Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 5.

Goodbye July.
Goodbye homemade peach ice cream that disappeared way too fast.
Goodbye Chuck E. Cheese playdate - even with 9-year olds, you're still a hit.
Goodbye playing made up card games that totally rock.
Goodbye lightening show and thunderstorms lulling us to sleep at night.

Freshly picked peaches. Recipes to come!

Hello August.
Hello picnic in the park.
Hello to finding gnomes in the garden.
Hello beach sand in our shoes.
Hello to making the last weeks of summer break even more fun than the first weeks.

This week I learned if my son doesn't get over his bee/wasp phobia, we may never eat outside on the deck ever again. I thought about tying him down to the chair but didn't want the local authorities interrupting our dinner (this last part is a joke...you know that, right?)

Are You a Foodie?

I am a self-proclaimed foodie. What is a foodie? Well, I found a brilliantly detailed explanation at SlashFoods if you want to check it out for yourself. I am a foodie because I not only love to eat, I also love to prepare food, and I am genuinely interested in food. I know you're not supposed to "live to eat", but I do. I don't merely eat food to sustain life, I eat for the pleasure of it. I learn and study about different foods. I pour over cookbooks reading every word like a sultry romance novel. I stroll through farmers' markets table-to-table like most women window-shop on Rodeo Drive. I am a foodie.

 Don't be misled, as being a foodie doesn't mean expensive ingredients, complicated recipes, or imprisonment to the kitchen. Today's foodie believes in simple, good food available to all who want to seek it and all who want to sample the gifts Mother Nature intended to bestow upon us. Take these gifts and get your saute on!

 I began receiving Bon Appetit magazine in the year 1996. I was young and inexperienced in the kitchen but my curiosity was fed each month when that magazine arrived at my doorstep. I loved the articles, the gadget findings, the elaborate, effortless fantasy parties featured each month (no one has parties like that anymore), each guest more beautiful than the next. Aaahh! I loved those magazines. I loved them so much that for the next 5 years I kept each and every issue before canceling my subscription. I now put those magazines to good use. Each month I'll take the 5-year stash I have and gift myself the current month's issues. I challenge myself to find a new recipe at least once per week from those vintage magazines. July is coming to a close so I'll be receiving my "new", August magazines shortly, delivered straight from the closet shelf. Always keep recipe magazines. Foodie or not, old recipe or new, good food never goes out of style.

Would you describe yourself as a foodie?

My Annual Letter to My Son

I have a gift to finish up today; a gift I have been working on for 9 years. It will take another 9 years to finally complete the gift. The project-in-the-making are hand-written letters to my son to be presented to him when he graduates from high school. For 8 years now I have sat down and collected my thoughts about my son and captured memories, milestones, and memoirs from the year that has passed. I make sure I hand write the letter and I always seal it when I am finished, forcing me to never go back, always looking at his life in the present and divulging my hopes for his future. I can't believe I am working on my 9th letter. As the letters are extremely private I will not be sharing any words that I plan on gifting to my son but I did want to share with you a poem I was given a year ago by a very dear friend. Unfortunately, the poem's author is Anonymous so I regret not giving proper credit. I keep a copy of these words on the inside of a kitchen cabinet to always remind me the dishes can wait, the laundry can be folded later, the house dusted another day, because it's time to enjoy my son.

To My Grown-Up Son

My hands were busy through the day,

I didn't have much time to play

The little games you asked me to.

I didn't have much time for you.

I'd wash your clothes, I'd sew and cook,

But when you'd bring your picture book

And ask me please to share your fun,

I'd say: "A little later, son."

I'd tuck you in all safe at night

And hear your prayers, turn out the lights,

Then tip-toe softly to the door -

I wish I'd stay a minute more.

For life is short, the years rush past.

A little boy grows up so fast.

No longer is he at your side,

His precious secrets to confide.

The picture book is put away:

There are no longer games to play,

No good-night kiss, no prayers to hear -

That all belongs to yesteryear.

My hands once busy now are still - 

The days are long and hard to fill.

I wish I could go back and do

The little things you asked me to.

(Author Unknown)

A 9th letter will be added to this pile by end of day today.

What will you do today to spend some time with someone you love and make a memory?

Going Local: Dazzle

If you happen to be strolling in the Chagrin Falls area you have got to check out Dazzle. LOVD's glass pendant necklaces are sold at Dazzle and we recently held a photo shoot at the store. It is a sweet and adorable shop just for young girls and tweens. The shop carries fresh gift ideas, stylin' clothing, and hip jewelry items girls love. And the best part: Dazzle plays hostess to birthday parties and craft events throughout the year. So treat a sweet girl you know to Dazzle...where a girl can shine.

Located north of Downtown Chagrin Falls

Look closely...do you see the LOVD display on the right?

LOVD glass pendants on Stretchie necklaces!

So much to explore and discover!

Party in the Birthday Room!

High-quality clothing lines are represented.

Your LOVD glass pendant is waiting just for you.

Upcoming Store Events
Dazzle hosts their 100th Birthday Party! on Sat., July 23 (10 am - 6 pm)

Dazzle's 1-year Anniversary! on Sat., August 6 (10 am - 6 pm) and Sun., August 7 (noon - 5 pm)

Dazzle...where a girl can shine
100 N. Main St. Suite 145
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
440.247.4858

Gratitude Journal Monday

Well, it's Monday and I'm feeling very "Monday". I'm not sure why? We had a fun weekend so maybe all that fun was just exhausting. I'm sure Gratitude Journal Monday will get my mind set back on the right track! That's the whole point, right? If you're wondering what Gratitude Journal Monday is, click here to familiarize yourself with the concept.

Nothing is off limits when it comes to gratitude so thank away!

11. I am grateful I am able to find the richness in simplicity and enjoy it fully.
12. I am grateful for all my senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, sound, and common.
13. I am ever so grateful for the pitter-patter sound of my son's feet heard throughout the house.
14. I am grateful in finally learning it is not what God can give or do for me that I want, but rather just wanting God Himself.
15. I am thankful for the summer bounty we enjoy that comes from the Earth and our farmers' hardwork and dedication.


Are you starting your Gratitude Journal?

Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 4.

Goodbye playdate marathon.

One of many playdates this week.

Goodbye keeping cool in the sprinkler.
Goodbye heatwave, I hope.
Goodbye running errands,shopping stores, and cleaning house.
Goodbye Borders: you'll be missed.


Hello Pinterest.
Hello family from out of town.
Hello Amish Country.
Hello delicious meals and juicy conversations.
Hello quinoa: I'm willing to give you a try.

The gift card I hastily used at Borders yesterday.

This week I learned progress cannot be outrun. When a 40-year old institution like Borders can fall to its knees as a victim of progress, none of us has a chance. And why? Because progress means someone, or something, must become old, outdated, slower, and is forced to step aside for the new thing, the faster, but not always improved, better mousetrap. Our children have more technology knowledge by the age of 9 years old than we had at 18 years of age, and some of our parents are still trying to catch up (but at least they are trying so God bless them). So, I must embrace progress because I too will be the "old", watching progress take over my world just when I got comfortable, wondering what happened to the good ol' days? Progress, I welcome your presence. I only ask that you go easy on me.

How do you react to progress? Do you welcome change or are you a bit apprehensive? 

You've Gotta Check Out: PINTEREST

I have a certain knack for stumbling upon things that are really cool and on occasion useful and I like to share my discoveries with others. For instance, I was the first person to introduce Pandora to the bus stop moms several years ago. They had no idea what Pandora was or how something so free could be so cool! Today, Pandora is a household name like Kleenex. (Let me know if you don't know about Pandora and I'll give you the scoop.)

So I thought it a good idea to share my "came-upon" lovely little accidents while I cruise the web and the world, hence the title category: You've Gotta Check Out: Insert Cool Discovery Here. For my first installment, I'd like to introduce Pinterest. Here's the concept: imagine you have a bunch of cork boards on your wall and you make each board a particular category: things you love like food, fashion, party ideas, etc. Then, let's say you're browsing a magazine and find a pair of stilettos that you would give your eye-teeth for. You rip out the photo and pin it to your cork board entitled "Fashion" because you really want to drool over those shoes and remember them. Now, replace the cork board for a virtual one, and replace the ripped out magazine photo for a virtual photo grabbed from a website. If you get this, then you get Pinterest. The really neat part is whatever you "Pin" gets sent to your Facebook and Twitter account as well. Pinterest makes it so easy. You have to download this little button called "Pin It" and place it in your bookmark toolbar. Whenever you're looking around on the internet and find a photo you like or that inspires, just hit the "Pin It" button. Pinterest will ask you what board you want it pinned to and, voila!, you've got it! It's a nice little way to keep all the internet photo findings you love organized and in one place. Your pins can also inspire others as Pinterest members can "repin" your own pins. How cool is that? Seriously, check out this cool and free site. Check out my own boards and pins to see an example of how it all comes together. If you decide to get "on board", pun intended, then go ahead and "Follow" me on Pinterest. I'll be sure to do the same for you.


*I am in no way, unfortunately, paid for recommending any websites, products, or apps. The opinions and experiences from my recommendations are strictly my own. So don't blame me if you don't like it.

Do you have any awesome discoveries, web-based or otherwise, that you'd like to share?
 

Kid Wisdom

It is Playdate City at our house this week and my son is in heaven! He knows summer is coming to an end so he's wasting no time making sure he gets all the fun out of every day he has left! On a recent Michael's trip I saw these cute little "10 Things" scrapbook projects and I just had to take a photograph for inspiration. You'll see more in the next few weeks. So this is my first one and since I couldn't exactly answer it as it's been awhile since I fit the "kid" label (mental or behavior does not count), I asked my son and today's playdate friend for their thoughts. What follows is their collaborated list (Being an adult is way over-rated!).

 1. You get the most presents at Christmas time

2. You get to go trick-or-treating in a costume

3. You get free food, a free place to stay, and free hugs and kisses

4. Summer break, Winter break, Spring break

5. Kids can stay awake a lot longer than adults.

6. There are stores just for kids like Toys R Us, GameStop, and LEGO store

7. Kids don't have to drive so we can get places by sleeping or reading in the car

8. Amusement Parks and discount tickets

9. Sledding

10. We have overactive imaginations

If you have kids, or know any, ask them what they would put on their list?

Coincidence? I Think Not.

I, in fact, am not a believer of coincidence. I believe all things happen for a reason and those nods of encouragement are, what SQuire Rushnell, calls God Winks. If you go to his website, you can learn more. I've got my own God Wink story that encourages my belief of a heaven, afterlife, or whatever you would call it in your own words.

This story was shared at the eulogy of my husband's grandmother's memorial service:

Grandma always loved to sew. Quilting was her favorite love but when she first began exploring the many facets of sewing, she tried her hand at crocheting. As a younger woman, Grandma practiced her crocheting on little handkerchiefs. She made over 80 of these little treasures and kept them over the years. Even when situations caused her to downsize and give away many items she'd collected over the years, Grandma made sure to keep those 80 handkerchiefs.

When Grandma passed away, her youngest daughter was packing her personal belongings from the nursing home. She found these 80 handkerchiefs and had a strong notion, a pressing, that these handkerchiefs should be the last gift Grandma would give.

At the memorial service, the female guests were encouraged to choose their own handkerchief as a gift to them from Grandma: Grandma's last gift. When all the guests had gone through the viewing line, the final female guest took the final handkerchief. In other words, there were EXACTLY the right number of handkerchiefs. Not one more, not one less.

Do you believe in coincidence or God winks? 

Gratitude Journal Monday

Whew! Another Monday already? It's time for Gratitude Journal Monday. If you're not familiar with the concept, please click here to find out more. I hope you join in on the fun. Trust me, your life will truly change if you stick with it. Basically, each Monday I make a commitment to sit down and record 5 entries proclaiming what I'm grateful for. It helps take the blahs out of Monday and helps set the tone for the whole week. Join me by recording your own entries in "Comments" each week.

Nothing is off limits when it comes to gratitude so thank away!

6. I am grateful my family does not know hunger.
7. I am thankful to God for giving me the right words to offer to friends in need.
8. I appreciate my home's kitchen facing east because I walk in to a happy room flooded with sunshine and brightness every morning - all that light jump starts the day better than coffee!
9. I am grateful for the gentle reminder that my petitions should never outweigh my praise and thanksgiving.
10. I am grateful for the teenage boy that works on baseball fundamentals with my son. This teenage boy is never late, is dependable, polite, pleasant, and patient. Talk about breaking the teenage stereotype. What a great example to my son - thank you!


Go ahead and start your Gratitude Journal. "Comment" your list to start inspiring others to share their own thanksgivings.

Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 3.

Goodbye LEGO Camp until next year.
Goodbye Harry Potter; an end of an era.
Goodbye lunches with bunches of friends.
Goodbye friendly advice from two bloggers I admire.
Goodbye photo shoot at Dazzle - thank you!

LOVD jewelry can be found at Dazzle in downtown Chagrin Falls.

Hello parents' wedding anniversary.
Hello sweet baby's baptism.
Hello finishing up promised projects.
Hello swimming and funning at the pool.
Hello new opportunities.

This week I learned about my own strong convictions supporting freedom of speech in America. A recent post spurred on some strong comments from an anonymous reader who offered their "constructive criticism".  As the author of this blog I have the capability to delete any and all comments this blog receives. I made the decision to keep those comments visible because my belief in freedom of speech is stronger than my own ego. Let freedom ring!


What are you saying goodbye and hello to this week?

Nostalgic Toys

Who remembers this little fish from their childhood? On a recent trip to Seneca Caverns I purchased a few of these fortune telling fish. You're supposed to lay the plastic filmed fish in your palm and it starts moving. Depending on how the fish moves, your fortune is told. My results: the fish curled up in my palm indicating I am passionate. Yay for nostalgia!

What crazy toys do you remember from your childhood that make you smile?

Staycation Adventures: Seneca Caverns

We rule the staycation scene, basically out of necessity. My husband doesn't get "paid vacations" or time-off due to running his own business so we desperately rely on quick jaunts or weekend getaways in and around the area where we live. During a staycation last summer we went on our first cave tour at the Ohio Caverns. It.was.Amazing; stalactites as tall as my son hung down from the rock ceiling and stalagmites burst from the Earth's core showing off its beauty right before our eyes. We were hooked and couldn't wait to begin our new hobby of spelunking.

The stuffed animal otter has become our spelunking mascot.

Recently we visited Seneca Caverns in Ohio expecting the same visual art and beauty that the Ohio Caverns provided us from our first experience. Although it was amazing in its own right, it was not Ohio Caverns. The stalactites were only as long as my fingernail and we were unable to take the entire tour. Typically, the tour takes you down into the Earth 7 levels but we were only able to go down 4 levels because the water table was too high. With all the rain we've had this spring, half the cave was flooded. Now, one would think they would discount the ticket price but not a chance. I thought the total ticket cost of $36 for the three of us was a bit high for only half the tour, but it did give us something to do and it was neat to see.

Hawaiian Lava Moss - the cave picked up the spore off someone's clothes visiting from Hawaii!

I'd recommend Seneca Caverns as a first stop of cave touring if you've never experienced it. Then be sure to take the time to tour the Ohio Caverns because you will truly be amazed. One piece of advice: take a jacket or sweatshirt because when you go down into the Earth the temperature is a constant 54 degrees F (or 12.2C for my International readers).

Have you had any recent staycation adventures you'd like to share?

Favorite Wall Art

This is the painting in our living room. Artist Don Breckon.

I was sitting in my living room just staring at this piece of art we had on the wall. When we painted our cream white walls to its current deep red, the living room transformed into a study-like atmosphere exuding warmth and welcoming comfort. We had a blank wall that was crying out for some art. I went into the basement and found this piece of art that came from my husband's side of the family. I put it up because I thought the red trim around the painting was a good accent to the wall color. My husband was leery of my art choice for the room and I shrugged off the piece as just a mere placeholder until we found something better. Secretly, I stopped looking for something better because this piece of art was perfect for the room. It gives a sense of movement if you stare at it long enough and it adds a masculinity to the room that tricks the mind into thinking you're in a mahogany-lined library found deep in the chambers of a century-old, stone mansion somewhere in the hills of England (one can dream, can't she?).

This hangs in our dining room. Painting by Thomas Kinkade: The Garden of Prayer

So it got me thinking about the other pieces of wall art I have in my home. Each piece, I am happy to say, was not chosen as a "place holder" for a blank wall but rather holds a place on our wall and in our hearts. I think anything that goes into your house or onto your walls deserves being there because you love it or it has special meaning to you.

This piece of art was made by my husband's recently deceased Grandmother, a very talented woman. The photo does not do it justice but the art is 3-dimensional. It is hung in our loft where we have a huge wall of books and I absolutely love it.

Take your own tour around your house and study each piece of wall art you have hanging. If you don't absolutely love it or if it doesn't stir any feelings in you, then take it off its hook. Store it away, give it away, but don't keep it up on your wall. Then, keep your eyes open for something that really tugs at your heart. You'll know when you've found it. You'll buy it and hang it up. And every time you see it, you'll be reminded that your true self pours out of every aspect of your home and is not just something filling up space.

What are your most favorite pieces of wall art in your home?

Gratitude Journal Monday

Sometimes Mondays have a tendency of making me feel blah. I'm sure you've experienced the same under-par feeling yourself a time or two. So here's what I'm dedicating my Mondays to: A Gratitude Journal.

"Please let me never forget how rich my wonderful life is right at this moment. Please let me never forget that all I have is all I need. Please let me never forget to give thanks."

- from SIMPLE ABUNDANCE by Sarah Ban Breathnach

Gratitude Journals are certainly not a new concept. I've heard of them on several occasions throughout the years but I've never really started my own. Today is the day my Gratitude Journal begins. I'm not an expert, but if you want to learn more, click here. I think it's a great way to start off a Monday, regardless how you are feeling. And, it sets the tone for the rest of the week. When we begin to write down for what we are grateful, we begin to look at our lives, and ourselves, differently. Gratitude gifts us with new eyes that open to a whole new world and attitude. If you take the time to thank the Universe for all that has been given to you, then, in time, more will come your way because of your appreciation of the present. So, if you would like, join me every Monday as you start your own Gratitude Journal. You can leave a comment here with your own entries, or go buy a beautiful blank notebook that you can use to write down your own entries. But be committed to it. Schedule it every Monday and don't miss your meeting with yourself. Whether you do this publicly or privately, doing so will change your life.

I'll be sharing 5 entries each Monday and I encourage you to do the same. Nothing is off limits when it comes to gratitude so thank away!

1. I am grateful for the peace I have in my life. No drama makes for a happy person.

2. I thank God daily for the family support and love I have surrounding me at all times.

3. I am grateful for the hot water that runs through my showerhead.

4. I am grateful for the clean water that flows through my faucets.

5. As this is laundry day, I am ever so grateful for the washer and dryer I have to clean and dry our clothes and not go down to a river somewhere and start rubbing.

Go ahead, get your Gratitude Journal started today by "Commenting" your list and sharing with others.

Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 2.

Beauty can even be found in a Target parking lot.

Goodbye firecrackers in the sky and sparklers on the ground.
Goodbye Cars2 and movie popcorn.
Goodbye U.S. Space Shuttle Program.
Goodbye catching fireflies late at night.
Goodbye long walks and talks after dinner.

Hello haircut for the big boy.
Hello yummy fruit to eat.
Hello delicious picnics.
Hello long hikes in the park.
Hello sneaking in some cat naps.

This week I learned you have to do your part in the journey God has planned for you. Listen to your inner voice no matter how obscure something may sound to you. Get up and do what you think is calling you. Once you have stepped up and done something, you have to then step back and see what God does with it. Step up, step out, then step back.

Do you feel a new journey calling your name?

Summer's Sweet Bounty

Aahh! The smell of fresh fruit is in the air. It must be summertime. Lately, however, I was not living up to the expectations my family has of having readily available fruit in the house. We had just finished a huge watermelon during Independence Day weekend and I just didn't have the time to stop at the fruit market (yet, I found time to shop at Target, Michael's, Borders are you judging me?).

So this afternoon my son and I went to a local organic foods market in town and stocked up! Like $45 stocked-up! When it comes to food, I don't deny any reasonable requests because it rarely gets wasted. But today was over the top. I consider myself to be very blessed with a son that is adventurous when it comes to trying new foods. And seeing that fruits and vegetables are his favorites (I know, hard to believe, but true) we often challenge ourselves to find and buy foods we've never tried before. Well, there it sat in the basket just calling out to him. The brightly colored fuchsia skin just screaming his name and saying, "Try me, Try me!". The fruit is called Dragon Fruit and my son was surprised because he only knows of the fruit from the virtual world of WebKinz World (if you are familiar with this, my condolences). He grabbed it from the basket and held it gently like he had just found a lost puppy. And just as if it had been a lost puppy, he looked at me with sad, hopeful eyes and asked, "Can we take it home? Can we keep it? Pleeeeeaaaaassssse!" The price stopped me dead in my tracks and I told him to put it back because I was not going to pay THAT price for a piece of fruit.

We got all the way up to the cash register and he was still talking about that piece of fruit. Something came over me - I don't know what it was? Maybe curiosity, maybe the summer heat, or maybe the fact that you only live once and when you have an opportunity to taste Dragon Fruit (from WebKinz world or not), you should take the leap. So we high-tailed it back to that basket, my son grabbed his original selection victoriously, and I paid the $7 for that Dragon Fruit with a smile on my face.

Now, does anyone know how to open this thing?

Favorite Snack

Our family's all-time favorite snack is popcorn. Not the menacing, cardboard kind you get from microwave popcorn - heaven's no! We're talking the freshly popped popcorn you get from working a little bit by turning the crank on your Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker. Too much work you say? Oh, but the rewards are so sweet!

l-r: Red, White, and Blue Popping Corn

I know some of you are thinking my family and I are popcorn snobs, and, perhaps you are right? I know this: I will personally never waste another mouth chew on microwave popcorn ever again. We've tried many different kinds of popcorn from yellow, to white, to blue, to red; from purple amethyst to baby white, to black. We have our favorites, we have conducted our own taste-testings, but I'm not being paid to tell you which is our favorite so I'll stop there unless a popcorn company wants to give me a call and some free samples.


As a self-proclaimed popcorn snob I can recommend you pop your corn in your Whirley Pop-type device with Canoloa Oil and season your freshly popped corn with sea salt. My family must have this delicious treat at least three times per week. I highly recommend popping corn in this way. Try it and you will never buy microwave popcorn again, either. Welcome to the Popcorn Snobs Club.

What is your all-time favorite, go-to snack?

Little. Big. Just Right.

Little family.
Little house.
Little lacking.

Big God.
Big love.
Big blessings.

Feeling just right.

Happy Birthday, America!

The freedom to have cupcakes with or without frosting.

Happy Independence Day! I hope you are celebrating with people you hold dear to your good ol' American hearts. Being the first in my family born on U.S. soil, I would like to thank my departed grandfather, my Djedo, for having the courage to leave his homeland in Europe and his family for a better life in the U.S.A. Years after establishing himself in America, he finally sent for his family so they could begin a new and better life together for themselves and for future generations. God Bless all American families everywhere and God Bless America!

 


As a family we made this red, white, and blue pennant streamer for the front porch made out of paint chip samples, inspired by something I saw in this month's issue of Better Homes & Gardens (July 2011). If you would like to see the instructions, just look at the post before this one, found below.

Red, White, and Blue Paint Chips Pennant

As a family, we made this pennant streamer for the 4th of July and strung it on our front porch. It looked so great and was so easy to make so I thought I'd share the instructions so you could have some fun, as well. This idea was inspired by a feature article in this month's BH&G magazine (but I think ours turned out way better).

Supplies - you'll need scissors, a pencil, ruler, yarn or string, and about 15 paint chip samples of each color from your local hardware store's paint department. Be sure to get the large, wide ones, not the skinny ones or those that have those square cut-outs in the middle. You'll also need a tiny paper hole punch (not pictured).

We laid it out so the color that was the top of the pennant alternated, like so.

We marked the middle of the paint chip, then drew lines from the middle to both corners.

Then just cut on the lines you just drew. Great cutting practice for the kids!

Hole punch (with a tiny punch) the top corners of the pennants you cut out.

Take your string and start threading through the back of each pennant leaving enough string on both ends to use to hang up the streamer you've created.

All done. So quick, so fun, and so cute!

 

Goodbye Week. Hello Weekend. Lessons Learned: Take 1.

We picked over 11 pounds of strawberries in June. Ate them all in 3 days!

Goodbye long week.
Goodbye hours at the pool with awesome friends.
Goodbye playdate with waffles for lunch.
Goodbye new carpet installation.
Goodbye great lunch with great parents.

Hello July!
Hello new carpet smell.
Hello putting back all the bedroom furniture.
Hello BBQ's with friends.
Hello long, lazy weekend.

This week I learned it doesn't matter how great of a carpet pad you purchase, it never meets your own expectations of squishiness.

What are you saying goodbye and hello to this week?