Today

Morning can be intense around here. I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. I need a full thirty minutes and two cups of coffee before I am fit to be around people. My daughter Ashlynn has inherited my disdain for mornings I am afraid. Our morning routine goes something like this

me "Ash" wake up its time for school
Ash "NO, I hate you! I hate school and I am never going!!!"
me " I know you are grumpy but you need to make good choic...
This is when I duck and cover because she has chucked her lamp at me.

No joke its awful.

But this morning  tweaked the routine just a smidge and let her take a bath. It worked wonders. She went off to school so much happier then usual. I normally am big on the girls showering before bed. But lately they seem to have settled into their own grove of showering and taking baths in the morning. The controller in me wants to insist that they shower at night. Because that's when I like to shower. I also like morning showers. Heck, I like showers anytime. Especially showers that allow me to have a full 15 minutes by myself1

But I am letting it go. Its their choice when they bathe and heck as long as they are doing it I am happy.

Every morning when I drive them to school I see this

Camelback Mountain takes my breath away each time I see it.

People park their cars on the side of the road and climb to the top every day. Not just a few people, lots of people. One day when its not blazing hot, I want to climb it with my girls. I so admire the tan fit girls with thier iods in the holder on thier arm.Thier skin is all dewy from sweating as they walk back down to thier cars. Maybe someday I will join them. But for now I am tired. The mere thought of waking up early to go hiking is over whelming. I hate that.

I want to be the family that does stuff. The family that hikes camelback together. Its hard with little ones. I am trying to give myself grace. To live in little moments like tonight.

Isaiah was fresh out his bath and I wrapped him in a towel and joined my mom outside with a glass of wine. I cuddled a baby in my arms and watched as Ashlynn and Myka played with the neighbors across the street. I love that they have across the street rinds. Double bonus the mom across the street told me about an awesome affordable preschool. WOOT!!! Myka is so bored at home. She NEEDS pre school.

Its late, Myka is still awake.
Goodnight