a few things....

hello pals

i am so tired.
really really tired.
and also at a bit of a block with my blogging.
i have lots of posts in my mind, i just can't get um out.

i am hoping to be refreshed and inspired on a ladies weekend trip that starts at 10:30 sharp tomorrow morning.
remember this from last year?

oh oh! and this!

i am all a-twitter with preparing my people and my house and my husband and myself for this crazy idea that i won't be doing everything!

i cannot wait to be off the clock.
cannot wait.

so here are a few things that have been happening.
this weekend we had "family dinner".
that means the five of us go to eat at chilis

and then the kids beg reedo to take them to the book store

he rolls his eyes and looks at me, since i love books too, and then he gives in and usually gets suckered into buying them books...

well this time we made an hour stop at the park first and we all played together.
we were mostly the only ones there.
we made piles of leaves and jumped in them.
the kids chased reedo and he jumped over them and chased them down.

the boys pushed the girls on the swings.

unplanned and such a sweet little moment.

also, i have been doing some pretty intense cleaning and re-arranging at my little house.

feels great.

but i am sure this is the reason (or one of them) for being pretty wiped out the last few days....

i got rid of a lot of mis-matched storage

and i did some serious re-organizing of the black cabinet

i added some new special wall decor...

found my moms old sewing machine manual...

 made a place for lovely yarn...

 re-purposed a fireside spot for a reading area for ella and i
i have my new instyle magazine in that basket, but we have mostly read beauty and the beast and the busy farm book, so far....
instyle, i am coming....soon.

my new desk, sewing, craft area is right next to the kitchen now...

 i can tell you that that cabinet is very very clean inside....for now.

 i got the canvas that i ordered in the mail a few days ago....
i am in love with that photograph.
by joy.
of course.

we made a new study area for the boys...

if you look up in my kitchen, you still see these.

no more red, but aqua and book page snow flakes...



i keep meaning to tell you that i have been trying with quitting diet coke idea...

truth?

i have had 4 or 5 since i stopped the week before new years....

i mean, i DID take all three of my kids to disneyland ALONE all day yesterday!

could that have happened without ANY diet coke? even at lunch?

maybe.

but i think i have a pretty strong argument....

the thing i am mostly happy about is that i have NOT just driven through to get one as a pick-me-up or a treat.

i have only had those couple with a lunch or a dinner.

so i feel good about that.

also i have had a few root beer floats to hold me over when i really just WANT carbonation.

lastly, i keep forgetting to mention how much i LOVED reading all of your best christmas moments.

thank you for sharing those with me!

thank you!

thank you!

i didn't realize what a blessing that would be for me, when i just flippantly came up with that idea for your giveaway entries...

i loved hearing that.

have a happy weekend.

i will be back soon with fresh photos and inspiration...i know it!

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