In Which We Are All Finally On The Mend...I Hope

My parents have lovely trees, and the color of this particular fir called to me during our last visit.

• Both children are in school today!
• That's not a guarantee that they are both finally well...but it's a definite step up over the last week.
• The last month has been a lesson in "Man Plans, God Laughs." The type of flexibility this lesson requires is not something that comes naturally to me...but I'm trying. 
• Probably I needed the lesson!
• I also needed the 5 hours in Starbucks with a cup of tea and my knitting yesterday to decompress.  I'm still a bit wound, but feel considerably better.
• So what is going on around here?
• I took the Pixie to see The Lion King yesterday - and managed to completely traumatize her.  With tickets so expensive, I felt we couldn't leave just after opening credits, which is what she wanted to do....so we stayed for the whole thing, and she hated it. 
• I failed to take into account two things.  1.  My kids HATE 3D, mostly because of the uncomfortable glasses.  2.  In 3D the scary parts are considerably more intense...and they were scary enough before.  She's loved the movie at home...but it's a very different experience when you are in the safety of your own home and the visuals are contained by a much smaller screen.
• Sigh.
• Interestingly enough, I feel like I needed the movie's rather big life lessons.  I was stunned to realize exactly how much they fitted in with some work I'm doing right now on figuring out my own path.
• The Princess went on her first-ever camping trip with her best friend this weekend.  Total win!  She loved every minute of it!
• We're trying to arrange for her to spend as much time as possible with friends to balance out her academics.  She's awfully bright, but I don't want her entire life to be centered around school.
• Mom and Dad have bought a new ram, which they are going to pick up sometime in the next couple of weeks.  He's a four-horned, lilac Jacob named Hercules, and I can't wait to share pictures with you because he is the craziest looking sheep I've ever seen.
• My running days may be over, and so I'm looking for a new cardio activity to take over.  Why?  Well the foot that I (most likely) broke back in April of last year protested loudly after I ran last week.  I had been so excited because it was an awesome run, in which everything felt great!  But then I limped for three days. 
• I love, love, love strength training.  Cardio...not so much.  That's why this feels like a highly annoying chore. 
• Compounding the problem - my hands and feet tend to fall asleep on all cardio machines but the treadmill.  Ditto for my bike, which stinks because I would love to be able to do distance riding.  There isn't anything wrong with my circulatory system...it's just bad luck of the draw. 
• What to do...what to do... Ideas are welcome!
• Actually, this might not be so much of a bad thing.  I'm working on being more gentle/kinder towards myself and let's face it - running is not a gentle/kind activity.
• My craft habits seem to be changing...more on that tomorrow as it's going to affect the blog a bit.
• MO peaches are done for the summer, and I am in mourning. 
• I've been looking online at real estate - specifically property around here.  Is that odd? 
• Reading is back to normal this month, thank God.  Last month was weird.

And that's about it for now.  Have a great week!