Things to Do - Make a Grateful List (June 2011)

In the past I tried to limit these lists to 25 things, but I've decided that's silly. Some months are too good for such limits. Luckily, this was one of those months.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
1. The June 6, 2011 New Yorker - "The Invisible Army" by Sarah Stillman and "Why We Have College" by Louis Menand
2. Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain by Portia de Rossi
3. Too Big to Fail (the movie)
4. The Fighter (movie)
5. The Lampshades at the Cinema Drafthouse (hysterically funny)
6. "M & M World" (short story) by Kate Walbert
7. West Coast (song) by Coconut Records; We Will Become Silhouttes (song) by the Postal Service; and Mean (song) by Taylor Swift (don't make fun of me, it's a really good song)

FOOD
8. Asparagus, lemon, & goat cheese pasta (via the Smitten Kitchen)
9. Swiss chard with garbanzo beans & fresh tomatos (via Allrecipes.com)
10. Pinot noir at Landmark winery in Sonoma (seriously, they had the best wine ever. Everything on the tasting menu was amazing)
11. Kai's homemade halibut dinner in San Francisco (eating while wearing a Bears snuggie on an outdoor deck with a view of the bay = perfect night) - SO YUMMY!
12. Dinner at Cafe La Haye(Sonoma CA) and brunch at the random sidestreet cafe with really good drinks (San Franciso CA)

PLACES
13. Our romantic weekend at the Inn at Westwood Farm (sleeping in, reading books on the veranda, wonderful breakfasts, strolling the property at night with a glass of wine and the best husband ever)
14. The spraypark/fountain next to Rustico restaurant
15.
F dancing to the Reflex (80's cover band) on a super hot night during Pentagon Row's summer concert series (the free popsicles and smoothies also made it a special night) - thanks Julia, for the video!
16. Dan and the girls fishing together at Burke Lake for father's day
17. Visiting friends on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco and waking up to views of the bay
18. Reconnecting with two of my favorite high school friends during our San Fran girls' weekend
19. Going to the playground after dinner and walking home at dusk
20. T's excitement over feeding the goats at Clark Eliok's Farm (he literally squealed with delight every time a goat ate out of his hand)

ETC.
21. F asking (before biting into a "chicken" nugget) "Wait, mom, were they nice to the chickens?" (they were actually soy nuggets). Honestly, this may be one of my proudest parenting moments, at least I've taught them something important.
22. T's morning conversation - "Mamma 'ome [home]? Dada 'ome? Sissies 'ome? Oh."
23. T's excitement over saying hi and bye to everyone (especially complete strangers)
24. F reading books all day (esp. when she reads books to P & T in the hammock)
25. All three kids playing together in the yard (while I chill out on the deck)
26. F asking P "Can you take care of my happy napper penguin next year when I'm in kindergarten?" "Sure, F" "Just remember he needs LOTS of fish and water. He just loves fish. His name is Alex and make sure he gets naps, especially at night. His bedtime is sunset. I just look for when the sky turns orange or pink and put him to bed."
27. Board breaking at Tae Kwan Do
28. Breakfast on our back deck
29. Lying in the hammock and watching the squirrels run through the trees
30. P surprising us all by cleaning the girls' room
31. The freckle on the tip of F's nose
32. Three paid photoshoots in one month (a wedding, a baby, and a condo)
33. T waking up and "reading" books in his crib
34. Dan turning off the air on a really hot night because he knows I love to sleep with the fans on and the windows open
35. The girls' excitement over T's birthday
36. Raising our pet butterflies (then releasing them) and ladybugs
37. Dr. Park (we just learned that our family doctor is leaving the practice, we all LOVE this woman and will miss her greatly)
38. P asking "Is T nocturnal? He sure sleeps a lot during the day."
39. P saying "Mama, I think you love me as much as the sky because the sky is everywhere."
40. Rolling "initial dice" to see which kid gets to pick the game
41. Our last minute solstice party (thank you to everyone who came!!!)
42. Lazy mornings and no set plan
43. Virgin America (best six hour flight ever, thanks to on demand movies, satetllite tv, and snack ordering service)
44. Fabulous mani/pedis for $26 on Grant Street (San Francisco, CA)
45. Returning from San Fran to kids who missed me and a wonderful dinner cooked by my husband
46. F's new love of yoga (esp. taking kids' yoga classes through Go Bananas! Dancing)
47. Philosophy's Field of Flowers perfume & lotion
48. Over 5000 page views in one month (I know in blogland that these aren't the best stats, but they're good for me, so thank you everyone for stopping by)
49. Our neighbors
50. Whole conversations with T - he can really express himself now (unfortunately I usually answer him with "no")

P's List - my happy napper, strawberry picking with friends, nature walks, my family, my friends, bunkbeds, my cousins, the playground, my dollhouse, everything in our whole house, sprayparks, our summer solstice party

F's List - yoga, strawberry picking, my family, my happy napper penguin, reading, imagination, learning to swim, weekends with Grandma & Grandpa at their house, T's birthday, scientists, Dr. Park, our cousin's house, starting kindergarten in the fall