Saturday, July 16, 2011

a winner! the size of my 'bumper' and the perks of summer!

i love this time of year. the warm air opens up the day with opportunities of fun in the sun, lighter fare, and most importantly...being with the family that i miss so much when i am not here.

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i nuzzle my sister's kids, she looks after mine. we laugh about...everything. we complain about our hubby's (sorry, jeff;) love you) we support each other's causes and our husbands make fun of us and blame our craziness on our crazy family. we make pretend mad faces at them and then look at each other, laugh till our kids come running over with confused faces and...totally agree with them! it's true. our family is...pazzo and we wouldn't have it another way.

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today, i feel good. good about being here. i received two phone calls today...both of which contained the muffled talking and tears of a friend in need of someone to listen and offer up a simple, "it's going to be okay" and "i love you."

these simple words means so much but offering up a simple, "let's meet up next week and get the kids together. we can catch up. it'll be fun! i'll make dinner," is even better!

a few more things that make me crazy happy:

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visiting a friend's house on the lake. when you pull up to what i refer to as paradise- you are greeted with the lake and all it's beauty, the smell of pine needles and a hammock that is always up for grabs when we are there! it's divine and taking a day to enjoy it with some of our best friends is such a gift. we all laughed till we hurt, my friend jenn and i cried then laughed and then did it all over again. our kids play like they are siblings and it was a fabulous way to spend a day away from home.
thanks, jenn and tony! we love you.


a trip to the bacarella's always means an early morning jaunt to the Fruit Farm. jenn and i get up early and try to get our early enough to have first pick of the baked goods.

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when you walk through the doors, you are instantly intoxicated by the smells of dough, glaze, and coffee. the trinkets and vintage toys are a HUGE...BONUS! they beg to be photographed.
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*jeff turned 40 last week! please note: homemade candles on cake made with colored pipe cleaners by peyton.
fire hazard, yes. made with love and determination, yes. it was perfect.
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we celebrated with a homemade dinner of fondue made by linnie, my mother-in-law who makes you feel like a king for the day when it's your birthday. she is amazing and we love her to pieces.
jeff, we love you too! happy birthday! so excited for the coming year! xoxo

marley's bday! happy birthday, sweet girl. we love you.
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*watching my sweet little muffins interact with friends they haven't seen in a year.
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those two kids...i just can't love them more. they amaze me more and more. between lessons on being nice to one another and teaching how to make their own bed (with pride)...
i kiss them up and i have realized that they have picked it up and do it on their own now. they stop at any random moment of the day and plant one on me. those kids...yum.

on another note: i am so sick of my struggle with trying to lost that last five or twenty;) i love myself and my body but i want to be healthier and feel really great, not just good. it's summer after all. so, i am vowing to be more aware of what i am putting into my body. i vow to myself, to eat more whole foods and make healthier decisions...every single day, even on the weekends!

i am a HUGE advocate of women loving what they have and not letting anything stop them from doing what they want to do, but if there is something that you have been wanting to change or do and you keep starting and then stopping, start-stop...never following through (then, you and i have a lot in common;) then let's inspire one another to do something about it.

for me: #1. i have been wanting to really eat much better. heart healthy foods for myself and my family!
and #2. complete all of my photo albums starting with 2004. i want one album for each year. simple enough!
the hardest part is setting the time aside because i know once that i begin...i won't want to stop. i can see it now...
rainy day, cup of joe, and hundreds of photos to study. i can't wait!

so, these are my things. what are yours?

my theme for these projects: simplicity!
i'll try to post food ideas and recipes as well.
have fun with it. i am so excited to rock. it. out.

***wish i could each and every one of you a gift card to your fave etsy store, but i can give one to...

Nicky C.K: this summer we're enjoying popsicles that drip down our chins, dinners out on the porch, sprinklers and being surrounded by friends and family. can't get much better than that!
congrats nicky, random.org chose your number! contact me at heididarwish@gmail.com with contact info, please.


happy weekend & thank you soooo very much for the sweet words about my grandma and your own memories of yours. they meant so much and i was amazed by support.
xoxoxo


24 comments:

Patti said...

Love your goals! Number two SO resonated with me- I just told my husband as we were drifting off to sleep that getting all my photos in order is just really something that plagues me at night. He could.. not really relate...ha. But truly- when they are spread out on hard drives and computers and in photo boxes and on Snapfish and photobucket...I am overwhelmed. Forget getting them in albums, I just need them all physically in one place!
You probably take ten times more than I do...so what is your method of organizing them? DO you print them as you go, or just keep them all on cd's, or..? Inquiring minds want to know;)
Enjoy the rest of your vacay and happy summer!

Anonymous said...

Yay..two posts in one week!
So glad you're enjoying the summer with your family. It really is the best time of the year.
Oy...the changes...always the same. Eat less sugar. Move more. Lose the weight, once & for all. So, so sick of it. On a lighter note, getting more involved in photography & loving it. Also, planning lots of crafting this fall.
Have to find something enjoyable about the colder weather!
Enjoy the rest of summer.

Amy said...

What a treat.. to hear from you twice in the same week! Your family outings look so fun (and familiar!) My main goal (well, besides losing weight. .which I could say, but would feel bad when I didn't stick to it.) is to learn to live for now, and remember, document, and play with my children. .they are growing up so fast. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day whatever..
Thanks for coming back to us. you ground me.

The Manrings said...

heidi!!! i miss you and haven't checked on your blog in way TOO long. looks like you are enjoying your up north summer and spending lots of good family time. happy birthday jeff and love seeing your kids smiling with their cousins and friends. good luck with all of your summer goals....you can do it! love the pictures of the fruit farm place....yummmm! happy summer...xoxo

Sarah said...

i need to print more pictures!!! I was inspired by Kelle's tips on putting them up with fabric. And about the body image/health thing, I think you are beautiful and your recipes always sounds amazing and healthy. I have been overweight my whole life and am super active and healthy but have almost considered my slow metabolism a blessing because I'm so much healthier and aware because of it. Good luck in your awareness:) XO

Jeanne said...

OMG! I now need a piece of pie...stat!

My goals are simply staying on track to get to a sexy weight. I am a bit far away, but at least I am on the road. The picture situation at my pad is just a mess. I can't even think about that right now.

Great post!

Theresa said...

I meant to comment on your last post, but I've been frazzled lately and got sidetracked.
Anyway... I'm so, so sorry to hear about your grandmother. I just went through this not even a month ago. My very Italian, very Catholic grandmother suffered a major stroke and went down hill fast. (The emphysema she's been battling for years didn't help, either.)
When I went to visit her in the hospital, I was walking down the corridor of the NICU and peered in a room with an old lady, hollowed face, staring blankly at the ceiling above her and thought, "Why is my dad in that ladies room?" Then I realized that lady was my grandmother.
It's painful to see someone so strong, someone who has consistently been such a big part of your life, someone so vivacious be so close to the end. Treasure every second. I was at a loss for words with my grandmother. What do you say at a time like that? So I shared memories and sang her old Catholic hymns. She'd like that. Even though she couldn't speak, she would squeeze my hand now and then and it was like warm rays of sunshine on a cold winter day.

Anyway... All of this to say... If you need to talk, I'm here. I get it.

And what sweet, sweet babies you have. I'm sure their laughter could heal any hurting heart. Let them. :) Glad to see you enjoying your pazzo family ;)

Sam said...

I'm pretty sure we have the same love of food… which kinda suck with the whole weight goal thing… my approach… When I'm going to eat, I'm going to make it count… there will be no wasted calories on nonesense snacking, I'm gonna eat it, I'm gonna love it, and I'm gonna feel good about it… this of course only applies to the days you don't dismiss as totally "see it, eat it day" because well.. those days are just worth having every now and then, but I have noticed they are fewer and father between now that I eat healthfully… Aaaa the struggles of a foodie!! :)

I love your attitude about loving yourself.. it's a great quality to have as a mother of a daughter… I look forward to reading the progress of your goals!!

Kate said...

Heidi
I have missed stopping by and seeing your beautiful family & your adorable posts. Have a wonderful week ahead my friend

xoxo
Kate

Tisha said...

sister, i hear ya on the weighty issues. tis' tough! procrastination tis' my middle name! :)

Jen Bacarella said...

I remember our conversation well! Every person no matter what stage of their life has something that gnaws at them the kind that you think about way too much! Your a beautiful italian woman who is one of the best mothers I have seen on this earth. Love you because so many of us do :-)

Kelly Hutcheson said...

Happy Birthday Jeffie Boy! David is headed to your decade next month! Zowie! Love the first picture with your fam so much!! Look how cute Spencer is!! Miss you!!

Anonymous said...

Please come back Heidi.. we may not comment (I say "we" as I know I speak for so so many..)need your words and pics.. you make us happy!

Anonymous said...

Please come back Heidi.. we may not comment (I say "we" as I know I speak for so so many..)need your words and pics.. you make us happy!

April said...

Your posts make me happy! I just wanna jump in your camera and tag along with you for a couple of days!! So glad you're busy loving Michigan. We're heading up north so very soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo,
April

Liz said...

Love your blog and I have to tell you I love your music, too. I click over just so I can relax to your playlist! :) Hope you're enjoying the rest of your summer!

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