Gratitude

I told myself I wouldn't stay up late, I said I'd only work on the photo book until 11. Oh, well.  As our holiday is completed and we're back into the fray tomorrow I thought it appropriate to post a gratitude list.

A--Apple-pear-ginger pie that was Awesome
B--Baby Boys Bouncing and humming, and Babysitters
C--Christmas season is here, Cinnamon and Cookies
D--Dining with Dear ones, and Dates stuffed with goat cheese
E--Evergreens, Especially the one soon to grace my home
H--Housework, yes Housework, 'cause it means I have a Home
I--Indigo for it's many shades of jeans
J--Joy, that I have it every day in some form or other
K--Kites that little children make, and Knitting that I now Know how
L--Light, that without it I mightn't could type, but then maybe poorly
M--Moon so bright on crisp clear nights
N--Nonsense and gibberish blurted belligerently
O--Orange zest making cranberries bright
P--People People all around
Q--Queries and Questions from inQuisitive young minds
R--rain
S--Stomach issues, though uncomfortable and stinky, at least I'm slim : /
T--Turkey and the pot pies I've skill to make
U--Underwear, that I have clean pairs to spare
V--Very Vociferous Voices constantly clamoring, I'll miss them one day
W--Water, hot and cold running water indoors
X--Xenophilia
Y--yo-yo's that keep little hands busy
Z--Zoo Lights a holiday treat one night.

Happy happy sleep tonight.

Great Thanks Given

To our quietly simple Thanksgiving holiday (that I kept meaning to post about).
Thanks given all around, it was too fun reveling in the sweetness of talkative and excited little girls at our small overflowing table.  It was a blessing and we are blessed.

Many topics to address as much has happened, I know I'll get on this eventually, what with new pregnancy it seems even small things are pretty tiring lately.

Happy, joyful, free.
A

Thank You Gratitude

I'm likening gratitude to a steam engine.  Some days it's challenging to get it going, the wheels might slip with that initial forward chug, but once the momentum has gotten the best of the weight of my activities, gratitude is self perpetuating.  This moment gives birth to the next.  If I fill this moment with gratitude, the next moment can't help but bring blessings.

A is for abilities, of which I have many (apple pie, too, I made for The Man's birthday).
B is for bounty, which will be on our table this Thursday.
C is for cat, Porter is older than the kids. <3
D is for downward dog, yoga-yoga-yoga.
E is for Toddleator E, whose bright silliness fills our moments with giggles.
F is for Miss Monkey, whose imagination, energy, and intensity are sparks through the day.
G is for gymnastics coaches who take my Bigger Girl and have aided teaching her strength and determination.
H is for help, and knowing when to ask for it.
I is for me, and the I Am that I Am.
J is for juggling, 'cause one day I'll know how.
K is for kites.
L is for love, that really does conquer all.
M is for magnets as grateful hearts collect blessings.
N is for night, when those babies are sleeping.
O is for others, those people that change me.
P is for pumpkin, with which I will bake.
Q is for quiche, because it's so tasty.
R is for ribbons for little girl hair.
S is for soup, 'cause Soup Season is here!
T is for The Man, he's totally tops I tell you!
U is for umbrella, as F is obsessed with them.
V is for vibration, and a higher frequency at that.
W is for water, running through my home.
X is for Ximena, who complimented my Spanish accent.
Y is for you, yes, I'm grateful, thankful, for you.

Road Trip

Captain Read-Every-Sign-Aloud-and-Comment-on-the-Obvious resumed his position of most honorable drive master.  Co-Captain/Navigator Designate Milk-Maker-Baby-Soother-Child-Distractor (wo)manned the co-pilot seat.  Then the Gigglesisters piled in the back seat, and we're off to grandparents house.

When she was 1.5 years Miss Monkey weathered the trip to Texas for grandparents visit with a video player, and by the time we arrived she was zombified.  This year we did it old school, no video.  Books on tape, music, coloring, staring out the window, giggling with the baby girl, and a view finder click-click-clicking away.  It's a 13.5 hour trip (~778 miles), we left at 3:30 am MST putting the girls in the car in hopes that they would sleep for a few hours before the day began, it worked mostly.  One tank later we stop for breakfast somewhere in New Mexico, then it's on the road again.  I estimate it was about 10am or so before we heard the first "Are we there yet?" plaintively from the back seat.  "No, it's a loooong drive to Gramma's & Grandpa's house.  Remember we looked on the map, and talked about how long the drive would be?  All day, remember?  Well, we're about half way there now."  

Then about an hour later, "Are we there YET?" suddenly we are entertained with, "I think you took a wrong turn, Papa.  We should be there by now."  Later interspersed with "When do we eat? I think we should stop at a restaurant."  This continues on into the afternoon, watching the miles and tiny towns roll away.  Eventually, sometime mid-afternoon, I think she surrendered to the car.  It's hard to teach a new person how to sleep in the car, too.  When I was little we took our favorite pillow and blanket and made a bed as best we could, elbowing each other out of the way, to be comfortable enough to sleep.  The more we slept the faster the trip went.  The First Born would have none of this sleeping in the car, I think she just couldn't get comfortable or she wasn't tired enough.  Baby E did great up until the last couple of hours when she had obviously had enough.  I spent that time twisted part-way 'round so she could have a hand to toy with, my guess, to know that she wasn't trapped back there without us.  On our way home---post refreshments and visit with Maui-Amarillo transplant buddies---the baby was fed, diapered, jammied and ready for "bed".  The bigger one fell asleep on cue for bedtime and stay asleep until we were almost to Denver, when, for whatever reason, she was wiiide awake at 11pm.  Miss Chatty-Chatskins, the content of which we understood very little, most of it was dream-conscious gibberish I think, and something about Chuck-E-Cheese.  She almost had a fit when I told her she had to go to bed immediately upon our arrival home.  Gone are the days when we could nurse our babies while the husbands drove, and kids calling dibs on the way-back seat could stretch out for the cruise.

We made it, in good time, and enjoyed our visits with everyone immensely.  Gratefully enjoying every moment.  Happy Thanksgiving.

p.s. when the family joke has become to comment on the "funny lookin' dawgs" in the vast cattle fields of Texas, it's best to surrender to the silliness.

Happy Halloween!

Two nights ago I "braved" the tail end of a recent storm to finish Fiona's Mermaid costume. The storm, while not a blizzard, dropped upwards of 18 inches of snow over two and a half days. Thursday last was Fiona's first sledding experience, woe to those who forget their cameras. It wasn't a very big hill, but it was a good sled with good friends and that's what really matters. Yesterday my little girl and I spent a solid hour smashing up the front yard snow building a snow-dinosaur-dragon & snow-fighting. I love the snow. Even though I shoveled 3 times in one day...I.Love.Snow.


Anyway, for a while before tonight with the costume in the works, Fiona has been chattering about "riding the dolphin at the zoo" and some mention of "a mermaid's saddle on the dolphin at the zoo." The first few times, I didn't get it. Then it finally dawned on me that she wanted to ride the dolphin at the zoo in her mermaid costume. OH! So that was our main mission today. Besides Boo at the Zoo, a definite bonus, we had to make it to the Carousel so Fiona could ride the dolphin as a mermaid. Mission accomplished.... ++candy.

Then we headed to Miss M's house for a small Halloween potluck. Always a pleasure to meet new people, and most definitely always fun to hang out with Miss M.




HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL!

Attitude of Gratitude

My gratitude list....

A is for apples, of the honey crisp sort.
B is for baking, my favorite comfort activity.
C is for coffee, lovely wonderful coffee.
D is for my daughter, teaching me more about myself everyday.
E is for evergreens, inside, outside, fragrant, & decorated.
F is for my family, who know where I came from, and support where I'm going.
G is for Gary, gregarious or grumpy.
H is for the horses next door.
I is for my imagination, kept invigorated by the Little Girl.
J is for joining another spectacular day.
K is for kindling, figuratively or literally the means to start a fire.
L is for laughter, without which my life would be morose.
M is for monkey soup, which Fiona likes to present for supper (Barrel of Monkeys anyone?)
N is for night, bright stars, brighter moon, crisp air.
O is for octopus, purely 'cause it's fun to listen to Fiona say it.
P is for pie, who doesn't love pie??
Q is for quarreling, sometimes it's the only way to learn something.
R is for running, then biking,
S is for swimming,
T is for triathlon, looking forward to another race!
U is for understanding, give a little get a little.
V is for validation, I like to know I'm not insane...doesn't everyone enjoy a little validation?
W is for water, the pervasive element that sustains all life.
X is for Nixie Knox, Axe, & Extra Fox.
Y is for 'Yes' which I hear less often than I'd like.
Z is for the zebra skin vintage bag I inherited from elders.

Not just for Thanksgiving! I discovered finding one word for every letter a super-useful tool when I'm feeling downtrodden, complacent, or plain cranky with my life.
Nothin' but love to everyone for Thanksgiving weekend!

Turkey with the Family

It was great! We had a fantastic time all day, prepping for dinner, I made a few pies, finally eating turkey with all the fixins, and then later we got to sit and visit with cousins, who came to visit. Fiona was insane-cute in her slightly too big Thanksgiving outfit. Wandering about Granparent's house...which, exacto-knives aside, proved to be a whole lot of fun for her. She warmed up to Gramma & Pop shortly after our arrival, evidenced by her leading them around by fingers to go look at anything & everything. Sometimes Fiona has a goal in mind when pulling Granpa up from his comfy spot on the couch with just one finger, otherwise Pop is just at the mercy of the aimlessly curiousity in the 19 month old mind.

We drove to Austin for the weekend to visit Richard & Sally expecting baby #1 this month. And got a late lunch visit with my dear friend Nicolette who has purchased her first home, congratulations! We fit in a trip to visit Great-grandma Miimi, and Chris & Lisa. Fiona was mostly interested in the Christmas tree set up in the foyer, but she did try to drag Miimi out of her she at least once to discuss the ornamentation. It's heartbreaking for me to see Miimi aged & slightly befuddled, she's such a neat lady. I love her so, I wish that I were able to visit more often...I think she remembered me for the brief moments after we found her dozing in a chair before tiring her with baby & conversation, but such is old age. *sigh*
Back at the Grandparents' Bowman house we had a rather uneventful week after thanksgiving, I was concentrating on my triathlon, and mainly caring for babygirl. (I'm putting the Tri in a separate posting) Fiona took us all out one at a time and at least once a day to visit the kitties, dog, horses, chickens, & turkeys in the back. She thoroughly enjoyed all the space and most definitely the animals.
All in all it was a fine trip, Gary & I really enjoyed watching Fiona expand her familial horizons. Yesterday, she pulled some family photos off the fridge, wandered about the apartment talking about the people she misses. It's really amazing to witnessed all this development, nothing will ever compare.