Self Starter

Oh, I am having trouble getting the mental motor running today. This weekend was great, but way too fast. We had more snow, making this quite a record winter for us. Not the same kind of snowstorm we had last weekend, but snow nonetheless and a wonderful reason to stay inside by the fire all day on Saturday (with the exception of a brief, bundled-up excursion around the neighborhood). Yesterday was bright and sunny and cold. We made a huge snowman with Brussels sprout eyes and grape teeth before it all started to melt. It was a heavy, wet snow and so, as it melted, clumps of it remained on the tips of branches. By the time we took our late afternoon walk, it looked like the height of cherry blossom season. A sweet little reminder of the coming spring.

Sometimes, lots of times if you're lucky, you feel like there's nowhere else in the world you'd rather be than at your home with your family doing just what you're doing at that moment. That's how we felt this weekend. As I churn out yet another assignment this week, here are the things I'll be remembering:

• The giddy feeling I got finishing Nicky's extra-large floor pillow this weekend. It's for his little reading area. Everytime I look at it I beam with pride that I can actually sew straight lines. It's the little things...
• The look of crazy toddler ectasy on Nicky's face as he crawled back and forth through his play tunnel at least 100 times a row on Saturday night. In the nude. We filled it with balls. He kept going. 
• Eating bursting blueberry pancakes on Saturday morning with the winter storm really kicking in outside the french doors.
• Engaging in a LOST marathon and sipping red wine with my husband in front of the fire on Saturday night.
• The look of crazy toddler ectasy on Nicky's face as he watched his dad and neighbor have a snowball fight with all the neighborhood boys. He was screaming with delight.
• Watching our little 5-year-old neighbor hugging on Boda and playing fetch with her. Boda gets a lot of love from these neighborhood kids. She's the loyal, stick-chasing dog I always dreamed of having when I was young.
• Laughing at Nicky wearing the t-shirt I made him. Poor kid. He's too tolerant of me sometimes.
• Turning off the Superbowl to eat dinner with one another and listen to Ira Glass.
• Folding laundry in my room listening to Chris read The Hobbit to Nicky while he splashed around in the tub. 
• Telling my husband I love him at least 20 times this weekend and really meaning it, every time.