What's Up Wednesday: May 2018

I'm linking up with Sheaffer Told Me To The Larson Lingo and Mix and Match Mama for What's Up Wednesday today.

What We're Eating This Week

We celebrated all of those who fought for our freedom over the weekend by eating a huge amount of chips, dips, carbs and sugar, as any good American should, of course. Since then, which if you're counting is exactly one full day, I've been trying to eat better. In the last few weeks, I've been eating a lot of avocados. "We" have not, as none of my people will eat them. In fact, I asked my husband to pick a couple up at the grocery store this week and he had to ask someone to help him find them. I'm eating them in salads and in this smoothie, but mainly I'm eating them for breakfast smashed on top of a fried egg and sprinkled with Trader's Joe's Everything but the Bagel Seasoning. PS That photo is so sad. I can't imagine why I haven't been hired to write a cookbook.

What I'm Reminiscing About

Last night Drew and I got to watch our varsity baseball team win a nail-bitter of a play-off game with a walk off in the bottom of the 7th by a kiddo we've watched play since he was five years old. I imagine my incessant chatter about youth and high school sports might get old, but in reality it comes less from my love of a particular game and more from my love of the people these teams have brought into our lives. So, I'm reminiscing today about seasons past where friends became family and my littlest guy ended up having the chance to cheer for and look up to way more than two big brothers.

What I'm Loving

The under eye area of my face is of particular concern right now, so suffice it to say that I'm not loving it. To be honest, there are many, many "particulars" concerning me on my face right now. However, I keep thinking my mascara is running and am realizing that lo and behold those are dark circles, not mascara. *sigh* Anyway, I heard about Tarte Shape Tape Concealer recently and the reviews are crazy good, so I bought it yesterday. Perhaps it's a stretch to say that I am loving it yet, since I've used it exactly once. I suppose I love the idea of it and hope it will meet my very lofty expectations.

What We've Been Up To

Well, it is spring, so we've had lots of baseball and basketball in the last few weeks. After 5:00 pm almost any day of the week, you'll find me at Drew's middle school baseball games, at the high school varsity baseball games of my many non-biological sons, and/or at Kyle's summer league basketball games. I could not be happier to be racing from the field to the gym and back again. I am my best self when I'm in the bleachers using all my jedi mind tricks to affect the outcome of a game. I have come to know that I am made for such a time as the Spring sports season.

What I'm Dreading

I'm not dreading anything. Summer is almost here and I don't have to make many more lunches. What's to dread?

What I'm Working On

I have a devotional on Gideon due to the writing team at my church next week and I'm going to be honest and let you know that I'm going to need to do a little research first. For some reason, my Vacation Bible School education seems to have been void of this story. I think I'll start with googling "WHO IS GIDEON?". Based on my initial search it seems that Gideon was musical?

Friends, let this serve as a reminder to all my readers that I love Jesus and I love the Bible and I love my faith and I certainly love to share it here, but I ain't no Bible Scholar. For me, there is always more to learn.

What I'm Excited About

Joe, my oldest son, who is home from his first year of college is starting an internship this summer with the National Journalism Center which will have him working at a DC radio station on the morning show which runs 5:00 am - 9:00 am. I'm so excited about this opportunity for him, and also I will not be making him breakfast.

What I'm Watching

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Joe and I started watching Arrested Development earlier this week. I've been told many times over the years that I would like it, but have never seen it.

Steve and I are still trudging through The Americans, but I have decided that I have lost any shred of feeling I ever had for every single character on that show, so Steve might finish that one without me. Dear Elizabeth and Phillip, you gotta give me something. Is there any redeeming quality in either of you? Anything? I think nyet.

What I'm Reading

I received The Royal We over the weekend, so I promptly put down The Brothers K - which it turns out is good, but really, really long - and started it. So far it is just as delightful as I expected. I think I'll finish this one quickly.

What I'm Listening To

I know I mentioned Reckless Love by Cory Asbury a few weeks ago, but I am still pressing repeat on this one over and over. Goodness gracious, I love this song.

What I'm Wearing

Finally, it's warm enough to run outside, so I'm definitely wearing a lot of running shorts and shirts lately. I recently got this Nike top which has a cute split back. I posted a funny story about these crazy running shoes on my Instagram page a couple of weeks ago, and now I might be having some regrets that I didn't buy them. I did buy these. While they are certainly boring by comparison, they are awesome for my 49 year old feet. 

What I'm Doing This Weekend

One kid has an out of town baseball tournament, one kid has an in town basketball tournament and I imagine one kid will be sleeping all weekend trying to recover from having to start his workday at 4:00 am.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

School's out, the pools open, someone I love a lot has a big birthday and that same someone and I are taking a weekend trip to Nashville. June is my jam.

What Else Is New

I am the director of a program for Kyle's Kamp, a pediatric cancer organization which raises money for Children's National Medical Center in DC for research and patient care called Dreams Games. High School Sports teams pick one of their home games to dedicate to the cause of pediatric cancer, they raise money, and they host a pediatric cancer patient as a special guest. It is such a joy to watch these games unfold. Certainly, the funds raised are amazing, but the relationships formed by the players, coaches, and patients are the very best part. This season our participating teams raised almost $20,000. And more importantly, kids like Solomon - a 2 year old fighting neuroblastoma - got to forget their daily fight for a bit and become the star of the show.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite Summer Salad?

We do a lot of grilling out and BBQ in the summer and probably at least once a week, I put together this cole slaw salad. There are no precise measurements. I just throw it all together and people lose their minds over it. 

1 bag of coleslaw mix

A bunch of sliced red grapes

A bunch of sliced green onions

A bunch of chopped walnuts 

Bottled Poppyseed dressing

Mix it up.

That's all, Folks! Have a great Wednesday!

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