Birthday Letters: Three

To Satchel with lots of big bold LOVE,

Now you are three! There has been so many changes in the last year. It feels as though you went from a babe to a boy in the blink of an eye. I LOVE who you are, your smile, your laugh, your sense of humor, your smell, and the way you hug. You give good hugs like your Dada.

I LOVE co-sleeping with you, and the way you pull my arm around you, snuggle and then pat me exactly the same way I pat you. I LOVE our night time conversations. Last night you announced, "Mama...a possum looks like a FFFFOT mouse!" You said it like an agitated Brit and the more I laughed the more you kept saying it. I LOVE your charming non sequitur declarations. You've just begun sleeping through the night and the timing is uncanny...right before you hit the big boy mark. You are no longer a toddler. No longer toddling, you are running, jumping, climbing, splashing, digging....and um...spitting!

When you are searching for just the right book for me to read, you sigh softly, "It's very curious". I LOVE that you use words like curious and residue and yet still say "gah berries" instead of strawberries and "homa depot" and "oakameal" and "parking noonooraj". How I will miss those words as surely as I miss "googoogots" when you ask me for apricots!

You have begun to ask for what you want..."I need a clean fork please", you told the waitress after dropping it under the table, "and hummus and tzatziki and olives and pita...that is what ME want". I LOVE that you feel so confident.

Though you are selective and cautious, you have just started introducing yourself, "I'm Satchel ...nice to meet you", you said proudly to our new neighbors.

I keep writing things down - the things you say, the things you do because I don't want to forget any of this...

• You like looking for worms, salamanders and bugs and you know where to find them.
• and throwing rocks in the stream and digging (and all implements of digging)
• drawing and painting. You've just started drawing people, train tracks, and letters!
• You make picnics and serve me a mysterious brew you call "pup a tee" which I suspect is really a cup of tea.
• Your favorite foods are pizza and pad thai (which you insist on eating with chopsticks).
• You love to read and have so many favorites, "Frogbelly Ratbone", "The Salamander Room", "Fireflies" to name just a few.
• You are wild about clouds and sunsets and notice EVERYTHING around you.
• You are excited by the return of the caterpillars, butterflies, and turtles. You are thrilled at the site of fluffy gosslings. And at this moment you are longing to see fireflies.
• You are an excellent dancer and namer of things.

You are such a wonderful boy, Satchel. Thank you for being my son. I'm indeed the luckiest person on earth. I LOVE you!

Love,
Mama
(posted at the time of your birth)

PS- Our camera broke down right after I took these photos of your treats. Sadly, I don't have any photos of your celebration.











Here's a brief description of the events:

• Your "Nomah" arrived and we took an evening lantern walk. You were so excited about it that you ran over and hugged me. You called it a "Fire Walk". We walked the trail carrying our lanterns and when we got to the wooden bridge you squealed, "We made it!" Then we all yelled, "Goodbye two years old" at the foot of the bridge and "Hello three years old" when we reached the other side.
• Once home I read you a birthday eve story that I wrote for you and you were convinced that you saw the fireflies in the story outside the window.
• When you fell asleep, we decorated the birthday room and I created a crepe paper kelp and fish chandelier over the birthday table.
• We made a trail of paper stars leading from the bedroom to the birthday table
• When you awoke, you collected the stars and your eyes widened when you saw all the decorations.
• You opened your birthday gifts...Nomah gave you two new books ("Inch by Inch" and "Augustus and his Smile"), a set of marbles and dominoes, and instruments. We gave you an easel and supplies (you call it an art studio) and a toy parking garage (noonooraj).
• I made a special breakfast of fish shaped pancakes with chocolate chip eyes and a coral reef made of oranges and bananas.
• After breakfast, Dada, went to pick up your balloons - sooooooo many! A big shark balloon, and and jellyfish.
• Your friends arrived and we made giant bubbles.
• Then we played parachute games. We put you in the middle of the chute and tossed you gently in the air singing, "We wish you a happy birthday"!
• We painted our wooden "fishies"
• Lastly, we all went inside and you carried the earth around a candle three times...we cheered.
• You went to the birthday table and blew out the candles on your birthday cupcakes, feasted on your sugary treats and opened gifts.

Preparations: Three Rides Around the Sun

And so...the preparations begin for the big celebration. His birthday is actually next week, but because of memorial day and the move, we're celebrating on Saturday. I'm a bit nervous about this one because it's his first kid party, but mostly because at this age, he gets it. He knows this celebration is for him. He's very excited about it and tells me so several times a day.























When I asked him a few months ago for ideas regarding decorations etc., he gave me these instructions:

• "some fishies"
• "some worms"
• "some balloons"
• "and some cake"

I think I know where his soon-to-be-three-year-old mind is going with this so I'm:

• covering the windows with blue film for an underwater effect
• hanging paper fish from the ceiling
• hanging green crepe paper like kelp
• getting lots of balloons and trying to make some look like jellyfish

And with inspiration from THIS MUST-HAVE BOOK by Elaine Cohen of Cupcake Caboose , I'm making two kinds of mini cupcakes, one topped with worms and the other topped with fish!

The favors are red beach buckets...


and inside are little octopuses that I made from dyed work gloves and vintage buttons; a bottle of bubbles; a sea shell shaped chocolate; a fishy tote bag that I made; and a copy of the mix cd that will be played during Satchel's party.

On Friday eve Satchel's grandma will arrive and we will have a lantern walk on the trail along with a birthday eve story and in the morning a trail of paper stars leading to a special pre-party breakfast - ideas adapted from The Birthday Book! This beautiful and touching book has page after page of meaningful ideas and traditions to celebrate birthdays.

Satchel chose three friends to invite. We will be playing a few parachute games and singing songs from The Birthday Book, before painting some wooden wiggly fish. Afterward we'll break out our super-duper bubble making devices.

Lastly, Satch will carry his *Hugg-a-Planet Earth around a lantern three times to represent his three years (another idea from the beautiful aforementioned Birthday Book). I'll be making paper stations on the floor to mark the seasons and make the passing of time more vivid. After Satch completes a year I'll give him a photo mosaic from that year and on the third cycle we'll all sing Happy Birthday and eat cake!

*By the way, what I love about the Hugg-a-Planet Earth is that it inspires such wonder. Every time Satch picks it up, he searches fervently for Antarctica because that's where the penguins live AND Australia because that's where the kangaroos live! We have regular globes up in the studio, but there is something wonderful about this soft and huggable, Earth! When he gets older, I imagine that we'll be making up some geography toss games. Check out the whole hugg-a-planet line here! And if you enter "Peace Please" at check out, you get a 10% discount!

I'm signing off so I can ruminate over the upcoming events. Did I mention that I accidentally sent one of the invitations out blank? YES! Now you know why I'm worried. I guess my "Inner-Martha" was sent to prison. Can I blame it on sleep deprivation?Have a good weekend, everyone! (I'll be back Thursday...We've got some post-birthday packing to do - We're moving on Friday and there maybe an internet black-out in between.)

*To our new and much loved friends (if you're reading this), these plans were made before we met your beautiful souls, but we hope that you will join us for our next celebration!

What the Note Said

"Mama I made you sumping...it spells DEAR MAMA LOVE SATCHEL!"

A Certain Part of the Day

There have been parts of great beauty that produced squeals of delight for the gosslings that crossed our path...and tender parts with tiny hands rescuing fistfuls of caterpillars from the tennis courts...and parts of wonderment at having discovered the tiny Red-banded Hairstreak Butterflies (Calycopis cecrops) at the playground with Satchel's friend H...

and parts that left me slack-jawed and the only thing that came to mind were these words by Walt Whitman (from Leaves of Grass)

"There was a child went forth every day,















And the first object he look'd upon,

that object he became,

And that object became part of him

for the day or a certain part of the day,

Or for many years or stretching cycles of years."

-Walt Whitman (There was a Child went Forth)

Most Alive Monday: Lets Get Shakin'!

"jump up clouds are passing
look up the sky is laughing
I know we'll be laughing too
jump up I want to dance with you" - Dan Zanes

Satch had front row seats to see Dan Zanes & Friends play in Bethesda. We purchased tickets about a year ago. Life is magical, my friends! This marks the beginning of his 3rd birthday extravaganza!

He had this stunned look on his face as if he couldn't believe that Dan Zanes was really in front of him. For the first few songs, he hid his face shyly into Robert's side. Then I scooped him up and danced with him in my arms to "Polly Wolly Doodle", after which he relaxed, but remained rather serious.

He clapped at the end of the songs and waved bye bye to the band when it was over. He noticed that Dan had the same exact harmonic as his which excited him and so he wanted to play his harmonica all the way back to the car. He clutched it tightly and only released it to put on his first concert shirt that he insisted on wearing IMMEDIATELY! (small photo above)

OH and the concert was amazing...children and parents rocking out together...dancing in the aisles!















But don't take my word for it...check out this clip that I took...


And if that wasn't cool enough...we had the extra pleasure of seeing the talented (and totally hot) Derick Grant dance his beautiful heart out. (sigh)



And I'm feeling quite giddy this morning because my ribbon stick is featured on Crafty Crow!

*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

What's Up With Pocket Tees Anyway?

I have a question for all you crafty mama's out there, but first the story:

Thoroughly disgusted with the lack of imaginative clothes for boys and completely appalled by the use of camo in children's clothes, I've been trying to Satchelize my son's threads. I bought some cool trim from SuperBuzzy and tried to trim the pocket of one of his t-shirts.

• First I tried Heat-n-Bond no-sew adhesive and it didn't work!
• Then tried two pieces of Heat-n-Bond and it didn't work!
• Finally I just sewed over the darn thing...because no one really uses that pocket, right?

Well, wouldn't you know the first thing Satch said when he put on the shirt was, "Where's the pocket, Mama?"

Now the question:

• Any ideas how I can trim the shirt without sewing over the pocket? (It's too small to fit over that thingy that enables one to hem etc.)

Have a good weekend, everyone! We're taking Satch to see Dan Zanes this weekend...this marks the beginning of the birthday festivities to follow.

Some New Kind of Air

"You can tell what's worth a celebration because your heart will pound and you'll feel like you're standing on top of a mountain and you'll catch your breath like you were breathing some new kind of air" - Byrd Baylor (I'm in Charge of Celebrations)

Satch recently began drawing what I call prim-peeps (primitive people) or headfooters and he was so pleased with himself and his new discovery that he could draw something symbolic, something anyone could recognize...I just had to find a way to celebrate the moment.

The shirts above were inspired by a project from the wonderful book, Making Stuff For Kids. I transferred Satchel's drawings onto the pocket of his shirt and embroidered over it. I tried two different stitches, a back stitch (left) for his pencil drawing and a split stitch (right) for the thicker crayon drawing.

Making Stuff For Kids is packed with simple and imaginative projects to create with and for kids. The chapters are compiled by skill level (teeny talents - tough cookies). My faves are the amazing floating bookshelf and the whimsical wall decals, both of which I will certainly be making at the new nest. And the tutus and tea-towel dresses for wee girls are just darling!

We've been having some yucky rainy days and so we've been spending our time crafting and playing and making to-do lists of future projects. I'm always on the qui vive for new ideas and I recently discovered a few more gems...

This book has a tutorial for an adorable cardboard castle that is on our to-do list. The tutorial for bottle cap shakers inspired an idea for a beaded curtain that I've been working on for the window in the play/living area of the new nest that we're moving to in June (photos to come). And I'm absolutely wild about the tutorial for rag coasters. They look like mini rag rugs...very colorful, very folk-artsy!

Nature's Art Box has a nice collection of nature crafting that includes instructions for some very magical fairy houses and textures stones as seen all over blog land. I can't wait to try the fern print t-shirt and I'm sure Satch will enjoy the hammering process needed to create it.

Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Pupa

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious" - Albert Einstein















A dying bug, crawled in from the outside. Though it was clearly on it's last leg, Satch looked at it with his magnifying glass, insisted it was just fine and marveled over it for some time before putting it outside. "I miss the bug", he sighed several times, but his longing gave way to joy when he found several tent worm caterpillars trying to cross the sidewalk. We carried them home and made them a house in a jar with some leaves and grass. He calls them the "Cah Bears". *Note the swollen allergic eyes.

 

I did a bit of reading on how to care for the pests...I mean critters until they pupate and complete their life cycle. It seems that they feed for up to SIX weeks before pupating and the pupation can take 2-4 weeks before the moth emerges.























I was going to set them free because I didn't think Satch had the patience for this pupation, but one had pupated over night. It looks like felted wool! I wish I had it on film.
















I set the other caterpillar free and we're going through with the pupation project.

On that note...Satch has two new favorite bug books that I would like to share:

This story, based on a song by Phillip and Hannah Hoose, teaches tolerance and respect for diversity. Hey, Little Ant has been featured on Reading Rainbow and in Teaching Tolerance Magazine.

Roberto the Insect Architect is a story encourages children to build their dreams. I love the message of the book as well as the funky illustrations. But what I think I love most of all is the line on the last page, "Be Creative!"

Most Alive Monday: Thirst

"Love for the earth and love for you
are having such a long conversation in my heart" - Mary Oliver (Thirst)

It was a wonderful Mother's Day! Saturday night, in bed, Satch whispered, "In da mornin I say Happy Muvers Day" (practicing what his Dada told him to do). It was the sweetest thing ever. Then Sunday morning he shouted his well rehearsed wish and I was presented with two gifts carefully wrapped in colored tissue paper.

Satchel gave me a gorgeous mug that he made with his own wee hands at the pottery studio where he went last week with Robert. Oh how I love this mug! It's big and the shape and weight of it are perfect....oh and the colors that Satchel painted it are just marvelous.

Robert gave me "Thirst" by Mary Oliver from which he read aloud one of my favorite poems as Satch listened attentively and I sipped hot organic coffee from my beautiful new mug.

They made me a breakfast of pancakes topped with fresh strawberries and we chatted about the day and how special it is to be a mother which is why we celebrate this day. Afterward we drove over to our future nest to do some much needed gardening so that it will feel like home when we move in. We threw down an enormous bag of wild flower seed and crossed our fingers. In the back we planted a pumpkin patch and some Physalis for Satch to enjoy in the Fall. We worked until it rained and came back for lunch and to relax.

Hope your Mother's Day was dreamy!

*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

The Way to Start a Day

"A morning needs to be sung to.
A new day needs to be honored."
- Byrd Baylor
(The Way to Start a Day)

There are times when I doubt myself, when I feel like I suck at mamahood! Those moments when my buttons are pushed or I'm exhausted or, more likely, a combination of both and I respond with less grace than I would have liked to. Do you have these moments too?

(How do these wee little people know us so well? Is it because they come from within us?)

I'm hoping that my flawed humanness, teaches my son that it's ok to make mistakes and that he doesn't have to live up to some unattainable image of perfection. He is loved, accepted, respected just as he is...his whole self...unconditionally!

Or is that what he is teaching me?

"Satch, I'm sorry I raised my voice before"

"Mmhmm...and I sorry I yelled."

"You yelled? When, Satch?"

"In da car and you said, 'SATCHEL'.... I sorry 'bout it"

"Oh yeah, I remember now...we all make mistakes, don't we!"

"Yes!...and Mama?"

"Yes"

"You a good woman."

"Thanks Satch and you're a good boy, I love you."

"I love you too, mama"
Have a good weekend
and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Nifty Gifties

"The little ones leaped, and shouted and laughed
And all the hills echoed...." -William Blake

Satch and I made these pillow cases as a Mother's Day gift for the grands. We purchased linen pillow cases at Ikea along with a pillow insert. I printed a photo of Satch onto printable fabric sheets. I ironed the printed fabric onto the pillow case, then sewed around the edges.






















Satch dipped his hands in non-toxic fabric paint and pressed his wee mitts onto the back. I dated it with a fabric marker.





















I also made this nifty gifty for Satch...it's a ribbon stick, but he calls it a ribbon kite. It's my own variation of one that I saw on page 51-52 of this book. Here's how I made it (and you can too):

1. I bought 1" wide silk ribbon at Dharma Trading
2. I dyed it in hues of grass and sky
3. I cut the ribbon into two 6' strands
4. I glued it to the branch.
5. I stained a wood bead
6. I screwed it to the top of the branch
7. I hot glued an acorn cap on top to hide the screw.

Satch LOVED the acorn detail! He made a little breathy noise like one does when surprised and touched it with his finger.















When unfurled the ribbon floats and dances in the air. It's amazing that something so simple could induce such joy!

Boobies

"I'll tell you how the Sun rose -
A ribbon at a time" - Emily Dickinson

As some of you know we've been on the long road of child lead weaning. We've been making a habit of reading the books below and I think it's been helping Satch to let go because he LOVES books and it seems that reading about breasts, milk and the process of weaning is helping him understand that it's a natural process and it's not just about me or him.

There were a number of reasons why I chose to go this route. One is because I remembered reading in a Dr. Sears book that regarding weaning, emotional needs are often just as valid as physical needs and you can tell the difference between a need or a want because if it's a want, the child can be dissuaded, but if it's a need, the child will cry. I also read that children who are weaned before they are emotionally ready are likely to adapt a different form of immature behavior to compensate. Sears offered an approach, "don't offer, don't refuse". So, I've tried to be mindful of that during this longer-than-I-expected process. But mostly, I chose "child lead weaning" because it felt right for Satch. And Satch has taught me to trust my instincts because every child is an individual with individual needs.

He stopped nursing during the day about a year ago which was the first sign that he was getting ready to wean. I've allowed him to nurse before sleep if he asked. If he awoke during the night, I didn't exactly refuse him, but reminded him, "Now that you are a big boy and eating food, mommy's breasts make less milk...we have to wait for more milk to come"...and gaged the next step accordingly. If he cried, I told him that he could try and see if there was any milk left. This seemed acceptable to him and it also was a signal to me that he simply wasn't ready at that time.

Since then he has made great progress. Though he is still nursing before bedtime, it's VERY brief after which he will roll over and go to sleep on his own - without trying to make me a human pacifier. He seems to have accepted the fact that there is less milk. AND he no longer wakes me at night for milk! Dare I say this again: Satchel is sleeping through the night for the first time in 3 years! I believe that he's on his way to giving it up nursing altogether.

I would like to thank everyone for their support and Vickie, you have been a tremendous inspiration - thank you!
Mama's Milk is a beautiful homage to breastfeeding celebrated in charming illustrations and interesting facts. Did you know that kangaroo milk is pink or that papa coyotes feed the mama while she is nursing?

Satch calls this one, the booby book. It's everything a child would want to know about breasts, what they are for, how they work. The lines that really touched Satch were, "Once a baby no longer drinks mother's milk, it stops flowing from her breasts. This is how babies say goodbye to their mothers' breasts". I think it's helping him to understand what is happening and that it is a natural and normal process...and it's not just about me and him.

Below is an illustration Satch made for me recently. He said, "I'm making a booby, mama...and now I'm making a nipple"...and in my heart I felt that this was a sign that he is getting ready to let go.

Most Alive Monday: Brightness of Peace Skilfully Curled

"love is a place
& through this place of
love move
(with brightness of peace)
all places....

'Tween bits of yuckiness, a bus trip to the doctor for a weird rash on Satchel's back, seasonal allergies, an inhaler and a sinus rinse - there are moments like this that keep me afloat.

yes is a world
& in this world of
yes live
(skilfully curled)
all worlds" - e.e. cummings













Inspired by the "stick letters" on Kids Craft Weekly, I made this for our wall to remind me to say "yes" as often as possible!

And I've just received a letter requesting THIS piece and THIS piece for an upcoming political art exhibition at the Clara M. Eagle Gallery from Sept - Nov to coincide with the upcoming election. (More as it draws near)

AND the most wonderful thing of all....Satch has been sleeping through the night for approximately 4 weeks now. I didn't dare mention it earlier as I couldn't quite believe it myself. That's 2 years and 11 months of night waking....1,065 sleepless nights behind us!

YES!

How long will it take for the bags under my eyes to go away?

(Happy Cinco de Mayo to those who celebrate! Hmmm...I think I'll make some Mexican food for dinner tonight!)
*About Most Alive Monday: I've decided to make at least one "most alive choice" each day and post my favorite each Monday. This, of course, is to motivate me to consciously "live juicy"! I hope you'll join me and share your "most alive moment" in the comments section so we may inspire each other.

Mom to Mom: Tessa Kiros

"We blew away our fallen eyelashes and the ladybugs that landed on us, together with our wishes, to the nearest star." - Tessa Kiros

At first glance, "Apples for Jam", the new cookbook by Tessa Kiros, tugged at my heart strings with it's cover photo depicting tiny red Mary Janes. The author's introduction was so touching that it brought tears to my eyes. Unlike any other cookbook, this one is organized by color and there is page after page of stunning photography, precious memories and favorite recipes passed down through generations from family and friends. It is the only cookbook I've ever sat down and read from cover to cover. Leafing through it's pages was like a peek into Tessa's heart. Her love for her children is palpable. She has captured the beauty of family, and the meals and moments we all share in the most extraordinary book I've ever seen. It is a feast for the soul!

It's May! And I'm honored to introduce you to this beautiful being. Meet Tessa...

Mom: Tessa Kiros
Of: Yasmine (age 9); Cassia (age 7)
Where: Tuscany

1. In what ways has becoming a mother changed you?

Becoming a mother has changed me in many ways. Mainly I think, it has
shown me how attached to life I am. It has made me more fearful in certain
ways - less risky, that I may think twice now before for eg. planning a trip to a country that needs extra vaccinations. Maybe I am more level headed for now at least while the kids are young.

2. What is one tip you would like to share about mothering?

I think its important to remember how very quickly it passes. And that you can't do it over. So give the pips all you can now.

3. Your cookbook, "Apples for Jam" is visually breathtaking and has a painterly quality, do have another creative outlet in addition to cooking?

At the moment, the books have taken a lot of my time. They involve a lot of everything - maybe other reading, collecting props, planning, recipe testing etc. It is a lot of work but very much worth it. My books are incredibly satisfying. My friend and graphic artist Lisa, who lives in Canada, is incredibly talented and directs us. It is important I feel to have integrity throughout the books. Stylist and photographer (who live in Greece and also lifelong friends of mine) as you can see are amazing and we all love working together which I think comes across in the books. I also enjoy gardening and I used to love sewing and making a few clothes here and there.... and travel, also a creative side no? Collecting inspiration like none other.

4. How do you find time for creativity?

I think by following through on a job that needs to get finished...no procrastinating. When these are done - then there is time to do more. But when you are hanging around immobilised with a long list in your mind...of things you should do/things you would like to do - I find it
confusing and then nothing gets done properly. There - I love to make lists. I love crossing off the things done. Somedays when I don't have much on and the children have a long day - I like to walk around the city (Florence or Siena), looking in shops, having beautiful coffees and bits and pieces here and there... and getting inspired.


5. Your Cookbook is very different than any other cookbook I've ever seen. It is organized by color, what inspired you to create it?

I just woke up in the middle of the night once while I was working on the book and got up and wrote it down COLOURS and went back to bed. I LOVE it in colours. I was looking for that. The primary thing that appeals to children, to adults. It is such fun I thought, so silly in some ways, yet so very serious. The message is - follow your gut, have fun....give time to the things that are really important...and as the book says at the end....its the memories that really make you rich.

6. I understand one of your children is a vegetarian. Please share with us a little about that and how you prepare a family meal for meat eaters and non.

My oldest daughter (now 9) decided to stop eating meat at age 5 - when she discovered that animals are killed to be on your plate. She didn't touch meat or anything for more than a year. And I was very honest with her when she asked me if something was killed. If I said yes - she wouldn't touch it. She now eats some meat (loves barbecued meat and things, but if she sees a drop of blood won't touch it....but she has never gone back to fish ever. She cannot do that when she has fish as 'pets' she says. So for example...tonight I am making a spaghetti al pomodoro. Then my youngest daughter Cassia is having a sole in the pan with butter and lemon - she loves this. Yasmine will have an omelet. Quick things that can be done in the pan. I have a steak for Giovanni which I will cook in the fireplace. A watercress salad. Some chestnuts roasted there too for all of us. A great red wine for us which I brought back from Greece and want to try. A bottle of organic lemonade for the kids. A mix and match really - that sounds like it could take you the better part of an evening - but actually I think it will be 10 minutes total. Soups in winter are a great way to get over this separation. A big pot of soup that everyone can have, and then a couple of choices for after.

7. Lastly, what moves you, grounds you, fills your well?

Watching people do their thing well. Seeing the world working together. Traveling to new places. Getting to the end of the day and feeling like things with my family went very well today.

Tess, thank you for reminding us not only to savor every bite, but also every moment shared with family and friends!
Have a good weekend, everyone!
(Yes, I really am awake at this hour)