Summer Reading

I love summer reading. With free time a little easier to come by (think sitting on airplanes, car rides, and a later bedtime without the pressure of getting up early the next morning) I plowed through two fun book this past June and July.

The day before we left for New Jersey this past June, I ran to the library and picked up this book that was waiting for me on the reserve shelf. I love this author. Her books, The Glass Castle and Half-Broke Horses, are two of my favorites. Both of those books were memoirs which read like great fiction with lovable, kooky characters and intriguing plot lines. So I had been dying to read her newest and first work of fiction. The Silver Star follows the life of two sisters and their crazy single mother in 1970. The book begins in California, but after a sad, yet commonplace disappearance of their mother, the sisters journey out on their own, traveling by bus to Virginia where they hope to be taken in by an uncle they barely remember. Once in Virginia, the cast of characters widens to include a kind, country family, a wicked business man and his beaten down wife, and classmates leery of any newcomers--especially two hippie girls from California. This book explores the strength of the bond of sisterhood as well as the deep-rooted need to have a place to call "home".  I absolutely loved this novel, and would highly recommend it for a fun summer read!

I had never heard of the blog "Big Mama" before, but when this book appeared in a "must read" list in a magazine, the title and summary intrigued me. Turns out, Melanie Shankle is a popular mom-blogger and this is her first published work--a memoir of motherhood. Let me just say, you know a book is good when you read the first two chapters standing in the aisle at the library. Additionally, when you laugh out loud in the quiet library, you also have a winner in my book (book, library....ya see what I did there?!). I particularly found the chapters describing Melanie's pregnancy and delivery quite amusing. If you are looking for some deep-thinking, soul challenging reads, may I suggest you go find a C.S. Lewis book. If you are looking for a fun, light, hilarious book that will make you reflect on your own motherhood journey, then go check this out. I promise you will smile as you turn the pages. And check out Melanie's blog too!

So what have you been reading this summer? I'd love to know!!

For The Love of Soccer

My dear, sweet husband is not what I would call a sports fan. He watches OU football games with me and attends Thunder basketball games with me, but he is not a die-hard fan in any sense of the word. He doesn't golf (although thinks going to the driving range is fun), and he likes to watch/play/follow tennis. But there is one sport that I would say he is fully into. As in has the gear, doesn't miss a game, reads up on players, etc. And that sport is SOCCER. Or should I say "futball"? Mike is most definitely a soccer guy. He follows British Premiere League and is a fan of Chelsea FC. In the fifteen years we've been married, I've started to become a fan too. Although I still think soccer is not as fast-paced and exciting as football or basketball, I can officially say I like it. I'm beginning to understand it. Believe me, Mike has had to explain "offsides" many, many times, but I think I get it now!

So, with that being said, when it was announced that Oklahoma City was getting a professional soccer team, Mike was super pumped. The OKC Energy FC is about to wind down its first season ever, and our city came out to support them in a big way. The games are usually full of fans, chanting, cheering the team on. And ticket prices are really affordable, especially compared to our NBA team.

This past Saturday, the Energy was playing the Los Angeles Galaxy, and we thought it would be a fun game to take the kids to. It was their first ever professional sporting event, and they were excited. Especially Lucas who has inherited his father's love of the game.

When Mike and I go to games, we always eat at Irma's Burger Shack first. 

So we continued the family tradition with the kids.

Leah, Mike and Hannah were making their "game faces" here.

Although Mike said he looks like he is trying to hold in a fart. Ahem.

Lucas and Mom ready to cheer on our team

He was so excited and slightly overwhelmed when we got there.

But mostly buzzing around excited.

The girls chose a more relaxed approach as they watched the game in the lounge chairs we brought.

When the sun went down, it was actually nice out and in the distance you could see rain falling. Thankfully it stayed dry where we were.

Our guys are in the blue/green jerseys (also known as "kits" as I'm learning).

Lucas bravely joined in a pick-up game of soccer with a bunch of older boys. He was not shy and played his little heart out.

Our view behind the goal.

At the end of the game, fans could go out on the field and meet the players. Mike bought Lucas his own Energy soccer ball and he had it signed which he thought was cool. 

This boy was hot, sweaty, tired, but so happy at the end of the night. And I mean, so happy that he cried when it was time to go home. But that's how five year olds show their happiness, right?

At any rate, we had a fun night as a family.

Summer Highlight Reel

This summer flew by.  I know people say that all the time, but really, I blinked and it was over. Part of the reason it passed so quickly was due to the fact that the kids and I stayed busy, and we took a ten day vacation in June which made that month seem super short. We certainly had a few days here and there where we were just home in our pajamas all day, playing, coloring, cuddling, reading, and generally being lazy. But most days were on the go, up and at 'em!  I'll attempt a highlight reel of the Galloway Summer 2014 to give you a glimpse of what we were up to. Brace yourselves. There are a lot of photos.

 Lucas played T-ball this summer through the YMCA. Every Monday night through June and July we watched him play. It became a fun family outing that we looked forward to each week.

He loved it! Although he still declares soccer to be his favorite sport ever.

Mike's parents, Gram and DooDad, came to visit at the end of May. They purchased an RV and took a month long trip across the country. Thankfully, Oklahoma City was one of their stops and we got to spend some time with them. Here we are at Martin Nature Center enjoying a fairly cool summer day!

On June 4th, we celebrated our15th wedding anniversary. 

We went out to eat at our favorite lakeside restaurant, Red Rock Canyon Grill. Then we got a hotel room downtown and just enjoyed a quiet night away. After sleeping until 10 o'clock (!!) the next morning, we got some coffee and scones from our favorite local coffee joint, then did a little shopping to prepare for our up coming vacation. We picked up the kids from my dad and step mom later that afternoon. It was a nice, relaxing getaway.

Katie and me

In June, we traveled to New York for my cousin Katie's wedding. She's an attorney in New York City, but originally she is an Okie like us. She and her husband (who works on Wall Street) have the life of a young, powerful, professional couple living in the Big Apple. We are pretty proud of her! Her parents, my Uncle John and Aunt Mary, rented a huge house on Long Island for us to all stay in and enjoy the festivities of the wedding weekend. It was awesome!

At the rehearsal dinner, my kids got to see the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. They were so excited!

Lucas looking out at the waves, contemplating the meaning of life.

Or more likely, how far out he can go before he drowns.

Our family before the rehearsal. Leah and Hannah were the flower girls and Lucas was the ring bearer.

Fun facts: I was the flower girl at Katie's parents' wedding back in 1984. And Katie was the Junior Bridesmaid in my wedding in 1999.  Her younger sister, Molly, was my flower girl.

The morning of the wedding was sunny and so we hit the beach again. This time in proper swimming attire. This picture of Leah sums up how my kids felt about the ocean. It was love at first sight.

Fancy Galloways 

The wedding was "semi-formal" which meant Mike had to buy a suit. It was probably time for him to own a suit, and I think he looks rather handsome if I do say so myself!

This picture was taken at about 10:30 pm. We stayed until 11:30 at which point my kids were in complete meltdown mode.

Here we are at the reception.  Awesome dinner, open bar, fantastic band (the lead singer looked and sounded like Bruno Mars), tear-jerking speeches, lots of dancing.....need I say more? Fun times were had by all. Oh, I guess I will say more thing: one of my cousin's bridesmaids is dating an NFL player (plays for the Ravens, not sure of his exact name), but he was out on the dance floor taking selfies with just about everyone. He also loved my kids and most of the night they were on his shoulders or by his side. Thanks Mr. NFL player! Don't remember who you are, but you made my kids night a lot of fun! 

After the wedding weekend, we drove over to New Jersey to spend the next seven days with Mike's family there. To be specific, his mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, Tracy and their kids: River, Hailey, Corban and Connor. On the drive there, we stopped at Coney Island to spend a fun day riding rides and people watching. There is good people watching there, folks. We ended up spending the entire afternoon at Coney Island before arriving at Mike's parents' house just in time for a Father's Day cookout with all the fam.

Our first full day in Jersey, was spent at the Jersey Shore! More beach time! 

We did all the typical beachy things: sandcastles, digging massive holes (that's a thing, right?), swimming, boogie boarding (the girls were really into it), collecting seashells, jumping over waves, feeling the warm sun on your face and soft sand beneath your feet. 

Mike and the kids in Times Square

Of course we made it into NYC for a few days. On this day, we took the kids and did kid-friendly things like the Central Park Zoo and FAO Schwartz. We walked through Times Square and had a slice of NY style pizza. The kids had to do a LOT of walking, and they were troopers. Mike and I made it in to the city by ourselves on another day. We explored Chelsea Market and walked the High Line and enjoyed our day there just the two of us.

Leah getting ready to serve some soup.

One of the most special things we did while visiting Mike's family is take the kids out on the Relief Bus to serve the homeless in NYC for a day. In 1987, Mike's parents started a ministry called New York City Relief which takes old school busses converted into soup kitchens out to the poorest parts of NYC to serve food, provide clothes, basic health care, counseling, and referrals to a host of programs from shelters to drug rehab facilities. Teams of volunteers are needed to keep the busses running, and we joined up this particular day with a youth group from St. Louis as we went out, served soup, bread, and lemonade in Chelsea Park. The girls did an awesome job serving. They greeted each person with a smile and told them to have a good day. They got to see and be a part of something much bigger than themselves, and I think it made an impact on them. 

Hannah passing out bread.

For more info, you can check out the Relief Bus website!

The Scream. Literally. If this picture only came with sound effects.....

Another day of our vacation was spent visiting Mike's brother and his family in New Jersey. They took us to an amazing sculpture garden in Trenton where we spent an entire afternoon wandering around the beautifully landscaped gardens, looking at all the amazing statures. Then we finished the day off with dinner at their farmhouse, watching the sunset as we roasted marshmallows over the fire pit. 

Here's another sculpture from the gardens. They were HUGE.

Hannah displaying the festive cake she made for the Fourth!

(By the way, it's wacky cake, a yummy vegan recipe we have loved for years now. My friend Maria shared the recipe on her blog back in 2010.)

We came home from our ten day East Coast trip just in time for the Fourth of July. 

The tradition we've had for many years now is to swim and cook out at our friends Beth and Justin's house. They have a great pool where we swim until it's dark enough to light some sparklers. Then we end the evening by driving to the nearby University for a big fireworks display.

My lovely friend Beth and me on the Fourth of July

Leah started taking horseback riding lessons back in April, and those lessons continued throughout the summer months. This is Grit, a 25 year old retired ranch horse who is living out the rest of his days peacefully at my friend Leslie's home. She has three other horses that she cares for. Leah thinks Grit is about the best thing since sliced bread.

At least once a week, we had a swimming date at Beth's pool. Usually my friend Nikki and her three kids were there too. It is our little slice of heaven because all six of our kids are old enough to swim on their own. Like, no assistance needed. So the three of us ladies find ourselves sipping ice water (or sangria!) and chatting while relaxing on the lounge chairs where we do keep a close eye on the young ones and occasionally jump in and play a bit too.

My Uncle Jim, Aunt Anne and Cousin Becky came from California to OKC for a visit a few weeks ago, so we had a lovely family get together at my Aunt Lindell's house. Have I mentioned that I have a large extended family? Let me explain: my mom was one of six, my dad was one of five, and I have 16 first cousins many of whom are now married and have kids.....so yeah, lots of people.

In July, we went to the CatVid Fest at the amphitheater by the Myriad Botanical Gardens. I had never heard of this festival before, but it was so up my alley. I love cats. I love weird YouTube cat videos. What else do you need to have have a funky, cool festival? Seriously, this is a national touring festival that happened to make a stop in OKC. It celebrates all things feline: cat face painting, cat portrait painting (yes), cat t-shirts for sale, and many local cat rescue groups were there promoting their cause and accepting donations. There were food trucks and live music and the evening ended with a 60 minute video of the best cat videos around. 

Weeks before the event, you could submit your own cat photos which would be displayed in a slide show before the movie began. Here's our Tundra, looking awesome.

This was one of our favorite videos of the evening. Meet Henri, La Chat Noir.

I also continued to work out/teach this summer with Body & Soul Fitness. This is me on stage with our awesome director, Ruth Ann. I am only a sub instructor, so I fill in when our main gal, Jamie, can't be there. I love the accountability and friendships I've made working out here. And I sweat like a pig every. single. time.

We spent lots of time at Martin Nature Center this summer. It's close to our house and it always delivers the peaceful break from busy life that we need. This summer was unusually mild compared to Oklahoma summers of the past. 2011 and 2012 are two that stand out in my memory. Over 60 days of 100+ temps. I might still be slightly bitter. However, we've barely had any 100 degree days this year. In fact, we've had many days with the highs in the 70's and 80's and lots of rain to boot! Alright, Oklahoma. I forgive you. 

On one of those 90 something degree days, we were invited to go ice skating with some friends. The girls had been once before, but Lucas had never gone, and he is always up for an active challenge. Thankfully, the ice rink gave him this walker-thing that helped him maneuver the ice quite well! 

I'd recommend it as a way to beat the summer heat. And get exercise. And wear your kids out so that they fall asleep as soon as their sweet little heads hit their pillows.

Lake Hefner Sunset

August, 2014

Yep, this summer was pretty good to us. We laughed a lot. We spent time with friends and family. We stayed up late and slept in. We watched movies and read books and enjoyed a break from any kind of schedule. 

And then two days ago this happened.....

Hannah and Leah started 4th grade and Lucas started Pre-K

Mike and I with our big boy. He was pumped because he's now at the same elementary school as Hannah and Leah. It offers all day Pre-K, so he's there 8:35 to 3:35 just like his big sisters. Having three kids in school full time is new territory for me!

Ok, school year. Let's do this!

Return of the Mom Blogger

Hello there! I have been on a four month blog sabbatical, and during that time I have been able to really reflect on who I am and why I am writing. I've struggled with identity and self-acceptance my whole life. Who's the quiet, insecure girl in class? That would be me. I've certainly come a long way in this area, but I sometimes fall victim to the ever present comparison syndrome. You know, when you constantly compare yourself to others, seeing the things they have and you have not. It's a dangerous game because you end up letting a bitter root take hold in your heart as you lose a sense of gratitude for what you are blessed with.  So, I thought about who I am. The core of me. And with that being said, here is a simple self-declaration:

1. I am a strong and sensitive woman: I surprise myself sometimes how mentally and physically strong I can be. Yet, I am very tenderhearted and compassionate.

2. I am a wife to an awesome man: I love coming alongside and doing life with Mike. Together we make a great team.

3. I am a mom: My dream came true when Hannah and Leah were born after two years of infertility struggles. Lucas was a surprise cherry on the top of the sundae. Truly, I am blessed with three awesome children.

4. I am a daughter: My parents were the best I could have ever dreamed for. My mom passed away three years ago, and I miss her dearly. Her death has greatly impacted me, and its something I still struggle with. Sometimes I wrestle out those thoughts here on this blog. My dad thankfully lives nearby and is a big part of our lives.

5. I am a reader, writer, deep thinking, introvert, house-cleaner, teacher, list maker, food preparer, cookie baker, animal lover, friendly, nature walk taker, summer loving girl who is trying her best to be kind everywhere she goes.

6. I am a Christian: This more than anything defines who I am. In Christ, I am forgiven, accepted, loved, valued, found precious and pure. It is this relationship that I can rest most assuredly in. I can love others, because God first loved me. While I will never push this on anyone else, it's a part of who I am and I can't help but talk about it. In the end, Love Wins!

So, that's where I am. Or should I say, who I am. And that list gives me focus on what I can write about. I'm writing to share our lives with family and friends across the country. I'm writing to reflect and think and clear my head. I'm writing to record and journal our family history. And I'm excited about the writing possibilities ahead!

Happy Easter!

I interrupt my blogging sabbatical to bring you a Happy Easter greeting and share a few photos of the kids before church this morning. I hope you have had a very blessed day!

 Leah and Hannah, age 9

Lucas, age 4

He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!

Blog Slump

Hey there!

If you've noticed, I've been neglecting this here blog lately. I admit I'm in a slump. Not feeling like I have anything to write about. I'm not funny enough or witty enough or deep enough to really feed this thing with any real or interesting content. So I'm shutting down for awhile. Not sure when I'll be back. So to all my readers, all three of you, and to the random person who accidentally found this blog, I apologize. When I'm out of my slump, I hope to return. Maybe a month? Maybe three? We'll see.

Until then....
Warmest Regards,
Emily

Three Books.

One of my goals this year is to read more. I've always loved to read. I tend to stay in the fiction pool-- mysteries, historical fiction, humor, stories with strong, memorable characters. But I also enjoy memoirs, biographies and the occasional non-fiction/inspirational book as well. Somewhere over the last year, though, I let my reading time slide to the wayside. I was either too tired at night to open a book, or I chose to zone out in front of a movie or TV show. And after that year, I found myself desperately craving books again. So, my goal this year is to read at least one book a month. For those of you with more free time or faster reading skills, this may sound like a wimpy goal. But it works for me in this current busy season of life. And I'm proud to say on this first day of March, that I am already ahead of my goal as I finished my third book last night. Holla! I thought I'd give you my thoughts and opinions on the three books I've tackled thus far in 2014. They are about as different as can be, but that variety proved to be fun and refreshing.

A few years ago, I read The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. I was so profoundly moved by it that I immediately purchased his second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I ended up reading it in two days. So I was eagerly anticipating reading his third novel, And the Mountains Echoed. It did not disappoint! What makes this novel different from his other two is that it begins years ago with a pivotal and traumatic event that sets in motion a series of other events in the lives of all involved. The act of a poor, desperate father selling his four year old daughter to a wealthy, childless family in Kabul is like a stone being thrown into a pool of water. Each ring of water left in its wake is the story of how this event affected those involved-- Pari (the young girl), Nila and Sulieman Wahdati (the couple in Kabul), Abdullah (Pari's adoring older biological brother), Pari's father and stepmother, Pari's Uncle Nabi (the Wahdati's chauffeur who arranged the entire exchange), and Dr. Varvaris, a plastic surgeon who ends up living in the Whadati home years later. All of these people's lives are seemingly separate, yet uniquely tied to each other, and you will have to read the novel to see if any of their lives ever connect again. I would highly recommend checking it out!

At the beginning of February, my dad took our kids for the afternoon and Mike and I found ourselves free to indulge in a movie. We picked Captain Phillips, one we both wanted to see with its Oscar nominations and high praise. Even though we knew the story, seeing it unfold on screen was intense and enthralling. After seeing the movie I decided to check out the book written by the real captain of the Maersk Alabama, Richard Phillips. It was interesting to read the book and compare the actual events  he wrote about to what we had seen in the movie (most of which were all accurate). I enjoyed the background information that Captain Phillips wrote about-- his tough family background, how he ended up as a Merchant Mariner, how he met his wife, his struggle with faith, his love of the open sea and his love of his family. He weaves this background information into different parts of retelling the horrific capture by Somali pirates. It was an easy read, but one I thoroughly enjoyed.

Back in 2008, I stumbled upon a blog called MoneySavingMom.com. My friend had recommended checking it out as I was attempting to coupon and work weekly deals at both CVS and Walgreen's. What I found was more than just a place to check out coupons and good deals. Crystal Paine blogged about the struggles of parenting, keeping a vibrant, healthy marriage, financial goals and advice, as well as recipes and organizational tips. Her blog is uplifting and encouraging-- not at all pretentious (like she's got it all together and I don't). I appreciated both her humble nature and her push for excellence. I was hooked. This year, Crystal wrote her first book, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More and Restore Your Passion for Life. I mean, who doesn't want to feel more passionate about where they are called?! I finished this book last night, and I can definitely say there are a LOT of great, very practical tips for how to streamline and simplify life. She directs most of her writing at mothers-- working or stay-at-home. But certainly this book would be great for singles and empty-nesters as well. One of the exercises I found most helpful was to list out your top five priorities in life. Once you list out your top priorities (i.e.--marriage, kids, business/career, personal health, spiritual life, friendships, hobbies, etc.), view all other decisions in light of these priorities. If saying yes to an event takes away from time that could be devoted to these priorities, then feel free to say no. Obviously, there are exceptions, but if saying yes out of obligation to do something takes away from one of your priorities, it might be better to say no. Even if that event or committee or position was  a "good" thing. She emphasizes over and over the need to say no to good things and say yes to the best things. I can say I took away many good tips that I will definitely incorporate into our daily lives.

So there you have it. All three books were as different as could be, but all three were worthwhile reads. What have you been reading lately? I'd love some good recommendations!