{i've fallen off the wagon}

I watched one scramble to catch up with his friends to

ride the shuttle bus to the Middle School campus. 

It was a very bittersweet sight to behold.  Tears sprung.

I kissed another one smack dab on the lips while

he would still let me and walked out with Scott.

 A new school.

A new year. 

Then, I strategically swung through the drive-through

at McDonald's and ordered a fully loaded sweet tea to

drown my sorrows in.   I will be sipping this

glass of sugar for the next few hours. 

It may make me feel a little better.

Maybe.

I will be back later for a happy post.

For now, I want to wallow.  

{ba humbug!}

to the end of summer.

But, I will put on my happy face for them and

embrace the beginning of the new school year with a smile.  

Tonight, I may be quietly saying

ba humbug to myself a time or two.

Or maybe, three.  

{pausing}

I really wanted to write this when my mind was less

frazzled, I didn't have luggage to be packed, a house to clean,

and a list of MUSTS before we leave that door tomorrow, but,

I couldn't let the day pass without pausing for a minute to

celebrate today.   It is a big day for you, Honey!

Not only our we celebrating our 19th Anniversary, but

you are now 40!  I can't believe it!  Where has the time gone?

I have been very reminiscent over the last few days - if it took

just a blink to get us here, it places perspective on the blink we

have left together.  It simply goes so fast. 

I have to giggle because of how we have spent our day.

I have barely seen you on this anniversary of ours as the

original plan was to be celebrating it on the beach.  That

got scratched.  So, instead we both worked like crazy today

trying to get things in place to finally make it to the beach.

And, then, your BIG day.  I laugh again at how understated it has been.

It has been just how you want it.  When I think of what

you did {or, funded my friends to do for me last year} the comparison

is absolutely stunning.   Again, I have barely seen you because

you have taken advantage of a good day that you've had to

get us out the door.  Thank you.  Instead of a house full

of friends - you, me and the boys will be eating pizza,

brownies and sipping on a 2 liter of Mt. Dew tonight.   It

would make me horribly sad if I thought you were disappointed

at all, but you are not, this is how you wanted it. 

I think we've learned a lot over the years.  We should have

as we were mere babes when we first met! 

We've had so many ups and downs and I think we are

both at a place where we are very happy and content.  And,

most of all, still in love.  It's easy to get on autopilot and go through

the motions, but, I think we've grown in so many ways that 

we don't want to settle for that at all.  I found a perfect card

{even though you have not seen it yet, ha!} and I couldn't have

said it better myself....

"Remember the thrill of it all when we first started out?

Me, too.

But that was only the beginning. 

When we first fell in love,

we believed we'd always

feel exactly the same way,

every minute, day in and day out.

But, then learned

that love is a choice we make

again and again.

We choose each other

over all the distractions.

We say yes to tomorrow,

even when we're shaking our heads

over the way today might be going.

We decide that love

is what matters most.

For me, that means standing by

the best choice I ever made...

You."      

Scott Walker.

There is absolutely no one on this planet that I

could have imagined my life with but you. 

No one I would have wanted by my side when....

*I didn't always have the confidence that I could make it

through school with so many of the obstacles I had.

*Each job change or career path that was before me 

 - you were always by biggest fan.

*All the years I couldn't go to the cemetary alone, you

were there beside me.

*With each baby that we lost - you were my quiet comfort.

*When we were told we would never have babies - you

held my hand and then wiped my tears when they spilled

in that elevator in Little Rock.

*You did that same very thing in the hotel room in San

Fransicso - you wouldn't let me give up hope.

*You gave me the home of my dreams at

the mere age of 23  - and told me this is where we would
grow old (& we are thankfully!}.

*You held my heart through our adoption process.

*You held my hand through our delivery.

*You wiped my tears when I lost my sweet Grandpa. And,

you totally got why my heart was so sad for so long and

often wanders back to that place.

*You have told me the sweetest words I will ever hear

- that I am a great mother.

That is just a glimpse.  You truly hold my heart and

I am excited with the direction we are going.  We continue

to defy those odds we were told after the accident. 

And, that makes me very, very happy!

I love you and happy, happy birthday!

{it's official}

I've got my 'traveling' outfit laid out for the wee hours.

A very important component for me....it's all about being comfy.

Laying it out makes it official; that, and the fact I dropped the girls off.

I am praying that I can leave all of the work that will be left undone

behind me.  And, forget it.  REALLY forget it.  There are

late deadlines but, I am hoping the outcome of the time I spend on

the edits will soothe their frustrations.  I wish I could just have

a few weeks without the unexpected{S}....then maybe I could halfway stay

caught up.  That, and learning to use the naughty word of no. I have

worked like a madwoman but we got hit hard over the past week

with multiple illnesses and multiple requests that were not on the agenda.  

We should have left Sunday, but it will be Wednesday.

  

 I am hoping to forget it all because....my boys {or my littles, as Dixie Delights calls

 them} simply deserve that.   I want to there present with them 100%. 

 I have one night of sessions, but that is it.  This time, I plan on dumping that

 last trip on its head in comparison.  I need to "be" and "be still" with them

in a tremendous way for not only my heart, but my sanity.

Well, I'm wrapping up my have-tos and hope to be in bed at a decent

hour and then we will begin our last hurrah for summer.  Sad

to see her go, but am going to squeeze every last bit out of

her that I can.    Be back soon!!!

{behind closed curtains}

Unless you show up unexpected, you would never know

that all of this stuff for the studio sits haphazardly

behind closed curtains.  Those curtains save me.

These pictures do not even do justice to the overload. 

And, some of the overload has already flowed into the barn.
There is no room left in the inn.

Garage doors:  check

Heating and air:  check

Electrical:  check

Insulation:  begins tomorrow

Barn doors:  begin next week

Walls start going up: in one week.

Soon, maybe soon, this storage room will revert to
days long ago when it was a simple dining room. 

And, for clarification, most of anything in there that is bright is
actually just a prop besides the rugs and they are in various
places such as entry, bathroom, etc.  Everything else for the
studio {in the boxes} is very light and airy. 

A wee bit excited...  

{the shopping experience}

I wish I could avoid.

Back to school shopping.

That first day bell ring is looming.

Sales Tax Free weekend begins tomorrow.

I went ahead and plunged today. 

Very, very sad face.

As the boys race past me just now wrapped

in their wet towels from the pool.

Sigh.  

{a new beach has been discovered}

First, I am about to surmise that a relaxing beach vacation

is not in the plans for us this year. 

Tropical Storm Ernesto is gaining strength and expected

to hit the Gulf of Mexico early next week.

The Gulf that we are suppose to be in early next week.

At, this point it is a wait and see because the path is unknown.

Will it turn to the left?  Turn to the right?  Convert its power

into a hurricane as expected?  Dissipate? 

That kind of unknown makes it a bit difficult to plan.

I feel de ja vu from last September. 

We decided last minute not to go. 

According to our friends, it was probably for the best.

To go or not to go?

While I'm on the subject of beaches, let

me share another favorite summer find of mine.

Instead of actually going to the beach,  I may have to simply resort to eating

one.   Pure yumminess in my spoon!

I may be living on this beach all winter long.

{picture per Amazon}

Over the summer, we have really worked hard at a new eating plan.

We have all lost of bit of weight {except skinny E, he's on the low side anyway,

so I have to make sure he gets enough calories!}

Our eating plan has simply been healthier with attempts to steer away

from all of the processed foods and lean more into natural, increased

whole wheat, more fruits and veggies, organic,  etc. 

Noah has done extremely well with this, we are so, so proud!

And, he is very invested in the change as he is currently

asking questions, making wise choices, eating so well.

By no means is he on a diet, just a complete diet change.

He loves Kashi cereal and I found this flavor on Amazon. 

The boxes are smaller, but apparently still contain what you would

get in other boxes just without all of the air as it is very compacted. 

A bit pricey, but I'd rather pay extra for something more

wholesome for the boys than have them eat more inexpensive junk. 

Oh, my goodness!  It tastes so much like no bake cookies it is unreal. 

Given, a 1/2 cup of this awesome stuff has 230 calories, but when

paired with skim milk and a piece of fruit it's all good. 

And, it's so dense it is very filling.  Super high in fiber and high

in protein as well. 

Very, very good, I might add.  

In more ways than one.

Which makes it even better.