Day Two Hundred and Three

The Basics

We're back to 'em! Our last day in Jupiter has been an...eventful one. I don't think I'm a fan of moving quite yet. Adam isn't either. It seemed like everything we did today took just a little bit longer, people moved just a little bit slower, and my patience was wearing just a little bit thinner. There might have been a few arguments between the two of us. Not gonna lie. Moving is stressful, and neither of us work well on short notice. We hate being rushed. But, this is the life we chose, so eventually, we'll get the hang of it. We've already learned so much in the process. Especially things like how to say, "I'm sorry for screaming at you when I can't figure out how to back up the Uhaul." Yep, that happened. I'm driving 12 hours north to Greensboro, North Carolina tomorrow morning in a truck just as wide as a lane, towing a 8x5x5 Uhaul behind me. I've never towed a thing in my life. Adam told me that whatever I do, I'm not allowed to put it in reverse. I'm only allowed to drive forward. That, I can do. While I drive the truck and some of our stuff, Adam will be flying with the team from Fort Lauderdale - he's not allowed to drive. It's mandatory all players fly. Buh! 

Here's what our last day in Jupiter looked like:

Adam and I woke up at 6:30 AM. He ate breakfast and left. I continued packing the house, got ready, then loaded the truck with all sorts of errands. At 11, with the truck filled, I picked up Adam from the clubhouse. We didn't get back to the apartment till 2. In that time, we drove to Comcast and dropped off the receiver, then headed to UPS, then to the mall to return some things, then to Goodwill, then to the storage unit, then to Uhaul. Then we got in a small fight. Then back home. Finally, we loaded the trailer and packed the rest of our things into 20 plastic bins with the help of the Rickards and our landlord. Sweet, sweet people. Every time we need help, they're the first to offer a hand. I love them!! By that time, Adam was starving. We met our pastor and his family at the cutest little beach restaurant for dinner, and had a moment to relax and spend time with a few people who really helped shape our experience here in Florida. Love them. So much. Next, we ran to the hotel to drop off a book Adam borrowed from Sean, then back to the mall to find Adam a pair of jeans. After an hour of searching, we left without a thing. I hate that! Now, it was 8:30 and I still hadn't worked out. So, Adam dropped me off, and I started my P90X KenpoX workout. It takes an hour. During that time, Adam made another trip to the storage unit, to the gas station, and the grocery store. When he got home, I had a few minutes left, so he started cleaning. That was 9:30. In an hour, we cleaned the entire bathroom, kitchen, and living room. Tomorrow we'll wake up, pack all that's left, vacuum, sweep, mop, and LEAVE. Holy. Smokes. Greensboro better have a glass of wine waiting for me when I show up. 

Day One Hundred and Ninety-Four

The Bad Wife

I have a moderate obsession with the smell of laundry detergent. Tide "Purple Cap" is too good to be true. They formulated that soap specifically with Kendall Conley in mind, and will therefore reap every penny I'll spend on laundry detergent for the rest of my life. And that's a lot of pennies. You see, I'm the kind of girl who won't ever wear something twice in a row without washing it. I just can't do it. My clothes have to have the Tide Purple Cap smell. Period. I'm not as harsh when it comes to Adam's clothes, but I've certainly made tremendous progress. Before I met him, he might have considered washing his jeans a few times a month. Well, that's just not an option anymore. And he's not complaining! He now appreciates the smell of clean laundry, and sometimes, he'll even help me fold it. Clearly, that's not what happened today, though. 

It seems that in the past week, our days have become shorter. Much shorter. Whatever happened to that extra hour of daylight we were given last week? Ugh! And so, because our schedules have picked up...the clean laundry pile keeps on growing and growing and growing. It's like the darn Energizer Bunny or something! Bad wife! You see, it takes two seconds to wash the clothes - that's the easy part -  but then you're looking at an hour to fold them, iron them, and hang them up. And I just haven't found the time for that! So, this is what we're left with: a heap of perfectly smelling Tide Purple Cap clothes, and nobody to put them away. Boo.

Oh, and in case you're out of detergent, this is your lucky day. Give up that old boring, lame smelling soap, head to Wal-Mart, and buy yourself some Tide plus Febreze Spring Renewal (Purple Cap). It's on sale right now. I dare you. 

Day One Hundred and Eighty-Five

The Napper

Hey everyone it's Adam again!

When most people think of spring training, they think of the buzz going around a stadium, the excitement of a much anticipated spring, and the players filling the fields with energy and a bounce in their step. When you think of taking a trip to South Florida you probably think of the beach, all the great restaurants and nightlife this culture provides, and how amazingly, stupidly, hysterically rich some people are. When you think of Newlyweds, you think of two young happy people, full of life and living it to the fullest. Hate to break it to you, but behind the scenes, this is what Spring Training, South Florida, and these Newlyweds look like.

I love my God, my Wife, and my job. I try to make conscious decisions every day to be great at pursuing those three things. I recognize the importance of diet, sleep, relaxation, and level-headedness. Unfortunately managing these things can sometimes catch up to you so to speak. So there I laid, for something like 3 hours. Wiped out. 

Don't get me wrong, I am having a great time. I have everything I could want, and a beautiful wife to share it all with, but today one of those things I wanted was a nap! I look forward to getting up tomorrow, eating breakfast, and doing it all over again. I don't think tomorrow I will need a nap though!

Day One Hundred and Fifty-One

The Signature Flashback

Day Seventeen looked an awful lot like today. Only now, I'm wondering if it's still the same guy who's signing all the shiny stickers? He looks so much different. In 4 short months, he's gained almost 20 pounds (he weighed in at 203 on Monday), has lost every shade of tan that he once had, and his hair is looking more Billy Beane-esque than ever. It's astonishing that the months have flown by so rapidly, and today offered us a chance to look back and remember what it was like those very first days of marriage. The last time he signed these cards, we were eating off of patio furniture that our landlord had loaned us. We had an inflatable bed serving as our couch, and the mattress we were sleeping on was a rental. We had no car. No TV. No internet. No friends. We can happily say that since then, we've been fortunate enough to change each one of those statuses. We enjoyed hanging out today as he signed his name on each of those stickers 500 times.  And even better, tonight we went out and made a few more friends, which has probably been our (my) biggest struggle since being here. During the offseason, almost every player goes home. At times, Adam was the only athlete working out in the facility, so building friendships was out of the question- there was nobody around. But now, as Spring Training inches closer, people are heading back and the pace is picking up quickly. We were invited to a birthday dinner tonight, and got acquainted with some outstanding couples in the organization. Surprisingly, the group we went out with were all either engaged or married, which was such a refreshing feeling for me. It's a much different world than I'm used to, but the women were wonderful and I'm looking forward to spending more time with them.

And just for giggles, this is what Adam and Day Seventeen looked like:

Day One Hundred and Forty-Eight

The Pinterest Recipes of Superbowl XLVI

Giants won. Big whoop. People don't even watch the Superbowl for the game anyways. It's all about the commercials. And the food. Mostly about the food though. Well, we didn't disappoint. Unlike the Pats. (Sarcastic tonight, eh?). Armed with a plethora of recipes, these boys and girls filled up on pepperoni pizza crescent rolls, raspberry puree cheesecake bites, chili cheese dip, little weiners, brownies, rolls, fruits, and chips. Lots of chips. At various intervals, the boys would come to the table, fill up, and find themselves minutes later forcing down the last few bites. Until the next round, when they'd come again and do the same. At this point in the night (above), they're "taking a break" from the food and watching the game.  For our first Superbowl party, I think we did alright. The grub was good, the people were good...if only I could say the same for the outcome of the game. Maybe next year? In our two bedroom apartment with a bigger living room?? Maybe then we could have more room to cheer loudly for our team?? Hmmm...Yes, today, aside from preparing for Superbowl festivities, Adam and I got on a crazy kick about the possibility of buying a condo down here? Nothing, and I mean nothing is in motion, aside from our wandering minds. But we're thinking that it might just be the best way to go about our living situation down here. Time will tell, and we'll be praying much for clarity and discernment in these next few months. We have many people to talk with before anything happens, but so far, the idea sounds like it just might be a decent one.  

Day One Hundred and Forty-Six

The Pizza Malfunction

So Adam's brought back his old high school tradition: Digiorno Pizza. Except now, he eats the entire thing. All 1900 calories of it. He's nailed the baking part of it down to a science, and each time, they come out tasting just as good as the ones before. And they should. Because he probably eats around 3 of them per week. (Gross). I don't partake in his high-cal habit; my metabolism couldn't even dare to compete with his. And so, partly because I'm bitter that he can eat the whole thing and not suffer the consequences, I force him to make his own pizza whenever he has a craving. Well, tonight I decided to forgo my bitterness and bake the melty, cheesy, pepperoni-ey goodness for him. Just as a good wife should. I was duped. And the kind gesture turned quickly into a smoky disaster. You see, normally these things come wrapped in plastic and rest atop a piece of cardboard. You're supposed to throw the cardboard away and bake the meal right on the rack. So that the crust gets crispy. I did that. I removed the cardboard and stuck it in the oven. But when Adam took the pizza out, he said, "Honey, I thought I told you not to bake it on the cardboard?" You can imagine my frustration. I did take the cardboard off, and to prove it, I showed him the circular piece of cardboard in the recycling bin. What happened? Digiorno put TWO pieces of cardboard in this one. Boo. I guess I should have looked for or felt the second piece, but when you're not expecting anything out of the ordinary, you typically won't go looking for trouble. So by the time we realized the pizza was still on cardboard, we had already sliced it up into 4 pieces. But it needed to be cooked longer, so this (picture above) is what we came up with. News has it: pizza doesn't bake well in the oven when quartered. In fact, it melts, sizzles, and smokes. And worse, when it was "done," the crust was still gooey. Looks like I won't be helping anymore with his dumb, unfair pizza addiction. Booooo. 

And, one more thing. Adam threw another 26-pitch bullpen today. (Why not 25? I don't know). He said everything felt great and that a few of his change-ups were "nasty." And that's good news folks. 

Day One Hundred and Forty-Five

The Home Dinner Date

One question tonight (from me) went a little something like this, "What's it like...like having a real job? Like a real one? Right out of college?" I think tonight I realized an epiphany. A really big one. About my life and how unbelievably different it is than most experiences of the American adult: I don't have a 9 to 5. Adam doesn't either. And for the first time, while sitting across the Rickards, I felt like I was missing out. It's not to say that I want a career, because I don't, but there's a reality that they each have, which I've never had, and that's weird to me. In the four (almost 5) months we've been married and in Florida, and since receiving my diploma last May, I've not been confined by any sort of set schedule. Not even close. It's a freedom that I never imagined I'd have, and I absolutely love it. Without question. But days like today bring me back to the reality of traditional ways of life, and for people like my mom, stepdad, parents-in-law, and the Rickards, I have more respect for you than I'd ever realized. Our friends arrived to our home after a long day at work, probably decently hungry and tired. We had dinner ready when they walked in the door. When I was younger, dinner wasn't made (usually) until my mommy got home from work. Exhausted and wanting a break, she still didn't rest until we were fed. And there were 5 of us kids. Trying to put myself into either shoes of the Rickards or my mom is difficult for me to imagine. Adam and I have a hard time enough getting motivated to make dinner, and here they are, after a long day's work, coming home and working some more. Bless you. And thank you for the valuable perspective. 

We love our new friends and the time we get to spend with them. Hopefully they didn't go home and puke up all of the food we made. They at least pretended to like my chicken pasta recipe, but we may never really know ;) Someday, I promise to be able to cook like my Grama and Momma, and I'm praying that that day comes sooner rather than later!

Day One Hundred and Forty-Four

The Pillow Transformer

Adam told me they look professional. And I smiled big. After critiquing them, I can see a few flaws, but you won't hear me complain! Every time I would look at our old pillows, I'd get this odd feeling of dissatisfaction and embarrassment. It was weird. I just didn't feel like they quite represented the smiles we wear every day. So? I changed it! Armed with a yard of precious fabric, a Brother sewing machine, and a relatively simple tutorial, we have a finished product that we're crazy about!! Well, at least I am. I think Adam would be satisfied with just about anything that might support that head of his! But there's no denying that our pillow revamp brightened the feel of our little home, and he was happy for it. Little Miss Suzy Homemaker? You bet! 

GOP Primary update: Romney won Florida last night.

Day One Hundred and Forty-One

The Belated Hard Rock Christmas Surprise

So, my family has a slight tendency of lacking punctuality. Most of the time, it's bothersome. And it's in those moments that we have to explain that getting FIVE women ready to go anywhere, and to be on time, is like having your cake and eating it too. They're just innately incompatible. As a result, this trend of tardiness has seeped into each of our lives, and it's something that we all battle with on a daily basis. But we're getting better. This year, our Christmas present to Dad arrived only three weeks late. At least I can say, however, that I can't claim this year's latest gift arrival. One month and three days after Christmas, a package from my Daddy arrived in the mail. At first, I thought he had sent me a telephone, but after noting the "NOT A PHONE" description in his all-captialized handwriting, I knew it was our Christmas gift. And the wait was well worth it. If you know my dad, there are a few things that come quickly to mind: baseball, baseball, baseball, Dave Matthews Band, and The Hard Rock Cafe. He's also in the midst of defeating a second bout of brain cancer (he started his sixth round of chemo this last week!!). Maybe that has something to do with the late arrival. Sheesh, Dad, it's not like brain cancer is that big of a deal, right?! ;) Well, I'm happy to say that even through the struggle of tending to grandma's needs and his own health, he managed to put together an incredibly thoughtful gift that I'll forever cherish. In the "Not a Phone" box was a card and a picture framed collection of four Hard Rock Cafe pins, each bearing my birthstone somewhere on the pin. Ever since I was little, I remember my dad collecting these pins. His room is decorated with the memorabilia. He attends meetings and promotions with HRC. He eats there often. He loves Hard Rock. And for him to gift me something so near to his heart, I felt our bond strengthen. It has a permanent spot on our bookshelf and I'm so proud to show it off. Thank you Dad. The pins are beautiful and so is your heart. I love you! (Adam does too!)

Oh, and if you'll notice our other Christmas gift from Larry and Tracy hanging above the pins...well said? I think so!

Day One Hundred and Thirty-Nine

The Balancing Act

How 'bout NO! Unharnessed and without any sort of safety catch, these men climbed three stories to prune palm trees. Uh, what? This is out of control. And what's more? The man on the left has a chain saw in his left hand, a ladder in his right hand, one foot steady, and the other dangling mid-air as a counter balance. All for an aesthetic appeal that seems, at least to me, a bit overrated. I just feel like there's something severely wrong with this picture. 

We live in a beautiful and small community of multi-storied condominiums and apartments. The Home Owner's Association is run by a management company that hires men in blue shirts to "keep up" the grounds. I didn't realized it was a part of their job description to put their lives in danger...and I don't much approve of the HOA after today either. The men work daily around the complexes, pruning every bush, leaf-blowing every stray foliage, mowing the grass, power washing the buildings, and anything else imaginable to keep up the appeal of this neighborhood. It's unbelievable, really. Almost every morning, we are woken up by their noisy machines outside our windows. And this is no exaggeration: there are men with similar employment who we've seen grooming the side of the freeway.
We live in a special city, indeed. One that takes tremendous pride in the cleanliness of its surroundings. We feel blessed to live here, but after after today, I might have a word or two with the men's bosses. And I'll stress the importance of safety harnesses, or at least something like it. Sheesh.

Oh, and an update on the debit card fraud: we've already recuperated the lost funds. We visited the police department today, but left without the police report we had intended to file. Turns out that the local police don't deal with online fraud. As we understood, there's very little anyone can do to curb the "appeal" of this type of scam. Bummer. We were hoping that the criminal would be caught before he went on committing more crimes against hard-earned income. And so, we did the next best thing and spent some of our day at Chase, talking with the banker about the safety of our account and available options if this were to happen again. We're feeling relieved. But I think the unease will follow us like a shadow for good. 

Day One Hundred and Thirty-One

The Upgrade

As I continue on in my quest of the Pinterest World, I've made progress in reclaiming the stark walls of my own real world. And while these ideas aren't our own, Adam and I have created a final product that is unique to our style, our life, our relationship, and our God. And we're SO excited to have finally finished the week-long project. Together, we worked to paint a beautiful verse of faithfulness onto canvas, and highlighted those words with two Mod Podged photos onto more canvas, framed with an application of sponged paint (I'll have all the details of our project in the "Wife Life" section of the blog once I get it finished!). The wall can be seen immediately upon entering our home, which we pray will spark a few questions in the hearts of many baseball players that may eventually find their way into our humble abode. And for us, the words serve as an honest reminder that regardless of where God so chooses to take us in life, we will continue to faithfully follow Him wherever He might lead us. Minute by minute, day by day, month by month, and year by year, we will follow You. 

Chris Tomlin wrote a song called "I Will Follow." Take a listen :) http://youtu.be/nnwz3xx_yGs

Day One Hundred and Twenty-Six

The Pseudo Audience

So those cookies? Yep, they found themselves a nice spot at the bottom of these boys' stomachs. Turns out baseball players do like healthy treats after all! We "entertained" our first guests tonight with the Broncos/Pats game (if you can call it that) and despite a small space and limited seating, they all left with smiles! Most of the guys here right now are required to live in a hotel until at least the end of March and said that anything they can do to get out of the room is something to be happy about. Even if it is to watch such a dreadful game. I think they lost interest after the first quarter and turned to each other for entertainment instead. I did my best to sneak a picture of the festivities, but Jay knew what I was doing and put on a little show for the camera (He's our 6'6" friend, remember?). 

Looks like the pace is picking up a bit, and we're having a lot of fun. These guys are a good bunch and Adam and I are thankful that we're able to provide a comfortable escape for them to enjoy. Oh, and if you can find Adam, you'll notice that there's a bit of wall art above his head...the majority of my day was spent on those little gems, but since they're not finished yet, you'll have to wait until tomorrow for their unveiling! 

Day One Hundred and Twenty-Five

The cap-a-tilla

And so continues the Conley pest problem. First, maggots. Now, caterpillars. The maggot infestation was our fault. This time, that's not the case. We're convinced that they're cold, and that's why they keep slipping through the small crack in the bottom left corner of our front door. And yes, I said because it's cold. That's not a typo. It's been quite brisk these past few weeks, and maybe they're getting sick of it? In the last 4 days, we've found 5 caterpillars, all green and over two inches long, creeping along the linoleum of our entrance. Normally they hang out on the hard surface, but not this speedy dude. He had wiggled all the way onto the carpet before my screech spooked Adam. After Adam's nerves calmed, his curiosity took over. He trapped the to-be-butterfly into an empty beer bottle. And who'd have guessed it: caterpillars can't crawl backwards! So our guy was officially stuck, and Adam was pleased. He studied our "pet" for a while, leaving convinced that maybe they don't like alcohol after all. But Adam wasn't done with his science project and decided to take the caterpillar outside for further inquiry. From inside, all I could hear was hairspray spraying, a salt shaker shaking, and keyboard cleaner freezing. He came back with the facts: caterpillars freeze when you flip the can upside down and spray it with keyboard cleaner. My husband is a caterpillar killer. And I don't know how I feel about that. 

As for now, we have a piece of folded up paper blocking the small crack in our door. We'll see how it holds up. If tomorrow we find another, I'm thinking bug bomb. 

Day One Hundred and Twenty-Four

The Girl Who Makes Stuff

Ok, I've decided to actually make something of my Pinterest interests. Instead of looking, I'm doing! And it's so much more fun! After a a fresh pin reminder of Summer '10, I had to have these. Now, they're no comparison to Alice Harkness' version, but hey, a girl's gotta start somewhere, right? Lucky for me, I've got a husband with an appetite for just about anything. And if he says they taste good, I'm satisfied. They only problem now? I have a fridge full of these things and can't afford the potential "padding" they'll pack onto my waist if they stay in this house any longer than tomorrow. So, I'm tempted on sending Adam to work with some treats for the boys. But then again, they're not boys, this isn't Little Leagues, and they probably don't like fruit anyways. Even if it's on a sugar cookie with whipped cream frosting. Maybe we'll have a Saturday Tebow party? Speaking of Tebow, in an ESPN poll today, he was named America's most popular athlete. How's that for news?! Oh yes, and just as an update, Mitt Romney won the primary in New Hampshire after a win in Iowa on Tuesday. Next up is South Carolina. And I still like Ron Paul.

P.S. I'd just like to say...ADAM! Look at those arms! He was an official 198.2 at weigh in today. But at the store tonight...202! Good job Sweetie!

Day One Hundred and Twenty-Three

The Aching Bodies

It was just one of those days. Between my limping, old man husband, and my weeping, slightly crippled self, we were a certifiable mess today. Day 123. Not as easy as ABC. We woke up, still so inconveniently sore from squats the day before, and headed to workouts. When I picked him up 3 hours later, he slowly climbed into the truck, explaining that maybe he shouldn't have thrown as hard as he did. But he couldn't help it- today, his arm just felt good! He's been paying for it ever since. The two of us have been hobbling around all day, but the discomfort decided to get the best of me. Between my toothache, headache, bodyache, and frustration, I crumbled into a thousand tiny little pieces. My mom did her best to console me, and it worked for awhile. But it all boiled over when, after figuring out that no dental insurer offers an immediate PPO plan, my blow dryer decided to break.  So there I was, with sopping wet hair, eyes watering over our dental situation, and desperate for sleep. Looking back, my reaction was certainly over-the-top, but when you're caught in the moment, things just happen. While I slept, Adam snuck off to the store, found me a new hair dryer, and purchased the items we're including in a gift basket for my little sister's softball fund raiser. When he got home, he showed me my surprises and then embraced the comfort of our floor. It'll be an early night tonight.

More? My dad started round FIVE of his chemo treatment today! Knowing that adds a certain perspective to my whiny days. He's got more than a toothache, and look at him go! Wahoo! Keep it up Dad! Oh, and another highlight: I got to catch up with an old friend who I've been missing for a while. Sometimes, it just feels good to be able to say "I'm sorry."

Day One Hundred and Twenty

The Soggy Bottom Boy

I love my hangout buddy. For the past 4 months, we've been blessed with an offseason that's afforded us an unbelievable amount of time to spend getting to know each other. And this sort of "isolation" has equipped us with strength that I don't believe we'd have found if God hadn't placed us here in Jupiter. 4,000 miles away. When we struggle, when we banter, when we laugh, when we play, we have only ourselves and God to go to. These 120 days have given us a clear vision of who we married, why we married, and what's most important to us, both as individuals and as a couple. I've got my bootstraps pulled up and I think I'm ready for what's around the next corner. Hopefully.

 Tomorrow we'll bid farewell to this season of life and begin the steep trek toward life in the Big Leagues. The facility reopens on Monday, and he's been working diligently all weekend to prepare for the whirlwind ahead. And I certainly believe he's well on his way. For the last 48 hours, Adam's been focused on transferring his hand written binder of baseball/life notes onto his iPad. In the past, he's carried around a bulky binder filled with all-things Adam and decided that becoming more portable was the way to go. In the process, he began brainstorming more and more ideas, and now has an outlined sheet of a book he'd someday like to publish. Wow. Call me biased, but I still can't get enough of him!

And as of tonight, I've finally seen O Brother, Where Art Thou, thanks to Adam's exceptional taste in movies. Those Soggy Bottom Boys are legit and I've been humming their tune ever since.

And thank you Grama for the MercyMe CD! We love you and your cute notes :)

Day One Hundred and Twelve

The Year 2012

Happy New Year from the Conleys!!!!

Day One Hundred and Eleven

The Man Cave

Minus the stinky men. With pizza, reinbeer (click the link if you haven't yet seen what I made Adam http://instagr.am/p/bXHSK/?ref=nf), breadsticks, and football, his day was complete. Add in a guitar, an actual game of catch, a walk, and a completed book, mine wasn't too bad either. If you ever have the chance, some time, or an extra 7 bucks, you should head to Barnes & Noble and pick yourself up The Shack by WM. Paul Young. And read it. I promise you won't be disappointed! I remember reading it for the first time after recently becoming a Christian, and now, 3 years later, I still find myself just as transformed as the day I picked it up then. I love you guys. Miss you all!!

Day One Hundred and Ten

The Stinky Culprit

I'm not sure if this is Kosher, but I'm not one to hold much back. Something was stinky in our tub. And showers weren't complete without at least 3 inches of pooled water soaking your feet. Not ok. As a small hint of motivation, Santa left a drain snake in Adam's stocking, and today, he finally put it to good use. A few gags, a little more hair, and some unpleasant smells later, our problem was relieved. Thank goodness. No more smell. No more clog. It's really amazing to me that over the course of time, I can lose as much hair as I have. You'd think I was balding? Maybe there was some left-over hair from the previous tenant. Ok, that's just gross. Sorry for the unpleasant post, but I needed to get this relief off my chest. I'M SO HAPPY NOW! Thank you, Sweet Husband, for doing the dirty work!

Day One Hundred and Eight

The Lessons of an Onion

Let's see. What did we do today? More like what didn't we do!? Sun tanning, baseball throwing, cake baking, first crocheting, salsa chopping, guitar playing, Katy packing, movie watching, taco souping...and no crying! And that was the best part: we discovered precisely how to cook without all the tears. Goggles! Turns out they combat onion juice just as well as they do water! And thank goodness for that. Here we are chopping a most potent onion. What for? Katy's world famous salsa, of course! She leaked her secret recipe out to her only daughter, and now it's in my court to keep up its sturdy reputation.  That, I can do! 

Another notable highlight of the night: Katy taught me how to crochet. Whether I retained any of it, we'll see once my hands recover from their temporary bout of arthritis! What I mustered out of my first lesson, Adam is now wearing around his head. He discovered today that his hair is long enough to slick all the way back without any of it sticking up...until it dries. So he started wearing one of my tiny headbands around the house. I realized while crafting that the small bundle of string in my hands vaguely resembled that of a headband, so that's what I made! He's since been (proudly) wearing it all night, and it appears to be doing the job perfectly! Although it's less than impressive, especially by Katy's professional standards, I'm more than happy with my efforts. Between all the sewing, baking, pinning, and crocheting this week, I'm hoping that someday, my homemaking craftiness will become skills that help shape my days as a mommy! Wahoo!