Monday Art - Umbrella Girl

Favorite parts: The scarf. The bobble hat. The fact that she's not going to let a little rain dampen her mood.

Monday Art - A Blog Series

I've decided to post one of Daphne's (and maybe James') drawings every Monday for awhile. Here's why:

1. It will force me to regularly update this blog with something, and that something will be easy (the girl's prolific).
2. Her art is one thing in my life I can always count on to put a smile on my face.
3. I need to smile on Mondays.
4. It might make someone else smile too.

Here's the first selection:

Favorite parts: The bracelets. The freckles. The love for a duck.

Words to Live By

2011 Snow Blog: Check

So we hit the slopes T-family style this weekend. This involves:

1. James weeping for 30 minutes because he doesn't like snow (nor wind, nor cold, nor wet, nor sunlight, nor hot. Nor sand. Nor socks...)
2. Rosie stressing out about James' weeping and thus doing a lot of yelling, mostly at Pete.
3. James recovering from utter despair and suddenly having the best time of his life.
4. Pete patiently enduring and pulling sleds + children up hills repeatedly while Rosie pitches in by taking an excessive amount of pictures.
5. Daphne going about her business having fun, either purposely ignoring or blissfully oblivious to the rest of the T-family spectacle (we'll have to ask her if it's ignoring or oblivious when she gets older).
6. Blog post.

Thanks to our friends for getting us out in the snow. Without you we probably wouldn't have done it. There's just something about the cold....and wet....and wind...and snow. Ahem.

The Blues

Yes, it's been awhile, but this time I have a pretty decent excuse. At the beginning of March, Pete finished his MBA and took a new job as a management/process improvement consultant. It's a wonderful job for him, but it's been a bit of an adjustment for the family. Namely, he travels every week. Early Monday morning he gets on a plane, and we don't see him again until late Thursday night. Every week. Yeah, every week.

So, before I go any further, fair warning: please excuse me if I get a bit sappy. It's late and I miss Pete. Did I mention he's gone every week?

Anyhow, the same day Pete began his new job, I began Project Simplify, a 5-week decluttering and spring cleaning project. First, I tackled the master closet, followed by paper clutter, then kids toys/clothes, then the pantry and fridge. It's given me a nice sense of purpose and accomplishment as I'm adjusting to the new routine of life. This week is our last assignment, and it's "free choice." I decided to tackle a few small but bothersome spots...a basket here, a box there.

Tonight I uncovered this:
This is a binder of Pete's from our undergrad days. Did you know I fell in love with Pete in Organic Chemistry class eleven years ago?

Expecting to open the binder and find a bunch of old O-Chem notes, I found this inside instead..

Music. A whole bunch of music, arranged and/or composed and scratched out in pencil by college-Pete for his jazz combo. This was one I actually sang at his senior recital. (He was an honorary music major of sorts.)

Again, you'll have to forgive me for bragging, but most of you who are reading this are probably family anyway so you won't mind. I just thought this little binder was the perfect symbol of Pete. He's a brilliant technical/science/business guy on the outside, but on the inside he's a brilliant musician. (Well, he's a musician on the outside and a technical business guy on the inside too, but I think you get the point). I'm so glad he's been able to outwardly express his musician side a lot more in just the last few months. Ah, brings back memories...

Plus there's all the other amazing stuff that he is. But I'll restrain myself now. You're welcome.

Oh, and speaking of O-Chem...