Sunday morning pleasures

Our regular Sunday mornings are great.  We get up a little later than during the week, get ready at a comfortable pace, and head out the door in plenty of time to get to Sunday school, followed by worship.  We love our usual routine, but today I am reminded of how great it is to change things every once in a while.  Like today.  Jeffrey & Sloane are on a scouting trip as hunting season is about to begin.  I decided to take the day off, just for me.

I have had the most delicious morning.  I always ask Jeffrey and Sloane to wake me up when they leave early.  What's a little sleep when compared to not saying, "Good morning, loves."?  Since I was awake so early, I decided to just stay up.  I spent hours in bed reading Etta and Otto and Russell and James.  The room was chilly as the October breezes crept in and I snuggled under our cozy duvet.

When I finally got up, I saw that Jeffrey had left me muffins ready for the oven; a reminder to have a nice breakfast and take care of myself.  The muffins are baking, fill the house with the smell of sugar and cinnamon, and I thought I'd stop by and say hello. Tell me, what are you doing with your delicious October Sunday morning?

Personal joys, part one

I recently wrote about the best part of 2014.  I wrote about the way that God turns brokenness into joy and sadness into laughter.  But, He does more than that.  He fills each day with moments of joy as I trust in Him.  So, here's more of the good stuff.

2014 in review

 Sloane has found her "thing."  

She's a swimmer. 

 I continue to enjoy art everywhere I find it.  

And, I am finding the courage to ask to photograph strangers. 

 We attended a wedding where the bride and groom's love reminded me 

so much of Jeffrey and I, that I cried.  And smiled and smiled. 

 We were able to see my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces twice this year.

 We spent a lot of time in the woods, walking, and talking, and laughing.

We had lots of happy surprises, like the time we caught the Clydesdales in Atlanta. 

What about you?  Please tell me about a happy surprise you enjoyed last year.

Best Day of 2014: December Reflections

I took this picture the Saturday before Sloane's 13 birthday.  We had planned the entire weekend around her favorite things.  So we spent the day in the woods where Sloane is happiest.  I think she could walk for hours as long as there trees overhead.  Our picnic of corned beef and mustard sandwiches tasted as good as anything we've ever eaten.  I had a wonderful time taking pictures and watching Sloane and her Daddy talk and talk and talk.  They were in heaven to be outdoors and in each other's company.

vacation views

shop parrot: Savannah, Georgia

Cotton Exchange: Savannah, Georgia

two types of clouds: Atlanta, Georgia

Anheuser-Busch wagon: Atlanta, Georgia

Tyner High School: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Sloane at sunset: Tybee Island, Georgia

my niece, Athena: Tybee Island, Georgia

my niece, Persephone: Tybee Island, Georgia

with Jeffrey, my love: Tybee Island, Georgia

I hope you are also able to enjoy a spring break full of beauty, family, and lots of love.

reminds me of Scout & Jem

A Wednesday ritual. 

A single photo capturing a single moment.  

A reminder to slow down our always busy lives and to savor this moment. 

Saturday afternoon...

It's been a perfect day.  The week was long and difficult; fraught with tensions, frustrations, and difficulties.  Oh, but today...

I woke this morning to an email the sender intended to be insulting, but was instead, freeing.  It gave my family a good laugh as I breathed a sigh of relief.  So, there we were, all three of us, at 8:00 this morning, snuggling on the bed with an entire, empty, delicious day in front of us.  Jeffrey suggested we drive in to town for chicken biscuits at Chick-fil-A. (This might not seem very out of the ordinary to you, but we live about 40 minutes from those delicious biscuits, and make a general, frugal habit of going to town only when we really need to.) We all grinned at each other, slipped on some shoes and went.  No hair styling, no make up, no outfits.  Just us - headed out together for an out-of-the ordinary breakfast.  

We had our breakfast then went to the music store to get Sloane equipped for her first day of band.  She's playing the clarinet.  I love the clarinet!  We've been home ever since.  I spent most of the day, except for a delicious two hour nap, sitting on the sofa reading A Fine Romance by Susan Branch. It's a delightful book; perfect like a long nap on a deep couch in a pretty room.

Just now Jeffrey and Sloane are waiting outside for me.  We're headed to a conservation area to hike and watch the bats come out.

A perfect day.  sigh.  Just what my tired spirit needed.
Happy weekend, friends.  I hope today brings you just what you need, too.

Project Week

In our family, we plan our summer schedule around two things.  The first is summer school because we teach summer school to fund our travels.  The second is Sloane's week of church camp.  Church camp was the highlight of every single summer of my growing up.  It is for Sloane, too.  The week she's gone, Jeffrey and I turn away from the internet (mostly) and work together on our home.  It's difficult to get much done during the school year, so we try to cram as much as possible into one week.  We do big things like this.  We also do little things like reorganizing the linen closet.  It's such a fun week.  Maybe because it is productive, but mostly because we are together.  

Here's a peek at Project Week this year:

 ...and other chores to recover from last school year

Clothes that are ironed and ready to wear makes life easier.

 A quicker, cheaper alternative to completely repainting the house.  

And so satisfying!

 You do what you gotta do.

We needed to make our entryway more welcoming.

I have the best neighbors.  This was a little welcome home gift. 

I just love our fancied up mailbox.

We finally hung those new house numbers.

This fall we plan to attack our tidy, but boring yard.

I did this for every single cabinet and closet in the entire house. 

Yeah, our laundry room looks better now. 

When it's all finished, rest and enjoy a great book. 

What have you been up to, friends? 

Lately

I've been...



 

going to car shows,

enjoying an 80s party,

playing with my students,

 



counting all the blessings of my job,

 



and getting ready to say good-bye for the summer.

 

 

Today is our last day of school.  For the past twelve years I've cried as I said my farewells.  This year I only cried a little since I will have my whole class with me next year as we travel to third grade together.  It should be an exciting adventure.  But for now, bring on the sun.

2012, a year in pictures

January

the moon in her hands

February

old gas pump

March

besties

April

daisy

May

Branson rooster

June

at the pool

July

she's home

August

on the drive home

September

Just a swangin'

October

Nomade by Jaume Plensa

November

at Silver Dollar City

December

Aden