Happy Birthday to Mom

She would've been 87 today. That photo was taken just a few months after she left Texas to come live with me and Daniel in Michigan. She is sitting on our front patio, enjoying one of her favorite things to do.

And look at that smile.

She was so happy, here with us, even though leaving the house my father built for her, the home that was infused with so many of her happy memories, was hard for her.

But that's one of the things I inherited from her--strength to do the hard things that need to be done.

I'm so lucky to be her daughter. I miss her so much.

On her birthday, I like to get some kind of treat in her memory as a celebration. Usually, it's coffee, like this mocha from Starbucks that I got on the way to finish cleaning the apartment that used to be home.

Losing my Little Mommy still hurts. I suppose it always will, but I want to also make room for the joy of knowing her, the happy memories I have of her, and all the ways that she taught me to be a strong and good woman.

Thursday 3 - July 11

Thursday 3 is such a great way to document your life in a few minutes a week. Snap a selfie and post it somewhere online, listing 3 things about your right now life. (Find out all the juicy details at my friend Kristin's blog right here.) I don't usually tag people, but anyone reading this is highly encouraged to participate.

Ready?

Here we go!

1. Yesterday was our official moving day, and all the furniture Daniel and I couldn't possibly move ourselves, along with some we technically could, got moved into our new home. The Keurig was our number one priority, so we could have coffee this morning, and our bedroom and living room were the next things to be set up. Today, the nice gentleman from AT&T set us up for cable and interent, and after sleeping here one night, it's already starting to feel more like home.

2. That being said, there is a lot still to do, including moving the rest of our things from the apartment to the house, which would've been done before yesterday if it hadn't been for my shoulder getting hurt. (I'm trying to handle it with grace and acceptance, but I have to admit I'm a little pissed off at the inconvenient and unfortunate timing.) Of course, we have to unpack, arrange things, and generally finish moving in, and that's going to take some time. I also have to clean the apartment to wrap up our adventure of living there.

3. I joined Audible. I've written before about the trouble I have reading since I started wearing progressive lenses, and a friend of mine wanted to share a book with me, suggesting that I sign up for Audible, so I could listen to it, intstead. In fact, she bought me a 3-month gift membership! Isn't that sweet? I started listening to my first book, and I love it already. I'll admit that listening isn't the same as reading, but it's better than not being able to enjoy the book at all, and I'm an old hat at listening to content because of all the podcasts I enjoy.

Pick of the Week - July 3

Things around the blog promise to be a little sparse and scattered until we get this move done, but while I have a few minutes, I thought I'd share a pick of the week, and this one is two-fold.

First part of my pick...those Thickers! (pictured here with die cuts by Shimelle)

I love the font, and I love that color. I can hardly wait to use them. I'm thinking they might go really well with the beachy theme of my second wedding, as well as a dozen other projects.

And these were cheap, a little less than half the regular price, which brings me to the second part of my pick--Tuesday Morning. If there's one nearby, check it out. I admit, it can be hit-or-miss, and it's a good idea to ask the employees when the crafty supplies arrive each week, but I have found so much paper-crafting goodness at all three of my local Tuesday Morning stores.

I didn't even know the store carried stuff I might want until I heard about it a few years ago on a scrapbooking podcast, so that's why I'm sharing it today.

If you do go and find good stuff, leave me a comment and let me know all about it!

Favorite Photos - June 2019

First up, the birthday present from my husband, a Royal typewriter, and it's PURPLE! I've wanted a typewriter for a long, long time, and I'm over-the-moon excited to put this beauty to work on journaling for my paper-crafting projects.

We went on an excursion to a mall we usually only visit at holiday time, and this was the view looking up from the food court where we enjoyed a bit of lunch.

Most Mondays, I can be found at the Moonwinks Cafe in Dixboro, not far from Daniel's work, and this is the front of the cafe, roses beginning to bloom.

Happy Birthday to LaLa! Me...at 51.

Walking around the Domino's Farms building while waiting for Daniel, I came across these delicious purple flowers, basking in the sunshine.

A quick snapshot after birthday lunch at one of my favorite spots.

And for birthday dinner, we walked up to Outback Steakhouse. Spending time with him is the greatest gift of all. Every day.

And speaking of gifts, we took this selfie right outside the front door of the house we bought in May on the day we finally got the keys. Our search for a house was a long, very difficult one, and those smiles reflect how happy we were, how lucky we felt, to see that particular journey end.

An actual sign at the Target nearest our new home: people...seriously. My eyes just about rolled out of my head when I saw this, and I simply had to take a picture.

My sweetheart made us breakie. It was yummy!

For me, the best part of summer is the flowers. So many different kinds and colors, all over the place, bringing smiles to my face.

My temporary workstation at our house, where I sat while the carpets upstairs were being cleaned. It's already starting to feel more like home.