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! 

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....

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?!

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.

May Reads

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.

March/April Reads

In hope of redeeming myself from my last post title, I am trying to catch up on everything that has gone to the wayside in the past few weeks. I set out at the beginning of 2012 to read 3 books/ month. I am one behind for April and hope to make up for in it in some of the down time during the summer. I also need some good fiction suggestions beyond that scary trilogy everyone is talking about. I thought it through and don't think I can submerge myself in anything involving handcuffs, hair braiding and submission. Think I'll pass this round!

The Best of Me

by Nicolas Sparks

I may lose some of you in this critique since many women seem to love this guy's writing. Obviously since he comes out with a new novel every 6 months that is rolled into a movie within another 3. The last Sparks book I enjoyed was Three Weeks with My Brother (that was 7 years ago) but every say four or so years, I forget and pick up the latest. Around mid-April this was on the new bookshelf at the library and I guess I was desperate. Anywho, same old, same old. Melodramatic, sappy, unrealistic 300 pages of wasted time. Basically, if a man sat down and thought "I am going to put everything that I think might make a woman cry into a book", this would be the book. But I don't like Lifetime movies or Hallmark and if I am going to listen to a story about love or saving lives, I want it to be "Heroes" on CNN so this didn't do much for me. No more Sparks books--I'm serious this time!

The Three Stages of Amazement

 by Carol Edgarian

I had seen this book on a Goodreads email or something and snatched it up when I saw it on the trade a bookshelf at my in-laws' beach house back in March. To be honest, it let me down a little only because I thought from the summary that it could be in the rankings with Marisa de los Santos. It wasn't. It was a pretty decent plot centered around a couple having a difficult time in their marriage. The part that made the book interesting is that it was set about four years ago during the beginning of the recession. The writing was good but at times confusing and a little too self absorbed. I don't feel like I wasted time reading it but it is not one I will remember a year from now or would take the time to recommend to a friend.

One Thousand Gifts

by Ann Voskamp

I feel a little ridiculous even trying to write about this book because words can't even describe how life changing its pages will be for you. I began reading it a year ago and it is meaty. It has taken a full year of picking it up and putting it back down, going back to reread paragraphs and highlighted pages, and having the pressure of seeing her speak in person to make me finish this book. Not driven by plot but by growth in Christ, this book completely flips our pattern of living on its head. I could go on and on but if you read one book I ever recommend, read this one. 

One Thousand Gifts: finding joy in what really matters

by Ann Voskamp

This is a much shorter, gift book version that I had her sign for Loulie when I heard her speak back in March. Her photographs are incredible and hearing her speak in person challenged me in the way I want to be as a wife, mother and follower of Christ. If you think you can't get through the original version (and it is  difficult at times), then pick this one up first. Plus it makes a good gift.

Reluctantly Related
by Dr. Deanna Brann

I majored in communications in college so I have always loved studying how people communicate and relate to each other. I could talk for hours about birth order or how people are perceived in an office setting based on nonverbal behavior or how people communicate across generations, races, etc. You get the idea. So a friend gave me this book months ago thinking I would enjoy it. It is short so I picked it up after finishing the marathon that was Ann Voskamp. The author basically categorizes daughter in laws into four groups, mother in law into four different groups and sons/husbands into three groups. Then she goes on to say that there are only so many combinations you can make of these three family member types based on personalities, compatibility, etc. The author had a terrible relationship with her son and daughter in law and spent years doing research and wrote this book. The beginning is somewhat insightful buts he basically shoots out recommendations like "put yourself in the others' shoes." (Did she have to go to school to figure that one out?) Or if your mother in law is a "Wacky Wanda," she'll probably never change, just learn to temper her outbursts. By the the end of the 100 or so pages, I was hoping my friend hadn't dropped too much money on this one.

Slacker

I haven't blogged since May 2nd?! Obviously, May has gone by even faster than April. I still have a stack of books to write a post on from March. Hopefully, I will have time to catch up with the start of summer nearing. We are the opposite of most families. For us, summer means sticking close to home, slowing down and enjoying what Charleston has to offer versus hitting the road. It is our business's busiest time of year so Bert is in and out at odd hours. With Loulie being older, we are really hoping to catch all the free concerts and festivals put on for all the visitors this year. Which brings me to today....
Is anyone else having a hard time with the end of the school year?! It does not need to be said that I am a nerd and was always that kid that hated leaving my teacher, my friends, dance classes ending, etc. Of course, I would be sad for all of a day before I easily settled into the relaxing summer schedule. But now I am a wreck over 2K ending! I actually cried the other night (and I am not a crier) thinking about it. It seems like just yesterday I was nervous about dropping her off for her first day away from me and now the year is over. 
It all began when she started singing "Little Bunny Fufu" at the dinner table Friday night in her sweet little voice. Which got me thinking that it will never be this way again--being in Ms. Becky's class with all these sweet little friends. Bert just laughed at me. Obviously, I have a difficult time with change. Imagine kindergarten or even high school graduation? I can't even think about ;) All joking aside, I am so thankful for her sweet little school and the nurturing teachers, Ms. Becky and Ms. Stacey, she had this year. It makes a mama's heart glad to know your child is being loved on and cared for well in her absence. And I hope I will always remember how she sounds doing her roll call every morning, naming each friend she's excited about seeing--always naming "Copi and Giffin" at top billing.


Oh, can't we just put a brick on their heads? Anyone with me on this or am I completely ridiculous?

*On a side note, my aunt has kept every single one of my cousins' class pictures and has a whole wall in each of their old rooms dedicated to their class and sport's team photos. They are 35 and 31 now. Every time I go over there I stop and stare at all the old snapshots. I am in a few since Chris and I are the same age. And I can't believe I was ever upset to say good bye to friends--thanks to facebook, I know where 90% of my classmates from 2K are today. Crazy, right?! I'm still friends with some of them and over half were there for us at my uncle's funeral last year. So you never know--Loulie's college roommate or husband or business partner could be in this very photo. Now that does kind of excite me to see what's ahead. 
So proud of all these little peanuts!