4/12 Also the Day of Grocery Store Shopping Vroom Vroom

Grocery shopping with the whole family. We got the kids into the big cart with the race car seats for them, and we steered that monstertruck through the store. Luckily, it was nothing like the rinky dink grocery stores in Brooklyn. They don’t have that much more food, but they have so much more room.

The kids got a FREE cookie at the bakery counter. I knew I’d seen kids with cookies, I just didn’t know they were giving them to kids for free. How cool is that.

We got a ball each for the little guys. They left most of their balls behind, so I thought it was a good treat.

Chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cups and moosetracks fudge. Yum.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

4/11 The Day of Dinner at The Ring Side Cafe (where, as a side note, my mom met my stepfather.)

Hugging G. He is very active in his hugs now. Not just a baby, but a little boy who snuggles and wraps his legs around you and hangs on to your neck and if you’re not careful, licks you.

Hugging Ivy. She’s so round and squishable. G was always wiry, Ivy is like a bunny.

Kids who eat their whole meal, chicken tenders and french fries. And eat until they’re all filled up. No stress dinner when it’s chicken and french fries.

Borrowing my mom’s jeep big enough for the car seats and going for dinner as a family. We don’t have a lot of money, but the cheap dinner out sometimes is a way to keep morale up.

And no matter what changes, the consensus is that our kids are adorable. Everyone loves them, north OR south of the Mason Dixon line.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

4/10 The Day of How We Make The Road as We Walk

Having pizza on the deck.

Not having to cook dinner tonight, because I seem to be cooking almost every night. Before, I could manage leftovers or something frozen or take out or walking down the street to get a slice of pizza or feeding the kids chicken nuggets and me eating a bowl of cereal, so I didn’t always have to cook full meals, but now S is always here for dinner and my uncle eats too sometimes and there are just not as many leftovers. I’m getting exhausted.

Messing around on Facebook. I guess I’m getting what they were all saying about it being addictive now. It might be the whole moving away from home thing that has me trying to get into touch with people. I’ve gotten in touch with a bunch of college friends and now some old students. One of my girls, who was morbidly obese, now looks positively svelte and gorgeous, and I can’t wait to have her confirm my request. Don’t tell the others, but she was always one of my favorite kids.

Oh and I was playing around with the vampire function and attacked my sister and my cousin and a friend and got leveled up to the next vampire stage. Then I sent them all some good karma. Now that’s balance, huh?

Oh, I forgot. I wrote a poem and drew a picture. They may not be pro quality, but it’s about the journey, and we make the road as we walk.

Taking a different route on the kids’ walk, going an extra block and seeing the cool houses and old trees. One house had a big banyon tree and a big oak tree on either side of their door. Very cool.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

4/9 Also the Day of Taco Pie and Family in the Garden

Family dinner last night. Truly, this is the reason we moved down here. Family.

We sat out in the garden and ate taco pie (still not quite sure what it is, but it was good,) and drank margaritas and beer and milk or coke for those who don’t drink.

Ivy started out shy and wouldn’t talk to anyone, but by the end, she was running back and forth, grinning and clapping her hands. And she kissed everyone good night, after a little warm up.

G of course was in his element: the center of attention. Climbing on everyone, getting tossed in the air, making faces, etc. And he got to stay up late. At one point, he took his blankie and his bobo and lay down on the porch step, but then he got his second wind and was up and running again.

I made peanut butter and jelly and apples for the kids’ dinner, because I knew grandma was coming with food, but it would be too late for dinner for them, although they could have some when it was ready (Ivy had some, G refused it [from everyone, and despite the many tricksy reverse psychology maneuvers attempted by all.]) PB&J means no drama at dinner.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

4/9 The Day of the Many Happy Things Despite My Head Being Wrapped Up in Seaweed

G discovered the joys of a cardboard box and thence it became a boat upon the open seas.

When he got out of the boat, I said, “now you’re in the water, are you going to swim?” and that is what he did, get down on the floor and make swimming motions. Big smile upon his face.

And Ivy wanted to be in the boat, too, so then it was a two man boat, with lots of giggles.

Cleaning the fish pond of its seaweed swamp. I cleared it out, G took it off of my tool and put it in piles. Ivy played in the heaps of wet green strands.

Got my sister to join Facebook. She almost never does the things I suggest, but apparently I was not the only one who had invited her.

When a facebook friend asked about the subject of my novel and I had to go look up my one line summary because I couldn’t remember it… but that’s okay, because it brings the story back to my head.

Looking at my cousin’s Wicca site and thinking it was a pretty cool thing for her to do, and sending her an email maybe possibly giving her another venue if she is interested in going there. I like to be of help, although it may not seem like it at present with my envelopment in the mothering process.

Oh, yeah, my mom called and reminded me she is coming over for dinner and bringing something called “taco pie” and stuff for margaritas. Can’t wait.

Oh, good. Many happy things this morning. That’s a relief, because I have felt very fuzzy headed this morning and a little lost. I want to try JulieJordanScott’s ideas [still to come] but I’ve been so cranky and off.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

4/8 Also The Day of Now I'm Pooped

impromptu, acoustic dance party in the tv room. G started clapping his and Ivy’s milk cups together to make a beat, and then started dancing and wanted everyone to watch. Then papa started playing the tv tray with a down beat. Then mama clapped her hands along. Then Ivy decided she would clap her hands too, and then both she and G were dancing, dancing, dancing and they never wanted it to stop.

Cute little Golden Book where Theodore Goes to Sea.

G and Ivy ate everything on their plates. Granted I made G’s favorites of hamburger and tater tots, and I didn’t give him the tomato salad or even the mac and cheese, which he won’t eat (Wait? What? No mac and cheese? Huh?) But there was no dinner drama.

Nice walks where we made discoveries and apologized to flowers that were trampled and met doggies who were nice and neighbors who were boorish who we now know to avoid.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

4/8 The Day of Documenting the Little Things

A butterfly floated through the garden. It was beautiful with orange and black and white. Uncle said it had probably just emerged from its cocoon and was still drying its wings.

Cinnamon toast. Now if only I could get the kids to stop eating my toast.

The fun of the old fire truck that we pulled out of Uncle’s closet. Big, sliding ladder. Wooowooowoooo!

The soft moss we found growing on the stone wall under the oak tree.

Looking back at the pictures I took this morning and realizing that I had done a pretty good job of documenting the morning, our ordinary morning. It was cool.

The thing about moving is that you are really aware of those daily moment to moment happenings that are what your life consists of. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so focused on this list. Also trying to stay positive and not be overwhelmed by all the changes.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

4/7 The Day of Cutting Teeth and Making Friendeds

Ivy’s front tooth, broken through at last. Lets hope that’s the end of the writhing and hysterics. (Haha. I’m sure there will be another 17 years of some variation on that. At least.)

Watching the end of the third Pirates of the Caribbean. Really enjoyed it, even want to see it again. The second was so bad that it was an especially nice surprise.

Had some conversations with some friend on Facebook. I have spent a while not understanding the whole facebook thing. Why not just email? But I suppose theres something to be said for the ease of checking in, so I even friended some people I left behind in NY.

The way kids are happy and adventuring, even when adults are stressed. Well, unless that was Ivy’s nervous stomach responding to our stress. Hmmm.

My can and uncle’s cat are now not only enduring being in the same room, but they are apparently seeking each other out to make friends and influence felines. Either that or my cat is stalking him and is about to pounce.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy

4/6 The Day of All Day Rain and Sleeping In a Little

Got to sleep in. That was nice. Then woke up and took a shower without kids hanging off of me.

The Sunday paper. My uncle always gets the paper, since he works for them. It’s not nearly as weighty as the NYT sunday paper, so I can actually get through a lot of it.

Many sudoku. I went through the back issues of the papers to find them.

Upside down Ivy. She loves to go upside down, and if you hold her that way, she will (literally) hang out for as long as she can.

A rainy day. I like the sound of rain, and the fresh air and the cool breeze and the opportunity to cuddle in a sweater and stay in. Also getting caught in the rain, and watching the kids splash around in the puddles.

Dinner! Everyone ate! Oven-fried chicken, farm fresh corn on the cob, and tater tots for the tater tots. Chianti for the adults.

After a protracted bedtime, sitting on the porch with S, watching the rain fall and talking.

Then we watched the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie, which was MUCH better than the second one. We didn’t get to finish it because it was too long and it was time for bed, but that just means I have the rest of the movie to look forward to.

See more progress on: list three things every day that made me happy