My "To-Don't" List

There are a lot of things on my to-do list this week, but I think my  To-Don't  list is just as long, if not longer.
Actually I'm pretty sure it's longer, which is sad because my to-do list is never-ending.

You know those people you see on Instagram and blogs that started preparing for Thanksgiving like 2 weeks ago...

Like actually shopping for it, getting dishes out, cooking food ahead to freeze it, making sure bedrooms are spotless for their guests?
Well, that is 100% the opposite of me.
I wish I could be a little more like those alien-people.
I am a last-minuter.
Always.
I have good intentions but I'm just not that organized.

And all I have to do is make devilled eggs and maybe a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.
That's it.
No hosting here... no guests.
So why do I let myself get so stressed out?

It's dumb and I hate that I do this... but I do.
So I'm trying not to let myself do it this week... and especially going into this super-busy Holiday season.
Here's what is on my  To-Don't  List....

Don't freak out over the grocery shopping, laundry, cooking and errands.
Don't let the little things like the rushing to get the kids here and there and the annoying work stuff get to you.
Stop freaking over the never-ending laundry.
You'll remember the extra school stuff this week, don't let it stress you out now.
Don't worry about the kids being at their grandparents house late on a school night because you have dinner plans with out-of-town friends,
they will survive.

Like I said in this post last week,  I love Thanksgiving,  and the week of Thanksgiving so, so much.
We have traditions and lots of family time and I have friends in town I cannot wait to see this week!
It's one of my favorite times of the year- one of my favorite parts of this week being shopping on
Black Friday with my mom, sister and cousin- we don't do the crazy early morning stuff, it's more about getting lunch and really not much
shopping at all, but it's still a tradition we love.

So today I am getting as much done as possible, checking a few things off of my To-Do list, but adding much more to my crazy little To-Don't list.
How do you handle stress during the Holiday Season.... or just every day?

Ps- I think this thankful printable is super cute...

Download it here.

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Happy, Happy Tuesday! 

Monday Hang-Over

Good morning.
It's Monday and... yeah, it's Monday.
For the third day in a row now I feel like I have woken up with a hang-over, but sadly.... there was no drinking last night.
I say sadly, because if you are going to feel as though you have a hang-over,  it could have at least been a really awesome night, right?

A crazy busy, sweltering few days in Chicago, walking a hundred miles and getting just two tiny hours of sleep on the second night,
have really done.me.in. I'm still playing catch up.
And that really just means that I am way too old for that nonsense, BUT I'd do it again tomorrow in a heartbeat.

{little corner of my office}

On my list for today ::

little cleaning + straightening
swimming at a friend's house
Hobby Lobby trip
Garden Club tonight
a movie just for me off my Summer Movie list... Dirty Dancing? Jaws? Does anyone have any good Summer movie suggestions?
Favorite stand-bys? I'm not even looking for an amazing movie, just a fun one, really.

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Hope you all have a great Monday.
Come back here tomorrow for Coffee with me... See ya then!

Just Like The College Kids

Wednesday felt like the first honest-to-goodness after-school Spring day.
The kids played outside, Eric worked in the yard and we took the dog for a walk, without Winter coats on.
WITHOUT Winter coats on!
Oh- and not only have we shed our Winter coats, my girl is already all shorts, flip-flops and barefooted, just like the
college kids we laugh at, walking to class in shorts as soon as the frost melts, while freezing their butts off.
She pushes it a little, that girl.

The bubbles were out, trees were climbed and fresh sidewalk chalk the Easter Bunny left here last
week was busted out for the first time of the season.
And of course there was that dreamy light.... oh, how I miss that light during the Winter.

Speaking of  The College Kids, last night a new frozen yogurt place opened up here in walking distance from us right by
Campus, we went with friends after Engineering Night at school and it was crazy crowded with long lines snaking around
inside and out.
We were in line by a lot of college kids, for a long time and I left there feeling a little OLD... and not OLD as in I didn't
"get" what they were talking about, but old as in being that age kinda feels like a lifetime ago.
It's funny how time and stages in your life can feel both SO far away at times and not so far away
other times. Time is weird. Really, really weird.

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So,  I'm off to find a bathing suit for my upcoming girl's trip(the one that is coming up really fast) and
unlike The College Kids, this girl's trip won't be over Spring Break and also unlike The College Kids, this mama needs a
rather un-flattering bathing suit, that covers as much as possible and one that gives this
I-breastfed-two-children-and-I'm-just-plain-old  chest a whole helluva lotta support. Sigh.

Happy Friday everyone, hope you all have a great weekend!
And thanks so much for all of the love on my last post and for not letting me feel like the complete
weirdo that I just might be ; )

Weekly Stills

A collection of snapshots of our days; little everyday moments caught by my lens.
..........

Looking through the pictures on my Nikon and on my phone this week makes me realize
how many are taken inside these days... man, I am so, so ready to be outside again.
Spring, we are ready and waiting!

1. a cold day- but the sun was shining so it was bearable
2. afternoon light from my view on the couch
3. my man working his magic in the kitchen
4. a shot of purple
5. playing in the backyard... this girl loves the snow!
6. new thrift store game, 1950's version of tic-tac-toe
7. wyatt's classroom; 2nd grade art work
8. around the house
9. Sunday, the one day we very occasionally take the newspaper
10. family day: note our make-shift bowling lane on the living room floor
11. snow covered tree in the back yard
..............

We had a great weekend which ended in family over for pizza + bowling today... cousins playing, dressing up... it was a good day.
Actually, it was a really good week.
Happy Sunday!

Instagram Friday = Instant Love

Hey there.
Wow, I must say, I am really happy Friday is here.
I have been feeling a little stir-crazy this week...kinda like how I feel when I am cooped up in the house during the Winter... but it is July...and it is so.freaking.hot.
Like 105* hot, with a heat index of 115* ...what? Really?
Ugh... really.
But, at the same time, I feel like I have accomplished pretty much nothing all week, even though we have been home a whole lot, which is really just kinda dumb.
Just one of those weeks I guess.

Everything outside is wilting and dying, even though we are watering 1-2 times a day.

The rose bush I got for Mother's Day finally bloomed though- and aren't they pretty?

I think they are called Peace roses.

I love the yellow with a tinge of pink.

We have spent lots of time inside this week--along with lots of swimming because that is just about

the only thing we (I) can stand to do out there.

I miss the kids just playing out in the back yard for half the day but hopefully this 

ultra-hot spell will be over soon.

I took the kids to see Brave yesterday. Have you seen it? We all liked it a lot.

It was pretty empty at the theater because I think everyone else had been to the cheap summer 

kid's movie that morning.

Does your local theater do summer kid's movies?

If you are not sure you should definitely check into it, ours are only $2 for

admission/drink/popcorn. 

Same price for kids and adults. Can't beat that!

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Fourth of July fun.

We had cousins over and cooked out.

Ice cream, sprinkler, fireworks, sparklers... what more could a kid want?

Lots of board games, a little baking, lots of sweating and ummmm...way too much fighting if you

wanna know the truth. This heat/lock-down is starting to take a toll on all of us.

What do you have going on this weekend?

Hope you all have a great Friday.

{Everyday Moments}

Last night I stayed up late, wayyyy too late blog reading and TV watching and editing pictures. 

I was not tired and I knew there was nothing to get up for today so I stayed up.

I think it was 1:30 before I headed upstairs. 

Close the windows, turn out the globe light, charge my laptop, open the curtains and look out front...

then up I go.

Sometimes I love being up extra late, knowing that once I get upstairs 

everyone will be sound asleep.

Totally quiet.

On the landing I step on a Lego. 

Again.

But it's okay, it's the last Lego I will step on today anyway.

When I get upstairs I see the ceramic jack-o-lantern that belonged to my dad's mom and

 I leave it on because  I love the light glow it leaves in the hallway.

I check on the kids, both fast asleep.

Wyatt with his bear Petey and his Sponge Bob night light going, windows open.

Charlotte with too many dolls and stuffed animals to count.

In her doll bed next to her bed is her new Cinderella doll, covered up by a

 baby doll blanket her Granny made her for her Birthday. 

Everyone is tucked in.

Asleep now for hours.

One of my favorite times of the night is when they are sleeping soundly, perfectly 

quiet and I can sneak in and watch them for a minute or two.

I walk into my room, walk around to my side of the bed and see

 the rose Wyatt cut for me earlier today.

That afternoon he headed out the front door with scissors, came back with one

 perfect pink rose, went to the kitchen, got a tiny bottle and filled it with water. 

He took it upstairs and put it on my dresser.

When I told him thank you he said he had been 

"keeping his eye on that one and it was perfect now".

I moved it to my bedside table so I could smell it while I was in bed.

No sooner did I lay down and get comfortable then I heard Charlotte's door opening, 

she was headed to the bathroom.

I heard a little whimper from her and instead of cringing at the sound of her door, 

or even cussing under my breath, I got up and went to the bathroom.

My kids don't need me in the night anymore, we rarely hear from them,
and on this particular night I actually welcomed it.
Although, as it turns out, she really didn't need me. 

I picked her up and carried her back to bed, still half asleep anyway.

I got back in bed, windows open and a nice little breeze coming in...wide awake.

I thought about what a great weekend we had celebrating the kids' birthdays with family and friends, how my house still needed cleaned so badly
 and how I had a list a mile long of things I needed to do
 BUT what a lazy relaxing day it was at home with my family
 and how I just love days like that.

Then I thought of the news that a little girl, who just started kindergarten,
just like my little boy, had recently been diagnosed with Leukemia.

Excited to start kindergarten...and then that news.

How that mom is longing for days filled with the monotonous, 

often irritating,  everyday moments.

Where your biggest worry is your messy house, your laundry, your child waking you up
in the night to use the bathroom, finding Lego's all over the house, dishes and
 meals no one likes and breaking up countless fights.  

I laid there and said a silent thank you.

Thank you for letting me be the mother to these kids.

To see them sleeping peacefully, to have a house to close up at night, 

with a rose on my bedside table from my sweet, healthy little boy.

Thank you for the piles of laundry waiting for me, the calls I need to make begging

 for volunteers for the kindergarten tea party this week, 

for the 100 Lego's I will step on tomorrow.
For the good and the bad, I'll take all of it.

Unfortunately sometimes it does take another person's 

devastating news to remember just how lucky we really are

and how grateful I truly am for these everyday moments.

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And now we're off to celebrate Eric's grandpa's 95th Birthday!
Linking up with Heather's Life Made Lovely today.
Because sometimes recognizing the loveliness is half the battle.