I love the weekend!

I just love weekends when we don't have a lot going on and we can just do things around the house. We did that this weekend and I really accomplished a lot. First of all, Nolan and I were the only ones at home on Friday night (Brent - work, Elijah - grandma's house) so we got to sleep until 8 which is VERY late for me since my kids usually think that they should get up at the crack of dawn. Then, on Saturday I got to do some much needed straightening in the house. After lunch I went to a greenhouse and bought flowers to plant in my containers to put on the deck. I forced Nolan out of the house and into the yard to help me...for those of you that don't know...he is a book reader and is a lot like his mother because he would rather be indoors than out. He and I had a great time...Nolan enjoyed it once he got to play with the water hose! The flowers look great and I look forward to spending lots of time on and by the deck in the pool in the coming weeks and months!

Recently, I am trying to change my laundry routine. Before being married I promised that I would NEVER wash clothes every day of my life. I still haven't done that, but I am trying to do a couple of things - I am trying to wash th laundry twice a week instead of once a week so that there won't be quite so much and I am trying to fold and put away each load of laundry as they are done instead of letting the pile GROW and GROW and GROW until I can't possibly get them all folded and put away in that day. My new plan is working...I am trying to make little steps to help make my life a little less chaotic and a little more organized and this is my first step. In the past I have spent most of one day or all of one evening each week doing laundry but at the end of the day I usually had piles left where I just couldn't get finished. I hope that I can stick to this!!

While straightening the house I found the last scrapbook that I made before I seemed to run out of time to make them. This particular scrapbook is important because it is of a summer vacation in 2004 - the last family vacation with Michael. Brent, Nolan, and I and Mom, Bill, Michael, and Jessica all spent most of a week in a cabin in Boone. We made LOTS of great memories that week. I am so glad that I made this scrapbook to be able to cherish those memories. Well, guess what I'm inspired to do now? Start scrapbooking my photos again. Now, I have to tell you that I am not too particular about my scrapbooking...not like a lot of SERIOUS scrapbookers...but I do love to have the pictures and words in a book together to have to look back on. Our memories fade and plus we will not be around forever so I think it's a great gift for your children. Anyhow...another thing I did this weekend was to begin clearing a spot in my bedroom to drag out all of my supplies and go at it again. Hopefully I can get our last camping trip done and me and my mom's trip done soon! I need to at least make some scrapbooks of the boys too.

Also - after a year and a half of being out of graduate school, I was able to go through my notebooks and find some things to throw away. I had 2 large bins of school notes and decided that I just COULDN't keep them all, so I pared it down to 1 bin. I was so proud of myself!! Now, maybe in another couple of years I can get pared down to an even smaller bin!

I just can't close this post without talking about today being Mother's day. I spent lunch with my mom and then I cooked dinner for Brent's mom. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful mother and mother-in-law. I have to tell you that throughout the day I had moments of reflection on my brother's absence. I thought about Mother's days that have passed where Michael and I planned things together for Mom. One year we made a picnic lunch together (a memory in and of itself!) and then on Sunday we went to the park together. It was a fun day. Other years we didn't always do anything too special, but just spending time together has created SO MANY memories. I'm so sad today that my brother isn't here on this earth anymore. Those of you who read my blog are probably getting so SICK of hearing about this, but you are my closest friends and family (or why else would you be reading this?!!) so I feel like it's okay to tell you. I loved him so much and I wish for all the world that I could talk to him again. Also, I know that today was hard for my mom but because I was selfishly thinking of my own sorrow I didn't say the right words to her to tell her how much she means to me and how much I know she misses my brother. She mentioned that he should be at lunch today to say the prayer. He always said the most meaningful prayers and he was always sure to thank God for our mother, but especially on mother's day he always prayed such a sweet prayer thanking God for her and also for me, as a mother. I probably wouldn't have thought of this, but since my mom brought it up, I realize that she's right...that was missing this year. There are so many little things that we take for granted each day and I think that is why it is so important for me to do things like scrapbooking, writing in a journal for my boys (they each have one and I write in them at random times just to talk about things in our lives) - they don't know about them and I don't plan to give them to them until they are grown, taking pictures, spending time with our family and friends, taking vacations and going on trips and doing fun things with each other, etc. Mom - I love you and I am sorry that I didn't say the right words today. I love you so much and I know how you feel!

One more thing - I have had my medicine changed AGAIN so pray that I will be able to function in the next few weeks. The first few days were pretty iffy but this weekend I have felt better so hopefully this will be a good change and I will continue to have stable moods.

I haven't said this before but I want to now: If you are one of the people that I am sharing my blog with - I LOVE YOU and you are important to me. I wish that I could see some of you more often (MOVE BACK to NC - hint, hint) but you are all part of who I am. You all mean so much to me and "I thank God every time I remember you." Phil 1:3