I'm in Desperate Need of the 'ber Months

 

         Only two more weeks until The Autumn months. Yes, I know Florida doesn't participate in Fall, but I am allowed to at least decorate as if it were and enjoy all the Autumn flavors, like pumpkin spice, apple cider, caramel, and cranberry. Oh, and the soups!!! I adore making soups. Those I excel at LOL.

          Back to school for me in the morning. This semester, Personal Nutrition and Healthy Cuisine. So, my Autumn recipes will be better for my family and me. 

          My brother is finally coming to visit me again!!! We talk lots on the phone, but I have not seen him in seven years. I am very excited. Now I have to start planning activities for us. He and his friend will be here for a whole week. The only day I don't have to plan for is the 12th LOL They are going to a 49rs game in Tampa. That will be the day I just try and work. After he leaves, two days of work for me, then I am off for my Autumn refresh. Eighteen days of vacation!!! I am so ready.

Trying to Not Lose My Mind

 

          I have noticed more and more that I jumble up my words, or I forget the word I am looking for. I never used to have a problem with that. At least I am trying to stay nice about it. My grandmother and my mom both did that, and would get so upset, especially if somebody pointed it out. My kids tease me all the time, but I just laugh and tell them it is genetics and their time is coming LOL. 

          I take vitamins to help me with my cognition, and I play puzzle games to try and stay sharp. School helps as well. I start back to classes next week, while my daughter started this week. I am taking two different types of nutrition classes this semester. Going to learn more about brain food.

          My daughter's group therapy is going well. We have been there twice now. The leader tried to make me sit with the other parents LOL. He said it was like a free support group. Not for me LOL. I don't like people. I am perfectly fine on my own. I have no desire to take on other people's troubles. I get enough of that at work. My daughter is totally opposite. She craves social settings and people. So off to therapy we go. The leader started a group chat just for the teens and put my daughter in charge of it LOL. I guess she is the most normal one there. Not saying the others are not right, but they all have quirks that I have noticed. Anyway, I thought it was cool that she got put in charge of something. Made her feel special.

Back to School

 

          I cannot believe summer is over already. Back to school on Monday. We are tackling 11th grade this year. How is my baby already a junior in high school??? It is going by way too fast for both of us. She is nervous about all the career prep assignments they are giving her. I know it is time for her to begin thinking about this stuff, but dang, it is stressful going into the adult world. She has enough anxiety as it is.

          The only class I am interested in with her is her U.S. history course. I love American history. She also has music theory, personal finance, physical science, English, and algebra. 

          In addition to her classes, I start my classes on the 18th. I will be taking two different nutrition courses. I am going to learn to provide healthier meals over here LOL. I am hoping they will be interesting classes, but not too intense. 

Sweet Sixteen

 

          How has it been sixteen years??? It seems as if time has just vanished. I could swear you were just my little girl last week, long blond hair flying all over, so curious about everything, so happy and loving. Now you are a teenager with dark blue hair and hesitant about life. You have a multitude of emotions and seem afraid of everything. It breaks my heart that I cannot give you the confidence you once had. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you. You are so smart, loving, funny, creative, gorgeous, and amazing. I am so very proud of you in every way possible.

          This past week has been a challenge. My sweet girl is so anxious and stressed that I had to start taking her to therapy. I don't want her to be sad, afraid, or lonely. So, we now go to therapy, or rather, she will on Monday nights. I found a social anxiety therapy group just for teens. I am hoping this helps. The therapist also recommended some vitamins that have been shown to help with anxiety. Magnesium, calcium, L-theanine, and DHA are the ones she has to take now. Big freaking pills. She does not like them LOL I hate pills myself. I wish they came in gummy form. 

          I hope and pray this next year is better for you. Tomorrow, on your actual birthday, I am excited and a little envious of your brother taking you to Universal Studios. You are going to have so much fun. I would melt in the heat LOL. I will meet up with you guys afterwards for us to celebrate at City Walk in the evening. Today I am going to make your birthday cake LOL. Hopefully it tastes as sweet and good as you.

Cucumber Mania

 

          Well the mystery of what my chaos garden is producing is partially solved, lol. I now have cucumbers galore LOL. Yes, those are the actual cucumbers I grew. The knife is to show how big they are LOL I picked those on Sunday, and Monday I found three more. I have more cucumbers than I know what to do with. I am afraid to go look today to see if more have appeared LOL.

          I have been looking up cucumber salad recipes LOL. I found an Asian one made with soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, and garlic. A sweet  spicy made with sriracha, garlic, sesame oil, and honey. I also have some dry ranch dressing to sprinkle on some, and then some Skinny Girl balsamic dressing to slice some up in LOL. So I will be busy making all of those today.

Tuesday Tweets

 

          Well I definitely sunned myself pink yesterday mowing my lawns LOL. By the time I was done with everything yesterday I had walked over 18,000 steps. My feet are still sore. I felt very accomplished though. Today, however, I am taking it a bit easier. I just want to relax and enjoy the rain that is forecasted. 

          Speaking of the rain, it is making my chaos garden live up to its name. It is insane in there. My son and I think that tomorrow we will have to move the fence further out to accommodate all the growth. One part of the fence we are not getting back, LOL, Seymore, that's what we call it, has completely taken it over. It has vines now woven all through it. I figure we will just cut that section loose and lay it down on the ground, vines intact, and then just go around it with more net fencing. We still have no idea what we are growing. All we know is we have three types of vines with huge leaves and big yellow flowers out there. We can't wait to see what they turn into.

A Cardinal in the Morning

       I saw an actual cardinal in my backyard when I woke up. I was shocked. It was sitting on my fence, inspecting my chaos garden. I have always heard that when a cardinal visits you, it means a loved one is visiting from Heaven. I immediately thought of my mom. I miss her a lot. I figured she was checking out my backyard LOL. She would have liked it. She would have liked a lot of stuff around here. She would have liked getting to walk around the neighborhood, going over to the lake. She would have enjoyed sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee in the morning. She would have made friends with my neighbors. She would have gotten very involved with the HOA. So many things I wish she had gotten to experience. I will never forgive myself for that day.