It’s Friday

All week we (the kids and I) have been looking forward to a visitor from across the state.  Upon waking up on Tuesday Charlie asked, “Is today Friday?” And then again on Wednesday night he asked, “Is tomorrow Friday?”  We have watched the forecast with bated breath, hoping and praying that Mother Nature would cooperate with our plans.

It is now Friday and it seems that Mother Nature has not heard our pleas.  She did not see our keep-the-snow-away-dances.  Apparently she didn’t look into the big brown eyes of my son.  It seems that she isn’t swayed by the little dimples in his cheeks that show up when he’s really excited. Reports of snow falling at the rate of two inches per hour have been issued.  Slick road surfaces, blowing and drifting snow, and hazardous conditions have been warned.  Just a moment ago our city schools were canceled.

I’m bummed. . . my sister is not coming. 

It is especially in the spirit of my bummdom (Yep, I made that word up) that I take time to be thankful for the small things that make life beautiful and joyful and fun. Sometimes, if I don’t actually stop to see them. . . I will completely miss them. 

Things like. . .

5.  Bean bags.

Dude, if you have kids and you don’t have any. . . you must get some.  My kids somehow smuggled 11 colorful bean bags home from my in-laws earlier this week (don’t worry K and C, I’ll return them) and they have provided most of our entertainment.

Bean bag toss. . .

Bean bag toss. . .take two. . .

Can you say “GRAND PRIZE GAME!” (Bozo the Clown show)

And our favorite. . . bean bag fight. This game allowed me to capture, although somewhat blurry, my favorite Charlie smile. 

This is the smile that makes my stomach do a triple back handspring followed by a back layout with a perfect landing.  If I could bottle up this smile, I’m certain I could brand it “JOY” and sell it.  His eyes get real wide, and his dimples spring out and in that moment he could ask me for anything and I’d do it.  I would wing bean bags across our living room all day long if it means I get to see that smile.

4.  Gluten free success.

Throughout this year, I have tried my hand at Gluten free baking for my gluten-free MIL.  If you have never baked gluten free . . . let’s just say, it’s not the most pleasant of experiences.  Don’t get me wrong. . . I love to bake.  Baking gluten free, however. . . well, let’s just say that I’m of the belief that bread and gluten go hand in hand.  But since I love my MIL, I decided to have another go at it. 

Baking this bread is usually anxiety producing.  It mocks my usual confidence in my skills to create something good in the kitchen and taunts me with it’s bitter taste and flat appearance.  After combining 42 kinds of flour, I had to wait 90 minutes to see if the bread would do what it’s supposed to do.  Every few minutes I would walk into the kitchen and check to see if it was “rising” to the occasion.  By all appearances, it seemed to be doing what it was supposed to do.  It was rising like bread should rise. Appearances can be deceiving, though.  It wasn’t until I got a call from my MIL that I really knew. . .

. . . “The bread is wonderful.  It feels like real bread and it tastes good, too.” 

SUCCESS! 

If you bake gluten-free and want a recipe, let me know.  Apparently, this is good stuff.

3.  Wednesday’s with Chanelle

My girl.  My sweet little girl.  Every Wednesday, while Charlie is at school, Chanelle brings the same request. . . “Mommy, can we have a tea party?”  Who am I to refuse?

And each Wednesday our tea party is followed by a game of “Membory”.  A game in which she proceeds to kick. my. butt. no matter how hard I try to make matches. . . She always makes more.

Membory is always followed by the constant activity and exploration that comes with being a three year old.

We spend our mornings at a pace that is slower and more intentional than other days because it’s just us.  As I watch her, I take it in and know that I know that I know that there is no other place I would want to be.  I drink in her movements and listen to her chatter about coo-coo clocks and princesses and how much she likes to eat snow balls. I feel only joy and thankfulness that I have been entrusted with this little life and I hope upon hope that the memories we are making now will be stored in her heart, just as they are etched in mine.

2.  Chocolate chip cookies.

This was also a part of our Wednesday morning.  I make these cookies all the time.  We love to give them away.  I have never made these cookies and not received rave reviews and requests for the recipe.  They are wonderful.  Every time I want to try a new recipe Chad asks ” why would you mess with perfection?”
I’ve been making these since I was 15 years old.  If you are looking to try a new recipie. . . let me know and I’ll post it. 

1.  Words that inspire. 

I received an email from a friend this week and she passed along an excerpt from something she had recently read in a book by Mark Nepo.  I found myself deeply moved by these words. . .

“We are often called further into experience than we’d like to go, but it is the extra leap that lands us in the vibrant center of what is means to be alive. “

. . . something about that just feels good.

And that is where I will end it for now.  It’s Friday and apparently there is a blizzard outside.  Unfortunately, my sister won’t be coming today, but I’m thankful that she is safe and so are we. 

Happy Friday my blogger friends!