Monday Morning and Then Some

So Brady is off to school, and even though my heart skips a beat now and then when I think about him away from me....my heart fills up quickly with some of the new special things I'm able to do having just the three kids at home with me.
First off, I forgot to post about Trinity's sweet little play date with her new friend Sophie. It went very very well, always nice to find kindred spirits and to have real girl time with tea and muffins and princess party dresses. Trinity was definitely in her "element."

I guess one perk to her being home is that I can have these kind of play times...with "lit" candles and roses and homemade goodness - if not her it benefits ME so I guess that isn't all bad?

This morning we have already had time washing dishes and her doing a load of laundry, I've read her a rather long book, we've traced circles and had time on the computer learning her letters. My kids ADORE starfall.com - Tristan sits next to Trinity and also says all of his sounds. We had craft time with an old T shirt and some fabric markers, a long round of the game Candyland....kashi crackers with cheese....and it's only now lunch. Through my window I hear feet pattering in water, and God gave us such a glorious overcast cool afternoon I could just cry I'm so happy. A cool breeze lifts the soul.

I spent a half hour surrounded in fabric for the first time in a long time (like two years.) With the kids all obsessed with costumes I figured I better crank out the ol' machine and learn how to use it again or spend a fortune on amazon - I choose the first (or should I say my wallet chooses?) Either way, I couldn't believe how quickly my limited sewing knowledge was coming back to me -and I have a little princess that is very very excited about a *soon coming* rainbow cape. I mean, who wouldn't want one?

And then, not wanting to be cooped up in the house with such wonderful coolness outside - I went to sit in my lawn chair, looked over and a gorgeous shade of plum caught my eye. And what do you know but that I spotted, deep in a vine, one lone morning glory peeking at me. I told Trin about it and she, well...she plucked the life of it away. Poor little girls just love picking flowers but I always feel a bit sad when I see it being done because I feel like the poor little flower just got it's head lobbed off or something. I don't blame Trin though...something so beautiful is hard to keep your hands off.

And speaking of hands, I had no idea mine were so scaly! This Colorado air is refreshing and breathable and dry but it sure does take it's toll on my skin. I found myself some Burts Bees lotion yesterday at Target ( a total splurge) so I'm going to start putting it to use and quick!

While Trin and I were foraging our one flower and snapping pics of it (I think I took 10 pictures of the one flower?) Tristan worked at filling up his blue bucket with rocks. This is his new past time...he generally spends at least a hour a day dropping pebbels , one by one, down in the water...watches each one sink before adding another - then when the bucket is almost completely full and the rocks don't "sink" anymore...he tires of it. And then I, dump the water in the grass and replace all rocks to the flower beds...give him some fresh water - and he starts over. I guess, at least it's cheap fun and water is included in our rent. Win win.

So, I'm grateful for this day. I miss my little love while he's at school, but I'm happy for all of the UNSCHEDULED time with my other children. I'm thankful for just enough sun to dry my wash, a weekly menu all planned out so I don't worry about meals or the money to make them, I'm thankful for a little squirrel who is loving to learn from her mama.

I'm thankful for cool evenings with just enough sunlight to make my babies hair glow - and a Tristan and a Trin that play well together.

I'm thankful that even though I live in the city - in the ghetto really - I live on a safe street. I have a yard full of grass for my littles to run barefoot in, a couple of trees so that I can sit in the morning with my coffee and watch birds - I even have a teeny tiny corn crop!

Oh...and thankful for my lovely new thrifted hutch that my handsome hero gifted me with, unexpectedly and on just the perfect day. I finally have a place to display my antique green set of glasses that my grandma and grandpa collected for me, my silver music box from my parents that I've had hidden away all of these years, and my snow globe Zac gave me when I was sixteen (it plays the song "I Just Called to Say I Love You.) So many things to be grateful for today, and the things I'm not grateful for...well, I'm ignoring those presently. I don't want to ruin my cool breeze.