My secret love...

I went shopping with my friend Morgan today.  Nothing abnormal about that... except we went to a mall we don't usually visit.  Walking in, I saw many banners for.... a VERA BRADLEY STORE!  I have a not-so-secret obsession with Vera.  My first introduction to Vera was 3 years ago, with a Classic Black Hipster.  Since then, I've seen Classic Black retired and grown to love Frankly Scarlet... just in time for that to be retired as well!  I've never made it to the "big sale", although many of my items have been purchased there for me.  Since April, when I began my wish list for the sale, I have been drooling over the new Night and Day pattern.  If you haven't figured it out, I am slightly obsessed with Vera products.  I had never been in a store before today - of course we HAD to go in!

All this leads up to my splurge for the summer: matching purse and flip flops!

Source: Vera Bradley website

I can't even begin to explain how excited I am about this!  Not only did I get a CUTE purse in the pattern I've been longing for, I've got flops to match!!  And they are cute too!  The purse is Olivia.  I am loving the bows on the side.  She's the perfect in-between size for going out to dinner or the weekends - not quite as small as my Hannah (which only carries the necessities and has a short strap) but not nearly as big as Morgan.  I think that Olivia and I are going to get along great.  I can't wait until Friday night when I can go out wearing my matching shoes and carrying a matching bag - something my fashionable Aunt Lana will surely approve of!

God has another angel....

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My Great Aunt Kay has gone to be with God and his angels.  She was 97 and a half years old - a life time full of happiness and tears, love and loss, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews.... a life time of stories and listening, sharing and caring.

I only regret that it's been so long since I have been to see her.  I've spoken with her, but haven't been in the same room with her.  It hurts to know I'll never hear her voice again.

At the same time, I know she is happier.  She is reunited with my great-uncle, who was gone before I was born.  She's been apart from Uncle Dal for over 30 years, so I know she was happy to see him again.  My grandmother Claire, who was her sister, was also waiting for her.  In fact, Aunt Kay was the only of her sibling still alive.  Many of her nieces and nephews have already passed before her.  I know there was a heck of a party waiting for her, but it still hurts.  It hurts to know how long she has been ready for that party to happen, although she never showed it.  She enjoyed her time on earth with us, even when she felt alone.

In times like these, I think we take comfort when we know the person was on good terms with God.  I know Aunt Kay spoke with him regularly, and until she went to assisted living, she would drive some of the "old folks" (herself NEVER included) to church and then lunch.  I know God keeps a special place for women like her, and I can only hope that one day I will get to join her.  I hope that I can truly live up to her example.

Her obituary, which was very well written, can be found on the Rodenberger Funeral Home site.

Goodbye Aunt Kay.  Say hello to Grandma and Grandpa for me - I already miss you.

Big Sis Weekend

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Last weekend was quite the busy one.  Josh's softball team had their tournament, so we were at games Friday night and most of the day Saturday.  It meant I got some much needed sunshine on Saturday, and it was nice to just sit and watch for a while.

I wasn't even home from the games long enough to get a shower and my big sis showed up!  Kira is my big sis from the co-ed music fraternity, Mu Phi Epsilon.  We haven't actually gotten to hang out since I left BSU 5 years ago!  I was lucky enough she came to spend TWO nights with me!

Saturday night we went to Freudenfest in Oldenburg with Josh and our friend Matt (Amy had to work).  That would be where the picture is from.  Shortly after it was taken, the skies opened up and it POURED.  We were very thankful for the strategic positioning sitting down in the middle of the tent.  It eventually cleared up and we were able to  wander about the festival.

Sunday was me and Kira time, we went to IKEA.  She had never been, I think I created something of a monster!  We then went to the chicken dinner at St. John's church in Dover.  DELICIOUS but way too much food!  Stopped by the beer garden to say hey to Josh and his family, then headed back to my house before the storm.  Napped/watched movies before going to his house for TrueBlood.  (Kira is used to hosting weekly parties).

She left Monday morning, I motivated my rear to stain my swing!

 I still need to put the protective varnish on it, but getting the whole thing stained was an adventure in itself!

It's been a busy week for what was supposed to be quiet - my airbag light came on Tuesday while I was running errands, so I have to take the car in tomorrow morning to have them look at that.  Thankfully it is still covered under warranty!  Tuesday also saw swimming at Josh's house, with a spontaneous invite from his mom to stay for dinner, which was delicious!  Yesterday saw bumming around the house, but I finally got my tax credit paperwork finished!  Josh and I did some minor shopping and dined at Quaker Steak and Lube last night - good, but I don't see what the big deal was about.

Another busy weekend coming up - hope you all stay cool!

It's the Little Things in Life...

If you've ever put a house together from scratch, you know there are a lot of big things to worry about - room layouts, paint colors, floorings.  But it's the little things in life that start turning a house into a home.  I've finally been able to work on some of them, even if some of the big things aren't finished yet!

My red wall in the living room has had shelves hanging on it.  They were originally brown - I've now gotten them painted black to match the rest of the room!  I am also able to start putting things on them - my shot glass collection and some fancy glasses.  I think I still have some in a box somewhere, which is why one shelf is still empty.


The bookshelf next to my front door is one of my favorite pieces of furniture in the whole house.  Not only does it hold some of my favorite books, it is also a great place to put my purse and keys when I walk in the door.  The top of it is a great place for pictures that make my day when I look at them.  From left: me and my clarinet girls from Lloyd when I was working the marching band, Kira and I, Andrea and I, Josh and I, photo from high school drama, and my Great-Grandfather sitting in my rocking chair!


I've been working on a small garden in my backyard.  I've finally gotten everything that I wanted to planted: tomatoes, cantaloupes, cucumbers, green beans, lima beans, and spinach.  Josh helped me get the fence up this week, so as things start sprouting they are protected from the rabbits I keep seeing.  You can see one of my bean sprouts - I got really excited when I was watering this morning to see things growing!


My uncle was kind enough to buy me a swing as a house-warming gift.  My dad built the frame.  And you can see my favorite way to dry things - on a clothes line!


One of the "pleasures" of buying a house during the winter is not knowing what the landscaping will look like.  I was delighted when these daisies started blooming by my front door!


I'm definitely feeling like I'm getting settled into my home.  What made you feel like your house was a home?

Happy House Cleaning Update

1. Make the Bed-7/7
2. Empty the Sink-6/7
3. Clear the Clutter-6/7
4. Sweep the Kitchen Floor-1/7
5. Sort the Mail-7/7
6. Spray the Shower-0/7
7. Write It Down-7/7

Adding write it down was easy for me - I am a list maker.  I still don't have a shower spray, so that's hard to do!  And I'm still awful at sweeping the kitchen floor.  It's even harder when I wasn't home for most of 4 of the days!   Not doing much better this week, but at least the new addition is another one I'm pretty good at...

Summer means my brain is fried

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I've realized it's been quite a while since there was a "real" post around here.  With summer vacation, my brain truly is a little fried.  I start to do something and get distracted by something else that needs to be done... only to realize at the end of the day, none of it is done!

Fourth of July weekend was a lot of fun.  Josh had a 4 day weekend, so I got to enjoy 4 days too!  We spent Friday napping in the sunshine and going to Josh's softball game, with friends sitting around the pool after.  Saturday was a day of parties - and it was hot!  Sunday we decided to have people at Josh's, with most of us spending the whole day in the pool.  It was definitely a fun way to spend the 4th!  Monday was more lazy, going to see Eclipse (second time for me).

This past weekend seemed quiet in comparison!  Josh's team had the late game on Friday, so I made a big pasta dinner.  He ran a 5K Saturday morning and took first place in his age group!  I think it was the dinner the night before ;)  Saturday evening we went to Buca di Beppo with friends, then sat outside playing Apples to Apples.  It was such a fun evening!  Yesterday was a migraine day for me - I tried to fight it, took a nap, but just couldn't win.  Had dinner at Josh's grandparents' house - his grandma fell last week, breaking her arm, and just came home.  Then hung around his house waiting for TrueBlood - I am an addict.  As bad as my head hurt, I knew I had to stay and watch!  I was doing alright except when there were words across the bottom of the screen - had to sit up to read, which isn't something I normally have to do.

 

I've completely finished one baby blanket - I think I am giving it to her this week, so hopefully I will have pictures!  And I'm working diligently on the next one - I want to have it finished before the baby even arrives!  My problem is, as always, sitting down to do it - I feel like there's so many other things I should be doing.

Post It Note Tuesday

Happy House Challenge Update

Make the bed: 7/7
Empty the sink: 6/7
Clear the clutter: 4/7
Sweep the floor: 2/7
Sort the mail: 7/7
Spray the shower: 0/7


I was in class last week, and with Josh having a 4 day weekend, I just wasn't home.  This week's addition is to write it down (make a list of things to do).  This is pretty easy for me - I do it anyway!

The weekend really was great - no pictures to share though, because I was so busy enjoying it!  Lots of time outside until yesterday - spent close to 6 hours in the pool on Sunday!  Now it's time to catch up stuff around my house - I've found that my garden is being taken over by weeds.  Need to wait for evening or tomorrow morning, as it's just too hot and humid to be outside working right now.