as good as it gets

Florida's answer to snow angels?  Sand angels!

 

 

Some pics from our family's beach excursion last weekend.  When the weather is this nice in January, it seems like it makes sense to skip Church and have family time at a beautiful place.  Followed by Dunkin' Donuts.  Because sometimes you have to break the rules and have some fun.  And sugar helps keep Baby brother from falling asleep in the car and skipping naptime.

Cheers!!!

I have been capturing Cora mid-air a lot lately.

always in motion

all you need is a shovel and bucket for hours of fun.  oh and a little brother.

Allen was "cooking" and offered me some "coffee".

Wave chasing

sand snuggling

no bird was safe from Allen.

Daddy snuggles. 

Who needs the town center when you have the beach?!

8

I woke up this morning due to heavy breathing in my face.  I opened my eyes and found Cora and her sparkling eyes about an inch from my droopy ones. 

She smiled and exclaimed: "Mama. You are a strong. beautiful. Woman."

(Me: Did Colin put her up to this?  Well, not a bad way to start 2013 although I wondered if there were any other 4 year olds out there who are as ??? as our Cora?)

Then I remembered that it is also our 8 year wedding anniversary and that Colin had gone to work at 5am (so he could have the afternoon/evening off and celebrate together) and I was on day #3 of being stuck in bed having a fever.  The last thing I was feeling was strong or beautiful, although I did feel grateful for being sandwiched between two beautiful kids and having a hard-working husband with plenty of work.

Cora: "Mama.  Today is your anniversary with Dada, isn't it? Because Patsy said yesterday that tomorrow is your anniversary so today is tomorrow, right? and Tomorrow is Today!!! (I will have to write a blog later called The Tao of Cora.)  So that means you get to be a Bride again and wear your pretty white dress!! And put on lots and lots of makeup!!!" While bounding on the bed to punctuate her enthusiasm.

I explained to her that Mama was not going to wear a wedding dress but I would be happy to dress her as a bride in honor of the occasion.  Which I did and she immediately proceeded to go have in imaginary wedding in her room with her husband, Jonathan II as the first one got fired for "telling her what to do all the time" (Cora and her future husband will definitely be in need of some pre-marital counseling someday). 

So the three of us headed downstairs, I made myself some coffee followed by a performance by Cora a.k.a. Ballerina Clara to one of my all time favorite move soundtracks "When Harry Met Sally". 

My favorite song from the album is "Our Love is Here to Stay" and somehow it always brings tears to my eyes.


It's very clear, our love is here to stay
Not for a year but ever and a day
The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know
May just be passing fancies and in time may go

But oh, my dear, our love is here to stay
Together we're going a long, long way
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble
They're only made of clay
But our love is here to stay
Together we're going a long, long way
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble
They're only made of clay
Oh, but our love is here
Our love is here
But our love is here to stay
To stay

  ***

What a year it has been. 

Full of blessings, challenges, surprises, new friends, reconnecting with old ones.

The highlights? Trip to Saint Maarten with Caroline and family, visiting college friends in D.C., Sea World, Asheville and Hammock Beach with Mom and Dad, dinners, parties and playdates with friends, visits from our family in Indy and Portland and getting to know our new home and neighborhood.

The challenges?  Nothing serious.  We have our health, our family and a home we love.  And few regrets.

***

Last night we kicked off our anniversary by me surprising Colin with a takeout dinner of pork, black eyed peas, collards, texas toast and fried green tomatoes (a homage to the plated dinner served at our wedding- pork tenderloin, black-eyed pea relish, collards, jalepeno chive cheddar biscuits and fried green tomatoes).  I was planning on recreating the dinner myself but barely got out of bed all day.  Colin brought the dinner up on trays and we ate it in our bed, fending off our wayward dog with the sounds of Allen wailing in the background. 

Yet somehow it had never been better and I knew that that moment was as good as it gets.

Our plans tonight?  If I am better, we are planning on seeing Lincoln and having champagne and a quiet dinner at the Wine Cellar.  Followed by Carrot Cake of course.

***

 

As for New Years Resolutions? Just one.

It goes back to the Our Love is Here to Stay Song.  One of my many flaws is to get caught up in things that simply do not matter at the end of the day and make me scowl and snap and brood.  The things? well my house is the last thing from a page from House Beautiful, there are bad hair days, tantrums, lost elections, crumbs everywhere, disorganized closets, those extra pounds, our UNlandscaped yard, ect. ect. ect.
None of it matters at the end of the day.

 Oh, but our love is here
Our love is here
But our love is here to stay
To stay

Colin, thank you for sharing your life with me.  It is a real honor.

Happy New Year!!

Christmas in Asheville

When I was a teenager, Mom and Dad sat Reese and me down to break the news that in lieu of big Christmas presents, our gift from them would be to travel to a really cool place every other year.  We have gone to Santa Fe, NM numerous times (skiing!), as well as Italy, Charleston, Callaway Gardens and Asheville this year.  It is hard to beat the gift of time together and memories.  

Thank you, Mom and Dad for making this one of my favorite family traditions and for making this year one of the most memorable Christmases ever.

 A few of my favorite parts of the trip:

Puddling jumping was the highlight of the tour of the Biltmore for the kids.  Especially since Cora had her new pink, fur topped boots from Santa.  The highlight for the adults was all of us being shocked that Cora stole my mom's audiotour headset and listened to the whole two hour tour... and we also enjoyed the wine tasting of course.

After the pink boots, Cora's second favorite gift was her Nutcracker.  Allen loves to "make it bite" and antagonize Cora in every imaginable way when she is pretending to be Clara. 

Allen loved this chinese toy.  I have no idea what it is called but remember getting them in my own stocking.  He is into chasing people and sticks when he is not playing with trains, which is what Allen does 99% of the time.

Train gingerbread house centerpiece, created by Allen and Cora with Mom's help.

Encounter with a creepy Reindeer at the Grove Park Inn.  Cora did not know what to think and was actually speechless for once.

  

Saw hundreds of gingerbread houses at the Grove Park Inn.  This one, not surprisingly, was Cora's favorite.

This pic pretty much captures my relationship with Cora.

Cora in her snowsuit and the infamous pink boots.

Watching the Royal Ballet on Daddy's phone.  Again.  The music is still in my head.

ok this pic is not from our trip but I love it!

recently

In a nutshell, I had everyone over for Thanksgiving, entertained friends from London, Co-Chaired Staffing for the Arts and Antiques Show, hosted the MOPS Christmas Party and am shopping and packing for a week long vacation (!!!) in Asheville, NC over Christmas. 

Will write more when this all of this wonderful chaos is over.  We are having fun though!

Hope y'all are too!  :-)  


Some recent pics...

Thanksgiving table setting, courtesy of Mom and Annie.

Cora helped by handwriting place cards.  She did a pretty good job... scrambling the letters.  The one above is mine.

Look closely- Cora is eating SMOKED OYSTERS as her afternoon snack after school.  With milk, of course.

At her dance recital, holding the chocolate rose Daddy gave her.

Cora's School Nativity Program.  Little Corapunzel was thrilled to be a "Heavenly Star".  Allen loved wearing his Shark raincoat with the hood up as always.

Loving the camera these days.  Glad she agrees with me that the bigger the bow, the better.  Also note the Jack Rusell on her sweater.  LOVE Hartstrings, almost as much as Mom's sewing and smocking :-).

Devilish laughs!!  Colin and I are so in trouble when these two get older.  And wow do we have our hands full now. (and our hearts too!)

Annual Pre-Nutcracker lunch with Poppy at the Blue Fish.  Best Daddy I could ever have.  And friend, grandfather, ect...SO blessed.  Love you so much Dad!!

Cora ordered Coconut shrimp, strawberries and cream (which is NOT actually on the menu), and some other thing I can't even remember.

Cora and sweet, beautiful Cate at the Nutcracker.  Too bad Cora was totally in a bad mood and annoyed that the Nutcracker that I gave Cate had glitter on it and hers did not.   But it was still fun and really cool as Cate's mom Allison and I were in ballet together when we were little girls!!

The Fort that Cora and friends built in Boone Park today.

Cora and a friend from school.  Who bonded over a mutual love of big bows and building forts.