gratitude

on friday, it was time to wrap up another school year- kiss those kiddos good-bye and head out to a well deserved celebration. my entire family was brought up short by the sudden passing of tim russert. an all too visible reminder that we can be called home at any moment, no matter how much we prepare or how deeply we love- we will be going home.

my family and i have a deep sense of gratitude toward tim russert because he provided a true-life example of what it means to be a good man, a good Catholic and a good American. to fulfill each of those roles it takes shouldering responsibility and living hopefully. each demand that you question, question, question and that you have faith in God and in your fellow man.

as we celebrated father's day and our anniversary, we reflected on tim russert's passing and the example he set in the pure joy he had for his family and friends. we, too, feel blessed and in awe at having a front row seat as our children grow and mature. we are thrilled to have so many to share our everyday events with. we are thankful for our parents and the gifts they bestowed upon us.

i think that tim russert leaves an enormous legacy for his friends, his family and all of us; and that it is remarkable that one person can so impact our lives in the most powerful of ways- by his example.

(photo credit: AP, Alex Wong)

Then there were two...

k. will be 13 on tuesday and i'm just getting ready to make pancakes for the girls as the "slumber" party winds up. another teen in the house!?! how very exciting and rewarding for us, actually. you begin to see, more fully, the adults they are well on their way to becomming. this young lady is creative, smart, mature and wise. she is kind, funny and well liked. truly a blessing in our lives and the lives of others. we are incredibly lucky to have been blessed by her! happy day, coco!

a spin around the block

the mr. and j. were away at science camp this week, so joe and i took advantage and had a little driving lesson. it was something to be on the passenger side! he did great- mostly coasted down the street- 3 left turns and one right and back in the drive. what was funny- besides seeing him so nervous and concentrating so hard, was that someone else in the neighborhood was out doing the same thing at that moment and we kept passing them. the look on the two drivers' faces was equal parts "i can't believe i'm doing this" and "look at me"- much like when they were two and learning to climb, or some other dare devil type stunt!

shocking, to me!

it has taken just about a year (end of june is when I first got my nike+ chip) but I have now run over 500MILES!!

never would i have thought i would stick with something like this- seriously- it is unbelievable to me. i must say that while i have not lost a single pound (if i would change my diet, i would, but a girl can only do so much) i have gained a much better outlook on how to handle my challenging days and complicated life. more importantly, my relationships have been improved. the miles i have logged have been with c., kathleen and the mr. i have grown from their coaching, honesty and inspiration. (yes- c. tells mama to move that stroller faster!)

next up: iron girl, del mar. seriously, you should think about running it (1oK/5K). it is all about woman power and grace in daily life. it is an event dedicated to reminding us how important it is to take care of ourselves. the extras are: tech shirt, finisher's medal, aflac duck, two tickets to the del mar fair, and breakfast- for real. i.am.so.excited.

bloggin' the mail, part 2

i am lucky to have married into two really wonderful cousins- both of whom i appreciate beyond measure. so when i won something from amy's blog- i was tickled pink! she has a wonderful eye for detail and color and a strong vision of how to pull items together in such a way that you say to yourself: i. want. that. amy creates wonderful paper items and art using vintage pieces like wallpaper. she is also really talented with fabric & jewlery- you name it. to see how talented she is, visit her shop, please! seriously, click away from here and go, now!

so here is what came in the mail...thanks, amy! xoxo- j.

seriously- the bird's nest?!? love it. and the way each note card is so strikingly different and wonderful?!? don't get me started on the gift tags made of vintage wall paper- i have to go buy a gift right now!

bloggin' the mail

today's installment...BOOKS

my mom's day gift was a gift card to barnes & noble...here are the results! now, some pride themselves, and rightly so, on bargain shopping antiques, items for their e-bay store, craft materials, etc. for me, it is all about the books. (the library has no bigger friend than i!) pictured above are the fruits of three hours' labor (plus- not pictured two books for j. and one for c!). color me ecstatic...

our next installment...a surprise package from a swetie cousin!

WIP

for the uninitiated it is Work In Progress- and my cousins Jen and Amy take it to a whole new level! rare is the opportunity for me to share a WIP, although i could photograph stacks of half-graded papers or partially done laundry, it just isn't the same as their wonderful work!

so, i'm thrilled to be able to share this project that the mr. and i brought to our kids at school. it is the Poet Tree ( say it fast) and it is the joint effort of two local poets (one of them a dear friend). it is a place for kids to go, draw, write and share. when they write a poem, they leave it in the mailbox and i pick it up. then i share it with the school by posting it in a display case. the kids are pretty enthusiastic about it and we have gotten a great response!

there are poems on display in the tree, the piece of driftwood to which the letters are mounted represents out life journey, the windchimes remind us to keep a song in our heart and the open birdcage: an open mind. (yes- i painted the mailbox, but the kids helped with everything else)

here is a sample poem that made it into the tree:

I am mad

My dad is sad

Like a bird in migration

he flew and flew

away from me

-austin g. 8 years old

oh what a night

Yes. We. Can.

as andrew sullivan says, "know hope."
peace.