Thankful Thursday: Summer Lovin' Had me a blaaaast

The topic for Thankful Thursday for today was Summer. I am so thankful for Summer. I love the water and so do the kids, the longer days that we can pack more fun into. Our Summer has been relaxing for the most part this year, we have been super busy, but it has been spent doing things with friends and family that we cherish. I couldn't be more grateful for that time, and I want to make sure we take it with us.

We homeschool, and what I am the most thankful for is that I feel like I got some clear direction from above this summer on what our year is going to look like this school year. Last year, we were over committed, I felt like I was constantly running from one activity to another, back home for chores, squeezing school in. It was like some kind of a psychotic relay race every day. Add that to Brian's already crazy schedule and I was one overwrought momma. That is just no way to live, at least not for us.

This Summer has been awesome for us because we haven't had any regular scheduled events. We have been busy, but we have been able to be busy when it fits our schedules. This is what I am taking away from this summer and walking into fall with. We probably won't participate in any of the activities like scouts, or weekly classes this year to leave room for the things we treasure the most.

The Ghetto Waterslide

Take three bored and whiney children. (in an appallingly unkempt yard might I add). Add one water hose on the slide, and one kiddie pool below and POOF! Now you have loud, noisy, happy children in a ghetto water slide.


Edited for Update: So I start hearing these chants "mud, mud, mud pit". So I go outside and the children are recreating the mud people from woodstock... so the showers commenced. Why no pictures you ask? Well, its funny now, but wasn't so funny then.

Minor Marital Bedroom Foibles

I told Brian "we are like old people married now". He raised an eyebrow quizzically at me. What I meant was that our marriage has some of the qualities of people who have been together for awhile.

Interesting things have happened since Brian and I married. We have these little "things" between us, little oddities that have popped up during our marriage. Nothing major, but those little things that tell you that you are married.

Exhibit A: News from the Pillow war front

There is an ongoing struggle for territory, a good night's sleep, pillows and blankets. Most especially pillows. I have about six pillows I claim as mine. I know it seems excessive, but they are like my children and I couldn't part with a single one.

This picture here is of Brian's pillow. Notice he LABELED it. Which sounds crazy, unless you are married to a pillow coveter. It's that classic case of "the grass is always greener" or rather, "the other guys pillow is always softer". I tend to steal his pillows. Well, really they cry out for me to adopt them, so he labels them now. What really made me laugh was when I decided to play a joke on him and steal it back. I thought I would shove the labeled end into the pillow case so he couldn't tell. But he had labeled BOTH ENDS. Will the paranoia ever stop??!! How could he think that was neccessary!! Sigh, I guess I will just have to short sheet him to get my revenge.....

Brag on Him

I subscribe to the Blissfully Domestic blog (button at the bottom of the screen) and they did a Brag on him Friday. Its not Friday, and I didn't post this on Friday because on Friday I was way overwhelmed and under energized. Six B12 shots later, I feel a bit more on top of it all and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to post.

I am so proud of my husband, not just because I love him; but because I admire him. I admire the person he is. Most of all, I admire that he does things not because he wants to garner someone else's admiration, or praise, but he does them very simply because they are what he thinks are right.

The other week we were on our way back home from Schlitterbahn. We had gotten some sun, had stayed for HOURS and we were exhausted and hungry. We were coming over the highway and we saw a truck pulled over on the road.

Brian said, "Hey, I am gonna pull over, do you mind?".

I was surprised, frankly, because I had my nose buried pretty deep in my latest book and was trying to fend off the motion sickness that always wants to visit when I read in the car. But of course I said no problem. Brian told me he saw the guy bent down by the tire and he didn't look well. Brian is in law enforcement, so it wasn't a total shock. He has always said he feels like he should stop, its a part of how seriously he takes his job. Plus, he is a safe guy, and having the badge makes people feel more at ease when he does stop.

Brian was right, this poor guy was not well, he was vomiting and couldn't stop. Back cramps had him hunched over and he couldn't stand up at all. He couldn't remain upright for a moment and was obviously in gruesome pain. He kept wanting to get in his truck to drive, but Brian assured him we were in no hurry and we could wait for him to feel better. Thankfully we had a full cooler full of bottled waters and sprite. The guy was a part of our local coast guard. Brian convinced him it would be best to call someone to pick him up and head to the local hospital. Brian helped him call a couple of his coast guard buddies and then waited with him until his friends arrived. His friends were incredibly sweet and none of them were familiar with the area so we were able to give directions. All in all we were there for about an hour at the side of the road.

Were we hungry and tired, yeah... we really were. But I am so glad we stopped, someone needed to stop. I have to say, my heart swells with pride and admiration when I see Brian doing things like this. it isn't the first time, nor will it be the last. The kids were happy in the car watching a movie and we talked about how proud we were of our Daddy. We talked about how we were daddy's "support staff", that he could go and do something so nice for this man because he knew we would support him full tilt.

Brian would never tell anyone this, he didn't do it for that reason. But in a world where so many people are too hyper involved in their own lives to even notice someone who needs help (um, like they are nose deep in a book) I am proud that I am married to the guy who stops and takes the time to help.

Friday Fill In

And...here we go!

1. _A Dirty house..____ is not the end of the world.

2. Sitting here, listening to the sound of rain falling, I __um, its not raining, and we are about to hit the pool, but if it was raining, I would be a little relieved, going to the pool sounds overwhelming right now___.

3. _smothered chicken____ tastes so good!

4. Sometimes, putting others first is __not the right thing to do, sometimes you have to take care of yourself as well___.

5. __my children's laughter___ is breathtaking, really.

6. Well, maybe there is _a light at the end of the tunnel____.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to ___Hubby coming home__, tomorrow my plans include __seeing family and taking the kids to do some crafts___ and Sunday, I want to __go to the waterpark___!

Thankful Thursday: Breaking up is hard to do...

No...no, its not you.... its me. How many times have those words been said in human history? It really doesn't matter whether I was the one receiving the rejection, or having to break it off with a heavy heart. For this thankful Thursday hosted by Spiritually Unequal Marriage I am thankful for all the times things didn't work out. It sounds like an odd thing to be thankful for, and at the time of rejection I was most definitely NOT thankful, not one little bit. I was hurt, upset, angry but thankful wasn't even in the top ten. But for each time a relationship with a love, a friend, a job, or an institution didn't work out.. I am thankful.

Now that I am not in the middle or trapped in the thick of the pain, I can look back on each and see the larger plan and the purpose. Each time I have walked away with lessons I am not sure I would have learned any other way.

• I learned that it is never a good idea to react immediately, especially if I am angry. I could be a total weirdo, but anger and hurt mask my real feelings, and what I really think. Choosing not to react in anger prevents the regret hangover later.
• I am quirky, and this is okay. I don't need to assimilate, I can be me. I have actual proof that there are other women who love to read the same things I do, and play video games, and channel their inner twelve year old regularly!!! Who knew? AND we get to call this stuff "girl time"!
  
• Dr. Seuss really was right, "Be who you are, and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind".
  
• I learned more about who I am, what is important to me, what is a deal breaker to me, what I really want from a relationship, or institution. I don't think I would have gained that knowledge any other way. I am so thankful that now I have a better sense of my self.
  
• Knowing what I am looking for in a relationship and having a better knowledge of myself has made the relationships I have more fulfilling and I am so very thankful for those relationships in my life with family and friends. I can only hope I add as much to theirs.
  
• I am convinced after a few go rounds that it is better to eliminate toxic people than to try to accommodate them. What is toxic for one person, might not be such a big deal for someone else. Its somewhat subjective, but trying to stay in a toxic relationship will suck your soul away, and your time, and your emotional effort. If you find yourself feeling emotionally exhausted after interacting with someone frequently, it might be time to take a close look at it.
  
• I realized that for me, honesty is the most important attribute in any type of relationship. This doesn't mean you have to tell me if you are not a natural blond. The type of honesty I am talking about is a way of living your life without pretension, being who you REALLY are when all the lights are off and no one else is around. It is the one thing that makes me feel safe in a relationship. I am so incredibly thankful for the people in my life who will nudge me, and those who will cuff me over the head (*cough* Brian, *cough*) when I am deceiving myself, or not being my authentic self. For the friends who inspire me to be even more honest and real.
• It is important to me that I have relationships with people that inspire me to be a better woman, mom, wife, person.
  

Simple Summer Fun: Bubble bottle

This was so much fun, and so little work for mommy. First take a Bottle (we used Sobe, because they are on sale at Krogers for .50 each) cut the bottom off, wrap a washcloth around the bottom and secure with either a rubber band, or a ponytail holder. Then grab some kind of container, add dishsoap and water and start blowing bubbles. This project makes long ropes of bubbles, the kids thought it was just so much fun!

I got the idea here and here. They probably have better directions on the prep process.