Her Story

Okay, this is my little play on words. I want to tell you about a little history. Like the history of revolutionary times. Of my history. And of the history that Gracie experienced last week.

My family has always taken trips that involved history. We have been to the east coast and traveled many miles. We have experienced battlefields and museums. We have visited Williamsburg and interacted with people who tell the stories of colonial times. We love this mixture of learning, living and exploration. All three generations of us.

And this brings me to her story. My parents have given Gracie a trip every year for Christmas for the past three years. They have been to New York. They have been to San Francisco. This year their trip was to Boston.

Each year we have encouraged Gracie to take pictures and keep a journal. It is so wonderful to see her trips through her eyes and to focus on her thoughts that she records in her journals. She has her Daddy's photographic eye and her Mama's like to write. What is so cool is that we have been to these places, too. We see her visions and know what she is experiencing because we have been there.

What is unique about her experiences is that she has her own twist on the story. On history. She has seen the same monuments and learns the same information. She takes pictures of things that we have seen. But she has her own time with them. She has walked the same miles, but in her own shoes. She has unique experiences that will form her. She and my folks had a lot of special moments. Not the kind that you schedule.

One particular experience on this trip to Boston really touched me. Gracie and mom and dad had eaten lunch at a fabulous Italian restaurant. They all commented that the food was delicious, but there was too much of it. They asked for boxes for their leftovers. As they walked back to their hotel they passed a shelter for veterans. They decided to stop and offer the shelter their leftovers. This experience forever changed Gracie. The people at the shelter thanked them for their kindness. Gracie has always had a kind heart. I think she was surprised at how a small gesture meant so much. And it made her realize how fortunate we are. It also inspired her to do more.

This wonderful gift from her grandparents was multifaceted. It was a present of the past and of her future. All from history. Gracie's story is touched by so many. By Paul Revere. By Harvard Yard. By the stories of the Revolution. Stories that her family has helped her experience. And they have helped her continue the story of her family. Their desire to pay it forward and be kind to others. Even complete strangers. This has all made Gracie who she is and who she will be. This is her story and I'm so proud to be a part of it.

Monday, Monday

So it's the first Monday off for me. Ahhh. I woke up at my regular time. Creature of habit, dogs on a schedule, I had to. We walked further than normal. I came home to a cup of coffee that I thoroughly enjoyed. Right to the last drop.

I'm a bit of a news junkie. I turned on a morning news show. Simultaneously, I checked out a news website online. And this is what I learned. Looks like Greece dodged a financial disaster. A man set a world record walking a wire across Niagra Falls. Rodney King died. And a hockey mom stepped out on the ice to break up a fight that wasn't being handled by the refs. Hmmm.

Then I decided to stretch out on the floor with some yoga poses. This went well until my dogs got hip to what I was doing. Next thing I know I was being slobbered to death. Then my pony tail got stepped on. Scrap the stretching. Note to self. Next time go upstairs and shut the door before stretching.

One of my goals this summer is to clear clutter. This simple girl has a pile of papers to go through. They are neatly diguised on the counter. You may hardly notice them. It's because I've made them look so pretty. They are stacked orderly. Vertically. Like little soldiers. And in the corner. But the jig is up and I'm doing it. It's time. Please don't let me find anything that was important and needed to be addressed last month.

It's time to get back to my basics. The stuff that I base my life on. The simple stuff. And now that it's hot out, and I'm wearing tank tops all the time, there's the constant reminder of my simplify tattoo. Yep, there it is. Keep it simple girl. Don't get bogged down by the clutter. Clean it up and take time to stretch.

The Things I Love

This post isn't about the people I love. I don't have enough time or space to accomplish that. This post is about the things that make me smile. On a daily basis. Some are what you might expect. Others are a bit odd. Go figure. So here goes.

Superman blue nail polish. I love the color blue. And I'm pretty sure that when I wear this polish on my toes I have super powers. Just saying.

The smell of coffee greeting me in the morning when I have been wise enough to load the machine the night before and remember to set the timer.

I love when my dog Bailey jumps up on my lap and is one half inch from my face. I then say, well, Bailey, I don't think we could be any closer. And he moves in so that our noses touch. Smart dog.

I love my windows open and the smell of fresh air.

My new fuzzy blanket. Yes, I said it, my blanket. It was only $12.99 and has comforted me and helped me sleep like no other.

Marshall's deals. This store has everything. On sale. And the store on my side of town is always organized. I can find things without digging. Love it.

I love the little stone that a friend bought me that has the word SIMPLIFY painted on it. More than once I have carried this in my pocket. A gentle reminder to stay focused on what's important.

I love riding in cars with heated seats.

I love reading all day and not feeling guilty about it.

I love maple donuts and bacon. Heart attack, I know. I'm just speaking in terms of the occassional treat.

I have to have lip balm. Right now my favorite is the super huge Bonne Bell Lip Smacker in Dr. Pepper. And yes I am 45. Totally brings me back to my teenage years.

Love my sweatpants. Yep. The ones from my daughter's favorite store. Thankfully she's ok with me shopping there. Not so thankfully when she wants to wear them.

So these are a few of the things that bring me comfort and joy. These are the things that in a small way make me who I am. These are small, not expensive and sometimes free. They are also the things that I look forward to. Each and every day.

What I Am Looking Forward To

The end of the school year is upon us. I couldn't be more torn. I am going to miss all of our students. I wish them the best. My life is better for knowing them. I hope in some way they feel the same. On the other side I am still a kid at heart and can't wait for summer! Woohoo! Sun, fun, sleeping in, lots of coffee. Time at the cottage. No schedules that have to be kept. Yep. I'm ready. What a terrific time for renewal. Just when I need it.

It's my season to purge my house. These past few weeks especially, the place has been looking like a tornado hit it. We've had clean clothes and food to eat. But that is where it ends. The dust bunnies are a-multiplying at my house. It's time to clean closets, scrub tubs and wash windows.

Then comes the fun. We will go to the cottage whenever we want to. On a whim. I'm looking forward to it. We will swim and boat. We will grill out and entertain. We have a share of organic foods delivered each week. Easy peasy in the grocery department!

I am looking forward to walking the dogs. Not under the gun in a hurried way. In a not rushed way and lengthy walks multiple times throughout the day. Gracie is going to be my personal trainer and get me moving even more with all sorts of exercises.

I am looking forward to living each day for what it brings. I want to not hurry everywhere. I would like to savor each and every moment. I want to laugh and catch up with family and friends. This is time for renewal. I have more goals set for myself. I just need to get them organized and I will share soon. I hope you have things to look forward to this summer. It doesn't matter what your age or our goals a time for renewal is good for the soul.

Excuses, excuses. Yep. The last week of school and this brain is focused on the countdown. Sorry. Next week I'll be back with lots to reflect on. Guaranteed.

Plain Please

When Gracie was little I did the introduction to food just as the pediatrician told me to. One new food every week or so to see if there were any food allergies. She ate all of the foods like a champ. Fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and meat. Never did she grimace at anything. I was lucky. Some of the moms in our play group would talk about how their kids were resistant to new foods. Some of the diets of these kids were limited to three or four things.

I worried. As did these moms. What are you to do? One mom tried blending smoothies. This worked until her child saw what she was putting into the smoothies. He didn't trust the blender after that. Another mom had her child drinking supplements and taking vitamins. And she felt so sad that her child wasn't getting enough nourishment by just eating.

So as the weeks went by we talked about all sorts of options for this mom. We made snacks and brought them to play group. I brought orange slices, raisins, strawberries one day. We encouraged the kids to make faces out of these fruits and then eat them. They were so creative. The faces were so cute. And then the snacking began. So this was all geared towards helping this one little fella experience new foods. Where was he? He had wandered into the bathroom and his mom caught him dumping his snack in the toilet. Oops.

The next week another mom brought dips. Ranch, of course, for the veggies and chocolate yogurt for the bananas. We had fancy toothpicks to use for dipping. It was a party! The kids loved it. But not the little fella we were targeting. He had dumped the toothpick cup over and was building with them.

And then this family relocated to a different state. So I can't give you the happy ending I had wished for. The one where I could tell you that the kid asks for fruit now and turns down chips. And this food issue isn't unusual. I see it all of the time. In fact I live it. Gracie is the champion for trying new foods. Guess who isn't? Yep. Scott. I had an awakening to his fussy eating when we first dated. I didn't know how to cook. I did however know how to open containers. So I made the man a spaghetti dinner. He loved it. He even ate seconds.

The following week we were visiting with his family and they said that they had heard that I made Scott dinner. He complimented my culinary skills. And then it happened. His mom asked, what did you make? Spaghetti. The whole family gasped and then started to laugh. Turns out the man doesn't eat red sauces. Or ketchup, mustard, relish or mayo. This was news to me. He even asked for seconds. It must be love someone said. And it was.

So this fussy eating husband of mine made my cooking a challenge. No red sauce. No chicken salad. No condiments of any kind. And yet now that we are about to embark on our healthier eating I wonder what is so bad about that? Scott may have had the right idea. We should taste our foods for their actual flavors. Just eat a carrot sometime. No ranch. Just the carrot. Not the baby ones either. Get a big one. Maybe even organic. Peel it and eat it. The taste is enough on it's own.

I now make my own salad dressing. My family prefers it. It's made with olive oil and we use very little. I don't use salt hardly ever. Pepper is more common. So I guess the happy ending to my food story, at least for this family, is that less is more. Trying foods in their natural state is a great experience. The flavors are fresh and real. They don't come from a bottle with a list of ingredients that I don't recognize.

Foods the way they were made. Not hard to digest, just plain simple.

Busy weekend + sick child = late post. I'll be back soon. Please stay tuned...