#100HappyDays:: Day 35

Yesterday was a day filled with little treasures.  It began with a sunrise like nothing that I have seen before.  The photo does not begin to capture it, but it was a neon orange (the whole thing was much like the ring around it the photo captured) tempered by overcast skies.  It felt a bit like we were living in an altered universe, even if only for an hour or so.

After a busy morning at work, I took the kids to lunch and then on the hunt for a new family board game, which evolved into the boy wanting a new book to read, and the girl wanting a new moleskin and some copic markers.   As it is summertime and I want them to be engaged in activities other than electronic ones when I am at work, I indulged them happily.  Sid has some serious artistic talent, but prefers not to share her work openly at this point, so I'll just say that I was duly impressed with how she utilized those markers for the first time!  The day wrapped up with a visit to a friend of mine who had a beautiful baby girl over the weekend....were my kids ever that small!?   Then coming home to one of the peony bushes in full bloom, was the icing on a day that had many happy moments.

Random 5 Friday

1.  Last weekend, as a treat, Sidney and I had some mom and daughter time and got our nails done.  She had used some of her Christmas money to purchase nail polish.  She is wearing the lighter color with a top coat that is one of the new graffiti ones.  Have you seen these, they are pretty cool!

2.  I have a hard time starting and not finishing a book, especially when I have invested more than 400 pages.  Though The Goldfinch had sections that were very compelling, there was a great deal of drudgery in between.  In my opinion it could have been about 300 pages shorter.  

3.  Julochka introduced me to this wonderful book on making preserves and jams last year.  The recipes are great and given me the best success with jam making so it is now my go to .  Yesterday, again thanks to her suggestion, I found more wonderful books in the series that I cannot wait to receive.  Something about the long winter months have me searching for more creative yet traditional ways to sustain ourselves.  Bread, Booze, Curing and Smoking, and Veg are going to be a balm for my winter chapped spirit.

4.  Do you ever just look at your kids and see the amazing little persona that they are developing?  Hints of sarcasm, intelligence, introspection, humor, and responsibility.  Through this I catch little glimpses of the people they will be and it makes my heart swell.  

5.  It has been one of those up and down weeks.  I'm glad that I seem to be on the upswing from a nasty cold just in time for B to be starting with it.


Participating in Random 5 Friday, won't you join in?