Its a Good Morning

I have a unhealthy habit of driving around with my gas light on in my Jeep. My husband does this too, and he does it much more that I do. I'd like to say that I got this behaviour from him, but the truth is that I like to push my limits, I always have. I like to see how far I can go before I hit Empty. Can I make it to the gas station on time, saving myself from being left stranding along the side a road somewhere?

When my laptop battery starts to die and the warning starts to flash in the bottom right hand corner of my screen I don't rush either. It just means that I have 25 minutes of power left, more than enough time to finish up whatever it is that I'm doing. I'm usually quite comfortable in my chair, nestled up in the living room, under a blanket and reclined, that to get up and plug in the computer seems unnecessary.

But when that screen goes black? I slam in the recliner, throw off the blanket and jump right up, find the plug and get back to business. I’ll do anything to restore life to this little whirring, writing machine. Only when the laptop is completely out of its own resources will I turn to the power source.


I get up early, or rather should I say that my kids get me up early. My day usually starts with the sun just beginning to rise and the sound of the coffee maker running at full speed to bring me my daily fuel. Mike is long gone before we wake up, already off and an hour and a half into his day at work meanwhile I stumble around, still exhausted, to gather all of Brayden's things for school. Then the school bus comes, the coffee has been and still is being consumed, and Gage is busy pushing around trains and watching cartoons. The house is quiet and I am at peace, the morning and I.

I've, slowly, learned to love the mornings around here. The quiet of the country has taken its affect on me as I sit back and listen to the birds sing when the sun rises. I'm beginning to finally see the beauty that each new day brings, after the yawns pass and the coffee is drank I feel rejuvenated.

Some days at 2 in the afternoon I'm wiped out. I spent the day cleaning and running around and finally my screen goes black. Some days Brayden and Gage yell, fight, and argue and my internal gas warning light comes on, a warning that the not-so-nice mommy is about to show up. And my need for rejuvenation and quiet perspective suddenly becomes urgent.

Everyday I come to the end of my own resources. There are days when I have a few shining moments as a patient and understanding mother or a thoughtful and willing friend. But there are also days when I trip over my own life clutter and can’t quite stand up straight.

And then I see how blessed I am to wake up to those smiling faces, how blessed I am to lay asleep beside the love of my life, how blessed I am to enjoy another day, even if it is a crazy one.

And I greet the morning with love.

10 Things

The goal is to list 10 things that you are thankful for. The first 10 things that you can think of at that moment, plucked straight from the top of your head.

1. Asking Brayden how his day was after he gets home from school
2. Hanging laundry outside on the line
3. Waking up to my husband cooking breakfast
4. Taking afternoon walks across the bridges with Gage
5. Sitting in Mikes "man chair" when he's not home
6. Gage telling me he "Lubs" me
7. The crisp cool return of fall that's coming soon
8. Hanging pictures and turning a house into a home
9. Singing praise music in the car with my family
10. Listening to the birds singing outside of my windows

It's Getting There

Attempting to get settled into a new house is hard. Particularly when you're living there and having to keep up with the normal daily routine of working, laundry, dishes, and child loving.

I'd say at this point about 60% of our stuff is out of boxes, which is a huge acheivement.
We're getting there ♥

Here's a back view of the new house and a picture of part of the land we have now.

School Days

Its official, as of 8:08 yesterday morning when he stepped on to the the big yellow school bus, my baby, Brayden, was officially a first grader.

A new school
A new schedule
A new teacher
Making new friends

If we were still living at our old house and Brayden was going to the same school, the one I and all of my brothers went/go to, I wouldn't be such an emotional basket case (or at least not quite as bad of one). But everything is so new here. Brayden has to adjust to having a full day schedule at school now since he's coming from a half day Kindergarten program, where as these kids in this new school are already adapted to a full days worth of learning and being away from home. I'm 99.9% percent sure that I'm having one of those neurotic mom moments right now, and that at 3:15 all of my fears will be without merit, but for now I'm missing my baby.


PS: It really irks me that Blogger keeps insisting that Brayden's name is a misspelled word!

Wordless Wednesday

Home Sweet Home

Its been a pretty slow process, but we are officially moved into our new house and about 75% unpacked.

I'm stressed and I don't know where anything is, but I'm home.

The boys have really taken to all of the new room they have here, both inside the house and out. We have our own creek and pond and lots and lots of land for Brayden and Gage to run around on. Brayden officially has his first day of school tomorrow, at a new school where he's going for an entire day compared to the half day Kindergarten that he was in last year. He's carefree and relaxed about it, meanwhile I'm a wreck. But if you know me, then you know that's pretty typical.

And I promise, as soon as I unbury my craft supplies the Oh Mandie shop will be back up and running as well.

Here are a couple of pictures of the front of the house for your viewing pleasure.

10 Things

The goal is to list 10 things that you are thankful for. The first 10 things that you can think of at that moment, plucked straight from the top of your head.

1. Fresh, hot coffee in the morning
2. Gage climbing in to bed with me in the mornings
3. Spending the day in the sunshine with my family
4. Much needed afternoon naps
5. Brayden singing at Church
6. Days off from work with no agendas
7. Late night bacon sandwiches
8. My Kitchen Aid stand mixer
9. Declaring my love of Christ with my husband through baptism
10. Not unpacking when I really should be unpacking

Getting Settled

I'm still here, I promise!

Its been a whirlwind of a week getting everyone into our new house and beginning the unpacking process! But we're here and after a week on total unconection, we finally have the internet and cable set up (you know, the essentials!)

Pictures to come very soon

Hope all is well out here in blog land!

xoxo,

Wordless Wednesday

An Evening with CKY

Mike and I went to a concert with some very good, very awesome friends of our over the weekend out in Pittsburgh.

First off, if you don't know who CKY is, then you need to go and find out RIGHT NOW

But anyways here is a totally awesome evening with CKY

And here is my friend Kelly and I, totally starstruck, with the amazing Matt Deis, CKY bassist.

10 Things

The goal is to list 10 things that you are thankful for. The first 10 things that you can think of at that moment, plucked straight from the top of your head.

1. Stealing a few moments away with my husband for some sweetness
2. Brayden and Gage running around our now empty house
3. Great music
4. Afternoon naps
5. Gage saying he "Lubs" (that's love in 2 year old) me
6. Yankee Candles
7. Big Brayden Hugs
8. Energy Vitamin Water
9. Spending days off from work with my family
10. Not packing when I really should be packing

Mike the RED

THE END

Wordless Wednesday

The Wild Life

As I work more and more it gets harder and harder to prioritize. Its small moments like these, when I'm able to do something extra special for my boys, like take them on a day adventure to the Pittsburgh Zoo, that I remember where my heart lies.

10 Things

The goal is to list 10 things that you are thankful for. The first 10 things that you can think of at that moment, plucked straight from the top of your head.

1. Taking a nap in the sunshine
2. Singing my praises at Church
3. Gage telling the story of the 3 Little Pigs
4. Curling up on the couch watching a good movie
5. Braydens excitement over sandals that light up
6. The end of a long day at work
7. Ice cream on a hot day
8. Long drives with no destination or purpose
9. Coffee!
10. Finding a few small moments to myself