Thursdays...

Thursdays are my late days at work.  And while it's not really late in comparison to other people's schedules...knowing that my girlie is home from school waiting for me- anytime after 3pm is late.  My mom so generously has given her Thursday afternoon/evenings up to spend time with Emma.  Not because she needs a babysitter, but because they just have fun hanging out together.  

Emma's happy because she has someone else to reminisce over her day with...

someone else to sing like crazy to...

and someone else to slather love on her.

It's a win win for me because I can finish up at work and not worry about the fact that my last client has taken longer than expected and is making me late for my nightly date with my daughter.

{I have one client who literally tries to block the door when I tell her I need to go home to my daughter.  No kidding...I love the poor thing, but I'd beat her down to get out the door at the end of the night!}

I have the added bonus of sitting around my parent's table for dinner on Thursday nights.  As if hanging out with Emma wasn't enough, she and mom make dinner and have it served up on the table when I walk in the door.  I can't explain why this blesses me so much.  But, after a long, sometimes emotionally draining day....being served just feels good.  

So, a little hearty THANK YOU goes out to my mom....

For being available to my girl

and for blessing the heart of her girl.

"It is not until you become a mother that your judgment slowly turns to compassion and understanding."
Erma Bombeck

My life in pictures...

These days most of my life can be summed up in the pictures that are stored up in my iphone. 

I remember days when I had lots of extra time to sit and write thoughts and memories in my journal 

but right now my time is eaten up doing other things, 

so I'm reduced to capture it through the lens of my phone.

The last few weeks have been chronicled like this...

Breakfast with these two

 Lunch with all three of them

Short phone calls from my favorite Marine

and pics from his phone, 

showing us his homesick face...

A bad-girl who likes to taunt us 

proof that he is turning into quite the husband 

fun with her

a daily dose of these...

{this is what I see every morning on the way back from taking Emma to school}

And just this weekend, this...

dressing up this gorgeous space

to celebrate the unveiling of this...

the Neighborlies...

a new little neighborhood gathering together online.

My life is full and sometimes 

plain

and simple

But it's mine and I'm happy to embrace it as it is. 

Thank goodness my phone goes with me everywhere.

moments in time, preserved forever..

Unproductive Tuesdays...

Tuesdays are my days off.  I look forward to them and often plan to do nothing but stay in my quiet house. 

I often have grand illusions of writing and reading and catching up with the parts of my home that get neglected while I'm working.  But most of the time I don't even get halfway through my mental list and I'm not really sure why time doesn't stand still when I am at home like it does when I am not at home.  

There is never enough time here!

 My computer was in the ER recently.  Literally wouldn't wake up, so a friend's husband did a little electrical CPR and she is back with us, but still doing some funky things.  {for instance, since I've been typing, the cursor has re-positioned itself randomly and made a jumbled mess of words twice!}  Weird...

I'm trying to focus my thoughts to catch up with some writing I need to catch up on for a new project my friend, Jeane, has invited me {and 8 other women} to join her in. 

It's called "Neighborlies", and it is an online magazine that will have its debut in just a few weeks.  

You can read Jeane's words about Neighborlies over at the Coffee Cottage...

We're working through all of the background, preliminary stuff right now, and we all agree it can be tedious and overwhelming.  But we have a web designer amongst us and I don't mind admitting that 

the look and feel of the website is awesome!

Now that my computer is back in working order I have no more excuses but to complete the assignments given to me....except that I have serious writer's block and nothing good to say today.  Figures.

Stay tuned here for more information forthcoming about the website..

or "like" us on facebook for the latest updates.

"People have discovered that they can fool the devil; 

but they can't fool the neighbors" 

Francis Bacon