I’d like to give a shout out to our favorite Gramma in OH!  How wonderful is it to be in driving distance to all grandparents?  I absolutely love that my kids will benefit from close relationships to them.  It is lifesaving to have Lissa a two hour drive away to visit and play and help me out in innumerable ways.  Here’s why:

1.  She is awesome, all-around.

2.  She brings food when she comes.

3.  She is up for any type of play:  outside, inside, upside-down.

4.  She stayed with the kids, solo, while I was in the hospital with Emmy.  That’s amazing!

5.  She is so interesting!

6.  Refer to #1.

Today she arrived and because it is the most most most beautiful day, we were outside for much of the time.  Lily and I led her to the stream (Emmy was along, too), then she and Lily did puzzles and now everyone is jumping in leaves.  We all love you, Lissa! xoxo

Lily crept into bed around 5:45 and whispered in my ear, “Are you excited for the Tea Party today?” and although I may not have been too excited at that time, I was excited to take both girls to the event later in the morning.  Preparations began in earnest by 9:30.  Outfits, shoes, jewelry, makeup and hair…then some pictures and Emmy held up the production by needing a nearly complete outfit change right as we were leaving.  It was so cute, the whole thing.   The people at the Pine Community Center have impressed me at each special event we’ve participated in.  We were greeted by some grown up princesses and led to our table.  After that we were free to choose an activity to work on; we started with jewelry making and then moved  over to cookie decorating…a first course, I guess, for Royal Teas. A couple of cute rotating activities later, with newly painted nails and a delightful crown, it was time for lunch.  It was a very fun way to spend a Saturday, just girls.

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Because the weather was so cooperative, after Ollie woke up everyone went to the playground.  It was super fun.  Running around, getting away from the Dinosaur {Sam}, and general energy expenditure.  I couldn’t ask for a better day.  Thankful, that’s me.

I love that we found a house with space to run and the woods to explore. The kids love it, too! Due to the fairly mild weather today and the fact that Lily didn’t have school, we all needed to get out and RUN and bike and play. Emmy cooperated with a long afternoon nap (I think she is really starting to organize her sleep; two long stretches of sleep a day plus lots of cat naps). We played ice cream parlor, Lily introduced me to Michelle and Mookie (where’s Melinda, that’s what I wanna know!), and hide and seek. It was during my seeking Ollie that I happened to brush behind his ear and felt something weird. After further investigation, a blasted bloodsucking tick was discovered. Gross. Totally gross. The first one to be on him for longer than I wanted. I attempted to extricate it but I’m no doctor and the head would not come out. We ended up at “Dada’s hospital” in the ER. My kids are awesome:complimented a couple of times on their behavior. Not what we wanted to do on a nice Friday afternoon but I’m grateful today for fine medical care, that care being convenient, and family-friendly health insurance to use.

The smiles, laughter, goofiness, and fun I get to have with my family.

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The Storm forced a rescheduled Trick or Treat.  The Cheer-a-leader (how she says it) and Football Player went around the cul-de-sac with Sam and filled up their bags with loot.  It was a freezing night-much different than last year in CA-but they had fun.  I got to run across the street to our nice neighbors with Lily when they got back.  Now each night they can choose one piece of candy.  But only if they run around before Elmo Time.  🙂 

Sometimes we all need reminders.  The kids certainly do.  And sometimes the grown-ups do, too.  I just got a reminder and I am really grateful for it.  I needed it.  Sometimes you get blind or forgetful to your own greatness.  And your goodness.  I know as I continue raising these kids I may be asking them this question a lot.  I hope I can remember to ask it of them without anger, not in anger, but to really hear what they think ads they move through their life.  As their mom, I have to love them through everything but I want them to also feel that whatever they are or where ever they find themselves in their own journey, its okay and they will be okay.

What else today?  I am so thankful to have time with Oliver alone.  Its hard to find one on one time with him now that he is becoming such an interesting and outspoken little fellow.  Not a lot of quiet time to play and hang out without a big sister or little sister around.  Today we spent time doing some art, using a sensory box of rice, and putting away clothes.  Then he got into Sam’s hair paste.  I guess Sam put some in his hair this morning and, well, Ollie wanted to do it himself this afternoon.  He globbed this much into his hair in the one minute I was in the laundry room getting more clothes to fold.  Bath night!!

Just a quick one today:  I am grateful for the ability to choose our leaders-even if the choices aren’t that great.  And specifically, I am grateful that even though there was a huge line to vote this morning at our local high school stadium, kindly people let me and Emmy and Ollie jump to the front of the line so I could get in and out without a lot of wailing (me, not the kids:-).  That’s the way to do politics—less vitriol, more generosity of spirit!

Last week at this time, we were preparing to batten the hatches and ride out the Frankenstorm.  Early in the morning we went to Target for supplies (water and milk) and I spent the day freezing bags to ice and filling up containers with water and checking batteries in the flashlights…oh, and learning to light our fireplace.  I’m so glad I did it since that is probably the reason we didn’t lose power.  Today I am grateful for being safe and sound and staying dry and warm.

About a week and a half ago, Lily met a milestone that every child must.  Alone with scissors, she gave herself a haircut.  Her bangs.  Right in the middle of her forehead.  It was subtle at first when I realized what she had done and now I am used to it so it doesn’t seem too bad but there is a large and very short section of bang that will take some time to grow back in.  Doesn’t bother her at all.

I dont know if it was the time change or what but LittleWee #3 was bundled and sent to bed by around 9.  I didn’t hear from her again until 3AM.  Wha?!?  Yes.  And it was ACTUALLY 4 because my iPad had already “fallen back”.  Does this one belong to me????  Of course, from 3-6 when I just decided to get up I didn’t sleep much but still….

Today, otherwise, was a little trying.  It has  just been LONG.  Right now it is “really” 5:30 but we are still playing and watching tv.  As we have been doing all day.  But this is about gratitude for the next month so…

I am very grateful the for the long stretch of sleep!  Also for the sweetness of my children-how Lily and Ollie both pretend like gymnasts, cake bakers and painters…oh, and today, Ollie was a fire starter (don’t worry-it was just play doh).  I appreciate Lily’s desire to always help or play or cuddle.  Today she gave me a pedicure–the most colorful one I’ve ever had!  

After a good night’s sleep, I am grateful for 7AM {or later} wake up days, kids who request boiled eggs and lots of fruit and vegetables for lunch, and who also understand that there were no desserts during the day since it was Trick or Treating tonight.  Also, I am really thankful for exercise.  I got to take a very, very cold walk today, half with Lily who braved the weather, and I thought about my Baby Boot Camp I used to do in California.  That was probably one of the best things I did for myself as a mom.  It was such a great outlet for stress, it really was a hard workout, it whipped me into shape after Ollie and I met so many nice mommies.

It is such a pleasure to watch the kids grow.  Lily is getting really super at puzzles and to watch her concentrate and focus and figure out where everything belongs~well, it is really interesting and fills me with pride.  Ollie is also getting interested in building things with blocks-especially towers.  I remember at a doctor check with Lily when she was young and I was asked if she was stacking blocks.  {she wasn’t doing it–we weren’t doing it}  Like a crazy first time mom, I went home and we worked on that skill…because I thought it must be important if it was a milestone the doctor asked about…{sigh}.  Emmy is just improving on sleeping.  For which, you guessed it, I am very grateful!

Off to prep for TRICK OR TREAT!!!