it's "someday"...

Throughout all of The Hubby and I's parenting years, we have always looked ahead and talked about what life would be like on certain "somedays". You know what I mean. "Someday, this 6 year old will be a teenager, can you even believe it?" or "Someday, we won't have to change diapers anymore!" or 'Someday, the older kids will drive and can take the younger kids and go for little outings together."

One particular someday we have always talked about was the someday that our last child would go into kindergarten. For the last 20 years, I have always had at least 1 child home with me during the day. There were days in these last 20 years that the idea that they would ever NOT be with me seemed a forever away. In the thick of raising all these little people, I couldn't even picture a time when I might have an empty house on a regular basis.

Well, you know what I am going to say. It's here. This past week, The Hubby and I got to experience the bitter sweetness of that little goodbye...goodbye to the toddler years, that we have loved so very much. Goodbye to knowing that even though the bigger kids were gone and we were missing them, we still had a little one to cuddle at home. Goodbye to the little boy, and hello to the big kindergartner!

Hello, Someday. You got here so much faster than I ever thought you would.

small and simple reminders...

I think it's really important to create an atmosphere in our homes that reflects and reminds us of what we believe and what is important to us. I have tried to have items around our home that serve as visual reminders of what matters to me, and to my family.

So, now and then on my blog I am going to share a small and simple thing I have done in my home as a reminder, and maybe it will encourage you to find a way do the same.

This is in a corner of the window seat in our front room, a room I probably pass through 30 times a day. The sign is an old metal gas station pricing sign, and the quote is one of my recent favorites. The 2 of them together remind me of this: I never would have thought in a million years that having 7 children and all that entails would be the path my life would take...but I love it so much. So the number and the quote remind me that even though life will surely continue to have its twists and turns and complications, and it may not happen the way I pictured it would, so far those twists and turns have been pretty amazing and most of all--better than anything I could have come up with on my own.

quote of the week...

"If I keep more of what I have than what I need, then I have taken something that isn't mine."

--Hugh Nibley

why do I have a smile on my face?

Because I spent the week here...

hanging out with these wonderful people!!

I love each one of them SO much. Thanks for a FANTASTIC experience this year, girls!

quote of the week...

"That which we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: 'tis dearness only that gives everything its value."

--Thomas Paine

i've got the blues...

I've been re-thinking my house lately. Up until now, I have pretty much had a simple color palette--red, cream, and black...with a little soft yellow thrown in. My walls are a neutral, creamy tan. I love it, and still do. But then this little pretty came along...

I bought this a while back, and the blue color has really grown on me.

But it was lonely, being the only blue thing in my house.

So sad. Until...

...this little guy, who know keeps the pretty window company in my kitchen/family room area. I like how the two of them together make a lot more sense. And they are a lovely contrast to all the deep reds and blacks. It makes the whole feel more light and clean. Loving this as much as I did, I figured, why not try some more?

I found these in the dollar (!!) section at Target, added the number rub-ons because I am a tad obsessed with numbers right now, and they now hold toys under a bench in the front room.

Then, my talented daughter was kind enough to paint a little beauty for me that had the blue in it...which I gave a place of importance on our bookshelves.

Now that the blue is here, it's like it always belonged.

What color might be missing from your house?

quote of the week...

"It's difficult to think anything other than pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato."

--Lewis Grizzard

kimi & matt...

I had a crazy busy and fun weekend away. Thank you for including me.

I wish both of you a life full of wonderful.