Where is the Working Home Keeper?

Hello, All!  First, thank you for the 13th Anniversary wishes!  The Mr. & I had a wonderful night out together while my oldest sister and Momma watched the kids.  Seems like just yesterday, we were two kids in love walking around campus.  Hard to believe we've been married now for over a decade :)

It was not my intention to let the blog sit idle for a month.  But, in all honesty, I would rather live life and be fully present in the moment, than blog about it sometimes.  Terrible strategy for running a successful blog.  But, pretty good strategy for enjoying life :)

So, what have we been up to? 



We ended the Summer with a trip to Wrightsville Beach.  It was only a few days, but it was the most glorious few days.  My soul just feels so at ease by the water.  The sound of the waves, the smell of the salt in the air, the sun warming my skin. 

 



The kids had a really good time in the water this year.  They would go straight from splashing in the waves at the beach to playing in the hotel pool until closing time. 

 

Blue Crab Omelet at Causeway Café, Wrightsville Beach

 



The food - delicious!  Nothing like dining by the ocean in the evening.  Or enjoying lunch dockside as the boats pull in.

 

Clayton not so excited about the first day of school!



But, real life beckoned and we left our beach paradise just in time for the start of school.  This year, Ashleigh started 5th grade, Clayton 3rd grade and Reed 1st grade.  This is also the last year all three kids will be attending the same school.  I'm so not ready for middle school!  Or this 3 day, 2 night field trip Ashleigh will be taking to Washington DC with the 5th grade class in the Spring.  We never did anything like that when I was in school!  Thankfully, my Mother-in-law will be chaperoning.  But as far as school is concerned, so far so good.  All the kids have great teachers this year and there's been no problems (thank God!). 

 

Ashleigh on patrol!



And, Miss Ashleigh is a member of the safety patrol this year!  The safety patrol is for 5th graders only.  Ashleigh applied at the end of last school year (without any prompting from us).  And, was approved based on grades, demonstrating positive character traits and recommendations from her 4th grade teachers.  So proud of that girl!

Work is work ;)  Dave is entering a busy time at his job, while mine seems a bit uncertain.  I think there will be changes, but it's uncertain exactly what that will mean for individuals within my department at this time.  I could end up a working home keeper "at home" for a time.  The thought of losing my job doesn't worry me because my joy is not tied to my work outside of the home.  My purpose in life and joy has always come from being a wife and mother.  As long as I don't lose that job, then I'll be okay!



Speaking of home, we've been busy with some home improvement projects.  We replaced the flooring in our sunroom, will be replacing the carpet in our family room (hopefully before Thanksgiving) and will start repainting our foyer to make it brighter and more inviting.  I started my Fall garden in early September by means of direct seed.  In retrospect, that was probably too ambitious for my level of gardening knowledge!  My tender seedlings were eaten up by slugs and/or crushed by one of our kitties who has taken to lying in my garden squares.  Thankfully, the weather here is still mild and the first frost date far enough away that a Fall Garden Part II (this time with transplants!) is still possible.  I have to plant some kale and spinach for all those green smoothies we've been drinking.  Even my Momma has taken to drinking a green smoothie each morning! 

So, that's what we've been up to in a nutshell!

Until next time,

 

Mary Ellen

The Working Home Keeper