Sweet Summer Time

Summer is something I look forward to all year long. Not because of the heat or the longer days, but because of so much more. Summer is when we can enjoy waking up on our own, without alarm clocks going off, followed by lazy mornings. Give me a good book and a cup of hot coffee in a ceramic mug over rushing out the door and trying not to slosh coffee out of a travel mug while racing to school any day of the week! I am not one to sit a lot so I use Summertime to do projects around the house. My current project is removing ALL the 90s style wallpaper in our kitchen. It's not a project I particularly enjoy, but I can't wait to see the final result. I enjoy taking my dog for a walk when it's not 9000 degrees outside. And when it is, I enjoy going to the gym with the boys. But, let's be honest....I don't enjoy staying as long as they do. I'm not a gym rat by any means, but I enjoy getting some daily exercise. I love traveling and Summertime is when we get to do that. This Summer we aren't traveling as much as we usually do (trying to learn to live within our means is for the birds!!). But, so far I have been to Cali, Alabama and Georgia. I'll get to go back to Alabama at least one more time with the boys for church camp and then E and I are meeting up with my brother in Houston at the end of the Summer. Another favorite Summer activity is napping. When I don't sleep well or am tired from being so busy, I love a good afternoon nap. I could make a living off of being a napper if my schedule allowed it. I enjoy meeting up with friends for lunch, trying new lunch places with the boys and cooking meals (or making milkshakes) for my family in the evenings. 

All of these things are great, but my absolute hands-down favorite part of Summer is that it is a stress free few months where the boys get along. One of my most favorite things is watching our boys hang out together, goofing off, fishing, going to the gym together, run errands together. There are very few things that top that in my book because it's something I pray for often. I pray that they are not only brothers, but also friends, that they enjoy each other's company. That doesn't always happen so when it does, it sure makes my mama heart happy! 

Awe, the joys of sweet Summertime!

Rambles

I’m not blogging because I have a lot to say. I’m blogging just because. I had a few things I was going to blog about last week, but that seems like forever ago and I’ve forgotten what the topics were. So, this will just be a rambling blog instead. Forgive me.

A week ago I was celebrating the end of the school year with a big 6th grade style field day. It was a beautiful day and a fun way to say goodbye to yet another school year. That seems like it was much longer ago. I closed up my classroom Tuesday and got on a plane early Wednesday morning to come help my mom recover from knee replacement surgery. It’s not often that I visit my parents without the boys in tow and, as much as I miss them, I cherish this time with just me and my parents (despite the circumstances).

This Summer won’t be as hectic as usual. Yes, we have some fun little trips planned, but I also want to get some upgrades done around the house. I’ve already painted the mud room and, with E’s help, I am removing the wallpaper that covers most of the kitchen so I can paint it and make it look less 1990s.

I also want this to be a somewhat relaxing Summer because next year will be busy with it being P’s Senior year. How is it our baby’s Senior year already??!! Just yesterday he was dancing on the laundry basket, with a toy guitar, singing “Cruise” at the top of his lungs. How he has come so far! And we couldn’t be prouder of the young man he’s becoming! He worked part time and maintained good grades with a heavy class load this past year. So I’m glad that his Senior year won’t be as strenuous. The next chapter, after high school, is up in the air, but he will put his heart into whatever he decides to do.

E made the jr high baseball team again and decided that’s the only sport he wants to focus on this year. While I understand why he’s decided this, I think that being a multi sport athlete is very beneficial. But, between taking advanced classes, working part time and playing school ball, he’ll definitely stay busy.

Well, I rambled long enough without even getting half of what I wanted to write in this blog. Oh well. Until next time……

Empty Nesters Practice

Growing up, I was never one of those girls who said I couldn't wait to be a mom when I grew up. I knew I'd be one, Lord willing, but I didn't obsess about it like some of my friends. Being a mom, however, has become one of my greatest joys in life. As the boys get older each year, it brings a new element to parenting and a new kind of joy. But, it also comes with a new reality and a new bittersweet feeling.

You see, now that the boys are growing up more, they are becoming busier. They are working and have a social life. Which means that Rob and I are getting a taste of being empty nesters. There are afternoons where both boys are at work and Rob and I are at home. There are evenings where the boys have gone to a youth event together, giving Rob and I an evening together. 

At first I worried about it just being the two of us. Our world revolves around our boys. What do we talk about? Do we have enough common interests to keep us from getting bored? What I'm finding out is that I really enjoy dating my husband again. We go on fishing dates, go for drives like we used to do before having kids, go out to eat once in a blue moon. Sometimes we just sit and watch a ball game or talk about our day. Regardless, I enjoy our newfound time together.

So, as our boys grow older and begin branching out more, I will be thankful for this new chapter. I will be thankful for the time spent with each boy, time spent with both of them, time with just me and Rob and time as an entire family. It's a beautiful phase of life and I will soak up every moment of it!

Fridays Are my Favorite!

I naively thought that when E decided not to do travel ball this Spring, that it would free up our schedule. And it has.....to add different things to our calendar. Travel ball has been swapped out for fishing tournaments. But that, for the most part, does not include me. I watch the blast off (when I don't oversleep) and go to the weigh ins. 

Despite having my Saturdays free, Fridays have become my favorite day. I was laughing with E the other day, telling him that most people are busy on the weekends but just go to school/work on the weekdays. We are just the opposite. Between school events, church and work, we are so incredibly busy during the week. But, the weekends for me, are spent cleaning, catching up on laundry and doing projects around the house. Most weeks I am on countdown mode to Fridays, when I can relax and be on my own agenda.

Fridays are when I can take a deep breath, make dinner (sometimes) and read a book or catch up on shows that I've missed during the week. Fridays are when I can put the stress of the school week behind me. Fridays are when I can shut off my phone and enjoy family time. Fridays are when I can fall asleep in the hammock or walk Rebel for more than a half mile. Fridays are when I can lounge around and doze off on the couch as the TV plays in the background. Fridays, at 2:30, are when I can begin to reset for the new week ahead.

As with a lot of families, it is that busy time of year. School is wrapping up, sports are becoming the weekend norm and Summer plans are being made. So, I will enjoy the quiet Fridays when I can because they are my favorite!

Class of Their Own

This morning, in our Sunday School class, our teacher asked us who we would consider to be in a class of their own. My friend, Nikki, pointed to Rob at the same time I was thinking that I would put her in a class of her own. Not in a bad way, but in a way that I try to emulate. She exudes joy, even when things are getting thrown at her and people are trying to bring her down. You see, she's not only our friend, but she's also the school's administrative assistant. There are days I walk into the office and, despite her beautiful smile, I can tell she's in "duck mode". She looks calm on the surface, but she's paddling like crazy under it, trying to stay afloat. The thing with her, though, is that most people wouldn't know that because she makes everyone feel special. She makes them feel like she has all the time in the world for them and I want to be more like that. I get caught up in my head with all that has to get done and I overlook the people around me. I want to be more like Nikki because she's in a class of her own for sure.

Another who is in a class of his own is our boy, E. I tell my students every year that junior high is such a hard age. But, I don't think they truly get it until they're there. E is in the throes of it right now, but he refuses to give up. He's not the best at baseball or the Beta president or the straight A student anymore. But, he keeps trying. He was under the weather last week, but he still played his baseball game. He was under the weather, but refused to stay home from school. He was under the weather but still went to work and Bible Study....after going to school all day. He has grit! He is not perfect and he has consequences when he messes up. But, I'm thankful that he is determined to not give up even when he's not feeling it.

As we discussed today, there are many people who can be in a class of their own. So, if you had to choose someone that fits that criteria, who would it be?

A Day of Love

On one of our first dates I told Rob that, if things got serious between us he needed to know something important about me. I don't do Valentine's Day. Maybe it's because I worked at a flower shop for 7 years so I associated Valentine's Day with bloody hands from dethorning hundreds of roses, long days/sleepless nights and angry customers. Maybe it's because I got married later in life so I was jaded by many "bad" Valentine's Days of past. Or maybe, on the flip side, I watched my parents intentionally love each other 365 days a year so I learned at an early age that love shouldn't just be shown one day out of the year. No matter what skewed my views of Valentine's Day, I am not a fan of the Hallmark holiday.

To me, as I said, love is shown 365 days a year. Yes, Rob and I went out for a nice steak dinner last night. But, it was because both boys were hanging out with friends, we had a gift card to use and we hadn't spent quality time together for a couple weeks. It was a really, really good dinner but tonight's dinner at home will be just as nice because I will have made it for my boys out of love. 

The boys woke up to a small Valentine Day treat and candy. Later today I will make chocolate covered strawberries because both boys love them. I do these things because service is my love language. I LOVE giving to others, doing things for them. That brings me joy. So, today and every day, I will show those around me that I love them through the little things I can do. Whether you go all out on Valentine's Day or it's just another day for you, I hope your day is filled with much love!

Spring in February

 This isn't going to be a long post and it's more for me than anything. It's for me to look back on when it's miserably hot and I'm complaining about the heat.

The Fall is usually a busy time for us- back to school activities, football, golf, deer season. By the time Winter hits, I am ready for slow days. Days where we sit around, watching football or a movie by the fireplace. Days where we roll out of bed at 7am and it's still more dark than light outside. Days where we eat dinner at 5:30pm because it seems so late in the day.

BUT, this is the first time I am over Winter. I have been perpetually cold for 2 months straight. I wake up with a scratchy throat due to a draft in our bedroom. I take scalding hot baths every night, trying to warm up. I bundle up to walk my dog. I charge my battery pack so my heated jacket can be warm all day. The heated seats in our vehicles are on more than they're off. I am over the cold!

Today I woke up, excited, because we have a busy weekend ahead of us. We took the boat out last night and, although we didn't catch anything, it was fun to be on the water again. The boys piled up on our bed when we got home and we did devotions, laughed, talked and didn't have to be piled up under blankets to enjoy our time together. This morning we're heading off to a local beekeeping supply store and then are going to visit a friend in the hospital. Tonight I am going to enjoy a girls' night with 2 of my closest friends. Tomorrow we have a big soup potluck after church and then we may or may not watch the Superbowl. In between it all, I am going to be outside- doing yardwork or playing with my dog. 

It feels like we're waking up from a long Winter's nap and, I for one, am very excited about the warmer weather, busier social life and longer days. Bring on Spring!