It's the little things...
Spring is here and the frenetic crazy weekends are upon us yet again! Filled with sports and parties (the children's of course) plus visiting relatives and mundane errands there seems hardly enough time to catch one's breath... But I've always believed that despite frenzy and chaos you need to slow down and take a good look around you. There's so much beauty all around us and we can't let it go unnoticed. Our spring is finally springing... fresh new patels are popping all around us... our landscape that was recently filled with drab and dreary greys and browns are suddenly alive and vibrant in bright pastel pinks and yellows and lime and emerald greens... the sweet smells of the magnolia and cherry trees are carried in the gentle breezes... and the birds sing together harmoniously. But when we rush we tend to not notice the beauty that surrounds us. My mission, particularly this weekend, was to pause and enjoy. So in between chauffeuring to and fro various parties, play dates and sporting events... between errands and obligations... I made it a point to slow down. And I slowed the children down as well. I want them always to notice the little things... I want them always to stop and smell the roses and to appreciate all the beauty that surrounds them. This weekend they had no choice. I practically forced them to! I forced them to slow down... I forced them to look at and to see things they may normally overlook... Because it's the little things that mean the most.
On Friday night my older two had their school social. That left just me and Alexander and a couple of hours of undivided attention from his mother. Our night started out with a special treat... Sushi!
I'm not really a fortune cookie lover, but who can resist a potentially great fortune?
On Friday night my older two had their school social. That left just me and Alexander and a couple of hours of undivided attention from his mother. Our night started out with a special treat... Sushi!
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
I'm not really a fortune cookie lover, but who can resist a potentially great fortune?
After a couple of hours Alexander went to get the older two from their party... we had to have a fairly early night as we had to be on the soccer field early the next day to cheer Christopher as he had two games that particular day. He played a fierce couple of games and I was so proud of him... then it was a mad-dash back home to get him showered and changed as my parents were coming into town to pay us a quick visit and take us all out to lunch. The spicy mussels (remnants pictured below) were amazing... if you happen to be near Southport, CT and find yourself at The Gray Goose Restaurant... I highly recommend these! (The Bloody Marys are amazing as well, but with my chaotic schedule I refrained!)
My parents visited a little while before deciding that they needed to hit the road. Next project was to ge Rebecca ready to attend a Bat Mitzvah party that night... A mani-pedi was mandatory. And well, I couldn't just let her go by herself now, could I???
And while we were in our chairs getting our pedicures the following text appears on my phone:
R: Mom I can understand them :)
Me: LOL!
R: They said I have ugly feet!! :'(
Me: They did not!
Of all the manicurists in the salon we get the only 2 Spanish speaking ones!
After our fingers and toes were all painted she had to dash home and get dressed and do her hair and makeup. Then we had to stop over and pick up a friend that was going to the party too.
When I got home, an hour or so later, I took the boys out to get something to eat. As I was pulling into my parking space I noticed, and was quite taken with the beauty of the old, dilapidated post office. I had to stop and take a couple of pictures.
After the boys had eaten I dropped them off at home and headed right to the grocery store. It was then about 8:30. We had nothing to eat in the house and I didn't want to have to run out first thing in the morning. I got home shortly after 9:00 with enough food to last a long while. As I was carrying in the groceries I noticed the sand, mud, and wood-chips that had found their way inside our home. I got out the vacuum cleaner, then the steam mop. By 9:30 I sat down with a glass of wine. Completely exhausted! My daughter was delivered safely back to me at 11:00 and we chatted for awhile about the party and I ate some of the little chocolates that were in her party favor bag and when I was stuffed and when she had told me all there was to tell me (and then some because she is a very chatty creature!) I headed to bed. It was close to Midnight!
I had an early morning (for a Sunday) as I had to get up bright and early to drive to Darien (a few towns away) to visit an old (not that she is old) dear friend who is in town visiting her parents and some high school friends. Amy was my first real "grown-up" friend. We met after we had graduated college, a bajillion decades ago, at Williams-Sonoma where we both worked until we found our first "real" jobs. We reminisced about those carefree days. It was so much fun catching up with her!
And then I returned home to reality which consisted of stripping beds and doing several thousand loads of laundry, and cleaning up after my daughter who decided to bake a banana bread. Now I have a love/hate relationship with her baking. She is fabulously talented, what with taking after her mother ;) but good Lord is she a slob in the kitchen! The kitchen smelled fabulous when I walked in... it looked, however, something far from that! The recipe (and really, you will be loved by everyone should you decide to bake this) is here.
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
My parents visited a little while before deciding that they needed to hit the road. Next project was to ge Rebecca ready to attend a Bat Mitzvah party that night... A mani-pedi was mandatory. And well, I couldn't just let her go by herself now, could I???
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
And while we were in our chairs getting our pedicures the following text appears on my phone:
R: Mom I can understand them :)
Me: LOL!
R: They said I have ugly feet!! :'(
Me: They did not!
Of all the manicurists in the salon we get the only 2 Spanish speaking ones!
After our fingers and toes were all painted she had to dash home and get dressed and do her hair and makeup. Then we had to stop over and pick up a friend that was going to the party too.
When I got home, an hour or so later, I took the boys out to get something to eat. As I was pulling into my parking space I noticed, and was quite taken with the beauty of the old, dilapidated post office. I had to stop and take a couple of pictures.
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
After the boys had eaten I dropped them off at home and headed right to the grocery store. It was then about 8:30. We had nothing to eat in the house and I didn't want to have to run out first thing in the morning. I got home shortly after 9:00 with enough food to last a long while. As I was carrying in the groceries I noticed the sand, mud, and wood-chips that had found their way inside our home. I got out the vacuum cleaner, then the steam mop. By 9:30 I sat down with a glass of wine. Completely exhausted! My daughter was delivered safely back to me at 11:00 and we chatted for awhile about the party and I ate some of the little chocolates that were in her party favor bag and when I was stuffed and when she had told me all there was to tell me (and then some because she is a very chatty creature!) I headed to bed. It was close to Midnight!
I had an early morning (for a Sunday) as I had to get up bright and early to drive to Darien (a few towns away) to visit an old (not that she is old) dear friend who is in town visiting her parents and some high school friends. Amy was my first real "grown-up" friend. We met after we had graduated college, a bajillion decades ago, at Williams-Sonoma where we both worked until we found our first "real" jobs. We reminisced about those carefree days. It was so much fun catching up with her!
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
And then I returned home to reality which consisted of stripping beds and doing several thousand loads of laundry, and cleaning up after my daughter who decided to bake a banana bread. Now I have a love/hate relationship with her baking. She is fabulously talented, what with taking after her mother ;) but good Lord is she a slob in the kitchen! The kitchen smelled fabulous when I walked in... it looked, however, something far from that! The recipe (and really, you will be loved by everyone should you decide to bake this) is here.
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House/The Entertaining Kitchen |
Before the kitchen was properly and fully cleaned we had to take out to take Christopher to a friend's house a couple of towns away. We would run some necessary errands after we dropped him off. But first, I insisted, a quick, little visit to the beach. Still breezy and cool, but gorgeous nonetheless, I insisted we get out of the car. Grumblings from my two remaining backseat drivers. Seriously?!
We got out of the car to see this... our Penfield Pavilion so badly damaged during Hurricane Sandy that it won't be opened this summer. We were devastated!
What kid doesn't like to fly up to the sky?!
I can't swing much these days... I get motion sickness when I do!
Do you like my toes? I chose a very youthful color, didn't I?
My "artistic" shot of a swing... eventually we left the beach, wind in our hair, pink cheeks and sand in our clothes and in between our toes... it was a fabulous little visit!
Of course I had to stop (literally) and look at all the wonder around me while we went to run our errands.
I love all the pink trees! They're just so pretty!
Most people don't like dandelions. We love them! We call them Wish Blowers!
I wonder what his wish was?
I wish you all a wonderful and productive and successful and happy week!
Take some time to smell the flowers... or blow on them!
XOXO,
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
I snuck this picture below of my two grumblers... caught in the act! Having fun! Laughter! And I caught it all on camera. HA!
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
What kid doesn't like to fly up to the sky?!
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
I can't swing much these days... I get motion sickness when I do!
Do you like my toes? I chose a very youthful color, didn't I?
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
My "artistic" shot of a swing... eventually we left the beach, wind in our hair, pink cheeks and sand in our clothes and in between our toes... it was a fabulous little visit!
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
Of course I had to stop (literally) and look at all the wonder around me while we went to run our errands.
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
I love all the pink trees! They're just so pretty!
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
Most people don't like dandelions. We love them! We call them Wish Blowers!
 |
| Property of The Entertaining House |
I wonder what his wish was?
I wish you all a wonderful and productive and successful and happy week!
Take some time to smell the flowers... or blow on them!
XOXO,
Jessica