Cocooon of Chaos

A Walk in the Woods: Agassiz Rock

Sunday proved to be one of the most beautiful days we've had around these parts...although, it feels funny saying so, as we really did not have a true winter. Anyhoo, things have been a bit more crazy than usual in the abode, mainly because of my aquistion of a new part-time position tutoring "at-risk" middle schoolers, an enormous research project for grad school, writing a proposal to teach a writing class to more "at-risk" adolescents, and having three kids.  I am beginning to feel like I bit off more than I can chew, but that is kind of my "thing", I suppose. I'm not sure I can function any  other way, to be honest.  Needless to say, I needed some fresh air, open space, and family time to decompress.  Good friends suggested a great spot nearby, Agassiz Rock, and we had such a wonderful time...

 The walk was cathartic in so many ways: it is impossible to not be humbled standing next to these enormous bolders which have stood the test of time; or revel in the fact that trees do indeed grow out of rocks; or enjoy the silence of feet crunching on the leaves without any bickering, crying, or shouting; or be elated hearing your seven year old say, "wow, this is so much better than an amusement park" (I tell no lies!); or know no matter what happens, the sun will rise tomorrow, Spring is on it's way and things will indeed slow down...eventually.  I found myself watching Ava enjoy a great distance from us the majority of the time.  For a minute or two, my heart ached with sadness that she really is venturing out on her own. But then, she would turn back around, beaming with a smile and shout, "Hurry up! This is awesome!" And that is kind of how it is these days with that girl...letting her go just far enough until she turns back to see if we are there. As much as I longed for this day many moons ago, now that it is here I'm surprised by how this heart of mine misses her little hand grasping mine for dear life.  But, I think we are all trying to find our own way right now, what direction we want to go, and how to balance still being with each other as a family.  It's tricky...

...and I just have to say walking through those woods with this handsome gent by my side filled my heart with gratitude.  He's weathered many emotional storms these past couple of months between everything and I just cannot express enough how much I love this guy.  He truly is the most suppportive, understanding, and encouraging human being alive.  It is because of him that I am able to juggle so much, because he catches whatever I may drop.  So, I guess it is fair that I will forever be picking up his socks all over the house. (Yes, Devin, that is in writing...your left behinds are literal, mine figurative, I suppose!)  Whatever the case may be, wherever the place may be, or whichever season we trudge through, I'm honored to walk by his side.  

 

Baker's Dozen for Sunday

1. Warm bagels this morning from Bagel World: local friends, you know how good these are!

2. Solitude in walking this morning to this place...and being reminded that I live in a beautiful place

3.  Generosity, love, and care of our extended family

4. Dreaming, hoping, and planning for one of Devin's crazily awesome ideas:

5. Snuggled up on the couch reading with Ava

6. Snuggled up on the couch watching Blue Planet with Ava

7. Watching Oliver dance to Jimi Hendrix...from the iPod

8. Sitting in the same rocking chair my great grandmother sat in and knitting with the same needles my grandmother knitted with, the closest I can get to having these two remarkable ladies by my side

9. Thinking all day about a dear friend who may be miles away, but never far from my heart. K, although we've never been in the same room, you're always "here" and that is just amazing. Thank you for friendship....through everything.

10. Alone time by myself, wandering aimlessly in Target

11. Ignoring the phrase, "too little, too late"...whenever love comes my way, especially one I always knew was lurking, I'm accepting it with open arms and looking forward to new beginnings

12. Wine and camembert with the mister, after bedtime

13. I saved the best for last on this one...my sweet ten year old sister made me something today:

She compiled words and images that described me...I'm still looking at it with amazement, appreciation, and a fierce love for that young lady. Andrea, I will cherish this FOREVER. I love you more than I could ever express. The first time I held you, I thanked my lucky stars to have you by my side for the rest of my life. This feeling only multiplies every day.

I'm ending this day feeling such love and appreciation for everything, really...everything. I do hope you had a lovely weekend, my friends. If you feel obliged, leave me a comment and let me know about your weekend. Joy is for sharing...

Snippets

Some snippets...

Sunday morning snow...BEFORE Halloween

Sunday morning snow balls

Ava and I watching Sunday Morning, one of my favorite ways to start my Sunday

Delicious Sunday treat: for the adults, half strong coffee, half rice milk, heat then add one or two spoonfuls (depending how decadent you are feeling) of sea salt caramel hot chocolate, courtesy of Target. No need to spend the four bucks at Starbucks, my friends. The kiddos get the decaf version, sans coffee, and LOVE it. This, of course, is lovely with cow's milk, but only two of us can drink it in the Grant abode.

All the snow, chilly air, and hot chocolate enticed me to start my holiday knitting...don't these balls just look like they smell of peppermint patties?! I had so much to do, really, the list was endless, but I forced myself to just sit...with my needles...amongst the mess...the noise...the slush...quiet my mind...and relax. It has been a rough couple of weeks in the Grant abode with the mister gone quite a bit, some bad news about replacing the furnace, and that said mister sitting on an airplane, rather than trick or  treatinng. Some of us take it harder than others and those others try their darnedest to put on a good face, but that is a hard thing to do when you are only 7. Hell, I have a hard time and I'm 32.

Over the past few days, we've probably watched too much television, ate too much candy, and walked over too many messes. But, the beauty of this gluttonous irresponsibility is, that we did it together. When I got up to fold the laundry, the girls begged for one more book; when Ava cried because she misses her Dad, Lillian held her hand; when Oliver decided a Kit Kat was a lollipop and covered his entire face in chocolate, we all laughed until our bellies hurt; and when we had breakfast with the mister today, albeit via Skype, we all had a spring back in our step. I do hope you had a very happy Halloween and the rest of your week is filled with laughter...

Sunday Family Dinner

I could spend hours in this space writing about how important I feel meal time is for families, but things have to be done, homework caught up on, and lunches made. So, rather than me write about it, please do check out Laurie David's The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with your kids, one meal at a time. Such a great book with wonderful recipes, but more importantly tips on how to stay connected to your kids, the earth, and yourself.  We are fairly adamant about dinner time in this house. It is the time where we decompress, reconnect, and laugh. For me, Sunday dinners are my favorite. We usually take a bit longer to cook the meal, sip our wine a bit slower, and savour each bite just a  bit longer.

That being said, I think I may have blogged quite a bit about Lillian's love of cooking. She throws herself into the kitchen completely--never fearful of what she is touching, tasting, or cleaning. After perusing The Usborne First Cookbook, she found our Sunday dinner for this week: Sausage Rolls. Rather than store bought sausages, she wanted to make her own. We have a meat grinder Kitchen Aid attachment that she LOVES using. So, in went the chicken and some spices, and out came sausage! Devin and Lillian then made pastry crust to encase the sausage, and voila a delicious, homemade sausage roll with tomato sauce that she also made and fresh green beans.

 
We borrowed a blessing from Laurie David's book:

A Blessing for a Parent to Say to a Child by Rabbi Naomi Levy

May all the gifts hidden inside you find their way into the world.

May all the kindness of your thoughts be expressed in your deeds.

May all your learning lead to wisdom, may all your efforts lead to success, may all the love in your heart be returned to you, may God bless your body with health and your soul with joy, may God watch over you night and day and protect you from harm, may all your prayers be answered.

Lovely, no?! The topic of discussion this evening was Lillian's dream farm. She named it Sunset Meadows and her pizza restaurant on site will be called Lily Pad. She gave each of us a job: Devin will be in charge of the sheeps, cows, and goats, milking them, making cheese, and then working in the restaurant making pizzas with the said cheese; I will be the server (life of servitude!); Oliver will give farm tours on the tractor and be in charge of all the machinery; and Ava will be in charge of the horses. Sounds lovely, actually. This may just be some childhood dream, but we all have to start somewhere. And let me tell you, friends, I know in 20 years I'll be standing with a paper and pen in my hand taking someone's pizza order and looking at my daughter and husband doing what they love best...together. Happy Sunday.

A Day in the City

I woke up this morning with a city bug. As much as I love my little cottage by the sea, I so miss living in the city. Luckily, we are a short 20 minute drive to Boston, so off we went.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A beautiful day filled with play, carousel riding, hand holding and a free ride on the Swan Boats! There is something so lovely about sitting in the park, looking at the skyscrapers, and hearing my kids' laughter.

The Boston Common is truly one of my favorite places to go. I have wonderful childhood memories there and momentous ones, too, like the day my sweet husband convinced me to brave the snow and head out for a picnic on the Common 10 years ago. It was a cold picnic, but the question popped over the heart shaped goat cheese is one I will never regret answering with a resounding yes!

 
  An older couple was sitting on the actual bench in which Devin proposed, but we improvised and used a different one. I peeked over at the couple and told myself that in a short while, I too, will be sitting there with my love, relaxing on a Sunday. For now, they are just keeping the spot warm for us...

Circus Preparations: Homemade Trapeze

Devin and I made a deal with the girls a while back that when they both completed the monkey bars one way across at the park, we would transform our tree swing into something fantastic, like a trapeze. I take no credit for the swing or the brilliant idea for the trapeze, it is all my ingenious husband, Devin.  Don't you know it, the girls did the monkey bars on the exact same day and now, we have a trapeze...

 
 
 
...oh, and we also have calloused hands and sore bellies from so much laughing. Watching the girls and their friends on this simple toy is a big reminder to me that it really is the simplest things in life that provide the most joy. May you find some simple pleasure on this Sunday...

Weekending...

 
 
 
 
What a lovely weekend we had...

Our traditional Friday night pizza night, this week it was mushroom, ricotta, garlic, and basil for toppings. Delicious!

 

Wandering around a farm, watching my little Lily dream and listen to her plans for her own farm someday.

Picking blueberries on that said farm, Russell Orchards, hearing the birds chirp, getting our feet wet in the morning grass, and enjoying the tranquilty of our task.

Stopped for a little treat at Downriver Ice Cream in Essex. I read about them in Edible Boston, one of my favorite publications, and wow, not only is their ice cream delicious, they are completely sustainable and all natural. Read more here.

Some time playing in the sand, swimming in the ocean, and body boarding.

Weekends like this make me wish the summer would never end...

Sunday in the City

Our Sunday was spent in Boston doing a whole lot of nothing, really. Exploring, walking, talking, riding the swan boats, and just being together as a family. This tradition of just being on Sundays is fantastic...

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On a snowy March day, not that long ago, the two of us sat on that exact bench eating heart shaped goat cheese when a very nervous gent asked a freezing girl to marry him. Saying "yes" was the best decision I ever made.

My friends, I hope your week is full of bliss and moments of happy reflection.

Day 22, Wedding on a Rainy Sunday

There has been a whole lot of nuptials being exchanged in our house as of late. There is a daily wedding in the girls' bedroom, between themselves, their dolls, anything, really. So, we were housebound today thanks to the rain and what better thing to do than have a wedding! Lillian was the bride, Oliver the groom, Ava the maid of honor and wedding planner, Devin the "talking person that says to kiss", and I was in charge of "the beautiful stuff"...

the bride awaiting the arrival of her guests

Oh, it was a splendid wedding, complete with last minute escorts and ring bearers--thanks to my lovely, lovely neighbors. It sounds so ridiculous but as I'm drying their hair, looking at these little girls, my heart ached. Although it may seem many moons away, the idea of these three little people leaving my door to enter their own, sends a boulder of sadness through my body. I just love them so, adore them completely, and pine for them to stay this amazing forever.  Then there is that pesky "letting go" reality and I know the inevitable will arrive someday. For now, though, I'm happy indulging them in all their zany ideas. Rain forcasted for tomorrow as well, who knows what lies ahead. Happy Sunday to all.

Sunday

Owning house built in the 1800's leaves us with an interminable list of things to fix or do.  Saturdays have morphed into our "house working days". Therefore, we've declared Sunday our day of rest and renewal in the Grant abode. We spent this past Sunday by the shore...

It was a lovely time to reconnect and relax together as a family. This is one tradition worth keeping...and sharing. May your week be filled with sunshine.