Project 365, Week 50

We're plowing through the final days of this year, aren't we??

December 5

The kids had their first two-hour school delay of the season.

December 6
Found the dog. She loves Amanda's bed because there are many stuffed animals to choose from.

December 7
A very last minute decision to keep a couple doctors appointments in the city and we decided to make it a girls trip. (My oncologist is pleased with things!)

December 8
6th grade led Mass.

December 9
Cousins!

Youth group had their annual Christmas party. They went all out with food and decorations and music. I spent the evening helping in the kitchen and caught myself thinking, Avery will be here next year...oh my!!

I stole this from IG...my niece and nephews looked so great and they are such leaders among their peers. Amazing to see them looking this old.

December 10

Speaking of my niece, the girls were choreographing a Christmas song.

December 11
Avery has had her first partner and group assignments given out. The girls worked for several hours on their project, with a little help from mom and dad.

December's 10 on 10

10 pictures on the 10th day of the month (Saturday).

{Document a snapshot of your life & find beauty among the ordinary things in your day! }

Fancy decorations at the breakfast dive. Processing tough news over food is sometimes helpful. :)

Amanda's friend slept over. They are such sweet, true friends!

Shaun took the kids to rehearsal and H had a bio visit, leaving me in an empty, quiet house so I got to work. Wrapping up Christmas cards was top of the list.

My mental state is so much better when the house is orderly-ish. I can't keep up the pace I used to, so its nice when it works out that the weekend can be spent catching up.

I tried to order Christmas gifts early because this week we have coming up will be crazy and I didn't want to feel crazy. So far it kind of worked.

My lunch/dinner. I have a good appetite but find eating to be such a chore post-cancer. I tend to stick with the same handful of things that I know work.

Pretty scene on the ride to church.

So entertaining to teach in the toddler room. Even though my kids have aged out, its the two & three room is still my favorite.

After rehearsal, the kids did their traditional cookies with Grandma and a cousin.

On my way home from picking them up, we took the long way home in hopes of finding some good lights. We decided this was our favorite because it included both Baby Jesus and Star Wars. "Droid to the World". :)

Friday Favorites

Project 365, Week 49

November 28

No picture. It was post-Thanksgiving weekend and I was in recovery mode.

November 29

I'm grateful we still have someone in the house who is little enough to appreciate a good balloon from the emissions testing place.

November 30
Aiden, let's go to the river while its drizzling and throw rocks in the water and play with the dog! Nah, that's ok Mom...you go ahead...I'm going to stay in the car and read.

Wait...what?! That's my line!!

December 1
After a couple years without teams, the basketball program at school has been revived. Its a little rough but the girls have decided to commit to it....and they get to be on the same team.

December 2
Three of the four of us met up with my dad for his birthday lunch. Its always special to get time together.
Amanda wrote me the sweetest note this week and one line said, "You are on the tip-top of my list for best parents." He is on the tip-top of my list for best dads. :)

Thanks to my brother who is faithfully serving our country, a stranger anonymously paid for our meal. What a blessing!

December 3
Exercise for dog and kids alike.

Baby cousins are Avery's favorite (really we're all pretty fond of Baby Gavin).

December 4
Each evening I've been working on my Spanish, knowing that it'll likely be an asset to have that skill at work. I took five years in Jr./Sr high school and I minored in it in college. I loved it...and then I didn't use it much and the cobwebs collected. So I'm dusting things off and am really enjoying it and even a little surprised how easily some of it comes back.

I ended up sitting with a customer this week and did the entire meeting in Spanish. The woman brought a friend with her who I think was intended to be a translator, but she really just asked me the questions in slower Spanish. It was a little rough, but we definitely got the job done, with just a minor incident. As part of the loan application, I have to ask if the customer is married or single. By accident, I asked her if she had a wife. Pretty sure I was blushing, but she laughed it off.

Buenos dias! :)

Friday Favorites

Timely from Every Bitter Thing is Sweet.

Giving Thanks, Too

Thanksgiving Day dawned cool and, most importantly, dry! Every year I remember how cold and slushy and rainy it was for the road race the year I was pregnant. I ran on Thanksgiving and three days later went into labor with Amanda, who was born nine days early. ;)

That year I ran because I had a consecutive-years streak going that I cared about but the last two years I had to preserve my energy for things like walking from the couch to the kitchen or up the stairs to bed, so my streak ended. But this year H, fresh off of his cross country season, wanted to run so I signed up again. Ray joined in, too and was able to finish.

Once I got there, it felt good to be back. Sarah and I stuck together the whole time and got to chat, which was really nice.

Back at the house, Shaun was cooking his one meal for the year, the Thanksgiving turkeys. Avery was both intrigued and grossed out. ;)

The family gathered and we had a lovely, chill day. Much, much to be thankful for!