The Almighty "L" Word

I feel so lucky that I am now in a position where I get to see my three-year-old niece on a regular basis. Not only is the kid hilarious, she's extremely kind and generous for a little tyke, especially considering that she has no siblings to contend with. I'm also amazed that she can run away from me, screaming "MEAN RACHAEL!" one minute (you know, for not allowing her to play with knives) to wanting to share her cookie with me the next. Oh, a day in the life of a three-year-old.

Never a snugly baby, my niece now sometimes has the impulse to cuddle up with a family member but it's still few and far between. She's just too darn busy to stop and be affectionate! Therefore, you can imagine my surprise when out of nowhere the other day, sugar sweetness came dripping out of her mouth.

Recently, she walked in on me practicing some yoga and has been intrigued ever since. (Her favorite pose is three-legged dog.) Anyway, considering my ongoing stiffness, I’m constantly dropping to the floor to twist and stretch and if she’s around, she often feels compelled to join in. I always try to teach her something new so the other day, I decided to teach her my favorite pose, pigeon.

So there I was, halfway into the pose while trying to maneuver her tiny limbs into the same formation. I finally got her legs into some variation of the pose and then proceeded to demonstrate how to lean forward and press one’s forehead to the floor. As I peeked over to see if she got it, her round little face lifted from the carpet and from behind a few blond curls dangling in her face, she chose this time to say, “I love you.”

Now, the closest I’ve gotten to this was a few weeks ago when in the midst of some auntie/niece Bugs Bunny viewing pleasure, she said, “I like Rachael.” That in itself made my heart flutter. So you can imagine the lump that formed in my throat, right in the middle of pigeon pose, hearing the much more important “L” word.

“I love you, too, honey,” I said, feeling my body relax even further into the pose. And then just like that, she sprung up and decided to see what her momma was up to. And I stretched out even further onto the floor as if I was turning into a puddle, my heart melting faster than anything else.

Working From Home Really Isn't So Bad

Yep, sometimes I'm really, really grateful that I don't have to leave the house on a regular basis for work. I mean, a "wind warning"? Well, I guess I'll get cozy and be all Little House on the Prairie like. Just gotta chop some wood and churn some butter first.

Woot, Woot!

Round one completed. Thanks to everyone who voted!

Feelings Subject to Change Come January

Coffee? Check. Afghan to wrap up in? Check. Seat near window? Check. Now relax, sip, and smile.

I think I may have already missed the first official frost in my area of Wisconsin but today, I'm actually witnessing it for myself. As I stumbled out of bed in the dark and made my way, half blind, to the coffee maker, I glimpsed out the window to see the grass looking a bit more muted than usual. For the first time in my life, the sight of that first blanket of frost actually resulted in a little squeal.

I know. Crazy, right?

Maybe it's due to the plague of bugs (mosquitoes to flies to some sort of exotic looking beetles) we've had for a steady three months or maybe it's because I love wearing tights with skirts but something tells me that my excitement is more about the fact that I'm ringing in a new season back home.

But let me be clear: I do detest winter in Wisconsin. It's actually part of the reason I left three years ago. I felt like I was turning into some cranky 80-year-old who regularly cursed that nature need not be so cruel. But yet here I am, back in the very state that will soon make me scrape, shovel, and fall on my keister an ungodly amount of times And I'm looking forward to this?

In some crazy way, yes.

I guess it's because this year, I get to finally see my niece dress up for Halloween, in a Care Bear costume no less! Also, after six or seven years away, I will spend Thanksgiving with my family again. And Christmas this year means not relying on a plane that is likely to either sit at JFK for hours on end or get rescheduled altogether, leading me to panic about whether I will enjoy any part of Christmas with the fam at all.

Plus, it's just so darn pretty and still outside right now.

Of course, there are other sacrifices I will have to make. No Christmas tree at Rockefeller plaza. No joining in on the hustle and bustle of shopping on Broadway. No meeting up with my awesome Brooklyn posse at some cozy little French bistro for wine and laughter.

But to me, new seasons mean being grateful for the last and embracing what's ahead, no matter how challenging it may be. And like the frost, there always seems to be some beauty along the way.

Maybe I Should Sing This First Thing in the Morning?

As if Sesame Street doesn't already warm your heart, how about finding out that one of the writers composed this song for his daughter?

Go Gina! Go Gina!

You all remember my obsession with this awesome non-profit, right? Utilizing ingredients from local gardens? Holding classes for kids as well as the elderly on how to cook healthy meals? Oh, and reminding people that food served at shelters doesn't have to come in canned or powdered form?

Yeah, Gina Keatley is a bit of a hero of mine and now I can vote for her and her awesome organization, the Nourishing Kitchen of NYC in the Classy Awards, the Academy Awards of the charity world. Yep, she's a candidate for Volunteer of the Year and her organization is up for Charity of the Year. If she wins, these awards could bring in up to $35,000 to the Nourishing Kitchen! Can you imagine all the additional amazing things this lady could do with a bit more in her pockets??

And if I can't convince you to vote for Gina and her amazing non-profit, please consider just getting on the site and voting. Charity is charity. And we all could use a little love, am I right?

Who Knew?

Maybe it's a bit strange but my heart did a little flip flop when I came into the house last night and came upon this pile of shoes. I was well on my way to a cozy autumn evening with family, post pumpkin patch fun. Pizza and apples. Giggling from the other room. The humming of the dishwasher. Those shoes that were frantically kicked off to continue the fun. Somehow the simplicity of it all made me crazy happy.

Aiding the Farms

"All right'" my friend said as she set her beer down on the bar, taking a deep breath. "It's time to go to 'The Aid.'"

That would be Farm Aid. If you were a Midwestern kid in the 80s, you definitely knew all about Farm Aid. Willie Nelson and John Cougar (when he still added the Mellencamp)? Sure, it was a little dorky but we loved that our farmers were getting any attention at all. In fact, that's about the last time I heard much sympathy for those who feed us.

Anyway, my friend scored a few free tickets to this year's show so off we went to Miller Park the other night to rock out. Okay, so Jason Mraz isn't quite someone to rock out to but Norah Jones killed and John Cougar made me smile. (I will continue to pass on Neil Young. Sorry.) And Willie came out repeatedly to sing with each performer so when half of the group came out after Neil's set and bid us goodnight, we hightailed it out of there and hopped back onto our little shuttle bus.

But apparently we were a bit too quick.

The next day, we heard that we missed the finale with my favorite Mr. Lips (no, not Mick), Steven Tyler. Oh well. I'm not too broken up about it. I was just glad to throw some dollars into the Farm Aid donation box while continuing to feel good about going to my local farmer's market on a weekly basis.

But who am I kidding? Steven Tyler would have been cool.

Okay, Wisconsin, I love you BUT....

....this is getting a little out of hand, don't you think?