I remember seeing a ridiculous commercial for a pregnancy test several years ago. It showed a woman jogging and [apparently] thinking out loud: “I’m so distracted lately . . . could I be pregnant???”

Really? I just can’t imagine THAT is the symptom that drives women to pick up an EPT at the drugstore. For me it was seeing the red letters in my ovulation app (yes. There IS an app for that.) say, “You’re five days late!”

I normally keep very close track of these things, so I was first surprised to realize I hadn’t noticed that myself. And after that first test (because I took two, of course. You can never be too sure about these things!), I was definitely surprised to learn that I was, indeed, pregnant!

Yep. I’m 10 weeks pregnant, due to make this family a party of four sometime in January.

Fertility – or lack of – isn’t normally the sort of thing I write about here; it’s felt too personal, too hard to put words to. Besides, talking about “trying” to get pregnant is just . . . weird to me. You’d rather not know about that, right? And to write about how it hurt to look at the fourth stocking in my Christmas decoration box, the one I bought just in case seemed unfair when I have one healthy miracle of a kiddo that I really am grateful for.

And never mind the breakdown I had when, just about a month before finding out we’re expecting, I gave away an enormous bin of baby clothes. I even said to Mark, “I don’t know why I’m crying, okay?! I just think it means we’re just not going to have a baby ever . . . although . . . I do know a lot of people who got pregnant right after giving away a bunch of baby stuff . . . YES, I’m still crying, okay?!”

For quite a while now, we’ve tried to balance our feelings between knowing this just might not happen and feeling like our family wasn’t quite complete yet. And now . . . well, now I’m managing to feel super excited and blessed at the same time I’m uber stressed about selling our house and terrified I’ll get as dangerously sick as I did last time.

In short? I’ve been a mess.

So if you’ve wondered why my blogging has been so sporadic, this is why.
If you’ve thought some of my writing has seemed lackluster, this is why.
If you’ve noticed I’m not accepting any new Words with Friends games, this is why.
If I promised you a guest post and then didn’t come through, this is why.
If you’ve seen me in person and noticed my FACE FULL OF ZITS, yeah, this is why.

I guess I have something in common with that jogging commercial lady after all. Not only have I been exhausted, nauseous, emotional and – did I mention? – exhausted, I have been crazy distracted. Crazy. Distracted.

After going to the store for the tenth day in a row and forgetting something important (like soap or toilet paper) AGAIN, I told Mark we just needed to face facts. I am worthless right now. So unreliable and forgetful and – yes, weirdo 80s commercial – distracted that virtually all I can handle, apparently, is making a baby.

Being the good husband and dad he is, Mark said that’s enough. (Except when we ran out of soap. That may have put him over the edge for a minute or two.)

Just in case you’re the kind of person who wants details, my due date is January 20. That means I’m 10 weeks pregnant today. Also, I’ll be 35 in December, so I’ve already heard more than I ever wanted about “advanced maternal age.” Thanks to a scare early on, I’ve already had two sonograms and heard the heartbeat. We’ll find out if it’s a boy or girl as soon as possible, especially since our house is divided on what we’re rooting for. (Mark’s really hoping to even out the teams here, while I’m hoping to re-use all our pink things and Annalyn has been begging for a baby sister for about three years.)

The Giveaway Part of the Post

A few sweet friends are here to help me celebrate this announcement today.

First of all, that great Big Sister shirt Annalyn is rocking was made by my old pal Hillary at Mint Julep Monograms. (Old in bloggy friendship years, not actual chronological age.) Second of all, I have two great giveaways just for YOU!

DaySpring is giving one lucky Giving Up on Perfect reader a beautiful silver Lisa Leonard necklace that is engraved, appropriately, with the words, “Wonderfully Made.”

And my [other] friend Hilary is giving one lucky local Giving Up on Perfect reader a gift certificate for a family photo session with Hilary Hope Photos. She’ll go anywhere in the metro (Liberty to Overland Park for a basic boundary), and the certificate will expire on December 20, 2013.

You guys, Hilary is an AMAZING photographer. So creative, so talented, and gifted with an incredible knack for showcasing her clients’ beauty (the inside kind AND the outside kind). You can see her work on her website, and you can also watch this adorable video that shows one of her engagement photo sessions.

To enter, simply leave a comment – any comment! If you live in the Kansas City metro area, note that in your comment so I can make sure you’re included in the photo session drawing, too.

The giveaway will close on Thursday, June 20.

Photo source

Party of Four {an Announcement & Giveaways} is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

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A couple weeks ago I had a scary-at-the-time health issue come up. And, of course, it didn’t happen in the middle of the day when I could easily call a doctor or in the evening when my husband was home. It happened late at night.

Late at night when the doctor’s office was closed, my husband was at work and my daughter was asleep. Late at night when Facebook slows down and Google seems like the only place to turn.

Yes, I do know better. Google is NOBODY’s friend close to midnight, when you’re not sure if that spot is Sharpie or cancer. (Not my actual issue. For the record.)

I did call Mark, but his response to a voice filled with tears and questions he couldn’t answer was to suggest I wake up our daughter, call my mom (and wake her up) to watch her, then go to the emergency room. Even in my scared state, I knew that solution was neither practical nor necessary.

Still, even though I knew the only answer was to wait until morning, I was scared and sad and sleep wasn’t coming easily.

So I grabbed my phone and tapped my Facebook app. I left messages in two private groups I’m a part of, telling my girlfriends what was going on and asking for prayer. By the time I woke up the next morning, still uneasy but feeling a little better as I waited for the doctor’s office to open, my sweet friends had done me one better.

Comment after comment, they practically shouted, “Yes!” as they agreed to pray for me. But they also whispered encouragement, “It’s okay. That’s happened to me, too.”

It turns out that what I experienced wasn’t life-threatening or all that uncommon. And my friends who had gone through the same thing? They were just fine now. Things had worked out. It was okay. And so, even before I saw my doctor that day, even before tests confirmed that I was just fine, I could breathe.

That’s the magic of “Me, too,” isn’t it?

Whether you’re facing a health issue or a parenting dilemma or a struggle with your faith or a career obstacle, hearing someone say those two little words makes a world of difference. “Me, too” can mean the difference between panic and peace, between desperation and determination. It can change your mindset from a frantic freakout or spiraling sadness to a grounded realization that you’re not alone, you’re not the only one, and it just might be okay.

What are you struggling with today? What would happen if you were brave enough to share it with a friend? Is it possible she might whisper, “Me, too”?

And what if a friend shares an embarrassing or scary or difficult struggle with you? What would happen if you were honest enough to say, “Me, too”?

One of my favorite quotes is from C.S. Lewis, who said: Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: “What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

Let’s be the “Me, too” kind of friends. Not making up stories to share, not one-upping or getting lost in commiseration. But simply revealing our real selves, our real lives – the kind that, in a lot of circumstances, don’t look a whole lot different than our friends’.

Hate washing dishes? Me, too.
Wishing you didn’t yell at your kids this morning? Me, too.
Not sure how you’re going to afford this or that? Me, too.
Can’t remember the last time you shaved all your parts? Me, too.
Confused about that Bible passage you read or heard? Me, too.
Bad at folding laundry and putting it away? Me, too.
Wish your husband didn’t snore? Wish YOU didn’t snore? Me, too.
Wondering if you’ll ever fit back into “those” jeans? Me, too.
Wondering if you’ll ever go back to work? Or get to stay home? Me, too.
Wishing summer was longer? Me, too.
Wishing summer was over? Me, too.
Tired of making meals that your family criticizes? Me, too.
Tired of making meals even YOU don’t like much? Me, too.
Tired of making meals that take longer to cook than to devour? Me, too.
Regret staying up late to finish that book? Me, too.
Wish you had more time for fun things like reading? Me, too.
Wondering if you’ll ever…
…teach your daughter to tie her shoes?
…have a baby?
…stop fighting with your husband?
…meet your husband?
…stick to your diet?
…learn to cook? to speak French? to knit?
…learn to love cleaning? your in-laws? Candy Land?

ME TOO.

By the way, I know that photo of stadium seats doesn’t have a whole lot to do with this post. But I love it and wanted to use it. :) Verizon Wireless has been kind enough to let me use a Samsung Galaxy camera, and I had a blast using it on a tour of our football stadium last weekend. The camera is pretty amazing. It has a 21x optical–zoom lens, so you can take photos from really far away. Then you can share it on Facebook, Instagram and more because the camera also has 4G. It’s cool, and I was bummed to return it this week! Big thanks to Verizon for the use of the camera!!

The Magic of “Me, Too” is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

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This post is sponsored by Clutter Interrupted.

When he told the story later, he swore my voice sent chills up his spine and made him wonder, just for a moment, if I was actually holding a weapon.

“What. Are. You. DOING???”

As I dragged the vacuum cleaner past our bedroom door, I stopped. My eyes couldn’t process what I was seeing at first. There was Mark . . . and a box . . . on our bed . . .

All three of us had been running around the house, cleaning frantically in preparation for our real estate agent’s almost-there visit. She was coming to tell us just how much money we’d be losing on our Money Pit of a House, and for some reason, we thought cleaning off the dining room table and vacuuming the living room rug would help.

Apparently Mark thought the next logical step was to clear off our bedside table. The one covered in layers of books and dust, stacks I’d been lovingly building for years. Piles of books I’d been planning to read, books I’d promised to read, books I’d received as gifts, books I’d received from the authors, my friends.

And he was just throwing them into a box. A box! My books!

HE TOUCHED MY BOOKS.

When he told the story later, and I interjected with that fact – that HE TOUCHED MY BOOKS – one of our friends said, “I understand, Mary. I’m a hoarder, too.”

Oh, hardy-har-har. Sooo funny. Look at me, laughing it up! High-larious!

I’M NOT A HOARDER.

And then there was the day we started cleaning out the garage. (SIDE NOTE: Getting a house ready to list is a BLAST.) As we opened boxes, we found Christmas decorations, baby clothes, lots of vases and frames, and books. Oh, the books. And . . . um, research papers. And journal articles. And notebooks full of notes taken during my first semester of grad school.

No, I’m not a hoarder. NOT ME.

Actually, I’m really not – except when it comes to books and words and book-word-type things. That’s why even on my best-organized days, I still have piles of paper and stacks of books sitting around.

So back to the fun that is selling a house . . . in addition to tiling a kitchen and fixing some broken closet doors and carpeting the back bedroom (and a dozen other fun projects), our main to-do is decluttering. Clearing off counters, taking down pictures, making room in closets.

UGH.

My strategy for tackling this is twofold. First, I’m channeling my January Self. You know, the one who was all motivated and gung-ho for decluttering? Yes, that’s the one. She had just read 7 by Jen Hatmaker and a decluttering ebook by my friend Dana. She had eliminated dozens – DOZENS! – of items of clothing from her closet. She was a Decluttering Dynamo.

Of course, if you know me at all, you won’t be surprised to know that my January Self didn’t last any longer than my most recent plan to cut down on carbs.

That’s where the second part of my plan comes in.

My friends Tracy and Chelle have started a website called Clutter Interrupted – and it’s full of great ideas and inspiration for someone [like me] who feels overwhelmed by clutter. Tracy is a professional organizer, and Chelle is super funny – and the two of them make a great team for fighting clutter! Clutter Interrupted has a blog with practical tips but also a funny and helpful podcast (perhaps I should listen to the newest episode as I tackle the next corner of the garage?).

And this month, to kick off the new site, Clutter Interrupted is giving away an iPad. Just sign up for email updates by June 30, and you’ll be entered to win!

I’d love to tell you more about our house projects, but the clutter that is my kitchen [on a regular basis, not just when I'm organizing and moving and renovating!] is calling my name. Not to mention . . . Mark’s at work, so now’s my chance to sneak that box of books back into our bedroom . . .

Where do you turn for decluttering inspiration? Do you hoard collect anything that you don’t want other people to move? [or even touch?!]

This post was sponsored by Clutter Interrupted, but all content, opinions and difficulty dealing with clutter are my own. I also used Amazon affiliate links.

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Clutter, Hoarding and Everything In Between is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

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So I haven’t read a whole lot of blog posts lately. I mean, I’m here to share what I have. But while I normally have a bajillion links for you, today I just have seven. Seven good ones, though – so enjoy!

• Choose Your Own Freezer Cooking Adventure :: Once a Month Mom {I love that there are options for everyone here. And, really, choose your own adventure is ALWAYS fun, right?}
• A Place at the Table (How to Do Simple Hospitality) :: Jennifer Dukes Lee {“True hospitality doesn’t work hard to make a good impression. It opens easy to make a hallowed space.”}
• The Terrible Tragedy of the Healthy Eater :: Northwest Edible Life {This is HILARIOUS, though it has some language, if you care about that sort of thing.}
• How to Feel at Home in Your House and Your Skin :: Lisa-Jo Baker at A Holy Experience {“Your guests will only feel as comfortable in your house as you feel in your own skin. And there’s no shame in paper plates if they’re heaped high with delight in each others’ company.”}
• 25 Signs You’re Addicted to Books :: Buzzfeed {Again with the language, but again with the SO FUNNY and SO TRUE.}
• Just Be…Normal :: Tsh Oxenreider at (in)courage {“Being a light doesn’t mean that every Facebook status has to involve a verse, or that you have to force a pithy spiritual anecdote into every situation. Being a light, many times, is admitting that life is just plain ol’ hard.”}
• Why I Think You Should Break the Blogging Rules :: Money Saving Mom {This is something I’ve really been struggling with, and it’s encouraging to hear someone else talk about the struggle with writing to write and doing all the “stuff” that the experts say we’re supposed to do to build traffic, a platform, all of it.}

And then there’s this. Sing Together by Mr. Rogers, remixed by PBS Digital Studio. You’re welcome.

What are the best posts you’ve read and written lately? Please share it with us in the comments!

This post will be linked to Linky Love at Vanderbilt Wife.

Weekend Links, 6.8.13 is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

Related posts:

1. Weekend Links, 11.10.12
2. Weekend Links, 12.8.12
3. Weekend Links, 4.6.13

What’s that, you say? Summer started several days ago? Pshhh. It’s like I always say: It’s never too late to make a list of stuff to do over the summer! (What’s that? You think I just made that up? Of COURSE not!)

Annalyn and I actually made our annual Summer Fun List a couple weeks ago, but thanks to some unforeseen developments in the Carver house, our list was derailed for a bit. (What’s that, you say? Tell you more about the developments? FINE. I’ll tell you about two. First of all, we’re putting our house on the market this summer, so HELLO, stress and to-do lists! And second of all, I’ve had a nasty stomach bug this week. [What's that, you say? You've heard enough? Interesting...])

Despite all this hem-hawing and excuse-giving, though, I do have quite the list of summer plans. Here’s a peek into our next couple of months:

Trips and Outings:

• Annalyn is taking a short road trip with my parents while Mark and I belatedly celebrate our anniversary.
• My mom, Smitty, Annalyn and I are going to see Little Mermaid on stage – outdoors, in July. [Read: It will be a hot mess of sweat and stickiness, and we'll only WISH we were under the sea.]
• I’m hoping we make it to the Farmer’s Market downtown at least once this season.
• We’re taking a short family vacation to Branson to visit friends, where we will avoid the sweaty crowd fest of Silver Dollar City and opt for a cave tour, go-karts and the resort pool instead.

Events and Camps:

• Next week, Annalyn is attending a week-long, half-day theater camp. I’m really excited to see if she enjoys it as much as I think she will. This might be the extracurricular we add to our fall schedule if she does.
• Later in the summer, she’s going to a three-day intro to dance camp. Because, I don’t know. She’s spoiled? I want her to have every single opportunity I never did? It costs the same as daycare and sounds a lot more fun? Regardless, she’s going and I might have to prep her by showing her my favorite performances from So You Think You Can Dance.
• She’s also taking swim lessons again. Because she’s a fish, and she loves it – and I love anything that gets her moving and away from a screen.

Never Stop Learning:
So, I didn’t turn in our sign-up form for pre-K summer school in time. (Hence the need for camps and other distractions while I try to work and write!) But that doesn’t mean she’s off the hook for a few teachable moments.

• This is the summer I teach her to tie her shoes. Really. Or, we track down a cute pair of sneakers with velcro. But no! I will teach her to tie them! I will!
• I also want to start working on money with her – the value of coins and other fun (ha!) math stuff like that. I’m sure Pinterest will be my teacher’s assistant in this one, but if you have helpful tips, please share!
• We’re reading some chapter books this summer and enough regular picture books to complete the library’s reading program. I’m also breaking out the LeapFrog Tag Reader again to help her progress with her own reading before school starts.

General Fun (the Good Stuff)

• Playdates with various friends
• Going to the pool
• Watching fireworks
• Going on a picnic
• Fishing at Grandpa’s farm
• Eating s’mores and grilling hot dogs
• Making lemonade
• Canning salsa and green beans
• Seeing a movie or two

I’ve got a few more things on our list – a trip to Des Moines for a concert and to visit friends, making sidewalk chalk paint, family game night – but we’re definitely playing this summer by ear. Our family has lots going on, and if I learned one thing last summer it’s that being together–and enjoying each other–is a million times more important than Doing Something Fun or crossing off our to-do list.

What are YOUR plans for the summer?

If you’re making a list of your own or need ideas for making this summer fun, I highly recommend The Happy Family Movement. They’ve got TONS of great ideas and resources for you! And don’t forget KidVentures: 50 Outdoor Experiences of Wonder, Discovery & Childhood Memories by Jen Murray. This ebook by a mom of six-year-old quadruplet boys (ay-yi-yi!) has TERRIFIC ideas for getting outside and having fun this summer (and any season, really).

Also, in case you’re curious, here are our past summer lists:

• Hot Fun in the Summertime (2010)
• School’s Out for Summer (2011)
• A New Kind of Summer Bucket List (2012)

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Summer Fun List 2013 is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

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1. A new kind of summer bucket list

Have you ever found yourself carrying too many plates?

One of my daughter’s chores is clearing the table after dinner. Lately I’ve noticed her carrying more dishes than is wise, trying to make as few trips between the dining room and kitchen as possible. Given the [very] short distance between the two rooms, I wondered about her behavior.

After I’d noticed it at dinnertime, I began seeing her do it in other settings as well. Picking up her toys around the house, helping me put away groceries, carrying overdue library books out of her room – every time, she was carrying too much, straining as she juggled, refusing help when I offered.

“I’ve GOT it, Mommy! I can DO IT myself!”

A Season of Maybe is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

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I fix the same meals over and over. Anyone else guilty of that? I don’t really feel too bad about it, because they’re meals we like, and they’re reasonably healthy and fairly easy to make. But sometimes, I get tired of the same old food – especially when it comes to side dishes.

Since my family has straight-up refused to eat sweet potatoes (do not even get me started again) and none of us like rice that much, I’m only left with a few starchy side options. Now, sure, we flirt with the idea of going low carb every few weeks. And then we limit our side dishes to fruits and veggies and one more salad.

But in general, I fix a few meals every week that beg for a potato side. And sometimes I don’t feel like making mashed or cheesy or roasted or baked potatoes one.more.time.

Enter the Butter Parmesan Potatoes.

I know. That’s basically the opposite of healthy, but I served them with grilled chicken and green beans – so cut me some slack! And honestly, they’re so rich that you truly won’t be able to eat THAT many.

[Unless you double the recipe because you think your parents are coming for dinner, only to find that they can't after all. And then, gosh, SOMEBODY has to eat them...]

On one of those nights when all my usual recipes and menus sounded boring and blah, I found this recipe on Pinterest from Favorite Family Recipes.

Butter Parmesan Potatoes

6-8 small potatoes
1/4 cup butter
Parmesan cheese, grated
Garlic powder
Dill

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and cut your potatoes in half (or quarters if they aren’t really “small” potatoes). Melt the butter and pour into a 9×13 inch pan. Mix together Parmesan and seasonings (you can use whatever floats your boat, but I chose garlic and dill), then sprinkle the mixture generously over the butter. Place the potatoes face down on the butter. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Serve with sour cream.

My favorite potatoes were the ones that got the crispiest, so next time I make this I’ll probably use smaller potatoes or cut them into smaller pieces.

Mmmm…crispy…

What’s your go-to side dish? Do you have regular meals or menus that you make?

Monday Morning Mmmm: Butter Parmesan Potatoes is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

Related posts:

1. Monday Morning Mmmm: Italian Chicken
2. Monday Morning Mmmm: Loaded Potato Salad
3. Monday Morning Mmmm: Sopapilla Cheesecake

Normally I’m not into putting little people in caps and gowns and acting like they’ve accomplished something by surviving a couple hours a day of preschool. But you guys. Just look at her! Is that not the most adorable?!

I know. It’s still ridiculous. [Ridiculously cute.]

So, remember that time when I didn’t blog for a week and gave no explanation whatsoever? YEAH. Sorry about that. I’d like to tell you I was doing something exciting like sitting on a beautiful beach with no access to the internet, but my pasty skin proves that one wrong.

The short answer is that I needed some time offline. It was an unplanned but much-needed break, and I’m thankful that blogging is the kind of hobby/quasi-job that allows me to take care of what needs to be taken care of when I need to. However, that doesn’t mean I didn’t miss you all – BECAUSE I DID!

So I’m back now and ready to talk about what we’ve been INTO over the past month.

[Side note: Proof that there's a downside to taking a blogging break? After typing up a thorough, witty and informative post for you, WordPress ate most of it. *SIGH*]

What I’m Reading:
Okay. This isn’t ALL I’ve been reading. I’ve started some really great non-fiction books, and I’ve read many more self-pubbed or already-read YA books than I’m willing to admit. So maybe next month I’ll have more to talk about. For now, it’s Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, No More Perfect Moms: Learn to Love Your Real Life by Jill Savage, and Pros & Cons by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg.

Clockwork Angel is the first book of a prequel trilogy to The Mortal Instruments series. It was basically the same everything from the original series. But since I liked the original series, I didn’t mind. I haven’t, however, read the other two books in this trilogy. So I guess I can take it or leave it.

No More Perfect Moms is right up my alley, and even though I haven’t finished it yet, I wanted to include it. Have you read this one yet? I love that other authors are writing about the damage perfectionism can do – and sharing ways to fight it in our lives. I’ll give a fuller review next month after I’ve finished it, but for now, I’m loving it.

Pros and Cons is a prequel novella to a new series by Janet Evanovich. In other words, she’s got a new book coming out with a new writing partner, and this 99-cent fast read is a marketing tool to get us excited about it. And it worked. As soon as I finished this one, I pre-purchased The Heist, which comes out in June. Well played, marketing team. This new series is White Collar meets the Stephanie Plum books, and since I like both of those things, I’m in.

What I’m Watching:
In addition to lots of season finales (except for Nashville, so NO SPOILERS please!) and So You Think You Can Dance [dance...dance...], I also watched Iron Man 3 last month. I love superhero movies, and I love Robert Downey, Jr. – so obviously I thought this movie was great. I especially liked the way a lot of Tony Stark’s storyline – or at least his mood and motivations – focused on his PTSD resulting from his Avengers adventures. Apparently I like my superheroes super angsty.

I’ve also watched a few episodes of the new Netflix season of Arrested Development. And so far . . . it’s okay. It’s not quite the same as the first three seasons, but it’s not awful. And okay Bluths is better than no Bluths at all, I think. Have you watched it? What do you think?

What I’m Listening to:
Oh, you guys. I wish I had something interesting or cool to share here, but really, all I have to say is that I love the recent songs from both Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato. Yep. I do.

Amazing Art I’m Loving:
One of Mark’s and my best friends from college is an incredible artist. As in, he’s one of those guys that kind of make you a little sick because he’s so darned good at so many things. I’ve yet to see him attempt a kind of art that he’s not really good at! [His wife Jenni is just as talented, by the way. You might remember she wrote books for teaching your young kiddos to play the piano.]

A couple years ago, Judah started his own design studio, offering creative services like graphic design, web graphics and illustrations. And as a way to push himself creatively and share his process – and product – with us, he began his Daily Doodle blog. He draws something really cool, really creative and almost always really intricate (yes, be impressed with my fancy art words) Every.Single.Day!

The “doodle” up above is called Lion Baby, and it’s one of my favorites. Seriously – do your doodles look like this? Because my doodles typically involve dot letters, simple 3-D boxes, crooked Chevron stripes and loopy hearts. Judah’s doodles are works of art, plain and simple. Check them out here.

Best of This Blog:

• Teacher Gift Idea: Brown Sugar Body Scrub – Also known as that one time I got crafty in 2013.
• Grief is complicated. Also known as the hardest – and most important – post I wrote last month.
• Do you think I’m awesome? Also known as the one you misunderstood, because I really was NOT fishing for compliments, people!
• Why I’m still rooting for Jim and Pam – Also known as my favorite guest post (that I wrote) in a long time.
• When the long climb is worth it – Also known as the one you probably overlooked and the one I hope you read now, because I walked to the top of the dome and still found some deep thoughts to write about!

What were YOU into in May? Tell us about it in the comments!

This post will be linked up to What I’m Into at HopefulLeigh. And this post includes affiliate links.

What I’m Into :: May 2013 is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

Related posts:

1. What I’m Into :: January 2013
2. What I’m Into :: February 2013
3. What I’m Into :: March 2013

Now look. I’m working on our summer fun bucket list, and I promise it will include plenty of outdoorsy, sunshiny, sweaty adventures.

But come on! Just because the weather’s warming up doesn’t mean I’m going to stop loving the TV. Sure, we have fewer shows to choose from for the next few months, but thanks to nearly year-round programming, that doesn’t mean we have to resort to reruns. It just means we have a little bit more time for drinks on the deck or a walk around the block before settling down to watch a show or two.

Here’s what I’ll be watching while I enjoy one of the popsicles Annalyn and I are going to make this summer:

• Warehouse 13 (Mondays at 9pm, SyFy Channel): This one’s already on, and I’ve just about lost interest. So, I’m not sure I’ll make it through the whole season. Do you watch any sci-fi shows?
• So You Think You Can Dance (Tuesdays at 7pm, FOX): Oh, how I adore Nigel, Cat and most the guest judges. I love the way they are kind to everyone. I love the way they cry (although, like every other person on earth, I could do without Mary Murphy’s stupid screaming). I love the way they love dance. I love the way they spend 90% of the show on actual good dancers. And I love the fact that I have a DVR this year and won’t miss a single audition, performance or results show!
• Melissa & Joey (Wednesdays at 7pm, May 29, ABC Family): I know. Okay? I KNOW. But I will watch it, every single week it’s on. And I’d be lying if I pretended to be better than that. I’m not. Okay? I’M NOT.
• Burn Notice (Thursdays at 8pm, June 6, USA): If I wasn’t already dedicated to this show, you know the announcement that this will be its final season would’ve sucked me back in. Michael, Fiona, Sam and the rest of the gang will blow things up and save the day for one last season. Here’s hoping they retire from the CIA for good and retire to somewhere nice.
• King & Maxwell (Mondays at 9pm, June 10, TNT): This is a new show, based on characters from David Baldacci novels. He’s one of my favorite authors, so I’m going to give this a try, despite the cheesy commercials I’ve seen and the presence of Formerly Mrs. John Stamos (who really bugs me for some reason).
• Perception (Tuesdays at 9pm, June 18, TNT): I watched this show last summer with Eric McCormack and the girl from She’s All That. I didn’t intend to make it a regular, but something about it kept me coming back. McCormack plays a brilliant neuroscience professor who helps the FBI solve crimes. And he’s also schizophrenic. It’s really interesting!
• Covert Affairs (Tuesdays at 8pm, July 16, USA): This show started a little cheesy but got a ton better last year. And now that Annie and Auggie are finally together, I’m excited for it to return!
• Suits (Tuesdays at 9pm, July 16, USA): This show should be so boring. But it is so not. The end.
• Franklin & Bash (Wednesdays at 8pm, July 24, TNT): Aside from SYTYCD, this one is probably my favorite summer show. It’s ridiculous but just so much fun! And, HELLO? Zack Morris–I mean, Mark-Paul Gosselar–is in it!

I suspect I’ll have to check out Graceland, a new show on USA, too. I’d rather not add another show to my list, but every time we see a preview, Mark says how good it looks. I know what that means. Besides, White Collar has left a gaping hole in my TV life until this fall, so I might as well watch the new show. *sigh*

What shows will you watch this summer?

Photo source

Nothing Says Summer Like…TV? is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

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1. Top Shows to Catch Up On This Summer

Last Friday we took a road trip to Jefferson City to visit my cousin, who works at the Capitol. After lunch and a visit to the House floor to watch a bunch of politicians say a bunch of stuff (I don’t know. I was too distracted by corralling an antsy five-year-old to pay attention to the law-making of it all.), we walked to the top of the dome.

TO THE TOP OF THE DOME.

Because Rachael is a capitol insider (again. I don’t know. This may not be her official title.), she gives a lot of tours. And for some special groups, she will take them through locked doors, over narrow catwalks, up a billion steep steps and around a spiral staircase to the top of the dome.

We were a special group.

First, the good news: I met – and surpassed – my goal of walking 5,000 steps that day. And the view WAS gorgeous:

But when I finally made it up to the top (after stopping to rest – and sweat – twice, BECAUSE I AM A WIMP) and ducked through the small door to the concrete balcony, and Rachael asked me if it had all been worth it, all I could huff (and puff) was, “No!”

The sweat was literally rolling off my face and down my shirt. POURING. GUSHING. So gross. And though I’d rolled my eyes when Mark asked me if I’d grabbed my inhaler when we first set off on our Special Capitol Dome Tour, it had been several minutes since my lungs had felt full. And, I’m going to be honest here, my out-of-shape, overweight body simply couldn’t handle One. More. Step.

There was a nice breeze up there on the dome, and I wouldn’t have minded staying there for – oh, I don’t know – EVER. But eventually we had to walk back down.

[Side note: Thankfully, we did not run into any other special tour groups on the way down. LIKE WE DID ON THE WAY UP. Remember when I mentioned the narrow and steep parts of the climb? That's no exaggeration. I'm talking turning sideways so my hips don't brush the walls narrow. So when we met a group of three young people, including one cute intern guy, it was NOT GOOD. Later I told Rachael to please give that guy my apologies, because I'm pretty sure getting UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL with a sweaty middle-aged-ish lady was not on his agenda for the day. And oh yes, we had to get close. There was just no way around it. Sad, sad story.]

When we got back to Rachael’s office, I sucked down a bottle of water and eventually stopped sweating. Shortly after, we walked back to our car and headed home. As the capitol building grew smaller in the rearview mirror, we played our favorite game. Annalyn asked us what the best part of the visit had been, what we’d enjoyed the most.

Strangely enough, I had to agree with my family that the Dome Tour had been the highlight.

Even though it had been hard – really hard! – and resulted in a nasty blister on my toe and calves that didn’t loosen up for three solid days, climbing that building was actually a fun way to spend an afternoon.

I think a lot of things are like that. Painful while it’s going on, rubbing us the wrong way and pushing sweat down our backs and into places that, well, shouldn’t have sweat. Making us want to quit, tempting us to take a seat and wait for everyone to come back.

And sometimes it’s okay to stop and take a breath. Like I said, I had to do it twice while climbing up the dome! But persevering brings rewards better than a pretty view (and better than a blister on your toe).

I don’t have many more motivating words than that. Honestly, I’m talking to myself here. But maybe you’re climbing a mountain or a dome right now, too? Maybe you’re wondering if you’ll ever reach the top, if there’s an end to your spiral staircase?

Then be encouraged. You can make it to the top. The climb will be worth it. And though it’s highly debated in my house, I believe the walk down is WAY easier than the one going up.

Have you ever climbed something tall? Was it worth it?

When the long climb is worth it is a post from Giving Up on Perfect. Join me in giving up on perfect {and getting on with life}! Subscribe here, follow me on Twitter and join my Facebook page.

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