Challenge - Week Three

This week began on a massive high...a gluttonous weekend with Tim's college buds. An 18 year tradition, we travel 5 hours to snowy Cazenovia, NY and eat, drink, laugh, sleep and repeat. Laughter is truly healing for the soul. Sweet conversations, good-natured teasing...it filled my cup. Over-whelming at times, though, the sounds, cross-table banter..once I swore I saw Mom across the restaurant with her salt and pepper hair and silly bird and bunny embossed mock turtleneck sweatshirt. It was another customer, but the resemblance took the air right from my lungs.

The remaining weekdays were detox and slightly manic. Highly productive, but working myself to
exhaustion.  Efforts to organize created a domino effect leaving more and more to accomplish. A juicer purchase required an entire kitchen cabinet shuffle for space. (More on the juicer later). Basement is inching closer to Tim's perfect man-cave, however. Each weekend is another step towards a finished project. Baby steps.

 

As for my other challenges, I enforced screen-free hours and became the instant wicked witch, but the transformation was priceless...I witnessed the rare moments of watching sister teach brother how to play a ….wait for it....card game! How entirely old-school! She was so patient and he was so eager to learn. Mission accomplished.
 

As for the final bullet item of making plans for vacation time with the family, summer seems to be consumed with baseball tournaments, but I've dipped my toes into the idea of traveling cross country. There are so many beautiful things to show the kids and before I know it, oldest will have her own license and won't want to be couped up with us. Dream plan is to fly west, rent an RV and visit the Grand Canyon. It's been daughters dream vacation for years...fingers crossed we can make it happen.