Monday, February 3, 2025

Weekending

Good Monday morning friends. We are still fighting germs in our house and it seems when one kiddo gets to feeling better another one goes down for the count. The two oldest grandboys spent the weekend with their other grandparents and I washed all the sheets and towels (again), Lysol-ed the house, cleaned all the bathrooms, then opened up some windows to let the sunshine and fresh air in. 

Hubs, daughter1, little miss, and I hung out at home mostly, with a few little errands thrown into the mix too. I've been doing a lot of cooking with a full house here and was running out of steam by the weekend. You forget how often kids eat. I mean there's breakfast then there's lunch and then of course dinner plus snacks in between. They are not picky eaters at all, but I'm just not used to all.the.meals. 

I made a chicken pot pie on Friday and we had BLT's Saturday which doesn't feel like real cooking and was a nice break. Pictures? Nope. 

How about an outdoor project update because I do have some pictures of that. When last we spoke (about this) we were waiting on furniture to arrive and guess what? It's here! The truck pulled into our driveway Friday morning and the unloading and figuring it all out commenced. Thankfully the designer came with them because it required a bit of finagling. 

It's a large space and we needed large furniture to fill it. Plus we always have people coming and going here so we wanted a lot of seating. It took a while to get the rug in the exact correct precise right spot and then get the furniture centered. Where is the center anyway? Is it between the columns? In line with the sliders? in line with the line that runs through the patio? hmmm...

Hubs needs everything symmetrical to the nth degree, while I'm more of a 'let's eyeball it and see how that looks' kind of gal. These delivery guys were great and super patient. 

Can you move it about four inches to your right? 
Wait, can you move it two inches back to your left? 
Bring it forward just a smidge. 
Too much! Can you back it up a hair? 
Maybe we should try removing one piece? 
Maybe we should add that middle piece to the left side instead? The right side?
Somehow the rug is now off center. Can you slide it over just a tad without 
moving all the heavy furniture we just asked you to set down there?

In short, we're a lot. Daughter1 tried to gently suggest hubs and I go upstairs and let them set it up and then come down and weigh in, but that's not how we roll here.  We have opinions. Especially one of us. Hi hubs! 

The end result though is so pretty! Can't wait to have a party of some kind when the weather warms up for good. 

I love the swivel chairs which sit out a bit from the main seating. You can join the conversation or swivel and look at the lake. 

We've made a cozy outdoor dining space under our screened porch and I love the new table and especially love all those chairs. 

We still need a fan installed in the dining space, along with some twinkle lights or Edison bulbs, and I need some lamps for the serving pieces, and some art and 'stuff' but we're on our way. 

We sat out by the new little fire table that afternoon and it was lovely. 


I have my new soon-to-be favorite napping spot all picked out-


Saturday we loaded up the car and went to see a couple of houses that are on the market. My daughter and her family are house hunting, and she's finally got her land legs after the move, the trip across the pond, the germs!!, so starting the hunt in earnest now. While Saturday's houses were a no-go, I guess it's good to eliminate things too. There's not a ton on the market, but listings generally pick up here in these next couple of months. While they're not in a big rush, I know it's hard not to be itching to get settled into your own space too. One day at a time. 

Saturday night we put little miss to bed, then the three of us watched Back In Action with Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx. I thought it was going to be silly, but it was actually pretty cute and we all enjoyed it. 

Sunday hubs took daughter1 to see three more houses and a couple of these might be worth another look once her hubs arrives later this week. I did more cleaning, more laundry, and just some general picking up while they were out and it felt good to get the three inches of dust off my bedroom furniture. Hubs grilled burgers for dinner and then it was early to bed for all the littles. We watched Groundhog Day because it seemed like the thing to do. 

It's an unusual season here...we're trying to hold on to some of our routines, but others we've chucked out the window for the time being.  It's fine. Better than fine. We love having the kids here and I know the other grandparents feel the same. 

I confess I might need to mother my daughter a little less, but it's hard. I mean she's right here in my very own house so it's tempting to weigh in on all sorts of things I don't need to weigh in on. She was going to run an errand the other day and I launched into directions when she reminded me she lives here now and is going to have to learn her way around. Plus it's 2025 and she has gps so I actually never need to launch into directions. 

It's what I do though. Mothers gotta mother.


Think maybe I'll put myself in time out right here. 


Linking with Holly and Sarah for their regular Hello Monday weekend catch up. 


27 comments:

  1. So much excitement around you guys- your family staying with you! The furniture's arrival! Everything looks so nice- that dining table is pretty and the length of it will be great for large meals with family and friends. Your nap and look at the lake spot are great, too and were definite priorities :). Have a wonderful Monday!

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  2. Can totally relate to the over mothering. I have to remind myself to stop asking what time one of them needs to leave and things like that.
    Your new furniture is perfection. I love what you picked and how it's arranged.
    I am sorry for the sickness!
    It's not just cooking - it's the clean up, it's the thinking about it, etc. I rarely use paper plates, but this would be a time for you to do that!

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  3. I love all the new furniture and the placement looks great! I laughed at your comment of putting yourself in time out from mothering. I can relate to that and need to remember that more often as I have been in the transition of mothering teenagers to young adults these past years. I hope it is a good, healthy week for y'all!

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  4. The furniture all looks perfect, and perfectly placed as well!! I hope the nasty crud that everyone had is over and gone by now! I know you are enjoying the house full of fun and love and noise and love and fun!! They grow up way too fast. Have a great week and good luck to Shannon on the house hunt!! xo

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  5. Wishing you healthy days ahead and lots of time in your outdoor space- it is just beautiful!

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  6. Hey, I want some time out there too! How beautiful! Sounds like a really good weekend, minus the sick stuff. Hope you have a great week ahead.

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  7. I envision many happy memories made in that outdoor space.
    It sounds like your house is full of love with some of your "chicks" back under one roof!

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  8. It really is a pleasure to read your narratives. The 'sickness' has hit our community here. Numbers were way down at Awana and at church on Sunday. Your outdoor furniture is so inviting and looks comfy cozy. Love the large padded swivel chairs! It is good to narrow down the house field and be able to concentrate on contenders. Smiling about your time out. That would be me, too. Exciting times in your neck of the woods. Happy February to you and all of yours!

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  9. I LOVE the firepit! Everything looks fantastic. House hunting. Ugh. I can't even imagine how hard that is right now with prices so incredibly high. I know she wants to be in her own space, but tell her to enjoy the help! :)

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  10. I had to laugh about mothering; my mother has that problem too. She's backed off a lot now that the kids are a little older but it used to drive my husband crazy! I guess it's hard to let some things go. I try to remember that for when I am a grandparent! Your furniture looks great!

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  11. The furniture looks great! Y'all will enjoy that space and your beautiful view.

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  12. Oh Joyce, I loved your last statement, you and I might be in time out together. It is hard. ;-) I have boys... and well boys are boys. Hee hee.. I do have to remind myself the one has been deployed several times and has survived. But yes, that mama instinct kicks in.

    Love the outdoor space. If Wisconsin was not so far far away.. I'd stop in.
    Love, Carla

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  13. All the new furniture etc looks great Joyce although I have to say a dining area with a table that seats 10 is not cosy in my book lol. Oh yes meal times with kids just go on and on. When ours are here they will have breakfast early, then it's second breakfast when we emerge, then a snack, then lunch, then afternoon snack and then dinner and ......I know how you feel. And mothers never stop mothering. Hope the house hunting goes well.

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  14. The photos are beautiful. So sorry about all the illness that's been going on. Lot's of cooking too! Are they going to live nearby? We watched that movie too and we enjoyed it. Groundhog Day was a good movie choice. Hope they find the perfect house. You have so much going on. Take care.

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  15. Your new outdoor space is just beautiful and inviting. I know what you mean about overparenting...I think all of us are guilty of that! It would be a big adjustment to cook for such a big group again. When it's just the two of us, we get used to eating a very lite dinner if both of us had a big lunch etc. Three meals a day plus snacks would feel like a lot of work! Hope everyone is feeling better!

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  16. Y'all have been through it with all the sickness! I love that outdoor space; I foresee lots of eating out there when the weather warms up. It was 70 here today, and made me have major spring fever!

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  17. Oh - y'all made great choices -- it all looks so beautiful!

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  18. I am reading your blog from the much colder north. I am envious that you can sit outside on your lovely patio!

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  19. Joyce,,, I'm exhausted just reading your post! How wonderful daughter no 1 will be near you. Your new furniture is stunning. See you tomorrow at Hodgepodge. Thank you so much for posting your questions on Sunday! It gives me so much more time to come up with my answers!!

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  20. That patio furniture looks fantastic! I hope your daughter's house hunting goes well. We watched Back in Action too and while I did roll my eyes at many of the plot holes overall we did think it was enjoyable too.

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  21. ooooo I love that space and the furniture. I haven't made a pot pie in awhile. I think I'll have to do that. Enjoyed your weekend update.

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  22. Beautiful, beautiful outdoor spaces! What a perfectly delightful space for all sorts of hospitality. You are blessed and I know you know that.

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  23. Oh my, I have certainly been out of the loop as far as keeping up with your family is concerned. I didn't know they were moving back so soon and settling in your backyard. How wonderful is that! I do foresee other adaptations in your future, but they will all be good.

    We live 10 mins. from daughter and family and 15 mins. from two of our greats (the youngest is a month old on the 8th) and haven't seen any of them in a month and that could easily stretch into two then three. Living without expectations and trying to let go of disappointments is an ongoing exercise.

    Love the new outdoor living space and if I wasn't a bit like your hubs, it would have really been funny.

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    Replies
    1. Yes they will live nearby and we're excited, but also know there will be some adjustments and figuring things out. The in-laws are also nearby. Expectation is tricky with grown kids : ) We hope Mary Beth will come visit the lake once they're settled!

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  24. Yeah it's like that with illnesses going from one person to another right through the household. Your outdoor entertainment area looks amazing.

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  25. Sorry to hear there is still some lingering illness in the house. The outdoor space is looking amazing.. I am in for that party.

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  26. You had me giggling, Joyce, when you mentioned a personal "time out" in your beautiful outdoor space! I, too, know that feeling of "once a mom, always a mom" and had to stop myself from interjecting a thought when I was visiting with my oldest daughter and her family. I saw "that" look in her eye... you know the one, right? Your new furniture is so lovely!

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