dear santa,

December 5, 2012

sela: i want a puppy, and all the things a puppy needs…

KJ: nerf gun, $100, …
Myla: nothing… {this girl never asks for anything!}

kiana: i want a puppy, specifically: an all-white or white-with-black-spots maltese.

north pole breaking news: they are out of puppies. the rhodes kids are going to have an interesting christmas.

dear readers, question: how long did you keep your children’s holiday traditions going? we sit on santa’s lap for our littlest. we do it… just for sela.

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a day to be thankful.

November 22, 2012

friends, i hope you all enjoyed a cozy day filled with much to be thankful for. i know my cup runneth over, and this has been a perfect week and month to focus on my blessings.

first, i want to thank you with big hugs for all your prayers, thoughts, and good vibes you have sent my way for my thyroid surgery. i feel great. i expected to feel good, considering i had a day surgery, and knew my healing time wouldn’t be too long. however, i had no idea i would feel SO GOOD. Plus, i was so well-cared for during the few days i needed extra rest. my family, friends, and neighbors are angels. i had lots of extra snuggles and love from my family.

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yesterday was husbands birthday. and, without really talking about it, we’ve started this thing where, for birthdays, father’s day and any day we celebrate him, we let him choose everything we do… what meals we have, where we go, some sort of outing, or lack of, etc.

big papi was easy. he went to his first Patriot’s game at gillette stadium on sunday, he cooked for us on the eve of his birthday, followed by monopoly with the kiddos, then snuggled up with the kids he watched spiderman.  on his birthday we ate lunch at his restaurant of choice, and finished the evening with the new James Bond movie.

i’ve come to believe, husband was Bond in a previous life.

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stowe, vermont

October 17, 2012

last last weekend, we hit the road again for a mini trip in honor of columbus day. this time, we headed four hours north to stowe, vermont.

we joined forces with a huge majority of other fellow-new-englanders and did what people do out here at this time of year: we followed the foliage north, and became leaf peepers!

that’s right – we took a weekend trip just to observe the beautiful shades of leaves this area of the country offers at this time of year.

we stopped by the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory in vermont, made visits to three antique shops, enjoyed everything the Trapp family lodge had to offer,

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this trip? i feel guilty saying things like, “i needed this family-reunion-vacation” knowing traveling is a luxury, but i’m still going to say it. since we’ve returned to our home {almost five weeks ago} i am more relaxed than i’ve been in a long time, in sync with my husband, nature, my own mind and spirit. like my soul has found a peace it needed. why? i believe it was because i reconnected with so many of my kinfolk.

i believe, we each need those connections to stay balanced.

{Pasco farmer’s market | my sister-in-law Janice, moi, niece Marisa | fresh flowers for my dad’s grave}

visiting my Dad’s grave in Kennewick…

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