fall and the rest of 2012

I think I may throw more of my randomness in this. at least, I'd like to. Whatever. :b never believe the first sentences of this blog.
Not in order:
I am gonna try and give up soda. though it's not a hard and fast rule. i'll drink soda at your house if you have it.
The election - oh yes, the ads/phone calls are over! Gary Johnson did not win.
The consignment sale - wow, that was nuts. Glad to say I survived. I was a little scared because I wasn't sure how we did. Was it successful? I had no idea. But we did good. Yay. Thanks God. :b it was fun serving. kinda intense, but in a happy way.
The world did not end.
R went to CA for work and got stuck there because of canceled flights with hurricane sandy.
We visited Pittsburgh and ate badly. It was pretty cold/blustery.  went up the duquesne incline, ate at Primanti Bros and the O. Saw the Big Mac Museum. hehe. Big Macs originated there.
Went to see Pentatonix in DC.
Ate chinese food on Thanksgiving.
S had the crankiest halloween ever!! He didn't want to dress up, he didn't want to trick-or-treat. Sadness on my part. Maybe next year, young man.
I did crockpot pumpkin! It was very difficult to open/cut the outside. So I threw the pumpkin on the ground. Worked very well :)
Read through a lot of beingminimalist.com. I agree with a lot of it, but I refuse to be extreme. I don't feel the need to put away my toaster everyday. it's on the counter. so what. gonna challenge myself to releasing 300 items next year.
Saw my first movie in a theater in 4 years. Les Miserables! I enjoyed. I liked Marius' performance. and Eponine. My apologies, what the heck is your real name.. :b Most of the time I could care less about Marius, but he so nailed "Empty Chairs & Empty Tables". People were singing in the theater. that was annoying. Who sings this? hugh jackman? keep it that way!!
Christmas was nice. went to the inlaws. with all the minimalist reading, and other sources, I feel convicted for next year that gift giving is just.. not the best way to go. How brutally honest is that? For adults, I mean. We already have everything or just buy what we want when the need arises. Or return gifts that aren't our style (which happens a lot, because I'm better at buying for me than you are). I guess i'll still wrap the freebies (google 'drug store game'), but i really need to rethink it. Maybe just give restaurant gift cards.

Now i'm having anxiety. i'm a goofball. i'm just so disorganized and annoyed about it. Like, it's hard enough to stay atop of the papers/mail/clutter/dust, even when you live in a small townhouse. darn you flaking, dead skin cells!! oh well, i'll do my small steps and that's good enough for me :) happy new year!

summer 2012

Overdue.

Starting my position of assistant sale coordinator for the MOPS consignment sale. Lots of details. Good thing I'm detail oriented! Sometimes I get nervous and look down/think negatively. I realized I have to stop and pray. Look up to heaven. :b It was an aha moment :b

Vacation trip and Charlotte's wedding in Charleston SC. Includes stops at Lumberton NC, South of the Border, the Lady & Sons in Savannah GA, Hilton Head, Beaufort, Rocky Mount and Richmond.

Dad was sick, ended up having endoscopy and having 7 polyps and part of his colon removed. Will start chemo in august. It happened so fast and I can be such a wreck about it. Definitely needing prayers!

Gave J all of our baby gear. Heh, almost used another 4 letter word other than gear. 

Fireworks and started my homemade vanilla extract.

S's first baseball game at Nationals park. He's been doing soccer school on Mondays. He's not napping so I had this midsummer crisis. The countdown to preschool has begun!!

R has been going to NJ for work and it's been tougher on me. Though I know other people have it tougher. I guess it's just what I know. Everything is so relative :b

Chick Fil A issues, London Olympics, Finished reading the bible - it took 3 years and 10 months or so.

Live in our home the longest i've ever been in one place!

MOPS leadership stuff, and cooking at a cooking school studio place. Chicken marsala and tiramisu! 

visiting eastern shore at the end of August. Seeing the beach and ocean city boardwalk, visiting r's dad's church.

Actually sold something using a facebook classified forum! yay!

September - school starts for S. and he turns 4.

March April 2012

what I can remember of it:
r's birthday... S helped me wrap gifts, but when dad came home, he got the gifts and said very happily, "daddy! I got a pants for you!"  "Daddy, I got a cheese for you!"
R's Grandma's birthday surprise party - yeah, she turned 80 and was quite surprised.
Aunt J and E got engaged after this party.  so cute!
Visited Great Falls.  I cut S's hair, but badly enough that we got another haircut.  Think...Vin Diesel. It grows back.  it's okay.
Got to meet Mira, adopted daughter of Dan and Brandi, in Rochester.  While there, we saw the Edgerton Train Room and the Strong Museum, which has a toy hall of fame. We saw Lake ontario but it was so windy and cold that we didn't stay too long.  Also, we saw snow up there.
I did tag sorting for the consignment sale in March.  I'll be helping out with the sale next time! Praying for that!
I was stomachy sick and then I got a mole removed from my back.  not able to just shower/get the back wet and that's awkward.  everything's benign.  yay!
i donated my wedding dress.
The Discovery flew overhead to the Udvar Hazy Air and Space.  I missed it but was very close to it's path.
Dick Clark died. :(
We went to the circus and saw Pentatonix in Reston!
Our 8 year anniversary was in Cooperstown, so we saw the Baseball hall of fame.
and the end of the 1000 awesome things blog.  i'm liking this blog, though - dearphotograph.com.  a good happy.

January/February 2012

I was continuously sick in January. I met with friends at Fair Oaks for lunch/shopping. We made a pact to lose 15 pounds by the beginning of summer. I made play dough for the first time for S's class. I mixed up some food coloring and ended up with a green that looked like the slimey ghost in Ghostbusters. R and S had a dad's night at school. I was SO excluded ;) They made hand prints with blue paint - totally warms my heart! I went to the dentist.

In February we did a surprise date night - my surprise to R. cheesecake factory. The Giants won the superbowl. Bloom grocery stores closed. Read the Five Love Languages as part of a book club. R also read it. My language is acts of service. R had a tie of words of affirmation and physical touch. It makes you more aware. I think we are being sweet to each other.. an atmosphere of sweetness. I went to registration for preschool. You go in line, but you still pick a lotter number. I picked #127, but managed to get our first choice. Looking at the list, I was super lucky. There were 172 names. I think there are around 90 slots available for my first choice.

I made chocolate covered bacon! Under encouragement from my MOPS group leader, I applied for leadership for MOPS next year. Will prayerfully see if this is for me. I tend to be shy, if you don't already know ;)

I found out that i'm an autumn when it comes to style choices. what does that mean?? I lack style so it's okay. I think i'm more of a minimalist anyway. My inlaws came last weekend, so R and I got to go out for a few hours. S was pretty hyper with them, and finished a 100 piece puzzle. Amazing! That's my boy. I won 52 McDonalds sandwiches at the one across the street, as part of their grand reopening. Good or bad? ;)

December 2011

Christmas cheer!!!!! S was into it this year. Lots of presents! Lots of love for Jesus's birthday! Went to eastern shore to celebrate. R took 2 weeks off! we had a date night and ate steak. mmmm. I got a 6 oz. and R had a 14 oz. hahaah.

S's school had a Christmas party and program. That was totally cute. went to the mager party and it's fun to see those 4 girls!

.... i recommend the looster booster. :b

i love s's sentences and words and thoughts. he has a sweet spirit. and he can be demanding, but it's good to put it in words. this is huge for us. thank you hope preschool!