Is 8am too early to dig into a chocolate cake?!?

Today I am thankful for family. I am part of a wonderful family, full of love and caring. I couldn’t be more blessed. I have little people around to keep me smiling, keep me moving, and keep me laughing. They express their love in such beautiful ways.

I have big people in my life who take care of me, make sure I take care of myself, love me, support me, and keep me guessing :) I read several emotional blog posts today about Veterans Day and mother’s who send their sons and daughters off to war and it made me want to cry. In my perfect world I’d gather my family close, wrap you in my arms, and keep you forever!

I had a wonderful day with family, a wonderful evening with family, tomorrow will be a wonderful day with almost family, and soon I get to spend several days with even more family. I couldn’t be happier. Thank you all.

Thirty five years ago.

Yesterday was rough. For various reasons. But I went to bed early and tried to mentally regroup. It worked! Today was a PERFECT day. Just perfect.

It’s Veterans Day and the kids had no school. We did our morning thing and they played super nicely while I did a long exercise (there will be cake this weekend!). Then we went to the science museum. It was packed! Packed! I knew it would be because of the school vacation but I thought we’d be ok anyway.

At the museum. They are happy but I'm feeling antsy already.

I need to dig up the "before" to this "after" picture. I have pictures of them when they were so little they needed to stand on that stool just to see through the elevator window.

This is just sweet.

We got a late start so I brought sandwiches and figured we could eat lunch at the museum. After almost an hour there I had a headache and felt very antsy. Remembering how much the kids had liked the nature trails last time, I suggested we take our sandwiches and go for a walk. They were thrilled! Then we got outside and the wind hit my face and I really wanted to go home and drink a cup of hot tea. I’m a home-body! The kids, however, were excited for the trail, so we bundled up and off we went.

Just starting off. Look at those happy faces!

We took a different trail then we have done before. This one was just over a mile long, up and down the hills, through the woods. It was fun. It starts off with the Planet Trail where they have the planets laid out to scale in terms of planet size and distance between them. It gives you a pretty cool idea of how far apart things are. We made it to Saturn before our trail split off and we started to circle around back to the museum.

Lunch at Jupiter

The trail had lots of neat little bridges and exhibit detours which Lex was really interested in. The cool thing about this museum is that there is stuff for all ages! Each time we go they find different things that interest them. It’s great! (Thank you Grandma for the continued membership!) The exhibits talked about frog ponds and mossy ecosystems and glacial rock formations and other cool things.

Lots of cute little bridges

Lex waits patiently...

... while Eve counts the rings on a tree.

I taught them about writing on paper birch trees.

This was a high platform that had a great view of the hillside and the trail.

By the time we got back we were all hungry, but happy! I felt a million times better after the walk and I thanked the kids over and over for insisting we go.

After a quick stop at the produce market to stock up on apples (there will be lots of cake this weekend!) we finally made it home just before 2pm. Five minutes later my friend called to see if they could come over. Earlier in the week we had made tentative plans for an afternoon playdate so I told her to come on over. When I told the kids about it they both said NO. No, no, no. I ended up calling her back and rescinding my offer. Probably not the best manners, but it was definitely the best for the three of us. Eve sat in the living room listening to an audio book and drawing with markers, Lex sat in the dining room drawing with crayons, and I washed the fruit and baked a cake! (cake, cake, cake!!) It was a very nice, very peaceful afternoon.

The Christmas tree on the left is by Eve, the two on the right are by Lex.

Look what she did all by herself! Turkeys! I love them.

Look what I did all by my self! :) Step one, bake the cake. Step two... you'll see tomorrow.

After a fast game of Sorry (I won by a hair!) we packed up and head out to dinner with Grandpa and Grandma. The restaurant was packed but we had a great time. We went to a steakhouse (my choice) with a great salad bar (that’s why!) and it’s super kid friendly. I enjoyed a big healthy salad and washed it down with a glass of wine and a chocolate peanut butter dessert. YUM! My one regret for the evening was that I didn’t have the waiter take a picture. They brought my dessert out with a candle and everyone was happy and it would have been a PERFECT picture. But alas, I thought about it on the way home. I always think to take pictures of the kids, but never of me. Oh well. You’ll just have to trust me it was beautiful.

I did get this picture though. Thanks Grandma!

Who's that beautiful baby?!

We have fun birthday plans for tomorrow, but today was so perfect I hate to let it go. I think it has already slipped through my fingers though. It’s 9:30 now, Alan and the kids are asleep, and I’m reminding myself that my days are much, MUCH better when I get enough sleep. On that note, I will let today go and have sweet dreams (of cake!) tonight.

Lex has been home now for two days (four days in a row if you count the weekend) and it’s starting to feel like the old days. He felt completely fine today with just a little discomfort on his nose. The kids played nicely while I exercised and showered, then we ate popcorn and played games on the living room floor. We ate lunch, brought Eve to school (ok, that’s not exactly like the old days!), ran some errands, and headed home. It all felt so nice and comfortable. Lex and I got lots of one-on-one time and he is generally a pleasure to have around. He’s getting a bit antsy and I know he’s ready to go back to school tomorrow, but I kind of like having him home with me. Like the old days when we three were together every day. I miss those days sometimes.

The doctor recommended keeping Lex out of the water for another day so while Eve had her swimming lesson this afternoon, Lex and I sat on the sidelines. I think this was the hardest part of the day for him. It was tough for me too, initially, because it’s the first time she has swam in the pool by herself, without me or a lesson teacher by her side. I was on the edge of the pool, of course, and the lifeguards were near by, and everything was fine, but I was still a bit nervous. Then after her lesson the teachers just sent her away. I was standing there with her towel expecting her to climb out of the pool, but instead the teachers started chatting with each other and Eve swam away! I watched her like a hawk and she made it across the pool, down the side, and up the stairs. Such a big girl!

being home with my children. I’m thankful that I can be here when they are sick. I need only call the doctor (and the school) and not worry that I will fall behind in my work or upset my boss. I am thankful I can spend hours on the floor having one-on-one time with a sick boy. I am thankful he can nap when he needs to and I can do projects with my healthy girl. Today I am thankful I am here.