Daily Life

Rolling around on our bed…still not sure why she found it so fun.

While Zack is at work, it has been a constant daily challenge for me to balance keeping the house clean, playing with Penelope, educating Penelope, and making sure food is done at the correct times for everyone- while remembering to rest and “take it easy” on myself.
Penelope has been a big help with cleaning and her always eager to help attitude is definitely motivating [that is until she becomes upset when we have to stop scrubbing the floors or wiping tables].  Sometimes I find myself setting her down to watch Rio so I can get things done faster and “in peace,” but the kick myself when I realize that part her day was wasted on television. Balance is hard. Exhausting.
As tired and dreadful as I am making my life sound, it is really awesome. Everyday I have the option to relax when I need to, go swing out on the porch, and spend the ENTIRE day with the coolest girl I know. I get to experience every new word, expression, and habit she discovers. I get to watch her pick out her outfits (Her first attempt is always a snowman sweater from Vovo that she calls”Babies”), chose how to style her hair (Up or down? One ponytail or two? Buns or piggies?), figure out how to hold a pencil. watch her discovering paint for the first time, and watch her intensely fold laundry. She is brilliant amazing and beautiful. I am one blessed lady.

Tonight we have a faculty family supper over at the high school. Hooray for a night without having to cook! Every evening in the past week has included a family walk through the neighborhoods of St. James. Penelope shrieks with excitement at the site of her stroller and runs to find her shoes and “ocks”.
Yesterday to give us a change of pace, we watched Elf while waiting for Daddy to get home from grading papers, complete with iced hot chocolate, homemade peanut butter cookies, and popcorn. She actually enjoyed the whole movie- dancing to every song (there are a lot!), and running back to cuddle when she was done.  That, plus the Autumn breeze blowing in the window, soft blankets and fluffy pillows - it was magical.

Talking about the kids playing at recess, saying “Weee!”

Today I am waiting for the internet fella to show up, we’ve cleaned, Penelope has had a bath, and talked to Grandma Penny on the phone, and she (Penelope, not Grandma) is now down for a nap in the hopes that she’ll be awake for Daddy’s lunch break.

Soon we will be finding creative ways to decorate for Fall- since we have no decorations- and I will be posting those as that happen, as well as meals we try, seeing as how we are trying to be creative and frugal with our food budget. Oh, and of course photos of Penelope covered in paint and food as these projects occur, ‘cause she’s cute! (and I’m trigger happy with a camera…)

Happy Tuesday!
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