This Weekend

This weekend was full. Full in a satisfying, connecting, centering kind of way. Full in a now-I'm-ready-for-the-week kind of way. Full in a great way. This weekend, we...

...celebrated a certain birthday (33!)
...hunted, gathered, created, and made tokens of love for the Birthday Boy
...played in sun, dirt, sand, and grass
...went out!
...ate beautiful food with friends
...rested
...came together as a family to teach self-control, compassion, and obedience

We had a full weekend, and we wouldn't have changed a thing. We're ready, mid-September! What do you have in store for us?

Right Now

Right now, I'm loving...

A promising start to an autumn garden

Mornings, and afternoons, spent soaking up beautiful weather

 

Sweet furry friendship

Baby kisses

Morning Daddy-daughter time

A sweet little guy, slowly learning to sleep when not on his tummy

Cattails

There were many things to love this weekend. What a great start to another September week. Happy Monday!

Picnic Table

When hibernating during the long summer months- watching things roast, bake, and fry in one's backyard- it's easy to hunker down in one's air-conditioned kitchen and get lost in images of happy families gathered around outdoor dining areas, enjoying their summer evenings with cool breezes, corn-on-the-cob, and fireflies. How lovely for them.

For us, the window of opportunity for moments like that open ever-so-slightly somewhere between October and November, then again around April-May-ish. A slight window indeed to take advantage of not-too-windy, not-too-cold, not-too-hot outdoor dining opportunity. But oh, did I dream about it.

My dreaming must have evolved into thinking out loud, because when my birthday rolled around, I was presented with a hand-made, picture-perfect cedar picnic table. Sadly, at the time of reception, it was about, oh, 110 degrees outside, so all we could do was look longingly at it through the kitchen windows as we sat around our breakfast table. However, at the beginning of September, we were graced with a quick "cold" front that took our temps down about 20 degrees, allowing for a few days of outdoor breakfasts and lunches.

Oh, Texas weather, how we love-hate thee. But eating outside? Pure love.

Of course, a picnic table can be so many other things, besides just a picnic table. When I was a kid, our picnic table was one of my favorite things to play with/on/in, and I feel like ours might carry on that tradition. It's a good thing, too, since the window of opportunity for using it to eat on is so slim around these parts. However, when everything clicks, a sunny, breezy lunch on those strong cedar planks is everything we've been dreaming of (sans fireflies).

Take That, Wascally Wabbits!

Oh, those furry foes, those cute, fuzzy vermin that- upon sighting them for the very first time, caused such excitement- now cause such anxiety, are bested! Yes! Bested, you might ask? Oh yes. By a crafty Hubby and father-in-law, as a matter-of-fact. The rabbit fence, my friends, is now encircling our humble plantings, and I must say, things are looking up!

Thank you, three-day weekend and crafty, handy helpers! Perhaps a fall garden is actually within reach this year...

Did someone say photo montage? OK!

Despite over-100-degree temps one day, and 40-mph wind gusts another day, these guys put up a very sturdy, subtle, effective fence that will last, look nice, and most importantly keep those furry jerks out of our garden for years to come. Now, we can plan and plant without a care!

Well, almost without a care. Happy slightly-cooler-weather gardening!

A Belated Right Now

This past three-day weekend threw me off my rhythm, but right now, I'm loving...

...all the peace, excitement, love, work, food, fellowship, and promise that comes from a perfect Labor Day weekend. Here's hoping yours was just as great! Happy.... well, Wednesday!

Little Mr. Man

I thought it apt to write an ode to this 21-week-old person who has so thoroughly settled in to his roles as Son, Little Brother, Baby of the Family, and Awesomeness.

It has been an amazing privilege to get to know this little guy day by day as he grows and reveals his sweet, loving personality. What a lucky family we are. So, without further adieu, an Ode to Henny-B, in the form of the Top Ten Things I Love About Henry... So Far.

10. His sweet, loving, happy disposition, which he demonstrates every morning as he happily lays awake in bed, waiting for Mama to come pick him up. As soon as I come in to his line of sight, I am always, always greeted with the biggest toothless grin you can imagine.

9. His amazing growth spurts. Seriously, this kid is uncharted territory for me, as we all know, since Sister weighed what he weighs now when she was 14 months old!

8. The loving expressions that almost always dwell in his eyes and on his face. The best faces come from watching Sister do... well, almost anything.

7. His clumsy hand-eye coordination, and the things he reaches for. Among my favorites: Sister's feet, my hair, the cat, and books. All with the intent of getting them in to his mouth.

6. His babbling, which sounds like he's trying ever-so-hard to say real words. Also, the sincere, earnest expression that goes along with it.

5. How content he is, as long as he feels like he's not alone.

4. How gassy he is. (hey, I never said all the things I love about him right now are all poetic)

3. His nightly bath time performances as Henny Flatley, Lord of the Bath.

2. His rolls, and rolls, and rolls, and rolls...

1. How perfectly he completed our family, and how he truly made us feel like our cups runneth over.

A close-up as Henry attempts to gum the camera

This list will be ever-changing, with each version finding a soft spot in my heart. We can't wait to see what he has in store for us... Oh, Henry, you are truly an amazing Little Mr. Man.

We Do What We Can

When it's the last weekend in August and daytime high records are still being broken, the grass is so dry it sticks like splinters in your feet, and your air conditioner runs all day non-stop (yet the house remains a couple degrees warmer than desired), all you can do is take the sprinkler to the backyard and make the best of it. We do what we can.