thankful tuesday, 4/12

a long overdue thankful tuesday post

inspired by crazy and silly gratefulness that those meal swap meals shown up there

were safely delivered to friends and their sweet families,

after a slow motioned dive by yours truly across the kitchen to rescue them

just nanoseconds before gus the dog swiped them off the counter.

phew. safe. thankful. 

i'm still sweating.

it rocks me every time.

being overwhelmed and overtaken

in the small every day moments like these.

moments that inspire and propel us one minute,

and often those that shatter and break us in the next.

here's to gratitude and how it turns 

everything into enough.

meal swap rescue

that gus is lucky he is cute

between mom fellowship

sushi and mama confessions

pokaaaaaaa in the baaaaaaaaan (poker in the barn)

dodgeball sillies and seriousness

weekends with matt and maria

chats with the chicks

chats with my chicks (not chickens)

brand new babies and jane asking if we can "get one of those"

first mosquito bites

summerplans

tickles to get the truth

basketball with b

sound of music with e

chicky chats with j

gardening with w

tuesday night with bits & bobs

little women

maybe there is no better sign of spring.

maybe i can't say no to my kids and their sweet friends.

maybe i've taken my love of fresh eggs to a new level.

maybe i'm just a wee attached to these backyard friends.

maybe i'm looking to bring #whenwomenthrive to the farm.

maybe i'm officially one of those crazy chicken ladies.

not maybe. definitely.

chicken photo shoot seals the deal on that one.

introducing my new little women.

heidi, josephine, louisa, daisy and prudence.

photo shoot complete with a couple outtakes.

peek-a-boo!

game of life bits

as we welcome the first day of spring, 

a little look back at our game of life these last few weeks.  

while our family boardgame "spins" did not bring twins, 

lawsuits or choice of careers,  it did bring some of this.

welcoming gus to the farm

cherished few remaining afternoon naps

visiting these friends 

breaking out the bikes

remembering childhood breakfasts with my grandparents

always finding the best reading nooks

feeling foxy

minion sillies

and more sillies

our dapper boy

father daughter dance date 

mother son football fun date

girlfriend antiquing date

sentence writing discipline blues

dr. seuss silly sentences

recipe love

bakery love

toast love

my true love

soccer saturdays

business in sunny san francisco

celebrating international women's day with my mercer sisters

lunch with a few

little b...bennett not brady

sunday service picnic 

sunset swing

full t-shirt baskets after winter's restaurants 

a day at the un

fever baby and dr. gus

tea and toast for fever mama

march madness bracket strategy

embracing it all

carry on dear warriors,

and happy spring!

raise your tail feathers

raise your tail feathers if this week kicked your booty.

raise your tail feathers if you stayed up too late. 

raise your tail feathers if you need a nap.

raise your tail feathers if you voted.

raise your tail feathers if you wish you could vote for someone else.

raise your tail feathers if this year's candidates make you want to run for president.

raise your tail feathers if you are ready for spring.

raise your tail feathers if you need a drink.

raise your tail feathers if you need a date night.

raise your tail feathers if you are happy it's friday!

click, cluck and high feathers all around!

football and growing up

happy super bowl sunday friends.

while we are sad neither the cowboys or patriots 

are competing in the big game i know i will remember this season

as b's entrance into a new phase of boyhood...and me of motherhood.

he turned 7 and over night fell in love with the game of football.

the same love that through the years was devoted to

thomas the train, rescue bots, super heroes, 

matchbox cars, ninjago, star wars and pokemon.

play that used to center around characters and cartoons,

is now rooted in hometown teams, divisions, logos, mascots, 

player statistics and real life humans.

choo choo, vehicle, laser sounds and japanese expressions 

have been replaced by drawing up plays, shouting at the tv, 

tackles and all things "epic."

for wes, parenting in this next phase is awesome...

a dream come true.

but for me...

it's challenging.

because when this boy gets into something, he really gets into it.

some may call it borderline obsession.

it's just how he's always been.

he will study and memorize anything and everything he can about whatever it is.

and then he'll want to talk about it.

all. the. time.

this was easier when it was like 10 trains who all had an easy to recognize 

color, number and were always helping one another shunt or haul freight.

this was easier when the series was on dvr, 

and though i didn't always watch with him, the scripts of ninjago or rescue bots 

were the soundtrack of our quiet time and simple enough 

to follow along with from a distance.

this was easier when he didn't always notice that i wasn't fully tracking with him, 

and when i could get away with responses like 

"uh huh" "how interesting" or "why do you think that is?"  

well...it's different now.

football facts, figures, player trading cards and the complexities 

of the game are now the soundtrack of our days.

and my "uh huh" and "really" and "why do you think that is?"  efforts are simply not cutting it.

don't get me wrong...i love a good football game.

but give me a break...

the amount there is to know about a game that is celebrating 

super bowl 50 is more than my brain can handle.  

i'm exposed.

a lot. 

and while i miss dearly the days of trains and matchbox cars, 

i love how this boy of ours is growing up.

how his "things" become our "things."

and while i can't retain football facts and figures like 

my fantasy football stud of a husband, i'm diving in.  

nfl trivia anyone?

as we wrap up the nfl season,

i'm pausing to embrace this new season of parenting.

the cowboys and patriots have a new devoted fan.

and i have a son who is growing up before my eyes.

i may not track with it all.

i may need to fake it...a lot.

and while wes has this phase in the bag,

i want to play too.

because this phase of parenting and playing is just as sweet.

and when the home team loses in the afc championship, 

like they did a few weeks back

i'm still his #1 comforter.

and he's still my baby boy.