Monday, Monday

I have had a pretty topsy-turvy week emotionally. I know, go figure, right? That's so not me! Yeah, okay--thanks for humoring me for a minute anyway...But, it's August, people, and I'm still sitting in my kitchen in Butler, and I seriously, seriously thought we'd have been in MA months ago already! Hard pill to swallow this week...Not to mention that this past weekend was the Boston dinner cruise...But, Boston isn't going anywhere and there will be other cruises...I...just....want...to...get...going!! And I know you all want me to go just so I'll shut about it already!! So, I was sad, then I was angry, and I snapped at Bill one morning and sobbed to my friend, Missy...again...another morning...I'm off my running schedule and completely off any sort of eating plan. Forget about it!! (Okay--watched too many mobster movies this weekend with Scarface and Donnie Brasco playing. Johnny Depp and Al Pacino--love!! Fahget abaht it!!)

Siiiiggghhhh....Then, a little ray of sunshiney light: my friend, Jenn, suggested I enter some art work in the arts and crafts exhibition for the Butler Farm Show this week. Hmm...Then she said you get a free admission pass for each entry. Really?! Sold! I'm such a sucker for anything free! I snapped up my zendala from last week's challenge and slapped it on a piece of black posterboard background then slipped it into an old black frame-viola! One free admission to the Farm Show! Sweet! Dropped that off yesterday afternoon--wish me luck! I've never done anything like that before, so kinda nervous but pretty excited all the same!

And I've had a good week playing artistically (pics pics pics Wednesday!!) and hubster said I could get me some groovy new watercolor pens! His exact words: "Whatever you need, babe. I want you to have whatever you need." God I love him! So painted and played and scribbled down lots of bubbly inspired ideas that popped into my head...Lots of fun coming up! Yay! So that really helped turn the mood around as well. Thank you, lovie!!

I have lots of pics to include for my gratitude list this week, so here we go:

544. Spending an afternoon tie dying Tshirts with my Bug

Cool, right?

545. Homemade chocolate donuts with Oreo icing, made by Bug's buddy, Shane--they were AWESOME!! Love kid chefs! And I love chocolate donuts, especially with Oreo icing!
546. Wood pile eyesore all gone! Thank you Michels!!
547. Discovering this new blog-sometimes I just keep it open on another tab so I can listen to the ocean sounds and dream about being in MA with my love...soon...soon...
548. Bug talking on the phone and playing on the computer with one of his very first friends, Ian, from Ohio. Then I got to talk with Ian's mom, Tiz, for the first time in seven years--that's sad! And I cried...love those guys!!
549. God's glorious love--so amazing, so thankful He's got me!!
550. Jen Hatmaker's 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess--yes, still reading it but almost done! Just get it and read it!! Because I said so!
551. Starting seven sacred pauses. Okay, six. I'm really, honestly, not getting up at midnight to pray 'cuz then I'll never get back to sleep--sorry!!
552. Date Day with my Bug! We had burgers and barbecue at When Pigs Fly (their hot barbecue sauce is SUPER hot! But Yum!!) and a quick browse through the Art Center. Groovy day!
553. Finding this little guy in our weeding pile (we named him Charlie):

I used to be totally creeped out by Cicadas, but Charlie was so sweet! How cute is he???

That's one big bug...

Charlie kisses!

Nom! Nom! Nom! Yeah...that's my Bug (he didn't really eat Charlie--we put him up in the holly tree....)

544. Coffee and park time with Missy and boys--how will I get along without them and Sheetz???
545. My new Idea Planner/Journal!

Got this great idea from Beneath the Surface this week! Love!!

546. My kid and critters:

Hoggin' up my seat...

Mama's Boo Baby

Bug 'n Boo

547. Sweet gifts for my new kitchen!

My friend Jenn made these for me--is that not the cutest towel you've ever seen?? My Maine lobster!! She's so talented!

548. I opened my email this morning to find out I won a rubber stamp giveway from a zentangle blog hop last week! More new toys to play with!!! So excited--can't wait to get them in the mail...gonna be a great week ahead!

Lord, open my eyes that I may see the giftedness of my life

and let my life be a hymn of praise and thanksgiving.

~from 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Count along with us: