Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Things I Am Loving Right Now

I truly love summer. We had a cool spring and a slow start to the summer, but now we are up in the 100's and I love it. I love, love, love the hot and dry summer climate we have here in the desert land.

I have been walking almost every day. I have found it to be a great stress reliever and I am to the point where I almost crave it at the end of every day. Chuck and Jess walk too and we wait until about 9 p.m. when the air has just a hint of coolness in it. I love when we finish our walk that we have a pitcher of Crystal Light waiting for us. We are going to try all the flavors this summer. Last night we had strawberry/tangerine - a real winner.

I love my new summer nightgown. I love changing into it at the end of the day knowing that the remaining time before bed is all mine. I love that it is sleeveless, loose, and very soft cotton. I love wearing it on the patio at dusk, while I read a chapter or two of whatever book I am reading.


I love my summer reading. Lately I have read these books and have enjoyed them all. I have found a small second-hand bookstore and I love finding bargains there. My last good deal was Twenty-One Wishes by Debbie Macomber. I got the hardback for $2.00 I think that was a very good deal.

I love knitting. I have been working on Tyler's monkey for Christmas. The monkey is done (except for his eyes and eyebrows) and I am now working on the pajama's. They are the Union one-piece pajamas with the drop down drawers in the back. They are knit with sock weight yarn on #1 dpn's. This whole project has been challenging but I have learned so much.


Here are some more projects I have been working on. I love finished projects.

Here is some yarn waiting in line for the next few projects I have planned. I love having yarn waiting in line.

I love to have one hard project and one simple project going at the same time. Here is my next hard project. A little something just for me. However, I have been looking at the directions and have to remind myself to take a deep breath and don't look to far ahead. I find that if you knit one row at a time, it somehow all goes together like it is supposed to.

I love that we finally got high speed internet in our house. No more trekking over to the church when we want to skype with our kids in Peru. Last night we were able to talk to Michelle while we were working in the kitchen making dinner. Somehow it seemed more like she was there with us. I LOVE that I don't have the hassles of dial-up anymore! Here is a funny story that happened when we were skyping on Saturday. Michelle and Tyler were sitting on their bed and we were chatting away when someone knocked on her door. Michelle jumped up and asked if I would watch Tyler while she answered the door! I said sure. (Their apartment is small and she could see him the whole time). So Poppa, Mia and Tyler were "talking" about all kinds of things when I saw Tyler look away and saw the computer sliding back. Suddenly everything went black and we lost our connection. I was quite worried because as many times as I tried to call them back it wouldn't go through and I was sure Tyler had knocked the computer off the bed and broke it. About a half an hour later Michelle finally called me back. Sweet Tyler was sitting beside her softly hiccoughing, binky in his mouth, and a LARGE goose-egg on his little forehead. Apparently he had spied a large bowl of popcorn on the floor and decided to dive for it. Mia isn't a very good internet babysitter.

I haven't shared a picture of my little boyfriend in a while. I love this picture. I don't love so much how fast he is growing up without me, but then again this post is about things I love, not things I don't love. I'll save that for another post. :)

I love taking trips with my husband and we are planning a trip very soon to Boston to attend our daughter Tara's graduation from Grad School. She is the first of our daughters to achieve this honor and she has worked hard for it. I am so proud that she has finally accomplished this dream she has held in her heart. And she did it all on her how with no financial help from her parents. Way to go Tara!

I love having my youngest daughter Jess home for the summer. It won't be long before she will be moving back into the dorm again. I will miss her.

I love that my decluttering project is finished! We had a huge yard sale last weekend and did pretty good. Every drawer, cupboard, and closet in my house has been cleaned. It feels so good! We have been taking Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class in Sunday School this summer and we are putting our earnings into our $1000 emergency fund. Yay us!

I love my new blog template and I love blogging. I know that people seem to be slowing down in the blogging world, some say it's because of Facebook. I think it's because people are enjoying their summer days - as they should be. I myself have struggled a bit to stay in the blogging groove. Sometimes life gets in the way and I find myself struggling to stay on top of things. But sometimes we just need to be nice to ourselves and learn when not to feel pressured. I have found that to be truth for me - my 50th year of life hasn't been all that kind to me. I have been forced to deal with some difficult issues that I would never, ever have chosen to deal with. So I am learning to be nice to myself. And not making myself feel bad if I haven't posted something in a while is one of the ways I'm doing that. But I love knowing my blog is here, waiting for me, waiting for new words, new thoughts, new ideas.

Wow - I didn't realize this post would be so long. Thanks for hearing me out. What about you? What things are you loving right now?

11 comments:

Unknown said...

A lot of wonderful things to love. And I LOVE that you posted. It is good to hear your voice and see some pictures. Especially that sweet, handsome, young grandboy.

I hope you'll have to time to play in Boston. Take that husband to a Red Sox game maybe? And see if the Boston Pops are in town. Those are two sides of a cultural thrill that we enjoyed when we went to Boston. And their public transportation is GRRRRREAT!! Have fun!!

Karen said...

I love this post! There are so many things to celebrate, aren't there? Your new blog design is so pretty, too.

I loved being on vacation with two of my three kids (wish it had been all of them). It was so nice to get away from chores and our same ol' routine, and just enjoy one another. I guess I love vacations.

And, having said that, I love coming home again.

I've noticed less activity on blogger, too. I'm not into Facebook much, or Twittering at all. I hope blogs don't go out of style!

Dawn said...

I am loving this list - it's good to look at the positive, isn't it?

Skype must seem really real, since Michelle left you "in charge" of Tyler. Too cute.

I loved that Twenty Wishes book - I finally have Summer on Blossom Street from the library.

I hope Brad is doing okay.

Dawn said...

PS - when are you going to Boston? I hope to get out East to visit Kev in the fall.

I had such a nice visit with Colleen Skinner today. I was telling her about you and your struggle with being a missionary mom/grandma (she was telling us how they go to go to the Philippines when they were first assigned, and it was her home her whole life, so she got to take her new baby to her parents instead of away from them). Anyway, she said she and your husband were "mailbox mates" in college. Too funny.

Dawn said...

BTW - that sweater is gorgeous! Can't wait to see a picture of it when you finish.

I had a good chuckle this morning, thinking of how life could have been so different if Chuck hadn't thought Colleen was married! And of the web of relationships that we have talked of before because of our church connections. What a blessing!

Our assembly is always in July, but was a week later than usual because of GA. We had to pass a bunch of the resolutions that were made a GA - Dr. Cunningham was joking that he kept hoping they wouldn't arrive before he left for Colorado so we wouldn't have to deal with them till next year, and he wouldn't have to at all. He's so funny.

gail@more than a song said...

I love the birds on your template! You've got some fun things to love and what a cutie pie boy...internet babysitting, too funny. I love crystal light but try to steer clear of it b/c of the aspartame. I'm reading some of Macomber's Cedar Cove series of books and enjoy them.
You can come declutter my stuff anytime!

What am I loving now? coconut lime verbena hand soap from bath and body; a few cooler (80's) days we've had here; early church on sundays and seems like there was something else but it's escaped me!
Love seeing your post!

Glenda said...

You express yourself with such ease, and your blogs just seem to flow straight from your heart! Love your stories and your pics!!

Anonymous said...

Robin, I LOVED this post with such thorough thinking about all the things around you that bring a smile of contentment. I can tell you're going to enjoy your summer :-)

Ernie said...

Here's a tutorial for fabric baby/toddler slippers you might like. They are very cute!

http://sewchristine.blogspot.com/2009/07/baby-and-toddler-fabric-slippers.html

Aunt Angie said...

Robin! I had you on my mind...weird huh! Especially since I had my blog re-done and have not been able to find my friends...(they disappeared on my side bar)...I have read down and caught up with your...can I just spell it "B-U-S-Y" LIFE!

Wow! Those babies are so precious! The naked bare guinnea pigs...not so much precious. Eww. I said it when I saw it and laughed... you warned me.

I sure miss you and just had to HUNT you up!

Hope your summer continues along in grand fashion! Ours is busy!

Be blessed sweet friend!

Girl Raised in the South said...

Well, I loved this post! Very sweet and gentle and softly flowing. We started Dave Ramsey about 7 years ago and it made all the difference in the world, going through those college years. Wish we'd started 10 before but as he says, 'the best time to plant an oak tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is today". Very encouraging and has stuck with me. I also love that you have easy and difficult knitting on needles - what a great idea! I'll remember that too.