The done and undone...

Yesterday, I awoke with the moon shining down from the silvery sky.  The lightness glowed through the room and brought a general happiness to my thoughts.  I love awakening naturally like this.  The fact that it was 3:35 am did not change this feeling.  Instead, I took charge of the morning, resetting the alarm for my husband, who was home and able to care for the kids before they were off for school, and headed down for the start of the day. 

The kitchen found me brewing two double espressos, which I up-ended into a thermos, and after a quick dressing, was out the door.  It is an early morning at the office - which continued into a long productive day. 

And then found me returning home with the stars.

Today is a different story.  My husband was the early riser, setting off before the dawn for a hunting excursion with a friend.  I remained warm and sleeping in our bed until my son awoke and snuggled in.  Soon after was my daughter, who, with a new sense of independence, set about to beginning her day without us.  She feels, that a the ripe age of seven and one half, a new need to take more responsibility for starting her own morning, heading downstairs, turning on the heat, and finding her breakfast.  I can't complain for this new movement, but is does leave me a bit nostalgic for the days that I was a bit more needed.

Now the day is seriously underway and I am trying to right my sails and figure out just what needs to be done.  The chickens are cared for, but the guinea pigs still need their cage to be cleaned out.  A quiche is in the oven, but I have not yet started a new batch of hard cider.  The list of done and undone is spread out before me, and I may need some more fortification before I can jump on board.

It will be a busy day.

A great night and a early morning...

It was a good evening.  A very good evening.

The kids had been planning it all day.  Since around ten in the morning yesterday, my son was asking "is it time?".  The sun may have still been shining, but he didn't want to be late.  He put on his pajamas at one in the afternoon and started packing his bag.  Heavens, even my daughter came around and began to admit she was excited.

Where were we going, you ask?  Why, the local elementary school for movie night, of course.

See, it is a great affair.  Families from all around gather together and pull up space in the gym.  The floor is decorated in a patchwork of blankets, quilts and Pillow Pets.  Kids arrive clad in pajamas and dig into burgers and hot dogs purchased on site.  It is something that my children love. Delightfully organized chaos.  The kids run about before the start of the movie and during intermission, enjoying the sheer joy of being in the school after hours and in their pajamas.  The parents gather and chat.  Snacks flow in plentiful abundance.  It is good times.

I am really loving this community and the way you can just sit down and join up.  As a matter of fact, upon walking in the gym door, I got the "Hey Lee Ann!" call and was motioned over by one of the volunteer mothers.  They were needing a parent volunteer to help with the recycling and composting program for the cafeteria and thought I might be interested.  And I am...just need to know some details on the where and when....and how I am going to fit it in between tax returns...but we will get there. 

But, like all good things, the fun did come to an end.  At 2:35am, to be exact.  Right about when my daughter came down with the stomach bug that has been haunting the corners of this house.  I will spare you the details - it wasn't pretty.  And now that she has fully exhausted herself, and is starting to doze off, I am finding some reprieve as I ready to prep another espresso and consider some work.  Naps will come later.  Many, many naps. 

It was a great night, but a very early morning...

Technical difficulties....

I have tech issues.

This dang old computer is positively refusing to let me navigate to more than two web screen before it is freezing up.  This ole guy is slowing me down!

I am beginning to wonder if it is trying to send me a message.

Each morning, I am in a battle to do quite a bit. 

I get up way before the roosters (not that we have any...nasty old buggar), to make my husband's breakfast and pack his lunch.  Once he is on his way to work, it is a mad dash to care for all of the pets (including the chickens, 'cause, in our house, those ladies are never going to be dinner....), start some wash, deal with dishes, consider vaccuuming (and then settle on sweeping, since it doesn't require lugging a big machine around), and getting dressed.  Then it is time for the kids to get up. 

And I am sure you can imagine what that entails. 

And the end of it all, I can't wait to finally land at the office, 'cause they let me sit down there.  And I do so appreciate sitting down.  It is a good place to be.

Once the work day is done, it is the 45 minute drive home (longer, of course, when the Vermont weather decides to act up), during which I eat popcorn, which in turn is considered dinner, and land home just in time to get the kids to bed.

Once they are tucked away, it is off to the treadmill for 30 minutes, then a quick shower, and back to bed.

Then we get up the next time and do it again!

My life has become a race from morning to night.

Why is that?

And could the computer be telling me something?  By freezing up, is it telling me to slow down, enjoy the moments, exist in each second of each day instead of constantly planning the next one?

Or is the dang old computer breaking?  'Cause that would really mess up my rhythm! ;)

Just a thought.... ;)

6am...

It is 6am.

The calm before the storm.

Does everyone else have this period of time?  You know, that small matter of minutes between when you finish your morning chores and the kids wake up?  That tiny period of time when you can sneak just one more cup of coffee before it all takes off at a flying leap?

I love this moment.  It never lasts long, and frankly, some mornings, it doesn't exist at all, but it is beautiful when it is here.  The time is yours, and is only halted by the sound of feet hitting floor up above you.  That's when the mad dash to be the first to get down stairs, the first for the biggest blanket, the ONE who gets the blue cup...when it all begins.

I know that I should fill this time for productive events.  Or at least eat breakfast.  But the cup of coffee and banana from 4:30 will have to do for now.  'Cause I am not getting off this couch until the house wakes up.  The kids are sleeping and the animals are cared for.  And for now, that is enough.

All is quiet.

Zucchini Bread on a crazy day....

Hi everyone!!  It is Monday yet again...we are joining in with Tonya at Plain and Joyful Living, for the Handmade Holiday

-AND (!!!)-

with Emily at The Nest for Craft♥Advent.

So, the weekend started really great - visits to family and friends, creative time with the kiddos....come Sunday afternoon, it got downright crazy.

It all started just as we got the cookbook out...

And consulted our favorite recipe for Zucchini Bread....

Last summer for a bumper crop of Zucchini, so plenty ended up shredded and put up for the winter. 

And on Sunday, into the microwave it went to defrost for Zucchini Bread....a recipe from Ms. Crocker that is soooo good, even my kids will eat it!!

However, just as the microwave finished however, it came to my attention that there was a growing puddle of water under the fridge....and then after a dash to the bathroom, we saw that that floor was soaked....and then after flinging ourselves at high speeds down to the basement, we found that it was raining.

Raining!

So, long story very short....the washer malfunctioned, hence soaking a good portion of my house, which in turn allowed for the zucchini to finish defrosting...Glass half full, right? ;)

And after 3 additional hours, all was mixed up and into the oven it went!

All ready for holiday gifting!

For more organized and less crazy holiday crafting and fun, head on over to Tonya's site, Plain and Joyful Living and Emily's at The Nest for Craft♥Advent.

I will see you there!

    

Preparing for tomorrow...

Friday evening has arrived, and it seems as though the work has just begun.  The start to our holiday gifting season hits "GO" tomorrow.  And this fact is made very obvious by the current state of my house.

I arrived home, groceries in hand, only to toss the frozen pizzas to my eagering awaiting husband, so he could begin our "dinner".  Then once any other warm bodies had cleaned out of the kitchen, I was up and moving.  Pizza out, cookies in, quiche in, cookies out, more quiche in...frankly, at this point, I just hope I got the temperatures right....  it all looks OK....I guess...;)

But either way, it is all in process...

But right now, as dishes are covering the counter and cookies are once again in the oven, I am taking a break.  I have three crochet projects in the wings and a cat guarding them all ;) 

And yes, that is the orange soon-to-be blanket of my son...and it is looking like a grannie square...but, someday, it will grow up to be a real blanket!

Wishing everyone a wonderful start to the weekend... :)

A surprisingly difficult day...

It was an unexpectedly difficult day.

Very unexpected.

I had such high hopes, and such good plans.  My daughter was off with her father to a holiday event, so it was just me and my little man.

And we were going to hit the streets!  Santa, afterall, was holding court in the next town over.  And we were ready to chat up the man in red.

My little man was excited and dressed in his very best attire (charcoal gray sweatpants and a logo StarWars t-shirt - he is all of 6 after all) to meet his soon to be BFF. 

We were going to drop my daughter off for her event, then stop by a craft store (not a pleasure visit, but a necessity...a tailoring affair gone awry and needing immediate assistance...), drop by his fav fast food chain (ugh!  shudders....a very rare occasion, indeed), and then off to the big event.

But, this momma screwed up.  I got the time wrong, and as we were getting into town, then event was ending...and then I couldn't even figure out where we were supposed to go even if we were on time!

It was awful.

Truely awful.

My little man was so upset, crying and then yelling at me.  And I felt SO bad that I couldn't help but to start crying too!  Right there, in a parking lot of a pharmacy.  We must have been quite the sight.

But, a few minutes (and a call to my mother....what can I say?  She will always be my topnotch go-to person), later, we were back on the road, heading to a local diner for a late lunch of chocolate chip pancakes and chocolate milk.

Chocolate is healing.

And, after our glorious meals, we headed down the street and rented us a movie.

So, you ask, did we save the day?  I don't know. 

But, my little man went to bed happily...and I hope to do the same in an hour or so...and we may both dream of Smurfs running through the streets.

So, I guess that is a success of sorts...

Just not the way we planned...

Memories flying by....

How is it that the days fly by so quickly?  It is seems to defy principles of physics, or gravity, or common sense....I don't know....but it does.

It is nearly the holidays - Solstice is around the corner, and it will be speedily followed up by our family's holiday celebrtions.  The kids are older this year, and will be enjoying and participating in full force... 

But soon, we will blink and it will be over.

And we will have all sorts of thoughts of things we meant to do...but never quite got around to it.  People we meant to call...but we never picked up the phone.

We borrow hours with one hand and provide with the other, and try to make the cookies with the time inbetween.

But, I would just like it to slow down.

Way down.

So far down, so that my husband and I don't find that at the end of the day, our joined comment is "oh, and here we are again".  'Cause, some times, the day just passes through the hours inbetween with no help from us.

And I am not OK with that.

I want to remember everything.  Each snap shot of life, each throw back and snappy comment by the short ones of the family. 

I want all of these memory shots to be filed away for years to come, so that when that time does come, when the days are less full and we learn to breathe and relax, I can sit down and flip through those memories, and see all of the joy and venture that we created in our little world.

And so, we start by just focusing on each moment, each detail, and make sure that we are fully engaged, fully involved, and completely in our world.  Because each moment is important.

Each and every one. .

Mad scientist, or just plain mad?

OK, so I might be a tad bit crazy, but this is my newest attempt to get fit and multitask...

I have high hopes.  A recumbent exercise bike, crossed with bar stools, crossed with a piece of an unused desk, crossed with belts that I rarely wear....makes for a very productive piece of furniture.

And now I have no excuse not to exercise...or finish my holiday crafting...or get down with the numbers with some work at home.

Or get my blogging in...as I am doing now!

Kinda feel like I am getting my mad scientist on.

Happy Friday everyone!  Hoping you all have a (mad) productive day too!

And the weekend plans are.....?

It is Friday, and while I normally have some sort of an idea of what the weekend will bring at this point, I just can't keep it straight.

Hence waking at 5 am, eons before I hope to hear another member of this family walking the floor boards above me.  It is time to figure out what, exactly, is the plan.

Today is a day of work at the office - starting early, but ending at the banking hour of 5pm.  Not bad for a CPA enveloped in very busy part of the year! 

But, at 5, the day is not nearly over.  The son will be dropped off to me and we are heading out to a birthday party (please, oh please, don't let me forget to wrap the present!).  When the evening is through, it is onward home, and probably straight to bed.

Saturday will start with our often weekly fun of a play/crochet/garden date with nearby friend and her children.  She is the one embarking on next years garden extravaganza with us, so we are working hard to prep and get ready.  After the morning fun is through, it will be time to feed my little people, and then up the street we will walk, pumpkins in hand, for a pumpkin carving party!  And, if that wasn't enough fun, the evening will bring a Halloween party at the local elementary school.

I am exhausted just thinking of it!

Moving on to Sunday, I think the only event on tap is a playdate at a nearby playground.  Which, now that I write this, I am remembering that I should reconfirm with the other participants.....

And mixed in with all of this, I need to clean this house (and I didn't even mention the mouse I found in my home office!!  Cleaning time!), get some cooking done, organize for a party that we are hosting next weekend, and get several hours of more professional work done from home (please let there be no more mice in my home office....).

I am a bit dizzy from it all.

Maybe I will just go back to bed.  Think that will help?

No?  I didn't think so...

Happy Friday everyone!

A bit of the unexpected....

So, the weekend hasn't quite turned out the way that I have planned....

And I have a skunk who may want to be my pet.

But, I get ahead of myself...

We had thought that we would be working on the expanded garden this weekend.  See, our garden is currently about 20 ft by 50 ft, or 1,000 square feet.

Next year, it will be a quarter of an acre.  Huge!  And I can't wait, so I want to get a start on it.  My husband hired someone in the area to come a rototil the area this weekend.  Once complete, we are heading out to start raising beds and adding compost for spring.

But, it appears that many others had the same idea....and the person is very busy....and may not be here for several weeks.

So, the garden is on hold. 

Then, on Friday evening, my daughter received an invite to a birthday party on Saturday.  Needless to say, we did not have anything for the little girl who was having the celebration. 

And my daughter wanted to give her something homemade.  So, I went to the bag to see what was a on the hooks....and found a baby blanket in process. 

So, with a bit of inspiration, the blanket was turned into a purse for the little girl.  And, to go into the purse, my daughter crafted a paper cat....and then we whipped up a matching hat.  Needless to say, no pictures were taken of the hat, as I was literally tying it off as I was telling the kids to get in the van and buckle up....

The day that followed was great - just me and my son, foot loose and fancy free.  We visited the local video store, we hung out at the library....great times!  And the evening was finished out with my completion of slippers to felt in the morning!

However, that didn't quite work out....I tried to felt them...but only thought that I was working with pure wool.  But, having lost the label a long time ago, I was obviously wrong.  And now I have some super large grey slipper shapes....Not quite the plan.

And to go full circle, I now have a skunk in the hay shed.  And he doesn't seem to be in any great hurry to move out. 

So, everything in the hay shed is all over the chicken yard, the kids are barred from the backyard, the chickens probably ran away and moved in with the neighbors, and we have a play date starting in 45 minutes!!!!  And that doesn't even include the son that refuses to get dressed, but is asking me to call his friend's mother every 5 minutes to find out when they will be here.

So....I will finish my breakfast, make another cup of coffee, and take a deep breath.

What's the worse that can happen?  A pet skunk isn't the end of the world, right? ;)

A list to tackle....

So....it is Friday again.

And I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.

But excited....

It just occurred to me how much I need to get done over the next few days...makes working at the office look easy.

It is currently 5:30 am, and I been up for over an hour.  The husband has been fed, packed, and is off to work.  While I should be up and active, I am instead crocheting yet another pair of slippers - this time in a bulky gray wool that I *hope* to be ready to felt much later today....

What I should be doing, however, is much more....

-laundry needs to be folded and put away...
-dishwasher should be emptied and loaded again....
-cat litter needs to be changed....
-chickens need to be let out of the coop, and the freshed with food, clean water, and fresh hay for bedding....
-school fundraiser information need to be reviewed for Christmas present possibilities...
-expanded garden needs to be staked in case the rototiller arrives today...

And of course, the kids need to be up in less than an hour, I need to get my tush in gear for a day at the office, and we need to be out the door by 7:30am.

So, I am left wondering, why am I sitting here, writing and crocheting, when so much needs to be done?

Well, I can think of several reasons, first being that this blog is a bit of my mind's filter.  Once I type this all out, the list looks clearer and more managable.  I may not be able to get it all done before we need to leave for the day, but the key items will be handled and the rest will be ready to tackle once we arrive back home in the evening.

Second....well, I really like to crochet.  Like, really.  So, of course it is what I want to do in the morning! 

However, I have been thinking a bit more about what I am making....  See, I have a husband and two kids, but the husband has absolutely no interest in anything handmade and the kids already have lots. And I love to make little things, like hats and small blankets, but I run out of recipients.... 

So, I am thinking about opening a small Etsy store, and maybe selling a few items.  I know very little about selling handmade items, and have only been a buyer via Etsy, but is is fun to contemplate.  Something else to ponder....

But in the meantime, I must stop pondering the future and get moving.  It is now 5:40am and my window of opportunity to be productive before the kids awake is growing smaller and smaller each moment.

Yikes!  Gotta go!

Mutiny with cats....

Today, Spike (our cat) need to go to the vet for shots.  And he is having none of that.

I have just received the call from home saying that

1) Spike is too big for our cat carrier (crap!  I never thought of that!)

-and-

2) after the husband tried to take him in the old guinea pig cage (which obviously did not work), Spike revolted, escaped, and has now taken to hiding.

There is mutiny on the homestead!

What a way to start a Friday.....

Remember to breathe...

The internet connection is slow...

I feel that I should rise above this, but today is not the day....This day was chock full and we were moving at hyper speed, scarcely taking a breath at intermissions. 

We rose in the morning, tended to the kids, the chickens, the furred friends...and once assembled, we headed to our property on the other side of town.  We mowed, we weedwacked, we used the crazy big chain saw...and now we nearly have a camp site and a path to the pond.

We got back home, only to shower and change and ready for a visit from the in-laws.  The husband had a birthday during the work week, and it was time to celebrate.  A trip into town and dinner at a family-friendly restaurant, and we were moving again...this time to the grocery store...then the gas station...and then home to put everything away and settle the kids in for the night.

It feels like the day was a complete rush-rush-rush kind of day.  Had I of remembered to take a deep breath and look around, I would have found more joy and less hurry in it.  But I forgot, I worried about productivity and getting everything done, and now I am back on the couch settling in for the end of the night.  And I am still rushing around in my mind and feeling annoyed by the slow internet connection.

This is a problem.

This is not the plan.

This craziness can not continue.  It is time to live in the moment, and truely experience each one.  Because the day is full, but it is also beautiful, and that beauty can not be ignored.

So, I will go to bed and awake to a new day.  And remember to slow down...and breathe.

Welcome to Friday evening...

I am home.

It should be peaceful.  And it is...kinda of...in a loud kind of way...

The kids are running about in a barely constrainted excitement - the kind that occurs after a full day with the Daddy.  And he is much the same.  They are all excited to go to a local playground after dinner.

Dinner will be interesting.  In an entire garden, we have one head of cauliflower.  It is currently roasting in oven, complete with tomato and garlic, and a bit of dill.  It smells good, if nothing else ;)  It will be pared with some veggies burgers - a nice change from eggs. 

It was a big week.  The husband had a birthday and the son graduated preschool.  The kids had several playdates, and the house was actually cleaned.  And, if that wasn't enough, I even went to work!  And now, I have a head cold....which, I think is entirely unfair.  No one should get a cold in the summer.  It just doesn't make sense!  But that is neither here nor there...

I am very excited for next Friday.  I have reconnected with several of my closest friends from high school, and next Friday, it looks like everyone may be in town and available.  And we are hitting the town!  Not that I really know what that means anymore...what do people do after 8 at night on a Friday?  Personally, that it is time that I finish up the dishes and head upstairs for a hot bath.  And what to people wear out in the evening?  These are questions to tackle...

But, in the meantime, I will finish the dinner prep, and ready for the evening playground romp.  And then try to figure out how to cram more of the garden bounty into the freezer.  And don't forget the laundry....

Tomorrow, I shall hide in the garden! 

Wishing everyone a joyful Friday evening ;)

More time please!

There are some days when the world just takes hold. 

This is one of those days...

So much to do, and so very little time to do it...

Do you think the summer might slow down if I asked really, REALLY nicely?  Just a bit, not too much....you know....just an extra month or so.

See!  I am really not asking for too much.  Just some more time in the garden, more time for the homestead, more time with the kids....not to even mention, more time at the office!

I hear the Donald Trump lives on 3 hours of sleep per night....wonder what his secret is....

Off to the fair...

So, I slept in to 4:30 this morning, and am now trying to get things done, complete with kids running circles around the house.  They know that we are heading to the county fair today, and I think that the knowledge has energized them.  I wish such energy was contagious....

This will be a busy, busy day.  I have taken time off from work for a long weekend, and it will be filled to the brim.  We have a weekend of friends and visits planned, and my kitchen is covered with supplies, baked goodies, dishes...etc.... the list goes on and goes.  Shortly, I will convince myself, and my kids, that it is time to change from our sleepwear and find something presentable-ish for the day...  Only "ish" though, because we are heading for land of dirt, animals, and fair food.

This will be my first time at this county fair.  I have been warned that it is very "Ag", and I couldn't be happier!  I think that the warning might have been to discourage me, but it certainly didn't work.  Now I can't wait to meet people and see who is raising/breeding/growing what.  I hope to get some great pictures and learn alot from others who have been moving in the path a whole lot longer than us.

Now, it is time to get a move on!

Enjoy the crazy, busy day y'all!

Holy basil!

Basil has taken over the homestead.  It is all you can smell, it covers every surface, and soon, it will have to end up in every dish we make.....'cause that may be the only way we can use it all....

Yesterday, upon arriving home from the lake party we attended at mid-day, I cowgirled up and headed out to the garden.  If I didn't act fast, the basil would completely bolt....and then, I had no idea what to do with it.  At the end of the hour, I had three huge grocery bags full of basil, and another bag filled to the brim with kale, rainbow chard, cucumbers, and zucchini. 

After nearly two hours in the kitchen yesterday evening, I had washed, chopped, and put up one bag of the basil.  The rest would have to wait for today.  I was exhausted!

And now, it is today....I have not yet started on the harvest, and am a bit curious of what else might be waiting on the vine this morning....  The edamame is getting closer to pick-ready every day, and I can't wait to snack on those pods.  With a little luck, I might even get the kids interested.  Well, maybe....

It is going to be one of those crazy-busy days, I know...  We have four other kiddos coming over for a play date with my two.  On top of that, my house is screaming for attention.  Someday, I will install a big hinge on the side, so I can just open the whole thing up, shake it out and hose it down with a garden hose.  Until that day...well, the cleaning must be done.

But to start, I will get off the couch and grab those bags of basil.  And, if I get a big burst of energy, I may even travel down to the store this evening for some garlic and pine nuts.  We may have pesto afterall! 

But first, we must start with the basil...

Starting the day....

So, the sun has not yet risen, and I am stuck in the house. 

Well, not stuck, literally, as I could venture outside if I choose to...but I am fearful that the Mystery Predator is out there, waiting.  And, assuming that it is the animal that we think it is, it will not run in fear from me.  Brave little b#st%rd.....

So, I wait in inside, knowing that time is wasting, but that the Feathered Ladies are safe.  I wish so very much that I could take advantage of these early morning hours by putting in some extra hours garden-side...but it just isn't going to happen.

My mind is trying to make a list of all that need to get done today, but it is just working through half-lists and then giving up.  Coffee has not fully hit the energy stream yet, and all is futile until that happens.  We are off to a baseball game today with the kids and some friends.  "Making the memories", as my husband says....which makes sense...and the kids are overjoyed at the prospect.

I do wonder why, however, my kids are always so eager to leave the homestead.  Most mornings are started with the question of "where are we going today?".  Often that question is answered by "school", "camp", "work"....and they aren't terribly picky.  They just seem to want to make sure that an activity is planned. 

I wonder if I was like that as I child.  As an adult, I yearn for time at home.   A week day that is not followed by an additional activity (i.e. errands) often seems like a race to the finish, where the reward is unplanned time at home.  The kids do not seem to like that reward.

But, that is all of no matter today, as an activity is planned, and I only need to garner the energy to rise from the couch and begin working through the day.

Maybe another cup of coffee will help.....

I need a nap....

Today was one of those great, yet insanely busy days.  My day off....

We started the morning at 4:15am, making coffee and sending the husband off with his packed breakfast and lunch, ready for the work day.  Next up was the consumption of extreme quantities of coffee, followed by a work project.

As 5:30am rolled in, along with the fog, it was outside to let the chickens out, drag the trash and recycling curbside, and some early morning gardening.  This was closely followed by waking kids, more breakfast to make, and a bit more gardening (gotta sneak it in where we can...)

By 8am, we were on the road to our first appointment, and were made late by the crossing of a large herd of dairy cows.  Once our early morning visit was complete, it was back home to get ready for the first playdate of the day.  In this brief intermission, I was able to find time to weedwack some tall grass and to care for the guinea pigs and cats.

Then it was off to the pool party and lunch playdate with some new friends.  A completely lovely time, complete with some grown person chatting (a rare event).

After lunch it was back home, where more gardening was done, and we readied for the next event.  This was a mixed bag of a playdate drop off, followed by some volunteer work at a local farm.  Once the farm chores were complete, it was back to pick up the daughter from her event.

We lucked out at the pick up, as I was able to indulge in more grown up chatting (!!) with a new friend, and was even welcomed to peek in and see their chickens and their awesome handmade chicken coop and yard.  Jealousy, thy name is Lee Ann...

The day was rounded out with a meet & greet for the kindergarten class at the school playground.  And then we were home.

At that is where we are now, perched on my bed, as my son builds bubble castles in the tub to my right, and my daughter is eating a late dinner downstairs.

It was a good day.

A great day.

And I need a nap.....