Sunday House

I love my house, especially on Sunday afternoon. A tradition is being laid down.
The word is out. It's open house time, every Sunday.
This house loves being full.
The kitchen is the hub.
Last week it was white bean soup, spinach cashew salad and some killer banana dessert.
Yesterday it was SuperBowl whatever.
This is an official invitation to you.
Please come over on Sunday afternoon.
Stay late.

There can never be too many cooks in this kitchen.
I noticed these towels all found their way to the stove closet.
Fine art.
Yesterday's cooks: Me, Bri, Candice, Steen, Jade and Wingers

After game activity; throw some butter, sugar and eggs in the Kitchen-Aid, chill the dough, put Bri in charge of the frosting recipe and let the Blackwelder girls create with whatever was in the cupboard. I love the orange sprinkles! Yes, the piece de resistance!

The Girls of the SuperBowl
No one knew what teams were playing. Candice called her dad for enlightenment.
He informed and recommended The Saints. Good advice.
The fan base was evenly split.
The newly reorganized downstairs was a happy place.
The Who up loud for half-time, Kody's puzzle table and Carson doing tricks sans pants.

Next weekend ~
Natalie's birthday, Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year
You pick the flavor.
Just show up.

Fine Friday's Five Gratefuls

I love going to Kristin's house for prenatals. She lives close to Gateway
and that usually means a little break for me, time to browse around. I got sooo LUCKY today!
I found this beautiful book.
~ Thayu nyumba ~
Peace, my people.

I love this little snack stash I picked up at Whole Foods.
A black licorice candy bar,
some crackers that I bought simply for the sweet packaging
and these new IZZE esque drinks.
I had to give up my fave, the regular IZZEs
but these 15 carb bevs are pretty and tasty enough.

At long last, I own "the shirt of my dreams".
Thank you Shari and Matt for making it possible.
My girls were really getting tired of hearing me talk about it,
checking it out every time we went shopping
and calling them to see if I should get it or not.
Today I brought it home!

OK, I know this isn't SeaTown,
definitely not Pike's,
but if I closed my eyes and worked my imagination,
this guy was Marvin Gaye.
His "Let's Get It On" was really good.
I gave him a generous contribution,
we made eye contact, I waved, smiled and moved happily on.

Briana and I waited it out, finally went to Dancing Cranes on the day of the 40% off sale.
We got the batiks we'd had our eyes on. I love mine.
I was drawn to this one because of the babies
wrapped on their mama's backs and hips.

One light, one sun
One world turning
One dream, one song
One love, one heart
One hope, one joy

. . .'neath the cover of October skies
Hopefully, I'll be in this picture by October 2010.
I'm getting impatient.
<<>>

Men (and women) ARE, that they might have JOY

A Good and Grateful Day

1. I am grateful for Kody. Thanks for silently, thoughtfully showing up. You take out the trash, pick up groceries, clean up, lock up, share funny stories from out of nowhere. You love my daughter, you love your son, you keep smiling, you work so hard. You know what matters. You wear these fabulous boots sometimes. How did I not notice them before? Give thanks my friends for men that are strong enough to be gentle.

2. I am grateful for the universal joy of "licking the bowl". Pretzel spent a really long time and did a really thorough job. Oh, and those mini braids, love them.

3. I am grateful for 6 years olds. Welcome to 6 my handsome little nephew,

Cameron Daniel Dunn

who still calls me Fifi

4. I am grateful for these new and pretty teas. They make January bearable.

5. I am grateful for this happy start to my day! The brown truck stopped with a box for me. I just ordered these from The Hesperian Foundation on Monday! I am preparing to go to the ends of the earth because I love. I am so grateful for the love in my heart. I am so grateful, even when it hurts. There is so much hurting.

Lord make me an instrument

of thy peace.

Looking forward

Tracy is definitely on my concert bucket list, right alongside Paul McCartney. How is it I have lived so long and never seen them??
Who is on your list?

. . .a few of my favorite things

jerry garcia, my favorite ornament

almost couldn't find him this year

always makes Christmas happy

something old, very old
this angel has been a part of Christmas

since forever ago

thanks for grounding me with rich traditions, mom

something new, sweet children's book
The Nativity by Julie Vivas
LOVE those slippers

the taste of Christmas morning

since we were 3 grownups this year,

i did it up grown up style

mmmmmmmm. . .

Steinbeck's The Pearl, my favorite book of all time
"If this story is a parable, perhaps everyone take his own meaning from it and reads his own life into it."
This edition was printed in 1947

i am so looking forward to this. lucky me!

a red beauty. LOVE that wooden snowflake tag.

my stock replenished. comfort.

i've been wishing and waiting for this.
i think i may have surprised some folks with O Susannah today.

i'm going to put on some happy concert clothes,

stick the matching DVD in and rock and roll with Paul Mac.

anyone want to come along?

looks like a good date to me.

Merry Christmas

someday we'll all have perfect wings

That's an itty bitty silver peace sign pinned over my heart today. I stuck it there in honor of an itty bitty baby girl that couldn't stay. Only 19 weeks gestation yet able to radiate peace, able to touch us in the deepest part of our heart, the part we keep sacred for souls like hers. I held her mama and her papa held both of us. He knew. It wasn't her turn. Not yet, not here. He told us.

He will stand vigil over her tonight as his Buddhist traditions give him strength to "send her off".

I give thanks for men that are strong enough to be oh so gentle.

Prayers for the mama

Prayers for the 3 year old sister

Prayers for a midwife that is supposed to know why.