Whine, Whine, Whine

For those who jealously think that my life is perfectly charming and trouble free, read on - you'll feel better.  If you think otherwise be prepared because I have at least four paragraphs of whine in me...starting now!

But guess what, I saved the post I had written which was closer to eight paragraphs of whine, waiting to see if I really wanted to post it.  I mean it really was self indulgent complaining.  And guess what, in that time - I remembered one fact - someone always has it worse than me, and likely people have it better than me, although I'm skeptical.  And my job is to make the most of my happiness and so I'm doing that. 

And for me that means not dwelling on the negative but focusing on the positive instead.  So I'm going to go tuck my kids into bed, earlier than normal and kiss them goodnight.  And treat myself to take out Mexican food, and wonder how I got so lucky to be able to get take out whenever I want and sit in my air conditioned house with four beautiful, active, independent children laying sound asleep in bed with tanned bodies and extreme exhaust from a very sun coma filled week at the pool. 

Peace out!

Gratitude Cont...

So a couple have asked about the details of what I am so grateful about, well I guess nothing except for my very happy, eternal family.  And to numerically number/name it is to say:

14 - end of school award/certificates (and I'm not referring to generic ones, but ones that are actually earned and so there comes a great sense of personal accomplishment)
3 - perfect or near perfect report cards
Half a dozen - Nice notes, emails or phone calls about my children and how great they are
A dozen - Nice notes, emails or phone calls thanking me for my service as PTO president
5 - Gift plants from teachers for me
4 - Happy, grateful children
1 - Amusement Park Trip
1 - Very hard working husband

And not so numerically,
my family who loves to play together,
who travels well in the car together,
two boys who played baseball for the first year ever and picked it up like champs,
our pool pass,
no financial worries,
the school year being over,
the Women's Club of Manheim year being over,
the end of being PTO president,
the commitment to play more with my kids and seeing the effects of that.

I don't know I just feel happy and grateful.  My family and life are just so much better than I ever imagined them to be when I was younger.  Now for the pics from the last week of school, elementary school graduation, fourth grade play, field day, and ensuing celebration at the amusement park, and first day of summer party...

Gratitude

Sometimes my life feels too good to be true.  And all I can think is how grateful I am.  And all I want to do is slow it down and make it last forever.  But since every year feels this good I'll keep embracing it changes and all.

More details to come later, but it's the last day of school and we have traditions to uphold and Knoebels to go to.  Peace out!

What a Good Looking Group

I don't know why but sometimes the camera lens just captures something my human eye can't.

These pictures are just a few instances.

Wyatt is getting so grown up looking.

Issac is adorable even with his glasses.

 Kody can get so excited.

 These boys have some of the best smiles ever.

Bella really is smarter than me.

* Short story - we are at Lancaster Science Factory here.  There are lots of logic and reasoning puzzles.  I sit down to this one and start to think and Bella walks up and looks at it.  Oh that's easy she says.  I say oh really, then let me see you do it.  She continues to do the puzzle in less than 30 seconds.  This is her gloating smile of victory.

We Did Celebrate

Although I have forgotten to post about Memorial Day, we did indeed celebrate.  On Sunday we had a neighborhood bash, Monday a church one.  Travis was home.  Yeah!

We have great friends.  They are good fathers.  And they are our neighbors.  We love celebrating with them.  And always ending up playing family games of kickball, wiffle ball, or some other sport. 

In other news the bird cage sold.  Now does anyone want to buy a train table with all the tracks, etc....?

A girl may tell herself that she is going to bed early tonight.  But said girl will still find herself working hard at 11:30, finishing stuff for a Cub Scout Camp this weekend, she may find herself preparing for the last few events for Women's Club of Manheim, Manheim's Rose Festival Weekend on June 9th - the Mannheim Market and Volksfest specifically, and she may find herself deeply emerged in PTO stuff, with too many tasks to even begin to name.

All I can say, is I appreciated teachers before, but whew....you people rock a crazy busy schedule at the end of a school year.  Thanks teachers and I need some sleep.  So Peace Out for tonight.  Now to pack lunches for tomorrow and clean up the house.  Oh I love single parenting - In the words of my neighbor's hubby tonight, "It seems like you could use a live in husband."  Yeah, you think.

All About Me

Favorite Songs:  The Call - Regina Spektor, A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
* I get that these are older, but I still am loving constantly listening them

What I've Virtually Given Up: TV
* Minus some Hulu

Favorite Number: 6

Things I believe in:  God, myself, the goodness of people, forgiveness, ghosts (spirits - call it what you want), working hard, playing harder, being exhausted at the end of each day, changing the world one good deed at a time, lust at first sight, that going out to eat can make a bad day better, my marriage's ability to withstand any trial, the saving power of the Atonement.

Favorite Color:  None
* Purple has been abandoned.  Instead each moment brings a new surprise.

What I Wish My Name Were:  Trixie or Kat

Favorite Recently Found Photo:
* Nothing makes me happier than seeing this guy happy.  Plus what a sexy beast he is.  Am I the luckiest girl in the world or what!!!

Favorite Book(if at gun point I have to pick just one):  Atlas Shrugged

Where I'm Itching to Go:  Greece, Italy

*  Bring me the food, the beach, and the men

Favorite Day of the Week:  Thursday

* I love anticipation

What I'm Most Looking Forward to:  Summer Vacation (6 wk nationwide tour)

What I'm Open To Admitting Might Exist:  UFO's, aliens, Skin-Walkers, fairies (I know this sounds crazy - I just do), time travel, a lot of logically improbable stuff - I don't want to embarrass myself too much.

Favorite Foods:  chili, bread, water, doughnuts, mint oreos, Mexican, Bajio's - Green Chile Ensalada, seafood, french fries, onion rings, all breakfast foods (grits, waffles, eggs, bacon ALL OF IT)

Easiest Way to Make My Day:  random guy checking me out/hitting on me, paying me a sincere compliment

Guilty Pleasure:  real mail, McDonalds, hiding my intelligence/acting vain and shallow (to avoid expectations), flowers, reading all hours of the night, waxing, takeout or going out to eat, trivia (Jeopardy, Trivial Pursuit), a doughnut and milk to end the day, one of my children falling asleep on me, romance novels, happy endings, long phone conversations with my sister, girls' night out, dancing, loud music, shoes, clothes, purses, a good tan, being able to love what I'm currently doing.

So what do you think, you still wanna be friends after all that???