Happy Place

Do you have a "happy place" that you retreat to in the midst of chaos? I think mine has been different places at different points in my life. Once it may have been a family vacation, another time it may have been remembering W and I white water rafting on our honeymoon. It's just a place you can close your eyes, and see in your mind. Since we got back from Costa Rica, mine has been the beach there. We went to Manuel Antonio, which is an area on the Pacific Ocean protected by the government. Monkeys, macaws and iguanas abound. The photo below is the hotel where we stayed, Hotel Karahe. After spending the week in dormitory style housing, this was a breath of fresh air. Each balcony has its own hammock. You walk through the garden, past the pool to the open air restaurant, directly to the beach. BLISS.


The past few months have been chaotic and overwhelming. This is where I keep going back to. It's actually strange to me because I'm not a beach person. 9 times out of 10 I'd take the mountains over the ocean. Until I found my happy place. The Lord keeps drawing me back there. And I'm okay with that.

Lipstick!

What's the difference between a bulldog and hockey mom?



This girl is a mess. Oh, speaking of "mess," this summer when my brother returned from his deployment I was talking with two women and Sam came running up to me. I picked her up and introduced her, and at that moment she was quite the entertainer. I looked at Sam and said "you're a mess!" One of the women said "she's a mess? she doesn't look like a mess!" I was reminded we often speak a slightly different version of English here in the south.

I hope at least one person laughed at the Sarah Palin reference about the lipstick. I watched (and incessantly tweeted) about "Sarah Palin's Alaska" last night. I loved the show. How amazing would it be to take your children salmon fishing amongst bears? Or randomly say "Hey, kid! Let's go climb Mt. McKinley today!" It's the part of me that wants to be completely outfitted in Gore Tex boots, North Face clothes with a Marmot jacket and drink water from a Nalgene bottle all day. And apparently work at REI.

Then I got to thinking last night... "oh no, I don't want my whole 34 Twitter followers to think I'm a SP devotee" so I tried to clear myself of any political admiration of her (in less than 140 characters!). But truly, I do admire her. Agree with all of the political stuff? Nah. But as I claimed last night, there is life outside of politics.

And here was our weekend:



And we did it all without Gore Tex, North Face, or Marmot!

Recap

The last month in pictures.

T-Pup played his best season of soccer ever. Of course, playing with dirt and rocks before the game helped his mind get in the game.

Sam turned 3. The week before her birthday party, her big brother went to spend the night with his grandparents. He quickly said "I'll pack my backpack!" and little Sam declared the injustice of the world that she didn't have a backpack. I reminded myself Christmas would be an opportune time to help a backpack needing sister out. But alas, her dear aunt surprised us at the birthday party.

"I can now unleash gangster moves out of my backpack. Come closer and I'll show you."

Iron Man (or for those of you who are blessed to see behind the armor, Tony Stark) came to see us for some trick or treating. He had his helmet and a smaller mask that came with the costume. He said "I'm scared to wear my real helmet because people will think I'm here to save the world, and I don't have time this weekend." Yes Iron Man, we know you are a busy man.

And also spotted trick or treating was a sweet little butterfly. And by sweet I certainly do not mean screaming until your butterfly parents agree that butterflies can take their wings off.

It's so hard to believe that it's November now and thus the beginning of our holiday season. It also means that W's semester is coming to a close, and can we all shout "THANK YOU JESUS" because my word, it has been a behemoth.

I challenge you to decide which of these photos were taken with my iPhone and various apps, and which were taken with W's fancy pants camera.

What's going on with you?