6.29.2012

Packing

This picture cracks me up. The short story is girlfriend wouldn't take a nap. She bounced around for an hour then just fell over mid sentence and continued to sleep like that with her legs hanging off the sofa mid air. She basically looks the way I've felt all week--zonked!
It's been busy. We held a successful sales meeting last night that took a good bit of prepping on my behalf--lots of phone calls and emails which can be tricky now that it is summer and Loulie is no longer in school three days a week. This morning I had a court hearing where I basically had to confront two parents for lying about the whereabouts of their child. Combine that with looking down at dinner to see 18 missed calls on my phone from the baby sitter and you could say my blood pressure has been slightly elevated this week. Thankfully, there were no visits to the ER, just getting locked out and a visit to the neighbors. Never again will I turn my phone to silent and note to all parents, show the sitter where the spare key is!
All that being said, we are leaving for Knoxville tomorrow!!! Isn't vacation so much sweeter after a hectic week? We haven't visited my parents since January and Loulie has grown an entire inch since my dad last saw her so this trip is long overdue. When I say we, I mean Loulie and me. Bert and Bridget are staying home. Prayers for Bert as he enters the busiest work week of his entire year. With 100 degree days predicted for next week, he should be extra busy. (Shameless plug--go buy lowcountry ice!)
I'm ultra excited about our trip and so is the Bug. My mother has so much planned and I am just looking forward to being in new surroundings. This summer has been awesome but it can be nice to change the scenery every now and then. SO we are taking off tomorrow morning after buying a new set of tires--is there anything less gratifying purchase? I think not.


Hope everyone has a happy and safe 4rth of July! 

6.22.2012

On the farm, on the farm







We went blueberry picking with friends at Ambrose Farm on Johns Island last week. Before hand, I thought this will be either really fun or an epic fail. Thankfully, it was the former. We have been blessed with beautiful weather so far this summer and picked midday under a cool 79 degrees (unheard of for June!).
Bert is always saying he wants a farm and watching the kids roam so freely, laughing and splashing in the mud almost had me putting a sign in the front yard. I can't stop looking at these pictures--those little tushes collaborating on how to fill their baskets--I just love it!
We collected two pounds of blueberries and one of blackberries. Loulie and I followed these rules for cleaning which actually worked and kept them quite fresh. Then, we used this recipe for the most delicious breakfast bread.  The nice part of the whole adventure, Loulie helped with every part! Even clean up....

6.21.2012

Phenomenon

You know when you're out running errands, that day where you actually took the time to dry your hair and put on lipstick, being all productive. Then one glance in the rearview shows a child's head swaying back and forth. Before you know it, you have abandoned all plans, pulled a U turn and are racing home in the hopes you can get this exhausted child down for what could be a loooong nap! A long nap in which you make sales calls, return messages and clean the dishes from last night. You turn off the car, tip toe in the house quietly and use all muscle power to slowly lower them into bed....And before you have even completely turned on your heels, there the child is popped up and demanding your attention.

Suddenly, you are home. Tired. Watching a two year old race circles around the dog. And all I can think is that there must be some scientific explanation for how a child can barely put one foot in front of the other one second and be torpedoing off her changing table the next.

Someone please explain this to me?!

6.11.2012

May in Photos



















 

Young Life Camp
Mother's Day
Last Day of School
Picolo Spoleto Festival
Concerts at Freshfields

So many things I want to soak in and remember, write about and treasure. But then that would require that I give up more sleep than I already do, so for now pictures will have to suffice.

6.05.2012

May Reads


Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected--A Memoir

Bloom: finding beauty in the unexpected
by Kelle Hampton

I am still unsure on how I feel about this book.  We read it for book club last month and are actually skyping with the author on Wednesday. I'm sure I'll be more resolved after chatting "live" and hashing it over with friends. The book itself is beautiful, full of grogeous photographs of their children and friends, and Hampton's writing is superb. are actually skyping with the author on Wednesday. I may have more of a resolution on this book after discussing with friends, but I just have such mixed feelings. The book itself is just lovely with such beautiful pictures of their family and friends. Hampton is a beautiful writer, painting such a picture with her words that you feel like you are there. Where I was kind of at a loss was in my relation to her. Don't get me wrong, I completely sympathized with the shock of her situation.


Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
by Mindy Kaling

I randomly picked this one up at the library upon suggestion from a friend.  I have never watched The Office so I really had no expectations. Hilarious! The book is comprised of short essays on various topics that Kaling finds important to share with you.  Her self-deprecating humor and homage to late nineties pop culture (we're about the same age) made me immediately feel like I was having coffee with a good friend. Though her take on everything is pretty sarcastic, I loved that her humor is clean and found myself nodding my head at so many of her thoughts on dating, marriage, society today, etc. I did lose some interest towards the middle since the essays are so short and there is no real plot driving it, but overall it  was refreshing. I would definitely recommend as a beach read--just be prepared to laugh out loud.