miscellany: vol. 11

 notice i removed the weekly? because weekly updates aren't possible--but occasional ones are. so, here's what we've been up to:

~ around the house:
i blazed a trail this weekend! i'd been doing some research on trail-building since we have a treacherous driveway (seriously steep! and slick when it rains), so i cut a short trail from from the front down through the side yard, where its not so steep. we've had a few friends slip and cut up their legs on the driveway recently and i wanted to make an easier less dangerous path.

the weather has been crisp, sunny and cool, so i relished the outdoor time alone, cutting back bushes and raking pine needles. plus, bryan and i made a bet on how long it'd take me to do, and i won (he bet two hours, i bet under an hour--actual trail-blazing time: 30 min., because i really wanted to win).

i still need to build a footbridge over the small creek and cut back some weeds at the head of the trail and add some christmas lights for lighting down the path and maybe build a handrail in the steep parts....but it works for now. i think if i can find time for it, i'd like to continue the trail up the other side of our land and make a loop...but that might be a project for later days.


~ in the notebook:
i've started writing again! i finished my first poem in months last week. it felt so good to finish a poem again that i literally shouted "yay" when i was finished. since then i've got the beginnings of two other poems. i've committed to writing five minutes a day, and so far that has been enough to get something or other in my notebook--or at least read some good poetry. 


~ various projects:
i started jillianmichaels 30dayshred last week. i love those videos because they are hard and i can do them while the girls are napping. i haven't had time to do them everyday, but doing them just a little feels like a step in the right direction; postpartum bodies require a lot of healing and rebuilding.

and i have various other things going on--teaching, my most wonderful creative writing class this semester (some serious talent in there) and my online classes, creating syllabi for next semester (probably won't get to that til december), and finally finally updating our family gallery wall in the living room. i keep thinking about that wall but have yet to update it--the most recent picture of zu on there is her at 4 months old! shameful!


~ the little one:
zu turned two! on her actual birthday we went to the aquarium, and the weekend after, for her birthday party,  i made her "purple happy double" (double = dessert), she had a couple little friends over, my sisters came in town, and zu had a big old time.

the next weekend my parents were in town, so i decided we'd throw mommy-baa-baa (her favorite stuffed lamb) a birthday party so they could experience festivities as well. zu very much enjoyed picking out a present for mommy-baa-baa at the goodwill (two ceramic cats that she named ralph and waldo), wrapping the present, helping me make the cake, and singing to mommy-baa-baa. 

~ the littlest:
june slept through the night once this week...maybe we can get that to happen again! most nights i get up with her 3 times during the night. she's still napping pretty good during the day. she's drooling like crazy so i think teeth are coming in, and she's scooting around and getting her legs up under her, so crawling might happen early. she really has the sweetest little smile and laugh--but she is not low-maintenance!

~ favorite links this week:
Christian Subculture and the SAHM | crosswalk

Gel-Pen Faith | femina

"We are not broken. We are being healed. We are not alone. We are in His hands. We are not overwhelmed. We have a champion. We are not stupid. We are being made wise. We are not weak. For He is not weak. We are not hopeless.  For we are His."