An (end of) June Daybook

Long time, no blog post. I actually have one in my draft folder and several mapped out in my head, but I never seem to get my hands on the proper computer with the proper photos recently uploaded. Two iphones, two computers, and yet I still can't seem to write a post?

Your guess is as good as mine.

In an attempt to not let my days shrink away from me, however, I am putting something in writing to record how things are these days. Hold onto your hats.

Outside my window...
It is beautifully warm and summery out! What in the actual world am I doing inside blogging, when I could be out at the beach or the playground? Well, my toddler is upstairs napping in his crib, so I'll have to enjoy the view and not the actual fresh air just yet.

I am thinking...
that I have been married for almost ten years now, and all the wonder and humbling awe that notion wraps me in. I also can't forget that it was almost exactly ten years ago today that I went to Subway with two of my bridesmaids in downtown Halifax and I gleefully told the sandwich artist, "I'm getting married on Saturday!" and she burst out crying and told me, "my boyfriend just told me last night that he doesn't want to ever get married." And I stared in wide-eyed wonder, not knowing what to say, bit my lower lip and I said, "then you deserve better than that! If your hope is to get married, don't settle for anything less."

I still wonder how that woman is doing.

(And yes, melancholic Jenna somehow managed to make a reflection on the joy of being married for ten years into ramblings about a broken-hearted fast-food worker in a dead-end relationship. Tracy Chapman and I should go on tour together.)

I am thankful...
that the school year ends on Thursday! I know the kids get rather bored by summer eventually, and, ahem, I do too, but so much of it is just magical. Beach trips, watermelon, playing in the sprinkler, fireworks, and everything in between.

Plus they've all switched to later bedtimes without us meaning to, so not having early morning hustle will be a nice break.

Learning all the time...
about time management, preventing procrastination and the like. Go read "Eat that Frog!" by Brian Tracy. He doesn't have anything "new" to say, but says it in an empowering and simple, digestible way.

Celebrating the liturgical year...
This doesn't exactly count as the 'liturgical year' but it certainly counts for our own domestic church's calendar -- we're having Fr. Joseph Hattie, OMI over for dinner on Thursday to enjoy his company and to celebrate our anniversary with him, since he was the priest who celebrated our wedding Mass ten years ago. It probably seems odd to invite a priest over for your Tin Anniversary, I mean, shouldn't we be dropping the kids off with the grandparents and heading on a four-day getaway to a beach resort?

It's just not us for many reasons. I feel so happy, excited and content to share this occasion with our priest friend. It was my idea.

And since I rarely feel inspired to have people over, because I'm either ashamed of the house, or the kids' antics, I have to go with that inspiration.

From the kitchen...
I'm in a food rut. I just ate a plate of (gluten-y!) garlic fingers for lunch because I've lost the will to try or think any harder than that. Better luck later this week, kids, when I'm trying to impress our guest!

I am working on...
stripping beds and snugging up bedrooms.

I am creating...
some play vestments for Isaiah. With some of his First Communion gift money, he bought beautiful pieces of liturgical embroidery from Madonna House and I am sewing them on brocade tablecloths I bought at Value Village. How sweet that he spent his money on these embroidery pieces, a wooden sword for him AND his brother when they went to the Medieval festival a few weeks ago, and then a $1 Wendy's Frosty for everyone on our drive back from Upper Canada Village.

I am going...
to play on the trampoline as soon as I am done writing this. The kids are bored and it's our favourite backyard equipment.

I am hoping...
to stretch the food budget a bit this week. Soup it is, even though it doesn't seem like the best "hot weather" food.

I am praying...
for a peaceful summer.

I am reading...
Eat that Frog! by Brian Tracy
Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomtery
Every Living Thing by James Herriot (to the kids)
Ember Rising by S.D. Smith (to the kids)

Pondering these words...
This isn't a deep quote, but I thought I ought to share it somewhere, because having other's laugh at my expense gives me pleasure (but only when I set up the parameters). I was quite old -- like, my twenties, maybe -- when I first realized the phrase "making ends' meet" didn't refer to meat. I understood the context of the phrase, but I thought it was a reference to the ends of deli meat that grocery stores sell for discounted prices. If you could barely make "ends meat" then obviously you must be struggling.

I am listening...
to 'My Little Pony' in the next room. Sigh. Such a shrieky show.

Around the house...
I really must post the pictures of my newly painted kitchen! So long, knotty pine walls! Patrick has yet to do the backsplash, but that's on the list for someday in the next week or so. High five!

One of my favourite things...
are my cloth diapers.

Wait a minute, what?

Yes.

I took them back out this week because I currently don't feel too overwhelmed by the other aspects of my life, and because they, oddly, are sparking joy for me. I won't be dogmatic about it this time -- overnight, when being left with a babysitter, or when it just suits me better, I will use disposable. But they are cuter and sweeter than I remember and Elijah said "oh, new clothes!" excitedly when I took them out of the attic on Monday. Plus they save money and there's less waste. Even if only one diaper a day is cloth, that's one less in the landfill.

This week's plans...
Burning the school agendas on Friday in a bonfire, not out of hate for school (!), but as a sign of completion of another year. Also a lemonade stand. Because, summer.

A little peek at my day...
making dinner and playdoh and getting outside.