5 for 8.15.10

1. Having a good swim lesson again and getting to use the floaties.
2. Feeling like packing can be accomplished and won't be so overwhelming.
3. Experiencing a relaxing yin yoga class.
4. Having a nice catch up talk with Meera.
5. Finding out Mom & Joe did get to hear Freddy say "Opa Joe" after all.

5 for 8.14.10

1. Getting to organize and toss things in the closet without much effort because it was "playing" to Freddy.
2. Chatting with the Himes family and checking out their new shed.
3. Watching Rick play with "tickle-me-freddy"
4. Seeing Melanie and her family and catching up for a few minutes.
5. Being able to stay calm about vacation prep, even though I'm almost completely unprepped at this point!

5 for 8.13.10

1. No separation anxiety this morning - woo-hoo!
2. Finished up everything at work and feel like I have left no loose ends hanging that might unravel while I am on vacation.
3. Had wonderful spa services and left feeling pampered and relaxed for not a lot of cash.
4. Chic Envy! What an amazing store. Thrilled by the shirt and suit that I got. Can't wait to go back with my mom.
5. Watching Freddy open and close my caboodles box, figure out how the parts worked, and play with the various hair accessories inside. What a little investigator.

5 for 8.12.10

1. Finding a way to turn a small mistake into a big advantage.
2. Finishing up the majority of my to-do list at work and seeing the light of vacation just around the corner.
3. Seeing Rick and Freddy walking in the puddles together.
4. Watching Freddy out act "the kids on the bus go up and down" with a big grin on his face.
5. Giving Freddy a bath and hearing him proudly announce "duck, duck, duck" after examining the bath mat.

5 for 8.11.10

1. Freddy woke up early which helped me get to my meeting with plenty of time to spare.
2. Had a yummy sandwich at the meeting.
3. Meeting ended early which helped me get some extra work done.
4. Rick cleaned up most of the kitchen while we laughed at BB.
5. Got pinged by a friend which was nice, even if bittersweet.

5 for 8.10.10

1. Freddy playing peek-a-boo this morning when I went in to wake him.
2. Gary is back from vacation and re-engaging at work.
3. Productive work day, connecting with Jennifer, Hemal, and Lynda. Reaching out to folks via email.
4. Great discussion over lunch about challenges at work and how best to handle them. It felt good to get some fresh thinking (which helped me find what I needed), and to have reminders that I have a support network and am part of others' support networks.
5. Interesting opportunity presented by Scott. May have to get started on the someday task.

5 for 8.9.10

1. Watching the chipmunk with the crew this morning.
2. Getting a bag of clothes from Andrea for Freddy. Yay for cute hand-me-downs!
3. Seeing Ann again - I missed her while she was on vacation. I will miss her when she is out after her surgery.
4. Watching Freddy drag the bag of clothes from Andrea around the family room. Then dump everything out and try on the rain boots.
5. Watching videos with Freddy, and marveling at how clear he is becoming in what he says and is able to communicate.

5 for 8.8.10

1. Going to Freddy's first official playdate and seeing all four of the boys have such a great time playing with each other.
2. Finding out Lauren is pregnant again!
3. Watching Freddy go through the gymboree tunnel finally, and hearing him laugh about all of the fun he was having while doing it.
4. Fitting in time for a workout during Freddy's nap.
5. Laughing with Rick at the idiocacy that is BB.

5 for 8.7.10

1. Bringing Freddy to the gym - seeing him enjoy the kids center, seeing Rick showing him around (and off) upstairs.
2. Signing up for the 90-day weight loss challenge. Feeling a part of the gym and looking forward to the motivation.
3. Finding the time for a workout during Freddy's nap.
4. Hearing that Tabitha's labs are all normal. Although it would be nice to know why she is acting out, it is great to know that she is healthy.
5. Goofing around with Freddy and enjoying spending time with him.

10+ for 8.6.10

1. Watching Freddy and his classmates greet each other this morning. Who knew that touching foreheads is toddler for "hi, I see you"?
2. Giving brownies to Ms. Carmen and Ms. Rachel and being able to tell them Freddy helped make them. Hearing at the end of the day how much Ms. Rachel enjoyed them.
3. Watching Freddy and Sawyer high five each other this morning. I laughed so hard.
4. Having a productive morning at work and low-key interactions with no issues arising.
5. Starting to zero in on the key to finding my motivation to exercise and eat right. Make it fun and social. I look forward to the day that it is an ingrained lifestyle habit again.
6. Watching Freddy get his first salon hair cut.
7. Going out to cheesecake factory with Rick and Freddy after the haircut and making a healthy choice automatically (and not craving cheesecake!).
8. Capturing the moments on video at CF when "you're beautiful" was playing and Freddy was looking at each of us in the most precious and adorable way. I choke up every time I watch it.
9. Reading the thank you note from Karla and Norma for the brownies. Really touching and genuine.
10. Watching Sarah and Freddy play this evening. Well, Freddy play and Sarah watching Freddy play.
11. Meeting a new neighbor and his dogs, Rocky and Ozzy, and watching Freddy pet them. Finding out they live with the puggles Jeter and Callie we met and pet last week.
12. Brushing my teeth along with Freddy this evening. He looked so proud!

5 for 8.4.10

1. Enjoying a fun dinner out with friends of mine and Freddy's
2. Learning it isn't really that bad to be "those parents" with the unruly kids.
3. Watching mindless tv with Rick and cracking up.
4. Having a good laugh with Rick about something silly I did.
5. Going to bed early and getting a good night's sleep.

5 for 8.3.10

1. Enjoying a productive day off and accomplishing everything on my list.
2. Finding a little time to search for iPad apps and play a couple of iPad games.
3. Anticipating the 90 day challenge and feeling optimistic about being a part of it.
4. Finding age appropriate toys for Freddy in our basement collection of hand-me-downs. And finding the missing halfmoon thomas shape sorter piece was such a bonus! I thought it was lost before being handed down...who would have thought it would have been turquoise.
5. Feeling so grateful for my happy, healthy little boy. I am so lucky to be his mom.

5 for 8.2.10

1. Wearing my limon ripka pieces and getting lots of compliments.
2. Having a much better work day than I expected and handling myself well during my meetings.
3. Finding some time to explore iPad apps.
4. Anticipating a vacation day tomorrow.
5. Listening to Freddy say words like video and strawberry. What a little communicator!

5 for 8.1.10

1. Watching Freddy play with the "big ball"
2. Running into Sharon at the gym and getting to catch up for a few minutes.
3. Enjoying a centering yin yoga session. Interacting with Amber, the teacher and later with Tamer, the LTF manager.
4. Watching Freddy blow bubbles in the bathtub.
5. Laughing at Big Brother with Rick.

5 for 7.31.10

1. Getting back on the treadmill and having no problems with my calf.
2. Enjoying dinner out with Rick and Freddy - it's crazy that this is the first time the three of us ate out together at a restaurant!
3. Watching Freddy enjoy his impromptu sprinker session.
4. Reading Dora books to Freddy and realizing he knows "hola" and "adios"
5. Letting Tabitha go outside for a closely supervised field trip.

5 for 7.30.10

1. Connecting with Rachel at KC. It was sweet of her to have a perspective on and awareness of my clothing style.
2. Sharing my zipper flower shoes with the kids at KC.
3. Receiving fun packages at work from Freddy's fish water bottle to the backup comfy cozy bears to judith ripka limon enhancer.
4. Giving old toys and socks to Infant A and knowing they will be used and appreciated. Seeing that the green ring was found in Infant B.
5. Reading I love you because you're you to Freddy.

5 for 7.29.10

1. Giving a solid presentation at the Board meeting and not even feeling that nervous.
2. Finding an opportunity for some PQA direction during the closed session.
3. Getting the detailed morning description from Brenda.
4. Hanging out at the train station with KG, Andrea, and Sabrina. Again enjoying the quiet car and free wifi on the acela.
5. Being driven home by the kind Bernard and seeing Freddy when I got home.

5 for 7.28.10

1. Finding the time to run crucial errands at Union Station and making the train with a minute to spare.
2. Enjoying the peace of the Quiet Car and amtrak connect free wifi.
3. Talking with MCS at length during the Board reception.
4. Finding a few moments to walk the streets of NYC and enjoy a quick bite at Dean and Deluca.
5. Being saved from a nasty fall by cab-flagging Superman who quickly disappeared into the crowd.

5 for 7.27.10

1. Right now I'm grateful that Freddy is sleeping. So unusual for him to be up so late and so fussy. Hope he feels better tomorrow and this was just a passing fluke.
2. Listening to Rick calm Freddy down and read him books was really sweet.
3. Having Freddy cuddle with me in bed as he calmed down and watch babyfirst tv was nice. It was fun to hear him starting to talk back to the characters and interact with them now that he is old enough to understand some of it.
4. Having a quiet day at work and being able to catch up on some things that have been hanging around for a while.
5. Getting so much help from Rick on everything from the love seat (sayonara) to cleaning up the kitchen to settling Freddy down. I'm very lucky!

5 for 7.26.10

1. So relieved that Freddy seems to be one of the lucky few in his class that does not have hand, foot, and mouth disease.
2. Coming home with boxes of new shoes, and having Freddy promptly notice the boxes, open them, and put the various pairs of shoes on my feet so he can look at them. He makes shopping doubly rewarding!
3. Watching Freddy interact with Patrioit, and with Callie and Jeter, and with Terry. Friendly neighbors and dogs are wonderful!
4. Having a great chat with Josh this evening and connecting over important stuff.
5. Watching Entourage with Rick. It was especially nice since he watched the first 20 minutes over again so I could catch up.

5 for 7.25.10

1. Sleeping late (thanks Freddy!) and missing swim lessons on what turned out to be the perfect day to miss them.
2. Talking to my grandma and wishing her a happy birthday. I was glad to hear how much she liked the picture of Freddy.
3. Having help from Daria with putting my weight loss efforts in perspective. It doesn't have to be all or nothing and focusing on the positive - what I want to look like - rather than the negative - what I look like now - is far more motivating.
4. Watching the storm with Freddy. Those winds were amazing and came in so fast!
5. Eating dinner together as a family. May it be the first of many!

5 for 7.24.10

1. Watching Freddy and Rick splashing in the kiddie pool. Freddy looked cute with his sunglasses on.
2. Watching more videos of Freddy with Freddy. My favorite today was "Frederick the Entertainer" and watching "live" Freddy make lip noises while watching "video" Freddy do it was especially funny.
3. Having the magic mom power to help Freddy feel better.
4. Getting to catch up with Debbie for a few minutes tonight at the concert, and watching Rick get to catch up with a few of his friends.
5. Having a great time at EFO with Rick, despite the incredible heat. Getting our own special seats at the side so we didn't have to suffer through formaldehyde woman. Hearing the songs we wanted to hear early enough so we could slip out before the traffic.

5 for 7.23.10

1. Being able to thank Ms. Jackie and Ms. Jenny for all they've done for Freddy.
2. Not missing out on the fish water bottle I wanted to get for Freddy but kept fighting the urge to purchase.
3. Having a great 18 month doctor appointment for Freddy - great progress, he showed off a little for Dr. Mark, and handled his shots like a champ.
4. Getting to spend some quality time with my Mom before she got on the road and headed home. Watching her and Freddy having fun together was priceless.
5. Watching more videos of Freddy with Freddy. It is so fun to watch the videos again, and seeing him clap and laugh along with them is such a bonus!

5 for 7.22.10

1. Finding out that the lost dog I saw yesterday was being taken care of by a good samaritan and that the owners seem to have been found.
2. Reading books with Freddy and his classmates this morning, and watching Freddy enthusiastically do the signs for itsy bitsy spider.
3. Finding windows of time to get lots of small tasks done.
4. Hearing Freddy say "Bye Josh" when I was getting off the phone with Josh.
5. Going on a nice long walk with Freddy and feeling my calf being almost completely back to normal.

Happy 18 months to my happy healthy wonderful little boy!

5 for 7.21.10

1. Watching Freddy dance along to the Hamster Dance song in the car. Remembering sending SuperDave the musical Hamster Dance card last year and telling him it was "Freddy approved".
2. Seeing Chloe's parents this morning and watching Freddy & Chloe eat breakfast together.
3. Coming home to "Hi Mom" in sidewalk chalk on the driveway.
4. Making my short list of friends to catch up with soon and almost immediately lucking into an opportunity with one of them for this weekend.
5. Anticipating the lottery fun, while understanding it is purely for entertainment value.

5 for 7.20.10

1. Catching up with Ms. Jenny this morning and sharing Freddy's news.
2. Hearing Freddy say "bye mama" on the telephone as I was leaving work.
3. Listening to Freddy laugh while Patriot tickled his toes.
4. Watching Freddy and Sarah (finally) play together. They stared, shared, smiled, and hugged. Very sweet.
5. Enjoying Rick's creative dinner - cucumbers, shrimp and an interesting plumcot-tomato-avocado-chipotle sauce.

5 for 7.19.10

1. Having Rick at home in the morning to help out with the routine.
2. Sharing the news with Ms. Jackie about Freddy moving to the toddler room. Such a bittersweet, but touching, exchange.
3. Finding and using the new quick dry nail polish.
4. Hearing Freddy say "milk" in an amazingly clear voice.
5. Seeing Rick's enthusiasm over making the coffee-crusted steak and tasting the delicious creation.

5 for 7.18.10

1. Watching Freddy and Rick swim in the backyard pool this afternoon.
2. Watching Freddy and Rick go on a stick hunt.
3. Watching Freddy and Tabitha watch the rabbit in our backyard.
4. Watching old videos of Freddy with Freddy.
5. Finding some time in the afternoon to straighten up and organize some things.

5 for 7.17.10

1. Reading and discovering new books with Freddy this morning (and now I have the anticipation of doing it all over again with our new bag of books from Josh & Gini).
2. Receiving such great care from Victor at LTF after I pulled my calf muscle. I'm hopeful that it is mild and won't derail my exercise routine that I'm doing so well establishing.
3. Having my mom come to visit and watching her and Freddy have so much fun together.
4. Enjoying a nice dinner out with Rick while mom babysat for Freddy.
5. Getting to show my mom pictures of Freddy and projects he did and enjoying looking at everything together.

5 for 7.16.10

1. I'm glad the earthquake wasn't serious and kind of glad I slept through it, even if I did have that odd military aircraft crashing into each other and careening towards me dream that must have been my brain processing the earthquake. Glad I ran to safety in my dream.
2. I'm proud that I got up early and had a great cardio workout this morning. Watching Psych at the same time was a great bonus.
3. I'm happy that Freddy had another great day in the toddler room, enjoying splash day and actually wearing hard soled shoes all day.
4. I appreciate the productive day I had at work and being able to keep the stress at bay. The early end to the workday was especially welcome, too.
5. I had a great call with Daria, and it was nice to be able to do it today. Sunday will feel so much less scheduled now.

5 for 7.15.10

1. Having all of the pieces unexpectedly and effortlessly fall into place for Freddy's toddler room transition.
2. Spending time with Freddy in the morning and afternoon in his new room and seeing how happy he was.
3. Hearing from Carmen and Rachel how seamlessly Freddy transitioned and how advanced several of his skills are.
4. Hearing how much Ann enjoyed her training session with Emma and feeling good about making the connection for them.
5. Hearing that there is no more oil leaking into the gulf. I really hope this is the solution.

5 for 7.14.10

1. Successfully getting up for a pre-work cardio session.
2. Watching Chloe and Freddy hug each other this morning.
3. Watching Freddy rock enthusiastically on the blue dog and say "Wheeeeeeee!" over and over.
4. Finding some reasonable things to purchase usinge Shauni's gymbucks gift.
5. Getting a great big kiss right on the lips from Freddy, complete with one hand on each side of my face. What a sweetheart!

5 for 7.13.10

1. Having Rick come home for a bit in the morning and helping us out.
2. Seeing the metrobus accident on the way to work - glad it wasn't any worse and glad it wasn't my metrobus.
3. Playing in the basement with Freddy and seeing him discover all of the new treasures down there.
4. Watching a bit of LCS with Rick and listening to Rick watch Wipeout.
5. Spending a little time in the massage chair and feeling my neck loosen.

5 for 7.12.10

1. Receiving hand-me-down clothes for Freddy from Fritz. Hope he can wear the cookie monster snowsuit this winter.
2. Being able to stay calm at work after receiving stunning news.
3. Getting big cuddly hugs from Freddy.
4. Listening to the rain.
5. Having keratin-smoothed, frizz-free, zero-maintenance hair.

5 for 7.11.10

1. Watching Freddy and Sawyer enjoying their swimming lessons and seeing each other.
2. Having a productive call with Daria and setting some strong intentions for the week (2 cardio sessions at home and tracking my food beginning on Tuesday, for the health category).
3. Hanging with Freddy throughout the day, hearing him say "thank you".
4. Feeling relaxed after a tough yoga class and being able to fight the craving for a chocolate peanut butter smoothie after.
5. Being able to keep my cool despite unexpected messes like mold in the washing machine and Tabitha marking the love seat (again).

5 for 7.10.10

1. Sleeping in this morning, and taking a 2-hour nap in the afternoon.
2. Dancing with Freddy.
3. Discovering the Sesame board books and the Journey through the... books with Freddy.
4. Watching the rain with Freddy.
5. Enjoying mom's night out and catching up on the important details of upcoming rooms, potential behavioral issues, and alternate daycares.

5 for 7.9.10

1. Hearing about Freddy's enjoyment of splash day at school, just standing under the sprinkler and enjoying the water.
2. Laughing at the sight of Freddy in his red slipper boots with his shortie outfit and surmising he must have insisted on wearing his regular shoes under the sprinkler.
3. Enjoying a last minute play date with Angie and Zach. Watching Freddy and Zach run around the dining room table with absolute glee.
4. Watching BBAD with Rick. Trashy TV with no redeeming value, but a high entertainment factor.
5. Getting the keratin smoothing complex treatment and anticipating the return to zero-frizz, maintenance free hair. Discovering that Fairfax Corner has free wi-fi and I was able to make the most of my 2 hour appointment.

5 for 7.8.10

1. Watching Rhett with his ears flat against his head, carefully watching every move of the squirrel on the front porch.
2. Making the most of my day off and not having any unplanned derailments.
3. Enjoying dinner out with Shauni, Sandra and our kids.
4. Seeing Freddy enjoy dinner and the company and feeling lucky he is so well-behaved.
5. Dancing and singing along with Freddy as we listened to "Crazy Frog" in the car. I love it when he laughs like that.

5 for 7.7.10

1. Watching Freddy play with the flashlight, making the light circle big and small, figuring out how to turn it on and off.
2. Air conditioning in cabs, metrobus, and metrorail. It was so hot out there today.
3. Having no trouble hailing cabs to and from lunch, and getting very friendly drivers both times.
4. Experiencing a productive, low-stress workday.
5. Seeing the cute pictures of Freddy joyfully skinny-dipping in the backyard pool.

5 for 7.6.10

1. So grateful that my careless and thoughtless comments were not overheard. I will remember to think before I speak and be more careful in the future. Crisis narrowly averted.
2. Wonderful to catch up with an old friend at lunch. I will make an effort to catch up with more friends more often.
3. It was fun to watch Freddy enjoying the playskool slide.
4. Enjoyed seeing Freddy climb up into the driver's seat of my car by himself, and then helping him drive into the garage.
5. I appreciated the picture that Ed sent of Freddy and Brenda coloring yesterday. He perfectly captured a wonderful moment.

I am grateful to have air conditioning to keep my family comfortable during this incredible heat. It is so easy to take things like that for granted.

5 for 7.5.10

1. Having a successful outing to Target and the Bird Feeder with Freddy. We found everything we needed for Rick's birthday and Freddy was so good.
2. Being able to squeeze in making Rick's birthday dessert and organizing in the guest room while Freddy was awake and hanging out with me.
3. Finding the time for a quick cardio session while Freddy slept and being able to run for half of it.
4. Enjoying a nice visit with Brenda and Ed who brought yummy food for Rick's birthday. Freddy interacted with them well and was quite delightful.
5. Watching the rabbit hanging around our house this evening - chilling in the yard, eating some grass, eating some lettuce, and hopping around. The red kitties enjoyed the rabbit, too.

5 for 7.4.10

1. Helping Freddy discover crayons and a coloring book (and seeing him make the connection on how the Tag Jr. reader works).
2. Cuddling with Freddy while watching Rick mow the lawn.
3. Going through the car wash with Rick & Freddy. Especially appreciated the attendant who put on a great show for Freddy.
4. Watching "Up" with Rick (and sort of Freddy...)
5. Watching fireworks with Rick - the always unique PBS Capitol Fourth and the more low-key annual "Himes" display. And feeling relieved that Freddy is sleeping through all of the noise.

Feeling content and knowing how lucky I am to live where I do, when I do. I am grateful to all those whose sacrifices made that possible.

5 for 7.3.10

1. Having a great morning with Freddy, who was much better than he was yesterday morning.
2. Watching Freddy and the cats play with bubbles.
3. Being able to spend part of my cardio time running.
4. Watching Rick cheer Freddy up.
5. Enjoying a nice family day, despite the teething.

5 for 7.2.10

1. Watching Freddy laugh while Rick tried to pull Freddy's rashguard over his own head.
2. Getting the good news that Freddy does not have an ear infection, just a rough spell of teething.
3. Feeling Freddy nestle into me and looking at the way he was holding my hand and being able to tell that I really do have the magical mom comforting powers.
4. Watching Freddy giggle and try to imitate Rick's prat-face-falls on the bed.
5. Hearing the silence after Freddy finally fell asleep. Hoping he sleeps well through the night and that the worst of the teething pain is behind him.

5 for 7.1.10

1. Finding out about Splash Day at KC and thinking about how much Freddy will enjoy it. (and seeing him actually walk in his flip flops tonight!)
2. Making someone's day with such a small daisy gesture.
3. Getting to hang out with Fritz and Sebastian for a little while at lunch.
4. Realizing that I have things in good shape at work and can take a vacation day tomorrow.
5. Watching Freddy learn to make the flashlight spot bigger and smaller on the wall.

5 for 6.30.10

1. Hearing Freddy say "a bit more" this morning - he never ceases to amaze me.
2. Getting a seat on the metro both ways and extra elbow room on the bus.
3. Eating a delicious meal at DC Coast and enjoying good company.
4. Watching the squirrel in the backyard either digging up or burying its huge mouthful of grass.
5. Taking the time to curl my hair and then having people actually notice and compliment it.

5 for 6.29.10

1. Getting back into the swing of things at work without too much difficulty. Especially appreciated the boost from Gary's thoughts on the tactical slides.
2. Being able to keep down solid food again and even a frappuccino.
3. Receiving my beautiful pink pearls - what a stunning necklace (and naturally they were noticed by the eagle eyes of Freddy when I got home).
4. Going on an impromptu (and far!) walk with Freddy. He moves really fast now. Thank goodness Rick decided to get in the car and look for us.
5. Listening to Freddy click his tongue and making him laugh when I did it back.

5 for 6.28.10

1. I'm so glad to have the stomach flu finally abating. Hoping to be even better tomorrow.
2. Dropping Freddy off this morning was so sweet - the way he touched Beth's arm and hugged Ms. Lorna and said "bye bye" to me made me smile.
3. Watching the tiger swallowtails in the backyard on the butterfly bush throughout the day was fun.
4. Rhett made making the bed into entertainment rather than a chore. What a crazy cat he is. (and Freddy made me smile when he pointed to Rhett tonight and said "she is a cat" ).
5. I laughed so hard when Freddy kept blowing bubbles in the bathtub and in the cup he was playing with. And the more I laughed, the more he did it!

5 for 6.27.10

1. Freddy was so good today and seemed to understand that I was sick.
2. Listening to his sweet voice and laughter made me feel a little better.
3. Rick was so supportive, taking care of Freddy, getting me what I needed at the store, not complaining about missing his concert.
4. The cats were great, all rallying around me and keeping me company.
5. As bad as I feel, I know it could be far worse and I am hopeful I will feel better tomorrow.

5 for 6.26.10

1. Being taken care of so well by Rick, Freddy, Sharon, Rhett and many others.
2. Having personal tvs in the ER.
3. Watching Vintage BSG.
4. Finding out that I didn't have appendicitis.
5. Getting to finally come back home.

5 for 6.25.10

1. Feeling the joy that Friday brings, and hearing Ms. Jenny tell me that Freddy usually says "Friday!" when she asks him what day it is on Fridays.
2. Enjoying the clean house after the Maid Brigade was here.
3. Taking a much needed afternoon nap in the cool basement.
4. Going to the summer fun kickoff party at KC and watching Freddy check everything out.
5. Brushing Freddy's teeth successfully - wish I knew what the trick was to always having it go so smoothly.

5 for 6.24.10

1. Getting a good night's sleep in an unfamiliar place.
2. Spending the whole conference with Sharon.
3. Making more connections and getting through more of my agenda.
4. Arriving home much earlier than I expected.
5. Being greeted by Freddy with a big hug and kiss.

5 for 6.23.10

1. Regaining a window of time in the morning when a meeting was unexpectedly cancelled and making the most of the time.
2. Getting some of those important calls back, finally!
3. Making strong connections and getting through my agenda.
4. Talking with Rick and Freddy on the phone.
5. Eating a delicious dinner at Vidalia and getting all of the amex points after paying for it.

5 for 6.22.10

1. Getting to catch up on life in Paxton's world.
2. Making it to the meeting on time despite the unbelievable traffic.
3. Continuing to make steady progress at work and feeling things moving forward.
4. Coming home to a great big Freddy hug.
5. Hearing Freddy say "dinner" and being proud about getting his food onto the fork.
   

5 for 6.21.10

1. Having a very productive day at work and keeping the stress and anxiety at bay.
2. Running multiple errands in an amazingly short time, including getting my typically $50 prescription for $0 thanks to some tenacity and a manufacturer coupon.
3. Being unexpectedly loaned "Up" on DVD. Looking forward to watching it.
4. Having enough disposable income to buy some Judith Ripka jewelry and Nomad paisley rain boots.
5. Coming home to my smiling, loving little boy.

5 for 6.20.10

1. Watching Freddy loving swim class this morning - he was jumping in the pool all by himself!
2. Having a wonderful visit with Dad and Carol - hard to tell who enjoyed it more, them or Freddy. And such a bonus to get to see my dad on Father's Day.
3. Hearing Freddy say "mom" when he wanted to hold my hand and realizing how often he says it for that reason.
4. Seeing the hibiscus bush in bloom.
5. Knowing that Freddy has a really awesome dad.

5 for 6.19.10

1. Being able to clean up the family room and put away Freddy's laundry while Freddy played nearby - hopefully a turning point for getting smalls things accomplished.
2. Enjoying playing with Freddy today - running in circles around the main level, building with blocks, creating a ball pit, hiding in the tent - my child is wonderful!
3. Watching Rick put Freddy's PJs on and get him ready for bed while Freddy gleefully laughed and laughed.
4. Seeing Freddy lift his foot to his face and examine the bottom when he saw Rick do the same thing - seeing them both in that identical odd position cracked me up.
5. Pausing to enjoy the fireflies flitting about the front lawn.

5 for 6.18.10

1. Watching Freddy play in his bubble wonderland this morning.


2. Running into so many of my friends and catching up at KC.


3. Receiving helpful guidance and insights from Kathryn, followed by a project green light and a productive member call.


4. Bird-watching in the backyard, from the cardinal couple to the puffed up robin.


5. Seeing Freddy's sweet Father's Day project and how much Rick liked it.

5 for 6.17.10

1. Seeing and sharing Freddy's cute school photos.
2. Eating a delicious meal at Zola Kitchen and spending time catching up with Sharon.
3. Enjoying a long walk back to the office after lunch instead of a taxi.
4. Looking at the hydrangeas with Freddy and hearing him say "flowers".
5. Finding out I will get to see my dad on father's day.

5 for 6.16.10

1. Having a long talk with my grandpa tonight on his 99th birthday.
2. Seeing someone walking along south lakes with a big garbage bag and picking up trash - looked like a random act of kindness that many will benefit from and not be aware of.
3. Reading Beth's hilarious FB status update and feeling the laughter across the miles. I love the way FB connects me to so many people and keeps us involved in each other's lives.
4. Having access to migraine medication and feeling it start to kick in.
5. Seeing Freddy's sweet face after my rough work day and hearing him try to mimic my "I love you".

5 for 6.15.10

1. Hearing about Freddy delivering snack with Ms. Jessica yesterday.
2. Laughing so hard I almost cried while listening to the Rosie show on the way to Whole Foods (followed by the sighting of the hilarious "smile" car in the Whole Foods parking lot).
3. Finding the "smooth" deep breathing software and the meditation chimes widget.
4. Learning that Kathryn has the tactical plan framework presentation well underway and feeling the weight lifting off of my shoulders.
5. Watching Freddy "drive" the car, dribble the soccer ball, and giving a goodnight kiss.

5 for 6.14.10

1. Being reminded by Gary that there was no need to rush, we were in no hurry.
2. Staying calm and focused throughout the workday and ignoring my gremlin.
3. Receiving and wearing the stunning Ripka pearl earrings and having Freddy notice and touch them as soon as I got home :)
4. Having the patience to track my food and make good choices, and finding the iPad app for my preferred tracker software.
5. Wearing my nick & nora strawberry pajama pants.

5 for 6.13.10

1. Watching Freddy enjoying swim lessons this morning, and Rick's ability to help him learn the skills.
2. Working through a great session with Daria, and realizing some interesting things.
3. Watching Rick give Freddy a kiss and listening to Freddy laugh happily afterwards.
4. Hearing Freddy say "please" for the first time.
5. Reading books to Freddy before bed as he cuddled in my lap and really paid attention.

5 for 6.12.10

1. Attending a fun KD picnic with Freddy and watching him joyfully interact with new people and toys and foods.
2. Receiving strawberry jam & sauce from Mindy and having some of that delicious jam later.
3. Watching Freddy petting Patriot with great glee.
4. Learning about all kinds of fun & cool droid apps from Kristina, and just having a great time at moms' night out all around.
5. Finding out that the bean had a heartbeat and is healthy.

5 for 6.11.10

1. Feeling appreciative for the wonderful daycare Freddy attends.
2. Having the support of my unofficial peer-mentor Kathryn.
3. Being proud after I stood up for myself on my call and let the silence stand.
4. Watching Freddy interact with neighbors, especially kids and dogs. Hearing that little girl squeal about how cute he was warmed my heart, and when Freddy kept waving bye to her it was so sweet.
5. Experiencing the satisfaction of finally getting the numbers to add up in quicken.

5 for 6.10.10

1. Watching Freddy and Sawyer play ball this morning in the toddler room.
2. Being able to resist the siren call of Starbucks twice today, realizing I would just feel guilty about it later.
3. Having to pause at the South Lakes traffic light to figure out if the car opposite is really going straight or didn't bother with their turn signal (as usual, it was the latter) - without that pause I would have been directly smashed into by the SUV that came around the bend at high speed and didn't bother to stop for the red light.
4. Feeling the sprinkler droplets carried by the breeze while Freddy burrowed into my lap.
5. Being waved at by two separate drivers who appreciated my letting them merge.

5 for 6.9.10

1. Getting help with my morning routine when Rick unexpectedly came home for a few minutes this morning.
2. Experiencing a delay at the metro turnstile and realizing I was better off because the train I rode was almost empty compared to the one I had missed minutes before.
3. Experiencing a delay at Starbucks and realizing I was better off because I ended up with a free drink and a few sedentary minutes to ride out the scary heart palpitations that started while I was in line.
4. Enjoying the delicious mushroom-ginger-shrimp soup at DC Coast.
5. Watching Rick laugh and shake his head tauntingly and realizing that I was essentially watching Freddy.

5 for 6.8.10

1. Hanging out with the moms and big kids at the school bus stop this morning.
2. Hearing the incredibly sweet comment from Melissa about what a great couple Rick & I are and how lucky Freddy is to be a part of such a loving family and how happy we look hanging out in our yard.
3. Getting to continue to work with Gary and receiving ongoing support and guidance from him.
4. Starting to find my confident voice and to be able to address issues in a direct manner.
5. Seeing that a dear friend is following my blog - Hi Leminda!

(Post-publication bonus gratitude: Watching Journey medley on Glee!)

5 for 6.7.10

1. Seeing Freddy's sweet face and cheery disposition when I went to wake him up this morning.
2. Receiving an unexpected bag of clothes from Fritz.
3. Bonding over the happiness project.
4. Planting cucumbers and squash with Rick and Freddy.
5. Reading a letter to the bean.

5 for 6.6.10

1. Hanging out after the Reston Triathlon and seeing some old friends.
2. Having a productive coaching session and realizing how much progress I've made even in such a short time.
3. Enjoying a relaxing and centering yin yoga class and being reminded to be mindful of blessings.
4. Reading "Pat the Bunny" with Freddy and watching him do all of the actions before I read them.
5. Helping Freddy feed Scarlett cat treats.

5 for 6.5.10

1. Playing soccer with Freddy and Rick.
2. Watching Freddy and Tabitha playing in the bubbles (especially Tabitha).
3. Getting a great workout during CRT class.
4. Enjoying a mocha peanut butter protein shake after CRT class.
5. Using Zachary's generous and unexpected hand-me-downs for Freddy (especially gymboree monkey PJs!)

5 for 6.4.10

1. Eating black raspberries off the bushes in our backyard.
2. Playing blocks, reading books, and running around in the grass with Freddy.
3. Hanging out with Rick on the first flex-time Friday afternoon of the Summer.
4. Experiencing the relief that Rick found the rogue migraine pill that was lost in my car.
5. Sharing my Robek's Raspberry Romance smoothie with Freddy.

5 for 6.3.10

1. Experiencing the relief that Freddy only fell down two stairs and is okay.
2. Enjoying the healthy and delicious dinner that Rick made.
3. Finding out a friend actually looked at my blog and liked it :)
4. Feeling those antibiotics start to kick in and clear my sinus infection out.
5. Sharing the dairy queen choco cherry love blizzard experience with a friend.

5 for 6.2.10

1. Remembering the Daddy-Mommy-Freddy hug from last night that I meant to include on yesterday's list.
2. Watching Kayla flatten her ears into huntress mode while she tracked the chipmunk on the patio through the sliding glass door.
3. Experiencing the care and concern of my sisters when I was feeling ill.
4. Catching up tonight with several friends I have been missing and feeling connected to them.
5. Hearing Freddy string two words together today, "be back!" spoken to the cats as we were leaving.

5 for 6.1.10

1. Looking at the beautiful hydrangeas that Rick grew and gave to me.
2. Knowing that my friend Kathryn has my back on Facebook and in life.
3. Watching Freddy happily eat an impressive amount of lima beans, carrots, green beans, and corn.
4. Feeling the trust of two different friends sharing difficult personal stories.
5. Being held hostage by purring snuggle-kitty Scarlett unexpectedly settling in my lap.

5 for 5.31.10

1. Sitting on the porch with Freddy this morning and feeling like we were in the Caribbean
2. Visiting with the animals at Frying Pan Park and petting the baby calf
3. Experiencing Freddy gleefully jumping out of the pool and onto my lap and giving me a big hug and being able to not focus on how drenched my clothes were but on the love of my little boy
4. Taking an unplanned catnap with my purr-machine Rhett
5. Realizing that although my vacation week was not as planned, I was truly lucky to spend so much time hanging out with Freddy