misc

We've had a couple of nice quiet days. Some days are beach days and some are just more home-based and low key.  You know the kind: catching up on laundry/snacks and schoolwork on the patio/play dough at the table/ handwashing dishes that have been piling up because we are spending all of our time outside- those kind of days. They're good too. It's nice to change up the pace.

Things are wrapping up for the school year. We are in the midst of all kinds of "end of the school year" type events: recitals, picnics, award ceremonies, etc. I made these sugar cookie bars to take to one of them last night. Ugh, yes that was me who took that bite...and several after that. Crap. I love baking, but I need to someone to snatch it out of the oven and run off with it so that I don't eat it! (At least let me take a picture of it first?) They were good.

I also made this salad. I'm a sucker for Top Ramen. It was my go-to after school snack for like 6 years when I was younger. Eating it with cabbage somehow made it seem  more like a grown-up meal and healthy? Probably not, but tasty!

The lilacs and other flowering shrubs are blooming. I've been bringing them inside everyday by the armful. Fragrant and lovely. I hope my kids remember that their mom was always feathering the nest. 

Carl's cousin took some really great candid pictures of us on Mother's Day. I'd like to do this with them. Cute right? Putting it on my to do list.

The girls are competing in a race this weekend, it's always a good time. I wrote them a little pep talk on the chalkboard. How are you messing up your kids today?

A couple of you asked about the bathing suit I was wearing the other day. It's this one, and it's on sale! You should definitely buy it. It's very forgiving. I would know.

I also think I forgot to mention that I've relocated. I'm living here now- but just for the summer. Feel free to deliver french toast, and coffee every morning. I'm not sure that I have electricity... just a slight inconvenience with a view like that.

Okay, leaving you with these words:

"Inner beauty, too, needs occasionally to be told it is beautiful."

-Robert Brault

Go tell someone.

No apologies

I've been thinking about the things that I often have to say sorry for. I'm guilty of several of things already this week. Repeat offenders like:

staying up too late

not doing the dishes the night before

eating too much

losing my patience

speaking harshly

being too afraid

being judgemental

not applying sunscreen to the tops of my feet

not listening- really listening

becoming too attached to ideas or people 

giving up too easily

speeding 

planting cucumbers the day before a wind storm (I lost them all)

planting tomatoes the day before a wind storm (I lost 1 of 4)

hanging on to relationships with people who are "takers"

being late

talking more than listening

not having better boundaries

giving away too much of myself

forgetting hand sanitizer

saying "It's okay" when it's not

saying "I understand" when I don't

not brushing and flossing twice a day

cutting my hair above my shoulders

being ungrateful

being discontent

not charging my camera battery

But there's another list too. Some things I'm never sorry for- or at least I try not to be. No regrets when I:

pray

get up early

laugh with my kids

exercise

smile at someone

offer a compliment

drink water

tell the truth

wear deodorant

call my Grandma

save money

use my imagination

take the extra time to make good coffee

take the stairs

say thank you

give gifts

forgive

kiss

hold tight

act like a fool

love without conditions

get up in the middle of the night for a birth

wear my seat belt

buy fresh flowers

take pictures

talk openly

finish projects

lick the beaters when making cookies

clean out a closet

wear cute underwear

buy nice sheets

have friends for dinner

love with an open hand

What about you? What are the things that you're not sorry for?

Beach Day

With a forecasted high of 90 degrees, I don't care if it's mid-May or mid-January. We're going to the beach! I had a cooperative little crew this morning and we got some exercise, breakfast, chores, schoolwork, a lunch packed, and the car loaded before 9am! I even burned a new cd for our 45 min drive. Lots of loud singing along the way.

The lake gets drained in the winter to accommodate all the melting snow that trickles down in the Spring. You can see that I swam around those pilings during the summer...the water was very low today. Funny, it sure felt like freshly melted snow :) Brrr.

It was okay, we decided to work on our tans instead. (Obviously my legs have some catching up to do!) Oh who am I kidding? I'm not a tanner. Apparently some people are. I am not one of them. Just burn and peel, burn and peel. Too bad.

Besides, who could be bored with buckets, and shovels, and tons and tons of sand?

Oh yes and ducks. Ian is really more like a puppy than he is like a little boy. He was chasing those poor little guys everywhere.

Mmmm, feels good to have sand between your toes.

Yep, just another hard day at the office.

The first beach day of the season. I'm a happy girl.