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Getting back to the rhythm

The holidays swept through the Urban household faster than I could have imagined or written about.

soft dates rolled in ground coconut stuck with a sliver of parmigiano reggiano cheese
Staying in Los Altos gave us a chance to connect to friends over long lingering meals.  Sixteen dinner parties to be exact (counting Christmas and New Years).  And since many of these gatherings took place around our beloved dining table, it gave me a chance to try and have fun with new cook books, recipes, and food blogs.  It gave Mr. Urban a chance to experiment with countless bottles of Califrnia wines.  And it gave our girl a chance to socialize and hone her vocal skills.  She can not get enough of singing jingle bells.  And the only thing she loves more, is to sing it in front of an audience, sporting her beloved Santa hat.


At the beginning of the holidays, our book club selected a rather gargantuan hardcover, The Help, as our next selection.  Against my warnings I might add.  The book is almost 500 pages long.  And we have toddlers at home.  But I wasn't ten pages into the story around Christmas day when I noticed that I just can not put the book down.  By New Year's eve the book was sadly over and all I could wish for was another hundred pages at least...  If you are looking for a good book, pick it up.  It will touch your heart and sharpen your compassion.

Our adventures took us on trains, to our favorite cafes, and on many many lazy holiday strolls around Los Altos with the UrbanToddler and her beloved tricycle...  We also watched movies that we had randomly picked out on our trips with our girl to the library.  Which mostly turned out to be quite inspirational.  Well, there were all the Russel Brand movies (plenty of inspiration there),  The Music Within, and Temple Grandin.

And finally this morning it all came down to a mother and Toddler and a home eerily empty of its tree, its twinkle lights and its Mr. Urban.  The past two weeks had nearly erased our rythm and routines with missed naps, bed times pushed way way back, and a home buzzing with excitement of holiday activties and visits.

As my girl was summoning me to the present to do something about it all, I took a quick trip down memory lane remembering my grandmother, who for most of her eighty year life, made an art form out of staying at home to care for her family, her home and her self.  Her secret weapon: Rhythm, as  though her time was accounted for meticulously on a metronome.  Deliberately, lovingly and elegantly moving through activities of her day. 

Here we go 2011!
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  1. AshleykelleyJanuary 4, 2011 at 7:51 AM

    Didn't you love that book!? It was an unforgettable one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Urban GirlJanuary 4, 2011 at 8:37 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Urban GirlJanuary 4, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    Ashley, I can't begin to tell you how changed I feel because of it... loved it

    ReplyDelete

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