The Week Begins

Been quiet here on the blog for a couple of weeks as we had some major sickness run through our household plus other life and work obligations that kept me from my desk.  I'm happy to report that the vomiting has ceased, the baby is joyful, the mother can breathe from her nose again, the daffodils are poking through, and all is well in this tiny corner of the world.  

-- This weekend Todd and Flora celebrated their birthdays.  As I whisked up semi-sweet chocolate ganache frosting for their cake on Saturday morning, I realized I was so excited about the sweet little birthday party we had planned for the afternoon, and for the dinner date for me and my love that evening.  I have a new favorite day all year and it falls in early February.  I think I've been looking forward to baking Flora's birthday cake since she arrived last year, and it turned out beautifully.  It was a simple chocolate cake with choclate frosting, but I made it myself, infusing it with all my motherly and wifely love, and I was proud to serve it to my family and friends on Saturday.  The recipes I used for cake and icing were torn together from a Real Simple magazine sometime in the last 12 months.  Because we all know: if a recipe is not real simple, Meredith's not even going to bother!

-- On Facebook last month I saw a link to this letter that John Steinbeck wrote to his son in 1958.  His son was a young teenager who had written home to announce that he'd fallen in love at boarding school, and Steinbeck replies in the most thoughtful, respectful, and loving way that any adult could.  I appreciate how he honors his child's feelings and encourages him to "glory in it [...] and be very glad and grateful for it."  

-- Also on the subject of love, sort of.... I enjoyed this post from tulips & flight suits about being single.  I think Mary's advice is prudent not only for those who haven't yet started the life they hope to live, but also for those of us who have.  Whether you are single or married, content or searching, I feel it's always a good idea to embrace your life as it is, to surround yourself with beauty and good people, and to focus on what you have and what you can do with that.  Sounds trite, I know, but it is a scientific fact that a large part of being happy is making yourself happy.  (That's another post).

-- I watched this video recently and really enjoyed it.  Iceland looks so unbe-freakin-lievably stunning.  I think I must go there.  Interesting soundtrack, too.

-- Finally, returning to the subject of being happy, I started a new board on Pinterest last week.  I call it "MerryMakers" and it's just a collection of things that make me happy and lift my spirits, so that if I'm ever in need of a simple pick-me-up I can look at it and be made merry.  I can also use it as a reminder that going out for coffee, baking some cookies or granola, kissing a baby, etc... would probably be a wise move to improve a sour mood instantly.  I plan to continue adding to this board and ask that you consider making one also.  Share it here in the comments so that I (and others) can be made merry by the things you love, too!

I hope you have a heart-warming week.    

First Birthday Cake, Charlottesville, VA, February 4, 2012.  

Instagram.

Comments

[Maggie]

Flora looks like a little hobo! LOVE!

[Kaye]

She's darling! Can't believe she's had her first b'day!