Ten Loves (#3: The Farmers' Market)

For the last ten days until graduation, ten things for which I am super thankful.

#1: Family

#2: Doodling

#3: The Farmers' Market

Oh how I love the seasonal farmers' markets.

We actually have a year-round one on Saturdays, too. But there's something that feels so luxurious about being able to wander amongst such fresh produce four days a week if I wish. To run into friends, to talk to farmer who picked the strawberries this morning, and to enjoy selecting healthy, delicious food for my family in this relatively cool, still part of the day. It is truly a feast for all the senses.

I have memories of going to this particular market last August, when I was so pregnant with Abigail and it was so hot, to buy boxes and boxes of tomatoes to freeze. And returning in September with my two girls, one so tiny and asleep in a carrier. And now she's happily bouncing around, trying to swipe produce. The time has just flown.

I realize that not everyone can afford to shop at farmers' markets, which is why we also support the Volunteer Farm, which provides fresh produce to 2 food banks and more than 800 food pantries in Virginia. We'll have more on that later, but for now I encourage you to check out the link, and check out your own farmers' market if you are able.

Ten Loves (#2: Doodling)

For the last ten days until graduation, ten things for which I am super thankful.

#1: Family

#2: Doodling

There is something about being physically stuck somewhere boring that gives the mind permission to wander. Official Art Time can be intimidating, what with the nagging desire to Use Time Wisely and to Create Something Great. But doodling isn't supposed to be great art; it's just fun, a way to escape.

Some of my best creative ideas have had their roots in doodles scrawled during math class or staff meetings. I miss that time when I had no choice but to sit still for a while and draw. (In between Important Intellectual Discussions and lots of Learning, of course. Ahem.) I don't have that forced down time anymore, but I am trying to make time to doodle. And it is still great fun.

But I fear that dooding will soon be a lost art. I'm resisting getting an iPhone because I don't want to be tempted to spend more time online. Really, does the world need another status update of "Waiting to pick up the kids," or "Tuesday again!"? Next time you have a few minutes to spare, why not try a little doodling instead?

Ten Loves (#1: Family)

Ten days until graduation, ten things for which I am super thankful.

#1: Family

A few images from a wonderful Mother's Day celebration with the Breeds yesterday. An entertaining bunch, to be sure.

Grandmother and granddaughters

Grandpa airlines

Driveway theatre

Portrait by my loving husband

Granddaughter and grandmother

(Soon to be) Godmother and Goddaughter

The astonishing Uncle Frick

Lawn Dance

The Certificate of Big Sloppy Thanks

While cleaning up a series of large and particularly nasty messes I thought, "Wow! This is probably the biggest mess in the whole history of this home! I sure am working hard! Someone should give me an award."

I wiped my sweaty brow, leaned wearily but proudly on my mop, and waited to receive my award.

And waited.

And then I drew my own award. Here it is, just in time for Mother's Day. Feel free to print it out, fill it in, color it if you feel particularly zesty, and give it to a person to whom you'd like to say, "Thanks for cleaning up that time/all the time. You are great, and I appreciate you."


It's fun! Free! A great last-minute gift that looks like it took you WAY long to write out by hand!

Perfect for messy occasions such as:
illness
the morning after a party
raising children
the science fair
cooking
home repair/remodeling
insect invasion
AND MUCH MORE!

Random Photo of the Week

A rare moment of peace and rest.

Teacher Appreciation Week

Do you know the difference between antlers and horns? I do, and I learned it just this week, from a great teacher. (The answer is at the end of this post.)

It's Teacher Appreciation Week, and of course the Pepper girls had to get crafty about it. We started to make flowers for Betsy's two main preschool teachers, but we couldn't forget her two other teachers, and then she wanted to give them to the school director and administrator and, well, we ended up making a whole garden's worth of flowers.

That's okay, it was a lot of fun. Raiding the button stash is always a good time.

And I think they turned out to be quite pretty.

Animals shed antlers, but they keep horns. Think deer vs bull. Thanks for the informative nature talk at Betsy's preschool, Mom!

Baby Love

This has been a hard week. After too much time with teething and stomach viruses and overtime work and overtime school, we're all a little grouchy and burnt out, and this socially overstuffed month has barely begun.

Thank goodness for baby love. Every time I sit on the floor, Abigail comes padding over on hands and knees, ready to smother me with her sweet baby versions of hugs and kisses. And how I adore those soft head-on-my chest hugs, and drooly open-mouthed baby kisses.