Thoughts on Thursday

• I am 31 and for the first time in my life I am not scared of melting in the rain. I don't like it, but I will go out in it now and deal. My friend and I walked tonight in the cold, dark, wind and rain and it was super therapeutic. 
• Today I asked Adelle to babysit Emmett and Gage for 15 minutes so that I could respond to a couple pressing emails and type up a recipe for my other blog. She gladly did it, and did it well and I gave her a quarter for it. I wish I could have captured the look on her face when I presented her with her earnings. Pure delight. It was really sweet.
• Gage is sleeping all night, every night, for about the last 2 months and it's nothing short of wonderful. He isn't very consistent with his naps during the day but I am not complaining. I can hold him all day if he wants as long as he keeps giving me my nights!
• Jeff and I have a date scheduled for tomorrow night with old friends who we haven't seen in forever. I told Jeff I didn't even care where we went or what we ate I am just really excited to see my special friend.
• I love the ladies in my life. I am surrounded by women who I absolutely love. We play with our kids, we do each other favors, we eat lunch, we go together to yoga, we swap recipes, we drop off homemade goodness to each other, we walk and talk...  it's so refreshing and beautiful. 
• Adelle to me today, "Mom, Braxton says that you have to be big to be a woman. So you are a woman, but I am not. I am a girl."
• Emmett is way into dress up lately. He dressed up for my nephews birthday party last weekend and he dressed up when we went to a friends to play this week. He is very stoic and hilarious. Reminds me so much of Braxton at this age.
• Gage is rolling over like crazy! He is also cutting his two bottom teeth, still.
• Being mean is easier than being nice. Why is this?? I have been making a huge effort to be the latter, even when it's really hard and not fair. It's working. I am happier.
• We lost a chicken to illness. It was sad. I take it personal but Jeff says I can't do that. Apparently, "it just happens." 
• So far I think boys are easier than girls. I know they are different, obviously, and my kids are still really young, but man... boys so far are easy! Way less drama. I am not talking about Adelle, but girls of school age who I interact with at Braxton's school and the things I hear from friends about the girls that their daughters are having to deal with. I don't want to! 
• I love to sit and hold Gage and talk to him. He talks back and smiles and it's the most peaceful, loving, conversation. He is so sweet. Sometimes I have to remind myself to hold him because I want to. So often I hold him because he wants me to. You know? It's so nice when I give myself that time to just be with him, because he's mine and I love him. 
• Is it bad that today I considered skyping my mother-in-law and having her "watch" Adelle on the computer while I ran across the street to get Braxton from school? Seriously, I would have had my phone and my MIL could have easily called me if there was an emergency. The boys were asleep and I had to wake them up and then it was pouring down rain and we had to all go.... Honestly, would the skype thing work? Or should I just suck it up?!
• We had breakfast for dinner. It was so stick to your gut good! Sausage, potato and egg breakfast casserole with homemade biscuits and honey. Delicious!
• I told my kids they were the luckiest kids in the whole world as they were loving their biscuits with local honey and Adelle says, "yeah because Auntie Melissa is coming to babysit tomorrow and we get to watch a movie!!" That wasn't what I was meaning, but I am thankful they love their auntie and that we get to go out.
• Mom's get the shaft sometimes. It's true. How do you ever repay your mom? I want too.
• Braxton and I are enjoying a book he checked out from the library at school. He also started taking books to bed with a flashlight. He's getting big, fast.
• I signed myself up to coach Adelle's soccer team. We are both excited. Good thing I now know I won't melt in the rain.
• I haven't read a book yet this month. My book list keeps growing and I haven't found the time to do it. I am trying not to let it stress me out.
• Where did February go? I don't want to take my Valentine's Day decorations down, but I told the kids I would when it's March. Dang. That's tomorrow.
• We have spring fever around here, big time!
• I read an article about genetically engineered salmon. Really people?? 
• The whole four kids thing is fantastic. I know some pregnant people right now and I couldn't be more happy/excited for them!
• I led the music at a meeting at church the other night. It was huge for me. I am not a confident music leader and I rarely lead music anywhere other than in my own home when I am trying to teach my kids. I practiced all day and even at the stop sign while I was driving there. It went well, better than I anticipated. Mind you they were primary songs, and I was leading to a very small group :)
• Braxton is turning 8 this year and preparing for baptism. He is such a wonderful young boy. So kind to everyone and so in love with life.
• Last night I made chicken enchillada's, Jeff's favorite meal, and he said it was the best part of his day. Smile.
• It's getting late. There is a certain time of day that when I get there I either need to eat ice-cream, or go to bed. 99 % of the time I don't let myself get to this time. I am too tired. But tonight I am flirting with the idea of just a spoon full of ice cream and I can't tell Jeff because he will totally convince me to do it! "You know you want to," he would say, and I do. Ice cream is so good. I don't ever have any other cravings except for ice cream.  I think I will long for ice cream for the rest of my long life. I can't even mention this to Jeff because he would be up and out to the freezer in an instant. Then after I had one bite he would keep eating his and then mine would just sit there, melting and ruining itself, because I wouldn't want him to have to make 2 trips out to the cold garage to put it back in the freezer, and I certainly wouldn't want to go out there, so then I would keep eating mine, to keep up with him and keep it from wasting away to a melted mess... But ice cream makes me all gross and mucusy and I would be all stuffed up tomorrow but... I only buy the really good ice cream. Always Ben & Jerry's. It's not that bad either and it's so good and real ingredients...
• Did I tell you that my dad created this amazing dairy free ice cream cake for me for my birthday this year? It was delicious, ask Lane, he loved it too! My dad did this all on his own, chocolate chip gluten free crust, coconut milk ice cream, topped with banana's and drizzled with chocolate sauce. So good and so thoughtful. It's a tradition. Growing up my dad always made me an ice cream cake, duh, I love ice cream, and this years did not dissapoint. 
• I'm rambling, goodnight.