A quiet Labor Day Saturday

Today has been a very quiet Labor Day Saturday.  Andrew had to be at work at school at 9am, and we are cautiously optimistic he'll be home around 9pm tonight.  It's a long day for him.  I've been enjoying the beginning of college football and watching the Buckeyes continue their dominant ways over Texas!  It ended up being close at the end, but it was mostly a fabulous OSU performance.  With Andrew gone, it isn't as much fun to watch the games so I had it on, but was also picking up the house.

It's also been incredibly quiet in our neighborhood today.  It's an incredibly gorgeous Saturday, in the 70's, no humidity, not a cloud in the sky.  It's a wonderful day to be outside, but that sure isn't happening around here!  None of the kids and families who live close to us are out, and honestly, no one is out walking or working.  I took Bettis out for a walk, and it's oddly quiet for a normal day, let alone a Saturday of a holiday weekend!  

Tomorrow I am headed up to my mom's house for a weekly cleaning session.  Tomorrow evening our Fighting Irish play, and I'm so grateful Andrew and I will have an evening at home together.  And then we still have Monday...woohoo.  It's a little daunting to realize it will be six weeks before we have another long weekend.  This is one of the hardest stretches of the school year, especially in our house where Andrew stats for football and usually works another 2-3 days a week at athletic events.  I'm trying not to think about that though, and just be so grateful for this moment in time, which for today is all college football!

Cold doesn't really begin to describe it

On Sunday, the temps really began to plummet.  This morning when we did carline, it felt like -3.  By this afternoon at dismissal, it felt like -8.  It was brutal.  I couldn't get over the difference even in just a few degrees.  Tomorrow morning it is supposed to feel like -12, and I'm very grateful that we are on a two-hour delay.  By the time school begins at 11, it will be "better" at -8 (feel) again.  COLD.  The public schools were on a delay today and again tomorrow as well.  Even sitting in our house, it just feels cold.

I was especially jealous of the public schools this morning as last night was the OSU/ND National Title game.  I really thought I would be fine with whomever won, but that isn't really how I felt.  I was rooting, unapologetically, for Notre Dame.  I would root for Ohio State against literally ANY other opponent.  As it turned out, OSU won, and I just didn't feel like I could really enjoy it or be happy about it.

I was grateful for our extra day off this weekend.  I was able to get so much accomplished around the house.  I was able to really get some things organized and cleaned up.  It was very pleasant to come home today and enjoy my uncluttered house.

I'm tired and looking forward to extra sleep tonight!

The end of an early January weekend

Our weekend had some extra hours!  Thursday morning we found out that the public school was going to be closed on Friday due to incoming weather.  I knew there was no chance we would shut down for the entire day because the weather wasn't coming until the afternoon.  Our school doesn't have to worry about buses or things like that.  I was very pleased that we ended up doing an Noon dismissal.  Catherine decided to spend the weekend at her apartment so Andrew and I had a lovely Friday evening.  We received another 4" of snow on top of what was already here.

Another highlight of our Friday evening was the Ohio State victory over Texas.  The dagger was scoop and score by a defensive lineman.  It was a heck of a game!  I didn't think anything could top the Notre Dame victory from the night before, but I was wrong.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be watching an OSU/ND title game!  It's crazy!  It's exciting, and in some ways I can't lose, but I can't imagine rooting against either team.  What I'm really rooting for is some snow to fall overnight the night of the game so we can sleep in the next morning!

Yesterday, I shoveled our walk (again) and tried to get work done at church, but not all info had arrived yet.  I ran an errand, then came home and was delighted that I had no where else to be for the rest of the day!  I was able to get the trees completely undecorated and started to get things organized.  Our evening of watching the Steelers game did not go the way we wanted, but we had a really nice evening with a fire in the fireplace.

This morning we had church and then came home.  It was a fabulous afternoon to really get things put away and cleaned up.  We've watched football, although we don't really care about the games.  I know that I'm going to have a long week, but I appreciate that I've had a productive and yet relaxing weekend. 

Full of hope

Happy 2025!  I've written before that January 1 is often my favorite day of the year, and I feel that way today!

I went to bed last night (after Midnight, so technically this morning), and I felt peaceful.  I felt full of hope.  There are some hard things from 2024 that are going to carry over into early 2025, but I have hope things are going to work out.

I woke up today to the horrific news about the terroristic attack in New Orleans.  It's just another thing that I have to learn not to carry.  I can be empathetic and I can pray, but I have to acknowledge it isn't happening to me, and I can't carry it as if it is...or even that it could.  Of course it could, but I can't carry that.

Today, just for today, I am going to be grateful for today.  I'll never have today again, and today has been a nice day.  Andrew and I had the entire day to ourselves.  I'm still recovering from a miserable cold so we just hung out today and watched an incredible Texas vs Arizona St. game, and then watching the Buckeyes dominate Oregon.  I slept in, and enjoyed the incredible chili that Andrew made for dinner.  We still have four days off until reality kicks in again, and I'm grateful for more down time.  I'm grateful for each day.  I'm grateful my little family is safe and fairly healthy.  My heart is full.

Day one of 365 in 2025 is off to a fine start.

December has arrived again

As Thanksgiving week comes to an end, December has already arrived.  My shopping is almost entirely finished, so I really get to relax and enjoy this month.  I only have 13 official working days this month!  Granted, I'll have things that have to still be done while we are off for the holidays, but that is done on my schedule.  I'm looking forward to doing things...all things Christmas!

Our family has started watching the corny Christmas movies, and we absolutely love them!  I especially love sharing them with Catherine and my mother-in-law also really enjoys them, and I'm looking forward to her being back in a few weeks.  I'm enjoying looking at various Christmas crafts, and I'm hoping to create a few over the next several weeks.

The only downside to Thanksgiving weekend is that it brings the end of the college football season.  Those Saturdays in the fall are my absolute favorite days of the entire year!  I can't even begin to explain what happened yesterday to our Buckeyes.  It was just crazy.  Still plenty of good games to watch in the next couple of weeks!

Happy December!  May it be full of jolliness and lots of merry moments!

I love Labor Day weekend

I have always loved Labor Day weekend.  Who can be sad about a weekend that has an extra day?  And of course, always very happy that college football has begun, and both our Irish and the Buckeyes won.  Great start to the season!

We spent 18 hours at my mother-in-law's house and took her to dinner last night.  She kept telling us how much it meant to her that we made this trip to celebrate her 85th year.  We went to the same restaurant where we go every time there is a family celebration and we eat out.  I realized it had been five years since we had eaten there.  We had gone over for her 80th birthday.  The one I really kept thinking about though, was ten years ago and her 75th birthday.  Last evening we were sitting near where we had sat for that dinner.  That time though, we had reservations for a large table of eight.  This time though, we had a small table of three in a small corner.  It made me a little sad.  Both Andrew's dad and his brother have passed away, and Robert is not around.  Catherine and Thomas both had things going on (they did call their grandmother today).  It felt so symbolic of the changes of life.  I know that not all change is bad, but it just kind of felt stuffed in our faces.

One change I appreciate...the weather!  I'm sitting here in our family room and I'm actually chilly.  It's going to get warm again for a few days, but for today and tomorrow I'll take this! 

A fabulous sports weekend

In addition to getting to attend the Reds game on Sunday, the entire weekend was full of fun sporting events.  Friday evening was the first Friday in weeks that Andrew didn't have to attend the high school football game.  We enjoyed the Reds game on TV, but losing to the Pirates is NOT what we had hoped for.  Saturday we watched ESPN's College Game Day live from South Bend.  That afternoon we flipped back and forth between the Michigan/Rutgers game the UC/Oklahoma game.  Neither game went the way I had hoped.  That evening, we started watching the Reds game and were delighted when they jumped out to an early 9-0 lead.  That made the eventual 13-12 loss all the more crushing!  And of course, we watched OSU score with only a second left to defeat Notre Dame.  This is literally the only time I ever root against the Buckeyes, but rooting against them I was!

After we had a blast Sunday afternoon, we were able to watch the Steelers game that night.  We hadn't even realized that it was a Sunday night game so that was great planning!  I didn't stay up for the entire game, but Andrew did and was very pleased the Steelers were victorious.  The Bengals were also on national TV last night and won their first game of the season.  The Reds beat Cleveland tonight, and that guarantees them a .500 record after losing 100 games last year.  Their is still a mathematical chance to make the playoffs as a wild-card, but time is running out.

I'm so grateful I enjoy these sports and these moments.  As I pointed out to Andrew on Saturday, life is pretty good if the biggest disagreement is which college football game to watch!

This was exactly the Saturday we needed

It's been a long week in this house.  My poor husband had a sporting event every evening except Wednesday.  He even had to work the JV football game this morning.  It was a lot for him.  I developed a cold early in the week, and it has lingered.  Not awful, but enough to feel absolutely worn out.  Work has also been a bit crazy, but that isn't really anything new.

The weather this week has been beautiful since a front came through on Tuesday.  It's been almost chilly at night, and I've been able to light a candle and I'm even sitting here with a blanket in my family room.  It's still a bit early for fall decorations, but we are getting there.  Today I tried to hang out some laundry, and I think it's just a bit too late in the season for it to dry successfully.  It's really delightful.

And it's not just the delightful weather that is awesome...it's the best sports time of the year as well!  Not only has the NFL begun, but Saturdays are full of delightful college football.  Next week is the big OSU/Notre Dame game.  It's in South Bend, and I think ND has a legitimate shot to win the game.  And have we mentioned that there is MEANINGFUL baseball happening for the Reds?  I mean, it's the middle of September, and these games MATTER!  As of yesterday, the Reds were tied with the Diamondbacks for the final wild card spot, but the Reds hold the tiebreaker against them.  It's an exciting time to be Reds fan, and so very unexpected.

I've done almost nothing today, and this is exactly the Saturday that we needed.  Andrew came home and took a nap, and we've been watching football and baseball.  This is the kind of day that absolutely feeds my soul.  I love this time of year!

Early November weekend

I'll be honest, it didn't exactly feel like early November around here much as temps have been in the 70's.  Yesterday was rainy and dreary, but today was bright and sunny.  The winds yesterday took most of the leaves off the trees, but fall in Ohio is still pretty darn lovely.

Yesterday had some really great college football games.  The weather was hard on OSU, but they still be Northwestern.  LSU gave Bama their second loss of the season.  I hate rooting for LSU, but love seeing Bama lose!  I was disappointed Tennessee lost to Georgia, but LOVED the Irish victory over Clemson.  Awesome games!

Today Andrew took advantage of the weather to get a lot of yard work done.  I spent some time working in our back sunroom to make it a more pleasant space.  It will give Catherine her own space even when my mother-in-law is here.  It still needs work, but it's coming together.  This evening we drove up to have a dinner with just Catherine.  It was such a lovely visit, and it's so nice to see that she is in such a good place.  It makes me so excited about Thanksgiving coming up and all the time we will have together as a family!  And then on the way home, we got to see the most beautiful sunset!

I love this month, and in this month of gratitude, I am so very thankful for so many things!

Sunday football memories

Today is the kickoff of the NFL season.  It's a very cloudy, dreary day in southwest Ohio.  As I've been watching the sights and sounds, I've realized how ingrained this is in my memories from childhood.  When I was in college, Sundays at home watching football was the thing I missed the most.  In my mind, it is just full of cozy memories.  Even though it is fairly warm outside, the cloudy skies help it to feel cozier inside.  With no one at home, the house is staying cleaner so a quick dust and pick up yesterday and then vacuum meant I didn't have much to worry about today.  I also told Andrew though, a Sunday like today also makes me miss the kids more.  I guess I just completely associate Sunday with being a family day.  I'm grateful for the memories, both recent and those from long ago.

We have finally arrived at Labor Day weekend

I just looked at my clock, and my first thought was that it must have stopped.  How on earth is it only just after 9:00.  It definitely feels much, much later.  I only had to work until Noon today, but then I went and picked up Thomas for the weekend.  He tried to make some plans, but it didn't work out, so he's stuck at home this evening.  Andrew had to stat at the away football game, and I'm watching Michigan State play football.  I'm so grateful for an extra long weekend to catch up on some sleep and enjoy some family time! 

The first of September

It's been a long week.  Work continues to be just a bit crazy and adjusting to our new normal is also a bit draining.  While I do have to work tomorrow, it is only 1/2 day, and there are no students, and of course no work Monday.  I'm going to get Thomas tomorrow, and Catherine is planning to come and stay over Sunday evening.  We have plans to hang out and watch a movie.  I'm excited to have all of us under one roof for a night.  Not going to wish away the weekend though.  

And of course it is college football weekend!  This weekend has the BIG Notre Dame/OSU game.  You know what I love about this?  NOTHING!  Someone has to lose, and I'm not happy about that.  Of course I'll be rooting for the Irish, but I know they are the underdog.  The game is my big plan for Saturday evening though.  Tonight I'm watching Pitt/WVU, and I'll be flipping between that and Penn State/Purdue.  I LOVE that college football has returned!  I love so many games over Labor Day weekend!  I'm glad it's all arrived!

Super Bowl Sunday

While we are Steelers fans in our house, living near Cincinnati means it's been a VERY fun few weeks in the area.  Unlike teams of years ago, the current Bengals seem to be decent human beings and they are fun to root for.  Cincinnati Public schools, and many other schools in the area have closed or at least delayed tomorrow.  Our public school district announced there would be NO delay here tomorrow.  And I'm pretty sure most people at the private school where I work, in spite of being so close to Cincinnati, don't even know much about tonight's game.

Thomas is choosing to stick with his Steeler's roots and is rooting against the Bengals.  I remember rooting for the Bengals in both super bowl appearances in the 1980's, neither of which ended in victory.  Andrew and I are enjoying the vibe of the area, and there is no way I couldn't like Joe Burrow.  I know so many Bengals fans (including most of my family) and I would be very happy for them if the Bengals could win.  Fun times around here (and an unexpected snow miracle would also be awesome)!

Amazing football playoffs

This year, the football playoffs have been more entertaining then I can remember them being in years!  I loved that the first weekend had six games.  The games last weekend were amazing...three last minute field goal wins and a TD in OT.  This week, another OT win and even the last game ended with the difference of just a field kicked with less than two minutes left.  They were incredible games!

So we are looking at a Bengals/Rams super bowl in two weeks.  Obviously, we are NOT Bengals fans, but the city is having such a blast!  The fun and excitement and is truly contagious, and we'll be rooting for the AFC North team in two weeks!

A fabulous football weekend

After I got home from the pool Friday, I had absolutely no where I had to be all weekend.  It was glorious to have the entire weekend to get things done and to just relax.  I was incredibly productive, but I was also able to watch the AMAZING football games that happened this weekend.  All four games were decided by a total of 15 points.  Only one game actually went the way I was rooting, but they were all such great games!  In fact, the Chiefs/Bills game last night might have been the best playoff game I have ever seen.  Amazing!

We are entering into a tough stretch of the winter.  It's cold, but no snow to make it fun (this weekend we were too far south), and no snow days.  Swim is at the end, and we have a very long meet on Saturday.  The end of January is a tough time, but I'm grateful for each day!

It's been a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend

Andrew left about 45 minutes ago to drive east and return his mother to the neighbor who will take her the rest of the way.  We are so very grateful for the neighbors who were willing to help out with this trip, and we are so very grateful that my mother-in-law was willing to come for the week.  I know that she was fairly emotional about things, but I also know that being here was good medicine for her soul.

While the day of Thanksgiving itself was not my most favorite, I'm grateful the weekend overall was one of my most favorites.  The house is decorated and picked up...fingers crossed it stays that way!  We decorated the trees first to make certain we could get them done while everyone was around.  Andrew's mother thoroughly enjoyed watching us unwrap all of the memories that we hang on the tree each year, as well as the memories that we place throughout our home.  We have many decorations that were made by my mother-in-law or even her mother, we have many that were made by my grandmother, and we even have one that was hand-carved by my great-uncle.  We have decorations that were gifts to my grandmothers and now we get to enjoy them as well.  And we have decorations that are just fun.

The OSU/*ichigan game (you understand if you're from here) did not at all go the way we wanted, and my mother-in-law laughed at the exuberance with which we watch the game.  I wasn't too happy about the outcome of the Iron Bowl either, but I think our Irish still have a shot at making the playoffs this year!

More than anything, we made sure Andrew's mom laughed.  We began watching some of our favorite episodes of our favorite shows, and she would just laugh and laugh.  She even said her sides hurt from laughing so hard.  I know she especially enjoyed all of the laughter.

We are hoping to get up to see my grandmother today since she didn't feel well when we hoped to see her the other day, and real life begins again tomorrow.  It's a little hard not to wish it was a week ago when all of the fun was beginning, but I'm just going to take the full and peaceful feeling in my heart, and remember to enjoy even the crazy busy days!

The first weekend in October

Sunday evening has arrived, and the weekend is drawing to a close.  It was a very nice weekend...I don't think October can have bad weekends!  

Friday evening Andrew and I attempted to eat dinner at the state park lodge dining hall.  I'd been wanting to go ever since we'd had our ladies night away in July.  The lodge overlooks the lake and it's truly lovely walking.  Unfortunately, between it being Family weekend for the university and a festival that was being held at the state park, the restaurant couldn't accommodate us.  I asked Andrew to walk with me though so we could at least enjoy the view for a bit.  We ended up ordering Mexican take out and sharing a few episodes of a family favorite TV show.  Thomas was in the pep band for the the away football game, and I was grateful that Andrew waited up for him so I could get to bed early.  It had been a truly rough week at work.

Yesterday it was blissful to sleep in, although Andrew had to work an athletic event.  I spent the entire day picking up the house, and was counting down to the UC/Notre Dame football game.  That sure ended up not going the way I wanted it to!!!  I never like it when Notre Dame loses, but I especially detest losing to the Bearcats.  UGH!!!

The evening was definitely the highlight of the weekend.  Thomas attended a band competition, so it was just Andrew and me hosting my lifelong friend who currently lives in NYC.  Although we had done some virtual cocktails, it had been two years since we were able to visit with him in person.  We are so grateful for the few hours we were able to spend together.

This morning I was up and headed to my hometown to get my grandmother to a COVID test.  She is scheduled for surgery this week that should alleviate some hip pain.  I returned to town and went straight to church to work.  I made sure I was home in time to watch the Steelers matchup against the Packers...which also is not going the way I would want it to go.

Another busy week is coming up, but I have no school on Friday!  Nothing better than an extra long weekend in October!

So much to enjoy about today

I have to start with the fact that the best thing about today is definitely the weather!  It is beyond awesome around here!  It will be up into the 80's again this weekend, but the humidity has dropped.  It is fabulous.

The next thing to enjoy about today is that I took tomorrow off of work, which means I have a FOUR DAY WEEKEND!  I am so grateful it wasn't an issue to be off tomorrow.  Andrew has to work as a teacher work day, but not only will Thomas be home, Catherine is also home.  She came home for the weekend because tomorrow evening will be the senior recognition of Thomas's marching band season, and then Saturday Andrew and the kids are going to my in-laws.  I very much appreciate that I'll have tomorrow to spend with the kids since they will be gone during the bulk of the weekend.

And another very fun thing to enjoy about today is that college football returns this evening!  Not only is college football back, but OSU plays tonight.  Go Buckeyes!!!!  I will miss my family this weekend, but I at least I know that I'll have plenty of football on TV to keep me entertained!

In spite of some rough emotions lately, I am very, very grateful for these moments of peace.  Life is full of many blessings!

Super Bowl weekend

We are watching the big game, and are rooting hard for the Chiefs.  I can respect and acknowledge that Tom Brady may be the best ever, but I'm not going to root for him.  Unfortunately, Andrew has baseball practice and isn't home right now.  He'll be home in about another hour.

Thomas's swim season ended Friday.  Although we knew that would be the case, three relay teams advanced to districts, which consist of eight different boy swimmers.  Because there are only eleven boys on the team, that means only three don't get to keep swimming.  Thomas took that hard, and it was hard on my heart to see him hurt.

On the upside, we had plans with our best friends last evening.  I can't begin to explain how grateful I am that our kids all get along so well.  They are all inseparable these days, and have been more of a blessing during COVID than I can even explain.

I have been so grateful again to have Catherine around this weekend.  Life just feels more peaceful and complete when she is here.  I hate that I've had to work a lot this weekend, but I made it as little as possible while still meeting deadlines.  

No school this coming Friday, and there could be a LOT of snow this week.  We are officially finished with our swim responsibilities, so it could be a very peaceful next week!

I've never before been so glad the Steelers made the playoffs!

Our family was all dressed appropriately and ready to go last Sunday evening as the Steelers played in the first round of the playoffs.  We were all a little sad that we were playing the Browns, because normally we would want to root for them.  Our rooting clearly didn't do the Steelers any good though, and we will be rooting for the Browns for the rest of their run.

I am sooo glad the Steelers made the playoffs though, and played in that 8ish game Sunday evening, because that mean Andrew didn't go to baseball workout.  Since he didn't go to baseball workout, it meant he wasn't around another coach who woke up feeling poorly the next day and then was diagnosed with COVID.  Because he wasn't exposed, he doesn't have to quarantine, and neither do Thomas and I.  We are unclear if Thomas would be allowed to go to school, but my job has a very strict policy and I would not be allowed at work.  So very thankful that the Steelers made the playoffs!