morning song.

i sure love those avett brothers!

the kids need to know.

i love this so much. it's another awesome video from kid present. full of gems, and good reminders for all of us.

• "singing, dancing, oh and laughing! laughing is the best!"
• "there's plenty of reasons to dance, you just gotta look for them."
• "being a person is hard sometime."
• "you should give people high fives just for getting out of bed. oh, high fives! i forgot to explain that. how do i explain this? umm.. it's kind of like hitting someone who's your friend."
• "just treat everybody like it's their birthday. even if they don't deserve it. because we all mess up sometimes. the biggest mess up, not forgiving each other's mess ups."
• "try this, take a breath. isn't that amazing? it's called breathing. you're going to do it a lot. nobody knows exactly how much. so enjoy it."
• "let your life be loud! shout to the world!"
• "i don't think i told you this yet. we're really glad you're here. we don't say that enough to each other here, because well, life gets busy."
• "for now, remember this: you're awake. you're awesome. live like it!"

winter.

"don't think the garden loses its ecstasy in winter. it's quiet, but the roots down there are riotous." 

-rumi

compliments.

would you rather give a compliment or receive one? i enjoy them both- and i feel like lately i've been extra-intentional in telling people how much i appreciate them, or something that i admire about them. i tossed out some kind words the other day, and today i got some back. how great does that feel?

"vermont has been a brighter scene since you moved back here."

:)

currently.

ways to boost a mood:

• early morning skiing with lu in fresh snow.
• black bean burgers & mini tater tots for dinner.
• streaming womens alpine super-combined competition.
• google hangouts with old friends. 
• sleep, sleep, sleep.

happy birthday, gran.

today gran turns 95 years old. isn't she stunning?

we're heading to the cape this morning for a little birthday celebration that will include all three of her children,  a taste of lobster, and some chocolate mousse cake. i can't wait!

time before dawn.

"i've always liked the time before dawn because there's no one around to remind me who i'm supposed to be, so it's easier to remember who i am." -storypeople

up early to the sound of snowplows. enjoying hot coffee, melissa ferrick spotify, my dad on vpr, and some slowly falling snow as the sky brightens. b & lu are off to groom the trails. hope you can enjoy the snow, my dears.

loving, lately.

• everlane's new sweatshirt. in grey, of course. i was feeling totally awesome in this & old skinny jeans until i realized that i was basically wearing a glamorized version of my 6th grade uniform: champion sweatshirts & colored tapered jeans. 
• watching house of cards with brett. it's rare that we find a movie that we can agree upon, much less a full tv series. we're about halfway through season one and i love this piece of our routine.
• haircuts. i chopped a good 10 inches a while back, and have since been back for two more rounds of snippity snipping. we've gone from bra-line to jaw-line (ha- see what i did there?!) and i am really enjoying the change.
• starting downton abbey with mom. i know, we're way late to the party. 
• best friends. 
• granola. particularly backroads granola. so darn good.
• daylight in the evening. what a relief to see the sun set on my drive out of work, instead of in pure darkness.

"30 is not the new 20, so claim your adulthood, get some identity capital, use your weak ties, pick your family. don't be defined by what you didn't know, or didn't do. you are deciding your life right now."

-meg jay

chase the light.

"chase the light, whatever and wherever it may be for you. chase it." 

-tyler knott gregson

weekend gratitude.

for 9 hour nights of sleep, for walking in the woods with kate & b and for the sun that sparkled down on us. for leftovers, date nights, and early morning ski runs. for a particularly snuggly dog, reading on the couch, and for juicing. and for visits with teo & j, a splashy bath, and a content babe sitting on my lap. xo

why i wake early by mary oliver

Hello, sun in my face.

Hello, you who make the morning

and spread it over the fields

and into the faces of the tulips

and the nodding morning glories,

and into the windows of, even, the

miserable and crotchety-

best preacher that ever was, 

dear star, that just happens

to be where you are in the universe

to keep us from ever-darkness,

to ease us with warm touching,

to hold us in the great hands of light-

good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day

in happiness, in kindness.

lately.

ice, everywhere.

festive lights in montpelier.

reading with gran, a favorite activity.

a vermonter's uniform.

selfies with teo.

double dog truck rides.

kidney family band.

mamas & babes kick off 2014.

(isn't it amazing how much the boys look like their mamas?!)

skiing with the boys, as per usual.

bluebird heaven at sugarbush.

to the new year by w.s. merwin.

With what stillness at last

you appear in the valley

your first sunlight reaching down

to touch the tips of a few

high leaves that do not stir

as though they had not noticed

and did not know you at all

then the voice of a dove calls

from far away in itself

to the hush of the morning

so this is the sound of you

here and now whether or not

anyone hears it this is

where we have come with our age

our knowledge such as it is

and our hopes such as they are

invisible before us

untouched and still possible.

new recipes.

a few new recipes i've made recently.

last week i made this slow cooker honey garlic chicken- it as delicious asian flavors. i served it over rice noodles with carrots & peppers (sauteed in sesame oil). topped it with cilantro, scallions, and a bit of sriracha. it was slightly sweet for my taste, but great- and the srirarcha was a good addition.

yesterday i made this slow cooker chicken & dumplings. brett loved this. the dumplings had a hard time cooking in my tiny crock pot, so i ended up scooping them out, finishing baking them in the oven, and then put them back in. the leftovers today are even better. perfect comfort food for a chilly winter day.

i had kate over for tea & popcorn recently, and played with this easy kettle corn recipe! we both enjoyed it, though i think i have room to improve with more practice.

mindful by mary oliver.

Everyday

I see or hear

something

that more or less

kills me 

with delight,

that leaves me

like a needle

in the haystack

of light.

It was what I was born for-

to look, to listen,

to lose myself

inside this soft world-

to instruct myself

over and over

in joy,

and in acclamation.

Nor am I talking

about the exceptional,

the fearful, the dreadful,

the very extravagant-

but of the ordinary,

the common, the very drab,

the daily presentations.

Oh, good scholar,

I say to myself,

how can you help

but grow wise

with such teachings

as these-

the untrimmable light

of the world,

the oceans shine,

the prayers that are made

out of grass?

a little recognition.

i'm proud of b for working hard & having fun while doing it. xo

Christmas 2013.

a christmas eve church service, family & friends gathering for merriment and cheer, christmas morning egg casserole & cinnamon rolls, stuffed stockings, generous gifts, a walk in the park, more generous exchanging, a delicious dinner, and a christmas movie. gratitude for our small family and christmas in vermont.

Best of 2013: Year In Review

2013 will be remembered for:

• a snowstorm so big that b & i skiied from our apartment to the state house lawn, and then on to the bar
• a sunset ski proposal at sparrow farm
• wedding planning
• skiing up and down hills and over fields
• an evolving circle of vermont friends
• a spring meeting in boston including my first red sox game
• exploring seattle, san fran & the california coast- a delightful and overdue visit to my friend lex paired with interesting work site visits
• an indiana engagement party
• holidays, family gatherings, and sweet summer visits to the cape
• a new orange bike, and mastering clipless petals
• dinners on the porch
• the births of a new generation: welcome tanner, henry, owen, teo & eamon!
• the most memorable & incredible wedding to b, surrounded by our dearest community
• a peaceful minimoon to lake champlain, and a fall getaway to portsmouth
• meeting teo at the hospital, and watching him grow each week while witnessing his parents growing into their new roles
• the passing of fred, loyal companion to gran
• a best friend returning [at least temporarily] to central vermont- heaven!
• quiet holidays enjoyed with my parents, b & lu

Best Books I read in 2013:

• The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
• Wild by Cheryl Strayed
• Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
• Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Best Movies I saw in 2013:

• Skyfall
• Orange Is The New Black (tv series)
• The Way Way Back
• The Spectacular Now

Best Music I was introduced to in 2013:

• Della Mae
• Family of the Year
• Passenger

And looking ahead to 2014:

• hopefully much more snow.
• being a better blogger.
• work trip to atlanta.
• a honeymoon!
• visits with friends.
• new music & fun shows.
• continuing to broaden our circle of friends in vermont.
• a wedding in steamboat?

(see: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009)

"Strange-- how love always leaves a trail." 

- Ann Voskamp