Boxes of books.

May 31, 2017
Day 243

Every night before bed, Matt checks on our kids. He checks on them and covers them up and it makes me smile.

Heavy rain and thunder.

Books. Boxes and boxes and boxes of books. I'm packing and it makes me happy to be able to pack so many books.

Matt just fell asleep while I was writing this with his hand resting on my shoulder.

My flowers are starting to bloom out front. They are deep red.

I found old pictures tonight. And old yearbooks. And old school notebooks.

Time to lay in bed and sleep.

Higbee cuddled in bed with me right now. The first 20 minutes of bedtime is bone chewing time for Higbee.

Tomorrow is Thursday. And the next day is Friday.

Thankful. 

One of the boys.

May 30, 2017
Day 242

This school year is almost over. I'm excited that I will get to stay home with my babes, but I am sad to say goodbye to my students.

I love the sound of quiet, rolling thunder and rain on my windows while I lay in bed and write.

Higbee is the most hilarious dog. Yesterday, he wanted to be up with my dad and Matt while they were working on our bathroom remodel. We kept trying to keep him out of our room because we thought he'd get into stuff, but we finally gave in and let him hang with the guys. All he did was lay on the floor of our room with his head resting on the bathroom floor watching my dad and Matt. Matt said he would sigh now and then. When they finished with their work for the night, they came down to get a drink. While my dad and Matt drank, Higbee sat at his bowl and drank. Then they sat down at the table to talk, and Higbee jumped up and sat down at the table as well. He just wanted to be one of the boys.

Matt likes to hug me for a long time when I come home from work.

I love when my kids smile. They have the most beautiful smiles.

I'm really happy when I get to bed before 9.

Thankful. 

Right off the tree.

May 29, 2017
Day 241

Kind neighbors.

Iced Americanos.

Hugs from my babies.

I got to give Odette a bath tonight.

We had delicious burgers on the grill. With all the fixens.

Fresh watermelon.

Mulberries. We ate them right off the tree.

Time with family.

My dad has been helping us with a big bathroom remodel. He's amazing.

Higbee is very concerned when Odette cries. He comes running from wherever he was and kisses her face.

Tomorrow is Tuesday​. I like beginning the work week on a Tuesday.

Games with the kids.

Cuddling in bed with Matt.

Thankful. 

Strawberry Shortcake.

May 28, 2017

Day 240

Tobin slept in today. 

The way a paper bag full of fresh bagels sounds and feels in your hands.

Rain.

Clouds.

A productive day.

Dinner at Patty's. 

Strawberry shortcake with vanilla ice cream.

Another day at home with my loves.

Old prom pictures.

Time with my parents.

Cuddling in bed with my babes.

Cuddling in bed with Matt. 

Games with the bigs and littles. We call Casey and Adelyn the bigs, and Tobin and Phia are the littles. Odette is the wee bairn. 

Thankful.

Quiet Day.

May 27, 2017
Day 239

Tobin and I had breakfast out together today.

It was a quiet day. We didn't do much. But we needed to be still and quiet and home.

Tobin looked outside today and said, "It's a beautiful day out there."

I took a nap on the couch.

I got to see my mom. I like to talk and laugh with her.

We did a bit of cleaning.

I made pasta for dinner and it was glorious. Cheesy pasta with a good sauce makes for a good Saturday night.

I still have two days off.

I like when Matt's foot touches mine in bed.

Thankful.

Square Dance

May 26, 2017
Day 238

The weather was gorgeous today.

The mother son square dance was a big success. All the mothers and sons seemed like they had a great time. It was a fun night!

I have a three day weekend ahead of me!

I get to sleep in tomorrow.

It's time to sleep.

Thankful. 

Wildflowers.

May 25, 2017
Day 237

For rain.

For heavy rain on the windows.

For cool weather.

For Friday. I'm so ready to get my weekend on.

For hand picked wildflowers in glass jars ready for the dance tomorrow.

For Sue who came with me to pick the flowers. She brought a big flashlight because she thinks of everything.

For the deer we saw while picking flowers.

For Patty. She can always make me laugh.

For phone calls from my mom.

For phone calls from my dad.

For my husband who has been taking care of the kids a lot this week while I'm busy planning and preparing for this dance.

For a new outfit for the dance.

For people willing to help at the dance tomorrow.

For a three day weekend.

Thankful.

Wide open spaces of grass and sky.

May 24, 2017
Day 236

I had to drive an hour each way for our field trip today, and those two drives were glorious. The sky was cloudy and gray. The mountains were extremely green. The clouds were coming down the side of the mountain, and the wide open spaces of grass and sky were simply lovely. It made me so thankful for eyes.

There were wildflowers everywhere.

We had a great field trip.

My family was happy to see me when I got home.

It's almost Friday.

I am so excited for this long weekend.

My friend spent her precious time this evening taking me to Costco so I could purchase all the things I need for the mother-son dance.

Thankful for this fine day.

Thankful. 

Field Trip Days

May 23, 2017
Day 235

It was a rainy evening. I love a cool and quiet rain.

Higbee always jumps up to kiss me when I come home. And even though he's not supposed to be jumping up, I can't be mad at him.

I'm going on a field trip tomorrow with my class. Field trip days are awesome!

My babies were in bed early tonight.

Thankful for AJ. He took Adelyn and Casey on their field trip today.

My kids really want to buy books from the book fair at school. That makes so happy!

Thankful for my husband, my kids, my family, and my home.

Thankful.

The sound of rain on the windows.

May 22, 2017
Day 234

The sunset this evening was spectacular. It made me happy to be alive.

It was cozy and comforting to wake up to the sound of rain on the windows. I love waking up to the sound of rain.

I got to go to Wegman's with Patty tonight because Odette is such a good sleeper. I

Casey, Phia, Tobin, and Adelyn were all sitting on Patty's new bar stools in the kitchen, eating handfuls of peanuts, and shooting the breeze like they were in a bar somewhere.

I got to hold sweet Odette today.

I put letters in the mail today. I love the mailbox.

Higbee was calm and quiet and tired today.

My husband gives me the best hugs when I come home from school.

It is now time to sleep all night until morning.

Thankful.

A pleasant Sunday.

May 21, 2017
Day 233

For warm showers.

Adelyn and Tobin made us breakfast this morning. It was very sweet. We each had a plain piece of bread and a fancy napkin folded in a fancy way.

My parents came over this afternoon to help us with our house.

They bought us pizza and dessert.

We got a lot done in the house.

I had a great time being with my parents today.

Time to sleep!

Saturday.

May 20, 2017
Day 232

Had a great night with friends.

Had a great day with my family.

For bottles of red wine.

The kids helped me clean the house for company.

It was cool and breezy tonight.

I'm exhausted. It's time to sleep.

Fri-YAY

May 19, 2017
Day 231

It's Friday. Fri-YAY!

I got to go out tonight with some of my favorite ladies.

Tacos.

My students and I  had a picnic lunch together today.

There is time to lay in bed.

It is time for sleep.

I'm exhausted. Sleep will be so so good.

Thankful

Things to be thankful for this Thursday.

May 18, 2017
Day 230

My kids were happy and excited this morning because I bought them both fidget cubes. They told me I was the best mom ever.

My salad for tomorrow has olives in it.

It rained hard tonight.

Tomorrow is Friday.

I'm having a picnic lunch with my students tomorrow.

Higbee is very cuddly tonight.

I can't wait for the weekend so I don't have to set my alarm. Waking up to an alarm clock has got to be the most unnatural way to wake up.

I'm excited to see my family this weekend.

I'm excited to work on my house this weekend.

It's not going to be so hot tomorrow.

Thankful. 

4 things on a very tired night.

May 17, 2017
Day 229

For blue sky and puffy clouds and a pleasant morning.

For red, ripe strawberries.

For chats with my Mom.

For time to sleep.

Me.

May 16, 2017
Day 228

Even though this day was hot, the morning was cool.

Tobin and Adelyn are always happy to see me.

Higbee jumps up to kiss me when I come home.

Tobin helped me set the table for dinner.

Adelyn's eyes are so blue.

Tobin's eyes look just like Matt's eyes.

Matt loves me so much that he lets me have the controller every single night.

It's exciting looking at houses online with Matt and dreaming about things like a big yard.

My students were very sweet today.

I had the best lunch of leftovers today.

I have a friend who told me that she was thankful for me today. Me. 

Tomorrow is my favorite day at school. We read all morning.

I love to read to my babies at night. I love to tuck them in. I love to kiss their little lips and touch their soft faces. I feel especially thankful for my little ones tonight.

I love that tomorrow is a fresh, new day. I love this fact: If I didn't like the way I did something today, I can just wake up tomorrow and try again.

Thankful. 

It was a good Monday.

May 15, 2018
Day 227

The sky was perfect this evening. I'm always amazed and bewildered by the way the sky goes from blue to light blue to purple to light purple to pink to a yellower pink to a peach color without one single line that separates the colors.

We had leftovers at Patty's tonight.

When I first come home from school, Tobin and Adelyn yell, "Mommaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

I love cuddling in bed with my husband and my pup.

Tucking my kids into bed and kissing them goodnight makes my heart happy.

It was good to see my students today.

The sky was so blue today. It was windy. It was cool. It was good.

I love chatting with friends at work. I'm so blessed to be able to work with such lovely people.

I talked with Patty on the phone tonight while I went grocery shopping, so it was like she was with me.

Casey loves to read Magic Tree House books, and it makes me so happy that he loves to read.

Adelyn and I love to cuddle at night and read. We're back to Farmer Boy. I love reading with my babes.

Matt has been reading The Sneetches and The Foot Book every night to Tobin. I like to stand in the hallway and listen to them reading together for a minute or two before Adelyn and I start reading.

There is a show called, Anne with an E, on Netflix. I'm super excited about it.

It was a good day.

Thankful. 

A day to celebrate motherhood.

May 14, 2017
Day 226

     This morning, our kids woke us up by crawling around in our bed, looking for the remote, and fighting. The entire house is filled with their toys and books and things. Our walls are speckled with their papers and drawings. I am not able to escape them anywhere. Not even when I'm in the shower. Most times, they jump right in with me. Our lives are a bit messy with them around. But I would take our messy lives over a neat and tidy life any day. I am beyond grateful for my little ones. They make every day worth getting up in the morning. They make every day a little bit more lovely and special and fun. They are the greatest gifts I've ever received. Thankful for my babes.

     Thankful for my mama. She is one of my best friends, and I'd be lost without her.

     Thankful for my grandmother, Gamie. She's a beautiful woman, inside and out.

     Thankful for Sue, Matt's​ mom. She is a lovely person, and she's always made me feel like family.

     Thankful for Patty. She's my person. Without her, I'd be sad and lonely and without laughter.

     Thankful for a lovely meal followed up by a lovely dessert of pie. Coconut Creme, Banana Cream, and Chocolate Creme pies to be exact. Thankful for time with family. Thankful for a day to celebrate motherhood.

There's no place like home.

May 13, 2017

Day 225

     It was a sweet day with my sweet family. We went to breakfast. We went to Trader Joe's. That's always an adventure when the whole family goes. It means lots of cookies in our cart. We cleaned and organized. We had a lovely dinner. Roasted chicken with tons of carrots. Carrots that have been roasted with a chicken are one of my favorite flavors. After dinner, we watched a movie in bed together; The Wizard of Oz. I love watching old movies with my babes. And as Dorothy said at the end of the movie, "There's no place like home," I looked around at my family cuddled in bed together, and I thought to myself that truer words have never been spoken. It was cloudy and misty and cool today. It was a pleasant Saturday, and I'm thankful that I had it to enjoy. 

Thankful. 

A day done well.

May 12, 2017
Day 224

It was cloudy and rainy today.

I love Fridays.

Looking forward to a rainy weekend.

It is the best feeling not having to set an alarm clock.

I got to hold baby Odette today. She is the sweetest baby.

I got to see my mom today.

Tobin and Adelyn are both cuddled together in Tobin's bed for the night.

We had a dance party at school today.

I'm excited to celebrate Mother's Day with the people I love.

I'm excited to work on the house this weekend.

It was a good day. I love going to bed with the feeling of a day done well.

Thankful.

Thursday's List.

May 11, 2017
Day 223

Adelyn and Tobin made me laugh a lot tonight.

Matt hugs me for a long time when I come home.

I got to hold Odette just as she was waking up, and she looked at me.

Higbee got in the bathtub tonight and it was hilarious.

Tomorrow is Friday.

I'm excited to see my family this weekend.

It was so rainy today, and apart from getting soaked this morning walking to the car, it was lovely.

It's cool outside.

I made toasted quinoa tonight and it was delicious.

Thankful.

For...

May 10, 2017
Day 222

For my husband.

For my babies.

For my Higbee boy.

For blue sky.

For cool air.

For bunnies in the front yard this morning.

For hard boiled eggs.

For books.

For time to read.

For Casey and Phia.

For Patty.

For texts from friends.

For time to write.

For time to be thankful.

For ice cold water.

For Dr. Quinn.

For phone calls from my mom.

For friends at work.

For my students.

For the wind.

For the trees.

For time to sleep.

Thankful.

Hugs for no reason.

May 9, 2017
Day 221

Tomorrow is Wednesday and I get to read all morning with my students.

It's cool outside.

The sky has been so blue lately.

Higbee waits up for me.

Tobin ran to me tonight and hugged me tight. For no reason other than to hug me.

Adelyn and I read together tonight. She says cuddling in bed with me and reading makes her feel all better.

Matt and I were being silly and having fun together tonight.

I get to sleep all night now.

Thankful. 

Moon Cheese

May 8, 2017
Day 220

It was a glorious day. This weather makes me happy to be alive.

I got to talk with a very close friend tonight. Catching up with friends is good for the soul.

I have moon cheese for tomorrow. Whenever I have moon cheese at school, I tell my kids that moon cheese really does come from the moon and that it is harvested fresh daily.

Higbee was cuddling with me in bed just now.

I love kissing my kids goodnight. They always look so sweet when they're laying in bed. And they always have fuzzy hair and soft skin from their baths.

My husband makes me laugh every day. I'm so lucky to spend my days with the love of my life.

I love chatting with my mom and dad on the phone in between weekend visits.

I can't wait to spend my summer days with my sister and our babies.

I have amazing friends at work.

Thankful. 

Demo.

May 7, 2017
Day 219

The weather was lovely today. I am loving this amazing cool weather.

I had a lazy morning at home with my kids and Higbee. Then we went to Patty's and we were lazy some more. We were lazy but it was wonderful.

I got to hold the sweetest baby.

I got to hold my sweet babies.

My dad came over to help us with some home projects. Matt and I have decided that we are moving, so my dad is helping us get our house ready to put on the market. It's exciting, but it's daunting.

We got to do some demo today, and it was awesome. There is something so amazingly satisfying about ripping tiles and dry wall down with a hammer. I could do demo all day long. I was especially happy to rip out the tiles of our shower stall and remove the shower doors. Those tiles and those shower doors were the bane of my existence. They were impossible to clean. This is TMI, but it had to be done naked, or else my clothes would be sopping wet by the time I was done. I had to wear shoes and sit on a stool naked in our shower in order to clean it. So yeah, ripping those tiles off one by one with a hammer felt pretty darn good today.

My dad had dinner with us tonight, and he told me that it was delicious, that it was really good, and that he really enjoyed it. Coming from the best chef I know, this is huge compliment.

I am so excited that I have lesson plans done for the rest of the year. It makes me really happy.

I love that my husband kisses me when I come home.

Tomorrow is a fresh, new Monday.

Thankful. 

Good Saturday.

May 6, 2017
Day 218

I got my lesson plans done for the rest of the year.

It was rainy and cloudy today.

We had a lovely dinner at Patty's tonight.

My dad bought dessert for everyone and it was delicious.

We played games in the basement with the kids and it was hilarious.

Tobin and I went grocery shopping this morning. He likes to pick out sweets and cookies. Also cheese and strawberries.

I got to hold baby Odette and help with her bath. She's so tiny and sweet.

It was a good day.

Thankful.

Rainy Friday Night.

May 5, 2017
Day 217

It's Friday night.

It's raining.

I don't have to set the alarm in the morning.

We have a family day planned for tomorrow.

It's going to rain this weekend. And it's going to be cool.

I get to watch Dr. Quinn now.

And then I get to sleep all night until tomorrow.

Thankful. 

20.

May 4, 2017

Day 216

Red, ripe strawberries. 

Adelyn.

Tobin. 

Rain. 

Cloudy days.

Big, comfy sweaters.

Higbee.

Music.

Hot tea with honey.

Moon cheese.

Square Dance planning.

My students.

Matt. He loves me even when I'm cranky.

Friday.

A rainy Saturday to look forward to. 

Plans for Saturday according to the kids: 

1. Go to a new playground.

2. Watch a movie and eat popcorn in bed. 

3. Read.

4. Eat dessert. 

The sound of rain on the windows.

The sound of the train going by.

Time to lay in bed and watch Dr. Quinn. 

Sleep. 

Thankful. 

Glorious.

May 3, 2017
Day 215

There was a free lunch at school for the teachers from Panera today. It was tasty!

This day was glorious! Blue sky, warm sun, cool breeze, puffy clouds.

Adelyn and Tobin are the lights and loves of my life.

I love how many kisses Higbee gives me when I come home.

I'm so thankful to sleep next to my love every night.

I got to hold baby Odette tonight.

I got to plan a mother-son square dance tonight with two awesome ladies.

There is Dr. Quinn to watch while I lay in bed.

Thankful. 

The Land of What If.

May 2, 2017
Day 214

     The past few days, I've been making a conscious effort to live in the present. The thing about anxiety is that you're either living in fear of the past or fear of the future. Anxiety makes you miss the now. You skip over it by wasting time in the land of what if. Anxiety taunts me by saying things like, "But...what if it happens?" I have to force myself to focus on the right now. And when I focus on the right now, I notice so many things that I would have missed if I was worrying and spinning around in circles in the land of what if. Things like:

Trees. One should really stop and examine the trees every day. They are so marvelous. So beautifully made. So intricately detailed.

The sky. It is simply glorious. Especially today's sky. The blue of it was so brilliant that it almost looked purple.

The people around us. Our family. Our friends. Our pets. It really is a wonderful thing to have people and animals to call our own.

Hugs and kisses. Such simple gestures for a grand thing such as love.

Time. We have time to spend.

Words. We have words to write. We have words to read. We have words to speak.

Thankful for trips out of the land of what if. I'm hoping to make my residence in the land of now.

Drippy Nights.

May 13, 2017
Day 213

The sound of the rain on the roof while I dried my kids off from their bath.

The way the leaves look while they are being rained on.

The most glorious after the storm sunset I've seen in a long while. Sunset color is the best color.

The sweetest puppy sleeping on my feet.

The way my kids laugh at books.

For many hugs and kisses from my babes today.

For my husband.

For a cloudy day.

For a nice breakfast at school this morning.

For coffee.

For drippy nights when it's not quite raining but not quite not raining.

Tomorrow is a brand new day. With brand new chances. And brand new things to conquer.

My mom called to chat this evening.

My dad called to chat this morning.

Thankful.