Some Summer Pics

Happy Birthday, Dad!

His day... even though he's not here with us anymore :-). Love you. Miss you. You are with me every minute of every day.

Simple gestures.

So.. today, as our houseguests prepared to leave - catching a plane to NY and then to Lima, Peru, we all had breakfast on the deck - morning dew, hot coffee and all that. My Spanish is bad, and their English was better but not great - still....we had a nice conversation - as we have over the past day or so. Like I said before, it is nice to connect with another couple - family, friends. As they were heading out the door, and we were all exchanging emails, addresses, mobile phone #s, my new friend gave me and hubby her own little gold hoop earrings to give to Lilliana to wear someday. SUCH a sweet gesture - really meant a lot to us. Sweet Lil danced and ate and cuddled with her new pal all night, and this little gesture seemed so appropriate. Of course, they want their boys - almost identical in age to our boys - to stay in touch or exchange cards, etc. at Christmas with our boys (of course, that will be us doing the exchanging of photos and stories, which is nice), and... will definitely be looking Olivia up on Facebook - as they are interested in her exciting friends and in helping her with her Spanish (next time we see you, they said, we'll "quiz" you on your Spanish again ;-) - they quite enjoyed talking to her and hearing about her life - and... she did do quite a bit of translating for me and speaking for them as we were out and about last night. So ... anyway .... safe trip Enrique and Patty.

In a similar note .... another meaningful connection or gesture....Last weekend, my Mom told us that Olivia is now someone's namesake. Years ago, my parents made friends with a couple from Scotland while they were all living in Luxembourg. They were a banking industry couple - my parents Goodyear International people, so... they had all lived in different areas, traveled all over - and, above all, shared similar likes and interests. Their nephew, Stuart, lived with my family for a long time as he attended college in the states (and he and I always hit it off - felt like being close to a new younger brother :-). He ended up staying here, but... the rest of the family, including his many sisters, are still back in Scotland. My Mom and Dad met all of them and even knew members of their extended family well, having visited them in the UK and France many times. They visited us here in the 'burgh over 4 years ago - I was pregnant with Milo - my Dad had finished his last round of chemo and was doing well. They had a fantastic time with us (my only regret that trip was that, somehow, I forgot my camera for our sightseeing - pregnancy hormones, I suppose). I'm so glad they were able to see my Dad that trip as he died only a couple of months later. Recently, our friend, John (his wife is Sheila), was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor (they are retired in Scotland), and he did recover well, but... what a scare, right? Anyway.... as my Mom was following up on his progress on the phone a couple of weeks ago, Sheila told her that one of her nieces had just named her new baby, Olivia, because she likes hearing about us and our family so much - feels a connection (Sheila and I totally hit it off ;-), btw, every time we see eachother despite the fact that we are different generations). Anyway, this girl even named her baby "Olivia Rose", which was my original plan (instead, my girlie is Olivia Katherine - a compromise with my ex). Sheila wanted my Mom to be SURE to tell us all that - and that they think of us and talk about us often - me, hubby, my boys and girlies. Lovely - truly lovely.

Enjoy your Sunday, all :-).

Photo: More Paris and a couple of pumpkin hunting candids from years back. I love our photo collage going up our stairs. Have I said that before? Family .... friends. Seems to be a theme this week :-).

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.

5 things - GOOD things....

1. The beautiful sky today - clouds that looked like they had been finger-painted or brush-stroked across a clear blue canvas.

2. Hubby and I talked over cold bevies in the steamy wee hours the other night on our deck. We are so lucky.

3. Spending time with wonderful new friends - hubby's cousin and wife from Peru. Shopped, ate, drank, talked and laughed today.

4. Olivia and her friends are closer than ever despite all the new high schools and new activities on the horizon.

5. Had a nice dinner with Mom over last weekend - two actually - one out, which she seemed to enjoy - another in with the cabbage rolls of my childhood just before we left.

Photo: I know the heat was bad this week, but.... would you rather go back to being snowed in? Seriously - I'd like a vote. I can't decide.