Hard to leave Mama, Fox Creek + lunch made my day
- Reading and snuggles with Zo in her classroom yesterday morning when she had a hard--and tear-filled--time letting me go...and Luke hugged her and drew her a picture of the two of them...and their friend Penelope hugged her too and told her so cutely and matter-of-factly: "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit."
- Nice little hike along Fox Creek Trail this morning...
- A friend unexpectedly brought me lunch...so awesome...
- After-dinner playground time at Howlsen Hill
- Wrapped up a good solid month work-wise...grateful for my job...
XO
The river sculpture, mis-matched shoes + ice cream as an apology
- Delicious dinner out last night...thanks Charlotte! :)
- Lots of friend time over the past few days and weeks...we've built such a nice community here...
- Love the mis-matched shoe thing Luke has going on...
- Luke apologizing beautifully for bad behavior and bringing his friend an ice pack and--his idea--a bowl of ice cream to make up for it...
- Clean sheet night last night...the best...
Happy Thursday!
XO
A perfect Memorial Day weekend
We're in the middle of a glorious Memorial Day weekend, which started with this beautiful walk on Emerald Mountain and has included a little going-away get-together with friends, some relaxed time around the house (including cookie making and a visit from our neighbors), dinner and a dance recital with the kids, a late-night cocktail and stargazing on the porch (I've been avoiding the porch as it's been Jeff's and my place each evening the whole time we've lived here and going out there without him has made me miss him too much. But it finally feels like we're going to be back together soon.) Today we're going camping with my brother and his family and tomorrow we're BBQing with some friends. Busy busy but super super super fun.
And a few sweet things:
- Luke: "If anyone is mean to my sister I'll take them down, ninja style!" (A comment followed by a sweet hug from Sis.)
- Luke, explaining a spate of naughtiness: "Before I was even born God had a plan for me. So it's not my fault I'm acting this way. It's God's plan."
- Luke has also decided that he's vegan for the time being, although he was cool to put that aside for chocolate chip cookies and milk yesterday.
- Zo: "I want a cell phone! And a credit card!" Oh boy...
- Zo: "Once I see Daddy, I'm going to hug him and not let go until I'm seven!"
Happy Sunday!
XO
Rehearsals, Spring Creek, Old Town Hot Springs + dinner on the lawn
- At school volunteering today...kinders were practicing for graduation and a play they were going to be in where they were to wave colorful crepe paper flowers at the appointed time...gosh I love and will miss a bunch of these kids...volunteering has been great in getting to know the kids Luke and Zo spend their days with...
- Spring Creek Trail with a friend this morning...
- ...And hot springs this afternoon...
- ...And dinner out on the lawn, so warm this evening...
- ...And chocolate mug cakes with strawberries out on the deck as the sun was getting towards the end of the day...the light so lovely...
Great day.
XOXO
Calvin and Hobbes, cupcakes + spring
- Calvin and Hobbes is a big deal in our house right now...and there's nothing I like better than snuggling my littles and reading to them...
- Zo: "Why do you walk through a door and get sick?" Me: "I don't know, can you explain what you mean?" Zo (worried): "In Cinderella the mommy walks through a door and then she's sick and she dies." Me: "Oh, sweetie, that's years later when she gets sick, it doesn't happen just by walking through a door."
- I've been scheduling all my work time on my calendar to be more realistic about if my list of things to accomplish will fit into my day...and it seems to be helping a lot. Today was ridiculously productive...and I got a workout in as well...
- Luke's choice in TV these days is "Cupcake Wars." I may have a little chef (baker) or two on my hands. And related, the kids tell me when they grow up they are both going to live with Luke's friend Phineas and the boys will be policemen and drive race cars and Zo will stay home and make the cupcakes...
- Love having all the windows open in the house...hearing the birds chirping, the soft breeze...ah, spring in Colorado...
Happy Wednesday!
XO
Lilacs, nursery rhymes + phonics
- These bushes have always been in our yard, but I think this is the first year they have flowered...and lilacs, I love lilacs so much...the smell is something I remember so well from my own childhood...
- Kids reading nursery rhymes to each other and then acting them out...
- Zo picking up a phonics workbook this evening and working through some pages, totally unprompted. And yesterday getting out the letter flashcards and playing with them and their sounds. I really want to do some reading work with her this summer but want her to want to do whatever we're doing, not fight me...and I'm listening to Zo and Luke together as I type this and they're supposed to be sleeping but they're doing phonics work with each other, eg, "Say 'Stop.'" "Stop." "Now say it without the 'S.'" "Top."
- Permit for moving the dog to Hawaii is back in the mail to me...
- Made time for a workout today...
- Things are feeling quite a bit less chaotic than they have been the past few weeks...grateful for that...
Happy Tuesday!
XO
"Disappearing temperature," great weekend + getting soooooo excited about Hawaii!
- This girl's sweet smile...
- "It's the disappearing temperature!" Luke said when we walked outside to walk the dog. "It's not hot, it's not cold...you don't feel it at all!"
- My husband is on it in terms of getting the house set up so it's ready when we arrive in a few weeks. He's the best. I miss him so much...
- Got a lot of work done today...I'm no longer feeling that panic-y behind feeling...and not just with work...there's still a lot to do to get things wrapped up here before we leave but I'm feeling a lot closer than I was last week...
- Such a great trip over to Denver this weekend...so grateful for family and friends...
XOXO
Banana bread
A cold and rainy day visiting our friends but we had such fun...the kids played and played and we chatted and watched the royal wedding after the fact (oh, the dresses!) and made banana bread and ate some yummy food and played and talked some more. Love this sweet family so very much...
XO