River Rats

So, uh, I'm really hoping all my boating pictures aren't pissing you off.... and um.. if they are, well, I'm sorry about that. Coco got to go out with us last weekend. We went down to "our spot" and watched the cows come down to the water for a drink and a swim. How weird is that? If you look closely at the picture, you should see a few calves. Anyway, they're there and they're adorable. I got fried, and Mark was busy out running a storm (success!) but I think it's safe to say we had a great time. Between the moonshine (what?) and good company how could anyone not?

Happy Wednesday! 

*This Magic Moment- Jay & The Americans

Guess what I'm going to see tomorrow?

*Flightless Bird- Iron and Wine

Weight Watchers, what?

So, I've been doing a little experimentation in the kitchen recently, and this website has some fantastic meals that have a lighter touch. Please go visit Gina over at Skinny Taste by clicking on the link above! It's worth it! Look what I made!

Chicken Quesadillas with Avocado and Mango Salsa

Angel Hair Pasta in a Tomato Cream Sauce

Cilantro Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

Everything I made was great. The Salsa was my favorite, and I was unable to snap a picture of my Cuban Sandwich, but it was yummo as well. Bon Appetite!

*Kokomo- The Beach Boys

boating 101

Always bring a hat. Or you will have a rats nest at the end of the day.

Hope your weekend was fun, 'cause mine was!

*Wilco- I'm a wheel

celebrating fathers

Today we celebrated Father's Day with my grandad. We had cake and grandad got so many nice things. I hope he knows how much we love him everyday of the year... and not just the special days. Here are grandads' girls, (minus Holly... she hadn't made it up there yet when I was taking pictures, but she was missed!).

Here are my mom and my uncle with their dad. This picture is missing Aunt Carolyn, she had to leave early, but hopefully we'll get another picture with the three of them with Gia sometime soon. : )

Happy Father's Day, Gia. You are so loved!




*Little Boxes- Malvina Reynolds

sisters

One is here, one lives there. One is

a little taller than the other. Two

different colors of hair, two different

outlooks on life, two very different

views from their windows. Both

have different tomorrows ahead.

Each is unique in so many ways.

Each has her own story, with all

the busy things going on in the

present. Each has different work to

do, and different demands on the

day. Each had separate destinations

and a distinctly different path to

get there. But...

For all the things that might be

different and unique about them...

these two sisters will always share so

much. They will always be the best of

family and friends, entwined together,

through all the days of their lives.

Their love will always be very special:

gentle and joyful when it can be,

strong and giving when it needs to be,

reminding them, no matter how

different their stories turn out...

They share the incredibly precious

gift of being "sisters." And when you

think of some of the best things this

world has to offer, a blessing like
that is really... what it’s all about.
-Poem by Laurel Atherton

Because I was thinking of mine today...

exhaustion

Most of the time, I don't mind being a good listener. A good listener has many weapons in her arsenal. Nodding in encouragement, the ability to not speak unless directly asked for advice, a strong shoulder for which to cry on, long arms to hold and comfort people and of course, large ears. As a matter of fact, this blog has become my own good listener. Something without an opinion (unless I get comments) and something with no dog in the race. Most of the time, like I said, I can handle it. This past week, my resolve wavered and I got sick. Sometimes I wonder how much of a correlation there is there. I could easily say that Mark had the crud and then gave it to me, but then, I was already feeling run down and overwhelmed. I think my ears had shrunk and my shoulders had already given out. My arms were heavy and then there was this crud in the house. Sometimes, I think being sick is Gods way of telling us to slow down. Take serious time out for ourselves. Regroup.... patch ourselves up. That's sort of what happened while I was sick.

I was really miserable, but the whole time I was thinking about what needed to be done, what I should have been doing, people whose calls I need to return, calls I wanted returned, people I had been worrying about previously and how they were doing.... and then I got worse. It was like all that stress doubled my exhaustion and made everything much, much worse than what it had to be. This brings me to my point. (Yes, there is one!) Why did I have to let myself get physically ill before I started trying to take care of myself??? I actually broke down in tears last night, I was so tired and felt so bad, but I don't think that's why I was crying. I think it was because I needed to let all of that crap out. Being a good listener has it's drawbacks. Once you have heard someones problems, you tend to internalize them, make them your own. You set out to fix or at least help resolve issues that you can do nothing about, which wreaks havoc on your body. I have to learn how to let the things go that I can do nothing about or that do not directly affect me. Do you have these issues? What do you do? Are you like me? Do you let them get so out of hand that they literally make you sick? Lots of feedback please.    and PS... Blog? I love you.

in bloom

I came out to go to work one day this week, and look what surprised me!

Two more bloomed since the crud hit the house. Maybe I have a green thumb after all?

a birthday party

Ryan's birthday blogs are long overdue! His party was last weekend and between Mark getting sick and the me catching whatever he had towards the end of this week, there hasn't been enough time to sit down and post. However, I have been lying on the couch for about three days now, stoned on Robitussin and Advil Cold and Sinus, just thinking of all the wonderful things to mention about his party. Now that I am sitting up straight (though I am still on the couch) I can't remember of the sweet things I thought of, because the haze has lifted and I can once again see straight.

Ha. Ryan's birthday this year was a small affair. There has just been too much that has happened over the year to fit into this post explaining why. The short story is that Holly and Wayne are now divorced. That's public record, so I don't feel bad saying that at all. The rest of it is not public and therefore not my business (as I have had to remind my mother more than once over the last year!) and well, you get the gist of it. SO. Holly had a party and Wayne had a party. The boy got two birthday parties, so, I'm guessing he was cool with that (go, Ryan!). I'm straying from my point. Holly's party was our family only, though I did miss Wayne and his family. Mark and I, My grandparents (Gigi and Papaw to Ryan), my mom (Grammy), Great Uncle Mark (who I think he should call GUM, but nothing so far) and Holly and PJ.

It was a lovely day. We grilled out hamburgers and hot dogs and had cake and presents. Very small and the boy couldn't have had more fun. He was the only kid there, so he got all of the attention. He was WILD on sugar (I helped this along tremendously by offering him soda every chance I got and force feeding him icing. HA!- I'm a GREAT Aunt!) Anyway, here are a few pictures I thought I would share.

Happy Birthday to you....

You live in a Zoo..........

You smell like a monkey...

And you look like one too!

What a difference a year makes

Ryan in review, version 2. Enjoy!

June 4, 2010 marked the second birthday of my sweet nephew. Here is a look back at him 12-24 months.


June '09- taken at Ryan's house on the day of his birthday party!

July '09- facebooking with Aunt Hedda

August '09- always the explorer








September '09- taken at the river during the Beatles Birthday Bash.

October '09- our favorite little Cookie Monster!










November '09- Spin that record, Ryan Cole!










December '09- headed out to play in the snow.












January '10- Goofing around. : )










February '10- always borrowing a hat or shoe






.


March '10- waiting on a play date with Olivia.













April '10- ready to go out and play!









May '10- looking more like Daddy everyday!

June 2010- 2 years old!!! Such a big boy!

All the love in the world, baby boy.

Love,

Aunt Hedda