Thankful - Day 8

 

I am thankful for the privilege of being a stay-at-home mom.  It did not happen without sacrifices and compromises but the reality is that McDonald lunch dates on the (messy) living room floor are cherished just as much as the big, lavish hoopla adventures.  I am thankful and grateful that we could make this happen. 

Thankful - Day 7

 

I am thankful for Church and the ability to choose where we want to worship.

Thankful - Day 6

 

I am thankful for sisters who are best friends and friends who become more like sisters...

 

 

...who are available to spend random blustery Tuesday afternoons chatting over a crock pot of potato soup and ham sandwiches. 

 

Thankful - Day 5

 

 

I am thankful for these children, the coaches that step forward to teach them sports, and the ability to financially let them play. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thankful - Day 4

 

I am thankful for alone time, quiet time, complete a thought time, idea brewing time, writing time, reading time, researching time, drink my coffee while its still hot time, crafting time or otherwise known as 'me time'.

Thankful - Day 3

The sounds... The smells...  I love Fall.

 

 

I am thankful for Saturday work days.   Pitching in, working together, recognizing that there is not specific jobs for each person.  Valuable life lessons and work ethics being taught that not everyone is privileged to have.   

 

A thank you note from our neighbors in regards to picking up walnuts from their 5 walnut trees all summer long (and boy were they loaded this year).  Although we do it as a thank you back to them for the use of their pool, they take the time to reward the children for their work, to show that it hasn't gone unnoticed, and for that I am thankful too. 

 

Thankful - Day 2

There isn't a sight more glorious than coming home during the holiday season and seeing a box awaiting you.

 

I am thankful for slow, relaxing, nothing on the calendar days that allow you to reconnect to your soul - whether that be by hiking, reading, or ordering your Christmas cards through Walmart and having them delivered right to your front door. 

 

 

 

 

 

Thankful - Day 1

I may have a one-track year round Christmas mind but that doesn't mean I skip over the other holidays.  In fact, that couldn't be further from the truth.  Why else would I own a Chase's Calendar of Events book?

 

 

I am thankful we live in a culture where holidays can range from month long celebrations to National made up days centered around specific types of foods or toys or sitting on your couch doing nothing but reading! 

 

 

 

Halloween 2018

In my world, Halloween has almost as many festive events, parties, and traditions as the Christmas season.  In no particular order and in a very small nutshell, they are...

 

Newest Homemade Halloween Decorations:

Customized Wooden Pumpkins

 

 

Newest Store Bought Halloween Decoration:

Blow up Franken Buddy

 

 

 

Family Trick or Treating at Harrison Lake:

 

 

Trunk or Treating with Momma:

(naturally we posed by the best decorated car)

 

 

Some cars just blew my mind with their creativeness!

 

 

Homemade Donuts Halloween Night:

New favorites for the year were the lemon and the pumpkin donut holes with maple glaze

 

 

 

The Annual Family Halloween Portrait:

 

 

The Halloween treat assessment of what we "need" and who we can bless the rest with:

 

 

 

Happy Halloween!! 

 

May your sweet tooth be filled until next year!

 

 

Happy 18th

"What I find amazing is that two individuals who have zero genes in common can create a strong enough bond to stick together for a lifetime."

(artwork courtesy of  Bree and Holly)

While we haven't quite been married a lifetime, we have, in fact, been married for half my life this year. 

 

 (candid engagement picture taken October 2000)

We kept our celebrations low key this year. 

Dinner out the night before, breakfast in bed provided by the kids. 

Football on the TV, blankets and snuggles on the couch.

Cheese dip in the crock pot, chex mix in the oven.

Neighborhood kids over playing, puzzles in the basement.

 

Some call it boring, others call it 'Life Goals'.

No cards or flowers were necessary.  The kid's artwork is (hilariously) enough.

(artwork courtesy of Jacob)

 

With the crazy amazing year we've had thus far, low key is a much appreciated break.

 

(Photo taken at Brandywine Falls October 2018 after hiking 10+ miles in over 80 degree heat, 100% humidity, and rain!)

To my husband, my rock, the doer and maker of my dreams, the mover of the Elf when I forget - I wouldn't go back and change a single thing about our life together.  I wouldn't go back and upgrade our lives at a point when we could have easily afforded it.  Nor would I have gone on more elaborate vacations back in the days before kids.  I love our appreciation for small adventures and our winging it stop-by-stop road trips.  I love our surprise birthday and secret yearly Father's Day trips.  And I love the hard work, sacrificing, and dedication teaching opportunities we get to live right before our children's eyes.  Basically - I love our simple life.  I love that we have chosen to keep it simple.  Not a day goes by that I feel that we've missed out on anything by marrying so young.  Instead, I know that the best is yet to come.  Happy Anniversary, Babe.  To many, many more....

FYI: Porcelain is the traditional material of the 18th anniversary.

Punkins

 We cut.

 

 

We scraped.

 

 

We designed.

 

We're ready to scare!!

 

This year I had a bit of holiday fun by immortalizing each of us as wood pumpkins for the yard.  Some of our quirks were easy to capture, others took some thinking.

 

Jacob

 Bree

 

 

 

Holly

 



 

 

 

 Jim and Rachel

 



 

Now to prep for the rest of the festivities!!

Wanderlust

6:30am - out of bed for a moment of silence and to check the weather for the day/weekend

6:50am - get kids out of bed and ready for school

7:15am - leave with Bree to get gas, drop her off to school, stop by Mom's to return laundry

7:40am - back home to grab Jacob and take him to school

8am - back home, make coffee, get dressed, head to work

11:15am - done with work, off to have lunch with Jacob

12:15pm - home to make phone calls, confirm doctors appointments, put away dishes, and go get Holly.

12:55pm - drop Holly off to school, head to Walmart and Chiefs to do grocery shopping for home and Mom.

1:45pm - drop off groceries to Mom and head over to Pettisville meats for last of groceries

Its no wonder on days like this when I see 332 miles in my tank my brain starts to wander - where else could I be right now?  Where would this tank of gas take me?

In 2.5 hours I could be back in the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park. 

In 4 hours I could be in Hocking Hills. 

Its only 6 hours to Niagara Falls.

And in one short half day of driving I could be on the sandy shores of the Outer Banks.

My heart aches, longs.  For what?  Not sure. 

Wanderlust.

There is so much to see and do in this world.  The days revolve around the kids and work, as it does in this stage of life.  But that doesn't stop time from slipping away.  Perhaps this cold and gloomy weekend is the perfect opportunity to start planning the next day trip, road trip, weekend getaway, vacation, whatever it may be - or may become! 

And its quite obvious I need to start heading out West!