Not Yet!

Today is a day.  Another one, believe it or not.  A beautiful day with sunshine streaming down somewhere.  I'm sure there are rainbows and flowers and nice cuddly kittens somewhere.  But here, there is rain and wind and it really isn't so pretty out there.  But the biggest thing about today is that so far there aren't any mistakes...Yet.  Unless you count my typing, which is horrible.  I do a lot of editing.  Anyways...We had a fantanstic day yesterday.  I mean that literally, really!  Fantastic.  Fan-Ta-Stic.  Oh it was all kinds of lovely.  Lovely that I would love to never-ever-in-this-lifetime-or-after see again.  There was The Fit.  Yeah I know, when I say that you all think of the cute little toddler tantrums.  Really, those are cute.  The difference between the Toddler Fit, and The Fit, is that with a toddler, you cannot reason with them, they just don't understand reasoning.  Where-as, my munchkins are no longer toddlers.  They understand reasoning.  They know what is acceptable and what isn't, what is appropriate and what isn't, and what will get them in trouble and what won't.  They are pretty smart kids who usually follow the rules.  But occasionally we get The Fit.  Unfortunately these kiddos are like twins in a lot of respects, and so one of them going off into The Fit, usually tips the other one off too.  It's fun, lemme tell ya.  Thankfully it was just on the way home from school, and only half the town saw and heard us.  I was so embarrassed, I wanted to disappear.  But no.  And at these ages, blowing in their faces to "reset" doesn't work.  Oh how I wish that still worked!  So I got to haul (literally) two screaming, bawling, kicking, fighting, unreasonable monsters home.  I tried reasoning, loud enough for everyone to hear me (ack!).  I tried just going faster.  Apparently going faster to get out of the public eye means that the volume of The Fit must increase.  So, we finally made it home, 15 min later.  Usually it is a 5 minute walk.  After trying every tactic in the book to get The Fit to stop, the shower was the last resort.  It worked like a charm.  Suddenly my unreasonable monsters were most willing to reason with me.  Oh it was a nice change.  My Munchkins were back!  Oh how I love my munchkins!  They are so sweet and lovable and adorable and cute.  It was nice to see them snuggle up on the couch and read books together.  Oh lovely!

Seeing Red

There is just something about the leaves turning color that makes the change in season real to me.  I know, the days are getting shorter and nights longer.  The weather is cooling down, making it that much harder to get out of bed in the morning.  But there really is something about the changing colors.  The reds, oranges, and yellows.  The crispness of the fallen leaves underfoot.  The beautiful contrast of the brightly colored Maples against a backdrop of Firs.  There is a suddenness, almost an urgency to the wind.  As if it thinks that winter cannot come while there are still leaves on the trees.  There is beauty in this harshness.  Watching the swirling colors drift and fall.  Listening to the crackling of leaves while you walk.  Smelling the scent of fall; fresh rain, the slight mildew of the fallen leaves, and smoke from burning leaves and wood stoves.  The tang of cider and apple pie, soft fresh gingerbread, and hot cocoa.  And most of all the red leaves falling in my own back yard.

The Ragged Edge

One of my all time favorite things about fall is the smells.  The taste of the wind and rain.  The feeling of freedom that falling, swirling, leaves give off.  The smell of freshness and forgiveness that the air seems to give off.  As if to tell us that no matter what we do, Mother Nature will fix it.  Fall is the passing away of all things old to make room for the new.  It is the earth's way of resting, recuperating, and rejuvenating itself for the coming year.  Walking outside you can almost hear the relieved sigh of the nature that surrounds us.  It seems thankful that rest is here.  There is no longer any need to dress to impress, this is time for flannel jammies and cocoa and not caring who answers the door. 

Fall will always seem to me a beautiful woman who just loves to wear those old ratty jeans and doesn't care who sees her.  She is just that much more impressive.  Moving with grace and dignity.  Making way for winter, but not giving up just yet.  Autumn.  Even the name is feminine.  A playful yet serious, beautiful and powerful, sweet and yet full of temper.  Full of contradictions.  Beauty.  Strength.  Elegance.  Slightly tattered around the edges.  Fraying yet still able to hold together.  I think the reason that I love Fall so much is that this season reminds me of me.  I feel at home in this season.  There is the understanding that there are no expectations on either side.  I can show off my flannel jammies and slippers and Autumn comes right back with sunshine and rain.  No one to impress.  People will have their opinions and the opinions don't matter.  We, Autumn and I, are the way we are.

The Midas Touch

Repeating childhood is exhausting.  Trust me.  This will be the third time I've gone through it.  Well, technically the second and third time are going pretty much back to back, so I suppose that may count as just one.  Anyways...I love being a kid!  Waking to a new world of adventure every day.  Fighting dragons.  Saving precious plants because the world will die if we don't.  Being a snake charmer.  Going to the ball at least twice, then skipping out because the Prince has a wart on his chin.  Seriously considering becoming a flying squirrel when I grow up, at least for two minutes, then switching to a praying mantis cause they are cooler.  Saving my money for candy.  Taking off my socks and shoes because the wet grass just feels so good!  Then coming in freezing and having hot cocoa.  There is more, so much more.  Being a kid with my kids is so much fun!  I really can't understand it when parents don't want to spend time with their offspring.  It just doesn't make sense to me.  We have so much fun!  And really, honestly, 98% of the time they are good kids.  The adventures are great!  And the best part: my kids let me come too.

Those Times

There are very few downsides to parenting.  Honestly.  Only a handful of things, compared to the millions of good things, are bad.  Really.  You may think that statement is false.  And that is ok.  You are totally entitled to your own opinion.  With the experience that I have had, there are really very few things that I could put under the cons side of parenting.  For starters, I love my kids.  I wouldn't trade them for anything, no matter what.  I suppose that it may be because of that love that so much of my experience has been good.  Yes it has been a lot of work.  These kids didn't learn the things that they know from TV.  In fact, they learned very little from TV, and most of that is how to properly detonate explosive devices thanks to Mythbusters.  But there are a few downers.  Like those times where you'd really like to laugh, but you have to punish your kid instead.  It honestly really sucks.  The mountains of flour and sugar that the ponies are playing in, mud pies being brought inside and "consumed" on the carpet, pretending a paper tube is a fountain and having a pond spread throughout the bathroom.  These are only a few of the things Mr O and Peaches have pulled off.  The things that aren't on the list of "No's" but yet are not ok either.  I'm not one to put a list of things that my kids can't do on the fridge.  We tend to figure it out as we go along.  Thankfully these two are pretty perceptive and can usually figure out whether or not something will get them into trouble.  Most of the time they won't do the thought of activity, and then other times they'll do it just because it is so much fun and the resulting trouble is deemed worth it.  Unfortunately, due to the growing lack of concern over the "normal" punishments (ie banishment to room, sitting on the couch, and the occasional swat), I have found it necessary to come up with some new and more creative ways to help guide my children down the path of good behavior.  We've started using money.  No, not as bribery, that is a job for chocolate.  We have started a short list of certain behaviors that will get fined 5 cents each time they occur.  Thankfully, the list has been in effect for only a short time, and wonders never cease, they have all but stopped.  I guess the kids like to save their money for snacks.

Kinda Like Topless, but Yet Completely Different

Cakeless tends to look a lot like this:

With some of this in there too.

Another Dip Please

Although the celebration of the day of our birth isn't so important to Handsome and I any more, it is very significant to the kids, and because of that there is a bit of a party to be had for anyone who is in our house for their big day.  Now, since it was my day, there were a few things that I had asked for.  I didn't want a cake, just some chocolate dipped fruit.  I also didn't really know what I wanted.  I'm not a really big shopping girl, I'm happy with pretty much anything, which according to Handsome, makes me hard to shop for.  In spite of that, he and the kids seem to be able to find wonderful gifts every year that amaze me.  Peaches found my favorite flowers for me, red and white roses.  Lovely!  Mr O pulled off one of my favorite snacks with a bit of flare: dark chocolate covered pomegranate bits.  Oh delicious!  My delightful in-laws had a good find, a beautiful scarf that is both lovely and warm.  And finally, Handsome.  With my old leather jacket that I've had for years on the way out, Handsome found a wonderful brown leather jacket.  This one is made of a heavier weight leather, has a zip out lining, and the zipper goes slightly diagonally across the front.  Way way cool!  I love it!  And even though they did not go shopping together, the scarf and jacket match perfectly.  Oh it was a lovely day!  I've been spoiled, and I've discovered that I like it, occasionally.

...ing

There are so many words that can fit into this photo.  Loving.  Inspiring.  Thinking.  Fathering.  Hoping.  Helping.  Amazing.  Willing.  Working.  Engineering. So many more...I'll stop and just say that this wonderful man is my Everything.

Twins

As I look at the photo that I just recently made my desktop, I am yet again in awe of the wonderful family that I have been blessed with.  Yeah, we have our problems and arguments.  We are just like any other family.  But through it all, and no matter what, we love each other.  Sure Mr O and Peaches will come crying to Handsome or I over something that the other did (or did not) do.  Yes, they are normal siblings.  But what I really love about these two kiddos is that when it is all said and done, they still are best buds.  They literally have to have each other to survive.  When one is sick, the other is worried and helping as much as they can by reading, pretending, and entertaining.  When Mr O was in school last year and Peaches was home just with mom for so many hours a day, the time seemed to hang for her.  I would read and play games and just in general spend time with her, but it wasn't the same.  She needed Mr O.  And on the flip side of that, he needs her.  When Peaches and I were gone for a few days, time seemed to hang for him as well.  Games and fun were to be had (Handsome is a great dad), but really, they are best buds and need each other.  It was a little funny to me the first time someone asked me how old my twins were (back when Mr O and Peaches were 3 1/2 and 2 respectively).  Now I am used to the question, but it really does ring fairly true to the way my children act together.  They have the drag and knock out fights, that much is true.  But mostly they are happy to be together, playing, pretending, and just being.  Together.  Mr O treats Peaches as much like a lady as a boy in 1st grade knows how.  On the flip side Peaches has helped Mr O with the ability to sit for any length of time.  Nice words are usually used between the two.  Arguments do happen, but they are solved fairly quickly and everyone goes back to normal. 

For clarification I do not want to give anyone the false impression that I have beautifully behaved children every single second of the day.  They are normal in that respect.  I just want to let the world know how much in awe I am of these two kids that, despite their differences and problems, they move on and love each other.  No matter what.  They are worst enemies.  But they are also Best Friends.  The kind of friend you'd walk through fire for.  I'm so thankful that I get to be their mom.

Evergreen

Because of where we live we are quite close to a place that means a lot to us as a family.  A place that holds memories.  A beautiful place that is always peaceful.  Where even the birds are reverent and only sing the sweetest of songs.  It looks to be a small park or a large yard at first glance.  The brick and wrought iron wall stands at attention for the passers-by.  The trees sway in the breeze and the flowers are sweet.  There was one specific portion of this beautiful place that we wanted to visit.  The place that holds so much for us.  The children held the flowers while we walked reverently across the grass.  There were no words.  None were needed.  Mr O and Peaches seemed to know what to do.  Gently setting the flowers to rest we stood for a moment listening to a beautiful bird singing in the tree.  Memories flooded my mind as we held hands.  This is a beautiful place full of beautiful memories.  Memories I wish we could share with those who rest there.  But we have faith, and we will meet again.  In another, far more beautiful, place.  With many, many more wonderful things to remember.

A Few Grains of Sand

I'm not entirely sure what it is, but there is something about salt water.  Or rather, visiting a beach that borders a body of salt water.  This, well, whatever you want to call it, causes kids to run wild, dogs to go a little crazy, and parents to sit back and laugh at the show.  I love visiting the beach.  The sand.  The rocks.  The inevitable taking home of some of both.  The sounds of the water slapping against the rocks. 

 The flowing and ebbing of life.  The tangy smell that seeps into your clothing and lasts for hours, fading slowly, a reminder of where you were.  The beauty of a gull in flight.  The simplicity of life.  Everything seems to be sharply contrasting.  The sea and sky.  Nature and humanity.  Sunshine and Rain.  There is a raw beauty about the ocean that will never be entirely understood.  It is something that mankind has no hope of ever controlling.  The ocean is wild, untamed, and beautiful.  No wonder sailors refer to it as a female.

Don't Be late!

This is one place of emplyment that you don't want to be "the new guy" or "the late guy."

Sam Cooke Said it Right

The moon belongs to everyone

The Best things in life they're free

The stars belong to everyone

They cling there for you and for me

Flowers in spring

The robins that sings

The sunbeams that shine

They're yours and they're mine

Love can come to everyone

Best things in life they're free

Moon belongs to everyone

The best things in life, they're free

Stars belong to everyone

They glitter there for you and for me

They are yours and mine

Flowers in spring

The robins that sing

Sunbeams that shine

Oh They're yours and they're mine

Love can come to everyone

The best things in life they're free

All of the good things

Every one of the better things

The best, best things in life

They're Free

The Strangest Thing Happened

This picture was taken several weeks ago now.  But I love it.  It is of a very unique subject.  There are no two identical flowers in the world.  Just as there are no identical humans.  These flowers remind me of those two humans that I held in my belly for 9 months, watched crawl and walk, and now walk to school with each morning.  These individuals are so much like the blooms in the picture that it is a little funny.  They are both good natured, laugh easily, and smile a lot.  They like to bring cheer into other's lives.  Unconditional love flows freely to whoever needs it.  The smile is for all, not just a select few.  Friendly faces in a crowd of strangers.  Beautiful.  Lovely.  Unique.

Still recovering from a wonderful weekend.  Post more tomorrow.  Love y'all!