five finds friday (silly and sweet)

Because I want to write stuff you want to read, I’ve got to ask – do you still like these Five Finds posts?

(I really do want to know.)

It’s been a good week – one that had SUNSHINE in it.

You guys had such fun responses to my dating post and I love you for it.  

My dad is out of the country currently, visiting my brother who lives in New Zealand.  One of my other brothers went with him.  Who, as a matter of fact, has never left the country, so it’s a big deal.  I’m excited for them.  Likely, that means Dad has no time to read my blog this week so that lets me dodge a bullet there. 

I’m kidding.  My dad is a great sport and has wonderful advice.  He just enjoys teasing me a bit too.  And, you know, he has OPINIONS.  (I had to inherit that from someone, I suppose.)  

funny

London and her friends have started their own newspaper.  It’s entirely a Google Docs newspaper and it’s nonsensical but awesome.  

And the group of kids she creates it with have some silly running jokes between them – one of which is that three of them are mutually “in charge” and have become dictators of the group.

Then she spends an unnecessary amount of time creating her own memes or something.  

They’re legitimately ludicrous, but they make us all laugh.

In other news, this same kid has been practicing driving an actual car with living passengers inside of it.

fashionable

I love the book nerdy items that Out of Print carries.

They have great t-shirts and tote bags, cool pencil cases and funny socks and sweatshirts.

And since we are currently reading Jane Eyre – and because I love that novel – I’m totally into this shirt right now.

flavorful

Although we are close friends and have been for a rather long time, Trader Joe’s sometimes lets me down.  

Particularly when it comes to seasonal items.  Just when I get addicted to say, the vanilla flavored tea that comes in a box with a lemur on it (thus earning it the name – Lemur Tea) they go and stop carrying it.  Forever.  With no plans to bring back my beloved Lemur.

I’ve been trying various other teas and finding acceptable substitutes but I miss my Lemur so.

Recently I tried their loose tea.

Turns out, despite the fact that no lemur appears on the packaging in any form, it’s really great tea.

I will accept this substitute, Trader Joe’s, but let’s not make a habit of disappointing me.

faithful

Remember, like a lifetime ago, when I wrote about renting a house and the lessons that I learned through renting?

(It’s okay if you don’t remember.  That’s a lot to ask, I know.)

One of the things I wrote about, that I think about often, is how other people, people who come after you, might get to enjoy your hard work.  How what we do to our properties is often enjoyed by someone other than ourselves.

This is our first spring living in our new home here at The Burrow.

And it has been a delight to step outside and see what is growing.  To see what color is bursting forth.  

All because someone before us was faithful.  To plant what they may never sow.  To leave a harvest for me and my kids.

I have a plethora of forsythia.  I love forsythia so much.

Recently, gorgeous phlox burst into bloom.

Did God know that I adore phlox?  (He did – I’m certain of it.)

Goodness – won’t it be dreamy if hydrangeas appear soon?

I’m so thankful for other people’s faithfulness.

I hope I leave the same sort of bright legacy.

feels

Thursday nights I have a lot of writing work to do.

So I headed in to tuck in the kids and I was all prepped to do the world’s fastest tuck in.

I stood in the center of the girls’ room and basically waved goodnight to them and turned to exit.

One kid moaned, “Mom – is that all we get?”

I said I had a lot of work to get done and I loved them.

Then I turned to leave.

Then my fifteen year old daughter says, “Okay mom – but you tucking me in is the highlight of my night.”

pause.

I hear her.  Loud and clear.

I could cry sitting out here typing this later.

Of course you know I jumped into bed beside her and brushed her hair and talked about a couple of things with her.  I didn’t rush it and I knew the writing would wait.  I know a little less sleep was a more than fair substitute. 

Oh these kids.

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