Busy,busy,busy

Does anyone else feel as though they are catching themselves coming and going?

My weeks seem to drag on....and yet there never seems enough time in the day to get everything done on my list (or even half of my list).

My weekends are over and done before I even realize they have begun.

Maybe it is because I try to cram so much in to so little time.

Among other things.... my weekend consisted of my usual visit to the nursing home to visit with grandma, clean out her closet, give her her weekly manicure and fix her hair. This visit followed by my usual shopping trip to Sams. Then you follow that with a trip to Wal-Mart and Target.

Come hope to feed lunch to the children. Scoop up Emily and head out on a pajama hunt (for her best friend's Christmas gift). Follow that up with LARGE purchase of a new bed for Jake.

(It didn't help that Emily and I had to load the thing into the vehicle ourselves....

NO CUSTOMER SERVICE. Rush home to create a wonderful meal for the family.

Sunday afternoon was no better- as I made the mistake of thinking that the gallon of paint that I retrieved from the garage was the kitchen wall paint.... (I had a few spots/scuffs on the kitchen wall I wanted to touch up before the holidays...) Turns out the paint that I generously slapped on the wall in MULTIPLE places.... dried darker than it appeared initially----and I realized it was in fact the LIVING ROOM WALL COLOR...... so...

My kitchen got a fresh coat of paint...... now it matches the living room....

not exactly my plan for the afternoon....but I guess it looks nice and fresh and new....so it worked out in the end. (of course while I was painting, Rowdy was traipsing through the house trying to hang the new doors we got for all the interior doors in the house-- CHAOS.



But- we survived.



Today. One of my closest friends will deliver her second child. I am so excited I can't stand it!!!!

She does not know if we will get a boy or girl, so I went shopping last night and bought an outfit for both---- I want to be prepared to go straight to the hospital after work!!!

(silent prayer that all goes smoothly with the birth).

Her husband is in Afghanistan and will not be present for his baby's arrival. I hurt for her- knowing that she will miss him so much, and that he too will miss this event.

I appreciate the sacrifices he is making for my family...to protect our freedoms and everything I hold so dear to my heart.
That is all for now.... should be doing 101 other things on my list....
More later.... if time allows

Musical Evening

Last night was very exciting for Emily and for all of us. Emily 's school band hosted an evening of music to showcase all they have learned since joining the band at the start of school. For those of you that do not know, Emily's instrument of choice is the SAXOPHONE. The instrument is a beautiful, BIG instrument that weighs almost as much as Emily. She is very dedicated and lugs that HUGE case home almost every evening. She has practiced and practiced and it has paid off.

In the beginning I teasingly (or not so much) said it sounded like a cat in a lawnmower.....BUT

that has changed . Now.... she makes ....MUSIC. She is quite proud of her new found musical abilities... and so am I.

The concert was very nice and I have to admit I was expecting it to be PAINFUL... but it was very enjoyable...and the best part was the pride on the faces of these young musicians.

In just a few short months they have learned more than I will ever know about music and how to create it so wonderfully. If this is what their FIRST concert was like...

I look forward to future musical evenings.

Thank you Emily for all your passion and dedication in all that you do.

I love you and am very proud of you.

love,Mom

PS. Sorry that the photos are less than wonderful.... the seating arrangements may be great for a band concert...but not so much for a proud mom with a camera.

Simple

We put up our "skinny" Christmas tree yesterday. The children were so excited. I remember that feeling... the excitement of seeing the tree. The rush of "Christmas spirit" you feel as you pull out all the decorations from their hiding places.

I love the "rediscovery" of all those old ornaments from season's past. The sentimental ones, the delicate glass ones from special trips, the "crafty" ones created by little stubby hands busy at school. Each and every one of them are so special, with a special memory or story closely connected.

This year- my children surprised me.... although they were interested in looking through the boxes of ornaments, and they wanted to reminisce about what that glass ball or figure means to them...

None of them hang upon our tree this year. Not a one.

It all started on Thanksgiving when Emily decided to use some scrap Christmas material to make homemade garland. She cut out strips of material and carefully tied them to the shiny red ribbon she had found. When it was time to decorate the tree, she carefully wrapped her homemade creation around the tree. It was quite beautiful. Jake joined in and the two of them began to tie the remaining "ribbons" to the tree. After adding several "Christmas Bows"...and ONE single string of red beads.....

They both stepped back and pronounced that the tree was finished. I asked if they planned to add the ornaments from the boxes. They spoke softly and secretively to one another...and proudly said...

"No. We like it like this. It is beautiful... we like it ....SIMPLE !

And that is how it will stay. And I agree.

The tree is SIMPLY Beautiful!