Just being me

This week I love Monday. It's vacation week and I like having a week to just "be".

Just be a mom.

Just be a wife.

Just be able to focus on my family.

To just be.

I want to be able to go to a friend's house without feeling like I am rushed.

I want to be able to drink a cup of coffee without having to drink it in a travel mug on my way to work.

I want to be able to catch up on a project or two.

I want to be able to start a book that has been waiting to be enjoyed.

I want to be able to go to church for two Sundays in a row.

I am thankful today that I am alive. 

I am thankful for kids that make a lot of noise when they come home.

I am thankful for a sister, brother-in-law, and nephew that came to visit today.

I am thankful my husband is so good-looking. 

Yes, I went there.

I hope Tuesday is just as rewarding. Tomorrow the painting of Heather's room begins...

Here's to just "being".

Love,

Dianne

Organizing the organization

I picked my vacation time this morning.  Christmas week was still open, so I took it. Maybe Christmas in New York City?? I remember being in Louisville KY for Christmas and there is just something really neat about a city with Christmas lights and decorations.  I like that I have 11 months to plan too!

Planning....
       List-making...
               Organizing....

I like doing these things. Maybe a little too much actually. I saw a book today when I was at Lowe's and it was a week-by-week organizer with hints and ideas to get your household and life in order. I was drawn to it like a moth to flame. I ended up putting it back on the rack; after all, I already have a shelf full of books along the same vein of thought. Maybe I'll go alphabetize them....

I was at Lowe's picking out even more paint colors for Heather's room. You see, I ordered her wallpaper border and when it came, the colors we initially thought would match didn't.

New color scheme, in some way or another:

       Main color:

                     Chilled Wine

                     Wild Geranium    

                     Keepsake Rose

       Accent color:

                      Cavern Moss

                      Dark Sage

        2nd Accent color:

                      Stone Gray

                      Gravel

                      Stonington

We aren't using every one of these colors, but at least elements of them. I don't think I'm going to post the pictures of the actual colors yet...they will be revealed later....

Now, I think I'm going to go organize something...anything...

Til tomorrow

Dianne

                     

Time To Pick Vacation

I am next on the vacation schedule. Oooohhh, sounds ominous doesn't it?

At work, the vacation schedule comes out, usually in January, and then based on seniority everyone picks their desired weeks. Being about 2/3rd of the way to the bottom, sometimes I get the perfect week, sometimes I don't. Tonight when I go to work, I will pick my time.

Two years ago when I went to choose "the week" I ended up with August. I wasn't too sure about it because I'd always picked June before. This year was different though. We, as a family, were actually going to go on an honest-to-goodness vacation!

Vacations don't happen much when you have a farm. Those cows just seem to think they can't survive a week without the farmer. Not only do you have to be able to find someone who can milk the cows, but you need to be able to trust them, so when you are away, you aren't worrying too much abut the farm.

But....two years ago, in the Spring, we sold the milking herd and Leo was free to actually have a vacation! So, for the first time since we moved here (April 1, 1997), our family went somewhere where it didn't involve a family reunion, a wedding, or a funeral. We saved our money, we searched online for vacation houses, and we planned.


The Leonard Maust family was headed for ...

            Rhode Island!

I am not sure words can even capture what it felt like to do this. So much anticipation and excitement. So much craziness with all of us in a minivan again for hours. So many memories made...

Early mornings on the beach...

     Sand, shells, and stones...

          Cold waves and warm sunshine...

                Clam chowder and corn on the cob....

                       Reading a book for hours on the beach...

                              Eight mile Cliff Walk in Newport...

                                     Stinky Horseshoe Crab......

                                           Sunsets over fishing villages......

                                                 Quaint shops and antiques....

                                                       Point Judith Lighthouse...

                                                             Being Together....


Just a few random photos...

Too many hrs in the van!

Cliff Walk, Newport RI