Good Things || September 2019

from the gratitude journal, September 2019...

868. Cruz and Mila snuggling up on the couch before bed, completely unprompted.  They have been the best of friends lately, Mila always making her brother laugh and Cruz always making room for her by his Legos in his room.

869. A meal made completely with things already at home, served around the table.

870. Hauling the blue striped reading chair from the bedroom and deciding I quite like it there.

871. Attempting to get all the voices right in Prisoner of Azkaban, until Cruz falls asleep on my shoulder.

872. Cruz and Mila learned about September 11th at Blessed Beginnings and came home with a million questions.  They decided they wanted to make cards for our neighbor, Matt.  They brought their cards over to him and thanked him for "keeping our town safe."  

873. Chocolate chip cookies on the counter before bed.  

874. And with a teapot of milk on a Sunday afternoon...

875. Cruz's second year of flag football and his fun team.  So many buddies from his class - Lincoln and Eli and Wes and Kalven, along with their great Dads, too.  Hard nights with tears, followed by a game with three touchdowns and a two-point conversion.  You win some, you lose some, you learn a whole lot.  But mostly, I hope you just have fun.

876. Eavesdropping on Cruz, Mila, and Mason playing Legos in Cruz's room.  Something about going on a date and Mila "totally turning him down..." 

877. Mila getting the sweetest, most enthusiastic "Sophie and Stella sandwich" at Blessed Beginnings one morning.  Those Blessed Beginnings kids all share such special bonds and their sincere joy to see each other this morning brought tears to my eyes, and Sophie and Stella's grandma's.  

879. Talking about all the things over a pot of caramel tea with Sara.  And a week later, pumpkin lattes and girl chats on a rainy Thursday afternoon with sweet Ashley S. 

880. A very mediocre attempt at Homecoming 2019... 

881. Mila's recitation of "Three Billy Goats Gruff."  She's got a knack for the details and her expression and character voices were on point.  And Cruz played along as the Grumpy Old Troll for her because he's Cruz.

882. This book.  My first official book club.  Texts about Daisy and Billy with Ashley, all the Fleetwood Mac in the car, shopping for boho dresses and dreaming about being in a rock band.  More on all this to come!

883. A slow Saturday in our matching fall pjs in our cozy basement.  I was in the reading nook and Mila was adding lots of black spots to her balloon.  Then she asked, "Mom, when I'm done with this, can you write 'domination' on it?  A little puzzled, I asked her why and she responded, "Because it looks just like one!" ;)

884. Closet and dresser clean-outs, sell and swap success, and a fall wardrobe of all our favorites - sweaters, hoodies, and all the matching jams.

885. Board games and football

886. Saturday afternoon living room forts reminding us of the Polar Vortex and a winter of SO. MANY. SNOW. DAYS.  

887. Festive snacks to get us through our days.  Charcuterie boards are our favorite kind of dinner spread.  The. End.  

888. Mila and her cute new outfit.  After church, she was prancing around the house with her hot cocoa and I asked, "Mila, do you feel like a college girl wearing that cute new outfit?"  To which she replied, "No, but I do feel like I'm 10." :)