the good things

*gray being healthy and happy again after a couple of bad days last week with strep throat, a strep body rash, and a double ear infection

*a date with johnny this weekend for hot drink treats (chai and triple shot lattes) and then sushi

*christmas parades and seeing the kids on the float with high spirits even though it was about 10 degrees out

*being able to walk today. seriously, walking is pretty cool.

*lower back massages

*reading chapter books with the kids in my bed

*how the grinch stole christmas every day this week

*seeing the faces of the kids at the aquarium this weekend, and getting free tickets. watching the turtle eat lettuce and puke. examining the private parts of sharks.

*having all my thanksgiving shopping done

*vampire series books and the librarians that still love me even though all i take out now are bad young adult books. stacks and stacks of them every day.

*scholastic book order forms and gray getting off the bus today clutching two of them screaming "mom! TWO! TWO of them!!!"

*my date with joey today in front of a roaring, smoky fire reading dr. suess

*feeling the baby kick all night long, trying to imagine what s/he will be like in a couple of months

*connecting with a really fantastic doula-in-training who will attend our birth and who has been to ina may's farm in TN

*having all the dusty fancy plates and wine glasses already washed and ready for thursday

*grateful presents ready to be delivered to neighbors

*thanksgiving placecards

*reading in the car in the mornings while waiting for the bus, the heat blasting

*wearing brown shoes and black clothes and not caring because i'm pregnant and feel like i should be able to get away with any fashion transgression.

*joey's love for reading

*family dinners at the 99

*a whole bunch of appetizers just waiting to be made this week

*a huge pot of chicken soup on the stove right now waiting to be eaten

*family about to get-together and put aside differences this week

*brussel sprouts

*bowls of spinach

*bowls of broccoli

*seeing beautiful friends and family every time we're out somewhere in public- one of the benefits of living in the town that we both grew up in (it's actually quite comical how many people we saw at starbucks last weekend)

*oolong tea

*organic pregnancy tea

*vitamins helping me stay healthy, and keeping my baby safe

*going to bed at 6pm

*cinnamon buns

there's much more, but mama's going to veg for a bit. how's it hangin' in your world? xx