Ordinary in the daily routine

During this Covid-19, stay at home, not out of Phase 0, life feeling a touch mundane, finding the Joy. Here is what it looks like:

• seeing my neighbors more frequently.  We meet, on our joined driveway, from a safe distance, for an hour every Friday. This week will be #11.  We've talked about continuing even when the crisis is over.
• Simon has been working at a grocery store for a long while now.  It seemed like he was only getting one 4 hour shift a week.  When busy with college and other activities, that was ok.  He looked for another job, but those were few and far between.  With this pandemic, he has been getting a lot more hours.  Now we happy he didn't find a new job, he might have been laid off. 
• With some birthday money, I bought some journalling stencils.  Been using them in my store bought planner, to make bullet marks; helpful to me for checking things off or highlighting if I didn't get it done.  I have added washi tape, in the back, to designate certain pages as different pages.  Added ribbons, just today, to paper clips, to make it easier to find certain pages, other than the tabbed month.  Yeah, I am a bit geeked out and getting more organized.
• the end of 2019/2020 school year is just days away.  Several subjects have been completed already.  Managed to finalize those grades, package up the work, and get it into long term storage.  Excited by this, because I have been trying to stay on top of the grading all year and it has paid off.
• in our neck of the woods, it is starting to warm up.  Think I have figured out the strategic placing of fans, so that we can keep the A/C off.  Have no firm facts, but seems like a few fans running, certain curtains closed, unnecessary lights off, would be cheaper than running A/C, curtains open and random lights on (a habit I am trying to break).  There is a touch of joy in this for  me.
• last but not least, guys who are content with simple meals and ones they can fix on their own.

What brings you Joy?

Friday Already?

This week has been slow and fast.  A very real struggle between both kinds of moments.  Thank goodness for clocks, lists, and calendars.  Something might have gotten dropped.

It comes down to this for the day:

• happy teenager
• call back auditions going well
• a husband who likes to cook
• being hyper focused, yet flexible
• friendships, yes again, it's been that kinda week
• understanding that life happens
• patience

Beauty in a Thursday

This butterfly bush almost died.
Managed to save it, winter it indoors,
and safely transpant outside.

Beauty!  Not the Vogue or GQ Magazine type either.  Genuine, from the soul, kind of beauty.  The kind that don't fade, but go brighter as time marches on.  Beauty in friendship, beauty in nature, beauty in routine.  That was the sum of today's experience.  Beauty in in all.

• cool weather
• getting back into a local co-op
• son feeling better
• walks with Kevin
• butterfly bush growing well
• connecting with new friends (lol!  another Jennifer)

What has caught your eye as beautiful?  Simple things, big things, little things?  Care to share?

August is a Wrap!

and brings the mental end of summer.  All in all, not a bad month; ups and downs; good with the bad.  Which brings me to a quick list for the last day.

1. air conditioning (just warm enough that I appreciate it, in the house and van)
2. free hair cut
3. cheesy tomato tortollini
4. getting caught up on Sky Scarf
5. catching up with friends

Here's a link to the Cheesy Tortelinni.  We'll be having it again!

With that, I can say:

Goodbye August

Nothing Catchy Today!

If writing titles to draw the reader was hard, today feels worse.  Thankfully, I am not necessarily trying to win anyone over with my writing ability.  Not trying to earn a living by drawing you in or click on affiliated links.

Another beautiful day for the books.  Although VERY frigid, single digit/low teens frigid, it was a gorgeous day.  As the sun came up, through the trees, it was a vibrant orange; warm, glowing, inviting.  There was also the wind, gusting and making it feel colder than the already low numbers.  Sitting on the warm side of the window, it was wonderful to watch.

The joy of the day:

• bible classes starting again
• sunshine for miles
• time with extended family
• brief chats with friends
• general feeling of JOY

Back to Sunday . . .

. . . in this stretch of blogging.  Last Sunday mulled over how I might keep thing interesting here.  One was sharing my knitting.  My latest idea, which I haven't followed up on, is the Sky Scarf.  Still looking into it; will follow through, but kinda thankful I haven't started just yet.  We're in unusual raining season ~ that scarf would have a lot of gray!  :)

The knitting of the day has been plugging away at this "Three Way Wrap" I found over at Raverly.  I am actually ripping out a sweater I knit about 8 years ago and had worn once in that time.  I just didn't like it, at all.  The color and yarn are fine, just the style of sweater, for me, was all wrong.  Hoping this will be a better thing for me.  Wanted something easy to make and didn't want to spend money on it.

Here's what I have so far:

sorry about the blurry spot at the bottom
need to clean the lense well!

It is 33 inches long, so I have another 24" to go according to the directions.  Think I have enough yarn, hope so anyway.  Haven't settled on buttons yet, but have some time.

Most of today has been pretty good.  Seeing friends, going to church, baking banana bread, making meatballs, and a lot of knitting.  Run down of the joy would be:

• catching up with a "kindered sole"
• seeing glimmers of our kids totally happy and content
• spending time in the kitchen
• smells of homemade banana bread and meatballs (but not at the same time)
• lazy dinner because my energy was spent on the above
• playing in water while it rained
• lots of time knitting
• watching "This Old House" and "Ask This Old House" with our oldest, reminds me of times with my dad
• making time to blog, today it feels good ~ not a chore
• an audio book comes coming, through local library (get to add to the reading tab here)

What has brought you joy lately?  Time alone?  Time with friends?  Crafts?  Share your joy!!!!!!!!!!

Boredom & Boredom Busters

There are days when I find odd things near each other and it leads me to crafting; crafting out boredom.  Then end result is sometimes amusing and a good thing, other times it's a dud, but not a waste of time.

Within the last week to 10 days or so, found myself at my desk, finished with whatever I was working on.  There were all the right items for a quick craft.  In view were scissors, burlap ribbon, a glue stick, and a mason jar (begging to be crafted).  Took the rim off the jar, cut a piece of burlap ribbon the correct size, put glue stick all over the lid, placed the ribbon & smoothed it out.

 Once the "ribbon" was dried a bit, which didn't take long, I put the rim back on, and this is what it looked like.  I was pleased with the quick boredom buster.  Still makes me snicker seeing it, knowing how quick and easy it was.

Thankfulness for the day:

• remembering the stash of good chocolate
• boredom busters
• meeting friends for lunch
• getting things accomplished around the house

Hope you've had a great day!  Off to do something else myself.

Almost the end

of January!  Today, the 30th, and 31st.  Did you make any New Years Resolutions?  Have you broken any of them?

I've never been keen on making a long list of desires to accomplish.  This year, I kind of mentally decided to pick a new thing the first of every month to work on.  Would continue the ones from the previous month as well.  January, I've bitten the reading bug.  Five books since the first.  I started another and it was an utter chore to read.  As I've been getting a lot of recommendations, I scrapped number 5 and moved to 6.  Here is what I've read so far:

1. Wonder
2. Book Thief
3. The Giver
4. The Snow Child
5. Walking by Thoreau (book I scrapped)
6. Counting by 7s

So far I have enjoyed all but Walking so far.  Counting by 7s took a bit to get into but it did grip me about 2/3 of the way.  Probably read that far "waiting" for the "I want to see how this ends" feeling.  Still need to pick a new book, but may wait a day to catch up on other things.

As for February, I am not sure what I want to make a habit of.  It might just be a tweaking of my desire to get fit.  Bought a Fitbit a few days ago.  That has been surprisingly motivating.  Need to add strengthening to the walking and water aspect though.  Snow removal has a way of introducing muscles that haven't been used in awhile.  Will see how that goes.  But have also been mulling over more drawing, coloring, crafting and the like.  I am surprised at how much I've missed it the last few years. It had taken a back seat to life and I am enjoying the process of finding things to do, to create, and even designing things.

Guess another resolution would be to come back here, more often, to note the "Joy in the Ordinary".  Had seen something with those words on it, in December, and it stuck wit me.  Most days, I am looking for the little things and finding the joy in it.  Since the our last birthday celebration, here are some of the things that have brought joy:

This is what the sky has been like, on occasion.  Beautiful!!

• sunlight reflecting off of fresh snow
• neighbors, who pitch in to get a job done
• hot tea
• time to wander Micheal's
• friends
• reading
• not loosing electricity
• fitbit
• easy meals to prepare
• time to put feet up

A New Teen and Being Content

Our second born turned 13 today.  Both kids are now teenagers.  Introductions into an all teen house, has been mostly peaceful and easy; at least so far.  By no stretch of the imagination, do I expect this to last, but am enjoying the newness while it lasts. 

During cake and ice cream, this evening, I was reminded of a conversation with my mom, almost 13 years ago.  She'd asked something about how life was going with two kids.  We were in the middle of dinner.  Simon, Kevin, and I were at the table, while Ian was sleeping in the port-a-crib we moved into the dining room.  Everything felt right, it was where we were suppose to be, our family was complete.  The flash back to that moment, felt real again and very similar to that moment in time.  Everything was as it should be.  The good, the bad, the easy, the hard; it all was part of our lives.

Anyway, backing up to other parts of the day, we managed to pull off an outdoor party, in freezing weather.  I'm not normally one to have parties, in the middle of the week.  Our boys are in 10th and 7th and we need that time for school.  Weather forecast are predicting a lot of snow this coming weekend and I just didn't want to have to rearrange a party last minute.  So we plugged forward.  Ian and four of his friends hung out, played on an empty play ground, played in the woods, and played football.  The mom's froze and we moved to the vans.  They all had fun and we'll all eventually thaw out!  Thank goodness for wood stoves, firewood, and warm clothing afterward.

Our 13 yo seemed to enjoy his day.  The thank yous were flowing, without being reminded of.  He loved everything about the day and tolerated having to get school accomplished.

 favorite candy bar

 Had been begging for a small jar

of peanut butter for awhile.  At approximately

$2.50, we couldn't resist.

Another long asked for gift - Rubik 4 x 4!

Very contented new teen.  With his day wrapping up, the joy in the ordinary feels easy:

• easy to shop for new teen
• hot, Earl Gray tea (thanks friend)
• kids playing in the way cold
• friends willing to let their kids play in the way cold
• hanging out with mom's of only 2 kids (maybe that story will crop up on another day)
• teen happy with a white cake and chocolate orange frosting - nothing special about the cake this year
• home made, cookies and cream, ice cream - oh so tasty - almost better than CFA cookies and cream shake
• games around the tame
• another teen working hard to catch up on school work
• being content with what we have

A Stumbling Sort of Day!

Yes, stumbling!

        a definition of stumbling ~ to almost fall, to trip, to loose balance for a moment

That has been me finding the joy in the ordinary today!  So many things, probably more than I can recount today; probably more that I forgot than remembered because I haven't been noting them today.  Maybe I should do that, but probably won't.  (glimpse of a life with an easily distracted brain).

Big picture today starts with a lack of sleep.  My day actually started with a late night because we celebrated a birthday today.  There are things I like to do for our kids before they wake on their birth day.  Streamers put up, poster board decorated, few other things put out.  Man cub prayed for.

As for the day and the counting, it goes like things:

• another year celebrated with our oldest, now 16
• having enough, various forms of chocolate, in house to make ice cream, cake, and frosting
• a good attitude from children (mostly, with only minor correcting) pretty much all day
• easy to fix dinner
• realizing how much food we have in the freezer and pantry (just need to meal plan off of that)
• keeping the house warm without much electricity
• a child bathing our dog for me
• cake and ice cream before dinner
• commiserating, with a friend, over raising boys
• body holding out, as a lot of time spent standing and washing dishes
• watching the smiles on 16 yo as he opened gifts and mail today
• husband coming home early to celebrate life as a family

 Yes, more York Peppermint Patties!

 What's left of his cake and ice cream.

Also visible is a Celtic Thunder CD; one of his favorite groups.

It's been awhile since I took photos regularly.  Took a number of them this afternoon, but most turned out blurry.  Need to keep on taking them and learn the settings on my camera better!

Finding Time vs. Making Time

Do you see the struggle already?  The conflict of finding time in what we consider important versus making time for what truly IS important.  So many things that need to get done, should get done, want to get done, and the things we ought to get done.

As we've lived through the a portion of the summer already, I've missed countless opportunities to joint down the good, the moments of gratitude, those markers that serve as reminders of where we have been and accomplished.  Glimpses that are now a memory that may be remembered or may be forgotten.  In this, I'm often reminded to come back here to write, to make notes, to remember, to be thankful.  Most of the good this summer surrounded a few of our military friends moving back to the area.  So enjoyable to sit with friends, one on one, and catch up.  Pleasant surprises at church, as I connect with one friend and see a friend who's back in the area.  It felt like days of catching up . . . squirrel . . . as another friend walked in.

My making time:

• to connect with my husband
• to connect with those who are important - even a quick hello, hug, face book note, whatever
• to lesson plan ahead so I'm not rushed
• to connect with our kids, one on one

My finding time:

• to go through various things and purge
• to attend to things around the house
• to decorate more simplistically
• to find easy and good recipes

The take on all of my pondering is that there are things you just need to make time for; faith, family, and friends.  Just about everything else is a "find the time".

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

Been Awhile, but Still Thankful

Many things in life have changed since beginning this blog.  Many things I don't care to share in the open Internet.  What truly matters is finding, seeing, feeling, and believing in the joy that is around you and me.  It is there.  It always has been.  It always will be.  There are days that it is so obvious and lists grown on those days, like spring flowers.  Other days just feel dark and lonely, a desire to retreat to the dark corners exist.

I began writing, as a way to focus on the good and joyful things.  Some days were easy, many days hard.  Writing became easier as life's kinks got worked out.  During this, unfortunately, writing became one extra thing to do on a busy day's schedule and I needed to take a break.  I was, and still am, thankful for the little things in life.  The big things to.

If you are wondering why I chose to write today, there is an overwhelmingly strong feeling of being thankful today.  Probably began yesterday and continued into this morning.  Many things, that look like this:

• dog finally coming home after a 20 minute run through the woods (and yes, right before we needed to head out)
• younger son, in joyful tears, hugging our wayward dog (I forget how attached he is to Ms. Charlotte)
• friends noticing, I seem to have a happier demeanor
• another good nights sleep (still getting over a slight cold, so sleep is a wonderful thing)
• a rainy morning
• leftover soup for breakfast
• a heating pad for achy muscles
• smelly pup, curled up by my side (I probably would have missed her to, had she not come home yesterday)
• thankful that it is Friday

Will probably be trying to get back to this blog, just not daily or with such large gaps in time.  How often would you want to see it?

Anyhoot, here's one last photo, of the wayward pup:

Early Edition

Anyone remember that show?  Guy gets the newspaper early and goes around saving people.  I decided to blog write early today in the hopes of being off of electronics by dinner time today.  Didn't sleep well last night and it's been a gray day.  Both of those factors equals one heck of a tired mom.  I have successfully resisted the urge to sleep.  Instead, have printed a bunch of biology stuff for the next several weeks for Mr. 9th grader, gave some lessons to the 6th grader on how to take an open book test, gotten dinner started, made more coffee, opened some "old" mail and separated it appropriately, took a break for chocolate milk, cleaned the kitchen a bit, and may read some after posting here.  All this since we got home about 1:30 PM or so this afternoon.  Ready to crash and burn, but boys have a few key things to finish up today before sleep is an option.  One is working on Biology and History, while the other cleans his room.  I snicker, because in high school I dreaded the Sunday afternoon homework routine.  It was the pits.  Think Mr. 9th grader would agree with me.  He's already taken a power name this afternoon.

The good today:

• at a glance with Kevin, kind of agreed on something, to be discussed more, but still can communicate with a nod
• being taken out to lunch after church
• walking the dog, even if it was cold.  We both got to stretch our legs
• encouraging a church friend about a few things for himself and his wife
• son wanting to fill out a leadership form, for Youth Group
• other friends checking in on me
• getting dinner started early ~ mild Italian sausage in a marinara sauce, with bread

Sunday ~ last moments of vacation

we'll be back at the grind tomorrow.  School and other things will be in full swing!  Ugh!  Not ready for it all to be back at it.

Today was a bit lovely, a bit long, a bit busy, and now a bit slow.  Oldest and I made it to church today ~ Ian just can't seem to shake the cold he has.  Spent an hour chatting with a friend I don't get to see as much as I'd like too.  Got caught up on life and things going on.  Lovely time!  Ran into another friend and chatted, briefly about ladies Wednesday Night study and my blog, how I had ideas for sketching things out, writing a post, etc. for today.

More even more time ~ short periods ~ with two other friends as well.  Very cool day at church.

The doodling that has been running through my head today.  Drawing out JOY with a star for the center of the O.  Kept thinking of "Jesus, Others, Yourself".  In chatting with friends, sometimes others and yourself gets a bit mixed, one comes before the other.  That's fine ~ keep in mind doing for others before yourself, but take time for yourself too.  I'll be pondering this over coming days!  So today it's:

• finding small moments of joy
• cleaning
• staging items to purge
• meeting with friends
• church
• getting ready for 14 yo turning 15 yos

Friendship, Memories, and Blessings in Disguise

Today has been a slow day by all accounts.  Three out of the 4 of us rested/napped some.  We even went out for lunch, again today, as yesterday's lunch was comped.  Café Rio was today's selection; one of our favorite places.  Hours of fullness followed.  Great food though.

It's been a difficult week (or longer), to say the least.  Very hard to get through, but things are turning around.  I understand everyone has rough patches, some are the size of a hiccup, other's spell last a lot longer.  That is why I am thankful for a friend tonight.  She had a large gathering at her house this evening and included me.  It was touching that I responded very late and etiquette would say I should have just declined.  She graciously let me come, "just as I am" ~ mess and all.  It meant a lot to me.

So the memories aspect of the evening.  My friend, lives down a bunch of "country back roads".  As Christmas is just around the corner, it reminded me of driving to Wisconsin, to visit family.  The roads windy, sometimes you would get a fog and the lights (street lights, Christmas lights, or security lights) look amazing.  It was a little nerving driving down these roads, but the trip home was a bit easier, more relaxing.  I was pleasantly reminded of the radio show "The Shadow"; so much so, I pulled out some of the cd's I "wished for" a number of Christmas ago.  I am now, kicking back, glass of wine, and listening to one of the shows.

Enjoying a quiet moment before bed, enjoying the memories, enjoying friendship!

One set of grandparent's house ~

the reason I love Craftsman style house

Post Show Let Downs

Yup, we had those this evening.  Our boys have so much fun working on a show, getting to know the kids better and generally having a blast, it is hard for it to stop.  Tonight was the last show of "Fiddler on the Roof", followed by striking the set, and cast party.  Almost reminded me of college and how things were done.  Thankful for  a bit of time off, but will miss seeing the adults as much as our boys miss seeing the kids.

Today's list of thankfulness:

• home made soup
• the starts of lasagna simmering all afternoon
• hopefully last round of leafs mostly dealt with
• time spent with friends after the show
• bread baked

Thankfulness and Gratitude in the Craziness of Life?

You bet!  I've seen glimmers of it today; many, many glimmers and it has been delightful.  Probably the biggest and best has been an overwhelming sense of peace.  Can't tell you why or what caused it, there just has been a peace that surpasses all understanding.  Can not attribute it to sleeping well, or eating well, or an awesome devotion, or a great, deep chat with a close friend.  It's just a calm feeling.

There have been words of encouragement from friends, things on the calendar being cancelled, getting a fire going (first one of the season), selling old toys of the boys, and other good things today as well.  To list out the things I am grateful for today would be:

• first fire of the year
• dog acting silly over kong
• seeing smiles on our teenagers face
• getting lots of little things done (but not a whole lot visible)
• being able to wing a good dinner
• hearing our dog snore, while sleeping in front of the fire
• another few hours of down time without our kids
• time to see friends this afternoon, even briefly
• time this evening to see more friends

Life is good! Life is worth being thankful for, even when I see things that feel bad.  Life is good, even when we see the hard and failed attempts at things.  All this is true, I believe, because God is good ~  All the time!

I leave you today, with a photo of our first fire!

Cooler days, warmer drinks, and beautiful shadows

The title sums up the day fairly well.  Been another quiet day in our household this afternoon with the boys gone from noon to 5.  Been enjoying that a great deal.  Love having them around, but love having them gone too!  Especially when school is finished, corrected and completely put away before they leave.

Drank some of my coffee hot today, for a change (been an iced coffee drinker for awhile now, but hot is good on really cold days).  Pulled out one of my favorite mugs and it seemed to fit my mood; on the inside it says "Promise you'll never forget me" or something like that.  Just a cute Piglet mug I've had for almost 15 years.  Hard to believe I picked it up, at Disney, when our oldest was just a few weeks old.  Hard to believe our first trip to Disney was planned so long ago (and a child happened between planning and going:) )!

Anyway,  posting earlier than usual today, as I'm not sure what the evening holds for me.  Lots of different options open.  Go out with some friends, go to a Scout meeting, hang out at home and do chores or veg, or stay home and sleep.  All are very appealing and not sure which will win out.

Thankfulness for today:

• finding some of the harder to find Christmas gifts (not saying what as all my guys read the blog)!
• homemade caramel macchiato
• joy of a favorite mug
• quietness
• beautiful shadows on the walls

 Yes, the photo is slightly staged!  Got my terra cotta pots,

layered cake pedestal with yellow ware bowls.

Gives a glimpse of me!

 Front of one my favorite mugs!

Shadows in dining room.