Park BBQ

Belated Fall.

January 2011, Tarpon Springs, FL.

New Toy

For Christmas the kids got a new toy to share - it's basically a pop-up catcher for them to practice pitching with. So we took it out to the park to try it out. And it is awesome. If they hit the catcher the balls drop into this neat little attached bag, and if they don't...well it's not my face in jeopardy of getting taken out but rather this inanimate guy. Being a catcher to an 8 yr old and 10 yr old who are not so consistent can be scary.

Turns out the only bad part about the catcher is that he has to be folded up in a manner similar to those things you put on your dashboard to keep the sun out. In other words you flail your arms about in hopes that it will magically collapse into the neat circle it should be in for proper storage. "We" may have had some trouble with that...but "we" got it!

New Years

This was the first New Year's that the kids actually saw the ball drop and made it to 12:01. They were very excited about it. No big party or anything this year but had fun. We spent the evening around a fire pit with some neighbors, shooting fireworks in the cul-de-sac and watching the ball drop!

Love is...

a funny thing.

It can cause the greatest joy and the greatest pain. Can be the biggest comfort and the biggest hurt. The easiest thing and the hardest thing. Something you just know or something so hard to figure out. Hopeful and yet crushing, relaxing and yet so much darn work.

Until next week...we're off to see snow. Back with pictures soon.

Remember this?

We had one hanging on the wall of most of my elementary school classes. Saw a teacher wrestling to hang hers up today. I would like to know where the frustrated is...

Today I am feeling....frustrated.

God sent.

**WARNING: Before reading this post please recognize this is my blog. I can say what I want even if you don't agree. You can comment. You can think I am a bad person. But it's cathartic and I feel what I feel, I am who I am. Read on if you care too.**

I had one of "those days" yesterday at the end of "one of those weeks". I had only gotten 2-3 hours of sleep the night before, had bills coming in that seemed to be on par with the average game show winnings, a job I was frustrated with, a husband I wanted to kick in the head and two kids who needed an evening of entertainment. I should mention that Todd had surgery yesterday - it was nothing MAJOR - but it's still surgery and he's in pain. And I understand that.

But we grew up very different - his mom is a nurse. She was literally paid to take care of sick people. In my house you kind of shook it off. If you had a cold you took some medicine, pocketed a few cough drops and went about your tasks. If you were in pain you took a few Advil. I don't want you near me when I am sick - not anybody. I want to sleep when I can and take medications the rest of the time and that's it. Even when I came home from having the kids I was back up doing laundry and cooking and what not. So I suck at being a nurse is what I am telling you. And when it's been one of those weeks where we just don't get along it's even harder. I know I am in the wrong here. I know that I appear uncaring - its not that. I care. I just show it different.

That being said I write this to share the positive not the negative. I spent much of my day yesterday on the verge of tears or in tears. But here is what I learned. God has put amazing people in my life - and he sends in those people when I need them the most. When my brother found someone to marry he did me the hugest favor - he found me the sister I always wanted. I have other sister-in-laws, and they are lovely. And some I get along with really well because we have a lot in common (Hi Laurie!) but distance is an issue. But Taylor is near, she is my friend. She is the person I would pick in a class or at work to hang out with. And then she became my sister and she is amazing. She is a sounding board and a support and I am so so thankful God placed her in my life. And then I got emails from friends at church, and a long time friend who moved far away but still is "there" when I need her (Hi Lyndsay!). And then a simple facebook comment on some photos I posted of a baby I took pics of not that long ago.

And I realized that sometimes....sometimes, all we need is a shot of positive in the negative. I read somewhere how powerful light is...that darkness is not even its own entity, but rather the absence of light. And that in the dark light will always shine, the darkness cannot cover it, surround it yes, but never cover it.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said" I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 8:12

The bills are still there, my job is still stressful, Todd and I are not yet on the same page and he is still in pain...but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The bills will get paid, my job will get better, Todd and I will figure it out, and I will try harder to show care the way he wants me to. So today, today will be a better day.

Lazy Update...

I have a TON of pictures on my camera...but I am tired and lazy right now so I will get on that later. In the meantime a brief update:

- Kids are back to school. Tristan had his final interview for gifted and we are waiting on a final decision. Tori has a ridiculously large gifted project due Thursday. A city of the future - 3D model. Fun.

- Working A.L.O.T.

- Vacation in the mountains of NC and visit with Bryan and Laurie, and our kids first time seeing snow: COMING SOON!

- Baseball/softball tryouts were last week. Season starts at the beginning of February!

- Fun, fun weekend! Pizza and a movie family night, evening with friends and games and a BBQ in the park with a bunch of other friends. Good stuff!

New Year's Eve, geocaching in a civil war cemetery, my new toys, BBQ in the park and "fall" in Florida pictures to be posted soon.

Celebrating 11 on 1 - 1 - 11

Okay so it's not our real anniversary - we actually got married on 1/2 BUT we did celebrate this year on 1.1.11 because it was a Saturday night and babysitters are easier to come by on Saturday nights then Sundays. We just went to Chili's and a movie (FYI - How Do You Know is a renter)but it was really laid back and relaxing. A nice way to celebrate.

And Todd totally rocks and surprised me (I mean I had NO IDEA surprised me) with a Nook Color. We planned to not do gifts this year because of the house and furniture and upcoming trip so I thought it would be something little when he handed be the wrapped box. I was a little peeved that he broke the "rules" but am LOVING my new toy so all is well and I am back to singing his praises.

Hard to believe it's been 11 years already and yet sometimes I feel like we've been married forever. Anyway a blast from the past to commemorate:

Resolving...

"New Year's Resolutions" sound like something you plan to do and will fail at 90% of the time....and while I realize it's all semantics, I am not making "New Year's Resolutions" but am rather resolving to live a better life via these things:

1 - I am going to be a runner dang it. This is the year. For real. I have a couple things on my side. We now live on a loop...so I can run the loop, keeping track of the distance easily and pass my house every 2-3 minutes. Which means I can leave the kids inside alone (Tori's old enough now) without worrying. Which means I can go during daylight hours - not the crack of dawn or after they are in bed. Which means Todd is interested in running with me. And Angelle is back from NC and already running races so I can do them with her which keeps me motivated. See I told you - This. is. THE. year.

2 - I am going to save more money. I am going to cook more so we eat out less. I am doing the whole "extreme couponing" thing. I am picking up extra shifts at the hospital. We are literally saving pennies (aka change collecting!). Ebaying junk I don't need. We are blessed and live comfortably but it's always good to save for a rainy day...or a fabulous vacation :-)

3 - I am going to practice intentionality. More on this later.