So This Happened Today...

I was standing outside the classroom door, waiting for my reading class to come in.

A fourth grade student walks by on the way to her reading class and we have this brief, but meaningful conversation.

Student:  What did you do to your hair?

Me: Um, I don't know, something different I guess?

Student: Oh....well, it looked pretty yesterday!  

Yesterday.  As in not today.

If I had any question at all about how my hair looked, I realized it was pretty much answered right then and there at 8:02 am.

Also pretty sure that early morning text requesting me to sub didn't leave me quite enough time to beautify.

So, yeah!

How was your hair today?!  Or yesterday, if that helps?!

:)

I Helped Madi Make A Tutu For A Water Bottle

Before I became a mom, I would have never guessed that would one day be in my job description.  But sure enough, when Madi's second grade reading class was assigned Biography Bottles, she chose Maria Tallchief, America's first major prima ballerina and first Native American to hold that rank.  So make a tutu for a water bottle we did!

We also made Saturn for her planet project.

And did all that stuff I was telling you about the other day and more.

Now there are four days left.

I'm volunteering all day tomorrow then subbing two out of the final three, so this home stretch is bound to fly by.

I am so ready!!

I can't wait to just enjoy my kids.  

Stop rushing them out the door and hopefully stop nagging so much.

I am tired of hearing my own voice drone on and on about agendas, homework, uniforms, signatures, forms, bedtimes, etc.  (When did I start sounding like that?)

We have had the best school year!  I cannot say enough about their teachers, their school, their progress.  God has generously blessed above and beyond.  We could not have asked for more!

It's just time.

And I'm excited to be home more and say yes more and start slow and end late and just take in the sight and sound of these people I love.

Four more days.

Summer, we are almost ready for you!

Super Tired ~ Greetings From The Month Of May

I was subbing in 2nd grade last week when I saw a mom wearing a t-shirt that read...

Super Wife

Super Mom

Super Tired

It made me laugh out loud right then and there!

Because it's the very merry busy month of May and I know most of us can relate! Okay, it's merry too.  It really is. But I go into May each year knowing it's going to be a whirlwind as we make our way down the home stretch of the school year.  It's a busy time not only at school, but at church and within the community.  We've had a dance program, art fair, music concert, volunteer breakfast, youth group gathering, and two reading ceremonies.  We still have field day and water day and a biography project to finish and a planet project to start and a pool party and senior breakfast and senior awards and a ladies meeting and this Sunday my husband speaks at the baccalaureate ceremony for the local high school.

I'm sure I'm missing something.

Oh yes, that field trip.

These are the weeks I am thankful for frozen pizza and stir fry, Subway sandwiches and parents who run down emergency toilet paper when it gets desperate over here, grace upon grace and finding clean socks for Trev, even if they are mismatched.

It's a season.

A wonderful, full, exhausting one.

I am watching my kids grow and flourish right before my eyes.  It is unbelievable.

I am ending my days feeling like I can hardly keep my eyes open (though this terrible sinus infection I've been fighting is not helping).

I am snapping photos so we can look back and remember these celebrations and ceremonies one day when they grow up and our calendar has more empty spaces.

Amidst this full calendar my husband and I carved out a day to sit side by side, talk face to face, and breathe. Intentional marriage takes planning, and sometimes flexibility (our original date day was changed as we were needed at a funeral).  God gave us an exquisite day at the beach, not a cloud in the sky!  He so generously and graciously restores our souls.

And next weekend we have a surprise planned for the kids. I've been holding it in for weeks now and can hardly stand it!  There are more fun memories to be made and I cannot wait!  Don't you just love surprises?!  I know Madi does - she let me know on Mother's Day.  The famous Miss Sandi at church made these with her students on Mother's Day morning.  It was one of the nicest gifts I have ever received!  Very interesting to see through the eyes of your child what they love and appreciate about you.

So to all you other super moms super tired moms (or teachers) out there making your way through May, I have three words of encouragement to leave you with...

Summer is coming!!!

Just For Fun! {Recent Moments}

Happy Weekend to you!  I hope you are enjoying yours!  Ours has been refreshingly low key.  We spent our Friday night at home, which these days are some of my favorite kind of Friday nights.  The weather was spectacular so after making stuffed shells and steamed broccoli for dinner, the kids and I took a long bike ride then they played with dirt and sticks while Jimmy mowed and cared for our lawn.  I made Trev's favorite yellow cake with chocolate frosting and while we ate it, he seriously wowed us with facts he's been learning about JFK in school.  He is turning into one smart kid! Hard to believe his kindergarten year is coming to a close soon.  

Today was surprisingly chilly and gray.  We had plans to swim and cookout at our friends house and Madi and Trev both jumped right in and happily swam until their lips were purple, despite the cool weather!  It was nice to visit and eat food off the grill and take it easy together.  I was sleepy when we came home and the sky was so dark that I took a nap, which I rarely do.  It felt so good to drift off to sleep in my green chair - until I woke up and everyone was having emotional breakdowns, needing Mommy and something to eat right that second even though I was still in a foggy delirium (which reminded me why I don't usually take naps)!

I ended up with a few minutes to myself (the beauty of grandparents right down the road), so I thought I'd share a little of this and that from the last week or two.

Some outfits are just plain happy, and this was one!  I got this top and skirt on extra clearance at a J. Crew outlet while in Maryland.  I always seem to come back around to polka dots in the spring!  

I started a couple of my mornings this week with coffee in a beautiful yellow mug from my friend Laurie, who always treats me to the perfect little surprises.

I made some of these pencil jars for a flea market I participated in and Madi wanted one so badly.  I finally made her a monogrammed one and surprised her with it after school one day!

Speaking of the flea market, it was so much fun!  I got to spend the day with a great group of people and it was a delightful new adventure.  I enjoyed the creative process and was thrilled that quite a few of my homemade items sold, including this wreath which was one of my favorites!

Our friend Linda recently threw a surprise birthday luncheon for my grandma for her 87th birthday.  The past few years have been quite a struggle for her physically and mentally, and my mom has been such a trooper as her caregiver (which is a uniquely challenging role).  The day of her party she was in great spirits and looked fabulous, and we had a good time with lots of laughter!

During one of her temporary stays at a facility, my mom kept encouraging her to join the activities.  When the subject of bingo came up my grandma (spunky lady that she is) told my mom she saw no point in playing there because they didn't play for prizes. So...at her party, we had bingo with prizes - and good prizes!  I was the first winner and won a pearl bracelet set which was perfect since I'm a pearl-lovin' girl!  There was a tense moment or two when GG hadn't won yet - but rest assured, she won both of the last two games fair and square and got herself a prize!  It was a hoot.  

Madi's class recently went on a field trip to the zoo and Jimmy and I both went as chaperones.  We especially enjoyed the giraffes, and Madi got the experience of feeding one which was fun (and progress, since the opportunity to milk a cow on her kindergarten trip to the farm wasn't as well received, shall we say).

Madi recently turned 8 and our friends gave her one of those Skip It things that you wrap around your ankle and jump over.  Madi is quite the active little girl and took to it right away, and has a personal record of 366 consecutive jumps.  She wanted me to try it after school one day so I strapped it on my right ankle and gave it my best shot. It made it half of a rotation around, slammed into my left big toe so hard it left it throbbing, broke my toenail, and took a chip out of the polish.  I think it is safe to say she did not get her athletic genes from me!  We were doubled over laughing and she kept begging me to try again.  Right then and there I accepted the fact that I will never be a Skip It record setter and refused the offer.  :)

Well, the troops are back.  Trev is enthusiastically telling me the update on my brother's volleyball team's playoff game and wants me to look up a water gun that he wants to buy soon with his money.  Madi is snuggled up next to me and just informed me she is in a better mood because Grammie always puts her in a better mood. Those Grammies! There is just nothing like them.

Love my family and friends!

Enjoying these days.

Looking forward to worshiping with my church family tomorrow.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

High Five For Friday!

I was off today!!!  No subbing, no piano lessons, no volunteering.  It is a gorgeous blue sky day here.  I spent my morning eating breakfast outside with two girlfriends - what a treat! Ran a few errands and if all goes well I should have about an hour to myself before I need to get the kids from school.  I'm feeling inspired and made a stop at a craft store, so I think I'm going to turn up the music and get my craft on for a little while!

A few snapshots from this past week...

One - celebrated National Frozen Yogurt day - just me, my green chair, and a carton of cookies and cream froyo

Two - made an Aldi run for the first time in awhile, good to save some $$

Three - still so much sickness going around the school (and everywhere), always try to eat nutritiously but really focused on extra fruits and veggies this week

Four - my mom said she thought of me when she saw these - office supplies meet retro 80's glam - fun surprise

Five - loving my $4 scarf because polka dots are just so cheerful and the light neutral tones seem to fit this weather

We are going to have an action packed weekend!!!  Happy Friday!


Linking up with Lauren at High Five For Friday

High Five For Friday!

1) Always feel energized when I wear my favorite color!  Yellow makes me happy.

 2) Did some crafting for the first time in a while.  Nice to freshen things up.

3) Usually pick up discounted gourmet coffee when I am at Marshall's, this one was a definite perk of my week!  So good.

4) Found this dress on clearance for $14 when shopping with my mom and couldn't resist, wore it and loved it.  Nice to wear something a little out of the ordinary.

5) Wrote this word down so when I see it, I can remind myself that people or circumstances can't steal the joy of Christ that is within me!  Need that reminder often.

Now I'm off to hit the trail to walk a few miles with friends, then I will spend the afternoon teaching 5th grade...hope you have a great day! It's Friday!!!!!

Linking up with Lauren at High Five For Friday.

Wordless Wednesday

Last Week In A Glimpse

*You would not have believed the excitement over this super simple breakfast.  It was even said that I cook the "best things in the universe" by the pickiest eater in the house!  But I must admit, warm blueberry muffins, bacon, and coffee make a home smell amazing.

*It was definitely a week for sea life around here.  Between dolphins dancing at Epcot and sea creatures galore on Madi's field trip to the aquarium, we got to take in some pretty fantastic views of God's creation this week.

*The past few days have been sunny and just gorgeous, but gray skies and chillier weather earlier in the week made hot cocoa the perfect homework companion.

*I was given this scarf by a sweet lady in our church and think it is so pretty.  Such a nice surprise...it was cozy and cheerful on a cool day!

*My mom and I did a little sale shopping and she bought me this great little blazer for $10.  Loving it!!

I don't know about you, but I was thankful to be in the Lord's house today and in His Word.  What a blessing to worship freely.  Tonight finds me extra exhausted and ready to turn in very soon...a new week has begun and we will see what it holds!

Man, I Feel Like A Woman {And Starfish}

There is this new Ariel ride at Disney, and a few months ago in the midst of an incredibly busy season, a couple girlfriends and I rode it during a preview day while our kids were in school.

When we entered the room where the sea creatures dance under the sea, there were all these colorful starfish with super happy, smiling faces on the walls. And these starfish, they would just spin round and round and round and round, never stopping, just spinning.  I sort of laughed to myself and made the comment to my friend that these days I feel like those starfish, spinning and spinning from one thing to another. She looked at them and said, "Hey, at least you're still smiling!"

(Photo credit: Google images)

But really, it's the rhythm of womanhood, this constant spinning from role to role, and honestly it can be exhausting but sometimes it's just plain amazing and you have to laugh when you think of all a day can hold for a woman.

Last night I chuckled as I reflected on my day, a day not nearly as busy as some, a day that wasn't as packed minute to minute as tomorrow promises to be, yet still my 
roles constantly changed throughout it.  I have a feeling it will look familiar to most of you...

It started as usual, getting up in the dark, packing lunches, making breakfast, making sure backpacks were packed and kids were dressed and sent off to school with a kiss and a prayer. 

I've been working quite a bit but the plan was to have a day at home, so I settled in for coffee and time with God, then hit the trail with two friends for exercise and conversation.  We walked four miles and talked nonstop as women do and need to do. We were almost back where we started when my phone rang.  It was the school asking if I could be there in an hour to work a half day.

There went my plans to catch up on housework, pick up groceries, and wash the gray right out of my hair!  We quickly finished our workout and I drove home with just enough time to jump in the shower, eat an early lunch while simultaneously putting on makeup and getting dressed, and get to school to teach second grade.  

When the bell rang and school was over, I gave snacks to my two little loves then sent Madi to art club and took Trev to the library where we worked on his homework and reading.  At 4:15 we headed home where I made another snack and spent most of the next two hours working with Madi on classroom homework, vocabulary homework, and reading.  By the time we finished Jimmy was home from work and I was rushing to get the kids out the door with my parents so he and I could head out for an overdue dinner date, just the two of us.

But there was a student in our youth group who had a basketball game and Jimmy wanted to go out to support him, so first we headed off to the high school gymnasium and cheered him on and after they won the game we headed to Carrabba's for adult conversation over hot minestrone soup, fresh Caprese salad, and a shared steak.

However, since I ended up working and we had no milk, orange juice, cereal, etc., we had to stop at the store on the way home and ended our date night standing in the world's slowest checkout line.  (This is real life romance here!)  Since we hadn't ordered dessert, I picked up some frozen yogurt and was looking forward to enjoying some later, that is if didn't melt already while waiting in that crazy line.

It was late when we finally got home, and I got to work putting away the groceries and folding a gigantic pile of laundry that left me with about 10 missing socks.  Seriously. And if my day hadn't been reflective enough of a day in the life of a woman, I ended the night by accidentally singlehandedly eating that entire pint of frozen yogurt straight from the carton. Oops.

This stuff of being a woman.

It's a multi-faceted, often complicated journey.

It is no wonder we sometimes talk out loud to ourselves!

But we're in this thing together, girls.

And here's a reminder as we face the rest of this day, and the next and the next and all each one holds for us...in God's strength, we can do this. 

When the spinning becomes dizzying, He is the equilibrium that steadies us.

So spin on, smiling starfish, spin on!

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:13

High Five For Friday!

(And yes, it's already Saturday, but the kids had no school yesterday so Jimmy worked on his usual day off so we could enjoy a family day yesterday...we were out from early morning to late night having a ball!  Thankful for days like those!)

1) Treated myself to new pens. When my husband came home from work and saw the huge pack he teasingly made the comment that if anyone needed some Paper Mates, we had some.  To which I surprised myself by responding immediately (and a little defensively), "Those are mine." But I mean, really, you don't mess with a girl's
colored pens!  :)

2) Speaking of my husband, he is incredibly creative and resourceful and has been sprucing up the building where our youth group meets.  He imitated an idea he saw online for these awesome panels and they look amazing.  Even more amazing is that they are simply hand built, hand painted frames strung with yarn then illuminated!  He makes me proud.

3) Baked a cake for my grandma for her 87th birthday.  She has been in and out of the hospital these days and not doing so well.  But she requested chocolate cake with white frosting and she used to make the same for me when I was younger, so I'm glad I was able to do this small thing for her.  (And I have to say, it was delicious!)

4) Some days call for a big ol' pair of earrings.

5) And others (like this breezy one spent outside) call for hats and little boots.

Enjoy your weekend, everybody!

Linking up with Lauren at High Five For Friday