The Hot Cocoa Incident of 2012

A friend passed down this camo outfit.  It finally fits!

Last night, Z wanted to go outside as the sun was setting, right as dinnertime was approaching, and Daddy was about to be home.  I suggested that we eat dinner, and go have a special hot cocoa night outside.  We could run around and play during the super cold dark night.  Sounds awesome, right?

He was stoked!

Dad came home, "Dad!!  It's Daddy-dude night and we're going to have hot cocoa outside!!!!"

These are the things we remember as children, the special things we do together as a family.

We ate dinner then I got our clothes ready.  Of course, even though he wanted to go out, didn't want to get dressed.  I reminded him a few times as I warmed the milk, and finally he was dressed.  Yes!

He asked which cup was his.  I asked which one he wanted.  I smiled and pointed, "That's your cup."

Our special Christmas hot cocoa mugs

The curious four-year old that he is, of course he grabbed it to look at it.  I wasn't looking, and hot cocoa went everywhere.  I guess I forgot to tell him his cup was full of cocoa.  Oops.  It splashed from his face, to his toes, into a puddle at his feet, down the counter, on the counter, and hit every dish on the way down.  Thankfully, it wasn't super hot.

He was devastated.  He was covered in cocoa, and of course thought he had lost all his cocoa to top that off.  Immediately, tears welled in his eyes, and I just saw the sadness.  I could feel my heart ache for him.  "My cocoa!!!  Now I don't have any more cocoa!!!  And it's all over me.  Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!"

I got down to him, "It's okay.  It's just an accident."  (A really sucky, super messy accident, but an accident)  "Take your shirt off.  Go get a new one.  I'll clean this up.  It's okay."  I smiled.  Tears continued to well up, and it just broke my heart.  He took a deep breath.

Daddy came in and witnessed the mess.  I could see the frustration.  I explained that it was an accident. He didn't want to go outside, "He doesn't even seem to want to go out.  Why are you pushing this?"

I knew he was tired and wanted to chill.  Deep breath.

"Because, he does want to go outside.  He just waiting on me to get the cocoa made, and get us ready, and then we'll go out."

He walked off to help Z find his coat, shaking his head and mumbling.  I just took a deep breath, and cleaned the mess, and it was a mess.

But that's what I do.  Mama Been: mess cleaner.

It was dang near Bodhi's bedtime by now, but he was feeling the energy and excited.

Finally, the cocoa was finished!

I snagged my coat, got Bodhi's on and we headed out.

They dashed out the door, ready to play under the stars on the wintery night.  I thought, "Bodhi doesn't even remember cold like this.  Damn, it's cold."

Bodhi was excited and ran for the bikes.  Z, my little dude with a sweet tooth, sat down for cocoa.

Itty bitty marshmallows.

Pretty tasty!

They were adorable, so bundled up, and so excited.  I took a few pictures.  I said to Daddy, "Keep an eye on Bodhi."  I went to snap a picture and BAM, Bodhi grabbed the hot cocoa and spilled it.

Both boys cried.

The crying stopped when Z realized it wasn't his cocoa, and Bodhi realized it wasn't really that scary.  Whew!  Thankfully only his hand and a small spot on his pants was wet.

It was my cocoa, of course.  That's fine.

Dad was done.  "I'm going inside."

We chalked it up to just a crazy night, and ran to swing under the stars.

We drank cocoa in the tiny house, climbed the playscape, slid a few times, went to swing on the big swing together, all cuddled and bundled up, and by then sweet Bodhi was super tired, and hands and face were so cold.

It's a funny thing about little people.  They strip their gloves, and hat, and feel the cold.  It's so new to them, even if it's a little uncomfortable, they appreciate the novelty of it.  I love seeing the world through their eyes, with their great appreciation for such small things.

We called it a night, and with the promise of heading out again in the morning, dawdled all the way to the door.

I could see the tired smile on the boys faces, and it brought a smile to my face.  We peeled off the layers, and headed up to get ready for bed.  Bodhi fell asleep first, then I headed in to read with Z.

He fell asleep a happy boy.

I've never been a fan of cold, but when there are two small boys reveling in it's joy and mystery, it makes me love it.  There are so many things I didn't appreciate, and overlooked, and made up opinions about, without ever feeling it, before I had children.

I love these boys.

They open my heart, and open my eyes, and see everything as special and something to appreciate, especially the simple stuff, and even when everything is covered in sticky hot cocoa.

Helping brother with his hat

Thanksgiving Day!

Happy Thanksgiving to you, and your family and friends!

Best.  Dressing.  Ever.
Making a vegetarian version. 

**Order among chaos.

Being organized, so that leaves room to help

and not flip out!!**

**Making tons of dressing, mac and cheese, green bean casseroles, pie and a ham, 

and it doesn't feel so much like work, but just what I do.**

**Neighbors taking family walks.**

**Children playing.**

**LOVELOVELOVE.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Twenty-One

**You -friends, and family.**

**A husband that loves to spend time at home, and with his family.**

**Two gorgeous boys, that are growing as sweet and kind, as they are beautiful.**

**Our comfortable, beautiful home.**

**Good healthy food for our table, and a growing garden year round.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Twenty

**Heart-felt smiles, returned from a stranger.**

**Strangers that go out of their way to help you.**

**People that pack groceries right.**

**Being *this close* to finishing that huge to-do list.**

**Making the time to sit on the cushion on a busy day!!!**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Nineteen

**Babies.**

**Silly boys.**

**My children will eat anything, and love healthy food, and despise most junk food.**

**Daddy is off for a whole week!**

**A freshly mopped floor, by one wonderful husband.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Eighteen

**Birthday love from near and far.**

**Delicious birthday dinner made by Mom.  

Vegetarian lasagna, gorgeous salad and orange chiffon cake.**

**Mysteriously the Apothecary Circle group began on my birthday eve!

This is one of my birthday presents and it officially starts on the New Year!**

**Lovely new Herb Book.**

**Gorgeous Fall Flowers and silly cards.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Intentions + Thanksgiving, Day Seventeen

Today is my own personal new year, my 32nd birthday.

I am grateful for my life, my children, family, friends, and all the beautiful, amazing people and creatures that I share this life with in this gorgeous universe.  Every moment, whether up or down, truly is a blessing.

The Universe provides me with quite a beautiful show each year with the Leonid Meteor shower.

Also, for my birthday I signed up for this Apothecary Circle (thanks Mom!), and surprisingly, even though it doesn't start until the New Year, a group was created on my birthday eve, and the invitation sent to dig in already.

I'll also be enjoying a home-cooked veggie lasagna and orange chiffon cake made by Mom tonight, on my beautiful new dishes.

What a lucky girl I am; I couldn't be more elated.

I'm also celebrating by setting my intentions for the year, and reflecting upon the intentions that I set last year.  They were a silent guide, that I checked back in with from time to time.  They were with me every step of the way, and will be the remainder of my life, because they are a part of me, and always have been -I just have to remember them sometimes.

Intentions seep out of my heart, and deep into the marrow of my bones, to chart the course for what lays ahead.  They're remembering what's important, and where I've been and where I am going, as well as where I am right now.

These intentions are purposely open-ended, with space around them, accepting and ready for what comes my way.

Every day is a new day, and we can never have too much love in our heart.

**Honoring every being, space and moment as sacred.**

**Unconditional love.**

**Attention.**

**Breathing.**

**Sensing. **

**Gratitude. **

**Patience.**

**Kindness.**

**Connection.**

**Not rushing, or being too busy.**

**Offering help, and not being afraid to accept it myself.**

**Taking care of what's in front of me.**

**Non-judgemental awareness.**

**There's always time, space and room.**

**Know that no matter where I am or what I am doing, 

that I am right where I'm meant to be, and need to be.**

**Know that this is enough, right here, right now.**

**My life is my practice.**

**I am whole.**

Thanksgiving, Day Fifteen

**Lavender.**

**The peace I feel when I paint and create with the boys.  

Watching them love it as much as I do.**

**Seeing the world through the eyes of my children.**

**Pixie Campbell & my SouLodge sisters.**

**A new little baby girl coming Earthside today.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Thirteen

Me and Mom

**My mother's birthday TODAY.**

**My mother's unconditional love, compassion and caring heart.**

**Being blessed with motherhood myself.**

**Heart flutters.**

**The sweet look Bodhi gets when his eyelids flutter to sleep
as he peacefully nurses and cuddles me.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Twelve

The view from the road down the mountain to Mountain View,  Arkansas.

One of the best trips I ever took was in the Summer of 2007
with Grandmother and Mom.  We explored my roots in Arkansas.
I am so grateful that I stayed up every night to record our day trips in my journal.
She was an amazing woman and storyteller, and had a pretty awesome life.

**Mom.**

**Dad.**

**Grandmother.**

**Grandfather.**

**Nana.**

**Papa.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Eleven

We planted our Mexican Milkweed in the Spring,
and awaited these beautiful Monarchs who arrived last month on their way to Mexico.
Just this week the plant is swarming with caterpillars.

**Monarch caterpillars on our Mexican milkweed.**

**Doing nothing, which is often better than something.**

**My boys' uncles.**

**Fall breeze.**

**Karen Maezen Miller.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Ten

Rest in Peace, little buddy
1997-2011

**Remembering our sweet boy, Paco,  
and the fourteen years we shared with him.
Last year seems like yesterday**

**A three day weekend with Daddy home.**

**French Press coffee.**

**Interconnectedness.**

**Gorgeous clouds.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Nine

**Sun**

**Moon**  

**Earth**

**Water**

**Trees and plants**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Eight

**Going to bed early, and not waking up tired.**


**Hanging with a good friend, and her adorable girl.**

**Gorgeous deer, that stop by to say hello everyday.**

**Our growing garden.**

**When things don't go as I'd like them to or someone does something I don't like,
I can choose to be accepting and forgiving,
instead of expect people to be only as I wish they were.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Seven

**The American People.**

**The illusion of division.**

**Four more years.**

**Unconditional love.**

**Reinvention.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Four & Five

**Special birthday dinners for an amazing husband, and best friend,
at a nice restaurant.  Just the two of us.**

**Surprise ice cream cakes, brought by mom.**

**Having a migraine, asking for help, and not having to worry.**

**Acupuncture.**

**Beautiful flocks of birds, playing in the yard, on a sunny Fall day.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Three

**Beautiful surprises.**

**Grandma brought us breakfast, then we got to go hang out at her house.**

**Dinner with old friends, from out of town, and anticipating their move back to Texas.**

**A quiet peaceful night, with a little time alone.**

**Recognizing anger and frustration, instead of over-acting or acting upon it.  

Or acting upon it, and recognizing the emotions, and suffering, that comes from my own actions.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day Two

Thanksgiving, Day Two

**Being married to my best friend, who loves me unconditionally,
and supports me no matter what, as I do him.**

**Z is becoming an awesome big brother, and more patient than I ever expected.**

**People that make me think.**

**Knowing without a doubt that we are all deeply connected to one another.
Even when it seems unlikely, we all have a lot more in common than we think.**

**Friends that come and play at the last minute.**

If you are curious about my gratitude journal, here's Day One.

Thanksgiving, Day One

Everyday is good for giving thanks, but November is such a special month.  Not only do we have Thanksgiving Day to celebrate, we have five major November birthdays, right on the heels of Z's October Birthday.  Grandma, Daddy and Mama all have November birthdays, as well as Uncle Beau and Papaw.

Whew!!!  This is an awesomely busy time of year.

I thought it would be nice to do an online gratitude journal, in addition to my regular old hand written one.  So here it goes...

Day One:

*Still happy about Halloween and trick-or-treating.*

**Honoring our ancestors as we celebrate Dia de los Muertos today.**

**A gorgeous warm and sunny Fall day with clear blue skies.**

**Visit from a Red Tail Hawk.**

**Delicious fettucine alfredo with spinach pasta.**



And by the way, my handwritten was inspired by many of you, but especially Awesomely Awake.