Rumpled, familiar, cool and elegant....

This is where I feel comfortable - in clothes like this - in a house like this - in a life like this.

Odd reference here. The movie Unfaithful with Diane Lane and Richard Gere - from way back around 2000-ish. It is actually a good movie. I love Diane Lane's face - always have - envy her that natural, effortless elegance that she has. AND - the house in that movie is just great - older - rambling yard full of random flowers and old trees - rooms with faded carpets - odd, narrow hallways - filled with little "I forgot about these poetry books" shelves and "I found these at an antique store" curtains and linens. In this movie, when she gives in to her huge mistake (and Olivier Martinez is cute, but I never bought that he was 10 years younger than Diane like the movie implies, and... turns out, he is her age, so.... how's that for Hollywood ageism. Digressing....), the thought of losing what she has - this familiar life - her little boy's innocence and trust - her husband entirely - is unbearable - looming everyday. You really feel that in the movie. She won an Oscar for it, didn't she?

I strive for this life - one so great but so effortless that it has to be organic and real - can't be duplicated - must be cherished (MUST be). My kids love our routine, and well... I love that. They hang the same jackets on the same hooks, wear the same swim goggles, eat the same cereal for breakfast, watch the same movies at bedtime - trust me to have their favorite snacks packed for outings - know that I buy them comfortable jeans and matchy-matchy t-shirts or that I put their sippy cups in the same spot when they're done drinking - I pull their beds down the same way every night. I mean, even Olivia knows what shelf holds her Balance Bars and where I put her fleecy blanket when I fold it while making beds in the morning.

I am a free range girl in many ways. I think kids should climb, get dirty and eat popsicles all day long in the summer. I think they should "help" me bake or cook even if it means too much salt or none at all. I load them all up in the grocery cart outfitted with magnifying glasses and lollies while we shop - ignoring all stares or remarks about how they are sitting incorrectly or how loud they are talking and asking for, again, familiar favorites - milk, organic apple juice, bananas, tomatoes. I send Olivia off to the pool with $5, a tennis racket and a beach towel - text her our dinnertime du jour. I like to be a bit free-form, BUT I do like my routine - my familiar - the stuff from which traditions and memories grow.

Focusing on the good. 5 more things... aaalllll GOOD - 1. Enzo fell asleep on Olivia's lap tonight while out to dinner with hubby's cousin and wife. So cute. 2. Getting to know hubbys's cousin and wife. Nice people - feels good to connect. 3. I ate graham crackers dipped in milk tonight - felt like "me" as a kid (yeah - I admit it - reminiscing again - photo of me on fridge from 8th grade - straight hair, thin build, weird yellow olive-y skin - late bloomer :-). 4. My Stinkin Bodinkin (Lil) can really dance it up (Milo tried to spin her tonight). 5. I feel bold again - very me - very "I don't care if my hair is in my eyes and I only wear t-shirts and frayed flared leg sweats - THAT is how I roll". I feel younger, happier and, yeah.... I'll say it... more familiar than I have in months.... possibly years.

Photo: Hubby and I in Paris a couple of years ago. Sigh.