In honor of my new found resolve to stop and throw the tennis balls, I am really trying to notice the perfect moments that come throughout the day. Yesterday at about 4pm I had my office widows open, the cool breeze that promised fall around the corner was softly blowing in. With it, I swore, was the smell of someone cooking home made vegetable soup. It drove me crazy for about 30 minutes. I even IM'd a friend about it. "It just smells so good!" I wrote! "It makes me feel so safe and cozy, like when i was a little kid. Was it real? imagined? None of my neighbors were even home! Well, after that 30 minutes I could stand it no longer. I ransacked my fridge and cupboards and pulled out every fresh and canned veggie we had. Wow, lots...who knew?! So I made this huge pot of wonderful vegetable soup. After simmering for about an hour the kids wandered in the office. "Mommy, what smells so good? It makes me happy!" Sophie said. "Me too, Sophie!" "Mom, I may even try that soup it smells so good!" the world's pickiest boy exclaimed.

I looked out the window, the evening sun was hitting the tree trunks making that amazing gold color, I could smell the fresh breeze mingled now with the very real smell of my soup. I was finishing up my day with two sketches for paintings I would finish that night and I realized that in that moment I had given my kids the same safe cozy feeling I had been having. It was a very perfect moment.