Grace in small things, September 2, 2016

1. Being awakened this morning by my mom and dad calling...lovely to talk with them first thing... 
2. A morning spent with great friends...
3. Laying in the park today, air warm, smelling of grass that's drying, Luke snuggled up close to me, listening to Zo play close by, watching the clouds go by, including a huge one that we (Luke and I) decided looked like a whale would look if it were swimming over you
4. Luke looking deep into my eyes and telling me the color was "orangey-brown" (otherwise known as hazel)...
5. The cushions on our chairs that we sit on out on the deck in the evenings have been away to be dry cleaned, but they are back. And so white! (It's been a couple years since they've been cleaned.) Yay cushions. We've made do out there without them, but it hasn't been comfortable...

Happy weekend!

XOXO

Grace in small things, August 31, 2016

1. Everyone up and cheerful at 7:30 AM today...we seem to be past Sis's crazy early wake ups, at least for now...kids were so chatty and lovey with me first thing while I sat on the couch one snuggled on each side and drank my espresso...
2. Got everyone up and out of the house today on time for a 9 AM meeting...a true feat...
3. Kids have started feeding the dog, Luke in the morning, Zo at night...their first chore...they're doing great...
4. "Kitty in a purse" getting sent to work with me today by Miss Zo...
5. Daddy's got the kids tonight and I'm about to go see some weird Japanese rock band documentary with my mother-in-law, who's pretty much up for any movie I throw at her...he (Daddy) thinks I'm crazy to want to watch stuff like this but it's going to be great...

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 26, 2016

1. Zo in her new fuzzy pink vest...and her "unicorn horn" hairstyle which is still a favorite look...
2. The beach with the kids today...nice summer day as well, despite the fact that it was cold enough that I could see my breath when I took the dog out first thing this morning...
3. Luke on his bike feet off the ground 100% balanced...Zo is getting there too...
4. Hot dogs and corn on the grill tonight, and peppers with cheese from my mom's garden...
5. Going to see Kubo and the Two Strings with the kids after dinner..it got great reviews and I am excited...

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

Grace in small things, August 24, 2016

1. After-dinner-treats with Daddy...kids both ate all their avocado and cherry tomatoes and peppers and watermelon and paleo pasta...so nice when I can get lots of good food into them!
2. Zo up super super early, but snuggling up in bed with us so sweetly...
3. Friends at the monkey park this morning...oh, and Zo went across the monkey bars swinging from one hand to the next...the first time I've ever seen her do that...
4. Work projects with friends this afternoon...
5. Reading to the kids before dinner and at bedtime...library books before dinner, Herbie and Lottie books before bed...

Preschool orientation tomorrow...big day...

XOXO

Grace in small things, August 23, 2016

1. Kids running up and down the stairs and sidewalk waiting for Sissy's haircut
2. And Sissy's new sparkle tennies...love...
3. Working on getting the upstairs clean and organized...
4. Kids painting yesterday morning and mixing the colors themselves...love Luke's dark lavender rain/snowstorm especially
5. Peppers from my mom's garden roasted with cheese...yum...

XOXO

Grace in small things, August 14, 2016

1. Kids have each been spending 2 nights with their Grammy and Papa...and it's been a wonderful experience for us to have some one-on-one time and kids have LOVED being with their Grammy and Papa...love seeing their relationships with them develop
2. My husband and I (and Sis) worked very hard today to clean out the store unit we've had...feels so good to be getting rid of that! We need to make our stuff fit in our house...
3. The kids and I ordered a bunch of used books on Amazon the other day and the first one was in the mail we picked up today...Sis and I had a great time sitting on the couch reading it...
4. Butter pecan ice cream today...yum...
5. Trying a new way of working starting this evening looking ahead at the week...scheduling the time when I'll actually do each project vs just having a big long list that either doesn't get done or it's 10 or 11 at night and I'm trying to get on top of things and exhausted...I'm excited to try something different in an attempt to keep my hours from creeping up to the point where everything becomes unmanageable, which is my biggest weakness in running a business. I feel good about this new strategy...we'll see how it pans out...

XOXO

Grace in small things, August 11, 2016

1. Big day for Miss Zo today...we met Grammy in Glenwood and she went to Junction for 2 nights alone with her Grammy and Papa...she was so excited about it, picked out her favorite dress to wear for the trip...packed her bag carefully (and brought a whole pile of stuffies she must have to sleep)...she's going to have a great time...
2. My husband had a work dinner tonight, so it was just Luke and me...we saw a double rainbow as the sun was going down that then the whole sky started to turn pink and orange with the sunset. "Look," Luke said. "Now the whole sky is a rainbow!"
3. Luke and I sitting on the porch before bed looking for meteors...and I'm about to head out there again to watch with my husband now that it's darker...I hope we see something...
4. And speaking of stargazing, we've had Jupiter in our view all summer, and it's starting to be there just briefly, going under the horizon before I generally make it out to the porch. It's been cool to hang out with Jupiter this summer...
5. Peaches and plums and tomatoes and peppers and eggplant from my parent's orchard/garden...the tomatoes and peaches are already gone, so delicious...I feel so loved getting these awesome treats from my mom and dad...

Happy meteor viewing!!

XOXO

Grace in small things, August 8, 2016

1. Yesterday (I forgot to mention this yesterday, don't want to forget) Luke out of the blue starting to talk about floating little boats (aka sticks and leaves) down the river for Uncle Luke to receive up in Heaven...like once they were out of sight Uncle Luke would get them...he's (my Luke) so sweet...I know it's an unconventional connection/relationship, but I love that Uncle Luke is part of my kids' lives...someone they think and talk about...someone they want to do nice things for...
2. Zo today with a journal Grammy and Papa sent her playing hotel. She sat down with a pencil and opened to a page and started asking me questions and writing down the answers like she was checking me in. "Name?" she asked. "Phone number?" "Nail polish color you're wearing?" "Who's your favorite princess?" Etc. You know, the standard check-in questions, lol... Too cute...
3. My husband watching after the kids so the dog and I could go for a walk...a lot of it was in the dark, the days are getting shorter quickly...it was lovely but I think I'm going to have to start walking more in the mornings...
4. A good night's sleep last night...the best I've had in a while...
5. About to join my husband on the porch...we've got Jupiter and Mars and Saturn and Scorpio in our view (our deck faces SW) at the moment...it's pretty cool...

XOXO