December 27th

Oh, these days, these days! They make up for the crummy ones that occasionally litter the timeline. Too perfect, too beautiful and really, so simple! Family walks, meals, outings, shopping for notebooks, more meals shared, all of us, happy, playful, together.

Not much writing for today. Just photos with a few explanatory notes. You'll appreciate that the best of days require the least of words. 

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Up many hours before dawn. So is Ed. He offers to feed the animals and then he is off for some momentous stage of his machining project.

Breakfast, light. With the world's best red berries.

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An all-family meet up at the Arboretum. It's just above freezing. Despite the early hour, or maybe because of it, the kids are energetic! What better place for that!

(Juniper, the youngest, has her work cut out for her...)

(timed release selfie!)

A stranger with a camera (and a huge lens) comes up to me and asks if the kids would like to see an owl. He's spotted one just a few branches up in a tree. If they can stay quiet and don't scare the big bird... 

They stay quiet and it is positively awesome. (It's a Barred Owl and thankfully it was not feeling territorial so our ears and caps are intact. Those owl eyes! So beautiful!)

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Brunch at Hollander. (It describes itself thus: comfort-food fare served in a European-style cafe with a vintage-chic vibe..) I'd never been there. I thought it was perfect for us!

The eatery is at Hilldale (an outdoor shopping area) and since we are there, I gave the kids one last gift: $25 (max!) each to spend at Paper Source. Do you know this store? It's an expensive card and stationary shop, but they've added little gifty items and all kids love it and parents rightly see it as way overpriced. The older Madison two have ballet class right next to it and each week there's a lot of begging to go in and "just look." We never do, because we are older and wiser. If you care about your credit card limits, you'll stay away. But today, I wanted to see what they could accomplish with $25. 

After much angst, many calculations, changes of mind, comparisons, deliberations, they finally chose their loot and honestly, they did just fine!

(Sandpiper is hiding!)

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The older kids went with their moms to the movies (dads stayed with the younger two). I considered going along, but honestly, I cant sit through a movie when I'm under-slept, so I went home to tidy up and take care of the cats. 

We meet up later for supper downtown, at Lucille's. This has been our favorite supper place with all the kids and parents for a while now. It's mainly a pizza restaurant and it is so... cheerful! Especially around the holidays.

 

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Are we still in a period of "the holidays?" For me, as long as these guys are still here, we are on a holiday roll! 

With so much love....