Bowl of Cherries

While that may be the analogy to life, I wouldn't say you never know what you're gonna get. As the years go by, I realize that while life may not always be predictable, there are plenty of things we have control over, namely our own happiness and the decisions we make to try to get there.

Why am I turning kinda deep today? Well, it was supposed to be a day dedicated to reflection and no food (at least until sundown). Of course Lauren had to eat and as the one flipping her Frosty the Snowman pancakes (yes, I'm starting to get a little gourmet, ha!) and grilling her turkey bacon, I'll admit I didn't have the discipline not to indulge just a little. Plus I just can't get enough of our Keurig coffee maker lately, especially with Tully's french roast and cream, yum.

But I did spend time reflecting on the past year, including a few occasions I'm not so proud of (Lauren reminded me again today to try to have a little more patience with her), and some precious moments filled with love, tenderness and pure joy, where I felt utterly at peace. Yes, I would prefer more of the latter and in a sense, some of those instances may be like a bowl of cherries because you can't always have control over when you're gonna be hit with them. But the desire is still there (truth is, it always has been), so I am more than a little hopeful that the coming year will bring more of those toe-tingling, love-infused nuggets of deliriously happy times.

Norm's day was spent fasting and cleaning out the garage, so all of his sins were thoroughly wiped clean, at least in my book. I mean, come on, a man that wants to keep a fastidious garage? Hubba, hubba.

In the afternoon, with the sun gloriously warm, we headed to Nana and Pop-Pop Mark's house for dinner.





With the smell of fresh chicken soup with matzo balls and roast chicken wafting from the kitchen, we had time to kill so the girl and I amused ourselves.

First up? Practicing her runway walk and model poses. Yes. Clearly inspired by the episodes of America's Next Top Model she saw recently (ok, yet another thing that needs to go on my atonement list), there is only one word to describe her latest passion for fashion and modeling.





Fierce.

I then spent some time alone on the upper deck, reflecting and taking in the view.





Following a sumptious meal, Lauren proudly served our latest mother-daughter baking collaboration: cinnamon sugar doughnut muffins.



Of course, it didn't take more than a minute following consumption for the impact of these sweet morsels to exhibit itself amongst the 4-and-under set.







I prefer to think that her reaction was due more to the sheer joy of being allowed dessert and showered with attention by her family at that moment, as opposed to the physiological workings of the sugar. No matter. Whatever the cause of the head-thrown-back, open-mouthed laughter (is there really any better kind?), I'm taking it as a sign of very, very good things to come.