Sister Brother

Sometimes they practically tumble down the stairs laughing together, 

telling me about their jokes or their plans or their stories. 

Sometimes they find their daddy's clothing and decide that they are in costume 

and that they want their pictures taken. They want to remember this, they say. 

And even though I don't quite understand-- the moment seems so small, so ordinary--they understand. 

One day they will be grown ups, and they will have each other

 and they will have their memories to recall and retell and laugh at. 

And just like me and my brother and my sisters, 

they will help each other raise children, 

and they will send each other pictures of plants from across the country. 

They will buy each other blankets in far away lands. 

They will crash each other's parties, 

and they will lend each other money. 

They will drive each other to doctor's appointments, 

and they will get ferocious crushes on each other's friends. 

They have so much to look forward to. 

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This Weekend We

This weekend we wove- we are Weaver's after all. Inspired by these wall hangings, 

Tom built Sena and me simple looms. 

We spent the afternoon over and under, over and under, 

sitting side by side with the winter sun streaming in creating. 

Sena's isn't done quite yet; in fairness, I had a head start.

I loved sharing this with my little lady bug. She's my true friend.

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A Birthday for a Boy

Some years I want to pull out all the stops for the kids' birthdays. 

Some years I want homemade decorations and the perfect craft. 

I want piles of homemade edibles and party games no one has ever played before.

Some years I don't.

 This year, I didn't.

I sent Tom and Gus to go buy supplies. 

Gus came home with Spiderman bags, Sponge Bob plates, and Jake and the Neverland Pirate cups. When I accused them of not picking a theme, 

Gus informed me that there was one "awesome." 

And it was awesome. Well done, Gus. 

There were donuts and ballons. There were kids running up and down stairs.

There was painting; Gus told his friend's he was painting a picture just like the one Van Gogh painted before he shot himself because he was really angry.

And there was my toothless little boy who is less little everyday.

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This Weekend We

We piled into our friends' giant SUV and left our rural"ish" town to head to Baltimore for parallel parking adventures and dinner with friends. There were album art photo shoots and break dancing and lasagna and lists of loves/hates and bachelorette party weekend planning. Earlier in the week Gus said, "Lots of your friends seems like family," and as "Uncle" Steve drove us all home Saturday I sure was feeling grateful for our friend family.

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Lady Loves

 Makin' and muchin' chocolate covered strawberries,

 spending the afternoon with three of my very favorite people in this whole world--

my girl, my mama, and my sister. 

There sure are a whole lot of things to love in this world.

 These three ladies rank pretty high on my list.

       

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We're The Big Door Prize

 Vintage Tom and Rachel

 Photographs and Memories

Happy Valentine's Day to the man who bought me a six pack of Magic Hat for our first Valentine's 9 years ago.

I love you because you make me laugh, even when I don't want to because you're getting on my nerves.

I love you because you are good, a good father, a good husband, a good man.

I love you because you are smart, and you are trustworthy, and you are honest, and you are kind, 

even though you don't seem to know that about yourself.

I love you because you always let me pick the movies, and you'll watch The Mindy Project with me.

I love you because you give me approximately 8 times more back rubs than I give you.

I love you because you have always made me feel loved and beautiful.

We got nothin' but big old hearts dancin' in our eyes.

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This Boy Is Two Months Old

This boy- all cheeks and thighs and rolls for days. This boy who sleeps in the arms of his family and will not be woken. This boy who has discovered smiles and talking and who loves his mama, this boy was just what this family wanted. Thanks for a good start. Happy two month birthday, Baby Arlo.

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This Weekend We- Great Wolf

This weekend we waterpark adventured. We boggy boarded on eternal waves. We slipped and slid down slides over every color. We pulled ourselves across lily pads. We swam in wave pools, snuck into hot tubs, and played hide and seek once most everyone else had abandoned the premises. We slept and slept and slept, well one of us did at least.

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Gratitudes- My Littlest Man

Arlo, thank you for learning to smile with your whole face and for trying to figure out how to use those hands of yours. 

You're made of pure goodness, my gentle boy. Pure goodness.

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Mid-Week Mexican

Going out on a Wednesday night is pretty wild for us, 

like so wild that the mere prospect of it sent Sena into a dither all day. 

She coated her face in make-up at around nine this morning and reapplied hourly. 

She  could not bear to listen to anything her mama had to say and was threatened more times than I care to admit. 

The dinner almost got called off at about six different turns, but in the end, salsa, tortillas, and refried beans won out. And the margarita, it was well deserved.

Cheers to our new town's new Mexican restaurant and it's sort of bizarre, but also strangely lovable,  "American football" mural. 

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Boil Them Cabbage Down

The end of my first week back at work ended with new friends, new board games, and old folk songs. A pretty great way to spend a Friday. Throw some chips and salsa into the mix, 

and you're half-way to a party.

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