Yay!

Apparently, in front of the school today, Log was called up as one of a dozen kids in his grade to receive this award.  On the way back to his seat, his homeroom teacher told him to, "keep up the good work, being a nice kid!" 

Sometimes we get parenting encouragement right when we need it most- this really made me smile!

Talent Show Audition

Log's new school let me record the boys and send in an audition video, instead of lugging the drum set to the school.  Will find out tomorrow if they made it into,  "The Best of the Best" talent show.  Even if they didn't, I love hearing them play! 

Verizon

Found out that about 8,000 people showed up to the Verizon arena, for Easter. Elijah got to do keys for the pre-service worship team, before the main service started.  People were filtering in for the half hour before the service, but it was pretty full by the time he and that team were done.  What a cool view they all had, of the thousands of folks there! 

A bud posted this cool pic, online, that made me smile:

Babci's famous cream-filled cupcakes:

(Somehow, three of them that were sent home with us, are missing...hmmm...I wonder who could have eaten those, today??) 

The Oldest Grandson is taller than his Pepere, this Easter.

Guests during my morning cup of coffee~

Glanced out the window this morning, and this unexpected crew just made me chuckle. 

First Family Game and Movie Night, in ages...

...about to commence.  So is my first sip of wine, in months! It's a good Friday night! 

Drums Alive

The 5th grade's Artist in Residence program is Drums Alive, an awesome program that incorporates both physical exercise and music, via drumming on exercise balls and buckets, among other components. I signed up right away when I saw the need for volunteers, and this morning was my first session.  I'm IN LOVE and can not wait for the 5th grade performance, next week.  I swear, I've found my calling! I smiled (and sweated) the entire time! 

Living less than 10minutes from multiple sugar shacks =priceless(and delicious).

Boys Who Still Are Happy to Dye Easter Eggs

The Irony of a First Day of Spring Snowfall

Boston Flower Show

Epic fail

It took Mark and me a while to get me set up with the huge pressure washer hose that we'd borrowed from his parents. Then the cold temps and wind were tough, and the final straw was that we couldn't get the machine to stay on...the epic fail had is both laughing at our unluckiness. The house will have to stay mildewy until some other time! 

Babci's 65th bday dinner~ Happy Birthday, young lady!

Just saw this St. Patty's Day selfie, on my phone:

First day back to work!

Tired toes warming in the sun, and gardening gloves air-drying after their first day back on, for the season. It was good to be back, today!

High school info tours, and Parent Info Night...

Time flies.

Where's Waldo Quest

While waiting for the doc, for an annual physical. 

Boston sightseeing, via running sneakers!

I am not a city girl, but I have to say, running in Boston made me fall in love.  On Saturday, I ran along the Charles River, over to the esplanade, to the Museum of Science, and back to MIT, on the other side of the Charles.  Dodging hundreds of runners and walkers, and having so much to look at, made 4 miles fly by! The sun was sparkling off the river, the sailboats and crew teams were out, and I was smiling the whole time.

Yesterday, my dear bud Sharon and I headed out to run, after the kids were dropped off at MIT.  Sharon needed 8 miles in, for her training, and I figured I'd just do 6 and walk back if need be.  (Still recovering from some hip adductor overuse issues.)  So, we headed out in the general direction of the harbor, running past the Museum of Science, the Garden, the Zakim bridge, the Aquarium, Fanueil Hall, the Common, some of the Public Gardens, and back to the Esplanade, to head back to MIT.  I stopped at 7 miles while Sharon continued on to get her 8 in.  Such fun! 

I may not be a city girl, overall, but I do love running in the city!! 

A day to experience classes at MIT = #GeekAwesomeness

Trading Party

Logan invited some buds to his second Trading Session, where the kids swapped or sold their under-used treasures, like trading cards, games, and that sort of thing.  Pretty much, they swap junk and eat junk, and act like silly goofballs in the process.  We rented out a space for this one, and even though a bunch of kids didn't go, a bunch did, which made Logan happy, which makes me happy. :)

"Mom, before I get ready for bed, is it ok if I practice my ukelele, first?"

Kids' Art

Love volunteering at the elementary school, in the art room.  The kids are just so awesome- lots of fun, happy kids.

I also love when I get to help take down and put up artwork in the school hallways. The kids' artwork always amazes, impresses, and cheers me! Today I got to start hanging some of the 6th graders' recent work~ soon, the hallway walls will be covered with more of these.  The kids used Exacto knives and cut away at vinyl paper, revealing the contrasting layer underneath.  Love! 

A run before the sunrise

My running injury has been healing up, a bit.  I am still doing the daily stretches and exercises the physical therapist sent me home with, and I am not going to be able to train for my 2 half marathons, that are in early May.  But for now, I'm just gonna be happy and thankful to be able to get outside again, in my running sneaks, hearing the birds chirping and seeing the sunrise.  Got out for a few miles this morning, with a local bud, and the scene while I was stretching made me smile a grateful smile. 

Homeschool Perks

Getting to bring the teen to the local coffee shop to do some schoolwork, and having buds meet up with him there, makes us both happy. 

Free furniture!

Oxymoron: "New Antiques!"

Found that a generous soul was trying to clean out an old storage unit she had, and we received a beautiful bureau, as well as a trunk.  Found spots for both items and both of them make me smile! 

A Happy Kid

Conjunctivitis meds working wonders in a 24hr period, and a painful, broken bracket repaired = one happy 12yr. old. 

Spring is close!

It's snowing, again, this morning.  It's also been a rough, bleak, couple of days.  Ironically, the daffodills on the windowsill opened up, this morning! Their sunny cheerfulness brought a hopeful smile.  

Morning sun peeking through, during a frigid walk in the woods.

Day 1

Thought I'd post my new self-improvement venture here.  Will be nice to publish this into a book for the family, sometime, later.  I already started Day 1, on Facebook, yesterday, so I will just cut and paste that post here, and then from here on out I will post the daily photo here, instead.  (Hoping these photos will actually remain here on the blog, instead of mysteriously disappearing at some later point! Don't let me down, Blogger!)

During this crazy time in our lives, I'm gonna start a photo-a-day thing, to help me focus on things that make me smile. Hopefully, it will help me have more of an, "attitude of gratitude" again! 
Starting with: my fun rain boots.

Ahhh, Technology.

You slay me.
I have no idea what happened to my photos in this blog...I contacted blogger and I can't seem to get help recovering my photos that are missing from the posts.  I looked online and found several other complaints from other bloggers, about the same issue.

I have switched from Picasa, for photo storage, so, I'm gonna see if that helps!