Doing...

"I just don't want to put things off anymore."

Words written to me by my Mom as we make plans for a short weekend gathering in June that has tentatively been planned for someday for several years. This fall we learned first hand that sometimes somedays cease to be a possibility long before you expect. In many ways, the pain of Rod's sudden death is still very raw, but it is also pushing us to not put things off any longer. It's just one of the many small blessings that has come through the great pain of loss. Life is sometimes contradictory like that I'm learning.

I'm feeling a bit restless about summer. I have an itch to pack the girls up in the car and hit the road visiting friends. We WILL be camping this summer, not saying we SHOULD take time to go camping. Scott and I ARE going to take some time to get out on our road bikes...together. I WILL be spending time dancing, barefoot, outside, to live music this summer.

This summer we will DO.

It's so easy to put off doing things until a time when finances are more abundant. Or until the weather is perfect. Or until our calendar allows to comfortably fit things in. We assume that of the resources needed to make plans, that time is the most abundant.

When it comes to time, there is no guarantee.


peace

Accidental Discovery...

We decided to do spring break a little different this year. It included 29 hours spent in St. Louis. The weather was less than springy, but we had a great time anyway. We drove into the city right around the lunch hour and decided to exit the interstate at a random gas station just to get a sense of where we were and find a bite to eat. Totally by accident we found the Schalfly Bottleworks, a micro-brewer we knew about because of a printed beer pint in our cupboard, but not a planned stop on this trip. Unplanned discoveries are awesome.

Brea and Scott had DELICIOUS buffalo burgers. Lexi and I enjoyed vegetarian fair.

Beer was sampled and enjoyed.

Much laughing was done. It was a great way to set the tone for the rest of our trip.

Next stop, the St. Louis Science Center...


 peace

Creative Writing...

We've been projecting around here, and I've been writing about it over on my new dedicated craft/photography/creative blog. The problem seems to be the more we make, the more I want to make, the more I have to write about about, the fewer hours that seem to exist in the day. Weird how that happens. My most recent post over there...the creation of a flannel duvet cover for Lexi's new down "fluffy comforter".

I love that the girls are showing signs of having caught the crafting bug. Oh the projects I'm sure we will tackle in the years to come...


peace

Sick Day...

Brea woke up early this morning with an icky tummy.

This is not how she had planned to spend her day. In PJs, yes. At home, no.

Today at school kids are celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday. PJs, slippers, and silly socks are being worn. Stories are being read. Birthday cake is being eaten.

Brea's words to me mid-morning were, "It makes me mad that I'm not at school today."

It reminds me of the 2-3 years in a row when I was about her age that I was sick on my birthday. It made me mad. And sad. I just wanted to share birthday treats ON my birthday with my classmates. Was that too much to ask?

After a pukey morning, my little monkey seems to be feeling a bit better. She's eaten a piece of toast, has built a cave fort with the couch cushions, and is watching toons as I type.

Since neither of us are joining in the fun of silly sock day at school, we decided to have our own silly sock day at home.

Silly socks and PJs...our way of brightening up this sick day.


peace

Still Snowing...

Yesterday, as our house was waking for the start of the day, it started to snow.

90 minutes later I white knuckled my 6 mile drive to school on a single cleared (a term I'm using loosely here) east bound path on the divided highway I drive each day.

At 1:00 school dismissed early, I drove home (on wet, but clear roads), and spent an hour clearing the walks and drive of our corner lot. The girls built tunnels, forts, and threw snowballs.

30 minutes later, the snow resumed.

Last night I cancelled yoga to encourage people to stay home once there. Sporting events, classes, and meetings were cancelled or postponed all across the state due to the weather.

At 10:30(ish) I went to bed. It was still snowing.

At 6:02 am this morning my phone rang with the notice that school would be on a 2 hour delay.

At 6:18 my phone rang again, this time to notify us that school had been cancelled for the day. Scott crawled out of bed to re-shovel his side of the driveway so he could start to make his way to the office. His drive today, thankfully, took 1/2 as long as yesterday's drive. I made and drank coffee.

The girls have had breakfast, have been out to play in the new layer of white, and are already back inside warming up while watching a movie.

It is still snowing.

Not bad for a storm that 3 days ago was predicted to bring us maybe 1-2 inches of snow. Our 24-hour total is currently at around 10 inches.

Did I mention...it is still snowing.


peace