THIRTEEN HOURS IN THE TRUCK, NO ONE DEAD

Dinner on the patio on a perfect Portland evening. With a roaring fire. And mashed potatoes.

Today we hit Seattle.

Smelling my coffee. Godda run!

BUH-CATION 2009

Get ready...
...4 suitcases, 4 mp3 players, 3 computers, 3 phones, 2 cameras and one argument about how many cords can be hanging out of the truck console at any given time before my husband looses his everloving mind. (One, BTW.)
Get set..
...the alarm for 3:45. (Who decided this crazy crap? Jeese! Oh, wait. That was me. Aw hell...)
Go!
Pacific northwest - here we come!!

This one was hard earned. This one I'm reveling in.

1000 AWESOME THINGS

Do yourself a favor and check out this blog. You will feel good all the way down to your toes.

Unless you are a heartless monster.

In which case, carry on.

DO NOT GO IN THERE

At the rest stop....

Maddy: Didja go?

Levi: Yes.

Maddy: Didja flush?

Levi: There was no flush.

Maddy: Didja wash?

Levi: There was no wash.

Maddy: EEEEEEWWWWW.

Levi: Do you hafta go?

Maddy: No.

Levi: Good. 'Cause its horrendous in there.

FISH TALE

My son caught his first fish last week. And his second (which was actually the first). Long story. Suffice to say, two experienced (old) fishermen stuck a BIG fish on Levi's line while Rube was looking down the way. And Levi played along.

A few minutes later he caught an itty-bity little guy and reeled him in on his own.

What a day! Boy was Rube proud!

It wasn't long before my boy was telling his dad, "I didn't really catch the big one. I only caught the little one."

And then his dad was REALLY proud. This moment in parenting could only be more sublime if it didn't come as a result of stabbing living creatures in the face. But, I digress.

Here he is before the hullabaloo.

LOST

Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.

^{A poem by David Wagoner.}

LAZY SUNDAY

Roast chicken.

Stuffed with onions and garlic.

Crispy skin.

Juicy oysters underneath.

That was the smell yesterday that made my kiddos squeal with delight.

Today brought dog walking, cheezy waffles, laundry folding, near napping and Elvis and Annabelle.

A surprising delight. Even if it is a bit of a cliche.

MUSIC TO MY EARS

"Something smells terrific!" says Madigan.

"What smells so good?" asks Levi. "I can't wait to eat it, whatever it is."

Today I am in my kitchen.

Today is glorious.

Tomorrow I will tell you all about it.