Moving slow today. We had the last of Callum's conferences this morning and I seem to have caught his cold overnight. Go me. I think I'll take all of the brilliant advice offered on Friday and crawl back under the covers pretty sharpish. I'm feeling the need for some tea and sympathy. All in all we had a good weekend though. Callum is feeling much better, despite a lingering cough, and I got to kick things off with coffee with a dear friend on a rainy Friday. A surprise giftie from my mom totally made my day! She and I had both bemoaned the difficulties of my present hand mixer. It had so much power that it was actually somewhat terrifying to use! This one is apparently a bit easier to manage. We'll try with another batch of muffins but maybe tomorrow. That led me to give away the old mixer in the gigantic clean-out Neel made us do on Saturday (see #6). That room was originally the back bedroom of our house, so when our master addition was built, right before we moved in, it became something of a pass-through room. You have to go through it to get to our bedroom, which makes it great for a nursery (not necessary) or office (that's the ticket!). Since we walk through that room everyday and since those bookshelves are what we see from our bed, it's kind of important that the room is a little pulled together. It looks much better now.

It was a good cooking weekend. I did a tuna with black bean sauce, roasted asparagus and coconut rice for dinner on Saturday night. We're trying to cook nicer dinners together on Saturdays, but since Callum was still feeling a bit wiped out and he and Neel were in the middle of a Sherlock Holmes marathon, I took over. It's all good. And I'm not always in the mood to do a big brunch, but this Sunday I was, and that was very good. Neel handled dinner Sunday: don't you know? Beer-Butt Chicken! Our fave! My mashed potatoes have been a bit of a fail lately though. This time, I'm blaming the potato.

I think the high point of the weekend for Neel was getting a new drill. His plan for the weekend involved removing part of our back fence, and his current drill wasn't up to the task. And here's the sweet story. Neel comes home from the big box hardware store saying he'd spent more than he'd wanted to (uh, $20 more, but whatevs). He got lots of help, and initially landed on a drill that was under his budget. Then he mournfully turns to the woman who had been helping him and says, "But it's ugly." After she stopped laughing, she had to agree. Ultimately, he bumped up his budget that last little bit and came home with a drill that I swear I saw him hug once or twice out in the yard. I get it. I totally do. When I order this lens in a few weeks, I plan on sleeping with it.

Okay kids. Thanks for bearing with me and being patient. Things are trucking along here. Lurching, actually. I know it hasn't been smooth sailing here at SPL, but I've brought in reinforcements and I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Soon! We'll be back on track. Love you, my ducks. XO

1. I think that when the sickness isn't a terrible sickness that sometimes a day off to nurse a slight fever and stuffy nose is not a bad thing. Fully aware that this could have been a lot worse, as it has been for so many, we're counting blessings this week.

2. I think I've been having fun looking at jewelry lately. Jewelry! We have some inherited baubles (from my grandmother) as well as some sentimental gems (from both Neel and my dad) that have been sitting in a jewelry case for ages. Criminal, I say. We've figured out what to do with some of it, but right now I'm weighing sentimentality (keeping my grandmother's diamonds) vs. bling (trading them up for a new ring). Anybody have any thoughts? I've never had a true engagement ring of my own (long, good story), so that might be nice to have. But, oh... I'm pretty sentimental. I'd love some input, peeps. One thing I know, I got my broken wedding ring back yesterday as well as another ring that had been broken for a long time, and that feels good!

3. I think, as long as we're talking about girlie stuff, I need to ask, how are you guys keeping your winter skin moisturized during the day? My morning moisturizer is awesome, as is my nighttime routine, but I often feel the need for a mid-day refresher. I noticed this on Erin's post a couple weeks ago but that seems more night or morning squirt than midday pick-me-up. Again, all suggestions are welcome. Weigh in, peeps. I know you're all smarter than I am!

4. I think Neel doesn't believe me (and others may scoff!), but I really could live somewhere colder. I kind of hate it that we pretty much turn the page on winter after January is over. I long for snow. Northeasterners, I envy you. Be safe, but know that I'm envying your blizzard warnings right now. Anyone got an Alpine cabin in the snowy woods they can lend me for a few days? Seriously begging here.

5. I think I have a lot to be grateful for lately, not least of which is a school where my son is getting a phenomenal education and teachers who completely *get* him. We hadCallum's conferences yesterday, and teacher after teacher mirrored back to us what we know about our son. Of course it's lovely to hear that he's hard working and kind and doing well, but better than that even is knowing that he's spending his days with adults who understand and cherish him for who he is. Adults who want to draw the best out of him. I honestly can't put a price on that.

Weekend Recap, February 11 edition

five things, february 8, edition