Time flies when I get nothing done...

Listened to a Chip Kidd Ted Talk on clarity and mystery...
Watched 2 episodes of NCIS...

Working in planner and cleaning off studio table...
Burning Flannel & Tweed...
Drinking tea...
Eating leftovers from Homecoming dance...
Cleaning up scrapbooking...
Cleaning off the desk

The boy slept over at a friend's after homecoming. I finally called to tell him he needed to return to me. Then I cooked him a small snack of 7 scrambled eggs. Then Hubs came home from a fishing tournament at Rocky.

FOOOORRRRRR HHHOOOOUUUURRRSSSSS

The anticipation of a trip is half the fun

Yesterday was the fourth of July. Midsummer. I was home all day going through my summer pinterest board, making projects, moving some to my Hilton Head board for food, exercise, activities. Good stuff. Good times. M came over for awhile and brought her bags for the HHI trip and some mason jars! She said she just has too many! Who can have too many mason jars! So I'm splitting with Yo to spread the wealth. Lovely. Today will be more of the same. I like my goals sheet I made yesterday.


The anticipation of a trip is half the fun. Yesterday's pinning was exciting. I hope this turns into an annual trip of girls who get along and have a relaxing time.

Last week I went to Yo's pool for a pre Hilton Head meeting. Harley was happy to see me

 My girls really wanted to get in. Right away!

 After swimming and playing all day they crashed.

 OH happy day!

 A weekday brunch at Panera with the boys.

 M. is moving soon. Bubs is upset because he loves her pond. So I took him out to say goodbye.

 Mornings and evenings...

 Sam the man hangs out with us for a week.

 Big storms came through last Friday and nature cleaned house.

 I have three magnets that are drawn to wherever I am.

Less?

Sam has arrived. And he is large. Not so in charge though. Poor guy is shy and homesick. He did fine when S and G dropped him off, kinda moped around until the boys came home and then he acted like S and G came to get him. Then when it was time to go to bed, whew, not so good Al. He whined all night. He cuddled with Hubs some but really not happy. I took them all out at about 4am. No good. He's gonna have a long week. Poor guy.

S has never been to our house before, he was very complimentary. I forget what the lake must seem like on your first visit. It's pretentious looking when you have to be buzzed in and all. Lots of nice houses on the way to ours but there are lots of ranges if you go all over. Once here he kept saying, wow you have a lot of 'stuff'. Yeah more is more I guess. I'm organized and orderly but there every space is decorated. I feel like I've been paring down but really we just have tons of stuff. Not expensive or techy but just stuff we've (I've) accumulated over the years. I bet there is 1000 books here or more. But I don't pay lots of money for my stuff. I keep stuff way past when other people send it on. I have clothes from high school. I have records and used pretty perfume bottles. I have vintage purses and craft supplies to last a lifetime. My stuff in organized. I have everything in its place. The problem is I've run out of space. Especially with clothing and craft supplies. So its kinda piling up. What to do?

The boys got up early this morning to go fish at Rocky Fork. Preparing for a tourney in July. I've got the dogs on the back porch trying to keep them from eating each others food. Poor Sam I think his food might be a little more bland.

I love that Stella wakes up from her nap, seeks me out and slinks over to have her head patted.

Dogs out and fed
Morning Pages
Pinterest
Facebook
Workout
Breakfast
Devotion
Boys come home
Lunch
Dessert :) Hubs is quite the baker
DvR catch up
Watched a movie with the boys
Storms a coming

Functionally boring

Good morning sunshine! The next 3 days are forecasted to be scourchers.

Wednesday morning... This week has been relaxing. Monday we had some running to do and had lunch at Panera. Odd choice for my crew but we enjoyed it. Even Hubs enjoyed his souffle. This week Hubs has summer school for a few hours in the afternoon. I took Bubs to fish at my friend's house and I just went back and forth between visiting with her while she packed (she's moving) and with him while he fished. Then my mother in law came over so I could help her with her resume. Late that evening Bubs got an invite to go to a friends he doesn't often go to so off he went. Then yesterday he was gone all day so the Hubs and I watched a movie and generally got nothing done until he had to head to summer school and I started in on my bills and paper work. I went to pick up Bubs and Hubs had a fishing tourney. Bubs has had basketball camp all week. Lots of running this week. Today Bubs is working with his grandpa helping to put in a pool, Hubs has summer school, Bubs then has basketball and then the Hubs and I have a planning meeting for the Building 429 concert we are helping out with here in Blanchester. Tomorrow Sam, a friend's male lab, is coming to visit for a week. I'm excited to have another dog come visit. I plan on staying home all week and work around the house in case he needs company. I hope the girls like him. And my boys of course.

Well that was functionally boring.
This should spice up the post...

Good Morning... pages 3

I missed those morning pages yesterday and when I remembered Cameron's words echoed in my head, "Morning pages are non-negotiable." Gonna need to remember to set time to do those no matter what.

Stella loves to get a piece of food or chewed up bone and throw it around. Fun to watch. Actually both these girls are fun to watch. I can feel my blood pressure lower the longer I sit still and just watch them. We are 11 days out of school and I'm just starting to relax. That's with being home for 3 days straight. I really need to relax some this summer. I forget how much of a toll the school year takes on me. And this was a GOOD year. It still brought lots of heartache with needy kids, fighting foster care, telling kids they're loved even when they do not have one parent who will fight for them, watching injustice in the system and threatened job security once again. It's exhausting and sad. But of course there's also those 'twins' I got to know this year that were so entertaining and who have such potential, and Bub's test scores that show real promise, innocent freshmen who came and camped out in my room and new teachers who came in and fit right in with fun personalities. So it evens out. This year more than most really. It makes me so angry when people imply we have it easy. Easy is a job where you don't worry about the welfare of your clients each and everyday. They come in well fed, loved and cared for and need you to give them something material. Ours come in so damaged and needy and we are expected to give them an education where the bar is set so high despite what they may have received in the past here or somewhere else. It's tough, exhausting work. I do love it though. I count it a privilege to be given this time to love and care for them AND to show them their potential. It's fun watching them succeed and waiting to see who they become. They overcome so much in four years.

This year Bub's will be in his final year in middle school then next school year we will start the four year journey of high school together. Scary and exiting. I can't imagine really. He's 14 years old. I hardly even get to see him he's so busy. Already the first day we were out and we were both home he came down stairs and said, "What's for Breakfast and can we go fishing?" I said, "Eggs and absolutely." We have a strict policy in this house; if he wants to spend time with us, we spend time with him. So all those plans I had for things to do, I put aside and we took the pontoon out with the girls. It was fabulous. Pics on yesterday's post. He has a Kings Island pass this year. Bought it himself. So although I had a KI pass for probably 7 years I'm nervous he's there without me, being ferried back and forth by kid's parents, etc. and wondering how much KI is going to make off of us this summer. And we don't get to be together. Poop. Oh well, growing pains. This year on my way to graduation I got a little teary eyed thinking about how I'm going to do this when Bubs is with me for HIS Graduation. How indeed. 

Yard Saling

Lorelei yard sales were yesterday. Some scores: books, DVD's, a wooden bowl, acorn ornaments, clothing, a Bybee pitcher, dishtowels, a Grolsch bottle, necklace, a halloween rug, a little birdcage, and a lighter.
The lighter is a Ronson Queen Anne Lighter I bought for a quarter. It's worth 15-60$.
Bub scores 2 chairs for his room, a safe and a pocket knife.
I really enjoy going with him. He called late the night before to ask if we were going early the next morning. We've been running in different directions lately.
Prom was last night at Newport Aquarium. An awesome location!
We ate at Mitchell's Fish Market for dinner. Hubs took Bubs to his fishing tourney so I went with some friends. There was a photo booth with props. We went to Jefferson Hall afterward and it was really fun. Danced till the wee hours of the morning.

Sat.ur.day (sing it)

Watching a few Hallmark movies today... I know I'm surprising myself. Undercover Bridesmaid, The Good Witch, The Good Witch Garden...

The boys are fishing and the girls are spending the day at home.

I've started laundry, cleaned house and am now sitting down to paperwork. Oh ok I'm gonna blog a little first.

On my birthday Hub's came home with these...

 the girls are adorable together

 Hub's ordered my birthday cake from my favorite cake ball lady. I should order more, more often.

 We went to Enoteca Emilio for my birthday dinner with two of our couple friends.

 This week this saying became relevant. Again. Seriously can't believe 15 years into this job this is still an option. Dodged the bullet. Again. For now.

 Yolanda thinks she's sooo funny. Ok well she is but still. Poor Stella girl so discriminated against. 

 Spent last Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning at The Ranch for Bub's fishing kickoff. 

 My sleeping quarters with the dogs

 The main house

 Stella fit right in

 Got a little reading done

 Took a ride on the terrain vehicle and saw a bird drying his wings

 Instead of camping we slept in the barn loft

 The boys slept in the other barn loft

 Stella crawled on top of my purse for a nap 

 Back home

 Smart Talk women's lecture series hasn't been so good this year but the restaurants are great. This is Nada's. First time I've seen a TV projected through the mirror.

 Last week's work hysteria made me rethink writing as a career. Of course I identify a little too closely with this to make it happen.

 Our church small group is a God sent. These are the kids. Doing life.

 BED BUG!

 We saw a coyote last week in the lake, Friday we saw deer on our way out.

 Working hard training the new girl.

 Hard work chewing up toys.

 Bub's fishing season began today.

I finished The Mitford Series some time ago and so finally started The Father Tim novels. Home to Holly Springs is delightful. Comfort read. 

Then finished 101 Things You Should Do Before Your Kids Leave Home. Its an ok list. 

Made a Goodwill stop Thurs. Picked up some shoes for Hub's, crop pants for me, 3 books, a Banana Rep sweater and 2 necklaces for $27.