Sump Pumps, The Superfreak, & The Southeast Regional: AKA Titles are Hard

Well, Friends, it's been a heckuva a couple of weeks around here.

There was some heavy stuff and some light stuff and to be honest there was a lot of whining because it rained an insane amount here for close to two weeks straight. When there is real grief and also just plain ol' general malaise around here, I take to this little laptop and let my fingers fly about all the big things and the little things and often times, as is likely the case here, the events in my life in which you could not be less interested.

So, now, at the risk of losing some readers, I'm going to tell you a story about the time my husband was out of town for a week and I had to do a lot of adulting that I didn't want to do.

This will require a little background and I'm sure you're just on the edge of your seat. You might recall that back in February our sump pump died and our entire basement was flooded. Or you might not recall because why would you care? Anyway, it did and as you might imagine I look back on that time as such a super fun season in the life of our marriage and our family. I'm certain that it strengthened us in ways that escape me right now, but perhaps I'll understand when I get to heaven.

So when this record amount of rain started to fall a couple of weeks ago, I was bound and determined to never let the basement flood ever again. Every day, many times a day for the past two weeks, I've been running down to the basement, pulling the cover up on the sump pump and peering down into the vast black hole with a flashlight watching the water level and praying to Jesus that the new Fancy Pants pump we'd had installed would keep working. It's just exactly the relaxing laid back summer I had hoped to have this year.

Anyway, a couple of Wednesday nights ago - the fifth night in a row it had been raining - we had some of the biggest downpours we'd gotten all week. As I mentioned, Steve was out of town and the alarms on the sump pump were screaming bloody murder. I looked in the black hole of peril to see that the water level was significantly higher than it had been and was about 6 inches away from starting to pour out onto the basement floor.

At that point, I figured I could either just start bawling my head off or I could try to come up with a solution to keep our basement from flooding again. 

I would like to tell you that I skipped the panic part all together, but alas, I'll point out that for about the first 10-15 minutes, I did, in fact, do the superfreak, call Steve in Atlanta, and commence to just about lose my ever lovin' mind.

Anyway, I realized that it seemed that the sump pump was functioning as well as it could, but it was just getting overcome by the amount of water. I texted Kyle to come home from hanging out with his friends to PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE AGAIN

At first, we started filling baseball buckets full of water and emptying them into the bathtub. This was neither an enjoyable, nor a sustainable activity.

Then, suddenly it was like I turned into Caroline Ingalls with the grit of a Pioneer Woman and Kyle turned into the Professor from Gilligan's Island with a genius plan. The two of us rigged up the extra pumps we had bought at Home Depot to help supplement the work that our sump pump was doing. What I'm telling you is that there were flashlights and extension cords and busting out of window screens and corrugated pipes running out of the basement window, and hoses running into the bathtub and also a configuration of a bungee cord and a dog leash that I can't adequately explain.

Pause. I'm picturing many of you, dear readers, right now. You're thinking, "Why has she returned here to her blog to talk about plumbing when she didn't mention one peep about the Nordstrom Anniversary sale last week? Why is she not talking about the great deal she got on boots or jeans instead of what she purchased at Home Depot? Whose blog is this? Check, please."

Bear with me. If it helps I will tell you that during this entire ordeal I was wearing the Hunter Rain boots in Glossy Black that I got from last year's sale. You're welcome.

Now let's get back to the fact that what Kyle and I had just done might have gotten us jobs at FEMA.

Soon there were multiple high fives and our collective self-esteem went through the roof. We were very, very impressed with ourselves. One of us made sure to check on our work every hour and half or so all night. I have never been more grateful for FortNite because apparently that game is better than a straight IV of coffee to keep a kid up. Kyle was able to stay up until about 3:00 am and then I set my alarm every hour or so to make sure we weren't going to flood.

The moral of the story is that my 17 year old and I are basically MacGyver-like geniuses and we saved our home and family from great peril. If someone wants to option this story for a Disney film, I will consider your offer. We're pretty sure it will bust all the cinematic records for the rest of time.

Also, just to make this story even more riveting, I'll share with you the photos that I sent to Steve because he kept wanting me to send him these so that he could get a sense of how justified my meltdown was. So I sent him evidence of our genius after using the handy little editing feature on my phone.

Around 2:00 am, I had really started getting a little loopy from shining my flashlight down into that black hole for so long so thought I was being really funny by sending him these photos.

Listen if you're doing this right now, I get it.

I'll admit that these might be completely offensive and inappropriate. So if you're offended I apologize. It's just that I had to make jokes to keep myself from actual breakdown and let's remember that Baby Jessica and the miners are all safe and sound now. Does that make it better?

No?

 Let's move on to the most important thing I need to tell you today.

If you've read this blog long enough you know that Little League has been a gigantic (arguably too gigantic) part of our family's life for a long, long time. Joe was just 6 or 7 when we celebrated the inaugural year of the brand spanking new Loudoun South Little League. After so many years, our Little League days ended last summer when Drew was twelve which commenced a grieving period for me which I'm not sure is complete.

Anyway, if you are a baseball fan at all, go to ESPN tonight at 6:00 pm and find our rock star Loudoun South AllStars making history as they will represent the state of Virginia and play in the Southeast Regional Semi final. Our boys! Right up there on the ACTUAL TV! These boys are lighting our community on fire. We are thrilled and excited and cheering like maniacs for our very own neighbors and friends - many of whom Drew has played baseball or basketball with or gone to school with throughout the past several years. They have set themselves up beautifully to take the Championship and go all the way to Williamsport for the Little League World Series.

It makes me feel pretty much like this.

To my Baseball Mom friends down in Warner Robins today: Have a blast, smile big for that tv camera and soak it all in. I don't mind telling you that I'm so jealous that I could spit nails. I mean not that I really minded rigging up water pumps and hoses while y'all are down there living the dream or anything. ;-)

Thank you, Loudoun South All-Stars, for being a bright light in a pretty dark few weeks around here. Go get 'em, boys. We believe.

Monday Musings

Well, our weekend started off with the most beautiful Friday and Saturday that anyone had seen in a long while. I promise you it was as if everyone in my area was walking around on clouds, so happy were we that spring had sprung. It was pretty much like this everywhere you went.

Then Sunday came and when we walked outside we were all collectively like this.

Same thing for Monday, so let's just go back to Saturday. It was just Kyle and me at home for the weekend as Steve and Drew were away at a New Jersey baseball tournament.

We started Saturday morning greeting veterans arriving on an Honor Flight at Dulles Airport. We have participated in these amazing events where vets come to DC to tour the monuments a number of times over the years.

Every time we go Kyle always has the same instructions for me. He tells me to try not to cry my eyes out this time. And then reprimands me when I make comments like, "Oh my goodness, that man is the most adorable, cutest thing I've ever seen." He tells me to knock it off and will remind me before we go in, "Mom, these men are soldiers. They're warriors. You aren't allowed to call them adorable."

Good point, Son. Still, though. Adorable, right?

It really is a moving experience for everyone and it is very easy to attend. If you are in the DC area you can find the schedules for Honor Flights at both Dulles and Reagan Airports and simply show up twenty minutes before arrival to greet the vets. You even get your parking ticket validated. If you are in other areas, I believe you can welcome them home from their trips as well.

Later we went to get Kyle fitted for a tux because Prom is coming up. I snapped this picture as quickly as I could because 17 year old boys aren't big fans of their moms taking photos.

Then we went through McDonald's for lunch because hanging out with teenagers is equal parts disgusting and thrilling.

Saturday afternoon I spent a glorious few hours sitting on the deck in the sunshine reading this book while Kyle mowed the lawn for the first time this year. Later I had a very exciting evening which included a bubble bath, Grey's Anatomy on my ipad and the application of somewhere between five and eighty-four different facial masks, creams, serums, and magic potions promising to change the landscape of my entire face.

Dear Beauty Product Marketers: I do not know what hyaluronic acid is, but apparently I will buy it from you without question. Well done, Wizards.

Later that night, Mack and I watched The Greatest Showman. We loved it.

Sunday when I got home from church Kyle asked me if I wanted to watch the Celtics with him. Y'all I don't care about the Celtics or any professional basketball team. AT ALL. Not one bit. I didn't even know it was the playoffs. I was thinking that what I really wanted to do was to continue that really great novel I was reading, so you would think I would have said,

But then I realized MY TEENAGER ASKED ME TO HANG OUT WITH HIM - SORT OF, KIND OF, MAYBE NOT REALLY, BUT I THINK HE DID. So I was all,

So we watched the Celtics and the game went into overtime because basketball hates me.

So there it is. It was a weekend of hanging out on and off with my teenager when he wasn't with his buddies or playing basketball or Fort Nite and all I can tell you are just the facts, ma'am.

Which brings me to something I've been thinking about lately in regard to how my writing here has changed and how it will continue to change. I've been writing about my life for six years here at this blog. My writing, for the most part, has been about parenting. (Well, that and my never ending quest for the best lipstick and most stylish, yet comfortable boots.)

It was easier to post my thoughts about parenting young children - the trials, the frustrations, the everyday extraordinary ordinary moments. I wanted to share my faith and how it helped me navigate the confusion and the feeling that I had no idea what I was doing. I wanted to share to feel less alone and also to help other women feel less alone. To help us all to find ways to marvel in the mess of motherhood. To urge us to look for God's beauty and blessing in the seemingly boring moments of our everyday.

As our children grow, I feel much less ownership of the stories I would normally tell. Their stories are their stories. Even though that quote which says that having children is like having our hearts walking around outside of our bodies feels true, I have to remember feelings are not facts. God made each of my children a unique, whole individual - an actual human being separate from me with his own story to tell or not tell.

That doesn't mean that I don't want to write millions and millions of words about parenting teenagers and it doesn't mean that it isn't a valid and maybe even important thing to do. Because mamas of teenagers do need to feel less alone. They do need to know that they are not the only ones experiencing the fears and worries and struggles and triumphs and joys and pride that they are finding in their teens.

But it does mean that I am hyper-aware about what I share about my teenagers. Even if it is something so mundane and ordinary that I might think it would be no big deal to put it out here. I am aware that one of them might be fine with whatever I share and one might only be okay with a few things and one might just as soon I pretend he didn't exist outside of this house.

I honestly don't actually have any terribly difficult stories or deeply personal adolescent struggles to share here right now. I actually spend more time worrying about future difficulties than dealing with present ones. That tendency I have to "borrow grief" from the future might be the hardest part of this season. But if I was navigating a really hard, really delicate situation right now, I wouldn't tell you about it. Not yet anyway.

I will likely write chapters and chapters about this season and I may or may not publish those words some where when it feels appropriate. It might be that those thoughts would get a lot of views and comments and discussion happening here. And maybe my writing would mean a lot to people and that, frankly, would make me feel great and important and valuable. But what is crucial right now is that my people feel great and important and valuable. More important than the popularity of this space.

I will continue to navigate this season and share when I feel it's appropriate and approved. But for now, I'll remember the most important thing. A quote I heard in The Greatest Showman speaks this truth:

You don't need everyone to love you. Just a few good people.

This space is so meaningful to me. The people who read and comment and send me notes fill up my heart in ways I never could describe. But no matter how much I want to write and share and connect with people through my writing, it is these few good men living out these ordinary extraordinary days with me in my house who I truly need to love me. I am so grateful that they do.

Have a happy Monday, friends.

5 Friday Favorites: April 6, 2018

Hi, Friends! It's Friday! And it's time for my Friday link up with A Little Bit of Everything, Grace and Love, and Momfessionals. 

It has been quite a busy week getting back into our routine after being away for more than a week. There's been a whole lot of laundry. SO MUCH LAUNDRY. But, I refuse to put Tide Pods and Bounce Dryer sheets on my list of favorite things this week so let's dig a little deeper.

1. Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm

Are you wondering if there will ever be a Friday that I don't include some sort of lip product on 5 Friday Favorites? Well, you're going to have to keep wondering because I'm doing it again. No matter how responsible I tried to be with skin care and sunscreen while I was in Florida, there was no denying that when my previously hibernating body felt that hot sun, it was going to take a hit. My lips were no exception. I picked up this Burt's Bees Lip Balm in Red Dahlia at the CVS while I was there and I loved it. It goes on really smooth - not too thick or sticky - and has a very subtle tint to it. You'll notice that at Amazon you can get it marked down from $7.48 to $7.11 which if you get out your calculator and do the complicated math is a savings of a whole 37 cents. Is it your lucky day or what?

2. New Spring/Summer PJs

If there is anything besides lipsticks, balms, and glosses that I cannot resist putting in my online shopping cart, it's pajamas. Especially if they are a set that has a short sleeve top and long bottoms. While we were away I got a handy-dandy email alert from JCrew that their entire site was 40% off. I snatched up this Vintage Short Sleeve Pajama Set as quick as I could. Unfortunately, today they aren't 40% off. I'm not the boss of you, but these might be worth it. I am thinking I need another pair in another color because pjs are my jam. Also a note: I think they are supposed to be cropped, but for me (5'2") they come just past my ankle which I love. Long enough, but not enough to skim the floor and get dirty.

3. Spring Dresses (A Girl Can Dream)

Loft Embroidered Stripe Midi Dress On Sale

Loft Maxi Dress On Sale

Loft Border Paisley Tie Waist Dress On Sale

Apparently, it's supposed to snow here tomorrow and thinking about spring dresses makes zero sense in that regard. I don't even care. Let me live, Al Roker. You really can't go wrong at Loft if you're looking for reasonably priced dresses, so even if you get one of these and simply wear it around your house and sit by a fire in it, just know that I affirm that decision. Carry on.

4. Books I've Read or Am Reading This Week

I kept hearing about An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, so I downloaded it on my Kindle on the way home from Florida. I am just barely into the first chapter and I can tell it's going to be great.

I read Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis perhaps faster than I've read a book in a long, long time. It is fabulous and absolutely the kick in the pants I need in my life right now. Rachel is funny and inspiring and pulls no punches. In the first chapter, she says this: "As a Christian I grew up learning that God was in control, that God had a plan for my life, and I believe in the marrow of my bones that this is true. I believe God loves each of us unconditionally, but I don't think that means we get to squander the gifts and talents he's given us simply because we're good enough already. A caterpillar is awesome, but if the caterpillar stopped there - if she just decided that good is good enough - we would all miss out on the beautiful creature she would become. You are more than you have become."

I loved this book, The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas so much. It is different than anything I've read before and is told from the perspective of a teen who witnesses the shooting of her childhood friend by a police officer. I would recommend it for your high school aged kids as well.

Ok. This is a bit of a white lie. I did not read Same Kind of Different as Me this week or even this year. I read it a very long time ago. I can't even remember when. However, Kyle and I watched the movie this week because he has read it as well. The movie was not great. Not terrible, but just absolutely nothing compared to the book which is one of my favorite reads ever. I highly, highly recommend the book, I only barely recommend the movie.

5. Being a Baseball Mom 

(even if my kid isn't playing)

I know this is going to come as a shock to you, but I love baseball. Especially Little League and High school baseball. I love baseball players even if they're not my own flesh and blood. Here's the thing. When I started this blog, I was the mother of three baseball players that I had birthed myself. This year, technically, I only have one. My oldest is in college now and spends his time in the booth calling games and my middle gave up the game to focus on basketball last year. The youngest - a middle schooler - is still swinging. (See what I did there?)

I don't have a player on the high school team this year. And yet, whenever possible you will find me in the bleachers cheering like it's my job for our Varsity team this season. Because after basically living life with the same group of families on various teams for well over ten years, I will tell you with absolute certainty that I still consider myself a baseball mom to a whole mess of boys that aren't mine. With very few exceptions, the boys on the high school team have played on teams with at least one of my boys at least once in the past ten years. I'm praying for guidance for those who are looking to play in college and for healing for those who are injured. I'm dancing in the stands to between-inning music and huddling close to friends when the sun goes down to keep warm. I'm high-fiving  mamas when their kid rips a single up the middle and I'm cheering like a maniac when our boys fight back from being on the wrong end of a 6-2 score to win with an extra inning walk-off. And there isn't a Skinner boy to be found on the diamond. I can't quit you baseball and I can't quit the boys I've been watching swing for the fences since we had to double knot their cleats. Let's play ball, friends. I'm in.

Disclosure: The View From Behind Home Plate is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn small fees by linking to amazon.com

Spring Break Summary: Including That Time My Kid Said I Was Right

Well, after a Spring Break week spent with Drew's baseball team in glorious sunshine and the cloudless, blue skies of Florida, we have returned to Northern Virginia where apparently Spring goes to die a sad, lonely death.

Just kidding. Truly, I am. I mean, it is grey and cold and raining today, but I am bound and determined to hold on to the hope and positive vibes that a restful vacation brings me. It is remarkable what the sun, sand and ocean waves can do for my spirit. Add the miracle of Easter to the end of the week and I am completely renewed.

So I am going to recap a few highlights from the week which included driving thousands of miles and stopping at numerous gas stations, listening to hours of podcasts and reading two whole books, gazing at sunsets and giggling at my boys, cheering baseball players and chatting with their mamas and also a blue drink called a Jet Ski from the beach side bar that was joy in a plastic cup.

To start though, I will share with you, dear readers - especially, you moms - the most important event of the entire week - a moment brought to you by the voice of a severely sunburned teenager, the day after he was told no less than 7,000 times by his mom to put on more sunscreen as he lay on the Florida beach.

"MAAAAAAA! Why don't you smack me upside the head when I don't listen to you?"

(Note: There is no paraphrasing here. No artistic license. This is exactly what was uttered into the universe for my very own ears to hear by my seventeen year old knucklehead.)

And I don't mind telling you that before I went on to offer compassion and aloe vera lotion, I stood in awe and wonder at what I had just heard and my insides pretty much did this:

In honor of this momentous occasion when a child I birthed into the world saw fit to acknowledge that I was right about something, I would like to thank the Academy and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Just in case you think I'm taking too much pleasure in that turn of events, calm down. It was fine. A day out of the sun, some aloe, ibuprofen, icy towels and a whole lot of peeling skin and he survived to live another day of ignoring most of what I have to say.

After spending many days on the beach, we had a great time watching Drew's spring baseball team play their first game of the season at Eckerd College in Tampa. They won big.

After the game, the whole mess of us went to get ice cream at a building shaped like an ice cream cone which seemed like the most logical way to celebrate the blessed return of baseball.

Joe flew in from State College, PA for a few days so I was so happy to have the whole family together. The boys had a blast and I got a little misty eyed realizing that it appears that more often than not they really are the best of friends. It is one of a mama's greatest hopes and I pray it will continue.

I will say that our hotel left a little to be desired, but I was so happy to be in the warm weather that I tried really hard to get over it. The silver lining was that I became very adept at being sure that my feet never actually touched the floor. I am so skilled that one night when one of my socks fell off while I was sleeping, I had to hop on one foot to the bathroom and I did so with great success. Please hold your applause. Here's a peek at my girls and me getting a glamour shot at what we labeled the hotel's "Grand Staircase". Please notice the lovely hues of purple, red and turquoise on the walls and carpet.

In the end, the sunsets made up for everything. They were stunning every single night.

Of course, the Skinner family can't let vacation get in the way of multiple sporting events and since the NCAA Women's and Men's Basketball tournaments were going on, there was no doubt that we would find ourselves a tv a time or two to watch some hoops.



Warning to all the college basketball players: If you make a last second winning shot there is a 100% chance I will re-watch it 700 times and cry my ever-lovin' eyes out as if I gave birth to you. It doesn't matter if I have never heard of you or even of your school. The number of children I have "birthed" during this NCAA tournament is too many to count. Yes, I might have named my boys boring, run-of-the mill names like Joe, Kyle and Drew, but do not doubt that I have been officially behaving as if I also have a daughter named Arike Ogunbowale. While we're at it, let's just say I have a sister named Muffet McGraw. Give me all the buzzer beaters. I heart sports so darn much.

On the way back home we stopped in Columbia, South Carolina to check out the University of South Carolina. It was a lovely campus. My favorite part was the enormous Strom Thurmond Wellness Center which basically looks like the country club that Troy and Gabriella worked at in High School Musical 2.

uoscsastayinformed.wordpress.com

After spending six nights at a beach hotel, when we spent the night in the Courtyard Marriott in Columbia, I felt like a princess in a castle.

The drive home the next day was really long, but we were able to live stream the Big Ten Network so that we could listen to Joe make his debut as a baseball broadcaster when he called the Penn State vs. Purdue baseball game. We were just as proud as we could be and it helped make the trip a little more bearable.

I was so happy to make it back to our church for Easter and after the service I literally felt like it was a new year. I suppose there are challenges in all seasons of life, of course. And for me, the literal season of winter is particularly difficult. There have been times during these last months that I think I have closed myself off from facing the change that comes with reality of my children becoming grown-ups. With one gone to college and one with a foot out the door and one who is a full fledged teenager, I have spent many days - not all, but many - confused and frankly fearful as to what this future means for them, for me, for us. I have spent time wanting to turn back, to slow time, to pull up the covers and pretend that life can stay the same when in fact it can't. It shouldn't.

But that Easter Sunday, surrounded by familiar hymns and the reminder of the defining moment of my faith, I felt the stirring reminder that our Lord remains the same and that He has always and will always have good things in store for us and for those we love. We are able then to look past the dark of winter and remember the victorious words, "He is not here. He has risen. Just as he said." I have celebrated Easter for almost 50 years and just this year, I have seen a quote numerous times this week that I had never once seen before. No matter what we have gone through in our past and no matter what we will go through in the uncertain future we will always know this:

We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.

-Pope Saint John Paul II

Amen, Amen and Amen.

Happy Springtime to you, friends. (even if it doesn't feel like Spring quite yet!)

A Thanksgiving Recap, A Royal Wedding & A Dog's Rear End

Well, folks, it was rough getting back into the swing of things after having such a long, relaxing Thanksgiving break with my family. I woke up Monday morning and drug myself out of bed with nary a positive thought about the week ahead. And I knew that like just about every other morning in the past several months when I opened my computer to read the headlines, it wouldn't be pretty. But, you know how sometimes just when you need a little lift in life, our Lord and/or our handsome and charming British prince jumps right in with something breezy and fun and just plain ol' delightful?

I'm not sure I can emphasize how much (bordering on unreasonable) joy this brings me.

And yes, I know I referred to him as "our" prince as if I sip hot tea every afternoon and speak with a sophisticated accent as opposed to guzzling Diet Coke and having an ability to drag a word out until it sounds like it's got ten extra vowels in it. I've never even been to England, but I did watch the entire first season of The Crown in about two weeks time, so I will continue to refer to this couple as "ours" without hesitation or reservation.

We need you Harry and Meghan. We will claim you both as our own. Please and thank you.

By the way, if you're wondering, no one in my immediate family seems to share my excitement about the imminent royal wedding. In fact, in an alarming discovery, it appears that my boys aren't even exactly sure who Prince Harry is.

Y'all. Fake Daughter and I CANNOT EVEN. We are already planning our outfits for the wedding day.

In other news, we had a relaxing Thanksgiving break with the whole family here. I often forget I have this app on my phone that tracks my people's whereabouts, but it sure was sweet to check it out last week.

All in all, I cooked quite a bit, I read quite a bit and we watched what was likely an unhealthy amount football on tv. I spent an enormous amount of time in my pajamas, reading Church of the Small Things and finishing watching Parks and Recreation. Reading books rather than headlines and watching Amy Poehler and Chris Pratt rather than politicians are two things for which I am immensely grateful.

We spent Thanksgiving Day with lots of family at Lake Anna. It was great having Joe all week and the weather was absolutely beautiful.

And as a side note, I determined that never has it been more clear to me that 16 year old boys who spend 6-7 days a week on a lacrosse field or basketball court are living their best lives on Thanksgiving Day. They don't worry about calories and they seemingly never get full. If you can eat an entire turkey leg by yourself, show up for six different kinds of pie an hour later and live to tell about it, then I would call that a true example of a season for which you need to give the Lord some thanks and praise.

Friday had me trying really hard to shut down the online sales that were yelling at me about how I HAD TO SHOP RIGHT NOW. RIGHT NOW OR YOU WILL HAVE FAILED YOUR FAMILY AT CHRISTMAS. Goodness, gracious, the pressure. I was particularly pleased to find this on Instagram which made me feel better.

We spent the rest of the weekend going to five different basketball games for two different kids and again, I was grateful for sports and the distraction it can bring when life gets a little worrisome and the news continues to pummel us with all the things that we humans keep messing up down here.

Which brings me to the point that I have to wrap up here because of the recent worrisome event that has occurred in my life and is now demanding my attention. Ready?

You see how cute my dog is. Just adorable, right? I never wanted a dog, remember? But I broke down and we got this precious thing a couple of years ago and I was mom of the year. And all was well. I love him and I have rallied as a dog owner. In the past month, I spent at least four days at the vet because of an eye infection and even put drops and ointment IN MY DOG'S EYEBALL twice a day for a week. I feel like a gal who has never been a dog person might deserve some kind of award for this, no?

Ahem.

For the past few days, he won't stop dragging his rear end along the floor, the carpet, the rug, the grass and even the sidewalk. I've tried to ignore this behavior because I had seen dogs do this before and it seemed like a fairly common occurrence and also, if I thought about it too much it made me want to throw up. Well, now this seems to be something he does a whole lot, so in a turn of events my younger self never saw coming I typed "what to do when your dog keeps dragging his bum across the floor" into the Google and it appears I need to take him to the vet again.

This is what I have to say about that. The prospect of tending to my dog's butt is A BRIDGE TOO FAR, PEOPLE. A BRIDGE WAY.TOO.FAR.

And therein lies yet another example of how the news about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is saving my life right now. I need you, sweet Prince and lovely American future princess/duchess/whatever you'll be called. I need you to distract me from politicians and natural disasters and my dog's itchy bottom.

Now I gotta go call the vet. And when I get back I will scroll through countless pictures of the lovely couple and I will analyze Meghan's hair and read all manner of articles on what she might wear and what Kate might wear and what they will name their babies. And I will do so without shame because life is hard and sometimes downright gross.

Cheerio, Friends. Have a great Wednesday.

5 Things on a Friday: 7-21-17

Ya'll, I'm obviously on a roll because I've now written blog posts two days in a row. Also, I don't want to do anything but sit inside since it's 7,000 degrees outside. So, grab something with ice in it and check out some Friday Favorites!

1. Summer Dresses

When it is this hot it's difficult to want to put any clothes at all on your person, so a flowy summer dress is perfect. I received a new Stitch Fix box just days before the 4th of July and it was by far the best I've ever received, so I'll be blogging on that soon. They sent me two adorable summer dresses - one that was red, white and blue and perfect for the 4th. If you want to try to Stitch Fix, I am still a fan and recommend giving it a try. When I am good about giving my stylists comments and updating my style profile, they do a great job of picking pieces I love. Go here to sign up.

For Friday Favorites today though, you need to know that Old Navy is having a crazy sale: up to 60% off on dresses and then 30% off your order at checkout with no code needed. Here are some of the cutest I found at Old Navy.

High Neck Tie Strap Swing Dress

This adorable thing comes in red also. It is $20.00 and 30% off that at check out. WHAT? If you do the math, which I don't feel like doing right now, I think you'll find that this dress costs just about nothing.

Embroidered Flutter Sleeve Dress

This one comes in a black pattern and a red one, also. $26.00. I can't even.

Lace Up Swing Dress

I feel like this is a dress that can be dressed up or down depending on your life. My life lends itself towards dressing down and I think this is so simple and cute.

PS If you didn't know, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale starts today. SQUEAL!!!

2. Summer Reading

While I haven't been writing a lot, I have been reading quite a bit. I finished Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics which was long and a bit tedious with the details, but worth it in the end. It's a wonderful story of endurance with great characters and fascinating historical events.

I'm almost finished reading Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott and am nodding and "amen"-ing and underlining the fire out of it.

My friend, Elizabeth Foss, has written a beautiful, insightful devotional called Consider the Lilies which has ministered to me in ways for which I could never thank her enough. It has been a blessing to me during a season of change in our family and I do not do well with change. I cannot give it a higher recommendation. The chapters are short, thoughtful and soul-settling. Get it.

As I finished and adored My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, I decided that this author, Fredrik Backman, is a must-read. Thanks to my friend, Jen, who lent me two of his novels, my next read is Beartown.

3. Summer Nail Color

My favorite nail polish this summer is OPI's I Saw . . . U Saw . . . We Saw . . . Warsaw which is not one of their new colors and hard to find but I ordered it from Amazon here and it showed up right away. It's a little darker navy than Keeping Suzi at Bay which is another one of my favorite blues from OPI. I found that one here.

4. Summer Appetizer

photo from www.lemontreedwelling.com

We spent part of the 4th of July weekend at Lake Anna hanging out with family, watching fireworks over the lake and eating all the things we could find. My sister-in-law made this amazing Wedge Salad Dip. I'm not sure where she got the recipe, but I found it here. It is so good.

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
2-4 oz. blue cheese crumbles
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped

Combine cream cheese, sour cream and Ranch mix. Spread into bottom of 9-inch pie plate or similar pan. Top with lettuce, tomato, bacon, blue cheese and chives. Serve with these chips because I said so. They're the best.

5. Summer Jam

It seems that every summer baseball season there is a song that comes out and becomes the one that will always remind me of my drives to and from the field in a certain year. One year it was this. One year it was this and another year this. Now any time I hear those songs, I'm taken back to whatever players and whichever field we were playing on and I always smile. This year in our Little League tournament, our boys lost a game early. They lost it in a big, bad, ugly way. That left them in a position in the loser's bracket where they had to fight their way back, playing every single day to earn a spot in the championship game.

A revival of sorts is what happened and they did win three in a row to get to that final game, but ended up losing 2-1 in a heart breaker. (Apparently, that day's song should have been You Can't Always Get What You Want.)

In any event, on the way to that first game after the loss, I heard this brand new song from my very favorite band of all time, Third Day. I thought it was pretty appropriate, both for our little team of fighters and for my soul. Every time I hear it from this day forward I'll think of Drew and his last Little League team. (PS If you need any new songs for your running playlist, I'd suggest all of them.)

Wishing you a blessed weekend, friends, and if you're in my neck o' the woods, I wish you lots of A/C. Lawd, it's hot out there!

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