Mother Love

It’s always a little sad to see a good weekend end, but it’s always fun to remember the things you do with the ones you love.

We had such a fun weekend with my parents visiting us this past weekend. They came in on Thursday night so Ben and I were able to make an evening of it in Rochester before we picked them up at the airport.. We very rarely go that far for a night out, so it was a fun excuse to go into a different city for a change. We had dinner here and coffee here, and both were exceptional! I am seriously obsessed with Ethiopian cuisine right now…and I’m thinking of attempting to make this tomorrow night. Although I’m almost positive it’s one of those cuisines that are best left alone…somehow those kinds of dishes never turn out quite right.

The fun thing about having visitors is that it ends up feeling like a vacation for yourself as well. We did a lot of relaxing here at the house, drinking coffee, sleeping in, and playing Candy Crush (not even joking). Mom and I went out for crepes and coffee on Friday, plus a little shopping at TJ Maxx. Her and I used to go out alot when I was still at home, so it’s always fun to have the chance for a lunch date with her!

My parents treated us to a dinner out on Saturday evening, which is always fun! We went to Agava Restaurant in Ithaca, and besides the long wait and slow service, it was a good choice. I ordered the burger (yes, you read that right) and it hit the spot. I guess sometimes you just need a good burger and fries, huh?

Here are some interesting/funny/inspiring links for your Monday perusal:

Some northerner’s sentiments exactly.

So pretty/expensive/pretty.

Song of the week.

Granola recipe from here is yum.

Happy evening, friends!

What about you: what was special about your weekend?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

I have things that I like to do every day. They are little things, but yet they bring such a sense of normalcy, accomplishment, and responsibility to the day. They are the things that if I don’t get around to doing them, I just feel “off.”

Here are my list of things to do each day:

Wash my face and apply moisturizer. I do this first thing in the morning. It helps wake me and gets rid of the sleepy eyes and dried out skin from the night.

Fix the bed. Fixing the bed is important. If I wait until later in the day to do this, I feel like things just aren’t in order until the bed is neat and fixed.

Eat breakfast. I’ve made no secret of the fact that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I’m still in the stage of life where I have the luxury of having the time and freedom for a leisure breakfast if I choose, and it’s one of the most treasured parts of my day.

Read the Bible. Taking the time to read the Bible is always worth the effort. It’s cleansing, rewarding, and inspiring, and I do my best to make time to sit and soak every day.

Brush my teeth. In all honesty, this habit is my most dreaded. I really don’t like brushing my teeth, but of course I really don’t like not brushing my teeth even more. For some reason, it’s just the part of hygiene that I do not enjoy, and am always happy to just get it over with. There’s been times I won’t take a sip or nibble of something in the evening because I’ve already brushed them for the night and I don’t want to do it again.

Put on mascara. You can chalk this one up to vanity if you like, but for me, just putting on a little mascara makes me feel brighter and happier.

Do one thing you really enjoy. This can change each day. One day it’s having a piece or two of my favorite chocolate. Another day it’s baking something in the kitchen, or designing something on the computer, or spending time with a friend over coffee (this one is nice since it’s two things that i love).

Stop and appreciate. I don’t do this one every day, but I do try to be intentional about just stopping and appreciating. Sometimes it’s appreciating the lake and view in front of our house, or the smells coming from the oven, or the flowers on the counter. Sometimes it’s appreciating the man I am married to, or the family and friends that I am connected with, or just the simple fact that I am alive and well. Whatever it is, it always does my soul good to stop and reflect and realize and appreciate.

What about you: what things do you like to do every day and why?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!