Sunday

Today Grandpa Willard & I took the train into Chicago... 

 

Our first stop was coffee (of course) at Intelligentsia

Then onto Michigan Avenue

 

Teavana (Imperial Aci Blueberry ice tea sweetened with German Rock Sugar)

Lunch at the Big Bowl

 

Our fortunes for the day (perfect)

 Apple Store

 Time flew by and soon it was time to head home

 ...but not without another cup of coffee.

Kitty Seat?

When I am at my desk, Gray Kitty likes to jump up, walk all over my key board, or stares at my screen with his tail in my face and then sometimes lays down on my keyboard. Today he found his Kitty Seat.

Babysittting LillaMai

Treating my assistant, Murphy.

Cold artichokes...

The photographer - amateur

Expressions...

Trying to suck in those chunky cheeks

Changing the diaper...

Gave up on keeping the hat straight.

Sleeping

Nap time

Little siesta

Resting the eyes.

Today was grandma Jeanne's first day on the job; babysitting LillaMai. Murphy stayed close by to make sure I did everything right and was treated for his efforts. He also made sure he barked at "every" truck he heard.

There were bottle feedings, rewarming my lunch, funny faces that made me laugh out loud, the diaper duty with those wiggly legs. Biggest challenge was trying to keep the pooh hat straight - I gave up.

We had sleep, naps, seistas...it was a good day!

You &LillaMai

Math

If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is. -John Louis Von Neumann

Miss You :(

There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

It's a long road
And you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear

And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

Oh ho, Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away, hey yea
Hold on there will be tomorrow in time
You find the way, hey

Then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

Grandma Jeanne misses you :(. I can hardly wait until your next visit! You're the BEST! I love you.

Richness

"The richness of life lies in the memories we have forgotten." - Cesare Pavese

When I was your age and older I loved baking in my mother's kitchen. When I opened the cupboards there was always an abundance of dishes, spices, utensils and much more. I could choose just about anything I wanted to bake (cookies were almost always my choice), and I never had to worry my mother didn't have the ingredients I needed on hand.

This morning grandma Jeanne wanted to make banana bread. When I opened up the cupboards I had everything I needed to make banana bread, with choices of whether I wanted to add blue berries, cranberries, or nuts, use whole wheat flour, rye, pastry, or unbleached.

I made banana bread with cranberries and remembered my mother, who made my life rich in so many ways.