Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.  -Larry Lorenzoni

Today we are celebrating my youngest sons birthday. Still cannot believe that Matthew is 19. The years have flown by much too quickly. I was blessed to give birth to this young man, and so thankful to be his momma. Matthew is a gentle, old soul. 19 years ago as I held him for the first time he melted my heart and took my breathe away and 19 years later that feeling still continues…

I love you Matthew.

-Jenny

For a number of years now Keith and I attempt a day trip together once a week…also called our ‘date day’. During nursing school our work schedules competed against us and for the last 6 months my exhaustion has gotten in the way. Our day trip/date day is usually exploring a piece of our world around us, a picnic, and sometimes its as simple as a trip to an antique store or borders together. But, we really try to have the time focused on us, together, and not costing much money.

Yesterday morning when I got home from work Keith asked if I wanted to go yardsaling…off we went, and we had a blast together [as always]. Here are the goodies I picked up.

The GOodies: A small Christmas pillow for the couch, A porcelain angel tree topper, brand new with a $15.95 gift shoppe sticker on it, Christmas coffee cup with hot chocolate and a whisk, brand new, Snowman from a local gift shoppe, 2 small Christmas stockings [great for gift cards!!], a candle for the bathroom, a little picture holder, and the pink flowers are actually a candle ring that I will add in to the bathroom when I switch over to my pink theme. [I also picked up 3 soft cover books that I forgot to add to this photo].

Cost = $1.50.

Audiobook on DVD [I cannot get enough of these!! sure does kill time/boredom when you have a 3 hour drive to/from work each day], Willowtree figurine, Letter box and 2 plastic popcorn containers [another gift idea for gift cards].

Cost = $5.50.

This afternoon we took a hike and had a picnic lunch, here’s a few pictures…

I am blessed…I hope your weekend has been as beautiful and relaxing as mine.

xO-Jenny

Never fails. Stress, and exhaustion intensifies the sadness I feel of my [almost] empty nest. The miles between my daughter and I is a constant lump in my throat and absolute sadness. I miss my children. My babies. And would do anything to go back in time…

Grown don’t mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown. In my heart it don’t mean a thing.- Toni Morrison

Love your babies…

xO-Jenny

Like each of you can probably relate to, sometimes my life feels like it is out of control. 101 things to do, and than add in work, and good grief there just isn’t enough hours sometimes. As my life gets busy, sometimes days…and weeks, will go by before I am able to take the time to enjoy everything around me…then suddenly something as little as this will catch my eye, and it reminds me how blessed I am…

xO-Jenny

…a low key day here for Father’s Day. I asked Keith if he wanted to do anything special, and even offered to take him to Borders, and he said he had no special plans and had already visited Borders last week, and Amazon.com last night, so we packed a picnic lunch and ended up going to the beach…

I don’t care how poor a man is; if he has family, he’s rich. - M*A*S*H, Colonel Potter

I am blessed…and I am thankful for the little moments like these to remind me…

xO-Jenny

For a long time Keith and I always had a “Date Day”, which was usually Tuesdays. No specific plans…just a day of enjoying each others company, sometimes a hike, sometimes just running errands.

Today, we were able to have our first Date-Day in a very long time it seems. I had a couple of errands that I wanted to run, so in between a trip to the mall to visit Victoria’s Secret, Target, and Borders, then walked the trails at Cascade Park. Oliver of course had a great time at Cascade Park. A trip to the U Maine Museum of Art, then lunch.

A beautiful day and I cannot wait until our next Date-Day, next week.

Here’s a few random pictures:

Tonight starts a new 2-week round at work. Sunday morning I finished with 100 hours. Amazing how it feels like a 1,000 hours!! I am getting old, I think! Working 7p-7a tonight, so for here I am going to run along so I can iron my scrubs and get ready to head out the door. Talk to you later. Here’s to a beautiful week ahead of us.

xO-Jenny