Five Favorites: A few things I'm loving right now

Okay, so I already failed at getting one post up each day for seven days straight. But the challenge from Jen did say to do 7 posts in 7 days, so if I get two up today it still counts, right?

Yesterday was just a seriously exhausting day. I came home from work, coaxed the girls down for a nap, and slept for an hour and a half myself. I was still tired. This mom-recovering-from-a-concussion-while-working-full-time is exhausting, I've decided. So I nap when I can.

Anyhow, enough with the tired. Here's five things I'm loving right now:
1. Scarves. I have one in almost every color, a motley crew sourced from clearance racks, thrift stores, and some of my favorite value stores. These particular two are from Old Navy a couple of years ago, and I still absolutely love them. I wear a scarf every day right now!

2. This book. Haven't heard of Tsh Oxenreider or her awesome blog, The Art of Simple? Well, it's high time you checked it out. Her latest book is a collective memoir, written in short vignettes that capture defining moments in her journey to simple living. I haven't quite finished it yet, but so far I've been struck by her family's realization that it was impossible to capture everything they liked best about a particular time or place in their life and translate it into their current situation. I hadn't ever thought about how I tend to want to do that, and how ultimately it's a failure to appreciate the gifts of both the past and the present. 

3. Avocados. I really love avocados and they are great right now - and cheaper because it's their season. I stocked up yesterday and remembered to eat one for my afternoon snack today. They're a healthy, satisfying choice when you need something more substantial. So. Here's to avocados! How do you like yours? I peel, slice, and sprinkle with salt and devour the entire thing in about 45 seconds. With a fork, of course. ;-)

4.  This beautiful Gerbera daisy my husband bought me for Valentine's Day. It's still alive, with much thanks to everyone who has remembered to give it a drink. That is, not me, because every time I think "poor daisy, it looks thirsty" someone tells me soon afterward that they watered it for me. Here's to community plant care. It seems to be an effective model. 

5. Park weather! Okay, so this is an old picture (about a year old, I think, based on the trees in the background) but I haven't had a chance to take any pictures while we've been playing so far this week. It's been sunny and relatively warm a couple of days, and we've taken advantage of the nice weather and gone outside to play. I'm so glad that spring will be here soon. It's typically a pretty rainy season here, but it's still a lot warmer than this winter has been, and there are lots of sunny days to enjoy before it gets very hot.

I have to say, keeping track of two running toddlers at the park is so much harder than two crawling ones. I thought things would be so much simpler when I didn't have to worry about anyone crawling in the sand or on the sawdust and getting into something yucky. It's, well, a walk in the park compared to keeping an eye on someone who wants to walk up the slide and someone else who walks right into her sister just as she swings forward in the toddler swing. I much prefer the park in this picture for its two toddler swings.

Linking up with Hallie! You should, too!