"I feel wrong..."

On our ride to the Jumpin' Jungle yesterday, 

we realized that Caleb was not wearing socks, something
the JJ requires of all the kids who want to jump and play there. 

Hoping to preempt a melt-down, I quickly suggested that they would
surely have socks there for the kids who weren't wearing them. 

After a long silence, Caleb said, "Emmy, I feel wrong."

When I asked him what he meant, he said he was worried that there
would not be socks there and that he wouldn't get to play.

The good news is that there were socks for sale!

But I was struck by Caleb's choice of words.
I think I know exactly the feeling he was describing.

It's that shift in our very being when we start fearing that
things aren't going to be the way we think we need them to be
in order to get our needs met.

And at that very moment, we do feel wrong.
Knowing that it's just a feeling and not necessarily a fact makes all the difference
in how much we allow that wrong feeling to determine our outlook.
Thanks, Caleb, for reminding me of that!  

Happy boy in new socks!

Mood Ring

Caleb bought a mood ring for $2 in the Museum Gift Shop

and reported on his mood throughout the rest of the afternoon.

It was almost always "lovable" or "romantic".

That's Caleb!

Caleb's Day

List of to-do's: 

Science Spectrum

Cici's Pizza

Clay Cafe

Laser Show at the Tech Museum

Jumpin' Jungle 

(That's a monkey.)

YO with Sawyer

(We didn't do that one, as Sawyer was sick

and had to be picked up early from daycare,

resulting in a backseat "surprise". Yuck!)

It was a great day with Caleb!

Mud Day

Hmmm...Is Emmy running out of things to do?

Me too?

Looks like Sawyer is ready to travel too!

My Black Visor

I asked Caleb to take a couple of pictures of me in my black travel visor,

so I could send them to my travel-buddy, Debi.

Well, as you can see, Caleb went above and beyond.

This first one is rather avante-gard, 

don't you think?

Another GRAND Day!

 Remember 70+ year-old Henrietta?

We actually used her today to make 

fresh-squeezed fruit punch.

 And it packed quite a pucker!

 Sweet brothers enjoying a "bed-party".

Italian Icies

Shoe Row

 Caleb's Cub Scout grilled corn on the cob

 Sawyer's cute wake-up face

I am pooped.  So is PapaRob.  But it has been such a fun day.

May we never forget these special times.

Photos help!

Daily Crossword

Gitchy Time

I just love this picture!

Mystery Meal

Thanks to my friend, Karla, I now have this

wonderful quickie meal to enjoy whenever

I just need an easy lunch or dinner.

She named it "The Concoction",

and it is so good. I love it! 

Boys Are Back!

Sawyer's Bird's-Eye-View

Caleb's Bar-BQ Banana Pudding

10 Days and Counting...

Entrance to Villa Rosa

Marjorie sent photos of the place we will be staying in Naples, 

their beautiful home, Villa Rosa, as well as a delightful

blog about her Travelling Pallazos, pictured here 

in all of their travel-worthy glory.

It's beginning to feel REAL!

Pre-Italia

Getting in the mood...

Surprise Appearances

I've been to Esther's many times, and it's always a hoot to see

performers bring folks out of the audience for some of their craziness.

Well, guess who "performed" at Esther's Follies at the

8PM show last Saturday night?

It is so reassuring to know that we no longer have

reputations to uphold...or at least we don't think we do. 

What fun!

Settling in

One of the challenges of truly settling into a new community 

is letting go of those trusted relationships with your 

doctors, dentist and dental hygienist, mammography technologists, 

hair dresser, massage therapist, and the like.

So today was a big day for me!

At my new dentist's office I was treated to:

my favorite Soundscapes music,

that wonderful happy gas,

the coronation*,  

a luxurious dip of my hands into hot wax,

lavender oil massaged into several pulse points,

and a thorough, but gentle, cleaning.

Aaaah!  

I think I have found my new "dental family",

which makes Lubbock feel ever the more like home.

* commonly referred to as crowning

Hill Country Fun

Wimberley

Trattoria Lisina

A grand Austin weekend with good friends, Ed & Virginia,

and back home again to those beautiful

rainless Lubbock skies!

Handiwork

Sweet offering from a thoughtful daughter

Wednesday World View

 Fluffy rain-free clouds...

 Reminders of NOW & NEXT

Happiness is a summer day...
sitting in the shade, without benefit of clothing,

in a pool of warm water, munching ice!

Another Sky-Tease

 Lots of cloud-gathering...

with so little to show for it.

Maybe later!

Ciao!

The Mediterranean Diet

PhotoArt Playtime

"Make new friends..."

Friendship is a work of heART.

Sign of the Times

Snyder Square Sighting

Could this be the day?

Before heading to the airport yesterday to pick up Rob,

I stopped to capture these gorgeous skyscapes,

just knowing there had to be some rain in there somewhere.

Magnificent Display!

And just a drop or two to show for it...

On the way home, I asked Rob to snap a picture

of these meager little smatterings of wetness on the windshield.

Hope continues to spring eternal!

Tomorrow, perhaps...

It's a Party!

It takes so little to have a party with my friend, Bella Rose:

The Baymont Inn in Snyder, Texas

A praline and its cellophane wrapper

An upside down paper cup

A birthday candle

Festive curly ribbon

Happy birthday to you, dearest friend!

July 9th - PS

Reality set in around midnight when Sawyer awoke ready to party.

He made several more appearances, with subsequent bed parties,

 throughout the night, until sleep arrived and lasted

for a good three or four hours...I think.

(I just felt like I needed to tell the rest of that sweet story.)

No photos taken!

Charmed Day in Tot Land

I am pooped!

Sawyer is spending the night with me, and we've both had a very busy day.

He is already tucked in for the night, and I am oh so ready to find a cozy chair, 

sip a cup of decaf, and read my book. Whew!

But before I do, here's a photo from today's mall adventure:

King of the Mountain

And here's another one from nine months ago:

(Same zebra slide/same boy)

And now for what I didn't capture in a photograph today:

Sawyer spontaneously giving this big kid a high-five as we walked through the mall 

and then lingering to visit with him; I have no idea what he said, 

but he said it with such conviction.

A sweet little girl offering Sawyer her seat on the trolley 

because I didn't have three quarters for the ride.

He graciously accepted and loved every minute of it.

Giving him his "night-milk" and cradling him like I did so often 

when he was a little baby, and noticing how from my vantage point, 

I could see both his brother Caleb and his daddy Zack 

in his precious face.

I did have to squint just a bit.

Yes, I am exhausted, but I am full to the brim with gratitude for

this life I am living right this minute.

Thank God!

Hat Tricks

Totally his own idea...I just snapped.