38!

Today I give up my mantle of 37 and take on being 38. This is sad because I dreamed just a few weeks ago that I found a book called 'How to Excel at Being 37' and now, I am not.

I was born 7 years old.  Because there are no photos of me any younger.

I managed to do a few things this past year that I can take off my life list.  I saw the Pacific Ocean, I saw the Grand Canyon. Saw the desert.  Went to Carlsbad and Roswell.  I added 4 states to my list, making it a full 30 states I have been to.  My goal is all 50 by 50, I think I can do it.  I got back in touch with 2 old friends, met up with one already and planning to meet up with the other in September.  I lost 10 more pounds for a total of 40 that I have kept off (with some minor regain/loss) for 9 months now, so time to get going with the NEXT 10.  After I have my cake, of course.

10th birthday

This next year will hold some new things for me as well.  We are planning a road trip, we will be debt free by March, Matt may get a promotion, we will adopt a new dog, possibly Famous-though he really needs a family with smaller kids and/or a more active dog than my fur furniture that will run his legs off playing.  Maybe another camping dog, I miss Zephyr.  Who knows what else will happen?

Freshman year, woo!

There are so many possibilities, but I mostly hope for a few adventures and many days at home with the kids and Matt, just being together, homeschooling without drama, watching the kids grow and learn and take on new things, driving them all over creation for another play or two or three, days with friends, nights in the camper, miles on our legs as we hike and bike.  Maybe this year, a canoe!

The prom I went to with Josh because Matt never asked.  *sigh*

There is so much potential in a period of time, so much room for happiness in a simple life, so many new places to see and things to try, no matter how long we have.  I am grateful, every day, for my children, for our freedom to homeschool, for living in this house, for Matt working and being happy that I am home.  I am grateful for our health, for our pets, for cars that run, for a camper with wheels and an air conditioner, for a sturdy body that keeps getting stronger despite my advancing age.  : )  For friends who take up the role of family, for Suzette who never beats around the bush, for the kids we know and love, for community theater, for mechanics who don't cheat, for the public library system, for the internet, for my camera and the chance to improve my ability in an area I love.  And, as always, I am thankful for the time that we have had.  Nearly 4 decades of excellent health and of things only getting better, I don't take it for granted, I never want to discount any of it.  Every experience, good or bad, has served to make a whole me.

Bakin the Jake!

I have so much to look forward to and so much I still hope to accomplish, but I don't feel I am missing anything from my life right now.  I love each day-most days (I do recall a period of dog-related drama less than 2 months ago and of car-related drama just 2 weeks back!), I don't feel that I will be happy 'when'.  When we have the debt paid off or when the kids are established on their own or when Matt gets a raise or when I lose this last chunk of weight-those will all be wonderful things when they happen, but not necessary for happiness.  Just added happiness.  My cup is full, I feel blessed, I feel loved, I feel worthwhile, I am content.  I think that's pretty damn awesome, even if that's all I accomplish with this life.

Happy Birthday to me!

Wandering Around Outside

Jessie!  Are you okay, you are sitting down.

Yes, Kuma, I am okay.  I am a little tired.

Okay, Jessie.  You rest and I will take care of things.

East end of a west-bound dog pack!

 The rain early today bled color from the morning glory as it dried.  They were beautiful!

The pollen was so white, it was glowing inside the flower.

The Japanese beetles are already at the leaves around here, I hate those things!

 The blackberry are ripe a full month ahead of schedule this year.
We usually pick them around the 4th of July.

 

The Buddha pot on the porch is looking a little full! 

Of eggs!

We grilled this afternoon, brats and hot dogs and corn.  I made cherry cobbler on the coals.
I also made mac and cheese in the oven and used curry.  It went over very well!  Matt kept screaming, "I can smell the Universe!"  We all had to run blow our noses a few times, very warm.  But not the same warm as peppers, it does not make my stomach hurt.  : )

In all, a lovely Friday off for Matt, spent at home with some glorious weather, the high today won't hit 80.  We have the windows open and the fans going, everyone is full, the sun is warm, the kitchen is clean and the laundry is all put away.  I love easy days at home, when the most significant thing to happen is finding eggs in a bird nest or watching your elderly dog scamper and play, even if it's just for a little while.  All those little memories that I don't ever want to take for granted.

Good Weekend

Our weekend started Friday evening with slabs of cheesy lasagna and yummy Mt. Dew. I love that stuff, it's SO sweet and fizzy and bad for you. I almost never buy it any more, but it was on sale! : ) We finished up the first season of Castle via Netflix.

We woke up yesterday to snow in a decent layer over most of the yard and had a lovely time of running around and getting cold and damp while it quickly melted.

Matt and I spent a couple hours snuggled into our big bed, snoozing, while the kids played on the computers and watched a movie. We watched CSI last night and got that disc all finished up to send back.

Jake and I worked through the first several questions in the GED prep book, it's funny how I was worried the multiple choice format would be difficult since he has never had a test before. But after the first couple, he was reading ahead of me while I was pointing out how to use the list of possible answers along with the question and was just giving me the correct answer while I was still yacking about "B. replace 'there' with 'their'. So you want to look at each word in the context of the sentence and decide if one is...okay never mind."

Today Matt and I did a little Christmas shopping in town and picked up some groceries. We had turkey sandwiches and sweet tea from Bob Gibson's-which should be just under ambrosia on the list of good things.

On the way home, we looked at a house for sale right in Falkville. It has a very small yard-maybe 3/4 acre and is on the corner, but it's a really big house, twice the size of this one. It has a nice wrap-around porch, too. And new siding and a metal roof. It's yellow, it all looks very neat and clean. I don't think it's the one for us, I would feel on display! I never want what other people might think to factor in to what we do in our own yard. : )

On the way back home, we managed to get in This American Life on NPR and once here, everyone had a walk in the pasture in the freezing dark. I have a few little goodies tucked into the closet for Christmas and picked up a new science kit for our homeschool.

It was a good weekend. Nothing exciting happened, no one had a revelation or life-altering event. Matt did express astonishment that I plan to get a job once the kids are grown and wonders why I don't just go back to school instead. I did point out that at some point I would have to get a degree in SOMETHING, preferably something I would make money doing. I will only be 43 when Ben is 18, if he gets his GED at 14-which I am positive he could do, I will be 39 and out of work!

I wonder if I could combine chocolate, travel, homeschool, reading and photography into something I get paid for. What would that degree be? : )