Just Checking In...

Our kids are great about checking in with us when they're away from home...  So, when they aren't home by the time we were expecting them, I usually send a short text asking if they're ok.  Today, I ran a few errands on my way home from work, and I got a text from our son saying, "You okay?"

#happyparentingmoment
#thoughtfulson
#justcheckingin

Just a reminder that you can always find me on Instagram --> 

Summer So Far

Hope you're having a great summer, so far.  Last week, our girl worked at a Summer XP club (half-days) with other teens from our church, so I had a busy week of getting her there & back each day.  Let me tell you... that made the week FLY by!

This week, she is on a high school church youth group discipleship trip to Estes Park, Colorado.  I don't mind telling you that I'm a little jealous.  The pictures that everyone is sharing are incredible.  I'm so excited for the relationships that they will be building, first and foremost with the LORD!

Back here at home, things are moving a little slower, and I'm trying to catch up, and get some things in order. Nothing major -- just stuff that get overlooked, and piles up or gets backlogged!

I recently read (and have heard before) that though this is the most photographed generation, people don't print photos as much as they used to.  Kind of makes me want to go on tour to promote Project Life - LOL. Speaking of which... I am caught up on my scrapbooks through Memorial Day weekend of this year.  So, one of the things that I need to work on is PRINTING photos that bring me up to date, and getting them in the scrapbook.

The other day, I purchased the Project Life "Fine & Dandy" core kit.  On the way home, I happened to think that there was some kind of contest related to this kit.  Later, I looked through the kit to see if I could find any indication, and was happy to see a golden ticket smiling up at me.  It entitles me to a limited edition value kit. What a nice surprise!

As I write this, it's raining.  Again.  Did I mention that it rained the entire week of the first Summer XP?  They worked around it, but still.  At this point, I'm getting kind of anxious for vacation.  I'd like to experience rain in another state, at the very least.  Ha!  How's that for positive thinking?  Seriously though, we always say that even if the weather doesn't cooperate for vacation, we are just happy to have a change of scenery and be in a place that we love.  Storms are always more interesting at the beach anyway!

Well, that's all for now.  Back to work!

Hope it's sunny wherever you are.

Expectations

I am not a high-maintenance, demanding kind of girl.  Ask my hubby, and he may disagree with you on any given day -- but for the most part, I think he knows he's spoiled.

Years ago, while still working full-time in an office setting, I witnessed a co-worker putting in a call to her spouse to ask where her birthday flowers were.  I was young, and unmarried at the time, but still... my thought was, if he's doing it because she TOLD him to, then... what's the point?  Shouldn't it come from his heart... his intentions?  I vowed right then not to be "that" wife when my time came.

Fast forward to now.  On Saturday, my hubby and I spent the day pulling weeds in our garden.  Sitting back to appreciate our work, we decided that rather than spend money on gifts for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and our June birthdays, we would put the cash towards... are you ready?

MULCH.

You heard me.

I am fully aware that sometimes I can be so practical (and okay, CHEAP), that I suck the fun right out of things.  We're not big on FUSS around here.

But MULCH?  Well, we're hoping that it will be the gift that keeps on giving.  Meaning:  we won't have to weed again soon -- or at least, as often.  (Stay with me here.)  This will give us more time to sit back and enjoy our yard.

And actually, there is much to enjoy.  Our garden is filled with beautiful flowers.  I've been posting pictures on Instagram of the flowers we enjoy.  But, what you can't see on Instagram is the weeds.  Because... you know... I am crafty in how I take my pictures.  *wink*  Because of my craftiness, an Instagram-following friend thought I had a wonderful garden.  It kind of made me sad to tell her that was really not the case... anymore -- that we'd gotten a little lazy in our weeding.

I became inspired.  Time to whip the garden back into shape (the way my friend may envision it) so that it really DOES look wonderful... for the big picture!  *wink*  MULCH, my friends, is a part of that plan.

Sometimes changing your expectations about something (in my case, gift-giving & receiving) can open up all new possibilities.

Have you adjusted any of your summer-time expectations recently?  It might make all of the difference in how you enjoy your summer-time experience.

Last year, I adjusted my expectations about what it meant to eat outdoors most summer evenings -- and about what things needed to "look like" in order to pull that off.   You can read about it HERE.

Summer will be here officially in a matter of days.  In the meantime, I'm pretending!

Not Monday, TUESday!

Three-day weekends sort of mess with my head.  By the time Tuesday rolls around, I don't even know what day it is anymore.  But... we managed to get everyone out the door this morning with the right day's schedule in mind.  I reminded our daughter that she only has go go through this morning process 6 more days!!!

We enjoyed a wonderful, traditional weekend with all of my immediate family, and extended out-of-town family-friends as well.  Cornhole and Hillbilly Golf are always set up, but most of all, we sit on the deck at my parents home talking and munching.  Beside all of the munching... great meals, too!

We look forward to, and treasure the time together.  This year, the weather was wonderful -- even though rain was in the forecast.  We managed to get away with just wind and lots of falling seeds-and-such from the trees.

Back at our house, the Poppies opened -- sort of a Memorial Day weekend tradition, as well.  Hope you had a wonderful weekend with the ones you love.  Enjoy this shortened week!

Hello. It's Me.

It's funny how things that you thought were never-ending suddenly just run out of steam and... end.  For me, that's been my blog.  For me, that's been time spent reading blogs.  Life just has a way of re-prioritizing itself sometimes.  This past school year, I got so busy with other things in life.  Blogging just felt like a way of "keeping up with the Joneses," so to speak.  I didn't have time for the latest home decor.  I didn't have money for hanging out needlessly at Target.  I didn't care to read "sales pitches" in my blogroll.  Nothing wrong with any of those things.  I've subscribed to all of them at one time or another.  I just haven't had time lately.  The blogging world sort of came to a screeching halt for me.

Today, I was hanging out HERE, and trying to see my blog with fresh eyes.  I removed a few things, and consolidated some others, and well... we'll see what happens next.  I want to stay true to myself, and not get carried away trying things that I know darn well will never work for me and my blog.

I do love writing.  I do love sharing pictures.  I think it's time to just get back to basics.

After school's out today, there are only eight more days left for our girl.  Then, our summer gets turned upside down as she has a part-time job helping out with a summer Bible Club called "Summer XP."  I will be the chauffeur (gladly), and I have a feeling that we will be in the car a lot.

We have some plans for other fun stuff, though - so, it's all good.

Come along for the ride, as I "go with the flow" this summer.