Flashback Friday

He's had a rough couple of weeks. So have I because of his struggle. I've tried to figure out the cause or trigger, taken him out of things and tried new ones. There are often explanations for his meltdowns. Not lately. Lately it seems like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders and he's overwhelmed. I can relate. He's come so far, so very far. He can tell me what scares him and what he needs. My fear is that we both know what he needs, what he's searching for-and he is gone.

Lord my boy is hurting and he doesn't even know why. I know You do. Give him reassurance that I'm not leaving him and more importantly, You aren't either.

Veggies

Where's she going with this? You ask. Just thought I'd encourage y'all to eat your veggies. I've been making smoothies for a long time now but my aunt taught me lots of recipes this weekend using her Vitamix blender (I'm wanting one now of course.) I'm making myself use the smoothie blender I already have for now and it's worked just fine as long as you don't mind a not-quite-as-smooth-as-with-the-professional-blender consistency. Look at what all I put in my last one

Apples, kale, spinach, frozen blueberries and raspberries, carrots and water. And y'all, I'm gonna sound like I'm making it up but it tasted really good. Really.

Vitamix has tons of their recipes online so I've gotten a few ideas to try in my trusty old $39.99 blender. Here's hoping it holds up.

Away

We needed a change of scenery. We needed to get away. So we took my aunt and uncle up on the offer to stay with them and soak up their city.

Away.

Seriously why do they pose like that. I mean I don't pose like that.

The girls were so excited to ride the train with Katherine, my aunt.

Ty was not. Not at first anyway. He loved it once we got started. Now it's his favorite part of our trip.

Joy's favorite part...you'll never guess...

Katherine's gift of happiness

Charlie's favorite part was getting her Ariel balloon. Yep. By the time we took this picture Joy had changed her mind about her pick. She no longer wanted a ladybug in case you couldn't tell.

What is Ty pointing to? Even he poses for pictures. Where have i gone wrong I ask you.

My favorite part? Well how could I pick.

I'd have to say the kids' own pictures, as evidenced by these last few. Letting your kids hold your phone is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get.

Hungry?

I just found this in my bed if anyone wants it.

Not my best moment

I'm redoing the office and since I couldn't reach the biggest wall I tried to move the gun safe to the middle of the room. Apparently the one in my office is big because it weighs 900 pounds. If anybody has extra Advil I'd appreciate it since I'll now be taking it for life. Whatever you do to hurt your back and become an old lady I did it.

Want to see what I've done so far?

That's the new color. Happy yellow sunshine we call it. Three walls in that color, one with grey and white stripes, new desks and fun buckets for crafts...I'm so happy to have the room to do this! Oh here's a before shot of the old color.

I'm really good at staging pictures y'all. It's one of my gifts.

It was a pretty green color but it wasn't what I wanted for my craft room. I'm kind of on a bright kick if you hadn't noticed.

Ahem.

Flashback Friday

Hearts

I vividly remember last January having to decide if I'd put Valentine's Day decorations up or not. I wasn't feeling the love or anything. Clearly I was not looking to think about love at all.

This year, though, I think I "get" love in many new ways. Neighborly, brotherly, friendship, support, family, loving someone through grief, disappointment, I could go on. This year it looks Valentine's Day threw up all over my house.

Between painting the office and turning it into a craft room, (I mean who needs an office around here??) I've put hearts on everything that stands still. My mom never failed to brighten our house with fun decorations each season and I'm trying to do the same thing. Our house isn't perfect or cohesive or even tidy most of the time but it's filled with love and for the next month or so it's filled with hearts too.