Family
It’s the Little Things
I am thankful for my husband. He blesses me in so many ways throughout the week. Honestly, too often I take the many acts of kindness he does for me daily for granted. He shows love to me even when I am a mess.
Most mornings he is up early to make me breakfast and coffee to help get me out the door for work. Often dinner is ready by the time I get home from work. He is willing to try out a different restaurant or go on an adventure with me.
Whether we’re tackling home projects or enjoying a date night, I love spending time with my handsome man. He treats me well, loves me despite my craziness, and is an amazing Dad to our girls.
There are countless reasons why I feel blessed to have him as my partner and best friend. I am grateful to have the opportunity to walk through life with him by my side. He really is the calm to my chaos.
Today I came home from running errands with one of the girls and the dishes were washed, groceries picked up and these beautiful flowers were waiting for me. His little acts of kindness are daily reminders of how truly blessed am I.
The older I get the more I am reminded that each day really is a precious gift. May we always cherish our shared moments together. My prayer is that he recognizes the depth of love for him—not solely based on his actions, but because of the remarkable person he truly is.
Surprise Visit from One of My Favorite Chick-A-Dees!
We got a surprise from one of my favorite Chick-A-Dees!!! She told us that there was a “chance” she might be flying to an airport near us for a few minutes within the next 24 hours. It was a totally unexpected blessing! There were some adjustments to the schedule due to plane availability but she made it to GMU – Greenville Downtown Airport. YAY!!!
It had been an incredibly crazy week and this special time with one of our girls made my Momma heart so very happy. We only got to spend a few minutes with our sweet girl but it was worth every second. We got in a few hugs, gave her some water & snacks, and had a quick chat before she was off flying high into the bright blue sky again. Thank you Chick-A-Dee for taking the time to fly in for a quick “hi” and give us some hugs.
It is such a surreal feeling to watch one my Babies fly in and out of the airport. So very proud of our Kiddos for all their hard work in their industries. It is amazing to get a first hand view of that training in action. They are doing and accomplishing skills that I have never learned or even tried before. If I had to help fly a plane or work with certain animals, bees or other tasks they are doing right now I wouldn’t even know where to even start.
It is fascinating and cool to hear what they are doing and learning. Our “littles” are certainly growing up. We look forward to seeing and hearing about the big adventures they will be experiencing next.
Grateful for these types of spontaneous blessings our kids choose share with us. These precious moments are treasured!
Keep up the good work Chick-A-Dees! We love you very much!
Mission Escape (Cartersville, GA)
While visiting one of the kiddos we stopped and did an Escape Room. We chose Mission Escape in Cartersville, Georgia. It was a fun adventure. We did the Copan Ruins escape room in a Mayan Temple in Honduras.
We had a blast! Our team solved the mystery and escaped. Woohoo! I was only startled once in our adventures.
We found out that if you go visit Mission Escape on your birthday you also get a special surprise! If you are looking for something fun to do in Cartersville, check it out.
Robert Redden Footbridge, Harvest Moon Cafe & Courtyard Rome Riverwalk (Rome, GA)
We were recently visited one of our kids and hung out in Rome, Georgia. One of the footbridges in the town has a huge lighted American flag. It is the former Central of Georgia Railway swing bridge called the Robert Redden Footbridge. The bridge crosses the Oostanaula River and can be seen from various spots near downtown Rome. It is where the Oostanaula River and the Etowah River come together to form the Coosa River. The bridge once rotated on its central pier to allow steamboats to pass. At the end of one of the streets near the river you see a Steamboat as a reminder of the history.
While in Rome, Georgia we ate at Harvest Moon Cafe in downtown. Harvest Moon Cafe is a cute family restaurant with a nice menu and great atmosphere. The food was delicious! They use locally sourced food, including beef from livestock from Berry College. If you are looking to host a party in the area Harvest Moon Cafe has a room you could rent out with food, drinks and games like cornhole, darts and more.
Rome has a cute walkable downtown with various shops and restaurants. There are plenty of walking and biking trails even near the river in downtown. We have been to Rome a handful of times now and have always enjoyed visiting various places downtown during our stays.
While we were in the area we stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Rome Riverwalk. It has a brightly lit parking garage, a walking bridge over the river to the downtown, across the street from the athletic field, and pretty views of the river and the Robert Redden Footbridge.
If you are in the area or near Rome, Georgia you should check it out!
Off Season at Folly Beach (Folly Beach, SC)
We recently went to Folly Beach, South Carolina while visiting one of the kids at college. It had been several years since we had been to Folly Beach. The area had grown a good bit and even in the off season the best place to park was the metered parking along the beach.
We got out, walked, collected a few shells and enjoyed some time together at the beach. A purple shell and whole sand dollar were the favorite finds during our walk on the beach. We found a variety of neat shells. It was a cool and overcast day. There were still a good number of people on the beach but very few people swimming in the water. About the only people that dared to go into the water were kids that day.
If you like the beach, can find decent parking and want a place to get out and walk for a little bit Folly Beach is a nice place to stop near Charleston, SC.
Charleston Tea Garden (Wadmalaw Island, SC)
We were able visit the Charleston Tea Garden on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina when we were in the area visiting one of the kids. It was during the off season so we did not get to see as much of the farm activities during our visit but it was still interesting to see the gardens.
The visitor center and gift shop was out of some of their standard items like a sampler tea gift, key chains but they did have a good number of other fun items for people to purchase. They had a variety of both hot and cold tea for visitors to try during their time on the farm. Since it was a cooler day I went for some samples of the hot tea. My favorite were the Carolina Mint and Cinnamon Spice Tea. Another favorite hot tea in our party was the Charleston Breakfast Tea. Some of the other people in our party tried the sweet cold teas and said that they were great too. If you are there go ahead and try some of their tea!
We took a farm tour which was informative and interesting. We rode on the big red trolley. Since it was off season there was only about ten of us on the tour. The guide did a good job on the tour. We saw the tea fields, learned about the history of the farm, visited the green house, took some photos and more fun. Their harvester was in the shop for repairs so we did not get to see the “Green Monster” that cuts the tea leaves.
Tea fields in the winter and dormant stage. The leaves typically grow seasonally in Spring in late April or May through late September or October. They say when the flowers bloom and it looks like white popcorn all over the fields. It would be neat to see the flowers blooming and the harvester in action.
Interesting sign showing how many miles to various tea plantations around the world. It was neat to see the distance to different locations.
If you enjoy tea or learning about the process of making tea it is worth at least checking it out if you are in the area.
You Make Everything Better
It’s the simple and thoughtful gestures that can make the biggest impact in our lives. The other day I opened up my lunch bag and found this sweet note from my handsome man. It was a special surprise and made me smile.
Sometimes it is the little acts of kindness that make you feel the most loved and appreciated. Life is crazy busy but taking a few minutes to show someone you care can make a huge difference in their days.
I am very blessed and sometimes I forget how truly lucky I am. Thankful for this little note because it was a great reminder that I am loved and do matter to someone.
If you are looking for ways to show your spouse or someone you love that you care, I would encourage you to take a few minutes to leave a surprise note in their lunch bag or on their mirror or in their car. It’s a simple yet effective way to brighten up their day and let them know that they are special to you.
Everyone wants to be noticed, loved, and valued. These little expressions of love really do matter!
Penguins Winter Family Puzzle
Every year we typically do a puzzle during the winter. This year “Penguins” was the puzzle of choice! I enjoy doing the puzzle, but if it stays out for a really long period of time it starts bothering me so usually we try to do it in a timely manner. The various members of the family can walk by and put in a puzzle piece here and there. Also, during family movie time the puzzle gets some more work done on it. Once we finish we will leave it out for a few days, take a photo of the puzzle then we donate it. Does your family have a winter activity you do together at home?
Big Apples & Beautiful Plants
The big apple and beautiful plant on my desk!
These past couple of weeks I have been in a bit of a funk…. Some little unexpected things happened that I let pile up and bother me. Instead of letting these incidents roll off of me and turning my focus towards the many blessings in my life I let these little disappointments and inconveniences capitalize too much of my energy.
All I have to do is look around me to how truly see blessed I am and yet at times I struggle with being content. My negative attitude is not benefiting myself nor those who are in close proximity of me (family, friends, co-workers). In reality it is probably pretty toxic to myself and those who have to be in my presence. While my life is not even close to being “perfect” mostly because I manage to mess it up more than I care to admit, it really isn’t bad by any means either. There are a lot of people that are going through far more challenging situations.
As I was thinking about some of these recent events, situations and incidents that got me into this little funk I was reminded of big apples and beautiful plants. I know it sounds random, but sometimes it’s silly little objects that help bring clarity and focus to my messes of life. Often times these objects remind me of the person who thoughtfully and gave or made them for me which in return makes me smile.
My husband will randomly get me something that he knows I will enjoy. An apple is a common fruit found in my work lunch, one day he surprised me with a very large apple as my work snack. It made me laugh because the apple was so big it barely fit in my lunch bag and ended up being part of my snack and lunch. I love all kinds of plants and flowers, however, I have a black thumb which means it is a miracle if I keep a plant alive for a year or more (yes, I have managed to even kill a cactus….). One day he brought home an adorable potted plant for me. I took it to work and had so many files on my desk that day that it ended up finding a home next to my monitor and in front of my main work space. He is thoughtful and knows how to make me smile. The photo above is the day I had the big apple next to my beautiful plant. While these are just two visual examples of ways I am reminded of him and the many blessings in my life there are many more if I take a moment to look around me.
Unfortunately, there are many days when I am busy with tasks that I overlook the big apples, beautiful plants, and the many other little reminders of the multitude of blessings in my life. Some days I get sucked into tackling a variety of “to do” items or choose to focus on disappointments which tend to weigh on me instead of working hard while appreciating the positive blessings all around me. It’s time to break out of this funk and remember who really is in control of my life. When left up to myself I get off track, my focus is not on what truly matters in life, and I am not the easiest person to hang around. I am ready to get back on track, anybody else ready?
A few ways to encourage us to turn our focus towards positive blessings:
- Look – What do you see around you that makes you smile or brings are certain special person to mind? You probably have more blessings than realize you once you take a few minutes to look around and think about it.
- Relax – The to do list is always growing, don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself. You can relax every once in awhile without being considered lazy, it’s actually healthy for us.
- Breathe – Take a few deep breaths, it helps clear your minds and relaxes your body
- Focus – Choose to focus on the good parts of your life. The hard times and inconveniences will come, but they do not have to monopolize all your time and energy.
- Time – Spend quality time with family, friends, and people you love. Life really is short, make a point to invest time in people.
Here’s to a life full of many blessings! May we always remember what’s truly important and if we forget hopefully we’ll get back on track quickly.
Creative Kids: Woodworking Class
Brina made this cool piece in class
Well we have made it halfway through the 2019-2020 school year! WooHoo!!! While there are aspects of school that can be quite exhausting there are other parts that are fun. Brina recently brought home this neat project. It’s cool to see everything that they are learning in their classes. She had a great time doing this at school and it turned out really well. I think it’s awesome that she is learning how to use and operate a variety of tools. The first projects she made when she was little were treasured works of art as well, but she has come a long way from the crayon scribbles on a sheet of paper. Thankful for the opportunities for the kids to learn and use their creativity.
Like anything in life some projects are more fun and exciting to do! Whether you are doing tasks around the house or work some are going to use a lot creativity and be more enjoyable while other projects that are just as important will not be as much fun (laundry, washing dishes, etc). May we always continuing learning and growing no matter what stage of life we are in whether it is doing something creative and fun or tackling the necessary life activities for that day.
