Q2: The Non-Things

If seasons are like candy, then winter is an Everlasting Gobstopper and summer is a brightly colored gum-ball from the 25 cent machine. By the time you gnaw on it long enough to actually begin chewing, the initial burst of sugary flavor is gone and all that remains is a hard, squiggly mass that is heading straight for the closest trash can. In light of the brevity of this fair season, I have been trying my hardest to savor each second, and blogging has not made it onto my to-do list. So, though we are nearly 1/3 of the way into Q3, please allow me to reflect...

My Favorite Non-Thing, Things, of 2011, Q2,

1. House Guests... being the 'ones who moved away' makes our times with visitors extra special, and the spring of the year brought many of our favorite folks to town. We enjoyed a long weekend with my hubby's cousin, Kyndal, from Pittsburgh, her hubby, Brett, and their two pint-sized cuties.. Though Kyndal and I realized we'd only actually met in person a couple of times, we have really bonded via Facebook, Skype, emails, texts, etc... over the past couple years as we've each begun the journey into Mommydom. My precious sis-in-law, affectionally known as Aunt Kiki, paid us a visit for a weekend in early April and liked Denver so much that she moved here and became our neighbor! My sweet Charlotte girls, Byers and Lilly, spent a week with us in June, and Pookie reveled in all extra attention from the big girls. We truly had a ball, and the week went by far too quickly. My cousin, Roxie, paid us an impromptu Friday evening visit as she was road-trippin' from Oregon to Pennsylvania. Loved seeing her for a quick catch up, but the visit was far too short! 
2. Vacations... I have an expression that I often use, "If your kids are going, it's a trip; if they're not, it's a vacation!" Well, thankful to my wonderful mom (AKA Nanny AKA Babs), hubby and I were able to take two vacations-yes, that means sans kiddos. In April, we spent a long weekend in Montego Bay, Jamaica, for the wedding of a dear friend of mine. That trip marked the first morning in over six months, that I had woken up on my time rather than that of an infant's. We had a wonderful time seeing a new place and meeting new people, all the while realizing that Jamaica was jut the appetizer to the main course that would be arriving in late May. The day before Memorial Day, we embarked for a week long vacation to HAWAII! It was an amazing time to get away together and celebrate our five year wedding anniversary. We spent a whole lot of time doing a whole lot of nothing, and it was divine.
3. Memoirs... I love a good book, particularly a good memoir. Unfortunately since the birth of my second child, I have rarely been able to read an entire issue of US Weekly without falling asleep, let alone an entire book. Well, thanks to the vacations we took, I was able to read three books cover to cover (well, technically, two were IPAD versions)! I read: Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me (Chelsea Handler and friends), Bossy Pants (Tina Fey), and Stories I Only Tell My Friends (Rob Lowe.) Each was great in its own right: I've read and enjoyed all of Chelsea's books; Tina's book had me, literally, laughing out loud; and I was especially impressed with Rob Lowe's talent as a writer. He not only had interesting stories to tell, but he told them well and without the help of a co-writer. 
4. The Start of Summer... as I stated at the beginning of this post, summer just goes by way too quickly, but those first tastes of it were just amazing. When May began to bring days in the 70's that allowed Saturday morning breakfast picnics and evening strolls, I felt my spirit begin to lift. I don't think I realized how long winter had lasted until our first tastes of summer (we really didn't have a spring this year) appeared. There's something both invigorating and rejuvenating about sunshine, longer days, and green grass!
5. Watching My Girls' Relationship... I could be a bit partial, but I have to say that I think Carter may be the most loving, kind, caring big sister. Ever. She is eager to be the first one to Murphy's room when she hears that she's awakened from a nap. She bounces up the stairs, throws open the door, and climbs right into the crib to give Murphy kisses and hugs. If Murphy is sad, Carter tries her hardest to make her happy even if it means giving up one of her own toys. And, Murphy, well, she can't say it yet, but I can tell she's pretty crazy about Carter, too. She does lots of staring and smiling and cooing in her direction. And I am completely envious of their sisterly bond and am loving watching every second of its evolution. 

As Non-thing, Things, go Q2 was pretty amazing.