winter. *sigh*

winter is not my favorite time....but i will say, i have become much more fond of it since the beans do so love a good romp in the snow. 

what i do NOT love, is all the drama of a snow day delay- 90 minute delays...what IS that?  90 minutes?  so freakin' complicated.  then today, the biggest  bean, who is a.m. kindergarten....has a 90 minute delay.  then his bus is a half hour late...so.  how much school are we really going to have.  i mean really, he's FIVE...  

so, after school today, he hopped off the bus, and we had our usual exchange...

me - "hey bub!  how was school today..."

big bean (in a matter of fact tone)- "oh, actually we didn't have school today.  today we took off our coats, had snack, did 10 minutes of homework, put our coats on and then came back home."

now you tell me - a 90 MINUTE DELAY??????  they only go to school for 3ish hours anyway.  ridiculous.

in other news.  benji is turning two next week...he is finally chatting away, and wanders all over the house rolling his r's - it is such a strange little habit that i am all enamored with...

his new favorite word is "truck"  which he shouts all over the house, the highway, anywhere you may be able to see a large vehicle....which is so sweet - minus the unfortunate- that he has subtracted the tr and replaced it with a LOUD F.  awesome.  ESPECIALLY in the grocery store.  or anywhere really.  but really he is amazing...and i love even our post bedtime snuggles while we watch american idol, because he refuses to go to bed, and there is nothing else appropriate on except dora which by evening i am totally maxed out on.

t is princess-ing it up all over the house and has really turned in to such a demanding little one.  exchanges often heard...

"daddy i want milk"

hubs - "how do you ask for milk?"

"daddy i want milk....NOW."

and the new popular is "mommy - you may NOT come in my room evah (ever) again."

just about every statement is followed by a "RIGHT NOW!"

if she needs something - like your attention, or a snack or uh, ANYTHING... she will walk up and grab your face and yell "MOMMY"  "I NEEEEEEEED YOUUUUUUUUUU."  as if you could not hear her when she was standing right next to you. 

she has all the boys in this house wrapped around her little fingers...it is really something to watch.  and as soon as you think your so over her attitude that your head will explode, she says in the sweetest of voices all while batting her eyelashes in your face...."uhm mommy....i love you"  and smirks and runs away.  i am gonna be in the sticks when this kid hits the teen years.

we are thinking positive thoughts for my uncle jim who is in the hospital working on getting healthy....so send a quick get well vibe our way of you have a sec...

and welcoming nins newest bean Lulu, who i cannot wait to love all over*

anyhow.  all else is well...things have worked themselves out in regards to some chaos we were dealing with and all is quiet for now.  

how are YOU?

*namaste*

* happiness

i have no words today.  just bliss...

xo, a

*simple

* i woke up this morning to benji in my bed in a diaper,  saying "cheek"  then kissing me on the cheek....smiling ear to ear, then saying "nigh-nigh" and jumping under the covers and pretending to snore as loud as he could muster up....

benji rocks.

hope you all are staying mighty warm....it is damn cold out there....

*peace,

a

*p.s.  happy birthday wishes to pa - can't wait to celebrate tonight!

2009 *

*my list








2009.

i cannot even believe how fast the days whip on by....i am shocked every time i open my checkbook and have to remind myself not to write 2001. no really.

all is good here....i am not gonna say great, as that would simply not be the truth...it is good. we are happy, we are healthy, we are family...we are living, loving, and processing every day. we are. we just are. but there have been some bumps in the road. all minor...like crazy minor, but bumps none-the-less. so, we are dealing, we are healing, we are trying to move on....member the mantra - MOVE ON.












* m getting his paint on.








the kidlets are divine. they keep a smile on our faces most all of the time...even when they are being sassy and misbehaving, or having grouchy days of their own...they are not good, they are better than amazing, and that i guess is the point right?

i have started a new yoga class that is teaching me the fundamentals of yoga, and i am loving all the new knowledge. hubs started his arborist class....and is soaking in all that info as well....so i guess we are returning to those tree hugger roots of ours in hopes of maintaining the joy and happiness we feel, with the balance that we need, and the purpose that we are so desperately seeking. there has been a bit of "estrangement" here lately, and we are hoping that our mantra in combination with our forward movement will be the missing part of things -- that can replace those pieces we have chosen to remove. that sounds so messy - it kind of is...but such is life.



*t and i















so i made a list - and i am still adding to my list - it is not a list of things that i hope to achieve in 2009, but rather a list of movements toward becoming my authentic self...being true to me...i am just not done with me, not yet....we spend so much time learning who our children are, and helping them become their own little selves, and these amazing little people, and well, how can i help them to achieve their own true authentic selves, if maybe i am not even sure i am there yet, and if we change along the way.....i am just not done with me yet.....so over time, maybe i'll show you mine if you show me yours....







benji - being benji*












*peace, A