Online Scholarship Hunting

I really appreciate that I can find scholarships online.  Not only are they easy to find, but Hannah is much more likely to apply to them online than on a piece of paper.  Let the safari begin...

Raspberries From My Garden

If I had nothing else grow and produce in my garden but my raspberries it would still all be worth it.  I LOVE raspberries.  And I think I would have a mental breakdown if I had to buy them in the store, or even at the fruit stand.  They are pretty spendy.  The raspberries were the first thing I planted in the garden.   I basically let them go wild in there since I can't bear the thought of cutting down a plant that would give me more raspberries.  My grandmother planted some decades ago on the ranch.   They pulled them all out a few years later because the yellow jackets would lay claim to them every year.  So I was determined to have my own someday.  Somehow I feel richer because I have my own raspberry patch.

Cleaner Than It Was

It always makes me feel better if I go to bed with the house cleaner than it was when I woke up.  Especially if I didn't get everything done I wanted to today.  At least I can look at a couple spots and feel accomplished.  I tend to get so easily sidetracked that many times there is no sign that anything got done at all.  Even if I have been working on stuff all day long.  But with that I have almost perfected the ability to make 30 minutes of focus at the end of the day look like I was on task the whole time.  Which I know is very, very rarely the case.

Henry

There is a little boy I get to see almost every Sunday.  His name is Henry.  Henry has to be one of the most innocent, happy, loving people I know.  He makes me happy just to get to spend a couple hours with him in church.  He is fascinated with everything and takes so much joy in the simplest of things.  Although he doesn't know it, he brings me great joy.  I am so blessed to say I know Henry.

Potential

I am so thankful that we all have endless potential.  We are able to grow more each day. Learn more each day. Improve more each day. Love more each day.  Give more each day.   It would be so sad if we all had to be stagnant no matter how great we are at the moment.

Baskin Robbins

Cup, waffle cone, dipped waffle cone,  one scoop, two scoops, the choices are endless. And that's even before you get to choosing your ice cream flavors. A whole shop dedicated to ice cream. What a beautiful thing.

chocolate before bed

Nothing ends the day like a great piece of chocolate before bed.

My Son Makes Me Laugh

My son has a sense of humor.  He always has.  But I never get tired of him saying things or doing things that make me laugh.

Crispy Bacon

I love bacon, I really do.  But only if it is crispy.  If it isn't crispy, don't waste my time.

June 17 - Bread and Checkbooks

Had a lot of fun teaching Hannah and her friend Kianna some "survival" skills yesterday.  We covered making some artisan bread, a little soup making and how to write checks and balance a checkbook.  Next week we are covering some basic car skills.

Sunday June 16 - Fathers

I am so thankful for great fathers.  I am thankful for all my father taught me.  I am thankful for his unique way to show he loves us.  I married a man who is a great father.  His children are better people because he is their father.

Surprise Parties

I really enjoy surprise parties.  We went to one today for my brother in law.  It  really says something about how important you are to people. They all go out of their way to lie to you for weeks in order to plan something fabulous.

Fresh Baked Cookies

I love the way the house smells when I make cookies.  Any kind of cookies.  Even cookies with raisins.

June 13 - The Listener

So thankful for a husband that listens when i need to rant a little.

Clean Cupboards

Sometimes it just makes me happy to clean out and reorganize a cupboard.  It doesn't happen a lot.  But when I do, it always makes me feel better.

Glasses and Contacts and 20/20

I am really thankful for modern day eye doctors that make it so that people like me and my family not only have healthy eyes, but can see everything in focus.  Not to mention how much cuter the glasses are now than when I was a little girl.

Hot Shower

I am so so thankful for having hot running water and a shower that I can use anytime I want.  Nothing feels better after a great Zumba class than a nice hot, soapy shower.

June 9 - Reading

I love that I know how to read.  I love the information and joy I get from reading.  I love being able to curl up in a blanket on my bed or on the couch on a Sunday afternoon and just read until I fall asleep. Bliss.

First Official Day of Summer

I don't know about when the calendar determines the first day of summer, but at our house it is the day after school gets out. You can sense the feeling of new found freedom in the house.

Last Day of School

Whether as a kid or as the mother, I love the last day of school.

Good Zumba

Love a good Zumba class.

Clumping Cat Litter

I have had cats for a very long time.  Growing up they lived outside for the most part.  But since being  being married we have had several cats that live in the house.  Some choose not to do their business outside.  I would like to give a hug to whoever came up with cat litter that not only smells good, but clumps up and makes it easy to clean out of a litter box without throwing away the whole thing.  Genius I tell you.

Experimental Baking

I love having the time to experiment with baking.  Today I am starting the perfecting of artisan no knead bread.  First loaf was slightly undercooked and did not rise or have the texture I had hoped for but was still really good.  So loaf #2 is sitting in a bowl on the woodstove making its first rise.  I also did an experimental cake that is just cake mix and a can of diet soda.  Not the best cake I have ever eaten, but still it was pretty good.

Good Coaches

I am so grateful for good coaches.  Luke has had some good ones and some great ones.  I appreciate the time they spend imparting wisdom to the kids they coach.  Not only wisdom of the sport they are learning and skills they are improving, but wisdom on life as well.

2 year Olds

I love 2 year olds.  They are what I find to be one of the most genuine group of personalities you will ever meet.  They are just starting to figure out the world.  They really don't care if people think they are cool or not yet, so they are just themselves.  They find joy in simple things and consider goldfish one of the main food groups.  You don't have to wonder what they think, because they will tell you.  They won't lie if they don't like something.  And if they do like something, their eyes light up and they giggle and do a dance in the middle of a public place and don't care what anyone thinks.

June

I love the month of June.  School gets out.  Schedules loosen up for awhile.  The weather isn't too hot yet.  And best of all, my raspberries arrive in the garden.