when i say good-bye

i say good-bye

after joyful times

a family get together

dinner out on the town

a celebration amongst friends

hugs

kisses

till i see you again

*

good-bye

*

i said good-bye

not by choice

i wonder if you knew

our last good-bye

would be our last good-bye

tears in my eyes

a broken heart

*

good-bye

*

i say good-bye

once more

a peaceful wish

knowing the end is near

tears i’ve swallowed

smiles i’ve faked

as each good-bye

brings a heavy heart

*

when i say good-bye,

in good spirits

or

despairing times

a good-bye

is a good-bye

~~~~~

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A Treasured Heirloom

There is nothing more special, more meaningful than a family heirloom. A treasure, a treasure from the heart, that’s passed down through the generations.

At our house we have a room that contains these special heirlooms. We call it the antique room or the doll house room. I love this room not only for it’s uniqueness, but for the stories that it holds, the stories that it tells. Believe it or not, even the plants have a story! Yesterday, I wrote about one of those stories and you can read about it here.

My daughter’s doll house is in this room. I would say that Maddie’s doll house is majestic. It has impressive beauty. There’s the tall columns on the front porch and the finishing touches give it that stately appearance.

Inside there are nine rooms. They have wallpaper, baseboard, chair railing, crown molding, and carpet. There’s even electricity!

And once again, Maddie’s doll house has stories to tell. For me one of the most special aspects is that her doll house was made by my mother-in-law long before Maddie was born. My mother-in-law added a special detail so that this part of the story would never be forgotten.

While Maddie’s doll house hasn’t traveled as far as mine or been stuck in an attic, it has been through a few “storms”. Those storms would be those little fingers of fellow cousins who just couldn’t resist touching, coloring on the walls, and, well, breaking the furniture. When Maddie would visit Nana and see the destruction, it literally broke her heart! Maddie loved going to Nana’s and playing with the doll house. Fortunately, Nana knew how much Maddie loved the house and she restored it in 2004. That’s also the same time it took residence in the “doll house” room at our house.

bathroom

kitchen

music room

bedroom

Today the doll house is quiet. Little fingers rarely visit it, but when they do, you can see and feel the excitement. This doll house has more stories yet to tell, and I while I’m doubtful it will always reside in my house, I can’t wait to see what stories we will write together in the future.

~~~~~

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This Old (Doll) House

We have a room in our house. A special room. A room we refer to as the antique room. What makes it so special is every piece of furniture in the room has a story, a family story from long ago. I love to read in this room in the afternoon. The brilliant sunlight warms my soul as I escape away to somewhere else.

But this room, this special room I speak about, also has another name.

The doll house room.

The doll house room houses two doll houses that are near and dear to my heart. One is mine and one is my daughter’s. You can read about it here.

My Doll House

My doll house was actually my grandmother’s doll house. It was hers when she was a little girl. My grandmother will turn 90 this year and the doll house, well, she estimates that the doll house is about 80 years old!

She says she doesn’t remember much about it, but she did have a few memories to share. It was hand-made in the late 1930s, early 1940s. My grandmother believes she was around 10 years old when she received it as a Christmas gift. She remembers going to the doll house maker’s to pick up the doll house and she remembers her mother was with her. This seemed to be a powerful memory because her mother died shortly there after. She wonders how much the doll house cost because she said they were so poor.

One memory that made her smile was that she remembers her cat, Tiger Tom, lying on the side porch and crawling through the rooms of the doll house. She speculates that after she married, the doll house traveled with her, my grandfather, and my mother as they moved up and down the east coast.  It’s been to Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York City, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. My mother, on the other hand, does not remember the doll house traveling with them. She believes that perhaps the doll house stayed in the attic of my great-grandmother’s house.

side porch

As a child I remember sitting and playing with it for hours. I would rearrange the furniture again and again. Today the doll house is a magnet for little fingers that seems to be pulled toward it. Little ones can’t resist opening and closing the doors and moving the furniture.

back view

inside

It’s one my bucket list to someday renovate this old (doll) house. But for now, this old (doll) house sits in my house, the antique room, the doll house room.

~~~~~

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What Worked for Me in 2016

It’s that time of the year when reflections are in full swing! I’m usually reading reflections of others, but this year I decided to write and share my own. So, here they are.

• Journaling & Blogging: I ordered an Erin Condren journal at the end of 2015. I really didn’t have high aspirations for it when I purchased it. I just knew I wanted one. As I moved through 2016, I started to dabble in writing morning pages. Once I saw how rewarding my journaling was, I decided to challenge myself and fill the entire journal. While finding time to journal can be difficult and perhaps a deterrent at times, I always enjoy going back and rereading what I wrote. I even branched out and added some cute little doodles here and there in the journal. I’ve found it is a great way to capture those magical moments and celebrate all that is marvelous in my life. Likewise, blogging has worked for me in 2016. Not only do I enjoy reading the blog posts of others, but I have enjoyed sharing “slices of my life” right here on my blog.

Erin Condren Journal

• Essential Oils: Yes, I love them! I was originally introduced to them by a dear friend who is no longer with me. He would always be telling me which ones I needed for this or which ones I need for that. I’ve since expanded my collection to include a diffuser and a wider variety of essential oils. I love to use them at night for a peaceful rest or if I feel a cold is lurking inside of me. I also enjoy using my diffuser in the bathroom. It gives it a “spa-like” feel and well, makes me feel special!

My diffuser and doTerra essential oils

 

• Volunteering at the SPCA: In 2016 I spent more time volunteering in the Small Animal Room (SAR) at the SPCA. The SAR houses mostly Guinea pigs & rabbits. My work in the SAR pretty much consists of cleaning the poop out of the cages and feeding the animals. And while this may seem minuscule, it means a world of difference to the animals who have traveled a challenging road in their short life. I’ve also had the opportunity to volunteer for the Meet & Greet adoptions sessions at our local PetSmart. But the most rewarding part…the kisses and loves I get to give to these precious animals!

SPCA

• Instagram: This is my new social media go-to or should I say time-waster! One of the main reasons I have enjoyed it so much it the positivity of my IG feed. I enjoy the many positive quotes I capture, the inspiration from others, and the book recommendations that are posted. Oh, and yes, I adore following all those crazy rabbit-loving folks that share countless photos of their fur babies!

• Running & Cross-Training:  While my milage in 2016 was a bit lower than the previous two years, I actually participated in more races and managed to squeeze out two more Personal Records (PR).  Perhaps I can accredit this to the Yoga/BODYFLOW that I have incorporated into my weekly exercise routine. I’m not sure how or why I am able to accomplish what I have, but I’ll just say it’s working and I’m good with that!

cross-training

 

• My One Little Word: For the last three years a One Little Word (OLW) has chosen me. In 2016, my OLW was “practice”. This has helped me maintain some sort of balance in my life by allowing me to focus on what is most important for me and for my family. I’m forever grateful that Matt is always there by my side by supporting me in my endeavors. Stay tuned for my OLW of 2017!

2016 OLW: practice

What worked for you in 2016?

I’d love for you to take a moment and share!

~~~~~

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A Promise Broken

I knew you would be leaving on this day;

I told myself you’ll be home before long,

before I even know it.

The calendar is marked,

so I know it’s true.

You’ll be home soon,

sooner rather than later.

We had a tranquil Sunday at home.

You did your laundry,

spent some time with the fur babies,

focused on your school work.

It was a quiet morning.

And then 3:00 PM arrived.

We packed your car.

You said good-bye.

I gave you a hug,

said, “I love you.”

As I watched your car back out of the driveway,

I promised I wouldn’t cry,

I promised I wouldn’t cry.

I turned and walked away,

through the garage,

into the house.

Then I ran!

I ran to the front door,

to catch one more glimpse!

Just one.more.glimpse!

I espied your car,

drift, drift, drifting out of sight!

And I cried;

I cried.

A promise broken,

a promise broken.

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On My Radar

This week in celebrating what’s on my radar of life!

On my running radar:

I will finish week #5 of the training plan for my upcoming 10 miler race, which is on August 27th. My week will round out with me running a total 20 miles in the heat and humidity.  Hopefully, Sunday will be cooler for my 8 mile long run. I can honestly say the temperatures are crushing my pace, but I’ll continue to push through. I am happy though that I ran a 4 miler this week and did break through the brick wall of heat. I also got in some cross-training this week of Yoga, BODYFLOW, BODYPUMP, and CXWORX.

breaking the brick wall

On my reading radar:

You know it’s a great book when I finish it *fast*, since I’m the world’s slowest reader! Last week I finished Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. It is geared toward the young adult reader and reminded me of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. In fact, I liked Yoon’s book more so than Green’s. This week I’ll be wrapping up to I Will Always Write Back by Alifirenka & Ganda. It’s a compelling true story of a friendship from two different worlds. It’s an awe inspiring memoir that truly makes me appreciate the simple things of my life.

two must reads

On my rockin’ mom radar:

The countdown is on! Maddie’s summer here at home is quickly coming to a halt – only one more week before she’s back at school. We have been busy shopping for her first-time apartment. I’m enjoying our time together shopping and the time we’ve been spending together at the gym. She’s a great workout buddy too!

yoga buddies

And that’s a wrap for this runner, reader, and rockin’ mom!

~~~~~

 Join in each Saturday for Celebrate This Week with Ruth Ayres.

It’s a time to celebrate the joy!

Got Journals?

I’ve been spending wasting some time on Pinterest lately, but I think it is a good time-waster, if there is such a thing.

What have I been pinning?

journals, journals, and more journals!

All this pinning, well, it has me excited about journaling and bullet journaling.  And I found this great blog called Little Coffee Fox. If you want some great examples of bullet journals you need to check out this blog.

Everywhere I go I seem to be running into journals…

at T.J. MAXX

at Target

at Home Goods

on Amazon

on Instagram

here, there, everywhere!

And, I want to buy them all! But, I have my own journals here at home and I told myself that I would not purchase another one until I filled up at least one journal. So, I broke out my Erin Condren journal and got writing.

*erin condren journal*

I’ve been writing my “morning pages” while the house is quiet and the fur kids are frolicking around their room.  I’ve also seen other SOL bloggers write about morning pages (shout-out to Molly & Michelle) so they have served as an inspiration.

morning pages

Then, I dabbled in creating my gratitude page. I figured I would start with the month of August and jot down a gratitude a day.

Simple.Easy.Fun.Worthwhile!

gratitude pages

My goal – fill up my Erin Condren journal by the end of the 2016. And, consequently, I did the math by counting up how many blank pages I have left in the journal and how many days are left in 2016. My goal is quite attainable I’m happy to report!

But wait, there’s more!

I can’t help but to show you the other journals that I have been keeping for some time now. They are what the teacher in me would call a “scaffold journal”. They already have templates in them and I just need to provide the words without worrying about structure.

Here’s my Believe Training Journal. I *heart* it. This is my second one and it works really well for tracking my training runs, races, and cross-training. It’s motivational and it just so happens to be in my favorite color!

Believe Training Journal

stats, stats, stats!

Then there’s my One Line A Day Journal and my Reading Journal. I love the One Line A Day Journal because it is a diary of sorts for five years. I love looking back at what I was doing on the same day several years ago. It’s a five year journal and I’m already on year three! The Reading Journal allows me to write down books I’ve read and what the book is about. Both are fun and simple!

Got journals?

Yeah, I got ‘um!

How about you?

~~~~~

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A Little Summer Vacay

You know that feeling. That feeling of rushing around getting your home organized, getting the fur kids taken care of, and finally getting all of your “stuff” packed for a summer vacay with the fam.

~~~~~

Then the departure, the long drive, and the traffic. But the excitement! The excitement of the arrival! We are here and we are ready to relax. To enjoy time together. To just delight in a carefree life. It feels good to just chill in our familiar place with the people we enjoy the most-all twelve of us!

~~~~~

Welcome to our house.

Play that music too loud.

We don’t have to go out.

You better believe the kids are anxious to take the boat out on the lake. The hot dog tube is the all-time favorite, hands down. Even if the weather wasn’t picture perfect, they can’t resist the thrill of the ride, and the shenanigans of trying to tip and flip each other off into the water.

But the weather, the rainy weather. What’s a fam to do when outside activities are part of the daily agenda? Well, we improvise and go shopping, even if the only store is Wal-Mart. We turned it into an adventure and had a grand time regardless. And we played games. And the girls relived their toddler days and dabbled in Play-Doh. And they colored. And me, you guessed it rainy days = reading days.

Wal-Mart Emojis on a Rainy Day!

Just Hangin’ Out

Cupcake Magic

Ms. Bixby’s Last Day

And even though July 4th was rainy and there wasn’t a firework in the sky, we’re looking forward to the sunshiny days ahead and a few more days of a little more summer vacay!

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What I Know for Sure

It seems like the days linger. It seems like the weekend will never arrive. It seems like the month drudges on and on and on. And, it seems like the seasons will never change. We’ve celebrated holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays as we’ve progressed through this occasion and that occasion.

~~~~~

Last Friday we gathered to celebrate my niece’s sixteenth birthday. Yes, sixteenth birthday. How did that happen I wondered. Sixteen? How could she be sixteen already? Wasn’t she just a toddler like yesterday? Wasn’t she just learning to ride a bike? And now, now she tells me she is learning to drive a car! Then, there’s my daughter. She’s going to be a junior in college. How can this be?  Ummm, wasn’t she just like a junior in high school yesterday? It literally seems like yesterday. I love watching our children grow. I truly do. We’ve created memories that will be cherished forever and ever. Memories and traditions that they one day will share with their family.

~~~~~

This past weekend was no exception. My daughter Maddie decided she wanted to make Cara a very special sweet sixteen cake. I practically cried when Maddie showed me her finished masterpiece. Yes, we were all wowed! Just looking at these two girls brings me joy. They are growing up to be fine young adults. What I know for sure is that time really does fly. It’s not just a cliche. It’s oh so true!

~~~~~~~~~~

Cara’s Cake

Cara & Maddie

~~~~~

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you can do hard things! yes, you can!

I have lots of catch phrases, or mantras if you would like to call them that. I’ve picked them up along the way from here and there. Maybe it was a line I lifted from a book or something that somebody said that just stuck with me.

~~~~~

Today I am celebrating doing hard things. I wish I could say I owned the celebrations, but I don’t. They belong to Matt – his dedication, his determination, his achievements.

~~~~~

Last weekend we embarked on a trip to Cambridge, Maryland where Matt competed in his fourth half IRONMAN. A half IRONMAN consists of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a 13.1 run. It’s no joke. These are serious endurance athletes going out there for a total of 70.3 miles of swimming, biking, and running. Then top that off with extreme summer heat and some wind gusts and you have to remind yourself that you can do hard things.

~~~~~

We were up at 4:00 AM to be race-line ready for the day. You know you’re an IRONMAN when you go to bed the night before and it’s still light out but you wake up and it’s dark! It’s crazy, but you can do hard things!

pre-race photo op

~~~~~

He promptly started his swim on schedule at 7:32 AM. The water and sunrise was absolutely breath taking, but it was a sign that it was going to be a hot one for the day. The goal, swim as fast as you can to get to the bike, as fast as you can.

pre-swim plunge

IRONMAN swimmers & sunrise

~~~~~

The bike course is flat, flat as a pancake. Some may say that’s great, no hills to climb, but that also means no hills to coast – peddling, peddling, peddling for 56 miles in the scorching sun. Topple that with riding straight into a headwind means little relief. Matt crossed into transition with sweat flinging from him, but he crossed safely ready to tackle the third and last leg of his IRONMAN – the 13.1 miles of running.

wearing a smile

~~~~~

At this point in the race it was now about noon and the sun was burning bright. Again, the course is flat and there was little shade if any. It was a loooong 13.1 miles. But, he did it!

IRONMAN finisher!

~~~~~

Now the celebrating doesn’t end here. A year ago Matt decided to embark on a running streak. His streak was to run, at least two miles, everyday for 365 days. EVERY.SINGLE.DAY! That meant NO.REST.DAYS! Fuse the running streak with strength training, 1/2 marathon training, triathlon training, and life and it makes for quite a challenge! But again, he did it and I am so proud of him!

~~~~~

I often wonder why we are brave, why we put ourselves out there, and why we would purposely decide to do hard things. But, I know. I know why. It’s the crossing of the finish line, whatever finish line you may choose to cross. After the finish line is crossed, the anguish dissipates. For it’s only a matter of time before you accept the challenge again.

~~~~~

So today I celebrate Matt.

What the mind can conceive, the body will achieve.

You can do hard things!

Yes, you can!

~~~~~

 Join in each Saturday for Celebrate This Week with Ruth Ayres.

It’s a time to celebrate the joy!