Wringing Out My Sponge: Mother's Day

Mother's Day this year was pretty wonderful. Certainly a huge improvement over last year. I was in a completely different place then. I didn't even blog about it last year because it was really hard for me to find any spare time for blogging and I wasn't always in the best spirits. When you have a baby that is most likely crying and screaming whenever she is awake, blogging just isn't easy. Plus we had just moved for the 2nd time in 4 months. Things were just crazy! I would say though, it was right around Mother's Day last year, when things were starting to shift. It's been getting better ever since.

Even with everything that is going on now, and with as busy as I have been, this year was much more relaxed. I woke up in the morning to a card from my hubby and one from the munchkin that she even signed herself (well scribbled on anyway), along with a nice bottle of wine. I also slept in late. After I woke up, I had breakfast, packed up our stuff and we headed over to my parents' house. We hung out, visited, grilled steaks and let the kids run amuck. I felt so happy to be a mom, to be with my mom, and to be able to appreciate my sisters as mothers too.

I am lucky to have such an amazing mother, who is also one of my best friends. I am also lucky to have such a wonderful grandmother. Each generation helps to mold and shape the next. It was so much fun to have all the cousins together, playing in the yard, and enjoying each other.

I really felt grateful for what I had and where our path was leading us. It was a very special day.

Afterwards, we came home and I got a few things done around the house. I roasted a couple of chickens for my dad to have for the week and will make some more food for him in a couple of days. He came down about an hour before they were done to just visit and hang out. It was nice. We are getting into a better groove with all of his food and things don't seem as crazy. He is finishing up the introductory part of the diet and will start full GAPS next week. Things will be even easier then, because he will be eating a diet much more similar to the way I eat anyway and can just join us for dinner on some nights.

On a side note, I have now successfully fermented, carrots, green beans, cucumbers (for pickles) and salsa. I have been really surprised at how good they all taste! My dad's favorite is the salsa. He's been adding it to everything! Next up is beet kvass and kimchi!

He is still getting better and better. He spent all day Saturday helping my mom get ready for the party. He told her that a month ago, there is no way he could have worked all day like that. He also cleaned up most of the kitchen and washed all of the dishes after we ate on Sunday. This is not something that happens! He seemed in really good spirits and had so much energy.

It's so good to be getting my old dad back. I had really missed him.

I took a gazillion pictures. Here's some of them.