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Summer’s End–Sadness and Joy! (Sunday Doodlings)

September 4, 2011 in Sunday Doodlings with 4 Comments

I have always had a happy/sad relationship with Labor Day. When I was a kid, it was the last holiday before school started. I was usually so excited to get back to school because it meant constant time with my friends. I never saw enough of my friends in the summer, so getting to go back to school (even with the work) seemed like such a great thing. But the sad part was always–vacation is OVER! No more sleeping in, no more beach days, sleep-overs and so much more!

Now that I am older and working, I don’t have the same level of excitement or dread about the coming Fall. Some of the same things still make me sad–no more beach days, having to wear shoes, it’s going to get cold and we will get snow! On the bright side, I do have a few Fall traditions that still ‘excite’ me.

Open the windows! I love fresh air and with the weather changing a bit, I can actually open the windows in the morning and evening.
Re-sort my clothes. Summer clothes get a final cleaning and then most are packed in a bottom drawer for the year.
Drink Pumpkin Spice Coffee. My favorite brand is by Timothy’s and I am just waiting for CoffeeMate to bring out their Pumpkin Spice Creamer!
Buy a new calendar. I know, I am not in school, but I LOVE walking through Staples or Target and looking at all the cool stuff available! I did splurge and buy a few new pens, but am still waiting for my calendar to arrive from Levenger.
Clean off my home office desk, get new file folders, get more organized (a 5 hour task this week!)
Yard work (OK, this does not really excite me, but I’ve got to get the summer overgrowth cut back before the leaves start falling!)

What’s on your To-Do List this weekend????

Doodlings from Down the Ocean

August 7, 2011 in Sunday Doodlings with 4 Comments

I am on a two-week vacation and today I have thought a lot about my childhood trips to this same place. I remember the excitement as we packed up the station wagon on a Friday night, piled in the four of us kids and headed Down the Ocean. I do not know where that phrase came from, but everyone heading to the beach used it. To this day I still say it….and I have lived near the Jersey Shore and the beaches of South Carolina. I did not change how I described a trip to any beach resort town. So I am Down the Ocean for a much-needed break.

I am enjoying the salt air, the Boardwalk, Thrasher’s Fries, Kohr’s Frozen Custard and of course–steamed crabs–lots of steamed crabs. I will travel by the old motel where we stayed. It has changed owners and changed names, the pool is long gone and I am sure our efficiency room doesn’t look the same. But I will drive by it and think about all the great times, the fun and the laughter. One story our family loves to retell is about my younger sister. When she was 4 years old she got it in her head that she wanted to learn how to swim. She practiced with my Mom. She jumped into my Dad’s strong arms in the deep end. One night as we returned from a visit to the Boardwalk, my sister disappeared. Mom heard a splash and ran up the steps of the pool. My sister had jumped into the deep end, clothes and all. My Mom immediately jumped in after her, clothes and all. My sister was laughing and my Mom was holding on to her for dear life. That sister is still the adventurous one. She has run a half marathon, taken a week-long horseback trip in Wyoming, started her own business, sews like a pro, I could go on….

Family. Memories. Vacations. Priceless moments in the life of a child. Still making those memories today.

What’s one of your favorite childhood vacation memories?

Sunday Doodlings-Social Media

July 30, 2011 in Sunday Doodlings with 0 Comments

Enjoy this video that a few of my friends put together….if you are into any of the social media platforms…this will definitely make you laugh!!

Sunday Doodlings-Rest

May 22, 2011 in Sunday Doodlings with 1 Comment

What are you doing right now? If you are reading this post you could be sitting in the house multitasking. You might be reading this on your phone while sitting outside enjoying the sun or watching your kids play at the park. Or it is Monday morning and you worked so hard on Sunday you didn’t get around to reading my blog. Did you rest any yesterday? Are you able to rest?

image courtesy of michaelaw at stock.xchng

I lived in the South for 16 years and one of the things I really appreciated and learned–was slowing down and taking a rest on Sundays! When I first moved there the city still had ‘Blue Laws’ – which meant that stores were closed on Sundays! What a shock…but I actually enjoyed it. I visited with friends, tarried over a home cooked lunch, created some great scrapbook pages and actually rested up for the remainder of the week.

Now on Sundays, I rush home from church to work on some projects I didn’t get to during the week. I have a hurried lunch and even catch up on some blog work. I am hoping to change! I want to plan better so I am not left with undone things on Sunday. I don’t want it to be the catch up day. I want to enjoy my family, rest, read, relax! On the seventh day God rested…I’m about to join Him! How about you? What’s your Sunday schedule? Could you use a little time on a bench with a beautiful view?

Sunday Doodlings-Mom

May 8, 2011 in Sunday Doodlings with 0 Comments

I love my Mom. I realize most of you feel the same way about your Mom. I REALLY love my Mom. OK, maybe a few of you are still thinking, “I REALLY love my Mom too!”

So, let me share a few of the things I admire and love about my Mom.

She is a strong woman, surviving the early death of her husband, she raised 4 children to love the Lord and give back to others.

She valued education. I am so thankful she assumed that all her kids would study, get good grades, not watch a lot of mindless TV and go to college!

Mom was a saver, a coupon clipper, a deal finder, a person who bought Christmas gifts on Dec 26 for the following year and she taught me to make do with less.

Mom set high standards. I still clean the house almost every Saturday, dusting even if I don’t see a lot of dust! I still fold my clothes immediately after they come out of the dryer. I could go on and on!

Mom was a great cook and baker. When I first moved away from home, she wrote out lots of my favorite recipes. I still have that file box and use those recipes often.

Mom had great fashion sense. Sometimes I wanted to buy the latest fad, but Mom prevailed and forced me to save my money. She bought me some of the coolest clothes I ever owned…and she didn’t go in debt to do it.

Mom was the favorite Mom in most of my elementary classes. She was always asked to go on field trips by students. They loved her. And I loved that they loved my Mom!

She makes people feel at home. She is a talker. She has the gift of gab!

Our home was always the place to be. She had an open door policy on meals and parties. People loved being at our house. She has such a great gift of hospitality.

As the years have taken their toil on Mom and time has taken away parts of her memory, I am still so grateful for who she is and how she loves me.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY MOM!! I love and admire you!