Domestic Sunday
I was so excited when we went to bed last night because today is Sunday and I could sleep in. Of course, my body awoke at 5:30 am and decided it was up for the day. Argh! But it has been nice watching the sun come up. I have not made the coffee yet but I should. My coffee maker can be set to automatically come on and brew at a given time of day chosen by me, but I didn't think to set it last night. We were having too much fun.
Yesterday was just familial bliss for me. I had class in the morning (Biology test this week and next week and algebra test this week too. Lord save me) and then came home and headed out to do some errands/shopping. Joe was working on the fence (I promise a picture is coming Mary Ann!). I called Mom and she met me at Sam's Club where I renewed my membership and we browsed around. Sam's is a dangerous, dangerous place. I could go crazy there buying stuff. I found a comforter set that would look very nice in the bedroom and some 400 thread count sheets in a lovely cotton sateen ivory. Right now the bedroom is just horribly dark and brooding. I would like to make it softer, warmer, more uplifting and inviting. The brown I chose for the walls is darker than I anticipated. That room just doesn't get good light.
I digress. So anyway, Mom and I shopped a bit, then I did regular groceries and picked up the boys. They were in such a good mood, all chatty and cute and smiley. We came home and they got busy building themselves a "fort" out of moving boxes that I let them cut up and color on with markers. They were determined they were going to sleep in it last night, an idea that lasted about five minutes before the both said the floor wasn't that comfortable and went back to their beds. At one point during the afternoon yesterday they wanted to know if they could take down a portion of the old fence for Joe with the "wrecking balls" they had made out of tinker toys. I guess Joe told them it was okay, because I came outside and the two of them were just whacking away (uselessly I might add) with great gusto while Joe looked on in bemusement. We joked how if we had TOLD them to take down the fence (with Tinker Toys or otherwise) it would not have been nearly as fun. They didn't manage to make the fence fall but if it will occupy them for an hour like it did last night I am all for them giving it another try today.
So we grilled steak last night and hot dogs (in case the boys didn't want to try the steak...they didn't...). I made cucumber salad with grape tomatoes, onions and vinegar with plenty of salt...yummo! Cucumbers just taste like summer to me. Our tomato plants are almost as tall as I am now, but only the cherry tomato plant is showing good signs of producing for us so far. We got them in about six weeks late, so it may be a while yet. Looks like they have been digging the rain though.
Around 9:45 PM the boys and I made a little trip to Braum's and bought a couple of half gallons of ice cream and brought them home, so Joe and the boys had bowls of ice cream with chocolate sauce right before bed. It was just such a lovely family day. I am sure all of this sounds so mundane and ordinary and probably not all that interesting to read about, but I was just so overwhelmed with the feeling of happiness and home. I had a hard week with missing Joseph and just being a little out of whack emotionally with lots of crying and hollowness. The tenth marked six months now that he has been gone and I guess that just really hit home. I miss him so much. But it felt good to feel the love in our home and to come out a little bit from that dark place. It helps.
Joe is very excited because I brought home a pork butt for him yesterday. He is going to smoke it on the grill today with some chicken wings and Mom is coming for dinner. He took a great deal of pleasure in massaging it with oil and seasonings yesterday and putting it in the fridge. I have never seen someone love to cook as much as this man does. If he isn't doing it he is watching others do it on TV. I think he missed his calling!
Yesterday was just familial bliss for me. I had class in the morning (Biology test this week and next week and algebra test this week too. Lord save me) and then came home and headed out to do some errands/shopping. Joe was working on the fence (I promise a picture is coming Mary Ann!). I called Mom and she met me at Sam's Club where I renewed my membership and we browsed around. Sam's is a dangerous, dangerous place. I could go crazy there buying stuff. I found a comforter set that would look very nice in the bedroom and some 400 thread count sheets in a lovely cotton sateen ivory. Right now the bedroom is just horribly dark and brooding. I would like to make it softer, warmer, more uplifting and inviting. The brown I chose for the walls is darker than I anticipated. That room just doesn't get good light.
I digress. So anyway, Mom and I shopped a bit, then I did regular groceries and picked up the boys. They were in such a good mood, all chatty and cute and smiley. We came home and they got busy building themselves a "fort" out of moving boxes that I let them cut up and color on with markers. They were determined they were going to sleep in it last night, an idea that lasted about five minutes before the both said the floor wasn't that comfortable and went back to their beds. At one point during the afternoon yesterday they wanted to know if they could take down a portion of the old fence for Joe with the "wrecking balls" they had made out of tinker toys. I guess Joe told them it was okay, because I came outside and the two of them were just whacking away (uselessly I might add) with great gusto while Joe looked on in bemusement. We joked how if we had TOLD them to take down the fence (with Tinker Toys or otherwise) it would not have been nearly as fun. They didn't manage to make the fence fall but if it will occupy them for an hour like it did last night I am all for them giving it another try today.
So we grilled steak last night and hot dogs (in case the boys didn't want to try the steak...they didn't...). I made cucumber salad with grape tomatoes, onions and vinegar with plenty of salt...yummo! Cucumbers just taste like summer to me. Our tomato plants are almost as tall as I am now, but only the cherry tomato plant is showing good signs of producing for us so far. We got them in about six weeks late, so it may be a while yet. Looks like they have been digging the rain though.
Around 9:45 PM the boys and I made a little trip to Braum's and bought a couple of half gallons of ice cream and brought them home, so Joe and the boys had bowls of ice cream with chocolate sauce right before bed. It was just such a lovely family day. I am sure all of this sounds so mundane and ordinary and probably not all that interesting to read about, but I was just so overwhelmed with the feeling of happiness and home. I had a hard week with missing Joseph and just being a little out of whack emotionally with lots of crying and hollowness. The tenth marked six months now that he has been gone and I guess that just really hit home. I miss him so much. But it felt good to feel the love in our home and to come out a little bit from that dark place. It helps.
Joe is very excited because I brought home a pork butt for him yesterday. He is going to smoke it on the grill today with some chicken wings and Mom is coming for dinner. He took a great deal of pleasure in massaging it with oil and seasonings yesterday and putting it in the fridge. I have never seen someone love to cook as much as this man does. If he isn't doing it he is watching others do it on TV. I think he missed his calling!