no, No, NO!

Not the compost pile!!!!

Didn't I do my job?

Wasn't I cute enough?

Criky.

Some Quick Things....

Clara is napping so I probably don't have much time but there are some cute things I want to share:

~ I saw this quote on Pinterest and LOVED IT.  Hope you  like it too!  I tried hard to find the original source but keep getting led to a bunch of Tumblr pages.  NO CAN DO.  If you know where credit is due, please fill me in! 

~ Lately I've been spending a good deal of time in Sophie's classroom volunteering.  I am LOVING EVERY SECOND OF IT.  Don't even bother writing to tell me how I missed my calling as a teacher. I already know this.  Luckily, I can volunteer and still get my fix of these amazing children.  They inspire me.  I read an article recently about how children are not only our future ~ they're also, and more importantly, our present.  This is always at the forefront of my mind when I'm there in front of them.  They teach me as much as I teach them.  I was the mystery reader this morning and I took three of my favorite books to read: It's Okay To Be Different, Big Al and Sunday Chutney (Clearly I like books about diversity!).  One page of It's Okay To Be Different says: "It's okay to have an invisible friend."  After all the books were done and I was helping the kids get lined up for lunch, Sophie called me over.  She told me her friend, Sean, had something to tell me.  He looked me right in the eye, with a HUGE smile, and said, "I have an invisible friend".  "Really", I replied, "what's his name?".  Kevin.  "Well Sean, when you  get home today, you tell Kevin I said hello."  With that he smiled SO BIG and gave me a big hug and asked if I could stay for lunch with the class.  How adorable is that?  I think I made his day. And he definitely made mine!!!  

~ My Iggy Pop post for today will be a little late. I have to get more photos scanned and in digital format.  It's been a busy week with Halloween and volunteering, etc and I haven't had a free moment to look through photos and head to Target.  

~ A quick shot of the Halloween costumes this year (for the grandparents!):

For the record, Soph's costume is supposed to be a witch costume. Were it not for the hat, I would think it to be a space costume or Jane Jetson's dress from the show.

~ Because I CANNOT RESIST, here are a couple of Sophie's pictures in the astronaut costume when she was one year old!

(This last one is truly one of  my favorite pictures of all time! Sophie was an adorable baby.)

Happy Halloween!

I feel very lucky that we'll be able to partake in all of the usual Halloween festivities this year. For many people in the U.S., especially those on the East Coast, this will not be the case. Whatever your case may be, I wanted to wish you a fun-filled and sweet Halloween!!!

PS ~ I LOVE all things pumpkin so this is a small roundup of some of my pumpkin pictures taken at pumpkin patch and orchard outings!

U-R-B-A-N

We took advantage of a beautiful Charlotte weekend by taking the train downtown. A change of scenery was in order! It was Clara's first time on the train and I think it's safe to say that she enjoyed it!  A small walk, a coffee stop, a playground visit and, TADA, happy family.  

  

  

     

  

   

                                                

                                     

    

                                                  

I spent Thursday night with this guy....

Zac Brown

The show was just awesome.

The music spectacular.

I don't know of another band that I can say sounds better live.

My friend, Barb, invited me to the concert and treated me to the ticket ("because we don't get to go out enough") and, I'm telling you, it was good for my soul.

During one song (Free.....Free As We'll Ever Be), I remember looking at the stars, feeling the music and thinking, "I am so damned happy to be alive".

All concerts should be like that!

Iggy Pop

Alain asked me several times this week if I have another picture of the four brothers. So I thought this would be a good week to post one of my favorite pictures of the four brothers, taken at a very intimate moment when the brothers were still welcoming the fourth member of the bunch. How beautiful is this picture? I love how Ygal is draping his arm over to get just a little touch of his baby brother. How amazing is it that someone (I'd imagine Cris or Hugo) caught these wild boys in a moment when all three of them are staring at Michael. The splendor of a new baby!  I think the pictures we have of all four brothers together have always been special. Nowadays they've taken on even greater importance and each one has an almost shrine-like quality.  I don't know how to put my feelings into words but I think you know what I mean.

Alain, Diego & Michael.......I love you guys and I think of you all the time. 

I hope you enjoy this week's picture.

XOXO

Garden Pride

I know it sounds silly but yesterday I discovered my VERY FIRST EVER pea blossom. It's so pretty and made me smile. Have I mentioned lately how much I love gardening???

I had to put up chicken wire around one of our raised beds because someone was eating my lettuce plants!