SCRAPES AND DIRT

You probably can't see the scabs and mud on these legs, but they're full of evidence of a very active day. I'm grateful for scraped knees, dirty shoes, and smudges everywhere else because it means my kids are energetic and happy and able to run around and do kid things!

IPOD NANO

The iPod Nano is the absolute best workout buddy, without which I am checking the clock every minute and feeling every breath and every effort, is S's Christmas/birthday present. I downloaded a bunch of video podcasts (mostly cooking and TED talks) and now have much better workouts!

EXCESS ENERGY

The amount of my kids' excess energy seems to be increasing daily. A friend recommended a relatively new park. Tiny with just four swings, but clean and nobody else was there. Sunshine had a great time chasing me with the ball, while Sunbeam spent most of the time pulling up grass from the ground and banging on the benches. Pink cheeks at the end of the afternoon!

SUBURBAN SUNDAY

My kids are city kids. Great as our home is, it is still rather cramped and quite polluted, not to mention bereft of greenery and nature.
Having in-laws living in the suburbs is heaven sent when you've got a 4-year old and a 2-year old. The weather was great: breezy and sunny. We spent Sunday afternoon kicking around a mini soccer ball, climbing monkey bars, and watching some kids playing basketball. In between all that were lots of tickles, exploring among trees and dry leaves, and ogling a beautiful house by the park. Sunshine and Sunbeam had a great time. And since they were exhausted from all the running, they fell asleep during the long ride home, and S and I were able to enjoy a quiet, early dinner of steak, tomato pasta, and green beans. Then we had a home showing of Meryl Streep's It's Complicated. Nice way to end a busy weekend.

HEADGEAR FRIENDS

When I started having kids four years ago, I decided to close up my graphic design office and work from the house. I still do some design work but I mostly bake desserts, pastries, flatbreads which I sell at a weekly outdoor market. I've been selling there about three years and I've met some great people, made some really good friends.
We had a late Christmas get-together with a headgear theme. Here are a few snapshots of some of the people I work with, or rather, of their heads.
The one with the orange headthingie (it's her daughter's teddybear's hat), has recently become a close friend. She is a fantastic baker, and I'm hoping her meticulousness rubs off on me someday soon. The one in the luminous green wig, she is my image of charity, compassion, and long-suffering, not to mention one of the best put-together women I know. The one in the platinum blond wig is a great listener, an animated storyteller and always, always has wise words to share. The lady in the striped hat taught me how to teach my children faith and prayer. The guy in the haciendero hat (who lacked a cigar to complete the look) has given me lots of early morning cheer, with his always happy demeanor. I admire the one with the fuschia hat for her hard work and persistence.
Great people, great workplace!

FOR ME!

Four-year old Sunshine painted this for me today. He used crayons and watercolor. I love the color palette he used!

ICE CREAM IN PAJAMAS

The kids were wide awake, so we took them out in hopes of getting them to calm down and fall asleep in the car. Late at night, in their jammies, out for some frozen yogurt and orange juice - what a treat! And yes, we had touchdown 5 minutes after getting back into the car.
What's to be grateful for here? That we can give them treats like this once in a while, and that they actually fell asleep right away!