Kickin' ass...

and takin' names in Pre-K. Well, technically writing her name (backwards). But, I'm sure Quinn is also kickin' some serious "a" in that class.

First day...check!

The first day of school is in the rearview mirror and we are officially in school days mode. The summer didn't just fly by, it zoomed by at mach speed. In the blink of an eye, gone are the lazy days (although they didn't really feel that lazy) and back are the days of homework, spelling tests, and packing lunches.

The kids are excited for the new school year. I always felt the same. There was such great anticipation and hope about what the school year would bring. I think this is going to be the best year yet!

Making 13 Lucky!

Happy Anniversary Preston. Yes, I will renew your contract for another year. I could count all the ways that we are lucky, but it would just make us look like sucks. Because we are really damn lucky.

You asked me a while back if I was nervous on that day in August in 1998. I wasn't. I wasn't nervous or apprehesive or worried. I was only excited. Excited about all that was ahead of us and all that I knew that we would have together. That hasn't changed - not one bit. I'm still excited about all that lie ahead. Thank you for being my partner in this crazy life. I can't imagine it without you.

It's FRIDAY - what will you do?

It's Friday, it's Friday, it's Friday. The entire weekend lay before us.

I will sleep until the sun is up instead of waking in the dark. I will take a couple of glorious, sweaty runs out of doors. I will play with the kids. I will have a date with my husband. The kids will have pizza and a movie with a sitter. I will get together with some girlfriends. I will slowly drink two cups of coffee while reading the Denver Post each morning. I may throw in a load or two of laundry. I may tidy the house a bit. I may stock the fridge for the upcoming week. We may go to the pool. I may drink a glass or two of wine. We may go to Cactus Jack's for the best burgers in Colorado. Connor will load his backpack for the first day of school. Quinn will try on her uniform for her first day of Pre-K with Ms. Summer. Connor will build Legos. Quinn will play babies and barbies. Neighbor kids will knock on the door and ask if the kids can play. Preston may mow the yard. We may light the firepit and enjoy smores. We may eat a home cooked Sunday meal OR we may get take out.

So, so many things are possible.

What will you do? Don't you wish just a tiny bit that you were part of the Barton 4? It's a pretty good place to be, especially on the weekends.

A little cushion, please.

Build cushion-room into your life. We should have a little cushion to put our feet up on at the end of a hard day, a little cushion on our backside for when we fall down with laughter and a little cushion for those we love.

Embrace the idea that a certain amount of failure is good and make allowances for it.

Fortunately, I married someone who gives me a ton of cushion. Giving people a little give is an incredible gift. Couldn't we all just use a little?

These are a few of my not so favorite things...

Untangling my ipod headphones

Mondays

grocery store tomatoes (vs garden tomatoes)

calories

meetings to discuss an upcoming meeting

whining

hangovers

blowdrying my hair

the shoulder strap on my handbag falling off my shoulder

bubble tea (it's just too weird)

Emails with a red !

chipped/chipping nail polish

traffic

mushy apples

lazy people that don't return their cart to the cart corral

scratchy sheets

dirty bathrooms

lima beans

"have-tos" that get in the way of my "want-tos"