XiaolinMama

A Six Year Olds Thoughts on Losing A Tooth

Full of sass, my dear little one, shares her thoughts in losing her second tooth.
I am gonna be in trouble when this one is older. 

Outside Lands Anniversary

My husband and I decided to spend our 12th wedding anniversary at the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco.  It was a rare treat - 10 hours without kids, just me and the hubs, listening to a few of our favorite bands - Black Eyed Peas (Super fun!), Jason Mraz (not really my fave, but pleasantly surprised) and Street Sweeper Social Club (Tom Morello and Boots Riley from Rage Against the Machine - love them!)  .

The weather was perfect.  We drank overpriced beers.  We listened to new bands and thought about the first time we listened to the Dave Matthews Band.  We held hands. We talked about how we need to sneak away more often.   We were present with each other and forgot that we were parents.  The day was WAY better than flowers and dinner out.  I am thankful for this decadent gift of time together and am reminded about how much I am grateful for him.

Gratitude Challenge Day 10 - Soccer socks and Lavendar

As part of the Gratitude Challenge day 10, we were tasked with choosing one of our five senses and noting which gifts came to us through one in particular.  I chose the sense of smell - lucky for me my allergies were not acting up.

I have always had a a good sniffer, that is to say I have always been able to discern when milk has gone bad, when a baby needs a diaper change and well, when something has died underneath the house (a rat!).  I am one of those folks who can't sit next to someone with BO or someone with too much perfume. I am positively enamored when I walk into  a bakery or coffee shop.

What did I come across today?
*  Stanky soccer socks - wow!  They were foul - but reminded me that my lil' boy has been indeed growing because my ten year old and his size 6 cleats have BIG boy stank.
*  Lavendar - From my laundry detergent. Makes everything seem cleaner. One of my favorite scents ever.  Key for taking care of the stanky socks above.
*  The glorious smell of cakes baking at Greenlee's bakery.  Their cinnamon bread is something I am ALWAYS grateful for.
*  Smell of shampoo on a clean 6 year old.  I love the smell of a freshly cleaned kid - nothing better than snuggling up to a sweet smelling child as you tuck them in.
*  Lavendar - from  a sachet my mom gave me for my underwear drawer.  Reminds me of her and growing up.
*  New car smell - did you even know you could get this scent at the car wash - oh yeah!!
*  Orange Blossom perfume by Jo Malone.  Floral, yet complicated.  One of my personal favorites in my perfume collection.  I layer the scents - cuz that's the way I roll.
*  Lavendar - From my neighbors yard. I try to take a walk daily and I know I am close to home, when I smell the lavendar.  It is comforting, yet refreshing.  It reminds me of how much I love my neighborhood and neighbors.  How much the people who live my neighborhood are more important to me than my actual house.

Today I realized that Lavendar is a scent that I equate with home, family and friends -  something that makes me smile even when faced with stinky socks.  Who knew? Not me.