motherhood {in-between}

The Proverbs 31 woman. 

We've been compared to her industriousness and beauty through many sermons on Mother's Day.  Have you read her chapter?  If not, I encourage you to.  It can be found in the book of Proverbs, ummmm... chapter 31.  She was quite the catch, I'm sure.  Apparently, many worked as she did; yet, she outclassed them all.  All?  I wonder if other women were jealous of her.  I wonder if she took the time to care.

I have to admit.  This Proverbs 31 lady was not my favorite person.  Then, it dawned on me.

I've often thought about the line on a tombstone.  (How's that for a transition?)  Not the beginning date, nor the ending, but the line in-between.  Dare I say, the most important part.  The many days and memory-filled moments. 



The Proverbs 31 woman was not born pre-skilled in sewing and cooking.  Her skills, character, and traits were cultivated over time... not one day.  During the in-between time.  

I've sometimes wondered... Did the never-hormonal-always-pleasant-never-a-hair-out-of-place-industrious-Proverbs-31-woman ever take a moment for herself?  At least, that's how I saw her.  I can only imagine the answer would be yes.  If nothing else, for sanity's sake.  If I could have tea with her, I'd like to ask her how she did it without mom-guilt.

Mom-guilt.  I'm convinced it comes as a side order with kids.  Yes, please.  I'll take a cute little bundle of joy, with a side of guilt.  We all suffer with it at one point or another, right?  We take our eyes off of love for one fleeting moment, lose patience, and are consumed with it.  We take time for ourselves... or not, and are consumed.  We miss one of our child's firsts... and are consumed.  No matter what the cause, it's always there, waiting to pounce on the joy in motherhood.

Did I hug them exquisitely, so that they feel my love for them?  Did I listen, without distraction, in conversation long enough?  Have I taught them a lesson in character, or did they only see my faults today?  Did I sound critical, without being constructive?  Did I take enough pictures to hang on to the important memories?  I should feel like playing with them.  I should finish the laundry.  I shouldn't be spending time on the computer right now...  I should start dinner.  I should take time for myself.  I should...

So many things tug at our mama apron.

Truth is, when I take time for myself, it helps me to be more present in the moments that matter most during the in-between.  

I don't have all the answers - especially where motherhood is concerned. I'm learning to be okay with that.  Honestly, there's a bit of freedom in those words... I don't know. 

However, what I do know is that children are pretty resilient. They care what I am doing in the current moment.  To them, that's the line in-between. So, I have come to terms with the lovely Proverbs 31 woman.  She can do some pretty great things, but is she doing the tango with my 10 year old in the kitchen, or singing a pretty killer Do-Re-Me harmony with my 12 year old?  Where is that on her list?  At the end of the day, her list might just look a lil' different than mine.  I mean... I think it's safe to say that I will never be an accomplished seamstress.   

If we are serving those around us, as best we can, without comparing to our neighbor, I suspect we are fulfilling the role of the Proverbs 31 woman with the people God has entrusted us with. 

I predict, one day, my children might rise and call me blessed.  Until then... I'm pretty content when they rise and ask for breakfast.  It's only for a season, right?

Although, the language in which they express it in this season of life is pretty priceless, too.

Now... What do I do for myself?  Hmmm... Yeah, I'm working on that one.  Balance.  It seems the unattainable goal, most days.  I'm still working on saying no to people who take advantage of my kindnesses, and saying yes to things that enrich my life.

Motherhood seems to permeate every fiber of my being; always thinking of ways to improve life for my lil' nest, attempting to savor each moment, while cleaning up and documenting the mess of fun memories just made.  It's more of a balancing ACT.

For a homeschool mom, whose husband works many hours traveling, seizing time just for myself can prove challenging.  For now, in this juncture of life, it's seizing unplanned moments as they come - grabbing a quick brunch with a friend, while the girls have theater, or making myself read something non-homeschool related.  Sometimes, it's simply taking 10 minutes in the car, while waiting on the girls, to dust off a few apps on my iPhone.  Then there's my 'to gym or not to gym' question.  It's a battle, really.  *sigh*

If only motherhood came with a manual, right?  I venture to say that regardless of which path you and your family are on, whether it be homeschool, karate, dance, theater, music lessons, *breath*, church activities, crochet, baseball, volunteer work, etc, etc... We are all simply doing what we can to make the most of the in-between memories.

Conversing with a group of homeschool moms yesterday, we found ourselves giggling at the very thought of 'me' time in our current season of life.  I believe in bringing our worries to God, but there's also something special about girl power.  The freedom to say, "Hey, I understand exactly what you're going through.  Me, too."

I've find myself giggling when I hear sweet friends express that I always seem to be so... put together.  {excuse me whilst I laugh uncontrollably}  I have flaws, y'all. I imagine the Proverbs 31 woman did, too... so I think we're in good company.  Girl power, y'all. ;)

I guess one of the best gifts a mom could give herself would be to stop over-pixelating their mothering.  Seize moments in-between to be present in the doing.  Make memories of fun - for the kids.  And... guilt-free moments just for the mama.  The one wearing that worn, much tugged at, apron.  

It's what will be remembered in the in-between. 

For more posts celebrating motherhood, visit my friend Theresa @ Red Oak Lane.

{perspective}

i'm staring at the cursor, hoping for something to place words where these feelings lie.

where do i begin?  

i've mentioned a time or twenty that my husband and i served in the institutional church world for several years.  our last journey carried the title of senior pastor.  it's a position that no one can understand... unless you've literally walked in the shoes of that title.  i don't say that with a haughty spirit.  honestly, i've never been one to get caught up in titles.  they don't impress me.  i want to know the person behind the title.

as pastors, the highs were high and the lows were, well... low.  a couple of families who disagreed with the direction my husband was leading personally saw to that.  it was no secret.  most people knew there was something brewing behind the scenes.  said family's dad had even been labeled the 'don' of the church.  as if he were the god-father of god?

our 'resignation' mourned by several in our congregation - celebrated by a handful.  that hurt more than i could have ever imagined.  they were, at one time, like family to us.  even sharing holidays together.  tears came quickly for an entire year.  everything i knew was now unfamiliar.   

i also struggled with anger for an entire year.  that's the ugly part.  i know. i know...  turn the other cheek, do unto others, forgive if you want to be forgiven... i'd heard it all.  yet, this smile-n-nod pastor's wife had reached her breaking point.  through it all, my husband's only response was, "if vengeance needs to be taken, let it be the lord's."  i really wished the lord would have used me to do 'his' work that year.


then something happened.  after we rode a roller-coaster of emotions, our hearts softened.  we no longer felt anger, heart-wrenching hurt, or resentment.  i could drive by the church building without crying.

my identity in christ deepened more than this blinking cursor has vocabulary to explain.

while driving the mom-taxi, i saw him {the don} walk across the street near his business.  and it struck me.  hard.  he was a broken man.  truly, it takes a broken person to be so malevolent of someone.  i still believe that to this day.

this blog neglected to mention that we made it through the doorway of this church building we once pastored back in december, when invited by great friends to watch their christmas performance.  a bit unusual, i know.  but years had passed, and we were there to support our friends.  

surprisingly, there were enormous hugs from one of the few families that hurt us.  they cried tears, without words.  somehow, my heart interpreted them.  their hearts must have taken quite a journey since we saw them last.  we only had one icy stare. ironically, her husband was playing scrooge in the play.  i let it roll off of my back like water along feathers... because she, too, must be broken.

the 'don' and his family were not in attendance for this special service.  i sometimes wonder what his greeting to us would have been.  would his face hold the cheerful grin of victory it expressed when we made our grand exit?  or would he join a few others in a language of tears?  

today, he is mourning a loss.  a loss i would never wish on anyone.  his high-school sweetheart, and wife of many years, passed away last night of a sudden heart attack.  they were gearing up for their oldest granddaughter's bridal shower this weekend and celebrating the youngest graduating high-school this year.  this family is hurting... 

and i'm hurting deeply for them.


sometimes, life throws a curve-ball that puts priorities in perspective.  

perspective.  i've been thinking about that word a lot lately.  

complaining comes easy in this life when we focus on ourselves... but we've much to be thankful for, too.


it would be quite easy for me to focus solely on the fact that a gas station is going up right. behind. our. house.  actually, we are all quite bummed about that.  we were given the impression when we bought our house that the field behind us would remain just that. a field.

but... when i look for it, i can still find a beautiful sunset.  and appreciate a young tree the girls named "thumbelina" when newly planted.  



my mom doesn't have liver or breast cancer, as she thought might be the case.  that roller-coaster alone aged me this year.  especially after losing my step-dad last year. 

speaking of wrinkles... or crinkles... they seem to be picking up speed.  as deep as they run though, the stories they tell run deeper.  i think i'll keep them.  i think i don't have a choice.

my husband works a lot.  he doesn't teach the girls a homeschool subject, nor does he check my tank for gas each week.  but he is a hard worker; a tech-savvy, cool nerd.  he believes in and supports our homeschool by providing the funds for curriculum that i've spent hours researching.  he cooks the family team breakfast on weekends. he's the vacation planner and tour guide.  he's my help-mate.  he's a keeper.  we wouldn't trade him.  even for another homeschool dad who teaches french.  besides, he gives the bestest hugs.

the mom-taxi van.  oh, yes, it is full of broken handles, an air conditioner which only runs on high - causing an embarrassing awful noise, a hood-liner falling on our heads, etc.  however... for the past 3 years, it has carried priceless cargo without the expense of a monthly note.  for that... i am thankful.  

i will try not to complain about a monthly note when purchasing a new mom-taxi... for it, too, will be carrying precious cargo.




housework.  how many times have i wondered aloud to myself when the rest of the team will become more diligent in this category?  but the piles that begin to overwhelm me at times serve to remind me that i have people to care for... and who love me in return.

see the lips i found on the mirror?  there are two more just like it... all side by side.  they are still there.  i have an inkling who left them.  no, not the hubs. *giggle*

these are the things i will one day miss.  my mama heart even wants to preserve the messy moments.  well, maybe not the dust on the mirror... just the lips. ;)

i guess what this blinking cursor is trying to say is that life is sometimes messy...

 

but if i keep my thoughts and eyes up.  
on what really matters.  
it all falls into perspective.


maybe that's why i have an affection for the sky... 
when you're looking up,
everything else fades into the background.

Eleven-11-{eleven}

the lovely alita, from alita jewels treasures, tagged me on this, and I thought it might be fun to play along.

The Rules:
1. Post these rules.
2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random facts about you.
3. Answer the questions given to you in the tagger’s post.
4. Create 11 new questions and tag new people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog/twitter and let them know they have been tagged.

 1. love when i can start my day with a cup of hot tea and hugs... minus an alarm clock.
 2. being a homeschool mom is one of the best decisions ever made for our family.  no regrets.  even on rough days. {repeat last line to self} ;)
 3. as a kid, i once lived in a trailer.  down a dirt road. 
 4. hubs says i seem more relaxed since leaving the institutional church.  i have to agree with him.
 5. did you know that i am a former pastor's wife {with my current husband}? *giggle*
 6. i had trouble finding a picture of myself without my lil' chickadees.  this pic was taken at the rodeo - a year ago.
 7. i miss running. the elliptical is the life for me now. crazy joints.  need to get back to the gym.  note 2 self: exercising in one's head does not count.
 8. juicing veggies is my new healthy passion.
 9. clutter and rude people drain my energy.
10. italian food is my favorite.  my hips can't handle the carbs though. *sigh*
11. love yummy smells, especially in the form of essential oils.

*************************************************

alita's questions:

1. At what time in your life did you find yourself on an emotional roller coaster?

definitely after we resigned from institutional church ministry.   our entire lives were tied up in church.  activities, friends, job titles, hobbies.  everything.  it took a few years to recover.

2. When was the last time you tried something new?

with motherhood, i'm finding a new challenge almost daily.  day-lee.  other than motherhood, it has to be our adventures in alaska.  i'll always hold those close to my heart.

3.  What does your joy look like today?

constant. always there. no matter what. happiness is another subject altogether. i'm choosing to have that today. ;) 

4.  Do you see to believe or believe to see? Give an explanation, too. 

good question.  would i be avoiding the question altogether if i simply said, yes?? ;)  see to believe... i suppose life has left enough tire marks on me that sometimes i believe you need to see actions in a person before you can believe their words.  believe to see... in god.  but then again, we see his workmanship all around us, too. ;)

5. What is the single most religious experience or moment of pure faith, you have ever had?

pure faith?  after struggling with infertility, taking 4 pregnancy tests still took a good dose of faith. 

6. What is the difference (in your opinion) between being in love and falling in love?

call me an old, married lady... but, i believe falling in love can best be described as "puppy love" or infatuation.  hollywood movies have done a great job of blurring the lines of what real love is.  being in love is choosing to love someone... even on bad hair days.

7. When you close your eyes what do you see?

a cool day at the beach, enjoying the sounds of the ocean. <-mommy's happy place.  it's always much better in my head.  you know... my kitchen produces gourmet meals, the house looks like a magazine kind of picture. a girl can dream, right?

8. What is your earliest childhood memory? Which one stands out as a teen? and now?

childhood: walking to school and being offered a ride. <-scary.

teen: sweet 16 surprise party my mom planned at home.

now: snuggling with my girls.  running my fingers through their hair. <-moments to bottle up.

9. What are your top five favorite things to do with other people?

just chill at home. conversation over hot tea... we could go white water rafting?  just saying... anything but shopping.  that i like to do on my own. ;) 

10. What do you owe yourself?

a relaxing vacay?  or simply a lil' non-mama time.  it's been a rough motherhood week.  

11. If your life had a soundtrack which songs would be included? 

i'm sorry.  i can't hear anything except the sound of music playing in the background. our current obsession. 

*************************************************

my questions:

 1:: what was the biggest surprise in becoming a mother that you've experienced, so far?

 2:: how are your navigational skills? ever gotten completely lost?

 3:: what's your favorite quick meal to prepare?

 4:: do you organize the paperwork in your home efficiently or do you feel as if it's taking over?

 5:: has your perspective of god changed over the years? if so, what was the defining moment?

 6:: do you get energized from being around people or from alone time?

 7:: if you had an entire day to yourself, what would you do with it?

 8:: have you ever cried because you were so happy?

 9:: are you a reader?  if so, what's your favorite book?

10:: what top 5 attributes would you consider high on the must-have list in a friendship?

11:: what's your favorite thing about yourself?

*************************************************

i tag: lisa @ the army chap's wife 

       jessica @ teachable moments 

       karen @ homeschool girls 

       theresa @ red oak lane 

       brenda @ the family revised

       rach @ in his hands  

if i didn't get to your site to tag you, please feel free to play along!  let me know if you do - i'd love to read your answers.

{cat} fever

so i may have re-pinned this picture on pinterest.

it may have accompanied a confession.

i officially want another cat.  i know.  kinda makes you drop your jaw a bit.  well, kind of.  when it dawned on me, i may have dropped my own jaw, anyway. 

not to replace our beloved bella.  no, we have grown quite accustomed to her.

we quickly realized we could look past her flaws.  you know... the biting.  once we thought we were going to have to move and give her up.  

amazing how quickly you come to appreciate what's right in front of you... when you are threatened to lose it.

well, that... and she's learned there are consequences to biting.  and we've learned her triggers.

basically, petting her anywhere below the neck.  or constantly moving your arm as you are typing, while she's trying to nap in your lap.  

tail-flicking is the first sign of annoyance.  then the ears stretch back.  then she may or may not give an internal growl.  many times, before that point, she gets evicted from the lap.

we noticed early on that she has wobbly eyes, too.  but i've since learned that it could be a trait of the siamese.  of which she is a mix. it doesn't seem to bother her.

oh. dear. lord.   at this very moment, jasmine just made all of my nose hair curl.  oxygen mask, please?  what did we feed her for dinner again?  her big, brown puppy eyes better be extra cute tomorrow.

where was i?

oh, yes.  the truth is... friends of mine are having babies.  or doing other things in which i don't want to participate.  don't get me wrong.  another lil' person would be wonderful.  but mama doesn't function well on sleep deprivation.  i remember those nights.  and i'm getting older.  and hubby travels a lot now.  that means less time to help mama.  just sayin'.

i grew up with dogs and cats.  they feel like second nature to me.  birds and fish even seem a bit exotic.  our last fish lasted a week and a half.  and hamsters?  a little too rodent-like.  sorry, gracie... mama just can't go there.  not to mention, we have a cat in the house.

oh. heavens!! might be blacking out soon.  using my shirt to filter the air.  tempted not to feed this dog tomorrow.   she snores right through it.  thanks, jazzy.

ummmm... yes, the cat. 

to me, there are few things better than the cuddles of a lap cat.

i'm glad our girls are experiencing this.  the warmth.  the purrrrr.  nator especially loves it while she's reading or crocheting.  she's a sweet, old soul.

the problem is... there is only one cat and three of us gals.  we find ourselves competing for bella's affection, especially when hubs is out of town.  the person with the softest blanket usually wins.

i may have mistakenly voiced my desires out loud and the girls may have jumped on that bandwagon with me.  both feet.  gracie wants another dog, too...  but we wouldn't be able to afford the out-of-town pet sitter fees.  we'd have to donate a child.  and that's not happening.  i worked too hard not to hear them called me blessed one day. ;)

cats probably have house parties while we're away.  i'm convinced that's why the house is still a mess upon our return.

*****************************************

now... for the cuteness meter and your giggling pleasure, i give you another opinion the pioneer woman. 

read his little muffuletta, ethereal, kitty love, playful, sleepyhead, the difference between cats and bassets, and why i love my cat.

the pioneer woman rids the stereotype of 'crazy cat lady', yes?  you can't get much cooler than the pioneer woman...  also known as ree.  who is married to marlboro man.  which i'm sure also has a name... 

bottom line.  ree pretty much makes everything look good.  aaaaand, her lovely bloggy gave me the confidence i needed to move forward with teaching textbooks.

yeah, she homeschools, too.

*****************************************

anyway, i've convinced myself that hub's next souvenir to me the girls and i should be a cat. maybe a kitten this time? i'll rescue one.  it's a win-win.  i already have a name picked.  going a bit too far, huh?

if hubs reeeeally doesn't like this idea, i can always blame the pioneer woman.  right? ;)

december {so far}

hi.  remember us?  we've been just a tad busy.  
but i'm sure we're not the only ones. ;)

things to remember...

decorating cute lil' houses with our homeschool group.

we decided to let this take the place of our annual gingerbread house decorating at home... this year.

fun with the lego advent calendar.

shining moments on stage.  these girlies have grown leaps and bounds.  so proud of them!  not bias at all.  nope.

we met prince charming.  he really can be found at a grocery store.  and he's a nut... cracker, that is.

snuggles with jazzy.  this dog cracks me up.  she and gracie are two peas in a pod.  really.

girlies trying to figure out which number belongs to them {we numbered the gifts instead of naming them this year}. 

my birthday.  but not much time for celebrating this year.  

life calls.

mama wore her #1 MOM pin.  she may have forgotten it was there... and wondered why the moms at theater were calling her #1 mom.  *blush*

making {lots of} caramel popcorn for gifts.
gracie sewing lil' pillows for barbies.



busy hands.
full hearts.
curriculum on pause.
tired... all over.



daddy's grillin'.
checkin' the naughty/nice meter.
wooden doll crafts.
playing with rhinestones and iphone apps {photofunia}.
trampoline fun... while waiting for cold weather.

16 dance classes. 

3 theater practices. 

6 theater performances.

1 dance competition team performance.

2 dance christmas parties.

4 piano lessons.

1 piano christmas recital.

1 spontaneous family-photo-shoot.

1 homeschool christmas party.

a scrooge production, starring one of our best friends. 

a christmas production, at our local collage.

a hubby's company christmas party {on the same night as dance and theater performances}.

hubby out of town two weeks in a row.

this week, we are in recovery mode.

watching a lot of christmas shows, while mass-producing hats.

all before we do more last minute shopping...

after we pick up hubs from the airport.

holiday crowds make me sweaty.

christmas-day-countdown is in FULL. swing. here at the family team.

you?

evolution of birthdays

it's funny, you know.  the evolution of celebrating birthdays.  when growing up, one can live in a child-like bubble of knowing there's a 'big deal' to be made out of the whole day. 

while all of my childhood memories wouldn't give warm fuzzies, i do remember a time or two when mom would check us out of school early on our special day {or on the last day of school}.  oh, how i loved hearing the intercom buzz my teacher with instructions to send "hmama" to the office for check-out.  being free from that stuffy place was the. best. gift. ever.  even if it was only 15 minutes earlier than the rest of the class.

i remember a relay race with two lines of friends.  it was our goal to throw adult clothes on top of our kid clothes, run around the yard and be back to pass the adult clothes to the next person in line.

i remember a surprise-sweet-16 birthday.  mom had arranged all of my friends from church to be at our house when i returned from a shopping trip with a friend.  completely unexpected.

mom always did a great job pulling something special together for our birthdays.  my brother's birthday the day before mine.  her's, the day after.  yet, our days somehow managed to feel... individual.

i remember re-enacting the wire hanger scene from mommy dearest with my mother for all of my slumber party friends.  so scary, it was downright funny.  they loved it.  i think my mom liked it, too. ;) 

mom has always had a flair for the dramatic.  i think that's part of what made her so good at pulling gatherings together, during a season of my childhood. 

i'm not a party mom.  i wish i were.  sometimes, i feel like it's just not in my personality to play hostess to a house, filled with other people's lil' children.  please tell me i'm not alone in this.  it will make me feel better, anyway.  and it is my birthday today.  no pressure. 

we usually tell our girls they can have a big party, or a big gift.  big parties are hosted at other locations.  that, i can do.  woot.  most times, they want the gift and one on one time with a friend.  i can do that, too.  woot-woot.  aaaaand, we take a day off of school for birthdays.  including mom's.  woots all around!

years later, ladies from the institutional church we served would take me out to dinner on my special day.  they took great joy in seeing the restaurant do their birthday production, at my expense. it was all in fun. time would tell me that many of those ladies were not true friends.  difficult times have a way of separating the girls from the women. i'm better for it, really.

hubby, bless his heart, is much more gifted at this birthday planning gig than i am.  last year, he had arranged for our best friends to meet us for a wonderful evening on the boardwalk.

today, life has been filled with getting things ready for an online class the girls are taking... about the victorian christmas era. dance class. dress rehearsal at theater.  i really wanted to go to the chiropractor.  mama is hurtin'. age talkin'. sorry.

now that i'm all grown up {hold your laughter}, expectations are not what they used to be.  i no longer live in a bubble.  i realize, often times, the celebration comes from within.  you create your own party.  even if that is stirring a heart of thankfulness by remembering the real blessings in life.

you know... when your kids and hubby sing happy birthday to you. hubs whispers sweet nothings into your ear before he leaves for work... "i changed the litter-box for you."  gets me every time.  sets birthday cards on the table and then starts the dishwasher, too.  

love deposits. ;)
those are the best gifts of all.

oh... and there's nothing wrong with tossin' the adult clothes for kid clothes every once in a while.  metaphorically speaking.  i plan to do that, too.  hubs owes me a date night, yes? ;)

if you need me, look for the lady walking with a crook in the neck, wearing the #1 MOM! pin.  because my kids think i could totally rock a presidency.  you gotta love the cuteness in that.

mama's christmas stocking

while our christmas tree is usually hosting gifts tagged for two little girls, it's always fun to put together a little wish list of your own, right?  maybe this is simply a {wish} list for the year 2012. ;)

{although... this year, mama tagged the christmas gifts with numbers.  we won't reveal the mystery owner of said numbers till christmas morning.  it's our personal entertainment.  watching the girls try to figure this out.  muahahaha...}

in random order...



if i can't seem to get this lil' ol' bloggy in book form {still a personal goal. just need to filter through mama's ramblings. oi.}, i'd like to get my second blog in poster form.  instagram serves as my second blog.  you know, to capture all those moments that don't seem to make it to this bloggy.  it's like blogging on the go! {if you don't have it, check it out here. good stuff.}



speaking of 'on-the-go', i'm thinking this lil' gorillapod gadget could come in handy.  could be a great vlogging tool, yes? ;)

 
speaking of pictures... mama needs a new lens.  yes, it's a need.  you know... since we skimp on paying for professional shoots.  sometimes, that sounds appealing, too.  aaaand since one of my favorite 'go-to' lenses busted last year, during our family-christmas-shoot.  wind gusts and tripods are not a good mix.  just so you know.

 
speaking of amazon... mama would like to order some school books and videos that have been collecting dust on the ol' wish list.  when you homeschool, there's seems to be a gray area as to what is for you and what is for the kids.  now that i think about it, i think it's a mom-thing.  yep.



speaking of mom... mom would really like some nice jeans.  she has wanted to try out some buckle jeans.  because when the 'long' old navy jeans are still an inch too short... you might need to try exact measurements.  and a little stylish bling on the pockets might help distract from crow's feet. no?

she's also on the look-out for some stylish, flat, comfortable boots... on sale. ;)



and who doesn't have a carpet party on their christmas list?  you know... rolling it out to the curb, that is.  so, a new floor is on the {wish} list, too.  at least, for part of the house. let's just say that kids + pets = a petri dish of a carpet.  area rugs are much more fun anyway.  hear that, santa?

 

and last, but certainly not least, a snow day... or two.  for the girls. and maybe we can get rid of some of these texas mosquitoes while we're at it. 

what's on your christmas list?

time with the hubster

we picked up hubs from the airport on thursday.  he worked friday.
by friday eve, mama. was. drained.
{seems to be a theme lately}

being the intuitive guy hubs is, he took the girls on a lil' daddy/daughter outing...
per mama's request.

while mama ran off some stress at the gym, daddy had fun with his girls.
after picking up gracie from dance, they hit the book store, pei wei, vitamin shoppe, tarjet, and a second grocery store.
hubs was earning some brownie points.

saturday, his boss called.
which required us to do a favor for him...  on the other side of the big city.

{crocheting on the go}

 

it's more because hubs is a friend, too.  i get that.

{packing for the boss-man}

which meant we were driving by the cheesecake factory.
aaaand since we had to eat dinner anyway,

{hershey's chocolate cheesecake-cake}

we had to order a piece of cheesecake.
it would have been a sin not to; i'm pretty sure.
so we ordered one piece to share between the 4 of us.

the girls only put their forks down for the picture;
they were still scraping the plate.
at home, they may have licked it.

i believe there was an arm wrestling match, too.
we're quite refined, yes?
{*googles etiquette schools*}

we eventually hit the hay for a night-time nap.
awake at 5:15 a.m., my internal alarm went off.
why would i get up that early, you say?
to take hubs to the airport.
because that's how i roll these days.

for the saints game.  because i'm a good wifey.

at least he opted not to leave on saturday, meeting all the guys at the ufc fight.
it just feels like he's barely been home much this month.
*sigh*
they're getting him the rest of the week...
they have to share, you know?

many of my sweet bloggy friends are quite complementary about how i handle hubs being out of town so much.  {you guys are too sweet.}
truth is, we do okay.
some trips are harder than others.  especially those that invade our weekend family time.

but we deal with it by....
remembering to be thankful for his job, during a time in which many have lost jobs. 
girlie movie nights.  nail painting.  dining out.  and, to be completely honest...

 

{sitting pretty}

jasmine.  she's my buddy, especially while hubs is away.  i guess that would justify the bazillion posts about her?  maybe.  she's {at least} entertaining, right?  ;)

i think she may even have a lil' fan club brewing.  *giggle*  for those who've asked, her paw is doing seemingly well.  she is no longer limping.  even runs, at times.  she thinks one must continue to let the cat know who's boss.  her bandage comes off tuesday.  she's really excited about that... and the fact that another kennel has not taken the place of the old one in our home. ;)

okay... gotta run.  i'm feeling a bit like jazzy in these last pix.  i sent my girls to clean their rooms, but all i wanna do is sleep.  i forgot that cloudy, drizzly days do that to an already tired person.  {thankyoujesusfordrizzle}

{pretty exhausted}

and that one would have to tape one's bandage in plastic, due to wet ground.
go saints!

the start of a new {school} year

it seems every year the girls jump for joy when the hope of fall temperatures fill the air.
they literally run in the back yard... and twirl.
soaking up the crisp coolness.
we have finally halted the triple-digit-temperature-record-breaking.
{thankyoujesus}
hubs is even cooler, enjoying canada's atmospheric conditions at the moment.
{was trying to avoid saying temperature again}

*i should warn you now that i'm deliriously tired.*

the drought has been rough on texas.
our grass, azaleas, and potted plants are but a few tragedies.



today, we awoke to the schedule of three-hour-long-morning-theater-practice,
{while mom hit the gym and tarjet}
a run to the post office,
and school.

although, filled with mostly review,
today is what we're calling our official first day.
4th and 6th grade, to be exact.
oh, my babies.

we're easing into it.
{that's a nice way to say... mom has more copying and organizing to do}

the official grade pictures will have to come later.
{mama barely has enough energy to type, at the moment}
as will the list of what we're using this year.
some things are still undecided.
what can i say?
i'm a homeschool mom.

hi, my name is h-mama,
and i over analyze curriculum.



while cleaning up the dirty dinner dishes {say that 3 times fast},
i expressed my strong desire to "clock out" and go to bed.
nator said, "even when a woman sleeps, she's working."
she's a wise, old soul if ever there was one.
i love that kid.
both of them.

oh, and did i tell you that i was asked to write full-time for a lovely homeschool website
several moons ago? 
being asked was such an honor!
i know it's hard to tell by looking at my lil' bloggy that i might actually know how to write. 
it's okay.  you can giggle.  i can't hear you.  ;)
truth is, i love the play on words. 
because of this, i also know how much time i would put into it...
time that needs to be devoted elsewhere, for now. 
saying no is sometimes hard.  *sigh*

completely exhausted.
but i wouldn't have it any other way.

h-mama, clocking out....

[so how are you doing?  ready for fall?  ready for a new {school} year?  did september sneak up on you, too?  how are your atmospheric conditions?]

post vacation life

confession:
living life and blogging in real-time are the same as singing your abc's backwards,
while solving an algebraic equation.
at least, as far as my bloggy is concerned.
*sigh*


we hit the ground running.  daddy had to go out of town again.
{excuse me while i grab a klennex.  really.  the overtime has been a bit much lately. only he doesn't get paid by the hour.  okay, i'm moving on... thankful he has a wonderful job.}
so, the girls and i hit chili's for kids eat free.  {woot!}



dental appointment.
a minor repair.
insurance covered.
thank you jesus.
donkey-kong anyone?

this is how we cope with missing dad.
silliness is the key to distraction in our home.
{and, apparently, no makeup - with some sort of pepples flintstone ponytail.}

piano lessons resume.
as do visits to the gym.

i upped my gym membership city-wide so that i could utilize the time the girls are in theater to get my workout in.... but feeling 'at home' in a new place takes time.

mama is not lacking in the cardio department.
each visit has resulted in an hour of full cardio... because someone may or may not be intimidated by the people in the weight area.
*sigh*
or maybe it's the tv's that are attached to the cardio machines.
pandora via iphone plus tv with subtitles... i could stay there all day.
maybe.
i won't be testin' that theory.

oh.... and we had rain!  rain, people!
that's exciting news around here, y'all!

after a hard workout, mama needed some green tea,
so jazzy caught up on some puppy whip.
she would make a great spokesperson for puppy foam.  dontcha think?

and ummm... nothing like one of those visits to jolt you back to reality.
seems my severe pains {you know the ones that leave me blacking out and ultimately throwing up? TMI. i know. sorry.} have baffled the medical community.
the only diagnosis they can give me is a complication with my PCOS. 
i was warned there may be more {pains}.
PCOS is now dead to me.

as if the infertility issues weren't enough years ago...
or the fact that i seem to be able to look at a piece of cake and gain 5 lbs?
geeesh.
good thing i lost 3 lbs since my last appointment.
a year ago.

grilled goodness.
this means daddy is home! :)
we've enjoyed evenings of him coming home at a great hour this week.
rare treat these days.
even a few family games.
{love}
cookies {made with a stick of butter}.  broccoli.
hmmm...
which do you think was mom's idea? dad's?  or paula deen's? ;)

which are your family's favorite games?

life is not always this busy

i'm not one to usually over-plan my days.
possible case of denial.
i'm a parent.
busy comes with the territory.

but you know... i like quiet.
quiet doesn't always come with the territory.

our girlies have been looking forward to their 'summer' activities all year.
it's here.
as well as the much anticipated mommy-daddy get a way.

hubs hugged me this morning on his way out the door.
headed to dallas.
WAAAAAAAAAH!
okay, i'm done.
maybe.
*sniff*

in the dark, he whispered in my ear, 'just think.  this time next week, we'll be headed to a helicopter, on our way to a glacier.'

these words excite me, yet they don't compute.
this is soooo out of the ordinary, yet i long for an adventure outside of my daily routine.
i love my daily routine.
it involves my girlies.
i love my girlies.

now... if only i can survive this week's routine.

today...

nator's tennis lessons.  check.
take pictures of her.  to come.

talk gracie into makeup lesson while sister is in tennis lesson so that i have time to shower before dance camp.

instead of doing this again.
it's hot.

 

and dry.
i miss the sound of rain.

the ground agrees.

gracie may have almost gotten lost in a rather large hole.

and fallen to her doom to the center of earth.

she informed me that lava was there, during yesterday's tennis lesson.

follow up eye apt.
i've been testing new contacts.
with a new prescription.
reading up close is a problem with said contacts.
it wasn't in my old prescription.
i called the next day... lady with a tude told me i'm pushing 40.
in my pms state, i thought it was great she chose to say this via phone.

don't be skeered.
i wouldn't have done anything other than smile and nod in person either.
what happened to good costumer service these days?

pick up gracie.
come home.
make dinner.
wishing i could collapse on sofa.
but will make sure funky laundry and dirty dishes are tended to.
then collapse.
and maybe watch the voice.
have you seen it?

tomorrow will be the same, minus the eye apt.
that will be replaced by taking nator to join her sister in the swimming part of dance camp.

thursday will be the same, minus the swimming.
that will be replaced by final preparations in packing.

friday will be the same.
and we'll add making a refreshment to bring to mini-dance recital, then getting two girlies dolled up for a daddy/daughter dance.

saturday we hit the road. 
destination: granny's house.

sunday...
*shivers*
i get so giddy just thinking about it.
minus the expected tsa pat-down when i 'opt-out' of the radiation/nude pic box machine.
we fly north.

 

escaping the 'oppressive heat', as my hubby rightly calls it.

i nearly shaved myself bald yesterday.

it was considered, anyway.

signing off...

this sleep-deprived-mama-hen needs to stir the baby chicks. 

there's breakfast to make before the marathon begins.