five & twenty

Okay, already. I get the hint(s).

I will no longer subside my lame excuses for yet another delinquent post.

I do have reasons, good ones at that.

But there really is no valid excuse.

Just the own I like to conjure up in my head, like everyone was sick, so sick, for a week straight.

And we are packing and cleaning and purchasing and planning for a very special trip happening in just a couple of days. Or it is oh, so gorgeous out and we'd rather be outside playing with the frog we found and filling up the little pool to splash in the cold water. Yes. All those, that make me feel better about the 75 posts in iPhoto that would love to make their debut onto blogger.

But then life happens, and there they stay. And posts like this give me the catch up reason to overload you all. Just saying.

OK. I was tagged, by one of my favorite B-loggers for the *random 25*:::::and boy, am I random. Here ya go, in my very own personal style.

oNe.

Even though I am a mid-westerner at heart, I now without thought, call that fizzy, sweet stuff SODA. And we don't go to garage sales....we go to Tag Sales!

tWo.

John and I love fine cheeses and enjoy trying out new ones all the time.

tHree.

Anytime my husband wants to use the expression for something that is "alot" he uses the number 75. (75-hundred, 75-million, etc.)

fOur.

I love. love. love. journals (maybe even more than the actual journaling). Right now I am currently filling in at least 8 on-going journals. (mind you, some are yearly, some are daily, some are seasonal, some are 'whenever.')

fIve.

I love hunting for a good find. 2nd hand, tag sales, flea markets...you name it. Which brings me to...

sIx

I love. really love. vintage. Metal wire baskets, hand-made pottery, printed oilcloth, skeleton keys, apothecary jars, grosgrain ribbon, milk glass, etc.

sEven

I married a fantastic artist. Yet, we have very little of his art on display (shameful, and on the to-do list. we talk about it all the time, and then never get to it. But oh, the love letters I have in my possession..........)

eIght

The boys and I are in a "garden club" this summer, where a small group is joining together to plant and care for a 20x24 foot ready-rich soil of a widow friend. I have learned to use a roto-tiller and have enjoyed some of her plenteous rhubarb.

nIne

When first married I always signed my last name "9er." My blog is named Finer Neiners. And we want to have 9 children. (*ha. just kidding about that last one. but more power to you if you do!)

tEn

I love dark chocolate and my very favorites are Lindt's 70% bar, Ghiradelli 60% chocolate chips, Ritter's chocolate covered biscuit and Nutella.

eLeven

My favorite flowers are hydrangeas & peony's. But there are so many I really do love. And I started teaching the boys the names of the flowers by putting it to a little jingle. (*they know forsynthia, roses, tulips, daffodils and we just learned iris today)

tWelve

For the past two months I have been working out 2 mornings a week w. some friends at the local YMCA doing the Boot Camp workout. Oh boy. That's been fun! Just this morning we did a total of 150 push-ups! (yikes)

tHirteen

Drew just opened a peppermint stick and said, "These make me feel good, because they remind me of Christmas." I love the way he communicates things.

fOurteen

One of my very favorite finds is our black bench (see pics below). It is rustic, scratched around the edges and originated on a farm house. The arm rests are chewed up from a dog. And I just love it. John surprised me with it after it was spotted but still being considered and paid for it with our year's worth of pocket change! (save those pennies).

fIfteen

I live in the same area as James Taylor (*met he & his wife a few years back while I was working), Eric Carle (*who I am quite sure I saw the other week---but didn't stop to ask him), and others past such as Emily Dickinson, Norman Rockwell, Herman Melville.....and quite sure many I am forgetting.

sIxteen

I just started a new book on organizing. It is called Sink Reflections. I have only read the first 2 chapters, but it has already revolutionized my kitchen sink flow. And given me more "counter space."

sEventeen

I have lost my keys. Cannot find them. It has been 2 weeks now.

eIghteen

My dream is to start a creative shop w. John. We have started an etsy shop, selected a name, but nothing in the shop yet. And not going to announce that "baby" until we're good and ready.

nIneteen

I started a sticker collection of the little stickers that come on fresh fruits and vegetables.

tWenty

My husband has started telling the boys *mystery man* stories. He completely makes them up and they are some of the best stories ever, little jingle included. Mystery man is the best super hero ever!

tWenty oNe

I have an ever-growing collection of re-usable shopping bags. Every color, every size. Any other part of this country on board with this "reuse" system or is it just us in new england?

tWenty tWo

I really want to do a 'lovely-gift' gift exchange, since I missed out on "Oh, Hello There" 's. Anyone want in on it?

tWenty tHree

I am very afraid of making pies, but I feel like Alexander the Great when it comes to making chocolate cakes.

tWenty fOur

I have been drinking green tea + honey in the morning and coffee (sweet & creamy) in the afternoon and evenings.

tWenty fIve

AND, last but not least, I-we-are learning so much this year. The Lord has allowed some challenging times which has brought an abundance of joy and has shown us His wonderful grace and endless provision in so many unexpected ways, for which we are glad.

AND some "75" pictures, for no apparent or maybe a little bit of a reason::::::::::::::

[and there you have it]

*sorry for the visual distaste of the photo layouts. they were placed so neatly in rows while creating this post and then....oops, blogger had another idea about it. also, please excuse my lack of linkage. if you have any questions about specifics, just ask. these are all my own pictures, however. in case you were wondering.

so long. for now.

{e.}