Monday, November 28

Forget the maid, I'd like a penthouse

 Some days I dream of my house looking this clean for ten minutes. I think maybe a maid could accomplish it if we were all out of the house for two days. Then I realized when we opened the door to this beautiful sight in Hill Country, Texas that I didn't want a maid, I just wanted to stay here forever. After a lovely, restful week here I realized that I didn't actually want to stay there forever, it had its perfect side and its lonely side. I actually love the personality and slight clutter of my little home in Kansas. I love the people that tromp through and those that sit and stay a while. There is another post for another time about the couple dozen answers that were left on my white board while we were gone for three weeks. I don't know why we bothered locking our door when we left ;) Apparently the keys were easily available for the right price.
 We all had this face when we looked around the inside of our 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, 2 kitchen, 2 couch condo.
 Jack found out what was in all the cupboards and drawers before I even got my shoes off.
 Isn't it great? Someone even ordered it to be decorated with my favorite color! Orange!

 We spent one morning watching a thunderstorm on our balcony


And we all left the next weekend well rested and happy.

Thursday, November 24

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

10 things I'm thankful for:
A life-giving, life-changing relationship with God
My husband, Jon, who wants to understand me
My first son, Jack, who is more organized than me and he isn't even two yet
My second son, London, who just wants to be near
My big family and the big hearts they have and the ends and corners of the world they seek to inhabit
My church family that is there through the thick and thin with us
Biscotti, and friends to teach me how to make it, and those that help me eat it
Pictures that make a laugh last forever
A car that runs
Knee high socks

bonus one, I'm thankful for coffee for it strangely bonds strangers together.

Saturday, November 19

Come watch the sun set with me...

This week I have been basking in the quietude of having our first family vacation. I could be addicted to the simplicity of living in a spotless penthouse condo in an unknown town with little required of me. However, I am eager to rejoin the people I love in the town I call mine and return to a house that always needs tending and hearts that always need warmed. My aunt gave us a priceless gift when she offered us an extra week in her timeshare condo. We had the best week connecting better as a family, enjoying daily adventures and memories. It was exactly like I hoped our family vacations would be. These pictures show just one evening of us taking all the time in the world to walk down to a deserted beach to drink in a stunning sunset. Come with us. Soak it up. And try to imagine it being 80 degrees with a warm breeze. I know, that one is a stretch.
 
I think Jack was convinced London was really walking. They are starting to interact so much. London lights up when Jack gets close, and Jack playfully squeals when London grabs his shirt and won't let go.
 

 
You can see our condo building behind Jack. We got moved to the presidential penthouse because our room wasn't ready when we arrived. Something about knowing you are staying in the nicest room they have makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I'll post pictures of it later, it really was incredible. We even had our own private laundry! Woot!