voicemails from a father

10:34 a.m.

This is your father speaking. Giving a message from your mother. She can only wear jeans... she has to wear sneakers. And jeans. So when you pick a place for lunch she's telling me to tell you don't make it too fancy.

[frustrated sigh]

Why do I have to do this?

Anyways. [another sigh] Bye.


5:42 p.m.

It's your father. Call us when you get on the train so your mother knows you weren't kidnapped.

little houses

Wouldn't it be grand to get away to a little cabin? I wouldn't mind having a weekend away in the woods. In the woods in the mountains by a lake would be even better. Have you been to this website? Funny name!

weekend bits / camera play

Now that husband is employed, my stress level has lowered considerably. Everything feels a bit easier even if the day hasn't been a particularly easy one. I guess that is one good thing that came out of our challening year-- we feel incredibly lucky and are thankful for what we do have. I'm sure there will come a point where I struggle to remember this but for now I'm running with it.

I am no longer obsessively checking the PA teacher employment website so my attention is turning to other things. The cooler weather is upon us and I always feel a little refreshed with this change of season. I'm starting to think of things I'd like to do, accomplish and learn (or at least attempt to do or accomplish or learn). Some things on my list are:

• Learn to bake bread. All kinds. I attempted this last year and failed to follow through.
• Once the weather turns unbearable and I go into hermit mode, explore AFI's Top 100 Movies. I've never seen Annie Hall or Schindler's List. How sad is that?!
• Write more. Same goes for taking photos.

None of these are mind-blowingly difficult things but little goals are good for the soul, don't you agree? What are some things you've been wanting to do?

round these parts

Smiles happen more often.

Giggles are plenty.

Baking is happening.

School clothes need to be ironed.

Socks are worn to bed.

There is talk of carving pumpkins.

We are getting back to normal.


This sweatshirt is from here. Boo they are sold out.

i could start fires with what i feel for you

Beautiful.

no more ramen (unless we want to) / mama's gettin' a new pair of shoes

Husband and I have been all smiles since Monday. Why? Because husband has a job! A real, honest-to-goodness teaching job. Just when he was resigning himself to subbing all year (which, after 12 years of teaching, he likened to a kick in the balls), he got a call from a middle school in desperate need of a math teacher. This was the best news we had in a long, long time. A big "peace out" to all of the stress of the past year.

Now my smiley, happy-go-lucky, goofy guy is back. I missed him.