Lucky Me

I have this brother,

Ben

And I have this other brother,

Sam

They are both really great brothers and awesome uncles. We like 'em a little bit.

A while back Ben married this super cool chic,

Meggan.

Then a while later Sam married Meggan's also cool little sister,

Cortney.

So now my little brothers are married to sisters. When I gained sisters, I gained sisters who were already sisters. Pretty cool!

These two cool sisters have another cool sister, Lindsay, who isn't married to a Boston but is married to a really great guy named Adam (but not my Adam, of course). Sorry, no pics of Adam and Lindsay.

I feel like, in getting to have Meggan and Cortney as sister, I get Lindsay too. I think that's awesome. Lindsay is funny, loving and honest.
I was just checking comments on my last post and found that all three of those sisters had chimed in and I love it.
I hope that someday we can all live so much closer so we can hang out, craft, scrap, babysit, chat and laugh.
Sure love those Kennedy girls!

What I'm Talking About

While talking to my sister the other day, she reminded me that she has no idea what our place looks like. She says she just can't "picture it".

So, family of mine, here it is.

Our living room

Pictures of our cutie kids hung behind the couch.

I have tried and tried to hang them EXACTLY straight but have failed.

Help!

On the huge wall in the walkway from the living room to the entry way and kitchen

Our retro kitchen
(its BIG and works, so I love it)

and the LONG hallway that leads to everything else
(on the left is our kid's art gallery and on the right are the kids' hooks)

My dear sister, now you can "picture it". Picture me sitting on the kitchen counter top by the sink talking to you, or hollering down this hallway for my kids to remember to flush and wash their hands, or snuggling onto the couch to watch a movie with my little family.

I am thankful to live here. We love the area, the neighborhood, the school, the ward.
Everything!

Pain You Enjoy

Its official!

We registered, paid and chose a new training schedule.

(Yes, I said WE.)

I will, once again, begin writing about running/training but will try to keep it on happyme so y'all won't get thoroughly annoyed and/or nauseous.

Warning: I will be writing some about body shape, body image and body changes as I train so if it bugs you when a "skinny" person talks about that kind of stuff, then don't look.

Happyme is "mainly, mostly just for me" so I write about what I want and how I am feeling about . . .stuff.

Y'all have been warned. No fair hating me for something I write there!

Wish us luck!

Happy Birthday, Pappaw! (blessing #4)

My dad, a.k.a. pappaw, had a birthday last week. I can't remember my dad EVER being excited about his birthday. But he's gracious and lets us celebrate it anyway and tries not to think about the increasing number of candles atop his banana pudding or chocolate cake.

Dad may not love his birthday but I do since its a great excuse to celebrate an incredible person.

I've blogged before about how great I think my dad is. Like when he sings to my kids,

the way he loves him some Oreos , and how I see his traits in myself.

I did a birthday post last year. Its all still true.

I love that my dad throws himself into everything he does, 100%.

I love that my dad loves to play with his grand kids. When we were visiting home last month, twice in four days he took a collection of grand kids out for the day, by himself. They did "Memphis stuff" and "kid stuff" for hours. The kids returned fed and exhausted while pappaw returned on cloud nine. He truly had fun! and I love him for it.

I love that even though my dad has a hectic schedule with church and work responsibilities demanding his time, he's finding/making the time to lace up his running shoes and pound the pavement. I think he's trying to show ol' Mother Nature and Father Time whose boss. Bob Boston will not "get old" until he's good and ready. I'm pretty sure that's going to be NEVER! and I love him for that too.

I love that my dad loves to text back and forth with my seven year old.

I love that my dad loves to listen to the endless chatting of my five year old.

I love that my dad loves to try and decipher my three year old.

I love to talk running with my dad. I wish I could run with my dad. Someday.

Thank you, dad, for being such a big fan of our little Hutchinson family.

We love you "too much"

(as Joe says).

(p.s. It goes without saying that my dad is definitely one of my many blessings in 2010.)

Best Compliment

This week my sister and I were discussing what we thought our dad might like for his birthday. We talked about the things he asks for every year (literally since our memories began) socks, ties, running shorts. Then Audra said the sweetest thing.

"I wish I could get dad what he really would love, a plane ticket to visit you."

I felt instantly loved and included, which I don't sometimes since I'm so far from home. I know my family loves me and misses me too but its nice to be reminded sometimes. Thank you my sweet sister!

Happy Birthday Dad!

(that post is coming, promise)

for Cortney

Grace wanted a "real" guitar for Christmas. Though Mr. and Mrs. Claus differed on whether she'd actually like it and play with, Mrs. Claus prevailed and Grace got a "real" guitar for Christmas.

(She's a little proud and excited. Can you tell?)

When Grace saw it Christmas morning, the first thing she said (pointing) was, "just like Aunt Cortney's."
Grace is so proud of her "real" guitar. She likes to dance around strumming and singing, especially in her room in front of the big mirrors. What does she sing? Made-up, I mean, original Grace songs, of course. If only I could catch her doing it. Its so stinkin' cute!

p.s. I'll keep trying!

"not me" Monday (blessing #3)

I absolutely did not share my laundry drama with y'all two weeks ago and promise to show you my fun laundry room "later this week". Nor did I forget that I hadn't promised to do that.

This is our laundry room. I am grateful, grateful, grateful to have a laundry room. Without this little room we would never have moved into this place and met so many incredible people and be enjoying this fantastic neighborhood and wonderful ward.

This space is . . . snug, cozy and every other cute word for TINY!

I have exactly 7.5 inches of clearance for me and my butt to get to the washing machine.

This room is packed with two furnaces, a large hot water heater, a water softener system, our washer and dryer and miscellaneous stuff like the iron, ironing board, our card table and chairs, brooms, on and on and on. You get the idea.

The kids have begun helping with me with the laundry. They are excellent at emptying the dryer and Ella is finally tall enough to empty the washer into the dryer. Grace or Joe is usually on hand to then push the clothes into the dryer. They have a great little system worked out.

So, to get back to my "not me" Monday. I do not have a tiny little laundry room, that is not cramped and will not not let me gain a single pound for fear I won't be able to reach the washer.
I have not put my sweet offspring to work in said laundry room and I do not smile to myself in joy that they are finally big enough to help.

p.s. I have not eaten cheesecake twice in two days (with cherries AND blueberries on top).

(another p.s. my kids being old enough and happy to help is definitely blessing #3)