I walk in the door from running an errand. My boys were in the midst of their evening snack routine. My youngest was finishing his small bag of chips.

 

“I’m still hungry,” he says.

“Make a sandwich,” I say.

He makes and eats a sandwich.

 

“I’m still hungry,” says my son.

“Grab a banana,” I say.

He eats his banana.

 

I think he is finally full.

I hope he is full.

I have to go to the grocery store tomorrow (again).

 

I’m taking part in a monthly blogging challenge through Two Writing Teachers. 

Today I was waiting for an important phone call.

I carried my phone everywhere.

I glanced at it every few minutes to make sure I didn’t miss the call.

I changed my regular routine just so I could watch the phone.

As if watching it would make it ring sooner.

Then the call came.

A sigh of relief.

And then determining we must wait for another phone call later this week.

I then set my phone aside.

For I will have to watch it later this week.

Waiting for it to ring.

With news.

Hopefully good news.

 

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The sound of the helicopter changed all my plans for the evening.  Well at least two hours of my plans.

I sat down with my laptop and a pile of personal paperwork. Tonight would be the night I’d actually finish this pile, which I’ve been tackling a little bit at a time.  But first I had to check Facebook.  And then I saw the post about the helicopter circling our usually quiet development.  It was a helicopter that I hadn’t paid much attention to before I saw the post about its police activity.

Instead of finishing that paperwork, I found myself following a Facebook thread.  I found myself emailing friends in the area.  I found myself listening to the police scanner online.  My boys joined me.

“Can this count for school, mom?”

“Of course. You are learning how police keep us safe,” I agreed.

“So. I don’t have schoolwork tomorrow, then,” he pleaded.

I laughed and told him that it didn’t get him out of tomorrow’s school work.  Nice try!

Our international student joined us as we listened to the scanner and watched updates online.  Eventually the helicopter noise stopped. It was so quiet outside.  I kept on following the Facebook group posts. Was it over?  No one could confirm.  And then we decided we had had enough.  Family game night took over the rest of the evening. My pile of paperwork left for another day.  All because of that one helicopter.

After our family game night festivities, I did discover that the whole incident was safely over. 

 

I’m taking part in a monthly blogging challenge through Two Writing Teachers. 

Here’s what is happening at my house tonight:

– I’m trying to think of something creative to write.

– The dishwasher’s drying cycle is almost done.  Then it can be reloaded and run again.

– Our international student is moving her laundry from the washing machine to the dryer.

– My husband is playing a video game with friends through xbox live.

– My youngest son just finished the orange juice – that I bought this afternoon!

– My oldest is watching clips on YouTube.

– His friend is hanging out and drawing.

– And I’m still trying to think of something creative to write.

 

I’m taking part in a monthly blogging challenge through Two Writing Teachers. 

Many years ago I moved away from home to go to college. If I timed the 12-hour drive right, I could leave in the daylight and reach my destination in daylight.

Years after that I moved even further away from home to go to grad school.  It took almost 30 hours to drive home.  I depended on the airplane to get me home.

A few years later, my husband and I moved again.  This time we were a 20-21 hour drive from my home.  We’ve flown to my home.  We’ve driven to my home.

People often ask if we would want to move back to my home. We’ve talked about it.  We’ve looked into it seriously.  Yet we stay at our home.  The one my boys will reference someday as their home.

Some days I wish I lived closer to home.  Some days I wish I could have more than a phone call or a online connection with my family back home. Some days I wish I wouldn’t have to say, “I can’t easily get home right now.”

Because no matter where I live or how old (or young) I am.  It is still my home. And there are days I still just want to be there.

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Some days it is just the simple things.

Chatting with a friend.

A good cup of coffee.

Helping a friend.

A good cup of coffee.

Friends playing with friends.

A good cup of coffee.

I’m taking part in a monthly blogging challenge through Two Writing Teachers. 

 

Today was simply a beautiful spring day!

I woke up to birds chirping!

The sun was shining.

My boys easily went outside to play.

I almost sat on my front porch with an afternoon cup of coffee.

Today was simply a beautiful spring day!

I’m taking part in a monthly blogging challenge through Two Writing Teachers. 

Tonight I slowly lifted the spoon from the sauce pan to my lips.  The first taste of the blueberry-honey sauce was amazing.  I had just made it for the pork shoulder that sat in my crock pot all day with spices, honey and olive oil.  I took a slice of pork out of the crock pot.  I drizzled the fresh sauce on top of the tender piece of pork.  I savored the first and second and third bites.  Amazing.

I chuckled at myself. “You’ve come a long way baby,” is what I thought.  And then I really chuckled because I don’t smoke, yet that slogan seemed to fit perfectly.

When my husband and I first met, my cooking skills included making turkey sandwiches, mac and cheese from a box and warming up a can of soup or SpaghettiOs.  Prior to that I didn’t HAVE to cook.   I either lived at home (thanks mom!) or lived in a college dorm (caf food or take out!).  Ironically, my husband cooked for me when we celebrated his birthday for the first time together.  We both get a good laugh out of that now!

When we married, we had a deal.  He cooked. I cleaned.  That worked wonderfully for the first (pre-kid) six years of our marriage.  That all shifted when I became a stay-at-home mom.  It was all of a sudden my responsibility to make sure we had a warm (or sometimes cold) meal to eat.

Sometimes I have done a great job taking care of this.  Sometimes I have failed miserably. I’ve stared at the clock thinking, “Oh. No. What can I throw together?”   I’ve attempted recipes that turned out horrible. I’ve been reminded by my kids and husband, “Please don’t try three new meals within the same week.”  And sometimes, I simply amaze myself.  Tonight is one of those nights.

Now to go get some seconds on this amazing meal!

 

I’m taking part in a monthly blogging challenge through Two Writing Teachers.