A Regular Day

On a regular day now, I usually...

Wake up at the crack of dawn (or before), make coffee, cycle dishwasher, cycle laundry, pack lunches, make breakfasts.

Take coffee to bathroom, wash face, get dressed, do mascara, do something with hair, grab shoes.

Take empty coffee cup to kitchen, stick in dishwasher, start dishwasher, feed cat, put on shoes, pack up laptop, grab bags, grab dog food, head out the door.

Put stuff in car, put dog in yard, let chickens out.

Get in car, get on phone, hit the road.

Sit at computer all day.

Sit in traffic.

Come back home, take deep breaths, take a walk.

It's stressful, it's difficult, it's uncomfortable, and it's worth it, it's worth it, it's worth it. And as soon as it's not, I'll know it.

Away from Home

Because of our new rhythm (aka due to me working full time), my kiddos have been very strategically and thoroughly booked for the summer. They are super excited about all the plans. I am a little concerned about the non-stop pace. I guess we'll have to go with it and tweak it as needed... or as we're able to, anyway.

This weekend they headed off on their first summer adventure: a week with their grandparents. They're starting with my mom and dad and will switch to my in-laws at the halfway point to finish off the week.

Last night we had a date night and slept in even after letting the dog out in the morning.

Today the house just seems too quiet.

It did occur to me that this weekend would be a good day to clean and purge the kid spaces, however, so the emptiness wasn't all bad...

...and the purge needed to happen y'all. So now all the trash is out, all the too-small summer clothes are in the thrift store bag, and there are fresh sheets on everyone's beds, ready for the little bodies that belong in them to come back home.

And believe me, it's not just me that feels a little empty when they're both away from home!

Around the House

This weekend we were itching to do a project, and honestly the weather wasn't that bad, so we ended up focusing back on the front flower beds... you know, the ones that feel like they're perpetually on our to-do list. This time around, though, we made a solid difference at the end of the day...

...and now we're even more motivated to get them finished! I love how it's starting to shape up, and the big rocks are so much better as far as the scale of the front of the house goes. I can't wait to see the whole thing lined... although... it does seem like a summer tradition to have an ongoing outdoor project when we're at our hottest, so we shall see!

May Garden

The paths are being swallowed up by lambsquarters, there are a few things we planted that haven't germinated yet and a few other things that are way beyond bolted, but oh my goodness, there are also some things out there that are knocking our socks off, y'all! High five to all those resilient things that can thrive despite neglect!

This weekend, with help from my Littles, we harvested our elephant garlic, a few early peppers, some cool Desi summer squash and a couple yellow zucchini, and the happy surprise of the day- enough green beans to have for lunch!

Now, the squash and peppers are in the fridge, the green beans are nommed, and the garlic is curing in the pantry (also, check out those cool scapes!). Knowing it's Green Bean Season all but assures that we'll be out in the garden in the evenings now, hunting through the leafy forest, and let me tell ya- I have my eye on those tomatoes next!

...Already Here.

"I'm beginning to recognize that real happiness isn't something large and looming on the horizon ahead, but something small, numerous, and already here. The smile of someone you love. A decent breakfast. The warm sunset. Your little everyday joys all lined up in a row."

~Beau Taplin 

Happy...

Photo by Bill Ware

Happy Mother's Day to my Mama, Mother-in-Law, grandmothers and Mama-Friends! I hope you felt appreciated and loved by the people you love so well! I sure did 💖

SukaTime

Suka is starting to feel the effects of being alone all day long, and it's showing in her behavior. She is a 60-pound ball of pent-up energy every evening when we all get home, and that energy comes out in jumping, nipping, disobeying, and just general furry-jerkishness. I sit with her on the front porch after the kids are in bed every night- throwing the ball, scratching her belly, and just chilling- but it's just not enough to make much of a difference after 10 hours of solitude.

This week I realized it's high time she gets some prioritized one-on-one attention to work and find her place again. 

So today I got out her leash and we walked and walked and walked around the property (for almost an hour), then I pulled out a bag of sliced-up steak and we worked on sit, lay down, sit back up, lay back down, sit and stay, come and sit, sit and speak, lay down and stay, and back up, back up, back up.

Then I threw the ball for her for a while, and ended our workout right at lunch time with the christening of the little kiddie pool as Officially Suka's.

And lo and behold! For the rest of the afternoon she was calmer, more obedient, and at bed time tonight she practically raced to her crate and passed out.

I think I'm on to something here.