Monday.

{when your air conditioning goes out in the car and there was one hot day ^^^}

I have 17,676 emails in my inbox...yes, I'm serious.

It's the girl's last Monday of the school year. Yay!

My friend Shanda inspired me with her laundry tip {scroll to the bottom of her post}
...I've been trying to keep up. I've fallen behind a bit, my plan is to be all caught up today.
It's cloudy, but 68 today...I'll be hanging clothes outside on the line. :)

We have a sick one in our house this morning...Tyler is on the couch with a fever and bad sore throat.
It's not often he gets sick.

We've been watching a home renovation show together this morning.
The family has 2 small children and the house is ONLY 2,000 square feet...
...naturally they need more space. *cough*
They are looking at 5,000 square foot, million dollar homes....
........It amazes me what people think they NEED. Want yes, need no. ;)

Last week the weather was sooo cold. The towns surrounding us had an inch of snow! In May!
It was crazy. Thankfully we were under this tiny strip of just clouds, no precipitation.
I am so happy that warmer weather is on it's way.
Happy new week to you.
XxOo

Counting weeks and names and math.

I've found counting in weeks makes pregnancy go by faster.
Every seven days I'm farther along...
as opposed to every thirty/thirty one days when counting in months.
I'm eighteen weeks...two more days and I'll be nineteen weeks. See how fast it goes in just days?

We're NOT finding out what the baby is this time. Our moms are not very happy.

But here's what happened....

Jeff wanted to wait. He said he really wants it to be a surprise when the baby is born.
He told me we could make a deal...if we wait, I can choose the baby's name.
Of course I agreed...what mom wouldn't love to have the name of her own choosing?

However, I feel guilty and selfish picking all by myself,
I still consult him when I have a name suggestion.
So far there has only been one name with a big, fat NO from him...
I didn't really like it that much anyway.

I think I'm settled on names...for now. Ha.
I forgot how fun this is.

How many children does it take to do a math workbook page?
Allison took her school outside to the sidewalk that ONE spring day it was warm.
(okay, we have had more than one, but not many...;)

Our school year is almost over....for the girls.
The boys want to continue math and a couple other subjects over the summer.
They definitely take after their father...
.....I would never dream of making them do schoolwork during
hot, sunny, swimming, bike riding, ice cream eating weather.

It's a good thing they have Jeff as an example though...he balances me out.
I am the teacher who would love to just read books, bake, study music composers and do art all day.
Seriously, why do you need math?

Jeff is the...this-place-needs-to-be-run-like-a-ship and
everyone-needs-to-love-math-and-science and
you-need-to-learn-boring-computer-stuff
kind of teacher.  (yes, I called it computer stuff...in case you read this Jeff. I love you. ;)

It's good. Boys need that push, and I'm glad and thankful he's here to give it.
I push, but in different ways than he does. Like I said, we balance each other out.

So it's fine, if they want to do school, I'm here to help.
Even if it's sunny outside.

Happy Thursday.
XxOo

A Market, A Mom and Three of Her Girls.

I spy an aunt that hogged a new, tiny, super cute baby all day.

Saturday morning my mom took three of us girls (Dana, Caitlin and I) to Main Street Market.
There were so many cute things.


I had flowers and gardens on my mind though, the only thing I ended up buying at the market were two vintage pot holders and a couple heirloom tomato plants from the head gardener at Midway Village.

After the market we went to lunch and then the nursery where I bought a hanging fern.
My front porch is so shady because of our big, old maple tree, I am limited to what I can put out there.

But...I love my maple tree and I also have a great love for ferns, so I don't mind.

I've been planting flowers the past few days.
We still need to get our garden in order, the next couple weeks are going to be busy outside.
I love this time of year. The planting, the watering, morning coffee on the porch....summer is near.

Half of our sky is sunny,
which is making the other half...the half with the loud thunder look even darker. 

I have a laundry basket full of towels to be folded, chicken that needs to be put into the oven,
and French Bread that is almost finished rising.

It's a normal, busy yet calming Monday around here.
Hope your week is off to a great start.
XxOo

In My Kitchen.

I found the most simple and fabulous tasting French Bread recipe.
I doubled the batch and was able to make six small loaves.
Garlic bread with ravioli for dinner and toast the next morning was perfect.
Even a non-baker can conquer this task.

You have no idea how excited my girls are that we are having a new baby.
Allison grabbed my camera and took a picture of my stomach while I was wearing my dirty apron.
"We have to start taking pictures of the baby now"...she said. :)

Call it pregnancy cravings, call it a sweet tooth...I woke up thinking about chocolate cupcakes.
I couldn't get them out of my mind...finally after lunch I decided...I'm making cupcakes!
I only ate three. *cough* The cupcakes and the frosting were both made from scratch.
So...that makes being a pig okay, right?

My helper. She's always in the kitchen with me lately.

Happy Midweek to you.
XxOo

Slap someone in the face....nicely of course.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up...1 Thessalonians 5:11

It's Monday. Some of us love it, some of us hate it.
I like it for the sake of routine and a fresh start.
I don't like it because the relaxed open feeling of the weekend is over. and Jeff is back at work.
I like life better when he's around.

I've seen so many "Empowering women" phrases and sayings lately on Facebook, instagram..etc.
And it has me thinking.....
While it's all good and true, and we should be empowering and encouraging one another as women,
I think sometimes we don't do it in the right way.

Sometimes us moms, wives, business women, single women...etc...
we just need a nice, kind and encouraging little slap in the face.
Not the sympathizing negative, proverbial..."I know exactly what you mean" when we complain.

Now, sometimes it's okay to sympathize...but overall, instead of complaining together,
(which honestly can be much more fun at times ;), why not a big...You Can Do It!


I know when I'm having a bad day, a busy day, a day that I don't think I'm going to make it through..
it feels good to be encouraged..someone telling me to pick up the pieces and move ahead and onward.
Someone telling me I can do it. That life is not ending, I just need to snap out of it, relax and focus.

No matter what life hands us today..
Huge laundry piles {mine are big enough to open a ski resort up on!}
a mountain of unwashed dishes, floors with enough crumbs to feed a small village,
papers piled high on your desk, deadlines needing to be met,
kids that need to be taught, bills that need to get paid,
or something as silly as just trying to fit in a shower!....

SLAP! You Can Do It!


Get up off the couch! Get off Facebook! Get Moving!
Organize! Prioritize! Stay focused!
(relax and know that shower IS coming. You won't have dirty hair forever, I promise. ;)

Be Empowering! Be Encouraging!

If we start to feel sorry for ourselves, let's shift the focus.
I'm {still} learning that pity parties are lonely parties. No one wants to attend mine or yours!
Especially our kids. They shouldn't even be invited!
{Yet I continue to host them from time to time...especially in my head!
and those can be the worst ...unhealthy, negative thoughts all alone in your head! Yikes.}

Pray. Pray people!
When we call out to God, He can show Himself powerful and mighty in our lives.
In both big and small things.

Today I'm talking about the small things.
Monday sorts of things. The everyday first world problem things. The things we can control.

So here's me (kindly) slapping you in the face....Don't be a whiny baby, get moving!
You Can Do It!
...or just do as much as you can and be content with whatever accomplishments you make today.

Happy new week to you.
XxOo