Piano!

 We got a piano today! For free - apart from the cost of piano movers and tuning. 

I have wanted a piano for a long time. I used to crave playing and would go into whichever church I was serving to play. I haven't had that urge as much in the past few years, but I am very excited to play - perhaps even to practice. I have even wondered if the class I will begin next fall will be piano lessons.

2021 New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year!

Last year, a friend shared that she was doing monthly New Year's Resolutions and was asking for more ideas. I followed suite, and did okay at attempting or completing my resolutions, though not always in the correct month. I still have not attempted to make a pie crust, however.

In 2021 I resolve to:

Read 1 book/week for the year. I had this resolution last year, and if you count children's chapter books I made it. But, I don't really want to count Captain Underpants books...so without children's chapter books I'm logging in at 48. I have 3 half-way read books that I will add to 2021's list when I finish.

January: Write 5 days a week. I had a similar resolution two months last year. In June, I wrote more than usual, but less than my goal. By November I wasn't looking at my monthly resolutions, so I completely forgot it.

February: Log my food intake 6 days a week. I do pretty well at eating judiciously from April until October. Then birthdays and holidays get me all mixed up. I'm not as interested in counting calories as being mindful of how many cookies and chips I eat in a day.

March: Make picture books for David's 1st and 2nd years of life. Classic first child/second child situation here. Gabriel's baby books were not only created and printed, but sent to relatives as well. David does actually have pictures taken of him (thank you, iPhone), but I want to have something for him to page through.

April: Go through boxes of books and papers in the basement. This could be a monthly thing. But, I'll just focus on one month.

May: Write to 20 friends/family. I had a similar resolution for February of last year. It made me really happy. Hopefully it brightened other people's days too.

June: Read a new genre to me. Last year, when this monthly resolution came around, I had already been reading a lot more about black history and politics. It wasn't exactly a new genre so much as going deeper. This year, I will look for something that is a history or international politics or topic-to-learn book.

July: One-on-one time with each family member. Really, this should be every month. And, I do try. But, it helps to have it be a resolution at at time when there's less going on in our lives.

August: Look into and book a class for me. Cooking? Spanish? Coding? I don't know what I'll do, but I'd like to do something.

September: ? I'm still thinking here.

October: Write something each day. A personal e-mail to someone, an inquiry about a local problem, blog, letters or cards, private journal, or...

November: Order Christmas cards. Completed this resolution in 2020 as well. Made me feel incredibly ahead of schedule.

December: Finish up 2021 and plan 2022 New Year's Resolutions.

I look forward to seeing how I do, and figuring out September.

What Will Bloom

At our new home we acquired amazing landscaping. There are roses, perennials that attract bees and butterflies, flowering trees, hostas and more hostas. There are some things I don't like (like those ferns that seem to take over whichever bed they are in), and lots I don't know. But, I'm looking things up and learning. 

I'm learning that trees shouldn't have things planted too close to their trunk. I didn't plant anything, but I also didn't thin enough this Spring (not knowing what was going to be coming up). I'm learning that some plants need to be let to wilt and yellow - and that helps with next year's flowering. But, there are some that should be deadheaded. 

The rosebuds in the picture above are, I believe, the 3rd flowering of this plant. Theses plants are surviving Japanese Beetles (my nemesis...or perhaps I should say I have become their nemesis). When I smell their sweetness I think of the Hunger Games descriptions of President Snow's flower's smell. They have a strong, sweet aroma. They are pretty. And, they are determined. They keep coming back, ready to blossom. 

I'm identifying with these buds, myself. Except I'm eager to get to that point where something is about to bloom - where I'll begin to see the color, smell the fragrance of what I will do with my energy beyond home and children. I have some ideas, but I also wonder if there is something out there that will reveal itself to me that is unlike what I have done before. 

Cooking

A reflection for Wednesday, November 21st.

I missed writing yesterday because, among other things, I was preparing for hosting Thanksgiving dinner. When I wasn't directly interacting with my kids, I was plodding away at steps to put together Thanksgiving dinner for 7 adults and 2 kids. I enjoy all of this planning, shopping, and the art of cooking.

I mostly follow recipes - and am often trying new ones. But, as our family's allergy needs and palates have changed, I've developed a number of "go-to" recipes that I don't need to do as much studying to prepare for. Sometimes I can even be at the grocery store, think about possibly making a particular dish, and pick up everything I need for it without the recipe or a list.

It has taken me a while to feel comfortable with cooking - even though I've wanted to be good at it and comfortable with it. I still have regular misses. But, as I expand my menu I've had more hits.

I should also note, I am grateful that we have food readily accessible and that, with the allergies we have, we are able to afford the more-expensive alternatives that allow for pretty equivalent substitution.

As I write this, I realize I would name cooking as a hobby. And, for a hobby that I enjoy and that helps me feed my family, I am thankful.

Home, part 2

On the second day of Daylight Savings, my little loves gave to me - an early morning. As is to be expected, David was up at 5:15 and Gabriel by 5:45. It could be worse, and since my body clock takes longer to reset, it doesn't feel too bad.

I am thankful for a comfortable home that make early mornings cozy and sweet. Cuddling on the couch - sometimes with the tv on - is not a hard way to wake up.

I may not have chosen this particular house (moving in when I married Pablo), but there are so many pieces to it that make it comfortable, functional and home. When we met with our realtor for one of the first times she said something about it being hard to leave some of the amenities that we have - and as we look at other homes, it is true that we are more particular as we look at houses we'd like to make our home.

So, I'm thankful for the house structure we have - even as I seek a slightly different one. But more than that, I'm thankful for the place that houses our family - that keeps us warm or cool - comfortable. I'm thankful for the space for the boys to run (in circles) and the place to lay our heads. I'm thankful for all that makes this place our home.

Home

We are in the midst of trying to sell our townhouse to move to a single family house. We could use a little more room - a larger play area inside, an extra bedroom for when my family or other out-of-town guests visit. We also would very much enjoy a yard in which we can play, garden, hang out.

It is a bit stressful to have our house on the market - to be show ready. So, we took it off for a few months. And, it has been nice to fall back into a less strenuous cleaning routine. We are still cleaning - just not too worried about the fingerprints on the windows, or whether all of the toys are put away exactly where they are supposed to.

In some ways, going off the market feels like coming home. While life with a toddler and preschooler is not necessarily restful, it's a bit more relaxing now that we're not as worried about others coming to examine our house. 

So - I certainly have more to write about "home." But, today, my thankfulness is that we have some time to let it be our home - and not worried about someone else wanting it as their home - for a little bit.

Housing Exchange

I signed a contract with a realtor on February 25th, which meant that my condo went on the market. I hadn't intended to actually get my condo on the market until April 1st - after Easter, but once I decided on which realtor I wanted to use, he had me sign some papers, took some pictures - and it was up.

Yesterday, an accepted offer was made and signed. (!!) There are still some steps - the inspection, the closing. I am going to owe a little, but it will be a manageable amount (likely close to what I would pay if I had to pay my mortgage and condo association fees in August).

It's a big sigh of relief. And, interesting to be in this process from this end.
All in all, really good for me, especially with all of the other balls that I am trying to juggle at this time.

There is, however, some sense of melancholy with this news. A sense of a time of my life ending - an experience where it was only up to me to make decisions and make things happen. I've been craving this end, and yet....

I celebrate these last 8 years of living on my own.
I'm proud that I have handled problems. That I have created 2 different homes. That I reached out when I needed help, and, with a deep breath made decisions when I needed to.

I'm proud of my condo with the lovely bamboo floors, the exploration with paint (mostly successful), and putting in a new dishwasher.

I am so very relieved that the condo is (probably) sold. It is one less big-life event to juggle. I am so excited for what is coming up in life.

But, I feel the nostalgia seeping into this time as well.