September Goals

It's my first blog hop! *throws confetti*

I'm all about goals, so this really grabbed me.

My September goals (in no particular order, and frankly small, but I do best with small goals):

• Run 3 days a week
• Eat 1 serving of veggies per day (fresh or cooked is OK)
• Clean and organize the vanity counter
• Make good on our vow to purge our clothing
• Organize and shoot the burnout building idea that has been brewing for too long

Join the hop and share your goals!

Wordless Wednesday

Striking sunrise on my way to work



Early morning run over Labor Day weekend

 

Labor Day camping with dear friends

 

Beautiful wood bowl on display at Wild Goose West over Labor Day

Heartbroken

Yesterday was the hardest day of my life to date.

Yesterday, my parents and I said goodbye to my little brother. He was our "furchild", my only "sibling", the reason my dad is still alive today, and a member of the family. Kayle-Boy gave us 17 years of joy, frisky playfulness, happiness and laughter. He was a champion snuggler, a loud snorer, a chewer of socks, lover of hot dogs, and protector of everything in his realm.

As he got up in years, he slowed down, little by little. It was harder to get his attention as his hearing went. He ran into things a bit more as his eyesight waned (it was never good, we teasingly called him Mr Magoo on many occasions), and soon he couldn't "dance" for treats anymore. That was ok, he still got treats, because he was our boy. We started noticing these growths appearing on him. Assuming it was old age, we didn't worry until one got quite large. Dad took him to have it removed, where the bomb dropped - the big C.

Our boy had cancer.

They didn't think he would make it through the surgery, but he did. We were blessed with about 3 more months of having him in our lives. Over the last two weeks, the cancer has taken over. Our boy, best friend, brother, was in pain every moment he was awake. He had pain pills, but they couldn't take it all away. Yesterday, we gathered as a family, broken in many ways, heartbroken together, and loved on him until the end.

I have tears in my eyes writing this - and here I thought I was all cried out. Kayle-Boy will always be in my heart, and while I honestly don't know if animals go to Heaven, I have prayed fervently that they do. I need to believe he is there, whole again, running and barking and having the time of his life in the fields of Heaven.

Goodbye little brother - you are loved so so very much.

Organizing: My Closet

So, after a week of vacation from work (yay!) I took some time to start putting away laundry and such...and found that it's time to purge some things from my closet. Matt and I share a closet, and my half was piled with shoes against the sliding doors, and the clothes...well. The clothes will be another day!

 

I sat down, and started making piles. A keep pile, and a donate pile. A bonus of being as cheap as I am, is that I never feel bad about not using shoes. When I pay less than $8 for any pair, I'm fine donating them if they don't end up in regular rotation in my closet!

 

After separating out the shoes, I decided my heels deserve the shelf space, as I don't want the patent being dinged, the shape being crushed, or anything. Staggering the shoes in the boxes, with the toes pointing out, makes it look neat, AND like my shoes are marching out to greet me!

 

While putting the keepers back in my closet, I noticed that some of my longer clothes were in the way of the taller shoe shelves, so I did a quick rearrangement - all the long clothes are now in the far right of the closet, so they don't interfere!

 

 

Shoes after organization - The ones on the floor are my every day/grubby
shoes that see more action than my heels

 

 

Closet with clothes a little more orderly - clothing purge coming soon! (yes, that is a giant tutu on the far right. No, I don't know if I'll keep it yet.)

 

 

Heels marching out to meet me!

 

 

 Donate pile - found a random laptop bag that we've never used hiding in my shoes!

All the empty hangers that were hiding in with my clothes

 

 

That sure felt great, but it will feel a lot better when Matt and I go through our clothes. We just celebrated 10 years of marriage, so it's probably time for both of us to let go of those clothes that we've held onto since college (or before!). We've agreed to do it, but it will probably take a while. As you can see from my organizing posts, I have a terrible time remembering to take "before" pictures, so I might go ahead and take some shots of our closet before we start The Great Purge.

 

Yesterday was the kidlet's first day back to school! She's in 4th grade this year, and has several good friends in her class. Thank goodness too, she's in a new school this year, but many of her old classmates switched as well. Kidlet is on the right, and her good friend B is on the left - they had the fun surprise of learning they even get to ride the same bus!

 

 

After the bus left, Matt and I saw this lovely rainbow, and I think it's just the perfect little sign of love from God as she starts off for a new beginning at school.

 

 

 

 

 How has the new school year affected your life? Does fall make you want to clean more than spring (like me)? 

 

10 Things I've Learned About Marriage

After 10 years of marriage, I've learned a few things about my husband, but mostly about myself:

1. He cannot, in fact, read my mind, or yours. Speak up! This saves resentment building, and frustration coming out over something stupid like the blankets on the bed being crooked. Trust me on this one.
2. Spending time together is never, ever a mistake, even when it's something miserable like taking samples of your daughter's poop. (yes, really. The couple that gags together, stays together.)
3. The sex gets better. It really does!
4. I avoid confrontation and arguments, in all forms. I hate arguing. I hate it to the point of physically avoiding it - I will leave the room or the house. This is not a good thing, I know, but putting my head in the sand is just so much easier!
5. I have childish tendencies and they work against our relationship sometimes. He calls me on my crap, like leaving the house during an argument, so we can work things out and not let them fester.
6. He shows his appreciation rather than saying it. He appreciates my housework (the little I do), and pitches in, in his own way. Just yesterday we bonded over the magic of the Magic Eraser!
7. The harder life gets, the deeper our relationship is. Sounds cheesy and cliche, but it is so true! Having someone go through the darker times with you helps you see the silver lining, and walk with you through it all. That's a strong bond on its own, and when you already have a bond, it just adds more threads to that weave that keeps you together.
8. Never stop trying to be romantic, sweep your partner off his or her feet, and taking care of yourself for them. Yes, they may be your partner/spouse/long term SO, but continually doing these things keeps the sparks alive in your relationship. When I say "taking care of yourself for them" I don't mean trying to achieve visual perfection for your partner, I mean taking care of yourself. Eating well, staying healthy, etc so you can be around with your partner for the long term. So you can be there for them.
9. Argue in front of your kids. Seriously. Show them how adults can disagree, and work it out. You're human, and it's important that your kids understand that, and while you guys are a parenting team, sometimes you'll disagree and need to talk about it. Obviously, there are things that don't need to be talked about in front of your kids, but once in a while, let them see the other side of relationships. It helps foster healthy relationships for them with their peers and future SOs later on.
10. Pray for your spouse and kids. The "power of prayer" is an overused phrase, but prayer is powerful. God is all-powerful, and He does amazing things. We need but ask. I am so incredibly thankful for this man that came into my life and swept me off my feet, little by little. My mom has reminded me over and over that she and my mother-in-law prayed over their children as they grew up, for a Godly partner to be raised for them. I can think of no greater gift for my child than this.

What have you learned from  your relationship?