Full Heart ❤ Empty Nest

Give The Ones You Love Wings To Fly...Roots To Come Back...And Reasons To Stay

The birds outside my door...they build the same nest in the same spot, year after year.  The dog doesn't even scare them away anymore, or the sound of the patio
door when I open it to look at their babies, or the wind, or the rain. (or the snow for that matter this year!)  It is their home and they are comfortable. I can't tell you if they are the same birds laying their eggs each year, or maybe they are even the birds that hatched there the year before, all I know is that they keep coming back.  I can guarantee every spring I will hear them sing, watch them build and see them sit until their babies are hatched.  This birdhouse has been hanging in our window for 17 years.

17 years ago we moved into our home with a 1, 8, and 11 year old.  In those 17 years I have watched our kids grow physically, emotionally, academically, and socially.  I have carpooled, volunteered, traveled for sports, and have happily served more meals than I ever thought possible 

In 2005 my youngest starts kindergarten, my middle starts middle school, and my oldest starts high school...All on the same day!  This day was supposed to be, as most would call it, my first feeling of freedom, for me it was my first feeling of loneliness.  I didn't know what to do with myself for 6 hours!  Most would be struggling to get to the gym, get groceries, go for coffee, all before the carpool line started to line up. I think I was early for pick up and back home for the arrival of both the middle school bus and the high school bus!


2008~My hockey mom years...My youngest is well into hockey, my middle is still...well into hockey and My oldest graduates from high school.  I thought to myself, this is going to be the hardest day ever, the day that she goes to college...and it was.  I left her in tears, (not hers mind you) and I came home to our now family of 4 still at home.

2011~My youngest is still well into hockey, so Hockey life doesn’t change, my middle graduates high school and goes to college, (another tearful day on moms part) and My oldest is living a very happy life at college, all are working hard...No worries here, except for that one by one they are leaving our comfortable nest.


Let's go back to the empty nest thing for a minute...The next few years bring my oldest and her husband moving to Bahrain for a year, yes...Bahrain...for a year. I didn't do well with that.  And on top of that, my middle joins the Air Force.  Of coarse I am a proud Air Force mom, but come on...this only son of mine, who makes me laugh until I cry, keeps life on an optimistic note, and is always here for me, is leaving for a long time and I can't have any contact with him...as you can guess, I didn't do well with that one either. 

But through all of these changes we have this little girl that we had later than we had planned, she is truly the best thing my husband and I ever decided to do. 7 years ago I would never had been ready to be an "empty nester..." which is now happening in a very unconventional way.  Of coarse she is growing up, only one year left at home and then...Empty Nest?  No, what are you thinking?  The birds...they always come back.

As I am sitting in my kitchen, it is April and the birds are back.  They have built their nest, are singing, and sitting waiting for more babies to hatch.  I look around my kitchen and I see something that is not empty nesting, rather the nest being rebuilt.  You see, My middle just moved within running distance from our front door and My oldest and and her husband...and my granddaughter...and their dog...and their cars...and their stuff...have moved into our home.  Unconventional? I am sure that is what our neighbors are thinking... If you think about it, this is how people lived many years ago and still do overseas! But the reason for this move is because they sold their nest, haven't found their dream nest with a lot of land to run, so therefore, to give them the time to find where they will build theirs, they have moved into ours.  I can't say that I don't love every minute of it because I do.  For those of you who know me well, you know this works out just fine for me.  My youngest (17), who had this big nest all to herself is slowly realizing that life isn't so bad being so full...Never a dull or lonely minute.  The plan ahead you may wonder?  Our nest here won't be empty even when our youngest graduates in 2019...I don't think it will ever be empty...and that’s just perfect...
Unconventional Empty Nesting Is A Blessing...

         

P.S. You can find us in our new nest in Las Vegas fall of 2019 ;)

Heart and Souls Guide To Charleston. S.C.

Heart and Souls Guide to

Charleston S.C.

(or as my son used to say “South Carofolina”)

After living here for 5 years and falling in love with the south, here is what I can tell you

If you are visiting Charleston S.C for the first time here are some

 “Must See’s”

The Market-Downtown Market Street

King Street-Downtown Shopping and Antiques

Waterfront Park-Beautiful walk on the Pier...if you have kids, be prepared as they will want to run through the fountains...They Will Get Wet!!

Rainbow Row

If you are a history buff…

Boone Hall Plantation in Mount Pleasant

Patriots Point/Yorktown Carrier

Ferry to Fort Sumter

Walking Tour of Historical Charleston

Beth Elohim Synagogue (This is where my kids started hebrew school)

This handsome, cupolated Georgian synagogue was destroyed in the great Charleston fire of 1838 and replaced in 1840 on the same Hasell Street site by the ... of Indigo (then South Carolina's second crop) and Joseph Levy, veteran of the Cherokee War of 1760-61 and probably the first Jewish military officer in America.

If you need a little beach time…

Isle Of Palms County Park-There is a fee which includes parking, bathrooms, showers, chair rentals, and more.  This is a great beach for kids :)

Sullivans Island is a little quieter and within the same distance to downtown

If you are hungry…

Endless…That’s not a restaurant, you’re choices are endless especially for amazing seafood

Shem Creek Area in Mount Pleasant , we love Vickery's  but you can’t go wrong with any of the restaurants and they are all on the water

Slightly North Of Broad-Downtown. Reservation suggested

Coconut Joes Beach Grill-Isle of Palms

The Boathouse-Isle of Palms. Reservations suggested

Jacks Cosmic Dogs-Casual fun Hot Dog joint...very local-Mount Pleasant a little ways up 17 North on your right

If you want to shop…

Charleston Place

King Street

The Market

Beach shops on Isle of Palms

Freshfields Village -Johns Island, SC 29455

Mount Pleasant Towne Center-hwy 17

Tanger Outlet Mall-North Charleston

If you have kids…

Carriage rides and tours

The fountains at Waterfront Park

Beaches

Palmetto Park

South Carolina Aquarium  

Water Taxi

Plantations

There are always festivals and events going on throughout the year so be sure to see what’s happening before you go!

Have fun and enjoy the southern hospitality 

Let me know if you have any questions!!

Hopping On The Bandwagon...SKOL

Minneapolis Miracle

SKOL

"I thought she was a Packer Fan" They Say...

"She jumped on the bandwagon" They Say...

"A fair weather fan" They Say...

"No Better Year" I say...

     I didn't decide to be a Viking fan last weekend, or the weekend before that even, I decided at the beginning of the season.  If I am being totally truthful,  I decided when Rogers got hurt and was out for the season, because why would I want to be in a crabby mood every time the Packers are playing?  Fair Weather fan?  Sure, I'll take that...this year!  I made the conscious decision to be happy, to jump on the bandwagon, the one that just happened to be going by my house at the perfect time. 

Text From my loving son on New Years Day!

I honestly will let anyone tease me, laugh at me, get angry with me...(and by anyone I am talking about my family...we are a house divided!) and I will take it!   Just this morning I got into it with my daughter and my husband...it ended with My husband saying "Think of yourself as sneaking into a movie theater behind the people who have paid!"  Am I supposed to feel guilty for not paying the price of a 50 year fan??  I don’t...feel guilty that is...I’m having a blast! 

     My husband Eric,  has been waiting 50 years just like every other Minnesotan who has been let down year after year after year.  "Being a Minnesota sports fan hurts!"  he says way too often. And it does, I have experienced this through him for 32 years.   I have found him trying to coach teams, yelling at the TV, and I guess this has finally paid off!  Maybe this is the year!  The video below shows him angrily talking to the players during a game...Enjoy, I sure do :)

  The excitement in the voices of kids, sportscasters, students, adults, even non Viking fans...it is just is so contagious.  just about everyone has made this state the happiest place on earth.  From SKOL challanges, to watching videos of THAT final touchdown put to music, to listening to the sportscasters (almost cry) over and over again...the chills just keep running down your spine. 

 It sounds a little over the top to think that everyone has had a better week because of a football game, but it has been fun to be out and about seeing everyone in their Vikings gear in their SKOL moods! (who even knows what SKOL is!).  I must say that even being at Costco today,  Saturday before THE game, more crowded than before the holidays, no one seemed overly annoyed!  Everyone was there for the same thing...Snacks and Beer...well, and wine in our cart :)  The same thing on the persons mind in front of us, behind us, all around us...Can we do this?  Can we make it to the Superbowl in our home state...and win!  50% of this question will be answered today...If we don't then everyone can go on saying what they have always said..."Typical Vikings!"  Until then all we can do is hope, cheer, prepare, and pray...C'Mon , it's time...It's our time, Yes, I say "our" because I haven't fallen off the bandwagon yet, I don't know that I ever will...It's been a fun season Vikes!

SKOL

Heart&Soul...

Welcome to my blog...it’s still me, Simple mom and her dog, just a little different.  You will still find all of my older posts and find new ones as well. I have linked my blog to a new Facebook page that i have created as well.  It’s a page of things to make you smile, laugh, and be positive.  I will post small things daily, and videos to laugh at and pictures to smile about.  I have been realizing in the past few months just how important it is to be happy, have a smile on your face, for yourself, and not for others.  You may not be feeling great every day, a cold, the flu, sore muscles, bad back.  If you're lucky enough to open your eyes in the morning, but the first thing you think is that you don’t want to get out of bed...just smile.  Force it if you have too, and think of all the others that will will affect in a positive way once you do actually get out of bed.  This may not get you through the entire day but it will be a good start.  My husband Eric has been a huge part of this.  There are days when I am just not feeling great, and he looks at me and says something that will make me laugh...then he says “Have I ever told you that you are a lot more attractive when you smile.”
Another reason for all of this heart and soul stuff is because I am finding that your heart can emotionally as well as physically affect the soul.  I have always been a very happy person who smiles and laughs...a lot...(Laughing is very good for you too!).  Recently I had a very non threatening diagnosis that is affecting my heart.  It is called pericarditis.   If you look it up it will just say that I have fluid around my heart.  This will not kill me, this will not affect my health in any way, other than it hurts.  And it may not go away.  Even though it hurts, it is not going to stop me from being happy.  I look at this condition as showing me that no matter what, even when things hurt (emotionally speaking) you can get through it...with a smile and a little optimism.  This is where I am hoping that Heart and Soul will come in.  If I post something every morning, and throughout the day if I find something funny, and it makes just one of you smile or laugh, I have made a difference.  Follow me if you’d like or don’t if you don’t think it matters...but once again, if I can make one person a day smile, that’s all that matters...
Because it is all about your heart physically and emotionally that will affect your soul ❤️