08 June 2012

GAME OF ROANS

Sam and Roan invented a new game they like to call "Game of Roans"


06 June 2012

BUCKETS

Roan was happily occupied for 3 hours with nothing more than 2 buckets and a well monitored hose.  And so it will be for the whole summer.


BUBBLES

Big thanks to our cousins for Roan's birthday bubble machine.  It makes the back yard effervescent.

Photo Courtesy of Sam Murray

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY


That is all.

04 June 2012

TOP HEAVY

I am well aware that I have been remiss in my blogging duties recently. I've been really busy with this and that, although I can't really tell you what this or that is.  Also I find that I am in a less expressive, possibly more contemplative mode of late.  At a certain point you have said what you have to say for a while. 

As penance for my blogging delinquency, might I tempt you with something completely silly:


26 May 2012

DAISY CHAIN

Saire's a Daisy.  That is, she's a member of Daisy Troop 4147.  The Daisies are the 6 year old version of Girl Scouts and part of their mission is public service and giving back, so they raised money (selling cookies, of course) and got a whole lot of goodies for Extreme Kids.

Saire in her Daisy vest

 My cousin Jamie (aka Saire's mom) bravely offered to host 25 six year old Daisies at a campfire where they presented us with the presents for Extreme Kids in Lula's honor.  I couldn't imagine what it would be like to spend an evening with 25 six year olds, but the weather was perfect so they all just ran around on the lawn and scrambled up the jungle gym.  Six is old enough to let them run feral but young enough that you don't have to worry that they are going to sneak off and smoke cigarettes or something.  It's kind of an enchanting age.

Getting the party started. Photo Courtesy of Sam.

Ronan held up pretty well despite being outnumbered. Photo Courtesy of Sam.

Chillin


I decided to make Girl Scout badges for all the girls, but rather than making them all uniform I wanted each one to be unique.  Extreme Kids had a felting workshop a few weeks ago so I went and made a bunch of felt with some of the kids (and a huge amount of help from the adults since I had to make so many). Then I sewed each into a flower.  I explained to the girls that each one was different and unique and special even if it had flaws in it.  I tried not to sound like a fortune cookie.


Little flowers for the darling Daisies
Detail shot

There were lots of songs and games and then the girls presented us with all of the presents and gave us a plaque that they all signed with a photo of Lula.

Cuteness!








It was all so meaningful and touching and just when you thought it couldn't get any better...
S'MORES


Once sufficiently hopped up on sugar the girls all donned glow-in-the-dark jewelry and ran around with flashlights like giddy fireflies.



 We spent two more days there. Roan literally had the time of his life.  He was beside himself with joy at all the space and toys and cousins.  

Off to play
Photo Courtesy of Sam
Photo Courtesy of Sam
I had a small heart attack every time she did this but she was totally fine
Driving lessons with Grandma Soup*
Dinner with Saire and Dylan. Luca boycotted the kids table.
Bedtime stories with Jamie.
 Roan slept until after 9:00am and took 3 hour naps for two days when we got back he was so exhausted. He couldn't have possibly had a better time.

* We thought Roan was calling my mom Grandma Sue, but one day I realized he actually calls her Grandma Soup, which is far funnier so it stuck.

24 May 2012

A DAY

There is this project that is being done by a Swedish organization wherein they asked anyone and everyone to photograph one single day - May 15, 2012 -  and submit 10 photos with descriptions, keywords etc to help create a worldwide database of images from that one day.  I love this idea for so many reasons so I decided to do it. 

Turns out my day, at least that day, is probably nearly identical to that of every American housewife since the dawn of time.  It was a rainy day filled with cleaning, laundry, errands, and plenty of great little moments with my favorite companion.

If you want you can check out the photos I submitted at the link below.


Really, though, you should check out the site on or after May 30th when everyone's images will be live.  I really can't wait to see what everyone's day was like.