Category Archives: Life in general

Self-Fulfilling Prophesy

ememby_todayisgoingtobeawesomeI needed this reminder today… each day is a new day and full of new possibility. Admittedly the possibilities are maybe not always positive (I’m a glass half-full girl myself, but also a realist) but starting the day with a little pep always improves your chances for positivity. Amiright? Make it happen.

Here are a few things I’ve been loving lately that are making my days awesome despite any c-r-a-p that might happen:

  • the sound of all the night bugs and frogs we hear around our house now that it has warmed up – their joint symphony is near deafening if you are sitting on the deck after the sun sets
  • watching how seriously Liam takes taekwondo (Jack is still a work in progress on that front but as the youngest kid in the class and the only one not in school, it’s not surprising; according to him his track record for good vs. bad in class has gone 50/50, 75/25, 10/90 and 80/20)
  • while I have not watched Dancing with the Stars this season, I did see Maks and Meryl’s final two dances and they were pretty impressive, like I 100% believe they are a couple from watching them together and I want them to have many, many babies and live happily ever after
  • peanut butter, banana, oatmeal smoothies
  • The Voice and texting dates to rehash everything that is going on during the shows
  • chatting and catching up with some of my favorite people
  • the prospect of Pitch Perfect 2
  • a long holiday weekend – we’re watching a friend’s dog and I am thrilled because it fulfills my lifelong dream of having TWO dogs… sadly, this is not Simon’s lifelong dream but I’ll win him over yet (unless it all goes horribly wrong in which case, probably not)
  • Coldplay’s new CD
  • coffee (always)
  • reading with the boys – I just went to the Scholastic Warehouse sale and loaded us up with new summer reading options, including a Jesus Calling Bible Storybook
  • watching our old videos on YouTube with Jack – he asks to rewatch all his favorites of he and “baby” Liam talking, dancing and singing
    check the videos out here.

What is making your days awesome?

Spam Comments

ememby_spam

My friend Keri and I have enjoyed a great amount of amusement reading through a flurry of spam comments my blog has gotten this weekend, many from sites with castle clash in the name (which more than alerts me that perhaps these “people” are fishy). Here are some of my favorites from the over 50 I received – hopefully they have stopped:

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Be still…

The school year is quickly coming to a close – though not nearly quickly enough for my liking (see: I. Am. So. Done.). For the first time I’m weary of all the school stuff and thankfully it appears that so is Liam’s teacher – no more homework packets for the rest of the year! After he finished his last page of homework on Monday, I told Liam that he doesn’t have to do homework again until THIRD grade! We both cheered!

Summer brings less crazy and usually more fun since we have more time for play dates and no pressure to get anything done. It’s a different kind of busy. Work still needs to get done at the office. Projects need completing at home. And social activities abound. It’s busy but it’s also calming, I feel a time of reflection coming upon me. Thinking of everything that has happened in the past year – selling our first home, moving to our “new” home, continuing the slog of tag-team single parenting, friends moving away, discovering I’m not immune to depression and anxiety and confirming suspicions that Liam was not going to outgrow his lack of focus – it’s been a lot to take in, to manage and accept. But I have peace in knowing that God has it under control – that He reveals himself in the good and the bad – that His timing is perfect, while not always my own.

I’m eager to see what lessons He has awaiting me and to quiet my mind and be still.

ememby_bestill

You are made strong.

So many words of truth to be found here. There is strength in weakness. There is strength to be found in God. You have strength within you that you are not even aware of, strength that can carry you through many trials. Together we can do this!

ememby_youaremadestrong


Click on the above image to download a printable PDF.

Instagram

So hey there… it’s been a little while. Whoops. I am still planning a little vacay recap but I had to get a new phone because the speaker on mine stopped working which meant I couldn’t hear it when it rang and that is kind of an important feature in a phone. But the new phone doesn’t have my old pictures on it so I have to get my act together and charge the old phone and upload the photos that I wanted to share because I’m now the slacker who documents vacations not with her nice Canon camera but with the camera in her phone. [worst intro paragraph ever…]

In the meantime – here’s a big catch up of Instagram pics for those of you not following me there, along with witty-ish commentary (as usual).

But wait… I just finished reading Gone Girl last night… holy crapola, it’s going to be fun discussing that one on Thursday at Laid-Back Book Club.
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For a kid that hasn’t ever really liked drawing, I’m impressed with Liam’s ability to make outlined letters (floating in the sky thanks to balloons).


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I love coffee and I love pictures of coffee. What can I say… it’s both pretty and delicious.


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Pure awesome for crazy hair day! Love this wild child.


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And love this bathtub boy.


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My ever-present companion, mid-lick. I think he gets hairs stuck in his mouth and then proceeds to lick, lick, lick until we yell at him to stop! It’s especially annoying at night when you are trying to fall asleep.


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Back when it was still winter (pretty much last week).


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A Pinterest success! Melting plastic beads in a non-stick pan and turning them into a suncatcher. Such a satisfying craft.


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This picture really confused and amused my boys. Guess they are related.


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A mid-winter’s walk on a rare evening with daddy home.


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George does not approve of wearing a neckwarmer as a jacket.


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My tattoo-ed boy.


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Words to live by.


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Mr. Alright-alright-alright is fabulous in this movie. As is the former Jordan Catalano.


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Family portrait.


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So shy, that one.


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TBT – Back to when Jack was a wee baby.


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Clearly he is lacking in personality.


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Future Calvin student is right at home.


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My bracket was heavily dependent on a Big Ten Final Four… alas.


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Jack’s chalk-portrait of he and his brother.


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Jack prefers to use furniture in his own special way.


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The family.


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Also a shy, wilting flower.


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Evening has broken.


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I do love this face, I cannot help it.


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Easter/Spring decor… I am that mom who likes to seasonally decorate. Don’t worry… we don’t do playdoh or team sports so you can still like me… I overachieve in only one area.


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Art night at Liam’s school.


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Pics fro my first blogger social… such a fun evening and has made me think about where I would like to go with the blog. Still TBD.


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A special lunch treat all by himself with both mom and dad.


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All packed up for spring break.


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And we’re on the road at 4:06 in the morning.


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We ate a whole lot of Mickey D’s on our trip because of the play places they contain… until we got further south and discovered Chick Fil A also has play places.


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Crossing this bridge into Missouri is one of the things I remember from every road trip down to Houston. It always feels like such an accomplishment to make it here.


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12 hours on the road and they were still happy to pose for a picture.


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Happiness found.


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Sharing a bed for the first time… and still smiling after day one.


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75 mph speed limit, don’t mind if I do…


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Buccee’s… a Texas tradition… the cleanest bathrooms you will ever find in a rest area and every snack and road trip food item you could ever want.


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Happy to have reached Padre Island and warmth!


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Thar be pirates.


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Happiness is hours spent swimming with a pool all to ourselves!


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Not to mention delicious BBQ and head-sized brownies.


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Sometimes we are cute.


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Dolphins spotted…


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Margaritas, FTW… sadly, Simon got food poisoning at this lovely establishment and spent the next 24 hours not enjoying vacation very much.


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The boys learning how to play online poker.


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The boys made it in the local paper.


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Doesn’t everyone try to pick honest Abe’s nose when given the opportunity?


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The boys might have enjoyed the extreme bubbles created by the jets in Marty and Lynn’s new bathtub. Maybe just a little.


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Sometimes you just gotta let them get soaked and have fun.


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Jack’s at the age where he doesn’t not like to pose normally for pictures.


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Sunset in Joplin.


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My sweet, sleeping boy.


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A lunch stop for throwed rolls and copious amounts of food and drinks.


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No comment.


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Had to capture proof that he is still my baby… he hasn’t fallen asleep on my in years!


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Back in Michigan…


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Liam checked this out as one of his library books… we did not make any of these recipes.


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Yet another misuse of furniture.


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One of our awesome neighbors planted jelly beans with her daughter that grew into suckers overnight for the neighbor kids to come harvest.


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Hunting for Easter eggs (nevermind that was from two weeks ago)