Sleep

What more can I say about the day.  Both kids woke up later than I would have liked and are now napping.  Yes, in the "real world" or in a "school building" they would be moving around numb with tiredness.  Well, if they are working, were this tired, hopefully they could take a sick day.  It is a perk of home schooling ~ allowing sleep to happen and still get their work done.  It just means that their free time has been used up by sleep instead of electronics and we're okay with that.

Otherwise, it's been a good day, a quiet day, a fast and slow day.  Windows open, birds chirping, planes flying, dog barking, regular neighborhood noise kind of day.

What I'm choosing to be thankful for today:

• extra, quiet moments
• shower
• remembering what's in our cabinets and making a good lunch
• being able to meal plan "on the fly"
• a working vacuum cleaner
• kids happy with getting hair cut at home
• looking forward to summer
• being available for our boys

And to close out this quick post, a photo of daisies ~ I should buy some this year!

"Oh The Things You Can Think"

 Our family is just coming off a Suessical high!  Puns are happening, it just can't be helped.  Fun is inevitable, just let out a whelp.

Thinking "aloud" here!  Oh the things you can think.  Thinking I need to be more intentional about blogging here.  Life is just whizzing by; more quickly than I care to admit.  Things, again, in random order, but no 1's or 2's, as they're all equally good:

• being "kidnapped" by friends
• homemade poptarts
• grass growing in thicker than years before
• car passing inspection (thought I had issues with the brakes)
• plants not fully dying
• planning out 2015/2016 school year already
• heating pads for achey back
• coffee ~ you just can't be thankful enough
• having the windows open
• kids having good group of friends
• co-op winding down
• planning meetings for next year
• bees buzzing along
• monogrammed bag

Cute bag, just for me

Under watered plant!

24 hours after a good watering,

it is thriving again

Random Life & Thankfulness

Some days, it really pours.  The good seems and feels so obvious.  The things just seem to come flooding in.  So many things.   Memories, moments, remembering!

Thankful I haven't given up on this blog, in that, there are days that it is hard to see the good and be thankful.

Today, it's:

• a bag I've been using for co-op, monogrammed just for me (or a few of my closest Jennifer friends ~ lol)
• dollar store run
• good chips, cheap
• co-op tie dyeing going well
• color being contained, mostly
• good cleaning products for the few dribbles
• small group and transparency
• kid trying to do his hair for Suessical
• not the only parent doing hair and make-up in the parking lot
• hacking some one's facebook status with irrelevant, to topic, discussions
• seeing friendship through this all

Yesterday brought a few as well:

• Thankful for friends
• Starbucks runs
• text messages
• Holy Spirit speaking
• kid going crazy reading

Will try to come back and add photo's later and post to the various places!  If you came here early, hope you enjoy your pictureless read.

Another Show, Another Opening

And this go around it is "Suessical, Jr."!  Our favorite actor, is the Purple & Yellow "Who" Dad!  I laughed when I heard that, didn't know I had grandkids already.

Anyway, just a general shout to Northern Virginia Players.  What a great sense of community, family, and friendship these shows build in the kids and families as well.  There are folks you can laugh and cry with.  Folks you can call, in a pinch, when you need something.  Friends who go out of their way to help.

You can check out the link, above, to see past shows, and order tickets for Suessical, which opens tonight at 7:30.  Two shows tomorrow and 3 shows the following weekend.  You'll be amazed at the quality of the show, from kids 8 yo to 18 yo.  This will be a fun event for little kids as they'll see a lot of familiar Dr. Suess characters.  You won't want to miss out.

Thankfulness out of this:

• friendship blossoming for our kids
• seeing our kids shine in their talents
• seeing our kids extend themselves further than they imagined
• our kids being appreciated by adults
• random acts of kindness
• friendships blossoming for the mom's and dad's involved
• learning patience
• learning time management

Lots of Random, Lots of Good, Lots of lots!

Trying something new in my blogging ~ keeping a rough draft going, of my thankfulness, so that when I decide to publish (and rewrite) I don't have to wrack my brain for what has brought me joy.  This is the first writing like this, so no telling how many days it will take to actually hit publish!!!  I may shoot for every two to three days or so.  It will honestly depend on the photos that strike me or the moments of awe.

• school finished and graded by 1:23 PM
• curious kid doing self guided science experiments
• catching up on sleep after a bad night of sleep ~ priceless
• cool breeze, open window, and bird sounds
• making a double batch of brownies
• meal planning for a full week, before grocery shopping
• beginnings of deep cleaning
• kids at "tech week" for "Suessical"
• hustling, all day, to get chores done
• time off from school
• working washer and dryer (even if the washer leaks a bit)
• daffodils
• trees popping with spring buds
• knowing what is for dinner
• getting frozen dinner parts out early
• Pandora playing all day long
• enjoying the company of our kids
• finding out I am ahead on my bible study
• time to sit for a brief bit
• the smell of clean blankets
• reviewing photos on phone
• Kevin coming home with meat and wine (weird combination, but brings pleasure)
• double batch of brownies in oven

Know it is such random stuff!  But it's the joy in randomness that makes life interesting and keeps my mind off the the bad!  And with this, believe it is time to get up and clean some more.  Yes, I will be crashing later from all of the stairs and laundry and other related life stuff.

Just one photo today!  Kid played with food coloring and

water.  Cool, huh?  I liked it, he had fun ~ win/win!

Wonderful Things, Days, Moments

So many random things, so many good things, so hard to put them together in paragraph form.  It's okay to not be able to write in standard form.  I don't always want to stray from a normal format, but there are times when you just need to jump into a list, like now!

    j
              u
       m
                  p  i n g
in
                                        with no regret

• a sunset so orange, it felt warm in a cool evening
• the sunrise, the following morning, being a softer, colorful version like a favorite quilt pulled up tight
• using mason jars for Kevin's and my Easter candy
• being reminded on my grandparents putting candy jars on their heart, at Christmas, for each grandchild
• time with my folks.  Wonderful time to just catch up, in person
• seeing some of my siblings and their spouses
• easy ride to their house and home
• early morning car ride and seeing a beautiful moon
• getting the deck cleaned up some for summer
• warm days, skin turning pink
• bbq chicken, with a good, but mild kick (drats, didn't write anything down)
• opening day for Washington Nationals
• attacking a to do list that feels a mile long
• checking all the "must do" boxes on my to do list (and then some long term stuff)
• celery drying slowly

 one side of jar

 the other side

We do minimal candy, but really good candy!

dried leaves from a bunch of celery

Days That Speed Along

This is one of those blog posts, I just don't know how to title. Catchy isn't happening, honesty seems to forthright, and inspiration is lacking!! Life has been busy. School has been trucking along, mild colds hitting the household (thankful it's not the big colds going around), and general hustling to where we're ready for bed early in the evening. The other day, felt hit hard by the need to sleep, early in the day. Laid down, for what I thought would be 20 minutes, if I was lucky ~ 3 hours later I forced myself up. Didn't expect that as I am generally not a napper. Anyway, you add all our activities, school getting doubled up so kids can take Friday off, and general life things (chores, shopping, and what not) it has made for some long, tiring days. Don't mean to sound like I'm complaining, if it reads this way. It's just been an exhausting week. Looking forward to life being a bit slower. That will happen soon, very soon at the rate our days seem to be speeding along.

Any hoot, still finding the good and lovely things. Here's how it's been going lately:

finding a favorite pen in the van

3 rolls of Washi tape

"labeling" new electronics with said Washi tape

kid realizing a choice in one tape matches the cover of new phone (lol)

making bread this evening

good doctors appointment

getting the hang of using a planner

getting things checked off a list

finding a mysteriously placed bag of aquarium gravel

potting some pansies in a pretty container

buying a few parts and pieces to make new curtain rods

getting ready for bed

 first purchase of Washi Tape

wooden box, behind tape, has been prepped for new purpose ~

you can only faintly see where apples had been painted!

 see how well the dots match the chevron pattern!

 close up of hummingbird on planter

planter with pansies in it

looking forward to gifting this soon!