The Phoenix: Epicuriousmothering Rising

My friend told me this lovely bit of marriage advice (which I will probably slaughter . . . creative license is needed here), which I passed on to Phoebe when we were talking about how her darling boyfriend is finally catching on to the hints she's been dropping about what a real date is and how he should treat her (he does treat her very very well . . . she's just fine tuning it): My friend's friend's (yes, one of THOSE stories), sat her daughter down before her wedding and said, "Look at your father.  He's pretty much perfect isn't he?  He takes such good care of us.  He mows the lawn, he takes out the trash, he buys us what we want, and is there for us when ever we need him." The daughter nodded her head and said, "Yes, Dad is pretty amazing." The mother said, "Yes, he is.  That took 25 years of training.  Don't expect your husband to be like your father over night.  Give him time.  He'll get there." When I heard ...

( Our hike on Saturday . . . and how we ended up after arriving back home--we hiked like crazy people up and ran our little fanny's off down . . . and that is why I am so sore and happy and sleepy) When asked to give Newlyweds advice, mine is always this:  If you find yourself in a bit of a disagreement late into the night, JUST GO TO BED.  It will, I promise, be better in the morning. I got lots of the exact opposite advice when we first got married:  Never, ever go to be angry. It turns out, at least for us, 99.99999% of the reason we are angry/frustrated/hurt at each other is because we are bone weary.  We can't see straight.  So if it's past 10pm when we start into a "discussion" as we like to call it in our house (which have been known to rattle the window pains), we just say, We will finish this in the morning.  John goes to bed and I go into the study and cry for about ten minutes until he comes and finds me and pulls me off the couch ...

Sometimes you just have a good day.  It doesn't happen that often, but when it does, you just need to sit back and relish it.  That's what I'm doing right now. The sun is pouring in through the wall of windows in my room warming me all the way through.  Piper and Finn are happily playing downstairs with their cousins, their laughter and chatter floating up the stairs making me smile.  Celia has spent the day at home (her free day) making cake, reading, and actually helping me.  Phoebe is off with laughing friends--I won't see her again today I'm sure.  And John is off picking up pizza so no dinner making for me (joy joy joy) After a beautiful session of flowing yoga and a killer 10 minute ab workout with my choga girls, I walked three miles with Emily in the wind and the sunshine and felt cold and alive.  Then I curled up on the couch with the final book in the Red Rising series (honestly, best. books. ever!) and finally got to read.  I ignore...