Merry Christmas!

The Lady at the Flower Shop

I've been meaning to type up this story for a while, and now seems like the right time.

I was buying birthday flowers for Bry's mom at my favorite shop. First off, they have the best flowers. I walked around picking out random things I liked and made this ensemble with a big plant that looks like a cabbage. Pretty cool, huh?

The girls were with me and while Poppy was trying to tell me which flowers I had to choose, Cetty was pulling handfuls of plants out of buckets and generally just destroying everything she could reach. I noticed that the store owner seemed unusually gentle and patient, and I was glad for that. 

She talked to the girls and asked what their favorite flowers and colors were. I assumed she was making conversation, but the next thing I knew she was handing the girls each a rose to take home. So sweet. I, on the other hand, wasn't feeling quite so patient and tried to hurry in an effort to limit the damage done to the cute little shop.

I was loading the girls up in the car when I heard a voice behind me. The store owner was standing there in the parking lot. I was a little confused at this point. Did I leave something (quite possible)? Then she said, "I just felt like God wanted me to tell you that you're a really good mom. Keep doing what you're doing." She was so sincere and had such a soft, quiet spirit. I really did feel like I was hearing from God through this woman. I didn't know what to say so I hugged her. I felt like I was going to cry.

I've thought about that incident several times since it happened. It makes me want to take every chance I have to encourage other moms out there. So if you're a mom, this is me encouraging you. God bless you for loving His kids and keep doing what you're doing. 

The reason I thought about the flower shop lady tonight is because it was a tough week with the girls. Yes, Cetty is in a horribly difficult stage. She's defiant, unbelievably destructive, and so very exhausting. But I think it's really my issue. I've had such a short fuse. I've yelled, over-reacted, been lazy and selfish, felt sorry for myself, and been an all-around bad example to my girls of what a mother is meant to be. 

I'm not a good mom. I've been humbled enough times to know that. But God is a good God, and He offers forgiveness, encouragement, and grace. Over and over again. I don't deserve that and I don't deserve the experience of being a mom to two precious girls. 

That's what I need to remember tomorrow when Poppy is whining and Cetty is throwing my toothbrush in the toilet, coloring on the rug, and emptying the cereal boxes on the kitchen floor for the ten-thousandth time.

East Coast

There's a new restaurant in town and it has quickly become my favorite. First visit was a date night with Bry. It was like a trip to the east coast. Fresh seafood, decor, details…everything was spot on. I wish I had snapped a picture of the leather journal they use as a guest book and bring you to sign with your receipt. Such a good idea.

Clam chowder, shrimp cocktail, and monkfish tail were all excellent. But I think my favorite part of the meal was the butter whipped with herbs and sweet orange zest. Seriously addicted.

(Note to self: don't look up pictures of monkfish after eating it. They're really ugly.)

Second visit was a double birthday celebration. This time I braved the oysters and chose two from the daily selection. 

 Birthday girl #1 downing her oyster.

Birthday girl #2 and her free milk and cookies with a candle. I'm not a milk drinker but even I was tempted by the milk in the glass bottle.

Surprise Road Trip!

Out of the blue, my sister Kaitlin invited me to drive to Florida with her...and I had about a day to decide. So what did I do? Found babysitters, packed my bags, and went of course! It was wild and crazy, and I hardly knew what to do with myself without kids and a husband. But the spontaneity of it felt good after so many years of responsible adult living.

We broke up the trip by stopping to stay overnight with a friend in Atlanta on the way there and then meeting another good friend for dinner and a tour of her apartment in Nashville on the way back. We definitely made that drive count.

At Cape San Blas, Florida we stayed in this darling beach house. The Dr. Seuss-looking tree helped us find our way back from the ocean. Andria and Luke (and Luke's brother and SIL Caleb and Laura) were there for the week and kindly invited us to stay in the extra bedroom. Huge shout out to them!

Wells came along and much enjoyed the beach and the cousins.

And here is our little Robinson Crusoe (aka Noah). I spent some quality time with this guy...talking, doing a puzzle, taking a long walk on the beach together. The walk was actually his idea, which I thought was really adorable.

I didn't take many photos of the inside of this house. It was beautiful. I loved the floor to ceiling curtains...and the view from the porch, of course.

We had a bonfire on the beach the last night. 

The kids wore glow stick jewelry and caught giant crabs

Thank you for asking me to come along, Kait. It's been a long time since we've had an adventure together.

What a Day

It has been a bad day. 

Nothing really bad has happened, but it's just bad in and of itself. I snoozed my alarm until Cetty woke up which means I did not do any schoolwork this morning. I hate starting the day off behind, and I still have not accomplished anything. Cetty is sick or teething or something because she has seriously cried all day. Poppy has been whiny and clingy. Cetty shattered a glass all over the nursery and herself. The one time Poppy left my side to play she got into my yarn and somehow managed to get it completely knotted into her hair, then pulled the elastic out of her ballet slippers. I haven't left the house. I desperately need a shower. It's dreary and rainy. Bry got my hopes up by saying he'd be home at 4:30 (woohoo!) but just texted to tell me that it will be 6:30.  Anyway, you get the idea. 

This kind of a day:

(Yes, they're in their pj's at 5:55pm. But hey, at least they match)

I finally sat down at the computer and turned my music up loud. Poppy started whining for kids' music, but I must have sounded serious when I told her that I was going to listen to whatever I wanted to listen to because she and Cetty both disappeared quickly after that.

I started sorting through photos and found some from a trip Bry and I took to Chicago a few weeks ago. OK, so I guess these are a good reminder of how many good days I have had, and how lucky I am to even have this one. 

The sunrise and mist over the fields as we drove

Luch at Cafecito...incredible pressed cuban sandwiches.

Art Institute

Monet: Bry's favorite. Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect. 

"If not for the fog," Monet said, "London wouldn't be a beautiful city. It's the fog that gives it its magnificent breadth."

Toulouse-Lautrec: One of my favorites.

The face he made when I told him to strike a pose for me.

 Venison burgers at The Gage.

We got lost on our way back to our parking spot and left later than planned. 

Bry was frustrated, but I was happy to watch the sun set over the city.

Bry is home and just brought me a cup of tea. The weekend has started and I think I'm going to go make some potato soup. Things are looking up.

A Lake Sort of Vacation

This year Bry's family decided to spend a week at Lake Wawasee instead of traveling somewhere far away for vacation. As much as I like to travel, I was very excited about this. (Is that what kids do to you?) We go to the lake for a weekend here and there, but a week sounded like a whole different level of relaxing.

My favorite part of the vacation was the Village at Winona Lake, which is a half hour drive from Syracuse. The shops along the canal are really fun. Spices (bought some intense cinnamon there and a fun little test tube rack to hold my spices), wine tasting, olive oil and balsamic vinegar (I chose the truffle oil and their original 18-year aged balsamic that is like syrup it's so thick), art gallery and beads, homemade soap...that sort of thing.

This is the porch at Cerulean...a really good restaurant. It's worth checking out if you're in the area. Or the owner opened a second one in Indy, which I assume is similar (minus the wonderful room with the pretty blue curtains that blow in the wind).

For lunch they do bento boxes. This is mine. Is that not the cutest thing ever?

I went back to the bead shop another day and put these two bracelets together with Javon's help for Poppy and Cetty. There were hundreds of beads to choose from. Oh my. Like real, beautiful stone that I couldn't get enough of. I chose quartz because it's pink and of course that's Poppy's favorite color. The lady in the shop also told me it has healing properties, which sounds good to me. To accent the quartz I chose an antique bronze flower design, pearls, and cut glass that sparkles (because yes, Poppy also likes flowers and things that sparkle). This was such a fun project...and now the girls are wearing them around their ankles, which makes me smile.

The whole village is like Odyssey, which would make this ice cream shop Whit's End. (Andria, you'll have to bring your boys here next!)

Later that afternoon we went to Nappanee for an Amish dinner and the Little Women musical at the Round Barn Theater. (That was fun, especially because Mark and Lori took the girls back to the condo so we could enjoy the show!) They have ducks and peacocks walking around the property. I think the girls are just spotting them here.

Look at that pleased face. Cetty is a bit obssessed with ducks. Or "gucks," as she calls them. They go "gack, gack."

She kept doing this funny little squatting thing as she watched them. You know, to get in close without them noticing you.

So...I love that boy and those two girls.

We celebrated Poppy's birthday again because, as Poppy said, "we have BOTH sides of the family." I had envisioned a two-tier cake but Poppy was very set on keeping the layers separate...probably so she could decorate two cakes instead of one, which she did.

Mark and Lori bought Poppy leotards, tights, and ballet shoes for her new ballet class. The pink leotard was a bit big, so it had to be returned, but Poppy enjoyed dancing around the living room in it anyway. Uncle Nick used his techy powers to play the Swan Lake ballet on the TV screen for her and she looked just like the real ballerinas.

The girls swam a lot, even though I thought it wasn't quite warm enough for such craziness. But then I'm a big wimp when it comes to cold water. Judging from her face, maybe Poppy isn't so tough after all.

Ok, and then I found this baby turtle. It was possibly the most adorable thing I've ever seen. Poppy named it Eeny (after which I nicknamed it Teeny Eeny), and we made it a home with rocks, moss, and a lilly pad in a tupperware container. At one point Poppy turned to me and said with a huge smile, "Let's keep our new little friend." I wanted to, but it was probably a good thing that Bry told her we needed to let it go back to it's real home at the end of the week. Otherwise I'm sure we would soon have had to explain the harsh realities of death.

My favorite thing at Lake Wawasee (besides the lake, of course) is Oakwood Inn. It's on a little peninsula, right on the lake, and so pretty. We visited their spa for the first time and I had an awesome massage. They also have a nice restaurant. While we were waiting for dinner, Javon took the girls to walk around and they found some rocking chairs. Cetty is a big fan of rocking chairs.

This is the last night before we left, back at Lake Winona. Earlier in the day, Bry and I were able to get away on a date to play some tennis at the park and walk along the canal. I think my serve is FINALLY improving just a little!

I couldn't get enough of the setting sun! (And I'm pretty crazy about that baby too).

Lucette and her favorite guy. She is such a daddy's girl, it's ridiculous. And I love it. (Fun fact: Bry's mom just gave us a box of Bry's baby pictures and he and Cetty could seriously be twins at this stage, except he wore fewer headbands.)

So that was vacation at the lake. I'd do that again.