five things, august 3rd edition

My boy is in that plane!

1. I think I've been thinking about a recurring column called "Lately." Just a collection of latelys. Lately I've been enjoying...lately I've been dreaming about....lately I've been thinking. But I also think it might be a little too much like Five Things. So maybe no Lately. We'll see.

2. I think I'm so restless these days. I just want to get up and...go. I feel this urge with every single bone in my body. It oozes from my very pores. The things I want to do truly aren't possible for us right now, so I'm trying to channel my restlessness in other ways. Bathroom remodel, perhaps? I'm beyond thrilled that my mom's visit this weekend and my dad's next will be the last time guests will use that gnarly guest bathroom. I know you all liked it, but the devil is in the details. As I was cleaning it, it took everything I had not to start chipping away the tile! Neel's aunt and uncle have a gorgeous new condo with a bathroom that was beyond inspiring. Glass enclosed shower AND separate tub, y'all! We took pictures AND measurements. Will this new project cure my restlessness? I don't know. It'll give me something else to think about though.

3. I think I'm anxious to get back in the kitchen. Soups are calling me. Some homemade pizzas for the grill, perhaps. We've been neglecting the cooking portion of the summer to-do list.

4. I think I'm feeling in need of a little treat (I did get a notebook! Moleskine, of course!). Oh, I don't know. Some kind of little something, for my house or for me. Any suggestions? Neel thought maybe I needed a spa day, and that certainly wouldn't go amiss. But I'm open to other ideas if you have them. Diptych? A couple cookbooks (like I need more of those)? Sephora trip? Fling out a ballroom wing?

5. I think I had a parenting epiphany recently. People, I am so imperfect at this. I screw up this gig all the time. But every day I try. Neel and I both. We try as hard as we can to help Callum grow up into a young man who can meet the challenges of the world he inhabits. Those challenges stretch from learning how to navigate the washer and dryer to learning how to navigate challenging people. And here's what I realized: there's a difference between raising your kids and simply watching them grow up. That difference is vast. Don't be afraid to step up to the plate. Structure, routine and boundaries. These are the things that kids need and crave and if they are provided with love, even when you screw up, then you haven't really led them wrong. That's what I'm banking on, at least.

monday mash up, week end wrap up

We're home! I missed you guys!

We hopped down to Atlanta this weekend to visit Neel's family. His parents, his aunt and uncle, brother and sister-in-law and little nephew all live there now. Sometimes we fly and sometimes we drive, but the trips have a usual rhythm to them. We have friends to visit. Friends of mine from high school, who we usually meet at their pool. Friends of Neel's (and mine) from college. We had a lovely cookout with them.

Neel's aunt and uncle just moved to Atlanta, so we saw their gorgeous new condo (right across the hall from Neel's parents!). We played a lot with Cal's four-year-old cousin who was home while his school was on a three week break. We hit some pools and watched the dogs hit the pools too! And of course the trip revolved around food. On our last day Neel's dad took us to the Decatur Farmer's Market, and I nearly wept when I saw then "No Cameras/No Photography" signs when we walked in the door.

The two highlights of the trip, I hand to my boy. On Friday night, we recorded the opening ceremonies (I don't think my in-laws would have seen any of the olympics if it hadn't been for us!) and headed off to Atlanta's Turner Field to see Callum's beloved Phillies. Of course I'll have a blog post about this, but despite the loss we had a wonderful time. Just seeing Cal's excitement made my heart full. On Sunday, Cal's grandparents surprised him with a ride in a replica bi-plane as a Lower School graduation present. Yeah, there'll be a post about that coming too. It was pretty special.

Families are complicated, as you well know, and not all vacations are relaxing. We're worn out here but so happy to be home in our own space and back with our beloved pups. My mom comes tomorrow (can you believe it?), and on Friday we're having a small going-away party for a student in Neel's lab who is headed back to Sweden after studying here for a year. There's a lot to do. Like laundry. And grocery shopping. Oh, but I've missed you all. I've missed your blogs and your comments and hearing what's been going on. I likely won't be here tomorrow, but I'll be back on Friday with Five Things, and back again on Monday full force. Mwwwah. Love you all. What's been going on?