katie in the woods

• The change in weather today was extreme.  It poured and poured and the high was only 14 degrees.  Kind of weird, but in a way welcome.  I'm always such a sweaty mess, I appreciate a cool day here and there
• I talked to auntie Kim this morning for a long time.  She's my life line.  She listens to me.  She doesn't judge.  I'm allowed to be a flawed human being.  She laughs at my stories and tells me all of hers.  I'm very fortunate to have a friend like her
• Lila, you've started to listen to music.  I play it on the stereo in the living room and you sit on daddy's chair and absorb it.  You feel it in your soul.  You memorize lyrics easily.  When you're listening to something from a soundtrack, you can tell me exactly what's happening in the movie at that part of the song
• Lila and George, you kept yourselves pretty busy drawing and cutting...and you used the piano as  your desk.  I should probably be more strict with what you use the piano for, but you love it so much.  You use it as a desk, a lounger, and a play structure.  Who knew a piano could be so multi-purpose?
• A weird, ominous fog rolled in this morning.  It was so dark and dreary.  Felt like a winter day.  But then it blew away as fast as it came in
• Katie, I forced you to take photos with me this evening.   You had soccer and we were super early (traffic is so hard to predict sometimes!) so I pulled over in a little spot I've been eyeing for a while.  You made me set my timer for two minutes.  I could take whatever I could in two minutes, then we had to get back in the van.  I actually forgot you had soccer tonight.  I was all settled in for the evening in my pajamas and a glass of wine, when you came out of your room dressed for soccer.  Whaaaaaat?  Totally change of plans and mindset.  It was cold and rainy and windy, but I met up with a friend and had a nice time chatting the time away.
• Jane, you're working hard at earning back your privileges.  I'm proud of you effort and attitude today.  I'm actually quite impressed with the plan you drew up.  We renegotiated the terms tonight and made some slight changes.  You're doing good kid!  Keep it up!