On being awesome

I was awesome today.
And yesterday.
And maybe even a couple days before that.

There. I said it.

If my self-praise rubs you the wrong way,
perhaps try substituting the word "productive"
from here on out.
That may read a smidge less arrogant.
But really, I WAS.
I was productive and awesome!

I posted a bit about my awesomeness on facebook yesterday
but was gently reminded that it was the Lord's Day.
Oops.
*delete post*
*hang head in shame*
Seems my awesomeness doesn't always know
when it's time to take a break
from being so awesome.

So.... ya wanna hear about it?
My recent bout of awesomeness?
Why don't I just type it up quick,
Recent Awesome Accomplishments
Resume Style.

• completed Seasonal Wardrobe Change et closet cleaning for all four girlies
• made applesauce, apple butter, apple pie filling
• canned applesauce, apple butter and pears
• made meat pies
• baked cookies
• made delicious beer cheese soup
• edited and ordered photos
• had girls write letters
• put letters and photos in the mail
• made silhouettes for a friend
• worked out at fitness center before picking girls up from school
• catch that? (cross running and weight lifting off my list)
• almost caught up on laundry
• filled back of Suburban with donations
• recovered two bulletin boards in girls' room
• discovered fabulous grey, pink and yellow color scheme for master bedroom
• hung photos and art in color scheme with hubby pronouncing it my "best work"
• washed and french braided three heads Sunday night 
• found all girls' library books before library day
• shaved legs
• painted nails
• filled out forms
• removed make-up before bed

And this List of Awesomeness is
not even all-inclusive!
Wow.
Sure feels good.
Gettin stuff done.
At this rate, I may come to the very end of my
To-Do list
(has that ever happened?)
and have to take out an ad in the local paper:
Awesome for Hire.
Because I am.
Awesome.

Also, in case you still find

my shameless boastfulness

obnoxious.......

I promise to soon share with you

some things that are in no way

awesome.

About me.

And my house.

And maybe my abs.

Because I am not always so awesome.

But speaking of awesome,

Steve is threatening to start 

The Sing-Off 

without me!

Ben Folds.

Sara Barellies.

A cappella harmonies.

AWESOME.

Happy Annibersary......Happy Annibersary!

Yup. 13 years ago we headed on over to
the Little Log Wedding Chapel of Gatlinburg, TN
to get ourselves hitched
with a ring from a quarter machine
and our recently married BFFs
as witnesses.

We were happy.
Relaxed.
No huge event to stress over.
Just us.
And my hardy mum.
And our love.
And the rest of our lives together.

Today I am home.
Still too sick to care for the babies in nursery.
So Steve is off
with four excited little helpers......
anxious to read and cuddle and build towers
with all the little ones at church.
I am so proud of my girlies:)

They brought us breakfast in bed this morning.
But I hadn't taken my thyroid pill.
And neither of us really like PB and cinnamon toast.
So they happily consumed the fruits of their labor
and went outside to play.
(the best gift possible;)

This morning I will make meat pie.
Just like Steve's grandma's.
And maybe some kind of apple dessert.
Steve will watch the Lions cream the Vikings
(because he has money riding on it.)
The kids will get along like angels
and clean their rooms.
(ha!)
I will shave my legs.
Steve will wear his cologne.

And we will continue to live happily ever after.

see photos of our big day in this post

Today.....

I am sick. Burning cough of fire, tears streaming down my face SICK.

I am still not over the fact that this dumb cold kept me from Josie's field trip to Seed Savers Exchange and a fish hatchery on an absolutely perfect fall day. (Martha Stewart buys her seeds at SSE......only the best for Martha!)

I am feeling nostalgic......listening to Huffamoose, an amazing concert my insanely hot boyfriend took me to at the Blind Pig.....before we were married.......13 years ago tomorrow (the marriage part....not the concert).

I am hoping hubby wears a spritz of his very old Abercrombie cologne.....instantly transports me back to those crazy mad love days. *sigh*

I need to accept the fact that I cannot serve tacos to my family without the table looking like we have something against our plates. I mean, really, even Steve has to drop huge clumps of meat on my favorite freshly washed tablecloth!

I should be out picking pears with the rest of the family, but I'm really enjoying having the house to myself right now. 

OK. I'll go out. Just to take a few pictures.......

 Steve in a tree.

 Teamwork.

 The kids' favorite downed apple tree.

That still grows apples:)

 Good for climbing, jumping, and possibly occasionally peeing in!

running over

No. I haven't actually started running.
Though it IS on my To-Do list.
Toward the bottom-ish.

It is my cup that is running over.
I am having an exceptionally joy-filled morning.
We all slept in......
until the girls came and piled in our king-sized bed.
Except lil Gwen....
who woke up, got dressed
and immediately hiked thru the woods,
balancing across that long downed log
to their fort to retrieve
the backpack she had dug out of
someone's free garage sale box.
Wow.
If you only knew what that hike entailed...
I swear.
In my old age I have become
a balance-impaired scaredy cat.
When I crossed that log,
Addie had to come back and hold my hand!
Perhaps my hesitation is just intuition
that my bones are becoming brittle.
Ha! I sound like an old woman.
Add lifting weights to my to-do list.

Pears and apples are coming out of my ears.
I picked just the surface last night
under the light of the moon.
While Steve "practiced" boiling a huge turkey fryer
full of water
over an open fire
in preparation for next weekend's visitors
and some home brewing.

I am washing a load of adorable Baby Gap outfits
I couldn't resist from a garage sale yesterday.
A new with $34.50 tags
pink and frilly heirloom dress
for one dollar!?!
Yes, please.
As I was admiring my deals last night
the girls were begging us to get a foster kid
or adopt a baby.
We love the babies!

The air is cool and crisp.
My favorite.
Impossible not to be bubbling with joy
over all God's simple blessings
this delicious morning.