Fun Filled Friday Night

It is just Gwen and I tonight.

We are having a fun girls night filled with

Earl Grey Tea, Anne of Green Gables and Victoria Magazines.

Have a great evening!

Happy Tuesday

I am having a good tuesday! The sun is shinning and there is a lovely warm breeze. I was greeted at work by smell of fresh cut grass. I settled in to my office with my morning cup of tea and I opened up my email and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but 3 great emails. I usually dread reading them in the morning, since there is usually at least one that has some negative undertones. Today there was not a single negative word. Yay me!

Also, I am also having a good hair day! Humidity be damned!

Welcome Summer! Happy Summer Solstice to all.

View from my office window

I don't think we are ever going to have a streak of good weather this summer. Rain, rain go away ... Come again at night when I am sleeping and enjoy the sound of raindrops hitting my windowpane.

Catharsis

I have been feeling very frustrated and angry lately. I am not sure why, but I know I am not dealing with things well. I snap so easily and at things that never use to bother me before. I have been feeling completely overwhelmed at work and instead of trying to get things done I have been avoiding things. Don't get me wrong, I am still getting my work done, but there are certain projects that I am just dreading starting. They will all get done and on time, but I will be a crazy woman in the end!

Joe and I have had so much going on this year and I don't think we have completely processed everything yet. We had a great talk Monday night, which was very helpful. Then yesterday I had a really good meeting with my director that has helped my confidence immensely. Then yesterday afternoon, I met with supervisor and we just had a really nice chat. It was so cathartic to get everything out about how I was feeling about work and being a working mom. I am so blessed to work at such a great place that truly values its employees.

Today I woke up ready to come to work and get things done! Today is going to be a good day. I am putting my positive thinking hat back on and it looks good. Life is good. I have my health, an amazing family, an awesome husband, the most precious daughter, a great job, a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food on my table. I am truly, truly blessed.

12 years

Yesterday was our 12 year wedding anniversary.

It has gone by so quickly. Joe and I have been together for almost 17 years and some days it still feels like it did when I was 18 and he was 19. I still get excited when he calls or sends me a text just to check in. He is still very romantic and remembers the small things.

We didn't do anything fancy to celebrate, but it was still wonderful. Joe packed a fabulous picnic lunch and we headed to one of the state parks. We took Gwen with us. We have so much more fun with her around! She is just so darn cute. Of course, I might be slightly biased :)

On our way, we stopped in this really quaint town and browsed through their village market. We then headed to main street to check out some of the shops. We discovered a great little winery tasting room and did a tasting. So much fun.

We finally made it to the park only to find out that a lot of the areas were closed because of flooding from the recent storms. We drove around for a while and found an area to set up our picnic.

We completely descend on a place and make it our own.

It was a great day and couldn't image spending it any other way. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and baby girl. I count my blessings every day.

Our marriage may not always be perfect, but it works for us. When we did our pre-wedding class we received this great little book. I still have it. There is a quote in it from a married couple that I love. The wife said - I may not always like my husband, but I always love him. There are definitely times that I don't particularly like Joe, but I always love him. I am also sure there are times he feels the same way about me.

We make it work and we wouldn't have it any other way. We know we are better together. We are a team - Team W!

back to work

Yesterday was my first full day at work in a week. I had to bring the wee one with me on Monday, because we had to take a trip to the doctor. She made herself quite at home in my office. She developed a little rash on her back and couldn't go to daycare. It ended up being nothing, but it got me an extra half day at home with her!

Being back at work for a full day yesterday made it seemed like the longest day ever. Today I am getting back into our routine. We had a good morning, which makes for much better days. I even felt compelled to cut my bangs and fix my hair. It is just long enough now to pull into pig tails!

Gwen went off to daycare well today and I have been in my office for the majority of the day. I thrive on routine and schedules and live for checklists.

I have been whittling away at my list today. Working on some projects that popped up today and thoroughly enjoying the normalcy of the day.

I am looking forward to relaxing at home tonight. We will probably grill out and I am may even wash some dishes! Joe and I are also going to work on some photo editing from our recent trip to Lake Katherine and updating our photography blog - imagesofcamelot.blogspot.com.

I better get back to work, so I can check a few more things off of my to do list!

Weekend

All in all it was a really relaxing weekend - that was much needed. This was such a crazy week. I only worked 1 day. With the long weekend last weekend, the wake, funeral and being sick friday, I kinda had a vacation - from work at least. Now it is back to some sort or normalcy and routine. Gwen's schedule is so off. She has been at my parent's house more then home this week and we have her off her nap and bedtime schedule. It will be good for her to go back to daycare tomorrow.

Gwen and I chilled out yesterday. We spent most of the day on the balcony of our condo.

She just loves being outside, which makes me so happy. I was outside all the time as a child. Of course, when you grow up on 10 acres there is a lot of exploring to do. We basically had our own park where we could run around, climb trees, fish, ride our bikes, in the winter ice skate and still be at home. I feel so blessed to have grown where and when I did.

My parents moved when I was 15 to an area that was further out in the country. They still live there and I love being there. With Joe working almost every weekend, Gwen and I head out there a lot. It is so great for her to be able to run around and play.

My parents recently built a play set for Gwen and her cousins. She had so much fun on it today.

The garden is planted and vegetables will be ready next month. Can't wait for tomatoes ripe off the vine and warm from the afternoon sun. Simple enjoyments. I am going to relish every minute of this summer.

I am looking forward to more relaxing weekends this summer. Life goes by way too quickly and we need to take the time to enjoy the simple things. So for now I am going to relax with a beer on my balcony and enjoy the lovely breeze.

Saying Goodbye

It has been a very long week. Last Saturday, May 28, my husband's father passed away. He was a wonderful man and I was so blessed to have had him as my father-in-law.

My husband lost his father and our daughter lost her grandfather.

The funeral was yesterday and we said our last goodbyes. Goodbyes are never easy. I still have difficulty saying goodbye to my parents when I leave their house. So it is with a heavy heart I say, goodbye Jack. I will truly miss you.