It has been a gray and raw weekend, and I’ve been hibernating a little bit. The high drama of last week’s Lice In the Classroom development is abating. I know. It’s exciting around here. It is indeed very glamorous to be me. All I have today are a few random thoughts.
I recently bought this adorable journal, Just Between Us, to share with Grace. We pass it back and forth, taking turns writing answers to the questions contained in the book. I put it on her desk when I’m finished, and she puts it on my bedside table. I already love the tradition and, maybe more importantly, she does too. It’s a great way to communicate with a child of her age, and my thoughts are already turning to the years where keeping her talking to me will be my highest priority of all.
I enjoyed a quiet morning as Matt took the kids to the Science Museum. I made Ina Garten’s peanut butter and jelly bars (delish) and edited another chapter of my manuscript. This is cooking weather, as far as I’m concerned. Tonight, butternut squash risotto with homemade chicken stock (an obsession of mine). I’ve advertised it to Whit as “cheesy rice” – we’ll see if that sales pitch works. I kind of doubt it.
The tree outside my office window is totally bare now. Just a week ago it was ablaze in yellow leaves, the last gasp of nature as she flamed to her death. I’m remembering, as I did almost exactly a year ago, other windows that have framed my experience.
This site, Damn you Auto Correct!, has made me guffaw more times than I can count this week. Hilarious. Truly. I highly recommend that you add it to your reader.
Christine’s blog post today got me thinking about the holidays. Well, the shockingly early arrival of the Starbucks red cups and the sudden tidal wave of “gift guides” in the magazines I read helped too.
I’ve done most of my Christmas shopping already, with a hearty assist from Gift Lit. Check it out! You can buy 3, 6, or 12 month subscriptions to books for children of various ages and interests. I may have just revealed what my godchildren and other precious children are receiving for Christmas, but I think it’s such a great idea I wanted to share it.
Also, if you are looking for personalized holiday gifts, look no further than Fontaine Maury – I’ve been a devout fan of the line for years, and at this point love looking at the drawing options and recognizing ones that I had commissioned for X or Y party or event. The robot? I adore. The placemats, plates, water bottles, bookplates … all fantastic.
Finally, here is the drawing Grace made for me on Friday night when she, Whit and I met a friend of mine and her son for pizza. What she wrote, totally unprompted, made me weep.
It’s an odd sunny day here in the Midwest in November. Sending you some sunshine on your gray day. I’d love your risotto recipe if your up for sharing. Love Grace’s drawing. xo
Grace’s drawing is adorable and I love Dam You Auto Correct. Thanks for sharing!!
I adore these random thoughts. That memory book/journal you are keeping with Grace sounds like an excellent idea! I am sure it makes you and her feel closer together.
What a lovely picture and sentiment.
Oh my goodness. That is the BEST piece of art ever. Made me weepy.
And I’m in love with the JUST BETWEEN US way of communicating. Beautiful. I love it.
That picture is a keeper! Thanks for the link to the journal–I know what D. is getting under the tree this year. What a great idea.
Trees are shedding leaves here, too. Miss M. has one tree out front that she calls her “Tree Friend” (okay, a tad odd, I’ll admit) and she actually cried last week when she saw it. “My tree friend is naked!” she wailed. It was very hard not to laugh.
I am definitely going to order that mother/daughter journal for my daughter Adrienne’s birthday. She will absolutely love it! Thanks!
P.S.
Grace’s drawing is very, very sweet. Definitely one to hold on to : )
Ordering the journal now! Can’t wait to do this. Oh, and have been laughing out loud at my desk for the past ten minutes with tears from giggling so hard while reading Damn You Auto Correct!
What a sweet picture from Grace. I especially like the peace signs as my 8-year-old is obsessed with them 🙂
Can you post your chicken stock recipe? It daunts me but I have been buying whole local chickens and would love to make stock.
that picture is unbelievable! Your Grace is something special!
Two thoughts – 1.) I am completely and utterly jealous of people like you that have all your shopping done already! Gee whiz – that’s a hard one to measure up to. 2.) Those unprompted pictures are divine. I got one yesterday from my son out of the clear blue sky. All he said was “I love you Mom”. Can’t beat that.
Damn You Autocorrect, OK. I’m now addicted to laughing at that site, thanks for the link!! 🙂
That drawing needs a frame!