Back to Reality...

Can it be??  Is summer really over??  Say it ain't so!  I have to admit... I did NOT have high hopes for this summer!  Yep, I'm not exactly the optimist in this bunch.  I dreaded summer with a passion this year.  I hate the heat, the humidity and I started counting down the days until fall way back in May!  Now... it's officially over in our house and I am going to miss it!!  I never thought I would feel this way! 

DH went back to teaching this week.  He worked up at school getting his awesome classroom ready all last week.  Sigh... this is why I miss summer already.

He had been home all summer and I loved every (well, almost) minute of it.  At the start of the summer, I was pretty resentful at the fact that he would be able to sleep in, do everything at his leisure, watch tv, read blogs, etc., etc.  That's what I want to do after all!  I was insanely jealous that he had the summer off. 

But... turns out having him home was FABULOUS!  It was like I had a wife!  And a good one!  Way better than the wife I am!  Sure... I got up early and headed off to work while he was snuggling with the cat in bed.  That wasn't my favorite time of day.  I just wanted to stay home too!  But man, while I was at work... household magic would happen!  I would come home and dinner would be hot and on the table! Fruit would be cut.  Dishes were done.  Laundry was put away.  Grocery shopping was complete.  Clean sheets on the bed.  My lunch was even made for the next day.  Ahhhh.... it was fabulous! FAB.U.LOUS!!  

We seemed to have so much more 'balance' this summer -- this was the best part of him
being home.  Our time together was not spent running around town running errands and such.  Everything was done.  In the evenings, we could talk about our day, connect, watch a little tv and/or work on the computer.  It was so nice!  I loved it!!  Nothing felt rushed.  It was calm.  When we are both in knee high with work during the week, it's so different.  It seems like everything is rushed.  It's a rush to cook dinner when we both get home; a rush to eat the dinner; a rush to do the laundry and dishes and run errands and get to bed in good time so we can get up early and start it all again.  

This weekend, I went to the grocery store (with DH).  I did the dishes.  I did the laundry.  I vacuumed.  I want summer back!  I know... insert eye roll right here!  Hahaha!!!  I still haven't cooked much... I'm holding onto summer for just a tiny bit longer.  DH is way better at meal preparation than me... so I think that even with teaching, he will still be doing a good share of that!  He did so much of it right after we got married too!  I think after a few meals... he figured he was better off if he was the chef in the family!   I admit... I can be a little lazy when it comes to domestic duties... but I'm working on it!!  

Right now we are getting back to reality and into a new school year routine. I'm going to try to stay ahead of things this fall.  I love coming home to a clean house.  It's been ssparking clean ever since certain bloggers came to visit!  It's nice to have everything done and in order.  I know the craziness of life won't always allow me to do this... but it's worth a try! "I like housework... I like housework... I like housework."  Maybe if I say that enough times it will come true!  Ha! 

What a trip!

It's been almost a week since my blogger-vacation... and I am now just getting to a post on going to the Nest!!  Like Ann and Sew said... it was a total fluke how we all ended up together at the Nest.  And I'm so glad we did!  It was so much fun!  Ann and R are perfect hosts!  We felt totally at home... Sew even brought groceries with her! We literally talked and talked and talked and talked until we feel sound asleep every night.  No subject was off limits.  I'm sure R heard more about his house guests cervical mucus and ovulation patterns in one weekend than he ever really wanted to know.  Ha!  He was a trooper!

We talked... we laughed... shed a few tears... shopped... got our nails and toes done... had real southern BBQ... went to a shrine... went to confession... went to mass... talked and laughed some more... and then eventually, after 4 great days, went home.  It all adds up to one great blogger-vacation!  I can't wait to do it again!

Some of highlights:

1. The Shrine.  Sew and I got busted for taking pictures.  Yep, busted!  We just happened to miss the HUGE sign in front of the church that said "NO PICTURES"!  Yep... we had no clue!  We had gone in a side door due to some rain... so we hadn't even seen the sign! ACK!  The second we raised our cameras a very nice and respectful worker came and told us to put those camera's away.  We were mortified!  But in the end... it was all good.  The shrine was SO BEAUTIFUL!  I had never really seen anything like it.  It was quiet and peaceful and you could just feel God's presence there.  Awesome.

2. Confession.  Having just been reprimanded at the Shrine... We headed to confession.  I love going to confession at a parish where the priest has no idea who I am, so I was all for it!  Ann and R assured Sew and myself that it would be a quick line... in and out.  Ummm.... not so much.  We had ample time to prepare for our confessions... because we were in line forever.  As soon as I headed into the confessional... I discovered why.  I said one little sin... and the priest started talking and talking and talking.  It was all great stuff... but in the back of my mind I kept thinking, "Man, Sew and R are totally thinking I killed someone, I've been in here so long!" He stopped talking after about 10 minutes... I said another little sin... and he was off again.  Oh man!  Again, all great stuff... but I still had a few sins on my mental list and I didn't think he'd let me get them in.  Eventually... I went down my 'sin list' real quick and it was all good.  Sew was up next.  After she came out... she indeed said that my dear friends had given each other a little look during my confession, since I had been in there so long!  Ha!!

3. Mass.  I had never heard the term "Y'all" at mass!  It was a first for me!  I didn't laugh... but I sure wanted to get my phone out and do a voice recording!  But I didn't!

4. Cooking.  Man... there was some great low-carb/gluten-free food in the nest!  Sew has pictures of everything we ate to prove it.  Ann and R can cook a meal!  De-li-cious!

5. Scrapbooks.  Ann and R do one fabulous job at capturing their years together.  Ann puts together several scrapbooks/memory books and some videos that highlight any given year.  I looked through them all and am determined to do the same!  The video recaps were so good -- I loved watching them!!  Looking through all the pages gave me such a wonderful glimpse into the pair that is Ann and R.  They are amazing together and it is so obvious to see that just by looking at them.

6. Speaking of  scrapbooks... I totally made Sew and Ann show me their wedding pictures!  I begged... I pleaded... and I loved them!  And... I only made Ann watch my wedding video and the nuptial mass highlights!  Hahahaha!  Sew had gone to bed... plus, Sew has already seen the the video when she was up here visiting Beautiful Day!  Hahahaha!

7. Pictures.  For a girl who is always taking pictures... I was shocked when I got home and hardly had any.  Sew had such a crazy wonderful camera... I just let her take them!  I'm sure she will post some soon!  :)  She got some really good ones too... we had a little fun with the famous soap from Leila and a few other things while Ann left us alone in the house!  He he!

8. Friends.  Man, it is so wonderful to be part of such a wonderful community of friends.  I NEVER imagined that I would become so close to so many wonderful people through the blogs... let alone go on a girls weekend to hang out with them!  Y'all are the best and I love y'all!  I'm trying to talk a little Southern... he he!

So... here is why I have no photos to post! 

Yep... It clearly says no pictures.

Prayer Buddy Reveal!

This prayer buddy round, I had the honor of praying for This Cross I Embrace.  TCIE is well known to all of us.  I am a regular reader of her blog and am often inspired and in awe of her writing.  She was already so often in my thoughts and prayers.  I was so humbled when I received her name.  I honestly did not feel 'holy' enough to pray for her.  I thought she was so worthy of a better prayer warrior.  Someone who could REALLY pray.  I quickly got over those thoughts and was determined to prayer as hard as I ever have for TCIE and her husband.

Praying for TCIE gave my prayer life some much needed direction.  She was in my constant thoughts and prayers.  When I say constant, I mean constant (but not in a weird stalker way!).  She was one of my first thoughts in the morning.  Whenever I opened my phone to read the blogs (which is often!  Ha!), I said a prayer for her.  I would be sitting at work and she would come to mind and I'd stop and say a quick prayer.  And of course, she was in my nightly prayers.

I joined TCIE in her novenas to St. Raphael and St. Anne.  I had already planned on praying a novena for her and her husband to the Archangel Raphael, with a focus on healing.  So when TCIE mentioned doing a novena to the Archangel on her blog, I decided to do it at the same time!!  It was perfect! St. Raphael is one of my FAVORITE SAINTS - EVER!!  I think I have said more novena's to St. Raphael (especially in my single days) than any other saint!  I hope St. Raphael was a powerful intercessor for her.

There were times in the prayer buddy season that I knew TCIE was down, sad, frustrated, hurt, etc.  I pleaded for God to be with her during these times.  I have such a hard time understanding why someone so wonderful has to endure so much suffering.  I honestly do not understand it.  I know there is the redemptive value of suffering... but still... WHY??  Why TCIE?  Why can't I carry her cross for her and let her receive bountiful blessings??  I asked a priest about this without giving any specific details.  He reminded me that Christ was a wonderful person as well.  Yet, he had to suffer on the cross.  It was an answer I expected and left me still struggling with the 'why' of it all for weeks.  He encouraged me to pray with all my might for my friend, to offer any suffering on my part for her.  That I did.  The priest reassured me that my prayers are heard... even when I feel they are not.  I'm not sure if any of my prayers were answered for TCIE, but I know I tried my very best.

As this prayer buddy round comes to an end, TCIE, please know that I (and all the bloggers) promise to stand by you, pray for you and support you.  Thank you for inspiring me by your willingness to take this journey, not just today, but tomorrow and the next day.  I pray that in the worst and best of times, that God too, will be with you, bestowing his grace and love upon you always.

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Thank you so much, Some how, Some way, Some day, for praying for me!!!  Those prayers mean the world to me!!  I cannot thank you enough!

Look who I've been hanging out with...

Fabulous girls weekend!!

Prayer buddy reveal coming soon!

Surprise Blogger Meeting!

Another reason why you should always have your house clean??  You might just have a blogger show up on your doorstep!  I had a surprise blogger visit tonight and it was SO MUCH FUN!!  I was just chilling at home working on a few things for work and got an email from Thankful from Always Giving Thanks saying that she was in town for work!  Crazy!  So we exchanged a few messages and within an hour she was at our house!  Crazy!!

We chatted it up like old friends!  I kept her up way to late... but I couldn't stop gabbing!  I still couldn't believe she was at my house!  She was so nice and it really did seem like we had known each other for a long time!  It was great!!  And FYI... she has one cute baby bump!  Thank you so much, Thankful, for coming over!!  Doug and I loved having you here!

It is definitely a blogger week!  I have a feeling I might just bump into a few more bloggers before the week is up!  I can't wait!

I love meeting bloggers!

She brought these beautiful flowers with her!  So nice!

Side note:  Big meeting at work today at 9:30am ... If you could, send a few prayers my way, that would be great!  Thanks!  And... Doug's back is feeling MUCH better today!  Thanks for all those prayers!

Good Deal and Great Friends

Wow.  Our house is clean.  It's NEVER this clean.  It's never this tidy.  Everything is in order and in the proper place.  Well... most things, just don't open the bedroom closet.  :)  Actually, even that is pretty clean! DH and I spent the majority of last week cleaning our house top to bottom!  It had needed it for a long time and it now feels wonderful to relax in a clean and tidy home!  We even trimmed trees and pulled weeds!  We were on a roll!  I love a clean house!  Love it!  I just hate to clean! So... why were two people who hate to clean on such a cleaning spree?  Well... we had more company this past weekend, than we have had our entire time we've lived here!!  It was the perfect motivation we needed to get this place in order!  The house looked great and having company was even better!

Friday night we hosted Doug's aunt who was in town.  She had only been here once, around wedding time, so the house has changed a lot.  It was great to see her and show her how we have made this house our home.  On Sunday, we had Doug's mom, dad and sister over for a few hours.  They have also not been here much, so it was great to host them.  

But the real motivation for the trimmed trees and deep cleaning... Ann and her husband R from Building a Nest were in town!!!!!! Whoo hooo!!!  How exciting to met some blogger friends!!  We all met at a little restaurant for lunch with Beth and crew.  It was so fun! Then, we all headed back to our house for some delicious cupcakes.  Delicious because I did not make them.  :)  It was so wonderful to meet Ann and R in person.  Ann and I have spent hours and hours on the phone, so it was great to talk to her in person!  R was so easy going and anyone can tell he is a great DH.  Ann was just like I imagined... a genuinely warm person who is funny, caring and a blast to be around.  Man, I wish I could spend more time with her.  I might just have to go visit her someday! ;)  

It was great to show Ann and R around my hometown and have them see where Doug and I live as well.  They even got to spend some quality time with Doug's beloved cat Smokey.  I'm sure that was the highlight (not!) of their entire trip.  I was going to give him them as a souvenir, but it didn't work.  Ann and R were a hit with Beth and crew as well.  Madeleine and John Paul loved playing with both of them (and Smokey, too).  It was crazy cute! Now... if Ann could only come back and help me decorate and hang up some pictures, we'd be set!  Don't you all remember this?  Yep, she is good!  

Here is a preview... more pics to come on Ann's photo blog, I'm sure.  :)

So, right when Ann and R were taking off, we were chatting about our house.  I told them the only thing I really wanted to change (about the living room) was our ugly tv stand.  I hate it.  It's old and too small, but it's all we have for now.  It's not a huge priority to replace and really no big deal.  

About 20 minutes after they left, my MOH Mary stopped by.  See, tons of company!  She said she had seen a great looking tv armoire on a porch in our neighborhood.  I jumped in her car and we went to take a look.  I loved it!  I told the lady I would bring Doug by after we had measured our tv to take a look!  We headed back deal and bought a beautiful piece of furniture!  For $25!!!!  Whoo hoo!  What a deal!  They even delivered it right to our living room!  We spent the next few hours cleaning it up and polishing the wood.  It looks brand new!  I LOVE IT... just as much as I hated the ugly old stand!!  It makes the room look so more finished!  Whoo hoo!!!  All in all... a great weekend!!!!!!

Ugly old thing.

Beautiful new look! For only $25!!

Side note: Prayer buddy... Can you say some extra prayers for DH?  He has hurt his back something fierce and is in a lot of pain!  Thanks in advance!!

Anyone??

My good friend Mary.... has a question.... here it is.... Anyone know the answer??  Do tell! Either here or on her blog!

Here is goes...

"who said: "Adoption is not "plan B," it was always God's "plan A"

I saw that quote (or something similar) on another blog and I responded to it...and now I can't remember who wrote the blog/where that was?!?! Can anyone help me out here? :)"

Thanks everyone!!  Mary's sister and brother-in-law just adopted the cutest little baby boy Michael!!!  He is beyond adorable!