Another Month Gone By

Hello, Friends!
Here we are, on the last day of April.  Did anyone ever tell you that the older you get, the quicker time flies.  They weren't kidding.  It seems the more plans I make and wait for, the sooner the events pass by. 

I knew this month was going to be busy - we are still unpacking, my daughter's 5th grade overnight field trip was happening as was my nephew's First Holy Communion.  All things I planned for at the end of last year, and now...it is all over.  It has all come and go, and I am over here like

Don't get me wrong, the trips were amazing.  But I really think I am done traveling for now.  I still have rooms I am trying to set up in the house to be usable and I think I have been out of the house about as long as we have been moved in.  I still have that surreal feeling when I am home. 

As I have mentioned before, my daughter is in 5th grade this year.  That is crazy enough, now we have open houses and middle school electives to pick out.  Anywho, her school does an overnight field trip each year with the 5th graders.  Field trips mean chaperones.  To make up for the 5 years of missed trips with my daughter (for all legit reasons, of course!) we decided as a family that I would go with her and be a chaperone.  That has made me a bundle of nerves since I signed up!  All's well that ends well, though.  I have to admit, the trip was fun.  I drove the 2 hours, but my daughter took the bus with her friends.  The location was very nice, and the staff were very well organized.  After introductions and lunch, we got the day started.  There was alot of walking of course, but they ended the day with a camp fire and smores.  My daughter had so much fun with her friends, but I know she loved having me there too.  (because she told me, lol)

A few months after planning this trip and volunteering to chaperone, my sister back home reminds me of my nephew's communion.  Of course the date ends up being the weekend right after the field trip.  So, sadly, I had to leave earlier than the kids to get to my flight back to NY.  My daughter was a little sad, but she had wanted to take the bus back anyway, and they were going on a maze hunt, so she had that to look forward to.  My younger sister (the one who lives in AZ) and I decided to each go to the communion and spend the weekend with our older sister and her son.  Make a sister's weekend out of it (we haven't been together in the same state, same time in like 9 years) and spoil our nephew since our kids weren't going. 

SURPRISE!!!  I finally land and one sister picks me up with plans to meet our other sister.  Pull into the parking lot and who do I see???  My mom, dad and niece from AZ surprised us with joining us for the weekend, too!  Oddly enough, I don't get to see my family all that often as we all live in different states.  I just saw half of them in AZ last month, but here we are again - all together.  I will admit to being a little sad that my kids were missing, but it was wonderful to be together, and I know that my older sister loved having her whole family around to celebrate. 

It was a beautiful weekend, we all had a great time together.  So much to look forward to, and now there is nothing.  I think that will be ok for now.  I think the summer will bring lots of fun and good times; I will buy pretty new things for my house and relax when I can in the time being. 

I hope that you all are taking advantage of special opportunities, but not rushing time away.  Take a moment when you can to sit back in your favorite chair, grab your thoughts or your family and cherish what is going on around you.  Don't forget to stop every now again, YOLO!

Springtime Holidays Weekend

Happy Easter or Passover!
Spring has sprung.  There is something wonderful about celebrating meaningful holidays as the weather is getting warmer.

We are still busy moving everything over to the new house and unpacking.  It is really overwhelming, which surprises me.  The hubby and I have moved a few times in our life together and I have never been this consumed with the unpacking process.

It is alright, though.  I will not let it stress me out.  We have a lifetime to make it perfect, right?

Holidays are a time for reflecting and rejoicing.  I grew up believing that the more friends I had and the bigger I made my family, the more I would be loved.  Or feel loved.  I now see that I was looking at it all wrong.  Yes, you can have lots of people around you all the time or you can try to plan the most wonderful holiday celebrations, BUT only the people who truly want to spend the time with you are worth having there at all.  It took major drama for me to take a step back and realize that even if it is just me, the hubby and kids, then that is all I need.  No amount of friends coming over, in-laws feeling obligated or family members not really wanting to stop by will make the day feel accomplished.  I know that I just end up with an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach because I have forced something.

I used to try and plan 'wonderful' holiday get togethers, the more the merrier; whoever can make it, come on over.  After I took my rose-colored glasses off, I realized 'well, gee, no one really wanted to be here, and look at that - the four of us just had the most special time together!'.

Sometimes I do miss having the house full of every person I know, but I can appreciate spending quality time with the most important people in my life.  When the time is right, I'll have that great big family get together that I would like to have for my side of the family; but until then, me and the hubby will just spoil those two creatures we created and show them that celebrating equals family.

My door is always open to those that want to share time with us, and I hope those in my world know that.
And if I don't get to share the holiday with them, my wish is that they are enjoying their celebrations.

Sending hugs and kisses to you all!