{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}

~capturing the context of contentment in everyday life~

{Pretty}

 I find this little lady just so charming.  Have I mentioned how much I enjoy 2-year-olds?

{Happy}

 The blogs I read are all aflutter with how much they love Pioneer Woman's Iced Coffee.  Well, I don't drink enough of it to warrant a whole tub of coffee goodness in the fridge, so I just make a little extra in the morning and let it get cold.  I add sugar-free vanilla coffee syrup, a splash of my regular creamer, and a ton of ice.  It's so good - and makes me happy.

{Funny}

 

It's hard to see what exactly we have here, but it's a bird nest that is under my front porch.  There are about 6 little baby birds in there that are constantly squawking and making a racket - since it's the season for open windows, the whole family gets quite a bit of enjoyment from them.  We can't help but giggle every time it's feeding time.  I should try and take another photo now that they are older, they are always peeking their sweet heads out.

{Real}

 This is my 7-year-old who takes the cake for real this week.  Yesterday I had to rush her to the ER and we almost got sent via life flight to the closest big city (which is actually not in the state).  She did something she really knew she shouldn't have done that resulted in a lot of suffering for her (she thought she was going to die- and she particularly got upset when they put an IV on her prior to the life-flight-that-almost-was) and a lot of fear for me.  Things resolved themselves just in time to avoid having to take that dreaded helicopter ride, but we were all so physically and emotionally exhausted last night that the whole family was in bed before it was even dark (my poor two littlest girls were yanked out of a deep sleep at nap time - they really hung in there for several hours at the hospital).  She and I saw the real power of prayer when things were resolved almost immediately following our petitions to Our Lady to protect her and pray for her.  It was beautiful - but so very real.

Homemade with Love

My domestic skills were seriously lacking when Charlie and I were first married, which is something I've blogged about before - and comes as no surprise.  We're talking no cooking skills (well, I could do boxed mac & cheese), horrible cleaning skills, no time management skills, and no basic knowledge about even WHAT I needed to do.
Once I started taking my job seriously, which was probably around the time I was recovering from having Felicity, I discovered that there are people out there who do all sorts of things {gasp} homemade!  Totally foreign concept to me.
I think my ventures into homemade happened one beautiful afternoon in Houston when I was having a horrible day (pretty sure I blogged about this...hummm....wonder if I could find it?).  I decided that what I needed to make myself feel better was to make bread.  Right.  Ok, I had never made bread.
Well, I looked up a recipe online and thought it sounded pretty easy, so I got to work.  Back then I didn't have the beautiful, wonderful, don't-know-how-I-live-without-it, heavy duty Cuisinart stand mixer, so kneaded that bread by hand.
To be honest, it wasn't great, but it wasn't bad.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it, and I still felt inspired to keep trying.  What I DID love though was that primal feeling of I Made Bread and now the family can eat it (remember, homemade was completely a new idea to me).
Since then, I have found it very easy to make bread, and I do so on a regular basis.  For Christmas, Charlie got me this book that is ALL the rage in my little community here called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  I've really enjoyed it, but I do still make some of my other favorite breads as well.  (One thing I have NOT had success with, however, is sandwich bread, but I think that might be because I have the wrong pans.  I'm holding out for these.)

 

Anyway, what got me thinking about this post on "homemade" in the first place is that I have been toying with the idea of trying to make my own laundry soap, based on this recipe by the Duggars.  Charlie's totally on board with it, and now's a good time to try it really, because I'm not currently washing diapers.  But I'm having a hard time deciding if I really want to go there, I LOVE my Tide.  I have used original powdered Tide with great success for some time now (even with diapers).  It costs a lot, but I have always figured that it elongates the life of our clothing, which we really need in a large-ish family.

The appeal of the homemade laundry soap, and really anything homemade after all, to me is that I know what's in it.  I don't want high fructose corn syrup in my bread, so I make my own.  I don't like reading labels on canned soups and seeing things I don't recognize, so I make my own.  And so forth.  After all, what IS Tide?  What am I putting on my children's skin?  At least if I make my own, I know what it is.

Maybe I aught to just try it and see how it goes, like the bread.  Likely it will need improvement and will take a little experience and skill to perfect, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

Last night I was thinking of things that I make homemade now, and I know that it's a really short list compared to some of the things other women I know can do.  I'd love to hear what you make homemade, it's something I really want to continue to improve on in all realms of keeping a home.

• Soup: here are some of my favorites - minestrone, chicken noodle, chicken tortilla (I severely dislike canned soup, but loooooove homemade)
• Um...dinners, obviously (there was a time this wasn't the case- you'll be happy to hear that I know several ways to make real mac & cheese now, I'm sure)
• Window treatments
• Granola
• Ice Cream and Popsicles
• Christmas gifts
• Pizza
• Baked goods: breads, cookies, pies, etc. (I have only had success with one homemade cake, I would really like to work on doing better with cakes - they are NOT my forte.)
• Cloth diaper accessories
• Random home decor
• Very basic veggies/herbs via gardening (this is something else I would like to improve upon)

I'm not sure why I'm blanking on other things...I know there are more.  Something I really want to try this summer is to make my own mozzarella; I was completely inspired to try making my own cheeses after reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life.  Maybe I'll order some of the supplies soon...I'd like to try it before we start our new school year on August 1.  I'm also vaguely interested in making yogurt...but I really prefer the texture of Greek yogurt, so I don't know if I'd actually like it.  A few weeks ago while we were in Texas, I was inspired once again to try homemade baby food by my friend Cassie.  I have wanted to do this in the past, but with the last 2 babies, I was completely lazy and just nursed the baby until she was old enough for soft finger foods (chopped bananas, avocado, shredded cheese, etc) and moved from there.  From what I've heard about having boys, I'm thinking that I might need to try out the baby food making craze this time.
What do you make that is homemade?  I'd love to try some new things and am always so inspired by what other people can do!

The Day My Life Got Easier

While we were in Texas a few weeks ago, Charlie got me a Mac laptop that I am loving.  We had a wonderful Mac desktop that I enjoyed for about 3 years, it was the first time ever that I didn't have to deal with the blue screen of death or be fearful that I was going to loose all of my precious photos (which had happened before, there are whole chunks of our lives that I don't have any more, save on my blog or on Facebook).  We ended up selling it on ebay and I got an iPad, which I didn't like. 
Long story short, I got a new computer.  And with a new computer, I had to move all of our documents, music, and photos that were saved from the desktop over to this new laptop.  While it was a dreaded chore, I actually really enjoyed it because it was so nostalgic and fun to look at my older photos again!  One of my favorites just brought up a well of emotion in me:

I will never forget this day, and I am so thankful to have a photo of of it, because it was The Day My Life Got Easier.
This is Felicity and Gabrielle at about just-over-2 and almost-1-year old.  These girls were born 18 months apart, which was challenging for quite a while, having two babies.  Everywhere I went during my pregnancy people would stop me and tell me how lucky I am that they were so close together and what a blessing it will be.  It has been, for sure, because from this day (above) to today, they have remained best friends and have kept each other company (hence, my life being easier).
I always think of my two oldest girls when I am questioned about how hard is it to have 3...4...5 (soon!) children.  My answer remains the same, one was the hardest.  Just yesterday we went to the park and the girls felt like the other children they knew weren't playing with them (you never know...kid dynamics are so funny!), but I just told them, "Hey!  You have your sisters!"  They are never without playmates, which is great for them, and a huge help to me.
These two girls are such a gift from God - they are totally different from one another in looks, personality, interests, strengths, but their relationship is so solid and loving.  They think of each other as equals, it's as if they are both the oldest.
I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again, but the more children I have, the more I love having children.  I am so thankful, that despite the early struggles (which I now have mostly forgotten!), God blessed us with these two first, and so close together.  I hope and pray their bond remains strong throughout life, what a gift to have one another.

Now here they are at just-over-7 and almost-6-years-old.  This is the night Felicity got back from camp a couple of weeks ago- they missed each other so very much.  When I found them sleeping like this (I had put them in separate beds) it just brought me to tears.  What a blessing I have, but what a great blessing they have!

V.8: 7 Quick Takes

For more quick takes, visit Hallie at Betty Beguiles this week.

1. I need help.  My chocolate chip cookies are horrible and it makes me feel like a major mom failure!!!!  Maybe it's my altitude, but the recipe I've used to make chocolate chip cookies the last few times is just NOT working for me.  The cookies taste fine, but they come out completely flat, fall apart easily, and are difficult for my littlest people to handle without falling into crumbles.  Anyone willing to share a great recipe??  I have never had such a cookie debacle - but it seems like chocolate chip should be a no-brainer.
Maybe I should just stick with other favorites - raisin bran cookies....oatmeal chocolate chip & cherry....crispy sugar... 

2.  Hey I finally did something to my master bathroom!  While we were in Texas, I spent one delicious hour alone at Hobby Lobby and came back with all manner of decor for that room.  I can't show any sort of complete pictures yet though, because it's not done.  I've decided against painting my cabinets, I just know my own lack of precision would ruin them.  I am going to change out the lighting and mirror though, and probably paint, which will help.  Also, on order soon will be this lovely shower curtain in cream, a major step up from my plain white one that is still lingering (same goes for the boring white curtain, that will soon be replaced as well).

3. Have I mentioned we're having a boy child?!?!?!? (Ha)  Oh my goodness.  I'm still in shock and it feels so surreal.  I really can't quite wrap my brain around the idea of a baby boy, yet at the same time I don't know if I've ever felt so excited to meet the little person in there.  Usually I'm just ready to have the baby because I don't particularly enjoy being pregnant...but now, 20 more weeks feels like an eternity before I can lay eyes on this little guy.  We've had a name picked out, but we're not really sure what we're going to call him.  Charles is my husband's name, his father's name, and his grandfather's name.  We have a Chuck, a Chip, and a Charlie - so unless we go with "Chaz" (which all girls are unanimously against, but I keep joking about), we're out of nicknames.  The leading options are Joe (but can I resist the temptation to call him Joey???  I just don't know!) or CJ.  CJ is so far winning.  Time will tell.

4. Speaking of babies...I'm excited to get back to cloth diapering.  I've given up on Fina, at her age I'm just not willing to do it anymore.  Little babies are so easy though, so I have been looking around at prices for FuzziBunz in boy colors.  I have plenty of prefolds and Thirsties covers, but I'd love to add 5 or 6 FB's because they are so easy and soft.  I scored a bunch of mediums "used" (practically unused) on Craig's List a while back and love them so much that I'd like some smalls too.  Boy colors!  Fun!!

The best price I've found is $15.95 with 5% off and free shipping at www.abbyslane.com (my favorite diaper shop!), anyone know where I could get them for less??

5. I am currently reading Signs of Life and really enjoying it.  Also waiting on my shelf is Brothers Karamazov for Summer reading for the women's book group here - I'll get started on that this weekend.  What are you reading?

 

6. Can I just jump on the bandwagon here and mention how much I enjoyed the post and comments over at Testosterhome about the term "DH" vs. "RHL?"
If you haven't read it, check it out, because I love that Catholic women can get together and chit chat about how much they love their husbands, versus entering into a husband bashing conversation.  One of the most important lessons my mom taught me about marriage was how important it is to speak well of your husband - my wonderful "RHL" makes that easy for me. :-)

7. While we were in Texas we went to the Fort Worth Museum of Science & History, which was such a fun time.  The gift shop was full of all sorts of fun things that I wrote down so I can remember come Christmas/birthday time.  I did get some placemats for the girls though at meal times (to save my table cloths, but buying cartoon character ones were not worth it to me) - they have had such a blast with them.  $11 well spent.  Haha.  Here they are with their favorite one, The Presidents:

{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}

~capturing the context of contentment in everyday life~

It's a beautiful, rainy morning in the Wind River Mountains and the only things going in my house are the internet, the coffee, and the (almost) 2-year-old!

{Pretty}

After what feels like forever, Spring/Summer has finally arrived.  This is the view from my front porch.  I love all the green against the blue sky.  

{Happy}

 Homemade granola...  Fruit, organic vanilla yogurt, and granola is one of my most favorite breakfasts, and when we moved away from my favorite source of (relatively) inexpensive granola, I have had to make my own.  This one is a recipe from King Arthur's Whole Grain Baking cookbook, one of my favorites!

{Funny}

This girl cracks me up.  Here she was telling me how "heavy" her older sister's American Girl doll was!  I feel like 18 months to 2 years old is the reward for the more trying infant stages.  This child is so delightful!

{Real}

 I'm at the awkward stage in my pregnancy where my maternity clothes are too big and my regular clothes still (mostly) fit but are uncomfortable.  I went ahead and washed a bunch of my maternity stuff and had forgotten how all the tie-backs get tangled in the wash!  (Any tips on how to prevent this?!)

My Son

Today's events have changed the dynamics of our family forever.  We found out that we are no longer just the parents to a bunch of sweet girls, but the Lord has seen fit to answer my prayers and has given us a son. 
In my mind, babies are girls.  Long before I was married, I had always hoped to have a bunch of little boys - I always found them to be so delightful.  Then, I had four little sisters, followed by four daughters, and in my world the children were always girls.  Girls have ruled my life for 13 years now (starting when the oldest of my little sisters was born) and the idea of having a male child has been and continues to be the most foreign, bizarre thought!  Not that I don't like boys- as I said, I always have, but I haven't been around them extensively, their ways are so foreign to me!!!
I would have been content to keep having little girls, I love having daughters and I am so thankful that God has given us the 4 blessings that they are already!  While I would have liked to just keep up with what I know (like I have a choice!  ha), it really hit me hard a few months ago how deeply my beloved husband desired a son.  Before I was even pregnant again, I was asking for the prayers of St. Joseph, that our next child, whenever that would be, would be a boy.
And now here we are, and what joyful news we received today!  I knew it was a boy...I've had such vivid dreams, such a markedly different pregnancy, and maternal intuition.  I can't wait to meet him.  Who will he be?
The prospect of raising a boy is so very intimidating.  Someday, he'll be a man, and for some reason the idea of raising a little child into a man seems extremely challenging.  Our world and our culture need strong, faithful men, and I hope and pray that this little guy forming inside of me will grow to be great and noble.
What an adventure this will be!

Thoughts on 1st & 2nd Grade

Ok...::deep breath::
It's the end of June, and I am preparing to make final decisions on home school for next year. 

This past year was pretty successful for the most part, especially considering the big move to Wyoming and the fact that it was really my first time to school full time.  Felicity completed 1st Grade and Gabrielle finished Kindergarten with great success.  We used Mother of Divine Grace's curriculum, which I liked for the most part.
Unexpectedly, we enjoyed the poetry memorization the most, and I found the whole syllabus very helpful at a time when I needed some hand-holding.  Kindergarten was completed in a semester for Gab, and to think if she went to public school, she wouldn't be eligible for Kindergarten until this coming school year due to her birthday!

For this coming school year, I have tossed around several ideas, some of which I have decided are not going to fit us well.  Initially, I assumed that we would stick with MODG, but as I looked at the syllabus for 2nd grade Science and History, I was unimpressed.  These are the things we are most excited about, and I would like a stronger focus on them than what is prescribed.  I also did not want to continue with their phonics program, so I figured by the time I change all that up I had better come up with a new and different plan!
Next, I actually started the enrollment process for both girls with the K12 virtual academy.  I never felt completely comfortable with this, even though I know several people who use it with great success and it fits in well with their families.  The fact that I'm having another baby during this school year (have I mentioned that?) got me thinking that some firm structure would offer the best solution.  Well...suffice it to say that I struggled with some of their requirements as a public school, and I called this morning to let them know that we would not be doing that either.
Even though both of my obvious answers fell through, I am not completely back to the drawing board.  As I piece together this coming year's curriculum, I would love any input from seasoned friends out there reading!
For phonics, I have been heartily inspired by the posts at Like Mother, Like Daughter about What You Need to Teach a Child to Read.  Reading is a slow going process around here, which has been a source of frustration and middle of the night fear-fests around here.  Gab's doing great, she's right on target.  My sweet Felicity....if you were to ask her if she knows how to read, she'd tell you no, even though she can.  Her interest in reading is severely lacking, which I can't relate to because I was an early and enthusiastic reader.  So, we're going to work hard all summer on just plain reading out loud and I have her registered for Explode the Code Online though this awesome deal on Homeschool Buyers Co-op.
I'm thinking that next year we're going to use the MCP Plaid Phonics that Leila suggests, we need something simple and proven to work. 
I'm also thinking I'll use All About Spelling, Handwriting without Tears, and we'll continue memorizing poetry to round out our Language Arts.

For Math, we're sticking with Abeka's math curriculum that MODG suggests.  It suited both girls' learning styles well, it's super affordable, and it's quite easy to supplement with fun books (like this one), experiments, manipulatives, and so forth.  Felicity had great success with math and has retained so much of what she learned that I feel comfortable continuing with this program.  Even Gabrielle got about 1/4 of the 1st Grade math finished before Summer break, so she'll have a bit of a lighter load.

I am undecided on a religious education program for next year.  I'm thinking we'll just continue with reading/narrating/illustrating Bible stories, working through the Baltimore Catechism, and maybe add a greater influence of the liturgical year.  For this, I am wide open to suggestion and plan to do quite a bit of research over the next few weeks.

 As for my two personal favorite subjects, Science & History, I think I have a plan, but I may not!  Haha!  I was recently talking to a very experienced homeschool mom who suggested purchasing a McGraw-Hill 2nd Grade textbook and just working through that.  With some research, I found that the 2005 edition looks good and can be found quite inexpensively if I purchase it used on Amazon or Half.com.  My thinking is that I could add in some fun experiments, and the library is chalk full of books on Science topics.  I missed the "hands-on" type stuff while using MODG, which is part of my reasoning for trying to wing this on my own! 
For History, I just discovered this Connecting with History program that looks AWESOME for the whole family!  When I first found out about it, I was ready to make the purchase and start ASAP!  However, just earlier today I was reading on Cathy Duffy's website (how have I never seen this website before?!) that it is preparation intensive for parents, which I'm not sure I can handle or sustain.  We'll see, I suppose.  (I'm also not sure if/how Geography is included here, I always really enjoyed Geography!)

Concerning Art & Music...oh goodness, there are so many options and directions to take that look fun.  I just wish I had more access here to museums and opportunities to participate in and appreciate the arts.  Some of my happiest and most educational experiences as a young girl were tied to the art museum, the symphony, being a member of the Texas Girls' choir, going to musicals and the ballet, etc. I must make due for now though, while keeping it all attainable with the core subjects, a semi-large family, and a pregnancy/newborn.

Lastly, I'm considering a foreign language.  Languages are something I am not gifted at, nor do I enjoy, so I don't really know what direction to go in.  At this point, I'm thinking that I'll go ahead and wait at least until the 2nd semester, to feel out how things are going!

Any and all suggestions are welcome!  Does anyone have 1st or 2nd graders and curriculum suggestions?  (Or for that matter preschoolers?!  Colette will be 4 this year, but I'm thinking we'll just do fun workbooks - I don't have time to invest in an extensive preschool program.  Not to mention I am a firm believer in PLAYING, especially for 3, 4, & 5 -year-olds - that's their work!)

I hope this wasn't too long and boring for a post...but this is primarily what is on my mind these days!  I'll probably start ordering next week, so exciting!

Happy Father's Day!

As the father of four young girls, Charlie has been on the receiving end of the joke, "It takes a man to make a man" on several occasions.  Anyone who knows Charlie, knows that he's got a great sense of humor and that something like this doesn't offend him...but it got me thinking.
I think that to be a man charged by God with not only the care and protection of a wife, but also a gaggle of little females takes a lot of masculinity.

 He is what their vision is of "father."  When we tell our daughters that God is our Father, they naturally attribute the traits of their earthly father to God, to form their first and most basic understanding.  He is strong, he provides for us and protects us, he issues just punishment, he forgives.  He loves unconditionally.
Charlie had always wanted to be a Daddy, and his joy in parenthood far preceded my own - when I was pregnant and afraid, he was full of excitement and bursting with happiness.  (He is much more selfless than I am in general!)

Charlie and Felicity, our first born, instantly smitten with one another!

Not only does he provide for us and love us, but he truly engages with these girls.  When I am drowning in my duties, he steps in and makes lunch, changes a diaper, or mops the floor, and encourages me and the girls along the way.  He dignifies my work, which sets the tone and example for the girls as well - they (for the most part) don't treat me like their slave because Charlie has shown them how to treat me.
He also plays with the children, pretty much any time he's around.  He affirms their strength by pushing them to hike further, perfect that cartwheel, or venture from the nest and head to summer camp.  Their constant question, "Do you see me? Am I beautiful?" (see Wild at Heart by John Eldridge) displayed by twirling skirts, nightly dance "shows," and so forth is consistently and lovingly answered with a resounding "YES!" - he doesn't see this as annoying, but as their need to know that this man that they love so very much sees their value as little ladies.

Maybe one day we will have a son, maybe even someday soon, but for now, it has been God's plan for Charlie to be the father of four little girls - and I can see why, he has the strength and the leadership skills to handle all of this so well.  I am infinitely blessed to share parenthood with my husband and today on Father's Day, I thank God for giving him to my precious daughters!

Bliss

The lovely Hallie Lord is hosting a link up to share engagement stories, which has been so delightful to read, and inspired me to go ahead and share as well.

Charlie and I met in high school, on a summer retreat - it was the sort of thing that nobody expected to work out but it is one of those times that we just knew, almost immediately, that we would belong together. 
I was just shy of my 16th birthday when Charlie informed me that sometime in the future, when we were finally old enough, I would be his wife.  He was so very right.
Nobody our age had cell phones those short 12 years ago, and so I suspect that we are among the last generations who have real, live handwritten letters back and forth, which is something I will always treasure.  We kept in touch and were able to see each other other the years, and then the summer after my Freshman year at the University of Texas in Austin an exciting opportunity arose.
I was working a boring mall job and Charlie was spending his summer in California, much to my misery.  But one day he called to inform me that he had secured a way for both of us to attend World Youth Day in Toronto for next to nothing (this should surprise no one who knows Charlie, he's always able to work stuff out!) and that I needed to discuss time off with my boss at once. 
A few weeks later Charlie showed up in Fort Worth and had a pretty regular visit, which included a day of golfing with my Dad.  He was leaving for Canada earlier than me for an extended trip to other cities with the group, and come to find out he spent that day with my Dad in order to ask for my hand in marriage.  I remember that evening so clearly, because Charlie and Dad were both in excessively good moods when they met my Mom, sisters, and I for dinner.
About a week after he left, I left for Toronto and we met up there and had a wonderful experience of World Youth Day and our beloved Blessed John Paul II together.  If he were to be writing this story, I'm sure he would share about all of his missed opportunities that I didn't know about...but I don't really know much about that part.  What I will never forget though, was attending adoration one afternoon at a local church, where my life would change forever.  We knelt and prayed together, and suddenly he sat up and started talking to me.  He says I was short with him, but I think I was delightful and sweetly asked if I could finish praying before we talked!  Ha!  Anyway, I finally sat back and he presented me with a beautiful, perfect ring and the proposition of spending life together.  It was such a exciting time (and well documented!  He had people positioned with cameras waiting for the big moment!). 
As we exited the chapel, we discovered that our Bishop was present for the whole thing and he gave us a blessing.  The remainder of the trip was wonderful, and even more exciting knowing that it was our first adventure together with many more to come.
When we returned home, we realized that he had proposed on a Friday, making it possible to marry exactly one year later, on July 26, 2003 - the feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim.
I was married at 20, and 9 months, 2 days later our sweet Felicity joined us to make us a family.  Since then, our love has deepened even more than I could ever imagine and my daily prayer is that we will grow old together and lead one another toward Heaven.

Home

Being back in Texas has been so good for me.  It had been a year since we had been back and the extra long Spring (Winter?) and isolation in Wyoming was starting to really weigh heavily on me.  Even though we've faced temperatures over 100, lots of driving over this vast state, and quite a bit of moving around, my heart is so content here. 
My family moved to Texas when I was a preschooler and I can deeply identify with a commonly-seen bumper sticker:

 

I love this state and the culture here, and of course I love being with all of our family and very dear friends.  

Since we've been here, we have toured to beautiful and lush green East Texas where my sister-in-law lives on a lake where we all were able to swim, fish, and enjoy being outdoors.  

We were also blessed to spend some time in College Station (home of the Texas Aggies) with our extremely special friends who offered us selfless Southern hospitality and with whom we enjoyed some relaxed quality time together.

After we visited them, we took a little side trip to Brenham, Texas, the home of Blue Bell Ice Cream.  Now, for those of you in the 17 states where you have the luxury of purchasing Blue Bell at your grocery store - you must appreciate the gift you have!!!  We toured the ice cream factory and enjoyed samples, my favorite being cookies and cream, but Charlie loved a new flavor called Krazy Kookie Dough.  Brenham and it's surrounding little towns were overflowing with natural beauty, hills and green grass, and huge trees - all things I have missed!

We made a short stop North of Houston where Charlie and I lived when we were first married, and where his parents live now.  It was a nice, but quick trip before we picked Felicity up and have now headed to Fort Worth, my home town.  We are here for a few more days before we make the trek back to WY, and I am so, so excited to be here.  Just being back at home gives me so much comfort, peace, and a sense of belonging.

We've eaten lots of BBQ, steaks, and Tex-Mex (the BEST!), people have been so friendly everywhere we've gone (with the exception of the under-enthused college girl that was leading our Blue Bell tour), men have been gentlemen and ladies have been sugary-sweet, summer has felt like summer, and we've been able to spend such happy times with people we love.

Happiness

I know it's taken nearly 3 months to make a decision on blogging.  Up until a few days ago, I was ready to leave it all behind forever and was fairly convinced that I couldn't and shouldn't do it for a whole host of reasons.  However, since we have been visiting family and friends in Texas, I have realized that blogging is and has been a lifeline for me out to those that I love, and one that I really have missed.  So, I find myself here, in this familiar and comfortable place and I look forward to a renewed excitement for writing once more.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
It has been over a week now since we left behind the winter wonderland of Wyoming and started our visit to Texas.  Originally, our plan was to travel in April for Easter, but after some thinking, Charlie suggested we wait until June so that our oldest, F, could attend summer camp at The Pines. 
Ten years ago, we were both counselors for one great summer at The Pines, and I was a camper twice before as well.  When he suggested sending F, I had a whole host of concerns and knew that if we were to do it, I had a lot of work in front of me.
I knew what 7-year-old campers struggled with, as I was very often chosen to be the counselor to 7 & 8-year-olds.
She needed to be able to bathe herself (and that swimming in the pool and/or lake does NOT count as bathing - I heard that one a lot.)
She needed to be able to pack all her belongings for the return home.
She needed to know that clean socks and undergarments are necessary.
She needed to know that she would miss us, but that didn't mean that she couldn't have a great time.
She needed to know that the girls in her cabin are not her sisters and that sharing beds/hair brushes/toothpaste isn't acceptable, and that she must give others their personal space.
She needed to know how to tie her shoes and how to swim (which...we failed on, she can't really swim - we live in Wyoming for Pete's sake).
And on...and on...and on...
I wasn't so ready to send my oldest child, who had never left home, away to overnight camp for 7 days.  But, her father did his job and allowed me to nurture her, while helping her to forge independence and growth in self-esteem.
Packing made me cry, and when we finally arrived at camp, she was all aflutter with excitement while I felt like I was going to throw up.  
My oldest daughter has finally started a trend that will never end - first summer camp, and next thing I know we'll be sending the children off to college, on honeymoons, and so on.  The days of holding all my fledgelings in the safety of my nest at all times has come to an end.
Thankfully, The Pines does an excellent job of sharing photos and videos of the precious children, and I am blessed to have inside information (and a cute picture!) from my very dear friend who is working there this year.  I can see, and have heard, that F is having a great time and making friends.  She's doing exactly what we have prepared her for, and I'm so excited for her and proud of her.

It is quite a bittersweet moment.

We only have a day and a half before she is back with the family, and I am dying to hear her stories, relive memories with her, and find out about her new friends!