Life Lately

We have not had a ton going on lately, besides the ordinary things (like working lots, doing tons of things around the house, cleaning, laundry, fixing food, fixing more food, running errands, and some relaxing time). The boys did go again with the cousins to the river (which was very cold), and then they played games at the house. They had a blast!

those are some gorgeous looking young men

Jar and Kaleb jumping in the water

Cam and Katjana trying to decide if they want to jump or go in slowly

Cam decides to jump right in the water

• This is my view as I am watching their stuff on the riverbank

• Taking selfies by the river

• I was writing in my journal 

   "I love it here. We are at the swimming hole here at the park. The cousins are swimming in the river. It is really cold water, but it is 98 degrees today, so it is very refreshing and will keep them cool for a long time. They are having a blast! I am sitting here on the edge of the bank...it is beautiful...so quiet and peaceful. I feel God's presence here. It sure is hot though. I'd like to jump in...for sure! (too bad I'm on cell phone and shoes and wallet watch. :) "

• The cousins played games at the house (Trivia Crack on their phones and Quelf board game)

this was part of the game - they had to be conjoined twins for a whole round of the game

• I am constantly making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

• A lady at work sent Michael home with a box of things from her garden...Yummo!

• This is what I made from that box (tomato, cucumber, and basil salad)

September Goals

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These are my September Goals:

1. Go to a local Farmer's Market/Farm
2. Take evening walks
3. Start new devotional
4. Put out fall decorations
5. Get into the groove of school
6. Get some home projects done (clean garage cabinets, finish front walkway steps, finish blocks by arborvitae, cut down flowers, pressure wash around house)
7. Go for drives and take photos
8. Go bowling with friends
9. Spend more time outside
10. Celebrate Amy's birthday
11. Celebrate Michael's birthday
12. Go to Red Robin for our birthdays
13. Go out with Mom
14. Cut Lily's hair
15. Go to Oktoberfest
16. Take fall photos
17. Go on a hike (Silver Falls and Opal Creek)
18. Watch college football
19. Rake leaves
20. Make pumpkin bread
21. Get pumpkin latte from Starbucks
22. Go to the outlets
23. Go to trampoline park with friends/cousins
24. Play outdoor yard games
25. Play four-square
26. Play board games

It's HOT HOT HOT

It has been really hot here lately...like in the 100's. The past 5 years or so have just had really hot summers.

We have been talking about putting in an above ground permanent pool in the next few years. We had a Costco take-down pool for a few years, but the boys are older now...we need something sturdier and more permanent. Michael and I have talked about some different designs. We will probably draw up some designs in the next few weeks, even though it will still be a while before we put one in the back yard.

Here are some pool ideas I came across on Pinterest...

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Contentment

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I have been thinking a lot lately about being content with what we have and not constantly thinking on what we would like to have.

Recently, houses in our neighborhood have been selling like hot cakes. And our neighbors are moving into bigger houses with more property...with larger mortgages. So, Michael and I started thinking about how great it would be to get into a bigger better house. Why? What was wrong with the house we were in? Did we really need a bigger house?

It is so easy to get caught up in wanting more...wanting the nicer and bigger house, the nicer and newer car. When we see what other people have, we want that too. We find ourselves not being happy and content with what we have. I think social media...like YouTube and Instagram and Pinterest... has not helped this at all.

I like to watch Tiny Houses on HGTV. I like this concept because one is not focused on the bigger and the better and having lots of stuff. The focus is on living life and having adventure. I like this.

I still remember something I heard a few years ago, "The more you have, the more you have to take care of." Another quote I heard was, "The smaller the house, the greater the adventure." These are very true. I don't want a mortgage so large that I cannot enjoy life. I want to be able to do things without having to say every time, "We don't have money for that." OR even worse, going into debt to do these things.

Michael and I decided to get our finances in order and try to get things paid off. We have a few things on the house that we need to do...like hard wood floors and living room furniture and shower tiles and shower door. Then we would like to possibly get an above-ground pool. We will do these things over the next little while, when we have the money.

Meanwhile, we would like to enjoy life...like hiking and biking and small trips here and there and movies at the theater and trips to the coast and much much more. I don't want to be so strapped financially with a larger house that we cannot even enjoy the house.

I love our house...it is perfect for us. Do I sometimes want for a house with a larger kitchen and an island and maybe a walk-in closet and more property? Yes, I do. But, then I have to take care of that larger house and larger property. And right now in my life, I just don't want to spend all of my time doing that. I am content with what I have.

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August Boxes

Birchbox box 

Sephora Box

Life Lately

We have been quite busy here...as Cam's college is wrapping up and we are trying to get things done around the house before fall gets here. Here are some snapshots of what has been going on around here.

• always fixing food

• Jar did not have any dessert on his birthday...the one treat he did get was a cherry Italian soda 

• Cam working on his final test in College Algebra (his final grade was a 95.41%)

• the beauty products I use after my shower 

• going to the bookstore downtown 

• Birthday tradition - shopping at Rue 21

• It has been very hot here... 

• What Jar got while out shopping on his birthday

• some new books I picked up from the Library 

• Jar's 17th birthday celebration

photo bomb by Lily

• what Jar got for his birthday (a tank top and swimming shorts, a baseball shirt, a Doctor Who shirt, a panda baseball hat, a leather wrist cuff, Hogwart's Classics book set, a sound machine, and cards and money) 

• Michael and I celebrated 23 years of marriage (we went to McGrath's Fish House for lunch, Macy's for shopping, and Chesapeake Shores Hallmark tv show with ice cream)

• On our way home from lunch, we stopped to look through some campers (looking to see what layout we would want when we buy one after the boys are out of the house--we like the 2nd and 3rd photos layout)

• Here are the photos taken off my camera...

• trying to get a good photo for the church newsletter

• The cousins came over for Jar's birthday to go swimming in the creek (and swimming hole)