Love is like Avocados

My husband, Eric went on a business trip that kept him from us from Thursday until the wee hours of this glorious Tuesday morning. And what little treat did he bring for me? Flowers? No, so much better.

Avocados and a lime. We often say in the dead of winter while eating eggs and spinach, chicken tacos, salad... "You know what would make this SOOOO much better?" The answer is always, avocado.

So tonight on my chicken taco, I'm having avocados. Avocados with love.

And I think about our life together. How we've grown. We are no longer two starry-eyed kids eating omelettes with avocados and planning our life together.

We are starry-eyed adults, living our life together. We have the two kids, the dog and cozy little life we dreamed of all of those years ago. 

I was so glad to have him home. Just him.  The house was set right when he walked through that back door. Lucy dog, sighed in relief (jumping and wagging her tail).

Truman woke up right away when he heard Daddy come home. Truman's little heart rested soundly, as he breathed little-man-breaths next his Daddy sneaking in between us in early-morning hours.

Our Truth: Home is when all of us are under the same roof.

Outside My Front Door

After I dropped off the kids this morning at school and kid-sitting I ran back home to grab my purse. And when I walked back through the front door out to my car. This was waiting for me.

A small reminder to look at the beauty around me. That with my head down, I would have missed. It reminds me that I need to look for the beauty around me.

Have you seen beauty this week? Did it sneak up on you?

Truman Playing Games

You should know a few things before you play a game with Truman.

1. The agony of not knowing is too much for him. He will peek under the trees in Enchanted Forest.

2. He will pump his fist and say a enthusiastic, "YES!" when you lose a turn in Disney's Cars boardgame.

3. He will repeat #2 in Uno when you get skipped. He will pout if you skip him.

4. Sometimes he cries when he doesn't win.

5. Once you play one time, he will follow you around saying, "Mommy, play with me??! Now? Right now?!?"

I am loving this little man and his love of games. And what a love it is.

Much Ado About a Haircut...

Isabel is learning how to do everything by herself. Including washing her own hair.

Which is fine. This is a good thing.

BUT.

She has baby fine, look-at-it-and-it-tangles hair. And we have daily struggles with brushing tangled hair.

Well, one night last week-- she took a bath and so vigerously scrubbed her hair-- a whole crop of little knots came up in the back. After fifteen minutes of tears and tangles.

I said enough is enough!

And I cut her hair. Here she is a mere 10 minutes later all smiley for a photoshoot.


Hmmmm....

At least she's happy. And I'm happy she doesn't scream every morning while brushing her hair.

I guess now she can wash her own hair and brush it too!

Quotable Sunday: Lazy Language

So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women - and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do.

-Dead Poets Society, 1989

Quotable Sunday: a tradition started by Kyrie of Are So Happy and carried on with Kerry of Young Ones and Linnea of PeppermintAlley.

Yarn Along: The Rhythm of Family

We've been in need of quiet family time. This weekend we took some time just for us. My goal for comfort + joy and together, togetherness has been pounding in my ears and deep in my heart. So loud I couldn't ignore it anymore.

I've had to stop, listen, adjust our lives and go out on a limb-- I can let life take over and I have to remind myself so often what is important. My little people are important, good food is important, spending quality time together is important, playing outside, good food! Remember I'm in the middle of making my manifesto work. And it is hard work, rethinking, retraining my work-a-holic tendencies so that I take care of my children, my husband, myself, my body.

I ordered Amanda's book a while back and it came in the mail in a divine envelope, meant for that moment in time. My ears are open, my hands are open and I am listening.

I also found this from Ida's blog, there are lots of little tiny babies in our lives. So I'm knitting away!

Peace to this House

I've started when I enter and leave a place, a doorway-- whisper a little blessing, even in my mind.


"Peace to this house."

More of a reminder of how I should be. How I can quiet my mind and how I can be a peaceful presence?

Doorways I now see as a new opportunity to think about what I bring into the next space. And gently asking myself, "How can I usher peace?" With in that four word statement, gives me new morning opportunities throughout my day. And taking the opportunity to recieve grace on a hourly basis if not more than that feels so much more hopeful, at any point in my day even without the symbolic doorway I can choose to bring peace.

What can you choose to bring through your doorways today? Perhaps we can help each other walk through our doorways with hope, peace, grace, compassion. And throw off worry, gruffness, selfishness.....

Thoughts?

Photo from: jo mclure view photo here.
  

Thoughts for Today.

Good Monday morning, my mind is whizzing and whirling with to-do lists. I'm secretly in the middle of assembling a pizza for my kids lunch. They are going to be with a friend since there's no school and I offered to bring lunch.

I actually like making a meal before the sun rises. My quotidian meditation starts early. Especially when it envolves kneeding and rolling dough, shaping and forming that glop into something beautiful, nourishing and peace bringing.

I'm so reminded this week of the pleasures of sharing a table. Coming to the table with a full heart, sharing nourishment and sharing your soul.

Have a beautiful day, my friends. Share life with someone today, a slice of early-morning-made pizza or a table... or just your heart.


Painting by michele_maule, found here.

This Moment:: January Walk

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
--Amanda Soule

Visiting!

Just saying a howdy to those who are visiting today. I had the beautiful opportunity to give back to author Catherine Newman by doing a little blog design for her. I usually don't get to give back to people who I don't really know that have touched my life with their own: through art, writing and honesty.

What Remains: Creativity

As I was cleaning up last night,  tucking lovies into the arms of heavy-breathing, heavy eyed cherubs, scrubbing spots of the kitchen table and swooping up arm loads of trains, I noticed something-- our desks were all filled with projects, favorite things and in short, our personalities.

The creativty we've captured in our house this week:

On my drafting table, a little painting (on a tiny canvas,
from a beautiful friend-- the slipper is from her too!),
a journal from Kerry, a painting from Truman, art supplies and a little painted
stone that says 'do small things with great love.'

Isabel's desk, found leaves, purplicious book,
2008 Madame Alexander catalog for inspiration,
her fleece coat and paper dolls.

Truman keeps his desk much more sparce.
But he's so into the stamps on his chore chart!

What's projects is on your desk, are you doing any New Years creating?