this moment ::

Inspired by Soulemama's {This Moment}

{this moment} - a friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from my week. I want to pause and savor this moment.

From the kitchen to the table ::

I hope your Thanksgiving, in whichever way you celebrate it and with whomever you celebrate it with this week, is full of memories made.

this moment ::

Inspired by Soulemama's {This Moment}

{this moment} - a friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from my week. I want to pause and savor this moment.

this little corner

In this simple little corner of our dining room sits a chair, side table, and season book basket. In the basket are a good bit of our autumn books along with the books the children have been creating.

They each love to sit and read over their books aloud to me, or quietly to themselves.

As this is our third new reader in the house, it's been quite an exciting last few months as she familiarizes herself with new words. I still do most of the reading with her in the larger picture books, but I know it won't be long before she will be called on to read to her little sister.

{Speaking of her little sister Rosemary, she is recovering well. This has been her most painful surgery yet, as her incision is in the back of her neck, and her bones and muscles are healing from being cut through. Saying all that, she is slowing getting around by crawling and makes more progress each day.}

our evening

This evening, within one small family room of our house there began an escalation of chaos between music practice, homework assignments, and just wanting to be near mommy. It seems that no matter how large our space is, everyone would rather congregate together through all the chaos. I'm not complaining, I am enjoying these days, and evenings, immensely!

savoring fall

Yesterday I took the kids out to our local boat landing nature park to soak in the last few days of our beautiful trees. Once we got back into town on Sunday from last week's trip out to Dallas, I realized quickly that I had missed our "peak week" where the majority of the trees are in full color and full of their magic. So I decided to quickly enjoy and be grateful for what was left and make the best of it.

As we walked around the park, around the river, and through the woods, I savored every spot of color I could take in, knowing only days were left of our fall colors.

home

Last night, I found myself open to new possibilities, new chores being added to our evening rhythm. I will openly confess that I highly dislike unloading a dishwasher once sometimes twice a day. There is just something about it and looms over me all day until I absolutely “must” empty it in order to cook dinner and have somewhere to place the dirty dishes. What a vicious cycle. So last night I thought I would give our evening rhythm a taste of something new and different and involve a little helper {Elise} who has always had an affinity for house work.

She washed while I dried, and loved every single second of it. It cured several things. 1. I don’t have a clean dishwasher to empty tomorrow morning. 2. The dishes are already put away for the evening. 3. There was great conversation and time well spent between us. 4. It was an activity that kept her busy and happy. What more can a mother ask for.

Yes, I think this new nightly rhythm will treat us well.

recovering in Hotel

What does one do with a wiggly toddler in a hotel room 3 days post op? Whatever she can to keep her from bumping her head and getting injured! In a 5 minute break from the action, I grabbed Rosie who had been hanging out in front of these closet mirrors for a quick portrait together.

Of course, that's me, she won the battle and has wandered off to play. I'm enjoying each last moment we are here, I know once we get home, there will be so much more demanded of me. Enjoying this day!

by day . . . by night

Does this look like a toddler who's had major brain surgery 2 days ago??

That was this morning . . . tonight she's back at the hotel with us, sound asleep. No kidding, she was released from the hospital late this afternoon. It's so good to have her back in a pseudo-normal environment without all the wires and bells and constant interruptions in the night.

She's really doing great!!

a Rosemary update

On Monday, we flew with Rosemary back to Dallas for her Chiari Decompression surgery that was scheduled for Wednesday morning. This surgery had been on the calendar since our last June Dallas visit. She did great on the flight, enjoyed it even.

After a long day of appointments on Tuesday, we headed out to the hospital on an unusually cold Texas morning before 6am. Rosemary was less than thrilled to be up that early.

The incision for this surgery was perpendicular to the back of her neck, so there won't be any of the usual facial swelling she has had with her previous surgeries. That is so nice! What a relief to be able to see her eyes after a long afternoon nap after waking up off the meds.

This morning there is talk of taking her out of the PICU (which is also new to us, we've always stayed in the PICU and driven straight to the airport on previous trips) and taking her to the floor this afternoon where they will be more parental hands on involvement with her care until we leave.

The doctors are really pleased with how everything looks since the surgery and so are we. No more surgeries for "years" now, did you catch that, "years!" One big "YEAH" from me!

Our halloween

It ended up being a cold wet halloween for us. Rosie and I stayed inside. The others came home cold, wet, but happy!