Happiness

Happiness can be embodied in so many ways. Today in the life of the mysterious favoriteaunt, Happiness is:

• Making it to morning Mass, thank you Jesus
• Two pooches sleeping at my feet (Suzie is actually on my feet, not wanting me to make a move without her knowing)
• Home sweet home - I LOVE being home
• A short work week (yeah baby, half day monday, full days Tues and Weds and that's it!)
• Lots of time in the coming days to catch up with my family- both immediate and extended (which also means lots of time with some of my favorite munchkins)
• A reasonably productive evening - which is over now that i sat down at the computer - nonetheless, grocery shopping is done, refrigerator cleaned out, coffee ground and blended, two dogs brushed, pantry reorganized and wiped out, dishwasher loaded, and maybe a few other things... that list isn't as exciting as i first thought.
• A good laugh, thanks to an awesome blog post by my good friend Andrea over at http://purposeandgrace.blogspot.com (long sigh, "I miss Andrea")
• Anticipation of pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and all the other great fall-ish deliciousness that will be around at the previously mentioned family events
• Lots of Christmasy ideas and plans bumping around in my tired brain
  

What does happiness look like for you today?

Out East

Hello from Massachusetts. I'm out here this weekend visiting a good friend of mine. I flew out of Detroit Thursday evening and head home again tomorrow morning. Its been a pretty low key weekend, a good break. Friday morning we woke up early to Cheryl's niece and nephew (she lives with them). Maddie (age 5) was peeking through the bottom of the door, waiting to meet me. She and 3 year old James warmed up instantly, jumping all over the bed, us, singing songs, talking, and generally being kids. Good times. Later in the morning Cheryl's parents stopped by with their new dog, Foxy, a 4.5 lb pomeranian. He's barely big enough to classify as a dog, but awfully cute :D maybe my next dog will be one of the tiny ones... hmmm... on second thought, five minutes of rough-housing with the BOC would have flattened him, so maybe i'll stick with the big ones (not that i have any plans to get another dog).

Friday afternoon Cheryl and I headed for Maine- one of the most beautiful places in the world. I absolutely love it!!! We went to York, ME, which is only about an hour from where Cheryl lives. We stayed at a motel right on the ocean for Friday and Sat nights. I'm shocked at how early it gets dark here. Certainly it gets dark earlier and earlier at home, but it is dark here by 5.00 pm!! It makes it feel much later somehow.

Friday evening I went out myself for a walk on the beach, and just unwound and prayed and enjoyed the ohsoadorable lab puppy out with his owner. I wished the BOC were there, they'd love running on the great empty expanse of beach, chasing down the seagulls. Saturday we went for a long walk on the beach too. I think i pray best near the ocean or lakes... they somehow still my soul like nowhere else on earth. There is something so comforting and so calming about the waves, constantly changing and comforting in their constancy. God's glory is so clearly displayed in all of it, the beautiful rocky coastline, the sands of the beach, the birds, waves, sunshine, breeze - all of it!

Sat night we went to see the movie Gone Baby Gone. It was very well done and very disturbing. I don't think I recommend it to mothers as it involves a child disappearing. It was definitely a movie that makes you think... and think... and think... I need to go see Bella again, that was such an excellent movie!! Sunday we slept in late, had breakfast, went to the beach again and I had another great walk with God. Finally we headed back for Massachusetts for an afternoon/evening of chilling, playing with James and Maddie (who are apparently my new best friends), Mass, and now football (thus I'm blogging :)

Its been a good visit, good retreat, good to see Cheryl, and it will be good to be home again. As always, going away always makes me thankful for my life, for home, for the many blessings God has lavished on me in my home, my BOC, my friends, my parish, my family... so so so many blessings.

SuperLife

I think I can safely say that people that work with teenagers are certifiably insane...

they are also the coolest and most amazing bunch of people to go on retreat with. :) This past weekend was our Life Teen retreat, Superlife... with a superheroes theme. Amazing. There aren't really words to describe... but maybe you get an idea from some of the pictures. Yours truly was Larry Boy, a large cucumber superhero with supersuction toilet plunger ears... ah humility, what a beautiful thing :D

Munchkin Weekend

It was a very busy weekend at the Nichols household. Atchy, I think it was a very busy week- not helped by the fact that i got pretty sick Tues night and stayed in bed all day Weds with a fever. Thurs I was well enough to be back at work, although not operating at 100% of my usual capacity (whatever that is). Thurs night was a blast- girls night out with Anne, Alexis, and Cora to see the movie Bella, which I really enjoyed. The company and actually going out with my girlfriends was the best part, of course.

Friday was another busy day at work and then the costume party at the Veens. It was quite a crowd and a good time was had by all. I was Larry the Cucumber, but had some issues with my costume- and then took it off because i was way too hot and was trying to feed a toddler. Hard to exactly describe the party- there were lots of munchkins running around in very cute costumes, pizza dinner, me holding a toddler who was a bit overwhelmed at all of it and just wanted to eat all night, and lots of visiting. Great fun. Its amazing what a happens with a few friends in a couple short years.

After the party, I loaded the Veen's van full of toddlers and bags and we headed for home. Ben and Ellie were coming for the weekend so their parents could go on retreat, and Sarah's parents had left for CA that morning so she'd spent the day at the Veens and was coming home with me. Anyway, it was late and I knew a meltdown was pending, so we sang songs as we drove home and I prayed for a smooth bedtime. Naturally, once we arrived, they were all kind of excited to be there, check out the dogs, the toys, the kids books, etc. So we read some stories and settled down again before attempting bed. Sarah went down great in Kara's room, a few minutes of crying and she was out. Ben was sleeping in my bed and Ellie in the pack and play in my room. They both went down without too much fuss too, and its a good thing since it was 10.00 by the time we said prayers and got in bed. I wasn't far behind them, although i spent a few minutes kid-proofing and straightening up the house before collapsing on the couch.

Saturday began much too early with the BOC barking like crazy before 7 am. I stumbled to the front door to find Fiona there, just as my dad broke in through the garage. yeah, newsflash, you can't sneak into a house with two large dogs, even if i wasn't sleeping on the couch. Fiona and I dozed on the couches again until Ben came down the stairs around 7.30. He and Ellie were up and ready for the day. So we read books, got breakfast, and began the day. Sarah joined us around 9.30 and had her breakfast. Then we put the kiddos, sandwiches, sippy cups, my wagon, etc into the van and headed for the petting farm.

It was a beautiful fall day with the sun shining, a great day for the farm. The kids were thrilled (and a bit terrified at times) by all the animals. My favorites were the tiny calves in the barn, probably stand about 2.5 feet tall, absolutely beautiful little creatures, who like to lick with their scratchy tongues. and this one little baby pigmy goat that kept jumping out of the pen and running around the barn... seriously cute little thing. Ben got to hold it and was thrilled. the girls liked to pet it. At one point the cows in the barn were mooing and the goats all bleating to be fed, Sarah thought that was great- she started mooing right along with them, grinning from ear to ear, and squealing with delight. We wandered all over the farm, enjoying all the animals, and the gorgeous day. After a nice hayride, we had our picnic lunch, wandered a bit more, and then started loading tired kids back into the van. Note: Someday i'm going to have my own farm.

Naps are great. Ben needed some encouragement, so i laid in bed with him for a few minutes- he just wanted to chat. I told him we could make brownies when we got up from nap, so we should really get some sleep. He whispered, "Okay Aunt Reenie, you can dream about tigers." I whispered back, "thanks Ben, you can dream about brownies." Ben: "And Lions too." Okay, sleep now, please? I wanted a nap so badly, but decided to scoop and mow the yard while i had the chance, especially since it had been a couple weeks and looked like a jungle. Naturally I got done with that and got to flop on the couch for half an hour before they started waking up. Its wierd coming off being sick- i feel sort of debilitated and like i just don't have the energy to get everything I want to done... sigh...

We had homemade mac and cheese for dinner. Ben at 7 platefulls, i think someone is growing. Sarah wasn't far behind with 3 big servings. Fiona went out to see Kara's play, so it was just me and the munchkins. More playing before bed, part of a Veggie Tales, and then everyone to bed. Then i folded laundry and watched a movie. An hour later, after all had been quiet upstairs, Ben shows up all smiles. "Hi Aunt Reenie" He cuddles up next to me on the couch for the movie. I looked at him, "Um, why are you down here?" All smiles again, "Cuz I'm awake and happy!!" So stinking cute, but i wasn't born yesterday, I know this tactic. I turned off the tv, hugged him, and insisted we go potty and head back upstairs, just as happy as we'd come and impressed upon him that he was to keep his head on the pillow and go to sleep.

Sunday morning was similar to Saturday, even with the time change. Ben and Ellie were up at 7 and Sarah slept until 9.30. Waffles for breakfast, play time, lots of diapers, and getting everyone ready for Mass. 11.15 Mass went very well considering- we only had one emergency exit and that was for Ben to poop and not because someone was screaming. Back home again had lunch, kids took naps, Reenie went to Kara's play while Fiona and Uncle D held down the fort at home. Got home in enough time to grab dinner and Sarah and run out to LT. (The Veens had come to get their kids while I was gone.) Sarah helped me sacristan for Mass, and then we cleaned up the church together before going home. Note to self: cleaning up the church with a toddler on hip isn't a fast process, particularly carrying those big candlesticks. By the time we got home, she was exhausted and ready for bed (although very chipper) and so was I. Sarah went home early Monday morning, and Reenie went back to normal life at the office.

The count...

Canning Totals for 2007:

• Peaches - 44 quarts
• Strawberry jam - 5 pints
• Salsa - 44 pints
• Tomatoes (canned halves) - 25 quarts
• Tomato marinara sauce - 8 quarts
• Pizza sauce - 14 pints
• Raspberries - 6 pints
• Applesauce - 26 quarts

Five Years Ago...

Oct 27 - I brought home a crazed 7 month old black lab, Maggie, and began a lifetime project... Adoptive families celebrate Forever Family days, Mag and I celebrate Bitches Unite day. Thinking back to that day makes me laugh, I picked up Maggie from her previous home (where i suspect she was abused) and brought her to my parents' house so D could drop me off to pick up my car from the shop... we picked up the escort, i put my new dog in the backseat, and she promptly choked on something and barfed all over. It was the beginning of an adventure...

Nov. 4 - I signed the papers to buy 229 Nichols, home sweet home... I've never been so nervous in my life that i was making a huge mistake as when i signed my name probably fifty times in that closing office. The jury is still out on whether it was a mistake or not ;) but I sure have learned a lot through it all... and I can't say I regret it.

Nov. 10 - Moving Day: my family and Michele and Patrick helped move furniture, boxes, everything into the house from the Hamlet house. It was the end of the Hamlet era and the beginning of the Nichols homestead era...

In the following five years, Maggie and I have weathered a lot of housemates in the ole homestead, lots of comings and goings... Patty Gomez (now Lawson), Sarah Simpson (now something else), Lisa VanderVeen (now Cronk) and Rita the dog, Maria Nistler (now Leahy), Andrea Quist (now Lynn), Anna Merigian, Kara Coulter, and Donal Cousino, and Suzie Q. (I feel as though Betsy Fenton -now Archibald- deserves honorable mention in here, though she never actually lived there, she may have spent more time there than anyone else on this list ;)

Thanks be to God for an amazing five years in the Nichols homestead... we shall see what is in store for the next five years...