Busy Days

Here are five of my many blessings from my busy days of this past week.  Although I've heard some hard news concerning a childhood friend with cancer and an older friend who will soon be leaving her beloved husband and family, I choose to pray for them and ask God to bless them in their difficulties and grief.  I understand that sometimes life is hard, and that's why it's even more important to remember the good things in my days.  Susanne helps us by posting Friday Fave Fives every week.

1.  Spending five more days and nights with my girl and the little ones was definitely a blessing for me.  Mostly, we prepped rooms and boxes for their move, but we also took time off to relax.  Of course we had to shop for groceries.  Here is Zoe's grocery list:

The reason this is a fave is because a year ago, she didn't know letters or sounds and certainly couldn't have written any words.  I'm so very proud of her!

2.  Every time I visit San Diego, I try to have one breakfast at The Mission Restaurant in East Village.  The best granola in the world is served there.

The french toast is excellent.

And the coffee--I could go on and on and on about the coffee.  I'm picky about my coffee.  This was the best Americano I've had. ever.  In fact, I ordered a second cup.

The little ones came with us and they waited patiently for their 'brunch'.  Their mama knows how to keep them entertained with cars and leap pads.

4.  I took the Amtrak train home which means -- beach views!  I was sitting on the coast side but the windows were really dirty.  And since I was on the later train, and since it was a 'coastal fog and low cloudiness' day, all my photos look a bit 'surreal'.  Even so, they're beach pictures.  And you can never have too many beach pictures.  (These are especially for you, Kathie!)

5.  When I stepped off the train, The Professor was there on the station platform waiting for me.  That's the very best.

These are the five faves of Willow's Week.  I hope you have taken a few minutes each evening to think about the day's blessings and be thankful.

AWON

Absent With Out Notice

Oops.  I didn't mean to be gone.  It just happened.  Life was busy around Willow's Cottage what with jobs and life, and we took a couple of trips to the south.  It was a great two weeks but you know how it is--it gets tiring running around and having fun.  I definitely chalked up the blessings during these two weeks.  I'm sharing them here and on Friday Fave Five.

1. The main reason we were in San Diego was to celebrate a certain seven year old's birthday with a Bat Girl Party.  Happy Birthday, ZG!  We are so very thankful that you are in our family and we will be able to celebrate your birthday every year forever.

2. While we were in San Diego that weekend, we decided to drive up to Julian.  Julian is a sweet little town east of San Diego, up in the mountains.  Julian is over 4,000 feet in elevation and therefore has actual real seasons.  In October, there are pumpkins and yellow leaves and horses standing in golden fields.

3. The days in San Diego were wonderful.  Playing hide and seek--

"I'm hiding!"

Playing cars

 Finishing Christmas stockings

Knitting Pink Socks

4. Then The Boy and his mama met us in Los Angeles.  What do you do when the family is together?  We visit museums.  A little back story here would help.  When my younger daughter was in college, she was an anthropology major.  Her close friend and classmate is now employed at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum in Exposition Park.  So we enjoyed a special tour of labs at the museum.

Their favorite find?  Coprolites  (common name:  fossiled animal poop)
Such kids.

Then we were off to the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits.  (This is where my daughter worked during her internship)

 skeletons and skulls

Dire cat skulls

Finally we ended the day the way we love--eating Indonesian food!

This is the only food photo I caught because I was too busy eating rice, veggies and peanut sauce.  The dish in the picture is a special chicken soup called soto ayam.  Note the TWO spoons--you just gotta share!

5. Our final day together was at the Getty Center.  Oh we love that place!  There is just So. Much. To. See.  Check out the permanent and special exhibits here.

Even the buildings and autumn leaves are breathtaking!

So this is why I disappeared for two weeks.  We were making memories.  Did you make memories this week?

Where Has The Summer Gone?

Nearly End of Summer Willow's Week Friday Fave Fives with Susanne.

Summer is almost over.  Sad but true.  In fact, The Professor has already spent a day in his office at the university.  I, also, am gearing up with prep work for the school year.  But mostly I'm ignoring the fact that it is the end of summer.

1.  We spent part of last week visiting little ones in San Diego and doing all the usual summer things.  The main reason for our visit was to be present at the two little ones' baptisms.  (Unfortunately, no recognizable photos are allowed to be posted in a public media place.)  But we did many other fun things such as our usual visit to San Diego Zoo.  The baby flamingos were adorable.  I forgot my camera but The Professor snapped one shot with his phone.

Hikes with friends.

Trolley rides

2.  Summer is not the time to knit warm sweaters.  It's the time to knit socks.

3.  Summer is bike riding time.  Thirteen miles one day with a stop for coffee.  Of course.

4.  Summer is a time for (more) reading.  Yeah, I'm still reading Louis L'Amour books.  Louis L'Amour wrote A LOT of books.

5.  Summer, and specifically August, is the time for more birthdays.  Son #1 and Daughter #1, both in early August.

Many years ago

So. Cute.

I don't know about you, but I am savoring every moment I have left of summer!

Willow's Wild Weekend

Well, Willow's Week turned out to be rather more of a week than I expected.  A whirlwind visit by #2 Son the Grad Student. And a more whirly whirlwind trip to San Diego.  And in the midst of all the craziness, there were the many blessings.

1. Spending the few days with The Grad Student before he left to return to Indonesia was a wonderful gift. Also, the email telling us that he had arrived safely in Jakarta made this mama's heart happy.

2. The visit with Youngest Daughter and her sweet family was all the sweeter for being only twenty-four hours.  We didn't go any fun places except the park, but that was enough.  Hanging out at home talking and laughing is best.

3.  Little sweetnesses like this dandelion corsage which Little L picked for me and insisted that I wear tucked in my buttonhole.

4.  Beginning the 'organizing the photos' project.  Yes, I did start!  Hopefully, the small beginning will continue and a large dent will be made in this gigantic project.

5.  Possibly we have solved the deer problem.  A concoction from the big box home store which includes red pepper may be the solution.  Here's hoping.

A couple of bonus photos which I finally moved from my phone after way too long.  Both were snapped across the freeway from my neighborhood.

Sunset over the golf course

Avenue of Poinsettias

So that was Willow's Wild Weekend in Five Simple Statements.  How was yours?  You can link up to Susanne's blog and share your Friday Fave Fives.

Parties, Zoos, Trains, and Books!

Here's Willow's Week in Five Faves.

After my long weekend away in San Diego, I'm back home and recovering from a very busy four days.  Well, when you have two little ones around, you don't have much down time.

1.  We went to a party.  Maybe some day we'll be a forever family.

2.   We went to the zoo.   This family of four is certainly a flip flop family.

3.  On Monday, after spending a couple of precious quiet 'just two of us' hours with my youngest girl in downtown San Diego, I took Amtrak home.  I love the train.  Since I've been on this train route many times, I know where to sit for the best views of the ocean and beach.  Even on a gray and dreary day, and through a train window, the view is gorgeous.

4.  Books!  I got books!  In the mail!

My friend the pit bull mommy sent me this book for my birthday.  It's the next best thing to owning my own dog.

5.  Then, my friend Meg from Minimalist Woman and her husband Steve Johnson (the Minimalist Photographer) sent me a copy of Steve's newest book!  Oh joy!  So much information to digest to improve my own photo skills. Plus incredible photos to drool over.

Obviously, my week was stuffed with much more than these Five Faves, but I can't share it all.  So I had to limit myself.  Some weeks that's easier done than others.  Yes, I photographed a few flowers.  Yes, I taught my classes.  Yes, I read a book.  But These Five Things shone in my memory.