Friday Favorites

I am determined to make a go of this 'Friday Favorites' idea, in hopes that it will help rid me of a little problem I have. See, I kind of have a doom-and-gloom thing going on right now. I'm feeling kind of like I've been treading water for a really long time, just holding my own,  and life, posing as some annoying relative or neighbor boy, swims by and dunks my head under water or pulls me down by the ankle. Just when I begin to recover and the sputtering stops it happens again. 


(If this first paragraph for some reason makes any relatives or neighbor boys feel guilty for something they may have perhaps done to me in the past while we were swimming, well, I accept gifts as penance. Or you can just drop by and clean my bathrooms.)


I know that a lot of my problem is that this is the season of poor air quality around here. Something about being able to see the air that I'm breathing (kind of like split pea soup in the air) kind of takes the joy out of taking deep cleansing breaths. It makes me feel a little claustrophobic and anxious. Yay.


Anyway, this is supposed to be a jolly, positive, post about the things that were great about my week-- my 'favorites', so I'll just stop wallowing and get to it. I'm hoping it will transform my life. 


1. We were able to put up the Christmas decorations this week! I absolutely adore Christmas, especially since I am learning to let go of the feelings of guilt associated with it (we can examine this later, but I pretty much feel guilty about everything). I love the lights, the music, the cheer, being able to threaten the kids into good behavior.... I just need to put up a few more decorations in the family room and it will be perfect. 


2. Big announced to me one day this week that he was sorry that he'd made decisions to be disobedient when he was little (the day before, I guess) and was now a changed guy. He said he was from then on going to only do things that would make me happy and that he was supposed to do. His resolve lasted a whole morning! I'll take it. 


3. Big has slept through the night for several nights in a row now! Making sure that he has a snack before bed, opening his door so that his room stays warmer, and taking him pee as we head to bed seems to help matters. (Knock on wood)


4. Bud and I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies together. What's not to like about that?


5. I have been drinking hot chocolate every morning with breakfast. I'm pregnant. I say I'm allowed. 


6. I love our local Thai restaurant, and this week I've been experiencing a wicked craving for some of their food. My handsome husband invited me to meet him there for lunch since today their daily lunch special is my favorite red curry with an egg roll. I made the boys a sack lunch to go and we had a fabulous time. Mmmm... happy tummy.


7. Pen and I have actually managed to hang out peacefully several times over the past few days, having conversations like two humans who like each other. A little laughter was even involved. It really helps when she hangs out with the family and interacts rather than having her nose in a book, only emerging when she wants to be served. I hope we can do it more because I really like her. 


8. Ginger checked an Emeril Lagasse kids' cookbook out of the library the last time we went. We selected a recipe to make together (Ginger loves cooking), and tonight, after many postponements (thanks for being patient, Ginger), we cooked Swedish meatballs. I must say, they were fantastic! It looks like we'll be adding the recipe to our arsenal. We ate them with leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving instead of lingonberry sauce (brilliant idea, if I do say so myself), orange mashed potatoes and peas. My tummy is very happy for the second time today. And, even better, Ginger and I had a great time together.


Not such a bad week after all, eh?