This past Wednesday, David and I returned from a four night stay at Excellence Playa Mujeres, which is an all-inclusive adults-only resort about thirty minutes outside of Cancun, Mexico. The vacation was to celebrate our ten year anniversary, which isn't actually until the end of July. We decided to go early because A) it worked best with our summer schedule and B) why wait? and mostly C) hurricane season starts June 1st.
So where do I even begin? I'll skip right over the months of anticipation and weeks of work (organizing the house, cooking and freezing meals, updating the grandparent binder with every.single.detail, stocking up on household goods in case of an catastrophic event, writing daily notes/activities for each child, cleaning like a madwoman, etc.) and get to the part where we walked in the resort lobby and they handed us glasses of champagne and said, "Welcome Home." I nearly cried.
After checking in at our private Excellence Club Lounge (we opted for the club level upgrade because it was the only way to get an ocean view room and it had several other luxuries we deemed worthwhile), we ate lunch at The Grill then strolled around the grounds until our room became available. At first, the place seemed overwhelming and huge. By the second full day, however, you know your way around quite well...or at least can get from your room to the beach and back, which is all that really matters. We went back to the lounge and were once again offered food and drink, but turned it down and relaxed in the comfy leather couches for a few minutes until we were escorted to our room. We opened the door to find everything just like it appeared on the website photos, which was a relief. The spacious layout had a four-post king size bed, an L-shape leather couch, a modern marble bathroom with a shower big enough to sleep in, and a private patio with a hot tub and a lounge bed. Housekeeping had placed two swan towel arrangements on the bed with rose petals scattered around them. A bottle of champagne and fresh fruit was set out for us in honor of our anniversary. Incredible. We dumped our suitcases and began lounging right away. There was no time to waste...or rather, there was. And it felt awesome!
For dinner that night, we went to the resort's Lobster House and ate soup, grouper (me) and lobster (D), and cheesecake for dessert. The portions weren't huge, which is actually good since every meal has at least three courses. We walked right in and didn't have to wait for a table. This restaurant jetted out over parts of the main pool and we had a great view of the palm trees on the beach and glimpses of the ocean. After dinner we headed over to the main building and walked through the gift shop before settling down at a large outdoor cafe and listening to an incredibly talented singer cover some "easy listening"/pop hits. Around 9:30 (yes - we were still awake!), a group of performers came out and put on a "Fire Show", which involved dancing and twirling various chains, hoops, balls, etc. that were on fire. Quite impressive, but we called it a night before it ended. It had been a long day of traveling and, frankly, if you've seen one performance of fire juggling, you've seen them all.
The next morning, Sunday, I woke up at around 5:30am, which was 6:30am EST. I'm not a late sleeper anyway, but I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that I just do not sleep well at all on trips. We did bring our little fan, which helps a lot, but when you have the most comfortable bed in the world at home and a brain that is never fully "off", eight solid hours on a vacation night is a pleasure I rarely experience. No matter, because one thing I don't have at home is a phone by the bed that I can reach room service on. Thirty minutes after placing our order, we were eating a delicious breakfast on our patio while looking out at the ocean. We ate, lathered sunscreen on, and hit the beach.
The next six hours went something like read, take a walk on the beach, lie down and snooze a few minutes, wake up, eat, read, splash in the ocean, repeat. I kept looking at the time and then chiding myself because WHO CARES? We'll eat when we're hungry and sleep when we're tired. The only thing I really needed a watch for was to time my exposure to the sun. There was no one's nap, potty, or eating schedule to take into consideration but our own. And that, my friends, was an unnatural phenomenon I came to terms with quickly.
They had a Burgers and Rock n' Roll lunch set up farther down the beach that we decided to try. We found one of the few tables in the shade and listened to the Hispanic accented singers belt out "Hotel California" and other classics while we ate our yummy guacamole-topped hamburgers, onion rings, and fruit.
That night we got dressed up and ate at the French restaurant at the resort. They have nine restaurants on site and we'd chosen four ahead of time for our four nights, but honestly the French one was the one we were the most hesitant about. It turns out we had no need to be. I ate the most delicious filet mignon I have ever tasted and David had some really tasty sea bass. As we were eating dessert, they surprised us with a little fancy dessert plate of white chocolate mousse that had "Happy Anniversary" spelled out in chocolate sauce.
After dinner we hung around the bar and waited for the Retro Show to begin in the Stars Theater. It was about a 30 minute show of dancing put to tracks from the 70s through today's hits. Not terrible, but we were thankful it was included in the price of our trip and we didn't buy special tickets. We called it a night after the show. Had to be up early for more beach laying and all that.
Our second full day, Monday, went basically the same as Sunday. We ordered breakfast from room service, ate it on the patio, and went down to the beach. This time we walked a short distance over to a short of jetty wall that frames part of a small harbor. We walked out to the edge of it where there was a very small lighthouse and surveyed the beautiful Caribbean water. The weather was as perfect as it had been the day before: highs in the mid-80s with a constant warm breeze by the ocean. The farther you moved into the heart of the resort, the hotter it got. The air seemed to circulate best and the humidity was felt less right by the shoreline.
Just before lunch, we decided to grab a kayak and see if we could recall any of the skills we'd once learned. Without any real intention on our part, we've realized kayaking has kind of become our adventurous thing on vacations. It began on our honeymoon in Aruba, then we did it on a cruise stop in the Dominican Republic, and there was the amazing experience of the Bio Bay in Puerto Rico a few years back. We couldn't leave without adding Mexico to our quests. Sure enough, it was easy to fall into our paddling rhythm and David encouraged (read: taunted) me until I agreed to go all the way to the pier we'd walked earlier and back. It wasn't that far - maybe a mile total - but as is usually the case, it's harder on the way back. Though the wind was in our favor as we turned around, we'd miscalculated how strong the current was and had to work hard not to be pulled out farther from shore than we cared to go. My turkey club sandwich and David's quesadillas were certainly tasty rewards as we chowed down on the beach afterward and then catnapped.
That afternoon we packed it in a little early and moved our stuff up to the pool area. We reapplied sunscreen, someone brought us two frozen drinks, and we made our way to the lazy river part of the pool. One can only aimlessly meander around in a pool before becoming utterly exhausted, so when we saw a chance to rest our tired souls in the hammocks draped over one end of a quiet corner, we climbed in. After all, it had been nearly thirty minutes that we'd spent upright since we left our lounge chairs on the beach.
For dinner that night, we decided to cash in our "Anniversary Card" (a special card we received at check-in that supposedly gave us a little extra pampering) at the Italian place called Toscana. We handed it to the hostess and while she snapped a couple of pictures of us, the waiter inside placed fresh rose petals all around our table in the shape of a heart. We ordered - linguini for me and shrimp for D - and they brought a bottle of wine to our table. The food was good and the view by the window was nice, but the conversation was the best part. I found myself somewhat surprised that here we were at the end of our third full day together without anyone else to interject, interrupt, or even give us subject matter to talk about and we were still going strong. I hadn't turned on my phone in days and David had only used his to read by the beach. We were focusing on no one else and connecting...and it felt great. Our kids mean the world to us and technology has its perks, but they will suck the life out of your marriage if you allow them to. It felt amazing to be on this trip with my groom and feel like newlyweds again.
The show that night was a light show on the beach, which we soon found out was code for "Fire Show with Balls and Strands of Light instead of Fire", so we packed it in early and tried to see how far we could carry the newlywed feeling. ;)
We awoke the next morning with the sinking realization that it was our final full day there. The one thing that was making it a little easier to want to leave, besides missing the kids of course, was that I hadn't been sleeping well and was beginning to feel ill. Not only was it our last day, however, but it was also David's 33rd birthday, so I wanted to make the most of it. Per our beach concierge's recommendation, I was at our section of the beach a few minutes before 7:00am in an attempt to claim one of the awesome beds they have on the back rows. It wasn't meant to be and they were already all taken, so he set us up with towels on our usual chairs and I went back to the room to have breakfast with the birthday boy.
After our tasty French toast, we went out and settled into our read, rest, eat, rest cycle for a few hours. At lunchtime, we walked up to the Lobster House and ate. I wasn't feeling well at all and decided to send David back down to the beach and head to the room to catch a nap out of the sun and on a little more comfortable spot. I managed to get in about thirty minutes before the hammering of tile from somewhere outside woke me up. I decided to
stop by the club lounge and ask if they could do a few balloons in our room for David's birthday. They were happy to oblige and I assured her we'd be out for another couple of hours.
We lingered on the beach later than previous days and managed to commandeer a bed up front with a great view. It had previously been in the sun, but was now shadowed by the beautiful palm trees overhead. We snuggled and talked awhile, trying to avoid the inevitable. Neither of us was ready to go, knowing we would be saying goodbye to the turquoise waves and white sandy beach for an unknown amount of time. I've had breakups that were less traumatic.
We headed up to the pool area, played a little ping pong at their outdoor game center, and then cleaned up and showered for dinner. David had decided he wanted to save the Mexican restaurant for his birthday dinner, but of course didn't want me to tell the hostess anything. The balloons and streamers around the room had been more his speed as far as recognition goes. The food was good, but I'm afraid my company was not. I knew I was running a slight fever at this point (I suspected a sinus infection and UTI) and felt pretty rough. The ambiance was gorgeous, though, and we tried to soak up one of our last uninterrupted meals together. After eating our fajitas, we went back to the room so I could rest before that night's show. It was to be a magic show and I knew David was really looking forward to it. On the way back down, we went by the gift shop to get the kids a little something and pick out our traditional ornament souvenir. Since all of the shows had drawn very small crowds all week, we didn't worry about getting there early. Unfortunately, that night's event was more popular than we'd anticipated and we had to settle for some seats on the side without great views.
The magician was funny, but the tricks left a lot to be desired. They did a few of the "put a woman in a box then stab/saw/grind her up" type of tricks. He worked in a couple of corny jokes and the audience gave polite pity applause. Thirty minutes into it, we opted to head for bed. We still had to get up early to pack before our car arrived at 8:00am to take us to the airport. I wish I could've felt better for David's birthday, but I think he suffered through having it at a five-star resort just fine. I neutralized my guilt by realizing I was way less maintenance than two kids would've been.
After a few coughing fits, I slept fairly decently that night and awoke ready to get home to my babies. We packed, ate a light breakfast on the patio, and said our farewells to the Caribbean. The bellhop showed up to help with our suitcases and our driver arrived right on time. The thirty minute ride to the airport passed quickly as we watched all of the sights zoom by on the way. We checked in and went through security without any trouble and only a little wait and ended up having about an hour and half to spare before boarding began. We got muffins at Starbucks and looked through all of the souvenir stores. With an hour to spare, we found our gate and I began working on editing pictures while David read.
The plane ride was uneventful, which is the best kind. I tried to nap, but was afraid that leaning my head back would cause coughing fits from the drainage, so I did the college-student-falling-asleep-in-class head bob a lot. We landed and began the most idiotic journey from the international terminal to immigration and customs. I usually brag about Hartsfield and how efficient it is, but I cannot for the life of me understand how they expect the majority of international passengers - especially the young, old, and those in less than good health - to travel the obscene distance to get from their plane to all the required checkpoints. We attempted not to let it dampen our spirits and finally stepped out into the muggy Atlanta air to catch our bus back to our parking space in an off-campus lot, which is another 15 minute ride.
We finally got to our car and loaded up the luggage. As we pulled onto the interstate and the Atlanta skyline came into view, I whispered a prayer of thanks to God for bringing us home safely from such an amazing trip. I texted our parents and my brothers and felt the butterflies and excitement build as we got closer to the house and dodged in and out of rain showers. David's dad sent me a message that said they were waiting outside for us. We pulled into the driveway and I spotted Audrey with her rain boots on and umbrella spinning. I jumped out and squeezed her tightly and told her how much I'd missed her and loved her until she said, "Mooooommy!" in her classic "that's enough" way. I took Luke from David and hugged him while he excitedly told me about David's cake inside. We went in and found several handmade colorful birthday signs and the cookie cake they'd gotten for him earlier that day. We visited and swapped a few stories before his parents left. I began unpacking a little with the kids underfoot - neither of us wanted to be out of each other's sight - and we gave them their souvenir instruments. It wasn't long before the doorbell rang and the pizza delivery man handed us the yummy dinner we'd ordered. We sat around the table together, ate, and talked. As we did our nighttime ritual of devotion and prayer, we thanked God for keeping all of us safe and giving us all such a fantastic time.
Unfortunately I brought back a couple of unwanted souvenirs - I was right about the UTI and sinus infection. I also caught a case of...well, let's call it "Traveler's Tummy" to top things off (or bottom things out - however you want to look at it.) I went to the doctor on Thursday and have started antibiotics. I'm feeling better, but please pray for complete healing.
Even with all of that, it was such a wonderful, luxurious trip. In closing, I offer this PSA: I cannot stress enough how important a few days away are for a married couple with young kids. There are the obvious huge benefits to your relationship as a couple, but it improves your relationship with your kids as well! It makes you savor every minute in the week leading up to your departure and cherish every moment in the days after your return. Not to mention how awesome it is for them to have those special times with grandparents. I realize not everyone has the opportunity to do a fancy resort in Mexico, but if there is any way to go somewhere for even just two or three nights, do it. Not only will the memories we made last us a lifetime, but we'll be reaping the rewards in our marriage and with our kids for a long time as well.
We are so, so grateful to our parents for stepping up and taking such wonderful care of our kids so that we could do this. I missed them, but not once did I worry about them. I knew they were in capable hands and that kind of comforting peace is absolutely priceless.
Thank you, David, for the trip of a lifetime. Thank you, Nana, Grandpa, Grandma Gloria, Grandmom, and Granddad, for allowing us the opportunity to take it.
And thank You, Lord. Not only for the trip and our safety, but for all You've given us in our nearly decade of marriage. We wouldn't have been celebrating if not for Your grace.
Pictures: Our Anniversary Trip to Mexico
April 2014 Recap
Saturday, May 10, 2014
April began with David out of town for business, but thankfully it was only for a couple of days. We headed to Alabama the first Saturday - our first time there since Christmas - and let Grandma celebrate her birthday by cooking us all a giant feast. We caught up on the latest with each other, the kids hunted and dyed eggs, some of us grown ups shot guns, and we all ate ourselves sick. In other words, it was a usual perfect visit to Alabama.
The next week was Audrey's spring break. As I wrote in an earlier post, we tried to do a few out-of-the-ordinary fun things like a puppet show at the library, a sleepover for her with David's mom, some time with my mom, and a few play dates. The week went by quickly and I actually found myself enjoying the break from the normal MWF shuffle to and from preschool. That week we also had our master bathroom and upstairs interior doors painted (they were never done and were still just beige primer. Weird.)
David headed back to California in the middle of the month. While of course I miss him terribly (and not just for the help!), I do like getting a few projects tackled while he's gone. I've always stayed up late and done that from the time we were newlyweds. Of course, back in those pre-kid days, the projects were a lot more ambitious. I remember painting the master bedroom at our old house several different colors before giving up and hiring a painter to help me finish. I hung new curtains and artwork there and in the hall and he hardly new what house he was in by the time he got home. Late-night projects these days are more along the lines of organizing photo albums and cleaning out/reorganizing files, but it's still productive and it still counts.
Not only did I stay busy at night, but we had some fun during the day too while he was away. We got to see David's Great Aunt and Uncle who came by for a visit that week as well as the Taylors, who were in town for a family birthday party. Audrey had her egg hunt at school and I got to hide 289 eggs for her class to find as they were bundled up in the 47 degree weather. Ah, April with your fickleness.
On the Saturday of Easter weekend, David and I ran our annual Bunny Hop 5K while his parents kept the kids. We were all supposed to do it together, but it was drizzling and a little chilly so we didn't want to take the kids out in it. We got cleaned up and drove to my nephew's 6th birthday party. The kids had so much fun bouncing all around the gymnastics facility they rented out. It often hits me when all of the cousins are together how quickly time is passing. We have such a beautiful, blessed family. We ended the day with a pajama picnic and a movie - one of my favorite ways to chill these days.
Easter Sunday was wonderful. We went to the 9:00 service at our church, which we hadn't actually done on Easter Sunday in several years. They offer a Saturday night Easter service that we usually attend, but were too tired to do this year. After church, we came home and saw the Easter Bunny had come while we were away. (Funny side story: David and I weren't going to address the Easter Bunny at all and had planned on just putting out the baskets from us. However, the night before during bath, Audrey asked about the Easter Bunny visiting and completely put me on the spot. I knew that given the way her mind works, she would immediately call into question Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy if I squelched the Easter Bunny and I am NOT ready for that, so I went with it.)
After the baskets, we ate a nice lunch of ham, rolls, mac and cheese, corn pudding, and potato salad. It was no Alabama feast, but I was proud of it and everyone enjoyed it. David and I took turns hiding eggs in the backyard and let the kids hunt them before nap/rest. After they got up, we played, dyed eggs, and ate leftovers. It was a wonderful, relaxing family day that we really needed in between a busy few weeks.
The next week started off slowly - a visit to David at work to see his new office, errands, and teacher gift shopping - but built up to a slammed few days at the end. The last Thursday of the month, we had kindergarten registration for Audrey, a Room Mom Luncheon for me, and dinner with a friend. That Friday was Audrey's birthday celebration at school, her parent-teacher conference, I was Mystery Reader, and then we had a small group dinner that night. Saturday the four of us hit the zoo, which was a lot of fun once I had a teeth-gritting aside with Audrey about her incessant whining, and we loved showing them all of the animals on the gorgeous sunny day. Sunday was church and small group and then Monday I was back at Audrey's school all morning for her Field Day, after organizing a small landscaping project we were having done at the house. We sent the month out with a bang, that's for sure.
What else happened this month? David and I celebrated 15 years since our blind date and 14 years of being a couple (I had to be extra sure he was the right choice in that year in between - turns out he was), I got a physical and a nail in my tire, my running time went way down but my gym time went up, and we had a date night at the movies for the first time in a year(s?). We had small group two out of four Sundays (we took a break for Spring Break and then Easter) and I tackled a good chunk of party planning for AJ's birthday.
Kids' updates/stories
Luke is getting hilarious with his vocabulary and sayings. Audrey is always knocking our socks off with her mind and cracking us up with her humor. I really wish I did a better job of writing down all of the little quotes and tidbits, but here's what I can recall:
- Luke is getting into knock-knock jokes. Except he usually starts them with "ding-dong" and ends it with something like "APPLE JUICE" AHHHHAAAAHAAA!" It's really way funnier than an actual knock-knock joke.
- One morning Audrey sternly told Luke to "sit right there and do NOT move." He waited until she was downstairs and then I see him start dancing and hear his little voice taunt, "Look at me, Audrey! I moving! I moving! SEE ME?!" Ah, siblings.
- Watching Audrey at her Field Day made me so proud. There were no doubt some games she didn't want to do, and certainly not in front of everyone, but she never hesitated to jump in and give them a try. She was brave and gave it her best.
- Luke was drawing on the dry erase board in the sunroom and would then step back to let me guess what he drew. I'd throw something out and he'd laugh, slap the chair, and say, "No! I give you a hint..." and then tell me what it was. Every time. And it never stopped making me laugh.
- Audrey regularly uses words like eventually, evidently, appropriate, and consequence and it's so funny to hear in her little voice. I think it's time to start training her on the correct use of "literally", whose misuse is a pet peeve of mine.
- Luke's please/thank you manners and compliments are really getting good. He often says "Thanks for cooking dinner, Mommy" while we're eating or says "Good job, Audrey!" when she accomplishes something. At a little friend's birthday party he said "thank you" when he got cake without being prompted. Love it! (And you're welcome, Future Mrs. Luke Sinyard.)
That's all I can remember for now, but be sure to check out their cute faces in this month's picture gallery. My favorite shots are their adorable seersucker Easter selves (especially knowing I paid $8 for Audrey's already-monogrammed dress at consignment!)
April/Easter 2014
Happy May and please keep praying for Audrey's eyes. Hopefully I'll have a precious picture of her in her new glasses soon.
The next week was Audrey's spring break. As I wrote in an earlier post, we tried to do a few out-of-the-ordinary fun things like a puppet show at the library, a sleepover for her with David's mom, some time with my mom, and a few play dates. The week went by quickly and I actually found myself enjoying the break from the normal MWF shuffle to and from preschool. That week we also had our master bathroom and upstairs interior doors painted (they were never done and were still just beige primer. Weird.)
David headed back to California in the middle of the month. While of course I miss him terribly (and not just for the help!), I do like getting a few projects tackled while he's gone. I've always stayed up late and done that from the time we were newlyweds. Of course, back in those pre-kid days, the projects were a lot more ambitious. I remember painting the master bedroom at our old house several different colors before giving up and hiring a painter to help me finish. I hung new curtains and artwork there and in the hall and he hardly new what house he was in by the time he got home. Late-night projects these days are more along the lines of organizing photo albums and cleaning out/reorganizing files, but it's still productive and it still counts.
Not only did I stay busy at night, but we had some fun during the day too while he was away. We got to see David's Great Aunt and Uncle who came by for a visit that week as well as the Taylors, who were in town for a family birthday party. Audrey had her egg hunt at school and I got to hide 289 eggs for her class to find as they were bundled up in the 47 degree weather. Ah, April with your fickleness.
On the Saturday of Easter weekend, David and I ran our annual Bunny Hop 5K while his parents kept the kids. We were all supposed to do it together, but it was drizzling and a little chilly so we didn't want to take the kids out in it. We got cleaned up and drove to my nephew's 6th birthday party. The kids had so much fun bouncing all around the gymnastics facility they rented out. It often hits me when all of the cousins are together how quickly time is passing. We have such a beautiful, blessed family. We ended the day with a pajama picnic and a movie - one of my favorite ways to chill these days.
Easter Sunday was wonderful. We went to the 9:00 service at our church, which we hadn't actually done on Easter Sunday in several years. They offer a Saturday night Easter service that we usually attend, but were too tired to do this year. After church, we came home and saw the Easter Bunny had come while we were away. (Funny side story: David and I weren't going to address the Easter Bunny at all and had planned on just putting out the baskets from us. However, the night before during bath, Audrey asked about the Easter Bunny visiting and completely put me on the spot. I knew that given the way her mind works, she would immediately call into question Santa Clause and the Tooth Fairy if I squelched the Easter Bunny and I am NOT ready for that, so I went with it.)
After the baskets, we ate a nice lunch of ham, rolls, mac and cheese, corn pudding, and potato salad. It was no Alabama feast, but I was proud of it and everyone enjoyed it. David and I took turns hiding eggs in the backyard and let the kids hunt them before nap/rest. After they got up, we played, dyed eggs, and ate leftovers. It was a wonderful, relaxing family day that we really needed in between a busy few weeks.
The next week started off slowly - a visit to David at work to see his new office, errands, and teacher gift shopping - but built up to a slammed few days at the end. The last Thursday of the month, we had kindergarten registration for Audrey, a Room Mom Luncheon for me, and dinner with a friend. That Friday was Audrey's birthday celebration at school, her parent-teacher conference, I was Mystery Reader, and then we had a small group dinner that night. Saturday the four of us hit the zoo, which was a lot of fun once I had a teeth-gritting aside with Audrey about her incessant whining, and we loved showing them all of the animals on the gorgeous sunny day. Sunday was church and small group and then Monday I was back at Audrey's school all morning for her Field Day, after organizing a small landscaping project we were having done at the house. We sent the month out with a bang, that's for sure.
What else happened this month? David and I celebrated 15 years since our blind date and 14 years of being a couple (I had to be extra sure he was the right choice in that year in between - turns out he was), I got a physical and a nail in my tire, my running time went way down but my gym time went up, and we had a date night at the movies for the first time in a year(s?). We had small group two out of four Sundays (we took a break for Spring Break and then Easter) and I tackled a good chunk of party planning for AJ's birthday.
Kids' updates/stories
Luke is getting hilarious with his vocabulary and sayings. Audrey is always knocking our socks off with her mind and cracking us up with her humor. I really wish I did a better job of writing down all of the little quotes and tidbits, but here's what I can recall:
- Luke is getting into knock-knock jokes. Except he usually starts them with "ding-dong" and ends it with something like "APPLE JUICE" AHHHHAAAAHAAA!" It's really way funnier than an actual knock-knock joke.
- One morning Audrey sternly told Luke to "sit right there and do NOT move." He waited until she was downstairs and then I see him start dancing and hear his little voice taunt, "Look at me, Audrey! I moving! I moving! SEE ME?!" Ah, siblings.
- Watching Audrey at her Field Day made me so proud. There were no doubt some games she didn't want to do, and certainly not in front of everyone, but she never hesitated to jump in and give them a try. She was brave and gave it her best.
- Luke was drawing on the dry erase board in the sunroom and would then step back to let me guess what he drew. I'd throw something out and he'd laugh, slap the chair, and say, "No! I give you a hint..." and then tell me what it was. Every time. And it never stopped making me laugh.
- Audrey regularly uses words like eventually, evidently, appropriate, and consequence and it's so funny to hear in her little voice. I think it's time to start training her on the correct use of "literally", whose misuse is a pet peeve of mine.
- Luke's please/thank you manners and compliments are really getting good. He often says "Thanks for cooking dinner, Mommy" while we're eating or says "Good job, Audrey!" when she accomplishes something. At a little friend's birthday party he said "thank you" when he got cake without being prompted. Love it! (And you're welcome, Future Mrs. Luke Sinyard.)
That's all I can remember for now, but be sure to check out their cute faces in this month's picture gallery. My favorite shots are their adorable seersucker Easter selves (especially knowing I paid $8 for Audrey's already-monogrammed dress at consignment!)
April/Easter 2014
Happy May and please keep praying for Audrey's eyes. Hopefully I'll have a precious picture of her in her new glasses soon.
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Thankful Thursday
Thursday, May 8, 2014
We are in full end-of-school-year swing (Field Day, Mother's Day, Pre-K graduation, presents for teachers, etc.) over here and also gearing up for an extremely anticipated early anniversary trip. I keep thinking I'll wrap up (read: start) my April recap and the days just keep ticking by. In the meantime, I'll pause to write out my first TT post in almost a month.
1. MOMS. Mine, my mother-in-law, my stepmother, our grandmothers, sisters-in-law, aunts, mom friends, etc. Not only would we not be here without them, but we simply couldn't survive without their care, prayers, support, and sacrifices. As a recent friend told me when I confessed I felt guilty about my freak-out over AJ's eyes: "BE overdramatic. That's what makes us good moms...we care so dang much!" To all the moms in my life who care so much - thank you from the bottom of my heart and Happy Mother's Day.
2. 85 degree weather. Sure, it's not 75 degree weather, but you know what? It's not 95 degree weather either. I'll take it.
3. Finding a decent one piece bathing suit. In an effort to become a better swimmer and be able to actually use it as an aerobic exercise effectively, I'm taking a few swim lessons this summer (No, really.) I needed a bathing suit to match my goals and, at the recommendation of my go-to guru Kara who has been coaching for 15+ years, I found one. And I don't loathe it. The swim cap she recommended on the other hand...well, we'll see.
4. Fun dates. David and I went out last Saturday morning and rode bikes (which, by the way, is not like riding a bike. It takes time to get the hang of it again!) We had so much fun doing something out of our ordinary together. Afterward, we ate lunch on a restaurant patio that was completely empty except for us. It was fantastic! Of course you love your spouse, but as someone very wise told me recently, remembering that you like them is really vital to a good relationship, too. Have I mentioned that WE CANNOT WAIT FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY TRIP?!
5. A great semester of small group. This past Sunday we had our last meeting and celebrated a wonderful 14 weeks with a cookout. It was a huge step of faith for David and I to lead a group of strangers in our home, but a dream come true to be able to use what God has given us and taught us to serve others. It'll be a nice break to have some time off from reading, lesson plans, and frantic last minute cleaning, but I have a feeling we'll be back in some capacity before too long. :)
Have a wonderful weekend and call yo Mamas!
1. MOMS. Mine, my mother-in-law, my stepmother, our grandmothers, sisters-in-law, aunts, mom friends, etc. Not only would we not be here without them, but we simply couldn't survive without their care, prayers, support, and sacrifices. As a recent friend told me when I confessed I felt guilty about my freak-out over AJ's eyes: "BE overdramatic. That's what makes us good moms...we care so dang much!" To all the moms in my life who care so much - thank you from the bottom of my heart and Happy Mother's Day.
2. 85 degree weather. Sure, it's not 75 degree weather, but you know what? It's not 95 degree weather either. I'll take it.
3. Finding a decent one piece bathing suit. In an effort to become a better swimmer and be able to actually use it as an aerobic exercise effectively, I'm taking a few swim lessons this summer (No, really.) I needed a bathing suit to match my goals and, at the recommendation of my go-to guru Kara who has been coaching for 15+ years, I found one. And I don't loathe it. The swim cap she recommended on the other hand...well, we'll see.
4. Fun dates. David and I went out last Saturday morning and rode bikes (which, by the way, is not like riding a bike. It takes time to get the hang of it again!) We had so much fun doing something out of our ordinary together. Afterward, we ate lunch on a restaurant patio that was completely empty except for us. It was fantastic! Of course you love your spouse, but as someone very wise told me recently, remembering that you like them is really vital to a good relationship, too. Have I mentioned that WE CANNOT WAIT FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY TRIP?!
5. A great semester of small group. This past Sunday we had our last meeting and celebrated a wonderful 14 weeks with a cookout. It was a huge step of faith for David and I to lead a group of strangers in our home, but a dream come true to be able to use what God has given us and taught us to serve others. It'll be a nice break to have some time off from reading, lesson plans, and frantic last minute cleaning, but I have a feeling we'll be back in some capacity before too long. :)
Have a wonderful weekend and call yo Mamas!
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Her Gorgeous Eyes
Friday, May 2, 2014
I've been up since 4:30am and cannot sleep, so I'm turning to my cheap form of therapy. For the first time in four nights, Luke isn't who is keeping me awake tonight. Instead it's Audrey. (If it's not one kid, it's the other....)
I took AJ to an eye doctor appointment today. But let me first back up and start the story at the beginning. She failed her basic pediatric eye exam at her four year old physical last July. I took her to Thomas Eye Group in August for a follow-up and, after having us wait for nearly 45 minutes, they did a full exam (mostly done by an assistant tech) and concluded that her eyes were healthy, but the jury was still out on whether she needed corrective lenses for poor vision. They told me to come back in six months for another exam. (Insert a several-month long battle about them billing medical insurance and the subsequent $350 bill we were stuck with, etc. etc.)
Six, er uh, 8.5 months later and after a recent incident where she couldn't read a sign a few feet away, I made an appointment for an optometrist recommended to me by the mother of one of her classmates. The results were far from inconclusive.
In her right eye alone, she is 3x more farsighted than the upper end of the normal range for kids her age. I was completely surprised at that finding as the child loves, loves, loves to read and does so for at least an hour a day during her quiet time.
She also has a significant astigmatism. Because of the difference between the two eyes (both are farsighted, but the right significantly more so), the doctor is concerned she is developing amblyopia, also known as "lazy eye". She is fairly confident that glasses will correct the problem without the need to patch her strong eye. They had to order frames, so we'll go back in a week to choose a pair and then back a week later to get them. Once she gets them she will have to wear them all the time. We'll follow up with the doctor every 6 to 8 weeks for a few months. If significant improvement isn't made quickly, we'll begin patching her strong eye a few hours a day at home.
First and foremost, let me me state that I'm very, very thankful it is not worse. When the doctor first reviewed the pictures of her eyes before the thorough exam, she was shocked and kept telling me how glad she was that we came in when we did (can you imagine my guilt for waiting 2.5 months longer than we should have?) It was a scary worse-case-scenario hour before she reassured me things were manageable.
So that's that. She needs glasses badly and will wear them, or some form of corrective lenses, for the rest of her life unless she gets Lasik at some point.
I am disproportionately and over dramatically bummed about this for a number of reasons. Having gotten glasses at the age of seven, I know this plight well and, frankly, it sucks. I'm concerned about the obvious medical aspect, but feel confident we'll be able to correct it somehow or another without irreversible damage. Beyond that, there's the guilt and sadness that she's been living life like this and doesn't know any different. It makes me cry just thinking about what the world has looked like for her since the day she was born. Add to that the guilt of having guilt, if that even makes sense. Then comes one of the things I do best: worry. I'm worried about her being teased (OH so much), I'm worried about the problem playing sports, I'm worried about the expense, and I'm worried I might do physical harm to the idiots at Thomas Eye Group. And lastly and a bit shamefully, there's a vanity aspect to all of it. When she was trying on frames at the doctor's office, I just hated seeing those gorgeous eyes and long, dark lashes covered up. It didn't look like "her".
So, yes, I'm losing sleep over this tonight, but God is up with me. Will you please pray for her, too? Pray for her brain to begin using her right eye as it should quickly. Pray for her to adjust to this new normal and be excited about her glasses. We're building it up as much as possible, but some mean kid along the way is going to tell her otherwise and I need that to hold off as long as it can. And, lastly, pray I sleep tomorrow night. Some decent rest would sure would help calm my mama drama. Thanks, y'all.
I took AJ to an eye doctor appointment today. But let me first back up and start the story at the beginning. She failed her basic pediatric eye exam at her four year old physical last July. I took her to Thomas Eye Group in August for a follow-up and, after having us wait for nearly 45 minutes, they did a full exam (mostly done by an assistant tech) and concluded that her eyes were healthy, but the jury was still out on whether she needed corrective lenses for poor vision. They told me to come back in six months for another exam. (Insert a several-month long battle about them billing medical insurance and the subsequent $350 bill we were stuck with, etc. etc.)
Six, er uh, 8.5 months later and after a recent incident where she couldn't read a sign a few feet away, I made an appointment for an optometrist recommended to me by the mother of one of her classmates. The results were far from inconclusive.
In her right eye alone, she is 3x more farsighted than the upper end of the normal range for kids her age. I was completely surprised at that finding as the child loves, loves, loves to read and does so for at least an hour a day during her quiet time.
She also has a significant astigmatism. Because of the difference between the two eyes (both are farsighted, but the right significantly more so), the doctor is concerned she is developing amblyopia, also known as "lazy eye". She is fairly confident that glasses will correct the problem without the need to patch her strong eye. They had to order frames, so we'll go back in a week to choose a pair and then back a week later to get them. Once she gets them she will have to wear them all the time. We'll follow up with the doctor every 6 to 8 weeks for a few months. If significant improvement isn't made quickly, we'll begin patching her strong eye a few hours a day at home.
First and foremost, let me me state that I'm very, very thankful it is not worse. When the doctor first reviewed the pictures of her eyes before the thorough exam, she was shocked and kept telling me how glad she was that we came in when we did (can you imagine my guilt for waiting 2.5 months longer than we should have?) It was a scary worse-case-scenario hour before she reassured me things were manageable.
So that's that. She needs glasses badly and will wear them, or some form of corrective lenses, for the rest of her life unless she gets Lasik at some point.
I am disproportionately and over dramatically bummed about this for a number of reasons. Having gotten glasses at the age of seven, I know this plight well and, frankly, it sucks. I'm concerned about the obvious medical aspect, but feel confident we'll be able to correct it somehow or another without irreversible damage. Beyond that, there's the guilt and sadness that she's been living life like this and doesn't know any different. It makes me cry just thinking about what the world has looked like for her since the day she was born. Add to that the guilt of having guilt, if that even makes sense. Then comes one of the things I do best: worry. I'm worried about her being teased (OH so much), I'm worried about the problem playing sports, I'm worried about the expense, and I'm worried I might do physical harm to the idiots at Thomas Eye Group. And lastly and a bit shamefully, there's a vanity aspect to all of it. When she was trying on frames at the doctor's office, I just hated seeing those gorgeous eyes and long, dark lashes covered up. It didn't look like "her".
So, yes, I'm losing sleep over this tonight, but God is up with me. Will you please pray for her, too? Pray for her brain to begin using her right eye as it should quickly. Pray for her to adjust to this new normal and be excited about her glasses. We're building it up as much as possible, but some mean kid along the way is going to tell her otherwise and I need that to hold off as long as it can. And, lastly, pray I sleep tomorrow night. Some decent rest would sure would help calm my mama drama. Thanks, y'all.
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Thankful Thursday
Thursday, April 10, 2014
This week has been AJ's spring break. Of course, when you only go to school Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for half days, it's not as big of a deal as it probably is to the bigger kids. Still, I've tried to do some fun, different things. She got to spend the night with David's mom on Monday night (without Luke, which was a very big deal), I took them to a puppet show at the library yesterday, we had a mega play date complete with time at the playground/sand box and a pizza dinner, there was a surprise run-in with a friend at a park, and my mom is coming over tomorrow afternoon. I know it probably won't be as exciting and memorable as future ones she spends splashing through the waves (in a full one-piece with her father and I looking on until she's at least 25 years old), but hopefully she has enjoyed it.
Here is this week's list:
1. Dandelions. And the little chubby fingers that grab them out of the dirt and the thoughtful, imaginative brains that wish upon them, and the precious sweet lips that blow their seeds all over the ground. There are few childhood pleasures more simple and carefree than blowing dandelions.
2. Trying new fitness things. Although training for my half marathons has kept me motivated and in shape, it's also kept me in a sort of rut/box, afraid to cross train. I was often leery of missing important running time to do something else or risking an injury or soreness. Since I'm not currently training for anything, though, I've branched out a bit the last two weeks. I've been spending a lot of time on the stationary bikes and elliptical machines. Then, this morning I took a 5:30am Bodypump (weight lifting) class. I did not love the start time. I will not love how impossibly sore I am tomorrow. BUT, changing it up and trying new things? Very cool.
3. A forgiving heart. Luke accidentally broke Audrey's special wand last week and David glued it back together. She just remembered it this afternoon and was dancing around in it, declaring her princess royalty. At her rest/quiet time, she wanted to take it into bed with her while she looked at books. I leaned over to give her a kiss and braced myself against the bed...right onto the wand that was under the sheets. I heard it crack and said, "Oh Audrey, I'm SO sorry, but I think I just broke your wand again." She didn't hesitate, didn't cry, didn't even pout. She simply said, "That's okay, Mommy. Don't even worry about it" and gave me a kiss. WOW. The tender and immediate forgiveness was so sweet it made me tear up!
4. April 10, 1999. The day David and I met on a blind date. Because he is the love of my life and my best friend. Even when it's hard. Even when I'm a witch. Even when days go by without real hugs, real kisses, or real conversations. He is my favorite and I am grateful for 15 years of knowing him.
5. Apparently today is National Siblings Day (who knew?!), so I will seize the chance to list that I am grateful for two awesome big brothers. No one gets you and where you came from like your siblings. It is such a blessing to walk through life having that kind of support and "I'll-always-be-here-no-matter-what" kind of love. I also pray Luke and Audrey grow up being and staying the best of friends, if for no other reason than they'll both need to lean on each other when their father and I start losing our minds. Some days it seems like it's not that far off...
Here is this week's list:
1. Dandelions. And the little chubby fingers that grab them out of the dirt and the thoughtful, imaginative brains that wish upon them, and the precious sweet lips that blow their seeds all over the ground. There are few childhood pleasures more simple and carefree than blowing dandelions.
2. Trying new fitness things. Although training for my half marathons has kept me motivated and in shape, it's also kept me in a sort of rut/box, afraid to cross train. I was often leery of missing important running time to do something else or risking an injury or soreness. Since I'm not currently training for anything, though, I've branched out a bit the last two weeks. I've been spending a lot of time on the stationary bikes and elliptical machines. Then, this morning I took a 5:30am Bodypump (weight lifting) class. I did not love the start time. I will not love how impossibly sore I am tomorrow. BUT, changing it up and trying new things? Very cool.
3. A forgiving heart. Luke accidentally broke Audrey's special wand last week and David glued it back together. She just remembered it this afternoon and was dancing around in it, declaring her princess royalty. At her rest/quiet time, she wanted to take it into bed with her while she looked at books. I leaned over to give her a kiss and braced myself against the bed...right onto the wand that was under the sheets. I heard it crack and said, "Oh Audrey, I'm SO sorry, but I think I just broke your wand again." She didn't hesitate, didn't cry, didn't even pout. She simply said, "That's okay, Mommy. Don't even worry about it" and gave me a kiss. WOW. The tender and immediate forgiveness was so sweet it made me tear up!
4. April 10, 1999. The day David and I met on a blind date. Because he is the love of my life and my best friend. Even when it's hard. Even when I'm a witch. Even when days go by without real hugs, real kisses, or real conversations. He is my favorite and I am grateful for 15 years of knowing him.
5. Apparently today is National Siblings Day (who knew?!), so I will seize the chance to list that I am grateful for two awesome big brothers. No one gets you and where you came from like your siblings. It is such a blessing to walk through life having that kind of support and "I'll-always-be-here-no-matter-what" kind of love. I also pray Luke and Audrey grow up being and staying the best of friends, if for no other reason than they'll both need to lean on each other when their father and I start losing our minds. Some days it seems like it's not that far off...
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March 2014 Recap
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
March certainly came in like a lion and out like a lamb this year. We had a few really beautiful weather days sprinkled in between a lot of cold, icky ones. We managed to get out and enjoy the warmth when we could, but are definitely ready for spring to come and sit a spell.
The month was fairly easy going overall. No major events, holidays, or home improvement projects for us. David and I squeezed in two dates PLUS a lovely 24-hour break when the kids went to his parents for a night. Coincidently, we seemed to get along really well this month. :)
It was a socially busy month aside from dates, too: I got to see the Taylors for a morning when they were in town, had a parent brunch with Audrey's preschool class parents, ate dinner with friends twice, celebrated a neighbor's 40th birthday at her party, and took Audrey to celebrate her daughter's 5th the next weekend. The kids had their playmates, too: We did story time at the library, a few playdates at the park, and I kept a friend's daughter while she worked one day. We rounded out the month with a family dinner to celebrate David's grandmother's birthday.
We had family pictures on March 8th in Toccoa. A friend of ours that we knew in college lives up there and we love her style so much that it was well worth the drive. Plus, it's Toccoa, so you don't have to go far to find open spaces without crowds. They turned out absolutely amazing. The hours upon hours of shopping for coordinating outfits for four people, ultimately buying up everything in sight to try on everyone at home, and then returning the stuff we didn't wear all paid off. See for yourself in the gallery...when you're finished reading, of course.
The end of the month picked up pace a bit. The third week, Audrey's school had Teacher Appreciation Week. I made little dry erase frames for them and the registrar and took the teachers lunch from their favorite deli on Monday, we picked out hand soap/lotion and a Bath and Body Works gift card along with AJ's handprint and a note on Wednesday, and we made homemade cookies for them, the nurse, and the enrichment teacher and put them in cute jars for Friday. We appreciated the heck out of them, because HELLO, they're preschool teachers and therefore royalty in my book.
We continued our small group on Sunday afternoons and have anywhere between 8-12 adults and 5-10 kids each week. Our church also put on a great training session one evening this month complete with an amazing worship set and food at their new campus location. After wrapping up the book Home Run, we'll be starting the book The Blessed Life and finish out the semester with it.
Other news: I got to be Mystery Reader for Audrey's class and then we snuck in a Mommy-Daughter Date at a frozen yogurt shop. St. Patrick's Day was the no-work, easy "holiday" it should be and we all just wore green. I also trained for and completed my third half marathon. It was by far my favorite to date, and you can read more details about it in this post if you haven't already.
The kids are doing well. Luke had his two year check up and amazed the doctor with his vocabulary and social skills. He said there are only a handful of two year olds he sees a month that are as easy and cooperative as Luke and only a handful a year that can follow all of the instructions he gave him (i.e. taking big, deep breaths, lying down on the table, etc.) He was talking to Luke about keeping one of the tongue depressors to use in his vet kit I told him we had. The doctor asked about looking in a lion's mouth with it. Luke laughed and said, "NO Way!"
The last weekend of the month, we relegated his "bobble" (paci) to the bed and made a big deal about him only using it at naps and nighttime. It took a couple of days of distractions and car rides were especially tough, but by day four or five, he was completely fine.
Audrey is still loving reading and all things crafty. She is astounding us not only by the level of reading she does, but how she reads with such great expression and inflection. She doesn't nap anymore except for the occasional snooze once every 7-10 days. Instead, she lies in her bed and reads for about an hour each afternoon. Sometimes she'll work on her Lite Bright, a puzzle, or a maze book, but mostly it's books. She just loves to read.
I'm certain she's not to become a boorish bookworm, because she is also honing her sense of humor. Nothing makes me smile bigger than to hear her giggle uncontrollably. When she and Luke both get going, it's impossible not to join in. Which is great, because she and I with our similar personalities butt heads at least once a day and often need the laugh. (Yeah, yeah. I'm "just waiting" for the teenage years.)
So that was March. And with that update, I'll leave you with some funny quotes from the kids:
- When praying one night, Luke kept stopping, squinting open his eyes and saying, "What's his name?" We offered some suggestions, but couldn't figure out who he was talking about until about five minutes later when we were taking him to bed. He suddenly blurts out, "UNCLE ERIC!", stops to pray for him, and then proceeds to bed.
- While rocking out to the radio on the way home: Luke: "It's too loud." Me: "It's not too loud, buddy." Luke: "It's too loud for ME." Then, AJ pipes up: "Mommy. Remember...empathy."
- On the first day of Luke's "bobble" weaning, he asked for it a lot. We kept repeating he only used it in the bed now, then changing the subject and distracting him. On the way home from the park, he decided he'd had enough. He didn't throw a fit. He didn't whine. He just calmly and plainly said: "Mommy. [deep sigh] I want my bobble." It was too cute. It's like he was saying, "Look, y'all. Enough's enough. You've had your fun, now give it back."
- Audrey is already rehearsing songs for her Pre-K graduation ceremony in May. We've been talking a little about nervous butterflies and stage fright. We discussed things she could tell herself, thoughts she could imagine, and a bible verse to memorize. Knowing that she really hates feeling like all those eyes are on her, I asked "So, what would make you feel more comfortable when all those 'hundreds of eyes' are looking at you?" Without hesitation, she responded, "Uh...Not to have hundreds of eyes looking at me."
- While Luke was eating breakfast, I ran upstairs to get something. I coughed a few times and heard him yell, "Mommy! You okay?" I hollered back, "Yes, Luke. Thank you." and he yelled, "Okay, you welcome!"
- The kids were riding their tricycle and Big Wheel around the park and David and I split up to cover each one. I was up ahead with Audrey when I hear Luke yelling something out to me. He'd gotten off his tricycle to jog after me and David said he kept hollering, "Mommy! Wait! I wuv you!" Oh my heart!
- Audrey really wanted to buckle Luke into his booster seat before lunch one day. Before I could even open my mouth, I hear Luke warn, "Audrey! Be careful! Watch you fingers!"
Don't forget to check out the latest pictures in the gallery:
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Thankful Thursday
Thursday, April 3, 2014
1. Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine and the warm temperatures it has brought with it. Hello, Spring!
2. A good two-year check up for Luke. Brag alert - The doctor was so impressed with his vocabulary and social skills. He said there are only a handful of two year olds he sees a month that are as easy and cooperative as Luke and only a handful a year that can follow all of the instructions he gave him (i.e. taking big, deep breaths, lying down on the table, etc.) He was asking Luke about keeping one of the tongue depressors to use in his vet kit I told him we had. The doctor asked about looking in a lion's mouth with it. Luke laughed and said, "NO Way!"
3. "New" clothes. I switched out the kids' wardrobes earlier this week and am in the process of doing mine. I love seeing their cute outfits...and knowing most of them were consignment steals. Their pasty white little elbows and knees are pretty adorable, too.
4. Finishing a huge organization project. I know it's absurd, but I still print photographs and put them into albums. Then, I number the pages and create a table of contents for each album. Well, at least I did until life happened and I fell well behind. I hadn't printed pictures since September and hadn't done the page numbering/tables of contents since right before Luke was born. I also had about 100 pictures I needed to "file" back into albums that used to be in frames/were used as birthday party decorations, etc. It's been one of those projects I never have time for but that nags me often. I decided I really needed to bite the bullet and work on it. Some serious concentration and a few...or a dozen...hours later, I'm all caught back up. Ahhhhh. (For now.)
5. A new planner. Yes, I realize using a paper planner is as antiquated as printing photos, but I can't help it! Mine was running out and I have used Franklin Covey since I worked, but it's just not as practical for me now and costs too much for me to justify spending. One of the ladies in my small group showed me the At-a-Glance one she uses and it was love at first sight. I went out and bought one the next day and am really enjoying using the new format!
A new planner, cleaning out closets, and organizing stuff? What a week - Pinch me. ;)
2. A good two-year check up for Luke. Brag alert - The doctor was so impressed with his vocabulary and social skills. He said there are only a handful of two year olds he sees a month that are as easy and cooperative as Luke and only a handful a year that can follow all of the instructions he gave him (i.e. taking big, deep breaths, lying down on the table, etc.) He was asking Luke about keeping one of the tongue depressors to use in his vet kit I told him we had. The doctor asked about looking in a lion's mouth with it. Luke laughed and said, "NO Way!"
3. "New" clothes. I switched out the kids' wardrobes earlier this week and am in the process of doing mine. I love seeing their cute outfits...and knowing most of them were consignment steals. Their pasty white little elbows and knees are pretty adorable, too.
4. Finishing a huge organization project. I know it's absurd, but I still print photographs and put them into albums. Then, I number the pages and create a table of contents for each album. Well, at least I did until life happened and I fell well behind. I hadn't printed pictures since September and hadn't done the page numbering/tables of contents since right before Luke was born. I also had about 100 pictures I needed to "file" back into albums that used to be in frames/were used as birthday party decorations, etc. It's been one of those projects I never have time for but that nags me often. I decided I really needed to bite the bullet and work on it. Some serious concentration and a few...or a dozen...hours later, I'm all caught back up. Ahhhhh. (For now.)
5. A new planner. Yes, I realize using a paper planner is as antiquated as printing photos, but I can't help it! Mine was running out and I have used Franklin Covey since I worked, but it's just not as practical for me now and costs too much for me to justify spending. One of the ladies in my small group showed me the At-a-Glance one she uses and it was love at first sight. I went out and bought one the next day and am really enjoying using the new format!
A new planner, cleaning out closets, and organizing stuff? What a week - Pinch me. ;)
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