{sniff, sniff}

I need a jumbo pack of tissue please.

 

According to Noah, we are heading toward an "Andy" moment. 

I have been in my organizing frenzy and had a few things

for Noah to do in his room after church.  

 

Well, it included four remaining friends of his that still reside

tucked away in his closet.  Instead of officially packing them

away, he still wants them to reside in his closet.  But, in a tall

basket so no one can see them, but, he'll know they are there.

 

My heart literally cried.

With happiness, as strangely as that sounds.

 

Of course, I am saddened by how fast this childhood

thing zips by.  But, have been embracing it more as
I've seen dear friends, family and even strangers lose

a child due to a tragic accident or illness - so instead of

being so sad with the fleeting time, I am TRYING desperately to

embrace it a little more.   So, my heart was happy because

he is not ready yet.   These boys are growing at such a fast

pace, but the fact that he is still holding some things dear 

from his wee childhood close to his heart makes my heart happy. 

 

Very happy.

 

 

So, Flopper his beloved dog that has been thrown

up on countless times, provided comfort during

hospital stays, snuggled him close until fairly recent years will

stay.   Teddy Bear who joined in a year or so after

Flopper bonded strongly despite he was always in the number

two position.  The only time he reached number one was

when Flopper would have to go on a "scuba diving excursion"

in the washing machine because in was just past that point.

And, Tiger who has eyes that still make Noah melt. {it is

soooo sweet} and Clifford.  I think Clifford's sentiment

merely comes from the fact he remembers my mom giving

him to him one year when he was engrossed in the cartoons. 

 

So, even though he related this to Andy - he also followed it

up with the fact he will not be giving them away to anyone

down the street.  He will just make sure he takes a very

tall basket to college. 

 

Okay, the tears are falling now.

But, happy tears, right?

I'll try to convince myself anyway.

 

{heading out}

I have seriously become a hermit.

It's been in progress for a while now.

There is almost no place I'd rather be than home.

Or, the beach.   But, geography totally ruins that.

 

Tomorrow, however, we are heading out.

We are stepping our feet off the farm and 

"going to town" as my Nannie always said.

 

The boys and I.  There is no telling what trouble

we will get into.  The only thing on the agenda is

buying jeans for Noah and a movie.  We are exciting, huh?

 

lol. 

 

But, Christmas break is fleeting fast. 

Very, very sad face.

 

After mopping and shop vaccuming all day. 

Moving fans.  Doing laundry and more laundry and

well...more.  I'm ready to fly to coop for a day. 

 

And, I do promise to start posting pictures again.

Someday.  I know posts without pics = boring.

 

 

 

{welcome 2013}

and, early onset dementia.

Seriously.

I would love to sit here at midnight and document our

fabulously cozy day spent together welcoming

in the New Year.

Well, not quite. 

Instead, I sit here in the living room freezing

because every fan we have is on high, hurricane-force

speed.  Every towel and almost every piece of linen

we own is either on my big comfy chair waiting to 

be folded {AGAIN}, or in the washer,

or in the dryer, or in the mountain of wet, soggy, soaked -

to be washed.  Oh, yes, there is a pile in the garage as well.

And, the pile that was going to the dry cleaner.  Soaked. 

I flooded the house.  

Yep, it's really not all that difficult to do.

Turn on the laundry room facet to fill the sink

and walk away with every intention to be back within 

a minute.  Two at the very most.   And, then 

just simply do not look back for oh, about 

a minimum of thirty minutes. And, 

that my friends is probably a gross

underestimation.  It sounds better at least. 

I'm seriously trying not to panic.

Words like black mold are wrestling with any

calmness I have.   Did you know that water

can travel UNDER a wall and UNDER baseboards

to the next room?  Or, the next two rooms?

It doesn't discriminate for tile, hardwood or carpet.

Not at all.  It becomes fast friends with all. 

Okay, since I am really trying not to panic.

Let's just change the subject.  

Quickly.

I've been reading my friends blogs.  And, talking

with family.  I think everyone else has packed up their 

Christmas.  It will not be a surprise to anyone that I have not.

In fact, I had decided to pack it up next week, after 

the boys had gone back to school because they {they

being the little one in particular} love it so much, I had 

decided to let them enjoy it all of Christmas break.  

That may change with the flood of 2013.

We had a very quite night at home last night, just the 

four of us.  We let the boys stay up as they were so 

excited about being awake for the New Year.  Evan

watched the clock intensely and at 11:59, got 

down on his knee, took my hand and asked me "will

you do the honor of kissing me at midnight."  Well,

Daddy had given up on midnight and retreated to bed by that time.

Of course, I obliged. And, then with all of his excitement 

and yelling that it was 2013, Scott got up and gave me one too,

not to be outdone. ;)  

Let's just say the boys SLEPT in this morning. ;}

I'm not a girl of resolutions.  But, I do have 

some goals for 2013 without question.

I LOVE a new calendar.  Or, two or three as I

mentioned before.  ;)  Love me some fresh starts. 

This year,  my quiet time and monitoring/

encouraging that of the boys is high, high on my list.  

So, I set time aside this morning and found my year verse as well

as one for each of them.   When they got up they were happy with them.  

Which makes a mama's heart very happy too. 

So, I then moved on to my frenzy of cleaning.  I have been

cleaning for DAYS and my house is a complete wreck.

Horrid.  I've been purging and deep cleaning like there is no 

tomorrow which makes the biggest mess while in the midst of it.

I have lost count of the garbage bags.  I have also used every garbage

bag we have.  Not good.  Because I am far, far from finished.  And, 

tomorrow is trash pick up and Scott thinks I've packed them too 

heavy.  Nice.  

I had just about wrapped up the laundry room purge when 

I decided to scour the sink.  I ruined and multiplied 

every ounce of progress I had made today.  Or, for the past three days.

Head hurts. 

Let's talk about something else, shall we?

How about shells?

You know that little trip to Florida we took back in August?  Well,

a huge container of shells had been pushed back behind

everything in the laundry room sink cabinet. Of course, it was

flooded today as well, so I had to go through every shell

and wash it to be dried so I could finally display them.  

They calmed me.  I can remember finding some many of them.

I walked miles and miles on that beach.  So, several of those will

be loaded into a very dingy Mason jar that I found at my

Grandpa's old homesite and will make it's way to the studio.

Shells and a {sentimental} Mason jar.....what could be better?

I have also officially played 613 games of UNO I think.

We've made cookies.

Eaten gallons of popcorn.

Made tents in the bedrooms and camped out and 

watched movies.  

Snuggled.

Played more board games.

Video games of course.  {but, not today, the 

reining in has begun}

The time is winding down quickly and I just hate it. 

I'm off to shop vac some more.

Do more laundry.

Fold more laundry.

Well, that will probably get me to 

the wee hours of the morning.

Happy New Year, everyone!  

:)

{i may just like this....}

a little too much.

 

i have a lot to post.

but, am immensely enjoying

not doing anything associated with a list. 

 

i'm actually simply doing a lot of

what i want.

 

playing with the boys.

reading.

web browsing.

plans for 2013.

cleaning.

organizing.

sitting in places other than a computer.

still enjoying my christmas decorations. 

dreaming of an extra-special vacation for the boys.

 

it has been so great.

i'm sure this will have an impact

on the upcoming calendar.

 

speaking of calendars.......

does anyone have the same problem as me.

finding one i love.

then, finding one i love better.

and, maybe another one. 

 

it's crazy.

so far, i'm on my 2nd one for 2013.

 

now, i'm off to shoot a beautiful little

model that is kind enough to help me test

out my lighting and a new backdrop. 

 

{no words}

but, many prayers for those in Newtown. 

My heart literally aches.

 

It was more difficult than I anticipated

on the drive to school this morning.  I had to turn off

the radio and wipe my hidden tears without them seeing me.

 

I 'forced' Noah to kiss me in front of his teachers.

He obliged me much easier than he would have on

any other day.  He also mouthed "I love you" as I drove away.

He knows what has happened.  Evan doesn't get it all thankfully.

 

I saw many mothers on the road to and from the schools wiping

tears.   Evan kissed me as he usually does and told me his usual,

"shine.  and, i'll be praying for you."  I told him the same as I always do.

 

I watched him walk {almost skipping} past the plain clothed police

officer standing at the front entrance without a care in the world. 

 I drove away and the tears flooded.  I wish there could be a bubble,

but I know there cannot. 

 

 I will have to fight this fear as it has always been a fear

to me and now it is heightened to the extreme.   They will

never know how fearful I am at times because I never want them to feel it.

 

I'm ready for it to be 2:50 p.m. 

 

 

He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

Psalm 147:4

 

 

 

 

{beach dazeD}

oh, what I would give to have my toes in warm sand right about now.

 

NOT because we finally  have winter weather - I'm actually welcoming

that.  But, the midnight oil is burning low right about now.

 

sand, it cures just about everything.  

{anybody out there??}

I've noticed my friends have fallen off

the blog wagon as well.  Busy, busy time

of year for everyone.

 

And, for here...... 

 

it's going to get worse, before

it gets better.  I'm looking

forward to that later part.

 

Can't happen soon enough!