a new day...

 

Oh yes we did!  It was too much fun, with my sister. The footrests didn't work on our chairs, so we relocated to the front row, where one guy was sitting in the aisle seat.  There are only 5 chairs in a row, so we skipped one seat and lo and behold, my footrest only went half way up, and got stuck.  I managed to finagle myself out of the chair to fix it, but couldn't.  Cheryl was pressing everywhere for the button for her footrest, and it was broken off.  This wasn't happening quietly, of course, there was some hysterical laughter.  (The movie hadn't started yet, just those endless ads).  The guy sitting there asked if we wanted him to move, but oh no, of course not.  We decided to move our rear ends back to where we started out, and as I picked up the loud crinkly plastic water bottle I had brought in in my purse, I promised the man that we would behave when the movie started.

Cheryl and I...we went to dinner before the movie.

Cheryl, I am sorry/not sorry for posting this.  It was too much fun.

Anya came over for a visit, and thought she'd make a comfy seat by stacking up a bunch of pillows.  She baked with Camille.

These smelled absolutely HEAVENLY, a cinnamon coffee cake cookie with streusel topping.  

I also made a batch of lemon cupcakes, with lemon buttercream frosting for Anne, we celebrated her birthday at activity club last night.

Yesterday, water aerobics, then home...the group was going to their monthly out-to-brekky, and once again, I opted not to go.  They are such a nice group of people, but Kathryn was coming over with Achilles, Rhys, and Jamie, and Sonja had the day off from the hospital, and we were picking Miss Char up early from school because she said, "Please don't go anywhere without me..."

So Kathryn and the kids came for a bit, had some snacks and played, got out some toys, then we went to Target, and to Old Navy.  Old Navy is a strange store.  There are a few good deals, but most of their stuff is over-priced.  Their baby clothes are meh.  Target has a much better selection, and much better prices.  

Jamie, first time in the cart...didn't last too long, mama had to carry him...he's so cute.

Rhys, her reaction when I asked her why the mannequin didn't have any eyes or nose...

Home....ah, home.  The I had a package of chicken breast to use, and was pondering different meals, when I thought, "I'll make Chinese food...", right as Camille said, "Mama, can you make Chinese?"  Now, the meal I made is not authentic Chinese food, but it's was good.  I chopped the chicken into bite-sized pieces, tossed it into a flour and corn starch mixture with pepper, then browned it all up in three batches in the wok, in canola, olive, and sesame oil.  The veggies were a bag of teriyaki stir fry mix from Aldi, plus a bag of broccoli florets.  Camille made a pan of rice, and some cauliflower rice, which I browned in sesame oil.  The sauce for the chicken was:  half a stick of butter, lots of freshly ground ginger, some orange marmalade, half a bottle of teriyaki sauce that was in the refrigerator, all hot and bubbly and poured on the hot chicken, it was really good.  

Anyway.  Life is going by quickly.  The days blur together, and I haven't gotten bored yet.  This weekend is my weekend away in the Fingerlakes.  Emily rented an Airbnb on Cayuga Lake, with a nice little private beach, and a dock, a fire pit, a deck looking over the water...with Mariel, Evelyn, Charlotte Claire, and Camille, just a little getaway.  (Em told me about it on my birthday, said it was going to be my present).   We are meal planning, and thinking chicken fajitas on Friday night, bacon eggs and cinnamon toast for Saturday morning, charcuterie for lunch, and Emily's homemade curry dish for dinner.  I'll bring popcorn and coconut oil to make it in.  

There are things in life that aren't our stories to tell, and there are things that are extremely difficult to deal with.  I was discussing with one of my daughters how I want to come into rest about something, she said," Just make a decision to be at rest about it, then every time a temptation comes up that's from anxiety, or worry, say NO, ask God to help you be at rest..."  So basically, it's a battle to take up.  There is peace when we put our trust in God, but sometimes we have to fight for that peace.  And it seems hypocritical to me to comfort someone that their trials and tribulations are from God, yet be a wreck about the whole thing.  So I have to do my share, then I can be a help.  Does that make sense?  

I'll be honest, I have not been sleeping well.  Usually after few hollow nights, those pesky go-right-to-sleep-only-to-wake-up-at-two-and-stay-awake-til-the-sun-comes-up nights, I'll have a good night's sleep.  Well, I am really due for one.  Last night, Sunny woke me up whining at midnight, then the power went out at 1:30, turning off the fan, then adding insult to injury, the smoke alarms all do a little beep, all of them throughout the whole huge house.  The fan turning off wasn't enough, ha, how about this?  BEEP.  BEEP.  BEEP.  ugh.   Sunny decided she needed to go out again, and let me tell you, out here in the country, when it's dark, it's PITCH black.  I had to get my phone for the flashlight.    Then, I was WIDE awake.  One of my pool friends said she just turns on the lights and does Sudoko when she can't sleep.  Ha, I said, my husband would LOVE that.  The thing about insomnia is that it turns physical.  You are awake so long, you feel the hips ache, then the arm falls asleep right as you think you might possibly be falling asleep, so you roll over...then sleep doesn't come, but you have figured out what to do with all the ground beef in the refrigerator, and have made a firm decision that you WILL clean out the produce drawer tomorrow, for sure.  

Anyway...there are things to do and places to go, and things to pray about, and things to be thankful for...have a really good day.