Happy 2 days after Thanksgiving! I’ve spent the past several days in Texas at my sisters home.
Relaxing. I got a massage and a new hair color and cut a couple inches off the bottom.
We went to Galveston to stroll through Moody Gardens Festival of Lights. I started a book and so far I love it. The book is titled City of Girls, authored by Elizabeth Gilbert.
I decorated her home for Christmas. This has been a vacation I needed! I’ll fly home tomorrow afternoon and commence the vacation blues for several days.

Checking In

Hello to all!

It has been a very long time! So so so much has changed since my last post. My plans to read more got sidetracked by life events that needed tended to, and still do. More on that in a bit.
Everything is different now.
Both of my boys have graduated high school, the oldest is a college sophomore. The youngest is a 7th grader, and my middle son is holding down a job until he decides what he wants to be and goes to college.
My personal life has changed a lot. Times are quite rough right now in many ways. I have a mysterious ailment within my left ear, going on 2 years of suffering, chronic pain, neuropathy, debilitating tinnitus. No resolution or official diagnosis from any doctor I’ve seen.  I remain hopeful anyways. Pushing through the bad days and relishing the good days. I was bedbound for several months. Looking for answers, trying to sleep, losing interest in my favorite things. It’s been mentally exhausting and physically painful and honestly I forgot I even had this blog until a few days ago.
My marriage is different as well. Marriage is hard. Changes have to take place and forgiveness is utmost importance for the sake of husband and wife. Grace and mercy also have a significant part in successful marriages. Currently there are complications for us, and uncertainty.
My children are now age 12, 18, and on the 5th of October— 20!
I’m now 42. Pictures below are me, my oldest, myself with my granddaddy and my second son, and then my daughter.

I have been keeping the promise to myself and reading more. Last night I finished the book "Circling the Sun" by Paula McClain. I found this book very well-written, and captivating. Based on real people, real places, and real events of the 1920's and 30's, it left me wanting more. I want to learn more about the people in the book, and the location. I highly recommend this book to anyone. You will gain a new perspective on humanity and heartbreak.

It's Been a While!

Thanks to Facebook, I haven't blogged in a long time! Everything important is recorded over there.
Anyways, if anyone reads this, here is an update, in summary.
My oldest Ben is now 16 and a half. Friday was the last day of school, and he ended the 10th grade.
He is a techie; a big time programmer/game developer, tennis player, 6 foot 1, 150 pound good looking boy. Not driving alone , but has a permit.
My second Aaron, is 2 weeks shy of 15, finished the 9th grade. Also a tennis player and is finally exactly my height 5'6" and about 145 pounds (not MY weight though [he is heavier]).
My youngest, my little sweet girl, Zemi, is 8 years old, just under 5 feet tall, and closed out her 3rd grade year. She is a beautiful, happy, social, gifted young lady.

Today is Memorial Day. The official start to summer. I really want to make this summer entertaining for all my kids, rather than defer to video game and TV watching. I don't know what I will do with them yet, but have been looking at our local city's tourist guide to get some ideas. The problem is that the weather here is so hot that being outdoors is not very enjoyable. We would need to participate in activities early in the morning to beat the heat. (Which is frowned upon by my teenagers, and even my 8 year old, who all just want to "sleep in") And of course I want them too because I so relish the quiet mornings. Then the afternoon would be spent indoors doing....you guessed it. We can utilize the use of the pool of course, but after a couple of hours there, we have had enough of that. Usually we live up to the term "Lazy Days of Summer". Certainly there is nothing wrong with that, but we all crave some form of entertainment, a change of pace, an avenue to a memory, every once in a while. Finding something new to do is very refreshing for the spirit.

I have set a goal for myself to read/finish some novels. The idea behind this being if I make an effort to read more, I will relax about housework and that idea alone, and hopefully an accomplished goal of read novels, is enough to allow ME to have had an enjoyable summer even if we do not manage to find (or be able to withstand the weather) other activities. Because, let's face it, the meaning of summer for moms is not the same meaning as summer for the school-age children. Us moms must make a point to relax about those things that create feelings of monotony; the dredge work of housekeeping, cooking, disciplining.

So here I leave this blog post to begin this Memorial Day, 2016.
I REALLY hope I can continue blogging now and record what memories we all make this summer, and what books I read.

Zemi is so thoughtful of others. For me, she choose a library book from her school about Huskies, one of my favorite dog breeds. "Just for you, Mommy!" My girl.

I'm lying here in bed on the eve of the first day of school. I'll have a 7th grader, a 6th grader, and a Kindergartener in the morning! It's hit me hard. Tears.

New Things Around Here

So, there is a lot to take note of now. We (or should I say I'VE) been busy!!! (because who keeps up with everyones schedule?) Where should I begin? February 2012, both my sons, Ben and Aaron, promoted to red belt in karate. March 27, 2012 marked Jason and I's 13th wedding anniversary. I love him! We ate dinner at Mockingbird Cafe, which is fantastic! Located here in Tallahassee Florida. They even have live music! Our oldest made his middle school track and field team. He is in the top 6 runners of his team, and wants to jump hurdles. His personal best is a 5:56 mile. Awesome! And, he has asthma! Our oldest, Ben, also performed a piano solo at his schools talent show. I have a talented boy! April 1, 2012 we saw demolition begin on our backyard. No fooling! Finally! Land clearing, new driveway, new hedges, 1/2 acre of green sod, all the makings of a super nice backyard! It's such a drastic and awesome improvement! We still aren't quite finished.....meaning we need to get a fence up, and install our new basketball goal, and paint the ball court on the driveway. Also in April, we found ourselves swamped with activities. Boys Town benefit, FSU men's basketball banquet, and the TMH Golden Gala in which we saw Keith Urban perform. All of these were great and fun events, but they coincided with my oldest sons track and field meets. Fortunately we made it to his first meet of the season. RSVPing in advance does have it's disadvantages. May 11, 2012 has been crazy busy too! What's first? Ok, I went with Aaron's 5th grade class on a field trip to Sea World Orlando. Just him and me all day. From 4:30 AM to 10 PM. Bussed there that morning and bussed back that same day. 9 hours on a bus and all day in the sun. But lots of fun for us! Memories. Me and my boy! He rode the rides, I just waited and supervised. May 12, 2012 was my daughters very first ballet recital! She's such a big girl it seems. She shows some talent as well. May 13, 2012 was mothers day this year and the day to which I've been waiting for, and Jason as well, and our kids HAD NO IDEA ABOUT IT! We picked up our puppy! I had been taking some sneaky trips to visit a litter that was born on March 15th. After months of research, and me getting retested for allergies (finding out my dog allergy had disappeared), and attending the local dog show, I had settled on the vizsla breed, and all the pieces fell into place. So, we have a vizsla, his name is Viggo, and he is now 9 weeks old and the sweetest pup ever! If you research them, you will learn how sweet they are. And now today was Zemi's graduation from preschool. She will go to kindergarten in the fall. Wasn't she just born?? Tomorrow, my oldest, Ben, has his 6th grade awards ceremony, in which he receives a few recognitions. Honor Roll and Sports team awards to start with (Cross Country and Track and Field). Next week is Aaron's 5th grade completion ceremony. He's moving up to middle school, an entirely different school than where he's been for the past 6 years. And of course, all three will be out of school for the summer next week. Aaron turns 11 on June 11. Zemi turns 5 on August 30. Ben turns 13 (!!!!!) on October 5.

Found this post on another website: Memories!

This would have been in late 2008 or early 2009.

Remember when I received Zemi's new car seat through UPS, and when I brought the box inside, she was curious, but when I began to pull the seat out, she became TERRIFIED? HAHAHA She was screaming at it and clinging on to me as if that seat was a scary monster. Man I wish I had my video camera rolling at that moment! It was so funny. After a while, she warmed up to it, and wanted to try it out in the house. Aaron fastened her in it, as she would be seated while in the car, but he couldn't get it unfastened, and so he came to me crying that he just couldn't do it and he was so afraid he had broken it or that Zemi was going to be stuck in it forever. Ha, Aaron is so sensitive and sweet. Then daddy hooked it up in the car and that marked the beginning of a new stage of my baby girl's life. The next day, I made a celebratory trek to the park with her in her new seat. The first time I took her to the park, and her first trip in her new seat. She looks like such a big girl sitting in it.Her infant seat will be given to her cousin, to be born in February. Little Corban. I bought a new cover for the infant seat, and it is our gift to the new baby.

Who does the school board think they are, telling my child, "No", and going against what mom has asked her child to do? Parents are a higher authority!

Some policies make absolutely no sense and when my child is affected by it, I will spit nails. I will have the last word. Changes need to happen. I can't sleep

Bon Jovi - Hallelujah

Simon & Garfunkel, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Central Park