I am remembering my sweet Griffin yesterday, following me through the grocery while I picked up the last remnants that would be dinner. This child has inherited his mother's love of books and reading, so while I'm strolling through the store, he's tagging along (albeit very close to me) with his nose in a book. I say "very close to me", because I just realized his methods for walking and reading at the same time: (this is Griffin) "If I stand close enough to mom, then I can sense when it's time to walk and time to stop, but I won't miss anything on the page"! I'm sure we made quite a sight at the store.

I love it that he's addicted to reading. As soon as he picks up a book, he peels it open in the middle and puts it right up to his nose to breathe deep. If we're staying overnight somewhere, his first question is if there's a bookstore nearby (I've actually booked hotels by checking to see the locations of Barnes & Noble first).

One day after school last week, Griffin decided to take a spin on his scooter outside, however he walks out the door with TWO books in hand. A while later I looked out the window to check on him and noticed his favorite North Face jacket that he was wearing, along with the two books, was laying on the trunk of my car. I made a mental note to take the jacket and books off the car before I left to take Devon to play rehearsal. Well, hours later (as now it's pitch black outside), Griffin is getting ready for bed and looking for his books. He says, "So I'm assuming you took my jacket and books off your car?"......my heart sank. I looked at him and all I could say was, "Are you kidding me?" Off we fly out the door to find the jacket and books that clearly flew off my car. Of course I'm thinking about the jacket, and all Griffin can think about are his beloved books.

As we rounded the corner from our home, there lay the North Face on the side of the road. No books. My sweet boy, who always sees the best in every situation says: "Well, maybe someone else loves reading as much as I do", and seemed to be just fine with bestowing this "gift" to the Universe. Needless to say, I promised him a trip to the bookstore really soon!

Happiness is being spontaneous! My two girls made spur-of-the-moment decisions today to doing something they wouldn't normally do - and with joyous results!

As Michael and I were busy working away in our office earlier, Bella caming walking through the door! Imagine our surprise! Michael and I turned to each other in tandem with a how-did-she-get-here look. Come to find out, she wanted to surprise us so she walked to the office from our home, which is close, only a couple of miles. Now, even though the snow is melting, this isn't my idea of fun, as I dreadfully dislike the cold. She was digging around in her bag, mumbling "I brought you something", and out comes a warmed up bagel wrapped in a paper towel. She thought we might want a snack, she says! The thoughtfulness of her gesture, combined with walking in the cold to bring it to us, put the biggest smile on my face.

Tonight after dinner, Devon and Luke (her boyfriend), decided they were going to go to the last basketball game at their high school to celebrate with friends....wearing TOGAS!!! I thought this was hilarious, and couldn't believe they'd do that in this weather (again the cold)!! Pretty soon, the front door opens and one by one, friends and more Carlson cousin's pour in so they can all get togafied together. Someone came to retrieve my laptop to watch what I was told was a very helpful video on YouTube on how to make a toga (keep that in mind if you're ever needing a toga). Squeals of laughter came roaring from downstairs, but they were having so much fun, I saw no need to tell them to quiet down. Devon came upstairs to quietly tell me she wasn't sure if she wanted to go because it was at 7:30. When I asked her why she said, "Mom that's my bedtime - you know how I am"! I told her she could come home from school tomorrow and go right to bed if she needed to but that this was clearly way too much fun to pass up. She relented and I know she's having a blast. Thank goodness we don't always talk ourselves out of the fun in life!

More fun to come: only 31 more days until Memphis!!!

As I was coming into the kitchen this morning to make myself a steaming cup of love, I could still smell the scent of garlic from last night's dinner. It wasn't offensive, and probably made more aromatic by the memory that it wasn't I who made dinner, but my lovely Devon who labored to bring us a wonderful meal.

Devon is Miss Independance to the thousandth degree, so I know better than to offer help when she feels she's "in charge". That's o.k. I've learned, after many attempts of trying to show her how to doing something "right" and having them end with her angry with me, that there are many paths to "right", and I have to let her take her path. And besides, if I'm in the kitchen hovering, it completely cancels out the elation of having someone else do this for me!

So I took this opportunity to sit with my book and peek over the top of it, and on occasion, watch her from afar as she whipped up her magic. Straining, because she was blessed with the "short gene" from both her grandmothers, to reach the food processor from the high cabinet. Making her own pesto, slicing her bread, and I'm sure her secret joy at everyone filtering upstairs because "it smells really good up here". I'm grateful that Devon likes to make dinner, she loves experimenting with food, and always mentions, in a not-so-subtle way that, "we need to open a restaurant mom, SERIOUSLY". Food stuff aside, I'm just grateful for Devon. SERIOUSLY.