Love to help a friend in need

Giving is getting in such a real way. There isn't much that feels as good as helping someone out when they can use it.

My good friend had surgery last week and is finally back home from the hospital and we are glad she is home and recovering. Her two kids are coming home from her sister's house today and she is going to be recovering for a while from this first leg of surgery before she heads back to Houston for the next step which will be daily radiation treatments for 6 weeks. What a trooper!

Tonight we are having she, her husband and their kiddos over for dinner rather than bringing it over and them having to clean up afterward...they just come to our house, eat, let the kids burn off some energy playing with Bug and then they head home with full bellies and wiped out children. Hopefully, it gives them one less thing to worry about today and a good night relaxing together after the kids fall into bed and go to sleep.

I LOVE to do a little something that can make life a little easier for someone who is a great inspiration.

Sometimes the universe kicks you when you're down...

Sometimes the universe kicks you when you're down and it's awesome when you kick it right back in the groin!

Today I LOVE all the cleaning I was able to accomplish. I planned to do Bug's laundry and get the kitchen cleaned in prep for the poker party we are hosting on Friday night. That's when the universe took its best shot at me. I had a load of my wash in the washer and one in the dryer that needed to be fluffed and folded from last night after Bug went to bed. As I went in to wake him this morning, he let me know that he was wet and the whole bed was wet, too.

That meant, I got to strip the sheets, pillowcases, duvet and duvet cover and do ALL that laundry as well...and have it washed, dried and replaced on his bed in time for nap today. It was a time crunch getting all the loads washed and dried and getting the bed made and duvet back on the bed but it worked out. And the momentum of all that hurrying allowed me to get in a groove and wash Bug's laundry and the remaining things for "Baby Brudda" that needed to be washed. Four loads washed/dried/folded today plus the two from last night that needed to be finished made 6 loads total completed today!!!

I kept up the work and got all the countertops and the range cleaned. Plus, I dusted and cleaned the kitchen table and all the chairs. Then I vaccumed all the floors downstairs.

Ahhhhh, I LOVE a clean area. And it makes it all the better to have given the universe a body blow in the process.

A sane husband makes all the difference in the world

Big is traveling right now. Traveling in Laredo. Laredo isn't the safest place on earth to be. It's one of the border cities in Texas where Americans who get too close to the border or dare to cross it can wind up disappearing.

To be embarassingly honest, I didn't even realize where Laredo was until I caught a glimpse of it on a map today. The second I saw it...I picked up the cell phone and called Big in the middle of his work day. Thankfully, he answered rather than letting me go to voicemail. It's always a crap shoot with his work schedule whether or not he can answer in the day. I immediately let him know that we would prefer he be as safe as possible and be cautious in everything he did today. He didn't brush my panic off but went ahead and reassured me.

Tonight when I spoke with him, he told me how the sales rep he was training/coaching today told him the exact same thing I did. That he needed to steer as far from the border as possible to avoid anything crazy happening. Big isn't a fool and he is watching his step down there and keeping himself safe. Thank goodness, I didn't marry an idiotic 'hero" type who feels like he needs to prove something in situations that are precarious. He's a sane man...and he wants to come home happily and safely from this trip and every subsequent trip to Laredo. Thank goodness for him...he's what I love about today.

Snuggle time

I LOVE snuggle time. Bug has a fairly new habit of squeezing into my recliner with me and watching 'Caillou' together before he and Big head upstairs for bath time. What just caught me off guard and made this the best snuggle time ever...

Bug shouted (very puzzled) "WHAT WAS THAT!?!"

That was 'baby brudda' giving him a swift kick b/c he is snuggled in so tightly beside me. Before I could even say anything, he looked up and said, "Oh! That was baby brudda kicking me, huh?!"

Big smiles all around!

Pure and Simple

I LOVE my boys...all 2.5 of them.

That truly sums up today.

Chicken Spaghetti, salad and garlic bread

I LOVE trying new recipes that are a smashing success!

Today we tried a chicken spaghetti recipe from a cookbook I recently bought. It was a little labor intensive (but only b/c I pulled apart the rotisserie chicken for it today instead of using another pre-cooked chicken) but sooooo well worth the effort. It would have otherwise been simple AND heavenly. We also whipped up a hearts of romaine caesar salad with kalamata olives, feta, grape tomatoes and shredded carrots. Big sliced a fresh french bread loaf and made parmesan garlic bread which was like the icing on the meal!

Evidently, Bug was still full from his after nap snack of popcorn and blueberry nutri-grain bar...he didn't eat but a bite or two. Oh, well...he'll live. And he'll get a second chance at glory b/c we'll be having leftovers!!!

Baby steps for the baby

Sure, I am paying for it now but I LOVE that I got almost all the baby stuff cleaned and put back together for Tiny Baby's arrival. My back isn't happy with me but the progress is divine.

We have cleaned and put fresh batteries in both baby papasan chairs and the baby papasan swing. The Sesame Street exersaucer/detachable walker is sanitized and all that is left to clean is the Baby Einstein bouncer which is going to take a good bit of energy and I need to remove and wash the seat cushions for the exersaucer and bouncer. Yes, I realize that he won't be using either of those anytime soon but they will be clean and ready to go in our guest room for the day he's in prime jumping and sitting mode.

For some silly reason...well, I suppose it isn't silly seeing as we would have had to keep all this stuff in our guest bedroom...we stored all these baby items in our attic. The attic stays at ridiculously hot temps all summer and remains rather warm even in winter. There is insulation everywhere up there and it is just plain dusty. Oh, how I wish we'd had a nice empty room in our house that isn't subject to the ills of the attic to have stored all this stuff.

In any case, I am loving the progress...now, I will retire to my recliner and lounge like a log for the rest of the evening and celebrate my personal victory against the grime.