Mother's Day

I hope all the mother's out there had a fantastic day.  Happy Mom's Day mom! (I know you got the card, but a blog shout out can't hurt.)

I had a splendid Mom's day weekend. Smith took part in one of the kid's classroom's dad's camping trips (lots of possessives there.) So the boys were gone from Friday afternoon until Sunday.  So I was home. alone. in my own house. with no one to cook for, clean up after or schedule my day around. (except the cat. We named her Hermione, by the way.)

What I did:
-ran 2 errands for Smith, one of which was get his car inspected - I wasn't feeling lucky.
-bought a pair of shoes.
-went to see Jane Eyre.
-Drank 1 margarita. (it's been close to 5 years since I've had a rita. why? I don't know.)
-Stayed up late watching Downton Abbey.
-Went for an open water swim
-Went for a bike ride
-Painted my toenails
-Bought pre-cut, pre-chilled, perfectly ripe splendid watermelon. and ate it.
-Went to a friend's party with just us camping widow mom's and we tried really hard to not talk about our kids or what our husbands were doing (or not doing) while supervising hoards of children. Stayed up late talking and drinking ginger mojitos.
-Apparently slept in the next day. I woke to feed the cat and lay down again only to wake up what felt like moments later to my people coming in the front door after noon. yawn.

I also had a moment of nostalgia for my very first mother's day, 8 years ago. I walked up the hill to the pool and went for a swim by myself. It was the first time I had gone anywhere without Nbear. (that was a long 4 months.) And it was a great swim. On the walk back down the hill a boy had set out a table and was selling bouquets of lilacs from their lilac bush. I don't think flowers ever smelled sweeter.

Love to all, especially those who make us mothers.

Christmas tree and spirit abound!

This year we took the leap (plunge?) to fake tree. Today is the day set aside to install her. Who knew that would involve rearranging our entire living room? That is what is occurring before my very eyes as I sit, resting on my sofa perch. I have a saintly husband. He may not always effuse a fountain of holiday spirit, but his wielding a vacuum, rearranging rugs, swapping out chairs and sorting musical instruments is just that. Thank you my dear!

Spring Has Broken

I know it is old news now, but before Spring's first hurrah, we had a touch of winter's last hurrah: snow. Giant fluffy flakes that didn't immediately melt upon landing and lasted all day. Tiny snowmen sprung up all over town. [double-click the pic to see the flakes. otherwise this picture is entirely unimpressive snow-wise, I know.]

And then Spring Break was upon us and we celebrated at the Kite Festival (mere days following the snow, I got a tiny sunburn...)

Here's Smith's vintage 1970s kite.

The boys working the strings.

And then we embarked on the *perfect* camping trip. It was not crowded. It wasn't too far away. The days were warm, in the upper 60s. The nights were cool, in the 40s. We remembered all the fixings for s'mores. There were no bugs. No fire ants. No rain or flash floods. No trips to the ER. No rocks under the tent. We could see stars. We could hear the rush of the river below.

We have a new thing in our house.
Those who know us well are really tired of me talking about the sofa because:
a) we are indecisive. (should we get the current one recovered or buy new?)
b) we are spending adverse. (this will make 6 posts in that category)
c) I'm married to an architect. Whereas for most couples there is usually only ONE person who has a strong opinion about things like upholstery, we have two. So there has been a lot of time going to look at them and then sit on them and fingering fabrics. and not coming to an agreement.

so we've been talking about it for at least the last 4 years. Even my mom was astonished when I told her. She doesn't say "Oh...my...gawd" very often.


But our old dear finally bust a seam and was spilling her guts. Here she is in better days.

Not one to let things go (see our walk-in closet) we threw a blanket over her and retired her upstairs to the reading nook. I guess that's the "old folks home" for furniture. Maybe someday she'll get a new coat.  In the meantime, we lounge on this lovely.

She looks so non-chalent, so perfectly matched, that you almost don't notice her.

I suddenly feel like a cat will be landing on our cosmic doorstep before long. this sofa looks too pristine....

Easter Post. Before summer hits.

It's a busy week but instead of procrastinating on youface I thought I should post the Easter bits before it's summer and no one wants to see my eggs.

See my eggs? In their edible chocolate nest? With the scary off-putting green sugar grass? It couldn't all turn out picture perfect. But the coconut, pistachio and chocolate eggs couldn't have been cuter.

Here are some urchins wandering through our weeds scouting out eggs.

Apparently Jbird realizes that all good holidays center around candy and donned a Halloween costume.



Inspecting the haul.




Finding a brand new thing to do with our brand new "pond." It's not much more than a fancy big bucket sunk into the ground, but it has plans. In the meantime, it floats the Easter Egg Boats.

Hope ya'll had a good one.

When you are married, every day is Valentine's Day

Let me start out by saying that I love this man:




Our heart day started like a charm: valentine card exchanges, candy, leisurely reading of the paper, ricotta pancakes (specially worked into heart shapes) and then a decision for a family hike. ah.

We started the hike in calm 63 degree weather. About 5 minutes into the hike, things changed dramatically: winds kicked up big time and it dropped to somewhere in the 40s (confirmed once we made it back to the wind-free interior of the car.) I'm just really glad that it didn't dump rain onto us.

Upon returning home, Smith noticed that our makeshift greenhouse had succumbed to the wind and was fluttering away. He suited up to tackle the repairs while I started dinner. (late.) Just as Smith steps back inside, I'm adding some boxed broth to one of the 3 things I've got working on the stove and squoosh! I squeeze too hard and broth pours all over everything, including down INTO the knobs of the stove, thereby causing them to repeatedly short out and start to smoke... Smith is the quick thinker and bolts upstairs to throw the breaker. Thus begins the emergency fix of our dinner making mechanisms with q-tips, a hair dryer and the extraction of the oven from the cabinet... The kids are at this point, hungry, cranky and interested in the repairs. Grown-ups are grouchy. I think, this is the time for a movie! So I set down to get things set up for them to watch on my computer. Uh-oh. Old disk won't come out. Uh-oh. Computer won't shut down. Uh-oh. Computer won't turn off. Unplugged. Uh-oh, computer won't start up. Uh. Oh.

Smith sees my dismay and leaves me to tackle the rest of dinner in the microwave and the newly shoved back in oven while he addresses the much-feared "black screen" which is now the only thing the computer will display.

Dinner turned out pretty good considering, but I will admit to being afraid to start the dishwasher afterwards...

Ahem. It's 2010.

Yes. Well Thanksgiving is well behind us now, isn't it? Breezed right through the holidays with nary a post. And I've made a small, teeny tiny, resolution to blog weekly. (I can't really call that a resolution because I think a resolution is meant to improve oneself... okay, well, hmm... but blogging inspires reflection, a moment to study the inner workings of my self and my life around me.) Okay. screw it. It's a bona fide resolution. You'll see it in the sidebar.

So!

The kids are back to school today and I was a little sad to see them go. (I know!) We were all getting into a good groove of getting along and doing groovy stuff. I can't even say that I was tired of the Legos (and believe-you-me, there was a heck of a lot of Lego's happening in my world...)

We spent most of the holiday here, seeing the full cycle of our tree from happy new spruce to needle-dropping fire hazard.





Chritmas morning saw the consumption of the annual Welsh cookies (a family tradition of my Polish & German ancestors...)





Here is Smith about to open the first present that I ever rushed out to buy on Christmas Eve, 10 minutes before the store closed. Can you guess what it is?




Nope! Wasn't these. These socks I had for a good month before Christmas.




Dad said dessert required a torch!




Still guessing? A mandolin.





We did head south to see my folks and my brother and his family and we had a splendid time. Even made some pierogis. (ours were the mashed potato and cheese filled variety. with the usual amounts of butter and onions.)

The boys, in their usual upside down position, at my brother's house.




My mom's splendid mantle piece.



Scenes from our hike, where the signs warned us of alligators. I'm sure they were hibernating, (right?) but I still couldn't let Jaybird out of sight. Reminded me too much of one my favorite bumper stickers: "do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup."



What's a hike without a stick?





Baba made them work for their gifts.





I'm pretty sure that was an entire spool of curly ribbon.




This one's all net!





To ring in the new year we hosted a completely impromptu, last minute get together. Only 2 families showed up. (okay. maybe we only managed to call 3 families altogether...) but we had splendid time. My friend vetmomma brought me lemon curd and meyer lemons from her tree! When friends give you lemons, make lemon tarts.



Happy New Year Ya'll!
see you next week.

Was it really that long ago?

This week has seen a temperature shift. It is chilly, overcast, rainy. And that means I'm baking and making soups. I wish my family loved soup as much as I do.


So it seems odd to look back at these pictures to a warmer time. With sunshine, shorts and sandals, sans socks.

The boys spent a morning preparing a tea party - denuding the yaupon holly bush of red berries, smashing them, mixing with water, straining and then serving.




I just liked this one. This boy has a sweeeeet tooth.



Ghoul & The Gang





Previous years we treated (because who tricks anymore?) with friends in a "planted" neighborhood. (i.e. we sugar-careful parents selected healthy treats to leave at the neighbors' houses for when we came to the door. granola bars, pretzels and nuts galore... It's really all about the process of costumes and friends, right? right? I haven't damaged my children irreparably?) This year it was full-on door to door chocolate. And as they lorded over all that they conquered, I was astonished at my candy repertoire; there were literally dozens of different types of packages of candy before me and I could identify with complete accuracy and clarity the contents of each; deftly singing "sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. almond joys got nuts, mounds don't."





The boys have had the habit lately of picking up the camera to capture something to remember, so when I dump the camera bits onto the computer I am met with several shots of something unexpected, like this playdoh turtle. I wonder if she had a name.




And speaking of remembering things, In Nbear's class they set up an altar for Dia de los Muertos, the day to celebrate and remember those who have died. I decided we should have our own altar at home.



Contents:
Photo of Grandma Hubbell at the beach
Photo of Me & Bruno in San Diego
Photo of Betsy & Bailey
Photo of Grandpa Alden
A postcard from Salt Springs because it is near Quaker Lake where my Great Aunt Mabel and Uncle Gene lived in the summers
Lilies because Betsy liked them, in her crystal vase
A trivet from Grandma Hubbell
A paintbrush from Grandpa Alden's workbench
Bruno's purple leash
Lace doilies from somewhere in my family
A tin of guava paste, scavenged from Betsy's pantry
A cup from my great Aunt Ann and Uncle Dick for me when I was born
A small dish of pine nuts for Betsy because she really liked them (the squid ink that she was always searching for to make black pasta was respectfully in absentia, because I can't find it either...)
And marigolds, because that is traditionally part of the Day of the Dead altar and they are growing in my garden.

My Year So far....

I've given up using shampoo, going full-tilt dirty hippie.

(Sinda may have a pit-stick making party soon too. We're in this stink together. It's just a matter of time before Lisa succumbs. peer pressure baby!)


AND

I've bought myself a $50 toothbrush.

Because apparently I didn't get the memo. Everyone I encounter lately is using one.



***************************


We also had a nice holiday with lots of snow at the mountains of Nana & Papa. Smith and Nbear worked diligently on a very elaborate, multi-leveled, tunneled, throned, snow fort. It even had a roof in places. I hear snowballs were tossed. We did get to ski a little bit, and not just down the driveway...




We hacked down our own tree and hauled it back down the hill (yeah. that looks like a hill...) on a sled. It was a perfect tree.



We watched the snowplow clear the driveway. Often.




Gingerbread houses were made (and picked at by little fingers.)




We were invaded by Christmas-themed bug boys.




Happy New Year Ya'll!


.

A little from Column A, A little from Column B

A+) Nbear lost his two front teeth and just in time for Christmas! My, how many times have we heard that song? Not nearly enough! How often does that work out -- both front teeth AND Christmas?! It's like Jupiter & Venus aligning! (didn't ya'll see that?)

A-) When Nbear lost the first front tooth - it left the root bud behind. Firstly, I didn't realize just how absolutely positively squeamish I am about a loose tooth. I could barely look at him with it just dangling there. Then he lost the tooth, but the root was not quite ready so it left a "bloody stump" behind. Oh yeah. There were no night-time kisses for awhile. until it... just dissolved...



B+) Lisa came to visit for the grand spanking opening of Mr. Craig's latest adventure in well-tailored white pants! And I got to shake things up with Sinda and smack some things down with Dawn. No picture could capture the WHOMP! of that rolling pin crushing ice for drinks. It still scares me.




B-) I missed getting to go see the new Bond movie with Lisa (and the 18 other people who almost got kicked out the movie theatre because of those lovely white pants) as I was Blogging From Bed with the flu. Both Smith & I were kaput. The children however were fine. We woke up blearly and neither could summon the effort that it would take to get the children off to school and out of our hair. So they stayed home. Here's what I vaguely remember thinking that day:

- it's really really windy

- there sure are a lot of naked people selling stuff in dwell. it's a shelter magazine, does sex really sell everything?

- how much wind would it take to blow something off of the house

- spaced (the british TV series) is the best thing to watch while ill with the flu

- metal roofs are noisy

- i wish we could actually watch spaced but the children are around

- sesame sticks do not smell good on someone else's breath. ever.

thankfully the children, those self-sufficient marvels that they are, kept to themselves (for the most part, there was that run in with the sesame stick breath). They fed themselves and took every single multiple-pieced toy apart and played the heck out of it. missing (oh thank the heavens) was the flooding, the shampoo abuse, the toilet paper wasting and the rock writing on the car events of the last two months. There was one moment of silence though, it must have been 2 minutes long but Smith and I simultaneously popped our heads up listen. ??? and then back to playing it was. and to sleep. ah.



C+) Jbird wore this bucket on his head for an entire day. It fit him perfectly. I have no idea where it came from. On the other side, it read "Sol." N decided that J's face needed some extra flare with markers to finish the look. Who else looks this good with a bucket on their head?



C-) There is no minus to looking this cute with a bucket on your head.




D+) I got to see the babies! My beloved nieces and nephew are sofa king adorable. 7 lbers now too! How awesome is that?!

D-) I didn't actually get to touch the babies. I was over the flu, but was coming down with a cold. Drat! Uncle Tommy & Aunt Lynne were the best though - they loaded up and brought those little buggers over so we could at least peer at them through the back of the sneeze-guard back window. Did you know that 3 baby car seats can fit into the back of an extended cab Chevy pickup? Now you know. Jbird & Nbear got hoisted up into the bed of the truck to peer through at the sleeping wonders. J looks up with big eyes and proclaims: "WHOA! That's a lot of BABIES!" tail on the donkey that one.


E+) We sold our old house! Yeah! One less mortgage to pay. One less electric bill. One less everything! And new neighbors!

E-) They finally finished building the warehouse that backs up behind our fence at the new house. The parking lot lights are... how shall we say... flood-lighty?


F+) Thanksgiving!! One more year that I wasn't responsible for the bird. My dad, of course, as usual, was on the mark with the bird. I tried to help with the side dishes and the pie, but my mom is the master. I think I just got in the way. The best part of the Thanksgiving meal for me actually comes the next morning. I have pie for breakfast. And nobody tries to stop me!

My mom also sets a mean table.



I think my family is a tiny bit japanese.






F-) My dad gets jipped because his birthday is on Thanksgiving. So he bakes the bird and then has to blow out the candles (oh, and we didn't even have those) on the pumpkin pie. Sorry dad.


G+) I found Tina!
G-) I found her on Facebook.