Ten Things

1) A couple of weeks ago, Steve and I decided to take advantage of our tax dollars and utilize the storytime for 3-5 year olds at our local public library. We dropped off David and Daniel in the storytime room, danced a jig, then took turns browsing. It is a many-splendored thing to browse unfettered. We will return. Oh, we will return. Bonus: my children did not set off the fire alarm (like my sister Meg did at the ripe old age of three), run away, or start wrestling. Win!

2) I've been a yogurt-making fool lately. Try it.

3) I am actually full after eating half a pomegranate. Have you tried an actual fresh pomegranate? Fear not the de-seeding process, my friends! This technique takes me less than five minutes, and can I just say how wonderful it is to sprinkle fresh pomegranate arils into homemade yogurt? It is truly outstanding.

4) I can't put this book down. It involves Maine, self-sustaining farms, hippies, and family tragedy. Beautifully written, this moving memoir captures a pivotal point in history in regards to the "back-to-the-land" movement.

6) This blog post cut me to the quick the other day. Motherhood has been, um, a rather robust challenge these days.

7) I might be losing my voice. This may or may not be a good, nay; GREAT thing.

8) Around this time of year, I start to yearn for a trip to England. I attribute this to the fact that Steve and I got engaged in England the day after Thanksgiving almost 9 years ago. To be precise, we got engaged at the oldest restaurant in London.  To say it was glorious is to make a devastating understatement. One of these days, I'll post the whole crazy story. But today is not that day. Oh, England. I will love you forever. Lake District, you're next.

9) True story: Steve and I have participated in a book group for quite a few years now. I have this dreadful, dreadful habit of starting our chosen book, then all of a sudden getting terribly interested in basically every other book on earth but the one I am actually supposed to be reading. Does this happen to anyone else?? It's not that I didn't have time to finish the book...I just read about 7 other books in the meantime. And yes; I am currently in the process of doing that very thing as we speak.

10) Lucas threw my digital camera in the garbage. No, I didn't see him do it, but I know my children. No problem, said I. I'll just use my iPhone until I can save up some money for a new camera. That was all well and good, until I got a pesky notification on my phone that the memory was almost full. What. Just. Happened. "Wait a minute," said Steve. "How many pictures do you have on your phone?" "Only 2,302!" I huffed. When Steve finally stopped laughing about ten minutes later, I realized that I'm going to have to do some housekeeping on the old iPhone. Pray for me.

11) Okay, okay, I know I said ten things. Did you really expect me to stick to that? Yesterday, I made banana muffins, banana bread, and this glorious soup for dinner. I haven't had such a satisfying soup in quite some time, and this one was just perfect for easing into late fall. Late fall, I fear ye not!! At least not yet...
AND LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST...

I just deleted over 1,000 pictures from my phone. Don't worry; everything was saved and backed up before I deleted them. I'm suffering only mild heart palpitations. 

On that note, Happy Friday, and have a lovely weekend. :-)

And Just Like That...

...Lucy is six months old.

It just happened. I blinked my eyes, and it just happened. I know what I'm about to write is quite cliche, but I simply. Can't. Help. Myself. How on earth did half a year just fly by? And how on earth did I end up with such an astoundingly sweet baby girl? I thank God every day for her and her marvelously crazy brothers.

I love how big she's getting. I treasure how small she still is.

Blue eyes!! It finally happened. 

My Lucy Hannah. I am looking forward to so many things with you. Happy half-year, baby girl!!