Easter

What a wonderful long weekend we had in Houston for Easter with Aunt Di and Uncle Bruce.  We had the perfect combination of activity and relaxation.  We met new friends. Watched Ellie enjoy her cousins and make new friends.  She helped Aunt Di with these egg-shaped rice krispie treats and hunted for eggs with the rest of the kids.

We enjoyed a shrimp boil on Friday for dinner, a visit to Kemah on Saturday morning, tried the one of the best burgers in Texas (according to the list!) on our way home, an Easter egg hunt with all the kids, a backyard bbq with the very best neighbors one could ask for and to top it off a wonderful Easter Sunday brunch compliments of Chef Uncle Bruce!

Full of blessings .. and food .. we made our way home on Sunday afternoon!

Destin memories

Finally downloaded the photos from the camera over the weekend .. and found a few more treasures.  Above is the resort where we stayed.  This is the view from our balcony.  Great memories to relive just looking at the photos. We will definitely return!

At Lulu's in Destin.  On my bucket list since 1999 when Lucy Buffet's only place was in Mobile Bay, AL - and called Lucy's.  Now there are 3 Lulu's in the Gulf in AL and FL.  So glad to be there!

On our morning visit to the beach.  Sun already shining and breeze was blowing.  Could not quite get enough of the sand and sun!

 Great boardwalk area with shops, restaurants and a view of the bay.  And of course, Ellie standing under the arch!

This is the wonderful white sand beach.  She scooped, ran, danced and laughed in it.  Every day.

The sunset each evening.  Almost like being in Key West.  One evening we met a nearly-retired couple from Michigan who were nearing the end of their month in Destin.  They were watching the sunset with cocktails on a deck so quietly.  They recommended a restaurant that we tried the following night.

French Toast

Ellie continues to evolve and create in ways that impress and amaze me.  When she woke on Sunday morning she decided she'd like to make French Toast.  Before she asked if that was possible she looked for ingredients to be sure that was not going to be the hold up.

I asked what makes French Toast and then went about helping her gathering ingredients.  Since this is something that takes ingredients but not a recipe, she loved the freedom of creating.  She chose the number of eggs, the pouring of the milk straight from the container and then added a splash of vanilla before beating the mixture together.

She was very proud of her creation - insisting that the extra milk she poured into the bowl was the magic ingredient making them so wonderful.

So, so proud!

Mary Oliver - The Journey

Ellie and I enjoy the sunrises, Starbucks and Mary Oliver poetry together.
What a champ she is to continue to follow the bread crumbs I'm dropping along the way!

One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began,  though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice -- though the whole house began to tremble  and you felt the old tug at your ankles. "Mend my life!" each voice cried. But you didn't stop. You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible. It was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones. But little by little, as you left their voice behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do -- determined to save the only life that you could save.
Mary Oliver The Journey

All Grown Up

How did this little girl grow up so fast?

She now twists her hair up into a bun on the top of her head.  It's downright adorable.  Well, actually it's much more than that.... it's mature and a delight to see.  She is full of her own opinions, perspectives and decisions.

She's making good decisions too.  So respectful and kind.

And so, so glad she's ours!

Its all in a name

I went to Starbucks on Friday with a co-worker.  It was mid-morning and not many others in the place.  In fact after we ordered and moved to the spot to wait for our drink, only one other customer was in the place.  An older man stood near by.

As I was the only one waiting for a drink, I was very surprised when the barista set down a cup on the counter and yelled out, "Mary!"  Huh?  Who's Mary?

I walked over knowing I was the only one waiting and there sat my cup. Jude.  or Mary apparently.

In any event I was glad to have my hot coffee in hand regardless of the name ....

Amen.

Yes.  Do that.

Amen.

Memories

How is it possible that this 6 year old little girl is now 11!?  This gorgeous, adorable face with that Kit, the American Girl haircut is now a 5th grader.  I love the opportunity to look back - to remember, to remind, to treasure all those moments that went by so quickly.

She's still that sweet, wonderful person today.  She cares about her friends, her family, charitable causes, the environment and wants to do her best.  She is a strong soccer player, an ingenious Bananagrams girl and scores extremely well on her Math and Science assessments.  We're currently reading The Diary of Anne Frank together at her request.  She has a huge heart and a beautiful signing voice.

That's our girl.

Trolling

With away at Adventure Camp for three days and two nights, this has left Bill and I time on our hands.  Bill has been obsessed with asking me to check FB for pictures that Draper School might have posted of the camp.  FINALLY there is one photo with Ellie smack-dab in the middle of the picture.

I find it.  Show him.  And his response?  "Why isn't she smiling?"  "Who is sitting next to her?"

Oh boy!  What a character he is!

She's safe and sound - and based on this photo surrounded by people and eating!  All good signs!

Tomorrow she arrives home - and we cannot wait to see her and hear all about her adventures over the last three days!

Look for the miracles.

I watched the movie Bruce Almighty over the weekend at the recommendation of a friend.  We'd been discussing faith, and Ellie and prayer.  The movie was described to me as the struggle with free will and trusting God.  With Jim Carrey in the lead I knew it was a comedy so I didn't have high expectations for a message to emerge.

I was wrong.

Perhaps a little humor is exactly what we need.  I know I do some days.  How can we take all of this wonder so seriously?   Miracles are serious business too, but the smile they bring is the joy!

There's a wonderful line from the movie that I treasured.  "If you can't find a miracle, be the miracle."

Sound familiar?  Christmastime, perhaps?

Why wait for Christmas to be the miracle?

Here's to finding a miracle.  It's all where you look!

Opening Day of Baseball

Here we are.  Ready to start another season.  The story begins.  Doesn't matter the roster from last year.  Or the coach, or the star player.  Today is the start of a new season.  

This means brand new team t-shirts.  And we are a house divided.  Great thing about Sunday is that both the Yankees and the Cubs played.

The best part for me was Ellie getting to see the introduction of the line-up before the EPSN Sunday night game.  Her ability to repeat each of the players names after they were announced.

Kris Bryant becomes Krissy.

Anthony Rizzo becomes Rizz.

Addison Russell becomes Addy.

and my favorite ... Ben Zobrist becomes Zobi-Wan-Kanobi!

One hundred and sixty-two game regular season, first game watched.  Yankees lost.  Cubs lost.

There's always tomorrow!

Date Night

Here's the great shots from our Date Night out with Jeanine and Michael.  We visited a great part of downtown Dallas called Deep Ellum.  Known for it's artsy sculptures, lively music and eclectic restaurants.  We were fortunate to visit two different spots in one night.

Angry Dog for dinner, and Dot's Hop House for after dinner drinks.  How much fun!

The photo in the middle was a shot gone bad.  Until this morning when I took a look at it and decided to make something of it.  While listening to a podcast by Shauna Neiquist, author of Present Over Perfect she mentioned the concept of 'there's no there, there'  so I added 'be here now,' and it became the perfect caption for the photo.

Some take lemons and make lemonade.  I take bad photos and make meaningful messages.  Who knew?

A good time was had by all!

#SoulMantras

I have a friend who lives in Tacoma, Washington who runs her own business.  Her name is Liz, short for Elizabeth.  She has a daughter and her name is Ellie, short for Eleanor - sometimes referred to as EJ.  I love to follow her family and their adventures through social media.  She's a mom, a wife, small business owner, friend, amateur meditation practitioner and home baker.  I've grown to love and appreciate the gifts she brings to the world.

Part of her business is to create gorgeous treasures on paper, with stone, gems and metal.  Here are a few of the beauties I received from her recently.  These soapstone hearts are smooth and weighty.  I gave one to a friend at work to hold when she feels anxious.  One to Ellie as she is leaving for Adventure Camp on Monday for 3days/2nights.  And I'll keep one for myself.  To hold onto while she's gone.  Keep in my pocket.  We each have a different color, yet they are the same.  Like us.

#SoulMantras