summer break

This is precisely how we all felt about summer - maybe just a little less squinting...  It feels like forever since I sat down to update this little space of ours.

We've been on a beach vacation, swimming, jumping off the diving board, big house projects, working in the garden, potty training, taking walks, eating ice cream, and RV trip planning.  Its is about time I got things caught up around here.

When it rains

When it rains, it pours.

I have been hearing that a lot lately.

And I have been feeling that a lot lately.

The good stuff.

The bad stuff.

The even better than good stuff.

It all seems to be coming in great big storms.
It is raining buckets and I am soaked.

I am finding myself falling behind. 

I have a half dozen piles of laundry...

and a basket that I am still on the fence on if it is clean or dirty.

Dishes in the sink and some major organizing needing done.

The weather, excluding today, has us outside until bedtime has come and gone.

Dusting ourselves off and soaking up the vitamin D.

I have books I want to read, friends I need to write and voices I want to hear.
Family to visit, places to go and errands to run.

I have pictures to edit, photos to take and post to catch up on.

My sewing machine has been begging.

The garden is calling my name.

And my littles are growing faster than I can stand.

I am spending more time in the kitchen.
More time breaking a sweat.

This blog world can be so many things.

Bringing you closer to people you would never meet.

Teaching you things you might never learn.

But it also a lot of maybes...

Maybe I will make that recipe.

Maybe I will try that cleaning tip.

Maybe I will meet her someday.

Maybe...

Right now I am going to have to pass on the maybe's.

I have way to many sure things coming my way.

I am going to keep posting.

I think the chronicles of our not-so-exciting life will be a great thing for my littles.

I already love reading old posts.

But not really reading as much if at all.

And not saying hi as often.

Not because I wouldn't love to...

But because there are paper books to read.

Plants to tend to and grass stains to be made.

Clothes to fold and to be passed on.

In-the-flesh family and friends to call, write and visit.

Because Eva's pants are growing too short and Theodore has six teeth.

We have rain walks to take and puddles to jump in.
In this busy rainy season, I need to keep getting wet.

Linky Followers

With Google Friend Connect going away for some...

and me not being sure what that means for the blogs I like to read...

I joined Linky Followers.

I am going to give a try and see how I like it.

There is a little gadget to the right on the blog now.

If you use Linky followers - let me know so I can get you on my list list.

Thanks guys.

Winner!

And the winner of the Shabby Apple Necklace is...

Comment #9 - Meredith!

Thanks to everyone that entered... 

I wish I could give one to everyone.

Thank you Shabby Apple!

So Pretty

My blog is looking pretty now...

thanks to Grace.

Thank You Grace!!

I love LOVE my new header.

If you are in the hunt for a new look, please check her out.

She was amazing.

She listened to what I wanted...

delivered what I asked for and then a few other options.

What I asked for was complete crap.

 What she came up with on her own was much better.

SO much better in fact that I had a hard time choosing.

Then I liked it so much I asked her to do my other blog too.

And she did...

and it is fabulous.

Did I mention that she installed it all?

Heck ya she did!

SO please take a second and visit

Gracely Designs

Brat

My husband works a lot.

Some weeks more than others...

but on average we top 80 hours a week easily.

Our grandma always jokes that I am a widow 

with a occasional overnight boyfriend.

Sounds pretty steamy right?  She cracks me up.

I try to make the most of the times he is at home.

Sometimes I do well, other times...

I get a little lonely.

You would think that being lonely

would make me more appreciative of the time he is home, right?

Wrong.

I get lonely and then I get angry.

I get focussed on the bad...

A shower were the monster is unrolling the toilet paper and I can't stop her 

because I have soap in my eye.

A bathroom "break" where I hear a crash from the other room 

and pray for minimal blood.

Running out of a fitting room with no pants on 

because the monster crawled under the door.

Nights where I get up 15 times to make sure the door is locked...

and sleep with a knife because I watched an episode of 48 hours.

I start to think that it isn't fair.

I shouldn't be alone all the time.

I get resentful.

I become a spoiled little brat.

Then I get a reality check.

I am not alone all of the time.

Michael is more than a just present father when he is home.

He is an awesome father...

playing the best games of chase and making the best chocolate milk.

When he is gone - he is only a phone call away.

He calls and checks in - does a video call with Eva.

When he is home, 

he offers up time for me to be alone.

It is a hard choice.

Choosing to moments to myself and missing moments with him.

But I get a choice.

I am so very lucky...

and I remember that -  most of the time.

Some of my favorite blogs are a reminder for me.

They are single parents.

The real kind.

They don't have a choice.

They don't have a choice and they live with more grace than I do.

So thank you Cari (the coolest single mama)...

who introduced me to Beard (the coolest single dad).

You can read about Cari here: Bubble Gum on My Shoe

and about Beard here: Beard and Pigtails

I get a lot of inspiration from the photos and stories of all the blogs I read.

Sometimes I also get a little slap on the knuckles letting me know that I am being a brat.

Thanks for both everyone.

A special thanks to a blogger that has become my phone friend.

You situation and the amazing love for your little ones are constant lessons to me.

Joining: Communal Global and Sweet Shot

The Why: A Guest Post

Grace writes one of my favorite blogs.  

She is a great photographer, has a way better sense of style than I...

and also creates wonderful blog designs.
Please go and visit.

So, when she asked me to be a guest on her blog I was beyond flattered.

I was a little stuck, stage fright I guess.

I had been struggling with blogging a bit this week.

I was questioning it for myself.

Why?

It is a great question...

one that usually involves a longer answer.

I have asked myself this question a lot.

Why?

Why bother?

Why blog?

Yes, sometimes it is bother...

up later than I need to be writing...

editing photos and commenting on others.

So why do I do it.

After a few minutes looking back at old entries.

Remembering, reminiscing...

I found my answer.

I blog simply for this...

To look back at these photos...

these words.

Days, months, even years from now...

and remember.

Remember the hotest day of the year.

Remember how humid and sticky it was...

and how we barely made it off the steps.

And how it felt...

watching him watch her.

And that is it simply...

why I blog.

Favor

Hey - one of my buddies needs a vote.

Heidi: Me as a mother.

She has three adorable girls...

and she has become my mentor of sorts.

Mentor in the coolest, 

knows more than me in girl raisin', 

photo takin, 

wish she was my sister kind of way.

(Oh yeah, and lived down the street.)

So if you could go here

and vote for #141...

(click on the star below the picture)

that would be awesome.

Thanks... 

bunches.

Small World

My friend Rici lives in the south.  Her daughter is Eva-monster's penpal.  She is so caring and always getting involved in helping people out.

I read a post today on her blog  about a family.  Tiny little twins that were born too early.  In the small world of things - this family is right down the street.  They are patients at the hospital were Eva's daddy works.  Michael is sleeping right now because he was working in this very same NICU last night.

You can read the story here to at Mom-Nom.  Their caring bridge site is here.

It is a very small, caring world.

Moments

• This is me getting ready for our date last weekend.  Eva was not a fan of "mommy needs to get ready".
• That was the first night that I wasn't home to put the monster to bed.  After 13 months - I was seriously okay with that.
• Getting up to leave the restaurant, I looked for the diaper bag.  You can take a mommy out on a date, but...
• We are going on another date this weekend - What!?! Yep 2 dates in 2 weeks!  I am hoping for nice weather so I can wear a dress.
• Happy St. Patricks Day!  This is the holiday I miss my grampa the most.
• The high today is 60°.  There is a robin in the tree outside singing and making me smile.
• We are attempting a tiny garden this year.  We are also trying to grow our plants from seed.  Tiny seeds of basil are in the soil as we speak.  I am trying not to peek more than once a day.
• I just reserved some more books at the library... I still love this online card catalogue.
• I am incredibly dorky - sorry Michael.
• I made a little blog button - if you want to stick it somewhere - feel free. Thank you paper heart camera for the tutorial.
• I added a page with for blog buttons - what I could grab while the monster napped.  It is a work in progress - the monster is awake.  

Linking with embrace the camera.

My first...

Something happened that has never happened to me before...

I received my very first mean comment.

Initially, I was shocked...

then I laughed...

then it started to really bother me.

The part that bothered me was "exploiting your daughter" phrase. 

That got me tearing up.

I thought about it all day.

When I told my husband, I realized the part that was really getting to me...

the truth part.

There was someone out there that needed those things more than us.  

Plenty of someones...

So I refilled the box.

I put in things that I had been holding on to...

some new things Eva never wore...

and some toys she never touched.

You see that cute elephant?

That is a bib I was given that I never put on Eva because I thought it was too cute to get stained.

I hope someone else thinks it is cute too.

These things are going to my local YWCA Family Center.

Thank you Anonymous.
I will be gladly accepting hand-me-downs with smiles as always,
but I am going to remember to pass on the love to someone else.

Niceness in a box

This is a box full of kindness.

It is a huge box of little monster sized clothes...

some for now and some for a little later.

Since our monster is a small fry, there are a lot of clothes in that box.

Since our monster grows every time I turn around...

a box full of clothes to replace all the ones she is too big for is amazing.

For our little family on a budget, it is sublime.

A blogger friend of mine sent them to us.

She has three beautiful girls of her own and takes amazing pictures of them.

I think of her as the "wise one."  

She has lived through everything I am living through three times over.

I wished she lived down the street.

She inspires me, makes me laugh and get me all choked up too...

and makes me crave a donut for two days.

I am lucky to have met her in this blogging world... 

and very thankful.

Thank you Heidi.

Cute

This may be old news to everyone because I live under a rock...

But, if you like owls, calendars, or both - here is a customizable, free 2011 calendar you can download and print from My Owl Barn.

You get to choose the owl art of your choice for each month of your choice.
Aren't these cute?  

We don't have a printer right now, but I thought I would share...

or just tell everyone something they already knew.

and More Surprises

Monday, I found out that I won beautiful set of napkins from Gretchen Opgenorth.

Gretchen has an amazing and inspiring blog full of beautiful antiques, linens, trimmings, flowers and prettiness.  

On Friday, while cuddling on the couch with a sick and sleepy baby feeling sorry for my achy and congested self, I heard the mailman visit.

I wasn't going to get the mail, but I needed another tissue and some drugs...

I was up anyway, might as well get the junk from the mailbox, right?

Little did I know there were treasures waiting.

They are lovely...

and linen...

and decorated with perfectly stitched x's.

I love them.

Thank you Gretchen.