Day 85: Speedy Grocery Shopping

...that NEVER happens. But this morning, I packed my reusable bags into my car and bolted from work as soon as possible when the day was done to get to the store. I was in and out in 30 minutes. I am stocked and ready for the entire week and I don't have to drag two kiddos through a busy shopping center over the weekend. On top of it all, the clerk was able to fit all of my groceries into 5 bags...and easy feat for me to carry up into my house.

Quick shopping and an item to check off my to-do list...for this, I am thankful.

Day 84: A Slice of Perfection

The weather was absolutely perfect when I arrived home from work. Nico and Kait were sitting in front of the house and Sofia bounded out of the car in her sleeveless sundress. How both of my children ended up with blonde hair, I'll never understand...but my God, did it ever glow in the sunlight! They looked beautiful.

We went into the garage and got out the bike trailer (that I could push since my bike is still up in the rafters) and headed out to soak in the remainder of the afternoon sun across the neighborhood. We stopped to smell flowers, blow dried dandelions, go down a slide or two, sit at a picnic table to eat goldfish crackers, and sing songs about frogs.

Our time rolling through the neighborhood only lasted about an hour, but it felt like days -- in a good way! It was exactly what I needed today. Just for a few moments, life felt perfect.

And for this, I am thankful. 

Day 83: Timeless

Today, I emailed back and forth with an old friend. Our friendship goes back to our freshman year in high school and is one that is incredibly dear to me. As we caught up, I couldn't help be be struck with how natural and easy our friendship has remained over 15 years despite spans of time without communication. We always pick up where we left off. And, as we grow older and begin to navigate through life's more difficult moments, it's nice to know that we will always be able to rely on one another.

A timeless friendship...for this, I am thankful.

Day 82: Part 2

There's a light.

Chris has been working and living in the mountains for 8 months. In the next 6-8 weeks, he will *hopefully* be done. This will mean he will move back home and be with our family on a daily basis once again.

When I thought about this today, the idea of having my husband back actually felt real. That. Was. Awesome.

A soon-to-be return to normalcy. For this, I am thankful!!!

*Fingers, hands, toes, legs, hairs --- ANYTHING that can be crossed is!

Hanging Lake Tunnel on I-70 in Glenwood Canyon

Day 82: To-Do

We just switched over to Outlook at work and my absolute favorite thing about it is the task and to-do list. So dorky, I know. But, when I put my list of things together that need to be accomplished for the day and they show up as little red flags on my screen, it puts my rear in serious gear. Then, when I finish my specific task and can turn the flag into a nice, pretty check mark, it feels absolutely delightful.

It's the little things, folks. And for this, I am thankful!

Day 81: Sibling Conversation

Nico looking at Sofia: Mama! Mama! Mama!

Sofia: Nico, I'm not your mama. I'm your sista!

Genuine sibling love. For this, I am thankful!

Day 80: Easter Photog

He Is Risen!

...and apparently my children got the memo! They were both up by 6 a.m. this morning ready and waiting to see what the Easter Bunny had hopped in to drop off last night. I woke up to squeals of excitement coming from the living room and pulled myself out of bed to go and see Sofia enjoy her basket and items on the side. It was really cute. 

After a really great service at church, we headed over to our friends' house for brunch. The food was delicious and the atmosphere completely relaxing. All-in-all, it was a lovely way to spend Easter Sunday.

But here's what I really love about Easter (and most holidays): I am awful at documenting the momentous events throughout the day on camera (i.e. opening presents, searching for eggs, etc.) and absolutely brilliant at taking pictures during complete NON-momentous events. :)

I tried for the LIFE of me to get a picture of the kids together. Nope. I told myself I would get pics of Sofia opening her Easter basket. Nope. Ooo ooo....then I told myself I would at least get a family picture. A big fat NO on that one too. 

Ah well. The moments that I did get throughout the day are just frosting on the cake of memories that I will have. 

I am thankful today for being able to spend a wonderful holiday with close friends and family, for being on a journey of Christianity with a husband who is as equally strong in his faith and devotion to God as I, and for pictures. Stupid pictures. For these pictures are but blinks in our lifetime but each precious in their own way. :) 

Happy Easter!

                     

Day 79: Satisfaction

We use every inch in our house -- under things, over things, between things, in things. Space is at a premium. One space that we maximized a while back was our laundry closet. After spending several hours at The Container Store, we made a closet that previously only held our washer and dryer into a multi-purpose space for recycling, cleaning supplies, bulk food, and laundry. Unfortunately, because there is a door that can be closed on the closet, it's easy for stuff to get unorganized....and quickly.

So today, I attacked the closet with a VENGEANCE. I even squeezed in under the shelving unit and scrubbed the floor! When everything was put back into place, I stood back and assessed my work: I did a damn fine job!

An organized space and a satisfying completion of a project...for this, I am thankful.

Day 78: Not It!

Nico still has an ear infection. Sofia has a fever and is throwing up. Chris has a massive head cold.

I'm completely healthy!

Well, at least for now! :) For this, I am thankful. Gearing up for nurse duty this weekend...

Day 77: Willpower

For a person that loves food (eh hem, ME!), avoiding emotional eating can be difficult. Today, allllllll I wanted to do was order lunch out. Stressful morning = a well-deserved lunch, right? Wrong! Ordering out for lunch is reserved for Friday's. It is a tradition that Linda, Kristen and I began when I became the tech coordinator. It's an awesome way to end the week and something that the three of us always look forward to.

In a crucial moment, Linda and I avoided falling into a food trap and stuck with our original lunches instead. As much as re-heated macaroni and cheese wasn't my first choice, I felt really good about our decision in the end.

An extra few dollars in my pocket and a healthy food conscience... for this I am thankful.

Day 76: How are you?

When in a genuine moment, it's a simple, yet powerful question. Recognizing those moments are important. It's so easy to simply respond with a "good", "doing fine", "OK" and keep right on with the day. But when someone looks you in the eye and really asks how you are doing, it's just different.

Today, I am thankful that despite a whirlwind of activity, I was able to pause and answer this question honestly. Or maybe, what I'm even more thankful for is that someone recognized that I needed to be asked this question. Sometimes it's nice to be on the receiving end. :)

Day 75: Razzle Dazzle

A few months ago I received a phone call from another school district asking if I would be interested in running some professional development sessions on Google Apps. It all felt so bizarre -- I hadn't put my name out there, hadn't sought after work, hadn't done anything but my job.

Apparently that got me noticed.

I was completely terrified before the first session began and ran every possible self-doubting question through my brain. To my surprise, over 50 people attended and totally loved what they learned. I got great feedback and was invited to come back again for a second session.

Today was Session 2. Again, I was nervous and self-doubting. But, when I got a note from my friend Andrea that said, "Razzle dazzle 'em!", I knew everything would be just fine.

I know I have every reason to be confident in myself and my professional abilities but putting oneself out into an arena that is completely unknown is terrifying! I am so thankful for friends and family who are so supportive of my endeavors and can see my strengths when I have momentary blindness. :)

...and today's session was standing room only!

Day 74: Arrival

Yay! My mom is here!

I feel really lucky to have such a great relationship with my mom and I LOVE when she comes to visit. She always knows just how to help and just what I need. It is really nice to have an extra pair of hands around the house for the next few days and an extra voice at story time.

The kids love listening to her read and tell stories -- it's really a gift that she has and I am so thankful that my children get to experience that with her. :)

Day 73: The Novelty of a Roadside Pit Stop

Every other weekend, we made the four hour trek across the Rockies back and forth between Denver and Aspen. Every other weekend we make about four stops along the way between a four year old and a 9 month old. For the driver, ME!, this can get a bit tedious because frankly, I just want to get to my destination at a certain point.

Today, the timing of our Aspen departure seemed to be just right. Nico fell asleep and Sofia was thoroughly engrossed in her movie. Before I knew it, we had gone almost 3 hours without stopping! Woo hoo! Home was in sight-- just 30 minutes away. And then it happened.

Mama! I need to go to the bathroom. RIGHT NOW!

Of course, there was absolutely no where with a restroom in sight. So, I did what any self-respecting mother would do: I pulled over to the side of the highway and had Sofia squat on the side of the road!

She giggled the entire time and followed up her experience with, "Mom! That was the coolest thing I have ever done! I've never peed on the side of the road before!"

Today, I am thankful for a few of things: (1) that Sofia knows when she needs to go to the bathroom; (2) that we didn't have a major mess to clean up in my car; and (3) that I made it home in under 4 hours! :)

Day 72: Movie Time

Today we went to see Rio at a movie theater with the kids. We've only seen a few movies in the theater with the kids and so far, we've had great success. Chris and I love going to movies and used to spend quite a bit of time doing so when we were dating years ago. I'm thankful that we can bring our kids along to do something that we enjoy so much. ;)

...and I'm even more thankful that the makers of childrens' movies realized that parents have to sit through them too!

Day 71: Late

Tonight I was reminded of how taking the time to enjoy moving at no set pace is important. After arriving up in Aspen, we headed upstairs for a birthday dinner for our friend, Joel. The conversation was both hilarious and educational and the food was divine. Both kids fell asleep on their own and we actually got some adult time! We didn't get home until after midnight... And while I know I'll be tired tomorrow, it was all worth it.

Good food, good company and great laughs into the night... For this, I am thankful.

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Day 70: The Office

I love The Office. It makes me laugh. You know...the kind of laugh that you end up laughing at because you realized you are the only person in the room laughing.

It always feels good to laugh and I am thankful for this. :)

Day 69: Rain

I'm sitting in my bed, kids asleep, and rain is softly coming down on the windows. I love the sound that drifts up as cars drive by the house on the wet road. Tomorrow everything will be green. It all feels so refreshing!

A quiet house, soft rain, and a green landscape to gaze upon in the morning....spring is near. And for this, I am thankful!

Day 68: Organization

My life can be a bit chaotic at times. Shocking, I know. However, one of the things that has carried me through busy days, stacks of papers, and overlapping meetings is my ability to organize. Right now, more than ever, I am thankful this.

Hold your horses...the next few weeks are going to be a wild ride!

Day 67: God Bless Wet Wipes and Wine

I was more than thrilled when I packed Sofia and Hayley up in the car after school to make the final stretch of the drive home. The day had been nothing short of non-stop and I just wanted to get home. All was good and fine until a fender bender on one of Denver's busiest streets took place on my route home.

It took me 35 minutes to travel 7 blocks.

Once I had passed the accident (that no one was hurt in, by the way) and was back up to speed again, I felt a sigh of relief. The girls had been happy and quiet, traffic was smooth and I was almost home!

And then I looked in the rear view mirror.

What I thought had been two lovely 4-year-olds coloring in the backseat in their dry erase books was actually two colorfully decorated 4-year-olds covered in red Expo dry erase marker! And I mean covered. From finger tip to shoulder and chin to forehead. C.O.V.E.R.E.D.

As soon we got home, we raced upstairs to grab some wet wipes to see if it would take off at least some of the marker tattoo artistry. I was totally panicking due to the obvious fact that the neighbor girl had been Sofia's canvas. What was Hayley's mom going to think? I was freaking out.

Luckily, much of the marker came off (thanks Huggies!) or at least faded to a level that a good soak in the tub will definitely remove. And now, as I sip on a glass of wine, I am able to see the hilarity of the entire situation. I SO wish I had thought to take a picture of the girls before cleaning them off to forever remember their first major coloring spree.

Oh well, I guess we all learned a little something today! :)

Day 66: Sleep

Today, I got to sleep in and I feel semi-rested for the first time in weeks.

'Nuf Said.

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Day 65: Steak

I love steak. I mean, I really love steak. And tonight, Chris grilled a delicious cut along with his signature grilled prosciutto and asiago asparagus. A few of our friends came over to hang out, eat, play cards and laugh. It was a great night...and there are leftovers! :)

Day 64: Change of Plans

The kid and I were supposed to head back to Aspen this weekend but with Nico's ears being so sore, we weren't so sure the drive would be very comfortable. But, yesterday afternoon, Chris got a call saying he needed to attend a planning meeting here in Denver on Saturday. Decision made!

I spent another 2 hours at the doctor's office this afternoon and by the time we left I was SO thankful that I didn't have a 4 hour trek across the Rockies to make. Instead, Nico and I picked Sofia up from school and arrived home to find Chris waiting for us. It was a fantastic way to begin the weekend. And for this, I am thankful!

Day 63: Flexibility and "Funda"

Today I am thankful for a job that has some flexibility. Nico had another rough night and I was a bit worried when I left for work this morning. When I got a message from Kait confirming my suspicions that there may be another ear infection on the horizon, I made yet another call to his pediatrician. The only time they had left would require me to leave an hour before the final bell. Thankfully, I do not have to worry about substitutes or how to keep 30 children occupied and learning in my absence. Instead, I have a two trusted co-workers that help me take a deep breath and then take over. During a time of year that can be increasingly crazy with each passing day, I feel truly lucky to have such a strong team to work with. Linda (a.k.a. Fun-da) and Kristen are simply amazing.

Nico did end up having an ear infection and had to get two really nasty shots of antibiotic. BUT, I was able to make it to his appointment on time and without worry about what was going on back at the office. That peace of mind was absolutely priceless.

Co-workers AND Friends! Me, Linda & Kristen in Las Vegas 2009.

Day 62: Cup O' Joe

Sometimes it's the simplest things that can get your day off on the right foot. This morning as I dropped Sofia off at our neighbors house for school, I was greeted with a coffee in a to-go mug. It was such a delightful treat and was just what I needed after a long night awake with Nico.

Great coffee and thoughtful friends...for this, I am thankful!

Day 61: The Other Side of the Table

I have been going to parent-teacher conferences for years now...as a teacher. Today, was my first experience in a conference as the parent. I went in feeling anxious and completely unsure of what Sofia's teacher was going to say about her progress this year in preschool. I was also feeling like if there was some kind of milestone that she had not reached, that it was my fault because of a lack of parenting skills. Of course I hoped to hear wonderful things about her social, emotional, and cognitive development, but I just didn't know what I was going to be walking in to.

What resulted was the most wonderful 35 minutes I've had in a while learning about my daughter from a completely new perspective. It was so fun seeing what she's like as a student and a blossoming young girl. I was pleased to hear that things we have worked so hard on (manners, kindness, helpfulness) were things that she carried over into the classroom and even modeled for younger children. She also excelled across the social, emotional, cognitive triad; demonstrating mastery on multiple levels. It was cool.

Today, as I sat as a parent during a conference about my own child, I gained a new appreciation for a multitude of aspects surrounding parenthood, the teacher-parent relationship, and how my child is growing even without my standing by her side each and every minute of the day. I am thankful for all I have learned today as it will forever change the conversations I have with parents of my own students.

Day 60: My Little Blue Dress

Every woman has that one outfit that makes her feel good despite her mood. A few years ago, my sis gave me a little blue dress that has become a staple in my wardrobe. I take that back. It's not just a staple, it's the dress. It's the kind of dress that, on mornings like today when I could barely drag myself out of bed, can make me feel like a million bucks without even trying. It's soft, cotton, a-line, and fits just right in all the right places. Thrown together with my favorite pair of tall brown boots and I was set! I didn't have to think or change my outfit three times before leaving the house. I am so thankful to have something as simple as a little dress that can help to make me feel good and allow for a smooth start to the day. I love you, Little Blue Dress.

Day 59: Dino Bones

Today I took the kids to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science with a friend and her two kids. The big adventure was going to see all the dinosaur bones. If you remember, Sofia is completely fascinated by bones so she was beside herself when we walked into the museum only to be greeted by a T-Rex skeleton. It was a really fun day and I think a little learning took place too! I am so thankful that I was able to spend some time doing something a little different with the kids on my last day of spring break.

P.S.

Nico started crawling! Check it out! It's only been a few days and he's already zooming around the house. I may have my work cut out for me!!

Day 58: How We Roll

Today I am thankful for the reminder that it is important to choose one's battles...especially when it comes to battling with a 4-year-old.

With a laundry list of things to accomplish today, I was eager to get out the door to get our grocery shopping done. Sofia had been playing dress-up: Princess Handy Manny on a Rainy Day. Her tool belt consisted of a belt that she connected her Handy Manny saw and her ice cream lip balm key chain. When I asked that she remove her dress-up items so we could leave, she insisted that she needed to bring everything she had on to the store with us. Oi. Just as I started to create a plan of attack to get her into a "normal" outfit, I realized that her using her imagination while we shopped was more normal than anything else!

So I let her wear her outfit to the store. She was happy, I was able to continue forward with my day and no harm was done. She even got several comments on how fabulous her outfit was while we shopped! Ahh, to be 4 again!

Sofia, in all her glory as Princess Handy Manny on a Rainy Day!

Day 57: Different Eyes

It's funny what can go unnoticed in our own lives that stick out like a sore thumb to others looking in. Such a moment took place today when I got an email from my friend, Christie (see below). It was a great reminder that I have an incredible daughter who is very quickly developing a personality all her own, but will always contain a piece of me -- whether she likes it or not! :) I love my little Sofia. I love all that she is and all that she will become. For this moment and the millions to come, I am thankful!

From Christie:
I loved these two pictures from facebook.  Like mother, like daughter! :D  Miss you mom-a-roo!

Day 56: Wine and Sushi for One

I've gotten into a little routine after the long drive back from Aspen with the kids. Just before they go to bed, I place an order with one of my favorite restaurants, Spicy Thai. I order a sushi roll and pot stickers to be delivered just after the kids go to bed. With my glass of wine and delicious delivery, I savor those quiet moments to myself at the end of a long, long day. Good food, good wine, and a few moments to myself...for this, I am thankful.