She has ponytail holders, and she's not afraid to use them...

One of my husband's sisters, who now lives in Mexico doing counseling and foster care work as a missionary, comes back home every summer- just to join in on the camping trip.

Imagine...traveling thousands of miles just to camp when I purposely chose not to camp.

But for my husband's family, it is a tradition that dates back decades...and is their way of bonding with each other in the ever changing years.

I haven't yet seen her this year (just spoke to her on the phone) but will be definitely visiting her before she heads back.
Because I genuinely like "Auntie A."

And because I want to know how she braided my girls' hair into a million little braids, changing hair styles on them almost every day...especially when my youngest screams when I even approach her with a brush in one hand and tangle spray in the other.

When the girls mentioned their braids in one of their phone calls, I told them to tell Daddy to take lots of pictures.
I was tickled when they came back to find that he did...

And the one that makes me smile...


Just look at those tight, tight braids.
When I first saw this, I almost asked, "Who ARE these children?"

When I greeted them with hugs and kisses last Saturday, they were indeed still sporting a sort of Jamaican thing each. And let me tell you, if how it took to UNbraid it all is any indication, then all of these do's took Auntie A. a looooooooooong time to achieve.

Anyway, great job, Auntie A. Not only did the braids actually prevent the dreaded"Camping Tangles", but you succeeded in having my youngest allow you to comb and braid her tender hair follicles every single day.

Yep, great job. We're definitely going to have to talk...

Sand, Shore and a little HGTV

Isn't this a great sand castle? I forgot to ask who made this, but I suspect my artsy husband might have had something to do with it...

My family is back home with me...and I tell you, it must be true what they say about absence making the heart grow fonder. I am so loving my family this weekend!

Amazingly, right after the car was unloaded, we all headed off to a company picnic at an amusement park.
So, if you think that my husband and girls might have already been on their way to being tired after 5 nights of camping, you can just imagine how exhausted everyone was after spending 4 hours standing in lines and sailing through the air on crazy rides on a humid afternoon made them.
Although they wouldn't have missed this annual picnic for the world, they were beyond tired and each took a turn in what I fondly refer to as "Melt-down City". Understandably, of course...but even when you expect to have to go to this "city", it's never a nice visit!

But as far as their week camping, they tell me they had an absolute wonderful time...

A little chilly as it sometimes is on the Northwest coast, but not too chilly to hang out on the beach!

But today, after their living outside for nearly a week, plus being over-tired, we all cozied up inside...playing games and watching TV, and just generally relaxing.

My girls even bonded with me as I watched my two, back to back season finales this evening.

Forget Survivor....Forget American Idol...
Forget all the other reality shows where people get voted off.
I hadn't been suckered into watching any of these for years!

And then....
Then, I was pulled into the two-fold sage that is:


Designer Star

and

The Next Food Network Star

And to think we have to vote for the next designer star. How can I pick between these two sweet people?


Matt or Jennifer...Jennifer or Matt....

I'm going to take a deep breath and go on to bed now. I just can't take the pressure...wake me on Wednesday when American sends one of them packing, please.

Meanwhile, back to reality...

And actually, that is pretty nice.
It's so wonderful to simply "be" with my family and I'm looking forward to enjoying simple moments with them this week, with no big plans at all.

Because although having a break each year and time to myself is truly a good thing for me...having my family back with me after they've gone is even better!

Blessings!

HOME ALONE...Last day!

So glad you are all OK with my new blog name, since I picked it out reeeeeeally late the other night. I was hoping it was still a good name in the light of day! ;)

Well, suffice it to say, after much hemming and hawing, I decided not to join my family camping at the coast.

There were several factors...

1) I still had more that I wanted to do here at home.
2) Our family is going camping for two nights in just few weeks from now, so I'll still get to experience it.
3) My husband sweetly informed me that because he packed the car so full, there was no room for me.

Ahem. Nothing like that last one to make a gal feel welcome!
OK, actually, he had thought that if I rode up with my sister in law mid-week, I'd be coming back with my sister in law (but she's staying another day).
I wasn't being told not to come, mind you... just that there was this logistic problem of where to strap me on the vehicle on the way back.

So, all in all, in was just easier for me to stay home and get some more things crossed off my little list. Here's some of what I've done, practically speaking:

*I've organized and cleaned...(including the dreaded Play\School room!)
*Changed pictures around on the walls and added new ones that had been stashed away.
*Put some things on e-b*y to sell. (OK, I've bought a couple things, too...)

On the leisure side, I've:

*Read, read... and then read some more.
*Met my sweet mom (who lives an hour away) at outlet mall which is between us for coffee and browsing.
*Rode my bike around the neighborhood (which brought back memories of growing up as I whipped in and out of side streets, wind in my hair...) Funny, though, I don't remember panting as hard back then...

And speaking again of my mom, she has gotten a new computer and has started blogging again.
I'm hoping she tells some of her wonderful stories about growing up in the Depression era soon. You can visit her here!
Sometimes you'll find a spelling mistake here and there, only because she hasn't figured everything out on how to fix things...but at 81, I think it's kind of impressive that she has e-mail and a blog!

And I finally located the story I was writing hidden in the computer files, so I plan on at least doing something with it tonight!

Some of you have asked about the story. I was on a roll with it for awhile and it was just flowing out...(20 chapters!) but then I hit a roadblock. Not to mention, started home schooling, which- though I wouldn't change it for the world- can leave little time and energy for writing a novel!

Anyway, it's about a young woman who runs into her old boyfriend out of the blue...who had been the love of her life.

Here's a tiny sampling...

"It was nearly an hour and a half later when Edie was placing her five big bags of groceries into the backseat of her car and dusk had already settled in. As she closed the back door and pulled open the passenger-side, she caught a glimpse of the man getting into his vehicle directly in front of her. A vague familiarity caused her to eyes to linger…then her whole body seemed frozen, unable to move.

It was him, she knew with complete certainty. And all the pain she could imagine came rushing up to meet her with a sudden force as she looked upon the shadowy figure, who seemed blissfully unaware of who stared at him with such intensity.

And that was all she could do, as she helplessly watched him start the ignition and drive away, perhaps forever, just as he did four long years ago.

The paralyzing affect of her shock gave sudden way to dismay…and just as she thought her chance had been thrown away, he looked her direction. Their eyes held for a moment… and her breathing stopped when his car turned into a second parking space and he slowly got out and began to walk towards her."

For the complete story, I guess I'll have to actually finish it, get it published- and then you can buy it! hehe

Well, tomorrow I finally get to be reunited with my family...and let me just say that as relaxing as it's been, I am SO ready to see them all again!
In fact, the roles may now be reversed, and I'll be the ones following my kids around and waiting for them outside the bathroom door!

Blessings!

Party of One

*Yes, you came to the right place, don't worry! It's still the same me...
But for the longest time, my title was bothering me- this northwest gal just never says the word, "doin's"! I know it's going to throw you all off...and then there's that whole blogroll thing...but I needed a change and it was either this or dye my hair bright red, and I think my husband prefers this for now.



OK, it's almost the end of Day 3, and I am really enjoying this time. Well, not enjoying as in having a big party kind of way...but still.

So, what have I been doing?
I actually bit off more than I can chew when I decided to- once again- try to organize my girls' closet. I did this for them last year and over time, things just find their way of escaping the nice little order I set for them.
My hope was that with things put neatly into bins, things would stay neater longer. I don't know why I should think this year will be any different but I just had to do it.
The Polly P*ckets socializing with H*gh School Musical dolls and stray farm animals mingling with the pristine My Little P*nies - well, it was just driving me crazy.
I don't mean to be a prude, here, but they just all need to stay with their own kind.



It hasn't been all work, though. Last night, I sat in front of the TV, dining on the most scrumptious Lean Cuisine ever. Takes me right back to my single days every time! No, I'm not getting paid to endorse them. It was just yummy!

If that wasn't good enough, I followed it with a decadent piece of brownie fudge. Because the dinner was...LEAN....so, I deserved it, right?

Today, I sat for a short time outside in the sun reading. I actually picked up my Nicholas Sparks book, The Choice, that I had put aside and hadn't finished...the first chapter didn't grab me like most of his books do, but now I'm getting into it.

My family calls me each night from their tent- however, it's usually really short because by that time it's 10 o'clock and everyone's fading fast.
My youngest, who kept saying how nervous she as about going and being away from me, is actually doing great. I can tell by her voice, and this is SO reassuring!

So would you believe that if I do join them, tomorrow would be the day of my ride....and I'm still on the fence with it!

Decisions...Decisions...

But I will be sure to let you know what I decided to do...when I decide, that is.

You know, I had big work out plans during this time. I've taken walks, mind you, but I just haven't gotten out my faithful workout VHS tape.

This tape is my friend...and pardon my pun, here, but it's been with me through..ahem... thick and thin.

I recorded it off of a cable channel in...like 1991...back when I was still a single gal and actually thought doing aerobics five times a week was not only do-able, but lots of fun.

The show was called "It Figures" and I always liked it because the instructor was not some Flashdance wannabe, but a mature gal who would spout off so much info as she jumped around that I sometimes forgot I was sweating. But how she was able to hold such lengthy conversations while I panted away- yes, even back then when I was in my 20's- is beyond me.

I know what you are all saying. Quit living in the past and invest in another work-out program...say...from this century.

I know...I know....but it's hard to let go.

Never mind that one of the gals in the background, who's pregnant, has apparently been pregnant for about eighteen years now. That's got to be uncomfortable!
And the commercials alone are entertaining enough...there's even some episodes with the Dancing Raisins! (Remember them?)

But guess what? As I was typing this, I decided to look her up....and...
I found her- she is still going strong! Maybe I'll join the 21st century, after all. And I'm all for doing a work-out when the instructor is STILL older than I am!

~~~~~~~~~~~

OK, now that I've successfully did a product placement post without really meaning to, and with no monetary gain whatsoever, truly...

What do YOU do for exercise?

And what do YOU still have from the 80's or 90's that you actually use????

Mommy Vacation Time- Year Three

This post isn't as long as it looks. Really. And a few of you just may find a surprise tucked into it for you!

Some of you who have been stopping here for a long time may remember that each year, my husband's large family (and assorted spouses and children) converge at the same campground on the coast.
(They've been doing this since the their parents began in the late 50's and it's continued all of these decades!)

And as some of you also may remember, for the last few years I have not gone...it's been my own little Mommy Vacation.

It's really hard to believe that the time is here once again.
(In fact, I just looked back and re-read my previous posts from not only last year but two years ago! Time has truly flown at the speed of light, I think...)

I just helped send off my family last this morning...making sure hair was braided, special activities and "luvvies" were in tow, toothbrushes were packed, special mommy notes were tucked into suitcase pockets...

Only this time, because they are staying almost a whole week, I am thinking seriously of joining them in a few days when my sister in law drives out there. Yes, I am.
Now, this would be a first for me in about three years! But not seeing my family for six whole days is pushing this solitude thing just a bit far...so we'll see!

What will I do with at least three days of alone time on my hands, you ask?
Oh, there will be the usual boring stuff...
catch up on house cleaning, finish organizing the school room...

but...
I really, really hope to finally tackle writing the end of the novel I started a few years back. At least make a dent in the ending!

I will also be getting out the dusty scrapbooking supplies, maybe watch an old movie, and basking in the sunshine with a good book on the hammock I got for Mother's Day! (Are you jealous yet?)



In fact, I just borrowed an interesting looking book from a friend yesterday by Francine Rivers called "Unspoken" and I can't wait to get into it!


Speaking of this friend, she and her husband, along with their sweet little boys, graciously had us all over for a barbecue and swim in their neighborhood pool on Sunday it was such a refreshing time!
(Thank you M and J!!!)

I will use the topic of gracious friends to segue into passing on award I was given recently....(Thank you, again, Tammy from Country Girl at Home!)

The rules are to pass it on to seven other blogs and link to them... And even though seven seems like a lot, there it's still difficult to present this to only seven when there are SO many of you that I love to visit! (Some of you may have already received this, but if you have, just know you are extra appreciated!)

1) Susanne from Living to Tell the Story.
Not only has she become a dear friend, but she always seems to have a recipe to share, a book to review, or just some wonderful insight.

2) Midlife Mom from Home on the Range.
Visiting her, you can almost smell the country air as she tells about her life on her beautiful acreage, complete with horses!

3) Dawn from Call Me Grandma Dawn.
I think I met her after I had only been blogging a few months and I love that when I visit her, it's like sitting down at her kitchen table with a cup of coffee and a good friend. She has just recently retired and added twin baby granddaughters to her family in the past six months, so it's fun to peek into her life as she enjoys this interesting phase of her life.

4) Leigh Ann from Living to Learn and Learning to Live.
She is a young mom who seems to not only have such a good heart, but a super sense of humor, as well!

5) Susan from Penless Writer.
She is a dear lady who is such a blessing in blogland! Married for 49 years, she is a woman of much wisdom and a woman of prayer!

6)Barbie at Mamaology.
A young mom to four little girls, who also does home day care as she and her husband move towards a life in ministry, she is an amazing example of someone who strives to be the best wife and mom, savor each moment, while trusting in God to lead their family each and every day.

7)Nancy at Daily Blessings.
Nancy is such a dear blogging friend, and it always amazes me how- though her posts are usually not very long at all- how she seems to convey so very much in them without using many words! As her blog name implies, she certainly is a blessing to blogland.



I actually had another award to give out, but it will have to wait until another post.

Not that I'm busy or anything...but now I need to visit all of you now, and besides, I apparently don't have Nancy's gift of saying so much in few words.

But that's right, no dinner to hurry and fix for the family this week.
Cooking vacation! WOO!

I know some of you who love to cook are shaking your heads at me, but really, this is the thing that I sometimes dread the most.
What to do for dinner to make everyone reasonably happy, on a budget, and without a lot of...of you know... cooking.

In fact, I just ate a healthy light spinach salad- aren't you proud of me?

Of course, that's not to say I may not eat a big bowl of root beer float ice cream while watching HGTV later...

To be continued...

So, what do YOU do, if and when you get time to yourself?

Show and Tell #18

Before I begin Friday's Show and Tell, I wanted to thank a sweet new friend of mine- who also is named Tammy- for giving me not one, but two awards recently!





Her blog name couldn't be more perfect for her- Country Girl at Home- because she presents her lovely family and country home with such a gracious spirit,
And though we come from different parts of the country, I think we already feel like kindred spirits.
Thank you so much, Tammy!

I will hopefully be "paying it forward" by awarding these in my next post!





And now for Show and Tell!

This week I wanted to show another little peek into my past.

I have managed to save so much from my childhood, but today's item isn't my usual toy or stuffed animal, but one of my jewelry boxes which was given to me when I was very young. There is nothing ornately beautiful about it, really...



I believe it was given to me from my Uncle L. (my mom's brother) and at the time, I didn't appreciate it very much because it wasn't pretty and feminine, like my other little jewelry box. That one had a beautiful ballerina that spun around to delicate music every time I opened it...but not this one.

Still, I guess I thought this little box was a good place to stash a few little keepsakes.
I hadn't opened it in years, and when I did today, it was fun to see what greeted me...


I fumbled through the contents...and saw all these letters...



I soon realized that almost all of them were written to me while I was either away at a Girl Scout camp, or from those I met there after I came home.

I can tell you, I do remember bits and pieces of that camp. I think I was around eleven or twelve.
And I did not have such a wonderful time there!
I was SO homesick and some of the girls were not all that wholesome for being Girl Scouts, sad to say.
But I did make a few friends, along with some wonderful teen camp counselors, and some of these letters were from them.

If you were a teen counselor, by the way, you got to have a fun "camp name"...such as "Chipmunk", "Pooh", "Daisy"... and most of these gals were so sweet, which made that time bearable.

Also in my green jewelry box, were also countless letters from my mom, who faithfully wrote me almost every day. I think she understood my homesickness and tried to keep the tone upbeat...she even put little G.S. logo stickers on them!



On the little top shelf of my box are several stamps that I had collected...I wasn't a true stamp collector, by any means, so just have a few. In this box were nine and I pulled out a few at random to take a picture...


And it's a little hard to see, but the one on the left was a Bicentennial stamp.
And yes, postage was then up to ten cents...crazy inflation times.

A lot of the others were off of envelopes sent to me from my pen pal, who was my age and lived in Iceland. Iceland! The other side of the world!




Through opening my simple, plain little green jewelry box, I open a tiny window into my past...with pockets of memories that might have been lost even to me if it wasn't for these little reminders.
Of penpals... summer camp...Girl Scouts...
and a mom who faithfully penned a letter each day, walked them to the mailbox, and most likely prayed countless prayers for her little girl who was miles away.

For more Show and Tell participants, visit Kelli at There is No Place Like Home!

A bowl full of cherries ...at the ole mill stream...

Our two nights, three days visiting my mom with the girls proved a lot of fun....but a lot more tiring than I expected!
Actually, now that I think of it, the girls and I were pretty tired by the time we drove back home, but my octogenarian mom seemed just fine. Hmmmm.

And if some of this sounds familiar, as well as the photos, it is because we did some of the same things last year. Going to my mom's to pick cherries, play at the park and ride the carousel are now traditions with us!

At the park, the girls played on the playground and then we looked at the beautiful view of the river...

It was so beautiful...but by late afternoon it had grown pretty humid and we were anxious to walk over and ride the carousel...

All four of us! My mom rode in the front of the covered wagon...(though I only caught her peeking from there in this shot...)

Later that evening, we were relaxing and turned on the television in time to run across the show, "Are you smarter than a 5th grader". My almost 4th grader had seen this a couple times before and just loves it. So, after it was over, she insisted we all play our own version!

OK...she made us play it the next day... and the next.
She made the questions for us and had us sit in our designated chairs with paper and pencil.
My youngest, who just graduated Kindergarten, declined to play since she declared that she was, indeed not smarter than a fifth grader.

The next morning the girls begged to be allowed to start picking cherries, so I followed them out with plastic tubs and we had the best time!


Life really is a bowl of cherries!

(We actually picked two buckets full by the time we were all done!)

After this, it was time to head off to see that American G*rl movie...
I'll be talking more about this film in a later post. But I will say that thought there are a couple of things in it that I'm not crazy about, over all it was a truly heartwarming movie. Not to mention, educational! Just like the American G*rl books, there is so much kids can learn about pieces of history.
And the exciting thing for my girls about seeing it with their grandma was that she was actually around Kit's age during when the film takes place!

On our last and final day, we headed over to a historical mill downtown where they were having a special free monthly family event. There we had fun making our own bath salts and picking the colors and scents...

Afterward, we explored the grounds. My mom and I had been there several times before, but it was the first time for the girls.

As you can see, it was a beautiful day....but again, just a bit on the humid side. (And we Oregonians are not use to humid!) So, we headed back home for lunch and to rest a bit before we said our good-byes.

My mom was infinitely patient with my girls as they had their times of asking her things at once, having her play hide and seek with their stuffed animals, and forcing her to prove that she is smarter than a 5th grader by remembering where the Snake River is located.
And I know, as much as she misses us, she was secretly just a tad tired out by the time we drove away.

But still... I hope I have at last some of the energy she does when I am 81!

To Grandmother's House we go...

I wanted to thank those of you who took the time to comment on my last Marriage Monday post.
Just a couple more thoughts...

I am striving to "keep it real" yet remain as positive as possible here- sometimes not an easy balance! But there's no two ways about it...

Good marriages take work.

On the other hand, I wanted to make it clear that there are a few blog friends whose marriages truly are wonderful models for us all. And a couple of the ones I have in mind have even been married for decades.
Some of these couples, maybe partly because of compatibility and personality, I honestly believe have very few issues and they are truly blessed. So please know that I hold these examples in high esteem.

But my point is that most of us have our ups and downs as we walk through life with our mates, and it's not always bliss...hearts and flowers...twenty-four hours a day. But if we can know that we are not alone in this and work through the conflicts that do arise (instead of feeling like we made a mistake because ours doesn't seem as happy as the couple down the street) than the rewards can be truly great!

On a completely different note, I'll be gone for a couple days...
I'm taking the girls and we're spending a couple nights with their "Nammy"- my mom!

As all of you know who have been reading me for awhile, she is 81 and lives about an hour away (though we'll hopefully be moving her up closer before the year's out.)
So we treasure our time with her....and this time we have several fun things planned!
We'll be picking cherries off her tree, going to the park, doing some free crafts at a pioneer museum, and seeing the new Am*rican Girl movie, "Kit".
(Warning- I saw the trailer and there is an innuendo said which I find completely inappropriate for a G rating, but otherwise heard good things about it. I'll let you know!)
My nine year old especially loves Am*rican Girl books, and because my mom was actually about the same age as Kit is during the Depression era of the story, well, we thought it would be perfect to all see it together!

Meanwhile, my husband will be playing bachelor, probably watching his "manly movies" with full stereo effect, enjoying some rare quiet...but hopefully missing us like crazy by the time we return!

So, wishing all of you a wonderful weekend. I'll hopefully have some fun pictures to share with you when I get back!

Blessings!

Marriage Monday...Help for real live marriages

I am late getting in on this, but today is Marriage Monday!

As I pondered what to write about, since she gave us free-reign on the subject this month, my first thoughts were that marriage- even Christian marriage- can be challenging.

I am married to a good man who loves God, loves me, and loves our children.
But even this doesn't exempt me from occasionally getting frustrated with him, or feeling hurt over something he did (or didn't do).
Because when you think of it, living side by side with someone else day in and day out, there's got to be occasional conflict of some sort.
Add to the mix that each person comes from different family backgrounds, has different personalities, and the topper- a different gender than the other and therefore a sometimes different way of looking at things- wow!

But nevertheless, marriage is God's plan for most of us, and a gift...He wouldn't have ordained it if the benefits had the potential of outweighing the challenges!


(Taken on my 40th birthday- the theme was "the 40's"! He was no longer active duty here...;))

I think in churches, and in Christian circles of blogland, too, that a picture is painted of continuous marital bliss. So, some of us are left thinking, "Are we the only Christian couple who ever has a disagreement, gets sometimes disappointed in my mate, or feels frustration?"

I do heartily say that we should never publicly criticize our spouses, but instead honor them! (And mine can be incredibly romantic, caring, incredibly hard working...and I am truly blessed!)
But if we're all going to be honest, some of us- depending on personality types- are going to have some moments of non-marital bliss.

Yes, even my wonderful husband and I.

But even in our more challenging times, God has been right there with us, and sometimes has directed us to some great sources of encouragement and guidance.

I thought I would take this Marriage Monday to share a couple of them with you.
(Yes, even those of you who have a near-perfect marriage...because even good marriages can become that much better!)

Love and Respect by Emerson Eggrich.
We attended a year long monthly video seminar through our church beginning in 2006 and it was life changing. He gives insight into how men and women look at life differently, which can cause complete misunderstanding...and although the same can be said of both genders, men primarily crave respect the most and women crave love and feeling loved...and how we can meet each other's needs.

Another couple we like immensely is Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott. (Yep, they share the same name!)
We were blessed to be apart of an all-day live seminar at our church for couples on Valentine's Day a few years ago, and they give practical, every day advice for everything concerning marriage. One of their best sellers is "Saving your marriage before it starts" and they have written countless others on how to enjoy every day life with your spouse.

Of course, there are so many others out there...too many to mention.
So, you mention them!
What Christian author has been helpful to you in some way, large or small? Please share!

And to read other Marriage Monday posts, stop by our gracious host, Chrysalis!

Blessings!

Hill and Dale

Hope all of you had a great 4th of July...(at least my fellow American friends!)

I just wanted to pop in again to show you a few pictures from our holiday afternoon.

It seemed that when I said we'd be doing virtually nothing before heading out to see fireworks, I was wrong.
I suddenly had the idea to have the girls and I take their daddy to the park where our home school recently picnicked...and go for a nice, long bike ride.
Everyone said OK...Littlest girl said she'd just rather ride in the bike trailer since she hasn't mastered the two-wheeler yet...so hubby graciously packed up everything and we were on our way!

This park happens to be very close to us...play ground, fields, a nice bike trail....and so much beauty!
You know, one of those places that you ask yourself, "Why haven't we been coming here all this time?"

The paved trails actually gave way after a time to dirt trails...and it felt like we were far into the deep, deep woods...
The pathway had it's share of up and down hills, so we got our workout. All except one of our little princesses, tucked daintily into the bike trailer!

There was a quaint little bridge, where we saw up close the works of a beaver family!
While looking on the other side of the bridge, was this serene view, and I almost expected Lewis and Clark to come sauntering over.
(Never mind that this large park is surrounded by residential neighborhoods)

And then, at the top of the hill, back where we started from, we all rested on the grass and looked down on the lush pond of lily pads below us.
Here is our oldest, walking over to just crest the view...it's hard to tell but what looks like a green valley is actually the pond, completely taken over by lily pads.



(Double click to get a better view)

Afterwards, the kids played on the playground while their daddy and I tried to recover relaxed at a table.
And this all brings me to the fact that at the last moment, I opted to stay home from the fireworks this year.
This is SO rare for me...and there were several factors at play here. But the bottom line was that I really needed some alone time to rest that night...

(Well, if your neighborhood is like mine on the 4th of July, rest is not really the right word here.)
But it was kinda' nice and truly what I needed, just the same.

Yet, this was a one time thing. Next year I won't be playing hookie again if I can help it. I found out that my youngest missed me a little too much when she said, through stifled tears, that the fireworks were much better last year...because I was there.

Pang goes my heart.


I'm not only posting two days in row, but it may be three! At least that is my hope....
Marriage Monday is tomorrow! The topic is just on marriage in general this month, so feel free to join in by visiting Chrysalis for the rules and to read all the contributors!

Blessings!