(this moment): Cousins

A Friday ritual. A single few photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

If you're inspired to do the same, link your 'moment' in the comments for all to find & see.

 

                                                                                                                                   Joining Soulemama

(this moment)

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

If you're inspired to do the same, link your 'moment' in the comments for all to find & see.

Joining Soulemama

Nine

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

A few of this weeks treasures with some random musings along the way!!

 Oh... this photo. It wasn't until it was uploaded to the computer that I actually saw it. This boy. Not a baby, not a toddler, but a boy. I feel like he is 2 and 1/2 going on six in this photo.  ... and I love his eagerness to help. Trust me, there are many mornings when it is easier for me to just run outside "real quick" and do chicken chores. But having him in tow makes my heart smile... and makes him feel oh so important. And that alone is worth it. (and I think the girls like it too cause they got a lot more scratch when he's in charge)!

 I came across a montessori services school catalog and fell in love with so many of their products... but at closer look, I realized I was in love with the purpose of the products and found that I could replicate many of them by looking in my own cupboards. Avi loves it when we set up the 'pouring station'.

 On the seventh night, Avi and Ella lit the candles while Ella's mama, Laura, looks on. What is almost cuter is that they are wearing each other's shirts. They love to trade! I love how these two play together.

 Having neighbors the same age is awesome... especially when, on a saturday morning, we can spontaneously end up at the park. After running around like horses, tigers, bears, rabbits, and cats, Carter and Avi found their own special place.

 I've had a few opportunities to thrift by myself lately. It is good medicine. I found a huge bag filled with stamps and ink for $6.99!! Avi had quite the time. He liked seeing the stamps show up on the paper....

 ....but stamping all over his legs, hands, arms and face was way more fun!

 Impromptu sunday morning play date with Laura and Ella (again!) and we end up in the comfy corner table - the one with pillows - at the Dushanbe Tea House.

 I love mail. So does my wonderful friend Aimee Herman. And she is much better at making me smile when I walk to my mailbox then I do for her. Thank you friend.

And her words - so poignant, so inspiring as I have been writing a new book - in those moments after my head hits the pillow and before I fall asleep. She reminds me (always) that a lot of writing happens before the paper meets the pen. And...... the paper and pen have a date.

(these [Nine] Moments)

Another little bit of Thursday for Friday.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

We've been enjoying the kindling the Hanukkah candles since the first night. Avi loves it!

 Avi cooking in his new kitchen he got for Hanukkah from Grandma and Grandpa!! I'm not sure if you remember how good of a cook Avi is?

Avi's first trip to the ballet. We saw the nutcracker (during nap time, mind you) and he was a dream. 

He loved it! (sorry for the quality of this photo - but I had to include this).

 Here Avi is peeking into to a present from his other Grandpa (my dad). 

 And he loves what's inside (as do i)... this vintage block set and some books. Super Cute!!

 Avi fell asleep before his cousins and auntie and grandma arrived for fourth night dinner. 

 Spending more time at the habitat. I love how much it changes with the seasons.

 A little bit of swinging and a little bit of kisses! Avi and I were cracking each other up as we made up silly songs about roosters and the sky while he was swinging. What a day!! 

Avi's collected treasures from our walk to the habitat today. 

(these [Nine] Moments)

Where have I been? Working, Learning, Playing, Cooking, Teaching, Cleaning, Sharing, and sooo much more.

 I apologize for my lengthened absence. So here is a little bit of Thursday for Friday.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

 We had an excellent Thanksgiving Holiday in the rainy but beautifully green Pacific Northwest. Portland to be exact. Grandma and Grandpa (Jenn's parents) hosted a great family gathering and we ate and laughed and played and had sooo much fun that our cameras rarely came out (a blessing and a curse). Here is Avi playing with one of Grandma's awesome toys!!

 One disadvantage to traveling by plane at thanksgiving is that we don't get sent home with any leftovers. But our friend/neighbor Allie made a 28 pound turkey and shared some of lots of her leftovers. Avi and I got to work and made (for my first time) gluten free egg noodles for our turkey noodle soup. 

 It was okay. The noodles turned out pretty good for a rushed first time. But I used a few different recipes from the web and it was under seasoned. I froze the leftovers so I will add more seasonings before we eat the next batch. The cute part was watching Jenn get seconds and thirds the whole time saying how under seasoned it was. And she was probably on her thirds when she realized that when I said the gluten free noodles were homemade - that meant Avi and I made them. :)

 I have been struggling to balance it all. And even though my bedtime has been uber late in the past several months, I still wake up early. UGH. But I do get to see magical mornings like this! 

 Avi and his/our friend Ella playing together. We hadn't seen Ella and her parents in sooo long that Avi said he wanted to "go on the Ella plane".  It broke my heart and made me smile all at the same time - what else could be the reason we haven't seen her except that she must have moved so far away, we'd need to fly on a plane, he reasoned. (Less than five miles to be exact). Making this play-date happen (and later dinner with her mama too) was sooo much sweeter than this photo could capture. 

 I am in love with my growing boy. His language continues to grow and amaze me. "I think.... shall we go feed the goats?" When the goats didn't come to his calls, "Come here goats. It's me, Avi" (a rarity, they always come), he decided to pocket the bait. 

 If one flies often and looks closely, they might recognize that this photo was taken on an airplane. But I wasn't traveling back from Portland. This flight took me to Salt Lake City, Utah for a Training/Class through the VRS Interpreting Institute. I flew out (alone) on a Thursday and came home that Sunday. The longest trip I've had away from Avi thus far. It was bittersweet! Freedom and heartache all at once. (Yes, that is a Vodka Soda I'm drinking)

 On Saturday, after being in training all day, a handful of us took the train into Temple Square to see the lights. I had forgotten that saying, "When in Rome..." as I asked the hostess of a restaurant on the roof of the Joseph Smith Memorial building if they had a bar. 

 But the training was amazing. I came away from it with a whole huge heap of ideas to use in my class, a new found desire to get my Ph.D., and a gaggle of amazing interpreter educators from across the country that I can now call colleagues and friends...including the amazing Sharon Neumann Solow (above).

Coming home was such sweetness. My boy seemed changed. His face, his voice different. Taller. And when I arrived he said, "Ema, you all done with Salt Lake City!" Here he is helping me with dinner. Messy but worth it!

I want to apologize in advance for any future absences that might occur. I'm winding down my semester (read: lots of grading) and trying my best to sit down at the sewing machine to finish (and start) some holiday gifts. Chanukkah begins at sundown this saturday. I'm not ready for the holidays. It was 75 degrees here on Wednesday. Where is the snow? Where has the time gone? On December 25th, Avi will be 2 & 1/2. Where has the time gone? 

I will post as I can... and know that I'm missing reading all your posts as well. I hope to be catching up soon!