(it's a long one...
once i got started i just had to keep going until i was done...)
once i got started i just had to keep going until i was done...)
we will open all of the doors & windows & play in the driveway with the neighbors & run in & out & yell & laugh & enjoy right where we are. right now.
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i will welcome feet that are wet & dirty & sweaty & lotion-ie & not worry about it because our carpet is horrid already. (proof: 6 year old visitors, who are well known for not noticing much of anything outside of snacks & little pet shop have commented on how dirty our carpet is) so who cares? bring on the dirty feet!
i will welcome feet that are wet & dirty & sweaty & lotion-ie & not worry about it because our carpet is horrid already. (proof: 6 year old visitors, who are well known for not noticing much of anything outside of snacks & little pet shop have commented on how dirty our carpet is) so who cares? bring on the dirty feet!
we will sleep outside in our little backyard. we have already talked about the configurations: you & him, me & her, you & her, me & him, you & me...the only configuration not happening this year: her & him...unless the neighbors call & ask for a diversion so they can get away with something. because my kids, they can divert alright...someday they will get along. i just keep repeating it.
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we will go swimming because we all love it. so much. & i will decide again (as i have for the last several years) that it's more important to enjoy the time with my kids & brian then to worry about how i look in a swim suit. i will never have the best body at the pool & if i have the worst body at the pool, it's going to have way more fun than any of the other bodies.
we will go swimming because we all love it. so much. & i will decide again (as i have for the last several years) that it's more important to enjoy the time with my kids & brian then to worry about how i look in a swim suit. i will never have the best body at the pool & if i have the worst body at the pool, it's going to have way more fun than any of the other bodies.
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i will not wish we lived in the country. well, actually i will, but i will not dwell on the fact that we don't live in the country. i will be happy for the great suburb things that we have: lots of neighborhood kids, quick trips to the grocery store, cute raised bed gardens, a park within walking distance. would i trade it all in a heartbeat? well, of course! but i can be happy where i am, no problem ;)
i will not wish we lived in the country. well, actually i will, but i will not dwell on the fact that we don't live in the country. i will be happy for the great suburb things that we have: lots of neighborhood kids, quick trips to the grocery store, cute raised bed gardens, a park within walking distance. would i trade it all in a heartbeat? well, of course! but i can be happy where i am, no problem ;)
we will eat fruit while it's in season. i will order the freshly frozen berries from the kiwanises (kiwani?) for us to eat after the summer & i will go to the farm every week to get the berry trio (blueberries, black berries & strawberries, sometimes raspberries. it. is. heaven.) & i will give each kiddos their own box of berries so that they can eat most of them on the ride home. i won't lament the fact that they can & will each eat $4 worth of berries in 10 minutes. i will celebrate the fact that they WANT to eat them, that we HAVE access to them & that we CAN afford them if we don't buy other not so fresh things. in fact in general i'm going to celebrate way more, lament way less.
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i will plan some outings just for me & brian. & i'm going to get creative like i used to. barnes & noble & the outback are fine but what about the date where i made him choose from bunches of two word combinations & that determined what we did & ate (salty or sweet? hot or cold? dark or bright? prickley or smooth?) i'm realizing that if i want to go on fun dates, it's okay for me to plan them. in fact it's perfect for me to plan them. i love to do it so why shouldn't i? i know! it's a good thing to realize...
we will go to disneyland, a trip we have been planning for a few years. we will love it. we will hate it. there will be laughter & tears. & we will still love it. we will gasp at the prices of mickey mouse t-shirts. we will smile & scream & throw our hands in the air. we will tell my parents thank you over & over & over because it was their idea to go & their idea to pay for a big bunch of it. we will hug them when we do because we will all be there together. we will love being together. we will get tired of being together. we will see things all together that only the 6 of us will see all together. we will talk about it all for years. & the best part might end up being swimming in the hotel pool but we'll do it together. (we will also have our 14th anniversary when we are there & we will spend an evening, just the two of us, doing whatever we want to. & we will have quite a lot of fun, i think :)
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i will say many many many times, in many many many ways how thankful i am that brian is a teacher & has the summers off. i would choose the days of togetherness over having lots of money every single time.
i will say many many many times, in many many many ways how thankful i am that brian is a teacher & has the summers off. i would choose the days of togetherness over having lots of money every single time.
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we will take advantage of the fact that we live in a really amazing part of the world. we will go 1 hour west (the coast). we will go 1 hour east (the mountians). we will go 1 hour north (museums & carousels). we will go 1 hour south (hmmm we will explore & find out). we will look at the map & point & say 'i wonder what that is.' & then we will go find out.
we will take advantage of the fact that we live in a really amazing part of the world. we will go 1 hour west (the coast). we will go 1 hour east (the mountians). we will go 1 hour north (museums & carousels). we will go 1 hour south (hmmm we will explore & find out). we will look at the map & point & say 'i wonder what that is.' & then we will go find out.
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we will have some really hard days. life is like that, you know.
we will have some really hard days. life is like that, you know.
we will go to a drive-in movie. doing just that is one of our favorite summer memories from 2 years ago. & this year we will do it again.
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we will water & pick & love the heck out of the plants & flowers that are & will spring up in the raised beds that brian & Q built in the backyard. We will eat tomatoes & blueberries & strawberries right off the vine & we will say 'yum!'
we will water & pick & love the heck out of the plants & flowers that are & will spring up in the raised beds that brian & Q built in the backyard. We will eat tomatoes & blueberries & strawberries right off the vine & we will say 'yum!'
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i'm going to think about & be thankful that our kids are ages where we can go anywhere & do anything (or go no where & do nothing). we lived through years of naps & potty training & 'we can't go there because she might have a fit'. & you know, that's just a normal part of having kids. (if you're in it right now, please know that it ends eventually. yes, it stinks some days. totally stinks. & then you read about your friends who are going someplace in the middle of the afternoon (the middle of the afternoon!!) & you can not comprehend ever being able to do that. & maybe you want to kick your friend in the shins. it's all okay. it's all part of it. just remember when you're safely through it to look behind you & reassure the next generation. pay it backward, baby). & you know, she very may well have a fit still but so might i & that doesn't keep me from wandering around the town, enjoying life...
i'm going to think about & be thankful that our kids are ages where we can go anywhere & do anything (or go no where & do nothing). we lived through years of naps & potty training & 'we can't go there because she might have a fit'. & you know, that's just a normal part of having kids. (if you're in it right now, please know that it ends eventually. yes, it stinks some days. totally stinks. & then you read about your friends who are going someplace in the middle of the afternoon (the middle of the afternoon!!) & you can not comprehend ever being able to do that. & maybe you want to kick your friend in the shins. it's all okay. it's all part of it. just remember when you're safely through it to look behind you & reassure the next generation. pay it backward, baby). & you know, she very may well have a fit still but so might i & that doesn't keep me from wandering around the town, enjoying life...
i will work on my own little & big dreams. i will accept that things pretty much always work differently than you think they will & that it's almost always better that way. & if you do the work & keep your eyes open for what's heading your way you'll see it. i don't know the future. i don't know much of anything except that this is something that i need to do. to give people a place to love. to help people see their dreams come to life. to see if i can. & so i will.
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*i made this list after reading ali's list on her blog...
inspiring, she is.
i recommend doing this, it's getting me really excited
& also really preparing my mind & heart for it all...
good stuff :)
*i made this list after reading ali's list on her blog...
inspiring, she is.
i recommend doing this, it's getting me really excited
& also really preparing my mind & heart for it all...
good stuff :)