Mama-luia

I desperately want to post a photo-dump, from the first day of school, all the way to Anna's fifth birthday (YES, I KNOW, she is five now. What in the world?!). BUT I have to do some serious organizing of photos to make that happen. So for the moment, I hope to whet your appetite for my thoughts by yet another Daybook. Outside my window... It's overcast and a bit dark looking, but neither raining nor excessively cold. A comfort to me in the increasingly shorter days of November. I am thinking... about the beautiful life of Chiara Corbella Petrillo. This article deeply touched me. I am thankful... for a cosy day home with my toddler who is currently in his housecoat eating a snack. There mustn't be anything cuter in the world than a small child in either a) footie pyjamas, b) a hooded towel or c) a housecoat. They just look extra tiny and snuggly. Learning all the time... Right now, a great deal about the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd! Our atrium is set to take sail...

Outside my window... My "lawn" has become a jungle of weeds and the sky is rather overcast. The cool overcast morning makes me think of two of my favourite things -- autumn, and the East Coast. I always tell my Ontario friends and neighbours with a grin, "Oh I LOVE this weather! It's just like home!" when it's grey and drizzly. They think I'm nuts. But my hair has changed it's texture, moving away from the Atlantic Ocean and the resulting moisture in the air. I miss my East Coast hair. I am thinking... about this delicious blueberry muffin I am eating, which I made, thankyouverymuch, from blueberries I picked with my children. I felt like Little Sal's mom that day from my beloved Robert McCloskey book, and unlike Little Sal's mom, I didn't manage to lose any of them to bears! That blueberry-picking day will go down in history as "the day mommy actually planned and executed something something fun!" Indeed, Noah excitedly s...

Outside my window... there is still much snow on the ground, but I also see the icicles dripping from my roof; the temperatures are rising, and Spring will finally arrive (supposedly?). I can't wait. Well said. I am thinking... that as much as I buck limitations and restrictions -- nobody puts baby in a corner! -- I feel my best when I operate within them. Specifically, calorie-counting and budgeting. I took the week off from counting my calories during the Octave of Easter because... Easter... and I hadn't brought my food scale to Halifax, and it's vaguely annoying tracking my food. Surprise, surprise, I gained weight (not a lot, mind you, but still). Now I am back on the bandwagon and I feel so much more in control! Likewise, I've reverted to paying cash for groceries. Yes, I feel a little silly walking around the grocery store, doing a prolonged addition problem as I add each item to my cart (and yes, I am literally writing prices and adding on paper, ...