“Mama! Her head is touching me! She’s making our heads touch!!!”

It’s St Patrick’s Day and I haven’t worn a lick of green. (I know, here come the pinches!) I didn’t make corned beef, or eat soda bread or drink a shamrock shake. I didn’t help my kids make leprechaun traps or have them pose for green-clad portraits to post on Facebook.

What I did do, however, was to hit a new goal at the gym this morning. The photo is blurry, which is apt, as that is how my vision was at the time as well! 1000 meters rowed in five minutes- a goal set by the other women I work out with, and something fun to work for. It took a few weeks for attempting it, but today was the day!

Nice to be in the club!

Our wonderful downstairs tenant (aka Dad) has been working on freshening up our entry stairs.

The crumbling popcorn ceiling is now gone, replaced by a smooth and freshly painted ceiling. The wood floors and railing have been sanded and the walls have been cleaned, primed and painted.

We still have the floors to finish, the stairs to strip and paint and all the trim to paint, but it is looking (and feeling) so much better already!

Is there anything cooler than a smart, older cousin? Probably not!

Esme’s latest baking endeavor.

Pretty little sight I caught from the MOS parking lot this evening.

With Peter out for the evening and both girls in bed, what better time for popcorn and Kimmy? Thanks for the laughs!

Couldn’t be prouder of my girl today. She has been saving up her money with the goal of buying a companion bird for the little electronic songbird she got for Christmas. Having recently met her goal, we hit up the toy store.

We walked the aisles, and though we saw several similar birds, the style she wanted was nowhere to be seen. I could see her disappointment and as her lower lip started to quiver I told her that we could check another store. She wasn’t too thrilled with that, so I suggested she ask at customer service.

She strode right up and dealt with the woman at the desk all on her own. She knew what she wanted, what it was called and how much it cost. She asked if they might have any in stock and waited patiently while they checked. As it turns out, they didn’t have the exact one she had been wanting but had two similar ones. She asked if she could see both and when they came out she chose one. (A big step for a kid who has had trouble with unexpected changes in the past!)

Having made her choice she went to the cashier, counted out and paid with her cash, and went smiling to the door with her purchase. I couldn’t help but admire the grown up way she handled each step, even with their disappointments, and how she got what she wanted in the end. Good work, kiddo!