ten years ago

My ten year high school reunion is this coming weekend.
I have been thinking about how fast the time has flown by.

I think this picture was taken the summer after my first year in college.

It is hard to remember him a this age. He used to let us dress
him in weird outfits and do funny things!

Family vacation 2000!

Two Hannahs before prom 1999 with our little brothers.

Summer before senior year. Sewing a wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses.
Thanks to Hannah for helping me sew on the many, many, many beads!

Junior year math...ugh!!!!!

these days...

...we have been busy working so we can go on vacation.

...Scott has a possible job opportunity in the works and is totally excited about it.

...I have been trying to get into a solid workout routine.

...we have new gutters and no more flooding in the garage.

...Scott has been diligently working on the lawn and it looks pretty.

...I have decided that growing tomato plants is a very involved task. Maybe next year my plant will produce.

...I have been cleaning out the clutter in my closets. Goodwill, here I come!

...we have been having a lot of movie date nights at home.

...I have given up caffeine....well, I have cheated a time or two.

...my massage table is creaking. I guess that is what happens when you have done well over 1,000 massages on it.

...Scott has gotten very busy at work with clients. Makes him happy and tired.

...I have been doing a lot of reading up and attending classes on fertility awareness. Charting, charting, charting!

I am sure to have updates when we return from our trips!

where's the love?

Andrew called today to tell me thanks for sending him stickers and press on tattoos. Surprisingly, mom wasn't upset about the press on tatoos, but dad rubbed it off he said. I put him on speaker phone so Scott could chat with us. When I finished with him, I let Scott talk for a minute. Scott told him how much we miss him. When asked if he missed Scott, Andrew replied, "no, I miss Hannah." So much for Uncle Scott! I told him that maybe he needs to send fun things in the mail, then he would be missed!!

making cutbacks

I have decided to cut the stress out of my life.

Heidi liked the yoga idea that I suggested for myself. I haven't done yoga in so long.

If you read my Bellies In Bloom blog post today you will also see that I am cutting out my coffee addiction as well. Two cutbacks in one day is big for me. But, it is a must if I want to get healthier. I feel that since I have been working so much that I owe it to myself to really take a hard look at things. I haven't had a day off in nine days and my next day off isn't for five more. Thank goodness for the vacation that is coming up at the end of the month. It is much needed, let me tell you!

Scott has a new job in the works. Hoping and praying it will work out so I can make more cutbacks. I will keep you updated. But, I will tell you that he is very excited about this possibility.

BSA Awareness

BSA is the group I just created (in my head). Stands for BLOG STALKERS ANONYMOUS.

I am a blog stalker. Seriously, it has become a problem. It makes me wonder who is really watching me.

But, I have found many blogs lately for women who are dealing with infertility. I have decided NOT to categorize myself as infertile. In fact, I am very fertile! Got pregnant on the first try. I think my baby is just waiting on the perfect time to come though! I do have several friends who are going through it right now and I am sure there are so many other women out there too. I think that I am especially sensative because I work with women who place their babies with families who really are unable to have children. What a gift! I am not sure I could have the courage to do such a brave thing.

Anyway, I stalk read a blog written by a mom in NW Arkansas who had struggles with fertility. She has a blog giveaway for this book. Go to her BLOG to enter!

what is good or bad?

Here's an old Chinese Parable to ponder.....

When an old farmer's stallion wins a prize at a country show, his neighbor calls round to congratulate him, but the old farmer says, "Who knows what is good and what is bad?" The next day some thieves come and steal his valuable animal. His neighbor comes to commiserate with him, but the old man replies, "Who knows what is good and what is bad?" A few days later the spirited stallion escapes from the thieves and joins a herd of wild mares, leading them back to the farm. The neighbor calls to share the farmer's joy, but the farmer says, "Who knows what is good and what is bad?" The following day, while trying to break in one of the wild mares, the farmer's son is thrown and fractures his leg. The neighbor calls to share the farmer's sorrow, but the old man's attitude remains the same as before. The following week the army passes by, forcibly conscripting soldiers for a war, but they do not take the farmer's son because he cannot walk. The neighbor thinks to himself, "Who knows what is good and what is bad?"

in my dreams

This is my idea of a nice vacation getaway. I like mountains and brisk air.

This is Scott's. He likes oceans and being in the water.

Right now, I am thinking that any kind of vacation would be great! Thank goodness we are going on one in just a few weeks.

satisfying my sweet tooth

...with organic gluten-free peanut butter cookies.


I have been baking a lot lately, but I am not sure why since this little toaster oven is all I have to work with. I can make 6 muffins or 12 cookies at a time.


The oven...well, let's just say it's seen is fair share of meatloaves. Wall ovens are a little pricey, however, so we are waiting a while on that. Our toaster oven sits quite nicely in the place of the 1850's microwave we took out when we moved in. We don't own a microwave, so it works out great.

I thought I would also share a great recipe for awesome muffins!

Honey Carrot Muffins
1 c. honey
1/2 c. butter
2 c. carrots (or sometimes I use the pulp of whatever I juiced that day...beets, carrots, apples)
1/2 c. pecan pieces
1/4 c. orange juice
1 t. vanilla
1 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground ginger (I use fresh grated ginger)
1/4 t. ground nutmeg (I use fresh grated nutmeg)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and honey. Beat in eggs and set aside. Combine carrots, nuts, orange juice, and vanilla. Combine all dry ingredients. Mix all together. Bake 35-40 minutes. Eat!!!

Sometimes I make them into cupcakes and frost them. I make the frosting with honey, cream cheese, and vanilla.

the day will come

I completed story of my current journey...actually it is to be continued eventually, but until Baby R decides to come to this earth, it is complete. You can read it here.

summer give away!

Link here for my fun summer give away!! Anyone can enter, but hurry, the winner will be chosen this Friday!

he's a happy man

Scott said I had to take a photo of what I made for dinner. I made another "creation" that he was ecstatic about before he even took a bite.

Salmon and Green Bean Pasta

• 2 pieces of cooked salmon seasoned with salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and Cayenne.
• 1 cup of garden green beans and 1/2 a white onion sauteed together with butter, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil
• Whole wheat spaghetti noodles
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
  

lazy sunday afternoon

A nap.

Endless laundry...mostly sheets...that will become a pile on the spare bed until I feel like getting around to it mid-week.

Iced herbal peach tea.

Straightening the house a bit for clients tomorrow.

And, the Dixie Chicks, who I have been boycotting since their 2002 scandal...but, today seemed like a good day to reconcile my dispute with them.

....yes, it is a lazy Sunday afternoon.

The 4th crept upon me so fast this year. We had set plans to attend a friend's wedding and I was on call for work. I guess when you have plans set so far in advance and you aren't working them out last minute, it seems to just creep up.

Our evening after the wedding was spent in the den deep in thought and conversation with one another. I can't remember the last time (if ever) that I missed fireworks on the 4th. We listened to the booms and pops from inside the house, however.

As I laid down to bed last night, I was remembering the fun times that my brothers had around the 4th. There isn't much you can't do with miniature explosives. Plus, in the town I grew up in, it was legal to shoot fireworks from your house. And, not just on the 4th. As soon as July rolled around, the stands were out and the fireworks were in the hands of youngsters eager to blow up anything and everything in site. Something I can say is fun for a while. But, me, I have that nervous motherly instinct. You know, the one you get when you hear the horror stories and see the pictures of the kids that didn't take to heart their parent's firm words of, "it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt."

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For a while, we were having date night on Saturday nights. It was actually really fun. Each of us came up with two or three date night activities and we put them in a cup and drew the "date night". Whatever the paper said is what we did. No arguing about what to do. Some of the dates were even free, or very cheap. But, now that we are in the hot summer, we are having trouble coming up with free dates inside. He isn't much a game person and I can only play cards so much. Any ideas to spice it up are welcomed and encouraged, but have to be totally free!

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If anyone is interested, I have started a "story" on my other blog. It is called "Coming Full Circle" and has chapters and everything! I thought about staring another blog, but then the look in Scott's eyes told me that keeping up with two blogs is plenty. I feel like I should share my story. As raw as it is emotionally, physically, and spiritually, I think that it is worth sharing. Someone will get something out of it I think.

mini update

I am a blog slacker. I admit it. But, I have been spending more time on other blog these days. Plus, there isn't much to report here.

The weather is hot again today after two previous days of overcast "cooler" weather. It makes for one big sauna just to walk outside.

Scott took his big math test for teaching last weekend. He came home (after the five hour test) and said he would have had to guess right a lot of times to have passed. We are believing for a passing score though.

We are going to spend July working hard to work up to our vacation in August. We will go to my ten year high school reunion, then head on to Virginia for a family gathering, then we come home and the next day I am off to Atlanta for a DONA (doula) conference. It will be fun and exhausting but fun.

Hope everyone is having a great summer and staying cool! HUGS!!!