Ballet I and the village approach and a note about Steven Curtis Chapman/Maria Sue Chapman

It's that time of year again...the completion of a year's work. This last week was the ballet recital, next week is the piano recital and so on. I am so proud of Lily. She jumped ahead into a higher level class this year - Ballet I. It was a little risky because she is the only 2nd grader in the class and she went from one hour long class a week to two - one and a half hour long classes a week and at least a half of each class was at the bar. Tucker and I have talked quite a bit about what directions would be good for her...but then we have just waited to see if it works out. Both piano and ballet seem to be good foundational classes. They are hard work but engage her at so many levels. She has really stretched and grown and it was a pleasure to see the fruition of a year's work.

The other aspect of this culmination was the recital day/night. I stand absolutely amazed by how lucky we are to have amazing, supportive people in our girls lives. First it must be said that the recital was on a week day in the evening. Highly inconvenient! Grandparents and godmothers traveled a total of four hours just to see the show. The godmothers took work off and came down to see Lily's recital. That, in and of itself, was a gift but they came early and entered in completely into the moment and the girls loved it and so did I! They helped sew her ballet costume, played with Wilder, helped make cucumber and dill sandwiches, hung out, flexed, did makeup, helped with hair and just were there. I was moved beyond words and truly thanking God above for these blessed women. It was nice also for Wilder to continue to have chances to bond with the godmothers. They don't live in town and so when they come we soak up each moment like a precious pearl. At the recital we took up a whole row full of godmothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and friends all giving time and energy to love on my girl. It is truly a "it takes a village to raise a child" moment. My breath caught and I had to hold back sweet tears of thankfulness at the sight. Even Lily was amazed by the support - it's a good thing to know this love as a child, it gives you confidence deep within that you are loved. As you can see I took some pictures before the recital and some during, but I wish the one picture I had taken was of the dear people sitting in the two rows cheering her on. I didn't do as good a job capturing that moment but I know it will live on in my mind's eye and somehow it may burn brighter without the picture but with the memory.

The pictures of the girls in are her class capture some of the friendships formed and the comraderie of having spent a year working together. The costumes are very pretty but even more so, they are very comfortable. I think the recital went well and the group of girls worked nicely together. All in all, it was a good first foray into the world of girls and tweens.

As we have been doing our school work this week, one of the main assignments was for Lily to call each person and thank them for coming and then to write thank you notes. It was so great to hear her speak to them or leave messages. I know that some might say this is too much but it seems a small thing to give after all the love and time given. When we wrote the notes I felt like it was a combination of writing, handwriting and art lessons. I hope that in some small way she has conveyed her thankfulness. It also helped that we were each writing thank you letters together. Now as the evening winds down the scent of all the flowers given from the recital wafts through the house in a sweet remembrance of the beauty of the night.

On another note, I read this story this morning and was deeply saddened.

Steven Curtis Chapman 's daughter Maria Sue Chapman died yesterday tragically. She was 5 and was accidentally run over by her teenage brother. She was one of the three girls they had adopted from China and I have loved reading their story and was greatly saddened to hear about this tragedy. My heart goes out to the whole family and my prayers. Below are the lyrics to a song he had written about his daughters and also a video with the song. Also below that video is a video/song about the adoption of his first Chinese daughter. The song is called "When Love Takes You In".


The lyrics to Cinderella

She spins and she sways to whatever song plays,
Without a care in the world.
And I’m sittin’ here wearin’ the weight of the world on my shoulders.
It’s been a long day and there’s still work to do,
She’s pulling at me saying “Dad I need you!
There’s a ball at the castle and I’ve been invited and I need to practice my dancin’
“Oh please, daddy, please!”

So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
‘Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh I will dance with Cinderella
I don’t wanna miss even one song,
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she’ll be gone

She says he’s a nice guy and I’d be impressed
She wants to know if I’d approve of a dress
She says “Dad, the prom is just one week away,And I need to practice my dancin’”
“Oh please, daddy, please!”
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
‘Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don’t wanna miss even one song,
‘Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she’ll be gone
She will be gone.

Well, she came home today
With a ring on her hand
Just glowin’ and tellin’ us all they had planned
She says “Dad, the wedding’s due six months awayAnd I need to practice my dancin’
“Oh please, daddy please!”
So I will dance with Cinderella
While she is here in my arms
‘Cause I know something the prince never knew
Ohh-oh ohh-oh, I will dance with Cinderella
I don’t wanna miss even one song,(even one song)
Cuz all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she’ll be gone

climbing mountains and swimming in lakes

The Lake of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart's core.

We live in the Pacific Northwest in a beautiful little spot of the country where the landscape is lush and green. This week has been busy and hot but BEAUTIFUL. Sometimes I am so used to the lush beauty that I forget how amazing a place I live in. Our little family had a great weekend. Here are some of Tucker's thoughts on it. As I look back on the weekend I am struck by how even if there were some hurried parts of the weekend, there was a lot of slow, and easy living. On Saturday we got up to a sunny day that we new would be hot. We had planned on rock climbing that morning so we gathered our gear, got the bikes out and headed down the river path to the climbing wall. The river paths were beautiful and the canopy of trees up to the rock columns were so verdant and lush. The columns rose up into the blue sky and with the children walking around the base I was struck by how little they were and how big these columns seemed. I am so glad that Tucker is an experienced climber and really safe. I am scared of heights and he taught me how to climb. It is really fun to now watch Lily learn from him. The sun had not hit the rock face yet and the weather was perfect. I was a little worried about how Wilder would be but fortunately my friend Patty stopped by to say hello and played a little. It was a lovely start to our climbing adventures this season.

The day turned out to be a record breaking heat of 94 and we had a small bbq dinner party and yet somehow, thank goodness, managed to be somewhat cool. I was grateful for the evening breezes!

Today we drove to a lake that was less than a half hour away. The weather was not as hot and the lake was relatively calm. Lily, Wilder and Aloysius loved it. Wilder had her first swim and laughed so hard when her feet floated up. Lily braved even the deep cold to swim in the lake. And last, but not least, Aloysius swam to and fro proving that even pugs can be water dogs. On our drive home Tucker and I were talking about how our days of being able to sit and take it in are not where we are right now. We are in the lake and climbing the rocks and loving every moment. Being out in nature was so much fun and again, I was struck by the beauty of this land.

grammar, homeschooling and redeeming/renewing our education

As 2nd grade winds down I have been looking over the last year's curriculum. For grammar we have been going through the Jessie Wise First Language Lessons curriculum from Peace Hill Press. I have to say I have found it to be so excellent! I was talking to a friend about how grammar and math are both foundational systems that you need to learn but can be daunting for educators to teach. Often, in referring to our education, most of us would say we have holes or gaps of things that we don't remember being taught. I think grammar is a weak point for a lot of people so it makes me soooo happy to have such a great curriculum to use. It's clear and simple in its' approach to what could be confusing information. Hopefully it will help me remember grammar rules and I am so excited to have someone else walk us through the diagramming sentences part. Ooo homeschooling education is really such a great opportunity not only for our children but for us to redeem and renew our education.

Barack Obama and the Twilight meet

I didn't get to shake Barack Obama's hand but I got to see him as he got off the bus and then I ran back to where we were all sitting at the Twilight meet to tell everyone he was here. We had been spending a nice afternoon at the track watching a really fun track meet.

Our city is known to be the track capital of the U.S.A. and it is really fun to see the athletes in their races. It was a beautiful sunny day on Friday and we had camped out on the bleachers and were watching the races. I wasn't sure how Wilder would do but then after a half hour or so I confirmed - it is hard to have a one year old on bleachers surrounded by tons of people. She did really good for a while, but we were relieved to find some more family friendly seating at the other side of the field.

The meet was in full swing when we noticed the motorcade and realized that it was most probably Barack Obama's entourage. It passed and although I was excited to see even a small part of it, I was glad that we had decided not to try to bring the kids to a late night rally of 8,000. If Wilder had been older we might have tried it but it was truly too much. So imagine my surprise when he walked onto the track field and started greeting people. It was truly amazing. Tucker had to go back to the car so he and Lily and Wilder headed over to see if they could shake Barack's hand. They actually got to!! Tucker said it was really amazing and fun and Sen. Obama even noticed Wilder in the backpack and commented that she was a beautiful baby. I wish I had been there, but even so, it was fun to hear about it and Lily and Wilder are a part of history in the making. Tucker will be posting some pics and more on his blog soon so check there if you are interested. Here are a few pics from the meet. All I can say is what an amazing night. We were talking about it, as was everyone in the stadium. When we later heard his speech we both remarked on how he truly seems to be a remarkable and gifted speaker. I wonder how these elections will go...these are very exciting times.
Here he is on the screen across the field.

here is Lily looking at him before she got to shake his hand

Here are some pics at the race...

and then the last twilight run for the kids...Lily is closest to me in the green jacket. It's so cool to let the kids run at such a beautiful track.

the work of becoming the mother I wanted

Mother's day is coming upon us and it feels like that with the culmination of end of school activities, and various holidays, this is bringing me up full stop to a thankful position. I am so glad I am a mother. It truly is a dream come true for me from since I was in an orphanage in the Philippine islands. I feel as if some part of my dream, some part of my destiny has happened in the birth of these children and the work I do afterwards will be the testimony to what happens after dreams come true. Life is not just about arriving at a destination, it is about the road we travel to get there. So I say to my dear girls thank you. Thank you for teaching me as I teach you. Thank you for loving me as I love on you. Thank you for optimism and mercy, forgiveness, grace, hugs, kisses and love unending. And thank, oh thank you for the joy you bring. I wanted to write this post to say that this "schoolroom" of mothering is really schooling me. I am stretching and growing and hopefully becoming a better person. I am truly grateful to have this job. It is an amazing opportunity and I constantly am reminded to rise to the challenges that meet me. As I get further along this road I hope that I meet those challenges with grace, love and wisdom. The work of it keeps me humble and grounded. I have had some great conversations lately with some of my people about what being a "good" mother is. I know that for me some of things that I want to do/be for my children is a mother who truly loves her girls as individual people and respects them. That they would be nurtured and encouraged to grow in character, grace, wisdom, love and joy. As I go into this weekend of celebrating mother's I know and love, I pray that I continue to embrace this good work set before me. I am a grateful woman who humbly admits that these girls are my joy even amidst the work of the mundane. So when I feel discouraged or worried I remember how much I worked for this job and how much they need me to be in it with my whole heart and mind. I look forward to hearing from other mothers along the road how they are doing in their work and to be encouraged as we work to be good stewards. I love my girls so much, and pray, pray often, that they will know that amidst all the mundane living. I thank God I am not alone and am daily encouraged to press forward and run the best race I can. To work to become the mother I always wanted.

green and BPA plastics

These were taken yesterday as the late afternoon sun shone across the river. It was a moment of beauty that we stumbled upon and could not leave without noting. Since the race I have been definitely struggling with a bit of a sinus thing but life fortunately/unfortunately carries on.

One thing that has been on our mind is what to do about BPA in plastics in our home. My husband sent me these links which I found helpful.
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/bpa
http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/toxicnation/action/bisphenolfaq.htm
http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/oncompounds/bisphenola/bpauses.htm
Sigg related: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/are-sigg-aluminum-bottles-bpa-free.php

Also a friend of mine in the medical field was also talking about why we should be concerned. I won't go into all the details as you can read it more eloquently in the above links, but if you care about your children's health you need to be informed about this issue. It's not a minor one and really needs to be noted. Amidst so many health concerns it is hard to know what to REALLY pay attention to and this is one to be AWAKE about. Hope it helps you, I feel better after having looked into it. And as I did a sweep through my plastics I almost disposed of my IKEA children's sets but after researching it found they were most probably OK. If you know different let me know, but we concluded it is probably because it is an international company that is far more progressive about health and safety. I don't usually get on a soap box so please forgive me if this is annoying, but it concerns me because I care about my home and the homes of others with little ones - and it is a reminder to be AWAKE about our choices in this life.

running for my girls and grateful for that boy of mine

This weekend was quite a weekend of marathons. We had both my brothers staying with us, Lily's choir performance finale, the 1/2 marathon race and I think I have either got a bad sinus infection or an allergy attack gone wild. It's the beginning of allergy season in the valley and I have always suffered the sneezes, sniffles and runny nose that we call "hay fever". Claritin becomes my best friend and showers to wash off the pollen are numerous. Despite that, it was a fun weekend and I am glad that it is done.

Chronologically the weekend started with my brothers coming into town. They come from Seattle and Connecticut. It was a long haul for both of them. My oldest brother was presenting a paper this weekend. Because of the race I was not able to go but my other brother came down to visit and then go listen to my older brother's paper. We were all tired but it was still good to be able to see each other and touch base in person.

Lily also had a big weekend with her choir performances [the culmination of three months of practicing]
thanks gretchen for the pic

and her one mile run. I think she learned a lot about things she liked and didn't like and learned to push forward with grace, kindness and strength. I was so proud of her for following through and trying her best.
at the beginning of the race
As for me, well, I had one heck of a support team [primarily my dear husband]. He had a lot on his plate with out of town guests and the marathon day. He took on taking the girls to the race [6000 + people], watching Lily in her race, then bringing the girls to watch mine. Not to mention his day started at 4 a.m. - what a man, what a man.
The long and short of this story starts with me and some of my friends at the start of the race. It was freezing at first and then of course got warmer. It was a beautiful day to run a 1/2 marathon. It was cool with the sun shining. As the day continued it got really nice and toasty with soft breezes but during the run it was perfect.
I had on the back of my shirt these two signs [pictured below] and it was an unexpected boost. I mostly put them on as I was trying to remind myself why, WHY, did I sign up for this. I got so much encouragement to "keep running for my girls" that I just couldn't stop and was reminded all through the race what I was running for. I want to live as fully as I can, to be HEALTHY, to be AWAKE and to celebrate the joy that God has brought into my life and to remember to be grateful, allow myself to stand in awe of the blessings, and also to do the work I have been called to do.

At the end of the race Lily came beside me and ran the last 100 yards. It was the coolest to cross the finish line with my girl!

of writing

I am in the midst of my Monday mutterings and am grateful for the quiet the night affords. Wilder did not get a very long nap today so we were all a little topsy turvy. The endearing thing about babies is that even when they are fussing they do want to love on you and be loved. Lily and Wilder were having a sweet morning amidst the school moments in between Latin and Math. Wilder loves to put on shoes and play with remotes and Lily loves to enter in..

Now that we are done with one big project I feel the open, free breath of being able to steer our family towards the mutual goals we desire. We are longing to be out in nature, to embrace the sweet scent of the pines, to run through the grass. This is a time of unrest in our economy and yet it seems that the pleasure of trying to be together as families may be helped by the necessities of frugality. More walks, bike rides, romps in the park.

And I, I seek to find the strands that pull together and adhere to the purposes which I have been working towards. To weave the dreams together that my heart has labored for. I love this quote by Elizabeth Barrett Browning..."Of writing many books there is no end; And I who have written much in prose and verse for others' uses, will write now for mine, -- Will write my story for my better self, As when you paint your portrait for a friend.."

coming home

It's late in the night or early morning whichever way you want to see it. It's been a week. Big sigh, a week. I really have admiration for single parents, especially when they are raising babies/toddlers. Tucker was gone half the week and I felt the weight of carrying the burden of parenting alone. It's not that I didn't have friends to help, it is more that at the end of the day there was no one to share the burden with me. Lily is an amazing help and yet she is only 7 and must be able to be just 7. It left me thanking my lucky stars that this was just a temporary situation. That is not to say there was not fun to be had, I decided to leave the ranch rather than stay put in my usual routine. I headed south to the riverlands and we found sunshine for a few days. Truly, truly coming home was good but seeing my man walk through the door, hearing the girls squeak in excitement and joy - treasure this time, soak it up. I need to recharge in a BIG way, but just to see those few moments was worth the whole week of missing mister. The week, nay even the day that lays before me is full of the things we have been doing: choir performances, soccer, school. It is also the week of my race that I have been training for and also an added bonus, my brothers are coming to visit. My oldest brother is coming to do a conference and so my younger brother [by 8 days - interesting story] is also going to come visit. It will be a full house and lots of activity this next week so off I toddle to bed. I am up late doing some last minute work on a photo session/design moment. It is so fun to steal these moments and create.

organizational drool

I have to admit that this is a season where I am not as organized as I could be, as I want to be. Sooo, when I saw Ali Edwards beautiful and efficient shelf/sewing area

her room, not mine, yet

it inspired me. I have those same shelves and I have been working towards that beauty but not quite there yet, hence, the drool...

living in cars

We started off this morning with a near fire in our house. Luckily that man o' mine is handy and [hopefully] figured things out and we can sleep safe tonight. God bless the men who are smart around the home. It was a CRAZY day, a day with lots of car time. So much car time that I had to take pictures of some of the visiting along the way. Our first car visit was to swing by and do some happy birthday wishing - happy birthday m - LIVESTRONG - we love ya! m is an ordinary girl and yet an extraordinary lover of babies. She is a babywhisper and is always willing to love on you and your children. I thank God for her sweet spirit and hope this year brings her strength, love, faith, adventure and JOY! Wilder was still asleep when we took these pictures and then, boy oh boy, did she wake up with a HOWL! It took a moment before she returned to her rosy self.

Then we were off to a rainy day picnic of sorts with our college friend at the local market. It was a short/medium moment because of the squirly-whirly-baby girl of mine [so squirly she was even asked to model for a photographer], who obviously woke up too soon from her first car nap. Always thinking on my feet we moved the party and all camped out in the car for a few moments to eat cake, drink coffee and finish our visit. Sometimes it is easier to visit when the kids are strapped in and eating cake - sounds barbaric but they look happy don't they?

Here's a pic of me taken by our picnic friend...do you like the most recent evolution of my short hair do? or are you too distracted by the scrumptious cake we were eating. I finished my 15K yesterday and have been just hungry ever since! Good thing I am still running or I wouldn't be able to justify the cake love.

Luckily our day in the car ended with ballet and Wilder climbing on to the chess table. We'll have to get her into the rock gym soon so she can boulder

Out in the pasture, graduating and life in the running lane

Do you know when you have those moments that are clearly a bend in the road, a turn in another direction. That is what happened this week. The road is opening up before us again and I wonder where God might be leading us next.

Last week was one of those weeks where something happened that was really big in our life and yet could pass quickly without much fanfare if you let it. Tucker defended his thesis and in essence has completed his M.B.A. I was so proud of him. This has been a really big undertaking for him, for our family. To go to school while you are working a full time job, to still be present in your personal life, to survive the death of one of your children and then welcome the birth of another all while you labor on this academic project. It truly was a marathon for him, for us - and he did it! Lily and I went to see his defense and it was really a great experience. His thesis was an interesting topic and so relevant [Global supply chains and the Christian's business]. One of my favorite parts was watching Lily play quietly while she listened and then when it came time to ask questions she asked in such a thoughtful way. She said something like this "In chapter two you talked about this ___, what does it mean?" I loved how she referenced a chapter in his thesis and asked the question so confidently. Her father without missing a beat answered back in a language a 7 year old could understand. I watched the men in the room as they interacted and could tell that they were impressed by Lily's maturity and Tucker's patience. Lily got to hear her father speak about business, faith, and life. It was a beautiful moment and I was soooo proud of the two of them. A good father is a blessed thing and so is a loving daughter.

Another of our fun adventures last week was when we were out in the pasture at the grandparent's farm. A new calf had been born so we combined a visit to the farm with the homeschool science lesson. Needless to say the kids loved it especially when they got to ride on the ATV - even Wilder cuddled between the grandparents and being driven verryyy sloooowwwly [for those of you who may be concerned: )].

The cows followed us through the pasture and I began to wonder if they were herding us somewhere. Wilder was very intrigued by the whole thing, while Lily walked around with the confidence of having been around the farm a bit. By the end of the visit Wilder could say Moo. All I can say is homeschooling can be really fun.

oh and what was that reference to life in the running lane....tomorrow is another long run [9.31 if I make through tomorrow's race] and probably in the snow/rain/cold...yikers what am I doing? I'm just hoping this all helps me get through the 13 miles that are coming up soon.

new roads

Sometimes it truly is the little things that are the dreams come true. I loved this last weekend when our family was with another family and we all went on a bike ride. They have two children and we have two and it was great to have them all be able to be on the bike ride. I found that the bike trailer was pretty easy to ride with and Wilder loved it. It truly gives a sense of freedom and the adventure of the open road with the whole family.

even the dog had his day in the sun

10 miles down 13 to go

the girls playing by the creek

Got back yesterday from our weekend in the sun. Now the rain is softly sprinkling down and Lily has told me that she does not need to water the garden pots as it is raining harder every moment that goes by. This weather is such a contrast and that is why you have to grab the sunny moments while you can. So we are starting our homeschool week with the grocery list and the recipe of what Lily wants to make out of the latest library cookbook. Wilder is getting into everything and toddling about happily. Everything is back to normal. I am happy to say that I was able to run the 10 mile race this weekend and finish in the time that I expected or better. It was a nice flat run out 5 with a small hill in the middle and then a flat run back. What I loved was just as my spirits started flagging my friend who had finished before me came back to run the last mile home with me. There's nothing that lifts your spirits like finishing amongst friends. Now I am pretty sure I can make the 13 mile run. It still won't be pretty but it can be done. After that I am going to start training for a triathlon which will balance out the exercise and probably be better for my body. One interesting thought that I had as I began the race was how good it was for me to put myself in a situation where I was being tested. What I mean by that is that we often are asking our children to push themselves to learn and stretch their horizons but we don't often remember to ask ourselves to do that. As I was surrounded by at least a thousand people I was reminded about how small we are in the midst of the many and how it helps us see our common ties to each other and also helps us stand on our own two feet as an individual. I didn't get pics of the race but I got some of this weekend and will post those later.

visiting the yarn store

Here are some pics from this last week highlights are going to the yarn store to visit one of our favorite knitters, going to a little house on a prairie and playing in a creek - the mother has a tradition of drawing people in a certain style for her children so Lily and I asked her to draw our family and then we each colored it in. I loved her whimsical style and how we were able to add to it in our own way. Fun and creative home play..

my versionLily's version - I like hers better

Lily with the artist and her son

new adventures

Hi friends...the sun is SHINING! We are off on our next adventure [which includes my next 10 miles!@#] we'll catch up with you later - carpe diem
xoxo

9 miles on a Tuesday

I am not a runner and yet today I found myself needing to do 9 miles so that I can keep up with the training schedule. Pause...I am not a runner. But in order to survive the 13 miles I will do in a month or less I have to get out there and do it. So, today after our busy day of homeschooling we had an out of town guest and then Tucker came home and I dashed out to go do my run. Tucker suggested I do two loops that would bring me back to the car for a water/snack break. I'm so glad I did because half way through the first loop my nano died. And even before that I was distressed when I realized I had left the nano/nike plus brain at home. That's the part of the nike communicator that tells me how long I have been running, etc. It was all okay because I still had a shuffle in the car and plugged that in for the second loop. Also, it rained so hard for the first loop that by the second loop I decided to change the lenses out of my glasses for the brighter lens. It made it look like a sunny day instead of the grey clouds. I am describing this all to say A) I can't believe I got it done B) if I can do it anyone can C) I don't always want to run these long runs!! But I made it, and I think this weekend I will make the whole 10 miles. I love that after my busy day I still did something so out of the ordinary for me and that I finished in time to meet my knit group girls! Bless the marvelous M for her spread of food and drink, bless the visitingSummer who made chocolate mousse, bless the good chatter and flying stitches.

april showers for Milo

This weekend started in anticipation of the madrina coming for a visit. Madrina means 'godmother' in Spanish. The madrina was coming down to help me and another friend host a shower for our good friend Tessa and her newborn son Milo. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon and we had been working on a home project with Lily and Emma that afternoon. The children were so involved that the afternoon flew and soon it was time to go pick up the madrina. I really have to say that there is rarely a visit with madrina that is not relished by one and all, especially by Lily. She AAAdores her madrina. This was no exception. There was preparing a good meal, lots of laughter and hugs and then eating and talking into the night. That night we also did some prep work for the party the next day. We made a carrot cake using a recipe from a really good cookbook a friend recommended. It was the kind of recipe that was well thought out and all the pros and cons of why you did this or that were discussed. I have to say that after making it and eating the results, it really did live up to the authors' reasoning and I may have to get a copy of the book for myself.

Milo is Tessa's second son. He seems to be a pretty mellow fellow and was fun to visit with. His older brother Owen is a sweetheart and I can see that they will have a good brotherhood. Anyhoo, back to the shower, I wanted to do a chartreuse and white theme. Tessa loves that limey green color and often accents it with oranges and browns. Marvelous M was making tortes, and madrina was making cheese and vegetable plates and Grandma Maryanne was making classic deviled eggs. I had assigned myself the duty of making a cake and providing flowers and the plates. Thanks goodness Target has so many great designers. The plates I found just called out Tessa's color palate and from there I went. What was nice was knowing that all the work to create the food and atmosphere was so that when people came they would be enticed [hopefully] to relax, be refreshed with good drink [M has a great tea/punch] and food and fellowship. These are parties that remind us that history, tradition, celebration, support, encouragement in embarking on a new life is a good thing and that we truly can be thankful in the moment and remember these beautiful lives that we can be a part of. They are gifts from God and truly these moments are once in a lifetime things.

what it really looks like when you have been more inside then outside

This is the current morning temperature around here. It has been a few nice sunny days and I have felt SPRING FEVER! I have been trying to be as creative as possible with working on my various projects whilst my Lily is recovering from her fever/cold. She is at that slightly perky stage and then droop droop droop, and then perky, and then droop droop droop. Wilder and I seem to be holding out fine. We are all washing hands like crazy and reminding the big girl to cough into her elbow.



After many gardens and many years I am figuring out what kind of a garden I would really like to care for. I want an orderly garden with moments of casual chaos. I need a practical setup that allows for low maintenance and yet beauty can still abound. So, in moments of sunnyness I was able to work out in the garden. I planted a lime tree which has two limes already growing and amazing fragrant blossoms. I love the idea of citrus in my northwest garden.


Also much to my husbands chagrin, I made a little kids fort/cottage. I had borrowed a plastic kids "cottage" but it was too bright and too plastic for my little yard. I am not, repeat, NOT a carpenter so when my husband heard me asking him how to take the safety off the saw I could tell he was WORRIED! His fear was understandable because they are major power tools and I do have children toddling about, however, I got everything in order and cut the wood. It reminded me a bit of a Tom Sawyer moment except he would have gotten someone else to do it. I have never built a wood fort so I felt like I was a kid and it looks like a kid did it. It is open and has three sides that are a little cattywampus. Lily rallied enough to try to pound a few nails in and I am sure she will decorate it soon. It sits next to her fairy garden and I can imagine as the weather gets nicer that she and Wilder will be out playing. I'm holding my breath for all my carpenter type friends/husband to tell me how I could have done it better...maybe they will have to one up me and make a really cute cottage for the girls to play with...

Another of my escapades these last few days have been trying to make my minivan into a pickup truck as I haul garden debris back and forth to the local soil place. After I drop off the debris I then pickup the best soil mix I have found. The back of my car has never been so busy.

Last, but not least, a few things that I have seen yesterday that always delight me: barns that look like faces, fields newly tilled and orchards that go on into the distance. The are verdant loveliness.. I also love that on one round of errands I was able to see the farm, drop off garden debris, get soil, a small visit and chocolate mousse from the lovely Tessa, an americano and some chartreuse Euphorbia while we did a group weed w/G & A, and then off to home to make forts.

Lily goes Nancy and Wilder goes Prarie

You can tell we have been quarantined and sick when Lily begins to look like Nancy Drew and Wilder like a Little House on the Prairie waif.....Yikers, the sun is shining and we are trying to rally and get well. So, far Lily is the only one down for the count but Wilder and I are feeling hemmed in and all of us are trying to soak up the sun. Truly though, we are rallying and I think beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have a busy weekend scheduled and so I am downing vitamin C and soaking in vitamin D like nobodies business. The garden is beginning to get some love durin