I’m Twee!

My baby turned three and we had a little party to celebrate. Instead of Thomas the Tank Engine or Racecars, it was decided that we would have a Tropical Party, because let’s face it, Mama really wished she were somewhere like this:

...instead of rain and sleet soaked Washington. Uncle Tonton and Auntie Lele were just in a place like this on vacation, and by golly we were HAPPY for them! And by faith we LOVE the damp and cold! Sigh.

So anyway, back to Mr. Zazzy…Here was his cake:

Living vicariously through Mr. Lego

Twee Years Ode... A Big Boy!

The best thing after cake

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Science Fair

Friday before last was our homeschool group's Science Fair. This year was even more fun than last because we talked our friends into joining us and we got to share the evening with them! I also paid more attention than last year because I've agreed to be next year's "Science Fair Lady." Oh my!

Mrs. Holmes passing out awards. Mina's project was about the use of eggs in baking. Her chocolate chip cookies were a big hit with the audience!
LouLou's project was about how water can alter landscape, slowly over time and quickly in a flood. She observed the differences each can make to geography.

Peterman's project was about how the freezing and thawing cycle works to erode different kinds of rocks.

Our friends Noah, Jared, Jeremy and Ethan had a super display on Volcanoes with video footage of some dramatic explosions in the driveway! Having them there made the Science Fair even more fun.

Everyone start planning your projects for next year!!

Fine, Fine, We’re All Fine

While doing a little Saturday morning computer clean-up so it will run faster, I found this piece which I wrote almost exactly two years ago. I'm posting it here today in honor of Zazzy's 3rd birthday. Happy Birthday Dear One! How did we ever manage without you?!

Fine, Fine, We're All Fine

I have a crawler again, moving fast and into everything. And I have the vague feeling of being taken in by a very small and clever con artist. Because, let’s face it, kids get away with so much because they are so darn cute. I don’t know if it’s because we gave him a name starting with Z or because he’s number four or because he’s a redhead, but while a lot of my friends think I must know what I’m doing by now, when I start to hope they might be right, then he looks at me with a very clear expression on his face: “Lady, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Each time when one of my children is at this particular stage and my mood alternating between frustration and adoration I wind up sitting on the couch watching the chaos the crawler is unleashing wondering that God loves us so much. If God is the parent, then I am the one year old pulling dirty forks out of the dishwasher and dropping rubber duckies into the toilet. The beauty of this theology is that it makes Bella our black toy poodle a kind of protective angel, something I’ve always intrinsically known. She stands and watches Zarli from nearby, casting worried glances in my direction. Clearly she feels something must be done about him, but she waits for a divine message from me.

Recently Manuski took a trip to visit his parents on the other side of the world. He was gone for ten days and took our five year old, Mr. P, along. This was by far the longest time I had been separated from P, or any of our four children, but I wanted to make it work, for Manuski’s sake, for his parents and especially for P. I would be fine, I told myself, and did not dwell on how much I would miss him, but instead on what a wonderful adventure he would have with his dad. I was more worried
about how I would do, and decided to fill their absence with a project. Mr. P. had long wanted a jungle room, so while they were packing I secretly gathered paint and rollers. I started to regain my confidence and anticipate their absence.

Friday night the girls and the baby and I dropped them at the airport, stifled our tears and bucked ourselves up with a little retail therapy at Ikea where we found fabulous jungle-y sheets. We filled ourselves with meatballs and lingonberry sauce and ate wild late night frozen yogurt. I can do this, I thought on the drive home, I’ll be fine.

The morning after they had left the girls and I were in Zazzy’s room, enjoying the morning sunshine and waking up together. After a few minutes of togetherness, Zazzy crawled out into the hallway with Mina following a moment later. She came back to inform me the dog had pooped in the hallway. There followed a very long moment in which it all registered. Dog poop in hallway. Baby crawling in hallway.
Baby unaware that dog poop is to be Something to Be Avoided. Of course it was too late, and the moments that followed rocketed to the top of the list of Most Repulsive Moments of my motherhood. The clothes came off the baby, the screaming naked baby went under the faucet, the Lysol went all over the hallway floor with good intentions of a chemical-free home lost in the moment. Somewhere between the screaming wet baby and the Lysol the phone rang. It was Manuski of course, calling to say they had arrived safely. Mina answered the phone and greeted her father. I thought very hard in her direction: “Don’t bother telling him about about the…”

Her business-like ten year old voice said, “Well, she’s kind of busy right now. Bella pooped in the hallway and Zazzy crawled through it.”

A Home for Every Fairy

In early spring we put out the birdhouses for the birdies returning from the south and we build Fairy Houses for the fairies that will visit our garden. Inspired by this book we started making them a couple of years ago...it's a peaceful outdoor activity on fine but chilly-ish days. Here are some pictures for you.

A spacious cottage near the wall with an elegant stone walkway.

A teepee style abode with plush green carpeting and a waiting bed and pillow.An airy treehouse with view over the apple tree and surrounding domains.

Some Days We Do Our Math

Lest it seem like all we do around here is crafting and chicken chasing, let this photo testify, some days we just do our schoolwork. This day we also cleaned the house and did nothing creative.