Childhood

“Childhood is a strange country. It’s a place you come from or go to – at least in your mind. For me it has an endless, spellbound something in it that feels remote. It’s like a little sealed-vault country of cake breath and grass stains where what you do instead of work is spin until you’re dizzy.”

~Lyall Bush
Executive director of Richard Hugo House, a center for writers & readers.

If you haven't started reading your coffee cups, you need to start.

OK, so I read this on the back of a Starbucks cup. Yes, that I purchased. Yes, most of them are dumb and/or cheesy and printed by a multi-gazillion dollar company, but this one stuck with me. And I liked it.

Pumpkin Patch

The Boys

What a gorgeous day we had at the local pumpkin farm this past weekend! It was sunny and blue and even a little warm.

I love Fall. It's my favorite time of year, so much so that I sometimes end up wishing summer away too soon. What's not to love: the boots, the sweaters, the trees and all of their beautiful colors. The crispness in the air. "Momma, you can smell winter!", Cole says, excitedly. I know!

Cole & his friend, Brandon

These two have become like two peas in a pod - 'brothers', you could call them. With a love/hate relationship to go along with it. But the fun they have together is helarious to watch. I can see them turning into Soup & Me (if you've read the books) when they're just a bit older. What one doesn't think of, the other one will. Scary.

Cole, Anna & their projects...


Anna's

Cole & mom's

And onto my *favorite* part - roasted pumpkin seeds. Yum!!

The Scent of Memories

I was getting ready for work this morning and was running late. I shaved, which took extra time. (damn, being a girl!) So I decided to wear my hair a bit curly again. (yep, I got that naturally after Cole was born) Aaaaaanyway... back to my story. I reach into the cabinet under the sink for product and remember that I bought some mousse about 6 months ago. Yes, I said Mousse. So I sqirt some into my palm and start to fluff into my hair. I am instantly drawn back into Junior High.

This was the mid-1980's for me with the perms and the bangs (oh, God, the bangs....) and the colored mascara, pink and purple eyeshsadow, flipped-up collars, acid wash jeans, leggings, Generra, Code Bleu, Guess Jeans, Keds, matching socks - sometimes layered..... and on and on and on.

What a great scent reminder! It made me nostalgic for all the girls, too: Cami, Jackie, Julie L., Julie B., Jennie, Dannielle, Tracey, Sara, Janelle, Heather, Jaylene, Hillary, Kim & Cathy and even Natasha (for the countless others, my deepest apologies)

Do you remember Janelle's cool & funky nail polish designs? And Jackie's obsession with George Michael (well, all of ours, to be exact)? Spending ALL SUMMER at Wild Waves?? Cruising the Sea-Tac Mall before we had cars? Eating at El Torito's? Miss Ellis and the whole cheerleading fiasco? Mr. Ingram (?) and our counseling? Brandon and Pat?

OK, so this will mainly partain to just a select few of you. But I hope all who reads this gets the chance for a 'Smell Spell' every once in awhile. It's amazing and special and even a little bit sad, but Awesome!

Stand By Me. Dirty Dancing.

'nuff said.