Things I Love Right Now

-Hearing Spencer sing the Star Wars theme at the top of his voice as he wakes himself up every morning
-doing chores with Sophie, who willingly folds the laundry, cleans my lint catcher, and vacuums. When she's in the mood for it, that is.
-Hearing Maggie recount entire chapter books at bedtime while she tickles my hair, and vice versa.
-going to the temple. We've really kicked it up lately.
-my favorite breakfast of a baguette and cheese (currently aged white cheddar), an orange, and herbal tea with creamer (it's cold enough in the mornings now to appreciate it!)
-admiring my freezer full of the goods from our garden, and looking forward to carving our home-grown pumpkins come October!
-getting good sleep. Yes, it happens once in a while.
-a husband who LOVES his job (and lets me input once in a while - he is teaching a Humanities class, after all!)
-My comfort food, pad thai
-Sitting on my back porch at sunset with Gary, looking over the shorn fields dotted with cattle, listening to elk bugling down the street and the hundreds of geese flying south in their V formations overhead, and watching the cats and kids and neighbors playing hide and go seek in the twilight garden. I don't think I would trade living here for anything... unless it meant being closer to family.

Life is pretty darn good. I'm trying to appreciate it for all it's worth.

Quote of the Day

So school's going well, the studio is thriving (I'm only teaching one class! hooray!), our backyard grass is growing, the nights are cooling, and Gary's classes are making him stretch in a whole new way (he's teaching an academic Humanities class for the first time and the prep is invigorating but time consuming). It must be fall.

Nothing exciting to report, really, except that Spencer can now kind of sing the ABC's and we planted a new peach tree. We are gearing up for Halloween and Sophie's birthday already, but first we get to spend Harvest Break in Del Mar with Mom and Dad, Kars, Abby and Kate! (and spouses and kids, on and off, right?) Can't wait for the beach and Disneyland!

In the meantime, here's my thought for the day, because after destroying my minivan's bumper by hitting a perfectly stationary trailer today, I've needed a laugh: The wise man can pick up a grain of sand and envision a whole universe. But the stupid man will just lay down on some seaweed and roll around until he’s completely draped in it. Then he’ll stand up and go, “hey, I’m Vine Man!”

The "Honey-Do" List Achievements!

Good thing Gary had four weeks off this summer between teaching semesters - I had a mile long list for him to help me with! Actually, it was a team effort. He painted the barn (thank heavens for Grandpa's paint sprayer!!!) and I did the detailing on the deck; he planted our new grass plot in the backyard while the garden, raspberries and fruit trees have been all mine. What can I say - we work well together!

Note our lovely rock collection - that's actually part of the parking lot for the dance studio in the barn. I finally talked Gary into putting in just a little grass though so my kids have a place in back to play!

Next year's project, is, um, the front yard, which is basically a weed haven. If you know anyone who needs Scottish thistle, alfalfa or crab grass, we got them covered!