A first of november DAYBOOK

Outside My Window...
It's happening!
THE TURNING OF THE LEAVES
My favorite.  So pretty around here. Dangerous for me to drive, really.

I am thankful for...
the 20 minutes of gymnastics-nursing and giggles that I get each and every night at bedtime. It's my FAVORITE part of each day. Nothing else exists except me and my baby in a dark, dark room.

I am thinking about...
how I'm like taffy.
Probably, really, all moms feel that way.
So pulled in different directions... stretched so thin... happy and eager for all of the directions being pulled to - but not sure how this really works. Not in a real 'finished taffy shape' at the moment... still in the stretching stages. Not 100% of anything, really.  One foot in the door of Kindergarten Teacher. One in Mommy. One toe in Wife. One toenail in Dancer. Ok, a small hangnail portion of a toenail, but it's hanging on! And one foot as Literacy Committee Chair (a complex role I'm passionate about) - there just isn't enough of me to go around.  And I'm really feeling it. ADVICE PLEASE.  If you've never hit that 'comment' bar, now is the time to do it!

love it when she sleeps like this - with her arms up

Learning all the time...
Was reminded today that in order to keep our brains healthy, we have to continually be learning something new. Invigorating idea!  Hm... what would I chose next?  Piano? Guitar?? a Language? a Religion?

Right. I'll stop now. Too stretched at the moment. Will hit pause on this one. I promise. ;)

how 'bout a picture of 2 new little teeth?

From the kitchen...
chocolate chip cookies!  (unfortunately everyone else got a virus... so I had to pretty much eat the whole batch myself. Yes, I can take one for the team.)

I am creating...
not much.

I am working on...
being more efficient and choosy about how I invest my time and energy in my work.  So far it's just the goal. Not sure how to accomplish that yet.  My kids and my family and my home are calling to me with loud voices and I'm feeling ... gulp.... DOMESTIC lately. Ouch. Kinda hurt to say that. Me???? Yes. I want to bake and clean and cook and change diapers. I'm crazy. What can I say? I don't even know myself anymore!! ;)

at the carnival-like event in our neighborhood called "Hilloween"

with her old/new bestie - glad you're back from Jerusalem, friend!

I am going...
nowhere. poo. I want to go somewhere!

I am hoping...
the virus has left our house for good.

one of her RARE grumpy faces... (and my new 'connected in hope' scarf)

I am reading...
Ten Ways to Destroy The Imagination of Your child - by Esolen
-- recommended by Sarah
At first, I was intrigued and even impressed. But as this rolls along... I think he's gone beyond his point and is now just caught up in himself. Going to finish it out because he references a lot of interesting literature and his point has already altered my viewpoint .... but I gotta say I do so with caution

I am praying for...
my angel girls

I am hearing...
well - when I started this post, I was hearing the low rumble of the dryer, Norah Jones, and the clink of my wine glass on the table..... now I'm hearing the drones of the TV, and the hilarious conversation of my husband and sister-in-law

Around the house...
Trying (again) to tame the toys.

raised legs on the art table... those little tubs are baby-finger-proof... but works-in-progress are just too tempting for little hands

One of my favorite things...
the smell of my baby's feet

A few plans for the rest of the week...   weekend
a birthday party, groceries, hanging with Rachel, prepping for parent-teacher conferences, lit committee work, and loads upon loads of laundry (no, Sar, not as much as you. You take the cake on that one)
Did i say?? AUNTIE RACHEL IS VISITING!! :) YAY! Ainsley is in HEAVEN:

Picture Video thoughts I'm sharing with you...
(Word)

6 month baby DAYBOOK

Outside My Window...
I think a night thunderstorm is brewing...

6 days ago, we awoke to 23 degrees. Talk about COLD.  Yesterday? we broke records by hitting 91 degrees.  Not. Kidding. that's a 68 degree swing.

We went straight - DIRECTLY - from winter coats and gloves to NO coats and sunscreen.  With maybe 2 days of "spring" sandwiched in.  Winter often suddenly transitions to summer here in DC, but this is record pace.  Summer - hello.

I am thankful for...
Yoga.  And my husband who never complains that I leave him & the girls for a few hours every week so that I can do it.  Bikram gives me the calm, perspective, and outlet I need.  I sweat it all out once a week and regain a sense of gravity and lightness combined.

I am thinking about...
Reading Specialists.  Let's leave it at that for now.

Learning all the time...
Learning that I've actually never truly cleaned my house. :)  Thank goodness for Maria.  Remember I mentioned J's new job?  Well, that combined with a generous gift from family helped us hire a housecleaner - and dang!  I don't think our house has EVER been cleaned so deeply - and all that remarkably done in under 3 hours.

From the kitchen...
whatever is quick and easy and palatable. :) not kidding. Not afraid to admit that Ramen noodles meet the mark now and again.

I am creating...
lists that just seem to grow and never shrink. and milk. I'm creating lots of milk. and lessons.  It's satisfying creating kindergarten lesson plans again.

I am working on...
Learning to juggle our new schedule -- the novelty of working full time with a preschooler and an infant has passed... but now we have the new reality of daddy's more intense job.  Working on trying to make our handful of time between school and bedtime less stressful, smoother, pleasant even (is that too much to ask??)

I am going...
to try to put the baby down at night when she's asleep.  Honest, I am.  But she's just too dang cute! And I miss holding her all day long.  but truly, I've been trying to put her down in bed after some snuggling so that I can have an hour - or at least a few minutes with two working hands to prep lunch, bottles, or to just stretch a bit.  I did it tonight! Hence - this blog post (finally, after all this time).

I am hoping...
to cherish every little moment with my girls.  They are growing up too fast.

I am reading...
The Aviator's Wife - by Melanie Benjamin
This book - it's - it's AMAZING!!  It's historical fiction - about Charles Lindbergh's wife.  I LOVE the book she wrote (Gift From The Sea) - she is Anne Morrow Lindbergh.  I'm not very far into the book yet, but I adore it. The writing comes alive, and the story is compelling.

I am praying for...
parental wisdom

I am hearing...
Friday Night Lights - on dvd, season four.
Jasper and my latest addiction.

Around the house...
Thank you, Maria. (see above) - all good

One of my favorite things...
juicy baby neck rolls and big fat baby thighs

A few plans for the rest of the week...   weekend
A pre-school birthday party and glorious weather!
groceries, laundry, playing with my girls, probably a stroll to the dog park or two, yoga, and perhaps catching up on a wee bit of sleep if I'm lucky

Picture thoughts I'm sharing with you...

who wouldn't love daycare?

that's our little princess up front - naw, she ain't spoiled or anything

 Auntie Lisa's annual visit! :) 

She made Ainsley's spring break an adventure!

why eat it when you can finger paint with it?!

It's November - Daybook

Outside My Window...
The sun is shining and there's a biting cold in the air.  Leaves are changing and falling everywhere.  It's nice and quiet after the raucous Halloween night and hurricane Sandy.

I am thankful for...
Life. Babies. Sisters. Mothers. Husbands. Doctors.

I am thinking about...
Nursing. Latching. Feeding. Sleeping. Eating. Parenting. Juggling. And trying not to worry -- though I think it comes with the territory.  Mostly anxious to see that Addie is gaining weight.

Also, thinking about motherhood in general and this fleeting magical time in space.  How can I grasp this treasure in its fullness?  How can I not let it slip through my fingers with the passing days, weeks, months, years??

Learning all the time...
Re-learning how to be a mom to such a small little creature.  Learning for the first time how to parent TWO kids.  Learning how to balance my recovering self: energy & anxiety v. rest & peace.

Trying to learn how to best respond to Ainsley as she adjusts to the new family dynamics... and trying to learn how to gradually wean off using the shield to nurse with.

From the kitchen...
Thank goodness for fabulous friends!  We have been well-stocked with home-made dinners. YUM.  During the day?? oh.  whoops.  Am I supposed to be feeding myself too???   Something besides a bowl of cheerios now and then?  Huh.  Perhaps too much effort.

I am creating...
uh... nothing.  My big creating energy is now come to fruition in this little drooly, snuggly, snarfing little beast. I'm now caring for my creation. :)

I am working on...
not worrying.  not harping.  not expecting more than is realistic.  sleeping and eating myself when I can.  and working with our little Bean on latching without the help of the shield.

I am going...
to get baby announcements out soon. fingers crossed.

I am hoping...
for a good weekend.

I am reading...
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
(*great book!*)

I am praying for...
continued health and growth for Adelaide.

I am hearing...
Diana Krall and little whimpers and gurgles from the carrier on my chest.

Around the house...
don't ask.

One of my favorite things...
coffee.  Delicious - wonderful - heavenly - CAFFEINE.
Oh, and being able to drink Guinness again is quite satisfying.

A few plans for the rest of the week... 
feed the baby
eat
feed the baby
sleep
feed the baby
change a diaper
feed the baby
paperwork for insurance and short term disability
feed the baby
ah heck, who am I kidding? - how about I just forget about it all and feed the baby??? 

Picture thoughts I'm sharing with you...

love letters from Ains!!!  I LOVE them!

Waiting for Baby Daybook

Outside My Window...
What a glorious day!  70's, sunny, breezy, and leaves changing color.  Glad we got out in it today at Hains Point Park near the water to throw the frisbee for Jake-pup and run around.

I am thankful for...
Pregnancy.  It's an amazing, glorious, happy thing!  So grateful I get to experience this!

I am thinking about...
being ready for the arrival of our wee one.  Our lives are about to CHANGE. Forever.  Our idea of family. Our day-to-day rhythms.  Our hearts.  Our minds.  Are we ready for this??

Learning all the time...
Me - learning how to let go.

Ains - she's really into learning letters and asking a ba-jillion questions about the world.  Really, she doesn't stop talking.  EVER.

From the kitchen...
Tried some chocolate chip muffins this morning.  Is it wrong that they are already half-disappeared? And pancakes.  And pork-bacon sausage.  Tonight? Ains and my favorite: steamed clams with bread and butter!  (In a few weeks I can have wine with it!)

I am creating...
little pockets of space for baby stuff - and getting rid of piles, piles, piles.

oh. and a baby, of course! (a very kicky one at that!)

I am working on...
breathing. calming. and trying not to worry too much about delivery and recovery.

I am going...
to work only 3... THREE... more days.   Baby is near!

I am hoping...
to cross a few more things off my 'list' before baby arrives.  Scrub walls? Vacuum the dust out of the laundry area? Clean the desk area again? Declutter big sister's room?

I am reading...
50 Shades.... a deliciously devilish read that all my friends already burned through this summer.

I am praying for...
a strong, healthy, happy baby girl with a smooth arrival into this world.

I am hearing...
The Little Mermaid - Ainsley's latest obsession

Around the house...
pretty clean, actually! Gotta love nesting.

One of my favorite things...
cold washcloths draped over my tired, achy feet at night.  And a good foot-massage from Jasper!

A few plans for the rest of the week... 
- wrap things up at school for my replacement teacher
- 'the list'
- go to bed early and put my feet up often

Picture thoughts I'm sharing with you...

37 weeks! Can you tell Baby dropped?

another quick daybook

Outside my window...
sunny and 85 degrees

I am thankful for...
summer

I am thinking about...
nesting.  I just sit (or stand, or lay) and stare at the walls, colors, lines, and shapes around me... and ponder how they make me feel and what might need to change to be most organized and comfortable when baby Rabbit arrives.

Learning all the time...
about Eastern religions and thought
how to use computers and fax machines at FedExOffice

From the kitchen...
pillsbury crescent rolls (you know - those instant ones?) Ains likes to roll them.... and eat them.
I also used a REAL recipe last night - for flounder - when I boasted about it.... my unwitting husband asked, a little shocked, "don't you usually use recipes?"  uh.... nope.  never.  AH!  It all becomes clear to him now. ;)

I am creating...
a happy home. a happy baby in my tummy.

I am working on...
house projects, catching up on email, a little online shopping: yeah! Can't WAIT for these to arrive:

I am going...
to go camping - near the beach - this weekend!

I am hoping...
Ainsley's cough goes away soon... it just keeps hanging on.

I am reading...
Dreams of Joy - Lisa See (love it!)

I am praying for...
good health. long life.  For my girls.

I am hearing...
a girl not napping

Around the house...

One of my favorite things...
snacks!

A few plans for the rest of the week... 

• prenatal yoga OR a barre class
• clean up new piles on desk
• prep for camping
• swim lessons for Ains
• work on entry & dining areas
• put my feet up and read 

A picture thought I'm sharing with you...

let summer begin daybook

Outside my window...
Rainy and 63 degrees.  An unexpected grey day in the middle of glorious early-summer weather.  I welcome it, though, because it's helping me keep A-Girl indoors and calm while she fights this cough.

I am thankful for...
babies.  family.  SUMMER.  a hot cup of coffee.  fresh baked chocolate chip cookies (after months of craving).  friends.

I am thinking about...
everything and nothing.  My mind is in a delicious whirl.  Now that the demands of the school-year have ended, and I've spent about a week in that hazy 'blur' of emotional and energetic recovery... I can't stop my spinning mind.  Seems like the creativity in me is spinning full force around my home, my family, thinking about baby, and life in general.  What a wonderful way to spin creative juices!  So satisfying and so free-form.  Like I said - delicious.  a few snippets?  well, okay... sure:

• amazed at my preschool daughter -- her use of language astounds and entertains me endlessly. quips like "I'm sorry to tell you"... and "seriously..."  and "I have been thinking about...." 
• my first classroom children have graduated and I recently got the list of the colleges and universities they'll be attending -- Brown, Pitt, Wash U, Cornell, Michigan, Tulane, Syracuse, Penn State... it's got me thinking about the passage of time, my own children, my mark on these children (if any... haha...), and the important things in life
• re-arranging my house. gotta make room for baby and make this place even more "ours" - love having time to ponder this!  There's something to be said for sitting in a space and just absorbing how it makes one feel
• god, life, religion -- why is it this becomes such a focus for me when I'm pregnant?? and fades into the background of day-to-day life otherwise?
• life. school. career. motherhood. 

Learning all the time...
I'm trying to learn to 'go with it' -- something I'm not bad at, but can always improve. :) For example - our quiet day today. going with it. sausage-pregnant-lady-legs? going with it.

Ains will be learning to swim - lessons begin this week!

From the kitchen...
spontaneity is the key here.  and whatever my baby-momma-body craves at the moment. Which, truth be told, is pretty much pasta and cheese.  All the time. with plenty of salt.  and a banana a day. and sparkly cold drinks - go figure.

I am creating...
life.  a baby girl!  And it's taking more energy than I like to admit.  I have napped for an hour each day since school let out.  I've begun to sleep in until 9.  Had no idea I was this tired.  And have to put my feet up after putzing around -- they are swelling this pregnancy more than last.

I am working on...
picking away at projects around the house.  Haven't opened up my lengthy to-do list yet... but have:

• scrubbed out the washer/dryer
• scrubbed out the window  A/C units  (possibly grossest job ever, as they were in the rat-infested shed)
• sifted through the initial (massive, MASSIVE) piles on the desk - you can see the desk now! :)
• cleaned the house several times (basic stuff)
• caught up reading some blogs
• refined our list of baby names (still long, but I love all the names on it!)
• played with my Ainsley-Girl

I am going...
to take my pup to the vet today.  Badly torn claw-nail.  Poor pup.  I've re-bandaged at least 5 times now.

Oh, will also update my blog.  Eventually.  Honestly - I haven't even uploaded pictures onto the computer in months. MONTHS.  Look for a random, catching up post soon.

I am hoping...
this baby girl stays in my womb full term.  Giving myself progesterone shots weekly in this effort, and so far our twice a month ultrasounds show things are good.  I also hope she flips kinda soon.  The kicking down low is getting a bit uncomfortable!

I am reading...
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan - Lisa See
Just finished this one.  Wow. Lisa See is up there in my favorite 3 authors of all time.  Thank you, Sarah, for recommending.  You know me well.  They have a stack of her books at the library - but I may want them on my shelf for always... decisions, decisions....

What I Know Now: Letters To My Younger Self - Ellyn Spragins
Just started it - as I decide whether to trek to library or bookstore for another Lisa See book.  So far have read letters from Madeleine Albright and Maya Angelou, among other women.  Insightful.  Lovely. Nice to read during this thoughtful chapter of my life: pregnancy during summer.

Mercy Watson chapter books - Ainsley ADORES them!  Can't get enough.  Have read the entire DC library system's supply.

I am praying for...
good health. long life.  For my girls.

I am hearing...
rain out my window.  The garbage truck barreling past.  Elizabeth Mitchell CD (love this kid's music).  The pitter-patter of Ainsley's independent play (picture: watercolor paints out, glue stick strewn on floor, stickers everywhere, polly pocket stuff all over, dollies carefully arranged on the couch...)

Around the house...
much needed projects getting done - and more to happen as I reconsider the use of our space and how we'll best fit another being here with us.

One of my favorite things...
pellegrino seltzer water, lemon flavor, nearly frozen

A few plans for the rest of the week... 
ambitious ideas....

• swim lessons for Ains
• vet for Jake
• determined effort to nix the cough
• re-arrange kitchen
• plan re-arrangement of living space, bedroom space, and bathroom - making room for baby and next steps to making this house more comfortable and cozy on a budget
• upload photos... blog? dare i list it? will it happen?? :)
• garden
• oil change the car
• clean bathroom (again)
• clean the oven
• more laundry
• hang with my friend Laura
• pre-natal yoga (love it!)

A picture thought I'm sharing with you...

A Moment To Think: Daybook ~ in March

Outside my window...
Windy.  Today reached near 70 degrees. Spring is here!  Got a few prolific weeds pulled today after school. (so satisfying)

I am thankful for...
This feeling of being able to breathe - it's been so incredibly busy around here lately.  It's nice to get my head above water again and look around.
my sweetest snuggly monkey girl
family
dreams coming true
good friends. such good friends.

I am thinking about...
plans.
actually, to be honest, my head oscillates between spinning wildly in 10 different directions and simply turning off.  The School Musical, ballet class, literacy committee, kindergarten, professional development needs to happen, laundry, cleaning...

I'm looking forward to visits from some dear people!  Susan Petterson and her husband (yeah!) arrive this weekend and Auntie Rachel and Nathaniel shortly after that. 

Learning all the time...
Me - at this moment, brushing up on how to teach the comprehension strategy of "asking questions" to kindergartners.  And learning about Common Core Standards, and best practices in literacy - and gathering more and more information for our committee work.  Also learning to be a cell-phone girl.  honey - am I getting better?

Ains - she can do buttons!  She's learning how to ride her training wheeler and is really focused on learning how to cross the monkey bars.  She asks to practice often. She has asked us twice now for monkey bars in the house so that she can practice more. :) hm.

From the kitchen...
Tonight - DELICIOUS if I do say so myself!  (and I do!) - baked salmon with fresh garlic, salt and pepper.  Roasted baby dutch gold potatoes - with butter, rosemary, a few spices.  Still smells good in here.  Even made banana bread last weekend. I'm on a roll!  (oh, I won't mention that we had bowls of cold cereal for dinner the other night.  whoops!)

I am creating...
ideas

I am working on...
getting to bed earlier.  Why is it that this goal seems to crop up again and again for young mothers??? Why am I sitting here typing instead of crawling into bed?

I am going...
to meet Posy-Pie soon!  I can. not. WAIT. Ains and I are going to have a blast of a trip.  I hope the airplane is everything she hopes it will be.

I am hoping...
to keep my head above water for a bit. And to get this darn dog hair OUT of my house!
I am reading...
The Dancer Within - Rose Eichenbaum

Actually quite compelling and a fun read!  Rose is a known photographer of dancers, and she interviews many dancers (ballet, tap, jazz, Broadway, modern...) who were once in the lime-light (some still are), setting their interview alongside an insightful photo.  Good reading for my dancer-heart.

I am praying for...
good health. long life.

I am hearing...
nothing. now, that's nice!

Around the house...
well - it got a good cleaning awhile ago for the birthday party.  In need of another one now.  Toy bins need serious organizing. Laundry waiting.  bday presents need a new home. dog hair everywhere. i'd better stop before I freak out. Tonight, I rest.

One of my favorite things...
The wit and candor of preschoolers. Especially mine.

A few plans for the rest of the week... (er... the next week)
groceries on the way home tomorrow, burgers from Tunnicliffs for dinner!
Susan and Wayne arrive Saturday
last gymnastics class (Ains pouted... maybe we'll have to sign up again sometime)
see "around the house" comment
a dance class for me
Rachel arrives
school and all of its accouterments

A picture thought I'm sharing with you...
      ~our monkey princess

Back At It Daybook

Outside my window...
A glorious, sunny, 70 degree, crisp-air, beginning of fall day.  Warm in the sunshine, cool in the shade. Leaves beginning to change.  Couldn't be better.

I am thankful for...
Having Ains go to school where I teach.  Those brief moments of blown kisses, attempted winks, and stop-your-heart smiles are priceless.  The pride, ownership, and confidence she exudes because we are both there fills me in a way I hadn't been prepared to feel.

Also - for our internet FINALLY working again!  World --- I'm back!

Finally - for being spoiled by my husband for my birthday this year!  I came home to find the house charmingly (as only a boy can do) decorated with party garb, flowers, a candle, and a glass of red wine waiting for me.  Then - whisked off to my favorite italian restaurant where we had a candle in a cannoli for dessert.  And great presents. I mean GREAT presents.  Show tickets & a spa appointment.

I am thinking about...
Professional Learning Communities - and my role in them.

Learning all the time...
Trying to learn how to make a distribution list on my contacts with Outlook - from a bunch of addresses in a table.  Any tips?
Ains is learning more ballet moves.  And is practicing her curtsies several times a day. :)  She is learning so many songs, poems, and words in school - Jasper and I mostly walk around with our mouths hanging open in awe and delight.

From the kitchen...
Twirly Pasta & Chicken With Sauce (Ainsley's 2 favorites) make it on the menu every single week.  This week I even tried a crockpot recipe!  Boy, that made for a relaxed arrival home after a long day!  [and by recipe - i mean that i tossed in some pork chops, onion, mushrooms & bbq sauce - not that i actually looked at a real recipe. that would require effort.]

I am creating...
a more balanced & healthy schedule... including a spread-out cleaning list ala Sarah.  (Having a schedule for chores now has a needed place in my day-to-day. Keeps my house clean without any real thought or worry about when I'll get to something.  Ok - so my list is CONSIDERABLY shorter.  In fact, my weekly and monthly goals fit on a single side of an index card... with a little space.)

I am working on...
learning choreography from my favorite dance teacher in the world.  What a gift.

I am going...
to the Beijing Dance Theater!!  I have coveted these tickets for months!!!  (like I said, good b-day.)

I am hoping...
that I will be better about calling and writing a dear friend whom I love, and is going through a really hard time.

I am reading...
your blogs, now that I have internet again!

Not Without My Daughter - by Betty Mahmoody.  A true story.  Breathtaking.  Gripping.  Fascinating.  Terrifying.

Next up? The Island - Elin Hilderbrand, Cutting For Stone (Thanks, sis!), The Dancer Within (thanks, Aileen!)

For teaching: Your 5 Year Old (Gesell book), Whatever It Takes (DuFour), Choice Literacy website, Daily Cafe website, re-read of National Reading Panel summary

I am praying for...
A dear friend who is embarking on a new chapter in life unexpectedly.  A friend close to my heart who is nearing the arrival of a long-dreamed-of baby.  A new friend who has heard time and again bad news and whose heart is breaking.
A prayer Ains brought home from school, that we adapted for our new bedtime routine:
Dear God,
Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for a good night's sleep.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you, Lord, for everything.
(Then she adds 1 or 2 other things she wants to thank God for.)

I am hearing...
The whir of the laundry spinning and tumbling.  Can I tell you how satisfying it is to hear that on a quiet FRIDAY night?? Knowing that I may actuallly get through it all before Sunday evening?

Around the house...
Matt was our guest recently and a self-appointed house-elf!  He worked on fixing a rusted hinge, investigated our refrigerator door-not-closing problem, restocked odds and ends which I continue to find as we go through our days.

Glad to say that Houdini (what? I didn't tell you about our resident magical mouse?) played his famous disappearing act.  He refused to be caught in a trap (though he ate everything in them!) - and simply stopped coming to our house.  He disappeared.

One of my favorite things...
coffee.  Oh, how I LOVE really good coffee.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
time with friends
ballet for Ains
seeing a site-specific dance performance
a trip to the apple orchard & pumpkin patch
class & rehearsal
a wedding
catching up on blog reading & ... dare I?  FB
apple-investigations in kindergarten

Here are some picture thoughts I am sharing with you...

this girl takes after her aunties - a natural in the kitchen!

current favorite skirt

why?  because it curtsies well!



and is great for dancing



and just plain being beautiful

June Daybook

Outside my window...

the sun is shining!  My garden is happy!  I couldn't even bring myself to take a photo of the 'before' (imagine the Jungle Book).  Waiting for seeds to sprout!

I am thankful for...

balmy nights
cool breezes
"cool" meaning the temps dropped into the mid-80's. :)
husbands
SUMMER. SUMMER. SUMMER.

I am thinking about...

The many projects I plan to do this summer - and those that I've already crossed off my list in these first few days of summer vacation!

Learning all the time...

How to relax. :)

From the kitchen...

Clean floors. Ant traps. Dog-food tupperware on wheels. And tubs of delicious ice-cream from the store (ooh, Ains was SOOO happy to go choose her own and to scoop it into a cone the other day!)

I am creating...

clean spaces.  breathing room. clean laundry. AND DANCE*  My big show is this weekend - off to tech and dress rehearsal in an hour.

I am working on...

Showing my feelings.  Release. Weightedness. Relaxation. Connection.

I am going...

to dance my heart out this weekend.

I am hoping...

for no rain on Sunday. Father's Day. More on that later. :)

I am reading...

The House at Riverton - by Kate Morton
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

I am praying...

for my sweet Grandpa who I miss and love so very very much.
Tonya's family.
for Dylan and my brother as they begin their adventure
for a dear friend and her time of being unsure

I am hearing...

Ains and Daddy this morning while getting ready for the day.  They were talking about treats (our latest ply for a little less whine and tantrum, and a little more use of WORDS) ...
*on the verge of a Gremlin-Meltdown*

Daddy: Only happy people get treats.
Ains: Why?
Daddy: Because if you are mad and sad and mean, then you don't get treats.
Ains (thoughtful) : So... the mean lady (a neighbor) does not get treats?
Daddy: Nope.
Ains: But maybe something happened to her.  Maybe she WAS happy.  Then something happened - maybe someone kicked her and made her sad and mad.

Our little philosopher.

Around the house...

satisfyingly re-claiming the toxic waste pile that it had become
a rejuvinated and sweet back patio area (nearly "complete")
and also
loving the new schwanky red sofa from our now beach-dwelling friends!  Thanks, J & J!

One of my favorite things...

fireflies

A few plans...

dress rehearsal, show, show
fathers day
attacking the piles of papers scattered in the odd corners
clean/sort/declutter and organize closets
SHED. (how long can I delay this daunting task???)
pancakes tomorrow?

A picture thought I'm sharing with you...

end of spring break DAYBOOK

Outside my window...

cherry blossoms. daffodils. magnolia trees blooming. sunny 50 degree day today.
90% chance of SNOW tonight.
(?)

I am thankful for...

daughters.  sweet, little girl, crazy-making daughters.
and dear, dear friends.  So happy to have Aileen out to visit these past few days!  Friends fill parts of our soul that make us more whole.  Thankful, also, for our amazing time at Ocracoke beach with our bosom friends Justin & Joelle.  I am refreshed, recharged, re-healthified, and rejuvenated.

I am thinking about...

spring. Somehow - it wakes me up inside. At least, I'm attributing that tingly, antsy, hopeful, wonderful feeling to spring.  Despite modern living, our bodies are still part of this magical earth that changes with the seasons.

Learning all the time...

How to pour Guinness from a can.  How to do a fancy drip coffee artistic coffee-house style. To carry extra toddler pants, tissues, wipes, etc. (still not good at it, but I'm working on it).  To make pesto (yum!).

It's time to buy Gessell's "Your Three Year Old" - we are entering new territory with our little Tornado.

From the kitchen...

chocolate ravioli.  Not kidding.  Fresh, homemade chocolate ravioli from the local market - pan fry in a bit of butter.  What a delicious treat!

I am creating...

a garden!

I am working on...

gearing up to plan our road trip for summer! I'm so excited.  I haven't started yet - but I keep thinking about it.  I think it's time to get out the maps, the AAA website (so I've been told), the KOA campsite locations, etc.  But before that, I should probably focus on report cards - that starts soon.

I am going...

to the White House Easter Egg Roll!  Jas put our names in the lottery and we got tickets!  (Along with 30,000 others) Jasper will be in China for Easter ~ and that whole entire week, Auntie Lisa will join us to help fix dinners, play, watch Ains while I rehearse, and keep the house in order. oh. and go to the White House Lawn to play!

I am hoping...

that my new intestinal issues remain under somewhat control.

I am reading...

The Forgotten Garden - by Kate Morton (nearly finished!)
Possibly my most favorite book. EVER.
 Or second - after Wuthering Heights, which still steals my heart.

I am praying...

for patience

I am hearing...

ok, not me, but I have to share this note from daycare:

“While I was going pee-pee and poopy I read this book twice.  I asked myself if I wanted to read it again and I said Yes!”  

Around the house...

tulips and hyacinths in a vase.  incense burning once a night. fresh carpets that don't collect as much dog hair.

One of my favorite things...

the sea.

A few plans...

watch a movie tonight (saw Burlesque last night - fun!!!)
dance class tomorrow
grocery shopping
more laundry
back to work & bustle of daily life

A picture thought I'm sharing with you...