Sunday Lunch

Family

I love my family

Its moments like gathering everyone and meeting for a meal together that helps bring life into perspective.  I enjoyed our lunch together, the conversation, the laughs and smiles, the teasing moments that brother gives to his sisters and even the silent moments.  Family is a precious treasure.  I pray that we will always be able to have small moments likes this often.

Changes, Parenting & Living Life

These last couple of weeks have been full changes with my kids and I.  Karlee is settled into her new room in her "house" that she now shares with 3 other girls.  She moved from the student apartment that she had been living in to a student townhome.  The house is huge!  The rooms are huge!  I'm a little jealous with her size of living space compared to itty biddy apartment.  I tease but really its bigger than what I expected it to be.  Anyways she is doing well with her job and soon her classes will start back up and she will be busy with school and work and living life, experiencing the college life of living with 3 girls.

Kyle announced about 3 weeks ago that he was moving out.  I know its crazy to think about and so soon!  Its really happening, I've seen and read the lease that he and two others will sign.  He will soon be living in the area that my grandmother used to live in over by what used to the furniture barn with a big cow on it.  (its now a natural food grocery store, repainted)  Oddly enough I find myself excited for him, his new adventure.  Of course I'm still a mom with worries and concerns but that is normal.  I know he will do well.  He manages things in his life, like money a-little differently than his older sister so that is a plus.  He is just a different kid, and a boy and for some reason all that seems to make a difference.  This coming week will be the last week I will get to wake up him in the morning for work, make sure there is food ready to eat shortly after he gets home from work, since he is always so hungry.  The last week of hearing how crazy he gets when he is playing videos games.  I will miss him and I'm sure there will be an adjustment for him and for me but I know and believe things will turn out and be alright. 

I have to confess I am excited about having my own room again and having an actual living room!  Some of you may not remember that the kids and I have lived in a two bedroom town home apartment for the last couple of years.  We have gone from the girls sharing the master bedroom to me briefly having the other smaller room, to when Kyle came to live with me after their dad moved to Texas, to me moving downstairs to the living room so that he would have a room.  I have made the most out of bedroom/living room space and it has worked out but seriously my bed is in the living room.  But we have done what we have had to in order to make things work so its alright.

My mind has not stopped thinking about how I want to do my room, the sound of that is funny at 45 years old.  I will have a closet again, I think that is the best out of it all.  I've been thinking about how will I do the living room and I want to get a comfy reclining type chair.  This is all fun to think about but the reality will be just Sara and I left.  That is crazy, just her and I, my soon to be 16 year old driving daughter!

The dynamics around here will change some and I know she will continue to grow and enjoying the experience that high school will bring.  My journey will continue on my learning more about me and living each moment to the fullest.  Our lives have come a long way from when I ended my 2nd marriage, at times it just doesn't seem real.

Well what is real is planning a grocery list and doing laundry and getting ready for a new week so that is what I'm going to go do next. 

Living & Loving my life.
So grateful!

Pure Joy

I'm super excited with this addition that the apartment complex has added.  Its right out my front door too!  I plan on spending as much time out on a swing as I can.  I've already checked them out on Friday when they first went up and enjoyed sitting there while it lightly rained.

Saturday morning I enjoyed sitting out on my porch reading.

Then later on Saturday I got to spend time with my oldest!

Karlee and I indulged in sushi! yummy....

Then I drove out to stay at Ben's for the night out in Parks.

He just got a new hat with his survival gear and he "modeled" it for me hehehe...

It is so pretty out in Parks!

We went on a small hike close by to his house.

I hadn't been on a hike in a long long while and I was sort of upset with myself for letting it be so so long!  I love it!  I love being out in nature and taking pictures.  I plan on going for more walks and small hikes.  My knees were killing me the whole time but it was worth it.  

I forgot how much I loved going for nature walks with my camera ( lol I brought my big nice camera and left it in the car since I left the battery to it charging at home.....I know real smart) the pictures I took were with my phone but they came out pretty good so I can't complain, I did get to still capture the moment.

I learned that Ben loves to go out in nature too so I think we will plan on going out and about more often.

I loved seeing and spending time with him in his element on his porch at his home.  He was so relaxed.....and you always get insight when you are in your area so to speak.

The whole day was perfect!  The trees blocked the sun set but I made the most of it.

We walked around the property and Ben shared with me his dreams of what he would like to do one day with building a house and a garage.  I loved hearing him share with me.

1st day of school & the weekend

Lately I've really been tuning in with the beauty that is around me.  This picture is from the other day when I was walking from my apartment to the front of the complex where the mail boxes are at.  I couldn't help but notice the big beautiful trees.  My favorite is the willow tree.  I love sitting out and watching the leaves blows and branches move gently.  I love all the different shades of green that surrounds me with the different trees that are around where I live.

I've always felt a closeness to God when I'm focused in on the beauty of nature that is around me.  I love the feeling, its refreshing and inspiring and comforting and peaceful.  I have found more and more that when I feel anxious or stressed I need to go outside for just a few minutes and take a deep breath and then I'm okay.

This little lady! Wow in the 10th grade!  My last one in high school!  Its so crazy how time goes by and the changes that keep happening as we move forward into each new day that is given to us.  I'm looking forward to this year with my Sara Bear, she will get her drivers license this year and turn 16 in December!  My baby!!!

I didn't realize how beautiful it was up at the Observatory.  On Saturday Ben and I let Sara drive us around town.  She drove us up to the Observatory and Mars Hill.

The view from Mars Hill

Hello Flagstaff!!

I love that Sara enjoys spending time with me.

Look who popped over to see us for a bit!!! My Karlee girl met up with us at REI on her break from work.  I love my silly beautiful girls!

Ben took us all to lunch at Wildflower.

Girls happy with their bread bowls full of potato cream soup.

Matty came over to hang out with Sara and then they talked me into taking them to get pizza on Sunday for lunch.

Brooke! She is just as silly and crazy as my Sara, I understand why they are such good friends :)

They also only live 5 minutes from each other....oh no watch out!

The last couple of morning before school.....

Sunsets and double rainbows!  What a great way to end a crazy Tuesday!

Kyle cut his hand at work and had to get 5 stitches!  He is fine, just adding to his working man hands :)

I'm truly blessed.  Thank you Lord, thank you.