Half way there

*This is a snap taken from this week's beach adventure with dear friends. It is, as snapped :D

It has been a most delicious summer. We've had adventures as a family, trips together and apart... gatherings with friends, and quiet days of doing lots of nothing. It is perfect. It is exactly why I love summer. It's when I get to connect with my children, have fun and relax. I have flowers on my deck, and plants on my covered porch. We've created fairy gardens and a dragon's volcano lair. We've learned about managing spending money, and we've gone to grandparents' house and been spoiled with attention. We've been to the beach, and swam in our pool and our grandmother's as well. We've gone to a carnival. We've spent whole days in pajamas. We've had dessert first, breakfast for dinner, and crazy what's-your-favorite-quick-dinner-you like dinners. We've had delicious meals from the grill. We've gone to restaurants, and ice cream stands.

And we still have half of summer left.

{sigh}

I savor the softness of getting up early-ish (for me), tending to my flowers, and then enjoying breakfast and coffee on my covered porch. I love that my Little Miss S loves to get up early with me, so that we have together time, then quiet time to ourselves, only a screen door between us.

I love that my Older Than I Like Miss K is my night owl, and loves to come in and chat at the end of the day in my room. We tell stories, dream about the future, tease, and talk about girl stuff.

I'm telling you, life is golden.

I love that my children don't need constant entertaining or stimulation. They can easily play, read, dream, whatever. We savor the bliss of summer together. We are summer souls.

Now, I love my work, and have in some quiet moments even done some planning for the coming year. And we have certainly had times when we've all gotten on each other's last nerves. And I TRUELY love each season for what they each bring. But right now, I fully love the... fullness (forgive the redundancy please) of summer. Time. To think. To breathe. To laugh.

I am grateful that summer allows us to savor all the gifts we have.

Peace is where you grab it

I had the pleasure to sit on my deck after dinner, in the quiet of twilight. The peace of a fading ski, bird chatter, and the muffled laughter of the girls inside does my heart and soul good. Something about a moment to sit and absorb the world around me keeps me going and smiling while I'm at it.

Thank you for the gift of my little deck garden. My happy little blossoms that provide shelter from the craziness around me is such a peace-filled hobby. And one that connects me to my mother, my mother's mother, and her mother before her. Thank you for the gift of earth, of flower, and of appreciating time to take it all in.

5 21 11: finding rainbows

Finding Rainbows

This week I am reminded to find the rainbow on rainy days! When we are all so crazy, running around and trying to get lots done... when I hear bad and sad news from family, friends and students- that's when I found a magnificient rainbow reminding me to STOP and see the beauty and gifts I am so fortunate to have.

So today I'm thankful for finding an intense, brief double full arc rainbow that my daughters and I got to share together.

Thanks, God.

Sorry for the poor photo quality. I did a quick edit so I could post and run... :)

Day 114: I'm so lucky

Day 114: I'm so lucky...

Today is crazy. Following a fun and family filled, crazy holiday weekend away, the girls had to get up and get to school. I need to reassemble my house, find places for all the new things, get food, do laundry, and put away the new clothes we picked up last week before going out of town. Whew.



My little Miss S slowly got up, and gradually got ready. I threw on my sneakers next to her as she finished getting dressed at the top of the stairs, so that she can sit on the heat vent. When she was ready, she crawled in to my lap, gave me one of my favorite around the neck squeezes, and said, "I'm so lucky I have you."



Melt. My. Heart.



The conversation that flowed was brief and filled with "I love you more than..."'s. It was a perfect moment.

It's a great day to be Mom. Thanks God, for that. What a great shot in the arm on a day that is filled with drudgery. I am so grateful.



And thank you to Tara Whitney (amazing photographer, artist, Mom, you name it) for posting a heart warming moment on her blog, which spurred me to write down this golden nugget. It was such a quick flash, something that can fade from memory so quickly. I am grateful for the inspiration to write it down.

Day 66: Sunny side ice

Day 66: Ice and sun

Today I am thankful for the sun. We woke up this morning to snow, ice and huge puddles (flooding) everwhere around. As I went around town running errands, the grey sky gave way to a bright and cheery sun, making all the snow and ice postively glisten.

Today is my day off, so I have time. I stopped and played with my phone camera, I played with my "Hiptastic" app, and my Instagram app. I played with reflections, and laughed at myself in hat and giant goofy sunglasses... maybe I'll post that tomorrow. But it is amazing just how heartening the sun beaming down and lighting up the day is. I am thankful to have had the chance to play with the sun and it's glorious light for a little bit. Yay sun!

Day 64: cleaning up

Day 64: cleaning???

Yup. Cleaning.

Today I am grateful for picking up pieces, putting things where they belong, and doing some light dusting and sweeping. It feels good to have a clean floor to walk across, to feel like our home is open and welcome, ready to greet us and all our friends or fammily who may join us here. I am happy to have the kids clothes ready for them, and my kitchen ready for the next meal. I am thankful to have a place for our family, the art we create, the toys we play with and even more importantly, the space where we can live, love and be together. Having a few hours of picking up and doing light cleaning helps me to remember how blessed we are. So for today, I am thankful for cleaning.

Day 63: just because

Day 63: Just because...

I fell out of the habit. I didn't have a photo, so I put it off.

I'm back. I am grateful today for friends who notice the importance of taking care of each other. I'm grateful for the internet, and being able to easily find renewing, inspiring sites that help me reintention (made up word of the day) my day and purpose. I am grateful for the knowledge that being grateful makes me more grateful, which makes me more appreciative, which brings more of everything right into my path. "The car goes where the eyes go"- Racing in the Rain.

Today, I am grateful for the reminders the universe has sent to me to be grateful!

Day 54: Light

Day 54: Light and clowns

Today, I am thankful for light. My home is blessed with plenty of beautiful light. As a photographer, that makes me happy. For my soul, it feeds me! The sun filling up our space, our place where we play, read, work, talk... it just makes it all feel a lot more comfortable and welcoming.

As a photographer, it enables me to set up things like this: put the background in place and let the kids be themselves. The clowning around follows! :D

Today, I am thankful for light.

Day 53: Feeling healthy

Day 53: Feeling healthy!

My photos have little to do with my post, but that's okay :D

This is one of our cats, Sammy. The first is a simple edit, cat in the basket. The second is one I played with in Picnic, and had fun with. Just 'cause.

Today, after a week with the flu, which then went into an upper respiratory infection, I am thrilled to wake up breathing, energetic and wheeze free. I am thankful I can do simple things like laundary (did I really just write that???), bake, take some photos and take the kids to the movies. I can finally begin to enjoy vacation!

I am thankful for our health. I am thankful we can think of something we need or want to do, and can make a plan and do it with little thought. I am thankful we can breathe, climb stairs, walk out the door, boogie to iTunes, whatever. It is great to have our health!

Day 52: Sharing appreciation

Day 52: Shared thoughts...

Today, the snow returned: Hello, snow! I am thankful for the beauty it brings to an otherwise stark season. But today, as I was driving with my girls, I was especially thankful for our shared appreciation of the beauty around us.

Miss K noted the mountains, Miss S the ice dripping down the rock cutaways, and I noticed the evergreens. Each of us quietly remarked on a detail as we drove through the mountains.

They teased me as I stopped to take photos along the way with my favorite Hipstamatic. But, when I stopped across for the old mill, we all appreciated the beauty of the moment. It is a great ruin. But I like this photo because it will remind me of a quiet drive, where my girls and I were together, enjoying the moment, appreciating the world we live in and the beauty around us and just being present together. It wasn't long, but precious to my bank of Momma memories- a ten year old, six year old and forty one year old, together.

I am thankful my girls notice. And I am thankful they are willing to go along with me from time to time. With the four years between them, and the fact that I am Mom- I know I need to enjoy, and appreciate these moments as they come.

I am thankful for sharing a lovely ride with my girls.

Day 51: A breath of warmth

Day 51: Warmth

Ahh, warm air. A scent of spring. And... a peak at grass! We haven't seen you since Christmas!!!

Today, I am thankful to be here. To have use of my body, to hug my children, to tell my family I love them, to savor the sweetness of chocolate, to smell warm air, to drive on a sunny day, to hear laughter of my children, my love, my parents, my friends.

I am especially thankful for a peek at grass. Even though it is still the season of winter, I love this part- the glimpses of promised return to warm and sunny days. Even though cold days are ahead, even though snow may well return, it is lovely to catch a glimpse of seasonal change. Tomorrow, I'll rejoice in the silence and beauty of snow. But for today, I am thankful for a warm sun on my face.

Day 38: Warm Hipstamic style

Day 38: Warm

Look, warm enough for bare hands!!!! I don't remember the last time I went outside without mittens or gloves. It's been snowing every few days. It's been an intense, long winter. I truely love the snow, and I still do- but it was lovely to have a bit of warmer weather to remind us that winter really doesn't last forever.

I am thankful that our seasons change. Whenever someone asks my favorite season, I always answer, "all of them". I love the symbolism of the seasons changing, I love that each has something unique about it, and I love that about when we are tired of it, the weather and climate changes. I love the change! Today, I am thankful for the gifts and treasures each season brings with it.

And just for fun, heere's an awful self-portrait I snapped with my now very loved Hipstamatic:






I L.O.V.E. the "Joker" style eyebrows going on here.

Day 37: Playing in the morning

Day 37: Mornings

Today, I am grateful for the soft light, quiet stillness of morning. I am thankful for sharing time with my little one, and I am very grateful for a SHINING sun. I am thankful for the opportunity to play with Miss S, and to play on the computer with an image I like. And, not the least, for Miss S allowing me to take her photo.

I am, and always have been by nature, a night owl. Mornings have always been harder for me. I wake up and need to snooze, at least once. My nose is snuffy, my throat scratchy, and overall groggy.

And then I gave birth to a morning bird. From the time she was born, she was naturally an early riser, one who shines as the sun does, and cranks as it goes down. Someone had to be up with her. Initially, we took turns getting up. Then I noticed something lovely happens in the morning with my Miss S.

It is quiet. She shines. She tells stories and puts on acts for me. We discuss everything from what we are looking forward to, and things we might want to do. We laugh and snuggle.

The light is different. The noises are different. The quiet that I enjoy late a t night is present in the earl morning as well. And the time with Miss S has become something I am grateful for, instead of dreading the first light of the day.

Don't get me wrong- we've done everything in our power to encourage her to be up later, and stay asleep longer. I still don't function at my best in the morning. Anytime I have to get up before 6:15 is absolutley a struggle. But I have learned to enjoy- no, that's not right- savor the beauty of morning. And savor the time with my little girl.

Above is a photo I snapped this morning, next to our sliding glass doors. To my dismay, Photoshop wasn't working. So I tried Picnic, from a prompt in Picassa. I played around a LOT with it, but was glad it could handle a RAW image. The above is the result of my plays. I couldn't even begin to tell you what I did to it. But I had a lot of fun.

2. 4: Magnificent ice

Day 35: Nature as art

Driving in to work today was truely magnificent. I wish I'd either had my camera, or been prepared to stop to take a snap with my phone. Part of me is a bit delighted that I had to "take a picture with my mind", a la Miss S. I took this snap of some ice out my door, in honor of this morning's scene.

I drive through a state park, that winds over and around a mountain. It is a fabulous way to begin and end my day; there are often small scenes that tickle the imagination and give me something to smile about.

This morning, the ice was everywhere on the tress (not the road) and bushes. There were icicles hanging where the ice had begun to melt and froze mid drop. It was thick and beautiful. But to make it even more lovely, the sun was low in the sky, lighting each and every frozen drop. It looked like a forest of crystal. I felt my heart catch from the overwhelming, dazzling sight around each corner. I wished my girls were with me as it was the perfect setting to look for fairies and magic. I cannot put into words, and I fear any image I tried to capture, would not do the scene adequate justice.

And so... I am so grateful for the opportunity to be present in such glory this morning. No matter what our belief is in, today it was easy to believe.

2.3: Here's the sun!

Day 34: The Sun!!!

I caught this on my phone, on an app called "Hipstamatic". Besides the fact that it is great fun and rocks the phone camera, it means when I stop to grab a photo I can enjoy snapping and the end result too. Yay photography!

Today, I am thankful for the sunshine. I am thankful for the return to normal routine, and I am thankful that the sun turned all of the iced over trees into a gorgeous crystal world.

2. 2: Photography

Day 33: Photography

Okay, so I get that it's been a severe winter. I get that we have to make up all these delicious breaks. But, I have no control. So I will be present in the present, and enjoy the gift of stopping to enjoy.

So, today I am thankful for my hobby, photography. I am thankful that when I am outside digging out the cars, I am looking around and thinking of all the possibilities. I am thankful that I can fit into my daughter's boots, so when I go clomping around in the crunchy, deep snow I can get my shot with warm, dry toes. I am thankful that it is (relatively) warm out, so even though it is wet, I am comfortable. I am thankful that I don't care much about appearances, so that while I have my snowflake pj bottoms, bright pink boots, and borrowed brown and white and pink ear flap hat, complete with pom pom on top, I can walk around my street confidently. And completely sure the teens next door are laughing at me, HARD. And I laugh with them, because I KNOW exactly how silly I look. But I'm warm, I have my favorite camera, I have fingerless gloves, and I am having fun.

Thank you, God for another day of pLaY.

February 1: A cat and a hat

2.1: Smiles

Today I am thankful for another reminder to grab avery chance we have to smile when we can, laugh hard, and just embrace silly.

I am thankful for Miss S's gift of reminding me to seize the moment, carpe diem, LAUGH when you can! Her intensity is a gift to those around her, especially when she is waxing silly, fun or sentimental.

So, here's a smile for the day.
:D

1 31: God's creatures, and making lemonade?

Day 31: God's Creatures

I am thankful for the reminder of how much we have. But first: I made lasgna for my parents, aunt and the four of us to share for dinner. We put it outside to freeze, as the fridge is currently quite full. We used our resources available to us. Thought we were smart.

This morning, I noticed little squirrel prints, and the tin foil torn open. A tiny corner of the plastic wrap has a tiny hole. And a bit of sauce, a little bite of meat on the side. And when looked at most closely, a tiny squirrel bite out of the top layer of our LASGNA!

So, a few moments later, a few deep breaths later, and a photo to document... we can now laugh at feeding the hungry neighborhood animals, and enjoy calling in a dinner to enjoy together. Because really it was about being able to see each other anyway. And so:
I am thankful for being reminded the point of it all is being together. I am thankful for the reminder, and thankful for my Miss S who immediately saw the humor and reminded me that when a squirrel gives me lemons for dinner, we just have the chance to enjoy lemonade together.

But seriously squirrel, please stay off my porch for a few days. Let's not push it :)

1 30: Did I mention hair?

Day 30: Hair?

I am thankful for hair. I am thankful for hair. I am thankful for hair.
And that's all I'll say.
:D

1 29: ICE

Day 29: ICE

Today, I am thankful the kids got to see, touch, play with and check out at least ONE of the giant chunks of ice that has been hanging off of all the homes around here these days. This month's weather has been extreme, and the resulting icicles have been amazing. I am thankful I am married to a man that found a giant chunk, and called the girls to check it out, for me to take a picture. Today, I am thankful for the wonder of seeing a giant icicle up close with my family.