Stopping

It was kind of like stopping to smell the roses.

Friday morning, after a day of thankful overeating and glorious bouts of sloth, Chris and I got up early and drove the kids to the Central Market playground for some family exercise. Well, the kids climbed and ran and slid, while we stood around marveling and taking pictures, but compared to the previous day's activities that was a workout for us.

Because it was only 9:30am when we got there, we had the run of the place. It was so quiet that every time a bird cawed, the Lil' Man looked up and said "Wass at sound Mama?"

After tiring of the playground, the Lil' Man got to wandering down the dirt path that leads around the duck pond behind the play area. Z soon followed and so did Chris. Not wanting to be left behind, I grabbed my purse and set off after them. Because they were about ten paces ahead of me, I got to watch them from a distance. And for some reason, on that morning, and due to the clarity of my brain these days, the sight of my beautiful family walking down the path together took my breath away. They looked like such a family, with my children's blonde mess of hair mirroring their father's sandy blonde mess, they seemed like such obvious descendants. And I just felt so lucky right then. So lucky that it made me dizzy inside. It was the highlight of the weekend for me, that ability to notice what I have and, for once, to not want anything more.

What I'm more thankful for than anything this year is that I have the luxury to enjoy those moments and that I can see them more clearly now than I ever have.

Thanks

This is going to be a quickly written stream of consciousness list of thanks, because if I don't write it that way, I have a tendency to get schmaltzy and I'm not in the mood for schmaltzy at this very moment, but I am in the mood to write a blog post and we just can't wait for both to happen simultaneously or this post would never get written so here goes.

I'm thankful that my cleaning service came today.

I'm thankful that the weather has been gorgeous, like Southern California gorgeous, here in Austin for nearly two months now.

I'm thankful for the old friends who have stuck by me all these years, and the new ones I've made recently who are making a huge difference in my life.

I'm thankful that everyone in my family is healthy and close enough to be reached by car.

I'm thankful that my new business has given me some breathing room at a time when I've needed it most.

I'm thankful my husband hasn't done something stupid enough to kill him and that he still seems to love me on most days and that I still find him charming and lovable and handsome most of the time.

I'm thankful my husband is all those things and he also cooks.

I'm thankful I don't mind doing dishes.

I'm thankful there is still Halloween candy in that little bowl on top of the fridge.

I'm thankful that I'm sleeping really well these days.

I'm thankful for the good Montessori school the kids are going to and that we can afford to send them there (for now).

I'm thankful for our next door neighbor's great style in clothes for her daughter and her generosity in handing them down to mine so that she can be stylish by the luck of geography.

I'm thankful for Nick Jr. but I thought Noggin was more fun to say.

I'm thankful I get to live under the big, Texas sky.

Fire

It's finally cold in Texas. Can I get a hallelujah? So cold in fact that Chris came home with some Duraflame logs and lit a fire in the fireplace.

Prompting the Lil' Man, thinking it was a giant birthday candle, to stand in front of the fireplace trying to blow it out.

Mitten Australia Piggy Ribbon

Z, now 3 1/2, is starting to draw things that actually look like things. While this may look like a person to you (albeit, a cartoonish one), Z swears it's a monkey. And when I ask her what the monkey's name is, she busts out with "Mitten Australia Piggy Ribbon." No hesitation precedes her answer. As if I should know this already. Duh, Mom.

So, I'd like to introduce you to Mitten Australia Piggy Ribbon.

While I'm scratching my head wondering where she gets this random sense of creativity, I realize that Mitten Australia Piggy Ribbon sounds a bit like Princess Consuela Banana Hammock and that my friends have always told me that I remind them of another more famous "Friend" known as Phoebe.

And then I realize there's a fine line between airheadedness and creativity, though it more closely resembles creativity when I see it in my offspring.

Quote of the day

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

--Samuel Beckett

Starting Over

If you enjoyed last night's Season Finale of Mad Men, read my review of it here.

Sorry I didn't mention you, Joan. Perhaps it's because your fabulousness has become a given.

New baby in the family

There's a new baby in the family. Not my immediate family, but into our circle of friends a new baby girl was born this week. My daughter Z, who is 3 1/2, knows this family well. They come over often and new baby girl's older brother runs laps across the house with Z and the Lil' Man while they giggle themselves into hiccups. New baby girl's mother and I find our own entertainment in driving the men crazy with talk of prearranged marriages.

And now there's a fourth member to their little gang.

On Wednesday, the day she was born, I told Z and the Lil' Man the good news while we were driving home from school.

ME: Oh, Z, guess what. M had her baby today.

Z: You mean she came out of her tummy?

ME: Yes she did. And you know what that means?

Z: What?

ME: It means you have a brand new friend.

Z: (dramatic pause for mustering of nonsensical insight)

Z: (big smile, like literally from ear to ear)

Z: Oh! I know her!