The Unexpected Housewife

Yesterday was awesome.  The kids and Bob had given me a 1/2 day spa treatment for Mother's Day, so I finally used it.  I enjoyed a massage, facial, and mani pedi.  The last facial I had was about 10 years ago....so I was concerned I would find the facial a bit intrusive.....someone touching my face?  Truth be told, it was a little weird, but nothing I couldn't get past:).  While I was enjoying the face mask, the specialist massaged my feet and calves.  Needless to say-a restful morning that was really lovely. I did something a few weeks ago that has totally made me feel great.  I threw my scale in the trash.  Literally.  It was at the curb.  For years, I have weighed myself every day and my attitude toward the day has been dictated by a number.  It's been so burdensome and has impacted my family significantly.  Since I have more time this summer, I have been at the gym more, running, cooking better and healthier, so whatever the number is, I don't need to know it.  I a

As the kids and I were leaving the house yesterday in the car, they happened to mention that there was a dead squirrel laying on the roof outside Ciera's window.  Seemed odd, but they both confirmed the story.  They were so calm that I was shocked.  Isaiah even had a proposed backstory that included a battle with a turkey vulture.  They were so adamant that I got Bob on the phone to see if he had heard anything during the night-and prepare him for clean up  duty.  Dead animals are out of scope for me. Pulling into the drive on the way into the house, there was something on the roof.  Brown, odd looking, small.  I put out one more challenge for confirmation to the kids, and assured them I'd do the double check. We were not in the house 3 minutes when they came downstairs yelling "it's a leaf, it's a leaf!!!" Far more likely.  Sure enough, the leaf had been mistaken for a dead squirrel.  I myself am not sure on WHAT PLANET a leaf looks like a squirrel. Lesson

My kids have been in camp at the YMCA this week. It's been awesome for a lot of reasons.  First off, the Y just gets how to make camp operational and simple for parents.  LOVE IT.  I even got an email about the pick up traffic flow changing-this director is a woman after my own heart.  Isaiah is doing a flag football camp.  He loves it.  Learning a ton, but to his surprise, one does not become a pro football player in minutes.  The first day included drills for agility, balance and speed as well as scrimages.  Isaiah shared some pretty serious surprise that to play football well, one must PRACTICE.  In fact, on day 2, Isaiah was pretty certain that since he'd been part of so much practice on Monday, surely Tuesday would be dedicated to games only.  Today he is at the Panthers practice field, and I am sure that he's expecting to be drafted.  It's amazing to me to witness the confidence that can be found in this little person. Ciera is basking in the glow of "Pretty

Right off, let me say being off from work this summer is a huge blessing.  I work for a great company, on a great team, that recognizes work life balance, appreciates life changes, and allows people to grow in all aspects of their life. My kids are completely benefiting from my focus on them.  We are getting closer as a family, and our life has a calmness that we truly needed.  However.... I'm about 3 weeks into my leave of absence.  I can't help but feel like I am supposed to be someplace, or that I am missing a meeting or a phone call.  I've worked in one job or another since high school, and full time since the minute I graduated from college, so not having someplace to report to or typical deadlines is really strange.  I've discovered how a day can go by really quickly, and sometimes it feels like I have little to show for it.  I'm seeking to find satisfaction in new things, like helping the kids read a book, do an entry in the journals I bought them, or teachi

It's Shark Week if anyone has missed that.  Discovery Channel is all sharks, all day and night.  Isaiah is obsessed with sharks and knows facts I can't even begin to understand how he's acquired.  So, this week is pretty much like a holiday for him.  Since I have to believe that Shark Week shows are better TV than about 90% of the kids cartoon nonsense that is on, I have my DVR at capacity keeping the shows for him. However, last night, when reviewing the episodes recorded, I discovered this amateur mom had recorded shark attack victim survivor stories.  It wasn't until the parental warning message came on at the start that an alarm went off in my body-oh CRAP.  Quickly, I stopped the show explaining horribly that some of the shark week shoes are not a good fit for children.  Crestfallen, Isaiah understood but was irritated with me.  He and I have a deal on these shows-you must continue to swim in the ocean, there are no sharks in Hilton Head (wink:)) since that's

So this blog was initially intended to serve for fun ideas, house stuff, etc.  And while I intend to continue to put those out there, I'd be remiss if I didn't allow the blog to evolve along with my story, and the story of my family. About 7 months ago,  Isaiah (7) and Ciera (6) came to live with us.  After a long adoption journey, Bob and I found the children we were seeking and it was the best Thanksgiving we've ever had.  7 months later, the world in my little home has changed more than I can ever write about.  It's been great, loving, crazy, loud and MESSY.  I've taken some time off this summer to spend with them, and in an effort to keep my sanity solid, I'm returning to the writing I enjoy. I could go back and write the whole story, but that seems silly as so much has happened.  So, I'm picking up where I am, and we are, today.  I'll throw in some anecdotes along the way. We just returned from the longest roadtrip known to man.  I was determin