36 Hours

For two days and one night, I shared Clara's space.
She mostly slept and ate while her Daddy, Mama, and I packed boxes.
But for a brief evening spell, she was awake and enchanting and in my arms.

 As of now, she continues to fly past her health checks, and is pretty close to the size of my firstborn on the day he came home from the hospital... but still tiny... he was only 5 pounds 4 ounces.

It is truly amazing how quickly the time goes by. He is a giant now, and I had a hard time, as I held Clara, wrapping my brain around the fact that he was so teeny not so many years ago.

While her parents grabbed a quick soak in the hot tub, I introduced our newest family member to a few of my favorite things... Whiskey Sours, Raspberries, and Star Trek the Next Generation.

She decided these things were all very exciting.

Then we went back to packing boxes.

 Which she thought was very boring, and shortly after she fell fast asleep.

Now I'm back home with my own babies and a house that has been neglected for two days and one night.

Guess I had better get busy.

I'm about to let you in on a little secret.

I watch So You Think You Can Dance.

Yep.

I can't dance. I was never interested in dance when I was young.

But I am hooked on the beauty of movement and expression that the contestants display. And I love that each season, there seems to be an un-trained street dancer that makes his way into the top group, somehow making each dance style look effortless because he was born to move.

My favorite dancer this season, hands down, is Sasha. Here she is, dancing with Twitch, another favorite of mine, from a previous season:


My next favorite dancer this season is Marko, who dances like a man, yet with artistry, and can do amazing things despite a bullet permanently embedded in his shoulder. Here he dances with Melanie, another season 8 contestant:


Each week on the results show, there are groups from outside the contest that perform. I am often un-amazed by them. But this group left me with my jaw on the floor, and is the real reason I decided to post about this show. Watch:

Yum.

I am not getting paid to advertise... promise, cross-my-heart.

I just discovered Dry Soda at a local grocery market and was so intrigued by the flavors and the concept that I had to give it a try.

It is light, refreshing, bubbly, and perfectly flavored. If you ever dreamed of drinking in the aroma of one of your lavender bushes, well then, go find a market near you that stocks this soda and give it a try.

The Vanilla Bean is also very good, and I am itching to try Rhubarb and Cucumber.

What I Keep Thinking About

An hour or two with no sound entering my ears but Rostropovich's cello.

A glass of Merlot.

And these: