Avoidance

Jeff is working late tonight--day 2 of his new job and it's "Family Reading Night", so he gets to meet all the curious parents wondering who the new guy is! I am leaving for a business trio Thursday to Las Vegas and SHOULD be packing, but I really don't have a clue what it is that I should pack. All the sudden, my closet seems full of all the wrong things. So, I am avoiding the task!

The simplicity of 10 years

Wow, where has 10 years gone? I guess that it is s testiment/compliment to my hubby that 10 years doesn't seem like an eternity, right? When we got married we were young, and by today's standards, we were really young--22 and 23. I was right out of college and Jeff, ever the Peter-Pan, was wrapping up his teaching degree. Our first apartment had one couch (new--I can remember AGONIZING over what piece of furniture we could afford to buy and deciding a couch was probably a necessity), a wooden chair, a 27 in tv on an old tv stand, a hand-me-down table and chairs, and our bedroom furniture. That's it. Man, life was so simple. Now, 3 houses (4 if you count the addition/remodel) later, with more furniture banished to our basement than we owned in that first apartment, I can't help but think the oddest thing that 10 years has taught me is that when it really came down to it, that first year--the simplicity of that first year, without all the "clutter" of life, was so foundational in our marriage. Heck, we didn't even have cable--way too expensive! While I am certainly proud of our accomplishments that have brought us where we are now and while I love the life we've built with our kiddos, I think it's important to remember where we started and fall back on what we built with so little else to fill up our hearts.

Happy 10 years, Jeff--Love you!

Last weekend's photos

Here are some pictures from last weekend. We had three days off and it was a true "Indian Summer" type of weekend. Lots of sidewalk chalk, blingy pumpkins with Grandma, and raking leaves. By the way, I don't think Keeton has ever had the fall-leaf experience. He was 10 months old when we moved to our last house, which had no trees!

I need a hobby...and time...

You know how I said we are all so busy and I can't even keep up with myself let alone everyone else? You know how I haven't really even cleaned the house we moved into four weeks ago? And that part about how I usually work at least 10-11 hours a day? So, I think I need a hobby. Really. Not a crafty hobby, but a physical one where I can take out some tension--a kick butt type of hobby. Now, I played tennis, ran and danced (in my more fit days). Those are NOT contact sports--I was never one for getting hit, punched, kicked, pushed, etc. So maybe this is a mid-life crisis? I need ideas for something to do (and I need ideas for when I can do it). My co-worker suggested I take up running again--he figured they make cute running shoes so I'd go for that. Point well taken. Any ideas are welcome (cute shoe wear is a plus)!

Anyone miss us?

It is has been a loooong time, I know. We've been MIA for almost a month, which is even a long time by my standards for this bog! Here's the run-down: we moved in on Sept. 10th. I had classes the next three weekends in a row (2 classes all weekend with plenty of homework to keep me busy). In between there I've been to a football game every Friday night with the kids and Jeff in tow and last week was Homecoming, so that consumed most of the weeknights and Saturday night, too. And that, THAT is how 3 1/2 weeks has blown by us so fast that we can just now catch our breath.

There are a few things we've discovered these past few weeks:
1. There just aren't enough hours in the day. I am so thankful we moved because I don't know where I'd be squeezing in the extra hour in the car each day.
2. I dearly missed having a dryer. That got delivered Sunday (yep, one month later) and you know you are old when you are uber excited about doing laundry and testing all the new settings!
3. Molly LOVES the lake. WAY TOO MUCH. Today was the 3rd time she got out and found it. Once again, she was covered in burs and sopping wet. Today was finally our incentive to get the invisible fence set up. Check that off the list.

I know people want pictures and they will come soon enough. Maybe I will post some with September's pictures of the day (yes, I know it is October, sigh).