enjoying wasted time...

When THIS caught my eye on Pinterest, i knew Mr. Lennon was talking to me, of course:

 

"Time you enjoy wasting, is not wasted." - John Lennon

 

Since we came back from Costa Rica this summer, it seems like it has been one long blur of TO DOs and agendas.  Time always refuses to stand still and work has been wearing us out. Seriously.  So, when thanksgiving arrived and plans were made to host, everything fell into place without cause for any drama.

 

  Chato's Tia, his mom's oldest sister, Martina, husband Luis, cousins Humberto and Karina with her husband Israel joined us for the holiday weekend.  Their trip in from Dallas, was a first for Humberto, Karina, and Israel.  We were a fabulous group of  twenty-two people with my parents, Griselda's family, Eddie + Claudia, Lissette + Brian etc.

   

A full table with TWO turkeys and tons of food led to a full tummy for everyone.  Leo smoked his first turkey and added it to the original bird.  We had a new recipe for sweet potato casserole, some peanut utter cupcakes and Aly's new peppermint cookies.  It was a relaxed evening and full of smiles and stories.

 

Bright and early, on what has been named Black Friday, we enjoyed chilly, but bright, beautiful skies.  We headed downtown to show our Texas family our Windy city oasis.  We side tripped through quite a few point and shoot destinations (our version of cold weather drive-bys) and stepped our way through the Shedd Aquarium.

 

From early morning until well past dusk, we trekked all over the city - from south side Soldier Field all the way up to north side Montrose Beach, making a pit stop here, there, and everywhere.  By the time we ended, we made a complete circle: stopping right where we began...

The next morning, Chato's birthday (cake presented to him from his work colleagues)...
 led us out to eat at our favorite breakfast spot, aptly named for our visitors, Dallas.  And then we headed back into the city, via train this time, to trek up to the sky deck and soak up our famous cityscapes.

 It was a glorious day.  I am glad we waited until Saturday morning to do this.  Wide blue skies and puffy, white clouds made the world seem perfect below.

 By late afternoon and evening, we were off to celebrate Noah's baptism.

 Throughout the entire weekend, we rambled about with reckless abandon.  There was no ONE-WAY to do anything.  We stopped where we pleased and smiled through some very impromptu moments...

 ...and there's NOTHING in the world that I'm not more grateful for.

 Our schedules returned, of course.

 

...but basketball games and watching this growing 13 year old find another sense of motivation, spirit, and conviction, is worth all of the taxi driving back and forth to practices.

I've submitted myself to not giving up, too.  We know that the path we are on is intended to guide us somewhere else.  My investigations and daily reflections are ever present in this world we live in.  A few motivating words, here; there.  I am glad we are sometimes forced to change our routines and waste time doing something that we never intended to do, but we must keep pushing forward, always moving, always asking, always looking for something else.  I'm in love with the idea.  When I find that light switch I'll be sure to share it's location...

One last note...

...some planning is needed as a guiding light...

Washington, DC is booked.

Yes, we've attempted THIS before.

I'm intent on getting there this time.

With escalating costs in the Capitol area, we fell in love with renting out THIS townhome just two blocks behind the Supreme Court.  I can just close my eyes and see Spring's Cherry Blossoms in bloom...

...countdown in progress!