Girl Time

It's hard to believe that it's only been a bit over a week since visiting with my friends at Melanie's house. Years ago when I first met Mark's mom and she was telling me about her and her best girlfriends leaving husbands and kids and going for a week of just girl time at the beach I thought it was odd - this is certainly nothing my own mother would have considered doing and so nothing that I had seen before. Last year Mark convinced me to try it, so I traveled with Charity to Suzanne's house and wow what a good time! Once more I realized that my mother-in-law was one smart cookie, that girl time made everything better and it made me a better wife and mommy too. This year I met with Charity and Michelle and rode up to Melanie's for a weekend filled with girl talk, from giggling so hard that some landed in the floor (yes adult girls do that too, it's really funnier than little girls doing it even) to talking about all aspects of life it was a refreshing weekend that has made my life that I love to live even better.
I didn't bring my camera along but Glenda has linked up most of the pics in one post here and if you are on Facebook Suzanne put up a huge album of pics here
In my day to day life I am often at home (right where I love to be most) with John and Mark (my favorite guys in the world), Mark comes and goes for Church business and other than the monthly Senior Services Meeting, running errands (a few times a month, once a week at most) or going to church I am rarely in the company of others. Even when I am around others I'm usually the only stay at home mommy, or the only homeschool mommy, or the only mommy that cooks the crazy food that we cook, or a ton of other things that make me stick out in a crowd around here, but in the company of my girlfriends I find that I'm pretty normal and that really feels good. I don't have everything in common with everyone of them, besides being impossible that would just be boring if we were all cookie cutters of each other, but I have lots in common with each of them and that just feels good. We talked about raising kids, homeschool stuff, music stuff, food stuff, cooking stuff, knitting stuff, computer stuff, and of course guns and bacon because what would life be without either, but for that weekend I just felt like one of the crowd and that is a good feeling.
I'm looking forward to next year already, but I've come home with great ideas and inspiration about lots of stuff from learning to like different kinds of wine, getting out my Julia Child cookbooks and using them, a cool math program that fits John's kind of learning and a piano program that sounds like it's right up John's alley and mine too and just an intangible sense of 'I'm ok' that helps me be more so just by being there. During the year there will be new opportunities to meet up with these mommies and their families for various reasons here and there, and maybe meet some new friends off the homeschool list that I find most of my social life on, but for now there is my wonderful family, my favorite job that I've ever had, and of course thoughts and plans of next year (bet you thought I was going to say bacon ;)

Almost 15 Weeks...

...of lovable little puppy...



...and yes I'm still in my pajamas ;)

Reading to Dad

If I could make one wish that would change John's life instantly for the better, short of fixing all health problems of course, it would be that he would wake up in the morning and be able to read.



Here you see him reading to dad. John's hands are saying 'tall' and day by day by some orthodox and unorthodox means we are getting there, dreams do come true.

Let Us See What Squirt Will Do

This has been our favorite saying for a while, it's from Nemo in regards to what one of the little turtles will do when it gets outside the EAC, I try really hard not to preface it with, "Whoa Jellyman" as Mark doesn't enjoy being called Jellyman, but still in our house lately it's been like one long daily show of seeing what squirt will do next. What you see is the result of a thirsty boy who can open the refrigerator, get out his own bottle of water, take the cap off by himself and drink from it so long as it's not over half full, put the lid on when done and put it back in the fridge and nope the shoe print on the fridge door from where he closes it doesn't faze me one bit!

Willing Accomplice

I am not the worlds best housekeeper, not even close, but it does make cleaning more fun with such a willing accomplice ;)

Knitting Fun Stuff

When I cut the last string on the hat that I was knitting for our nephew John came over and wanted to try it on and needed his picture taken in it. He's so silly, he thinks he might like the same kinda hat, guess I need to find a smaller pattern for his though.

Finger Pacifier?

Mark wanted me to take a picture of Mellon because she is getting so much better, unlike John who is a willing ham for the camera, Mellon needed a finger pacifer. She's definitely growing and growing fast and thankfully is getting better behaved each and every day!