Grace in small things, October 13, 2016

1. Halloween costumes are coming together, thanks to the kids' fabulous grandma...love October and the big deal we make out of Halloween...
2. Zo insisting I sit with her this morning and watch a very glitter-y "Shimmer & Shine"...I usually work while the kids do cartoons, but was nice to just relax snuggled up with my girl...
3. Hot springs this morning with the kids...such luxury to have that in our backyard...
4. The cute "what color shirt was everyone wearing today?" tally the kids brought home from preschool...
5. Orthopedist today and I'm going to be getting a new brace for snowboarding...the old one worked pretty well but there was definitely some room for improvement so I'm psyched...
6. 5 HUGE moose on Fox Creek Trail at dusk seen from the car (that's the trail right next to our house), a couple with the huge horns...so fun to see, but I won't be taking the kids down there for a week or two!
7. Zo insisting she and Luke have a slumber party tonight...I love that they want to sleep together even though they don't have to...

Grace in small things: September 6, 2016

1. Starting to get some bits of color on Emerald Mountain across from us...I love fall...
2. Took a nice little hike with the dog today mid-day...super warm out...nice to be able to take a break and get out...
3. Kids seem to be loving preschool...and Zo made me a plastic rainbow bead necklace today...and Luke a painting with blue and green glitter paint circles that is just the coolest...
4. Snuggled up with the kids before bedtime, reading some great books together...
5. My husband doing the grocery shopping on the way home from work...he's so amazing...

XOXO

Grace in small things: First day of preschool edition (August 30, 2016)

1. Luke told me I could have one--just one--going back to school picture this morning. Zo, on the other hand, hammed it up for me. Luke had some fear this morning, you can see it on his face. "I don't want to be away from you, Mommy," he said. I didn't want to be away from him either, but off to preschool they went, just 2 1/2 hours 2 days a week is what they'll go, and they had a lovely time. The house was deathly quiet with them gone...it was so strange. I was sorting through boxes of old photos and letters while they were gone today too and it's been such a strange day...how time and life passes hugely magnified...
2. There's a John Denver song that I sing the kids sometimes, "Matthew," and the start of the chorus is, "Joy was just the thing that he was raised on." "Mommy," Luke said, "Am I being raised on joy?" "Yes," I said. "And what else?" he said. "I pick up garbage on the side of the road wherever we go, so maybe I am being raised on joy and garbage." And then Zo chimed in with a hug for me: "I'm being raised on joy and flowers!"
3. Speaking of flowers, Zo picking me a little bouquet from the weeds on the side of the road today...she does that a lot...so sweet...
4. Jeff bringing home dinner...thank you, Jeff...
5. Kids using the word "apparently" all of a sudden, eg Luke: "Apparently, if you use the brakes on your bike, you stop." (He has been using his hands to brake lately, which is awesome.) Or: "Apparently, if you leave the blinds open, you can see the stars." Adorable.

Good day.

XOXO

Grace in small things, August 25, 2016

1. Kids doing a singing, dancing, jumping show for me tonight before bed, which involved--in part--putting a pink leash on Zo's green and scaly T Rex, tethering him to the door, and trying to fly over the leash (I think this came from briefly watching Olympic high jumping recently)...tons and tons of laughter ensued...too cute...
2. Luke's impersonation of a slug, crawling slowly on all fours with his forehead down on the ground...
3. Zo throwing a little fit yesterday wanting to get out of my arms for something that was very important to her. "You don't have to throw a fit," I said to her. "Maybe we should have a code word so I know when something is important and can let you go. Like Code Red. Or Code Pink." "How about Code Princess?" Zo asked. And since then both kids have been saying "Code Princess" to me, like Luke tonight when he wanted me to stop rocking him so he could go tell his Sissy a secret. "Code Princess, Mommy," he whispered, and I let him go and everyone had what they needed...
4. Preschool visit today and we met their teacher Miss Meg, who seems wonderful, young and warm and did a great job engaging with the kids. Zo was sad we had to leave after 1/2 an hour, said she wanted to stay. Luke keeps asking and asking how long 'til Tuesday, which is when they start preschool. So they're going to do just fine. What I didn't expect was how blue visiting made me. But that's a long topic for another day. I cried some tears and reached out to some friends and am just letting it be what it is, you know? It's going to be OK...
5. Daddy doing "emergency cartoons!" snuggled up in bed with the kids this morning when I had an unexpected work issue that needed to be dealt with. Love the support he gives me whenever I need it...he is the best.

XOXO