Goodbye, 2015.....

Emma, Christmas 2007

It's the end of another year. I am stunned at just how fast the years are moving. Days seem to fly by too fast, even as i do my best to be present in the moment. Perhaps it's because as a family, we just seem to be so very busy; Robert's schedule is very packed, Emma's schedule is filled with school, homework, new friendships, and my schedule is busy just trying to keep up with them! How i wish time would just slow down! I want more time to enjoy this life of mine--a life that i am so grateful and thankful for.

Every year, i make New Year's Resolutions.

And every year, well, those resolutions don't turn out like i think and plan that they will.

So, for 2016, after much thought, i am only doing four, easy (but important!) Resolutions!


1. Show more grace to my family and others.

2. Help folks whenever i can.

3. Work on my friendships.

4. Blog daily, every morning.

I know, i know....but you know, these four things, while easy, are important to do and to remember.

The first one is to just slow down and treat my family with my heart. To act instead of reacting. To take a deep breath and give grace to those i love the most. I don't do that as often as i should as my mouth is busy talking instead of just loving.

The second one is to look for folks that need help and then to help. Doesn't have to be a life changing helping moment (but it could!), but to do something that will help someone. To smile at folks. To offer a kind word. To offer to help and then to actually help.

The third one is something i don't do often. I don't work on my friendships. Friendships with others don't grow unless you work at them. Staying to myself is my comfort zone and has been for a very long time. I watch my daughter in awe as she makes friends so easily. She gives herself to others. She laughs with her friends. She makes a connection with them. I want to be more like her this year.

The fourth one is one i truly need to do. I don't write for others to read. I just like to write. I love words. I love what words have the power to do. And i love to record daily life to read later. I want to have a record of our lives for us to read later. I want Emma to have something to read about herself when she was growing up. She loves stories and hearing about the things she did when she was a baby. It's important for me to do this, not only for her, but for me, too.

Here's to a good year....

Welcome, 2016!

Christmas 2015

It's been a wonderful Christmas.

We've laughed, giggled, had lots of snacks, visited Santa, played games and just have pretty much enjoyed each other. It's been a stressful past few months with the move and selling the other house. It's been nice having all of that stress gone and just being able to relax.

Every morning, i wake up with the knowledge of just how blessed we are. I am thankful and i am grateful for all that we have. My life before was nothing like this...in fact, it was a true horror story. I am lucky to be out of that life, and far away from that life. I know how lucky i am to be where i am. I am so thankful that He brought Robert to me and into my life. I thank God every single day for the things in my life because i know how much i have to be thankful for.

Emma has had a fun Christmas. Gifts that she truly wanted,a few books, gifts from much loved aunts and uncles. For the first time ever, my Dad sent Emma a present. Okay, it wasn't actually from my Dad as my sister sent it from my Dad, but it was to her from him. She was thrilled that he 'sent' something to her. I wish i could give this girl a bigger family, but i think i am going to have to give her some 'friends that are family'. I need to give her friends, old and her age that she can count on and who will love her.

It's been a wonderful Christmas...

...and we are looking forward to the New Year!

Christmas is coming!!

My girl....

....is growing up.

A day at the zoo....

Today was Emma's yearly check up....afterwards, we sneaked off to the zoo. Lots of construction going on here, but we were still able to see the elephants, the reptile house, the flamingos and the stinky petting animal area.

It's been a fun day....although we now both smell like goats!

My heart aches.....

....every year on this day.

Fourteen years ago, the Twin Towers were hit.

The Pentagon was also hit.

And a plane when down in a field in PA.

Thousands of lives were lost.

Some fathers wouldn't be coming home.

Some mothers wouldn't be coming home.

Dear friends were lost.

Our lives and our innocences would be forever changed.

We had been attacked in our own county...something i never thought would happen.

I thought we were safe in our country, that the evil wouldn't, couldn't reach us here.

I thought we were safe.

I sometimes see a plane in the sky and i wonder to myself, "What kind of person came up with the plan to fly planes into buildings? What kind of people plan those kind of things?"

The only answer i have to that is simple: Evil people plan these kinds of things. Evil people carry these things out. Evil people do these things.

Over the years, our country has been seen by other countries as the evil ones. I wonder if it is because they envy all that we have in the United States? Or maybe it's that it is our attitudes or beliefs that we have? Is it because of the freedoms we have? I imagine that maybe it is a mixture of things...i do know that women here in the United States live a life so different than some other countries. Women aren't seen as property here, to be owned by others. I am grateful that i live in the United States; i am grateful my daughter lives in the United States.

Today, flags will be flown at half staff in remembrance of this day and for all of the lives lost.

So many brave people tried to save others that day. So many people came together that day. We forgot our differences, our different views, our different beliefs and we came together. We came together to help each other. We realized that we were all Americans and we needed to help each other thru this.

May we always remember that we are all Americans and look out for others, take care of others and love each other.

God Bless us all...

Treasures

Most of my most treasured things aren't things I have found or bought for myself. In fact, I think all of my favorite things are things that have been given to me.

I feel a bit materialistic at times...because of how much "things" mean to me.

I am attached to things.

And I mean, really, really attached.

When I look at the pieces in the photo below,  my heart swells.  Each piece was given to me by people that I love with all my heart. Some of these pieces were given to me for a birthday or Christmas.

Two of them were given to me for no reason other than the giver knew I would love them.

I feel lucky that I have people in my life who love me.  At times, I am not the most loveable person around.  I have baggage that still is with me and that I fight with. Yet thru that, I have been loved by special people; people who haven't given up on me.

Of course, my relationships have changed over the years with a few of my friends.  I am somewhat lazy with my friendships.  I became a wife, and then a mother. I put friends on the back burner while I tried to figure out my new roles.

Thankfully, my friends gave me room and didn't disappear totally from my life. Facebook came along and it became easier to keep in touch.  I could "visit" while trying to learn my new roles.

Cards are another favorite treasure of mine.  If you've ever given/sent me a card, chances are I still have it. 

Yes, that does make me a bit of a pack rat, but I feel like a LOVED pack rat.

For those of my friends I don't tell mushy stuff to very often, know I am thankful and grateful for you.

And that I love you....all of you.

Saturday mornings....

....are my favorite.

We have done almost NOTHING today.

We didn't have to go to the our other house because the painter's were still there.

There were no errands to run....I did have to take Pickles to our amazing new vet to get her bandage changed, but that was it.

I baked cookies.

Emma & Robert cuddled in our favorite chair and read.

Pickles napped.

I had 2 amazing naps....yes, you read that correctly! 

It is a perfect, beautiful day....

.....aND I am grateful.

Finding things.....

Third Grade....

My girl starts 3rd grade tomorrow at a new school. 

She is so excited.

Her clothes are laid out for the morning.

Her book bag is ready to go.

Her snack and lunch just need to be packed.

I'm praying for a wonderful first day and a year full of learning and fun.

How did we get here so very fast?

Sleep well, my beautiful girl....

Peaceful....

....and beautiful.

What i've learned from moving....

...this time could fill a large notebook.

Seriously, friends, this move was the hardest yet. It was emotional, it was more work than i expected, it was yucky, it was a lot of late nights, it was tiring. I truly think that even if i had started packing earlier, it wouldn't have made much difference--but who knows. The amount of just STUFF we have is amazing--and there is only two adults and one doggy. I truly do not know how in the world my Mom managed to move us so many times alone while my Dad was in the military. She seemed to do it so effortlessly, even with two children who i am sure gave her absolutely no help whatsoever.

What really bothered me the most was how attached i am to my stuff. Not just to my cherished stuff, but to all of my stuff. I am ashamed at how attached i am to my things. I can give myself a pass for being attached to my photos of Emma, things that she made for me, and some of the things i have from my mother and grandmother. But really? I am attached to my art books, my art stuff, stuff that i have done, art notebooks i've done, my Tuscany dinner plates from Italy (they really are beautiful....), my journals, my photo albums...the list seems endless. I was in a panic for three days because i couldn't find my favorite bible.

I know that this is all 'stuff', and what is really important is my husband, daughter and dog....but i made things even more stressful by wanting to know where all my stuff was, where all of the boxes where, how they moved them, where they put them in the other house, and that they were careful with the boxes. I didn't worry this much about the furniture, for heaven's sake!

I think i need to have a chat with God about this.

We are settling in nicely. Boxes are slowly being unpacked and things are being put into their spots. I am doing my best to start off by being organized instead of just unpacking and figuring it out later. Our kitchen is smaller but i have a large pantry that i love. The windows looking out make me feel like i am living in a treehouse! I have always loved those windows. There is a mama deer and her two babies that show up nightly, Emman and i have seen two groundhogs (which we thought were beavers!), and we have found a baby turtle near the house, so it's been really exciting. I do miss the fenced in backyard, though...

Moving back here has been like coming back home. So many good memories here!! Our old neighbors are still here in our cul-de-sac; but i did get the bad news that Deborah, a sweet woman who lived next door to us with her husband and son, passed away about two years ago. She was such a sweet woman and i was really sad to hear that she passed away. Her husband and son still live here so it was good to see the both of them. All of the kids in our cul-de-sac have grown up so much and i'm glad that to see that everyone is happy and healthy. As soon as i get a little more settled, i'll bake something to take to them.

I have finally found the boxes with my clothes...which is really good news.

I'm looking forward to the start of school, Fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving....i think that i need to invite people over this Thanksgiving. We usually have a quiet Thanksgiving or we travel somewhere, but i think that this year, we should stay put and invite lot of friends and family.

Anyone want to come visit us for Thanksgiving?

Blueberry Cobbler Recipe

Blueberry Cobbler Recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup butter melted
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup of sugar (for topping)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for topping)

Directions:
Add flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder to a mixing bowl; stir well to combine.

Add in milk and butter; stir to combine.

Spread batter into a greased 8-inch square baking pan.

Sprinkle blueberries evenly over batter.

Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of sugar and drizzle with vanilla.

Bake at 350* for 40-45 minutes or until a pick comes out clean.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream on top!

(Recipe from food.com)

Los 4 Amigas....

Daylillies....

It's Father's Day....and looked what bloomed!  Of all the daylillies I have, this beauty is my favorite. The colors are just stunning; the red is so vibrant and the yellow is so very bright.  I need to plant these at the old house and pray they multiply.

Emma and I are taking Robert to a movie for Father's Day.  I have a feeling he would rather see something other than "In and Out", but he's being a good sport.

As I see the father he us, it blows me away. He is the most amazing father. Patient.  Kind.  Funny. Challenging.  A wonderful teacher. 

I couldn't have picked a better man as a husband  or father....

Goodbye, House....

Dear House,

We are kinda close to being done packing. The movers are coming tomorrow to take all of our stuff to the other house. Packing is always a nightmare mixed with lots of sadness for me. It's been almost like a walk down memory lane the past few weeks....and it's been a hard walk down that memory lane for me. Tears have been shed in private as i've packed. I keep telling myself that home is where ever we land and that a house is just a house but my heart still aches that we are leaving you.

You've been an awesome home.

I truly thought that you would be my last home and my heart aches that this won't be the case.

I know that the next family will love you just as much as i do.....you have so much to offer a family: lots of room, tons of bathrooms (okay, not "tons" of bathrooms, just 4 bathrooms.), an amazing kitchen area and dining room, a beautiful sun room and a fantastic backyard with the cool fireplace.

Yes, the next family that moves into you will fall in love with you, too.

I am sure of it.

Christmas was always my favorite time of year and you were so fun to decorate. Lots of trees were put up, and too many decorations were always put up, too. The year that it snowed on Christmas was so magical...that's when these photos were taken. Of course, watching Emma grow up these past years has been amazing, too...the pencil marks in the bathroom showing how much she has grown each year since we have been here make me smile. We moved in when she was barely three and now she's eight and going into third grade. I can still hear her giggling as Robert chases her thru the house with Pickles barking at them and chasing the both of them.

So many happy and good memories were made in you...

I need to go finish packing...

Thank you, dear home....thank you for the shelter and all of the memories.

Changes....

....are happening in our lives. We are in the process of moving back into our other home--and I am in the mist of wondering how 2 adults, one eight year old and one dog can have so much stuff.  It is stunning how much stuff we have. 

Stuff.

So.

Much.

Stuff.

Emma's much loved stuffed animals.

Emma's much loved books.

My much loved books.

My much loved photographs.

My photo albums.

My journals.

My Llardo pieces.

My much loved art pieces.

My craft stuff--pens, markers, paints, art jounals.

Emma's baby stuff.

Yes, Emma's baby stuff....

It's interesting; Robert doesn't seem to have "stuff" that he is attached to.

Why is that?

Why doesn't he have stuff he thinks he can't live without?

We have enough Christmas stuff to decorate at least 2 homes.  Who needs a 15 plus foot tree?  And a 8 ft tree and a 4 ft aluminum tree (it's my favorite tree, btw ), and two mini tress? Oh, and three Nativity sets? And let's not forget the stuffed Christmas Santas.

At the rate I am packing, we might be moved in by Christmas....

And that's if I'm lucky.

I will miss this house. I will miss how the sun lights up the kitchen and den. I will miss the amazing arches and molding.  I will miss the doors--the downstairs doors are tall with such beautiful molding. I will miss the fenced-in yard. I will miss the beautiful red cardinal who visits my bird feeder often. I will miss the outdoor fireplace. I will miss our neighborhood pool, too.

I will not miss my neighbor who built Six Flags Over their pool with the loudest pool machines ever.  I have been lucky, I think, and have always had amazing neighbors.  Not so much this time. I will not miss my neighbor.  I will miss the rest of my neighbors,  though.  They have become my friends.

I will not miss cleaning this monster.

I will miss Emma's elementary school. It's such an awesome school.

I will miss this town....but it is growing at a stunning rate.  It won't be little for much longer.

Home, I am learning,  is wherever the three (I mean four!) of us are....

....with all of our "stuff".

Summer begins....

Reading ....

....is a favorite past time around this joint. I'm happy my girl loves to read. So many great books to be read as she grows up.

I am a reader, too.

I remember reading "The Boxcar Chilldren" books, Nancy Drew books, Judy Blume books....

Oddly, one of the most interesting books I have read was called "Dance With The Devil" about the Rwanda genocide.  It was a hard read, but I just couldn't put that book down.

"Double Down" was a good read, too.

Madeline Albright's  books have been good, too.

Of course, I love "reading" cookbooks....I got that love from my Mama. We would pour over cookbooks, looking at photos, discussing ingredients.  "The Columbia Restaurant Spanish Cookbook" is probably my most favorite....but some of my favorite recipes have come from church cook books or Lions Club cook books.

I have tried reading multiple books at the same time....but I can't.  I have to read one book at a time.

Notice I said "book"....

My husband bought me a Kindle for Christmas and I have enjoyed it--especially when we travel.  Yet, I still prefer a book.

I am showing my age, aren't i?  ;)

Growing.....

.....up way too fast. I'm constantly surprised at how tall she's getting. The end of second grade is close-only 6 weeks or so left of the school year.

But, before the end of the year, there is still lots to do and lots to learn! There is the Fun Run coming up, Field Day, class parties, reading about former President Polk, learning more about weather systems....and of couse, Summer Camp.

And let's not forget about getting ready to move!  Lots of fun things and lots of work in our future!

Easter 2015

Happy, Happy Easter!

Snow....again!

We are in Nashville, TN and sometimes get snow.

But not usually twice in the same month!

School is out today....we are using our 7th out of 10 snow day.

Spring Break starts next Friday, though, so we do have that to pook forward to.

Back to staying toasty warm.....

Laura Ingles Wilder

Today is the day!

Emma will be doing her book report presentation on Laura Ingles Wilder.

She has worked really hard on her book report....she wants Mrs. Shockey to think she IS Laura.

So neat to see Emma get excited about books.....

.....because you can NEVER have too many books!

Snow!

Brrr.....baby, it's cold (16°) outside!

Thank You....

....Grandma Dee-Dee!  You are the BESTEST GRANDMA EBER & I LOBE YOU!

Baby, it's cold outside....

I like Winter.  It's not my most favorite season (Fall is my favorite! ), but I still like it.  I like feeding my bird friends outside and the squirrels.  I like making sure there's water for them. Pickles likes these critters, too....but I don't think her barking welcome and chasing them is going to make her popular.

It is very cold here today. I drove Emma to school this morning so she wouldn't have to wait for the bus. It was 8° this morning and I was thankful for the warm vehicle we were in. The schools in our area opened an hour early to make sure the schools were warm for the students when they showed up at their regular time. I think very highly of the school district we are on....and I love Emma's school. Some neighboring school districts were closed today due to the cold and issues with transportation,  but it was fun to see how excited Emma was that there would be school today.  She so loves her teachers!

With weather like we are in, comfort food is a must.  I have a long list of comfort food, of course,  but I think our favorite is pot roast. I have finally mastered it, too! The meat comes out so good and moist--you can pretty much shred it with a fork.

Here is how I make our pot roast:

---Pull roast out of your refrigerator,  unwrap and just let it rest on your counter.

---Put in a favorite CD so you can dance and sing as you get your pot roast things together.

---Cut up about 5/6 cups of potatoes,  carrots, onions, and celery. I try to stuff as many veggies as I can in there, but if I decide to add peas, I add them at the end. There is something yucky about mushy peas....

---Throw cut up veggies into the bottom of your crock pot.  I usually turn the crock pot on after I do this, just to get the party started. (I am such a goof ball....lol)

---Grab the pot roast and lightly pat flour all over it.  Get a skillet, turn the heat to high and then sear the pot roast. This doesn't take much time, and I think it is what holds the moisture in. Make sure you sear every side of your meat.

---Place meat into crock pot, nesting it on top of your veggies. Your crock pot will be very full, but as the pot roast cooks, it will shrink.

---Sometimes, I do my own spices to put on top of the meat, and sometimes I cheat and buy the little pot roast seasoning packs.  The seasoning packs are easier, I think....mix 2 packages of whatever seasoning packs you buy with two cups of water.  I usually do these one package at a time.....and let my daughter help.  This is a great recipe to get your child involved in.....and cooking together is so much fun!

---Crank up your crock pot to low and set the timer for 8 hrs.  Usually, around hour 5, I will turn the crock pot to high and just peek at it every now and again. Don't open the crockpot!!!  Leave it be!! When time is almost done, you can open the crock pot and test your veggies and meat. Actually, I call this part "testing" but I just really want to eat some of thus goodness!

---The two packs of seasoning will make a lot of gravy. I have tried only using one package of seasoning, but the pot roast wasn't as tender as I like it, so I have stayed with the two packages of seasoning.

Pot roast really is a great meal for cold weather.....

Stay warm.....

January 6, 2007

Every year, I tell myself that this day will get easier.

Every year, I tell myself that this isn't a day that needs to be remembered.

Every year, I tell myself that she is better off in Heaven instead of being here with me.

It hasn't gotten easier.

I remember this day every year.

And I still wish she was here with me instead of being in Heaven.

Photos....

So many photos.....but each one has become a memory.