Summer on a Plate

People.

If you aren't eating peaches with basil wrapped in prosciutto, you're missing out big-time.

Here's the recipe:

1. Wash and cut up a peach (or a nectarine, or a peacharine which I just discovered yesterday)
2. Grab a leaf of basil
3. Put basil under peach slice
4. Wrap in prosciutto
5. Eat ravenously

 

Yeah, it kinda looks like fingers in this picture, but it doesn't taste like fingers, I swear.

You're welcome.

Do Unto Other Mothers

The Huffington Post recently featured an essay called A Beta Parent Manifesto (I know you've all already read it because HuffPost is such a hard hitting, can't miss news source...) and if you ask me (which you sort of did since you're reading this... right?) it's really just another excuse at mommy shaming. In it, the author attacks moms who choose to buy organic toys, moms who substitute more wholesome foods for their less wholesome counterparts, moms who read parenting books and enforce bedtime routines. The (ridiculously arbitrary) list on and on. Oh, and did I mention it begins with an attack on a mom for making her kid practice counting to five on the playground? Yeah. Because we all know that's a HUGE mom fail.

Now, as you might imagine if you've read my blog and known my absolute affinity for parenting books and other manifestations of (perhaps overly?) conscious parenting, I'm a little put off. I do not consider myself an "Alpha Mom" - I'd be kicked out of that club immediately considering that the most productive I've been today is getting dessert made and taking a shower. Which, by the way, is more than yesterday, given my teething baby and my post-vacation "jet" lag. No, I'm not an alpha mom. But I'm sure not a "Beta Mom" either; especially since they're apparently equally as judgmental in assuming that my children are the center of my universe, and like the Alpha Mom club, I'd be kicked out immediately because my children operate in a somewhat structured environment. I like to think I've found a happy medium.

I consider myself a deliberate (not a term I've coined) mom - a Delta mom, perhaps? I think about the chemicals (re: shampoo) and food I put on or in my children's bodies (I try to feed my kids organic food when I can, I nurse as long as I can before my supply turns to dust, and yes, *gasp* I make my own baby food). I think about the things that I allow to seep into their brains (IE: we limit screen time and I'm selective about the books and shows in our home), and they will ride in car seats until they can safely operate their own motor vehicles. I don't think this makes me a better mom than the next one because *second gasp* I don't give a damn what she does with her kids. As long as her kids are loved and well taken care of, what concern of it is mine if she pays for the $18 bottle of California Baby shampoo or the $3 bottle of Aveeno? As long as she's feeding her kids, why do I care if it's from a bottle, a boob or a paper plate? I choose to cloth diaper, but I couldn't care less if you don't. Why? Because it's really just none of my business. And it's none of your business that I pay $3 extra per pound of bacon for a Nitrate Free product. I'm done being made to feel guilty about my choices and I apologize if I've ever made you feel badly about yours. Are we all not doing the best we can?

There's a war on folks, I don't know if you heard. It's a war waged by moms, fought by moms and the casualties are, you guessed it, moms. It's so unnecessary I could scream. How about instead of worrying what other moms do with their kids, you take a few lessons on how to "Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you" and then teach your kids. The next generation of moms will be grateful.

Cloth Diaper FAQ

So I have received a few emails asking questions about my cloth diaper routine. I LOVE this! But it gets to be a hassle to type out, so I thought I'd share my thoughts on here. And also post some affiliate links in case you choose to buy.

You can find the bones of the info you need with a simple google search, so I'm not going to get in to how many you need, how to store, etc, but I will go over my personal preferences.

I use all kinds of diapers. When P was a newborn I preferred Green Mountain organic prefolds with a Thirsties cover. (Prefolds are a GREAT value but they don't wick away as well as other types, so older babies begin to find them irritating in my experience). I had about 16 prefolds and 6 covers. I switched her to a different type when she grew out of the Small size diapers (so we used newborn size and small size prefolds. I think I had about a dozen and a half of each). Now I mainly Bum Genius Elementals with Snaps, they're organic and they're pretty expensive ($24ish/diaper - though I do my VERY best to buy on sale) so my entire stash isn't made up of these. I also really like Kawaii Heavy Duty diapers with Aplix (about $8/diaper)- these are the most disposable-like diaper type, and the easiest for babysitters, grandparents, etc., and AlvaBaby and SunBaby diapers (otherwise known as China Cheapies, which run somewhere between $4 and $8). I've had my "cheapies" the longest and I've only had trouble with one. In fact, at this point, they're my go-to for when P will be wearing a diaper the longest, because I double stuff it for extra absorbency. Now, people are going to ding me here for encouraging folks to buy diapers from China, and yeah, yeah, labor laws and all that, but I'm typing this on a Chinese computer listing to my China-made TV. So... Diapers aren't going to change the world. Also, most American companies outsource at this point, and I'm not sinking $40 in to a diaper. I'm just a bad global citizen. I blogged more about diapers here.

I have enough diapers to get through about 5 days without washing, but I choose to wash every 3-4 days. Here's how:

When I wash, I do a rinse cycle (it's Quick Wash on my Whirlpool Cabrio) with a scoop of Nellie's Washing Soda for booster. Then I do a cycle on the Whites setting with Tide Free and Gentile liquid to the #2 or #3 line. After I've done the rinse, I toss in a load of towels or something with the diapers if I need to. My washer has a HUGE drum that can accommodate all this and since the nasties are all washed off, I feel confident throwing in whatever else needs to be cleaned. Then I just put the diapers on a drying rack or tumble on low. It's really that easy! I know we're trained to think it's so hard and that we have to use specific detergents but it's simply not true. I have been at this for 10 months so far and haven't had a lick of trouble.

Yes, you do have to change cloth a bit more often, max every 3 hours (except at night, but I don't CD at night yet), but honestly, you should probably be changing your baby that often anyway.

Full Disclosure, I have probably spent about $475 total on my cloth diapers. That said, I have made some of it back. When I was trying to decide which "models" I like best, I bought a few of every type that appealed to me. When I decided what I did and didn't like, I got on Facebook to some buy/sell/trade sites or on eBay and sold what I didn't like. The way the higher priced diapers retain their value is ridiculous. I sold some used prefolds that P didn't like for MORE than what I paid for them new. People either don't' do their research or .. well, people just don't do their research.

Now I know some people cloth diaper to save some money, and I'm sure I have/will in the long run, but I'm not entirely sure I have yet. But I do feel REALLY good about P's carbon footprint! And I'm not going to get into the ridiculous chemicals that are in disposables (because I do still use them when they're convenient so I choose to turn away from such information. HA!). But really, I'm doing laundry anyway, so cloth is just one more load for what has turned out to be a real benefit for our family.

Maybe It's Innate

I spend a considerable amount of time reading and re-reading parenting books. I'm obsessed with it. (I guess it's good to be infatuated with "continuing education" within your occupation? That's my story and I'm sticking to it.) I read about different parenting philosophies, I read books authored by folks I just think have interesting families, or families that I look up to, and I read about how to make siblings friends, because I want a close family (and obviously, as stated in a previous post, I have no idea how to do that...)

But I'm starting to wonder if it's out of my hands. When G looks at P and smiles, she smiles back. If he makes a funny noise, she laughs. She looks at him and makes a face, and he laughs. I don't know if all kids are like this, I certainly don't remember being as fond of my sister and G so clearly is, but they live for each other. He's never asked when she is going to "go back in" to my tummy, as I've heard most kids do - and I myself remember doing. When she cries, he genuinely wants to make her feel better - and most of the time he can. He really loves her, and she worships him.
When my mom saw this picture, she immediately pointed out that G is holding P's hand (they are sitting at a table that was Pat's mother's as a child!), and I realized that they just love each other. They were born this way. How do I know? When Piper was in my tummy, it was G's voice she reacted to. She'd go NUTS when he was on my lap and he ate it up. Maybe the key isn't to read a million books about how to make them friends, maybe the key is to figure out a way to nurture and encourage the relationship they already have.

I'll probably keep reading the books though. I couldn't bear to screw this sweet little relationship up.

Kate Gosselin Is Trying and So Am I

Today in the grocery store I saw Kate Gosselin on a tabloid cover. It was all about how she's a terrible monster who has crazy rules and expectations of her kids.

Yeah, yeah, don't we all.

But I started thinking about her show. I won't lie, she seemed like such a heinous bitch to me. I kind of watched her shows for the shit show it provided. She yelled all the time, she was obsessed with her routine and she was mean to her husband.

Hmmm.... Me too.

I am pretty obsessed with keeping my children on schedule. I think it's incredibly important that everyone knows what they can expect to come next and my kids respond very well to it. I'm not crazy though, I won't cut an evening with friends short because my kids have to be in bed by 7:30 (and they do!), because they can hang in there. They don't get crabby. But I'm still respectful of the sleep they've missed and try to work in a longer nap the next day (though they almost never make up a late bedtime until 3 days later). Rules are made to be broken after all, but I do the best I can on ordinary days. We have lunch, nap and dinner at pretty much the same time. Bath and bed follow shortly thereafter and everyone is happy in the morning after a good nights sleep. And I only have two. If I had 8 to wash and feed, I'd be even more high strung. I do like to think I'm nicer to my husband than Kate was, but certainly I fail at that too on occasion.

And then I remembered the notes. Kate had notes plastered all over her house. I don't know what the said because to my knowledge the camera never zoomed in on them. But I suspect I know, and I bet they had to do with calming the eff down. I know because I have them too.

Some of us aren't built to be nurturing or calm or patient. Some of us have to learn it. And I'm still learning.

I'm not saying she's perfect but those notes let me know she was trying. And the ones at my house remind me that I am too.

I Love Hawaii

Very often I get people asking me for advice on Hawaii. I typed it out again tonight and decided to consolidate it all in to one place to refer those folks to (because seriously, up until now, I was typing it all out each time).

Hold on to your hats, people.

The first thing I suggest is deciding which island you want to visit. Each one is so different, so try to decide what you're going for in your vacation.

Oahu is the main island with Honolulu, Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, Iolani Palace (where the last of the Hawaiian monarchy lived - a tour worth taking, by the way!), etc. It's where I lived, so I know the most about it (and also the least, because I didn't stay there to be touristy all that often). First things first, you don't HAVE to rent a car on Oahu (you do on the other islands), but I recommend it - you can usually get a good deal on a car from Priceline. There are 3 main highways on the island: H1, H2, and H3. Original, huh? H1 goes East to West and if you stay in Waikiki, that's the one you'll be closest to. It'll get you from the airport to your hotel and to the main attractions. The far west side of the island is NOT a tropical paradise. It's brown and just not lush - mostly residential and it's where I lived there for 2 years. There's a resort down there called Ko'Olina, but unless you just want a resort experience I don't recommend it, it'll set you back a LOT of $$ and in my opinion, it's too far away from the action. If I decided I wanted to go to Oahu, I'd definitely stay in Waikiki and just day trip to the other sides (locally called the Windward Side) - I REALLLLLY recommend going to Cinnamons for breakfast in Kailua one day - their crab cakes benedict and red velvet pancakes are TO DIE for. From there you can go down to Lanikai beach and just sit. If you go on a weekday, chances are good you'll be the only ones there. Also on the Windward side, you can find the areas where they filmed Lost and some other outdoor activities. H2 will take you out to the North Shore, that's the place for surfing and the world famous beaches. If you're in to tropical plants, you can go to Waimea Valley. It's a nice, easy walk to a waterfall that you can swim under. And the valley is across from the world famous Sunset Beach. There really aren't a ton of places to stay there besides incredibly expensive hotels. If you decide to go out that way, I really suggest lunch and a visit to the public beach at Turtle Bay - that's the only place on the island you can actually (well, legally) have a drink on the beach. It's a bit of a drive, but worth it. And you can stop at the Dole Pineapple Plantation on your way out there - please be sure to try the Pineapple Whip while you're there. As far as hotels, outside of the Hale Koa (for military only) I think I've only stayed at the Sheraton Waikiki or the Outrigger Reef on the Beach (again, thanks to Priceline for a great rates!)If you're the nightlife type, I really suggest going to RumFire at Sheraton Waikiki. You can sit outside, listen to the waves and have a cocktail. As the night draws on, they close these glass doors because of the breeze and you can watch the drunk people walk right into them because you really can't see them if you don't know they're there. It's funnier than it sounds, trust me. And they have this cocktail called the Fire Breathing Dragon that is incredible (but spicy!). The Yardhouse is good for dinner, Mac24-7 has great breakfast. On Nimitz, by Pier 38 is a GREAT restaurant called Uncles Fish Market. It's EXCELLENT for lunch. Incredible fish caught just that morning. I don't even like fish and I love that place. Ono is the best if you're not a fish person. Also on Nimitz is La Mariana Sailing Club. It's not really touristy, but don't be afraid! It's the last of the real tiki bars on Oahu - my husband thinks it's the best place on the planet. It's very dusty and old, but they're awesome and will treat you really well. If you do a luau on Oahu, I suggest the Paradise Cove Luau at Ko'Olina. I do not really suggest the Polynesian Cultural Center or their luau. You really must do Pearl Harbor, and plan at least a half a day for that. I suggest 'Iolani Palace as well.

Maui is the laid back, happy hour, Jimmy Buffett type island. It's my favorite. It's slower and less tourist-filled. We must have gone 12x and always stay in or near Lahaina. It's a great little ocean front village with a small town feel. Lots of bars, restaurants and little shops. If you decide to stay here, you'll want to stay within walking distance of Front Street or you'll be paying for parking when you go down there. We very often stayed at the Outrigger Aina'Nalu. You could also get on priceline.com and bid on a room in Ka'anapali (ka-ah-naa-paa-lee - the trick to the Hawaiian language is to make sure you say all the vowels). When we lived there you could bid on a 4 star room for $99 and end up with a bungalow at the Royal Lahaina Hotel. They're dated for sure, but they're very "old Hawaii" and for $99 you can't go wrong. We also ended up at the Hilton down there once for $99, so it's a mixed bag. If you do go to Lahaina, I really recommend Lahaina Coolers on Dickinson for breakfast one day or every day. If you're thinking a helicopter tour is for you, I strongly suggest doing it in Maui. I went with Blue Hawaii Helicopters and it was PHENOMINAL! I am almost certain you can bargain with them on the price too. They take you to see waterfalls that are only accessible via helicopter. If you're a hiker/sight-seer, there is also the Road to Hana. It's an INCREDBILY long and scenic drive through the mountains. If you get car sick, take some Dramamine before going, and if you're squeamish about driving in the mountains without guardrails, just don't do it. Honestly, I did it twice and I'm none the better for it. But it's an experience! Also, if you go, check out the I'ao Valley Needle, and read up on it's history before hand. Creepy but awesome! Maui is where I suggest taking in a Luau, and I HIGHLY recommend the Royal Lahaina Luau. The Warren and Annabelle's Show in Lahaina is really cool too. I thought it would be lame (it's a magic show) but really, it's super awesome.

Big Island is where you want to go if you want an outdoor adventure. This is where the active volcano and the national park is. If you're outdoorsy, this is the place to be! When we would go, we flew in to Kona (HIGHLY recommend Kona Brewing Company for lunch and local beers) and we'd stay at the Aloha Guest House in Captain Cook (I recommend the Kohala or Halawai Rooms), but they might have changed hands since we were there and I can't attest to the new owners service, and you'll need a 4WD vehicle to get up there. It's incredible though and worth it for a night or two. And then we'd road trip over to the Hilo side of the island (a lot of rental car places will tell you not to take Saddle Road across the island but you totally can, it's not unpaved the way it used to be - but don't blame me if something goes awry, please!). On the Hilo side, we'd stay in the national park at the Kilauea Military Camp but if you're not current or former military you won't have access to that. There's another hotel inside the park but I think it's pretty pricey. I really recommend the Hilo Bay Café there in Hilo. It's AWESOME, fresh, local ingredients. Don't be fooled by the fact it's in the WalMart parking lot - HAH! If you were so inclined, you could totally stay in Kona the whole time and chuck it over to Hilo for the day, but you're risking missing the volcano because if the wind is strong or the lava isn't visible that day that you're there, you'll just miss it. If you decide to only make a day trip to the park, I encourage you to make really fluid plans and just call the viewing area hotline the morning you think you'll go to Hilo. They have (or at least used to have) a recording saying whether the volcano viewing area is open of the day. You'll need flashlights for this excursion. There are also boat tours that will take you to the volcano which I always wanted to do - BUT everyone I've EVER known who did it said that it was the best and worst experience if their lives. Best because watching the lava flow into the ocean and make new land was incredible, and worst because the boat ride was AWFUL. I've never known anyone who didn't get sick, or at least quite nauseated. Just a warning... Also on BI, I recommend a coffee plantation tour. You can take them just about anywhere, and it's SO interesting. You must try a cup of PeaBerry coffee. It's unbelievable.

Kauai is the slowest pace of all. Unless you're wanting to lay on the beach every day, I really don't suggest it. There are of course other things you can do besides that, but honestly, you can do them all on a different island and have more variety in your vacation. I loved Kauai, but I hadn't just paid $1,000 bucks to fly there, ya know? The only thing that stands out to me about Kauai is the rum plantation, which is awesome (seriously, we've jumped through some hoops to get ahold of more of it now that we're on the mainland), but not awesome enough to make it my recommendation. Just so you know though, we stayed at the Kaha'Lani in Lihue, which is privately owned condos they rent out when they're not using so you never know what you're going to get, but I called in advance and told them I had a crawler and asked for a super clean, quiet unit and that's what I got. With an incredible view. There's also a great BBQ place there in Lihue. Don't miss it!

Lanai is the other island open to tourists, but I never went and I don't recommend it. There is only one resort and it's $$$$$. The biggest thing, to my knowledge, is to go off-roading there. If you're interested in visiting it, you can take a day trip there from Maui. There are companies that will rent you a jeep and pack you a lunch for the day and you can go drive around the island. I never went though, so I can't speak with absolute certainty.

Oh, I know I kept mentioning Priceline - If you're not familiar with using it - you can select the area you want and the star-rating of the hotels you like, so you really won't end up in a *bad* hotel if you choose 3 or more stars.

A few bullet points:

PLEASE don't forget your sunscreen. I don't know if it's because you're closer to the equator down there, or the o-zone is thinner or what, but I'm a sunscreen FANATIC and I burned to a blister more times than I can count there. If you're going to be outside, put on sunscreen. Don't ruin your vacation because you're in terrible pain.

Priceline, Priceline, Priceline! The Name Your Own Price feature saves you serious $$ on hotels and cars. Also, keep an eye on groupon. You never know what kind of bargains they'll have for Honolulu.

Take traffic into account. 7:30 to like 9 if you're going toward Honolulu will have you in standstill traffic. 3:30 to about 6 is the same if you're going east. Also, keep in mind we're talking six lanes of traffic here, so take that into account when you're planning your excursions if you're not super comfy with that.

ABC stores are THE PLACE for souvenirs for the family. And if you're the jewelry type, this is strange, but I really recommend getting yourself a nice piece while you're in the islands. I have a bracelet from the Glass Mango on Front Street in Maui that I ADORE, but several friends have Tahitian Pearl necklaces that they wear all the time. They're not that expensive (just don't go to Maui Divers) and they're an awesome, awesome souvenir.

On the night you arrive, try to stay up until 9PM. That seems to be the magic time for helping people get acclimated. It's 5-6 hours difference from the mainland. It's MUUUUCH harder to acclimate when you go back to the mainland but it helps to take the red-eye home.

Wherever you choose, be sure to check for parking and resort fees. They can add $50/night to your room without you even realizing it.

Lastly, it's my opinion that if you're flying all that way to Hawaii, you ought to spend a few hundred extra dollars and go island hopping. Pick more than one island to visit (I recommend Oahu and Big Island to most people). You won't regret going to more than one and it probably won't cost you more than $100/each (it used to be as low as $33!).

Once you pick your island(s), go on Amazon and buy copies of the Revealed books for whichever island you choose (Oahu Revealed, Kauaii Revealed, etc) They read like story books instead of tour guides, so it's really easy to follow along as you drive up a historic trail or something. And they are HANDS DOWN the best tour guide books.

Every Day is Independence Day

I always cry on the 4th of July.

I truly can't think of another day I'm so filled with gratitude. I know there are probably other days that I should be as emotional, but nothing seems to compare to that feeling I get on the 4th of July. I think about everything that could be different and everyone who died to make things the way they are. I think about their families. I think about our ancestors who came over here without anything, chasing a dream. And man alive, I am SO grateful they did.

This 4th, my little family will be staying in. Erik won't be home yet and I'm hesitant to take Piper to fireworks since I know she won't leave ear pro on, so we'll stay home. But we'll wake up and talk (again) about how grateful we are to be Americans, and how lucky we are to have so many heroes in our lives that help keep us safe. And don't worry, thanks to Pinterest we'll have plenty to keep us busy. ;)

New Hampshire

There was one of the many mornings we played on the porch.
Piper contemplated the meaning of life with a plastic spoon.

And she probably got some sort of poisoning from chewing on this 80's-era Army man.



And she and Sam became more acquainted.

There was arts and crafts one morning. Yes, the big kids played too.
And believe it or not, that construction paper is from Erik's own arts and crafts bin as a child.
I don't think it used to be neon colors.

 

There was cookie baking with Auntie Andrea.

And the sweetest little napper you'll ever see.
Don't worry, she doesn't usually have covers. I had that sheet over her bed to darken her sleeping area, but she got feisty one afternoon and pulled it down.

And we did chalks outside one day, and played in Grandma's garden.

And we might have hosted a mini-parade.

We worked on the door with Papa.

And picked the most gorgeous strawberries on the planet.



Seriously.

 

When we came home from strawberry picking, I thought it would be cool to crack my phone screen.
Luckily it had one foot in the grave already.

  

And there was a trip to the beach.

 

 

Which also had a playground.

 

After the beach we stopped at an ice cream place - NH is littered with them.
A few years ago, this "tween" decided he wanted to start an ice cream stand, and his dad said once he saved up x-amount of money, he could - so he did. This was a few years ago, and now they have the stand, some animals to pet and a HUGE play area with a sandbox, two play houses and lots of room to run. It's AWESOME!

 

Sadly, later that day G fell somewhere and got the biggest splinter I've ever seen. We tried to get it out, but the 4 adults couldn't manage to get the job done because we couldn't keep him still. I was so worried (he couldn't walk) that I took him to the doctor, who just said to soak it until he went to sleep and then cut it out. Um, my kid doesn't sleep that hard. So the next morning we managed to dig about 2/3 of it out and I'm hoping the rest just comes out on it's own. It's been awhile and it hasn't happened yet.

 

And there was the day that Erik and I found an app that allowed us to text while he's in Thailand and we sent the day sending ridiculous face pictures to each other. Grant thought it was hilarious.

 

My in-laws do "Champagne Friday" each week (usually it's just them, but this week there was company).
Auntie Andrea made us several types of bruchetta to go along. It wasn't terrible.

Baby's first bruschetta is a big step in our family. She's a fan!

And one day we trekked up to the childrens museum in VT.

It wasn't super great, but it killed an afternoon.

P got familiar with the zebra rug. Yeah, it's real. And it really sheds.
You ever picked zebra hair off your kids pacifier?

And we worked on a tooth that still hasn't come to the surface.

So, pretty fun - minus the tooth situation. Now we're counting down to Dad coming home. We're even making a paper chain this afternoon. He hasn't been gone that long (all told it will be about 7 weeks), but it's been excruciating for Grant, so I tapped in to all my FRG Leader skills and we're making a party of the countdown. Not too much longer!

 

You Do For Family

The other day I sat at lunch with my sister-in-law, overhearing a woman discussing how she "reconnected" with her brother in Wyoming after 25 years. She went on to say she was one of 9. (Hey, she was loud and was at the next table over). It got me thinking about all the people I know who've (for lack of better terminology) walked away from members of their family for one reason or another. My Grandma P had several siblings she didn't speak to because of the way things went down with her parents death and because I'd never really known any different, having estranged members of the family didn't seem all that out of the ordinary. And longer I go through life I realize that there are a LOT of people out there deliberately ignoring members of their family for one reason or another - myself included, obviously. I thought it was normal and not even really that sad. "People make their beds," I thought. I certainly know the reason I've walked away from members of my family - and hell, maybe they say the same thing about me.

If I were being honest, I would tell you that Erik nor I have very good relationships with our sisters. We're just not that much a like (or at all alike) and none of us have ever put in the effort to forge a relationship. Right or wrong, it is what it is. And up until recently I think we were all just fine with that. It occurred to me the other day sitting at lunch, that if you're one of 9 children and you choose to walk away from your crazy brother, you aren't missing out on much. But if you're one of TWO and you choose to walk away from your self-centered/free-spirited/pick-your-issue sister, just because you aren't appreciative of those qualities, well... that's just kind of ridiculous.

I looked across the table at my sister-in-law and we came to a mutual unspoken decision that we need to do better. We started discussing plans to make sure we all see each other more often because, as I put it, "we're all we have."

For awhile now I've been preaching to Grant that sometimes in life "We Do Hard Things." I like it as a motto for a military family. But maybe, just maybe, we need to change our little motto to "You do for family" because at the end of the day, if you don't have anyone to celebrate your "hard" successes with, what's the point?

I'll let you know how it goes.