :)

the craft room

Some people have a panic room in their home. We have a craft room. It's where we go to unwind, get creative, and avoid the panic. Today the world was our oyster! She finished a painting and I finished sewing her a sundress. You can truly get lost down there with little effort or planning. We have more stuff than I seem to remember.

We made my Grandma a purse with pugs on it last week (her favorite). There are endless possibilities in the craft room! We sewed a new throw pillow for the couch. My daughter wants to learn how to make a throw pillow for her bed as well. According to her, you can never have enough pillows. 

Today we decluttered all the drawers. And, oh my, was it due. Half used coloring books, broken crayons, unsticky stickers... You know what I mean. These drawers are where all the crafts go to die. We spent time sorting things into keep, toss and donate piles. We even peeled old crayons to make new crayons to donate to the children's ward at the hospital. 

The craft room kept us busy for an hour and we now have bright and shiny products to show for it made with love and creativity. Whatever it is that you do to occupy your time, make it count! Read, draw, declutter, knit, crochet, sew, workout, just make it count. Sure we are stuck at home, BUT we get to stay home! We have no pressure to go out, mingle, or get dolled up. We can enjoy our kids, families, husbands the way we want to but never get time to. Appreciate the quality of this time before we go back to the rat race of society. Find a way to smile!

Life is short

Yesterday there was tragedy and all of us stopped for a minute to say a moment of silence, pray, reflect, and be grateful for our families. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Bryant family. I cannot imagine what those final moments looked like, or how the family will move on without their loved ones. I tried to shield my little one from the news all day because I was not ready to discuss this story with her. Finally, last night, she heard the news on a commercial and I had to explain. I had to answer questions. I had to comfort. You hear it everyday. Hold your loved ones tight. Live for the moment. Live for the now. No regrets.

It took everything I had not to just hole up in our bedroom and turn our home into an untouchable bubble. I am unable to quit my job and hover over my child and her well-being. I must trust that we are doing everything in our power to love her and show her the ways of the world so that she understands and can be prepared for anything that comes in her path.

We hope the Bryant family gets the love and support they need in a time like this and we are thinking of and praying for the other victims as well. I will try to keep my head up today and live like a boss, own it, and be proud of it. I will be gracious and grateful. I will smile. I will remember. 💜💛💜💛