The Cure for Road Rage

So I am re-vamping what my blog is about. Well, not dramatically, but I just can't be confined to Natalia. Motherhood is so much more than just chronicling her growing up. I mean - I'm the mother, after all and this is my blog. More than that. I want to know more about what you guys think about all this. I want feedback, advice, your stories. I'm spreading my wings here about what it means for ME to be down in the motherhood. It's more of a gear shift than a re-vamp I guess. Let's shift into fifth, shall we? Vroom.

First of all, I want to apologize to all of those who don't live in Boise. You see, today is 65 degrees and very spring like. It even smells good. Last week I went snowboarding at the local ski resort that is one hour up the mountain while Natalia was in school. Here I am in my "zero gravity lounger" in my front yard blogging away while my princess diligently pounds the books. Oh, the dog is whining because he is dumb and wants to eat rocks. Strike that. It was a piece of ABC gum he found in our yard that I pulled out of his mouth, I should have let him have it. 

Earlier today Jeremy and I took Ripley to the dog park and on some errands. Boise is a super dog friendly place, and that is another reason I love it here so much. As we were trolling around town with Ripley's head out the back passenger side window (that is his favorite side) I could see people look over and smile. He really is a cute meat chunk. It got me thinking how quickly my own road rage is alleviate when I see a large breed dog (sorry, not a small breed kind of girl) with its head out the window. Ears flapping in the wind, nose pointed in the air, eyes slightly squinted in pure joy. I just love dogs. I decided to make a list of 10 small things that make me happy (in no particular order):

1. Big dog heads poking out of car windows
2. Convertible top down, down shift, punch it, no cops
3. The smell of Natalia when she is sleeping
4. Notes from Jeremy - better if it comes with a food item like "Hey, I bought you a fritter."
5. Glitter
6. Quiet time to myself when no one is home
7. When Natalia says "Mom?!" "Yeah?" "I love you."
8. When Jeremy can't resist grabbing my butt when he walks by. Even when I am trying to put on eyeliner. It's annoying, but if he doesn't do it I'm like, "What's wrong?"
9. Girl talk at night before Natalia goes to sleep
10. Sharing the shower.
11. Naps.

Okay, so that was 11, but naps are a big deal to me and I just couldn't leave them out.

Proof there are some plants
even I can't kill

So spring is here and I am ready for lawn games and children outside playing, running in and out of the house. I am ready to take Ripley everywhere now that it isn't too cold outside to keep him in the car and date nights downtown to people watch on the patios. Even though life get's pretty frustrating with series of unfortunate events and such, I try and remember the little things that make me happy and do those to get me through until the yucky things iron out. 

Okay, so what are your little happy things? Dancing in the kitchen to Duran Duran? Nachos? Alphabetizing your scrap paper? Do tell.