MISTY'S MORNINGS

Once again I am amazed at how much the month of May resembles the frantic pace and pressure of December. There are so many end-of-year parties, graduations, and programs to attend and in one's free time there is urgency to sign-up, register and reserve spots in all sorts of summer camps and classes. For someone (me) who prefers life at a stop-and-smell-the-roses pace, this time of year can make me feel like I have ADD. I cannot focus. I run errands sure that I have forgotten something when I leave the store. Suddenly all sorts of escapist novels seem appealing and I am pining for slowed-down summer days. Except that this year we have a pretty jam-packed summer schedule lined up for the boys. First, there is Vacation Bible School. The older boys will be volunteering as helpers and my newly minted 1st grader will attend for the first time.  Then comes a week of all-day basketball camp for Rhys and Zach.  I look forward to having Kai all to myself for an entire ...

Fire   52 Photos Gallery 1

I had every intention of publishing this post in early January, 2014. That time of year, so ripe with new beginnings always brings out my inner perfectionist. I manage to keep her down most of the time but come January 1st, I am ready to start fresh, re-examine my routines, my priorities, my life along with most of the rest of the world. This year I even joined Ali in her One Little Word course with the idea that I would document the results of my already yearly practice of choosing one guiding word. A few years ago I got a bit smarter though, and abandoned the idea of making New Year's Resolutions. They seemed like a list of hard and fast rules that only wind up making me feel defeated by January 15th. Instead I have slid into the much more comfortable realm of setting intentions. It's the difference between wearing a push-up bra and your t-shirt bra. Both do the job but one allows you to breathe and the other makes you count the minutes until you can take it off. S...