Thankful Tuesday

1. We had a fabulous time with Aunt Janet last week. I am so thankful for her gracious, generous hospitality, the wonderful weather we had most of the time, and for safety in traveling there and back. On our first day I was reminded of how quick drivers are to using their horns in NYC and how much more aggressive you have to be as a driver there. Thankful we came back unscathed.

2. I wasn't picked to serve on the jury yesterday!

3. Paul's parents helped take care of the kids yesterday while I was at the courthouse. They also bought the pass for Bloom Bounce for the boys for the week. So thankful!


4. Paul finished assembling our elliptical on Sunday night. It's the second piece of exercise equipment I've purchased in my life. I bought something else 21 years ago. I didn't have time to try it out on Sunday due to working on the 111 page photo book, but I gave it a whirl last night while the kids were at VBS. I am very, very out of shape. I'll have to gradually work myself up to a longer workout. I just did 15 minutes last night. I am determined to lose weight and get in better shape! The cost of the machine is also very motivational. I got it so I could exercise while I am with the kids and Paul is at work, so I found it ironic that I was using it last night while the kids were at VBS. I actually greatly prefer getting my exercise in the great outdoors. I am going to need to find a way to listen to something while exercising to help it not feel so boring. It's also going to motivate me to organize the basement more if I'm going to be spending time down there on a regular basis (which hasn't been true for the past almost 9 years that we've lived here).

5. Yesterday when I got to the mall, I shopped a little while at JCP as the stores near us are closing on July 31. Everything is marked down at least 70%. I bought myself two dresses! I have sometimes gone years without buying myself a dress. In the past 21 years I have never bought 3 dresses in one year, but that's what I've done over the past few weeks due to JCP going out of business. In the past 10 years I only bought myself two dresses total. Most of the time I wear a skirt to church. I usually hate trying things on at a store, but I have to say I found two that I love and one of those that I bought yesterday I'm going to wear at my Dad's wedding. I really, really like it! Although I want to lose weight, it was such a good feeling to look in the mirror when I had that dress on and feel pretty. It was SO nice to be able to shop without the kids. That is a rarity!

6. The kids are having a great time at VBS this week, and I'm very thankful Oliver has been excited about going. I just never know how he's going to act when it comes to separating from me. Just last night he had a total tantrum over the fact Paul was helping him brush his teeth and get his pajamas on (because I was busy cleaning out the guinea pig cage). He is absolutely a Momma's boy these days!!!

7. There are blueberries on our blueberry bushes! I think most of our strawberry plants are dead. The tomato plants our neighbor gave us have gotten HUGE though. I think we'll be having cherry tomatoes this summer from our own

backyard! I still have zero desire though to become a gardener.

8. New life is so special. To be honest I am not keen on having a second robin build a nest and lay eggs in the wreath on our front door (first in April and now again in July), but it is fun to see the baby birds. Momma robin makes it VERY hard for me to take a picture though. She is very protective!

9. Nadia is really enjoying her Junior Actors class this week. She said she wants to do it again next year. I'm hoping it will help her have more success the next time she has an audition for a play.

10. Nadia and Ian are both enjoying the Maker Camp at the Children's Museum this week. Ian said he liked it as much as the painting and drawing camp a few weeks ago. Nadia surprised me by saying she likes it even more, which is saying a lot because she liked the art class! Today we brought home the art work from the painting drawing class. Nadia did her self portrait as a nurse, and Ian did his as a zookeeper, although lately he's been saying he wants to be an inventor when he grows up. He does love animals! The hot air balloons were made by papier mache.

11. The boys are enjoying playing on the inflatables during Nadia's drama class. The bounce place is right across the hall from the theater classroom in the mall. I appreciate the free WiFi. Since we go straight from the mall to VBS, I am grateful for gift cards to use for dinner for places like Subway, Wendy's, and Papa John's.

12. I enjoyed teaching the Bible lesson to grades K-2 and 3-5 on Sunday. We discussed the crossing of the Red Sea, and I found myself emphasizing the sovereignty of God, which we had recently been discussing in my Tuesday night Bible study.

P.S. We didn't purchase any of the pictures shown above (taken at church for the directory), which is why there are watermarks on them