After School Dancing

You know how sometimes you have a moment that you think of and it just makes you happy?

This is one of mine.

Day 2 of school.

We're out on the back deck after school, eating these frozen juices from Costco (insert: so good!).

He was ebullient, and I was listening as he told me about everything that had happened that day. 

And I was playing one of his favorite songs (K'naan's Coca Cola Celebration's version of "Wavin' Flag") over and over.

This girl fell asleep on me,

and I watched him dance and dance in his happiness.

Dance Sesh

Saturday night.

I got home. 

Kids got home.

And I had an itch to dance.

Benj turned the deck lights on.

French doors opened.

We turned the tunes up loud...and danced.

Hard.

For a long time.

Isaiah let loose like I've never seen him and it was totally, absolutely, completely, 100% delightful.

We reeled each other in, came up with goofy moves across the floor.

He was cracking me up.

We sang along.

We danced together, and alone.

Isaiah took this blurry pic of Mia and I, singing along to Walk the Moon's song, right in mid-phrase:

"SHUT UP AND DANCE WITH ME!"

It was so, so good.

All the feels.

Shout Out To Happy

2014 was such a crazy crazy difficult year.

And when I put bold pink and purple (as opposed to more calming colors as is my usual trend) on my mantle for January 1, I kind of thought it was a symbolic SHOUT OUT to say, "This year is going to be GOOD.  

We got this!  We are gonna ROCK THIS."

Which brings me to this.  Another theme for the year.

Every time we play this song, we can't help but dance and move.

Every time.

Yesterday, I turned it on in the middle of the day, and ALL of us grooved as we listened to it, over and over.
Check out how Claire grooves in the beginning of this video.
SHE cracks me up and makes me happy.
The expression on her face is like she owns the place.
(Which, she kind of does.)

I found myself thinking, "YES."

This needs to be one of the goals of the year.

Rejoice in what is happy.

"Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof...

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth...

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you...

Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do..."

Because here's the truth.

Even tho there are dark days and hours (and years, sometimes!), there are so many things that yell happy.

Light.

Love.

Laughter.

Friendship.

Beauty.

Dancing.

Good books.

Food.

Fresh air.

Music.

Faith.

Sunshine.

Or, a big bowl of beautiful fruit that reminds you of one word:

Abundance.

Gratitude makes one feel so very, very rich.

Yuletide Dancing

On Friday morning, I was on the computer for a few minutes and I decided to play a little experiment.

Claire was just outside the room, in the shoe basket by the back door.

There is an instrumental version of "Ding, Dong, Merrily on High" that I love, and the children love it too.  

It is peppy, joyful, happy, and addictive.

I tend to want to play it over and over.
(It's the first track on this album.)

Every time this piece comes on, Claire starts dancing.

So.  

I thought I'd turn it on and see if she would still do it---her being out of the room and all.

Sure enough, after a few moments, it must have registered, for she came dancing into the room of her own accord.

And by dancing, it might be more accurate to say that she runs and trots, obviously super full of joy at the music.

It makes me so happy watching her.

Every time.

Things I'll Remember About This Weekend

Scott was gone on Saturday.

By the end of the day I was tired and ready for the kids to go to bed.

But in the morning I took them for donuts since he was gone.

And then to Rock Canyon.

When we arrived it was windy and cold.

But we got busy hiking around and warmed up.

I just know I'll look at these pics down the road (shoot -- just give me a couple years and I'll be reflecting on how much younger they were and all of that), and remember what it was like to have them with me all the time.

Those reminders help me remember to cherish, to focus on the incredible opportunity that is mine to be a mother.  I love them so much.

And another small nothing.  This new song by Lady Antebellum made me choke up in the car the other day on the way home from dropping the boys off at school.  My romance with Mr. C. blossomed when I was eighteen.  And while we didn't lose touch, this song took me back to the magic of that time.  Feeling always beautiful for him (compared to the feeling now where I don't always feel that and I notice the creases coming on my face and my hair starting to change colors -- gray and white hair, folks).  That time when I thought about him like a bajillion times a day and couldn't wait til we met up again.  The timelessness of youth.  I remember a night drive up a canyon and getting out in the darkness and dancing in the dark to music from the truck.  I remembered that, and all those emotions, and my heart got stuck in my throat.

And then, last night in the quiet before bed, I sat down to write more love notes.  I thought I'd share one I wrote to each of my kids.

Dear Isaiah -- I can remember so many things about you, so many times we've spent together.  I love being with you, I love being your mom, and I think you are so wonderful and amazing and sweet and I want you to know that.  SMOOCH!  Love, Mom

Dear Benji -- I think when we were all in heaven together I saw you, and we were pals, and I said, "You know what?  I want to be your mom on earth!  You have to be the neatest person I know!!"  And you know what?  I got so blessed and so lucky--I got to be your mom.  I'll always be grateful for this.  I love you, Mom

Dear Mia -- I would have a thousand girls if they were all like YOU.  You've been a joy more than I ever could have imagined.  I love you.  Mom

We save these notes.  I hope when they're grown up, they have a full picture of motherhood.  My imperfections are highlighted enough around here that they'll know that some days it's hard.  But I hope it's peppered so much with all our lovely memories, and that these small notes tucked away will tell them something about how I've felt about them.  I want them to know that being their mother has meant more to me than any other thing I'm proud of in my life.  It has been a sheer privilege, beautiful and stunning.  It's a journey that I would take again and again.

(Today's plans are reading, writing and experimenting in changing liquid to a solid, deciding what our valentines dinner will be and decorations for our dinner table.  Love day dinner recap will come later this week.)

Dancing to Some Tunes

Yesterday we read stories and got great reports from the boys' teacher.
But the fun began after we had lunch and I started pulling stuff out of the fridge to wipe everything down, organize, and put away again.
Isaiah and Mia had gone outside, but this little man said to me, "Mom, I could help you with that." He washed his hands and went to work, emptying stuff out for me and wiping out the bottom shelf. Then he proceeded to keep wiping other things down.
It made my day. Just hanging out --- me and my little man.

We turned on some Halloween/party tunes cd, turned it up, and started boogying.
It was so fun. After Benj went outside, I was boogying alone in the kitchen and it felt so good. Mimi came in with Isaiah and she starting dancing too. We got our groove on and laughed while movin' to Ghostbusters and Hot, Hot, Hot. Mia was dancing too. Isaiah was highly amused with us.
(I would have posted a different pic here, where I was really rockin it and Isaiah was laughing at my derriere, but my shirt slid up and my, ahem, underwear could be seen.)

This weekend we have pumpkin carving and a Halloween party at Nana's house with all the cousins. Nan gets all decked out in a costume and the older cousins make a creepy exhibit featuring eyeballs and guts and brains and, ya know, whatever soft stuff they can feature from the fridge or elsewhere to make something that will feel disgusting. All the kids dress up and we eat. The kids get grab bags of treats from Nan. It's super fun.

Coming Next Week:
A free giveaway announced on Tuesday.
Um...I just may or may not be showing you a sneakie sneakie of some of my fave family photos we just got back from our photo shoot a couple weeks ago.
And, just maybe, a Halloween recap of our family parties, costumes, and more.
Hope you have a great festive weekend!

Monday

This morning I cleaned up the kitchen post fried eggs and toast.
I made my bed and my room still smelled of sleep. I cracked open the window and looked at the maple in my front yard and the clouds on the mountains.

We had a crazy busy, super fun weekend.
Dancing with Scott at the dance at my sister's houseOur boys looking handsome before church in their new ties Papa bought them.Jumping on the trampoline...don't you think he looks kinda crazed??? It makes me laugh.Mimi with her PapaLoved the decorations!Dancing with Isaiah

I'm going to put more apples on the stove this morning and then relax with my kids. Take a nap. Finish my current book. Make something yummy for dinner. Have family home evening.
The week begins again.