Today is one of those days where I have the urge to curl up with a book, blanket and hot bowl of soup. Granted, to a certain extend, that is impossible with an almost 2-year-old and 6-month-old. This morning was rough, if you are a parent or caregiver, I’m sure you know what I mean. It was one of those mornings where I just had to let go of any goals I had for the day, close my eyes and just breathe.
Yesterday I made bean soup with all my leftover veggies from last week’s Bountiful Baskets, as well as a big skillet of cornbread. Last night the soup wasn’t that great but it seems to have undergone some magical transformation overnight in the fridge and is both thicker and way yummier today. That may be due to the salt and lots of fresh ground pepper I added to it before storing too. As well as this rainy day soup craving.
The kidlets are both napping right now (queue the Hallelujah song) so here I sit with my bowl of hot soup and side of cornbread. I have a book patiently waiting for me to finish blogging too. As for you, I just have a couple of questions…
What is your ideal activity for a cold rainy day? What is your favorite kind of soup? (If it is homemade, would you share the recipe?)
Is it just me or do we have the longest parade name in the world? Anyhow, this Saturday we went to this yearly evening parade in downtown Spokane, it was Damian and Ivy’s first parade. Our friends Peter and Andrea were kind enough to save us a spot.
I love the picture of her about to bite Peter’s finger. Om nom nom!
This parade has all the usual stuff, it celebrates the military (our local air force base in particular) so there were the fly overs, soldiers, troop carriers, veterans of past wars, as well as the police and firefighters, floats (creepiest float ever) and high school marching bands, cheerleaders and dance squads. Several marchers saw Damian’s happy frantic waving and tried to get high fives…
Deny and deny! Sorry soldier and Spokane tribe member, he looks like a 4 year old but he is just a two year old with stranger anxiety. We love you anyways though!
Damian’s favorite, after the firetrucks at least.
Mommy’s favorite… after the storm troopers. Do you know that they are making Delorean’s again? There were 12 in the parade! Mmmmmmm stainless steel delicious futuristicness. The only thing that would have made them better would have been Darth Vader behind the wheel (or me, I want!)
Being a torchlight parade, it didn’t wrap up until after 10pm. Both Ivy and Damian fell asleep during the parade. I feel sorry for Michael’s arms, Damian did not want to ride back in the wagon and it was a long walk back to the van. Ivy was more then happy to ride in the wagon though, yay for wagons!
As I said this was Damian and Ivy’s first parade. Damian adored it (Ivy at 5 1/2 months is still ambivalent about most things beyond the chewable.) We’ll have to go again next year, who knows, maybe some high fives will happen! (You can find more photos of the parade here!)
One thing about gardening and having small children is that some things simply get put on hold. The tipi garden is currently overrun with this nasty prickly creeping crud.
(Can anyone identify it?) Isn’t it amazing how quickly a void in the garden can fill with nature? Gah! Normally that I haven’t had a moment to fit in gardening recently would really annoy me, but I find this is one of those things that I just have to breath and let it go.
Letting go, a concept that I use to see as a weakness, but it isn’t. In learning to let go I experience peace and freedom, the joy of simply being present in this moment. Grabbing onto a goal and planning for the future of course also have a place in my life but not to the exclusion of letting go. There is a balance to be found between the two as they both make life a happier place.
Amazing what gardening can teach us about ourselves isn’t it? Anyways, enough deeper thought for now, I promised Damian pancakes, and then we will see about weeding the garden.
