The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Mother

I really feel like my birthday began last night while getting Lorelei ready for bed.  She sweetly said, "Mommy, tomorrow is your birthday.  You're going to be 20 right?"  With I little giggle I replied, "More like 20 times 2!"  She says, "Oh, 22?".  Who am I to burst her bubble??  "Yes sweet girl, 22."  One of the best presents I got!!  This morning I woke up as usual at 5:30 a.m.  I had morning duty, whether it was my birthday or not.  The kids always pack their lunches on Tuesday night, because we have to leave earlier on duty days (by 6:55 a.m.).  I knew I didn't need to rush too much, because that was done.  I also knew Savannah was up to something.  I heard her alarm go off at 5:30!!  I went ahead and busied myself with my morning routine, giving plenty of warning to Savannah, when I was heading out to the kitchen.  I was pleasantly surprised to find this... It's always been my tradition to have the kids spots at the kitch

It's time to be retrospective, thoughtful and reflective or heck...just party like I'm turning 40!!  I looked back at my post from last year , listing a lovely bucket list of what I might accomplish in my 39th year of life.  I can check off a few items like,  to do some of the projects I've pinned on Pinterest! and ~relax and go with the flow more...stop resisting the things that cause my tension.  A few items didn't happen like, finish a quilt I started and take a family vacation out of the state of Texas!  And I am OK with that (see how I go with the flow!) . The year was a realatively quiet one, with many family memories and even some pretty huge moments.  I'm pleased and proud. My thirties, as a decade...I feel great about.  I can say I accomplished quite a bit, including: birthing two children (Jonas and Lorelei), surviving Lorelei's first 3 years of medical hell and still not having a diagnosis,  becoming a college professor, returning to elementary

John has got the re-modeling bug again and I couldn't be happier!! He's a talented and handy guy. He loves an excuse to learn something new and to buy a new tool of course! He started some projects back in October after taking a break from May. All the painting wore him out (I did help some and so did some professionals). He started with a simple project of putting a stain glass faux film on the windows by the front door. It was fast and not only provided the privacy he was looking for, but it also looks great! Next project came in December and was a fabulous Christmas present! I got a beautiful farmhouse style porcelain kitchen sink. It's extra big and deep! He got a 7 inch grinder to cut the granite for that project. It was an enormous mess though. The fine dust created by cutting out granite covered everything!! I lost the use of the kitchen for a while, but it was worth it. Last year, at the end of the winter season our gas fireplace went out. I so badl

Some happenings around here... The little ones have been exhausted, adjusting to our school schedule again after two weeks off!! Horsing around at home as usual. Relaxing on the weekends...Bailey, Delilah and I were just hanging out watching House Hunters International!!  One of our new favorite shows. Savannah and some friends (two boys!) formed a little band and auditioned for the school talent show!  They made it of course!  They will be singing Some Nights by Fun.  They sound FABULOUS!!  This is a picture of their rehearsal.  Savannah was also in the school spelling.  She was 7th place!!  You go girl!  She didn't even study...she's just s great speller. It's been chilly around here, so I made some delicious homemade soup...Tuscan Chick Pea soup!  It was pretty yummy and vegetarian.  Jonas asked..."where's the meat?" :) School mornings are not a pleasurable thing around here.  Savannah is probably the hardest to wa

all good things must come to an end and I, for one, am not ready.  Tomorrow the Boyen Bunch returns to school, after a much deserved break.  I know they aren't ready either.  Savannah is not looking forward to waking up early, Bailey is not interested in the huge amounts of homework that will be dumped on him and the little ones, well for them and myself it's all of it! The hustle and bustle of the school week is by far worse than the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season!   This last week at home has been pure, boring, bliss.  I feel a bit guilty about the lack of anything we did or didn't do, as the case may be.  I want to capture this feeling of calm and bottle it up for the weeks to come.  And that is just what I am going to try to do...look at the work week in a different light.  To try to not think of it as busy.  To try to keep the hustle and bustle and rushing OUT of our daily lives.  To take deep breaths in the hurried moments and bring in the calm.  There a