Happy ten year anniversary

Ten years ago, this was my life.

My step-mom made my dress out of fabric she wove.

she left a little room, because there was a baby in my belly. A sweet little bump.

And last night, we celebrated ten years of marriage, and three bumps

that became beautiful boys.

First, we had dinner.  For the boys at home, they were excited to have frozen pizza and a movie (with a babysitter, of course).

I was excited to go out and actually have well prepared food from local sources and organic farms.

First course; 

Drinks of course.  

Cheddar baguette 

Steamed muscles with chorizo in an amazing sweet butter and coconut broth (Wade picked up the bowl and drank the broth. It's that good and we are that country.)

Beets are a favorite of mine. I forgot to take a picture before I ate some.  I was so excited.

A beautiful lightly steamed golden beet (grown on the roof) With a berry sauce (like frosting) and goat cheese and candied walnuts.  This could have been my dinner. Earthy and full of texture and tang.

But no, this was my dinner. Creamy grits and shrimp.  Throw in some homemade blueberry sausage and okra and red peppers.  I picked up the plate to drink this sauce.  And Sea scallops on top of coconut cream risotto.  There was a ball of basil ice cream on top, but again, I waited too long to take the picture. The ice cream was brilliant. It was sweet vanilla with a hint of basil, and it was cold, but it melted into the hot risotto and added more creamy goodness.

to.

die.

for.

Then we headed off to the most beautiful concert venue ever.  Wolf Trap in Vienna Virginia.  It is a national park with a large concert stage.  The Stage is made of wood, and looks to belong among the towering pine trees and swaying Sycamore.  We grabbed a bottle of wine and headed to our seats to hear John Prine's heartbreaking lyrics and scratchy voice and beautiful guitar.  The gentle wind was blowing, the crickets were chirping, and concert was heaven.  I put my head on Wades shoulder and took it all in. A deep breath.  

Ten years.

They flew by. 

And in ten more years, that little bump in the picture above might be in college.

Here's to that.

Here's to a pretty near perfect life.

Somedays

Even the best-laid plans fall apart.

I had a lot of things on the to-do list, some hiking and a picnic.

Somedays the boys just want to stay in bed...

I wanted to go back there.

or there...

but the boys had other plans...

and so I decided to mow the lawn. But the mower didn't work.

so I have to figure out how to fix it.

Then the toilet wouldn't flush.

So I have to call a plumber.

And I just threw the plan out the window!

Discipline

This was not funny when it happened.  That is why the picture was taken.  So, later, I could look back and laugh.  Too often, kids do stuff like this.

That is why my copy of Positive Discipline by Jane Nelsen is tattered and worn.

I find that my kids create trouble when I have no plan for them, but would like to get some of my work done.  Like when I would like to sit and sip tea and read Obama's Twitter updates (ok, maybe Bethenny Frankel, but Obama sounds more intelligent).

I love creating plans and schedules, and those are some of the tools of the Positive Discipline philosophy.  So is being consistent.  

I said I love making schedules, but keeping to them is another thing...what happens when your kids have their own plan?  When they just don't feel like leaving the house? or when they feel like going out all day, when the plan was to stay home?  Isn't one of the greatest things about staying home with your kids, is you can be flexible?

There must be a balance between scheduled and flexible.  

I am working to find that balance...

Some call it "rhythm", not schedule.  I like rhythm.  Rhythm can change and go fast and slow, be quiet and loud.

Rhythm feels less about marking the calendar up with sharpies and more like having a general idea of what each day will look like from week to week.  Like, wash on Monday, vacume on Tuesday etc.  Dinner and drinks on Wed.

Time to go do some Yoga and cultivate rhythm (the husband has the boys ALL DAY at the pool! that's our sunday rhythm)