Social Media Monday

Today's Social Media Monday is a tweet from Wednesday, last week. It was a Bible verse I have always loved and I retweeted it. One I need to repeat right now. Hope all is well with you, Reader.

Right Now

Right now I am

• Typing-I am really enjoying getting back into the regular habit of blogging. It is a good way to think, as well as share, feelings and thoughts. It is a nice form of journaling what our family is experiencing currently, as well.
• Seeing/Watching-my husband is outside mowing and he is trying to trim apple tree branches... This is significant because he always trims too many leaving our trees a bit more... bald than I like them. ;) And I checked with a local nursery and they said try not to trim them until March when they aren't bearing fruit...
• Smelling-I like to cook, but not off the cuff. I know I have mentioned that I love to follow a new recipe. My husband and I had decided to eat leftovers tonight so they won't go to waste. We had chicken and rice bake loosely based off this recipe: Crockpot Chicken Rice and Green Chili Casserole, but I baked mine in the stove with a few minor adjustments.  My husband went downstairs, before mowing/over-trimming trees, and whipped up a soup with those leftovers. I am smelling them now and am suddenly hungry, ready for an early dinner!
• Listening-My big dog is laying beside me, curled up, snoring away, so happy he can be in my office beside me. He was so happy to see our older daughter this weekend.
• Missing-our older daughter. She was home for the weekend, as per request of our younger daughter, to come and "do hair and make-up" for our younger daughter's first high school homecoming dance. She went with a group of friends and looked lovely. Our oldest daughter was glad to come and spend time with us all, and we were sad to see her go. And, as I said, our dog was so happy to see her, and began to act nervous when she brought her bags down today.
• Posting-pictures of our youngest daughter from homecoming. I post to only family and friends on facebook, but here I try not to post pictures of our girls. Just something from my paranoid early days of blogging. One picture had she and I together and people continue to comment on how much we look alike. It's funny how, as parents, we don't notice how much they look like us sometimes, and then in a certain photo, you see it.
• Checking-I play in a fantasy football league with my husband and some friends. The last few weeks my team has played well. We've played combinations of us vs the league average points and against other teams. I was 4-0 until today. I keep checking the game cast-the current stats for my players and I am not seeing positive results! :) Hopefully things will turn around by tomorrow night's Monday Night Football game! I was enjoying being at the top of the chart!
• Dreading-cleaning my office. I have let it get out of hand, working on other parts of the house, and it really needs work!
• Praying-for God to guide me according to His plan and purpose (see prior post)
• Aching-I ran 10 miles with my husband and older daughter yesterday. I actually had to stop at a few points to rest my aching injury that won't go away. I'm sadly scheduling another doctor appointment for this week. Hopefully I will be able to run the half marathon I have been training for-it is three weeks from today.

What is happening Right Now for you, Reader?

Back Home

            These days I have a new schedule. I am waiting... The past two years I was a middle school Social Studies teacher. I was teaching "part time" and spent my mornings grading and planning for the job. I loved spending 7:45am (once our girls were at/on their way to school) to 10:50 (when I had to leave to get to school cafeteria duty, get ready to teach, etc) for work time. Then, I taught until 3:15, often left around 4 to head home. Once our girls were working on homework after dinner, I worked on classroom work for another couple hours until family prayer time. I usually put in another hour or two after they headed off to dreamland, as well.
            In early May my husband asked me if I wanted to continue teaching this "forever". I said I wasn't sure and began to pray and think about it in depth over the next few weeks. I loved my job-the kids and staff were wonderful! However, my ultimate goal has always been full time job, and as much as I loved middle school, my heart lies in elementary school. So, I quit my job. I thought about my plan, to apply to everything under the sun, teaching-job-wise, hoping for something, at least an interview, now that I had that elusive "experience"... But, if it didn't happen over the summer, I was going to sub and get back into the teaching pool, hoping for a job for next year. Then, if these don't work out, move into another profession. I love teaching, but the pool of applicants here is so flooded. I recently heard that if you don't get a teaching job in the first three years of looking you won't because you've been "on the market" for so long, like a house-which could just have had viewers who didn't like something about it... but after "so long" people are afraid of it. I got my first subbing jobs in 2005 and have been subbing, an alternative instructor or middle school teacher since... so 8 years... And I am still waiting on the sub agency to finish processing me so I can't get my foot into the subbing door, yet, either.
             I'm back at home wondering where my path will lead... where God's path will take me. I wonder how things will work out. My faith base has always been a strong point in my heart, so after my husband's grandfather's funeral, when he mentioned to me that I would make a good chaplain, I chewed on that. It grew in my heart. I called our church and am meeting with the care ministry on Wednesday. I know putting my time, somehow, into sharing my faith will help.
             I know God has a plan for me, and I love staying at home, accomplishing the many things neglected while I work outside the home, but there is a longing in my heart to throw myself into something more. I hear of people's struggles with faith after major disappointments in their lives and I don't have those... I just have this need to find where God wants me. I'm just not sure where that is. There's a new song I listen to by the Sidewalk Prophets called Help Me Find It and these words really resonated with me recently:
If there’s a road I should walk
Help me find it
If I need to be still
Give me peace for the moment
               I am enjoying catching up on blogging, too, Reader, to reconnect with you.

Recipes I have tried this week

This week I used that last of the tomatoes from our garden (let me restate, we still had tomatoes, but with the waning sunlight, the baby green tomatoes would not ripen soon! :)) to make a marinara sauce. I made this with my fresh tomatoes, instead of canned and my husband said it was the best sauce he had ever had. Mind you, I'm not a great cook, so I truly think the freshness of my garden tomatoes and herbs had a lot to do with it! :)

Giada's Marinara Sauce Recipe

Also, this is the tried and true pesto recipe I use all summer. I have tried to make enough to "can" but we end up eating it before. I can grow basil like crazy, here. The plants are taller than waist high and they are full of lovely, green leaves. I cannot grow cilantro for longer than a week, however, for some reason, but that's another post. :) This recipe is very simple and delicious to marinade chicken in, or just to dip whole grain Tostitos Scoops chips into. ;)

Food Network's Basil Pesto Recipe

Hope you enjoy them, Reader! What have you been cooking?

Thursday's Helpful Apps

Today I will be sharing apps that I frequently use for social interaction. Before I do that, however, I have to note that my iphone got it's iOS7 update this week. It is an adjustment, as with any change. There are just little things I've noticed so far, such as graphics (which really didn't bother me, at all), the method you use to close in-use-apps, camera features (which I love!), which are easier to find, the swipe-up control center has nice organization, itunes radio (which is like pandora), better swipe-down notifications, changes in the weather app makes the others I had downloaded unnecessary, and sadly, the fact that it seems to drain my power more quickly than it did before (BOO!) I have found a few sites to share, here, that discuss the new iOS7 features:

• My Crazy Good Life has iOS7 tips and tricks here.
• Independent.ie (business/tech article) about "hidden features" here
• BuzzFeed's "Send This to Your Parents to Explain iOS7" article

Next, my "social" apps that I use regularly (I have provided links so you can click on the app name and read more about it):

• Facebook-I get frustrated with all Facebook's policy changes, but when I consider getting rid of it altogether I hear from my grandfather, who lives in another state, and he messages me. He says he likes my pictures or comments on an update, lets me know how he is. That is a BIG deal! I love it. I have the app for my phone and it is on the short list of things I check at the beginning of my day.
• Twitter-I love checking it. I follow a variety of people-athletes, tv stars, family, friends, and news outlets. I do not, however, have the hang of dropping hashtags (#s) into my text as the younger set do...
• Instagram-I also love this. I love taking pictures and sharing them with my family and friends. Instagram has features that I can use to edit those pictures and then post them. I will talk about this again in a few weeks when I discuss my favorite photo apps! I also like this way of sharing photos and seeing what my family and friends are sharing, as well.
• Skype-This app lets me connect with my nieces in another state. I can see and hear them, and vice versa. I love that I can even read them books, and I can point things out on the pages as we go. We can interact pretty well! It has been helpful with our oldest daughter off to college, as well. So nice to see her face as well as hear her voice.
• Last, Facetime-This allows me to do the same things as Skype, but lately the connection has been better. 

Do you have favorite social apps, Reader? Or have iOS7 features you like/dislike?

What I'm Reading Wednesday

Just checking in with what I'm reading! Just finished-yes, just finished today, Bossypants. Cute book. Made me laugh for the first 3/4 and then I lost interest for some reason. Not sure why. Anyway, it was a cute book, and I would have finished sooner, but had my family here for Sat-Mon, so not polite to sit and read while they visited. ;) It really was so nice to have them. Back to the book-I gave it 4 stars out of 5 on good reads, only because it deserved a 3.5 and they only let you give a 3 or 4. Next I'm reading one of these books below... which to choose? I have them all checked out from the library until 10/15... any suggestions, Reader?

Talk About Family Tuesday

My parents got to come down this past weekend for a visit. It was so nice to see them! We went out to dinner and dessert, we went to the zoo and we sat around the fire pit on the chilly evenings, as well. We just had a great time being together. They got to be here longer than normal, this time, because they had taken Monday and Tuesday off for their anniversary. So, they were here Saturday and Sunday and didn't have to leave until Monday. They got to spend a little time with just our younger daughter, as well, while my husband and I ran in a 5K race near our home. I love it when they visit, but I stay up way too late catching up! :)

Social Media Monday

I posted on Facebook this link about a large number of bees found dead. The article was connecting the bee deaths with pesticide (which isn't really surprising, is it?) and with an already declining bee population, it made me sad. I wondered what I could do. My initial reaction was to call a local organic lawn company, so I'm not hiring someone to care for our lawn that is just bringing harmful chemicals. Still researching, but might have one I like. I don't spray my apple trees, either. My apples are eaten by bugs each year and we don't get any of their harvest, but we have several bees who come and pollinate. I also noticed, when I went to trim off the growth of my basil plants, that they were full of bees before I could trim the flowers off them. Hoping to help them in my yard, at least. We need them!
Here is an article from PBS about how we can help the bees.
This article is 5 Ways we can help from the Mother Nature Network.
Last, here is the News Tribune's article on how you can help.
Take a look at one or all of these articles, and do what you can to help our bees! Have a great week, Reader!

Dogs

This summer my husband took our aging dogs to the vet, as he usually does. Our biggest dog still has his LARGE fatty deposit, bigger than a basketball, now. The vet insinuated that we were just "keeping him comfortable" now... although last summer they didn't think he'd last the year, but here he is, following me around. The little dog's odd lumps are growing as well. Both dogs still get around and are still on their schedules, eating, barking, loving. However, if the doorbell rings, they don't hear it and when new people come in they don't often react, well, they look at me, see if I'm happy to see that person and then go back to sleep. They are like old people who nap all day. :) I know their times are coming and it saddens me. The house is already so quiet...

Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls has always been a show my girls and I enjoy. The series begins with a high school girl and, I think it's early fourth season, she heads off to college. My oldest daughter's roommate and her mom came, joining my two girls and I, and we watched the "night before college" episode: "Ballrooms and Biscotti" and the episode where they move her in to college: "Loralei's First Day at Yale". They are two of the best episodes ever, in my opinion. They display the town's affection for the ladies, the strong bond and friendship between the mother and daughter and the real-to-life emotion of having a teenager growing up. :) We had a nice evening watching them before we got our own girls off to college... and yes, I needed a tissue. ;) In case you, Reader, would like a complete list of episodes, you can find it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Gilmore_Girls_episodes

Recipes I've Tried This Week

I thought I'd also try a series on new recipes I have tried this week! Although, then you, Reader, can see how poorly I've eaten this week!

• On Saturday we had our oldest daughter home, and we were ready to watch my favorite college football team, so we made some snack foods. We had some "tried and true" recipes like Buffalo Chicken Dip, portioning off some of the sauce without the chicken and adding tuna for our vegetarian daughter. 
• French Onion Dip, which my husband makes and it is delicious. He usually uses his own "recipe" but it is similar to this. 
• Fresh vegetables and fruits 
• And the new recipe I tried was these tortilla pinwheel appetizers. You will find it a little below halfway down the page. I didn't have ranch dressing powder so I added ranch dressing and it was delicious.
• I also saw this recipe for brownie bites and thought I had enough oreos left from when the cross country runners were here, but when I got them out I saw someone has been nibbling them. We were down to just three, so I made a variety of brownie bites. I made them in a muffin tin, so three held oreos inside, three held snickers mini bars (we only had three of those, also), two had peppermint patties (just two of those in the pantry!) and a couple with a dollop of peanut butter and peanuts in the middle. Three were plain. It worked great! 
• Sunday my husband's parents and sister & brother in law came for fish tacos. I was in charge of sangria. I looked for some in the store and saw one on clearance but I didn't like the looks of it with some type of sediment in the bottom. I found Bobby Flay's recipe and made it, minus the syrup (I bought the sweet brandy so it didn't need sweetening) and pomegranate seeds. It was good. My in-laws, who like red wine more than I do, really liked it!

Thursday's Helpful Apps #1

I decided to try posting a weekly segment about apps I use on my phone. Today I'm starting with the basics. I have an iphone5. I didn't have an iphone before this, but when we upgraded the girls' phones we upgraded mine, as well. I didn't think I needed a phone this "fancy", but I sure do appreciate all it does, now! In the weeks ahead I will visit topics such as photography, social media, health, music, etc. Today, the basics:
*Phone: I use the phone-yes, I actually call and talk to people. ;)
*I use mail-I can connect to my gmail and retrieve all my email at once. I used to have gmail for my school email and received it on my phone, as well, which was nice to have it all in one location.
*I use "Messages" for texting. It is so nice to be able to text my family. Silly, I know, but for my daughter to text and say "Practice is over, please come get me" or "Ready" instead of finding a pay phone, calling collect using the name "I'm ready for a ride". ;)
*I use the "camera" tool. I use it a lot! :)
*I use "settings". This enables me to set the many options my phone offers, such as ring tones, notifications, and wallpaper.
*There is a "notes" app that was on my phone when I bought it that looks like a yellow legal pad. It is just a quick way place to jot down thoughts to come back to later.
*Clock-I use this a lot. I can set alarms with it, naturally, but I also use it for a timer or stopwatch. Very simple to use.
*Calendar-I also have this set to my home calendar and can see all my upcoming appointments. I receive notifications as things are about to show up, as well.
 *There is an "App Store", as well. Not only can you download items from there, as well as purchase them, this notifies me when a new update is available, such as when a company has a bug fix for an app you use. Those are all my "basics" they are apps or tools that came on my phone that I use regularly. Check in next week for others!

What I'm Reading Wednesday

Currently, I am reading A Peach of a Murder by Livia J Washburn. I was at the bookstore looking for some inexpensive paperbacks, and I had read another book by her0the Pumpkin Muffin Murder, so I thought I'd try it. I made a mistake, though, as I was looking for a book after the PMM, but this book may have listed them out of order and comes before it in the main character's life...Next I am reading some books from the library: Bossypants by Tina Fey, because I heard it was supposed to be a fast, funny read and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling for the same reason. I had some others here on my desk, but these came into the library, so now my "on hold books" need to be picked up and read! What are you reading, Reader? Any good book recommendations?

*Note: I wrote this post before I got to the library. I rode my bike the 4.5 miles to the library, got my 6!! books that were ready. I rode the 4.5 miles home (phew!) and then set aside the Peach of a Murder book. I started Bossypants and am on page 100. :)

Talk about Family Tuesday

This week is very fitting to be talking about family, so recently after my husband's grandfather's death. He was 90 years old, just turned in July, and for his birthday he wanted to see his three children and their spouses, his eight grandchildren and their spouses and his twenty-two great-grandchildren at some point near his birthday. Or course, we all made a trip in July to see him, on separate occasions, of course, since his health had begun to fail. He knew he had congestive heart failure and was getting weaker, requiring an oxygen machine and breathing treatments. We spent time with he and Grandma, and he told stories I hadn't ever heard before, and I've been in the family for almost 20 years! Grandpa had to work hard to stay awake when we visited, but he did. By this time about two weeks ago he was worn out. His body was tired and he was working hard. He stayed awake and alert until the very end, making sure he waited until all three of his kids were there at his side and he told them how great their mom was, and how proud he was. He and Grandma had been married for 66 years! She seemed so fragile at the service. After he'd been gone just a few hours, she already was saying that she missed talking to him. They were the type of couple who finished each other's sentences. And they loved to play euchre-but it was not fun to be against them! They'd been playing together so long that they knew each other's thoughts, actions, suggestions. ;) Oh, my husband and I could win a game or two, but never enough to end the evening in the winner's spots. :) Grandpa was a good man, and it is sad/hard to believe that he's gone. It's also said to know that my mom's mom is weakening, is unaware of her surroundings-time and space-sometimes. She fell in the shower last week and was so confused, my mom said... Times like these make it hard to live in another area from your family, for sure. This funeral for my husband's grandpa got me to thinking about my three grandparents who are still alive and my memories of them. Made me worry about their health and minds. I hope they know how loved they are, always...

Photo

I posted this photo on all my sites: Instagram, which posted to Twitter, which posted to Facebook. :) Our girl came home after the funeral this weekend. Our dogs had really missed her and wouldn't leave her for long, coming for snuggles. She loved it, as she had missed them, too!

Bridal Shower

Over the summer my mom asked if I would help her host a bridal shower for my cousin. My cousin had been married before, so we wanted it to be different, not all the usual games. We had fun planning! My oldest daughter and I drove the three hours to my parents' town and began to get things organized, then the guests came, ate, played games, watched the gift opening, etc. and then we drove back. It was a LONG day, but a nice thing to do-fun to share those activities with my mom, daughter and extended family. I share this with you because some of the food and activities were successes. :) *games and activities: We started the shower, as the ladies arrived, with taking their picture with the bride-to-be. The guests also took a small (2 x 3, I think) card and wrote a note, memory, etc. on it. Then I printed their photos, later, and glued them to the back of the note. I put them into a pocket in a small album I made. Here is the link to the idea: "Memories & Advice-I think this would be nice to do as the guest are entering. There's a pic of this idea on this website on the 9th slide", here is the link to the "you make life Blissful" Scrapscription scrapbook kit I made, scan down about mid-page. After they had sidled up next to the bride for pictures, laughed with her, and got settled, I sent the bride into the house (we had the shower outside and it was a lovely day!) and then asked "what's the bride wearing?" The guests had to remember as much as they could about her outfit. Then she came back out after 5-10 minutes and we all laughed at those who said, "who knows?" :) The bride and groom were just going on a short honeymoon and they were essentially camping in upper Michigan. I packed a cute bag for them with magazines, sunscreen, etc. I asked them each (unbeknownst to them) what they would pack in their honeymoon bag and they told me a few items. One for groom was toothbrush, one for bride was gas prevention medicine! So, I added those, as well, getting quite a giggle from the attendees. :) The guests weren't able to see what was in the bag, so game 2 was "what is in the honeymoon bag?" and they had a few minutes to guess. Then she opened it and people checked things off their list. I had created a "he said, she said" form, here, and got quotes from each of them for the guests to try. The groom's mom was most successful! :) We had a few laughs at the "Newlywed Game" using what they each answered without the other knowing. :) We had quite a few laughs and it seemed like everyone had fun! One guest said that was the most fun shower she had been to! *food: My mom is a good cook! She made small shredded pork sandwiches on pretzel buns as well as MANY bite-sized desserts. I made this for a different fruit salad. Fruit salad with Lemoncello-and it was delicious! I made tomato-mozzerella-bites, and Paula Dean's Italian Pasta Salad. I also made an orzo salad. I made the classic stand-by for us, as well, the broccoli slaw salad. The things I made were easy to put in a cooler and transport it in the car. It was a very fun day-I hope the bride enjoyed it! :)

Saturday, September 14

Running is a passion of mine. Anyone who reads this blog or knows me in person knows this. I have been running all summer, as usual and have signed up for the local half marathon in October. Unfortunately, the injury that slowed me down in last November's half is rearing its ugly head, again. I went to doctor appointments to try and get it solved, and thought I had for a while. I haven't, however, solved it and am feeling it even during short distances. My husband suggested that I hang up the shoes for a while, not do the half marathon, but that's a hard decision for me. I am trying the ice-Advil-rest-shorter distance-and foam rolling so I can hope to heal it, but so far I've seen no improvement at all. Fingers crossed, please, Reader. Running the my way to burn calories, relieve stress, praise the Lord-yes, I have have contemporary Christian music on my running playlist so I can worship and pray as I run-and observe nature. I can go walking and bike riding, as well, but the calorie burning is less and the time frame is more... I am hoping for the best... Please send good vibes, Reader. How are you?

Friday, September 13, 2013

Before school started I did something crazy. My sister-in-law told me that the animal shelter had kittens buy one get one free. I took my youngest daughter to look at them. I know, it was a moment of insanity, and yes, we still have two old dogs. We didn't see any kittens while we were there. However, we looked at the older cats and one cat truly connected with our daughter. We went home and thought it over, going the next morning again. Both daughters loved this cat and her half sister. We got both, brought them home and loved them. I worked hard to introduce them to the dogs, and vice versa, over the next few days. Our big dog would lay outside our daughter's room, which was where we kept them closed in and the dogs closed out, and stalk them, smell and watch under the door for them, and try to burst in when we went in or out. After our oldest daughter went off to college and our youngest was gone to school, I enjoyed caring for them, and trying to get all the pets acclimated. My husband wasn't thrilled. Then we began the debate of de-clawing or not-we didn't want our furniture ruined, but wanted them to be able to protect themselves if the dogs did get them. Our big dog didn't let up-my husband still says he thinks the dog would be fine, but I was worried. After about two weeks, there was no change in the animals' reaction to each other or compromise on their claws, so I knew in my heart that it was time to take them back. It was sad for my daughter and I, but we both knew it was for the best. I cried all the way back to the shelter and the entire time I filled out the paperwork to return them. I wrote all about how great great they were together, how sweet and loving they were. The sweet girl at the desk asked if I would like to be notified when they were adopted. I said that I would appreciate that. She called one week later saying an older gentleman who lived alone had taken them both. I hope the three of them are very happy together. I still find myself missing them... How are you and your family/pets, Reader? I hope well.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

I do have more time on my hands these days, which I have been trying to use wisely, since I quit my part time job in hopes of that elusive full time teaching position. Hopefully it is still out there for me. In the meantime, I have headed back into the world of substitute teaching again. This leaves me time, as I wait for my fingerprint information and paperwork to be finalized, I am keeping up on housecleaning, laundry, organizing, thinking of blog topics, and helping out the teacher who took my place with things she is unsure of. I am planning on pre-posting/scheduling posts so I don't fall off the face of the earth again. ;) I think I'm going to designate a few weekly blog topics: 1. Social Media Monday, where I post some interesting quotes, pics or items from my posting on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, Pinterest-well, interesting to me. ;) I often tweet quotes that I appreciate, post fun pictures and pin teaching information/resources, so I'd love to share some. I think it will encourage a bridge for me, which I haven't chosen to access, yet. 2. Talk of Family Tuesday, where I blog about family memories, members or moments that are in the forefront of my mind. My husband's grandfather's passing really has me thinking. Also, knowing that my grandmother is failing in health and is more confused each day... As well as 9/11 passing and that residual feeling of “you never know” when you will be leaving this world, so you must tell people how much you care for them, tell them of the memories you have. 3. What I'm Reading Wednesday, in which I post about the books I'm reading, books I've added to my “to-read” list or my reading progress. I set a goal at the beginning of the year to read 20 books. I didn't know I wouldn't be in a consistent classroom this fall, and knowing how much of my time I put into my teaching, I didn't want to commit to two books per month, but I still wanted a good goal. I wanted to stretch my summer to reading/brain growth (back to my “one little word” for this year: Grow). So far I have read 17. One of my reads was a re-read from high school: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Most have been mysteries. I enjoy other types of books like fiction, but I started a new mystery series and continued with them all summer. I also challenged myself to read a mystery from “greatest books of all time” lists: Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express. Now I'm wondering what to pick up next... But I can talk about that on Wednesdays. :) 4. Thursday's Helpful Apps is a series that may have a finite life, unlike the others, the resource I take my information from will be my own phone, computer, etc. I have several that I use regularly and a few I check daily or multiple times per day. I'd love to share their usefulness or lack of, if I try something that seems like a waste for me. Not that I'm a super-techie, but I thought it might be fun. 5. Friday-Sunday... Not sure what I will do here, probably just general posts. Unless you have suggestions? Or would you, as a Reader, just like me to actually post and not fall behind? :) Maybe one day a week I can post some teaching site/information I appreciate. Well, that is it for now from this post. It's funny that I don't post for so long and then my posts are long! I hope you have been able to hang in there through my rambling. I also hope your day is delightful, Reader.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

It's been awhile since I posted. I've been pretty sporadic on my blog over the past year. Last posts were at the beginning of August about being grateful. I didn't stop feeling grateful for all I have been blessed with. Time was just zipping by. Since I last posted I have taken my oldest daughter to college. That event has been quite an adjustment. I really enjoyed my time with her before she left. I wrote her a long note about how proud I was of her, how I expected her to continue diligence with her schoolwork, how we are always here for her... it was strange, but I wanted her to continue to have those thoughts and feelings from our hearts, just like we tell her when she is here. Moving her into college was not difficult, really, caught up in the chaos of the campus, getting her first college dorm “liveable”. Leaving I did well, only got misty-eyed once. Even the next day wasn't too bad since I had scheduled myself as host to our younger daughter's cross country team dinner: 20-30 female runners at our house, which meant I needed to cook (a lot!) and clean, so the day passed quickly. Then we had our weekend, our youngest daughter's first run as a high schooler, which also made time pass quickly. However, early the next week was tough, for both she and I. We are through that, and onto schedules that keep us busier, now. However, as I type, we are on our way to pick her up, for sad reasons as my husband's grandfather has passed away, so we are heading to the funeral. On a more positive note our youngest daughter has been running and enjoying being on the cross country team, and making new friends. She has also started a few other new adventures like French and Art classes, which she hasn't had in her recent school years, or ever. We bought her first homecoming dress this past weekend, as well, and it looks like she is going with a group of friends. Well, Reader, that is probably enough catch up information for now. Be on the look-out for more new posts. I hope you are well.