if I could write I'd set all the words free to follow you.

i'm coming back.

i know you, you know me.

recipe - mac n cheese, originally uploaded by sassyladybug.

my family has a few die-hard recipes that we always go back to. i've never been a fan of mac n cheese. i admit it. my mom didn't make it all that often and i've never really liked cheese. and then once i found out that dairy and i are not bffs, well. cheese and i parted ways.

but then i found myself pregnant and able to eat cheese without any repercussions (gross, i know) and my sister's mac n cheese became my favorite.

her secret? using seasoned salt instead of regular table salt. i like to mix it up, so i use 1/2 tsp seasoned salt, and 1 tsp regular salt.

anyway, her recipe is hands-down the best recipe, and now i have friends calling me for it. so much that i typed up a pretty recipe card so i can give it to them and they'll hopefully save it and stop calling me. and i feel like i should share it with you, too.

what happened.

IMG_9046, originally uploaded by sassyladybug.

taken at andrew's birthday party, my dear mr. o is pretending to grab my sisters, umm, boobie

what happened to my month of May? i envisioned beautiful days of playing with my boys and spending time crafting, baking, all kinds of things i love.

here's what happened. my sister found a lump in her breast and pretty soon she was calling me with the three little words I Have Cancer. scary stuff, except we don't feel too scared. should we? because we come from a family of strong women. strong women who have overcome lots of crap that cancer is only just another thing to add to the list. my sister is seriously amazing and has handled her first chemo treatment like a pro.

doctors appointments, tests, family in, family out, and i can safely say she and i are tired. my dear sister and i are here, together, and that's ok. we will find monotony in the routines, the procedures she is going to go through, because we will be together for it.

i have learned in life one lesson that has struck me in every difficult situation: i can get through anything with my sisters. i think she will agree with me 100%. i am here for her, always, just as she has been for me.

may day 4

may day 4, originally uploaded by sassyladybug.

i love any opportunity to meet up with my sister for lunch. to be honest we do it more than we let on to our husbands. it is the perfect pick-me-up on one of those cloudy, miserable days.

she gave me her leftovers. these mini-burgers are seriously delicious. they might just be a large burger cut into small ones, but ohmyword there is something on them that makes them so yummy. i'll admit that leftover fries aren't my thing - they usually taste like cardboard. but that burger really hit the spot for me today.

may day 3.

may day 3, originally uploaded by sassyladybug.

we're potty training. which means that this week - already at only the second day in - has been stressful. andrew is doing extremely well and i know he's ready for it.

of course, he loves to play with the water and is glad to sit on the potty if he gets to wash his hands afterward. surprisingly he's doing pretty well with it.

may day 2.

loving the swing., originally uploaded by sassyladybug.

there's a park within walking distance. i'm trying to get more exercise, and the kids encourage me because they want to go to the park. thankfully there are swings, because then i have something to do with the baby. today was the most beautiful day, except very humid, and i made the mistake of wearing jeans. i won't do that again!

may day 1.

may day 1, originally uploaded by sassyladybug.

we went to the beach today, may 1, to play in the sand. it was beautiful, the kids enjoyed it and we all got a cone on the way home.

andrew and i were the only ones brave enough to put our feet in the water.

may is such a lovely month. usually the rain has tapered off and we are able to enjoy the mornings out. its not too crisp but not too hot. there are the occasional hot days and the occasional cloudy ones, but overall its a great time of year.

i'm challenging myself to take a photo each day of may and post it here. not sure what it will be of, but i just want to take a picture of something from my day.