Kindness DOES Still Exist!

After making plans with some friends to head out to a local inflatable bouncy place this morning, I checked the web to see that Pump It Up in Pelham dedicates a few mornings a week to "drop in" times, otherwise the place books up for parties etc...

Yet in my own stupor, I still managed to get the day wrong and after the troops and I arrived our friends and I discovered my terrible error. While the kids anxiously ran around the waiting room, I spoke to the owner who told me about a birthday party going on.

CRAP.

So, back out to the cars we went, only a minute later to be called by the owner back into the building...

"I can open up the other room for you all, and the birthday party will be over in about 20 minutes. I'll let you come in," he offered. "I don't want to disappoint the kids."

WHAT?!!! For real? I was blown away. On top of that, he only charged us for two children, instead of the 4 we had with us.

In a world full of complaints and bitterness, frustrations and complications, this man went out of his way to provide a kind of generosity you don't see very often these days. It was a great reminder to push myself to be more kind. It also offered up a free lesson to teach our children the same.

Thank you to the owner of Pump It up in Pelham!!!

Cheers, Kate

Signs of Summer Around Here

Nate and Jules making forts with patio furniture, and enjoying homemade smoothies!

Saturday Morning at Pepper Place farmer's market, downtown, Birmingham.

Splashing at the Birmingham Zoo's water park


And it's only just beginning!

Our Family's First Sports Season

The end of Nate's first T-Ball season has found us loving the aspect of team sports in our family life! For the past two months, we've spent many weeknights and weekends at practice and games, and getting to know other boys and their family's too. It's been a terrific experience for Nate, but also for us as well!

And of course, Juliana spent most of her time on the bleachers or running around the fields making LOTS of friends!

What's HAPPENING around here:

• The Garden is growing!
• Juliana finally got around to painting her room (okay, I finally got around to doing it)
• Pete and I are planning a trip to Paris...that's right, I said PARIS! Happy MA degree to me!
• We are LOVING hanging out on our deck and using the patio furniture, especially paired with evening time (and wine).
• I am becoming a Healthy Child Healthy World enthusiast (more on this soon)
• Pete is hitting the road this week, and headed to CA for work
• Nate is LOVING his T-ball games
• I actually set up my sewing machine and am getting motivated to create something this week...send some good creative vibes my way, will you?!

Cheers, Kate

Earth Day 2010

Happy Earth Day!!!!!

Originally I had planned to take the kids to a fun Earth Day celebration downtown today with Auntie Litter and all...but after the jam-packed (but still fun) week we have had, we decided to honor our Earth by staying home today, not driving anywhere, and spending some time in our backyard.

We also joined Grow Alabama, a CSA group (Community Supported Agriculture) that supports Alabama farmers through local weekly purchases of vegetable/fruit/meat/dairy boxes that are delivered to your home!

If you are local and want more information on the group, see the above link, and if you're out of state, please take a few minutes to see how you too, can support your local farmers!

Cheers, Kate

Creativity Looming

With all that has consumed our life over the past year or so, with the move, completing my thesis, etc...I have felt like my creative muse has become an empty vessel! Now that my thesis is finished, the majority of our boxes unpacked, and spring has sprung, reshaping our landscape right before my eyes, I am starting feel the inspiration, and motivation, to allow time for creativity!

I am starting to feel desperate to create something!

Anything actually...

But lately, these are the things I have been dreaming about spending my time upon:

1. sewing, sewing, sewing

2. spoiling (in all the best ways) our vegetable garden...I have such high hopes for it this year!

3. painting and adding some very needed special touches to Juliana's poorly neglected bedroom

4. getting back to my fiction writing

5. blogging more

6. re-establishing a relationship with my camera...I've missed you so...

7. letter writing to friends

8. painting with the kids

That is good for now...now if only I can make myself set aside some time here and there!

How are you using your creativity these days?

Cheers, Kate

Getting things done!

It feels like it's been SO long since I last posted (and it really has been, hasn't it?) that I have actually been avoiding my own blog for fear of facing my own embarrassment at being MIA for such a long time!

Oh well, so be it. Life has kept me busy...very busy lately, and that has been a good thing, because I have been gettin things done!

Last week I defended my graduate level THESIS! And very soon now, I will have that amazing, (almost gold like) English Masters degree in hand!

I'll be back tomorrow...I promise...

Till then, cheers,
Kate