6 Happy Things

"Think of all beauty still left around you and be happy." - Anne Frank 

So, embarassingly enough I started this blog post all the way back at the beginning of October, and now it is almost mid-November. As per usual, the fall is usually nuts for me: it's my busiest semester and usually my busiest season for freelance work. These past few months has been even more so with a total of 12 semester units, three fairly involved grantwriting clients, and marathon training. This means lots of terrible essays, Saturday mornings out on the Iron Horse Trail, Sunday afternoon lesson planning and a often 4:30 am wake-up calls to squeeze in grant writing. That being said, I am finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel: the great class countdown has begun, it's taper time for the marathon (only two long runs left!) and the grant deadlines are winding down.

And so, with keeping of the theme of late, I have five more happy things:

1. The other day it started raining. The girls were playing inside and all of the sudden we heard the classic sounds of the pitter-patter of the rain. Lily, looked up and realized it started raining and ran outside barfoot, shouting on her way out, "I'm gonna play outside. I want to play in the rain." Before I could even react she was singing and dancing and playing in the rain. Barefoot and all. I couldn't help but smile.

2. A few weeks ago, Daisy and I went on a big girl date to meet Chelsea Clinton. We read sippits of her book, It's Your World,  together and we enjoyed looking at the pictures. We talked extensively about how kids can empower change in the world. I explained that she was the President Clinton's daughter. "First Daughter! I say, isn't that cool? She grew up in the White House, you've been there, look. Here are pictures!" She was throughly unimpressed. Then I explained how she went to Stanford University. "Wait Mom." Daisy stops me, "Wait, Stanford? That's where I'm going to go!"

3. The girls and I have been reading Pippi Longstocking. I LOVED Pippi as a child. I love the magical world she lives in: a world of horses on porches and goofy strength. A world of pirates, gold coins and childhood best friends. A world of where a freedom of mind and a freedom of will is celebrated.I loved reading the books as a child, and I love that I get to re-read the adventures with my own crazy girls.

4. Violet has started to walk. Her way of learning to walk was so different from her sisters. At first, it was a step here or a shaky step there. But, sometime in the last few weeks has has started walking with so much more confidence. She walks across rooms and dances in circles and laughs and giggles and claps for herself. I love that she is her greatest cheerleader.

5. Buddha Bowls. I am obsessed. So delicious, so satisfying and so easy to make.