Today I was lucky enough to spend several hours at the pool and at home just talking with some good friends. (Their nephew and our "daughter" are a new couple, so they were glad to have time to flirt in the other room while entertaining our combined four kids. Nice!)

Talking with adults for more than three uninterrupted minutes is such a luxury these days, and I'm reminded how nice it feels to be a grown up sometimes. Must plan some future double dates for this purpose. Combined babysitting while it lasts would be a nice bonus, too, don't you think?

Do you have a friend who just 'gets' you, no matter how long it's been since you talked? Let's make a date while we're thinking about it, okay?

I just couldn't get over the fact that everywhere I go, moms are on their cell phones. We take walks on our neighborhood nature path, and moms are pushing the stroller with one hand and holding their cell with the other. At the pool, where kids used to be able to count on some wonderful undivided parental attention, mom's waiting for a call. And I've been guilty of the cell phone at the park while the kids play, I have to admit. If not a cell phone, I've got a magazine I want to catch up on. 

The thought crossed my mind that there must be nowhere sacred anymore. On our next camping trip will Greg get cell phone service in the campground, creating one more place where uninterrupted family time will now be interrupted? Oh, how I hope not. It makes me feel like mourning.

Perhaps I'm being a little dramatic, but it seems to me that, slowly, sacred family time is disappearing. When will we give our little ones the undivided attention they need and crave? When can we spend just an evening with Ma cleaning up from dinner while Pa plays the fiddle and the little ones laugh and dance under the stars on the prairie? (Hmmm....can you tell that we're reading Little House on the Prairie these days?) Okay, maybe not on the prairie, but I'll settle for at least a technology free evening together as a family at home. Or at least, if technology is involved, I want to make sure we're spending some cozy time focusing on each other. Only.

My goal: turn off the cell phone, let the answering machine pick up the home phone, get of the computer, and play a game with the boys or read books for a whole evening together. I just don't want to be a part of the death of family nights. 

But let's not be completely negative. I still have the choice to not interrupt my precious family time, I just have to exercise that choice by being determined to do the family time, even if I'm tired out. I'll let you know how it goes.

We had a peaceful family fourth of July. Spent the morning with Greg and Uncle Rob decorating the boys' bikes for the neighborhood bike parade, then headed over to the park for the parade and July 4th festivities.

The boys LOVED the bike parade, which was basically a million kids riding their bikes around the block together. Little ones in the front (Tyler took this very seriously and booked it when they said go...everyone on the sidewalks was commenting on how fast his little legs could scoot him along!) and bigger ones behind. I loved watching them love it. Does that make sense?

Greg was miffed, of course, that Jake didn't win the bike decorating contest, and I, of course, rolled my eyes about that. I believe my comment was, "I can see what kind of soccer parent you're going to be..." Let's hope not.

After the incredibly hot but fun neighborhood party, we hung out around the house, renting a movie and lying around until a mellow dinner for just the four of us...barbecued ribs, mashed potatoes, and homemade ice cream for dessert. Although several of my homemade items did not come out perfectly, I still felt like we had a very cozy holiday together.

We ended the night with some leftover sparklers in our backyard with a few snakes and strobes thrown in. Usually, I really like getting out and the hustle and bustle of holidays with lots of people, but today this felt just right for our little family.

Digging into this basket was like opening a Christmas present...every layer revealed a new surprise. Granted, I didn't really know what everything was, but it was exciting nonetheless. While picking up the basket, I traded our basket's fennel in for an extra bunch of beets, since no one around here likes fennel. I guess this week we'll be finding out whether anyone likes turnips or purple kohlrabi, either.

I was a little worried that the basket would only contain strange stuff that my family wouldn't eat, but happily, it contained nectarines, peaches, grapes, cucumbers, zucchini, and other recognizables, too.

My sister, Amy, was here to share the excitement, and we made the most delicious recipe that the CSA recommended for our chard, beets, and onion. Oh, my...delicious!

Can't wait to see what comes next time.

So, Jake immediately wanted to decorate for the fourth of July...why not, we decorate for most other holidays around here. We pulled out some of the bike parade decorations and went to work, coming up with the beauty you see above. Well, anyway, it was beautiful to Jake, and that's beautiful to me.

Friday's loot.

Fresh, local, amazingly good produce.  That's what I'm finding these days at our farmers market. Do you recall the first day I tried out the farmers market as our regular place for weekly produce? Well, now I'm an old pro. A regular, as one of the vendors put it last Friday. And doesn't everyone love being a 'regular' somewhere? I'm happy to find such deliciousness at my 'regular' place!

It's been several weeks now, and I'm to the point where I just can't pick up produce at my regular market anymore. It seems so strange to me to be eating tomatoes flown in from who-knows-where, when the most delicious tomatoes are being grown within miles of my house! I love walking through the two aisles at our farmers market with the boys, salivating over the freshest fruits, and Tyler becoming covered with the juice of whatever sample he's found.

I'm sure I've shared the story about how we started using the word 'cozy' around here so much, after Jake, at age 1 1/2, kept asking us, "Wan' cozy up wi' me?" How can you resist such a sweet request? Since then, cozy has become my word of choice for something that feels just right. 

And it seems that in all I do, I'm just trying to create a life that feels just right for our family: not too fast or too slow, not too primitive or too modern, not too secluded and sheltered but not too exposed to the craziness of the world...a just right, cozy life.

So for today, anyway, I'm going to start focusing my posts on what I'm doing to build a cozy life for us. And maybe there will be a few thoughts for you to cling onto as well.

I don't do it on Sunday (I take that as my Sabbath day off to enjoy the family and church), but I've been successful most other days. The best part is the feeling that it's not out of control any more.  I sure hope I can keep it up. I was planning on moving on to a different habit for July, but I think I'll keep with building the laundry habit one more month, because I have yet to iron or mend anything, which really is part of the 'keeping up with our clothes' thing, isn't it? So next month, more daily laundry, keep putting it away, and add ironing and mending in to the equation. We'll see...

Before...

And After!

Here's a look at the final product!

This months habit: laundry. I have moaned about my inability to keep up with laundry for years (four to be exact...hmmm...Jake's four now. Notice a connection?) I have come to the point where there's always a load languishing in the washer and/or dryer, there are usually a few loads on the floor or in one of two laundry baskets around the house, just waiting to be sorted and folded, or if it's already sorted and folded, just waiting to be put away. I don't even bother ironing anymore. I just buy clothes that don't require ironing. Every once in awhile I feel ambitious and buy a top that needs ironing, but is just so cute that I think to myself, "I could iron this, really I could." Then that top lays on the ironing board after its first laundering, just waiting for me to make good on my promise. And there it sits. Until it goes out of style and it heads to the Goodwill box. Poor shirt.

Anyway, June is the month of laundry. I always say I wish I had a laundry system I could keep up with, but wishing doesn't seem to get it done.  So this month I've decided to purposefully build a new habit, hearkening back to my Junior High habit forming days. This month, I am going to do my laundry every day, and actually fold and put it away every day. (Except Sundays, in order to keep the Sabbath rhythm of our week.) I am not only going to start a load a day, I am now going to finish it. And so far, so good. 

What about you, what habit do you need to jump on this month? Just start! Be purposeful and get it done this month! Maybe next month will be the month that I don't have to moan about my laundry overwhelming me. Wouldn't that be a nice change?

Today I: made 48 cupcakes for my grandmother's 95th birthday party. ran around the kitchen and sang the 'Go, Diego, Go!' theme song with the boys. scrubbed a spiderman tattoo off my cheek. cleaned up the backyard. 

Ordinary things. Wonderful things. Hmmm. What a change in mindset for me. 

I'm amazed that I've never really thought before about what goes into our mouths, have you?  Of course you have, I'm a little late on the bandwagon. But better late than never, right? 

We're planning on trying out our local CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture: a weekly local organic produce basket from local farms) and when I get a chance I'm going to go through our pantry (which needs a good cleaning anyway) and look into what's in our food. Not sure yet if I'll be doing any donating of food for a clean sweep of the pantry. It'll depend on my mood, I guess. 

All this coming from a girl who had a TV dinner as her last meal. (It was just sitting there in our freezer waiting for me to have a night alone! I promise!) But I'm headed in the right direction, and that counts for something, doesn't it?

I have to say, I felt a little overwhelmed. Now, I am no stranger to farmer's markets...I love them. I feel so healthy and inspired, just wandering the aisles among the gorgeous produce that's been lovingly tended to. I've always wanted to make going to the farmer's market a regular event for my boys (even before I had kids, I thought about this!) So why the sudden overwhelmed feeling?

Two reasons:

1. In the past, I've gone to the farmer's market to just buy whatever looks good to me that morning...to supplement my regular shopping, but not to replace it. Today, I knew I wanted to buy any fruits and vegetables we would need for at least several days. I think I was mostly worried we'd not be able to survive on what I found there with *gasp* no shopping list!

2. Even though the other trips were more casual, I almost always have my dad along. My dad is a talker. He knows the vendors and chats and laughs with Vincenzo about his current crops, and just generally seems to know his way around. I, on the other hand, wander about aimlessly, not knowing whom to buy from and what is a good price.

Okay, so I'm a novice. I need Farmer's Market 101. I'll try to remember to update you on my progress in this area.

Typically we start with a generally happy Tyler, and crying and tantrums from Jake during breakfast time, sometimes ending in him being sent to his room to preserve the peace at the breakfast table. Then we all wave bye-bye to Daddy and blow our hugs and kisses and shoot some I love you's his way as he drives away. 

Once he's gone, things settle down and the boys play while I clean up from breakfast and start some laundry. Then we'll play a game or read some books before getting dressed for the day. We go upstairs or outside to play (snail hunt today) then come home for a snack. At snack time the boys usually start whining again, and I have to think of something to occupy them if I want to get any chores done (often I do not.) More of the three of us playing together then it's lunch time, at which point Jake starts throwing a fit about how hungry he is and how he needs lunch right this instant. They both cry until lunch is on the table, then we eat together. 

After lunch they'll usually play for a bit while I clean up, then if they're getting tired of playing, they get to watch a 20 minute show on pbs before rest time (if I'm lucky, they don't need a show to wind down and I can save this for later in the day when I'm desperate!) Next is quiet time in their rooms (on an average day, 45 minutes) then more play time at home before they get cranky again around 5:00. That's the hour and a half where I have to entertain them, clean up from our day, and get dinner cooked for us all, without losing my mind. 

But as soon as Daddy gets home (around 6:30) everyone's happy again. We eat dinner together then Daddy does the dinner dishes and then usually watches t.v. while the boys play near him and I try to get a moment to relax. Around 7:45 we start getting ready for brushing teeth, book, and bed. Then Greg and I can watch whatever show we have on our DVR or read or craft or whatever we're doing that night.

The most important thing to me is that I need to remember this rhythm when the boys are driving me crazy with their crying, whining, and generally crankiness. I need to remember that they aren't like that all day long. I need to remember that there are pockets of frustration every day and that I should expect them and take them in stride. I need to learn to expect them at their usual times, and weather them the best I can, knowing there are better moments coming soon.

The rhythm of a day. What's it like in your family?

Today, it's rainy. Here's my short list of things to do in the rain: put on rainboots and jackets and go jump in puddles (I take my camera if it clears up for a minute), strip down when you get home and drink hot chocolate, take a warm bath. Preferably in that order. If you at all have the chance, light a fire in the fireplace and cozy up with a good book under a favorite quilt. Aaahhh.

I am so very lucky that I learned how to sew when I was just a little girl.  I think I probably started when I was 8 or 9. By age 11, my mom was giving quilting classes out of our bonus room, and even taught one for girls my age. I think I finished my first quilt, a four square sampler, around that time.

Now, I think I could just swim in fabric, I love it that much. The colors, the patterns, the feel of it, and even the smell. I love it. The problem with this love is that I just want to buy more and more gorgeous fabric, even just to put it on the shelves in my newly cleaned sewing room. Ahhhh.

I have recently vowed not to buy any more blankets, throws, comforter covers, etc. from Target or Ikea, two of my favorite stores in the world.  Yes, they have the most adorable things at dirt cheap prices. But if I make it, it just means so much more. If I make it, I treasure it. Have you tried making anything lately? Please do, it's so addicting.

I am in the process of making a throw quilt for the family room to coordinate with the new decor. I will be sure to share it with you when it's done. I need to finish it soon, because a new quilt on the cover of a magazine caught my eye, and I have it in mind for some of the fabrics I picked up at the Material Possessions anniversary sale. I can't wait to start it, but one thing/quilt at a time, I remind myself. That is the hardest part.

Hence, miniature golf. What I realized as we played is that I love the fact that our boys do not know that this is supposed to be a competition. They LOVE trying to get their balls in the hole, no matter how many strokes it takes. Jake keeps hitting and hitting until he gets it in, then pumps his arm and cheers for himself. Yes, every time. Tyler hits once, then chases the ball, picks it up and takes it near the hole and sets it down to try to hit it in. No, he doesn't place it IN the hole (and gets upset if it accidentally rolls in) because he knows he's supposed to hit it in. What funny boys.

Greg and I are both extremely competitive. Could this be why Jake cries whenever he loses a game of Sorry!? Our poor boy has a rough road ahead, game-wise. So thank goodness for these sweet two and four year old days, where no one knows it's a competition, and everyone has a ball.

I'm thankful that we've chosen not to emphasize the winning and the losing of most activities we encounter. There will be plenty of time for that later. For now, our boys will cheer for themselves and keep on swinging and enjoy the journey itself, not just the destination.

Today I'm trying a lot more whole wheat flour in the loaf because we ran out of bread flour after half a cup. (We usually do  1.5 c. bread flour, 1.5 c. whole wheat flour.) I've wanted from the beginning to make a bread with more whole wheat flour, so we'll see how this loaf works out. (I added some extra honey to balance out the flavor of more whole wheat.) I'll keep you updated.

It's really not very hard (with my dad's borrowed breadmaker, that is) and nothing can beat that aroma on a cool day like today.

Here's our usual recipe (I call it 1-2-3-4 bread):

1 c. hot water (I heat it in the microwave for 1:30)

1 T milk

2 T canola oil

3 T honey

4 T brown sugar (I just use a spoon and scoop about 4 scoops.)

1 t salt (I eyeball this)

1.5 c bread flour

1.5 c whole wheat flour

1 packet of yeast

I put the breadmaker on the white/light crust setting for a 1 lb. loaf.

This makes a light and sweet bread that's perfect alone or with butter (or honey for dessert.) Yum!

The next attempt will be longer and narrower with an outside cell phone pocket and a pocket on the outside of the back for the wipes. Hopefully that way the whole bag can be a bit skinnier. Or oval. Not sure which.

Isn't it fun to create something new out of nothing? To be able to make something exactly how you want it to be instead of having to rely on someone else knowing what your personal needs are? I'm really enjoying that aspect of this camera bag making quest.

My sewing room...actually a partitioned off space in our master bedroom. Hoping to put a fabric bulletin board over that plywood above the sewing table. Hope also to get a real table or desk to put the machine on, too, so it doesn't shake like heck when I get really going!

My favorite shelf...recent fabric favorites beautifully waiting to be sewn. Aaahhh.

The bottom of these two shelves is all flannel. I have a bit of a collection waiting for babies to be born and need blankets. No one is pregnant so there it sits.

As if I needed more fabric...bought this while I was supposed to be picking out Sara's quilt fabric. Just couldn't resist it! I love the combo of bright retro prints with the soft old fashioned.

You know, I really wanted to use this blog to show my recent creations...paper, fabric, art, etc. So here I am, a few months later, finally doing it! Well, at least showing things ready to be made.

The day was spent at church, relaxing, hanging out with my mom and dad, with Greg and Dad finally putting the doors on the entertainment center for me, after 5 1/2 years of waiting for this moment. We played Sorry! and Chinese Checkers and the boys didn't watch any T.V.   Family, food, and no t.v. are the epitome of a wonderful day for me.

Happy Mother's Day!

Yes, our yard is tiny and mostly in the shade, so we will not be growing enough food to sustain our family (this is not to mention the fact that we'd have to have some spare time to grow and cultivate that food. hmmm.) However, I really like the idea of trying to eat more in season foods. Is it really necessary to fly produce in from South America when we in California can really buy locally grown produce closer to its actual growing season (making it cheaper and tastier than the jet-setting kind)? Am I willing to pay a bit more (in dollars and in ease of purchasing) in order to buy from local farms at the farmer's markets? And as for meat, will I follow through with making an effort to find beef that's not grain fed and full of hormones and disease?  Time will tell. I'd like to try. 

I always balk at the idea of hiring a maid to clean our house. I had a crew clean here the day we moved in (previous owners had trashed the place,) and a few times here and there while I was busy having babies or feeding newborns and other such trivial tasks. I had planned on getting a maid to clean after the remodel, but the only one I've ever really liked refuses to return my call. I think my family is just too dirty for her. So I've resorted to becoming my own maid. It's about time I stop relying on outside help when my house cleaning failures have just added up too much. And now I have a new "friend" to help me in my plight.

Favorite things:

1. making tablescapes. That I even know this word is a lame, I'll admit. But really, tablescapes are what make a home just perfect to me. And they're what make a gathering into a special occasion. Just a random gathering of objects looks like clutter, but turn them (with lots and lots of moving and replacing and rearranging) into a well-planned tablescape and I'm happy every time I look at it for weeks. 

2. sewing stuff. My mom would never believe that I actually like sewing things for the house now. There was a time that I would die of exasperation when the bobbin ran out halfway down a seam. There was a time when I would just give up on the project if I had to use a seam ripper. Yes Mom, that time is gone. Now I can sew pillows, curtains, and quilts without crying. And I'm even thinking of a foray into aprons and decorative birdies! I LOVE fabric! Hooray for the 20% off annivesary sale at Material Possessions this weekend! I'm planning on picking up a bunch of Amy Butler fabric for projects yet to be thought of.

3. creating things with the boys. Teaching the boys to use their imaginations is really becoming my favorite part of my job as a homemaker. J, being 4, is finally into inventing things, drawing things, creating things, and imagining things. And T, being 2, of course wants to do whatever J does. This results in lots of artwork, lots of monster hunts (with tools and gadgets designed for the job), lots of running around, and lots of messes. Yes, the mess part is not my favorite, but it comes with the territory of creating. And it's better than raising a vidiot. (Video Idiot (vidiot): a phrase coined by my parents to describe someone who watches entirely too much t.v.)

4. decorating. Yes, I wanted to be an interior decorator when I was in elementary school. I still do, I guess, but I just want to decorate my own house and my friends' houses however we want to! Oh, it is so much fun. I LOVED the planning stage of our downstairs remodel. Now I already have visions for the bedroom. Sigh.

5. cooking. Oh, if I only didn't have anyone running through my kitchen screaming, I could cook such amazing things! Uh...but there'd be no one home to eat them then, huh. Sigh. Cooking with toddlers around is frustrating, but I do love to try. Right now I have my first loaf of bread baking...can you believe it? But the most amazing thing about preparing good meals is when the boys embrace something new. It's rare, but it happens. Just the other night, after months of offering them various vegetable options, J says, "What's that, Mom?"  me:"zucchini" J:"What's zucchini?" me: "It's a kind of a squash." J: "Squash?! I love squash!"

This loving of all things squash is news to me. And I'm so excited about it.

So many things to love about making a home. And let's just leave it at that.

Stayed in our timeshare south of the strip with the most important features being a separate bedroom for the boys, a kitchen to avoid eating out, several pools (including a kiddie pool and lazy river for the boys to float around on with their swimmies), and a playground. And the weather was perfect (98 here and only 75 there!) Really, I'm not one to exaggerate how great a vacation is. Usually on trips with toddlers there's a whole lot of suffering for a few great moments. But either the boys are finally getting old enough to travel well, or the stars were just aligned, because we just had so much fun.

Favorites: Exploring in Red Rock Canyon, floating in the lazy river (with Daddy, who made a surprise visit when his trial got moved), watching J being thrilled by the buffet, and going to the Fremont Street experience where lights and songs fill the sky.

It reminds me that just the smallest change in scenery feels like a vacation for little ones. I need to remember this when we're feeling in a rut.

Yesterday I had a melt-down (yes, adults can have these, too. Just most of the time to our dear husbands who have to try to figure out what to do via phone-call.) The general problem of 'too much to do' compounded by the specific problems of 'church group coming over tonight' and 'very little sleep due to toddler coughing and sleeping together in a twin bed the night before.' Yes, the deadly combination of these circumstances leads to breakdowns for me. Today I skipped the crying part of the breakdown and simply opted for the 'I don't care' shutting down part.  

The thing is, perspective sure changes things quickly. Just ten minutes of perfect quiet as the boys nap or have rest time helps me look at things so differently. Suddenly the house seems beautiful again and the boys seem much cuter and more entertaining than exasperating. And after 20 minutes, even better. By 40 minutes when J's rest time timer dings, I'm ready to face it all again.

I need to remember this about perspective. Don't panic! It will all become clear and peaceful again soon.  Just wait for a little perspective.

For a long time (two years maybe?) I've been working my way to the discovery that if I really want things to be different in my life, well then, I'm just going to have to make them happen! One thing at a time.  That's the really hard part for me. In reality, it's not the actual beginning...I remind myself of the huge steps I've taken over the last few years (peace with our family size, slowing down our lifestyle, changing our eating habits, to name a few.)

So as not to be to cryptic or rambling, here are what I hope the next milestones in my journey might be:

I think I'd better stop there and just list three goals to work toward.  The first one is a job in itself. I wonder if anyone ever really has control of their household chores...a sick side of me hopes not, so that I'm not the only one!  Further down the road I hope to add on the 'no yelling' and 'keeping up with friends I feel are in need' and 'listening to other people better' steps on my journey. But let's take one step at a time, shall we?

I've been so encouraged as I've been reading SouleMama's blog and seeing her evolution over the past few years. As I read her archives I've seen her become more peaceful, less negative (not that she was very before, she's just even less so), more wholesome in regards to food and lifestyle, and just overall more comfortable to be with. Perhaps it's just her blogging voice that's changed, but I like to think it's her. I like to think that she's on a journey, too, and that there's hope for the rest of us out here still plugging away on ours.

He is just at that cute cute cute stage, you know?  That stage when everything they do drives you crazy and everything they say makes you die of happiness? "Mommy? Mommy, go thir' flo'r, Mommy, find cars, Mommy?" Yes, I assured him, you can go up and find some cars. "Oh! I nee' hug kiss, Mommy." 

He needs a hug and a kiss goodbye and perhaps even a shooting 'I love you' (sign language for 'I love you' shot towards the one being loved as if you're shooting a spider-man web or a laser gun or something, accompanied by a shooting noise. This created for saying goodbye to Daddy when he leaves for work in the morning and he's already gotten to the car before you had a chance to say 'I love you.')

My little T. Who repeats everything we say, and sometimes even things other people say, much to their amusement. (i.e. Man in Home Depot today who said, 'I love you. Bubbye,' on his cell phone and got to listen to our little T repeat the phrase over and over while we searched for wheelbarrow tire tubes.)

My little T. Who says the most adorable prayers, mentioning everyone we know (some of them doubled up, like 'CorinneLuke' and 'RobAmy.') Who has now begun including the pets of everyone we know, as well. He takes forever to pray but always ends with the most adorable "Aaaaaaaaay-MEN!"  

My little T. Who somehow innately has the most generous spirit and love and concern for others. Who always needs to know where everyone is (not just family anymore, but also our closest friends, their nanny, their pets, our acquaintances.) He is always worried when someone he loves isn't nearby and constantly asks about them.

Little T, we just can't get enough of you right now.

Three guys are hard at work in the family room, so we may actually be done with the workers after today. Hallelujah!

I thought for a moment...what's the harm? Then let the boys run around like crazy people through the cool streams of water as people coming home from their evening commutes stared. Impromptu bliss.

However...

Next week will be wonderful.

Next week the paint will be dry and the furniture back and the boys and I can take over our home again.  Next week I'll catch up on the laundry that's been piling up for four weeks now. Next week my office will transform into our new family art studio.  Next week I can shop at Trader Joe's again and actually have somewhere to put the groceries when I get home. Ahhhh...next week will be wonderful.

Things I've decided during this remodel:

1. We will return to our healthy ( or at least healthier) eating ways when this is all done.  We've been on a bit of a hiatus since Christmas, then birthdays & Super Bowl, then wedding, now this.  Vacation over. Whole grains, vegetables, plain nonfat yogurt. Mmmm. Yes, it does sound appetizing to me right now. You know that feeling you get after too much restaurant food?  The feeling that you really shouldn't have eaten what you just did, but you had to because you have no counters at home. Can't wait for real food again.

2. After Laundry Catch-Up Day, I will once again begin a load a day, so as never to have to do this much laundry at once again in my life.  What is Laundry Catch-Up Day, you ask?  This is my new invention to make the boys and I happy when the laundry piles up.  I get as many piles of laundry onto the family room floor, and the boys watch a movie while I catch up on doing, folding, & putting away the laundry.  Saves me from their groans about being trapped inside, and from my guilt for letting them watch a movie in the middle of the day.  Mission accomplished.

3. Bread.  I want to get Dad's breadmaker back and try some recipes.  I'd like to make fresh bread our usual second breakfast.  Yes, we have a second breakfast.  Usually that means that the boys ate with Daddy but now beg to steal whatever measly breakfast I've managed for myself.  Fresh bread will be a much better option for all of us.

Looking so forward to next week.  I hope it turns out as perfect as I've dreamed for a month.

But this afternoon, once the laundry was put away, I made a healthy dinner and convinced J to ride his new big boy bike down to the basketball court.  A victory in itself, as he's been scared since trying to ride a too-big for him big boy bike and failing.

He rode around the court until he realized he really could ride it, and then sped home.  Upon coming to the garage, he said to me with a huge smile, "This day is a two thumbs up for me!  I love my new big boy bike!"  I was so excited and proud of him for being proud of himself that I ran over to give him a hug and promptly gashed my ankle on his training wheel in the process.  That's okay, it was worth it.

What a great way to end the day.

2. There's sure a lot of waiting involved in remodeling.  Waiting for drawer pulls to come in, waiting for floor samples to arrive, waiting for workers who are running behind...waiting for everything to be finished and beautiful!

3. I have not kept up with my photo a day 365 project.  I'm not beating myself up over this, but am picking enough photos for the year from each month instead.  Goodbye guilt.

Today I went in search of rugs for the living room.  I arrived back at the car with lots of finger puppets and hand puppets for some future gift for the boys, some vintage looking jars to store craft stuff in, twelve beautiful moss green velvety drawstring bags for some future embroidery project, and a new bedspread.  And best of all, a full tummy from what could arguably be one of my favorite meals out on the town.  How can it get any better?  

I read somewhere that there's a guy on YouTube who's living in Ikea and filming it all.  I could get into that.  Either Ikea or Target.  Both are tempting.

I hope you all get to go somewhere wonderful and cheap (or $194.73) today.

- served breakfast (applesauce and yogurt) on the floor in the front entry

-got my scrapbook pages into new books...finally!

-tickled T and heard his adorable belly laugh

-am going to Ikea for lunch

-am doing my first load of laundry of the week

-chatted with my "daughter" before she left for work

-feel good

On a different note, magazines I love right now:

-Cottage Living

-Coastal Living

-Martha Stewart Living

I love the pictures of houses and recipes and gardens in these.  They actually make me want a garden.  To while away the hours in, I suppose.

Things I'd like to do sometime soon (in no particular order):

-bake my own bread

-embroider something (found this cool site about it yesterday!)

-try another camera cozy for my Canon with thinner foam

-donate a bunch of vases and stuff to Goodwill before putting the kitchen back together.

I read Stacy Julian's Photo Freedom sometime last week, and I just couldn't put it down.  I've been stuck in a scrapbooking rut for quite a while, and am happy to be re-inspired!  Of course, re-inspiration is never cheap, and I've since spent a bit of time and money figuring out how to make her Library of Memories system work at my house.  All this while trying to clean things up for the remodel.  Bad timing.  What can I say, when inspiration strikes, I just can't wait!

By the way, can you tell that I've learned how to add links to my posts...aren't I clever.  Next I need to create a sidebar with my current favorite blogs.  In all my spare time, of course.  The boys are at Grandma and Grandpa's today, which is why I'm able to post this and paint the furniture.  Hopefully I'll get a little relaxation in this afternoon, too.  Aaaah.

This excitement brings craziness, of course, and the realization that the house will be a mess for at least a month.  Hmmm...we'll see how I handle that one.

Cozy has become such an endearing little word around our house. When J was two-ish he started asking, "Wan' cozy up with me?" and a favorite phrase was born.  Cozy often describes how I feel in our home (although sometimes crazy would be more apt.) Cozy seems warm and inviting and friendly and homey. I wish I could focus more on the coziness of life and less on the craziness.  To look more at the blessings which God has wrapped me up in, snug and tight, and less at the things that bring me confusion and dread. 

I hope to spend my time here wandering through the many things that make up my life, and sharing them in this little online journal. Inspiration, stories, pictures, growth, and my journey in general. I've always found that journaling helps me focus more on what's important and where I'm headed.  It helps me remember where I'm headed when I get off course. And it just helps me embrace the journey a bit more, both good and bad.

Embrace the Journey is the phrase I came up with to describe what I'd like to do in my life.  My mantra, as some would call it, although that sounds a little new-agey to me.  But if I could only Embrace the Journey, how much better would life be?  I know I can't enjoy every moment of it, but I also know that every moment of my journey is planned by God for His purposes, so shouldn't I embrace it in both the amazing times and the hard times?  Embrace the Journey.

And Listen. Listen in 2008 was my previous and extremely short-lived blog.  Not because I quit it, but because technical difficulties got the best of me, and so here I am.  Maybe I'll give the copy and paste command a try and see if I can drop in my thoughts about Listen, my word for 2008.  No such luck.  So here is at least one part of my thoughts on the subject.

What would life be like if I made it my goal to Listen? To put myself aside. To not interrupt. To pay attention. Yes, even to the littlest people. Could I live this way? How would it change me? What if, as I listen, I take it one step further and try to understand what it is that the person wants me to know? How they need me to respond? What if I can learn to truly empathize with others and meet others' needs? I'm going to give Listen a try this year and see what comes of it.

Aunt Krissy, who tells it like it is, says that I tend to start my sentences with the word, "so." So here you are, Krissy. Starting my whole blog with this:

So here are my cozy thoughts. Embracing the Journey. Spending the year listening. Just sharing my everyday and seeing what happens.